Taselak (SEI)/Tribune/Averyll

http://wiki.battlemaster.org/images/TaselakIcon_large.gif	Taselak Tribune: News from Glorious Taselak!
Price: Free for Taselakians, 5 coppers for everyone else	Editors: Dennis, Jet, Lynsey and others from Taselak!	Issue Number: Special Edition April Rebellion Statement by Averyll
Troops pile up along our borders, but we stand firm in the face of such might

Other Editions of the Taselak Tribune:			Special Editions:
1st Edition (Oct-Nov 2006) 2nd Edition (Nov-Dec 2006) 3rd Edition (January 2007) 4th Edition (February 2007)	5th Edition (March 2007) 6th Edition (April 2007) 7th Edition (May 2007) 8th Edition (June 2007)	9th Edition (August 2007) 10th Edition (September 2007)	Toren-Ikalak Treaty April Toren Rebellion: Statement by Averyll Statement by Zellion

This statement, made by the Pontifex of Toren during the April Rebellion, was sent via a variety of hands to the Taselak Tribune, though we have no reason to doubt its veracity:

Letter from Averyll (1 day, 15 hours ago)

Message sent to everyone in your realm (85 recipients)

Sons and Daughters of Tor,

Since I was elected ruler, we have held several debates on a variety of important issues. I have not spoken about any of the issues, nor about the results of the referendums that followed. But do not take my silence to mean that I am not paying attention or that I do not care. I am quiet by nature, speaking only when I feel my voice must be heard. Since many of you have written private letters to me requesting that I speak, I shall. Here are my thoughts on the current debate.

These issues are important, and both sides make some good points, but I am happy to report that Toren is not a democracy. As far as I am concerned, you all can found as many political parties as you want, so long as you realize that 1) I do not wish to belong to any of them, and more importantly 2) your political parties do not write policy for this realm. Nor do your referendums. When it comes to foreign policy (e.g. diplomatic relations, long-term goals, etc), there is only one vote that counts, and that is of the Pontifex. When it comes to military affairs (e.g. unit settings, short-term strategy, etc.), there is only one vote that counts, and that is of the Paladin Primus (assisted by the marshals per army). When it comes to legal affairs (both legislation and enforcement), there is only one vote that counts and that is of the Haruspex Maximus. And when it comes to domestic policy (e.g. region maintainence, taxes, etc.), there is only one vote that counts, and that is of the Fiduciary (assisted by the lords per region).

You, as nobles of Toren, have a lot of power over the military affairs of the realm, as well as its domestic policy, because the positions of Paladin Primus and the Fiduciary are elected each month. If you are unhappy, all that is required is the patience necessary to elect someone else. However, the Pontifex is elected for life, and the Haruspex Maximus is appointed for life, so if you do not like what they are doing, pretty much the only thing you can do is write them a letter. The benefits of such extended terms of service are that, in the case of the Pontifex, the long-term vision maintains the consistency required to succeed, and in the case of the Harispux Maximus, the enforcement of the laws will not be influenced by public opinion, otherwise known as the tyranny of the majority.

However, do not discount the influence that a private letter has over your leaders. I have received only a handful of private letters, and those from only a handful of nobles, but even when those nobles are not supportive of my policies and initiatives, I have always tried to return a respectful reply addressing their concerns. I have not replied to everyone (my apologies, especially to Jean II), but I take each letter very seriously, and on more than one occassion such letters have influenced my policies. So if you want to see change, take the time to write a private letter to your leaders. When you instead engage in public smear campaigns, you succeed only in forcing your leaders to defend themselves and their policies, thus making it more difficult for them to implement any changes. You also sow dissent, which will kill a realm much faster than any bad policy ever good.

In Worship of Tor,

Averyll

Pontifex of Toren, Marshal of the Army of Tor