One could argue that laws are merely morals made manifest into rules."
"For all political ideology is philosophically and morally based."
"But what makes something moral changes from year to year, century to century."
"And what is important is not what is immoral but why it is immoral."
"A simple question one may ask could be what makes stealing wrong?"
"Is it the fact that you took something that isn't yours?"
"Is it the fact that someone gets hurt by the stealing both materially and emotionally?"
"Is it something else entirely?"
"For rulers, the most important thing as it is your ability to manage and to see right from wrong and implement what is right…."
"And gives you your right to rule whether it be mandated by bloodline, the people or even a higher power.
Reginald Coulan, creator and head of House Aurellion in dynasties online.
….
Back at House Aurellions camp, Railius was attentively attending a lesson that Baron Malwin put on for him. He was sitting at a makeshift wooden desk alone later when all of the Pelican Guards and their families arrived at their little safe haven, he would have a few people to study with. Currently, the lesson that Railius was having was on morales and philosophy as these are the basis of politics and good governance as it is only logical to make that which is morally right into law, which is why a great ruler requires a good set of morals to base his governance off.
"My lord, what gives someone the right to rule?"
Malwin asked, his tone taking on a teacherly elegance, interested in his lords' opinion, making his approach to education not traditional where you look at past scholars and their thoughts. Instead, all he cared about was not where these ideas came from but the ideas themselves and their viability, always asking questions and encouraging his students to think deeply.
"The support of the people, benevolent policies and competency!"
Railius said with confidence.
"And of those, which is most important?"
The baron asked, watching the young lord's expression change into one deep in thought as he stared at the sky through the tent flap. The silence lingered for 5 minutes as Malwin waited calmly for Railius while taking a sip from a steamy cup of tea that rested on a small table next to him before the boy began to speak.
"Benevolent policies."
Railius said in his small childish voice before justifying his decision.
"The support of the people can be won over by either competent government or benevolent policies, so to have one is to have the other, and if you fail to rule well, even if you start off loved, you will eventually be hated and overthrown by your disgruntled subjects."
"Competency is important, but even if someone is competent, that competency can be turned quickly into tyranny as nothing is worse than a competent corrupt minister or ruler, for they will have the ability to maintain their rule while making the people suffer and lose all hope creating an era of despair for the people and slowly sapping his territory of life."
"As such, benevolent policies and just rule is the most important aspect of a ruler as with a just rule you can gain your people's love and support and with the support of the people and a strong set of morals a ruler can choose capable yet virtuous people to assist him creating a new golden age for his territory."
"Whether or not this man had the support of the people or was competent, as long as they were benevolent in their rule, their land will be stable, and men of talent and virtue will be attracted to serve."
"But one must not forget human nature or its potential for both greed and kindness and that to create a country and land for humans or any other sentient being. You must be able to harness the power of all emotions whether they are perceived to be good or bad. Even if, on the surface, these feelings seem evil, many can still be used for the cause of good."
Railius said, laying out his opinion unafraid of receiving any backlash or consequences for saying the wrong things or having evil thoughts as all the men who serve him currently were AI's and only the friend system or administrators of DO could look on what he was doing, unlike other businessmen James Larant and his company had respect for someone's privacy and was very careful with what he released to the public.
"What about bloodline? Would someone's bloodline not be important?"
The Baron asked, his eyebrows raised as he paid more and more attention to his young students' answers. Over the past hour or so, Malwin had been impressed by Railius, who seemed to have a strong, if not…. Odd moral foundation.
"Why would bloodline be important? There have been stupid and terrible kings despite coming from an illustrious backgrounds and virtuous, capable ministers despite coming from a poorer, more common background! Wasn't my father himself a commoner who, through fighting, gained a noble rank and helped establish one of the biggest powers on the continent?"
"If background and bloodline were so important, there would be no corrupt aristocrats and no virtuous commoners! Just look at the Duke of Deterner! Despite a history of 500 years, with most of that being of illustrious service to the crown and virtuous government, he has turned his duchy into a cesspit of corruption with his endless greed."
"You could even argue that he is disrespecting his ancestors!"
Railius said at this, Malwin smiled, for while he held a similar view of the world, it did not stop him from making the other side of the argument and sharing differing perspectives of the world.
"While bloodline does not usually matter when it comes to politics, power or a man's virtue, there are times when it is important as it can dictate the atmosphere you grow up in, and that atmosphere, in turn, can decide how someone grows or thinks."
"When a sentient being, regardless of race, is born, they are like a blank piece of paper, and the events that happen to them in their life and their upbringing is like the ink that fills this paper, slowly turning into a book dictating who they are and helping to mould their personality."
"Their thoughts, feelings, morals, likes and dislikes all can be found within pages of the complex book that makes up a person's life."
"A noble or powerful family usually has some sort of traditions behind them, and while no possessing no innate natural power or virtue comes from your bloodline apart from racial affinities, what it can represent is different."
"As your bloodline represents your family and all its traditions and inheritable traits."
The Baron said, beginning his lecture.
"Take, for example, your own family and bloodline, my lord. Without it, you would not have a unique unit that is loyal to your family to the death or the ability to be educated by someone like me or even able to offer your subordinates or their families a similar education."
"Without your bloodline, you would not have the service of the Grandmaster of Loyalty Leon Mantelon to train you in combat and the art of war. After all, he was one of the best vanguard generals in Chavaria and so has much to offer you in terms of experience, even if he has been inactive for the past 10 years to protect you at your father's command."
"A family of generals is likely to produce good generals and means that even those in their family with little talent can at least become competent if they work hard enough as they will have the resources and connections required to stimulate any talent for leading men in battle."
"Whether it is through military books, doctrine or teachings passed down by their parents to them or to receiving a disciplined upbringing or even to gaining extraordinary skill in martial arts, all of this is more likely to occur and gestate within a general's than a peasants family where the atmosphere and teaching of the parent is right."
"This upbringing and environment have a profound effect on the ink that makes up a person's book and so at times cannot be ignored as human greed and emotion makes one want to pass on their skills, wealth and knowledge to their descendants and loved ones so they can lead a better life."
"This is a truth and part of the nature of all living things, which is why such systems of hereditary nobility, assets and skills exist."
The Baron said and then decided to enlighten his student more.
"Bloodline is also important when creating a multiethnic and cultural county."
The baron said, smiling slightly.
"Why is that? Why would someone's bloodline matter when it comes to who rules a country with many races?"
Railius asked, confused as this went against all the morals that were taught in a modern democratic country where bloodline and race should be irrelevant to who takes power.
"Tell me, my lord, have you ever come across the idea of tribalism?"
Malwin asked, happy to finally find a topic that Railius seemed unfamiliar with as he, from his actions and through his recent days teaching the intelligent young lord, it had become increasingly apparent to him that when it came to politics and ruling the young boy had skills far surpassing his age as even the baron found himself learning a bit from the boy's ideas.
But his young lord was far less educated when it came to the complex issues of morality and societal implications of governmental policy. However, the NPC tutor did not know that most of his morality came from the modern world, giving Railius a solid foundation to work with and an advantage over other NPCs his age, especially as he was mostly mentally 18 years old, even if the game simulated childish emotions for him.
"No, what do tribes have to do with who rules a country based on aristocracy or democracy?"
Railius asked, still confused over this subject.
"Tribalism is the idea that sentient beings naturally gravitate towards those who look and share cultural beliefs with themselves, which is why it is important to have a diverse set of role models that can inspire people of all backgrounds and ethnicities."
"Over a country based on democracy, it is less important for races can cast their vote for one of their own to represent them and with enough people, they won't have to worry about not having their voices heard, but one based on aristocracy it is of vital importance and there is one more time when it is essential."
"Tell me, if two cultures or races create a country together….
"Which of the two races should rule it?"
"Who should become the president or king of the new country and wield executive power? And how can you ensure that the new ruler will not prioritise their one race or culture over another?"
"If you choose only members of one race to be king, then they can discriminate against the other, inadvertently turning them into second-class citizens, and even if the first king does not and treats both races equally, and it does not happen at once over time a divide is likely to be created as people return to old loyalty and tribal lines."
The baron continued giving Railius a governmental dilemma that he had to deal with, as even in his world, conflict and hostility between different ethnic groups was a prominent problem and how a ruler deals with this in a way that ensures long-term stability and prosperity has become a heated topic in politics in the last few hundred years.
"In the long term, this will breed resentment within this race, eventually leading them to rebel, leading to either more restrictive measures to be put on them or the destruction or overthrow of that nation. In extreme cases, this other race may be enslaved, displaced or exterminated if they repeatedly rebel."
"This is especially prevalent in certain elf kingdoms where their longer lifespans and magical affinity make them think that they are blessed by the gods and that as gods' favourite and chosen and as such deserve the world and the subservience of all those within."
"These elves do not realise that the gods create everything in this world, and to say that one sentient being is innately worth more than another just based on their race is a rather dogmatic view, though while you cannot deny that there are those of more intelligence and talent exist this intelligence and talent is not unique to one race as each has their own skills and are of equal worth and so with these skills lacking in their kingdoms they eventually fall behind those like Nathia who have become experts of racial and cultural assimilation and tolerance."
The baron said with destain having a natural hatred of such ideas.
"Who is to say that dwarves who are skilled craftsmen and one of the architects of anti-magic crystals which revolutionised war in the world are any less valuable than an elf skilled at magic."
"Or that orcs who are naturally strong are less valuable to humans who are versatile and can…."
Malwin stopped momentarily as he tried to think of the most appropriate way to say his point to a 10-year-old noble.
"Coupleate with other races, creating a new life with the traits of both present."
Malwin said politely, keeping the conversation appropriate and not distracting the young boy.
"So you're saying that it is impossible for two races to create a country together because eventually it will fall into civil war and fall?"
Railius asked in despair, his eyes burning with indignation as anyone would know that the most powerful country would be one that could blend the unique talents of all these races into one powerful force, and he himself wanted his dynasty to be a mix of many races so he could have dynasty members with a range of skills.
"Of course not! Even kingdoms dominated by one species fall into civil war, and fall it's just that humans possess one quality that is uniquely suited to creating countries that include multiple ethnicities and races."
The baron said before being interrupted by Railius.
"You mean their ability to make offspring with other races."
The young lord of Aurellion asked.
"Exactly that, my lord. If a human marries a person of another race, then they can create children with the bloodline of both. This means that the king and his family will never side with the racist and racial supremacists as it will put their own right to rule at risk. It is also a way of binding the interests of both races together helping to establish harmony and cultural exchange."
"Nathia is a perfect example of this as they have had many interracial marriages and with a diverse set of lords from various races and so many combined interests, much like with the Beastmen and their subraces, one race can never subordinate the others or take too much power."
"This unique bloodline and dynastic history, alongside some wise rulers, create the foundation for the royal family of Nathia's legitimacy and right to rule as under them no race has to worry about being discriminated against and is why their family has been in power for so long, and the dynasty has only changed once in 1000 years, and even the new royal family that took power retained the traditions of the past now extinct one."
"This is also why no one will ever try to replace the royal family of Nathia as long as they don't make moves too big to the point that the powerful landed nobles feel that their interests will be hurt."
"So, as you can see, in certain cases, bloodline and the traditions of one royal house can be essential in their ability to retain power, and as long as you train your successor properly and prevent immoral princes from taking the throne, then your dynasty and their subjects can enjoy a prosperous era together!"
Just as the baron finished his argument, a soldier rushed in his mail soaked in mud and sweat as he entered and interrupted their lesson, delivering a report that made both Malwin and Railius shake their heads, the young boy even wanting to bang his head against a wall in frustration.
"My lord Darius has sent word that they have made contact with a merchant called Ralston, who has made enemies with the duke and is currently escorting him to the capital!"
The messenger said, shivering slightly from the cold.
"He did what?!!"