Miscellanea from the Lost Quarter and beyond.

The Prophets

The Great Ruler, exalted by all, had restored Glory to the Nation and brought Harmony to people’s lives. Yet still there was disquiet in the great Nation. Enemies lurked, though he had thwarted so many, exiling them beyond the borders of the realm, from which his Viziers assured him they could never return. There were always more who appeared, who questioned the Harmony he had brought to all, who called him a tyrant or worse. How could they be so oblivious? His Viziers declared times had never been better, all thanks to him. 

He knew better than to trust them though. Some of them had turned out to be enemies of the Glorious Nation, poison lurking behind their smiles and whispers. Connivers, always looking to stand within the reflected glow of his Own Glory. He was tired of all these troubles and troublesome people, forever meddling. Destroying the Perfect Harmonious Nation he had restored to its lost lustre.  

Fortunately he had the Prophets to turn to. He had only to ask and they would tell him everything about what was going on in the world, even those things his Viziers tried to keep from him. Such marvellous inventions. Forever helpful and solicitous. Worth a dozen Viziers, certainly. With a simple query the Prophets would explain why the climates of other nations rendered them inferior, why the slope of the brow of so many foreigners determined their violent nature and limited intelligence. It also suggested why so many enemies remained within the Glorious Nation, for many citizens shared those same qualities, an artifact of earlier eras of miscegenation, which he had brought an end to.  

The Prophets also told him about the many failures of the medical sciences. So many unneeded deaths from experimental treatments foisted upon the populace by greedy industrialists. One of the first things the Great Ruler had done was bring an end to their reign of terror. Now it was the populaces True Duty to remain in Good Health. The Prophets assured him this would create a Nation and People of True Mettle, casting off all the impurities and its attendant weakness. 

After yet another meeting about trouble in the streets and defections by former allies, the Great Ruler had had enough. The whispering Viziers had outlived their purposes. When he queried the Prophets they agreed, assuring him they could do all that the Viziers could do and more. All of knowledge and civilization was there for them to access and use to determine the Most Perfect laws and customs of the Glorious Nation. They showed him the future, a future where he would hardly have to do anything at all but stand before the crowds and let them see his True Glory. In time he might not be needed at all.