YEAR 2

Kingdom of Rok - Weakness

Advisor Bork: "Many of our new soldiers come into this world diseased or weak due to the filthy state of their mothers. I propose we create indoor breeding houses, where we keep our best women clean. I also think we need to sterilize the stray women."

Advisor Rokan: "A breeding house is a good idea, but who is going to pay for it's maintenance? Why don't we charge the men for each visit? I think superior hygiene is worth a few roks. And if they can't cough up enough silver, there's still the bitches on the street to use."

Advisor Ter: "I was born in the mud. It makes a man out of you. But yeah, I've seen the weaklings. They'll screw up our raids. What about getting a coming of age fight-off? When the new men reach the age of, say, 8, they will fight each other to death. That way we only keep the best."

Slevadovia - Education matters

Advisor Zenja: "If we want to trade with other nations, our people must be able to count. Most cannot even make the most simplest of calculations, and virtually nobody can read. If we don't want to be a poor country ridiculed by our neighbours, we need to educate our people. Demand a few years of our children's childhood. Teach them mathematics, trading ethics, and a bit of insurance law."

Advisor Stojan: "Not everybody is going to be a merchant or pawnbroker, right? Yes, let's create educational institutions, but only for those that can afford the great privilege of formal education."

Advisor August: "We don't want that, and the peasants don't want that either. They simply need their children to assist in farming business and such. Besides, you don't want the peasants to get too clever. They might revolt."

Lienzo Republic - Early Corruption

Minister Cayu: "From an anonymous Merkas apostate I have some information regarding potential illegal practices. According to the apostate, children as young as 2 years of age receive body piercings in ... ehm ... sensitive locations on the body. Anyway, if what she says is true, we should take some kind of appropriate action. We could outlaw the practice, and perhaps get physicians to check the children now and then for injuries while they're at school. Perhaps there are even more abusive practices going on that we do not now of."

Minister Muthidh: "This is what happens when you let people choose whatever they want to believe. They get corrupted by those infernal Merkan priests, and priests of numerous other cults. We need to teach the children at schools about the will of Lady Natura. Teach them about the spirits in the trees and rocks, and how to please them. We will not only cure the lands of Lienzo. We will cure the whole of Jotnjordh."

Parliament clerk Rookuk: "I am a Merkan, and I'm proud of it. To take that ritual away from us, is to remove the soil beneath our feet. You cannot deny us our rituals. Our freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Declaration of the Rights of People and of the Citizen. And besides, our children are not in pain. We give them plenty of laudanum before the Zook. Now tell me, what is the name of that traitor woman?"

Zalfir - The currency conundrum

Advisor Thepoath: "Mylady, mylord, it appears that our economic system is not as efficient as of neighbouring countries. Perhaps we could create trading houses with impartial mediators, literature connoisseurs, that accurately determine the value of a story or game. It may sound contradictory, but adding that to the system will increase the speed of transactions. It'll also increase equality."

Advisor Jawahir: "No need for complicating our beautiful, unique system. The parties involved in a transaction can and should find a solution themselves, if there is a problem at all. Transactions are not public matters."

Advisor Maezdat: "Advisor Thepoath is on to something, but perhaps we should abolish tangible currency altogether. We could create an agency that keeps track of each person's wealth. The agency needs to be informed of each transaction by the presence of an agency clerk, or by written statement signed by both parties. That way we increase transaction efficiency, and have total control over our people's wealth."

Equestria - Crawling Criminals

Advisor Tali: "Honorable Dash, our great nation is troubled by thugs, especially below the clouds. Most of them are Friendless outsiders, you see. Maybe, perhaps, we ought to get a national guard on pegasusback. We could give them pointed sticks and nets to catch the crooks, and fly them to place far away from our lands."

Advisor Feyte: "And what about misunderstandings? Some people might be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Suspects ought to be brought before the great Dash. Wouldn't it be great if you could personally decide whether to keep them in our fine nation, or whether to throw them out?"

Advisor Snaeri: "My friend Malca says the other advisors are fussing too much. Looking for trouble they are. We just do not understand those crimi- those poor wretches. Let's encourage them to meet a happy mind talker. Work out the problems they might have. It isn't their fault that they do not have Friends, perhaps we can provide these for them."


Unaddressed Issues from Year 1:

Austria - Poachers

Minister Florian: "For some time now poachers have been a problem to land owners. Recently this has escalated through the death of some poachers. Relatives are asking for punishment of the murderers. And for compensation, now that they lack an important source of income. They argue that hunting should be the right of any Austrian, not the privilege of a wealthy few."

Minister Konstantin: "Yes I have sent some of my hunters after that vermin. Yes, they're probably rotting away in some ditch. Call it an occupational hazard. What was I supposed to do? They were stealing my property. Anyway, I don't feel like going through the hassle of hiring new hunters. They should get a medal if anything for enforcing the law. Can't you allow people to protect their own property? I'll bet that that lousy folk'll think twice before going after my game again."

Minister Gregorius: "I understand that minister Konstantin and his friends want to protect their property. I would probably have done the same thing. I do think that his proposal will harm the image of the traditional sport. Hunting should be for all Austrians. Something to be proud of. We could buy pieces of land from wealthy owners, and create public hunting grounds. Perhaps we can even hold hunting contests." 

Khemri - Sweetmeats

Anonymous advisor: "My lady, I have heard rumors regarding the house Aram Enit. They say elf flesh is being served there on many occasions. Perhaps even daily. I think it is wise to regulate the consumption of elvish meat. If we continue like this, there will be no more wild elves left in these parts. Could you not put a tax on elvish meat? That'll reduce the consumption, and prevent extinction. And the extra money can be spent to check suspected law-breakers."

Advisor Tanatei: "There's nothing more tender and sweet than Elf flesh, I'm sure my anonymous colleague has not tasted it for himself. To limit the consumption would be a crime against our culture. Anyway, taxes will only increase the illegal hunting and trading. That's not what you want. There is a solution to our problem. Allow for the breeding of elves in farms, and you'd have plenty to go around."

Advisor Mawet: "I want to point you to our frail relation and close proximity with Lienzo. To prevent a conflict we should prohibit the consumption of elvish meat. Show our neighbours that we are not so different. That we do care."