Council of Commons

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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 Commons 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 Commons, 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 Commons serve 3-year terms. There are no term limits.

Membership

Those elected to the Council of Commons 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 Commons 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 Roll Call

Statblock

Brutish Bureaucrat

Brutish Bureaucrat Male Human Com1; CR 1; Medium Humanoid (human); HD 1d4+1; hp 5; Init +1; Spd 30 ft/x4; AC 11 (+1 dex), touch 11, flat-footed 10; Base Atk/Grapple +0/+1; Full Atk +1 One-handed (1d6+1;20/x2, club); SR 0; AL N; SV Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +1; Str 12(+1), Dex 12(+1), Con 12(+1), Int 10(+0), Wis 12(+1), Cha 12(+1); Skills: Bluff +4, Diplomacy +4, Gather Information +2, Intimidate +5, Sense Motive +4. Feats: Negotiator (PH 98), Persuasive (PH 98).

Knowledgeable Bureaucrat

Knowledgeable Bureaucrat Male Human Exp1; CR 1; Medium Humanoid (human); HD 1d6; hp 4; Init +0; Spd 30 ft/x4; AC 10 touch 10, flat-footed 10; Base Atk/Grapple +0/+0; Full Atk +0 One-handed (1d4;19-20/x2, Dagger);SR 0; AL N; SV Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +3; Str 10(+0), Dex 10(+0), Con 10(+0), Int 14(+2), Wis 12(+1), Cha 12(+1); Skills: Bluff +2, Diplomacy +6, Gather Information +4, Knowledge (arch & eng) +6, Knowledge (geography) +6, Knowledge (history) +6, Knowledge (local) +6, Knowledge (nobility) +6, Knowledge (religion) +6, Sense Motive +5. Feats: Negotiator (PH 98), Skill Focus (one knowledge skill). Languages: Common, Elven, Dwarven, Ancient Suel

Skillful Bureaucrat

Skilled Bureaucrat Human Ari1; CR 1; Medium Humanoid (human); HD 1d8; hp 4; Init +0; Spd 30 ft/x4; AC 10 touch 10, flat-footed 10; Base Atk/Grapple +0/+0; Full Atk +0 One-handed (1d4;19-20/x2, Dagger); SR 0; AL N; SV Fort +0, Ref +0, Will +3; Str 10(+0), Dex 10(+0), Con 10(+0), Int 13(+1), Wis 13(+1), Cha 12(+1); Skills: Bluff +5, Diplomacy +7, Forgery +2, Gather Information +3, Knowledge (local) +5, Knowledge (nobility) +4, Knowledge (religion) +2, Sense Motive +6 + one additional Knowledge area, +5 bonus. Feats: Negotiator (PH 98), Persuasive (PH 98).

See Also

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