Where the main quest section of the story is intended as an overall 'feel good' story where you form alliances to save the world, the second aspect of the game is that of national destiny and is more controversial.

Nation building is not easy. Difficult decisions must be made that will chart the course of history, and many of these decisions aren't as simple as good vs. bad. In this mortal existence there is no way to please everyone, nor is there a way to guarantee justice for all. In the end you must simply make the decision you feel is best, then embrace the consequences whatever they may be.

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Radicals vs. Royalists

For the Realm of Sejhat

Sejhat is a world a choices, something that you will see the moment you enter it. The four nation-states of the continent struggle with their very identities, from struggles for liberty and freedom to schisms in the fabric of religion. As a citizen of one of the four nation states and a soldier fighting in the name of your homeland you will be faced with sometimes difficult choices that will ultimately have an enormous impact on the fate of your people.

Radical/Royalist System

As your character enters the world you will be confronted by the problems of the people and the ruling elite. Choosing to solve their problems will give you valuable experience and rewards, but they will also often give you a bounty in Radical or Royalist points. What do these points do, you might ask?

Your existing total of Radical or Royalist points will be displayed on a meter, and as you rise in fame and trust among either of the social strata you will be able to unlock new, risky, and important missions to embark upon to further the cause.

An interesting note to make is that gaining points for one side does not subtract from the other. If you wish, you could carefully balance the quests you embark upon for either side and retain a neutral disposition. However, this strategy comes with a warning: You only obtain Radical or Royalist points after completing related quests, and there are not enough points of either in the game to satisfy both sides. In the end, everyone must make a choice: Do you pursue individual freedom by siding with the Radical cause, or do you wish to maintain order and security by siding with the Royalists?

Each decision may have unexpected long-term consequences, and doing certain quests for one side may deprive you the opportunity to perform quests for the other. For example, if you embark upon a Royalist mission to prevent rebels from capturing a critical shipment of arms those rebels may never ask you for your assistance in their future endeavors. Conversely, joining the rebels to seize the weapons may put you permanently at odds with local rulers.

At a certain point, once you have acquired enough Royalist or Radical points, you will be able to choose which side to put the entirety of your weight behind. For instance, if you were to side with the Elven Republic you would no longer seek promotions from the Emperor, but rather the Chief Consul. Your subsequent missions would guide you along the final missions to dismantle the Maenid Empire and bring the dream of the Republic to fruition.

These choices, especially the greater ones, will have consequences visible in the people and even the landscape itself. Will you choose to abolish slavery or use it to support the state? Will you break down walls to encourage trade or reinforce them to discourage invasion? Will you cut down a forest to rebuild the fleet or leave it standing as a national treasure? These choices, and many more, will be yours to make as you are one of the few people with the power to bring these decisions to life.

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The Dwarven Confederacy: Hegemony

The Dwarven Civil War has raged for 50 years, and while many call for peace there are just as many who are ready to take desperate measures to decisively end the conflict. The Highlanders no longer have the men and the Lowlanders no longer have the public mandate to levy yet another set of large armies to obliterate each other. Largely gone are the days of massive formations of Lowlander and Highlander troops trying to outmaneuver and break each other apart. The lawless frontiers have given way to small-scale warfare with small groups of volunteers, rebels, warlords, and deserters jockeying for control. Whoever wishes to end the war must find a way to motivate the people to join together for one final, decisive push. To do this, a commander will need a nearly heroic reputation for getting the job done that rivals the conquests of Gildramor himself.

Radical Cause: Lowlanders

The Lowlanders’ vision is largely representative of the Radical cause. Their government, a constitutional monarchy, shares power between the sovereign and the publically elected representatives of the Senedd. Their society is driven by scientific progress and industry, and while the rights of the individual may be obscured by their system of government the fact remains that few places in Sejhat boast the same personal freedoms.

However, this comes at a cost- in order to impose consensus, much of the ancient culture of the Lowlanders is no more. Religion, art, and ritual are cast aside almost wholesale in the name of commerce and progress.
Secretly, many in the Lowlands seethe with resentment over the King and Senedd’s abolishment of organized religion. Many more feel that industry is devaluing the souls of the people, making them into mere figures on ledger sheets and mindless automatons. The defense of the Lowlanders’ dream is the defense of science, commerce, industry, and progress- but at a cost of Dwarven culture, the happiness of the lower classes, and the natural beauty of the lands.

Consequences:

Manufactories and Universities spring up across Ilfand. Lowland troops occupy the streets of all cities in Ilfand. The middle and upper classes are grateful for ending the conflict in favor of enterprise, industry, and science. However, the pursuit of industry defiles the landscape as strip mines, clear-cut logging, and pollution scar parts of the landscape. The lower classes, especially among the Highlanders, are disgusted with you for your role in stripping away their culture and identity.

Royalist Cause: Highlanders

By contrast, the Highlanders’ vision is largely representative of the Royalist cause. The clan structure of the Highlanders is strict and hierarchal, with a firmly entrenched and powerful nobility. Strangely, the peasants of the Highlanders are much poorer and enjoy fewer rights and responsibilities than the Lowlanders, yet appear to be happier. Their lands are generally pristine and picturesque, and the Highlanders pride themselves in cleanliness and respect for the land. Their culture is pious, artistic, and steeped in ritual and song.

However, some rituals and customs are more controversial than others. Officially the Highland Clans are the only governments on Sejhat that still legalize slavery. The Patkani Slaves, sold from Beastfolk lands to toil in the mines that the Highland Dwarves once worked, are treated as little better than animals. Women in Highlander society are almost as oppressed and have long been confined to domestic chores and raising families. Siding with the Highlanders would help return soul, art, and culture to all Dwarves, yet it would accomplish these at an ugly cost: the oppression of women, the stunting of technological and social progress, and the expansion of slavery.

Consequences:

The natural beauty and rich culture of the Dwarves is preserved and expanded. The Highlander nobility and the lower classes are happy with your sacrifice to preserve their traditions. Artists appear in public areas and temples are built across Ilfand in the major cities. However, the legalization of slavery brings the ugly establishment of slave labor to the mines and the unfortunate spectacle of a new, oppressed underclass. Women across Ilfand, particularly in the Lowlands, spit upon you as their formerly cherished rights to earn wages, obtain an education, and contribute to society are brushed aside.

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The Beastfolk Alliance: National Destiny

The Beastfolk Alliance is on the verge of becoming a true nation, but as it stands it is simply an amalgam of parts, none of them interconnected in a meaningful way. They are fractured by old grudges, by mistrust of each other, and by simple rivalry. However, the Beastfolk have a number of advantages that could ensure that they will become a powerful nation rather quickly. Their diversity, their innovative nature, and their collective longing to join the civilized world are powerful motivations that, harnessed properly, can bring them true status as a world power.

Debate rages over precisely how these motivations will be harnessed. The Vucari believe that the Alliance will only work through a central power, and that the Vucari are the only ones with the will, the power, and the military discipline to back such a state. Others, particularly among the Checchiatari, believe that the Beastfolk Alliance’s strength is in its diversity and that consensus, democracy, and the ideal of a great Republic would serve the people far greater in the long run than dominance by the Vucari.

Radical Cause: Unity Through Diversity

In recent years the radical cause has, somewhat justifiably, been painted as the advocacy of anarchy and the promotion of infighting between the Beastfolk. However, what most do not yet know is the fact that ever since the Elven Republic came into existence there have been powerful members of Beastfolk society who have advocated something quite similar for their society- except without the fascist aims of racial purity. For the moment the notion of a Beastfolk Republic seems to be a poor alternative to the proposals of the Vucari, but forces are in motion that will give their cause both strength of arms and sympathy from the people.

The proposals of the Radicals are fairly simple: True, representative democracy for all Beastfolk; One individual, one vote, with universal suffrage for males and females of all races. The Republic will respect the wishes and traditions of all Beastfolk by representing their voices and concerns, and while a strong central authority will exist capable of enforcing the public will that central authority will exist by the people, for the people.

There are consequences to this strategy. While the system encourages the protection of minority species against majorities, it does not do so explicitly and is vulnerable to large changes in demographics such as a population explosion among the Patkani. Additionally, giving all Beastfolk a voice does little to quell the inherent mistrust between the races, and creating an army from such an environment is especially difficult. With the rise of a Republic the Beastfolk as a people will retain their culture and gain great personal freedoms, but their armies will suffer and as a result banditry and crime will flourish under the relative anarchy.

Consequences:

Representative democracy combined with a limited central government preserves the cultural flavor of the various races, and as a result each race’s structures develop on their own paths. The military presence of the Vucari is restricted to their own territory and new unique units become available for each race. However, a relative lack of centralized power means a resurgence of crime and banditry. Additionally, the lack of military centralization means that unit upkeep costs are higher and equipment is more expensive. Relationships with the Vucari also suffer.

Royalist Cause: The Beastfolk Empire

The Tsar and Tsarina, combined with the publicly elected officials of the Duma and the Imperial Ministries, form the backbone of Vucari government. It is arguably the strongest, most effective government in Aidinsielu today and as such has extended some degree of its powers over its neighbors. The Vucari have the largest standing army among the Beastfolk, lending its services to protecting the nation’s laws and policing the frontiers. In spite of their current status as the de facto government of the Beastfolk Alliance there are many, including the Tsar and Tsarina, who feel that their current status simply isn’t enough.

With the rise of the Elven Republic the threat to the existence of all Beastfolk has never been greater. In order to survive a full invasion by the racist zealots the Beastfolk Alliance will need a strong army, and even if such an invasion never comes to pass the existence of a powerful Beastfolk army would make many of their political dreams come true. The various nations of the alliance are disjointed and suspicious, but if the Alliance is to survive they will have to sacrifice some of their freedoms and shed their grudges in order to withstand the coming storm.

The Vucari, therefore, seek to inject themselves into the political affairs of all the Beastfolk races for the good of the Empire. If the Empire is to exist in any meaningful capacity, the Vucari believe that they must take the mantle of power and use it to exert a universal system of law upon all Beastfolk. While a difficult endeavor, success will mean that the Beastfolk Alliance will become safe, secure, and powerful. However, imposing the laws and customs of the Vucari on the other races will undoubtedly sour their dispositions, possibly to the point where some races may revoke their membership from the Alliance and enter open war with it.

Consequences:

A rigid, centralized government backed by a strong military and bureaucracy brings peace and prestige to the Beastfolk Alliance. The resulting drop in crime and banditry at last enables safe trade, and your relationship with the merchant classes improves. Vucari soldiers patrol the streets of every major city and most towns. The presence of a strong military discourages foreign invasion and forts appear along the frontiers to dissuade potential threats. Your relations with all Vucari also improve dramatically. However, the forcing of Vucari culture upon their neighbors results in resentment among the lower classes of non-Vucari races. This enmity provokes calls to revoke membership in the Alliance, and as a result either the Rosomai, Sabalazmon, or Patkani will declare war, presenting a difficult challenge for the young nation.

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The Caliphate of Man: Schism

After 45 years of peace under Sultan Abdulaziz III, the Caliphate has many things to be proud of. It is a nation of many cultures, grand accomplishments, and relative harmony, all united under one faith and God: Odem. Unfortunately, the aging Sultan and Caliph nears the end of his life and his successor is a small-minded, idle, foolhardy infant of a man, Kelim IV. During years of education in diplomacy and stately rule, Kelim’s body was present, yet his mind was conspicuously absent. Despite this, few openly protest his succession as he is of the Imperial bloodline and, through his divine connection to Sejhat, is the leader of the Odem faith. To contradict the will of the Sultan is to contradict the will of God, and therein lies the problem- under Abdulaziz, this system was functional. Under Kelim, it is certain to be disastrous if left unchanged.

The same old forces are already in play to subtract power from the Sultan and temporarily give his responsibility to the Rahiplik, the council of Imams. The Yeni Seri, the ancient faction of warrior poets which form the bulk of the Caliphate’s professional army, also seek to extend their power. They wish to find a way to assassinate Kelim and indoctrinate his successor, a mere child, into extending the power of the military administrators over the country. However, as the Rahiplik and Yeni Seri once again compete behind closed doors to determine the fate of the nation a third, more troubling force has come into play. Scholars of the faith and citizens alike, having interpreted the holy texts for themselves in an age of mass publication, feel that the divine connection of the Sultan to Odem does not exist and that the faith should be completely separated from the government. The Separatists, as they call themselves, represent something greater than a mere power struggle in Human society- they represent a growing schism, a rift in the very fabric of the faith that ties so much of Humanity together.

Radical Cause: Separation

There is a growing feeling among the lower classes and the common folk that the Odem faith, while all encompassing, is the property of all men, not merely the clergy and the Sultan. Their cause is backed by many Imams and justices throughout the country who feel that the faith itself is threatened by the Rahiplik’s ever growing power over the government and the people. They seek a simple goal: to separate the Odem faith from the government. In spite of the simplicity of this aim, however, the obstacles before them are formidable beyond compare.

First, the Separatists will have to discredit the Imperial bloodline, something that has never been done before. It must be proven beyond a doubt that the Sultan and all of his predecessors are not the descendants of the divine. Second, the Separatists must overcome resistance from both the Rahiplik and the Yeni Seri, each of them ancient establishments deeply entrenched in the status quo. Finally, the Separatists must literally seize control of the Holy Palace by force, bursting through the Sublime Porte and fighting through the Yeni Seri in order to seize the throne, installing a new Sultan who will formally separate the Odem faith and the government forever.

If the Separatists accomplish these formidable objectives, they will have solved an enormous problem, freeing much of Humanity from the religious persecution of the Rahiplik and its many agents as well as the dogmatic stranglehold of the Yeni Seri. However, until those loyal to the old ways are quieted the lands of the new sultanate will exist in religious turmoil, resulting in royalist rebellions to restore the divine bloodline and possibly even swelling the ranks of the mad cultists who aid the Body of Sejhat in his rampage of destruction.

Consequences:

The establishment of a new Sultanate that forever separates the government and the faith frees the lower and middle classes from religious oppression. Education, commerce, and culture flourish, resulting in the construction of new universities, the appearance of artists, and the construction of new businesses. However, relations with the nobility and those loyal to the old system plunge, and the continuing fight against those loyal to the divine bloodline and the Yeni Seri means that rebel activity increases considerably. The old military order of the Yeni Seri is disbanded and replaced by a more modern military called the Nizam-I Cedit, enabling a range of special units and tactics.

Royalist Cause: Divine Right

Though Humanity flourishes under benevolent rule and active international commerce, there are warning signs that the Caliphate has reached the apex of its power. While neither the Rahiplik nor the Yeni Seri look forward to the rule of Kelim IV, both political forces recognize that the Separatists pose a direct threat to their power and to the faith itself. They see the Odem faith as the latticework upon which Human civilization is based. They feel that a schism would result in a large and destructive war between the faithful, a counterproductive enterprise that could tear the Caliphate and all mankind apart.

The two rival factions representing the status quo, the holy Rahiplik and the martial Yeni Seri, must form at least a temporary alliance to combat the threat posed by the Separatists. In their prime, the Rahiplik has acted as the Caliphate’s shield and the Yeni Seri as the Caliphate’s sword, working in harmony to defend the nation and drive back invaders and threats. They have a legacy spanning nearly 1,000 years, and if they are to restore order to the Caliphate they must defend the institution, even with its flaws, to ensure that Humanity can withstand the coming storm.

If the faithful can hold the line against the heretics, they will be rewarded with the security they seek, bringing an end to the schism for some time to come and restoring peace. However, in order to keep such peace they will have to maintain a watchful eye on potential resurgences of heresy and blasphemy, pulling important military resources away from the frontiers and into the cities and leaving the lands vulnerable to foreign attack.

Consequences:

Maintaining the sacred, ancient unity of the Caliphate underscores the importance of piety and results in the construction of the first new great temples in centuries, resulting in impressive new religious structures in the major cities. Securing power for both the Rahiplik endears you to the nobility, but the harsh reprisals against leaders of the heretics distance you from the lower and middle classes. Your loyalty and sacrifice for the Yeni Seri gains their undying devotion, enabling a host of elite units. However, the rise of the Yeni Seri spells the end of the Nizam-I Cedit and its more modern pattern of warfare. Tasking the bulk of the military towards restoring and maintaining public order also makes the frontiers vulnerable to attack, and as a result either the Orcs, Benni Sulayim, or Circassids will wage war with the Caliphate.

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The Elven Maenid Empire: Revolution

The Elves have left an indelible mark on societies throughout Sejhat throughout its recorded history, enjoying their heyday during the second era. Wealthy, cultured, deeply philosophical, elegant, and arrogant, they became both the perfect target and the perfect shield for barbarians and raiders, zealots and invaders, yet in all of that time they have maintained their dominance over the battlefield and politics in no small part due to the efforts of the mighty Maenid Empire.

However, what glory the Elves had centuries ago has clearly faded. Their lands are hemmed in from North and West by neighbors who have eclipsed them in terms of strength and technology, and their lands are crowded with masses of the hungry and unemployed. Too many Elves are literally prisoners in their own country, with no real hope of escape and no redemption waiting for them if they earn their freedom.

The people have had enough. The Maenid Empire, increasingly insular and autocratic in the face of foreign influence and their own waning power base, now faces a total internal crisis. The revolution often spoken about can no longer be prevented- it has already arrived. The people cry out for liberation and change, but mixed in with the messages of freedom are disturbing calls to arm the nation and carry the Gods-given superiority of the Elven race across the continent, creating a new empire the likes of which the world has never seen before at the cost of all those who stand before them.

The choice facing the Imperials is clear: Fight or die. The Republic is no longer interested in making settlements and taking small concessions from the Empire. In their apparent dying battles the Imperials must find a way to deliver the will of the people back to their side. Otherwise they will be trapped in their elegant fortifications and starved out by their subjects. The Republic, however, is a concept and a mob without an army, and little in the way of true military leaders and courageous examples. In order to overcome the discipline of the Imperial forces the Republic will need more than numbers- it will need leaders and heroes.

Radical Cause: Revenge

The Republic is on the rise. However, it still has a long way to go until it seizes control of the nation at large. For now it is largely a movement among the Maenid and Therian lower classes, occupying just two cities. The Maenid Empire retains a theoretical grip on most of the cities and lands, but dissention, terrorism, and guerilla warfare plague them at every turn. The problems of the Maenids have echoed across Elvenkind, and similar questions about the need for the Empire have bubbled to the surface in the lands of the Ikonids, Therians, and Vardyrai.

The Republic calls for representative democracy, justice, and prosperity for all Elves. As their need is so desperate they openly embrace foreign technology and commerce, anything to help the survival of their cause. However, there is a somewhat sinister twist to their message. The universal rights they propose for all Elves only applies to Elves. They have made clear that the other races, while useful in the interim, are inferior in mind, culture, and method. They have also made it clear that they view the Beastfolk and Orcs with total contempt, and that if they seize power they will endeavor to expand Elven dominance and the glory of their Republic across the continent.

By uniting the people, arming them, and leading them to victory against the formidable Imperial Army , the Republic hopes to end the corrupt and autocratic rule of the Empire once and for all. By implementing their system of government and creating a new, modern state much of Elvenkind will be happy to live under a government where they at last have a voice. However, the consequences of the Republic’s rise are palpable. Their bold and dangerous international aims ensure that the citizenry of other nations distrust the Republic. While some holdouts loyal to the Empire will remain to fight, new problems will arise as the Beastfolk and Orcs become more aggressive, seeking to destabilize the new Republic before it has a chance to attack them. They may even risk open war.

Consequences:

The liberation of the masses and the establishment of the Elven Republic is a grand and world-shaking development that brings enormous glory and admiration to the heroes of the rebellion, bringing great admiration from the lower classes. Internal conflict all but comes to an end as the military might of the Revolutionary Guard is turned toward obliterating the remnants of the monarchy and aristocracy. The Imperial Palace becomes the Senate and House chambers, and the Emperor is replaced by a triumvirate headed by the Chief Consul. Public executions of the aristocracy and royalists are held in the street. Factories appear in major cities, bringing employment to the masses. The defeat of the Maenid Army results in their disbandment and replacement by the Revolutionary Guard, which has more modern equipment yet less professional discipline than their predecessors. The militaristic and fascist aims of the Elven Republic strike fear into the other races of Sejhat, and as a result your relationship with all members of other races is significantly hurt. The Orcs and the Beastfolk will scale up their piracy and raids along the coastline in their efforts to destabilize the new nation.

Royalist Cause: The Reformist Emperor

The Maenid Empire exists as it has for thousands of years, an immovable nucleus to the affairs of all Elves that neither trusts nor welcomes foreign intervention. However, there is a new Emperor. He is a mere boy to some, but he has already proven to have a combination of sagely wisdom and political cunning. That he has survived assassination attempts and calls to step down speaks of his intelligence and iron will. His name is Lusitanius, and he is only 19- a child by Elven standards.

He has inherited a nation ravaged by internal strife, unemployment, and despair. His forebears were once content to leave many responsibilities of the state to the Syskepsi, the ruling oligarchy, but Lusitanius recognizes that the old system has greatly failed the Elves. One needs look no further than the frothing Republican provocateurs in the streets than to see how desperate people have become for change. In his first year of office Lusitanius has done something almost unthinkable- he has shifted the onus of power from the Syskepsi to the Imperial Throne, and in the process made many enemies among the oligarchs.

Yet if there ever was a time where the Elves needed a political savant and a symbol of a new Empire, this is it. The boy-emperor has made many enemies within the Imperial court itself, but in his mind it will be necessary to eliminate opposition among the nobles before adopting reforms. He also has much work to do in organizing and restructuring the military. The Imperial Army must be used as more than a shield against the Republic- it has to strike at its leaders and bring down the madmen in charge.
Supporting the Empire may serve Elven interests in the long term, but will upset most of the people in the short term. Even if Lusitanius succeeds in breaking down walls, opening up trade, relaxing taxes, and implementing new public services, it will be years before the people settle down and relieve themselves of the revolutionary fervor. However, in the short term the survival of the Maenid Empire serves the foreign powers and the nobility best. Without an imminent threat of invasion by fascists and anarchists, other races will finally be able to breathe easier. Additionally, the new outlook on commerce, trade, and the relaxation of tariffs will help all foreign merchants and citizens look upon Elves more kindly.

Consequences:

The preservation and restoration of the Maenid Empire will silence the major threat of the Republic for years to come. Your heroic loyalty and devotion to the Emperor, the Syskepsi, and the nobility endears you to the nobles and ruling classes, among whom you are hailed as a hero. The merchant classes also recognize your efforts to restore trade and innovation to the Empire and your relationship with the middle classes increases. Major walls and fortifications on the frontiers are partially dismantled to encourage trade and good diplomacy. Universities, trading companies, and plantations arise and wealth from commerce flows into the nation. The modernization of the Maenid Army reduces costs for existing units and introduces modern artillery. Relations with all social classes of other races except the Orcs improve. The restoration of the Ikonid fleet combined with free trade policies all but eliminates the threat of pirates. However, you are loathed by the lower classes and rebel activity will continue throughout the nation’s interior as the remnants of the Republic continue their struggle.

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