Post by Sire Halfblack on Jul 23, 2010 10:50:55 GMT
The Empire may be a place owned and ruled by the Blood Nobles but in reality their number is small compared to those of common blood, the peons whom the Mercenary Caste view with such disparate views as either their charges to protect against all harm, beings not worthy of their concern, as fodder for their armies, or just resources for their own dark and nefarious purposes.
However, for those concerned with running a city then these lowly peons are its lifeblood and despite the disparaging attitude of their social betters it would be shortsighted to assume that the thoughts and reckonings of these people are not without value. As part of a council’s means to communicate with the common people and judge their mood Meeting Halls are set up. Places where the citizens can meet, exchange views and discuss the topics of the day. A Meeting House is an excellent start for a city’s council to find more and better work for their citizens.
In Deci the citizens tend to use such places to sit around and mutter hatefully, the respected citizens of Deci focus their civic venom. The city’s basic meeting halls were enlarged and enhanced to become the very focus of argument, bitterness and hatred within the city by doing so the Meeting Halls actually acts well to release much of the pressure and indeed focus it elsewhere than the horrid streets of the city, allowing civic anger to be safely vented.
In Septus IM 1008 the Meeting Hall in the mercantile quarter was further increased in size to become The Deci Civic Round, the single largest Hall in the city. The Round was a large building that catered to the Wastrel of the Deci and even beyond, much as The Grand Hundred catered to the needs of The Hundred and Guildsmen. Here is where Wastrel came to have their say and more importantly make sure they got work from the Guilds as at the gates each day such is disbursed. It is where the voice of the Wastrel can, even if ineffective, be heard.
Then, in Maii IM 1010 King Troy ordered the final and most impressive enlargement of The Civic Round to form what quickly became referred to as simply The Third Estate. Where once stood the Deci Civic Round, The King both established, and acknowledged, the power of his subjects. For in these enlightened times the common people of the third estate, those not of the first - the Nobility, nor the second – the Guilds, are given equal voice in their city.
Of course, though everyone has a right to speak and influence the city, there are limits. Those of good guild standing, priests, wizards, adventurers of a certain stripe, Merchants, traders – those of means are all allowed to speak. The riff raff get to sit in the places where they can hardly be heard at all. This is not democracy after all!
But here the common man can be heard and with such representation the Council is able to call upon its empowered citizens to serve the city in a fashion unique within the Empire giving the council unparalled access to the city's greatest single resource, its people.
However, for those concerned with running a city then these lowly peons are its lifeblood and despite the disparaging attitude of their social betters it would be shortsighted to assume that the thoughts and reckonings of these people are not without value. As part of a council’s means to communicate with the common people and judge their mood Meeting Halls are set up. Places where the citizens can meet, exchange views and discuss the topics of the day. A Meeting House is an excellent start for a city’s council to find more and better work for their citizens.
In Deci the citizens tend to use such places to sit around and mutter hatefully, the respected citizens of Deci focus their civic venom. The city’s basic meeting halls were enlarged and enhanced to become the very focus of argument, bitterness and hatred within the city by doing so the Meeting Halls actually acts well to release much of the pressure and indeed focus it elsewhere than the horrid streets of the city, allowing civic anger to be safely vented.
In Septus IM 1008 the Meeting Hall in the mercantile quarter was further increased in size to become The Deci Civic Round, the single largest Hall in the city. The Round was a large building that catered to the Wastrel of the Deci and even beyond, much as The Grand Hundred catered to the needs of The Hundred and Guildsmen. Here is where Wastrel came to have their say and more importantly make sure they got work from the Guilds as at the gates each day such is disbursed. It is where the voice of the Wastrel can, even if ineffective, be heard.
Then, in Maii IM 1010 King Troy ordered the final and most impressive enlargement of The Civic Round to form what quickly became referred to as simply The Third Estate. Where once stood the Deci Civic Round, The King both established, and acknowledged, the power of his subjects. For in these enlightened times the common people of the third estate, those not of the first - the Nobility, nor the second – the Guilds, are given equal voice in their city.
Of course, though everyone has a right to speak and influence the city, there are limits. Those of good guild standing, priests, wizards, adventurers of a certain stripe, Merchants, traders – those of means are all allowed to speak. The riff raff get to sit in the places where they can hardly be heard at all. This is not democracy after all!
But here the common man can be heard and with such representation the Council is able to call upon its empowered citizens to serve the city in a fashion unique within the Empire giving the council unparalled access to the city's greatest single resource, its people.