10.3.2 GOVERNING STYLE AND POLITICS
Syntax: POLITICS POLITICS <city/commune> The leaders of cities and communes may select among three styles of governing: Benign, Neutral or Despotic. Each of these types affects how villages under their sphere of influence behave. See VILLAGE INFLUENCE. Further, while communes have one type of political government and that is the "commune" type as well as "religious", cities may select from one of three political structures: Religious, Commercial, or Conquest. Because of the great impact this has on the city, the entire ruling council must be in agreement for a change of political structure. Again, the type of government affects the way villages behave while under a city or commune's sphere of influence. The most noticeable difference between different political structures is the variation on city rank titles and names of the cities themselves. Names of both cities and communes are somewhat affected by the political style of the leader. While there are some cosmetic differences, the real impact comes from the behaviour of villages under a city or commune's sphere of influence. The difference between governing styles and political structures are noted below. Governing Styles ---------------- Benign : A benign leader rules influenced villages liberally, and does not make heavy demands upon them. As a result, villages are generally very happy under this leader and will passively have positive feelings towards their sovereign nation. If said nation is a Conquest Nation, the people of the village will make larger donations towards the Conquest Pool. Neutral : A neutral leader rules evenhandedly, and there are no benefits nor penalties to this style of rule. Despotic : A despotic leader makes heavy demands upon villages, and villages will produce signficantly more power and tithe substantially more commodities. Villages, however, may not appreciate this style of rule and negative feelings will accrue towards their patron city or commune. Political Structures -------------------- Note that communes choose among the political structures like cities; however, unlike cities, titles of commune members and commune ranks do not change. Religious : Cities or communes that choose a religious government when they feel they rule by divine mandate. Spiritual matters are more important than material, and thus villages will produce more power to the nexus and fewer commodities. Citizens or commune members of a religious government will find that influencing villagers in any village will improve relations with that village. Villages under the sphere of influence of a religious government produce more power but less commodities. Commercial : Commercial governments are much more preoccupied with material wealth than spiritual matters, and villages under these governments will tithe more commodities but produce less power. Citizens or commune members of a commercial government will find that doing commodity quests in any village will improve relations with that village. Villages under the sphere of influence of a commercial government produce more commodities but less power. Conquest : Governments of conquest are neither concerned with spiritual matter nor material wealth. They prefer to rule others for the sake of expanding their territories. Villages under these governments will donate their own resources towards their sovereign nation, adding to a Conquest Pool, which will automatically be drained for security uses. Also, villages under the sphere of influence of a conquest government will produce less commodities and less power but naturally become more enthralled with that government. Further, any village that is not under its sphere of control will begin to passively accrue respect for that government, the amount of which depends on the number of villages that government controls. Weakening villagers currently swayed by other cities or communes may make them more willing to follow your city or commune during the next revolt. NOTE: The above styles and political structures have nothing whatsoever to do with 'alignment' (good, evil otherwise) and should not be taken into account by city or commune leaders as limiting their selections. For instance, it is perfectly reasonable for a city of light and goodness to choose a despotic style of leadership when there is a crisis and the city needs extra power or commodities (the city leader may feel that it is time for all citizens to make a "sacrifice for the good of the state"). Likewise, it is perfectly reasonable for a city of darkness and death to choose a benign style of leadership in order to maintain control of its territories (the leader may feel that it is important to keep villages as amicable as possible and therefore the city must "keep them happy" and rule benignly to "protect their own").
