GOVERNMENT
As a feudal state, the Jade Empire is officially classified as a constitutional monarchy, with a government split into three branches in accordance with classical understanding of the separation of powers. The hereditary monarchy represents the Executive branch, the Jade Assembly represents the Legislative, and the Jade Courts represent the Judiciary. Only the Jade Courts are elected by popular vote.
EXECUTIVE
The Jade Throne
The Jade Throne is the hereditary monarchy of the Jade Empire. The Jade Throne is currently vacant following the death of Jade Empress Takara, but is millennia old. All daimyo and land-owning samurai acknowledge the Jade Throne as the source of executive power in the Jade Empire and all properties are held in fief from the Jade Throne. There are no laws governing the removal of a sitting monarch as, according to Jade theology, it is impossible for an imperial ruler to be flawed in any way. In reality this is not always the case, for example: in 481 AT the notorious deviant and masochist Emperor Vadusa was assassinated by his own son, Emperor Varro, after the Jade Assembly declared that Emperor Vadusa had died and been replaced by an evil kami.
LEGISLATIVE
The Jade Assembly
The Jade Assembly, or Teikoku Gikai, is the legislative body of the Jade Empire and is an unelected assembly consisting of high-ranking samurai including Daimyos, Fujin-Daimyos and Hatamotos. The total membership of the Jade Assembly fluctuates, but typically sits at around 5,000. A daimyo is a powerful lord or lady who typically controls a Province on behalf of the Jade Throne. A fujin-daimyo is one who controls a District within a province. A hatamoto is a powerful samurai holding large regions of land as a direct vassal of a fujin-daimyo. Smaller portions of land are held by samurai of varying ranks.
As members die, inherit land or rank, or are stripped of their titles the membership of the Jade Assembly fluctuates over time. Members can attend via holocall or in person, but as meetings are not regular and are called on an ad-hoc basis by senior members of the Assembly or by the monarch, they are typically conducted by secure hologram conference. The Jade Throne room has a comprehensive holosuite and uses proprietary dedicated software to host assemblies.
Bills are drafted and debated by the Jade Assembly. Once they have achieved a two-thirds majority approval they are then passed to the Jade Throne to be turned into law. The Jade Throne can send a bill back to the Jade Assembly three times with proposed amendments. |
MEMBERS OF THE TEIKOKU GIKAIDaimyo (Laptev) - Matomoro Kanbei
Daimyo (Neusattar) - Theoden Seawatcher Daimyo (Legacy) - Kenji Watanabe Daimyo (Sanrin) - Taira Toshi Governor (Texcoco) - Pascal de la Vega Fujin-Daimyo (Ingen) - Yoshi Katsumoto Fujin-Daimyo (Alejandra) - Minato Terranova |
As membership is directly connected to position within the feudal system, it is possible for members to be removed or created effectively at the whim of their direct feudal overlord. However, objections to new appointments or dismissals can be bought before the Jade Assembly with the backing of at least twenty other members, at which point a general vote to confirm or deny the move must be held after a waiting period of no less than 24 hours. This process primarily exists to prevent vote-stacking and prevent senior members from dismissing opponents of their bills.
THE JUDICIARY
The Jade Courts
THE JUDICIARY
The Judiciary is the only elected government body in the Jade Empire. More detail can be found here
The Judiciary is the only elected government body in the Jade Empire. More detail can be found here