What the hell have you done?

[Falkner van der Sluijs]

I'm so goddamn confused, someone give me a quick rundown of what the fuck happened to the feudal system and why duchies have turned into "houses"

Also, who is Kaiser? It looks Erik-y but leaves a Ardashir-esque aftertaste. My guess is Erik because of the Monty Crisco thing.

[Jacobus Loki]

What the hell have you done?

My sentiments exactly. It's an ill-conceived plan to generate activity, and bring the Kaiser more control.

[Falkner van der Sluijs]

Typical Jacobus response

[Aurangzeb Khan]

I'm so goddamn confused, someone give me a quick rundown of what the fuck happened to the feudal system and why duchies have turned into "houses"

Also, who is Kaiser? It looks Erik-y but leaves a Ardashir-esque aftertaste. My guess is Erik because of the Monty Crisco thing.

Hello & fuck off. A.K.A. welcome back Corey! We've really missed you...

[Falkner van der Sluijs]

I based the Ardy-ishness solely off some of the decree wording, it was very fancy and you-like.

[Jacobus Loki]

Typical Jacobus response

And yet true, for all of that.

Corey, neat!

I'm in the middle of a coup in Cyberia (VCC), follow the friendly nation ^ link.

And somebody start a rebellion around here, and get it over with!

[Falkner van der Sluijs]

Well...you know I would...

But I'm pretty bad about rebellions anymore...

I'm considering going back to playing by the rules again. Might be an interesting experience.

[Kaiser Mors VI]

Welcome Corey. It is I, Erik. I'm... experimenting. Go ahead and pick a House to join. 3 have Major Status, and thus Duke's. 1 has a Baron, and 1 has no Noble(House Mortis).

Basiclly, I've been dissatisfied with the Duchy system for some time, I suggested an idea, people seemed to actually kinda like it, except Jake/Greg, so I made it happen. Some things are still being worked out. but if you join a House they may have some extra land, or something for you to work on. Eventually, you could gain some land, titles, money.. etc. Maybe even getting a House of your own some day.

[Falkner van der Sluijs]

A house of my own? I am of imperial blood as is! :

Ok, in all seriousness now, I am...unsure about this system. I initially came back looking for Hurmu, but it seems she is recently deceased. I'd be...vaguely willing to work with this system, but again I'm unsure about it. It seems....confrontational...

[Malliki Tosha]

Jake, stop with the Emperor of Cyberia bullshit, or I will ban you.

[Jacobus Loki]

OK.

The saddest thing for NovaCyberia (and the best news for Erik's recent whatever) is that if I hadn't mentioned in Shireroth I probably could have gone on for another week or two.

[Malliki Tosha]

I check in at least once per day, so proly not.

[Jacobus Loki]

(shrug)

(Answered in more detail in Cyberia.)

[Kaiser Mors VI]

Corey: It could be if people took it that direction. I do admit I would encourage a healthy amount of competition between houses if given the chance. Duchies had no reason to compete for greatness outside of the simple knowledge of being in the lead. And even then, there were not many ways for duchies to distinguish themselves. Maybe money. Now Houses can grow, earn land, money, titles...etc. If a single House grows to strong the kaiser can grant minor houses within major status breaking up the house, rewarding active citizens..etc. You don't have to wait for a Duke to disappear or retire to move up, just distinguish yourself, gather some people and prove you are worthy of Title.

[Scott of Hyperborea]

Jake, stop with the Emperor of Cyberia bullshit, or I will ban you.

OK

Wow, after ten years, who knew it was that easy?

[Jacobus Loki]

Duchies had no reason to compete for greatness outside of the simple knowledge of being in the lead.

Local history? Regionalism? Pluralism? Local deities, cuisines, cultures? All of these reside more in the Duchies than anywhere else.

The Duchies are the repository of the soul of Shireroth. This puts everything in a blender and creates a Unitary State. May as well delete that last bit of "Republic" from the name. It is sad that Kildare, Elwynn, Yardistan and Straylight had to pay for the failure of Goldbrookshirestan.

However, history teaches that this to shall pass. Kaisers are mortal, and we shall see the day of Reynaud II, Aurangzeb II, Meskan III. We will see peace and love again with the advent of Anandja II, and yes, someday Loki IV or James VI.

Even Mortis VII.

The wheel goes round.

"Shireroth sumus. Tempus in parte nostrum est."

[Falkner van der Sluijs]

we shall see the day of Reynaud II

Who?

[Kaiser Mors VI]

ummm... right. It was more then Just Brookshire/Goldshire that was dying. Straylight/Yardistan merged and unmerged in about a month's time. Most of the lands in ALL Duchies was unused, or held hostage by personal claims. I freed up lands, gave room for reward and consequence, allowed for political mobility. Now a person can move around and assuming they have the land granted to them and not the house, take their land with them. Now a house and individuals must earn their rights and privileges.
I added another level of nobility that gives us the ability to grant title without overwhelming the Landsraad with speakers. We've got a better system, in my opinion, for handling succession of the Kaisership based more on merit and power. The throne can pass the traditional way, by declared heir, but will also follow the Imperial House, or jump to a House with size in either people or land, or title.
We now have a system that hopefully won't encourage one person subdivisions. People need to work together for both individual and group advancement.

These were my goals. If I destroyed "culture" in the process, I am sad. I recognize the loss, and have worked to minimize it as much as possible. People were given complete input in the entire process. I ask opinions, I even asked if I should do it. I seemed to have popular support for this experiment. So far, I think the results are promising, I'm pleased with them. I am sad that you and Greg (and Corey?) don't approve of the process. But I've learned from my own attempts to keep everything static; that we can't. We need to allow ideas to happen, to open windows for people. I'm trying to do that.

Now, Many of the Cultural centers of Shireroth remained through this. Elwynn remains largely intact, and even larger then it was previously. Kildare has gained yourself. And now we have a rather large and powerful new faction in the Nation. House Tosha-Straylight(Ashpool?).

The core government is still there. All the institutions are the same. I just changed how we organize people and land.

I did SOMETHING. For so long we haven't done anything. I admit to being part of that problem. Now I'm trying to set a new tone. Yes I've made drastic changes to some organization, but I'd like to think I had popular support, consultation from the people of Shireroth. I didn't just decree it so. I asked questions, sought feedback. Hell, I wanted to take longer before implementing fully, but people seemed into the process and started going with it. So I made decrees, moved forums...etc.

Jake, you seem to be trying to vilify me as some oppressor of the people, but as far as I can see most generally support what has happened. Some because it seemed a good idea, others simply amusing, others for personal gain. At best 3 opposed the process, many supported, either actively or through simple consent. This was no bulldozing of the people by a greater power. This was no lark of one man. While I did push for the change, I had discussed it for quite some time. I put it forth and got input. If this was democracy Jake, you got out voted in a way. So, please stop trying to act the victim, it doesn't suit you. And I am not your oppressor. I am not the evil Kaiser of history. I am not The Tyrant.
I admit to a firm hand in my affairs from the start of this Kaisership. But that is because I know one is needed. Firm, but Fair, should be the goal of every Kaiser. Yielding and sympathetic to the moods and attitudes of the people, but resolute in action. If I have upset or offended any, I am sorry; truly. But I have done what I believe was needed, and what I believe I had consent to do.

If I was this Tyrant you want to see me as, I would have restored the True Flag of Shireroth and a few other things. But no, I know it was the will of many to change the flag, and I will not try to impose my will so flagrantly.

If others feel as you have, let them come forth and discuss the matter. I know I have done the deed by this point, but perhaps recompense can be achieved. If nothing else, it will let me show that I AM listening.

[Falkner van der Sluijs]

(and Corey?)

No, I'm merely unsure of my ability to participate in it in a healthy manner. If it works here, then it does, and I haven't a right to complain either way, being that I technically left. I was looking for answers as to what happened (this being a rather drastic change), and I understand the system now...I think...

[Aurangzeb Khan]

The Duchies are the repository of the soul of Shireroth.

Granted that was probably just a rhetorical device but aren't we getting a bit Hegelian there, what with the suggesting unincorporated communities of silly individuals playing an absurd game have souls and all that... and if your Nakama can't cope with a bit of local government reform then there isn't much hope for the place.

Beyond that it is basically what Erik just said, in spite of Shireroth having a relatively stable population base the whole duchy-system was falling apart what with the collapse of Brookshire/Goldshire & Straylight/Yardistan, the stagnation of Elwynn and the whatever it was that was happening in Kildare-which-does-its-own-thing-and-stays-out-of-the-headlines.

And as for killing "culture" that is bollocks - you are all still alive, there is a wiki and there are forum archives - there is still as much "culture" for people to ignore and not be arsed with as there ever was.

Finally Erik deserves a vote of thanks for doing something that is both surprising and interesting, even if he was the only one of us who could ever have got away with pressing ahead with such a madcap scheme. A change is as good as a rest.

[Kaiser Mors VI]

Thank you Khan. I do appreciate those sentiments and comments.

Corey: I'm sure you could join any given house and make many positive contributions. House Mortis, though a Commoner House could use more people. Kildare needs some more population as well.

[Falkner van der Sluijs]

It's not so much a matter of making positive contributions. I've done those in the past, no worries. The issue more lies in my ability to not go insane again, which is...questionable in this kind of system. I'm unsure, and I'm not entirely positive if I'm willing to take that risk.

[Scott of Hyperborea]

This is Shireroth. We're pretty used to people going insane, and it doesn't faze us. I'd say we want you back (although you might want to do what I'm doing and stay out of the chat room, since it's only gotten more trollish in the past while)

[Falkner van der Sluijs]

(although you might want to do what I'm doing and stay out of the chat room, since it's only gotten more trollish in the past while)

To be fair, this is how I feel about the whole hobby recently, but that's probably just me.

I think I shall...observe for a while. I'm very uneasy about coming back for pretty obvious reasons. I may wait until after my evaluation results come back (about a month) before I start actively participating. I might be more tolerable then.

[Kaiser Mors VI]

*shrug* The choice is yours. You are always welcome.

Scott: The Chat... is the chat. It's not that bad. I have no issues in it. Okey.. the diplomacy nagging and badgering from certain folk was annoying, but that was regardless of the Chat.

[Shyriath]

This is Shireroth. We're pretty used to people going insane, and it doesn't faze us.

*shrug* The choice is yours. You are always welcome.

Seconded, on both counts.

[Falkner van der Sluijs]

I have evidence against both of these, but I'll just let it lie.

[Kaiser Mors VI]

Corey, I admit we have teased you in the past. But it was generally done out of camaraderie and playful banter. Whether you choose to believe this or not, is up to you. I admit not everyone will get along all the time. There have been times when you, and others have tried my patience, but generally things pass. I know I've tried the patience of many. I tease Scott all the time doesn't mean I don't like him. Even Jake and I aren't seeing eye to eye at the moment, still like the guy.

You are welcome here, and we ARE used to insanity. Sometimes, certain people might have less patience for it, but we deal. Life goes on. Maybe some of us could learn a bit more tact, but you need to know most people don't hate you or want you gone. Do some of us have criticisms about certain behaviors, sure. Everyone has their opinion about everyone else. Just realize most people here are friends with most everyone else, that includes you.

[Falkner van der Sluijs]

but you need to know most people don't hate you or want you gone.

Most people, fine, but I have a chatlog around here somewhere...

EDIT: The answer is yes, I'm very paranoid about things.

[Harvey Steffke]

This is Shireroth. We're pretty used to people going insane, and it doesn't faze us. I'd say we want you back (although you might want to do what I'm doing and stay out of the chat room, since it's only gotten more trollish in the past while)

Odd statement from someone who hasn't been there in about two months.