Candidacy

Candidacy determines who holds power in the Conclave - and for how long.

Overview

The Conclave can declare someone to hold a specific Imperial title controlled by the Conclave such as archmage, Warmage or Dean of the Lyceum. Occasionally, this declaration has been used to simply remove someone from their position, by declaring that their post should be filled with nobody.

Declaration

A declaration of candidacy must explicitly name a single Imperial citizen who will appointed to the chosen title. It is possible to raise a declaration of candidacy for someone else, but only the person who raised the declaration can speak on their own behalf.

Declarations of Candidacy are resolved after addresses and before other declarations in the order they were raised to the agenda. It is typical for the civil service to group together all declarations of candidacy for a single title. They are dealt with as a single item on the agenda. In this case, each individual who has raised that declaration makes a presentation in the order they raised their candidacy, then a single discussion takes place followed by a single vote. The candidate with the most votes takes the title.

The incumbent does not automatically get to make a presentation - although there is nothing to stop them raising themselves as a candidate if they realise someone is challenging for their title. Even if they have not raised a separate declaration, the incumbent is automatically presented as an option during the voting process, and they may speak during the discussion period following the normal rules.

Resolution

The chosen candidate assumes all the responsibilities and powers of the title at the end of the Conclave session. It is the responsibility of the previous holder of the title to ensure that all regalia passes to the new title holder speedily and with the minimum of fuss.

Every Imperial title appointed by declaration of candidacy has tenure; they remain in position until they die, resign the title, or are replaced by a new declaration.

When Urizen joined the Empire they were instrumental in the formation of the Conclave. As a result of their actions, the constitution was amended to lay out the duties of the Conclave and stated that "it shall be guided by fraternities of magicians under the general aegis of the Senate, and without interference from the Synod." As a result it is not possible for the Imperial Synod to revoke an Imperial title appointed by the Conclave.

Titles appointed by Declaration of Candidacy

• Arcane Architect - can commission sinecures the produce crystal mana or vis
• Archmage - one for each realm; deals with the magic and entities of that realm
• Bursar of the Conclave - helps the Conclave acquire resources; can purchase crystal mana
• Dean of the Lyceum - oversees the Empire's premiere college of magic
• Gloaming Sentinel - receives a bounty of Iridescent Gloaming each season
• Imperial Censor - responsible for safeguarding the Empire from malign magic
• Imperial Magus - advises the Senate on matters of Conclave and vice versa
• Imperial Necromancer - responsible for the use of the Imperial regio for the casting of Whispers through the Black Gate
• Imperial Seer - coordinates the use of divination magic
• Keeper of the Cox - receives a bounty of golden apples each season
• Master of Ice and Darkness - oversees the Empire's premiere college of Summer magic
• Penumbral Watcher - receives several unique items related to Night magic and espionage
• Warmage - advises the military council on magical matters
• Watcher of the Wheel - receives a bounty of Vis each season

Further Reading

Core Brief

• Conclave Overview
• Arcane Colloquium
• Conclave order
• Conclave session
• Declarations
  • Alignment
  • Candidacy
  • Concord
  • Dissemination
  • Endorsement
  • Endowment
  • Imperial lore
  • Interdiction
  • Sorcery

Additional Information

• Conclave vault
• Key Appointments to the Imperial Conclave
  • Archmage
  • Grandmaster
  • Prefect of the Conclave