Letter for the Legates

[Runic]

[A letter, formally presented on fresh parchment and stamped with the seal of the Sublime Gardens is left on each of the Legate's desks. They each contain the same information.]


Legates,

By order of Majordomo Sirsum avak Res, Arkadas of the Garden, and on the authority of Osman Al-Maribid; Sultan of Baz'eel, Sultan of Qa'im, Sultan of Kha'esh, Protector of Qadira and the Sea of Pearls, Regent of the Great Rampart, Emir of Arslan and of the Satrapies, Heir to the White Spear, Guide of Faith and of the Geneaologies, Exarch of the Hundred Schools and of the Lesser Temples, Father of Tablets, Supreme Bey of the Janissary Legions, has the current version of the Accorded Governance law been revoked as he deemed it too confusing in its current state, and actively places the Warmaster in a state of illegality under it. As such, it was stricken from the Stele.

We have a version of the law currently revised within the Scribal Office that does not bar Accorded members from holding titles other than Prelate and Magistrate, however if you wish to further restrict the Accord in holding titles then any future law will need to be thoroughly vetted by the Scribes to ensure this does not happen again. A revised version of the law is expected promptly.

Jaecop de Clercq
Scribe of the Sublime Gardens

[Ahmet]

Mr. de Clercq,

It is the position of the First Seat that this law should be reinstated exactly as it was with only an added clause to make an exception for the Warmaster, as this was sincerely an unintended oversight and mistake in a moment of haste necessitated by extenuating political circumstances, and was a rather embarrassing blow to what should have been a surge of momentum towards bettering the city's legislation. In your letter you remarked that this law ought've been "further vetted" by the Scribes, but this law was entirely written and drafted by the Scribes. Understand that I tell you this not that I should absolve myself of responsibility, as I am ultimately responsible for this error, but only to tell you that these honest mistakes do happen no matter how prepared you may think yourself to be.

This is all to say that my view is that the Accorded Governance law should prevent functionaries of the accord to don another hat without first doffing one or the other. Otherwise, if they were to doubly serve as functionaries of the Pyramid in any capacity (e.g. Vizier, Master-Merchant, or any of the various other laughably corrupt "positions" in our government), then they would do so with a significant degree of bias and crookedness and the whole of the citizenry would suffer for it.

It's my desire, and the desire of my League (I should hope!) that our work be put to serve the construction of a true democracy lacking all arbitrary divisions while energetically combatting the venal opportunism that plagues our city to this very day. Without the clause preventing members of the Accord obtaining titles, then they will continue wasting away the treasury's funds to pay certain individuals who are already being paid by the government yet another wage's earnings, paid for by the rest of us and only to their individual benefit (as well as the career-politician who won a vote or two from that diabolic pact). How can we entrust members of our citizenry with not one, but two official appointments, and not expect them to act completely in bias? How many more times will we need to throw away tens of thousands of dinars through these petty, meaningless bribes that build nothing? As it stands, the system encourages our Legates to seek, for vanity, re-election, and not dutiful abolition of the Pyramid's countless flaws and contradictions. This must go!

It is true that interests of man will (almost) always be coloured by what furthers his own interests, but I should sooner have an independent Vizier than an openly flagrant pawn of one Accord signatory to dictate the entirety of our diplomatic treaties to the sole benefit of the Tower and not the city (and that is if they ever get so bold as to work, something of a unicorn in our city), which we certainly cannot abide. Do not misconstrue this as some bitter sally at the Eagle's Mount; there have been innumerable other examples of all the many members of the Accord being given sham titles as a means to bribe a vote or two, and in some of these cases they were invested with genuine authority and power! The conflict of interests is to be minimized as far as possible if we're to truly preserve and construct a democracy according to Asterabadian principles.

I should go so far as to add that that this is not even the complete Magisterial reform as I would personally have it, for if I had the support of my co-Legate, I would be most pleased to make Magistrates a position elected via a popular vote, with the stipulation that they would necessarily have to pass some manner of qualification or another, not (as it currently functions) to be given through the whims of a single individual who may or may not have personal vested interests in this appointment that counter the interests and well-being of the city and its people. We're giving the legal power of life and death to friends of the Legates, and not to those whom the position fits best. Could we be any more crooked?

Clearly, we have committed a most grave error in forgetting to clarify the Warmaster's exception. Why then, given all I have just said, do we excuse the Warmaster's from this much-despised wearing of two hats? It's because as a Lieutenant of His Sublimity's Legions, his duties and interests align exactly with his duties and interests as the chief general and war-authority of our collective troops and. In this relationship, there is as little conflict of interest as possible, but in other cases, there are more conflicts than stones in the Nusrum.

Unfortunately, this is all to waste, as I am of the opinion that passing this law now is something of a dream. It will undoubtedly become something of a political battle between our seats, and it shall not be so simply rectified due to my partner's vast repertoire of trickery and subterfuge. Democracy has been dealt a serious blow by the Majordomo, much to our chagrin, and the movement to reform our nation has undoubtedly been delayed and forcefully dragged by the collar into the depths of retrogress.

If, however, it turns out that my pessimism (which I would argue is more than reasonable given how arduous it has been to assure that my co-Legate would pass even the things he has publicly promised in the recent past) was unnecessary, and that the Second Seat gave their full assent to reinstate the law with the singular exception for our armies' field-marshal being added, then I would both rejoice and offer consent, hoping it should come to pass on the Stele as swiftly as possible.

Respectfully yours,
Ahmet Yildirim

[Runic]

[A swift response is sent.]

Legate Yildirim,

After some careful rewording we have come to the following adjustment. You will find the parchment in the scribal offices in our chest marked for legal papers. If you cannot access it simply ask a scribe to fetch it.

de Clercq

Accord Governance: A person who is a member of an Accord Signatory found guilty of putting their name forth in an election to obtain the seat of a Legate has committed Accord Governance.
Furthermore, a member of an Accord Signatory cannot hold the position of Prelate, Magistrate, or any position inscribed upon the Stele of Law, or paid a wage by the treasury. Capital.

A side note - As the Warmaster is not inscribed upon the Stele of Law in the Pyramid, but the Stele of War in the Divan, this change should suffice in not placing the Warmaster in a state of illegality and allow for the Accord to aid in Wartime capacities without interreference in civilian life.

[big metal rod]

Jaecop,

I am not fixing this without a conversation with Ahmet.

-Argent

[Runic]

[Another swift response is sent.]

Legate Argent,

It is recommended this situation is resolved as soon as possible. The Majordomo's patience is being tested, and it is not something to test lightly. If yourself and Legate Yildirim are able to meet and resolve it swiftly, before the Accord tries to run for government, this would be recommended.

de Clercq.

[Runic]

[A letter is once-more placed atop each Legate's desk. Though the wording is cordial and pleasant, there is an undertone of pressure.]

Legates,

It has been two weeks to the day that the Accorded Governance law was stripped by the Majordomo over the necessity for rewording and reconstitution. The Majordomo is one of many eyes that the Sultan possesses, and for each day this law remains unrectified is a day that the Sultan will look down upon our satrapy and question whether we are fit to govern ourselves. It is time to perform the duties you were elected to do, to meet, and discuss, and put new law into action.

The Scribes have devised the following amendment to the law. If it suits, it is recommended that the law is put into the Stele before the next election, to prevent any potential Accorded individuals from running for the seat. Otherwise, the law needs to be reverted to what it once was, which we also have prepared the paperwork for.

Accord Governance: A person who is a member of an Accord Signatory found guilty of putting their name forth in an election to obtain the seat of a Legate has committed Accord Governance.
Furthermore, a member of an Accord Signatory cannot hold the position of Prelate, Magistrate, or any position inscribed upon the Stele of Law, or paid a wage by the treasury. Capital.

A side note - As the Warmaster is not inscribed upon the Stele of Law in the Pyramid, but the Stele of War in the Divan, this change should suffice in not placing the Warmaster in a state of illegality and allow for the Accord to aid in Wartime capacities without interreference in civilian life.

Please see these matters resolved promptly.

de Clercq.

[big metal rod]

de Clercq,

The law will be adjusted, banning the Accord from running for Legate, or holding the titles of Prelate and Magistrate specifically. 

This is a preservation of the original writ and intent of the law. 

This is non-negotiable.  Titles like the Palatial Physician were long held by members of the Accord without incident.  We will return to normalcy after this bout of fitful chaos. 

-Legate Argyris

[Runic]

Legate Argent,

The law is put to paper in the Scribe Offices. Simply ask a Scribe for this variant of the law, have yourself and Legate Ahmet sign it, and this matter can be concluded.

Thank you.

de Clercq.