The Great House Coalition

A Brief History

The Great House Coalition had been built early on as a semi-meritocratic Coalition of Noble Houses, in which only those with power and connections could hold any significant political pull. Races of all kinds were accepted and were treated as equal citizens. While this coalition may not entirely be a solidified Nation, its intense network of diplomacy, defensive pacts, and other diplomatic pacts between each of the houses essentially forming them as such. With three capitals acting as the nations beuracratic centers, the Coalition benefits from a very fast (relatively) Beuracratic process and decision making as the Noble Houses have mastered the art of delegation and compartmentization. After decades of diplomatic efforts, the Great House Coalition has been able to befriend the normally isolationist Dwarves, benefiting from a mutual trade and cultural exchange network. Though the nation is relatively new, the Imperium has made many attempts to annex the Coaltion through reason such as Human unification, religious conflicts, and greed, they have managed to fend off most invasions with great success, further unifying the Coalition.  

Laws and Politics

 

Nobility

  Nobles are considered to be the end-all-be-all to decisions related to their granted territory, however, a noble court, the High Court, does exist in which nobles seen misusing their power to an extreme can be tried and can loose their nobility. This court is made of Great Dukes, Marquess, and Earls, who must act in impartiallity, with any seen choosing a side un-related to the case at hand also being tried in court. The Great House Coalition has a some-what top-down socioeconomic political spectrum, in which the 3 Great Houses lies at the pinnacle of power, but the nation also holds many non-Noble persons in power. Below these is the following nobility based on highest to lowest ranks and respect;   3 Great Dukes   Marquis   Comte   Count   Viscount   Baron   Chevelier* (respect with minimal lands or delegation) and Visbaron (more nobility but less respect compared to a Baron).   Knight**   * - Cheveliers are Knights or Military personel with incredible accomplishments deserving of power (ie. a general, a knight who died saving the emperor, etc.). This title is NOT hereditary. There have been cases where a parent who passed was granted this title, in which their eldest child inhereted it instead. This is the only exemption to the Hereidity rule.   ** - The Knight title is awarded to those granted Knight-hood through valor, accomplishments, and servitude. This title is NOT hereditary.    

House Laws

  Freedom of Self   This is the freedom of speech (and not to be confused with the freedom of consequences). Critisism of the government is very common in the Great House Coalition, though lords and nobles are free to enact the law when faced with un-civil discourse. Any trepeditions against this law, with significant evidence, can bring a noble or person of power to the High Court.   "Kingly" Courts   All visitors of the Imperium are subject to the laws of the Coalition, regardless of status, unless otherwise granted exceptionalism by all 3 Great Houses. This exception is usually only given in incredibly dire or important matters, such as war counscils or serious diplomatic talks.   Life Is Free   Slavery is illegal. The purchase of slaves for the purpose of killing, sex-trafficking, drug-smuggling, and other high-crimes is prohibbited and will lead to the Slave Master being incarcerated, or even executed, if caught. The exception to this law is if a half-human slave is brought in from out-of-country, or if otherwise enslaved through legal punishment by the Nobility or other courts.   Murder is Prohibited, Duels Are Speech   Murder of any soul, regardless of race or species, is prohibbited and is punishable by life-time hard labor, execution, or enslavement. Legal Duels with consenting parties is legal and considred a form of speech, as duels with nobility are permitted, however the noble in the duel decides the rules of engagement and any terms to be signed (the higher ranking noble takes priority, even ranked-nobility treat the terms as normal). Any duels found to be illegal and without consent or signature will be treated as murder.   Any laws not-listed here (ie. stealing, prostitution, hard-drugs, etc.) are treated with common sense, and may vary region to region or by the laws enacted by the governing Noble.