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Imperial Synod

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== Overview ==
<ic>Reward the Virtuous; Punish the Wicked</ic>
The '''Synod''' is the Imperial Institution that brings together the Priests of [[The Way]] from all across The Empire. The Synod was created at the Founding of the Empire by the First Empress and its existence, along with some of its powers, is enshrined in the [[Imperial Constitution]].
{{CaptionedImage|file=Bishop Oberon.jpg|title=The Imperial Synod is a place of politics, as well as a bastion of faith.|caption=The Imperial Synod has the power to reward the virtuous and punish the wicked.|align=left|width=450}}
==Overview==
The Imperial Synod exists to safeguard the soul of the Empire, protecting it from dangers and corrupting influences, whilst nurturing and promoting virtue wherever it flourishes. It provides a balance on the power of the [[Imperial Senate]] and [[The Throne]] and has the power to reward the virtuous and punish the wicked. It also controls the supply of [[liao#True Liao|true liao]] which grants access to past life visions.


Only Priests who minister to a significant congregation of Citizens are eligible to be members of the Synod. This is represented by operating a Church as a downtime resource.
The Secretary General of the Civil Service has written a short pamphlet outlining how to participate in the Synod, which can be found [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/mediawiki-public/images/0/0f/Synod_Participation_Guide.pdf here]. Copies of this pamphlet are also available in the Hub during events.


'''Note:''' Although the term Church is used throughout, it can represent any holy site where Citizens may go to seeking spiritual guidance, including abbey, graveyard, tomb, pilgrimage site.
==Role within the Empire==
The Synod is charged with overseeing the spiritual well-being of the Empire - ensuring the virtue of its citizens and in particular those who lead them. Its remit includes being aware of all the official business of the Empire. Members of the Synod are permitted to sit in while any Imperial meetings are being convened, although they are not automatically able to pry into the private affairs of citizens. The purpose is to ensure that virtue is enshrined in all the most important decisions taken by Imperial citizens.


Priests may invest in, and improve, their Church. Doing so causes it to attract more parishioners/pilgrims, which also increases its status. This has the following effects:
To allow the Synod to perform its role, it may act to [[veto]] motions passed by the Senate - or to [[revocation|revoke]] individuals who hold important positions in the Senate or the [[Imperial Military Council|Military Council]]. The Synod's most feared punishment is to [[writ of Excommunication|excommunicate]] a citizen, allowing the ceremonial rite of excommunication to be performed on the accused and stripping them of their right to hold any Imperial title.
* The Imperial Civil Service allocates more [[liao]] to the operator of the Church for the purposes of religious ceremonies
* The operator of the Church gains more influence in the Synod, which is represented in the Judgement of the Synod (see below).


'''Note:''' Synod Membership is dependent on operating a Church in the previous downtime period. Operating a different resource in the prior downtime forfeits membership of the Synod for the coming event.
The Synod is also granted the power to dispense the majority of the [[liao#True Liao|true liao]] produced by the Empire each season as well as being charged with maintaining Imperial doctrine, providing guidance to the faithful through rulings on metaphysical and spiritual issues.


== The Structure of the Synod ==
==History==
The creation of the Imperial Synod was a crucial part of the formation of the Empire. While the Empress and many of her Highborn supporters favoured a theocratic model of government for the Empire, they were unable to convince everyone of the wisdom of this approach. The compromise was to vest legal power in the Senate - but to create the Synod to watch over the Senate and ensure it remained a virtuous house. When it became clear that the Military Council would act independently of the Senate, the Highborn were able to successfully argue that the Synod's remit should also cover the generals.


The Synod is divided into Assemblies who are made up of members of the Synod. These are:
The notable exception to the powers of the Synod are the Bourse and the Conclave. Titles appointed by either of these two houses may not be revoked, nor are their decisions subject to veto. The exclusion of the Bourse was the result of a long and bitter battle between [[Emperor Giovanni|Giovanni of Tassato (later Emperor Giovanni)]] and his followers and the Highborn. Giovanni was insistent that the Bourse must be completely free from political interference and would brook no compromise, demanding that the independence of the Bourse be enshrined in the Imperial Constitution.
* '''The General Assembly'' – The General Assembly consists of all members of the Synod. The authority of the General Assembly extends to the whole Empire, excluding the Empress.
* '''The Virtue Assemblies'' – The Virtue Assemblies consist of all members of the Synod who are Dedicated to the same [[Virtues|Virtue]]. Therefore, there are Seven Virtue Assemblies. The Virtue Assemblies are expected to select one of their number to be Cardinal of the Assembly. The authority of a Virtue Assembly extends to all Dedicated Priests and Pilgrims of that Virtue.
* '''The Assembly of The Way''' – The Assembly of the Way consists of all members of the Synod who are not Dedicated to a specific Virtue. The
Assembly of the Way is expected to select one of its number to be Cardinal of the Assembly. The authority of the Assembly of the Way extends to all Priests and lay preachers who are not Dedicated.
* '''The National Assemblies''' – The National Assemblies consist of all members of the Synod from the same [[The Nations|Nation]]. Therefore, there are Nine National Assemblies. Each National Assembly is charged with the spiritual wellbeing of the Nation it is responsible for. Its authority extends only to individuals and groups within that nation. The nature of each National Assembly is defined by its nation of origin; some have High Priests and others do not.
* '''The Assembly of Nine''' – The Assembly of Nine consists of the Seven Cardinals of the Virtue Assemblies, the Cardinal of the Assembly of the Way, and the Empress. The Empress held no authority in the Assembly save the ability to break ties on any issue that had the support of four Cardinals apiece. The authority of the Assembly of Nine extends to the whole Empire, excluding the Empress.


===Notes:===
Giovanni later became Emperor, and was instrumental in courting the Urizeni, convincing them to join the Empire peacefully. The exclusion of the Conclave from oversight by the Synod likely reflects Giovanni's political views as much as it did the demands of the magicians of the time.
* There is no conflict in a Synod member being a member of more than one Assembly. In fact, it is inevitable and encouraged.
* Despite their names, there is no requirement for the Assemblies to meet in one place at the same time. Exercising the authority of an Assembly is done through individual, personal, judgement.


==The Political Powers of the Synod==
During the Spring Equinox 383YE the [[Imperial Senate]] voted to [[384YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Amend_membership_of_virtue_assemblies|change]] how membership of the [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|Virtue assemblies]] was determined. This represents one of the most significant changes to the way the Synod operates since the reign of [[Empress Varkula]]. The change was [[Making_your_mind_up|proposed]] initially as a way to allow the priests of the [[Imperial Orcs]] to more fully participate in the Imperial Synod, by moving membership of the Virtue assemblies away from [[dedication]] and toward the virtues a priest actually [[Congregation#Downtime Options|preached]].


The Synod possesses a range of powers that are enshrined in either the Constitution or Imperial Law. Some are available to all members of the Synod, whilst others require the decision of an Assembly to enact.
==Sessions==
The civil service do not arrange any formal meetings or sessions for the members of the Synod. Rather the Synod acts by passing (or rejecting) judgements that have been raised by members of the Synod. When a judgement is submitted to the civil service it is raised onto the walls of the hub so that it may be scrutinised by any citizen. Eligible members of the Synod may then vote for (or against) the judgement at any point until voting closes. Voting is conducted in public and any citizen may view the records to see how many votes a judgement has gathered and who has supported or opposed it.


The following are powers that extend to all members of the Synod:
At set times during the summit, voting closes to allow the civil service to tally the votes cast for every judgement that is due to end then. A judgement must receive at least four hours of scrutiny, unless there are sufficient members of the Synod physically present to immediately determine the outcome of the judgement.  
* '''The Synod Tent''' – At each event, the Synod establishes a formal location that is the hub of the Imperial Religion. Imperial Law applies to, but is not enforced within, this tent.
* '''Sanctuary''' – A fugitive from the law may seek Sanctuary within any consecrated ground. Once on consecrated ground, the fugitive has the turn of an hourglass in which they can confess their crimes, or gather proof of their innocence, prior to facing the Judiciary.
* '''Confession''' – Any member of the Synod may take the confession of a fugitive from the law. A Synod member who has taken confession may accompany the fugitive to their trial to plead for Clemency. The seniority of the Synod member is borne in mind when the Judiciary consider their verdict.
* '''Witness''' – The Synod is responsible for the spiritual wellbeing of the Empire and is empowered by the Constitution to witness or observe all aspects of its function. Any member of the Synod is to be granted access to all common areas, in order to observe and witness, provided they remain quiet, respectful and do not directly interfere. The power of Witness includes the Senate and the Generals Tent.
* '''Lottery''' – Any member of the Synod may put their name forward for one of the Stewardship positions within the Synod. The Synod administers a number of resources that were once the responsibility of the Empress until such time as a new Empress is identified. The steward of each such resource is chosen each event at random to ensure the resource is not managed by any one Nation or Assembly.
* '''Calling''' – Once per event, a Synod Priest can call on his peers to pass judgement on an issue. This puts a motion before an Assembly that the Priest is a member of for them to vote upon and may involve the Assembly exercising one of its powers (see also: Judgement of the Synod below)


===The Powers of the Assemblies===
This approach ensures that members of the Synod can have sufficient time to examine a judgement, discussing it with their peers, and considering the ramifications. It also means that all members of the Synod who attend Anvil can vote on judgements raised, regardless of how many are present.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Angelo3.jpg|align=right|width=250}}


* '''Inquisition''' - An Assembly may require an individual, or group, to be brought to the Synod Tent to face Inquisition by members of the Assembly on charges of Idolatry, Blasphemy or Heresy. As Imperial Law applies to, but is not enforced in, the Synod Tent, the Inquisition has latitude in its methods, but will answer for any crimes it commits as part of the Inquisition. Refusing to face Inquisition is a serious crime under Imperial Law. The duration that a person can be subject to Inquisition is set by the Judiciary based on evidence presented by the Synod.
==Participation==
* '''Excommunication''' – An individual may be excommunicated by an Assembly. A member of the Synod is empowered, by a secret process, to lay a specific curse that renders the target, or targets, immune to the effects of liao and, it is understood, condemns them to wander the Labyrinth of Ages never again to be reborn and ensuring their next death is terminal. Only the Empress or Assembly of Nine may reverse excommunication.
Each citizen who has been responsible for the running of a [[congregation|congregation]] in the season preceding the summit is automatically a member of the Synod. This makes them eligible to raise one [[judgement]] per summit and to vote on judgements raised by other Synod members. Votes are based on the size of the [[congregation]] - the larger the flock that a priest tends to, the more votes they receive. The founders of the Empire adopted this approach to ensure that the decisions of the Synod best reflected the wishes of the citizens of the Empire.
* '''Recognition''' – Virtue Assemblies may judge an individual to be an Exemplar of their Virtue Path. The Assembly of Nine or the General Assembly may recognise an Exemplar as the reincarnation of the Paragon of that Virtue. Recognition can take place post-mortem.
* '''Revocation''' – The Virtue Assemblies can elect to unseat their Cardinal so they may select a replacement.
* '''Doctrine''' – Only the General Assembly can create, remove or amend one of the Doctrines of the Faith.


===The Veto===
A handful of Imperial titles also confer votes in the Imperial Synod - based on the size of the congregation associated with the position. Any citizen who holds such a title is automatically considered to be a member of the Synod. Any votes afforded by the title are in addition to those they are due from their congregation if any.
* The Synod may Veto a Senate motion that is deemed to be in conflict with the Imperial Virtues. This is not done as a vote, but requires the majority of the Synod members at the event to enter the Senate and declare the veto.


== The Judgement of the Synod ==
Participation in the Synod is divided into a number of different [[assembly|assemblies]]:
When a Priest calls for his peers to pass judgement on an issue, this is done in the following way:
* The Priest registers the issue with a Functionary attached to the Synod Tent.
* The Functionary will then record the matter and make it visible in the Synod tent along with whose judgement applies to the matter (i.e. which Assembly) and a deadline by which time judgements should be rendered (for example, six waking hours after the issue has been listed for judgement)
* The purpose of the deadline is so that Priests who are engaged on vital missions for the Empire are not excluded from being able to offer their
judgement on an issue raised
* Priests of the Synod eligible to offer their judgement are expected to check in at the Synod Tent at regular intervals to see if they have been called on to pass judgement
* To pass judgement, a Priest speaks with a Functionary attached to the Synod who records the judgement of the Priest
* A Priest’s weight of judgement is influenced by the size of their congregation (i.e. the status of the Church)
* When the time limit has expired, the Functionaries consider the judgements passed by the Priests and record whether the issue has sufficient support of the Assembly to be binding
* A judgement made by an Assembly is considered binding on all whom the Assembly has authority


There is no requirement for Synod members to meet and debate as their Senate contemporaries do, though it is known for Priests of the Synod to consult with one another to ensure they have the support of their Assembly before raising an issue.
* ''General Assembly'', consisting of all Synod Priests
* ''National Assemblies'', consisting of all Synod Priests from a single nation. There are ten National Assemblies, and a given priest is automatically a member of one of them.
* ''Virtue Assemblies'', consisting of all Synod priests who share the same dedication, or lack of. There are eight Virtue Assemblies (one for each of the seven virtues, and the assembly of the Way). A given priest is a member of one Virtue Assembly initially based on their [[dedication]], but with the option to change it through [[Congregation#Downtime Options|preaching]] between summits.
* ''Assembly of Nine'', consisting of the eight [[Cardinal|Cardinals]] of the Virtue Assemblies and [[The Throne |the Throne]].


''Note:'' In special cases, Assembly powers – such as Inquisition or Excommunication - may be expedited by a clear majority of an Assembly coming to the Functionaries at the Synod Tent directly to demonstrate the support of the Assembly for the action.
Every member of the Synod is automatically a member of the General Assembly - and a member of the relevant national and virtue assembly. Each assembly has specific judgements available to it - for example the Marcher National Assembly may revoke Marcher senators and generals.


== Synod Resources ==
The assembly that will consider a judgement is set when the judgement is raised - it may then only be voted on by members of that assembly.
The following are Campaign Resources that the Synod possesses:
* '''The Grand Cathedrals''' – A Grand Cathedral was built for each of the Virtues and one for The Way as a whole. These are allocated to the Cardinal of each Virtue Assembly, and to the Cardinal of the Assembly of the Way. These gather large congregations and attract tithes, as well as being allocated significant quantities of liao for religious purposes.
* '''Tombs of the Paragons''' – Each of the [[Paragons]] has a Tomb wherein relics of the various incarnations are laid. It is the responsibility of each Cardinal to name one of their Virtue Assembly to be Custodian of the Tomb.
* '''Master Archivist of the Scriptorium''' - The Scriptorium holds all Synodical records dating back to the Founding of the Empire, and some of the older texts from before that. The records cover past members of the Synod, noted Exemplars, historical records, commentary and results of experimental theology. The position of Master Archivist is selected from the Synod by the Cardinal of the Assembly of the Way.
* '''Steward of the Harvest''' – The Steward of the Harvest manages a significant number of estates on behalf of the Imperial Throne until a new Empress is selected. This position is selected by Lottery from members of the Synod each event.
* '''Commander of the Imperial Guard''' – The Empress possessed a small military force dedicated to her protection that was not subordinate to any Nation. Although this unit was slain with her, there is still provision for it in Imperial Policy. As a consequence, the position of Commander sits with the Synod until a new Empress is identified or the Senate dissolves the unit. The position of Commander is selected from the Synod members by Lottery each event.
* '''The Seer’s Tower''' – The Seer’s Tower is the primary facility for experimental theology in the Empire. It is where much of the liao that the Functionaries distribute to the Synod is grown and possessed of a number of artefacts intended to help further knowledge of the nature of Creation.
=== Children and the Synod ===


Amongst the Civil Service staff that work to help raise the next generation of Imperial Citizens, there is also at least one that reports directly to the Synod. The reason for this is so that the Synod can be made aware of any child that displays a particular aptitude or inclination toward one of the Imperial Virtues and which might indicate that they are the reincarnation of a legendary Exemplar, or even the Paragon of the Virtue.
==Limitations==
Although the Synod is powerful - arguably as powerful as the Imperial Senate - it does not possess the ability to change the law, nor to create new Imperial titles. The Synod has the power to [[veto]] motions passed by the Senate - but it is absolutely reliant on the Senate to raise and pass any motions needed to change laws or even the structure of the Synod itself.


To help with the identification of such young people, the Synod has – in the past – asked the Civil Service to set a number of tests relating to the Imperial Virtues. Whilst these can also serve to enhance a child or young person’s spiritual education, the Synod eagerly awaits the reincarnation of one of the Paragons.
Crucially the powers of the Synod do not extend to cover the Conclave or the Bourse. Both bodies are explicitly defined to be outside the Synod's jurisdiction. This means that the Synod cannot veto a [[declaration]] passed by the Conclave - nor revoke those who hold Bourse or Conclave titles.  
 
{{Synod Further Reading}}
[[Category:The Synod]]
* [[Making your mind up]] - Spring 384YE Wind of Fortune proposing the change to how membership of the Virtue assemblies is determined
[[Category:The Empire]]

Latest revision as of 07:49, 11 July 2023

Reward the Virtuous; Punish the Wicked
The Imperial Synod is a place of politics, as well as a bastion of faith.
The Imperial Synod has the power to reward the virtuous and punish the wicked.

Overview

The Imperial Synod exists to safeguard the soul of the Empire, protecting it from dangers and corrupting influences, whilst nurturing and promoting virtue wherever it flourishes. It provides a balance on the power of the Imperial Senate and The Throne and has the power to reward the virtuous and punish the wicked. It also controls the supply of true liao which grants access to past life visions.

The Secretary General of the Civil Service has written a short pamphlet outlining how to participate in the Synod, which can be found here. Copies of this pamphlet are also available in the Hub during events.

Role within the Empire

The Synod is charged with overseeing the spiritual well-being of the Empire - ensuring the virtue of its citizens and in particular those who lead them. Its remit includes being aware of all the official business of the Empire. Members of the Synod are permitted to sit in while any Imperial meetings are being convened, although they are not automatically able to pry into the private affairs of citizens. The purpose is to ensure that virtue is enshrined in all the most important decisions taken by Imperial citizens.

To allow the Synod to perform its role, it may act to veto motions passed by the Senate - or to revoke individuals who hold important positions in the Senate or the Military Council. The Synod's most feared punishment is to excommunicate a citizen, allowing the ceremonial rite of excommunication to be performed on the accused and stripping them of their right to hold any Imperial title.

The Synod is also granted the power to dispense the majority of the true liao produced by the Empire each season as well as being charged with maintaining Imperial doctrine, providing guidance to the faithful through rulings on metaphysical and spiritual issues.

History

The creation of the Imperial Synod was a crucial part of the formation of the Empire. While the Empress and many of her Highborn supporters favoured a theocratic model of government for the Empire, they were unable to convince everyone of the wisdom of this approach. The compromise was to vest legal power in the Senate - but to create the Synod to watch over the Senate and ensure it remained a virtuous house. When it became clear that the Military Council would act independently of the Senate, the Highborn were able to successfully argue that the Synod's remit should also cover the generals.

The notable exception to the powers of the Synod are the Bourse and the Conclave. Titles appointed by either of these two houses may not be revoked, nor are their decisions subject to veto. The exclusion of the Bourse was the result of a long and bitter battle between Giovanni of Tassato (later Emperor Giovanni) and his followers and the Highborn. Giovanni was insistent that the Bourse must be completely free from political interference and would brook no compromise, demanding that the independence of the Bourse be enshrined in the Imperial Constitution.

Giovanni later became Emperor, and was instrumental in courting the Urizeni, convincing them to join the Empire peacefully. The exclusion of the Conclave from oversight by the Synod likely reflects Giovanni's political views as much as it did the demands of the magicians of the time.

During the Spring Equinox 383YE the Imperial Senate voted to change how membership of the Virtue assemblies was determined. This represents one of the most significant changes to the way the Synod operates since the reign of Empress Varkula. The change was proposed initially as a way to allow the priests of the Imperial Orcs to more fully participate in the Imperial Synod, by moving membership of the Virtue assemblies away from dedication and toward the virtues a priest actually preached.

Sessions

The civil service do not arrange any formal meetings or sessions for the members of the Synod. Rather the Synod acts by passing (or rejecting) judgements that have been raised by members of the Synod. When a judgement is submitted to the civil service it is raised onto the walls of the hub so that it may be scrutinised by any citizen. Eligible members of the Synod may then vote for (or against) the judgement at any point until voting closes. Voting is conducted in public and any citizen may view the records to see how many votes a judgement has gathered and who has supported or opposed it.

At set times during the summit, voting closes to allow the civil service to tally the votes cast for every judgement that is due to end then. A judgement must receive at least four hours of scrutiny, unless there are sufficient members of the Synod physically present to immediately determine the outcome of the judgement.

This approach ensures that members of the Synod can have sufficient time to examine a judgement, discussing it with their peers, and considering the ramifications. It also means that all members of the Synod who attend Anvil can vote on judgements raised, regardless of how many are present.

Angelo3.jpg

Participation

Each citizen who has been responsible for the running of a congregation in the season preceding the summit is automatically a member of the Synod. This makes them eligible to raise one judgement per summit and to vote on judgements raised by other Synod members. Votes are based on the size of the congregation - the larger the flock that a priest tends to, the more votes they receive. The founders of the Empire adopted this approach to ensure that the decisions of the Synod best reflected the wishes of the citizens of the Empire.

A handful of Imperial titles also confer votes in the Imperial Synod - based on the size of the congregation associated with the position. Any citizen who holds such a title is automatically considered to be a member of the Synod. Any votes afforded by the title are in addition to those they are due from their congregation if any.

Participation in the Synod is divided into a number of different assemblies:

  • General Assembly, consisting of all Synod Priests
  • National Assemblies, consisting of all Synod Priests from a single nation. There are ten National Assemblies, and a given priest is automatically a member of one of them.
  • Virtue Assemblies, consisting of all Synod priests who share the same dedication, or lack of. There are eight Virtue Assemblies (one for each of the seven virtues, and the assembly of the Way). A given priest is a member of one Virtue Assembly initially based on their dedication, but with the option to change it through preaching between summits.
  • Assembly of Nine, consisting of the eight Cardinals of the Virtue Assemblies and the Throne.

Every member of the Synod is automatically a member of the General Assembly - and a member of the relevant national and virtue assembly. Each assembly has specific judgements available to it - for example the Marcher National Assembly may revoke Marcher senators and generals.

The assembly that will consider a judgement is set when the judgement is raised - it may then only be voted on by members of that assembly.

Limitations

Although the Synod is powerful - arguably as powerful as the Imperial Senate - it does not possess the ability to change the law, nor to create new Imperial titles. The Synod has the power to veto motions passed by the Senate - but it is absolutely reliant on the Senate to raise and pass any motions needed to change laws or even the structure of the Synod itself.

Crucially the powers of the Synod do not extend to cover the Conclave or the Bourse. Both bodies are explicitly defined to be outside the Synod's jurisdiction. This means that the Synod cannot veto a declaration passed by the Conclave - nor revoke those who hold Bourse or Conclave titles.

Further Reading

Core Brief

Additional Information

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