The Tribal Elders of Delphi

[Gurra09]

Lysistrate is said to have given the following statement to the royal secretary when asked about what really happened to her great-grandmother:

Old Queen Mother Sueang died soundly in her sleep at her Muang Saluang residence a little more than three decades ago, having reached nearly 90 years of age by then. It probably never made much talk as she had already withdrawn from all and any public and political life several years prior to her death. I would suppose the Muang Saluang authorities at the time didn't see the need to send down a report on such an uneventful death to the royal archives.

May she continue to rest in peace.

 

[Melda]

The new Basileus, outraged at the omission of such an important public figure in Delphi-Siamese relations from the royal archives has commissioned works detailing her life, exploits and death to be placed for all time in the Palace archives.

 

[Gurra09]

Let me present to you the life story of Queen Sueang:

Spoiler :

Sueang was born into a Siamese noble family in the year 88, a time long past when Delphi stood without king under the rule of Chief Minister Melda the Ice-Born. She was married off young to Siamese prince Bang Klang Hao, who would become King Sri Indraditya in his day. Not much record of her life is known from these years, mostly due to the destruction of palace archives during the Delphian-Siamese wars decades later but over the years they had five children together, three sons and two daughters.

King Sri Indraditya was a man of diplomacy who believed in the peace and the lasting trade relations between Delphi and Siam, and it was his seal affixed to the trade agreement signed between the two kingdoms in 105. It was during this time of close trade relations that Sueang picked up interest in the traditions and customs of the Delphian people. The Siamese were traditionally a people of no faith, there were no gods, no rituals, no ceremonies, not any kind of organised religion existed. Sueang had been raised with the ideals of putting worldy affairs above faith but the mystique of the Hellenic faith appealed to her.

Many in the royal household believed Sueang had gone crazy when she built a small shrine to Apollo in the palace garden, but while religion was discouraged in Siamese society the people were by law allowed to practice whatever faith they preferred or didn't prefer. In 118 her husband the King died which only served to strengthen her faith. Her second son Ban Mueang was crowned King but died suddenly after only a year, allegedly at the hand of an assassin. According to rumours Sueang didn't like how she had no power over the new King and that she had her own son killed so he would be replaced by her favourite son who was crowned the new King of Siam, Ram Khamhaeng.

It was at the dawn of Ram Khamhaeng's reign that the Delphian Council elected King Alexander, who openly seeked war with Siam instead of the diplomatic stance taken by his predecessor King Bazil. There are already many chronicles detailing the events of the Delphian-Siamese War however and this is not one of them. While Ram Khamhaeng was out leading the brave Siamese troops, it was Sueang the Queen Mother who ruled Siam from behind the scenes. She is said to have helped institute the Thai alphabet used to write the Siamese language and also passed decrees further protecting religious freedoms which made Sukhothai a haven for people of many faiths, not just Hellenism but Catholicism and Protestantism the like.

But the golden days of Sukhothai was soon behind as the great cities of Si Satchanalai and Muang Saluang fell to the Delphians, and it wasn't long until they stood at the walls of the royal capital making their way into the city. When the garrison and King Ram Khamhaeng surrendered to Delphi most of the royal household decided to take their own lives but Sueang saw a light at the end of the tunnel. She didn't despise the Delphian as she was well immersed in their culture and religion, and instead welcomed them in hopes that the peace she had created in her city wouldn't be destroyed.

Sueang was not the only one who survived the war, so did Ram Khamhaeng's son Loethai who is known to most Delphians as the wise Chief Minister Leonidas. Relieved of any duties she had previously had when the Delphians installed their puppet government, she dedicated her life to her grandson. She knew he wouldn't be royalty now that the Kingdom of Siam was no more, but she plotted endlessly to have him back in the rooms of power. So when he had come of age, they travelled to the Delphian capital of Delphi Nova.

In the great capital of Delphi, Sueang was welcomed by some as a wanted guest and by others as a Siamese crazy woman who didn't know her place in this new world. But she made an everlasting friendship with the again crowned King Bazil, and it was by her suggestion the new city in the west was named Apollonia after the god Apollo who stood at the front of the Delphian pantheon.

When King Melodas wanted to reform the Delphian government she was pleased to hear it, but as many of the capital's older citizens know she was outraged when she heard the Siamese cities wouldn't be included. To protest this she lead a hunger strike at the Delphi Nova shrine but it was unsuccessful, and many of her co-protestors were arrested for treason. Her grandson Loethai, who had taken on the name Leonidas after serving in the Delphian Army, decided to join the race for Chief Minister and Sueang saw that it was time for her to stand down. She was old and tired, and trusting that her grandson would bring on the change this united kingdom needed so much.

During her last years in life, Sueang lived in her Muang Saluang residence mostly isolated from the world outside. She withdrew from public life, and the only ones she had contact with was a Hellenic priest in the city and the occasional visits by family members. She devoted her life to the Gods, her residence being described as a grand temple rather than a house, and at age 87 she died in her sleep. Sueang the Queen Mother was an ancient woman, her life most likely prolonged by her extensive practices of fasting and meditation.

 

[Melda]

The results of the by-election in the provinces have been released. First the breakdown:


Results by city

Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Quebec

Neighbourhood | Class || Allegiance
Lamaalbeh|Aristocrat| ██ |Stathites
Vilmaree|Aristocrat| ██ |Stathites
Lavaledala Gaatinau|Aristocrat| ██ |Stathites
Paunt-yaak|Aristocrat| ██ |Stathites
Lekaulineda Lootaweh|Aristocrat| ██ |Stathites

Delphian Synedrian election, 210; Zurich

Neighbourhood | Class || Allegiance
Aalt-Veedikaun|Aristocrat| ██ |Stathites
Vaulis-haufen|Aristocrat| ██ |Siomaios twins
Laimbaah|Aristocrat| ██ |Stathites

Attitudes per neighbourhood

Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Quebec

Neighbourhood | Class | Siomaios twins | Stathis
Vilda Kebek|Labourer|Uninterested| Interested
Daunakauna|Labourer|Uninterested| Uninterested
Lamaalbeh|Aristocrat|Murderous| Hateful
Vilmaree|Aristocrat|Interested| Loving
Lavaledala Gaatinau|Aristocrat|Rapturous| Rapturous
Paunt-yaak|Aristocrat|Loving| Rapturous
Lekaulineda Lootaweh|Aristocrat|Murderous| Hateful

Neighbourhood attitudes, 210; Zurich

Neighbourhood | Class | Siomaios twins | Stathis
Raat-hous|Labourer|Interested| Impressed
Aalt-Veedikaun|Aristocrat|Uninterseted| Loving
Freezenbehrg|Labourer| Rapturous |Loving
Aalbisreeden|Farmer|Loving| Rapturous
Vaulis-haufen|Aristocrat| Rapturous |Rapturous
Laimbaah|Aristocrat|Loving| Rapturous
Aaltstetten|Labourer|Hateful| Uninterested
Zaatlen|Farmer|Loving| Rapturous
Aaffaultern|Farmer| Rapturous |Loving

This has resulted in the following changes . . .

Before the dissolution of the two provincial seats:

| Allegiance | Seats ██ |Lysimachos and Lysistrate Siomaios|38
██ |Stathis Agos|34
| Total | 72

After the dissolution, before the by-election:

| Allegiance | Seats | Change ██ |Lysimachos and Lysistrate Siomaios|37|-1
██ |Stathis Agos|33|-1
| Total | 70 |-2

After the by-election:

| Allegiance | Seats | Change ██ |Stathis Agos|40|+7
██ |Lysimachos and Lysistrate Siomaios|38|+1
| Total | 78 |+8

This result has rocked the kingdom because it has shockingly resulted in the Stathites gaining a majority in the 6th Synendrion.

The situation is unprecedented in Delphian electoral history: never has a balance of power changed through a by-election.

Would the Stathites use their newfound majority to defeat the government? Or would they instead honour the power-sharing agreement already negotiated?

 

[Wyverncraft]

The Stathites will use this majority to do two things, one much more important than the other.

First of all, we propose the

Modified Research and Exploration Act
(1) Upon completed research of Astronomy,
(a) upgrade our then built Trireme in New Apollonia to a Caravel and send it westward to explore the unknown.

(b) send our embarked Scout southwest to explore any landmass our Caravel may or may not uncover.

(c) start researching Economics.
(2) If Agent Ninurta is given the opportunity to steal technology in Beijing,
(a) steal Architecture if the Chinese have that technology.

(b) steal Chemistry if the Chinese have that technology but not Architecture.

(c) steal Metallurgy if the Chinese have that technology but neither Architecture or Chemistry.

(d) steal Navigation if the Chinese have that technology but neither Architecture, Chemistry, or Metallurgy.

(e) steal Economics if it is the only technology available to steal.
(3) Adopt a policy of Patronage at earliest opportunity.

And, much more importantly, we propose the

Baronial Restoration Act

(1) The city of New Apollonia will no longer be considered a city of the Kingdom of Delphi, rather, it will be returned to its previous status as Barony of Apollonia, rechristened as the Barony of New Apollonia.

(2) The Barony of New Apollonia will be under the full power and jurisdiction of the Baron of Apollonia, a hereditary title passed from father to first-born son.

(3) The current Baron of New Apollonia is Stathis Agos.

(4) The Barony of New Apollonia is, as an independent entity, fully supported by the government and military of the Kingdom of Delphi.

 

[Wyverncraft]

The Stathites vote yes on all recently proposed acts.

 

[Gurra09]

The Neo-Dualist Party refuses to recognise the Baronial Restoration Act as legal and call upon the Basileus to take immediate action against this attempted secession. If said act is passed we the Chief Ministers will resign and our faction will vacant all seats in this Synedrion full of traitors. If the Basileus approves of this secession we will consider also him a traitor to this Kingdom and refuse to work with him any further. May the Gods show no mercy to those who betray us!

We vote No on both acts.


((Edit: OOC: your act says Kingdom of Apollonia where I think you meant Kingdom of Delphi. ))

 

[Melda]

The Chief Ministers and the Minister of Trade and Provincial Affairs were led through the Palace by the new royal secretary: Melodios was still recovering from the wounds he received in the recent coup attempt, and his son Grigorios had stepped in during his absence. The Siomaios twins and Stathis didn't speak as they followed the younger royal secretary through the marble palace.

Grigorios led the three Synedroi to a room where the Basileus was sitting behind an impressively large desk. He stood and silently gestured for them to be seated. Grigorios made himself scarce as the four took their seats.

The three faction leaders looked to their monarch and were uncertain as to how to proceed. The atmosphere in the room was tense. If they didn't know better, they would have assumed Markos had been Basileus for years, not merely a month. He'd taken his role as heir to the throne seriously and had made sure he was extremely well read. He also recognised his own limits and ensured he had cultivated a vast network of contacts who were either smarter or more knowledgeable than him. He had a serious demeanour and an impressive presence about him; some in the kingdom thought Markos had the potential to be a great monarch. Time would tell if that would become true or not.

The three guests were about to experience the new Basileus's intensity firsthand. The uncomfortable silence had stretched on into awkwardness.

Finally the Basileus spoke: "I am very displeased," he intoned quietly and ominously. His "guests" shifted uncomfortably, unsure where this was going.

"It has long been the convention that the Basileus does not intervene in affairs of the Synedrion. This convention has served our kingdom well for many years. But the three of you have pushed our kingdom into a constitutional crisis and have forced me to adjudicate this dispute."

He held up his hand to cut off any of the representatives before they could interject.

"Stathis," he looked to the minister sternly. "I am very concerned about your proposal to effectively secede New Apollonia from the kingdom. I know that's not how you see it, but it's how a great many people in the kingdom see it, not only the Chief Ministers. Your father's secession of Old Apollonia caused the worst civil strife in our nation's history and killed a great many people. I don't think anyone wants to risk something like that happening again. I urge you to tread carefully."

Stathis was not happy with the rebuke, but before the twins could feel vindicated the Basileus turned on them. "For your information: if the Synedrion passes a bill which is constitutional and legal I am bound by convention and duty to sign it into law. I will only sign bills that are constitutional and legal. Do not forget that."

They weren't happy that he had apparently not taken their concerns seriously, but before they could say so he quietly and calmly thundered. "And if you ever see fit to publicly threaten me again I will have the both of you thrown in gaol for violating majesty."

Could he do that? More to the point: were they willing to risk it?

"Now, I've received legal advice on this matter before the Synedrion and it seems to me that you should all sit down and re-read the text of the City-State Representatives Act. That's all I have to say on this matter for now."

He stood abruptly, and the Synedroi stood in response. Their monarch had put them in their place. He didn't give them a chance to respond; Grigorios was waiting to lead them out.

 

[Gurra09]

We the Chief Ministers want to officially express our greatest apologies to the Basileus for our previous statement to the Synedrion. After reviewing the City-State Representatives Act upon his Majesty's request we feel more comfortable about this situation. We will not be resigning our positions unless the Basileus were to directly ask us to do so.

In response to all this we propose the following act to the Synedrion:

Once Annexed Always Annexed Act

(1) A city settled or annexed by the Kingdom of Delphi cannot become independent or change status to a self-governing city.

 

[Wyverncraft]

I believe that Quebec and Zurich, areas annexed by Delphi, should have the right to leave peacefully if they so wish.

Furthermore, I believe that any city should have the right to leave our kingdom, if they can

a) prove beyond doubt that they have reason to do so, and
b) prove that they have the means to provide for the safety of their citizens and their country.

I vote No on the Once Annexed Always Annexed Act.

 

[Melda]

I'm loving these parliamentary skirmishes.

Once the Synedrion resolves all current matters before them (i.e. go and check to see which seats counted or didn't counted in each votes and then tell me about them) I'll go ahead and play through this term of government.

Interesting times!

 

[Wyverncraft]

Well, the City State Representative Act gave Zurich and Quebec one Synedroi each, able to vote only on foreign policy (and related things). These restricted Synedroi no longer exist, as they were very clearly revoked by the Provincial Unification Act, and instead the Provinces had several neighborhoods, each electing their own, unrestricted Synedroi, so I do maintain a full majority. At least, that's how I see it.

 

[Gurra09]

Quebec and Zurich are independent to form their own domestic policy ((as per the game CS rules)), which means they are not annexed, which means the act does not and will not apply to them.

As for the Provincial Unification Act, it did give the provinces neighbourhoodly representation but the CS Representatives Act still stated that Synedroi from city-states have restricted voting priviliges. We in the Neo-Dualist Party finds this reasonable because despite what representation they are given, allied city states are independent to a much higher degree than self-governing cities such as Muang Saluang which has been permanently integrated into the Kingdom and abides by our domestic policies.

We the Chief Ministers trust the Basileus' legal advisors to have investigated this matter properly and will accept any outcome. We do however not accept the terms of the Baronial Restoration Act and will ask the Basileus to relieve us of our positions if it is passed.

 

[Gurra09]

As an alternative to the Baronial Restoration Act, we the Chief Ministers propose the following act to be passed instead:

Apollonian Governance Act

(1) The city of New Apollonia will stay a fully integrated city of the Kingdom of Delphi, as stated to be at the founding of the city of Apollonia.

(2) Synedroi elected by neighbourhoods in New Apollonia will form a special Apollonia Committee.

(a) This committee will have the power to veto any legislation regarding New Apollonia that the government of a self-governing city would normally be in charge of*, if a majority of committee members vote to do so.​

(3) The provisions stated by this act will last for 50 years, after which it can be renewed.

((*OOC: build queues and what tiles for citizens to work.))

 

[Melda]

((This is me not the Basileus typing. My understanding is what Gurra has mentioned there --- that the CSRA gave representation and limited voting rules for CSes, then the PUC changed the amount of representation. I can't, in my reading of it, see anything that explicitly changes the limited voting permissions of CS Synedroi. Therefore my understanding is that in order to change the voting rules for these CS Synedroi an Act would need to be passed by a majority of Synedroi who are allowed to vote on such a matter. Which makes me think unless Gurra supports it this may need to rely upon Wyverncraft winning enough additional seats at the next election to push it through.

The twins' AGA proposal seems like a fair compromise for now, given that the two factions have such opposing views on this matter. But I'll leave it to my loyal Synedroi to battle this out and let me know the result, after which point I'll proceed from there. ))

 

[Wyverncraft]

Well, all right. I'm willing to concede that point. However if voting rights of allied Provinces is considered foreign policy (which I'm pretty sure it is) then the majority, gained with Synedroi who are allowed to vote on such a matter (foreign policy), they can then force through legislation clearly changing the rules about CS Synedroi, and what they can vote on, granting me a majority in everything.

Also, the AGA proposal does seem like a fair compromise; I will vote for it if my current plan doesn't work.

 

[Gurra09]

The way I see it voting rights of allied provinces is not foreign policy. Yes, how we interact with city-states in terms of diplomacy, gold gifts, etc. is foreign policy but how Synedroi vote shouldn't be considered as such since the Synedrion is a Delphian legislative body - not foreign at all.

 

[Wyverncraft]

Would it be considered a matter of provincial affairs?

 

[Gurra09]

We the Chief Ministers take back the previously presented Once Annexed Always Annexed Act and Apollonian Governance Act, and instead present the following act developed in cooperation with the Stathites. We are happy to have been able to put our differences aside in order to reach a solution on the matter.

Apollonian Self-Government Act

(1) New Apollonia will change status to a self-governing city within the Kingdom of Delphi, and the city will receive Synedrion representation as such.

(2) Neighbourhoods with voting rights in New Apollonia will elect two representatives each to a local Apollonian Council.

(a) The Apollonian Council has jurisdiction over New Apollonia's build queues, where to locate city neighbourhoods, and changes in representation on the council.

(b) Unless stated otherwise, voting rights for local council elections are given to New Apollonia neighbourhoods that are allowed to vote in Synedrion elections.

(c) The Synedrion has no jurisdiction over matters under the control of the Apollonian Council.

(d) Elections to the Apollonian Council are held in connection to regular Synedrion elections.​

(3) Synedrion representatives from New Apollonia can put forward a motion to veto worker orders passed by the Synedrion if no workers are ordered to improve Apollonian land within the next 10 years.

(a) A motion to veto passes if a majority of Synedrion representatives from New Apollonia votes in favour of it.

(i) If a motion to veto passes, the Apollonian Council will be given temporary jurisdiction for a period of 10 years to give orders to the unit of Workers located closest to the city of New Apollonia.

(ii) A maximum one unit of workers can fall under the jurisdiction of the Apollonian Council at the same time.​

(4) This act will come into effect at the next dissolution of the Synedrion.

(5) The provisions stated by this act will last for a period of 50 years after its enactment, after which it can be renewed if both the Synedrion and the Apollonian Council vote in favour.

OOC: New Apollonia will stay an annexed city from a game point of view but a separate local council will be elected where the players form the local government like the AI does in puppeted cities - so the city will effectively be a self-governing one. This means while one player might have the majority in the Synedrion, another could be in control of what gets built in New Apollonia.

So, Melda, when it is election time again (this act doesn't take effect until 220): work out the results for Apollonia and then have the voting neighbourhoods elect one Synedroi each, and two local Councillors each.

The Neo-Dualist Party votes Yes on this act.

 

[Wyverncraft]

I am very glad this agreement could be worked out.

I vote yes on the Apollonian Self-Government Act.