Rael Kingdom: Politics
From his beginning as a conquering enemy of Layonara, Lord Rael has engineered an incredibly subtle and ultimately successful public relations campaign for both his people and his god. He has made very strict but fair laws that are executed uniformly in public. His decrees add stability and decrease crime. Trade is flourishing under his rule, albeit with a heavy Lord's Tax in goods. The majority of his council is kept by Deep dwarves and half a handful of humans, however, no elves, no gnomes, no halflings, and Sulterio forbids no surface dwarves bend his ear. Basically, his word is law. What Lord Rael wants, Lord Rael gets.
Despite his complete power, the Deep Lord does not present himself as a crushing dictator. He may consider his political moves with care and control information flow ruthlessly; even so, for the most part, people are allowed to live their lives. Town criers are allowed to spread information, so long as their news is vetted through the castle first. The streets and buildings are kept up and the sewers are kept clean. Taxes are kept simple: 30 percent of each quarter's production in goods rather than coin.
The laws of the realm are visible at each gate into the city. They are known by every Adamantium Guard, regardless of location, and one needs only to ask for a recital of the basics of good citizenry. From Jorg, a guard in the Haft area:
One. Use no magic, because the Al'Noth is chaos and chaos be the enemy of a prosperous people. Use of magic will be punished by imprisonment, which be determined by a judge depending on circumstances. This be including pets of mages and things summoned. All who use magic of any kind and this be including tree-lovers, mages, and the followers of other, lesser gods, must register before entering and before leaving a city under the protection of the Lord of Rael. Failure to do so or being found without proper papers will result in imprisonment of a time to be determined by the courts. Two. Sulterio be the god of this realm. Be respectful of him and do not bring confusion and contradiction to the lands by worship of any other god. This be including shields, icons, flags, and banners. Tattoos must be covered. Display of items of worship not of Sulterio will be punishable by a year of prison. Open worship of a god who is not Sulterio will be punishable by 10 years imprisonment. Leading group prayer to a god not Sulterio will be 50 years imprisonment. Attempting to open a church not dedicated to Sulterio shall result in a lifetime's imprisonment.
Three. The worship of Vorax in any form is punishable by death to be dealt immediately when the infraction be discovered. This be outside the courts of the Voices of Justice and on the orders of Lord Rael.
Four. Be remembering the Lord Rael is your leader and bow your head in fealty every morning at forge-light and dusk at tamping. Failure to show respect to the Lord of Rael is punishable by a year's imprisonment.
Five. Weapons are not to be held at any time. This be including all bows, all standard weapons, and any found weapons like pitchforks. This be a civilized city and brandishing of yon weaponry will be punished by imprisonment for a year. If a found weapon be used for the purposes of commerce, such as yon pitchfork, an Adamantium Guard must be present to witness.
Six. You may be speaking common, elven, dwarven, halfling, and gnome only. No other language will be permitted including other-worldly tongues and thieving cants. Speaking a language not supported by the Lord is punishable by a year's imprisonment.
Seven. Remember the Lord's Tax and be paying on every third month to the castle or forts. Punishment for refusing is forfeiture of the next quarter's goods or imprisonment to be determined by the courts.
Eight. Thieving of anything for any reason is punishable by imprisonment of a time to be determined by a judge and in a place pleasing to the Deep Lord.
Nine. Assault of any true dwarf guard or any true dwarf worker of the government for any reason is punishable by life imprisonment. Assault of any citizen of the city will be punished by imprisonment for a time to be determined by a judge and in a place pleasing to the Deep Lord.
Ten. All dwarves of inferior blood must register when entering and leaving a city under the protection of the Deep Lord. Papers be issued and any dwarf found on yon streets not properly registered will be arrested and imprisoned for a time to be determined by the courts and in a place pleasing to the Deep Lord.
At the current moment, a slow political momentum is building as Prantz swallows each next closest town in a bid to unify Rael under the Deep Lord's leadership. His relations with the cities all along the eastern coast is usually neutral before his guards take up their stations in town and his laws are enacted; however, his emphasis on trade has brought several around to favorable attitudes. There is little contact with the forest settlements. Lor is resisting but losing the battle as several councilmen have recently changed their minds in favor of the Deep Lord.
Rael has excellent relations with Succession and houses two advisors and a diplomat in Castle Succession. There is talk of Rael annexing Succession but nothing definitive at the moment. Sedera is ignored publicly, but intelligence gathered in Raylynn indicates that Lord Rael may be planning something. Boyer will have nothing to do with Rael, keeping only the barest of diplomatic pretenses and pledging neutrality at this point. Angelica has sent diplomats to Rael and houses one envoy from Rael at Liwich Castle. But it's clear that Angelica trusts Lord Rael no more than Boyer does.
