| Honourable House of Magnates of Lontshire and Crystal Lake | |
|---|---|
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Type |
Unicameral Legislative Body |
|
Method of Appointment |
Popular vote, Mayors |
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Leadership |
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Seats |
20 (6 Magnates, 5 Officers, 5 Clergymen, 4 Mayors) |
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Meeting Place |
Grand Hall of St. Adam, Next to Castle Florence |
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Preceding Organizations |
Lord's Court of Crystal Lake |
The House of Magnates (Official name: Honourable House of Magnates of Lontshire and Crystal Lake) is a legislative body established by the Countess of Crystal Lake and Baroness of Lontshire on 23 July 624 K.C., primarily to improve the administration between the historically seperated County of Crystal Lake and Barony of Lontshire. It is one of the few legislative bodies that allows for representatives voted by the general public to take a seat in the chambers.
History[]
Before the House was established, administration was divided in a complex system of councils and cooperating mayors. While founder of the House, Rosielyn Seyfried, had ultimate authority in her lands, she found that often her laws would conflict with regional laws set in place by the regional rulers. In an effort to encounter cooperation throughout her lands, she informally met with many of the parties in her lands to research ways to improve the current situation.
In the early days of July, a draft of the organization was presented to the various parties. Many argued that the mense lords, who never held more than twelve acres of land in vassalage, to not be included to their overwhelming numbers and and little importance. The mense lords declared that they had a solemn right to be seated in the House as proper vassals of the Seyfrieds. Rosielyn, in a move that very few nobles would take, sided against the mense lords and excluded them from the House, an act that caused many of the mense lords to distance themselves from their liege.
In the days leading up to the founding, many of the mense lords threatened Rosielyn over not including them, and even threatened rebellion. In a show of zero tolerance, Rosielyn revoked many of the lands held in vassalage, leading a brief flare of violence in her lands. The violence settled within days, with many of the former mense lords fleeing to other lands.
Organization[]
Being a unicameral body, the House is made up of only twenty members plus the Lord-Speaker. The Lord-Speaker is an inherited position shared with the noble of the Barony of Lontshire and the County of Crystal Lake. The members are picked through various methods of appointment and election.
Sessions[]
Sessions are called every two months, and occur at the evening of Sundays. General Sessions are the sessions that are mentioned, and are typically formal and long-winded with long periods of debate. Emergency Sessions are sessions that are called suddenly on the will of the Lord-Speaker, and are reserved for times of great crisis or pressing matters. Partial Sessions are sessions in which less than half of the sitting members are required to attend, and are typically made for non-binding council to the Lord-Speaker.
Opening a Session[]
A general session is formally opened when the Lord-Speaker sits and the Chancellor calls the following:
"The Lord-Speaker has sat and requests all others to do the same!" The members of the house sit on their benches. "Let us pray for good harvests and peaceful days." The Chamber prays. "May the Holy Light bless us this Xth day of [Month] in his Majesty's Year of X. The Lord-Speaker has granted permission to start the session. May the Clerk please read the Session docket."
Closing a Session[]
A general session is formally closed when the Lord-Speaker stands and the Chancellor calls the following:
"With debates ended and discourse received, the Session has now by closed by the Lord-Speaker. May the Holy bless you all, and may you have a safe journey to your homes and families."
Majority Votes[]
Legislation regarding most issues is decided by a simple majority. If the House is tied, the Lord-Speaker will be the tiebreaker. For legislation that regards taxation and budgets, a three-quarters majority must be met with the approval of the Lord-Speaker. For new legislation and amendments regarding violent acts (crimes regarding murder, rape, and cold blooded torture), a two-thirds majority must be met with the approval of the Lord-Speaker.
The Lord-Speaker can approve or deny any act of the House on his or her volition, without having to consult the House. The Lord-Speaker can also pass legislation on his or own volition. These acts are called Laws sane' consilio, or Laws without council.
Voting Groups and Political Parties[]
Political parties and other similar groups are formally banned from being recognized in the House, but informal groups are not uncommon. They are banned due to the perceived lack of cooperation among parties. ay
Members[]
The House is made up of sitting members, members that can vote, and standing members, members that can't vote.
Sitting Members[]
Sitting members are made up of four groups elected or appointed through various means.
Magnates[]
The namesake of the House, Magnates (or Magnavines) are elected officials that act as overseeing governors to a certain area in the Seyfried holdings. Magnates are elected through a limited suffrage of all men and women over the age of thirty-two voting them to their position. They are approved by the Lord-Speaker after their election to office, and serve ten year terms. Magnates are the equivalent of lords, and have jurisdiction over lands and villages within their borders.
Current Magnates:
- The Honourable Charlie Grenville, Magnate of Cassbury
- The Honourable Hayden Granger, Magnate of Silison Barwick
- The Honourable Maria Rennoll, Magnavine of Melton
- The Honourable Jame Schofield, Magnate of Farley
- The Honourable Cole Broyles, Magnate of The Lowlands
- The Honourable Justin Seigfried, Magnate pro tempore of Estermondland
Mayors[]
Mayors (or the less common Mayoress) is an elected officer and head executive of an independent town or large village. Mayors are elected according to the laws of their respective town, and these laws will typically vary widely even in the same area. After being elected by the population, they are approved for office by the Lord-Speaker (This does not include Cassbury, who enjoys a certain number of special privileges as a condition of their annexation in the past).
Current Mayors:
- Sir Byran Koffman, 3rd Baronet of Melton, Mayor of Melton
- The Honourable Elessa Cormick, Mayor of Silison Barwick
- The Honourable Alen Fitzmon, Mayor of Cassbury, Master of the Hounds
- The Honourable Karl Siegfried, Mayor of Farley
Council[]
The Council is the direct council to the Lord-Speaker, and they are appointed on the Lord-Speaker's will. These Councillors have various powers, which are often formalized as law. The council is a formal version of the courtly positions often found in Lord's Counts in various other provinces. While an informal privy council still exists, they hold little to no formal power in the House.
Current Councillors:
- Sir Albert Wilton, Chanellor of Lontshire, 2nd Baronet of Falkins
- The Right Honourable Velenda Wilton, Chief Magistrate of Lontshire, Lawspeaker
- The Honourable James Foresmith Meyler, Steward of Lontshire
- The Honourable Martain Louis Davis, Chief of Exchequer of Lontshire
- The Honourable Robert Seifer, High Notary of Lontshire
Ecclesiastical Representatives[]
Ecclesiastical Representatives are the representatives of the parishes within the House's jurisdiction, and are consider informal representatives of the Church of the Holy Light. These priests often serve for life at the pleasure of the Bishop of Stormwind, though it is common for the Lord-Speaker to offer candidates for the various parishes in his or her lands.