Chapter 21

Somethings to mull about, England and offshoot cultures like United States have our democratic traditions based on principles established dating back to Magna Carta, at least in principle. In practice rather than theory or rhetoric, democracy can only function if the balance of power within a society can be exercised equally between various factions being represented. Monarchs and hereditary leaders in the past had more power than nobles (who served as bureaucrats and military officers) and commoners (farmers, traders, craftsmen, and soldiers) due to control over certain resources like wealth or individuals with influence or military force. When nobles grouped together had enough power to challenge the monarch, along with nobles loyal to him, to demand rights and protections from monarchs, the basis of English-oriented democratic traditions began. 

The reason why I gave everyone this history lesson is quite simple: Democracy is based on the exercise of collective power, so if the monarch possesses more power through a personal army or weapons equivalent to nuclear weapons, then there is no such thing as Democracy even if collective power exist below, all it does is create a collective workforce for the monarch. If that sounds familiar to the Soviet Union's policies under Joseph Stalin, then you are correct. In a medieval setting, it's even more easy to create collective workforces when monarchs have absolute advantages in power. People will prefer the "freedom" that is offered under one supreme leader and one order to independent elites throughout society. Rights to communal lands, free care at churches, and expansive holidays (holy days) vacations for the common man make the medieval model, a prototype of the Communist model, very appealing.

As for the story mythology, I left a lot of new lore in here. There are 5 factions in total from the future: A western faction, a Chinese faction, a Russian faction, an Indian faction, and a Corporate Consortium Faction. The blue orbs that I mentioned in the short story Merlin's Crystal Cave has a major use among the factions as a piece of technology, it acts as a personal computer system and power source for advanced technologies. I had the idea of doing 5 factions just so we have various power players in the mix.

Additionally, Eli's new power is an extension to his ability to work with information. People may think that knowledge is abstract power, but knowledge can also be physical power in itself. I was inspired by @Geron Kees use of hard science in his fantasy story. While Geron focused on classical physics as the basis of magic, I wanted to explore Quantum Entanglement in its physical form, what Einstein called "spooky" physics. You can't destroy matter or energy, but you can delay its appearance within a period in time, essentially entangling it to a future time. Expanding on that concept, I used the concept of "information particles" as the basis for Eli's new ability works, essentially he can delay information to make an object disappear temporarily. It's a power with a lot of issues.

Finally, the card game at the end of the chapter. I liked Kakegurui as an anime and manga series. Most of its characters are bisexual, who love the thrill of risk-taking and gambling, so I took a game concept from that show and expanded it into something new. Levina Teerlinc is a real historical figure and the only female artist during that period of Tudor history. She was sent off to Spain by Elizabeth I in history, so I took the idea a bit further and made her an assassin. It's a fun little side-story for folks and Eli at this point is College-age at 22 years old. A lot of people at that age are playing drinking games.

This week's law of power, 1st law, "Never Outshine the Master", it's a pretty simple law that a lot of people violate. Thomas Howard was overzealous with his actions and became a scapegoat when Mary needed to vent her anger. Another is Levina Teerlinc attempt to poison Eli, who had far better abilities to detect an use poisons to his advantage in the card game that basically ruined her chances of approaching him.

Historical Notes:

1. Yes, in the 16th century, a deck of cards did consist of 58 cards. 14 ranks: Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, knave, knight, queen, king with 4 suits and two fools/jokers. It's a little piece of small history that I just added in there to make it more authentic. 

2. Levina Teerlinc was hired by Henry VIII as a royal painter, the only female royal painter. She was very closed to Mary I of England, she gave Mary a locket as a gift. As for being one of Henry VIII mistresses, it was a rumor that she was selected by Henry personally from Catherine Parr's group of female painters.

3. Thomas Howard would be put to death in 1572 of our history for his part in the Ridolfi plot to remove Elizabeth I from the throne and put Mary Queen of Scot on it, with the Pope's blessing. He would have been an eighteen year old at this point in time and very headstrong.