Difference between revisions of "Weyr"

Revision as of 17:58, 10 February 2005

Weyr

Flag of Weyr
Motto: Leave us alone or else . . .
No Map Available Yet
Region	Ros Na Riogh
Capital	Wye, City of
Official Language(s)	Common Weyrik, Anglorat, Sindarin, Russian, Japanese
Leader	Victoria li'Paradigm
Population	1.802 Billion
Currency	The Weyr
NS Sunset XML

The Kingdom of Weyr is a scattered pseudo-state, with holdings in Sol and on the far fringe of the known galaxy. The Kingdom proper is broken into six prefectures -- Ashkeloh, Earthbound, Paradigm, Paradox, Starhavven, and Wye, each of which can be considered a semi-independent state. Eight additional prefectures, all located around the Paradigm cluster, form the rest of the United Weyrik Prefectures. Although the Kingdom is technically bound under a single monarch, the High King, and a single legislative body, the High Council, the real power is concentrated in the hands of the phyles and the fourteen prefectures. With the retirement of the Regent Victoria li'Paradigm, the Kingdom has begun to fracture, although powerful personalities within the Common Economic Protocol have thus far maintained an outward face of stability.

History

Modern Weyrean history begins with the official publication of Josiah Willard Leigh's General Theorem of Magicka in the year Zero AL (After Leigh). During the following century, the Kingdom expanded economically and thaumaturgicaly. A minor military threat posed by the Armed Republic of Gramal was repulsed by quick action from a trio of large states. (Later on Gramal would disappear under fractal reality rules for RL reasons). A belated military buildup would give the Kingdom a credible national military, the High Guard. A major Civil War in 56AL resulted in the ultimate destruction of Southport City, and the death of a hundred million Weyrean citizens. With the assistance of former allies from the Gramal incident, the Kingdom brought the situation under control, although Southport was never rebuilt. A three-trillion-credit thaumaturgic ward barrier currently contains the thaumaturgic flux realSpace distorctions within former Southport from spreading to the rest of the Kingdom.

Limited involvement in the Sith Wars on the side of the Rebellion, which was actually a native force loyal to the pre-Sith regime, led to the Kingdom's absorbtion into the Galactic Empire in 110AL. During the Battle of Paradigm, a vote of no confidence dissolved the Kingdom; the High King Alicia disappeared at the same time to be replaced by her protege, Victoria li'Paradigm. Although the Kingdom was never formally reestablished, its former parts continued to act as a single entity, with little change in internal or external dynamics. Despite the official status of the Kingdom as a conquered part of the Empire, Weyr acts as an independent state, with the Imperial Governor rarely intervening in the workings of the Kingdom's government, which hardly changed during or after the short occupation by Imperial forces.

The Kingdom has come under severe strain due to a rapidly expanding population of first and second-generation immigrants and a stagnating economy. With virtually no exports, the Kingdom faces a rising trade deficit and a potential economic crisis as oversaturation of local markets drives down demand for Weyrean goods. Skyrocketing unemployment rates, especially among newly arrived humans, have created strong anti-xenian sentiments.

Geography

Government

The High King

The High King is one of the most important political and cultural figures in the Kingdom, despite the historic trend of delegating power and responsibility to local governments. While there have been corrupt High Kings, the general view of the native populace is that a High King can do no wrong. Unless a High King blatantly abuses his or her power, he will have the support of his people. The High King is not a hereditary position, but the successor to the Staff has to be chosen by the High King and acknowledged by the Council. In many instances, the heir to the Staff has been a distant relative of the King and not her first child. If the King does not appoint the successor before his death, any aspirant may choose to try and take up the Staff. The Staff incinerates those who are not descendants of the original High Kings.

The High Council

The High Council, like the High King, is a tradition that dates to before the Flight. References to an elected body exist in the Book of Shadows, where the High Council of Cloudhavven often debates foreign policy and even at times blocks the High King. The modern Weyrean High Council is an elected body with representatives from all sixteen prefectures. The three thousand representatives meet in the Council Chamber, a magnificent, five-tiered hall within the spire of Council Hall. The High Council acts as both a legislative body and a court, with legislation coming from rulings regarding disputes brought before the representatives. The High Council has taken a hands-off approach towards Weyrean laws in the past century, especially after the disappearance of High King Alicia li'Wye, and has overturned much of the old legislature. Although at first hailed as a liberal and progressive body, the Council has come recently under attack. Its inability to legislate new laws, and its failure to resolve several key disputes between the Prefectures and the Phyles, have been viewed as signs of growing impotence. Some see the Council’s continuous infighting as a direct cause of the deterioration of the Line

Prefectures

The prefectures are large administrative districts, each prefecture in theory no larger than a single solar system, which can be governed by any form of government accepted by the local populace. The Marchese Prefecture, commonly reffered to as the Mark, is one of the most independent prefecture. It is ruled by a Margrave or Margravine. Conversely, the Wye Prefecture and Paradigm Prefecture both have Councils nearly identical to that which administers the entire Kingdom. By tradition, a Prefecture is free to administer itself as it sees fit, but cannot delare war on another prefecture or nullify the laws of the Kingdom.

Urban Core Councils

Urban Core Councils are scaled down versions of the High Council. Acting on a local level, these bodies perform functions similar to those of the High Council for a significantly smaller area. As the High Council declined in power, the Urban Core Councils assumed greater powers. With the formation of the phyles, Urban Cores have become an integral part of those phyles' legal base, and many are now extensions of phyle governments. Despite their name, Urban Core Councils rarely administer entire cities, and large cities such as Wye and Paradigm contain several such bodies.

Phyles

Phyles are semi-independent substates that are permitted to operate under their own laws as long as those laws don't conflict with Weyrean regulations. Given a significant amount of autonomy, phyles often serve as havens for persons with similar ideologies and aspirations. Phyles range in temparament from the open and moralistic Neo-Alicians to the introverted and xenophobic SouthCon.

Military

The Kingdom of Weyr maintains no standing army, but maintains the Star Guard freecorps on retainer via tax breaks and limited payments. The Guard is contracted to protect the integrity of the Kingdom's borders against invaders, but otherwise functions as any other freecorps. Phyles and prefectures may or may not maintain personal military services, depending on their own preference. Weyrean armed services tend to be small, well trained, and highly experienced in high-velocity space combat and rapid urban assault.

Foreign Involvements

The Lightning Star

The Kingdom of Weyr deployed into the Empire of the Lightning Star during that nation's first civil war. The Weyrean mission was primarily humanitarian, although both the Skyfleet and the High Guard participated in active combat. Weyr spent most of its time rebuilding the Lightning Star's capital city of Norvington, and ferrying refugees to neighboring nations.

Since large portions of the Weyrean Skyfleet lacked even the most rudimentary armor or weapons, Weyrean success in the area depended on luck and show more than on force.

Akaton

Weyr deployed into Akaton shortly after the Weyrean Civil War, in order to halt the release of demons initiated by Akatani thaumaturgs during an experiment. With assistance from the Resurgent Dream and Weyrean thaumaturgs, the Akatani sealed the realSpace rifts and destroyed or removed the remaining demons.

Sith Wars

The rise of the Sith is thought to have caused a warping in the multiverse' thaumaturgic network. Growing alarm within The Tower pushed the High King Alicia li'Wye to mobilize the Ocean Fleet against the Sith. Weyr was a minor player in the Sith Wars, acting on the side of the Coredians, and later the Rebels, none of whom were apparently interested in Weyrean assistance. Weyrean siding with the Rebellion ended with the destruction of the Weyrean Ocean Fleet at Vortex, and the subsequent appearance of the Death Star at Paradigm. The Kingdom was dissolved after a twelve-hour battle, although the territories of the former Kingdom continued to act as a cohesive geopolitical entity.

Government

The Contract

• Article 0
  • Society is based on trust.
  • Trust depends on a common set of morals.
• Article 1
  • The government may not restrict the self-determination of its people
  • The government agrees to protect the people from external threats except when that violates the above
• Article 2
  • The people guarantee to support the government, and to allow it the rights of taxation, in return for the statements of Article 1.
  • The people agree to follow the laws set by the government, provided that those laws are enacted by the people or representatives of the people.
• Article 3
  • Failure by the government to comply with Article 1 is grounds for nullification of this contract.
  • Failure by the people to comply with Article 2 is grounds for nullification of this contract.

The High King

During peacetime, the High King has very little real power. He, or she, acts as an ambassador to other nations, oversees government departments, and can propose laws to the High Council. The High Council can vote to give the High King emergency powers, but those powers are still less than those wielded by the High Council.

The High King spends most of her time keeping the Kingdom of Weyr from splitting along the seams. She irons out disagreements between local governments, and between various phyles and the central government. In a few cases, she has argued against High Council acts.

The recognition of the High King as a relatively unbiased arbitrator is the source of much of her power. Although many High Kings have been part of clans and phyles, very few have maintained their standing in those organizations once takign up the Staff.

The High Council

The High Council is Weyr's legislative body. Laws and regulations are normally proposed in response to particular issues brought before the High Council. In addition, the High Council decides on the legality of Phyle, Corporate, and Urban Council actions, although this task has been shunted to the High Court in recent times.

Councilors are elected every four years by a popular vote. There are three thousand eight hundred and four seats. Each of the nine hundred Urban Cores receives a number of seats dependent on their population. Representatives from Wye City and Paradigm Urban Cores hold over half of all seats. The High Council meets in Council Hall, a massive spire on the highest tier of Wye City.

Judiciary

The Weyrean judicial system has long ago abandoned moralization and religion as ways of determining sentences. All sentences given are monetary in nature. If the defendant is unable to pay his court sentence, he is forced to work his fine off at a government establishment.

If the crime is committed in a phyle, that phyle's judiciary is permitted to try the defendant, issue the sentence, and carry it out. Phyles are not permitted to issue death penalties, although it is a public secret that such punishments are distributed in some parts of Weyr. The death

Judges are elected into office by popular vote in much of Weyr, but phyles are permitted to alter the requirements for holding office.

The three crimes that exist in all of Weyr are murder, theft, and malicious manipulation. Phyles and Urban Cores may add further crimes. Enforcement of phyle laws across phyle boundaries depends on intra-phyle treaties. Signatories of the International Economic Act (IEA) enforce a common set of laws. The Kingdom of Weyr does not enforce phyle or IEA laws.

Society

Yesterday I saw a fat old man riding through Sakura Boulevard at noon on top of a Mark VI hovertank, naked. There have always been questions of how far free will can be permitted before it comes around full circle and reverts into despotism. I think we have answered that question. --Alicia, to Ash

Weyrean society is not a monolithic structure, just as Weyr itself is not a single organized unit that can be fitted into one neat category. Few nations truly fit a single mold. The following section attempts to give a brief overview of some aspects of Weyrean society, without going into the details.

Social Conventions

Nomenclature

Formal Weyrean names have five parts -- the given name, the patronym, the matronym, the clan/family name, and the origin. In casual conversation only the given name is used. Most official forms require only the given and family names, and a large number of Weyreans cannot produce more than those two portions of their full names.

Phyles

Phyles are small, independent states within the greater Weyrean sphere. They have their own laws, their own agendas, and their own territories. A phyle may cross worlds and nations and contain millions of members, or may be as small as four college students sharing a dorm room. Established phyles control large territories, are signatories to the CEP, and have many assets and members. Synthetic phyles are non-signatories to the CEP, control few recognized

The Weyrean government does not enforce Phyle laws. The established phyles have formed the Common Economic Pact (CEP) to deal with cross-phyle enforcement. Signatories of the CEP are granted limited extraterritoriality, and come tiogether tio set economic protocols and discuss important events. Signatories of the CEP have been the first to place restrictions on corporate actions, and are now replacing corporates as the major players on the Weyrean scene.

Corporations

Corporate Weyr ranges in temperament from Wye City's brutal coups to Paradigm City's negotiated transfers of power. Powerful corporations influence High Council and Urban Council decisions. Corporations are often linked to a single phyle, although large and old corporations such as Integrated Auto and Emulated Magicka can be considered independent pseudo-phyles in their own right.

Corporate militaries have faded away during the recent decades. Corporations do maintain well-armed and highly trained security forces, but have generally removed their offensive capabilities. UNlike the corporate warfare of a century ago, corporations rarely openly fight one another.

The largest corporate association in Weyr is the Group of Twelve (G-12), which contains Weyr's largest corporations and companies. Three members of the G-12 are not incorporated. The G-12 dominates the Weyrean corporate scene due to its giant resource base. Many Weyrean innovations, however, have been produced by smaller companies and later sold or contracted to G-12 members. Despite predictions that the G-12 will stagnate and collapse, the Weyrean corporate scene is still very much alive.

Clans

Clans are a mainstay of Weyrean society. They are associations of people who band together for protection and for profit. Clans often have their own military organizations, emergency services, public shelters, markets, and governments. Powerful, established clans pursue relatively legal enterprises. Smaller clans involve themselves in racketeering and money laundering.

Clans should not be confused with phyles. Phyles are legal, semi-independent governments. Clans are fully under the jurisdiction and control of the Kingdom of Weyr. While (chartered) phyles are fully legal, most clans are not.

People of Note

• High King Alicia li'Wye
• Regent Victoria li'Paradigm
• Consul-General Josiah Willard Gibbs
• Leiutenant-Admiral Hiro Storm
• Fleet Admiral Roy Hawksblood

• Lord Ash
• Rivka Igarashii li'Starhavven