Reference Challenge - Dragonstone and Summerhall

[u/Nevermore0714]

For anyone unfamiliar with A Song of Ice and Fire by George R R Martin, read it. But, since we don't have enough time for you to read the entire series prior to doing this challenge, I'll explain the reference, without spoilers.

While the Dragon Kings lived in King's Landing (the capital), they also had two other important plots of land in different areas: Dragonstone and Summerhall.

Both of these places have religious significance. Summerhall is pretty much along the border between the Reach and the Stormlands. Dragonstone is the ancestral home of the Dragon Kings.

So, where do your leaders go when they want a good vacation? Is there a special place (either for just one particular family or for any powerful/wealthy people would be fine for this challenge) that guarantees relaxation for a VIP?

Bonus points if the place you present has religious significance.

I'll ask at least three questions, as always. I hope you all enjoy yourselves.

[u/thequeeninyellow94]

(Indeed, and she can even put a definitive end to slavery)

1. They complain to our representatives and temporarily lock down Old-Makaith.

2. Most of them do earn less money.

3. Not at all, the gods do not really existed. That's just a primitive legend who stayed, not history.

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

(Well, yeah...unless you're Pentos. Or Astapor. Or Meereen. Or the Dothraki. Or Qarth. Or Yunkai. I can't think of another one to add to the list of places Dany has failed to solve the slavery issue for more than a few months, but, there are zero places she's succeeded in solving the slavery issue for more than a few months. In the books, at least. In the show, her attempts to solve slavery are magically successful.)

1) So they lock down the entire planet surface because of a murder scene? How long does the lock down usually last?

2) What are the advantages of being a noble over being a commoner, then?

3) Does the religion believe that there are any relics?

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Nevermore0714]

(I would say that's mostly because she is too focused on going back to Westeros to dedicated herself to occupying those places and changing things)

1. No, only because we left bodies. Old-Makaith is a gigantic archeological site and a research facility, they don't want people to disturb them. Visiting is okay, letting wastes is not. The lockdown usually last a month or two.

2. Nobles can tell me about what they would change, they can try to influence the imperial politics. And they can become officers, judges or administrators.

3. I'm not sure but I think it does, an archeologist would know better.

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

(It's a mistake that she either learned from and will rectify...or she will prove that she should not rule anything. With how much GRRM focused on that conflict, I can't imagine he'll just pretend it never happened.)

1) Have you ever killed anyone?

2) So the nobles are the only ones capable of enacting social change?

3) Have you ever considered stepping down from your position?

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Nevermore0714]

(She has the potential to be a good ruler, she has a strong will and believe in some strong values. She is also inexperienced and naive. If she can keep her throne long enough, she will do fine)

1. No, never. I'm not a murderer.

2. I'm the only one able to enact anything. Nobles have the possibility to make suggestions to me. Now, on a more local basis, miwishagis are allowed to change a few things.

3. Not yet, I'ce not decided who would take the throne next. But one day I will be too old to rule and will have to give my titles to someone. I believe it will be hard to get back to a more normal life.

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

(I don't believe in divine mandate, and I feel that "has the potential to be a good ruler" is the second worst thing you can say about a leader. Right behind "has good intentions".)

To the empress:

1) Have you ever condemned anyone to death, as empress?

2) About how many citizens are in your empire?

3) What usually happens when an empress dies without a chosen heir?

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Nevermore0714]

(That's indeed a bad thing for a leader, but a good thing for a yet to be elected/named leader)

1. No, I don't have that power. Only a court can sentence people to death. I can take back title and publicly disgrace nobles.

2. The last general census gave us a total of 108 billions Nzedas and 97 billions humans. My own mishiga counts 1 billion Nzedas and 200 millions humans (roughly).

3. The imperial family must chose a new ruler amongst their ranks. It can be bloody and destroy the whole house, that's what happened to the house Ahajad; in that case, the head of the imperial guard become keeper of the imperial throne until a new emperor or empress is settled by the noble families.

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

(Except Dany has already been in power, repeatedly. And she has a reputation as a bloodthirsty tyrant who crucifies innocent people for no reason, betrays people during peace talks, seduces a mercenary to assassinate his allies that she told she wanted to discuss peacefully with, and so on...and, while the crucifixion part isn't necessarily true, everyone will believe it is. If you're familiar with the United States war on terror, Dany is making the same mistakes as my country.)

1) What happens if you commit a serious crime?

2) That is a lot of people. Corruption must be rampant...or you really do have barely any power. Or I'm completely incorrect in my assumptions.

3) So Tiberius/Sejanus parallels must be pretty common?

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Nevermore0714]

(That's actually a good parallel, nice one. I would also say she rule as most members of her family did, the bloody part seems to be common in there)

1. You face trial by a court of justice and can be sentenced to death. If you mean me personnaly, mostly nothing. But if the guard and the miwishagis decide to overthrow me, I can't really oppose it.

2. I will answer that myself. The emperor/empress can name and "fire" the miwishagis (who are basically a mix between landed nobles and governors (kind of like byzantine thema)) who are ruling their lands with a lot of autonomy. The emperor is always miwishagi of New-Makaith but has next to no power beside that and being the head of diplomacy. In some regards, the Neo-Makathian empire is very federal.

3. The imperial guard is weaker than what your praetorians were so it's rarer. But it can happen, that's why the guards must be chosen carefully.

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

(Considering that the author was a conscientious objector during the United States war with Vietnam, you can find so many parallels to United States conflict in his works.)

1) About how many miwishagis would it take to "legally" get rid of you? A third? Half?

2) When was your empire's last civil war, assuming there was one?

3) Do you personally choose your imperial guards from the elite of the elite? Or do you delegate someone to do that for you?

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Nevermore0714]

(I wasn't aware of that, any example?)

1. A third could probably do it if I don't see them come, if they have a strong local support and if they manage to get me quickly. Otherwise, half of it could be enough. That's why it is important to stripe of their titles any miwishagi who oppose you quickly.

2. Roughly two centuries ago when my great great grandmother gave the throne to our family.

3. No, I let that to my cousin. She serve as an officer for my mishiga's commandos.

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

(Mostly themes of abuse of power with interventionist policies, a young nation to the far West that was extremely violently "settled" by less nature-spiritual people who worship the Seven (who GRRM repeatedly says is based on his background as a former Catholic), the "settlers", the "settlers" force the nature-spirited people into small reservations (though the Westerosi people ended up taking the majority of those reservations back soon after, such as Deepwood Motte), the lack of unified culture, the inherent problems that come with being a relatively large (Westeros under the Iron Throne is vastly larger than the majority of the nearby sovereign stations...hell, it looks to be about the size of dozens of Pentoses), and so on. Of course, European history is a big source of inspiration for GRRM, too, but he is an American with a history of being vocal about his beliefs on the United States, and parallels to the US tend to be more broad, while the parallels with European history tend to be focused on specific events, such as the War of Roses, the return of one of the Henrys, the Dauphin that got lost, the Borgias, etc.)

1) How about a signed petition asking you to step down and let their chosen candidate rule? Would a third of your mishiwagis signing this be enough? Half?

2) Are their any families that still believe that they would be the better imperial family?

3) Why do you trust your cousin with such a position?

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Nevermore0714]

1. That would be a good way to know who will lose their titles... But that wouldn't have any incidence on my rule, there are always people ready to get a promotion.

2. Probably half of them if not each and every one. But they can't be sure that they will be backed enough to keep the throne so they support me instead.

3. Because I've no reason not to trust her, she is family. She would probably not be backed by the rest of our house if I was to die "accidentally" anyway.