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High Council of Arkleaf

Page history last edited by PBworks 17 years, 5 months ago

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The High Council of Arkleaf

 

 

History

When first settled in the Arkenvale, the founders of the Arkleaf discovered very early that they could not count on any single representative of the great green city to rule fairly, as the needs of its very different social/ethnic groups often clashed with one another. The Grim Vapor Lords, for example, constantly clamored that the city should be enclosed to block out their "incessant oppressor" (the sun), which would have absolutely decimated the holy gardens of the Shamanic Priest Caste. Nor was it safe simply to leave rule in the hands of the High Priestess of the Arkenvale. While neutral in most matters concerning the four main groups of the Arkleaf, the High Priestess of the Arkenvale was considered to be a bit "spooky", even by the standards of the Grim Vapor Lords.

 

After years of debate, it was decided that a High Council of Arkleaf should be organized in order to determine how best to govern the Arkleaf and its people. Unfortunately, the High Council could never come to any sort of agreement on governance, and existed as an "interim government" from the founding of the Arkleaf until its destruction by the War Men in a 50-Year Siege.

 

Membership of the High Council

 

The 13-member council consisted of one council premier and four three-person committees, all of whom were highly esteemed members of certain rank in their respective societies.

 

 

  • Grim Vapor Lords Committee
    • Grim Vapor Lord Chairman (during the Siege, this was Zuud-pho'n)
    • Vaporous Lord Chamberlain
    • Grim Seneschal Viceroy

 

  • Royal Guard of Wood-Archers Committee
    • Bow-Admiral of the Guard (during the Siege, this was Beyunbyrnor)
    • High Arrow-Captain of the Guard
    • Supreme Feathermen of Fletchers

 

 

 

Procedures and Voting

 

The High Council of Arkleaf would convene whenever controversies or matters of grave importance were at hand... which was basically all of the time. A meeting of the High Council would typically be structured as follows:

 

  • Meeting called to order by High Priestess of the Arkenvale
  • Prayer Form signed and notorized, then read aloud and sacrificed in honor of Bureaucros
  • Roll call
    • If all members are present, the Council may vote and take action on agenda items, and add items to the agenda.
    • If all members are not present, council may not take actions nor vote. All action items will be tabled and added to the "New Business" section of the next meeting's agenda.
    • If members of the council are voting by proxy, the subsitute representative must present four Notarized Letters of Proxy signed by the councilmember they are representing. If the subsitute representative's legitimacy is questioned, the other members of the council must vote by 2/3 majority to accept.
  • Grim Seneschal Viceroy reads the minutes of the previous meeting or session.
    • Minutes must be approved for official adoption by a 2/3 majority.
    • The meeting may not continue until the minutes of the prior meeting or session have been approved.
  • Rector of the Sack-Weavers gives a Financial Report for the Arkleaf.
    • If members of the council have concerns that they wish addressed, they must ask for it to be added as an action item on the next meeting's agenda.
  • Correspondence to the High Council is read by the Big Falcon One
    • If the High Council wishes to give official written response to correspondence, a sub-committee must be formed to draft the letter. Sub-committee organization may take place during the next meeting, and all official correspondence must be approved by 2/3 majority of the entire council.
  • Public Comment Period
    • Members of the Public may address the High Council for 10 minutes.
    • No actions may be taken as a result of public comments, and may only be added as action items to the next meeting's agenda.
  • Action Items
    • Actions requiring approval may be presented to the High Council by a council member or any other citizen of the Arkleaf having sufficient authority to present said item.
    • The High Council will discuss the item until they tire of the subject, or until finally:
      • One of the members makes a motion to approve/reject the action item.
      • A second member must second the motion.
      • A third member must second the seconding of the original motion
      • If any amendments are made by the second or third members, these must also be seconded and seconded again before a vote can be taken. Amendments may not conflict with the orignal motion nor with each other.
    • The High Priestess of the Arkenvale shall then call for a vote
      • The High Priestess shall ask all who are in favor to state: "Aye!"
      • The High Priestess shall ask all who are opposed to state: "Nay!"
      • Regardless of outcome, the members of the High Council shall be given opportunity to discuss. No member may speak for more than 10 minutes at a time. However, if a council member chooses to express themselves by singing an epic song, they are given as much time as they need.
      • After discussion, the vote is counted. It takes 9 votes in favor for a motion to be carried, or 9 for it to be utterly defeated.
      • If the vote is inconclusive, further debate and vote must continue until 9 votes are secured either in favor of or against the motion. After an item has been voted upon 3 times without conclusion, the High Priestess of the Arkenvale may vote as well.

 

Famous Deeds of the Council

Not surprisingly, the High Council of Arkleaf, crippled with procedure, accomplished very few things, never resolved any of the questions about how the Arkleaf was to be governed, and in general let the entire city fall into a sort of benign chaos... it was the sort of place where the largest assemblage of War Men in history could be outside attacking the gates and for some reason nobody but the archers who were shooting them would seem to know about it.

 

Some of the Council's definitive actions are listed below:

  • Choosing of a name (it took 12 years to settle on "Arkleaf")
  • Council defeats the Grim Vapor Lords motion to block out the sun.
  • Decision to Build the Gates of Arkleaf (the "Wood or Metal... or Both?" sub-committe toiled for months during this vote)
  • Free Ice Cream on Wednesday
  • Replacement of the vandalized Arkleaf Visitor's Center Kiosk

 

 

Famous Songs of the High Council

Though very little business actually got done, the members of the High Council of Arkleaf became well known for the singing of epic ballads for purposes of debate and dramatic emphasis. These include:

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