*Diplomat and Magus Zhisstra Nefiriti walked over to every Resistance poster, but he did not take them down. On the contrary, he affixed an official response from the Kingdom to each and every one of them. It reads:*
The Free Kingdom of Mercadia has come a long way. Once a monarchy ruled by distant royalty and nobility, now turned into a land of the people, where even the common man can prosper by the strength of his arms and the sweat on his forehead.
Change does not ride a calm horse, however, and sometimes force is the only means for the populace to fight for their rights. We recognize this, after all, that is how the current government came to be. Mercadia was reborn from the ashes of a failed monarchy when a group of concerned citizens banded together to form the Mercadian Military.
With that said, suffice to say we sympathize with the cause presented by these posters. Resistance and freedom are the very values from which this government was born. Of course, to effect change, we had to accept we could not possibly please everyone. Especially in the chaotic first weeks.
Those weeks are long gone and passed now. The Kingdom is structured and establishing itself, getting ready to leave its mark upon the world. To that extent, it is time to welcome change once again. We, as the ruling body of Mercadia, would not turn a blind eye or a deaf ear to the plea of our people, because that is the very root from which we grew into a tree.
With the threat of orcs removed, with no self-proclaimed kings or nobles to drain the populace, we have achieved peace here in the Northwest. It is now time to prosper and it would contradict everything this Kingdom stands for if we ignored the requests of our people, so we can prosper together.
Therefore, in this public letter, we will address some of the demands on these posters, as well as where we can go from here and into a brighter future - not for anyone in particular, but all of us who call Mercadia home.
As a demonstration of good faith and in recognition of the people's wishes, we will address demands number 3, 4 and 5 right now, with no delay.
3. Amnesty for Unjustly Accused Citizens: no former or current citizen of the Free Kingdom of Mercadia is banned. If any former or current citizen of the Kingdom believes that to be their status within the Kingdom, they are welcome to pursue any Official to see the matter resolved. We are prepared to hear and act on your concerns. That said, if anyone feels they are in need of amnesty to return or visit Mercadia and its capital Edana, consider amnesty granted.
4. Recognition of Citizen Rights: for a time, affiliation to the Military was necessary. We had to make our stand against the southern threats of orcs, as well as the ever present risk of self-proclaimed kings and nobles. As stated above, these days are over now and this demand fits perfectly with Mercadia's new social system. Anyone wishing to join the government is welcome to seek prosperity within our ranks. That is not, however, a pre-requisite to live in the Kingdom. Anyone is welcome to seek citizenship and enjoy full protection from the Kingdom, regardless of their affiliation to the government itself.
5. Fair Taxation System: to fund the structure from which this Kingdom was reborn, funds were required. We have procured such funds together as a nation, government official or no. In this time, there is no such need anymore and this demand aligns with the direction the Kingdom was already going to take. Let it be known the taxes are no more. You are welcome to purchase and own land in Mercadia, as long as it's active and being put to good use.
Lastly, we go back to demands 1 and 2, the most complex of them, politically speaking.
Firstly, demand 1. The ranks within the system are changing to reflect the times. Talom, once a General, now takes the mantle of Governor, leading the Kingdom with the help of, indeed, a council of trustworthy officials, one for each area of interest: religion, military, magic and trade. This change is taking effect as these letters are posted up.
Secondly, demand 2. We cannot act on demand 2 without knowing who is being accused. Such is the way of a just trial system. It is not up to the government to assume accusations. What government would we be if we did?
With that in mind, we must also stress that if we are set to govern for the people, we cannot be making deals and answering demands of parchments with no face. By doing so, what guarantee do we have we are serving the very people we set out to protect? We have shown a demonstration of good faith by acting immediately in regards to demands 3, 4 and 5.
However, we would like to invite a representative of this group to discuss demand 2. Such matters are taken to trial and not decided through exchange of letters. We will provide neutral grounds so you have no reason to fear repercussions, as well as a neutral party present as witness.
If your group is willing to concede, please, seek Diplomat and Magus Zhisstra Nefiriti in the coming days so we can arrange this meeting.
With that, we remain,
The Free Kingdom of Mercadia.