Ary's Island
This is Ary's Island, by name and by government. In essence, I suppose that you could call my island's government a theocratic democracy. What caused it to end up that way is that while everybody else was arguing, I stood up, raised my voice, and said "I'm the High Priestess, so therefore I rule." Not one of the 31 people disputed my claim, and this may have had something to do with the fact that we were all pagan. I created what is now called the Island Council. Each of the eight people on the council were hand selected by me the second day on the island. All decisions were to be deferred to the Council unless if it was a major thing, and then it would come to me. Also, if the Island Council was divided 50/50 over an issue, it was agreed that I would cast the deciding vote. As a result, I ended up dividing the people into small units.
First in priority were the food units. There are a total of five units that are gathering food for what is now a village. The foragers are in three groups of three, for a total of nine, and the hunters are in two groups of four. Next came shelter, another necessity. I delegated one group of three to build meager huts for everyone to sleep in during unfavorable conditions. There was also a group of four that was to build a temple for us to perform the Rites in on the festival days. The remaining seven people were put in a group and take turns patrolling the camp, two at a time, to ward off any animals drawn by whatever scents the village gives off. Each of these units had one person chosen from among them to serve on the Island Council. This was done so that each unit could feel as though they had at least some say in what went on in the village.
The Island's rules or laws, as we call them, follow some of my Book Society's rules. Number one is that you should try to learn as much as possible about your surroundings before attempting anything that might have severe consequences. Second is that you cannot blind, murder, or do anything to physically maim another person - in essence, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a life for a life. It is harsh, I know, but it works wonderfully. For instance, if one is caught stealing anything, that hand is removed and the transgressor is forced to put somewhere where they will look at it every day so that they cannot forget their crime. If a person unintentionally kills another person, the killer is sent into exile on pain of pain. Also, if one profanes or desecrates another's altar or the Temple, that transgressor is also sent into exile on pain of pain. If someone sets fire to another's house, the first person is burnt at a stake. Any minor transgressions are, of course, handled by the Island Council, who act like a criminal court of law for the whole Island.
On any of the festival days, everyone ceases their work and comes into the Temple to perform or watch the Rites done. If they cannot make it for some reason, then they perform the solitary's Rites in their own homes with their own altar.
This is Ary's Island, by name and by government. In essence, I suppose that you could call my island's government a theocratic democracy. What caused it to end up that way is that while everybody else was arguing, I stood up, raised my voice, and said "I'm the High Priestess, so therefore I rule." Not one of the 31 people disputed my claim, and this may have had something to do with the fact that we were all pagan. I created what is now called the Island Council. Each of the eight people on the council were hand selected by me the second day on the island. All decisions were to be deferred to the Council unless if it was a major thing, and then it would come to me. Also, if the Island Council was divided 50/50 over an issue, it was agreed that I would cast the deciding vote. As a result, I ended up dividing the people into small units.
First in priority were the food units. There are a total of five units that are gathering food for what is now a village. The foragers are in three groups of three, for a total of nine, and the hunters are in two groups of four. Next came shelter, another necessity. I delegated one group of three to build meager huts for everyone to sleep in during unfavorable conditions. There was also a group of four that was to build a temple for us to perform the Rites in on the festival days. The remaining seven people were put in a group and take turns patrolling the camp, two at a time, to ward off any animals drawn by whatever scents the village gives off. Each of these units had one person chosen from among them to serve on the Island Council. This was done so that each unit could feel as though they had at least some say in what went on in the village.
The Island's rules or laws, as we call them, follow some of my Book Society's rules. Number one is that you should try to learn as much as possible about your surroundings before attempting anything that might have severe consequences. Second is that you cannot blind, murder, or do anything to physically maim another person - in essence, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a hand for a hand, and a life for a life. It is harsh, I know, but it works wonderfully. For instance, if one is caught stealing anything, that hand is removed and the transgressor is forced to put somewhere where they will look at it every day so that they cannot forget their crime. If a person unintentionally kills another person, the killer is sent into exile on pain of pain. Also, if one profanes or desecrates another's altar or the Temple, that transgressor is also sent into exile on pain of pain. If someone sets fire to another's house, the first person is burnt at a stake. Any minor transgressions are, of course, handled by the Island Council, who act like a criminal court of law for the whole Island.
On any of the festival days, everyone ceases their work and comes into the Temple to perform or watch the Rites done. If they cannot make it for some reason, then they perform the solitary's Rites in their own homes with their own altar.