Papikaze was no fool - although the Pechenegs had declared war to Poland our of good reason and on their own, he knew it was time for a ceasefire. But the terms of the "Treaty of Smolensk" were not acceptable for the Pechenegs - they did not feel as part of one war party - they had always acted with more snsibility to the situation. They had tried to defend Theiss - as they felt it wrong to conquer the shire and they had even fought against their allies - it was not Hungary, they were at war with - Hungary was a friend for ages - it was Poland.

Getting an overview on the messages arriving nearly every hour, Papikaze felt, it was time to give a statement to the nations:

"Dear knights and nobles of all parties involved and those mentioned in corresponse with the great central European war,

we Pechenegs had declared war solely on Poland and this for their latest actions upon us. However, it is not for the Pechenegs to seek more revenge when obviously everyone is seeking the paths of peace. So we declare that we will held a cease fire from now on.

We will, however, NOT sign the treaty of Minsk until a few preconditions are fulfilled by the other participants:

I. Poland excuses for attacking us twice without proper war declaration AND promises to give us a declaration of war, whenever in the future they should decide to attack us, PRIOR to invade our shires.

II. Every nation involved acknowledges our claims according to the treaty signed some years ago by the Roman Alliance, Poland and the Pechenegs. I have fetched you a copy from the archives and transscribed it to the current status:

QUOTE:
"To all courts of the nations of interest:

The Pechenegs hereby declare the following terms as valid for their current diplomacy:

1) National territory:
a) Core-territory of the Pechenegs are the following shires:
Krim (359), Melitopol - our castle (358), Oleshie (357), Donezk (348) and Lugansk - our hemp field (347)
b) Extended territory are the shires in direct vicinity to Donezk (348), and Oleshie (357). These shires we will take into our direct administartion if our numbers should rise.

2) Area for our herds and herders: As stated previously the Pechenegs are a nomad nation. We feed our herds on any shire in the North of the Black Sea, meaning especially any shire in direct vicinity to the Sea-Fields 1115, 1116 and 1121. This Region is seen as our national sphere.

3) Hostile actions against the Pechenegs:
Any attack on the territory as claimed in 1) will be ssen as a declaration of war and will provoke corresponding punishment.
Any settlement in our sphere will be taken as hostile action. Shires already been taken there may be released to freedom within the next three month or the corresponding nation will have to take the consequences.

4) Any foreign Knight of army who wants to walk our lands or sphere (only for armies), has to announce this or face the consequences.

5) The Pechenegs nation is Roman Catholic now. We are waitng for the Holy Father to announce a bishop among us. We are open to live in peace with the knights of any believe and we welcome knights of any believe to become Pechenegs..

6) The Pecheneg nation can not be forced into any treaty - we will never sign a union. We are free riders, free Knights.

7) If any nation should decide to spend an announced visit to the Pechenegs in friendship, we will warmly welcome them and give them what is right under the terms of hospitality.

8) If the Pechenegs should act as mercenaries, it is out of free will. Sometimes we take money for a good fight, sometimes we do it on our own. If we act as mercenaries, we will state that and we can not be held responsible for actions taken under foreign command.
However, if a nation decides to fall into hostile actions versus the Pecheneg homelands for actions we took under foreign command, this nation will never be accepted as client and it will have to face the consequences.

9) Concerning the Polish anti mercenary declaration: Poland is a green and fertile land with rich peasants and it is beyond hunger. Some other nations do not have the luck and are forced to get silver and food by selling their swords, They have to earn the food for their relatives this way and in the eyes of the Pechenegs it is an honourable way - much better than doing sneaky attacks on other nations. We hereby declare that we will acknowledge the status of mercenaries and other nations should apply this status to us from time to time so that the unfertile brushland araund us is not the only source to feed our fellow Pechenegs.

VALIDITY: This declaration is valid immediately and it needs no recipients sign. Any nation will be held responsible for any action concerning the Pechenegs according to the terms of this declaration.

Signed and Sealed

Papikaze of Kyoto
Foreign minister and Chancellor"

To Papikaze of Kyoto, Chancellor of Petcheneg`s kingdom, and to all other nations interested:

Petcheneg`s declaration was received in Sweden battle-camp with greatest interest and was carefully studied by our diplomats and our warlords. Sweden agree with most part of this declaration and we like the way that matters are analysed, still there is a matter we must ask clarifications: the matter of mercenary status. We are sure that in time we can agree about the proper understanding of the term of mercenaire and we wish to clarify this matter once for all

Mercenaires existed in our world since the begining of time, and there were implemented honourable rules about their interference in wars. Still it seems those rules were unfortunatelly forgotten last years ... As far as I remember the mercenary status (wich mean impunity, safety from any retaliations) is not something one could achieve only by his own declaration and his own decision, this intention of acting like mercenaires should be declared first but also granted by the oposing faction. In my opinion nobody can pretend to be a mercenaire as long as his status was not accepted by the opposing side. We don`t pretend to know all, but in our opinion seems extremely strange for anyone to pretend to have impunity in a war as long as the enemy doesn`t agree about his impunity.

I`ll remember everyone the way a mercenaire status used to be declared and accepted in more honourable times, by 2 of the most respected and wise leaders in our world, and i`m waiting responses and their point of view from all interested nations, mostly from those interested in becoming mercenmaires sooner or later.

QUOTE:
Alar I said to Smelgar

QUOTE:
... I, Baron of Demeter, Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, Ruler of the Western steppes, Protector of Wespen, wish to inform your Highness that the Grand Duchy of Moscow declares war to the Roman Empire. Moreover, the Grand Duchy of Moscow will be accompanied by the troops from the Kingdom of the Pechenegs and the Khanate of Kasan who will fight along with us as mercenaries. I therefore ask thee to recognize their status as such.

Smelgar responded to Alar I:

QUOTE:
You request that the Pecheneg and Kasan armies be granted the status of mercenaries and accorded the usual privileges thereof. This request is granted, and the grant remains in effect for as long as the nature of those nations' conflict with us with stays within the role of mercenaries. I note two pertinent matters. First of all, in the Eastern War the Roman Alliance was assisted by Syrian mercenaries. Whilst the Pecheneg nation respected that status according to the usual conventions, the Mordvins did not, and burned several of the Syrian shires. Accordingly, if any of the senior Mordvin Knights should become involved in this conflict in any way at all, whether as part of their own nation or otherwise, then we may decide to treat mercenary combatants after the fashion adopted by those Knights.

More info about that old war and the way diplomacy was conducted in those times can be found here:

http://knights-honor.com/component/option,com_fireboard/Itemid,181/func,view/id,40253/catid,9/limit,10/limitstart,0/

QUOTE:
Dear Papikaze of Kyoto,

regarding your declaration I feel to say that since the shires that the Petschenegs mark as their sphere of influence are free that any foreign nation should be allowed passage. I could live with the sphere of interest in that nobody should actually conquer any of the marked shires before having gone into consultations with the Petschenegs.

However if any of the nations supposed to sign the Treaty of Minsk will carve up the world in this fashion and make it kind of part of the treaty of Minsk, we will never get the peace treaty concluded and signed.

I understand that there are some pitfalls as signing the Treaty of Minsk binds you to that treaty and if any signatory power is going to attack any of the aforementioned shires, you might see this as a casus belli, while the signers of the Treaty of Minsk won't. Worse, if you declare war on the violating nation, you are now violating the Treaty of Minsk

I can only ask the Petschenges not open a can of worms and just sign the Treaty of Minsk. You have my word, that Khazar will stand by the Petschenegs, in case somebody violates your terms of Petscheneg diplomacy such that we would declare war on any nation that dared to infiltrate your sphere of interest AFTER the Treaty of Minsk expired.

On the point of mercenaries I have to agree with Zmeu that it is up to the nation attacked by their enemy using mercenaries accepting the status of these mercenaries or not. If it is not accepted then that mercenary nation has to declare war or war will be declared on this nation. For the matter of the Treaty of Minsk, obviously war can only declared after hostile actions have started as otherwise the side that declared war, if a signer of the Treaty of Minsk, will trigger a casus belli.

I hope I have clarified the opinion of the Khazar Nation and I am looking forward to your signature under the Treaty of Minsk

Kindest Regards

Dorenn de Almhuin, Khagani of Khazar

QUOTE:
Brave Pechenegs!

Today we stand in front of mysterious land of snow and frost, a land that never was explored by civilized nations. The land of evil wizzards who bring dead back to life, who spread witchcult around, who laugh at our Lord, the Trinity and the Holy Church.
We heard a lot about their powers, and time has come to destroy them, or perish among northern steppes. Once again raise your swords and fight for the truth, and for the honor! Evil shall not pass! Cadaverous Veps hordes heading, so show them no mercy.
Chaaaaarge!

QUOTE:

Rostov announces that it will support the endeavour of the Pechenegs and help with all means possible. We view the demise of the witches to the north as an important factor in securing the safety of the Rostov people. Let this letter be considered a declaration of war on the Veps.

Valdemar von Vetinari, Foreign Minister of Rostov

Rumors about very strange things happening in northern steppes reached Lithuania and peasants became very concerned, especially, when it happened even in former Lithuanian shire Finnland. Some inhabitants from northern Lithuanian shires already moved more to south where they felt more protected by gods. This could cause huge migration and fertile fields would be left abandoned. Margiris couldn't let it happening just because of stupid rumors, so gathered few knights and wizards, two thousand horsemans and send free invitation to all Dukes of Grand Duchy of Lithuania to join him in this quest. Even if these horrible rumors would be true, he believed, that he can beat whatever there is, alive or undead.

When Lithuanians just entered lands, where very strange things happened according to rumors, they noticed nothing uncommon, but they have to inspect more lands to be sure.


Surprisingly, scouts noticed presence of Rostov and Petchenegs armies in north. Margiris sent his emissary to meet them, communicate greetings, tell about quest of lithuanians and to find out what are reasons of their armies here.

Emissary came back from their mission after week.