Dean of Laroc Cathedral

Dedicated to the Imperial virtue of Courage, the Cathedral at Laroc was commissioned by a motion of the Imperial Senate in Summer 380YE by Earl Valentin Orzel, Senator for Weirwater. The position of Dean is a sinecure, requiring minimal responsibility but granting votes in the Synod and providing a regular income of liao.

Responsibilities

The Dean of Laroc Cathedral has no particular responsibilities; they are recognised as having votes in the Imperial Synod and they receive a bounty of liao from the civil service. If the cathedral were to be threatened in any way, it would be the responsibility of the Dean to deal with those threats.

Powers

The Dean of Laroc Cathedral is an Imperial title that grants custodianship of a sinecure.

A Portion of Liao

The sinecure provides an income of six measures of liao each season, to be used as they see fit.

Point of Pilgrimage

The Dean of Laroc Cathedral may sit in the Imperial Synod, and possesses 12 votes in Synod affairs (or an additional 12 votes if they already have a congregation). They may use these votes in any assembly they are eligible for.

Selection

The Dawnish national assembly appoints the Dean of Laroc Cathedral. This is a national title, and may be held by any citizen of Dawn. Despite the sinecure's association with the virtue of Courage, there is no requirement for the recipient to be part of the Courage assembly. As a national sinecure, only a Dawnish citizen may hold the title Dean of Laroc Cathedral.

...Dawn, beloved nation of the Empire is beset by curses and malign auras. Against the tide of maledictions we will raise a great cathedral - dedicated to the virtue of Courage

Lady Eleonor de Rondell, Inquisitor of Courage

Removal

The Dean has tenure and serves until they die, step down or are revoked.

The Dean can be revoked by the Dawnish national assembly, the the General assembly or the Assembly of Nine.

History

Construction of the Cathedral of Courage was completed shortly before the 380YE Autumn Equinox. At the Autumn Equinox 380YE the national assembly of Dawn appointed Lady Eleanor de Rondell, the former Virtue Inquisitor of Courage as the first Dean.

The Cathedral at Laroc

Built of white granite, the "cathedral" lies close to the tournament grounds in Laroc, Astolat. Penatgonal in shape, it has five transepts surrounding a central hall. Four of the transepts are dedicated to paragons and exemplars of Courage, while the fifth is dedicated to specific Imperial heroes. Although it is officially named a cathedral, the actual structure is more akin to a chapel in size and grandeur. While it is not especially large, it is beautifully decorated. Fine works of art painted by artists inspired by the virtue of Courage adorn the walls, brought from all the nations of the Empire. It stands in a well-maintained garden.

The statues in particular are noteworthy. One stands in each of the four transepts dedicated to a paragon or an exemplar.

• A Vard with a toothed axe, representing Korl, Paragon of Courage.
• A Highborn with their hood up, representing Permion, Exemplar of Courage.
• A Dawnish with a crown of blue roses, representing Gilda Ashwine, Exemplar of Courage.
• A Steinr with a two-handed hammer, representing Inga Tarn, Exemplar of Courage

The fifth statue is more a diorama, representing five figures, each a hero of the recent Empire. Two Highborn, a Leaguer, a Marcher and a Dawnish stand side by side, and the inscription on the plinth indicates they represent individuals named Asher, Vulgaris, Tyrus, Andrea Von Holberg, and Henry Talbot.