Prime Factor of the Pallas Docks
Overview
Constructed by order of the Imperial Senate, work was completed on this set of dedicated docks shortly before the Spring Equinox 381YE.
The Prime Factor of the Pallas Docks oversees a ministry that allows the purchase of weirwood from the Principalities of Jarm.
Responsibilities
The Prime Factor of the Pallas Docks is expected to ensure that the Magician-Prince of Pӓrnau Principality in Eastern Jarm continues to trade weirwood to the Empire. If the Pallas Docks were ever directly threatened, the Prime Factor would be responsible for dealing with those threats - but also for making decisions about any opportunity related to the docks. The continued operation of the docks, and thus the ministry, requires that relations between the Empire and Jarm remain cordial - the Prime-factor has a vested interest in ensuring friendship between the two nations continues.
Powers
Ministry
Following the imposition of sanctions on the Principalities of Jarm during the Winter Solstice 382YE the cost of purchasing weirwood through the Pallas Docks increased by roughly a fifth. Following the amendment to the Liberty Pact and the embargo placed on Jarm during the Summer Solstice 384YE it is no longer possible to purchase weirwood through the seat.
Appointment
This title is auctioned during the Winter Solstice alongside the Imperial Bourse's weirwood seats.
Any Imperial citizen can participate in the auction and hold the title. They do not receive a seat on the Bourse. As a title appointed through the Bourse they cannot be revoked by the Imperial Synod.
This title has some additional restrictions. In the event relations with Jarm collapsed, the title would still exist but would not be able to purchase weirwood. If such a catastrophic breakdown were to happen, once it were resolved it might be necessary to renegotiate with the Magician-Prince of Pӓrnau Principality.
Furthermore, the Jarmish have specified that the Prime Factor must be a magician. They have no legal ability to enforce this, but discovering that the Prime Factor is not a magician would provide very good grounds for the Jarmish closing this trade route.Pallas Docks
These private docks are built in Cargo, not far from the Jarmish embassy. They were built with the aid of the Asavean architect Almodin Oktístis who was approached to design 'in keeping with Urizeni style' by Senator Kallavesa. The original design included a number of statues and decorations referencing the false gods of the Asavean religion. Following the Spring Equinox 383YE, the docks were somewhat damaged by a mob of angry citizens riled up by the Imperial Synod. The statues and mosaics were torn out, smashed, and the remains repurposed as ballast for ships visiting Cargo. Fortunately, this coincided with a Senate plan to redesign the works of Almodin Oktístis. These events are covered in more detail here.
Today, the Pallas Docks have changed only a little. They Still take the form of a number of long piers and jetties that extend the available space at the cargo docks, along with a series of dedicated cranes for lifting the wares to the town proper. Notable features include a series of lights mounted on towers at the ends of the piers to guide ships in made to look like miniature Urizeni Spires; and a gorgeous fresco in the main warehouse depicting Urizen mages in their spires watching the arrival of the first Highborn ships.
Almost directly above the docks, in the town proper, is a small enclave for use by the visiting Parnau Principality merchants. It consists of two residential buildings, one of which includes a small office, and two large warehouses for storing the weirwood prior to its transfer to the civil service (who issue the Factor with bourse paperwork as normal).
The docks are for the exclusive use of merchants and traders dispatched by the Magician-Prince of Pӓrnau Principality (in Eastern Jarm), who bring regular shipments of incredibly valuable weirwood from the distant nation. Stories are already circulating of a deal secured between Lord-Magister Anton Trescher (the main advisor to the Jarmish Princes on trade and Imperial matters) and the Grendel to leave these ships and their valuable cargo alone - yet it must also be noted that the merchant vessels invariably arrive with an escort of sleek, Jarmish warships.
| Summit | Nation | Elected | Bid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Solstice 385YE | Varushka | Nikolai St John | 3 thrones 2 crowns |
| Winter Solstice 384YE | The Brass Coast | Damiàn i Martàn i Erigo | 5 thrones |
| Winter Solstice 383YE | The League | Lorelan Thoress | 32 thrones |
| Winter Solstice 382YE | Dawn | Pontus | 22 thrones |
| Summer Solstice 382YE | Caesar of the Concordium of Pallas | 8 thrones | |
| Spring Equinox 381YE | Urizen | Mercurio Ankarien |
Recent Elections
This title is currently held by Nikolai St John; it will be reelected at the next summit. The table to the right shows the citizens who have been elected to hold this title in the years since Empress Britta died.
The Title in Play
The role does not provide additional information about events in the Empire, nor allow the player holding it to request special reports or downtime actions. These details are assumed to be below the abstraction layer. The title holder is encouraged to create their own stories about their activities within reasonable limits and to get involved in events appropriate to their title during the game, but they do not have any powers beyond those explicitly listed in the section on powers.
These details exist partly to provide context and character to the role - and partly to allow our writers to use the title as a plot hook. Plot that involves the position will be rare - but all the campaign positions in Empire have these details to create the potential for it to happen.