Heavenly Bureaucracy

Coat of Arms of the Divine House

The **Heavenly Bureaucracy**, also known as the "Norma Bureaucracy", is considered the highest administrative authority within cosmology. Governed by the College of Governors, it is subservient to the Celestial Emperor. Not legally an institution, it actually is a consortium of three different organisations (known as "Three Pillars" or the "Instruments of Heaven"): the Divine House, the Magistral Authority and the Million Bureaucrats.

It is located in a crystal sphere, surrounded by the purple and violet stellar nebulae of Norma.

## Three Pillars

### Divine House

The Divine House of Dignity is the organisation that maintains the Register of Divinity and thus recognizes the status of godhood. It also attributes to the deities the tier of their goodhood, including "Lesser Deity", "Common Deity" and "Greater Deity".

Upon decree or with the blessings of the Overgods, it holds the power to confer, alter and rescind godhood and peerage alike.

### Magistral Authority

In the name and at the behest of the Overgods, the Magistral Authority of Law--perhaps the paramount court of law in the cosmos--exercises ultimate ecclesiastical jurisdiction and is charged with overseeing the enforcement of all the laws and commandments; it adjudicates, as tribunal of final appeal, disputes between the deities.

The organisation consists of the First Magistrates Law (hear appeals as final instance), the Second Magistrates of Law (hear appeals as first instance), the Third Magistrates of Law (hear trial cases), the magistral councillors (exercise powers delegated to them by the Magistrates) and the magistral clerks (deal with routine administrative tasks and assist the Magistrates).

The Magistral Authority is headed by the Emperor as High Magistrate of Law.

### Million Bureaucrats

Headquartered in various local "Parliaments of Authority", throughout cosmology, the Million Bureaucrats of Heavens Above deal with remainder of administrative affairs: recording and updating the affiliation of a deity with one of the Five Pantheons, registering the sacred soul bonds between them, recording their scholastic data and maintaining the Directory of Hearts.

The Parliaments also enforce the decrees of all of the Three Pillars. They are governed by the Chief Principal Bureaucrats and are partioned into various Chambers, in turn led by Associate Principal Bureaucrats. The Chief Principal Bureaucrats reside in their Parliaments and hence send an envoy to represent them in College of Governors. Every Constellation (except Norma) has a local Parliament.

## Enforcement & Governance

### Heirs of Heaven

The execution of decrees of the Three Pillars generally falls within the purview of the local Parliaments of Authority. The Divine House, the Magistral Authority and also the Bureaucrats must file a "request for enforcement" with the respective Parliaments (even though the Parliaments are a part of the Million Bureaucrats). If the Parliaments are unable to enforce a decree because they lack the means or capabilities to do so, the Parliaments in turn file a "plea for enforcement" with the Heirs of Heaven.

The Heirs of Heaven are the children of the Celestial Emperor and have all received a fraction of his relative omnipotence. Prince Arcturius is the First Heir, Prince Titus the Second Heir and Princess Cornelia the Third Heir. They may accept and dismiss pleas such as will; if they choose to accept a plea, the heir does the enforcement entirely themselves. If a Heir fails at enforcing the decree--a most seldom occurence--they must tell the Emperor thereof. The Celestial Emperor has made it his own sacred responsability to enforce any decree, that could not be executed by either the Parliaments or the Heirs; the Emperor has never failed at enforcement.

### College of Governors

The Celestial Emperor does not actually participate in the governance or processes of the Heavenly Bureaucracy, as he lacks the interest to do so. Instead a College of Governors administers the Bureaucracy in his name. The College consists of the Lord Chamberlain of the Divine House as the presiding member as well as the First Magistrates of Law and the representatives of the Chief Principal Bureaucrats of the Heavens.

## Gallery

### Cosmography

The Divine House, considered "the Heart" of the Heavenly Bureaucracy. It is located at the norther-most point of the Crystal Sphere.The Central Ministry, head office of the Million Bureaucrats. It is located at the southern-most point of the Crystal Sphere.The Magistral Palace of Justice, head office of the Magistral Authority and courthouse for the First Magistrates.Grand Hall of the Magistral Palace of Justice.The Parliament of Authority of the Constellation Pisces (not located in the chrystal sphere).The Parliament of Authority of the Constellation Perseus (not located in the chrystal sphere).House of the Heavenly Gardens.Swamp of the Heavenly Gardens.
### Populace

The Lord Chamberlain of the Divine House.The Lord Chamberlain of the Divine House.A First Magistrate of Law.A Second Magistrate of Law.A Third Magistrate of Law.A Magistral Councillor of Law.An Enforcer of the Million Bureaucrats.