The Kingdom of Zashana

= The Kingdom of Zashana = The Royal Kingdom of Zashana is a semi-democratic, semi-parliamentary Monarchy dedicated to the betterment of civilization through science, research, and empathy. They use the majority of their funds to improve society through science, technology, the arts, mediation, peacekeeping and diplomacy. They are also a protectorate under Shanducha.

Foreign Policy
The kingdom of Zashana is on relatively peaceful or neutral terms with most of the kingdoms in the HILT Universe, although they do find Niiz K somewhat...questionable. Besides having support from Bastion and supporting other governments, Zashana usually keeps to itself.

Zashana has a powerful military system, although it is rarely used due to the peaceful nature of the kingdom. Members of the army normally live in their own homes, and only serve when an ally of the kingdom needs help, or if the kingdom is under attack. Instances like these are rare, so the army members usually stay for life due to the flexible schedule of their jobs.

Zashana is more than willing to help their allies, whether that be materially, financially or in another way, such as mediation. Zashanans are renowned for their high moral compass and expert peacemaking skills, especially those who seek higher education here.

Domestic Policy
Zashana prides itself on its order, peace, tranquility and justice. Even those in poverty have a comfortable life, and no one lives on the streets for very long. Basic education is free for all, and higher education is relatively inexpensive, depending on what one wants to study. Although there is a main form of currency, bartering, haggling, and auctioning are also common forms of payment.

Healthcare is usually paid in work. The more someone works or the better quality their work is, the more of their healthcare is covered. Common jobs for poorer people include parts assembler, junkyard recoverer and restaurant jobs, as well as other more common jobs. The richer usually get jobs in architecture, art and science. Apprenticeships for all people, no matter their financial situation, status or gender, are usually very inexpensive and last from 5-10 years, depending on the trade.

The Beginning of a Royal Dynasty
Once every 500 years (under normal circumstances), a new royal family is chosen at random from the many families who live on the capital planet. This family is chosen completely at random, so literally any person, rich or poor, could become a member of the royal family. Each family’s period of ruling is known as a Royal Dynasty, with the dynasty being named after the family name.

Once the royal family is chosen, each household who wishes a chance to rule will appoint a representative of their household. Each representative will be given special education in Zashanian law, morals, and culture. After the month-long intensive period of education is complete, the representatives undergo a special exam. The representative with the highest score is considered the most fit to rule (if none of the representatives get at least 70% or higher, another family is chosen) and will become King or Queen. The King or Queen will be expected to marry whoever they choose (if they are unmarried at the time) and to bear children to continue the royal line for the next 500 years.

The Coronation
The end of any King or Queen’s training, whether they inherit the crown from their parents or are just beginning their family’s Royal Dynasty, is the Coronation. This is when the King or Queen will be presented to the public for the first time. The soon-to-be Monarch signs their signature on their family’s Royal Contract, legally binding them to obey Zashanian law (see “Royal Court-Martial” to see what happens if a Queen or King breaks their contract). After stamping their custom signet ring on the Contract, the King or Queen’s rule officially begins.

Marriage in the Royal family
If the Monarch is unmarried when he or she comes to power, the next major thing on his or her list, besides getting used to generally ruling the kingdom, should be marriage. The king or queen can choose to find a mate by themselves or to seek help from the Court of Advisors.

Royal Matchmaking
If the Monarch seeks the Court’s help, a public announcement will be made, and people who wish to marry the Monarch will come forward. There are a few main requirements before one can volunteer themselves, however. They must be in compliance of a series of 6 requirements known in Zashanian law as the “Consort’s Clause”.

Consort's Clause

 * 1) The person must be the opposite gender of the Monarch.
 * 2) The person must not be impotent or barren.
 * 3) The person and the person’s immediate family must be in good health.
 * 4) The person must pass the Consort’s Exam.
 * 5) The person can be no younger or older than the Monarch by 5 years.
 * 6) The person cannot be directly related to the Monarch.

These rules also apply to someone who the Monarch would choose to be his or her mate.

Consort Exam
The Consort Exam is a series of treatments, physical and mental examinations, and educational courses spanning the course of 6 months to test if they are fit to serve alongside the Monarch. Once the six months are complete, one final exam will be presented to the volunteers. The volunteers who pass the test will be presented to the Monarch. The Monarch would then choose the perfect mate for him or her. If the Monarch picks his or her mate and they pass the exam, then they would be married the following week.

Daily Life in the Royal family
The Monarch would live in the Zashanian palace in the royal city of K’Tralla on the capital planet. While the monarch cared for most royal duties, he or she would also have downtime to relax and bond with his or her spouse and children. The consort’s family will have a boost in status and will have special quarters in the royal city. The consort will also have a his or her own group of servants, as well as 5 specially trained nurses to help care for the royal children.

The Monarch will also rarely be seen in public for security reasons, rather a person in the Court of Advisors, picked by the Monarch, will become a Public Representative, speaking messages written by the monarch to the people.

The Zashanian Government
The following will explain the Zashanian Government’s Hierarchy, as well as its Checks and Balances system.

The Ruling Monarch (King or Queen)
The King or Queen is always at the top of the hierarchy as far as authority. Although they must answer to the Parliament, the Citizen Congress and the Jury, they have the final say on what stays and what goes. They can also create laws with little to no resistance, so long as they are in harmony with Zashanian law. Monarchs usually rule until they reach the age of 75, in which case they must pass down the crown to their direct successor.

The Spouse of the ruling monarch (Prince/Princess Consort)
The Prince or Princess consort is second in command of the kingdom. Again, they answer to the Parliament, the Citizen Congress and the Jury. The spouse can also be tried individually in a Royal Court Martial, and they cannot make major decisions without the King or Queen’s direct approval or consent. If a spouse is divorced with dishonor, or is found guilty of royal adultery, he or she will be forced to leave the capital planet in disgrace.

The Court of Advisors
The Court of Advisors are a group of people who directly advise the Monarch and their spouse in all matters of ruling. These people must pass a basic but strict test on Zashanian law, as well as take a test for mental and emotional wellness. They also lead the Parliament. Other than that, they have little direct authority over the people.

Parliament
The Parliament handles the creation and upholding of basic laws, rights and agreements. The Parliament is a mixture of nobles, legal experts and members of the common people. The Parliament can also advise the King or Queen as far as the creation of law, and can vote to override a law written directly by the Monarchy. The Parliament also functions as the Highest court that one can file a case to in all the kingdom, an essential Supreme Court. The commoners who join the Parliament are usually former members of the Royal Jury, but are elected by citizens. Both the Parliament and Royal Jury lead the proceedings of Royal Court-Martials.

The Royal Jury
The Royal Jury is a mix of common citizens elected by random each month. The election is purposely rigged to make sure there is a fair mix of upper, middle, and lower class citizens. None of the Jurors can have a major criminal record (i.e. someone who committed petty theft once as a teen could be a juror.). The Royal Jury and the Parliament both lead the proceedings of Royal Court-Martials.

Royal Court-Martials
If the citizens, Royal Jury, or Parliament believe the Monarch or his/her spouse have committed a serious offense, or believe he/she is no longer fit to rule, a Royal Court-Martial may begin.

For a Royal Court-Martial to be held, at least either 50% of the citizens, 80% of the Royal Jury, or 60% of the Parliament must agree that one is necessary. Once it is agreed upon that one is necessary, the Parliament and Royal Jury, along with 100 randomly picked citizens, will come together to begin the Court-Martial proceedings.

First, the Parliament and Royal Jury must decide whether the Monarch and the Consort should be tried together, separately, or if the Consort even had a part in the offense. The consort will be questioned and they will make a decision. If the Consort did have a part in the offense, they will decide whether he or she needs to be tried separately or along with the Monarch.

Once that is decided, the Parliament, Royal Jury and Citizen Representatives will read the charges, investigate evidence, and question any witnesses to see if the claims have grounds. If they are deemed groundless, the monarch is deemed innocent. If they do have grounds, however, the next step begins.

The Parliament will question the Monarch, along with the Court of Advisors, with the goal to see if the family itself is corrupt. If the entire family is deemed guilty, the Monarch will be stripped of his or her rule and the Royal Dynasty will end, with the Monarch being appropriately penalized. Otherwise, only the Monarch will be tried.

The Monarch and/or the Consort will be treated as a defendant in a court case from this moment on. Again, they go over evidence, check newer resources and question any witnesses or experts. If the Monarch is found guilty, sentencing begins.

Sentencing and Punishments for Royalty
The following is a list of penalties, sorted from least to most severe, that the Monarch may be subject to. Zashanian law dictates that the punishment should be administered without bias and to let the punishment fit the crime.


 * A fine out of the Monarchs own money (the fine could be paid with Community Service
 * Public apology or some other form of public humiliation
 * Stripped of their kingship with honor
 * Stripped of their kingship in disgrace
 * Any amount of time in Prison or forced labor
 * Exile to an uninhabited planet
 * Execution

Zashanian Justice Patrol
General crime management is handled by the Zashanian Justice patrol system. The Zashanian Justice patrol handles smaller crimes, disagreements and helps to guide immigrants, tourists, and seniors to where they need to go.

Zashanian City, Province, State and Planet Courts
When major crimes or investigations need handling, the Zashanian Justice Patrol will work together with the City court to investigate a case and handle it. Cases may be appealed to the Province court, then the State court, then the Planet court, then the Royal Jury.

Parliament Hearing
In order to appeal to the Parliament, one must apply for a hearing. If the Parliament approves the application, then the case will be appealed.

The parliament will hear the evidence, testimonies of witnesses and people involved, and finally, statements from the plaintiff, defendant, and officers. The Parliament will then take time to discuss the case over one more time before making their decision.

Penalties
The following is a list of general punishments, ranked from least to most severe, that one can face as consequence if they are found guilty


 * A fine (community service is an alternative if they cannot afford the fine)
 * Community service
 * Humiliation (details are up to the judge’s jurisdiction but here are a few examples)
 * Being forced to spend 5 hours a day holding up a sign describing your crime for a week
 * Digging manure out of dirt roads in the rural districts
 * Being forced to listen to early Sonic Youth for more than 2 hours
 * Being forced to read a public apology
 * Jail time
 * Prison time/forced labor
 * Eviction from their house or from their planet
 * Exile to an uninhabited planet
 * Execution

Executions
Executions are extremely uncommon to the point of being almost unheard of in Zashanian history, only being used on those who have committed the most heinous and brutal of crimes. Zashanian executions are usually (relatively) painless, but effective.


 * Atomic separation- A laser is fired at the criminal’s abdomen, causing the criminal’s atoms to split apart in an instant.


 * The Instant Tomb- The criminal is lowered into a chamber. Inside the chamber is the criminal’s last meal of his or her choosing, along with a glass of water. The air is tainted with sedatives. When the criminal eventually loses consciousness, the chamber is then closed and buried.

Zashanian Justice Patrol
General crime management is handled by the Zashanian Justice patrol system. The Zashanian Justice patrol handles smaller crimes, disagreements and helps to guide immigrants, tourists, and seniors to where they need to go.

Zashanian City, Province, State and Planet Courts
When major crimes or investigations need handling, the Zashanian Justice Patrol will work together with the City court to investigate a case and handle it. Cases may be appealed to the Province court, then the State court, then the Planet court, then the Royal Jury.

Parliament Hearing
In order to appeal to the Parliament, one must apply for a hearing. If the Parliament approves the application, then the case will be appealed.

The Parliament will hear the evidence, testimonies of witnesses and people involved, and finally, statements from the plaintiff, defendant, and officers. The Parliament will then take time to discuss the case over one more time before making their decision.

Cities, Provinces, and States
Zashanians live in cities, in groups of cities called provinces, in a group of provinces called states. There are approximately 20 states on each planet.

Everyday life
Family heads are expected to have learned a trade in childhood that will enable them to care for their family. If a husband doesn’t care for his wife and children, it is seen as shame on the husband, and by extent the entire family. People who are higher class than others are expected to use at least some of their wealth to help care for others, such as the poor, widows and orphans.

Kindness, Honesty, and Self-control are the 3 qualities that Zashanians treasure most, to the point where most of the falsely accused have a lack of one of these qualities as a legal charge against them.

Recreation includes sports, games, parties, and going to “Test chambers” where citizens can anonymously test the newest technology yet to be put on the market.

Countryside
In each city, there’s always an area where less modern technology is used. This area is usually known as the city’s Countryside, and is usually home to farmers, retirees, senior citizens, introverts, and people looking for peace and quiet.

Tourism Country
As much as Zashana welcomes visitors, the citizens don’t always appreciate having tourists skulking their streets. To remedy this, King Texitor of the L’Varia province established special neighborhoods designed to appeal to tourists. The citizens were so amused at this people pleasing attempt that they nicknamed the areas “tourist countries”, a phrase now officially used down to this day.

City Hall and City Court
The City Hall is the center of the city and the main home of the Mayor of the city, who answers to the Premier of a province. The Premier leads the province and answers to the Governor of the state, who ultimately answers to the Monarch.

The City Court is the local courthouse where cases are judged and investigated. It also doubles as the headquarters of the city’s local Justice Patrol.