Intercepted message

[roadcage]

[roleplay]

Wilhelm the elder, OberGruppenFuhrer of Armaments for Duetschland, looked southwards from his villa in Hamburg. He yearned to return to his birthplace of Munchen, but knew instinctively that it was no more. The jungle had almost certainly reclaimed that small outpost by now. That is, of course unless the foul idolatrous banana worshipers had re-built the city. He wondered what they call the place where Munchen was built so long ago. No matter, for Bismark declares in each council meeting that we will reclaim our valuable Dye works there as soon as ‘something’ or other happens. And that’s the problem. Each council meeting it is a different ‘something’.

So the planning continues. A supreme strike force. Stacks of Knights converging on Napoleton and Seeberg. Backed by a horde of Swordsmen, built for this very purpose, but spending their days (and nights) at the clubs in Frankfurt, Leipzig, and Berlin. Meanwhile, while our glorious ruler, the pansy Bismark dithers over the Aztek and Amerikanish problems, the bananas just keep grinding it out over Persia. We have always known that Bismark has no soul, and now we also know that he has no spine. Yes, Knight construction continues, for someday Bismark will run out of excuses and the Fatherland will be made whole.

But I am old, and will most likely not be able to wield a sword when that day comes. Glory delayed is glory denied. And this old swordsman, expert in the way of the edge, wants the glory ever so. What good is it to master the edge if one cannot live life fully upon it?

[Shiber]

How did you intercept this message?
There is no time to waste. Let us make haste and forward this message to the Foreign Intelligence Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs!

Btw, if all goes well, by the time we duke it out with Germany their swords will be no match for our guns!! MWHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[roadcage]

[Roleplay]

The ‘Firm’ respectfully declines to discuss sources and methods. All that can be said is that the message is from a conduit that has proven reliable in the past, and confirmed by other intelligence.

Also, interpretation of the message, as is typical with all ‘raw’ intelligence, must be left to the home office.

[/Roleplay]

However, it is clear that Wilhelm is anxious for action. What is unknown, is how much support there is in the Reichstag for his views.

roadcage

[Aro]

Well, Otto don't need so much support to attack someone... We should attack him first. Err... just for self-defense, of course!

[GhengisFarb™]

The Ministry of Imperial Expansion already has agents of our Shadow Service intrenched within their organization and I assure you we are fully aware of their plans.

[Meshelic]

*Roleplay*

"To the Ministry of Imperial Expansion,

I have now rooted myself in the German highlands near Nuremburg and have come into contact with the German Resistance (G.R.). Their leader reports that Bismarck has sent out a command to all riders of age within his kingdom to enlist in the regular army and begin basic training at a small training base which I have found to be located in the horse plains between Leipzig and Konigsberg. I shall further continue my surveillence of these bases, in the shadows of course."

[Thud]

Hmm. This chappie might not be called Wilhelm Zimmerman?

Just trying to stir up an international incident is what this 'Firm' Is trying to do! Give the administration an excuse, a fabricated causa bellum! Well, I object! No more unwarrented wars!

[Meshelic]

"To the Ministry of Imperial Expansion,

Early scout reports show that the Persian infidels are strengthening their position in the mountains near Hamadan. If left alone too long they may be able to stage a counter-attack from the north..."

Meshelic of the Shadow Service

[Aggie]

Well with all this threatening action by the Germans maybe we should look at the possibility of "visiting Mr. ,or should I call him Miss since he practically wears a skirt, Bismark with some knights. This would strictly be a defensive manuever of course since we MUST protect our borders and nap and seeberg are very close to these treacherous germans. Thank you all for bringing this to my attention. Clearly these treacherous germans have spat on the chance for peace we so nicely gave them. Just thinking about it makes me want to bash some skulls. I also hear the greeks shoot innocent kittens so perhaps we should think of the kittens and explain to them error of their ways and I don't even want to offend your good ears with the stories the "shadow service" tells me about France, we'd be doing the world a favor it we razed every one of their cities and Thud I am disapointed in you, you know as well as I, war is never wrong in the first tense"our war", it is only wrong in the second tense"their war". All wars we fight are WON(wars of necessity), we can't have foreign powers on our borders can we.
Aggie

[Arnelos]

Originally posted by Aggie
I also hear the greeks shoot innocent kittens so perhaps we should think of the kittens and explain to them error of their ways.
Aggie

[Arnelos]

Originally posted by Thud
Hmm. This chappie might not be called Wilhelm Zimmerman?

Just trying to stir up an international incident is what this 'Firm' Is trying to do! Give the administration an excuse, a fabricated causa bellum! Well, I object! No more unwarrented wars!

Thud, I believe it's 'casus belli' in the singular and 'casus bellum' in the plural... Not *dead* sure about that because I don't know Latin all too well, but I've studied enough 19th Century European history to at least believe I got the spellings right there.

ANYWAYS...

Gotta agree with Thud on this one, we're seeing little more than an example of a very poorly executed propaganda campaign here. This campaign is so shabby that it gives propaganda a bad name it doesn't deserve... In fact, real propaganda is insulted to even be found in the company of this thinly veiled garbage

Come now, you guys can do better than this, I know you can!

[Thud]

Arnelos, you're probably right. I was guessing on the latin.

[Aggie]

Ok I'll do better. I discussed this issue with a Pesian "guest" and he confirmed,with alittle encouragement from the rack and spike and other aides, that this is all true. I would have him speak to you himself but he is currently resting and couldn't read the script, i mean confession.
Aggie

[roadcage]

[Roleplay]
-Another intercepted message-

The letter opener twirled slowly in one hand while Wilhelm wondered what today's mail would bring. Most probably, the usual mixture of requests would be there. A pig here, a poke there, an audience or two from every where would fill his day. Grasping the top letter gracefully twixt thumb and forefinger, the opener advanced towards its prey. Like a skewer, the blade zoomed towards the fold of the envelope flap, piercing at the weakest point. Wilhelm smiled, as he reflected on the hours, no years of practice he had spent mastering the swords, to fight the good fight in defense of the Fatherland and the Fuhrer. Know your enemy even if but a sheaf of parchment! The opener tore cleanly down the edge of the envelope for in this household if an instrument could take an edge, then it was well kept.

He placed the opener down by the stack of remaining letters and a puff of wind from his thin lips parted the envelope. Gently the contents were drawn out to face the bright morning light. The letter was badly stained and bore the aroma of a stable. Though of humble origin, the handwriting had a determined flair, and was in a crisp style. Wilhelm read the words again and again. Yes it was a request sure enough. But not of a pig nor of a poke nor even an audience. It was not surprising to Wilhelm that the author was known to him, for as lord and master of the keep he knew all of his loyal servants by name as well as deed. But surprised he was for he was unaware that this loyal servant could even write.

Wilhelm set the other letters aside, as this one would require much thought. For what purpose his most trusted stable cleaner would want to undertake such a path he knew not. But the wording was concise, the determination was clear, and the request could not be pocketed. Yes, Siegfried would be the principle point of discussion at the next Reichtstag session.

/message

Curious, to say the least. So the stableman for the OberGruppenFuhrer of Armaments, has indicated a strong desire to undertake a heroic quest. Wilhelm is interested in this enough to bring it up to the Reichstag. At this point we can only wonder as to the content. This development warrants the commitment of 'Firm' resources. The implications are ominous indeed.

[Thud]

Indeed. The damn stablehand didn't put anthrax in the letter. Now, what kind of an intelligence establishment is this 'Firm' anyhow? Can't corrupt a simple stablehand...

j\k

Most interesting, this thread is.

[Vlad Antlerkov]

Originally posted by Thud


Arnelos, you're probably right. I was guessing on the latin.

Bellum, i, n.-- war. Second-declension neuter noun.

Possessive singular: Belli
Possessive plural: Bellorum

This is probably what you want...

[Duddha]

Germany must pay, to War!

[History Guy]

MY goodness, Duddha! We never expected that you, of all people, would cry for war!!

[roadcage]

[Roleplay]

The OberGruppenFuhrer looked at the sealed pouch Von Runstead had just delivered. He waited for Von Runstead to leave, then carefully broke the seal on the pouch. Surprisingly, just one envelope was inside. The envelope itself was so covered with TOP SECRET stamps that that little else could be seen. Wilhelm smiled, remembering how industriously he had so stamped messages when he was young and striving for promotion.

Beads of sweat formed above his brow and his hand trembled, for he knew where Von Runstead had been the last few turns. Wilhelm poured himself a shot of schnapps, then doffed it in one gulp. He made a quick survey of his study, and determined that it was safe to open the envelope. And as the schnapps took hold Wilhelm’s hand steadied, and he tore it open.

*TOP SECRET*
*eyes only*
Ministry of Planning
Northern District
Geofront

The Persian campaign will soon be over. Our primary negotiaging goal will be to obtain all of Persia’s Technology that we have the pre-requisites for, namely Invention and Education. We anticipate no difficulties from Persia. The only reason we have not yet consummated the negotiations is because we need their spice concessions and undeveloped iron deposits. Once the remaining Persian heartland cities are cleansed of blasphemers, we will conclude the negotiations. Currently only five other nations that we have contact with show the same technology. The other five nations that we know of have already dropped out of the tech race. There is little Gold showing on any of the diplomacy screens. The largest amount is Otto with 51.

The real question is how many and which nations will still be in the hunt after the Persian situation is resolved. Based on past trading patterns, we expect that only Germany, Rome, and possibly Greece will have significant technology beyond Invention and Education. And therefore that is the short list of our next major campaign.

Lets look at the candidates in a little more depth. Rome is far away and therefore not yet suitable. We now have borders with both Greece and Germany. Greece and Rome control the Ivory market. Germany is the apparent Technology engine.

Since our homelands are mostly jungle, we have been forced to take the warrior’s path. When you follow that trail, it is necessary to consume the technology of your opponents from the bottom up. Each campaign should yield a couple of technologies. To insure that you get the whole pie, the technology engine should be left for last.

Hello Alex! Welcome to the frying pan.

Respectfully submitted,
Tuttenkammen
Deputy Minister of Planning
Northern Region

Wilhelm’s hands were shaking again. He doubted if schnapps could settle them this time. If only the pansy Bismark would listen to reason. This may be enough to get him off of the dime, but probably not.

Wilhelm set the paper aside, and dreamed of a new leader for the Fatherland. A leader who would see to it that Deuchland dominates the Grand Basin. Now what was the name of that Austrian painter?

[Meshelic]

We must tread lightly on the German campaign. Bismarck is a war-monger and probably seeks our destruction...At the least a solid defensive force should be built to protect our interests north.

Meshelic
Shadow Service HQ