Event | Sinbrilee | Bacchanal

[ironwood]

Characters: Any and all!
Date: August 24 - 30th
Location: Sinbrilee
Situation: An ancient festival of an ancient city, all are welcome at the Bacchanal!
Warnings/Rating: Please label threads as appropriate.

Death and destruction cannot curtail the single most important festival celebrated by the denizens of Sinbrilee: The Bacchanal! The ghosts in and about the city have begun to gossip about high fashion and festivities, sending any that inquire to the Amphitheatre -- a grand, circular structure nestled in the west side of the city.

This structure bore the fall of Sinbrilee and the wear of time with dignity, having lost handfuls of archways and one long stretch of wall to crumbling decay. Despite this, it is obvious that the amphitheatre once hosted many a display and every more festivities than the mind can grasp. This was their solace and safety; here is where the people of Sinbrilee came to find the mind's escape from all that threatened them and their great turtle.

Ghosts have been busy throughout the week, clearing paths through debris and hanging great cloth banners of soft blues and greens to disguise the more blatant signs of its decline. Many hundreds of them shimmer and slid through the area, providing for tables upon tables of food, offering drink, and overseeing competition of sport and skill (some even denying death's non-corporeal curse to enter).

Here, well... Here is where the party begins!

Food & Drink | Music, Discussions, & Dancing | Wrestling & Competitions

Comments

[shotofsherry]

[ So, don't mind the kid sitting on the couch next to the one Richard is at. And she isn't pretending to watch the dancing while actually listening in on the conversation. Of course not. Why ever would a little kid be interested in politics? ]

[oathwalk]

[Richard is a little curious actually because he does kind of get the sense that this kid may be listening in. He says—] But is there not the question of how one determines what 'merits' are to be measured, and how they are to be measured, to determine an individual suited for public office? How does one measure virtue or selflessness? What tests can demonstrate the goodness of an individual's heart?

[But a fraction of his attention is on her as he wonders.]

[shotofsherry]

[ Without realizing it until a few seconds after she started talking, she realized that she was voicing her thoughts out loud. Oh dear. ]

There isn't much in the ways 'testing' an individual to determine whether they are best suited for a position in public office. [ There's a cup in her hand, which she looks down at while she talks. ] It comes down to who can win the confidence of the people or, to put it bluntly, have enough connections and money to gain the position.

[oathwalk]

[This is not exactly unexpected, except that it kind of really is. But he doesn't let that show, because he's worried about startling her off like a frightened deer.] There certainly would be that risk outside of an ideal society. But perhaps safeguards might be instated against such abuses of the system.

[shotofsherry]

And what sort of safeguards would you propose to use? [ Because so far the only thing that is coming to mind is an AI threatening to 'delete' the children of influential and powerful leaders in a video game. ] Nowadays it seems like anyone can bend the rules in their own favor.

[oathwalk]

I suspect your 'nowadays' and mine are very different. [He smiles.] I'm Richard of Windor. My experience of democracy comes from the neighbouring Strahtans; from what I've witnessed of their governance, the primary problem is that all citizens have a right to hold office only in theory, and that it is primarily the wealthy who maintain power. From a outsider's perspective, I'd say that they might benefit from limiting campaign spending, or only allowing a set amount of tax dollars to be used for campaigning.

[shotofsherry]

[ Strahtans did not ring any bells for her. That was yet another bit of information that she lacked due to being around so many different people from different worlds. The multiverse theory was not sitting well with her. ] That would be a start. But it would take a lot of convincing and effort to have that happen-- those who are in power long enough grow comfortable in their position. Especially for those who abuse said position are less than willing to let changes risk what they have. [ There was a pause for a second before she added: ] ... My name is Ai.

[oathwalk]

It is a pleasure to meet you, Ai.

[Sorry about the multiverse.] The current President is a good man, but I suspect that it would be indelicate of me to broach the matter of his country's internal affairs.

[shotofsherry]

[ She nods her head once in acknowledgment before continuing on. ] No one likes to be told how to run their country. [ With a half-hearted shrug she leaned back into her seat. ] If change is to happen someone has to speak up for it to start. But in some cases the consequences of voicing opinions tends to silence them.

[oathwalk]

[Richard's expression becomes very serious.] The most unyielding kind of tyranny is in the suppression of dissent. I've heard it rightly said that there can be no free nation without freedom of dissent.