Hartheran Government

The government of the Hartheran Union is an oligarchy centralised in Vahltor, where the wealthy rule through a labyrinthine bureaucracy of committees, boards and assemblies who all jealously guard their powers.

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The Hartheran Union, commonly named Harthera, is an imperialist maritime nation state dominating the northeast of Anásthias. It is one of the two great powers of the modern epoch, arguably the most technologically and militarily powerful nation in the world, only matched by the vast size and wealth of its neighbour, viridviridOrorrMEOrorrOrorrOrorrOrorr's form of government has changed many times over its thousand year history, shifting between aristocracy and autocracy. Unlike other states, Harthera has never experienced widespread revolution, so that rather than changing wholesale, institutions have evolved and mutated over the centuries, creating a sprawling and ramshackle edifice that is impenetrable to the common people, yet nevertheless maintains a strong grip on the nation.

The levers of government are operated from three power bases in the capital city of Vahltor: the Detatedn, home to the military High Command who form the national executive; the Bireilundt, home to the Justiciary; and the Metrosandendt, home to the Civil Bureaucracy. The three power bases theoretically balance each other. Additionally the Admiralty is based in the Bireilundt, and the Church is based in the Old City, but these are generally above petty politics except on particular issues. The old Overlordship of the Terath family has long been superceded, but the clan nevertheless holds ceremonial positions and wields considerable influence at various levels of government.

Technically there are two legislative bodies representing a veneer of democracy: the lower House of Keys, representing the mercantile class, and the upper House of Seals, representing the landowner class and the old aristocracy. The Keys are the main focus of political theatre where new legislation is proposed and voted upon. Political factions and powerful individuals can have a chokehold on whether and how legislation is enacted, by controlling powerful committees and bureaucratic levers that can slow, alter or block decisions of the houses.

The Seals and Keys are the subject of famous satirical cartoons published in The Gallant.

Early Harthera was ruled by Junda tribal warlords, each holding territories and competing for spoils. These warlords became petty kings, who warred with each other and their neighbours. The Chelidt Overlords unified early Harthera, exercising central control, annexing new territory, and brought order by building roads and fortications.

As Harthera grew larger and more prosperous, the arid and tyrannical regime of the Overlords was replaced by the kings of the Hartheran Commonwealth, who introduced more pluralist forms of government which gave power and responsibility to the aristocracy and merchant classes, with an early form of parliamentary government. The Commonwealth saw a proliferation of national and regional assemblies, with judicial courts and bureaucracy.

However, the aristocracy and military chafed at having government under the ultimate control of one man, even if this was often symbolic. The Vainglorious Revolution intended to overthrow the strangehold of the elites, but instead merely abolished the position of king, leaving an increasingly labyrinthine government of competing interests.

• Keeper of the Privy Purse - chancellor to the King during the Commonwealth, now responsible for payments and expenses paid to Keymen and Sealbearers. The Privy Purse is controlled by the Civil Board
• Naval Board - military leaders of the Navy, but typically includes both land and sea forces.
• Board of Sinecuria - regulates the efficiency and competence of officials
• Comptroller of Waters - controlling internal trade via travel permits
• Warden of the Ports - the top civil official overseeing Naval financing

The Courts were once simply a court of law ruling on types of cases, but are now departments in their own right. Documents are commonly submitted by both sides, with judgements rendered ad hoc, or “in due course”. Actual sessions of the courts take place monthly in the Bireilundt, but appellants wishing a trial in open court must booked and pay for sessions in advance, an often expensive business. Each Court is headed by a Lord President of the Court, commonly titled by their court eg Lord Sessile, Lord Preceptor. Chief Justices retain their courtesy lordship upon retirement, though not upon dismissal.

• Court of Attainder - treasons and property confiscation
• Court of Sessiles - land, property and titles
• Court of Request - issues permits for businesses, trade, residency and travel
• Court of Pleas - lowest of the state courts, appeal court for provincial magistrates and Sessions. Cases can only proceed to other courts with a signed warrant from this court.
• Courts of Sessions - provincial high courts presiding in the major provincial cities, hearing capital crimes and appeals from magistrates
• Court of Cassation - highest appeal court ruling strictly on interpretation of law
• Court of Bonds - issues all binding orders on individuals and organisations
• Court of Bales - tax court ruling on tax issues
• Court of Probity - rules on cases of immorality in public office, corruption and breach of contract.
• Preceptor's Court - court responsible for the probity of officials, prosecuting corruption and moral irregularity
• Court of Circumlocution - manages appeals between one court to another, and arbitrates on conflicts between agencies and departments

• Lord President - nominally responsible for overseeing the personal morals of officers
• Executive Council - formal executive body which acts for emergencies, wars
• Civil Board - the collective of chief civic administrators of the Commanderies, or provinces
• Directorate

• Office of Civil Cooperation - investigates groups and individuals working to undermine the state, essentially the state's secret police.

To the common people these are the most important organs of the state which affect their everyday lives. Though they have official names which have changed many times with the whims of government, they are generally known by slang names, which even officials sometimes use in communications:

Takers or Thieftakers (Hartraan: Sulitoy) are the investigatory branch of the State Police looking into serious crimes like murder, fraud and theft. Cautiously respected by most communities.

Keepers are responsible for maintaining order, watching for fires, street enforcement for petty crimes, and policing internal transit within and between cities. Viewed with some contempt as being a necessary evil.

Givers or Lawgivers are the judges and panels of civil magistrates responsible for judging crimes and passing sentences. Often praised but generally feared.

Pleaders, legal advocates in the Court of Pleas

Sleepers are the agents and informants for various branches of the government

Hatchers are the executioners who pass the ultimate sentence for civic and state crimes

Snatchers secret police notorious for abducting subversives and opponents of the regime, questioning them and trying them in secret courts. The Snatchers are believed to be an organ of the High Command, operating in the bowels of the Detatedn. Political dissidents are said to be “snatched and hatched”

Swimmers the Hartheran Navy

Stompers the Hartheran Army, particularly the infantry

Hiders & Riders, army slang for military officers drawn from the office class. This has passed into urban slang referring to the top brass in the government, shadowy figures who issue orders but are generally hidden from public view.

Callers are usually men who call out the news in a local area. Their position is paid for by representatives of the local community to call out state dictats and civic announcements, but they are also paid by merchants for advertising, and to announce the deaths and weddings of local grandees.

Speakers are members of city committees, intended to represent the voice of the people in governance. Speakers have a difficult job, in that whilst their role is an envied one providing the potential for a rapid social rise, Speakers generally take the blame for failings in government policy - often violently.

Lockers & Knockers, prison guards who maintain order and punishment.