Post/Author/DateTime	Post
queenfange 07-27-07, 07:21 PM	I've been developing a campaign world by the name of Vere, and while I have several kingdoms that are coming along well, I'm having a bit of difficulty fleshing out the main elf kingdom. The land, Cyahen, is home to the cloud elves- blond, NG, and identical in terms of game stats with the high elves. I'd like them to live in a magocracy, preferrably not a hereditary one. They live in sophisticated cities that are in tune with nature, unlike the dark elves (who have lost their connection to the natural world) and the storm elves (who live in fairly untamed wilderness). So, I was hoping some of you brilliant fellow DMs could help me flesh out the cloud elves' rulership system and society as well as come up with a few typical settlements (a village, a town, and a metropolis). Any ideas would be welcome. If anyone wants to help design religious buildings (temples, etc.) I can provide information on their deities.
Darth Syntax 07-27-07, 08:15 PM	Well a magocracy would likely have a rather strong meritocratic component which would get around hereditary rulership (which is a terrible, horrible, messy, and barbaric way to run a government) rather nicely. Knowledge might also be valued strongly and political power may depend upon one's education, arcane abilities, and general shrewdness. I would imagine that such a magocracy would function a bit more like a university in structure than a more "mundane" government. The magocrats would have a system not unlike tenure which helps to determine their political clout. Also, as arcane study is inherently a collaborative effort, the actual government might be an oligarchy as opposed to a monarchy or some other single rule system. Perhaps there is an elaborate system of councils which tend to the day to day running of the country.
queenfange 07-27-07, 09:23 PM	Thanks very much! I especially like the idea of structuring the government in a way that resembles a university. Meritocracy also fits well with the elves' alignment and personalities, and the idea of no single leader (since group research is vital to gain the best magic) fits well. Any more ideas?
Darth Syntax 07-27-07, 10:48 PM	Well, a magocracy requires a relatively high education level in order to produce the scholar-politicians that run the place. As such some system of widespread education (at minimal cost) would probably have to be implemented. Perhaps there is near-universal for of education for the very young which determines whether or not someone is worth training as a mage. Those who show promise are further educated to become members of the magocracy while those who show little or no promise are made to follow different paths. There may also be a system not wholly dissimilar to the Chinese civil-service exams which would help select only the most qualified people to enter into the government.
Mr. the Hun 07-28-07, 04:14 AM	My mother is a professor, and I hear a lot of drama about in-faculty politics from her about who's not doing there job properly, who said something uncalled for about another faculty member, to the point where it reminds me of high school. Now, obviously, you wouldn't need to take it to that level, but with an elven magocracy, where the council is likely to be in their seats for a long time, presumably as long as they merit them, I would imagine a lot of strife between the different positions. Perhaps the, I don't know, Lord of Magical Defenses doesn't like the foreign policy of the Lord of External Affairs, as it short circuits some of his well-laid plans for defense. You get the concept. I'm not sure exactly if the PCs will find themselves in Cyahen, but if they do, adventure concepts could certainly be built around that intrigue.