Sorry for the late answer, sunday is a dead day for me, and I had to go through my job-day. I'd have voted yes, we could use as much happiness as possible. If we are to grow and support more artists, we need to get as high population as possible.
And yes in the non dissolution of the Synedrion with the monarchs death.
Okay, so have an update almost ready, but I'll have to post it tomorrow (only need to play around with the screenshots really). Sorry for the delay on this one. Expect to have it before this time tomorrow.
The kingdom's aristocrats were so torn as to how they felt. As those born into wealth they felt that they alone knew best how to spend it (specifically: on themselves) and they hated that gold was going to be wasted on forging an alliance with the Despotate of Quebec. But they couldn't deny that they had long desired a warming of relations with the Kingdom of Zurich. Ultimately they decided that they would tolerate the Chief Minister burning through the royal Treasury like there was no tomorrow as long as he made firm ties with the Zurichers.
The Great Merchant set off for the nearby kingdom. He would likely not reach his destination until after the next election.
186
The County of Brussels has made it known to the greater powers that they want the Republic of Zanzibar threatened.
The Great Hellenic Prophet reached the Siamese city of Si Satchanali. Within a year he had banished the foreign Protestant faith and firmly established the true Delphian faith of Hellenism.
The Chief Minister emptied the kingdom's coffers and secured the friendship and alliance of the Despotate of Quebec. The Despot informs us that a gang of Chinese workers are presently within his territory.
Spoiler:
A new mining community was established at Delphi Nova.
Spoiler:
The City of Kirrha had grown, and, in accordance with Chief Minister's orders the mining community of Anthropa were forcibly relocated from their homes and moved to riverside farmland. Although a much nicer locale, the population were most displeased with the Chief Minister for treating them like playthings.
However, all this was overshadowed by a new development in Delphian society: a new neighbourhood was established in the city centre, based around the Writers' Guild. Educated and literate like the upper classes, but separate from the aristocracy and priesthood, this community was most definitely not of the lower class. Lacking language to describe this class of persons, people in Kirrha had taken to referring to this new neighbourhood as constitution a new "middle class" of society. Who knows what this new class of people would contribute and demand from the kingdom?
Spoiler:
The City of Sukhothai also grew, establishing a new neighbourhood in the abandoned horse pastures. But instead of becoming a farming neighbourhood like in the past, many labouring opportunities exist creating a working-class community.
Spoiler:
187
The Despotate of China has completed a great Leaning Tower.
In other international news, the King of Zurich was deposed and killed and a despotate established in honour of the Chinese. However a counter-coup has occurred and the new Despot of Zurich has abandoned the nation's alliance with the Despotate of China. Now isolated in the international community, it remains to be seen whether a restoration of the monarchy will occur.
The acquisition of Quebecoi gold has greatly pleased the aristocrats of Dostana.
The great Workshop of Apollonia is complete. The city now uses the great productive potential of the workshop to construct a colosseum.
The kingdom's cunning spies, on the Chief Minister's orders, steal the technological secrets of Machinery from the Despotate of China. This will greatly increase the speed and efficiency of the Melandian Highway, the construction of a new form of bows call crossbows, and even a great Ironworks. Our spies, flush from their successful mission also report that the Chinese are constructing the Angkor Wat in Beijing.
188
The Consuls of the Shoshone Republic publicly denounce the kingdom.
The First Council of Beijing will be held five years hence. It will therefore be in the next term of government, and should be an issue the candidates take to the voters for approval. There are only two proposals on the agenda: Arts Funding as proposed by the Delphian Kingdom and the banning of marble as proposed by the Depostate of China.
Spoiler:
Delphi Nova has completed a National College. Works have now begun on the University of Delphi, which are expected to take six years to complete.
Our scouts cannot explore any further, as they have reached Chinese territorial waters.
Spoiler:
The intrepid fishermen have been unable to leave port because they have been afraid of the presence of Chinese and Polish warships nearby.
Spoiler:
The Great Hellenic Prophet reaches Sukhothai, heart of the once-mighty Kingdom of Siam. Within a year he had purged the city of all heretical elements, and left only the true Delphian faith. Once he had finished with the ancient Siamese capital he turned his attention to the long road to the godless city of Apollonia.
In some circles the Chief Minister is now known as the Defender of the Faith for his efforts in spreading the Delphian religion at the expense of foreign ones.
189
The Chinese denunciation of the kingdom many years ago no longer holds any sway in the international community.
The Polish Catholic Order has completed the Angkor Wat.
And the Despotate of Almaty is no longer a puppet of the Despotate of China but is now a protectorate of the Shoshone Republic.
The religious fervour in the kingdom is such that it may be exploited to provide infrastructure or new recruits.
190
The Polish denunciation of the kingdom many years ago no longer holds any sway in the international community.
The City of Kirrha has completed work on the National Epic.
The kingdom's friendship with the Despotate of Quebec (or, the despotate's vassalage, but it's polite not to say so) has been good for growth, with five of the seven cities in the kingdom ready to grow over the next few years, with the remaining two expected to mimic that growth after a few more years.
(While you're digesting all that I'll formulate the pre-election material --- will be ready wtihin the hour I expect)
With only two months left of his term as Chief Minister, Leonidas had fallen ill with a mysterious sickness. It didn't kill him but kept the Chief Minister away from Synedrion business, being mostly bedridden in his Delphi Nova residence. Many had assumed that Leonidas' son would take on leadership of his father's faction with a new election around the corner, but Lysimachos was serving in the military - much like Leonidas did in his youth - and didn't have the time to involve himself in politics.
The Chief Minister's duties were instead carried out for the remainder of the term by his most loyal Synedros Filippos from Primos, who also happens to be his son-in-law after marrying Lysistrate Siomaios last spring. 27 year old Filippos became a Synedros when his father, a cotton plantation owner from Kirrha, died four years ago, and now that he is the front figure of the Siomaios faction Filippos is seeking to become the next Chief Minister of Delphi.
OOC: The home neighbourhood of my new faction leader Filippos from Primos is, if you didn't already figure that out, Primos in Kirrha. And if you wonder how Leonidas' daughter can already be married, let me remind you that the twins were born at turn 170 which is 20 years ago now.
Also, I haven't actually read the above update yet. Will do after posting this.
The new royal secretary, Melodios Phrenopoulos made his way back to his ruler's chambers. His father had told him the previous Basileus had also bellowed out summons like this. He'd only replaced his father, Phrenios, recently. But already he was finding that the new ruler --- well, if you could consider a decade on the throne as "new" --- seemed to be taking after his father and predecessor more each day.
"Yes, Your Highness?" the royal secretary enquired courteously.
"I would have you attend the Synedrion. Summon Chief Minister Leonidas to me. I would inform him of my intention to dissolve the chamber and issue writs for the elections."
Melodios paused momentarily, torn between correcting his master and not speaking out of turn. His father Phrenios after decades of experience attending to monarchs had a much better sense for this sort of thing.
"Your Highness, Leonidas is still unwell."
"Still?" the Basileus looked concerned. "It's been, what? A month now?"
"Two, actually," Melodios corrected.
"Fine, summon whatever-his-name is, the Synedros standing in for him, if he is still."
"Yes, Your Highness, I shall summon Filippos of Primos immediately."
"Good," the Basileus replied as his secretary bowed and then left. He was troubled that the Chief Minister had not yet recovered. Two months was a long time to be ill. He also wondered how he was going to be able to campaign for re-election if he couldn't even attend to his duties.
Well, it wasn't for Phrenos of the Delphians and the Siamese to concern himself about: an election was due and an election they would have. It was the second election to be held under in his reign, and he was curious to see who the voters would return to the Fourth Synedrion.
-----------------
Okay, as of turn 190 here is the current international scene:
State
|
Type of ruler/s
|
Comments
Delphian Kingdom|Basileus|
Shoshone Republic|Consuls|
Despotate of China|Despotess|
Dutch Protestant Order|Grand Master|
Polish Catholic Order|Grand Master|
Despotate of Quebec|Despot|vassal of the Delphian Kingdom
County of Brussels|Count|
Despotate of Zurich|Despot|
County of Milan|Count|vassal of Polish Catholic Order
Republic of Zanzibar|Consuls|protectorate of the Shoshone Republic
Despotate of Almaty|Despot|protectorate of the Shoshone Republic
------
And here is the current attitude situation:
Summary of attitude types
Attitude
|
Description
Rapturous|They want to deify you
Loving|They love you
Pleased|They are very pleased with you
Impressed|They are impressed with you
Interested|They are interested in what you have to say
Ambivalent|The voters in this neighbourhood have no strong opinion of you at all
Uninterested|They are not interested in what you have to say
Unimpressed|They are not impressed with you at all
Displeased|They are decidedly displeased with you
Hateful|They hate you
Murderous|They would murder you on sight
Attitudes per neighbourhood
Boldface indicates most favoured candidate (multiple bold mean they have not yet decided between candidates).
*Indicates minority group has franchise.
Neighbourhood
|
Class
|
Kirillos
|
Filippos
|
Eurydice
Baan Na Koo|Aristocrat|
Interested
|Ambivalent|Hateful
Baan Na Daam|Aristocrat|Unimpressed|
Interested
|Hateful
Neighbourhood attitudes, 190; Sukhothai
Neighbourhood
|
Class
|
Kirillos
|
Filippos
|
Eurydice
Baan Haat Krai|Aristocrat|
Interested
|Uninterested|Hateful
Baan Non Buan|Aristocrat*|
Interested
|Ambivalent|Hateful
Baan Non Luit|Aristocrat|
Interestd
|Ambivalent|Hateful
--------
Now, unfortunately I've run out of time before going away for the weekend to get the hints out.
So . . . I am seeking input as to how you'd like to run this election. Did you want to wait until I get back on Sunday night to disperse hints? Or did you want to campaign in the meantime, reserving the right to change your platform part-way without penalty if the hints you receive later change your mind?
I was intending to run the election until Monday night my time. But I'm open to suggestions.
Sorry for leaving this half-done. I tried to get it all done on time but it's been a big week, as you can imagine (for those who read the Realpolitik of the Smoky Skies).
I will be checking in over the long weekend but I won't be near my computer (only my phone).
Since you haven't left the save anywhere (or am I blind?), it would probably be best to wait with campaigning until you get back on Sunday because without neither save nor hints there's not much to go on really.
No need to rush things, I think these last two terms have gone by faster than I would ever imagine.
I'm not at my computer so I don't have all my notes but there are presently three factions (each player leads their own faction):
Bazil plays as Kirillos, the first Chief Minister of the IAAR. His character is a nephew of a previous king, King Bazil the Builder. He has favoured building and development over war and to date is the only Chief Minister to have held a majority in the Synedrion. Despite that power he took a very consultative approach and worked with the other faction leaders to formulate government policy and decisions. His downfall was adopting research topics that others urged him to rather than what he had promised the voters (i.e. the aristocracy and the priesthood who are the only people entitled to vote). With Bazil working in France for a month I'm expecting his activity levels could be a bit low for a while. Some trivia: the current royal dynasty has adopted the royal title of Basileus (meaning king/emperor in Greek) in honour of Kirillos's uncle the former king.
Gurra plays Leonidas the most recent Chief Minister. Despite not holding a majority in the Synedrion he has ruled for two terms in a row. A former member of the conquered Siamese royalty he has unsurprisingly pursued pro-Siamese policies, such as giving the Siamese aristocracy the vote. Despite serving in the Delphian army he has opposed war and pushed the kingdom to new cultural heights. He has recently taken ill and been replaced by his son-in-law Filippos.
Wyverncraft plays Eurydice who as far as I can tell is vying for the militant, social traditionalist Delphian supremacist vote. To date he's made vague promises to conquer other nations.
I completely forgot an important aspect of Leonidas's story: religion.
The native Delphian religion is Hellenism and the Siamese cities followed the Dutch Protestant religion.
Despite this Leonidas's mother, the Queen Mother, was an early convert to Hellenism.
In government Leonidas has pursued an unashamedly aggressive defence and vehicle for the deliverance of the state religion. All Delphian and Siamese cities have now been converted to the Hellenic faith and the foreign religion stamped out (except for Apollonia which is largely godless although a Great Prophet is presently en route).
Giving the Siamese the vote made Leonidas extremely unpopular in traditionalist Delphian circles, but the recent attitude charts show how much his rampant pushing of the Hellenic faith has helped his cause.
OOC: This is not the full extent of my campaign, more will most likely come when the hints have been sent out.
As the new leader of the Siomaios faction I intend to continue the good work of the twice Chief Minister Leonidas, and continue to establish Delphi as a power to envy in this world. If I, Filippos from Primos, am elected the next Chief Minister of Delphi I will seek to, among other things, achieve the following:
*More educational insitutitons should be established to encourage the advancement of science. Build Universities in Kirrha and Dostana to accompany the soon to be finished University of Delphi Nova.
*Build a Salt mine east of Apollonia to take advantage of the newly gained land which is rich in minerals, and establish a new Apollonian neighbourhood to work it when the city grows.
*The cities of Sukhothai and Si Satchanalai should start taking steps towards annexation. Establishing a proper judicial system in accordance with Delphian law would make it possible for these cities to be fully integrated into the kingdom within the next ten years ((OOC: build Courthouses)).
*Artists are a fundamental cornerstone in our cultural life, setting the standard for Delphian ideals through their creativity. If we truly are to invest in their work to make Delphi a culturally dominant power on the world scene, we should also extend voting franchise to the newly established artist neighbourhoods in Kirrha since those who work with culture have the knowledge on how to best use its advantages. ((OOC: give votes to culture tiles!))
*When the world leaders meet at the First Council of Beijing, our representatives must put all their voting power into a Nay vote on the Despotate of China's proposal Ban Luxury: Marble, as Marble is a much traded Delphian commodity and a worldwide ban on it would have severe effects on domestic happiness levels.
*Great Merchant Harkuf from Si Satchanalai should complete his previously ordered trade mission to Zurich, along with a 500 gold gift to the Despotate from our government to secure an alliance with the city-state.
*Spread the teachings of Hellenism to Apollonia and the western lands of Delphi.
Edit: OOC: I know those last two are already ordered and happening, what I'm saying is just that if I'm elected Chief Minister I will go through with it.
I have a suggestion I would like to run by the players.
I would like to change the votes so that, if we have three or more players, each neighbourhood that returns two Synedroi vote for the top two players the neighbourhoods like instead of just giving the top player both seats.
As it currently stands a player could come in second place in every neighbourhood and receive no representation in the Synedrion.
Maybe it should still be possible to have both seats go to the most well liked player, but only if they REALLY like them or REALLY dislike the others.
I would like some feedback on this idea before progressing it beyond the idea stage. Just trying to think of ways to have every player be engaged and matter. It will make majorities harder to achieve, which is kind of the point: a Synedrion that rubber stamps every decision by the Chief Minister will be fairly dull if it occurs regularly.
That idea was actually one of two ideas on my mind when I drafted the current system back in my first term as Chief Minister. Why I ultimately went with the One Vote Two Synedroi approach was because I didn't want to make too many fundamental changes to the voting system within one term, especially since the IAAR was still in its first 20 turns then.
I wouldn't be opposed if we were to make these changes in the next Synedrion if the players agree that it is a good idea. As for neighbourhoods to be able to give two seats to the most liked player if they hate everyone else, I have an idea for a system if you haven't already worked that out:
I don't know your numbers but let's say your attitude scale goes from -20 to 20. If Player A is the most liked candidate and they have an attitude of 18, they will get the first vote. If all other players have an attitude of lower than -2 then the second vote would also go to Player A, because the others are more than 20 attitude points lower than the most liked player. But if another candidate has an attitude within 20 attitude points lower in this case, then that candidate would receive the second vote.
Doing it this way would also help with ties, since if two candidates are tied they will just both get one vote each.
Something like that sounds feasible. And wouldn't actually need to be legislated: if memory serves the Act establishing the two seats doesn't actually say how they're assigned (i.e. winner takes both) so if people agree I'll just implement it.
And I should give credit to Gurra who inspired the idea a few weeks ago (and which is also the system used in Pulias).
Edit: I could be wrong about the bill wording ; not at home so just going off memory.
And wouldn't actually need to be legislated: if memory serves the Act establishing the two seats doesn't actually say how they're assigned (i.e. winner takes both) so if people agree I'll just implement it.
I think it does actually because it says that one vote in a settled/annexed city elects two Synedroi. Implementing this new way would change it back to one vote = one Synedros, but give voting neighbourhoods in settled/annexed cities two votes each.
One Vote Two Synedroi Act
(1) One vote from a capital neighbourhood in Synedrian elections will elect two representatives to the Synedrion.
Edit: We would also need to amend the Establishment of Voting Rights Act, since this new way of things would mean that puppeted cities receive half the amount of votes rather than votes that are of less worth.
Establishment of Voting Rights Act
(1) Neighbourhoods of cities settled or annexed by the Delphian Kingdom will receive voting rights in Synedrian elections on the same grounds as neighbourhoods of the capital, with each vote having equal worth to that of a capital vote.
(2) Neighbourhoods of self-governing cities within the Delphian Kingdom will receive voting rights in Synedrian elections on the same grounds as neighbourhoods of the capital, with each vote having half the worth to that of a capital vote.
I don't think I explained myself properly (not surprising given I'm using my phone!).
The Act says there will be two seats, but I don't think it explicitly says that the favoured candidate wins both seats (it was definitely an assumption though).
Edit: Oh, just re-read what you wrote, not what I thought you wrote. You could be right there.
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