Setting Details
Geographic Boundary Markers:
Hawking is a Kingdom that has arisen over the past 25 years in south east Texas.
Southern most City: Brownsville, TX
South West most City: Del Rio, TX
Northern most City: Athens, TX
Western most City: San Antonio, TX
Capital: Hawkinsville, TX
Largest City: Houston, TX
Citizenship:
While some individuals are grandfathered in the rules for citizenship are as follows.
1. Be the offspring of a citizen.
a. Between the ages of 16-22 serve minimum of 4 years in armed services.
b. Alternatively, obtain a position within equivalent services (University of Occult
Sciences, 13th Hour Church, or municipal police force).
2. Adult none citizens may obtain citizenship by volunteering to serve six years in the
armed services, or provide an equivalently valuable service. Additionally, all must pass
a Junker background check, and swear an oath of fealty to the reigning monarch.
Citizens by royal decree can posses land rights, vote for councilors within their peerage (only governors can vote for representatives in Council of Governors, and only none Governors can vote for representatives in Council of Citizens), receive full protection of law, privilege of trial if accused of crimes, right to jury, and presumption of innocence. Citizens have freedom of speech (actual laws limit this somewhat), freedom to own and carry arms (indeed are expected to do so), protection of property, and protection from excessive search and seizure (not nearly as extensive as real world but the government official must at least verbalize an official reason, and can be sanctioned if it is found to be frivolous), and freedom to practice most religions (evil cults excluded). Citizens also do not have to pay as many taxes as legal residents, and on those they do they receive preferential rates. Citizens are awarded their official ID at age sixteen as provisional citizens. This idea is updated upon completion of their military service. Tradition requires the ID to be updated if the citizen dies during military service even if they die before completing 4 years.
Legal Residents cannot posses land rights (they can own a building but not the land it is on), cannot vote (nor legally donate to campaigns), have limited right to trial, no right to jury trial, and while they have right to presumption of innocence the burden of evidence is usually capped to preponderance. Their rights to carry arms can be restricted (usually are not but in certain sensitive areas they are), right to protection of property, protection from excessive search and seizure (again not nearly as extensive as in real world, and unfortunately judges are a little more forgiving when government officials violate foreigners rights), and freedom to practice most religions (evil cults excluded, and truly foreign religions may draw more attention). Freedom of speech is more limited.
Legal residents are required to carry Government issued ID (acquired at border stations). This details their names, origins, tolls and taxes paid, and any licenses they posses. It is possible for a none citizen to "pass" for a citizen by acquiring forged documents (lucrative trade) but this is a significant crime.
Government:
Form of Government: Monarchy with limited legislature.
Executive: Triumvirate.
Legislature: Two bodies. Council of Governors, and Council of Citizens.
Judicial: Triumvirate Court, and lower Triumvirate Court.
Constitution or Law of the Land: Law of None Contradiction, Law of Succession, and Law of Wisdom.
Description:
Heads of State: Royal Triumvirate: The Queen is 1st among equals but can be overruled if opposed by both the Royal Consort, and Royal Seneschal.
Queen: Elisabeth Hawking Actual, Age: 41, Apparent Age: 24
Royal Consort: Lady Trinity, Actual Age: ? (est. 38), Apparent Age: 22
Royal Seneschal: Victoria Longstreet, Actual Age: 70, Apparent Age: 16
There is also a Council of Governors, and Council of Citizens. The Council of Governors is made up of the pseudo-aristocracy who govern areas of the country for the Queen. There are currently 6 members who are elected from the governors. The Council of Citizens are elected from the citizenry. Currently there are 30 members of this body.
Laws may be proposed by either Council but must be confirmed by both, and affirmed by the Queen. The Queen can unilaterally veto any law. The Royal Consort and Seneschal can send legislation back requesting changes. If both Consort and Seneschal mutually agree they may collectively veto legislation. Laws may also be passed or repealed unilaterally by the Queen unless apposed by both the Royal Consort, and Royal Seneschal.
The Triumvirate Court is literally the triumvirate sitting in court to hear a legal case. The tradition is to allow parties to make their case. The triumvirate may ask questions, and consult external experts, or council. Their opinion is final.
The Lower Triumvirate Court: Current law and tradition allows for three members to serve as the head of the lower triumvirate court. One is selected by the Triumvirate, one by the Council of Governors, and one by the Council of Citizens. The lower triumvirate court oversees the actions of all lower courts (County, Municipal, and Circuit). They are also the last court to appeal to before appealing to the Triumvirate Court.
Law of the Land:
There are three laws that no one may repeal or modify including the reigning monarch. These are the Law of None Contradiction, Law of Succession, and Law of Wisdom.
Law of None Contradiction:
All laws and decrees are required to not contradict themselves or each other. If laws or decrees are found to contradict the contradiction must be resolved within six months. Until resolution the law or decree is to be interpreted to favor the largest number of people, and those most impacted by law or decree. The lower triumvirate court will usually try to resolve such issues but the Triumvirate has final say.
Law of Succession:
An unmarried Monarch cannot take or retain the throne. If the Royal Consort dies the Monarch has one year and one day to find another. A Royal Consort cannot be removed from office by the Monarch without the consent of Royal Advisor. Only members of the Royal Family (including extended Royal Family) are to be considered as potential successors to the throne.
Law of Wisdom:
A siting Monarch must have an advisor. The Royal Advisor cannot be removed from office unless treason, or gross incompetence is proven to both the Monarch, and Consort. The Royal Advisor must be replaced within 90 days.
Economics:
Taxes:
In the Kingdom an individual can pay any taxes in the form of coin, food, goods, and labor. In the past five years coin has begun to overtake goods but is still less than labor.
The Kingdom places a toll on the Royal Highways. There are guard stations posted at regular intervals along the toll manned by Rangers. Each post patrols a fifty mile stretch of highway (25 miles on each side of the station). Patrols and stations can issue travel passes. The toll exacted is typically $0.05 per mile for traveling none citizens. This rate is reduced for foreign merchants to $0.02 per mile. Citizens may travel 50 miles without taxation and pay only $0.01 per mile after. Merchant citizens are exempt from the tax. Taxes are usually included in all travel costs when paying for passage.
Businesses, buildings, and merchant stalls are taxed by the local municipality. There are fees that can be calculated daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly depending on the business. A typical fee for a day stall is $25.00. Actual costs may depend on stall location, and product.
All Kingdom docks are required to collect docking fees. The actual fee depends largely on the size of the boat or ship. Small fishing boats owned and operated by citizen are given exemptions from this tax.
There is a $5.00 per pound tax on the sale of Ghost Rock inside the Kingdom. This fee is reduced by %20 if the number pounds exceeds half a ton, and decreased by half if it exceeds a ton. This fee is paid directly to the Crown but municipalities, and Governors have been allowed to keep as much as half the tax in return for vigorous enforcement of the tax.
All citizens are required to provide three days a month of service to local community. The majority serve either in the local militia, or a work gang. Citizen employed by the government are given exemption. Citizens below the age of 13 are exempt, as are citizens above the age of 55, women more than 2 months pregnant, those given exemption by licensed Doctor, and those who pay an exemption tax. The exemption tax costs $500.00 per day for those under the age of 30, and $300 per day for those over. Citizen with permanent illness that make serving in the military or work gang impractical are allowed to pay a percentage of their income (36 days of income calculated based upon the 36 worst earning days). If their illness is severe enough to make earning an income impractical then the tax is waived entirely.
Beyond that fees are collected for services, and court costs.
Crown Funding:
The Crown controls the largest and most prosperous agriculture fields and ranches. They also control significant mineral wealth (oil, refined gasoline, petroleum based lubricants, and most importantly Ghost Crystal). Finally the crown is the sole provider of Electrical power within the Kingdom, runs the Blood Bowl League, control the Royal Highways, control the largest number of textiles, and largest local provider of Junker technology. They also own majority share in many other businesses.
The Crown extract taxes from Governors who in turn extract taxes from their regions (or Enterprise) according the to royal laws.
Overall:
The Kingdom GDP (to the extent such a thing exists) is primarily agricultural, mineral, salvage, and to a lesser extent technological.
The Kingdom is a net exporter of food. It knowledge of genetic engineering, and assistance from the 13th Hour Church allow it to be the southern, and east most bread basket of the continent.
The Kingdom has many oil pumps (not as many as the OPEC cities, or Oil Town) but it also has restored refineries in Texas City (suburb of Houston). This allows it to refine gasoline, and petroleum based lubricants. While they do not produce enough to spread gasoline far and wide their capabilities are growing. Beyond that they also produce Ghost Rock by refining Ghost Crystal.
The Kingdom is able to run limited missions into near orbit and mine the debris fields for salvage. This combined with normal salvage efforts allows them to sell high tech materials even if most of the materials are shunted to the University.
The Kingdom is primarily dependent on Junker technology. While they have advanced old world medical, and genetic engineering technology it is safe to say that almost all other advanced technologies are designed and built by Junkers. They are able manufacture advanced medicine, and antibiotics unavailable in most other parts of the world. Beyond this their Crystal based Junker technology is highly prized. While some other nations have managed to steal some limited knowledge of the production of such technology they lack crystal resources to truly advance it or manufacture it in quantity. While all crystals will "grow" only "seed crystals" will grow rapidly enough to mine.
Entertainment:
In larger towns, and cities the most prestigious form of entertainment is watching Blood Bowl. While the sport isn't quite as bloody or dangerous as pre-kingdom days it isn't uncommon for participants to be badly wounded or perish. The citizens of Hawking have come to appreciate and love its bloody combination of football and gladiatorial combat. The Blood Bowl official season is from beginning of October until the end of February. Tryouts usually begin July but scouts are always looking.
Many towns maintain more traditional football teams (perhaps more violent then pre-J-day). Many members of these teams see it as a means for training for the big leagues.
Beyond that bars, whore houses, theaters (where actors perform old movies), and radio are the most common forms of mass entertainment. Larger cities also frequently have a "TV" station but most people cannot afford a TV. Thankfully some enterprising individuals have turned a few old movie theaters into locations where people can pay to collectively watch TV.
Technology:
Like all other areas of the wasted west Hawking has access to a limited amount of old world technology. Also like everywhere else this is becoming strained. Trains, plains, and automobiles can only be repaired, and patched so many times. Almost all factories and people experienced in the manufacture of these have died since the bombs fell. People are having to relearn and rediscover how to build these things.
Presently technology is primarily limited to 1880-1890s range. There are elements from the early 20th century (AM radio is common enough). In Hawking there are only two exceptions to this rule. 1) Medical. Their medical technology is good. While anything beyond basics is expensive it is available. 2) Old world tech that has been preserved. For example the Mall AI (now called Hawking's Eye) is carefully maintained and preserved with limited Junker Tech expansion.
Beyond that all other technology is limited. While it is possible to find people who can "build" an internal combustion engine that engine will be entirely mechanical (no electronics) and be fuel inefficient. It will also be expensive and "better" Junker tech can be had for a similar price.
Ironically it is the Combine that has the most access to pre-war technology. Their facilities can restore, or build advanced equipment given salvaged raw resources. While they use some Junker tech it is limited. Fortunately or unfortunately for the rest of the Wasted West they don't sell or trade much in the way of advanced tech.
Other areas may have access to slightly elevated technology in one, maybe two sectors (maybe they can produce large quantities of smokeless powder, or build a better gasoline engine). However, as a rule most areas are stuck at the lower end of the 1880-1890s range. The only advanced tech is that which has been carefully maintained, or Junker.
Travel:
Over the last 50 years their are fewer pre J-Day vehicles and parts in good repair. While not uncommon they are growing less common and are being replaced by livestock, rediscovered technologies, and Junker technologies.
In Hawking's many people use horses, and dinos for overland travel. Dinos are mutated lizards that have an appearance similar to large Velociraptors. They are omnivores that have been domesticated. They are valued because they can protect themselves, eat walker meat, and help alert individuals in a camp. Horses are still used for endurance based work. Well off individuals, traders, or businesses will still use vans and trucks. About twenty five percent will be Junker tech.
Those unable to afford their own travel animals, or vehicles will pay for passage on steam or sail ships if their destination is near the Gulf, or pay for passage on the Royal Trains (these are actually very large armored busses that are connected together). The Royal Trains only go to settlements and cities along the Royal Highway. Some people may pay for coaches (actual stage coaches, or renting seat in someone's vehicle) if going to remote locations. Depending on the destination, mode of travel, and circumstances this may be more or less expensive.
Sail Boat Travel: Typical Cost $0.75 per mile, min cost $20.00
Steam Ship Travel: Typical Cost $1.50 per mile, min cost $30.00.
Royal Train: Typical Cost $0.50 per mile, min cost $10.00.
Coach: Varies. Anywhere from $.25 to $10.00 per mile.
Gas: $6.00 per gallon (85% of of mileage)
Spook Juice $12.00 per gallon (10% boost to mileage for none Junker vehicle). Not available everywhere.
Gas Spook Juice Blend: $8.50 per gallon (Normal Mileage). See spook juice for availability.
G-Ray: $0.4-$1.00 per G-Ray. Not available in all locations.
Note: Students and Graduates of the University can purchase G-Rays at University for $0.25 per G-Ray.
* All Costs are estimate of typical. May be higher or lower depending on character location, and circumstances.
Religion:
The dominant religion in the the Kingdom of Hawking is the 13th Hour Church. It combines the rhetoric of the Doomsayer schismatics with different traditional and heretical Christian traditions intermixed.
Some antrhomorphs and their descendants have raised the Queen, the Royal Advisor, Seraph, the Wizard (Tom), and the deceased Royal Consort (CAL) to pseudo divine status (similar to angels).
Traditional Christianity is the second most common. Other religions include other traditional religions, tribal religions, and the more typical Schismatic Doomsayer faith.
The 13th Hour Hierarchy:
Rank 4-5:
The Bishops: The church is usually overseen by the Bishops, where one bishop presides over a set of churches. These bishops are overseen by an archbishop, who oversees a large geographical area. They take decisions with respect to the operation and daily activities for the churches as well as taking important decisions by organizing meetings of the heads at regular intervals. The Bishop must have a spouse and ideally children so that they can show their ability to effectively shepherd. They usually need to make all the decisions taken at the meetings public.
Rank 3:
Elders: The Elders have the responsibility to determine the doctrine through their examination of different scriptures. The elders of congregation are bound just as members to examine themselves according to scripture. The only people who have the ability to oversee the Elders are the Bishops. This authority cannot be transferred to anyone else nor can the decisions which are taken by the elders can be taken by anyone else in the hierarchy, except for the Bishops.
Rank 2:
Deacons: The Deacon is the servant of the Church. This position does not have any specific authority rather than that of taking care of the church. The deacons are also known as ‘elders in making’ as the deacons who fulfill their duties effectively go ahead to get promoted as elders. Many Churches have deacons as heads when there is no one who can be qualified as elders at that particular time.
Rank 0-1:
Pastor: A Pastor usually assists Deacons, or Elder but may also be referred to as Lay Pastures or 13th Hourmen. 13th Hourmen are responsible for evangelizing in distant lands, or remote places where the people lack access to a church. They frequently travel.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:15, Fri 06 Aug 2021.
