The Star Kingdom of Persica is a constitutional monarchy with a strong executive office and bicameral legislature. It is a unitary state that is divided into three sectors, designated as duchies – though rarely referred to as such. Duchies contain their constituent worlds, each of which is designated a maerk, from the ancient terms “march” and “mark”, meaning frontier. In the Persican Cluster: Atramentar, Bridon, Celadon, Daxony, Laurentia, Tasavalta, Tolovana, and the capital world of Persica Prime; in the Serran Expanse: Cascadia, Frigia, Malison, Morrigaen, Nevermore, Nova Cambria, Raen, and the sector capital of Serratanis; in the Maglothin Reach: Aesingar, Bastion, Blackguard, Cadiana, Orcadia, Tintagel, Vaeringar, and the sector capital of Deseret. Persica’s current constitution, the Ravencrown Constitution, was ratified on 20 Aprilis 2953.
Table of Contents
Etymology
The Crown and Government of the Star Kingdom of Persica is so named because it includes the monarchy (the Crown) as executive with a legislature of both nobles and commoners and a commoner judiciary.
History
The Persican government was established 20 Aprilis 2953 by the Ravencrown Constitution, signed and ratified by the heads of the ruling houses on each of the twelve worlds brought into Unification by King Cambrius o Corvida Rex.
Additional information forthcoming.
Structure
CROWN AND GOVERNMENT (REALM)
Overview
Government Type: Constitutional Monarchy
Head of State: Queen Rheannon III o Corvida Regina
Head of Government: Consul Primaris Gage Serran
Legislature Type: Bicameral
Executive Branch
Head of State
The reigning monarch is the Head of State and heads the executive branch as both representative and embodiment of the Crown.
Royal Senate
Royal Senate is the official term used to describe what other nations might call the Cabinet, with many of the same titles and offices that were used in the time of the Republic of Royce. The official duty of the Senate is to carry out the orders of the monarch, but their status as advisors to the Crown make them highly influential. Senators are appointed to their ministries by the monarch with recommendations from Parliament and serve until discharged by the monarch. The most senior member is called the Lord/Lady High Senator.
Minister of Foreign Affairs: (Praetor Extraterritorialis) is the senator in charge of international relations, embassies and ambassadors, and the diplomatic corps.
Minister of Domestic Affairs: (Praetor Infraterritorialis) is the senator in charge of homeland departments such as customs and immigration.
Minister of Agriculture: (Consul Agrestis) is the senator in charge of crops and livestock, and heads the agricultural departments and agencies.
Minister of Industry: (Consul Fodis) is the senator in charge of terrestrial natural resources, including lumber, ores, and minerals, and heads the industrial departments and agencies.
Minister of Oceans: (Consul Maritimis) is the senator in charge of aquatic resources, including fish, and heads the maritime and environmental departments and agencies.
Minister of Finance: (Quaestor) is the senator in charge of national revenues, tax collections, and government expenditures, and heads the financial departments and agencies.
Minister of Commerce: (Consul Aedilis) is the senator in charge of international trade, imports and exports, and heads the commercial departments and agencies.
Minister of Public Works: (Praetor Aedilis) is the senator in charge of public utilities, sanitation and government services, and heads the departments and agencies of public works.
Minister of Public Safety: (Consul Tutis) is the senator in charge of national safety standards and heads the safety departments and agencies.
Minister of Justice: (Consul Iuris) is the senator in charge of the federal courts, police and corrections, and heads the justice departments and agencies.
Minister of Education: (Consul Eruditis) is the senator in charge of education, the preservation of traditional Persican culture and heritage, and heads the education departments and agencies.
Minister of Human Resources: (Consul Civitatis) is the senator in charge of labour, social development and civil rights, and heads the social departments and agencies.
Minister of Health: (Consul Salutis) is the senator in charge of health and wellness, food and drug standards, hospitals, and the Persican Medical Association, and heads the health departments and agencies.
Minister of Transport: (Consul Transportatis) is the senator in charge of roads and skyways, aerospace, and naval transportation authorities; and heads the transportation departments and agencies.
Minister of Defence: (Consul Legatus) is the senator in charge of national defence and military affairs, and heads the defence departments and agencies.
Command Officers: (Praetor Legatus) are the officers in charge of CrownForce: the Command Admiral of the Navy and the Command General of the Army. While representing Section 2 within the Ministry of Defence, the Command Officers are each accorded a voice in the Senate.
Legislative Branch
The legislative assembly for the realm is called the Parliament of Persica and is seated at Ravenstone in Ravencrown, a district of Vanovar. The body consists of the Consul Primaris, who represents the Crown as the head of Government; an upper house: the Circle of Archons; and a lower house: the Circle of Praefects. Each element has its own officers and organization. By constitutional convention, the Circles are equally influential, with the monarch occasionally imposing his/her will. Each Circle proposes and reviews legislation and the monarch provides Royal Assent to make bills into law or withholds Royal Assent to deny them. In the Circle of Archons, the Speaker and chief officer is the Lord/Lady High Chancellor, in the Circle of Praefects the Speaker and chief officer is the Skald. The High Chancellor is appointed by the monarch; the Skald is elected by the Praefects.
Circle of Archons
The upper house consisting of the senior nobility of the realm, as appointed by the monarch. The duke/duchess of each sector is always included. Archons serve for life or until discharged by the monarch.
Circle of Praefects
The lower house consisting of elected representatives of the citizens of each maerk. Praefects serve a term of five years; there is no limit to the number of terms a praefect may serve.
Judicial Branch
The Supreme Court of Persica stands at the apex of the Persican judicial system and consists of thirteen Prime Justices, appointed until discharged by the monarch from among the superior courts – though Prime Justices may choose to retire. Candidates must be from civilian (non-noble) families and may not hold any other remunerative office during their term. The duty of the judiciary is to advise the monarch in legal matters, to uphold Royal Persican Law, and to adjudicate legal matters at all levels. The most senior member is the Chief Prime Justice.
PLANETARY GOVERNMENT (MAERK)
Planetary governments are local versions of the realm government. Each planet in the Star Kingdom comprises a Maerk and is governed by the Margrave/Marquess, who is the primus/prima of the ruling House. Each maerk is subdivided into regional baronies, comprising the vast megapolitan areas of each major city, and which are further subdivided into Districts – essentially large city-sized suburbs of each megapolis. Baronies are ruled by a hereditary noble, a Baron/Baroness, and Districts are administered by a Thane who is elected from among the populous. As a unitary state, the Crown and Government delegates areas of authority to the planets. Areas of authority are based on the divisions of responsibility between the planetary and realm governments within the Ravencrown Constitution, and each planet thus has its own representative of the Crown, the Jaerl/Jaerla, who advises the Margrave/Marquess on behalf of the monarch.
Overview
Head of State: Queen Rheannon III o Corvida Regina
Head of Government: Margrave or Marquess
Crown Representative: Jaerl or Jaerla
Legislature Type: Bicameral
Executive Branch
Head of Government
The ruling margrave/marquess is the Head of Government and heads the executive branch as planetary governor.
Ministerium
Ministerium is the official term used to describe the planetary government body analogous with the Royal Senate. The official duty of the Ministerium is to carry out the orders of the governor and legislature and as advisors to the governor. Ministers are appointed to their ministries by the margrave/marquess with recommendations from the legislative assembly. The ministries vary in number and responsibility from planet to planet. The most senior member is called the Lord/Lady High Minister.
Legislative Branch
The legislative assemblies of the planets in the realm are seated in the capitals of their respective worlds, with the exception of Persica Prime. The body consists of an upper house, the House of Barons, and a lower house, the House of Praefects. As with the Crown and Government, each element has its own officers and organization. The Houses are equally influential by constitutional convention, though the House of Barons often exerts more influence with the governor, who frequently imposes his/her will. Planetary governments do not have the authority to make law, but theoretically have significant power relative to the realm government, with jurisdiction over many public goods such as healthcare, education, social welfare, and intrasystem transportation. They receive Crown subsidies from the realm government to pay for these, as well as exacting their own taxes. In practice, however, the Crown and Government can use these transfer payments to influence these planetary areas. For instance, in order to receive funding for certain services, planets must agree to meet certain Crown mandates, such as universal access. In the House of Barons, the Speaker and chief officer is the Lord/Lady Chancellor, in the House of Praefects the Speaker and chief officer is the Skald. The Chancellor is appointed by the governor; the Skald is elected by the Praefects.
House of Barons
The upper house consisting of the regional barons of the planet. Barons serve for life or until discharged by the governor with the consent of the monarch.
House of Praefects
The lower house consisting of elected representatives of the citizens within a district, a subdivision of a barony. Praefects serve a term of five years; there is no limit to the number of terms a praefect may serve.
Judicial Branch
Each world has a Supreme Court that stands at the apex of their planetary judicial system. Each consists of thirteen Justiciars, appointed for life by the governor from among the superior courts – though Justiciars may choose to retire. Candidates must be from civilian (non-noble) families and may not hold any other remunerative office during their term. The duty of the judiciary is to advise the governor in legal matters, to uphold Royal Persican Law, and to adjudicate legal matters at all levels. The most senior member is the Chief Justiciar.
Planetary Politics
The ideological parties of each world vary greatly in composition and agenda. The House of Barons is almost uniformly conservative in nature regardless of planet – though, as with the greater realm, agendas tend to be more personal. The House of Praefects is usually a microcosm of planetary ideology in general. Worlds such as Nova Cambria, Cascadia, and Serratanis lean more liberal, whereas planets like Atramentar, Celadon, and Morrigaen lean more conservative.
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
The Ministry of Defence of the Star Kingdom is organized into numbered departments called Sections, each with its own area of responsibility.
Section Zero
Section Zero, (also Section 0, also known colloquially as Cypher) is the department responsible for technomancy and enforcement of the Zero Code.
Section One
Section One, or Section 1, is the department of Command Officers – the Praetori Legati. Included in this department are the theatre commands.
Section Two
Section Two, or Section 2, is the department of CrownForce, including the two branches: Army and Navy.
Section Three
Section Three, or Section 3, is the department of the Intelligentia Militarum and its ten divisions.
IM1: Codes and cyphers; cryptography.
IM2: Intelligence on the Intersystem Alliance, Meritocracy of Threshold, Empire of Gaennan.
IM3: Intelligence on the People’s Coalition and Empyrean See.
IM4: Intelligence on the Kingdom of Eirangard, United Star Commonwealth, and other star nations.
IM5: Counterintelligence service.
IM6: Secret intelligence service and liaison with Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
IM7: Press and propaganda.
IM8: Communication security.
IM9: AI/VI intelligence.
IM10: Military security, also known as IMX.
Section Four
Section Four, or Section 4, is the department of executive agencies.
Section Five
Section Five, or Section 5, is the department of field agencies.
Section Six
Section Six, or Section 6, is the department of advisory agencies.
Section Seven
Section Seven, or Section 7, is the department of Crown corporations within the purview of the Ministry of Defence.
Participants
Realm Politics
The Circle of Archons is populated by the nobles and peerage of the realm. As such, the politics of the upper legislative house is nebulous at best with each Archon holding his or her own agendas. The Circle of Praefects is an entirely different matter. As is common in any democracy, parties of ideology group together to advance their collective agendas and policies.
The Sentinel Party is one of the two largest parties in the Star Kingdom. The Sentinels hold a center-right political position and a majority in the legislative house. They stand for a strong military and centralized government, as well as an assertive, even aggressive foreign policy.
The Cavalier Party is the second of the two largest parties, and currently form the Opposition in the Circle of Praefects. The Cavaliers represent a center-left political position, standing for a decentralized federal government and increased rights for the planetary governments.
The Sovereign Party holds an ultra-conservative position, and their party leader is the current Skald of the Circle of Praefects. Though traditionally in support of the Sentinels’ neoconservative agenda and strong national government, Sovereigns disagree on domestic issues such as the opinion that the monarch should holds more direct power; they do feel almost identical on matters of foreign policy.
The Crusader Party holds a skepticism of authority; however, Crusaders diverge on the scope of their opposition to existing political and economic systems. Crusaders advocate laissez-faire capitalism and strong private property rights, such as in land, infrastructure, and natural resources. This is in direct opposition to both the conservative stances.
The Labour Party is primarily concerned with advocating the interests of workers in Persica and holds a typically socialist-leaning position. Labour members, know colloquially as Grits, are typically leaders of prominent unions, particularly in the industrial areas of Persica.
The Wolf Party comprises the independent members that refuse affiliation with other parties. The grouping of the independent members into a party at all is a contentious issue, with members often refusing even to be labelled as Wolves. The political stances of each member vary widely, and are most representative of their individual wards.
The Raven Party is composed of members who seek a separatist agenda for their constituent planet. These members are most frequently elected on Amaranth and Blackguard, and typically hold a far-left political stance.