Aquilegia/Concept
Aquilegia: Its Identity, its Functioning, and its Ideal
Identity
On technical terms Aquilegia is a democratic theocracy. Before we get any further, let us examine this type of government system.
A theocracy, if we were to dissect the terms, would literally mean "God(s) rule", or "rule by god(s)". In most cultures that have god(s), the definition contains elements that usually equate "god" with "divinity". So on a more general scale, I would say that a theocracy is the "rule by divinity". That is not to say that it is the rule by religion.
Religion is often the adherence to divinity of some sort. Although there can be elements of study and of thought to understand the natures and intricacies of divinity, the most prominent role or religion I believe is to proliferate the beliefs and values of the divinity to which the religion ascribes. So I would say that the theocracy part of Aquilegia is not quite so limited as to be ruled by just a religion.
So what is the theocracy of Aquilegia? To gain a full understanding, we must look at the other half: Democracy. A democracy is the "rule by people", or a more literal translation would yield "rule by village". For the intent of our discussion on Aquilegia, let us go with the more general "rule by people". In a perfect democracy each member of the realm would be equal, in regards to the effect one might have in the government. We will not go into the gory details of egalitarianism nor will we examine whether a democracy can be truly equal to all citizens, but we will see that in a democracy such as Aquilegia, discussion amongst all nobles is encouraged and welcomed.
"Rule by divinity", and "rule by people", are the two elements that make up the unique identity of Aquilegia. And when we see a convergence of these two terms, there is something quite intriguing in our product. "Rule by divine people" results, more or less, which in more practical terms, means that the citizens of Aquilegia can indeed achieve this state of "divinity". How is this possible? One method suggests the notion of "excellence", in the sense of doing what is "good" in all situations where such is possible. While the achievement of excellence, and the very definition of what is "the good" is a work in progress, what Aquilegia can do is pursue excellence.
So what is the role of Sanguis Astroism in Aquilegia? The religion has the primary goal of spreading, but it can also seek to elucidate the concepts of its divinity. The Scarlet Trinity offers a strong suggestion towards excellence, and in fact has the material to realize the divine ascension of its believers to a more excellent state. For additional reading on this concept of the Scarlet Trinity, read here: Church of the Scarlet Trinity
A religion can evolve such that its interpretation becomes more accessible to more people while remaining true to its identity. In Aquilegia, one such project is to catalyze the change in at least Aquilegian observation of Sanguis Astroism such that it is in keeping with the respect for autonomy and rule by people, while at the same time allowing for the means to attain a higher and more perfect condition.
That is the Identity of Aquilegia. But in order to find a way to achieve excellence amongst the nobles of the realm, which is a desirable quality much like good health is a desirable quality, we need nobles who are open-minded about the possibility of such a future.
Functioning
The Aquilegian Constitution and a companion piece On the Roles and Responsibilities of the Nobles of Aquilegia provide the practical settings for the functioning of Aquilegia. Read them when you have the time.
As a democracy and theocracy (Note the Identity section where we defined the Aquilegian sense of both these terms) Aquilegia still contains features of feudal society. The duke has oversight of his lords, and the lords have oversight of their knights. The dukes are the major representatives to the ruler, bringing him or her their concerns and interests. The ruler then acts as the international realm representative. In most cases of domestic policy, the duke or duchess has oversight over his or her duchy. Also, the ruler cannot at the same time be the duke/duchess, to improve the overall representation of the realm without any conflict of interest.
Lords are voted in by popular decision, and dukes are voted in by the Senate. The Senate is composed of the council, dukes, and lords. The council is appointed by the ruler, who is voted in by popular decision. At present, there are relatively few nobles and options for lordships are not too diverse. We hope that those of you who are statesmen and/or builders would be interested in sharing your visions for the development of our regions. There are many opportunities, so I offer you to take them.
As for the military, at present there are too few nobles to undertake any serious battles other than monster skirmishes. However, if we gain more nobles we have the geographical defensibility to allow for long-distance military campaigns. That is, if you like to battle. Obviously, you are one addition to the realm, and each addition strengthens us. Do not underestimate your role in our realm, for each noble is very important, in a way, we could say it is close to the "equality" of an ideal egalitarian democracy.
In commerce, well, we have a pretty good trading partnership with Morek set up, and Morek has the most amount of food in all of Dwilight. Really, if you are looking for money, it's all here for you to make.
Ideal
What is the ultimate goal of Aquilegia? Perhaps it is better to call it the "ultimate pursuit". The underlying efforts of Aquilegia as a whole in ideal form is the pursuit of excellence, in each noble, and by the combined sum of the nobles, in the realm as a whole.
Can we achieve this state of divinity for our nobles, who then rule the realm as an excellent entity? It could be possible, but we need you to be the factors who help us gain a diverse set of ideas and methods such that we can facilitate this pursuit.
Some OOC Disclaimers and Stuff
The appeal to excellence and the methods outlined in the Scarlet Trinity version of SA are indeed analogs of Aristotle's excellence an the life of reflection in his Nicomachean Ethics. However I have attempted to make my own interpretations of what this "excellence" is about, and to convert it, to reshape it, and to bring it to a form that can be applied in a controlled environment such as this fictional one. Will it succeed? Who knows. I remain optimistic in the better nature of humanity though, and I believe that Aristotle did have some valuable ideas in his concept of "excellence".
I am not just placing Aristotle on paper and saying "This is Aristotle applied to Sanguis Astroism and my realm". I am instead interpreting the ideas of the ancient thinker, taking the idea of "excellence" as a final lofty goal that could be achieved through several means. And the means I suggest are by no means exhaustive, as many methods, I believe, can lead to this final goal.
But to have any hope of achieving this, we do need discussion, and while I cannot determine how many people join the realm, I can assist in maintaining courtesy and actual discussion (even if my character sometimes isn't the most gentle talker). Also, as a tip to always remember, when arguments get heated, or if conflicts occur within the game between characters, take a deep breath, calm down, and understand that this is all a game. We are meant to enjoy it.
Take care, and good luck with your Battlemaster experience. --Qmasterflex86 09:56, 6 May 2009 (UTC)
