The Antics of Children

It seems that the Lance have taken to Thomas baiting. They made this move even before Kya was fired from the Deputy position. It's a very interesting political move, when the majority of the Carthians weren't directly antagonistic towards them. Our members mocked them, as they do the other Covenants. If we were directly antagonistic, we would have been targeting them for a lot worse.

I suppose they could be trying to use it to attack the Crones. It seems a silly tactic to use. "We should make the guy most likely to tear us apart frenzy on us. Yeh! That's a great idea!" Go Lars baiting instead. He's less likely to be able to do real harm to them in a frenzy.

Combine this behavior with their Covenant foul ups, and they may end up turning the entirety of the rest of the Domain against them. They must be taking cues from the same playbook that Kessa's Invictus did.

I only hope I can keep Thomas from killing the lot of them.

Thoughts Since the Re-awakening

Modern travel is decidedly more comfortable than it was. Everything is lit and services are available at all hours. It's easier to be us in a lot of ways. Nobody thinks it odd when a fellow in a truck pulls in and fills up at 2 a.m. I do have a box full of random food though. They think it odd if you fill up and don't purchase a soda pop or snack of some kind. Maybe I will drop that box by the homeless shelter. It'll give those folks a treat.

I've gotten awful used to the way things run in the West. Firearms are just an accepted fact out here. The once or twice I've been pulled over by highway patrol, they don't even look twice at the rifle. The only comment it elicits is chit chat about caliber and usefulness on the deer hunt. I've gotten out these ticket with simple chit chat, no need for violating their free will.

Traveling East was a lot more interesting. It's a good thing that I have a lot of self-control. On my one traffic stop, a lady cop in the Midwest commented on the rifle compensating for my height. She seemed shocked when I just signed her ticket and thanked her for her service. Just cuz you're country doesn't mean your a misogynist. That lady cop will never know how long I've supported her right to be a lady cop. Maybe I'll send her a long rifle for the holidays.

My mapping's coming along. I need to buy a large world wall map and those tacks with the little flags on them. That way, I can write notes on the flags and tack things out. The scribbles in my atlas have started to get illegible. I'm sure there's wall space in my house for such a thing.

Atlanta was largely a waste of time. The assholes there were too busy trying to stab each other and play political games to usefully exchange any kind of information. I got more out of my visit with Tommy Twotone in California.

The Movement's obsession with the Meritocracy experiment is irritating as well. The Meritocracy is just the Movement executing the Invictus ideal better than the Invictus do. Maybe I'm getting a little long in the tooth, but all the rabble rousing and running about is wearing on me. It's especially bad when the rabble rousing only accomplishes Invictus goals. Perhaps we should make "Animal Farm" required reading for all new Carthians. It's a great analogy for what Meritocracies really are. Carthian Domains should be a crazy quilt of ideas and Experiments, not a spreading "empire" that enforces uniform laws across multiple Domains.

Another Experiment

My governmental model seems to be underway, despite a few hiccups. The people even seem happy with it. I'm sure I will find out when I get shot, stabbed or otherwise mutilated that the people aren't happy.

My new experiment is with a diplomatic forum for the heads of state within Kindred Society. I don't care if they call themselves Imperitor, Prince, Citizen Prince, First Among Equals, President, etc.; it's all variations on a theme. Its up and active and I've had a few nibbles. Lets see where it goes.

Death of an ally

Things have gotten worse. It seems that Rose and her friends went back to Sacramento to confront its Prince, against better judgement. She is now in the hands of the Savage family. Rose walks into trouble and expects to be plucked out of it. She's a loudmouthed troublemaker. As a result of this fellow named DM is dead, along with several others. DM was a simple man who could be easily directed by those he trusted. DM stuck to me like glue whenever we were in the same place at the same time. I only wish he'd taken up my offer of a place to stay in Utah.

This is one of those situations that makes me wonder 'if.' Would this have happened if I had not left Modesto?

Who the hell?

So-called Arch-mandrate Seraphim, claiming acting Metropolitan of Salt Lake City...

Who the hell is this Unacknowledged idiot that insults an officer of the court on an international forum? He claims titles within our Domain and I have never seen or met the man. He has one week to contact me before I provide his private haven's address to people that will bring him to me.

Princely Pondering...

I'm debating declaring us a sanctuary Domain. When other Domains go up in flames, anyone dodging the violence can come stay with us. Their covenant or clan doesn't matter, they just need to follow our Domain's rules is all. This thought came out when the sniping between the Carthians and Invictus of Los Angeles started up again. Some of my local Carthian brothers asked me to give sanctuary to any of our brothers and sisters caught in the mess. When I got elected, I pushed my idea of every individual Kindred being equal under the law. So, I will not limit it just to my Carthian brothers and sisters. To limit it so would violate my very own principles.

Shit storm

I just started one. Hopefully it works.