Lupaian Federation

The **Lupaian Federation**
 **Major Cities:*** New Barnegat
* Palmeris
* Morgenstow
* Asher Cove
 **Religion:** No religion

## Political System

The Lupaian Federation is a technocratic democracy, with each field of government operated by a series of councillors selected from the public employees of that field. Each council selects one of its number to serve on the National Council, the highest authority in the country aside from the Elected Council.

### Councils

Lower Councillors are nominated and elected by peers in their field; for example, the Lower Councillors for Healthcare are former healthcare professionals, chosen for promotion by other healthcare professionals. The Council for Healthcare is responsible for making all policy decisions within their field, collaborating with other fields such as the Council for Finance or the Council for Education when necessary. When a Lower Council cannot reach a unanimous decision, they are encouraged to make use of referenda within their field wherever reasonably possible.

### National Council

Each Lower Council elects one of its own to sit at the National Council and, by extension, become the National Councillor for their field. This council reviews policy decisions and acts as arbiter to resolve despites within and between Lower Councils. Members of the National Council elect one of their number to serve as the Speaker, a figurehead who speaks for the council system.

### Elected Council

Membership of the Elected Council is determined by national election every five years, with all citizens eligible to stand and vote. This body sits alongside the National Council and each has the power to demand direct intervention in the council system at any stage, subject to veto by the Councils themselves.

## Grading

As a result of its rigidly hierarchical government, with each field of public employment falling into symmetrical structures, Lupaian society naturally fell into a similar structure. Employees in each field of the public sector are defined by their "grade", with these divisions in society ranging from entry-level employees at Grade 1 to field leaders at Grade 10. Citizens can hold a grade in any number of fields, but they must reach Grade 10 to become eligible for nomination to that field's Lower Council and can only sit on one Lower Council at a time.

This Grading system has been adopted by much of the Lupaian private sector for its efficiency and the importance it places on self-improvement. Unfortunately the system is not without flaws, and the stress it can place on individual citizens means Lupaia has a higher-than-average rate of stress-related mental health disorders.

## Newton College

The Lupaian capital Port Newton is home to the Newton College, a nationally-renowned University and center for science and the arts. Despite its pedigree the college is known internationally after a mass shooting claimed the lives of nine students. The perpetrator was discovered to have been a hardline nihilist hailing from the Lemnesian Empire, generating some animosity between the two countries. The anonymously-published novel Blackbird, known the world over, was published mere months after the attack and features a graphic depiction of the shooting as its climax.

## Economy

The Lupaian Federation's economy is based on constant research and development. Its modest manufacturing industry exports technology across the world but its main resource is in research, with the Newton College at the heart of a web of academies and universities all working to push the boundaries of science and philosophy. A historical allegiance with Amun-Seth means the Federation long ago adopted its neighbour's currency of credits, and despite disagreements between the two nations over human rights and freedom of information Lupaia relies heavily on Sethian agricultural and industrial exports.

## Culture

The highly competitive nature of Lupaian culture means the country has a relatively low artistic output defined by a greater average quality. Many of the country's would-be artists languish in low-grade employment, holding several grades across disparate fields as they lacked the confidence to pursue what might be considered their "calling".