Seprum government

The government of Seprum has two parts: the emperor and the senate. Historically, emperors have been served by three hands, who offer advice and ensure the emperor's will is enacted. The senate has one seat for each high-born ars in Seprum, and each seat gets one vote. At any time, if eighty percent of the senate revokes support from the emperor, they can depose the current emperor and select a new one. The senate also has veto power over treaties and alliances.

## Hands

### Roles

Each hand has a unique role under the emperor. The black hand, often called Dex, or "general," commands the emperor's armed forces and oversees training, especially at the three academies where all high-born families must send at least one child each generation or lose their senate seat. The position of black hand is oldest of the three, instituted before the fall of Hellen to streamline command and control in the Seprum army. The black hand has never been a woman and is almost always a man.

The grey hand is responsible for prisoners, traitors, and rebels. In recent years, grey hands have also assassinated political enemies for the emperor. Because the position is almost always held by a woman, it is not in line for the throne; if the emperor and black hand die, the silver hand inherits.

The newest position, silver hand, is generally wifere. They oversee tattooing, the spiral tower, and mage training; offer the black hand advice when fighting enemy spiros or ciphromancers; and help the grey hand keep ciphra prisoners.

Hands serve at the pleasure of the emperor. If, at any time, the emperor no longer requires their services, they can be relieved or killed.

### Succession

Technically, any hand can be tapped directly by the emperor and few would resist. However, traditionally, the black hand is chosen through a contest of physical strength and strategic cunning, open to any graduates of the three academies. If a new silver hand is needed, the highest-ranking spiros in the bureaucracy come together and suggest one or two names to the emperor. The grey hand, however, is chosen directly by the emperor.

## Succession

### Emperor Manius the Great: 110 PS - 86 PS

Cause of death: killed in battle

Black hand: Cicero "Dex" Auriga

### Emperor Aelius: 86 PS - 79 PS

Cause of death: killed during the first siege of Hellen

Black hand: Cicero "Dex" Auriga and Claudius Cetus

### Emperor Felix: 79 PS - 73 PS

Cause of death: assassinated by Iannos Apitis

Black hand: Claudius Cetus

Grey hand: Augusta "Remex" Vesnia

### Emperor Caeso the Just: 73 PS - 67 PS

Cause of death: suicide due to grief

Black hand: Nautilus Canis

Grey hand: Augusta "Remex" Vesnia

### Emperor Nautilus: 67 PS - 60 PS

Cause of death: natural causes

Black hand: Gaius Scorpius

Grey hand: Aspasia "Artifex" Agmen

### Emperor Gaius the Conquerer: 60 PS - 42 PS

Cause of death: natural causes, suspected poisoning

Black hand: Helvius "Anguis" Torcana

Grey hand: Aspasia "Artifex" Agmen and Alexis Acrux

### Emperor Gaius II: 42 PS - 21 PS

Cause of death: liver sickness

Black hand: Helvius "Anguis" Torcana and Ambrose Cygnus

Grey hand: Aristomache "Amator" Choros

### Emperor Tacitus: 21 PS - 30 SE

Cause of death: fell from a horse

Black hand: Augustus "Dex" Saenia

Grey hand: Aristomache "Amator" Choros and Agrippina Iccacia

Silver hand: Blandak "Legens" Timi

### Emperor Junius: 30 SE - 46 SE

Cause of death: drowned in the Seprum Sea after his ship collided with rocks

Black hand: Augustus Saenia and Justinius Alasia

Grey hand: Agrippina Iccacia

Silver hand: Babak "Makkadum" Vela

### Emperor Justinius: 46 SE - 48 SE

Cause of death: assassinated by then black hand Albanus

Black hand: Albanus Qualia

Grey hand: Calpurnia Sagitta

Silver hand: Cassioc Praesa

### Emperor Albanus the Two-Faced: 48 SE - 51 SE

Cause of death: killed by Emperor Crispus

Black hand: Claudius Vicia

Grey hand: Domita Drusa

Silver hand: Cloeliv Ophinichus

### Emperor Crispus the Mage: 51 SE - 60 SE

Cause of death: infection, after abdication

Black hand: Manius "Bos" Nymphidia

Grey hand: Fausta Octans

Silver hand: Fenic Opsilla

### Emperor Manius II: 60 SE - 97 SE

Cause of death: natural causes

Black hand: Antium Turia

Grey hand: Fausta Octans and Iovita "Ignis" Octans

Silver hand: Julius Opsilla

### Emperor Antium: 97 SE - 139 SE

Cause of death: natural causes

Black hand: Fenix Lucia

Grey hand: Iovita "Ignis" Octans

Silver hand: Julius Opsilla and Bakkus Venifer

### Emperor Fenix: 139 SE - Present day

Black hand: Domitus "Dex" Qualia

Grey hand: Juliana Meres

Silver hand: Bakkus Venifer