MK Government

The Government Of Metamor Keep

Thomas is Duke of the Northern Midlands, Earl of the Pearly Towers, King of the Pass, and whatever other titles are needed to cover the titles everyone is going to tack on him.

His domain covers two writs. The first is Metamor Keep itself, of which he is sole ruler. Thomas concerns himself with it almost to the exclusion of all his other territory.

The second is a small amount of city-states south of the pass. These are governed under a feudal arrangement. They are associated with Thomas out of self-interest more than anything else. The nobles of this area intrigue against each other to their heart's content, secure in the knowledge that no southern city-state will willingly invoke the wrath of Metamor. Thomas asks little of these hereditary inheritances, and receives it.

The government of Metamor is an odd cross between benevolent dictatorship and republic. Thomas has full powers as military guardian of Metamor to order whatever he wishes done. In times of crisis, this is unquestioned. In more peaceful times, his power can be challenged through several avenues. This is laid down in the Metamorian constitution.

The first is to obtain the approval of three high ranking Keep members. For the moment this definition is left open, but it includes anyone who leads the Keep, militarily or in a civilian capacity.

The second is through the Justice system. The Keep has a fully-fledged court system. Rulings that apply to the Constitution can be challenged.

The third, never exercised, is a full fledged plebiscite. This would be used only in order to overthrow Thomas, which no one even considers, or to overhaul the current government in some other form.

Duke Thomas is an overlord. His own personal rule is limited to the castle and most of the valley beyond, but it is the most military significant real estate in the vicinity. Because he holds it, he holds sway over a land the size of Rhode Island. In times of invasion, the whole populace from the affected region withdraws to Metamor and the surrounding outworks. Not everyone will fit, but not everyone comes either. The enemy army must come from one direction, and those people fleeing are granted refuge. The whole countryside acts as one armed unit, though only Thomas maintains a large army of professional soldiers. The rest are draftees, partially trained. The sub nobles (of which the late Loriod was one) maintain small police and garrison type units, depending on Thomas for defense. This is after all what they pay taxes for.

A high council of Thomas and his underlords meets from time to time, but on a day to day basis, the minor nobles run the land and Thomas runs the foreign policy. His Steward essentially runs Metamor for him, while his Prime Minister advises on foreign policy and attends state functions for him. Due to the Curse, there are no ambassadors to Metamor. This makes the PM's job much more challenging and difficult.

Duke Thomas has serious doubts about the feudal nature of his realm, as his thinking is very modern in some ways. While he WANTS to move toward a more representational government and can even make steps in that actual direction, he can never go too far because it would destabilize the universe too much. Other councilors to Thomas exist. He listens to his friends and his people well.


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