Atticosh is divided into bailiwicks, administrative cantons overseen by bailiffs (stewards). Bailiwicks are mostly autonomous, free to designate taxes and tariffs, set laws and standards, establish a standing military, and denote patron religion. Each one pays a minimum tax to Atticosh, more or less leasing this autonomy. Imperial highways are paid for, constructed and maintained by the empire, yet every bailiwick is responsible for building and maintaining municipal roads. To prevent apostasy and insurgence, all cantons are required to house 500 Atticosian Legionnaires, loyal only to the empire.
The position of Bailiff is a lifelong one only held by men, and it is not hereditary; succession is chosen via election following the death of a bailiff, in Copah, the capital of Atticosh. When a bailiff expires, his Lord Magistrate occupies the position temporarily until a new one is elected. Elections can be swift or take years, meaning the Interim Bailiff can reign briefly or extensively. Many times the Lord Magistrate runs for the vacant office, thus while campaigning in Copah, administrative duties are handled by his Chief Magistrate (one tier below Lord Magistrate). A bailiff has almost complete control over his bailiwick, though he must adhere to a number of imperial laws which affect all cantons. In essence the bailiff acts as the long arm of the Atticosian emperor.
Because every bailiwick's laws can differ, a traveler is responsible for knowing the laws of each canton visited. In order to keep the jails available for serious offenders and prevent magistrates from wasting time on minor offenses associated with law confusion, border towns are required by imperial decree to post their bailiwick's laws outside and just within every gate. The lawboards are not comprehensive but merely display laws that are different from the neighboring bailiwick. Many laws overlap, but if one bailiwick has a more severe punishment for an overlapping law, that information must appear on the lawboard.