This post encompasses a mission using the following storyboard elements:
- Perform administrative duties (1)
- Make all the necessary plans and arrangements for your Clan (4)
Visenya decides to make plans for the future.
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Later in the evening after Aegon had left, seated at a small escritoire in her study, Visenya was still mulling over the implications of their earlier conversation. They could subdue the Clusters with few issues, indeed, for there were no standing armies here to fight them, and few, if any, ninja clans. No, conquering the archipelago would be the least of their problems; it was holding their territory afterwards that, to Visenya, presented the most daunting task for the House Targaryen. However powerful the three siblings were they could not be everywhere at once and as their territory expanded so would their responsibilities and the potential for dissent. Humbled by dragonfire or not, there would come a day where at least some of these conquered places would experience unrest, or even open rebellion. Feeling a sense of determination the Lady laid out a large sheet of paper in front of her and began her work where all states began; with authority and its mandate.
The House Targaryen had been but one of many noble families of patricians pulling the strings of that mighty beast that was the Freehold, in a system dominated by wealth, power and blood. It had been too fragmented at times, as competition became conflict, and yet it thrived for centuries. Its antithesis was the bright, but brief flame of Alexandros Megas, whose mighty empire nearly swallowed the Freehold before falling as quickly as it had risen after his death. There had to be a balance in the dichotomy between those two modes of government. She glanced at the light on her desk and decided to begin with the issue of succession.
She wrote ‘Aegon I’ on the top of the paper and stared at the letters for a long moment. Would he be a king, a patrician, perhaps a Daijō-daijin or something completely different? She circled his name and drew two horizontal lines from the circle, connecting Aegon’s name to two others; Rhaenys’ and her own. Hopefully both their lines would produce many children yet, but that still left the issue of succession, and of what, exactly, would be passed on. She began writing notes on the paper as thoughts came to her. Future generations of their family were not guaranteed the powers her own enjoyed, and they would need a power base from which to operate, legal rights and protections, as well as a clear framework of their noble privileges. Here it was important to consider the changing circle of people that would inevitably come to make up the keys to her family’s power, and the power of their state. There would also have to be arrangements in place to ensure that their dynasty would not turn on one another in the future in a squabble for power.
As she wrote Visenya saw the skeleton of a system take form. The Targaryens married amongst themselves, which would keep the family’s numbers manageable, and it would prevent the claims of partisanship that political marriages always led to. With a growing territory would come growing responsibilities, however, and Visenya resolved that her family would be distinct from its subjects, but not unaccountable. The eldest male child traditionally inherited the Targaryen mantle, but it was important to make concessions. Perhaps it would be prudent if the wealth of the nation, the keys of power, were allowed to vote on which member of the family would become the successor? She underlined that note. Yes, a secluded conclave of the powerful, forced to come to terms, perhaps by a two thirds majority, or would a simple majority suffice? There would have to be restrictions on the amount of attendants. A secret ballot would be best, she scribbled offhandedly. There would have to be family dues paid to all adults of the House, but it was important that the family shared a home and raised their children together, she underlined emphatically. Visenya would allow no branches or cadet dynasties to form. The money would come from the state- no, she crossed that line out. It would have to come from the income of the family head, which would likely be rents, business incomes and, importantly, a government salary for the office that she still had no name for, and only a vague idea of its shape and function. She would have to ask Aegon his preferences, though she imagined his answer would not be to her satisfaction. Her younger brother did not seem to share her interest for the more cumbersome sides of founding a state.
A stray thought came to her and another note was added to the now chaotic diagram of notes upon notes, and circles connected by further diverging lines. Adoption would not do, no, she circled. The importance of blood relations was not to be underestimated. There would be no assurances of office, titles or honors, but many such would undoubtedly be within reach at the family head’s discretion. Amongst them perhaps land? She glanced at her earlier notes and frowned. No, if the Targaryen holds were enlarged they would be administered from Dragonstone, or whichever city should become their capital, just as the Freehold did from Chungsu for centuries. Visenya scoffed at those who saw the city’s destruction as an ill omen. Tailed beasts were like forces of nature; unpredictable and without purpose. Centralizing power would keep all Targaryens, as well as key decision makers and powerful figures, within close reach of the family head, including any who might harbor ill intentions. It was essential to be prepared for these situations.
If Aegon did not like the idea of having his heir decided for him there might be a problem, Visenya realized suddenly, frowning once again. He should understand the necessity of power sharing, however superficial, but men and their pride were unpredictable things. His power would allow him to have his way in this, but that would be catastrophic for the legitimacy of her carefully planned system. Even if these negative outcomes were ignored the missed opportunities were many. Primogeniture took Aegon’s choice from him just as voting would, but a circle of the worthy would realize the best candidate, or at least a competent one. It would ensure fit and worthy Targaryens occupied the office for generations to come. She would have to convince him.
Visenya leaned heavily into her high backed chair and sighed, looking at her finished work. She would have to speak with scribes and scholars on the finer, legal points, but the foundation was solid. Written and formalized it would do much to prevent interfamilial strife in the future. The Lady nodded to herself in steely satisfaction. It had been a good night.