[RP] Another day, Another decree

[arthur_loxley]

Stafford Neutrality Proclamation

Stafford takes an official stance of neutrality in regards to the conflict between the legally elected Council of Chester and their allies, and the army of Corsairs, Wolves, et al and their allies.

- In recognition that Stafford does not wish to interfere militarily with the internal political disputes of its neighbors;
- In emphatic rejection of the hostile acts and attitudes the combatants have directed at Stafford;
- With concern over the ethical conduct of the hostilities and the disregard for the lives of citizens of England;
- In recognition that non combatants in Chester have the need to avail themselves of the serenity and safety of neutral territory;

The legal corpus of Stafford: Book 2 - County Council -

Article 1. Make-up of Council
[1.1] The Duke *
- The Duke of Stafford is the highest authority of the county of Stafford. He may issue ducal decrees.
- The Duke appoints and removes councillors from specific council duties. He controls the maintenance of laws and is the only one with the authority to approve the Death Sentence.
- The Duke is charged with maintaining order in council chambers; opens all polls and declares when they are completed.

[4.2] Ducal Decrees
The Duke may issue temporary decrees or laws. These decrees or laws must be announced to the people and have a time limit specified. After a period of seven (7) days, the council must review to allow or revoke these decrees or laws. A resident of Stafford may request additional reviews of the decrees or laws at any time.

Stafford hereby declares and enacts the following laws by Ducal decree:

• Combatants, from either side of the conflict, are forbidden to move troops, or convoys of supplies across the territory of Stafford.
  
• Combatants, from either side of the conflict, are likewise forbidden to use the facilities of the county or towns of Stafford in the conduct of their hostilities.
  
• Groups cannot be formed nor recruiting agencies opened within Stafford to assist the combatants from either side of the conflict.
  
• Violations of Stafford's neutrality by combatants are acts of treason and may be punishable by a fine up to 500 pounds plus damages, up to 10 days in prison, writ of outlawry, and banishment.
  
• The fact of Stafford resisting, even by force, attempts to violate its neutrality cannot be regarded as a hostile act.
  
• Stafford reserves the right to send humanitarian missions into the area of hostilities in order to ensure that basic supplies of food stuffs are available, and to assist in and ensure the safe passage of non combatants through the area of hostilities.

This decree is in effect until the hostilities in Chester subside and the legally elected Council is returned to power.

In the best interests of Stafford,



Arthur Loxley Tudor
Duke of Stafford

Salter , looking pale, the Sadness in his Exterior shining through from his Soul within .. wanders down the Town Square .. A Lit Torch in one Hand , a Book in the order .. a Book .. so precious to him .. for soon , its words, its meanings , could soon be outlawed . This Decree became too much to bare for him .. he throws a bottle of Gin into a Haystack he had prepared outside the Castle gatehouse .. once the flamed engulfed the fire , he opened his Book and read Loud .. and with a passion , that he himself he didn't know...

" Here lying under the stars.
wanting to fight like the war god Mars
I try to hope,
Knowing that I will cope

I breathe through dust,
Knowing that I must thrust
Against the heavy doors of betray
Knowing that I must slay

I must slay the traitors,
not caring about the later
Time does not matter
Even when I fill battered.

Loxley .. you are a Traitor !

[arthur_loxley]

Calmly and quietly, hands folded at her waist, Rain walks up from Salter's left, giving no indication that she had run most of the way around the castle when she saw the smoke. She turns her head and snaps at the Guards in her sternest voice. "Get this fire out! Don't just stand there! MOVE!!" It's not the tone she normally takes with servants and guards, and the only indication that she is upset.

She turns back to Salter and manages to bite back what she wants to say for the moment. When she had glanced out and saw the flames she had been livid. She refuses to allow her temper to show in public, and her demeanor is perfectly cool--shoulders relaxed, expression bland. To her mild surprise, half of the guards move to form a semi-circle between Salter and his bonfire, backing him away, making sure to keep themselves between him and her, while the other half move to fetch buckets and put out the flames before they spread through the dry autumn leaves, stray rushes and twigs to the gatehouse itself. She waits for him to finish yelling, marvelling that she is here putting out a literal fire rather than the usual metaphorical fires.

"Salter what are you shouting about?" She sniffs the air and frowns. "Are you drunk? Arthur is busy right now. He has a meeting with the Regent in London regarding his attainder, as you well know. I hope he'll be back soon. It doesn't do for the Duke to be so distracted when there is war practically in our backyard. We have to be prepared for any possibility, wouldn't you say?

These things are, of course, priority and being discussed--now actually." She glances up at a window, then over the guards at work, then back to Salter. "I've been named proxy while the Duke is indisposed. Is there something I can help you with?"

[arthur_loxley]

Rhen looks from left to right and sighs deeply. "Don't look at me I didn't sign anything on neutralality as I have tendered my resignation as Paymaster," he coughed and began to through pounds of sand onto flames. "Now, is there something I can help with as I await for some good orders as I sit in my office as mayor of Lichfield?"

[arthur_loxley]

"Well, Mayor Rhenova..." Rain digs around in her ever present bag, halfway pulling out a few pieces of paper and putting them back before finding the one she wants and handing it to Rhenova, covering her mouth with her other hand and sneezing indelicately as the smoke from burning alcohol and hay stings her nose.

[rp]Irish and Armies and Wolves…Oh My!
Ok, now that I have your attention…despite the light-hearted title this is a fairly serious issue. An army made up largely of Wolves of Sherwood has been raised in Chester’s capitol. We are in need of two types of people. If you have strength of 100 or above, please contact Captain Regnavats via IG mail. There may be a place for you with the army even if you don’t officially wish to join the Stafford Guard. Sword, shield and bread will be provided. If you do not have strength of level 100 or above eat more meat and go on about your lives. At some point you may be called upon to defend your homes.[/rp]

"This is what I sent to the people of Ludlow to rally them to preparedness whatever happens. At the time, nothing at all had been decided. We operated under the assumption that we would be sending aid in the form of the Stafford Guard." She coughs and dabs at her eyes in the thick black smoke of a grass fire coming from the haybale. With a brief pause to determine the direction of the wind, she steps aside so that the smoke is not blowing directly at her. "Demands for absolute authority over the armies were quickly followed with accusations that Stafford was planning to attack Chester--as if the men and women of the Stafford Guard would follow such an order! Our Duke agreed to hold our army in reserve in case the Chester armies failed, but still the accusations didn't stop. He has now been attaindered based on hearsay evidence from a known political rival when all the while we--Stafford--had been planning to aid our neighbors.

"Mayor Rhenova, how many times should a dog suffer being kicked before he learns not to return for more?"

Her usual smile is gone, replaced by a deep sadness that the personal political agendas of a few petty men working to eliminate a handful of others could create such chaos and harm to innocent people. She shakes her head. "It was not an easy decision, this neutrality--for me at least, I cannot speak for the others. Now I have reports that the Palitinate of Chester does not have the stone and iron to maintain the mines for more than a few days at the most. So many without work. People in the armies can't work, and without workers there is no food. It is the people of Chester who will suffer most, and that, my good Mayor, is the tragedy.

"But...it's my job to care for the people of Stafford first. The reason most of us argue so vehemently for what we believe is right is because we have pride in our home and a wish to see it prosper. I would far rather see that than the silence and apathy that reigned a handful of months ago. It is only a few who act to increase their own power at the expense of others--I have to believe that, otherwise there is no hope. And so, I had to choose to keep Stafford and our citizens from being demeaned, abused and slandered. It's time to take a stand and demand at least basic courtesy before more favors are given. It's respect and courtesy that will build a nation." Rain snaps her mouth closed, realizing that she'd gone on for an extraordainarily long time, but she couldn't help it when she felt so strongly.

[arthur_loxley]

Deekay listened carefully to Rain.
This was all very puzzling. Why had the Duke been attaindered?
While he had signed up to the SG he was worried about Chester. What was going on?

There were a lot of rumours swirling around and he was worried some were true. His friend Stlayne was leaving the Court to defend Beeston.

He could understand why LordSalter was so upset.

He knew that he was only going to fight if the cause was just. And if it wasn't he was going to scour Stafford's laws to see who could be prosecuted.

[arthur_loxley]

Rhen looks from left to right and sighs deeply. "Don't look at me I didn't sign anything on neutralality as I have tendered my resignation as Paymaster," he coughed and began to through pounds of sand onto flames. "Now, is there something I can help with as I await for some good orders as I sit in my office as mayor of Lichfield?"

" An Honorable Protest Rhen .. my hat off to you sir ..

[arthur_loxley]

William Stewart stumbles out of a tavern more than a little drunk and wanders over to see what all the commotion at the fire is at. After listening for a bit he decides he's heard more than enough when it comes to calling the Duke a traitor,

"If you love Chester so Jah damned much Salter, why are you here? I'm sick of bailing out worthless neighbors and their idiot policies. The Duke ain't sayin' you can't go get yourself killed defending somethin you believe in, you just can't do it here. What he's sayin' is that me and the rest of the good lads in the guard aren't going to be risking our necks to keep a bunch of idiots who don't like us in power. Did you even fight last time?

William Stewart realizes his gestures and words are far more aggressive than he originally meant to be, and pulls back his accusatory finger as he finishes his last question.

[arthur_loxley]

Salter throws the empty bottle at the mans feet ..You sir ! ..I was at Hollywell , i was there defending the town .. all the Duke has done has showed Cowardice in the face of trouble .. no wonder so many other counties are now hounding us ... for being isolationist

[arthur_loxley]

She really can't do much besides stare for a time. Dumbfounded is probably the word for it. Killed is normally calm and reasonable beyond his years, with a good dash of the silliness that seems so prevalent in most of the Stewarts. It takes her a moment, but she remembers how upset her cousin was over killing that man during the last battle, and wonders if that's what is behind the young man's passion. Salter's words shake her out of her thoughts. "Lord Birmingham, it's been said and said again that any who choose to are free to go where they will. Stafford citizens are not slaves. It is not bravery to send other men to their deaths, and it's sheer foolishness to do so for people who do not wish it--and I do believe that one who accuses another of treachery probably does not want his help. It seems to me a far braver thing to stick by one's convictions, demanding respect for the men and women who volunteer to die to defend another's home. In the end, it is that respect that will build a unified nation and the true intentions of those who work against it will show through. It has already begun."

She looks at the bottle at her cousin's feet, then back to the ignoble lord. "For the time being, respect for those men who would kill and be killed for our home would be a start."

[arthur_loxley]

Rhen coughs and then sighs, "I'll have some men rally around to help this county. I'm a man of my county and won't allow things to escalate that far. I've also made a comment in the commons about our neutrality."

[arthur_loxley]

"Thank you, Mayor Rhenova. I wish you'd reconsider your resignation. One only rarely makes a difference by quitting." She turns a cool, flat, green-eyed gaze on Salter, who still has not answered her regarding what it is he wants exactly. "Lord Salter," she would give respect to the man's rank if not to the man himself. He had done little enough to earn it, and his recent actions in the Royal Court had destroyed what miniscule amount of respect and even friendship she still had had left for him, "was there something, or were you simply cold?" Her voice itself is ice, and she spares a glance for the flames as a sudden flare-up causes the men working on that side of the haystack to back away quickly.

[arthur_loxley]

Rhen's eyes widen, "Resigning what?" He looks shocked, "I just stepped down as paymaster due to my term being up. I'm still an Stafford Guard Professional, even though I've put in for the Royal Guard as well. I'm never putting Stafford down on my charts."

[arthur_loxley]

"Ah, of course. My apologies then for misunderstanding."

[arthur_loxley]

"Alls good in Love and War," he then chuckles. "This just happens to be the war aspect of the situation."

[arthur_loxley]

As the bottle breaks at his feet, Will clenches his fist briefly. He glares a bit at Salter before turning and walking away, biting his tongue before he says or does something truly rash.

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