EDIT : Telling us that we are just pissed because the liberals lost the ascendant they had in the first years is quite insulting.
I couldn't care less if they are winning or losing. Losing is even better sometimes since it creates drama for the side you work for.
I am voicing concerns about how incoherent and absurd the ideological situation in the Empire is to my eyes currently. PF would indicate it should be otherwise. I do not find it the slightest reasonable to think that everything that happened after Vak'Atioth for CENTURIES has suddenly vanished in less than a few moments. PF states we do not live in a pre Vak Atioth empire anymore.
Even if the wishes and ideals of conservative Houses is expected (and enjoyed), as I said above, seeing them all behaving like if they suddenly got back half a millenia back in time (like coming back in the middle ages or something), does not make any sense to me. I would like them to be acting like proper MODERN conservatives. Not bloodthirty savages. At least, Ardishapur is doing it right on that.
The problem is not what conservatives and extremists do ICly. That's expected.
The issue is the constant and utter silence, or even apathy, coming from the so called liberal Houses. We never hear of liberals, we just keep hearing again and again of Sarum and the likes. No wonder why Esna or other Amarrians continue to get the consequences of that ICly. If we don't read about a vocal opposition, it's like the whole Empire condone it.
Considering how Heideran was considered during centuries, and how his doctrines and way of life were so loved and spreaded around, I have difficulties to believe that everyone in the Empire suddenly stopped voicing their concerns about that as well.
Kador is a moron (not even a liberal anyway), Kor-Azor is weak, Catiz could be a good opponent, but she remains silent...
On the other hand we keep hearing again and again about the oh-so-awesome Ardishapur, and the Sarumites now. Yay. Again.
Just a few short years ago we had a peacenick emperor writing the Pax Amar, winning international peace awards, and calling for an end to the reclaiming.
Hiederaan and Doriam both were drastically different than Jamyl in tone and disposition.
Jamyl is aggressive and pro-reclaiming, and has a tight grip on the Heirs, we aren't likely to hear much dissent from liberal Houses in this current environment.
House Sarum probably didn't like it much when the last two Emperors were calling for more peace and understanding.
I may be wrong but iirc we had a lot of inter Amarr factional conflict back in Heideran/Doriam's days. Ok, maybe it was more centered around the Tetrimon affairs and the likes.
I am not expecting the heirs to oppenly declare their hostility to the Empress, I am expecting them to go reluctantly with veiled insults hidden behind polite smiles like courtiers would do. And a lot of fucking backstabbing, even if when obvious, can not really offer a clear proof of who was behind.
That kind of things.
Kador is a moron (not even a liberal anyway), Kor-Azor is weak, Catiz could be a good opponent, but she remains silent...
Weak? Kor-Azor is the Amarrian Batman, and probably the most good amongst the current crop of heirs. He's also the Imperial Chancellor, which gives him a lot of political power. He just keeps it quiet, to maintain his political standing I'd assume. That doesn't make him weak, just subtle. If he were to become Emperor, I'd assume he'd implement Heideran-style reforms.
Also, while House Ardishapur is the most traditional House in general, it's rather liberal about the Reclaiming. Ardishapur supports sending missionaries and converting people through peaceful methods, rather than through military conquest.
And no, Catiz isn't a good opponent. She and Tash-Murkon are closer to the Kingdom than to the Empire, and that isn't a good thing (concerned with how to make the most money out of their slaves, treating them like actual property). She's progressive in regards to the Empire's economy, but she likely views slaves as a free labor force, and war as a path to more ISK.
I still fail to see how he is the imperial Batman. He may have power with his chancellor position - which was given to him by the Empress more like a mean to control him rather than anything else - and be very subtle, but I still have to see what he actually is doing. The only thing I saw recently was his House doing shady things on education in the back of his vassals, and looking utterly idiotic for doing so, and more, being caught doing it.
I am pretty sure that I missed something important about him, because I really fail to see the Batman in him, more like the helpless Gordon.
We know very little about Catiz, you are right. She could also have that kind of views. I am not sure where you read that she is the closest of the Kingdom, but that could make sense economically wise. Ideologically wise, I am not so sure of that. Perhaps. Perhaps not.
What I had in mind for her was not much of a forefront figure, but more the wallet behind it (so yes I am expecting the imperial Batman to actually play his Batman role with the support of Catiz Wayne Industries).
North Korea threatens to start a suicidal nuclear war every other week.
During the US / USSR Cold War there were plenty of Generals on both sides who were aggressive and wanted to launch pre-emtpive attacks and get it over with. Turning most of the planet into a cinder didn't change their rationale or eagerness.
Yes, and like Nico said, after Kador already did it in a pure wtf moment in Solitude, Merimeth is going to go full Kim-Jong on the rest of New Eden. That reminds me another discussions we already had on this forum about how moronic/foolish/goofy the Amarr are portrayed at times.
They should take example on Crow, he is the perfect example of what a conservative would be to me.