The Voice of the Miat

Have you ever tried to parse a foreign constitution? It's tough ...

Barbarians in the Dual-Cities of Cothon-Gadeed have the advantage that they can talk to actual citizens in the government of the Dual-Cities ... and yet, such citizens, who may vote for or against important measures or for/against the election of officers of the state may also not really understand what they do ...

What's easy enough to explain, though, is that the current two Souffets (Fadhlan and Khusra) will relinquish their office this November, while two others elected in the meantime will take their place. The Souffets are elected--so is this state democratic? It's a democracy of citizens (of Gadeed) ... mediated through the Miat--the Electors of Hundreds.

Officially, for all the barbarians running around in Cothon, only one has recently come into citizenship such that he can vote: Citizen Sesel. Unless another barbarian-adventurer advances to citizen in the next four months, Sesel will be the only one eligible to vote. But this is not to say that barbarians, denizens, and other plebeians have no voice in these affairs.

Indeed, the time for public debates has come.

The Souffets have the privilege of naming their preferred heirs ...

Meanwhile, the Bani-tribes are free to present their own candidates for the Souffet-ship, for those Houses that differ with the opinions of the current Souffets.

Finally, even the people of Gadeed are free to nominate their own choices for Souffet. Traditionally, of course, the people tend to align with one party or another--either the current Souffets, or the party of the Bani--but they are legally able to present their own candidates separate from either "ticket". The tradition of this tendency lies mostly in the fact that the people must support one or the other noble party, because their own candidates only very rarely win to office.

A Kzin bureaucrat? LOL

Candidates

1. Othman al Goekiy
   nominated by sitting Souffet Fadhlan
   leader of a Banu-tribe (al Goekiy) with a large garrison of Gilman servant-warriors; outward-looking, with ideals to expand the territory of the Ten Cities League across the seas
2. Urodas al Arasquiy
   nominated by sitting Souffet Khusra al Arasquiy
   scion of Banu al Arasquiy, a house/tribe with wide ranging trade relations, especially across Dirac's Sea; anti-Hanse in particular
3. Bayzadis al Othmani
   nominated by the Bani (not related to Othman except by long degrees)
   an aridani from Banu Othmani. Her aridani (independent) status marks her as "politically free", while her descent from the Othmani gives her voice weight with the Knights Pylaea who guard the Long Walls; the Bani feel that this mix of obligations make her ideal for defending the Cities against the Red Cloud and his threats ...
4. Dalinar al Khalid
   nominated by the People
   Abuakbar of a major Banu, former general of armies, recalled from his post because of political machinations, Dalinar is at once a commander well-seasoned in battle against the Kzinti (and the threat of the Red Cloud!) and yet poorly positioned for the politics of the Dual-Cities. The very fact that the populace clamor for him as Souffet is sufficient to condemn him from such office for those (nobles especially) who fear that he will effect a tyranny ...

Is it Dalinar, or the Souffets
who are so ineffectual?

Through the next three months (August, September, October), anyone is allowed to speak for or against these candidates. In November only citizens will be allowed to voice their final opinions. At the end of November, the electors of the Miat will cast their votes, and two new Souffets will be elected according to the votes of the Miat.

It is customary for rabble-rousers to hold feasts and stump-speeches to support their preferred candidates during this time. Though only citizens can vote--and then only electors of the Mia actually finalize such votes--it is still the case that many Bani-tribes gauge the political weathervanes according to the stump-popularity of various candidates among the barbarians and low-class citizens of Cothon.

Player-characters should feel free to investigate these candidates, speak for or against them, and even attempt to persuade Bani-tribes toward other candidates, as far as the player-characters wish to engage! Write stump speeches--whip up mob frenzies--hold feasts and only feed those who agree with you--do your best to become the Political Machine if that's what you want to do! You've got three months to play that game ...