User:Vivaporius/Viva's Nation/II

Mikaean politics is organized around a patrimonial and familial system that sets it apart from the neighboring non-Mikaean countries.

Structure
The Mikaegeny is governed by an all-powerful individual known as the Highfather of the Mikaeans, who is the father of all Mikaeans on the planet. All Mikaeans will heed his commands and fiercely protect him and the institutions he has built, both as a biological imperative as he is the sole male reproducing member of the species. Below the Highfather is the First Scion, typically the firstborn child of the Highfather, or in other cases, eldest living member of the Mikaean population. The First Scion's responsibilities range from serving as the high-ranking female of the species, along with being the day-to-day head of state for the Mikaegeny. Following her are the Voices of the Highfather, the powerful political authorities assigned by the Highfather to represent his will in councils, gatherings, diplomacy, and public functions as required, as well as speaking on his behalf within political bodies the Highfather himself cannot spare the time to appear in person.

Though the Mikaegeny has no legislative body in the meaning as non-Mikaeans would understand it, it does possess a powerful body known as the Allkin; a governing council comprised of approximately five hundred members hailing from locations across the Mikaegeny. Unlike traditional legislative bodies, the Allkin's members fill a number of roles within the government, and may range from Voices, to ranking-sisters of the state, to powerful financial leaders assigned a seat by the Highfather to aid with economic policies. Elsewhere are the Rings of the Highfather, which are akin to the cabinet-level ministries and departments of other governments responsible for drawing up and executing state policies. These rings belong to a group of bodies known as "spheres", which are the foundations of the state and serve to help multiple rings coordinate on various directions on policy. Beneath the rings in terms of administrative power are coloumns, which are formed on an "as needed" basis, and serve a singular purpose designated by the Highfather.

Highfather
The Highfather of the Mikaeans is the individual within Mikaean civilization responsible for spawning all members of the species directly, and determining for them what fate they shall have in both life and death. Arguably the single-most powerful man on the planet, the Highfather directs his countless tens of millions of offspring through sheer force of will alone, shaping his children into whatever it is he has decided on a whim or fancy. Controlling the fate of these countless millions, however, is not something the average Highfather with a good heart views as trivial, with many taking a keen interest in bettering the lives of their daughters with the vast pools of resources at their disposal. The Highfather possesses the ultimate authority on all affairs taking place within his country; he owns the country and the people within it, and everything else that passes through his borders − from the wealth generated by his children in his name, to his children themselves who are deemed "physical property" of the Highfather, right down to each and every blade of grass from one coast clear to the other. Due to his primary role fathering and directing new and existing Mikaeans in the world, the Highfather's safety and well-being is deemed a biological imperative for all living Mikaeans, who will lay down their lives to ensure that his isn't threatened or taken at all.

As a rule, the Highfather wants for nothing, with his standard of living ensured by the countless millions of Mikaeans devoted to sustaining his way of life, and providing him with any luxuries or necessities he may desire. It has long been hypothesized that all of Mikaean civilization was in-fact a direct consequence of the Mikaeans drive to protect and provide for their father, establishing entire pillars of civilization devoted exclusively to the maintenance of their father's lifestyle. Mikaean civilization is thus, in a way, an extension of the Highfather and the person of the Highfather, whose individual influence shapes the very fabric of Mikaean society and psychology itself. Any change in his mood, his random quirks, and one-off desires, all shape the absolute nature of Mikaeans as a species. Because of this, predicting how the Mikaeans will behave at any given moment is often fraught with difficulty, as they are constantly adapting themselves to best fit the image their father desires, including their manner of dress, speaking, behavior, culture, society, and political activities, just to please the Highfather.

Interactions with the Highfather are rare, as he is constantly hidden away by his most powerful offspring who, out of necessity, keep him separated from the majority of his children and the outside world itself. It is mainly through the First Scion, the overall head of government for the Mikaegeny, that the will of the Highfather is expressed in action. She has regular contact with him, and unlike the rest of her sisters, her interactions with her father are also more personal, as is the case with any father-daughter relationships. Serving as his window into the rest of the world, the First Scion occupies herself with ensuring that the Highfather is happy with the state of affairs, and if not, aggressively shaping them to first his preferred vision. The Voices of the Highfather are also another group of Mikaeans who have regular contact with the Highfather. As their name would suggest, it is through these Voices that the Highfather directly influences affairs without having to overly rely upon the First Scion, though the First Scion does have some degree of control over who becomes a Voice as the screener for new candidates.

First Scion
The First Scion occupies a position of great honor and privilege, being the first or the eldest of the Highfather's existing offspring in the population. They are the most paramount and influential member of their society, having a swath of rights afforded to them as the eldest daughter of the Highfather and the first member of their spawned population. Regardless, the First Scion has near-absolute authority over all their siblings, and serve as the executive head for the day-to-day management of the Mikaegeny in their father's name. It is through them that the rest of the nation is governed, its officials appointed, legislative acts developed and passed with the Highfather's blessing, and major public works and policies initiated. To be the firstborn of the Highfather is to wield a level of power most humans could only imagine in their wildest fever dreams. However, naturally given their status as the firstborn of the Mikaegeny, the First Scion is subject to higher observation and disciplinary action, as they likewise hold the unique status in having regular personal contact with the Highfather, with whom they typically live and work with on a near-constant daily basis. Depending on the Highfather, any abuse of their power will likely result in punishment for the First Scion, which may include suspension of their powers or replacement from their role as the First Scion.

The First Scion appoints all Voices of the Mikaegeny with the Highfather's consultation and approval, with candidates typically recommended by the Allkin depending upon the circumstances related to their selection in the first place. It is likewise the responsibility of the First Scion to review all of the candidates presented before them by the various cliques of the Mikaegeny for the role of ringmaiden. The First Scion chairs all regular meetings of the Allkin as the traditional Voice of the Allkin, and has the power of veto over any legislation proposed by the Allkin in the event that the Highfather wishes to waive his right to pass laws unilaterally. This gives her wide-ranging powers and influence over the course and shape of new laws in the event she should be in the position to do so. However, how much she can truly shape these laws ultimately depends on the willingness of the Highfather to allow her to influence them, as he still has the final say in what laws are passed and in what form they are passed in. In spite of this, the First Scion is still the ultimate power-broker aside from the Highfather himself, as she personally controls who will be cleared to become a Voice or ringmaiden, what legislation is passed with allowed, and has the ability to influence the Highfather due to her direct contact with him on a regular basis.

Allkin
The Allkin is a special non-parliamentary advisory body that consists of the Circle of Voices and the Circle of Ringmaidens. All members of the Allkin are directly appointed by the Highfather, and serve at his leisure or until such point that she is ejected from the body an official request from the body she belongs too. The Allkin has no legislative power to pass or enforce laws, serving only as an advisory body that offers suggestions on laws that could be passed unilaterally by the Highfather, a right reserved solely for his station. This right may be waived by the Highfather and delegated to the Allkin to introduce and pass laws independently, but these proposed laws must pass before the Highfather before they become the law of the land. The office of Voice of the Allkin is a role traditionally reserved for the First Scion, the eldest child of the Highfather, and usually, the only other male in the Mikaean species in the incredibly rare event a son is born. However, due to other responsibilities the First Scion handles, the role of Voice of the Allkin is typically divided between five individuals, vetted and recommended by the First Scion and appointed directly by the Highfather.

The Allkin consists of two general bodies; the Circle of Voices and the Circle of Ringmaidens. The Circle of Voices consists of 30 members; twenty from the rings, six from the spheres, and four from the Allkin itself as appointed by the First Scion, and directly chaired by the First Scion as a non-member of the body. It has the most "real" power in the advisory body, as its members interact directly with the Highfather in person, and thus have the best opportunity to influence his opinion in person and decisions on policies and laws in question. It is through the Circle of Voices that the Highfather's wishes are relayed to the rings to be enforced. The Circle of Ringmaidens consists of 240 members, all of whom are members of the twenty rings of the governments. They have the least direct influence in advising the Highfather, serving more as pool of knowledge on affairs which can be consulted in open meetings with the more powerful voices, or in select gatherings with the Highfather himself on very specific topics. Sitting independently of both bodies are the twelve hierarchs of the Mikaegeny, who are the patriarchs of their respective clades and are by virtue of their status entitled to a seat on the Allkin.

Seating within the Allkin is assigned by seniority, with the youngest ringmaiden from a higher rank holding seniority over the oldest member of a lower rank. All of the first-ranked ringmaidens seat in the first two rows of the chamber, with the second-ranked ringmaidens seating in the rows just behind them. All of the third-ranked ringmaidens, the lowest ranking members of the Allkin, seat in the rows allocated to them in the rear of the chamber. The thirty voices of the Highfather occupy the front row seats in the chamber, directly across from the twelve hierarchs, who are seated in the front and center of the chamber's seating rows in the place of honor around the Highfather's own seat. Speaking in the Allkin likewise follows a seniority rule, with the eldest members of the body speaking first, followed by the younger members in the chamber. The hierarchs speak first, followed by the voices, and then the ringmaidens, with time allocated to each member based on their age within each of the listed groups. Any topics for discussion must be agreed upon by each of the rings during their own meetings, and the first member of that ring called upon to speak will introduce it on the floor of the Allkin.

Voices
The Voices of the Highfather are individuals granted the authority to speak on behalf of the Highfather, with a word from them being as if a word directly from the Highfather himself. Voices operate in groups known as spheres, bodies established to oversee the implementation of policies based on the vision of the Highfather and a direction he wishes to proceed in. These spheres consist of various rings, and it is the obligation of the voices to manage them based on their directives from the Highfather. Naturally, as they speak with their father's voice, a voice has an enormous amount of sway in the formation of new policies, and if particularly skilled or qualified in their given area, may even introduce new ideas into the policy to help impact that manner in which the Mikaegeny is shaped by her sphere. However, in spite of this authority, or more appropriately because of it, a voice does not operate in a vacuum by herself. All voices are assigned to spheres in groups of three or more, but always having a number of three members at the very least. This was introduced by the Highfather to place a check on the powers of the voices, and to prevent them from abusing their authority within the spheres. While it may be possible for one voice to go astray and abuse her authority, it is rare that all three would collaborate as a group to do so.

Voices selected from two groups of Mikaeans. The first and most obvious being from the ranks of the ringmaidens, who already possess an established history in the government and are skilled in the role that would require their services, such as trade, economics, political studies, and military training. The second source consists of Mikaeans outside of the government, recommended for their accomplishments in their field, or general competency in the field requiring their skills. Regardless of where they come from, they are located by the Sphere of the Talents, primarily through the efforts of the Ring of Voices, and screened by the ringmaidens before being passed on to the First Scion for a second screening. The First Scion is responsible for making the ultimate determination as to whether or not a Mikaean will be selected for the position, or denied the role based on some deficiency she found in the candidate. However, there is the chance that the Highfather may simply decide to circumvent his daughters, and directly appoint one or more to the position of voice should he will it. A voice serves for as long as the Highfather wills it, or being removed from the role by him upon the recommendation of the First Scion or the Allkin, the final decision to do so of course resting with him.

Spheres
Spheres are responsible for managing the broad policies of the Highfather, by coordinating the direction of several rings in a single unified direction. Spheres have no set size, and unlike the rings, are more temporary creations of the Highfather with heads appointed by him as necessary. A ring can be a party to multiple spheres, which help the members of the various rings develop a clear and cohesive strategy which to adhere across their numerous areas of operation. Each sphere is headed by a Voice assigned by the Highfather for the duration of the sphere's existence. As with all other government posts, there is no set limit on the number of voices that can head each sphere, with general practice being that they work together to carry out policy and directives from the Highfather.
 * Sphere of Family Affairs – The Sphere of Family Affairs manages all domestic level policies of the Mikaegeny, ranging from health services, welfare, creche maintenance, education, and social cohesion. It is the largest of the spheres, with its constituent rings being the Ring of Love, Ring of Truth, Ring of Faith, Ring of Knowledge, Ring of Creches, Ring of Daughters, Ring of Voices, Ring of Myriads, Ring of Wellbeing, and the Ring of Sheltering. The Highfather is not often directly involved with the day-to-day direction of the body unlike the Sphere of Household Preservation, due largely in part to his general belief that his children should be free to make their own life decision independent of his strict supervision. However, he does show up in person from time to time given the nature of the meetings relating to the development of his offspring as citizens, though the Highfather is content to assign the five Voices of Family Affairs to the body in his stead for most of the routine management.
 * Sphere of Household Preservation – The Sphere of Household Preservation is the body invested with the national security of the Mikaegeny. It is responsible for protecting Mikaeans at home and abroad, and countering foreign state and terrorist threats directed at the Mikaean family whenever and wherever they may materialize. The sphere consists of the Ring of Peace, Ring of Malice, Ring of Love, Ring of Truth, Ring of Discipline, and the Ring of Wellbeing, all of whom are directed by the five Voices of Household Preservation with a background in the military. The sphere has the unique distinction of coordinating directly with the Highfather, who will often be physically present for most of the meetings between the constituent rings. As such, the Sphere of Household Preservation has the honor of receiving its directives directly from the Highfather himself due to the nature of their work in protecting his offspring from physical harm. As such, foreign governments are well aware that any policies instituted by this sphere are in line with the true thoughts and intentions of the elusive Highfather of the Mikaeans.
 * Sphere of Trade and Finance – The Sphere of Trade and Finance is responsible for directing state policy regarding the economy of the Mikaegeny, and securing the exports and imports of the state through diplomatic means. It is comprised of the Ring of Peace, Ring of Wealth, Ring of Resources, Ring of Agriculture, and the Ring of Exchange, all of which manage the financial and material resources of the Mikaegeny. The rings coordinate their efforts to ensure that the gross national product of the country grows in accordance with the needs of the state, and that foreign offers of trade and financial investment are managed in a rational and productive manner. There are three Voices of Trade and Finance, each directly appointed by the Highfather to represent him in his stead. As with all of the voices in the government, all three are required to have a background in finance and economists so as to ensure that they are knowledgeable of the subjects related to the meetings.
 * Sphere of the Talents – The Sphere of the Talents is responsible for studying, fleshing out, and disseminating information related to science, the arts, faith, and general education for the Mikaean population. It consists of the Ring of Truth, Ring of Faith, Ring of Knowledge, Ring of Mysteries, and Ring of Daughters, which collectively study and distribute educational materials to the Mikaeans to ensure that they are fully knowledgeable of any information related to the natural sciences and the arts. The body was created by the Highfather with the intent of helping his children understand more about the world around them, and brush away any ignorance they once possessed as a people. Given the fact that most Mikaeans are less than a decade or two in age, and number in the tens of millions with more born everyday, the aim of educating all of them more or less equally was deemed an arduous goal that would require the full force of the government and the resources of the country. To that end, the Highfather established the sphere and has since appointed three Voices with a background in the sciences and academia to the body to help educate his children.
 * Sphere of the House – The Sphere of the House is the sphere tasked with maintaining the infrastructure, power grid, and resource management of the country. It consists of the Ring of Wealth, Ring of Creches, Ring of Myriads, Ring of Resources, Ring of Infrastructure, Ring of Sheltering, and Ring of Energy, making it the second-largest of the five spheres. Whereas the Sphere of Trade and Finance is concerned with developing and profiting from infrastructure and resources, the Sphere of the House is solely concerned with maintaining, constructing, and expanding existing infrastructure in the Mikaegeny. The sphere likewise manages the manpower resources of the country, mobilizing the vast amounts of workers necessary to carry out the large public works required to keep the fatherland functional. The body is overseen by five Voices appointed by the Highfather, who are skilled in civil engineering and architecture, and coordinate with the various rings on building codes and regulations beneficial for the general population.
 * Sphere of Understanding – The Sphere of Understanding is the youngest of the six spheres of the Mikaegeny, tasked with the search for knowledge and truth in the world and the things beyond. The body consists of the Ring of Faith, Ring of Knowledge, and the Ring of Mysteries, making it the smallest of all the spheres. The body was established by the Highfather for the explicit goal of pooling together the intellectual resources of the three rings, and organizing them in such a manner that they could coordinate their research efforts to answer the questions of life that evaded common understanding. Unlike the Sphere of the Talents, the Sphere of Understanding has a purely research-driven mandate, and have little to do with the education of Mikaeans beyond writing and publishing the material they might one day be studying based on the latter's research and findings. The sphere is headed by three Voices who have backgrounds in science, teaching, and theology, have the responsibility of signing off on scientific papers issued by the state on behalf of the Highfather.

Organization
A ring is a government council that takes the place of a minister or secretary in the executive organs of the Mikaean government. Each member is known as a ringmaiden, who is appointed to the council either by the Highfather, or through an election of her future peers from a list of candidates created by the First Scion or the Voices of the ring, and approved by the Highfather. These rings always consist of twelve ringmaidens in total, divided into three sections based on the ages of the ringmaidens. The purpose of the organization of the ring to to highlight the equality of all members of the body, indicating the fact that all of them are sisters and daughters of the same Highfather, and thus none are any greater or lesser than the other. All ringmaidens have the same voice regardless of age, and all vote equally ensuring that all members are involved. The number twelve is venerated as the month of December, the month of the Highfather's birth, and the fact that it provides a reasonable number of ranked members to the ring, allowing for a plurality of opinions and viewpoints for decision-making. All ring meetings are approximately one hour in length at a minimum, increasing only by one hour each as necessary. This allows for a rigid process to take place to allow a topic of discussion to receive thorough debate and investigation by ringmaidens, and for a vote to take place quickly and fairly, ensuring that a decision is reached by the end of the meeting. Once a decision is reached by the ring, the herald for the ring is summoned and officially briefed on the body's decision. She is then dispatched to the Highfather to inform him of the vote and request his blessing to proceed along the agreed direction. Once his approval has been attained, the ring will break to proceed with the implementation of the new policy.
 * First-ranked: First-ranked ringmaidens of the ring are the four oldest members of the body. They are the first to speak and the first to vote during meetings, and are the only members selected from within the ring to speak to the Highfather or the Allkin (the legislature) in an official capacity on a rotating basis. First-ranked ringmaidens can propose policy, lodge complaints with the Voices assigned to their ring, represent their ring within a high-level sphere meeting, and request that a member of the ring be censured or removed from the body as necessary. They wear a gold "F" representing the word "first" in light of their status.
 * Second-ranked: Second-ranked ringmaidens of the ring are the four middle-aged members of the body. They are second to speak and vote, and have the responsibility of coordinating operations and facilitating communication with the other rings of the government. They chair the lower-level columns under the jurisdiction of their ring, present reports on the progress of their assigned policies to the Allkin, and may serve as representatives of their ring to general meetings of a sphere. They wear a silver "S" representing the word "second" in light of their status.
 * Third-ranked: Third-ranked ringmaidens of the ring are the youngest members of the body. They have the least political power within the ring, and are the last to voice their thoughts and vote during meetings. Members of this group are responsible for representing the ring in an official capacity during regular policy meetings, coordinating task with minor government officials, and auditing the clerks of their columns as required. They generally operating as deputies to the second-ranked ringmaidens or chairs to the smaller and less noteworthy bodies of a ring. They wear a bronze "T" representing the word "third" in light of their status.
 * Twenty-four (24) minutes; six minutes allotted to each group, two minutes for each speaker to present argument or information
 * Ten (10) minutes; break from speaking session and time to review and digest information among respective groups
 * Fourteen (14) minutes; open floor debate between all ringmaidens and further coordination among the ranking members
 * Nine (9) minutes; each group allotted three minutes each to read notes and group decisions before the rest of the ring
 * Three (3) minutes; final vote is held and tallied and the herald for the ring is summoned and debriefed on the ultimate decision

List of rings
There are twenty rings in the government of the Mikaegeny, each tasked with overseeing different sections of the state. They are in order of precedence:
 * Ring of Peace – The Ring of Peace is responsible for the management of foreign affairs for the Mikaegeny and the foreign policy of the state.
 * Ring of Malice – The Ring of Malice is the body tasked with governing the Soldiery of the Mikaegeny and the national security of the country.
 * Ring of Love – The Ring of Love is the internal affairs body of the Mikaegeny responsible for caring for the needs of the Mikaean population.
 * Ring of Truth – The Ring of Truth is responsible for filtering all content entering the Mikaegeny and ensuring only what the Highfather approves of enters the country.
 * Ring of Faith – The Ring of Faith manages all churches within the Mikaegeny, and provides the clergy members necessary for the state religion to operate.
 * Ring of Discipline – The Ring of Discipline is responsible for managing judicial affairs and enforcing standards of behavior passed by the Highfather.
 * Ring of Knowledge – The Ring of Knowledge is responsible for managing all schools and their curriculum, and paying their teachers.
 * Ring of Mysteries – The Ring of Mysteries is tasked with sponsoring research initiatives and securing R&D funding for the country's academia.
 * Ring of Wealth – The Ring of Wealth is responsible for the management of the state coffers, minting and printing of currency, the regulation of banks, and collection of taxes.
 * Ring of Creches – The Ring of Creches is responsible for the management of all creches within the Mikaegeny, as well as the well-being of its offspring and caretakers.
 * Ring of Daughters – The Ring of Daughters is the body tasked with interacting with Mikaean citizens and ensuring that their needs and concerns are properly relayed to government officials.
 * Ring of Voices – The Ring of Voices is the body responsible for helping procure additional voices for the government, as well as securing and distributing resources they need to govern well.
 * Ring of Myriads – The Ring of Myriads is the body responsible for the management of labor in the Mikaegeny, and the oversight of public projects benefiting the state.
 * Ring of Resources – The Ring of Resources is the body responsible for the oversight of the Mikaean power grid, mining facilities, and strategic resources in the Mikaegeny.
 * Ring of Wellbeing – The Ring of Wellbeing is the body responsible for the healthcare of the Mikaean population and the management of medical standards and facilities through the Mikaegeny.
 * Ring of Agriculture – The Ring of Agriculture is the body responsible for land management regulations and subsidies to protect Mikaean farmers and livestock.
 * Ring of Infrastructure – The Ring of Infrastructure is the body responsible for managing national infrastructural works and proposals throughout the country.
 * Ring of Sheltering – The Ring of Sheltering is responsible for the construction, maintenance, and management of all housing throughout the Mikaegeny.
 * Ring of Exchange – The Ring of Exchange is responsible for the encouragement and management of commercial activities and economic growth in the country.
 * Ring of Energy – The Ring of Energy is responsible for the maintenance of the Mikaegeny's power-grid, as well as the safekeeping of its nuclear power technologies.

Columns
Columns are ad hoc governmental institutions established for a singular goal or purpose in mind. They are rarely founded as permanent institutions, though a handful have managed to survive in their current form for centuries, and are not given a permanent set of members in the same fashion as a ring or a sphere. Rather, members from various rings and institutions throughout the government may be assigned to the body by the Highfather or an authorized Voice on a permanent or temporary basis. Columns function as offices tasked with managing very narrow or specifically-designed tasks within the ring they belong to. For example, within the Ring of Creches is the Column of the Caretakers, which is responsible for the training and compensation of creche caretakers. Columns exist only for as long as they are required, and dissolved and its officials reassigned once the cited goal has been reached or discontinued.

Quotes

 * "What we know we teach (Ring of Knowledge; education); what we fear we seek to understand (Ring of Mysteries; research)."
 * "One half of our sisters sleep peacefully because the other half stand ready to use violence on their behalf."

=Judiciary=

Disciplinariate
The Disciplinariate of the Highfather is the overall judicial body within the Mikaegeny. It is a unique organization in that it controls both the courts and the police forces, provides judges and lawyers, maintains the prison system, and possesses the sole right to enforce the law in the country by right of the Highfather himself.

It consists of the following bodies:
 * Highfather's Adjudicators – The Adjudicators interpret the law of the Highfather, and pass rulings which are enforced by all courts.
 * Wardens of the Highfather – The Wardens apprehend fugitives, operate the prison system, and execute dangerous criminals unilaterally.
 * Mikaean Security Forces – The MSF enforces the law, arrests criminals, and ensures domestic security throughout the Mikaegeny.

Adjudicators
As with the rest of the Mikaean government, there is no singular head of the Disciplinariate, with power divided amongst a single large group of justices who determine a course of action as a body. These individuals are known as the Adjudicators, of which there are thirteen in total, all of whom are directly appointed by the Highfather to serve as the chief judges of the Mikaean population. The adjudicators differ from the justices of other nations, in that they do not interpret the law of the Highfather, but rather they carry out the very wording of the law without question. The primary role of the body is less to interpret laws, but to administer the existing court system within the Mikaegeny, and provide direction on judicial affairs and policies to the lesser courts throughout the country.

Law enforcement

 * Regulators — Regulators are law enforcement personnel who specialize in anti-corruption operations and infiltration of communes to collect information on state maids operating in the community and reporting on their activities to the Disciplinariate. They are an organization which terrifies nearly all members of the population within a commune, and are as close to a secret police as the tightly-knit Mikaeans can get. No one knows with any certainty, aside from a commune's law enforcement head, the names and faces of the regulators currently operating within a commune, and fear the potential of doing anything that may see them targeted for "disciplinary action". They follow all members of the commune's leadership, attend any and all public meetings held on the subject of governance within a community, and secretly listen in to any council meetings; information that only the Matron of Discipline for the commune knows about. When their duties require them to operate in a public capacity, all regulators will were black masks to obscure their identity, and have full liberty to kill or incapacity any and all witnesses to their actions if the need calls for it.

=Governance=

Structure
A stewardess circle is a seven-member council with wide-ranging authority to manage the needs and resources of its circuit in accordance with the policies outlined by the clique they belong to. Unlike the lower-level bodies within the circuit, a stewardess circle has the power to formulate policies with the goal of accomplishing the goals assigned to it by the clique government. Urban planning, law enforcement, tax collection, provision of public services, and healthcare, are all entrusted into the power of the stewardess circle of the circuit. The circle consists of seven individuals all of whom are assigned a cardinal title such as "First", "Second", and "Third" Stewardess, and are experts within the field they have been selected to oversee as part of their commission within the circle. They are in order of precedence: the circuit coordinator, circuit mediator, chief of police, chief attorney, comptroller, circuit religious head, and state archivist; all accordingly the First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Stewardesses. The First, Fourth, Fifth, and Seventh Stewardesses are directly elected by the residents of the circuit, while the Third and Sixth Stewardesses are directly appointed by the clique legislature. The Second Stewardess is elected by the matronic councils of the circuit's various communes, as she will be responsible for mediating and settling disputes between them, thus necessitating that an individual trusted by the elder members of the circuit is selected for the office.

A matronic council consists of a number of high-ranking coterie heads from within their commune, elected to serve as the body of elders for the commune responsible for adopting bylaws and directing local policies. The council is as large as the number of constituent cadres within the commune, meaning that every council will vary in size based on the population and physical size of their commune. Members of the body are selected by an indirect vote, in which each cadre's vestal assembly – comprised of the heads of all coteries within their cadre – will nominate and vote for candidates from among their number to send to the matronic council. All other Mikaeans within the commune are barred from voting in the election, ensuring that only the eldest and most experienced members of the commune have a say in who will be responsible for managing the commune's needs. This organization based on age hearkens all the way back to ancient Mikaean history, during which time the inability of the Highfather to personally direct all of his offspring simultaneously meant that he had to delegate responsibilities to the individual communes throughout his lands. As a consequence of this allowance, communes were invested with a degree of autonomy within their circuits to address local needs as necessary with resources allotted to them by the superior authorities of the circuit. By allowing the eldest members – and thus the most experienced living Mikaeans in that community – to address those needs, issues could be resolved quickly and efficiently.

Vestal assemblies are large advisory bodies for cadres consisting of hundreds of members, all of whom are heads of all the participating coteries within the area. These assemblies have no administrative authority, and only serve the purpose of advising the higher level matron council of the cadre on matters of zoning, communal budgeting, local policing, and voicing the concerns of the residents. Participation in a vestal assembly is entirely voluntary, and hundreds of coterie heads throughout a cadre attend the meetings out of a sense of civic duty to their sisters to ensure the needs of the district are properly address. However, given the vast differences in the size of a cadre's population depending on its location and geography, there is typically an upper limit on the number of participants per session. Often, the maximum number of participants allowed to attend a session of the assembly is set at about four hundred individuals, with seats allotted on a "first come, first served" basis; though some communes and cadres have adopted a rotating seat system in which coterie heads are allowed to participant based on their record of attendance and activities in the community. This allows a cadre to ensure seats aren't dominated by a particular coterie and that other coteries have a chance to address their concerns at the next vestal assembly. Regardless, all seats within the body are rotated on a yearly basis, with full participation by all coteries allowed on a voluntary basis or limited by size should the need arise for such.

=Administrative divisions=

Clade
Clades are the largest subdivisions of the Mikaegeny, consisting of a patriarch and all of his offspring, as well as all of the territories allowed him by the Highfather. A clade is semi-autonomous in that the patriarch is permitted to govern his affairs as he sees fit, and maintain a culture and society according to his customs without interference from the Highfather or his agents throughout the Mikaegeny. Clades likewise possess their own security forces, taxes, and laws, operating in a manner similar to sovereign nations within their own foreign and domestic policies independent from the will of the Highfather. However, it is expected that a patriarch will abide by the will of the Highfather in matters of common defense of the Mikaegeny, a largely unified foreign policy, and shared tax burdens which benefit the Mikaegeny as a whole. This aside, clades are permitted to resolve disputes with one another via diplomacy or by force of arms, but only to a point to ensure that the unity of the Mikaegeny is not compromised by the infighting of the patriarchs, all of which remain beholden to the will of the Highfather.

Circuit
Circuits are the second-highest administrative divisions within the Mikaegeny, spanning an section of land consisting of several communes.

Commune
A commune is the highest administrative division governed solely by female Mikaeans. It consists of all cadres within a specific geographical or administrative region, and is the smallest governmental body the patriarchs will directly interact with on a routine basis. The commune has a broad scope of power, as it is responsible for providing the bulk of the services needed at the local level, managing the operation and furnishing the funding for public facilities, providing legal services, paying and directing law enforcement within its jurisdiction, and overseeing the education of the permanent residents. Communes have no set number of cadres as their borders are set directly by the patriarchs based on urban, rural, economic, and political consideration. The leadership circle for a commune consists of seven individuals, some elected and other appointed, but all hailing from the same commune and usually of the same age group. All members of the circle are given double or triple rations, receive an allowance from their patriarch in addition to their trade or occupation, and receive a badge of office to indicate their status within their commune. It is organized as follows:
 * First Voice − The First Voice is the chairperson responsible for calling meetings, putting forth agendas, and managing the day-to-day affairs of the circle. She is elected to a single two-year term, and must hold the rank of matron within a coterie for approximately five years to qualify for the office. Along with other Mikaeans seeking office within the circle, the aspirant must pass a preliminary vote within the commune to join a shortlist of candidates who will be vetted by the authorities of her resident circuit. After this step, she and her opponents will go before the all-male governing body of the circuit to be interviewed and authorized to run for election within the commune. Following the election, the First Voice is regarded as the "first among equals" in the circle, being afforded no official special rank or status for her new title. What she can do, however, is utilize her new privileges to regularly interact with the governing council of her circuit on matters concerning her commune, and may also request two direct meetings per year with her father, the patriarch and leader of the clique. The First Voice may propose ordinances, control agendas, call meetings, and most importantly, veto any vote by her sisters in the circle should she see the need for it. This ability to control what topics are discussed and when meetings take place, is where the power of the First Voice comes into play, as she can directly shape what issues are brought to the attention of the commune's governing council. Because of her wide-ranging authority within the commune, the First Voice is often under constant supervision by the Third Voice, who keeps her in check, and secretly reports to the secret to the questioners assigned to the commune.
 * Second Voice − The Second Voice is the commune's mediator and negotiator, helping to resolve everything from land disputes, legal battles, social ills between her sisters, fellow communes, and the patriarchal government itself. The Second Voice is often directly appointed by the patriarch of the household itself depending on the size and importance of the commune, or the role may be filled on the recommendation of the local governing body of the local circuit instead. Regardless, the role itself holds great authority, as the voice speaks on behalf of not just the commune's leadership, but the patriarch who appointed her to the position. She works to prevent conflicts between communes, helps to advise her circle of their father's position and thinking on an issue, and provides details on the status of prior arrangements with other polities that may be in conflict with proposed legislation. The Second Voice carries a wide degree of authority as she has the rare privilege to interact regularly with her father, receiving instructions directly from him on matters of great importance, and reporting back to the commune's circle. Due to her status as a mediator speaking with the authority of a patriarch, her word can be counted as having come directly from him, and an attack on her is the same as having attacked the person of the local patriarch himself. Anything spoken of by the Second Voice on behalf of the patriarch of their clique, automatically and permanently overrides anything decided within the commune, serving as a check on the powers of the First and Third Voices.
 * Third Voice − The Third Voice is the head of all law enforcement within her commune, the management of the local prison system if one exists, and reporting on the crime levels in her area as needed. To qualify for the position, a Mikaean must have reached the age of twenty and have previously served in the Soldiery of the Mikaegeny for a total of five years. Unlike all of the voices of the circle, the Third Voice is directly appointed by her patriarch, usually on the recommendation of the Second Voice who meets with him regularly. The Third Voice is viewed as incorruptible, iron-fisted, and governed by a set of rules and morals the patriarchs set out for their daughters. She provides legal advice to the residents of the commune, informing residents of new laws and regulations, and directing the arrest and prosecution of any Mikaeans within her jurisdiction. The Third Voice is required to wear a uniform or a badge of office indicating her station, and serves for as long as her patriarch desires. Usually, the Third Voice will carry a baton of some sort, denoting her ability to use force against her sisters if they fail to fall in line and obey the edicts of their father. Uniquely, the Third Voice knows the name of each and every Mikaean within her commune, as well as their age, rank, and occupation, and coordinates with the security forces to ensure the security within the commune. Likewise, she knows the identity of all the questioners responsible for rooting out corruption within the commune.
 * Fourth Voice − The Fourth Voice is the legal representative of a commune responsible for standing before the patriarchs, local authorities, resident Mikaeans, and follow commune circles, on behalf of her own commune and the circle she belongs too. Because of the administrative needs of a commune on a daily basis, the role of the Fourth Voice was established to provide a face other Mikaeans seeking to address the circle could interact with regularly. If the Third Voice is the enforcer of the commune, the Fourth Voice is the commune's middleman. All legal inquiries, business transactions, and government summoning demands must go through the Fourth Voice, granting her an immense degree of political power. Naturally, the Fourth Voice is trained in law, and generally has served in a legal practice for a period of time before being considered for the position. Being able to interact with her sisters effectively is widely regarded as a must, and her ability to adapt to new circumstances vital for negotiations between communes vital to her future success and ability to hold the office. As with all of the other circle members, she is elected to a single two-year term, and must be in good standing with the circuit leadership to be authorized to stand for the general election. She is also responsible for overseeing the management of all public functions and formal meetings within the commune which require guidance from the circle of the commune.
 * Fifth Voice − The Fifth Voice is the commune's financial administrator, managing all of its financial resources, distribution of state-provided rations and clothing, collection of taxes, and payment of salaries. The office of Fifth Voice is jealously guarded by the circle, as all of the needs of the residents from food to money to housing must pass through the hands of whoever occupies the station. Any Mikaean seeking to fill the role must pass stringent background checks and thorough interviews to qualify for the position. The candidate must be literate, hold a degree in business, finance, or civil engineering, or have held a role as a manager of logistics or business management for approximately ten years. Consequently, the Fifth Voice is often the most highly-educated member of her circle, and in most cases, her entire commune. By necessity, the Fifth Voice is under constant surveillance by the Third Voice. Any discrepancies within the budget and inventories of the commune are immediately investigated by the Third Voice and reported to the questioners, and the Fifth Voice is brought before the circle leadership to account for the discrepancies in the finances. If found guilty of thief, bribery, or incompetence, the Fifth Voice is stripped of her rank and office, and expelled from the commune for life.
 * Sixth Voice − The Sixth Voice is the religious head for the commune, tasked with managing the religious assets of the commune and its clergy members, and shepherding her faithful flock in the name of her god and her father. She is directly appointed by the patriarch of her clique, who selects her based on her years of service, knowledge of religious teachings, and status within the faith as a spiritual leader based on reports from the commune's parishioners. It is the Sixth Voice's responsibility to look after the spiritual needs of the Mikaeans within her commune, teach the clerics how to conduct their work, and to serve as a moderating influence alongside the Second Voice in preventing an escalating of infighting or violence in the community. The Sixth Voice is highly-respected by her peers and subordinates, as she is often very accessible to all Mikaeans in the commune, who regularly look to her for guidance on matters of great personal importance, or aiding them during times of mental and emotional crisis. Traditionally, candidates for the office of Sixth Voice hail exclusively from Mikaeans with a theological education, and who have achieved the rank of prioress within their ecclesiastical district. Unlike the other voices, the Sixth Voices serves at the pleasure of the local patriarch.
 * Seventh Voice − The Seventh Voice is the commune's chief archivist, recording, managing, and maintaining all of the personal and statistical information on all of the residents of the commune in meticulous detail. Often regarded as the most junior of the seven voices, the Seventh Voice by all accounts one of the most important members of the circle, as she is responsible for tracking and recording the lives of all Mikaeans within her jurisdiction that would normally be kept by traditional human nuclear families. Names, ranks, titles, dates of spawning and transfer to the commune and between coteries, service in the military, criminal records, and religious activities are all the domain of the Seventh Voice. Due to the vast size of the family she is apart of, the Seventh Voice has to archive all of the minute details of all Mikaeans to provide to the government, as many patriarchs are keen on the well-being of their children, and actively go through the records collected by the Seventh Voice. Consequently, attention to detail and a good eye are prerequisites for those selected for the job. All candidates must have an education in statistics and mathematics, and must demonstrate their ability to record information quickly, accurately, and concisely before they are even considered for the position. Flawed or fabricated records are grounds for termination from the position.

Cadre
Cadres are administrative divisions which...

Each cadre is governed by a body known as a vestal assembly, consisting of some four or five hundred matrons and archmaidens from the coteries which comprise the population of the cadre. The vestal assembly has no true political authority, instead operating as a sort of community forum within which local concerns are voiced and addressed by the assembly using the combined resources of the coteries within the body. Furthermore, petitions from the cadre can be drawn up and addressed to the higher authorities of the area for support in resolving matters beyond the influence or capacity of the cadre to resolve.

Coterie
A coterie is the smallest social unit within Mikaean society, operating as their equivalent to the human nuclear family. Consisting of approximately fourteen members at the largest, coteries serve as the basic foundational building blocks of Mikaean civilization, without which it would rapidly crumble. Coteries are lead by an individual known as a matron, who is an elder Mikaean with the right assigned by the state to serve as the principal guardian to other Mikaeans. Beneath her is a Mikaean known as a guardian, who serves as her deputy and assists her in the day-to-day management of the coterie. The guardian is typically a mature Mikaean who has a record of good and productive behavior within her community, and had recently served as a keeper, the next tier within a coterie. Keepers play the role "big sister" within their coteries, looking out for their younger sisters and providing for them financially, materially, emotionally, and physically. Wards are the youngest members of the coterie, have the least responsibilities and consequently no authority. Their only job in life at that point is to live and learn from their elder sisters, do as they're told, and be obedient members of society until they are old enough to become a keeper.
 * Matron (1) − The matron is the undisputed head of her coterie, making all of the important decisions and having the final say on any financial, physical, and spiritual decisions involving her sisters within the unit. Responsible for the care and rearing of all Mikaeans within the coterie, the role of matron is a weighty one that isn't taken lightly. Serving as the primary maternal figure recognizable to the Mikaeans within their deeply-patriarchal species, a matron guides her younger sisters with the goal of ensuring that they become productive members of society and are well-balanced adults. Becoming a matron is a difficult task that is controlled very strictly by the state to ensure that all of the Highfather's children are placed in a good home where they will flourish into capable adults. To qualify as a matron, a Mikaean must present an application to the Ring of Daughters, with proof of income, residence, qualifications, and have attained the age of majority within her clique. Following this, she must pass a background check, pass an entry interview with an agent from the Ring of Daughters, and following all of these steps, must obtain an interview with her father or one of his Voices to obtain approval for the establishment of a new coterie. Should he be so included to do so, he will approve of the request, and the new matron will be assigned a randomly-selected surname by the state from a list of approved surnames, and escorted to the creche she was spawned in to receive her first wards. The entire process from start to finish lasts for a period of up to a year, during which time the candidate's behavior, activities, finances, and interactions with her sisters are closely monitored by the state, to develop a psychological profile for their records, and determine her suitability to serve as a matron for other Mikaeans.
 * Guardian (1) − The coterie guardian is a senior Mikaean, typically younger than the matron herself, who serves as the matron's deputy and assistant in the management of the coterie. She is typically responsible for the overall day-to-day affairs of her coterie, which include handling of the finances, management of the coterie's home, enforcing discipline among its members, and the delegation of chores and responsibilities. These tasks are all done with the goal of alleviating much of the pressure of overseeing the needs of the coterie from the matron, who has a wide number of jobs she must handle herself, limiting her capacity to see to the needs of the coterie full-time. As such, the guardian's primary role is to take as much work out of the hands of the matron as possible to ensure the coterie's head member is capable of raising her wards as functioning members of society, as well as providing for its financial and emotional needs as is her duty. Among the many duties of the guardian, the maintenance of her coterie's records is among the most important, as she must also work with the Circle of Daughters to provide up-to-date information on the health and living conditions of the wards in the care of their matron. In the event something should happen to the matron, it is the responsibility of the guardian to replace her. Indeed, most matrons throughout the Mikaean society were at one point guardians themselves, and established a record of competent coterie management that aided them in establishing coteries of their own with the approval of the patriarchal government.
 * Keeper (3) − Keepers are the second-lowest ranked members of a matronic coterie, yet serve as one of the most important members in the unit. Whereas the matron leads and provides for the coterie, and the guardian supports the matron in that role, it falls upon the keepers to ensure that their younger ward sisters are well-rounded individuals capable of being an asset to society rather than menace or a liability. Out of all the coterie's members, it is the keeper who serves as the most influential person within the formative years of a Mikaean. They eat, sleep, and play together with their wards, and serve as the primary guiding influence within the lives of the youngest members in the coterie. They provide protection against the whatever threats a ward may encounter, attend to their wards emotional and physical needs, and help provide insight as to how to develop into a mature member of society. With the exception of the matron, a keeper is about as close to a maternal figure as the Mikaeans can comprehend, though keepers function more in the way of nurturing older sibling whom the younger sibling seek to emulate and idolize in their lives. In spite of this impactful influence, because of the transitory nature of the matronic coterie, Mikaeans view their familial units as fluid structures that grant validity and value to all of its members. They understand that the bond between a keeper and her wards is a purely temporary one, and though they will always cherish and remember the keeper who raised them, Mikaeans as a whole adhere to the belief that such sentiment should not replace the degree to which they display love and attachment to the rest of their sisters as they enter into a maiden coterie upon reaching the age of majority.
 * Ward (9) − Wards are the most numerous members of a matronic coterie, and while the lowest-ranking members of said coterie, they are by far the most important as the entire institution of the matronic coterie exists to help bring them into Mikaean society as independent adults of the population. After completing the first year of their upbringing in the creches, where they are taught how to read, write, and speak, wards are adopted into one of the quarter million or so matronic coteries of the nation. The wards are assigned to a clade by the state, or a matronic coterie will make known their ability to take on a new group of wards to begin the five-year long process of raising them into physically, mentally, and emotionally-developed Mikaeans. Every matronic coterie is assigned up to nine wards, all of which are divided into groups of three with a keeper responsible for looking after their needs and serving as their mentors and caretakers. While all Mikaeans emerge from the creches as physical adults, on a mental and emotional level, and in many ways a physical level, Mikaean youth are not fully-developed, and are not considered "legal adults" in the eyes of the Mikaean government until the age of six, at which point their ward status is terminated and they are free to join a maiden coterie.