Fantasy Core RPG
© Jerry Harris 2013
(This link will take you to the
Fantasy Core Index.)
The Governor’s Ministers of State
Eunuchs tend to be
missing more than just body parts, namely their humanity.
Shaman Ministers in the Empire wield a tremendous amount of
power, not just magically, but politically.
They control important departments and are accorded the respect of
nobles and royalty. They are the
cohesive glue that has allowed the Manchu government to rule the Han
people. Ministers have also made the
ultimate sacrifice to obtain their magical power and to enter into the ruling
class. Males have lost their
manhood. Females lose their breasts and
are sterilized. (Yes, I know that’s not
historical. Just trying to be gender
equitable for a change.) This is the
proof of their loyalty and to ensure that, in a culture where family is
everything, the Empire itself is their only descendant.
Not everyone in the departments are eunuchs or shamen, but
all of the Ministers and Sub-Ministers are.
All of the lower level members are referred to as Officers. Anyone with
aspirations of higher office will be shamen in training. High level officers who are not shamen are
referred to as Masters or Mistresses.
Officers and Masters/Mistresses are accorded respect as a Minister. They may give orders to and take command of
bureaucrats, soldiers, and constables, within reason, under certain
circumstances. Only Sub-Ministers and
Ministers have something approaching blanket authority over other government
officials.
While eunuchs are generally the epitome of loyalty to the
Empire, a few do go rouge. Disgraced
eunuchs may be powerful enough to escape punishment. Rulers have even been deposed by sufficiently
vain Ministers. Many eunuchs possess
Forbidden spells, which are eponymously not allowed. It is usually not an issue unless said spell
use is publicly exposed.
There is one such spell that will carry a death sentence:
the Gender Switch Ceremony. It is what
it sounds like, a eunuch fully becomes the opposite sex. There is only one advantage to completing
this spell. It allows for the casting of
high level forbidden spells without any penalty, such as insanity (given that
the caster is already insane). There is
no good reason for needing this ability, unless the caster is planning on
usurping power.
There is a good deal of professional rivalry between
Governor Yu’s Ministers and their departments/chambers (and outright animosity
between Xun and Liu). The different
chambers are constantly stepping on each other’s toes, trying usurp each
other’s authority in various situations (not to mention internal squabbles
within the Chambers). However, this all
goes on behind the scenes. While it is
seemingly acceptable to embarrass a rival department, any matter that might
cause the Governor himself embarrassment is unthinkable. All Ministers will end up sharing in the
shame and punishment (such as after the Yong Incident). On some level, the Chambers are forced to
work together in order to maintain order in Shang-tu. That is ultimately paramount.
All of the Chambers are of equal importance to Governor Yu,
though the perception is seen to be otherwise.
Minister Liu and the North Chamber (palace security) are envied for
being physically closest to the Governor, though having the least
authority. Minister Su and the South
Chamber (economics and taxation) is in conference with the Governor the most,
though also the most scolded. Minister
Xun and the East Chamber (internal security) has immediate access to the
Governor at any time, but his job is to ensure that that is unnecessary. Minister Kiri and the West Chamber (foreign
affairs and military) may seem neglected in personal attention, but being in
charge of the military, they have the largest budget and usually have priority
in funding.
These two Ministers are left undefined here in personalities
and abilities. It is up to you as to how
you wish to use them.
Minister of the West Chamber Kiri: Foreign affairs
and military
Minister of the South Chamber Su: Economics and
taxation
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