Difference between revisions of "Council of Commons"

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(New page: Category:Organizations Category:Politics Category:Obsidian Bay Category:Domain of Obsidian Bay ==Overview== * Leader: Lord Chairman Nolan Corasar, Vice Chairman [[Domar...)
 
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==Current Membership==
 
==Current Membership==
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===Lord Chairman===
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* Lord Chairman [[Nolan Corasar]]
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The current membership in the Council of Citizens stands at 50. The leader of the Council is the firebrand [[Nolan Corasar]], a Keolandish tradesman who immigrated to Obsidian Bay two decades ago. Corasar is a compelling, charismatic man who spent spent a fair amount of time adventuring in the Drachensgrab Hills with a few of his stolid dwarven allies.
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* Vice Chairman [[Domar Werz]]
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* Councilwoman [[Tyborea]]
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He retired from adventuring 15 years ago to open his own blacksmith shop in [[Kallis]], a small town a half-day's ride from Obsidian Bay. He's led quite a prosperous life since, then, and has hired nearly a half-dozen blacksmiths – each with an apprentice – to work in his forges. He crafts excellent weapons and armor, and has an outstanding reputation as being a honest, fair, hard-heated and above all else, hot tempered. The dwarves he adventured with – some of whom now work at Delven & Sons – still tell stories of the curses he once shouted during a battle with a red dragon.
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Nolan was – and still is – a frequent critic of Obsidian Bay, especially when its Councils were dominated by those seeking some sort of peace with the humanoids of the Pomarj. He argued for years that the only way to end the menace was to drive them from the peninsula, but his – and those like him – found their voices were drowned out by the peace-mongers who sought to a "diplomatic end" to the periodic wars.
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To his credit, Lord Major [[Gabriel Longriver]] was also wary of peace with the humanoids, but he did not have enough political backers to push his agenda of creating a Domain of influence onthe Pomarj.
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With the fall of Obsidian Bay to humanoid and Scarlet Brotherhood agents, and the subsequent retaking of the city during the War of Exile, the warhawks returned to ascendancy. Backed by angry veterans of two recent wars, pro-war candidates swept all three councils.
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And Nolan was at the crest of that wave. People had been telling him for years – ever since the doves' began advocating peace at the end of the Greyhawk Wars – to run for office. Now, infuriated by humanoid invasion and the damage it did – both in terms of lives and in property – to his town, Nolan took their advice.
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The popular, no-nonsense political neophyte won a seat on the Council of Citizens, and soon after was named Lord Chairman. He is a stalwart defender of the Lord Mayor, who has finally had a chance to implement his expansionist vision. Just as importantly, Nolan has allies in the streets, in the holds and
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most importantly, in the guilds. The venerable dwarven stonemason Delvin respects and supports him, as do many members of the Orc-slayers Guild (several of whom he adventured with at one time). He also has backers among the Griffins Guild and the Invincibles, and has even been known to throw back a few with the Rallymen.
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Still, he has his detractors. Half-orcs and not-insignificant number of humanoids living in the city were alarmed at his fledgling friendship with the upstart Trithereonite priest Corin. Rebelling against the local leader of his church – Kalib Ironfist – Corin has been advocating total war against the humanoid ... and the stripping of all citizenry rights from those living in the
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city.
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These fears abated somewhat when Corin left the city to establish a fortified base on the other side of the Drachensgrabs. But recent rumors have indicated he's met success in that adventure (which had been proposed by Ironfist as a way – some speculate – of getting the troublesome priest out of the city), and may be coming back soon. For his part, the Lord Chairman grudgingly admits that most of the humanoids in the city are serving a purpose and are decent, if not outstanding, citizens.
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As Lord Chairman, Nolan is particularly interested in military affairs, and the ranks of his advisors are dominated by veterans. He advocates beefing up the Knightly Orders, particularly the [[Knights of the Sword]] (charged with defending the realm) and the [[Knights of the Fist]] (charged with leading strikes into enemy territory). He is also pushing for the creation of new border keeps and the refurbishing of existing ruins. Some accuse him of attempting to line his pockets – and the pockets of his warmongering friends – with taxpayer gold, but after the recent wars few are willing to listen to such accusations.
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Revision as of 19:17, 18 May 2008

Overview

Also known as the Council of Citizens, this council is one of the three representative bodies comprising Obsidian Bay's legislatures. It is made up entirely of citizen-elected individuals, and while the occasional Lord Holder or Lord Trader is elected to the council, most of it is comprised of the city's common folk.

As the council closest to the commoners, it tends to be load and boisterous, and susceptible to ill-thought out campaigns for reforms. It is not uncommon for petitioners – sometimes even the same petitioners – to simultaneously rally for tax cuts and increases in military spending. Other petitioners argue on even more obscure issues, such as the streets where cows are allowed to walk when being taken to market, or how late at night a certain adventurers' domestic duck flock is allowed to quack until.

Similarly calls to various "bans" are sometimes put forth, as was the case after the so-called "Dreaming Eye" incident when the City Guard – with the aid of the Blackrazor Guild – learned a group of merchants was working with the Scarlet Brotherhood to bring unregulated narcotics into the city.

There are also frequent calls for public assistance for the city's more desperate individuals, like beggars living the Mudsitters District, or the disabled veterans of the city's many wars.

Powers

The Council of Citizen has exactly the same powers as its sibling Councils, namely, the ability to pass laws, including, but not limited to, those dealing with the military, taxes, and aspects of running the domain.

Legal Process

All of Council's issues are debated hotly for hours, if not days, and the discussions (combined with the occasional petitioners hollering outside) have earned the council one of its less-respected names: the House of Clowns. Usually, several groups will form coalitions to get proposals formulated into bills, and after much debate, no more than 10 of those bills are forwarded on to the other councils quarterly.

After arguments for and against the bill presented by representatives of the Council of Citizens, the other Councils vote straight up or down on the bills. If accepted by the other two councils and signed by the Lord Mayor, it becomes a law.

As with the other councils, laws originating from the Council can be overridden by the Lord Mayor. Overridden votes then require a super-majority (3/4) among the Councils to be passed into law over the pen of the Lord Major.

Very few of the bills proposed by the Council of Citizens become law, but those that do successfully run the gauntlet are usually those most supported by the populace.

Terms of Office

As with all the other Councils, those elected to the Council of Citizens serve 3-year terms. There are no term limits.

Membership

Those elected to the Council of Citizens are given an office in the Great Hall on Obsidian Bay's central plateau. These are buried in the catacomb-like tunnels beneath the Hall, and are not heavily used by the Councilmen

Each member shares an aide with four other councilmen, and this aide is responsible for managing the lion's share of their appointments. Particularly well off councilmen have their own secretaries who still must coordinate their master's schedule with his appointed aide.

The Council meets about once a week, and most members work at their regular jobs while serving. The only exceptions to this are usually the Lord Chairman and his Vice-Chairman.

Leadership

The Lord Chairman of the Council of Citizens is elected by the members of the council on a yearly basis. The Lord Chairman then picks his Vice-Chairman, who serves with him – and in his place should be indisposed.

Current Membership

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