A Guide to Kearne- As Told by the Monks of Perpetulity

Ruling Bodies of Kearne

Humans: Humans are lead by a King. The King is served by two advisory councils:

-The Court of Barons: The Court of Barons is a group of Lords and Ladies from all around Kearne. Traditionally, the Lord of a City is automatically given a place among the Court of Barons, as well as any military leaders (such as the Commander of the Wardens) who have been deemed worthy enough.

-The Court of Visionaries: The Court of Visionaries are a group of Mages, sorcerers and political leaders chosen to advise the King on matters of state and social unrest. They work alongside the Court of Barons, providing a community and political perspective to the military one usually provided by the Barons.

Leonin: The Leonin are also lead by a singular King. But while the Human King is served by his Courts, the Leonin King works in tandem with the 9 Pride Lords (called the Ul-Thranya). While the King does have the ability to overthrow a ruling of the Pride Lords, he typically is expected to vote alongside them in matters related to the Koshach people.

-The Thranya: The Thranya are the Lords and Ladies of the Koshach people. While they have a voice in matters of state, they must go through one of the 9 Pride Lords to make it heard. The Thranya are also responsible for electing new Ul-Thranya when the time comes, or potentially dethroning a member of the Pride Lords if it comes to that.

-The Ul-Thranya: While there can and are many Thranya among the Koshach people, there can only ever be 9 Ul-Thranya (also called "Pride Lords"). There are only ever 3 Ul-Thranya from each Leonin Caste (Warrior, Merchant, and Industrial), though the Warrior Caste tends to hold the most power among the Pride Lords due to their military might. It is rare for a woman to sit as one of the Ul-Thranya, and Ul-Thranya Alyona of the Merchant Caste is the first in history to be elected.

-Lacertian: The Lacertian people follow a central religious leader known as the "Nest-Mother" or "Nest-Father". While all Lacertians respect and treat their leader's words as Holy Law, Lacertians are taught to follow their religious and community leaders second, and their personal beliefs and convictions first.

-Minotaur: Minotaurs are tribal, and thereby follow their Clan Chief. There are many interwoven packs and treaties between the Tribes, but no central Chief to take charge. However, unlike the Werewolves whose packs are rife with infighting and conflict, the Minotaurs are adherent to their individual honor and their pride, so they tend to find it much easier to unite against a common threat.

-Werewolves: Werewolves are a pack-based society. Each pack has an Alpha and his mate, the Beta Shewolf, that controls the pack. The Alpha is in charge for only as long as his strength and prowess in battle allows, and the moment weakness is detected he can be challenged and replaced by a stronger member of the pact. This dictates his death, and his Beta will live on in a place of honor among the pack. Because of this chaotic and violent form of pack leadership, the Werewolf packs remain fragmented and ununited. Though, some scholars fear the day the Werewolf tribes manage to unite and challenge the other races for dominance.

-The Elves: Both Emberkin and Silverkin Elves are presided over by the "Keeper of the Trees". A King-like personage who rules over both races. The Keeper of the Trees is advised by "The Arbor Court", a group of 6 Elven Lords (3 from the Emberkins, 3 from the Silverkins). He is also attended to by the "Aspen Mage", the leader of the Whitewood Mages and considered to be the wisest and most powerful Mage among the Elven people. (Note: While the Aspen Mage and the Keeper of the Trees are not positions regulated to just Silverkins, some have noted that an Emberkin has never been named Keeper of the Trees, and only once in a thousand years been named the Aspen Mage).

-The Arbor Court:

--(From the Silverkins) The Willow Lord, the Spruce Lord, & the Cedar Lord

--(From the Emberkins): The Ashen Lord, The Oaken Lord, & the Sapele Lord

-Vampires: The Vampyres are lead by a secretive group of Lords called "The Shadow Court". Consisting of some of the oldest Vampyres alive, no one knows who these mysterious lords are or if they even truly exist. The Shadow Court prefers to keep to the utmost secrecy and move through the shadows, attempting to manipulate the other races to their own best interests. In recent centuries, the Vampyres as a whole have taken a very disinterested view of the other kingdoms, becoming very self-interested and lazy. While they will take any opportunity to destabilize or undermine a ruler or government, most of the Shadow Court are content playing elaborate political games with other Shadow Court members than actually interacting with the nations and races around them. The only known member of the Shadow Court (at least, known by the Ghosts of the Lost), is Valera Sanguine, who provides the Ghosts aide on the occasion it also serves her own interests.