Holding the Powerful Accountable, how the Lanterns play politics

Lanterns oppose tyranny and oppression in a general sense, but most will name slavery as the worst specific example of slavery.  

Lanterns take credit for the decline of slavery in Scarterra

    Historical records are very spotty covering slavery in the First Age and the Second Age, but it is well-documented in the the Third Age.   Slavery was ubiquitous across most of Scarterra in the Red Era, especially during the so-called "Warlord Period" of the Red Era. It didn't matter what race they were, nearly every nation enslaved their defeated enemies whether they be human. goblin, gnome or anything else.   In ancient times the followers of Zarthus were commonly called "Seekers" not "Lanterns". The Seekers were the first Scarterra-wide faction to stake a staunch anti-slavery stance. The Seekers commonly helped slaves escape their bonds. When possible, the Seekers brutally killed slave merchants and slave owners.   Slavery in Scarterra had a slow steady decline as one by one, nations and tribes banned the practice. Now, 18 centuries into the Feudal Era, slavery is pretty rare except for a few isolated pockets. The Lanterns claim that the Seekers desire most/all of the credit for the decline of slavery in Scarterra. Many dispute the Lanterns claim, with varying claims of "Yes, the Seekers were the first anti-slavery activists but the ancestors of my group actually freed more slaves than the Seekers did."  

Lanterns against the Remnants of Slavery

  The Lanterns believe their work won't be done until all slaves are free. Unfortunately, the two last major holdouts for human slavery are the Kingdom of Uskala and the nation of Kahdisteria, both nations with a lot of experience in killing Lanterns who annoy them.   A few other nations allow slavery of goblins and only goblins. Most Lanterns agree that slavery is always wrong, even if it's against goblins.    

What about serfs?

    Then there is the issue of serfdom. Many Lanterns argue that serfs are basically slaves with a rebrand, and many would love to see serfdom abolished entirely.   The main obstacle towards this goal is that the Lanterns have a lot fewer allies in their crusade against serfdom than they do in their crusade against slavery.   The second obstacle is that a lot of serfs are happy being serfs. In times of prosperity, free peasants usually live better than serfs, but in lean times, serfs tend to fare better. This is because serfs turn over all their surplus to their lords after getting their base needs handled and peasants usually have the same tax requirement every year regardless of it's a good or a bad year. Also, if lords are bestowing charity, they usually bestow largesse on the serfs first and the free peasants second (if at all).   In some areas that include both serfs and free peasants, some free peasants have been known to ask to become serfs, a practice the Lanterns find appalling but there is little they can do about it.

Oppose evil monarchs, support good monarchs

 

Every time there is an ironfisted evil king or queen, the Lanterns are nearly always the core members of the resistance movement.   Many evil rulers had their lives ended by a Lantern's blade, the Lanterns are not always successful. More than a few warlords have watered their lawns with Lantern blood, and the Lanterns have been trying to overthrow King Drosst for centuries without success....unfortunately.   Assuming they do topple the evil warlord, they often get in arguments for what to do next.   If the Lanterns needed to form a coalition with other factions in order to overthrow an evil ruler, the coalition will usually have a new ruler in mind and propose replacing an evil monarch with a good monarch. We Keepers never back a coup without a plan for after the coup. Much like with the liberation of Swynfaredia's Uwcharedian puppet state in the Borderlands before an allied coalition liberated these lands (including Lanterns and Keepers).   If the Lanterns are able to take down an evil ruler by themselves, they will usually try to form a republic of some sort, so the land ostensibly never has to worry about an evil monarch ever again.   A nation needs order to function. Order doesn't necessarily have to come from a king or queen. We Keepers will support republics that provide order. Unfortunately, most Lantern backed republics don't make it past two generations. The major exception is the Republic of Apseldia, and I wish them well.   Musseland might qualify as a Lantern backed Republic, but it's more like feudal monarchy with extra steps. Musseland does have hereditary rulers. Each region has a chief, and the chiefs form a council to elect one of their members to be their ruler. The Grand Chief is elected but he is also a hereditary ruler and all the people electing him are hereditary rulers. What's more, this system formed organically at the advise of Lanterns, the Lanterns didn't kill a despotic king and forcibly impose this system.   - Aurum Zara of the Dawn, historian for the Fumayan Keepers

 

by Eron12 with Heroforge

-Zajac of the Fumayan Lanterns

 

"We Lanterns are not opposed to all monarchies, just tyrannical monarchies. Okay, some Lanterns are opposed to all monarchies, but that is hardly the norm. Some kings have been better than others, but land of Fumaya never had an evil king, so we of the Fumayan Lanterns never had a reason to be anything other than supportive of the crown.   All around Scarterran, most Lanterns are happy to lend their support to good kings and queens. The same goes for good barons, good counts, and good dukes.

The problem is, no matter how good the local rulers are, if we support them openly, some Lanterns is going to call us a 'sell out'. Even the Apseldian Lanterns are accused of being sell-outs which is probably unfair though I suppose I've never been to Apseldia, so I can't say for sure.   We Lanterns will oppose evil rulers and support good rulers, but often struggle with mediocre rulers. In these situations, we Lanterns are unsure what they should be do."

 

by Eron12 with Hero Forge

-Danuta, matriarch of the Fumayan Masks and owner of a thesaurus.

"When there is not a clear and obvious course of action before them, Lanterns have a standard response that they fall back on when they are unsure of what to do. They complain. They also whine, moan, yell, grumble, squawk, cry, and whinge.   One day the king has too many soldiers and the next day he doesn't have enough of them. One day they are complaining about road tolls and the next day they are clamoring for better roads. Trying to appease the Lanterns is like trying to fill a cup with a hole in the bottom. Wise rulers don't even bother trying.

"

  Complaining can be a political act. Free speech is mostly a modern concept, not a medieval concept. Speaking out against the regime when doing so is stigmatized or even illegal is a courageous act.   Kings and queens can improve relations with the local Lanterns if they allow their subjects freedom of expression at least occasionally.   Most high level feudal lords and ladies have at least one reeve on their payroll. Reeves are middlemen between the nobility and commoners. Sometimes reeves are little more than overseers and tax collectors, but other times reeves are charged with talking to the commoner about legitimate problems and grievances the peasants have and sharing this information with their lord. Letting the local Lanterns vet or even select some of the reeves certainly makes the Lanterns happy.   Court jesters are able to publicly and openly criticize rulers as long as they mask their criticism in humor and tomfoolery. A lot of jesters are Lanterns or at least Lantern-sympathizers.   Finally, some kings and queens have laws on the books that loosen laws of speaking against the Crown on Zarthus' holy days, so this gives the Lanterns a means to communicate legitimate complaints to their lord without fear of retribution (at least in theory).

Music and Art

    Peasants and princes alike are eager for diversion and beauty, so they eagerly check out these public exhibitions. This helps young artists make a name for themselves and attract paying patrons.    

by me with Hero Forge

-Gaatha, Lantern of Musseland

"Some of our critics claim that a tyrannical king or queen can buy the Lantern's silence simply by spending money on large public exhibitions of art and music.   This is not true. Like anything other Gift from the Nine, art and music can be corrupted and turned towards evil uses. Many tyrant rulers are egotists addicted to their own self-aggrandizement. Some rulers use grand works of art as a form of power flexing. We are not fooled or dissuaded by the art patronage of such rulers.

  That said, we Lanterns are not above flattery and bribery. An evil ruler cannot win our favor by becoming a generous patron of the arts, but more than a few mediocre rulers have won our favor by sponsoring artists."