The Empire of Here and There

“We may be Rats, but we are a proud and noble people. Where once there was fear and loneliness for our people, there is now unity and camaraderie. Where once we were spat upon and kicked aside, we shall stand together and build a glorious new nation where Rats live and love and pursue our dreams. Here and There calls my People. Here and There calls.”

Rat Emperor Clobu, First of His Name, Lord of Here and There, King of Rats and Stuff, The Rat Sentinel, Father of Mischief, Sailor, The Unbathed, Breaker of Stereoratypes, and the Bringer of Healthcare, The Orderer of Munitions, The Patron of Education, Disease Carrier Extraordinaire, The Maker of Allies

The Empire of Here and There is composed of many disparate islands of varying sizes, and great stretches of underground tunnels leading to either subterranean caverns which are also inhabited by the Empire or to other islands. The prominent islands of the Empire are as follows:

Suomwerels (pronounced SOME-WHERE-ELSE), is the capital island of The Empire of Here and There. It has wide tracts of fertile land and mountains which contain valuable minerals. It is located far and away from any Non-Empire civilization. Due to the rapid population growth of the Empire citizens, the size of the capitol city, Thisandat, has grown to great heights, both upward in the form of large teetering buildings and tall stone structures, and downward in the form of subterranean caverns expanded into a wide undercity.

• Rata Lucaria: The most prominent and large magical academy in the Empire, specializing in earth, fire and air magic. It is overseen by Head Mage Ratnala and a Magicians Council, which organizes the curriculum and supplies of the Academy.

• The Kangaroo Court: A large Judicial area located in the overcity in Thisandat.

• The Imperial Bungalow: The Imperial Bungalow is the residence of Emperor Clobu and is a single story wide and flat complex with a large porch (roughly 200 x 150 feet). Inside is contained the sleeping chambers of the Emperor, a royal kitchen, many guest rooms, and offices to organize all of the trappings of Imperial bureaucracy.

Remmington is the scientific heart of the Empire, featuring a large manor home and overgrown, wide hedges, large enough to house security personnel for the island. The manor itself expands downward into many many miles of underground tunnels with underground chambers containing many scientific and technological apparatuses which are constantly tinkered with and modified, or used to invent new things, typically weapons of some variety.

• Royal Academy of Technology (R.A.T): The Royal Academy of Technology is a manor complex which contains many rooms and offices as well as labs which contain strange technology and scientific instruments. The citizens of the Empire have made this location the nexus of not only their scientific developments but also a series of underground tunnels.
• The Low Road: The Low Road is what the Empire citizens collectively use to refer to the many underground tunnels which stretch beneath the waves and connect islands of the Empire together.

The Nests are the collective term for the underground caverns which are habitable or have been explored thoroughly by Imperial scouting missions from Remmington or from other places from around the Empire. It is not known how many these caverns number or where they may end.

The Laws of the Empire of Here and There are varied and constantly expanding to reflect the needs of the Rats that make it up. The Empire is here to serve the interests of its citizens, not the other way around.

• Child labor is legal in the Empire of Here and There
• All workers are guaranteed a living wage for their work
• Working conditions must be such that they do not endanger the workers. Every effort must be made to make a safe working environment.
• Discrimination based on Rat type, species, gender or any other classification outside of the control of the potential employee is illegal in all respects.
• This law is self explanatory and an addition made by the Captain of the Pratorian Guard, Kangaroo Jack. The premise is simple. If the accused can make a case for the “Bitch” (hereafter referred to as the “victim”) deserving “It” (hereafter referred to as the “crime”) then the accused may be acquitted. The victim of the crime can testify in this case if they are indeed able to testify after the crime, otherwise the accused makes their case directly to the presiding judge and the jury. Failing to prove that the victim deserved the crime results in immediate punishment associated with the crime committed, as the accused readily admits to and takes credit for the crime, leaving no ambiguity.
• Drugs are a fair and legal good to sell throughout the Empire of Here and There. Production and trade of these drugs are overseen by officials inside of the Legion and monitored like all other trade goods.
• Although detachment from the gods of Jearn is encouraged by the Rat Emperor Clobu, all Rats and citizens in the Empire of Here and There are guaranteed protection against discrimination based on their beliefs
• The Empire of Here and There encompasses no state religion, as per the desire of Rat Emperor Clobu. As such any religious doctrine holds no sway over the functioning of the government of Here and There, and is held to this standard even if an official ascribes to a certain belief.
• The Empire of Here and There operates with a fairly standard banking system, but limits its influence on the common rat by imposing strict oversight and regulations on their rates.
• Tax fraud is illegal
• Tax evasion is illegal
• Trade is allowed between all Legions and is only subject to restrictions enforced by the Legates of individual Legions, and at times by the Pratorian Guard should they observe breaches in fair trade.

The Empire of Here and There is a sprawling enterprise and almost defies conventional organization. Despite this, it is the wish of Emperor Clobu and all Rats which desire a prosperous future that this undertaking be attempted anyway. In order to facilitate this aim, society is structured in the following way:

Emperor

The Rat Emperor Clobu rules as a constitutional monarch. His is the rule that has led Prallian Rats from mediocrity into a brighter future. He is in charge of affairs of state, which includes meeting diplomatically with foreign nations, drafting amendments to the Constitution, giving his blessing for Legate successors and so on.

Pratorian Guards

The Pratorian Guards are some of the most combat capable rats in the Empire and are led by the Honorable Kangaroo Jack. They are the arm of the Emperor and his Justice to the rest of the Rat citizens. In the event of an unjust ruling made by an official, they may overrule that ruling.The sole exceptions to this rule are the Emperor and the High Kangaroos. Pratorian Guards are held accountable by the Emperor and his Legates, who, should they find a Pratorian Guard wanting in their service to the Empire, may elect to strip them of titles.

High Kangaroos

High Kangaroos are the elected Judges of an Island which are to be sent to the Capitol Island of Soumwerels whenever a court case which impacts the entire Empire of Here and There must be ruled on. High Kangaroos are elected by the Legates of their island, with the exception of the capitol of Soumwerels, in which the Emperor serves in that capacity.

Legates

Legates are Rat Citizens elevated to a position of command originally by the Emperor. Legates now possess the ability to declare their successor Legates with the blessing of the Emperor. Legates are in command of their Legions. There can only ever be seven Legates to an island, and the reason for this is due to the fact that Legates are in charge of the rat citizenry in their Legions. Should an Island ever reach carrying capacity or should friction ever develop between two or more Legions, a Legate is within their right to take their entire Legion (with the exception of landed Evocatus) with them to embark on a colonization mission.

Centurions

Centurions are Rat Citizens promoted into a position of management of the Legion. This takes the form of managing housing, managing finances and organizing trade both between the individual legions and with foriegn powers. They work closely with the Legate of a Legion, and there can be many different Centurions in a Legion, depending on how badly it needs organization. A Centurion will move with its Legion if a Legate ever decides that it is time to leave for new lands.

Evocatus

Evocatus are Rat Citizens that are responsible for the creation of commercial goods, or other things for trade between the legions and with foreign powers. By necessity, these Rats are many, and usually employ the use of other Rats to ship their goods to other places. They exist somewhat outside of the Legion system as they oftentimes can not afford to simply move with their Legion if the Legion decides to colonize a new Island.

Legionnaires

Legionnaires are by far the most numerous Rat citizens and perform many of the jobs not undertaken by Centurions or Evocatus. There is opportunity for advancement, although anything having to do with ocean travel is greatly valued by the Emperor and supported as one of the most prestigious jobs a Rat can take. Care is taken to foster a sense of community between Legionnaires inside of a Legion. Ideally, this means that a Legion means family to any Legionnaire belonging to it.

The courts of Here and There are separated into a series of three Courts in order of raising importance. These courts deal with matters of legal importance in the Empire, and the higher up the court system a case gets, the bigger impact it has on the Empire at large.

Legion Courts

Legion Courts are the lowest courts of the Empire of Here and There. Their home Legion is under their jurisdiction. Legion Courts are presided over by the Centurions of a Legion appointed to that position by the Legate as well as a jury of fellow rat citizens. The Jury pronounces guilt or innocence while the Centurions attend to the trial and ensure its fairness.

Island Courts

Island Courts are the middling courts of the Empire that encompass issues that impact the various Legions of an island. As with the Legion Corts, this Court is presided over by the Legates of the Legions of an island and a jury of rat citizens that are drawn from all Legions on the island. The process for determining guilt and/or innocence is the same as with the Legion Courts.

Kangaroo Court

Kangaroo Courts are the highest courts in the Empire and assemble the collective High Kangaroos of the islands of the Empire. The Kangaroo Court is held only on the Island Capitol of Soumwerels and is presided over by the High Kangaroos of the Empire, the Emperor and a Grand Jury of Rats from around the Empire. Guilt and Innocence is decided by the High Kangaroos of the Empire with the Grand Jury serving as a witness to Imperial Justice being dispensed and to call for a redo should they not accept the ruling.

The Grand Jury may call for a redo of the trial by casting tokens they are given upon entering the Kangaroo Court into a great bowl in the Court. The bowl is then counted out by the Emperor to ensure that no more than 2/3 of the rats in attendance have called for a redo. If a redo is called for, then a retrial will be granted.

The Empire of Here and There has many different rat citizens inside of it, but from rats they came and their customs and traditions are influenced greatly by their shared heritage.

Cannibalism

When rats exist in states of starvation they can resort to cannibalism to make up the difference in the nutrients that they are not getting. Given the newfound civilization that the citizens of Here and There enjoy, they no longer need to engage in cannibalism to survive, however this is still a respected tradition.

When a beloved family member or respected political official dies, it is not unusual for their body to be divided up between other rats in attendance for their funeral and eaten to remember them better.

Wanderlust Rats are prolific and can exist in many varied locations, even when not mutated. If not actively opposed soon, a rat nest is very hard to dislodge, and will spread further. Such it is with the Empire of Here and There. Driven ever to wander, its people thrive off of expansion and love nothing more than to find more places to call home.

Well-structured The great power of rats is that they gather and organize in ways to provide the best chances of survival for the collective. The Empire of Here and There has developed a well-structured system for most aspects of society. Everything from the school system, judicial system, societal layout, etc. is heavily regimented, although these need not make sense in their purpose or in why the structures are as needlessly dangerous, difficult or inefficient as they might be.

Emperor Day

This day is celebrated once a year to commemorate the day that Emperor Clobu sailed forth with his original legion of rats to look for a new home on the endless horizon. The exodus of the Rat Legion started on 1/13/10079.

The celebration entails a full 24 hour long celebration where work is temporarily halted and everyone in the Empire is treated to feasts, dances, drinks and the Emperor himself leads a great conga line procession throughout the entire city.

Clobumas

Clobumas is celebrated whenever a new colonization mission is set forth. The entire island from which the mission starts out holds a 3 day and 3 night period of revelry and well-wishing which is also used to prepare for the coming voyage. Family and friends which may be separated as a result of the mission exchange gifts and tokens of their affection before departing. Every island has a different time for this holiday and the date it is celebrated on corresponds to the most recent departure if the island in question has had multiple missions leave.

National Rat Appreciation Day

This holiday takes place exactly ½ a year after Emperor Day and serves as a celebration of ratkind and its greatness. Parades are hosted throughout the Empire featuring processions of the finest rats on their islands.

All rats from all walks of life are allowed. From the strongest, fastest, biggest, smartest, sneakiest and smallest as well as everything in between, their capabilities and successes are put on full display. The day is filled with competitions, games and awards.