Rebirth and Second Chances 31 Planning stage

The Goblins and Redcaps were considered the foot soldiers of the Sidhe for a reason. They were merciless when angered, quick to take offense, and easily riled. They were considered stupid as a species, easily manipulated. But in matters of war, they were fearless and without equal. Their numbers allowing them to overcome any deficiencies that lack of intellect may engender.

A Goblin or Redcap horde was so destructive that both Seelie and Unseelie monarchies worked to bind and control that destruction by oath and treaty.

Technically, Goblin and Redcap should be considered part of the Unseelie faction. They were creatures of darkness. Not evil. The night was no eviler then the morning light. Light and dark, both sides were capable of great good or great evil. But because they were so feared, both sides made a treaty.

The last great war had almost ended with a Goblin and Redcap victory. And if that had been the case, the Sidhe would have proclaimed them overlords. The Seelie and Unseelie relegate to history and irrelevance.

They weren't the only species to be awarded or had earned positions of importance. And the System allowed decisions and positions both in government and business to be more merit-based. Rewards based on competency.

It was simply a matter of sharing status screens to determine if a person had the skills, stats, and ranks to assume a position or job successfully. Corruption and nepotism still existed, but it was more likely that any position filled, no matter how well connected an individual was, would only go to a crony or family member who at least met the minimum requirements needed to be successful.

I expanded my search to universal concerns. Later I would need to search further on how experience gains occurred for leveling, technologies that existed, and exactly how this world deviated from the MMORPG's I was familiar with. I made a mental note to find out if dungeons existed and if individuals could form groups to share experience and quests.

Other than the Sidhe, Olympian, and Asgardian collectives, there were tens of thousands of other governments on other worlds spanning the entire Galaxy. The portal network had so far not expanded beyond the current universe, but theoretical magicians had researched the possibility.

The Sidhe were actually one of the smaller factions that existed. Because they had access to the Summerlands, they as a People had forfeited any expansion opportunities to other planets. The Olympians and Asgardians, on the other hand, seemed to have claimed a planet for every God and Demi-God ever worshipped in their pantheons. Gods like Zeus and Odin influenced and even claimed dozens of planets as their own.

I was happy to see that Planets existed for other pantheons. Hindu, Aztec, Native American. It appeared there was no rhyme or reason as to how or where a planet was established, but all pantheons I could remember existing on Earth had managed to eke out a place for themselves and a world to govern.

The Sidhe, while they did have access to interplanetary portals, were isolated. Trading partners were few. Tariffs and import duties were doubled for goods and services that did enter the world. And technological imports were often second-generation iteration or knock-offs.

Part of the problem was that the Seelie and Unseelie couldn't decide on a planetary representative to protect the Sidhe's rights under interstellar law. Without a voice, someone elected or appointed as a member of the Pantheon Grand Council, the Sidhe had no way to block or veto Olympian or Asgardian machinations.

The other planet Governments often agreed to concessions that kept our communities and citizens as third world cast-offs. Somehow those two Pantheons had managed to modify the Grand Council, so that votes were weighted based on planets claimed and populations.

It was interesting that the Earth's religions that had any Judeo-Christian connection were not represented at all. None of the Catholic Saints, the Jewish or Islamic prophets were represented.

The constant competition and refusal to compromise between Seelie and Unseelie had resulted in disastrous policy decisions. They had even gone so far as to refuse to establish relationships with an inter-galactic bank that could accept gold and convert them to Universal Script. A refusal to establish this basic service because the Unseelie use a different form of monies and denominations and refused to allow the gold standard to be established as the planetary currency.

All trade relied on goods and services to assuage cost, a system of barter was established, that was unwieldy and inefficient. We shipped out an amazing amount of precious metals and crystals to purchase the second-hand goods and services the Council allowed us to import.

And when we did pioneer new technology, our efforts were quickly stolen and absorbed by others. With no access to file Universal patents or copyrights, and little access to courts. Our government, both Seelie and Unseelie had systematically relegated our society and citizens to third-world status and obscurity.

Smuggling of goods and technologies occurred.

In fact, the Seelie and Unseelie Monarchies managed to possess the very best of Universal technologies. But for the average person, those Ranked peons or commoner, there existed a disparity that helped to widen the gulf that existed between the lowest ranks and highest.

The system was rigged against them, and they would never have the resources or knowledge to increase levels and make any sort of significant achievement.

The only reason our planet hadn't been invaded, and our citizens sub-scripted and subjugated, was entirely due to the treaty that our Pantheon of Gods had agreed to. The treaty that sent them into God Sleep. No one wanted to wake those beings, afraid the end of days would be heralded if that happened.

Realizing the stupidity and obvious dereliction of duties and obligations both sides had allowed to transpire, my future path became much clearer. My rank came with certain perks. One of which was the ability to claim my own lands and establish my own government.

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And the Seelie and Unseelie had left me the perfect land to claim.

The Neutral lands seemed like a beacon of opportunity to me. A place to establish a kingdom, and my own seat of power. A place that would allow me to invite the interstellar community to come. Create efficient banking and use my position as the third monarch to broker a deal between the Seelie and Unseelie. Threatening to support one side or the other if they were unable or unwilling to compromise.

A place to establish treaties. Protect Sidhe interests. And possibly give a great big middle finger to Zeus and Odin in the process.

It should be a breeze to buck the system and impose my will on a planet that had resisted compromise since the founding.

After all, I had Caraid to help me!

Two against the world.

It's a start.

Chapter end