Rebirth of the Forgotten Continent

[Mr. Capiatlist]

((Or you could be discussing what to do about them: simply repel them or all out invasion. Remember, we only get three colonists a year if I've set things up right. To simplify the first election, party founders will have been assumed to have "won" the primaries. Sorry if this steps on anyone's toes but I want to stick to schedule.))

[Anjwalker]

((Add me to the Mercators, please.))

"I am disgusted with Senator Tsharthagion's sentiment. Urollans are Alantians just as much as ourselves, and enslaving them would be a crime like no other in the history of Atlantis. You only thirst for the gold that such an act would bring you.

Instead, I advocate that we should, as peacefully as possible, integrate them into our nation. As proven by the Urollans among us, if given an education they can become outstanding, upright members of our society.

[Magnive]

"Please tell me, how do you intend to integrate them into our nation? The only way I can possibly imagine bringing the lands under our control would be to settle them"

[ncm]

"The Urollans amongst us today have been assimilated into the gloried civilisation of our republic," said Pavo Tstharthigon. "Though their ethnic brethren must be instilled systemically with our society's virtues - dedication, honour, passion - through hard labour. I suggest that all conquered Urollans be enslaved until their master's death to propagate these values and extinguish the barbarian tongue, whence they will become freedmen."

"Senators, a Urollan slave tribute would sufficiently fund this state for several generations: and Senator Smigt, you may recall that I originally proposed offering an ultimatum to the Urollan hordes of a slave tribute or self-defensive invasion, for they have pillaged and scoured our lands like animals and must therefore pay in souls living and killed," he said. "Senator Solangus, my good comrade, is right: war limits the breadth of commerce, and rarely will I cast support for war and then only with deepest sorrow. But, on this occasion, we must set forth an ultimatum and stand by it: if not, Azlanxo merrily tolerates violations of its own right to exist."

"Slavery supports Atlantean commerce significantly, thereby benefiting all Atlanteans. Any Atlantean can buy a slave and avoid meagre laborious tasks, favouring intense study of the arts or the physical world and advance our society's culture and technology; abolish it, and our society will stagnate and collapse without the necessary intellectual impetus provided by the simple time to consider the greater questions of life."

"Peace facilitates trade, gentlemen: how can a typical merchant want war unless in exceptional circumstances?"

((Would Atlanteans perhaps have tobacco, somehow? Maybe acquired from some ancient Caribbean journey...))

[ncm]

---

MERCATORS

The Mercators represent the Atlantean bourgeoisie politically, principally the merchant class: with the oligarchy overthrown and replaced by democracy, bourgeois interests and beliefs must propagate or decline. As many compete for parliamentary supremacy, the Mercators must enshrine the basic commercial freedom of all men and revive a Golden Age of peace and trade, with societal collapse the ultimate consequence of failure.

All rightful citizens live and die with the right to trade freely, buying and selling goods as varied as bread and books. What is the state, then, to revoke or challenge these freedoms, as it contemplates in Senatorial debate? The entrenched nobility and military cannot freely govern Atlantis as born, without disastrous results: if given so, their commercial restrictions would deprive Atlantis' of its commercial heritage and, without any impulse for advancement, into a slow decline of humiliation.

The Mercators call for a Republic of Trade and Commerce, an Azlanxo drawing a majority of its state income from trade. Nonetheless, senators are politically autonomous with greatly varied philosophies, united by a shared vision of a Merchants' Republic.

Mercator policies and members are are as follows:

Sliders:
+1 Centralised/Decentralised.
+5 Aristocracy/Plutocracy.
+2 Serfdom/Free Subjects.
-3 Innovative/Narrowminded.
+5 Mercantilism/Free Trade.
0 Offensive/Defensive.
+2 Land/Naval.
-3 Quality/Quantity.

Members:
Pavo Tsharthagion, Solangus Balvaksin, Erodel Krispin, Erodel Krupt and Skantus Voralius.

The Mercators are presently led by Senator Pavo Tsharthagion, an ethnic Eurpan slave-merchant and nominee for Imperatorship (full candidacy speech). Mercator membership is acquired through publicly declaring it in the Senate. Leadership elections and policy conventions provisionally occur immediately after Imperator elections.

[quicksabre]

Senator Smigt speaks the truth - I have heard no louder voice for war in this room than the Mercators. Erodel and Alexite speak of issuing formal warnings to half the continent, while Pavo himself waxes enthusiastic about the spoils of conquest and calls it 'defense'. My friends, listen to yourselves! Hear the reason in your hearts you are deceived by your would-be leader! He justifies slavery by likening our enemies to beasts and calling them beyond help. Yet he admits fully that they can be saved by integration and education. Can you not see through the deception?

turns to Alexite Wardoxan
Alexite, my noble merchant, you, of all people, why do you shame yourself before the gods by aligning yourself with this, as you say, disgusting sentiment? Stand up for yourself, stand up for the gods, stand up for humanity! Reject the gold veneer of the Mercators' questionable promises!

Turns back to the crowd
I, too, was taken in by the silky tongues and booming rhetoric of the newly wealthy. But they have revealed their true colors! Reject the profiteers who try to squash the people with wealth instead of blood, and drown the gods in their vats of gold as they buy others to bear their burdens.

[Kaioo]

"The way those of the Mercators speak, it makes me think they do not care about our realm, or our fellow Atlanteans, but they only care for the gold they can pocket, even if it would lead to us being hated by the continet, and targeted. If Pavo somehow even gets into power, it will be a dark day for Azlanxo, as well as the rest of Atlantis, as he will surely lead us to destruction with his wanting for enslaving the others. It's as if you Mercators just want to make us everybody's enemy by threatening them all, as Pontia has pointed out.

Our enemies are not beasts, they are far from it! They are Atlanteans. They are intelligent people. So, if you talk of enslaving the Urollans, are you going to do the same to the Urollans in our lands? To the very Urollan in our Senate? The Urollans are not something for you to profit from, if their realm is decided upon to be integrated with Azlanxo, they should get the same rights as us, they should not be degraded to slaves!

I can not believe there are a number of you here in the Senate who are willing to support a man that seeks to enslave other Atlanteans! If he got into power, what would stop him from seeking to enslave everyone else? The Norrans,the Eurpans and so on? All he cares about is the money he shall make, he does not care for his fellow Atlanteans!"-Auron Desimodius

[Chlorna]

Alexite, my noble merchant, you, of all people, why do you shame yourself before the gods by aligning yourself with this, as you say, disgusting sentiment? Stand up for yourself, stand up for the gods, stand up for humanity! Reject the gold veneer of the Mercators' questionable promises!

"Senator Pontia, I do believe a man's decision should be his own, and not something to be questioned by others. That said, I welcome any man who can tell our future does not lie with those who rule by blood, or with blood...It lies with those who use their willpower to achieve success."

- Solangus

[cavebear3000]

Populares
Jendea, Herialvea, Jainkoentea
(For the people, for the state, for the gods)

The first official political group to coalesce from the fires of the revolution, the Populares first convened in the wake of the great “Defense of Atlantic City.” After much debate and collaboration, these men and women were able to create a concrete ideology…

(-2) Centralised/Decentralised.
(0) Aristocracy/Plutocracy.
(+5) Serfdom/Free Subjects.
(-3) Innovative/Narrowminded.
(+2) Mercantilism/Free Trade.
(-1) Offensive/Defensive.
(-1) Land/Naval.
(-2) Quality/Quantity.
(+3) Isolationism/Expansionism
(+3) Secularism/Theocracy

Primicerius (leader): Graetius Tauronian
(future Primicerii will be elected every 5 years)

Dicerius (2nd in command):Auron Desimodius
(future dicerii will be elected every 5 years)

Members:
Graetius Tauronian
Auron Desimodius
Katalin Belatz
Alexite Wardoxan
Ostarian Llan
Illriyo Moruterrar

We, the Populares, are a multi-ethnic coalition of Senators who are focused on promoting equality throughout Aztlani society. We believe that ultimate political power should lie in the hands of the masses, not in the exclusive grip of “highborn” aristocrats and shadowy merchants and we will fight for both the political and economic rights of every Atlantean.

We, the Populares, believe in the general axiom that decentralization will inevitably lead to a feudal society in which the strong can take from the weak without fear of retribution. To evade this retrogression of the social order, and to promote the general effectiveness of the state, we seek to centralize the government to some extent. The Populares are well aware of the potentially heavy financial costs that a centralized bureaucracy may bring with it. Therefore we must also stress the necessity of maintaining national fiscal responsibility. Even the merchants in this senate house will agree that fiscal responsibility is one of the most important tasks of government.

We, the Populares, promote a fundamentally offensive stance with regards to the military. The history of Atlantis and the personal experiences of the more militant members have shown that the best defense regularly comes in the form of a good offense. This does not mean that the Populares will look for war if elected, but it does mean that we will readily defend our borders against invaders and cattle-thieves, be them attackers Urrolan, Norran, Eurpan, or even rogue Aztlani.

We, the Populares, mindful that Atlanxo must defend itself from land invasion and conscious of the growing instability to the East, South, and West, have come to the understanding that our land forces should be bolstered. We are confident that our existing navy can manage any assault on our coasts and we still wholeheartedly defend the merchants of Aztlanxo with our warships if ever pirates should threaten their trading enterprises.

---The Populares---

Imperator Candidate: Graetius Tauronian[/FONT]

[Magnive]

"Pontia, I do not know about you, but I would prefer fighting a war against Eurpan in order to prevent them from growing too strong, rather than letting them conquer some of the states next to it, and then turn against us, at which point a war would be very difficult to win, if possible at all. Until we are by far the strongest power on Atlantis, we must seek to maintain a balance of power.

Auron, I believe that there is a difference between Urollans who live civilized in our land, and those who raid our border settlements, also, I cannot recall the last time where they have had a diplomatic interaction which was more than "Give us gold", or "Admit that we defeated you". Please correct me here if I'm wrong"

- Erodel Krispin

[Kaisersohaib]

My friend, you have that Krupt look about you.... from where have you come? Perhaps we met in our younger lives?

Maybe yes, Maybe no...

[theAhawk]

((If the merchants did succeed and made us a merchant republic, would we have twice the number of elections in story based on the change in frequency in game? Or would the script be changed to make those elections every 8 years like in the republic form?))

[Kaisersohaib]

I want to join the Mercators party as it seems more profiteable than the Populares

[quicksabre]

Erodel, I agree, but there are, shall we say, friendlier ways to accomplish these objectives - why not seek an alliances with the Eurpaxo and Korizembe? We will then have established ourselves as the leader of a coalition that can halt the ambitions of the South while not alienating our neighbors.

(( Should the parties post their stances on Expansionism/Isolationism and Secularism/Theocracy as well? ))

[Magnive]

Pontia, if we allied them they might start some war, and then call us into that. I would prefer having a merely defensive alliance, but I do not know if we can arrange it as such, which is why I believe that we should jsut guarantee them.

[quicksabre]

Guarantees are an excellent compromise, and one that I support fully.

[Soulstrider]

Name: Skantus Voralius

Age:34

Patron Deity: Deznon

Culture: Ollan

Job/business: Merchant

Background: Skantus was born in a Ollan small merchant family. Most of his youth was spent sailing from a port to another, selling and buying wares. Due to is quick wits and good sense for business, he quickly enriched and started to expand his family's company, buying a small fleet and warehouses in several coastal cities. Eventually he moved to the rich city of Azlanxo, where he married and ended up naturalizing.

During the rebellions he supported the rebel cause, he used his fleets to supply the rebels and at the same time raid the ships of those who would supply the oligarchs. Due to his contributions, he earned the respect of the citizens of Azlanxo and was made a congressman.

Political leaning: Like many of his colleagues he believes trade is essential for the development of the nation and the prosperity of the people. Recently he come to dream of an once again united and multi-ethnic Atlantis, though he would prefer to make this dream come through more peaceful means than through the force of arms. He prefers to avoid conflict however he has no problems resorting to violence if the cause is noble enough (like the revolution) or if someone threatens the peace and stability of Azlanxo.

[Mr. Capiatlist]

((Okay everyone, two announcements. Elections start tomorrow. To vote you just need a character and to post the party you are voting for. The three parties you can vote for are Populares, Mercators, and Optimates. When you vote remember to bold your response so I can quickly and easily tally it. Voting will end one week from tomorrow and we can start forming government if necessary.

Second announcement: The beta for AEIOU has been released. Enjoy.))

[Mr. Capiatlist]

((Voting is open!))

[cavebear3000]

Party: Populares