The War of the Hearth Right

[Geronus]

Well, it could have fired up all these squishy moderates we seem to have floating about, but instead everybody got fired up at Caspius. "We're under attack! Let's blame ourselves! If we defeat ourselves before our enemy does, they don't get the win!"

[Indirik]

Theuderik was a newcomer. He hadn't really been around long enough for an attachment to form. Plus, he was an Ibby devotee of another god, and quite outspoken about it. While the refugees from Ibladesh are nice to have, because more nobles are always better, they were always the square peg. We are the Sartanians! Someone who pledged their life to Kokini? Meh...

Plus: bad timing. We already have the holy war with the Elders. So the murder of Theuderik was sandwiched between the fact the holy war has already been declared, and the potential schism in the church between Caspius and Selene. Theuderik just got lost. It's up to his buddies to make sure he's remembered.

As for the "planned" feel of it all, people outside Sorraine would not have seen the juggling lordships and duchy. Supposedly Caspius thought Mathilda was there to arrest him or kill him? Then why the orderly transfer of the lordship and duchy over to Mathilda? And why does Arke show up out nowhere to kill Caspius by a surprise sword in the back? What? Where'd that come from?

Maybe I just didn't understand the whole thing. The scenario just didn't seem natural.

[Broose]

Theuderik was a newcomer. He hadn't really been around long enough for an attachment to form. Plus, he was an Ibby devotee of another god, and quite outspoken about it. While the refugees from Ibladesh are nice to have, because more nobles are always better, they were always the square peg. We are the Sartanians! Someone who pledged their life to Kokini? Meh...

Plus: bad timing. We already have the holy war with the Elders. So the murder of Theuderik was sandwiched between the fact the holy war has already been declared, and the potential schism in the church between Caspius and Selene. Theuderik just got lost. It's up to his buddies to make sure he's remembered.

As for the "planned" feel of it all, people outside Sorraine would not have seen the juggling lordships and duchy. Supposedly Caspius thought Mathilda was there to arrest him or kill him? Then why the orderly transfer of the lordship and duchy over to Mathilda? And why does Arke show up out nowhere to kill Caspius by a surprise sword in the back? What? Where'd that come from?

Maybe I just didn't understand the whole thing. The scenario just didn't seem natural.

Caspius granted her the duchy and lordship to ensure the succession went smoothly. He never planned to survive the ordeal, I think.

Mathilda came to the palace at Caspius' request, and she was told to bring a sword. He wanted her to kill him. Arke was also introduced to the scene in the roleplay before. It's kind of confusing to make out in the flood of letters, and there were a few crucial private ones as well. This wiki page has all the important bits: http://wiki.battlemaster.org/wiki/Arundel_Family/Caspius/The_Day_Sorraine_Stood_Still

So it wasn't really planned OOC as much as it was IC, on Caspius' part. I can't really blame anyone for being confused, but I hope some people enjoyed watching it unfold.

[Indirik]

I, as a player, can see why things were transferred. But as a character, I didnt think the RPs explained it. The character of Arke also seemed to come out of nowhere. When he arrived on FEI it was explained as an "ooops, I emigrated to the wrong island, leaving in two weeks. Oh, by the way, your religion sucks". Now here he is killing the king?

I understand *what* happened. I just have no idea *why* most of it happened. But it will make the future interesting.

[Scarlett]

Caspius had been arrested and sentenced to die by the Sartanian inquisitors the day he was killed. I don't quite understand how the character of Caspius knew hew as going to die before the inquisitors got to him, but he did.

I also don't see (as a player) the purpose of having him murdered - it condemns the kinslayer and deprives Caspius of the closest thing to an honorable death he could've had.

I get knowing as a player that he won't survive it (or deciding that he won't and acting accordingly) but I'm not sure I understand wtf Arke was doing there, or why.

[Gustav Kuriga]

I would have preferred Caspius staying alive. That would have led to a split and conflict. Now it'll be easy for Sorraine to regroup.

[Ender]

I can say from the outside that I knew it was planned only because of how quickly everything went. Caspius sent one letter, Selene followed it up, and the next day his successor sent a letter. All the while some people moved around and a region changed allegiance.

It was too orderly. That's only an opinion from outside Sorraine though. I have no idea how long you guys tried building up to that.

[Indirik]

There has been some long-term tension between Caspius and Selene. There were also some events in the past two weeks, such as the sacking of Order temples, that heightened the tension. The complete explosion between the two, with Selene's exile, Selene calling for Caspius to be overthrown, etc., was a complete surprise out of left field. But then again, my character is no longer a member of the army in which this stuff happened, nor an elder of the church, nor part of the sooper sekrit inquisition society. Anything could have happened there. And apparently, everything happened there all the way up to the very last two or so hours.

[Geronus]

I think to anyone outside the highest circles of the Church or realm, it all came as a very sudden explosion. It was literally almost over by the time I actually caught up with all the letters and had a chance to start responding to events. I mean, I knew that there had been tension between Selene and Caspius, but they seemed to be getting along fine recently until this blew up all over everyone.

As for Theuderik, it shouldn't matter if his character was well known or not. A priest was murdered, at his own altar, in an extremely brutal fashion and his body was defiled. Holy War or not, that is a marked escalation. I find the lack of furious outrage as a result to be quite the let down, truth be told. I joined Sorraine specifically because of the Church and how it was advertised to be a religion-first, realm-second type of deal, but to be honest all of the dramatic conflict so far has been between the Church and the realm, not between the Church and other churches and it seems like at least half of the Church would rather make nice with other religions than play hardball. Some people are actually blaming Caspius for Theuderik's death...

[Indirik]

To be honest, I haven't had a lot of time to follow most current events. And for Taylin, who is not really an ardent follower of the faith (she's a political convert), there really is no reason to start calling Crusade over his death. She didn't particularly like him to begin with, and the holy war was already starting anyway. Why start reaching for the torches, when they were already lit and being waved?

Some people are actually blaming Caspius for Theuderik's death...

In a way, it is. Caspius, I understand, gave the order to burn the Elder's churches without any direction from higher up in the church hierarchy. That started the chain of events that lead to Theuderik's death. So if you're looking to not stat a war with Arcaea and the other Elder realms, then Caspius makes a good fall guy. Especially since he's already dead.

[Geronus]

Damnable politicians! 

[Foundation]

How *did* he kill the king?  Duel to the death?

[Geronus]

How *did* he kill the king?  Duel to the death?

How about sword in the back?

[Foundation]

Ah, infiltrators still exist on FEI???

[Velax]

So if you're looking to not start a war with Arcaea and the other Elder realms...

Would just like to point out that Arcaea isn't an Elder realm. It's not an anything realm when it comes to religion, hence us attempting to stay out of this religious conflict.

Looks like at least one Arcaean Sartanian may try bring a case before the Judge seeking to punish Thain for Theuderik's murder, though. Likely because Thain RPed hanging Theuderik's charred skull from the walls of Nocaneb.