HalflingPrincess

It has been brought to the attention of the new Council of Elders that several of the rules provided by the constitution were vague and thus resulted in a some amount of confusion for the outgoing Elders as they counted the votes for our recent election. The Elders of Bramblebury, in order to clarify the rules of elections, and to ensure smooth and peaceful transfers of power in the future, hereby present the following revisions:

I. Concerning Misleading Language
It was recently brought to Elder Greta Goodbarrel's attention that a certain passage within the constitution implies that a candidate may not run for Elder if they have family currently serving as Elders. This was not what was intended, and hereby clarifies with the support of Elders James Peregrin and Jordan Applebottom that a candidate cannot run for Elder only if they have immediately family also running in the same election (or, of course, if they do not meet other requirements.)
 

II. Concerning Voting Requirements
As with every previous election, the note on the ballot box specifically stated that "If you do not have a home in Bramblebury, you may not vote." The Council of Elders wishes to clarify for future reference that a "home in Bramblebury" is defined as a tavern room, an inn room, or a burrow. The Council also wishes to diffuse the popular misconception that one must have dwelt within the village for a certain period of time to be allowed to vote. Provided they meet all other requirements, the amount of time one has lived in Bramblebury is irrelevant to whether or not they can vote. This only applies to running in elections.

III. Concerning Election Time Limits
The outgoing Elders raised questions regarding the legality of providing an extension to the election. Though the constitution provides for two pumpkin days of voting, it does not prohibit an extension to the length of an election. Halflings are not infallible creatures; it is ultimately up to the outgoing Elders to decide exactly when an election ends. Precedent for this was already set in the election of 1806, which went on for half a pumpkin day longer than was provided for by the constitution. As long as the delay is reasonably small, an election is not required to end exactly 2 pumpkin days after the ballots open.
 

IV. Concerning Tie-breaking

The results of the current election were determined in part by the involvement of then High Pumplar, seeing as Elder Isalie Gardner resigned prior to the election, leaving only two sitting Elders. The current Council of Elders upholds this, and declares that in the usually unlikely event there only two sitting Elders available to break a tie, the High Pumplar may be brought in to ensure the tie is actually broken.

V. Concerning Vote Limits
Finally, it has come to the attention of the Elders that the extreme circumstances of our recent election were due in part to the ability of a voter to give all three of their votes to a single candidate. The Elders have recognized this as a flaw in the system, and the Constitution makes no claim that voters are guarunteed the right to give all three of their votes to a single candidate. As such, from now on voters will be required to distribute their three votes to at least two different candidates during an Elder election.

 

Authored 1814, signed:

Elder of Bramblebury

Ratified 1814, signed:

Elders of Bramblebury

Greta beams as she reads over her name and the generous number of votes next to it. As she reads about the tie between Filibert and Jordan, however, her face falls. "Oh lord... he's going to throw a fit over this, isn't he?"

The Ballot:
((MC Name: HalflingPrincess))
Name: Greta Goodbarrel

Vote for Elder:

James Peregrin ()

Greta Goodbarrel (XX)
Filibert Applefoot ()
Jordan Applebottom ()
Winter May Gardner (X)

Greta reads over the letter several times, getting particularly hung up on a single line. "Tensions are high? Sure, we've had issues with our neutrality but... I didn't hear anything of this sort." She sighs as she finishes the letter. "I'll miss them both a lot, but I suppose this not the worst of farewells for a woman who has a accomplished much as Isalie has. I wish all the happiness in the world to Isalie, best of Thains and best of friends."

"Good lord... and they say MY writing is obnoxious?!"

[!] A small flyer is pinned to the Bramblebury Notice Board

Bramblebury Drinking Night
(The Third!)

~Bramblebury at night~

Do I really need to write a lengthy excuse for drinking? Of course not! We're halflings, it's what we do. But drinking alone is not good for you, so come join me in a bottle of wine or whatever you fancy, and may the party last from dusk to dawn!

Hope to see you there

Local Halfling Winemaker

((OOC: 8 PM EST, March 12, 2021))

Greta scratches her head as she reads the letter. "Intellectually superior? To be sure, our culture and government are the most progressive in the world but few of us have a felicity of expression matching those of the elves... though I suppose that does not necessarily make one more intelligent." She shrugs. "Biggun Realism a silly idea, but it's a harmless one at that."
 

Greta chuckles to herself "The tabloid returns. At least the Gazette can focus on important things now."

[!] A flyer is nailed to every door in Bramblebury along with the noticeboard

Happy Birthday 
Greta and Faye Goodbarrel!


 

There is perhaps no birthday more significant to a halfling than her 33rd, and there is most definitely no better use for a birthday than as an excuse for a party! So what could be better than one birthday? Two!

Yes, as it happens, Greta and her cousin Faye share a birthday, and invite all Bramblebury to join them for a party of special magnificence at the Bramblebury festival grounds, where guests will be treated to good food, fantastic fireworks, and the best wine in the world! No party is complete without guests, so come one and all to celebrate the 33rd birthday of Faye and the 69th birthday of Greta!

[OOC: Bramblebury Festival Grounds; Sunday, February 21st, 2021; 2 PM EST]

Greta shakes her head "This all seems rather dumb and immature."

Greta reads the missive and nods "Well yes that was the projected outcome wasn't it?"  Though pleased with most of it, she shakes her head disapprovingly at one particular phrase "Mournful? There's nothing 'mournful' about a peaceful transfer of power."

[!] A pamphlet is nailed to the Bramblebury Notice Board!
 

The Goodbarrelian Manifesto
The Ideals of Contemporary Halfling Democracy

(Revised for the 1806 Reformations)

By Greta Goodbarrel

What is Goodbarrelian Democracy?

In the years prior to the publishing of this updated manifesto; the term “Goodbarrelian Democracy” has in many ways become a loaded phrase. A number of halflings have come to heavily associate it with the flawed and immensely unpopular Constitution of Bramblebury that I wrote in 1797. While it is true that I wrote the constitution with my principles in mind, it must be understood that Goodbarrelian Democracy is a concept that predates Bramblebury’s Republic, and refers less to any specific design or form of government and more to the ideals that should be pursued by any good halfling leader.

Simply put; Goodbarrelian Democracy refers to the set of values and principles I introduced to halfling politics in the late 18th century, and more broadly, to the overall shift away from Bernardist inspired authoritarian Thainship to the more traditional and democratic governments of old.

What do Goodbarrelian Democrats believe?

If you describe yourself as a Goodbarrelian Democrat, you reject both the greed, barbarity, and selfishness of biggun governments as well as the overbearing, overly zealous, and undemocratic notions of Bernardism. You believe that a proper halfling government belongs to none other than the people and that those who are a part of it are not rulers but humble and obedient servants of the village. You hold dear most or all of the following principles, and vote for policies and Elders that promote them:

• Democracy: History has made it clear that the best form of government for any civilization is one that is by, of, and for the people. No single halfling should ever wield unchecked authority over all others; the only true basis of government in any society is a mandate from the masses. It is for this reason that a halfling republic is superior to any biggun monarchy; our leaders are in power by the will of the community, not by some abstract divine right such as in Oren, nor by manipulating money such as in Sutica. Those societies are, ultimately, doomed to fail because they reject the natural processes by which leaders emerge and substitute them with made-up gods or material goods such as gold and silver that are only as valuable as a corrupt merchant says they are. 

• Republicanism: The halfling government is a public matter, and as such its members should always be elected by the people. Elders exist to serve, represent, and guide; not to rule. The government must answer to the people just as much as the people answer to it, for a government can only exist given the consent of those who are being governed. Some who read this manifesto may consider anarchy to be a better path for society than a democratic republic because a total lack of government eliminates any possibility of tyranny. While anarchy is undoubtedly preferable to tyranny, one must understand that in anarchy, it is impossible to guarantee that everybody’s natural rights are protected. A village devoid of laws is a village without the traditions, customs, and safety that we have come to take for granted. Without a government, there is no way to ensure that halflings are peaceful and proper; that is our nature, but it cannot be assured in chaos. For those halflings who dislike the general concept of government and politics, it is wise to think of it as a sort of agreement between the people and the leaders; the Elders are allowed to make some rules and decisions as long as they protect our natural rights and serve our needs and interests. That is the essence of a republic; a government composed not of funny-dressed men appointed by invisible gods like in Oren but of virtuous leaders chosen by the people.

• Community: The achievement of a fair and free society requires the contribution of all citizens, and to this, the halfling nation is no exception. Though some aspects of the Bernardist collectivist sentiment trample on individualism,  there is great wisdom in recognizing that what is good for the village as a whole is also good for the individual halfling. Though no halfling should ever be forced to vote in elections or produce food and goods for the village; doing so improves not only the life of a single halfling but the lives of all halflings. For this reason, it is best that only small trinkets are considered the property of any single halfling and that more important things such as land, food, and services are collectively owned by the entire village. In doing this, the greed that drives so many biggun societies into injustice, tyranny, and eventually ruin is avoided, as would-be corrupt bankers and merchants are left powerless by the more virtuous halfling systems of bartering and collective ownership.

• Liberty: Just as Knox instructs his followers to “live unbound”, so too should the Elders protect the right of all halflings to do as they please. The great downfall of Bernardism, aside from its enabling of tyranny, is that it focuses too much on the collective and not enough on the beautiful individuality of each halfling. We are unique in our appearance, thoughts, and ideas, and should be free to express them and enact them in any way we see fit, so long as it does not tread upon the rights of other halflings. Naturally, discussing liberty among halflings leads to the great question of properness. Properness is more than a mere set of traditions; it is the natural state of any halfling, and as such, it is to be expected that every halfling will, at some point in his or her life, embrace it fully. While it is within the authority of the Elders to promote properness by banning shoes or biggun weapons, no individual should ever be directly punished for being improper. Education is a far greater remedy for ignorance than punishment; hate improperness, but love impropers. Only in biggun societies do mistakes go unforgiven, and punished in the most savage and deplorable ways such as beheadings in Oren or acid pitting in Haelun’or.
   

• Equality: All halflings are born free and equal, and are to be treated as such under the law. The greatest faults of biggun societies lie in inequality, for they are societies made up of classes: a toiling poor; a robbing, barrel-scraping merchant class; and often an elite made up of ‘nobles’ and so-called ‘men of god.’ Halflings are free of such distinctions. No halfling is inherently better than any other, and our rejection of mina ensures that we are a society of generosity, not greed; of virtue, not vice. Those who gain any power do so by their own merit, and by the will of those around them; might does not make right. Aristocracy, mercantilism, and capitalism are marks of elitism, and that is what we halflings uniquely avoid.

• Agrarianism: In biggun societies, the most virtuous citizens tend to be the common farmers; the ‘poor’ folk of the countryside who graciously produce food both for themselves and for those who have been unjustly placed above them. With that in mind, halfling society is undoubtedly the most virtuous; for it is well known that in the soul of any proper halfling is a deep love for things that grow: we plant seeds in the ground, we raise livestock, we brew, we cook, we create. We are free of the merchants, bankers, and manufacturers that dominate and destroy biggun societies, robbing others blind just to feel the empty satisfaction of having little bits of metal in their pocket.
   

• Freedom of Thought: “I disagree with what you say, but I will defend to death your right to say it.” That is the maxim of a free society; diversity of opinions. Though we all like to think our ideas are the best, more often than not compromise is the most useful method of solving any problem. Even if a compromise is not the solution, there is never harm in hearing all sides of an argument. Debate is the lifeblood of a democracy, and the right to disagree is fundamental. Even if one’s ideas contradict everything I have written in this pamphlet, I remain willing to defend their right to speak, and any halfling leader must assume a similar attitude. Dissenting religions, ideologies, and opinions need not be accepted but they must never be shunned or silenced. All speech should be protected so long as it is not harmful to the wellbeing of the community.
   

• Pacifism: We halflings have a long history and tradition of nonviolence. We reject biggun weapons because we mean never to harm others. Any combat a halfling engages in is defensive, and the same principle must be applied to the village as a whole. Under no condition should a halfling go to war in foreign lands; we must reject any form of a military, and rely on the bare minimum for defense, lest we turn into a military state like Oren or Haelun’or.

• Self-Sufficiency: Though there are sometimes benefits to trading with bigguns, on a larger scale it is best that the halflings remain divorced from the world economy. We farm primarily for subsistence and the benefit of other halflings. Our goods are not meant to be sold for mina and should be distributed first to other halflings and then only sparingly to bigguns. Biggun merchants are not to be trusted, for they seek more to exploit than to exchange.

• Neutrality: Being a plain and quiet folk, we halflings would benefit little from getting entangled in the overly hostile web of intrigue that is biggun politics. The halflings should only engage in diplomacy as is necessary to maintain our own security (such as our arrangement with Elvenesse), and should never take sides in violent conflicts between biggun nations, lest we risk the destruction of our village as we know it  As is the case with biggun merchants, biggun leaders often to seek to exploit, and cannot be trusted too readily beyond providing simple protection. Any diplomatic agreement made between the Elders and foreign leaders must be more beneficial to us than to the foreigners 

The Ballot:
((MC Name: Johnnythewizard ))
Name: Greta Goodbarrel

Vote for Elder:

Burt Hassenfort (X)
Onelia Peregrin ()
Kerraline Goodbarrel (XX)
Cyris Collingwood ()

The CONSTITUTION of the
VILLAGE of BRAMBLEBURY
Revised for the people of Bramblebury, 1806
 

We, the wee folk of Bramblebury, in order to build a more perfect village, to preseve peace, to promote the wellbeing of all halflings, to advance the greater good, to defend our traditions, and to maintain a community that is fair and free for ourselves and for the halflings of future generations, do hereby establish this CONSTITUTION for the VILLAGE of Bramblebury.

Article I. Concerning the Council of Elders

Section I. The Duties and Privileges of the Elders

As was tradition in the halfling villages of old, the ruling body of the government shall be the Council of Elders; composed of three members of equal authority. The Elders shall serve as the joint leaders of the halfling people.  They shall be responsible for dealing with bigguns, managing village land, designing buildings, planning public events, issuing permission to build, officiating and annulling marriages, and running elections. In addition, the Council of Elders shall also be granted the following specific powers:

I. Passing Laws

In the Council of Elders shall be vested the authority to make and enforce laws. A bill may be proposed by any member of the Council, and shall become a law if at least two out of the three Elders are in favor of it.

II. Removal of the Sheriff or Deputy

Should all three Elders agree that the Sheriff is a criminal or is otherwise unfit to serve, they may call for the removal of the Sheriff provided they can nominate at least one possible successor. Once the Council has voted to remove the Sheriff from office, an emergency election shall be held in which the people choose between the sitting Sheriff and the nominated replacement. 

Should all three Elders agree that the Sheriff's Deputy is a criminal or is otherwise unfit to serve, they may remove the Deputy from office, and allow the Sheriff to choose a replacement.

III. Deferring to a Public Vote

Should all three Elders agree that a decision is significant enough; they may defer it to a public vote, in which the halfling people shall vote yea or nay on the resolution. It shall take only a simple majority for a public vote to pass.

IV. Declaring an Honorary Halfling

Should all three Elders agree, they may declare a biggun to be an Honorary Halfling, thus granting them all the legal rights, protections, and privileges of halflings as provided in this constitution with the exception of the right to vote, which shall be granted exclusively to halflings.

V. Declaring a Banishment

Should all three Elders agree, they may banish a biggun or halfling from the village as punishment for a crime or number of crimes. A banished individual is prohibited from entering the village, and their legal rights as halflings are suspended, particularly the right to vote. A banishment may be appealed directly to the Council by mail once a year; and may be lifted at any time provided all three Elders are in agreement.

Section II. Succession of Elders

Each member of the Council of Elders shall be elected by the people to serve a term of eight years. If an Elder were to die or resign during their term, then an emergency election would be held to vote for a replacement. In order to keep the election cycle consistent, a replacement Elder may only serve without reelection until the end of their predecessor's term.

Section III. Removal of an Elder

Should two of the three Elders agree that their fellow Elder is a criminal or is otherwise unfit to serve and are able to nominate at least one possible successor, they may call for an emergency election in which the people shall choose between the sitting Elder and the nominated replacement. As with other Elders elected during emergencies, this replacement Elder may only serve without reelection until the end of their predecessor's term.

Article II. Concerning the Office of the Sheriff

Section I. The Duties and Privileges of the Sheriff

The Sheriff of Bramblebury is to serve as the law enforcement of the village. They shall be responsible for keeping peace within the village and ensuring its security from all threats; both from within and from bigguns. In the Sheriff is vested the authority to place criminals under arrest and to decide on punishments below banishment for all manner of crimes.

Section II. The Duties and Privileges of the Deputy Sheriff

In the Sheriff is vested the authority to appoint a Deputy to assist in enforcing the law. The Deputy may not exercise any powers of the Sheriff beyond placing a criminal under arrest, and may be dismissed by the Sheriff at any time. 

Section III. Succession of the Sheriff

The Sheriff shall be elected by the people and is to serve for a period of good behavior; until death, resignation, removal, or challenge. Provided a Sheriff has been in office for at least eight years, they may be challenged for their position in an election. In the interrim between the death, resignation, or removal of a Sheriff and the election of a new one, the Deputy Sheriff is to carry out their duties. 

Article III. Concerning Elections

In regular Elder elections, each voter is to recieve three votes which they may distribute among the candidates. The three candidates with the highest number of votes shall win the election and become Elders. There shall be no limit to the number of candidates allowed to run in a single election, however there must always be at least three Elders. In the event of an emergency election, the number of votes a single voter recieves is dependent upon the number of positions up for election.

At the beginning of an election cycle, potential candidates are to be given two months to announce their candidacy. Following this annunciation period, a debate shall be scheduled in which the candidates discuss the issues of the village in front of the voters. Immediately following the debate, it is the responsibility of the sitting Elders to open a ballot box, or to assign a trusted individual to do so. Except in certain specific circumstances listed elsewhere in this constitution, all elections are decided by simple majority. It is the joint responsibility of sitting Elders to count votes during an election. In the event of any tie that exceeds the number of vacant positions, the sitting Council of Elders shall vote to break it.

The right to run for public office is guaranteed to all halflings above the age of thirty-three who have resided within the village for at least four years. However, in order to preserve the integrity of our government, lovers and multiple members of the same immediate family may not serve simultaneously on the Council of Elders. As such, only one candidate from each immediate family will be allowed to run in a single election.

Public votes are to function in the same manner as elections: the ballot shall be open for two months.

Article IV. Concerning Amendments to the Constitution

The power to amend this constitution is to be vested in the people. Though each member of the Council of Elders shall be granted the ability to propose amendments to the constitution, all three Elders must be in agreement to hold an amendment vote. A two-thirds majority of the halfling people must vote in favor of the amendment for it to pass.

Article V. Concerning the Protections and Rights of Halflings

Section I. Unalienable Rights

It is a fundamental truth that all halflings are born free and equal and with certain rights; life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, that cannot be infringed. Within these rights fall also access to food and proper hosuing within the village.

Section II. Freedom of Thought and Expression

All halflings are to be guaranteed the freedom to speak, think, and wrtie all that is true. Within this falls also the right to petition the government, to peacefully assemble, and to worship whatever gods they please.

Section III. Guarantee of Justice

No halfling may be unjustly imprisoned, robbed, or evicted; laws must be written in a manner that can be easily interpreted by the common folk. No halfling can be punished for an act that was made illegal after it was committed, nor can a halfling be detained without being informed of the reason for their arrest.

Section IV. Rules of Punishment

Halflings, regardless of their crimes, are not to be executed or tortured, nor subjected to any cruel, unusual, or excessive punishments. 

Section V. Freedom from Slavery

No halfling may be kept as a slave nor otherwise forced to serve another except the Sheriff as punishment for a crime in the form of community service. 

Section VI. Declaration of Civil and Political Rights

All halflings above the age of thirty-three are guarunteed the right to vote and run for office regardless of gender, religion, political affiliation, properness, or place of birth. 

Section VII. Other Rights

Rights that are not specifically written within this constitution may be also be kept by the halfling people.

Authored 1805, signed:

Citizen of Bramblebury

Ratified 1806, signed:
 

Thain of Bramblebury


Mayor of Bramblebury




Sheriff of Bramblebury

Approved by the Halflings of Bramblebury:
 

Somehow, a copy of this work makes its way to the desk of Greta Goodbarrel. She regards both the title and the author written on the cover with great interest, and reads the entire thing dilligently, nodding along in approval at nearly every word and notion presented. "So what if an elf wrote it? This should required reading for any politician anywhere."

 

Greta read the letter several times, light tears streaming down her face as she regarded Isalie's signature at the bottom with the utmost admiration for her friend; the Thain who held her people above herself; who supported efforts to create a democracy in the face of ignorance and resistance; and who, when called upon to do so, willingly yielded her power for the greater good of the community. As Greta turned to walk back to her burrow and finish the new constitution, she hoped that Isalie would forgive her for speaking on the people's behalf and would come to realize just how respected she would be for going home. Most of all, Greta hoped that the rest of Isalie's life would be happier and more prosperous than all the years that preceeded this one.

[!] A halfling newspaper is found in your mailbox!
 

The Bramblebury Gazette
(Vol III, 1805)

~Knowledge leads to freedom; freedom to happiness~

Contents:

~A Second Revolution?~

~The Three Elder System - My Opinion~

~A Second Revolution?~

~The Mayoral Debate of 1805~

Last month it was my great pleasure to serve as the moderator for the debates for the Mayoral Election of 1805. Though I briefly considered running in that election, I decided against it for two reasons; the first being that I was apprehensive about putting myself in front of everyone after having created the largely unpopular constitution we currently use and the second being that I had pledged not to run for office in the letter I wrote when I conceded the Mayoral Election of 1797. Though I can’t say I remain committed to that decision entirely, the prospect of being the sole carrier of the reigns of government never interested me, so when my wife decided to run, I gave her what support I could.

Over the course of the debate, I was just as impressed as the audience was that none of the candidates were in particular disagreement about anything. Throughout the evening many in the audience remarked that they didn’t want to have to choose between the three of them. At some point, someone merely suggested that all three serve simultaneously as Elders, and soon the crowd began chanting in demand of such a system. For whatever reason, many seemed to think that I or our Thain Isalie were against it, but my argument was only that we could not make snap decisions without writing down a plan for what such a government would look like.

All the same, it fell upon Isalie to decide whether to hold the Mayoral election or postpone it and instead work on creating a new constitution. I do not know for certain how much my words factored into Isalie’s decision, but I advised her to postpone, seeing as the vast majority of the village wished that of her. Ultimately, Isalie decided to go along with the people’s demands in an orderly manner; we would postpone the election and discuss the trappings of a new government at a later date. Though Isalie seemed quite flustered by the whole thing, it was clear to me that she was prepared to accept the will of her people.

Though this was not the expected outcome of that debate, I will say that I was not entirely surprised by it. I am aware that the constitution I wrote was flawed, and I am aware that most people disagree with the way it was written. What I was not so sure of until that evening, however, was that the people were committed to maintaining and improving our republic rather than reverting to the Bernardist dictatorship of Rollo Applefoot’s time. Some may call what has occurred a second revolution but I disagree. I believe it is merely the one I started coming to its full maturity. It is not at all uncommon for revolutionary governments to go through provisional, transitional stages; democracy is, after all, a great experiment, and while I hoped to build a system that would last, I am not blind to the fact that we have discovered a number of problems with our current system. The time has come to correct them, and I offer not only my moral support but also my ideas, which you, dear reader, shall find in the next article.

~The Three Elder System - My Opinion~

~Greta Goodbarrel presents her plan of government to Bloomerville back in 1793 ~

When in the course of history, it becomes necessary for a people to change their current government and replace it with a new one two goals must always be kept in mind; a peaceful transition of power and an organized plan for the future. Unfortunately, bigguns have shown time and time again an inability to achieve the former of those two goals, and often end in an endless cycle of bloodshed, death, and vengeance. We halflings, however, remain committed to peace, as is our tradition, and so the main focus of this article will be the latter goal: a plan for the future.

I understand that some may be apprehensive about allowing me to have any hand in crafting our next government. After all, I was the same lady who crafted the government we’re trying to fix. What must be understood, however, is that I, like others, have learned things that I didn’t know back when I wrote our constitution in 1794, and feel quite confident in my ability to at least provide an outline of what can be changed:

The elephant in the room is, of course, the adoption of a three elder system. Some may be unaware of this, but I have always been in favor of a ruling council. (Though my views on how such a council should function differ now.) One might question, then, why I moved to abolish the position of Elder and replace the two Elders with a Mayor.

In order to understand this, we have to look back at how the village was when I first arrived: an absolute Thainship, ruled by Isalie and two elders which she had appointed herself, one of whom was her own daughter. By this point, the village had gotten quite used to the government not being a public matter, so it was no easy task for me to gather support for a change. Those who remembered and revered the old elder system and democracies of past halfling villages were either dead or rarely present, and democracy itself was a shunned concept associated with bigguns.

Whatever I might have said about Isalie prior to befriending her, my intention was always to keep her as a part of the halfling government. I wanted a peaceful revolution and the Sohaer-Maheral model provided by Haelun’or’s 1774 constitution seemed to be a good basis for a head of state who isn’t elected. This was an era where, admittedly, properness was in decline. It was a time before the Peregrins, the Overhills, the Shortoaks had returned to the village, a time where the only political forces were the Gardners and to a much lesser degree the Applefoots. It was a difficult place to start, and I certainly went about it the wrong way, as those who remember the deadly Applefoot Wedding of 1797, where a poorly timed speech I made almost led to my assassination.

Following that incident, I dropped the democratic cause for a while, choosing to leave that decision to Isalie while I raised Eliza. Not only was Isalie open to the idea, but she also came to recognize my interest in public service, and appointed me Elder. As an Elder, I never hesitated to make my voice heard and to give Isalie my honest opinions.

In 1793, after years of only small and inconsequential discussions regarding the future of halfling politics, Isalie decided to hold a meeting about the future of our people and offered me the opportunity to present an idea for our new government. Even then, some people suggested an Elder system and the removal of the position of Thain, but I ignored them. I worried at the time that Isalie would be reluctant to approve a constitution that stripped her of all her authority, and since we were not yet a democracy, it seemed necessary to prioritize writing a constitution Isalie would agree to over writing a constitution the people would like, though I intended to do both.

For that reason, I once again looked to the Sohaer-Maheral model of Haelun’or and implemented it as in the form of the Mayor-Thain-Sheriff system, in which powers would be separated between the three positions. Checks and balances seemed necessary because each position held so many specific powers, I worried that one would try to usurp the others. The need for checks and balances only became more apparent as Haelun’or’s republic went into decline. Though my model was similar, it was far more restrictive of each position than theirs was, and though this made for an admittedly bloated document, I felt secure in having created an airtight system, even if I knew, deep down, that it was only temporary.

Over a decade later, the cracks have shown themselves. From the moment the constitution was ratified, people have complained about it being too biggun like and complicated. I will readily admit that those are justified notions; the document was written with paranoia about the possibility of another dictatorship, it was written at a time where there were few I trusted to responsibly take the reigns of government, and where Haelun’or’s government seemed flawless. Now it has become abundantly clear that biggun governments are flawed even when they have checks and balances; loopholes are found and the people’s wishes are often ignored. The collapse of the Silver State’s Republic last year proved to be a wake-up call to me; the halfling government needed to be different, and better.

Now that I have made clear the flaws in the old constitution, and have properly divorced myself from any notion that biggun government is a good idea, I will state, in simple terms, how I would write the new constitution differently, should I be given the great honor of doing so:

Article I. Concerning the Council of Elders

Section I. Duties and Privileges of the Elders

The positions of Mayor and Thain would be abolished. Instead, there would be three Elders who are to serve as the joint leaders of the village and have equal power. Their responsibilities would be about the same as those of the current Thain and Mayor: they would be responsible for dealing with bigguns, managing village land, planning building, planning public events, granting permission to build, officiating and annulling marriages, and running elections. Also:
 

I. Laws could be written by any member of the council and pass if two out of three Elders agree

II. If all three Elders agree, they could remove the Sheriff from office provided they would also be able to nominate a successor. If this were to happen, the people would vote between the nominated successor and the sitting official.

III. For major decisions, all three Elders could agree to hold a public vote on the matter 

IV. If all three Elders agree, a biggun could be declared an honorary halfling

V. If all three Elders agree, a criminal could be banished from the village

Section II. Elder Succession

Elders would be elected every eight years, just like the Mayor is currently. In Elder elections, any number of people would be allowed to run, and each voter would receive three votes which they could choose to distribute to three people or to one or two (there would always need to be three Elders in office, though) The three candidates with the highest votes would become Elders.

If an Elder were to die or resign, an emergency election would be held to vote for a replacement. In order to keep the election cycle consistent, the replacement would only serve until the end of the original Elder’s turn, and would then have to be reelected alongside the other Elders. Note that the number of votes a single voter receives in any election would be dependent on the number of vacant positions.

Section III. Removing an Elder

If two of the three Elders were to agree that one of them is a criminal or otherwise unfit to serve and are able to nominate a successor, they would be able to call for a vote in which the people would choose between the accused sitting official and the nominated successor.

Article II. Concerning the Office of the Sheriff

Section I. Duties and Privileges of the Sheriff

The Sheriff’s job would be to defend the village, keep the peace, and punish criminals when necessary.

Section II. Duties and Privileges of the Deputy Sheriff 

The Sheriff would be allowed to appoint a deputy to assist in enforcing the law.

Section III. Succession of the Sheriff

As is the law currently, the Sheriff would be elected by a simple majority of the people for a period of good behavior and would be able to be challenged after having served eight years in office.

Article III. Concerning Elections

At the beginning of an election cycle, the candidates would have two elven days to announce their candidacy. Once all candidates are announced, a debate would be scheduled at the earliest opportunity. After the debate, polls would open for two elven days.

Anyone above thirty-three who has been living in the village for at least four years can run for office. Lovers and multiple members of the same immediate family would be prohibited from serving on the Council of Elders simultaneously. (Though this rule would no longer apply to the Sheriff.)

Public votes would function similarly to elections; the poll would be open for two eleven days.

If a vote were to be tied in any way, breaking the tie falls would fall upon the sitting Elders, who would each cast an additional tie-breaking vote.

Article IV. Concerning Amendments to the Constitution

If all three Elders agree, they could hold a public vote to amend the constitution. Two-thirds of voters must vote in favor of the changes for them to pass.

Article V. Concerning the Protections and Rights of Halflings

The bill of rights, found in Article VI of our current constitution, would be kept mostly the same, and in summary, would have the following provisions:

I. All halflings are born free and equal and have the right to life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, shelter, and food

II. Halflings can say or write whatever they want as long as it’s true and can worship whatever gods they please
III. The Sheriff needs to be fair; they can’t imprison someone for no reason, take people’s things for no reason, or arrest someone for something that wasn’t illegal when they did it. You cannot be arrested without being told why

IV. You can’t be tortured or executed

V. You can’t be enslaved if you’re a halfling

VI. If you are a halfling, live in the village, and are above thirty-three years of age, you can vote no matter what

VII. Just because a right isn’t written here doesn’t mean you don’t have it

What I have written here is is merely an outline, and is not in any way official; I am after all, merely a citizen, but I hope that my ideas provide the people with guidance as we move forward in repairing our republic, and nothing would bring me greater joy than having the opportunity to once again put to paper the framework of our republic.

Long live the halflings!

Greta Goodbarrel,

Citizen of Bramblebury

MC Name:

         Johnnythewizard

Character's Name:

         Argentium

Character's Age:

Character's Original Race (N/A if not applicable):

         N/A

Transformed form:

         Sorvian

Creator's MC Name:

         SnowyBee_

Creator's RP Name:

         Jol

Briefly explain the lore behind this construct or creature:

Argentium was crafted by Jol, and thus they revere and serve Jol as their maker. Argentium is made mostly of clay, and their mask is linked to their soul essence, which is kept in their chest cavity. Argentium is made to serve, as their soul was given to them by their maker and is not their own. They view their maker with great reverence, and exist to serve, never going against their master unless their mask is threatened, in which case they will protect their mask but not harm their master. A Sorvian is "born" with a mind as a blank slate, and they look to find their place in the world in order to dedicate themselves to something such as an ideology. Should that dedication or ideology cease to be relevant, they will either cast aside their old life or remain despearetly fixed on it.

If this construct or creature has some form of aesthetic choice, can you describe how they look? 

Argentium is a lanky androgynous humanoid figure, standing at 5'10. They wear fine grey clothes and their mask, which is painted silver, bears a very neutral-looking expression.

Do you have a magic(s) you are dropping due to this app? If so, link it:

         No

Do you agree to keep Story writers updated on the status of your magic app?:

         N/A

Do you understand that if this creature's lore is undergoing an activity trial and that trial fails, you will no longer be able to play this creature and will be forced to either revert the character back to its normal form (if it was a transformative type) or stop playing the character entirely (if it is an entirely new creature)?:

         Yes

Memey RP or using this CA for subpar villain/bandit RP can lead to your app being denied, even after acceptance. Please put "I understand" as your response once you have read this part and understand the consequences.

         I understand

Have you applied for this creature on this character before, and had it denied? If so, link the app:

         No

Greta looks fondly at the invitation. Years ago such an invitation might have filled her with sadness or jealously, but those feelings had long faded. She was glad to be reminded that Isalie, her dearest friend, was happy, and that the Warden had finally found someone exceedingly special, even if it wasn't Greta. As Greta read the invitation, she recalled every step of her relationship with the bride and the groom. It had been awkward at times, even more than that, but she still cared for them, and wished them all the joy in the world.

Greta eyes the document suspiciously "Right, well I suppose this all right and just and there's no harm done here... but this drawing here does feel a tad... wrong. I love Iris and all but she's no goddess." Greta's eyes move down to the signature at the bottom. She snorts at that.  "Filibert Applefoot; I might have known. Only a dictator-loving Bernadist would publish jingoistic drivel like this." She tucks it away in a drawer "Maybe someone ought to remind the Applefoots we're living in the 19th century now."

A tired, bitter halfling woman walks the frigid streets of the Silver City. Her steps are shuffled and her cloak smells strongly of wine. As she ascends the steps of San'eravir her head turns to glance at the noticeboard, as she did every evening. As she scans past the various elven missives and pamphlets, her eyes fall upon Monkey's missive. She blinks and reads through it. "Bramblebury is safe for 'Impropers?' Surely this must be a trap!" She glances over it several times, carefully analyzing the handwriting. It was definitely written by Monkey. "Hmmm he was the one who warned us about Knox in the first place... maybe he was wrong. And the fact that it made its way here... they must surely know where I am..." She glances around and then at the notice, reading over it once more before taking it down and pocketing it. She then moves up the stairs and packs her belongings into a backpack, a newfound energy in her step as she straps it to her shoulders and descends back down the steps. Greta Goodbarrel was going home.

Greta's face pales as she glances over the missive. She rereads it several times, shaking her head. "Hide? What good would that do? Convert? Absolutely not..." she lets out a deep sigh "I suppose I will have to wait to be killed, then... so be it."

Greta squints at the note "He's not coming back for a while, then?" She chuckles "Apology accepted, I suppose." before then tossing out the note.

Greta reads the doctrine with widened eyes "Temptress?! Deranged?! Did this fellow not call me the founding mother not even two years ago?! Freedom of religion has been a part of halfling law for years, and now our supposed 'god' is trying to undermine our Thain? This doesn't make any sense! How is defending freedom undemocratic?! 

What this 'god' is proposing is a counterrevolution and it is vile and disgusting. My wife is absolutely right; such oppresion is more fit for Canonist Oren than Knoxist Bramblebury. 

We have no true obligation to listen to any old fool who claims to be our god, especially not when he works to undermine our republic! If the people rally behind this nonsense, I cannot stop them, but it would be a truly dark day in our history if Isalie were ousted over petty religious differences.

And should anyone think to her harm her physically, they will have to kill me first!"

[!] A halfling newspaper is found in your mailbox!
 

The Bramblebury Gazette
(Vol II, 1798)

~Knowledge is the key to happiness~

Contents:

~The Fall of “King” Cyris~

~What Has Religion Ever Done For Us?~
~Largest Dinner Party Yet?~

~Mayor Iris Peregrin: Year One~

~The Fall of “King” Cyris~

~The festival-goers sit beneath their newly decorated tree~

In keeping with our jolly traditions, the 7th of the Grand Harvest 1798 saw a great festival celebrating the decoration of the Knoxmas Tree. Ornaments were hung, bells were rung, and halflings and biggun visitors (including our dearest Norlandic friend, the Queen Ancelie) alike feasted upon delicious puddings and delightful bottles of wine. It seemed to be the perfect little celebration, and one would have thought the arrival of our Lord Knox would only make it better.

Unfortunately, the arrival of the Pumpkin Lord came at a most inopportune time. For indeed, one might say that Knoxism has been undergoing some sort of schism. While one would think religious schisms and arguments about true and false gods would be activities only bigguns engage in, unfortunately, that is not the case.

Nearly two years ago, in 1796, the village of Bramblebury was joined by a rather peculiar fellow known as Cyris Collingwood. Claiming to be chosen by Knox himself, Cyris believes himself to be the rightful king of the halflings and has provided moral and spiritual support to the people of our village. (Though he seems to have no concept of what a monarchy actually is.)

Though no claim made by Cyris was taken entirely seriously, he was well-liked and appreciated by the village until a statement was released by High Pumplar Jeanette Applebottom, which declared Cyris to be a false prophet of Knox. This caused immediate upheaval, and the only defense Cyris was able to provide was the claim that he had been spoken to by Knox himself in his dreams! (Though many have theorized that it may have all been little more than a drug-induced hallucination; after all, Cyris reported waking up in a pond near Aegrothond after being sent by Knox.)
 

None of this, however, was relevant to the celebration. Or, at least, it would not have been had one Theodore Mowood not decided to point out Cyris to Knox in much the same manner as a tattling child would attempt to get their sibling in trouble. Knox moved to confront the ‘King’, and a great quarrel ensued. As the ‘god’ and the ‘King’ engaged in their discourse, onlookers argued over whether Cyris was correct and whether the Knox that stood before us was the true Lord Knox or not.

~As onlookers bicker over their opinions on the situation, the ‘god’ and the ‘King’ stand face to face moments before a terrible duel~

For reasons I am unaware of, Cyris elected to engage what he viewed as the false god in a duel, and in doing so caused Knox to assume a disgusting and demonic form; speaking in tongues and unleashing his full strength upon the halfling. While some claim this was merely a show of strength, others cite it as proof that this ‘Lord Knox’ is an imposter.

What ensued was a barbaric scene more fit for violent biggun scriptures than a proper halfling newspaper as the ‘Pumpkin Lord’ brutalized Cyris to the sound of cheers from overzealous and quite honestly insane Knoxists. I am wholly disgusted that this was at all considered acceptable by any of our peace-loving people as if we were Canonists in the 1460s rather than Knoxists in the 1790s. Some particularly zealous folk began to call for Cyris to be banished or even put to death! (Something that ‘Knox’ was prevented from doing as it was against his bounds.) The savagery with which Cyris was treated caused even the wholly proper Peregrins to flee the scene; and had I not felt obligated to stay and observe, I may have done the same.

It seemed as if this situation could not worsen until our Thain Isalie Gardner arrived on the scene, absolutely horrified at what she found. In an act of great courage, our Thain took a stand against the vile acts of the ‘Pumpkin Lord’ and rose above the raving lunacy of his few worshippers that remained on the scene. Despite the protests of the High Pumplar, Isalie moved to relinquish the Pumpkin Lord’s patronage, doing so with the symbolic return of the Thain’s shovel and hat to Knox. In effect, Isalie has abolished any notion of divine right behind the office of Thain, and has fully separated the halfling government from any official affiliation with Knox.

Though this is certain to cause some level of unrest, especially among the more zealous folk who continue to insist that this Knox was the real one; I applaud the move, for indeed it shows a conscious separation of tradition from law, and of government from religion. It is a ringing condemnation of the barbaric and un-halfling-like display violence that occurred, and moreover, it was by far the most logical course of action for our Thain to undertake. For if our ‘patron’ is willing to beat up a man who is very possibly unaware of the error of his beliefs, what other harm might he inflict upon our people?

~What Has Religion Ever Done For Us?~

~High Pumplar Jeanette Applebottom (Left) and “King” Cyris Collingwood (Right); both claim to speak to Knox~

Rare indeed is an event so great or so terrible that it requires two articles to express my full thoughts on the matter. While the first was merely a report of the events that occurred, this article shall be far more philosophical and analytical in nature, but the premise is simple: that organized religion is detrimental to the halfling people.

Some may be rather quick to call me out as improper for making such a statement; indeed, the halflings have worshipped Knox and Arugula for centuries, and before that, we honored such deities as Billy Bob. Many halflings are also members of the Druidic Order and follow the Aspects, and some have even turned to Canonism! I myself having guaranteed religious freedom in the constitution, one might wonder why I now argue against religion, to which I say the following:

My argument is not against religion in and of itself; if you believe truth can be found in the teachings of Knox or the Aspects or whichever god you choose, I take no issue with that. Nor, necessarily, do I take issue with people worshipping in groups or gathering at shrines; no, my issue is with the tribalistic, biggun-like mob mentality that organized religion can create, and furthermore with the grasp these mobs or the gods they revere can hold over an otherwise free government.

For proof of these faults, one need look no further than the abusive relationship between the Canonist Church and the government of the Holy Orenian Empire. In the name of “God” the Orenians have slaughtered hundreds of “heretics”, they have caused countless wars and restrict their women from achieving their full potential as people. Having been raised a Canonist only to abandon those ridiculous beliefs, I know only too well the oppressive nature of that religion and greatly fear the possibility of halfling faiths devolving into a similar state.

And yet, one could argue Knoxism has already reached that point. The things I heard come out of the mouths of halflings at that Knoxmas Festival were things I had never expected to hear in Bramblebury: calls for the cleansing of “heretics”, sanctimonious groveling before ‘Lord Knox’ (who may very well not even be the real Knox), and denial of such basic rights as life and religious freedom. Are we not halflings? Do we not live for revelry and good food? Why are we worrying about which ‘Knox’ is the true one when neither of them were hurting us?

Our laws forbid the harming of anyone based on his or her religious beliefs. Do the laws not apply to gods? Who decided gods were above the law? Could such a loophole not be used by any old impersonator of Knox to take over our government? I would argue it most certainly could have had our gracious Thain Isalie Gardner not chosen to relinquish Knox’s patronage. And yet many seem to be under the impression that it was somehow wrong for the Thain to do that, despite the fact that she was merely trying to do what she has sworn to do; to uphold our rights and protect our freedom!

Nobody elected Knox to godhood, nor, I reiterate, do we have any proof that the ‘Knox’ that defeated Cyris was the real Knox. (In fact, we have been given evidence that makes it doubtful!) God or not, he has no true right to order us around if we do not want it. This is not Oren; no part of our lives is controlled by any sort of church. Nor is it Haelun’or; our leaders have absolutely no obligation to serve a powerful external entity for ‘the good of our people.’ We are halflings, we are independent and free, and the manner in which we worship Knox should reflect that if we are to worship him at all.

My message to the people and to our leaders, then, is this; religion should not be in any way a public matter. Everyone should be allowed to hold their own beliefs and nobody should try to force these upon each other. Not only should we be able to worship whichever gods we please, but so too should we be able to interpret our gods in whichever way we chose. With all due respect to our High Pumplar Jeanette Applebottom, there are a multitude of reasons she does not hold political power, and the preservation of religious freedom is first among them. Cyris, regardless of whether his claims about Knox are true or not, had every right to speak about his beliefs. Though I must condemn him for raising his shovel against ‘Lord Knox’ (god or not), the notion that he should be put to death or banished for being a ’heretic’ is disgusting,  improper, and betrays the ideals of our village; a free village where one can be guaranteed liberty, equality, and happiness.

~Largest Dinner Party Yet?~

~Guests enjoy a delightful meal in Greenholm Burrow~

In the Grand Harvest of 1797, the great families of Bramblebury were treated to a pleasant albeit rather crowded dinner party hosted by former Sheriff Alfie Greenholm. Despite several disruptions by young’uns from the Goodbarrel, Peregrin, and Mowood families, the dinner was an overall pleasant experience; the Greenholms’ manners are second to none, and their cooking is also superb.

It is to be hoped that many more dinners will be hosted by the Greenholms in the future.
 

~Mayor Iris Peregrin: Year One~

~Mayor Iris Peregrin~

As I discussed at length in the previous issue of this newspaper, knowledge is the lifeblood of a democracy. It is my belief that foremost among the duties of a newswriter is keeping the government honest, and as such, it seems prudent that at least one article per issue is devoted to that aim.

However, I am more than pleased to report that our wonderful Mayor Iris Peregrin is difficult if not impossible to criticize. Just as I had hoped, Iris has upheld her position with dignity, humility, and honesty; her desire to do good has not at all faltered and she has gone above and beyond the duties prescribed to her in our constitution in an effort to represent all of her people. Already, Iris has accomplished the monumental task of recodifying halfling laws and traditions, which had been outdated by nearly thirty years.

The new laws, which were ratified by our gracious Thain Isalie Gardner on the 2nd of Malin’s Welcome, 1798, differ from those of the 1770 Greenholm Codex in that they are clear, concise, and perhaps most importantly constitutional. No longer is the Sheriff tasked with enforcing traditions as if they were some sort of cultural police; that is something only the village as a whole can do. No longer are our promises of religious freedom contradicted by insistence upon recognizing Knox and/or Arugula. And no longer can one be locked up for such vague crimes as “causing chaos.” Halflings are no longer restricted to properness but are rather free to be proper, and that is a wonderful thing.

Mayor Iris Peregrin has had a fantastic first year in office, and I am sure we would all gladly raise a glass in toast to seven more!
 

Long live the halflings!

Greta Goodbarrel,

Citizen of Bramblebury