Difference between revisions of "Tharra"
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The Colonies, on the other hand, are mostly tropical, with warm, wet winters and summers. Small, effiecient forts and towns cover the islands. The feudal system was recently introduced there, and peasents can be seen working large farm fiefs granted to noblemen and clergy. Also, towns in the colonies are centers of industry, with the rich rescorces of the colonies being harvested and refined there. | The Colonies, on the other hand, are mostly tropical, with warm, wet winters and summers. Small, effiecient forts and towns cover the islands. The feudal system was recently introduced there, and peasents can be seen working large farm fiefs granted to noblemen and clergy. Also, towns in the colonies are centers of industry, with the rich rescorces of the colonies being harvested and refined there. | ||
| − | Tharra has many exportable natural | + | Tharra has many exportable natural resources, including petroleum, gold, silver, and other precious metals, minerals (such as iron), and timber. However, uranium production has greatly aided the Tharran economy, and is the main national export. Major imports include diamonds and other minerals which are not native to the Empire. The colonies also contain heavy amounts of gold ore and petroleum products, as well as agricultural products such as coffee. |
| + | |||
| + | =Government= | ||
| + | Tharra is an absolute monarchy. While government bodies do exist, they only serve for the most part, to act as advisory and administration bodies. However, several exceptions to this do exist. | ||
| + | |||
| + | At the top of the structure there is the Emperor of Tharra. The Emperor is, as mentioned, absolute ruler. He has the ability to create laws, in the form of imperial decrees and letters patent. He can also issue letters of justice, which have the power to automatically rule legally on an issue, and pass any sentance the emperor wishes on a subject, without the possiblity of appeal. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Privy Council== | ||
| + | The Imperial Privy Council is the highest executive body in the empire. It serves to form imperial policy with the emperor, and advise him on all issues. The Privy Council is made up of about five leading cardinals, five leading bishops and archbishops, all the princes of the imperial household, all the fifteen secretaries of state, and fifteen appointed Privy Councillors. Thus, at any given time, the Privy Council has about forty five to fifty members. | ||
| + | |||
| + | However, the Privy Council is in practice too large and unweildly to function as the sole executive body of the empire. As a result, the council has a standing committee to which it delegates its functions too, and only meets about once a month. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The Council of State is the serves as the acting body of the Privy Council. Its members include the leading members of the Privy Council, who are entitled to bear the title "Minister of State". There are about seven ministers that sit upon the council, and their leading member serves as an appointed Prime Minister. The council forms policy and advises the emperor on all issues, meeting daily. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==The Imperial Estates== | ||
| + | The Imperial Estates General is both the leading legislative and judicial body of the empire. However, as Tharra is an absolute monarchy, its legislative powers are sorely limited, and it has had to function more so judicially as the years have passed. The Imperial Estates has four chambers, three of them being legislative houses (called "Estates"). There are three Estates, and each represent a legal estate (section) of society. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The First Estate has 200 seats, and its deputies are elected every four years by the clergy of the empire, to represent them in matters of state. The Second Estate has 200 seats as well, and its deputies are elected every four years by the nobles of the empire, to represent them in matters of state. Lastly, the Third Estate has 200 seats, and its deputies are elected every four years by the commons of the empire to represent them. However, by law, on must have a certain annual income (70,000 livres) to vote. As a result, the Third Estate only truly represents the bourgoise and wealthy common folk, with the peasents, serfs, and laborers having no representation. The three houses of the Estates can publish special orders of advice when asked by the emperor. However, they have little other powers, and thus are almost solely an advisory body. Even their legislative "orders of the Estates" must be introduced by the emperor, and can be disregarded or vetoed by him at any time. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Aside from the three houses, there is also a fourth chamber of the Estates. This chamber is called "The Imperial Bench" and serves as the empire's supreme court of last resort. The Imperial Bench is made up of thirty six members, including an appointed First President, ten Presidents, and twenty five Justices. The Bench tries all nobles, serves as a court of appeals, and registers all legislation passed by the emperor. It must register all legislation, as stated, and apply it as it is a legal body. However, the court can refuse to register legislation, on grounds of not wishing to judicially apply it. As a result, the emperor can still veto its decision by issuing a Letter of Justice and forcing through the legislation (which he often does). | ||
=Links= | =Links= | ||
Revision as of 21:43, 28 December 2005
| |
| Flag of Tharra | |
| Motto: God Save the Emperor! | |
| Region | Monarchy |
|---|---|
| Capital | Lirra |
| Official Language(s) | English |
| Leader | HM King Leopold VI |
| Population | 5.5 billion |
| Currency | livre |
| NS Sunset XML | |
Overview
The Feudal Empire of Tharra is a massive, safe nation, remarkable for its complete absence of social welfare. Its hard-nosed, hard-working, cynical population of 5.164 billion are ruled with an iron fist by the corrupt, dictatorship government, which oppresses anyone who isn't on the board of a Fortune 500 company. Large corporations tend to be above the law, and use their financial clout to gain ever-increasing government benefits at the expense of the poor and unemployed.
It is difficult to tell where the omnipresent, corrupt, moralistic, pro-business government stops and the rest of society begins, but it juggles the competing demands of Law & Order, Defence, and Commerce. The average income tax rate is 100%. A powerhouse of a private sector is dominated by the Uranium Mining industry.
University graduates and new home-owners toil in labour camps to work off their debts, mobile phone masts are being erected all over the country, Tharra's army is full of 2 metre tall super-soldiers, and Pinkerton agents are called in to forcibly break up white collar strikes. Crime -- especially youth-related -- is totally unknown, thanks to the all-pervasive police force. Tharra's national animal is the imperial lion, which teeters on the brink of extinction due to widespread deforestation, and its currency is the livre.
Geography
The Empire is above all vast, and its lands varied. For convienance it is divided into two regions. The first and largest of imperial regions is the mainland of Tharra, known simply as "Tharra" by the people themselves. Outside of this, there also exist the Colonies, which are Tharra's the islands under Tharran control on the sea, as well as several mainland territories accross the sea.
Tharra is a large nation, bordered by arctic tundra in the north, and naturally defended by tall, jagged mountains in the west (Imperial Mountains). Most of the south east is situated on sea coast. As can be expected the climate patterns are somewhat varied. However, for the most part, Tharra is of mild climate, with warm summers and cold, wet winters. The north is known for its freezing winters and cold summers, especially on the areas near the tundra. The west tends to be dry, due to the influence from the mountains. Lastly, the south is somewhat warmer, because of the tropical weather brought in by the sea currents.
The mainland of Tharra is also further subdivided. Lirra, the capital situated on the south coast, and its surroundings are known as "The Capital Regions" and tend to be made up of soft, green meadows and rolling hills. The land is heavily developed for industry towards the city, and for agriculture farther away for the city. It is very rich farmland, and the manors of Tharra's wealthiest nobles and bishops dot the landscape. Farther out, the land is reffered to as "The Provinces". The Provinces account for a majority of Tharra. They are flatter, and covered in thick forrests. The Provinces have very little industry, and instead the cleared land is dedicated mostly to farming. Cities are small and scarce, and instead villiages and small towns are more common. Most nobles and wealthy clergymen own fiefs in this area, and thus peasants and serfs are a common sight, working their lord's lands. Finally, there is the Frontier. The Frontier is composed of the borderlands and outlands, and is of a much harsher climate. The dry foothills of the Imperial Mountains and the freezing tundras of the north being key examples. Also part of the frontier are the eastern borderlands, which themselves are known for being dry and bare, with only a few major towns. Many of the poorest nobles hold fiefs in the Frontier, and it can be seen to have ruined castles and manors as well on the flat landscape.
The Colonies, on the other hand, are mostly tropical, with warm, wet winters and summers. Small, effiecient forts and towns cover the islands. The feudal system was recently introduced there, and peasents can be seen working large farm fiefs granted to noblemen and clergy. Also, towns in the colonies are centers of industry, with the rich rescorces of the colonies being harvested and refined there.
Tharra has many exportable natural resources, including petroleum, gold, silver, and other precious metals, minerals (such as iron), and timber. However, uranium production has greatly aided the Tharran economy, and is the main national export. Major imports include diamonds and other minerals which are not native to the Empire. The colonies also contain heavy amounts of gold ore and petroleum products, as well as agricultural products such as coffee.
Government
Tharra is an absolute monarchy. While government bodies do exist, they only serve for the most part, to act as advisory and administration bodies. However, several exceptions to this do exist.
At the top of the structure there is the Emperor of Tharra. The Emperor is, as mentioned, absolute ruler. He has the ability to create laws, in the form of imperial decrees and letters patent. He can also issue letters of justice, which have the power to automatically rule legally on an issue, and pass any sentance the emperor wishes on a subject, without the possiblity of appeal.
Privy Council
The Imperial Privy Council is the highest executive body in the empire. It serves to form imperial policy with the emperor, and advise him on all issues. The Privy Council is made up of about five leading cardinals, five leading bishops and archbishops, all the princes of the imperial household, all the fifteen secretaries of state, and fifteen appointed Privy Councillors. Thus, at any given time, the Privy Council has about forty five to fifty members.
However, the Privy Council is in practice too large and unweildly to function as the sole executive body of the empire. As a result, the council has a standing committee to which it delegates its functions too, and only meets about once a month.
The Council of State is the serves as the acting body of the Privy Council. Its members include the leading members of the Privy Council, who are entitled to bear the title "Minister of State". There are about seven ministers that sit upon the council, and their leading member serves as an appointed Prime Minister. The council forms policy and advises the emperor on all issues, meeting daily.
The Imperial Estates
The Imperial Estates General is both the leading legislative and judicial body of the empire. However, as Tharra is an absolute monarchy, its legislative powers are sorely limited, and it has had to function more so judicially as the years have passed. The Imperial Estates has four chambers, three of them being legislative houses (called "Estates"). There are three Estates, and each represent a legal estate (section) of society.
The First Estate has 200 seats, and its deputies are elected every four years by the clergy of the empire, to represent them in matters of state. The Second Estate has 200 seats as well, and its deputies are elected every four years by the nobles of the empire, to represent them in matters of state. Lastly, the Third Estate has 200 seats, and its deputies are elected every four years by the commons of the empire to represent them. However, by law, on must have a certain annual income (70,000 livres) to vote. As a result, the Third Estate only truly represents the bourgoise and wealthy common folk, with the peasents, serfs, and laborers having no representation. The three houses of the Estates can publish special orders of advice when asked by the emperor. However, they have little other powers, and thus are almost solely an advisory body. Even their legislative "orders of the Estates" must be introduced by the emperor, and can be disregarded or vetoed by him at any time.
Aside from the three houses, there is also a fourth chamber of the Estates. This chamber is called "The Imperial Bench" and serves as the empire's supreme court of last resort. The Imperial Bench is made up of thirty six members, including an appointed First President, ten Presidents, and twenty five Justices. The Bench tries all nobles, serves as a court of appeals, and registers all legislation passed by the emperor. It must register all legislation, as stated, and apply it as it is a legal body. However, the court can refuse to register legislation, on grounds of not wishing to judicially apply it. As a result, the emperor can still veto its decision by issuing a Letter of Justice and forcing through the legislation (which he often does).
