Ask King Yoshio! [Open to all]

[Ru-]

How can such a large empire be managed by one person?

"Lots and lots of delegation. The empire is actually a federation of 12 subordinate provinces. Each province has it's own legislature and elected governor. They are allowed to decide most matters for themselves, as long as they do not contradict laws passed by the central government.

The central government is itself split between a legislative sreate, an executive branch, and a judiciary.

The executive branch is made up of many different cabinent seats and agencies, eqch fulfilling thier own role. These agencies and politicians answer to the chief executive, who is the monarch. (me!)

But wait, that's still not it! Because the chief executive position itself is actually split between two people: the monarch themself and thier duly elected Imperial Chancellor. Who is subordinate in name, but is de facto an equal partner in the office. Neither of the two can really do much under the Ruvian Constitution over the objections of the other.

So there's your answer I guess. We like to say it's all just me, but the Ruvian government is actually made up of many different people managing thier own roles."


"And besides. I personally ain't truly in charge of anything yet. For a few more years, at least."

[Great Mojave]

"Hey King Yoshio, what are your thoughts on Dan Marino, our esteemed 28th President?"
-Probably Not Dan Marino

[Ru-]

"Hey King Yoshio, what are your thoughts on Dan Marino, our esteemed 28th President?"
-Probably Not Dan Marino

"He's a dutiful civil servant and has some good, forward thinking ideas and I really like that he has integrity and strong principles and he sticks to them. That's very rare in politics, sad to say. However I also think he needs to work on acting more presidential. He always seems like he is looking to pick a fight or chew someone out. It's important for leaders to be authoritative, but I don't know how he'd be able to keep his country unified acting the way he does. Decorum is a very important thing in public leadership, it might be the most important."

[Skanowka]

King Yoshio, How your opinion about Socialism ?

[Valentine Z]

In a Valentian fashion, I am obligated to ask this question in a Q&A once again! So... who is the tallest being in your universe? Historically, and living right now?
- Chief Aviator Gwen Tracer Hepburn “Fate” Ellen Trixie Caitlin Foxworthy Avril Eveline Celinda Sammy Wt. Oxton Arielle Lindall Leslie Allison

[Ru-]

King Yoshio, How your opinion about Socialism ?

"Ah, well, I don't really mind it. Afterall, it's kinda similar, in a way, to how things are done in Ru at the moment: we are a moderate social democracy. Just how moderate depends on which party happens to be in charge at the time! I see socialism as a decent attempt at a compromise between two unworkable extremes in communism and unregulated capitalism. Communism has been found to not really work because the state cannot be expected to look out for the common good, and national security, and law and order, and also the entire economy and do all of it well. It's fine with very practical things the state considers important like industrial equipment and military weapons say, but what about cool looking and comfortable shoes? That kind of thing may seem unimportant if you look at the big picture, like states and national leaders have to do, but to the regular individual living thier daily life, it's all still important. You need to have independant organizations who don't care about the entire country because they are dedicated just to bread, or to circuses, or shoes, videogames, pens, diapers, cars, you get the idea. Communism never seems to last for very long unless it is in a country small enough for the state to be able to know exactly what it's people actually want to buy without having the singular focus of corporations and the informative power of a free market, or nations that have given in to allowing a market economy.

Say what you will about capitalism and the market economy but they do have a stronger track record of success. However, there seem to be people who believe that the right course is to not have the government interfere with the free market or private business at all (or very little). And that if left alone, the capitalist system will sort society out just fine. I want to know if they believe in pixies and fairytales too if they think a system designed around everyone looking out just for their own interests can magically solve our problems and lead to a healthy society if it is just left to it's own devices. A good example of why this doesn't work is the minimum wage issue: increasing wages to meet inflation and increased cost of living when necessary leads to more money in the hands of the households that spend a higher percentage of their income on goods and services, increasing economic activity and boosting competition in the market. However, in spite of this, we never see the market take it upon itself to increase wages to any notable degree. This is because of the very nature of market competition: businesses are afraid of increasing wages, even if it will be in the economy's benefit to do so, since if their competitors do not follow suit, they would be pushed right out of the market for pouring too much money into expenses then they are. It is necessary for the government to step in when needed to ensure the long-term health of the economy and to protect employees and consumers. Businesses will cut back on expenses anyway they can to maximize profits. This is not a bad or evil thing, but just the simple reality. The primary goal of a business is to make profits, and in fact it owes a fiduciary duty to it's investors to maximize profits as much as it can, in whatever way it (legally) can and to act only in the best interests of the company. It is unfair and unrealistic to expect them to act in the best interests of the public as well. that is the job of the state, to act as a referee to keep competition fair, and to ensure that it doesn't harm the economy and society as a whole.

If our goal is to have as much prosperity and happiness for as many people as possible in our society ( as it should be!) then we must find an acceptable middle ground between these two economic extremes. In the real world, the state and private enterprise are not capable of running society on their own because we are just mere mortals. We need private enterprise to determine what consumer goods and services people actually want and to deliver it to them in the most efficient and effective way possible. We need the government to see the big picture and to act in the public good. Socialism seeks to achieve this, and seem to do a fairly decent job in some small countries I have heard about. I happen to think it regulates businesses a little too much though. It does not seem to all be necessary, and I'm not sure if it would really work for a nation of Ru's size. But we need to use it as a source of potential solutions: perhaps a certain industry would be better if considered a utility. Perhaps strict privatization of a certain sector is creating hardships, leading to taxpayer expenses that are too much of a drain on the nation for us to put up with it any longer. We can not let someone bellowing out "Socialism!" as if it's some kind of dirty word scare us off from ideas that could be the best solution. I believe in finding the solutions to our problems, regardless of what ideology may or may not support it. Potentially good ideas can be found anywhere, regardless of the political philosophy, and we shouldn't limit ourselves out of devotion to silly notions of ideological purity."

ooc: sorry for all the edits, that's what I get for trying to answer potentially complex economic questions at work.

[Ru-]

In a Valentian fashion, I am obligated to ask this question in a Q&A once again! So... who is the tallest being in your universe? Historically, and living right now?
- Chief Aviator Gwen Tracer Hepburn “Fate” Ellen Trixie Caitlin Foxworthy Avril Eveline Celinda Sammy Wt. Oxton Arielle Lindall Leslie Allison

"Hmm, I'd need to check the world record books for this one, but it's gotta be something crazy like 8 or 9 feet I'd think.."

[Great Mojave]

"Do you like my hat?"
-Dan Marino

[Ru-]

"Do you like my hat?"
-Dan Marino

"Oh yes, very much so! That's one of my favorite styles."

[Notovasian Tsardom]

"Why are you allowing yourself to be restrained by a petty parliament and court? You are a ruler, you have the divine right to rule unhindered over your people. The gods chose you, not the people. You absolutely must attempt to become an Absolute Monarch, like me."

-Tsar Wilhelm von Alterz-Scharnhorst III, Tsar of Notovasia, Grand Duke of Greece, High Lord of Turkey and the Levant, King of Egypt, and Count of Rhein-Lothringen.

[Ru-]

"Why are you allowing yourself to be restrained by a petty parliament and court? You are a ruler, you have the divine right to rule unhindered over your people. The gods chose you, not the people. You absolutely must attempt to become an Absolute Monarch, like me."

-Tsar Wilhelm von Alterz-Scharnhorst III, Tsar of Notovasia, Grand Duke of Greece, High Lord of Turkey and the Levant, King of Egypt, and Count of Rhein-Lothringen.

"You honor me greatly but with all due respect, I'd prefer to keep my head on my firmly on shoulders where it belongs, thank you very much.

I have a divine right to rule due to being descended from Aiden I Rellinaiche who himself was created by direct intervention from Cael specifically to be the worldly ruler over Cael's enlightened empire, or so we claim. However, this right to rule may be more accurately described as a divine privledge: it comes packaged with a sacred duty to rule in the best interest of the realm and it's people, and if this sacred duty is violated or ignored, then perhaps Cael may see it fit to take that right away.

For centuries, it was understood that if the king followed his own instincts and good judgement he would naturally act in the people's best interest. Afterall, he was designated by Cael himself for the task, and how could our God choose someone who would ever willfully act counter to thier duty? Modern understanding snd a few of my more regrettable ancestors eventually disabused us of this notion, and when thd army stormed the palace, executed the King, his wife, and his children and put up a distant nephew in his place, it was duly noted that Cael did not lift a finger to stop any of it. For my family had clearly lost it's way.

Once something like this has happened, you can't make it unhappen. People have long memories, but I shouldn't view our constitution and democracy as obstacles. As it was proven that a king cannot perform thier proper duty entirely on his own, These are instead useful tools to help me do my job properly. Votes can inform me on what the needs of the people may be, provide useful feedback on how my government is addressing them, and we are falling short, provide a clear direction on which policies may serve them better.

If I decided I wanted to be a king who refused to uphold the constitution that I swore to protect and that 3 centuries of my ancestors swore to protect, then my family has no shortage of uncles and cousins that would be more then happy to take my place. I know my uncles love me dearly, but I'm not sure if they would deal too kindly with a nephew who decided to throw his family's honor into the garbage. Do not get me wrong though, I am flattered that you have such high regard for myself and my position to suggest it. I just don't think it'd work in Ru anymore, nor do I desire it."

[Danceria]

"You mentioned previously that there are humans "native" to your lands, have any managed to create kingdoms that may have, at one time, encompassed the whole realm of Ru, or held out for centuries against Dralien monarchs? My second (and albeit more touchy) question is this: it is in the regrettable past that Draliens have enslaved humans, and humans have even enslaved other humans, but has a Dralien ever enslaved a Dralien? Or a human enslaving a Dralien as a way to "get even"? If so, I imagine there would either be a racial or cultural diaspora (Ethnic Draliens and those culturally Ruvian forcibly moved from their homelands as slaves or to get away from civil disorder in your realm). Do You as King feel the need to be responsible for Draliens abroad, or other cultural members of that diaspora?" - An Orthodox Priest wearing shades

[Hanataya]

As a king, do you think that marriage should be a political move or simply a way for you to meet someone you sweared to love no matter what ?
And in a less serious tone, what do you think of thermes and public bathes ?

[Nawawi]

"Hello, King Yoshio! I hope you good on the last day in 2018. I want to ask you about emm... Religion... emm, btw what national religion in your nation?"

By Emir Husein X

[Ru-]

ooc: wow, three really great questions in a row! I'll try my best to do them justice, and to answer them in a timely manner lol.

"You mentioned previously that there are humans "native" to your lands, have any managed to create kingdoms that may have, at one time, encompassed the whole realm of Ru, or held out for centuries against Dralien monarchs? My second (and albeit more touchy) question is this: it is in the regrettable past that Draliens have enslaved humans, and humans have even enslaved other humans, but has a Dralien ever enslaved a Dralien? Or a human enslaving a Dralien as a way to "get even"? If so, I imagine there would either be a racial or cultural diaspora (Ethnic Draliens and those culturally Ruvian forcibly moved from their homelands as slaves or to get away from civil disorder in your realm). Do You as King feel the need to be responsible for Draliens abroad, or other cultural members of that diaspora?" - An Orthodox Priest wearing shades

"Humans were native to the region in western Ru now known as the Northern Lakes Province. As well as in several nations that border Ru: Tayatska, Dace, and Mulwalli. The human Kingdom of the Lakes was a great power in the west, and persisted many centuries between it's founding and it's eventual conquest by Ru. The last Lake King was named Duke of the Lakes and kept much of his original land and vassals, creating a large influx of new himan nobility. This was a bit controversial at the time, but it had been traditional practice since Aiden I to retain the conqoured lands' previous rulers who swore oaths of fealty. This would not change because the Lakes happened to belong to nondrailen.

Dace is a great example of a human kingdom resisting Ruvian aggression successfully. Ru never conqoured it, despite 7 different invasion attempts over many centuries. Despite the larger empire's best efforts, they were pushed back into Ru every time, and sometimes even further back: On a few occasions Dace managed to occupy Ruvian lands, that would eventually need to be won back. No other foreign power ever came close to occupying Ru completely, though.

To answer your second question, yes Drailen slaves were taken. By us. Slavery in ancient Ru was not racially based, while it was more common to see free Drsilen in these ancient socities then free humans, the human and drailen slave populations were fairly even before the empire's formation and for most of it's existance. Humans did own Drailen slaves in the ancient world, mostly due to purchasing them from our own markets. Ru was perhasps the ancient world's biggest slave trader and a great many slave holding nations the world over did business with us. The human kingdoms that Ru fought against the most: Dace, and The Lakes did not practice slavery themselves and were mostly content to ransom prisoners back to us or simply execute them.

You are right that there are many ethnic minority populations of Drailen across the world. Many identify as Ruvian and pay homage to me, and many do not associate themselves with Ru. (there are other Drailen nations here) I feel a connection to any of these groups that reach out and see me as a leader who represents them. But if they are not Tuvian citizens, I don't presume such a role snd leave it up to them to give it to me."

[Ru-]

As a king, do you think that marriage should be a political move or simply a way for you to meet someone you sweared to love no matter what ?
And in a less serious tone, what do you think of thermes and public bathes ?

"My case is kind of unique. Important members of the Ruvian royal family typically have their marriages either arranged for them by the reigning monarch, or if they take the initiative to arrange their own marriage, the marriage would need the approval of the monarch, as head of the royal household. If my father was still alive, he would have arranged my marriage when I turned older. However, because he is not and I am now the reigning monarch, my marriage will need the approval of...myself. So technically, I can marry whoever I wish. But in reality because whoever I marry will be marrying Ru first and myself second, I still need to be mindful to avoid taking a wife who would not be a good fit for the role of queen and the nation of Ru, no matter how fond of her I may be. It's still all up to my own best judgement though, so there is much more freedom there then is typical of our royalty. Marriages to the top 6 people in line for the throne, as well as my mother if she remarries, will be considered "state marriages" since these are the marriages that would constitute potential political alliances in the ancient and feudal eras. We all know that nations do not use family marriages to seal alliances and agreements anymore, but the tradition remains that my approval will be needed for any state marriage. Palace life involves less freedom then commoner society does in many ways, which is why family members have chosen to give up their title and move out in the past.

As for my personal opinion on it? I think you should marry for love when you can, and marry for your family and nation when you need to. In Ru's past marriage for love was an exception, especially in the royal and noble ranks. There marriages were political contracts, and even among the commoner classes it was often more about putting feuds to rest or exchanging dowries then anything else. Today my own family is really the only place where arranged marriage is still practiced. That people choose their own partners and do so for love is what is overwhelmingly most common now, and I think these types of marriages are the ideal.

Members of the royal family though, need to consider an entire nation rather then only needing to think about themselves, which is why we still do things in the old way. Love before the marriage is hoped for, but failing that, fondness and even love can develop later on. It has happened many, many times in the past, after-all."

-
"Now to answer your second question: I'm a big fan of those! Ru was and is well known for this, just like alot of other countries are, and we actually have a private version here in the imperial palace, but I also like it when I can go out and see what ones in other countries may be like. Things can get pretty stressful for me sometimes, so it's good to have a fun way to relax every now and then."

"Hello, King Yoshio! I hope you good on the last day in 2018. I want to ask you about emm... Religion... emm, btw what national religion in your nation?"

By Emir Husein X

"Why thank you! I hope you have a great new year as well! It may not be the traditional Ruvian New Year until the springtime, but we converted to the same roman calendar as you all some time ago, so 2019 it is. Many of us still like to celebrate the date changing. Because, honestly, we'll probably take any excuse we can find to throw another party!"

"Ru has a good number of minority faiths, but my own religion, and the majority religion in Ru (by quite a wide margin!), is the Caellian Faith, or the Faith of Cael. This faith is believed to have began in human dominated wetland areas in the Northern Lakes province before spreading across the eventual Kingdom of the Lakes, and then to the other great kingdoms of ancient western Ru: the Kingdom of the Hills, and the Kingdom of the Meadows. It was eventually adopted by the mercenary captain Aiden Rel in the east, thanks to the Third Prophet, who would conquer the city of Ru, become King Aiden I Rellinaiche, and then conquer 9 of the remaining 11 other great dragon cities and found the new Ruvian Empire. Spreading the Caellian faith as the new official religion of the united Ruvian nation.

The Caellian Faith is a monothestic religion that believes that since there is only one God, that all mortal people on earth must be this God's children and that all faithful people must be worshiping and doing honor to the same entity, regardless of what name(s) and form(s) they give Him. Caellians are merely the 'true witnesses" having been blessed with the preferred name and form, and what forms of worship is most pleasing. Caellian faith and worship is done purely out of love and gratitude for our creator and all that He has given, to give us guidance and assistance on the difficult path to being a person of virtue, and for own own personal satisfaction. Because Cael is all benevolent, faith and how he is treated by his creations is irrelevant to Him and He prefers no mortal over any other. What does matter to getting into Paradise in the next life is how one's behavior affects the mortal world and their fellow man, since His love is for all of his creations It also teaches that all people are held to a universal moral standard codified in the 9 Virtues, the belief being that we all have a deep down inner sense of what these virtues are. Anyone who lives by these virtues will reach the 9 Shores of Paradise and meet Cael in the afterlife.

The 9 Virtues Are:

perspective: humility and respect
kindness: forgiveness, peace, and mercy
genorosity: charity and sacrifice
moderation: discipline, restraint, and self control
courage: persistence, bravery, and hope
justice: fairness and teamwork
honor: honesty and integrity
love: joy, humor, gratitude, appreciation
diligence: curiosity and self improvement

These are very rough translations, of course, though some are very self-explanatory. There are also many different denominations of the Caellian Faith with different ideas of what everything really means, and what religious behavior more closely aligns with the Virtues and the Sacred Texts: the Holy Book of Light. It's all too much to get into all at once I think! But If people are curious about learning more about Cael or Caellians I can probably answer any questions on it that people may have."

[Knessniet]

"As you are represented by a Regent, I would like to ask what you consider good traits for a regent. I just became one, so I would like to hear what you have to say about such things."
- Marshal H.P. Bevington, Regent of Knessniet

[Ru-]

"As you are represented by a Regent, I would like to ask what you consider good traits for a regent. I just became one, so I would like to hear what you have to say about such things."
- Marshal H.P. Bevington, Regent of Knessniet

"Hm, I wonder if I'm really the best person to ask about this? I will try my best, regardless. The qualities that I think are best for a regent are the same qualities I look for in a leader: 'simple integrity, strong work ethic and a willingness to get things done.' And a willingness to make tough decisions, and take criticism with grace and dignity. Because while you may be ruling in someone else's name, you are still the actual leader of the nation in this moment. Don't be afraid to be 'boring' the boring leaders are most often the best ones.

If you are regent because the ruler is not of age yet, and will become the ruler in the future, then there are added responsibilities: you must also be a good mentor, to prepare and inspire the new king to future leadership. Encourage them to sit in on important meetings and keep up with current events. Ask them how they would decide certain issues that come up. You most certainly don't have to take thier advice, you are regent for a reason afterall! But it's good to get them thinking about these things. Don't shut them down if they seem to take a different political side then you, instead state your positions and explain why they work. Have them meet with a wide variety of people from different backgrounds and areas of expertise, even from opposition paeties. Even if they won't agree with thier interests, it's important for a ruler to understand where they are coming from and why they think the way they do. Inspire them to care. But if they are anything like me, you'll need to remind them it's ok to relax sometimes too!"

And don't get discouraged if they are speaking up alot and seem to be getting overly critical. It's a sign you've done things right by having a future ruler who is engaged enough to have strong opinions!"

It's alot of hard work, but also a tremendous honor! Good luck!"

[Great Mojave]

Hey Your Highness,

Coke, or Pepsi?

-Mr. President Dan Marino

[Ru-]

Hey Your Highness,

Coke, or Pepsi?

-Mr. President Dan Marino

"This is gonna look like a total cop-out but....I actually like them both! They do taste slightly different, but I don't really have a preference."

[Allinlia]

Seeing as your a king and all, I'm curious to hear what you think are the most important qualities for a leader?

[Ru-]

Seeing as your a king and all, I'm curious to hear what you think are the most important qualities for a leader?

"I've actually been studying up on this pretty recently! Here is a list of some of the most important qualities for effective leadership: decisiveness, setting ambitious goals, self confidence, humility, acknowledging errors, shouldering blame and learning from mistakes, empathy, resilience, collaboration, connecting with people, and (perhaps most importantly) controlling unproductive emotions. I figure I demonstrate most of these fairly well already, and there are probably a few I need to do a better job of working on."

[Silver Commonwealth]

---

Silver Commonwealth's Ministry of Foreign and Internal Affairs

---

To: King Yoshio
From: The Ministry of Foreign and Internal Affairs, and Supercomputer Tom

---

Greetings,

''I am Supercomputer Tom, and I have quite a few questions for the young King. Anyways, let's just start.''

''First, are there any humans in your country? If so, how they are treated? I have got intel, that main group in your country are lizard people, and that previous governments committed some crimes, but otherwise I don't know much.''

''Second, what is the most valuable resource of your country? Is it a material resource, like timber, some ore, or water supplies? Or is it something more spiritual, like happiness?''

''Third, and last, what is your personal opinion on us? So far, we are a zealous republican, and totalitarian autocracy, which is based on decentralization model to an extent, and plans to spread its ideas whenever it goes, including space.''

May God bless you,


Supercomputer Tom
The General Secretary, and Eternal President of Silver Commonwealth

[Hiachijan]

To whom it may concern among the entities affiliated with the Kingdom of Ru...

"Have you folks studied the stars yet? You ever wanna reach 'em? When you do, what're you gonna do in space?"

---

—Administrator Noxi-Cyzat
Question forwarded by the Cooperative MCC
Brought to you by Vocozer, producing the most realistic, emotion-bunched synthetic voices since yesterday!

[Ru-]

''I am Supercomputer Tom, and I have quite a few questions for the young King. Anyways, let's just start.''

''First, are there any humans in your country? If so, how they are treated? I have got intel, that main group in your country are lizard people, and that previous governments committed some crimes, but otherwise I don't know much.''

''Second, what is the most valuable resource of your country? Is it a material resource, like timber, some ore, or water supplies? Or is it something more spiritual, like happiness?''

''Third, and last, what is your personal opinion on us? So far, we are a zealous republican, and totalitarian autocracy, which is based on decentralization model to an extent, and plans to spread its ideas whenever it goes, including space.''

1. "On humans, I have already answered this one, and you can find my answer back in the transcript in the Q&A. Normally I'm perfectly fine with repeating myself, but I'm too busy at the moment to do so. sorry!"

2. "In ancient times it was our silk, which was world famous, our spices, and our dyes. Dyes of some very rare colors could only be found in the deep jungles and seas of Ru, and they were highly sought after by foreign kings and nobility. In modern times, the silk is the only one that has really retained it's high value. We are a major agricultural exporter, but our most valuable modern resource is probably our consumer goods: electronics, vehicles, clothing retail items, and the entertainment industry bring us great international financial success. Our greatest resource is, as always, the hard working Ruvian citizens."

3. "I have a rather poor view of totalitarian regimes that intend to aggressively spread those ideas throughout the world. Perhaps if we get to know each other better we can reach common understanding, and find we actually have much more in common then I imagine, but your brief description suggests that your goals may not align perfectly with those of Ru."

To whom it may concern among the entities affiliated with the Kingdom of Ru...

"Have you folks studied the stars yet? You ever wanna reach 'em? When you do, what're you gonna do in space?"

---

—Administrator Noxi-Cyzat
Question forwarded by the Cooperative MCC
Brought to you by Vocozer, producing the most realistic, emotion-bunched synthetic voices since yesterday!

"The stars had great significance in the ancient pre-Ruvian Empire religions, and the ancient Ruvians were great astronomers as a result. We continued our fascination with the heavens over the centuries and now Ru has a thriving space program. We have reached orbit and are a contributing nation to international space station research. Our space program is working on some very special, classified projects at the moment and I gotta say, it's some very thrilling stuff that the public is going to be hearing more about, very soon! Our goal is to increase our understanding of the universe, and to determine the feasibility of possible colonization of the other planets in our solar system."