Nation/Altarian Empire

Altarian Empire Αλταριανός Αυτοκρατορία Altarianόs Autokratoría
Capital and largest city		Altair
Official languages		Iscytheri Greek English
Ethnic groups		Iscytheri Terran
Demonym		Altarian
Area
-	Total	29,601,152 km2 11,429,069 sq mi
Population
-	2041 estimate	1,236,265,275
-	Density	41.8/km2 108.3/sq mi
GDP (nominal)		2041 estimate
-	Total	$98.703 trillion
-	Per capita	$79,839
Currency		Altarian Kyklos (⧃) (KYK)
Date format		dd.mm.yyyy
Drives on the		right
Calling code		+9
Internet TLD		.ae .αα

Altair (/ɔl'tɛəɹ/; Greek: Αλταιρ, tr. Altair), officially known as the Altarian Empire (Greek: Αλταριανός Αυτοκρατορία, tr. Altarianόs Autokratoría), is a country that spans the entire continent of Aquilos. It is an isolationist, militaristic nation.

Etymology

The adjective Altarian is derived from the surname of the medieval Terran general, Lord Farrukh Altair, and denotes the founding of the country upon his ideological principles. The Arch Knights of Altair, the military order that now serves as the armed forces of the Altarian Empire, also derive their name from Lord Altair.

Politics

The Altarian government is, to say the least, unlike any other in the world. Equal parts democratic legislature, military council, and judiciary, the three branches of the government work in tandem to ensure Altarian society is regulated properly. These three branches are called the Citadels, a metonymy derived from the towering skyscrapers each branch inhabits. The military council is called the Citadel of Tranquility, the legislature goes by the name of the Citadel of Serenity, and the judiciary is referred to as the Citadel of Eternity. Each branch has its owns checks and balances, and the Altarian government has taken significant strides to ensure it is free from corruption and clunky bureaucracy. All in all, the Altarian government as a whole maintains a high approval rating from the citizenry, representing their political desires, their nationalistic fervor, and their hunger for justice all in one.

Citadel of Tranquility

Tranquility is the political arm of the Arch Knights of Altair, and is primarily responsible for ensuring that law is carried out and enforced. Abroad, the Citadel of Tranquility is responsible for foreign relations. Nearly all Altarian diplomats are officers from the Altarian military, and an Altarian embassy is far more like a military base than a government facility. The final duty of Tranquility's office is to pass legislation regulating foreign policy jointly with the Citadel of Serenity, and it is the only Citadel capable of initiating a declaration of war.

The Citadel of Tranquility's chief office is the Council of Tranquility, and is composed of 52 members: 50 Councilors, the Chief Military Captain, and his Vice Military Commander. Councilors are all high-ranking Altarian military personnel, and must have at least obtained the rank of Brigadier General or equivalent (λ-1 grade) to be considered for appointment. Councilors are elected to their position through unanimous agreement between the members of the current Council, and serve nine year terms. Once his term has ended, a Councilor may never again be elected to the position, though he may still resume the normal duties of his military office. The Chief Military Captain acts as a figurehead and spokesman for the Council and technically the Altarian Empire as a whole, though he is not officially a head of state. The Chief Military Captain is elected to his position by unanimous agreement of the Council, and serves his position for life. The Vice Military Commander is the aide to the Chief Military Captain, and is appointed to his position by the Chief Military Captain. The Vice Military Commander typically handles the duties of the Captain when he is away on a diplomatic mission or when the call of duty pulls him away from Altair. The Commander serves until the Chief Military Captain dies, upon which he acts as the temporary Captain until the Council elects a new one. The Chief Military Captain is the most senior military officer in the Arch Knights of Altair regardless of his prior rank, and has the entire military's assets at his fingertips.

When Tranquility votes on legislation regulating foreign policy or decisions that affect the Arch Knights of Altair, two-thirds of the Council must vote in favor to pass a bill. If the vote fails or succeeds by a five-percent margin, the Chief Military Captain and Vice Military Commander have the potential to veto the decision rendered by the Council. An important part of the functioning of the Council is the necessary employment of logic when debating. Councilors are not allowed to simply make a decision, but must be able to provide a logical rationale for their choice. Legislation going through the Citadel of Tranquility is frequently modified and amended as various Councilors raise concerns and objections. After the debate has finished and a decision has been rendered, the Chief Military Captain announces the decision to the press and the Council is adjourned. Even if a bill regulating foreign policy is approved by the Citadel of Tranquility, it must still be approved by the Citadel of Serenity to be enacted; this is to prevent the Arch Knights of Altair from severely impacting the civilian politics of the Altarian Empire.

Citadel of Serenity

The Citadel of Serenity is the Altarian Empire's bicameral legislature, and represents the diverse interests of the Altarian people. While lacking the mysiticism possessed by Eternity nor the flashiness of Tranquility, the Citadel of Serenity is nonetheless the most crucial Citadel to the fuctioning of Altarian society. All laws governing Altarian citizens are passed and amended by Serenity, and along with Tranquility, decides on Altair's foreign policy. All government agencies regulating Altarian society, such as transportation and agriculture, are integrated into the Citadel of Serenity as well.

The Citadel of Serenity is bicameral; that is, it possesses two houses. The lower house is called the Altarian Ensemble, and it is the largest and most important of the two. The second house, the Prime Legislature, is much smaller, but is senior to the Ensemble. The Altarian Ensemble is composed of ordinary citizens drawn from each of Altair's 17 member states, and the number of representatives per prefecture is based on population; however, the numbers are weighted slightly so that sparsely populated states do not lose their say. The members of the Altarian Ensemble are referred to as Representatives, and they are democratically elected by the residents of their respective states. Each representative serves a three year term before a new election is held; it is possible for a representative to serve consecutive terms. Representatives have the sole task of voting on legislation in a manner that their constituients approve of. The Prime Legislature is composed of 27 senior officials called Legates. The Legates are democratically elected through a nationwide vote, and serve six year terms. Unlike the Altarian Ensemble, Legates cannot serve consecutive terms, but can be elected multiple times. Legates are responsible for administering the various regulatory agencies of Serenity, as well as maintaining order in the Ensemble.

When a bill is brought before Serenity, it first is sent to the Altarian Ensemble. The Altarian Ensemble must vote 55% in favor of the bill for it to be sent before the Prime Legislature. If a bill makes it to the Legislature, the Legates must vote 80% in favor in order to sign the bill into law. Unlike the Ensemble and much like the Council, however, the Legates are not allowed to simply vote, but must rationalize their decisions with valid logic and facts. Should the Legislature decide against signing a bill into law, the Ensemble can overturn their decision by retaking the vote and voting 75% in favor. When deciding on foreign policy, Serenity must come to an agreement with Tranquility. The reason Tranquility is given a say is because Altair considers foreign policy to be a part of national security, which is under Tranquility's jurisdiction. If Serenity votes in favor and Tranquility votes against, or vice versa, the Citadel of Eternity must become involved.

Citadel of Eternity

The Citadel of Eternity is the highest judiciary of the Altarian Empire. Although court cases rarely make it to the Citadel of Eternity, Eternity is the final word on the constitutionality of anything within the Altarian Empire. Eternity's primary and most important role, however, is to moderate all interactions between the Citadels of Serenity and Tranquility. Whenever disputes pertaining to law and policy erupt between Serenity and Tranquility, the Citadel of Eternity is responsible for passing final judgement. Eternity is also responsible for the sentencing of war criminals captured by the Arch Knights of Altair.

The chief members of the Citadel of Eternity are called Tribunes. There are thirteen in total: one Lesser Tribune, who acts as the representative for the entire Tribunal and is tasked with communicating with the public, nine Tribunes, who compose the main body of the Tribunal, and three Master Tribunes, who are the most senior of all the Tribunes. Tribunes are elected to their position by joint agreement between the Citadels of Serenity and Tranquility; this is to ensure that moderation between the two Citadels is as impartial as possible. Tribunes serve for life, or until they are deemed incapable of carrying out the duties of their office by all three Citadels.

When a stalemate occurs between Serenity and Tranquility, Eternity is called upon to resolve the dispute. After listening to arguements presented by both sides, the Tribunes begin debating amongst each other behind closed doors. This deliberation goes on indefinitely until total consensus has been reached, upon which the Lesser Tribune announces Eternity's decision, which is then enacted immediately. Eternity does not necessarily have to choose solely between Serenity's and Tranquility's options, however, and reserves the right to pass its own judgement where it sees fit.