Azure League

The Azure League, formerly known as the Blue Faction, is a major faction in Skytopia. Members of the League tend to value personal freedom and chafe at authority; as a result Blue is the least organized of the five major factions. They are also the most advanced, as they have traditionally been the inventors and scientists of Skytopia. Their capital is at Islo.

Join Description
The following text appears in the council on Islo when you click "Faction":
 * Islo is a research facility settled by the Azure League. Voyager Lawrence Islo himself was lost in the Tortugan Upheaval, although some hold hope that he still lives.  The current leader is Islo's friend, Emir Dalhoum of the nomads.


 * I look out into the sky and see the infinite expanse of blue, free of borders and restrictions. There are those who would seek to restrict our minds and chain our feet to the earth, all the while convincing us that it is all for the best.  What is the use of living and life if you are only to serve the will of another?  How can ideas grow and mature without enough air to breathe?  We have the gift of great knowledge, and we should consider it our responsibility to enlighten those who lack our blessings and lead them to freedom.  Let he who wishes to cage us and our ideas be afraid, for we will not be silenced. - Voyager Lawrence Islo


 * Prepared to stand up for personal freedom? It's not an easy life, but it's the best that we've found.

History
The League was established during the Commonwealth era by scientists and inventors wishing to advance scientific knowledge without the interference of politicians. Shortly after the Armada split from the Commonwealth, the League followed suit, claiming independence and establishing their new headquarters on the skyland of Torre Azul, which they renamed Islo in honor of their leader, Lawrence Islo.

The Azure League and Conclave
The Blue Faction is led largely by two bodies, The Azure League and The Azure Conclave. They hold different roles in Blue society, but both operate largely by cooperative and volunteer efforts. Neither can infringe a Blue citizen's freedom, which is one of the few rules written down about either body. This "hands off approach" to government has led many Blue citizens to state, "The League and Conclave are both great, but the body making the most important decisions is my own!"

The Azure League meets on a regular basis, with all Blue citizens welcome and encouraged to attend. This body is often very fluid, with people coming and going from the Grand Chamber near the bottom of Islo at their own leisure. No agenda is ever set, and no one person or group regulates the body. Citizens queue up to speak, and someone stating a controversial position may be shouted down by upset citizens. Unless a vital topic is being addressed, a session often ends when people wander off around dinner time. While votes are taken, and measures are either passed or shot down, the decisions of the group are never binding. Even the most independent citizens of the Blue Faction can respect measures passed by the League. They know that the Azure League makes decisions based on reasoned and careful debate. When a measure is passed, supporters can often be heard exclaiming, "Eureka!" A nod to the scientific roots and focus of the Blue Faction.

While there are no political parties or factions in the League, there is often a spectrum of opinions. The most divisive topics involve deciding how much power should the League wield. Positions can range from those who want votes to be binding upon citizens, to those who wish to disband the League in favor of purely skyland based governance. Other topics that have raised intense discussion include relations with other factions, how to fund public works projects, and if there should be an official factional hat. Sometimes an issue may be referred to the Conclave if more study is desired on the subject. The Azure League is often quite productive. Low conflict decisions, like naming newly discovered skylands, often pass in a matter of minutes.

The Azure Conclave is a smaller group, dedicated to furthering scientific progress and solving unique problems facing Skytopia. Many say that The Azure League and all of Blue Faction exist solely so that The Conclave can operate without interference. Membership is open to all, like the League, but citizens without significant or rare skills do not usually attend. Most of the time, individuals are engaged in conversation with colleagues, but all listen respectfully when someone takes to the podium. On most days the Conclave discusses scientific or philosophical matters. A mathematician may bring a bothersome problem to the group for help, or an aerodynamics researcher might present a new theory. It is not uncommon for attendees to scribble figures excitedly into a notebook if inspired by a speaker.

When a more pressing matter appears to Skytopia, the Conclave often convenes to discuss and develop a plan of action. Two notable examples of these special sessions include working to land the Azure Wind and deciding what to do during the Tortugan Upheaval. During these sessions, famed explorers, notable citizens, skilled craftsmen, and ace pilots all attend. These citizens bring practical skills to the scientists and engineers, and all work diligently towards a solution.

Miscellaneous
Blue Faction members are known for their propensity towards wearing and collecting hats. The average citizen will own upwards of a dozen hats of varying quality. Blues are always on the lookout for fancier and more complicated hats, sometimes traveling to far off skylands following rumors of a hot new design. This hat focus permeates through the society. For example, when students graduate from a school, they do not throw their graduation caps into the air, they instead replace them with larger, more fancy hats.
 * See also: First Hat