Siap
23-03-2006, 00:41
The Sages do not accumulate things.
Yet the more they have done for others
The more they have gained for themselves;
The more they have given to others,
The more they have gotten themselves
-The Dao De Jing
The current government of Siap is somewhat of an enigma. It is impossible to say when the last notions of the Republic fell and when the commune rose. Of course there was bloodshed along the way, and minor skirmishes, but those occured while the government still existed. Outsiders who put Siapians at the butt of their jokes equate leading Siapians to herding cats. Siapians are, by nature I suppose, picky about who they allow to lead them. The history of Siap is not entirely written in blood, and government has been known to change hands by the people simply ignoring the edicts of their leaders and proceeding with their affairs. Once an unfortunate monarch attempted to take absolute control of a province, and garrisoned himself for what he felt would be a popular uprising. But he faced no resistance and discovered his kingdom had simply packed up and moved. Whether this legend is true or not is unimportant. What is true is that the Siapian people were no longer adhereing to a governmental body. Yet the trains came on time. The factories still run. Taxes were still paid. The only difference that anyone would really notice is that asking a Siapian who leads his people would yield a blank stare and perhaps a passive "I d'no". The people were to independant to be led, I suppose, but too calm (or lazy) to loot and riot.
There are those (Including yours humbly) who believe that the history of Siap can be understood in the context of ten families. The legend says that ten families first occupied the islands, and the ten families united their collective holdings to form the oligarchy. And though the records from the time have long since fallen victim to the forces of history and the finite memory of man, it is rumored that the influence of these ten families continued to permeate the Siapian society even into modern day.
Some of these families are well known to Siapians and, to some extent, the world. The Lombard family, one that was remembered for its tradition of public service, and a community of historians believe that Siap reached its apex under the Chancellorship Michael Lombard (I do not agree, but that is a discussion for later). There is the Connor family, a family of honor and courage, some of the best soldiers emerging, Michael Connor among the most celebrated and most tragic. His personal struggle to eradicate what he saw as the ultimate flaw in his nation ended with his liver failing him as he hid, a fugitive of the law and his past, in the Great Forest of Siap. Another family of sheer resourcefulness and ambition to build great cities where there was nothing, with Jack Dobenicz at its head, sought to bring riches to themselves and their land, culminating in the veritable empire that is Skyetech Industries. And the last of the families who chose, or were subjected to a public life: the Romanokovskis. It has been said that for balance to exist, light must come with dark. The Romanokovski family is one of the families that dealt with those on the outside of the law. Some would say they provided the balance against the long arm of the law.
Inexorably, conflict arose within the families. The Romanokovski family had expanded into the field of drug, arms and human trafficking (despite the repeal of the serf laws). They used their wealth to crush opposition in the street wars while purchasing fronts to protect their activities. They held an iron grip over vice and graft that infected the Lombard administration. While the military was engaged in fighting abroad and the populace was fighting amongst themselves at home, the families fought within themselves. Even though the military was returned home and eventually disbanded and the riots were quelled, the war of the families dragged on. The consequences for the families were disastrous, with Michael Lombard losing the election that year and along with it, his political clout. Michael Connor became a fugitive and went into hiding. Several dozen mysterious deaths took place, each one ruled accidental, and economic fluctuations were such that a small recession took place. In the end, it was resolved and the Romanokovski family fled the nation, eventually gaining absolute power in Ceyolia, several hundred miles away from Siap.
After this, the families retreated into their own affairs, as did the entire nation for some time. And eventually the foundations of Siapian government faded away, and the commune formed. But, Noblesse Oblige prevailed, and while the commune could still exist, they would need someone to watch over them...
***
Esmund park was relatively empty. It sat gently in the shadow of the now-abandoned High Council office. Nine people entered the park from different directions. Some had come by limousine, some by bicycle. Some walked and some descended ascended from the metro station, tucked away just outside the park. urrounding
Yet the more they have done for others
The more they have gained for themselves;
The more they have given to others,
The more they have gotten themselves
-The Dao De Jing
The current government of Siap is somewhat of an enigma. It is impossible to say when the last notions of the Republic fell and when the commune rose. Of course there was bloodshed along the way, and minor skirmishes, but those occured while the government still existed. Outsiders who put Siapians at the butt of their jokes equate leading Siapians to herding cats. Siapians are, by nature I suppose, picky about who they allow to lead them. The history of Siap is not entirely written in blood, and government has been known to change hands by the people simply ignoring the edicts of their leaders and proceeding with their affairs. Once an unfortunate monarch attempted to take absolute control of a province, and garrisoned himself for what he felt would be a popular uprising. But he faced no resistance and discovered his kingdom had simply packed up and moved. Whether this legend is true or not is unimportant. What is true is that the Siapian people were no longer adhereing to a governmental body. Yet the trains came on time. The factories still run. Taxes were still paid. The only difference that anyone would really notice is that asking a Siapian who leads his people would yield a blank stare and perhaps a passive "I d'no". The people were to independant to be led, I suppose, but too calm (or lazy) to loot and riot.
There are those (Including yours humbly) who believe that the history of Siap can be understood in the context of ten families. The legend says that ten families first occupied the islands, and the ten families united their collective holdings to form the oligarchy. And though the records from the time have long since fallen victim to the forces of history and the finite memory of man, it is rumored that the influence of these ten families continued to permeate the Siapian society even into modern day.
Some of these families are well known to Siapians and, to some extent, the world. The Lombard family, one that was remembered for its tradition of public service, and a community of historians believe that Siap reached its apex under the Chancellorship Michael Lombard (I do not agree, but that is a discussion for later). There is the Connor family, a family of honor and courage, some of the best soldiers emerging, Michael Connor among the most celebrated and most tragic. His personal struggle to eradicate what he saw as the ultimate flaw in his nation ended with his liver failing him as he hid, a fugitive of the law and his past, in the Great Forest of Siap. Another family of sheer resourcefulness and ambition to build great cities where there was nothing, with Jack Dobenicz at its head, sought to bring riches to themselves and their land, culminating in the veritable empire that is Skyetech Industries. And the last of the families who chose, or were subjected to a public life: the Romanokovskis. It has been said that for balance to exist, light must come with dark. The Romanokovski family is one of the families that dealt with those on the outside of the law. Some would say they provided the balance against the long arm of the law.
Inexorably, conflict arose within the families. The Romanokovski family had expanded into the field of drug, arms and human trafficking (despite the repeal of the serf laws). They used their wealth to crush opposition in the street wars while purchasing fronts to protect their activities. They held an iron grip over vice and graft that infected the Lombard administration. While the military was engaged in fighting abroad and the populace was fighting amongst themselves at home, the families fought within themselves. Even though the military was returned home and eventually disbanded and the riots were quelled, the war of the families dragged on. The consequences for the families were disastrous, with Michael Lombard losing the election that year and along with it, his political clout. Michael Connor became a fugitive and went into hiding. Several dozen mysterious deaths took place, each one ruled accidental, and economic fluctuations were such that a small recession took place. In the end, it was resolved and the Romanokovski family fled the nation, eventually gaining absolute power in Ceyolia, several hundred miles away from Siap.
After this, the families retreated into their own affairs, as did the entire nation for some time. And eventually the foundations of Siapian government faded away, and the commune formed. But, Noblesse Oblige prevailed, and while the commune could still exist, they would need someone to watch over them...
***
Esmund park was relatively empty. It sat gently in the shadow of the now-abandoned High Council office. Nine people entered the park from different directions. Some had come by limousine, some by bicycle. Some walked and some descended ascended from the metro station, tucked away just outside the park. urrounding