Cormyr's Kingdom Council building was vast on the outside, but the area actually used for meetings was relatively cramped. In particular, the passage leading up to the Dragon Throne ascended between portraits of monarchs past. Stepping out of it felt like walking through doors thrown wide open, suddenly exposed to countless watching eyes and their crushing pressure.
Today, almost every great noble of Cormyr who could attend had come. Shavar, Grand Master of the Purple Dragons and a legendary Purple Dragon Knight, had returned from afar. Royal Chief Archmage Vangerdahast had dragged his ailing body here, while Alusair, Princess Regent of the Obarskyr Royal House, had taken her seat on the Dragon Throne early.
A stack of documents had been placed at every seat: Aaron Salian's "Conquer the Barbarians Proposal" and the Obarskyr Royal House's "Alternate Attendance Proposal."
Sharp Redbeard, Lord of Wheloon, had made a special journey down from the north. The travel-worn Sharp Redbeard was a powerful, conservative warrior who had been elected lord by his people for advocating that "Wheloon can protect itself. Get the Purple Dragon Knights out of Wheloon."
Sharp Redbeard opened Aaron's "Conquer the Barbarians Proposal" first.
There was actually little to Aaron's proposal. His principal demands were complete autonomy in military command and diplomacy, as well as the right to wage war against the "northern barbarians" on his own initiative.
Aaron raised several points in his proposal. First, the Expansion War required sufficient "autonomy," which broadly meant the authority to "act as circumstances dictated."
In other words, his authority as Archduke of Green Velar would receive another upgrade. Besides autonomy over personnel, finances, and military affairs, Aaron would also possess the right to conduct independent diplomacy and declare war independently.
Wasn't this still just setting himself up as king? The great nobles frowned