Post by Admin on Oct 12, 2017 17:11:36 GMT
Government
Theoretically the country of Easthaven is ruled by the reincarnated Oracle, along with her council. The council drafts laws and votes on them, votes which pass with a majority vote are given to the Oracle to approve or veto. Her vote cannot be overturned, due to her knowledge of the future.
In practice, however, the country is ruled in alternating periods. During the time of an Oracle's adulthood, she is the guiding force of the nation, and all decisions must go through her. When the Oracles are too young to rule, however, full power is given to their council (see below).
The police force is a division of the military, and those who commit to serving as officers do not have to fight on the war front. Laws are fairly basic at this point: no murder, no theft, etc. There is a law against other religions, those who do not follow the Triple Goddesses must convert or be exiled. All other new laws will be created by the council in character.
Oracles
-All Oracles look exactly alike, but their personalities differ
-When an Oracle dies, the new one is immediately revealed. A party of Priests and Priestesses go out at that time to identify the Oracle: the women are identified by a perfectly identical mark in the shape of a crescent moon on their left shoulders. (Viridi has a sun mark on her right shoulder. She is the first to have this, and it was Seen by the last Oracle shortly before her death.) People often try to fake this, but the team is instructed in how to find the correct mark. The girls range between ages 10-15 when found, the twins were found at age eleven.
-Once found the new Oracle is brought immediately to the Palace to be educated on the history of the country and the role they play as Oracle.
-Oracles are always female.
-Each Oracle is guided by their own council.
The Council
-9 Members
>3 Family Members
>3 Priests/Priestesses
>3 Nobles (One from each major family)
-The Council guides Oracles to create laws and solve political problems in the land.
-Until the newborn oracles come of age, the deceased Oracle's council and the new council must work together and gain a majority vote in order to make any decisions.
>During that time, Oracles are consulted for their visions and opinions, but they are not given the final say in any decisions as they will when adults.
>Oracles have their own vote after age twelve, but are not 'of age' until their sixteenth birthday, at which time they gain their approval/veto ability.
Military
-Normal soldiers are promoted by experience up the ranks until they reach Colonel, in which case they must then challenge the Seventh General. If they win, they take his place, and etc, until they reach First General.
-Ranks are Lieutenant > Captain > Major > Lieutenant Colonel > Colonel > Generals 1-7 > High General
Noble Families
There are three noble families; the Kim family, the Song family, and the Mai family. They are believed to be descendants of the first families to follow the First Oracle two centuries ago. The families are expansive, each containing dozens of second and third cousins who share the family name. The core lineage is passed down the line of the eldest child, regardless of gender (if a daughter was eldest, but she had a son first, he would be head, etc). Younger siblings are are still nobles and receive the societal perks of that status including a higher chance of holding important positions, marriage to other nobles, and party invites for important occasions. They also have a slightly higher chance of having magic.
Names are hyphenated for those marrying into a noble family. See the name guidelines for more info.
If the current head of a family has no heirs, another heir may be chosen from among their first cousins. If the children die without proof of foul play, this also applies. There have been incidents of suspected poisoning in the past, and once a Tsing-Mai was executed for smothering the infant heir to the Mai family.
Societal Norms and Culture
-Names are written LAST, FIRST! Family names are ALWAYS first. When meeting someone for the first time, you would call them LastName-San. For more about suffixes, see here.
-Easthaven is based heavily on Asian cultures. Feel free to pull inspiration from what you know of these places as far as food, philosophy, and religious practices (so far as they do not contradict the established lore, of course)
-Women are highly respected for their ability to bear children and connection to the Goddesses.
>Women who are barren are treated with pity, and avoided by superstitious people.
>Pregnant women are intensely protected by their community, and not even their family is allowed to speak ill of them.
>Priests and Priestesses in some temples are encouraged to mate and have children, which are raised in the temple by the parent and their community. Applications for this process are complicated but not impossible.
>Divorce is legal, and in fact encouraged when a woman is being mistreated (this requires three witness signatures) or a couple is unable to have children together (requires mutual consent).
-Clothing for both men and women is often loose fitting and made for ease of movement. Warriors may wear tighter clothes, and while no one may go naked, modesty requires only that one's genitalia be covered and at least a bikini sized top be worn by women who are not nursing a child.
-The climate is warm and usually humid--only the dead of summer will have a full month without rain and temperatures over 100 degrees F.
-Children often learn to swim not long after they learn to walk, as many small lakes surround the capitol and split up the fields, and the ocean is only a few miles from the city.
Theoretically the country of Easthaven is ruled by the reincarnated Oracle, along with her council. The council drafts laws and votes on them, votes which pass with a majority vote are given to the Oracle to approve or veto. Her vote cannot be overturned, due to her knowledge of the future.
In practice, however, the country is ruled in alternating periods. During the time of an Oracle's adulthood, she is the guiding force of the nation, and all decisions must go through her. When the Oracles are too young to rule, however, full power is given to their council (see below).
The police force is a division of the military, and those who commit to serving as officers do not have to fight on the war front. Laws are fairly basic at this point: no murder, no theft, etc. There is a law against other religions, those who do not follow the Triple Goddesses must convert or be exiled. All other new laws will be created by the council in character.
Oracles
-All Oracles look exactly alike, but their personalities differ
-When an Oracle dies, the new one is immediately revealed. A party of Priests and Priestesses go out at that time to identify the Oracle: the women are identified by a perfectly identical mark in the shape of a crescent moon on their left shoulders. (Viridi has a sun mark on her right shoulder. She is the first to have this, and it was Seen by the last Oracle shortly before her death.) People often try to fake this, but the team is instructed in how to find the correct mark. The girls range between ages 10-15 when found, the twins were found at age eleven.
-Once found the new Oracle is brought immediately to the Palace to be educated on the history of the country and the role they play as Oracle.
-Oracles are always female.
-Each Oracle is guided by their own council.
The Council
-9 Members
>3 Family Members
>3 Priests/Priestesses
>3 Nobles (One from each major family)
-The Council guides Oracles to create laws and solve political problems in the land.
-Until the newborn oracles come of age, the deceased Oracle's council and the new council must work together and gain a majority vote in order to make any decisions.
>During that time, Oracles are consulted for their visions and opinions, but they are not given the final say in any decisions as they will when adults.
>Oracles have their own vote after age twelve, but are not 'of age' until their sixteenth birthday, at which time they gain their approval/veto ability.
Military
-Normal soldiers are promoted by experience up the ranks until they reach Colonel, in which case they must then challenge the Seventh General. If they win, they take his place, and etc, until they reach First General.
-Ranks are Lieutenant > Captain > Major > Lieutenant Colonel > Colonel > Generals 1-7 > High General
Noble Families
There are three noble families; the Kim family, the Song family, and the Mai family. They are believed to be descendants of the first families to follow the First Oracle two centuries ago. The families are expansive, each containing dozens of second and third cousins who share the family name. The core lineage is passed down the line of the eldest child, regardless of gender (if a daughter was eldest, but she had a son first, he would be head, etc). Younger siblings are are still nobles and receive the societal perks of that status including a higher chance of holding important positions, marriage to other nobles, and party invites for important occasions. They also have a slightly higher chance of having magic.
Names are hyphenated for those marrying into a noble family. See the name guidelines for more info.
If the current head of a family has no heirs, another heir may be chosen from among their first cousins. If the children die without proof of foul play, this also applies. There have been incidents of suspected poisoning in the past, and once a Tsing-Mai was executed for smothering the infant heir to the Mai family.
Societal Norms and Culture
-Names are written LAST, FIRST! Family names are ALWAYS first. When meeting someone for the first time, you would call them LastName-San. For more about suffixes, see here.
-Easthaven is based heavily on Asian cultures. Feel free to pull inspiration from what you know of these places as far as food, philosophy, and religious practices (so far as they do not contradict the established lore, of course)
-Women are highly respected for their ability to bear children and connection to the Goddesses.
>Women who are barren are treated with pity, and avoided by superstitious people.
>Pregnant women are intensely protected by their community, and not even their family is allowed to speak ill of them.
>Priests and Priestesses in some temples are encouraged to mate and have children, which are raised in the temple by the parent and their community. Applications for this process are complicated but not impossible.
>Divorce is legal, and in fact encouraged when a woman is being mistreated (this requires three witness signatures) or a couple is unable to have children together (requires mutual consent).
-Clothing for both men and women is often loose fitting and made for ease of movement. Warriors may wear tighter clothes, and while no one may go naked, modesty requires only that one's genitalia be covered and at least a bikini sized top be worn by women who are not nursing a child.
-The climate is warm and usually humid--only the dead of summer will have a full month without rain and temperatures over 100 degrees F.
-Children often learn to swim not long after they learn to walk, as many small lakes surround the capitol and split up the fields, and the ocean is only a few miles from the city.
