Imperial Orcs leadership

Latest revision as of 00:26, 31 August 2024

Irontide Vio was the first Senator for Skarsind - indeed the first Imperial Orc Senator - shown here with one of the many trophies
the Imperial Orcs have taken in battle.

Overview

Few Imperial orcs have much time for or interest in the sophisticated political intrigues so popular in places such as the League. They are perfectly capable of understanding that a senator might say one thing and mean another, but among themselves they expect plain talking. In part this is because Imperial Orcs expect and demand an unyielding chain of command. Leaders amongst the orcs will usually explain the details of a plan because they want their followers to understand it, but they rarely if ever feel the need to justify it. In the view of most Imperial Orcs you either trust your leaders implicitly or you choose someone different to follow. Undermining your leaders weakens the nation, and is regarded with contempt when done to advance your own position.

Before the coming of the septs, Imperial Orc society was organised into individual legions, tight-knit groups of warriors who lived and fought together as part of one of the Imperial Orc armies. That situation is slowly changing with some Orcs preferring to join coteries. Originally a Yerende idea, a coterie is simply a group of orcs who unite behind a common purpose, plan or shared goal. Coterie's appeal to those who seek a future outside of the Summer Storm and the Winter Sun. Like reaver bands, they can offer more personal freedom, but they still satisfy the desire to be part of something significant, providing a close sense of kinship and mutal bonds around shared goals. Although they are unlikely to compete with the status and importance of the legions for many years yet, their importance is likely to grow as the new septs establish themselves.

When the Imperial Orcs had no territories of their own, they did not possess senators. As a result, the effective leadership of the nation lay with the warlords, the nominated leaders of the individual legions and most especially with the two Imperial Orc generals. Generals were chosen by bouts between legion members under rules agreed when the orcs joined the Empire. When they gained control of the territory of Skarsind, this process was abandoned in favour of appointing a senator who in turn appoints both generals.

This limited enfranchisement reflects the Orcs martial history and their militaristic nature. For a time, the Imperial Orcs appointed their senator through a vote of all "soldiers". Attempts exactly to define who a soldier was caused confusion, however, and within a few short years the practice was abandoned in favour of the new method. The new method was settled on following the landmark mandate upheld by the Imperial Orcs assembly in Autumn 382YE, and then put into practice by Irontide Lok.

Appointing the Senator

Every time an Imperial Orc allocates a military unit to support an Imperial army they receive votes. A military unit provides 10 votes, plus an extra 2 votes for each time it has been upgraded. Only the actual rank of the military unit counts in this calculation. Enchantments, curses, penalties or bonuses for downtime effects and so on have no effect. When the senator is elected, the number of votes they have accrued over the previous year is tallied.

Characters new to the nation who have a military unit personal resource are assumed to have spent the previous year supporting an Imperial army. Likewise, players with a military unit who have missed an event are similarly assumed to have supported an army. We've made this rule for game balance reasons - so that new characters and players unable to attend every event are not unfairly penalised. If it becomes relevant, players are encouraged to create simple explanations as to how they have supported an army without showing up in the Imperial Roll of Honour or directly affecting the downtime campaign such as training new recruits, protecting supply lines, or the like.

Rituals which magically create a military unit such as Conclave of Trees and Shadow, Carve the Crystal Guardian, and Lions of Phoenix Reach offer an opportunity for orcs who do not lead a military unit to participate in the election. Any season during which these rituals are in place, and the magical soldiers summoned are supporting an army, the orc who commands the forest or mana site they are drawn from will receive votes as if they owned a military unit of the same rank.

Leading a territory

With the Imperial Orc homeland established in Skarsind, the Orcs now elect a senator to represent them in the Imperial Senate. Only an orc whose resource is in the territory whose senator is to be elected is eligible to vote. Any Imperial Orc citizen can stand for election as senator, regardless of their home territory.

Once the candidates have made themselves known, each in turn is invited by the egregore to present an item of worth and explain its significance to the candidate or the nation. The egregore has recommended this method because the Orcs need to be represented by someone who can hold their own in an arena where debate and the ability to express oneself are key.

Being the leader of a military unit is a prerequisite to vote, and only those who support the Imperial armies have a say in the appointment of the senator. An Imperial Orc receives a number of votes based on the quality of their troops and how often they have supported Imperial armies over the previous years. Voting is done openly - orcs are encouraged to proudly declare the number of votes they are placing behind their chosen candidate and then stand with them. Once everyone has voted, any candidate can call for a formal count with the aid of the civil service and the egregore, or (in cases where victory is obvious) they can concede and declare the winner by acclaim.

The senator for Skarsind is elected during the Winter Solstice each year. As the Imperial Orcs gain more territory, they will gain more senators and these elections will be spread out through the year.

Incumbent

The current Imperial Orc senators are listed below - see the individual territory pages for a full election history for each position.

Mareave - Gaddak
Skarsind - Bloodcrow Rasp

Shamans

Shamans play an important role in the leadership of Imperial Orc society. Their link to the orc ancestors is considered to provide valuable insight and wisdom. By tradition shamans are consulted by Imperial Orc senators, generals, and warlords before significant decisions are made, so that they can provide the ancestor’s guidance. A warlord or similar individual might have a specific favoured shaman they regularly consult, but senators and generals are more likely to speak to all the shamans present. Individual Orcs also seek out shamans for advice when they make important decisions, either to receive guidance in making up their minds or to see how the ancestors feel about the course of action they have decided on.

It is not uncommon to ignore the advice shamans give though it should always be weighed and considered. The orcs' barbarian ancestors do not understand the life of the Imperial Orcs, and their voices tend to be the loudest of those heard by the shamans. There are exceptions; some shamans possess enough wisdom that their advice is valuable even when it does not come directly from an ancestor, and other shamans have an affinity for one or more helpful ancestors whose words often seem to be more relevant to their Imperial descendants.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{CaptionedImage|file=AxeOrk-72.jpg|align=right|width=400}}
+{{CaptionedImage|file=Senator Vio.jpg|align=left|caption=Irontide Vio was the first [[Senator]] for [[Skarsind]] - indeed the first Imperial Orc Senator - shown here with one of the many trophies<br>the Imperial Orcs have taken in battle.|width=550}}
-Most Imperial Orcs choose to belong to a legion. The legions are organized along military lines, and choose one of the Imperial Orc armies to be part of. In practice the legions are a cross between a regiment and an informal family group.  Although not all the members of a legion are warriors, or even members of the army, the camaraderie and mindset of the career soldier tends to permeate throughout a legion.
-Each orc legion chooses its own name and symbols but most can also be identified by their favoured fighting style.One legion may have a bias for plate armour and pole-weapons, while another favours sword and shield. Warriors are usually expected to have at least a basic mastery of their legion's favoured style. Each legion is fiercely proud of its identity in battle, and a healthy, good natured rivalry exists between legions with regard to tactics and combat style. This rivalry is put aside on the battlefield, and warlords are careful to ensure that it never undermines loyalty and service to the Empire; the place for combat between members of rival legions is the fighting pit, not the battlefield.
+==Overview==
+Few Imperial orcs have much time for or interest in the sophisticated political intrigues so popular in places such as the [[The League|League]]. They are perfectly capable of understanding that a senator might say one thing and mean another, but among themselves they expect plain talking. In part this is because Imperial Orcs expect and demand an unyielding chain of command. Leaders amongst the orcs will usually explain the details of a plan because they want their followers to understand it, but they rarely if ever feel the need to justify it. In the view of most Imperial Orcs you either trust your leaders implicitly or you choose someone different to follow. Undermining your leaders weakens the nation, and is regarded with contempt when done to advance your own position.
-Banners are particularly important to Imperial Orcs. Legion camps are often decorated with banners displaying legion [[Imperial Orcs culture and customs#Symbols|symbols]], as Orcs find it reassuring to be surrounded by images that reinforce their group identity. Many bear an image of the horse as a symbol of the Empire alongside specific legion markings and colours. Imperial Orcs differentiate between banners, which are general symbols of legion identity, and a legion standard. Many legions have a legion standard, which is a symbol of the legion's pride. Trophies from particularly notable legion members or items of exceptional worth that once belonged to someone in the legion are often added to a legion standard.
+Before the coming of the septs, Imperial Orc society was organised into [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#The_Legion|individual legions]], tight-knit groups of warriors who lived and fought together as part of one of the Imperial Orc armies. That situation is slowly changing with some Orcs preferring to join coteries. Originally a Yerende idea, a coterie is simply a group of orcs who unite behind a common purpose, plan or shared goal. Coterie's appeal to those who seek a future outside of the Summer Storm and the Winter Sun. Like reaver bands, they can offer more personal freedom, but they still satisfy the desire to be part of something significant, providing a close sense of kinship and mutal bonds around shared goals. Although they are unlikely to compete with the status and importance of the legions for many years yet, their importance is likely to grow as the new septs establish themselves.
-Legions chose their own commanders, called warlords, with individuals chosen for their ability to provide clear effective leadership in battle, according to the traditions of the individual legion. Orcs expect their leaders to be inspirational as well as astute so the majority of warlords are powerful warriors who lead from the front. Those who lead by cunning alone need to be particularly smart and their legions are often small but very tight knit. Warlords appoint members of the legion to a chain of command beneath them, so that if they fall in battle they can be quickly replaced – the life of the legion is always more valuable than the life of any individual.
+When the Imperial Orcs had no [[territory|territories]] of their own, they did not possess senators. As a result, the effective leadership of the nation lay with the warlords, the nominated leaders of the [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#The_Legion|individual legions]] and most especially with the two Imperial Orc [[general|generals]]. Generals were chosen by bouts between legion members under rules agreed when the orcs joined the Empire. When they gained control of the territory of [[Skarsind]], this process was abandoned in favour of appointing a senator who in turn appoints both generals.
-Most legions have a clear chain of command with harsh punishments for disloyalty or disobedience. Imperial Orcs usually have little sympathy with individuals who refuse to follow orders. In battle, those who find themselves at odds with a legion’s leadership face summary court martial, at other times they are usually expelled from the legion. In such cases a group of orcs usually form their own rival legion, while an individual must attempt to join another legion or face existence alone.
+This limited enfranchisement reflects the Orcs martial history and their [[Orc#Revel_in_Battle|militaristic nature]]. For a time, the Imperial Orcs appointed their senator through a vote of all "soldiers". Attempts exactly to define who a soldier was caused confusion, however, and within a few short years the practice was abandoned in favour of the new method. The new method was settled on following the landmark [[mandate]] upheld by the Imperial Orcs [[Assembly#The National Assemblies|assembly]] in Autumn 382YE, and then [[382YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_24|put into practice]] by '''Irontide Lok'''.
-Few Imperial orcs have much time for or interest in the sophisticated political intrigues so popular in places such as the [[The League|League]]. They are perfectly capable of understanding that a senator might say one thing and mean another, but among themselves they expect plain talking. In part this is because Imperial Orcs expect and demand an unyielding chain of command. Leaders amongst the orcs will usually explain the details of a plan because they want their followers to understand it, but they rarely if ever feel the need to justify it. In the view of most Imperial Orcs you either trust your leaders implicitly or you chose someone different to follow. Undermining your leaders weakens the whole legion, and is regarded with contempt when done to advance your own position.
+<div style="float:right; width: 500px;"><box>'''Appointing the Senator'''<br>
-{{CaptionedImage|file=BIGORK-72.jpg|align=right|width=400}}
+Every time an Imperial Orc allocates a [[military unit]] to [[Military_unit#Supporting_an_Army|support]] an [[Imperial armies|Imperial army]] they receive votes. A military unit provides 10 votes, plus an extra 2 votes for each time it has been [[Military_unit#Upgrades|upgraded]]. Only the actual rank of the military unit counts in this calculation. [[Enchantment|Enchantments]], [[curse|curses]], penalties or bonuses for downtime effects and so on have no effect. When the senator is elected, the number of votes they have accrued over the previous year is tallied.
-===Generals===
-With no territories of their own, the Imperial Orcs do not possess senators. As a result the effective leadership of the nation lies with the warlords, and most especially with the two Imperial Orc generals. Generals are chosen by bouts between legion members under rules agreed when the orcs joined the Empire. Under this system, any warlord wishing to be considered presents themselves along with their legion to the civil service overseeing the election process. The warlord of the largest legion puts forward half their members and the opposing warlord then picks members from his or her own legion to duel with them. The remainder of the second warlord’s legion are then presented and the warlord of the largest legion chooses members remaining from his own legion to duel them. The legion that wins the most duels may then chose the general.
-If three or more legions are contesting a position, then each legion presents a third of its force for the others to choose members to fight in order of size. If the contest is a draw, then those warlords with the highest number of wins must fight a final fight with each other to determine the winner. Since the warlord with the smaller legion will not have sufficient members to pair off for each fight, they have two choices, they may find a volunteer to fight for them from outside their legion – or they may choose a contestant from an earlier fight to contest a second bout. In the first instance they may choose anyone, but if the individual chosen is not a member of their legion then they do not score a point for winning (but they do deny their opponent a point by not losing). In the second case they may win and add to their legion’s score, but they must fight without any magical or herbal healing between the first and second bout.
+Characters new to the nation who have a military unit personal resource are assumed to have spent the previous year supporting an Imperial army. Likewise, players with a military unit who have missed an event are similarly assumed to have supported an army. We've made this rule for game balance reasons - so that new characters and players unable to attend every event are not unfairly penalised. If it becomes relevant, players are encouraged to create simple explanations as to how they have supported an army without showing up in the [[Imperial Roll of Honour]] or directly affecting the downtime campaign such as training new recruits, protecting supply lines, or the like.
-Imperial Orcs are proud of this process, which they believe works well to find the best candidates to be generals. Inspirational warlords, and warlords whose leadership keeps their legion members alive, tend to have the largest legions, which is a natural advantage in the contest. However there is considerable tactics in choosing who will fight against whom, it is considered a weak strategy to pit your best warriors in order against their best – the more a warlord knows about the fighting capabilities of legion members, the more effectively they can pick the fights.
+Rituals which magically create a military unit such as [[Conclave of Trees and Shadow]], [[Carve the Crystal Guardian]], and [[Lions of Phoenix Reach]] offer an opportunity for orcs who do not lead a military unit to participate in the election. Any season during which these rituals are in place, and the magical soldiers summoned are supporting an army, the orc who commands the [[forest]] or [[mana site]] they are drawn from will receive votes as if they owned a military unit of the same rank.</box></div>
-It is not uncommon for politics to play an important role in the process. Often there is only one clear contender, in which case the legions will usually arrange a ceremonial contest to ensure that due propriety is done. Contests may also see political deals and agreements, it is considered exceptionally poor form to not bring every member of your legion to the contest, but private deals between warlords and individual warriors are acceptable. It is not unknown for a winning legion to choose the other warlord to be general, a process which brings great honour to all participants, the winning legion is assumed to be acting in the best interests of the Imperial Orcs, while the selected general is considered to be so inspirational that they have been chosen despite not being strong enough to win the contest.
+==Leading a territory==
-{{CaptionedImage|file=ShamanOrk-72.jpg|align=right|width=400}}
+With the Imperial Orc homeland established in [[Skarsind]], the Orcs now elect a senator to represent them in the Imperial Senate. Only an orc whose resource is in the territory whose senator is to be elected is eligible to vote. Any Imperial Orc citizen can stand for election as [[senator]], regardless of their home territory.
+Once the candidates have made themselves known, each in turn is invited by the egregore to present an item of [[worth]] and explain its significance to the candidate or the nation. The egregore has recommended this method because the Orcs need to be represented by someone who can hold their own in an arena where debate and the ability to express oneself are key.
+Being the leader of a [[military unit]] is a prerequisite to vote, and only those who support the Imperial armies have a say in the appointment of the senator. An Imperial Orc receives a number of votes based on the quality of their troops and how often they have supported Imperial armies over the previous years. Voting is done openly - orcs are encouraged to proudly declare the number of votes they are placing behind their chosen candidate and then stand with them. Once everyone has voted, any candidate can call for a formal count with the aid of the civil service and the egregore, or (in cases where victory is obvious) they can concede and declare the winner by acclaim.
+The senator for Skarsind is elected during the Winter Solstice each year. As the Imperial Orcs gain more territory, they will gain more senators and these elections will be spread out through the year.
+===Incumbent===
+The current Imperial Orc senators are listed below - see the individual territory pages for a full election history for each position.
+* [[Mareave]] - {{#lst:Archive:All_Election_Results|Senator_for_Mareave_occupant}}
+* [[Skarsind]] - {{#lst:Archive:All_Election_Results|Senator_for_Skarsind_occupant}}
+<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ShamanOrk-72.jpg|align=right|width=300}}</div>
 ==Shamans==
-[[Shamans]] play an important role in the leadership of Imperial Orc society. Their link to the orc ancestors is considered to provide valuable insight and wisdom. By tradition shamans are consulted by Imperial Orc generals and warlords before significant decisions are made, so that they can provide the ancestor’s guidance. Many warlords have a specific favoured shaman they regularly consult, while the generals are more likely to speak to all the shamans present. Individual Orcs also seek out shamans for advice when they make important decisions, either to receive guidance in making up their minds or to see how the ancestors feel about the course of action they have decided on.
+[[Shamans]] play an important role in the leadership of Imperial Orc society. Their link to the orc ancestors is considered to provide valuable insight and wisdom. By tradition shamans are consulted by Imperial Orc senators, generals, and warlords before significant decisions are made, so that they can provide the ancestor’s guidance. A warlord or similar individual might have a specific favoured shaman they regularly consult, but senators and generals are more likely to speak to all the shamans present. Individual Orcs also seek out shamans for advice when they make important decisions, either to receive guidance in making up their minds or to see how the ancestors feel about the course of action they have decided on.
-It is not uncommon to ignore the advice shaman give though it should always be weighed and considered. The orcs' barbarian ancestors do not understand the life of the Imperial Orcs, and their voices tend to be the loudest of those heard by the shamans. There are exceptions; some shamans possess enough wisdom that their advice is valuable even when it does not come directly from an ancestor, and other shamans have an affinity for one or more helpful ancestors whose words often seem to be more relevant to their Imperial descendants.
+It is not uncommon to ignore the advice shamans give though it should always be weighed and considered. The orcs' barbarian ancestors do not understand the life of the Imperial Orcs, and their voices tend to be the loudest of those heard by the shamans. There are exceptions; some shamans possess enough wisdom that their advice is valuable even when it does not come directly from an ancestor, and other shamans have an affinity for one or more helpful ancestors whose words often seem to be more relevant to their Imperial descendants.
-===Leading a territory===
+{{Imperial Orcs Links}}
-When the Imperial Orcs joined the Empire they agreed that their generals would eventually pick their senators. In the case that the generals cannot unanimously decide on who will take the senate seat for a territory, the senate as a whole will select from all available candidates.
 [[Category:Imperial Orcs]]
-[[Category:Nations]]
+[[Category:Archetype]]

Imperial Orcs leadership

Latest revision as of 00:26, 31 August 2024

Contents

Overview

Leading a territory

Incumbent

Shamans

Further Reading

Profound Decisions[edit | | ]

Community[edit | | ]

Wiki Editors[edit | | ]