Vikinmark

Kingdom Before Self

The official philosophy of Vikinmark is that there are no individuals. Every person is only a part of the system that strengthens the kingdom. This applies to the dung shoveler and to the monarch. Some of the dung shovelers may even believe there is truth in that message. Others may not, but if they are wise they will not give voice to their conclusions.

The System

The kingdom of Vikinmark operates under a very strictly enforced set of laws, procedures, and protocols commonly referred to as "The System." While they would be quick to expound on their devotion to The Light, as is only proper; as a visitor in Vikinmark, it can at times be difficult to tell if The System is a government or a religion for the Vikin people. Their entire culture revolves around service to the kingdom, and obedience to The System.

You bumpkins living in your "hollows" just don't get it. You are so busy making sure you get yours, that you can't see how weak it makes you. I know my labor strengthens my kingdom. Yours gets you, what? An extra pint of ale to make you even more lazy? When we finally bring The System to you, you'll thanks us for it.

— Vikin pilgrim

The kingdom is divided into three Wards: North, Central, and South. Each ward is divided into numbered districts, which are divided into precincts, which contain Parcels. Parcels contain Lots, but in terms of administration a Parcel is the smallest segment of the kingdom with an Executive as the overseer. Expounding further on the details of The System would be too dry for even a scholarly essay. It is enough to know that The System has a prescribed role, and ways to fulfill that role, for every Vikin. If you wish to know more, you can view a copy of every law and decree that has formed The System at any Parcel head office.

The Monarch

In Nove Rezaan, the king holds absolute authority--in theory. In practice the political games of the Arlvar cast every aspect of authority into question. This is not the case in Vikinmark. The System works in absolutes. The king or queen of Vikinmark is the overseer of all others and does not require political capital or consent from their lessers to enact their will. Hilda Svendottir made it thus when when she laid out the first laws that would grow into The System. She had achieved success during the by taking full control of her business, and she achieved success in the Crusade of Light by doing the same. She decided that a single voice, unimpeded by lesser minds, was what was necessary to lead the kingdom to strength.

Succession

In keeping with the desire to maintain control, Hilda refused to leave the fate of the kingdom to chance by making succession hereditary. By all accounts her relationship with her family was quite poor, so it is not a surprise she had no faith in that being a guarantee of a worthy ruler. She also had no desire to allow a committee to bicker and politic their way to appointing a new monarch. Instead she left selection of subsequent monarchs to the will of the current monarch. There are no formal requirements that a new monarch must meet to be selected.

Laws & Justice

In other kingdoms, laws are generally a list of things a person may not do. In Vikinmark, every aspect of life is governed by The System. This means it is possible to break the law by simply not filling your assigned role in the mandated way. For minor infractions the punishment is almost always a reduction in rest hours. For those who actively work against the system by attempting to flee their role, harming others, or speaking out against The system, the punishment is relocation to labor camps. There, prisoners are chained together in groups of five to ten and carted around the local precinct performing the most menial and strenuous physical labor. Many prisoners do not survive their sentence.

I'll tell you what I did not do. I did not spend fifteen years working a hundred and eight hour weeks to make sure we counted every steel rod, just so I could continue to work once I made it to manager. Let the rabble keep The System running. Astrid, dear, when the man from the BoC arrives tonight I want you to show him to his room and be very friendly. By morning I want him eager to keep things just as they are in District Fifteen.

— District manager

Enforcement

A number of bureaus exist between the monarch and the Wards level of The System. The effects they have can be widespread, but for the majority of the Vikin people these effects will be seen in minor changes to their daily lives. Most people don't even know the names of the bureaus, let alone what they do. The Bureau of Compliance and the Bureau of Admonition, however, are well known. The BoC audits the other bureaus, along with the wards, districts, precincts and parcels for compliance to The System. When they find discrepancies, it is the Bureau of Admonition that is called in to bring the offending administration back into compliance. The BoA also administers the prison labor camps.

Military

The Bureau of Security trains and maintains a standing army for the kingdom's defense. Vikinmark has never been at war, and there is little threat from, in their words, "the uncivilized yokels" of Tasyod. Nove Rezaan is another matter. Vikinmark and Nove Rezaan have a cordial relationship based on mutually beneficial trade, but those at the top of The System know such a relationship can only be maintained if they present enough strength to make conquest look too costly for the Arlvar.

Vikinmark

Introduction	Laws
System	Enforcement
Monarch	Military

Capital: Rosborg
Current Ruler: Queen Steris Dahl
Succession: Appointment

Demographics: Human
Demonym: Vikin