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< 20 Leaders | Index | 22 Random Events > 21 The SenateThe senate is a legislative body that meets once a week to establish rules, be they just or biased, that shall govern the world. Every player is at their liberty to cast opinions on wide-ranging issues, only the overwhelming bias of the majority carries judicial force in this lawless land.
The senate meets on Monday and Friday at midnight server-time; results are posted and go into force immediately. Results of the vote includes number of votes and runners-up, as well as how the previous speaker for the senate voted. Players who reach out to their community by stemming corruption, brokering peace, and taking charge receive extra clout in the senate. If a player has both diplomats and vassals, they will cast extra votes in the senate based on whichever they have less of. These extra votes apply to all issues except speaker for the senate. 21.1 Senate IssuesMost senate votes are a simple affair. Participants express a conservative or liberal bent for a given issue, then there is a trinary selection process which defaults to the middle-ground ruling in the event of a tie. Judgement of the senate is a special ruling which includes a second option.Some of the issues the senate enforces can be negated simply by closing one's border. These are noted below. 21.1.1 Human RightsHuman rights dictate how easy it is to keep vassals enslaved, and how severely defenceless players can be ravaged by warfare.
21.1.2 Production SubsidyThe production subsidy is nothing more than a slap on the wrist from a bloated multinational bureaucracy to whichever lobby group is less strongly represented that week.
This issue is nullified by a closed border. 21.1.3 Uranium RefiningUranium refining is enforced to control the global output of fissionable materials, in the desperate hopes of one day building a more peaceful world. Pffft, yeah right senate dudes! Pull the other one!
This issue is nullified by a closed border. 21.1.4 Landmine TreatyLandmines are atrocious powersinks capable of seriously damaging a battle mine's hull. The senate may dictate their tactical usage, or even lawfulness of construction.
The ban ruling is nullified by a closed border, allowing landmine construction. 21.1.5 Arms RaceEnacted to control unchecked creation of diabolical machinery, arms race rulings impact only the very masters of the universe themselves.
This issue is nullified by a closed border. 21.1.6 Peace In Our TimesAppealing to human kindness and good graces, the senate may forbid combat during special times. Or they may just let everybody get to it, let's find out.
The Red Horseman negates the effects of peace in our times. 21.1.7 Judgement of the SenateJudgement of the senate is a special ruling that allows the senate to express its appeasement or displeasure with a particular kind of government, affecting the way it is regarded by other political entities. It contains both the usual ternary option, as well as an option to select the kind of government being targeted.
When the judgement issue is tallied, abstaining votes are discarded. The most commonly chosen combination of judgement and government becomes the new senate ruling. This could be anything from condone syndicalism to denounce anarchy. The effect of being condoned by the senate is that no type of government shall hate that government. Denouncement holds the opposite true, a denounced government is hated by every type of government (including itself). This ruling overrides the inherent defaults of hatred between governments, taking precedence in every situation. 21.2 Speaker for the SenateElection of the speaker for the senate is a special ruling handled differently to all other issues, where the chosen speaker graduates to the highest echelon of leadership. Inured to the perjuries of the ranking system, they answer to only one master: The favour of the players. If a player is voted speaker, this appointment takes precedence over all other leadership roles.The speaker for the senate receives the ability to heavily affect the outcome of the senate meeting that happens when his term is completed. The speaker contributes not just one, but votes equal to 5% of the total electorate for that meeting, to all issues save election of a new speaker. The way the speaker chooses to vote (assuming she or he does vote) is visible in the results given after the meeting. The speaker is unrestricted in their use of the global channel. 21.3 Beating UnderlingsFawning, ever underfoot, too-frequently unwashed: Underlings crowd the area around any mighty leader of empires, and it is through their sycophantic enthusiasm that your will gets out to the broader population. As well as embodying the conduits of command, underlings can provide a useful source of income. They practically demand the occasional thrashing; some days a good beating is the only way they can be sure they're still alive.Underlings may be beaten on the Politics screen, but only after your votes have been cast for the next senate meeting. Doing so will usually yield a free object, much like exploding the piņata at a child's birthday party. After a typical beating, the underlings need time to rest and lick their wounds. Normally the duration of this wait is 10 hours, however by feeding the people of the empire directly (or throwing a banquet), the wait expires right away and underlings can immediately taste the kiss of the whip again. Beatings are also reset (once) if hunger is reduced to zero by any means. < 20 Leaders | Index | 22 Random Events > |
