Action 1-3: Great Council of the Republic of Kaeir. Weight: Triple. Description: Anger over the Ranger debacle, the loss of a third of the Tirmaeiri Rangers, and two squadrons of the Republican Fleet creates a crisis in the Kaeirean government. The Houses of the Republic, some 400 strong, call for the Republican Council to convene (the last time it was convened was during the Republican Revolution). The existence of a proxy Kaeirean army in faraway Taltheran adds further fuel to the fire. The Houses are unhappy with how the Senate, and Consul Jafaarsan in particular, has handled state affairs. A demand is made for the reformation of how the state is organised, and a return to the original goal of the Republic, the protection and promotion of trade. It is only Jafaarsan's successes in Tirmaeir, Rimrivertown and his moderation of state policies that saves him from immediate impeachment and possible conviction. Finally, the absence of any kind of magical defence for the Republic also has greatly disturbed the Houses. The Great Council of the Republic is the final source of all executive authority in the Republic, and all decisions made by the Great Council are binding and final, and only able to overturned by the Great Council. The Houses of the Republic, the Guildmagisters of the major Guilds, the Commanders of the Guard, the Fleet, the Tirmaeiri Rangers, and the heads of the various government ministries will attend. Before the Great Council is held, it is clear what many of the Houses want: - To renew the Houses' commitment to the Republic through the signing of a written constitution, the Compact of the Republic. - To formalise in the Compact document the organisation of the State. - To formalise the non-religious nature of the State, and forbid State sponsorship or involvement in religion. - To appoint a new Consul more attuned to the commercial interests of the Houses. - To strengthen both the Senate, so that it may act as a check on the powers of the Consul. - To decide upon a new makeup of members for the Senate, and elect a new Senate after that. - To appoint Karl van Kahshaar to the new position of Inquisitor of the Republic, separate from Senate, charged with defending the Republic against the external threats of espionage and subversion, and from the internal threats of treason, corruption, conspiracy and the abuse of power, including the power to try individuals for treason (noble individuals though would be tried before the Senate). Van Kahshaar would thereafter no longer be a Senator, but the Inquisitor of the Republic (though still possessing the right to sit in on the Senate). - To reform the Information Secretariat, transforming it into the Office of the Inquisitor. - To charge the Office of the Inquisitor with addressing the problem of the Republic's lack of magical defences. - To review the state of Republican defences, and call for the raising at least 7 new divisions. - To limit membership of the Great Council to those Houses in attendance at either the 1st or 2nd convening of the Great Council, and to the major Guilds. The names of these Houses are recorded in the Green Book, and a House's name may only be added if an absolute majority of the Great Council vote as such. Difficulty: Hard (government reform). Key Elements: Great Council of the Republic. Factors: + Anger amongst the houses at the lack of focus on trade. ++++ Anger at the Ranger catastrophe. ++++ Anger at the loss of two squadrons of ships. ++++ Anger at the lack of magical defences. - Supporters of Lord-Consul Sanus Jafaarsan. Questions: - The Great Council should be fairly straight forward, as a majority consensus is probably in existence. The difficulty will be in the election of a new Senate, though a moderate majority committed to trade are expected to be elected. - What will be the Grand Council's decision on magic? Many republicans are opposed to magic for ideological reasons, and many Houses are Millati, and potentially opposed to magic. - What impact will the Millati Keeper's 10 Points have on the development of a new "magic policy"? - What will the Grand Council decide regarding Basiluddin and the Tal Legion? Many would rather not discuss it, others would not want to give up the "March" that southern Saltrim would provide. - Will the convening of the Grand Council (and its decisions) have an impact on relations with its neighbours? Fudge points: 2 Action 4: Withdrawal of Basiluddin and the Tal Legion to the southern borderlands. Weight: Normal. Description: Osric Basiluddin, one time Commander of the Kaeirean Guard and leader of the Republic, is forced to leave Saltrim, knowing that staying could cost him his life. If he does not leave, the kind of pressure that the rest of newly at peace Taltheran will bring to bear on the republican Saltrim Conclave (see 1449) could destroy it. The other Taltherani cities would quickly move against Saltrim if the founder of the Republic of Kaeir remained their military commander. Surrendering the banners of the Tal Legion to the Saltrim Conclave, Basiluddin quietly leaves Saltrim city, and the troops of the Tal Legion in Saltrim city also depart. So, in order to protect himself, the Tal Legion and the Saltrim Conclave, he orders a withdrawal from Saltrim proper by the Tal Legion, pulling back to the Legion's main camp in the southern borderlands. The camp, located half-way on the route from Saltrim city to Crownsbane Keep, was first established when the Tal Legion annexed the lawless counties of the southern Taltherani borderland on behalf of the Saltrim Conclave (see 1448). Since then, order has been maintained by the Tal Legion, half of whom had been permanently located in the camp on the Saltrim-Crownsbane road. Basiluddin renames the Tal Legion the "Legion of the March", declares the southern borderlands to be part of the "Saltrimi Protectorate of the Marchlands" which the Legion of the March will henceforth defend on behalf of Saltrim, resigns from his position as commander of the Legion, and turns command over his lieutenant, Captain Masgrix Ollnor (originally from Saltrim). With the Legion having maintained control of the southern borderlands since 1448, and with the Legion still receiving supplies from Crownsbane Keep, Basilludin's 11th hour maneuvre appears highly effective. Basiluddin's last action is to inform his lieutenant that he has tired of soldiery, and intends to return to the Republic to lead a more.... stable life. Difficulty: Normal (the hard working having been done in previous years). Key Elements: Lord Osric Basiluddin, the Tal Legion, Saltrim Conclave. Factors: + The Tal Legion under Basiluddin bolstered the defences of Saltrim during the civil war. + Saltrim is already republican, so they are reasonably friendly with Basiluddin. + Saltrim is relieved to get Basiludidn out of their hair. + The Tal Legion already controlled the southern borderlands (no conquest required). + The new Legion commander is a Saltrimi, and the majority of the troops are Taltherani by birth (but all hardline republicans). - The Saltrimi Protectorate of the Marchlands could be interpreted as an annexation. - Basiluddin disappears. Questions: - How will all the parties concerned (Taltheran, Saltrim, Kaeir) react? - Will this be cause enough for the other Taltherani cities to intervene in Saltrim affairs? - Or will it be a marginal enough of a concern at the current time that the Taltherani cities ignore it for the time being? - How will Kaeir react at Basiluddin's disappearance (after all, where the hell is he?)? 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