The Reform Coalition internal matters

The Reform Coalition is a faction united in name only, as different schools of thought compete constantly for support, resources, and influence. The only thing they definitely have in common is their opposition to the status quo and particularly to the dominance of the Noble Houses.

The individual groups within the Coalition are nonetheless well aware that their greatest threats are external and as such they mostly try to avoid too much internal conflict.

Leadership

Each Reformist cell or group chooses its own leader. This might seem like a simple statement but it is complicated by the way that each one has a different mechanism for doing so. Many groups vote for a leader (using any of a number of voting systems), while others consider themselves coequals, or are dominated by an unofficial clique or a single charismatic individual. Larger organisations may have a more distributed official leadership with a number of key positions such as Secretary and Treasurer.

How membership in a given cell works is also very varied. In some cases members are expected to pay dues, carry a card, or openly wear insignia. Other groups, especially those based in the countryside, are more fluid and tend to consist of whoever felt like turning up on any given day.

Internal disputes

If their ideologies are close enough, different organisations often work together directly. In some cases this is strictly unofficial, but in others it can be formalised with written agreements or regular meetings. It’s not unheard-of for joint committees and councils to be formed, and this can lead to two or more groups merging.

Where disputes do occur, the first resort of most Reformists is a battle of words. These are often spectacular affairs, as the opposing sides exchange a barrage of propaganda and polemics, written on posters and pamphlets, sung by bands of revolutionaries, and shouted on street corners. Often the smaller, less popular, or less well-funded side will back down, but reversals do occur as public opinion shifts and new leaders flex their rhetorical muscles.

If words aren’t enough threats often follow - and they are frequently backed up with action. All but the most conservative of Reformists disdain duels, seeing them as outmoded. Instead they prefer to work outside the usual rules. A vendetta may be pursued with burglary, sabotage, or even murder; no trick is off the table and the creative use of magic is widespread. Anarchists have a reputation for being particularly ruthless due to their rejection of the Kingdom’s laws.

A Reformist who abandons their faction - or worse, their principles - is the lowest of the low in the eyes of their fellows. They are liable to be marked as ‘fair game’ and often suffer violent reprisals.

Part of a series about the Reform Coalition.

Ideologies - Internal matters - Attitudes to others - Religion and spirituality - Costume - Archetypes

See also: Arginet - Factions - The Noble Houses - The Royal Armies