Irillian Republic

Irill, officially the Irillian Empire, is a unitary constitutional republic in the Western Realms with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Serpente Sea. Continental Irill extends north from the Serpente Sea along the Black River and the eastern shoreline of the Caragan Sea to its northern border with the Druyen Highlands and the Kingdom of Dakar.

For the past 500 years Irill has been a major power with strong cultural, economic, military, and political influence far beyond its borders. During its history it has colonized many different lands with many of those current holdings breaking away to local control or overthrown by local rulers. Although Irill is still a large and powerful nation it holds less than half of the territory it held at its height.

  • Capitol Andali
  • Official Languages(s) Irillian
  • Regional Languages(s) various dialects
  • Demonym Irillian
  • Government Constitutional Republic
  • Area 800,000 km2 (300,000 sq. mi)
    • Slightly larger than Turkey [circa 2016]
  • Population 32,000,000
    • 640,000 Isolated
    • 28,480,000 in 63,289 villages (4 km distance)
    • 1,920,000 in 384 towns (46 km distance)
    • 800,000 in 67 cities (108 km distance, including big cities)
    • 160,000 in 2 large cities
  • Currency Aureus, Denarius, Sestertius, Dupondius, As
  • Military
    • 960 Standing Fortifications (320 ruins/abandoned)
      • 240 in remote, unsettled, or wilderness

The history of Irill is best view as four distinct time periods.

  1. Kingdom of Irill, 398 - 845 AE
  2. Irillian Empire (First Empire), 845 - 1482 AE
  3. Holy Irillian Empire (Second Empire) 1482 - 1951 AE
  4. Lost Years 1951 AE - 87 AH
  5. Republic of Irill (Third Empire), 87 AH - Present

The Third Irillian Empire was given birth in the ashes of the fall of the Second Irillian Empire. The elven army had conquered Volganna and the High Temple ofIrrish that was built within the capitol. However, this was a pyrric victory atbest as their homeland was now under assault by the Xianese. The army couldn’t return home until they forced the Irillian Empire to surrender; otherwise, the destruction of their capitol and main temple would be meaningless.

It was then that a group of comprised of the largest merchant houses and most of the minor ruling houses approached the elven war leaders. Together the two parties negotiated a deal whereupon Irill would continue as a free nation, but they would return their conquered territory to the native people and pay reparations to Ellendar.

Rights of Man

These new rulers of Irill decided it was better to learn from the mistakes of the previous Empires, than repeat their tragedies. The power of both Ceasers and High Priests were too overpowering against the rights of the commoner. It was the Irillian commoner that bled for their nations and was then taxed by the ruling houses. To solve this problem the new rulers create the "Rights of Man" that determined the rights of each landowner that could not be taken by either priest or ruler.

Once in place, the new rulers created a system of government based loosely upon the guilds. Several of the more powerful ruling houses protested that the common man had neither the education nor philosophy to rule a nation, so an additional Senate was created to deal with the true affairs of state. The laws were created in the House of Commons and the House of Lords enforced them. The Senate is where both houses met to debate the law in question.

Geography

The Third Irillian Empire stretches across the entire east shore of the Caragan Sea. Additionally, the land it claims is wider that the Krandryia highlands. Several major and hundreds of smaller, roads cross over the entire country, making travel easy compared to other nations. The larger roads are paved with stones, while the smaller are only tended to near villages and towns. Originally the roads were created to speed the movement of Irillian legions to the far providences; however, they also gave the merchant caravans travel through all manner of seasons.

Because the land stretches so far north to south there is a great deal of difference between the various providences. The northern providences contain some of the best meadowlands along its rolling hills and gentle valleys. While the land can rise or fall sharply in the northeast, most of the land is far more serene.

The central providences border the bronze sea on the east and the Caragan Sea on the west. The land is characterized by wide expanses of flat land filled with tall grass and dotted with small lakes and rivers. The summers are often hot and humid, but the spring and winter is wet enough to keep the land fertile throughout the year. The providences used to be covered with many hardwood forests, but after supplying Irill's vast fleet most of the forests have been reduced to shadows of their full glory.

The southern providences as still heavily wooded with hot and sticky summers divided only by the all too brief cool of winter. The Black River often overflows its banks and only the foolish will risk entering the waters anywhere near the Dread Forest. A harsh land, these providences remain the poorest of any in Irill.

Holdings

Regions

Provinces

Major Cities

See Also: Irillian Cities

Andali

The capitol of Irill is nestled across a valley across a river on the shores of the Caragan Sea. The city reaches up the hillside to both the north and south, with five fortresses on the far side to provide for the city's defense. Well over sixty-five thousand people live inside the city and enjoy its many pleasures. Built with materials from lands far from home it stands at the forefront of architecture and artistry.

A complex series of pipes, canals, and aquaducts serve to bring fresh water in and sewage out - this system works so well that even the streets of dyers and tanners raise hardly a smell.

Volganna

This city was the capitol of the Second Irillian Empire and the most holy temple of Irrish. It was here that the God-Kings ruled in her name - so many humans were sacrificed upon its great altar that it was stained red to its core. When the elves captured the city and destroyed the temple it marked the end of the Second Empire. The peace treaty they signed with those nobles and merchants from the other cities kept the city of Volganna as a part of Ellendar.

All of the roads that lead to this centralized city had to be re-routed as the elves refused to allow anyone to come within sight of the city. The new rulers posted a small garrison at the perimeter and turn back anyone that doesn’t know of the law. Those that persist will find that he elven warriors and weavers that stayed behind easily deal with those that push beyond the garrison.

Guardia

This large city is the last major port along the Black River. Most captains will pull into the port and unload their cargo rather that risk their ship in the Dread Forest. From here most goods will travel to Fonia on the Sword Bay along one of the best maintained roads in Irill. Its wide stone way is dotted with many villages and hostels catering to the heavy merchant traffic.

Guardia is a very old city, having been built around the central motte and baily - it simply expanded and built on top of what was already there. Now it is a nest of warrens and alleys where modern townhouses are simply a block away from the original adobe sheds. Two of the hillsides are dominated by the local lords, while the city's fortress perches atop the third.

Fonia

Irill's largest city on Sword Bay and considered the jewel of the south. Not too long before the city was almost destroyed when overcrowding and a very humid summer allowed tempers to flare. The ensuing rioters burned nearly three-quarters of the city before the famous tenth legion arrived and quelled the violence. With monies from the treasuries and heavier taxes General Nisos rebuilt the city.

Drawing upon some of the best artists and architects of Irill General Nisos built a city that is not only beautiful, but contains comforts once only found in the central providences. In addition, it is now nearly unassailable from either land or sea. General Nisos still runs the city, which has upset the local lords but many of the Doms support his effective rule.

Foreign Relations

Once feared by its neighbors, Irill now stands as one of the most stable lands in the Western Realms. They seek to conquer and control through their merchants rather than their legions. This leaves most neighboring rulers with little understanding how closely their own economy is becoming tied to Irillian merchant guilds until they anger one of them. Because the guilds wield not just finanical but political weight, any powerful guild can call up a great deal of markers to make any object of their ire suffer. Still this is a tactic rarely employed because once a relationship sours all of the guilds suffer.

Chrysalis

See Also: Chrysalis

Because the nation expands at the rate of its magical influence there is a great deal of tension within Irill about their border. It has been known to ebb and flow by several miles each year and it currently seems to be swallowing an ever larger chunk of Irill's best land every five to seven years. While these are problems, most of it is worked out by the sheer amount of trade that flows between their borders. Chrysalis is ever in need of mundane items not tainted by their magic and Irillian traders are only to happy to supply their markets, which the Senate is only too happy to collect the taxes.

As long as Chrysalis continues to pay a premium for Irillian goods and their hold over the land is slippery then Irillian legions will not have to face the war-mages on the field of battle. However, this uneasy balance could be upset with just the slightest push.

Kingdom of Dakar

See Also: Kingdom of Dakar

The neighbor most likely to wage war upon Irill is currently the Kingdom of Dakar. They share a common border of very arable land with a great deal of natural meadowlands and cut by hundreds of streams and rivers. Also, whoever controls the Valley of the Sun controls the mouth of the Caragan Sea where the Zun River empties. As long as the Irillian Empire controls these two vital lands they can reduce Dakar's small navy to shattered timbers if they ever try and force their way into the Caragan Sea.

Because of this most of the nothern Irillian providences maintain several legions and often check Dakarian merchants at their border for spies and assassins. Even if Dakar wasn't involved, anyone of importance dying under unnatural circumstances automatically shifts the blame to an agent of Dakar. Paranoia, fear, and hatred boil on both sides of the border with those few merchants willing to risk the journey watching over their shoulder at both sides. Its not uncommon for cross-border raids to hit fat merchant caravans because the border towns are so strongly fortified.

In 1453 the Kingdom of Dakar under the rule of Queen Aurora I launched an attack into the Valley of the Sun. By 1457 the Irillian Legions fell back south outside of the Valley of the Sun ceding full control to the Dakarians.

Krandryia

See Also: Krandryia

There is very little actual contact with their ruler, but there is a great deal of contact with many of the villages and hamlets that are scattered along the border. The people are a hardy and independent lot, but still enjoy their comforts enough to get vases, wines, and exotic spices from the hundreds of merchants that ply the borders. The Krandryians ship back foodstuffs, gemstomes, raw ores, and some of the finest wool found anywhere on Miranda.

The two nations have had some small amount of conflict, but it often involves individuals instead of the whole Empire. If a Krandryian feels cheated they will venture into Irill, to the heart of the Empire if necessary, and seek their revenge. Anyone that gets in their way will be dealt with as if the person was the person that wronged them this has been known to get very messy. Still, once the debt has been balanced the Krandryian will return home in peace.

Three Kingdoms

See Also: Three Kingdoms

As the Second Empire collapsed the providence of Arcola declared their independence from the Empire and sued for peace with the elven army. Their leaders boarded Irillian warships in their ports and gave them to the elves, in several cases former Irillian captains sailed their ships loaded with elven warriors across the Caragan Sea. This allowed the elves to reach the heart of Irill and trap the retreating fifth, seventh, and tenth legions in Selcaria. To this date most Senators blame the collpase of the Second Empire at the feet of the traitors who now live in the former providence of Arcola known as the Three Kingdoms.

Barring the fiery retoric there is very little the Irillians can do to harm the Three Kingdoms. With support from the elves and the powerful Dakarian wizards there is little the Senate can do to reclaim their land by force. There is also the matter that the Three Kingdoms is Irill's largest trading partner and occasional rival. Often their largest trading houses have worked together to control key markets and a few of the Three Kingdoms richest people own stock in Irillian companies. While the occasional rise in tension has caused a few problems, most of Irill prefers their current relationship with the Three Kingdoms over sending the legions to war again.

Carthia

See Also: Carthia

Carthia have raided not just Irillian merchants moving along the Iron Road to Turan - but on several occasions a powerful enough warleader has risen among their ranks to sack several Irillian towns. The local lord requests help from the legion, but too often the carthins melt back into the steppes before Irill's vast military might can be brought to bear. On those occasions when the two sides do meet on the field of battle the legion's discipline and well-drilled tactics have always carried the day.

When they are not warring, there is a small amount of trade that occurs between various tribes and Irillian merchants. While some tribes take a blood-oath against all Irillians for their incursions into their lands, most see the benefit of trading now so they have the materials for war later. The Carthins trade a great deal of handicrafts and raw gemstones and take steel and finished goods in return.

Kithkin Range

See Also: Kith

Much like the Carthins, the Kithkin both war and trade with the Irillians. However, unlike them when the Kithkin clans go to war it tends to favor light raids ambushes instead of the sacking of Irillian towns. Because of this and the Kithkin's belief in taking blood-price in place of battle, many towns prefer to simply pay off the raiders rather than see their animals stolen and larder raided. The Kithkin live a far more simple life and traditional only take a few finished goods, preferring meat and hunting implements to gold and silver. A sword taken in battle, or offered by a surrendered foe, is one of the greatest prizes - a sword purchased from a merchant with silver taken during a raid is not regarded as highly.

Selcaria

See Also: Selcaria

Although still called the Providence of Selcaria by many in the Empire that long for the days when they were powerful and still controlled the land, most have accepted the fact that Irill no longer controls this part of its once far-flung empire. This makes for a tense border with bloodties and the more militant citizens of Irill trying to force a union, but in most cases the two nations share so much trade and culture that it would be unthinkable for the Empire to march to war to reclaim Selcaria.

Economy

Irill's economy was once dominated by its strict feudal society. The common workers were kept poor and hungry. The dawn of the First Empire saw that change as the nobles began to run out of money to finance the growing empire. To keep the empire afloat they turned to the church, which had become the largest landowner. When First Empire finally collapsed a power-sharing government comprised of the surviving nobles and Irrishite leaders emerged.

The Second Empire again drained most of the coffers of the remaining nobles leaving them simply as large landowners. When the church began to exert more influence, the nobles turned to the only people left with money to finance the Empire - the merchants. The merchants bought the noble's land cheap and served as a necessary balance between noble and Irrishite.

The collapse of the Second Empire was a rebirth for Irill. The Irrishite church was crushed and its coffers looted by the elven army. The military was in full retreat or under watchful guard. The nobles had survived, but most had sold so much of their land they could only maintain their own household. The reins of the new economy was firmly in the hands of the merchants that now owned most of the land.

Irill's economy was once dominated by its strict feudal society. The common workers were kept poor and hungry. The dawn of the First Empire saw that change as the nobles began to run out of money to finance the growing empire. To keep the empire afloat they turned to the church, which had become the largest landowner. When First Empire finally collapsed a power-sharing government comprised of the surviving nobles and Irrishite leaders emerged.

The Second Empire again drained most of the coffers of the remaining nobles leaving them simply as large landowners. When the church began to exert more influence, the nobles turned to the only people left with money to finance the Empire - the merchants. The merchants bought the noble's land cheap and served as a necessary balance between noble and Irrishite.

The collapse of the Second Empire was a rebirth for Irill. The Irrishite church was crushed and its coffers looted by the elven army. The military was in full retreat or under watchful guard. The nobles had survived, but most had sold so much of their land they could only maintain their own household. The reins of the new economy was firmly in the hands of the merchants that now owned most of the land.

From total collapse after the fall of the Second Empire, Irill has grown to become the largest trading nation in the realms. Its ships ply the waters stretching from Turan to the Tarakian Islands and from northern Brundswag to the southern Sundatan. Hundreds of caravans working for thousands of merchants scatter to the four winds in search new and interesting goods to bring back to Irillian markets.

Banks

Merchants often need access to large sums of money to purchase their tradegoods, then slowly recoup the money by selling them in various markets. In addition few landowners keep enough coin around to pay their taxes to their Senate, which will not take bartered goods. At first these needs were met by moneylenders, but with the rise of the Third Empire most moneylenders have come together under various banking guilds - simply called banks.

Irillian banks provide loans based upon the goods one is willing to put up in trade in case the loan is not repaid. This requirement keeps out most of the commoners, but any landowner can always sign their buildings and their land over to the bank.

The creation of these banking guilds has led to a rapid growth in Irill's economy from its near total collapse after the fall of the Second Empire. Craftsmen were able to get money to rebuild their shops and landowners could rebuild their manorhouses. The banks grew wealthy in interest and most engaged the service of special collectors for those that failed to repay on time.

Stock Companies

A stock company is any company that sells a portion of the company’s future profits for current financial gain. This sale is always private; although the transactions are handled by the banker’s guild. There are two types of stock: company and caravan. Company stock lasts as long as the company is in business and entails the holder to a certain percentage of company profits. Caravan stock is sold for special adventures and difficult trade routes. It gives its holder a set percentage of the goods found or brought back - regardless of sale price or profit.

A stockholder owns a certain percentage of the company or trade route; although they are not liable for any debt incurred by the company. This potential gain without direct risk is what has spurred the growth of Stock Companies in Irill. Each Stock Company must register itself with one of the banker’s guild, which ensures that more than one hundred percent of the company is not sold in stock.

Language

The main language of Irill is Irillian

Religion

Magic

Due to the heavy influence of the Irrishites magicians, sorcerers, wizards, witches, and anything else you want to call those who can manipulate the powers of Irrish command a powerful presence inside of Irill. There are several powerful guilds of magicians that wield great political as well as economic control. Several of these guilds have built large libraries and workshops where their students can study and master their own capabilities. Unlike in other nations the teaching of magic is more codified that a simple master-apprentice relationship.

Irill remains not simply the pinnacle of finances and trade, with its coinage considered the most common method of exchange in the west. In addition, the finest poets and artists come from the various schools that have begun to spring up in the largest cities. Philosophy, art, architecture, science, and new thought all center upon Irill. Long forgotten is the nation's imperialistic past - instead Irill is a land the stands as a leader.

Guilds

With the collapse of the feudal system and the rise of the merchant class, the popularity of various guilds have spread like wildfire across the land. Most cities mark numerous guilds from the masons to the bankers. While not all guilds are equally powerful, if you need the services of one of their members you must play by their rules.

The Republic of Irill is very heavily drawn along social class lines; although these lines are more often economic than by right of birth. Occupying the highest order are the Senators, followed by the Equestrians, Plebiens, Freedmen, and Slaves. In addition, many of the laws of the Republic still afford special rights to the Patrician families who represent the families of the old feudal lords of the Empire.

Senators

This purely political class are those men that serve on the Republican Senate and all of their extended family. Senators can be drawn from the ranks of the Equestrians or Plebiens, but never from the ranks of Slaves or Freedmen. Tradition has caused this class to be dominated by the old Patrician families, since each new Senator has to prove that he hold property worth at least 1,000,000 pennies. Senators do not draw a salary from the Republic and are prohibited from personally engaging in non-agricultural business, trade, or any public contracts.

The men of the Senate are allowed to wear broad stripes on their tunics to denote their rank. If they hold special position within the Senate then they may wear a golden tunic pin denoting this rank.

Equestrians

The basis for this class was economic. Any member of the Plebien could be raised into the Equestrian order if they could prove they hold a stable amount of wealth. This is typically around 400,000 pennies in both goods and property. By extension all of his family members are also now considered equestrians. An equestrian is often elected into the Magistracy and can even sit within the Senate; however, this is rare as most equestrians are involved in the business that is forbidden to Senators.

Equestrians can wear narrow stripes on either their tunic or toga. Within the Equestrian ranks social status is more often determined by the material the tunic or toga is made from; although those families that are also considered Patricians are allowed to wear a single broad stripe as the base with their narrow stripes above.

Plebiens

Often called the Commons, the Plebiens are all other freeborn Irillians not in either the Senatoral or Equestrian classes. A plebian is fully free to move into either the Equestrian or Senatoral classes provided they can amass the proper amount of wealth and seek a patron to nominate them for a position within the ranks.

A plebien has no social rank to display; although if they are magistrates or served with distinction in the military it is possible they have other adornments to display. In no case should these adornments be like in those worn by the Senators or Equestrian.

Freedmen

All men and women that had been slaves at one time and either bought their freedom or were manumitted. This class is not fully free because they do not possess the full rights of a citizen and still owed some duties to their former master (now their patron). All freedmen are ineligible for any public office. The status of a freedmen is non-generational, which means that any children born to a freedman become citizens of Irill and join the ranks of the plebiens. Most Freedmen are very poor and occupy some of the lowest ranks of society. However, those Freedmen that have a trade or skill they preform can in fact be quite wealthy, but still carry the low social distinction of slaves.

When a slave has been freed they prepend their name with Freedarii, which means Freed person. Thus a slave known as Garius before would be Freedarii Garius upon obtaining his freedom. All freedmen must wear tunic or toga with no adornments.

Slaves

By law, slaves are the property of their owners. But by custom some slaves, including many of those kept in the larger cities may be allowed to keep their own savings so that they may buy their freedom later. A skilled slave (like a cook) could in fact have more wealth than many of the non-skilled plebiens - but they still were considered slaves. Slaves are generational in that children born to slaves are still considered slaves.

Slaves have no distinction of dress, but those slaves that have run away are often fitted with a bronze or iron color around their neck.

Patrician

Not a formally recognized social class since the fall of the First Empire, the numbers of families that can draw lineage to a Patrician has decreased - but they still can hold great power locally. The Patricians were the names given the families that held all of the land during the First Empire. At that time only the patrician families were allowed to hold land, all others worked land in rents. These noble families tended to descend directly from the warlords that forged the first Empire. Their ranks were decimated during the fall of the Second Empire. Most of the patrician families heavily gave to the Irillian Church and when it was destroyed most of their power was taken with it. The commoners rose up against the most hated Partiricans and destroyed their families. Those Patricians that survived did so by soothing the populace and dissolving enough of their land into local hands to mollify the angry mobs. Most of the surviving Patrician families are among the Equestrians because they survived with enough wealth to buy themselves into positions of power with the Republic, but did so by maintianing hold on those businesses that make them being a member of the Senate difficult.

Government

When the concept of nobility by birth was replaced by the Rights of Man, this removed mostof the leadership of the previous empire who had sold their land to finance the falling Second Empire. These new landowners held the power once reserved to nobles. With their power and wealth they partitioned the land into providences, which were ruled by a Marshall who commands the legions. Each providence is divided into districts ruled by a Governor, who is the largest landowner although the Senate isfree to appoint another. The power in Irill is held by three groups. First is the Senate in Andali which is the only body allowed to pass laws in Irill. Second is the local Governors who control the land and the people the tenents that pay them rent. Finally the guilds of craftsmen, bankers, and merchants that hold the keys to Irill's finances. The postion of Marshall is largely ceremonial as the legions have become little more than faded remenents of their once feared power.

Senate

The Senate is where the both houses met to debate the state of the nation. The House of Commons may bring forth debate on the way the House of Lords is enforcing the laws, while the House of Lords may bring their own debate about the necessity or folly of various laws. The Senate meets in the capitol city of Andali in a house so expansive that servants from one side rarely see those from the other. The large outer chambers are resevered for the House of Commons, while the more oranate inner chamber is for the House of Lords. The Sergeant-at-Arms commands the only troops allowed past the outer wall. Occasionally a marshall is calledinside, but even then they are only allowed to carry their ceremonial sword and with but a single assistance. Rarely does the discussion resort to physical confrontations; however, a Sergeant-At-Arms is personally chosen by the Grand Marshal and responsible for maintaining the peace. To back this up the Sergeant has more than three-dozen men at his command, considered the elite of Irillian army.

House of Lords

The House of Lords or more commonly called the Upper Senate is the body responsible for approving and enforcing the laws of the land. The House of Lords is comprised of three representatives from each providences, one reprentative from each frontier. In addition, ten members from the House of Commons are allowed to observe and speak before the Upper Senate but cannot vote on any measure.

House of Commons

This is the lower Senate where all landowners can have an say in the laws that govern the land. While only the House of Lords can enfore the laws is is the House of Commons that debate and put those laws before the Upper Senate.

The Republic of Irill divided all governmental powers into three distinct assemblies; The Central Committee, the Provincial Committee, and the Council of the People. Each of these assemblies have the full power to create, enact, and judge all laws (legislative, judicial, and electoral). Advising each of the assemblies is the Irillian Senate. The Senate can make no laws, but instead stands in as a body of learned men that may guide and direct any of the assemblies.

The Vigiles: The vigiles, also founded by Augustus, served as fire fighters and night watchmen in the city of Rome. They were originally drawn from the ranks of freedmen and were not really soldiers, although they were organized on a quasi-military basis. The commander of the vigiles was a prefect of equestrian rank (the praefectus vigilum). They were divided into seven cohorts led by tribunes; each cohort was responsible for two of the 14 regions of the city.

Central Committee

This committee is drawn from the ranks of both equestrians and plebeians. Internally it is organized into five discinct classes which are drawn mostly along economic lines. Membership within the Committee requires a certain economic status and power was heavily vested into the First (Senators and Patricians) and Second classes. The committee is broken down internally into groups called centuries, of which only the first eighteeen centuries consist of 100 members — then rest tend to be far larger. Each member's vote is not counted as an individual, rather determines where the century as a whole votes. Since each centry is only given a single vote, an individual within one of the first centuries can wield a disproportionate amount of influence. The committee meet annually to elect the following year's consuls and praetors. They meet quintannually (every 5 years) to elect all of its censors. Further it has been called to order to sit on matters of high treason; although this is quite rare.

Provincial Committee

These members are drawn from the ranks of the Equestrian or Plebiens from each of the providences. Each committee gets but a single vote on matters of concern, which means that every individual within a committee has more influence among the less populated rule environments. The Provincial Committee meets to elect the aediles, quaestors, and tribunes of the soliders. It also conducts the vast majority of the trials in those places without standing courts.

Council of the People

This council was also a Provincal council, but no family of the Patrician could serve as a member. Only the Tribune of the People could gather a Council of the People. This is the most fractious of the three committees, but it is also where the majority of the laws are passed. The Council of the People have the right to elect the aediles and Tribunes of the People.

Imperial Senate

The Senate can pass their advice in recommending laws and measures, but they cannot actually pass any law. Instead this advice is expected to given its full measure by the committee where it is being heard. Given the nature of the Senate their word does carry a great deal of authority within the Republic, just no legal basis. The only authority the Senate actually has is the ability to dissolve any of hte committees and establish a dictatorship that will hold the position of that committee until it can be rejoined.

Political Office

aedile

Found in the larger towns and all cities, the aedile is responsible for maintenance of public buildings and regulation of public festivals. They also have powers to enforce public order. This is considered a natural position for anyone seeking higher public office.

censor

The censors take a regular census of the Roman people and then apportioned the citizens into voting classes on the basis of income and provincial affiliation. The censors enrolled new citizens into provinces and voting classes as well as slaves who had been freed since the last census automatically entered citizenship. Two censors were appointed by the Senate for each province every 5 years and serve for a term between 15 and 20 months.

consul

This is the highest elected office in the Republic. Two consuls are elected each year and serve together with veto power over each other's actions. The year of their service was known by their names. As an example, an Irillian year is traditionally called “the consulship of Julius and Bibulus” instead of the numeric dating of years used by other cultures. If a consul should die or resign during their term a new consul will be appointed in their place.

dictator

This was a magistrate raised to an extraordinary position because of extraordinary need. They are often given sweeping powers to deal with the situation as necessary. The term of office is traditionally six months or until the crisis is resolved, whichever comes first.

legatus

A Senator that serves as the General officer of the Irillian army. His immediate superior is the dux and he outranks all military tribunes. The legatus must outrank socially all of those of praetorian rank or higher, so that they can command the armies independent of the dux or provincial governor. If necessary they can be invested with propraetorian imperium for the legal authority necessary to fulfill their duties. Legatus receive a portion of the booty at the end of their campaign, which makes this position quite lucrative.

magistrate

A magistrate is any civil official of Irill that has the ability to administer and enforce the law. The magistrates to not make the law, but they sit in judgement and see that the law is carried out in full. It is possible for the government to create a promagistrate in order to oversee a very specific cause. This person is given the abilities of a magistrate, but without holding the office. The term of a promagistrate tends to be one year or until the need is finished.

praetor

Often referred to as the third consul. The praetor refers to the leaders of the armies, but owes respect to the consuls. When one of the consuls are away serving the needs of the army, the praetor stands in his place. If both consuls are gone then the praetor is expected to hold the city until their return. In times of need other propraetors will be appointed by the Senate with very specific duties. These are typically used to command the armies on a given campaign, or hold control of a rebellious city until it can be brought under control. Praetor is often used in combination with other titles to represent those officials that oversee smaller military units. Thus a small town with a garrision could have a praetor urbanus that acts as the civilian authority over the garrision.

princeps senatus

The leader of the Senate. Although owning no imperium through the office, this carries enormous prestige to the magistrate holding it. This position is choosen by the new censors for the upcoming 5 years, until the next censors choose someone else or reconfirmed the sitting. He must be selected from the Senators holding at least consular rank, usually former censors. Duties include:

  • Declaring opening and closure of the senate sessions
  • Deciding the agenda
  • Deciding where the session should take place
  • Imposing order and other rules of the session
  • Meeting, in the name of the senate, with embassies of foreign countries
  • Writing, in the name of the senate, letters and dispatches

governor

Members of the Senate that have been appointed for a period of one year to oversee the holdings of a province. The most difficult provinces are often given to former consuls and proconsuls in deferrence to their experience.

quaestor

These are elected officials of the Republic who supervised the treasury and financial affairs, its armies and its officers. Each province has a single quaestor (primus quaestor) that is a member of the Senate and advises the provincial governor. Additional quaestors can be elected to serves as necessary to the various generals of the military.

tribune

This official serves the interests of the Plebians, who find that they otherwise have little political power. He has the right of sacrosanctity; that is, the right to be legally protected from any physical harm and the right of help. Tribunes have the right to protect any citizen from a magistrate and the ability to overturn any ruling. There are ten tribunes in each province, who serve the plebians of that province.

lictor

These are the many assistants that help the men of public office that hold impurium (legal authority). Lictors must be physical men as they are expected to serve as bodyguards in addition to their other duties. In addition they must all be freedmen or citizens, since they must carry a arms. They are exempt from military service. Most of the time they carry a rod designating the office they serve and an axe to remind those of their ability to execute orders. Each magistrate would also have a primus lictor, which is their most trusted of their lictors.

Patronage

Patronage is very important in Irillian culture, from both the eyes of the Patron and the Client. Patronage is based upon a public display of inequality between the Patron and the Client. This brings status to the patron and new opportunites to the client.

There are two common types of patronage:

  • Public: The patron becomes the protector and

benefactor of a group (guild, association, or town). This typically involves large gifts, alimentary, public entertainment, protection, advocacy, etc.

  • Personal: The patron aids an individual through

money, gifts, invitations, or legal and business advice. These relationships can often take place over multiple generations.

What the patrons got in return was the very public support of their clients in matters of political and social arenas. Politically the family would vote for the patron's causes and work to see that his ideas reached a wider audience. They would do this through public proclamations and various works of art and literature. This relationship is renewed daily as the clients are expected to travel to their patron and formally greet them in the morning. While the Republic is dominated by male-politics the Patron and Client relationship is equally enjoyed by the women of Irill. In fact, it is through this relationship that women can come to wield as much political power as the men. Although they cannot sit on any of their assemblies, their clients can. Personal patronage was more problematic if the clients are men, but public patronage is considered a necessity for any wealthy woman.

Military

Main Article: irillian_army

Probably considered the most professional army anywhere on Miranda. The Irillian Army has never been completely defeated since their creation during the First Irillian Empire. They have lost some battles, and have been forced off the field, but the army has never been forced to surrender. The battle outside Volganna was lost because the then Grand Marshal decided holding the city was irrelevant to saving the empire.

Although the Legion is the army that made Irill feared by their neighbors, it is only half of the total standing army. The rest are chariots, slingers, crossbowmen, siege engineers, and skirmishers. Unlike the Dakarians, the Irillians’ have never had a large calvary; instead their army relies on the presence of heavy infantry and spearmen.