The Government of Dunmar

Dunmar is a theocratic monarchy, where the ruler, called the Samraat, is assumed to be chosen by the Five Siblings as their divine representative on Taelgar. All obligations and responsibilities flow, ultimately, from this divine relationship. Indeed, the borders of the kingdom of Dunmar are not conventionally thought of as lines on a map. Rather, Dunmar is simply the people who ultimately owe allegiance to and are protected by the Five Siblings, through their mortal representative on Taelgar, the Samraat.

Temples

Temples dot the Dummari landscape: to be a Dunmari means to be part of a temple, and all Dunmari have a temple they call home, even if they visit quite rarely, perhaps only for the most important festivals. In the more nomadic parts of the country, temples are some of the only permanent structures, often nucleating small villages around them. Large cities, however, may have two or three or more temples serving them. 

Each temple is run by a head priest. Technically these are chosen by the Samraat, but usually based on the recommendation of the former priest or the local community. Depending on the size of the temple, a number of additional priests, acolytes, and laity may serve the community in some role.

Temple serve not only as institutions of worship and religious ceremony, but also as the primary administrative center of the state. All but the smallest temples have at least one and typically many more acolytes and/or priests whose primary responsibility is administrative rather than religious. 

Temple Conclave

The head priest of each temple is also formally part of the temple conclave. The temple conclave’s only formal role is to choose the Samraat, but occasionally the temple conclave, or smaller regional subgroups of the conclave, meet for other purposes as needed.

During the Aatmaji Dynasty, traditionally the Speaker of the Lakan Mystai received divine guidance from Laka himself, in the form of dreams and visions, to guide this choice, and the role of the temple conclave was often simply to confirm the choice of the Speaker.

During the Dharajun Dynasty, often called the Dynasty of the Horse and associated with Chidya, a horse blessed with the spirit of Chidya was the sign of the gods, and pointed the conclave to the next Samraat.

During the Nayan Dynasty, interpreting the will of the gods has been less clear, and in many cases the Samraat has effectively appointed an heir, which has made the Dunmari monarchy semi-hereditary.

Obligations

The government of Dunmar is organized around a system of obligations that both flow from the people to the gods (via the Samraat), and from the gods to the people (again, via the Samraat).

Duties of the People

Two major streams of obligation run from the people to the Samraat. 

First, each temple is responsible for a tithe to the Samraat, which must be paid annually and supports the machineries of the state. To pay this tithe, temples rely on tithes made from the community during the major festivals of the year. Generally, a fraction of this revenue is kept for temple upkeep, including potentially the village around the temple, and the rest covers the tithe due the royal treasury. 

Second, each temple district owes service to the gods (in practice, to the Samraat), based on the size of the district. Traditionally military service, this obligation was the basis of the famed armies of the Dunmari, but more recently payment in lieu of service has become common, especially in prosperous urban areas. The amount owed is determined by a census, supposed to be conducted every 20 years, and counts every adult of riding age, so the very young and the very old are excluded. 

The mystery cults exist outside this system. Mystai, as initiates of these cults are called, are freed from obligation to tithe or service, and the mystery cults themselves do not owe tithe to the Samraat.

Formally, everyone who uses the land (excepting Mystai) owes the tithe, and even non-Dunmari living in Dunmar are expected to make donations to the local temple. But service obligations accrue only to Dunmari citizens, that is, followers of the Dunmari faith.

Duties of the Samraat

With these revenues, the Samraat and temples fulfill the promises of the gods to the people: that they will be safe on the land of the Dumari, that they will prosper and thrive. In practice, this means the Samraat is responsible for the defense of the land, improvements to the land such as road building and fortification, the provision of wayhouses and stables for messengers and travelers, and foreign relations.