Sanguis Astroism

[vonGenf]

Neither of them are theocracies by any means.

Theocracy: m.n., a realm that does what the other theocracies tells them to do.

[Indirik]

Which does not, in any way, apply here. I don't think I've ever heard any of the theocracies telling LE or Summerdale what to do.

[vonGenf]

Which does not, in any way, apply here. I don't think I've ever heard any of the theocracies telling LE or Summerdale what to do.

They do most of what I want them to do.

So do you, in fact.  ;)

[Glaumring the Fox]

Asylon, Libero and Summerdale are not theocracies. They merely lean that way because of history or environment.

[vonGenf]

Asylon, Libero and Summerdale are not theocracies. They merely lean that way because of history or environment.

That's pretty much what I wanted to say, yes.

Libero is much, much more of a theocracy than Averoth ever was. And, according to game mechanics, Averoth was a theocracy.

[Geronus]

That's pretty much what I wanted to say, yes.

Libero is much, much more of a theocracy than Averoth ever was. And, according to game mechanics, Averoth was a theocracy.

Originally, but the people who created Averoth were very quickly supplanted, first by refugees from Everguard, and then again by Sextus Severus and his faction who led a rebellion and converted it to a tyranny. Moreover, the original colonists never had the blessing of the Church; far from it. They acted on their own and then announced that they intended to take in the Everguardians who were technically enemies of the Church at the time. As I recall, the Church didn't care for that one bit and we set out to deliberately sabotage them. We settled that before Sextus Severus and his friends showed up though and by the time he was in power I think we were completely prepared to leave Averoth alone.

[vonGenf]

Originally, but the people who created Averoth were very quickly supplanted, first by refugees from Everguard, and then again by Sextus Severus and his faction who led a rebellion and converted it to a tyranny. Moreover, the original colonists never had the blessing of the Church; far from it. They acted on their own and then announced that they intended to take in the Everguardians who were technically enemies of the Church at the time. As I recall, the Church didn't care for that one bit and we set out to deliberately sabotage them. We settled that before Sextus Severus and his friends showed up though and by the time he was in power I think we were completely prepared to leave Averoth alone.

So what do you think makes a theocracy, then?

[Anaris]

So what do you think makes a theocracy, then?

Well, I dunno about any Astroists, but I'd say what makes a realm a theocracy is...being a Theocracy. Y'know, actually having that government type? Remember that?

[Solari]

Well, I dunno about any Astroists, but I'd say what makes a realm a theocracy is...being a Theocracy. Y'know, actually having that government type? Remember that?

I think vonGenf was getting at whether a realm can be a nominal theocracy in the way that realms are nominal tyrannies, monarchies, and republics.  I do think that theocracies are a special case, perhaps. 

[Geronus]

SA has never actually really had classical theocracies in my opinion. They do not practice direct rule by the Church for one thing; no Elder of SA has any power over any theocracy unless he's first been granted that power through secular channels. It's more the other way around. The theocracies as a group control the Church, and it tends to serve primarily their interests with only minimal protest from relatively pure ecclesiastics like Constantine and Labell. High rank in a theocracy can be translated into power within the Church far more readily than the other way around.

I will be very keen to see how power structures in the Church begin to shift now that high ranking members of non-theocracies are joining in droves. People like Solari and Vellos occupy a very interesting position. They have secular influence as much as any theocratic ruler, and I'm certain they will display a penchant for playing politics within the Church. Things are likely to get very interesting if power starts to shift away from the theocracies as a result, especially since Bustoarsenzio is stepping back and Allison is potentially leaving.

[vonGenf]

Well, I dunno about any Astroists, but I'd say what makes a realm a theocracy is...being a Theocracy. Y'know, actually having that government type? Remember that?

Yes, I do, it's why I mentioned Averoth in the first place.

Note that it is not my aim to complain about the government types here, they're fine with me. I just want to say that Feylonis had a point: it makes sense to consider Summerdale and Libero as "SA realms". In practice, the church has as much to say about the behaviour of Libero than it does about the behaviour of, say Astrum.

[Geronus]

Yes, I do, it's why I mentioned Averoth in the first place.

Note that it is not my aim to complain about the government types here, they're fine with me. I just want to say that Feylonis had a point: it makes sense to consider Summerdale and Libero as "SA realms". In practice, the church has as much to say about the behaviour of Libero than it does about the behaviour of, say Astrum.

This I agree with.

[Feylonis]

I don't consider Asylon to be an SA realm/theocracy because it has at least 3 other religions in it. Libero and Summerdale only have SA, as far as I know.

[Lorgan]

Government types are outdated.

[Penchant]

Government types are outdated.

I must say I agree, D'hara is a monarchy according to government type but we are ran as a republic.