Society

This section is dedicated to the workings of the world (How the city runs, military, money, etc).
Note: Technology is covered in Magic.

Subsections:
Politics
Economics
Religion
Military
-----
Alchemist Guild

Overview

"I often wonder when the city will quiet, the hustle and bustle keeps me awake at night. I suppose that's an impossible feat."
- Sommer Haven
Vivarium as a civilization got it's first breaths by a band of researchers and pioneers as the band of travelers reported back to their main civilizations. Steadily, as more and more was found out by the land, more people migrated from their homelands to the land. The increase of people caused the village to form, then that into a town, then a city. A mayor popped up with a council, laws formed, an Alchemist Guild appeared from the scientists and researchers who first claimed the land. Raiders from distant lands came and went, and so did the seasons.
This all acculmated into the Vivarium we know and love today.

Politics

A Mayor is in charge of overseeing the city, guided by a council of 12 others who are representives of their own district + one from the Fields, and another from the Mines. There is also a Treasurer, Mayor Secretary, Chief of Security, etc. The Mayor can make/approved certain* laws which get sent to be approved by the Alchemist Guild's higher ups (Indepth on the Alchemist Guild later down), then finally voted on by the council who need a majority vote. The Mayor has elections every 5 years, candidates must be selected by the Alchemist Guild Higher ups then voted upon by the public, the Council has seperate elections in their own district every 4 years, and the Treasurer, Secretary, etc are selected by the current Mayor if a position is opened.
------
Right now, the city's mayor is a half orc, half-dwarf named Marley Jones. He's pushing for more military funding through increased taxes, and expansion of the city to the public's dismay. There are more pressing matters in the public's eye (waste, inflation, poverty, underfunded schooling that isn't alchemy, etc).
-----
*The Alchemist Guild has placed down laws in the past that cannot be overturned by any means.

Economics

"That'll be 10 Shells, sir"
The form of currency that Vivarium uses is called Shells (pictured in the banner). These are bits of lead turned gold were made to resemble the dye bugs that produce a certain dye that produces certain effects (more in Magic). They are imbedded with a bit of tumbled colored Quartz, and have a solution inside of them that once ignited produces a hologram of the amount of the shell, buzzes, and causes an iridescent sheen that travels from blue, to yellow, then to pink. To prevent counterfeiting, the recipe to the exact solution is safe guarded by the Alchemist Guild and Government; it also has a specific way that it's carved, and has a serial number on the bottom.
Shells are incredibly small, roughly an inch in diameter.
Values:

Pink Quartz: 1 dollar
Blue Quartz: 5 dollars
Green Quartz: 10 dollars
Purple Quartz: 20 dollars
Black Quartz: 100 dollars

Banks are a staple in the city as many prefer not to keep their savings at home, nor carry a large sum of Shells. Checks can also be made and deposited at these Banks.
The minimum wage in the city is 12 shells per hour.
------
Rough Price Of Random Things:

Bottle of Soda: 2 Shells
Medication: 5 Shells
A Hearty Meal: 10 Shells
Nice Clothing: 50 Shells
Rent for Apartment: 480-2240 Shells (Varies on District and building)

Religion

This may vary based on groups and individuals. From pantheons to a singular god, religions came and went. One religion remained strong in Vivarium, taking over the area like a forest fire. Astraism. Astraism is the belief in that the stars are all different godly beings who watch over sections of space and create life. The sun is called Flayre who watches over Salore periodically and protects it, the warmth and light of the day is from her gaze. However, it comes at a cost of not seeing the other gods. Magic is a gift from her to Salore for the mortals to discover. Shooting stars are other gods sending gifts to far, far away planets.
Death means joining Flayre in the sky to achieve ultimate happiness.. if you are good at least, if not, you are stuck on Salore until the end of it. These spirits try to tie your soul down through trick, sabotage, persuasion, etc. Also these spirits only come out at night, aka, when Flayre isn't looking.
There are offshoots to Astraism such as Mono-Astraism, the belief there is only Flayre and other stars are apart of her.
-----
Vivarium doesn't have many days off for religious festivals, many of the festivals are from the cities history (Ex: Founding Day) or celebrations of agriculture(Ex: Harvest Festival).
Religious Festivals:

Festival of Flayre: This all day festival starts with giving gifts, being merry, and take joy in being alive. It serves to appreciate Flayre and show it so she sees.

Night of Hope: This only happens at night. Each participating person will have a chain or bracelet. A group of selected people will go around taking the chain off of others; if your chain gets taken off, you join these people in taking the chain off others. Many people will give sweet treats, or a trinket instead in thanks. It's often common to see groups of people dress up as bound souls or representations of their own soul, many of these depictions are inhuman.
This tradition ends at daybreak.
The point of this is to symbolically free people from those pesky souls who may have tied their soul down already.

Military

This is technically funded by the Government, but the Alchemist Guild has their seperate section of the overall military presence. Officers patrol the streets on their homunculi made animals as no vehicles are allowed in city limits unless allowed by the government. Specialized homunculi are often the best for this task as they weave through the streets of Main City with ease (and typically not as loud). Most of the Districts have their own guard station that works similar like a police station in the real world; however, their technology is more dated. Patrols happen routinely around the assigned district.
-----
Prisons are located outside of the Main City near the Necropolis. Prisoners are shipped out after waiting in the guard station for their trial with the courthouse in their district. trials are largely the same as their real world counterpart. Death sentence is on the table, as well as public executions- however, these are extremely rare and always pretain to high publicity acts against the government, or murderers. Bail exists, as well as house arrest.
-----
Most of the buildings have special windows that can act like a forcefield from any outside explosion, or protects the building from fire damage. This is mandated by SHS (Safety and Health Sector). On the walls of the city, there are large gates that have equipped turrets on them that shoot a deadly laser to shoot down any threat. These are larger and more powerful by the Lighthouses on the outer crater wall.

Alchemist Guild

Overview

If you haven't noticed already, the Alchemist Guild has their hands in every part of Vivarium. This is because the group of researchers banded together to make the governing body Therefore, interwining the Guild and Government as the researchers shaped the system in their own interest then made the guild offical when more and more researchers came. Vera Alaric , a high elf, is Guildmaster at the moment.

The mission of the Alchemist Guild is to find out everything they can about magic, inform people on how to safely use magic, and raise the next generation into innovative magic users. Therefore, they regulate magic as a whole and establish laws around it. These laws are the laws that the Mayor or Council can't overturn as the Guild put their foot down about it. They also fund the BeaconWay academy, give scholarships, provide jobs, and research heavily into magic.

Roles

Single Person Roles

Guildmaster: The one in charge of everything. They monitor everything down the pecking order, however, more concerned with research.

Ordermaster: They are the second in command to the Guildmaster, more concerned about guild functions.

Treasurer: Oversees financial management.

Grandmaster of Alchemy: This person oversees alchemy experimentation, alchemy production, alchemy material growing/harvesting, and recipe cataloging.

Grandmaster of Technology: This person oversees machine testing, machine invention, and machine material production.

Grandmaster of Safety: This person oversees inspections, enforcement of magical laws/protocol, safety standards revolving around magic.

Multiple Person Roles

Master (Job): These are the experts/managers of their field, often working closely under their specific Grandmaster, and are selected by the Grandmaster.

Master Dye Gardener -> Works under the Grandmaster of Magic growing the plants for magic solutions.
Master Engineer -> Works under the Grandmaster of Technology making machines involving magical components.
Master Inspector -> Works under the Grandmaster of Safety making sure other alchemists have proper set up.

Journeyman (Job): These are the workers in the guild who completed their apprenticeship. They work under masters or for their own company/on their own.

Journeyman Dye Gardener -> Works growing the plants for magic solutions.
Journeyman Engineer -> Works making machines involving magical components.
Journeyman Inspector -> Works making sure other alchemists have proper set up.

Apprentice (Job): These are trainees that work under Masters for a certain number of years in hops of becoming a Journeyman.

-------

Alchemists: Those working in the field of alchemy under the Grandmaster of Alchemy.

Alchemist Guild Laws

Anyone working to make alchemy solutions must be apart of the Guild. Failure to join will result in 5 years in prison.

Everyone working in the Guild must adhere to safety protocols. Failure to do so will result in prison time varing on the protocol broken.

Magic is divided into the 3 threat categories listed below, everyone must follow their terms and conditions:

Banned: Any magic that can bend the fabric of reality, or disrupt the order of Vivarium(Time, Eternal Life, Reality bending, Necromancy, Mind Control, Human-Based Homunculi, etc). If produced, or even possible, they are banned from ever being used.
Licensed: Any magic that has the power to be destructive or cause harm to user(Elemental powers, Gravity, Transmutation, etc). These require the person to go through adequete training and recieve a certificate depending on the equipment or elixir to ensure safety. Licenses may expire over the years and need renewal.
Public: Magic that is harmless or so insignificant that any harm is negliable(Healing, Bubble-making, minor illusions, etc)