Holy Republic of Caius

The Holy Republic of Caius (or simply Caius for short) encompasses the entirety of the continent of Aeros, and the terms “Caius” and “Aeros” are often used interchangeably to refer to the lands within the Planestorm. The country is governed executively by the Church of Caius and legislatively by the elected representatives within the Caius Parliament.

Church of Caius

The Church of Caius is made up of numerous sects. Some of these, such as the Justicars and Magistrates, are necessary for running the country while others, such as the Holy Order of Clerics, are more responsible for overseeing the day-to-day activities and teachings of the church itself.

Papacy

The Pope of Caius is the leader of the Church and the executive head of the country. Popes serve for life after they are selected. The Pope’s purpose is to execute the will of the gods and guide the people to a more holy existence by serving that will. The Pope is the only individual with access to the Crucible and as such is the only person with regular communication with the gods themselves.

Holy Order

The Holy Order is the sect of the Church that manages the clerics and the priesthood distributed across the country. The majority of members are priests and clerics that serve their communities and provide insights to the local populace. Individual clerics might be dedicated to one god of the Circle in particular, but all are expected to know the general teachings of the other gods. Most practicing Clerics are members of the Holy Order, but some choose to work independently and travel the land as missionaries without the same level of oversight.

Justicars

The Justicars are the lawbringers of the church and typically run the local town/city guard. They are responsible for enforcing the legal codes and are expected to do their utmost to maintain peace and order within the settlement they reside in. A small settlement may have only one Justicar in town with a handful of town guardsmen, while the larger cities may have hundreds or thousands of Justicars overseeing thousands of city watchmen.

Magistrates

The Magistrates are the judges of the Holy Republic and are responsible for administering the law and rendering judgement. The Magistrates are the sole arbiters of judgement and their word is law. Some people (nobles) have the means to appeal to a higher court, but it is unusual.

Arcanus

The Arcanus is the ordained ministry of wizards. Members of the Arcanus are primarily focused on research regarding the Planestorm, but are provided funding by the Church for their individual research projects in exchange for regular oversight. The University Arcanus is located in the Holy City of Caius and is the primary school of wizardry in the country.

Guild Artifice

The Guild Artifice is the Church sanctioned organization for artificers and alchemists. On occasion, Ozros will bestow technological “gifts” upon the world. The Guild Artifice will reverse engineer the technology and adapt it for distribution and use. Artificers in the guild are limited to the exploration of the technologies provided by the gods. As they are divine in origin, it is the Church’s belief that unless a technology is shared with the mortal people, that they are not worthy of it’s use. This policy drives a division between Artificers who follow the teachings of the Church and those who wish to explore technological development without being stymied by laws they feel are unnecessary. The latter have formed an underground organization known as The Makers, that work outside the oversight of the Church.

Protectorate

The Protectorate is a special corp of warriors recruited by the Church to mitigate the Titan threat. These warriors are typically adventurers who have demonstrated prowess in combat and the ability to handle powerful foes. The Protectorate is organized into local chapters made up of dozens of members for immediate Titan response, to direct citizens to safety, eliminate Titan spawn, and distract the Titan to the best of their ability. The local Protectorate carry out operations until the arrival of the High Protectorate from the Holy City. The High Protectorate is led by the Protectorate Commander and is made up of the greatest warriors in the country. The High Protectorate’s directive is to draw the Titan away from the highest concentrations of people and occupy them until the planar rift is closed. Members of the Protectorate are highly regarded across Aeros, and they are heavily compensated for the risk required in engaging a Titan. When joining the Protectorate, new members are magically sworn to the position. Those that break their oath are stricken of their honor, marked as a deserter, and sentenced to servitude until the cost of their service is paid in full.

Caius Parliament

The Parliament of the Holy Republic of Caius is responsible for policymaking, creating and enacting laws for the whole of the country.

The Holy Republic of Caius is divided into six provincial districts, each subdivided into a varying number of local districts. Each local district elects a representative to Parliament, and the representatives elect a Provincial Speaker who represent the larger provincial districts. The six Provincial Speakers make up the High Electorate, which is responsible for legislative oversight and decorum, and oversight of the Pope.

Other Organizations

There are many organizations and factions that are not affiliated with the Church or local government.

The Makers

The Makers are an underground collection of Artificers opposed to the policy of the Guild Artifice that all research be limited to the Gifts of Ozros and their applications. The Makers desire to use their gifts for the betterment of society, often to either escape the Planestorm or eliminate the Titans. Despite their often altruistic motivations, the laws of the land forbid their unsanctioned research, and any members of The Makers who are discovered are arrested.