You forgot the mic drop
What else is there to say about her?
If you take away Jovial Contrarian’s revolutionary connections, he’ll still be a prolific writer and an acclaimed political philosopher.
If you remove Slowcake’s infernal ties and lack of existence, the Exceptionals would still be a popular household series.
If you take away the Princess’s monstrous proclivities, you get… an inexperienced young lady with no skills or accomplishments of note, apart from good looks and being born into the right family (and, possibly, marrying a foreign adventurer). Oh, and a debilitating addiction.
The Princess is not only unfit for the office, she isn’t ready for it.
[quote=Passionario]
If you take away the Princess’s monstrous proclivities, you get… an inexperienced young lady with no skills or accomplishments of note, apart from good looks and being born into the right family (and, possibly, marrying a foreign adventurer). Oh, and a debilitating addiction.[/quote]
If you strip away the Princess’s monstrous proclivities, you get Royalty : born to rule, art of command, divine right, god’s blessing. Did the heaven’s choose just anyone to be London’s only Neathborn Princess? No, they chose her, so she’s special.
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edited by Anne Auclair on 6/29/2018
[color=rgb(194, 194, 194)][quote]The Contrarian is no better! He has easily discovered revolutionary ties, has not changed his behaviors in polite company despite sending far more than one person to the boatman (so he is both actively and wilfully killing people), and with how often he flip-flops on the most minor (and as his bathtub revelation when he anounced he was running again major issues are included) issues he may very well change his mind by hollowmas, doubleback on everything he’s done, and make no progress during his term. At least Feducci has acomplished something as a spy. Even though it made him an ineffective mayor.[/quote][/color]
[color=rgb(194, 194, 194)]
[/color]
[color=rgb(194, 194, 194)]I don’t think he’s flip-flopped on a single issue. I think he holds nearly the same positions as he did last campaign.[/color]
[color=rgb(194, 194, 194)]
[/color]
It’s the front he’s presenting to the rest of the world that’s different.
Anne would no doubt assert her sincere belief in the power of grandeur to transform a people, harking back to the Emperors Napoleon I and III (she’s French, after all). She’d list in exacting detail the improvements in sanitation, morality, beauty, security, and order achieved by the renovation of Paris, now the greatest city in the world. She’d repeat her belief that beautifying London would reduce its social problems by luring people away from prisoners honey and renovating decaying neighborhoods. She would also express her faith in the Royal Family and the alliance of Throne and Altar as essential to London’s continued preservation from the chaos of the Neath and the dangers of Revolution. And she’d exclaim that as royalty the Princess possesses an invisible divine authority that places her above ordinary human morality - only god can truly judge her conduct.
Given how removed the Neath is from the sky and stars, there is a strong arguement to be made that, as a Neathborn Princess, she is the only member of the Royal Family who explicitly without the heavens’ blessing. That would explain quite a few things indeed.
Fortunately, this election is not about the "choice of heavens", it’s about the choice of PEOPLE. Otherwise, you could have Madame Shoshanna draw the horoscopes of the candidates and be done with it.
Given how removed the Neath is from the sky and stars, there is a strong arguement to be made that, as a Neathborn Princess, she is the only member of the Royal Family who explicitly without the heavens’ blessing. That would explain quite a few things indeed.[/quote]
I was going to say just this. Normally, I’d agree with your argument, Anne, but given the circumstances I feel like the Empress’s royal house has kind of forfeited any divine rights and blessings it might have had.
[quote=lukeskylicker]
Although no critics have said their canidate yet let me throw this fact out in the open so nobody can claim ignorance.
[…]
Seriously though, if your going to denounce the Princess the least you can do is say why your canidate is better.[/quote]
I did write a lengthy explanation of why I believe the Contrarian is truly good for London (and the Princess isn’t), which I won’t quote here to preserve space but you can find at the end of the first page of this thread.
Given how removed the Neath is from the sky and stars, there is a strong arguement to be made that, as a Neathborn Princess, she is the only member of the Royal Family who explicitly without the heavens’ blessing. That would explain quite a few things indeed.[/quote]
Her Royal Highness was born the very moment of the Fall - so she was born with heaven’s blessing in the Neath.
Well, yeah. You argued she has no qualifications. I counter that as her Royal Highness was born into Britain’s royal family and thus in the line of succession to one day reign over the entire Empire, she is certainly qualified to be Mayor of London. That’s just common sense.
No, it is the opposite of common sense. She is indeed royalty and nobody is claiming she should be stripped of the title; however, same as her title does not entitle her to be a surgeon or a plough horse, mayor is equally beyond her.
May I remind you, Lady Auclair, that London has a constitutional monarchy and that even the Empress is bound to the law. The Magna Carta was drawn for a reason.
Plus, you know, the serial killer and torturer thing. That too.
edited by Jolanda Swan on 6/29/2018
[quote=Jolanda Swan]No, it is the opposite of common sense. She is indeed royalty and nobody is claiming she should be stripped of the title; however, same as her title does not entitle her to be a surgeon or a plough horse, mayor is equally beyond her.
May I remind you, Lady Auclair, that London has a constitutional monarchy and that even the Empress is bound to the law. The Magna Carta was drawn for a reason.[/quote]
Oh, what’s next? Arguing that a single, grieving, and possibly mentally disturbed lady can’t sell an entire city to a collection of scheming bat merchants for the dubious resurrection of her dead husband because her authority is ultimately derived from something as arbitrary as birth? Well, that assertion would strike at the very heart of London’s Royal Government. If Her Undying Majesty had the inherent authority to decide London’s fate, then certainly her daughter is inherently qualified to be its municipal magistrate for a year. Again, common sense.
Yes, and as we are all powerless to stop Her Royal Highness, we should all hope that she comes to eventually reconsider her behavior.
[quote=Anne Auclair]
Oh, what’s next? Arguing that a single, grieving, and possibly mentally disturbed lady can’t sell an entire city to a collection of scheming bat merchants for the dubious resurrection of her dead husband because her authority is ultimately derived from something as arbitrary as birth?[/quote]
But she can’t.
She did it anyway because nobody could really have stopped her. Not because she was somehow "inherently qualified". The Princess can not only be stopped, but she won’t get into office unless she is explicitly supported by the greatest fraction of voters - completely different circumstances to the Fall.
I will repeat my opinion that selling out your city to space bats working for a space crab and then having most of your remaining family degenerate into inhuman things that you have to lock up in your basement tends to put a damper on the whole "divine mandate" thing.
[quote=Dudebro Pyro][quote=Anne Auclair]
Oh, what’s next? Arguing that a single, grieving, and possibly mentally disturbed lady can’t sell an entire city to a collection of scheming bat merchants for the dubious resurrection of her dead husband because her authority is ultimately derived from something as arbitrary as birth?[/quote]
But she can’t.[/quote]
She could and she did and it was the right decision for London. That she made it for seemingly selfish reasons is entirely relevant, as this was sacred bond between Her Undying Majesty and her subjects at work. Her Majesty brought her people down to a realm where death is weak and dreams are strong and where there are unimaginable treasures. And now her Neathborn daughter wants London to embrace this destiny with a tremendous show of artistic pride.
Being Empress because you were born to it is the very definition of being inherently qualified.
I disagree. In the Bible god often raises up wicked and evil kings in order to accomplish his ends. This is also a major trope in Shakespeare.
“Divine mandate” seems a bit of a silly basis for voting for someone here, considering any candidate could have the blessing and backing of a literal god by being carted to the southwest corner of the map and back.
Also, surely there’s such a thing in a monarchy as staying in your proper place? It’d be hardly fitting of a princess to bother herself with the duties of a mere public servant.
Honestly, one of the best reasons I have for voting the Princess as mayor is there’s nowhere to go but up when it comes to her. Consider that as she is ALREADY royalty with all that entails, if all she wanted to do was devour memories becoming mayor would be a HINDRANCE by giving her actual responsibilities, duties and enforced public appearances not spent drinking the last childhood memories of a heartbroken viscount. Which, as something of a silver lining, implies that decadent and high handed as her policies may seem that the Princess’ reasons for running must have some ulterior goal than just locking all the popular Bohemians in a gallery and drinking them over a week.
For what it’s worth, as I said in another thread she is genuinely angry and disappointed in one particular admiral’s inability to reign in the Navy’s work on/with/for the Dawn Machine. She isn’t all appetite either, when your return to court as a performer from governance of Port Carnellian is sponsored by her AND SHE DOESN’T EAT YOU AFTERWARDS.
I make no claims about her morality. But whatever else she is, the Princess does seem to hold the nation dear.
So vote the Princess! One minute of her staring at someone else’s watercolors is one minute in which an orphan’s memories aren’t being eaten alive!
[quote=John Moose]"Divine mandate" seems a bit of a silly basis for voting for someone here, considering any candidate could have the blessing and backing of a literal god by being carted to the southwest corner of the map and back.
Also, surely there’s such a thing in a monarchy as staying in your proper place? It’d be hardly fitting of a princess to bother herself with the duties of a mere public servant.[/quote]
[li]
Heck, I’ve arguably gained the "blessing and backing" of 2-3 gods in my time. By those standards I’m more qualified to be Mayor, and I recently attempted to feed myself to moon-misers out of curiosty.[/li][li]
edited by Hattington on 6/29/2018[/li][li]
edited by Hattington on 6/29/2018
[quote=Anne Auclair]
Yes, and as we are all powerless to stop Her Royal Highness, we should all hope that she comes to eventually reconsider her behavior.[/quote]
Oh, god, that sounds like a line out of a story about domestic violence. That’s genuinely a bit horrifying.
[quote=Sir Frederick][quote=Anne Auclair]
Yes, and as we are all powerless to stop Her Royal Highness, we should all hope that she comes to eventually reconsider her behavior.[/quote]
Oh, god, that sounds like a line out of a story about domestic violence. That’s genuinely a bit horrifying.[/quote]
Her murders and tortures are meant to be absolutely horrifying - they’re never played for laughs or black comedy. Unlike, say, her occasional moments of childish pique (bulldoze Spite!) or out of touch ditziness (blink blink "But why?"), which are clearly meant to be funny.
One of the scenes in the Shuttered Palace really sticks with me. It’s a large meeting of everyone important in the royal court: the Duchess, his Amused Lordship, the Princess. Someone makes a mention of "the cages"…and everyone just starts nervously laughing and the conversation quickly moves on to other subjects. Everyone of importance and authority is fully aware of what is going on. The Commissioner of Police knows about it. His Lordship and the Duchess know about it. The Bishops of the Church know about it. The Empress knows about it. The Palace staff know about it. Mr. Huffam knows about it. The Princess’s many doomed, idiot lovers know about it. And it will continue. It was actually far worse a few years ago, before the rest of the children became Monsters who hid in the dark. We literally have no control over it. At all.
But rejecting the Monarchy means Anarchy, so we just have to hope that this changes, somehow. Maybe making London more aesthetically interesting will help that change take place. I literally cannot think of any other solution short of killing Her Royal Highness. So, I figure, let’s give the arts festival a try. Things can’t get any more horrifying then they already are.
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edited by Anne Auclair on 6/29/2018
Yes, and?
[This is mostly in jest.]
Yes, and?
[This is mostly in jest.][/quote]
Well, in-character I don’t want that. Which is a dilemma.
Another thing - consider how the cage gardens are not being reference at all in the election storylines themselves? Huffam is devoting the pages of his Gazette to discussing inane "constitutional questions" that no one really cares about. The existence of the cages is completely unchallenged. They are just an accepted, if undiscussed part of London life, fully endorsed and protected by all the power of London’s political establishment. Find a character with any degree of Palace or public power and they are knowingly complicit. Hell, our current Mayor certainly knows about it and he tried to marry her. But of course he was a slaver, so the cage garden is not the sort of thing he would care about…
Vote against the Princess and she’ll just go back to what she is already doing with complete and total impunity. Elect her Mayor and maybe she’ll change a little. Or not. But we’ll get an arts festival, which London legitimately needs to raise its spirits, depressed as they are from such terrible public secrets as the existence of the cage gardens and the whole royal family being monsters.
[quote=Anne Auclair]
But rejecting the Monarchy means Anarchy[/quote]
My fingers will go hoarse if I have to remind people of the Third Way any more.
[quote=Dudebro Pyro][quote=Anne Auclair]
But rejecting the Monarchy means Anarchy[/quote]
My fingers will go hoarse if I have to remind people of the Third Way any more.[/quote]
The same Third Way currently being backed by the hardline Liberation supporter January?