Editing LetsBuild5e:Politics in Gartihann (section)

=The Ten Opening Ways=

There are no formalised political parties at this stage in Gartihann's political upheaval, but a baffling profusion of nascent movements have emerged(Decision: [http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?761590-D-amp-D-5e-Let-s-build-a-setting!&p=19449976#post19449976]). They are described here, along with their proportional support levels (Decision: [http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?761590-D-amp-D-5e-Let-s-build-a-setting!&p=19485005#post19485005]) among politically-active citizens:

==Citizens==

Support: 26%

This is the most "conservative" group, in the strict sense. Their primary view is that Gartihann should revert to a (mostly legendary) Golden Age, before the Mage Guild, where citizens ruled from their Assembly, and non-citizens listened to them and were happy and prosperous. Composed largely of people from citizen families who nevertheless didn't have mage training, who want to maintain their power. Also has a number of ambitious types who either believe they have legitimate claims to be citizens, or think they can fake the same.

==Ruralists==

Support: 17%

These are the people who want to focus on building up the infrastructure and economy of Gartihann, securing prosperity before anything else. They support lots of development of the hinterland of the nation, and they're the primary faction behind things like repairing the aqueduct and other civic works. They don't mind keeping the citizen/non-citizen distinction, but they want to extend the franchise to anyone who is currently a leader in their local community (village chieftains, tribal elders, druids, clerics, etc.), and propose that citizenship should be available for purchase for substantial sums, to "reward hard work and industry". There are some citizens in this group, mostly those whose families have got into trade or construction as a livelihood, but the majority of members are non-citizens, either wealthy merchants from the cities, or important people in the smaller settlements. The name was originally applied as an insult, but the Ruralists embraced it and adopted it as a badge of pride.

==Vikrengists==

Support: 12%

This faction is strongly partisan towards the city of Vikreng itself. They think Vikreng, as the largest and most central community in Gartihann, should be even more central to its government. They advocate for the citizen/non-citizen divide, but want all residents of Vikreng to be citizens, and no one who doesn't live there to be one. They do believe that anyone who lives in the city for at least a year should gain citizenship, however, and they're very accepting of the idea that anyone should be able to do so. Composed, obviously, mostly of inhabitants of Vikreng. Some citizens in it, but it's mostly urban non-citizens.

==Imperialists==

Support: 10%

This faction focuses more on the Old Empire as a whole, and advocates for a revival of it with Gartihann as its center. Like the Citizens, it wants to revive Old Imperial social structures, with citizens at the top of the heap, but it's much more open to the idea of social mobility, openly promising citizenship to anyone who serves in the military, and higher office to successful military commanders. Also advocates for rule by a single Emperor, advised by a council of citizens, but with ultimate authority. Membership has a high proportion of citizens, particularly orcish and half-orcish ones, who hark back to Kuhetzib, but there's an equally-large component of non-citizens who like their prospects of becoming part of the new elite. Lots of the city militia members who liked fighting ended up here.

==Radicals==

Support: 9%

A faction by virtue of the fact that none of the other groups wants them, so they've banded together, these are the wild-eyed idealists and crazy dreamers. They've got a lot of different ideas, mostly untested, and often contradictory. However, they are beginning to firm up, and have settled on a few key points that they all agree on (or at least don't dislike enough to dispute). They are against citizenship, and for a universal franchise. They reject the legitimacy of authority derived from the Old Empire, and feel popular sovereignty is the true approach. They don't like compulsory military service, and think service, if necessary, should be encouraged by material and societal rewards. The Radicals have a very mixed membership, but there are few citizens in their ranks, obviously, except the most idealistic philosophers.

==Montanists==

Support: 7%

This faction believes that Gartihann would be better off as a loose confederation of Orcish clans, much like its southern neighbour, Brugo. They don't agree amongst themselves as to what the status of non-Orcish people would be under such a regime, but share a common emphasis on the value of very traditional Orcish forms of leadership.

==Feudalists==

Support: 7%

Like the Ruralists, this faction believes that local tribal elders, village chieftains and so forth should be involved in decision making. However they don't believe existing citizens should be involved or that you should be able to buy your way in with mere money. Instead, a good leader should do it the traditional feudal way: buy yourself some thugs to take over a village and install yourself as its baron instead.

==Pan-Gnomists==

Support: 5%

This faction represents the interests of Axalvo's gnomish ethnic plurality. Just as the Elvenists hark back to an era of elven leadership and dominance, the Pan-Gnomists look forward to an age when the gnomes' wisdom and experience will be recognised as a uniting factor to bring the scattered states of the plateau back together.

==Elvenists==

Support: 3%

This faction promotes the values of the distant elvish realm of Giel-Tanierolla, and the belief that civilisation can best be protected by returning to the semi-mythical time when elves ruled much of the known world.

==Draconists==

Support: 3%

This faction argues for the recognition and promotion of the Dragonborn's religion as a leading cultural value. Nobody understands much about the Dragonborn religion save the Dragonborn themselves; however they say that the overthrow of the mages fit in with their signs and portents that the city should band together under them and follow their religious cause.