Alright, I'll hop on this 1001 list bandwagon.
I've thought of a few things that would turn an occupied nation against its conqueror real fast (specifically in the context of Exalted). Here's the list, and please do add to it with your ideas:
1. The empire hosts a powerful, dominant religious organization with strict taboos against certain things the occupied nation takes for granted. The imperial religion decides to flex its muscles and starts a rampage of divinely inspired vandalism, defacing artworks, cultural artifacts and sacred places for daring to defy the sublime edicts of the conqueror's prophets. This all comes to a head when the religion tries to destroy a cultural monument of massive national significance to the locals, who subsequently start a riot to protect it. The occupation government cracks down on the enraged rioters with excessive force.
2. A group of aristocrats from the imperial center take a "vacation" in the tributary state, flouting all local laws and mores and doing whatever they please. This excessive debauchery takes a dark turn into rape and murder, getting so bad even the imperial government takes notice. The offenders are quietly extracted and privately chastened, but suffer no public punishment. The victims are not even acknowledged as the government waits for the situation to die down.
3. Local businesses and industries are persecuted, driven out or shut down under ridiculous charges. Naturally, imperial magnates and foreign factors swoop in to establish virtual monoplies and drain the local economy dry. Poverty and starvation skyrocket.
4. In order to supplement their ranks and reduce the possiblity of rebellion, the empire recruits thousands of young people from the tributary as auxiliaries, either drafting them or telling lies about promised rewards and the circumstances of service. These auxiliaries, often the most likely individuals to make up the ranks of rebels, are sent to die in horrible wars far from home. The few that survive their terms of service return to their families maimed and traumatized.
5. The empire begins resource extraction in earnest, concentrating all the tributary states' manpower and industry into producing or retrieving whatever the invader finds valuable. As local industry becomes hyperspecialized, the economy distorts, making the conquered land overreliant on one or two sources of national income. As the fortunes of the imperial industry rise and fall, so too do the fates of the inhabitants. Quality of life suffers a gradual downturn, and human souls become a cheap commodity.
6. The empire hikes taxation up to ridiculous, unsustainable levels. Poverty and starvation spread like plagues. Meanwhile, local imperial cronies receive their share of the spoils, and live like kings while the common folk rot. Ordinary people must debase themselves in humiliating servitude to the cronies for food, or else compete with one another for dwindling resources.
7. The empire withdraws its garrison forces and refuses all calls for aid, preoccupied with its own problems. Raiders, rivals and monsters ravage the borderlands and probe deep into the heartland, and the empire refuses to do anything about it. They of course continue to demand their tribute, the occupational government's forces extorting taxes from the populace while doing their level best to evade any actual danger whatsoever.
8. The occupied nation guarantees its people certain rights, according to its social structure and traditions. The empire flouts these rights, for instance ignoring a claimant's right to a trial by jury, or habitual interference in honor duels.
9. Criticism, even of a constructive nature, is not tolerated under the occupational government. Anyone who dares to speak against governmental conduct, whether he or she be an artist, intellectual or government offical, is either publicly punished or quietly intimidated into silence. The most blatant example of this comes when a group of highly respected savant-philosophers are publicly executed for sedition after a farcically one-sided show trial.
10. A certain family or organization has ruled the land for generations, the populace having long since embraced them as the true legitimate power. This body refuses to obey the empire's increasingly tyrannical edicts, and subsequently suffers the conqueror's wrath. Entire families are wiped out, and the survivors and their most loyal followers are forced into hiding. The empire appoints sycophantic quislings in their place, who enact the imperial will with zeal.
11. The empire takes a divide and conquer approach, exacerbating or outright fabricating tension between local cultural, ethnic, political, racial or religious groups. The tributary turns against itself as the occupiers play the sides against each other and reap the rewards. The conflicts inevitably turn violent, and blood flows through the streets and fields. The empire ultimately puts the weakest or most hated faction into a position of power and privilege over the others, practically enslaving the group to imperial protection while directing the nation's ire away from their true oppressors.
12. A local tournament or sporting event of great significance is ruined due to imperial meddling. Champions representing the empire itself or its local cronies are given ludicrous advantages, or even benefit from outright cheating. The locals are scandalized and furious.
13. Certain animals considered sacred by the locals possess unique qualities, are extraordinarily difficult to catch or put down, or both. Imperial aristocrats take to hunting these sacred animals for sport, sneering at local protests. They even bribe or threaten locals to go against their own beliefs and help hunt the creatures down.
14. Imperial treasure hunters defile sites and artifacts of deep cultural or religious significance in pursuit of treasure. The occupiers manage to avoid any negative consequences directed at themselves, and completely ignore any negative repercussions suffered by the populace.
15. In order to increase its profits, the empire enslaves large portions of the tributary's populace. Entire communities are depopulated and sold into servitude, usually in foreign markets. Widespread chaos and suffering within the occupied nation ensues.
I've thought of a few things that would turn an occupied nation against its conqueror real fast (specifically in the context of Exalted). Here's the list, and please do add to it with your ideas:
1. The empire hosts a powerful, dominant religious organization with strict taboos against certain things the occupied nation takes for granted. The imperial religion decides to flex its muscles and starts a rampage of divinely inspired vandalism, defacing artworks, cultural artifacts and sacred places for daring to defy the sublime edicts of the conqueror's prophets. This all comes to a head when the religion tries to destroy a cultural monument of massive national significance to the locals, who subsequently start a riot to protect it. The occupation government cracks down on the enraged rioters with excessive force.
2. A group of aristocrats from the imperial center take a "vacation" in the tributary state, flouting all local laws and mores and doing whatever they please. This excessive debauchery takes a dark turn into rape and murder, getting so bad even the imperial government takes notice. The offenders are quietly extracted and privately chastened, but suffer no public punishment. The victims are not even acknowledged as the government waits for the situation to die down.
3. Local businesses and industries are persecuted, driven out or shut down under ridiculous charges. Naturally, imperial magnates and foreign factors swoop in to establish virtual monoplies and drain the local economy dry. Poverty and starvation skyrocket.
4. In order to supplement their ranks and reduce the possiblity of rebellion, the empire recruits thousands of young people from the tributary as auxiliaries, either drafting them or telling lies about promised rewards and the circumstances of service. These auxiliaries, often the most likely individuals to make up the ranks of rebels, are sent to die in horrible wars far from home. The few that survive their terms of service return to their families maimed and traumatized.
5. The empire begins resource extraction in earnest, concentrating all the tributary states' manpower and industry into producing or retrieving whatever the invader finds valuable. As local industry becomes hyperspecialized, the economy distorts, making the conquered land overreliant on one or two sources of national income. As the fortunes of the imperial industry rise and fall, so too do the fates of the inhabitants. Quality of life suffers a gradual downturn, and human souls become a cheap commodity.
6. The empire hikes taxation up to ridiculous, unsustainable levels. Poverty and starvation spread like plagues. Meanwhile, local imperial cronies receive their share of the spoils, and live like kings while the common folk rot. Ordinary people must debase themselves in humiliating servitude to the cronies for food, or else compete with one another for dwindling resources.
7. The empire withdraws its garrison forces and refuses all calls for aid, preoccupied with its own problems. Raiders, rivals and monsters ravage the borderlands and probe deep into the heartland, and the empire refuses to do anything about it. They of course continue to demand their tribute, the occupational government's forces extorting taxes from the populace while doing their level best to evade any actual danger whatsoever.
8. The occupied nation guarantees its people certain rights, according to its social structure and traditions. The empire flouts these rights, for instance ignoring a claimant's right to a trial by jury, or habitual interference in honor duels.
9. Criticism, even of a constructive nature, is not tolerated under the occupational government. Anyone who dares to speak against governmental conduct, whether he or she be an artist, intellectual or government offical, is either publicly punished or quietly intimidated into silence. The most blatant example of this comes when a group of highly respected savant-philosophers are publicly executed for sedition after a farcically one-sided show trial.
10. A certain family or organization has ruled the land for generations, the populace having long since embraced them as the true legitimate power. This body refuses to obey the empire's increasingly tyrannical edicts, and subsequently suffers the conqueror's wrath. Entire families are wiped out, and the survivors and their most loyal followers are forced into hiding. The empire appoints sycophantic quislings in their place, who enact the imperial will with zeal.
11. The empire takes a divide and conquer approach, exacerbating or outright fabricating tension between local cultural, ethnic, political, racial or religious groups. The tributary turns against itself as the occupiers play the sides against each other and reap the rewards. The conflicts inevitably turn violent, and blood flows through the streets and fields. The empire ultimately puts the weakest or most hated faction into a position of power and privilege over the others, practically enslaving the group to imperial protection while directing the nation's ire away from their true oppressors.
12. A local tournament or sporting event of great significance is ruined due to imperial meddling. Champions representing the empire itself or its local cronies are given ludicrous advantages, or even benefit from outright cheating. The locals are scandalized and furious.
13. Certain animals considered sacred by the locals possess unique qualities, are extraordinarily difficult to catch or put down, or both. Imperial aristocrats take to hunting these sacred animals for sport, sneering at local protests. They even bribe or threaten locals to go against their own beliefs and help hunt the creatures down.
14. Imperial treasure hunters defile sites and artifacts of deep cultural or religious significance in pursuit of treasure. The occupiers manage to avoid any negative consequences directed at themselves, and completely ignore any negative repercussions suffered by the populace.
15. In order to increase its profits, the empire enslaves large portions of the tributary's populace. Entire communities are depopulated and sold into servitude, usually in foreign markets. Widespread chaos and suffering within the occupied nation ensues.
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