Arctos Comics

Tir’a society is divide into clans and clans into a tiered aristocracy. The twelve clans are said be be lines of decent from the twelve original children of Va’annu. The leader of each clan is elected to that post from all the available candidates.

In some clans any eligible individual can challenge the vote by single combat. Even after the clan leader, or “Ada” is in that office, even if they have held that office for years, they may be challenged at any time to single combat.

The tir’a make no distinction between males and females regarding who can lead a clan, own land or hold any other job or office. In fact, their various words indicating royalty or aristocracy  have no gender. The same word is used regardless of the sex of the individual.

The hierarchy of the tir’a society is as follows:

Va’an (Emporer/Empress): Literally this means “god” as in “Va’annu”, the tir’a god. The emporer is considered divine. It is attached to the emperor’s name at the time of his accession. Va’annimir VII is the current emperor. Unlike the Ada, the Va’an cannot be simply challenged to single combat. He can be challenged, but the challenger must first face “the 88″. This is a reference to the emperor’s royal guard (8 ‘Thrones’ or personal guards + 80 Palace Guards). A challenger must survive being hunted across a 28-mile stretch of forrest on foot and unarmed by The 80 and then face the Thrones in single combat before he can challenge the emperor himself face-to-face. This has only been successfully accomplished twice in the 900-year recorded history of the tir’a imperiate.

Va’usa (Archduke/Duchess): Direct blood relation to the emperor. His immediate family, brother/sisters, parents and children, aunts and uncles. Prince or princess is also an acceptable translation. Like the emperor they are considered touched by the divine.

Usa (Duke/Duchess): Direct blood relation to a former sitting emperor. In other words, at some point in the family’s past, somebody was an emperor. Could be a great-great-grandfather/mother or even further back. These are the old, landed families that make up the main body of the “peerage”, the tir’a line of succession to the throne. The title Usa can only be earned by blood, it cannot be granted, not even by the emperor himself. The Usa are not considered divine until or unless they are elected emperor.

Geos (baron): Geos is the highest title that can be bestowed on an individual. Only the emperor can bestow the title Geos, but there is no hereditary prerequisite. Most Geos are not considered peers (see Ada’Usa). but the title can be inherited.

Ada’usa/Ada’geos: The leader of a clan. Clan leaders must be Geos, Usa or Ada’Vasa (triple titles are contracted). An Ada’geos is considered a peer and part of the line of succession.

Ru’Tholuzhir: Literally High or Esteemed House. Each clan chooses 32 of all its Geos, Usa and Va’Usa to sit in this single chambered senate (384 members inn total). While the emporer’s word is law, the Ru elects the emperor and balances his authority by “interpreting” imperial canon. In return, the Ru can be dissolved by imperial edict and new elections called for. Individual members also serve at the pleasure of the emperor and can be dismissed with cause and replaced by imperial edict until the next election. Members of the senate have the title Ru attached to their other titles — Ru’Geos, Ru’Usa or Ru’Vasa (another triple contraction).

Aya (knight): A title of honor rather aristocracy. The title Aya can be bestowed by the emperor or any Baron or Duke to anyone in their service they deem worthy. This title is bestowed for the life of the individual and does not pass down to their family.

Otu (Servant): High level servants of the peerage and royalty use this title. This includes personal servants such as private secretaries, as well as higher ranking civil servants can have this bestowed upon them.

Messu (Priest/Sage/Doctor): Sages, philosophers, priests, and most healers are addressed this way. It indicates a master of their specific discipline. Sa’messu is the term for one on the path to mastery, a student. Literally “seeker of mastery”.

Eno (Mr./Miss/Mrs.): A simple manner of addressing someone without higher rank to show respect. Most often used to address someone older than oneself. Never used to address someone of lesser prestige or age.