Breaking Bread & Orthodoxy

[Allegian Republic]

It is often forgotten the power that presiding over fanatical followers could bring. How many heads of states can summon their citizens to strap on bombs and throw themselves into hordes of foreign civilians? How many head of states could wave away the pains and suffering of the poor and hungry as the work of the Devil? It was a power that Urban possessed, and one he had no hesitation in using. However, if the power of fanaticism was often forgotten, the downsides of it were all too obvious. It provoked a certain rigidity that often clashed with the best interests of Solaren’s foreign and internal ambitions. After all what self-respecting economic power would wish to invest in or trade with a nation committed to its destruction.

This conundrum had dogged many would be Papal Emperors from the Great Schism and the subsequent birth of the Solaris Faith. Urban though, refused to bow to the failures of his predecessors. He had already sought out ways to blunt the will of the religiously fervent. One of his actions was already proving wildly successful: distracting them with the gluttony of the Church’s leadership and Urban’s efforts to purge the now infamous beneficiaries of corruption that manifested itself in every corner of the Solaren government. Yet, minds do wander and it would take many more grand schemes to prevent the fanatics from choking Urban’s ambitions like an overgrown, deranged serpent.

He found an unlikely source for a new source of deceit in greater Europe. Over the past week trouble had been brewing everywhere in Batavie, Vangala, Carentania and more. In each of those brewing storms there were at least two sides, and it was his hope that in one of these international incidents he could extract resources from the factions by promising Solaren’s support… whatever that would entail. Unfortunately engaging in background deals like this would provoke the ire and fury of the true believers and he had no intention of doing that. So he had sent out a message covertly to government of Warr which was involved in some sort of territorial dispute with Batavie. If all went and an unwritten agreement was struck he would move quickly to insert himself in the Vangalan-Sinihese dispute and strengthen his hand. Europe possessed a rich history of nations with opposing values engaging in cooperation for strategic gain, the Pope hoped history would serve as a strong incentive to the representative of Warr he would speak with this afternoon.

The foreign delegation had been basically smuggled into Solaren’s territorial waters, and then guided to the Papal Retreat which was under even stricter security conditions than normal. It was more than preventing the masses of Torrence from gazing upon foreigners and allowing the rumor mill to kick up. It was also to present an image of a strong Solaren, not the decaying monstrosity it would resemble if his plans did bare fruition. Holding the meeting in the elaborate golden palace might help guard against the country’s weaknesses and allow him to negotiate stronger concessions.

He awaited the arrival of the foreign delegation which was seconds away. They had been taken through the richly lit corridors, guided by imposing Papal Guards. His eyes twitched with devious anticipation behind the Papal Mask as the doors opened and the delegation entered the audience chamber. There Urban sat on his elevated white throne, the back of which was a brilliant white Cross while two cauldrons of orange fire waved menacingly to his sides. There below him was a table where the delegation could sit. It was dramatic, and the stuff of Hollywood villains not most diplomatic meetings. But, Solaren had attained a reputation for medieval brutality. Urban saw no reason to discourage that image. He gestured to the table, “Please have a seat, we have much to discuss.” It would not be impossible for them to detect in his voice the sinister smirk that lay beneath his mask.

 

[Warre]

Arch-Diuc Kendrick Ui Clann Fergus was a man who was a pure dichotomy. A man of faith, who's family had never invested in faith before- he was at the same time wholely practical. A man who was a fervently attuned to his faith- that of Solaren Catholicism, he was a man who put the efforts of his clann and Kingdom before the concerns of his faith, more often than naught. As likely to be in the fields tilling or tending cattle as he was to be in the fields of Politick or Preaching as a Bishop of his nation's Solaren Catholicism diocese should, he was a man who was attuned to his faith, but firmly Warreic beyond that.

So despite coming to the holy land of his faith, he presented himself as Warreic. His deep red-brown hair long, braided in places in the way of the old ones, his forehead was marked with the dark blue and deep orange-brown of woad and ochre, intermeshed to make a triskele, the symbol of the An Lyric Orthodox Church, and more often than not- Warre. Dressed in simple clothes of a traveler, though much of it was the cloth of his people, the Solaren Catholicism favored crusader's cross was upon his neck, swaying with every step.

He held no fear as he saw the papal guards, and as he totted a claymore [as was a long lost tradition of his people for regal visits], he displayed it with a wild and fervent grin. They might know him as the Bishop of the Stormmaigh diocese, and while he was faithful in the canon of Solaren Catholicism, he was more fervently faithful to his own people's cultural tenets. God, or the Gods, what have you- the powers are be favored those who were proactive and didn't wait for the gods to grant them things, who prepared for the gods' denying their request all together, and prepared to taunt the gods.

So he strode, presenting him as Warreic, as that was what he had been sent to be the messenger of. Even as he entered the Papal throne, he did not drop to his knee as true believers were meant to, no, he simply gave the newly crowned Pope a nod.

Of course the stark mahogany uniforms of his guards, members of the Warreic Royal Marines, stood against his homespun and eccentric appearance. The same mark that he bore, the triskele, was upon their foreheads, and he motioned to sit at the table, where they soon followed. He stood at the edge of his chair, pulling it out, and giving the Papal Emperor of Solaren a simple, curt, nod.

"Indeed we do."

 

[Allegian Republic]

Immediately the Pope's interest was piqued in the choice of the man leading the delegation from Warr. The Solaris Templar symbol was impossible to ignore, even among the bunch of ridiculous Celtic imagery and toys that dangled from their bodies. How barbaric, and this man subscribes to the faith? The fact that Urban was slightly offended when he himself had used the reputation of his faith as barbaric, and the very tenets of it to achieve his own ends over and over again was lost on him. One of the benefits of the mask he wore was it afforded him a degree of immunity from visual displays of his thoughts, and he was grateful for it at this moment. Being caught off guard didn't necessarily jive with his own plans. Nor would it due him any good to have displayed the outrage that crossed his face when the man refused to bow. With a deep breathe he banished the useless anger and took comfort that one day all who came before him would bow out of fear, and out of respect.

"So tell me, does it bring you honor to represent your nation before me? The man responsible for your soul?" He had to attempt to establish some sort of supremacy over this man, a part of his ego refused to let it die. Yet he was also curious how a believer in a faith that was so radicalized, so based on arrogance and hate could find itself home in a diplomat? Stranger things of happened of course. After all the man who occupied the chair now, and many of his predecessors were as Godless as they came. If those who violated the covenant of man and God so freely could rule over millions of religious believers, was it not possible one of those same believers could find himself a believer? Such questions were a distraction though, perhaps food for thought later.

Urban only hoped the man didn’t go running around screaming about a wheeling and dealing Pope.

"Because if it does my son, it just the beginning of the honor you shall acclaim over the next few hours. You are in a possession many of your fellow Solaris would literally kill for - the opportunity to bring the Sacred Kingdom to a new found level of power and dynamism. The ability to export our faith to the scorched lands of those heretics who will perish in the accession of our might. That precious day though is many years away. But, all titans must rise from their origin and so we too must climb a mountain of adversity to claim its peak. Warr is in a position to help Solaren, and perhaps most important to you... Solaren is in a position to help Warr."

With a wave one of the soldiers brought forth a file and placed it directly in front of Kendrick, "That file has no marking of my nation. If you leak it to the press we can easily refute it and then take action to punish such repugnat treachery. Yet, if I thought you and your people capable of such barbarism," The word hung in the air as Urban's eyes glared at the tribal symbols, "I would never invite you here in the first place."

"It is a map of the Long Sea and known trade routes that benefit Batavie... a nation Warr find itself dealing with over some difficult issues. There are rumors abound my son that Solaren naval forces will soon be establishing a naval blockade of the Long Sea to interdict trade benefiting Batavie among one or two other nations. Things will escalate quickly, very quickly from there. Why does this help Warr? Well if a situation escalates to the boiling point like these actions will allow Batavie will have no choice but to back down or engage in armed conflict with a power halfway around the world and that is unlikely considering the tensions between you two. Batavie's leaders wouldn't dare risk a two front war, which is something that increased pressure on your government's side could create the perception of."

"The pressure from both sides will allow Warr's leaders to extract concessions from Batavie. We will refuse to negotiate and when your government offers a proposal they’ll leap at it. If you have two thugs at your neck and you can pay to back off, I think you would do so… wouldn’t you?

“Once that occurs my naval force will release whatever it is that we have impounded from Batavie. Although we will do so in a way that leaves no connection to the diplomatic victory on your end. You get what you want from Batavie and none of the infamy that would come from taking more aggressive steps. Of course I would require some… reimbursement for the heroic actions undertaken by my people. Before we broach that subject, please your thoughts? It is not a plan most would consider sound. But, that is the point Any normal plan would only create some… diplomatic headaches,” The phrase Urban would hope would be enough to conjure up images of the headlines that would follow any overt maneuver of unity between the two states, not to mention the possible loss of moral support from the international community. Oh the benefits of a pariah state…

“I welcome the opinion of one of my flock…”

 

[Warre]

Barbarian was perhaps the worse word the Solaren Emperor could use to a Warreic diplomat of such fervor and passion as the man who the Kingdom of the Warreics would send to deal with the Solari. The length of time that Urban IV had spent on stating the word could only make the Warreic man assume it was to do with his garb, especially the Triskele.

"The Triskele is a mark of God and the trinity which he taught us to worship, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It is more important for these proceedings, that it is also a mark of my people, and our commitment to the teachings of our lord, Jesus Christ. It is not Barbarism."

The man's face was reddened at the Papal Figure's actions, but he did not have any particular anger in his tone. No, his voice had raised in decibel, but his expression was calm despite the reddening of his face. His steely blue eyes shifted as the papal figure moved, and at the arrival of it all. The map was quickly reviewed, and the figure shook his head for a moment. "As apt as I would expect a former master of the Inquisitors to present this, I must say that simply as we allow Solari to exist within our nation, we could be persuaded to work with the Sacred Kingdom on this matter. It is out of character for my people- and indeed my ancestors would spit upon the ground where your feet sit, cursing at you in our natural tongue, but warriors lose their edge if they cannot adapt. And so, we can see the value if our brothers in god's will did this. We could even see to it that charities to help the Solaren Church with its work are well donated to by the Warreic people in the coming years. We could, perhaps... even allow your nation to establish a few 'monasteries' within our vast Boreasic territories, or otherwise." He nodded, implying as if he was suspicious of the 'lent' period which was established, there was no canonical reason for it; it seemed more practical, for few nations would trade with Solaren.

He chuckled, tilting his head in the direction of Urban IV.