After the Ashes: A Fire Nation Chancellor Quest

[X] a beautiful young woman, clad in the disconcertingly foreign garb so favored by the socialites and debutantes of the Colonies, though such was not a surprise given the fact that she stood foremost among them. While holding no official title, she was a sufficiently Popular Debutante to have attracted attention even within the home isles, an unusual feat for one so disadvantaged by the nature of their lineage. That alone was not sufficient to warrant her for this position, however; the fact that she'd carried modernist politics to the colonies was far more relevant to their reasons for meeting here tonight. The salons, reading groups, and rallies that she'd played a role in were… numerous, to say the least, and extended to those within the Fire Nation proper, where she was apparently seen as a prime exemplar of their goals. [Eloquent, Passionate, Popular Debutante, Modernist Inclination, Mid 30s]
[X] public benefit reform, where she'd advocated for the further modernization of Sozin's Prosperity Programs, a wide-ranging package of welfare programs that sought to provide for the health and well-being of the Fire Nation and its people. In recent years, these programs have failed to keep up with modern issues, most notably the labor laws and the national apothecaries. The first is not well fit for the modern needs and risks of the workplace, while the second has failed to integrate modern medicine into treatments. This is a broadly popular position, though one that has the potential to be both expensive and step on toes.

[X] a beautiful young woman, clad in the disconcertingly foreign garb so favored by the socialites and debutantes of the Colonies, though such was not a surprise given the fact that she stood foremost among them. While holding no official title, she was a sufficiently Popular Debutante to have attracted attention even within the home isles, an unusual feat for one so disadvantaged by the nature of their lineage. That alone was not sufficient to warrant her for this position, however; the fact that she'd carried modernist politics to the colonies was far more relevant to their reasons for meeting here tonight. The salons, reading groups, and rallies that she'd played a role in were… numerous, to say the least, and extended to those within the Fire Nation proper, where she was apparently seen as a prime exemplar of their goals. [Eloquent, Passionate, Popular Debutante, Modernist Inclination, Mid 30s]
[X] bending revitalization, a movement across both the home isles and the colonies that sought to maintain and restore the knowledge of the traditional forms of fire bending, both those of a ritual and cultural nature. Fire dancing, calligraphy, and sky shows were all major features of the movement's efforts, all of which are arts that were significantly deemphasized in the national academies which have since begun to focus primarily on the combat applications of firebending. This is respected among the traditionalists, though lacks broader appeal outside of those who yearn for the largely lost arts of the Fire Nation's past
[X] Namiko Morishita…"

[X] a subdued and almost strangely normal woman; a part of him was surprised that the guards managed to pick her out at all, though he supposed that the Ministry of Domestic Harmony was well incentivized to keep tabs on individuals such as her. After all, she was a Sanctioned Broker, a more polite term for a spy, and one of the few people that the Fire Nation retained to handle under-the-table talks with the Earth Kingdom, a fraught endeavor given the hostility that exists between the two powers. Still, given the Fire Lord's evident intentions of making peace with the Earth Kingdom, it might prove advantageous to have someone familiar with them to arrange it… and her lack of allies in court would make it relatively easy to see her removed when the time came. [Likeable, Subtle, Sanctioned Broker, Earth Kingdom Contacts, Late 30s]


[X] a beautiful young woman, clad in the disconcertingly foreign garb so favored by the socialites and debutantes of the Colonies, though such was not a surprise given the fact that she stood foremost among them. While holding no official title, she was a sufficiently Popular Debutante to have attracted attention even within the home isles, an unusual feat for one so disadvantaged by the nature of their lineage. That alone was not sufficient to warrant her for this position, however; the fact that she'd carried modernist politics to the colonies was far more relevant to their reasons for meeting here tonight. The salons, reading groups, and rallies that she'd played a role in were… numerous, to say the least, and extended to those within the Fire Nation proper, where she was apparently seen as a prime exemplar of their goals. [Eloquent, Passionate, Popular Debutante, Modernist Inclination, Mid 30s]

[X] family code reform, where she's taken the controversial position of arguing for the reform of the family code set out by Sozin a century ago. The family code lays down standardized national laws around marriage, divorce, abuse, adoption, and inheritance. The code notably restricts divorce, mandates single-child inheritance, restricts domestic abuse, and bans homosexuality. While it has since come to be lauded by some as a defense of the family, there is a quiet movement for its form; supporting such openly would be controversial, but has the potential to be a somewhat popular move should it succeed.


[X] Unagi Morishita

[X] a beautiful young woman, clad in the disconcertingly foreign garb so favored by the socialites and debutantes of the Colonies, though such was not a surprise given the fact that she stood foremost among them. While holding no official title, she was a sufficiently Popular Debutante to have attracted attention even within the home isles, an unusual feat for one so disadvantaged by the nature of their lineage. That alone was not sufficient to warrant her for this position, however; the fact that she'd carried modernist politics to the colonies was far more relevant to their reasons for meeting here tonight. The salons, reading groups, and rallies that she'd played a role in were… numerous, to say the least, and extended to those within the Fire Nation proper, where she was apparently seen as a prime exemplar of their goals. [Eloquent, Passionate, Popular Debutante, Modernist Inclination, Mid 30s]

[X] bending revitalization, a movement across both the home isles and the colonies that sought to maintain and restore the knowledge of the traditional forms of fire bending, both those of a ritual and cultural nature. Fire dancing, calligraphy, and sky shows were all major features of the movement's efforts, all of which are arts that were significantly deemphasized in the national academies which have since begun to focus primarily on the combat applications of firebending. This is respected among the traditionalists, though lacks broader appeal outside of those who yearn for the largely lost arts of the Fire Nation's past.

[X] Zheng Morishita…"

[X] a subdued and almost strangely normal woman; a part of him was surprised that the guards managed to pick her out at all, though he supposed that the Ministry of Domestic Harmony was well incentivized to keep tabs on individuals such as her. After all, she was a Sanctioned Broker, a more polite term for a spy, and one of the few people that the Fire Nation retained to handle under-the-table talks with the Earth Kingdom, a fraught endeavor given the hostility that exists between the two powers. Still, given the Fire Lord's evident intentions of making peace with the Earth Kingdom, it might prove advantageous to have someone familiar with them to arrange it… and her lack of allies in court would make it relatively easy to see her removed when the time came. [Likeable, Subtle, Sanctioned Broker, Earth Kingdom Contacts, Late 30s]
[X] bending revitalization, a movement across both the home isles and the colonies that sought to maintain and restore the knowledge of the traditional forms of fire bending, both those of a ritual and cultural nature. Fire dancing, calligraphy, and sky shows were all major features of the movement's efforts, all of which are arts that were significantly deemphasized in the national academies which have since begun to focus primarily on the combat applications of firebending. This is respected among the traditionalists, though lacks broader appeal outside of those who yearn for the largely lost arts of the Fire Nation's past.
[X] Unagi Morishita

[X] a wiry woman of middle age, possessing a scholar's frame much similar to his; that wasn't much of a surprise given her role as a Scholar-Bureaucrat in Yu Dao, though he found some satisfaction in the idea that intellectuals might once more find influence in the court, even if they were Colonial. His office had dealt with her in the past, her authority over commerce in Yu Dao having made her a necessary contact for the construction of the air fleet, and the things he'd heard were good for the most part. She had little fear of the new but was not an iconoclast or radical; he was told that the mercantilist faction had fostered a healthy partnership with her over the years, in large part due to her influence over colonial commerce. [Tactful, Diligent, Scholar-Bureaucrat, Mercantilist Inclination. Mid 40s]
[X] public benefit reform, where she'd advocated for the further modernization of Sozin's Prosperity Programs, a wide-ranging package of welfare programs that sought to provide for the health and well-being of the Fire Nation and its people. In recent years, these programs have failed to keep up with modern issues, most notably the labor laws and the national apothecaries. The first is not well fit for the modern needs and risks of the workplace, while the second has failed to integrate modern medicine into treatments. This is a broadly popular position, though one that has the potential to be both expensive and step on toes.

Randino Treviani said:

Earth kingdom contacts, the merchantilists who want to keep receiving valuable resources for fire nation processing plants and factories to process, the militarists who can avoid having all of the fire nations soldiers shifted to other careers by reforming portions of the army into a new caravan guarding corps as the earth kingdoms now defunct armies go increasingly bandit now that the war is over.

Your really kind of underestimating how to seed the earth kingdom is going to go over the next decade now that the Unifying enemy is standing down and an army of stubborn slow to change thugs is being left without jobs. It's going to be a rough few years, but with luck and careful planning we can leverage what the fire nation has in abundance, soldiers and industry, to establish a pro colonies focus shift for two thirds of the fire nations factions.

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This argument strikes me as an all-too-typical quester attempt to have our cake and eat it too. The spy does not have militarist or mercantilist allies, we are explicitly told that "her lack of allies in court would make it relatively easy to see her removed when the time came." We would have to cultivate allies after the fact, chasing opportunities as they come up. Earth Kingdom contacts are not a power base in Fire Nation politics, they are foreigners with no voice in the system who are primarily useful as resources spent pursuing Zuko's foreign policy aims.

[X] a beautiful young woman, clad in the disconcertingly foreign garb so favored by the socialites and debutantes of the Colonies, though such was not a surprise given the fact that she stood foremost among them. While holding no official title, she was a sufficiently Popular Debutante to have attracted attention even within the home isles, an unusual feat for one so disadvantaged by the nature of their lineage. That alone was not sufficient to warrant her for this position, however; the fact that she'd carried modernist politics to the colonies was far more relevant to their reasons for meeting here tonight. The salons, reading groups, and rallies that she'd played a role in were… numerous, to say the least, and extended to those within the Fire Nation proper, where she was apparently seen as a prime exemplar of their goals. [Eloquent, Passionate, Popular Debutante, Modernist Inclination, Mid 30s]
[X] bending revitalization, a movement across both the home isles and the colonies that sought to maintain and restore the knowledge of the traditional forms of fire bending, both those of a ritual and cultural nature. Fire dancing, calligraphy, and sky shows were all major features of the movement's efforts, all of which are arts that were significantly deemphasized in the national academies which have since begun to focus primarily on the combat applications of firebending. This is respected among the traditionalists, though lacks broader appeal outside of those who yearn for the largely lost arts of the Fire Nation's past.
[X] natural stewardship, a more politically acceptable term for environmentalism within the context of the Fire Nation. While complaints about pollution have traditionally been dismissed as merely a lack of resolve and endurance, recent movements around natural stewardship have seen success in making arguments for the preservation and restoration of natural environments specifically rooted in the romantic principle of maintaining the beauty of the homeland. This typically plays well with traditionalists and rural populations, though faces the potential for major pushback from the industrial interests of the Fire Nation.
[X] Namiko Morishita

As a general reminder; we're not doing plan votes right now, it's open voting on this vote.

Diadochi said:

I will say one thing to consider here is that we are shaping our mc with the hobby causes they're fighting for. That might be something to consider not just the wider political effects. Their stance on these issue might affect how they aproach other ones.

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Shogeton said:

While I can see Teen Spirit's point perhaps that Zuko will also be working on Bending Revitalization , and having our passion for it might be 'double up', I think having both our character and him be into that actually is a boon. We are probably going to have to convince Zuko of a fair few things he's not going to like, and having a good rapport with him will be vital. Bending Revitalization not just being a political agenda of our faction, but a genuine passion our character feels strongly about will be an excellent way to do that. And I like Zuko, and I'd like our Chancelor and him to actually have a warm relation.

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This is something that should be kept in mind; the choices you make here will play together and different combinations might yield different results. As a slight example, going with a military background and bending arts might mean that it includes the Agni Kai, but that it's a specifically performative version of the ritual, and that the character themself is more calm and measured. Beyond that, you can assume that your character might be a better bender with bending arts, though each of the options offers different advantages beneath the hood.

Medicus said:

Doubtful considering the... anti colonial fervor the quest itself and the Firelord and Avatar in universe find themselves in. Still i think even if we "hold on to some of the colonies" they would be very autonomous and use the various states of the EK as balance act against us, i'm not sure how much we can "parcel out to militarists". I'm doubtful on the usefulness of the EK contacts compared to having contacts right here in the Fire Nation basically.

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As a quick note for how I tend to run these things; while the tone of the quest is going to be anti-colonial (what a surprise, I know), that doesn't mean that the Fire Nation doesn't derive substantial economic benefits from the extractionary apparatus they operate, nor does it mean that the Fire Nation won't suffer the potential for extreme economic hardship upon their loss. My key aim is to provide choices with satisfying consequences, be they positive or negative, not just affirm my own politics .

Zimmerwald1915 said:

In a regime of private property that permits inheritance at all, single-child inheritance is the only sort that permits the accumulation of large properties and rationalization of the economy. Splitting-up of property only transfers the rat race from within the household to between households, as smallholders compete among themselves to accumulate enough not to fall into propertylessness and pauperism anyway. That said, marital slavery of women (read: restrictions on divorce) ought to be a greater concern of family code reform in any event.

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Zimmerwald1915 said:

Out of curiosity, what approach does the Code take toward labor organization? I can't imagine it permits free trade unions, but of the remaining policy options, does it aim to suppress labor organization entirely while relying on state aid when the market will not provide wages, or does it create state unions with sole bargaining agent status staffed by state-accountable bureaucrats?

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Bingo. The inheritance law was largely intended to ensure that families as a unit would have the necessary consolidated finances required to adapt and participate in Sozin's rapidly modernizing economy. Those siblings not included in the inheritance are then incentivized to seek out areas where they might be able to find labor (the army, the colonies, or urban work).

The Civil Code formally bans labor organizations in any form, but the Prosperity Program - the center of the national benefits programs - has implemented a number of basic labor protections and welfare provisions. The two were paired policies from the beginning and intended to complement one another, though there have been (quiet) criticisms that the worker protections in the Prosperity Program are insufficient, particularly after a hundred years of exceptions, loopholes, and economic changes. The ban on labor organizations has been quietly subverted in some ways as workers will occasionally organize as 'social brotherhoods' or even under the banner of the national societies, though they'll typically have to engage in local politics and a not insubstantial amount of graft to avoid crackdowns.

Zimmerwald1915 said:

This argument strikes me as an all-too-typical quester attempt to have our cake and eat it too. The spy does not have militarist or mercantilist allies, we are explicitly told that "her lack of allies in court would make it relatively easy to see her removed when the time came." We would have to cultivate allies after the fact, chasing opportunities as they come up. Earth Kingdom contacts are not a power base in Fire Nation politics, they are foreigners with no voice in the system who are primarily useful as resources spent pursuing Zuko's foreign policy aims.

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Bingo²

[X] a beautiful young woman, clad in the disconcertingly foreign garb so favored by the socialites and debutantes of the Colonies, though such was not a surprise given the fact that she stood foremost among them. While holding no official title, she was a sufficiently Popular Debutante to have attracted attention even within the home isles, an unusual feat for one so disadvantaged by the nature of their lineage. That alone was not sufficient to warrant her for this position, however; the fact that she'd carried modernist politics to the colonies was far more relevant to their reasons for meeting here tonight. The salons, reading groups, and rallies that she'd played a role in were… numerous, to say the least, and extended to those within the Fire Nation proper, where she was apparently seen as a prime exemplar of their goals. [Eloquent, Passionate, Popular Debutante, Modernist Inclination, Mid 30s]

[X] family code reform, where she's taken the controversial position of arguing for the reform of the family code set out by Sozin a century ago. The family code lays down standardized national laws around marriage, divorce, abuse, adoption, and inheritance. The code notably restricts divorce, mandates single-child inheritance, restricts domestic abuse, and bans homosexuality. While it has since come to be lauded by some as a defense of the family, there is a quiet movement for its form; supporting such openly would be controversial, but has the potential to be a somewhat popular move should it succeed.

[X] family code reform, where she's taken the controversial position of arguing for the reform of the family code set out by Sozin a century ago. The family code lays down standardized national laws around marriage, divorce, abuse, adoption, and inheritance. The code notably restricts divorce, mandates single-child inheritance, restricts domestic abuse, and bans homosexuality. While it has since come to be lauded by some as a defense of the family, there is a quiet movement for its form; supporting such openly would be controversial, but has the potential to be a somewhat popular move should it succeed.

Have no strong opinions on anything else.

[X] a beautiful young woman, clad in the disconcertingly foreign garb so favored by the socialites and debutantes of the Colonies, though such was not a surprise given the fact that she stood foremost among them. While holding no official title, she was a sufficiently Popular Debutante to have attracted attention even within the home isles, an unusual feat for one so disadvantaged by the nature of their lineage. That alone was not sufficient to warrant her for this position, however; the fact that she'd carried modernist politics to the colonies was far more relevant to their reasons for meeting here tonight. The salons, reading groups, and rallies that she'd played a role in were… numerous, to say the least, and extended to those within the Fire Nation proper, where she was apparently seen as a prime exemplar of their goals. [Eloquent, Passionate, Popular Debutante, Modernist Inclination, Mid 30s]
[X] bending revitalization, a movement across both the home isles and the colonies that sought to maintain and restore the knowledge of the traditional forms of fire bending, both those of a ritual and cultural nature. Fire dancing, calligraphy, and sky shows were all major features of the movement's efforts, all of which are arts that were significantly deemphasized in the national academies which have since begun to focus primarily on the combat applications of firebending. This is respected among the traditionalists, though lacks broader appeal outside of those who yearn for the largely lost arts of the Fire Nation's past.
[X] natural stewardship, a more politically acceptable term for environmentalism within the context of the Fire Nation. While complaints about pollution have traditionally been dismissed as merely a lack of resolve and endurance, recent movements around natural stewardship have seen success in making arguments for the preservation and restoration of natural environments specifically rooted in the romantic principle of maintaining the beauty of the homeland. This typically plays well with traditionalists and rural populations, though faces the potential for major pushback from the industrial interests of the Fire Nation.
[X] Namiko Morishita

[X] a wiry woman of middle age, possessing a scholar's frame much similar to his; that wasn't much of a surprise given her role as a Scholar-Bureaucrat in Yu Dao, though he found some satisfaction in the idea that intellectuals might once more find influence in the court, even if they were Colonial. His office had dealt with her in the past, her authority over commerce in Yu Dao having made her a necessary contact for the construction of the air fleet, and the things he'd heard were good for the most part. She had little fear of the new but was not an iconoclast or radical; he was told that the mercantilist faction had fostered a healthy partnership with her over the years, in large part due to her influence over colonial commerce. [Tactful, Diligent, Scholar-Bureaucrat, Mercantilist Inclination. Mid 40s]
[X] bending revitalization, a movement across both the home isles and the colonies that sought to maintain and restore the knowledge of the traditional forms of fire bending, both those of a ritual and cultural nature. Fire dancing, calligraphy, and sky shows were all major features of the movement's efforts, all of which are arts that were significantly deemphasized in the national academies which have since begun to focus primarily on the combat applications of firebending. This is respected among the traditionalists, though lacks broader appeal outside of those who yearn for the largely lost arts of the Fire Nation's past.
[X] family code reform, where she's taken the controversial position of arguing for the reform of the family code set out by Sozin a century ago. The family code lays down standardized national laws around marriage, divorce, abuse, adoption, and inheritance. The code notably restricts divorce, mandates single-child inheritance, restricts domestic abuse, and bans homosexuality. While it has since come to be lauded by some as a defense of the family, there is a quiet movement for its form; supporting such openly would be controversial, but has the potential to be a somewhat popular move should it succeed.
[X] Namiko Morishita…"

After thinking things through I'm going to have to go with this. While the spy could give options, they have no baseline support anywhere in the court meaning that the first time we do something people don't like, they can easily move against us. The people that control the money and resources on the other hand.....

Approval voting. I don't have a preference as to name.

[X] a wiry woman of middle age, possessing a scholar's frame much similar to his; that wasn't much of a surprise given her role as a Scholar-Bureaucrat in Yu Dao, though he found some satisfaction in the idea that intellectuals might once more find influence in the court, even if they were Colonial. His office had dealt with her in the past, her authority over commerce in Yu Dao having made her a necessary contact for the construction of the air fleet, and the things he'd heard were good for the most part. She had little fear of the new but was not an iconoclast or radical; he was told that the mercantilist faction had fostered a healthy partnership with her over the years, in large part due to her influence over colonial commerce. [Tactful, Diligent, Scholar-Bureaucrat, Mercantilist Inclination. Mid 40s]

[X] a beautiful young woman, clad in the disconcertingly foreign garb so favored by the socialites and debutantes of the Colonies, though such was not a surprise given the fact that she stood foremost among them. While holding no official title, she was a sufficiently Popular Debutante to have attracted attention even within the home isles, an unusual feat for one so disadvantaged by the nature of their lineage. That alone was not sufficient to warrant her for this position, however; the fact that she'd carried modernist politics to the colonies was far more relevant to their reasons for meeting here tonight. The salons, reading groups, and rallies that she'd played a role in were… numerous, to say the least, and extended to those within the Fire Nation proper, where she was apparently seen as a prime exemplar of their goals. [Eloquent, Passionate, Popular Debutante, Modernist Inclination, Mid 30s]

[X] public benefit reform, where she'd advocated for the further modernization of Sozin's Prosperity Programs, a wide-ranging package of welfare programs that sought to provide for the health and well-being of the Fire Nation and its people. In recent years, these programs have failed to keep up with modern issues, most notably the labor laws and the national apothecaries. The first is not well fit for the modern needs and risks of the workplace, while the second has failed to integrate modern medicine into treatments. This is a broadly popular position, though one that has the potential to be both expensive and step on toes.

[X] family code reform, where she's taken the controversial position of arguing for the reform of the family code set out by Sozin a century ago. The family code lays down standardized national laws around marriage, divorce, abuse, adoption, and inheritance. The code notably restricts divorce, mandates single-child inheritance, restricts domestic abuse, and bans homosexuality. While it has since come to be lauded by some as a defense of the family, there is a quiet movement for its form; supporting such openly would be controversial, but has the potential to be a somewhat popular move should it succeed.

[X] an imposing older woman, possessing a soldier's build, though such was to be expected from an officer in the Colonial Security Forces. While technically just a state-backed militia, the Colonial Security Forces had long filled a similar role to that of the Domestic Forces for the colonies, handling inter-colonial policing and territorial defense in situations where the army proved insufficient. The formalization of the CSF had come in the last years of Azulon's rule, the generals having advocated for the formalization of existing colonial militias, and it was an open secret that she held close ties with the militarist faction in court. [Willful, Honorable, Colonial Officer, Mild Militarist Inclinations, Early 50s]
[X] a wiry woman of middle age, possessing a scholar's frame much similar to his; that wasn't much of a surprise given her role as a Scholar-Bureaucrat in Yu Dao, though he found some satisfaction in the idea that intellectuals might once more find influence in the court, even if they were Colonial. His office had dealt with her in the past, her authority over commerce in Yu Dao having made her a necessary contact for the construction of the air fleet, and the things he'd heard were good for the most part. She had little fear of the new but was not an iconoclast or radical; he was told that the mercantilist faction had fostered a healthy partnership with her over the years, in large part due to her influence over colonial commerce. [Tactful, Diligent, Scholar-Bureaucrat, Mercantilist Inclination. Mid 40s]
[X] bending revitalization, a movement across both the home isles and the colonies that sought to maintain and restore the knowledge of the traditional forms of fire bending, both those of a ritual and cultural nature. Fire dancing, calligraphy, and sky shows were all major features of the movement's efforts, all of which are arts that were significantly deemphasized in the national academies which have since begun to focus primarily on the combat applications of firebending. This is respected among the traditionalists, though lacks broader appeal outside of those who yearn for the largely lost arts of the Fire Nation's past.
[X] Unagi Morishita

Granite said:

The Civil Code formally bans labor organizations in any form

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Out of curiosity: Sozin thing or a recent innovation? I don't think he'd of had labor unions to deal with back in the day but I guess Guilds exist and would need to be crushed for his sort of innovative program.

[X] a beautiful young woman, clad in the disconcertingly foreign garb so favored by the socialites and debutantes of the Colonies, though such was not a surprise given the fact that she stood foremost among them. While holding no official title, she was a sufficiently Popular Debutante to have attracted attention even within the home isles, an unusual feat for one so disadvantaged by the nature of their lineage. That alone was not sufficient to warrant her for this position, however; the fact that she'd carried modernist politics to the colonies was far more relevant to their reasons for meeting here tonight. The salons, reading groups, and rallies that she'd played a role in were… numerous, to say the least, and extended to those within the Fire Nation proper, where she was apparently seen as a prime exemplar of their goals. [Eloquent, Passionate, Popular Debutante, Modernist Inclination, Mid 30s]

[X] bending revitalization, a movement across both the home isles and the colonies that sought to maintain and restore the knowledge of the traditional forms of fire bending, both those of a ritual and cultural nature. Fire dancing, calligraphy, and sky shows were all major features of the movement's efforts, all of which are arts that were significantly deemphasized in the national academies which have since begun to focus primarily on the combat applications of firebending. This is respected among the traditionalists, though lacks broader appeal outside of those who yearn for the largely lost arts of the Fire Nation's past.

[X] Kaminari Morishita…"

I think this is a good combination to quickly get on Zuko's good side and to cement a popular power among the citizenry.

jwolfe_beta said:

After thinking things through I'm going to have to go with this. While the spy could give options, they have no baseline support anywhere in the court meaning that the first time we do something people don't like, they can easily move against us. The people that control the money and resources on the other hand.....

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Thing to remember though: we do not serve at the pleasure of the court, we serve at the pleasure of the Fire Lord. A Fire lord, who is inclined to distrust a highly nationalistic court of facists. Serve him well, deliver peace, and we could fasten ourselves to his mast.

[X] a wiry woman of middle age, possessing a scholar's frame much similar to his; that wasn't much of a surprise given her role as a Scholar-Bureaucrat in Yu Dao, though he found some satisfaction in the idea that intellectuals might once more find influence in the court, even if they were Colonial. His office had dealt with her in the past, her authority over commerce in Yu Dao having made her a necessary contact for the construction of the air fleet, and the things he'd heard were good for the most part. She had little fear of the new but was not an iconoclast or radical; he was told that the mercantilist faction had fostered a healthy partnership with her over the years, in large part due to her influence over colonial commerce. [Tactful, Diligent, Scholar-Bureaucrat, Mercantilist Inclination. Mid 40s]

I believe economic understanding is absolutly nessecary for this boondoggle of a goverment to work.

Earl Warren said:

Thing to remember though: we do not serve at the pleasure of the court, we serve at the pleasure of the Fire Lord. A Fire lord, who is inclined to distrust a highly nationalistic court of facists. Serve him well, deliver peace, and we could fasten ourselves to his mast.

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That's still a precarious position. In-character we do not know if Zuko rewards loyalty or results, or if he tends to keep faith himself. So without a party of supporters with his ear, we could be one change of mind or lost Agni Kai from dismissal.

[X] an imposing older woman, possessing a soldier's build, though such was to be expected from an officer in the Colonial Security Forces. While technically just a state-backed militia, the Colonial Security Forces had long filled a similar role to that of the Domestic Forces for the colonies, handling inter-colonial policing and territorial defense in situations where the army proved insufficient. The formalization of the CSF had come in the last years of Azulon's rule, the generals having advocated for the formalization of existing colonial militias, and it was an open secret that she held close ties with the militarist faction in court. [Willful, Honorable, Colonial Officer, Mild Militarist Inclinations, Early 50s]
[X] a beautiful young woman, clad in the disconcertingly foreign garb so favored by the socialites and debutantes of the Colonies, though such was not a surprise given the fact that she stood foremost among them. While holding no official title, she was a sufficiently Popular Debutante to have attracted attention even within the home isles, an unusual feat for one so disadvantaged by the nature of their lineage. That alone was not sufficient to warrant her for this position, however; the fact that she'd carried modernist politics to the colonies was far more relevant to their reasons for meeting here tonight. The salons, reading groups, and rallies that she'd played a role in were… numerous, to say the least, and extended to those within the Fire Nation proper, where she was apparently seen as a prime exemplar of their goals. [Eloquent, Passionate, Popular Debutante, Modernist Inclination, Mid 30s]
[X] bending revitalization, a movement across both the home isles and the colonies that sought to maintain and restore the knowledge of the traditional forms of fire bending, both those of a ritual and cultural nature. Fire dancing, calligraphy, and sky shows were all major features of the movement's efforts, all of which are arts that were significantly deemphasized in the national academies which have since begun to focus primarily on the combat applications of firebending. This is respected among the traditionalists, though lacks broader appeal outside of those who yearn for the largely lost arts of the Fire Nation's past.
[X] natural stewardship, a more politically acceptable term for environmentalism within the context of the Fire Nation. While complaints about pollution have traditionally been dismissed as merely a lack of resolve and endurance, recent movements around natural stewardship have seen success in making arguments for the preservation and restoration of natural environments specifically rooted in the romantic principle of maintaining the beauty of the homeland. This typically plays well with traditionalists and rural populations, though faces the potential for major pushback from the industrial interests of the Fire Nation.

As I said before. I like the idea of the new chancellor having a broad and significant support base outside of the fire court rather than inside it, if only to throw our political enemies for a loop.

The officer is my second pick. Given the amount of influence the army will have on most reforms, her military connections could prove very valuable to smooth things over or get more insights into that minefield.

Earl Warren said:

Out of curiosity: Sozin thing or a recent innovation? I don't think he'd of had labor unions to deal with back in the day but I guess Guilds exist and would need to be crushed for his sort of innovative program.

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Excellent question! It was initially intended to break the power of guilds to allow for the emergence of new industries and innovations. Under the reign of Azulon, it was extended to include trade unions and other such organizations.

Earl Warren said:

Out of curiosity: Sozin thing or a recent innovation? I don't think he'd of had labor unions to deal with back in the day but I guess Guilds exist and would need to be crushed for his sort of innovative program.

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It sounds like the Labor Code came down almost wholesale from Sozin's day as did the Prosperity Program, and that he was primarily concerned with smashing such guilds as existed (though early trade unions would not have been unknown to him, they arise more or less in tandem with industrial labor rather than post-dating it by a significant amount).Preempted by WoG.

The possibility of legitimizing the Social Brotherhoods is a significant draw of the Popular Debutante, though these almost certainly are dominated by nativist if not outright fascist politics at the moment.

[X] a beautiful young woman, clad in the disconcertingly foreign garb so favored by the socialites and debutantes of the Colonies, though such was not a surprise given the fact that she stood foremost among them. While holding no official title, she was a sufficiently Popular Debutante to have attracted attention even within the home isles, an unusual feat for one so disadvantaged by the nature of their lineage. That alone was not sufficient to warrant her for this position, however; the fact that she'd carried modernist politics to the colonies was far more relevant to their reasons for meeting here tonight. The salons, reading groups, and rallies that she'd played a role in were… numerous, to say the least, and extended to those within the Fire Nation proper, where she was apparently seen as a prime exemplar of their goals. [Eloquent, Passionate, Popular Debutante, Modernist Inclination, Mid 30s]
[X] bending revitalization, a movement across both the home isles and the colonies that sought to maintain and restore the knowledge of the traditional forms of fire bending, both those of a ritual and cultural nature. Fire dancing, calligraphy, and sky shows were all major features of the movement's efforts, all of which are arts that were significantly deemphasized in the national academies which have since begun to focus primarily on the combat applications of firebending. This is respected among the traditionalists, though lacks broader appeal outside of those who yearn for the largely lost arts of the Fire Nation's past
[X] Namiko Morishita…"

[X] a beautiful young woman, clad in the disconcertingly foreign garb so favored by the socialites and debutantes of the Colonies, though such was not a surprise given the fact that she stood foremost among them. While holding no official title, she was a sufficiently Popular Debutante to have attracted attention even within the home isles, an unusual feat for one so disadvantaged by the nature of their lineage. That alone was not sufficient to warrant her for this position, however; the fact that she'd carried modernist politics to the colonies was far more relevant to their reasons for meeting here tonight. The salons, reading groups, and rallies that she'd played a role in were… numerous, to say the least, and extended to those within the Fire Nation proper, where she was apparently seen as a prime exemplar of their goals. [Eloquent, Passionate, Popular Debutante, Modernist Inclination, Mid 30s]

[X] bending revitalization, a movement across both the home isles and the colonies that sought to maintain and restore the knowledge of the traditional forms of fire bending, both those of a ritual and cultural nature. Fire dancing, calligraphy, and sky shows were all major features of the movement's efforts, all of which are arts that were significantly deemphasized in the national academies which have since begun to focus primarily on the combat applications of firebending. This is respected among the traditionalists, though lacks broader appeal outside of those who yearn for the largely lost arts of the Fire Nation's past