Aether Confederacy (Ae-fff-err)
The Aether Confederacy is stated to be one of the most powerful political organizations in the known Multi-verse. It is a collection of nations, kingdoms, and different political factions under a single brand for protection and unity. It was formed in the years following the War of Light and Dark over 20,000 years ago by The Tribe and a few dozen other nations of the time.
Background
Before Formation
Following the War of Light and Dark [to be referred to as WoLD going forward], multiple realms and worlds were left in utter chaos. The Dharkanians had unified multiple ancient races and nations to combat the Lightonians & their allies under the banner of The Tribe. With the defeat of the Dharkanians themselves, all fell apart with a power vacuum mostly imploding the remainder of the Dharkanian Allies. Some worlds, such as the Vampire-ruled Earth, remained a thorn in the side of many nations. Political stability was in question even for those who were allied to the Tribe to begin with. Many were left to pick up the pieces following the war, which had brought devastation to many. To counter this the Lightonians attempted to ally themselves further with the more stable nations in a bid to strengthen themselves and export their aid to others. Despite the good intentions, due to the nature of the WoLD, some still viewed the Lightonians as an oppressive power that could go the way of the Dharkanians. To counter this and with the approval of its allies, the Tribe dissolved itself to aid in forming the Aether Confederacy- a league of governing bodies with equal say and share in the Alliance.First Years & Military Era
One of the first acts of the Alliance was to clean up the destruction left by the WoLD. At first this involved stabilizing the more positively aligned and neutral governments, often inviting many to join the Confederacy. Nations that proved stable, under the direction of the Confederacy, were able to export resources to those who were in need- along with capable forces to help rebuild. In time though their focus would again shift. Worlds that had collapsed following the defeat of the Dharkanians, and worlds that were still under the powers that had aided the Dharkanians, continued to be of concern to many of the Member Nations of the Alliance. And so after much debate, less than a decade following the war's end, the Confederacy drafted together an army. This army was known as the United Liberation Front [ULF], built from the armies of Members and Allies alike, with the sole goal to stabilize their former enemies and remove hostile governments from power- particularly those that had sided with the Dharkanians during the war. Very few would be allowed to maintain their power, while many would be completely sacked with their leaders removed. In some cases like Earth, races considered 'negative' such as the Vampire were hunted down just like the Dharkanian Remnants, and destroyed. This would forever change the balance of power for many, giving rise to races which had prior lived only in the shadows or as slaves. For decades the ULF moved from realm to realm, pacifying whatever the assigned leaders of the Confederacy had their eyes on. For the most part, this was successful and mostly met with applause on all sides.First Centuries
Over the course of the next couple hundred years, the Confederacy shined as a beacon of hope and peace, to unite the various worlds and ensure total security of rights for all people under its banner. Though as the years passed and both effects & memories of the WoLD faded, so too did the meaning of this alliance. Despite the long-lived Lightonians continuing to act as guides using the foundation of the organization as a precedent, times were changing. By now it had been decided that no single power should ever dominate or influence ever again. While the Confederacy would continue its existence, its policies were being drastically changed from that of an alliance of leaders & militaries to more of a gathering of representatives & advisors of member nations. Joining the Confederacy had become strictly voluntary and those affiliated with them to that point were allowed the option of remaining or withdrawing- to which many did opt to leave. Those that remained would be allowed total independence with little interference.Warring Worlds Era
Between three hundred and five hundred years after its foundation, with the alliance's power weakening, multiple governments outside of the Confederacy thought it wise to invade other nations. Truly this was no different from any known Earth War- fought for religion, philosophy, resources, land, revenge, politics in general & so forth. Nation after nation was wiped out and conquered under the view of the Confederacy. Some even within the Alliance were defying the Confederacy's policies and engaging in these conquests. Naturally, many voted that to maintain peace and power. Policies were put into play to try and sanction those that would involve themselves in this time of Conquest though to very little effect. It was clear for some that the UFL needed to act, and so a committee ordered as such- along with the Confederacy's top military leaders. And so decades of Warfare known as the Eighty Year Purge began. Suppressing conflict after conflict, bout after bout, destruction upon destruction. The leaders who had enacted this attack with the UFL were ousted immediately though by that point the damage had been done and the Confederacy was at war. Members of the Alliance would continue to leave the Confederacy in the wake of this, while others would double down on policy benefiting the war and the Alliance's own hold on power. Over the course of the war, magic and technology continued to evolve leading to greater losses of life. All came to a head though as a new type of super weapon was developed, one that had the unintended consequence of wiping out a battlefield of millions in an instant- including the bomber's own soldiers. From there, others who had similar weapons began to use them, killing millions more. Needless to say, an immediate cease fire was ordered by all sides on all fronts as the shocking revelation of tens of millions, if not hundreds, were wiped out in the span of little more than an hour. Leaders on all sides were ousted, and from there peace talks began as the consequence of such a loss of life was felt instantaneously. This would also have the future effect of halting any & all progression of military technology, leading to new beliefs on what warfare should and should not be.Decentralization Era
In the wake of the Purge, many nations were once again left scarred and in ruins much as they had been following the WoLD. The Confederacy, still one of the leading powers of the known multi-verse, did what it could. Despite its good intention, the image of the Confederacy was in shambles- as it was for many nations of that time. In fact, dozens would no longer exist following the Eighty Years Purge. Of those that remained, the demand for rapid recentralization of their own militaries and authorities began to ramp up. This would eventually have an effect on the Confederacy itself as many of its more commanding. Policies were put into place to give more power to the majority, less to simple councils and even an overall leader. Policies were also implemented to weaken the holdings of the Confederacy, granting members themselves more power than the whole. As this gradual decentralizing of power continued in the following decades with rebuilding still underway, even the military was taken aback. Power of the military shifted from but a single Commander in Chief elected by a council, to the council itself, and eventually was reduced to majority vote of the Assembly of Representatives- which itself was constantly being reorganized in a vain attempt at finding a proper compromise to the people's wishes. Finally around five centuries following its formation, the ULF was dismantled in its entirety by a majority vote of representatives- and with that the Confederacy became a body with the intent to only act in the security of its members through policy alone. In the eyes of many, Lightonians included, the Confederacy was now a shell of its former self- and so some chose to form entirely new Alliances.Restructuring of Policy
Over the years many Kingdoms, Nations, Governments in general would rebuild their militaries in new ways. Despite this though the ULF was never to return. Even without a proper military, the alliance's power did decrease by much. Through policy alone, the Confederacy was beyond able to maintain its status as a super power. While the Assembly had become a shell of its former self as a result of the Eighty Year Purge, much like the nations that formed it, it would rebuild. Part of what has made the Confederacy's Power of Policy so effective is that rather than enabling all matters to rely solely upon the General Assembly, the Assembly is able to establish smaller councils to oversee various aspects of the overall body. While these involve basic pieces of the Confederacy itself such as Security and Courts, it also enables Councils to be established for Member States which have conflict with each other, or with outside governments. By minimizing the numbers required to take action, it had allowed the Assembly to take swifter action. In addition, other circumstances promptly established would allow the Confederacy to take action and execute plans without the need of assembling a General Army or establishing a chain of command.The Warlord Era
Nearly a thousand years into its existence, a few centuries after the removal of the United Liberation Force, conflicts of varying nature would again arise. Due to policies of the time, The Confederacy itself could not establish a proper force to deal with conflicts or other circumstance. Instead it had to rely upon its own Member States to act independently. This in itself became a conflict within the Confederacy as it complicated the flow of power and response time for situations requiring armed forces. Member States were unable to act without approval of the Assembly or an assigned Council, and said Council/Assembly was incapable of directing the military of the Member State. Via policy, the Member State’s leader(s) would maintain all power of their own military, stripping ability to act away from the Confederacy. Though again, those Member States could only be authorized to act with the interest of the Assembly or the assigned Councils. In some situations this was far from a problem; though in most others it became a literal nightmare for those involved. Collectively, no Representative wanted to centralize power to any singular Member State or the Confederacy itself. And so a new opportunity presented itself- the Era of Warlords. Neutral contracts for hire, be them large collectives of hundreds to thousands. Even tens of thousands of armed forces, to small bands of several specialized forces, to even singular bounty hunters. By acting as a neutral ground, these Warlords & Bounty Hunters could solve both sides of the argument. The Assembly or Council could employee the use of these forces and even fund them whilst establishing selective guidelines for missions. And in turn those hired could lead themselves so long as they followed the guidelines of the mission. While on paper it did not appear any different from assembling an army of their own, it was in practice very different. It gave power and leadership to these independent contracts for hire, while also binding them to the delegation of the Confederacy & Member States financially. A delicate balance, yet equal and lasting at the same time. And so it was- Warlords, Bounty Hunters, Mercenaries, all began to accept contracts for hire. Even some Member States would go on to relax their own militaries and assign more tasks to their own hired forces. Granted a military was held in reserve for defense for many, it did change the balance of power significantly- thus further declining the need for a renewed arms race. This would also go on to establish the lesser known "Era of the Adventurers Guilds" as well, cementing Magic and Mercenaries as the greater forces of the known Multi-verse. With this stability there began an era of peace, and an influx of Member States.To The Modern Day
With time progressing, the focus on policy, the independence of the Member States, and the use of Mercenary Groups and Bounty Hunters, the Confederacy began to stabilize itself. Over the course of the next ten thousand years, policy makers would continue the status quo and over time things would begin to stagnate. Fewer Member States were leaving, and fewer still were actively joining. Despite the stability, with conflict always being present and times always changing, some would begin to call into question the use of the Warlord System and the Confederacy itself. With policy makers become far more lax over time and allowing 'minuscule' issues to progress, or by allowing policy to interfere with the betterment of the people, opposition had begun to arise. A prominent example includes the Frostosis Civil War. Frostosis, a world run by the Frost Clan- a prominent mercenary clan, has become a political nightmare. The Clan, divided under the guise of successor election, has split itself into a various factions all bidding to take control. Despite the importance of the Clan to the Alliance, it has refused to get involved with the Civil War- even refusing to back the family of the previous leaders of the Clan who had been with the Confederacy since the beginning. Another example shines as the aftermath of the Dharkanians return. Regardless of the history and current threat that the Dharkanians pose, and regardless of fierce Lightonian outcry, the Confederacy has refused to involve itself in the hunt for the Dharkanians. Finally in the wake of the Vampirial Outbreaks in which thousands upon thousands are turning or being killed within outside nations, causing very clear chaos and harm... the Confederacy has still refused to involve itself with the affairs of 'outside governments' despite the outcry. All of this- due to policy, leaving the future of the Confederacy once more in potential question.Policy
The Confederacy is comprised of various world-encompassing governments, and small island-sized nations, all across the multi-verse. Members are required to be singular or united in some context as to avoid tears within the alliance. When a world is thrown into civil war due to a fractured system, it puts the Confederacy in a political tough spot. Favoritism in past conflicts has proved costly on different scales- so as a precaution, worlds that join are required to have some form of stability and unity. This also stems due to how policy is achieved within the Confederacy. Representatives of the different member worlds create and vote on different bills. Various committees can also be established to minimize the political shortcomings of massive legislature. The intent is to keep things equal for all, from small island nations to mass world nations. It is also to prevent too much power from falling into any single person or member's hands. Most policies are made with these factors in mind to maintain harmony. Policies are also made to be generalized and to not impact any one member too severely, with most laws befitting as guidelines mostly. And if ever policies that could impact a member are made- often a committee is established made of those directly or even minorly impacted by such a policy, with the ability to present arguments before yet another hearing committee or a section (or whole) of the Greater Assembly. The few times the entirety of the Assembly is required to vote on a topic is if it impacts the standing of the Confederacy, or poses as an issue for at least 20% of the worlds. It is the belief of the Confederacy that there is no need for a matter concerning only three worlds to be judged by those outside of said committee unless it will have larger impact. To further differentiate and allow for proper categorizing of issues and bills, all factors are debated in reference to the Tier Cast System. These are five categories/tiers which sort the severity and impact an issue may present. Tier Cast 1 issues require minimal involvement, perhaps vote of only a handful of members. Examples include voting on trade between said worlds and figuring out fair treatment. By contrast, Tier 3 matters may involve voting to remove a member from the Confederacy- while Tier 5 is required for a declaration of war or abolishment of a Core Policy, such as the reestablishment of a military. The overall objective of the Confederacy, above all else, is to maintain peace and stability- to protect the freedoms of all and fair trade should any wish to do such. In recent years, the Confederacy has also begun to involve itself in regulating immigration from world to world among civilians.Organization
The (General) Assembly
The General Assembly, or simply The Assembly, is made up of representatives of various Member States. Often they are appointed by the leaders of said Member States in question. They have term limits of six years and can serve only two terms consecutively; however members who serve on a higher body such as a Council or the High Council- or an active committee that is necessary for its function, will hold a stay until such time as their Council Term is up or that the Committee is no longer required. In the event of a committee holding their term from expiring, they are to train in a new Representative to the issue at hand so that when said committee is fulfilled, they can immediately turn their work over to the new Representative. There is also no law against a prior Representative advising future Representatives as aids.Committees
Committees are part of the General Assembly assigned to accomplish tasks that do not require a majority of the Members approval. Often these are small tasks such as trade disputes or establishing generalized laws for select parties. Traditionally these committees are dissolved once a task has been accomplished and can last for as long as deemed necessary; though the High Council and/or Chairman can directly involve themselves with such. In the event that a committee is under performing it may be subject to termination and reformed, or checked by a different committee. Traditionally there is no need for a long lasting committee such as a Council, which serves a higher function.Councils
A council is an elected body of the General Assembly meant to oversee core aspects of the Confederacy such as Membership Approval/Rejection, Security, Courts, and so forth. Typically these Councils are elected by prior members, the Chairman, the High Council, and regulated by the General Assembly or appointed committees. Members of any council, regardless of importance, are elected to terms of six years with a max of three consecutive terms. In some regard these are simply more ‘permanent’ committees with functions that never go away.The High Council
The High Council is an elected Super Committee that, like the Chairman, oversees the various aspects of the Confederacy. Members of the High Council are intended to fulfill a number of vital roles, including legislative overview, executive decision, and judicial decision. They also elect the Chairman to said position. Despite their title of "High Council" and being a part of the Assembly, they are incapable of dictating policy any differently from normal members. They can however judge policies of the Confederacy and overview if any members are acting out of line or abusing power. To summarize their role, they both police the integrity of the Greater Assembly and judge policies that could negatively impact any single member state- often acting for the greater good themselves. Members of the High Council can still introduce ideas for policy and request the establishment of committees for tasks; though they are to act without bias and can be promptly 'checked' by the Greater Assembly as well as the Chairman, and even their fellow Councilmen. High Council Members are elected to a term of eight years, with a maximum of three consecutive terms. This is to ensure a check on the power of the Chairman as the High Council has say over the Chairman himself, as well as to refresh the Council.The Chairman
Despite the push for equality and previous abolition of a singular leader, the Confederacy does maintain a chairman as the highest overseeing authority of the Alliance. The reason for this is much in the same as to why there are established committees, to streamline the process of resolving conflicts. The Chairman's main goal is to oversee and act as a mediator for the Assembly and the various committees. It is the Chairman who is to act for the best interest of the various pieces of the General Assembly and help steer discussion. Despite the potential power that the position could promote, the Chairman is heavily limited by both the General Assembly and the High Council. A Chairman is elected to a term of twelve years, with a max of four terms. The length of these terms is due to the importance of the position. Despite being checked by both the General Assembly and High Council, the Chairman holds a number of core responsibilities. Changing out the Chairman as frequently as Representatives and members of a Committee would complicate matters and potentially result in little being done in a given term; though a term can not be too lengthy as it is still important to refresh leadership. While the chairman can create emergency acts/bills, they can not bring forward policies, and instead can only sign them in or establish a committee to argue as to why they may prove harmful. The chairman also oversees all 5 Tier Casts of bills as a mediator more than anything; though in its twenty-thousand years of existence this has rarely occurred.Contracted Outsiders
Contracted Outsiders are people who hold little actual power within the Confederacy, and are hired on to assist with outside needs. Commonly this involves the Warlords and Bounty Hunters, or outside judicial forces to list a few examples.Overseers
Overseers, simply put, are in charge of being the middle people for hired mercenaries/bounty hunters of the Confederacy. They report directly to the Chairman and established committees. Generally they also contend with Adventurer's Guilds and any outside party hired to benefit the Confederacy.Warlords
Warlords are leaders of the major mercenary factions hired by the Confederacy and report directly to the Chairman. Often these are private armies that handle major tasks or investigations, working hand in hand with said Chairman and the various committies- including the Security Council. Popular groups include The Lightonians and their Tribe, The Frost Clan, and the Mephisto.Adventure Guilds
With the lack of militaries across multiple nations and kingdoms, the Adventure Guilds have risen to maintain a power balance and uphold the status quo. Though not as common as Bounty Hunters or Mercenary Groups, people from these guilds or entire Guilds may be contracted for missions on behalf of the Confederacy or its members.Bounty Hunters
Independent contracts for hire, usually with small tasks and recon. They are self-explained and rather straight forward.
Founding Date
19,865 BC (Give or Take)
Type
Political, Confederation
Predecessor Organization
Founders
Location
Comments