Imperial Monopolies

During her reign, the Scarlet Empress issued many Imperial Monopolies, granting exclusive right to provide a good or service to a particular individual or group. As with everything done by the Empress, this was done for political reasons... monopolies could be granted to reward those who made innovative new discoveries, to enrich favoured groups, or to hobble those who posed a threat by stripping them of a valuable economic position by granting a monopoly to someone else. Monopolies are monitored and maintained by a department of the Thousand Scales, the Principled Upholders of Perfected Mandates, but funding cuts in recent years have brought some doubts to many minds as to the future of many monopolies.

For most in the Realm, three major Imperial Monopolies come to mind.

Imperial Monopoly on Vineyards - The youngest of the Imperial Monopolies, the Imperial Monopoly on Vineyards grants House V'neef exclusive right to grow grapes and produce wine from them. The monopoly was accompanied by a transfer of all vineyard and winery properties to the newly-founded House V'neef. Amongst many Dynasts, this is thought to have been an effort by the Empress to secure a huge influx of wealth for the House of a favoured daughter.

Imperial Monopoly on Slave Trading - This Monopoly was granted to House Cynis in the aftermath of the Trade War between Guild and Realm, recognizing their already-significant slaving assets and their exemplary work on behalf of the Realm in the economic conflicts with the Guild. While any Dragonblooded in the Realm may own a slave, only House Cynis is allowed to buy or sell them.

Imperial Mandate on Legion Supply - This monopoly requires the Imperial Legions to buy their food supplies exclusively from Pangu prefecture. Some see it as a form of reward for Pangu's productivity and innovations in food preservation techniques. Others view it as a system of control over the Legions: forced to import from Pangu, Legions operate without significant stockpiles of food reserves, and either an increase in orders or an influx of food from some other source is an easily-detected signal that a general is considering treason.

In addition to those three major monopolies, the Empress issued a vast array of less extensive monopolies, including:

Mandate of the Imperial Keepers of the Bloodlines of Hearth-Cats - Monopoly granted to the Stargazer patrician clan approximately 250 years ago, when they managed to breed a species of domestic cat known as the Hearth-Cat, which produces a comfortable heat for those around it. Only the Stargazers are permitted to breed these felines.