Nectar's government has two branches. Prince Sitanni commands the army, controls the justice system and conducts foreign policy. The Prince's chief sources of revenue are customs duties, the profits from state-run businesses (like the highly profitable cannon-foundry, that supplies many surrounding cities with guns), fines and confiscations levied on criminals and taxes voted by the legislature. Prince Sitanni's powers are very broad and are limited only by long-standing tradition. Nectar has no written constitution and certainly no bill of rights.
The Council: At one time there were three great Councils which acted as a legislature: the Council of Priests, the Council of Traders and the Council of Guilds. Prince Sulekaar's power struggle with the religious establishment in A.D. 1556 reduced the Council of Priests to an ineffectual advisory role. The Council of Guilds was merged with the Council of Traders in 1722. The Jaam'aal L'roosh, or Council of Traders, has only two functions. The Council must approve any taxes the Prince requests and the Council decides on any changes to the legal code. The Council has seventeen members. Ten seats are hereditary, held in perpetuity by the great noble families of powerful merchants. Five seats are filled by the heads of the largest Guilds _ the Weavers, the Potters, the Glassblowers, the Boatmen and the Skymen. One seat is held by a member elected for life by the smaller merchants and one seat is auctioned off annually to the highest bidder.
Under the rule of Sitanni's predecessors, the Jaam'aal L'roosh was paramount. The late Prince Faath deferred to the leaders of the Council on everything and the city was effectively ruled by an oligarchy of great nobles and powerful merchants. When Sitanni took the throne, he reclaimed much of the Prince's rightful authority. This did not sit well with the Council and for years now they have waged subtle warfare against the Prince. The crafty old merchant Loshir is leader of the Council and he has begun cooperating closely with the Tossian Ambassador.
The Prince rules through a large and complicated bureaucracy. Over the centuries, the city's officials have made their positions impervious to reform. Princes and dynasties may come and go, but the Office of the Hinge and Drainpipe Inspector will endure forever. At present, the loyalties of the bureaucrats are divided between the Prince and the Council of Traders. Some departments favor the Prince, others the Council and most are carefully neutral.
The bureaucrats of Nectar have made corruption a fine art. They no longer have to ask for bribes; anyone doing business with a government official knows to take along a well-filled purse. The Bribery Table, below, lists the standard bribes needed to get an official to do his job normally and the bribes needed for any kind of special service. Note that in order to see any higher official, all of his subordinates must first be bribed. All bribes may be in the form of cash or gifts. Upper-level officials will even accept shares in a business. Normal bribes are essentially a fixed fee, but special bribes may be adjusted by oratory, bargaining ability, appeals to sentiment and so on.
| Official: | Normal Bribe: | Special Bribe: |
| Doorkeeper, servant, receptionist | 1 penny | 1 shilling |
| Clerk, registrar, secretary | 1 shilling | 1 pound |
| Inspector, senior secretary | 10 shillings | 10 pounds |
| Administrator, magistrate | 1 pound | 20 pounds |
| Bureau head, Prince's secretary | 5 pounds | 100 pounds |
Prince Sitanni has been working hard to improve the city's army. During the rule of his uncle, Prince Faath, the city's military entered a serious decline. Sitanni has built units back up to full strength and is working hard to re-arm as many of them as possible with modern rifles. At present, the army is only of fair quality, but if Sitanni's reforms continue, he may eventually have the best army on Mars.
The Nectarian army consists of four legions of infantry, one legion of cavalry and 76 cannon. The First Infantry Legion, commanded by Marchmaster Ashatoor, is by far the best part of the Prince's army. The First Legion is currently armed with Martian-made muskets.
The Second and Third Legions had almost ceased to exist under the previous Prince. When Sitanni took the throne, both were at half-strength, armed with only bows and pikes. The Prince now commands the Second Legion himself and is working to bring it up to par with the rest of the army. One company now has French-made breechloading rifles, while the rest must make do with old Martian smoothbore muskets. The Third Legion remains poorly-trained, with two companies of bowmen and two of pikemen.
The fourth infantry legion is the Marine Legion and is made up of troops serving aboard the city's fleet. The Marines are good-quality troops and on board ship are equipped with muskets, cutlasses and armor. The Marchmaster of the Marine Legion is Skylord T'sfaal, the commander of the fleet.
The Marine Legion once had only three companies of regular troops. The Prince has recently added a fourth, the Prince's Marine Guard Company. This company is being trained and equipped to match modern European standards. The Guard have Winchester rifles, furnished by the American government as a gesture of goodwill. The Marine Guard replaces an older unit, the Royal Escort, which was disbanded after a treasonous plot was discovered among the officers. An Italian mercenary, Sergeant Claudio Sforza, is in charge of training the men.
The Cavalry Legion is commanded by the Prince's younger brother, Boranni. It is by far the most glamorous and fashionable part of the army, full of hotheaded young noblemen. The cavalry still rely on lances and swords, but now have pistols as well _ single-shot muzzle-loaders for the most part, with a few modern six-shooters carried by those who can afford them. The cavalrymen have a great deal of dash and spirit, but are notoriously bad about taking orders and frequently are drunk before noon.
Mercenaries: In addition to the city's troops, there are three legions of mercenaries hired by the Prince. The First and Second Upland Cavalry Legions are made up of Hill Martians from the northern steppes, commanded by Nectarian officers. They are certainly better riders than the city's own cavalry and are utterly fearless in battle. The Hill Martians excel at scouting and skirmishing and are dreaded for their savagery. The Uplanders all use bows and lances.
The third mercenary unit is the Hesperian Free Legion, led by Marchmaster Dakhaat. They hired on with Prince Sitanni four years ago and he keeps them on hand in case of revolts at home. The Hesperians are good soldiers, mostly veterans of the Oenotrian army. Their equipment is first-rate; all the men have muzzle-loading rifles and the officers all carry Terran-made pistols.
In the event of an invasion, Prince Sitanni can call up militia levies from the surrounding countryside. There are three legions of militia infantry and one legion of cavalry. They are armed with whatever is handy and are unfit for any real fighting.
A Martian company contains 64 men (the eight-fingered Martians call this a "century," but to Terrans the term is confusing). Companies are commanded by a Swordmaster. Four companies make a legion, with 256 men and 24 officers, commanded by a Marchmaster. Formations of more than one legion are led either by a city's Prince, or by an appointed Warmaster. Cavalry is organized the same way, except that a company is referred to as a troop.
All Martian cities have navies, even though the planet's seas have long dried up. Martian ships are built of liftwood, a rare tree which grows in the mountains of Mars. Liftwood has the amazing property of counteracting the force of gravity _ a ship built of liftwood can float in the air like a balloon. Martian flying ships come in two types: "kites" are sailing ships, while "screw galleys" have banks of men below decks turning cranks to drive large propellors.
Nectar's fleet was did not decline as badly as the army did under Prince Faath. Sitanni has made sure the ships are well-maintained and supplied, but so far there have been no major reforms. The Nectarian navy has twenty cloudships. The fighting backbone of the fleet are the two heavy squadrons. One has five large armored kites (Whisperdeath-class, for those who play the wargame Sky Galleons of Mars), the second has five big screw galleys (Hullcutter-class). The flagship is a colossal galley, recently bought from the Tossian Empire (Skyfire-class). The rest of the fleet consists of five small sailing ships for scouting and patrol work (three Bloodrunner and two Swiftwood-class) and four Sky Runner-class medium screw galleys for anti-piracy and customs use.
Nectar is surrounded by powerful states, so Prince Sitanni must follow a policy of careful neutrality. So far he has proved a master at playing his enemies off against each other.
Tossia: To the east is the Tossian Empire, the mightiest state on Mars. Fully a third of Nectar's commerce is with the empire and Tossia's colossal army easily outweighs Sitanni's own forces. The Emperor has a long-standing claim to Nectar and would love to have some pretext to reconquer the city. The Tossians are alarmed at the advances of the Belgians and for now are allowing Prince Sitanni some breathing-room. Ancient hatreds are never forgotten on Mars and emnity between Tossia and Nectar runs deep.
The Belgians: West of Nectar is the Coprates Valley. Once divided among three squabbling city-states, it is now united under the heavy-handed rule of the Belgian Coprates Company. Though Nectar's business with the valley has dwindled, Prince Sitanni has no desire to provoke the Coprates Company. The Belgian regulars and the brutal mercenaries of the company's own Belgian Legion have so far crushed every Martian force they have gone up against.
However, Sitanni does nothing to discourage private citizens from selling weapons and supplies to rebels in the Coprates and many a fugitive from the Belgians has found a hiding-place in Nectar. One of the reasons Sitanni winks at the arms traffic into the Coprates is a matter of personal ambition _ he himself has a fairly good claim to the throne of Melas and a much weaker one to the throne of Copratia. If the Belgians can be pushed out of the Coprates, Sitanni might be able to take their place.
Other Neighbors: The city of Baetis, to the north, is Nectar's chief ally in the region. Both are trading cities and the wily old Prince Kaardan of Baetis knows that war is bad for business. If push comes to shove, Kaardan might help Nectar against the Belgians or the Tossians, but only so long as there is some advantage in it for Baetis.
The isolated cities of the Lacus Solis, southwest of Nectar, depend on the city for their links to the rest of Mars. The princes of the region are alarmed at the Belgian activity to their north, but feel safe behind the barrier of hills and desert that surrounds them. Their relations with Nectar are always tinged with suspicion _ they are farming cities and always worry about being cheated in commerce by the "city slickers" of Nectar.
Terran Powers: Nectar has formal relations with three Terran powers _ France, Belgium and the United States. The Belgians have the most extensive diplomatic contact with Nectar, maintaining a full Ministry in the city. The other two merely have Consulates.
Belgium is, of course, annoyed by Nectarian aid to the rebels in the Coprates. The Coprates Company has several times toyed with the notion of annexing Nectar, but fear of provoking a general reaction among the other Martian cities has so far held back the Company's mercenary army.
France has some commercial dealings in Nectar, but the real focus of French activity lies elsewhere on Mars. The French are content for things to remain as they are. France is unlikely to help the Prince against his enemies, but the French Consul does nothing to hinder Sitanni in his reforms.
America is Nectar's best friend on Earth. The American government has tried for years to promote an "open door" policy on Mars, under which the Terran powers would forgo territorial expansion in favor of free trade. The Belgians have been the worst example of brutal imperialism on Mars, so America has begun quietly aiding Nectar in the hope of stopping the Belgians before they set Mars aflame with anti-Terran feeling. Naturally, the United States cannot officially help rebels fighting a friendly government, so all aid has been provided by private individuals.
The chief agents of American influence in Nectar are the American University and the American Cargo and Mechanical Company. The University's task is to educate Martians and encourage reform and goodwill. American Cargo and Mechanical sells weapons to the Coprates rebels and funnels money to anti-Belgian groups in Nectar and elsewhere.
Enforcing the laws of Nectar is the responsibility of the city's twelve Investigating Magistrates. These men are charged with seeking out crimes and punishing the guilty. They have extraordinary freedom in their jobs (a reaction to the inefficiency of the previous system). Investigating Magistrates may detain citizens without cause for up to eight days, may conduct searches at will and can even use torture to extract a confession. An innocent person is entitled to recompense if torture is used. The award comes from the magistrate's salary.
The best magistrates are genuinely devoted to serving justice; the worst are in it for the bribes. Native Nectarians know which magistrates can be bribed and which ones will take offense if a bribe is offered. Foreigners must take their chances.
Imprisonment is not a major part of the Nectarian justice system. Serious crimes _ murder, rape, theft of more than a thousand gold pieces, treason, or arson _ are punished by death. The method of execution varies depending on the crime, but Martians are generally partial to garrotings and decapitation. Lesser crimes, such as theft or assault, are punished either by enslavement, fines, branding, or flogging.
Actual patrolling of the streets is left to the army; usually there is one 8-man squad on duty in each sector. The Administrative Sector gets additional protection, while the Mortuary Sector is usually left unmonitored. Soldiers usually will intervene to prevent bloodshed, but for other crimes must be bribed to help catch the suspect.
Nectar has a very diverse economy for a Martian city. First and foremost, it is a trading center. Nectar sits across two major trade routes. All traffic out of the Coprates Valley must go through Nectar and all commerce with the six cities of the Bosporos and Lacus Solis regions must be via Nectar. The canal-boat harbor is jammed with barges. With the coming of the Terrans, Prince Sitanni has worked hard to make sure Nectar gets a share of the interplanetary trade. By opening his city's landing-field to ether-flyers and ensuring fair treatment of Terran businessmen, the Prince has made Nectar the only true "free port" on Mars for spaceships.
Nectar is also an industrial center. The factories of the Enterprise Sector are among the largest on Mars. Nectar is a major producer of ceramics, glassware and copper goods. The Prince strongly hopes that with the technical training provided by the American University, Nectar can someday become Mars's leading industrial city.
Currency: Though each city mints its own money, most still adhere to the old system of currency established by the Emperor Seldon. The gold piece is the standard unit of exchange, particularly for large transactions. Conveniently, a Martian gold piece is worth almost exactly one British pound sterling. The Martian silver piece is more variable in value, but usually is worth roughly one shilling.
Nectar's own money bears a six-pointed star on one side and the face of Prince Sitanni on the other. It is a general custom on Mars that rulers on coins are depicted face-on, rather than in profile.
Since Nectar is such an important center of trade, money from all over the planet is used there. Tossian Imperials are as common as Nectarian coins and English gold sovereigns are increasingly common. American gold and silver dollars trade at five dollars per Martian gold piece.
Electricity: Prince Sitanni has loved electricity ever since he saw a Van de Graaf generator demonstrated at the American University. Three years ago he allowed the American Cargo and Mechanical Company to set up a subsidiary, the Erythraeum Electrical & Telephone Company. In exchange, the directors very graciously gave the Prince a 10 percent share in the new firm. Currently E.E. & T. supplies electricity to the Old City and parts of the Administrative district, as well as the American University and a couple of factories in the Enterprise Sector. But electrification elsewhere in Nectar has been slowed by sabotage and public mistrust of innovations. The main power plant is in the Enterprise District, on the Lacus Solis canal.
Slavery: Slavery is legal in Nectar, as it is in most Martian cities. The efforts of American abolition societies have accomplished little. Most of the slaves in Nectar are household servants or unskilled laborers. The relatively powerful guilds have kept slaves banned from factory and craft work.
Slaves in Nectar are either debtors and criminals sold into slavery by the magistrates, or are imported from Alkaara Slonn, where pirates often sell their captives. They do have certain rights under Nectarian law _ killing a slave is still murder and if a master does not adequately feed and clothe his slaves they can be freed by a magistrate. The children of slaves are themselves slaves, but if one parent is free, the child is also free.
The Martian Abolition and Sobriety Society has frequently lobbied the Prince to end slavery in Nectar, but so far he has resisted. The Society does buy slaves and free them, giving preference to women and children, though a shortage of funds means only one or two can be liberated each month. The Prince has decreed that any Terrans brought to Nectar as slaves will be freed, which means only that pirates with Terran captives to sell now go elsewhere.