The Empire of Metamor

 

Formal Name: Imperial Union of Metamor and Allied Nations
Abbreviation: EoM
Capital: Metamor City
Government Type: Constitutional monarchy (metropole with subordinate peripheral states)
Chief of State: Majestrix Kyia, 989-1000 (regent), 1000-present (Majestrix)

The Empire of Metamor is the largest nation on Earth, occupying most of the western half of the continent of Galendor. It is slightly larger than the combined areas of North America and Greenland on our own Earth. A constitutional monarchy, the Empire is run by a combination of democratically-elected parliamentary assemblies and unelected Avatars, all overseen by the immortal and benevolent Majestrix Kyia, the Spirit of Metamor.

SYMBOLOGY

The flag of the Empire of Metamor is divided into three broad vertical stripes, white bounded on either side by medium blue. In the center of the white field are three fairly large yellow, three-pointed stars, arranged in an equilateral triangular pattern with one point facing up.

The national colors of the Empire are traditionally taken to be the three colors of the flag: blue, white and gold. These colors appear extensively in patriotic regalia, though the members of the peripheral provinces often show a marked preference for their provincial colors.

ORGANIZATION

Unlike many political entities that have been called “Empires” in SF and fantasy fiction, Metamor is a true empire; i.e., it is a coalition of countries with diverse ethnic or cultural backgrounds, in which one country (the metropole) controls and directs the operations of the other countries (the peripheries). The imperial system has nothing to do with tyranny or dictatorship; many empires in RL Earth history have grown from metropoles that had some degree of representative government (e.g., Athens, Rome, Great Britain). So it is with the Empire of Metamor.

The metropole in the EoM is, of course, the Kingdom of Metamor itself (also known as Metamor proper). Metamor’s national sovereignty is invested in the monarch, Majestrix Kyia, who delegates power and authority to the agencies beneath her.

The Metamorian government is divided into three branches: legislative (headed by the Senate), executive (headed by the Cabinet) and judicial (headed by the High Court). All of these branches derive their authority from Kyia herself, and she could dissolve or reform them at any time if she chose to do so (though common law tradition demands that she receive the approval of the peerage, the Metamorian nobility, before making any drastic changes in the organization of the government).

The peripheries are provinces that were incorporated into the Empire by treaty or national plebiscite at various times in the past. Each of these provinces has its own legislative, executive and judicial branches, with their own traditions and their own systems of common law. There are currently eighteen crown provinces, which are governed by immortal Avatars chosen by Kyia, and three viceroyalties, which are governed by members of the fallen pantheon who joined the Empire by treaty. The empire also has several protectorates, which it defends from outside attack but does not claim as part of its territory; these include Inu Lutinaka, the homeland of the lutins, and The Rift, a dangerously magic-heavy zone on the continent of Irombi that inadvertently created during the last world war.

MAP

The political map below shows the boundaries and capitals of the provinces and territories of the Empire (dark purple), as well as the other nations on the continent of Galendor.

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