Swordfell/Constitution

Other Documents

Fellish Code of Nobility
Laws of Swordfell

Prologue

- Respecting this document is obligatory.
- Violations against this document are treason.
- Articles in this document can be added/removed/modified by absolute majority of Fellish (Dukes have right of veto).

Constitution of Swordfell

1. Realm Structure
- Swordfell is union of its Duchies.

2. Government Type
Swordfell is Feudal Republic:
- Politically Swordfell is Republic – It means that there is no monarch, but the realm is governed by representatives based on rule of law.
- Socially Swordfell is Feudal Realm – It means that nobles are classed by fiefs they hold (i.e. by land ownership). Since in Republic there is no Monarch who is land owner of the entire realm, the highest land owners are Dukes (then Region Lords and then Knights).

3. Government Structure
Swordfell government is formed of three main institutions:
- Fellish Assembly - lower chamber for internal affairs (defining laws).
- Fellish Senate – higher chamber for external affairs (diplomatic relations with foreign nations) and to supervise internal affairs.
- Realm Council – executive body.

4. Realm Council
Structure:
- Permanent Realm Council members (All realm Dukes)
- Elected Realm Council members (Lord Imperator, Chancellor, Archmarshal and Overseer)

Responsibility:
- Elected members are to execute will of the Fellish Senate.
- Dukes are to oversee work of elected members and to ensure that they are not acting on their own but that they are indeed executing will of the Fellish Senate.

4.1. Permanent Realm Council members (All realm Dukes)
All Swordfell lands belong to one of its Dukes and accordingly every single Duke have right to:
- Veto absolutely every single decision in Fellish Senate (no exceptions).
- Veto any Noble to run for Realm Council position (Government position).
- Replace any Elected Realm Council member (Government member) by asking him to step down (Refusing to step down on Duke's request is coup d'etat).
- Replace any Lord in his duchy by asking him to step down (Refusing to step down on Duke's request is hihg treason).

4.2. Elected Realm Council members
Elected Realm Council members:
- Lord Imperator
- Chancellor
- Archmarshal
- Overseer

Elected Realm Council members do not have right to make decisions on their own but they are purely executive body of the Fellish Council and are to strictly execute will of the Fellish Council. They are only representatives of Fellish people on the fields of diplomacy (Lord Imperator), law and justice (Chancellor), military affairs (Archmarshal) and trade and commerce (Overseer). As such each Elected Realm Council member has weak power.

- All elected members must at all time have support of each realm Duke.
- If single Duke denies support to any Elected Realm Council member, the member must step down (Refusing to step down on Duke's request is coup d'etat).

4.2.1. Lord Imperator
Lord Imperator is official representative of the Fellish on the field of diplomatic affairs with foreign nations.

Responsibility:
- Represent Fellish Senate in front of foreign nations.
- Lord Imperator do not have authority to create his own politics but is to conduct politics created by absolute majority of the Fellish Senate (Each Duke has right of veto).
- Every single treaty must be approved by absolute majority of the Fellish Senate (Each Duke has right of veto).

4.2.2. Chancellor
Chancellor is official representative of Fellish on the field of law and justice.

Responsibility:
- Conducting realm Laws.
- Chancellor do not have authority to define Laws but is only to ensure they are conducted.
- Chancellor do not have authority to fine/ban any Fellish without approval of absolute majority of Fellish Senate (Eeach Duke has right of veto).
- Chancellor has authority to treat imprisoned commoners (domestic or foreign) and foreign Nobles on his own (unless any member of the Fellish Senate explicitly requests that the Fellish Senate makes the decision).

4.2.3. Archmarshal
Archmarshal is officiall representative of Fellish on the field of military affairs.

Responsibility:
- Archmarshal is to direct what armies will do (having on mind that how it will be done (movement orders, setting battle formations, etc.) is on Marshals and Vice Marshals).
- At the time of war Archmarshal has authority over region militia within the war zone (determining numbers and types of militia units that will be assigned to the region). Region Lords of regions within the war zone are obligated to obey Archmarshal's command. (Archmarshal has this authority only at the time of war or at the time of imminent threat of war – Fellish Senate with simple majority of votes activates or deactivates this authority.)

4.2.4. Overseer
Overseer is officiall representative of Fellish on the field of trade and commerce.

Responsibility:
- Ensuring that all Swordfell regions are fed at all time.
- Overseer has full authority to manage the food within the realm.
- Overseer has full authority to buy food from foreign realms.
- Overseer do not have authority to sell food to foreign realms on his own – such action must be approved by absolute majority of the Fellish Senate (Each Duke has right of veto).

5. Fellish Senate
Formed of all land owners (Region Lords) and members of the Realm Council.

Structure:
- Only Members of the Realm Council and Region Lords can be members of Fellish Senate.
- Both: members of the Ream Council and Region Lords are obligated to be members of the Fellish Senate as long as they hold the position (they are allowed to leave Fellish Assembly only if they step down from their position first).

Responsibility:
- Supervising work of the Fellish Assembly.
- External affairs.

6. Fellish Assembly
Formed of all Nobles of Swordfell interested in politics.

Structure:
- Members of the Realm Council and all Region Lords are obligated to be members of the Fellish Assembly as long as they hold the position (they are allowed to leave Fellish Assembly only if they step down from their position first).
- Knights can join/leave Fellish Assembly at their will.

Responsibility:
- Internal affairs of the realm (Making sure that realm works well.)

7. Elections for Elected Realm Council members (Government positions)
- Elected members are elected on quarterly elections.
- All Nobles have right to address request for candidacy to realm Dukes.
- Candidates must get approval to announce candidacy by all realm Dukes.
- Code of Nobility is to be respected at part that candidates are to withdraw their candidacy if noble of higher title is running for the position.

8. Impeachment of Elected Realm Council members
- Dukes are owners of all realm lands and each Duke have authority to demand at any time from any elected member of the Realm Council to step down. Refusing to step down on Duke's request is coup d'etat.
- Fellish Senate has authority to impeach any government member by absolute majority of votes (Each Duke has right of veto, but this veto does not annul previous point of this article).

9. Bringing new Laws
- Fellish Assembly generates and discuss proposals for new Laws.
- Each proposal has to be accepted by simple majority (majority of cast votes) of Fellish Senate (Each Duke has right of veto). If the proposal is accepted by the Fellish Senate and if no Duke placed veto on it public referendum is to be held.
- Proposal is accepted and becomes Law if absolute majority of Fellish (50%+1) supports it on public referendum.

10. Religion
- Sanguis Astroism is Swordfell state religion.
- All regions must have constructed temple to Sanguis Astroism.
- Construction on non Sanguis Astroism is forbidden on Swordfell ground.
- Swordfell is not theocracy and Nobles are not obligated to be followers of Sanguis Astroism and they are free to be followers of any other religion (still, they have to be aware that being follower of religion hostile to Sanguis Astroism will drag consequences for them).

11. Governing Food Supplies
- All food is realm property.
- Region Lords are obligated to grant access to granaries in their regions to the Overseer.
- Region Lords are free to buy food for their granary.
- Region Lords are forbidden to sell food from their granary.