Escape to Solva Prime! A Guide for Vistors

Society and Government

The Solvani Imperium is the planetary union controlling the planet Solva. Ultimate temporal and spiritual power rests with the Imperatii, a hereditary pair of hermaphroditic Solvani who rule in concert.

The Imperatii impregnate each other, passing on their mutation and spawning the next generation of potential rulers, the Presumptive. From this small group are chosen the two individuals to form the next Imperatii via a process which remains a closely-guarded secret. Genetic manipulation is used to ensure the hermaphroditic genes are transmitted and to avoid undesirable mutations caused by the inbreeding process.

The Imperatii rarely involves itself in political matters, instead appointing Prefects to administer various organs of states. Prefects exercise absolute authority in their given sphere of influence, which are determined principally by the whim of the Imperatii. Prefects range from the extremely influential Prefect of Planetary Governance, who selects regional Satraps in consultation with the provincial governments of Solva; to the Prefect of Disposal, whose domain is the management of waste;  to the Prefect of Garlands, Wreaths, and Floral Arrangements, who nonetheless wields the power of life and death in the execution of his duties. The Prefects currently number around seventy, although this number changes as new Prefects are added, old ones die without replacement, and others are forced into ritual suicide for one reason or another.

The Imperatii has also recently created and appointed an Intendant, who essential functions as a Prefect for all matters beyond the confines of Solva's atmosphere. When the First Families realized the scope and potential of interstellar travel, they insisted upon the institution of a Conclave of ten elders to provide advice and oversight of the Intendant.

An unusual characteristic of Solvani law is the right of member of a Conclave to Veto a decision of the group by committing a specific form of ritual suicide. The concept dates back to the hunting days of the Solvani and is meant as an ultimate argument against a poorly-made decision and is (obviously) not made lightly.

Although Solvani government structure may seem arbitrary and unstable, in practice, a small group of upper class "First Families" controls the candidates put forward for the principal Prefect positions. Additionally, a robust bureaucracy carries out day-to-day functions of government, receiving mostly general directions from the Prefects. The First Families each draw on the wider population in a specific province for their power base and often conduct (reasonably) democratic referenda and even elections in their home provinces. Most provinces have representative democratic elections for assemblies with authority over local affairs within the province, although voting rules vary greatly. Some provinces employ direct democracy for domestic issues via an integrated information network.

The Imperatii is also ostensibly head of the orthodox Solvani religion, although relatively few Solvani practice any form of religion in modern times. Exceptions exist among specific classes of society and among many nomad groups, although nomadic beliefs tend towards the heterodox.

Solva is blanketed by forests across much of its non-polar landmass, ranging in climate from temperate to equatorial. Solvani inhabit a wide range of these forests, settling in groups ranging from several hundred to tens of millions in the largest conurbations. Fairly large numbers of nomads exist on the outskirts of civilization, although these are becoming increasingly uncommon.

Most Solvani engage in life bonding for extended periods, typically between ten to thirty years, sometimes more. The typical Solvani will experience three to eight of these bonds over the course of their lives. One to four children typically result from each bonding, although the first and last bondings do not typically result in offspring. Same-sex bondings are almost common in some provinces, rare in others, with gestation vats allowing for procreation. Nomads practice several variations of life bonding, including exclusive life-long bondings, multiple partner bondings and other practices frowned upon by the urban majority. Nomad groups tend to have strict mores and taboos regarding their chosen bonding lifestyles and are much less likely than urbanites to tolerate unusual behavior within their community.

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