Difference between revisions of "Principality of Caledon"

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The [[Principality of Caledon]] is a [[polity]] that is located in [[Reaver's Deep Sector]].  
 
The [[Principality of Caledon]] is a [[polity]] that is located in [[Reaver's Deep Sector]].  
 
* It is part of [[Charted Space]].
 
* It is part of [[Charted Space]].

Revision as of 14:01, 17 June 2019

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The Principality of Caledon is a polity that is located in Reaver's Deep Sector.

Astronavigational Codes

Polity Astronavigational Codes
Polity Survey Code Type Notes
Principality of Caledon Pre-Imperial PrCa No standard code None
Principality of Caledon 1st Survey (300) Ca 2-ltr code None
Principality of Caledon 2nd Survey (1065) CaPr 4-ltr code None
Principality of Caledon Client State 2nd Survey (1065) CsCa 4-ltr code None

Description (Specifications)

The Principality of Caledon is the The largest human governed state in Reaver's Deep, closely allied with Imperial interests, residing in the Caledon and Scotian Deep subsectors.

Goals

As of 1105, in addition to its traditional challenges of dealing with Reavers and the aggressive stance of the Duchy of Marlheim, the prime goal of the Caledonian monarchy and government is to maintain the Principality's territorial, economic and social integrity in the face of the chaos attending the decay of the neighboring Imperium.

Symbols

No information yet available.

History & Background (Dossier)

Please see A Brief History of the Principality of Caledon

Demographics

Significant populations of the following sophont races exist within this polity:

Caledonian Clan Games

Many clans, and most municipalities composed of multiple clans, hold annual Toair Albannaich (a very rough translation for "Clan Games" in Gheldaght) festivals, featuring traditional music, food, dancing, and especially athletic and martial competitions between clans, including:

  • Fencing (with large broadswords)
  • Marksmanship
  • Boxing
  • Achbreiannoich (a staff-fighting technique)
  • Pikemanship
  • Archery
  • Throwing large rocks, logs and other weights

Caledonian Education

Education is not compulsory, as a statutory matter, in Caledon. Historically, this is a result of many clans, noble and otherwise, objecting to the idea of a history and culture curriculum designed by, and for the benefit of, the clans that controlled the government and any centralized education system at the time.

As a result, the Principality has a multi-tiered, decentralized education system:

  • Primary and Secondary education is provided by tutors hired by noble/wealthy families; students of more modest means learn from school established by clans, houses of worship, and trade guilds. Municipal schools are rare, and not incorporated into any larger school systems. The guilds provide more vocational education in the later years - although this "hands on" education runs the gamut from carpentry apprenticeships through learning computing, fusion power and jump physics.
  • Post-Secondary Education is an assortment of different types of schools, apprenticeships and other programs:
    • Universities are established, with few exceptions, by clans, industries or religious organizations. They are broadly divided between "classical" and "technical" in philosophy, with classical universities focusing on culture, literature and intellectual inquiry, with the technical ones concentrating on skills from finance through jump drive design. Prestigious universities in the Principality include:
      • The Royal University of Caledon, established by the Monarchy itself, and teaching a combination of classical and technical curricula
      • Douglass University - founded on Douglass (world) by Clan Douglass.
      • Banff University - a consortium of smaller institutions founded by several clans, trade guilds and industrial groups on Rob Roy, Banff is a large multidisciplinary school.
    • Technical eduation is provided by the guilds. For some, students pay tuition; for others, especially highly qualified students in high-demands trades, education is provided in exchange for a commitment to work for the guild.
    • Specialized technical education - medicine, advanced physics, the law - is usually provided by industry groups, and generally offered "free" to highly qualified students in exchange for a contract to work in the industry for a period of years.

Caledonian Language & Letters (Communication)

Anglic is the official language of the Principality. Dialect is a key indicator of social class in the Principality, with speakers with higher education and backgrounds from the upper middle class and higher speaking a dialect very close to classical Anglic with a thin accent; heavier accents and different vocabulary occur the further afield from the nobility, and from Caledon itself, the speaker hails; the native dialect in lower classes on outlying worlds can be difficult for non-natives to understand if the speakers talk fast enough.

Gheldaght, a descendant of the antiquarian Caledonian ethnic language, is found in two places; among ardent cultural nationalists, and among the highly-educated, among whom at least some literacy in Gheldaght is seen as a sign of education. The two dialects of Gheldaght - called "Low Gheldaght" and "High Gheldaght" or "Classical Gheldaght", respectively - are mutually intelligible, but very different dialects.

In game terms - paradoxically, the well-educated and the rather poorly-educated will likely have some knowledge of a dialect of Gheldaght.

Caledonian Cuisine

Caledonian cuisine, with its roots in an impoverished past, is largely regarded as "dull" at best to "loathsome" at worst, by humans from other starfaring cultures. Largely based on boiling meat, root vegetables and cereal grains into various combinations of stews, "puddings" and porridges, with the occasional fairly unadorned roast for special occasions, the diet is largely considered plain and mildly unappetizing to non-Caledonians.

The cuisines of some of the non-ethnically-Caledonian ethnic groups, harkening back to sunnier ancestral climes, are more interesting; spicy, aromatic and variegated. Ethnic Caledonians treat such cuisine with a mixture of mild suspicion and occasional epicurean delight. '

Caledonian Beverages

On the other hand, the Caledonian tradition of fermented and distilled beverages is widely known and praised. Excellent beer generally accompanies dinner in most Caledonian homes, and whisky is a part of most evening discussions. Both are exported and sold for a premium in other human systems (and those of other sophonts who tolerate alcohol and drink it recreationally).

Caledonian whisky - especially from Dunbarton, Stirling, Douglass and Caledon - are prime export commodities. Some of the finer brands - 30-year-old bottles of Lochloar, Glynroadlough, Bairn and MacGarvey - will fetch CR200-350 per 300ml bottle. A 40 year old 500ml bottle of Pardoe & Carrickmourghain can go for CR1,200 in some of the wealthier worlds on the spin-rimward frontier of the Imperium; it's not unknown for the domestic victualling staff of Imperial sector dukes to pay CR4,000 for a case of six 300ml bottles of Braithlough whisky.

And even those mass-market brands, premium as they are, pale in comparison with some of the private vintages, which can sell for CR1000 per 25ml glass - or CR20,000/500ml bottle - on the home world, CR40,000 elsewhere in the Principality, and for CR60,000-100,000 in the Imperium; finding and purchasing these legendary private recipes is as much a matter of connections as it is wealth - although both are vital.

Referee's Note - Liquor makes a fine, high-margin cargo. Any adventure involved in finding a super-premium private vintage is going to involve the equivalent of a significant intelligence operation.

See also Caledonian Beverages

Government & Politics (Leadership)

The Constitutional Monarchy comprises, and governs via the tension of checks and balances between, the Sovereign Monarch, the nobility and the Parliament.

The Caledonian monarchy was a fairly traditional feudal dictatorship until 115. That year, reacting to the fiasco of The Great Restoration and over 80 years of inept, corrupt government, as well as to the reforms following the Douglass Concord, Prince Stuart IV enacted The First Constitution - an unwritten framework based on two centuries of Caledonian common law.

The system worked well - until the strains of the Second Reaver War brought on a Constitutional Crisis that common law couldn't solve. Prince Ian the Tenth convened the Conclave of New Glasgow in 685 - during which he had a collection of nobles, academics and parliamentary leaders crafted the Second Constitution, and written framework that exists to this day.

The Government consists of:

  • The Crown: The Sovereign Prince, his cabinet, and the executive branch of Caledonian government.
  • Parliament:
  • The Crown Bench

The seat of government is in the capitol city of Selkirk.

Interstellar Relations

No information yet available.

Monarchy

The Crown - the local term for the Monarchy - dates back to -371. It is a patrilineal monarchy that has been held by several Caledonian noble "Houses" - clans - over the centuries. Sometimes the changes were peaceful, wrought by careful negotiation between various noble houses. In others, the change was enacted via covert or violent means.

Since the first big round of constitutional reforms about a thousand years ago, the Caledonian monarchy has been a constitutional monarachy, but hardly a powerless one (albeit without the pseudo-deific status of the Emperor of the Imperium).

The current Sovereign Prince is Stuart VIII, of the house of Campbell of Abercraiggie, a 37 year old veteran of the Royal Caledonian Navy. His wife, Crown Princess Kali - nee Kali Shearon, Duchess of Hartsdoun, and heiress to the Hartsdoun Mining and Refining concern, and he have four children; two daughters (Erin, 12 and Sari, 4) and two boys, 6 year old Douglass and 11 year old Bruce, the Crown Prince and, if all goes well, the future Bruce IV.

See this list of Caledonian Sovereign Princes for further details.

See also The Caledonian Monarchy for further details about institution.

Executive Power

Executive power devolves from the Prince through his Cabinet.

Judicial Power

The "Crown Bench" is a central supreme court that adjudicates Constitutional issues.

Criminal and civil courts are largely handled within individual systems, and their respective political subdivisions and municipalities.

Legislative Power

Legislative power in the Principality is vested in the Parliament. Parliament is a three-chambered body:

  • House of Deputies - popularly-elected in proportion to system population throughout the Principality
  • House of Lords - appoined by the nobility
  • Grand Senate - three Senators represent each system.

Demography

Caledon is almost entirely human, and mostly descending from the original Terran settlers.

The rough demographic breakdown is as follows:

  • 90% ethnic Caledonians
  • 3% other ethnic groups among original settlers
  • 3% immigrants from the Imperium (especially on Rob Roy and Victory and other worlds
  • 3% immigrants from human worlds to rimward - traders from the Confederation of Duncinae, refugees from Marlheim, the Carillan Confederation, and even a few long-travelling Solomani.
  • <.01% ethnic Aslan. Many are immigrants on spin-rimward worlds like Rutherglen and Caithness. There is a long-standing ethnic Aslan community on Stirling which has even elected a representative to the Caledonian Parliament. The colony is heavily involved with trade with their Aslan counterparts in the various hierates.

Society

The Principality is a monarchy - but much of society is regulated only by the Clan structure that governs so much of Caledonian life.

Nobility

The system of nobility found in the Principality is an ancient one - and, combined with the adoption of a strong Parliament in recent centuries, has lent it a relevance and flexibility not normally seen in similar bodies.

For more details, see Caledonian Nobility.

Clans

Caledonian society in its original form was fiercely clannish - and that still exists in more than merely vestigial form in the Principality today.

Clans in Caldonian society are partly reflected in the hierarchy of Caledonian nobility. But non-noble clans are quite common, and are usually affiliated with noble clans.

While centuries of constitutional monarchy have smoothed out the harsher points of clan-based society, Caledonian society maintains many of the broader facets of clan-based life.

  • Family-based sense of honor: While Caledon has a code of laws and functional civil and criminal courts, many minor transactions - especially in rural areas and smaller, more sparsely-populated and lower-tech systems - are settled as negotiations between clans and, occasionally, in combat. Combat is more rarely "to the death" these days than in days past, and honor-killings are exceedingly rare - but not unheard-of, and still close enough to the surface that offical Caledon still undertakes efforts to discourage them.
  • Tight familial connections: There is a high degree of loyalty and connection, within families, and clans, and affiliated groups of clans. For example: a noble clan (for instance, Craig of Houlstonbury) needing repairs to its main estate manor will most often look to a remodeling company in an affiliated non-noble clan (Donaldson of Muirside, longtime affiliates of Clan Craig).
  • Credit Pooling: Clans, and associations of clans, will frequently pool their resources to extend credit to members of the clan/s for commercial ventures. Many of Caledon's premier trading houses started as clan credit pools that paid off handsomely for the Clans involved; the repayment of the with interest allowed the clans to finance further commercial ventures, and frequently paid dividends to the clans themselves. Many of these credit pools became the bases of major Caledonian equity funds; some of the larger, more influential clans maintain "Clan Equities" - essentially commercial investment banking houses. Many young entrepreneurs begin their business careers by borrowing money for a speculative cargo, and marketing it on destination worlds inside or beyond Caledonian borders; some clans have even purchased their own free and far traders to carry out these expeditions.

Interstellar Commerce

The Principality is most famous as a haven for commerce. Minimal (some might say "indulgent") regulatation, low taxes on wealth, well-established rules of civil law, courts that enforce contracts firmly and fairly, a thriving entrepreneur class, and a gentry that has turned its energies from feudal bickering to commerce (notwithstanding the entire Maxwell/Campbell succession crisis) all combine to make the Principality a key hub for commerce among the various states that line the Reaver's Deep.

Currency

The Principality issues a state currency - but does not run a monopoly on currency.

The state currency is based on the "Pound". The value of the pound floats freely on Caledonian currency markets (with the main one being the Currency Exchange at the Malárteagh Treágtacht, or "Commercial Exchange". The Caledonian "pound" is generally valued at Cr2-2.5.

Imperial credits are also accepted. Paying with "Imperials" incurs a 3% exchange fee planetside (1% at any Starport) - except at times when the Pound is weak.

Some system governments (most notably Douglass, as well as some banks and even a few clan credit pools, issue their own currency. This currency floats freely, and each is based on some sort of backing; Bank of Caledon pounds are backed with precious metals; MacGarvey Bank "Guineas", by agricultural credit; Prashanth Talers, by equities in Fusion power plant construction projects; Clan Donahoe Punts float against the value of the clan credit pool's holdings. These currencies float constantly against the Pound; as such, they (and there are dozens of different types) are the focus of much speculation. Indeed, currency speculation is something of a hobby for many in the Principality; in some cases, it serves as a poor person's stock market. More than a few small fortunes have been made by currency speculation.

Some of the "custom currencies" are only available in symbolic, large "notes" (which are not generally intended for spending, although they could be spent). The Royal Pound is available in:

  • 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 1000 pound "paper" (actually a highly sophisticated fabric) notes
  • The Pound is divided into 100 "Pence", with coins for 1, 5, 15, 20 and 50 pence, and 1, 5 and 10 pound coins.

Guilds

Skilled workers in all facets of Caledonian commercial life - especially on the larger, more commercially-connected worlds - are heavily involved in trade guilds.

Citizens who aren't born into the noble "elite" will very frequently seek training in one of the many guilds that permeate Caledonian commercial life; virtually every technical, trade or artisanal industry's labor force is run by one or more guilds, frequently competing against one another.

More information on Caledonian Trade Guilds.

Military & Intelligence (Force Projection)

The military of the Principality is a relatively small, professional force largely devoted to commerce protection and piracy suppression, although it has particpated in its share of larger internal and external conflicts.

Branches of the Military: The following are the major components parts of the Military of the Principality of Caledon

Ground Forces

Naval Forces

Special Forces

  • Prince's Own Corps of Guards - an elite royal guard force reporting to the Sovereign Monarch.
  • Caledonian Special Service - at the junction of intelligence, politics and special operations, the "CSS" handles clandestine, unconventional and covert intelligence-gathering and warfare.
  • Phantom Regiment - The Principality's ultra-secret special operations unit.

Paramilitary Forces

Intelligence Services

Worlds & Sectors (Astrography)

This polity can be primarily found in the following areas:
Charted Space:

Capital/s: 1105

The capital/s of this polity is/are located in the following location/s:

World Listing: 1105

The following systems and worlds are a part of this polity:

25 of 25 World articles in Principality of Caledon
Annan  •  Budwick  •  Caithness  •  Caledon  •  Claverse  •  Concorde  •  Cuillin  •  Culloden  •  Douglass  •  Dunbarton  •  Firth  •  Glenelg  •  Grampia  •  Knoydart  •  Lanark  •  MacBeth  •  Pentland  •  Rejhappur  •  Rob Roy  •  Rutherglen  •  Scotia  •  Stirling (RD 1415)  •  Stuart (RD 1716)  •  Tsanesi  •  Victory (RD 2017)  •  
startbacknext(25 listed)


References & Contributors (Sources)

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