Open letter to Queen Dawn

[Irvyn]

*The Duke’s handwritten letter is delivered by urgent messenger to the castle in Britain. Scribes’ copies are pasted on noticeboards across the land and sent personally to Hanse Davion of Vesper and Gendin of the Knights Templar.*

By the hand of Duke Irvyn, to the Lady Dawn who is presently Queen in Britannia.

Your Majesty,

I write to you as I wrote to your immediate predecessor Casca, to assure you of my enduring loyalty to the Kingdom established by Lord British. In all the many years that I have ruled Trinsic and the south, I have sought only and always what is best for the Kingdom. I am sure that you do not doubt this, but nothing should be taken for granted.

In view of this, I feel compelled humbly to offer my advice to you, but, less humbly, to request that you listen and take note of it. I earnestly desire that my long experience as the guardian of the southern part of the Kingdom should be of benefit to you, and thereby to the whole Kingdom.

I fear that you have been ill-used by your advisers in the matter of Vesper. That city has never been part of the Kingdom, and its independence – whether you consider this desirable or not – was recognised by Lord British in the Act of Settlement. Worthy as your Royal Decree may be, it is nevertheless based on an inaccuracy.

In truth, it is my desire also that Vesper should cease its eternal wars and join the Kingdom that all may live in peace and amity, but this cannot be forced by threats and certainly not by invasion. Historically such attempts have been made: all have failed and most only made matters worse. I have learned this both by observation and experience.

Remember also that there are other dangers facing the lands, by which I mean not least the resurgence of the orcish menace. As before, other quarrels need to be set aside for a time, and these events faced with a united front.

Therefore I most strongly urge you to accept the offered continuance of negotiations with Vesper, and not to pursue at this time your intended course of action as stated in your Royal Decree. I also request that you meet with Trinsic, as there is other vital information regarding this affair that it is not wise to discuss in an open letter.

My lady, I ask you to take heed, for this is a solemn warning. There is a great danger that, by continuing on this perilous course, you will at best risk fragmenting the Kingdom, and at worst you will see the completion of the work of destruction begun by the usurper Casca.

Consider the people of these lands: whether you consider them your subjects or not, none deserves the further suffering and disasters that such a war will bring upon them.

May the Virtues guide you in this and all matters.

Irvyn Middlethorn
Duke of Trinsic, Servant of the Realm, Defender of the South, etc etc

The personal seal of the Duke of Trinsic:
An eagle flying, holding the branch of a thornbush in its claws; surrounding are the words "Mine honour is my life; both grow in one; take honour from me, and my life is done."

 

[Sir_Bolo]

I fear that you have been ill-used by your advisers in the matter of Vesper. That city has never been part of the Kingdom, and its independence – whether you consider this desirable or not – was recognised by Lord British in the Act of Settlement.

OOC: I'd like to know more about the Act of Settlement... Was it issued by some OSI Seer in an ancient event, or was it invented by the roleplaying community to justify the Republic of Vesper?

 

[Escaflowne]

OOC: Basically Lord British had already dissapeared (Well when he was killed or whatever lol) when Xel'Naga leader of the Lord British Loyalists, the main Royalist forces at the time invaded Vesper in Lord British's name. This was the Crown of Thorns War, the first big war of Vespers History which was in 1998-1999. After the war a treaty was signed in Spiritwood by Xel'naga and our leader of the time (Sylis Larpet) which recognised our independance. As they represented Lord British, RP wise we assume he was aware of it and agreed to it.

If your interested in anymore information about Vespers history you can find it on our history thread here:

http://www.uoforums.com/vesper-recruitment-guild-info/57527-history-vesper.html

You can also find information on the wars Vesper has been in over the years here:

http://www.uoforums.com/vesper-recruitment-guild-info/61853-wars-vesper.html

 

[She-Man]

OOC: Sorry to continue this general derrailment of your RP thread, Irvyn. Wasn't it later decided by ERPA's top dogs that Xel'Naga was acting of his own accord?

From the MoongatesWiki, by Hanse, I believe:

Spoiler

In the period of turmoil following Lord British's departure and prior to the birth of the new regency, Xel'Naga, a court noble, set about reclaiming Vesper in its weakened state. This act spawned the Crown of Thorns wars; a vicious, brutal conflict for independence and supremacy.

So the "Act of Settlement" was essentially an agreement between a rogue general - at the head of a paramilitary - and a rogue state. Without the signature of Lord British or a suitable appointee, it's not worth much anyway, because the cessation of land and indeed a whole city doesn't lie within the jurisdiction of an officer or even nobleman, unless that land is his own. Besides which; treaties can, were, and often are ditched when no longer viable. Accepted as Queen by the majority of loyalists, she does have the authority to scrap old arrangements, anyhow.

 

[Escaflowne]

OOC: Perhaps yeah, the Queen can think what she wants. This still doesn't change the fact that Vesper has been an independent state and city for the past 10 RL years

 

[Floria/Tanya]

OOC: Surely that has more to do with the fact no one has the power (or right) OOCly to bring you into the Kingdom than the fact it's a 'recognised state'.
You ARE an independant state because ICly it's thought no one has the power to stop you being, it doesn't mean it's a recognised independant state or one the Queen or any Loyalist must approve of - I think that's where the confusion lies.
As She-Man said:

Wasn't it later decided by ERPA's top dogs that Xel'Naga was acting of his own accord?
So the "Act of Settlement" was essentially an agreement between a rogue general - at the head of a paramilitary - and a rogue state. Without the signature of Lord British or a suitable appointee, it's not worth much anyway, because the cessation of land and indeed a whole city doesn't lie within the jurisdiction of an officer or even nobleman, unless that land is his own.

It's what's made the Loyalist/Rebel conflict so controversial and entertaining, as far back as LB versus Vesper.

 

[R Traveler]

How long we will have dead body near castle?

 

[Escaflowne]

OOC: Well in the beginning the RP community made up this treaty that all royalist states/guilds of the Kingdom signed to join and unite the Kingdom. Vesper refused to sign this treaty and become part of the Kingdom which spawned the wars. We fought the long Crown of Thorns war and won our freedom thus signing a treaty for our independence with someone who supposedly represented Lord British at the time. We've recognized ourselves as an independent nation all these years and many others have too. That doesn't mean everyone has to Xel'Naga could of been a rogue general, the queen can think we're part of the kingdom and so fourth. Such is the wonder of Role play which spawns story lines and wars Anything can happen and everyone or nation has different views.