IC -- Vote for Mayor!

[sythyry]

Kismirth needs a mayor. That's less than a duke. (We won't have a duke at all. I'm going to have a couple of ducal powers ((1) I own the whole city (because I made it), and (2) I can veto various things), but I did such a bad job of ruling Castle Wrong and Strayway that I do not want to try to be the mayor of Kismirth.)

So, who should be our first mayor? [This person's term will have started a few years before the Feralan story. But I will use the results of this vote. -bb]

So here's what our candidates say about themselves:

• Arfaen: I'm gentle and I can run a kitchen, even a pretty big and complicated restaurant-style kitchen. I'm a low-status Cani, so I won't be a mean and overbearing kind of mayor, but I do know how to get stuff done. Also Sythyry's my concubine, so that would concentrate the power in the city in one bedroom, which might be a good thing while we're getting started, though it might get a bit tyrannical (or maybe just ducal) if we keep it going too long.
• Grinwipey: Wait, what? I'll be shoggled in my own butterfunk if I gotta be mayor! How c'n I get rich breaking the laws of Kismirth if I gotta do the laws of Kismirth? I ain't gonna may for you and that's a fact that you can cram in your windpipe and smoke it!
• Inconnu: I'm fearless and dashing and glamorous -- just what Kismirth needs as a public face when we're trying to get established as a very wonderful place one must visit! And I exemplify the fun side of transaffection better than anyone!
• Jyondre: I am perhaps the most sensible person in the core Strayway crew. I do not fear to take action, but I do not stupidly charge into action either. Yerenthax and I exemplify the devoted side of transaffection better than anyone.
• Phaniet: I'm very organized and very good at organizing people, which is crucial for a young city. I have considerable personal power, and can get people to do what needs to be done in a number of ways. And, if we're going on the basis of transaffection, I have been Este's partner for decades; we are what any traff couple should aspire to.
• Prince Rastomil: Well, my main qualification for being mayor is being royal. I suppose I can handle the symbolic aspects of the role adequately. But I have many other qualifications as well! I am inadequate as a degenerate and a lush, and will come to work sober more often than not. I have considerable experience at being enchanted in horrible ways and lounging around for weeks in the body of an older woman, which gives me a unique perspective which I very much hope will not be relevant for anyone in Kismirth ever again. I have failed to get married, and done so in an exceedingly dramatic way. I am not quite sure which of these is a good thing for a mayor. Still, if I am elected mayor, I daresay I will keep Kismirth in the broadsheets quite well. Occasionally, by accident, it might even turn out to be in a good way.
• Someone New: I am not any of these people! I surely have other virtues and flaws as well!

[Poll #1778966]

Comments

[ionotter.livejournal.com]

Of all the Wrongfolk to be submitted, I think Prince Rastomil is the best choice. He knows little about governing, but quite a bit about being governed, or more specifically, being used. Which means he'll be the least likely to do it himself, or permit it to be done to anyone else. That's a rare trait for a leader.

And he's smart enough to get out of trouble once he gets into the swing of things, but also dumb enough to make things fun for everyone involved. And because he's technically an "outsider", that frees up all the other Wrongfolk to give him help, should he need or ask for it. Or even knows about it, for that matter.

[terrana.livejournal.com]

Hezimikkinen said no, then?

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

We decided not to aks.

[relee.livejournal.com]

Don't you have to hire someone from the Politicians guild to do that?

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Oh, great staring gods -- does your world have a Politician's Guild? That sounds like the worst of all possible guilds!

[stormydragon.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's called the Bar Association.

[kensan-oni.livejournal.com]

I want to vote twice! I think someone new should run! Like a Sleeth! We need a Sleeth for Mayor! Mostly does nothing, but always seems to know about everything, and people for no reason what so ever just double think about causing the mayor problems.

... We also need someone living BACKWARDS... but that's just one of those Oops things that happen when you fiddle with time.

[kensan-oni.livejournal.com]

Guilds. Plural. Yes. At different levels, doing different things! For Many Different Bodies!

[tracerj.livejournal.com]

My first thought upon seeing the question, "Who should be the first mayor of Kismirth?" was that we needed one more....

"Who should quickly thereafter be the second mayor of Kismirth?"

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Heh. That may come!

[koogrr.livejournal.com]

Oh no, please no more River Sues.

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

What is a River Sue? Aside from a river in Sudan.

[kris-schnee.livejournal.com]

"How c'n I get rich breaking the laws of Kismirth if I gotta do the laws of Kismirth?"

My tentacled friend, you have a lot to learn about politics! Try stumbling into an exceedingly lucky series of land deals -- that's the popular thing lately with our parties. Or with your sewing skills you could be some kind of... tweed boss.

[kris-schnee.livejournal.com]

"Our job is to make things grey." -My first and last boss as a lawyer. Elaborated as, our job is to create ambiguity, difficulty and expense. (There is a flipside to those words, but it's beyond the scope of a silly comment.)

[kris-schnee.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I said Phaniet for her proven skills, but you have a good point. Rastomil seems to be someone who'd be competent enough to do the job, yet humble and reluctant enough to not abuse the position much.

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

Phaniet is not generally too much fettered by humility!

[redbird]

I voted for Phaniet, but you might do worse than have someone like Rastomil as the public face of the city while Phaniet makes sure things keep running well. Phaniet seems better suited to making sure the garbage is collected, roads maintained, and such.

A very long time ago, the city I live in had an Official Greeter. His job was exactly that: to welcome important/prestigious visitors. The same man was Official Greeter for a long time, with one mayor after another being elected and running the city. (Some places in my world have people with titles like "Grand Duke" or "Queen" who in practice do that sort of thing.)

[gavinfox.livejournal.com]

To be precise, Stormy is referring to something like the Attorney's, Lawyer's, Advocate's, or Barrister's guild. I don't know how the terms will be translated or which is a more precise match to your world, so I just used all the ones I could find.

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

[Hanija had a solicitor/barrister division of a sort. Other places that have been visited had a more lawyerly concept.]

[terrycloth.livejournal.com]

Phaniet's the only one who'd truly enjoy being the ruler of Kismirth. As a bonus, she's an expert in convincing you not to veto her ideas even when they are very bad (see, Vindication). Only Phaniet could bring the Doom and Excitement we've come to expect from your exploits.

Phaniet for Mayor!

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

While I adore Phaniet and Arfaen, I think you need someone new or possibly Prince Rastomil to be the Mayor and take the fall should things go bad, so Phaniet can quietly continue to run things from the shadows!

[sythyry.livejournal.com]

I wonder if Phaniet should have been Zemi's assistant, not mine?

[cowboy-r.livejournal.com]

Oh, the pun! The Pun! How it burns us, precious!

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

I think Phaniet finds you more endearing. ^_^

[cowboy-r.livejournal.com]

I like Rastomil for Mayor... but I simply can not tell you how tempted I was to vote for Grinwipey.