ERENIC COSMOS

Go back through the wormhole.

The Erenic Cosmos is my adventure in hyperrealistic worldbuilding. Unfortunately, there really isn't anything to see since I'm still making the tectonic history... But my rules for this project are:

  • No magic systems or direct, divine interference.
  • Everything in the world must have a specific, scientific cause for it happening. If there is coal in an area, there's a reason; if a culture has a specific practice, there's a reason.

Miscellaneous thoughts

These are just some thoughts floating around the ol' noggin relating to the world's lore. Heavily subject to change, especially names of things.

Compromise System of Olcloro-Azeria

Following the unification of the Olcloran Empire and the Azerian Empire, a unique government system was implemented to (de jure) avoid dominance by one empire. This follows the system post-Alcar Reforms and pre-Legislative Dominance.

Structure

The Legislative House is composed of 550 elected members, 24 hereditary members, 2 emperors, and 3 autonomous representatives, resulting in 579 members in total. However, not all members have the same voting power:

  • Elected members and autonomous representatives have 1 vote. Note that autonomous representatives can not always vote.
  • Hereditary members have votes proportional to the amount of electorates in their area, divided by 2. This is 289 votes in total, with around 12 per member.
  • Emperors have votes proportional to ⅓ of all members of the Legislative House, giving 193 votes for each emperor. Note that the Emperor of Olcloro is ALSO the Hereditary King of the Old Capital, giving them 205 votes.

Then, there is the Advisors' Council, which assists the Emperor in decision making. There are 12 of them and are appointed by the head of state, excluding the Leader of the House. Occasionally the Grand Advisors' Council is called upon, being the Advisors' Council and all governors.

Members

The Elected Members are voted directly by people in electorates and serve 6 year terms.

Hereditary Members serve for life. They are based off the Olclorian separation of power, with landed kings in different regions. As Azeria did not have this sytem, these members are typically elected by the people. As previously stated, the Hereditary King of the Old Capital is also the Olcloran Emperor, and since the Emperors do not often vote, it is often called "The Vacant Seat".

Emperors are hereditary positions. There is two of them: the Emperor of Olcloro and the Emperor of Azeria

Autonomous representatives are the Representative of the City of Elais (RCE), Representative of the Coldi Assembly (RCA), and the Representative of the Vieosilian Parliament (RVP). They are allowed to vote on bills, but can not participate in the elections for the head of state or bills relating to finance. Other members can also pass resolutions to prevent them from voting. Autonomous regions, however, gain a more independent local government.

Leader of the House

The Leader of the House is voted by the Legislative House and represents the House on the Advisors' Council. 419 votes by the House are required to elect, and emperors can not particpate.

Leader of the Nation

The Leader of the Nation is the head of state and is elected. It goes through a series of phases, with emperors and autonomous representatives not being allowed to vote.

  1. Phase One: The House votes between the Azerian Emperor, Olcloran Emperor, or Neither. If Neither is selcted, Phase Two begins. If elected, they serve for life. They can not be removed from office.
  2. Phase Two: The House votes between the 24 Kings or None. If None is picked, the process moves to Phase Three. If elected, they serve for life. They can be removed by a ⅚ vote (701).
  3. Phase Three: The Leader of the House becomes the Leader of the Nation and a special election is called to elect an Interregrum Leader of the House. They serve for 10 years, but can NOT have consecutive terms. They can be removed by a ⅚ vote (701).

Vacancy

If the Leader of the Nations dies, resigns, or is removed, then the Grand Advisors' Council helps facilitates a new election. This process depends on the level of the Leader of the Nation:

  • Emperor: An election occurs through the House. The other emperor rules during the election period. If both are dead, the Grand Advisors' Council takes over.
  • Kings: If they died, an election occurs through the House. The emperor of their region rules during the election period. If they are removed or resign, an election occurs with ONLY the Azerian and Olcloran Emperors as options.
  • Leader of the House: An election occurs with ONLY the Azerian and Olcloran Emperors as options.

Vieosilian clothing

Vieosilia is known for it's unique system of life experiences through clothing. Required for all Vieosilian citizens (and almost universal in the Vieosilian diaspora) is the oleps (cape) and, less commonly, the kisher (hat). In some communities, the silear (makeup) is also a required part of attire.

Oleps

The oleps is a cape given to all Vieosilian children at birth and is expanded as someone grows older. Colored bands, called osin are added every year, traditionally 10 days after the birthday (called the osin'kler). The osin represent the most prominent life event that happened during the previous year. If no significant event happened, then the year prior's color is extended.

Osin are of equal length, except during puberty. As the oleps, at minimum, must reach the bottom of the back, bands will be uneven in order to cover the entire back. This includes expanding them horizontally in order to accomodate the broadening of the back.

Around the neck is the huter (clamp). This is typically a sign of the family crest.

Colors of osin

A couple of osin are given at the same interval:

  • At birth: The sex of the baby is the first color added. For trans Vieosilians, it is customary to either sew a new band on top or to add their gender's color at the osin'kler.
  • At 14: Color band is added to represent sexuality. Since Viosilian society is accepting of queer relationships, there is no stigma attached to this. This was traditionally added after the first relationship (with the color representing the sex of that person), but that has largely fallen out of favor.
  • At marriage: Red embroidery will be put over the sexuality band to indicate marriage (along with another osin that represents marriage). In the instance of divorce, the embroidery can be removed.
  • At death: A white sheet is typically sewn over the osin. This is to prevent the deceased from repeating the same life over again in the next life.

Besides that, the following have associated colors. There is little variation on which colors represent which event, due to it being standardized by law. In the case of multiple important events happening, priority tends to go: country > death > birth > relationships > career, but is up to the person to determine which is more important (except country, that is required to have the highest priority by law).

  • Birth, death, marriage of a child.
  • Death of a close family member (includes cousins).
  • Criminality.
  • Ascent into nobility.
  • Ascent and death of a royal.
  • Military service.
  • Completion of schooling.
  • Marriage.
  • Joining of a religious community.

Osin'kler

The osin'kler is a very important event in the year. Here, people will go to their local osinča (seamstress) and have their cape religiously washed and expanded. Osinča are typically subsidized by the government or receive funding from the local townspeople (due to their high position in Vieosilian society), but it is customary for the family during the osin'kler to provide food for the osinča.

Kisher

The kisher is not as ubiqitous as the osin, but is still relatively common. The kisher is given by a government official and is checked every year to be added to, revoked, or given. Kisher are given if the individual has done something very important and notable. The kisher itself is a wide-brim hat with beads at the ends of the brim to denote the reason for kisher. The beads are typically a glass bead, then a symbol of the reason for the kisher (such as a pen for being a writer) and then the symbol of the king who's reign it is. Finally, the hat itself is embroidered with a mythological scene that represents the reason for giving the kisher.

The kisher is also an heirloom. Glass beads are added for every year that the kisher is in use. Smaller symbols can be added for the actions of siblings, children, and cousins to ones kisher.

Due to disgraced nobility getting their kisher revoked, it is rather common for many kishers to not be checked in with the government and to be expanded by the osinča.

The Northern Kisher variation is also common. Due to the decades under the Oliclorian-Azerian Empire, those in Northern Vieosilia were not able to register the kisher. This resulted in people doing it on their own, with their own ornamentation. After the reunification, these kishers are not recognized by the central government, but that has very little effect.

Silear

Now primarily only practiced by high nobles and marriages, silear also acts as a form of identification. Wearers will typically paint their face to appear similar to a god/goddess, but distinctive lines are added to indicate age and occupation.