|
 345x372 Thomas Blakiston I would like to take a moment to clarify a few of my earlier comments. While MSF does not consider itself to be bound by the militia law, this is purely an academic exercise at the moment, as we are currently in full compliance with the government's interpretation of the law and will be for the foreseeable future. There is no material conflict between the two positions based on the current state of affairs, and all parties intend to keep it that way. I made my position clear not as an attack on the government, but for the purpose of registering MSF's disagreement with their interpretation of the law in the unlikely event that there is a conflict in the future.
|
| # ? Apr 4, 2014 21:50 |
|
|
Viscardus posted:
Matsumae Takahiro  Perhaps we should then discuss if we really need troops, that answer to some corporation far away in the United Kingdom, on our soil. I'm pretty sure your Queen wouldn't let me take my entire retinue to London and parade them around without any supervision. I don't object to your presence here right now - we are at war with enemy much more numerous than us and you were contracted. But you probably understand that no government in the world would tolerate a significant military presence in their borders that doesn't answer to them in any way. At least not in peacetime. Your unique status is not a normal situation - it's a result of a loophole that has to be closed.
|
| # ? Apr 5, 2014 00:48 |
|
|
BrainParasite posted:
 Thomas Crusoe Thank you for your hospitality. I will do everything in my power to respect the ways and culture of the great Ainu people.
|
| # ? Apr 5, 2014 03:54 |
|
|
Thomas Crusoe A citizen's depositional letter to the court Though it may not be pertinent to the case, I would like for it to be on the record that the child shogun assaulted me with a deadly weapon. Kid's crazy, ya know? Edit: BTW BRAINPARASITE I do not have PMs and I can't locate your email in the thread so please give me contact info itt or at thomascrusoe.ezo@Hotmail.com mynamewas fucked around with this message at Apr 5, 2014 around 04:59 |
| # ? Apr 5, 2014 04:56 |
|
|
 I would like to express my apologies to Minister Matsumae Takahiro for my tardiness on certain matters. I am hereby shifting him from his appointment as Education Minister to a new cabinet-level position, the Minister of Industry and Resources. It will be his job to provide the nation with bills and programs to ensure that our natural resources are utilized in an efficient manner, and also to build up an industrial base to allow us to wage war, as well as a ship-building and a weapons industry. Takahiro-san's familiarity with the natural resources and geography of Ezo, thanks to his clan's ancient ties to the land, will serve us well, while Kasuga Saemon may concentrate further upon education and cultural matters. Due to the war and the CONSTANT DEFECTIONS AND COUPS, our nation has been having difficulties planning for the future. This ends now. I am going to be proposing broad directives. Starting in the next few months (next turn) it will be the job of our ministers to craft bills to see these directives through. It will be the job of ALL citizens and friends of Ezo to debate these bills, though of course the responsibility lies with the samurai class, as stewards of Ezo itself. 1. Army Minister (Takanago) - How can we maintain such a large number of our citizens under arms constantly? What part should our militias play in the future? How can we integrate them better so that in times of danger we can call them up, but when the nation is at peace, they can return to their fields and shops? 2. Security Minister (Ramba Ral) How can we ensure that Meiji spies will not infiltrate this nation? How can we stop the constant debilitating coups which ravage our army and navy? How can we preserve our freedom while still increasing our security? 3. Finance Minister (Josef bugman) How can we more carefully arrange our balance of payments? Which projects are of the most pressing concern? How can you work together with Horace Capron and Matsumae Takahiro to increase our tax base? 4. Foreign Minister(Interstellar Owl) Do you still exist? If no, we need a replacement. If yes, how can we arrange our foreign dealings to our benefit? What of the islands in the Pacific Ocean? Could Ezo make itself felt there, in the sense of trade or even friendship with the many smaller nations of the sea? 5. Education Minister (FriarJohn) What is the status of our education system? Primary, secondary, tertiary? What does our university offer? What SHOULD our university offer? How can we utilize education to improve the quality of our people's lives and the strength of the nation? 6. Industry and Resources Minister (Gantolandon) What is our current industrial state? What resources do we possess? How could we expand our resource production, especially in concert with the Ainu? Which industries could we conceivably set up here on Ezo in a potentially profitable state, especially those relating to shipbuilding and munitions? 7. Special Military Advisor (sniper4625) What changes or adjustments could we make to our army and navy, as well as our limited industry, to allow us greater strength? What theories are being discussed in Europe right now, such that we could learn the very newest techniques and begin their application, perhaps even before Europeans? 8. Special Economic Advisor (Shogeton) What is the current status of our nation's economy? Is it prospering? What of the various classes, farmers, merchants, shopkeepers, artisans, laborers? What changes do we need to make to allow them to function better? How can you work with the Finance and Industry Ministers to get what you think we should have to improve our economy? While I am specifically asking for the opinions of these ministers, Ezo is a free nation and any citizen of Ezo is free to comment upon these ideas, or even to approach a lawmaker to sponsor a bill. In my own position as President I will of course, continue to push my Ministers to propose beneficial policies and set the course for the nation. As Minister of the Navy, I will be proposing a more detailed plan for the streamlining and expansion of Ezo's naval strength in the coming weeks.
|
| # ? Apr 5, 2014 08:17 |
|
|
The president seems to continuously forget his constitutional duty to put cabinet appointments to a congressional vote. This serves as further proof that he grows weary of having to obey the constitution and would rather rule Ezo as a dictator.
|
| # ? Apr 5, 2014 08:31 |
|
|
Matsudaira Naritami Speech to the People of Ezo upon the revelations of the Shoguns Arrest and the release of evidence. Citizens of the Republic, I come before you now not as a representative of the government nor as Chamberlain to the Shogunate. I come before you as a Samurai and as a man, within the last three days it has been alleged that the Shogun has attempted to commit the crimes which he is accused of and used the influence of our house to attempt to hide his crimes. Though but a child he has been beset by worrying counsel from men I have formerly trusted it is now apparent that he is a danger to the safety of all of the people of our great nation. I would ask in this time of trials that we remember our young lord as a brave and courageous warrior, one who struck fear and terror into the hearts of the Meji. But he has also murdered kin. Whether by accident or design people in his employ have allowed the spilling of his kinswoman's blood and he has not even attempted to atone for this crime committed in his name. No amount of penance nor any attempt at fine words can turn aside the wounds that I and all of Ezo must feel. To those soldiers who believe there loyalty rests with the Shogun himself I would say that you must remember that it is the Institution of the Shogunate that you should uphold, it is to the republic and to us that you owe your loyalty and weaponry, not that of a boy who has attempted to use you. To the people who must now hate the Shogunate, I would ask for your forgiveness, and that it is my intention that any who have followed the order of the Shogun are shown the dangers of their actions and the effects that they can have. Therefore it is decreed by the president, the Matsudaira clan, the people of Ezo and the Shinsengumi that from here on, the personage of Tokugawa Kamenosuke is hereby denounced as Shogun. His actions have been unbefitting of his rank and status as Emperors representative and he is considered to have abdicated any responsibility as Shogun through his actions. His removal has not been an action undertaken lightly, but the office of Shogun must be above suspicion and whilst his guilt may be in doubt, his behaviour has become increasingly a source of concern. He is to retain relations to the Matsudaira clan, but whilst he is confined and his guilt under question he will not be allowed to serve as Shogun. A banner is unfurled showing the Tokugawa family crest  405x405 The Shogun has been removed, but a new one emerges. I give to you Tokugawa Satotaka, his is the bloodline of the founders of our great nation, and he will be the one to lead our country to greatness. 10,000 years to the true emperor! 10,000 years to the Bakufu! 10,000 Years to the people of Ezo!
|
| # ? Apr 5, 2014 08:56 |
|
|
Horace Capron Let me give some answers there as to the state of the Ezo economy, and the challenges it currently faces. If I might compare, Ezo is a fine and great racehorse, full of promise, but recently injured, and bereft of proper food. The clear issue is the murder of many of our best merchants at the hands of that treacherous snake's thugs. But many of them have heirs, and in time, and with guidance, their enterprises will not only survive, they will thrive. I know the merchant class of this land is not the most popular, but I can tell you that a merchant's determination will see him through the woods. There is the matter of what to do with the properties of the ones that left with the traitor. I suggest they are confiscated by the state and sold to the highest bidder, giving the government a good source of extra income. The other, more long term issue, acerbated by the current state of mobilization is the labor shortage. It already was a problem, but as the economy continues to develop, and more men are now in the army and militia, it is becoming an increasingly severe brake on our economy. I do my best at bringing Japanese from the mainland here, but this is difficult in the current circumstances. Once we inevitably sink their fleet, things should improve there. However, I would like to float the possibility of immigration again of non-Japanese. I understand this is a very sensitive issue, but we are still in a race with the Meiji. And we cannot afford anything holding us back. I propose, for example, to invite a strictly limited number of voluntary Chinese workers, say 5000,, to work for five years in Ezo. After which they will be returned to China with a small amount of wealth, which should carry them far in their famine wracked homeland. They would be strictly monitored, kept seperate from the population, and made clear they are here to work.
|
| # ? Apr 5, 2014 09:01 |
|
|
I wonder how much coin the Nationalists slipped to the chamberlain to get him to denounce his own charge. It is worth noting that the president, the matsudairas and the Shinsengumi have no right to remove the shogun. The appointment of the shogun is, and always will be, at the pleasure of the Emperor. Tokugawa Kamenosuke therefore remains shogun Namtab fucked around with this message at Apr 5, 2014 around 09:06 |
| # ? Apr 5, 2014 09:03 |
|
|
Matsudaira Sadaaki 松平 定敬 (S) 陸軍奉行 (Army Minister) Isn't the appointment of the Shogun one of the Emperor's duties?
|
| # ? Apr 5, 2014 09:07 |
|
|
Matsudaira Naritami 197x319 I also wish it to be known that I am voting Against the flag that the president has proposed, as I find that it is aesthetically displeasing. I would instead propose a new flag:  1334x667
|
| # ? Apr 5, 2014 09:22 |
|
|
While I recognize that appointments must be authorized by Congress, I merely make these statements in the hope that Congress won't prevent the speedy confirmation of any of these excellent candidates. Regarding the trial of Tokugawa Kamenosuke. I have spoken to Supreme Court Justice Ooka Tametomo, and wish to make the following clarifications regarding justice in this matter and what the plans are for the upcoming season. First, Tokugawa Kamenosuke stands accused of murder, he is not being held without reason, a writ of habeas corpus has no place here, and our prison system would have no problem providing evidence of our legal custody of him. He is to be tried for that murder, the murder of Tokugawa Masako, his own sister, as well as the deaths of the eight foreigners who were guests on Ezo soil. Due to the obvious security issues at the moment, the trial against the Shogun will be held in a secret location. The content of the trial, however, will be made public. Each day, transcripts of the trial will be brought to a newspaper by secret routes and published, such that the entirety of Ezo may see exactly how our modern justice system works. For those who would question our right to hold the trial in a secret location as violating the 6th amendment right to a public trial, I would present the following reasoning. First, witnesses in this case have already been found dead. Can we allow the possibility that other witnesses would be slain? Is that justice? Their lives and security must be measured against the need for a public trial. Second, there exists a threat that armed men representing Tokugawa Kamenosuke would disrupt the court proceedings, threatening the safety and security of all involved. The probability that the trial would be disrupted is simply too high, thus we will be undertaking the trial in a secret location. However, all due process will be adhered to, the trial will be held with all diligence and the government shall not prejudice the courts and shall certainly respect the outcome. I should make it clear that this government shall not press for the death penalty, but if he is to be found guilty, we would accept exile considering his youth.
|
| # ? Apr 5, 2014 09:27 |
|
|
The president is a minister and president; that's dumb. Put that at the top of your docket.
|
| # ? Apr 5, 2014 10:41 |
|
|
 Ooka Tametomo, acting High Judge of the Ezo Supreme Court, Samurai The request for a writ of habeas corpus in the matter of The Republic of Ezo v. Tokugawa Kamenosuke is denied. There are three issues at stake with such a writ:
In regards to the second issue concerning sufficient evidence for such a charge, such evidence has been made available in a public manner. All those interested could read, in the paper, the state’s preliminary evidence against Mr. Tokugawa. This is plainly not a case of secret evidence being used to leverage a criminal case against the accused. It is the place of a trial for evidence to be evaluated. As the state clearly has some form of evidence, it cannot be that the accused is being held without evidence. In regards to the third issue concerning the accused’s individual liberties being curtailed by arbitrary state action, it is the opinion of this Court that they are not currently being unreasonably curtailed. The accused is being held in a secure location until a trial may take place. As long as the issues concerning a criminal charge and sufficient evidence for such a charge are resolved, it is very difficult to say that the accused’s individual liberties are being arbitrarily infringed. The accused’s individual liberties may very be infringed in other unconstitutional ways, they are not infringed in such a way that would warrant a writ of habeas corpus. In conclusion, there may be other constitutional issues concerning this case, they are not yet at issue here. A writ of habeas corpus provides immediate judicial relief for a person or persons who is/are unlawfully detained. Tokugawa was charged with several capital crimes, evidence was provided to warrant the charges, and is having his individual liberties curtailed in a matter reasonable for a pretrial situation. As such, the request for a writ of habeas corpus in the matter of The Republic of Ezo v. Tokugawa Kamenosuke is denied.
|
| # ? Apr 5, 2014 10:45 |
|
|
Matsumae Takahiro I dutifully accept my appointment as the Industry and Resources Minister and I trust my successor as the Education Minister, Katsuga Saemon, to continue the plan to bring affordable public education to all citizens of Ezo, including Ainu people. Currently, our nation is quite underdeveloped considering its potential. The island itself used to be much more sparsely populated: we didn't need to grow too much food back then and our main export goods were wood, furs and Ainu crafts. This sufficed when it was simply a province located in the periphery of a larger state. Obviously, this won't do now if we want to survive as a nation. Obviously, we have a lot of wood. This is a great boon for us: shipbuilding industry heavily relies on it. We should invest in both military and commercial shipyards. If we play that well, not only we will have a strong military and merchant fleets, but we will be able to sell the surplus to other nations. Our envoys should maintain contact with China - I believe they may be interested in purchasing some. Wood is also important to make paper, which is crucial to the proper functioning of the state. We will need more paper mills to deal with demand. If we want to see our industry strong, we also need coal. We have plenty of it and it is of relatively good quality. I would even dare saying they are much better than the ones the Meiji have. Unfortunately, most of them are located pretty far away from the shore. To even think about exploiting them seriously, we need to invest in rail network. If the Congress approves my candidature, seeing this through will be the most important thing during my tenure. The last thing we need the most is iron. Here, my estimations are less optimistic. We have deposits ready to be exploited and they will suffice for some time. As our industry grows, however, they may become insufficient. It's important we establish friendly relations with our less developed neighbors. We very much want to see the situation when they sell us the ore and buy processed goods from us. Again, this is the task for the Foreign Minister. Of course, we shouldn't forget about food production. Fortunately, there is plenty of space for farms and numerous fisheries. Every daimyo should make sure his people have plenty of food to survive. In fact, I believe this should be their duty - a daimyo who lets his subjects starve should be disciplined by the shogun, as his reckless actions threaten the economy of the entire Republic. In fact, I already proposed an appropriate act. Food Security Act posted:1. For each province, enough food has to be produced to ensure the needs of their inhabitants are met.
|
| # ? Apr 6, 2014 06:07 |
|
|
Last call for orders! Send them in if you haven't already! The invasion of Ezo is imminent!
|
| # ? Apr 6, 2014 16:11 |
|
|
OOC: Regardless of the outcome of the trial on my Shogun character I'm most likely going to have to drop. Its an amazing game but I have 3 exams in the next week, a final paper, than its straight to finals.
|
| # ? Apr 10, 2014 14:09 |
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 00:31 |
|
|
mynamewas posted:
With this as inspiration, the update will be posted at exactly 2PM 4/14, CDT. (UTC - 4 hours). Sorry for the delay! JosefStalinator fucked around with this message at Apr 14, 2014 around 00:38 |
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 00:34 |
|
|
JosefStalinator posted:With this as inspiration, the update will be posted at exactly 2PM 4/14, CDT. (UTC - 4 hours). Never apologize
|
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 06:39 |
|
|
Update 6: Quarter 2 (Apr - Jun) 1878 International News Gonna Stand My Ground They must know it by now. They can't win. It's pointless to keep fighting. Why, insects? Why? Why do you persist? - Emperor Meiji, Ruminations While many in Ezo were distracted by internal divisions, Shogunal intrigue, or any other matter of insipid or banal distraction, most of Ezo waited with baited breath for President Enomoto’s response to Emperor Meiji’s ultimatum. Months of negotiations had brokered a deal favorable to Meiji, but which Ezo felt was not sufficient for acceptance. President Enomoto agreed with those critical of the treaty, and chose to reject Meiji’s offer for peace, setting up Ezo for war. Meiji forces, already gathered at Aomori, set sail for Hakodate, hoping to crush the Ezo Republic once and for all. The Vice President did engage in some marathon diplomacy with Meiji in an attempt to slightly moderate their demands, refusing the clause to reject the treaty with Russia, and offering to construct a Dejima-style floating island for foreign trade. While Meiji representatives did run these changes by the Emperor (rather than outright rejection), the Emperor ultimately decided against the compromise, preferring to let the budding military confrontation decide Ezo’s fate. (+Climax!) The Great Wave off Hakodate President Enomoto Takeaki posted:"Men of Ezo, you are about to embark upon the largest naval battle ever seen in the Far East. Ezo, that word should have new meaning for us all now. For some of us, Ezo was merely a chance to bide our time, gather our strength, until we could return to Japan. But now we can see it as something more, our home, the place we raise our families. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interest. Today you will once again be fighting for our freedom. Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution, but from annihilation. We're fighting for our right to live, to exist and should we win the day, the 4th of April will be known forever as an Ezo holiday, as the day when we declared in one voice, 'We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We're going to live on, we're going to survive.' Today we celebrate our TRUE independence day!" Given Ezo’s status as a breakaway island state, the first stages of the invasion would take place at sea. President Enomoto rallied the men of Ezo’s navy, giving a speech to inspire them, and alluding to his previous experience as the victor in the original War of Ezo Independence. At his side were Jules Brunet, Thomas Blakiston, Kasuga Saemon, Matsudaira Sadaaki, and Hijikata Toshizo, all of whom volunteered to fight on the front lines, either by sea or land. Kasuga Saemon was tasked with organizing the defense of Ezo by land, and alongside the other great military thinkers of the Republic, crafted Plan Fuurikanzan to prepare the beaches of Ezo. Before such plans could be realized however, the battle at sea would need to be fought. A few hours after Enomoto set out from Hakodate bay with the full might of Ezo’s navy, Jules Brunet received a telegram from Paris. The telegram merely stated “You have been given full control over the ships docked at Hakodate, by authority of the President of the Republic. Your interests are now aligned with the Republic.” Taking this as a grant for intervention, Jules Brunet took command of the 5 French armored frigates docked in the bay, and just behind Enomoto’s ships, set sail to defend his adopted Republic from the Meiji who would dash his dreams of a French Far-East Empire. The total of Ezo’s might, as it sailed to intercept Meiji’s fleet, would amount to the following: 1 ironclad vessel (Brunet-Maru, flagship of the Republic despite its creeping obsolescence), 3 French-constructed armored frigates, 15 torpedo boats, 8 merchant vessels, and 5 armored frigates on loan from France. Meiji’s navy approached with some 4 armored frigates, over 30 smaller torpedo boats, and a small fleet of some 10 merchant vessels and other small ships commanded by none other than Katsu Kaishu himself. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRU1AJsXN1g Believing the invasion force to come from Ooma, the Ezo fleet set forth to engage. The two navies finally sighted each other on April 2nd, and Ezo’s navy raced forward to deny Meiji the control of the seas that would threaten their Republic. The battle covered a considerable swath of sea, but the focus of the battle was just North of the Shimokita Peninsula:  1201x681 As the two forces engaged in battle, Enomoto steamed forward aboard one of the newly purchased French armored frigates, boldly standing at the bow of the ship, his sword glimmering in the spring sun. While this spectacle ended shortly after sighting the Meiji fleet, it did serve to inspire those of his allies within sight, and a great cheer could be heard across the fleet as it prepared to open fire on Meiji’s vessels. What became apparent rather quickly however, was that Meiji was not in fact pursuing a victory on the open sea. As the Meiji ships drew closer, Ezo forces noted the absence of troop carriers, or many of the smaller vessels which might typically accompany an invasion fleet. Instead, what approached Ezo was only 3 of Meiji’s five frigates, Katsu Kaishu’s merchant fleet, and 10 of the torpedo boats. All of Ezo’s fleet was now steaming head on against only a fraction of Meiji’s - raising the question of where the rest of Meiji’s fleet hid. Regardless, Ezo forces opened fire on Meiji’s ships, only to find Meiji’s forces turned about and attempting to only skirmish the Ezo ships. This amounted to a delay tactic on the part of Meiji - they sought to hold down Ezo’s fleet as long as possible, and minimize losses, especially as word spread of France’s loan of 5 ships to Ezo’s fleet. This resulted in minimal losses by both sides on the first day, but may have somewhat backfired on Meiji, for by April 3rd, Brunet’s ships had arrived. With considerable advantage, Enomoto gave word to charge full steam ahead at the awaiting Meiji forces, and all 8 of Ezo’s armored frigates charged at the awaiting enemy. The ships endured a rain of cannonfire from Meiji forces, and miraculously, suffered only minor damage in the process. Once in range, all 8 ships opened fire on Meiji’s fleet, concentrating their fire on the 3 armored frigates that made up the bulk of the engaged forces. This initial volley devastated Meiji’s fleet, and one of the armored frigates exploded shortly after being hit, completely annihilating one of the frigates. Another sustained heavy damage and began to withdraw, as the bulk of Meiji’s forces began to collapse under Ezo’s fleet.  672x272 As Ezo’s ships began to catch up and overextend slightly, the rest of the Meiji forces opened fire on Ezo’s ships, focusing on the armored frigate headed by Enomoto himself. Katsu Kaishu’s merchant ships charged forward to coordinate the volley, and concentrated the smaller fire on the larger ship. One of the cannon shots managed to score a direct hit on President Enomoto’s frigate, setting it aflame, and providing the most severe Ezo casualty of the battle. President Enomoto was struck by cannon fire, and in the process horribly wounded, prompting an evacuation of the ship and the President by his staff. Fortunately, the fire on the ship burned slowly, and Jules Brunet dispatched his small two person vessel to personally retrieve the President and grant him the attention of French doctors aboard his vessels, staunching any bleeding and saving the President’s life. The large stores of alcohol aboard the ship served as useful disinfectant for Enomoto’s wounds. In the meantime, the minor and short-lived confusion in Enomoto’s injury (and hasty recovery) granted Meiji time to withdraw with the rest of its fleet, but not before Ezo’s torpedo ships inflicted further damages on Kaishu’s merchant ships and their supported torpedo boats. As Meiji withdrew, Ezo naval units let out a cheer, though many still worried of the fate of the Republic’s President. (Meiji: -1 Frigate, -1 Damaged Frigate, -8 Torpedo boats, -6 Merchant vessels Ezo: -1 Frigate, -4 Torpedo Boats, -2 Merchant vessels, -1 Injured President)  1223x611 President Enomoto, Jules Brunet, and Thomas Blakiston all distinguished themselves in battle, though Enomoto sustained very serious injuries. Katsu Kaishu also distinguished himself for Meiji, and was in large part credited for the destruction of the Ezo frigate and injury to Enomoto. (+Honor to all three men, and honor for Kaishu in Meiji) Ezo stood victorious at sea, but word quickly reached the fleet of Meiji’s true intentions - the naval battle had been a decoy, and Meiji forces were already streaming onto the beaches at Hakodate. The Battle of Hakodate had already begun. Into the Breach! "Charge for the guns!" he said: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. On the night of April 2nd, as the navy was only beginning to engage with a portion of Meiji’s fleet, the remainder escorted a group of troop transports to Ezo’s shores. This was not entirely unforeseen by Ezo, and Kasuga Saemon had prepared for just such a decoy attempt, and had fortified the coastline heavily in anticipation. While some faulty intelligence prevented a naval interception on Ezo’s part (at least initially), Ezo’s army stood at the ready. As the men of Ezo awaited the arrival of the Meiji fleet or invasion force, Kasuga Saemon and Hijikata Toshizo trained late into the night to prepare for battle. They covered all the relevant forms of combat, strength, friendship, and love, and together grew stronger. One could say, they became men.  550x323 Meiji forces adopted a strategy of dispersion, anticipating Ezo’s response, and seeking to avoid a pointed assault as that which ended in disaster in the original Ezo war of independence. What this amounted to was a wide number of landings all down Ezo’s West coast - supported by the broken off torpedo ships and armored frigate which was not engaged with Ezo’s navy. Seeking to avoid confrontation East of the straits, Meiji instead launched many small and pointed attacks as far North as Sapporo, utilizing their sheer numbers to their advantage. Though lacking in industrial power to create armored frigates and the like, crude wooden ships were constructed in great number over the previous year, facilitating the transport of tens of thousands of men in total.  1119x970 The bulk of the forces landed near Hakodate, with Meiji hoping to score a quick victory and crush the Republic by taking its political and economic capital. Fortunately for Meiji, the operation was coordinated with perfection. Katsu Kaishu’s expertise was especially helpful in identifying areas of heavy fortification, as well as his intimate knowledge of the local geography, ensuring that the landings targeted the areas most ideal for landings. The operation near Hakodate was the most contentious, as it was here that the Ezo fortifications were most heavily concentrated. Even before the troops disembarked from their transport vessels, guns positioned above Mount Hakodate opened fire on the vessels, inflicting heavy casualties and causing the landings to become clogged with damaged vessels. Somewhat prepared, many Meiji soldiers shed their armor and sought to swim ashore - though they did so without weapons, and without much effectiveness. Some of the artillery was silenced, or at least impeded, by fire from the Meiji frigate which had served as the escort, allowing some of the Meiji to make it ashore. As soon as any of Meiji’s forces reached the beaches, they were met by waves upon waves of fire from the waiting Ezo forces. Equipped with breech loading rifles, the Ezo forces were able to lay down heavy fire on Meiji soldiers, ensuring that every beachhead faced extremely heavy casualties. Despite Ezo’s attempts to delay Meiji’s invasion, the land forces began to overwhelm the defensive positions. Hakodate’s defenses served as the most severe impediment, and the beachhead remained in contention throughout the first two days, but success across the bay and further to the Southwest began to worry Ezo’s command. Matsudaira Sadaaki, leading the defense of Shiriuchi to the southwest, saw his positions rapidly overwhelmed, as the bulk of Ezo’s defenses were focused on defending the capital. This allowed Meiji to establish a strong beachhead and overwhelm the first line of Ezo’s defenses, though at considerable cost. Sadaaki, never one to surrender, rallied his forces as they withdrew, and made the beachhead face constant guerilla attacks, reprisals, and sabotage from his positions in the hills and mountains near the coast. With the beachhead secured, Meiji began to repurpose its invasion to reinforcing its position at Shiruichi, and those that landed there began marching toward Hakodate in an attempt to pressure the city by land. Fortunately for Ezo, this march was some days away. Meiji’s other landing attempts further North went more or less as Meiji had anticipated, with heavy losses resulting in some limited landing on Meiji’s part. The sapporo operation was especially harmful to Meiji, as it had only dispatched a small contingent to the area, and were met with the sizable militias raised from the local population of what amounted to Ezo’s second largest population center. An attempt to secure the island of Okushiri was especially embarrassing to Meiji, who dispatched only a small force seeking to establish a forward base of operations, only to be rebuffed by the local defenders. Though Ezo had invested few resources in defending the island, a local fisherman named Hikaru Terajima organized a defense of the island, and single-handedly led a local militia to repulse the 50 or so Meiji who arrived to secure the island. The man is being hailed a local hero, and is rumored to have single-handedly killed at least 10 of the invaders.  1272x650 Ezo Counters Ezo forces did not sit idly by as Meiji organized on their shores, and by April 5th, the navy and army responded in force to the events of the previous few days. The navy steamed to intercept the flow of Meiji forces, and after a short naval battle with the escorting torpedo boats seeking to support the landing operations, quickly staunched the flow of Meiji troops onto Ezo’s shores near Hakodate. Meiji sought to exploit its successes further north, especially near the modern day town of Setana (the island operation’s failure not withstanding), and it took the navy an additional week to stem the flow of reinforcements to the area north of the peninsula.  1024x690 As Meiji sought to exploit its success further afield, the Hakodate beachhead remained under siege. The bulk of Ezo’s forces fought to defend the capital, and Kasuga Saemon marched West with his forces which were stationed further east to reinforce the defense, and personally led his forces into battle to remove the beleaguered Meiji from their position. But, despite the navy blocking off their supplies, Meiji forces held, and by April 8th, a small beachhead had been established despite the odds on the southernmost tip of the Hakodate Peninsula. A courageous assault of Mount Hakodate by Meiji forces led by a colonel Tenshin Ishiguro saw Ezo’s control of the mountain slip, and Meiji forces fortified themselves in the area, desperately awaiting assistance from elsewhere. With Ezo’s navy now in firm control of the strait however, their situation began to look rather grim, but they held.  640x360 Further West, Meiji’s forces stormed Eastward, all the while under the harassment of Sadaaki and the remnants of his defensive forces. Numbering approximately 8,000, Meiji’s forces did not even enjoy overwhelming numbers, and became bogged down rather quickly once reinforcements began to peter out. Still, they maintained their march, and managed to defeat a sizable force of Ezo militiamen near the town of Moheji, managing to reach the Western outskirts of Hakodate. By this time, Sadaaki had repositioned his forces behind the marching Meiji troops, and his forces began wreaking havoc on Meiji’s army. Up North, Meiji saw greater success. While the Sapporo operation was largely abandoned, their drive from Setana met with virtually no setbacks, and soon Meiji had managed to cut off the overland route connecting the Hakodate peninsula with the rest of Hokkaido. While sea travel still ensured communication, this did somewhat disrupt the logistics of Ezo, and ensured that reinforcements marching south from the now secure Sapporo would need to first deal with the thousands of Meiji who had managed to place themselves in between. At sea, Meiji’s navy retreated to its coast, and further attempts at naval engagement by Ezo were met with no success. Instead, Ezo’s navy, now under the nominal command of Jules Brunet due to Enomoto’s injury, patrolled the coast and limited Meiji’s ability to reinforce its armies. While this was entirely successful in isolating the armies near Hakodate, those armies further north still saw the occasional supplies smuggled in, and reports of small landing parties in other isolated parts of Ezo ensured that the navy did not receive much rest. Meiji had clearly prepared for this eventuality, and try as the shinsengumi might to disrupt their illicit activities, a network of smugglers and covert operatives had clearly managed to plan the logistics of disrupting Ezo by sea. Back in Hakodate, things began to unravel for the Meiji. Atop Mount Hakodate, the remainder of Meiji’s Hakodate invasion force continued to be hammered by artillery fire and the bulk of Kasuga Saemon’s defense force. Without supplies and running critically low on ammunition, Ezo forces took advantage of the wavering morale, and Kasuga Saemon personally led a charge up the mountain to dislodge the Meiji occupiers and retake the strategic position. Raising his sword above his head, he is rumored to have screamed “Deus Vult!” as he led the charge, which, after some heavy casualties and brutal hand to hand fighting, saw Mount. Hakodate again in Ezo control. The other Meiji forces West of Hakodate, having seen their comrades lose ground across the bay, began to waver, and resorted to a desperate charge Eastward to loot, pillage, and destroy as much of Hakodate as possible before being destroyed. The result of this order was to effectively disperse the wavering Meiji forces across the capital and its surrounding areas, which Matsudaira Sadaaki did an effective job of staunching. Not, of course, before much of Hakodate began to burn, and while the defense of Hakodate ultimately succeeded, considerable portions of the city lay in ruins, and many, many bodies strew its beaches, mountains, rivers, and seas. Hakodate was safe from the imminent threat of Meiji, and now Ezo forces gathered to eliminate the only sizable army still on Ezo’s shores. (+Considerable damage to Hakodate, -Meiji armies attacking Hakodate) On Land and Sea Meiji’s forces in Ezo were now limited to the thousands of men who had landed further up the peninsula, most of whom were relatively well supplied due to foraging, looting, and the slower response time for Ezo’s navy to cut off their logistics. Aside from the groups of smaller units wreaking havoc on the coast or smaller outposts in other areas of Ezo, this Meiji force represented Meiji’s last hope for defeating Ezo on the ground, and marched south to link up with what remained of Meiji’s Hakodate forces (since eliminated, but that was not yet known to Meiji’s forces). Led by General Norishige Ito, Meiji’s forces numbered approximately 9,000. Ezo’s army led by Kasuga Saemon and staffed by Matsudaira Sadaaki and Hijikata Toshizo, numbered approximately 5,000 samurai and over 13,000 militia, peasants, or other auxiliary, with the rest of Ezo’s army otherwise preoccupied with other defensive or order oriented tasks. The two forces met just West of Mt. Komagatake, where Meiji forces, anticipating their opponent’s arrival, had set up a small contingent of artillery to take advantage of the terrain. This was only minimally effective as heavy weaponry could not be hastily transported by sea, but did make Ezo’s job harder, as Kasuga Saemon and his other officers ordered the offensive. Battle was joined, as Ezo’s peasant militia led the charge, and suffered heavy casualties, but softened up the Meiji for Ezo’s elite samurai soldiers. Matsudaira Sadaaki and Hijikata Toshizo personally led the charge alongside Kasuga Saemon, hoping to definitively smash the Meiji forces on Ezo soil once and for all. In the melee, Kasuga Saemon was wounded and forced to withdraw after his horse was struck by a bullet and crushed his legs, but Hijikata Toshizo took command, and leading a group of shinsengumi, charged directly at General Ito. As Matsudaira Sadaaki valiantly delayed any defending Meiji, Toshizo engaged General Ito in a duel. Cannonfire and attempts at intervention by followers of both sides made the duel difficult, but ultimately, Toshizo emerged victorious, and took with him the head of General Ito. Meiji’s forces gradually dispersed as Ezo overran their lines and killed their officers. The battle of Kayabe, as it would be called, was won, and with this victory Ezo had effectively repelled all of Meiji’s major attempts at securing the island.  494x700 Hijikata Toshizo, hero of the battle of Kayabe, holds General Ito’s head aloft over the water (+Victory against Meiji on land, -Injured Kasuga Saemon, +++Honor for Matsudaira Sadaaki and Hijikata Toshizo) Aftermath By April 19th, the anniversary of Ezo’s original defeat of Meiji, Meiji’s forces had largely disintegrated on land. This did not represent, by any means, a surrender of Meiji or its intentions to combat Ezo, and considerable portions of Meiji-led forces remained in the countryside committing acts of banditry and subterfuge aimed at weakening Ezo. Further North, Ainu forces engaged with Meiji again attempting to utilize the porous northern frontier for their gain, and severely limited Meiji’s operations.  1792x1200 Casualties for both Ezo and Meiji were high, but clearly lopsided, with Meiji suffering far more casualties than the Republic. Estimates vary considerably, but at least 35,000 Meiji forces lay either dead or wounded as a result of their coastal operations, with another 4,200 Meiji soldiers currently serving as prisoners near Hakodate, under guard of the shinsengumi and army. Ezo’s casualties, while fewer, were certainly still dramatic, especially given the more limited manpower pool from which Ezo can draw. Ezo suffered over 2,800 dead samurai, and as much as 5,000 dead peasant conscripts. The casualties for the irregular militia are less clear, as many simply refused to fight or became preoccupied with defending their homes, but as many as 5,000 are now unfit or unwilling to serve. With the casualties mounting, it is unclear whether Meiji will be deterred from future attack, or whether its intention is to whittle down Ezo’s forces through attrition. Ezo’s economy will continue to suffer from mobilization, pillaging, and labor shortages as long as it remains heavily militarized, and more casualties will only compound this problem, but as it stands, Ezo remains stable and ready to deter any future attacks. (-35,000 Meiji soldiers, -2,800 dead samurai, -5,000 peasant conscripts, -5,000ish effective militia, +economic troubles due to mobilization and death, +4,200 Meiji POW’s that need to be dealt with) Domestic News Cabinet Reshuffle Before setting off to war, President Enomoto decreed a number of significant changes to his cabinet. The resulting cabinet shuffle resulted in the following: Ezo Cabinet posted:Navy Minister (海軍奉行): President Enomoto (Nationalist) [Player: Fall Sick and Die] Little about this was controversial, and a new magistrate post was created to coordinate the development of Ezo’s industry and natural resources. Tempest in a Tyrant What do we want? Revengeance! Who do we revenge on? Traitors! Where do we want it? Ezo! - samurai mob, outside Nagai Naoyuki’s house Gone are the halcyon days of cooking competitions and kabuki shows, weddings and duels to the death. The polarized atmosphere in the Republic of Ezo, torn asunder by attempted coups and the arrest of the shogun, was perfect for Army Minister Matsudaira Sadaaki to act accordingly. In rabble-rousing speeches and rallies, he denounced the enemies of the state- Meiji saboteurs, foreigners, and internal dissidents alike. The shellshocked citizenry flocked to his message. Drawing power from official state-sanctioned militias and impromptu crowds alike, Matsudaira assumed his final form as a metaphorical mobocratic mage. Because of the battles of the previous weeks, the people of the island were tired and looking for respite. Thus, on April 19th, Deliverance Day (the anniversary of the Battle of Miyako Bay, when republican forces successfully beat back the original forces of the Meiji), Matsudaira Sadaaki addressed a huge crowd in Hakodate at high noon. Ranting and raving against the forces arrayed against their nation, he marched them straight to the estates of former Finance Minister Nagai Naoyuki. As the midday sun inflames the crowd, he accused Nagai of being a traitor conspiring with Katsu Kaishu’s National Unity movement to sell out the country to the Meiji regime. Beating up the spirits of the mob as an iron chef whips eggs, the crowd successfully addressed his call and they tear into his home, looting and burning. By early evening time only stones remain of Nagai’s home, and the rest are ashes. However, Nagai is nowhere to be seen. ...until one observant follower finds the man among the rubble, covered in dust and coughing. With one signal from Matsudaira Sadaaki, the mob descends upon him, tearing at his clothes, beating the man mercilessly within an inch of his life. His cries for clemency are duly ignored, and he is unceremoniously left in a pool of his own blood and bile as the mob continues onwards. Fortunately, some of his neighbors spot him, and rush him to the closest hospital, the Iron Chancellor Hall of Scienceworks and Medics Obscura, where he is treated for injuries. (-Nagai Naoyuki’s house, -Nagai Naoyuki’s health) But that is only the first stop on the tour of destruction. Not missing a beat, the Army Minister and his militia mob next visits the former home of Katsu Kaishu. Not missing a beat, Matsudaira Sadaaki orders the storming of the mansion, deeming it to contain “stolen goods from a traitor against the state.” At the prospect of finding contraband from the Meiji regime, his followers eagerly descended upon it like wealth vultures to a fattened money-carcass, and loot it as well. And they do so, finding small cachets of gold, currency, jewelry, spices, silks, sails, and all sorts of precious goods that were previously abandoned in Katsu’s haste to defect. Of these spoils Matsudaira Sadaaki confiscates, declaring a third of it to be given to the citizens of Ezo as “redress for crimes against the nation.” These moves are greatly appreciated by all present. (-Katsu Kaishu’s house, - Katsu Kaishu’s gold, +mob support for Matsudaira Sadaaki) The mob then stomps over to the docks of the Foreign District, to purge Hakodate of the outsider threat once and for all. While Matsudaira urges his mob to “cleanse Ezo of foreign criminality”, much like an apprentice drunk on power, he loses control of his mass movement magic and his mob attacks not only foreign-owned locations of ill repute but everywhere: inns, saloons, business offices, street stands, even consulates receive smashed windows and graffiti. Flames are lit, but the gaijin are saved by certain incineration by the appearance of local police forces who tell the crowds to disperse. Dispatched by the full authority of the House of Representative itself, the police order the mob the stand down, and they quickly do so, saving the district from total destruction. Unfortunately, before they fully do so, one target is the German-built hospital, where former Financial Minister Nagai Naoyuki is receiving emergency aid. Upon his rediscovery, the crowd once again beats him mercilessly, leaving him in even worse shape than before, and urinating on him to boot. Miraculously, the sterile effect of the alcohol-saturated waste helps Nagai stave off infection, at least preventing worse injury than he otherwise would have. Though he is still in pretty terrible shape. (-Foreign District trashed but not torched, --Naga Naoyuki health)  800x593 The Last Samurai Oh admiral! My admiral! - popular saying in the summer of ‘78 While the mob overwhelmed the guards and caused a massive scuffle with Shinsengumi and other guards at the hospital, another small mob appeared. Itakura Katsukiyo, angry over the imprisonment of the shogun, approached the hospital to make his protest known to the President. With the Shinsengumi and other guards largely preoccupied with protecting the foreigners and other guests, Katsukiyo’s mob had a somewhat easier time brute-forcing their way into the hospital, though his approach to the President’s room (where he was recovering from wounds inflicted during the battle at sea) was hardly easy. Striking down many guards, and losing many of his supporters in the process, Katsukiyo worked his way to the President’s room, using swords and rifles like to strike down all in his way. Eventually, Katsukiyo reached the President’s room, and storming inside, began grappling with members of the Samurai Secret Service. One of these bodyguards managed to strike him in the face, blurring his vision, and causing Katsukiyo to begin firing wildly in an attempt to bring down the President. At this time, Enomoto stood up from his bed, still weak from his wounds, to defend himself. The president sighed as he drew his katana. A Samurai Secret Serviceman staggered back, hit by a bullet from Katsukiyo, as only Katsukiyo and Enomoto stood facing one another. Enomoto lunged at his attacker with his sword, impaling him in the chest, only to find another one of Katsukiyo’s supporters staring him in the face. The President was then struck in the head by a blunt object, and collapsed to the ground. His final thoughts were of his beloved Republic, which he had endeavored so much to maintain against foreign and domestic enemies. He knew it would never be Meiji that would bring him down, but traitors from within. As he felt the sword puncture his lungs, and the blood and air leave his body, he managed a smile. He knew that his death would finally be the impetus to deal with the traitors to the Republic who incessantly endangered it, and he hoped that with his death, his successors would make Ezo whole, and maybe someday, defeat the Meiji to bring the shogunate back to glory.  1229x1517 RIP 1836-1878  1137x881 An artist’s rendition of Enomoto’s death (--President Enomoto, -- Itakura Katsukiyo) As word reached the Sadaaki mob that the President within had been injured, Sadaaki immediately demanded that his mob disperse, and took control of the situation to prevent further escalation. While certainly a thug, Sadaaki made it rapidly apparent that his target did not include the President, and condemned and beat those in the mob who had targeted the President for their role. None lived to see a prison sentence. In the aftermath of the Deliverance Day Riots law enforcement in Ezo received a black eye in terms of public trust. The President is dead, and word spread rather quickly of the events that transpired in the foreign hospital. The shinsengumi have received some criticism for their lack of protection of important government officials, but for the most part, public opinion is now very heavily on the side of the shinsengumi and nationalist party. While many were angry over the arrest of the shogun, this anger has been severely mitigated by the death of the President, and there are increasingly calls for order and for a strict clamping down on mobs and other anti-government activities. Foreign officials are also steaming mad at the destruction at the Foreign District, and have been issuing dire warnings to the government to fix things or receive immediate consequences. Foreign officials are also concerned about Ezo’s domestic public stability, and in Paris, some are questioning whether support for Ezo is something worthy of long term French commitment. (-public’s faith in law enforcement, +support for domestic stability, +++support for nationalist party, --foreign trust in Ezo’s ability to maintain secure commerce/government) With President Enomoto dead, Vice President Matsudaira Tarou was ushered by the shinsengumi to a secure location on April 20th. He was informed of what transpired at the German hospital, and was told that, according to the constitution, he was now President of the Republic of Ezo. President Matsudaira would inherit the offices of President Enomoto, and would need to appoint his own Vice President shortly (pending approval by congress). President Matsudaira will also now need to lead Ezo through the many domestic and foreign problems which plague it, and will do so with public support strongly on his side. Victories against Meiji and domestic plotting and internal dissent have driven support for the government to an all time high, and many have high hopes that President Matsudaira can rectify some of the mistakes of the previous government, and provide greater stability and prosperity to the people of Ezo. (+President Matsudaira, +Vice Presidency Vacancy) Speaker for a Living Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! - The Conclave Bible, Psalms 133:1 Amidst the horrors of war and civil unrest, one man in the government strove for solutions instead of slaying. Speaker of the House Enomoto Michiakira strove tirelessly to pull together the nation in a time of great crisis. Taking advantage of the legislative slowdown, he used his resources as a high-ranking politician to rally support within the House of Representatives to effectively push unofficial, non-binding wartime measures in response to the angry mobs which had been forming by rabble-rousers such as the federal government’s very own Army Minister. These measures included the creation of impromptu riot brigades drawn from both the Shinsengumi and the Ezo Samurai Secret Service (now enlarged in the wake of the presidential assassination). In an inspired move, the House passes a “wartime tax relief” act, causing internal redistribution of assets from those found to have participated in disloyal or disruptive actions to those found to be loyal to the country, particularly those of the lower classes. (+armored riot police, -dissent from peasantry and urban class) The Speaker also successfully managed to rally the culinary senses of the nation against the Army Minister. For his role in interrupting the sacred ceremony of the contest, Matsudaira Sadaaki and his followers are banned from dining establishments in all of the island. As a result, there is disgruntlement from some circles, but also plenty of deterrence against future mob violence. (-mob violence because of lack of dining options) Finally, as a ceremonial show of reconciliation, Enomoto Michiakira also supported one of the two sole bills of this season, the president’s proposal to establish a new flag for the country. With his backing, the members of the legislature rally around the new banner, despite its rather modern-looking, almost futuristic, sparseness (see below). (+support for new flag) Return to the Regency Better a wise chancellor than a mad shogun. - anonymous courtier With the Shogun on trial for murder, the Shogun’s chamberlain and former regent Naritami took it upon himself to reform the institution of the shogunate and distance the shogunate from the actions of Tokugawa Kamenosuke. Immediately upon the delivery of a guilty verdict, Chamberlain Naritami announced the removal of the Shogun and the lifting of his brother, Tokugawa Satotaka, to the position of Shogun. Tokugawa Satotoka is but 13 years old, and thus the chamberlain has reassumed his role as steward and regent to the Shogunate. Whether he allows this young shogun to assume power at such a young age as the previous one is unclear, but he will likely take more caution in tutoring and guiding this new shogun through his responsibilities. (+New Shogun Tokugawa Satotaka) The chamberlain also took it upon himself, as Finance Magistrate, to begin investment into the construction of a new shogunal palace. This builds upon previous initiatives proposed by the now disgraced Shogun Tokugawa Kamenosuke, but instead eschews some of the more frivolous aspects for a more functional seat of Shogunal power. This fortress has also had an adjoining set of apartments and administrative offices constructed, with the purposes of housing the Ezo government should the Shogunal palace be chosen as Ezo’s administrative capital. As it stands, Congress and the Presidency still lack official residencies, and many are beginning to look to the Shogunal estates as the best seat of future administration simply for lack of any better alternatives.  An artists depiction of the budding palace (+Construction of elaborate Palace fortress and administrative center) The chamberlain also took some time to establish a “budget advisory board” in his authority as finance magistrate. This board seeks to bring together merchants from across Hakodate and Sapporo to have their say in budgetary decisions and general matters of fiscal policy. This was immediately met with demands by all present for the lowering of taxes on the merchant class, as well as the abolition of samurai privileges, as the clear priorities among the merchants. The chamberlain also improved the lots of the peasants on his land, in order to compensate them for any shame incurred by associated with their former disgraced master. (+Peasant happiness, +Merchant outlet for frustrations) JosefStalinator fucked around with this message at Apr 14, 2014 around 12:00 |
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 10:56 |
|
|
Newly Orphaned “Coin always needs a mother… do you just leave a penny you see sitting on the ground, or pick it up and care for it?” -Horace Capron With Katsu Kaishu’s defection and murder of much of Ezo’s ruling class, many businesses now found themselves without an owner, and many children without a father. Horace Capron addressed the latter first, providing for the heirs to many of the now headless companies, and in the process buying the loyalty of the widows and orphans now in nominal control of much of Ezo’s business. Many other companies passed ownership beyond the family or to other adopted sons or adult heirs, and a rush on these businesses began as some heirs chose to sell their shares or seek assistance with their unexpected fortune. Kaishu’s former holdings were particularly chaotic, and in the end Matsumae, Brunet, and Capron all rushed to secure a stake in the former empire. Each was successful in their own right, with Matsumae enjoying considerable success due to being a native Japanese - one of the greatest appeals of Kaishu before his betrayal. Capron’s strategy of helping orphans endeared him to much of the merchant class on a moral level, and certainly gave him some leverage even with those unaffected by Kaishu’s actions. Brunet’s gains were not to be ignored, of course, and he found himself yet richer as a result of his actions. Each man’s intervention helped to stabilize the economy of Ezo somewhat, and the infusion of capital from Brunet and Capron, as well as a new Japanese head of some of Kaishu’s empire, did wonders to keep the trading economy of Ezo from collapse. This should aid the recovery - and further enrich those responsible. Some criticized the increasing concentration of wealth in the hand of foreigners, but with the war raging, most held their criticism for later. (+Merchant stabilization, +wealth for Matsumae, Capron, and Brunet +Concentration of wealth in foreign hands) The Other Half of Heaven Are we not all Amaterasu’s children? - anonymous Sapporo militiaman Saeki Fumiko, renowned female and member of a samurai family, engaged in a movement of social conscience, working with impoverished families of those working at the docks to learn how to read, write, cipher, and avoid getting mowed down by ravenous warriors of the Meiji regime. For this she asks only for shelter and sustenance, as an itinerant teacher. While the Republic of Ezo is a settler state of refugee exiles, much of the power and wealth is concentrated at the hands of the entrenched samurai elite and the up and rising nouveau riche merchants, and so education is mostly limited to those classes. But Lady Saeki is an egalitarian, and spreads her message about the inherent equality of all and her vision of universal suffrage. To this end she also speaks for the construction of a woman’s school aimed at bringing literacy to females, arguing that it is a crime that girls under the Meiji regime have access to such facilities while none exist in Ezo. (+education among the underclass, +political consciousness, +support for women’s school) Her help is greatly appreciated, especially the self-defense, which is used to great effect during the invasion. Saeki goes further to organize the denizens of the docks into various neighborhood watch/crisis groups, leading to the survival of most of the Hakodate working class even as the samurai clashed against the invading soldiers. As the fray was met, these mixed-gender working class militias fought off the landing soldiers in fierce house-to-house combat. The Battle of the Hakodate Docks became a local legend in the capital, and Saeki’s presence does not go unnoticed- nor does her message. (+port defense against Meiji by poor people, +idea of women fighters)  870x578 Female auxiliaries assisted in the defense of Sapporo further north, as many of the men were conscripted and deployed further south The Third Branch The only arm of the state that hasn’t seen revolt yet. How prestigious. - President Matsudaira Tarou, off the record Even as war and conflict rivened the organs of state, the judicial branch of the Republic of Ezo escaped relatively unscathed. The mysterious and sudden disappearance of High Judge Takenaka Shigekata during a routine hunting trip caused mourning among the law clerks and bailiffs of the country (presumed deceased, as his hobbling horse returned with nary more than a saddle ripped to shreds, and a large red eagle tattooed on its left haunch). With the loss of the previous judge, acting High Judge Ooka Tametomo is quickly sworn in, as is the season of high-level political replacements. During opening statements, the new justice briefly laid out his main ideals: the upholding of the Constitution, and preserving the dignity and legitimacy of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Ezo. As the possibility for Supreme Court decisions are not quite as lively as they tended to be, what with an invasion and all, the new High Judge instead institutes reforms: the creation of a bar association for legal education standardization, improving the knowledge and competence of lower court judges, and improving knowledge of the legal process for the common citizenry. This proved to be greatly supported by members of everyone in the tattered remnants of the government, as vigilante law in the wake of war was a major issue, and promoting actual law was definitely a step up. To bolster this initiative, the acting High Judge Ooka went on the road, travelling from Hakodate to Sapporo, informing citizens that there was such a thing as the law, and that it was better to follow it and the government’s duly appointed officials, instead of taking matters into their hands through the rule of violence. His assistants aided in mass readings of the Constitution, educating peasants who had managed to escape the violence of actual warfare into the ways of eminent domain and term limits. (~new high judge, not quite same as the old high judge, ++law awareness) Banditry Breaks Out When a city is plagued by war, the rats feast. - ancient Ezoan proverb While the war with Meiji was a success for Ezo on the whole, the absence of the men back home spelled trouble for many families in rural areas. Banditry, both Meiji sponsored and spontaneous, has became a serious problem in the countryside, with highwaymen harassing merchants and travellers alike, and some braver bands even attacking militia or small military outposts in more remote areas. Many of these men have been armed by Meiji spies and ships along Ezo’s coast, making the problem yet more acute. Local militias have been somewhat effective in the areas around Sapporo, and of course near Hakodate, but elsewhere militias and garrisons were largely repositioned south or to the coast, leaving few able for defense. Chief among those benefitting from the absence of able bodied men from the countryside was Thomas Crusoe, who has re-emerged from his flight as a leader of bandits, operating out of Ainu territory. His bandits have explicitly avoided robbing peasants or farmers, and have instead begun a reign of terror upon the Matsumae clan and its supporters. While violence was initially avoided, armed clashes between the bandits and Matsumae guards have become commonplace, as very few merchants or Matsumae have willingly surrendered their wealth. The bandits are able to flee back to Ainu territory and ensure their safety in the process, making them particularly difficult for the Matsumae clan to control. Those bandits unaffiliated with Crusoe have taken advantage of the chaos and encouragement his movement gives, and many in the countryside now fear for the lives, even as Crusoe attempts to make himself out as a “noble bandit”. The result has been a mobilization of those not affiliated with the government regulated militias, even as these same militias have been further organized. Women and children, as well as the old and invalid, have served as the most effective guards against bandits while the men fight further south - resulting in the arming of women and children, a somewhat unorthodox arrangement.  450x338 (+Banditry rampant in the countryside -wealth and stability for matsumae, +Bandit operations for Crusoe) Unity Through Strength ”Peaceful unification? Criticism of the samurai? Sign me up! Wait, you said Chicken Kaishu is the one handing these things out? - Anonymous peasant on receiving a Unity Party pamphlet Efforts by Katsu Kaishu to form a “Unity Party” have borne some fruit in Ezo, primarily among the peasantry and otherwise disaffected in the Republic. Former Finance Magistrate and notable eccentric Nagai Naoyuki has been instrumental in spreading its ideals. While a detailed manifesto can be found here (https://docs.google.com/document/d/...c58XXhZtY0/edit) the general ideology is one of criticism of the current government and its concessions to foreigners, combined with a desire for peaceful reunification with Meiji, with safeguards to the samurai and other traditional instutitions. Unfortunately for its proponents, while the ideology has found some appeal among those in Ezo, the reputation of its leaders and proponents has hardly endeared it to success. Katsu Kaishu’s betrayal of the merchant class has largely precluded this group from any approval of the manifesto, and his reputation has not assisted with other groups. In fact, many of his detractors have begun calling him “chicken Katsu” for his traitorous ways. Nagai Naoyuki’s own bizarre behavior and fall from government has not made him the most effective proponent either, but at least respect for his former service and non-murderous ways have bent some ears to the cause. Weekly meetings are now regularly held in Sapporo and Hakodate, with some attendance, especially among those wishing for a peaceful resolution to the current conflict. In the current environment of war and propaganda, this has been somewhat limited. (+Formation of National Unity Party, +Some Minor Membership, +Calls for peace) Militia organization Defeating Meiji is our first priority, and as loyal citizens to our Republic, we will gladly serve our duty. But what is a Republic if we have no choice in who represents us? - Saji Kobei While militias proved very effective in staffing Ezo’s armies (and fulfilling the important job of serving as cannon fodder and much needed army width), Saji Kobei has taken it upon himself to further organize militias to the benefit of Ezo. The Patriotic Defense Front has been formed to further coordinate militias, in full compliance with government regulations, and some of its members served valiantly in the defense of Sapporo as well as the battle of Kayabe. More unexpectedly, some of the militia have begun recruiting women, elders, and even some children to serve in the militia, organizing the defense of some villages and farms from the bandits which have plagued the countryside. (+Militia efficiency and popularity, +popularity of PDF among peasants back home) Somewhat worrying for the government has been the militia’s affiliation with the Freedom Party, and the aggressive nature by which the militia and its leaders have been courting merchants to assist with their political operations. With the death of many merchants at the hand of Katsu Kaishu, and the resultant collapse of Merchant Party operations, this has proven particularly effective. A general feeling among the non-samurai populace, war notwithstanding, has been that the samurai have become something of an ineffective infighting clique, and the trial of the shogun (see below) only reinforced this view. While the freedom party’s influence will still struggle to have any impact on the national level so long as the vote is constrained to only samurai, among the disaffected of Ezo, it remains the only effective outlet for political aspirations. (+popularity of freedom party among peasants, merchants, and other disenfranchised groups) A Fugune Conclusion Do you take me for a fool? I know improperly prepared Fugu when I see it. Do you forget who judged your handicraft during the Iron Chef competition? Now I will be your judge, and your executioner! - Hijikato Toshizo to Iwakura Totomi Looks like this poison plot… is all puffed up -Hanzo Koi, Chief Shinsengumi Investigator https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRnstfQGyDc  As Hijikata Toshizo returned to Hakodate to celebrate his victory, he and his men stopped by the shop of Iwakura Totomi, a good friend and victor of the Iron Chef competition. The victory had garnered Totomi much fame, and while the war precluded much of his business, his popularity had certainly risen as a result of his cooking expertise. To commemorate his comrade’s victory (even if it was over his own country of origin), Totomi threw a grand feast for Toshizo and other elites within the shinsengumi, offering the finest sushi available in Ezo. This amounted to the famous fugu pufferfish, a fish which is exquisite when prepared properly, but deadly if not handled by a master chef. Few doubted Totomi’s credentials, and alongside a staff of other trained chefs, the feast was prepared. As the men gathered for their feast and began the merriment, all seemed to be going well. Laughter was heard and a great celebratory cheer came as Toshizo toasted all the men of Ezo who fought valiantly against the invading Meiji, while reminding them that the war was far from over. Then the chefs deployed the main course - the fugu sushi which many anticipated quite eagerly. As Toshizo sat to eat his meal however, he noticed something was amiss. Calling for silence and for all his men to cease eating, he grabbed one of Totomi’s servers, and asked him to try the food. Nervously, the servant did so, and immediately he began retching and complaining of burning in his mouth. Toshizo demanded to see Totomi to confront him about whether or not his Fugu was properly prepared, and as he did so, the servant who ingested the fugu fish began screaming and fell to the ground, finding some of his limbs paralyzed. With intrigue apparent, Toshizo drew his sword, and he and his men began rummaging through the property in search of its patron. Toshizo eventually caught up to Totomi, but not in his restaurant. Totomi had commissioned a boat to make his escape from Ezo, but his inability to walk, combined with the scrutiny facing any and all vessels departing from Ezo, delayed his escape. Toshizo immediately confronted his former friend demanding an explanation, and in his rage, threatened to kill the frightened Meiji representative. Cooler heads in his personal guard kept Toshizo from executing Totomi on the spot, but Totomi is now in Shinsengumi custody, accused of attempted murder (on many counts) and espionage, the penalty for which is death.  500x362 Totomi upon his capture (+Capture of Totomi, +Betrayal) Trial of the Century In this country, justice wields two swords- one short, and one long. - John Batchelor With the Meiji licking its wounds from a series of defeats, the government of Ezo continued to pursue its prosecution of the young Shogun. Tokugawa Kamenosuke was captured on New Year’s Day and accused of the murder of his sister as well as multiple accounts of murder or attempted murder of British individuals present at the Blakiston wedding, and the shogun was whisked away to a secret location to undergo his trial. Protests were immediate upon his capture, but the war distracted many, and with Meiji now receding, anger built up as the Shogun’s trial commenced. Itakura Katsukiyo and most of the Sakura party were especially vocal, with Katsukiyo publicly criticizing President Enomoto and the Nationalists, and none too overtly gathering a mob of supporters to oppose the government and free the shogun (though his own mob would disperse at Katsukiyo’s death). Matsudaira Sadaaki’s own loyalties to the Shogun were apparent as well, and his own mob of regular troublemakers gathered to protest the Shogun’s arrest. Fresh off having beaten Nagai Naoyuki and trashed other parts of Ezo, the mob began searching for the Shogun’s location. The government utilized the time before the Shogun’s location was leaked to publicly broadcast the proceedings of the trial. This represented an attempt at some transparency, though it also had the effect of making many Shogunal supporters suspicious of the true proceedings, and many rejected the public news releases as misleading propaganda designed to discredit the Shogun. Those present would attest to the honesty of the published transcripts - an admission that would do much harm to the immature, vulgar, and rather crude defendant. After a short delay to hear the ruling of the new High Judge Ooka Tametomo, the Shogun’s claim of unlawful detainment was denied, and the trial proceeded apace. Testimony was heard from the witnesses previously outlined (http://forums.somethingawful.com/sh...3#post427788339), with the weight of evidence demonstrating the Shogun’s guilt, or at least complicity, in a plot to injure or kill those present at the Blakiston wedding. The prosecution unexpectedly dropped the charge against the Shogun’s sister to one of manslaughter as a matter of respect, while maintaining the other count of attempted murder against Thomas Blakiston and additional 3 counts of murder against some of the British and Ezo guests. As the trial proceeded, Matsudaira Sadaaki managed to determine the location of the Shogun, and organized a mob to protest his arrest. While many sympathized with the Shogun, the death of the President at the hands of one of the Shogun’s supporters severely limited the effectiveness of the protest, and public opinion had turned sharply against the Shogun in the process. Sadaaki’s protests were muted and ineffective at providing any significant support for the Shogun, and attempts by more radical shogunal supporters to break him out largely fizzled out. Any and all political capital or public support which could have been used to disrupt the Shogun’s trial, or even provide for his escape, were wasted on the President’s assassination. By June 2nd, the prosecution and defense had both made their case, and the jury adjourned for deliberation. The Shogun remained accused of 3 charges of murder (2 Dead British and One dead Japanese), 1 charge of attempted murder (Thomas Blakiston), and 1 charge of manslaughter (Masako Blakiston). Deliberations lasted for two full days, and with Meiji largely quiet (aside from periodic bandit activity), the public waited for the outcome. The assassination of President Enomoto had led many to call for the Shogun’s head, and many were curious what the punishment would be should he be found guilty. Finally on June 5th, the jury declared it had finished deliberations, and returned to the courtroom. In a dramatic scene, the young Shogun waited in chains to hear the verdict. The jury first found the shogun not guilty on the charges of murder of the two British men, largely due to insufficient evidence distinguishing between their deaths at the hands of Sadaaki’s mob or the bomb planted at the scene. On the charge of murder against the one Japanese, the jury did find the shogun guilty. The charge of attempted murder on Thomas Blakiston also realized a guilty verdict. Most shockingly, however, the charge of manslaughter on his own sister resulted in a guilty verdict. This was the most damning of the charges, for not only did it represent an attempt on the life of a member of the Japanese elite, the fact that it was his own sister made the charges that much worse. With the verdict now known, the judge declared that the following day the sentence for these crimes would be determined. On June 6th, the court reconvened, and the punishment for the Shogun’s crimes were read. Given his status as Shogun, the government declared its intention for mercy, and would not pursue the death penalty. First, the Shogun would be stripped of his status, in line with the actions of his chamberlain, and the Shogunal estate would determine his successor (see relevant section). The punishment however, caught everyone by surprise. The punishment for his crimes would see the Shogun serve no time in prison, nor face any fines, or any sort of punishment in Ezo. Instead, the Shogun would be exiled - and not only would he be exiled, he would be taken into British custody, who intended to transport him to Hong Kong. Even those who had opposed the Shogun were a bit perturbed by this news, as this amounted to the government of Ezo selling out one of its own to foreign powers. While public sympathy still stood with the Nationalists and the government in the wake of Enomoto’s assassination, many were very perturbed by the events, and jeers accompanied the Shogun's escort from the court. The shogun was then transported to the coast and picked up by a British ship, en route to Hong Kong, where he remains in British custody. What the British intend to do with him is unclear, but a trial is not unlikely. (+Guilty Shogun, --Tokugawa Kamenosuke as Shogun, +Anger at him being turned over to Britain) Congressional Update President Enomoto’s cabinet proposals were passed without issue by Congress, especially has many Sakura party members saw themselves adequately represented within. Mastudaira Sadaaki has become a rallying point in congress for most of the Sakura party, and it is likely that any removal of Sadaaki would be one of the few cabinet-level moves that would truly rally Sakura to a position of fierce opposition. Food Security Act Final Vote: PASSED 45 - 5 Food Security Act posted:1. For each province, enough food has to be produced to ensure the needs of their inhabitants are met. The food security act largely passed due to the somewhat symbolic nature of the act, which was proposed to address concerns in the countryside and among the peasant population that the war would lead to food insecurity or shortages. Given the largely ceremonial role that Daimyo play in the Republic, the bill has few teeth, but those concerned about the potential for food production issues appreciated the moral imperative to keep the population fed and happy, as well as the calls for further transport development. (+reassurances to the peasantry) Flag Change Act Final Vote: PASSED 30 - 20 Many resisted Ezo’s new flag, but with the speaker and nationalists fully behind it, the bill passed. Ezo now has a new flag!  675x450 Q2 1878 Budget posted:Q2 1888 Budget posted: The budget for Q2 was submitted to congress, who summarily passed it, concerned mostly with the war effort. Due to some confusion (OOC: With my arcane budget system I did not properly explain) some things were changed at the last second to ensure efficiency. The debt to Britain was paid - and with good timing, due to the poor relations between Ezo and Britain, and a new palace complex for the shogunate/capital building began construction (see below). Industrial projects also received a boost (see their relevant sections. The budget for the following quarter reflects the wartime mobilization and the impact on foreign trade, labor, and looting by banditry and meiji forces alike in negatively impacting the economy. Most of these effects will (hopefully) be temporary. Some unspent credits carried over to the next quarter. Q3 1878 Budget posted:Q3 1888 Budget posted: Note that for the first time, maintaining the status quo will require borrowing to remain positive. Debt can be borrowed from Europe or the United States, or funding can be cut from other areas, to make up the difference. Any spending below the status quo recommendations will have negative consequences. Economy Exists Despite Total War Nervi belli pecunia infinita. - Cicero, Philippics Despite the warfare that waged, and the mob activity that raged, and the loss of much of the leading lights of the merchant class in Ezo due to treachery, economic activity resumed shortly after the mass disturbances. After all, economic behavior is human behavior, and the Greater Ezo Development Corporation of multiple special advisors did what it could do to revive the Ezochian economy. Like a magic lantern show playing locusts swarming over a cropfield in reverse, promise of foreign funding pumped into Ezo’s economy at a brisk pace, as papers buzzed about the little republic that could, which managed to halt an entire empire’s conquest. Foreign merchants seized this opportunity, and American businessmen entered slowly into Hakodate harbor- thanks to the presence of Know-Nothing ruffians who had previously been in Ezo for an extended stay, most American assets in the island remained intact after the prior civil disturbances. After all, they reasoned- if the Foreign District needed to be rebuilt, who to better rebuild it than Americans, who were familiar with the consequences of race riots. However, with the cloud of war looming, most were still reluctant to participate. Similarly, special advisor Capron’s immigration initiative has been paused, as well as the Russian government’s proposal to ship in penal labor as part of the Treaty of St. Petersburg, until the threat of violence has been stopped and peace maintained. (+some American investment, foreign investors hopeful but largely quiet due to fear of war, -immigration due to war) Elsewhere, business continues as the Matsumae Domain attempt to consolidate their holdings during the time of war. Thanks to the disruption of trade caused by the defection or elimination of many of Ezo’s merchant class, the local Yamato traders who had lived on the island for centuries began to push into the exile trade. Under orders from the clan head himself, the Omi merchants have thoroughly entered Ezo Transport Association, collaborating for the protection of ‘native-Ezo interests.’ These teamsters and travelling salesmen now staff 80% of the country’s burgeoning transportation infrastructure. Some of these members of these businesses have begun to refer to their brotherhood as “a citadel”, and begun wearing chains of metallic rings symbolizing their vital role in protecting the links of Ezo. They are known as “the Transporters.” Rumor abounds that working in transportation is only the beginning of their efforts. (+Matsumae middlemen merchant presence in the ETA and other business) Random Events Rumors of knighting Thomas Blakiston for his service to the Empire have been muted by strained Ezo-British relations, though his service in assisting in the trial and exile of the Shogun certainly helped his case. Blakiston is also more secure due to a buffing up of his security detail. (+Wait for knighthood for Blakiston) The young super-sleuths responsible for investigations across the Republic have begun investigating the vandalism of the former Finance Magistrate’s office, in which a red eagle was scrawled on his wall. Though its origin is unclear, the local library points to a religious cult of legend which was historically based at Mt. Hachiman further North of Hakodate. The youth detectives also find this in a local temple, abandoned during the invasion:  620x465 (+Mystery!) Foreign Magistrate Akihiro Kurosawa has established a foreign exchange student program with the United States, pending peace between Ezo and Meiji. Given the carnage that characterized Hakodate, and the status of half the city as burned or wrecked, the United States was less than eager to dispatch its students now. A small contingent of missionaries did arrive however in June, eager to tend to the wounded and help Ezo rebuild. (+Student exchange program later, +Missionaries and aid now) A shipment of weapons and black powder intended for the artillery brigades has gone missing, prompting authorities to worry about how it will be used. (+Illicit things for someone!) During all of this, a most curious anthropological phenomenon has arisen. After an initial confused first contact, several Ainu envoys of the Bear Star Tribe have contacted the American louts, some of which had been wandering through the Ezo wilderness on a hunting and trapping trip. Despite initial misgivings, the Know-Nothings have surprisingly been well-received by both the indigenous villagers, and reacted warmly. Viewing the vaguely-caucasoid Ainu as a “lost tribe of Japheth”, yet “arrayed in the attire of Red Injuns”, some (through local go-between John Batchelor) have declared the Ainu worthy of conversion to Christianity and white civilization, while other more romantic Know-Nothings propose them to be a “primal white people”, practicing the true ways of their people, like Celts or Picts or something. In any case, on an island ruled by Japanese following the American Constitution, and white Injuns, the Know-Nothings have found a home away from home. Some send word back to their cousins to come and check it out. (+Ainu-Know-Nothing relations, +more Know-Nothings on the way?) Throughout Meiji Japan, pamphlets advocating for more democracy have begun circulating across major metropolitan areas, especially in the North. Though the movement has yet to attract considerable traction, a general distaste for the war borne through the humiliating defeat at the hands of Ezo has seriously undermined Meiji’s authority, and civil unrest is likely to follow in the coming months. (+Unhappiness and dissent in Meiji)  1725x2175 Red X’s denote important battle locations JosefStalinator fucked around with this message at May 2, 2014 around 00:47 |
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 11:00 |
|
|
New Characters: A couple of new characters were introduced this update, ideal for players to join as! Hikaru Terajima - Hero of the battle of Okushiri Island, fisherman and patriot colonel Tenshin Ishiguro - Meiji colonel, now POW, veteran of the battle of Hakodate and commander of Meiji forces at Mt. Hakodate Shogun Tokugawa Satotaka (S) - new Shogun, but 13 years old, so any actions would be severely limited. Currently in a more restrictive regency. Konda Torazo - Prominent Buddhist priest and advocate of pure land buddhism. Kudo Eizo - Prominent merchant specializing in the import of industrial materials for Ezo's budding industry. Egami Makoto - Local drunk known for his ability to drink 2 gallons of sake in one sitting and live. Setsuhaya, son of Tsukinoeaino (Bear Star Clan) - rejects his father's conciliatory approach towards the Japanese, still sees them as invaders to be gradually expelled. Ogasawara Nagamichi (S) - a formerly prominent Tokugawa official, previously ruler of the Karatsu Domain, has much experience dealing with the British Russia - Karl von Struve - Karl von Struve is the representative of the Russian Empire in Ezo, and has thus far served to convey Russia’s favor toward Ezo. Russia in large part does this to head off any potential Franco-Japanese moves against its Far East possessions. Is of German birth, but Russian loyalty. Hanzo Koi (S)- Chief Shinsengumi investigator, friend and right hand man to Hijikata Toshizo. Veteran of the battle against Meiji. Remember that some of the best characters have been entirely fictional or designed by the players. So make one up if you want! All are welcome to join - come on IRC through the link in the OP, channel #bop, if you're nervous or have any questions! JosefStalinator fucked around with this message at Apr 14, 2014 around 13:10 |
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 11:10 |
|
|
 n-no...
|
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 11:33 |
|
|
Nagai Naoyuki retires.
|
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 11:45 |
|
|
Iwakura Totomi, Meiji Spy, Failure Iwakura Totomi is found dead in his jail cell, a small capsule smelling of almonds near his corpse. In his hand is a rolled up letter. Final Statement by Iwakura Totomi posted:I did what I did for my Homeland and my Emperor. I have failed, and have brought dishonor to myself and my entire family. I can expect and deserve no forgiveness in this lifetime; I will die with the scraps of dignity that I have left. ========= OOC: quote:[15:39:07] <JosefStalinator> eccoraven EccoRaven fucked around with this message at Apr 14, 2014 around 12:04 |
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 11:48 |
|
|
 Jules Brunet Special Adviser to the President, Private Military Contractor, Businessman, Actual Commodore, Believer in Bootstraps, Mourner of Presidents Once more Brunet and Enomoto rode to war, standing astride our ships as though they were the chariots of old. Once more we smashed the Meiji fleets, sending them scurrying in disarray. Once more my dearest friend leapt forth to strike like a dagger into the heart of the foe, regardless of the danger to himself. While some mocked my fixation on boats, it was that boat that plucked him from the bloody waters when all else seemed lost. Hail the victors! Hail the brave sailors of Ezo and France! But lo, even in the greatest moment of triumph, disaster looms. A madman, a raving lunatic, a traitor to all that is good and decent in Ezo forced his way into a house of healing and brutally snuffed out the light of the nation's President. Let his name be forgotten, let his deeds go unspoken, let his family gnash their teeth and wail in shame! Ten thousand years of shame! Now is the time for rebuilding. While we must remain ever vigilant against the Meiji Emperor and his lapdog Katsu, now is the time to regain our footing. The GEDC will be active throughout Ezo, constructing roads, schools, and markets, bringing the prosperity of the world to Ezo.
|
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 12:00 |
|
|
Ooka Tametomo, acting High Judge of the Ezo Supreme Court, Samurai With the Meiji fading as the young Republic's main threat, the threat of lawlessness and poverty emerges. It is at this time that we need instill a legally oriented and democratic civic culture into the hearts and minds of our citizens. While honor was important to the Ezo people and her future, we require some new ideas to accompany the old in order to maintain the Republic that so many people have fought and died for. We should be preaching from every corner of our lands that our citizens should become civically engaged, interacting with their officials, and working to create a democratic identity for Ezo. While we might not face annihilation by the Meiji hordes, our struggle for Ezo continues.
|
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 12:18 |
|
|
 Saji Kobei Ezo banzai, comrades! The blunderous invasion of the Meiji has been vanquished by the superior coordination and cohesion of Ezo's people untied against a common foe. Some may say the costs have been great, as 5% of our population has been killed in combat, but no price is not worth the freedom of a democratic system. Some may say that the society is still broken, but the Republic is the solution. Some may say that the battles marked a systematic error, but this error our victory proves we have managed to correct. Now, the country stands as a unified family planting seeds in their farm, ready to improve the common prosperity of all. I would like to take this moment to eulogize our former President and founding father Enomoto Takeashi, whose commitment to the expansion of representation and the system of collective decision making we are most grateful for. This battle has been won, but the war must continue. The cowardly enemies have retreated to the countryside and sack the properties of innocent farmers. Shamefur dispray! To every village a watchman, kill the Meiji, expel the invader, hang the anti-patriots!
|
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 12:27 |
|
|
Horace Capron Please address him using the proper title, mister Brunet. It's not 'lapdog' Katsu, it's 'chicken' Kaishu. But levity tastes bitter now. Enomoto was more than a president, more than a commander. He was a statesman, and the world is a worse place for his loss.
|
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 12:32 |
|
|
Iwakura Totomi, Meiji Spy, Failure Iwakura's body coughs repeatedly before vomiting blood and poison. He is rushed to a clinic in the prison where he is expected to recover in due time. "I am... a failure even in death... *cough, sputter* Lord, forgive me..."
|
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 12:42 |
|
|
A RICH WHITE MAN fucked around with this message at Apr 14, 2014 around 14:32 |
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 12:52 |
|
|
I die knowing that I fucking destroyed the real traitor to Ezo. Even if the ruling class think of me as a criminal, even if my name is never noted in the books, true Ezo patriots will remember me as the hero who struck down the man who would sell out Japan to the gaijin. I regret nothing.
|
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 13:04 |
|
|
Thomas Crusoe Another season of betrayals and intrigue. Just a hot tip to Ezo's esteemed security force: You might want to purge some of your officers if you ever have the slightest hope of crippling my operations or finding me. Thanks guy
|
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 13:43 |
|
|
Matsumae Takahiro It is a sad thing when a true hero passes away. Enomoto Takeaki will be forever remembered as the father of our Republic. Terrifying to his enemies, but magnanimous to his friends and allies, fearless on the battlefield and in the office, he embodied what being a samurai in the modern time is about. His life was an example to us all. Our traditions are like old castle. It withstood many battles and saved our lives countless times. But now the time has worn it out. Its walls are cracked, its towers - partially crumbled, its gate - rotted, its armory - full of rusted junk, its forge - without tools. It's staffed by very brave soldiers, but with each invasion it becomes more clear the castle barely provides any protection at this point. There are people that would just burn the place down and build something else in its place. "Our neighbors are kind, generous and ingenious people", they say. "With their assistance, we soon shall have an impregnable fortress no one dares to attack. They will provide us with plans, borrow us resources we need, protect us until their engineers finish the walls." But they never ask themselves that one question: why would they do it? Why would anyone sink considerable resources to let their neighbor have an awesome castle that could protect him from every army - including theirs? If your fortress is designed by our neighbor, built and staffed by his servants who know its every nook and cranny... is that really a fortress at all? Does it keep you safe? Or is it merely a prison? "Screw them!", shout the others. "Our castle is impregnable as it was several centuries ago." So they sit among its crumbling walls, refusing to let anyone in or out. They behead every envoy, accusing them of spying for their numerous enemies. They may still succeed, though: when the towers finally collapse, no enemy will want to conquer useless ruin inhabited by very angry and determined savages. Some of them know that but don't care - they'd rather salt the earth than let someone else take its fruits. Others just chose to not see the rot. Regardless of their stance, the end result is still the same. Enomoto Takeaki shown us that there exist a third way: we can repair the walls and modernize the castle with our own hands. We can politely decline more intrusive offers of help and accept those that respect our independence. We can acknowledge that maybe walls are really crumbling, which hopefully will encourage us to rebuild them taller and stronger. To honor his memory, I voluntarily give up my samurai stipend and urge my kinsmen to do the same. In these turbulent times it would not be right to hold into the privileges of the past. I am not a merchant or an artisan, so I don't need to be paid to do my duty. Let this money serve the Republic of Ezo instead.
|
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 14:53 |
|
|
Laughing.
|
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 14:57 |
|
|
Question for GMs/Judges What's the current case law in Ezo re: Conspiracy to commit X, Incitement, Lynch mobs, etc? Jules Brunet Special Adviser to the President, Private Military Contractor, Businessman, Actual Commodore, Believer in Bootstraps, Deliverer of Notices On behalf of the French Government, I must strongly protest the recent attacks on foreigners perpetuated by Sadaaki. Consulates are diplomatically protected ground, and the assault on them is a crime throughout the civilized world.
|
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 15:07 |
|
|
Kasuga Saemon (S) Letter to Hijikata Toshizo posted:Brother, I hope you're doing well with your shinsengumi! I myself am still having trouble walking, but the doctors say I should be back on my feet in the next few weeks, though I will almost certainly be required to use a cane from now on. Think of it, a man in the prime of his life with a walking cane! I'll make quite the dashing figure in town, I'm sure!
|
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 15:42 |
|
|
Ooka Tametomo, High Judge of the Ezo Supreme Court, Samurai I must agree with Matsumae Takahiro concerning the third way and our inability to hold onto the privilege of the past. I too will give up my samurai stipend. While we will continue to need assistance and allies in the world, I hope that the citizens of Ezo will see that many of us who work on behalf of them in Hakodate are willing to literally put our money where our mouths are when it comes to the survival of Ezo and helping foster a Republican identity in this country. Paper With Lines fucked around with this message at Apr 14, 2014 around 19:27 |
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 19:14 |
|
|
 An elegant junk arrives in Hakodate harbor. The hulking ruins of merchant ships still litter the sand bars, the wreckage of the battle still evident. Upon landing, a party disembarks. A man loudly proclaims, "People of the Republic of Ezo. We request your help..."
|
| # ? Apr 14, 2014 21:52 |
|
