Brainstorming: Merit-based nobility

[Hypatia Agnesi]

Joe: Feel free to move this thread to the Front Gate if you think that would be a better place for it.Please post below any ideas on how to set up a merit-based nobility, since that idea seems to be gaining support. Do we want Barons to have citizens, votes, and a forum, or only one or two of the above? Should there be a separate position exclusively for granting votes, such as Count?I am personally in favor of Joe's idea that Barons would have citizen requirements and a forum, for the development of culture, and that Counts would have no citizens and no forum, but would be granted votes. This seems to be the best system proposed so far, as it would separate what I see as the two primary motivations for wanting a position of nobility. I would fall into the Count category, as I have very little culture to make (beyond some very local stuff that happens on my manor, like the Ryvenna stuff and the dryads and all). I'm sure there are people who couldn't care less about the Landsraad but really want a place to develop their language, religion, or unique culture in peace. Perhaps even a third position could be put in place to combine these motivations, for those who want both culture and legislative power.So, ideas? Comments? Proposed legislation? I will propose whatever we come up with, after there has been input and debate on it, and it is written in legal form. Preferably, the FHA legislation would have passed already, so that we'd know what we were working with, before I proposed this. *throws grenade for the hell of it*BO0O0O0O0/\/\!!!!!!Edited by: Hypatia Agnesi at: 5/17/05 0:36

[Gryphon the Pure]

Okay, idea.Barons still require citizens, as per FHA. The Barons are the ultimate rulers of their subdivision. However, each Barony can hold one and only one voting Count. This Count is appointed by the Duke as well, so it's not just the equivalent of a Baron's emissary.So, what if there is a Baron who also wants to have influence in the Landsraad? That's where the cool part comes in. The Baron can order the Count to vote a certain way in Legislature. If he does not, the Baron has the option of firing him. However, it is against the Baron's best interest to fire a Count, as Counts who have been fired are also automatically expelled from the Barony for a period of time (Say, to the end of the Census period, for simplicity). If the Barony is low on citizens, this could drop them to below FHA regulations, whereupon the Barony would be placed in danger of being dissolved.If a Count is fired, the Duke may appoint a new one, but still only keeping one count per Barony. Votes are still allotted the same way they are now, with each Duchy getting 10, and the Duke being able to distribute them among his voting Nobles.This also increases the benefit to Barons of keeping high-population Baronies.Suggestions? Gryphon the Pure- Shirithian Elder - Dutch of Kildare - Minister of the Interior - High Priest of Apostrophe aka Grammar Fuhrer - Director of the Shirithian Census - Imperial Advisor -q=parseInt(Math.random()*gryphSig.length);q=(isNaN(q))?0:q;document.write(gryphSig[q]);q=parseInt(Math.random()*gryphSig.length);q=(isNaN(q))?0:q;document.write(gryphSig[q]);q=parseInt(Math.random()*gryphSig.length);q=(isNaN(q))?0:q;document.write(gryphSig[q]);Edited by: Gryphon the Pure at: 5/17/05 1:40

[Hypatia Agnesi]

Do Counts have to live in Baronies? *throws grenade for the hell of it*BO0O0O0O0/\/\!!!!!!

[Gryphon the Pure]

It would make sense that they should have to. For one, it eases the process of legislating for a proportional population if the base population of a Barony is already enough to support a count. For two, it would encourage some participation in Baronies as opposed to just everyone kickin' it in Duchy proper. For three, it makes it so that Barons who still want some sort of legislative power can have it via their counts.Everybody wins: Legislators, Counts, Barons...The question is: would cultural Barons consider it a worthwile trade to give up direct legislative influence for potentially more citizens... Gryphon the Pure- Shirithian Elder - Dutch of Kildare - Minister of the Interior - High Priest of Apostrophe aka Grammar Fuhrer - Director of the Shirithian Census - Imperial Advisor -q=parseInt(Math.random()*gryphSig.length);q=(isNaN(q))?0:q;document.write(gryphSig[q]);q=parseInt(Math.random()*gryphSig.length);q=(isNaN(q))?0:q;document.write(gryphSig[q]);q=parseInt(Math.random()*gryphSig.length);q=(isNaN(q))?0:q;document.write(gryphSig[q]);

[Hypatia Agnesi]

I think this is the job for a poll. Go for it. I, personally, have little interest in becoming a baroness, so I couldn't really say what other barons might want. *throws grenade for the hell of it*BO0O0O0O0/\/\!!!!!!