Appointment

There are three titles that are appointed by the priests of the Synod. They are:

• Cardinal of a Virtue Assembly, including the Assembly of the Way
• Gatekeeper
• Conscience of the Senate

Appointment of the Cardinal

• Each Virtue Assembly selects one of their number to be the cardinal of that Assembly.
• Only members of the Virtue Assembly can become the cardinal.

To appoint a cardinal, all candidates must make themselves known to an appropriate civil servant by a specified deadline, usually noon the day of the election. Once all candidates are known, then the members of the virtue assembly pass judgment in favour of the candidate they wish to be cardinal. They may, if they wish, elect to vote against one of the candidates.

There is a deadline by which members of the Assembly have to render their judgment. After that time, the candidate with the most support is declared cardinal.

Reappointment Schedule
Winter Solstice	The Way & Prosperity
Spring Equinox	Ambition & Vigilance
Summer Solstice	Courage & Wisdom
Autumn Equinox	Loyalty & Pride

Appointment of the gatekeeper

The cardinal of a Virtue Assembly - excluding the Assembly of The Way - has the right to appoint a member of their assembly as gatekeeper. The gatekeepers control access to the Labyrinth of Ages by dint of overseeing distribution of the pure liao prepared by the Imperial Civil Service. The cardinal may not name themselves as gatekeeper, and it is frowned upon to name a gatekeeper from the same nation as the cardinal.

The gatekeepers are given pure liao to distribute to those deemed worthy, or otherwise ready to experience a vision from one of their past lives. They are distributed by collective decision of the gatekeepers as they deem most fitting. The gatekeeper remains in position until either their position is revoked, or there is an election for cardinal and the successful candidate chooses a new gatekeeper.

Appointment of the conscience

The cardinal of the Assembly of The Way may appoint a layperson of virtue to a specially designated seat in the Imperial Senate created during the reign of Empress Varkula to serve as the Senate's conscience. The cardinal may not appoint themselves to the post, and it is frowned upon to name a conscience from the same nation as the cardinal. The cardinal may appoint a member of their Assembly but they will lose their Synod membership as a result.

The conscience may hold the seat for no longer than a year, or until there is a new cardinal of the Way is appointed and chooses to name a replacement.

No person may hold the seat of the conscience more than once in a single lifetime.