Bosco

The Knights of Immaculate Light are the Royal Guard and first line of defense, sent to take front line positions and initial intel assessments in times of conflict. Their Leadership is made up of 6 Generals. Tesso (Mounted Core) Fasion (Air Fleet) Malkriss (Capital Defense) Umbrel (High Priest of Immaculate Light) Durance (Infantry) and Corbeth (Covert Operations Bloodhunter Division after the restructuring of the Steel Council)

The country is ruled by the King, who has final say in most matters, law and policy being written by the elected members of the Steel Council. The Steel council has 7 councilmen elected every 5 years by popular vote that help the King run the country.

Bosco is well known for being modern and cutting edge in its progression as a nation since it adopted new laws protecting the rights of its people a little over 200 years ago.

The Countries greatest treasure is the land locked inland freshwater Sea. The Grass Sea, covered by an interlaced carpet of bio luminescent plant life it is possible to walk ion it and even ride unique beasts that have evolved living on it. Floating islands traverse the sea and are the home of ancient Clans, the original people of Bosco, who are revered and protected by the "Land Based" bulk of the population that live on the land around the Sea.

Some of the most power mages of the country are clanborn and can be distinguished by magically placed tattoos they receive shortly after birth to identify them as members of the clan the were born to.

### CULTURE

Bosco is a free and open society with strongly enforced laws protecting the rights of it's people. Fine examples of this are the sexual freedoms laws, making discrimination based on sexual preferences or fetishes punishable with real jail time. Rape is tried by mind mages, if the accused is found guilty, they are put to death immediately, no jail time, no reforming, rape is seen as a deadly deviance from how a normal human being should operate, Boscans DO NOT tolerate forcing ones self upon another.

Pedophilia is punishable by death. Same approach as rape.

Boscan culture is taught by a specialized core of highly trained and gifted instructors called "Sudehpah" the Sudehpah Order is a subset of the main religion of the country, Boscans follow a generalized religion adhering to the "Immaculate Light" as a guide to determine right from wrong. The Sudehpah teach physical pleasures, most students starting around age 10 or so when bodies begin to change and hormones start making them question themselves.

Rather than leave their youth to figure it out alone, Sudehpah guide them, teach them about their bodies, pleasures, the society they live in and where they can fit in. When the youth is ready, they are "Inducted" into the next level of life, leaving their virginity behind and freeing them to focus on other things as sex and their bodies will be accepted as part of life. Inductions are a ritual usually done in the home. The youth makes a list of other youths around their age they would like to go through it with and their Sudehpah will approach the parents and Sudehpahs of the youths on the list and decide which would be the best partner for the induction. Once both youths agree to the partner a date is set. The youths are bathed in the waters of the Grass Sea then guided through sex together to free the instigating youth of their virginity opening up the freedoms they will enjoy throughout their lives as Boscans.

The inducted youth is then given a hot bath and guided through meditation, talks about how they felt through the process then they are dressed and there is a reception party welcoming the youth from childhood to young adult by family and friends. Usually Sudehpah lessons last 2 years and are done privately one on one though some Sudehpah will call in other Sudehpah if the youth they are working with is particularily gifted or shows strong interest in sex with a gender other than the Sudehpah they have. Sex with both genders is taught to all youths, acceptance of it taught from a young age as well as body acceptance, appreciation of individual beauty and the most main stream fetishes such as BDSM though those are only taught in basic levels unless the student sows great interest.

Due to their open acceptance of themselves and their desires and the medically proven and embraced fact that sex is a major stress reliever, sex among the military and mages on missions is widely accepted and even encouraged. Boscans have a powerful respect for monogamous relationships though and it is powerfully frowned upon to disrespect them by trying to lure someone away from one. It is seen as common courtesy to ask someone you are physically attracted to to share pleasure, but before doing so, to ask them if they are in a relationship, most commonly they will ask if the person is Promised.

Relationships are legally protected in three levels in Bosco.

"Promised" Means two people are working on building a relationship, they have agreed on monogamy and that both want to work toward possible marriage later. Some Boscans remain Promised for years, even starting families with their promised as being Promised is a legally binding agreement, papers are signed and a promised has rights. The couple will usually purchase rings worn on the middle left finger and men will even wear the wide banded bracelet with their Promiseds birthstone on it. When they become married, the intended will place a wedding ring on the ring finger and that will be connected to the bracelet by chains, some very intricate, others quite subtle and plain depending on the preferences of the couple.

"Engaged" The couple has agreed to marry. Engagements are usually only long enough to arrange the marriage as few become engaged before they have been Promised and already worked toward a strong relationship. An engagement ring is worn by both people. Boscan men proudly wear a good bit of jewelry.

"Married" As in all countries, permanently bound by law. If one is in the knighthood, or in certain positions in society, the partner will have to spend 1 hour within the immaculate light before the ceremony is complete.

The Boscan wedding takes two days, the first an exchange of vows, the asking person placing their ring on their intended then, the couple adjourns, if immaculate light is involved they will be immersed, then they go to the bed chamber, both will be bathed by Sudehpah in water from the Grass Sea and two Sudehpah witnesses will watch the couple consummate their vows. The purpose of this? Arranged or forced marriages are illegal in Bosco. If either partner looks uncomfortable resists, does not want the consummation? The Sudehpah will step in and terminate the marriage, initiating an investigation. Charges and punishments for this are taken very seriously, if it's proven one of the people were forcing the other, the sentence is the same as it is for rape, immediate death as this is seen as an attempt at enslaving another person.

Multiple partner marriages are not frowned on, but all parties must prove they are happy and willing in the joining.

Surrogacy is seen as noble, many women sign up to surrogate, enjoying the status it brings as well as the financial compensations given and social ties that can be formed through doing it. On the flip side, sperm banks etc are not used in Bosco,since it is such a free society, if a Husband and Wife are unable to conceive on their own, others are brought into the bedroom, intimacy is accepted, encouraged and embraced and conception of children is always done with sex. Sudehpah trained in aiding in these situations can be brought in to help if needed, there is no shame or stigma involved and those who help a couple conceive are celebrated.

The Boscans have created specialized orally dissolved disks which work as a contraceptive as well as helps flush any STDs that they may have come into contact with. Typically men take them every 7 days, while women every 28 days (much like oral birth control that we know). Some times, the disks will also be taken before intercourse just to make sure that the chemicals are in the system and nothing will come of a random encounter of pleasure.