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AFancyQuestionMark
Feb 19, 2017

Long time no see.
In the far reaches of colonized space, there exists a fairly unremarkable system with a single planet suitable for life. Traveling to Janus IV from the nearest settled system would take at least 3 months with the fastest transport ships widely available in modern times. Back in the late 30th century, it would have taken much longer. Despite this, the Solar Union, which was nearing the peak of its’ power, decided to found a small colony on it. They called it Sirta, to honor a prominent figure instrumental in the early years of colonization.

As time passed, the Solar Union, met with crisis after crisis, redirected its’ resources to the core territories at the expense of the colonies. In response, while the Union was occupied with yet another internal crisis, many of the colonies declared their independence in 3024 one after another. Sirta was among them and, unlike most of the others, its’ declaration wasn’t challenged, likely due to its’ remote location.

In the initial decade following independence, Sirta experienced rapid growth fueled by foreign investment and a nascent biotechnology industry. However, this prosperity was limited to a relatively small elite made up of professional workers, independent entrepreneurs and foreign investors. Prices on common goods began to rise, well out of reach for wide swaths of the local population. Soon, an urban underclass developed, and many people turned to crime for a chance at a comfortable life. The young nation didn’t have the proper institutional knowledge to deal with this, so organized crime soon established a firm foothold in Sirta and corruption became commonplace.

This climate gave rise to a particularly strong-willed politician – Adrian Vallstein – who promised to enact radical changes aimed at reducing corruption and removing criminals from the street. Instead, he spent most of his first term in office removing what little checks and balances existed on his power. Despite his policies of harsh punishments and increased police powers making very little progress in eradicating crime, he easily won re-election. Having removed all obstacles, he was free to spend his second term on purging anyone who opposed him from the government, arresting journalists and activists, while weaving a sprawling web of corrupt officials loyal only to him.

By the time his popularity finally fell, it was no longer possible to remove him by legitimate means. Every candidate that was allowed to stand for office at any level of government was already part of his web. Any opposition was swiftly and ruthlessly dealt with. This continued for decades, with no prospect of stopping.

Suddenly, after 27 years in power, Vallstein died from a terminal disease. It soon became apparent that his handpicked successor – Robert Greene, selected mainly for his loyalty – didn’t know the first thing about governing. A series of disastrous decisions by his administration plunged the economy into a rapid downward spiral, removing the relative stability present during his predecessor’s administration.

Active opposition to the regime, which until that time was confined to the fringes of society, experienced a swift resurgence. The streets of the capital – Sard – were filled with constant protests on a massive scale, organized by the Popular Resistance – a union of most underground opposition groups. Meanwhile, the rural settlements which were experiencing severe resource shortages and relied on citizen militias to secure order, banded together and formed the Citizens’ Liberation Front – an armed group intent on violently overthrowing the regime.

After two years of never ending protests and the active insurgency of the CLF, which didn’t shy away from assassinations and terrorist attacks on government targets, several divisions of the Sirta Defence Force finally turned against the regime, declaring its’ leaders “a mob of thieves robbing the country blind while the people suffer”. This led to half a year of what was effectively a low-intensity civil war.

Finally, on the 7th of May 3061, an unexpected coup brought an end to the government. Greene and his closest allies escaped the country. The leaders of the coup immediately began a tense negotiation process with representatives from the various opposition groups, aiming for a peaceful and orderly transition of power. In late July 3061, they reached an accord that satisfied all sides and the transitional government took power.

The date is the 10th of November 3061. The festive streets of Sard are filled with unrestrained joy and, for the first time in decades, hope. The result of yesterday’s referendum on adopting the new constitution was just announced: 89% in favor with an 82% turnout. This outcome is widely perceived as proof of the revolution’s success, heralding a new era of government that serves the people rather than its’ own interests. The constitution is filled to the brim with awkward compromises, but no one cares. The only thing people care about is that it represents real change, real soon – the first free and fair election in over three decades is to be held on the 25th of December.

The transitional government has been somewhat successful in freezing the economic freefall Sirta has found itself in, and is making strides in fighting high-profile corruption. However, the economy is still in poor condition, organized crime retains its’ strength and low-level corruption is commonplace. On top of that, it isn’t clear how the municipal police forces, which were frequently used as a tool of oppression by the regime, will operate going forward.

Overall, Sirta is still beset by a litany of systemic problems and factional struggles. Can you, the players of this game, steer the country towards a brighter future? It’s time to find out.

Welcome to my post-revolution sci-fi government sim. If any of this interests you even a little bit, read on to see how you can participate.

AFancyQuestionMark fucked around with this message at 13:01 on Dec 11, 2018

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AFancyQuestionMark
Feb 19, 2017

Long time no see.
Here is a nice player-written FAQ for newcomers. Read it if you haven't been following the game since the beginning. Since it was written, there were a few mechanical changes you should be aware of. At any time, the fastest way to catch up on what's been going on in the game lately is to read the latest Quarterly Report and follow the links from there.

There are five ways to participate in this game:

1. Create your own party. That is, register a list of players for the next election, with you at the head. In most cases, you have to be a party leader to get a chance at being Prime Minister. If you win more seats than the number of players you have (this is very likely, unless you have dozens of players behind you) the rest of your seats will be filled by NPCs aligned with your party.

In order to create a party you need to fill out the following details:

Name: Your party’s name.

Color: The color you want to be associated with your party.

Platform: The main ideals your party stands for. You can go into as much detail as you want. This can include policy proposals and stances on various political issues, but can also be just a general statement of intent.

Leader: The party leader, who has the authority to make all of the important party-wide decisions. By default, this is you.

List: A list of players and/or NPCs (if you want them to have specific names or include NPCs that already appeared in the narrative) that will get into Parliament if you win a big enough proportion of the vote. The order is important, since it will determine who actually gets seats in Parliament – for example, if your party wins 4 seats, the leader and the first three characters on the list will get them. The party leader determines who gets to be on the list and in what order. It can’t be changed mid-election. Party leaders may exchange generic NPC MPs for player characters but not vice versa.

Type: This determines how the NPCs in your party make decisions (voting in Parliament, policies as Ministers, etc.). There are three options: Leader Oriented means that the leader gets to determine all of the NPCs actions, Consensus Based ensures that the distribution of opinions among the NPCs will reflect that of all players in the party, and Ideological will have NPCs behave according to the party platform.

2. Join an existing party. You can join any player-led or NPC-led party, provided the leader agrees to put you on their list. The advantage of joining an NPC party is that you don’t have to be at the mercy of another player. If you manage to get into Parliament you will be able to propose and vote on various bills and motions. If you are named as a government Minister, you will be able to set your Ministry’s policies and make crucial decisions in moments of crisis.

3. Register for a citizen seat. Five of the seats in Parliament are randomly selected from among everyone who applies. This is your chance to get some power without exerting any effort whatsoever.

4. Vote in elections. Hold your representatives to account. Elections and referendums are great opportunities to get your voice out there and have the parties listen (well, hopefully).

5. Participate in a People's Assembly. A majority of Sirtan settlements now rely on direct democracy in place of a local government. Choose a settlement to reside in and get directly involved in making decisions. See the link below on Local Government.

As of the date this post was last edited, registration of parties for the next election, whenever it takes place, is now open. Existing party leaders may change their list, but any such changes will not affect their current Members of Parliament (i.e. any new additions will remain outside Parliament, and current MPs can't be removed). Registration for the next round of citizen seats (selected about a year from now in game) is also open.

Characters and setting details: Guardian Council, Sirta Overview, Interstellar Politics, Coup Timeline.

Game Mechanics: Parliamentary Elections, Legislating, Voting on Legislation, Opposition, Government Roles, Special Committees, Local Government, NPC Popular Sentiment.

Discord for general, party and government discussions.
Discord for committee meetings.



AFancyQuestionMark fucked around with this message at 06:15 on Aug 5, 2018

AFancyQuestionMark
Feb 19, 2017

Long time no see.
Current Parliament:




Latest election result.

Speaker - Radek (SRLF)

Leader of Opposition - Lorenzo Shimizu (SnnSP)

The current Parliament's term expires on November 3065.

Current Government:

Prime Minister - Luxemburg (SRLF)

Minister of Justice - Frederick Hope (SRLF)

Minister of Defence - Radek (SRLF)

Minister of Internal Security - Radek (SRLF)

Minister of Foreign Affairs - Arkham Dixit (SDU)

Minister of Interior - Micheal Saint-Just (SRLF)

Minister of Finance - Denver Axo (SDU)

Minister of Education - Bookchin (SRLF)

Minister of Infrastructure - Luxemburg (SRLF)

Minister of Health - Kikue Yamakawa (SDU)

Minister of Agriculture - Praxis (SDU)

Attorney General - Bookchin (SRLF)

Current Budget: Lasts until the end of December 3063.

Structure of Government:

The 3061 constitution is a result of a series of compromises between the major factions that were at the forefront of the revolution: the Popular Resistance, the militant Citizens’ Liberation Front, the dissenting elements of the regime, and, of course, the rebel divisions of the Sirta Defence Force. It outlines the main organs of the state:

Parliament – Functions as the legislature, and is the source of the executive’s power, as any prospective government must secure Parliament’s confidence and hold it throughout the duration of its’ term. There are 80 seats in Parliament, 60 of which are elected via closed list proportional representation, 15 of which are appointed by the Guardian Council and 5 of which are randomly selected from eligible citizens. The constitution mandates elections at least once every 3 years, but both Parliament and the Guardian Council may decide to hold an election at any time. The 5 “citizen seats” have fixed 2 year terms and are unaffected by elections.

Government – The executive consists of the Cabinet of Ministers and the Attorney General.
The government is led by the Prime Minister which may appoint and remove the other members of government at their discretion. The constitution lists the following Ministries: Justice, Defence,
Internal Security, Foreign Affairs, Interior, Finance, Education, Infrastructure, Health. If necessary, Parliament has the power to create additional Ministries and define the scope of their responsibilities.
After an election, or collapse of the prior government, the Guardian Council must select a Member of Parliament who will attempt the formation of a new government that can gain Parliament’s confidence. If no government is formed within 60 days, a new election must be held. Additionally, if a government loses the confidence of Parliament it becomes a “care-taker government” and must relinquish its’ powers to the next government that gains Parliament’s confidence.

Constitutional Court – The only court with the authority to rule on the constitutionality of laws and the relationship between the various branches of government. Consists of 7 judges appointed for life-long terms by the Judicial Appointments Committee.

Guardian Council– A body designed to ensure that the government follows the ideals of the revolution and doesn’t abuse its’ powers. Initially consists of 5 AMRs* of leading figures in the revolution. Every 5 years, a special election takes place to select a citizen who’s AMR will be added to the Council. If the Council ever reaches a point when it has more than 21 members, one of the Councilors must retire.


*AMR – Active Mind Recording, a simulated personality based on a scan of someone’s brain. In Sirta, AMRs are legally recognized as persons distinct from their originals but sharing the same past (i.e., if a human committed a crime before being scanned, both they and their AMR are criminally liable).

Local Government:

- Sard: People's Assembly

- Opal:
## Mayor - Cynthia Grimmet (Dawn)
## City Council - 7 SRLF, 4 FDG, 4 The Community, 3 Dawn

- Topaz:
## Mayor - Conrad (SRLF)
## City Council - 7 SRLF, 7 FDG

- Sapphire:
## Mayor - Professor Melanie Bak (Restoration)
## City Council - 4 Restoration, 3 FDG, 2 SRLF, 2 Dawn, 1 Unity Coalition

- Amber:
## Mayor - Soo-min Rivlin (FDG)
## City Council - 3 Industrial Resurgence Party, 3 FDG, 2 SRLF, 2 Dawn

- Peridot:
## Mayor - Kyra Petrov (FDG)
## City Council - 3 FDG, 2 SRLF, 1 Dawn, 1 Unity Coalition

- Panorama: People's Assembly

- Venderstookburg: People's Assembly

- Prosperity: People's Assembly

AFancyQuestionMark fucked around with this message at 11:32 on Nov 28, 2018

AFancyQuestionMark
Feb 19, 2017

Long time no see.
Quarterly Reports:

- Status of Major Policies (April 3062)
- First Quarterly Report (February 3063)

Surveys:

- First Census Report (February 3063) - Details: Opal, Topaz, Panorama
- Local Issues Survey (March 3063)

Elections and Referendums:

- December 3061 Parliamentary Election
- Self-Determination Referendum (April 3062)
- June 3062 Municipal Elections
- December 3062 Parliamentary Election

Parliament Votes:

- Speaker Selection (January 3062)
- January 3062
- February 3062
- SIRTRAK and TRC Confirmation Votes (March 3062)
- March 3062
- April 3062
- May 3062
- June 3062
- July 3062
- August 3062
- September 3062
- October 3062
- November 3062
- December 3062
- January 3063
- February 3063
- March 3063
- April 3063

Interstellar Treaties and Agreements:

- Lotus Accord, with the Kingdom of Hesperides
- Maat Accord, with the Kingdom of Hesperides
- Osiris Accord, with the Republic of New Frontier

Constitutional Amendments:

- Abolition of Slavery & Anti-Trafficking
- Right to Due Process

Passed Laws:

- SIRTRAK Act - Amendment
- SISTER Act - Amendment
- Census Act - First 3 amendments, fourth amedment
- Care and Shelter Act
- Sirtan Budget Office Act
- Bill F-1
- Truth and Reconciliation Act - Repealed (by Truth and Justice Act (December 3062), then again by Restoration of Peace and Justice Act)
- PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY Act - Amended by Self-Determination Act
- Self-Determination Act
- Right to Know Act
- Police Reform Act
- Bootstrap Act
- Free and Fair Elections Act
- Opposing Syndicated Crime And Racketeering Act
- Property Appropriation Process Act - Amendment
- Urgent Rescue Act
- Rehabilitation Act V2
- Public Lands Act
- Sirtan Historical and Social Touchstone Act
- Property Appropriation Mortgage Act
- Sirtan Drug Administration Act
- Sirtan Survey Administration Act
- Perpetual Friendship and Foreign Exhibition Act
- Bill F-2 (Bank Act) - Amendment
- Alternative Youth Sentencing and Reform Act
- Ministry of Agriculture Act
- Arms Production Rationalization and Transparency Act - Amendment
- Emergency Budget Restoration Act
- EYIP Budget Amendment
- Capital Punishment Act
- Truth and Justice Act (December 3062) - Repealed (by Restoration of Peace and Justice Act)
- Truth and Justice Act (January 3062) - Repealed (by Restoration of Peace and Justice Act)
- Wage Enforcement Act
- Tax Bill P-1
- Financial Holdings Transparency Act
- Restoration of Peace and Justice Act
- PASS Act
- Bill T-1 (Taxation)
- Bureau of Labor Creation Act
- Transport Cooperative Act
- Declaration Act
- International Money Transfer Act
- Public Financial Cooperative Act
- Foreign Caregivers Tax Exemption Act
- Infrastructure Funding Release
- Emergency Nationalization Act
- Immigration Promotion Act
- Economic Direction Committee Act
- Restroom Access Act
- Court Protection Officer Act
- Witness Protection Act
- Anthem Selection Act
- Deposit Insurance Act
- Vast Heaven Headquartering Act
- Labor Act of 3063
- Financial Advisor Act

Local Laws and Decisions:

- Sard:

-- Tax Plan
-- General Proposal on Government and Property v. 2
-- Addition to the Tax Plan
-- Effective Government
-- Legal Counsel
-- Sound Advice
-- Proper Taxation
-- Sard Appropriation of Blighted Properties Act
-- Establishment of the Sard Municipal Bank and Fund
-- Establishment of the Sard Community Grant Program
-- Sun Rises on Sard Program
-- CEC Authorization Act
-- Emergency Proposal on Inspection of Blighted Properties in Sard
-- Compensation Payment for Blighted Properties
-- Sard Unemployment Allowance
-- Solidarity Against Crime Act
-- Sard Budget Restoration Act
-- Rehabilitation of Blighted Properties
-- To Build a Home Act
-- Building a Better Future Act
-- Sard Self Sufficiency Act

- Topaz:

-- Topaz Local Railway Improvement Act
-- Establishment of the Topaz Municipal Bank and Fund
-- Establishment of the Topaz Community Grant Program
-- Bedrock of Topaz Program
-- Basic Unemployment Allowance Act
-- Financial Oversight Act
-- Topaz Inspection Act
-- Free Education Act
-- Free Shelter Act
-- Clean Streets Act

- Panorama:

-- General Proposal on Government and Property
-- Property Appropriation Committee Decision on the Panorama Regional Government’s Request
-- June 3062 Budget
-- Proposal for Holidays
-- Proposal for Truth and Reconciliation in Panorama
-- July 3062 Budget
-- August 3062 Budget
-- September 3062 Budget
-- October 3062 Budget
-- November 3062 Budget
-- December 3062 Budget
-- February 3063 Budget
-- March 3063 Budget
-- April 3063 Budget
-- Chemical Company Investment Act

SBO Estimates:

- January 3062
- February 3062
- March 3062
- April 3062
- June 3062
- Child Care (April 3063)

Reports and Overviews:

- Ministry of Internal Security Overview (February 3062)
- Ministry of Education Overview (February 3062)
- Ministry of Interior Overview (February 3062)
- Ministry of Health Overview (February 3062)
- Neighboring Countries Overview (February 3062)
- Ministry of Finance Overview (February 3062)
- Ministry of Infrastructure Overview (March 3062)
- Child Care Overview (April 3062)
- Organized Crime Overview (April 3062)
- Panorama Overview (May 3062)
- Prosperity Overview (May 3062)
- Status of Sirta Transportation Network (May 3062)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs Overview (June 3062)
- New Federal Police Overview (June 3062)
- Environment Overview (July 3062)
- Ministry of Defence Overview (September 3062)
- Ministry of Defence Budget Breakdown (October 3062)
- Outer Alliance Overview (October 3062)
- Emergency Youth Intervention Program Outline (November 3062)
- Ministry of Justice Overview (January 3063)
- Likely Intentions of Foreign Nations (January 3063)
- Organized Crime Update (January 3063)
- Preliminary Design for Federal Penitentiary Alpha (January 3063)
- Ministry of Interior Update (January 3063)
- Ministry of Health Update (January 3063)
- Review of the Community Justice Program (March 3063)
- Arms and Military Equipment Manufacturing Overview (March 3063)

Nominations and Appointments:

- Committee Appointments (February 3062)
- Constitutional Court Appointments (February 3062)
- Truth and Reconciliation Commission Nominations (March 3062)
- SIRTRAK Board Nominations (March 3062)
- Regular Court Appointments (July 3062)
- Emergency Youth Intervention Board Appointments (October 3062)
- Bureau of Labor Director Nomination (March 3063)
- Peace and Justice Commission Nominations (March - April 3063): Prime Minister, Minister of Justice, Guardian Council

Misc:

- Directives on SDF Policing During the Transitional Period (March 3062)
- Defence Objectives Committee Directives (June 3062)
- Intelligence Service Restructuring (July 3062)
- Property Appropriation Committee Decision on Sard Blighted Properties
- Arrival of Foreign Delegations (September 3062)
- Foreign Embassies Reactions to Perpetual Friendship and Foreign Exhibition Act (October 3062)
- Sudden Development in Truth and Reconciliation (October 3062)
- Major Crimes in Fringe Politics (November 3062)
- Parliament Dissolution (November 3062)
- Ministry of Health Budget Directives (November 3062)
- Statement From Citizen’s Rights Commissioner on the TJC (January 3063)

Income and Expenses Summaries:

- January 3062
- February 3062
- March 3062
- April 3062
- May 3062
- June 3062
- June 3062 - Local Governments
- July 3062
- July 3062 - Local Governments
- August 3062
- September 3062
- October 3062
- Novemeber 3062
- December 3062
- January 3063
- February 3063
- March 3063
- April 3063
- May 3063

Special Committee Transcripts:

- Judicial Appointments Committee: 1, 2
- Defence Objectives Committee: 1, 2
- Property Appropriation Committee: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
- Emergency Youth Intervention Board: 1, 2

Speeches and Interviews:

- Start of Parliamentary Election Campaign (December 3061)
- First Meeting of the New Parliament (January 3062)
- First Acceptance Ceremony (February 3062)
- First Coup Anniversary Ceremony (May 3062)
- Start of Local Election Campaign (June 3062)
- Start of Parliamentary Election Campaign (November 3062)
- Election Debate (November 3062)
- First Meeting of the New Parliament (December 3062)
- Prime Minister's Speech at Second Acceptance Ceremony (January 3063)
- Left Behind: On the Present State of Past Leaders (January 3063)

Existing Parties:

Dawn

Color: Light orange.

Current Platform: “Over the last half-year, our government has taken major strides to undo the damage wrought on the people by the old regime. Together, we have begun giving homes to the homeless, food to the starving, power to the powerless and aid to those who need it the most. But, that is only the beginning. We can do so much more for those most vulnerable and those most helpless among us, if we put our minds and hearts into it, if we take the opportunities the world presents before us. If you give us your trust once more, we promise to use our place in government to help you, the people of Sirta!”

The party still sticks to its core values of social welfare, honesty and transparency. It still maintains the need to take out loans to fund a massive expansion of government aid and the safety net.

Original Platform: The party consists of many of the most notable activists in the Popular Resistance. Its’ main goal is reforming the government to serve the people and bringing about a major positive change in everyone’s lives. They want to focus on helping the most vulnerable and marginalized segments of the population – the poor, the ill, and the unemployed. They dream of a country where no one has to worry about whether they’ll make it to the end of the week.

Their major policies are taking out a loan to fund a gradual expansion of welfare programs, making an effort to fight corruption and indifference in existing police forces and creating an honest and transparent government.

Leader: Lenore Hughes, a former entertainer and prominent network personality who abandoned her career in favor of leading protests against the regime. Her energetic speeches, filled with genuine hope and constructive optimism, are often credited with sustaining the protests, which continued without pause for many months despite the frequent brutal responses from the regimes’ forces.

The party’s name comes from her speech on the day of the regime’s fall, broadcast throughout the entirety of the Sirta Communication Network. The closing line was “A hard road still lies ahead of us, but I am confident that this is the dawn of a new and better era for our society.”

List: No one.

Type: Ideological.


Forward Development Group

Color: Deep blue.

Current Platform: “…given these facts, the reader should now understand the perilous state of our present economy. The gradual recovery we have been experiencing since the start of the year is not guaranteed to last, nor even to reach a stable state. On the contrary, considering the SRLF’s strident ideological opposition to foreign investment and hostile posture towards domestic private industry, there is every reason to fear another downward spiral. Early signs of this regression can be seen in Sard, where the SRLF concentrated most of its localized efforts, attaining spectacularly poor results…”

The party has renewed its emphasis on implementing its own plan for the country’s long-term stability and prosperity, largely based on foreign investment and a new generation of skilled workers. It calls for accelerating the schedule for making all public education tuition free, constructing more CECs, offering incentives to foreign investors and obtaining full membership in the Outer Alliance.

Original Platform: This party is home to most of the academic wing of the Popular Resistance. It advocates for a long-term, sustainable development program for Sirta. They hope to stimulate the economy by attracting foreign investment and focusing on training a new generation of skilled workers. They claim that this program will usher in a stable era of prosperity for the country.

Their major policies are improving all levels of the current education system, opening free specialist schools, offering incentives to foreign companies and applying for membership in the Outer Alliance.

Leader: Stefan Borisov, a sociology professor that was forced into hiding in the later years of the Vallstein administration for criticizing government policy. Wrote many articles in underground publications, analyzing the regime’s policies, decisions and mistakes. His name is widely known in core Popular Resistance circles, but he doesn’t have a talent for public speaking and many of his acquaintances describe him as having a quiet, somewhat meek personality.

List: No one.

Type: Consensus Based.


Direct Action List

Color: Crimson.

Current Platform: “There is just one thing I don’t understand. How is it possible that after all this time, after all of the people who fought and bled and died for the revolution, there are still so many regime thieves and murderers roaming free? Not only that, but some of them even have the gall to show their faces in government! How have we allowed that to happen? When did our revolution decide to spit in the faces of countless still living victims, to trample on the graves of thousands? No more. We can’t allow this farce to continue for even a moment longer.”

This party, seen as a CLF proxy, is campaigning for the rapid expansion of the TRC’s powers and resources, as well as introducing especially harsh punishments for old regime criminals.

Original Platform: The political arm of the CLF. Their stated goal is to “continue the violent struggle against corrupt tyrants and their self-serving bootlickers”. The CLF has repeatedly insisted that the struggle is not over until every one of the “hired killers” and “traitors to the people” gets their “just punishment”. They intend to avenge the countless victims of the regime by punishing every former official and soldier that lent active support to its’ crimes.

Their major policies are swift punishments for every soldier and police officer who fought on the regime’s side, purging the so-called “regime enablers” from the civil service, exiling those deemed to have been supportive of the regime, seizing their assets and distributing them among the families of victims, and replacing the current police forces with a bolstered CLF.

Leader: Victor Knapfstein, a former businessman who was in charge of the CLF’s supplies during their long campaign against the SDF. Is widely seen to be a proxy for the CLF commanders who still enjoy the fervent personal loyalty of their subordinates.

List: No one so far.

Type: Ideological.


Sirtan Revolutionary Liberation Front

Color: Rainbow


Current Platform:
- Tax reform, particularly reducing the tax burden on lower income brackets and instituting a federal-level wealth tax
- Continuation of justice efforts, especially following through on recent revelations about former government members. Regime-era criminals are just expected, but those supposedly representing the Sirtan people today must be held to the highest standards.
- Continuing the campaign against organized crime and corruption
- Continuing to promote democratic rule, both politically along the People's Assembly model and economic workplace democracy
- Nationalization of major industries to ensure that capital best serves the interests of the Sirtan people
- A commitment to sustainable development and socialist ecology.
- Long-term, an ambitious plan to introduce large-scale industrial automation and promote research into artificial intelligence/further automation technologies

Original Platform: Here

Leader: Crazycryodude

List: HiHo ChiRho (Bookchin), Sniper4625 (Radek), paragon1 (Michael St-Just), HattieMasters (Hope)

Type: Ideological


The Union of Civil Services

Color: Navy Blue

Leader: Lillian Ford (NPC)

Current Platform: “Any successful government must rely on a professional, competent and impartial civil service. Policy must be formed only after carefully consulting all of the available information on any given issue, noting all possible approaches to resolve it and analyzing the potential consequences of those approaches.”

This party believes in a carefully considered and evidence based approach to politics, and advocates for an expanded, empowered and highly qualified civil service.

Original Platform: Here

List: Vivian Gray (NPC)

Type: Consensus/Ideological


Sirta Democratic Union (SDU)

Color: Deep Green

Flag: A field of green, with the silhouette of a tiger in white in the center

Logo: A white tiger

Platform: Here

Leader: Denver Axo, 32, of the Panorama Regional Government (Tatankatonk),

List: [PCs]Brian Praxis, 61, Landowner (AJ_Impy); Kikue Yamakawa, Epidomoligst from Peridot (cat_herder); Arkham Dixit, unknown weirdo from Opal (Crion); [NPCs] Nourredine Saqqaf, 48, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure ; Behar Gali, 26, community organizer from Feldspar; Stanislav Sykora, 29, Militia Union garrison commander of Nielsen's Hill; Binh Ngai, 67, physician from Prosperity; Vong Savang, 45, current professor of Agronomy at PARI.

Type: Leader-Oriented


Sensô no nai Sekai Party(SnnSP)

Color: Flat blue

Platform: Here

List: Lorenzo Shimizu (HerrTog), Robert Bernquest, and Franz Pescador

Type: Ideological

AFancyQuestionMark fucked around with this message at 09:27 on Dec 6, 2018

Crazycryodude
Aug 15, 2015

Lets get our X tons of Duranium back!

....Is that still a valid thing to jingoistically blow out of proportion?


Founding a new party


Name: Sirtan Revolutionary Liberation Front

Color: Rainbow


Platform: A splinter faction of former CLF officers who attempt to present a slightly more politically acceptable face than the Direct Action List. While still fully committed to the DAL and CLF's ideals, they are concerned that the DAL/CLF is too heavily focused on the short-term work of putting reactionaries in the ground than building the foundation for long-term governance. Serving justice for past crimes is critical, of course, but it shouldn't be the new government's only focus.

Their platform heavily emphasizes:
- Immediate wealth redistribution and nationalization of major industries
- "Nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, and inflexible"
- Crackdown on organized crime and corruption
- Democratic rule based on a direct democracy built of local councils/communes, with a representative system on higher (regional/planetary) levels
- Long-term, an ambitious plan to introduce large-scale industrial automation and promote research into artificial intelligence/further automation technologies

Leader: Crazycryodude

List: HiHo ChiRho (Bookchin), Sniper4625 (Radek), Tatonkatonk (Axo), ThatBasqueGuy (Tokyo), paragon1 (Michael St-Just)

Type: Ideological

Crazycryodude fucked around with this message at 08:13 on Mar 7, 2018

HiHo ChiRho
Oct 23, 2010

Crazycryodude posted:

Founding a new party


Name: Sirtan Revolutionary Liberation Front

Color: Rainbow


Platform: A splinter faction of former CLF officers who attempt to present a slightly more politically acceptable face than the Direct Action List. While still fully committed to the DAL and CLF's ideals, they are concerned that the DAL/CLF is too heavily focused on the short-term work of putting reactionaries in the ground than building the foundation for long-term governance. Not that putting reactionaries up against the wall is a bad thing, of course, just that it shouldn't be the new government's only focus.

Their platform heavily emphasizes:
- Immediate wealth redistribution and collectivization of the means of production
- "Nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, and inflexible" for members and enablers of the fallen regime
- Crackdown on organized crime and corruption
- Democratic rule based on a direct democracy built of local councils/communes, with a representative system on higher (regional/planetary) levels
- Long-term, an ambitious plan to introduce large-scale industrial automation and promote research into artificial intelligence/further automation technologies

Leader: Crazycryodude

List: None yet

Type: Ideological

Hell yeah sign me up comrade

AFancyQuestionMark
Feb 19, 2017

Long time no see.
As the first in a series of setting and character posts, here are the bios of the current members of the Guardian Council:

Councilor Aurora – Based on Lenore Hughes, a prominent leader in the Popular Resistance.

Background: Despite both of her parents being academics, Lenore ended up dropping out of the Sociology program at Sard University in order to pursue a career in entertainment. Starting out at an amateur student radio station, she soon gathered the requisite experience and contacts to get a position as the co-host of a new weekly talk-show style program produced by Vital Media, a major SCN entertainment company. She soon became a prominent network personality, as her confident attitude and infectious optimism proved to be extremely attractive to many viewers who sought an escape from the ever present hopelessness and discomfort in their daily lives.

Role in the Revolution: As Greene’s policies made people’s lives ever more miserable, and organized opposition to the regime gathered widespread support, Lenore retired from all of her entertainment roles and dedicated herself to “the struggle for our future”. She joined the Popular Resistance, where her significant popularity among the general public and natural charisma made her a shoe-in for a leadership role. Unlike the other PR leaders, who focused their rhetoric on denouncing the regime’s corruption and demanding free elections, Lenore’s speeches extolled collective action to “build a better society” and “improve the lives of each and every citizen”. She emphasized that the protests were a necessary step towards a radical transformation of Sirta into a prosperous country that takes care of it’s citizens, instead of pushing them down at every turn. That vision of a better future was essential to motivating the public and allowing protests to continue for many months in a row, despite the harsh response from the regime’s forces. “There is a light at the end of this tunnel. We need only persist, and soon, it will be within reach.”

Age at Scan Time: 28


Councilor Minerva – Based on Professor Elizabeth Styles, an influential voice in the Popular Resistance.

Background: When Elizabeth was born, Sirta was still a colony of the Solar Union which was experiencing a rapid decline. Her parents have just recently arrived from Earth, since her mother got a position at a major biotechnology firm based in Sirta. Elizabeth was working on her own biology degree at Sard University when Sirta declared its’ independence, which ignited Elizabeth’s interest in politics. She switched to the Political Science program and eventually ended up as a senior member of the faculty, known for her extensive analysis of the structure and role of modern governments.

Role in the Revolution: Professor Styles was a vocal critic of the Vallstein administration from the very beginning, writing lengthy opinion pieces decrying the government’s policies as increasingly authoritarian and subservient to corrupt interests. Eventually she was arrested for “incitement to revolt” and served a 7 month sentence. While in prison, she met several opposition activists who introduced her to the anti-regime movement. Upon her release, she was welcomed into an underground opposition group, where she created The Midnight Digest, an illegal news site that sought to keep the public informed about the activities of the regime and coordinate resistance among the disparate opposition groups. It proved instrumental in the formation of the Popular Resistance as well as protest organization during the Greene administration.

Age at Scan Time: 62


Councilor Rhamnusia – Based on Sara Lindt, First Commander of the Citizens’ Liberation Front.

Background: Sara was born to a blue-collar family living in Nielsen’s Hill, a small rural town built near a rare metal deposit. Mining and processing this metal was the town’s main source of employment. However, by the time Sara was 18, most factories had switched to using cheaper, more plentiful metals, which crippled the town. Sara barely managed to finish mandatory education, and, as a result wasn’t accepted into either of Sirta’s universities. Since she didn’t have the money for a private college, and she didn’t want to spend her entire life working a dull dead end job in her lifeless hometown, she decided to join the military in a combat role. It soon became apparent that she was an excellent field leader. Her talents were recognized by her superiors, and she eventually attained the rank of Captain.

Role in the Revolution: Greene’s economic policies were especially disastrous for many rural settlements, which experienced severe shortages of basic goods, and were left reliant on regime handouts which were carried out by the SDF. Due to pervasive corruption, many of the goods ended up in the hands of criminal gangs which used them as leverage to take over many small towns. After hearing that a childhood friend in Nielsen’s Hill was killed in a gang war, Captain Lindt, already sick of the corruption all around her, deserted the SDF with some long-time friends, made her way back home and formed a militia called Nielsen’s Defenders to secure the distribution of basic necessities and defend the town from organized crime. As the economic situation deteriorated, Nielsen’s Defenders, like many such militias, ended up clashing with the SDF and incurring severe losses. Lindt decided to approach the commanders of the other militias and offer to form a common front.

As a result, the militias merged together, creating the CLF, united behind the common goal of violently overthrowing the regime. Lindt wasn’t the foremost commander in the CLF at first, but her superiors were killed one after the other, over the course of two bloody years of struggle against the regime’s forces. So too were many of her friends and comrades in arms. After the struggle had finally come to an end, First Commander Lindt vowed that “not even a single one of the hired murderers and uniformed bandits still residing in Sirta will escape their just punishment”.

Age at Scan Time: 34


Councilor Ariadne - Based on Vivian Grey, the informal leader of the dissident elements of the regime.

Background: Born to upper middle-class parents, Vivian always had top grades at school, and easily made it through both the Statistics and Sociology undergraduate programs at Sard University. After three years of work on statistical models for a government contractor, she somehow managed to get a position as an intelligence analyst at the Intelligence Service (the exact details are unknown). After Vallstein was first elected, he greatly loosened the restrictions and oversight on the Intelligence Service’s information collection capabilities. It was during this time that a new taskforce headed by Vivian was formed within the IS – its’ name was THREAD and its’ official purpose was to “discover and monitor any and all plots against our government or its’ members.” Everything else about the taskforce – its’ membership, methods, operations, successes and failures – is shrouded in mystery, as the little bits of information that are occasionally heard in rumors are incredibly contradictory. Nor is it clear how Vallstein (or perhaps some of his advisors) knew Vivian or why it was decided to appoint her as the head of the newly created Department of Information in the later years of his administration.

Role in the Revolution: Despite her high position in the regime, Vivian never liked Vallstein’s authoritarian and often arbitrary style of governance. In particular, she resented the practice of filling major positions in the administration solely on the basis of loyalty rather than competence. She was not alone in this feeling. Even before Vallstein’s death, there existed a rift within the regime between the so-called “professionals” (technocratic functionaries) and the so-called “tribe” (a derisive term for the Vallstein loyalists). Very early on during Greene’s administration, Vivian “understood that they will lead the country to ruin” and began plotting a “transition of power” with other elements of the regime. The full extent of her machinations to that end is unknown, but some of them are obvious in retrospect. The Department of Information didn’t block The Midnight Digest’s proxy sites, despite it being a trivial matter, nor did it bother to warn the SDF about planned CLF attacks on their bases. Moreover, when several SDF divisions finally rebelled against the regime, the loyalist forces would often find that their troop movements were leaked to the enemy. During the coup that marked the regime’s fall, the Sirta Communication Network was down due to internal sabotage of vital infrastructure. In fact, it is known now that Vivian was heavily involved in all stages of the coup, and may even be the mastermind behind it.

Whatever the case may be, it’s clear that the regime would not have fallen this soon (if at all), if she wasn’t urging it along. She claims that her primary motivation was concern for the well being of the country and its’ people. Nevertheless, the other members of the council remain wary of her.

Age at Scan Time: 48


Councilor Saturn – Based on Colonel James Anders, the highest ranking SDF officer among those who rebelled against the regime.

Background: Raised in a family of poor immigrants, James was an unruly child. At the age of 16, he was thrown out of his home when his parents caught him stealing from them to fund his nightly excursions to the bar with his neighborhood friends. It didn’t take long for him to end up in police custody, charged with assault. He decided to opt into a convict “rehabilitation program” in the SDF, which was one of the ways the early Vallstein administration coped with the growing overcrowding problem in Sirta’s prisons. James managed to befriend some of the sketchier officers at the base he was stationed in, and decided to continue his service past the mandatory three years. He gradually rose through the ranks, mainly based on his flexibility and the personal contacts he developed over many nights at the officers' bar.

Role in Revolution: The Colonel was never overly concerned with politics, nor did he hold any particular feelings towards the regime. He merely carried out his orders reasonably well while turning a blind eye to the actions of those around him, which was a common attitude in the SDF at the time. However, as the campaign against the CLF started to heat up and the SDF’s casualties began to rise, the Colonel, who had strong personal ties with many of the soldiers and officers under his command, was growing increasingly irritated with the gross ineptitude and self-serving attitude on display by the military brass and their counterparts in the government. After yet another failed operation, he lost his temper at his debriefing and openly clashed with his superiors. He managed to get away with only a reprimand, but the incident changed his perspective on the regime for good.

It didn’t take long for him to get drawn into the now infamous “Officers’ Plot” which culminated in the defection of several SDF divisions and eventually led to the regime’s downfall. He was quick to assert his authority after the coup, acting to guarantee the position of the SDF “rebels” in the post-regime reality. Many of those present during the critical negotiations that led up to the transfer of power describe him as being unreasonably stubborn when it came to matters even tangentially related to “his soldiers” - to the point of throwing fits and indulging in lengthy rants - but being utterly unconcerned with any other topic.

Age at Scan Time: 46

AFancyQuestionMark fucked around with this message at 11:44 on Mar 6, 2018

Shogeton
Apr 26, 2007

"Little by little the old world crumbled, and not once did the king imagine that some of the pieces might fall on him"

Dr. Xavier Dubois is ready to stand with Dawn.

unwantedplatypus
Sep 6, 2012
ITT goons find out they can ruin fictional countries outside the framework of paradox games

Hexenritter
May 20, 2001


unwantedplatypus posted:

ITT goons find out they can ruin fictional countries outside the framework of paradox games

But can we still marry our horses?


This game looks really promising. I may drop an idea for an extremist, meritocratic pro-tech party run by a DAL colonel who was big into warcrimes and black bag ops, or I may just have said colonel sign on with the DAL. The Forward Development Group look like a great option for subtly pushing a transhumanist and networked consciousness agenda too

sniper4625
Sep 26, 2009

Loyal to the hEnd
Sign me up for Cryos Crew!

Nothingtoseehere
Nov 11, 2010


Freedom and Stability Party (FSP)

Colour: Royal Purple

Leader: Micheal Janstin (nothingtoseehere)

Platform: Micheal Janstin is a former cabinet minster for Vallstein's government, joining midway through his administration and rising swiftly up the ranks due to his economic prowess, and claims responsibility for the stability of Vallstein regimes economy (while say he always opposed the repression aspects but there was nothing he could do). Fired almost immediately after Greene took power (He claims because he stood for sound economic governance, others because he tried and failed for the top dog's seat), Janstin spent the next few years flying below the radar but in relative luxury, even as the revolution heated up. In the final few days before the coup he spoke out against the government and "joined" the revolution, and afterwards he gathered a coalition of former government officials, low-ranking members of government institutions and the police and armed forces, and the old who longed for a return of the stability of Vallstein's government, with the tact backing of some of the oligarchs. His party stands for free-market capitalism, small government ("To prevent the overreachs when men like Greene get in power) and leniency and protection for all those simply doing their job for the old government (but of course, if you can prove them committed a crime...).

List: None yet

Type: Leader Oriented

Nothingtoseehere fucked around with this message at 19:22 on Nov 27, 2017

Godlovesus
Oct 16, 2015

Ask me about continually throwing myself at the enemy and losing every single time in EU4 Multiplayer.
Forming a new party!

Name: The Union of Civil Services
Color: Navy Blue

Leader: ReSeAu Gen (formerly known as Kwong Gin)
Biography and platform:ReSeAu Gen (short for Revenue Services Auditor General) is a AMR of a former mid level career bureaucrat Kwong Gin. He had worked his way up from the bottom of the civil service through persistent dedication in the work of the government to help its people while also strictly adhering to bureaucracy and all its norms and rules. Loyal but inflexible, he was spared in the first wave of Vallstein’s purges but was executed after publishing an audit report criticizing rampant corruption and mismanagement in government departments. Vallstein personally ensured a brain scan was conducted prior to the mock trial in order to ‘provide some amusement and not waste useful brainpower’. The AMR was utilized in helping Vallstein and his cronies squirrel funds away and target his opponents inside the civil service. ReSeAu sowed the seeds for The regime’s downfall however, as Vivian Grey easily repurposed the AMR for use in sabotaging the regime from within.

With the fall of the government ReSeAu was without a purpose. It was not until his old coworkers came back pleading for aid against the inevitable rage against the civil service that ReSeAu decided to enter politics with Gray’s blessing.

His goals are simple: to reestablish a professional civil service through impartial staffing free from partisan whimsy and expel any corruption from within with impunity, while also protecting former civil service members who were simply doing their jobs against retribution from radical elements. While ReSeAu understands that he can have increasing goals, He firmly believes that any policy requires a functional civil service to plan and execute

List:
ReSeAu Gen (leader-me)
Vivian Gray (NPC).

Type: Consensus/Ideological

Godlovesus fucked around with this message at 20:58 on Nov 27, 2017

AJ_Impy
Jun 17, 2007

SWORD OF SMATTAS. CAN YOU NOT HEAR A WORLD CRY OUT FOR JUSTICE? WHEN WILL YOU DELIVER IT?
Yam Slacker
- June 3062 City Council Votes
- July 3062 Local Government Votes
- August 3062 Local Government Votes
- September 3062 Local Government Votes
- October 3062 Local Goverment Votes
- November 3062 Local Government Votes
- December 3062 Local Government Votes


Forming a new party.

Name: The Unity Coalition
Color: Brilliant white

Leader: Arthur Subtallier (AJ_Impy)
Biography and platform: Subtallier is a savvy politician with a good sense for which way the zeitgeist is blowing, a ruthless centrist populist who espouses a broad and inclusive platform, constantly pushing for coalitions and governments of national unity for the duration of the present emergency. Exceptional with soundbites, nebulous on policy, advocates that the voice of the People must be heard and must be heeded. If an idea, cause or event catches the imagination of the public, he will ride the crest of that wave of sentiment as best he is able. Likes going after easy targets and invoking common fears.

His focus and that of his party is on being the People's champion, on appealing to emotion rather than to reason, mobilising the masses with grandiloquent slogans. What they would actually do with power if they attain it is rather less clear.

List:Arthur Subtallier

Type: Ideological

AJ_Impy fucked around with this message at 16:40 on Mar 29, 2018

Crazycryodude
Aug 15, 2015

Lets get our X tons of Duranium back!

....Is that still a valid thing to jingoistically blow out of proportion?


Oh man we've got the Just Following Orders Faction and the Radical Centrists, this is gonna be the best :allears:

Until we all get inevitably purged by the Space Maoists, of course

Obliterati
Nov 13, 2012

Pain is inevitable.
Suffering is optional.
Thunderdome is forever.
verumMediae (VM)



Leader: John Selene (Obliterati)

Colours: Red, Orange, Yellow

Platform: John Selene watched the Greene Government collapse from behind his keyboard. A gifted programmer and CEO responsible for some of Sirta's most popular applications and a self-styled rationalist, he rose to political prominence in a series of widely shared videos in which he passionately attacked both SDF splinter groups and the Greene Government for what he saw as their 'emotional irrationality' and demanded a compromise administration. Several assassination attempts from across the political spectrum were foiled by his corporate security.

verumMediae's platform decries ideologies on all sides as not constructive. It advocates for consensus-based policy from all stakeholders through the use of Selene's self-designed application Govrn, which hacks politics by taking an algorithmic average of all observed opinions. The precise mechanisms and weighting behind this are unknown, as Govrn is legally considered to be proprietary software and its source code is not available to the general public.

List: John Selene

Type: Leader oriented

Obliterati fucked around with this message at 21:07 on Nov 27, 2017

AFancyQuestionMark
Feb 19, 2017

Long time no see.

Godlovesus posted:


List: Vivian Gray (NPC).


This is a good opportunity to explain what happens when you put an existing NPC from the narrative on your list. First, you have to keep in mind that just because you put them there doesn't mean that they'll actually agree to run with your party, though in this case the platform aligns with Vivian's goals remarkably well, so she will run with this party if you decide to keep her on the list. Additionally, these NPCs aren't bound by the party's type like the player created or generic NPCs that come with your party. Instead, they will make decisions according to their own existing goals and considerations. This means that, in a sense, having them in your party might be a risk if you aren't sure that they are fully aligned with your vision. However, it can also prove to be rewarding, at least some of the time.

Godlovesus posted:


Type: Consensus/Ideological


How should I interpret this, when it comes to the decision making of the regular NPCs in your party?

The Lord of Hats
Aug 22, 2010

Hello, yes! Is being very good day for posting, no?
Registering for a Citizen Seat.

Name: Rutherford T. Vanderbush

Age: 74

Background: Although he'll never claim to have started from nothing--the Vanderbushes were comfortably established well before he was born--it was undoubtedly Rutherford's outstanding business acumen that took Apex Industries from a moderately successful manufacturer to a household name on Sirta, with subsidiaries scattered across the former colonies of the Revolution of 3026, the largest privately-owned enterprise on the planet. Pragmatic, skeptical, and self-confident, he tends to keep his own counsel, in a very literal sense--Apex Industries is ultimately controlled by Rutherford himself, and a 'governing board' consisting entirely of his own AMRs, all overseeing different aspects of the company, and an unwillingness to give up control is a significant part of why it remains privately owned.

In the Vallten and years, Apex Industries did considerable business with the government for energy and infrastructure contracts, although corruption meant that while profitable, the actual end product was not up to the standards to which the company has held itself on other worlds. With the advent of the Greene administration, the Governing Board determined that the political situation was untenable, and turned to quietly supplying the rebels.

Beliefs: Rutherford is of the belief that what's good for Apex is good for Sirta--but vice versa as well. As a result he takes an extraordinarily long view on most issues--a tax cut might make for a good quarter, but if it makes for a weaker Sirta, that will ultimately have a negative impact down the line, and is therefore unacceptable. He thinks that there is no company better suited to fulfill the nation's needs than Apex Industries, and is always looking ahead to the next problem, making investments that it might be better positioned to fulfill those needs as they arise. While he does give a considerable sum to philanthropy, viewing it as a responsibility that comes along with his wealth, his habitual doubt of the motives and competence of others means he is vehemently against any kind of large-scale redistribution of wealth.

Godlovesus
Oct 16, 2015

Ask me about continually throwing myself at the enemy and losing every single time in EU4 Multiplayer.

AFancyQuestionMark posted:

NPC duties

Ideological/consensus

Oh I was thinking more like shadow alliance with Ms. Grey. Our goals align andshe did help make/free the civil service after all. She could be the real leader for all I know ^_^


As for interpretation: it’s ideologically based: I.e CIVIL SERVICE FIRST. But because the service is so diverse (say staffing or budgetary processes for different divisions) decisions are consensus based. But generally we will be a looser bloc united under the idea of a strong pro civil service bureaucratic bent (could lead to splitting parties or divisions if the party ever or large and incrementalism?)
So say if the topic was broad based budgeting for government. We always want it in civil service training/recruitment, but if it was like. Should we give tax dept extra powers/manpower at potential cost to the foreign/int services we’d have a lot more argument resolved by consensus

Godlovesus fucked around with this message at 20:57 on Nov 27, 2017

CourValant
Feb 25, 2016

Do You Remember Love?
A New Party Has Joined . . .



Name: Kikuzakura no Kai

Color: Light Pink

Platform: Kikuzakura is a loose coalition of prominent, local ‘business leaders’ and their affiliated associates.

The past few years haven’t been kind to these ‘upstanding’ citizens; sure, even in times of chaos and upheaval, there is always a need to blow off steam with whatever vices takes your fancy. Still, when most of your patrons were dodging bullets and being ‘black bagged’ on the streets, there simply wasn’t the demand for such ‘sport’ as in the past.

With the economy in disarray, the ‘organization’ had spent much more time and resources on ‘stick’ methods as opposed to the more lucrative ‘carrot’ initiatives.

Still, the winds of change are in the air once more, and with it, an unprecedented opportunity for ‘The Blossoms’.

Why fight the Power, when you can legitimize, become respectable, and ‘enrich the soil’ so that Kikuzakura can bloom like never before.

Major policies:

1) Restore the economy, bring jobs back to the people, and foster an environment where the population gets to retain most of their paychecks.

2) Reform the legal system such that some vices are punished harsher than others (or not at all).

3) Bring peace and order to the streets.

Leader: Eli Masamune – Age 37 (CourValant)

It didn’t matter that Eli has no pertinent ties to the cultures of ancient Terra (let alone some obscure warring state from an isolated island nation), nor that his name wasn’t really Masamune.

Respectability and compliance on the streets was what allowed him to do as he wished, and if the kumichō wanted to follow the edicts and tenets of a dead society, who was to argue?

Besides, what worked over a thousand years ago still works today; even though humanity has taken to the stars, people are nevertheless creatures of appetite, and men still appreciated the smiles of a pretty girl, still craved the thrill of clattering dice, still enjoyed the taste of burning alcohol.

Eli brought all of these things, and more, to the people in a relatively safe and secure environment. He even did it while only taken a modest profit for himself and his ‘Family’.

Standard business practices during the ‘Vallstein Times’ were to keep your head down, tend to your flock, mind the other ‘Families’, and throw some ‘free favors’ to the ruling elite when they asked.

When the System fell apart, so too did this ‘understanding’; not that Eli minded, of course. As society descended into chaos around them, he used the disruptions to claim leadership from his old Boss. In the end, it was surprisingly easy if somewhat blood-soaked; his Boss was aging to begin with, and when the rioting and crack-downs on the streets slowed the flow of money to the rest of the organization (which Eli may or may not have exacerbated), he simply suggested he had a better way to lead them through these troubling times.

After a brief period of rebirth and pain, what emerged was Masamune, kumichō of the Kikuzakura.

As the dust slowly begins to settle on this revolution, Eli was already keeping his eye on the next fight to come; if he was going to survive this next upheaval, he, and the rest of the ‘Families’ on Janus IV, will have to adapt yet again.

As he had tried to explain to the other Bosses, why merely find ways around the Law, when for the first time, they had the chance to shape it, to mold it, to write it. Enthusiasm had been lacking, and while he had tacit approval to proceed with his little venture, the rest of the ‘Families’ didn’t exactly pledge their undying support either; again, Masamune didn’t mind. Fortune favors the bold, and if he was skillful and careful enough, perhaps the opportunity existed to elevate himself even further; ‘Boss of Bosses’ of the Kikuzakura no Kai has such a nice ring to it.

The key, as always, were The People. He would show The People love, and they would reciprocate in kind.

After all, when you had respectability and compliance on the streets, you can do as you wish.

List: None

Type: Leader Oriented (the kumichō does not tolerate disharmony in his 'Family')

CourValant fucked around with this message at 04:46 on Nov 28, 2017

Pakled
Aug 6, 2011

WE ARE SMART
Danube, AMR of Tanner Kott, played by me, will join the Forward Development Group

Sensing opportunity, Tanner Kott struck out for the frontier with his sizable inheritance as one of the first wave of settlers to Janus IV. There, he founded his company, JanusFreight, and rapidly turned his small fortune into a large one by offering fast shipping between the urban centers and the many fledgeling settlements poorly served by the Solar Union Post. Soon, JanusFreight expanded outward, and by 3024, it controlled some 65% of offworld shipping and had offices and operations on several other settled worlds. In the early independence era, Kott was one of the wealthiest people in Sirta, though he was something of an oddball among the world's oligarchs, preferring a more low-key lifestyle and having fewer obvious links to organized crime.

During Vallstein's first term, Kott faced mounting legal and financial pressure from the regime to sell off portions of his business to Vallstein cronies. Resentful of being strongarmed and fearing the hammer was about to come down, Kott quickly liquidated as many of his on-world assets as he could and fled the planet soon after Vallstein's first re-election. Financed by the remnants of his shipping empire, Kott dedicated the rest of his life to helping his fellow exiles and refugees, as well as providing support to the underground press in Sirta and publicizing their work to expose Vallstein's crimes to the interstellar community.

Kott's actions made him something of a boogeyman to Vallstein's state-controlled media, which portrayed him as a traitor whose shadowy influence justified the extreme actions of the regime. Persistent rumors that he lobbied Outer Alliance leadership to stage a "humanitarian intervention" to topple the regime dog him to this day. The childless Tanner Kott died of a terminal illness in 3057, but not before undergoing a brain scan and bequeathing all of his assets to his AMR, Danube, named after the first transport ship he ever bought. Danube was determined to carry on the cause of his predecessor, but fortunately, he didn't have to wait long before it was rendered moot.

In the aftermath of the revolution, the members of the Popular Resistance-linked "freedom press" who Danube supported were widely praised as heroes among the urban population for their self-sacrifice and unshakeable principles and their work to undermine the regime before it became a politically popular thing to do. (The freedom press remains somewhat less popular in rural areas, where the common sentiment is that those who took up arms are more worthy of praise than the "keyboard warriors.") The freedom press, in turn, shone a light on their patron, leading to Danube enjoying great popularity upon his triumphant return to Sirta.

In addition to subscribing to the FDG's economic policies, Danube has a special interest in upholding the rights of returning refugees and the return of assets stolen by the regime.

Age at scan time: 107

mcclay
Jul 8, 2013

Oh dear oh gosh oh darn
Soiled Meat

Crazycryodude posted:

Founding a new party


Name: Sirtan Revolutionary Liberation Front

Color: Rainbow


Platform: A splinter faction of former CLF officers who attempt to present a slightly more politically acceptable face than the Direct Action List. While still fully committed to the DAL and CLF's ideals, they are concerned that the DAL/CLF is too heavily focused on the short-term work of putting reactionaries in the ground than building the foundation for long-term governance. Serving justice for past crimes is critical, of course, but it shouldn't be the new government's only focus.

Their platform heavily emphasizes:
- Immediate wealth redistribution and nationalization of major industries
- "Nothing other than justice, prompt, severe, and inflexible"
- Crackdown on organized crime and corruption
- Democratic rule based on a direct democracy built of local councils/communes, with a representative system on higher (regional/planetary) levels
- Long-term, an ambitious plan to introduce large-scale industrial automation and promote research into artificial intelligence/further automation technologies

Leader: Crazycryodude

List: HiHo ChiRho, Sniper4625

Type: Ideological

Put me the gently caress in coach

unwantedplatypus
Sep 6, 2012
Name: The Community
Color: White and Gold
Platform: The dictatorship was hard on everyone, many people had their lives ruined by the autocracy. the community was founded in response. Little physical comfort could be given to those oppressed and crushed by the dictatorship, those whose hard-earned wealth was stolen by the greedy and corrupt. The community had something nobody else could offer, and something no dictator could take away, spiritual enlightenment. A group of like-minded philosophers and scholars founded The Community and set to work on spreading their message, lambasting Vallstein for his pride and arrogance and later Greene for his incompetence. There is some evidence to suggest The Community was involved in several violent anti-government actions, but little that is concrete. The First Preachers were persecuted harshly by the government when they went out to spread their message, but hopefully this new democracy signifies a new era for The Community.

- A moral human only exists within the framework of asceticism, material wealth should be held not by individuals, but institutions (preferably The Community)
- The nation should only be led by those individuals who have reached enlightenment and have proven themselves impervious to corruption. Corruption should be punishable by death
- Material wealth should be expended on supporting the basic needs (food, shelter, healthcare,etc.) of the people of Sirta
- Radical wealth redistribution and equality is a moral imperative, and the wealth should be controlled and directed by the government (preferably with The Community in charge)
- Asceticism should be mandatory for everyone, from the politician to the common citizen, as asceticism is the only way to true humility
- Pride, Arrogance, Avarice, and Lust are crimes punishable by the law
- Wisdom and Knowledge must sometimes be defended with force. As such, the community supports violence if Sirta or The Community is endangered.
- The justice system should focus on rehabilitation rather than punishment, except in the case of the death penalty
- A police force and a standing army is unnecessary, the citizenry are capable of policing themselves and may be called upon to defend Sirta in times of need
- Military training is necessary for the formation of proper citizen's militias
- Leaders should be chosen by consensus, based upon a proportional representation system to a parliament (although leaders must come from within The Community), separate executive and judicial systems are unnecessary and tyrannical
- brain scanning/artificial enhancement is the height of pride and arrogance, such actions ought to be illegal and punishable.

Leader: Amnesty (unwantedplatypus)
Not much is known about Amnesty's past, as it is common for members of The Community to take up new names or even identities when joining, but what little we have suggests that she was born of a lower-class family in the slums of the capital city. She rose to prominence during the rulership of Vallstein. Her preaching caught the attention of the government and a warrant was put out for her arrest. She quickly went into hiding. Her administrative work was essential for keeping The Community intact in the early days of its existence. As Greene's government began to fall she came out of hiding, and joined the calls for his deposing. It came as a moderate surprise when she was chosen by vote to lead the party, however several more sociable and recognizable faces of The Community endorsed her and the junior members followed suit.

List: none

Type: Ideological

Godlovesus
Oct 16, 2015

Ask me about continually throwing myself at the enemy and losing every single time in EU4 Multiplayer.
At this point lol, we're gonna end up with an Israeli style parliament! Seems like Sirtan Rev Lib Front has the numbers adv rn though!

CourValant
Feb 25, 2016

Do You Remember Love?

Godlovesus posted:

At this point lol, we're gonna end up with an Israeli style parliament! Seems like Sirtan Rev Lib Front has the numbers adv rn though!

Yeah, I'm not sure with this crowd how we 'signed' a constitution to begin with; 'revolution-high' is my guess.

The Israeli Parliament isn't a bad comparison, although, given the sheer divergent conglomerate we're gathering, I think the Indian Democratic Republic and its sheer number of 'No, You Shut Up' Parties is also rather apt.

sniper4625
Sep 26, 2009

Loyal to the hEnd

Godlovesus posted:

At this point lol, we're gonna end up with an Israeli style parliament! Seems like Sirtan Rev Lib Front has the numbers adv rn though!

The will of the people cannot be denied, comrade.

unwantedplatypus
Sep 6, 2012

CourValant posted:

Yeah, I'm not sure with this crowd how we 'signed' a constitution to begin with; 'revolution-high' is my guess.

The Israeli Parliament isn't a bad comparison, although, given the sheer divergent conglomerate we're gathering, I think the Indian Democratic Republic and its sheer number of 'No, You Shut Up' Parties is also rather apt.

Just because we have a lot of parties doesn't mean they are all equally powerful, time will tell who is a major player, and who is relegated to the fringe

CourValant
Feb 25, 2016

Do You Remember Love?

unwantedplatypus posted:

Just because we have a lot of parties doesn't mean they are all equally powerful, time will tell who is a major player, and who is relegated to the fringe

Awww, and here I was hoping to build an alliance with your bunch of pseudo Religulous militants. :ocelot: :)

Pakled
Aug 6, 2011

WE ARE SMART
I can only hope we'll get a decent number of votes from people who aren't playing as legislators.

Jazerus
May 24, 2011


Pakled posted:

I can only hope we'll get a decent number of votes from people who aren't playing as legislators.

i'm a dumb idiot voter, craft your bills to impress me

your space-bills

CourValant
Feb 25, 2016

Do You Remember Love?

Jazerus posted:

i'm a dumb idiot voter, craft your bills to impress me

your space-bills

Would a space gambling den with space drinks and space 'company' help you make up your mind?

Jazerus
May 24, 2011


CourValant posted:

Would a space gambling den with space drinks and space 'company' help you make up your mind?

there are ten gambling dens within walking distance of my life-pod

CourValant
Feb 25, 2016

Do You Remember Love?

Jazerus posted:

there are ten gambling dens within walking distance of my life-pod

Yes, I know. They're run by the Kikuzakura.

unwantedplatypus
Sep 6, 2012

Jazerus posted:

there are ten gambling dens within walking distance of my life-pod

Hello friend, why don't you drop by the local Community gathering. Many people make good lifetime friends at these gatherings :).

CourValant
Feb 25, 2016

Do You Remember Love?

unwantedplatypus posted:

Hello friend, why don't you drop by the local Community gathering. Many people make good lifetime friends at these gatherings :).

Wow. So its gonna be like that huh? :)

You know, perhaps I've been going about this all wrong. Why don't you swing on by one of our fine establishments, and show us the error of our ways?

Godlovesus
Oct 16, 2015

Ask me about continually throwing myself at the enemy and losing every single time in EU4 Multiplayer.

CourValant posted:

Yes, I know. They're run by the Kikuzakura.

Query: Kikuzakura
Result: Uncertain, further input required.

I would hope that these establishments have relevant permits? Your organizational data does not seem to be computing with official records. I would strongly advise you submit updated records of operations to the department of taxation for further review.

As our system of governance, I would prefer Israel over India...theirs seems much less productive. That being said, I can certainly imagine some parties whom we share common cause with and others whom...shall we say, seem diametrically opposes to our very existence.

Time will tell if professionalism will triumph over clamors or passion though

Godlovesus fucked around with this message at 15:58 on Nov 28, 2017

AFancyQuestionMark
Feb 19, 2017

Long time no see.
As the second of a series of posts about the characters and the setting, here’s an overview of Sirta as it is in the weeks leading up to the election:

Geography: Legally, the State of Sirta is sovereign over the entirety of Janus IV and the surrounding area of space, but, in practice, the vast majority of the population is concentrated on a sizable peninsula in the eastern part of the northern continent. Most of the settlements were founded by Solar Union colonists based on proximity to arable land, fresh water and valuable mineral resources.

Sirta has 6 cities, 3 of which are more populous by far than the others, and plenty of widely dispersed smaller rural settlements.

The major cities are:

* Sard – The capital, it houses most of the departments (now ministries) of government, as well as the old congress building and other government structures. Many government contractors also have their headquarters in this city. Aside from that, Sard is the center of both the high-speed train network and the Sirta Communication Network, and Sard University is considered to be the best higher-education institution in the country. Sard is located in the central area of the peninsula, roughly in the middle of the other cities. It has a population of 5 million.

* Opal – The most populous city in Sirta, this is where most of the corporate offices and research facilities were located, once upon a time. The damage of the Greene administration is most immediately visible here, as many of the office buildings are all but abandoned and entire neighborhoods are openly controlled by gangs. In the recent decade, it has gained the nickname “drug capital of Sirta” as sketchy looking establishments selling heavily addictive substances are around every street corner. Also rumored to be a major human trafficking destination. It’s located on the south-eastern shore of the peninsula. The population is 7.5 million.

* Topaz – The industrial center of Sirta, this is the city with the biggest concentration of factories in the country. Having been in decline for the last several years due to the economic failures of the Greene administration and the civil war, things are looking up for the city as many factories are beginning to return to their Vallstein-era productivity. It’s located in the north-west of the peninsula, near a mountain range. The population is 3.5 million.

The other cities are: Sapphire, housing the Sirta Biotechnology Institute, population 1.3 million; Amber, secondary research and light manufacturing center, population 850,000; Peridot, a quiet city on the shores of the great lake, population 420,000.

The rural settlements are far too numerous to list, with most having a population smaller than 10,000.

Infrastructure: All of the cities and many of the rural settlements are connected via a partially underground high-speed train network, which has gradually fallen into disrepair over the last years due to the lack of maintenance. Entire sections of the network are now inoperable, greatly impeding passenger and freight transport between cities and isolating many rural settlements. Most private citizens don’t have their own vehicle, instead relying on the train network and surface shuttles for transport.

Most of the energy in Sirta is generated in four nuclear power plants evenly distributed across the peninsula, but most of the rural settlements aren’t connected to the power grid, relying on their own solar and wind farms.

The Sirta Communication Network is satellite based and offers all of the population ready access to vast quantities of information and allows for instant communication between any devices that can interface with it. It’s possible to use the physical hardware to block network transmissions from any specific source from reaching any specific destination. This functionality saw heavy use by the regime, to the detriment of opposition publications.

Population: The total population of Sirta is slightly over 22 million. The Sirtan culture is mostly homogenous, especially in the cities, and hasn’t greatly diverged from the original culture of the Solar Union colonists, albeit developing a cynical and self-centered “me and mine before anyone else, don’t concern myself with the business of others” dimension over the decades of authoritarian rule, which is only now beginning to change. Nevertheless, local cultures exist and are most prominent in the rural settlements.

Law and Crime: Organized crime is heavily present in all of the cities, unaffected by the civil-war and change in government. Ordinary citizens are used to it by now, and “respecting” the gangs and criminal establishments “ruling” the local area is an accepted part of everyday life.

The police forces, the SDF, government contractors, the courts and the civil service are all heavily corrupt at the low public-facing levels despite the change-over at the top. If anything, the municipal police forces have become even more corrupt since the revolution, as many common officers lean on ties to criminal organizations to protect themselves and their families in the face of an uncertain future under a new government.

On the other hand, the rural settlements are relatively crime free, with the CLF continuing to serve the de facto policing role it took on since the start of the insurgency, now with the tacit approval of the transitional government.

Economy: In better days, Sirta had a robust economy fueled by the biotechnology industry and the manufacture of specialized electronics. A series of increasingly short-sided decisions by the Greene administration, combined with the existing strength of organized crime, led to a rapid downward spiral of qualified researchers and engineers fleeing the country, the decline of the manufacturing sector and a string of major corporate bankruptcies. Foreign investment in the country ceased entirely, the government contractors turned even more incompetent and corrupt than before, and unemployment surged on an unprecedented scale.

The revolution put a stop to the spiral, as the transitional government’s measures against major corruption in the higher ranks of the civil service and government contractors, together with the promise of tangible positive changes in society, are causing a gradual return of foreign investment as well as some of the qualified talent that previously fled. However, the economy is still in dire straits, and may plunge into the spiral again at any moment.

Military: All members of the former SDF brass have been arrested, and the entire structure of the military has been reorganized under the joint direction of the officers in charge of the coup and the commanders of the rebel divisions. In general, the new SDF is a much more centralized organization, with Central Command having far more direct control over all branches and divisions.

Currently, Central Command is focused on removing any corrupt officers from service, especially those with ties to organized crime. There is a long-term plan in place to transform the SDF into a much more unified, motivated and efficient force. However, while the transitional government largely lets them do as they please, Central Command is keeping a close watch on the upcoming election and has a number of contingencies in place to deal with a more uncooperative government.

Government: The transitional government, led mostly by the leaders of the Popular Resistance and some CLF members, has been ruling on an ad-hoc basis with the assistance of the dissident elements of the regime, using the apparatus left behind by the previous administrations.

The most important achievement of the present government is successfully drafting a constitution that satisfied all of the sides involved and carrying out the referendum to approve it in a remarkably transparent and problem free fashion, paving the way for the first truly free and fair election in decades to be held in late December.

Aside from that, the government moved swiftly and decisively in punishing the corrupt remnants of the old regime in high office, and put in place a variety of strict monitoring and enforcement mechanisms against embezzlement of public funds and acting in concert with private interests. It also granted a blanket amnesty to every person charged with a “political crime” and released hundreds of other citizens held without any charges in “unofficial” prisons.

The government hasn’t made any major changes in social, economic or judicial policy, citing the need for a democratic mandate to make any significant alterations. It also hasn’t gone after the lower-level supporters of the regime, for the sake of avoiding further violence. This is also the reason it keeps out of the way of the Intelligence Service, SDF and CLF, not even attempting to bring them under its’ direction.

Public Mood: Despite the continued hardships most of the population still faces on a daily basis, the citizens are incredibly excited by the upcoming election. No matter the ideology of any given person, all are cautiously optimistic for the future. The energy and overwhelming feeling of eager anticipation present in the streets is unparalleled by any other time in Sirta’s short history.

For many, the future looks brighter than they could ever imagine. Whether or not this impression is justified remains to be seen.

AFancyQuestionMark fucked around with this message at 11:59 on Mar 6, 2018

AFancyQuestionMark
Feb 19, 2017

Long time no see.
As the third of a series of posts about the characters and the setting, here’s a rough outline of the current state of affairs in interstellar politics:

Ever since Sirta’s declaration of independence was accepted, the world of interstellar politics ceased to be relevant in the public consciousness. Due to its’ remote location, Sirta enjoys a relative freedom from the influence of foreign powers. However, interstellar trade and foreign investment still tie Sirta to the interstellar community, if only in a relatively small way.

With a handful of exceptions, of which Sirta is one, all nations in colonized space can be divided into three “blocks”:

The New Solar Union is the phoenix that arose from the ashes of the old Solar Union. While nominally a union of independent nations, the NSU is an extremely centralized federal state in all but name. Despite the meager size of its’ territory when compared to its’ predecessor at the peak of its’ power – encompassing only the Solar System and its’ closest neighbors - it is an economic and industrial juggernaut rivaled by no one. Unlike its’ predecessor, it is incredibly isolationist, devoting all of its’ efforts to internal affairs and conducting only minimal trade with external nations.

The Outer Alliance is an economic and military supranational organization which consists of most of the old Solar Union’s former colonies. While possessing a strong military and a unified monetary policy, the Outer Alliance holds no authority whatsoever over the domestic policies of its’ member nations. Instead, in a sense, the member nations are the ones to control it, as the Outer Alliance is led by AMRs of their current heads of state.

The Established Nations are not formally united under any organization, but, through an overlapping network of trade agreements and strategic alliances, can be clearly identified as belonging to the same block. These nations trace their roots to humanity’s first wave of space colonization hundreds of years ago, long before the formation of the Solar Union. They are fairly prosperous but also stagnant, retaining the same level of economic activity and quality of life for the last century, as the rest of the world changed around them.

CourValant
Feb 25, 2016

Do You Remember Love?

Godlovesus posted:

I would hope that these establishments have relevant permits? Your organizational data does not seem to be computing with official records. I would strongly advise you submit updated records of operations to the department of taxation for further review.

Ahh, ReSeAu Gen, is it? So good to hear from you, how are things in the capital? I trust the transitional government hasn't been too troublesome?

Your concern for our organization's well being is deeply appreciated, and I am as shocked as you are they there seems to be discrepancies in records keeping.

Perhaps I can invite you and your associate, Ms. Vivian Gray, to tour our premises and give us some recommendations on how to rectify this problem?

Given your, dedicate situation, I realize that perhaps travel might not be possible. In which case, the invitation stands for Ms. Gray.

Please accept my personal assurances that both you and Ms. Gray will be perfectly safe while you are guests of the Kikuzakura.

I look forward to seeing you and or Ms. Gray in the near future.

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Godlovesus
Oct 16, 2015

Ask me about continually throwing myself at the enemy and losing every single time in EU4 Multiplayer.
OOC: are we going to start selecting where to campaign now?

CourValant posted:

Ahh, ReSeAu Gen, is it? So good to hear from you, how are things in the capital? I trust the transitional government hasn't been too troublesome?

I look forward to seeing you and or Ms. Gray in the near future.


To: Eli Masamune, sometimes carrying on business as Kikuzakura no Kai)
Dear Sir,
The situation in the capital can be classified as Class 3 - average stability, high potential for movement.
Governance Is considered acceptable, but open to reclassification pending current elections.

While files are currently classified as State 4 (incomplete, damaged records present) your ‘business’ is lacking more than the average prerequisite documentation. I encourage you to submit relevant forms for business license along with information pertaining to your business and tax practices.

I will not be visiting due to technical and political requirments during the transition and election periods. Ms. Grey may or may not visit depending on her whimsy, in accordance to existing protocols.

We anticipate further communication and again remind you to follow compliance.

Regards,
ReSeAu Gen,
Union of Civil Services

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