[EVENT] It's high time to decide these high crimes...

[ironwood]

Characters: ALL
Date: May 10
Location: Courtyard of Public Opinion
Situation: It's time for the Guilds to come together and decide the list of High Crimes - and see if the Foreigners have their Guild organized.
Warnings/Rating: To be added as needed.




Part 1 - On the Matter of the Foreigners Guild

As elaborated to all Foreigners in Keeliai, the rest of the Council has set them the task of assigning leadership within their guild, including spokesperson(s) to participate in the Courtyard meetings and represent the Foreigners Guild's interests. Having been given more than a month of lead time, the assemblage is now waiting to hear the results of those deliberations.

"Who will be speaking for the Foreigners Guild? Please step forward and introduce yourselves."

Part 2 - On the Matter of High Crimes

As part of the new governing structure, the Guilds must now come together to decide a list of High Crimes which require sentencing by agreement of all nine groups. The Guilds will also lay out sentencing guidelines for each of these crimes. That doesn't mean there will be automatic sentencing, necessarily. The guidelines will help dictate minimum and maximum boundaries of punishment, such as length of incarceration, fines, and ramifications post-conviction.

While the Guild representatives will be laying out the initial proposition, all are welcomed and encouraged to partake and add their own input to help smooth out the rough edges. Although there are not designated areas for each of the Guilds, members of each do tend to congregate around their respective leaders.

The list of proposed High Crimes include, but are not limited to:

• Murder
• Kidnapping
• Arson
• Assault (aggravated and/or sexual*)
• Treason
• Terrorism
• Drug Trafficking/Selling

Guilds can propose additions or subtractions to this list, and guidelines for each. It's not a joyful task, but it is a necessary one. Despite the somewhat grim nature of the meeting, there is a sense of determination. The citizens of Keeliai are governing themselves now, and that is indeed a powerful thing.

*Mod note: This is coming up for general IC info, as it exists within the game setting but not as a game function intended to arise outside of this list.

Part 3 - On the Matter of Guild Management

The last order of business for today's Courtyard meeting is to determine if, and under what circumstances, guilds have the right to either refuse membership or revoke membership to anyone. While this thankfully doesn't seem to have been a problem while everyone sorted themselves into their initial choices, it'd be naive to think that it's not an issue that could come up in the future. Since not being affiliated with any guild carries legal repercussions -- fines that can escalate into even jail time -- it seems prudent to have a system in place before it becomes an issue.

Everyone's encouraged to volunteer their thoughts on this matter -- the official decision won't be made until the next gathering, so input doesn't have to be limited to just the spokespeople from each guild, but anyone in attendance.

Right now, the only generally agreed-upon point seems to be that this type of refusal or ejection needs to have some kind of oversight from outside the guild in question, to prevent abuse of the system. Whether that's a case where it would require the whole Council is another matter, and some seem to think that simply getting the motion seconded or thirded would be enough.

Comments

[veinediron]

The Foreigners that joined her Guild were of some note, of course. There are all sorts of interesting tidbits to be gleaned from who joins which Guild, and what they might bring to the table.

When Rosyn spots Heather, she's busy at first with someone else, but after a few minutes wanders over to greet her employee.

"Any opinions?" she asks without any preamble.

[celticromanstone]

Heather likes Rosyn's bluntness. There's a comfort in it and reminds her of the days when whoring wasn't political and was accepted... in certain circles, and in certain places. Heather likes knowing her place, and where to step.

She quirks a smile at her madam and continues watching the conversations around them. She still doesn't trust this place with it's supposed acceptance of whores. She doesn't like it. It's.... too easy.

"It depends on if the Foreigners have their act together." She has to admit that without a cohesive leadership, the Foreigners are going to get walked all over. And while she would hate to see that happen, she's not willing to step up for them. Every whore for themselves.

"If they do, they could become a real force within the system." She's savvy enough, at least. "If they don't, well, I honestly believe that the violence against them will grow worse. They need to become a community, not merely individuals."

[veinediron]

Heather can have her suspicions, baseless as they are. Prostitution is and always has been an acceptable part of their society (with the usual rare outliers), at least in Rosyn's long life. The fact that Fire Sector hosts any number of successful brothels speaks to that acceptance rather strongly. Other cultures do seem less receptive.

"I'm sure they'll find that having official representation will be to their benefit," Rosyn replies, one eyebrow barely arched. "Although I'm not seeing why you single them out as targets of violence. Kedan have been victims of the same incidents. Are you referring to the general distaste for Foreigner rabble-rousing?" Her expression twist wryly. "Because that's not going to go away with the institution of a guild."

[celticromanstone]

Heather snorts. No, that's not what she's talking about. And yes, she will always be suspicious of the brothels doing so well. It's a survival skill where she lives, normally.

She shakes her head. "I think it will become worse, because it's easier to take down an individual than an institution." She says. "And if they remain individuals, they will never have protection under the law." She shakes her head. "They need to be seen as a group that is cohesive enough to have a say, no matter what."

[veinediron]

Rosyn studies Heather for a moment, her expression unreadable.

"Everyone in this city has protection under the law, so long as they follow it. And even then, certain protections remain," Rosyn points out, measured. "The Foreigners will only run into trouble if they don't have any kind of guild leadership and structure. Paltry will do to meet the standard; it will not, however, gain them much credit or respect. That's a very different thing than breaking our new system in any way."

The madame's gaze narrows for a moment. "Would you rather see them fail?"

[celticromanstone]

She's explaining herself badly, and knows it. However, she's seen what should have been a stable institution fail because of individuals not wanting to be cohesive. But, she can't say that.

Heather actually thinks about it for a moment. Would she like to see them fail? "No." It's honest, at least. "Not fail." She sighs again. "But, see some of them be shaken into understanding that lone wolfing it will not be good for the whole? Yes." Kylo, she's thinking about you.

[veinediron]

"Well, wrangling cohesion will be up to them. Many Foreigners throughout the years have not seemed especially inclined towards being a unified force."

The madame snorts. It's clear that she thinks this is a good part of the reason why the Foreigners have bungled so many things. Sometimes it's amusing to watch; other times, it has meant death and destruction.

"I suppose we will just have to wait and see. If they ask for help, I certainly don't see the point in denying them. Better for us all to do well than let a weak link sink the whole system," she adds. "But they have had poor role models for unification of late."

[celticromanstone]

Heather hums, softly. She agrees with everything that Rosyn has said, but there's not much she can say about it, without simply repeating the woman's words back to her.

"Do you think they'll ask for help?" She hopes so, but she doesn't think they'll actually do it. She thinks their arrogance, and inability to become a cohesive unit will stand in the way.

[veinediron]

"No." It's blunt. Some part of her wants to be proven wrong, though she doubts she will be. "Although one of their representatives - Sonja is her name - she seems like she's willing to push for things she wants without much in the way of fear. She lacks subtlety in that regard, which Miss Zatara may be able to balance."

Rosyn offers Heather a smile that's sharp at the edges. "The great dance of politics. I'm too old to care if it kills me, at this point."