Heru/GovernmentSolarDominion
The Government of the Solar Dominion
The Solar Dominion's system of government is both strong and responsive. At the uppermost level is the Solar Deliberative. The Solar Deliberative is a democratic body in which every Solar Exalted has one vote. This body is overseen by the Inner Circle, the five Solar Exalted who have been given the mandate by the Unconquered Sun to rule over the Exalted as the Exalted rule over Creation. The Inner Circle is the highest court of law within the Solar Dominion, and its rulings can only be overturned by the will of the Unconquered Sun himself. The Deliberative itself only meets and votes as a group on the most important and far-reaching issues.
The standard day-to-day legislative issues are resolved by the seven Councils, which is still at the level of the Deliberative. The seven Councils are the Dawn Council, Zenith Council, Twilight Council, Night Council, Eclipse Council, the Lunar Society, and the Bureau of Sidereals. Every Celestial Exalted is a member of the appropriate Council (based on Caste for Solars and Exaltation for the other two), which governs and directs the affairs important to that group.
While the Lunar Society and the Bureau of Sidereals operate as a collective, each of the five Solar Councils operate within their mandate. Each of the Solar Councils govern themselves as they see fit, some are highly organized military systems while others just provide support and education and let the members do as they will (within certain broad restrictions), and others function in between. The Zenith Council oversees both the religion of the Dominion and the judicial system. The Eclipse Council oversees the highly efficient bureaucracy and diplomatic negotiations of the Dominion. The Dawn Council oversees the vast Dominion military establishment. The Night Council oversees the safety and security apparatus of the Solar Dominion. The Twilight Council oversees and maintains the infrastructure and the intelligence agencies of the Dominion.
Each of the five Councils of Solar Exalted divide itself into eight location Assemblies. These Assemblies are standard across the board, and are based on the five elemental directions (Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Wood), Underworld, Yu-Shan, and Out-Realm (an unused assembly for early Dominion history this existed to make it easier for the Dominion to expand outside the Realm once that is possible). Those Solar Exalted that operate within the area are attached to that location's Assembly. These are fluid structures for whenever an Exalted travels to another direction for more than a month they are placed under the sponsorship of that areas Assembly. Finally, Solar Exalted may form Circles without worry about what Caste the Solars are from. If a Circle has one Solar Exalted from each Caste they are called Perfect Circles, which are capable of completing feats of Essence-channeling that put anything else but another Perfect Circle to shame.
The Sidereal Bureau within Yu-Shan divides itself into five Divisions (Journeys, Serenity, Battles, Secrets, and Endings). Each Sidereal is naturally a member of the Division whose Maiden they are the Chosen of. In the Solar Dominion, the Sidereals operate in Conventions, subordinate groupings to the main Divisions. There are five directional Conventions (Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Wood) and a number of other Conventions (Abyssals, Other Realms, Essence Wielders, Natural Disasters, Plague, War) that tend to special tasks and Dominion-wide events. The final grouping of Sidereals is that of the Link, gatherings of Sidereals without worry about which Maidens they serve. If a Link has one Sidereal from each Caste they are called Perfect Links and are as highly honored as Perfect Crescents and Perfect Circles.
The Lunar Society is organized into five Clans based on Caste. Each Clan is further divided into eight Tribes. The Tribes are based on the five elemental directions (Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Wood), Underworld, Yu-Shan, and Out-Realm. The Lunar Society also contain Crescents, gatherings of Lunars without worry about Caste. If a Crescent has one Lunar from each Caste they are called Perfect Crescents and are highly honored.
Below the Deliberate operates the Hall of Servants, the Dragon-Blooded version of the Councils. This organization operates very much like a guild, creating standards and enforcing order amongst its members. All Terrestrial Exalted are required to join the Hall of Servants upon Exalting, this is amongst the highest of laws. The Hall of Servants is divided into five Halls based on the different Terrestrial Aspects and all Dragon-Blooded of the Aspect are members of that Hall. Unlike for the other Exalted, each Hall of the Dragon-Blooded is named after its associated color of Jade. The five Halls are Blue (Air-Aspected), White (Earth-Aspected), Red (Fire-Aspected), Black (Water-Aspected), and Green (Wood-Aspected). Each Hall is divided into seven Committees, one for each of the elemental directions (Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Wood), Underworld, and Out-Realm.
Collectively, it is up to the Terrestrial Exalted to run the affairs of the Dominion provinces as the main government officials. They are also the majority officers within the Dominion military structures. Finally, it is their mandate to ensure that any report given to them from the Celestial Sphere is acted upon in due diligence.
The Justice Directorate - Overseen by Zenith Caste.
- The Courts
The Heavenly Directorate - Overseen by Zenith Caste.
- Ministry of the Celestial Incarna
- Ministry of Elementals
- Ministry of Gods
- Ministry of Summoned Demons
- Ministry of the Seasons
The Military Directorate - Overseen by Dawn Caste.
- Military High Command
- The Legions
- The Navy
- The Skyfleet
- Military Education and Recruitment
- Military Intelligence
- Military Research and Development
The Safety and Security Directorate - Overseen by Night Caste.
- The Dominion Security Ministry (DSM)
The Intelligence Directorate - Overseen by Twilight Caste.
- Ministry of Outer-Realm Trade
- Dominion Intelligence Organization
The Sorcerous and Artifice Directorate - Overseen by Twilight Caste.
- Ministry of Sorcery and Thaumaturgy
- Ministry of Crafting and Artifice
The Bureaucratic Directorate - Overseen by Eclipse Caste.
- Agricultural Ministry
- Internal Trade and Commerce Ministry
- Mining and Manufacturing Ministry
- Natural Resources Ministry
- Road and Travel Ministry
- Education Ministry
The Hierarchy of Enlightenment
This was told to a gathering of mortals by the Zenith Lord.
- "Lets take a Zenith. This Zenith was Exalted just a month before. Thus, his place is as the lowest of the Solar Exalted. He tried to petition the Inner Circle for a redress, but we decided that we were too busy. So, since he is a Priest of the Unconquered Sun, he prays to Our Father about his request. Out Father recieves that prayer, as he recieves all prayers to him, and decides in his Infinite Glory and Perfection that it is in fact a good idea. So, appears before the Inner Circle during one of our rest periods in the High Solar Manse and informs of that we must follow the request that the month-old Zenith proposed. Despite us dismissing it when we heared it, we now have no choice but to inact it because it is His Divine Will. Now follow that analogy as it applies to Half-Castes and their Solar parentage."
The Chosen - Any human Exalted by the Gods or by the vagaries of Terrestrial birth.
- Solar Exalted
- Lunar Exalted and Sidereal Exalted
- Terrestrial Exalted
The Allies – The other two races that exist within the Dominion have a special place in the hierarchy.
- Sentient Dragon King
- Enlightened Mountain Folk
The Blood - At the top of the mortal social ladder are those descendant of one of the Exalts.
- Solar Half-Caste
- Lunar and Sidereal Half-Caste
- Terrestrial Half-Caste
- Unenlightened Mountain Folk
Citizens - Below those with blood ties to the Chosen are the citizens.
Indentured Servants - Those who find themselves in economic misfortune, or those found guilty of a serious crime, may be forced to sign themselves into service to a citizen in exchange for room, board, a modest stipend and forgiveness of debts.
