Imperial Bourse

The Bourse ensures the prosperity of the Empire.

Overview

The Imperial Bourse is the economic hub of the Empire. Its role is to ensure the prosperity of the Empire and to provide access to much needed resources to those who can afford them.

Role within the Empire

The Bourse is designed to ensure that ilium, mithril, weirwood and white granite are directed to where they can provide the most economic benefit, rather than being assigned by political or military patronage.

Merchants bid for Imperial positions on the Bourse and those that are successful gain control of one of the Bourse positions and the production that comes with it. It is then left to them to sell these resources at whatever price they can. Although there are frequent accusations of profiteering, when the market functions as intended it ensures that significant sums of money are paid through the Bourse into the Imperial treasury for use by the Empire.

In addition to the auction of Imperial Bourse positions there are a number of national positions which are voted on by key members of each nation. The expectation is that the citizens that are elected to control these bourse positions will use the resources they generate for the benefit of their nation.

The Bourse often attracts a great deal of opprobrium, some aimed at the alleged greed of title holders, some at the perceived dysfunction of the arrangements. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, the Bourse is constitutional protected from interference by the Imperial Synod.

History

The Bourse was founded by Emperor Giovanni after the Empire was formed, as part of a sequence of crucial economic reforms that included the introduction of a single Imperial currency. Mithril, weirwood, white granite and ilium are essential to the prosperity of the Empire and its citizens, but significant deposits of these materials are rare and jealously guarded. Giovanni's reforms intention put control of these resources in the hands of merchants and traders, rather than politicians or generals. In this way he hoped to maximise the benefits for the Empire, by providing large sums of money for the Imperial treasury and ensuring that resources went to the highest bidder.

Giovanni was emphatic that if the Bourse was to provide for the Empire then it would need cast-iron protection from "goodly-hearted priests and high-minded politicians". Thus it was explicitly designed to keep control of these precious materials out of the direct control of both the Throne and the Senate as well as ensuring that members of the Bourse could not be revoked by the Synod.

Over time the role of the Bourse has grown, its members instituted a private auction to give them access to some of the most valuable items in the Empire. This was so successful it was eventually copied and a second public auction was introduced to allow citizens of the Empire to sell basic goods at the Bourse. The private auction has suffered in recent years for various reasons and lapsed towards the end of 380YE.

Resources are available to those who can afford them.

Sessions

Of the five houses of Imperial government, the Bourse is unique in that it does not have any formal sessions where members meet to discuss business or to vote on matters. According to the historical records, this is absolutely by design - Emperor Giovanni was adamant that it was not in the interests of the Empire that members of the Bourse should meet and settle arrangements between them. The Bourse is intended to pit members against each other for the benefit of the Empire, not to encourage cooperation.

Despite this there have been informal meetings of Bourse seat holders have been arranged at different periods during the Empire's history. Some of these meetings have been one-off affairs to address specific issues, at other times members have arranged regular meetings to hold votes or issue announcements. However these periods of cooperation have rarely lasted long, usually only as long as the interests members have aligned.

Powers and functions

Control of Ilium and Building Materials

Mithril, weirwood and white granite are essential to upgrade a personal resource to make it more productive. They are also needed for the large projects authorized by the Senate such as the creation of new armies or the building of bridges and fortifications. Ilium is used by artisans and magicians to make rituals and enchantments permanent. Each Bourse member has control of a single resource, for a single year (unless they are replacing an existing position which has become vacant). They can dispense this resource as they choose.

Auction of Appointments

Over the years the Bourse has helped to create various minor Imperial positions and officers to help the Empire function. Individuals are appointed to these positions by auction - Bourse members commit funds in support of their preferred candidate. The candidate that receives the most support is appointed - and all bids by their supporters become the property of the state.

Imperial and National Bourse Positions

Imperial Seats on the Bourse are assigned to the highest bidder. These positions are available to any citizen of the Empire who does not already control an Imperial title or position. This means that members of the Synod, military or senate can bid for one of these Imperial Bourse position, but must resign their position if they are successful.

National Seats on the Bourse, by contrast, can only be filled by a citizen of the appropriate nation. In addition they are not auctioned off, as Imperial Bourse positions are, but voted upon by resource owners from that nation. The larger the personal holding an individual has, the more votes they can allocate in support to a candidate. The voting for national Bourse positions is handled by the civil servants in the Bourse. National Bourse positions are otherwise identical to Imperial Bourse positions.

Mithril Seats

All mithril seats are re-elected during the Autumn Equinox.

Imperial Mithril Seats

There are five Imperial Bourse Seats that produce mithril.

• The Brilliant Star in Redoubt produces 24 Imperial wains of mithril every season
• The Crawling Depths in Ossium produces 14 Imperial wains of mithril every season
• The Fortress of Salt in Temeschwar produces 25 Imperial wains of mithril every season.
• The Great Mine of Briante in Kahraman produces 22 Imperial wains of mithril every season.
• The Great Pits of Ennerlund in Holberg produce 27 Imperial wains of mithril every season.

National Mithril Seats

There are two National Bourse Seats that produce mithril in Imperial hands.

• The Eternal Shafts of Time in Karov produce 27 Imperial wains of mithril each season. Control of the Shafts is assigned to whichever Varushkan candidate receives the most support from Varushkan owners of mine resources.
• The Singing Caves in Mournwold produces 28 Imperial wains of mithril every season. Control of the Singing Caves is assigned to whichever Marcher candidate receives the most support from Marcher owners of farm resources.

Lost Mithril seats

• The Legacy in Spiral produced 22 Imperial wains of mithril each season. Control of the Legacy was assigned to whichever Urizen candidate received the most support from Urizen owners of mana site resources. As of Spring 383YE, the Legacy has been conquered by the Druj.
• The Pride of Ikka's Tears in Sermersuaq produced 15 Imperial wains of mithril each season. Control of the Pride of Ikka's Tears was assigned to whichever Wintermark candidate received the most support from Wintermark owners of military unit resources. As of Autumn 382YE, the Pride of Ikka's Tears has been conquered by the Jotun.

Weirwood Seats

All weirwood seats are re-elected during the Winter Solstice.

Imperial Weirwood Seats

There are six Imperial seats that produce weirwood:

• The Golden Trees of Seren in Miaren produce 28 Imperial wains of weirwood each season.
• The Hunt of Alderei the Fair in Volodmartz produces 26 Imperial wains of weirwood each season.
• The Heartwood of the Great Vale in Hercynia produces 25 Imperial wains of weirwood each season.
• The Weirwater Vales in Weirwater produce 23 Imperial wains of weirwood each season.
• The Canterspire Circle in Morrow produces 22 Imperial wains of weirwood each season.
• The Great Forest at Reikos in Reikos produced 25 Imperial wains of weirwood each season.

National Weirwood Seats

There is one National weirwood Bourse Seat:

• The Thimble in Therunin produces 24 Imperial wains of weirwood each season. Control of the Thimble is assigned to whichever Navarr candidate receives the most support from Navarr owners of herb garden resources. As of Autumn 381YE, and the decision of the Senate to Permit Great Forest Orcs to work the Thimble, the production has effectively fallen to 20 wains each season but the resource requires no upkeep from the Imperial Treasury.

White Granite Seats

All white granite Seats are auctioned or appointed during the Summer Solstice.

Imperial White Granite Seats

There are five Imperial Seats that produce white granite:

• The Damatian Cliffs in Kahraman produce 27 Imperial wains of white granite every season.
• The Brilliant Shore in Skarsind produces 26 Imperial wains of white granite every season
• The Night Quarry in Miekarova produces 26 Imperial wains of white granite every season.
• The Arratan Gamble in Tassato produces 25 Imperial wains of white granite every season.
• The Sutton Stone Quarries in Upwold produce 23 Imperial wains of white granite every season.

National White Granite Seats

There are two National Seats that produce white granite:

• The Granites of Veltsgorsk in Volodmartz produce 26 Imperial wains of white granite every season. Control of Veltsgorsk is assigned to whichever Varushkan candidate receives the most support from Varushkan owners of forest resources.
• The Vigilant Swan in Reikos produces 25 Imperial wains of white granite every season. Control of the Vigilant Swan is assigned to whichever Highborn candidate receives the most support from Highborn owners of congregations.

Ilium Seats

All ilium seats are re-elected during the Spring Equinox.

Imperial Ilium Seats

There is one Imperial Seat that produces ilium:

• Syrene's Wisdom in Casinea produces 7 rings of ilium each season.

National Ilium Seats

There are three National seats that produce ilium. All ilium seats are re-appointed during the Spring Equinox. Bourse seats that are allocated on the basis of raids conducted by military units, privateering by fleets, or similar are based on the total effective size of all the contributing resources over the last four seasons:

• The Steel Fist provides 8 rings of ilium each season. it is appointed by the Imperial orc legions who provide assistance to Imperial armies on campaign.
• The Regario Dossier provides 4 rings of ilium each season, along with an annual report relating to the activities of foreign powers. It is reserved for the League citizen who presents the largest bid.
• The Gift of the Dwindling Star provides 4 rings of ilium each season. It is appointed by Varushkan owners of mines and forests.

Lost Ilium seats

• The Stonefield Ice Caves provided 5 rings of ilium each season. It was allocated to whichever Wintermark military unit performed the biggest raid against the barbarian orcs. The Stonefield Ice Caves are not currently in Imperial Hands, having been ceded to the Thule.
• The Scorrero Nets in Feroz produced 5 rings of ilium each season. It was auctioned to the highest bidder as an Imperial Bourse seat. As of Spring 383YE it has been conquered by the Grendel
• The Broken Shore Bounty provided 7 rings of ilium each season. It was appointed by the Freeborn fleet captains who engaged in privateering in the Bay of Catazar. As of Spring 383YE it has been conquered by the Grendel

Other Bourse Seats

These appointments come with a Seat on the Bourse, but are not tied directly to the production of mithril, weirwood, white granite, or ilium.

The Master of The Imperial Mint

The Master of the Imperial Mint is a Bourse Seat reserved for the citizen of the League who presents the largest bid. The Master does not receive an income of Bourse resources, but is privy to privileged information about the Imperial economy and has powers to speak and address the Imperial Senate.

Castellan of Spiral Castle

The Castellan of Spiral Castle is a Bourse Seat held by a Dawnish citizen, appointed with the support of Dawnish military units. The Castellan has powers to order the resupply of Imperial armies stationed in Weirwater. The Seat spent many years vacant, but a new Castellan has recently been appointed following the return of Castle Spiral to the mortal world.

Other Titles

A number of other titles are also appointed through the Bourse. Any title that has economic power or responsibilities is likely to be bound to the Bourse. Unless the position includes administration of a supply of mithril, weirwood, white granite, ilium, or says otherwise, it does not bring with it a seat on the Bourse. The appointment of all these titles is organised and processed by the civil servants attached to the Bourse.

The Bourse also auctions the unique title Bearer of an Imperial Wayleave. These three titles each allow an Imperial citizen to commission certain types of structure without going through the Imperial Senate, but retain their title for only a single season. | The Canterspire Circle || Imperial || Morrow, Operus || Weirwood (22) || Winter |- | The Cavabianca Dock || National, The League, Businesses || Sarvos, Cigno || White Granite (Ministry) || Summer |- | The Cinderpath Custodian || National, Highguard, Congregations || Casinea, Mareholm || White Granite (Ministry) || Summer |- | The Crawling Depths || Imperial || Ossium, Ghalath Fields || Mithril (14) || Autumn |- | The Concordium Dock || Imperial || Redoubt, Limus || White Granite (Ministry) || Summer |- | The Damatian Cliffs || Imperial || Kahraman, Damata || White Granite (27) || Summer |- | The Eternal Shafts of Time || National, Varushka, Mines || Karov, Wieliczka || Mithril (27) || Autumn |- | The Fortress of Salt || Imperial || Temeschwar, Metri || Mithril (25) || Autumn |- | The Gift of the Dwindling Star || National, Varushka, Forests and Mines || Volodmartz, Brez || Ilium (4) || Spring |- | The Gloaming Road || National, Brass Coast, Ambassador to Faraden || Faraden || Mithril (Ministry) || Any season |- | The Golden Trees of Seren || Imperial || Miaren, Serenael || Weirwood (28) || Winter |- | The Granites of Veltsgorsk || National, Varushka, Forests || Volodmartz, Brez || White Granite (26) || Summer |- | The Great Forest at Reikos || Imperial || Reikos, Broken Ride || Weirwood (25) || Winter |- | The Great Mine of Briante || Imperial || Kahraman, Briante || Mithril (22) || Autumn |- | The Great Pits of Ennerlund || Imperial || Holberg, Ennerlund || Mithril (27) || Autumn |- | The Heartwood of the Great Vale || Imperial || Hercynia, Summersend || Weirwood (25) || Winter |- | The Hunt of Alderei the Fair || Imperial || Volodmartz, Opascari || Weirwood (26) || Winter |- | The Master of the Imperial Mint || National, The League, Bid || Tassato, ??? || Senate || Spring |- | The Mines of Gulhule || National, Imperial Orcs, Military Unit || Skarsind, Gulhule || Mithril & Ilium (Ministry) || Spring |- | The Night Quarry || Imperial || Miekarova, Mieriada || White Granite (27) || Summer |- | The Pallas Docks || Imperial || Redoubt, Limus || Weirwood (Ministry) || Winter |- | The Regario Dossier || National, The League, Bid || Tassato, Tassato Regario || Ilium (4) || Spring |- | The Singing Caves || National, The Marches, Farms || Mournwold, Greensward || Mithril (28) || Autumn |- | The Steel Fist || National, Imperial Orcs, Supporting Armies || Necropolis, Hedrossan || Ilium (8) || Spring |- | The Sutton Stone Quarries || Imperial || Upwold, the Heath || White Granite (23) || Summer |- | Syrene's Wisdom || Imperial || Casinea, Syrwatch || Ilium (7) || Spring |- | The Thimble || National, Navarr, Herb Gardens || Therunin, Eastring || Weirwood (20) || Winter |- | The Vigilant Swan || National, Highguard, Congregations || Reikos, Riverwatch || White Granite (25) || Summer |- | The Weirwater Vales || Imperial || Weirwater, Wickmoor || Weirwood (23) || Winter |} -->