Many of the recent private writings and royal proclamations being distributed in this city speak of 'Citizens'. This concept is new to most of the people of Westcrown, because the diabolists did not have citizens. Being something of an expert Myself, I have written this pamphlet to inform the people of Westcrown about what a 'Citizen' or 'Citizenship' means. I will be explaining in the following format: First, on a new line, I will write a question, which I imagine to be in the minds of my readers, or which many friends have thought to ask me. I will preface this line with 'Q: ' to note that it is a question. Then, on the next line or many lines, I will write my answer to that question, prefaced with 'A:' to mark it likewise. In this manner, any questions that my readers may have will already be answered on the page, and you need only find where they are asked to read the answers.
Q: What is a citizen?
A: A citizen is a free man, (or woman!) who lives within the bounds of Cheliax. (Or some other Nation, such as Galt or Andoran, but henceforth here I will speak only of Chelish Citizens, i.e. Citizens who live in Cheliax.) Citizens have certain Rights, which are granted to them by the queen. These Rights include the Freedom of the Pen, which is the Right to produce any written material, the Right to worship any good god, the Right to own property. More Rights may be granted by the queen in the future. Part of the purpose of the great Convention is to advise the queen on which Rights to give to her Citizens. Any Citizen who does a thing which is their Right will not be punished by the queen for doing that thing.Q: What about gods which are neither Good nor Evil? Do Citizens have the Right to worship them?
A: No.Q: What about Abadar? I have seen many temples to Abadar, and none of the priests being punished.
A: Citizens are separately granted the Right to worship Abadar, if they please, because the queen is a good friend to the Pharaoh of Osirion, Shawil, who is now also the Count of Egorian. In Osirion they worship only Abadar, so as a favor to her friend the Pharaoh the Queen permitted all Citizens to worship Abadar as well.Q: What is citizenship?
A: Citizenship is the position or status of being a Citizen.Q: You said that a Citizen is a Citizen of a particular Nation? What is a 'Nation'?
A: A Nation is any kingdom which has Citizens.Q: Be that not every Kingdom? Every Kingdom has free men.
A: No, because Citizens also have Rights, and the free men in other kingdoms do not have Rights.Q: Are Diabolists citizens?
A: No. Diabolists are not Citizens. To be a Citizen one must be both Lawful and Good. Diabolists are Lawful but not Good.Q: Are 'slips' citizens?
A: First, I beg you to avoid the use of that vile word, which denigrates the people to which it refers. You should instead call them 'halflings' or 'smallfolk' or 'short people'. Second, no, they are not citizens. Halflings are slaves, and Citizens must be free.Q: What about tieflings?
A: No, tieflings are not humans. To be a Citizen one must be human.Q: What about elves?
A: Elves are not humans, and are not Citizens. However, they may become Citizens by special dispensation from the Crown.Q: A person who grew old, and petitioned the Archmage Naima Cotonnet to make them young again, and now are young but also become an orc, or a bugbear, or some other inhuman creature - Is that person a Citizen?
A: If they were a Citizen before, a Citizen they remain. The privilege of Citizenship is not granted according to skin or blood or bone, but soul alone, and a human made by magic into an orc retains their human soul.Q: How did you become so wise as to the ways of Citizenship?
A: I have read many writings by Galtans, who invented Citizenship, and spoken to many Galtans. In this way I learned the nature of Citizenship from the same masters who so instructed our queen.Q: Are there any obligations that Citizens have, or do they only have Rights?
A: Citizens have all the same obligations as any other subject of the Crown. They differ from other free men and women only in their Rights.Q: You say that the queen may grant more Rights. Can the queen revoke the rights that she has already granted?
A: The queen may revoke rights granted to Citizens only after one hundred years have passed since the granting. However, if five hundred years pass since the granting without the rights being revoked, they then become Inalienable and may never be revoked again, lest the queen (or king) inspire the wrath of the Good and Just gods.
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[OPEN] Citizenship and You
A helpful guide for new Citizens as to the nature of their status and the Rights so accorded.
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