A Show of Fear in a Handful of Dust

[arya126]

Taking any and all bets on a Civil War in Reikland soon.

 

[Sonereal]

Sophia updates in 12 hours. Or Noon Eastern Time for those not in the know.

The default order for those who don't get them in is "everything into treasury".

 

[Nuka-sama]

Bei Fan looked at the dress with irritation. The ink smudge would not budge, and as Bei tried harder and harder, the stain smeared even worse over her dress. And it had to be white! Bei suspected it was a cruel joke of the court to have scribes wear white, to watch the poor hapless scribes scramble as the ink stained their uniforms. Bei sighed and shook her head. She did not wear a collar, but she was not high born enough to escape a caning from Mistress, either for tardiness or for sloppiness. Both would likely receive an equal beating, but tardiness might actually affect her work. And perhaps she might be able to borrow a sash from one of the serving girls she thought, as she made her way down to the gardens.

Both Mistress and her guest had yet to arrive, giving Bei time to prepare her work station. A few copies of contracts the Mistress used, necessary related files to persons of interest, and of course Bei would be taking notes on the conversation, looking for anything her Mistress might be able to use at a later date. As Bei adjusted the borrowed sash to hide her stain, her mind was unclouded from the thought of the beating, and allowed herself a smile. It truly was incredible. Her Mistress, like Bei, born to a lower noble family unable to afford an academy’s tuition payments. Instead, she was apprenticed to one of the few Biāochǐ who still mattered. His secrets became her secrets, and his execution paved the way for her rise. Bei betrayed herself a second smile: perhaps Mistress feared that history would repeat itself?

As the thought of Bei stabbing her with a sharpened pen, the Mistress herself was carried into the garden. Lei Fen, the Mistress of Secrets. Some time advisor to the Empress herself when Her Majesty was healthier. Bei prostrated herself, and after an appropriate amount of time, looked up. Lei Fen, graceful, though not beautiful enough to be a concubine. Yet she did not allow for her plainness to descend to ugliness. Nor did she tackily wear jewelry to cover every piece of skin. Her slaves were her only luxury, the two of them well sculpted, their backs free of whip marks. Clearly ceremonial boys. Not one to delay, Lei clapped her hands and the garden door opened.

Bei Fan bowed, though did not have her forehead touch the ground. When it seemed safe, she tilted her head upwards, though still staying on all fours. A fat man, a eunuch most likely. His slaves struggling to maintain the weight of the sedan chair, and were all to happy to set him down. Bei remembered her mother explaining the piggish nature of men and their carnal appetites. Perhaps if they weren’t satisfied there, they turned into actual pigs? Bei suppressed a snicker until she noticed the man’s face, pale without make-up. Pao. His disease had advanced significantly in the last two weeks then.

As he wiped away a slight sweat, Pao smiled at Lei “Honored Lei Fen, you do me a great service by meeting with me”, the second he said his words Bei’s brush hitting the parchment

Lei smiled “Not at all, Minister Pao. It is you who does me a service.” Giving fake sympathy, Lei ventured “But Minister Pao, you really should be at home resting”

Pao wheezed “Please, Lei Fen, you know me better than that. There’s so many things to do! Besides, that manor can get so lonely, and my accomplice needs an answer.”

“Well you will not be getting one today unfortunately. Tell me Minister Pao, when you pass will I at last meet the mystery man? Or is it woman?” Lei mused “I suspect man. You always seem so uncomfortable talking to me. Would it help if I dressed in armor?”

Pao laughed “Your current attire is fine, my lady. And my associate would love to meet with you face to face, but unfortunately the current….political environment would make that… difficult.” He accepted the poured tea offered to him and sipped “How do you view the situation my lady? Even I can appreciate your incredible insight.”

Of course no one could openly speak of the health or age of Her Majesty, but political talk had been impossible to squash. Still, for Pao to ask so directly….Lei sipped her own tea and exhaled “Rukina grows bolder each day. It seems likely the Guards Captain has sworn herself to her. Of course, Her Highness continues to ignore the more….underhanded ways one could seize power. Dragon knows that there are plenty of hot heads who have hands that can swing a sword. They just need to be pointed at someone. I had the displeasure of sending a few of those boys away myself earlier.”

“Three brothers? Someone told me they were minor lordlings”

“No matter. Those are the exact type of people who can make a transition….messy.”

“Indeed. Perhaps my manservant could be use a few new hires. And what of the Kuīnrūru? Will they be an issue?”

Lei sighed “Your network doesn’t leave the capital much, does it?”

“I’m afraid not. I’m only the cash behind this little scheme anyhow. We of course seek your wisdom in this matter, and of course would love to off-”

Lei laughed “Don’t be a fool Pao. You can offer me nothing. Everything I want I have, and everything I could want, I can take. No, you’re just a….fun little show. It’s entertaining at least, which is why we’re talking here instead of in a cell.” she shook her head “Sakada has dreams of becoming Daisōtō but the reality is that 15 year old girls aren’t exactly prepared to run their own realms. And the next time Rao looks up from her books, we’ll be in the middle of lighting New Year’s fireworks. The Wan family dying out was a blessing for you, and no new Kuīnrūru will be coming anytime soon. Let the other families jockey for position in the valley, for none of them will have any effect when it comes time to determine who sits the throne.”

Pao sipped his tea once more “Excellent then.” Giving the empty tea cup to the servant girl, he snapped his fingers, and his slaves lifted the sedan up. “Please remember, my lady, there are forces on both sides of this conflict. And all of them see you as their biggest threat”

“As they should”

Pao smiled “I truly mean it when I say I don’t want you to get hurt. When you’re dying, it adds a certain….perspective to these matters”


“And yet you’re here, still ready to play the game?”

The sedan chair was almost out of the garden before Pao stopped them “Please my lady. Though I work with associates, my only goal is the preservation of Jiajou, both the land and the dynasty. I truly am a man without ambition.”

 

[christos200]

- Liu Chang
​

Zhang Wuji, the hotheaded sworn brother of Liu Chang, was furious with his brother.

"You actually gave HALF of our money to the poor people and peasants!?", he shouted. "When we are in a precarious economic situation and we don't know if the herbalist shop we shall open will grant us enough income!?"

"The people and the Dynasty always come first, my brother.", Liu Chang said.

"But you do not have an official position nor are we rich! We cannot afford to spend money like this."

Guan Ying, the other brother of Liu Chang, said, "He is right brother. We cannot spend money just like this until we secure a source of income."

But Liu Chang had a strong belief that this decision he made was the right one. "Brothers, you must not forget that we live and fight in order to serve the people and the Dynasty. I do not want an official title in order to get power or riches, as some people said about me. Nor do I want to live in luxury while the common people suffer. I prefer to die as a poor man than to betray my beliefs and become a traitor to my people and Her Imperial Majesty. I have a duty to help other people. Even if I was poor and had no money at all, I would still try to help them. It is only natural that I should give at least half of my money to the poor people and the peasants who struggle to make a living. And from what money we gain from the herbalist shop, we are going to give at least half of them to the poor people. And if I ever get official titles, I will distribute my wealth to the people. For I only wish to serve the people and the Dynasty! I only wish to make this nation prosperous, to punish the wicked and help the people! Alas, I may never be able to accomplish this ambition of mine for I still have no news from the Imperial Court. But even as a simple shopkeeper, I vow to serve the nation and the Dynasty!!"

Those words made Guan Ying and Zhang Wuji regret what they said before. So, they bowed and looking at the sky, they shouted: "We vow to serve the nation and the Dynasty! We vow to give all of our wealth to the people! If any of us breaks this vow, he shall die a painful death!"

Liu Chang helped his brothers get up. "Together", he said, "we can surely strengthen the Dynasty and the people!"

- The oath of the three brothers​

 

[Sonereal]

ORDERS LOCKED

OUTSTANDING ISSUES CLOSED

Yeah.

 

[Sonereal]

[YOUTUBE=10]UKp2CrfmVfw[/YOUTUBE]​

Stats

Life after the end of the world of Arthur’s Empire wasn’t very different from life before. Unless you were an unlucky soul in St. Louis that day, you may not even noticed that the empire had finally fallen. All you noticed, three centuries ago, was that the men and women who guarded your village were a different uniform. Some may have spoken a different dialect, or maybe even a different language. In cases such as these, the difference could be quite noticeable.

However, the biggest noticeable difference between you and those who rule you may be simple faith. The traditional faith of Arthur’s Empire was an ultra-Messianic version of Christianity that taught the Second Coming of Christ had already occurred, and that the world was awaiting the Third Coming which would finalize man’s descent into hell (if man collectively failed to do good works), or ascent into heaven where they will live forever in paradise. This was the faith many in Arthur’s Empire believed, but with great empires’ fall comes great faiths evaporating. The Americanist faith such as the one practiced in Holy Columbia, and the Abrahamist/Abrahamic religion practiced in the Midwest, began life as heterodox movements before coming solidified religious organizations of their own.

Arthur’s Empire, for what it was, was managed by legions of skilled magistrates who underwent a vigorous process of civil examination. To be a magistrate, or a member of the bureaucracy, in Arthur’s Empire was a great honor. In time, the gulf between the traditional landowning nobility and aristocracy and the state-backed bureaucracy grew, and their matters diverged. A second or third son who was pushed into the civil administration so the oldest son could inherit the lion’s share of the family estate would quickly find that his personal trajectory was radically different from his brother’s.

The rivalry between the civil administration and nobility played into the decline of Arthur’s Empire, as it may very well play into the decline of the empires rising in his ashes…

RP Bonuses

Nuke receive 85 Cultural Points toward Cultural Development.

Christos received +1 Stewardship and +1 Diplomacy.

New Heirs

A new heir was born to Ali Tarek Albaf. Name your heir. This heir has a WEAK claim on the throne.

A new heir was born to the throne of the Realm of Sakada. Name your heir. This weir has a WEAK claim.

A new heir was born to the throne of Louisiana. Name your heir. This heir has a STRONG claim.

A new heir was born to the throne of Koninryk Nuuw-Hollant. Name your heir. This heir has a STRONG claim.


Liu Chang

In the Jiajou Dynasty is a young man named Liu Chang. Liu Chang and his sworn brothers traveled to the Imperial Court to seek an audience with the Empress, but they were refused because of her illness. Liu Chang is not of low birth by any means of the imagination, as evidenced by his modest estate. Turned down for an audience, Liu Change and his brothers decided that in order to earn audience, they must gain fame and piety, so they opened a herbalist shop.

Surely, the three brothers could not imagine just how lucrative the shop would be, even with the generous donations given to the peasants.

Rodom d'Ilbama

Rodom d’Ilbama was the first to feel the might of Hurricane Roy-Hot, which ripped through the Caribbean and caused devastation across Florida, the Gulf Coast, and the wider continental North America. A sleepy fishing town and its people felt the glancing faced a glancing blow of the mighty hurricane’s power, and rains wreaked havoc across the islands, doing great damage to the country’s fishing, trading, and raiding industries.


Effects

-.05 Economic Efficiency (+.01 for next five years)
527 slaves killed. 176 freed persons killed.
21,150 Gold of infrastructure destroyed
Other Damages Assumed

Pes d'Kouet

This hurricane, however, did manage to avoid the province of d’Ilbama’s ruler’s brother. This fortunate turn of events, combined with the unfortunate destruction of competing ports, has elevated Pes d’Kouet’s prime port to supremacy in the Gulf for now.

Effects

+.1 Economic Efficiency (-.01 for next ten years years)


Louisiana

Hurricane Roy-Hot rocked the Gulf Coast and dealt Louisiana a glancing, but stinging, blow. The bureaucracy has been surprisingly less than helpful when it comes to repairing the and rectifying the damages to the royal territories.

-.05 Economic Efficiency (+.01 for next five years)
1,100 serfs killed. 275 freed persons killed.
15,275 Gold of infrastructure destroyed
-1 Support of the Bureaucracy
Other Damages Assumed



Jiajou Dynasty

Challenge

Empress Yuna-Rei is dead. After battling with illness and old age for so long, the empress has passed into the night, leaving behind her young daughter as the new ruler of the Jiajou Dynasty. She must now deal with the challenges left behind from the old regime as well as the new challenges ahead.

One challenge is reconciling the still hostile Imperial Cult (-2,5,Opposition) with the new ruler or shifting more power away from there in order to create a new power base for rule. One councilor suggests just buying back the Imperial Cult from opposition and moving it to the center, but he estimates that the cost of this type of bribe would be nearly 210,000 gold.

Other council persons suggest granting the clergy powers by weakening other groups, which would satisfy the clergy, if not make it more powerful in the process.

Finally, some members of the council suggest weakening the Imperial Cult’s priests and their powers even further, but this created arguments among the council as some believe that pushing too hard to weaken the priests could trigger a crisis.

It is up to you on how to proceed.

Realm of Sakada

A feud has rocked the realm as a politically arranged marriage between two minor noble houses of the realm collapsed due to the abuse levied by the wife against her husband. The conflict has erupted into angry confrontations, violence, and other forms of conflict that that has created a small power vacuum, which was quickly filled by an ascendant guild.

The guilds, led by the Mason’s Guild of Jiajou, have grown in power and confidence and joined the Opposition, while the internal struggle among the nobility has pushed them toward neutrality.

The guilds are using their increased powers to push up wages in Sakada as well.

Effects

+1 Support from Nobility. -1 Support from Guilds.
-1 Strength of Nobility. +1 Strength of Guilds.
+4% Wages in Sakada

Kuinruru of Aokelan

A corruption scandal is rocking the Aokelan bureaucracy thanks to the increasingly flagrant displays of wealth and power of bureaucrats. Strangely, the Mason’s Guild of Jiajou is at the forefront of stoking public dissatisfaction with the bureaucracy…

Effects

-1 Support from the Bureaucracy. -1 Support from the Guilds.
-1 Strength of the Bureaucracy. +1 Strength of the Bureaucracy.
+5% Wages

Republic of Chicago

To understand Separatism in Chicago, you must first understand what Chicago is. Chicago is a trade hub that ultimately connects the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes and Nuuw-Hollant. The Republic of Chicago, ruled by the House of Roberts, is a dictatorship ruled by Robin Roberts. The Republic of Chicago isn’t a large republic, but it is made up of several smaller localities that, not very long ago, were in competition with one another.

Separatism in Chicago would reduce the already small Republic into even smaller republics and potentially turn the Republic of Chicago into the Confederation of Chicago.

Separatism isn’t a strong ideology in Chicago, and after last year, it certainly isn’t a viable one. Separatists supporting a confederation versus those supporting independence came to full blows and violence, greatly weakening the ideology…but killing a few innocents along the way.

Effects

-2 Separatist Strength.
+1 Guild Strength. +1 Bureaucracy Strength.
1,504 Freed Persons Killed.

Republic of Carbondale

While the drastic changes to Carbondale’s political structure were appreciated by many, one group in particular maintains animosity: The Nobility. Their privileges may be gone, but their great manors and wealth are not. The nobility is increasingly using serf labor instead of freed labor, even as it deals with shortages of the latter, in order to create their economic power. The group most hurt by this are the separatist-aligned groups, who tend to already be the most fragile in their living standards and incomes.

Effects

-4% Wages
1% of Freed population become serfs
-1 Separatist Strength
+1 Nobility Strength

ASSASSINATION

Jonathan Arveneld was found dead in his study with a spilled goblet of wine. Evidence points to an assassination.

The country is now without a ruler, and an emergency election has been arranged.

OOC: Pick a faction to support. The selected faction will get a large support boost.

Merchants (0,5,Neutral)
Nobility (-3,4,Opposition)
Bureaucracy (2,5,Loyalist)
Guild (2,2,Loyalist)
Peasants (2,2,Loyalist)
Clergy (0,2,Neutral)
Separatists (1,5,Neutral)

Holy Columbia

Challenge

The bureaucracy of Holy Columbia is expanding to meet the needs of the expanding bureaucracy. They’re petitioning the Vice President to fund an idea for a project. The project is an administrative headquarters for the bureaucracy.

The project would cost 300,000 gold (and count as infrastructure investment), increase state stewardship permanently by 1, and increase the support of the bureaucracy.

Harmonious State

Hurricane Roy-Hat may not have hit the Reich, but the Harmonious State has been affected by the hostile weather the hurricane spawned. It has distorted the growing season in a bad way.

Effects

-.05 Economic Efficiency (+.01 every year)

Ryno Tel’auga Crownlands

The Crownlands have avoided the blunt of Roy-Hot, but much of the rest of the country wasn’t as lucky. A great many people are wanting to flock to the Crownlands. Members of the council believe that these people should be admitted in freely, others believe they should be rejected.

The merchants suggest enslaving some of the people coming in. It is up to the King of the Waters to decide.

Duchy of Ozalauga, Great Shoria, Est Suam, and Barbar, Modozia, Far Ozalauga

These duchies were affected adversely by Hurricane Roy-Hot, suffering thousands of deaths and plenty of property loss. Far Ozalauga was the worst affected.

Duchy of Toinprinpe and Caidia

…but some benefit from their neighbor’s misfortune. If for no other reason than people gotta get their fix of trade goods.

Effects

+.05 Economic Efficiency (.01 Economic Efficiency)

Effects

33,552 killed
-.05 Economic Efficiency (+.01 per year for five years)
Other economic damage

Albaf

There are nearly 150,000 serfs and 70,000 slaves in Albaf. The region has avoided Hurricane Roy-Hot, but it now is dealing with a different type of hurricane. The peasantry is getting restless and are demanding greater rights and power in the country.

There are a few ways to go about this ranging from weakening a faction to freeing a number of serfs or slaves. Freeing at least 15,000 serfs or 14,000 slaves should be enough, but the nobility wouldn’t be happy with the former, and the merchants wouldn’t be happy with the latter.

Rest of the Merida Sultanate

El-Amin is seeing a boom in migration from Central America. (+4% Population Growth)
El-Mofty, likewise, is experiencing increased settlement. (+1% Population Growth)

Grand Imperial Duchy of Reikland

The nobility has been punched in the stomach, repeatedly for the last year, and now it is asking the government what gives? The nobility is asking the government to grant it greater powers (which would need to come at the expense of others). Doing so would rekindle support of a reinvigorated nobility, but surely anger whoever is the target of the kaiser’s wrath.

Rest of Das Großoccitanien Bundesreich

The Imperial Duchy of Hochland is suffering from adverse weather effects thanks to the recent hurricane. [-.05 EE, +.01 EE per turn for five years]

The Imperial Duchies of Middenland and especially Ostland, on the other hand, seem to experiencing good weather for farming. [+.05/.1 EE respectively]

The Imperial Duchy of Averland is the biggest winner of the recent weather. [+.15 EE]

Koninryk Nuuw-Hollant

I love you Cived boo boo. [+.15 EE]

High Kingdom of Ravenwal

Last year was a terrifying year for Ravenwal. It all started with a runaway slave. This slave, styling himself as a Warrior of Lincoln (of the Abrahamic religion), charismatic as he was, was quick to talk his way to the leadership of a massive slave rebellion. Crushed brutally, a shocking number of people died as a result and there are fears of what could come next.

Effects

-1 Support of slave-owning merchants and managing bureaucracy
-1 Strength of Merchants. +1 Strength of the Bureaucracy
16,450 freed persons killed. 39,480 slaves killed.

Rest of the High Kingdom of Ravenwal

The Jarldom of Witchbane suffered a slave revolt inspired by the Abrahamic Slave Revolt as well. While not as severe, it was traumatic nonetheless.



Maps

Spoiler Full Map :

Spoiler Vassal Map :

Expansion and Trade Power

Trade Power/Expansion Power can't be banked! You can use Trade Power on yourself or other countries, which increases your trade influence domestically or abroad respectively. Countries you border/share a river with/share a coast with/whatever have can be influenced more than a distant landlocked country you don't border.

Expansion Power is used to expand. One expansion power can be used to claim one territory.

Orders Lock Next Sunday.

Noted Errors

Population numbers are off. Public sheet didn't update population post growth. Can't fix without breaking GoogleDoc sheet right now but it isn't a big deal.

 

[christos200]

OOC: Great update.

IC:

- Liu Chang​

Liu Chang was practicing his swordplay. He had a long time to do so. Since opening the herbalist shop, he was too concerned with the business and with helping the poor people, through donations and free treatment, to practice swordsmanship. He liked using two long swords, instead of one. Those swords were of special importance to him; they passed down to him from his father. They only objects that remained from him and the only ones that allowed his son to remember him.

It is said that during a sword duel or a swordplay practice one could understand, due to the swordsman's movements, his mood. It was not difficult to understand Liu Chang's mood, even if you did not have such an ability. He had still not gotten any news from the Imperial Court. He was not angry. Rather, he was disappointed. There was an air of melancholy around him. Without being an official, how could he strengthen then Dynasty and help the people prosper?

Yet, despite the air of melancholy, his movements and use of the swords were fantastic and awe-inspiring. His swordplay seemed more like a dance than the usual crude sword fighting used by the common soldiers. Elegance and prowess, softness and power, speed and complex maneuvers, all of them where being combined in that sword style. Liu Chang called that style 'Red Tiger Swordsmanship' due to an old legend about a red tiger teaching man this sword style. At that time, the other two brothers of Liu Chang arrived in the estate's garden, where Liu Chang was practicing.

"Brother", Guan Ying said, "we should go to the Court again and offer our services to the new Empress. She is young and she needs any help she can get, especially with those priests wanting to remove her."

"That's right, brother!", the hotheaded Zhang Wuji said. "Those stinky priests will try to remove her from power!"

"I have already offered my services to the court." Liu Chang replied. "I am not a beggar."

Guan Ying sighed. "Brother, do not be so stubborn. That was over a year ago! Now, you have fame as a generous man with a kind heart and a protector of the poor, so the Imperial Court will examine more closely your case."

"That's right!", Zhang Wuji shouted. "Think of the people and the Dynasty, dammit!!"

"Alright", Liu Chang replied. "I will go to the Court."

Outside the Imperial Court

Liu Chang and his two sworn brothers went to the court. When one official greeted them and asked them what they were doing, Liu Chang replied:

"I want to serve her Imperial Majesty, either in the court or as a magistrate or in the army. I am young and not very experienced in matters of government, but I really want to serve her Imperial Majesty and the Dynasty and I also have a flaming desire in me to help the people prosper and to punish the wicked. The Empress is young and needs every help she can get. So I cannot just stand by and do nothing while the entire world is engulfed in turmoil. Please, tell her personally of me and my desire to assist her. Please, do not disregard my request like last time. Tell her that I want neither money nor power. If she gives me any money or land, I will distribute them immediately to the poor people. I only want to serve the Dynasty and her. You must tell her that."

The official looked at them for a long time, both in admiration and in astonishment that such virtuous men still exist in those troubled times. He then left to report Liu Chang's request.

 

[arya126]

Apologies for not getting orders in. Deadlines in the middle of a day are just bad for me, y'know?

 

[NinjaCow64]

Holy Columbia

Challenge

The bureaucracy of Holy Columbia is expanding to meet the needs of the expanding bureaucracy. They’re petitioning the Vice President to fund an idea for a project. The project is an administrative headquarters for the bureaucracy.

The project would cost 300,000 gold (and count as infrastructure investment), increase state stewardship permanently by 1, and increase the support of the bureaucracy.

The Watercloaks have for a long time pushed for the costruction of a new headquaters for the Columbian Church as the crumbling United States Supreme Court Building was too dangerous to live in. However, both the Bloodcloaks and the Snowcloaks would ensure that the proposal would never end up on the Vice-President's desk as they believed that it was extremely important for the Church to operate there. However, when the daughter of a senior member of the Bloodcloak faction was crushed by a falling pillar along with three of her colleagues they ceased their opposition.

For once the Vice-President agrees with the Watercloaks. He approved the construction of a new headquarters, however he had to slow down the construction period from one year to two years citing resource concerns and a less than expected tax income last year.

In unrelated news, the Vice-President has decided to set up two Marches, the Maryland March and the Eastern March, as a response to increasingly aggressive rhetoric by the High King of Ravenwal. Marches are vassal states that are used for defending the core homeland. They are ruled by General-Mayor, who have less rights than Governors but more rights than a normal Mayor or County-Mayor. The main differences between a Governorship and a March is that Marches are expected to maintain a large standing army and that the Vice-President can (theoretically) remove a General-Mayor from power with much less fanfare, although this is still seen as a controversial move. The two Marches will be ruled by two different former Supreme Court justices who have a background in military affairs.

Key:

Blue = Lands given to the Maryland March
Orange = Lands given to the Eastern March
Red = Planned expansion for this year that will be given to the Eastern March
Yellow = Normal expansion

Other powers would do well to respect these claims...

 

[Nuka-sama]

@christos I will write a response soon

 

[Sonereal]

Issues of the Day (?)​

Issues of the day are small, Nationstates styled decisions which don't require sending in new orders, but merely a response in thread. When factions are listed, they are listed in this format Name (Support/Strength/Standing).

There likely won't be issues everyday, and not everyone will get one.


Parliamentary Issues

Rodom d'Ilbama

The Free Folk Kingdoms work differently from mainland kingdoms. The hierarchy is looser, and society itself is more egalitarian, even with the presence of a slave class. The nobility (1,2,Neutral) consists of a landowning agrarian class that has accumulated enough land to exert some political pressure on government and society. The bureaucracy (1,3,Neutral) consists officials that work directly for the Roy-Hot, whose power and privileges largely revolve around tax collection.

Those representing the nobility has presented a bill that would shift some tax collection power to the nobility from the bureaucracy. The bill is expected to fail.

If the ruler intervenes on the side of the nobility, this would please everybody except for the bureaucracy. Siding with the bureaucracy, however, will please the merchants, peasants, and clergy, but anger everyone else.

Intervention will cost the government 10 Legitimacy, while allowing things to play out will gain the government 5 Legitimacy. Current Legitimacy: 101

Republic of Carbondale

The merchants (0,4,Neutral) have presented a bill that would weaken the ability of villages (2,5,Loyalist) to restrict the trade of certain goods. As it stands, the bill is expected to be opposed by the Peasants, Bureaucracy, and Guilds.

Non-intervention will gain the government 5 Republican Tradition (Current: 89). Intervention would cost 10 (except in certain cases). Non-intervention would also decrease merchant support for the government because it is opposed by Loyalists.

Right now, there is no action that can be taken because Carbondale has no Grand Chancellor (appoint appoint appoint!).

If it could take an action, it could ask the Loyalists to support the bill, which would cost no Legitimacy but decrease Peasant support and increase merchant support.

Holy Columbia

The nobility (2,3,Loyalist) is going after the Peasants (0,3,Neutral) with a bill that would allow the nobility to administer justice in villages near their manors. Of course, the peasants oppose the bill. Normally, the bill would deadlock, but the Guilds, Snowcloaks, and Bloodcloaks are backing the bill as well, much to the chagrin of the Peasants, whose support for the government will deteriorate should the bill go through.

If the Vice President doesn't intervene, Legitimacy increases by 5 (Current: 97).

The Vice President can ask the Loyalists to support the bill, which would lower the support of the Nobility but increase the support of the peasants.

Faction Issues

Jiajou Dynasty

Empress Yuna-Rei is dead! Long live the Empress!

The merchants (1,4,Neutral) and separatists (1,4,Neutral) have arrived to the court to petition for arbitration. The merchants are claiming that the more autonomous regions the Jiajou Dynasty are taking actions to push Jiajou goods out of their markets. The separatists claim that they have a right to not accept trade goods they don't want.

Siding with one faction will make it a Loyalist faction and increase its strength. Taking a side will also increase the crown's legitimacy by 5 (Current: 67).

Realm of Sakada

The same issue facing the empress is facing Kosuchi. The options are the same, save that the merchants (-2,3,Opposition) and separatists (0,7,Neutral) differ in relative power and stance with the government. Empowering the separatists in this debate will increase Legitimacy of the crown by 5 (Current: 68). Picking the merchants will increase Legitimacy by 10, but the merchants will remain in the opposition.

Grand Imperial Duchy of Reikland

The Nobility (-1,2,Neutral) and Separatists (-2,7,Opposition) are at it again. Current Legitimacy: 87.

The nobility really want to roll back the powers of the separatists, who of course want the nobility to go away. Intervening in support of the nobility would increase legitimacy by 5, but supporting the separatists in this matter would increase it by 10.

High Kingdom of Ravenwal

Bureaucracy (-2,5,Opposition) v. Nobility (0,5,Neutral). Current Legitimacy: 76

The bureaucracy of Ravenwal thinks the nobility is going a little too far when it comes to its taxation ability. The bureaucracy wants to roll back this nobility power, while the nobility wants to expand it.

Supporting the bureaucracy wouldn't make them non-opposed to the government, but would increase Legitimacy by 10. Supporting the nobles on this matter would increase it by 5.

Kuinruru of Aokelan

Merchants (-1,4,Neutral) v. Nobility (-1,4,Neutral). Current Legitimacy: 57

Aokelan has a set of "informal laws" among the nobility. Chief among them, merchants that try to charge the market rate of certain luxury goods face harassment from the women of the nobility. The merchants want the nobility to lay off, while the nobility wants to formalize these laws.

Supporting either faction will increase legitimacy by 5, but turn one faction into an opposition faction.

Orders due Sunday.

 

[thomas.berubeg]

Rodom d'Ilbama

The Free Folk Kingdoms work differently from mainland kingdoms. The hierarchy is looser, and society itself is more egalitarian, even with the presence of a slave class. The nobility (1,2,Neutral) consists of a landowning agrarian class that has accumulated enough land to exert some political pressure on government and society. The bureaucracy (1,3,Neutral) consists officials that work directly for the Roy-Hot, whose power and privileges largely revolve around tax collection.

Those representing the nobility has presented a bill that would shift some tax collection power to the nobility from the bureaucracy. The bill is expected to fail.

If the ruler intervenes on the side of the nobility, this would please everybody except for the bureaucracy. Siding with the bureaucracy, however, will please the merchants, peasants, and clergy, but anger everyone else.

Intervention will cost the government 10 Legitimacy, while allowing things to play out will gain the government 5 Legitimacy. Current Legitimacy: 101

It is by the will of the Nobles that I rule, and by the will of the people that they rule. The Bureaucracy is a tool to help us rule, not to be a power in it's own right. The Nobles must have the right to tax. However, a portion of that tax must come in as a tithe to the capital for the smooth running of the kingdom.

 

[Exhera]

Year 300 SL, Chancellor of Chicago announcing election results

Today, we honor the Grand Chancellor, as he was a most excellent Chancellor. Jonathan Arveneld made endeavours in the state of Illinois, and the work done by him was amazing. Sadly, his murderers have not been found, but the hunt for these evildoers shall not end until their heads are mounted on pikes.

My fellow Chancellors, the Council, and the Parliament have counted the votes from the emergency election. The city of Carbondale has voted for the Golden Party(Guilds). Cairo and Belleville did the same. Effingham has voted for the Lincoln Party(Clergy). In Springfield, The Golden Party was victorious in Springfield and Decatur, but the River Party(Bureaucrats) have taken Champaign and Kankakee. Peoria, Quincy, and Galesburg belong to the Golden, and the River Party took Rockford. Rochelle, Aurora, and Joliet have voted River, but Chicago has voted for the Lake Party(Peasants). The Golden Party has received a total of 8 electoral cities' votes, the River Party received 5, the Lake Party 1, and the Lincoln Party 1. The Golden Party has won the election, making Oswald Baker the new Grand Chancellor.

OOC: (I chose the Guilds.)

---

On the Issue of the Day, do not intervene.

 

[NinjaCow64]

Holy Columbia

The nobility (2,3,Loyalist) is going after the Peasants (0,3,Neutral) with a bill that would allow the nobility to administer justice in villages near their manors. Of course, the peasants oppose the bill. Normally, the bill would deadlock, but the Guilds, Snowcloaks, and Bloodcloaks are backing the bill as well, much to the chagrin of the Peasants, whose support for the government will deteriorate should the bill go through.

If the Vice President doesn't intervene, Legitimacy increases by 5 (Current: 97).

The Vice President can ask the Loyalists to support the bill, which would lower the support of the Nobility but increase the support of the peasants.

The Vice-President will stay neutral in this matter.

 

[Nuka-sama]

We will support the merchants in this matter

 

[Sonereal]

There have been a painful lack of issues of the day lately because I've been A.) Dealing with administrators and B.) Trying to relax after dealing with administrators.

With all that said, orders due Sunday and another round of issues tomorrow.

 

[Sonereal]

Issues of the Day (?)​

Issues of the day are small, Nationstates styled decisions which don't require sending in new orders, but merely a response in thread. When factions are listed, they are listed in this format Name (Support/Strength/Standing).

There likely won't be issues everyday, and not everyone will get one.


Parliamentary Issues

Rodom d'Ilbama

Loyalty Cascade!

The Loyalist cause of Rodom d'Ilbama is nearly all powerful in the kingdom's legislative body. It was only a matter of time that the large circus of factions began to fracture under interval disputes.

One such dispute is between the Peasants (3,6,Loyalist) and the Nobility (2,3,Loyalist). The peasants of the kingdom are seeking to weaken the growing nobility, whereas the nobility seeks to establish itself as a proper counter to the "unwash peasantry". The nobility has begun to frame its argument in moralist tones instead of purely administrative tones that it used to frame its arguments in.

The Nobility is backed by the Guilds (3,3,Loyalist) and the Peasants are backed by the Clergy (3,4,Loyalist). This means the vote is expected to swing in favor of the peasants, who will gain power at the cost of the nobility.

This is a tricky situation. Should the king not intervene, legitimacy will be maintained (Current: 104). However, intervention or not, the losing side of the legislative battle will suffer decreased support for the government.


Faction Issues

Jiajou Dynasty

Merchants (2,5,Loyalist) and Peasants (0,4,Neutral) are now at odds over the former's growing influence in the country. Jiajou Merchants are now the single strongest faction in the Jiajou Dynasty, surviving the increasing tumultuous political theater that marks Jiajou high society. The merchant demands are the same as always: increased ability to enter protected markets. This time, the targets are the villages.

Current Legitimacy: 72

Crisis in the Realm of Sakada!

The separatists (0,8,Neutral) have taken steps to unilaterally push out influential merchants (-3,2,Opposition) in the autonomous territories. Merchant guilds across the Realm have declared that should the separatists not be held back that it shall take up arms to enforce its rights by force. Representatives of Sakada guilds (-3,4,Opposition) have also declared that in the event of conflict, they will back the merchants.

Current Legitimacy: 63

Louisiana

Merchants (1,6,Neutral) v. Guilds (1,3,Neutral)

In New Orleans, an argument between the Shipwright's Guild and local merchants have reached the court, with both sides asking for arbitration from the king.

Current Legitimacy: 69

Ryno Tel'auga Crownlands

Bureaucracy (-1,7,Neutral) v. Merchants (0,2,Neutral)

The bureaucracy and merchants have approached the King of the Waters for arbitration in a dispute relating to bureaucratic regulations. Picking the merchants in this situation will push the bureaucracy toward opposition.

Current Legitimacy: 76

Albaf

Separatists (-1,1,Neutral) v. Guilds (-2,5,Opposition)

The Separatists and Guilds have approached the Sultan for arbitration in a decision that could decide the fate of the country's separatist movement. If the guilds are chosen in this situation, they will remain in the opposition, but the separatist movement of Albaf will, for now, be removed from the country. However, the opinion of all neutral factions will decrease by 1.

Current Legitimacy: 65

Grand Imperial Duchy of Reikland

The separatists (-2,8,Opposition) have moved against the nobility (-1,1,Neutral), weakening it greatly! Should the government fail to intervene on the side of the nobility, the nobility as a faction in the Imperial Duchy will disappear for now, resulting in decrease support of all neutral factions.

Current Legitimacy: 82

Kuinruru of Aokelan

The nobility and merchants are unable to defeat one another politically in the ongoing issue. Both have put the issue on the backburner and joined the opposition.

Current Legitimacy: 47

Orders due tomorrow noon eastern.

 

[dragonprobably]

In order to protect our citizens, we will side with the Separatists.

 

[thomas.berubeg]

We are free folk. It has long been a hallmark of our society that our people have a degree of social mobility. Our own great-great grandfather was a warrior-thrall, so any "noble" who thinks himself better, well... they'll have a rude awakening.

 

[arya126]

Ravenwal sides with the nobility.