Spider's Tollkeep
Overview
The Spider's Tollkeep is an Imperial title associated with the Spider's Dream that links Madruga and Sarvos. The position of tollkeeper is a sinecure, requiring minimal responsibility but offering a regular income drawn from the tolls paid by merchants crossing the bridge across the furious river Vassa.
During the reign Emperor Walter the sinecure lapsed as the bridge was allowed to fall into an increasing state of disrepair. Eventually, the cost of maintaining the sinecure in the absence of regular tolls resulted in the Senate voting to stop supporting the title. While it still existed in theory - and still had responsibility for ensuring the Spider's Dream was kept in good repair - in practice it ceased to be relevant.
Following the repairs overseen by Avisena i Ezmara i Guerra, the sinecure is once again available and will be decided for the first time in five years at the Autumn Equinox 377YE. Historically, the need for six senators from two nations to be in unanimous agreement has made this sinecure particularly difficult to assign ...
Responsibilities
The title holder is expected to ensure that the Spider's Dream remains open and in a state of good repair. The actual job of operating the tollbridge falls to civil servants and locally recruited agents.
Powers
As a sinecure, the Spider's Tollkeep has no powers as such. Rather it receives an income drawn from the tolls paid by merchants crossing the bridge.
The holder of the sinecure receives 2 Thrones in income to the holder of the title.
Selection
The title is selected by unanimous decision of the senators of The Brass Coast and The League. The title can be held by any Freeborn or League citizen. All the Senators must agree unanimously who will hold the position, or it falls to the Senate to make the decision in the same manner that they would select a General in the event that the Senators of a nation are not in agreement - all candidates put themselves forward and there is a vote of the Senate.
The peculiar method of determining the title's holder stems from the fact that it is connected with a bridge. While it is often considered to be 'in' Madruga, the bridge spans a river and so is legally in both Madruga and Sarvos. Needless to say, this sinecure is among one of the most often contested Imperial titles, as consensus between senators from two nations has regularly proved ... difficult ... to achieve.
Removal
The Tollkeep serves until they die, step down or are revoked.
The Tollkeep can be revoked by the Freeborn assembly, the League assembly, the the General Assembly or the Council of Nine.