Choosing a New Dominus
Posted by Manikin on 11/16/20
1) How is the Dominus usually chosen? Are we talking a Pope-style convocation with nobody leaving the room 'till it's done and the smoke and stuff?
2) How steeped in tradition is this process? Is it something that has been passed over in recent memory and everyone was fine with that? Is it generally believed that the Gods won't support anyone who becomes Dominus by any other means? Or is the 'official' way to do it less a code, and more a... guideline?
3) How are people who support the "wrong" Dominus seen? Like, say I'm just Joe Silk, I don't know much about the Faith but I want to do right by the Gods and I do my best to throw my support behind the right guy, but then the other guy wins. Am I going to Arx-hell? Have the Gods turned their back on me? Or are the repercussions I'm almost certainly going to face temporal in nature?
1) Archlectors/Grandmasters and current Legates are called to a Convocation of the Faith, which works very much like a Catholic-style election of the Pope. The leadership of the Faith isolates itself and does not open its doors again until a new Dominus has been chosen. In the case of an Anti-Dominus, it is likely that the Anti-Dominus has chosen at least a few of these positions from followers and quietly held their own ceremony to convey legitimacy.
2) The Convocation is, theoretically, a very important tradition, and part of the grandeur and legitimacy of the Faith. However, as with any tradition, if one can make the case that those holding the traditional seats are corrupt, and gain the moral and military authority to be seen as more legitimate than those individuals, the tradition itself will not be enough to retain power. In the Crownbreaker Wars, for example, the 'legitimate' Dominus was considered a puppet of the Thrax monarchy by many, and his credibility suffered despite having technically been approved by Legates (after ones who would not approve him were thrown off a very high bridge).
3) This depends in some regard on the disposition of the winner of the power struggle, and how close a contest it is. The average Faithful commoner is rarely shamed or punished for supporting a 'wrong' Dominus; it's assumed that they were led astray. Providing monetary or military support to whoever loses is likely to have political consequences, particularly if the win is overwhelming or the winner is vengeful. In closer contests, however, the Dominus left standing may not have the power to enforce retribution on those who supported the losing side, and may seek reconciliation over punishment.
As with all things, there's a balance between the legitimacy given by tradition and cultural inertia - which is significant - and the practical result of people being willing to stab a lot of other people to get the power that they want, until they eventually run out of people who are willing to be stabbed just to stop them from having it.
2) How steeped in tradition is this process? Is it something that has been passed over in recent memory and everyone was fine with that? Is it generally believed that the Gods won't support anyone who becomes Dominus by any other means? Or is the 'official' way to do it less a code, and more a... guideline?
3) How are people who support the "wrong" Dominus seen? Like, say I'm just Joe Silk, I don't know much about the Faith but I want to do right by the Gods and I do my best to throw my support behind the right guy, but then the other guy wins. Am I going to Arx-hell? Have the Gods turned their back on me? Or are the repercussions I'm almost certainly going to face temporal in nature?
1) Archlectors/Grandmasters and current Legates are called to a Convocation of the Faith, which works very much like a Catholic-style election of the Pope. The leadership of the Faith isolates itself and does not open its doors again until a new Dominus has been chosen. In the case of an Anti-Dominus, it is likely that the Anti-Dominus has chosen at least a few of these positions from followers and quietly held their own ceremony to convey legitimacy.
2) The Convocation is, theoretically, a very important tradition, and part of the grandeur and legitimacy of the Faith. However, as with any tradition, if one can make the case that those holding the traditional seats are corrupt, and gain the moral and military authority to be seen as more legitimate than those individuals, the tradition itself will not be enough to retain power. In the Crownbreaker Wars, for example, the 'legitimate' Dominus was considered a puppet of the Thrax monarchy by many, and his credibility suffered despite having technically been approved by Legates (after ones who would not approve him were thrown off a very high bridge).
3) This depends in some regard on the disposition of the winner of the power struggle, and how close a contest it is. The average Faithful commoner is rarely shamed or punished for supporting a 'wrong' Dominus; it's assumed that they were led astray. Providing monetary or military support to whoever loses is likely to have political consequences, particularly if the win is overwhelming or the winner is vengeful. In closer contests, however, the Dominus left standing may not have the power to enforce retribution on those who supported the losing side, and may seek reconciliation over punishment.
As with all things, there's a balance between the legitimacy given by tradition and cultural inertia - which is significant - and the practical result of people being willing to stab a lot of other people to get the power that they want, until they eventually run out of people who are willing to be stabbed just to stop them from having it.