Stift

A stift is a larger, second-level territory within Orkanan societies. They are formed as a voluntary association of sockens and can be compared to a diocese. In most Orkanan societies, a stift only deals with religious matters, as well as the organization of the religious institutes themselves. Worldly matters are attended to by hundreds (härad) in Vittmark. However, there are regions where the stift still has full authority at a regional level, and there have even been stifts that have operated as autonomous countries.

It is also possible that a stift is not a territory but only a second level of organization for Orkanan subjects. This is the case with gatherings of Orkanan minorities in non-Orkanan societies; for example, Valhagen Stift serves as a gathering of all Orkanans in eastern Aedeland. Another example of a landless stift is Fjällsta Stift, which even operates as a non-territorial member state.

The word "stift" was in use for the provinces of the Greater Stoldavic Empire, although "stift" is the northern variation, while in the south the word "sticht" was used. As a verb, "stifta" or "stichten" translates as "to found."