Melda
Wannabe Psephologist
The Basileus assents to this request and it is thus duly enacted.
The Tribal Elders of Delphi
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- Start date
Melda
Wannabe Psephologist
Election campaign will commence tomorrow. I'll have screenshots, the savegame, etc. then. But for now . . . please enjoy this offering: On the Rise and Fall of the Delphian Council.
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The Delphian Council.
More than just a council of aristocrats, it was an institution of the Kingdom of Delphi that had existed long before the kingdom, and long before the name "Delphi" had ever been uttered.
There were tales and histories that had been handed down throughout countless generations, and how much of this was truth or legend had become blurred over the years. Nevertheless, the common elements to all the tales were that back when the Delphi were but a single tribe, the greatest elders of the village came together to form a Council of Elders. Over many generations it became a legislative and advisory body second only to the ruler — be he chief, king or emperor as the tribe became a chiefdom, kingdom and briefly an empire. With the power to choose the heir to the throne, the Delphian Council acted as a check against royal tyranny, as dynasties could only form and continue with the express consent of this wise group of leaders.
The Delphian Council was a lynchpin that, in conjunction with the monarchy, held the Delphian state together over the centuries. It's importance as a brake on royal excess was best demonstrated during the generation-long suspension of the body, said to be the only time the Delphi were without the firm guidance of the Council. The Dualist Party of Emperors Rasputin II "the revolutionary" and Dostayer "the bloody" staged a coup and incarcerated the Delphian Councillors and ruled as despots. But nothing lasts forever, and after two decades of iron rule the Dualist Party collapsed and the Council rightfully restored to power, along with its authority to once again choose the monarch.
As time went on the Council was considered to have lost its way. Whereas once it was a beacon of progress and wise council, over time it become known for the greed of its membership. Many Councillors were accused of caring only for their own enrichment rather than the good of the kingdom and its people. A tension eventually came to exist between the monarchy and the Council which was resolved through the creation of a new body to sit between them: the Synedrion. This body, elected by the aristocracy and priesthood of the kingdom was initially welcomed by the Council, as it gave them a direct say in the direction of government, with the monarch of Delphi taking a back seat to the day to day running of the kingdom.
Over time, however, as the franchise for the Synedrian elections grew to include parts of society other than the Delphian aristocracy and Hellenic priesthood, including foreigners such as the Siamese and even the middle class, many Councillors grew jealous and alarmed as their power was diluted ever further. The possibility of extending the franchise ever further still had greatly displeased them. But the adoption of the hereditary monarchy, best epitomised in the rule of the Melodopoulos dynasty, was a major blow to the relevance of the once august body. The Synedrion, chosen by foreigners and other lesser born folk, passed a bill which the Basileus signed into law, stripping the last constitutional and legal power the body had control over — their ancient right to choose the ruler of the kingdom. Many in the Council could see the writing on the wall and realised that their once proud assembly had become simply a group of rich, old men without any real power. And they knew who were to blame: foreigners, the Synedrion, and the Basileus.
It was not without precedent that Councillors had acted against the monarchy. The assassination of the Mad King Alexander the Great was still fresh in the public memory. But that was the responsibility of individual Councillors and not the collective body — the Council hadn't killed their king. Ten years ago, during the secessionist crisis in the west there was a plot hatched that sought to restore the honour and power the Council had once enjoyed. Quite a many Councillors had been implicated in a scheme to capture the Basileus while the army was away from the capital and force him to use his royal sovereignty to permanently disband the Synedrion and turn the running of government over to the Delphian Council itself. The plot was foiled by the royal guard, and the perpetrators punished accordingly. But there was no evidence implicating the greater Council in the intended crime, and the body itself had always remained above reproach.
These were the facts as known to Phrenos Melodopoulos, the last Basileus of the Delphians and the Siamese. He knew there had been bad Councillors, but the Council itself had stood as a stalwart reminder of its important and noble history as the lynchpin holding the kingdom together. But all things come to an end, even such long-lived institutions such as this, and so it was that it came to pass that the Council would too end.
This is that story.
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Phrenos Melodopoulos, Basileus of the Delphians and the Siamese called for his royal secretary Melodios, who silently entered the room moments later. Despite an initially rocky start together the two had become an incredibly well honed royal apparatus over the years: the Basileus had realised in the three decades of his reign that he was not an intellectual genius and had learnt to rely upon those smarter than himself, such as his royal secretary.
"You called, Highness?"
"It's time to dissolve the Synedrion. Summon the Chief Minister."
"Which one, sire?"
The Basileus frowned. "The male one," he bristled.
"At once, Your Highness," Melodios bowed and left the room.
The sixty-four year old monarch was not any more sexist than most men in his kingdom, but there was something about the concept of a female Synedri that didn't sit right with him. It might have been the fact that as a woman without the right to vote in the Synedrian elections she had been permitted to participate as a candidate and won. It seemed incongruous to him that someone without the vote could sit in the Synedrion, but he'd had lawyers investigate the situation and confirmed it was not against the law. An oversight, surely, and one which must certainly be against the intended spirit of the electoral laws. The fact that this inconsistency could be resolved by simply giving women the right to vote was not a notion that even occurred to him, nor anyone else in the kingdom for that matter.
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Lysimachos Siomaios, Co-Chief Minister of Delphi watched as the Basileus affixed his seal to the writs for the Synedrian elections. And with that act the Fifth Synedrion was dissolved and with the issuance of the writs the election campaign had begun. The royal secretary collected the writs and strode out of the room, leaving the monarch to have a private conversation with his head of government.
"Congratulations are in order, Lysimachos: the kingdom is booming and the war is going exceeding well."
"Thank you, Highness. General Pompey is truly doing a spectacular job."
"Yes, he is. You were right to advise me on having him lead our forces."
"You are far too kind," Lysimachos waved off the royal praise. After skilfully defeating the Baron of Old Apollonia with a minimal loss of Delphian troops the General had been the natural choice.
"So tell me, what are your plans for the election campaign? If my sources are to be believed it looks like it will be a very close contest with the Stathites."
"Well, I'm not—"
"HIGHNESS!" the word echoed throughout the halls of the Palace. The Basileus and Chief Minister rushed out of the antechamber into the hall to see what the commotion was all about.
Melodios was running toward them, his eyes flared open in panic. What he was going to say next was cut off as he fell to the floor without apparent cause. Until they saw the archer who'd felled him.
"MELODIOS!" the Basileus roared and rushed forward without heeding his own personal safety. "GUARDS!" he called out, looking for all the world like an avatar of wrath at this attack on his friend and secretary.
"Highness, wait!" Lysimachos called after the older man, realising the true danger of the situation: no one would burst into the Palace to kill a royal secretary; his monarch's very life was in danger.
Before the Basileus could cross the distance to where his friend lay on the ground, men armed with swords and spears appeared from seemingly nowhere and surrounded him, forcing him to stop. He glared back at them in anger and defiance. "GUARDS!" he bellowed agin.
"I'm afraid they won't be coming, Your Highness," came the silken tones of Nikolas Theodoros, one of the leading members of the Delphian Council, who strode up to him, stepping around Melodios's prone form, from which a pathetic moan issued.
The blood haze of rage started to lift from the Basileus's mind, as he suddenly realised the seriousness of the situation. The army was many miles away, attempting to secure territory in what was until recently part of the Netherlands. He now recognised that this was a coup, exactly the same as the one planned during the secession crisis.
The Chief Minister was jostled by armed men and pushed to the ground. He did not protest, not wanting to escalate the situation further. There had to be a way for he and the Basileus to make it through this situation alive. At least long enough for his sister-wife and Co-Chief Minister Lysistrate to recall the army to launch a rescue.
"This is treason," the Basileus growled ominously.
"Yes," Councillor Nikolas conceded, "but you will grant us a royal pardon once this is all over."
The blood haze started to return. Phrenos felt the blood pulsing through his veins. He could hear his heartbeat in his forehead. His vision started to cloud around the edges as his entire being focussed on the face of the traitorous Councillor before him. "No. You're going to die."
Nikolas looked genuinely confused and stepped forward to try and better gauge the intentions of the imprisoned monarch. "We'll all die one day, Highness. But you will grant us a royal pardon. After you've disbanded the Synedrion. And after you've invested executive power in the Council."
From his vantage point on the floor, looking up Lysimachos could see the Basileus was becoming angrier than he'd ever seen him. At this rate things weren't going to end well at all. He had to speak up and try to defuse the situation, he had to think of something before— And with a roar the Basileus hurled himself bodily at the traitorous Councillor.
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At first he heard raised voices.
Phrenios Phrenopolous had been summoned to a meeting by the Co-Chief Minister Lysistrate Siomaios. He'd kept himself out of the political sphere since his retirement but he came at once when he heard there was an emergency.
He entered the room to witness a terse scene. A woman who had the exotic appearance of both Delphian and Siamese lineage was castigating an armed guard.
"I'm sorry my lady, but that's all we—"
"Sorry isn't good enough! How could you have let this happen?!"
"We don't yet have all the details—"
"Details! Here are the details: Lysimachos and the Basileus have been taken prisoner in the Palace. That should be the safest place in the kingdom!"
Despite being far taller than her, heavily armoured and armed, the guardsman looked defeated and wearied. "My lady, please! We have conflicting accounts: that some guards were drugged, that there was an ambush. We just don't know exactly what we're dealing with."
Her piercing glare looked to be soon matched by a further tirade until she realised Phrenios had arrived. The guardsman was forgotten immediately and she moved past him to greet her guest. The guardsman, thankful for the reprieve, seized the opportunity to make himself scarce.
"Phrenios?" she asked with a hint of uncertainty.
"Yes, my child," he replied, feeling an almost grandfatherly disposition toward this fiery and distressed young woman.
Despite both moving through the circles of power in the kingdom, the two had never actually met. Phrenios had retired as royal secretary before she had come of age, and Lysistrate had not visited the capital much during her childhood in Old Apollonia or after marrying into the Kirrhan aristocracy.
"Melodios . . . ?" he asked with trepidation.
"We don't know much at this stage," she fretted. "I've had the city guard and royal guard set up a perimeter around the Palace, but it will be some days before word even reaches the army to recall them. The Basileus's heirs are all accounted for and under protection."
"Who has done this?"
Her eyes blazed at the question. "We don't know exactly. But if they hurt Lysimachos I will personally put them to the flame."
She said it softly, but Phrenios didn't doubt her capacity for it. He'd heard, like everyone, that her first husband had died in the fires of Old Apollonia. That he'd ordered himself. That knowledge alone would surely have toughened this woman.
He thought for a few moments silently. She waited patiently.
"We can't wait for the army," he resolved.
"No, we can't," she replied, looking angry but helpless.
"I have an idea, though."
Her eyes lit up. The old man's reputation would hopefully live up to expectations. "Tell me."
"Well," he paused for thought. "You're going to have to parley with them."
Her eyes smouldered. "You're not serious."
"Fear not, young one, they'll all burn. But you need to meet with them first."
--------------------
Phrenios was an old man. He wasn't as strong or as agile as in his youth. Why, before he was even a grown man he'd become so accomplished a warrior he'd been the sole survivor to walk away from a bloody melee that claimed the lives of dozens of men, including his own father. So while he didn't possess the vitality of youth he had experience on his side. And he had not remained idle in his retirement, he'd kept fit and active. He was not going to let his son remain in captivity.
For most of his life he'd served in the Palace of Delphi Nova. He doubted even his own son knew the place better than he, and he knew of ways to get himself in and out and to move around undetected. He'd not lost his silent footing, either; he'd taught this skill to his son, too, even though Melodios did not have a warrior's aptitude.
And so it was that an old man had managed to sneak into the Palace under the cover of darkness through an entry point no-one knew about, while the Co-Chief Minister summoned the hostage takers to parley. He quickly and silently moved between the halls. The Palace was quieter than he remembered. He stalked through the darkness.
He stopped, hearing voices. It sounded like an argument, or a heated discussion. Slowly creeping forward he heard snippets.
"—trap."
"—realise he's dead—"
"—trust her?"
He moved slowly, approaching the large room where he could see a single hostage was sitting down, surrounded by armed guards.
The voices echoed over to him:
"We have no choice, if we delay they'll storm the Palace and kill us all."
"But if we meet, what then? What are we possibly going to say?"
"They don't want to lose their Basileus. They know if they attack he'd be killed."
"But can we—"
"This wasn't what Nikolas planned—"
"Yes, but Nikolas is dead. He didn't plan that, either!"
This continued for a while until "It's settled. We will meet with her. But we're not going to trust her, we'll go heavily armed."
"We can't leave the hostages unguarded."
"No, we can't."
"How many guards will they need?"
"Well, the dead don't need any, that one's not going anywhere with an arrow in him, and I don't think this one looks like much of a fighter."
"Okay, three, then."
"Yeah, three."
"Let's go."
He heard the voices trail off as they withdrew. He snuck a furtive glance around the corner and confirmed that all of the hostage takers had left, except for three guards. This was his one and only chance.
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Lysimachos sat on the floor, defeated. When he'd refused to go along with any of his captors' hare-brained schemes to collude, they'd beaten him. But he was still better off than others. Melodios was still alive, but unconscious. He'd lost a lot of blood and the arrow remained where it had landed in his back. Lysimachos hadn't dared touch it. He still held out hope that he'd make it through this alive, but that hope was fading with each hour that passed. He thought about Lysistrate and how much he loved her. He knew she'd be upset. Probably furious, he thought with a wry, sad smile. He thought about Seleukos, Lysistrate's son and wondered if he'd even see his adopted child again.
It was while absorbed in this melancholy that he was snapped to alertness by the guard in front of him grunting. He looked up and realised a knife had landed in the guard's throat. He gurgled and grabbed at it with his hands, to not avail. The guard fell to the ground. The remaining guards rushed to their comrade's aid until they realised he'd been attacked from the shadows. They drew their swords and spun around, covering each other until a flash of silver elicited another laboured groan, as another knife landed in a guard's chest.
"Come out, you coward!" the last guard standing called into the darkness.
Out of the darkness stepped a most unusual sight: it was an old man holding a sword.
The guard was taken aback, that this old man had mortally wounded two of his comrades. Even now they gurgled and moaned as they bled.
"Who are you?" the captor called out incredulously, wondering if he was actually asleep and the whole day had been a dream.
"I'm Phrenios. Royal secretary."
The guard's eyes widened at the realisation. Phrenios strode up to him with his sword drawn. "Put the sword down, son."
The guard felt so conflicted. It was just an old man, he could overpower him, surely. But it wasn't just an old man. This old man had within moments grievously wounded two guards and was none other than Phrenios Phrenopoulos, the legendary Lone Survivor.
He wondered if he should just throw down his sword and beg for mercy. Far too late he felt the presence of someone behind him and felt cold, sharp metal upon his neck.
Lysimachos's voice was the last one he heard. "This is for Phrenos. And Melodios."
And then the knife opened up his throat and it was too late for mercy.
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"Melodios!" the aggrieved father sobbed as he saw his wounded son lying on the floor. All pretense at calmness had left him.
"How did you get in here? Can we get back out?" Lysimachos asked urgently. He knew the other guards would return soon.
The old man looked up at him with tears running down his face. As much as it broke him to see his son hurt, he realised he would probably be okay if he could get him to safety and reach medical care. Knowing this allowed him to shake his mental paralysis. "Yes, yes, we can. But we first need to find the Basileus."
Lysimachos didn't answer and wouldn't meet Phrenios's eyes.
"Tell me," Phrenios asked softly.
Lysimachos couldn't speak, merely gestured off to the side where Phrenios saw the body of Phrenos Melodopoulos, Basileus of the Delphians and the Siamese, who appeared to have been impaled many times in the torso. Even in death the monarch looked enraged. And then there was another body of a man he didn't recognise, whose bulging eyes and crushed neck indicated he'd been strangled.
"What happened?"
"The Basileus was a man of his word," was all he replied, cryptically. "We really must leave. I'll help you carry Melodios."
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The siege of the Palace ended shortly afterward. Lysistrate, true to her word, had successfully stalled the hostage-takers long enough for Phrenios to get in and retrieve Lysimachos and Melodios. Once she'd received word that they were out safely and that the Basileus was dead she ordered the Palace stormed. Many of the traitors died in the assault, but not all of them.
True to her word, Lysistrate personally lit the funeral pyres of the traitors. Many of them were alive when she did so. They didn't live for long. She would forever remember their screams. She found the sound comforting.
Markos Melodopoulos, eldest son of the slain Basileus automatically became the next Basileus in accordance with succession law. He chose to be crowned as "Basileus of Delphi".
As for the Delphian Council, all members had been arresting pending a full investigation into each Councillor's knowledge of the crime. Many were calling for the Council to be disbanded, but there were still some within the kingdom who felt that such a tradition should not be discontinued because of the actions of a few.
As a sign of respect to the slain Basileus, and also as a practical measure, the Synedrian elections were postponed by a few weeks. The Co-Chief Ministers remained in power as a caretaker government in the meantime.
And slowly Melodios Phrenopoulos started to recover from his wound. But he wasn't expected to be up and walking around for quite some time.
This ended the Delphian Council and Phrenos Melodopoulos, the last Basileus of the Delphians and Siamese.
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The Delphian Council.
More than just a council of aristocrats, it was an institution of the Kingdom of Delphi that had existed long before the kingdom, and long before the name "Delphi" had ever been uttered.
There were tales and histories that had been handed down throughout countless generations, and how much of this was truth or legend had become blurred over the years. Nevertheless, the common elements to all the tales were that back when the Delphi were but a single tribe, the greatest elders of the village came together to form a Council of Elders. Over many generations it became a legislative and advisory body second only to the ruler — be he chief, king or emperor as the tribe became a chiefdom, kingdom and briefly an empire. With the power to choose the heir to the throne, the Delphian Council acted as a check against royal tyranny, as dynasties could only form and continue with the express consent of this wise group of leaders.
The Delphian Council was a lynchpin that, in conjunction with the monarchy, held the Delphian state together over the centuries. It's importance as a brake on royal excess was best demonstrated during the generation-long suspension of the body, said to be the only time the Delphi were without the firm guidance of the Council. The Dualist Party of Emperors Rasputin II "the revolutionary" and Dostayer "the bloody" staged a coup and incarcerated the Delphian Councillors and ruled as despots. But nothing lasts forever, and after two decades of iron rule the Dualist Party collapsed and the Council rightfully restored to power, along with its authority to once again choose the monarch.
As time went on the Council was considered to have lost its way. Whereas once it was a beacon of progress and wise council, over time it become known for the greed of its membership. Many Councillors were accused of caring only for their own enrichment rather than the good of the kingdom and its people. A tension eventually came to exist between the monarchy and the Council which was resolved through the creation of a new body to sit between them: the Synedrion. This body, elected by the aristocracy and priesthood of the kingdom was initially welcomed by the Council, as it gave them a direct say in the direction of government, with the monarch of Delphi taking a back seat to the day to day running of the kingdom.
Over time, however, as the franchise for the Synedrian elections grew to include parts of society other than the Delphian aristocracy and Hellenic priesthood, including foreigners such as the Siamese and even the middle class, many Councillors grew jealous and alarmed as their power was diluted ever further. The possibility of extending the franchise ever further still had greatly displeased them. But the adoption of the hereditary monarchy, best epitomised in the rule of the Melodopoulos dynasty, was a major blow to the relevance of the once august body. The Synedrion, chosen by foreigners and other lesser born folk, passed a bill which the Basileus signed into law, stripping the last constitutional and legal power the body had control over — their ancient right to choose the ruler of the kingdom. Many in the Council could see the writing on the wall and realised that their once proud assembly had become simply a group of rich, old men without any real power. And they knew who were to blame: foreigners, the Synedrion, and the Basileus.
It was not without precedent that Councillors had acted against the monarchy. The assassination of the Mad King Alexander the Great was still fresh in the public memory. But that was the responsibility of individual Councillors and not the collective body — the Council hadn't killed their king. Ten years ago, during the secessionist crisis in the west there was a plot hatched that sought to restore the honour and power the Council had once enjoyed. Quite a many Councillors had been implicated in a scheme to capture the Basileus while the army was away from the capital and force him to use his royal sovereignty to permanently disband the Synedrion and turn the running of government over to the Delphian Council itself. The plot was foiled by the royal guard, and the perpetrators punished accordingly. But there was no evidence implicating the greater Council in the intended crime, and the body itself had always remained above reproach.
These were the facts as known to Phrenos Melodopoulos, the last Basileus of the Delphians and the Siamese. He knew there had been bad Councillors, but the Council itself had stood as a stalwart reminder of its important and noble history as the lynchpin holding the kingdom together. But all things come to an end, even such long-lived institutions such as this, and so it was that it came to pass that the Council would too end.
This is that story.
--------------------
Phrenos Melodopoulos, Basileus of the Delphians and the Siamese called for his royal secretary Melodios, who silently entered the room moments later. Despite an initially rocky start together the two had become an incredibly well honed royal apparatus over the years: the Basileus had realised in the three decades of his reign that he was not an intellectual genius and had learnt to rely upon those smarter than himself, such as his royal secretary.
"You called, Highness?"
"It's time to dissolve the Synedrion. Summon the Chief Minister."
"Which one, sire?"
The Basileus frowned. "The male one," he bristled.
"At once, Your Highness," Melodios bowed and left the room.
The sixty-four year old monarch was not any more sexist than most men in his kingdom, but there was something about the concept of a female Synedri that didn't sit right with him. It might have been the fact that as a woman without the right to vote in the Synedrian elections she had been permitted to participate as a candidate and won. It seemed incongruous to him that someone without the vote could sit in the Synedrion, but he'd had lawyers investigate the situation and confirmed it was not against the law. An oversight, surely, and one which must certainly be against the intended spirit of the electoral laws. The fact that this inconsistency could be resolved by simply giving women the right to vote was not a notion that even occurred to him, nor anyone else in the kingdom for that matter.
--------------------
Lysimachos Siomaios, Co-Chief Minister of Delphi watched as the Basileus affixed his seal to the writs for the Synedrian elections. And with that act the Fifth Synedrion was dissolved and with the issuance of the writs the election campaign had begun. The royal secretary collected the writs and strode out of the room, leaving the monarch to have a private conversation with his head of government.
"Congratulations are in order, Lysimachos: the kingdom is booming and the war is going exceeding well."
"Thank you, Highness. General Pompey is truly doing a spectacular job."
"Yes, he is. You were right to advise me on having him lead our forces."
"You are far too kind," Lysimachos waved off the royal praise. After skilfully defeating the Baron of Old Apollonia with a minimal loss of Delphian troops the General had been the natural choice.
"So tell me, what are your plans for the election campaign? If my sources are to be believed it looks like it will be a very close contest with the Stathites."
"Well, I'm not—"
"HIGHNESS!" the word echoed throughout the halls of the Palace. The Basileus and Chief Minister rushed out of the antechamber into the hall to see what the commotion was all about.
Melodios was running toward them, his eyes flared open in panic. What he was going to say next was cut off as he fell to the floor without apparent cause. Until they saw the archer who'd felled him.
"MELODIOS!" the Basileus roared and rushed forward without heeding his own personal safety. "GUARDS!" he called out, looking for all the world like an avatar of wrath at this attack on his friend and secretary.
"Highness, wait!" Lysimachos called after the older man, realising the true danger of the situation: no one would burst into the Palace to kill a royal secretary; his monarch's very life was in danger.
Before the Basileus could cross the distance to where his friend lay on the ground, men armed with swords and spears appeared from seemingly nowhere and surrounded him, forcing him to stop. He glared back at them in anger and defiance. "GUARDS!" he bellowed agin.
"I'm afraid they won't be coming, Your Highness," came the silken tones of Nikolas Theodoros, one of the leading members of the Delphian Council, who strode up to him, stepping around Melodios's prone form, from which a pathetic moan issued.
The blood haze of rage started to lift from the Basileus's mind, as he suddenly realised the seriousness of the situation. The army was many miles away, attempting to secure territory in what was until recently part of the Netherlands. He now recognised that this was a coup, exactly the same as the one planned during the secession crisis.
The Chief Minister was jostled by armed men and pushed to the ground. He did not protest, not wanting to escalate the situation further. There had to be a way for he and the Basileus to make it through this situation alive. At least long enough for his sister-wife and Co-Chief Minister Lysistrate to recall the army to launch a rescue.
"This is treason," the Basileus growled ominously.
"Yes," Councillor Nikolas conceded, "but you will grant us a royal pardon once this is all over."
The blood haze started to return. Phrenos felt the blood pulsing through his veins. He could hear his heartbeat in his forehead. His vision started to cloud around the edges as his entire being focussed on the face of the traitorous Councillor before him. "No. You're going to die."
Nikolas looked genuinely confused and stepped forward to try and better gauge the intentions of the imprisoned monarch. "We'll all die one day, Highness. But you will grant us a royal pardon. After you've disbanded the Synedrion. And after you've invested executive power in the Council."
From his vantage point on the floor, looking up Lysimachos could see the Basileus was becoming angrier than he'd ever seen him. At this rate things weren't going to end well at all. He had to speak up and try to defuse the situation, he had to think of something before— And with a roar the Basileus hurled himself bodily at the traitorous Councillor.
--------------------
At first he heard raised voices.
Phrenios Phrenopolous had been summoned to a meeting by the Co-Chief Minister Lysistrate Siomaios. He'd kept himself out of the political sphere since his retirement but he came at once when he heard there was an emergency.
He entered the room to witness a terse scene. A woman who had the exotic appearance of both Delphian and Siamese lineage was castigating an armed guard.
"I'm sorry my lady, but that's all we—"
"Sorry isn't good enough! How could you have let this happen?!"
"We don't yet have all the details—"
"Details! Here are the details: Lysimachos and the Basileus have been taken prisoner in the Palace. That should be the safest place in the kingdom!"
Despite being far taller than her, heavily armoured and armed, the guardsman looked defeated and wearied. "My lady, please! We have conflicting accounts: that some guards were drugged, that there was an ambush. We just don't know exactly what we're dealing with."
Her piercing glare looked to be soon matched by a further tirade until she realised Phrenios had arrived. The guardsman was forgotten immediately and she moved past him to greet her guest. The guardsman, thankful for the reprieve, seized the opportunity to make himself scarce.
"Phrenios?" she asked with a hint of uncertainty.
"Yes, my child," he replied, feeling an almost grandfatherly disposition toward this fiery and distressed young woman.
Despite both moving through the circles of power in the kingdom, the two had never actually met. Phrenios had retired as royal secretary before she had come of age, and Lysistrate had not visited the capital much during her childhood in Old Apollonia or after marrying into the Kirrhan aristocracy.
"Melodios . . . ?" he asked with trepidation.
"We don't know much at this stage," she fretted. "I've had the city guard and royal guard set up a perimeter around the Palace, but it will be some days before word even reaches the army to recall them. The Basileus's heirs are all accounted for and under protection."
"Who has done this?"
Her eyes blazed at the question. "We don't know exactly. But if they hurt Lysimachos I will personally put them to the flame."
She said it softly, but Phrenios didn't doubt her capacity for it. He'd heard, like everyone, that her first husband had died in the fires of Old Apollonia. That he'd ordered himself. That knowledge alone would surely have toughened this woman.
He thought for a few moments silently. She waited patiently.
"We can't wait for the army," he resolved.
"No, we can't," she replied, looking angry but helpless.
"I have an idea, though."
Her eyes lit up. The old man's reputation would hopefully live up to expectations. "Tell me."
"Well," he paused for thought. "You're going to have to parley with them."
Her eyes smouldered. "You're not serious."
"Fear not, young one, they'll all burn. But you need to meet with them first."
--------------------
Phrenios was an old man. He wasn't as strong or as agile as in his youth. Why, before he was even a grown man he'd become so accomplished a warrior he'd been the sole survivor to walk away from a bloody melee that claimed the lives of dozens of men, including his own father. So while he didn't possess the vitality of youth he had experience on his side. And he had not remained idle in his retirement, he'd kept fit and active. He was not going to let his son remain in captivity.
For most of his life he'd served in the Palace of Delphi Nova. He doubted even his own son knew the place better than he, and he knew of ways to get himself in and out and to move around undetected. He'd not lost his silent footing, either; he'd taught this skill to his son, too, even though Melodios did not have a warrior's aptitude.
And so it was that an old man had managed to sneak into the Palace under the cover of darkness through an entry point no-one knew about, while the Co-Chief Minister summoned the hostage takers to parley. He quickly and silently moved between the halls. The Palace was quieter than he remembered. He stalked through the darkness.
He stopped, hearing voices. It sounded like an argument, or a heated discussion. Slowly creeping forward he heard snippets.
"—trap."
"—realise he's dead—"
"—trust her?"
He moved slowly, approaching the large room where he could see a single hostage was sitting down, surrounded by armed guards.
The voices echoed over to him:
"We have no choice, if we delay they'll storm the Palace and kill us all."
"But if we meet, what then? What are we possibly going to say?"
"They don't want to lose their Basileus. They know if they attack he'd be killed."
"But can we—"
"This wasn't what Nikolas planned—"
"Yes, but Nikolas is dead. He didn't plan that, either!"
This continued for a while until "It's settled. We will meet with her. But we're not going to trust her, we'll go heavily armed."
"We can't leave the hostages unguarded."
"No, we can't."
"How many guards will they need?"
"Well, the dead don't need any, that one's not going anywhere with an arrow in him, and I don't think this one looks like much of a fighter."
"Okay, three, then."
"Yeah, three."
"Let's go."
He heard the voices trail off as they withdrew. He snuck a furtive glance around the corner and confirmed that all of the hostage takers had left, except for three guards. This was his one and only chance.
--------------------
Lysimachos sat on the floor, defeated. When he'd refused to go along with any of his captors' hare-brained schemes to collude, they'd beaten him. But he was still better off than others. Melodios was still alive, but unconscious. He'd lost a lot of blood and the arrow remained where it had landed in his back. Lysimachos hadn't dared touch it. He still held out hope that he'd make it through this alive, but that hope was fading with each hour that passed. He thought about Lysistrate and how much he loved her. He knew she'd be upset. Probably furious, he thought with a wry, sad smile. He thought about Seleukos, Lysistrate's son and wondered if he'd even see his adopted child again.
It was while absorbed in this melancholy that he was snapped to alertness by the guard in front of him grunting. He looked up and realised a knife had landed in the guard's throat. He gurgled and grabbed at it with his hands, to not avail. The guard fell to the ground. The remaining guards rushed to their comrade's aid until they realised he'd been attacked from the shadows. They drew their swords and spun around, covering each other until a flash of silver elicited another laboured groan, as another knife landed in a guard's chest.
"Come out, you coward!" the last guard standing called into the darkness.
Out of the darkness stepped a most unusual sight: it was an old man holding a sword.
The guard was taken aback, that this old man had mortally wounded two of his comrades. Even now they gurgled and moaned as they bled.
"Who are you?" the captor called out incredulously, wondering if he was actually asleep and the whole day had been a dream.
"I'm Phrenios. Royal secretary."
The guard's eyes widened at the realisation. Phrenios strode up to him with his sword drawn. "Put the sword down, son."
The guard felt so conflicted. It was just an old man, he could overpower him, surely. But it wasn't just an old man. This old man had within moments grievously wounded two guards and was none other than Phrenios Phrenopoulos, the legendary Lone Survivor.
He wondered if he should just throw down his sword and beg for mercy. Far too late he felt the presence of someone behind him and felt cold, sharp metal upon his neck.
Lysimachos's voice was the last one he heard. "This is for Phrenos. And Melodios."
And then the knife opened up his throat and it was too late for mercy.
--------------------
"Melodios!" the aggrieved father sobbed as he saw his wounded son lying on the floor. All pretense at calmness had left him.
"How did you get in here? Can we get back out?" Lysimachos asked urgently. He knew the other guards would return soon.
The old man looked up at him with tears running down his face. As much as it broke him to see his son hurt, he realised he would probably be okay if he could get him to safety and reach medical care. Knowing this allowed him to shake his mental paralysis. "Yes, yes, we can. But we first need to find the Basileus."
Lysimachos didn't answer and wouldn't meet Phrenios's eyes.
"Tell me," Phrenios asked softly.
Lysimachos couldn't speak, merely gestured off to the side where Phrenios saw the body of Phrenos Melodopoulos, Basileus of the Delphians and the Siamese, who appeared to have been impaled many times in the torso. Even in death the monarch looked enraged. And then there was another body of a man he didn't recognise, whose bulging eyes and crushed neck indicated he'd been strangled.
"What happened?"
"The Basileus was a man of his word," was all he replied, cryptically. "We really must leave. I'll help you carry Melodios."
--------------------
The siege of the Palace ended shortly afterward. Lysistrate, true to her word, had successfully stalled the hostage-takers long enough for Phrenios to get in and retrieve Lysimachos and Melodios. Once she'd received word that they were out safely and that the Basileus was dead she ordered the Palace stormed. Many of the traitors died in the assault, but not all of them.
True to her word, Lysistrate personally lit the funeral pyres of the traitors. Many of them were alive when she did so. They didn't live for long. She would forever remember their screams. She found the sound comforting.
Markos Melodopoulos, eldest son of the slain Basileus automatically became the next Basileus in accordance with succession law. He chose to be crowned as "Basileus of Delphi".
As for the Delphian Council, all members had been arresting pending a full investigation into each Councillor's knowledge of the crime. Many were calling for the Council to be disbanded, but there were still some within the kingdom who felt that such a tradition should not be discontinued because of the actions of a few.
As a sign of respect to the slain Basileus, and also as a practical measure, the Synedrian elections were postponed by a few weeks. The Co-Chief Ministers remained in power as a caretaker government in the meantime.
And slowly Melodios Phrenopoulos started to recover from his wound. But he wasn't expected to be up and walking around for quite some time.
This ended the Delphian Council and Phrenos Melodopoulos, the last Basileus of the Delphians and Siamese.
Before the Synedrian elections we the Chief Ministers would like to bring an issue forward to the Synedrion. According to our electoral laws, the newly captured cities in the Netherlands would be allowed the vote. While that is the long-term goal for Utrecht, which is intended for incorporation as a self-governing city, the city of Rotterdam is currently officially annexed while the city is being razed which technically would allow those still residing in the city the same voting rights as our capital.
It is also a fact that both of these cities are currently in post-siege resistance and according to information from Protostrategos Pompey it might not be safe to set up electoral operations at this moment. We therefore propose the following act to be passed by the Synedrion:
The Neo-Dualist Party votes Yes on this act.
It is also a fact that both of these cities are currently in post-siege resistance and according to information from Protostrategos Pompey it might not be safe to set up electoral operations at this moment. We therefore propose the following act to be passed by the Synedrion:
The Neo-Dualist Party votes Yes on this act.
Wyverncraft
¡Viva la Revolución!
The Stathites vote Yes on this act.
Melda
Wannabe Psephologist
Was hoping to have the election starting tonight but had to go out. Will have it done by around this time tomorrow. 
Melda
Wannabe Psephologist
Okay, here's the save file.
Getting the pre-election details organised now, hope to have them out within the next few hours.
Given that each neighbourhood having dominant issues is starting to take up a lot of time and slow me down I'm thinking of abandoning them after this election. The neighbourhoods do respond to everything you propose and do anyway, so I might simplify/streamline this by taking out the dominant issues.
Let me know if there are any objections to this.
As said, this wouldn't apply until the next election after this.
Getting the pre-election details organised now, hope to have them out within the next few hours.
Given that each neighbourhood having dominant issues is starting to take up a lot of time and slow me down I'm thinking of abandoning them after this election. The neighbourhoods do respond to everything you propose and do anyway, so I might simplify/streamline this by taking out the dominant issues.
Let me know if there are any objections to this.
As said, this wouldn't apply until the next election after this.
Melda
Wannabe Psephologist
Okay, the dominant issues are taking me longer to generate than I anticipated, so I'll have them, along with the hints out tomorrow.
In the meantime, some info . . .
Research (this screenshot is from 208, two years ago):
Social policies:
Trade routes:
I'll get the new city screens (with neighbourhood maps) out tomorrow.
Do you guys actually need the production lists per city since you refer to the savegame?
And now attitudes!
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.
*Indicates minority group has franchise.
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Delphi Nova
Neighbourhood
|
Class
|
Siomaios twins
|
Stathis
Demia|Aristocrat| Loving |Loving
Lithos|Priest*|Hateful| Displeased
Telos|Priest*| Unimpressed |Displeased
Feros|Aristocrat| Loving | Loving
Kenetrios|Aristocrat| Loving | Loving
Dominia|Labourer| Unimpressed |Hateful
Valua|Aristocrat| Loving | Loving
Keratos|Farmer| Interested |Uninterested
Polyos|Labourer| Interested |Uninterested
Kalkis|Aristocrat| Loving |Pleased
Manis|Farmer| Loving |Impressed
Junkta|Farmer| Ambivalent |Unimpressed
Pulsa|Labourer| Unimpressed |Unimpressed
Faktis|Labourer|Uninterested| Ambivalent
Literos|Scholar| Uninterested | Uninterested
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Kirrha
Neighbourhood
|
Class
|
Siomaios twins
|
Stathis
Equios|Labourer| Ambivalent |Uninterested
Primos|Aristocrat|Uninterested| Interested
Ergos|Farmer| Loving | Loving
Galacta|Aristocrat*| Loving | Loving
Anthropa|Farmer|Loving| Loving
Gesta|Aristocrat*| Loving |Pleased
Halos|Aristocrat*| Loving | Loving
Trakton|Labourer|Hateful| Ambivalent
Operos|Labourer|Hateful| Displeased
Khiros|Farmer|Pleased| Loving
Hygria|Farmer| Displeased |Hateful
Gregos|Farmer| Displeased |Displeased
Asteris|Artist| Unimpressed | Unimpressed
Helion|Artist|Hateful| Unimpressed
Kromos|Artist| Uninterested | Uninterested
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Dostana
Neighbourhood
|
Class
|
Siomaios twins
|
Stathis
Fixis|Labourer|Hateful| Uninterested
Bromia|Aristocrat*| Loving |Loving
Archa|Aristocrat| Loving | Loving
Ikhthyos|Farmer| Interested |Ambivalent
Kipos|Aristocrat*| Loving | Loving
Loquia|Priest| Ambivalent |Hateful
Mera|Aristocrat*| Loving | Loving
Sitos|Farmer| Loving |Loving
Fektos|Labourer|Hateful| Displeased
Agros|Farmer| Hateful | Hateful
Nomenia|Aristocrat|Loving| Loving
Basa|Aristocrat|Pleased| Loving
Filia|Farmer| Interested | Interested
Biblis|Scholar|Ambivalent|Ambivalent
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Soukotai
Neighbourhood
|
Class
|
Siomaios twins
|
Stathis
Baan Baan Mwui|Labourer| Hateful | Hateful
Baan Kaw Ken|Farmer| Loving |Displeased
Baan Haat Krai|Aristocrat| Loving | Loving
Baan Non Buan|Aristocrat*| Loving | Loving
Baan Non Luit|Priest| Pleased |Unimpressed
Baan Na Ma|Farmer| Pleased |Unimpressed
Baan Huai Gaang|Farmer|Loving| Loving
Baan Chong Ma|Labourer| Hateful |Hateful
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Alexandropolis
Neighbourhood
|
Class
|
Siomaios twins
|
Stathis
Baan Baan Cha|Labourer| Hateful | Hateful
Baan Kaw Too|Aristocrat| Loving | Loving
Baan Na Gaang|Farmer| Uninterested |Hateful
Baan Doi Phu Luit|Aristocrat*| Impressed |Unimpressed
Baan Baan Koo|Aristocrat| Loving | Loving
Baan Na Woom|Farmer| Loving |Pleased
Baan Chong Woom|Farmer| Ambiavlent |Displeased
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Muang Saluang
Neighbourhood
|
Class
|
Siomaios twins
|
Stathis
Baan Baan Ken|Labourer| Hateful | Hateful
Baan Na Koo|Aristocrat| Loving |Loving
Baan Na Daam|Aristocrat| Loving | Loving
Baan Ma Baan|Farmer| Impressed |Hateful
Baan Non Tai|Priest| Loving |Uninterested
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; New Apollonia
Neighbourhood
|
Class
|
Siomaios twins
|
Stathis
Joinos|Labourer|Hateful| Unimpressed
Agos|Aristocrat|Uninterested| Loving
Humos|Farmer|Pleased| Loving
Kusa|Labourer|Displeased| Impressed
Bromata|Aristocrat*|Loving| Loving
Bellios|Aristocrat*|Pleased| Loving
Kenis|Labourer| Ambivalent | Ambivalent
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Provinces
Province
|
Focus
|
Siomaios twins
|
Stathis
Quebec|Farming| Pleased |Interested
Zurich|Luxury|Interested| Pleased
The Utrecht and Rotterdam neighbourhoods are all murderous and riotous.
In the meantime, some info . . .
Research (this screenshot is from 208, two years ago):
Spoiler :
Social policies:
Spoiler :
Trade routes:
Spoiler :
I'll get the new city screens (with neighbourhood maps) out tomorrow.
Do you guys actually need the production lists per city since you refer to the savegame?
And now attitudes!
Summary of attitude types
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.
*Indicates minority group has franchise.
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Delphi Nova
Demia|Aristocrat| Loving |Loving
Lithos|Priest*|Hateful| Displeased
Telos|Priest*| Unimpressed |Displeased
Feros|Aristocrat| Loving | Loving
Kenetrios|Aristocrat| Loving | Loving
Dominia|Labourer| Unimpressed |Hateful
Valua|Aristocrat| Loving | Loving
Keratos|Farmer| Interested |Uninterested
Polyos|Labourer| Interested |Uninterested
Kalkis|Aristocrat| Loving |Pleased
Manis|Farmer| Loving |Impressed
Junkta|Farmer| Ambivalent |Unimpressed
Pulsa|Labourer| Unimpressed |Unimpressed
Faktis|Labourer|Uninterested| Ambivalent
Literos|Scholar| Uninterested | Uninterested
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Kirrha
Equios|Labourer| Ambivalent |Uninterested
Primos|Aristocrat|Uninterested| Interested
Ergos|Farmer| Loving | Loving
Galacta|Aristocrat*| Loving | Loving
Anthropa|Farmer|Loving| Loving
Gesta|Aristocrat*| Loving |Pleased
Halos|Aristocrat*| Loving | Loving
Trakton|Labourer|Hateful| Ambivalent
Operos|Labourer|Hateful| Displeased
Khiros|Farmer|Pleased| Loving
Hygria|Farmer| Displeased |Hateful
Gregos|Farmer| Displeased |Displeased
Asteris|Artist| Unimpressed | Unimpressed
Helion|Artist|Hateful| Unimpressed
Kromos|Artist| Uninterested | Uninterested
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Dostana
Fixis|Labourer|Hateful| Uninterested
Bromia|Aristocrat*| Loving |Loving
Archa|Aristocrat| Loving | Loving
Ikhthyos|Farmer| Interested |Ambivalent
Kipos|Aristocrat*| Loving | Loving
Loquia|Priest| Ambivalent |Hateful
Mera|Aristocrat*| Loving | Loving
Sitos|Farmer| Loving |Loving
Fektos|Labourer|Hateful| Displeased
Agros|Farmer| Hateful | Hateful
Nomenia|Aristocrat|Loving| Loving
Basa|Aristocrat|Pleased| Loving
Filia|Farmer| Interested | Interested
Biblis|Scholar|Ambivalent|Ambivalent
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Soukotai
Baan Baan Mwui|Labourer| Hateful | Hateful
Baan Kaw Ken|Farmer| Loving |Displeased
Baan Haat Krai|Aristocrat| Loving | Loving
Baan Non Buan|Aristocrat*| Loving | Loving
Baan Non Luit|Priest| Pleased |Unimpressed
Baan Na Ma|Farmer| Pleased |Unimpressed
Baan Huai Gaang|Farmer|Loving| Loving
Baan Chong Ma|Labourer| Hateful |Hateful
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Alexandropolis
Baan Baan Cha|Labourer| Hateful | Hateful
Baan Kaw Too|Aristocrat| Loving | Loving
Baan Na Gaang|Farmer| Uninterested |Hateful
Baan Doi Phu Luit|Aristocrat*| Impressed |Unimpressed
Baan Baan Koo|Aristocrat| Loving | Loving
Baan Na Woom|Farmer| Loving |Pleased
Baan Chong Woom|Farmer| Ambiavlent |Displeased
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Muang Saluang
Baan Baan Ken|Labourer| Hateful | Hateful
Baan Na Koo|Aristocrat| Loving |Loving
Baan Na Daam|Aristocrat| Loving | Loving
Baan Ma Baan|Farmer| Impressed |Hateful
Baan Non Tai|Priest| Loving |Uninterested
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; New Apollonia
Joinos|Labourer|Hateful| Unimpressed
Agos|Aristocrat|Uninterested| Loving
Humos|Farmer|Pleased| Loving
Kusa|Labourer|Displeased| Impressed
Bromata|Aristocrat*|Loving| Loving
Bellios|Aristocrat*|Pleased| Loving
Kenis|Labourer| Ambivalent | Ambivalent
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Provinces
Quebec|Farming| Pleased |Interested
Zurich|Luxury|Interested| Pleased
The Utrecht and Rotterdam neighbourhoods are all murderous and riotous.
Melda
Wannabe Psephologist
Hints have been distributed. Not many this time since the two factions are now so equally matched.
Sorry to have to push the neighbourhood maps back yet another day. I don't think they're as essential as the hints to the election campaign. But I will get them done.
Sorry to have to push the neighbourhood maps back yet another day. I don't think they're as essential as the hints to the election campaign. But I will get them done.
To introduce the Neo-Dualist Synedrian campaign, Lysistrate Siomaios held the following speech on a public meeting in Kirrha:
"Delphi is a kingdom beloved by the Gods and blessed by its own greatness. During the last term of government, our Neo-Dualist administration has raised crop yield by 25% and as I stand before you today there are 1,3 million more Delphians than last time we elected a new Synedrion. All these new Delphians are great and valuable assets to this kingdom, and our population is more literate than any other known to us - an impressive feat considering that Delphi was the most illiterate country on this continent only 40 years ago.
The truth is that when I say Delphi is the greatest power on this continent it is not just something I believe - it is a fact. Delphi has the highest production of all. Delphi has the highest gold income of all. Delphi has the highest, most well-fed and most literate population of all. Hail Delphi, mother of power and progress, may the world bow to our might or be crushed beneath it!"
This was accompanied by a short policy program, printed with help of the newly acquired printing press technology:
"Delphi is a kingdom beloved by the Gods and blessed by its own greatness. During the last term of government, our Neo-Dualist administration has raised crop yield by 25% and as I stand before you today there are 1,3 million more Delphians than last time we elected a new Synedrion. All these new Delphians are great and valuable assets to this kingdom, and our population is more literate than any other known to us - an impressive feat considering that Delphi was the most illiterate country on this continent only 40 years ago.
The truth is that when I say Delphi is the greatest power on this continent it is not just something I believe - it is a fact. Delphi has the highest production of all. Delphi has the highest gold income of all. Delphi has the highest, most well-fed and most literate population of all. Hail Delphi, mother of power and progress, may the world bow to our might or be crushed beneath it!"
This was accompanied by a short policy program, printed with help of the newly acquired printing press technology:
Melda
Wannabe Psephologist
Okay, here are the neighbourhood maps as at 210.
I realised I hadn't actually given a deadline for campaigning. How does everyone feel about twenty-four hours from now? Or maybe forty-eight hours from now? Open to suggestions. That would give me all of the weekend to play turns assuming orders are agreed to fairly quickly.
Spoiler :
I realised I hadn't actually given a deadline for campaigning. How does everyone feel about twenty-four hours from now? Or maybe forty-eight hours from now? Open to suggestions.
That would give me all of the weekend to play turns assuming orders are agreed to fairly quickly.Considering the Neo-Dualist campaign is pretty much presented in its entirety, I would be ready whenever. Would be nice to see some activity from other factions before we close though since we're already so few players at the moment.
Melda
Wannabe Psephologist
Also does anyone have any formal response to the fact that the Delphian Council tried to stage a coup detat, killed the sitting monarch (accidentally), took the Chief Minister hostage and grievously wounded the royal secretary? Not to mention whatever they did to the royal guard.
Wyverncraft
¡Viva la Revolución!
The Neo-Dualists are smart people, and I am glad to work with them. I agree with all of their policies, except I think that it is still important to establish a trade route to Zurich or Quebec, and that Patronage should be adopted instead of Rationalism. We must support our allies!
In addition, I should make clear my intent to, upon conquering of the Dutch and recooperation of the army, embark on further conquest of our world, beginning with the Chinese, who, so often, have insulted our people. They are our enemies, and they should not be permitted to exist.
((This is all I really have to say. Elections can be done now.))
In addition, I should make clear my intent to, upon conquering of the Dutch and recooperation of the army, embark on further conquest of our world, beginning with the Chinese, who, so often, have insulted our people. They are our enemies, and they should not be permitted to exist.
((This is all I really have to say. Elections can be done now.))
Lysimachos Siomaios speaks out on the Delphian Council question:
"The Neo-Dualist Party believes the Delphian Council has played its part as a royal institution and that it should be disbanded. It has time and again shown its loyalties lie elsewhere than with the Kingdom of Delphi, as twice this decade has a coup d'etat been planned by Councillors and in their last attempt was Basileus Phrenos brutally murdered along with the imprisonment of myself his Chief Minister. This is high treason and we as a society cannot accept that. I cannot accept that.
I do however acknowledge that all Councillors may not have been involved in these events, and those who have not already been sentenced to death for their direct involvement should be given a fair trial after an investigation into their actions."
"The Neo-Dualist Party believes the Delphian Council has played its part as a royal institution and that it should be disbanded. It has time and again shown its loyalties lie elsewhere than with the Kingdom of Delphi, as twice this decade has a coup d'etat been planned by Councillors and in their last attempt was Basileus Phrenos brutally murdered along with the imprisonment of myself his Chief Minister. This is high treason and we as a society cannot accept that. I cannot accept that.
I do however acknowledge that all Councillors may not have been involved in these events, and those who have not already been sentenced to death for their direct involvement should be given a fair trial after an investigation into their actions."
Melda
Wannabe Psephologist
Interested to also see what the Stathites propose regarding the Delphian Council. 
My intention is to unveil the election results before this time tomorrow.
My intention is to unveil the election results before this time tomorrow.
The Neo-Dualist Party are equally glad to be working with Stathis and his faction, and hope for this common understanding to continue in the future even if we don't always agree on all issues. We want to stress that we too want to support our allies and the fact is that Delphi is fully capable of putting together at least one new trade convoy for a trade route to either Zurich or Quebec. Just like Stathis, we would like to see this happen.
We do however believe Rationalism will give Delphi aswell as our allies a greater advantage sooner than Patronage would, because with increased science and research we have the means to develop new technologies faster.
We do however believe Rationalism will give Delphi aswell as our allies a greater advantage sooner than Patronage would, because with increased science and research we have the means to develop new technologies faster.
Melda
Wannabe Psephologist
The new Basileus of Delphi, Markos Melodopoulos waited impatiently for the election results. As far as he was concerned the whole process took far too long and he had ideas about how to speed the process up in the future. It was a source of instability not having a government sitting for so long.
Some aristocrats already had a sense that he would be a bit of a radical, which concerned them greatly. At forty-two years of age, he was almost a decade older than his late father when he was first crowned. But that he'd changed his royal title and also insisted that people call him "Majesty" instead of "Highness", well, there was just a sense that he didn't have much of a respect for tradition or the old ways.
The royal secretary Melodios was still recovering from his injuries at the hand of the traitorous and murderous Delphian Council, a body Markos was going to heavily pressure the government to abolish --- he held the entire body responsible for his father's murder. Markos knew his father had been most excellently served by Melodios and he had a sense that his replacement was not anywhere near as good. Still, he'd take whatever help he could get until Melodios was healed and back on his feet.
"Your Majesty," the acting secretary called.
"Yes?" the Basileus said eagerly.
"The results are in."
"Well, don't keep me waiting. What is it?"
The page handed him the tabulated results. Markos frowned as he read them. His eyebrows shot upwards and he clapped his hands together suddenly, startling his underling.
"Very well, send for the twins!"
------------------------
Congratulations again to Gurra for yet another victory! The part about speeding up elections is an allusion to some strategies I'm going to implement to make the calculations a lot faster in the future. I'll go into details about that another time.
For now, though, here are the results! As you can see, it was another closely fought election.
------------------------
Delphian Synedrion election, 210
An election was held to choose members of the 6th Delphian Synedrion in 210. It was the sixth Synedrian election held in the Kingdom of Delphi. Suffrage was predominantly limited to the upper class of all cities, specifically the aristocracy and the priesthood as well as the three middle-class artistic neighbourhoods in Kirrha.
Results of the Delphian Synedrian election, 210
Franchise: All aristocratic, priestly and artistic neighbourhoods in the kingdom eligible to vote in the elections. Cities administered by the capital returned two Synedroi for each neighbourhood while cities with self-government each returned only one Synedros per neighbourhood. The exception were priestly neighbourhoods which returned one extra Synedros to what they would otherwise have been entitled.
|
Number
|
Change
|
%
|
Change
Eligible neighbourhoods
|36|+5|36.4|-10.6
Eligible voters |201,500|+120,913|3.5|+0.5
Delphian Synedrian election, 210
Summary of votes per candidate
|
Allegiance
|
Seats
|
Change
|
%
|
Swing (%)
██
|Lysimachos and Lysistrate Siomaios|38|+7|52.8|+0.3
██ |Stathis Agos|34|+6|47.2|-0.3
| Total | 72 |+13|||
Results by city; Delphi Nova
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Demia
Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Build a Temple, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
Abolish Delphian Council
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|50|-18.6|1|-1
██ |Stathites|50|+18.6|1|+1
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Lithos
Trade with Zurich
Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Build a Temple
War with the Netherlands, Adopt Rationalism, War with the Chinese, Adopt Patronage
Abolish Delphian Council
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Stathites|100|+60.9|3|+2
██ |Neo-Dualist Party|0|-60.9|0|-1
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Telos
Build a Temple
War with the Netherlands, Adopt Rationalism, War with the Chinese, Adopt Patronage
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|100|+39.1|3|+2
██ |Stathites|0|-39.1|0|-1
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Feros
Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Adopt Patronage
Adopt Rationalism, Abolish Delphian Council
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Stathites|55.1|+15.6|1|±0
██ |Neo-Dualist Party|44.9|-15.6|1|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Kenetrios
Trade with Zurich
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Local troop recruitment, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Stathites|50|-9.3|1|±0
██ |Neo-Dualist Party|50|+9.3|1|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Valua
Trade with Zurich
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Research Economics, Local troop recruitment, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Stathites|50|-9.3|1|±0
██ |Neo-Dualist Party|40|+9.3|1|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Kalkis
Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Build Temple
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|50|-15.4|1|±0
██ |Stathites|50|+15.4|1|±0
Results by city; Kirrha
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Primos
Research Economics
War with the Netherlands, Adopt Rationalism, War with the Chinese
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|61.1|+12.1|1|±0
██ |Stathites|38.9|-12.1|1|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Galacta
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Local troop recruitment, Build Shrine, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|50|-12.3|1|±0
██ |Stathites|50|+12.3|1|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Gesta
Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Build Shrine
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|50|-13|1|±0
██ |Stathites|50|+13|1|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Halos
Train moer troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Local troop recruitment, Build Shrine, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Stathites|50|-19.6|1|-1
██ |Neo-Dualist Party|50|+19.6|1|+1
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Asteris
Adopt Patronage
War with the Netherlands, War with the Chinese
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|52.2|+2.2|1|±0
██ |Stathites|47.8|-2.2|1|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Helion
Explore the vast oceans, Abolish Delphpian Council, Adopt Patronage
War with the Netherlands, War with the Chinese
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Stathites|85.7|+13.7|2|±0
██ |Neo-Dualist Party|14.3|-13.7|0|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Kromos
Explore the vast oceans, Abolish Delphpian Council, Adopt Patronage
War with the Netherlands, War with the Chinese
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Stathites|50|+50|1|+1
██ |Neo-Dualist Party|50|+50|1|+1
Results by city; Dostana
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Bromia
Research Economics, Trade with Zurich
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|50|-6.8|1|±0
██ |Stathites|50|+6.8|1|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Archa
Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Build Temple
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|50|-12.3|1|±0
██ |Stathites|50|+12.3|1|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Kipos
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Stathites|50|-3.3|1|±0
██ |Neo-Dualist Party|50|+3.3|1|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Loquia
Build Temple
Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area
War with the Netherlands, Adopt Rationalism, War with the Chinese, Adopt Patronage
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|100|+20.6|3|+1
██ |Stathites|0|-20.6|0|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Mera
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Research Economics, Explore the vast oceans, Trade with Zurich, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|50|±0|1|±0
██ |Stathites|50|±0|1|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Nomenia
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Build Temple, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Stathites|50|-4.5|1|±0
██ |Neo-Dualist Party|50|+4.5|1|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Basa
War with the Netherlands
Train more troops, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Stathites|50|-10|1|±0
██ |Neo-Dualist Party|50|+10|1|±0
Results by city; Soukotai
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Baan Haat Krai
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Research Economics, Explore the vast oceans, Trade with Zurich, Trading Post, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|50|-9.3|1|±0
██ |Stathites|50|+9.3|1|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Baan Non Buan
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Trading Post, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|50|-13.2|1|±0
██ |Stathites|50|+13.2|1|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Baan Non Luit
Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area
Adopt Rationalism, Adopt Patronage
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|63.5|-2|2|+1
██ |Stathites|36.5|+2|1|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Baan Na Ma
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Trading Post, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|65.3|-0.2|1|+1
██ |Stathites|34.7|+0.2|1|+1
Results by city; Alexandropolis
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Baan Kaw Too
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Burning Rotterdam for the moment then denying the territory to other powers (but wants to keep the city if the heathen element is burnt out of it), Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|50|±0|1|±0
██ |Stathites|50|±0|1|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Baan Doi Phu Luit
Trade with Zurich
Research Economics
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|61.2|-25.6|1|-1
██ |Stathites|38.8|+25.6|1|+1
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Baan Baan Koo
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rottedam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|50|-14.6|1|±0
██ |Stathites|50|+14.6|1|±0
Results by city; Muang Saluang
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Baan Na Koo
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|50.1|-13.5|1|±0
██ |Stathites|49.9|+13.5|0|±0
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Baan Na Daam
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Stathites|51.7|+13.5|1|+1
██ |Neo-Dualist Party|48.3|-13.5|0|-1
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Baan Non Tai
Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area
Adopt Rationalism, Adopt Patronage
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|69.4|-11.2|2|+1
██ |Stathites|30.6|+11.2|0|±0
Results by city; New Apollonia
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Agos
Patronage
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Reserach Economics, Trade with Zurich, Trireme, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Stathites|66.2|-31.8|1|-1
██ |Neo-Dualist Party|33.8|+31.8|1|+1
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Bromata
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Trireme, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Stathites|50|+50|1|+1
██ |Neo-Dualist Party|50|+50|1|+1
Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Bellios
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Explore the vast oceans, Trade with Zurich, Trireme, War with the Chinese
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Stathites|50|-11|1|±0
██ |Neo-Dualist Party|50|+11|1|±0
Results by city; Provinces
Delphian Synedrian by-election, 210; Province of Quebec
Trade with Quebec
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Neo-Dualist Party|56.1|-2.4|1|±0
██ |Stathites|43.9|+2.4|0|±0
Delphian Synedrian by-election, 210; Province of Zurich
Research Economics, Trade with Zurich
Adopt Rationalism
|
Faction
|
Votes (%)
|
Swing
|
Seats
|
Change
██
|Stathites|59.4|+7.5|1|±0
██ |Neo-Dualist Party|40.6|-7.5|0|±0
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.
*Indicates minority group has franchise.
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Delphi Nova
Neighbourhood
|
Class
|
Siomaios twins
|
Stathis
Demia|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Lithos|Priest*|Murderous| Displeased
Telos|Priest*| Displeased |Murderous
Feros|Loving| Rapturous |
Kenetrios|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Dominia|Labourer| Displeased |Murderous
Valua|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Keratos|Farmer| Impressed |Uninterested
Polyos|Labourer| Interested |Uninterested
Kalkis|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Manis|Farmer| Rapturous |Pleased
Junkta|Farmer| Impressed |Uninterested
Pulsa|Labourer| Uninterested |Uninterested
Faktis|Labourer| Interested | Interested
Literos|Scholar| Uninterested |Unimpressed
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Kirrha
Neighbourhood
|
Class
|
Siomaios twins
|
Stathis
Equios|Labourer| Interested |Uninterested
Primos|Aristocrat|Unimpressed| Interested
Ergos|Farmer| Rapturous | Rapturous
Galacta|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Anthropa|Farmer| Rapturous | Rapturous
Gesta|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Halos|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Trakton|Labourer|Hateful| Uninterested
Operos|Labourer| Hateful |Hateful
Khiros|Farmer|Loving| Rapturous
Hygria|Farmer| Displeased |Hateful
Gregos|Farmer| Unimpressed |Hateful
Asteris|Artist| Unimpressed |Unimpressed
Helion|Artist|Hateful| Unimpressed
Kromos|Artist| Uninterested | Uninterested
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Dostana
Neighbourhood
|
Class
|
Siomaios twins
|
Stathis
Fixis|Labourer|Hateful| Uninterested
Bromia|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Archa|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Ikhthyos|Farmer| Impressed |Ambivalent
Kipos|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Loquia|Priest| Interested |Murderous
Mera|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Sitos|Farmer| Rapturous | Rapturous
Fektos|Labourer| Murderous | Murderous
Agros|Farmer| Murderous | Murderous
Nomenia|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Basa|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Filia|Farmer|Pleased| Pleased
Biblis|Scholar| Interested |Interested
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Soukotai
Neighbourhood
|
Class
|
Siomaios twins
|
Stathis
Baan Baan Mwui|Labourer| Hateful |Murderous
Baan Kaw Ken|Farmer| Loving |Displeased
Baan Haat Krai|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Baan Non Buan|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Baan Non Luit|Priest| Pleased |Uninterested
Baan Na Ma|Aristocrat*| Rapturous |Impressed
Baan Huai Gaang|Farmer| Rapturous | Rapturous
Baan Chong Ma|Labourer| Hateful |Murderous
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Alexandropolis
Neighbourhood
|
Class
|
Siomaios twins
|
Stathis
Baan Baan Cha|Labourer| Murderous | Murderous
Baan Kaw Too|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Baan Na Gaang|Farmer| Uninterested |Murderous
Baan Doi Phu Luit|Aristocrat*| Pleased |Uninterested
Baan Baan Koo|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Baan Na Woom|Farmer|Loving| Rapturous
Baan Chong Woom|Farmer| Interested |Displeased
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Muang Saluang
Neighbourhood
|
Class
|
Siomaios twins
|
Stathis
Baan Baan Ken|Labourer| Hateful |Murderous
Baan Na Koo|Aristocrat| Rapturous |Rapturous
Baan Na Daam|Aristocrat|Rapturous| Rapturous
Baan Ma Baan|Farmer| Impressed |Hateful
Baan Non Tai|Priest| Pleased |Unimpressed
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; New Apollonia
Neighbourhood
|
Class
|
Siomaios twins
|
Stathis
Joinos|Labourer|Murderous| Displeased
Agos|Aristocrat|Impressed| Rapturous
Humos|Farmer|Loving| Rapturous
Kusa|Labourer|Displeased| Impressed
Bromata|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Bellios|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Kenis|Labourer| Interested |Uninterested
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Provinces
Province
|
Focus
|
Siomaios twins
|
Stathis
Quebec|Farming| Pleased |Impressed
Zurich|Luxury|Impressed| Loving
The Utrecht and Rotterdam neighbourhoods are all murderous and riotous.
Some aristocrats already had a sense that he would be a bit of a radical, which concerned them greatly. At forty-two years of age, he was almost a decade older than his late father when he was first crowned. But that he'd changed his royal title and also insisted that people call him "Majesty" instead of "Highness", well, there was just a sense that he didn't have much of a respect for tradition or the old ways.
The royal secretary Melodios was still recovering from his injuries at the hand of the traitorous and murderous Delphian Council, a body Markos was going to heavily pressure the government to abolish --- he held the entire body responsible for his father's murder. Markos knew his father had been most excellently served by Melodios and he had a sense that his replacement was not anywhere near as good. Still, he'd take whatever help he could get until Melodios was healed and back on his feet.
"Your Majesty," the acting secretary called.
"Yes?" the Basileus said eagerly.
"The results are in."
"Well, don't keep me waiting. What is it?"
The page handed him the tabulated results. Markos frowned as he read them. His eyebrows shot upwards and he clapped his hands together suddenly, startling his underling.
"Very well, send for the twins!"
------------------------
Congratulations again to Gurra for yet another victory! The part about speeding up elections is an allusion to some strategies I'm going to implement to make the calculations a lot faster in the future. I'll go into details about that another time.
For now, though, here are the results! As you can see, it was another closely fought election.
------------------------
Delphian Synedrion election, 210
An election was held to choose members of the 6th Delphian Synedrion in 210. It was the sixth Synedrian election held in the Kingdom of Delphi. Suffrage was predominantly limited to the upper class of all cities, specifically the aristocracy and the priesthood as well as the three middle-class artistic neighbourhoods in Kirrha.
Results of the Delphian Synedrian election, 210
Franchise: All aristocratic, priestly and artistic neighbourhoods in the kingdom eligible to vote in the elections. Cities administered by the capital returned two Synedroi for each neighbourhood while cities with self-government each returned only one Synedros per neighbourhood. The exception were priestly neighbourhoods which returned one extra Synedros to what they would otherwise have been entitled.
Eligible voters |201,500|+120,913|3.5|+0.5
██ |Stathis Agos|34|+6|47.2|-0.3
| Total | 72 |+13|||
Results by city; Delphi Nova
Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Build a Temple, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism Abolish Delphian Council██ |Stathites|50|+18.6|1|+1
Trade with Zurich Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Build a Temple War with the Netherlands, Adopt Rationalism, War with the Chinese, Adopt Patronage Abolish Delphian Council██ |Neo-Dualist Party|0|-60.9|0|-1
Build a Temple War with the Netherlands, Adopt Rationalism, War with the Chinese, Adopt Patronage██ |Stathites|0|-39.1|0|-1
Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Adopt Patronage Adopt Rationalism, Abolish Delphian Council██ |Neo-Dualist Party|44.9|-15.6|1|±0
Trade with Zurich Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Local troop recruitment, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Neo-Dualist Party|50|+9.3|1|±0
Trade with Zurich Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Research Economics, Local troop recruitment, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Neo-Dualist Party|40|+9.3|1|±0
Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Build Temple Adopt Rationalism██ |Stathites|50|+15.4|1|±0
Results by city; Kirrha
Research Economics War with the Netherlands, Adopt Rationalism, War with the Chinese██ |Stathites|38.9|-12.1|1|±0
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Local troop recruitment, Build Shrine, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Stathites|50|+12.3|1|±0
Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Build Shrine Adopt Rationalism██ |Stathites|50|+13|1|±0
Train moer troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Local troop recruitment, Build Shrine, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Neo-Dualist Party|50|+19.6|1|+1
Adopt Patronage War with the Netherlands, War with the Chinese██ |Stathites|47.8|-2.2|1|±0
Explore the vast oceans, Abolish Delphpian Council, Adopt Patronage War with the Netherlands, War with the Chinese██ |Neo-Dualist Party|14.3|-13.7|0|±0
Explore the vast oceans, Abolish Delphpian Council, Adopt Patronage War with the Netherlands, War with the Chinese██ |Neo-Dualist Party|50|+50|1|+1
Results by city; Dostana
Research Economics, Trade with Zurich Adopt Rationalism██ |Stathites|50|+6.8|1|±0
Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Build Temple Adopt Rationalism██ |Stathites|50|+12.3|1|±0
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Neo-Dualist Party|50|+3.3|1|±0
Build Temple Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area War with the Netherlands, Adopt Rationalism, War with the Chinese, Adopt Patronage██ |Stathites|0|-20.6|0|±0
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Research Economics, Explore the vast oceans, Trade with Zurich, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Stathites|50|±0|1|±0
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Build Temple, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Neo-Dualist Party|50|+4.5|1|±0
War with the Netherlands Train more troops, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Neo-Dualist Party|50|+10|1|±0
Results by city; Soukotai
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Research Economics, Explore the vast oceans, Trade with Zurich, Trading Post, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Stathites|50|+9.3|1|±0
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Trading Post, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Stathites|50|+13.2|1|±0
Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area Adopt Rationalism, Adopt Patronage██ |Stathites|36.5|+2|1|±0
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Trading Post, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Stathites|34.7|+0.2|1|+1
Results by city; Alexandropolis
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Burning Rotterdam for the moment then denying the territory to other powers (but wants to keep the city if the heathen element is burnt out of it), Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Stathites|50|±0|1|±0
Trade with Zurich Research Economics Adopt Rationalism██ |Stathites|38.8|+25.6|1|+1
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rottedam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Stathites|50|+14.6|1|±0
Results by city; Muang Saluang
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Stathites|49.9|+13.5|0|±0
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Neo-Dualist Party|48.3|-13.5|0|-1
Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area Adopt Rationalism, Adopt Patronage██ |Stathites|30.6|+11.2|0|±0
Results by city; New Apollonia
Patronage Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Reserach Economics, Trade with Zurich, Trireme, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Neo-Dualist Party|33.8|+31.8|1|+1
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Trade with Zurich, Trireme, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Neo-Dualist Party|50|+50|1|+1
Train more troops, War with the Netherlands, Prevent re-settling of Rotterdam area, Research Economics, Explore the vast oceans, Trade with Zurich, Trireme, War with the Chinese Adopt Rationalism██ |Neo-Dualist Party|50|+11|1|±0
Results by city; Provinces
Trade with Quebec██ |Stathites|43.9|+2.4|0|±0
Research Economics, Trade with Zurich Adopt Rationalism██ |Neo-Dualist Party|40.6|-7.5|0|±0
Summary of attitude types
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.
*Indicates minority group has franchise.
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Delphi Nova
Demia|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Lithos|Priest*|Murderous| Displeased
Telos|Priest*| Displeased |Murderous
Feros|Loving| Rapturous |
Kenetrios|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Dominia|Labourer| Displeased |Murderous
Valua|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Keratos|Farmer| Impressed |Uninterested
Polyos|Labourer| Interested |Uninterested
Kalkis|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Manis|Farmer| Rapturous |Pleased
Junkta|Farmer| Impressed |Uninterested
Pulsa|Labourer| Uninterested |Uninterested
Faktis|Labourer| Interested | Interested
Literos|Scholar| Uninterested |Unimpressed
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Kirrha
Equios|Labourer| Interested |Uninterested
Primos|Aristocrat|Unimpressed| Interested
Ergos|Farmer| Rapturous | Rapturous
Galacta|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Anthropa|Farmer| Rapturous | Rapturous
Gesta|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Halos|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Trakton|Labourer|Hateful| Uninterested
Operos|Labourer| Hateful |Hateful
Khiros|Farmer|Loving| Rapturous
Hygria|Farmer| Displeased |Hateful
Gregos|Farmer| Unimpressed |Hateful
Asteris|Artist| Unimpressed |Unimpressed
Helion|Artist|Hateful| Unimpressed
Kromos|Artist| Uninterested | Uninterested
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Dostana
Fixis|Labourer|Hateful| Uninterested
Bromia|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Archa|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Ikhthyos|Farmer| Impressed |Ambivalent
Kipos|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Loquia|Priest| Interested |Murderous
Mera|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Sitos|Farmer| Rapturous | Rapturous
Fektos|Labourer| Murderous | Murderous
Agros|Farmer| Murderous | Murderous
Nomenia|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Basa|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Filia|Farmer|Pleased| Pleased
Biblis|Scholar| Interested |Interested
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Soukotai
Baan Baan Mwui|Labourer| Hateful |Murderous
Baan Kaw Ken|Farmer| Loving |Displeased
Baan Haat Krai|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Baan Non Buan|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Baan Non Luit|Priest| Pleased |Uninterested
Baan Na Ma|Aristocrat*| Rapturous |Impressed
Baan Huai Gaang|Farmer| Rapturous | Rapturous
Baan Chong Ma|Labourer| Hateful |Murderous
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Alexandropolis
Baan Baan Cha|Labourer| Murderous | Murderous
Baan Kaw Too|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Baan Na Gaang|Farmer| Uninterested |Murderous
Baan Doi Phu Luit|Aristocrat*| Pleased |Uninterested
Baan Baan Koo|Aristocrat| Rapturous | Rapturous
Baan Na Woom|Farmer|Loving| Rapturous
Baan Chong Woom|Farmer| Interested |Displeased
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Muang Saluang
Baan Baan Ken|Labourer| Hateful |Murderous
Baan Na Koo|Aristocrat| Rapturous |Rapturous
Baan Na Daam|Aristocrat|Rapturous| Rapturous
Baan Ma Baan|Farmer| Impressed |Hateful
Baan Non Tai|Priest| Pleased |Unimpressed
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; New Apollonia
Joinos|Labourer|Murderous| Displeased
Agos|Aristocrat|Impressed| Rapturous
Humos|Farmer|Loving| Rapturous
Kusa|Labourer|Displeased| Impressed
Bromata|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Bellios|Aristocrat*| Rapturous | Rapturous
Kenis|Labourer| Interested |Uninterested
Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Provinces
Quebec|Farming| Pleased |Impressed
Zurich|Luxury|Impressed| Loving
The Utrecht and Rotterdam neighbourhoods are all murderous and riotous.
OOC: Can't I catch a break? Fifth election won by me in a row now...
IC: We are happy to see that this Kingdom approves of the Neo-Dualist administration and will continue to serve you for another decade. It is our hope to see the Synedrion up and running soon, but before that we want to make some announcements regarding the nature of this government compared to the last.
First of all, this administration will seek the abolition of the Delphian Council in response to the attempted coup earlier this year. Its remaining powers shall be transferred to the Synedrion and the Basileus.
Second, we the Chief Ministers will take on separate responsibilities. I, Lysimachos, will be the Chief Minister of Delphi while Lysistrate takes on the title Chief Minister of Siam and the Delphian Netherlands.
Third, the Neo-Dualist Party would like to invite Stathis Agos as Minister of Trade and Provincial Affairs. If he were to accept, Stathis would be given the responsibility of working out this administration's plans and orders for trade routes and city-state relations.
IC: We are happy to see that this Kingdom approves of the Neo-Dualist administration and will continue to serve you for another decade. It is our hope to see the Synedrion up and running soon, but before that we want to make some announcements regarding the nature of this government compared to the last.
First of all, this administration will seek the abolition of the Delphian Council in response to the attempted coup earlier this year. Its remaining powers shall be transferred to the Synedrion and the Basileus.
Second, we the Chief Ministers will take on separate responsibilities. I, Lysimachos, will be the Chief Minister of Delphi while Lysistrate takes on the title Chief Minister of Siam and the Delphian Netherlands.
Third, the Neo-Dualist Party would like to invite Stathis Agos as Minister of Trade and Provincial Affairs. If he were to accept, Stathis would be given the responsibility of working out this administration's plans and orders for trade routes and city-state relations.
Melda
Wannabe Psephologist
Ooo, interesting!
Now let us open the Synedrion with some acts to keep this Kingdom running!
We will leave it to Stathis to confirm, but he has accepted the position as Minister of Trade and Provincial Affairs and we the Chief Ministers will therefore not be presenting orders on those matters.
((OOC explanation of the promotion legislation: a previously unpromoted unit, newly built ones for example, can be promoted by the general according to his needs in the war, but if an already promoted unit gains another promotion the Synedrion should be consulted.))
We will leave it to Stathis to confirm, but he has accepted the position as Minister of Trade and Provincial Affairs and we the Chief Ministers will therefore not be presenting orders on those matters.
((OOC explanation of the promotion legislation: a previously unpromoted unit, newly built ones for example, can be promoted by the general according to his needs in the war, but if an already promoted unit gains another promotion the Synedrion should be consulted.))
