The secret orders given to the Cleaners after their conversion to the Imperator. The assassins repay sins with daggers, painting the Imperator's majesty in blood.
Imperator's Order: The "Cleaning" List
To Darius, Disciple of Caenis: You and your companions, guilty of attempted regicide, rightfully deserve beheading and burial beneath the lake at Dawncloud. However, as the Imperator is destined to govern the universe, with my heart as vast as heaven and earth, I specially permit you atonement through service, demonstrating my fairness. By Law, I command you to purge all enemies of the Imperator and Okhema. Those defying the Imperator shall have their flesh returned to filth and their souls eternally trapped in the River of Souls. Yet, constrained by alliance treaties, Okhema cannot openly administer justice. Thus, I order you, criminals, to cleanse these sins from the shadows under this decree.
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Caenis, Original Cleaner Commander Crime: Attempted assassination of the Imperator. Guilty of regicide. Sentence: Execution. Regicide deserves dismemberment into thirty million pieces and turned into animal feed, transforming body and soul into fetid fertilizer. However, as the prophesied one approaches, her life shall be offered as tribute, and mercy shall be shown by preserving her body intact.
To the Imperator: The deed is done outside Okhema city. Her throat was slit and the body transported to your camp in Janusopolis. I, Darius, will now take the name Caenis. Know that the Cleaners' blades will forever serve you and the laws of Okhema.
To Caenis: I acknowledge your loyalty. As a reward, you shall receive golden blood offered by Dux Gladiorum. Bathe your weapons in seawater mixed with this blood to forge blades capable of challenging those with divine power. Remember, you remain criminals under my pardon. Do not disappoint me or my Gladius.
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Afranius, Ladon Alliance Representative Crime: Conspiring with enemy states. Guilty of high treason. Sentence: Execution. All property to be confiscated by Okhema, family reduced to slaves. By alliance law, the city of Ladon is to be fined thirty million Balance Coins. Should they refuse, Ladon elders would share his crime and join the cleaning list.
To the Imperator: I have executed his three servants in the pool, with Dux Gladiorum personally beheading Afranius and leaving the corpse at the Marmoreal Palace. The head shall be hanged at the city gates for seven days, a testament to your imperial might.
To Caenis: Seven days is far too short. Hang it until it disintegrates into dust.
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Malion, King of Paphas Crime: Refusing to surrender military authority and war taxes, neglecting alliance obligations, delaying the Flame-Chase campaign, guilty of insubordination. Sentence: Execution. Ensure a gruesome death by your daggers, to demonstrate the Imperator's determination to all other states.
To the Imperator: I led seven Cleaners into Paphas Palace, killing Malion in his bath chamber, ensuring a horrific appearance with blunt weapons. Palace guards arrived afterward, forcing our counterattack, eliminating all guards at the cost of three Cleaners. However, the Paphas royal family has accused you of murder, causing violent reactions throughout the city. The Paphas people were already outraged over the killing Mnestia, and riots may erupt after this incident.
To Caenis: As you already know, this action was to demonstrate the Imperator's determination. When defiant nobles face death, what chance do common soldiers and citizens have? I will soon visit Paphas personally. They must offer their army, wealth, and citizens' complete submission. Should even one element be missing, the entire city of Paphas shall join Mnestia as mere ashes in the flames.
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74 Members of the Janusopolis Priest Order Crime: Propagating false prophecies in Janus's name, denying the world beyond the sky, obstructing the Flame-Chase Journey, guilty of deceiving both ruler and subjects. Sentence: Execute the High Priest during a ritual ceremony, destroying their credibility and influence. Other priests may avoid the cleaning if they cut out their own tongues in repentance.
To the Imperator: Cleaners shot arrows through High Priest Vesta's chest during Janusopolis's Passage Ceremony. Followers scattered in terror, believing this to be divine punishment for priests defying sacred will. The remaining seventy-three priests severed their own tongues in penance, though among them were elderly and weak individuals, and seven of them perished from the ordeal.
To Caenis: Though they were sinners, their crimes did not deserve death. In the Imperator's name, compensate the families of the seven deceased with forty thousand Balance Coins. If they have children, escort them to Okhema to be properly cared for.
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"Dux Ironclad" Lucitus, Commander of The Third Legion Crime: Defying the Imperator's battle orders, refusing to surrender battle standards to Okhema, deserting before campaign launch, guilty of battlefield cowardice. Sentence: In recognition of previous battle accomplishments, the death penalty was waived. However, all golden-blooded individuals must submit to the Imperator to prevent another Chrysos War catastrophe. According to military law, sever his tendons to neutralize his divine power, strip his armor, and flog him repeatedly until a personal confession of guilt.
To the Imperator: After fierce combat, we lost three Cleaners, while Dux Ironclad was captured after exhausting his power. We severed the tendons in his four limbs with a golden dagger. Despite three days of flogging that exposed his bones, the criminal refused to submit, even denouncing you as a tyrannical ruler. One Cleaner, enraged by this, executed him, sending him to the River of Souls to repent instead.
To Caenis: Absurd! Dux Ironclad serves the Imperator. However grave his crimes, no one but the Imperator has the right to judge him! Detain the executor at once and bring them to Okhema. For the offense of exceeding their authority, the Imperator shall carry out punishment by burning them to death! If this kind of transgression happens again, the Gladius shall fall upon you Cleaners as well, condemning you to eternal damnation!