The Republic Reborn

[Magnus Pym]

[ic=Response to Manzinni]Vittorio,
I appreciate your honesty. Indeed it is most unfortunate that these weapons might not be easily acquired anymore, either for you or me.
You seem to make a point of the goods getting to Rome safely. I assume you have had bad experiences with the transport of goods?

Do you have more details on this assault by Normans who used crossbows? What did they accomplish and how?

And I understand the training required to use these weapons is included in the offer, quality training at that?

Your friend,
Hugo De Vinti[/ic]

[Polycarp]

Anno Domini MCLIV
Spring has passed into Summer...
Summer in Rome is a time of unbearable heat, when the wealthy flee to country estates and the rest of Rome suffers in the stifling and malarial air.  The peasants must work regardless, mowing hay and weeding their gardens until it is time to harvest winter wheat and rye.  By the end of summer, the grain must be reaped, threshed, winnowed, and milled into flour.  The feasts of the Assumption of Mary and of St. Peter and St. Paul are celebrated in the summer, the latter especially important in Rome, the seat of Peter's blessed heir.

Our Consuls: Fortis Calafatus and Roberto Basile
Our Pope: Anastasius IV
Our Rage: Simmering

[ooc=This Season's Top 5 Popular Issues]
1. "The Emperor is coming!  Who will defend us?"
2. "Is it time to mend our fences with the Pope?"
3. "The Senators and their Courts are corrupt."
4. "Arnold of Brescia is a great man.  We should protect him."
5. "All these riots are bad for business."[/ooc]

News from Abroad

There are rumors of unrest in the Kingdom of Sicily, where the policy of the royal chancellor Maio of Bari has been to marginalize the nobles and towns in favor of aggrandizing royal power under the new King William de Hauteville.  Some observers wonder whether the son of the great Roger II will be able to keep these disgruntled factions in check as well as his father did.

It has been announced that Beatrice of Rethel, queen-consort of the late king Roger II of Sicily, is with child, having apparently conceived not long before his death.

The Arab geographer Dreses has completed a marvelous map of the world, more detailed and complete than any known before – or so say travelers from the court of King William of Sicily, whose recently deceased father commissioned the map in 1138.  The map is the centerpiece of Dreses' book, called the Tabula Rogeriana (Book of Roger).

It is reported that a legate of the Greek Emperor has arrived in Ancona with a number of war-galleys; it is unknown if the Greeks are merely reinforcing the city in the face of German hostility, or trying to reign in the semi-independent city elders, who represent the last foothold of the Greeks in Italy.

News of Latium

The Papal Curia has moved this spring from Anagni to Tivoli, which has been rebuilt with the help of various noble and ecclesiastical magnates in the region, chief among them Bishop Otto of Tivoli.  The Frangipani family is rumored to be another substantial contributor.

The communes of Perugia and Assisi have gone to war yet again; scholars have lost track of how many times these central Italian rivals have faced off over territory and trading privileges.

The Roman Consul Fortis Calafatus has made a series of small raids into Farfan territory, devastating farms and villages.  Rumor has is that the Romans are simply trying to pressure the Abbey into making a more generous peace after the failure of their Reatini allies to capture a Farfan fortress.

News of Rome

Men come from far and wide to visit the shrines of Rome, but few come so far as Níkulás Bergsson, a Benedictine abbot from the distant isle of Iceland.  The great families of Rome have competed with each other to host Abbot Bergsson, who tells marvelous stories of his strange land and its people, who rule themselves as an island-wide commune with no king at all.  He is said to be compiling careful notes of his itinerary in order to write a text for pilgrims traveling to Rome from the far north.

A minor riot broke out in Pontis et Scorteclariorum during Holy Week, a result of a feud between local pilgrimage guides (typically just unemployed laborers who take pilgrims to various churches for a fee) and men of Senator Manzinni who were selling his handy "pilgrimage maps."  The Senator's men were eventually chased out of the district, though not before several people – including a pilgrim from Provence who got caught in the middle – were seriously injured.  Somehow, the riot spread to the slums of S. Eustachii et Vinea Teudemarii, and metamorphosed into a protest about "corruption" and the lack of alms for the poor.  The local merchants, panicked about any disruption of business on Holy Week, threw together a motley collection of off-duty militiamen and hired goons, who gleefully murdered nearly thirty protesting beggars and laborers until the march disbanded in terror.

More spectacular was the "Clerics' Riot," when on May 9th a group of disgruntled priests decided to petition the Senate.  They were complaining about the lack of funds to maintain their churches – while the major Basilicas could count on offerings from pilgrims and remittances from their Cardinals, most of the lesser churches in Rome are usually kept up by money from Papal coffers set aside by the Roman Prefect.  Since the establishment of the Commune, however, the office of the Prefect has not existed and the flow of Papal money into Roman churches has been spotty at best.  Humiliated by the shabby condition of their churches during this year's Holy Week, the priests demanded to address the Senate.  When they were refused, on account of the fact that the Senate was not in session, they began shouting angrily and were soon joined by other priests, vicars, and laymen from other churches.  That afternoon, Rome was treated to the bizarre sight of a mob of cassocked and tonsured men marching from the Forum down the Via Lata.  They made stops at the estates of Signori Calafatus, DeRosa, and Colonna, waving empty alms bowls and lobbing rocks into walled courtyards.  They were joined by other rioters along the way who may have been less interested in church upkeep than the opportunity to riot and loot a few neighborhood shops.  One part of the crowd was addressed by Arnold of Brescia, who cautioned them against violence but also demanded that the "Great Republic" be wary of "apostasy" and that the sanctuaries of God should be maintained by the Senate in the absence of the "perfidious" and "usurious" Pope.  There were aftershocks of the riot on the following day, but with far less intensity, and by the evening of the 10th the streets returned to normalcy.

Expeditions

[spoiler=Raiding in 1154]

Consul Calafatus began the campaign season of 1154 by striking again into Farfan territory just after Easter, though this time with a much smaller force.  With 150 armored infantry and around 200 locally-recruited irregulars, the Consul again marched down the Via Salaria to plunder farms and villages.

The course of the expedition was rather uneventful.  The Romans met virtually no resistance, though their raiding was sometimes constrained by the castles of local barons, who made no active show of opposition but did pose enough of a potential threat to discourage the raiders from camping too near any fortifications.  The raiders reoccupied Castrum Nerulae– clearly Farfa had taken note of its abandonment, but perhaps lacking the men to man it, they had settled for destroying the main gate and wrecking much of the gatehouse, making it temporarily useless to anyone.  Even in this state of vulnerability, however, the castle's keep was suitable as an operational base from which the Romans would strike out from on short jaunts of plundering and burning.

By late May, the Consul's banditti abandoned Castrum Nerulae yet again and returned to Rome, driving a sizable flock of stolen sheep in front of them and followed by stolen mules and oxen pulling stolen hay-carts laden with casks of wine and sacks of flour and salt pork.

Consul Calafatus has gained 3 WP in plunder.  There were no battles and no significant casualties in this campaign.[/spoiler]

Finances

Treasury: 9 WP

• Defense Fund: 0 WP

Income: 2 WP

• Duty, Patrician Pierleone: 1 WP
• Tribute, Tre Fontane: 1 WP

Expenditures: 1 WP

• Vigili Upkeep: 1 WP

[spoiler=Personal Finances]
Arrigus Sismondii
Wealth Level 4 [6/16]
Savings: 5 WP
IP: 22 Wine, 2 Olives, 6 Wool
Projects: Rocca [5/15]
Assets: Estate

Fortis Calafatus
Wealth Level 4 [0/16]
Savings: 17 WP
IP: 24 Farmland
Projects: None
Assets: Estate, De Re Militari, 150 Heavy Infantry (3WP)

Vittorio Manzinni
Wealth Level 4 [6/16]
Savings: 9 WP
IP: 24 Egyptian Trade (Glassware, Linens), 6 Hospitality
Projects: None
Assets: Estate, Spears, Crossbows, Grain [3], Land in Ripe et Marmorate

Roberto Basile
Wealth Level 4 [0/16]
Savings: 10 WP
IP: 14 Sicilian Privateers, 10 Oranges
Projects: Tower House [6/15]
Assets: Estate, 100 Masnada (1WP)

Domenico DeRosa
Wealth Level 4 [7/16]
Savings: 11 WP
IP: 24 Farmland, 7 Hospitality
Projects: None
Assets: Estate, Hostels, Land in Ripe et Marmorate, 100 Masnada (1WP), Chapel

Hugo de Vinti
Wealth Level 4 [11/16]
Savings: 9 WP
IP: 14 Marble Trade, 10 Sculpture, 11 Flax Production
Projects: Palazzo [10/10]
Assets: Estate, 50 Heavy Infantry (1WP)

Romolo Vannetti
Wealth Level 4 [4/16]
Savings: 4 WP
IP: 20 Goldsmithing, 8 Moneylending
Projects: None
Assets: Estate[/spoiler]

Senatorial Inquests

Senators that requested information or launched endeavors have the results of their efforts listed here.  This information is private, but you may certainly choose to share it with the Senate.

[spoiler=Fortis Calafatus]Information
The Pierleoni family is unique among the major families of Latium in that their origin is commercial rather than noble; their fortunes rest not in farmlands and fortresses throughout the province, but in the vast sums built up by Leo de Benedicto, father of Pier Leone and grandfather of Giordano and Ruggero, a Jewish convert to Christianity and wealthy moneylender.  Leo and Pier each turned the family fortune into political power by becoming partisans of the legitimate Popes against their enemies; only in this present generation has the family become known for its anti-Papal stance.  The Pierleoni clan is not a traditionally noble one, though Pier Leone was recognized with a hereditary (albeit landless) knighthood by Pope Paschal II.

There is no significant Pierleoni holding outside Rome.  Their income probably relies on the commerce of the Leonine City and Trastevere, both of which are often thought of as separate "cities" from Rome and might as well be Pierleoni fiefs.

Ruggero is the fourth of Pier Leoni's five sons: Leon, Pietro, Giordano, Ruggero, and Huguizon.  Of these, only the younger three survive (Leon died in the early 1130s, and Pietro – better known as Antipope Anacletus II – died in 1138).  Little is known about the two younger brothers, Ruggero and Huguizon, though Huguizon is believed to be abroad somewhere.  Ruggero initially opposed his brother's decision to side with the Commune against the Pope, but they are believed to have been reconciled around the time of the 1152 coup.  Since then, Ruggero might best be described as the "enforcer" of the pair, organizing the family's defenses and recruitment in Tiber Island and Trastevere while Giordano himself usually remains within the Leonine City.

Like any noble, Senator DeRosa's holdings are primarily in land, located to the southeast of Rome.  More recently, he has been building a variety of hostels and guest houses in the city, presumably to enter into the pilgrimage hospitality trade.  There are rumors that he is involved with Senator Manzinni's land deals in Ripe et Marmorate as well, but specifics could not be confirmed by your men.  Though he has frequent contact with many other equites, many of whom have aligned themselves against you in the Senate, it is uncertain as to whether they view him as a leader or just the most obvious example of abuse of Consular power.  His son, Leonardo, was in charge of his estates in Rome during the Senator's recent absence, but his son's political leanings are unknown.

Writ
The town of Torricella was the only palce which you managed to produce a "writ" for, but your messenger was informed that, having paid you tribute already, the town sindaco (mayor) considers the business between you done.  Above all, the townspeople simply want to be left alone in the continuing conflict.

Campaign
[Note: 100 is the amount of militia/masnada hired for 1WP.  As you specified lightly armed men, you raised 200 with that amount instead.]

Your campaign was successful, albeit limited by the short season; the Farfans apparently preferred to tough out the raid than respond in force.  Upon your return, you were contacted personally by a Farfan monk – apparently the abbey does not wish to negotiate openly and directly with the Commune, which was why they sent a peace offer through the Faliscans last year.  The monk rejected the idea of giving up any Farfan territory, which was bestowed to their abbey by "Charlemagne and Otto the Great," but said the Abbey would concede to free passage for the Romans and Reatini on the Via Salaria as part of a peace deal.

Land
You agreed to lease out about a quarter of your lands to Senator Sismondii for his quaint sheep-rearing project.  His offer seems most profitable, though the results of his acquisition have caused you a bit of a headache.  Apparently, the raising of sheep requires far fewer workers than the growing of grain, and Sismondii's men subsequently cleared out most of your peasants on the rented land, occasionally with violence and seldom with any kind of compensation.  Some have come to you, their liege lord, and made the case that by feudal custom you should compensate them for their lost lands and homes.  Custom might be on their side, but political power isn't – you could probably ignore them, forcing them into the city to join the restless urban poor.  On the other hand, such callous treatment of your peasants might disgruntle the ones who still work for you, perhaps leading to future trouble.

You spent 4 WP this turn.  You gained 3 WP in regular income, 3 WP in plunder, and 2 WP in payment from Senator Sismondii.  4 WP were saved.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Arrigus Sismondii]Land
You have rented out around a quarter of the Consul's land, and your men have cheerily begun the task of running most of its current occupants off the land.  You've heard that some have gone crying to their liege lord, Signore Calafatus, but hopefully your silver will outweigh their moaning.  In the meantime, you now can expand your operation into new territory.

Wool Market
Rome's wool market, like all its other markets, is purely regional.  Most spinning is done in country cottages by farmers' wives, though cloth production is centered in Rome itself, primarily in Trastevere and the regions on the opposite bank of the Tiber.  This is because the value of wool is dramatically increased when it is dyed, and the dying trade in Rome is a Jewish monopoly based out of their community in Trastevere.

There are no "big" wool merchants in Rome; the weaving is decentralized, performed by individual weavers in small workshops.  A number are organized into a schola, or "association" of weavers.  The schola is loosely organized, but performs adequately in its two main functions – certifying journeymen and masters, and chasing non-guild weavers out of "schola turf" with clubs.  There are certainly many weavers outside the schola, but they are forced into workshops far from Trastevere and typically weave coarse, undyed wool destined for clothing laborers and peasants.  There's plenty of work in that field, but very little profit.

You spent 5 WP this turn and invested 1 WP.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Vittorio Manzinni]Hospitality
Though Ripe et Marmorate is close to some notable sites, such as the churches of Trastevere and the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, it is not a particularly attractive neighborhood for wealthy pilgrims.  Though your investments in the land you own have made the residences more attractive to pilgrims, this is a relative statement – what once was "abysmal" has perhaps graduated to "barely tolerable."  The port district is still a run-down, rather violent slum with bad water and mud streets.  The result is that you were forced to rent out primarily to poor pilgrims, who were happy for a roof over their heads but don't exactly cough up much profit.

Your written guides were somewhat more successful, though again your salesmen met resistance from local guides who bristled at the idea of being replaced by "letters."  In the eastern districts, you did rather well; in Pontis et Scorteclariorum, you got a riot.  At least the quality of the work has improved, with more time to scribe and copy the guide bills.

Food
Selling grain perhaps would have yielded a modest profit after the damage from winter flooding, but after some initial sales the Consul managed to steal your profit away.  His soldiers returned from their Farfan raid with carts full of flour and other food supplies taken from Sabine farms and villages, the sale of which stabilized food prices before you could make much money.  Hopefully another opportunity will come for you to make a killing off your significant grain reserves.

Sicily
Your representatives have sailed off to Sicily and should return with information – and grain – next season.

You have spent 1 WP, invested 2 WP, and saved 1 WP this turn.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Hugo de Vinti]Soldiers
Your new force has been downsized.  Though your men are happy to submit to training, some of the topics you hoped to cover are rather difficult – there's not really much available information on military indoctrination, formations, or ranks.  You don't have any military background yourself, and most of your men don't have one either – Romans are far more accustomed to brawls and riots than marching in formation.  Some kind of outside instruction would be most welcome.

Drainage
Reading about draining land is one thing; actually doing it is another.  Without illustrations, putting the instructions of the De Re Rustica into practice is a process of trial and error, the effectiveness of which can only be measured in weeks or months.  In addition, the drainage of whole districts requires a much larger labor force than is currently available to you, for digging ditches, cutting boughs, and hauling rock is difficult, time-consuming work that gets even more difficult as the Roman summer approaches.  Your men in charge of the operation have learned some things this spring, but material gains in Pontis et Scorteclariorum are minimal.

In any case, even if the ground in the neighborhood were drained, it would do nothing to prevent the low-lying ground from flooding, though it might make Arenule et Caccabariorum more habitable.

Flax
This season, the farmers pulled up the flax, dried it, threshed out the seeds, and set great piles of flax bundles on the banks of the Tiber and nearby creeks feeding into it, "retting" the flax for two weeks to prepare it for further processing.  The process of "dressing" the flax has now begun, in which the peasants do strange things to the plants like "scutching" and "heckling" that you have no concept of.  This process is still ongoing, and it will not be until early summer that you may get an idea of what kind of product has been produced.  Hopefully your investments in equipment will help this process be successful.

You have spent 2 WP, invested 1 WP, and saved 1 WP this turn.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Domenico DeRosa]Chapel
Congratulations, signore – your modestly sized but beautiful edifice nearly complete.  Your hired artists report that work should be done by the end of summer.  Perhaps a suitable unveiling is in order to demonstrate your piety and largesse to the people and the Church?

Cisterns
While there are a large variety of places you could build a cistern – too many to list here – the easiest places would probably be in the ruins of the Roman baths, where there are already structures that could again hold rainwater if repaired a bit.  Unfortunately, most of these baths are quite distant from where most Romans live.  Alternately, if the Aqua Virgo is ever repaired, a cistern along that line could be very useful and centrally located, but it may be some time before the Commune makes its restoration a priority.  The cost of simply raising a structure from scratch depends on how much water you intend for it to hold – the requirements of a hostel are very different from the requirements for withstanding a siege.  A cistern to provide for a hostel assuming relatively normal rains would probably cost only 2 WP, considering that pilgrims don't typically stay during the hot summer.

Church
Rome has at least 200 churches already – while there are many potential places to build another, your "learned men" propose that it might be considerably less expensive to fund the restoration of one instead, as many are in desperate need of attention.  The Basilica of St. Mary Major, for instance – where your chapel is located – was in the midst of restoration by Pope Eugene until he was expelled from Rome, and the work was never completed.  The Basilica of St. Mark, near the Capitoline Hill, has needed a belltower for centuries, but plans were put on hold because of the Commune's revolution.  Building such a church from scratch would be a project taking many years, perhaps not even one completed in your lifetime.

University
The criteria by which a plot of land is suitable for a university is unclear, though presumably one would want a place that does not flood.  The Capitoline hill or the nearby Forum would probably suffice; though a bit distant from fresh water, that is less an issue with a school than with a residence.

As for books, a "book industry" exists only within the monasteries.  As printing is unknown, every book is a unique and precious item that was written out by hand, typically by a monk-copyist in a dimly illuminated cell.  It is no surprise, then, that most books are copies of religious texts, though the Church does possess a number of pre-Christian "classics."  As the center of the Holy Church, Rome has had a fair number of books, but most of these were removed from the city or looted when the Lateran Palace was sacked.

While there are some literate men in Rome who are not monks, these men are generally "notaries," men whose job it is to write letters, deeds, contracts, and wills for merchants and noblemen.  They seldom copy long manuscripts and are not always familiar with the old-fashioned Latin that many books are written in.

The main material needed for the production of books is vellum – that is to say, the skin of a young goat or lamb.  The production of vellum is a specialized trade, usually carried out by the same monks that copy books.  Many monasteries, like Tre Fontane, keep flocks of sheep for this and other reasons (like making clothing).

Morocco
Despite your familial background, there is nobody in your Roman retinue who speaks Arabic.  The best option seemed to be to send a man south to Palermo, where the Kings of Sicily are known to keep many Saracen scholars and advisors.  Your man will hopefully send word from there next season, returning or sailing on to the lands of the Moors as necessary.

From Abroad
Paolo Moro and Calro Molin have returned from Pisa and Palermo, respectively.

There are rumors of Rome in the markets and courts of Pisa, though the rumors are not always true and the interest is rather idle; the Pisans, evidently, don't see the unrest of Rome as an issue that has much of an effect on them.  They dwell more on talk of Milan, a city which has apparently been in conflict with many of its neighbors and seems in particular to be inviting the wrath of the German monarch.  The attitude of Pisa is somewhat pro-Frederick; it is hoped that the would-be Emperor will expand Pisa's privileges at the expense of Genoa.  The rumor in Pisa is that Frederick will be in Italy before this year is out.

The Court of Palermo is entirely unconcerned with the internal politics of Rome – they have more pressing domestic matters to worry about.  There was, however, talk of the Imperial-Papal alliance and how best it could be sundered or confounded.  The Kingdom clearly does not intend to be caught unawares, and the King has been expanding his powers to levy the Sicilian people against any foreign invasion.

You saved 4 WP this turn.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Romolo Vanetti]Moneylending
As it turns out, lending to those seeking to rebuild after the floods is rather difficult; the mechanisms that you use to make a profit are based on the manipulation of collateral, and tradesmen who have had their workshops and houses destroyed have no meaningful collateral to offer.  While some were able to borrow the necessary collateral from their extended family, most lacked such fortune.  As a result, you were not able to expand your business as much as you had hoped – there simply isn't much money to be made off the destitute.

In another time, your letters of credit might be more successful, but you have found that the business climate of Rome, such as it is, is incredibly jittery.  With the near-collapse of the Senate, the ongoing raids and riots, and the looming specter of the Emperor, everyone who can afford to seems to want all their affairs settled in hard silver.  When the merchants wonder if the city will even be here tomorrow, it's hard to convince them to accept a promise of credit.  If you wish to pursue this business, it would seem your priority would be to create some level of stability.

Goldsmithing
There is actually a fair amount of work to be done on Rome's more than 200 churches, a number of which have not been renovated in centuries.  With the current absence of the Papal government, Roman churches are receiving much less money than they used to, and are unable to pay for such repairs themselves.  Doing some pro bono work is appreciated by the local priests and vicars, who are already burdened with a million other tasks in the busy pilgrimage season.  They have little to offer in return save their thanks and prayers.  While the work might be too modest to gain much popular attention, over time you might accrue some favor with the minor clergy, many of them Arnoldists themselves.

You invested 2 WP and saved 2 WP this turn.[/spoiler]

[spoiler=Roberto Basile]Marriage
Of course, Ricardo could always marry the daughter of a local merchant or other prosperous tradesman, which would bring a bit of money into the family.  As a non-noble, however, you may be more interested in boosting the status of your family through "marrying up" and bringing noble blood into your family line.  A season of polite inquiries and after-dinner gossip has turned up the following prospects among the Latin nobility:

Caetana, age 19, youngest daughter of Crescenzio Caetani, Lord of Ardea.  The Caetani family is one with a long and notable past – they are descendents of the Dukes of Gaeta, from which their name derives.  Pope Gelasius II, who died in 1119, was a member of the family.  The Norman conquest, however, deprived them of Gaeta and Fondi, and Ardea is their only remaining possession.

Lucia, age 17, younger sister of Trasimondo di Segni, Count of Segni.  The family does not have much of a history, but Trasimondo was a favorite of Pope Eugene III, who granted him the county and extended considerable favors to the family.  They do not have much secular influence but have many contacts in the church.

Theodora, age 14, cousin of Gionata Tusculani, Count of Tusculum.  You know about the Tusculani already – a family with a grand and illustrious past that has fallen on hard times.  The Tusculani name still carries a lot of prestige despite its somewhat tarnished image these days, and the family has long claimed to be descended from the ancient Roman imperial families of Julii and Octavii.

Of course, all of these families might have to be convinced to marry off their relatives to a commoner, depending on how favorably they look upon you and the Commune you lead.

You saved 4 WP this turn.[/spoiler]

[ooc=Usual disclaimer]Still have stuff to do, letters and front page updates.  There are no map changes this round.  Let me know if I missed any orders or made any mistakes, as usual.[/ooc]

[Polycarp]

[ic=A PAPAL BULL to the Roman Senate, Signore Capocci, the Rectors of Rieti, and the Abbey of Farfa]Dearest brothers in Christ, We have been made aware of the woeful manner in which the virtuous peasants of Sabina have been despicably plundered and harassed by knights and guastatori employed for the purpose of mutual ruin.  We remind all our brothers in Christ that the princes of the church and secular power must abide by the Word of God and respect the Peace of God which has been proclaimed by Our blessed predecessors for the virtue and salvation of all mankind.

We, therefore, do reaffirm and remind our brothers of the Peace of God; to wit, that those who rob the poor, or break into churches, or beat and harass the clergy, shall be made Anathema; and furthermore command our brothers to end the current strife that despoils Sabina, and to do this by the Feast of the Assumption [August 15], lest all parties suffer the sanction of the Holy Church and the denial of its promise of salvation in this world and the next.

ANASTASIUS, episcopus, servus servorium Dei[/ic]

[ic=To Senator de Vinti]Honorable Signore,

I thank you for your offer of assistance.  I have been offered a great opportunity for the dual glory of God and Pisa, and only hope my modest talents will serve both well.  I have no doubts as to the talents of the sculptors of Rome, but the scholae of Pisa - that is to say, the guilds, signore - would certainly have my head for contracting out such work to foreigners.  As for the stone, which is what I shall require in greatest quantity, appropriate quarries have been selected.  I am informed that one of them is quite near your city, signore, though the details are in the hands of the captains and not myself.  I am sure they will require stonecutters and laborers on the site.  I encourage you to contact their representatives at Civitavecchia.

Magister Diotislavi[/ic]

Hey, that map I mentioned in the Tabula Rogeriana?  It's a real book, centered on a world map that was probably one of the most accurate maps of the high Middle Ages, not to be outdone until the eve of the Age of Discovery.  The author was known as "Dreses" to Latin Christendom, but his actual name was Muhammed al-Idrisi, a Muslim scholar from Morocco who worked at the court of King Roger.  I thought you might enjoy seeing his map. (Note that this is actually the map turned upside-down - al-Idrisi made the map with south upwards and north downwards).

[spoiler=The Known World in 1154 (Huge)][/spoiler]

[LD]

Out of Character to Hugo-->

1."Do you have more details on this assault by Normans who used crossbows? What did they accomplish and how?"

I think it's on the first page with some history that Polycarp talked about. Normans sacked Rome about 40 years ago??

2. And I understand the training required to use these weapons is included in the offer, quality training at that?
From what I understand training isn't necessary. Polycarp explained (I think) that these are "foot crossbows" people lay down and pull the crossbows with their feet- they are not good for close combat, but for sieging a castle or being sieged.

[Magnus Pym]

[ooc]Oh, ok thanks LD[/ooc]

[Magnus Pym]

[ic=At the Lesser Council]
Greetings signores,
Today I come before the Lesser Council because Rome is faced with a great situation. King Frederick I should arrive in the Eternal City shortly and His Holiness makes serious demands that we, as good Christians, cease all violence and plunder.
   
On one side, it is fairly easy for the Roman people to ignore the Pope's request. On the other hand, it's much more difficult if the German King, whose close ties with the Papacy we are well aware of, is to be at our doorstep. Most probably in the coming year, too. Should we decide to crush the enemies of Rome at the present time, there's no telling what will come next, and we might, indeed, regret it.

What should we do? Being under the sway of Anastasius does not bode well for this ambitious council, and a prosperous Rome. But it seems like the only choice than can provide, if only temporarily, security to Romans.[/ic]

[ic=Letter to Consul Roberto Basile]
Dear Basile,
I write to you because I would like to know your stance on the Papacy. Are you of the opinion that we should let the Pope back into the city and in the Lateran Palace? It seems ridiculous to ask you this question, considering actions you have taken in the past, but you're title means you would be responsible for taking such an important decision. And thus, I have come to you for an answer.

Your friend,
Hugo De Vinti[/ic]

[ic=Letter to Consul Fortis Calafatus]
Dear Calafatus,
I am quite confident that the pressure you entertain on the Farfans will prove rewarding. Really, it's a shame that the Papacy had to put its nose into the matter.
In all honesty, should you decide to continue your efforts, I will be more than pleased to spare a few of my hired men-at-arms for the cause. They would, of course, be under your command for the duration of the mission.

I had written you a letter last season. It concerned giving our soldiers quality martial and military training. I hope you've received it? If yes, then a response would be great, for only when I am aware of your take on the matter can I truly go into more details. And as I said, I'm pretty sure we can both benefit from such a venture. Not only us but the Roman people too.

I meant to ask you what is going to be your response to the Papal request. Temporarily halting military campaigns could ease tensions during the German King's stay in the Eternal City, but I fear we'd lose all the progress we've made thus far. Certainly a ploy by the Pope and his allies to weaken us. Besides, I'm not truly sure about Frederick's power so far south of his seat of power.

Your friend,
Hugo De Vinti[/ic]

[Nomadic]

[ic=Before the Lesser Council]
I do not begrudge his holiness the rights to his own within the city and his duties to bring the glory of god to all within our fair city. If he were to return in peace I would welcome such a chance to mend fences and find closure amongst the Christians of Rome. However, I am of a mind that the governance of the city and of the people, being a worldly matter (even if done in a godly fashion) should rest with the people and not the papacy. The senate should remain in control regardless. Should the pope return I am sure none amongst us would spurn any advice he were to give us but it should remain as such, advice. To each his own duties, to the senate the betterment of Rome and to the Pope the guidance of Christians everywhere.
[/ic]

[Polycarp]

[ic=Arnold addresses the Masses]Our bishop, good Anastasius, has taken temporary leave from rolling in heathen gold and Greek silks long enough to write us a letter – yes, he has deigned to tell our Senate, the seat of our great city, that we must have peace with Farfa, that den of tonsured robbers and sodomites who fatten themselves on the labor of the people, who pray to their treasures and spurn Christ!  The Pope comes to the house of the Latins and tells them they must cease persecuting the burglar who even now turns over his furniture looking for loose silver!  This must not surprise you, for as you know, there is honor among thieves, and who knows thieves better than that king of thieves, that prince of usurers, who calls himself the heir of Saint Peter yet lies beneath the dignity of the meanest of laborers?  I say, you Romans – yes, I submit humbly to you that the Romans must never submit to the tyranny of avaricious bishops, who conceal extortion and poverty in the fine cloaks of righteousness and holy orders.  Such men have no power in Heaven – admit to them no power here on Earth!

The crowd goes wild... But wasn't the Papal Bull sent to the Senate?  Some senator must have leaked it...[/ic]

[LD]

[ooc]* Locate a church in Ripe et Marmote of historical significance that may be in disrepair. Focus on one with important saintly relics. If one to my liking is located, spend 2 wealth renovating it and several shrines in the area, also interview the monks about historical information related to the churches and copy choice pages from their relevant books for a new project. (Vittorio is collating a collection of interesting and historically relevant pages). [Spend total of 2 wealth on the projects in this paragraph].

* Donate 1 wealth to the Senate's Coffers.

* Save 1 wealth.

* Where is Arnold of Bresica's Home Base?[/ooc]

I may have missed this, but did Pierleone respond to the University idea?

[Nomadic]

[ic=Letter to the churches in need]
Far be it from me, follower of the one and only Christ to shirk my obligations to his people. The large churches have survived from the charity of the Romans but do not feel that you are ignored. I am one man, but a man with means and I shall make of them as I can to insure that God's people are not denied the tools necessary for their work. As a token of my earnestness I give to you now of my own the sum of [1 wealth] that it might help see you through the darkness. Do not despair, do not falter. God is with us and as you do his work with you and I seek to be one with God in this matter. I will do what I can to insure that the houses of the righteous are maintained with honor. I give this letter and the attached wealth into the hands of Arnold of Bresica. I do not perhaps agree with him on things regarding the church. However, I trust his desire to help and his wisdom to share this wealth where it is needed most. I ask only that he will convey the contents of this message to all the churches along with my desire to help and a promise to make your voices heard before the senate.
[/ic]

[ic=Speech before the whole senate]
There has been much strife of late. Yet let us not allow strife to come between us and our duties as Christians. The smaller churches of Rome are at risk of neglect and we must not stand for this. I would ask of the senate to look to its own wealth and give as each is able towards the upkeep of these houses of god. I have entrusted some of my own wealth to Arnold of Bresica. I know that some amongst us do not agree with him, I certainly am not in accord with some of his views. However, he has shown an honest desire to help and a pure heart towards the fair treatment of God's children. If the senate will provide of their own abilities and Arnold will see that the money is used where it is needed most I have no doubt that we can see that no holy place goes neglected.
[/ic]

[ooc]
- Research into the wool processing industry paying special attention to spinning and dying techniques
- Do everything in my power to learn how to dye wool. If I have to bribe, promise, cajole, or otherwise, do it (use up to 1 wp as part of this). Ideally I would try to get one of the dyers from Trastevere if I can. If I have to promise protection, financial security, or anything else reasonably within my means to such a dyer I will do so. If I absolutely cannot get a dyer I will resort to subterfuge to learn how to dye (where they get the materials, how they use them, etc). If subterfuge is required use up to 1 wp instead on making sure it works and do my utmost to keep it under wraps.
- Send a person to Flanders and another to Florence to learn as much as they can about processing and spinning wool and any techniques that would be advantageous to know.
- Donate 1 wealth to be spread amongst the small local churches in need. The wealth will go to Arnold to share amongst the congregations as he thinks best. I will send some of my Masnada (preferably the more friendly and noble ones... the sons of friendly merchants, family members, and so forth) to protect the wealth and aid in its distribution.
- Pay Calafatus the 2 wp upkeep.
- Spend 1 wp to keep the work on the Rocca going.
- Invest another 1 wp into sheep.
[/ooc]

[Magnus Pym]

[ic=Letter to all Senatores Consiliarii and Usual Guests of my Parties]
Dear friend,
This message is to inform you that I will not be holding a fete this year. As you may have noticed or heard, my estate is currently under renovation. Fear not, for next summer, I plan on hosting a great fete, greater than any before, and reveal my palazzo to you.

I am sorry for the inconvenience. I hope to see you in good health next summer!

Sincerely,
Hugo De Vinti[/ic]

[ic=Letter to Representatives of Pisa in Civitavecchia]
Greetings,
I have been informed by Magister Diotislavi, whose person was entrusted with the grand and humble task of building the Baptistry of the Pisan Cathedral, that you might be in dire need of laborers and stonecutters in the selected quarry near Rome.
   
My family, of whom you've maybe seen the works, has been in the marble business since as long as it can remember. I have many contacts, good ones at that, and I could fill your labour needs most easily. Of course, my men are highly skilled when it comes to such tasks.

I will wait for an answer on your part, but let me reiterate that my interest in this endeavor is high. I'm sure we can come to a conclusion that would benefit all parties and God.

Sincerely,
Senator Hugo De Vinti of the Republic of Rome[/ic]

[ooc=Summer, 9th Turn]- Keep funding the effort to drain the flooded lands in Pontis et Scorteclariorum and reconstruct the important economic structures, such as churches and important market squares. [Spend 1 WP on this, and keep using the tricks in the De Re Rustica]

- Send my Neapolitan agent back to Naples, again to attempt recruiting expert Flax workers. Also tell my agent about Eugenius III's tomb miracles. He can boast that Rome is a safe place to work and be with your family, even with the threat of malaria, since the late Pope will cure any illness. Make clear that he must avoid the question of Frederick's coronation.

- Send my Gregoriopolitan agent back to Gregoriopolis to check on the situation. He will mainly be tasked to discover if there has been an increase in Pisan activity in the ruins of Ostia (perhaps suggested by their reaction when I sent a letter to the Pisan representatives in Civitavecchia), but also to report news, if there's any, of the people of Gregoriopolis. If there is anything else unusual, it should also be reported.

- Make an effort (mainly through the use of spies) to determine the percentage (estimate I guess) of senators that are favorable to Arnold's philosophies and those who are favorable to the Pope. It would be especially interesting to know who leaked the Papal Bull to Arnold, and determine if this person has many friends in the senate, and out of it, sharing his views. [Remain extremely discreet about this]

- Send an agent to Civitavecchia to investigate the activities of the Pisan representatives. The main goal is to get a clue as to where the "selected quarry near Rome" is located, but any information that could be of interest to Rome, like prospects of economic gains or political gains, would help. [The agent, who obviously leaves after I have received my report from the messenger I sent, will spend his time in Civitavecchia in weekly intervals, staying a week there and coming back here for one, and so forth, until summer passes into autumn]

[spoiler=Polycarp's Eyes Only]Task agents to keep an eye on Consul Fortis Calafatus forces. If they campaign, make sure they are not violent against Pisans and their important infrastructures. They are ordered to let Calafatus know of my trying to conclude a trade agreement "that would last generations" with them, should he decide to attack Pisan interests, and order my men back to my palazzo, should Calafatus have made use of them.[/spoiler][/ooc]

[ooc=Flax Cultivation]- Make sure that the equipment that my Flax workers use is never broken or in mediocre state. Also, to keep the morale of my Flax workers high, buy sweet oranges from Roberto Basile, and sweet delicacies from the most renowned food merchants of Rome to be distributed among them during the entire season. I will also visit them a few times during the summer to entertain talks and hear what they have to say, staying alert on possible investments I should be making to boost income.[Spend (Invest) 1 WP on this]

- I will invest into the acquisition of more lands (adjacent to the ones I already possess) for the purpose of cultivating Flax. [Spend (Invest) 3 WP from my Savings][/ooc]

[ooc=Armed Force]
- Maintain my 50 Heavy Infantry [Pay the 1 WP upkeep on this]

- (Since it was going to take a year to have all my men fully equipped when I had 100, will these 50 men's equipment be complete this season?)

- Make my men available for Consul Fortis Calafatus to use as he wants, except for battling Pisans and plundering their infrastructure.[/ooc]

[Polycarp]

[ic=In the Senate]Senator Sismondii's call for donations meets with very little enthusiasm.  Some senators rise subsequently to ask why the consuls do not pay for such things out of the city treasury instead of begging the senators for money.[/ic]

Where is Arnold of Bresica's Home Base?

He doesn't have one - he lives as a beggar, preaching from neighborhood to neighborhood.  He sleeps wherever he is welcome and eats whatever is donated to him.  He owns nothing save his clothing and his staff.  In general, however, he is found in Rome's poorest and most densely populated neighborhoods.

I may have missed this, but did Pierleone respond to the University idea?

Nope, I missed it.

[ic=To Senator Manzinni]Senator,

While the promotion of learning is undoubtedly an honorable goal, I do not believe learned teachers will be attracted to the city as long as the specter of Frederick hangs over our heads, and so I will postpone any decision on materially supporting it until a later date.

Patrician Giordano Pierleone[/ic]

[ic=To Senator De Vinti]Your messenger to the Pisans at Civitavecchia informs that he has delivered your message to the men in charge of the Pisan quarter there, but they did not provide an immediate response.  He reports that they seemed surprised, perhaps even "dismayed" by the arrival of a letter from a Roman senator, and the officials he met with quickly excused themselves to other business once the message had been delivered.  Your messenger cannot explain this behavior, but can only observe that your interest did not seem at all welcome.  When they intend to send a response, if ever, is unclear.[/ic]

[Nomadic]

[ic=In the Senate]Senator Sismondii's call for donations meets with very little enthusiasm.  Some senators rise subsequently to ask why the consuls do not pay for such things out of the city treasury instead of begging the senators for money.[/ic]

[ic=Before the Senate]
Oh I'm deeply sorry gentlemen I wasn't aware that you were all so poor that you could not afford to support the lord's church. Strange though it seems to me that you seem so well fed or richly clothed for poor men. What then will I tell the hard working brothers and sisters of our own churches? That their senators are unwilling to aid them in their time of need? That the senate eagerly accepts the rewards of leading Rome but refuses the obligations? Surely not! Come now, I did not ask this of you as a senator I asked it as a Christian. Certainly there is money in the treasury and I am sure that the good Consul's would see fit to release some of it for the good of the church. That is not the matter at hand now. The matter is that those brothers and sisters that see to the houses of God within our city have come to us requesting assistance of us as Christians and it is our duty to see that they are not neglected. Surely you would not say that all of you lack the means to give even a single copper coin to the cause. Such a selfish denial of funds to the brotherhood of Christ is unbefitting of the senate and I am sure that even both The Pope and Arnold would be in agreement that such a thing is despicable before the lord!

*Senator Sismondii stares down the senate with righteous indignation in his eyes*
[/ic]

[Elemental_Elf]

[ic=To the senate]I have sent a team of learned men out to scour the city to find suitable locations to establish large cisterns. This team of individuals has found many such locations from across the city. I will freely share my findings with fellow senators if they so choose. Additionally, as I mentioned last session, I will be donating money for the establishment of one such cistern. However, if we are ever to have a large cashe of safe drinking water we must rebuild the Aqua Virgo. This aqueduct was vital to ancient Rome's growth and success and so too should it become once more. This project will take many years to complete and cost a sizable sum, however, the benefits far outweigh those costs. I do not propose to simply ask for donations, though they are always welcome, rather I propose we apply a 5% tax upon all linen and silk brought into the city, a 5% tax on the sale of linen and silk based products within the city's territory as well as a 5% tax on the sale of meat and alcoholic products during Lent. These taxes are quite reasonable and will see, over the course of several years, the flowering of much of the funds needed to begin re-build the Aqua Virgo.

The next matter of business I wish to bring up is the state of our city's churches. As Senator Sismondii has pointed out, many are in a state of disrepair and need immediate attention. I personally will be overseeing the continued renovation of the Basilica of St. Mary Major. I urge every senator to pick a church (or three) within the city and see to it that that church is repaired and made beautiful once more. Rome must project an image of wealth and prosperity and dilapidated churches are anathema to such a goal. [/ic]

[ic=To Manzinni ] Good friend,

I have tasked a small collective of learned men with finding a suitable location for our university. They have suggested the Forum or Capitoline hill as the best locations. Of the two, I believe the Capitoline hill is the superior option. I propose we also construct a cistern close to our university to ensure that it will always have fresh water, as it is a fair distance from the Tiber.

- Senator DeRosa [/ic]

[ic=To The King of Sicily] To his most gracious lord, the King of Sicily,

I am Senator Domenico DeRosa from Rome. I am an avid scholar and am looking to help spread the wealth of knowledge to a wider audience. However, the process of constructing books is very much time consuming and difficult. I have sent this courier to your wondrous and prosperous city in an effort to discover the ways in which the proud people of Sicilily (as well as the Arabs, Saracens and Moors) craft books. My hope is that your highness would allow his scholars and artisans the ability to teach my courier , and his retinue, your highness' Kingdom's book crafting ways. Additionally, I have allotted a modest sum of money to the courier with the hopes of acquiring copies many of the more obscure books and manuscripts that your highness' Kingdom may possess. Finally, I would like to say that if your highness requires any dealings with the Eternal City, I shall strive to serve as a just and proud advocate for your highness' endeavors.

Your friend and ally,

Senator Domenico DeRosa of Rome[/ic]

[ooc=Orders]
- Begin preparations for a large unveiling party for my Chapel set to be held during autumn, including acquiring food, drink and decorations. Spend 1 wealth on this, obviously not buying meat until closer to the unveiling (don't want it to spoil). I will spend another next turn.
- Investigate the Salt industry in Rome, as well as how Salt is produced inland.
- Spend 1 wealth to purchase a larger herd of sheep and/or goats (which ever is cheaper) to use to create vellum for books, have them live in and around my house outside the city. 
- Send a courier to Polermo with 3 Wealth to give to Calro Molin, who will be tasked with finding out everything the Sicilians know about book crafting, as well as acquiring copies of obscure books and manuscripts AND delivering my message to the King, or some one important.
- Send Paolo Moro to Milan and find out the leader's disposition towards Rome, as well as how likely they are to go to war with the Germans. 
- Hire an artisan to oversee the renovation of the Basilica of St. Marry, spend 1 wealth over the course of the next year's worth of turns, more will be spent as necessary/requested. Remind him that he is free to take statuary and marble from any ruin he pleases.
- Scout out good locations (i.e. cheap and dry locations to found the university on the Capolitine Hill, preferably some place historic and nice, such as near the Santa Maria in Aracoeli (though the executions will have to be moved else where if the university is to be built near there).

[Magnus Pym]

[ic=At the Senate, after Sismondii's Speech]Senator Hugo De Vinti stands up and claps his hands, as a sign of support and agreement to Sismondii's views and speech.[/ic]