Pelasgia
Established Nation
Nikaia, Free Polity of Pierrheia, Carian Confederacy
From its seat atop a hill at the very heart of Old Nikaia, the Despotic Palace, also known as the Palace of the Conqueror, stood out like the crown atop the head of a sovereign. Across the entire Nikaian skyline, only one other dome surpassed the Palace's: that of the Patriarchal Cathedral of Hagia Pronoia (Divine Providence), whose piers were said to be able to hold up to 10,000 faithful. By contrast, the dome of the Despotic Palace appeared rather tame; it had one significant advantage, however: its beautiful gilded dome, atop which stood a spire topped by a statue of the Virgin Mary, Panagia as the Carians called her, the city (and Caria's) patron.
Inside the Palace, right under the dome, stood a massive equestrian statue to the Palace's namesake: Anaxander the Conqueror, father of the the Pelasgian Nations, King of Pierrheia, father of Attalus the Besieger, the founder of the Nicene Empire. The statue's bronze shone under the light of the hundred windows lining the surface of the tower under the dome; its surface reflected the coats of arms of all Pierrheain Dynasties, as well as those of the two other Pelasgian Nations Anaxander's descendants and heirs, the diadochi, had founded: @Aresura and @Cyrene.
It was fitting, then, that, following a reception at the great hall housing the statue, First Archon Notaras would receive the leaders of the two other Pelasgian nations in the adjoining room, which once served as the Privy Council chambers of the Nicene monarchs. There was, of course, no better person for that role other than Ioannes Notaras--he was, by ancient right and by a claim recognised by most Pierrheians and other Carians, the rightful Despot of Nikaia and Monarch of Pierrheia. A tall order to meet, given the credentials of his predecessors and judging by the statue just behind him--and yet, one that guided his every move. As his gaze veered off toward the empty throne at the edge of the great hall, he caught himself and focused on the task at hand. "The purple is a matter of actual power, not of apparent formalities," his father, the late Soterios Notaras, had always said.
Ioannes readied himself, and not a moment too soon--the two Sebastokratores had arrived. In the midst of all the fanfare and the ceremonial celebrations to mark their arrival, Notaras went over the greet them and welcome them to, what was after all, his home. "Welcome, Your Excellencies," he said. "I hope you had a pleasant flight?"
After these pleasantries were dispensed with, he would guide them to the Privy Council chambers and sit them down to begin by outlining his hopes and desires for this meeting. Nonetheless, he hoped to evaluate the mutual chemistry of the other two leaders first; the Aresuroi and the Kyrenes were, by general admission, anything but friends. Moreover, they were quite distinct from their more distant cousins who had remained in the native land of the Pelasgians almost a millenium after Anaxander's demise. This was a rather peculiar family gathering; that much was certain.
From its seat atop a hill at the very heart of Old Nikaia, the Despotic Palace, also known as the Palace of the Conqueror, stood out like the crown atop the head of a sovereign. Across the entire Nikaian skyline, only one other dome surpassed the Palace's: that of the Patriarchal Cathedral of Hagia Pronoia (Divine Providence), whose piers were said to be able to hold up to 10,000 faithful. By contrast, the dome of the Despotic Palace appeared rather tame; it had one significant advantage, however: its beautiful gilded dome, atop which stood a spire topped by a statue of the Virgin Mary, Panagia as the Carians called her, the city (and Caria's) patron.
Inside the Palace, right under the dome, stood a massive equestrian statue to the Palace's namesake: Anaxander the Conqueror, father of the the Pelasgian Nations, King of Pierrheia, father of Attalus the Besieger, the founder of the Nicene Empire. The statue's bronze shone under the light of the hundred windows lining the surface of the tower under the dome; its surface reflected the coats of arms of all Pierrheain Dynasties, as well as those of the two other Pelasgian Nations Anaxander's descendants and heirs, the diadochi, had founded: @Aresura and @Cyrene.
It was fitting, then, that, following a reception at the great hall housing the statue, First Archon Notaras would receive the leaders of the two other Pelasgian nations in the adjoining room, which once served as the Privy Council chambers of the Nicene monarchs. There was, of course, no better person for that role other than Ioannes Notaras--he was, by ancient right and by a claim recognised by most Pierrheians and other Carians, the rightful Despot of Nikaia and Monarch of Pierrheia. A tall order to meet, given the credentials of his predecessors and judging by the statue just behind him--and yet, one that guided his every move. As his gaze veered off toward the empty throne at the edge of the great hall, he caught himself and focused on the task at hand. "The purple is a matter of actual power, not of apparent formalities," his father, the late Soterios Notaras, had always said.
Ioannes readied himself, and not a moment too soon--the two Sebastokratores had arrived. In the midst of all the fanfare and the ceremonial celebrations to mark their arrival, Notaras went over the greet them and welcome them to, what was after all, his home. "Welcome, Your Excellencies," he said. "I hope you had a pleasant flight?"
After these pleasantries were dispensed with, he would guide them to the Privy Council chambers and sit them down to begin by outlining his hopes and desires for this meeting. Nonetheless, he hoped to evaluate the mutual chemistry of the other two leaders first; the Aresuroi and the Kyrenes were, by general admission, anything but friends. Moreover, they were quite distinct from their more distant cousins who had remained in the native land of the Pelasgians almost a millenium after Anaxander's demise. This was a rather peculiar family gathering; that much was certain.