Ryan Bailey (order #2639004) 173.14.196.1 - fap.if.usp.br

Ryan Bailey (order #2639004) 1CHAPTER ONE: LIFE IN THE HIGH FIRST AGEto Wyldhand once the armed forces have been upgraded totheir satisfaction, perhaps this time against the unleashedforces of Malfeas or the Underworld.The Militants are opposed as radicals by most other partiesin the Deliberative. Even the Cauldronists, who supportedWyldhand for different reasons, got what they wanted outof the project and see no need to repeat it.THE UNIONISTSThe Unionists are less a single unified party and more aseries of small parties, most with only a handful of members.It is the common belief of these parties that Creation wouldfare better under the leadership of a single Solar ruler, as itdid during the Ochre Fountain Era with Solar Queen Merela.The only two Solars who actually possess more than a handfulof supporters are the aforementioned Merela and the MostSupreme Hierophant.As the Unionist groups have little in common with oneanother except their belief in Creation’s need for a singleruler, they oppose one another in the Deliberative as often asthey oppose non-Unionists. Only Merela and the Hierophantever manage to garner enough support from the Unionistsas a whole to tip votes one way or another.OTHER “PARTIES”Other so-called parties are as much Solars lumped togetherby outsiders based upon their political beliefs as theyare organized groups with their own agendas. The Divisives,for instance, believe in the innate right of the Solar Exaltsto do as they will. Most Divisives rule tributaries, sacrificingtheir voice in the Deliberative for the freedom to do asthey see fit within the confines of their own principalities.A few Divisives are hoary Golden Hero Vassals who canstill influence the processes of the Deliberative through thefavors they’re owed by other Solars. Most, however, are notso mighty, and are content to allow the realm to chart itsown coarse so long as they are left to their own devices.The Fugitives, in contrast, believe that the Deliberativeis both corrupt by its nature and unredeemable. They are,therefore, bowing out of the political process to whateverdegree they can manage. Many of the Fugitives also ruletributaries, where they are free to exercise their moreegalitarian agendas in much the same way as the Divisivesexercise their own.MOVEMENTS, ISSUES AND AGENDASThe Solars use the tool of the Deliberative to advancetheir own plans. Through open discourse, confidential negotiations,trading of votes, bribes and occasional threats, theDeliberative’s power blocs maneuver the grand mechanismof government to shape Creation to their will. Without theDeliberative, they’d use more naked means.Described here are a few of the movements pushedforward in the Deliberative today. Many Solars support twoor more of these agendas.TRIBUTARY OPPOSITIONWhether due to concerns over the treatment of tributarymortals or objection to the economic advantage afforded bythe lessened restrictions under which tributaries operate,a vocal minority of Deliberators seems to want tributariesoutlawed. Some call for tributary Princes to be charged underthe terms of the Clear Glass Accord.Their opponents (most of whom benefit economicallyfrom the tributaries) argue that a more restrictive Deliberativebroke in the past. They say the current flexible model,including the opt-out clause the tributary option provides,will be less likely to produce serious wars between ideologicalopponents. Tributary supporters have a point. History textsportray the Deliberative of the Shining Reflection Era asstratified. Most agree that Rose Petal Tea’s actions alonewouldn’t have been enough to spark the Thousand StrugglesEra if he hadn’t struck in a volatile environment.This issue is effectively dead. The tributaries are unlikelyto go away. Nevertheless, older Solars can often gain politicalcapital among younger Solars by speaking on this topic,promising to make changes that will likely never occur.LEADERSHIP STRUGGLEA constant issue since the time of the First Deliberativeis the question of leadership within the organization. Thereis no official head of the Deliberative, but the Hierophantholds the backing of the majority of the Faithful and of agood majority of Unionists, effectively making any law hewants passed almost a guarantee and anything he stronglyopposes impossible to pass. The only significant challengeto his authority over the Deliberative process comes fromSolar Queen Merela, who still possesses significant cloutwith the surviving Golden Hero Vassals and a limited vetothat’s a holdover concession from the founding of the FirstDeliberative. Although the Hierophant often plays uponhis leadership of the Church of the Unconquered Sun andhis spiritual closeness to the Incarna to sway votes, mostLawgivers are aware of the esteem in which the UnconqueredSun holds Merela. They know well that it was to her alonethe Unconquered Sun handed over the Crown of Thundersand the Creation-Ruling Mandate. As a result, very few ofthe Solar Queen’s vetoes are overturned.MORE FREEDOM FOR THE DRAGON-BLOODEDThis issue flares up every few decades, and has againrecently. Given the success of the various free Gentes, anumber of Solars (typically young Lawgivers who lack Gentesof their own) have suggested that the Realm would be betterserved if the Terrestrial Exalted were all freed from theoaths that bind them to specific Solar Exalted. The elderSolars are quick to point out that the Gentes were placedunder Solar control by the Incarnae themselves, and thatto presume to release them from their assigned destinieswould defy the will of Heaven. They also suggest that theyounger Solars act out of a combination of jealousy that44