The greatest democracy the world has seen [Open, AT]

by **Imeriata** » Fri Dec 11, 2015 3:49 pm

The radio started to make a horrendous noise as the heavy snowfall started to interfere with the radio signals and an annoyed groan went up from the rather large family sitting in the living room. There were the man and wife of the house, their 6 children, and of course the grandparents of the father that had all gathered around to listen to the news broadcast, it had been rumoured for a while now what the high king were planning and the royal authorities had so far not denied the rumours as they generally did so a lot of people seemed to think that the rumour was true.

The father of the family leaned forward and hit the radio as heavily as he could with his fist and it started to sound better for a moment.

“...e barrel wa…. rozen and s….” it said before it died to the annoyed complains of the entirely family but before anyone could voice their anger in words did the radio seem to get a hold of itself and the sound returned.

“..ter they got a fire burning under it and mixed in a healthy dose of salt could the execution of the convicted murdered go on. Despite protests so were the man known as ‘the Ekenborg elf strangler” drowned on the public square of Ekenborg in accordance with his royal highness, may his house forever be blessed and righteous, laws. In other news so can we however bring a shocking news as earlier today did the royal internal affairs advisory confirm the long going rumours that the royal court were going to open up seats for the commonry elected by the commonry!” the radio host said and the family looked at one another in confusion and with a hint of delight.

“Should have happened ages ago, the damned fat arses on the top is most likely going to…” the oldest of the sons said but were interrupted by a quick and strong twap over his head by his father.

“Do not speak ill of your betters, lad! Also be silent!” The father said angrily before they all turned their attention back to the radio.

“We were given a legal code written by none other than his royal highness, may his name entirely be showered in glory, himself. According to the royal internal affairs advisory will this election only be open to the commonry and as such are nobility prohibited from running, equally will the richer people amongst the commonry be prohibited from voting as the royal court wishes to include the lower levels of society as well in the workings of our most blessed and glorious federation. Allegations this is meant to close off the rich and those with better birth from the government is however refuted by the royal internal affairs advisory and they pointed out that the seats held by the nobility and the royal merchant guild will not be changed or annulled!” The radio host continued as one could hear him shuffling with papers.

“As this bold new stance by the royal government is certainly going raise some questions and confusion so are we happy to be able to say that we will today and everyday until the election in three months repeat the legal rules about the election so that voters will be well informed and will know how it all works when in a few months we will see this new development! Hylda?” He continued and finished as a female voice took over.

“Why thank you Greger, yes we can actually confirm that this is a thing that will happen and we have been granted the legal frameworks for the election by the royal internal affairs advisory itself!” The female voice said cheerfully before she cleared her throat and started to talk with a voice that seemed more like someone that read something aloud rather than something they memorised.

“The first rule about the election is what it will be about, and the royal court will be granted 99 new spots open to candidates that will be elected by the commoners. These candidates will be running individually and it is for them the voters will vote, however the 99 spots in the court will be divided amongst the elected by percentage and then will be filled with people chosen by the candidates!” She read out and one could hear her co-host making noises of agreement.

“Now, how will this happen if the elected gets an uneven percentage? what if we have two candidates with 55.4% and one with 44.6%? How will that be decided?” the male host asked and one could hear the woman clear her throat.

“Why by the most logical way to solve a situation like that of course Greger, To ensure that the chairs will be properly distributed amongst good and competent people will competitions be held, the most obvious one is combat to ensure that the seat will fall to a man or woman of great martial ability but also other competitions are accepted on the suggestions of the candidates!” Hylda said this time after only a short break, as if someone trying to find something on a document or something amongst those lines.

“Makes sense!” Greger said in agreement.

“Now to become a legally running candidate so should one apply for it in the royal heraldic collage by handing in your intentions, policies, and what you stand for, when you have been approved will you be a running candidate and your emblem and name will be put in the lists of candidates!” Hylda continued and were met with a grunt of agreement from her co-host.

“Now what about votes? How many will one get? Will it be as in the elections held in the merchant guild where votes will be divided by income and by how much capital each corporation is giving to the guild?”

“Ohh no Greger, as this is an election by the poor so will wealth not have a say in the matter. each man and woman above 15 will be given a single vote! So one man, one vote” she said and took a short breath.

“However any man that have served in the army will of course be given another vote for his bravery and dedication to our glorious fatherland, similarly have he been given a medal of distinction will he be given another vote! A mother that also have the say for her children will also be given another vote for every second child she has mothered to this world. Similarly so would a person over 50 in veneration of their age and wisdom be given another vote which be granted at the age of 100 and another at 150 and so on!” Hylda continued in the droning tone common to people that read something aloud and Greger made his agreeing noises.

“Now of course would a man die before the election so would his eldest legitimate child inherit his votes for the next election but they will be spent and he cannot be granted again!” She continued.

“That raises an interesting question though, what would happen to the elected if they die in office? Who would take their place?” Greger asked.

“Well the position and the seats would of course pass on to the eldest legitimate child of the candidate!” Hylda replied, this time a bit more cheerful and not the droning voice but it returned as she continued.

“All votes are to be held in royal officially sanctioned locations that will be clearly marked and the population will be informed in advance of their locations, the votes will of course be secret so nobody will know who you voted for unless you wished to reveal that information! These locations will be divided by socken and each socken will vote in one location, these votes will then be gathered and counted in the location of the election, the votes will then be moved up and all the votes of each socken will then be counted up in each ärke sockendöme. After that will all the votes from each ärke sockendöme be added together in each realm, followed by all votes being added and counted in the royal palace and the results will be announced. Of course will all the counting and adding will be open to the public and kept entirely on paper. However would one try to interfere on any level above socken as in trying to cheat, steal, and threaten will this be punished by the heaviest punishment the law can give, would one interfer below this will one be issued 20 lashes on the public square and a month in the pranger!” she continued in the same droning voice and were once more met by the same noises in agreement Greger seemed to have a bad habit of using.

“So there you have it loyal subjects, these are the simple and rather sensible laws under which our elections will be held!” Greger continued having taken over again as he cleared his throat. “In sports news… are people that are trying to change the rules of sportball amongst minors destroying the moral of the youth? Well according to well known and respected professor…” he said and this time did the family not really listen as they all turned to one another. It was only after a few moments of silence that the oldest son spoke up.

“Ok, fair enough, those rules makes a lot of sense!”

by **Imeriata** » Fri Dec 11, 2015 4:17 pm

OOC: Written with help of the rather nice Crystal spires

Crystal spires interviews.

There were a large group of people standing in a row, the 13 candidates that so far had seemed to have gathered the most support and were all in all at the moment theorised to be the leading group of candidates as far as opinion polls were concerned. There were Urgren Urgrenssen, a cleric from the holy chronically that wore the red robe of his office, on it’s chest were the burning rose embroidered and fire were embroidered at the bottom of the woolen robe. Otherwise were the clothes themselves rather spartan compared to some robes of the higher members of the chronologically. Around his waist did he wear a simple leather belt that were closed by an iron ring which it looped around before it was tied to itself again. A few pouches hanged from them filled with holy herbs and a few icons, and ceremonial daggers and of course a warhammer which was the holy weapon of his office. In the old days had the clergy worn blades, axes and even spears but the weapons had been standardised in the 200 years war, the shield that had traditionally accompanied the weapon had however been fazed out a bit more than a century ago. Besides the icons did he also have an ornate book hanging from his belt, the page’s edges had been coloured in silver and the outer layer was made from fine leather coloured red with a burning rose hammered into it and coloured in silver while Scanderan runes covered the lower portion of the book. Small gems and silver edges had also been riveted to the outer edges of the front and back of the outside where one could see alternating reliefs and jewels on the sides. The book were sadly enough closed at the moment and held together with a lock. In the old days this had been made to ensure that the velvet the old books were written on did not change size and destroy the book. Nowadays were it only a reminder of older days as the official books handed out to clergy were made out of paper. Around his neck did he wear a gorget made from brass and from the back did a large metal sheet shaped into the silhouette of a fire rise giving him a look meant to imitate the old saints and gods in the holy faith. He was in his middle age and his dark blue eyes had gotten a few noticeable wrinkles under them. His hair was long and blond but it was thinning on the top and a few gray spots could be seen at his templates. Thin braids were common amongst the long flowing mane though and it was stiff and poofy thanks to ground up limestone in it that gave the hair a pale look. There were also even here amulets and old runes, and icons braided into the hair that hang at the end of the thin braids. A man of the faith so had he been outspoken about more religious rule in the federation, stronger federal unions under the guidance of religious groups, He was however rather suspicious about non-federal religions and with the exception of the faith of the fierce unconquerable sun, and the faith of the two sided goddess Ishiri so did he not generally approve of other religions getting a foothold and he had been outspoken about aggressive foreign policy and federal support for the three faith spreading their religions abroad to acquire political, religious, and diplomatic influence.

Next to him stood a woman, Eshia Sha’lashi running for the second largest faith in the federation, the faith of the fierce unconquerable sun. She was part of the more radical parts of the faith and had lived a long life of self starvation and ascetic life in prayer but most of the faith had gathered behind her and she had a rather outspoken subordinate that were part of the more moderate parts of the faith. She was in her forties but one could not guess it from her looks as she looked massively worn down. Her hair had once been black and thick but it was now thin and had mostly turned into a shade of iron grey. Her eyes however burnt with a resolve and a fury even if they were massively sunken in. Her skin that had once been a light brown shade had turned into hard leather that were stretched as paper over her bones and she looked more like a starved skeleton than a candidate for a political organisation. She had a tattoo over her chest and a holy scripture could be found there but it was still easy to read as her breasts had long since been starved away. Clothes she did not wear but her starved skeletonlike look made it hard to judge that she was a woman just looking at the top of her. Around her waist did she wear a simple belt, similar to the one her opponent next to her was wearing with a simple iron ring, she also had a book hanging from her belt, it was much simpler than the holy chronically and the book of the sun was made from white leather but otherwise looked rather simple, there were no gold on it, the pages were white and looked like they were made from simple paper and it was just tied together with a simple piece of string, the fierce unconquerable sun looked down on extravagance and decadence and demanded that all men or women that tainted his holy words with paintings and gold were to be left out in the fierce sun of the desert. That were not to mean that they all were simple things as the more liberal sects of the faith had books bound by fine silk and decorated with iron and with runes written in the most beautiful calligraphy one could look for. The book of the sun simple Scanderan runes read on this book though, the faith and the language of the sun, known as soltungmål in Imerian or “Sha’Tassi Tuul” in it’s own tongue had thanks to long affiliation with the absolute royal federation changed it’s scrawling symbols for Scanderan runes. A simple rope hang over her shoulders and were held in place at her hip with the belt from which a crooked blade hang, it looked like most Scanderan swords in it’s design with a heavy tip and a false edge making it a horrific chopping weapon but also quite potent for thrusting. However there were a few differences, were Scanderans preferred large handguards protecting the entire hand on their weapons did this one only have two large disks at the bottom and top, making a bit better for slashing attacks but taking away some reach and not as good for stabbing as one could not hold it straight away from the hand. She also had a rather simple steel buckler hanging over the sword. Behind her did a simple blanket hang from her belt neatly rolled up and a few pouches held a few other nick nacks, and the last thing she owned was a simple wood bowl that also hang from said belt. Eshia had so far been a rather outspoken woman against secular leadership and nobility being more in favour of a theocratic government helping the king as the appointed of the gods, she had also been outspoken against prostitution, alcohol, the laws against ritualistic mutilation of dead enemies, drugs, a lot of music, television and other similar things as she said she wished a more healthy federation for the soul. She also supported a more aggressive foreign policy and generally agreed with Urgren on foreign policy and economy.

The third candidate was also a cleric, this time from the faith of Ishiri the two faced goddess, the goddess of war and fertility, warriors and mothers, life and death. This was Frida one of the daughters of the two faced goddess. She wore a simple white robe with black lining around the edges. Around her neck hung the symbol of her religion, a round medallion with its right side made from black iron with a V that ended in two circles at the sides of silver inlaid into the black iron, on the other side were it made from silver and here were a lion made from black iron inlaid on it.

She was a bit on the heavy side with a hint of a double chin under her jaw but still far from a fully formed one. Her hair was long and combed back and in the same colour as fresh hay and her eyes were the colour of the sky. She also had a book hanging from her belt as did all clerics in the federation and her was bound from black leather with silver inscriptions in the Scanderan runes. A simple drawing of the goddess in silver was on the front where a large slightly chubby woman with the feet of a bird and with two large wings stood, holding in one hand a horrific sword and in the other one a handful of wheat and all around her were birds and prowling lions. She also had some sinister looking daggers hanging from her belt and a hood were pulled back over her back so while it was not in use. She also had a mask hanging from her neck made from what seemed to be silver in some form or another. It was a simple mask with not features, only two holes that one could look out from. She was as the rest of the religious candidates in favour of a more religious federation at the price of excluding smaller religions from the government. She was on a similar economical leaning as the rest of them with simply more unions under religious affiliations but otherwise just leave it as it was.

She did however have a more liberal agenda socially than the rest of the trio and were more in favour of laxer laws of prostitution, necromancy, drug use, human sacrifice, alcohol consumption and other similar issues which had gotten her into some heat from more conservative vote circles and managed to distance her from a lot of voters that were not part of her religion. However in the faith did she has a well established voting base.

There were also the dwarf Göran Hilfidssen, a rather average sized dwarf which was not too tall compared to most other folks. His clothes were surprisingly ornate and he wore a pair of blood red trousers that were from the look of things twice the width of his legs and were firmly tucked into his brown leather boots. His tunic was rather short all things considered and embroidered with floral patterns but where otherwise simple in it’s cut and made from undyed linen. He also wore a large kafkan that were checkered in dark green and a somewhat darker dark green, though the checkers were tiny and only visible on a closer inspection giving the garment a rather nice texture. He had a dark red leather belt wrapped twice around his waist and a small gilded belt buckle in the shape of an attacking no larger than two fingers tall held the belt firmly clasped around his waist. The belt were however also riveted and golden animals ran around with one another on the belt. His hair was long and tied into a ponytail that also were red in colour, though closer to orange than his trousers. He did however have a large hat resting on his head that were covered in the same red as his trousers, it was tall and conical in it’s shape originally but it was made from wood so instead of standing straight up so did it hang back over his side and a tassel made from some red thread rested on his breast where the hat ended. His arms were covered in rings where twisting shapes and reliefs were to be found and a lot of them had semiprecious stones put into them. His beard however were clearly his pride and joy and it was wide and thick, hanging down below his breast. It had thin but long braids hanging in it and rings and amulets were either braided into it or held in place by friction giving him a rather distinguished look. A look that his nose ruined entirely, to call it a large nose would be somewhat of an understatement. It was about as long as a fist as a matter of fact and it was also very very thick as most Scanderan dwarves. Despite his rather humble upbringing as a former slave had he managed to gain a rather large following amongst ex slaves and non-humans sprouting support for greater rights and more inclusion amongst the government and nobility for non-humans. Besides that rather radical stance though were he still conservative in most other issues and seemed content in letting non-humans into representation but otherwise not changing too much about the system, he had been rather much in favour of the mercantile policies of the federation but he was a more peaceful man on international politics seemingly liking greater co-operation with nearby civilisations compared to the old ways of conquest and domination.

Besides the dwarf stood a man that were named Erik Göranssen, he was rather well known for simply running for the military, he was an old infantryman by trade and still wore his military uniform, it was that of a riksknekt that had been granted the rank of corporal, his tunic were dark blue and clean with the stripes of gold and white running over his chest and two large folds of gold laying around his neck. The tunic was trimmed in gold and golden button wearing the eagle of the high king were on them. His arms had the ornate austrian knots in golden band over a field of red that men of his rank were allowed to wear and a red silk sash was firmly slung over his shoulder. He was an old man and his long hair was thin but had turned grey with just hints of it’s old blond colour in it. His upper lip was covered in a thick grey mustache but his eyes were still hard and grey. A standard testicle dagger and mace hung from his belt next to a federal revolver standard issue for a man of his rank and while he did not wear his satchel nor his knapsack so did he still hold the posture of a rank and file federal riksknekt. His trousers in style with the royal guard were wide and had a red austrian knot on their side and were tucked into his black boots that were then quickly followed by a light grey leather spats. On his head did he wear the so typical tricorne That all Imerian soldiers wore proudly, besides all the ones that did it of course. Which were surprisingly lot of them. His arms held a few honourable arm rings for valour and campaigns he had fought in. They were cast in silver and were in some cases even emaneled in colour to show rather impressive scenes. One showed Scanderans in full protective gear with the leather gasmask that made them look more like some sick hybrid of man and bird dressed in long heavy greatcoat and with pointy fur caps that wrapped down their heads leaving only the face open. He one where one man in the standard uniform laid on the ground wounded but still firing while others dragged him away all coloured except the silver background. His policies were as one would expect from a military man very much in favour of higher stratocratic government, larger budget to the military, a more aggressive foreign policy, he also stood proudly for the old mercantile policies of the federation, more stricter laws, higher value placed on education and to try to limit foreign influence on federal cultures with the aid of legal restriction of foreign cultural influences.

There were Talgrid Halfssen & Torvald Torbjörnssen both were… the best way to describe them would of course be as populist nationalists with some slight socialist leanings, They both promised much as lower taxes and more aid to the poor and generally kept screaming slogans at one another. From time to time even contradicting their own statements earlier but they had still gotten a huge following while screaming about “making Imeriata great again” and “never backing down again!” generally they both did hint that the non-humans were behind most troubles but they had not said so outright so far. They both tended to vary from week to week on political issues but seemed to stand firmly that whatever ails the federation it was someone else fault, often the savage barbarians living outside of it’s border. Fredrik was rather fat but lacked an eye that seemed to been lost to some kind of weapon, bladed from the looks of things. He wore a pair of simple brown baggy trousers and a simple khaki tunic. His hair had once been brown but had now turned grey and thin with patches visible under the well combed thing. Torvald however were young and energetic his red hair was still thick and kept back in an impressive ponytail and he was seen as a rather handsome man with sharp chiseled cheeks. He was very thin and with a pair of short cut sideburns nicely surrounded his face. He was wearing a simple dark grey tunic embroidered with birds in darker grey and he had a pair of red trousers put in his boots.

Besides the two men stood Björk Holgerssen a commoner in the very definition of the world, he was broad over the shoulders and obviously muscular under his simple grey tunic with red trimmings and he wore a checkered trousers where fields of very light brown were mixed with one another. Over his shoulders rested a red cloak held in place by a Penannular broach made from black hammered iron, the cloak itself were made from simple wool and waxed on the outside and in general was supposed to go with a hood that he seemed to have left at home. His arms also had armrings but they were few and made from iron rather than silver and twisted rather than worked into impressive shapes. His beard was long, blond, and very thick and he had long hair braided but it lacked much in the way of medallions and only had a few rings made of iron in it. He was a radical in the true sense of the word, he was outspoken in favour of unions, wealthcare, and limit private property a lot, though he was also outspoken against state ownership and had even said that companies should only be owned by their own unions. This fact had he however retracted later but a lot of people were still suspicious about it. He also prefered for the federation to keep to itself and had time and time spoken out against religion and nobility in the government. There were however a lot of rumours about him, he had been divorced which was a great shame and dishonour as far as any federal subject was considered. There was also the issue with his sons as one of them followed him wholeheartedly and had been highly involved in the election campaign but his other son were supposed to utterly hate his father with a burning passion and were even a member of the royal merchant guild with a considerable income but had yet publicly condemned his father as a swine and scoundrel and refused to aid.

There were also Brigita Fridasdottir a woman that was very outspoken about social issues and justice between gender issues and species issues and had annoyed some people by her aggressive social stands and she had been accused as treacherous and even anti-scanderan by some of her opponents. She was… quite fat with two double chins and tiny narrow eyes that had a piglike quality to them. Her hair was long and brown and kept in a ponytail, she wore a simple white dress with a red outer dress over it that both looked a bit too thin for her. Even the ponytail had gotten a lot of angry outrage as it was seen as a man’s haircut. She wore two simple looking glasses that had a crack over the brow of them.

There were also Fredrik Haraldssen a rather odd man, he was very much in favour of elected commoners so he was in some cases in favour of change but otherwise were he a very outspoken conservative. He liked to keep things as they were socially and had said he had no problems with trying to maintain the old ways were he elected. He as such favoured the militaristic ways of the past, the mercantilism and generally seemed to be rather in favour of the established social order. His clothes were also rather conservative and a bit more noble like with very thin red trousers that were all but skin tight and he wore a dark blue tunic of a well fitted cut and with gold trimmings. On his head rested a large wide brimmed hat with a large red feather in it

Then came Halfrid Nilssen a man that so far had been proven one of the more liberal candidates speaking out against nobility and against the churches in the government but he had also came as a champion against taxes and generally prefered a more hands off approach to the whole economy. He was wearing rather splendid clothes and he had a dark tunic that was almost black but had a hint of another colour to it, green or blue but it was hard to tell and it seemed to change depending on the light with silver embroidery of a trio of fishes hunting one another in a long endless circle that were repeated over and over on his dark tunic. His trousers were on the other hand rather baggy in a style that were more often appropriated by the commonry and they were stripped in blue and white ending in a pair of well polished boots of black leather with grey spats reaching up halfway to his knee. On his head did he wear a ornate tricorne hat with golden rim running around the top of it and a large collection of feathers and roses sitting firmly attached to it’s back. Over his shoulder did he also wear a cloak, a more fashionable one than a practical one sadly enough as it was thin and decorated with colourful stones, not precious stones but at most semiprecious stones as serpentinite and labradorite inlaid with silver. Embroideries also surrounded them and silver thread were used to draw vines running out from the stones with large impressive looking leaves branching out from them.

The time was drawing near to showtime as a handsome, but effeminate wolfling stood wearing a headset, his grey eyes lingering upon the screen in front of him. The tall wolf lingered had a humanoid form, a gentle human face,with creamy peach colored skin, a pair of pale white-voted ears, and a tail upon his backside. He wore a fine brown and ivory suit and a red ascot tie, and a pair of white gloves which carried a set of cards. Beside him a beautiful female reporter by his side twisted a long dark brown lock of hair around her finger nervously, and stared at the screen before her, waiting for her cue. The woman had dark warm brown eyes, in the shape of soft sweet almonds, and she wore a smooth dark grey gown, her high cheekbones were dimpled as she smiled on cue, and folded her long thin hands in her lap. The wolfling, ready at full attention spoke with a paternalistic tone of voice that was rich and deep. It had a tingling profundity that resonated in the venue.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen, this is Uleth Taunton reporting live from Härlendas turnefält in Härlenda , Imeriata." The wolfling spoke as he made a motion, bowing as he placed his hand over his heart. "Today we will be making groundbreaking history for democracy, and will welcome the honorable and culturally enriching candidates for the position of Valkvalda. The Imerians have prepared for this event for a long time, and this is their chance for true leaders to make their stand, to make a full impression. Tonight, the debate begins, and we will get a chance to understand the positions and policies the candidates support to transform the future of Imeriata." Uleth said with a brilliant smile.

"And an exciting time it is, Uleth! To our honorable viewers who are just tuning in, welcome to the Härlendas turnefält. Our thanks to the staff here and especially to federala ach khöngliga turnemästern for with the tourney fields in Härlenda as our backdrop. Its great significance is relevant to Imerians everywhere symbolizing the power behind the crown and its people, making it the perfect location for the first show of representative democracy since the old tings before religions bråken. As your cohost, I, Selena Daturon, am also interested in how the election will progress. With thirteen leading candidates of the election at their podiums, we can tell that the pressure is intense. They are ready to participate in this game of wits and wisdom, but the consequences are incredibly important, as it will determine the future of elections in Imeriata."

"Let us have a full round of applause for the candidates as we welcome them, for the first time!" Uleth said as he gestured to the podiums, where the candidates stood at the ready, and were given a round of applause. "This debate is airing on the SPNA network in D'halbrisir, the Khöngliga ach federala fjärsynen in Imeriata, and all around the world. It’s also being broadcast on the hell federala tallådan (anglomål). I know everyone is very eager to get started, but first, I want to explain the ground rules tonight. I, Uleth Tanthon, will be the moderator for tonight's debate. I will be joined in the questioning by the talk show host Hylda Tovasdottir, who works in the hell federal tallådan for 7 years. He is joined by our chief political correspondent, Björn auf Stjärnkhrone i Asterarna, and my cohost, Selena Daturon. I will ask follow-up questions, I will attempt to guide the discussion. Candidates, I will try to make sure each of you gets your fair share of questions. You’ll have one minute to answer and a minute for follow-ups and rebuttals. I’ll give you time to respond if you’ve been singled out for criticism."

"Our viewers should know we have timing lights that are visible to the candidates to warn them when their time is up. These Candidates are positioned on the stage based on their ranking in recent national polls. Our goal for this evening is a national discussion. A true debate, with candidates addressing each other in areas where they differ on policy, on politics, on leadership. This will determine how they will act on future policies. Now, let’s begin." Selena purred as she spoke with gusto.

"I’d like to invite each candidate to take 30 seconds to introduce him or herself to our audience, beginning with the current leader of the open polling, Fredrik Haraldssen"

“Why thank you lad, I am happy to be given the ability to speak here, but let’s go straight to the point here, Our ways are old and ancient, our history goes back for untold millennia, our culture and our ways stand above all others! Certainly this new great ideal we have been granted by the just blessing of his royal highness, may he reign eternally, perfected what was already perfect. However we must all stand firm in our convictions and our ways, let us use this opportunity to aid our most glorious fatherland into a new era but a new era that is familiar and true to the old ways! Let us not slip into extremism, savagery, or even radical ideas that I might remind everyone was still considered a mental disorder not too long ago!” He said ending the last one by glaring at Björk Holgerssen. “That is what I stand for! THE OLD WAYS! NOT DIMINISHED BY THIS GREAT IDEA OF THE VOICE OF THE COMMONRY BUT ENHANCED! PERFECTED NOT CHANGED!” He said finishing of his slogan by beating his fist on his heart and some of the people that had gathered to look cheered in agreement.

“Thank you,Herr Haraldssen, we’re looking forward to your answers to the questions!” Selena said as she gestured to the next candidate to introduce themselves in turn. “Urgren Urgrenssen, tell us about yourself and what you stand for in contrast to all other candidates in the election.” she asked demurely.

“Thank you Jungfrau!” The cleric said as the robed man took a step forward to the sound of metal hitting metal as his sword, daggers, book and other nick nacks kept hitting one another as he walked forward and the sound his gorget made also added to the metallic symphony.
“I am not a very wealthy man, nor am I a man of the world I have to admit, but I have walked amongst the poor more time than I can count, I have talked with a lot of our people working in the chronological aid to the commonry, I have listened to confessions and I think I know what we all want in life, we want a holier realm, a safer realm where evil and poverty is not as harsh, we want the faiths to help us all, no matter if you believe in the fierce sun, in the two faces Ishira or in the god of kings and king of gods, we are all brothers of the faith, and I think that we need to represent this in the government, I believe that the faiths should have a higher saying, that the faiths should help our common brethrens that have trouble finding food, and I believe full heartedly that together we can all create a better world united under one of the three faiths!”

“A very poignant thought, Herr Urgrenssen, there are few among our people who disagree with the power of faith and its necessary role at the heart of politics. Now, tell us, Björk Holgerssen what shall you bring to the election?’”

“I will bring an actually vote for the commonry! We are going to bring down the rich and bring up the poor! No more should we have to suffer that the rich feast while the poor starves! No more I say! Now stand with me for a more equal federation in the future where everyone have their fair share of everything!”

“Such is a value held close by compassionate people, and compassion is something we find unique and rare in the political arena. This is something that Imerian people would treasure in their representative in the court. I look forward to seeing what you can bring forth in this debate. And let’s hear what can do to distinguish themselves in the election. Tell us who you are, and what you can bring to the Imerian election.”

The next man, or dwarf was Göran Hilfredssen that walked forward in a waddling like manner, he was followed by a human wearing the grey robes of the royal foreign relations advisory that whispered in his ear and the dwarf nodded thoughtfully as he stepped forward. He said something quickly and this time the robed man nodded quickly.
“Göran stands for traditions of our glorious homeland, the old ways which we all followed in the days of yore when the gods themselves walked amongst us! In those great glorious days did even the inferior species lived as great lords of the great old kingdoms, THIS IS WHAT GÖRAN STAND FOR! ONCE MORE WILL THE NON-HUMANS RECLAIM THEIR OLD JUST PLACE IN OUR GLORIOUS HOMELAND!” The robed man translated as the dwarf stood nodding in agreement.

“Er...thank you, Herr Hilfredssen, we are curious to see how your vision of the new Imeriata pans out.” The wolfling said as he continued with the interviews. “Now, Eshia Sha’lashi, tell us about yourself, and what you wish to see Imeriata like in the future, which differs from your contemporaries.” He asked with a sheepish laugh.

The naked starved looked woman started to walk forward at this followed by another woman, that looked 30 years Eshia’s junior, about young or middle 20ies or so, and with a more pleasantly shaped body, with a rather ample sized attributes around her chest and waist and with long thick braided hair with rings and amulets in it. An odd choice for a woman in the federation since most cultures under Scanderan rules had by now accepted the fact about long braided hair being a symbol of masculinity and martial pride. This of course was why she wore it like that as the faith of the fierce unconquerable sun expected it’s priests and priestesses to be warrior as well as holy men. While the other two faiths only expected their male priests to take up the mantle of a warrior. The two women whispered to one another back and forth before the younger one spoke up.

“We too agree with our honourable colleague serving majestic Rasmer and his vassals rather than the fierce unconquerable sun that the three faiths should be righteously advise his royal highness, may the sun shine upon him for all, and that we should not only interact abroad with war but also that we should spread with the words of our faiths and that the crown should indeed try to help our three faiths spread into dimheim and beyond!” The younger woman said sounding proudly while she at the same time stood and tried to cover herself a bit while her older boss stood more proudly and seemed to have no calms about her situation.

“We do also believe that some of the old religious freedoms to the faiths, however we also agree that some of the more… extreme alternatives should of course not be allowed!” she said and glared into the direction of the white robed priestess of the two faced goddess.

“Ohh? so only headhunting should be accepted is that is?” Frida shot back angrily.

“THE FIERCE UNCONQUERABLE SUN DEMANDS THAT THE HEADS OF HIS ENEMIES SHOULD BE LEFT IN PYRAMIDS FOR HIM TO BE JUDGED! THIS IS SIMPLY DEMANDS BY THE GOD HIMSELF! IT IS NOT LIKE WE WANT TO CUT UP LIVING MEN IN DARK RITUALS OR AWAKEN THE DEAD!” The woman shot back angrily at her counterpart in white.

“I call the debate to order, it is still not time for open debate. Now, Halfrid Nilssen, please tell us what you represent to the Imerian people that differs from the other candidates.” The smiling newscaster said as he folded his hands in his lap. “We will be able to address this when it comes.”

The older woman asked her translator something in a suspicious tone and the younger one took a moment before she asked one word that sounded sort of like a question rather than a answer and got a glare as a result as the two left the stage. And the liberal candidate walked up the stage.

“Thank you!” Halfrid begun speaking gently and well mannered as if he were used to speaking in public and had done so for most of his life. “I am but a simple man with a simple dream, that dream is freedom, freedom for our people to do as we want, in a more liberally open society, I want less laws obstructing our lives, less obscuring traditions demanding what we can and cannot do, in short, I am but a simple man that want our most glorious people to be able to be free and free to chose what they can do not bound by social restraints nor laws!”

“Freedom is a much coveted ideal by all people, and so is respect to the everyday man’s liberty in view of the differing social ideals. I think this is an important distinction to have in the race to become elected by the Imerian people to represent them in the court. Now, let us hear what Erik Göranssen has to say about themselves, and what they want to bring to the table to create a better world for Imerian people.”

The military man in his uniform walked up in a precise and disciplined manner and took the microphone like a man would grab a rifle on a drill.
“I cannot offer some of the things that my fellow federal subjects here, nor can I offer the easy way out, what I on the other hand offers is ORDER AND DISCIPLINE! Let us not forget what we are, we are not some weak-bodied Spireans reading books rather than fighting, we are not some spineless Malgravean too cowardly to do what is right, We are not Herdites too decadent and too busy counting their coins! We are Scanderans! We are federal subjects! We are a warrior people, to die by the sword is what is our duty in the name of what is right, to be feared by other peoples are what we should be and to rule is what we are born to do, This is what I can offer, Greater military spending to once more remind those around us that a Scanderan warrior has always been something they should fear, A stronger force and a more loyal commonry raised to defend what is ours by right so that nobody, no filthy voidspawn nor a force on this world would dare to threaten us or our interests, and more spending to pay for those great glorious heroes that have already given their all in their defence of his royal highness, may his name forever be glorious, domains! ÄRA ACH HEDER!” He finished his speech by slamming his fist over his heart in the manner Scanderans saluted.

“Uhm, I see, a very firm and powerful contribution to the discussion. I am sure Imerians will appreciate the patriotism and the reminder of their noble roots. Now let us hear what Frida has to say about what they have to bring to the election, and how they will represent the Imerian people differently from their contemporaries.”

“May the two faced goddess shine upon you in kindness and forget about you in wroth!” Frida said as the third and final religious candidate took a step forward, her robes were much formly than the loose robe worn by the priest of the holy chronically and it sat tightly around her revealing rather nicely her body’s shapes even if the content remained entirely hidden.
“I too stand for a more holy and blessed federation, under the three faiths so should our people always be willing to fight against what is evil and vile and stand up for what is righteous and good, this is something all our faiths have in common and what we all agree we must do to stop evil from taking over the world!” She said nodding to the two other clerics that both nodded in agreement even if the faithful of the angry sungod glared a bit as she said so.

“However, we also stands for a more enjoyable life while doing so, sure as all good gods the goddess demands us to fight and die in battle against evil and only a god that would not care about the world would ask less of his or her followers, however one must also enjoy life as it is now, as such do I believe that we should have less restrictions, I think we all should be free to enjoy ourselves and that we should spend more money on public entertainment but also loosen restrictions on some of the old religious freedoms that those of us that do not follow the god of roses and the god of kings and king of gods teachings are demanded to do, However we also think that laws should be more relaxed on issues as prostitution, of drugs, alcohol, and so on for surely I believe that our people should have the freedom to chose what they wanted to do with their body, for surely that is their right here in life!”

“A very interesting contribution to the race, and now, Torvald Torbjörnssen what have you to add to the race, and tell us about who you are, and what made you join us in this historic election for the royal court?” Uleth asked as he shuffled his cards in his hand, there appeared to be only a few left to introduce themselves before the questioning would begin.

Torvald stepped forward and his lead, well in theory at least, so far did the opinion polls either not take multiple votes into account or expected people to be honest about how many votes they were entitled which resulted in some rather varied results regarding who was actually in the lead.

“I am a very simple man of the people and I believe in one simple thing!” Torvald said simply and nodded out to the men gathered around them. “I believe in our great federation! I believe it is time to make her great again! Stomp out crime, restore her prestige, create a glorious nation we all can be proud in!” He said passionately. “THIS IS WHAT I OFFER! GREATNESS AND GLORY AND NOT ANY EMPTY OFFERS ABOUT COMPROMISE AND COIN TURNING!”

by **Imeriata** » Fri Dec 11, 2015 4:18 pm

“Sounds like a good plan for the future of Imeriata, and does sound like you are committed to it in a firm way. I am sure that Imerians would appreciate your dedication and will consider you a serious contender, Herr Torbjörnssen, and now let us see what Fredrik Haraldssen has to offer with their current platform, and what they would like for the Imerian people to know about them as a candidate and representative of their interests.”

“I am but a humble man of the people and all I can offer is my love for our fatherland, have we not suffered enough? Have our people not taken enough foreign influence and been forced to beg for scraps? We are a great people, a mighty people and this should not be forgotten, EVEN IN THIS MOMENT SHOULD WE ALL UNITE FOR A GREATER TOMORROW FOR ALL OF US! WE SHOULD TRULY BE WILLING TO GIVE OUR ALL FOR THE CROWN AND FOR OUR FATHERLAND! I AM THE MAN TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN, I PROMISE THAT WE WILL ONCE MORE BE ABLE TO WALK WITH OUR BACKS STRAIGHT AND OUR HEADS TALL WITH ME IN LEADERSHIP!”

“Excellent, I am sure that you are willing to lead well with the everyday man’s voice in tow, it is important to remember that people appreciate those with common interest and likes. Now, let us hear from Brigita Fridasdottir and what they think they can offer the common Imerians to bring them at the forefront of progress in the name of the people.” Uleth gestured and nodded his head at the candidate, welcoming them to speak.

“I am not going to lie and say our society is perfect and that our ways are the ways for everyone to look up to as a shining example of everything that is right and proper in the world… no honestly they are not! Our people are suffering from massive social issues like gender imbalance, for instance did you know that the reason our high king cannot be a woman is because he need to lead the army and women cannot be warriors? This is literary the official doctrine our government hold on this issue! Is it right that women are either expected to try their hands at just the economy or staying at home to be mothers? Is it right that the royal military advisory and the military is entirely made up from men with the exception of the nurse corps? Is it right that the economic advisory is almost entirely made up from women because women are seen a inherently better on economic issues?” she said taking a moment’s break and looked at her fellow candidates.

“Yes!”
“Yes?”
“Aye? that makes sense!”
“I do not see any issue with that really” A few of them responded and other simply shrugged, while only Halfrid and Eshia seemed to nod in agreement.

“We use slurs casually that in other nations would be considered hate crimes! Honestly just last night did I listen to the radio and it referred to our elven friends and fellow subjects as ‘simpleminded knifeears’ without really taken any consideration about how that might affect a people that daily needs to struggle with issues and poverty! This is what I hope to end, I hope to be able to lead our glorious federation into a new era of equality between genders, species, and races! Hopefully will we be able to take a page from our neighbours and not eternally be children pretending that we are inherently better than anyone else!”

“Thank you very much everyone, and now we will discuss the important issues and questions brought forth to us by concerned citizens and consultants meant to give us a broader idea of how to confront the issues faced by Imeriata, and how Imerian citizens would be impacted by your decisions. Every candidate will have a chance to answer these questions. The first question is the following…”

“The poverty gap between Imerians is one of the greatest in the region, with many Imerians unable to receive bare minimums and many Imerians barely can provide for their families, how would you confront the issue of poverty in Imeriata?”

“I personally think this is a very big issue that we must all face together as one people, as one great nation! THIS is what we could all do!” Talgrid Halfssen said quickly raising his fist into the air as people started to cheer him on. Not really an answer really but he had made a statement about it after all.

“I… yes, this issue is of course one we have all struggled with for ages!” Urgren Urgrenssen said sounding a bit doubtful about Fredriks statement. “I however believes that the best way to deal with this issue is with the faith! Let the three religions drive our aid to the poor as we have done for ages but with greater backing from the crown and higher taxes on the rich as well as men of the faiths gathering in helpful cash, This is however not the only way to deal with the issue but I also believes that would our unions be given more leeway so could we also be allowed to grant higher pay and more important concessions from our faithful flock!” He said looking at the other clerics that had joined them. “I do believe I speak for all of our faiths when I say this?” He asked and was met with nods and he looked with a smile back “Yes, no matter how you vote but if you vote on a religious platform so will we all be able to bring in greater rights and wealth for the poor no matter what religion you belong to!”

“LIKE FROZEN MÖRKERHEIM IT WILL!” An angry voice cut in and Björk took a step forward pointing accusingly at the religious figures. “I know what kind of deals the faiths do for us, it is not more safety, it is not better pay, it is religious traditions that are held most in value! What we need are actually independent unions that can actually do what we need them to do. That is not all we should do either, what we should do is to give these unions the ownership of the corporations to lead them for the workers, an economy for the workers, by the workers I say!”

“That… that is interesting that you would bring up, does federal subjects not have an absurdly high number of weekends compared to most nations? are not employers actually forced to have feasts for their workers at least twice a year to show them that they care? Are not all employees actually granted long periods of paid vacation would they need to go on a pilgrimage or to serve tempelplikt?” Frida cut in and before he had a chance to make the debate a religious vs commonry union issue Göran Hilfredssen step in.

“While this is a great issue so is it one that really should wait, before we begin to solve the problems between the poor and the rich so should we really deal with the non-humans in our society, and I think the best way to deal with it is to first make sure that there is an appropriate number of non-humans amongst the upper classes before we begin to think about trying to solve the poverty issue for everyone!”

“While it is an important issue so should is this really be something left to charities to be honest, I am not really sure that drain the commonry even more, no let them keep their money and then try to deal with it!” Harald say taking the more libertarian stance.

“I believe that krigsmakten dealt with the issue in the best manner, would we provide small pensions and rations would those be needed! ” Erik Göranssen said with a simple and to the point.

“I am thinking this is a task best left for the women of the royal economical advisory truth be told! This I believe is a complicated issue that one would of course need to look into deeply before giving a proper answer of course!” Brigita Fridasdottir said after a moment of thought.

“While it is an issue, so is it one that an overhaul of the old systems could solve, with a more concentrated effort from the crown, the faiths, and as Brigita pointed out the women of the royal economical advisory, and with the help of aid so are we sure we could easily deal with this issue on our own as a people, as we always have done it!” Fredrik Haraldssen said with a quick nod.

“The next question: It is said that your successors will inherit your positions, and will also be called to stand in for your platform and will be done by birthright. How well will your heir represent your personal and political viewpoints, and do you think they will reliably be ready to hold your position if something unfortunate were to happen to you, or if you are incapable of holding your position due to reasons of health?”

“Yes, my son is a good federal subject currently serving as a riksknekt, he would be able to follow me would I fall!” Erik Göranssen said quickly nodding self assured about this fact.

“Aye, my positions would fall to the holy chronologically so it would be for the arch cleric to choose my successor, a task I am more than certain his holiness would be able to do!” Urgren said simply with a quick nod.

Eshia whispered something to the woman next to her that took the step forward “That duty would fall upon me, I lack any bound by the blood with honourable Eshia but we are both sisters in service to the fierce unconquerable sun so at her request have I been granted that duty, a duty I would serve to the best of my ability!” She said and then took a step backward

“Uhm… yes?” Björk said and looked a bit shifty at the whole situation.

“Aye, my role would fall upon my son, a strong good dwarf of the good blood, he would take up my mantle and do it justice!” The dwarf said and nodded

“As with Ulric would my temple receive my position, I am sure the speaker of the goddess would be able to replace me properly and quickly!” Frida said with a quick nod.

“I lack a son but I have two daughters that will be more than able to serve me properly if I would die even if I think that is unlikely, Scanderans are tough creatures and interestingly enough does not get sick!” Fredrik Haraldssen said with a smile at his own joke at the end.

“That duty would fall upon my brother, I am certain he would be able to live up to my legacy would the unfortunate happen!” Brigita Fridasdottir said simply and more to the point.

“I have two sons that both will both make our great nation strong and mighty would I fall before my duty is fulfilled!” Torvald Torbjörnssen said with a simple nod.

“That would be my father, a good strong man!” Talgrid Halfssen said simply.

“Yes” Halfrid Nilssen said simply only answering part of the question.

“Some speculations indicate that a secular government would better improve the lot of impoverished persons of minority faiths or people of no faith. How do you appraise the promotion of a secular government?” Uleth asked as he slipped another card out of his pocket.

“Good question, I am certain my religious… Friends would be more than able to answer that question!” Björk Holgerssen said with a smirk as he looked to the trio of clerics.

“Well, the issue is simple really!” Urgren Urgrenssen said with a simple shrug “of course we would help them, after all there are certain movement in the holy chronically that would say that even someone that worships another religion entirely is just a misguided man of the holy chronicles, certainly are most religions just either some misrepresentation of one of the chronological gods or just a mixture of them. Certainly Fornt’s faith is just a religion where all the focus is put on the lawspeaker, holy Adasir rather than all the gods in their entirety! Harmonism would those that think that Utbödlinga sagan is a holy scripture would argue that Celestia and Luna are just Änglir or Spirits that served the flaming goddess, holy Hisir, or the pale lightbringer, holy lamir, but have forgotten their paths. We are of course arguing theology here and misguided as they are certainly but they are still people following the gods in the battle against evil. And would they worship evil they deserve no aid, but I cannot really think of anyone that would willingly worship demons and even far worse…” He finished simply with a quick nod.

“We too find what honoured Urgren said to be a rather decent description, the fierce unconquerable sun takes kindness upon all gods despite them not shining as bright nor are as glorious as the fierce god!” Eshia’s words were translated by her younger follower.

“Even the goddess take kindness upon the heathen, as long as they do not worship evil will she look upon them with kindness and will not strike them down in fury!” Frida said with a quick nod in agreement with the two previous speakers.

“Some people say that the Imerians have a large problem with racism and discrimination, and claim that Unbidden if proven to be nonviolent and peace-loving should be treated as equals to human scanderans, how do you respond to the treatment of non-scanderans, non-humans, and non-bidden races?” Uleth asked with a raised brow.

“I do not believe this to be the case, certainly the federation accept all kinds of races and look at how well treated the non-humans are nowadays, look we even have this upstanding lad here running for a public office!” Halfrid Nilssen said and looked towards Göran with an approving look on his face. A look the dwarf replied with a not too impressed facial expression and a raised eyebrow.

“Would I be able to ask what you mean by unbidden? We lack that term in the good old tongue!” Erik Göranssen cut in before the dwarf had a chance to reply.

“Unbidden is a term for those races who have been tainted by darkness, turned away from the divine power of the gods, like the vampires, wraiths, shrieks, orcs and banshees of the lands of Yesopalitha.” The sweet faced beastling said with a smile to brush off the Imerian lack of understanding, and to make it seem like the mistake was commonly made. “You know of the type, naturally, the words people use for them are different.”

Most of the Imerians faces went cold, stern, and suspicious at the clarification.
“THe undead? These creatures are quite frankly horrid abominations, creatures of darkness and vile, they should all be gathered up and burnt, lacking the ability throw them into the undead asylums until the situation can be dealt with as we did the last time they rose up in the federation!” Erik added quickly and were given a wide collection of agreements it was only Frida that did not really look too convinced.

“They are creatures of darkness and enemies of the fierce unconquerable sun, his words are that they are to be hunted down with blade and fire!”

“Aye, the gods holy laws are clear, burn what is dead, for it is dead and may no more walk the land of the living, to allow this is a sin!”

“I honestly do not believe the extreme way is the way to go, certainly the dead can serve the living, I believe that the goddess shows herself in both death and life, and as such could the dead be made to serve under controlled environments!” Frida then finally cut in and were granted a large number of angry looks by this statements and a few of the candidates even muttered words as “Dysban” and “Unholy” under their breaths with a few other… less savory terms.

“Though, let us not really get too far away from the whole question, I certainly for one think that our homeland is very racist, maybe it is time that we should all in all step up and stop using terms that we take for granted, maybe we should stop using some terms about people of darker or more yellow skin, maybe we should stop using terms about non-humans that starts with the letter “i” and ends with “...nferior species” as much as we do! Honestly that we are still going on as we do, do I believe is a shame!” Brigitta said as she managed to cut her way in before someone actually said anything outright, though Urgren looked like he was about to go fetch the firewood himself.

“Aye, the non-human breeds have suffered enough during these last centuries, I believe it is well in time that we are all returned to our rightful places!” Göran Hilfredssen finally cut in sounding quite determined about this one point at least.

“How do you intend to bring healthy progress to Imeriata without sacrificing the roots you consider core to Imerian identity and prosperity?” Uleth asked.

“The answer is of course very simple and in fact in the question you yourself just asked lad, what we should do is of course to bring about the progress without sacrificing our roots, this is the foremost thing that we must do!” Torvald Torbjörnssen added sounding very confident about his process for doing so.

“uhmm…. yes… the thing that we should of course do is to value our traditions above all but also strive to improve our lives as well as those traditions allow for! The first step in doing so is of course this very election!” Fredrik Haraldssen added sounding a bit suspicious about Torvalds statement.

“In all honestly, some of those traditions might very well be overturned for the betterment of all, I am not saying that we should do away with all who we are but some ideas would indeed be better off just scrapped entirely!” Halfrid Nilssen said and got a nod of agreement from Brigita Fridasdottir.

“What methods will you take to ensure that people will be properly represented by your policy implementation?” The wolfling asked as he carefully tapped his finger on the table.

“By acting in the manner I tried to convey during this election, as people voted for me so do I hope that me and my flunkies will act according to the wishes of those that voted for me!” Fredrik Haraldssen quickly said and were mostly greet with nods of agreement by most candidates.

“I planned to act for what is best for the king, the kingdom, and their subjects, this is the best representation that they could ask for!” Erik Göranssen said simply with a quick nod.

“By working with the blessing of the gods, our voters have put their faith in a greater power so all I can do is to follow the plans of the divine gods!” Urgren said simply and humbly.

“How do you intend to further the international relations and work with foreigners living and working in Imeriata while also keeping true to the ideals which you represent?”

“By a healthy dose of fear and respect, krigsmakten is a force to be feared and my plan was to ensure that all of dimheim knows that fact and acts accordingly when giving us the respect that we are due, we planned to bring more land into the federal fold and to avoid foreign influences the best that we can, However there are of course states that we should try to be closer to, a strong hand does little without friends after all and we did indeed plan to be closer to as much as dimheim as we could as well as some of the more active players in that region!” Erik said as Torvald Torbjörnssen and Talgrid Halfssen cheered in agreement while adding one of their own phrases to the sentence. Fredrik Haraldssen also nodded in agreement.
“We have always been a people of warriors, however we must also remember that we are a just and kind people as well, so while we should try to expand our influence abroad by arms and gain lands to rule so must it also be our primary concern that we do so under just and good goals by stopping vile evil tyrants and by bringing down pirates and genocidal regimes and so!” Fredrik added to the statement.

“I think that the best way to do this would in all honestly to try to build up a working friendship with a lot of our countries nearby rather than an aura of fear, certainly we are great warriors and generally have so far seen few people that can utterly best us in combat but does that give us the right to invade and annex? I say that we should focus more on the homefront and try to build a working relationship!” Halfrid Nilssen said simply and after a moment's hesitation over the wording did Brigita nod in agreement.

“The gods say that the finest death is one in battle, this we cannot get away from! No matter if you worship the king of roses, the two faced goddess, or even the fierce god!” Ashia’s words were translated and the two other clerics nodded in agreement.
“Aye, we should try to do battle when the cause is just but try to spread the faiths by words when we are interacting peacefully!” Frida added quickly and the rest of the clerics nodded.

“As for the people living in our homeland is it our hope that they will have the treatment and the protection any federal subject is due!” Brigita added and were generally met with nods of agreement. Only really Talgrid Halfssen and Torvald Torbjörnssen objected.

“Foreigners should be left to their own devices, the idea of the mercantile economy is to make us greater and more glorious! The federal economy for the federal subjects!” Torvald said and Talgrid glared at him for being the quicker one.

“Well that seems to be a misuse of the doctrine to be honest!” Fredrik pointed out “Certainly nobody is arguing that being self sufficient and not relying on foreign imports will make us strong, nobody is saying that we should open up and let the foreigners run free but just employed immigrants are federal subjects, and people working in the federation are not making us dependent, they are making us stronger, their rights should be protected according to the old traditions!”

“What is your plan for raising the status and participation of women in Imerian society?” The wolfling asked as he shuffled his cards once more.

“Well they are already of course given a lot of opportunities to participate, there are after all a lot of jobs that are more suited for women like economists, sewing, most medical jobs like nurses, and tons of similar things, of course taking care of their homes is also very important and something we should give our full support for which will let them influence their community as mothers and wives!” Fredrik Haraldssen said with generally got a lot of agreeing nods from most people. Once again was it only Greta and Halfrid Nilssen that did not really look too convinced.

“That is the absolutely worst thing I have ever heard, what kind of job would you assume a woman could not do just because she is a woman?” Greta demanded to know angrily “And why should I have to become a housewife? I do not even have a husband!”

“Well hardly surprising with that negative attitude!” Fredrik pointed out with a smile that made Greta’s face turn white of anger.
“However I was going to say that jobs that require strength and more civilised and analytical thinking would be more in the domain of men, this is just a simple fact of life that women are more on the natural side of things and men are on the civilised!” He said which resulted in a very long and very angry rant, not in English but judging from everyone’s reactions did it not seem to be one that were too helpful or enlightening but with a rather interesting word choice.

“What is your most important policy change that you intend to see through to the end?”

“A greater Federation!” Talgrid Halfssen said quick and proudly.

“More a more holy land, stricter morals, and a more religious government!” Urgren said simply and to the point.

“Rooting out corruption and decadence for a more holy and great federation!” Eshia’s words were translated.

“More power to the people, more wealth to the people, and more power to independent unions!” Björk Holgerssen said simply and nodded.

“Laxer laws, more religious freedoms for the old faiths, and more options for people to chose how to spend their own time!” Frida said simply.

“Hold fast to our old ways and to hold true to the ideals of this new election!” Fredrik Haraldssen quickly said without thinking it through, apparently speaking from the heart.

“Have the non-humans return to our rightful places in the social hierarchy!” Göran Hilfredssen’s words were translated by the man in the robe.

“More freedoms, and less oppressive rules holding us back!” Halfrid Nilssen said quickly and to the point.

“Less of our shit, more equality for everyone and try to be more open like the great peoples around us!” Brigita said nodding.

“Strict rule and disipline!” Erik added quickly and in the same military manners as most things he did.

by **Imeriata** » Tue Feb 02, 2016 2:57 pm

2nd of Solupstaelse, in the year 1542 of our kingdom

Anglomål

His royal highness, most blessed be his name, krigsmakt were under scrutiny earlier this week as several groups labelled complaints about the incarceration and public flogging of several guardsmen on charges of erosion of military virtues and disturbing the moral. However while these crimes generally are considered very important by any good federal subject so were most men and women complaining that the men charged were handing out papers for candidates not officially endorsed by the krigsmakten, mostly were these actions taken against Björk Holgerssen's, Brigita Fridasdottir's and Göran Hilfredssen's supporters according to the accusations. While Krigsmakten does not officially takes part in the running election have a lot of groups raised complaints that they have their favourites in the election and their own candidate Erik Göranssen. While there are some more militaristic backing for Erik and Erik himself is a riksknäkt so are those accusations however baseless as Erik runs on his own platform rather than being officially just the military.

So far have the military responded in saying that this was not the cause for the floggings and instead so were the men charged on public intoxikation, disobeying orders from superiors, vandalizing the property of his royal highness, may his name be blessed eternally, and similar charges. The royal military advisory further went on to say that flogging were rather lax punishment for the crimes and krigsmakten are well legally in their right to ensure morale in the ranks and that they are actually tasked with that duty by his royal highness, may his house rule eternal, himself.

As far have complaints been filed at the royal heraldic college that is in charge of the election itself but the college have so far refused to give a verdict and the royal court and his royal highness have so far not made any comment on the situation. Amongst the advisories have only the royal military advisory went out in support of the justified actions of krigsmakten. In response to this have some candidates demanded less involvement from krigsmakten itself while Urgren Urgrenssen, Eshia Sha’lashi, Fredrik Haraldssen, and Talgrid Halfssen gone out in support of krigsmakten.

Amongst the commonry itself have the reactions been mixed as there were some outcry but only supporters of Björk Holgerssen went out in force to demonstrate, some more radical members of this group even went as far as to outright attack some head quarters of Erik Göranssen's election movement, However luckily were peacekeepers able to deal with the situation before it went out of hand, not that much support were needed as the brave men of the royal guard and naval infantry both keep troops there as protection and most of the staff were off duty riksknäktar or veterans. The scene that awaited the peacekeepers were as one can imagine some rather bruised up hooligans. While this could lead to further chaos down the line so have so far no more violence come from it, we here at the federala ach khöngliga tidsskriften wait with anticipation to see what the more radical supporters of Björk will do next.

Frau Frida Ullasdottir.

by **Imeriata** » Fri Mar 04, 2016 3:12 pm

4Th of Bålentid, in the year 1542 of our kingdom

Anglomål

Scandal at heir debate

Yesterday marked a large point in the election process as the anticipated debate between all the heirs of the main candidates gathered to take part in a fierce debate about why their candidates would be the best and in what manner they would take up the mantle would the main candidates fall before the next election. However this debate were off to a shocking start as Holger Björkssen the son of Björk Holgerssen appeared rather than Frank Björkssen that have been a vivid supporter of the two brother's father in the election race. Holger as the oldest son claimed primacy and were allowed to take the place as the debattant over his younger brother. Holger is well known as very hostile to his father and have in private spoken out against him on several times but never released an official press statement much less taken a public place like this. To further drive a wedge between himself and his father did Holger appear in the purple robe of a guildman and flanked by guildguards and his brother were forced to storm out of the debate hall furiously. While Björk is a poor man of very low status and have so far been driving a very hard campaign amongst the commoners for better power for secular unions and less power of the guilds and more royal support for the poor of the world so is his son the opposite in status at least as he is a member of the royal merchant guild with a corporation that while far from the most wealthy are still wealthy enough not to be allowed to run in the commonry election nor to vote.

This shock put most of the heirs off as one can suspect and Björk were able to quickly gain the upper hand outright agreeing with every criticism issued against his father and even issued a lot of his own criticised his father publicly. It was even hard for the other heirs to get their voices heard as young Björk went out on unending aggressive insults and went as far as to call his father arch traitor, nidning, drunk, and even wife and child beater revealing a lot of personal histories of his own childhood that according to him were a constant horror of strong alcohol and beatings from his father and he publicly claimed that his father were not far from a divorce when his mother died to further reveal what kind of man that Björk really is. The little opportunities to speak given to his rather shocked co-debaters were hardly much to write home about and Holger quickly took control of the debate as soon as he lost it did he launch a new almost unbroken barrage of insults and criticism of not only his father but all his supporters.

Instead did he even went as far as to outright say that he would hold none of his fathers policies would his father "freeze eternally as the swine deserves" in the words of the rather outspoken youth so would he instead offer a more guild based approach to the policies. He said that what the federation needed is a stronger mercantile economic policy but he also spoke in favour of closer and friendlier relation with other mystrian powers and stronger voidsailing races. However he also admitted that he would not likely take part in the new commonry electorate due to his wealth and position but would try to make his duty to the fatherland and apply for the guild representatives in the royal court if only to save it from "the corrupting influence of scoundrels and nidningar like his father and it is the duty of all us good subjects from the smallest commoner to the highest of nobles like the heroes of old that marched out under the silver banners during the war against the syndicalist menace!". However in the election did the young man go out of his way to instead urge people to support Fredrik Haraldssen and put the official endorsement as the heir of Björk.

At the end of his debate did he chose his closing statement that he wished the best of the luck to all the competitors and that they would all make better leaders than his father ever could, he then further shocked everyone by claiming "whomever that is so blessed by the gods, may they be the ones of the chronicles, the fierce sun, or the two faced goddess, to face my father have my full support and I can only hope that the gods guide your blade and slay the fat drunk and save our blessed realm from such a calamity that my father would bring down on our heads!"

Frau Frida Ullasdottir.

by **Shrillland** » Sun Mar 06, 2016 10:50 pm

Official Communique from the Foreign Office of The Shrill Pony Federation

The Federation has watching the commoners' elections in Imeriata with great interest tempered by some concern for the recent actions of the supporters of certain candidates. Although we do still have some reservations about the process such as the denial of the wealthy and nobles to participate, we believe that this is a great step forward that will bring the already great Imeriatans forward among the powers of our worlds.

As to candidates, our original endorsement plan was going to be for Björk Holgerssen and his policies that would bring prosperity to Imeriatans of all stripes regardless of race or species. Recent allegations, however, have caused this administration to rethink its support, and we decided not to issue an endorsement towards him. Our second choice, and our official endorsement, is Brigita Fridasdottir for her commitment to equality and liberty, and the knowledge that once her goals are achieved, prosperity for all is certain to follow.

Signed,
Green Clover,
Foreign Secretary of the Federation,
The Shrill Pony Federation

by **Imeriata** » Mon Mar 07, 2016 7:29 am

Official communiqué from the absolute royal federation of Imeriata and her realms

The royal internal affairs advisory

The royal and federal college of heraldry

From: His lordship Frank auf Burgerholm, arch herald of the federal and royal college of heraldry.
To: Jungfrau Green Clover
Regarding: Reply to: statement.
Encrypted: No

The nobility nor the wealthier individuals are not included in the election due to them already having representation in the royal court. The nobility is personally appointed not only by the high king himself but the so called "urätter" also have permanent seats on the court. The richer are represented by the royal merchant guild and as a result appointed by the guild itself. Thus letting the nobility and the rich running would be somewhat redundant.

Signed and approved by:
His royal Highness Primus rex XIV by the grace of the gods high king of the absolute royal federation and divinely appointed ruler and unifier of the Scanderan races, the descendant of the first Imerian high kings especially and foremost Emanuel the first, Son of Oskar II, the son of Primus the XIIIth, the son of Emanuel the VIIth, the son of Gustav the IInd, the son of Anders the IIId, the carrier of the royal sword first carried by the demigod Belrion son of Bel, vanquisher of evil, Champion of life and light, defender of the living and vanquisher of the dead, the protector of the federal crown jewels, the holder of the sword of Halmir and carrier of the enlightened torch of civilisation, patriarch of the noble house auf stjänkhrone, carrier of better and more important titles than the space Russians, Chief of Chiefs, Shan of Shans, monarch of monarchs, as well as the protector of the free city states of Ta’ka sha’mirias well as defender of Hungary and her regions and the realms as king of Imeriata and as such the defender and autocrat of flodmarkerna, Sundet, Söderang, Söderberga, Innahafsarna, Aster öarna, Vast öarna, Sydvedian, Storfloden and the river king, king of Vedian and the duke protector of the mountains, Eple Halvøyn and lavlandet, king of Erathia and as that the duke of Ankea metsä and ruler of the thousand lakes, the lord and defender of Länsisola and Etelä-kentät, king of Karmanjaka over the ancient rivers river, from the ancient mountains mountain, king of Northern Taranakan, king of Chanjing, king of Nordomark, and king of Andervel but also the righteous and lawful king of New felandia and the king emperor of Dajing, the duke of Sydvinland, Northern Venezue, Sthalinge, Gustavsland and Sjöland, The Shah of the crown states of Ta’ka sha’miri and the Padishah of all of Ta’ka sha’miri, The lord regent of the colony of Nova Imeriata, Imerian Africa, Angland, the two peninsulas of Tvaude and of Somalmark, The Grand duke of Suderland, The prince of Isarna, Salmo, judeheim and Khan of Salonia, Sultan king of Ramir, the Emir of Sandland and Jarl of Salywa and the free city of Krakborg and Styrfastning, defender and lord of the city of Arkham and Sirmera, and further more the ruler of the federal terretories of Vastermark and the northern iceplains and as such high chief of Isfalten and keeper of Sfartmård , By the right of the constitution of the protectorate leopridaeria prince defender of leopridaeria, the high lord of Kalmer, Salmoborg and Gaseborg, Lord of the countless cities and lands under his most blessed and righteous rule, the lord defender of Imerbürg, Coparborg, Vesiki, Sjöborg, Afrikas fastning, Erikasborg, Nova Imerbürg, Wein, Udeborg, Angborg, Ambir, Nya Landborg, Nymarksborg, Sorgerstad, Anderborg, Nordanstad, Kängruborg, Sthalstad, Kängruborg, Judeborg, Moskstad, Daji, Sajing, Ademarksborg, Salem, Söderhamn, Öborga, Dragograd, Gapur, Bor-zut and Táibĕi but as well the Enlightened Emperor of Nicksyllvania and as such the King of Leazus, Emperor of Helman, Grand Prince of Zeth, Emperor of Japan, Emperor of Jungria, Duke and king of Hornet-Kereburos, Despot of the Great North, Grand Duke of the Western Badlands, Master of the Southern Marshes, and the king of Dragkon and the wielder of the Holy Swords, the Demon Sword Kaos, the Holy Sword Nikkou, and the Greatsword of the Empire, Nickiller, Great Protector of the Helman Wall and Majino Line, also by the right of his birth high marshal of the royal guard and the Imperial commander of the Imperial nicksyllvanian army, the grand commander of the federal order of the golden sword and the Nicksyllvanian order, the knight commander of the order of the golden cross and the order of Africa, the lord commander of the colonial order, the high commander of the federal order of the silver rose and the order of Scandera, the Taranakan order and the Order of Vinland may his reign last until the end of time and may the empire and federation he rules stand even through the flames of the endtimes to protect all of his royal highness subjects.

Official communiqué from Brigita Fridasdottir electoral house

From: Brigita Fridasdottir
To: Jungfrau Green Clover
Regarding: Reply to: Endorsement.
Encrypted: No

Thank you for your endorsement, I am honoured that you have considered that I would be the best suited amongst the candidates in the election to lead our great nation into the future.

Signed and approved by:
Jungfrau Brigita Fridasdottir.

by **Imeriata** » Thu Mar 10, 2016 3:19 pm

10Th of Bålentid, in the year 1542 of our kingdom

Anglomål

Candidates on retreat

While Björk Holgerssen campaign seems to be running backwards at the speed of an Menelmekari to the outhouse so does Brigita Fridasdottir also squirm as a Malgravean forced to take an oath since she came under fire for by mistake thank a herr green clover as youngfrau green clover and some candidates have accused her of hypocrisy since she had built her campaign on cultural and gender equality but would still make such assumptions about foreign cultures. When questioned about it did Brigita officially apologise to the pony community in the federation and abroad. She continue to say that she should have checked better but despite all her apologies so did she fail to point out that pony names are of course very odd and could fit for both stallions and mares. Despite this oversight so did she continue to hope that this would not reflect poorly on her fellow federal subjects amongst the outlanders.

Björk Holgerssen on the other hand was under more fire and there was talk about unifying under a new man, and several new candidates talked about talking over, Björk however said that he would not step down and said that his son is obviously a lying scoundrel and is only working for his own self interest and is a traitor to the commonry. This division amongst the left leaning commoners could potentially divide the house but other within the faction have argued that changing candidate or raise another one would harm the movement more which have taken it's toil as more and more voters seems to be moving either to the religious candidates or to the populists. If Holger björkssen proved the undoing for the left in this election can we only speculate about though.

Frau Frida Ullasdottir.

by **Imeriata** » Thu Mar 17, 2016 12:40 pm

17th of Bålentid, in the year 1542 of our kingdom

Anglomål

A hair raising horror story

Most of the male candidates awaited yesterday with great anticipation one of the most important clashes of the election, this time was it however not one of the important debate but on the urging of the military advisory as well as several concerned civilian groups so were the male candidates yesterday judged for their hair in a grandiose beauty pageant to see which candidate would hold up the best and be a worthy representative of the glorious monarchy and federation that they would serve. This competition took in all maners of important issues like length, thickness, and of course most important style and smell. While this was something that of course were a very strict race between Erik Göranssen that have been very well noted for his military grade well kept mane and the young Fredrik Haraldssen that have been seen very favourably amongst a lot of people for his long golden curls that have made not only he young lasses swoon and given him some nods of approval amongst the men for his martial appearance. This incarnation of all the good values we all hold dear that walks amongst giants and dwarves amongst the rest of his electoral competitors with a robust and strong face as if it was chiselled from the mightiest rock of the fatherland itself. With the broad shoulders and strong arms that would alone be able to hold the rifle and the grenade that keeps foreign barbarians at bay that marks him as the truest of Scanderas sons.

However besides these two obvious candidates for victory did a large scandal arise when the candidate Talgrid Halfssen were forced to reveal that he had been wearing a toupée to cover up a very embarrassing bald spot which have made a lot of people whisper about him. Especially Torvald Trbjörnssen were very quick to launch a massive campaign about the whole issue and have printed several posters and adds that questions the ability of a man to lead if he cannot even have a full set of hair. Other than this very amusing story at Talgrid's expense that have made the very populist minded candidate call a large press conference to adress the issue so did not much go very odd in the contests and the judges revealed not surprisingly that the demigod made flesh that is Fredrik with his so impressive curls were the winner followed closely by the grizzled veteran Erik göranssen. Scoring third place were liberal Halfrid Nilssen followed by the dwarf Göran Hilfredssen, Torvald Torbjörnssen, Björk Holgerssen and finally of course due to his bald spot were poor poor Torvald Torbjörnssen.

Other events are to follow such as riding, spear throwing, martial arts contests, jousting, painting, and singing where the candidates will be able to prove their manly values to the crowds. The week afterwards are there a large event planned for the female candidates to allow them to show their womanly worthy by hard contests in baking, embroidery and accounting. It should be noted that candidate Brigita Fridasdottir raised a very loud protest over this contest and in the words of Torvald Torbjörnssen were being a dog about the whole situation.

Frau Frida Ullasdottir.

by **Imeriata** » Wed Apr 20, 2016 4:03 pm

21th of Blamstertid, in the year 1542 of our kingdom

Anglomål

A most faithful development

While officially the great council of 1542 was called by arch cleric Belbjörn was to discuss issues of the faith of the holy chronicles and more important religious doctrines such as the future of the much debated Utbördlinga sagan as well as the future of non-sanctioned cults like Einild and some discussions were made about an official reformulation to the creed of that particularly odd sect which would legalize it in the chronological law. However what made most people talk on a secular level was the attendance to this great councils of not only monks of the fierce unconquerable sun, and the two faced goddesss Ishiri. While it is of course not odd to see members of the two other faiths that worships in the flames at the most holiest of councils so could the same not be said about who was sent.

Eshia Sha’lashi of the elections were seen amongst the large collection of monks worshipping the fierce sun and similarly were Frida daughter of the two faced goddess also present amongst the silver masked priests. While this could on it's own not be too surprising due to their high status so were it more curious how Urgren Urgrenssen himself greeted his fellow candidates and took them aside during the talks of the great council itself. Witnesses then report the trio withdrawing well within the inner most sanctum of the holiest of holy where mere laypersons are not allowed so no hard evidence of what was going on with this meeting have been established so can we only speculate if it is the beginning a holy co-operation between the religious candidates of the election.

While we have no official answers to what passed between the trio so is it however known that they later left the holy city itself a day or two later in a company heading out into the forest in the presence of a goat and only returned late into the night so we would have to speculate that the meeting between the three candidates must have been very fruitful and resulted in some form of agreement that could only spell the beginning of a religious dominated electorate. However despite all the intrigue that we here at the federala ach khöngliga tidsskriften have uncovered so were none of the candidates willing to comment on the issue with Eshia brushing it off in a suspicious matter by replying that what went between the trio was between them and the gods. This being despite we bravely climbing the praying pillar that she were occupying at the moment. Frida were not reachable and Urgren made a sleepy enquiry if we were aware that the clock was two in the morning with hints of irritation in his voice. Could it be that he was annoyed that we are something on the track? Stay tune dearest readers as we try to get to the bottom of this conspiracy.

Jungfrau Emma Fridasdottir.

by **Imeriata** » Tue May 24, 2016 3:44 am

24th of Varende , in the year 1542 of our kingdom

Anglomål

The crown puts down the law on vote cheating

Today was a huge day in the democratic process as the crown proved true to it's words in regards to the no tolerance for vote rigging or cheating in the democratic process. While arrests and convictions have been made in a few cases by the court system so have no executions been made just yet, however yesterday did change all this as 22 convicted criminals after a week standing in the prangers of several large cities all over the federation with signs displaying them as vote frauds hanging around their necks were gathered up in the city of Björnholm and were executed by drowning on the public square. After the bodies were declared dead were they handed over to their respective religious authorities and families so that they could make the suitable arrangements for the pyres.

There were some complaints that the royal authorities waited to carry out the execution until they had convicted men and women from all the mayor political candidates since the earliest convicted man have been in prison awaiting his punishment for months while the most recently convicted were only awaiting judgement for a week before they were all officially put in the prangers. However such baseless criticism were of course denied by the royal authorities and the royal high judge of the federation pointed out that they just wished not to carry out so high profile executions due to the positions of the stars to avoid less reputable people to try to steal body parts for unholy magical rituals. While a valid concern so were the reasons further given credit by the heraldic college who's spokesperson pointed out that the democratic process was not entirely ironed out as of jet and there were still legal hearings being held about a vague wording of the newly inked law and that the crown wished not to actually carry out executions while some people could be spared due to the exact wording of the law. The finally convicted member of the 22 prisoners were as a matter of fact convicted after the final wording were finalized and her conviction were carried out first after a verdict had been made so to avoid new hearings over the issue.

Luckily however so can this reporter only hope that delinquents and other traitors will take warning from this stern lesson the crown were forced to carry out which will ensure that our glorious elections will be fair and give the commonly a greater position to aid our most royal highness, may his name eternally be glorified, in his royal highness, may his house last until the end of days, duty to rule our benevolent and glorious realms!

Jungfrau Emma Fridasdottir.

by **Imeriata** » Tue Jun 14, 2016 6:13 am

14th of Hisrir Stare, in the year 1542 of our kingdom

Anglomål

Campaign starting to wound up as the end of the election comes closer and closer

With midsummer being not far away and the date of the election coming up so are there more and more election issues popping up and several outraged supporters of various factions have clashed with one another in open brawls some even forcing peacekeepers to charge the fray as noble protectors of the king's law, may his eternal glory be an inspiration to us all, with sabres drawn and some have complained that the sharp edges were forced to be deployed in certain cases. However headed by the royal college of heraldry so did the first of the voting areas open with peacekeepers and royal guardsmen ready at the place as the first eager federal subjects streamed in with their voting medallions t make their voice heard and in a bit more than a week will we finally see who the subjects of our glorious federation have chosen to aid the king in ruling our beloved fatherland for the next years to come.

Jungfrau Emma Fridasdottir.

by **Imeriata** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 6:24 pm

Imeriata wrote:
(Image)

14th of Hisrir Stare, in the year 1542 of our kingdom

Anglomål

The results are in

With the election having finally closed down and the votes have been finally been counted in public and the results have been counted and the results are as presnted bellow in both percentage of votes and in the number of seats the candidate will be allowed to fill with his own supporters in the royal court to provide our glorious monarch, may his rule be eternal and glorious, with sound advice in ruling our most blessed of federations.

Fredrik Haraldssen: 22% or 21 seats
Urgren Urgrenssen: 18% or 17 seats
Halfrid Nilssen: 17% or 16 seats
Erik Göranssen: 12% or 11 seats
Eshia Sha’lashi: 11% or 10 seats
Björk Holgerssen: 6% or 5 seats
Frida daughter of the two faced goddess: 5% or 4 seats
Göran Hilfredssen: 5% or 4 seats
Brigita Fridasdottir: 4% or 3 seats

This of course means that there will be 8 seats to duel about between the candidates or their champions to make sure that the most martially sound candidate is allowed to rise up to this most honoured of positions. However as there are a total of 9 candidates so were there a lot of issues about who would not be granted a seat of their own and I can assure you reader that a quite the impressive debate were held by the royal heraldic college about who would not be allowed to duel about it. Several ideas were brought up such as closed votes by the heraldic college which seemed to be the most favoured situation by the college itself. Rumours even say that the high king was presented with this alternative the first but ultimately vetoed it and the idea that the high king himself would be allowed to select who would duel who as the shining bright young defender of the commonry that our most blessed monarch is, may he be gloriously praised until and after the end of time. Other alternatives such as only men of military background would be allowed to duel, or that only men would be allowed to duel for the remaining positions were brought up and ultimately shot down for numerous reasons but amongst them being that it would not make sure who would be granted a vote in the case of an odd number of votes and the fact that it would prevent non-humans and women from running for a while in the case of the non-humans and permanently for women. Other ideas such as randomly selecting the people, deciding by divine will, using divination, trial by ordeals, and a tourney the nature of which were chosen by the high king, blessed be his name, or the royal college of heraldry were discussed and shot down until finally the idea was reached. The line of duels are to be the divided into two where the second two highest will face one another and the two candidates after that will face one another and so on and so on. In the case of there being an uneven amount of candidates so will the lowest ranked candidate duel the highest ranked one. After the list have been gone through from top to bottom will the list be resumed again giving the top pair another chair to duel between and so on and so on until there are no more chairs left. A simple solution for a complicated problem as one can see.

As such were the royal college of heraldry happy to say that the line up for the duel would look thus:
Fredrik Haraldssen or a champion will be duellering Urgren Urgrenssen or a champion for two chairs
Eshia Sha’lashi or a champion will be duellering Björk Holgerssen or a champion for two chairs
Halfrid Nilssen or a champion will be duellering Erik Göranssen or a champion for two chairs
Frida daughter of the two faced goddess or a champion will be duellering Göran Hilfredssen or a champion for one chair
Brigita Fridasdottir or a champion will be duellering Fredrik Haraldssen or a champion for one chair

As the duel is just currently being organised so can this reporter only hope that the future for this exciting process will be as bright as one can expect from the shining beacon of civilisation in an otherwise bleak and dark world filled with barbarism that is our glorious homeland and the Federal and Royal newspaper will continue to cover the duels as they develops.

Jungfrau Emma Fridasdottir.

by **Imeriata** » Sun Jun 26, 2016 6:25 pm

27th of Hisrir Stare, in the year 1542 of our kingdom

Anglomål

The results are in

With the election having finally closed down and the votes have been finally been counted in public and the results have been counted and the results are as presnted bellow in both percentage of votes and in the number of seats the candidate will be allowed to fill with his own supporters in the royal court to provide our glorious monarch, may his rule be eternal and glorious, with sound advice in ruling our most blessed of federations.

Fredrik Haraldssen: 22% or 21 seats
Urgren Urgrenssen: 18% or 17 seats
Halfrid Nilssen: 17% or 16 seats
Erik Göranssen: 12% or 11 seats
Eshia Sha’lashi: 11% or 10 seats
Björk Holgerssen: 6% or 5 seats
Frida daughter of the two faced goddess: 5% or 4 seats
Göran Hilfredssen: 5% or 4 seats
Brigita Fridasdottir: 4% or 3 seats

This of course means that there will be 8 seats to duel about between the candidates or their champions to make sure that the most martially sound candidate is allowed to rise up to this most honoured of positions. However as there are a total of 9 candidates so were there a lot of issues about who would not be granted a seat of their own and I can assure you reader that a quite the impressive debate were held by the royal heraldic college about who would not be allowed to duel about it. Several ideas were brought up such as closed votes by the heraldic college which seemed to be the most favoured situation by the college itself. Rumours even say that the high king was presented with this alternative the first but ultimately vetoed it and the idea that the high king himself would be allowed to select who would duel who as the shining bright young defender of the commonry that our most blessed monarch is, may he be gloriously praised until and after the end of time. Other alternatives such as only men of military background would be allowed to duel, or that only men would be allowed to duel for the remaining positions were brought up and ultimately shot down for numerous reasons but amongst them being that it would not make sure who would be granted a vote in the case of an odd number of votes and the fact that it would prevent non-humans and women from running for a while in the case of the non-humans and permanently for women. Other ideas such as randomly selecting the people, deciding by divine will, using divination, trial by ordeals, and a tourney the nature of which were chosen by the high king, blessed be his name, or the royal college of heraldry were discussed and shot down until finally the idea was reached. The line of duels are to be the divided into two where the second two highest will face one another and the two candidates after that will face one another and so on and so on. In the case of there being an uneven amount of candidates so will the lowest ranked candidate duel the highest ranked one. After the list have been gone through from top to bottom will the list be resumed again giving the top pair another chair to duel between and so on and so on until there are no more chairs left. A simple solution for a complicated problem as one can see.

As such were the royal college of heraldry happy to say that the line up for the duel would look thus:
Fredrik Haraldssen or a champion will be duellering Urgren Urgrenssen or a champion for two chairs
Eshia Sha’lashi or a champion will be duellering Björk Holgerssen or a champion for two chairs
Halfrid Nilssen or a champion will be duellering Erik Göranssen or a champion for two chairs
Frida daughter of the two faced goddess or a champion will be duellering Göran Hilfredssen or a champion for one chair
Brigita Fridasdottir or a champion will be duellering Fredrik Haraldssen or a champion for one chair

As the duel is just currently being organised so can this reporter only hope that the future for this exciting process will be as bright as one can expect from the shining beacon of civilisation in an otherwise bleak and dark world filled with barbarism that is our glorious homeland and the Federal and Royal newspaper will continue to cover the duels as they develops.

Jungfrau Emma Fridasdottir.

by **Shrillland** » Sat Jul 02, 2016 4:08 pm

Official Communique from the Foreign Office of the Shrill Pony Federation

The Federation officially congratulates Brigita Fridasdottir on here showing of four potential seats, and we hope that her duel with Fredrik Haraldssen is a successful one, whoever fights for the right. Shrill law forbids us from sending a champion, but rest assured that the Federation will gladly support Ms. Fridasdottir's platform in office and wish her success in her upcoming trial. As hypocritical as it may seem at first, we also congratulate Fredrik Haraldssen in his success in receiving the plurality of seats in the royal court, a sure sign that democracy is flourishing in Royal Federation. We hope that this is the start of a new age where the people shall have a true voice on the affairs of their glorious nation.

Signed,
Green Clover,
Foreign Secretary of the Federation,
The Shrill Pony Federation

by **Imeriata** » Sat Jul 16, 2016 3:59 pm

Electoral duelling ground

The sun was shining, annoyingly enough as in most case so would that have been quite pleasant as the Scanderan sun gently stroked the flowers on the field where they had gathered. The wind gently blew over the meadow to keep the temperatures to a decent level as far as the natives were concerned. The group before them seemed to disagree though and one could see a few of the naked munks and even dressed laymen of the faith of the fierce unconquerable sun shiver in the wind, what was annoying though was the repeated chanting as the naked men and women laid on their bellies under the sun praising the fierce god as he rode over the heavens to bless them.

"are you certain about this father?" Frank Björkssen asked as he looked to his father that were warming up doing quick push ups on the ground, his weapon of choice a great sledgehammer laying besides him. Frank had over and over tried to talk his father out of duelling himself as their own succession was not sure and danger could happen. Admittedly so far had nobody died, Fredriks champion had managed to slash Urgren's man over his hand gushing blood winning Fredrik the seats before the hand had been taken care of properly. A rather surprising move since the monk the chronically had chosen were one dedicated to the shimmering god and as such a highly trained warrior but then again the rules of duelling and war was not the same. Erik's riksknäckt had been quite aggressive in his approach blocking the blade before moving in with his fists ending the duel with noose bleed for the poor man on the other side as he punched him straight there, not the most gentlemanly approach but still honourable and martial. The two men were sitting seemingly enjoying a mead together so no hard feelings there one could assume. But there were three more duels to go. Franks eyes narrowed a bit in anger as he saw his older brother Holger stand with some rather dignified men, all of them wearing fine ornate robes in purple with golden embroidery and fine furs pointing them out as members of the royal merchant guild and the worst oppressors of the working class one could imagine.

"Are you worried lad? Look at that starved wench! I have been in quite a few barfights in my days and I am sure I can take a woman that sit too much in the sun!" His father replied drawing Franks eyes from the hated view of his brother and back to his father that was now weighing the sledge hammer in his hands.

"Are you certain?" Frank asked with doubt in his eyes as he looked to the young woman that stepped out of the group of fanatics, she was naked as the day she was born and quite slim, she did not look starved though and quite pleasing for the eyes. Odd as Frank seemed to recall that monks of the fierce sun starved themselves quite fanatically but then again he was not an expert on the subject. Well she was not entirely naked a closer look revealed, she had a belt where a dagger hanged from with an empty scabbard and a hook where she would hold her buckler that her faith demanded monks to carry, the bent sabre and the small shield were however looking quite formidable despite the small stature of their wielder as the sun reflected in a sinister manner from the sword.

"Lad I could draw blood with my dick would I need to, she is naked and just asking for it!" his father said and got a roaring laughter from the rest of the group before a loud trumpet cut them off.
"BJÖRK HOLGERSSEN, COMMONRY ELECTIVE!" A herald roared and shouts from the rather large group of people that had gathered around the meadow started to scream loudly as the high king himself nodded at the champion, the roars were then cut short when Björk only raised his hammer in salute rather than bow before the king as was tradition. Some hushed whispers started to spread and it was impossible to see exactly what the king himself thought as the man's face were hidden behind the silvery faceguard of the helmet that eternally made a serene angelic face look back from whomever looked upon the high king of the absolute royal federation. Frank had no time to think too much about how that was going to affect them though as the herald shouted again.

"SHIRI SHA’FRISH!" The herald cried out loudly as the woman turned towards the high king and bowed deeply making them look a bit worse. "WE HAVE GATHERED IN THE SIGHT OF OUR MOST BLESSED HIGH KING, MAY HIS LINE RULE ETERNALLY, TO CHOSEN AMONGST YOU AND YOUR MASTERS WHO WILL HAVE THE MOST SEATS IN THE ROYAL COURT! UPON THE CALLING OF THE HORN MAY THE DUEL COMMENCE!" The cleric commanded and the crowd once again started to chant as Frank felt that his mouth dried out. Slowly slowly did the two fighters approach one another in what felt like hours as Frank desperately wanted his father to turn back and let someone else take the duel for him. But it was too late, in more than one way as the duel was over as quickly as it started.

Björk charged forward swinging his heavy sledgehammer at the young monk that quickly took a step backwards and the hammer flew past where she had stood, and then it continued taking the horrified worker with it, the force of the heavy weapon made him stumble sideways just as the woman trusted her blade forward. The crooked blade made contact with the throat of the man and continued, slashing a horrific gush over the soft throat as she continued the thrust sideways, using the shape of the weapon to both cut and thrust at the same time. Frank was not even sure what happened next, he only remembered suddenly sitting there. Holding his bleeding father that looked up to the heavens with a surprised look on his face, a hand on his shoulder, a purple robe, people that gathered around them and the naked woman, angry shouts mixed with cheering, and then suddenly white and blue and glimmering sabres.

17th of Midsammar, in the year 1542 of our kingdom

Anglomål

Death at the duels

While the duels for the remaining seats in the federal election were rather harmless details with Fredrik's champion triumphing over Urgren's, Erik winning his duel, Brigitta triumphed after a massive duel where to the surprise the famous jousting champion the ghost fought for the honour of Brigitta against leading candidate Fredriks champion, and finally the daughter of the two faced goddess triumphed over the high dwarf Birk that fought for Göran. However despite this were there a massive shock at the duel between Eshia Sha’lashi and Björk Holgerssen where Björk were slain. The positions of course will be inherited by his oldest son Holger Björkssen, something that have caused a lot of outrage since the man have previously vowed not to let his father's politics into the royal court would this happen. At the scene so did the dutiful son despite his well documented disdain for his father take care of his own younger brother and swore to pay from his own pocket for the pyre and the items his father would need in the afterlife. To the horror of everyone there did brutes supporting dead björk shower the paragon of virtue that is Holger with insults and even threats. Luckily did guards employed by the royal merchant guild move in to save the young man that got away with a rather nasty bruise over his eye before peacekeeper constables intervened with drawn sabres and separated the groups arresting several of the attacking scoundrels.

There were a quick movement that despite this tragedy tried to make a grab for power for the younger son of Björk, Frank Björkssen, by claiming that as a wealthy member of the royal merchant guild so could Holger not run for the office and should as a result not be allowed to inherit the position. However luckily were Franks inheritance saved when lawyers from the guild pointed out that while he could not run did nothing say that he could not inherit it and the royal collage of heraldry have decided to investigate the situation but allow Holger to claim his rightful inheritance until the situation is resolved.

Jungfrau Emma Fridasdottir.

Official communiqué from Brigita Fridasdottir electoral house

From: Brigita Fridasdottir
To: Jungfrau Green Clover
Regarding: Reply to: Letter
Encrypted: No

Thank you so much for these wonderful words of encouragement, and even if I were not able to secure the highest amount of seats in the royal court so do I hope that I can prove worthy of your trust and that I can hopefully lead our beloved nation into a new future with better harmony and co-existence with all culture and races around us, including the ponies of shrill, rather than the shameful dominance and bigotry my people have attempted to lead us in the past.

With the best of wishes Brigita Fridasdottir.

Signed and approved by:
Jungfrau Brigita Fridasdottir.

by **The Ctan** » Thu Aug 04, 2016 6:31 pm

“The thing that people forget about the Imerian elections when they criticise them is that these are an entirely home-grown initiative,” Arnran said. The necron general sat in his military uniform, “It’s certainly a strange system, and one I don’t think they’ve thought through, for instance, if my wife were an Imerian, she’d have somewhere upward of sixty votes,” he said, “more than any human could actually achieve.”

“Are you suggesting that your wife move to Imeriata?” Rusman said.

“Oh certainly not,” he said, “I’d be a much better candidate, seventy million years old, male, so my military decorations would get to count.”

“You’re also dead, so no votes for you,” the host said.

Arnran grinned, “Well yes, but then, if necrons want to get the Imerian government changed we know precisely how to go about it,” he said, to general laughter from the solicast audience. The entire audience of the event were visible around, distorted into an arena of thousands, there was no mass media in the Great Civilization, at least not in the traditional sense, but events like this, vast meta-salons where all manner of topics could be discussed. Rusman was well known for this, and well followed. There was a difference though, there were few means for non-C’tani to access this medium, unlike traditional media.

“Well quite, but you still think it’s a good thing?” he asked.

“I do,” Arnran said, “It is rather excellent,” he said, “that they’re developing on their own. That’s why I ‘m supporting the Imerian Proposition.”

“To clarify that’s the proposal to open limited anti-gravity crystalline exports to Imeriata for production of light skimmers, closed state lasgun and knight-combat platforms for Imeriata?”

“That’s only part of it,” Arnran said, “but yes, those are possible with the next level of endorsement for Imeriata, of course, quite a few deficiencies exist in the current system. Well, let’s be honest, lots and lots of deficiencies, and before any of that could happen we’d need them to expand their franchise considerably, but the fact is that this system is great news not just because it’s democracy, but because it’s Imerian democracy, not something imposed from outside.”

“And if they backslide?”

“Well, that’d be something best looked at if it happens, sometimes,” he said, “a short sharp dissuasive crack might do wonders. There’s a proposal for a beard tax… But as it stands, we’re best served letting them build their own democratic institutions that don’t have the taint of being imposed by foreigners by the sword,” he said.

“Now we’ve got a pair of special guests, scan-cast from Crystal Spires, Katriel Medure, from the Spirean High Council, and I’m not sure how many have tuned in for her, Siyu Tahii, to discuss The Spirean Proposal.”

by **United Hylla** » Thu Aug 04, 2016 8:37 pm

Good luck in your elections! Hopefully they proceed well.

by **Imeriata** » Sun Aug 07, 2016 7:20 am

Official communiqué from the absolute royal federation of Imeriata and her realms

The royal internal affairs advisory

The royal and federal college of heraldry

From: His lordship Frank auf Burgerholm, arch herald of the federal and royal college of heraldry.
To: The Allied States of United Hylla
Regarding: Reply to: statement.
Encrypted: No

They are, as a matter of fact, over. But I must thank you for your interest in this great system and I sincerely hope that your own nation will take notes about how to improve their democratic process.

Signed and approved by:
His royal Highness Primus rex XIV by the grace of the gods high king of the absolute royal federation and divinely appointed ruler and unifier of the Scanderan races, the descendant of the first Imerian high kings especially and foremost Emanuel the first, Son of Oskar II, the son of Primus the XIIIth, the son of Emanuel the VIIth, the son of Gustav the IInd, the son of Anders the IIId, the carrier of the royal sword first carried by the demigod Belrion son of Bel, vanquisher of evil, Champion of life and light, defender of the living and vanquisher of the dead, the protector of the federal crown jewels, the holder of the sword of Halmir and carrier of the enlightened torch of civilisation, patriarch of the noble house auf stjänkhrone, carrier of better and more important titles than the space Russians, Chief of Chiefs, Shan of Shans, monarch of monarchs, as well as the protector of the free city states of Ta’ka sha’mirias well as defender of Hungary and her regions and the realms as king of Imeriata and as such the defender and autocrat of flodmarkerna, Sundet, Söderang, Söderberga, Innahafsarna, Aster öarna, Vast öarna, Sydvedian, Storfloden and the river king, king of Vedian and the duke protector of the mountains, Eple Halvøyn and lavlandet, king of Erathia and as that the duke of Ankea metsä and ruler of the thousand lakes, the lord and defender of Länsisola and Etelä-kentät, king of Karmanjaka over the ancient rivers river, from the ancient mountains mountain, king of Northern Taranakan, king of Chanjing, king of Nordomark, and king of Andervel but also the righteous and lawful king of New felandia and the king emperor of Dajing, the duke of Sydvinland, Northern Venezue, Sthalinge, Gustavsland and Sjöland, The Shah of the crown states of Ta’ka sha’miri and the Padishah of all of Ta’ka sha’miri, The lord regent of the colony of Nova Imeriata, Imerian Africa, Angland, the two peninsulas of Tvaude and of Somalmark, The Grand duke of Suderland, The prince of Isarna, Salmo, judeheim and Khan of Salonia, Sultan king of Ramir, the Emir of Sandland and Jarl of Salywa and the free city of Krakborg and Styrfastning, defender and lord of the city of Arkham and Sirmera, and further more the ruler of the federal terretories of Vastermark and the northern iceplains and as such high chief of Isfalten and keeper of Sfartmård , By the right of the constitution of the protectorate leopridaeria prince defender of leopridaeria, the high lord of Kalmer, Salmoborg and Gaseborg, Lord of the countless cities and lands under his most blessed and righteous rule, the lord defender of Imerbürg, Coparborg, Vesiki, Sjöborg, Afrikas fastning, Erikasborg, Nova Imerbürg, Wein, Udeborg, Angborg, Ambir, Nya Landborg, Nymarksborg, Sorgerstad, Anderborg, Nordanstad, Kängruborg, Sthalstad, Kängruborg, Judeborg, Moskstad, Daji, Sajing, Ademarksborg, Salem, Söderhamn, Öborga, Dragograd, Gapur, Bor-zut and Táibĕi but as well the Enlightened Emperor of Nicksyllvania and as such the King of Leazus, Emperor of Helman, Grand Prince of Zeth, Emperor of Japan, Emperor of Jungria, Duke and king of Hornet-Kereburos, Despot of the Great North, Grand Duke of the Western Badlands, Master of the Southern Marshes, and the king of Dragkon and the wielder of the Holy Swords, the Demon Sword Kaos, the Holy Sword Nikkou, and the Greatsword of the Empire, Nickiller, Great Protector of the Helman Wall and Majino Line, also by the right of his birth high marshal of the royal guard and the Imperial commander of the Imperial nicksyllvanian army, the grand commander of the federal order of the golden sword and the Nicksyllvanian order, the knight commander of the order of the golden cross and the order of Africa, the lord commander of the colonial order, the high commander of the federal order of the silver rose and the order of Scandera, the Taranakan order and the Order of Vinland may his reign last until the end of time and may the empire and federation he rules stand even through the flames of the endtimes to protect all of his royal highness subjects.

The greatest democracy the world has seen [Open, AT]

The greatest democracy the world has seen [Open, AT]

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