The Peaceful Principality of Shifaell
It's peace held by a iron fist grasping tenuously, how long will it take for this land of scholars and disciplined warriors to collapse under its own weight?
Structure
Shifaell is a hereditary monarchy with control of the State firmly in the hands of House Aldam. A number of other influential families have been part of the nation's history, but through cunning and shrewd planning, Aldam has ever managed to keep itself ahead of its peers. These peers, however, form the Council of the Worthy, the legislative body to whom the High Prince, ruler of Shifaell, must convince to enact new laws. Likewise, the Council must convince the High Prince of the merit of any laws they wish to enact. Members or delegates of the Twelve Lofty Names -- the constituent houses represented in the Council and on the throne -- act as the judicial arm of Shifaell, presiding over legal cases and delivering their justice.
Each House represented among the Lofty Names administers a Barony -- an administrative division of the principality which is further divided into shires overseen by Lord Reeves, who are responsible for the mayors of towns and cities. Some major cities have Lord Reeves presiding over them. The appointment of Lord Reeves is the right of the district's Baron, though may be vetoed by The Crown or a cosignatory agreement by nine Lofty Names that is ratified by The Crown. Lord Reeve is thus not a hereditary office, though some Lord Reeves do trace the position back generations. A Baron additionally has the right to determine how mayors are selected within their Barony. From the lowliest peasant to the Baron of a district, however, all are eventually answerable to the High Prince.
House Aldam: The current royal house.
House Cygniellaisolle: An elven house who traces its lineage to the indigenous Sylvanais tribes.
House Cuilleriller: A house descended from a Sylvanais tribe of engineers.
House Flebriseur: A house descended from a Sylvanais tribe.
House Gristanca: A house descended from a western general.
House Liepsnan: A house descended from a western general.
House Pluiefloret: A house descending from a Sylvanais shaman.
House Retezat: A house descended from a western tactician.
House Vanatoare: A house descended from a western general.
House Vieillesse: A house descended from a seafaring tribe of Sylvanais.
Council of the Worthy & The Twelve Lofty Names
The Council of the Worthy is made up of thirteen people, one from the House Royal and twelve from the stock of families that were foundational to Shifaell. Typically, the representative of each family is the Head of the House, but the Head may elect a member of the House to act on their behalf. In order to be eligible to represent a House on the Council, this proxy must bear the House's Name and be directly related to the Head, either through parentage or lineage. The House Royal may only be represented by the current High Prince, the High Princess, or offspring who have reached the age of sixteen -- the age of majority in Shifaell.Each House represented among the Lofty Names administers a Barony -- an administrative division of the principality which is further divided into shires overseen by Lord Reeves, who are responsible for the mayors of towns and cities. Some major cities have Lord Reeves presiding over them. The appointment of Lord Reeves is the right of the district's Baron, though may be vetoed by The Crown or a cosignatory agreement by nine Lofty Names that is ratified by The Crown. Lord Reeve is thus not a hereditary office, though some Lord Reeves do trace the position back generations. A Baron additionally has the right to determine how mayors are selected within their Barony. From the lowliest peasant to the Baron of a district, however, all are eventually answerable to the High Prince.
Register of Lofty Names
The thirteen houses represented on the Council of the Worthy are:House Aldam: The current royal house.
House Cygniellaisolle: An elven house who traces its lineage to the indigenous Sylvanais tribes.
House Cuilleriller: A house descended from a Sylvanais tribe of engineers.
House Flebriseur: A house descended from a Sylvanais tribe.
House Gristanca: A house descended from a western general.
House Liepsnan: A house descended from a western general.
House Pluiefloret: A house descending from a Sylvanais shaman.
House Retezat: A house descended from a western tactician.
House Vanatoare: A house descended from a western general.
House Vieillesse: A house descended from a seafaring tribe of Sylvanais.
The High Prince, Discipline and Peace
Magic is chaos, and war is chaos. Order may supplant chaos, but must first immerse itself in chaos. This philosophy underpinned the Shifaell Campaigns that laid the groundwork for the principality more than nine centuries ago. The position of High Prince was at first given to General Ersange, elected by the Council consisting of the eight remaining generals and representatives of the five Sylvanais groups that allied with the invaders. Originally, the position of High Prince was considered to be first among equals, and reconsidered every three years by those on the Council. This tradition continued for approximately two centuries, the title of High Prince shifting as deemed appropriate. During these early years of the Principality, Barons had the right to set their own laws for their Baronies, so long as they did not incite discord among the Principality or endanger the lives of law-abiding citizens of other baronies within the Principality.Public Agenda
Safety, order, prosperity, enlightenment.
History
When the floating islands fell from the sky, struck down by the gods, mortals lost much of their magic. They lost that which they relied on. They had to find a new order and meaning.
Skyfall or whatever -> Eight centuries ago, thirteen explorers -> five died during -> Conquest and unification of indigenous clans (five of which become Worthy Names) -> Constitutional monarchy -> Centuries of intranational squabbling -> Parliamentary monarchy -> Establishment of the academy -> Uprising, failed -> Rule of Law
Demography and Population
The Shifaell populace is predominantly human -- approximately 65% -- with significant elven and half-elven populations; 25% and 10% respectively. The remainder consists of small, clustered groups of dwarves and halflings. The dark elves, ogres, goblins and orcs who inhabit the wild and dark parts of Shifaell do not count at citizens.
Religion
The Septet
Religion based on the belief that the seven generals that founded the council of the worthy were acting in accordance with divine will. Writings credited to the seven generals and their disciples form the ethical basis for this religion, collected in the Tenets of the Septet.Education
Education in Shifaell is a privilege, though over the centuries, some thinkers have come to see it at a right. In the cities, it is common for even the impoverished to have a basic level of literacy and a rudimentary understanding of mathematics. Philanthropic endeavours make this possible, underpinned by the ideas that a society is only as good as its least fortunate, and the more utilitarian one that education spurs on industry and innovation. The Academies of Shifaell are known internationally as beacons of intellect and reasoning that shine light over the vastly unmapped areas of arcanistry, philosophy and the natural and human sciences.
It is often assumed by foreigners (and much of the uneducated Faell populace) that Shifaell is particularly blessed with magic. This is not the case. While undoubtedly Shifaell is the world leader in magical theory, it is little more than that. The theoretical study of magic does attract foreign magicians, and thus there may be a greater concentration of magicians in Shifaell, but this does not necessarily mean that all magicians in the land would be willing to bring their might to bear for the glory of the principality.
It is often assumed by foreigners (and much of the uneducated Faell populace) that Shifaell is particularly blessed with magic. This is not the case. While undoubtedly Shifaell is the world leader in magical theory, it is little more than that. The theoretical study of magic does attract foreign magicians, and thus there may be a greater concentration of magicians in Shifaell, but this does not necessarily mean that all magicians in the land would be willing to bring their might to bear for the glory of the principality.
Infrastructure
Shifaell's area is spread vastly over land and sea with expanses of wilderness between concentrated pockets of civilisation. Roads exist, created in centuries past or by the ancient, forgotten inhabitants of this land, and maintained by the Principal Guild of Constructions, who also maintain the bridges that lie along the roads. The harbours of Shifaell are well maintained, and most major cities are coastal, making them hubs of trade.
Mainstream Faell culture prizes discipline and order. In contrast to the horizontal, relatively flat power structures of Sylvanais culture, the colonisers' culture was and remains very hierarchical, with stations and duties delineated cleanly, clearly and often rigidly. Faell culture celebrates strength and intellect with equal measure, but holds highest cunning, ambition and perspicacity. It is a transactional culture, with power and wealth supposedly flowing into reach of the most worthy, though predictably this is by large the people who already hold prestige and wealth. Obedience to one's betters is expected, though it is permissible to question authority on the grounds of sound reason. Much of the nobility is paranoid of their fellows backstabbing them; this atmosphere has been cultivated by the House Royal over its centuries-long hold of the throne. While the nobility are squabbling among themselves, the crown is kept safe.
Social power in Shifaell is largely held by human men. Elven men who hold Worthy Names approach the level of these men, but are considered lesser due to their heritage. Women in Shifaell culture are generally seen as less capable due to perceived a lesser capacity for physical strength and a propensity to value emotion over duty and logic. This has resulted in some places in a sense of patronising chivalry, where women are protected and coddled by men. Women are rare in military and scholastic professions, and any profession where logic is expected. Heterosexuality is considered the only acceptable form of being in Shifaell; it goes against the Tenets of the Septet to give into mortal fragility in any other way.
Culture
Shifaell's culture is largely bifurcated between the indigenous Sylvanais culture and the culture that arose from the colonisers from the west. Sylvanais culture is traditionally one that is close to nature. Though much of this closeness has faded due to the convenience of urban living -- and the cultural expectation of it -- Sylvanais culture remains strong in craft and art, using carapaces of insects and unworked wood and stone. Sylvanais culture places a high value on the phenomenological subjectivity of existence, and thus most of its work is impressionistic and concerned with the personal experience rather than objective reality. Sylvanais culture is traditionally gentle, rhyzomatic and nurturing, but this thread has been slowly shorn thinner through the centuries.Mainstream Faell culture prizes discipline and order. In contrast to the horizontal, relatively flat power structures of Sylvanais culture, the colonisers' culture was and remains very hierarchical, with stations and duties delineated cleanly, clearly and often rigidly. Faell culture celebrates strength and intellect with equal measure, but holds highest cunning, ambition and perspicacity. It is a transactional culture, with power and wealth supposedly flowing into reach of the most worthy, though predictably this is by large the people who already hold prestige and wealth. Obedience to one's betters is expected, though it is permissible to question authority on the grounds of sound reason. Much of the nobility is paranoid of their fellows backstabbing them; this atmosphere has been cultivated by the House Royal over its centuries-long hold of the throne. While the nobility are squabbling among themselves, the crown is kept safe.
Social power in Shifaell is largely held by human men. Elven men who hold Worthy Names approach the level of these men, but are considered lesser due to their heritage. Women in Shifaell culture are generally seen as less capable due to perceived a lesser capacity for physical strength and a propensity to value emotion over duty and logic. This has resulted in some places in a sense of patronising chivalry, where women are protected and coddled by men. Women are rare in military and scholastic professions, and any profession where logic is expected. Heterosexuality is considered the only acceptable form of being in Shifaell; it goes against the Tenets of the Septet to give into mortal fragility in any other way.
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