Decisions to be made

elliotbay

Knight
Marshal
[In what is becoming a semi-common occurrence, Tyro addresses the tavern while there are several groups of people having several different conversations.]

Hi everyone! In a few more months, we have to make--

[At this point, somebody else yells "HEY, SHUT UP!" which actually quiets the tavern.]

Thanks. Uh, hi everyone. In a few more months, we have to make one or two big decisions that will affects the security and future of New Wagonslist.

The first is whether we join the Imperium completely. This is a choice that each person must make individually, but also a decision we need to make as a community. We need to stand together if we're to ever get our shard back. I'm not exactly sure yet how it's supposed to be done, but I think it will be just everybody gets one vote to decide what the town does, and then if you disagree so much with the town, you can choose to leave.
If we do join the Imperium, it seems like not much will change from how things are now. For those that don't know, they really hate Fae here, because they make a mockery of consent. If a member community decided to negotiate with Fae, that would be treason. Otherwise, you basically know how things are. I've talked to the leader of the local Praesidio, and they would not object to us working toward restoring a shard again if the opportunity comes.
If we decide not to join the Imperium, we will be escorted through a mist portal like how we came here, they will help us clear the immediate area so we have some place to sleep, and then they'll leave. We can potentially have good or hostile relations thereafter depending on whether we're trading with the Fae breaker gang. For those who remember what we had to go through to get here, you remember how overrun the place was. We will not be able to survive there long without some other plan. If you don't think we should join the Imperium, you have a few more months to come up with another plan that we can choose from. Complaints without solutions are not very useful.

Should we join the imperium, we'll also have to decide who we want to own New Wagonslist and the nearby areas. The official title for this is the Consul, and it's what Lord Magistrate Jothi has been doing since we got here. He's been responsible for ensuring there's an adequate number of soldiers, scouts, and guards and for collecting the poll taxes when voting comes. The Consul is also responsible for ensuring the laws of the Imperium are followed, which as you know has a high emphasis on personal autonomy. This is a permanent position. That is, there will only be one vote, and that's as soon as we join. If you believe the Lord Magistrate isn't fair or isn't capable of doing that kind of management, then you have a few more months to figure out who could do the job better. I know that sounds bad to suggest out loud that someone else should be in that position, but we're not in A'kh't anymore. Still, complaints without solutions are not very useful.

There's also a vote for senator, but that affects more people and isn't permanent.

To support a well-informed first decision, I'm taking a trip to Pokeu along with anyone who wants to join me. They joined the Imperium about 10 years ago, so that seems like the best way to find out what happens when you join. I'm not sure exactly where it is, but luckily we need to take a couple of criminals there to stand trial, so we can travel with Horatio and the others who are transporting them. Let me know in the next few days if you'd like to come too. I'd appreciate getting a lot of different perspectives from that trip.

[OOG: Please PM me your email address if you'd like to join the info-gathering trip as a group downtime]
 
Thank you Tyro for summing up the state of affairs so succinctly.

The town must be united as a whole. If Goldcrest is to be believed, the town will not survive long if we do not come together. That means everyone must make a decision for themselves and how they truly feel, as Tyro stated. Once that decision is made, everyone must set aside their differences and support that decision. Dissenters will only serve to tear this community apart.

Should you join the Imperium, you will be welcomed, as you have been currently. If you choose not to, there will be no ill will towards you, as long as you do not make deals with Fae. If you choose to make deals, the Imperium will see you as a breaker gang, at least that is according to Senator Secondus. That would sadden me greatly. I have found many of you to be great people and I do not regret risking my life to buy you time to make a decision.

That all being said, if you should choose to join the Imperium, I would like to offer to become your Consul. I do not know Lord Magistrate Jothi, and I cannot say he has done a bad job, for he seems to be keeping the township going. I am willing to offer my guidance, as I have given freely to many of you who have come to me recently. I offer knowledge, wisdom, and protection. I advised Tyro that he would be a wise choice to be Consul, but he made the decision not to as he feels that his skills make him better suited for a leader of town defense. I agree that he would be a good leader in times of strife and combat and respected his decision to not offer to be voted in as Consul.

If any of you wish to discuss with me further, I am happy to speak with any of you in regards to my decision. If the majority feel I should not be fit to be Consul, I hold no ill will towards the town and will support and offer advice to whomever shall hold that title. Thank you for taking the time to hear me out.
 
Though quite late, I am overjoyed to announce my intention to run for Consul. The Lotus foundation has been a cornerstone of relief and public aid for decades, and I would be honored to continue that legacy here in New Wagonslist.

Regardless of the people's vote on my candidacy, the Lotus will be committed to ensuring the vote of all our residents is protected. As I'm sure many of you are aware, votes within the Imperium require a gold per person. We will, naturally, attempt to sponsor the poor in our community to give their voices a chance to be heard. Anyone who would wish to assist in this is welcomed to donate.

All this is reliant on the town's choice on joining the Imperium. If elected, I swear to stand by the good people of New Wagonslist and promote a new future for each member of the community.

- Meredith S. Trudar
 
Dear Tyro,
At least five of our family cannot be in Wagonslist at the time the vote. We would like to know if they can vote by proxy? If so, can it be by my say so or do I need notes from each of them?
Thank you for your kind consideration,
Storm My’yeem,
Matriarch & Bandoleer of the My’yeem Sela
 
Hello people of New Wagonslist, There has been much discussion of the decision to stay in the Imperium and the resulting special election . As rule of law is important, I feel it's important to dispel some confusion about it.

There are two items on the agenda, the first being the final decision as to whether New Wagonslist will stay within the Imperium or leave to make their own life and choices among the mists. That decision is rapidly approaching, and while it won't officially happen yet, in order to properly plan your future, I'll be touring your town in two weeks time to get your general consensus. The official decision date for that is the 25th of February. There is no monetary cost for this decision, and it is made according to the customs of your old home. I have heard that you wish to bring it to a vote, and as such may ask that a mock vote be held during my tour so that proper preparations may begin in earnest.

In addition, after the year & day pass and your towns decision is finalized, a special election is held in the district in which the new group has settled. It will take some time to arrange such an election, ans so the actual Senatorial Vote, should you stay, would likely take until late June to organize. At that time, all citizens who pay the poll tax of one gold are eligible to vote. Whoever wins this election becomes a full Senator, and the honorary Consul Jothi, if they do not win, is stripped of their title, unless they’ve managed to purchase land in the year, which temporary consul Jothi has not done. While I wish nothing but good luck to my opponent Jothi, I hope you will see that my experience with the politics of the Senate I'll be better able to secure a better life for New Wagonslist than Jothi could. Regardless of the decision of District Olympus as to my senatorial position, I'll be happy to deal with the politics within the capitol.

Your senator Secundus Placus Albanius
 
Hello people of New Wagonslist,

Also, I realize that in my understanding of the law I have made a small oversight. During the special election, only a consul may run for Senator. The only consul I know of in New Wagonslist is Jothi. Should you seek to run for the Senate, you would need to purchase land from another consul, with the acceptance of the Senate as a whole, before the special election.

Your senator,
Secundus Placus Albanius
 
Thank you Senator for the clarification. I was a bit confused at what was shared with me at the last gather, but I figured as New Wagonslist had different culture, I thought it was a change to be flexible with their cultures.
 
While I appreciate the senator's comments, it does not change the fact that, should we join the imperium, there is a vote tax. This is highly debilitating to the poor and underprivileged, something which the senator simply could not understand. The Lotus, however, acknowledges that not all citizens have opportunities to gain such funds, and will be assisting in payment for those votes. Any who can not afford to have their voices heard can simply speak to me or my men to have their vote sponsored.

I do hope we can all participate in this new and fantastic system.

- Meredith S. Trudar
 
Yeah, like....

We paid taxes back home, I guess to me it isn't that weird? I wasn't being oppressed when I was asked to like, pay for roads and the town guard to keep weird stuff coming out of the woods and eating me in my bed.

If people wanna be consuls, then that's like whatever to me, I guess. Sounds like sucky job and I'm an apprentice to the Calligo. If you wanna accept funds to like, buy land or whatever from a flower or whatever, hey that's your decision. But like, given that the laws of the Imperium are based on consent, is it really consent-based at that point? You're accepting funds and there's a quid quo pro there in terms of like, supporting whatever they want as their proxy.

If you don't think that's true, then I'm super impressed how fast you've grown up since being born yesterday.

-Maren Culpepper
Calligo Apprentice
 
I would hope that anyone who accepts our financial support would not feel pressured to vote in our favor. Luckily, it sounds like many of these votes will not involve me or my people. I wish to help as a relief organization, and perhaps, if you all will it, as a governmental figure.

I am interested in your viewpoint and would love to chat with you at the next gather. I have not been widely social in the community yet. I shall supply wine if that helps.

- Meredith S. Trudar
 
The Lotus Foundation has always been a relief and philanthropic foundation. And from what people of the Imperium have said to us the more negative aspect is the high taxes on voting. Those were citizens of the Imperium's words. That is why Meredith and I thought the best way to reintroduce the Lotus's purpose was to aid those who cannot afford to vote. Obviously in light of the clarification Senator Seceudus has given Meredith isn't attempting to gain a position of Consul at this time. But there is still a verbal demand for financial aid in regards to vote taxation and so we will do our best to offer a supply.

We're just trying to help where we've been told we're needed. That is all.

~ Amara
 
Thank you all for your point of view. Tax for voting has been a part of the imperium as long as I have lived, which isn't nearly as long as others. If voting is important to you, I would recommend finding means of earning coin. From the last gather, I was offered nearly a gold from the town loot split I believe. I had not participated in the loot split so I declined the portion offered to me. Although it was not much, those little bits should build up.

I commend the Lotus foundation and what they are doing to offer aid to those who wish to vote. It's a noble quest. One the people who they will aid will greatly appreciate, I'm sure.

Sometimes there comes a time when you have to figure out what's more important; voting or buying 20 potions that can help you or your friend survive. Recently 10 gold was procured for a workshop that one person gets to use. That could have been 10 votes. Or 200 potions. I am not going to tell anyone how they should spend their gold, but I will educate anyone who will listen to an old Imperial.
 
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