Equestria today can be described as a Federal Monarchy. Each town, such as Manehattan or Baltimare, acts as its own municipality, with it’s own government, which more often than not is a direct democracy. However, all of these cities fall under the rule of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and their laws must ultimately comply with her own.
Nocturna’s government was much more direct, at least at it’s conception. Although the Union War was over, the military model still served as the basis for the civil administration, though obviously without the strict discipline. Nocturna was divided into three duchies; Borealis, Eastern Shore, and Capital. The southern territories fell within the Capital Duchy, since it was under military administration. Each of the Dukes or Duchesses was directly responsible to Nebulus, and were responsible for executing her laws in their lands. They were permitted to pass their own decrees, but only with the Princess’s blessing.
We might imagine that such a structure would be unsustainable. In Equestria, there is a such a diversity of ponies that a consensus on every issue would be impossible. In addition, the geographic diversity makes a certain degree of independence necessary, in order to ensure local matters are dealt with swiftly.
This model was effective in Nocturna due in part to the homogeny of the thestral race. Every citizen desired some kind of certainty in their lives, and the absolute rule of Nebulus seemed to offer just that. To be sure, there were benefits to this system. Travel throughout the empire was completely unrestricted, and trade was free flowing and prosperous, especially between the resource rich Capital and Eastern Shore duchies. The lack of regional diversity also contributed to the maintenance of the union. Every town was located in a bleak environment only made habitable by helio crystals, the only variance being what kind of environment that was, be it storm battered shores or icy tundras. As such, every municipality was accepting of Nebulus’s control if it came protection from monsters and starvation.
Population size was another key factor to the success of this model. The thestral race at the empire’s birth numbered only 5000. While this is indeed larger than the modern thestral population, it is still orders of magnitude smaller than Equestria’s current population. As such, no pony in Nocturna felt as if their needs were neglected.
Even though Nebulus held absolute power, the populace had a representative body in the form of the General Assembly. The Assembly was a unicameral body consisting of 21 members, seven from each duchy. In theory, this branch was on equal footing with Princess Nebulus, since all legislation had to originate from the assembly. However, since the Princess could rule by decree, this was a moot power. This isn't to say the General Assembly was insignificant. They were an important conduit between the Princess and her subjects, adding an additional layer of legitimacy to Nebulus’s government.
Nocturnan Duchies
As stated above, Nocturna was divided into the 3 duchies Borealis, Eastern Shore, and Capital. Each of these areas was responsible for administering the Princess’s laws, as well as maintaining general law and order.
The Duchy of Borealis was established initially as a military administration over the northern territories during the Union War. However, once they became fully integrated into the empire, they needed official rule beyond that of conquered ponies. The first Duke of Borealis, Sir Caldera, was hoof picked by Nebulus to rule in the north. Previously a Logistics Coordinator for the Thestral Watch, his ennoblement was met with disapproval from the Nighthawk Establishment, but this was of no concern to Nebulus. She picked Caldera precisely because he was a civilian in Nocturna, and not a Nighthawk officer. This way, the people did not feel as if they were still at war, and allowed Nebulus to claim even more legitimacy for her government.
The Duchy of Eastern Shore was set up in much the same way, only it was much more pressing that Nebulus find a civilian administrator, since unlike the ponies of Borealis, Eastern Shore had actually been conquered. Finding a pony who was both a competent administrator and would not be seen as a traitor proved to be a tedious task, but eventually she found one in Lady Lumia. the first Duchess of Eastern Shore.
Lady Lumia had previously been mayor of Fallen Star during the siege, and was seen as the reason the city held out for as long as it did, in part because of her own attention to detail and contagious enthusiasm. When she was made Duchess, Nebulus was relieved to hear the people of the east rejoice for her, and knew then that stability was sure to follow.
The Capital Duchy was there most unique and complex in it’s structure. It’s areas covered the western mountains as well as the southern lands abandoned during the Union War. Because it contained the capital city, renamed Nova, Princess Nebulus had a more direct role in the duchy’s affairs, although it still had a separate duchess. Nebulus wanted somepony she knew she could trust to rule over such an important position, and thus appointed her close friend New Moon as the first Capital Duchess. New Moon had been close to the Princess since the exile, and was her most trusted confidant. In Nebulus’s mind, she was the perfect candidate to rule the duchy in which she herself would primarily reside.
Because Nova was located in the Capital Duchy, Princess Nebulus had more control over that particular area. Whereas the other duchies were able to create their own legislative bodies and otherwise have democracy, Nebulus and the Capital delegation of the General Assembly were the government of thew Capital Duchy. Smaller towns were more independent, having elected mayors and councils, but were otherwise directly under there duchess and the princess.
The Southern Territories were administered in a different manner than the rest of Nocturna. Immigration to these areas was nonexistent, so there was no need for a civilian government. The Nighthawks were directly responsible for events in the south, although this usually just consisted of guard training and creature control. The Nighthawk Captain was the chief executive of this area, and reported directly to the Princess. The only legislation that was passed for this area was the Nighthawk Articles of War, which are only subject to change by the Princess.
Traditions and Customs
Since most of the original inhabitants of Nocturna were from Equestria, their customs and traditions reflect this, albeit with some modifications in order to give themselves a sense of identity. Most of the old traditions and courtesies of court were retained, but everyday life developed some notable new additions.
The Nobility were organized into a familiar hierarchy. Princess Nebulus was the head of state, and thus was above all other ponies in terms of status. Below her were the Dukes and Duchesses, all with equal status at court. Outside of this circle, there were no official nobles or royalty.
Members of the General Assembly were elected by citizens, and thus were not considered noble. Officially, they were citizens of the empire, but held no titles or special privileges. They were given an additional paycheck from the Princess, but were otherwise undistinguished from the general citizenry.
The primary differences between thestral culture and our own was the ordinary citizenry. Those Thestrals who were alive at the time of the Thestral Watch were brought up in a strict military lifestyle. Those that joined Nebulus under the banner of Nocturna maintained that lifestyle through the duration of the Union War, which caused much duress among the general populace. Those Thestrals born in Nocturna saw no need for the rigid structures brought over from the ‘Old World’, and thus were quick to discard them in favor of meritocratic social structures.
Princess Nebulus showed great support for this trend. She viewed it as positive that the new generations of Thestrals were embracing her downgrade of the military, and even took to using everyday language when addressing her subjects. Such behavior was not popular among the remaining Nighthawks or the nobility, but in regards the Princess’s behavior, her word was final.
New Society
As a result of this ease on etiquette, the Nocturnan economy was able to tap into minds that the old culture would have considered ‘unfit for service’. The techniques we now use for mass production are believed to have originated in Nocturna, developed to manufacture the crystal caravans that carried helio to the various parts of the empire.
These new minds also had to come new means to treat and organize them. In Equestria, the thestrals all lived in the military apparatus that was the Thestral Watch. In Nocturna, service was not compulsory, and so the traditional means of discipline could not be applied to everypony, and so a different approach needed to be developed.
Which is not to say that the Thestrals forgot their heritage. One could expect the average Nocturnan workplace to appear as though it were in the Nighthawk Guard, sans the uniforms and discipline. There was a clear hierarchy of leaders and followers, and etiquette as to how to behave. The difference between the citizenry and the military was that the citizenry did not take their mannerisms home. Outside of the workplace, thestrals addressed each other just as we would today. Even during the workday, the rules were not as strictly enforced as they were in the actually guard.
This development emphasized the effects that a free society had on the thestrals. Without a rigid structure to which the entire population was directed, the populace drifted more towards the mannerisms we have in Equestria. Initially, this caused friction between the veteran ponies and the new generation, but with the support of Princess Nebulus, this issue was resolved in favor of the new society.