Institute of Diplomacy
The Institute of Diplomacy serves as a Beluaterra-wide guild for diplomatic communication. This should allow easier methods of contact and facilitate understanding between nobility.
Additionally, it serves as an independent mediator service by a select few that show a keen skill in diplomacy, as well as a school to teach the more refined elements of diplomacy, compromise, and negotiation.
I invite all council members, dukes, ambassadors, diplomats, and anyone interested in such a guild to join.
Structure
Our motto is Diplomacy! Ingenuity! Excellence! (DIE!)
Diplomatic Communication
The major purpose of the guild is to facilitate communication for purposes of diplomacy. Ranks are specially designated for council members, dukes, lords, ambassadors, and diplomats. Patrons(those who build a guildhouse from their own funds) and Rulers have the ability to promote and demote nobility, within their realm, to the appropriate position. Other elder ranks can adjust ranks of all member as is needed.
Additional purposes are to offer services resolving differences and to educate others on diplomatic skills of negotiation and compromise.
Mediation and Arbitration Services
To request services mediating differences (can include anything from realm differences to personal disputes between nobility), contact the Benefactor with your request. It is necessary that both sides (or their representative) of the dispute are members of the guild. There are two services. Those of a mediator and those of an arbitrator. The mediator will work between both sides to see a solution discovered. An arbitrator will do the same, but will also have the ability to make a binding decision that affects both. When choosing an arbitrator, both sides are expected to abide by their decision.
University
To educate on skills of negotiation and compromise, a Professor, Mediator, Arbitrator, or Benefactor will occasionally intervene in discussions in order to point out beneficial methods of discussion when egos are more potent than diplomacy. It is their duty to ensure that diplomatic discussions are fruitful and to point out different diplomatic methods when others are failing. Successful diplomatic interactions are also recorded as lessons to the student body.
Lessons
Copies of letters or conversations preserved for posterity's knowledge of excellent diplomatic ingenuity.
Ranks
All members hold the highest position they are eligible for. For example, a Duke Ambassador holds the rank of a Duke, a Ruler Duke holds the rank of a Ruler, and an Ambassador trusted by the Benefactor to be an Arbitrator holds the rank of an Arbitrator.
Patrons, rulers, and religion founders are expected to keep tabs on their realm or religion, as is appropriate, and keep the member ranks accurately. Once a month the Benefactor will check upon them to ensure that all is accurate and request a report of anyone's rank needing adjusted that they've not had time to adjust themselves.
Elders
Benefactor: Jefferson Vita. Oversees smooth running of the Institute.
Arbitrator: Chosen by the Benefactor after demonstrated skill mediating.
Mediator: Chosen by the Benefactor after demonstrated skill diplomatically.
Professor: Chosen by the Benefactor after demonstrated skill diplomatically.
High Patron: Funds the building of other guildhouses. Responsible for adjusting member ranks of their realm or religion.
Patron: Builder of a guildhouse. Responsible for adjusting member ranks of their realm or religion.
Ruler: Ruler of a realm. Responsible for adjusting member ranks of their realm.
Religion Founder: Founder of a religion. Responsible for adjusting member ranks of their religion.
Members
General: General of a realm.
Judge: Judge of a realm.
Banker: Banker of a realm.
Duke: Duke of a realm.
Lord: Lord of a realm.
Religious Elder: Elder of a religion.
Ambassador: Diplomat recognized by a ruler.
Diplomat: Diplomat that is unrecognized by a ruler.
Student: Interested nobility who hold no higher rank and who paid the 10 gold entrance fee.
Aspirants
Contact: Noble wishing to not be subject to diplomatic discussions of full members, but wanting to be able to contact others. There is a 10 gold entrance fee.
Applicant: Interested nobility unwilling or unable to pay the 10 gold entrance fee.
Guildhouses
A list of all houses of the Institute, who constructed them and their titles and realm's ceremonial title at the time. They should be listed chronologically.
- Tepmona - Constructed by Baron Jefferson Vita of the Melhed Empire.
- Yermon - Constructed by Senator Louis-Joseph Chenier of the Fronen Republic.
- Marpii - Constructed by Savio del Commercio, Magistrato dell'Ordine, and Senator Diana Calista Torres de los Reyes of the Fronen Republic.
- Vale - Constructed by Chancellor and Baron Dead Angel Vermeer of Avalon.
- Vozzessdor - Constructed by Senator Jeff Carnes of Fronen.
- Ukh - Constructed by Judge, Baron, and Marshal Pyrix Questor of Thalmarkin.
- Mekoter - Constructed by Count Rafael Shadowaver of Old Grehk.
