With This Ring (Young Justice SI) (Thread Fourteen)

"Even if I didn't already have a healthy romance, which I do, Mousillon neighbors Lyonesse."

"I suppose they'd monopolize any potential for a political match, wouldn’t they?"

 

Good to see he's actually settled on a local name. One different enough from his own to use it freely, but similar enough that he'll answer to it without thinking about it. So, then, back to the Warhammer universe (Circa 4th edition or so, right?)

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

Ah, Karl. One of the most iconic emperors of the Empire. Or more accurately, the only one to actually get rules proper on the battlefield.

Got to love a ruler as disinterested in the pageantry of rulership as you are, eh? But appearances must be maintained...

Pretty trusting. But then, Paolo's proven his trustworthiness, hasn't he?

Ah... Hooray, footmen.

Oh, I doubt there's anything set up like this yet.

I hope they at least learned to wear clothes that cover... Whatever the Humans feel embarrassed about.

Especially when those Gods can send down angry Daemons to chastise you directly.

In other words, you know well enough when to let people get on with what they're doing without micro-managing them.

It serves to dazzle the nobles, I suppose. But for intelligent men...

...It's naught but background noise.

Let me guess: When your workers don't need to rest or eat, you can do some impressive things.

And hopefully the threat of her chastisement can keep them from getting 'distracted'.

Ah, Wood Elves. I suppose as long as it doesn't disrupt their forest, they're cool with it. ...Never mind, I forgot about the Ulthuan angle. Still, it's not like they have any less 'Stay off mah lawn!' energy than their arboreal cousins.

Especially nosy people with pointed ears.

...Oh, right. That was a thing Paolo assisted with.

Ah, Sartosa, the Warhammer World's equivalent to Sicily. Home of pirates, mercenaries, privateers and more pirates.

Well, a show of force in true Orange Lantern tradition would probably be quite effective... For a year or two.

Yes, the less rearranging of the 'landscape', the better in that respect.

Estalia, equivalent of the Iberian Peninsula. And about as wild a land as the rest.

Skavenblight. Yes, that'll be liking sticking your dick in an anthill. Only more painful. And if the Council of Thirteen get wind of your plans... I expect assassins will become a regular sight in your life.

Tricky situation, isn't it?

Boy, just name-dropping all the famous folk of the era, eh? But you are talking to the ruler of the largest human nation in the west.

And such is the state of the world that that's necessary.

Joy. This is something that'll come out of the blue to Paolo, won't it?

He's come a long way on such a short time, hasn't he? Hobnobbing with Emperors and Archmages. Planning a transcontinental canal system. And all manner of shenanigans off-screen, no doubt. And now Karl's feeling out the possibility of a political marriage to some royal cousin, eh? Such is the life of a driven man in a mad world. Especially when that man has the power to change things.

 

After double checking, I found that he was previously called Paol. Is he called both, or is this a mistake?

 

Lmao, get wedded, idiot.

 

To someone not named Lucrezzia.

 

Didn't he propose to Queen Khalida? Or am I remembering that wrong.

 

He asked if she was able to marry - due to her various oaths and positions. Then just left it there, without an answer from her, or really explaining why he was asking.

Either he was enquiring on behalf of someone else, or her answer was no.

 

Ah, easy mode Paul.

Honestly surprised he hasn’t finished ‘I Win’ buttoning the physical threats on that world yet. The pirates might have been beneath his notice but turning Skavenblight into a crater seems like it should have been more of a priority. And it isn’t like anything they have is a threat or even a meaningful obstacle to him.

 

‘straight-backed’?

‘rueful smile’?

’if I’m successful’

 

No, High Elves. They aren't any less violent, they just hug slightly fewer trees.

They'd try, but it's a bit of a treck. The under-empire doesn't extend that far, it's hard keeping the water out of the tunnels and skaven are terrible sailors.

That's why the Herald wasn't sure. They've recently had Tileans in the palace to talk about road-building and they use the Tilean form of his name: Paolo. Paol is the Bretonnian form and he's clearly not Bretonnian, so...

They have an understanding, but nothing's going to get formalised until some of his more extreme pledges have been fulfilled. Since that could be more than a human lifetime away, she wouldn't be all that bothered.

Thank you, corrected.

 

Aw, the Skaven are my favorites. Not great neighbors, admittedly. Trying to wipe them out will really undercut that "not pissing off any more gods" plan, though. The Great Horned Rat might not be quite on par with the four main Chaos gods, but he's still no slouch.

 

The other Chaos Gods think that the Horned Rat sucks. Archaon turned down his blessing. The Great Hornd Rat ate the entire skaven species.

 

A thought that might become relevant, both for Paul (Paol/Paolo?), should he indeed be getting hitched soon, as the Emperor seems to wish, and for all the newly fertile elves: how exactly does a hereditary monarchy work if one or several of their members are clinically immortal? I understand the utility of having someone to fill daddy‘s seat in case he accidentally does snuff it at some point, but what happens if the heir apparent grows up and gets ready to inherit and then… doesn‘t? Especially if, as might hypothetically be the case if Paul (Paol/Paolo?) is persuaded to take on one of the Empire‘s noble ladies, who, as a rule, do not share his longevity (I think. Could be wrong, I’m not so familiar with Warhammer to profess one hundred percent certainty on the matter.), the resulting offspring can expect to never succeed their progenitor during their lifetime. And I‘m assuming that propriety and coultural inertia would demand such an offspring to be produced, regardless of its necessity.

Because the only ways I can think of to still maintain the trappings of such a system in that case would be to either divide and sub-divide the inheritance in question, halving each resulting holding again and again for each new generation until the lands are a patchwork of tiny micro-fiefdoms, or to be ever expansionist, conquering ever new land to ensure there is some to inherit. Both seem to be hold similar long term non-viability.

 

didn't OL leave some gateways to Hades on other worlds, so alien cultures can give their dead an afterlife? why can't OL just teleport to one of those to enter Hades and get Melinoe?

 

They aren't gates for mortals, they are for spirits. Far fewer safety precautions. I think they look more like temples or monuments, depending on the local culture, not literal arches.

 

That actually caused a major problem when the dead kings and queens of Nehekhara were woken up, until Setra woke up and told them all to keep the noise down.

The position of Emperor is elected, and the current Emperor can be removed from office by a majority vote. Doesn't happen often, but it has happened. Civil war works, too.

A grand total of one Phoenix King has died peacefully in his bed.

 

That moment when you and your friends find an even BIGGER loser you can collectively shit on.

 

They got better.

 

My favorite alt-Paul coming back at the time the Team become major characters again? Hell yes!

 

You mean other then stuff like the Warpstone Tractor Beam that could utterly annihilate him even in orbit.

And by not far he means thousands of miles.

Actually it's super easy to keep water out of tunnels, barely an inconvenience really.

That's because tunnel systems aren't just downward passages but instead snaking winding things that create their own pressure zones.

 

Pitch Meeting!

Huh. Good taste.

 

Welp, he's doomed.

Because it looks like the Emperor brought out the big guns. A woman who can actually keep up with Paolo's rampant desire to build things.

 

Oh dear, his one weakness, girls that engage with him on his niche nerd hyper-obsessions.

But seriously, I don't think she could have made a better first impression. You go, girl.

 

Yep me too. Totally not married because I'll be isekaied any day now.

I'll just be out back, poking the Truck-kun in my yard with a stick.
And how in the hell did I just now realise I actually have a Truck-kun

Shit Truck-kun is actually a TARDIS and has a perception filter, but feeds like a Weeping angel

 

Ah... Looking to marry off a cousin or niece, of course. Because bonds of marriage are a little more reliable than any treaty on paper. Not that such things stopped some would-be lords. Consider the 'alliance' of Wu and Shu during the Three Kingdoms era, for example...

Spoiler: Commentary spoilered for length

Because the Empire, for all its enlightened scientific advancements, has still not cottoned on about sanitary practices...

Maybe he doesn't trust the lady to keep a level head if she went from mere 'Emperor's lady' to full Empress. Never underestimate the heady lure of that much power on a person's state of mind.

Not least the issue of where to send the results. Too close and you'd soon stink up your beaches. Too far and it becomes prohibitively expensive to maintain.

And no doubt even hefty fines can convince them to stop that shit.

His little burg might well end up being the cleanest place in The Old World.

Yeah, good luck explaining modern dating practices to someone with an understanding of matters five centuries or more in the past.

...Ah. Because of course the classic OL denseness was not unique to him alone.

Well, embedding actual spies in Bretonnia into his village might be a challenge.

And so he's looking to harness you to his Empire, by way of marriage. Pretty simple logic, really.

Heh. So deep in thought he forgot he had company...

Not really surprised that he'd have spotted her, I see. I suppose this just makes it easier to invite her in without a contrived little ploy.

I mean, it's fairly obvious, really.

And I suppose this niece is troublesome enough that you can afford to lose her that way?

...Paol might have to work on a method to allow that contact. Pity a Crystal Radio is a bit too short-ranged.

Among other things, face-to-face meetings with your fellow rulers? Easier to think of someone as a friend rather than a distant title when you have a face to match to the name.

Oh, don't hold that against her. She doesn't smell at all, I assure you!

Not really all that many nations in the Old World that the Empire aren't already on neutral terms with.

Barring a descendant with ambitions and a lack of scruples?

Still, that is an impressive feat, given the High Elves are fairly powerful at sea.

Suggest a drinking contest, maybe? Perhaps they'll both die and you can get a more amenable successor?

Well, it's a matter of who the piracy is committed against, I guess.

...Honestly not that different to how the French dealt with the Nordic raiders.

Off to a good start, I see.

I think you just need to recalibrate a little, Paol.

Making a good first impression, I see.

Well, that's off to a good start. It seems the lady has a keen intellect, given her initial question. At least she's not trying to play foolish games of romance with him. ...Yet. Methinks the other prospects for Paol might have a new challenger. And an amusing discussion of sanitation, before that, eh? Still, I don't expect to see anyone complaining about that sort of thing... Other than Papa Nurgle.

 

I totally forgot that he has an Elf girlfriend, how many times did she show up?

And can't they create some communications network using the road that is gonna get build as well? Even if it's as simple as messengers and waypoints, it would be a lot faster than the practically non-communication they have now, no?

 

is -> isn't

intent -> intend

 

The Imperial Road Warden Service has existed for about fifty years at this point.

No, that's intentional. He is acknowledging that he doesn't bring an alliance with any other territory, either internal or external.

Thank you, corrected.

 

‘happily’

An optical telegraph is pretty easy to make, right? I wonder if he’ll introduce it. Maybe they wouldn’t work so well when beastmen or greenskins will just smash them.

Extraneous apostrophe?