The Chambers of the Landsraad

[General Retreat]

Located on Mars, the Landsraad is a gathering of all of the Freyma of the Empire - all feudal noble houses are represented, even those who have not been granted a system of their own. This is an important distinction, as those merchant systems that refused to ratify the Vox Domini and adopt feudal status are not technically represented. Republican lords may attend and speak in the Landsraad, but this is a courtesy extended to a guest and nothing more; their resolutions are non-binding and they hold no vote. In general terms the Landsraad is designed to give voice to the Empire’s systems, and provide a counterbalance to the Emperor’s singular prerogative. The First Minister sits as the Chairman of the Landsraad.

The Chambers themselves are a stunning example of Martian architecture, carved from distinctive and hardy volcanic basalt. The building was originally constructed by Symmachus I in 57 IC, designed to hold audiences with his advisory council. In 557 IC, the original Landsraad building was razed during the Martian Mutiny - the site would be left in ruins for the remainder of the century, with neutered Landsraad meetings being moved around at the whim of the presiding Warlord. It would be almost a century until the original building was reconstructed as a vanity project by Aizu I, using the remaining scattered rocks as the foundation of the new Landsraad.

In the modern day, the feudal Landsraad has more powers and privileges than at any point in Imperial history. It is a focal point for politics, intrigue and drama. Freyma congregate on Mars from across the Empire, while those who are preoccupied by their local duties appear via hologram. The leader of each Freyma feudal noble house has a vote in the Landsraad, even those who have no system of their own. Due to this, the Merchant Republics are unrepresented; their leaders may enter debates within the Landsraad, but only in the capacity of an honored guest with no formal powers or vote.

The Landsraad, Voting and Policies

The Freyma of the Landsraad also have a distinct set of powers and duties that act as a counterbalance of power to the Emperor. When acting in unison, the Landsraad can be a powerful force capable of curtailing Imperial excesses. In the majority of cases, infighting and and politicking give the Emperor a far stronger position than it would appear on paper. Elects Emperors. Emperor nominees who succeed a parent/relative as primogeniture inheritance win the election when there is no majority nominee (51%+). May impeach Emperors on grounds of tyranny, criminality, and corruption. Majority vote (51%+) needed. May try/condemn a citizen/individual or domain with a crime. Trial needed. Sets the tax (5%, 10%, 15%) placed on feudal overlords that is paid to the Emperor and the National Treasury. It is the same for all affected lords, unless the Landsraad specifically gives specific lords a different tax rate. Sets size limits and geographical placements of the Imperial Army, and elects commanders (besides the Emperor) for it. The Emperor can veto a candidate. If the Emperor vetoes a candidate, then the Landsraad must get a majority vote (51%+) to overrule the veto. Enforce peace upon and between its members, with majority vote, unless one of the warring parties is at war because they were condemned as criminals. Implement 1 Imperial Policy per year (feudal sectors may refuse to implement them individually) Landsraad policies, laws, and resolutions have no bearing on Republican sectors, which are only subject to direct Imperial authority. May vote to raise a new noble house, or veto one the Emperor has raised (51%+). Votes to appoint the lord of newly discovered or conquered systems. Many lords no longer attend the Landsraad on Mars in person, and instead either send proxies or appear via hologram. For Freyma many weeks travel from Mars, long-range holograms enable them to balance their local duties with their political responsibilities. Despite this, attending in person enables the speaker to project a certain gravitas that would otherwise be lost; Mars is a hotbed of political intrigue, Imperial drama and trend-setting fashion. Those lords who spend more time there can expect to be better connected than a warlord on the Periphery. Voting: Unless explicitly stated otherwise, voting in the Landsraad is carried out through simple absolute majorities - if a motion can garner 51% of the participating vote, it passes or is approved. The options for responding to a vote are “Support”, “Oppose” and “Abstain”. In order to account for the hypothetically hundreds of NPC lords that would also be participating, they are considered to vote in the same ratios as players. Effectively, they don’t matter. Despite this, persuasion rolls may be made prior to a vote being opened to try and convince NPC system lords to take your position - this will gain you one extra vote. Policies: Policies are like Doctrines, but on an macro level for the entire Empire. By voting through a Policy, the Landsraad is adopting a particular stance or philosophy on an issue, which can affect how National Treasury funds are spent. WIP.

[General Retreat]

Several days had passed since the coronation that had seen Empress Valeria I adopt the Imperial crown. Many of the freyma who attended had filed into the Landsraad for its first official session of the new reign - several also appeared via hologram, having either departed already or been unable to attend. Valeria took to the podium at the head of the chamber, usually reserved for the Chairman of the meet, the First Minister. It was time to form a government.

“Honoured peers, I stand before you today as your elected Empress. After 20 years of weakness and division, I bring a pledge of strength, of unity! For too long, the freyma of the Empire have seen each other as adversaries, as foes who must be quashed and eliminated in order to ascend.

“These divisions have torn the Empire apart time and time again. To this I say no more! Our history has trained - indoctrinated! - us to look inwards, to see our borders as fortress walls we can shelter behind, safe from hostility and aggression.

“Men and women of the Landsraad, this is an illusion! There is no safety save that which we can seize ourselves. For centuries we have fought over the same systems, fractured and separated. The Third Lords’ Rebellion should mark an end to this turmoil. Turn your gaze outwards. Looks to the stars that surround us. I wish for this era to be one marked by growth, prosperity and expansion.

“The Vox Domini sculpted the bedrock of the new Empire, provided the scaffold to support cooperation among her people on a scale never seen since the reign of the Progenitor himself. Remember the rule of benevolent Symmachus and the Creed that unites us all. This is the Empire of all mankind, and that dominion must be enforced. There is to be but one peace to unite this galaxy - pax imperium!

“With the view of establishing this goal, I invest the following lords with Ministerial powers:

“As First Minister, chairman of the Landsraad, I summon Count Iskandar Calidan of Nu Scorpii, third of his name.

“As Warden of the Marches, I summon Duke Klaus Graf of Delpha.

“As Lord Treasurer, I summon Duke Darr Cogaíoch of Nova Terra.

“As Lord Master of the Apparatus, I summon Count Alamgir Mirza of Dorsum, second of his name.”

“As Lord Justicar, I summon Duchess Saeko Akatsuya of Metropolis.”

“Your ministries and staff await you on Mars. To the rest of the Landsraad, your first order of business will be the election of a Lord Admiral - my replacement. My strong recommendation is Duke Graf, a fine warrior and commander with many decades of martial experience.” With that, the Empress retired from the podium and retook her seat on a throne to the rear of the room. The Empress was to observe, and speak when necessary, but otherwise not interfere unduly.

[The Mad Skylord]

Darr Cogaíoch was both pleased and disappointed. He would have liked to stand for Lord Admiral, but he had just been handed the most trusted ministerial seat, he would be a fool to turn it down for a position he might not even be elected to. Stepping forwards he says:

"Thank you, Majesty. I shall accept the position of Lord Treasurer with gladness and thanks."

Sitting back in his seat, he ponders about what his next actions should be.

[Oznerol]

Alamgir Mirza raises from his seat, standing proud and erect. His magnificent white beard was well-trimmed, like his mustache and hair. He slowly advanced towards the Empress, his chest covered with badges and medals, studded with diamonds and rubies. His cylindrical red hat made him a feet taller, even if he was a tall man already, albeit bit lanky and thin. With good pace he reaches the empress' podium.

"Your Imperial Majesty, I hereby accept the honor you bestow today upon my shoulders and my House and shall serve thy as loyally and ably as you might expect in the office of Lord Master of the Apparatus. May the wheel of life grant its blessings upon thy shoulders, your Grace, for ever and ever"

He says so with grandiloquence, his right hand over the chest and the left grabbing his cane, with a heavy golden pommel. Then he bows slightly.

[Pinkerton]

Count Thyssen hadn't left Mars to attend the first Landsraad of Empress Valeria. In past years he had mostly appeared in hologram form.

He was a bit annoyed at the appointments and he wasn't going to stay quiet.

"So these appointments, your majesty, are just to appease the noblemen who were chosen because you are afraid of another Lord's Rebellion?"

[Lucius Malfoy]

Iskandar had arrived to the Landsraad some time after the coronation. His family were already on their way home to Nu Scorpii by the time a session of the Landsraad was called. When his name was chosen to be the First Minister of the Empire, his chest swelled with pride. Nu Scorpii's Count had been honored as one of the most powerful members of the Landsraad, if not the second most powerful within the Empire. Iskandar stands up in the crowd of nobles and bows his head to the Empress.

You honor me, Empress, with naming me as your First Minister. I shall strive to do my duty to the Empire and to you, Your Imperial Majesty.

The Count then took his place to the right of the Empress as Valeria took his seat for now. Once she moved, Iskandar sat in the chairman's seat that overlooked the Landsraad. First thing was first, tradition and the structure of the Minister positions had to be upheld. He spoke up to the Empress about her recommendation to the Lord Admiral post.

Your Imperial Majesty, it has been the precedent since the dawn of the Empire that only one person may be appointed to a Minister position. I, for one, would gladly vote for Duke Graf's promotion to Lord Admiral. However since you appointed the Duke to the Warden of the Marches, then he will be ineligible to be elected as Lord Admiral. The Landsraad will need to find someone equal to his military talents to fit the role. Unless you wish to reverse your decision and grant the title of Warden of the Marches to someone else, Duke Graf cannot be elected as Lord Admiral.

[Poach]

Next on the agenda, after appointments: The Battle of the Marune Border

- - - - - -

"I shall serve in either post." said Klaus, "One puts me in command of the Empire's Navy, the other on the frontline battling her enemies. Both are excellent positions."

[Lucius Malfoy]

Next on the agenda, after appointments: The Battle of the Marune Border

- - - - - -

"I shall serve in either post." said Klaus, "One puts me in command of the Empire's Navy, the other on the frontline battling her enemies. Both are excellent positions."

Given your experience and role in the late rebellion, Duke Graf, I believe you would be invaluable as the Empire's Lord Admiral. It was your fleet and tactics that helped secure a suitable peace for our fellow nobles.

His gaze turns to the Empress who sat somewhere behind him. The First Minister bowed his head to Valeria.

Your Imperial Majesty, I believe you should reappoint someone else to the Warden of the Marches in the hope that Duke Graf be elected as Lord Admiral of the Empire.

[Honors Bastion]

As Duke Alexei Au'lair sat during listening to the list of new list of ministers, he began to see a connection between who was being assigned to each post. All of these men and women played at least some role in the Third Lords Rebellion on the rebels side. Alexei let out a slight grin at the realization, smiling at what it meant. Valeria was supporting her former allies, a shrewd if somewhat dangerous move. Seeing that the debate for the Lord Admiralty had begun, Duke Alexei stood and said "I will only support Duke Graf for the Lord Admiral position if a competent replacement can be named for him in the Marches. As it stands, one of the two Dukes who territory borders the southern realms will be in the Capital in the form of Lord Cogaíoch. Do we really want to remove another one from the March without a competent successor?"

[Poach]

"Au'lair makes a sound argument," said Klaus, ​"Best we have someone capable in the Marches themselves as well as someone capable on Mars."

[Xion]

The two baronets left to represent Metropolis as proxies remain silent. Told to primarily observe and only speak if Metropolis would be impacted by a decision, they just looked at each other when their Duchess was announced to be one of the ministers. After some discussion between the two, a message was sent to Lady Akatsuya's ship to inquire her decision on the appointment or to use a hologram, but they have not heard back or seen the hologram projection device begin to flicker on.

[Dirty Chai]

A figure in uniform approached one of the entrance halls, coming in from the Martian rain.
His black and red uniform, collared with Imperial officer's marks, marked him for a well-to-do soldier, ready to rise in the ranks of the Empire's great army.

The guards stopped him, crossing their halberds over the entry.
He paused, then reached down into a pocked to retrieve a rusted heirloom - a small crest, which he showed them.
The guards removed their halberds, and let the Freyma pass.

As he strode up the sloped passage, carpeted with red in the darkness of the Martian cavern, his officer's sword clacked against the side of his leg and waist.
He stopped as he reached the end of the passage, looking out at the massive audience hall of the Landsraad.
On each side of him were lords and ladies. Before him, far above on a central stand, was the newly crowned Emperess.

The soldier backed up a little, so that his frame merged with the dark corridor, but so that he could still watch and witness the Landsraad - as was his birthright.
They could not take that away from him.

His eyes, blue like hyacinth, darted between each of the speaking figures, watching the powerful princes speak their honeyed words.
Each one had an agenda, the soldier reckoned from behind his screen of hate.

[The Mad Skylord]

Darr Cogaíoch frowned thoughtfully. He stood and put forwards his opinion.

"I would be willing to resign as Lord Treasurer and act as Warden so Lord Graf may stand as Lord Admiral. Alternativeky, I could stand as Lord Admiral. It has, after all, been acknowledged I've the years that I am an equally skilled Admiral as Lord Graf."

[Oznerol]

"I propose my peers that the Lord Treasurer office shall be held by a third, while Lord Graf assumes the title of Warden and Cogaioch does the same with the Admiralty. As a candidate for the now void office of Lord Treasurer I propose Rin Goto, State Governor of the Republic. Her fluency with management and the financial world is assured. Her sharp mind shall be beneficial for the running of the Empire's economic affairs"

[Poach]

"You would have one of the Republics run the Empire's finances?" ​asked Klaus with open contempt.

[Celsius]

Constantine Ventrallis, Count of Helix, spoke:
"You can not have someone whose entire life is based around making money run this Empires finances. Governments do not make money, nor are the suppose to. They are suppose to provide what traditional industries do not provide because those industries such as education, health welfare, or defense, are not profitable enough to sustain themselves. Just because someone knows how to make money does not mean that they know how to run a government treasury."

[Jokern]

State Governor Rin Goto sat among the seats reserved for representatives from the merchant republics, semi-separated from the stands for other guests. She wore a white blazer with a mandarin collar and no visible buttons and a matching white skirt going down to her knees. A pin displaying the coat-of-arms of Kruger is fastened on her left chest: two golden rings surrounding a black star over the republic's flag. Next her sits her Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Sun Wan-Ki, wearing a grey suit styled after the latest trends back home.

They had been silent throughout the announcements and the following debates. So far it had been as expected: the most powerful lords of the Empire had gotten a piece to keep them content, especially the leaders of the Third Lords' Rebellion. The debate about the Marches had not piqued Rin's interest the least. Why would Kruger care about blinged-up militants fighting rebels on the other side of the galaxy? Count Thyssen's little outburst, which she seemingly had been the only one to notice, had made her snicker. Questioning the new empress a few days after her coronation? An excellent way to attract enemies. Seeing how no one paid any attention to it, it was quickly forgotten.

Her eyes stared right at Count Alamgir when he petitioned her for the position as Lord Treasurer. She was at a loss for words, but only for a moment. To be honest, the state governor had not really trusted the noble to actually keep his word. Maybe she had been too hasty in her judgement. Listening to the immediate responses from the other lords, the only response that naturally would have come to such old blood, she rose from her seat to speak.

"If you permit, your Imperial Majesty, I would like to answer these falsehoods. I have governed the Republic of Kruger for at least ten years and long before that, my own company. To say that there is much difference between the two, I have not yet found it. It is essentially about how well you can handle the resources provided by the state and make policies to make sure that industry and trade does not suffer. Count Ventrallis, in his infinite wisdom, claims that governments do not make money. Maybe he was too occupied with the latest game hunting but anyone who has studied economics knows that taxes is a government's way of making money. This it collects from individuals and companies working within its territory. The better the average citizen or the big companies fares, the more money the state can collect, which in turn goes back to strengthen the economy if all goes well, like investing in schools instead of mighty palaces."

"I am the state governor of Kruger before I am a "merchant", as the Freyma seem to refer to me as. The duty I must perform while holding my office stems from the loyalty to the citizens who have elected me. If I would be appointed as Lord Treasurer, I can assure the Landsraad that I would not fail in my duties just as I haven't when governing Kruger. Loyalty to the Empress, the Empire and its citizens stand before any intention of personal gain."

[Lucius Malfoy]

The First Minister sighs before slamming one of his hands on the armrest of his seat.

Order I say! Order! This is not a place to throw accusations nor falsehoods. We are here to discuss the arrangement of Her Imperial Majesty's ministers. More importantly, the Lord Admiral's seat who chosen by the Landsraad. All other positions are appointed by the Emperor, thus we can only give Her Majesty suggestions.

He gestures to those who had been nominated to the Lord Admiral's chair.

As of right now, we have two candidates for the rank of Lord Admiral. However, both already have positions. Right now, the adjustments to the Minister positions must be made by the Empress before we can truly vote on a candidate for the seat of Lord Admiral. Furthermore, I will not tolerate any accusations during this session as the Empire needs its ministers first and foremost!

[The Mad Skylord]

Darr Cogaíoch offered a solution:

"The problem here is not ability, it is your politics. Madame Goto, were you to sign the Vox Domini and become an imperial peer, you would be accepted here. In addition, you could keep democracy by giving up republicanism and becoming a constitutional barony. You, or anyone you have sign in your place, would be a powerless head of state, and you could elect a government as you do every elections."

[Honors Bastion]

"Perhaps it would be better to ask, who Lord Cogaíoch or who Duke Graf would you name as your respective replacements if you were to resign your assigned positions that chosen by our Emperess?" said Duke Alexei.