EmbryoGod

MC Name:

         FlyingHalfMast

Character's Name:

         Gen-Heng Chenno

Character's Age:

         23

Character's Race:

         Human

What magic(s) will you be learning?

         Chi

Teacher's MC Name:

         Feebis

Teacher's RP Name:

         Eiji Takai

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

         Nub

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

         Yub

Are you aware that if this magic is shelved, that you may no longer use it in character?

         Yub

RP Name: Theodore Napier

MC Name: FlyingHalfMast

Voted: Yes

Theodore gives a solemn nod, being filled with WICK PRIDE WORLDWIDE!

RP Name: Theodore Napier

MC Name: FlyingHalfMast

Voted: Yes

IGN(s): FlyingHalfMast

Age 22

Timezone CST

Discord: FlyingHalfMast#0373

What map did you join during?: Anthos

Do you have access to a Microphone? Yes

Average Daily Play Time? Depends, about an hour

Have you held any LotC staff position(s) before? If so, for how long?: ET, for a few months, GM for about a month, Dev Team for a few months.

Do you have prior history in any forms of moderation?

Yes, I was a moderator for LotC for about a month, and I've been a moderator for a few other servers (mainly a WoW RP server)

Why do you want to join the Moderation Team?:

Honestly the most fun I've ever had on a team during my LotC tenure has been with the Moderation team. I enjoy interacting with players and making sure that they've got all the help they need in any situation that they could possibly find themselves in. I really hope that I'd be able to have another shot at the GM team and help out the playerbase that I've become so accustomed to over the past seven or so years!

Have you applied for this position before and been denied? If so, link the application (Includes GM and FM apps):

https://www.lordofthecraft.net/forums/topic/171034-denied-trialkavs-beating-the-dead-horse-gm-application/?do=findComment&comment=1614628

Anything else you want to tell us?:

I didn't pass my trial the last time, and I think a majority of that was due to what was going on in my personal life and not being able to dedicate as much time to the team as I would've liked to have. I loved my time during my trial, and really appreciated the opportunity and working with the moderation team. My life has since mellowed out and I'm way more able to dedicate my time and energy to this server again.

Theodore Napier, not being specifically listed as an invited person, decides to crash the party ANYWAY.

Theodore grabs his guitar.

1. Full Name of the Alderman Candidate: Theodore Napier

2. Age of the Alderman Candidate: 18

3. Street Address of the Alderman Candidate: Selm Street 9

Theodore Napier rescinds his application, as he will be prioritizing other political ventures.

1. Full Name of the Mayoral Candidate: Theodore Napier

2. Age of the Mayoral Candidate: 18

3. Street Address of the Mayoral Candidate: Selm Street 9

TLDR; artificial scarcity of materials results in an increase value for the goods produced with them, which means these goods are now considerably more valuable, and players have a significantly higher incentive to go bandit for mina or materials since mina has become so scarce and important. Read the last paragraph for ideas I have to try and fix some of the problems and hopefully decrease incentive to get pixels for profit

I actually like the idea and concept behind what Vortex is trying to do, though I think there are a few issues surrounding its release that have led to the banditing that we see today. First off, with the weird state that the economy is currently in at the present, there's a significantly higher incentive for people to want the mina that's currently within the economy itself.

Naturally that's something that was inevitably going to happen, on account of the fact that we switched from a system where mina just magically appeared to what we currently have. People have already voiced their concerns about the way the cashflow in LotC is being handled, and I won't reiterate every potential problem that's yet to occur within the system (we'll have to wait on that one, though an increase in bandits is absolutely one of those unintended consequences). But rather what's significantly more valuable to bandits under vortex is a lack of balance within the plugin itself. 

I've spoken with Nickrocky about this, and I understand many of the technical issues that he has to face alone going forward. I cannot stress enough that this is a single individual that's effectively moving a mountain to try and give us a plugin that's functioning and works as intended. Naturally though, that means that any attempt at balancing out becomes a secondary concern, considering that we're only seeing and interacting with a very small subset of the overall plugin.

For example, one of the largest bottlenecks that I specifically faced in advancing towards tin tools was animal hide. Normally this isn't an issue, you buy spawn eggs, breed them, kill the excess cows, grab their hides, and then go do whatever. Cotton was also a relatively major issue, but once nick put in his fix for them they became a nonissue (and I quite enjoyed running around roads to actually grab cotton).

The primary issue with the animals, though, was the way the server load is being handled by the development team itself. It naturally makes sense, they want to minimize the amount of lag and increase the TPS so that players can actually be on the server and do things. However, with the advent of vortex, everyone's clamoring to go run around and mine, make armors, and explore and experience the new plugin that was painstakingly created. This creates a timing issue, as 1) animals actually have a limited number of spawn rates on them (me and my friend noticed it was that you could breed an animal about 2 times), and 2) during high loads animal spawning was just completely disabled.

It took us approximately two days to get all of the necessary animal hides as a result. This wasn't supposed to be an intended side effect of the plugin, as we know nick thankfully fiddled with some code that allowed animals on leads to breed even when the server was on a higher load. Where originally, expended energy was going to be the largest time stop to anything that you're doing, it was shortly replaced by waiting around for animals to breed. Which presents another problem as if two cows can only breed twice, then you only get two new cows out of the equation and you cull the other ones, leaving you about 20 minutes of waiting around for 2 animal hide and a farm that can't really grow on the account of the fact that animals can only breed twice.

That load issue extends out into food, too. Because plant growth is limited, farms reap less yield which means less breeding and less hunger regeneration for everyone. Naturally this is going to be an issue at the start of any new map, but because of how hyped the release for this specific map was, day one on release the server was at high load (in fact the load was so high that the server started getting weird and was breaking in spots the dev team didn't think it should've).

What this leads to is a very serious artificial scarcity for food and available materials (since the only available things right now of any net benefit are from the tailoring and blacksmithing parts of vortex). It's artificial precisely because these weren't necessarily intended effects from the plugin itself, but a byproduct of the fact that the server's load was so high that things necessary to continue advancement in the plugin didn't actually work.

Fundamentally this leads to less available resources and materials (since now it's harder to get a blacksmithing uniform which means it becomes harder to make copper weapons and armor), which overall means a net higher worth for those items. The cost of certain materials and items inflate as a result. That means banditing becomes a significantly more profitable thing, because why wait around trying to get animal hides or get armor that we can't make yet when we can just wait for people who are misfortunate enough to come running down outside of hub protection with all of their gear on? Because the bandits know that nodes for important things like wood and cotton are outside of that protection zone, so why not just wait and kill people that come running down trying to grab them?

The issue with bandits camping nodes is easy enough, simply extend the protection out or move the important, base material nodes to actually create the simplest of things inside the area of hub protection from baditry. The issue with the animals, though? I don't really have a good answer for that one, only because the issue of scarcity and problems with breeding stem directly from the team trying to keep the server afloat and mitigate lag. I would hope that the Moderation team adjusts the rules accordingly, especially since these materials that players are trying to get aren't even supposed to be rare or exotic, they're basic materials that you need to even get started working with the plugin. It would make more sense for less common or important materials to be out where bandits can get you (think boars or maple wood, etc.). But applewood to make planks? To make tool rods? There's an inherent risk now with all of this, and people lose hours of work or mina that's now way more valuable than in our original economic system, all because they wanted cotton or wood.

T H E O D O R E   N A P I E R, 

O N   T H E   S U B J E C T   O F

M A G N E T I S M

A N D   T H E

A P P L I C A T I O N S   T H E R E O F

P R I N T E D   I N   H E L E N A

B Y

T H E   E V E R A R D I N E    

A C A D E M I C   P R E S S

I N 

A N N O   D O M I N I   MDCCXCVII

A S   E D I T E D   BY

E D W A R D   N A P I ER

So sits before me upon a desk nothing short of a miracle. A raw, glistening stone whose geometric shape reflects light in such ways that it presents wonderful colours not found in other minerals taken from the earth. Yet despite this eye-catching appearance, at first glance the material seems mundane in nature. Indeed, the small rock is surprisingly dense. I can’t quite imagine that any form of processing of the material would make a useful weapon. It is too brittle, too inflexible in its structure - most assuredly the opposite of what your average smith would wish for in their metals.

So why speak about it? Surely most of the scientific world at this point has forgotten about it. The humble Magnetus, whose role has been delegated to paperweights and slag. Yet in this small rock rests a wonderful secret, a discovery the likes of which still busies my mind. 

I am a scientist, not by formal education but by trade. I seek to uncover the little secrets, which, despite their lack of apparent value within our immediate world, will help us tap into our understanding of the phenomena that shape the world around us into what is seen today. I have drawn an image of the mineral for your viewing pleasure - I apologize in advance, knowledge is my craft not the arts.

MAGNETUS, AN UNDERSTANDING

In order to adequately understand the further information contained within this paper we must first understand the physical properties of Magnetus. To begin with (as I have stated in the introduction), it is a dense material. In fact its weight is by far above raw iron of an equivalent volume. 

The natural formation of the material is actually quite smooth, almost polished even. While further refinement of the material in question is necessary for understanding its more interesting scientific properties, it is unnecessary to polish it should one wish to keep it around for its otherwise interesting appearance.

In terms of strength, it is surprisingly brittle. While I still needed a small hammer to break off small bits of the material, the force required was minimal. I have been told that this might be a concern for those who, upon reading this paper, would wish to go and retrieve some for themselves. Ensure that diligence is given its due when one aims to harvest it from the ground, as its weight makes it susceptible to breaking upon hitting the ground.

The melting point of Magnetus is on par with that of Iron, which makes sense when we consider the broader context outside of the mundane properties I have so far listed. The physical properties of said material, if I am to be blisteringly honest with you, are quite boring from my perspective. Its outward appearance is a rock, and I am incredibly sure that rocks excite some seekers of knowledge, this one most assuredly cares little for that.

MAGNETISM, AN INVISIBLE FORCE

What makes Magnetus such an interesting mineral for study is not its outward appearance. Indeed, one could (I suppose) find an innate pleasure in pondering the beauty of the light reflecting off its surface. However what I find quite a bit more interesting is the idea of magnetism, something unique only to this specific material.

It is well understood amongst those miners who wish to handle this material that Ferrous metals seem to be attracted to it. For example, if we bring a bit of magnetus towards flakes of ferrum, for example, it will attract them. In the case of large deposits, it has been noted that tooling designed for the removal of bits of the raw stuff will gravitate towards it. When the connection between the ferrum and the magnetus is made, it takes considerable force on the behalf of the artisan to separate the two.

This last point is particularly interesting, as it suggests a directionality of the force that’s being given off by the material. The directionality of which is explored further down, however it should be noted that this process, in fact, only gets amplified by processing the material. This is in no doubt due to other bits of rock and other things that lower the purity of the metal, however repetitive beating on the material and shaping by use of brass tooling leads to some interesting results regarding the efficacy of magnetus.

For those smiths or those familiar with some of the processes behind smithing, this might make some semblance of sense. If we were to use steel (by nature of being a rather ferrum dense material is therefore magnetic) as an analogy, one cannot simply melt steel and mold it into the shape of a blade in order for it to be effective. In that situation, the metal would be too solid, too unwilling to bend and therefore more likely to shatter. Rather, the material must be tempered, hammered into shape and, provided the sample of steel is of insufficient quality, be folded amongst itself and hammered further to remove impurities.

The same applies to magnetus, where in its raw form it merely has all different sorts of forces counterbalancing each other out, resulting in an overall net force that’s relatively weak in comparison. However should magnetus be heated to a malleable form and then slowly shaped by the beating of the hammer to rid it of impurities of other components of rock that made their way into its formation, we result with a small (albeit much more powerful and uniform) bar of it. Smiths have noted this, and there was a point in time in its higher popularity where scabbards were lined with a heavily processed form of the material that would aid in preventing the blade from falling out. It must also be noted that melting the material down to remove any impurities will subsequently remove magnetic properties from magnetus, now laying before the attempter would be a rather heavy, shiny rock.

Unfortunately the material faded into relative obscurity within the confines of the cultural Zeitgeist of mankind, as its process was costly. 

PROPERTIES OF MAGNETISM AS APPLIED IN CONJUNCTION WITH MAGNETUS

Magnetus is one of the few living instances of a repeatable way to produce a magnetic force. As such, we will pay special attention in this section to the properties of magnetism as applied in conjunction with physical aspects of the material. To begin with, we will discuss the apparent contradiction between the magnetic force of two sides of the material.

After the magnetus has been properly processed, one will notice that the material seems to achieve a state of equilibrium with other types of processed magnetus, though however will otherwise repel magnetus of a similar size or strength to it. Size again, doesn’t necessarily make for how we measure the reported magnetic force, as processing the raw material serves as the best indicator therein. This is a consistent finding and further supports the idea that this is indeed some sort of physical (if not invisible) force acting within the world.

A good way to visualize such an interaction would be if I were to hold hands with another, and we both tugged as violently as possible away from each other. Should one of us outstrength the other, the poor victim would be dragged along. However, should our strengths be equal in merit to one another, over time our grip would loosen and we would fall onto the ground. 

To further illustrate this point, here you will see a very rudimentary scenario in which magnetus interacts with ferric objects,

As we can see from the diagram, the powdered ferrum is attracted to the magnetus, and subsequently some force is applied in some capacity for there to be any movement or agitation of the powder.

However, this representation is a little bit lacking, as the individual is unable to ascertain the breadth and scope of the magnetic forces being applied. This is simply not enough to understand some of the more intricate spectacle of the marvel of magnetism. For example, this diagram gives no indication of how far the ferric powder is, nor does it state how far away the object must be for these forces to apply. 

For that to be better understood, we must think of it as though this were a field of force, that is to say there is some area surrounding the magnetus wherein this force interacts. Strong magnetus (more heavily processed) will have a much larger area surrounding it by which that field applies. Here is a crude diagram of the experimentation of such,

Here we notice that certain ferric substances, outside of this particular field, will stay inert and unmoving. Naturally the drawing is conceptual on its basis, no experimentation has been done to quantify the shape of said magnetic field. Instead this serves as a very rudimentary diagram of how the field interacts with substances around it.

What becomes more interesting then, is what occurs when two forms of magnetus meet one another. As I’ve stated before they will either repel or achieve equilibrium with one another. For the sake of the remainder of this article I will refer to it as the “Net Repulsion Principle”: the idea that fields will fundamentally try to either overpower and push away a much weaker magnetic field, or otherwise remain stagnant with it.

Here is another diagram representing this principle done in experimentation,

It should be noted that this particular experiment was done with crude magnetus, and therefore the fields were particularly weak. As the two fields of relatively equal strength met, neither was capable of overpowering the other in any major form. If I were to move my hand to force one closer, they would merely reach an equilibrium together, one slowly repelling the other and the other pushing away gently.

However, should I have pushed a much cruder form of magnetus to one otherwise more processed, it would repel it violently and have it shoot away. 

CONCLUSION

The properties of magnetus subsequently magnetism are awe inspiring. To think such invisible forces exist that are not yet quantified or noticed ignites my scientific curiosity to such a degree that it occasionally keeps me up at night. This phenomenon seems only apparent within magnetus, but does it occur elsewhere? Too weak for our otherwise strong or heavy bodies to notice? 

What of other materials? Does slayersteel work in this regard? Can we quantify the strength of these forces? Does the mathematical knowledge of our time limit us to this small document outlining its effects and majesty?

Naturally I will inquire further. Mr. Edward Napier encouraged me to write a small treatise first summarizing my rudimentary understanding of the material in question, in the hopes that others might potentially come to my aid and write their own papers outlining their own experiences. 

The natural sciences in all their forms aim to enlighten us with an understanding of the world that we otherwise would not have, if not for our own ability to reason and inquire. I hope that this has inspired some curiosity from the reader, as there will be plenty more experiments by my hand to come regarding this.

Character name: Theodore Napier
Age: 18
Username: FlyingHalfMast
Discord: FlyingHalfMast#0373
Part you want: St. Joren

MC Name:

         FlyingHalfMast

Character's Name:

         Theodore Napier

Character's Age:

         18

Character's Race:

         Human

What magic(s) will you be learning?

         Earth Evocation

Teacher's MC Name:

         HurferDurfer

Teacher's RP Name:

         Mr. Reginald Abner Townsend

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

         No

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

         Yes

Are you aware that if this magic is shelved, that you may no longer use it in character?

         Yes

Oskar's bones rattled in their grave.

Theodore Napier appreciates this missive, giving an appreciative nod of respect to the future scientist.

Thomas Wick, better known as High Pontiff Everard V, meets Arminius in the Skies and plays a sick riff on his bass.

Oskar Wick prepares himself to contend with the prosecution, playing metal music and punching a gym bag in a 1980's style montage.

I would like to preface this by saying that Haense has been the ancestral home of my family for centuries now. I have found a woman that I love here, and I intend to marry her. I have the misfortune of saying that I was not born here directly within Reza, rather my birth was done in a bog far away. Regardless, I have deep cultural ties to Haense and its people, as was instilled from me in my birth.

I love my homeland, and I wish only for this Kingdom to move forward as an entity.

ON GOVERNANCE:

I would first and foremost like to state my apologies to the Royal Family, if any damages were caused by my statement regarding heresy. I was not being eloquent with my word choice in that instance, and it was used only for illustrative purposes to serve as an example of how we, as the governed, would not like to see any fellow Haenseman treated in a way that would deny them their dignity as proud citizens of this land. And to those who would wish to take advantage of a political disagreement for the purposes of committing any attempt at rebellion or speaking for the sole purpose of causing conflict for the sake of conflict as a result of my writing I implore: my intention was not and is not for any violence to come as a sake of my writings. Knowledge and speech is for the purpose of spreading ideas in a peaceful manner that we may disagree and find common ground.

In regards to the case of the Crown v Boniface, the King’s statement on the subject regarding the defendant’s waiving of his right to appeal is more than satisfactory. Particularly because it sets a precedent on what is and is not considered waiving one’s right to appeal. Naturally such uncertainty in interpretation that has not yet been standardized would strike fear into the heart of any individual standing trial. It was a sublime example of the importance of distinction that I hope will be replicated by others.

I am a large proponent that the idea of the governor’s prime purpose is to serve and be a benefactor to those that are governed. As outlined in my original paper, there is a very practical importance for this outside of the importance of the ethical implications of it. I rallied against His Majesty Koeng Josef I for perceived wrongdoings, only to serve the purpose and show that there are things that we could improve on as a people. His Majesty has shown with his most recent letter on the subject that he cares, and aims to serve his people. I would like to apologize if my words had, without my consent or knowledge, spurred any sentiment of negativity towards the institutions by which this nation operates.

I cannot stress enough that the nature of the paper “On Haeseni Freedom” was designed to point out concerns in an effort to have them fixed and addressed. I never wished to bring into question our institutions, and I would argue that from the letter itself that I applauded our Judiciary, and placed large import on the rights of all citizens. Why would one wish to seek to destroy the very vehicle by which change can be made? I abhor the notion that my writings would be used to spread anti government sentiment. I do not hate the Haeseni government, rather I love it so that I found it my duty to write on the subject.

ON POLICING:

There is without a doubt in my mind a strong will within the guard to do what is right by their fellow citizens. It is a noble profession, and I hold a sincere respect for those who may risk life and limb to try and maintain some semblance of structure in an otherwise chaotic world. In fact I would argue that it is a job most difficult, as it requires a deep knowledge of law in order to make an arrest, and a level head in otherwise stressful situations.

As such, it is important to maintain a well trained, well armed guard force. I am a proponent for, and will absolutely vote for, any candidate who would say that the HRA requires more funding, as it only makes sense to ensure that those individuals have money and access to the best training within the continent. As naturally they will be defending me as I indulge myself in the tavern, or when I am in my study writing. 

I would like to take some time to quell any notion on the idea of hating a force whose sole purpose is to maintain that standard of order. The Jovenaar’s job is to ensure that litigation is done in a way to defend the rights of both prosecution and defense alike, and it is the Guard’s job to protect the rights of each individual by ensuring that others do not violate them. To those who wish violence on the HRA for doing their job, or wishing to stir and shake up their capacity to do their jobs temporarily in the name of purely causing chaos: I admonish you. All critiques, even if scathing, must be done from the perspective that you wish for genuine change. As the custodians of our safety, we must comment on a need for change only when it is necessary to bring about a future forward together, and done in a way where all have expressed their opinion. It is specifically the tyranny of the singular or the majority that I condemned in my paper!

To those guardsmen who are doing their jobs in a manner satisfactory to the crown, I amend you. And to those who wish to serve in the name of the defense of this nation’s people, I encourage you to be willing to make the sacrifice of time and safety in order to train hard, train smart, and train proudly to go and defend our people. 

I do not abhor the guard. I do not abhor the notion of a guard force, and I do not believe that our current iteration of such is of such sheer incompetence or corruption that actions so radical as abolishment must be taken. For those of you who wish to bring about change to allow our guard force to better itself and to have it achieve heights of glory never before seen, I shall say this: they are children of God, too. They deserve the same dignity that we expect them to give us. Insult for the sake of insult will get you nowhere, and they do not deserve such treatment.  Disagreements about their enforcement or policy should be just that: disagreements. Do not impede their function, and do not make their already difficult job exponentially harder, for that is backing them into a corner such that they are vilified for at least attempting to do right for their people, which is something not all have the means to do.

CONCLUSION:

I shall end this letter on a happier note than my last. Our government structure works. It is the lifeblood of this nation. We must trust it, yet to make the claim that it is of a separate entity than us breeds a lack of trust. We as Haeseni must participate and be active, and remember that the best way to secure our individual rights and the rights of those around us is to be a member of it! We must not freeload off of the very boon that has been given to us. 

We are Haeseni. We must look out for other Haeseni, even during the roughest of our disagreements. We must stand united in freedom, that such freedom will continue to last for our children and our children’s children. We are all free when we engage in a system that gives us the opportunity to speak our ideas on change. 

Lastly, I would like to extend an olive branch to any individual who feels as though my writings have led to unfair actions taken against them -- please speak with me. I cannot do anything to stop those who may misinterpret my writings, but I would absolutely wish to discuss and become friends with those who feel that my writings have slighted them in some way. My intention was never to harm, merely to highlight what I deemed uncomfortable concerns within our proud nation.

Signed,

Oskar Wick

A Free Haeseni Man

Oskar read the missive, nodding to himself. "The ancestral homeland of my family seems to have been well placed. As long as we recognize that we as a nation can do better, and that we must work towards being better than the sum of the mismanagement of recent events, we will truly show the world that we are deserving of the most esteemed title of the strongest human institution culturally and militarily." Oskar rose a glass of proud Haeseni Carrion Black, toasting to the name of Koeng Josef I.

Oskar Wick feels a slight tingling sensation, realizing not only that his cousin was so moved by his writings to make something of his own, but that his former teacher in medicine also approved of his thought process.

INTRODUCTION:

In light of the Haeseni independence movement, of which any proud Haeseni would undoubtedly celebrate, a burning question must linger in the minds not only of those people who have been “liberated” but also in the minds of those politically savvy among us might question: what does Freedom (such a loaded word in this context), truly mean? Does it mean the unshackling of a people from their overbearing oppressor? Is it the sovereignty and agency of its people with respect to their governance? Or does it simply mean a separation from the Empire itself?

    The issue at play here is that there are two favorable options for interpreting such a concept, and why independence is so important. From the rather cynical perspective, it allows for the government of Haense to further tighten down its control on its standing military, its law codex, and the authority of those ordained nobles (all of which have since the establishment of the Independent Nation of Haenseti-Ruska seen a wonderful boost by His Majesty). The other, perhaps more lovely side that I would personally ascribe to is that of the idea of self preservation and the establishment of the individual right of a person.

    For as much as the idea of divine right is espoused by not only the Haeseni but through nations across the continent, it is merely a justification for the pacification of a people. Divine Right applies only to Prophets I’m afraid, and King Josef must understand the importance of the ruled, as without them he is of little value. It is a shocking idea, I am sure, that the responsibility of a King is first and foremost the well being of the ruled, as a man shall always be a man; from the time of their birth to when they are put into the ground.

    The issues within this paper that I aim to highlight stem exactly from this notion: the idea that true freedom does not come at the hands of some authority who has decided that we are more trouble than they are worth (I do, however, appreciate Her Imperial Majesty, Anne I for her recognition of my people’s distinct cultural entity). In fact, while His Majesty Koeng Josef has managed to secure for himself more autonomy, the people of Haense, I would argue, are less free than they were before the rather amicable separation. 

    I’ve been rambling too much, we will get to the meat and potatoes of the horrid regime within Haense later. First I would like to discuss the fundamental freedoms that we, as people, are born with (regardless of what a garishly dressed man will tell you). To begin with, we shall look at an individual’s right to opinion.

    Speech: the involvement of discourse, is antithetical to the advancement of a despot’s prerogative. That is to say, the spreading of ideas in a free and open matter regardless of context are precisely what allows all peoples to be free. Assuredly, the slave born into such a profession will have no understanding of a free life should they only be surrounded by the subjugated and the subjugator. Freedom of one’s opinion, right to speech, and equal opportunity to express their political opinion are the foundations by which we free ourselves to a state of nature where our subservience is only to our Divine Creator. Now onto the second right of all mortalkind: common decency amongst the eyes of our accusers.

    We have, by nature of the social contract under which we create government, a fundamental right not only to stand against our accuser, but to seek equal protection and decency under the law. We are mortal, the flesh and blood molded from the spirit by which God had breathed into our lungs since our inception, and as such there is no other individual upon this continent who holds the sole authority for our well being outside of ourselves. Punishment to those who fail to uphold their agreement within our social contract should receive a punishment equal to the severity of the crime, and given in a manner that is neither cruel nor unusual. Lastly, an individual’s right to at least one appeal amongst the eye of the law shall be enshrined. Too often the burden of proof is laid not on the accuser, but of the accused. We shall get to this point later, but lastly I wish to enshrine the final right by which I believe all have, the freedom of self agency.

    God gave His Descendants mouths that they might speak, legs that they might walk, and arms that they might defend with. There is no man or woman alive who allows for you the individual compliance without your consent. The sovereignty of the self is tantamount. You are free to defend yourselves against an act that endangers you (within reason), and you are free to refuse any order that makes you complicit in such an action. Man should not be punished for a hobby, a harmless action, nor for engaging in any sort of business that is personal only to him and any other willing party.

    Yet why does the outlining of my beliefs matter within this context? It is simple: the Kingdom of Haense has repeatedly trampled upon these rights in the name of the autonomy of a government as opposed to the autonomy of its people.

CROWN V. BONIFACE:

    A contentious case, whose merits on which judgement was passed I do not question. Under Haeseni law, Heresy is indeed a crime, though I would wager the case was more about his annoyance of the government as opposed to any perceived thought crime that he had committed. For indeed, we need not look very far into the past to find belief structures held by the government and guard force under the Koeng that have constituted heresy: namely their stance on otherworldly spirits. Why was the entirety of the guard force not hanged, along with the queen, the king, and any other individual who espoused agreement in allowing the movement and passage of ghosts within the land? Because it was infeasible to do so, namely.

    Though as I’ve already stated, the right of speech and opinion should be maintained regardless of whichever government or religious dogma is accepted at the present, namely because matters of the ecclesiastic are not for the otherwise ignorant masses to handle in a way that is delicate and understandable. That in and of itself is a farce, and I hope that those reading fully understand that Boniface was killed for the purpose of convenience as opposed for the purpose of merit.

    What I take further issue with in this instance, however, is the flagrant disregard not only for the second right as stated above, but also the flagrant disregard for legal procedure regarding the trial itself! Boniface was not even given the opportunity to ask for an appeal, as is the right of any within the Haurul Caezk! This is a recurring theme within Haense, where the justice system as described is rarely effectively managed and handled by the guard force, and the litigation is clearly powerless as a Jovenaar becomes subservient to the will of those who are enforcing their ideas.

    Where was Boniface’s right to petition an appeal? Surely within the codex! It’s a shame that the codex wasn’t discussed prior to his public hanging.

CROWN V. VAN GELDERHODE

    What a case, particularly because of the flagrant violation of the Haurul Caezk in a public forum! Here is the law, in all of its glory, and we will dissect it further afterwards:

    407.01: An individual who inflicts bodily or mental harm on another for the purposes of gratification or coercion shall be guilty of the severe office of undue torture, unless done by an authorized agent of the Crown following a conviction of treason by the Aulic Court.

It is simple: torture is unlawful unless carried out by an agent of the Crown following a conviction of treason. It is important to understand what had occurred with the punishment within Haense and why it was so brutal, barbaric, and counterintuitive to even a halfway modern understanding of basic human decency.

    The individual, upon conviction, was taken to the palace courtyard. It was decided an arm would be removed. The prosecutor then ordered the guard force to break the man’s arm, saying that it would “aid in removing the limb”. I cannot go into length about why that statement is so fundamentally untrue, though you can simply read the laws regarding execution and reason why Osvald Barclay, the prosecutor, is either an idiot or a sadist (both in essence would make him guilty of this crime).

    So the bone was broken with the flat end of a halberd (an instrument whose major benefit is to use its mass to remove a properly attached limb), then the man’s fingers were separated, they removed the individual’s hand, and then a guard of all things attempt to keep some of the fingers for their own sick war trophy, and the limb was removed. Then the prosecutor was adamant that the individual not receive any medical treatment.

    There is clearly an incongruence then, between the fundamentally sadistic nature of the Guardsman involved, the prosecutor, and will of the Crown. The Crown, in all of its authority, should have done something about this. I can only take Koeng Josef I’s silence, as well as the silence of the Lord Marshal, Manfred Barclay, as a willingness to allow clear and flagrant violation of their own law. 

    I implore Justice Gynsburg, for who I hold a large degree of respect, to look into this matter. 

A NATION’S BARBARITY:

    I ask of my fellow Haensemen: is this what we wish for? That might be you one day, sitting on the chopping block. It might be your son, your daughter, or your friend. Do any of us wish that death on ourselves personally? Or have we, in our collective arrogance, decided to eschew the idea that we must treat others as how we wish to be treated? I by no means believe these individuals should have walked away without strict punishment, but to violate our own laws to do so? To strip away at the very fabric of law that separates man from beast?

    Have we turned to brutes? Our nation was one of culture, of intellect, of a sensibility that separated us from the Pertinaxi that years ago had subjugated us. We wished to be left alone, tending to ourselves from the rule of those we deemed unfit. We recognized that barbarity on the scale of the Pertinaxi must not stand, and we will not engage with it and that we would fight it, no matter how many of our own lives it cost! It seems that in our own slavery we had lost that sensibility, that decency. 

    We must face for ourselves what we have become: no better than the Pertinaxi that had slaughtered Otto III, who forced Haeseni men and women into subjugation, who made martyrs of brave men. In our current state, I see no separation, in principle, from the propagandized Boogeyman of Helena that we so readily produced, and the very tyranny that tramples on the basic dignity and rights of Men within Haense! Our culture has regressed, our education diminished, and now even the sanctity and liberty of Man that we had once so proudly cultivated is being removed, replaced with a structure just as brutal and unforgiving as the Pertinaxi!

    We must free ourselves, properly unshackle ourselves from the slavery of thought that has regressed us into this state of unmaking. We must stand and say no more! No more denial of our right, no more abuse at the hands of overzealous prosecution and ill-equipped guardsmen, and no more compliance!

Signed,

Oskar Wick

A Free Man.

MC Name:

         FlyingHalfMast

Character's Name:

         Oskar Wick

Character's Age:

         15

What feat(s) will you be learning?

         Alchemy

Teacher's MC Name:

         _Security

Teacher's RP Name:

         Ludwig van Wick

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

         Yes

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

         No

Are you aware that if this feat is undergoing an activity trial and fails said trial, that you will lose the feat? And that if it is apart of the Lore Games, it might drastically change soon?:

         Yes

As the woman entered through the gates of the afterlife, her feet landing on the Ethereal plane of the Seven Skies, she would be greeted by a familiar albeit considerably aged face. The man extended a decrepit, tired arm to to rest his hand on her shoulder, gripping it with the firm consolation that only a former lover could. ”You did good, you know. I’ve watched every step of the way and you’ve done very good.” Were the only words the hoarse voice managed out, finally releasing his grasp on the woman. ”Shall we go home now?” He asked, turning his back to her and walking towards the blinding light before them.