GATE: the clash of the titans V2

by Qun Nguyn1

Mostly AUs. A Gate has opened in Tokyo by a Roman-esque Empire, familiar scenario with familiar faces but the people marched through the Gate is from a vastly more powerful magic world. The stage is set. Earth Alliance vs The Holy Empire. Science vs Magic. The power of the thousand sun vs The Beast of the Apocalypse. Let the clash of Titans begin. Let the worlds have War.

14. Chapter 14:Falmart& Beginning of the War

Chapter 16 : HOLY DARWINIAN EMPIRE: A BRIEF INTRODUCTION.

By Sage Lelei La Lalena (Filler chapter)

Note:

- One thing to remember, the information the Earth have on Falmart, in chapter 3, before actually going there, is mostly misinformation. The Empire, as I explained in this chapter, actually has some advanced biological and magic based technology.

- Biological agents is indiscriminate weapon so the UEADF generally doesn't want to use them. It also has has unpredictable effects.

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Everyone knew about Darwinia.… Every single person in the world know that the Holy Darwinian Empire is the strongest country in the history of Falmart. They has became prosperous by themselves, without any help from other countries. Their level of advancement is so incredible that they used to be known as the "Center of the world" before the Unification Era.

The Holy Darwinian Empire have:

-The world's most advanced magical and biological technology.

-A strong government that stabilized the country's foundation.

-Vast territory and an excellent system for mass producing goods and materials.

-A superior military force that can defeat all enemy in and out.

With all of these world-class advantages, compared to all the other countries in the history of this world, and even compared to other superpowers in the past, there was no doubt that Darwinian's national power far outstripped any other country's.

Across all contemporary politicians, clerics, and scholars, there is a tendency to admire the strength of the first global empire: Holy Darwinian Empire. From the modern perspective, especially from the human perspective, it seems impossible to unify such a diverse and vast political landscape with so little technology. Many will point to the strength of the Darwinian Emperors, specifically the 55th Emperor Charles zi Augustus, and the overwhelming might of the Darwinian Imperial Army as a form of successful and effective governance. The true is, like always, a lot more complicate.

In this book, my goal is not to delve into the complex mechanics of this controversial superpower, but to give you, my human readers, an overview of the Divine Darwinian Empire and its system of government with hopefully this will serve as a frame of reference in your future learning.

Now, let's get started!

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

I. THE FALMARTIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

A. HIERARCHY

B. IDEOLOGY

C. TYPE OF MONASTERIES

II. POLITICS

A. THE EMPIRE

B. THE VASSALS

III. POLITICAL MOVEMENTS

IV. THE IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT

A. THE KING'S COUNCIL

B. THE GREAT OFFICERS OF THE CROWN

C. IMPERIAL SENATE

V. LEGAL SYSTEM

A. DARWINIAN-LEGALIST

B. THE PUNISHMENTS

VI. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A. SCIENCE IN GENERAL

B. COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

C. COMPUTING TECHNOLOGY

D. MEDICAL AND GENETIC TECHNOLOGY

E. TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY

VII. SOCIETY

VIII. ECONOMY

IX. FINANCES

X. INFRASTRUCTURE

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I. THE FALMARTIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH (HOLY ORDER OF EDEN)

The Empire is impossible without an unconditional believe in a higher order. Try to understand Darwinia without mentioning its absolute faith is like going to Vatican without talking about Roman Catholic Church.

So let dive in.

The Falmartian Orthodox Church (Holy Order Of Eden) is the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a prominent role in the history and development of Falmartian civilization. As the State Religion of the Holy Darwinian Empire, the Falmartian Orthodox Church adheres to the practises known as the Old Believers.

Even more than the Sadera language, it was considered a vital constituent of the Imperial national identity, and as such was heavily promoted by the Imperial government.

The monasteries of the Darwinian Orthodox Church also act as the backup administrative centres of the Holy Darwinian Empire. All of these are fortified in case of civil and other unrest (though little of this occurs since the end of the Societal Wars), and many of them either contain or are entirely barracks for the white-uniformed soldier-monks who form the Darwinian military. Despite technically being monks, in practical terms (such as behaviour) they differ little from the soldiers.

Over the years the term Monasteries has come to expand from meaning simply a fortress to instead meaning any Darwinian government and/or church facility; though these are all fortified to some extent, to keep the general run of the population out.

Many of the Monasteries of the Orthodox Church have expanded over the years so that they are, particularly in places like Sadera, effectively small closed cities within the larger city, walled off from the general population with quite large populations in their own right. All train stations are either within the Monasteries or have their own Monasteries. Many factories are attached to Monasteries, but not part of them directly, so common workers can come in and work without having to enter the Monasteries proper.

All architecture in the Holy Darwinian Empire remains locked in the old styles approved by the Darwinian Orthodox Church. Modern materials are discretely used only for strength, and only for the glory of the Gods, by producing cathedrals larger and taller than traditional materials would allow. The only high-technology buildings in the Holy Darwinian Empire are found in the Cathedrals of the Darwinian Orthodox Church that exist in all towns and cities. Even so, no buildings of any kind are allowed to be higher than the roof of the local cathedral(s), as they do not wish to overtop the works of the Gods with the works of man.

Many of the cities of the Holy Darwinian Empire still show signs of damage from the bombardment they suffered during the final phases of the last Civil War. There is rebuilding taking place but in many cities this has not yet completely covered the scars of the war. Outside the cities these bombardments had little effect on the general populace of Falmart as almost everything is done and produced at a local level, so only immediate damage was relevant to most people.

The Church also created large no-mans-lands and huge wall surrounding most major cities of the Empire. This is to allow better defence, and also to prevent the heretics building visual propaganda displays that might corrupt Darwinian citizens if they were to see them. Some cities that were considered particularly contaminated by ungodliness, were demolished and rebuilt during the early days of the Holy Darwinian Empire, leaving them much more like the old Darwinian cities.

The more restive parts of the Holy Darwinian Empire are under direct military governorship than being run through the Darwinian Orthodox Church. These include the oversea colonies, some border regions, and regions containing exile camps or Technical Monasteries.

A. HIERARCHY

The Falmartian Orthodox Church, despite its name, is not a single church, but a consortium of 13 specific churches. It is, however, led by the collective leadership of the 13 Apostles who are the Patriarchs of Sadera, the Eternal City, and of all the Falmartians, in order to avoid unnecessary conflicts between the churches.

The Hierarchy of the Holy Order's invested leadership is as follows.

Supreme Pontiff - The Holy Emperor of Darwinian himself, a figurehead position, holding mostly ceremonial powers as the de jure supreme leader of the Holy Order of Eden. Addressed as Your Majesty.

Grandmaster – The de facto leaders of the entire Holy Order, the Thirteen Apostles. Addressed as Your Holiness. As a collective group their power surpass even the Holy Emperor of Darwinian.

Cardinal – Deputies directly under the grandmaster, each one in command of one of the major orders. Addressed as Eminence.

Archbishop – Leader of one of Holy Order's episcopal districts, which cover a large territory spanning an entire province or the like, generally reporting directly to the grandmaster but are still subordinate to cardinals. Addressed as Grace.

Bishop – Leader of a single Holy Order facility, such as a hospital or school. If there are multiple Holy Order facilities within a city or region smaller than a district, seniority dictates hierarchy. Addressed as Excellency.

Prior/Prioress – Elastic position without a permanent assigned command, equal in authority to a bishop or even archbishop depending on their specific duty. Addressed as Reverend Father/Mother.

Priest/Priestess – an ordained member of the Holy Order, working in a facility under the guide a Bishop. They have the authority to perform certain rites and administer certain sacraments. Addressed as Good Brother/Sister.

There were two branches to the Falmartian Orthodox Church:

The 'White Clergy', urban priests who work among non-Church people. Many of these were rich and respected members of the community. It was members of this branch of the church who were responsible for the running of the Holy Darwinian Empire and teaching the children of the Empire. All members of the military of the Holy Darwinian Empire were de facto also part of the White Clergy. As such all of its personnel were technically monks, although in practical terms (such as behaviour) they differ little from the soldiers of the Earth nations. Members of this branch wore white uniforms, apart from (for example) in combat, where pragmatism requires that something else, such as camouflage, be worn.

The 'Black Clergy' who make up the monks and nuns of the Church, having given their lives and property over to it. Members of this branch wore black uniforms. Some monasteries ostensibly of the Black Clergy were actually places of discreet exile for those too important or high-ranking to be sent into the common Katorga system. The Black Clergy also includes the magicians, scientists and technologists of the Holy Empire.

B. IDEOLOGY

As part of its belief in the equality of all men under Gods, the Holy Darwinian Empire is a fairly egalitarian society, with anyone of any race and social class who has the ability having, at least nominally, the chance to rise to the highest levels through their own efforts. Everyone is considered to begin life with as much potential to rise before Gods as any other. At least if one is a man. Serfdom were eliminated from Darwinian soon after the White Revolution. Women remain second-class citizens though.

The Holy Darwinian Empire is also strongly theocratic-nationalistic, in that they believe all Falmartian Orthodox believers should be unified into a single state under the Darwinian Orthodox Church, after which all others should be converted to the One True Way of Darwinian Orthodoxy. However, these policies have been greatly toned down since the end of the War of Unification.

For those many nations taken over by the Holy Darwinian Empire before this liberalising of policy, their national cultures and identities now only exist underground or in exile. Those who object to this system will find themselves entering the Katorga system of penal servitude which is used to deal with political and religious dissidents of all kinds.

All of the ethnic minorities within the Holy Darwinian Empire, including those who live underground and underwater and so on, have also been converted to Darwinian Orthodoxy, at least officially. As part of this, and to help wipe out their pagan beliefs, the Holy Darwinian Empire has, in the past, split up families, and had children raised by foster parents or the state to ensure they are brought up in the One True Way of the Orthodox Church.

Officially the Holy Darwinian Empire contains nothing but Darwinian Orthodox followers. In reality numerous people (for example of Northerners or Gra Valkas descent) secretly cling to their old beliefs. From time to time these 'heretics' are discovered and harshly punished.

The Darwinian Orthodox Church as it stands in this world idealises and desires to protect all things old, while also hating the new and innovative. Because of this the Church feels itself entirely justified in keeping technology out of the hands of the populace as they feel it is very ungodly, this was the reason the for the technological stagnation last for almost 30 thousand years.

However, the Church has been forced by events and pragmatism to shift away from this 'pure' Old Belief in order that the Empire might survive. In particular the pragmatic realisation that some things new must be accepted in order to protect the old and allow the Holy Darwinian Empire to continue to exist has driven a programme of modernisation. Those of the Church make the sacrifice of using these things so that they may protect the general run of the populace allow them to have a godly life, even if they themselves are somewhat tainted by these ungodly things, if under the protection of Gods.

The Darwinian Orthodox Church also forbids necromancy and other dark magics.

In the Holy Darwinian Empire science and technology are referred to as the 'Tools of the Gods', which have been revealed to mortalkinds to allow it to do the work of Gods. Thus it can only be used with the approval of the Darwinian Orthodox Church, for Holy tasks. The use of science and technology for anything else is doing the work of the Devil, and anyone doing so will be suitably punished for it. However, magics and Titan powers had been widely used as an alternative for science and technology to meet the citizens every needs so there were no large incentive for technological improvement.

This is one of the means by which the Darwinian Orthodox Church maintains Darwinian society in the form that they consider to be best for its people. As a side effect of this most Darwinians still believe that the human are servants of the heathen gods because of the way they live and things they use.

Part of the Purecify movement has been the development of a volunteer army to defend the Darwinian Orthodox Church and the Holy Darwinian Empire against those, like the reviled Patriarch Arminius, who would corrupt or destroy it. Because of that the Holy Darwinian Empire had one of the earliest volunteer citizen armies of any nation in the world and volunteering for the Holy Darwinian Army is still considered to be an honourable profession in the Holy Darwinian Empire.

Some old soldiers and others in the Holy Darwinian Empire have trophies consisting of 'Devils Items' taken from the enemy during the Unification War. Most do not know what they are, but do know they are evil. In more cases they are kept in churches as items of the Devil's work to be avoided and shunned.

Another important feature of the Darwinian Orthodox Church is the acceptance of martyrdom in the name of the faith as the only way towards salvation. First arising in 17825, during the War of the Darwinian Humiliation, suicide tactics are now quite widely used by the Darwinian military, particularly in the form of manned missiles and torpedoes known as Martyrdom Weapons. Darwinian soldiers are not expected to throw their lives away lightly, but to do so without question if and when required.

Because all Orthodox believers are expected to participate in at least some monastic works, in response to the commandment of gods to 'come, take up the star cross, and follow me', the Holy Darwinian Empire practises a form of National Service in which all males enter the local church for a period of 40 years as they reach adulthood at age 140. This service is always in the White Clergy, after which most citizens return to civilian life, though some remain in the church for life and some transfer to the Black Clergy.

The Darwinian Orthodox Church also controls labour within the Holy Darwinian Empire, as local churches provide the basis around which the workers are organised.

The massive influence of the Orthodox Church make the Holy Darwinian Empire as a state is quite odd. In many areas it clings to the past, particularly in terms of craftsmanship, farming, peasant life and so on. In others, such as the military, bio-magic it is ultra-modern.

It is thus an empire of great contrasts. The vast majority of the population live at a level that has not changed a great deal in hundred of centuries, in small villas, with no electricity or running water and no advanced technology. However, they may use high technology in their work, either on the land or in factories or for the government.

And the military has the finest high technology the Empire can provide. Public buildings are also built with high technology, so that many cities have a centre consisting of modern skyscrapers in the midst of a sea of ancient villas, with advanced electric trains running next to roads of dirt and mud.

The need for industrialisation in the Holy Darwinian Empire after the War of the Darwinian Humiliation by the long-destroyed Gra Valkas Federation led to elements of the agricultural revolutions taking place elsewhere in the world being adopted in Darwinia. This, combined with the lack of Serfdom in the Holy Darwinian Empire, provided the mobility of labour and freed up people from the land to go and work in the new industries, as well as to build the network of railway/telegraph highways that now link the various regions of the Holy Darwinian Empire.

The Holy Darwinian Empire differs greatly from the rest of the world in using a 20 foot railway gauge dramatically larger than those used in any other nation. Thus their rail network is almost completely incompatible with that of the rest of the world, but its vast trains, mostly running on concrete rails, allow long journeys across the vastness of Darwinia without refuelling.

Needless to say, despite the best efforts of the government there is an illegal creep of technology from those areas where it is permitted (those to do with the government and preservation of the Holy Darwinian Empire) to those where it is not (the normal lives of the people), often associated with the smuggling of technology into the Empire from outside. And it is very much an open secret that the rulers of the Empire live in splendour with all of the high technology they wish.

Those who have served the Empire in posts on Earth often bring back tales of the technological wonders freely available there, increasing unrest in the Empire, although the Falmartian Orthodox Church condemns such things as the works of the heathen. Because of this, and because of the deep-seated loyalty to and indoctrination by the Holy Darwinian Empire there is little defection from it. But tensions are growing, even with the new, more liberal government that took power at the end of the Great War.

Entertainments in the Holy Dawinian Empire are also, in general, on a local level. Drinking in wild party, especially one involving excessive drinking and unrestrained sexual activity is always popular, as are wrestling, strip dancing, hard drug, singing, dancing, theatres, board games and so on, all of an appropriate level of technology. Public readings, usually of the Scripture or similar approved texts are also widespread. Some of these last for hours or days and are performed as signs of devotion.

Sporting events, like magic fighting or dragon racing, are very popular in the Holy Dawinian Empire, and most towns and cities have their own teams who compete in the coliseum and so on. Live large-scale chess games, with people playing the parts of the chess pieces in appropriate costumes as a form of 'performance game', are also quite popular. However, no sports or games are played on the Seventh day.

There are a number of factions among the Darwinian Orthodox Church.

First, there are differences over the issue of technology. Some, the minority Idealists, wish to eliminate all advanced technology from the Holy Dawinian Empire; even they disagree over precisely where the elimination of technology should stop, although most consider at a Bronze Age level to be acceptable.

The majority are Pragmatists, willing to accept enough technology to protect the Empire and no more. The minority Progressives wish to remove all limitations on technology and have the Empire advance as much as the other worlds in the universe. They have gained significant support for their agenda since the begining of the Great Falmart-Terran War, though they still disagree over the ideal distribution of technology.

In addition to this there are splits over how the Holy Dawinian Empire should interact with other parallel worlds, though this is more of a spectrum of opinion. This varies from complete isolation from its corrupting and damaging influences to those who wish to evangelise Falmartian Orthodoxy to the other worlds at all costs. Since the begining of the Great Falmart-Terran War the have gained the upper hand over the Isolationists who thought to be coward.

The Imperial government contains individuals from all combinations of these opinions, though Pragmatic Evangelists currently have the upper hand in government, having taken over from the Pragmatic Isolationists at the begin of the Great Terran-Falmart War.

C. TYPE OF MONASTERIES:

THE TECHNICAL MONASTERIES

Science and scientific research are not encouraged in the Holy Darwinian Empire and its allies. However, it was realised very quickly during the War of the Darwinian Humiliation in the late eighteenth millennia that some science and technology was required for the protection of the Empire. Thus a small research community was set up, dedicated to research useful for the defence of the Empire. Larger than this was the Holy Darwinian Espionage Office, set up to simply steal and/or reverse engineer science and technology produced by others.

Quite early on in their programme to modernise their military, the Darwinian government realised that having people with scientific and technical knowledge coming back into the community at large was affecting the community at large, making them more aware of technology, making them want that technology.

To avoid this, male children (and only male, due to the sexism of the Darwinian system) who show exceptional intelligence in school are taken off and educated in specialised technical monasteries, which form what are effectively isolated universities/research laboratories, with a religious covering under the aegis of the Black Clergy. This is considered a great honour, and families of such children are rewarded by the state.

The scientists, engineers and so who result from this process are put together in these technical monasteries to work, with only the designs of their products leaving them, apart from occasional rare debugging missions and similar tasks. They are allowed to communicate with their families, but this is strictly controlled and censored. The technical monasteries also have a support staff who are also kept separate from the rest of Darwinian society and who keep things running. The members of the technical monasteries are allowed concessions and eccentricities forbidden to the general run of monks and society, but these are tolerated in order to gain the benefits of their brains.

Given the concessions that are often made to them to keep them working productively, the members of the technical monasteries are often mockingly referred to as the 'Grey Clergy'.

Some Technical Monasteries are situated adjacent to but separate from towns, in order to give them a supply of manpower.

THE INDUSTRIAL MONASTERIES

Because of the nature of the Technical Monasteries, mass production of the designs that emerge from them is done in such a was as to ensure that the factory workers building them remain ignorant of what they are making and how it works. As such all industry is attached to monasteries of the Darwinian Orthodox Church, forming state-run enterprises known as Industrial Monasteries.

Those few who do come to know too much often end up in the technical monasteries as assistants and support staff.

As with many Technical Monasteries, most Industrial Monasteries are situated adjacent to but separate from towns, in order to give them a supply of manpower.

THE OFFICE OF ASSESSMENT

Part of the White Clergy, the Office of Assessment was set up in 10,000 to assess technology, whether it is allowable in the Holy Darwinian Empire, and if so where, whether everywhere, only in the government, or only in the military. Based on their assessment, computers, for example, are usable in the military and in certain areas of government, but certainly not anywhere else.

In addition to its assessment work, it also includes an enforcement arm to ensure its decrees are obeyed.

As the political currents of the Holy Darwinian Empire have shifted, the Office of Assessment has varied in its power and influence, from corrupt and weak to being the power in the Holy Darwinian Empire.

In the former case people could often get away with having forbidden items but being discreet about it. In the latter not even the highest in the land were safe. During the Long War, with the troubles then, there was a good deal of smuggling and black market activity, and the Office was weak because all of the best people were off fighting the war. This led to all kinds of problems so that now, with the Unification War over and a new regime in place, the Office has becomes stronger and less corrupt again, with a more traditional, 'proper' lifestyle being enforced for the entire population of the Holy Darwinian Empire.

THE OFFICE OF CONTEMPLATION

Part of the White Clergy, the Office of Contemplation was set up in the 7770s, not long after the Darwinian White Revolution, to monitor the people of the Holy Darwinian Empire and weed out disloyalty and unbelief. As such they perform internal security and counter-intelligence duties within the Empire. Because of the nature of their respective duties they are closely linked to the Office of Assessment.

Because of their covert nature the Office of Contemplation is in general hidden within the Technical Monastery system. It is rumoured that a number of Technical Monasteries of the Empire are in reality entirely run by the Office of Contemplation. These monasteries have come to be referred to as the Invisible Monasteries.

As the political currents of the Holy Darwinian Empire have shifted, the Office of Contemplation has varied in its power and influence, from corrupt and weak to being the power in the Holy Darwinian Empire.

THE OFFICE OF PERCEPTION

Part of the White Clergy, the Office of Perception was founded in 17900, after the War of the Darwinian Humiliation, to monitor the world outside the Holy Darwinian Empire for threats to it, and to act to reduce and eliminate those threats. As such they are one of the main intelligence agency of the Holy Darwinian Empire. Because of their wide remit, in addition to and as part of their other duties the Office of Perception performs scientific, technical and industrial espionage around the world ans beyond.

Like the Office of Contemplation it is rumoured that the Office of Perception is mainly based in and run from the Invisible Monasteries.

Because of the constant perceived threats to the Holy Darwinian Empire the Office of Perception has always been well-funded and a power in the Holy Darwinian Empire.

THE WORLD CENTER FOR BIOWEAPONS CONTROL

Part of the White Clergy, Known as the Plague Police, The World Center for Bioweapons Control known as the WCBC was founded in 13530 with the signing of the New Berusaiyu Agreement to prevent the spread and use of the weapons of biological warfare around the world. It is the closest equivalent to an international political body (such as the United Nations) that exists in this world, although it only deals with matters of military technology.

Originally it was nothing more than an actual conference of national representatives. However, over time, and through bitter experience, the WCBC has grown into an extensive supra-national organisation as it has become clear that its constant vigilance is required to avoid disaster.

As such, the WCBC is a multinational group with members hailing from all of the major nations of the world and many of the minor ones, and facilities large and small dotted across the globe. Although it began as a group to monitor bio-warfare, as part of their work the WCBC has inevitably had to investigate all diseases that are reported to it just in case, and this has led to its evolving into a general global disease surveillance and monitoring organisation. As part of this they identify, raise the alarm against and assist when outbreaks of normal diseases occur. Also, because bio-warfare is not just waged against humanoids directly, but also against their crops, livestock and so on, the WCBC monitors and investigates plant and animal diseases of all kinds. [As such, overall, the WCBC works as something similar to a combination of the Centres for Disease Control, World Health Organisation and in particular the Epidemic Intelligence Service and Global Viral Forecasting Initiative on Earth, but with the addition of an enforcement arm.]

The Organisation of the WCBC

At the top level of the WCBC is the Assembly of Nations. Made up of representatives from most of the nations on Falmart and currently Chaired by Cardinal Meltem Degirmencioglu of the Holy Order, it meets irregularly at the headquarters of the WCBC in New Berusaiyu. From New Berusaiyu the WCBC sets the priorities and goals of the organisation as a whole, and its strategic-level responses to events. Beneath the conference itself the WCBC is divided into two areas:

The Standing Action Committee is a small group of representatives from the WCBC as a whole which is tasked with making those urgent decisions that the conference as a whole is too slow to effectively address. The main reason for this is to ensure that epidemics and other emergencies can be addressed in as timely a manner as possible. Like the Conférence itself the Standing Action Committee is based in New Berusaiyu, but unlike it is permanently in session. They report to the full Conférence as required.

In parallel with the Standing Action Committee is the Operating Group. This is responsible for implementing the wishes of the WCBC as a whole and the Standing Action Committee in particular. Like the Standing Action Committee the Operating Group is based in New Berusaiyu, is permanently in session and reports to the Standing Action Committeeand full Conférence as required. The functions of the Operating Group are divided among six sub-sections, each of which is responsible for one aspect of the implementation of the New Berusaiyu Agreement.

The Surveillance Branch is the largest group within the WCBC Operating Group. There are two main sub-groups within the Monitors, with little crossover between them:

The majority of Monitors form a large number of small local groups of some ten people each who monitor disease and health in the area to which they are assigned. Above them are regional coordinators who take reports from the local Monitors, assess them, pass data to the WCBC as a whole and raise the alarm to the WCBC if required. They exist in all nations (and their colonies) that allow the WCBC to be present and are usually locals recruited to monitor their local area. Each group monitors an area whose size is based on its population. In addition to this Monitors also specifically monitor Sadera, the Eternal City and a number of places in Indiya to monitor and prevent the spreading of diseases arising from the great religious pilgrimages of the world – the Hajjm, the Kumbha Melaha and so on. These offices tend to have a small permanent staff that is bolstered from other offices during times when the pilgrimage is actually occurring.

A more recent addition to the Surveillance Branchare the Samplers. They hunt for diseases before they become 'visible' to the medical or agricultural communities by randomly sampling people, livestock, crops and the environment in general. In conjunction with the Research Branch they analyse these samples for anything new or unexpected (for example, a disease jumping between species). A number of disease outbreaks have been averted thanks to their being detected early via this sampling process. Some of the work of the Samplers is done in parallel with vaccination programmes; most of the rest is done in less pleasant environments, where samples are taken from humanoid and animal corpses in morgues and abattoirs, or from crop waste, as well as from sewage and other waste disposal facilities. Because of this, the Samplers have acquired the nickname of 'Pilleurs de Tombes' (Graverobbers). The work of the Samplers and their allied Researchers has led to science in this world having a detailed mapping of the bacterial and microbial ecosystems of the world.

In addition to this, the Monitors also have Covert Operatives, again normally recruited locally, who work secretly over the long term as 'deep cover' agents to uncover evidence of biological warfare-related activities that governments and other groups would wish kept secret.

The symbol of the Monitor Branch is a stylised eye.

The Investigation Branch responds to alarms raised by the Monitors, and also coordinates information gathered from multiple sources within and without the WCBC to evaluate wider trends and 'big picture' issues. They investigate disease outbreaks of all kinds around the world and if necessary have individuals or areas put under quarantine or isolation. As such they have access to mobile laboratories and the means to transport them where required. There is at least one Investigator facility on each continent, normally in an extraterritorial (that is, exempt from the jurisdiction of local law), fairly isolated area, though with good transportation and communication links. These are sited based on both population densities and also the disease history of a given area. There are three main groups of investigators, though there is a good deal of crossover between them; to some extent they are organised similar to a police forensics laboratory, a fact that reflects the policing background of many of the founders of the Investigations Section:

Field Agents, who as the name implies work out in the field. When on duty, most field agents are based at the WCBC headquarters in New Berusaiyu, but are also constantly on call, and can be sent anywhere in the world on short notice. As part of this Field Agents normally have diplomatic status, that is, are above local laws. Because the WCBC is not always welcome, but needs to be able to go wherever is required, field agents are all given some weapons and combat training, though this is, at most, to roughly the level of a police officer rather than a soldier. The public considers Field Agents to be the most glamorous part of the WCBC.

Examiners, who remain in the office or laboratory and work to analyse data and draw conclusions from there.

Covert Agents, who form the undercover intelligence element of the Investigators. Unlike the Covert Agents of the Section de Surveillance, the Covert Agents of the Investigation Branchwork more as spies and in time-critical situations.

If Investigators need a higher level of access to some area or facility than a given government is willing to give them in order to carry out their work, they will normally call on the services of the Intervention Branch.

The symbol of the Investigation Branch is a stylised magnifying glass.

The Isolation Branch consists of combined isolation and laboratory facilities where humanoids and animals infected by new diseases are quarantined while they are investigated and the nature of the infection determined. This is normally done following an alert from the Monitor or Investigation Branch of the WCBC. In addition to this, in the case of diseases, and in particular plant diseases, where it is impractical to transport the infected organisms to an isolation facility, they are responsible for setting up cordons around an infected area to protect everything outside the zone from that within it. That is, for containing the infection at source while it is dealt with. This is often done with the assistance of the Intervention branch. For obvious reasons these facilities are often in isolated regions, and are well guarded. As part of the core WCBC activities they are considered to be extraterritorial. As part of its work the Isolation Branch has access to mobile laboratories and isolation facilities, as well as the means to transport them to where they are required.

The symbol of the Isolation Branch is a stylised set of prison bars.

The Intervention Branch of the WCBC coordinates the activities of military forces and their transportation and logistical support seconded from member states of the WCBC to work against biowarfare threats that are detected. As such it acts as a command structure under the command of which military forces from different nations are placed as the schedule of these force rotations dictates. Because of this it can suffer problems of coordination and communication, but years of practise mean that these have been minimised as much as possible. They also, from time to time, provide backup to the Investigation or Isolation Branches in cases where those in charge of a potential disease site are ... particularly recalcitrant. In addition to this the intervention branch provides the best bio-warfare protection, handling and elimination training of any organisation in the world to those qualifying groups who wish it (and often, who can afford to pay for it).

The symbol of the Intervention Branch is a stylised flame.

The Research Branch is mainly based in universities around the world, where its researchers conduct research both on ways to detect and treat disease of all kinds, and in particular those used in bio-warfare and also on how bio-warfare might progress in the future (research that is normally highly classified), and so on what monitors might conceivably need to be looking for. There is some sharing of facilities between the Research, Investigation and Isolation Branches of the WCBC. There is also some crossover between the Research Branch and the Examiners of the Investigation Branch.

The symbol of the Research Branch is a stylised book.

Running over and through the rest of the WCBC is The Administration. The includes all of the bureaucracy required to run and fund a body of the size and complexity of the WCBC. As it is a part of the organisation as a whole, the WCBC administration does not have a separate symbol of its own.

The Administration also provides the WCBC with the security force used for routine protection of its facilities. They wear uniforms of surgical white tailcoat and trousers, with black knee boots and gloves and WCBC-pink epaulettes with the WCBC symbol on them.

All members of the WCBC are vaccinated against as many diseases as possible, including some cancers, and are subject to regular medical examination to ensure they are not harbouring anything dangerous with a long incubation period. They are recruited from across the world, with the vast majority coming from the medical, military, scientific, policing and espionage professions. The Church of Miritta, Wareharun and Hardy between them contribute more than half of the personnel of the WCBC, with worshipers of Elange and Zufmuut also being well represented due to their histories, particularly in the Investigation and Intervention branches.

The flag of the WCBC is a pale pink field, symbolising life [note that in this world the colour pink is associated with life and vitality rather than femininity]. In the centre of this is a bright red hexagon containing a number of solid black circles. The circles symbolise disease of all kinds, while the hexagon is the power of science, medicine and the WCBC to contain them. When used by a specific branch of the WCBC, the flag includes the symbol of that branch in the top corner of the fly [the edge of the flag away from the flagpole]. The hexagon and black circles motif is also used as the insignia of the WCBC, and as such is used on their vehicles, uniforms, stationary and so on as required.

THE ARCHE GESELLSCHAFTEN (THE ARK FOUNDATION)

A sister organisation of the WCBC work to maintain stocks of as many varieties of plants and animals as possible. This is done to preserve their genetic diversity, including unique environmental adaptations, disease resistance and so on to help to ensure the food supply and biodiversity of the world for the future generations.

The first Arche Gesellschaften was founded in the early 14230s by a consortium of bishops, farmers and philanthropists in the Holy Empire following the Blight, the first bio-warfare attack on crop plants. Its name was derived from the story of the Ark.

Since then other Arche Gesellschaften have been founded elsewhere, with particularly significant ones in Azjania, Afrykania and Europania.

Although individual Arche Gesellschaften members do not have facilities around the world, collectively they do.

Arche Gesellschaften tend to have a head office and separate (normally large, well-protected and well defended) storage facilities where seeds and the frozen embryos of animals collected from around the world are stored in case of need. Samples of new strains and breeds created via genetic engineering are also stored in many facilities.

Arche Gesellschaften do not have field agents of permanent payroll. Instead they keep experts on retainer as consultants, who are brought in when required to collect (and sometimes extract) samples. Normally these are university botanists, agronomists, vets and so on, but sometimes consultants with more physical skills are required.

They do have thousands of scientists on their payroll who work at Arche Gesellschaften sites to perform research, care for the stored samples and so on.

As a result of the work of the Arche Gesellschaften, the crops and livestock of this world much more genetically diverse and disease resistant than otherwise, with many traditional varieties surviving bio-warfare attacks. All of this has helped to increase crop yields and feed the ten billion people of the world.

They are funded by a combination of philanthropic donations and bequests, and also by charging for access to the genetic samples they hold. In addition many of them also receive money for acting as a national 'safety deposit box' of crops for different countries.

Their influence over food crops and so on means that, although most of them attempt to remain neutral and apolitical, the Arche Gesellschaften have a significant political influence in the agricultural policy of many nations.

Because of the name of their organisation, members of the Arche Gesellschaften are often nicknamed 'Arkmen'.

THE OIKOUMENE COUNCIL

As the Empire soon realized while it conquered the world with the might of the sword, ruling it requires different tools. So an international organisation was founded in 28150 following the Third Council of Sadera with the intention of allowing discussion and negotiations between nations in a peaceful manner.

It has no enforcement powers, and is basically a debating society. This would hopefully allow the avoidance of unnecessary war by providing a forum in which nations and territories could address their grievances with one another in a neutral setting, possibly with mediation from the neutral Church.

In terms of organisation, the Oikoumene Council consists of a council in which issues are raised and discussed, with subsidiary councils which discuss specific issues and raise them to the overall council if required; these subsidiary councils may be temporary or permanent and among other things form the basis for negotiations between nations under the auspices of the Council. The Oikoumene Council is funded by donations from the Holy Darwinian Empire.

Over the years the Oikoumene Council has successfully mediated disputes in Europania, Afrykania, Amazonia, the Indiya Raj and elsewhere, preventing or ending a number of wars.

On the other hand it has also failed to prevent other wars, and in particular the Imperial civil wars, although it made its best efforts to end the war as it proceeded, and also appealed for both sides in the wars to not destroy the world with weapons of mass destruction, a plea that was largely listened to and abided by. Because of all of this the Oikoumene Council is fairly well-respected in the world.

It has also been responsible for:

The creation of the Universal Right Act in 28670, an agreement guarantee basic rights, intends to protect people life and health, and prevent and alleviate global suffering.

The Shiraz Convention of 28750, an agreement providing the first formal 'rules of war' to be used among the nations of the Oikoumene and preferably in all wars which are known as the Law of Right War.

II. POLITICAL SYSTEMS

To someone from 21st century Earth, the politics of Falmart is rather strange. It is a combination of the old and the different.

Due to the immense size of the planet, there are a lot of Political Systems in Falmart. We can divide this section into two: Political System in the Empire itself and Political System in its Vassals.

A. THE EMPIRE

The Holy Darwinian Empire itself is surprisingly not an absolute monarchy. It was a form of oligarchic meritocracy based around the DUOCRACY system, with a stable political structure which anyone who proves their merit can join, based on the results of the Imperial Examinations, similar to the Imperial Chinese model on Earth.

In the Holy Darwinian Empire, democratic tendencies did grow during the third millennium, although less so than in the British Empire in 18th century, being limited partly because of the way society, the monarchy and the government evolved during that time, and partly because of the introduction of a Union-style Table of Ranks which allowed anyone the opportunity to rise up into the nobility in service to the Imperial government.

However, the course of the 12th Imperial Civil War and the years after it, when extremist political parties flourished, shifted public faith away from the Imperial Senate, who were seen as largely responsible for what had happened during and after the War, and more towards the monarch. Senate is thus rather powerlessness, and the Emperor is more of an absolutist. Most authority is vested in Emperor Molt Sol Augustus.

All of the regions of the Holy Empire which are considered 'ready' have what are known as Union governments. Each region of the Empire with such a government is administered by a Crown-appointed Governor-General and a General Council of delegates from the region in question. It has exclusive control of local affairs, including relations with native peoples and the acquisition of land for the Crown, and is responsible for the defence of the region. Each of the regions of the Holy Empire send representatives to the Imperial Sentate in Sadera. As such the Empire is ruled for the Empire, not for the capital alone.

Originally this was just for areas with a majority of Imperial settlers, but since the 14th Imperial Civil War, Union governments have been implemented in many other areas. Areas which are not yet considered ready for Union government are run by District Officers, who have a staff of trained locals and ex-pats, and a larger staff of workers under them.

There are, of course, some mal-contents who want full Home Rule for their part of the Empire, but the vast majority of the populations of the Holy Empire do not want independence from them for their particular region. By the 30th millennium the Union governments give the vast majority of people enough control that they see no need for full independence. They have full and basically equal representation in the government of the Holy Darwinian Empire, and in general see themselves as being much better off as part of the Holy Empire than otherwise.

The world has essentially reached a status quo with which a great many people are satisfied, and there are, at present, no great social problems or upheavals looming on the horizon to disturb that status quo.

There are five main political parties in the Imperial Senate:

The Old Nobility; the party of landowners, they tend to be conservative; they blur with the New Nobility. They favour industry, but also government keeping it hands off industry, allowing it to sink or swim on its own. As such things like trade unionism should be banned and the welfare state used to keep people working, via institutions such as the workhouse. Government should focus on a strong foreign policy, internal order, and allowing the economy to work as efficiently as possible via minimal interference.

The New Nobility; those elevated from the Table of Ranks; they have similar views to the Old Nobility, but tend to be more progressive than them; they blur with the Old Nobility. This party is made up of what might, on Earth, be called social democrats. They believe that there should be a welfare state to protect people, and other organisations such a trade unions to protect workers rights, but also that people should be able to work to improve themselves within that framework. So while the government should have some influence in the economy it should also still be free to be used by people to improve themselves. Toleration and social improvement are important for them and they wish to make society more egalitarian, and eliminate poverty.

The Industrial Progress Party; industrialists, whose policies tend to put money and industry over people. This party values industry and commerce over all else, believing that to be the basis for a healthy nation. As such they favour assisting and subsidising industry where they can, but interfering only where necessary. As such vigorously pushing the products of Imperial industry into new markets is very important to them, and vigorous foreign policy generally. They believe in a minimal welfare state, and as much trade unionism as is necessary to keep the workers happy.

The Peasant's Party; organised trade unionism, who want the best for Imperial's workers. This is a party that might also be called socialists on Earth. They do share some views with the New Nobility. That is, they believe in the welfare state, trade unions and so on, but they tend to view the economy as something the government should control via central planning for the good of all, redistributing wealth and jobs as required for the good of the nation as a whole. Toleration and social improvement, while important, are not as important as improving the lot of as many people as possible.

The Military and Veterans; for a strong Empire and a strong military. They tend to be conservative, and sometimes even reactionary. This is a very authoritarian party. They also favour the removal of the welfare state, allowing people to handle such arrangements for themselves, outlawing trade unions, and allowing industry and so on to run itself with as little government interference as possible. They see nothing to be gained by tolerance, and social improvement as something that will 'trickle down' from the top if the system is allowed to run itself.

Many of the members of the New Nobility and Industrial Progress parties have strong links to the Imperial Academy of Magic, the organisation which co-ordinates many of Darwinian's official magical research programmes.

The Old Nobility, Peasant and Military and Veterans parties all have quite strong ties to various elements within the Royal Society of Sadera, under the auspices of which much of Imperial's scientific research is carried out.

B. THE VASSALS

There are a number of political systems and ideologies at work within the vassal states, often overlapping with one another. These include:

DUOCRACY: The system used in the Holy Darwinian Empire and elsewhere, in which there were two powerful forces in government, one was the aristocrats and the other was the religious institution, that dominated all of the economic and social activities in the Holy Darwinian Empire. In this system the power of the church was balanced by that of the monarch. The representatives of the church were the Thirteen Apostles and the Darwinian Emperor was the representative for the aristocrats. States of this kind, with a powerful monarch and a powerful church (or other governmental system) were known as Duocracies ('two rule').

Many of these depend on a constitution or charter of some kind, such as the Holy Darwinian Empire 'Great Charter', to prevent one side or the other from becoming too powerful and unbalancing the system.

Because of the success and stability of the Holy Darwinian Empire it has become an exemplar for other regimes around the world [much like the USA].

FEDERALISM. The system used in the long destroyed Gra Valkas Federation, in which a group of different nations, often with radically different political systems, have come together for some mutual purpose, often defence against a common foe, and which has, over time, led to increasingly strong political and economic ties between the constituent nations, to the point of their being a single nation from the point of view of external governments.

Like the Holy Empire, because of the success and stability of the Gra Valkas its system of government has become an exemplar for other regimes around the world.

REPUBLICANISM. The system known as democracy on Earth, these are states where the populace elects the people who represent it in government, normally by means of secret ballots. The elected representatives are the only ruling power in the country. In Falmart governments of this type are quite rare, but they are fairly common in city states. Most of the Republics of the world are based on one of two models, either the Polish or the West Afrykania Union. In the former case, which has worked, with some modification, since the eighteenth millennia, the parliament elects both a figurehead monarch, and also the head of state. In the latter, based on the Estates-Universel system put in place in the Second Afrykania Revolution, the monarch, although nominally head of state, is a powerless figurehead, with the actual head of state being selected from the elected representatives.

CORPORATOCRACY. The system in place many nations, in which there are two powerful forces in government, one the monarch and the other the major trading companies that dominate most of the mercantile activity in the nations which are known as the Tayefe Karkhanas ['Family industries', much like the Japanese Zaibatsu]. These are, in general, expansive family-controlled banking and industrial combines, large companies that consist of divisions of often seemingly unrelated businesses. The elected parliament also retains significant political power in these nations.

SOPHOCRACY. A form of meritocratic technocracy which was first formalised by the political philosopher Enver Sevket in 22740, it is the system of government used in the Osmanlı Ümmet and also in a number of other states around the world. Precisely how 'merit' is determined varies a great deal between Sophocracies, leading to great differences between them. Many Sophocracies are also monarchies, but the position and power of the monarch varies from state to state, with them being powerless figureheads in some places, and possessing significant political power in others. Sophocracy as practised in the Osmanlı Ümmet is very much an interpretation of the original writings of Enver Sevket. Likewise, other Sophocratic governments around the world are also based on interpretation of his words, but all the interpretations differ, some to the point of different Sophocratic governments being implacable enemies of one another for purely ideological reasons.

THEOCRACY. There are a number of nations ruled sole by the Church. In these nations political and religious power are the same thing, and national leadership rests with the leadership of the orthodox church. The are basically the personal territories of the Holy Order.

PLUTOCRACY. Rule by the wealthy, as practised in Pudhiya Kozhikode in the Dakshina Nad.

DICTATORSHIP. Any of a number of non-monarchical absolute governments which exist in the nations of the world.

III. POLITICAL MOVEMENTS

Some significant political movements existed in Falmart include:

SOCIALISM. Although socialism has not become a unified political force in this world, socialist ideas are still widespread, and are used by many governments. In particular, the Darwinian government is heavily influenced by socialism ideas, forming the basis for many means of assistance for the poor, including food, education, housing and medical care.

PHYSIOCRACY

Physiocracy is an economic theory that considers that the wealth of nations is derived solely from agriculture. It originated in the Union in the eighth millennium and was perhaps the first well developed theory of economics.

The Physiocrats dislike cities for their artificiality and instead praise more 'natural' styles of living, celebrating farmers in particular. They see the true wealth of a nation as being determined by the surplus of agricultural production over and above that needed support agriculture itself.

Other forms of economic activity, such as industry and manufacturing, are viewed as taking this surplus agricultural production and transforming it into new products. While these manufacturers and other non agricultural workers may be useful, they are seen as 'sterile' in that their income derives ultimately not from their own work, but from the surplus production of the agricultural sector.

Physiocracy is strongly opposed to mercantilism (which emphasised the trade of goods between countries), as it pictures the peasant society as the economic foundation of a nations wealth.

BIPODISM

A modification of the Physiocratic system that sees that, as society evolves (advances), industry inevitably becomes as important as agriculture in underpinning society.

It has a flag that is vertically divided, with half gold (for agriculture) and half black (for the coal that powers industry).

UTILITARIAN ECONOMIC RATIONALISM (UER)

Its basic idea is that governments work best when their people are as happy as possible. Thus safety first should be their watchword. They should keep and develop what they have, and not expand until they can, with certainty. They should let go of poor investments, but ruthlessly grab certain opportunities when they arise, for the good of the people and the state.

Emotion and sentiment should not be allowed to stop this from happening. The state should be strong, not just to take and hold things, but also to let them go when it is necessary. And it must be flexible and admit error, as the happiness of the state as a whole, including its people, is the essential thing.

Spies and secret police are an intrinsic part of Yngveson's system - or rumours of them, which have the same sort of effect on people's behaviour. Propaganda to shape the opinions of the population towards 'ideal' ends is also considered very important, leading inevitably to a need for the country to be isolated from the 'bad' ideas of the rest of the world. However, the provision of health care, including genetic health care (and eugenics), is also considered an essential.

UER has as its vision a society of the maximum good for the maximum number, where people and things not required are let go without regret. This implies either a totally isolated state, or a world state under a UER regime, as anything else will have other nations taking things that the people of the nation require, or influencing its population, thus leading to conflict.

The precise form which the government of this ultimate Rationalist state will take remains a matter for discussion, as long as it is one that maximises the happiness of the populace.

Although most people have dismissed the ideas of UER as unworkable, even treasonable, a number of UER regimes have come to power over time, including one in the Federation.

However, none of them have lasted long, as [like Communism on Earth] although is has had some successes, UER requires people who are not human, and who can just let go of things without emotion.

There are rumours that research is being carried out somewhere in the world to modify people's minds to turn them in proper Rationalists, though without any success so far.

Most UER regimes tend to be Progressive rather than Traditionalist, although their progressiveness may not be popular with their people or the rest of the world.

The symbol of UER is a white flag representing the pure light of Rationalism.

RATIONALISM

An idealistic offshoot of UER, a 'universal' version rather than a utilitarian one. To this school of thought, 'our people' is all of sentient beings, so all the world should be united under the Rationalist banner, so that everyone can be helped.

UNIVERSALISM

An offshoot of UER that takes an even wider view than Rationalism, considering all life to be of 'our kind', and thus the world as a whole should be helped and protected. Although initially rejected by most thinkers, in later decades this philosophy has formed the basis for many of the eco-friendly policies found around the world.

TRIBALISM

A variant of UER that takes a narrow view, that 'our people' is only ones immediate family, and proposes a return to the 'natural' tribal society of cave-man times. This movement has never really become popular.

NATURALISM

A socialist anti-cities movement, which became known as the Naturalists, evolved out of the Union Physiocratic system of economics. Naturalists think that the nations of the world should adjust. That they should spread the factories and so on of the cities across all of the villages of the nation. They realise that industry is essential for the modern world, but insist that it is secondary to agriculture.

This movement has a golden flag, symbolising grain and agriculture

NATURISM

Opposed to what they see as un-natural changes to society arising from UER, eugenics, Selección Natural Social and technological advancement, the various Naturist movements wish to return the world to its proper 'natural' state and society, though precisely what is meant by that varies from group to group. Some of them are religiously-based, others are entirely secular; many include Luddite elements.

ENVIRONMENTAL REDUCTIONISM MOVEMENT

Environmental Reductionism is a movement that was founded by the Immanity philosopher Santiago Chocano, the son of an exiled duke who had fled to Europania after the overthrow of the Haku Kingdom, Ameryka, Rationalist regime in 9107. Influenced by the ideas both of UER and the Holy Order's Doomsday Vault, Environmental Reductionism is a political and ecological philosophy that advocates the culling of the sentient population of Falmart back to a level that the world can sustain in the long term.

Because their view of the solution to the problems besetting Falmart is very far from the mainstream of public opinion, Environmental Reductionism is very much a fringe movement in most areas, viewed as either mad, dangerous, or both. Despite this, individuals and groups who follow its philosophy are widespread around the world. Many governments also agree with some of their ideas, in particular that reducing the population in the long term is a good idea. However, there are a great many issues arising from attempting to implement any such policy, as well as a great unwillingness among governments to attempt it unilaterally.

They are popularly known as the 'Reapers', or sometimes as 'Chocanistas', after their founder.

The Environmental Reductionism movement as a whole has a number of factions within it, members of which disagree with each other at least as much as they do with mainstream political views. This heavily limits their effectiveness as a movement. First, they are divided over how rapidly the population should be reduced. Some, who tend to be the most mainstream of the Environmental Reductionism, advocate a slow reduction in population through education and the consent of the people of the world. Others see the problem of overpopulation as too urgent for such a gradual change, and instead advocate the culling of falmartian quickly and immediately, by force if necessary. Other divisions exist over the level to which the sentient population should be reduced.

Different groups propose reducing the population to somewhere in the range from one milliard [billion] down to as low as ten million. The last major source of division in the Reductionism movement is over who to cull. Some believe that culling the population at random is the best way to proceed, as this will be best, overall, for the human species as the strongest or luckiest will survive. Others take a racial (or more accurately racist) view in which (some members of) one race should be allowed to survive at the expense of the others, while others still take a view based on social class, intelligence or some other criteria; all of these are generally considered to be a more primitive and more fringe viewpoint.

It is rumoured that one or more Environmental Reductionism groups may be planning to unilaterally reduce the population of Falmart by some means, probably an engineered disease or diseases.

Because of this many Reductionism groups are kept under observation by the Holy Order and the police forces of the Holy Empire. Certainly some groups have published guides on how to survive a sudden collapse in the human population. In most countries these guides are banned, but underground copies continue to circulate. Some have even gone so far as to set up caches in certain locations to allow humanoid civilisation to continue should a collapse of population occur, although none of these groups have been officially linked to any intended acts.

NATURAL PRESERVERS MOVEMENT

An even more extreme offshoot of Reductionism, the Preservers propose not just a reduction in the numbers of humanoid, but its complete extinction as the best thing for the future of life on Falmart in general, and the only way to preserve it in the long term.

Preservers Movement grew in Tortolia in the mid-19600s, during the chaos following the Second Pogrom War, and is believed to have originated among Reduccionistas who worked on the Pogrom Plague. Some Preservadors advocate rendering humanoid extinct by persuasion, but others believe it can only be done by violence. [Preservers Movement are similar to the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement on Earth, although some pay less attention to the 'voluntary' part.]

Even more of a fringe group than The Reductionism, there are believed to be only a very few Preservers around the world. However, because of their beliefs they tend to be kept under even closer observation by the authorities than the Reductionism. Again because of their beliefs, The Preservers have become known as the 'dark brother' of the WCBC (World Center for Bioweapons Control). Despite their beliefs, the Preservers are not nihilists, but instead want to eliminate humanoid without harming the rest of planet Falmart.

Preservers Movement do not have an official symbol, but some groups have used an unofficial one consisting of an idyllic natural scene in a circle on a black field; the exact scene used varies depending on the group.

THE PANOPTICON MOVEMENT

A political philosophy based on the assumption that the social order is best served and preserved by the observation of everyone, all the time, or at least the possibility that anyone could be observed at any time. It grew out of the work of Duke Jeremy Bentham in the 9780s, and is an ancestor to UER, although it takes a different view to it. Many nations adopted Panopticon-based systems in the tenth millennium, and although these did have many successes they also led to the growth of the Nullopticon movement and the Societal Wars as a result of which most of them were dismantled.

Most of the thinkers involved in the Panopticon Movement have had a vision of a final ordered, lawful society created not through the expectation or hope of people acting rightly, but because they are constantly observed and will be punished if they deviate from the law. Some optimistic thinkers have speculated that in the far future, as people and society have had this idea become deeply rooted in them, actual surveillance might be phased out, leaving only a 'policeman in every head'. Others, more cynical, believe that this will never happen as long as people remain living beings.

As part of this eventual aim of putting a 'policeman into every head', some philosophers of the Panopticon Movement have investigated the creation of artificial Panopticon languages, the very structure of which prohibits lying or evasion. Others have proposed the surgical or genetic modification of the human brain to the same end. So far, although some research into these possibilities has been conducted, neither idea is anything more than a hope for the future.

Because of the large-scale surveillance that formed part of the Panopticon Society, obfuscational [encryption] systems of many different kinds are used around the world to maintain the privacy of the people of many different nations, in addition to the privacy laws most civilised nations possess. These range from the encoding of televox conversations, to systems for obfuscational written text, to the use of secret or constructed languages and alphabets. While some of this originates within the Nullopticon movement, much of it arises from everyday average people, and its use spreads far and wide beyond its creators.

THE NULLOPTICON MOVEMENT

The Nullopticon movement (un-seeing as opposed to all-seeing) - also known as Nullists - grew up as a reaction to people against the use of Panopticon-based surveillance, and covers a broad range of groups and responses to it. As such it is not a unified front or set of beliefs, but includes:

The use of slang languages and cants [the jargon of a group intended to exclude or mislead people outside the group] such as Cockney rhyming slang, Polari and any number of new or revived cants. An increased interest in artificial and constructed languages, which very much overlaps with the use of slang languages and cants. An allied interest in extinct, rare, obscure and difficult languages from the far corners of the World. Code Clubs, as interest in cryptography increases.

In the present day these make as much use as possible of complex mathematics and founts. The growth of secret societies and what become known as Free Speech Clubs. Public Speaking Clubs. Exhibitionists.

The Nullopticon movement is made up of a large number of highly diverse groups. As such it does not have a single agreed upon symbol. The most commonly used symbol for it is a flag made up of a random array of black and white squares, representing nothing, or white noise, and so the movements wish to avoid surveillance and so on.

Originally made as a patchwork, the number of squares has changed over time, as technological advances have allowed more complex flags to be produced, but many groups retain older flags with fewer, larger squares.

Note that there are also many other nullopticon flags and symbols, including designs mimicking those of punched cards or paper tape, camouflage patterns, 'see no evil' designs, and arrays of random words or characters, some of them from fictional or constructed alphabets.

THE VRIJDENKERIJ (FREETHINKER) MOVEMENT.

Originating in the Neverlands Kingdom, the Vrijdenkerij movement is an atheistic one, which wishes to eliminate religion from public, and in particular political life. Some Vrijdenker nations state that one must renounce all religion and all ties to religion before being part of government. Others simply ban all public religious displays, and discourage the use of religion as a basis for government policy. They're decleared terrorists by the Empire and from time to time when these 'ignorant atheist' are discovered they will be harshly punish. Some (but not all) Vrijdenkerij micronations have evolved into amoral ultra-capitalist societies, while others have evolved atheist moralities, and some have later become religious again. Others practise separation of church and state with varying degrees of strictness. [Even the most atheistic Vrijdenker state does not suffer as much as states did under communism on Earth, as they are normally still staunch capitalists, but even so, they are hardly perfect.]

NAYAA RASTA (THE NEW WAY)

A religion and political philosophy founded in 21894 by Prajesh Badri d'Agartala, a Darwinian-Indiyan administrator from the city of Agartala in the state of Tripura in Darwinian Indiya and working in one of the major agricultural universities near Pondicherry. This linked the then-new science of ecology with evolution and Mirittaism, particularly the Karmic cycle, to create what he called Nayaa Rasta (the New Way).

Nayaa Rasta is based on the linkage of every living thing together into an overall living world, through which souls and spirits move by the dictates of Karma. Only right living can raise up the world and improve it and people's lot in the longer term by improving everything as people live their lives in many different forms and rise up the Karmic ladder [this is a religious form of Orthogenesis]. What is perceived as evolution is the result of this long-term improvement in universal Karma, not a driver of it. As such under Nayaa Rasta people should live morally, in tune with society and the living world around them, nurturing them both to improve everything over many Karmic cycles.

Since its founding the ideas of Nayaa Rasta have spread across Indiya and the rest of the world, despite the assassination in 21899 of Prajesh Badri D'Agartala by hard-line Mirittas from a Miritta militia, leading to inter-faith violence, attempts to wipe out Nayaa Rasta, and the formation of Nayaa Rasta militias. Most Indiyan states and many non-Indiyan states have minorities of Nayaa Rasta believers of various sizes. This has not been without its problems, as in many areas, and particularly in Indiya, there have been periodic outbreaks of religious violence between Mirittas and believers of Nayaa Rasta, some instigated by one side, some by the other, as well as attempts by some governments to ban it. None of this has succeeded, however, and Nayaa Rasta is a significant force in many nations. Despite the Miritta-Nayaa Rasta violence in some places, in many others followers of Mirittaism and Nayaa Rasta live peacefully side-by-side.

Despite efforts to prevent it, since the death of Prajesh Badri D'Agartala, Nayaa Rasta has also schismed into several different Ways.

By the present day, in addition to the Royal State of Tripura, the Indiyan states of Orissa and Assam are now run by regimes founded on the principles of Nayaa Rasta.

Under Nayaa Rasta, Karma is considered to give a place for all, and ensure that all are born into the place appropriate to their Karma. If an individual lives virtuously their next life will be in a better place. Improving universal Karma leads to better places for all, and therefore improvement, increased order, decreased chaos and decreased suffering. Nayaa Rasta considers that no deity controls Karma, or decrees where a spirit is reborn. Instead, Karma and rebirth are intrinsic parts of the universe, beyond the influence of gods or humanoids.

The caste into which an individual is born is considered to be an indicator of their initial Karma, that is, the Karma they inherit from their previous lives. It is not considered to be a limitation on where an individual can go from this starting point by living a virtuous (or evil) life. As such caste distinctions are not enforced under Nayaa Rasta.

Linked to this, equal opportunity for all is considered to be a fundamental part of Nayaa Rasta, and with it social mobility, universal education and a degree of universal health care. This equality of opportunity and so on is part of the reason why Nayaa Rasta is popular, in particular among the poorer elements of society. Another element that makes it popular is the fact that it is very opposed to corruption at all levels of society.

Nayaa Rasta includes the concept that all living things are considered to contribute Karmic 'currents' to an 'ocean' of Karma formed from the entire living world and within which all living things exist. Without guidance, all living things act as will and instinct drives them, in good and bad ways, leading to Karmic currents that swirl and clash and lead to no overall direction of change. Someone doing many virtuous acts can 'pull up' others around them and inspire them to improve their Karma via a process of 'Karmic Lift'. The reverse of this, 'Karmic Drag', where people by their actions hold others back or pull them down can also occur, but unsurprisingly is considered something to be strongly discouraged. As such, if all of society can agree on an end then their massed Karmic currents can sweep them all towards good (or evil!)...

Universal Karma is considered to be improved not by helping individuals as such - because their station at birth is part of their Karma - but society as a whole (though there those who consider this distinction to be hair-splitting at best). Improvement in Karma is considered to come from within; it cannot be imposed from without. However, it can be encouraged or discouraged by the environment in which an individual lives. Thus part of a virtuous life is improving things for the world as a whole. That is, improving the framework in which people - and other living things - exist so that they can chose to improve and gain Karma. It is also thought that improvement in universal Karma will lead to more enlightened souls being attracted to states that embrace Nayaa Rasta, leading to a virtuous cycle of improvement.

Individuals can gain Karma by helping to improve universal Karma, via raising children well, helping the environment, civic works such as improving slums, installing sanitation and parks and so on, as well as building schools and hospitals, and other worthy activities. In particular, for humanoids at least, this is to be done via education.

Additionally, as part of improving both personal and universal Karma, Nayaa Rasta very strongly encourages giving. This can be either resources (charitable giving) similar to the Islamic Zakat, or the giving of ones time via voluntary work. Both of these are considered to be ways of purifying oneself from greed and selfishness.

Because part of Nayaa Rasta is helping and improving the natural as well as the humanoid world, preserving the natural environment via nature reserves, and aiding the environment experienced by people via parks and gardens is also considered to be important.

Since opportunity is provided but not mandated, Nayaa Rasta also considers that people choose whether to rise or fall. As such it discourages social safety nets, unemployment benefits and so on. Because of this regimes with Nayaa Rasta generally still possess at least some level of slums and other such run-down areas.

To address all of these matters in a unified manner with an integrated approach for all life, Nayaa Rasta provides facilities known as ashrams that combine temples, schools, libraries, social clubs, children's play facilities, hospitals and veterinary services set in gardened grounds. The larger such ashrams also provide facilities up to a university and post-graduate level.

Nayaa Rasta considers disease and so on to be part of the Karmic burden a soul must carry. Thus in its purest form Nayaa Rasta considers that the use of medicine should be guided by Karmic considerations. Therefore in the purest form of Nayaa Rasta there is no medical treatment given to disease. This includes a prohibition on eugenics as eugenic policies, and in particular euthanasia, are considered to stop the soul learning from the life it has been given, as it is in a bad place - where others might consider eugenics to be necessary - for a valid Karmic reason. On the other hand injury inflicted on an individual by others is part of the inflictors Karma and so can legitimately be treated. Of course, people do cheat on this and in most places with Nayaa Rasta regimes there are 'backstreet' doctors who will treat diseases and so on irrespective of Karma. In addition to this, in most Nayaa Rasta regimes there has, over time, been a softening of the medical prohibitions of Nayaa Rasta to make it more popular.

Any increase in the humanoid population is considered by Nayaa Rasta to be a sign of improvement in Universal Karma, as humanoids are considered to be more Karmically advanced than animals or plants. However, some Nayaa Rasta thinkers are concerned that future Karmic advancement of life as a whole would lead to all life becoming concentrated in (for example) humanoids, who would then have no other life forms to eat. To circumvent this problem, some scientists who follow Nayaa Rasta have begun to work on ways to produce nutritious food independently of any living organisms, so far with only very limited success.

A minority of thinkers in the Nayaa Rasta community believe that it may be possible to improve universal Karma by using genetic engineering and eugenic techniques to improve living things of all kinds. This may attract more enlightened souls into them, thus improving Karma. However, the majority of the Nayaa Rasta community believe that it is not possible to short-circuit the process of Karmic improvement by effectively forcing evolutionary improvements rather than allowing them to occur naturally. For one thing, the actions of souls within supposedly improved bodies cannot be predicted. In addition negative Karma is likely to arise from the experiments required to develop such bodies in the first place as these will almost inevitably lead to the suffering of living things even if such work was done with good intentions and in as enlightened and non-abusive a way as possible. This raises the

IV. THE IMPERIAL GOVERNMENT

The Imperial government itself, and its ministries, resides in capital Sadera. In formal terms it is an absolutist system with most of the power resting in the hands of the Holy Emperor (Darwinian's succession law still applies, so only the Crown Prince/Princess can inherit the Imperial last name Augustus, the rest of the princes and princesses will carry the Emperor's spouse last name). However, since the reforms made under the guidance of Grand Master Joseph Francois Dupleix in 31767, and the concessions made in 31833 in the wake of the Economic Collapse the Imperial government has effectively become an informal constitutional monarchy.

However, it is still quite dictatorial, although with many social and political reforms and changes over time which have benefited the general populace.

Although the Emperor of Darwinian is nominally an absolute monarch, in reality one of the long-established principles of the Darwinian monarchy is that the Emperor cannot act without the advice of his council, and that the Emperor should make decisions only after 'good and careful deliberation'.

In general the Emperors of Darwinian have held to this principle, and very rarely go against the advice of their councils (For example, Molt Sol Augustus only went against the advice of his royal council 13 times in a 700 year reign).

Although in no sense a democracy, the Societal Wars very much drove home the realisation that the government of Darwinian rules on the sufferance of the people of Darwinian. As such the Imperial government attempts to at least consider the views of the Imperial people when making decisions.

This is done by a process of continuous anonymous opinion polling that samples the views of people across the Holy Empire and feed the results back to the government for analysis and, possibly, action.

A. THE KING'S COUNCIL

The Emperor of Darwinian is advised by his King's Council, which forms the administrative and governmental apparatus around the Emperor. However, because of the need for consideration of different matters by different people, the King's Council has long been sub-divided into a number of more specialised councils. This means that the structure of the Imperial government at its highest level consists of a series of interlocking councils which together make up the overall King's Council and encompass all of the executive, legislative and judicial functions of the government.

The various governmental councils are linked by the members they share with one another, from the Emperor himself, down through the Great Officers of the Crown to the lowlier members. The number and makeup of these councils have evolved over time as the needs of the state have changed. All of the King's Council meet in the Palace of Valhalla.

Below the Great Officers of the Crown the Imperial government is made up of a complex and convoluted hierarchy of lesser Officers of the Crown stretching from the deputies of the Great Officers of the Crown down through the departments of the government and civil service to the lowest levels of the bureaucrats who perform the everyday work of government.

The councils making up the overall King's Council are as follows:

High Council .The most 'senior' of the Royal Councils, the High Council is concerned with the most important matters of state. As such it deals with political and diplomatic issues of all kinds, including war and other crises. It meets regularly, but in general (when no major issues arise) not for long. The High Council is composed of the Emperor, the Crown Prince, the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, the Lord Chancellor of Darwinian, the Controller-General of Finances, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and the two Representatives of the People.

Council of Messages. The Royal Council concerned with the administration and internal affairs of the Holy Empire, the Council of Messages deals with matters arising from all parts of the Empire, including Overseas Darwinian and those nations of which it is Suzerain. As such it is made up the Emperor, the Lord Chancellor of Darwinian, all of the Secretary of State, the Controller-General of Finances, the two Representatives of the People, and other members invited according to the issues being discussed. Note that if some matter becomes sufficiently serious it may well be taken over by the High Council for consideration at a higher level.

Royal Council of Finances. Concerned with the economy and finances of the Holy Empire, the Royal Council of Finances is a highly important council within the Imperial government, and because it normally holds the purse-strings has a great deal of influence over the rest of the government. It is composed of the Emperor, the Lord Chancellor of Darwinian, the two Representatives of the People, the Controller-General of Finances, the six Intendants of Finance and six Intendants of Commerce who, under the Controller-General of Finances, run the departments within the Ministry of Finance. The departments under the Conseil were the ones most affected by the reforms of Grand Master Joseph François Dupleix in 31767.

Privy Council. The largest of the royal councils, the Privy Council leads the Imperial legal and judicial systems, being the highest court of the land and arbitrating financial disputes of all kinds. It consists of the Prime Minister of Darwinian, the Lord Chancellor of Darwinian, all of the Secretary of State, the Controller-General of Finances, the two Representatives of the People, those Dukes with peerages, and at least one thousand councillors of state and other lesser members of the government.

Council of Conscience. The newest of the governmental councils of Darwinian in its current form, the present day Council of Conscience was created in 41902. This followed several generations of eugenics policies in a number of nations. The Conseil provides moral and ethical advice to the Emperor and government of Darwinian, particularly in relation to new developments in magic and magitek, and especially in relation to genetic magic and related fields of knowledge, and how they might directly and indirectly impact falmartian. This includes advice on such things as eugenics policies within the Holy Empire. As such, in addition to the Emperor, it is made up of the Secretary of State of Science, Health and Foreign Affairs and the two Representatives of the People.

Estates General. The Estates General is a set of three advisory bodies, one from each of the different classes (or estates) of Imperial subjects (the nobility, the clergy and the commoners). These are called and dismissed by the Emperor and debate matters of all kinds to provide advice on them and on policy from elsewhere in the Imperial government to the Emperor. As such it has equal standing with the other councils that form the King's Council.

Although there are nominally three assemblies for the three estates of the people of Darwinian, the assemblies of the nobility and the clergy have not been called since the time of the Societal Wars in the late 32nd millennium. That of the commoners, on the other hand, has been continuously in session for at least that time. Before the Societal Wars (that is, before the late 32nd millennium) the Estates General had been in essentially permanent session since the beginning of the Economic Collapse in 31831 to provide advice to the Emperor and government; however, it had very little real power, and was viewed in quite a cynical light by many people in Darwinian, particularly as the nobility and clergy paid it little mind.

The Societal Wars brought a great need for the Imperial government to meet and consult with the common people of Darwinian in order to resolve the causes of the Wars, and the Estates General was the obvious choice for this. As such, the commoner delegates to the Estates were able to use the Estates General as a neutral meeting place between the various factions, and to act as arbitrators between them. Needless to say, this garnered the Estates General a good deal of power and influence within the Imperial government.

This was used to elevate the status of the Estates . Firstly, by reforming the commoners assembly so that it represented all of the people of Darwinian through its Procureurs. These Procureurs came to be elected on a five yearly basis by the universal suffrage of the entire adult population of the area they represent. Secondly, they were able to have two representatives of the Estates General, selected by lot from the entire assembly, given seats on all of the Councils making up the Imperial government, and status as new Great Officers of the Crown of Darwinian, with equal formal standing to all others there.

These are known as the First and Second Representatives of the People; note that the numbers do not indicate ranking among them given the councils of the Imperial government the much-needed view of the common people, something that they lacked before, and which many consider responsible for the increased stability of the country since then. To outsiders it might seem that the Estates General now form a Imperial Parliament, though this is not strictly true.

Although there have been problems with corruption and nepotism in the Estates General, which have forced various changed to its organisation and its electoral system, in general it works well and provides a useful counterbalance to the powers of the state and the nobility.

As part of its efforts since the Societal Wars, the Estates General has secured the people of Darwinian the rights to privacy, to strike and some degree of free speech. It has also been able to greatly reduce the level of secrecy in the Imperial government by ensuring that details and transcripts of much of the business of the Imperial government are published in Le Bulletin Royale.

Other Councils. There are persistent rumours of the existence of one or more Invisible Council or Black Cabinet, which deal with the highest secrets of the Holy Empire. However, as far as it is known these do not in fact exist.

B. THE GREAT OFFICERS OF THE CROWN

The Great Officers of the Crown make up the most important Officers of State within the Royal Court and government of Darwinian. They are nominally appointed by the Emperor of Darwinian, though in general this is not done without the advice of the King's Council. With the exception of the Lord Chancellor of Darwinian and the First and Second Delegate, these appointments are for life and are not transmissible or hereditary in any way. The Great Officers serve on one or more of the councils making up the overall King's Council and provide advice and information to the Emperor as required to shape the policy of the Imperial government.

The Chief Minsters of Darwinian, that is the Prime Minister of Darwinian is considered to have power second only to the Emperor, and in times where the Emperor is weak or incapacitated effectively run the Imperial government, current holder of the position is the prodigy 3rd Prince: Diabo El Caesar

The Great Officers of the Crown, and a selection of their subordinates, are listed below:

Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; this is, as the name implies, a post responsible for the foreign affairs of Darwinian, including international negotiations and so on. As such they are the head of the Foreign Ministry. The current holder of the position is the 5th Prince Bernard Duvauchelle. In addition to their other roles, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs is responsible for overseeing the non-military Imperial intelligence services. Because of rearrangements of the Imperial government over time, this position has come to partly subsume that of Secretary of State for War, along with the Secretary of State of the Navy and Marshal General of Darwinian.

New Imperial colonies and ones where a great deal of unrest is taking place are usually ruled by a military governor appointed by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. Most of the Indian states are more trusted than this, but not to the level of becoming part of Overseas Darwinian.

As such they are ruled by Darwinian under a system of suzerainty. That is, they are tributary states of Darwinian, which controls their foreign affairs while allowing them a degree of domestic autonomy that varies from state to state.

Imperial interests are represented in each state via a Resident who lives there, with their staff. Residents are normally diplomats or military officers and effectively run the state via indirect rule through the native government. Under each Resident there are normally a number of Commissioner who are responsible for different aspects of Imperial interests in the state.

Secretary of State for the Interior; one of the Secretaries of State created when the Secretary of State of the Household of the Emperor was stripped of much of their powers in 41894, the Secretary of State for the Interior is, as the name implies, a post responsible for matters internal to the Holy Empire, which are overseen via the Interior Ministry.

This includes those of Darwinian's colonies and other overseas possessions that are considered to be more developed and peaceful, which are ruled by Imperial nobles as parts of Darwinian under the Secretary of State for the Interior. These form what is known as Overseas Darwinian The current holder of the position is the 3rd Princess Euphemia Von Lichtberg. As part of their role, the Secretary of State for the Interior is responsible for the Imperial transportation systems, the policing of the Holy Empire via the Imperial Police and also for internal security. As such the General of Police reports to them.

The Imperial Police. Law enforcement within the Holy Empire is the responsibility of the Imperial Police, headed by the General of Police, who is the head of policing for all of the Holy Empire under the political control of the Secretary of State for the Interior. This post is currently held by the 11th Prince Gustave Lenormand.

Since 21720 the Imperial Police was officially attached to the Household of the Emperor. By the time of the Societal Wars, the activities of the Imperial Police, and in particular the undercover Oprichninas [secret police and spies], made Darwinian was a very highly surveilled nation, with spies everywhere, to the point that perhaps one in four Imperial people were paid to spy on everyone around them. This level of surveillance, and the expense of maintaining it, was one of the drivers of the Societal Wars in Darwinian. Most of the records of the Imperial Police were destroyed during the Societal Wars, and since then the nation has been much less spied upon, with legal rights of privacy and so on, and much more review of what spying and intelligence gathering does go on. As part of this, since the Second Societal Wars the Imperial Police was moved to be under the Secretary of State for the Interior.

Since then the Imperial Police has evolved into a true police force rather than the tool of state surveillance and oppression it was before. Though the transition was not without its difficulties it handles all aspects of civilian law enforcement, and is far more open and accountable than it was, with only a very limited level of covert activities permitted. It is divided into two main branches:

The first of these consists of the Police Companies, groups of Marshals assigned to a given area and dispersed through it in small detachments operating out of Police Stations. These handle reports of crime and deal with its investigation and the apprehension of suspects. The Police Companies run by Commissioners of Police, officials holding both local administrative and judicial authority in the district for which the company is responsible. Under these are Police inspectors, investigators responsible for collecting and collating information from each of the districts. They supervise the Exempts Police, officials responsible for maintaining order who in turn are supported by Sentinelles [foot soldiers] dispersed throughout the district and who perform the everyday policing of Darwinian. All Police Companies have a small number of Oprichninas, irregular spies or secret police, who covertly obtain information on the activities of suspect citizens. However, in the present day the numbers and activities of these are very tightly regulated by law.

Separate to this are a number of specialist units. Most of these provide security for specific people or places, such as the Royal Family and royal and strategic sites such as palaces and the mint. Others provide forensic and other specialised support services to the Police as a whole.

In its early days, the uniform of members of the Imperial Police Sentinelles varied from place to place, although it would be consistent within a local area. With the development of the Imperial economy and government in the nineteenth millennium the uniform of the Sentinelles across Darwinian was standardised to the same uniform, a Royal Blue coat and breeches, with black knee bots and a silver military-style helmet. The uniform was changed in the aftermath of the Societal Wars to indicate the reforms of the Imperial Police and to distance it from its pre-Wars incarnation. Since then Sentinelles have worn a uniform of scarlet tailcoat and trousers with brown knee boots and gloves. On their heads they wear a golden galea with a scarlet crest running front to back. This may appear archaic but is made of modern materials and provides a high level of protection. At their belts they wear a radiant [magic radio], crossbow and baton. In locations where higher security is required, such as Sadera, they may also be equipped with more powerful firearms, such as a divine armement.

A number of the best of the Police are invited to join the Guards of the Sleeve as part of the personal guard of the Emperor.

The Ministerial Guard Also under the Secretary of State for the Interior is the Ministerial Guard, one of the most elite units of the Imperial Military. It was founded during the Societal Wars as a non-Royal equivalent of the Imperial Army Lifeguard Brigade to provide protection to the officers of government and their families and property. This is a duty they retain to this day. There is a certain degree of rivalry between them and the Imperial Army Lifeguard Brigade.

Fire officers in Darwinian are known as Pumpers. They originated with the Imperial Navy and, later, the Army and as such are still officially a branch of the Army, being organised, supervised and trained by it. However, in terms of responsibility for and direction of their actions they fall under the control of the Interior Ministry. As on Earth, the Pumpers make use of a number of types of fire engines in the course of their work. These are all painted a highly visible bright orange colour, with yellow trim.

Lord Chancellor of Darwinian; the chief judge of Darwinian, responsible for the judiciary of the Holy Empire, the post is currently held by 7th Prince Maurice Rouget. The Lord Chancellor is responsible for ensuring that laws are implemented and used correctly, and is the final legal arbiter for the Empire as a whole. It is one of the three Great Officers of the Crown to which is holder is not appointed for life. For practical reasons, the deputy of the Lord Chancellor, the Keeper of the Seals of Darwinian, also shoulders a great deal of responsibility for the Imperial legal system.

The Judiciary : The last act of Joseph François Dupleix in 31773 was the reform and simplification of the Imperial legal system. Although there have been problems with it since then, and in particular a number of instances in its early days when those who opposed the changes attempted to reverse them, the system has remained in place and evolved into its modern form. This consists of a network of courts across the Holy Empire, from those at a local level up though more senior regional courts to the highest court in the land under the Lord Chancellor of Darwinian. The judges who sit in them are appointed by the Emperor, but cannot be removed by him to avoid political pressure, and are paid by the state to make them less susceptible to bribery. In general all cases are tried by one or more judges, with lawyers presenting the prosecution and defence cases; there is no system of trial by jury in Darwinian There are four groups of courts within the Holy Empire, each of which has its own judges and facilities, though there is overlap and crossover between them:

The Court of Commons; this is by far the largest group of courts, and is the one that tries cases in which the accused are commoners.

The Court of Aids ; the second largest group of courts, and the one that deals with financial disputes of all kinds.

The Court of Honour ; a much smaller set of courts, which tries cases involving the nobility. Because of the small number of crimes tried within the Court of Honour their judges normally work in other courts most of the time, and their courtrooms are likewise shared with other court groups.

The Officialdom; the smallest group of courts, which tries cases involving the clergy. As for the Court of Honour, The Officialdom shares judges and court facilities with the other court groups.

The procedures and punishments used vary between the four groups of courts. For example, in the rare capital cases, members of the nobility are beheaded rather than hung as commoners are, though in both cases where possible the bodies are disassembled after death to allow the organs to be transplanted into those who require them.

Controller-General of Finances ; a position currently held by the 8th Prince Noemie Arthus-Bertrand, it is responsible for the finances of Darwinian and the Holy Empire. As such the Controller-General of Finances has a very broad remit and is involved with all of the sub-councils that make up the King's Council.

The Royal Bank ;The central bank of the Holy Empire, founded in 7160 I.C, and one of the major responsibilities of the Controller-General of Finances. The Royal Bank produces and issues the Imperial currency via the Imperial Mint, regulates the money supply of the Empire, controls Imperial interest rates and regulates the overall banking system of the Holy Empire. The Mint also produces currency for those states within the Holy Empire which retain their own monetary systems, such as many of the Former-Union states.

Secretary of State for the Sciences ; the other of the Secretaries of State created when the position of Secretary of State of the Household of the Emperor was stripped of much of its powers in 41894, the Secretary of State for the Sciences is, as the name implies, a post responsible for science and technology within the Holy Empire. The current holder of the position is the 5th Princess Pina Co Lala. As part of their role, the Secretary of State for the Sciences is responsible for the Imperial education system and also for its communications systems of all kinds.

Imperial Telecommunications Council; the organisation responsible for overseeing the Imperial communications network, and in particular the telephone, radiant and television systems under the control of the Secretary of State for the Sciences.

Minister of Defence; the political head of the military, who oversees the the Secretary of State of the Navy, Army and Air Minister of Defence oversees the strategic direction of the Armed Force, as well as its funding and general position within the Imperial political arena. The current holder of the position is the Second Prince: Zorzal El Caesar.

Secretary of State of the Navy; the political head of the Navy, who oversees the Admiral of Darwinian, the Secretary of State of the Navy oversees the strategic direction of the Navy, as well as its funding and general position within the Imperial political arena. The current holder of the position is 9th Prince Gerard de Tassigny.

Admiral of Darwinian ; the head of the Imperial Navy under the political control of the Secretary of State of the Navy. The position is currently held by Grand Duke Beatrice d'Évreux. The Admiral of Darwinian is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the Imperial navy and merchant fleet. As such the Amiral is also responsible for all naval aviation, and for the naval intelligence service.

The Imperial Navy is divided into a number of regional commands based in a given region of the Holy Empire. These include both defensive forces and offensive forces intended for use in that area, but which can be reassigned to other areas if required. The largest command (and the largest fleet) is the Spokojny, based in Darwinian Homeland itself, as well as a number of bases in Australis. The Polarny and Południowy commands that are located nearby are smaller and depend on the Spokojny Fleet for much of their strength. The second largest command is the Atlantycki Fleet, based at a number of locations in the Ameryka Srodkowa sub-continent. It adjoins and supports the smaller Lemuria and Indyjski Fleets. Those smaller fleets protect these more isolated regions of the Holy Empire.

Secretary of State of the Army ;similarly to the Secretary of State of the Navy, the Secretary of State of the Army is the political head of the Army, oversees the Marshal General of Darwinian, and is responsible for the strategic direction, funding and general position of the Army. The current holder of the position is The 18th Princess Yves Sertillanges.

Marshal General of Darwinian ; the head of the Imperial army under the political control of Secretary of State of the Army. The position is currently held by Grand Duke Trehouard de Rethel. Similarly to the Admiral of Darwinian, the Marshal General is responsible for the upkeep and operations of the armies of Darwinian. This includes the operation or oversight of many of the armaments suppliers who provide their equipment.
The Imperial Army is distributed in a similar way to the Navy. The main difference is that its bases are distributed across the whole of the Empire rather than just along its coastlines.

The Imperial army includes a number of units descended from ones made up of foreign troops serving the Imperial crown. Although nominally of the nationalities implied by their names, by the present day most of these units consist entirely of Imperial subjects, although normally ones whose ancestry includes the appropriate nationality.

Secretary of State of the Air Force ;similarly to the Secretary of State of the Army, the Secretary of State of the Air Force is the political head of the Dragon Knights, oversees the Sky Lord of Darwinian, and is responsible for the strategic direction, funding and general position of the Air Force. The current holder of the position is 11th Princess Élodie Valadon.

Sky Lord of Darwinian ; the head of the Imperial Air Force under the political control of Secretary of State of the Air Force. The position is currently held by Grand Duke Sipir Shikoh. Similarly to the Admiral of Darwinian, the Sky Lord is responsible for the upkeep and operations of the air-formations of Darwinian. This includes the operation or oversight of many of the armaments suppliers who provide their equipment. In addition the Sky Lord is responsible for all army aviation and intelligence gathering.

The Imperial Air Force is distributed in a similar way to the Navy. The main difference is that its bases are distributed across the whole of the Empire rather than just along its coastlines.

The Imperial Air Force includes a number of units descended from ones made up of foreign troops serving the Imperial crown. Although nominally of the nationalities implied by their names, by the present day most of these units consist entirely of Imperial subjects, although normally ones whose ancestry includes the appropriate nationality.

Secretary of State for Health; the newest of the Secretaries of State who form part of the Imperial government, the post of Secretary of State for Health was created, as the name implies, to oversee the health of the Imperial nation and all of its people, and in particular to ensure the safety of the nation against the threat of biological warfare. As such it was split off from the Secretary of State for the Sciences in 47938, when it became clear that it was a role demanding the full-time attention of the person filling it. The current Secretary of State for Health is 13th Princess Pierre-Marie Verlaine.

The Secretary of State for Health is the head of the Ministry of Health. As such they are responsible for public health and welfare within the Holy Empire , and sets the standards expected of those bodies that provide it, including those that support the unemployed and disabled. However, the actual provision of this care is not directly through the Imperial government, but instead is done through other organisations, in particular the Orthodox Church and a number of trusts funded by philanthropists and/or public subscriptions of various kinds, though there are also a number of privately funded hospitals for those who can afford them. As such the exact means by which the different forms of care are provided varies a great deal across the Empire, though all are obliged to meet the standards set by the government. A number of these hospitals have been working under versions of these arrangements for millenniums.

As with hospitals, emergency medical services, including ambulances, are not provided by government, but are subject to standards imposed by the government. They are white, to indicate their medical status, and normally have some form of lights and/or siren to alert others to their coming. Many of them are funded by voluntary donations and legacies, that pay for equipment and training, but in most of them the actual ambulance crews are unpaid volunteers, some drivers, some paramedics, and some medical doctors.

Secretary of State of the Household of the Emperor ; originally responsible, as the name of the post indicates, for the upkeep and maintenance of the buildings and household of the Emperor, and for the military, domestic and religious entourage around the royal family in Darwinian, over time the post of Secretary of State of the Household of the Emperor came to include many other areas of responsibility within its remit. By the late eighteenth century these included policing, religious affairs, including Protestant affairs, and the administration of Sadera and all of the non-border regions of Darwinian, and by the time of the Second Societal Wars had expanded further to include policing, governmental scientific research, government-run schools and universities, telephony and public communications generally.

All of this made the Secretary of State of the Household of the Emperor by far the most powerful and influential of all of the Imperial Secretary of State. Because of the power and influence of the role, the Secretary of State of the Household of the Emperor was among the least popular parts of the Imperial government and as such the The Emperor's Household under his control suffered particularly heavy attacks and instances of arson during the Societal Wars. With the ending of the Second Societal Wars the post of Secretary of State of the Household of the Emperor was stripped of those of its powers unrelated to the household of the Emperor (that is, most of them) and a number of new Secretary of State posts created. These included the Secretary of State for the Interior which took over regional administration and policing, and the Secretary of State for the Sciences , which took over governmental scientific research, government-run schools and universities, and telephony and public communications generally. As part of this, the post of Chief Steward of Darwinian was merged with that of the Secretary of State of the Household of the Emperor. The current holder of the post is 1st Princess Gisèle de Custine.

The Emperor's Household. This department, the responsibility of the Secretary of State of the Household of the Emperor, makes up the military, domestic and religious entourage around the Imperial royal family.

The military part of this entourage is the Imperial Army Lifeguard Brigade, a highly skilled elite group who have fought with distinction in many wars, over and above their duty with the royal family. They provide military protection to the royal family and to royal palaces and so on and are divided into four Companies. The best of the Garde, along with some of the best of the Imperial Police, form the Guards of the Sleeve, an elite squad formed as the personal guard of the Emperor.

The Imperial Army Lifeguard Brigade share the guarding of the Royal Family with a corps of Warrior Bunny Guards, mercenaries known as the Youxia who have served the Imperial royal family for millenials. A second corps of Warrior Bunny serve outside the Royal Palaces guarding the entrances and perimeter. Other Warrior Bunny guard units form part of the Imperial Army as a whole.

The domestic entourage of the Emperor is divided into a number of departments including the Kings Palate that oversees the meals of the Emperor, the King's Chamber that oversees the Emperor's rooms and personal escort, the Revel that oversee court entertainments and Ceremonies that is responsible for royal public ceremonies of all kinds.
The Emperor's Chapel forms the ecclesiastical element of the entourage and is headed by the Grand Chaplain of Darwinian, most often a bishop. It is responsible for the Mass and other religious ceremonies for the sovereign and the royal family, as well as the Emperor's alms and public charities.

First Delegate ; one of the two representatives from the Estates General who sit as equals in the King's Council. They are responsible for ensuring that the Emperor and his councils are at least aware of the views of the common people of Darwinian. The current holder of this post is Sage Élisée Trezeguet.

Second Delegate; the second representatives of the Estates General who sits in the King's Council; note that the First and Second titles do not indicate ranking among the Delegates. The current holder of this post is Knight Maximilien Prévost.

C. IMPERIAL SENATE

The Senatus Imperia (Eng: Imperial Senate) is the, semi-democratic legislature of the Holy Darwinian Empire. Some of the most powerful men in the world assemble in its name inside the Senatus in Sadera. The Senate has the most potent bureaucracy on the planet. Only the Emperor and his Legion hold more sway in world affairs. Decisions made under the roof of the Senate ultimately affect the globe.

Occupying the Senate are 2000 directly elected representatives of the citizens. These 'noble' senatores would not even be magistrates if they were not preferred over all other candidates by no less than 500,000 citizens. Each senator represents the 1000,000 citizens of a curia, a contiguous political district within the limites of the Imperium Darwinium.

The Emperor and the Senate were technically two co-equal branches of government. In practice, however, the actual authority of the imperial Senate was negligible, as the Emperor held the true power of the state. As such, membership in the senate became sought after by individuals seeking prestige and social standing, rather than actual authority. However, since the control that the Emperor held over the senate was absolute, the Senate acted as a vehicle through which the Emperor exercised his autocratic powers.

Under the Empire, the power that the Emperor held over the Senate was absolute, which was due, in part, to the fact that the Emperor held office for life. During Senate meetings, the Emperor sat between the two Consuls, and usually acted as the presiding officer. Senators of the early Empire could ask extraneous questions or request that a certain action be taken by the Senate. Higher ranking senators spoke before lower ranking senators, although the Emperor could speak at any time. Besides the Emperor, Consuls, and Prime Minister could also preside over the Senate.

Most of the bills that came before the Senate were presented by the Emperor or his supporters in the body. The Emperor usually made conscious efforts to hide their influence on the body, lobbying in private instead of directly proposing legislation. Since no senator could stand for election to a magisterial office without the emperor's approval, senators usually did not vote against bills that had been presented by the emperor. If a senator disapproved of a bill, he usually showed his disapproval by not attending the Senate meeting on the day that the bill was to be voted on.

The legislative powers of the Imperial Senate were principal of a financial and an administrative nature, although the senate did retain a range of powers over the provinces. The Senate could also regulate festivals and religious cults, grant special honors, excuse an individual (usually the Emperor) from legal liability, manage temples and public games, and even enact tax laws (but only with the acquiescence of the Emperor). However, it had no real authority over either the state religion or over public lands.

Only the powers to write and legitimize legislation as well as to spend from the treasury are absolute powers of the Senate. Ratification of international treaties, declaration of war against a foreign power, raising armies or navies, commissioning public monuments, military conscription, erecting military facilities, exiling non-citizens, and issuing research grants are examples of the minor powers granted to the Senate over the centuries. The latter are not protected by the Great Charter and are generally beyond the jurisdiction of the Church to protect. An Emperor has the right to supercede or disregard the minor powers of the Senate. These Minor powers mirror many of the absolute powers of the emperor, allowing the Holy Empire to function in his absence.

V. LEGAL SYSTEM

A. DARWINIAN-LEGALIST

The overall premise of the Holy Darwinian Empire, Darwinian-Legalist system is that the law should be a self-sustaining 'machine' independent of the people who implement, enforce and live under it. Essentially the idea to turn the nation into a fount [computer] with the people as its replaceable components and the system, a legal machine, running on.

As such, the Imperial legal system is officially known as the System of Automatic Law, although its detractors refer to it as the System of Mindless Law. Technically it is often referred to as 'Algorithmic Law' because of its reliance on a strict set of rules.

As part of its overall premise, a major part of the legal system of Darwinian is based on the idea that all citizens should be policemen for all of the rest, in addition to their other employment and civil duties. Being a nosey neighbour is required. People are meant to be busybodies. They are meant to keep an eye on what their neighbours are doing, as their neighbours should be keeping an eye on them. As part of this citizens are required to monitor the government itself as well as companies and other organisations and also report them should they deem it necessary.

Everyone is taught the Law as part of their education and they are expected to use it against anyone they see breaking it in their everyday life, regardless of who they are and with no social class or other restrictions on who can accuse who.

This education of the entire populace in the law is a difference between Darwinian-Legalism and the Chinese Legalist system, but it is something that is considered necessary to avoid corruption. It has led to the rather odd situation that although the Holy Darwinian Empire is run under a Darwinian-Legalist system, there are very few actual lawyers in the Empire.

The overall intention is that people should be trained to take responsibility for their own lives and the lives of the their community, within the law, rather than that responsibility being imposed from above. The Darwinian-Legalist system was sold to the mass of Imperial subjects as one to better the lot of the poor by taking them out from under the thumb of those who would be their masters. Though as outsiders note this was done by putting them under the thumb of an impersonal legal machine...

To aid in this, much of Darwinian law is codified in the form of flow charts and check lists, enabling people to check the status of an action and its circumstances quickly, simply and easily. In all cases the flow chart determines the flow of events; the checklist how and under what circumstances to go from one event to another. These flow charts and check lists are publically displayed all across the Holy Empire to help people know and apply the law; no citizen of Darwinian should ever be more than a minutes walk from a set of the laws.

Some legal flow charts end at an outcome of 'consult higher authority'. From the bottom level the ordinary citizens are obliged to consult with the local judges or magistrates, who are also responsible for administering the punishments recommended by lower level legal processes. From here their own flow charts - containing more complex actions and decisions - guide their actions and can also end with 'consult higher authority', so that there are progressively higher level officials up to the very top of the government.

To make this at all practical, there is a single unified code of Darwinian law, but one in which different subsets of the law apply depending on who the accused is, making it a system in which there can effectively be different laws for different groups of people. To further assist in its practicality, Darwinian law is as simple as possible so that all people can understand it. Crimes are defined very broadly so that all crimes of a given type definitely fall within the boundaries of the law so as to minimise 'false negatives', where the guilty escape the Law, even though this may lead to some 'false positives', that is, ambiguous actions that can be prosecuted even though they are actually not crimes. As such the Law is not subtle or nuanced, but it is effective. There is no presumption of innocence under Holy Darwinian law.

One unusual feature of Darwinian law is a number of laws arising from the Environmental Reductionism Movement. Some of these enforce frugality, the reduction of waste and the maximisation of the reuse and recycling of things. Others are strict sumptuary laws introduced with the intention of maintaining social cohesion by preventing displays of excessive wealth. As with other laws, these are enforced by people on other people.

However, in addition to this, there are also local laws. These are added (and sometimes repealed) by local people via petitions to the authorities, within the limits of the higher national law. Thus in places (though not everywhere) there are laws at the national, provincial, county and town/village level.

A requirement for these local laws is they have to be publically announced to all citizens and visitors to the area (normally via signs) so that visitors are not ignorant of them.

The foreigners in the Holy Empire are of course also subject to Darwinian Imperial law, though as many of these are diplomats and so on they may well have diplomatic immunity.

People are further encouraged to obey the Law by tax rates in each district being set according to the level of crime in that district. The more crime, the higher the taxes, with more severe crimes leading to higher taxes. Of course, there is a 'baseline' level of tax that even a crime-free district must pay, but again crime-ridden districts can pay considerably more than this.

The Emperor personally makes an annual surprise visit to the most virtuous district, when it is announced. He congratulates the people there, and presents the district with a memorial stele to mark the occasion.

As with the laws of Darwinian, punishments for crimes are undiscriminating and erring towards harshness, with extenuating circumstances not being taken into account.

People can report crime and so on, but only the state can punish it. In all cases the penalty for not reporting a crime is at least as severe as the punishment for committing the crime. This helps encourage people to report all possible crimes. Likewise, those who make deliberate false accusations are treated harshly. Those who make genuine accusations that are later disproved are not punished, though the process of deciding which is which can be an involved one...

No appeals are possible under Imperial law; once a decision is made then it is final.

Punishment is always collective, and is administered to the criminal themselves, their family and their close friends and associates, with the only exceptions to this being if it was one of these people who reported the crime in the first place. Only children are exempt from this collective punishment, normally being fostered to 'good citizens' rather than their criminal parents; it is not unknown for this to result in abuse, however...

The existing of enemies with uncountable numbers of troops implies that the best use must be made of its humanoid resources.

Not wasting or killing those who can work forms part of this, so that Darwinian does not have a death penalty except for the crime of heresy as such and prisoners who in former days might have been executed are instead sent to labour camps, so that useful work can be obtained from them. However, being sentenced to most forms of hard labour is effectively equivalent to a death sentence.

When a crime is committed and punishment administered by the local people, the law requires that they fill out a form and deliver it to the local magistrate to document what has happened and why. This makes everything above board; otherwise what has happened is vigilante justice, which is very much frowned upon. The forms are fairly simple and quick to fill out, in keeping with the Darwinian legal system as a whole, as this increases the chances of people actually using them.

Another element of the simplicity of the Law is that it is very inflexible, although not entirely static. It is possible for the law to change. Local areas may add local laws from time to time, but changes to national law occur when some issue is escalated up through the government and judiciary all the way to the top and even then there is still no resolution. At this point the question will normally be passed to a Consultative Committee who will assess and make a decision on it. This is then handed back down through the levels of government to its origin, and is possibly promulgated to the nation as a whole, depending on exactly what it is.

The same Committee, or sub-groups of it, also write and check the official legal flow charts for errors and omissions, and through them the Law as a whole.

Panopticon Society are still adhered in the Holy Darwinian Empire to some extent. These are an extension of the Darwinian-Legalist government and the idea of collective responsibility that underlies Darwinian law. Everyone is expected to watch everyone else as part of their duty as loyal subjects of the Holy Emperor.

Secret Police known as the Oprichninas [Eyes of the Law] also watch in secret and report those who do not report what they should to the authorities. This encourages the far larger network of ordinary Imperial citizens to do their duty as no-one knows who the members of the Oprichninas really are. When there is perceived to be a need to do so, they can also draft people for duty as Eyes for some specific task; these draftees are known as Oprichnik [Lesser Eyes].

As part of this, since the development of the magic to do so, the Empire is also watched by a very large number of television surveillance bird, which observe all public and many private spaces. Of course, not all, or even most, of these actually work or are watched at any given time, but in keeping with the ideas of the Panopticon philosophy, no-one knows (or at least should know) whether they are being watched at a given moment...

Of course, this constant surveillance only stimulates the birth and membership of secret societies and other underground movements, a tendency only limited by the occasional well-publicised arrests, trials and punishments of all members and associates of such groups for their crimes against the Emperor.

In addition, the Imperial system can be susceptible to corruption, with people conspiring to break the law and get away with it within the large circle of friends and neighbours. However, the larger the conspiracy the more difficult it is to conceal, and in addition to this, discouraging such activity is a large part of the purpose of the Holy Order. As part of this they and the Ministry of Interior monitor televox calls and surveillance birds as well as having spies throughout the land.

Needless to say there is a high degree of censorship in the Holy Empire. All books are government-approved and owned by the state, being loaned out to the people (often over the long term) from libraries. This had led to the growth of an underground book printing and distribution network, which provides texts that include both home-grown ones, and ones written and imported from outside Falmart itself.

People are free to move about within Darwinian Territory with no need for internal passports or other restrictions, though it all costs money, of course; there is a (rather extensive) railway network as well roads and river transport. However, it is expected that if someone moves in or goes travelling then their family, friends and neighbours will talk to them about it and find out any whys of it, reporting anything that seems untoward to the authorities.

Despite the best efforts of the Darwinian-Legalist system, the Holy Darwinian Empire has those who reject its system. In general these people are known as Scofflaws; they are a form of national bugbear and are often used as scapegoats for any problems suffered by the state. Effectively considered to the seditionists, many Scofflaws are effectively bandits or organised criminals who live on the fringes of Darwinian society. Obviously they are hunted down by the government as much as possible, and are normally considered traitors rather than merely disloyal, earning them harsh sentences in labour camps if they are caught and convicted.

B. THE PUNISHMENTS

The punishments used within the Holy Empire are based on the traditional Darwinian Five Punishments. They vary in severity and type depending on the crime as follows:

Beatings; these are used for 'everyday' crimes and use one state-mandated implement, which varies depending on the crime. The severity of the beating varies, with the number of blows with the given implement increasing with the severity of the crime. The type of beating is specified by the local magistrate, while the beating itself is normally carried out by a local or locals selected by lot by the local magistrate.

Branding on the face (the cheeks or forehead); this is also used for 'everyday' crimes, but for repeat offenders, when beatings within the limit of the law have not stopped the criminal from re-offending. The brand used to mark the offender consists of a character indicating the crime for which it was administered. As with beatings, the type of branding is specified by the local magistrate, while the branding itself is carried out by randomly selected locals.

Fines and/or confiscation of property; this type of punishment is normally administered for monetary or sumptuary crimes, and is carried out by a government official of a level commensurate with the seriousness of the crime.

Time in a local labour camp; this sentence is given for more serious crimes which require the prisoner to be separated from the community for the safety of it or themselves, as well as providing a way for them to make reparation through their labour. This is the punishment for first offenses of sedition. The length of time spent in the camp is dependant on the crime, and is a form of 'community service'. In theory all prisoners in the camp are treated equally, though of course, people being people, this is not always the case. These camps are run by the Holy Order Militant, with the prisoners being part of a penal regiment, and are all constructed along Panopticon principles.

Time in a distant labour camp; this sentence is given for crimes that require the prisoner to be kept more separate from the population as a whole while they make reparations through labour in a form of 'state service'. The crimes for which people are sent to these camps include serious violent or monetary crimes, treason, and persistent seditionists and scofflaws. As for the local camps, the length of time spent in the camp is dependant on the crime, but conditions in these camps are harsher than in the local camps, and casualty rates can be high, so that a long sentence is tantamount to a death sentence. Again, all prisoners are in theory treated equally. Again, these camps are Panopticons run by the military with the prisoners being part of a penal regiment; in this case their penal duties tend to be much harsher than is the case in local labour camps.

VI. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

A. SCIENCE IN GENERAL

Scientific research and development has occurred over time much as on Earth. However, largely influenced by the Union Physiocrats, there has been more focus on and patronage of agriculture-centred research rather than other areas of science; this has also been driven by governments focussing on biological research in the face of advancing biological warfare capabilities, and also because it is relatively cheap compared to other branches of science.

As such, the biological sciences, agronomy and so on are, overall, perhaps a generation more advanced than is the case on Earth. In the field of genetic engineering, Falmart is perhaps a century or more advanced, due to the much earlier discovery of genes, while engineering and the physical sciences are generally less advanced. Derived from this there are much more advanced plant breeding techniques, genetics, chemical fertilisers and so on, as well as earlier versions of Chaos Theory, here known as Weather Mathematics, and the Gaia Hypothesis, here known as Bioteleology.

In the past botanical expeditions, gardens and research have been very significant enterprises in The Empire and other nations.

Because of the much more advanced biological sciences in this world, many governments, particularly the Empire, have become aware of the importance of an eco-friendly approach to sustainability, and instituted policies to further this end. As a result the environment of this world is generally in a better condition than that on Earth.

A number of nations are working reduce greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere by biological means. This generally means by way of plants chosen to grow quickly and store carbon in a form stable in the long terms. The most common type of these plants is black bamboo, due to its long-term durability and rapid growth rate. Many of the same nations are also working to develop genetically engineered versions of plants, and black bamboo in particular, that will be even more effective in this than the unmodified forms. In addition much work is being done on adapting plants to the changing conditions on Falmart [by, for example, changing plants that use C3 carbon fixation to use the C4 method instead, or to incorporate the highly efficient photosynthetic mechanisms of cyanobacteria].

Because of the high population and high degree of urbanisation in this world, there is widespread use of vertical farms within cities [that is, farms built into skyscrapers] to provide food and allow crops to be protected from the effects of increasingly violent weather.

Another side effect of the more advanced biological sciences in this world has been the creation of some rational basis for racism and sexism as unlike human, Falmartians have much greater genetic variation, comparable to dogs. Between-race variation is estimated at 27.5 percent. By comparison, genetic variation between human populations is only 5.4 percent. Thus the concept of a Falmartian race is very real and can be defined not only by the appearance but genetically as well. However, the Church try their best to eliminate those prejudices.

B. COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

Communications technology is quite well developed in Falmart. The telephone has existed since 18,720, and by the year 50,000 there is an extensive telephone network extending around the world, though there is nothing analogous to the internet. All reasonably civilised nations have at least some form of postal service. All civilised nations have newspapers. However, in many more authoritarian nations, such as the Empire, their content is controlled by the government.

Both radiant [magic radio] and magic television has existed for much longer than on Earth. However, only the most developed nations of the world make radiant broadcasts, and the Empire, in particular, do their best to broadcast to the entire world. Public television only exists in black and white, and is only broadcast by the more developed nations of the world. Even then it does not, in general, reach more remote areas. All radiant and television broadcasts tend to be government-controlled. As such there is usually quite a limited selection of stations, and programmes are quite bland. Most radiant and television sets use magic-based technologies, though many older valve-based sets are still in use, especially in the less developed parts of the world.

State owned Cinema has existed since 18,920, much longer than on Earth, and is a very popular medium for both news and entertainment in all parts of the world. Because it originated during the Second Societal War, Cinema is less controlled by most governments, and so tends to be far more varied and interesting than radiant or television broadcasts.

Because of the large-scale surveillance that formed part of the Panopticon Society of the 13th millennia, obfuscational [encryption] systems of many different kinds are used around the world to maintain the privacy of the people of many different nations, in addition to the privacy laws most civilised nations possess. These range from the encoding of televox conversations, to systems for obfuscational written text, to the use of secret or constructed languages and alphabets. While some of this originates within the Nullopticon movement, much of it arises from everyday average people, and its use spreads far and wide beyond its creators.

C. COMPUTING TECHNOLOGY

Computing technology in Falmart has taken a very different route to that on Earth. Although mechanical computing [Babbage Engines] was proposed in 18420, it was the discovery of the means to create fluidic switches and thus fluidic calculating machines that sparked the creation of the first computers using fluidic technology in 18870, the first of them known as Arithmetical Fountains [equivalent to Babbage's Difference Engine], with Analytical Fountains [equivalent to Babbage's Analytical Engine] being developed later.

Because the first computers developed from the fluidic technology of the Arithmetical Fountains and their descendants, in this world all computers regardless of their technology are known as Fountains, or sometimes simply Founts. This latter term is also derived from their being perceived as 'Founts' of knowledge or wisdom.

Although, in the following millenniums, some very advanced mechanical computers was made, particularly by the Elves (who remain world leaders in that field), after the destruction of the Gra Valkas Federation inthe Unification War, fluidic computers one again became the standard calculating device in the world. With non-fluidic peripherals, such as electrical printers and telegraph devices they gained great utility, to the point that even when the electronic computer was rediscovered in 41959 it was never widely adopted. The magic transistor was invented in 52025, but has not found wide application in computers. Integrated circuits have not been developed, and there is little sign that they will be until the Empire get it hand on a human's sample.

The only place in which non-fluidic computers have found a great deal of use is on vehicles, and in particular ships, where the motion of the vehicle would adversely affect the operation of a fount. Thus most ships, and naval vessels in particular, have used mechanical founts since the 51920s, with electronic ones being used since the 52010s and transistor-based ones being used since the late 52020s. The specialised nature of these founts has contributed to their not being widely adopted outside of the vehicular environment.

A spin-off of Arithmetical and Analytical Fountains is the Synthesising Fountain. First developed in Rondel city in 42893, they do not use water as its operating fluid, but instead any of a variety of chemicals. Rather than producing a numerical output, they automatically synthesise a chemical output, its operations combining control of the sequence of chemical reactions with the chemical reactions themselves in one integrated machine.

The Synthesising Fountain is a successful and widely used instrument, with later versions of the incorporating self-cleaning sequences, and many of them coming to be made of crystal or gold, or gold-plated, to avoid reactions between the chemicals used and the Fountain itself.

Another spin-off of Arithmetical Fountain technology is the Zadornov Fountain, invented in 41865. These use the flow of water between different containers to represent the flow of money between different parts of an economy [this is very similar to the MONIAC computer on Earth].

Although they are considered a very crude, high-level means of modelling the economy they have been widely used in a number of countries in the past, and very useful to their governments.

Only the development of DNA computing machine in 50986, with the massive processing power it allows, has produced a technology that is beginning to render fluidic computing obsolete in many applications. DNA magic computers are large and complex machines descended from the most advanced Synthesising Fountains, each one more like a chemical plant than an Earth's computer, with mixing and separation vats controlled by Synthesising Fountains around a small central reaction chamber.

In many cases the Synthesising Fountains use the solutions of dissolved DNA as their operating fluid. Although DNA computers require human involvement in the programming and interpretation stages of their work, they are nonetheless amazingly powerful processors.

Because of these differences in technology there are no personal computers above the level of Analytical Fountains, and no equivalent of the internet. Likewise, there are no electronic pocket calculators. Instead, slide rules and, for those who can afford them, pocket-sized mechanical calculators [similar to the Curta calculator on Earth] are widely used. One of the best of these calculators is the Rondel-made Ibhungane [beetle] type.

Another innovation driven by the development of computing machines was the use of Founts to automate stock trading [via processes very similar to those of electronic stock trading on Earth].

Another major difference between the computers of Falmart and the ones on Earth is that unlike the computers from the Earth, which use a binary system based on 0 and 1, the computers on Falmart use a trinary, three-valued, system based on -1, 0 and +1, that is, base three. These actually have a number of significant advantages over binary computers.

Although computer hardware technology in this world is not as powerful as that of the ones on Earth, this is somewhat compensated for by the fact that it has existed for much longer here. As such, Befehl-Analyse [software engineering] is more developed here than it is on Earth. In particular techniques for making the best use of limited computational resources - in terms of speed and storage space - are very well developed [similar to the case on Earth where, despite increasingly powerful computer speeds and capabilities, such things are a flourishing art].

Computer technology in this world continues to advance, although differently to how it does to the ones on Earth. Rather than electronic computers, scientists work to expand the capabilities of the existing founts and DNA magic computers, and also to develop computers that use living neurons, engineered bacteria or chemical reactions as either replacements for or to provide additional functionality to computers of this kind.

Some scientists envision a combination of all four types of computer into some form of 'vat brain', with DNA, bacterial, neuronal and chemical computing elements working together to give a machine of truly vast computing power.

It is rumoured that the government have methods for encrypting information into DNA, proteins and other biological structures for covert transportation or storage, and that these governments may have created genetically engineered bacteria, or even more advanced life forms, with data stored on their 'junk' DNA.

D. MEDICAL AND GENETIC TECHNOLOGY

Unlike with much of the other physical technology, the Holy Darwinian Empire medical science is perhaps three generation more advanced than that of the Earth. In particular veterinary medicine are two centuries more advanced than on Earth due to the much more advanced state of the Darwinian biological warfare programme.

Numerous drugs and other treatments derived from traditional medicine, for example Darwinian ayurvedic medicine, are and have been part of mainstream medicine for a long time and are widely used. Other traditional Darwinian and other remedies are more widely accepted and used than on Earth, for example the first contraceptives and abortifacients made from processed unripe papaya fruit which were first marketed in Sinhale in 18,595.

Genetic technology is in general a century more advanced than in the human world, with the Falmartian races genome being mapped by 41,995.

The rest of the animal world genome was decoded in 51982 in a project that used vast resources [perhaps comparable to the weapon programmes of the USA] and took roughly 10,000 years to achieve success. The high level of time, cost and staffing required were because of the lower level of computer technology in this world compared to that of the Earth. The facilities used in decoding the genome resemble vast cities covering huge areas that are in essence vast linked sets of synthesising fountains that simultaneously compute and perform chemistry. Much of this technology fed into the later development of DNA computers.

Because the technology to select the sex of children has been available and used since 21,951, there are places where the sex ratios of the population are visibly skewed towards one gender (usually men).

Cancer has, in general, been cured. At least for those with access to advanced medical care...

Antibiotics have existed since 18840, and have reduced a great number of suffering since then. As on Earth, various strains of antibiotic-resistant disease have evolved since then, much earlier than this occurred on Earth. To remedy this problem a much wider range of antibiotics have been developed in this world than on Earth, and other means of treating disease, such as the use of bacteria-infecting viruses [what on Earth is known as phage therapy] are much more advanced.

Most of the nations in the world, and in particular the Holy Darwinian Empire and their colonies, legally mandate vaccination for all citizens. This usually includes protection against diseases that are believed to have been eradicated. This last is a precaution against the recurrence of these diseases, something that has unfortunately happened at times in the past.

The more advanced biological sciences of this world relative to Earth are partly derived from the work of the Falmartian Orthodox monk, Gabor Szekeres, whose genius (comparable to that of Einstein, but in the field of biology rather than physics) outlined the basics of genetics in 11825, Entwicklung [Evolution] and Natürliche Vorwähler [Natural Selection] in 11833 and eugenics in 11840. This more advanced knowledge of biology means that a number of things have been done here which have not been done on Earth.

A side effect of this is that the population of the world now tops ten billion people, much of fed by any number of crops genetically engineered for increased yields and other desirable properties.

As part of the widespread selective breeding and genetic engineering of crop plants, there are a very wide variety of crops available in most countries, more so than is the case in the human world. Partly this is simply a side-effect of the greater knowledge of biology in this world, partly it is due to the efforts of Arche Gesellschaften in preserving as many varieties of crop plants and domestic animals as possible, and partly it is because the governments of the world are fully aware of the dangers of crop monocultures in terms of susceptibility to disease and so on, and so work to discourage this where it is possible. As part of this fields growing a mixture of crops in a polyculture are very common.

In addition to this, there is much wider use of drought-resistant crop plants for agricultural purposes, particularly murnong, quandong, green vine and wattles. This was pioneered in Khandesh in Indiya.

A significant influence on medical and biological research has been the 15842 novel 'The New Race And The New World' by Gustave de Lamartine. Inspired by the Theory of Entwicklung [Evolution], this is a tale of the future and evolved 'supermen', the emergence of the new race out of the old under human direction by the power of eugenics, the inevitable extinction of the old race, and also the whole concept of human-directed evolution. [The novel is an analogue of 'Frankenstein'.]

There is widespread use of eugenics, and even selective breeding of humanoid to improve the humanoid species. Precisely how this is done and precisely what is meant by 'improvement' varies from nation to nation, but most nations have at least some form of eugenics programme which attempts to remove people with congenital defects from the gene pool (with varying degrees of resistance from the population).

Many nations also encourage those deemed to have 'superior' genes (which often equate to those with noble blood or large amounts of money) to have as many children as possible, or if nothing else to donate their eggs or sperm for the artificial insemination of the 'less fortunate'.

In some nations certain types of criminals are sterilised to prevent their 'bad genes' from being passed on to the next generation, and some nations also practise euthanasia. [With no Nazism and no Holocaust, eugenics has not been discredited.]

The eugenics polices of some countries go beyond genetic health to moral issues, with policies that involve removing children from 'unsuitable' families and having them raised by those considered 'more suitable'.

A better understanding of biology and neurology means that in this world brainwashing, interrogation and indoctrination techniques are better developed, and more effective than in the ones on Earth.

E. TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY

Due to their simple nature, magic-powered vehicles are widely used by the nations around the world. These include railway engines, road vehicles and also off-road and air vehicles of most kinds, including military vehicles. Because of the patchy nature of the early mana refuel systems, particularly in the Darwinian Empire, early magic vehicles had engine that allowed them to use many different forms of mana crystals, with differing quality and so on. Most magic vehicles, particularly in the Darwinian Empire, continue to use flexible engine of this kind.

The relative amounts of road and rail transport used varies from nation to nation depending on the history of their respective transport systems [similar to the case on Earth]. In some places rail is used for most things, with railways delivering to hubs and magic carriages and Titan-drawn wagons used only locally. In others stone roads are used for almost everything.

Because of the earlier development of lightning magic, almost all railways around the world use electrical power, either from internal magic engine, or from an external source. In some places, such as Darwinia and parts of Indiya Raj, trains using magic levitation are beginning to replace more conventional types, particularly on routes where speed is of the essence. Where non-electric trains are used, they have the magic engine at the front of the train as on Earth, but with the fuel bunker at the very front, then the driver's compartment, with the engine machinery behind that. This allows quicker and easier refuelling of the train.

Underground railways are used in cities around the world to transport both people and goods. The first of these was opened in 18,500 in the Gra Valkas Federation. The most extensive underground railway system in the world is that of Sadera in the Darwinian Empire, though as with much of the infrastructure of the Darwinian Empire this actually consists of a number of largely independent systems running to and from different parts of the Empire. The Darwinian Empire has a few other underground railway systems in its cities but mostly relies on elevated railways for mass transportation of its military.

The Darwinian Emperor the time, Larchmont, approved of the railways when he saw them, but also considered that if he was to ride on them then he wanted a proper amount of space for himself. Therefore Darwinia railways developed with a very broad gauge, and large, wide carriages. Because this made them more expensive to build Darwinia railways developed slowly, and did not expand greatly until after there was money to do so, well after the Economic Collapse. Because the Darwinian is the most powerful nation in the world the Darwinia Gauge has been widely adopted across the world despite its impractical aspects.

Many of the nobility of the world, particularly in the Darwinian Empire, have long had private railway lines leading to their estates and so on, and their own private railway carriages and other rolling stock. In many cases, to help supplement their income, they have also allowed their branch lines to be used in the carrying of goods.

There are various places in the Darwinian Empire where another, smaller, railway gauge known as the Darwinian Colonial Gauge is used for local industrial lines, This is used because it is cheaper and easier to build. It is particularly used in Afrykania and Tortolia. Some places in the Darwinian colonies also have dual gauge tracks - three rails allowing trains of two gauges to both use the line - where Royal visits have occurred, necessitating the construction of standard Darwinia Gauge railways to carry the King. There usually run along existing Darwinian Colonial Gauge lines.

Road vehicles in this world have evolved from carts and carriages, in much the same way as on Earth. They are thus largely based on a four-wheeled design, however, in this world the first of them to find common use had the engine simply replacing the horses rather than being built into the body of the vehicle. A magic stoker travelled with it, but the driver sat on the carriage, controlling the engine by reins. As vehicles developed, this configuration persisted, resulting in vehicles with a wasp-waisted look, where the entire engine and drive wheels section turns to steer the vehicle by way of a large joint between the engine and main body of the vehicle. As vehicles became larger the reins were superseded by steering chains, then powered chains, controlled by a left-right lever or geared wheels, or two levers, one for left and one for right. Later versions had powered steering, with wires to control other engine functions running over the top of the steering joint on pulleys. Because of this original design self-propelled road vehicles have become known as 'Wasps', and even vehicles of different configuration to this are known by the same term.

Roads are unlike those on Earth, are rock that are magically harden or have titan-crytal surfaces, good roads having been developed for military and trade purposes, much as on Earth.

Pneumatic tyres have not been invented in this world. Instead wheels have individually sprung segments, rather like a circular tank track, with a rubberised 'foot' on the end to reduce noise and road wear. Each segment has its own shock absorber (or sometimes two), and often a flexible link with adjacent segments to keep dirt from getting between them. This gives suspension, smoothes the ride and gives immunity to punctures and other damage.

Magic-driven trams and trolley buses are also widely used in many cities around the world by the government only.

At sea, the simple but effective nature of Tears of the Wind God magic engine make it's the tool of choice to generate massive gust of wind to speed up and navigate sailing ships. Thus sailing ship never become obsolete ans still widely used for oceangoing. The ability to create hurricane-level wind at will led to some gigantic ship designs with steel-hulled and a dozen of masts.

VII. SOCIETY

People tend to be fairly conservative, but also believe in the empire, their leaders, and in progress - the power of magic to make a better future. They accept that there is a basic code of civilised behaviour that under-pins society (though the details of this may vary depending on where they come from) and have faith in the necessity of material progress. They tend to be patriotic, with pride in their nation, and civic pride in the places they live, so there is far less graffiti and fewer run-down areas than ơn Earth.

Falmart world is quite poor on human rights. All nations still have the death penalty for heresy, and sentences of hard labour are still handed down for some crimes. The drafting of labour from the populace - a process that has evolved out of the use of forced labour - is considered an entirely justifiable thing to use for 'necessary' projects.

In general, Falmart World has fewer personal freedom than on Earth, but has more discipline and responsibility.

The law and government of the Holy Empire is based upon the system of Collective Responsibility. Under this system groups of families are mutually responsible for each others good behaviour and share each others punishments for bad behaviour. Households are organised into groups of ten. Each household sends a representative - who can be male or female - to the monthly meeting of its group, and each such group elects a leader to represent it at the level of government above it. The head of each group is responsible to the level above it for the conduct of all members of their group. This is known as the 'bao jia' (tithing) system.

The bao jia system serves as an extension of the central government. It is the means by which taxation is levied on the populace, and also the means by which welfare and other such things are distributed to the population as they require it. Of course, being run by people the bao jia system is not perfect. As such, there is a large corps of Inspectors, a branch of the Civil Service, who work to enforce the proper running of the system.

Although Darwinian does effectively have the full franchise, membership of the Imperial Senate remains, in practise if not in law, limited to the upper levels of society, and in particular to members of the progressive School of Practical Learning (SPL). As such the nobility, the SPL and the Civil Service essentially run the country, with one of the former powers in the Holy Empire, the Imperial Household Department, having been much reduced over the years.

Darwinian Empire is also quite socially stratified. However, the exams for civil service entry are open to anyone, and schooling is universal, so anyone can rise up the ranks from humble beginnings, even into the nobility, the High Council, or the SPL. The Empire's attitude to colonisation and the other worlds has varied somewhat with time; it has a definite tendency towards isolationism, but as the Golden Emperor showed it is wise to look outwards, this has never been total.

As part of the reforms of the Imperial system that made it one of the three great powers of the world, the Holy Empire criminal law was codified into a set of written laws, greatly restricting the flexibility magistrates could exercise during trials. The accused were granted some rights, some protection from 'unnecessary' torture, and were not allowed to be jailed for long periods while awaiting trial. The Emperor, particularly the later Emperors, did what was necessary to make the courts as appealing as possible, stressing the rule of law over their own moral influence, and working to minimise the loss of face and fear involved in making an appearance in court.

Religion, particularly Falmartian Orthodoxy, has remained very strong over the millennias rather than being whittled away. This has partly arisen because of the existence of a strong religious power in the Holy Darwinian Empire, which has kept other nations religious as a reaction to it. A state religion of one sort or another is considered a necessity for every nation.

The Holy Darwinian government has long placed emphasis on physical fitness and the encouragement of out-of-door games for everyone, to raise the general standard of health. The ideal is that all citizens should be trained to be a soldier, a good rider, a hunter, and able to distinguish themselves in games.

The Holy Darwinian Empire has a long tradition of Imperial and noble sponsorship and support of artists of all kind going back hundreds of years and continuing to the present day. The literate and refined Darwinian court has long given a recognizable style and manner to a wide variety of arts. The most obvious area of this is in the field of architecture, where Darwinian buildings continue to be known around the world for their beauty and artistry. However, there is also long-standing patronage of music, painting, literature, poetry, history and biograph.

Despite the best efforts of Darwinian Emperors since the time of Emperor Akbar, marriage in most of the Empire generally takes place at a young age. Most girls are at least betrothed before the age that roughly equivalent of twelve in human, with this being arranged and negotiated by their parents, often with the help of their friends and/or a professional matchmaker. Commoners normally marry at this point, although the marriages may not be consummated before the wife reaches puberty.

Nobles and others normally continue the engagement until the girl reaches puberty. It is generally considered best for both parties in the marriage if they are of roughly the same age, and not too closely related. Polygamy is common, normally depending on the ability of the married individuals to support a family of a given size. Divorce is extremely rare, and very hard to achieve.

The upper classes of the Darwinian Empire maintain the courtly manners and elaborate etiquette they have used for thousand of years. In social gatherings they normally speak in a very low voice with much order, moderation, gravity, and sweetness. On the other hand, court life has a great deal of intrigue and cruelty as well as refinement of taste and elegant manners.

Liquor and strong drugs is presented to visitors when they arrive and they are escorted out with much civility at their time of departure. Rigid formal manners are observed at meals.

Most nations conduct prayers before action, and before meetings of all sorts.

All towns and cities have publicly-funded hospitals, a system dating back to the Founding Era and extended by many Emperors down the years. Most villages have a least a doctor on call.

The Holy Darwinian Empire possesses a fairly comprehensive social welfare system, but it is one only indirectly provided by the Darwinian state. Instead, the Darwinian welfare system is provided by way of the Monasteries of the Wareharun and Miritta faith. Originally providing free food and (sometimes) shelter to all comers regardless of race, gender or religion, over time, and with the rise of Mirittas influence in the Darwinian Empire, the Monasteries have expanded the free services they provide to also include medical care and education. They have also spread across all of the Darwinian Empire and beyond, into the rest of the world. Although these Monasteries are partly funded by the Mirittas and Wareharuns themselves, they also receive a great deal of funding from the Darwinian Empire, in recognition of the great service they provide to it.

Racism and sexism remain largely institutionalised, though there are varying degrees of tolerance in different places around the world. Homophobia is institutionalised everywhere.

Although there was an increase in sexual freedom after the Unification War, there has not been a sexual revolution in Falmart. The nuclear family is still the standard way of life, with the birth of children out of wedlock being frowned upon. However, there are considerably more liberal view regarding sex before marriage.

There are no internationally-applicable laws equivalent to the Geneva Convention that govern the treatment of prisoners of war and other such matters.

VIII. ECONOMY

The overall economic system of this world is closer to what, on Earth, would be called Mercantilism than 21st century Capitalism.

Mercantilism is an economic policy that is designed to maximize the exports and minimize the imports for an economy. It promotes monarchy, aristocracy, clericalism, militarism, imperialism, colonialism, tariffs and subsidies on traded goods to achieve that goal.

The policy aims to reduce a possible current account deficit or reach a current account surplus, and it includes measures aimed at accumulating monetary reserves by a positive balance of trade, especially of finished goods. Historically, such policies frequently led to war and motivated colonial expansion.

However, unlike pure Mercantilism, reliance on bullion alone has been replaced by reliance on all things of value to the Holy Empire, including intangible things such as the intellect of its people, leading to the evolution of a system known as commodityism (or chattelism to its detractors).

Because communism or similar systems have not been used to run any of the nations of the world, but there has still been a great deal of competition between the Great Houses, the world, taken as a whole, is richer than the Earth.

The Holy Empire maintain a good deal of control over those areas which it considers essential to the running of the Empire. This includes the areas of media, transport, and infrastructure generally. It also fund most research which takes place, via the universities. However, outside of these areas there is also a thriving world of commerce and magitek development, generally only within a given area, but still with a great deal of room for competition, capitalistic behaviour and so on. And plenty of opportunity for companies to sell to the government, obtain government contracts and so on. It is not, however, unknown for particularly successful businesses which come to be seen as essential to the Holy Empire, such as the magic telephone business, to be nationalised by the Imperial government.

IX. FINANCES

Taxation in the Holy Empire is relatively simple in its theoretical formulation, though elements of it are complicated by changing needs and local circumstances. Both revenue and expenditure are divided between the central and the provincial governments. The Darwinian Emperors have consistently attempted to keep the revenue system operating in as fair and equitable a manner as possible.

The central government reserves land revenue, customs, and profits from the mints, inheritance rights, and karkhanas (state-run industries) for itself. Land revenue and profits from the karkhanas are the most important sources of income; land revenue is based on detailed survey assessments updated at regular intervals, the nature of the crops grown and the current mean market prices, and also varied so as to encourage wasteland to be cultivated.

The principal items of expenditure for the central government are defence, the administration of the Empire, including its religious organizations, maintenance of the Royal Court and the Royal Palaces, and the cost of civil buildings and other public works.

Provincial sources of income consist of revenues distributed by the central government as well as a variety of local taxes, transit dues and duties, and fines. Presents to officials are considered to be bribery, and so are illegal.

There are a large number of Tayefe Karkhanas in the Holy Empire. These are, in general, expansive family-controlled banking and industrial combines, large companies that consist of divisions of often seemingly unrelated businesses. The largest of them - among them Tharoor-Pant, Matondkar and Roshan-Yagnik - control more industrial and financial power than some of the smaller nations of Falmart. Because the Imperial government does its best to encourage and nurture business within the Holy Empire, these exert a considerable amount of power in the Holy Empire. However, because there are many of them, with different viewpoints and corporate philosophies, they do not control the government.

X. INFRASTRUCTURE

The infrastructure of the Holy Darwinian Empire suffers from a lack of standardisation as the different noble Tayefe Karkhanas have built to different standards and ideas in electrical voltages, communications methods, railway gauges and so on in different places. Despite attempts by the Imperial government to rationalise/unify all of its infrastructures, this has met with limited success and so different standards still apply in different places in the Empire.

There are a number of different railway networks in the Holy Empire built by different Tayefe Karkhanas, with government involvement in some of the more strategic lines like the famous one-thousand carriage train Breitspurbahnen. Many of them were forced to a standardised gauge at some point early on, and others have change to this gauge over time out of convenience, but there are still a variety of railway gauges in use in the Holy Empire, a majority of them on private lines. Many of the railways follow the routes of the major roads of the Holy Empire, such as the Grand Trunk Road. Because of this mixture of railway systems, the extensive Darwinian road system has remained the main routes of long-distance transport in the Empire for many people with, in a few places, canals also being used.

The Imperial absolutist system has led to a somewhat strange division of transportation between the public and private sectors. Imperial trains are nationalised, efficient and eco-friendly. Private transport, on the other hand, tends to be (among the common people at least) either velos [magic powered carriage] or powered by animals as this is what the Emperor and government considers best for people. So in the country there are velos or animal-drawn vehicles bringing people to and from stations where they board efficient and sophisticated magic trains. Likewise there are efficient public transport systems in most Imperial cities. However, magic-powered vehicles are common there for mess-reduction reasons, although velos tend to be widely used as well. Most Imperial roads are quite good, partly because they are used for military purposes.

Another effect of Imperial government policy has been to spread the growth of cities across Darwinian rather than concentrating it in a few places, so that there are more large towns and cities (with skyscrapers) but no very large ones as is the case in many other nations. The same effect is seen across the Holy Empire. With rising populations and increasing problems from climate change, local and increasingly regional governments within the Holy Empire have begun to mandate the creation of vertical farms within cities, either purpose-built or via the full or partial conversion of existing structures. This is intended to increase the self-sufficiency of cities and reduce the amount of food transportation required.

Because of the influence of the Physiocratic philosophy in this world, and the values it places on agriculture, many governments have restricted the expansion of towns and cities despite their growth of population over time. Because of this towns and cities tend to have far more tenement buildings in older areas and tower blocks in newer and redeveloped areas (along with vertical farms and factories) than is the case in the human world. Most tenements and tower blocks also have rooftop farm plots.

Although inhabited rooms within the buildings people inhabit are normally lit by electricity, public spaces and normally lit by lighting tubes filled with engineered bioluminescent bacteria that feed on sewage.

Most buildings can be sealed in case of a biological warfare attack, with air filtering magic, quarantine facilities and supply caches [this is roughly analogous to the preparation for nuclear war built into some buildings of the cold war USA, though rather easier to implement due to the lack of the destructive effects of a nuclear blast].