Government

The government of the Rihannsu Star Empire is a tricameral system, using three houses to approve, veto, and enforce legislation. The seiHehllirh, as they call it, is divided into two major branches, the deihu and the fvillhaih (or, in Standard terms, the Senate and Praetorate).

The deihu is split into two parts, one approving legislation while the other vetoes it. This split was done shortly after the reign of Queen t'Rehu, to control the power of the deihu and insure that another such incident did not recur. The deihu are the legislative branch of the government, and use their power to insure that the people are not overtaxed by the military expenditures or research projects.

The office of deihu is hereditary, and for life. This does not insure a long term in office. If the people in a particular deihu's jurisdiction are unhappy with his or her job performance, the typical response is to send a sword to them, encouraging them to fix either the problem, or themselves. Needless to say, this subtle hint is rarely ignored, and changes often occur on the spot.

While the job of deihu can be challenging, most of those holding the office enjoy the challenge and give their best to the people they serve by keeping taxes low. The major houses in the area often encourage visits, hoping to gain favor, and therefore power, in the deihu meetings. These visits are often a fancy affair, with a large, elaborate supper and much wine or ale, depending on the area. The minor houses often try the same tactic, only on a smaller scale.

The other branch of the Rihannsu government is the fvillhaih, or Praetorate. This serves as the judicial and executive branch. The fvillha enforce the laws passed by the deihu and insure justice to the people, though it is generally their form of justice. The fvillhaih control the courts of the Empire and serve an elected term of office. In addition to controlling the courts, the fvillhaih control the Star Navy of the Empire.

While the fvillhaih is not as large as the deihu in size, it is more powerful in government. They control the courts of the Empire, and are enabled with the power to judge, along with the power to pass sentence. The fvillhaih on ch'Rihan is in charge of the Tal Shi'ar, at least in theory, as the Tal Shi'ar is basically in charge of itself. The fvillhaih serves the people in various ways, mostly insuring that the Empire remains strong in the eyes of the Rihannsu people.