No scholar ever expected one of the most powerful political fragments of the Volum Empire to be centered in Spey Swistan. This nation of mostly halflings has evolved into a rich, expansive empire that controls nearly all of he trade across both the Sea of Strife and the Southwaves Ocean. Its ruling body, known as the Masquerade, can easily be recognized by the elaborate masks worn at all times by every individual. Actually identifing a Masker, however, is near impossible. In Speydom, the mask one wears marks one’s identity even more than the body wearing it.
Branches of Government
- Bureau of Advancement and Personhood (also called the Masquerade) controls citizenship, citizen databases, personality tests, position appointments, and masks of identity. It consists of 100 masks who create laws, judge cases, and can declare war. One member of the Masquerade, called the Glass Mask, wears a completely transparent mask. The Glass Mask is the tiebreaker and public face of the Masquerade. The position is described as being “the mask of the Masquerade.”
- Bureau of Resources and Defense: controls trade, tariffs, and navy
- Bureau of Civility and Justice: suppresses rebellions, manages law enforcement and court systems
- Bureau of Health and Mind: controls hospitals, studies disease, and treats people with physical and mental illnesses, as well as education
- Bureau of Arcana and Science: Researches magic and science for the betterment of the state, and prevents unauthorized magic and technology use
- Bureau of Infrastructure and Transportation: Organizes construction of buildings and vehicles, and their use
Citizenship
Only citizens can own land, own or work for an authorized business, appeal to court, use public resources, carry weapons or use magic in Speyish territory. CItizenship takes 2 weeks to 4 months, depending on how much you pay and how good your sponsor is. If you are denied, you cannot reappeal for 1 year. A requirement for continued citizenship process is a yearly personality test that measures dozens of categories, organized into six broad groups. This test dictates a citizen's role in society by affecting wages, pay caps, responsibilities, and more. Huge businesses have grown up around these tests, some devoted to helping individuals increase scores, others involved in matchmaking those of similar scores, and still more that try to breed children to earn maximal scores.
Assets
Speydom fated through the Volic Wars relatively well, and managed to snatch up three colonies of the Volum Empire: Sunderden, Freecaster, and Thiyj. These were all new, small cities at the time, but due to their locations are now economic powerhouses controlling three of the major trade routes into western Bruidan. Sunderden borders Estaria, and diverts powerful magic reagents, artifacts, and inventions from that land away from Ushal and to the Speyish homeland. Freecaster is the headquarters of the Swamptongues and controls the Tall Tree Passage through Sharynnuur. The food, spices, herbs, and artwork from Casgalias through this city are quite valued. Thiyj, on the north coast of Scasal, has not yet proven its worth as much as the others, but many explorers seek riches and power from the monster-infested jungles of Scasal.