The Tenet Domain is organized as a hegemony: one imperial hegemon dominating a number of vassal states. However, the exact details of Tenet's government are variable and contradictory. While this hegemony remains constant, internal politics have led to considerable and oscillating changes in the exact relationship between hegemon and vassals, and indeed in the governments of the vassal states themselves. Still, certain details remain constant, particularly where the hegemon is concerned.
Hegemon
The hegemon, known as the Holy Realm, is the unquestioned political, economic, and religious capital of Tenet. It appears to hold only a few hundred planets, existing solely to administrate the Tenet Domain and house its central offices; it maintains power through control of the various functions that bind Tenet together. Without the Holy Realm, Tenet would not exist. It lost no territory to the collapse that afflicted the rest of Tenet and is believed to have been mostly unaffected by it in itself.
Despite its key importance, little about the Holy Realm is known save for its most obvious apparati. One factor is that its existence is taken for granted by its vassals, which have therefore seen no need to record their knowledge in any detail. Another factor is that the vassals themselves seem to know little about the functioning of the Holy Realm, which has virtually no intercourse with its vassals other than through royal commands. It produces no art, exports nothing and imports only the mandatory tithes, does not host ambassadors or embassies from its vassals, and offers no insight whatsoever to its current affairs. As a result, it is known informally as the "Quiet Worlds" or "Quiet Realm."
The clearest knowledge of the Holy Realm is the nature and structure of its ruling council, the High Court. This positions an immeasurably powerful magus-monarch [khunan] at the apex of the Tenet hierarchy, surrounded by the four kheshtadi [lit. "supreme lords"], its closest advisors.
High Court:
The khunan rules according to divine mandate, serving as the gods' direct representative. It 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.
While the khunan serves as the physical representative of the gods, the four kheshtadi are held in a reverence similar to saints. Similarly to the mythology surrounding the khunan, the four kheshtadi are said to be immortal beings who have served each successive khunan since Tenet's inception nearly 300,000 years ago.
These claims cannot be confirmed or denied.
All members of the High Court are referred to with considerable reverence and/or fear. They appear to be exempt from Tenet's customary kraterocracy, as they are considered simply too powerful to ever be unseated.
Court Structure:
The High Court of Tenet has four administrative branches, or Great Courts, each headed by one kheshtad. These are listed as follows:
Court of Authority
Function: Central government Leader: Unknown Responsible for implementation of policy, settling disputes between vassals, confirming the appointment and advancement of nobles, and spying on the affairs of vassals. The kheshtad of this Court is unknown, as they represent the khunan in all related affairs, and as such all correspondence with them is relayed as if from the khunan itself. |
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Court of War
Function: Military command Leader: Kheshtad Kheraz Houses all central military functions: high commands, staff colleges, arms development, etc., along with the khunan's personal forces of the Holy Realm. Binds Tenet's decentralized military together. |
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Court of the Vaucarne
Function: Religion and technology Leader: Kheshtad Hohd Headquarters of both Tenet's religion [the Vaucarne] and its higher education [the Magi Colleges]. Almost all scientific/technological research and development occurs through the Court of the Creed. |
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Court of Wealth
Function: Economic regulation, taxes, trade Leader: Kheshtad Menik Oversees Tenet's national economy, particularly inter-vassal trade and tithes to the Holy Realm. Authorized to set price controls, provide subsidies, mint new money, other macroeconomic functions. |
Client states
Thirty-six Tenet client states exist. Millennia of unification have led to some degree of homogenization, but all are distinct entities that vary in size, culture, and exact political makeup.
List of client states
Ahibaya | Ajammish | Akkar/Akkaron | Amwur | Ardam | Assurhab |
Avaiol | Azdidar | Bahokh | Ehanin | Estahb | Faksha |
Gsharran | Haeidan | Handu | Kamash | Kharamaya | Khegha |
Khidar | Mandegwa/Mandegu | Midema | Miruharan | Paerestar | Qazanin |
Ramur | Sar | Sarhand | Sfandana | Shamabnir | Skarran |
Yafami | Yamuh | Yazol | Zarava | Zdavi | Zhiar |
Client states must pay tithes to the Holy Realm in the form of resources and food, most of which which are redistributed elsewhere. Manpower is also tithed, in the form of requiring a certain percentage of their populations to be enlisted in the military. 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.
The planets of each client are individually classed for economic and political purposes. These classes are used to denote a planet's level of development, and take into account factors such as population, economic performance, and resident nobility.
- Fringe world. Denotes marginally-developed planets, typically recently settled, incapable of contributing meaningfully to the client's macroeconomy.
- Core world. Four grades exist, denoting in ascending order levels of increasing settlement and development.
- Crown world. A 'dual class' applied to core worlds, usually grade 3 or 4, denoting a planet of high importance and/or significance to the client as a whole. Usually a seat of local power.
- Throne world. A 'dual class' distinct from crown worlds but using the same criteria, denoting the capital world of a client state.
Fraternal orders