The Catholic British Empire of Chirondom is a theocratic Genesian Catholic state. It spands much of Asia, from what was once called China to Indonesia, Australia, and Vanauta. The Catholic British Empire is divided into many Duchys and Kingdoms. The Chirons are descended from Englishmen who set up a colony in Asia. In the mainland, in borders Velorya and the Hand of Honor. In Indonesia it also borders Velorya and Sarawakh, in Australia it borders a testing zone of the Trilateral Commission.
History
The exact origins of Chirondom are completly and utterly unknown. However, it is believed that the first Emperor of Chirondom, John I, was a Catholic upset by his home (Britain) country's treatment of religion, and started a political movement. Scholars believe he and his fellow Catholics left on a vote to Asia sometime in the 18th or 19th century.
While John I kept a good number of records, many Emperor's after him did not, and when a bizarre and fanatical Protestant sect known as the Quali'zar, took power via a coup on Emperor Matthew III, they destroyed most records of times before them. Led by self proclaimed "Holy Dictator George the True Lion I", the Quali'zar outlawed Catholicism and where seen as anti-religious in many ways. Their ways of thinking were that Christ was not God and not Mary's son, but rather a being grown out of the Earth (the Earth being God) who was found by Mary and a Prophet. For sixty-three years, to avoid being targeted by other Catholic nations, they managed to make all nations believe that nothing had changed and that the country was still Catholic. The next year, the truth was revealed, and the Religious Resistance Front, headed by Matthew Vermond, took over the nation and converted it back to Catholicism.
Government and Politics
Administration
Chirondom is an absolute monarchy led by the Patriarch or Matriarch of the Sanctus House. The Patriarch or Matriarch takes the title of Emperor or Empress (it should be noted that their has never been an Empress in Chiron history). The only organization that the Emperor is subserviant to is the Church, which also wields great power over the British Empire. Opus Dei, an organization created by a Sanctus Prince (named Scot Sanctus), has free reign over Chirondom. The Cardinals of Chirondom also have some judical power.
The Empire is divided into smaller Kingdoms and Duchys (called regions). Mainland Chirondom is controlled directly by the Emperor, while West Chirondom is ruled by a the Patriarch of the Ren Family, who takes the title King Governor. The Kingdom of St. Katherine and Larrimah, an Australian territory, is ruled by one of the Princes or Princesses of Sanctus who takes the title King. Vanuta is also ruled by a Prince or Princess of Sanctus, although Opus Dei has a large amount of control over the islands. The Protecterate of Indonesia is directly controlled by the Emperor, who has the title of Protector.
Locally, the government is more complex. In each sector of Chirondom (which is a division unto the smaller Kingdoms and Duchys that make up the Empire), a Duke is decided upon by the ruler of the region (for example, the King Governor of West Chirondom may appoint a Duke for a sector in West Chirond). However, the region ruler may choose to allow the Duke to be elected, if he so chooses. The Duke serves for twelve years, at which point the region ruler can decide whether to allow the Duke to continue to rule, to appoint another one, or hold an election. The Duke may appoint Sectorial judges and may draft legislature for his Sector, although these can be overuled by the ruler of the region. The Duke then may decide upon Lord Mayors and Counts for large cities and smaller towns, respectively. The process is similar to the appointment of Dukes, except Lord Mayors and Counts have an eight year term.
Nobility and Social Class
The majority (50%) of Chirons are firmly in the middle class, making enough money to get by with some luxuries but not extravagance. The average Chiron makes about 20,000 USD a year, which covers the cost of living and provides luxury to most Chirons. 29% of Chirondom are working class, struggling to get by. Fortunately for them, the government is partially socialized, giving them a bit of leeway when it comes to the cost of living. The average member of the working class makes from 1,000-10,000 USD a year. Only 21% of Chirondom could be classified as wealthy or upper class. The average member of the upper class in Chirondom will make at least 60,000 USD a year, with some with making over 4,000,000 USD a year.
About 60% of the upper class and 6% of the middle class are members of the nobility. Most nobles come from the families of the Chiron rebels who fought the Quali'zaar. While nobility can be inherited by birth, the Emperor of Chirondom can bestow any man who contributes signifegantly to the faith or to the nation a title of nobility. Nobles own anything from a small plot of land to an entire territory. The most prominent noble families in Chirondom are The House of Sanctus, the ruling house, The House of Ren, the ruling house of West Chirondom, and The House of Arelious.
Law and Services
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A pie graph of Chiron spending
Crime and the Judical System
Due to a well funded police force, succesful crime is rare in Chirondom. Criminals are almost always caught and apprehended by the police. The police are heavily armed. Many criminals are killed before they can be apprehended because of this fact.
If a criminal is aprehended, they face different courts which they shall plead their case before. If the crime is local, they will face City Judges. Local crimes can include vandalism and theft. City Judges rarely give much more than a five year sentence. The next level up is Sector Judges, than Regional Judges, and eventually Imperial Judges depending on the severity of the crime. If a crime is sufficently important, the Emperor or Region Ruler (assuming it is in his jurisdiction) can rule on the trial himself. The death penalty is rare and is only used in cases of Regional Crime or Imperial Crime, which ranges from murder to treason.
If a criminal is arrested for committing heresy, they are brought before a Church Court of Nuns, Bishops, and Monks. If convicted of any heretical crime, the criminal is almost always burned at the stake. Occasionally the Court will be merciful, but this is very rare. Only a Cardinal of Chirondom or the Pope can overule the verdict of the Church Court.
Education
The Chiron education system is drastically underfunded. The government spends next to nothing on schooling. However, the rich (usually in the nobility) often send their children to privately owned school, such as the St. John Primary School in Hufei. There are also numerous monasteries across Chirondom that offer free schooling to the poor and middle class. These monasteries teach basic maths, grammar, history, and job skills. These monasteries also often offer clergy training for those who wish to become Priests, Monks, or Nuns.
Home schooling is common among families in which the mother does not work (which are common in Chirondom). The standards of said education vary from household to household, with some home teachers teaching their children inaccurate information. Occassionally a mother from one household will assemble a class of children from her neighborhood. This is rare but not unheard of.
College is rare in all classes except the nobility. Chiron universities generally have high quality of schooling. The average tuition for a Chiron university is 2,000,000 Lord Pieces a semester.
Welfare
Unlike education, the Chiron welfare program is fairly well funded. For those out of work, the government provides 300 Lord Pieces a month for a period not to exceed four years. For those incapable of working, due to injury, mental retardation, birth defects, etc. the monthly allotment is permeanant. The welfare system also funds foster care services, retirement pensions, etc.
Conversly, the government does not fund any form of healthcare whatsoever. Medical insurance is common among the middle and upper class (particularly the nobility). However, the poor generally have no acess to medical care. They will often go to church to pray for salvation from their illness, believing that God will cure them of their sicknesses.
Culture and People of Chirondom
Architecture
While attempts have been made to westernize Chirondom's architecture, it still is strongly Chinese. Most of older architecture is Buddhist styled. This older architecture has been spurned by the government as anti-Catholic and pagan. Much to the chagrin of native Chinese, many attempts at demolishing as many of the older Chinese buildings as possible have been made by the local government.
Newer buildings (ie those made after the British colonization) have a more western look about them and are generally more modern than Chinese architecture. Mainland Chirondom has the biggest concentration of westernized buildings in Chinese Chirondom.
Australian Chirondom, already having been colonized by the British before the Chiron annexation, is (in the urban areas) much more westernized with normal British buildings across the board.
Cuisine
A combination of British and Chinese dishes pervades throughout Chirondom (including the parts of the Empire outside of China). It is one of the least segregated aspect of Chiron culture, with dishes being mixed throughout the Empire. Chiron meals are almost always served with meat as a side or main course. This meat can be made into a traditional English dish, such as pork pie or bangers and mash. Rice is often served alongside meals as well. Meals often contain vegatables, although vegetanariasm is rare.
Chopsticks are rarely used, being ruled unpractical by western culture. Knives and forks have slowly forced themselves into the dining room of Chirondom, despite the traditional Chinese resistance of use of those utensils, as they were considered barbaric weapons in China. However, the Chinese tradition of not drinking cold drinks with hot food (as it is considered harmful to digestion) has become common in even the most British of kitchens.
Desserts generally consist of English style pies and cakes. However, among those who desire healthier food, the Chinese custom of eating fruit or drinking soup after a meal is also common.
As the mixing of different culture's foods is considered an artform in Chirondom, ethnic dishes from less common minorities are welcome into the kitchen. Italian pastas are a welcome addition to the dining room. Cuisine from the smaller provinces across Chirondom (Indonesia, Vanuata, etc.) is also common.
Language
English and Latin are the two official languages of Chirondom. While English is the "practical" language of Chirondom, being taught to children from a young age, Latin is a secondary language which is taught mainly to the clergy and royalty. The minority languages of Chinese, Bau Fijian, and Hindi are also regularly spoken, although they remain unofficial.
Race and Background
The majority, about 39% of the population of Chirondom is White European. Most of the white citizens of Chirondom are ethnically British or ethnically from the British Isles. The second largest group of White European is Italian, followed by German. There are a few Spaniards in Chirondom as well. After White European, the most populas race of Chirondom is Asian (with about 30% of the population), which is dominated by the Chinese. Following Asian is Black and Hispanic, then followed by small groups of Arabs and other minorities. Source: Chiron Reference and Census Document VI
Racism is strictly illegal in Chirondom, and is punishable with several years in prison. However, many of the white aristrocrats hold racist views towards Asians, often calling them "Indies", a derogatory term derived from the name Indonesia. These feelings are almost always only shared among other aristrocrats, however, do of course to racial law.
The poorer areas of Chirondom are suprisingly quite free of racism. This is most likely due to the strong influence of the Genesian Catholic Church among the poor, which strongly teaches that racism is a great sin. Poorer areas are generally racially integrated, except in Indonesia, where they are almost exclusively Asian. Indonesians tend to have a resentment towards whites, as they are considered to be the plunderers of the territory by the natives.
West Chirondom, which has the highest Asian population in the Chiron Empire, has a generally friendly view towards the white culture of the East. It is seen as a strange, yet benevolent force and is generally misunderstood by the inhabitants of West Chirondom. However, among the upper class (especially the nobility) there is a deep contempt for the influence of European culture and a hate for whites, blacks, and other non-Asians.
Smaller minorities (ie blacks, hispanics, arabs, etc.) are generally treated by whites the same as Asians are treated or as Asians would treat whites.
Morality
Chirondom, being founded by Englishmen, is culturally a blend of British and native Asian culture. Particularly among the rich in the countrysides, Victorian style morality is strictly enforced. Any of the upper class seen by their peers acting in a way that would hint at sexual affection is usually publically shunned. A majority of the upper class is made up of whites, and thus Asian culture rarely penetrates said social circles. However, behind closed doors affairs are common among the rich.
In richer Asian circles, sexual morality is also upheld; however, it is more oriented towards mating within your own race than being sexually chaste.
Among the poor throughout Chirondom, sexual morality varies. The poorer women will occassionally become prostitutes and pre-marital sex is somewhat common. However, many of the poor have stricter sexual morals than the rich because of the large influence of the Genesian Church upon them. Extra-marital affairs are much rarer than pre-marital affairs.
The middle class has an extremely varied view towards sexual morality. In some urban centers sexual promiscuity is seen as a fact of life but in others it is seen as a grave sin. Victorian morality pervades the capital, Novous Jerusalem, and the area surrounding, whilst in, for example, Indonesia, morality is nigh meaningless.
Religion
Genesian Catholicism, being the state religion, is officially practiced by 96% of the population (though in reality more like 89% of the population is Genesian). The other three legal religions (legal only in West Chirondom) are Taoism, Buddhism, and Hinduism, recognized as the "Three Eastern Faiths" by the government, officially make up 4% of teh population (in reality more like 10%). Most of the people in Chirondom are extremely devout Catholics.
The Church has tremoundous influence in the Chiron political rule. They contro courts and continue the practice of auto de fe. The Pope of Genesis City is seen as the ultimate authority by many Chirons, above even the Emperor himself. This has occassionally caused a friction between the ruling class and the Church. However, as most Chirons would openely rebel if the government actively worked against the Church, these problems usually sort themselves out.
In West Chirondom, practice of Taoism, Buddhism, and Hinduism is allowed in religious reservations, which are scattered throughout the region. However, during the Chiron aquisition of West Chirondom, missionaries were very effective at converting the West Chirons. Thus, an overwhelming majority of them are devout Genesians.
In the Indonesian Protectorate, Catholicism is, at least outwardly, extremely common. This is not due to some great sucess of missionaries but rather the work of the Inquisition and Opus Dei, which work tirelessly to find and burn heretics and infidels.
Military
The Military of Chirondom is known in its entirety as the Legion of Christ, a title bestowed upon it by Emperor John II. It has about four million infantry members and a sizable navy and airforce. It is under the direct command of the Emperor of Chirondom, although those who join the Legion swear a vow to the Pope before the Emperor, so the Legion's first loyalty is to the Church, above homeland.
Imperial British Guard
The Imperial British Guard is similar to the national guard of most nations. Males between the ages of 18-25 are conscripted into four years duty into the Imperial British Guard. The Guard does not normally serve overseas-their mandate is to protect the homeland of Chirondom. The Imperial British Guard's ranks number 917,000. They are divided into ten divisions, each division defending another part of the Empire.
The CDS Destroyer
Bloody Mary.
The Ruling House
The House of Sanctus
National Anthem
Jerusalem, by William Blake, adapted by Emperor Matthew IV
And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon Chirondom's mountains green
And was the holy lamb of God
On Chirondom's pleasant pastures seen
And did the countenance divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among those dark Satanic mills
Bring me my bow of flaming gold
Bring me my arrows of God
Bring me my spears o'clouds unfold
Bring me my chariot of fire
I will not cease from mental fight
Nor shall my sword sleep in hand
'Til we have built Jerusalem
In Chirondom's green and pleasant land!
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