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- Oct 1, 2007
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Papal Chambers,
Torrence
Sacred Kingdom of Solaren
Even the fires of hell did not burn intensely as Urban’s anger as he ripped to shreds another international paper, a raw and unrestrained growl escaping his mouth. The whole situation had spiraled out of control. What had started as a means to demonstrate Solaren’s might and power had become a global game of interstate-chicken. Although he had sanctioned the initial flurry of barbs between SOlaren and the Nicosians, he was not aware of the content and a fanatical junior staff member in Church Office for Foreign Interaction had decided to demonstrate his flair for dramatic rhetoric. Unfortunately, he could not disavow them nor could he back down. In fact Urban had decided to raise the stakes, hoping Nicosia would back down in humiliation. Instead, it only got worse.
The communists to the South so far were the only ones willing to back down and any other time Urban would have launched a full blown propaganda effort glorifying Solaren while exposing Carentania as the cowards they were. Sadly, events dictated he focus on more the rapidly detoriating situation. His attempts to extort the Council of Nations, which was his attempt to end the situation peacefully, had gone down in flames as a resolution.
The Solaris Pope paced back and forth, his mind working furiously to find a solution to the crisis or another way forward. As of right now there were only two choices: War with the world, or the Nicosians backed down. He needed another option. And perhaps one might present itself. After all the Nicosians had yet to respond to his speech and the demands within it. He couldn’t count on it.
He stopped the pacing, his feet pliantly firmly in the ground as his eyes, hidden behind the Papal Mask glared out the elegant window of his chambers towards Torrence. The capital city of Solaren was a beautiful one, and the only city that contained actual wealth and splendor in the Sacred Kingdom. With its rolling hills, mountainous ridges filled with elegantly designed mansions, buildings and the likes it was worthy of capital to an aspiring world power. That beauty stopped at the city limits.
The center of Solaren was a repulsive pit of mines and dormant industrial centers which had fallen into neglect under the reign of previous Popes. Urban’s popularity was through the roof after he had begun to reactive Solaren’s slumbering industrial capacity but, it would take money and know-how to bring them roaring back to life. Money he could not attempt to raise from foreign investors now because he was too busy duking it out with the international community.
This has to end, and soon…
The white-robed Pope took several steps forward and came within inches of the widow’s glass. The mask reflecting eerily, hovering like a translucent ghost over the city. A twisted grin dawned on his face as a plan formed in his head.
The players in the crisis had travelled the well-worn path of escalation. Solaren would say something or do something, the international community would respond in kind, Solaren would respond back, etc, etc. The game couldn’t continue at this pace. He needed to go all in, and do more than just raise the spectre of war.
The same way his ghostly image had hovered over the city through the glass, his face would hover over Europe. His name, and the concept of terror would forever be linked. If the Nicosians and their pawns did not back down he would let loose the war hounds upon all of Europe. But, Solaren doesn’t play by the rules and any conflict would be long lasting, devastating, and leave the souls of Europe corrupt for even baring witness to the horrors to come.
Barking for the presence of an aide, he turned swiftly. His seemingly glided across the chamber and to his black stained, wooden desk. The flustered coterie of aides waited for his command and he gave it without hesitation, “Assemble the military leadership. The EDF doesn’t want to back down, and that’s fine. I’ll cut off their heads, their bodies will crumble and then we’ll stomp on their corpses until they are splattered, bloodless pieces of cold flesh.”
If the aides were sickened they didn’t dare convey it. “And how do we do that Your Incredible Holiness? Something like that would take extensive military capabilities, something I don’t know if we –“
Urban placed his finger on the aides’ lips, silencing him instantly. An insidious tone oozed from the Pope’s whispered explanation “You would be right under normal circumstances. But, they’ve given us an opportunity, undoubtedly the work of God. If their pride prevents them from bowing to my demands, we’ll take advantage of that opportunity and the whole world will weep and cry because in their hearts they will know a new era has dawned… mine and there won’t be a God damn thing they could do about it.”
OOC: I caution that this is not a war thread, although there’s a good chance it will. I think while this crisis has been great, what’s going on in the governments throughout Europe is something I think we are all keen to read about. So let’s see where that goes.
Torrence
Sacred Kingdom of Solaren
Even the fires of hell did not burn intensely as Urban’s anger as he ripped to shreds another international paper, a raw and unrestrained growl escaping his mouth. The whole situation had spiraled out of control. What had started as a means to demonstrate Solaren’s might and power had become a global game of interstate-chicken. Although he had sanctioned the initial flurry of barbs between SOlaren and the Nicosians, he was not aware of the content and a fanatical junior staff member in Church Office for Foreign Interaction had decided to demonstrate his flair for dramatic rhetoric. Unfortunately, he could not disavow them nor could he back down. In fact Urban had decided to raise the stakes, hoping Nicosia would back down in humiliation. Instead, it only got worse.
The communists to the South so far were the only ones willing to back down and any other time Urban would have launched a full blown propaganda effort glorifying Solaren while exposing Carentania as the cowards they were. Sadly, events dictated he focus on more the rapidly detoriating situation. His attempts to extort the Council of Nations, which was his attempt to end the situation peacefully, had gone down in flames as a resolution.
The Solaris Pope paced back and forth, his mind working furiously to find a solution to the crisis or another way forward. As of right now there were only two choices: War with the world, or the Nicosians backed down. He needed another option. And perhaps one might present itself. After all the Nicosians had yet to respond to his speech and the demands within it. He couldn’t count on it.
He stopped the pacing, his feet pliantly firmly in the ground as his eyes, hidden behind the Papal Mask glared out the elegant window of his chambers towards Torrence. The capital city of Solaren was a beautiful one, and the only city that contained actual wealth and splendor in the Sacred Kingdom. With its rolling hills, mountainous ridges filled with elegantly designed mansions, buildings and the likes it was worthy of capital to an aspiring world power. That beauty stopped at the city limits.
The center of Solaren was a repulsive pit of mines and dormant industrial centers which had fallen into neglect under the reign of previous Popes. Urban’s popularity was through the roof after he had begun to reactive Solaren’s slumbering industrial capacity but, it would take money and know-how to bring them roaring back to life. Money he could not attempt to raise from foreign investors now because he was too busy duking it out with the international community.
This has to end, and soon…
The white-robed Pope took several steps forward and came within inches of the widow’s glass. The mask reflecting eerily, hovering like a translucent ghost over the city. A twisted grin dawned on his face as a plan formed in his head.
The players in the crisis had travelled the well-worn path of escalation. Solaren would say something or do something, the international community would respond in kind, Solaren would respond back, etc, etc. The game couldn’t continue at this pace. He needed to go all in, and do more than just raise the spectre of war.
The same way his ghostly image had hovered over the city through the glass, his face would hover over Europe. His name, and the concept of terror would forever be linked. If the Nicosians and their pawns did not back down he would let loose the war hounds upon all of Europe. But, Solaren doesn’t play by the rules and any conflict would be long lasting, devastating, and leave the souls of Europe corrupt for even baring witness to the horrors to come.
Barking for the presence of an aide, he turned swiftly. His seemingly glided across the chamber and to his black stained, wooden desk. The flustered coterie of aides waited for his command and he gave it without hesitation, “Assemble the military leadership. The EDF doesn’t want to back down, and that’s fine. I’ll cut off their heads, their bodies will crumble and then we’ll stomp on their corpses until they are splattered, bloodless pieces of cold flesh.”
If the aides were sickened they didn’t dare convey it. “And how do we do that Your Incredible Holiness? Something like that would take extensive military capabilities, something I don’t know if we –“
Urban placed his finger on the aides’ lips, silencing him instantly. An insidious tone oozed from the Pope’s whispered explanation “You would be right under normal circumstances. But, they’ve given us an opportunity, undoubtedly the work of God. If their pride prevents them from bowing to my demands, we’ll take advantage of that opportunity and the whole world will weep and cry because in their hearts they will know a new era has dawned… mine and there won’t be a God damn thing they could do about it.”
OOC: I caution that this is not a war thread, although there’s a good chance it will. I think while this crisis has been great, what’s going on in the governments throughout Europe is something I think we are all keen to read about. So let’s see where that goes.
