Realm Governance
Governance is the realm's memory of your council rulings. It does not hand you a policy slider; it watches what you keep deciding and turns the pattern into a public identity.
Council Affairs
Settlement & LifeThe three habits
Every affair choice can push one or more governance axes. The current scores sit behind the Realm panel, while the result text after a ruling shows which axes just moved.
| Axis | One end | Other end |
|---|---|---|
| Rule of Law | Unbound | Iron Rule |
| Trade Outlook | Self-Reliant | Mercantile |
| Way of Life | Peaceful | War-Driven |
Small rulings still count
Scores start at zero and are clamped between −40 and +40. A single ruling usually nudges the realm, but repeated nudges settle into a character: strict or loose, open or inward, civil or war-driven.
The panel watches the recent turn
The Governance tab shows the realm identity and whether an axis has been actively shifting lately. That recent state is separate from the long score. A realm can still be Balanced Domain while its trade outlook is visibly expanding after a run of mercantile choices.
The identity is descriptive
Governance names what the realm has become. It does not currently change production, combat, trade rates, travel, or storage. The value is legibility: you, your council, and other governors can see the shape your rulings keep making.
Reference
How are scores read?bands and recent shifts
Each score runs from −40 to +40. For the identity grid, a score of +20 or higher is treated as high, a score of −20 or lower is treated as low, and anything between those values is neutral.
Recent movement has its own labels. Rule of Law notices larger swings than Way of Life, while Trade Outlook sits between them. Those labels describe momentum, not permanent identity.
Which identities can a realm earn?12 identities
| Identity | Character |
|---|---|
| The Iron War State | Controlled, wealthy, aggressive |
| The Ordered Trade Hub | Stable, prosperous, peaceful |
| The Fortress Regime | Isolated, disciplined, militarised |
| The Closed Order | Stable, inward, controlled |
| The Merchant Power | Flexible, profit-driven, opportunistic |
| The Raider State | Rough, aggressive, self-reliant |
| The Free Port | Chaotic, rich, unpredictable |
| The Open Haven | Loose, prosperous, peaceful |
| The Warlord Isles | Unstable, isolated, violent |
| The Fringe Settlement | Loose, quiet, underdeveloped |
| The Balanced Domain | Nothing extreme, adaptable |
| The War-Touched State | Defined more by conflict than structure |
Common questions
Can I set governance directly?
No. There are no governance policies or sliders. Council affairs are the input, and the Realm panel is the ledger.
Why did my identity change after one affair?
Identity is recalculated when governance moves. If your scores were already near a boundary, one more ruling can be enough to change the label.
Does War-Touched State follow the normal grid?
Not exactly. It is a special case for realms whose Way of Life has pushed hard toward war and stands above the other axes.