Beyond the Pit [Pitboss Diplomacy Game] [Story Thread] . PART 7 (February 2009)

[Pitboss Greece]

A messenger entered the palace of Orestes.
"Sire, I come from Lyssander Mikanos, the general that leads our troops in Korea"
"You are one of his men?" Orestes asked
"Yes you majesty"
"Then tell me are my troops returning already?" Orestes
"Please read the letter first" the messenger said with a humble look in his eyes.

It read:

Great King Orestes,

I bring you news from Korea.
You asked me to serve General Kim Jong-Seo.
I have done so. We have teached the Korean soldiers everything we know. They have become great warriors!

I have received your orders to return home as soon as possible because of the betrayal of Gojong.
I ask you a favour though, great King of Sparta.
General Kim and me have become great friends. He is a great leader and a very friendly man.
A little time ago people of Gojong have murdered his wife and his unborn child.
Gojong is now leading a revolt against Gojong to end the madness of this failing leader.

Please, my lord, let me continue to serve General Kim.
I think it's also for the benefit of Sparta if we can replace this enemy of Korea.
My good relation with General Kim may help us to heal relations with Korea after he became leader of Korea.

Please let me know as soon as possible.
We will soon attack the Imperial Palace, will you let me join Kim's forces?

General Lyssander Mikanos

"Very well, that's good news!" Orestes said.
Orestes was embarrassed by how he was been mislead by Gojong.
For days Orestes had blamed himself for everything.
"I used to be friends with this Gojong, I thought this friendship was mutual, but he only used me as a tool against the Maya!" Orestes thought.

Then Orestes ordered to send two letters.
One was an apologize to the Mayans.
The other one was to General Lyssander Mikanos.

[Pitboss Korea]

The FARMERS UNION for a CONSTITUTIONAL KOREA

We send this message to each and every foreign power on Terra that Korea has contact with. The farmers, workers and soldiers of Korea have overthrown their shackles of servitude to the Imperial Family of Korea. Gojong of Silla has been beheaded, his infant daughter Sinjeong was crushed to death, his decedant and tyrannical line is now history. In the following periods a convention will be held in the old Imperial Palace of Seoul to determine a new form of government for Korea, but our glorious revolution is not over. There are still chains and shackles upon Korea's sovreignty.

The following is a list of grievances against the Tyrant King Orestes and the Spartan Imperialists;

I. In ancient history the Spartan Empire conspired with the Mayan Kingdom to put Korea in check. The Mayans declared war expecting Greek help, the Greeks met the Koreans under the command of General Bae Hyeongyeong in the Horse Pass and forced upon them an unfair land treaty. They aggressively settled far east towards land that should be rightfully Korean. Gobbling up her natural resourcs and forcing Korea into a treaty that would make it the smallest and weakest nation on Terra for centuries to come. This treaty was signed under duress, and we now consider it null and void as such. No treaty should ever be signed under durress. You will not similar activites on the part of the Spartans as it pertains to treaties made with Japan.

II. The Spartan Kingdom attempted to force Korea into a war it could not afford to fight against Rome, since Korea objected to Spartan demands the Spartans closed all ties with their loyal and ancient friends.

III. The Spartans again forced Korea into the tyrannical and vile AET. Which forces member-nations to enact laws curtailing the liberty of their citizens. These citizens are the workers and thus the backbone of a nation. This treaty is an abomination against nature. No man should hold control over another man, and we believe that all men are created equal. No robes, no jewels, and no mere titles make men different. This treaty is not only evil, but clearly a tool of Greek Imperialism. You will note that member states such as Japan, Russia and Korea have not been treated equally under this treaty as Sparta dictates policy.

IV. Even in the face of a clear, yet unfair, border agreement with Korea the Spartans were not satiated. They eyed the Gobi deserts, rightfully in the Korean sphere as per our agreement with Greece with with envy. And quickly settled the region, claiming that it was unclaimed land. Clearly by treaty this land was recognized as Korean. The Spartans merely pick and choose which parts of treaties they wish to adhere to.

V. The Spartans continue to utilized an entire continent, which they hold no true control over as a bargaining chip towards smaller nations which are most in need of land. Every day there is a new proposal by the Spartans to fit their own imperial aims. The following is the latest message provided to the Imperial Family by the Spartans. You will note that even after they gobbled up the oil in Gobi they saw fit to grant themselves even more control of oil, which will inevitably give them control over all of their so-called friends:

Greetings,

I send you a map of New Sparta.
The exact city locations are only for reference. I just try provide an example on how we can divide New Sparta (see last letter).

I have included the Metalheads.
They asked for land on New Sparta. I think it's a good idea to grand them some, gaining some friends on the other continent.

Please let me know what you think about it.



Orestes

You will note the large amount of land Sparta promised Korea only to take away this offer a mere two periods later simply because Korea insisted that Gobi should remain in Korean's sphere of influence. The real problem for Sparta was its insistance over control of oil reserves. Control of which would result in the continued dominance of Sparta over her so-called friends. The Spartans are not happy with the three sources of oil they already have, they must gobble up lands that are naturally Korean to satiate their thirst for power.

VI. In the face of possible war with Maya the Spartan Greeks decided to abandon their ancient friends the Koreans, and even indicated in their message (which was made public) that they leave the Koreans to fend for themselves against a much more powerful and technologically advanced enemy. These Spartans clearly care only for themselves and have shown no indication they will change this practise.

In the face of these facts, we have no choice but to declare war upon Sparta. They have for too long controlled affairs in Korea. They are our true enemy, and while we may not be successful in our efforts against them we will not shrink from our duty to protect the people of Korea and secure her sovreignty. We ask that all nations support Korea in her war for freedom and sovreignty.

- Kim Jong-seo, commander of the People's Army.

[Pitboss Greece]

The Korean peasant army invaded the Imperial Palace of Gojong.
Lyssander Mikanos did not know what to do yet.
He waited outside the gates while the Korean Pikemen lead by General Kim took possession of the Palace.

Then his messenger returned.
"I have an answer from Orestes!" the messenger said, while he dropped to the ground, being totally burned out by running the entire 42 kilometres and 195 meters from Sparta to Seoul.

The letter read:

General Lyssander Mikanos,

You have chart blanche to act like you want to.
Please help General Kim to replace Gojong. It is time for Korea to rebuild itself.
Make as little casualties as possible among the Koreans. Especially not among the peasants. They have suffered enough under their worthless emperor.

And as soon as General Kim will lead Korea, start healing our relations.
You can stay in Korea to serve Kim for as long as you think is necessary.

King Orestes

Mikanos read the letter happily, then he ordered: "Attack!"
The Spartan riflemen entered the palace.
The peasant pikemen were doing a good job finishing the imperial troops, but their losses were huge.
Then the Riflemen started to fire their rifles. Soon the battle totally turned in favour of General Kim, General Lyssander Mikanos and the peasant army.

[Pitboss Greece]

[ooc] My post above this one was posted without knowing about Korea's last post.[/ooc]

General Mikanos walked towards General Kim Jong-seo and said: "Friend, is that really what you want? Did you really misuse me and my army to overtrow your emperor, only to turn against my emperor immediately?

If this is your final word, and you stand firm on your declaration of war, then it is time for me to go home. Apparently we will meet next time on the battlefield on opposite positions
I'd hate it to fight you, but if I have to defend Sparta, then that's what I will do.

Tell me, Kim, friend, do you recall your declaration of war? Or do our paths part here, till we meet again and one of us must die by the hand of the other?"

[Pitboss Greece]

To Xristo of Portugal

Great Friend Xristo,

Korea has declared war upon us. Unfortunately.
The fool of an emperor has been replaced by a fool of a general.
The general stood up against the emperor, replaced him, and then continued the exact same politics of this emperor he hated, believing the same lies.

According to our defence pact you now have to declare war on Korea.
But I ask you: do NOT declare war on Korea
If you, a chain of declaration of war will happen, throwing this world into one big world war!

Now I understand why the Khmer were angered about Sparta and Portugal not having signed the mutual defence pact in the 'normal' way. ([ooc: game mechanics])
And now you also know why I did not want to do that. If we would have done then you would've automatic declared war on Korea, which would've resulted in a nightmare, because it would've given a reason for some nations (Khmer etc.) to declare war on you.

Please don't declare war on Korea, let's try to normalise things as soon as possible.
I will ask all nations of the world to stay out of this.

Orestes

[Pitboss Greece]

To all nations of the world:

Leaders, Korea has declared war on Sparta.
I ask all my friends and allies to stay out of this conflict.
I will try to bring back peace to Korea and Sparta as soon as possible.
We should not let this escalate into a world war.

This world is very close to be turned into a world war by the malicious Khmer.
I know there are more smaller nations that are about to wage war against bigger nations. You have all individually been used as pawns by the Khmer, like Korea.

You will not succeed!
Rome, Portugal and Sparta may suffer some losses in the beginning, but after time goes by, our armies will grow bigger and destroy you.
This will hold back the economy of Sparta, Rome and Portugal, and destroy your civilizations.

But worst of all: The khmer will laugh from a distance, being untouched by war they can grow larger and build up their economy.

Don't let yourself be used as a pawn!
Stop this madness.

But let me be clear, I will not let his Sparta-Korean thing turn into a world war.
Next period Sparta will have machine gunners. Korea has no chance, it doesn't even have riflemen, and the riflemen Korea has were borrowed from Sparta and should be returned.

Sparta has many Frigates and ironclads protecting it's shores.
We can destroy Korea in no time, but we will not.
We will accept peace with Korea, only if Korea promises to publish all secret communication it had with all nations on Earth, and especially the Khmer.

King Orestes of Sparta

[Pitboss Greece]

"Kim Jon-sea", General Mikanos said,

"You are mistaken.
The small territory of Korea is only to blame to your imperial family.

- The Gobi desert could've been settled for 5500 years, but Korea did not show any interest. Only when the Spartans cleaned it of Barbarians and paid much money to colonize it, found oil in the desert, Korea suddenly wanted it.

- Korea could've settle a Korean city on the territory where the Maya recently settled their city for hundreds of years already, but did not.

- Korea could've settled the area immediately west of the Gobi-mountains for 5500 years already, but did not.

- Korea could've settle a city on the land bridge, as being offered by Sparta to Korea, but Korea did not want to.

- Korea could've settle a city north of Thebes, as Sparta offered to Korea, for about 4500 years, but Korea never did so. The space is still empty.

- Korea could've settled a city south of Knossos for 4000 years, as being agreed in the old Bae-Lacedaemon deal, but never did.

- Korea could've settled a city west of Kossos for about 4000 years, as being offered to you by Alexander, but you never did. Recently Orestes decided to found a Spartan city there since you didn't show any interest.

Korea doesn't expand it's empire and blames Sparta for that after 4000 years?
There was never an unequal border treaty between Sparta and Korea, it was and still is a fair border. And even if the border is fair, our ancient king Alexander even tried to help you by giving more city locations, which you never settled anyway.

Then Orestes gave you 8 city spots on New Sparta and even offered to settle 4 of them for you with Spartan settlers. And Korea still was not pleased.

Korea wanted the black gold of the Gobi. A desert it didn't show any interest for for 5500 years. It was only then that Orestes understood that it is impossible for him to please Korea, it was then when he removed all maya/korea/sparta negotiations from the able.

Orestes, who upgraded your cannons and gave you many riflemen to defend yourself against the Maya.
Orestes, who risked a lot by trying to make peace with the Maya for your sake.
But your emperor spit in the face of Orestes and simply said it wanted more.

You are mistaken, General Kim.
And now you want to wage war against Spartan Machine Gunners with Korean musketeers? Is that what you want to do with Korea? You want to ruin it straight away?

Are you crazy and out of your mind?
Korea can blame other nations for their own position, but Korea and only Korea can be blamed. And now you turn against Sparta?

You are poisoned by the lies of the Imperial Korean family, who always have tried to blame others for their own mistakes.
You have replaced an emperial line, but you did not replace his thoughts

Nothing has changed in Korea when you took the power of Korea, you are nothing but the new Emperor. Same lies, same ideas, same blaming of others.

Turn around, old friend.
If you won't, then let me go home."

Then Mikanos stopped talking.
He was angered by this stupid Korean he considered to be a friend.
A Friend who first uses your weapons, only to turn those same weapons against you minutes later.

[Pitboss Greece]

Orestes left Sparta, traveling to Russia.
Only a few weeks later he finally met the new ruler of Russia.

[Pitboss Rome]

The Anti-Emancipation Treaty

Great Orestes, Secretary General,
Fellow Members of the Anti-Emancipation Treaty
Other nations of the world.

Greetings,

I am Marcus Aurelius Emperor of Rome.

I understand well the terms of the Anti-Emancipation Treaty and I am as strong a supporter of it as my step-father Augustus was.

I vote in favour of the deal with the Maya as set out by the Secretary General, that as a singular exception they be given 40 turns to adjust to a non-emancipatory economy.

However, I am disturbed by the way in which various nations, in public and in private, refer to the Anti-Emancipation Treaty. I would remind fellow members that this is not an alliance, it is not a military grouping, it is not even a trade grouping. To use an expression popular here in Rome - it does exactly what it says on the tin. Its terms are public and simply relate to peaceful sanctions on nations which enact emancipation.

Rome believes in alliances and has many friends, but in these heady and dangerous days let us remember what the Anti-Emancipation Treaty is, and what it is not. If we wish to form other alliances military or otherwise, and Roman diplomats are as busy now as they have ever been, let us do that separately from the Anti-Emancipation Treaty.

May we all enjoy peace and security.

Marcus of Rome.

[Pitboss Portugal]

And Xristo, our troops in Xristo City are purely defensive as Khmer intelligence shows that New Portugal is chock full of Cannon and Cavalry. We fear them.

To: Khmer

I have received your concerns about our military build up on New Portugal, because I still believe that relations between us could be mutually beneficial and friendly I will pull pack 80% of the armies close to Xristo City, will that reassure you and calm the people of Xristo city?

We have no designs on your cities but merely wish to defend Xristo City.

I will trust your statement above, Khmer works hard to praise itself for being honest and noble, I hope that as time goes and you honor your words from above I will praise your nobility as well.

Also i make you this promise and you are free to use it as evidence. Portugal doesn't have any spies in your lands and is not planning to undertake any covert spying missions against you. I expect the same from you.

I would appreciate it if you stop using that unfortunate misunderstanding with the Portuguese Carrack as a base to feel that we have spies in Khmer.

I hope that we can put the past behind. This letter only shows that I am are ready for dialogue and future improvement of relations. Are you Khmer ready to work towards a better future between us? Above i have shown my readiness, I hope that you will too

Xristo

[Pitboss Rome]

The Rutherford Declaration

Powerful Leaders of the World

As you know I have recently become Emperor of Rome. Before than I traveled widely across the world, seeing much and pondering the way the world is changing.

During that time I learnt about the power of the atom, which scientists in a number of countries in this world have already started to explore. From them I have learnt that those scientists themselves fear that their atomic research may be turned into atomic weapons. Nothing of the sort has yet been created by anyone, and they are still many years away, however, the threat such weapons could pose is huge.

Fellow leaders. Rome is not known for cowardice. We fear no enemy. However, I have become convinced in my own mind that the existence of such weapons are a threat to us, powerful, stable, civilized nations and are a friend of the despots. Our generals will of course try to convince us that if only we developed such weapons, then we could harness their power. For a time maybe this would be true. Each of us might think that we could harness the power of the atom first, and obtain a good supply of uranium, and use it for our benefit. Maybe for a time we would stop proliferation of the technology or the uranium. But the way of this world is that this would only last a short time. Once these weapons exist, soon enough they will spread to unstable, despotic, failing leaders, who will be able to hold us all to ransom. Being cold to the destruction of their own people, they will threaten us with great destruction if we do not give in to their demands. Currently we can laugh at the ambitions of such rogue states and terror organizations, but once they are armed with atomic weapons, we will all be faced with impossible choices bringing destruction whichever way we turn. A MAD future but a true future.

There is another way. I understand from the scientists I have spoken to, that the process of any nation developing an atomic bomb would be very complicated. Apparently, in honour of some small unimportant fishing village, it is known to scientists as the Manhatten Project. The starting of such a project would be widely know within the scientific community and hence to us. Without such a project peaceful use of atomic research can continue, but not the military use.

Therefore I suggest that together we make the Rutherford declaration (the name is in honour of my tutor in such matters) that despite all our differences now and in the future we will not undertake such a Manhatten Project and that we will take all necessary action to stop any other nation doing so.

Great leaders, I urge you to think carefully before rejecting the Rutherford declaration. We each think that we might be able to use atomic weapons to our benefit, but how sure are we that they will not end up greatly to our detriment? Why take the risk? Let us act now, before any of us feel we have invested in a particular strategy regarding atom weapons, and remove the risk of this great destructive power being in the hands of rogue states. Once the weapons are created it will be too late.

Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome.

[Pitboss Korea]

OOC: Sorry to do this here, but methinks this is too early for something like this to be put on the table.

[Pitboss Greece]

OOC: I kinda agree with Korea.

[Pitboss Rome]

And I think that OOC postings in story threads are bad for the game. And you are fools - some countries are only two techs from being able to build it, and the Japenese are already working out how to sell uranium on. The world is moving on faster than you migth think Korea.

[Pitboss Greece]

Members: Japan (8 more periods), Korea, Portugal, Rome, Russia, Wyandots, Spain, Maya, Sparta

Final vote count AET-Maya deal:
In favour: Sparta, Wyandots, Portuguese, Russians, Romans
Against: None
Abstain: None
Not voted: Japan, Korea, Spain

Conclusion: The Majority of the AET members supports the Maya-deal.
That makes the Maya now a part of the AET, given that they get a 40 period pause to leave Emancipation themselves. (ooc: I'll check the exact turn/year tomorrow)

If the Maya can publicly show they accept this deal as well, all sanctions can be lifted from the Maya.

Orestes, Secretary General of the Anti Emancipation Treaty

---------

Regarding the Khmer-embargo vote:
In favour: Portugal, Sparta
Against: Russia
Abstain: None
Not voted: Japan, Korea, Rome, Wyandots, Spain, Maya