[Poll] Would you betray your family and country?

Once upon a time, there were two countries: Alasaia and Lurinis.

You are a royal prince(ss) from the Kingdom of Lurinis, which is a fairly militant and spartan country due to its lack of rich natural resources. The land is infertile, and the civilians of your country are poor. Thousands of people starve in your country every winter.

The most respected occupation in the Kingdom of Lurinis is the military. Lurinis fields a strong professional military, and it has a reputation for tactical and logistical excellence. The military academy in Lurinis is regarded as the best in the continent. The Kingdom of Lurinis frequently sells its military as a mercenary party in war, and the military is constantly overseas or elsewhere participating in some kind of military conflict. This mercenary activity is a substantial source of income for the royal treasury, and accounts for close to 50% of your kingdom's total GDP.

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The Kingdom of Alasia borders Lurinis, and the relations are very poor.

There is a long history of rivalry between these two countries, and there have been many wars. The subject of the rivalry is the Rahin River Valley, which is an extremely fertile area of land that sits exactly on the border between the two countries. Both countries have owned this land at some point in the past, but the dispute over its sovereignty has continued for thousands of years.

For the last 300 years, the Rahin River Valley has been under the control of Alasia.

The Kingdom of Alasia has also built a massive Great Wall of Castles and Fortifications along the Rahin River Valley, which at its present state is nearly unassailable through any kind of conventional warfare. Naturally, this has made your Kingdom (Lurinis) very upset.

Five years ago, Lurinis waged an offensive war against Alasia, but lost due to the incredible defensive fortifications employed by Alasia.

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After the conclusion of this war, Alasia has been eager to pursue peace with your country. Alasia is a relatively peaceful country and they do not have a strong military tradition.

As part of the peace settlement, you (a royal prince/ss) was offered in marriage to Alasian royalty as a symbol of enduring peace. Since your parents decided this manner, you had no ability to reject this decision.

The betrothal went very well and you moved to the Kingdom of Alasia to live for a few months. Your marriage was to be scheduled after a full year, but before that date you are given ample opportunity to acclimate yourself to a new country and new culture.

Your fiance(e) turned out to be a really wonderful person, and you genuinely fell in love with them. Alasia is also a beautiful, wealthy, and vibrant country with many nice things. Children play happily on the streets, there are festivals, the harvest is bountiful, the arts and media is booming, trade flourishes all across the continent, and everything is amazing. This is in stark contrast with the impoverished and spartan country that you come from.

You have lived nine months in the Kingdom of Alasia and they are unquestionably the best nine months you have ever lived in your entire life. You are in love with your fiance(e) and you're starting to see a dream of beautiful future unfold before your eyes.

It feels like a fairy-tale ending and happily-ever-after is just within reach of your fingertips.

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Except one thing.

Before your betrothal to the Kingdom of Alasia, your parents gave you a secret task.

Your family has been scheming a second war against Alasia for decades, and the first war was only part of their grand plan to conquer Alasia. In fact, the Kingdom of Lurinis intentionally lost the first war in order to set the stage for the second war.

You play an instrumental role in the second phase of the plan.

This plan would allow your home kingdom to conquer all of Alasia in less than seven days, with minimal casualties. The projected chance of success is greater than 97%. Conquering Alasia and uniting the economic resources would lift your home Kingdom (Lurinis) out of poverty, and it would give your kingdom greater leverage on the international theatre as a larger country.

Specifically, a while ago you swallowed a magical beacon that is currently inside your stomach, and it serves as an anchor point for a massive teleportation spell that your kingdom's army is planning to use to bypass the Great Defensive Wall for a direct assault on the Alasian Capital.

To prevent its detection, your family did a very sneaky thing where the beacon is inert (undetectable) unless an enormous amount of external magical energy is applied to your body. Conveniently, the traditional marriage ritual for royalty in the Kingdom of Alasia involves a magical blessing where a Holy Priest pours an incredible amount of magical energy into the groom and bride to symbolize their union.

At the moment the Holy Priest performs the blessing, your magical beacon will activate, permitting the entire Lurinisian army to teleport to the capital. This would turn your wedding day into a bloodbath. However, it is a surefire decisive victory, and the surrender of the entire Alasian royal family can definitely be obtained.

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Currently, you are extremely conflicted.

Your wedding with your finance(e) is set to occur in three months.

If you do nothing and the wedding ritual occurs, your family's army will use the activation of your magical beacon to utterly conquer and annex this beautiful country. You are unsure what would happen to your fiance(e), but it is likely that a majority of the Alasian royal family will be executed. You could negotiate special terms with your parents to spare your fiance(e), but it is unlikely your fiance(e) will be happy with the outcome.

You could betray your family and tell the Alasians the truth. However, they may take this as an opportunity to lay a trap against your kingdom's army. The trap could cause devastating damage to the Lurinisian army, and your family would instantly know that you betrayed them. You would likely be disowned from your family and be hated by them forever.

You should not trust the Alasians. Your political training has made you aware of the fact that the Alasians won't care about any sentimental pleas that you make. If you reveal yourself to be harboring sensitive information that threatens their national security, yet refuse to cooperate with all of their demands, you will likely be detained, tortured, and have the truth extracted by unsavory means.

In fact, if you give the Alasians any reasons to suspect you, they may use a Truth Seer on you, which would eventually result in a process that would expose the entire plot.

One option is to tell your fiance(e), but your fiance(e) is a noble individual and you know them well enough that they will put their country before their personal feelings. If you pose a risk to the security of their country, they will side with their country first.

It is impossible for you to remove the magical beacon.

It is impossible to refuse the traditional "blessing" during the marriage ceremony, because this would raise questions. You would likely be investigated if you were oddly opposed to getting the blessing.

It is also impossible for you to communicate with your family. To reduce the chance of you being linked to the nefarious plot, you are not in contact with any Lurinisian agent. This is an entirely solo mission that is entrusted to you.​

1. What do you do?

2. In general, would you side with your family or side with your personal beliefs/desires? Are there special circumstances where you might side with the opposite?

3. Would you ever side with your family even if you thought your family was doing the wrong thing? For example, suppose a family member committed a crime (you know this as a fact) and now they are in court. Would you lie as a witness to try and reduce the sentence that they receive?

4. Do you have a responsibility to your parents and family for raising you?

5. If you have a great responsibility (e.g. leader of a country), would you prioritize your duty or your personal feelings / family?

 

Sees title and then my mother breathing down on my neck.

 

I don't want to commit suicide by five gunshots to the head please, or suddenly getting socially erased.

 

I'm a very cowardly person that hates conflict. You can bet your entire fortune I don't wanna deal with this shit, I'd rather die. I'm 100% serious. I selected that option as well.

 

Pretty sure the moment the teleportation spell activate i would be the first casualty of war.
Seeing how i am a sacrificial lamb sent by my family, its safe to say i'm not even in the list to inherit the throne. Which begs the question, am i loyal enough to sacrifice my life for a grand plan where i won't be able to taste any victory?
The answer is simple, no i am not. What i would do is to find a way to activate the beacon myself. Make a gamble. Try to negotiate with the opposing country as a hostage, if not possible, then since i'm dead either way, might as well gave advantage to my hateful royal family. Since they opposing country already know that they are coming, its not going to be as easy as my royal family plan. They gonna lose a lot more than planned even if they win. Hahahaha

 

This is a political marriage so even if the partner is good and noble, etc... I got no idea of what their real feelings and intentions are, not to mention (according to your scenario) my country likes battles and wars so that means that I would be in such situation raised to be scheming and tactful for the greater good of my country alas in such conditions I would highly likely to have prepared some secret plan that would make both countries fall into my hands and thus me becoming the supreme ruler

 

1) Betray the family. They put me in a position where if I was found out I was dead so at the very least I would be considered disposable to them, and seeing as how I have been in a position to see the reality of what the other country is for the past 9 months I can at least see that they care about their people. That said, a country that can only continue through war isn't going to change once they get the resources. It is to ingrained in their existence.
2) Personal beliefs will never betray you and I would rather not live with regrets for going against them. Yes, but they would need to convince me that their way is better.
3) No, if I felt they were doing the wrong thing I would stand against them, testify against them, or whatever I else I would need to do to stop them. That said I would speak up for them during sentencing, but that is the furthest I would go.
4) No, my parents have tried that BS a few to many times for me to even entertain that idea.
5) Duty, but based on this scenario the question becomes which country do you have the obligation of duty towards. Since you were offered as a peace offering, and honestly seem to care about your fiance, I would say that the obligation shifted from your home country to your new one.

 

I will sacrifice myself for my family happiness. My family is important to me, I will do anything for them.

 

I would leave; I hate scheming and politics.
I'm not goody-goody or selfless enough to let others sacrifice me for their greater good, and if my family was willing to do so then they aren't worth sticking around for.

 

Here we can see how many are indecisive and cowards. Of course, for country always. Women are temporary but the glory of Rome is forever.

 

1. What do you do?
Of the two given options, they both seem like a loss;
1. if you tell A, they'll probably torture you, set a trap, and the marriage would be called off;
2. if you continue with the plot: A will be conquered, and 'reformed', which, from your experience, won't be in a good way, and your marriage would be ruined; though you might be in a position to help both your SO and the country.

Though there are other options, such as suicide, get(try to) rid of the device, and/or activating the device earlier (which also amounts to suicide).

Personally, I'd try to get rid of the device, and there is no way, continue with the plot, as it'd put me in a better position to alleviate the damage/changes -- Could probably convince the country/parents/whatever, to let me rule A, as I've been living her for a year, and my SO would give me.... whatever it was called (recognition / right / etc)

2. In general, would you side with your family or side with your personal beliefs/desires? Are there special circumstances where you might side with the opposite?
Personally, being 'family' doesn't make things right. If they're being a bigot, or whatever, then you shouldn't side with them just because they're your family. And I don't know.

3. Would you ever side with your family even if you thought your family was doing the wrong thing? For example, suppose a family member committed a crime (you know this as a fact) and now they are in court. Would you lie as a witness to try and reduce the sentence that they receive?
... I'd probably try to lessen the sentence, if I know they learnt of the experience, and won't do it again.

4. Do you have a responsibility to your parents and family for raising you?
I personally feel it's the other way around; it was your parents' (and society's) decision to have you, one way or another, so they should be obligated to raise, and nurture, you until you can do it yourself.

5. If you have a great responsibility (e.g. leader of a country), would you prioritize your duty or your personal feelings / family?
Hopefully duty

 

I'd side with the opposition. I don't like militant societies and my family likely sees me as either their last resort or disposable. Ultimately a military society crumbles on itself when the countries around it form a coalition. It would be bothersome to attempt to create a spy network and manage political plots to keep this from happening. If they are desperate enough to attempt a sneak attack over a fertile riverbed, my guess is they haven't put too much into maintaining friendly trade relations so the coalition is pretty much a sure thing. they are on the verge of poverty because they have to maintain a strong military force to keep opposition form looking down on them. I guess what I'm saying is I'm lazy and I'd rather have a peaceful existence. As an added bonus I might not get the throne but I can at least gain influence from giving up my family. The only problem is that the nobles of the kingdom of Alasia could have doubts about me once they inevitably conquer the weakened country of Lurinis. I'd have to make waves in Alasia to create enough support that I'd be able to protect myself from them. Once I have the might to protect myself I can create a trading network where I can obtain the luxuries I desire.

 

1) Go through with the plan. My responsibility to my country as a prince far outweighs any personal dilemma I may have. Especially since we are a country built on war, and I also don't think there would be any conventions for war crimes in this world.

I would plea for my fiancee to be spared, and make sure she is taken care of with lots of wealth and protection (and probably lots of restriction), etc., even though she would most definitely hate me.

2) When it comes to beliefs, I think I will almost always side with my own. That's only because I don't have such a large importance on family as I would if I were the prince of a country, though.

When it comes to desires, it's very situational, to the point where I can't really give a system or examples. I think that you have to take both parties into account and come up a reasonable conclusion between the two of us.

3) I don't know what I would actually do until the time comes, but I'd like to believe I wouldn't do such a thing unless it is a crime for which I disagree with the law (e.g. possessing weed or something). If they did a crime which I think is wrong (e.g. stealing, assault, etc.) then I don't think I would lie.

4) This is a more complicated question than it seems imo. As my parents, they were obligated to raise me. It's a decision that they made and something they wanted to do when they decided to have a child.

I'm sure that when they raised me they didn't feel like they are doing me a favour to be checked in later, but rather that they wanted to do it because they loved me. And I partially payed that back by being a good son.

Obviously, I am grateful for everything they have done, and will pay them back. But I feel like any "paying back" won't actually be for the purpose of paying them back, it will be because of the same reason they raised me: because I love them.

5) If I were raised as the leader of a country and a part of the royal family, I think that the responsibility placed upon me would become a large part of my identity. I think that, in the position where I have accepted such a heavy responsibility, my own personal feelings come second.

 

The problem with running away is that the chances of getting caught are high. Lurinis is a country that thrives through military conquests and the like. How difficult would it be to look for a prince(ss) that betrayed them and spoiled the plan which could have ended the deadlock that has existed for decades? You'd be condemned by your own country. Not to mention it would further damage the relations between those two countries. Alasaia, to save their reputation, can very well blame you and say you cheated on your fiance(e) with a guard or a servant and ran away. That would humiliate Lurinis and this way too, you'd be condemned by your nation.

If you choose to die, you'd essentially be dooming both the countries to grow even more hostile towards each other if it isn't planned well. If you choose to commit suicide, Lurinia would have the upper hand and can push for war yet again by blaming Alasaia for your death; saying that the country tortured their prince(ss) or something which forced you to commit suicide. If you die, Lurinia would have every right to hate Alasaia. Lurinia would purposefully twist the facts, it's politics.

Although I'd love to die in these circumstances, future relations would be damaged too much. I'm so, so glad I'm not a real princess. The best option would be to just jump off the carriage (or whatever) and kill yourself when you haven't reached Alasaia. But OP said it's already been a year. Hmm.... I'd return to my country, maybe fake a cold or something so the doctor has to see and they can tell I'm in perfect health, I'd act suuuper happy to show that I've lived a happy life in Alasaia. Then I'd plan my death while still in Lurinia. That would prevent Alasaia from taking all the blame.

 

Personally,

A kingdom that has military power but living in a desolate place would have a fvcked up moral compass.

That being said, I would instead broker a trade deal between the 2 countries.
If all fails, suicide or turn into a ronin to make sure both country wont have the war.

 

I am just wondering if i would even survive the teleportation event. Afterall the beacon is in my stomach so the teleportation point would be around me.
Hell the portal might even open up with the beacon (and me) as the center of the teleportation. So depending on how the teleporation works i could be compleatly fine or blow up into bloody gore.

So, if i have no way to guarante my safety from the teleporation i might as well defect, atleast i would be alive then. If i can guarante my survival i might as well just follow through with the plan.

 

1. What do you do?

The main issue in my eyes is more due to the fact that my homeland lacks a local fertile farmland and thus many die annually. Sure imports can be gotten from the war money but that can only get you so far when a good portion must be spent on keeping the military going. So it is less old family vs new family and more can my countries interests allow for the livelihood of my people to improve without this plan. On one hand helping complete the plan will ensure my country does well even if with a distasteful method. Perhaps mostly the ruling class of the Alesia will be affected and the average citizen may be ok depending on what policies we make (assuming full control is possible). So helping with the plan is a plus for my country, my family but bad for the Alesia ruling class and royal family and the best that could be done for the people is to lower the bloodshed and try to maintain their livelihood under a new rule (though depending on how much of the military decides to fight there will be many widows and grieving families).

On the other hand helping Alesia make a trap will cause many widows and sad families in my country and Alesia likely annexing them which could improve their situation after a generation but at what price? Not to mention that they may just get rid of me after the plan as my military strength is a big part of why the marriage happens in the first place (interests of Alesia). Not to mention my fiancé is one who will put her country first before us so why shouldn’t I do the same? Maybe the best gift I could give her would be to kill her as the teleport happens so she doesn’t have to bear witness to the carnage to follow.

So finished talking about an outline and I will say my plan. I would be smooth as F and give my fiancé a bittersweet smile while overlooking the thriving capital and compare it to my own people’s situation and how I could improve it. I ask her if she has any ideas of how my people can be fed and whether I can casually probe to see if there is any way like some kind of fertility magic, great farming techniques or a way to get at least some of the fertile land our lands border. We would get deep into the topic and bounce around ideas. It was said Alesia does want peace (if for no other reason than that they have what they need and thus only need the military to retain it) so I can probably use that as a solid negotiating tool (this will be unofficial talk with fiancé but plan on bringing the bold plan to the in laws). Basically I will highlight that I look forward to peace between our nations and express my admiration for their country and how they need nothing else. But I’ll then segue into even if they need nothing they must want something and have desires. They may play modest and say what more could you want and I will say safeguarding your country for future generations. “History has shown that while peace is great, it can also be ephemeral and dream like and give the example of out countries strained histories. Not to mention peace can cause the rulers to degenerate into fools who lead their counties to dark times and it is only through focusing and finding new pursuits can the continued prosperity of a country be maintained. This wedding may achieve peace for a generation or so but it would end one day due to the forgetfulness of generations and the interests of the countries that conflict (deflect that all neighbors eye this country and that it isn’t just mine that will be subdued for a time but very tactfully).” I’ll get to the point around here: that my proposal is to take the peace treaty further and tie our countries interests to one another, to make the fertile borders a de-militarized zone (or maybe a joint ruler ship with representatives from both countries managing it, myself and fiancé the first) and have our peoples live, mingle and work together to deepen understanding and friendship. This part would be difficult as they already own that border so I would have to sell it to make it seem like the best way for the countries to get together and achieve true and lasting peace and even set gradual ambitions to other countries and maybe the world (the world is too big so focus on nearby countries that should be hostile with them and let them dream of continental/world domination in their dreams as that is a multi generational plan). I would also have to make it so I have the authority from my country to make this call (I would need to get Alesia at least partway on board enough to let me and fiancé reach the border region to expedite talks) and I may allude to Alesia already knowing or me thinking of telling them (threatening my family to cooperate and also stroke their own ambitions wider and see that with Alesia and them on logistics and defense and us as the sword to attack we could conquer other nations and with enough cultural blending and marrying royals so we are one big family it isn’t impossible to combine into an empire; a result that while gradual also eliminates the uncertain factors from the carnage and chaos the surprise invasion would cause and how we in turn could be attacked by others).

Essentially I would try my best to find a solution (whether magical, advancing farm techniques which both can be a focus of budget; and some smooth charisma and negotiation) that could reliably bind the interests of both countries together (fertile land for my starving people and legit prosperity for Alesia for future generations; peace between both countries should last if the plan works but it won’t be “at peace” as us allies will attack other countries, and since we attack the damage is on their land and our own stays safe as long as we defend the borders).

If after all my efforts come to nothing, I would go through with the sneak attack and make sure I kill my fiancé painlessly before she realizes the mess about to happen as a last mercy and act of love. I would try to minimize damage while making our takeover quick, seamless and unassailable. Alesia would then by no more in this scenario and I would welcome many subjects I would have a headache over getting to culturally blend and accept each other.

2. In general, would you side with your family or side with your personal beliefs/desires? Are there special circumstances where you might side with the opposite?

I will choose my own beliefs at the end of the day. I will not blindly follow family just cause they are family. Like if it was a question of sacrifice myself for my loving wife and children my beliefs would have me be the sacrifice. Duty, morals and all that all fall under beliefs.

3. Would you ever side with your family even if you thought your family was doing the wrong thing? For example, suppose a family member committed a crime (you know this as a fact) and now they are in court. Would you lie as a witness to try and reduce the sentence that they receive?

I would try to help them but not to the point I am doing something wrong (like they murder some innocent person for no reason, I am letting them pay for their action but as I am assuming I care for this particular family member I would try and be a character witness or whatever to try and lower the sentence a bit or a less rough jail). Basically I would help within reason and my beliefs.

4. Do you have a responsibility to your parents and family for raising you?

Only up to a point and the bar is raised or lowered depending on if they only did the minimum of food and shelter with some abuse in there (basically a scenario where if a few things went another way I wouldn’t have lived) or if they did everything they could (and the gap in between). Try your best in proportion to how much I care and how they did.

5. If you have a great responsibility (e.g. leader of a country), would you prioritize your duty or your personal feelings / family?

I find duty and all that comes under beliefs and such, but I guess a more clear cut way would be my country and all those lives entrusted to me or my family die (or at least large scale bloodshed). Well first I would decide whether the bloodshed would be an overall good thing (a whole, “I knew about 9/11 but didn’t stop it” scenario) for the country in one way or another (like if they are entitled pricks who want everything done for them and act surprised when their imagined bubble of reality isn’t actually reality). So if it is better in the scenario for the country to suffer some tussles over my family then sure I’d save my family (and remark to myself that even without my family at risk I would make the same choice).

Of course I can say that but if I was ever really faced with that, I would only know the result after the choice. Just do the best you can and try not to regret.

 

I want to kill everybody in the world!(ad infinitum)
X(

 

I would just call my parents absolutely stupid as it could be turned into a Personal Union wherein our child would be able to inherit both Kingdoms. There's a lot of things that I want to say regarding the politics but too lazy to do it, anyways I'll be improving relations with the lords of my fiancee's Kingdom and at the same time gain allies for myself and would do the same on the other side until I can force my Father to abdicate the Throne.

Afterwards, forge a Trade and Military alliance with my Fiancee's Kingdom which means that we would have another source of income for my Kingdom and try to build up my Military capabilities and would consult and hire merchants for my Kingdom and send them throughout the various Kingdoms to make trades.

Then, have my scouts go out on the Kingdom and look for people with good talents on various fields like for example administration, logistics, military, research, etc and make a Department of Defense, Administrative Departments, etc. Give or take it would take years to be able to complete all of it but once done and my Fiancee's kingdom is mine I'll be able to make it a small empire and would try to conquer those who tried to destabilize or harm my Kingdom whilst I am doing massive reforms and government reorganization.

Plus, I'll be able to secure fertile lands for my Kingdom whilst doing so and with the trades with other Kingdoms especially my Fiancee's since we are close(assuming we both of our Kingdoms only borders each other) and would probably copy what those sects in Eastern Fantasy novels do when they go out and recruit, basically make a department in one of my departments(idk like the Military, Bearue, Administrative, etc) that looks for talents around my population, recruit them, and train them.

 

Obviously the government structure of the luns or w.e. is shit. Why would I bother saving it. I'd lure them in to be conquered and ruled by a system that has half a clue as to how to actually build a nation.