Ibrahim,

    I have only glanced at your follow-up notes, it has been a busy 
weekend.  And some of what I am reading now, seems to be some excellent 
additions to your outline.  And I apologize for overlooking the previous 
history of the Kaeir.  I will have to look at your notes more thoroughly 
when time permits to offer any other comments.  And I am sure the GMs 
(past & present) might have there own comments.

    It shouldn't be that hard to mount an expedition across the Mid-sea, 
and there is always magic. :-)  But perhaps most of the other nations 
choose to stay out.

Joel

Ibrahim Dughlas-gani wrote:

>Joel,
>
>and a good set of two cents, thanks for the critique. : )
>
>You're right, a mercantile republicanism (say of the renaissance Italian 
>variety) would make much more sense, and fit into a merchant elite 
>response to the Taltherani king's attempts at centralising power.
>
>Such republicanism would not be democratic, or even of the French 
>variety, rather a government of the rich and commercial elites.
>
>I have imagined the current Republic to be only a few years old, and 
>still dealing with the ramifications of a republican revolution.  Strong 
>political, family and commercial ties between the merchant elites of 
>Taltheran and Kaeir also promise further conflict (especially given the 
>private armies all the major families maintain), as Taltheran is split 
>between royalism and republicanism.
>
>Realistically though, the Burcancy and East Torphan would not be in a 
>position to respond with a long distance expeditionary force for at 
>least several years, especially given the naval strength of Kaeir.
>
>--
>
>So how's this - the republican revolution was the culmination of a 
>conspiracy between many of the branches of Taltherani merchant families 
>established in Kaeir, and factions of the Taltherani military, in 
>particular the Navy, both of whom were influenced by the development of 
>a nascent republicanism thanks to the intermingling of domestic and 
>foreign ideas.  
>
>The merchant families, angered by royal attempts to take away their 
>traditional powers and positions, and create a centralised absolute 
>monarchy, decided that a king was not essential to the success of 
>Taltherani commerce, and began looking for opportunities through which 
>they could achieve this.
>
>The revival of Port Kaeir and consequential flourishment (reaching its 
>pre-conquest population of 30000, and then quickly doubling that to 
>60000), created social, economic and political problems that Kaeir and 
>indeed Taltheran had never faced before.  Into this picture comes 
>migrants from other Midsea lands to thriving Kaeir, and with them new 
>ideas.  Utilising the situation, and the new culture that is still 
>developing in Kaeir, the Taltherani merchant families secretly preach a 
>primitive form of republicanism as the "cure-all" to the ills 
>experienced in Kaeirean society.
>
>Meanwhile, the commanders of the Kaeirean Guard, are too powerful 
>already for the Prince of Kaeir's good, yet not powerful enough by 
>themselves to seize control of the Principality.  They join with the 
>merchant families, supporting their populist republicanism, thereby 
>being able to "legitimately" (in the eyes of the masses) gain a measure 
>of power in Kaeir, and possibly even Taltheran.  Thus, the might of the 
>Kaeirean Guard and the power, wealth and influence of the merchant 
>families are combined, and together prove capable of overthrowing the 
>Principality, crushing any loyalist military units, seizing control of 
>the eastern Taltherani Fleet, and proclaiming the Kaeirean Republic.  
>Executive power was then shared between the Kaeirean Guard and the 
>merchant families by equal representation in the government, on the new 
>Council of the Republic.
>
>Obviously, the Taltherani King must respond militarily, but the 
>long-term outcome of the conflict is very uncertain, as the Kaeirean 
>merchant families are but migrant branches of many of the major merchant 
>families on the mainland, many of whom are known to have observers and 
>advisors attending the Republican Council in Kaeir.
>
>In either version (the original, or this revised one), the Kaeirean 
>Republic would have been inevitably drawn into conflict with Taltheran 
>anyway, as Taltheran, even with the loss of much of its navy, would be 
>unlikely to tolerate the existence of a state that both threatens its 
>trade and its very political order.  Finally, combined with belief in 
>spreading Kaeirean republicanism, conflict between Taltheran and the 
>Republic of Kaeir is inevitable.
>
>Well, thats the short version of the revision. : )
>
>cheers,
>
>Ibrahim Underwood
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Joel Elfman 
>Date: Saturday, March 22, 2003 10:56 am
>Subject: Re: [Qai] Republic of Kaeir
>
>  
>
>>My 2 cents. :-)
>>Nicely written and thoughtout.  And, I have a few questions.  
>>There is no history for the type of overthrow in Taltheran history 
>>to my knowledge.  There is no previous record of these islands.  
>>Why would so much of the navy jump ship?  Most of Taltheran I 
>>believe is controlled by merchant families,  Why was there no 
>>response by the Taltherans or the merchant families?
>>I believe there are other societies where this concept might prove 
>>more viable.  And unless we are jumping ahead many years in 
>>history, this outcome should be played out through several years 
>>of action at the least.  This sounds like a great history to 
>>playout.  Now that you have done all this, what are you going to 
>>do?  The following years could be much more boring!
>>I would like to also point out that the Burcancy/East Torphan does 
>>lots of trade in the Midsea as do others and there is lots of 
>>likelihood of interference by other societies in some of these 
>>actions leading up to this revolt.
>>In addition the following excerpted statements below have lots and 
>>lots of inherent conflicts:
>>large, cosmopolitan city with residents from all the lands of the 
>>Midsea. ....a very clear laissez-faire economic policy, ....mighty 
>>fleet that the 
>>Kaeirean Republic possesses, which was formerly the glory of the 
>>Taltherani Navy. ....clear populist and 
>>anti-magic, anti-clerical and anti-aristocratic messages 
>>though....two small isles.
>>
>>2 small islands are not likely to either have a large cosmopolitan 
>>city.  Such a limited ideology might not attract either a 
>>cosmopolitan society or peoples from all of the Midsea or have 
>>such a laissez-faire economic policy.  And if they do have such a 
>>policy how does this differ from what the merchant families 
>>wanted, so why would such a revolt be supported.
>>A takeover of these islands never mentioned in Taltherean history 
>>before would be by some of the merchant families, or at least have 
>>some interbreeding w/ them.  And the king who has been trying to 
>>vest some of the merchant families control out of his hands has 
>>been trying to build a stronger military and would surely have 
>>some inkling something is wrong on his islands before a revolt 
>>came about.
>>Joel
>>Ibrahim Dughlas-gani  wrote:The 
>>Kaeirean Republic (Player: Ibrahim Underwood 
>>(ibrahim_dughlas-gani@moe.edu.sg)
>>General description: Kaeir has only recently ââ,¬Å"wonââ,¬Â? its 
>>independence 
>>from Taltheran, the elite Kaeirean Guard established by the 
>>Taltherani 
>>Prince of Kaeir, from Taltherani, Kaeirean and mercenary troops, 
>>executed the Prince of Kaeir and the newly established Kaeirean 
>>aristocracy, overthrew Taltherani rule, and sold the remaining 
>>members 
>>of the Taltherani elite in Kaeir to the slave merchants of the 
>>eastern 
>>Midsea. The majority of Taltherani troops, including the pride of 
>>the 
>>Taltherani fleet, stationed in Kaeir switched allegiances, 
>>swearing 
>>fealty to the central council of the Kaeirean Guard, who promptly 
>>declared Kaeir to be free and independent, as the Kaeirean 
>>Republic. 
>>Kaeirean Republicanism would now be the creed of Kaeir, and 
>>royalism, 
>>magicalism and clericalism the enemy of republican liberty.
>>
>>Society concept: Once the most infamous den of corruption, 
>>thievery, and 
>>piracy on the Midsea, the Kaeirean islands of Celtehar and 
>>Celtalath 
>>have re-emerged from decades of Taltherani domination as a 
>>Republic. 
>>Now as a major nexus of western Midsea trade, the capital of Port 
>>Celtehar has become a large, cosmopolitan city with residents from 
>>all 
>>the lands of the Midsea. The new Kaeirean Republic is essentially 
>>an 
>>oligarchy, where power resides in the hands of the Council of the 
>>Kaeirean Guard, the officers that overthrew the old Taltherani 
>>prince. 
>>The Kaeirean Guard seems to possess a very clear laissez-faire 
>>economic 
>>policy, with many Council members being very strong free-trade 
>>proponents. Politically, however, the Republicââ,¬â"¢s policies are 
>>unclear. This becomes particularly worrying for geopolitical 
>>watchers 
>>on the western Midsea when one considers the mighty fleet that the 
>>Kaeirean Republic possesses, which was formerly the glory of the 
>>Taltherani Navy. The semi-ideo
>>logy of Kaeirean republicanism though, with its clear populist and 
>>anti-magic, anti-clerical and anti-aristocratic messages though, 
>>seems 
>>poised to spread beyond these two small isles.
>>
>>I have a more comprehensive .doc, to whom do i send that?
>>
>>
>>
>>
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