Congress of Democracy/Civil Suit/Argument Six

Count Jon Paul, Democrat?

Supreme Justice, you are no doubt well aware that I have labelled the Count of An Najaf a tyrant. Many have been unable to understand why I recognize him as so. In this part of the trial I will present Count Jon Paul not as the elected official the twelve nobles who voted for him thought he would be, but the tyrant and crook he actually is. I have provided evidence for his crimes earlier.

If you recall the Three Minute Mania and what Count Jon Paul said to the Congress before he gouged us from the realm you will remember that he is not a man with a sharp decision making capacity.

If we are to read these letters a second time, we find evidence that he was in fact about to perform a tyrannical act.

Let’s examine his letters a second time. Here is the first one the Congress of Democracy received from Recruit Jon Paul on the day of January 29th 1009.

Letter from Jon Paul Ogren (13 hours, 43 minutes ago)

Message sent to everyone in "Congress of Democracy" (6 recipients)

I was proud to be a member of this guild until this morning. I am the lowest rank and it seems I am being extorted.

Monthly Fee Paid (1 hour, 23 minutes ago)

Your rank of Recruit in "Congress of Democracy" has to pay a monthly fee of 100 gold. Your balance with this guild has been adjusted accordingly.

If this is not a mistake, remove me from this guild immediately.

Sir Jon Paul Ogren

Count of An Najaf

[reply to sender] | [ignore] | [userdetails] | [vulgarity]

Fair enough Count Jon Paul. As Commissioner, when I received this letter I would have responded by trying to solve the error. Here I see a member of my guild being incorrectly charged a monthly fee. That disturbs me as much as it does him. He assumes he is being extorted, which I suppose could be a reasonable response as he has only been in the guild for three days. Although, it is unusual for him to be certain of this because he should be aware that the guild to which he belongs was founded by the Hero of Democracy and comprises of many outstanding democratic nobles.

If you remember the Three Minute Mania, one minute after this letter was written Count Jon Paul sacked our guild of 28 gold, his first criminal offence.

Here is the letter following this act:

Letter from Jon Paul Ogren (13 hours, 40 minutes ago)

Message sent to all elder members of "Congress of Democracy" (3 recipients)

setting a 100 gold fee for the lowest rank and not allowing the lowest rank to even have a chance to see that they will pay such a fee is criminal.

I will not have a guild in my region that will do this.

Sir Jon Paul Ogren

Count of An Najaf

[reply to sender] | [ignore] | [userdetails] | [vulgarity]

I would say sacking the guild before even giving us a chance to figure out what happened criminal. Count Jon Paul here expresses an immediate decision to rid his region of our guild without even giving us a chance. It is this action that presents the man’s tyranny. He has just looted our guild but is not satisfied. He finds the thrill of exercising his authority empowering and wants more. He cares little for the outcome because he is so caught up in seeking self gratification. His mind, which we know to already be easily confused, is clouded by the thoughts of tyranny. One minute after he wrote this letter, he destroyed the guild and plundered 38 gold.

A discussion on tyranny is necessary for you to share my judgment on this behaviour.

A wise sage from Krimml once instructed me long ago about what Tyranny is and how it behaves. I will quote him now:

“Tyranny, when a man acts for his own behalf, and uses his powers to benefit himself. Tyranny turns good intentions into tragedies. Tyranny is the disease of democracy.” (excerpt from Armstrong and the Sage of Krimml)

When I learned this, I took it to heart and burned it in my mind. That was the day when Duke Alexi separated the Duchy of Krimml from Fontan and a Civil War soon tore us apart. Need we suffer the same actions again in a smaller scope in An Najaf?

By the letters we have just read and the commentary I have given to them is it not obvious that Count Jon Paul’s actions were that of a tyrant? If not for the moment? The man acted in his own behalf, and used his power to benefit himself. The power of being elected Count has swelled in him the vile tyranny which turned his actions into a tragedy. I have suffered betrayal and misery because of him, the Congress has lost its gathering place and has to start from the ground up again. I believe the words of the sage are correct; tyranny is the disease of democracy. Count Jon Paul is inflicting Fontan by his crimes.