The Republic of Stella
Demonym: Stellan
Language: Elvish; Stellan Fioran
Culture
The people of Stella care a great deal about the preservation of nature, and as a result the republic is home to some of the most beautiful and serene landscapes in the galaxy. Rather than destroy what is around them, the people of Stella have decided to focus on coexisting with nature. The Republic is primarily populated by elves, however they differ from the ones found on Earthland. Years of crossbreeding with humans and other species have diluted the elvish blood to such a degree that full blooded elves make up less than 20% of the planets elvish population. As such the species has shrunk considerably, now closer to the size of the human population on their planet than their ancestors. In recent years there has been a push for “elvish purity” which encourages elves to only breed within their race. This has lead to a drastic rise in xenophobia throughout Stella, particularly against humans.
Other than elves, the Republic of Stella is home to a wide variety of races. The second largest ethnic group in Stella are the nymphs which have called the planet home for as long as the Republic of Stella. They have been fully integrated in society, and are considered more desirable than humans in the eyes of elvish purists. The third largest ethnic group in Stella, the humans, are treated as second class citizens and thus inferior in the eyes of the elves. Humans on Stella are heavily segregated, and disproportionately populate the poorer communities on Stella. Despite their blatant xenophobia, the people of Stella are still quite cultured. Music and the arts are cherished and prized parts of Stellan society. Throughout the galaxy Stella is known to house some of the most talented artists, musicians, and writers. They are known for their beautiful museums, and impressive architecture. Magic is treated as an art form on Stella, and is very rarely used for violence or combat.
History
Following The Exodus, the elves found themselves on a dying planet, polluted by highly toxic meteorites which fell from space, ravaging the planet and leaving its flora and fauna on the brink of extinction. While other beings may have shunned the dying world, the elves felt themselves drawn to it, pulled by the fantastical creatures and plants found on those shattered shores... begging to be saved from their unnatural end. And the elves rose to the occasion, settling on four distinct regions of the planet, planting the seeds which would become their empire and save this world.
Cultivated and modified by the elves, the plants were meant to battle the blight, absorbing the toxins and corruption of the disease and the lands inflicted by it. However, like all plans to fight the blight, the plants failed to be effective against the ever-present danger of the infection. But against the corruption found on New Stella? The plants grew strong. Thriving. They ate greedily at the toxins deposited by the meteorites, with roots that spread for miles in all directions. And around these new trees, life began to grow anew, nestled in the crevices and hollows between the branches and roots. THe hollows provided safe haven to the many beasts and greenery which once spread freely across the land, until, over hundreds of years, the lands returned to their former glory, welcoming the protective Kingdom Trees as a part of their new ecosystem.
Over the years, the elves integrated their greatest cities in the boughs and crevices of the massive Kingdom Trees, while smaller settlements followed the roots, creating settlements throughout the Stellan wilderness. During some point in their spread across the planet, the elves formed a new government which unified the four Kingdoms under a single banner: The Republic of Stella.
Government
The Republic of Stella is a constitutional theocracy. The government consists of three main bodies, the High Priest, the Senate, and the Council. The High Priest rules over the Republic of Stella as a sort of god queen. She is believed to be the Tree of Life given form, and is worshipped as such. She has ruled over Stella for several hundred years now, and is the most long lived of all modern elves. While mostly a figure head, all federal legislation must be approved by her, and she possesses the power to veto any law/bill that comes her way. She also acts as the 13th Council member should the Council vote result in a draw.
The Council consists of 12 (elvish) officials who are appointed by the High Priest herself. They serve as a cabinet for the High Priest, as well as the Republics judicial body. They do not have much legislative power, however they do have the power of judicial review and can pass/repeal legislation accordingly. They serve until they are dismissed by the High Priest, or die.
The Senate is the Republics legislative branch, made up of publicly elected officials from each of the kingdoms. The Senate is comprised of 40 members, 4 kingdom heads, and 1 speaker. There are 10 members per kingdom, and 1 kingdom head per-kingdom. The speaker is the only appointed position and represents the elvish church. The speaker does not ordinarily vote on legislation, however in the case of a split Senate, they will act as the tie breaker. The kingdom head is chosen by their fellow representatives, and is selected only after all eleven members have been voted into office. Elections are held every five years on the federal level, unless there is a vote of no confidence in which case specific members will be kicked from office.
The Republic of Stella consists of four sub-Kingdoms, and each kingdom is further split into districts. The kingdoms are as follow; the Northern Kingdom, the Eastern Kingdom, the Southern Kingdom, and the Western Kingdom, named for their respective ‘great trees’. The planet of Stella has only four of these gigantic trees, and the kingdoms were built in and around them. The republic's capital city of Neo Elen can be found in the Northern Kingdom, and is home to the High Priest, Senate, and Council.
Each kingdom is split into various districts, which all have their own set of elected officials called District Representatives, or DR. These DR’s make up an assembly, which rule over legislation for their respective kingdom’s on a local level. Each kingdom also has its own Holy Sect, which consist of religious leaders from each district. The Holy Sects act as local level judiciaries but do not have the ability to overturn legislation passed by an assembly’s. They can however, push legislation up to the Council which will then review and rule on it. Elections on the state level are held every two years, and members of the Holy Sect serve for life or until they step down.
Geography
Owing to the countless meteors which showered the planet, Stella is covered in various craters and depressions in the earth, some being miles in diameter. Most of these impact sites are heavily populated by massive roots, which, in turn, are often the home of several species of flora and fauna. The deserts also feature these root systems, though not as prominently, with the craters being replaced by massive glass basins, which still hum with small concentrations of toxic energies which make them uninhabitable, long-term.
Due to the nature of Stella's ecosystem and settlement placement, the root systems of the Kingdom Trees also serve as massive roadways, allowing tradesmen and farmers to deliver their goods and services across the planet with little concern for navigation, as all roots lead to civilization.
Locations
1 system, 1 planet. While Stellan influence can be felt throughout the galaxy, they have no other territory besides this.
Neo Elen - The capital city of Neo Elen is built into the “North Tree” which is one of four giant trees that populate the planet.
Military
Being a neutral country, Stella has little to no military, and the only thing that could qualify as such is the High Priest's Guard. It is an elite group of elves that does the High Priest's bidding, and members can often be found throughout Stella settling disputes. There are also a few small pockets of militia, mostly found within human settlements, however the Republic of Stella would be rather defenseless were an assault ever to planned upon it.
Economy
The Stellan economy largely revolves around the exchange of luxury goods and services, with Stellan craftsmanship being legendary throughout the galaxy for its occult properties. There is also some agrarian development on the planet, in which mostly high priced and even magical products are produced. Stellan entertainers are also well known for their skills, and are some of the most high profile performers in the galaxy.