The Campaign Builder's Guild

[ic=Letter to Pope Victor IV]To His Holiness the Pope Victor IV,
It grieves me deeply to see the Church so divided, brothers turning on each other violently for material wealth. Does the Almighty not teach his children to strive spiritually by sharing and caring for and with others? I had to hurt a friend in order to save you, whom I regard as the true heir to St Peters throne, and it torments me. Will His Holiness forgive me and my friend for our sins? What would His Holiness have me do to repent for our sins?

Senator Hugo De Vinti[/ic]

[ic=Letter to Cencio Pierleoni]Signore Pierleoni,
Allow me to offer my sincerest condolences for the death of your father. He was a good man with whom I enjoyed warm correspondences and talks at various events. May his soul rest in peace. Do rest assured that, while his murderer has met with the same fate, I endeavour still to purge this city of those who sympathize with his assassins.

We've met recently at my estate, and I was much pleased to converse with you. I certainly hope to become a friend of yours and your family.

While it is not in my capacity to single-handedly decide on the terms of agreement concerning your duties as patricius of Rome, expect my support for a favourable entente.

Senator Hugo De Vinti[/ic]

[ic=Letter to Signore Luidolf]Signore,
My latest offer excluded the [1 WP] rent. This would increase the total amount you will receive to [4 WP]. Since you speak to me of [2 WP] gains, I figured you might have misunderstood me, for this is what lies in my offer.

I am surprised that you've given me two fields worth of land at the cost of [1 WP], but wish to charge me [2 WP] for one field worth of land. While the current rent is temporary, you'll still be charging twice the price come 1162.

We may yet come to an understanding. Considering this profit of yours, such as you describe it, will only be temporary, you may consider the additional [2 WP] gift as an initial rent for the field. However, in the future I would pay a rent of only [1 WP] for this field. At that time, the price of food will have returned to normal.

Not one to give a gift and then take it back, I will keep my word that an additional [2 WP] be released as a gift. This deal ensures the stability of your income and that some additional gains that are due to the current situation in the Roman contado do land in your treasury.

[2 WP] as rent money every spring until 1162 when it will become [3 WP], [6 WP] as compensation for the losses incurred by Signore Capocci's violations of your lands, [4 WP] of which was agreed upon and [2 WP] that comes of my own accord as a show of friendship and trust; my investment in Labarum has already been significant and there is very little to keep me away from continuing my honest dealings with you in your fine town.

Herein lies a modified contract that includes my new offer for the lease of some of your lands for the purpose of flax cultivation and the production of goods made from said resource. Of course, my gift of [2 WP] won't be included, since it is a gift.

[spoiler=A Modified Contract]

• I, Hugo De Vinti, shall pay you the sum of [2 WP] every spring season for a period of three years, starting in the Spring of 1160, after which I will pay you the sum of [3 WP] every spring season.
• I, Hugo De Vinti, shall pay you the sum of [1 WP] in the Spring of 1160 to cover some of the gains that might have been had due to the situation in the Roman contado.
• I, Hugo De Vinti, have given you the sum of [3 WP] for the purpose of repairing the various structures damaged by Capocci's raids.
• I, Hugo De Vinti, shall further invest in the structures of Labarum in the Spring of 1160 and the amount invested shall be no less than [1 WP].
• I, Hugo De Vinti, shall be allowed to lease further lands on your territory, for the same purpose, at which time the contract may be amended.
• The contract may be modified only with the consent of both parties.

Hugo De Vinti, Winter 1160[/spoiler]

Come next season, I will have given you nearly, if not as much as the Senate gave Capocci to repair his castles. Now, are you amenable to this new contract?

Senator Hugo De Vinti[/ic]

[ic=Letter to Sanguineus Viviani]Greetings Consul Viviani,
Congratulations on both your council and consulate promotions. It speaks well of your person that the Senate saw fit to lift you from obscurity and into such a prestigious position at this tumultuous moment. The Senate will very well benefit from your experience abroad and knowledge of noble ways. I here extend my hand in friendship and hope that Rome will see better days under your tenure as Consul of the Interior.

Honest formalities aside, we must speak of Signore Annibaldi. While the benefits some may reap from being favourable to his offer seem only too good to ignore, this most august institution over which you now preside will suffer greatly from it in the long run. Let us not fool ourselves, this man is basically selling us our own food for a solid footing in our city. To grant him titles and promises of further efforts to usurp the legitimacy of our government would only serve to weaken us, both at home and abroad, at such a time when it most needs to display strength and capability. Our fields are just about to recover. I humbly ask of you; do not appear favourable to his offer. The winnings will be but small and short-lived.

Senator Hugo De Vinti[/ic]

[ic=Letter to Roberto Basile]Consul,
We were both adamant that Signore Capocci's castles be rebuilt. We have already extracted from him loyalty. In order to finally secure our position north of the Pomerium, I agree with him that we should make Castle Potenarum his once again. Better have him there than the Frangipani and their lackeys. Will you ride this season, or will you not?

Senator Hugo De Vinti[/ic]

[ic=Letter to Arrigus Sismondii]Senator,
While the Senate must continuously attend to the rivalries of the Princes and Kings of Italy and beyond, it must not lose sight of its raison d'être. The Commune was proclaimed after the plunder of Rome by the Prefect, sanctioned by the Pope, and we shall not see ourselves suffer anymore injustice. I say this not out of disrespect for the Holy Mother Church, but because as we busy ourselves meddling in the affairs of both Kings and Curia, we must keep in mind that the foundations for a prosperous Rome are not yet properly established, and thus we must deploy all necessary efforts in this arena before that of the Greats.

It is in the interest of Rome's prosperity that I write to you this letter, that we may begin a dialogue and come to an understanding. Last year the previous Consul introduced a motion in the Senate that called for the creation of a Roman guild which would require various mercantile factions to register themselves in order not be deemed illegal and receive the Senate's protection. Knowing that you defended its benefits and that your life was at risk around the time this proposition was brought before the Chamber, I cannot think that you had nothing to do with it. As such, I come to you for clarifications. At the time, my mind was elsewhere. A fact I regret if the proposition really does provide the benefits I think it does.

The proposition, I think, and I wish for you to correct me if I'm wrong, has one major benefit; that the various taxes imposed on legal members of the Roman guild will create a stable revenue for the Senate. While I understand the complications in enacting such a law, what I wish to know is just how much revenue could the Senate gain?

Furthermore, I will not stand to see honest Roman merchants bullied by private thugs, lest our Senate be the laugh of Pisa and other cities of like stature.

Senator Hugo De Vinti[/ic]

[ic=Before the Lesser Council]Senators,
The Romans seem to have lost faith in their government and are growing restless by the hour. I fear that, should we fail to attend this issue head on, the Senate will be overrun and its members lynched, their estates pillaged. For months esteemed members of this council have distributed food and money to the poor, who make up such a large portion of the popolo, and it might very well be the reason why the threat of riot has not reached such heights as I now fear. A more concerted action is now necessary, however, for if each of us unite under the banner of the Senate to relieve the suffering of the people, we may succeed in quelling their doubts about this government.

But I note that food is scarce, and the winter season upon us. Even a King's fortune couldn't help us get any if it be nowhere to be found. The diaconiae are empty and Signore Capocci's reserves spent. I will once again press my contacts in Labarum for assistance, but I doubt they have any left to spare. Simply put, we're stretched thin, and in a bind. We have the financial means to put an end to this calamity, but no access to that which we seek. I'm afraid this council has few choices now.

I may have a suggestion, if a bold one. The Roman mob has naught to do in the city, but remains here nonetheless, useless and, even, dangerous. If we gathered them all and marched towards our enemies that are well supplied, we could deplete their resources and feed Romans. The force would work on its own, and has a considerable chance to collapse, for the peasants and lower-class people are not accustomed to military affairs and will lack proper discipline. This is why I suggest we raise the militia as well, in addition to the Roman mob, who, with its sheer size, will make some of our enemies cower. With our enemies so distracted by the ravening mob, our militia will proceed unimpeded to strike crippling, hopefully fatal blows.

I say this with some hesitation, because the repercussions are important, and we must consider them seriously. The Emperor has not yet cast his lot with any of the proclaimed Popes. While it would seem natural for His Imperial Majesty to align with Pope Victor, we know him to be a man who keeps an open mind, and he could end up reaching a deal with the Sienese that gets him more immediate benefits. I trust this won't happen though, but we must consider the possibility.
Another thing to consider is that the plan might very well fail. It's risky. It relies on the Roman mob staying massive and coherent, but already we know its inevitable dissolution. We just don't know when. To address this issue, I would gather popular men like the illustrious Signore Calafatus did when he campaigned against Tivoli, Arnoldo de Brescia at his side. We all know how the mob lacked cohesion then, but it needed only return to the city to fill its belly. Today, though, their tables at home will be empty with no chance of anything appearing on them. With their minds set on the same purpose, disciplinary dysfunctions that plagued Calafatus' army will be greatly reduced. And since the problem affects all of them, even more might join the campaign.
And a final possibility to consider would be this: that the noble families who have remained silent to date might leak our plans to gain the favour of Rolando. However, wouldn't they refrain, and perhaps even join our cause, if we levied the biggest army modern Rome has ever seen? It would certainly send a strong message to both our allies and foes.

So, it is a bold suggestion, but just that; a suggestion. To dispel the popolo's doubts as to our commitment to their well-being; to put their anger and passion to good use; to reduce the strain on our financial resources; and to weaken our foes; I think we should plan plunder and capture. Of course, if you have more prudent ideas, I'd be delighted to hear of them.[/ic]

[ic=At the Lesser Council to the other Consiliarii]Hugo De Vinti's voice cannot be heard by Signore Annibaldo's messenger.

Signore Annibaldo trades in honor and duty, instead of gold and silver, but where was he while the Roman contado was being plundered? Assisting the Tusculani cause, he was. I wonder; is it honorable to take something dear from someone only to offer to sell it back twenty times the price?

The signore knows very well that word of his messenger will get out the Senate and run through the packed streets of Rome and this will put pressure on the Senate to accede to his demands, which is what it is at this point. It will be pressured to do so because it has lost the favor of the people, and these people will readily place their love on a generous man who offers them succor instead of the Senate they see as corrupt and uninterested in their well being. Especially if the Senate can't match the man's generosity.

I feel that accepting Signore Annibaldo's offer would further feed anti-senatorial sentiment among the population as much as refusing it, but we'd be allowing a potential political rival to install himself firmly in our city, possibly putting a strain on our good relationship with the Pierleoni family - which, I must say, has taken some time to flourish - and conceding more to the Tusculani cause, which, in time, will cost us dearly among the popolo. Refusing it would only require us to contain the riots that will inevitably erupt, which will disperse by themselves come spring season.

I don't trust this man. I don't want to deny my Roman brothers and sisters a good meal, but I wish to guarantee our Senate's position as the governing body of the Commune of Rome, as well as its undeniable freedom in choosing its own policies and allies.

Therefore, I vote here and now in favor of refusing the deal.[/ic]

Polycarp, what does my character know, or what is generally known, of the relation between the Annibaldi and Capocci?

Thank you for the link- then it is clear why I did not see it. I ran a search in the thread for documents that I wrote post 3/2014. That post is from June 15, 2013 (!!!!!)
I modified my above post based on that information.

[ic=Letter to Senator Sismondii]I appreciate your support, senator.

In truth I am not at all averse to a re-negotiation, because there is a change in my own situation relative to my late uncle that I would like pursued.  It seems to me both sensible and desirable that, being potentially as my father was a Patrician of Rome and administrator of its trans-riparian suburbs, I should not be so alienated from the Senate.  My uncle often lamented that despite his responsibilities, he was unable to ever join in the debates of the Senate, reduced to conducting business through letters to the consiliarii.  His exclusion from the government, while lamentable, was understandable; for a brief time he was at odds with the Senate, and certain prominent senators continued to hold personal grudges against him long after his reconciliation with the Senate as a whole.  As I have no such objectionable history, my aim is to find some accommodation, presumably a senatorial post, that would allow me to truly play the role that Rome expects me to play.

You are perhaps right that this is not the time to elaborate on the details of future arrangements.  I hope, however, I can count on your support when the right moment comes.

Cencio Pierleoni[/ic]

[ic=Letter to Senator Sismondii]Your reasoning and insights on these issues are very welcome; I am immensely pleased to hear that there is a mind on the Lesser Council that understands and appreciates the interests of both our organization and, in a larger sense, the artisinal class of Rome.  My hope is that you will make your voice heard on these issues as well.  I am aware you have never sought out leadership roles, but initiative from someone of your prominence is critical in light of the fact that, in the current law, a majority of the equites as well as a majority of common senators is necessary.  As I consider the law to have been deceptively passed, I am not necessarily resigned to following the letter of this stricture, but it may be possible to obey the letter of the law and replace it when a number of the less accommodating equites are not present in the Senate.  It is for this reason, among others, that I have not publicly brought up the issue; I do not wish to alert my opponents to the possibility of such a move.

If you wish, I will work on a potential draft of a new election system which would have the complete support of our members.

Senator Guillelmi[/ic]

Quote from: LDSo, how are we handling the Consulship issue- Viviani was always Consul during the period that Superbright was? Or did he step into the position after the chaos of the battle. I think I prefer the former, so as to minimize the amount of necessary retconning.

The former is canon.  You are also requested not to think about it too hard.  :wink:

Quote from: MagnusPolycarp, what does my character know, or what is generally known, of the relation between the Annibaldi and Capocci?

To your knowledge, the two houses don't have any special relationship or rivalry.  The Annibaldi have been traditionally concentrated in the Alban Hills and have little reason to involve themselves with the various feuds and intrigues of Capocci and his rivals north of Rome.  The Tusculani tend to be somewhat contemptuous of Niccolo Capocci, considering him and his family to be upstarts; whether that feeling is also held by their traditional cadet and client families like the Annibaldi is unknown.

So, I've placed all of my letters and speeches which have not yet received a response, or of which matters were not further discussed in the council, in my last post, which can be found here.

Polycarp, I have an interesting question for you. How, as cardinals, did Rolando and Octavian live? I mean, was their income the greatest among the cardinals? Did they live in palaces so luxurious and employ an exagerated amount of servants? Were they misers? I'm especially interested in Octavian. I can't recall you having told us anything about it, but if you did, a simple link (or none if you can't be bothered) will suffice. By the way, thank you for your last response. It helps.

Quote from: Magnus PymPolycarp, I have an interesting question for you. How, as cardinals, did Rolando and Octavian live? I mean, was their income the greatest among the cardinals? Did they live in palaces so luxurious and employ an exagerated amount of servants? Were they misers? I'm especially interested in Octavian. I can't recall you having told us anything about it, but if you did, a simple link (or none if you can't be bothered) will suffice. By the way, thank you for your last response. It helps.

Clergymen are provided for by a system of beneficia (benefices).  A benefice is simply a piece of revenue-generating property, usually land, which is possessed by the church and set aside for a certain office.  A village priest might have a benefice of a few acres of land in the village, which would be worked by hired labor or tended to by the local peasants, and the profits from this land would pay the priest's salary and provide for the maintenance of the church building itself.

You'll notice that the cardinal titles are all linked with a particular place; Octavian, for instance, was previously the Cardinal-Priest of Santa Cicilia.  These are collectively known as the "suburbican sees."  There are certain benefices associated with the Church of Santa Cicilia that are devoted for the upkeep of whoever holds the priestly title, and the priest of Santa Cicilia is always a cardinal.  Generally speaking, the higher-ranked cardinal titles (Cardinal-Bishops) have greater benefices than the lower ones (Cardinal-Priests and Cardinal-Deacons).

If a cardinal was humble and austere, he might live on a single benefice alone.  Most church officials, however, received money from other sources.  There are plenty of examples from this time of priests and monks holding their own estates, particularly if they came from noble families, and a lot of cardinals enriched themselves by receiving gifts from those hoping to gain the Church's favor or those seeking an audience with the Cardinal or the Pope.

There was also the allure of "pluralism," meaning the practice of a single person holding multiple different benefices.  The benefices for vacant offices would revert to the local bishop.  This was in theory just a temporary situation, but sometimes bishops kept offices purposefully vacant to receive more money for themselves.  This was already fairly widespread in the 12th century, though it would get much more ridiculous later (Alessandro Farnese, a 16th century cardinal, famously set the record by possessing 64 different benefices at one time, which is sort of like being on the same company's payroll for 64 different jobs).

All this, coincidentally, is one of the main complaints of the Arnoldists.  Arnold has never attacked the idea of the benefice itself - he would readily admit that some revenue is necessary to support church buildings, and even the most austere of clerics need food - but Arnold has preached that bishops who hold vacant benefices and priests who hold estates cannot be saved.  They are, according to him, destined for eternal damnation, and furthermore do not have the power to conduct sacraments.  His view of the practice of gift-giving to church officials in exchange for access and favors, which he considers to be bribery and corruption, is no better.

Octavian ("Ottaviano dei Crescenzi Ottaviani di Monticelli") is a nobleman of one of the great families of Latium, the Crescentii/Crescenzi; their star has fallen quite a ways in the last century or so but they still have lands and titles.  He's certainly one of the richest of the cardinals, and is known to live very comfortably.  He is not known to personally possess any estates himself, but he may possess extra benefices, and he certainly receives a lot of money in the form of "gifts" from petitioners, well-born friends, and his own noble family.  It's important to note that none of that is particularly scandalous for the time, unless you're an Arnoldist; it was almost a given that anyone who got a cardinal's hat would make a lot of money with it.  A lot of people grumbled about that, which helped fuel reform movements like Arnoldism, but it wasn't at all unusual.

Rolando Bandinelli, Octavian's rival, is also from a noble family, but a minor one (his family is also Sienese, rather than Roman).  He is not as notorious for rich living as Octavian; compared to his fellow cardinals he might even be a bit on the austere side in terms of standard of living.  He's no Arnold, however, and has certainly received at least some gifts, as basically all cardinals do.

In general, cardinals tended to live a lot like noblemen did - they had servants, ate similar food, and so on.  Just like noblemen, they varied in their tastes and habits; some were misers or led very spartan lives, while some were extravagant spenders and relied on gifts and plural benefices to fund their lavish lifestyles.  The average cardinal tended to the latter more often than the former, which is what got guys like the Arnoldists so hopping mad.

[ic=To Cencio Pierleoni]
You of course have my full support for the council to transfer your uncle's titles. I would happily introduce the notion of re-negotiation should you desire it, if not the current agreement will have my support.

-Signore Falco Bocca
[/ic]

[ic=To Consul Viviani]
Also, have you considered what types of benefits can be extracted from Octavian? We should have codified rights to restrike Papal coins, we should regain authority over the collection of tolls on travelers to Rome, should the Senate so wish to enact such tolls because these tolls could be used to greatly improve Rome's defenses, or to better secure grain in times of need. We should secure grain from the Curia as well, in return for our support and our protection- for we will protect the Pope would he return to his rightful place in Rome.

Also, I will support you if you wish to assert the Interior Consul's primacy of command over the Sentinels, who guard Rome.

>>The Senate of Rome shall accept the Curia's nomination of a Prefect, who shall exercise the judicial powers of the Church as the representative of the Papal Curia, and who shall possess sole authority over the collection of tithes, tolls on travelers and pilgrims, and the collection of all revenues from ecclesiastical rents and estates.

[/ic]
-I forget exactly what we were trying to get from the Pope, but I think the above is some of it.

-I did not see the treaties from the old thread posted up front in this new thread... Could they please be added to one of the earlier posts? I was able to locate the treaties, but it would make sense to have them back up front again.

[ic=To the Lesser Council]
It does not escape my notice that no members have volunteered their services to travel to give testimony on what happened at the election of the Pope. I myself departed from the scene before the thickest of the fighting, to rally the defense in the city itself against possible assault by Frangipani forces. My understanding is that Senators Sissmondi, DeVinti, and Consul Basile remained-- as did several other Senators who are not on this Inner Council, and a number of retainers.

Who will we send, and what will our united voice be about the happenings here? Do any of you witnesses to the event have strong opinions?
[/ic]

Quote from: Light Dragon-I did not see the treaties from the old thread posted up front in this new thread... Could they please be added to one of the earlier posts? I was able to locate the treaties, but it would make sense to have them back up front again.

Done.  It seems I exceeded the maximum post length by doing this, so the list of inactive/retired senators has been temporarily removed from that post.  I'll find somewhere else to post it.

[ic=Letter to the Lesser Council]Esteemed Senators,

For your benefit, and to ensure there are no misunderstandings before this agreement is submitted to the wider Senate, I have prepared a revised agreement between myself and the Senate of Rome.  My position is that the stricken parts be removed from the agreement (mainly those which are no longer relevant to our situation), and that the bolded parts shall be added.  I welcome your comments on this matter.

• The Senate will confirm Giordano Cencio Pierleone's title as Patrician.
• The duties of the Patrician shall be to administer the Leonine City and the Castle of St. Angelo as Castellan, enforcing the laws of the Senate and People of Rome and assisting in their defense within that domain.
• Patrician Pierleone shall be acknowledged by the Senate as Magistrate of Trastevere, with sole judicial authority and the right to half of all fines levied in the execution of Roman law therein.
• Patrician Pierleone will be confirmed as a Citizen of Rome but formally forswears any ambition to Senatorial office for so long as he holds his title of Patrician.
• Patrician Pierleone will withdraw all his forces from Trastevere and all the streets of Rome outside the Leonine City.
• Patrician Pierleone will surrender the Theater of Marcellus to the Senate.
• Patrician Pierleone will relinquish his family house on the Tiber Island to his brother Ruggero.
• Patrician Pierleone will pledge his loyalty to the Senate, and pay an annual duty of [1 Wealth] to the Senate for his privileges and honors.
• The Senate shall enact a general pardon for Patrician Pierleone, his armsmen, and his family, that none may be later prosecuted or fined for any deeds prior to the date of this agreement.
• Patrician Pierleone is excused from any duty to follow orders from or place himself under the command of Fortis Calafatus in whatever Senatorial position he may find himself in, Consular or otherwise.

Cencio Pierleoni[/ic]

[ic=Letter to Senator Sismondii]Senator,

Enclosed is a draft of a possible electoral law that would be acceptable to our members and, I truly believe, many of the common senators in general.  Naturally this is merely a starting proposal, and these points are negotiable.

Popular Law of 1160

• The Law on the Selection of Senators of 1155 is hereby repealed in its entirety.
• The City of Rome shall be divided into fourteen rejones [districts] along the traditional lines.
• On the eve of the Feast Day of Saint Gregory each year [September 2nd], an arengo [popular assembly] shall be held in each rejone, to be attended by men who hold Roman citizenship, are of good legal standing, and who maintain a residence in the rejone.  This assembly shall be convened by the capitano of the rejone.
• The citizens gathered shall take a communal oath upon the Bible that they are true Christians and citizens of Rome.
• Following the popular oath, the citizens assembled shall elect by acclamation twenty of their number, who shall be called electors.  These electors shall swear before the arengo and upon the Bible that they will form no conspiracies or combinations, will not yield to any power outside the city, will neither take or receive any bribes nor promises, will make no oaths or agreements, nor in any other way hamper their action as free electors.
• The electors once sworn shall meet in private and elect from their number a capitano of the rejone, who shall be charged with maintaining the roll of citizens of the rejone and shall preside over the arengo in the following year.
• The electors shall then elect eight men to serve the rejone as senators.  Only those citizens present at the arengo who took the communal oath shall be eligible.  The man elected as capitano for the rejone shall not be eligible for senatorial office.
• The elected Senators shall proceed to the Senate House to take their oath of office, and shall officially enter into their positions on the following day.  On this day, the Feast Day of Saint Gregory [September 3rd], the new senators shall deliberate upon and then elect their consuls for the coming year, who once elected shall take office immediately.
• It shall be a crime for any man to take part in more than a single arengo in a year, or to take part in an arengo if he does not appear on the roll of citizens of that rejone, and the punishment shall be fine and revocation of citizenship.
• If a capitano or senator should die or otherwise be removed from office during his term, the electors of the rejone shall convene and select a suitable replacement, who shall serve out the remainder of the term of office.

I must note that this would increase the number of senators to 112.  Originally, as you know, there were four elected senators from each rejone yielding 56 senators, but to do this would require removing nearly half the existing senators from office.  While I favor a smaller body, I am doubtful that the votes of the senators for this legislation could be secured when it will result in so many of them losing their offices.

Senator Guillelmi[/ic]

Two questions PC. Sismondii's estates are located outside of what would be considered Rome proper (outside the city walls). How would Guillelmi's proposal affect him in being elected? Secondly how would the stipulation that a senator yield no power outside the city affect his position as vicar? Technically he's merely serving as the Roman representative for the agreement between Rome and the curia regarding Antium/Nettuno. Still strictly speaking that's definitely an office of power outside of Rome.

Quote from: NomadicTwo questions PC. Sismondii's estates are located outside of what would be considered Rome proper (outside the city walls). How would Guillelmi's proposal affect him in being elected?

That's unclear.  Technically, the proposed legislation says one must only "maintain a residence in the rejone," not that the residence must be one's primary residence, so presumably Sismondii could become eligible under this legislation by having so much as a shack in some part of the city and "residing" in it for a trivial amount of time each year.  The present wording suggests that, without that shack, Sismondii would not be eligible for voting or senatorial office.

QuoteSecondly how would the stipulation that a senator yield no power outside the city affect his position as vicar? Technically he's merely serving as the Roman representative for the agreement between Rome and the curia regarding Antium/Nettuno. Still strictly speaking that's definitely an office of power outside of Rome.

According to the draft legislation, that oath is taken only by the 20 electors of each rejone, not by the senators.  While the electors can elect themselves as senators, they need not - any citizen at the arengo can be elected (except the capitano).

The draft legislation states that new senators shall "take their oath of office" but does not stipulate what that oath is.

[ic=Before the Lesser Council]However pertinent it would be of me to be part of the delegation summoned by His Imperial Majesty, I must remain in Rome this winter. I have, however, written a statement of what I witnessed during that day. Whoever goes, I ask humbly to deliver the letter to His Majesty in person, if possible.

[spoiler=Witness Statement]

Quote from: Witness StatementTo His Most August Imperial Majesty,
Within lie the truth and only the truth of what I witnessed and did during and following the conclave.

As soon as the basilica's doors were shut, I returned to my senatorial duties in the City without a thought for the conclave. Days after, I received word that fighting and chaos had erupted not in Rome, but in the Leonine City. At that moment I knew the conclave had been compromised in some way and hurried to the Vatican Hill, outside the walls of the Leonine, for I knew the Frangipani had struck camp on the Fields of Nero. As I stood on the Janiculum Hill I saw a plume of smoke coming from one of the gatehouses, so I quickly sent scouts to observe the Frangipani encampment, north of the city, and they returned shortly after to inform me of Frangipani's advance on the Leonine. At this point, I was nearing the Vatican Hill and immediately decided to scale the walls, for my position atop the wall seemed deserted and I needed to make haste inside.

When I arrived atop the wall, I saw several skirmishes were going on; especially at the northern gates, where Frangipani's knights were trying to get inside, and near the Castle Saint Angelo. There also seemed to be a commotion closeby at the Vatican palace. Almost immediately after having observed the happenings from my vantage point, a small group appeared on the streets below and was running towards my position. Most of them were knights who wore the Imperial insigna. Among them I recognized the papal mantle, which was being worn, but I couldn't make out who it was that was wearing it. After a short moment I thought they looked like they were running away from something. As I realized they were in need of rescue, another group appeared, this time much bigger and on horseback. These men cornered whom I thought to be the newly elected Pope and some Imperial knights trying to rescue him, just below me. They seemed to ignore me, or perhaps they thought I was on their side. They unsheathed their swords and pointed their spears menacingly towards His Holiness and his rescuers. Your Majesty, I made the only appropriate decision there was to make. I ordered my men to fire their crossbows at them. The assailants fell in numbers before the remaining ones made good their escape. When those trapped below me were safe, I spirited them away to safety. It is only later that I learned that the Prefect of Rome was among those mortally wounded that fateful moment, and indeed I was able to inspect the body and verify his identity. I heard many more stories of the happenings that day, but none of which I was a personal witness. This here is the truth and only the truth.

Senator Hugo De Vinti of the Commune of Rome

[/spoiler][/ic]

[ooc=Notification]This here is a notification to inform you all that this letter's content are not supposed to be known to everyone, but only that one I will trust with giving it to the Emperor after the council has elected him, and that is if he disrespectfully decides to break the seal to discover its content.[/ooc]

Fair enough carp. I think I can work with that. Also pym that's a pretty awesome letter. I can't write anything up now since I'm currently working on homework but I plan on doing so as soon as I can. TBH I think sismondii would probably be the best representative since he was actually there during the whole thing (and he also honored the emperor with the whole swearing an oath in the name of his family thing). Will try to get something up either tomorrow evening or the day after (I get Tuesdays off from school). If nobody else objects he can be the messenger for this and any other letters people want to send.

It would indeed be a suitable choice. I changed my letter a little bit. Didn't change the substance, rather, just how I tell the story.

[ic=Before the Lesser Council]
I was directly involved in what happened and furthermore I believe the emperor will look well on me due to my actions during our last visit with him. Therefore if the council is willing I would volunteer to be Rome's messenger on this matter.
[/ic]