December 2009 Ballot

From FiranMUX

Leia has put up several @ballots for players to participate in. These are from a PC perspective so realize that votes there do not necessarily dictate what the general feel for the game will be. All votes will close December 31, 2009.

Please note that these will NOT be a deciding factor over roleplay. They will, however, be useful to gauge the overall PC opinions. Please see '@ballots' and 'help @ballots' for details.

Contents 1 Available Ballots 1.1 Military Support 1.2 What is most important when considering the military? 1.3 Ranivor? 2 Relevant Judgments and Speeches 2.1 Zaridos accuses Argin of insubordination 2.2 Argin calls Zaridos a usurper 2.3 Firistan suggests that no Ranivor is needed 2.4 Zaridos challenges Argin to a duel 2.5 Argin accepts the duel 2.6 The people get cranky that the Princes are talking instead of beating on one another 2.7 Zaridos makes an unnecessary speech to announce when the duel will be held

Available Ballots

Please note that these options are all case sensitive. This is important if one is having difficulties with the @ballots accepting one's option. If you put in the wrong answer, you can @ballot/unvote # to change your vote.

Military Support

This military only vote asks for people to vote support of one of the princes or neither. Zaridos and Argin are the ones who are having this little conflict. Their relevant judgments speeches are listed below.

• Argin
• Zaridos
• Neither

What is most important when considering the military?

From a PC perspective, this vote is for everyone and is about values important in the military. You can vote on each alt.

Options include:

• Bonuses
• Opportunity_for_Promotion
• Ellish
• Financial_Assistance
• Military_Leadership
• Cultural_Tolerance
• Homeland_Security
• International_Exploration
• Trade
• Education
• Just_A_Job
• Other

Ranivor?

This vote is about whether your PC would want a Ranivor or not. This is a question raised by Firistan. It is open to everyone and you can vote on each alt.

• Yes
• No
• Confused_Beyond_Belief

Relevant Judgments and Speeches

Zaridos accuses Argin of insubordination

Zaridos made the following judgment at Firan time: 12:32:40 PM on Thu Feb 12, in the year 48 A.U.:

The Ranivor leads the Republic military in all things - and in the absence of the Ranivor, so does the Viceroy and Deputy Viceroy lead in his stead.

As Deputy Viceroy, I have always been in favor of the chain of command, and the respect that it requires lower enlisted must show to the officers above them. Thus, it must be for the entire chain, from the lowest sentry to the high general. Even the minister of war must bend knee to the Ranivor, and do as he is commanded.

Thus, I am shocked to find that Prince Argin would be so insubordinate as to question the authority of the Deputy Viceroy, which in relation is an insubordination against the Viceroy and the Ranivor's position. I had always thought that Prince Argin knew the value of the chain of command - indeed, he has shown that he values it many times in the past.

Had anyone in Prince Argin's chain of command been as disrespectful and insubordinate as to him as he was to me, I am confident that Prince Argin would have demoted the offender until such time that he has shown proper respect for the chain of command.

Upon that note, Prince Argin is hereby removed from the position of Minister of War until such time that he learns that the minister of war reports to, and must obey, the Ranivor, and his designated proxies. However, I will not deprive the Republic of Prince Argin's specialized expertise in brutal warfare - Prince Argin is to act as a member of the War Council and aid in the continued success of the Ellish campaign.

For the time being, the position of Minister of War shall be fulfilled by the combined wisdom of the War Council, until a Ranivor is selected or a new Deputy Viceroy is appointed.

Argin calls Zaridos a usurper

On Firan time: 08:11:43 AM on Fri Feb 13, in the year 48 A.U., Argin used the 'oratory' skill successfully and received a favorable response. The text of the message reads as follows:

Prince Zaridos fails to mention the one time when insubordination is acceptable - nay, expected - from a soldier. That time comes when a given order jeapordizes the mission at hand or threatens the interests of the Republic with no justifiable reason.

This was my cause for defying Prince Zaridos. Prince Zaridos, a man who couldn't be bothered to set foot on the battlefield even once during Lord Donos' Liberation of Ellish. A man who's most recent experience fighting a Shamibelian army was a decade ago. A man who, if my memory serves, has never even laid eyes on the gates of Ellish, let alone walked its streets and talked to its people. This is the man who decided that he would dictate what the military's policy for the Republic soldiers in Ellish would be in the future. He is the man who sought to take advantage of my absence from a Clan Council meeting in order to sieze control. He would toss to the side our existing plan. A plan born from advice by valued officers combined with five years of experience leading the Republic soldiers in Ellish. A detailed plan that is at this very moment in the hands of every member of the Clan Council. But Prince Zaridos thought he knew better.

Let us see this for what it is: A desperate act by a man - a twin - who's only accomplishment as Deputy Viceroy was the incomprehenseible rewriting of the Squatter's Law. A law that he had no authority to rewrite without first discussing it with the Clan Council, since it is that Council who established it with a majority vote in the first place. That demonstration of ignorance followed by this fiasco is evidence that Prince Zaridos fails to understand the duties of the Ranivor. Unlike him, I understand that the Ranivor rules only with the continued pleasure and confidence of the Clan Council's other members. If the Council knows of a man better qualified, more experienced in matters of war, and more knowledgeable about the state of affairs in Ellish than myself, then I invite them to convene and point this person out to me so that I can relinquish my command.

Until then, I will fight to the death to safeguard all that we have accomlished in the last five years. I will fight to the death to protect the interests of this Republic and its soldiers - my brothers and sisters in battle. This I swear to you all, here on the steps of the palace that Elianos calls home.

These are my reasons for my alleged 'insubordination'. So if Prince Zaridos the Usurper thinks to strip me of my command all by himself, he'll have to pry the High General's insignia from my cold, dead hands.

Firistan suggests that no Ranivor is needed

On Firan time: 04:38:07 PM on Fri Feb 13, in the year 48 A.U., Firistan used the 'oratory' skill successfully and received a very favorable response. The text of the message reads as follows:

"This latest squabble between the princes of Elianos' line is a symptom of a greater problem that has been plaguing this loose Republic of clans for going on two generations. Since they were children and since their fathers were children, an enormous burden has been placed upon their shoulders - be the next Elianos. Succeed him, win the hearts and minds of the Firan people, and lead us all to a greater world of peace and cooperation. A noble goal and one we can all certainly seek to attain, but the reality of the situation is that we have princes willing to risk near anything in order to seek glory. They take unnecessary risks to get their names circulated throughout the city, they play games of one-upmanship amongst each other in an attempt to make themselves more palatable to the populace, they do whatever they feel is necessary to be the one the clan council votes for when the time comes. But I ask, why must the time come?

"I do not blame the sons of Elianos for how they must act in order to become Ranivor. They do what the feel is best and the devotion of the Elianiks to the Republic is unquestioned. But they are a product of our society and they reach for something that cannot be theirs. Elianos has left us. He is not coming back. There will be no second coming of Elianos in the form of his heirs. He was a man unequaled in what he accomplished. When Elianos returned triumphant from the wars against our enemies, his success and charisma caused an upswell of support that led to his naming as Ranivor. While the princes have had their successes and their failures, such a broad base of support is unlikely to come again.

"The true power of the Firan people comes from the grace of God Himself. Zutiv guides and protects us. When we do honor to Him, even when the polytheists worship his many facets and messengers, the Firan people can accomplish great things. The power of God is invested into the eight medallions that are held by seven clan leaders. It is here that our strength lies, not in the election of a prince to the position of Ranivor. The power of the Firan Republic lies within the individual clans, not a single ruler chosen from the descendants of a great man that we will never see again. Were Elianos to return today in all his glory, as strong and resilient as in times past, I would be amongst the crowds welcoming his trimphant return. But this is fantasy. God said, 'you must become heroes yourselves, not perpetually wait for heroes to come'. Elianos is not coming back. We must move on from the hope that we will find a second Elianos amongst his family and lead ourselves as we did in the past. Do we need a Ranivor? No."

Zaridos challenges Argin to a duel

On Firan time: 08:25:07 PM on Fri Feb 13, in the year 48 A.U., Zaridos used the 'oratory' skill unsuccessfully and received an unfavorable response. The text of the message reads as follows:

My cousin, Prince Argin, makes many points - most of them having little bearing on the situation at hand.

First, Argin can't read or bother to listen to the actual judgment, it seems. He is removed from the position of Minister of War, but I've said nothing about his military rank of High General, nor that any plans proposed by him should be revoked. Let me be clear - Prince Argin is a skilled military commander and I would not deprive the Republic of his services. I thought the original punishment was both minor and fair for his insubordination.

Second, as Deputy Viceroy, it is my duty to protect the authority of the Ranivor - a position created by the Clan Council to /dictate what the military's policy is/. The fact that Prince Argin believes the military to be his own personal sandbox, outside the authority of the Ranivor, Viceroy, or Deputy Viceroy, is quite worrisome and certainly now becomes grounds to review whether he is truly fit to lead as High General.

Third, my personal history is a well-known fact. I need not talk about when I put Fudathim to the question, the hated Governor of Ellish, upon its very walls, or when I flew with His Honor Jalil above the skies of Shamibel. I don't care to talk about the glories of Anar Creek, or the years of war, spent fighting with Republic soldiers when Argin was still playing with wooden swords in the Palace nursery, crying because he skinned his knee. So, I'll save the ad hominem attacks and focus on the issue at hand.

Fourth, and most importantly, Prince Argin seems quite dramatic - perhaps even hysterical like a young girl - about wanting to fight to the death. As he's called me out, so I accept his challenge. Let us duel at the Grand Amphitheater and resolve this. (OOC: Duel time TBD.)

Argin accepts the duel

On Firan time: 06:12:07 AM on Sat Feb 14, in the year 48 A.U., Argin used the 'oratory' skill successfully and received a very favorable response. The text of the message reads as follows:

I have had an epiphany.

As a Gold Dragon man, I am not ashamed to say that it was the soothing words of a woman that brought about my sudden realization. When a man is consumed with the bloodlust and fury of a warrior, it often falls to the fairer sex to remind him that there are things more important than the death of one's enemy. When the battle is over, the warrior is but a man who must remember that the greatest purpose is to live in service to his God.

I too am just a man, and it is my God's work that I do in Ellish.

I will duel Prince Zaridos wherever and whenever he wishes because I am a man of honor, but the outcome will change nothing. He is just a man with a temporary office. When he is gone and forgotten, two things will still be the same. One, the war with the Shamibelians will remain. And two, I will still be fighting them in Ellish and beyond.

The people get cranky that the Princes are talking instead of beating on one another

Leia has adjusted Zaridos and Argin's social point count by: -10,000 because: The Princes need to stop standing in the forum calling each other names in speeches and actually meet or something. Fight it out. Talk. Kick each other's dogs. Whatever. (OOC: Remember there is a speech policy because we want to concentrate on people making one really good speech. Keep this in mind).

Zaridos makes an unnecessary speech to announce when the duel will be held

On Firan time: 04:20:16 AM on Wed Feb 18, in the year 48 A.U., Zaridos used the 'oratory' skill successfully and received a favorable response. The text of the message reads as follows:

The duel shall take place in the Grand Amphitheater, at (OOC: @cal 10555 - Sat, Dec 19, 2009, 8pm EST). The time for words is over.