The Election Announcement

If you've already read about the murder of Tipa, you can skip to "The Last Assembly Meeting."

## Murder of Tipa Yazad

### Jon visits the Gnometown

Jon took a deep breath, and trudged up the path to Julanar Lake, where Gnometown was being built. As he arrived, he felt all eyes on him, as gnomes turned to glare at the human man entering their secluded community.

“Hello…? I’d like to speak with Tipa? Do any of you know Tipa?”

“Aye. I am Tipa. What is your business, sir?”

Jon turned to see the gnome who had taken his job, standing in the doorway of a small home by the side of the lake.

“Mr. Tipa… sir. I have come to request that you ask Butch to rehire me.”

Tipa narrowed his eyes, “What?”

“A couple weeks ago, you snuck into the back of the bakery, and began doing my job for me while I was on break. You upstaged me by baking ten pies in an hour. Humiliated me on purpose. Told Butch to fire me and hire you instead. Told him you were better than me.”

“All true so far,” Tipa chuckled, “What’s your point, human?”

“My point is that what you did was *wrong.* Surely you must understand that!”

Tipa laughed, and began to shut the door. Jon quickly took out a picture of his family, and rushed forward to show the gnome.

“Look! I have three kids. We don’t have any food left in our cupboards. I had to ask the Groundskeeper for food last week, but this week I can’t find him anywhere. Nobody else is helping us. My kids are *hungry,* sir!”

Tipa’s face darkened, “I still don’t see your point.”

“If you were a good and honest, you would quit. Let me have my job back!”

Tipa sneered, “Look human. If you can’t work hard enough to earn your keep, than you don’t deserve it. If you aren’t good enough to feed your family, your family will starve. That is how it is.”

Tipa turned to close the door again, but Jon jammed his foot in the door, and pulled it open, tears in his eyes.

“I don’t know how you all work so fast, but it isn’t fair for you to come in and ruin all our lives! *We were here first!*”

Tipa stepped forward, a scowl on his face, “I’d recommend leaving now, before I show you how ‘fast’ I can break your ribs.”

And the gnome slammed the door.

### Tipa's body is discovered

Days later, Jon quietly sat in the back of the Union building, listening as people argued.

“I’m thinking we need to back off the gnomes’ back about this, they’re struggling as much as we are.”

“Have you *seen* the little pixies? They haven’t seen a hard day in their life!”

“Their home was destroyed by raiders and their friends all turned into zombies, Jim…”

“Don’t you *dare* defend them! Did you hear that a pixie tried to sabotage one of Tim’s dishes at the Karat? Belle caught her in the act, she did!” “Hendra, that was *one gnome.* You’re lumping them all together!”

“That’s because they’re *all the same!*”

Jon slipped out of the Union building, and took a long moonlit walk along the shore. He thought about what the gnomes had done to him and his family. They were just people, like him… But his kids were people too. Suddenly, seething with anger, he dropped to his knees and hit the ground with his fists, feeling weak as they hit the sand with an anticlimactic thump. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a dark shape in the water, the waves washing over it.

As Jon grew closer, he recognized it as the unconscious body of a gnome. When Jon splashed out into the water to get a closer look, he heard the sounds of shouting from behind him, and he looked up to see people pointing at him from the distance. Then there was a swoop of iron wings and the flickering light of a screen as the body was dragged out of the water.

Spirit stood there in the moonlight, checking the victims pulse. Then he turned, his sword drawn and his screen bright red.

“Jon Pine, you are under arrest… for *the murder of Tipa Yazad.”*

## The Last Assembly Meeting

Spirit immedietly issued a city wide lockdown, locked Jon in the Auction House basement, assuring him that if he was innocent, it wouldn't be for long. He told the automatons to keep people inside, and then left to investigate the crime. Unfortunately, he didn't return.

The lockdown on Sherr was still in place by the time the sun fell on the second day, but when they heard the strange bell ring across the expanse, people left their homes and out into the streets. They stared up into the sky, wondering what it meant, but were given no answer. Slowly, they realized the automatons had all shut down as well. So, the members of the Assembly decided to call an emergency meeting.

Locked in the Auction House basement, Jon could hear the thumps of feet above his head as the townspeople filed into the building. Belle Love sat in her Council seat, nervously fiddling with her hair. Gilliam took a seat next to a window, and watched the skies, his usual joyful grin wiped from his face. Zu Yang, the leader of the Assembly, started the meeting with the loud crack of a gavel, and began to speak.

"This murder is a dreadful development in the blossoming history of our Great City. And we all know who is responsible... However, the tragedy of last night was not the fault of one man. This death was ultimately caused by the anti-gnome sentiments held by the population of this city, perpetuated by the *Sherr Worker's Union.*"

At this, there was immediate uproar, as the members of the Union stood up in their seats, and began shouting. However, Zu cut them off, and the people sat back down.

"Now, because of the circumstances, the Council will waste no time discussing business. Because of their blatant hate and discrimination, I make a motion to disband the Union for their crimes against society."

Gilliam suddenly stood up, and spoke boldly, "This is absurd! An innocent gnome is dead, and you're going to use his death to further your own need for power? None of you know what you are doing! None of you care about this City! *This?* This is the *opposite* of Justice!"

There was silence in the Auction House. No one had expected the friendly dwarf to speak so harshly.

"Gilliam, you are speaking out of turn. Sit down."

"I prefer to stand."

Grimacing, Zu called for a vote, and all but Belle raised their hands. As their hands were lowered, Zu's frown turned into a sneer.

“The Union will be held responsible for the death of Tipa, and their disbandment willl be effective immediately.”

But then, from the back, came a cry of outrage.

“No, the *Assembly* will be held responsible!”

The gnomes had arrived.

They filed into the Assembly meeting room, filling the space with more people than had ever been in there at once before. They stood defiantly against their supposed advocates, and one of the gnomes stepped up to speak to the Council.

“You have not had our best interests at heart. You only care about using us as commodities, and a tool for you to gain more sympathy and power. If you truly cared about the gnomes, you would grant them seats on the council!”

Zu stuttered in surprise, "You all fail to understand the position we're in. We formed to help Sherr City thrive. We are all respected members of this society. You are new to this place, and could not possibly understand the intricacies of..."

"*Just take a vote.* We know what it will be, but I want to *see* you do it."

The Assembly looked at each other, and Belle raised her hand. But everyone else sat quietly.

"Then you have shown your true colors. You never cared about the gnomes! You only care about yourselves!"

Gilliam stepped forward, "It is *the Assembly* that will be disbanded tonight!"

Belle stood up with a start, "He's right! This Assembly is corrupt!"

Zu also stood, shouting, "Belle, you have gone too far! Gilliam, I should arrest you for your insolance! Militia, get the gnomes out of my sight!"

Then the candles all flickered out, all at once.

*"That's quite enough."*

The Groundskeeper stood in the center of the room, his screen flickering, and his wings outstretched.

"I gave you *so many chances* to do the right thing. But... I was a fool to put my trust in the people of this city. I was blinded by my hope. My belief in love," Spirit's screen flashed red, "*But I am done waiting.*"

The room got very still.

"A man is dead, and *none of you care.* A man is locked in the basement below us, and *none of you care.* We are under constant threat of an Acolyte invasion, and *none of you care.*"

Outside, it began to rain.

"You are all refugees, outsiders, people who needed a home. I *gave you* a home. And yet you insult me by taking power while I struggle to keep our city safe. You insult my *gift to you* by dividing yourselves into your little groups, and only fighting for *yourselves.*"

The crack of thunder echoed through the room and shook the windows.

"Well... I am *done* with your *graceless hearts!* So tonight? We are going to *cut it out,* and we are going to *restart.* We will build this city's strength back from the ground up! No more Assembly! No more Union! We will elect a new Mayor and Council *democratically!* And we will all treat each other with respect.... We will all *CARE* for *EVERY OTHER PERSON IN THIS CITY.*"

Lightning flashed, and Spirit's screen flickered out. He stood in the shadows, looming over the people of Sherr.

*"Do we have an understanding?"*

## The Election Anouncement

### The Election

Sherr is to have an election. Spirit, the Groundskeeper of Sherr, is to run this election.

The Mayor, along with their cabinet, will have full control over the tax money, policies, and militia of the island. The Mayor's term will end after nine months.

Spirit will remain as Groundskeeper, and can not be removed from his position by the Mayor. Spirit will retain control of his Automatons, and will not be required to follow the Mayor's direct orders. However, Spirit will not be allowed to undermine the Mayor's orders given to anyone else.

### Current OOC Election Rules (Subject to Change)

Any player intending on running for Mayor must:

* Anounce their candidacy to Paradox before the end of January
* Have a political party with specific goals and ideals
* Have a banner or map to act as a poster for their political party or campaign
* Have a building for their political party in one of the specific Campaign Building plots available to buy on Sherr
* Remain relatively active as a player on the server.
* Attend at least one debate

When the election actually happens, it will be simulated like this:

* Every player in the server will get 1 vote
* Gnometown will get 3 votes
* Members of the Union will get 4 votes
* Supporters of the Assembly will get 3 votes
* One extra vote will be awarded to the person with the "Most Creative Campaign"

NPC votes will be simulated by Paradox, who is non partisan and cares about the integrity of the election. Candidates are encouraged to think carefully about what each of these groups want, and adjust their campaign to get the most votes. There are many factors to consider:

* Do I focus on one of these groups, or all of them?
* If multiple candidates support one group, will that group's vote be split?
* What groups or ideals do the player character's support?
* Should I come up with policies I will inact?

This election will be a bit loose, because minecraft servers can be unpredictable and because this is supposed to be fun. Dates for the debates and subsequent election are not yet set.

This election will be run by Paradox (as the admins will likely be involved in the election), so any questions should be deferred to him.