Chapter 149: The Strength Of Unity

### Story Date

Tuesday, 4 October, AD 1043/6551 ε.Κ/26 Safar 435 AH/27 Ju-Yue Era Year 1/27 Haustmánuður ÅrO -1/27 Tishri AM 4804

## Appearances

### Locations

Bianjing
Almatu
Berk
Eigg
Venesia

*While there was no shortage of voices in the aftermath of the founding of the Grand Thing complaining that the Citizenship Conclave had gone too far, or not far enough, it should be noted that the majority of the population it governed found the structure it offered acceptable. Certainly there were firebrands and reactionaries, radical egalitarians and staunch authoritarians, all of whom had their issues with the new social structure. But while accounts of these are easy to find in the historical record, a counterpoint must also be raised before it is taken as given that these viewpoints were normative. And it is quite simply the fact that they were not. The majority of the populace of the Kingdom of Berk, and later the North Sea Empire, that was governed and regulated by the Conclave’s output had no substantive issue with it. Standards of living were rising for all classes, and while some reactionary authoritarians grumbled at giving* any *voice to the general masses, they found amassing any general following beyond a few likeminded individuals difficult.*

*Of course, these factors are difficult to separate out from the events that immediately followed the Conclave, but a general look at the data collected by the royal government paints a clear picture of* most *of the populace accepting the compromise as a generally beneficial decision for everyone involved, even if they themselves had their individual sticking points.*

*The typical counterargument to this is that the populace was cowed by the military force available to Berk in the form of dragon-riders. However, this is not supported by the data, as there are records of protests, strikes, lawsuits, and other such actions which show that the general populace had faith in the rule of law…*

*—Origins Of The Grand Thing, Edinburgh Press, 1631*

## Synopsis

* Kuanfu informs Kurya that he will not be punished for the failure of the dragon taming attempt, but all attempts at dragon training are on hold.
* Conchobar and Stoick finalise the annexation of Conchobar's territories.
* Gobber realises Musa is not in the Food and Bed Rights system due to the chaos when he first arrived.
* Jonna learns she's pregnant.
* Hiccup offers the Doge of Venesia Buffalord Spit for healing out of charity. Harald views Hiccup's charity as stupidity.
* Jacob offers Hawiz his sword, which he no longer wants.
* Wulfhild reviews a proposal from Padraig about refining the voting method for electing heirs and approves it for submission to the Citizenship Conclave.
* Dovid and Nittai inform Stoick of the *Interpretatio Christiana*, the method of proselytizing Christians use to subtly convert pagans.
* Stoick informs Dovid and Nittai that Eithne nic Tairdelbach has offered some of her lands to be used to build a city for Jews.
* Kelebek suggests to Drago to have his riders attack either the Byzantines or the Song to reunite the Pechenegs with the reminder they have external enemies.
* Berk's Thing ratifies the proposals of the Citizenship Conclave.

## Characters

### Humans

* Kurya
* Kuanfu
* Kuanfu's translator
* Drago Bludvist
* Rahmi
* Akdoğan
* Gobber the Belch
* Stoick the Vast
* Conchobar ua Mael Sechlainn
* Dúnchad?
* Murchadh mac Flannchadh
* Musa Toledano Ibáñez
* Jonna Asgersdóttir
* Reidun Hemmingsdóttir
* Reidun's baby
* Gabriel Hallvarsson
* Sunach
* Lowrans
* Unnamed almoner
* Harald Sigurdsson
* Dagur mac Oswald
* Boarguts Sheepwitsson
* Hiccup clan Haddock
* Folarin
* Hawiz of Breizh
* Conan of Breizh
* Jacob Rodericksson
* Wulfhild of Norway
* Asta Rhonda Hiccupsdóttir
* Rivkah (mother of Esther)
* Isioma
* Dovid ben Eliezer
* Nittai ben Bethuel
* Kelebek
* Oswald Fishlegsson
* Fishlegs clan Ingerman
* Heather
* Hensteeth Axwitsson
* Tynni Órgíslsdóttir
* Duckquack Hensteethsson
* Horsefeathers Hensteethsson
* Lile clan Ingerman
* Godwin of Wessex
* Harold Godwinson
* Gytha Godwinsdóttir
* Burl Woodnutsdóttir

### Dragons

* Kudret
* Grump
* Toothless

## Analysis

### Epigraph Tie-In

* The epigraph discusses the outcomes of the Citizenship Conclave. The chapter shows Berk's Thing formally voting to ratify the proposals of the Citizenship Conclave.