Fiction:Tenet/Government

The Tenet Domain is organized as a hegemony: one imperial hegemon dominating a number of client states.

Hegemon:
 * The hegemon, known as the Holy Realm, is the political, economic, and religious capital of Tenet. Not only is it a self-governing state, it exercises a significant degree of authority over all other Tenet states, and maintains its dominance through control of vital infrastructure, including:


 * The Dichotomous Church. As its headquarters, the Holy Realm controls religious, educational, and scientific matters.
 * The Tenet military. As its headquarters, the Holy Realm controls the majority of Tenet's armies and fleets. [Client states are allowed to raise their own armies separate from Tenet's for law enforcement and defense, but these regiments must comply with strict armament and population rules.]
 * Interstellar communication. The Holy Realm is responsible for maintaining the ansibles that allow for faster-than-light communication across the entire Domain.
 * Expansion. The Holy Realm is responsible for conquering new land and apportioning it to its clients.


 * In effect, Tenet is designed so that its client states cannot rebel against the Holy Realm without damaging themselves in turn.


 * The Holy Realm is ruled by the High Court, a political body composed of a reigning magus-monarch [khunan] and its kheshtadan, the khunan's four closest advisors. The khunan is a hereditary office passed on to the incumbent's eldest child, regardless of gender. Tenet mythology holds that each khunan is part of an unbroken dynasty stretching back to the first Tenet monarch, King Makann. Similiarly, the four kheshtadi are said to be immortal beings who have served each khunan since Tenet's inception. The veracity of these claims cannot be confirmed, but nor can it be ruled out.

Client states:
 * Several dozen client states [vafgeha] are known to exist, each administrated by a "ruling court:" a governing viceroy, a margrave, a cardinal of the Church, a royal inspector, and related court functionaries.


 * Viceroy / [zhimara]: State governor. Appointed by peers within state nobility, but authority is ultimately derived from the khunan. Has broad authority over the vafgeha: judicial, legislative, and administrative.
 * Margrave / [teron]: Regional military commander. Appointed by and loyal to the hegemon. Military concerns the viceroy wishes to address must be passed through the margrave.
 * Cardinal / [kheshind]: State prelate, overseeing all Church-related affairs. Appointed by the First Cardinal from appropriately competent and high-ranking local magi.
 * Inspector / [jhogeisa]: State book-keeper and compliance officer. Appointed by and from the hegemon. Ensures that the vafgeha complies with all taxes, tithes, and regulations decreed by the Holy Realm.


 * Client states must pay tithes to the Holy Realm in the form of funds, resources, food, and manpower. These tithes are used to support the various types of infrastructure controlled by the Holy Realm [ex: Church affairs, military, education]. In return, the Holy Realm extends the use of that infrastructure to its clients and takes sole responsibility for their maintenance.


 * Beneath the ruling court, client states may vary widely in social and political makeup. Some, for example, allow for a democratically elected council checking the power of the viceroy. Other, more socially liberal states have been attempting to gradually phase out the practice of slavery in favor of servitor automation.