The Covenant of the Three is the traditional system of power within Aregrionno. While its individual provinces combined act as a republic, it is arguably the Covenant that makes Aregrionno a country and not a loose collection of states.
In the olden days, the three main branches of the Covenant (Sword, Labor, and Purse) could be found in every level of Aregrionno society, from the smallest village to the largest city. Even within the same family, members could have different guild allegiances. To many, their guild allegiance came before the allegiance to their province.
In recent decades, however, the Ordo Sacculis has retreated to Val Aregis, putting pressure on the other provinces through the Ordo Gladio.
Guild membership became more entwined with blood and family, to the point where only certain families held positions within the Ordo Sacculis.
The careful balance between guilds was permanently upset with the dissolution of the Ordo Gladio and the formation of the Royal Army of Aregis, leading up to the Aregrionno Civil War.