[Cap Ologist]

October 14, 1399

"Outrageous," Friedrich Bischofberger muttered. "I can't believe the nerve of the Emperor." He passed around the proclamation to the other two men, Frederic Heberlin and Henri Luz.

Tensions had been building up in the small country of Switzerland. They looked at the neighboring states around them as inferior. Switzerland had developed an advanced form of government under the direction of Heberlin. The administrative republic was also a haven for many merchants who had come to take advantage of the the favorable conditions created by Luz.

The three men viewed every action of the Holy Roman Emperor with distrust as he worked to consolidate power and improve his own country of Bohemia. Bohemia was a powerful country, and with the added title of Emperor, Bohemia was poised to become a superpower by absorbing all the small states.

The three men were the ruling council of Switzerland for the next four years as the country transitioned fully to the new form of government. Their power was limited in that they could not declare war, a limitation that frustrated Bischofberger the most as Minister of War. How could they stop the spread of Bohemia's influence? How could they influence the election of a leader in four years who would share those same ideals?

As the men sat and thought, the day passed and evening drew near. Bischofberger stirred and spoke quietly, "Maybe we just need to give Bohemia and the Empire a good kick with our boot." He quickly summoned a diplomat, wrote a quick note and said, "Go quickly."

He turned to Minister of Finance Luz, "Make preparations to send out merchants quickly. Target Lubeck, Venezia and Genoa first. Keep sending them until they control the trade in those markets." An aide was summoned and the instructions given.

When they were finally alone again, he walked the other two ministers through each step of his plan.