CRITICAL HIT: Central Continent: The Sage Coast (Part 1)

The Central continent is home to three major countries along with several territories. Today we will be looking at the easternmost country in the continent, The Sage Coast. In this particular look, we will see some general information, along with Four of the Major Agencies that make up the Sage Coast’s government. Also featured today is art by Alex Diochon, highlighting some of the local fashions.

History

The Sage Coast has, by and large, been the most peaceful territory in the central continent. A lot of the early efforts of the tribes that would eventually band together to form this bureaucratically-minded country were spent ameliorating the collateral damage caused by two powerful dragons, Xergodrepsis and Arcolonderus, as their battles spilled into more inhabited areas. This formed a society that was much more loathe to go to war, and had a stronger community mindset. The Sage Coast is also the only recognized country that has a democracy as its central system of rule. Some claim that elven bands often elect their leaders democratically, but elves are difficult to reach for comment.

Governmental Agencies of the Sage Coast: The Six-Star System

The Triumvirs

The Triumvirs’ sole job is to stop the other agencies from doing things. They interpret the laws of the Sage Coast and when some edict from another department violates the laws of the Rice-and-Gold Codex they can file any number of injunctions. The Triumvirs are also empowered to gain military control of all the various agencies’ troops in times of all out war.

The triumvirate is the smallest agency consisting of only 3 elected officials, plus their appointees and aides. The Triumvirs are elected based on wisdom and past actions, but also charisma plays a huge part in the process. The current triumvirs have been in power for two decades and this is the first triumvirate to include both a dragonborn and a tiefling.

Seat: Eldest Hill (Formerly Coastfall)

Insignia: An equilateral triangle, sometimes with a hole or circle right below each vertex

Military Force: The Sword of Order is one of the smallest military forces in the Sage Coast, but also one of the most respected, it is their job to prevent other branches from taking illegal military action and as such they are trained specifically to take out the soldiers of other agencies.

 The Council on Forestry and Agriculture

The Council is in charge of maintaining the Sage Coast’s forested areas, as well as regulating its agriculture. This includes many bureaucratic aspects such as water rights, hunting licenses and crop rotation, but also involves dealing with poachers, smugglers and woodland monsters. Much of their work though, is spent using magic, technology and bureaucracy to improve the crops farmed in the Sage Coast. The Council has 37 elected officers.

Head Officer: Prime Councilor on Forestry and Agriculture

Other Officers: Forester General, Head Agricultural Alchemist, Veterinarian General

Seat: Dream Tower

Insignia: A Green 8-pointed star

Military Force: The Forestry Garrison is in charge of keeping the pathways through the Sage Coast’s many forests clear of brigands, monsters and wild animals, they are usually trained as rangers, although more heavily armored members are not rare.

The Ministry of Crime and Charity

At first it might seem strange to have a department be in charge of these two aspects of society, but locals see it as an obvious combination. Simply put, this is the department of money exchanged without goods or services rendered and vice-versa. All individuals and organizations in need of charity must apply to the ministry, this often brings them into close contact with the Sage Coast’s many churches. The Ministry has hundreds of elected positions, since many are local.

On the other hand all crime committed in the Sage Coast is eventually reported to the ministry, even if the apprehending officer is from another Department.

Head Officer: The Minister of Crime and Charity

Other Officers: Chair of internal Trafficking, Office of Religious Auditors.

Seat: Eldest Hill (Formerly Coastfall)

Insignia: A white 5-pointed star

Military Force: The Bucklers, as most people have come to call the Ministry’s military force are the closest thing the Sage Coast has to an official police force, since they concern themselves mostly with street crime they are often lightly armored and usually carry blunt weaponry. Some say their nickname comes from the small shields they wear, others say it comes from their practice of going for criminals’ kneecaps.

The Committee on Fishing and Sailing

The Sage Coast has grown over the centuries to encompass a lot more than just coastline, but fishing is still one of its main sources of food and revenue. The Committee on Fishing and Sailing is in charge of regulating the fishing industry but also of maintaining the Sage Coast’s many ports. They also act as an immigration and customs department for all seafaring vessels from other continents. Lastly it falls on the Committee to deal with any seafaring threats, making it the second largest military body in the Sage Coast after The Department of Health and War. The Committee on Fishing and Sailing has only 8 elected officials, a fact that has contributed to its efficiency, but that many think makes its officers entirely too powerful.

Head Officer: The Chairman on Fishing and Sailing

Other Officers: Head Netting Inspector, Head Liaison to Northern and Eastern Merchants, Head Kraken Hunter, Head of Maritime Warfare and Defense.

Seat: Fin’s Cove (Formerly Coastfall)

Insignia: A Blue X with pointed ends

Military Force: The Corps of Maritime Inspectors spends most of its time, as its name suggests looking for contraband, fish that have been fished out of season and criminals trying to escape justice on cargo ships. In times of war, however, they are able to field a sizeable and, by most reports, powerful navy.

Next time we’ll look at the remaining departments of the Sage Coast, plus some notes on their culture, religion and cities.

Art by Alex Diochon