Stavuk Vyloresh (Imperial Council)

[Rubanya]

I am hereby calling a meeting of the Stavuk Vyloresh at the Imperial palace at Zekran.

[Krulmuk]

I am here. Where is the council? Are you and I the only ones who showed up on time?

[Levorek]

Hello. I see we have a quorum. Let's begin. The most urgent issue is obviously this matter of Uloro acting like little kings and usurping Imperial authority. What is to be done?

I think that the problem is still small enough that we can solve it with a few key dismissals. There can be no doubt that Ulor Esinie of Helmarie must go. His decrees are not mere local applications of Imperial law as they ought to be. He is presuming to overrule the Emperor himself!

That law banning the public practice of heathen religions has been in force for centuries. It has been confirmed by one emperor after another down through the ages. Esinie must go and also every Ulor who followed his example. Especially Ulor Vanimuk of Salan Ulawan. That temple they put up there has to be torn down. Ulor Anigon of Slythia has already resigned so there's another one who followed that example who is gone. There's more. Trayavix I think, I don't recall. We can look it up.

And then there's this whining about the Tavani. Ulor Wanderjar of Aatan has gone too far. He has actually offered Tavani traitors and rebels sanctuary in Aatan. Does he think it's not part of the Empire? See how he dares to oppose Imperial authority. The man is a traitor and he should be put to death in the manner reserved for traitors.

[Rubanya]

Keep a civil tongue in your head, Levorek! The Uloro are doing the best they can. As for the law on religion, I endorse the reform, as you well know.

And as for this new Ulor in Aatan, you accuse him of defying imperial authority on the matter of the Tavani? You've got a big head on you then. This council has not made any decision on the Tavani matter, nor has His Imperial Highness, the Emperor. Do you now confuse your own proposals with Imperial edicts?

You object to him offering refuge to the Tavani tribesmen whom you propose to massacre? This is not defiance of the Emperor, surely, for the Emperor has said nothing on the matter, nor have I. And yet, already thousands of Imperial soldiers are en route to carry out the proposed massacre. Perhaps Ulor Wanderjar has a point. Those targeted by your mere proposals may need a haven to survive long enough to hear the actual decision of the Emperor on their case.

[Krulmuk]

I gave the order to suppress the Tavani rebellion. It is entirely within my authority.

[Rubanya]

I think not, Krulmuk. I am the Lord Chancellor. I run His Imperial Majesty's government. Were this truly an emergency and a dangerous rebellion, you would be within your rights to order the Imperial Army to defend the empire pending further instructions from me or His Imperial Majesty.

But there is no Tavani "rebellion". I have my own sources of information and the Tavani have committed no overt act of rebellion. Many of them are behind in their tax payments, but so are many others who are not slated for slaughter because of it.

The Imperial Army is not at liberty to massacre subjects of the Emperor at your whim, Krulmuk. It is my decision that the Tavani shall not be destroyed unless the Emperor commands it. You are hereby instructed, Field Marshall, to send orders to the troops by the fastest available ship that upon their arrival at Salan Zurian, they shall stand by and await further orders and under no circumstances are they to proceed with any massacre.

[Levorek]

It is far too late, Rubanya. That order would not catch up to them until the massacre was completed. They have probably already arrived at Zurian.

All your order will do is to dishearten the men who have faithfully carried out their mission after it is too late for their work to be undone... and as always, it will embolden further rebellions. You make the Empire appear irresolute with your sentimental ways.

Why don't we at least ask His Imperial Majesty to endorse the mission before rashly attempting to cancel it. He is here in the palace, is he not?

[Rubanya]

My nephew, the Emperor, is ill. He is not to be disturbed.

A fine lot you are to talk of resisting imperial authority. I detect considerably lack of cooperation with the true imperial authority here in this room. Very well, I shall send the message to the Imperial Army troops in Zurian myself. I know I can rely upon the Navy to deliver the message as quickly as possible.

As for the Uloro, I do not agree to the proposed dismissals, except of course for Anigon in Slythia. I've already found a replacement for him and the Emperor has approved it.

I think that rather than attempt to berate our provincial leaders for their actions, we should be happy they have taken the initiative on matters that were long overdue for reform. I propose that we ratify the authority of Uloro to implement reforms. The Emperor will of course retain the authority to repeal provincial decrees, but the Ulor of each province will have the authority to initiate reforms.

What? You scoff. Very well, I will take it to the Emperor when he is feeling better with or without support on the council. This meeting is adjourned.

[Krulmuk]

Starmet Vyloresh (Imperial Palace)
Zekran
Oron 23, Salgan 10, Adonsik 40 Cledman VI

(It has been nearly two months since the previous meeting of the Stavuk Vyloresh. Krulmuk, Levorek and Asnalyva are present.)


Thank you for coming. I called this meeting of the Stavuk Vyloresh because we face a very strange and difficult situation of a military nature. But of course, it is also political. As you know, Rubanya, the Lord Chancellor, has left the capital for no apparent reason and gone to Yishil where he has set up a parallel government. Imperial Army scouts have just come back from there reporting that he is assembling a fleet and an army at Yishil.

The fleet consists of nineteen warships and eight transports, but it's growing by the day and pretty much all of the Navy will do whatever he wants. So far, the army he's assembling consists of the three kantoro of Slythia, two more from Nass Mysktia and one from Grogia. In all, six kantoro numbering about 3,000 men, but that's just the beginning. We have information that he is sending out all sorts of decrees and orders. He's ordered 13 Uloro fired. All of them were from the Loyalist Faction or were neutral. Most of them were near the capital and he has appointed replacements who are loyal to him. Four of the replacements are his son and three of his grandchildren. He even appointed a princess as Ulor of Tanan just so he could have another family member in charge of a province.

Of course, he sent out his ridiculous letter claiming the Emperor had been assassinated. As we all know, the Emperor is still alive, but in poor health. In that same letter, in addition to some hysterical rhetoric and absurd "decrees" which he has no authority to issue without the Emperor's approval, he asked all the Uloro in the Empire to take control of the Imperial Army garrisons in their province and determine how many troops could be sent outside the province. We also have information that he has sent orders to various Uloro near Yishil to follow up on this and to demand that they send any troops they can spare to Yishil. It is not clear how many troops are marching towards Yishil already or soon will be, but in the next few weeks, Rubanya could have a much larger force concentrated there. We have also heard a report that he has fired Ulor Konigak of Slythia and reinstated Anigon, but we have reason to believe this may just be a plan he was discussing and that he hasn't done it yet. Yes, we do have spies inside his headquarters. He thinks he can have Imperial Army troops obeying his orders and nobody will bother to tell me what orders he's giving them.

I have just received information that the Uloro of Frayethay and Uvinshakh Voint are delaying acknowledging his decree replacing them with his family members.


If they give in, the garrison commanders, Ekanor Falan Tildan and Ekanor Falan Steldranuk, will at least delay any efforts by newly appointed Uloro in their provinces to send their troops out of the province.

But they can't delay forever. Steldranuk in particular, may waver. In Salan Kast, we have a much bigger problem. The Ulor has already accepted Rubanya's letter dismissing him and he has started packing up to leave the palace. Naltor (Prince) Shalimuk has already arrived, taken over as Ulor and started giving orders. In case any of you don't remember Shalimuk, he's Rubanya's eldest grandson. Naltor Shalimuk has already attempted to take over the Imperial Army garrison at Kast Yvar. Ekanor Falan Balmuk has so far refused to allow this. He has told Naltor Shalimuk that if there is to be a civil war, as Shalimuk was saying, then he and the garrison will remain neutral. Shalimuk told him he was dismissed from his post, but Balmuk refused to go and is still in effective command there. He is a good man and I think he will hold out. It may be critical that he do so. Kast Yvar is the strongest fortress in the Empire with the exception of Kast Ravelon of course. Since Kast Ravelon is down at Vizartan in Ravelonia, it doesn't enter into this. Kast Yvar is close to the capital and has always been critical to control of Frayethay and Zekran.

In Tanan, we have a total loss. The Ulor gave in when he got Rubanya's letter and now the princess Evanit is acknowledged as Ulor there. The Provincial Garrison Commander, Ekanor Falan Dulimuk, is also going along with this and is taking orders from the princess and, of course, her grandfather Rubanya.

Troops from Tanan are probably already on their way to Yishil to join up with Rubanya's army.

But that's not the full extent of the problem. We have more Uloro in South Peninsula who are with us and could spare quite a few troops, but we can't move troops across the Glivo Trayakir (Gateway Waters) if Rubanya wants to stop us because he's got the Navy. At Lisal Koppa we have an even worse problem. We've got an Ulor and a garrison commander who are with us, but they can't even get to the mainland if the Navy doesn't want them to and the Navy is right there with the naval base at Lisatrom. Meanwhile, Rubanya has ordered the Ulor dismissed.

And then there's the Reformist Uloro. The Ulor of Yormukan recently aligned himself with the Reformists and now Ekanor Falan Ferigon is eagerly mobilizing all five kantoro of the Yormukan garrison to be prepared to march on Zekran in support of a move from Yishil. This couldn't be worse. Ferigon is a slimy Slythian and is not going to back down if Rubanya brings the Slythian troops from Slythia and Nass Mysktia here. We'll be attacked on two fronts. It's not helping in the least that Yormukan has so many kantoro. And if they suffer a setback, they can retreat to Kast Yormuk which is a very strong fortress that could only be taken with a lengthy and difficult siege. Of course, any move from Zekran against Yishil could be thwarted by a sortie against the capital from Yormukan.

Theoretically we could checkmate that by a move from Flitran. The Ulor is solidly with us, but the garrison commander, Ekanor Falan Tanathandrum, is politically unreliable. He doesn't want to take sides in this. I've sent a replacement and ordered Tanathandrum to relinquish his command. Rubanya has attempted to dismiss the Ulor and the Ulor has refused saying that if the Emperor is dead then Levorek is the new Emperor. Yes, like I said, he's pretty solid. His name is Torimuk Yolomuk, by the way. Claims to be a descendant of the ancient Zekresh warlord Olomuk.

All the Uloro that are with us near the tip of Voint Inuva (South Peninsula) have been given letters of dismissal by Rubanya. That includes both Kikalans, Logoria, Sishan and, of course, Lisal Koppa. We have friendly Uloro at Ilania and Pilania and neither one has been dismissed by Rubanya. It looks like he meant to dismiss the Ulor of Ilania and dismissed the Ulor of Ravelonia by mistake. He is a senile old fool, after all. Anyway, they are there, but again, with the navy solidly aligned with Rubanya, the troops can't be moved to North Peninsula. Meanwhile Rubanya can move all the troops he wants and has already brought some over from Grogia.

The Verronese provinces are the biggest problem. All three of them seem to be aligned strongly with Rubanya and between them they have 12 kantoro. All of them could be marching for Yishil by now, but they will probably only send six or seven. We have definite reports that the Uloro of Kajakan Folon and Kajakan Tros have taken control of the Imperial Army garrisons in their provinces. In Kajakan Folon, it was done peacefully and Ekanor Falan An Op gave in easily. In Kajakan Tros, Ekanor Falan Tylifon, another Slythian, also gave in, but somehow there was still fighting and at least one Imperial officer was killed. The Ulor there has imprisoned Ekanor Falan Tylifon.

All in all, we expect to be opposed by 18 kantoro in the North Peninsula Region if it comes to a fight. Plus the Navy.

[Levorek]

And how many troops do we have?

[Krulmuk]

Krulmuk pulled out a scroll and unrolled it on the table. "This," he says, "is our order of battle."

The first part of the scroll read:

Kantora Solurenesh (the "Golden Phalanx") Emperor's bodyguards
Kantora Ramoro (the "Lions Phalanx")
2nd Kantora Zekresh
7th Kantora Zekresh
8th Kantora Zekresh
10th Kantora Zekresh

Krulmuk said, "There are only six kantoro here that are normally stationed here. Ordinarily, there are ten kantoro stationed here including the Kantora Solurenesh. I've recalled the other four. Three of them were in the North fighting the Tavani. One was in Kopixer suppressing a rebellion there. This next section lists the four kantoro of the Zekran garrison that are not here, but have been ordered to return. It indicates their current deployment."

The next section of the scroll read:

3rd Kantora Zekresh (Kopixer)
4th Kantora Zekresh (Zurian)
5th Kantora Zekresh (Zurian)
6th Kantora Zekresh (Zurian)

Krulmuk's finger ran down the scroll to the final section. He explained, "In addition, these units are also here in Zekran from outlying provinces:"

The last section of the scroll read:

1st Kantora Frayethay
2nd Kantora Frayethay
2nd Kantora Kast

Krulmuk summarized, "So we have 9 kantoro in Zekran right now and four more on the way."

[Levorek]

What about the Imperial Archery Corps? What about the cavalry? Every party I go to in Zekran I keep running into knights, where are they in all this?

[Krulmuk]

The archery corps is at Kast Vyloresh, across the Eastern Sea. The knights, well, they stopped being an actual military force a long time ago.

Everybody wanted to be a knight of the Empire, especially since the Empire paid for their horses and equipment. My great grandfather told me it was the most prestigious part of the Imperial Army once upon a time. So prestigious, in fact, that people paid huge bribes just to be in it, not just to be officers. That meant the sort of men who got in were foppish noblemen, not real warriors. During the Nobles Revolt, half the cavalry switched sides and the others couldn't fight.

After that, the Empire stopped paying for their armor and horses. This meant it cost even more to be in it and it became even more prestigious. Then they were no longer required to actually have horses or armor, just to pay a fee for them and the fees were increased far beyond the actual cost of any horse or armor. And so they became what they are now, the most exclusive social club in the Empire... with no horses, no armor and no weapons. We have no cavalry, Levorek. Not a single horse in the entire Empire. It's a disgrace. But politics stands in the way now. You see, if we wanted to set up a real cavalry unit, all the knights would object because it would dilute the prestige of their group that they have paid so much to be part of. Cavalry is by invitation only, controlled by the Grandmaster of the Order of Knights of the Empire and he won't issue invitations to actual soldiers.

If we weren't the only Empire in the world, we'd be a laughingstock to the other empires.

[Levorek]

So what will happen if they attack us. Can we prevail?

[Krulmuk]

If they attack, we shall find it necessary to defend Zekran. It will become a siege. It is anyone's guess who would win. Our main problem is that even though there are probably more troops that would obey my orders than Rubanya's, once a siege begins, we may not be able to send out any orders, not even by sea. Especially not by sea. In that case, the troops that could break the siege would likely never arrive.

I'm going to need to send out orders now before we're besieged, telling every garrison commander in the Empire to send troops. The troops shouldn't just come here, they should move towards rendezvous points and assemble there. I'm going to need to appoint generals to command them. I'll probably pick the most loyal garrison commander or the regional commander and appoint him.