The First Law

Bare witness to the birth of a Law above laws, Will of wills, King of kings, Queen of queens - bestowed to you by your own taken shape in flesh and blood. An idea that shall transcend individual and embody all those who are one.

From this day and forever forth, these laws shall ensure peace, prosperity and unity to all who are willing to live under the banner of the Empire. To the citizens and their children and beyond, I offer you these words to hold dear and carry forth to others who place above all else Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

The following agreement between crown, land, guild and person shall be an eternal and perpetual foundation for the lands under the Protector's Watch. No single being or group, mortal or divine, Sovereigns to come, Senators that have or will be chosen, shall have the right to change the words herein.

The Sovereign#

The Sovereign shall be the embodiment of the people's collective will. They and they alone shall set the course the Empire shall follow.

Decrees#

1. The Sovereign shall have the right to, at any point, create decrees that will have the strength of law for all citizens and non citizens of the Empire.
2. The decrees can only ever be one of three kinds:
   1. Minima - A decree of minor scope that is of temporary nature and whose effects shall last no more than a year in time. Minima must be in accordance with laws made by the Senate and decrees of higher order. They can be nullified by a majority of all Senators voting to do so.
   2. Media - A decree that shall have the strength of Law. They shall be decreed, at most, four times in a year. They must be in accordance with decrees of higher order. The Senate shall reserve the right to nullify these decrees with a majority of no less than three-fifths of the number of members in the Senate.
   3. Maxima - A decree that supersedes all laws, decrees and decisions. It shall be a Law of laws, a source of justice and legality. They shall be decreed no more than once by a Sovereign in their lifetime. A Maxima shall have no more and no less than one stipulation, order or command that shall affect. Maxima retain the sole ability to repeal past Maxima.

Imperial Council, Inquisition & Curia#

1. The Sovereign shall retain the right to chose a High Inquisitor and Inquisitors of lesser rank to serve as their hand in protecting the realm from threats originating from within and outside the land.
2. The Sovereign shall, with consent of the Senate, choose a Prime who shall lead the Imperial Council and, with the Sovereign's consent, choose members of the Council that will aide them in governance and making of decisions that shall shape the Empire's future.
3. The Sovereign shall direct the Inquisition and Imperial Council to fulfill the mandate bestowed upon them by the peoples' will. The authority of the Inquisition and Imperial Council shall be rooted in the authority of the Sovereign and shall answer and comply the decrees of the Sovereign, laws of the Senate and decisions of the Curia.
4. The High Inquisitor and Prime of the Imperial Council shall, from time to time, brief the Senate on the work that has been conducted in the Sovereign's name.
5. The Sovereign shall, when vacancy presents itself and according to the rules of the First Law, appoint a Watcher of the Law to the Imperial Curia.

Estate#

1. The Sovereign's estate shall be, henceforth and eternally, separate from that of the Empire. The estate and all of the Empire's holdings shall be under the directive of the Imperial Council, implemented according to the Sovereign's directive.
2. The Sovereign's estate shall not be, directly through their decrees, laws of the Senate or actions of the Imperial Council enlarged and they shall not benefit directly.
3. The Sovereign's holdings shall be granted a stipend, a quarter of the total amount granted on the first day of each quarter of the year in an amount determined by the First Law and Laws of the Senate but no less than a half of a hundredth of the taxes collected.
4. The Sovereign shall retain the right to use their estate and holdings as they see fit, provided they adhere to the decrees of the Sovereign, laws of the Senate and decisions of the Curia.
5. The Sovereign shall retain the right to grant pieces of their estate and holdings to another or others, for use in actions and endeavors that adhere to the decrees of the Sovereign, laws of the Senate and decisions of the Curia, provided they are granted without interest.
6. The Sovereign shall, from time to time but no less than once a year, give detailed account of each transaction, monetary or otherwise, that the estate and holdings of the Sovereign were apart of, to the main chambers of the Senate. The accounts shall dictate the beneficiary or beneficiaries, the amount or amounts of coin and items that were exchanged.
7. The Sovereign's estate and holdings shall be, henceforth, exempt from taxation.

Persecution#

1. The Sovereign shall be without blame for any and all actions committed as Protector but shall be, in circumstances described by the First Law alone, prosecutable for actions committed that have harmed a citizen or representative of another crown.
2. The Sovereign shall be prosecuted for acts and actions, under indictment of the Enforcers, with consent of a majority of all members of the Imperial Curia, and convicted by a majority of no less than two-thirds of all members of the Senate and Imperial Curia, and in accordance with the First Law:
   • That have brought direct harm to the life or health of an Imperial citizen or representative of another land
   • That have increased their estate and holdings at unjust expense to another or others
   • That have taken decisions and actions of betrayal against the Empire and its people, to the benefit of another, others, other lands or realms or themselves
   • That have conspired with another, others, other lands or realms to the detriment of the Empire and its people, person or persons, group or groups
   • That have not adhered to the First Law and the rules therein

Succession#

1. No individual or group shall have the right to determine the successor or line of succession of the Sovereign.
2. An individual without the Protector's blood shall not be called to sit upon the Marble Throne.
3. The Sovereign shall be, upon death, succeeded by the relative with whom he shares most of the Protector's blood.
   1. Descendants shall take precedence over ascendants.
   2. The older sibling shall take precedence over younger sibling.
   3. Relatives that share more blood shall take precedence over those that share less blood.
4. The Sovereign's duties shall be, in absence, ill health, or other inability, managed by the Prime of the Imperial Council according to the direction set out by the Sovereign.
5. The Sovereign shall, following a year of absence, ill health, or other inability, be able to abdicate the crown which shall be passed down according to the rules of succession.
   1. The Sovereign shall retain the right to abdicate in other cases as dictated by decrees of the rank of Media.
   2. No group or individual, except the Sovereign, shall have the authority to determine the conditions and stipulations of abdication.
6. A Sovereign that has been succeeded shall no longer have the right to bear the crown unless he is called to do so according to the rules of succession.
7. Should there be no apparent and immediate descendant or ascendant that carries the Protector's blood the Senate shall inquire to locate the closest relative. Should they not succeed within a year's time, the Inquisition shall be tasked with locating the closest relative for a period of 25 years. Should the Inquisition have fewer than a thousand members, the High Inquisitor shall employ a thousand persons, at the expense of the personal estate and holdings of each of the Senators and, should their estate and holdings be insufficient, the holdings of their spouses, children, grandchildren, siblings, parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins up to the third degree and in that order, for the sole purpose of finding an heir. Should they be unable to do so, provided the period of 25 years have passed, the Empire and all its institutions shall be dissolved, upon which each province shall be deemed independent.

The Senate#

Powers & Responsibilities#

1. The Senate shall retain the sole right of passing Laws.
2. Laws passed by the Senate shall be applied equally to all citizens of the Empire.
3. Laws passed by the Senate shall remain in effect unless repealed or changed by later laws or Media or Maxima decreed by the Sovereign, or unless they stipulate their duration of the effect or effects of the law.

Members#

1. Each province shall retain the right to represent its interests and interests of citizens within its borders.
2. Provinces shall send representatives to the Imperial Senate which shall act as a chamber of deliberation and decision making.
3. Each province shall retain the right to choose four members to represent it and its citizens. The Capital province shall retain the right to send two members.
4. Each member shall serve in the Senate for a period of no more than ten years per term and more than 2 terms during their lifetime.
5. Each member shall retain the right to renounce their membership before their term expires.
6. Each term shall be considered served upon expiration of ten years from the moment of taking vows, resignation or death.
7. Should a Senator's term end before the expiration of ten years from the moment they have taken their vows, another Senator shall be chosen to serve in their place until the end of that ten year term. A Senator chosen in this way shall be considered to have served a full term upon the end of their term, death or resignation.
8. Should a province fail to elect a Senator to serve the remainder of a previous Senator's term the next five Senators it elects shall serve terms of no more than two years. No individual shall serve a these two year terms more than once in any circumstances. Following this period, the province shall retain the right to elect a Senator per general rules for a term of ten years.
9. Each province shall retain the right to determine the way and manner in which they choose their Senators provided they adhere to the Sovereign's decrees, Laws of the Senate and decisions of the Curia.
10. The Senate shall choose, from among its members, a Loqueror (Speaker) that shall be in charge of the proceedings and processes that govern the decision making within the Senate.
11. The Loqueror shall retain the right to prevent a suggested law from being discussed and voted upon. Members of the Senate shall, with a majority of all members, retain the right to force discussion and a vote of a proposed law.
12. A Senator cannot be prosecuted for words spoken or opinions voiced on the Senate floor.
13. A Senator can be prosecuted during their term for acts and actions that do not adhere to the Sovereign's decrees, Senate's laws and decisions of the Curia, upon indictment by an Enforcer of Truth and with consent of two thirds of the Watchers of the Law of the Imperial Curia.

The Imperial Curia & Imperial Courts#

Powers & Responsibilities#

1. The Curia shall retain the sole right to determine whether the Sovereign's decrees of Minima and Media, Laws of the Senate, decisions of lower Imperial courts and all provincial courts are in line with the stipulations provided herein and Maxima decreed by Sovereigns.
   1. The Curia may, with a majority of all of its members, remove an act, in whole or in part, that does not comply with the stipulations provided herein and the decrees of Maxima.
2. The Curia shall retain the sole right of determining the legality of acts of Imperial officers.
3. The Curia shall act as a court of salvation, its powers being:
   1. The power to hear any case it chooses, according to the principals laid out in these stipulations, provided all other remedies and legal acts have been exhausted.
   2. The power to refuse to hear any case, according to the principals laid out in these stipulations.
   3. The power to alter, vacate, reverse any judgement by a lower Imperial court or return it to a lower instance for retrial should it not comply with the Sovereign's decrees, Laws of the Senate and decisions of the Curia, with guidelines provided in the decision therein.
   4. The power to vacate and return a judgement made by a provincial court to the same court for retrial should it not comply with the Sovereign's decrees, Laws of the Senate and decisions of the Curia, with guidelines provided in the decision therein.
4. The Curia shall retain the sole right to sentence an Imperial citizen to death, and only with unanimity of all judges of the court.
5. The Curia shall retain the sole right of mediating conflicts of law and authority between the Sovereign, Senate and Provinces, should they arise between any of the parties stipulated herein, including between Provinces.

The Imperial Council#

Powers and Responsibilities#

1. The Imperial Council shall serve as the executive and administrative body of the Empire, implementing the directive of the Sovereign and ensuring the governance of the realm in all its domains.
2. The authority of the Imperial Council shall be rooted in the authority of the Sovereign. The Council and its members shall answer and comply with the decrees of the Sovereign, the laws of the Senate and the decisions of the Curia.
3. The Imperial Council shall, through its members, administer the affairs of the Empire and carry out the mandate of the Sovereign as directed.

The Prime#

1. The Prime shall lead the Imperial Council. They shall be chosen by the Sovereign with the consent of the Senate and shall serve at the Sovereign's pleasure.
2. The Prime shall, with the Sovereign's consent, choose the members of the Imperial Council that shall aide them in governance and in the making of decisions that shall shape the Empire's future.
3. The Prime shall manage the duties of the Sovereign in their absence, ill health, or other inability, according to the direction set out by the Sovereign.
4. The Prime shall, from time to time, brief the Senate on the work conducted in the Sovereign's name.
5. The Prime shall retain the right to renounce their position at any time.

The Councilors#

1. The Imperial Council shall be composed of Councilors, each entrusted with a domain of governance, appointed by the Prime with the Sovereign's consent.
2. Each Councilor shall retain the right to suggest to the Senate the creation of additional offices to better fulfill the duties of their domain, provided such offices adhere to the decrees of the Sovereign, the laws of the Senate and the decisions of the Curia.
3. The Councilor of Accounts shall be responsible for the treasury, taxation, and public contracts of the Empire. They shall oversee the Chief Censor and the work of the Censor order.
   • The Mint Royal: coinage and currency standards
   • The Exchequer: provincial tax receivers and auditors
   • The Commissary: procurement and vendor registries
   • Chief Censor / the Censor Order: census, the Red Book, and the Decennial Reckoning
4. The Councilor of Law shall be responsible for drafting legislation for consideration by the Senate and for executive legal affairs and coordination with the Imperial Curia.
   • The Chancellery: lawyers and scribes who prepare bills for the Senate
   • The Chancery of Writs: formal warrants, charters, and legal instruments
   • The Tribune's Chamber: represents citizens before Imperial courts should they not have their own representative
5. The Councilor of Works shall be responsible for roads, post towers, granaries, and all public infrastructure of the Empire.
   • The Roadkeepers: roads and bridges
   • The Tower Wardens: post towers and the courier network
   • The Granary Stewardship: stores and food reserves
   • The River Wardens: waterways, aqueducts, and ports
6. The Councilor of War shall be responsible for the legions, garrisons, and military levies from the provinces.
   • The High Muster: standing legions and their commanders
   • The Iron Keep: arms, armor, and supply lines
   • The Rampart: garrisons, walls, and frontier fortifications
   • The Levy Roll: coordinating provincial military contributions
7. The Councilor of Intelligence shall be responsible for covert operations, foreign intelligence gathering, and the monitoring of threats originating from outside the Empire's borders.
   • The Far Eye: agents and informants abroad
   • The Cipher House: coded communications and counter-intelligence
8. The Councilor of Diplomacy shall be responsible for foreign affairs, embassies, treaties, and relations with other crowns.
   • The Diplomatic Corps: Imperial ambassadors and their retinue stationed abroad
   • The Herald's Court: hosting and protocol for foreign delegations
   • The Archive of Accords: drafting and archiving diplomatic agreements
9. The Councilor of the Arcane shall serve as the liaison between the Imperial Council and the Magistracy, and shall be responsible for the regulation and oversight of mages on behalf of the Council.
   • The Mage Roll: licensing and tracking of practicing mages
   • The Arcane Wardens: ensuring compliance with Imperial mage regulations
   • The Conclave Seat: direct liaison to the Magistracy Conclave

The Inquisition#

The Enforcers of Truth#

Powers and Responsibilities#

1. The Enforcers of Truth shall serve as the independent prosecutorial body of the Empire, beholden to no single branch of its government.
2. The Enforcers shall retain the sole right to issue indictments that open formal prosecution before the Imperial Curia and Imperial courts.
3. The Enforcers shall have the authority to investigate and prosecute:
   • Crimes committed against the Empire and its citizens by officers of the Imperial government, including members of the Imperial Council, the Inquisition, and provincial authorities
   • Civil matters in which the Empire, a province, an Exarchate, or an Imperial officer acting in official capacity is a party, including disputes over Imperial authority, obligations owed to the crown, and violations of Imperial charters
   • Acts of Senators that do not adhere to the Sovereign's decrees, the laws of the Senate and the decisions of the Curia, as described in the rules of the Senate herein
   • Acts of the Sovereign as described in the rules of Persecution herein
4. The Enforcers shall retain the right to compel the testimony of any Imperial citizen or officer and to demand the production of records and evidence in service of an active investigation.
5. No person, body or institution, including the Sovereign, the Senate, the Imperial Council and the Imperial Curia, shall have the right to direct, delay, dismiss or otherwise interfere with the Enforcers in the conduct of their duties.
6. All provincial and city guards and watch-keepers throughout the Empire shall be under obligation to act upon the lawful orders and writs of the Enforcers of Truth. Failure to comply with such orders shall be treated as obstruction of Imperial justice and prosecuted accordingly.
7. Provincial governors, Exarchs, and city authorities shall provide the Enforcers with such resources, personnel, and access as are required to carry out an investigation or to execute an indictment within their jurisdiction.

Members#

1. The Enforcers shall be led by a Head Enforcer, appointed by a majority of all members of the Imperial Curia, who shall serve for a term of ten years and shall not be reappointed.
2. The Head Enforcer shall, according to the needs of their office, appoint Enforcers of lesser rank to serve under them.
3. An Enforcer may be removed from their position only by a unanimous decision of all members of the Imperial Curia, and only for acts that violate the Sovereign's decrees, the laws of the Senate or the decisions of the Curia.
4. No individual who has served in the Senate, the Imperial Council or the Inquisition within the preceding ten years shall be eligible to serve as an Enforcer of Truth.

Provinces#