Good vs. Good

We see it all the time in our television dramas: the heroes (or at least, the typically well-intentioned characters) have a falling out over sometimes petty incidents. Characters may disagree on how to go about doing the right thing (or whatever it is they mean to accomplish). But, by the end of the season, if not the end of the episode, the characters have either reconciled their differences or changed sides. Very little lasting conflict, very few epic story arcs, are centered around the good guys fighting amongst themselves.

In today's post I want to give you the Twin Nations. (Rename and restructure them however you like, as they'll have very generic names and fairly basic themes.) Both face common foes, be they military dictators from other neighboring nations, monsters, or aliens. Neither of these nations is particularly corrupt or unstable. And yet, they inevitably come into conflict with one another (when greater threats are not looming).

The first of the Twins is the Kingdom. Led by the firm but well-meaning King, the Kingdom's people live regimented lives. Military training is mandated for all boys of age (about 13), and women (about 18). Few common folk need to be called into service at any point following their training, as either their home becomes threatened or they volunteer their services to the King indefinitely. Crime is simply not tolerated. The laws are few, but harsh, and the law cares nothing for woes which are not crimes. While there is crime, it's rarely publicised and always dealt with swiftly. Ranking military officers, rather than nobility, govern towns and districts of large cities, the reasoning being that they have proven their leadership. People live simple lives where they look after themselves and their families and aspire to glory.

The second nation is the Republic, quite obviously governed as a republic. Most people (if not all) take part in regional politics, electing their leaders who in turn elect a national leader. Threats of secession and alliances of militia (especially on the border of the Kingdom) keeps the Republic dynamic. Cities tend to be smaller, but more numerous, and laws can change from town to town and even road to road (and local laws take priority over national ones). Juries tend to pass judgement on all crimes, while wardens collect suspects and manage prisoners who are to await trial; wardens aren't often thought highly of in the Republic due to their authoritarian image, despite their lack of real power in most regions. There is crime, and serving on a jury is looked at almost with the same anticipation as being picked for a team in a sport. Watching trials is done almost as much for entertainment as it is out of a sense of civil duty. While there isn't a significant difference in the amount of crime in the Republic when compared to the Kingdom, it is highly sensationalized. People live simple lives where they look after themselves and their neighbors and always keep an eye out for something interesting.

The root of the conflict between the Kingdom and the Republic goes back several generations, and few people really remember why they view the other nation in such a harsh light. Really, though, the root isn't terribly different from the types of events that renew the conflict regularly: a criminal commits an act in one nation and crosses the border, where they commit another act, becomes captured, and is sent through the legal system of that nation. The other also wants to process the criminal, and their ideological differences on "due process" prevent this from happening. Duty-bound soldiers from the Kingdom or freedom fighters from the Republic then cross the border in an attempt to apply the "right" justice, and someone gets hurt. The unsanctioned extradition of a prisoner, or the quagmire that follows, can make for an excellent plot for your group.

Very rarely does the conflict stem from a desire to spread their beliefs; rather, it's simply a desire to handle personal grievances personally. In fact, during times of peace, the Republic's regions bordering the Kingdom may tend to demonstrate a more systematic approach to decision-making, while officers in Kingdom towns bordering the Republic tend to act under advisement from counsel or community leaders. This is made possible (during times of peace!) by the free exchange of ideas as people visit the other nation for trade or out of wanderlust, and return having seen how the other side does it.