Baronies

[Yvain Wintersong]

Yvain sits in his study, working on his abdication speech. He twirls his hair abseis satisfaction, his servant comes in.

Yvain turns to Cedric, who has waited on him since his days in Ynnraile. "Which sounds better?" he asks. "'I pity you all, you fools?' Or 'You fools, I pity you all?'"

"Your Grace," says Cedric, who has grown used to not answering such rhetorical questions, "word from Yardistan. "You told me to bring you news when they made a decision on the Musica deal. They've approved."

"Alas," says Yvain, "but I always knew the entrenched forces of conservativism and regional strife were too strong to - wait a second! Did you say they approved?"

"Yes, your grace," Cedric said, trying to hide a smile.

"Well," said Yvain, "I guess my speech-writing difficulties become merely academic, then." And he crumpled the paper which he had been writing on into a little ball and threw it into the trash can.

After Cedric left, he took out a mother-of-pearl box, unlocked it, and removed another piece of paper with TO DO LIST on the top, in big letters. He crossed out MORE CITIZENS with a sigh of relief and a smile. Next on the list was PLACE BARONIES.

He took out a yellow highliter and circled it. Then he underlined it twice for effect, drew a star beside it, and sketched a little Brookshirean flag inside the letter P in PLACE. The letter A turned into a foreign infantryman trying to capture the flag, and the L became a fortress wall in which the armies of Brookshire stood, bravely defending it. Finally, his procrastination strategies exhausted, he began deciding how to place baronies.


We have five people, six if Reynier comes by (Baron Erik, were you able to talk to him?). I would like to set that up into three Baronies of two people each, while leaving K'Tzuni for Maksym if he returns (someone said they heard he was going to, does anyone remember who that was?). This is a rough draft, and Baron Erik, if you object at all to anything I will change it, so please don't get angry at me, I am trying my best.

THE BARONY OF DOLOR - Woodshire, Caverden, Monty Crisco, Alexandretta. Ruled by Baron Erik. If Reynier joins, he will be the second citizen of this Duchy.

THE BARONY OF GOLDMOON - Ynnraile plus Lunaris. Ruled by Krasniy Yastreb, with me as the second citizen. The same as ancient Goldshire, but I have been forbidden by the old Duke to use that name, so I'm taking the "moon" from Lunaris to make "Goldmoon". Or does "Goldenmoon" sound better? Or what?

THE BARONY OF MUSICA-SOLECSISM. Musica, Highpass, Amarr, Thanatos, and Benacia. Ruled by Count Mike Fors with Bill Bekkenhuis as second citizen. Is there some significance to the name "Solecsism"? Google suggests it is a misspelling for "solecism", meaning grammatical mistake.

THE UNORGANIZED TERRITORY OF K'TZUNI. Shimmerspring, Lywind, Crestfall, and Modan-Lach. To be held for Maksym in case of his return. He would need to find a second citizen there for me to be truly happy, but he would get it regardless.

Well? I am anxiously awaiting your opinions, as there are still some parts of me unbruised from yesterday.

[Erik Mortis]

Ummm.. my advise? Leave them alone? They all have nice even to each other number of couties at 4-5 each, and if filled will work out nicely..


btw... sorry.



oh.. and before you get mad at me.. My opinion here is stemmed from the same reasoning as my opinion on the land movement, I would rather not see the borders change. Mostly cause there is not need, they are good borders.

[Krasniy Yastreb]

The trouble with changing jurisdictions is the sheer workload it creates for updating histories, and being sympathetic to the interests and legacies of absent but not totally dead residents. Ultimately you have to look at a real good reason to justify the shakeup. The principle I drew from your plan, of getting more Brookshirians to rule more of Brookshire is a sound one. But as Erik said (and Gods know, his opinion as the 'Ayatollah' of Brookshire is one worth listening to), the current borders may well function nicely with increased numbers.

Personally I'd suggest drawing in new residents first, and if things are still sluggish, only then changing the baronies.

(Although you seemed to infer uniting the two Lunarises as one, which I'd agree with. It's a single cultural entity and I don't know why it was ever split in the first place. Makes about as much sense as splitting Germany after WW2)

[b3n|<3r|\|]

I know nothing of Lunari or even Brookshirean history - but it may have been New Feudalism that tore it apart. Alot of what Shireroth was got twisted and thrown about during that period.

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Yeah, it's New Feudalism's fault. Before New Feud there were only a few Counties, and most places started on the Barony level. During New Feudalism, we decided to divide everywhere up into Counties. Lunaris was too big to be a County, so it got turned into two counties.

Yvain, you are trying to organize Brookshire around the real-life needs of its citizens. That's fine, except that Erik's modus operandi is to organize stuff for in-game role-playing reasons. So you are thinking "Oh, divide up the Baronies so that there are two people in each, and then the Baronies are equal and have a chance at developing real political systems." Whereas Erik is thinking "Keep the Baronies the way they were before, and then we preserve fictional culture and look nice on the map."

I happen to agree with your way of doing things, because I think keeping real life people happy is more useful than keeping fictional stuff looking nice. But it doesn't matter what I think. You are in Brookshire, and doing things a way other than Erik's in Brookshire is a losing proposition.

[Malliki]

Erik has himself said that he doesn't like that everyone agrees with him just because he's ERIK. I think Yvain should listen to everyone, and then make up his own mind. Erik of course is a voice to listen to, but the duke is the duke.

[b3n|<3r|\|]

It's not Erik's fault, nor Erik's wish. But... it would be stupid to say "Erik's opinion means just as much as the next Shirerithians" because, while in every intended and legal way, it does, in reality, his experience and his unofficial position as "oldie"/"founder" lead to it meaning a little more than that.

[Erik Mortis]

Scott's evaluation of my views is mostly correct. But I also know the present situation is going to change, and so when it does, it'll be a pain to move it all again later. I like setting up systems, long term structures..etc. So making a change based on a short term, present need, unless it is REALLY needed, sometimes bugs me.

I like the current set up, it's a nice clean layout, very even. So when we can fill it, it'll work out VERY nicely.

And I don't wanna have to make ALL new maps of Brookshire and Dolor.

But I liked the new name for Goldshire, if it ever becomes a Duchy again. Which is also something we need to consider; Some day we should try to restore Goldenmoon.

As another option, Lunaureate? (Lunar + Aureate) (Moon + gold)

[Yvain Wintersong]

Scott's evaluation of my views is also mostly correct. Thank you, Scott, for your analysis, and Count Mike, for your advice.

I hope I have proven I am willing to stand up to Baron Erik when I think it is totally necessary for the good of the Barony. However, I don't want to make a habit of steamrolling over people. As the saying goes, I have to choose my battles. I do think rearranging the Baronies here would make it easier for them to develop their own political structure and culture, but I don't care enough to start a fight about it, especially when I worry I am already alienating people. So the Baronies stay as they are, though if we get many more people I might have to revisit this issue.

Except that I really do want Musica combined with Solecsism, so I can give it to Count Mike. Baron Erik, can you assent to that much?

[Erik Mortis]

Huh? I had no issue with that. I thought that's what was happening.

Wait.. wouldn't more people make a rearrangement unnecessary?

[Yvain Wintersong]

Actually, before I say that for certain, there is the one little issue of Count Krasniy.

I would like to make Krasniy a Baron, because Erik and I both are Barons and Count Krasniy doesn't seem any less deserving of a high position. But I am wary of naming him Baron of Neurac under the current system of Baronies, because that would mean we have three one-person Baronies (four if Baron Maksym returns). Everyone in Brookshire would be a Baron except poor Bill Bekkenhuis, who would probably want a title of his own before long. And although there is no law prohibiting me from making everyone a Baron, there's no honor in having a noble title if I just give them to everyone, right? We might as well just call Barons "commoners".

Baron Erik and Count Krasniy, you have both had more experience in these matters than I. Which would be the least of three evils: making Krasniy remain a Count, redrawing the Baronies as proposed above, or handing out Baronial titles to everyone?

[Yvain Wintersong]

Huh? I had no issue with that. I thought that's what was happening.

Wait.. wouldn't more people make a rearrangement unnecessary?

Musica is becoming a County here, but it will have no Barony unless I decree it to be part of one. I've agreed not to change any other Baronial borders around, but I would like to decree Musica as part of Solecsism if that is acceptable to you.

And maybe more people could make it more necessary or less necessary, depending on what Counties the new people were in. Or we could rearrange the people, I guess. Let's burn that bridge when we come to it!

[Krasniy Yastreb]

Mmm... Baronship *drool*

I'd be in favour of the barons-all-round idea myself (but then I stand to gain from it, so my judgement is not to be trusted ). Seriously though, if you want to demonstrate strength of will in doing SOMETHING, but don't want to cause too much of a ruckus fidding with borders, it's the better option. Ok so it'll result in a top-heavy all-chiefs-no-indians system, but that's going to happen to a certain extent whatever we do...

[Erik Mortis]

That was my plan. To fill in the barons, then fill in the baronies. I honestly see no problems with it.

[Yvain Wintersong]

I understand and accept your advice. I can't say I like the current system in which the title of Baron is meaningless, but that is the Imperial government's problem and not mine.

I will promote Count Krasniy to Baron of Neurac once the Musica deal goes through the Landsraad. If Count Krasniy wants to change the name of the Barony, then I leave him to work out that issue with Baron Erik, but I myself have no objection to it.

I will give Solecsism to Count Mike at the same time and let Mr. Bekkenhuis take the Solecsist County of his choice, with the same caveat about name changes. I will leave the Barony of K'Tzuni for Baron Maksym until I am absolutely certain he will not come back.

That should give us Barons for all our Baronies, and then we can start filling them in. Baron Erik, any progress on the Reynier issue?

[Bill Bekkenhuis]

Everyone in Brookshire would be a Baron except poor Bill Bekkenhuis, who would probably want a title of his own before long. And although there is no law prohibiting me from making everyone a Baron, there's no honor in having a noble title if I just give them to everyone, right? We might as well just call Barons "commoners".

I will give Solecsism to Count Mike at the same time and let Mr. Bekkenhuis take the Solecsist County of his choice, with the same caveat about name changes. I will leave the Barony of K'Tzuni for Baron Maksym until I am absolutely certain he will not come back.

Nobles -

I appreciate this, I really do, but my ambitions at this point are limited to being a commoner.

That was the same aspiration I had when I joined Morovia.

But then HM King Vincent III said he needed me for His Majesty's Cabinet.

And then I was told that anyone in the cabinet really should be in HM Royal Assembly.

Then His Majesty left and appointed me Lord Regent in his absence.

And this all occurred within the first three months or so of being a citizen

My plan, such as it is, is to contribute to the nation's activity and narrative as a commoner.

Are there any other commoners in the nation? Maybe we should start a support group?

But I really do appreciate the recognition and would certainly do whatever was necessary if Shireroth or my Duchy was in a bind.

Thanks,
Bill

[Erik Mortis]

I haven't gotten ahold of him/ see him on AIM... so... nothing.

And I got Dolor, rename things as you please...

[Krasniy Yastreb]

Since my return to the realm I've been confused at the Barony once named Vorpmadal being renamed Neurac yet presently being listed as Vorpmadal on the forum. Was it renamed Neurac but changed back, or is someone just being sloppy updating names?

[b3n|<3r|\|]

Someone renamed Vorpmadal? TREASON!

[Ari Rahikkala]

Since my return to the realm I've been confused at the Barony once named Vorpmadal being renamed Neurac yet presently being listed as Vorpmadal on the forum. Was it renamed Neurac but changed back, or is someone just being sloppy updating names?

Hey, the MiniInt can't be everywhere and see everything... well, it can... but it has a very short attention span .

[Yvain Wintersong]

Are there any other commoners in the nation? Maybe we should start a support group?

Well, as you've noticed above, noble title inflation is getting to be a problem. Why, just yesterday I learned my gardener had become a viscount. The cook is a thane, the waiters are all baronets, and the maid became a comtessa last Rasday. Last week I asked my tailor, Lord Anwyn of 52 Tristram Street, if there were any commoners left in the city. He says he hears rumors sometimes, but there's never any positive proof. They once dug up a half-rotted corpse from some sort of encampment in the sewers, but the police investigation concluded he had been a marquis.

[Erik Mortis]

IT ain't that bad...

[hypatias mom]

Your Grace--

In case anyone would like to own one, Hypatias dad just suggested that I start to offer proof of commoner status, available on request. Commoner-ship would put one in a rare posiition here in Shireroth, almost as hard-to-spot as the blue moose.

[Krasniy Yastreb]

I can wear a flat cap and toil in the fields 4 days a week if that helps...

[Bill Bekkenhuis]

I can wear a flat cap and toil in the fields 4 days a week if that helps...

Toiling?

In the fields?!

With my allergies?

(You know - pollen, leaf mold, hard work... that sort of thing.)

Maybe I should give this another think

[hypatias mom]

That would be a peasant or a serf. A commoner doesn't necessarily have to do those things. (And I have similar allergies, also, so I feel your pain here.) You just won't have a noble title, and with a certificate you can prove it. You can choose your own field of endeavor, and it doesn't have to involve dirt. hehe

[Bill Bekkenhuis]

You can choose your own field of endeavor, and it doesn't have to involve dirt. hehe

Ah, but I'm going to be a lawyer, so I'm afraid it will

[Oroigawa Koreyasu]

...I'm a commoner...

[b3n|<3r|\|]

Commoner is a state of mind.

[hypatias mom]

Bill, I had forgotten the legal office. Yes, you will defiknitely be dealing with dirt, just not the kind that usually aggravates hay fever and backbreaking work in the sun. You should be fine there.