Ryuutenshi Social Structure

They are a matriarchy in the loosest sense of the term. They are led by a Queen but men do have power. The Queen’s advisor is almost always male. Sometimes he is her consort, but most often he’s a relative, such as an uncle or cousin. In rare occasions, it has been a sibling.

The Ryuutenshi Queen doesn’t marry but instead takes a consort. Marriage, to the Ryuutenshi way of thinking, makes two people into one, into equals, but no one can equal the Queen in power no matter what, so she therefore cannot marry. The Consort, however, has all the rights, privileges, and responsibilities that a regular husband would. The ceremony for taking a husband and taking a Consort is very similar. The only situation in which a Queen may marry is if she finds a Bondmate.

Throughout history, the Queen have only ever produced female children and never more than three over the course of her life time. She simply doesn’t have the time or energy for more than that.

As far as nobility goes, there really isn’t any. The closest equivalent would be the Tower Masters. Throughout the Valley are several immense structures called Towers. They are each made of precious or semi-precious materials. The tallest of the Towers are the Towers of the Five Warriors which are located at the very heart of the valley. These are made of obsidian, jade, ivory, pearl, and marble. The is nearly as large as these five.

The Tower Masters are sworn to protect the people in their particular region of the Valley. Those people in return supply the Tower and its residence with all their needs. They are aided in their protection of the Valley by the Draewood, a barrier of trees that rings the Valley.

If a Tower Master should abuse this privilege, an appeal can be made either to one of the Five Warriors or to the Queen herself. The matter will be investigated and, if the claim is valid, a warning will be issued. If things do not change, a new Master will be Chosen and the old one banished from the Valley.

Succession is not always hereditary whether you are a Queen or a Tower Master. If the current Master or Queen doesn’t have any suitable offspring, then they turn to relatives and then to the general population of the Valley.

For relatives, it’s a simple matter. The only requirements are that they be of some relation to the current holder of the title in question and that they be sound of body, heart, mind, and soul.

To find an Heir from the general populace is much more difficult. In the case of the Five Warriors, this is the only method in which they are Chosen. A spell, one of the few on Keverynn, is cast and locations of candidates are made available to the searcher. That person will go out and track down those individuals. When the right one is found the Searcher will know. How this happens, no one is entirely certain. Even less known is what attracts the spell energies to each individual.