The Three Pillars

The global Lyric culture is maintained largely through the Three Pillars system, encompassing three powerful government agencies: the Mindful Citadel, the Lawful Citadel, and the Beautiful Citadel. Together, these agencies monitor, disseminate, and control the spread of all information shaping society, with the ultimate purpose of preserving prosperity and unity, sharing knowledge where knowledge is needed while concealing truths that could threaten social stability and government control. The Three Pillars also romantically represent the core ideals of lyric morality, namely: achievement, art, science, beauty, discovery, history, and military strength. Each of the Citadels is a massive complex of towers based in the royal city of Crown. Although the Three Pillars are established through the World Government, each of these agencies has sovereign authority over its given jurisdiction, independent of the authority of the royal family or any other governing body. However, in practice, the Lawful Citadel has authority over the other two Citadels.

## Mindful Citadel

The purpose of the Mindful Citadel is to regulate all knowledge relating to science and technology. The Mindful Citadel leads all government research and development, with a strong emphasis on recovering lost ancient technologies. Technologies with practical domestic applications are carefully vetted and released to the public for improving private live, but under heavy regulation designed to prevent abuse and enforce social stability. Technological advancements are distributed with a mindfulness for social engineering, prioritizing higher-class citizens while marginalizing lower classes. The Mindful Citadel also leads the development of advanced weaponry, ensuring that the lyric government maintains absolute control over its citizens while preparing against any conceivable threat to society. A great wealth of highly classified information is carefully guarded by the Mindful Citadel, preventing destructive technologies from falling into dangerous hands. The Mindful Citadel is lead by Chief Mindful Director, Anzu Brushwood, and reports to the Twelve Judges as a final authority. Even the royal family is forbidden access to many of its darkest secrets.

## Beautiful Citadel

The purpose of the Beautiful Citadel is to regulate all knowledge relating to arts, history, and culture. The Beautiful Citadel is home to the Grand Library, the largest collection of books, art, and cultural artifacts in all of Lyra. The Beautiful Citadel is physically organized by tiers, with the lower tiers containing the most public information, and the highest levels of it's towers containing the most guarded information. Each citizen's classification grants a different level of access to the floors of the Grand Library, with the lower levels accessible to most citizens and the highest levels limited to upper class researchers, mages, and historians. Rumor has it that a secret chamber beneath the Beautiful Citadel seals away forbidden secrets of history deemed too dangerous for any member of modern society. The Beautiful Citadel houses the world's most complete collection of both modern lyric history and the history of the old kingdoms, although much of the artifacts from the old kingdoms are highly restricted. Beyond the Grand Library, the Beautiful Citadel is also the world's greatest authority in education, setting education standards and regulating all agencies of public education. While the World Government does not officially recognize the schools of magic, the Beautiful Citadel is also charged with preserving the cultural history of magic and regulating it's place in modern Lyric society. Many of the world's most esteemed mages work under the employ of the Beautiful Citadel, serving as the head of their schools of magic and leading programs for discovering, educating, and regulating Mages. The Beautiful Citadel also has a role in leading public media. Although the media is not explicitly regulated by the Beautiful Citadel, the Citadel is highly influential in both entertainment media and news media.

## Lawful Citadel

The purpose of the Lawful Citadel is to regulate peace, law, and order across all of Lyra. The Lawful Citadel is operated almost entirely by the Twelve World Judge units who reside permanently in the innermost chamber deep below the Citadel. The World Judges are connected to an advanced ancient network allowing them to monitor and control nearly all technology on the planet. Using this system, the Twelve constantly analyze all aspects of global society, creating algorithms to maintain sociological stability, as well as writing and executing laws protecting this order through the World Guard. The Lawful Citadel created and regulates the Aberration Index as a means of identifying and minimizing the threat of the Notre. Although the Twelve World Judge units possess unfathomable godlike artificial intelligence, they seem largely without personality, creativity, or true free will. As such, the Twelve are governed by the Lyric High Counsel, who serve to establish the governing goals and principles that guide the Twelve as they regulate society. However, the Lyric High Counsel is mostly a chamber of status, and its members do very little to actively affect lyric law and order. The Lawful Citadel is also home to the members of the Lyric High Counsel and their families, and much of the Lawful Citadel more closely resembles a luxurious palace than a government facility. In practice, the Twelve World Judge units have the highest position of authority in the World Government, although it is the responsibility of the Lyric High Counsel to keep the artificial intelligence of the World Judges on a just path.