Government of Ferraria

Ferraria is an absolute monarchy ruled by a king or queen from the Oboror family. However, ever since the nation was founded by Ferran the Miner, law and order have been incredibly important to the running of the nation. Ferran's was concerned that without proper laws, his kingdom would collapse before it could begin. Before he was assassinated, Ferran laid out several important laws, now known as the Ferrasic Laws. Some of the Ferrasic Laws included the setting up of the Decarchy, the laws of inheritance, a basic civil code, and a law claiming all iron ores found beneath the 'known world' belonged to Ferran and his family 'by the will of the Gods'. It is this final law that plays are key role in maintaining the legitimacy of the Ferranic line- as it is believed that they are Kings by the will of the Gods themselves. This law also permanently tied religion into the government of Ferraria.

Ferraria's government is based on three pillars; Law, Decarchy, and Faith. The Law ensures everything runs in accordance with the wishes of the King while also appearing fair to those beneath him. The Decarchy allows the King to maintain his influence outside of the walls of Ferran's Hold. The Faith ensures the people of Ferraria remain loyal to the crown and the crown alone.

The Law
Laws in Ferraria are decided by the Ironmoot, a gathering of up to fifty high ranking lords and nobles, as well as representatives from five of the main guilds in Ferraria (Labourers, Soldiery, Sailors, and Craftsmen). Any member of the Ironmoot can suggest a change to a law or a new one entirely. The proposal can be debated for up to six months by members of the Ironmoot, but by the end of that period the law has to be either passed or abandoned for at least two years. Certain members of the Ironmoot have a veto- the High Priest, the Chief Collegiate, the Decarchs, and the guild masters. However, the King has a superveto, he can undo any veto another member makes. This is to prevent the Ironmoot from bullying the King and taking power away from him.

There are three sub-councils of the Ironmoot; the Chamber of War, the Chamber of Order, and the Chamber of Peace.

Chamber of War
The Chamber of War is composed of the King, his chief advisors, the treasurer, the spymaster, and the Lords of War (the Lord Commander, Lord Admiral, and Lord Marshall). The Chamber is responsible for maintaining the armed forces of Ferraria, as well as planning expeditions and invasions of foreign lands. During war, the size of the Chamber grows as more members of the Ironmoot join the Chamber to ensure the nation is able to wage war most effectively. Even during peacetime, the Chamber still meets monthly to discuss day-to-day uses of the armed forces.

Chamber of Order
The Chamber of Order is run by the King, his chosen advisors, the Chief Collegiate, Chief Justiciar, the spymaster, the Most Civil Servant, and the Decarchs. The Chamber is in charge of ensuring the Laws passed by the Ironmoot are followed exactly across the realm. The Chamber employs Royal Sherrifs to travel across the kingdom and maintain order and collect taxes from the minor Lords of the Manor. They also supply the King's Justiciars to all parts of Ferraria. The Justiciars have the authority to hand out punishments to those found guilty of breaking the law. Justiciars are all handpicked by the Chamber to ensure they are knowledgable of the law and are as impartial as possible. Special Justiciars are also deployed to trouble areas to act as the Secret Police, coordinating with the spymaster to put down or contain rebellions against the King.

Chamber of Peace
The Chamber of Peace is led by the King, who fills the Chamber with his most trusted advisors, as well as the spymaster, Most Civil Servant, the Mayor of Ferran's Hold, and the royal translators. Foreign dignataries are invited to most meetings of the Chamber, as well as any other persons of international importance. The role of the chamber is to maintain relations with foreign powers, negotiating trade deals, forging alliances, and, at times, delivering declarations of war. The council meets monthly, and sends out new directives to representatives of Ferraria after each meeting.

Decarchy
The Decarchy is the system first degrees by Ferran the Miner to maintain order and spread his influence across his holdings. All of Ferraria is split between eleven different regions, ten of which are administered by Decarchs. The eleventh regions are controlled by the crown itself or Royal governors.

The Decarchs are set economic and political targets by the Ironmoot to achieve within a set time frame (i.e they have to produce a certain amount of iron ore from their mines or provide a set amount of troops for the army). The Decarchs are members of the Ironmoot themselves, preventing them from being set targets that are unachievable. Aside from these targets, the Decarchs have almsot complete freedom to do as they wish within their region. Most Decarchs delegate control to lesser lords who manage smaller regions. The lesser lords then delegate control of towns and villages to the Lords of the Manor, even lesser lords who are responsible for collecting taxes and maintaining normality within their meagre lands.

The Faith
There are two major religions within Ferraria, the Cult of Kings and Blood Spiritualism. The Cult of Kings is the official religion, having been shaped over many years to try and control the population of Ferraria, but a majority of the people adhere to Blood Spiritualism. As such, both religions have representation in the government of Ferraria. The Cult of Kings is responsible for the spiritual health of the King, as well as ensuring that the current monarch has the Divine Right to rule. The Cult performs ceremonies such as coronations and burials of monarchs, meaning it is crucial for maintaining the legitimacy of the government.

Spiritualism has power in the government in an unofficial role, with many of their Fathers being in the households of many members of the government, meaning Spiritualism can exert influence in a more covert manner.