Estimats citaxhiens, I apologize to you all for my not having been sufficiently present in the Kingdom of late.  I intend that this will now change.

When I first immigrated, I made many friends in Talossa, and brought a number of my existing friends into the Kingdom.  That group served in various offices together, created arms together, invented jokes and traditions, and fought with a King who frequently abused his powers.  I made strong bonds with many of these friends, and we spent years together building and developing this unique community.

Over the last few years, all of those friends have become inactive or left the country, for one reason or another.  (One, especially valued, died.)  At the same time, a concentrated campaign began which attacked me personally.  I was left without strong bonds with many other Talossans, and at the same time every visit to Wittenberg became a painful chore.  In time, I began spending less and less time in a community that felt distant, often hostile, and almost never fun.  I was moved to action by duty alone, intervening to preserve our constitutional order or when emergencies demanded it.  Justifiably, many citizens have become upset at this distance, and some have even turned against the very institution I represent.

But I swore an oath.  And I took it seriously then, and I take it seriously today.  When I felt a distance growing between myself and the community over which I am sovereign, I should have acted.  I am not solely at fault, but I am at fault.  And so I apologize to my beloved country of Talossa.  You have deserved better, and I will do better.

Over the past year, I trust many have noticed that I have begun to work harder to improve this state of affairs.  I appointed a regency when I felt it was necessary, and have begun assembling a working sabor to assist me with my duties and offer me advice.  I have tried to make more regular appearances.  I wish to get involved once more, and I wish for Talossa to flourish.

I would like to become involved once more in Talossa's legal community.  At one time I had a solid command of our laws, a command that stood us in good stead when it came to battling my authoritarian predecessor and enshrining in the Organic Law many provisions to make misbehaviour like his impossible in the future.  Now, I would like to offer my services as a Community Jurist and use some of my knowledge of Talossa to assist with hearing cases.

I further wish to become involved in the College of Arms once again, where I remain the Blanc Wolf Herald.  The College of Arms organizes and encourages the honors of our nation, and this modern incarnation of the medieval tradition is strongly bound up with the throne, the font of honor.

And of course I'll plan to participate in the Science Fiction & Whiskey Society, a club to which I have been devoted in the past and which I continue to find intriguing.  If enthusiastic reading and drinking qualifies me, I'm in.

And I wish to become closer to many of you and become your friend, those whom I do not yet have the privilege of knowing.  Many wonderful things are happening in a country that seems to have come alive again since the end of this past Cosa, with poker tournaments, virtual archery competitions, civics quizzes, and much more.  I hope to join some of these activities and get to know you.

I know that the future is not in my hands, nor even wholly in the hands of the citizens of my Kingdom.  As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase."  But I will lay on once more to the planting with a good will, and I hope and pray to see the increase.

– John R

Thank you @King John and I say as a citizen and as Opposition Leader I am glad to read of your plans to increase involvement. Particularly as a community jurist and in the Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Whiskey Society.

It would be neat to have you active in the College of Arms again and moving you from emeritus status to active!

Quote from: Dr. Txec Róibeard dal Nordselvă, GST, O.SPM, SMM on August 20, 2022, 04:26:41 PM
It would be neat to have you active in the College of Arms again and moving you from emeritus status to active!

Well, the rough sort of policy we've adopted states that anyone can be moved from emeritus status when they express an interest in becoming active again... maybe this would qualify, SVA?

Quote from: King John on August 20, 2022, 03:41:27 PM

We'll be glad to see you back and active!

Quote from: Baron Alexandreu Davinescu on August 20, 2022, 05:25:35 PM

Quote from: Dr. Txec Róibeard dal Nordselvă, GST, O.SPM, SMM on August 20, 2022, 04:26:41 PM
It would be neat to have you active in the College of Arms again and moving you from emeritus status to active!

Well, the rough sort of policy we've adopted states that anyone can be moved from emeritus status when they express an interest in becoming active again... maybe this would qualify, SVA?

I would agree, and I gladly
Welcome back to active status The Blanc Wolf Herald.

-SVA/REH

Quote from: King John on August 20, 2022, 03:41:27 PM
I would like to become involved once more in Talossa's legal community.  At one time I had a solid command of our laws, a command that stood us in good stead when it came to battling my authoritarian predecessor and enshrining in the Organic Law many provisions to make misbehaviour like his impossible in the future.  Now, I would like to offer my services as a Community Jurist and use some of my knowledge of Talossa to assist with hearing cases.

As Attorney-General, I'm very happy to hear of your interest in this role; do you think it would be best to wait maybe a month or two, for you to "bone up" on recent developments in statute and case law, and for you to them let the Justice Ministry know when you feel confident enough to get a CJ appointment?

Well, I for one am happy to see the new Sabor is doing its job. I love every bit of your plan of action, John, and I'm genuinely excited to see you doing all those things and actually enjoying yourself.

(The first part does make me reflect on the consequences of a political ("political", not "partisan") monarchy for post-Reunision Talossa. I'll save these thoughts for another day though.)

I think it's safe to say that I'm the most apolitical person in Talossa. I don't pay much attention to what goes on in Abbaville. Seems most people appreciate the apology and that's nice.

As the acting Caption of the Toxophilite Club, I hereby official invite King John to join our club.

Dama Miestra makes what I think is a good suggestion.  Another point for discussion here is whether (in the opinion of y'all) it seems proper for the Monarch to take an active role in the Courts.  I'd have to recuse myself, of course, from pretty much anything with a political angle to it.

Estimada Audrada, I haven't touched a bow (well, at least I haven't shot one) in about 50 years.  Or do darts count?

-- John R

Quote from: King John on August 22, 2022, 03:02:43 PM
Dama Miestra makes what I think is a good suggestion.  Another point for discussion here is whether (in the opinion of y'all) it seems proper for the Monarch to take an active role in the Courts.  I'd have to recuse myself, of course, from pretty much anything with a political angle to it.

Estimada Audrada, I haven't touched a bow (well, at least I haven't shot one) in about 50 years.  Or do darts count?

-- John R

A monarch should not be a part of the judiciary in any capacity.  My extended screed in response to this thread will be posted in due course.  :-)