Settlements

Settlements are locations with significant populations of Ib. They are classified by their population size as demonstrated in the chart below:

## Subdivisions

Settlements of Towns and larger are typically divided into smaller, more manageable components known as Precincts and Wards.

### Precincts

Precincts are districts that divide Settlements into zones based on their primary economic and residential activity. They usually house about as much population as an independent Burg, and while there are no formal requirements for how they are to be managed, they are typically governed by one to three Consuls that are either democratically elected or appointed by local authorities.

### Wards

Wards are districts that divide Precincts into residential neighborhoods or clusters of specific industries. Similar to Precincts, there are no formal requirements for how a Ward is to be managed, but at the very least they usually have a locally elected representative known as a Delegate.

## Governance in The Empire

Due to its federalist policies, Settlements that are part of The Empire must all operate under certain Imperial Edicts, one of the most prominent features of which is a requirement of a minimum number of specific officials of ranks suitable to the size and class of the Settlement.

### Required Dominion Officials

Dominion Officials are representatives of Dominion in which the Settlement is located.

#### Mayor

A Mayor is a local official that serves as the leader of small settlements. Mayors are not typically of noble blood and instead are often democratically elected by their local populace. While hosting a mayorship is only required for Shires and Burgs, smaller settlements will often take it upon themselves to appoint one before reaching that size and larger settlements often advocate for maintaining a Settlement-wide mayorship even after a proper noble has taken up residence. While such plights are typically unsuccessful, the common people do tend to find success in at least maintaining locally elected officials in the form of Consuls charged with overseeing the activities of Precincts and Delegates charged with representing Wards.

#### Baron

A Baron is a member of nobility that governs over small populations. While one is only required for governing a Settlement once it has reached the size of a town, Dominions with an excess of royal blood will often try to force smaller Settlements to take in their surplus Barons, often leading to conflict with the local Mayor and sometimes with the Sheriff as well. Barons are also often assigned to manage precincts in larger Settlements such as Grand Cities, and it is there that they ground away as middle-managers between the Delegates and Consuls representing the will of the people and their Marquis boss who decisively outranks them.

As an aside, it is worth noting that a single Baron may only ever be responsible for overseeing a single territory, whether it be entirely their own or as part of another, whereas most higher Dominion officials may govern multiple. While a Baron may govern a Town that is in a key location for multiple connected Shires, he cannot have direct authority over those Shires; however, a Count governing the same Town likely would, even if those Shires already happened to have Barons of their own.

#### Count

A Count is a member of the nobility with a higher level of authority than a Baron. By the time that a Settlement has become large enough to attract the attention of a Count, they have probably already lost most of their local autonomy to the Dominion authorities, and conflict between Mayors and Counts is a rather rare occurrence, yet heated discussions and vigorous debates between haughty Counts and quarrelsome Consuls tend to ring throughout governing halls throughout The Empire.

#### Marquis

A Marquis is a member of the nobility with a higher level of authority than a Count and one that often has experience in maintaining Settlements in lands ravaged by wars. Thankfully, their experience in the chaos of war prepares them well for the chaos of managing even the most unruly of populaces, but many of them struggle in the seldomly heard of occasions that times do become peaceful in a Grand City.

#### Duke

A Duke is a member of the nobility with a higher level of authority than a Marquis. As they are so close to being a chief authority, they are always looking for ways to elevate their prestige up into the upper echelons of power and are, therefore, rather studious in upholding their duties and performing the proper roles of governance.

#### Prince

The rank of Prince is one of the highest ranks in the Imperial system and, as such, they wield a great deal of authority. Even so, their orders are often not viewed as absolute due to the sheer complexity of managing the immense population of a Megapolis and they rely on a vast network of bureaucrats and smaller officials whom they must consulate with to implement even the most minuscule of policy changes. Despite this, the people rely on Princes to take responsibility for the wellbeing of the entire city, holding them to a greater set of expectations than any other ruler. This is an extreme test of a Prince's governing ability mettle, and whether it helps them elevate their status or their authority crumbles under the pressure of their populace has been the truest test of a Prince's capability to ascend to the rank of a King for countless generations.

### Required Imperial Officials

Imperial Officials are representatives of The Empire

#### Speaker

An Imperial Speaker is a representative of The Empire that serves to connect all Imperial denizens to the Throne. They have perhaps one of the most important roles in all The Empire and ensure that the many disparate people within its borders continue to identify as a part of a singular entity. Speakers serve as diplomats, informants, translators, archivists, grievance bearers, issuers of Edicts, and any additional roles that their assigned Settlement requires of them.

#### Sheriff

A Sheriff is a Leo and Settlement Guardian that is assigned by The Empire but operates under the laws of the local jurisdiction. They are viewed as defenders of the people and have a fair degree of trust throughout The Empire, and this trust is invaluable for them to perform their responsibilities. The core of their role is to ensure that the residents of the Settlement remain safe, whether it be through rallying them into militias against small raiding forces or negotiating the terms of their survival against the onslaught unstoppable armed conquests. Under most circumstances, Sheriffs and their Deputies function as ordinary guardsmen and serve as a supplemental force to the local Leos, but they are the first to act and take on leadership roles when things become dire.

#### Marshal

A Marshal is essentially a Sheriff of a City or a key Settlement in contested territory, but with more of a focus on the role of Settlement Guardian than that of a Leo. They typically command a small professional army of guardsmen and have connections to requisition additional troops from The Empire should a crisis arise.

#### Judge

A Judge is a master of the law that hears civil and criminal cases and administers sentencing. They are influential figures among their communities and serve as mediators for both the grandest of debacles and the pettiest of legal disputes. While they are Imperial Officials, they work entirely within the legal confines of their assigned jurisdiction and are not charged with, and are even discouraged from, upholding Imperial Edicts in Dominions with conflicting laws.

#### Magistrate

A Magistrate is a higher ranked Judge of a superior court that presides over appeals trials. In addition to administering local Dominion laws, they are also charged with upholding Imperial Edicts, and while they do not have the authority to overturn local laws, they can end trials in a state of no contest if they have found local laws to be in violation of edict.

#### Justice

Justices are the administrators of Imperial Edicts, allowed full discretion in how to legally implement them into their jurisdiction, even if doing so would require them to overturn Dominion Laws, as such, they may requisition command over divisions of The Imperial Army should they be met with local resistance.

#### Treasurer

A Treasurer is an Imperial official responsible for promoting trade and ensuring that taxes are paid.

## Defenses

### Walls

Many Settlements feature a series of walls to defend their most densely populated areas.

## See Also

Establishments

Military Bases

Churches