Imperial sodality

The Rune of Loyalty is often used as a symbol for the idea of an Imperial sodality, and evoked in the creation of a Mark of Fellowship.

Overview

There are countless organisations in the Empire that have grown in influence and membership beyond the confines of a single nation. These groups and institutions are commonly referred to as sodalities. Most of them do not benefit from any formal recognition by the Imperial Senate and those with subversive or criminal intent have every reason to avoid it. However, if a group wish to wield legal powers collectively, they must petition the Senate to pass a motion to recognise them as an Imperial sodality.

To be recognised in this way, a fellowship must have a manifesto, a clear statement as to its purpose and responsibilities, and a known symbol. Creating a sodality requires a constitutional vote, so it is only possible to do so when there is an occupant of the Throne who can ratify the vote.

A new Imperial title is automatically created when a sodality is recognised by the Senate. The position must be elected by members of the sodality and it is their responsibility to represent their sodalities' views to other parts of the Empire and to be responsible for recruitment of new members and for advancing the sodality's goals and the member's interests.

Role within the Empire

• A sodality has primacy within the remit of its responsibilities
• Creating a new sodality constrains the other houses of power
• A sodality cannot have concerns and responsibilities that overlap unnecessarily with another branch of government

Imperial sodalities exist to allow the Senate to create new bodies of state, ones that have responsibility for a distinct area of concern. A group only becomes an Imperial sodality when its existence is formally recognised with a Senate motion with a clear manifesto.

A sodality must have a responsibility for a distinct area of concern. Each sodality has primacy within the remit of its own area of responsibility. If the Senate approves a specific purpose for a sodality, then only that sodality can employ legal powers within that area of responsibility. It is unconstitutional for any other house to employ powers that transgress on the sodalities responsibilities.

Because only a single body may have primacy, creating a sodality removes that concern from any other house of power. At the point where the Empire created the Imperial Apothecaries Guild - with responsibility for the arts of the apothecary, then the Imperial Conclave can no longer exercise power over potions or similar consumables. Each sodality must be clearly unique - the Senate cannot create a second sodality with competing responsibilities, since then it would be impossible to determine which sodality had primacy.

Sessions

• A sodality can wield its powers during a formal session by upholding one or more resolutions
• The civil service will arrange for at least one session for each sodality at every summit

A sodality must be in session to wield its powers. The time and location of a formal session of every Imperial sodality is set by the civil service, just as it is for the Imperial Senate. They arrange each session and publish the time and location in advance of each summit. By default, sessions take place in the Sodality Chamber, if scheduling allows. The civil service will arrange additional sessions if they determine they are appropriate.

The sodality can wield any powers they possess by passing resolutions during a session. A resolution is passed if a simple majority of members present vote to support it. For a resolution with multiple different candidates or options, only the choice that gains the most support passes. Any member of the sodality can add a resolution to the agenda by raising the matter with an appropriate member of the civil service before the session begins. Otherwise they will need to raise the resolution personally at the end of the session after all other business is concluded.

A civil servant will be present at the beginning of any session, to notarise any resolutions passed. They are only required to attend for sufficient time for the sodality to enact any powers they hold. If the sodality do not discharge their legal business in a timely manner, addressing any resolutions on the agenda first, and after an appropriate amount of discussion, then the civil servant is under no obligation to remain present.

Participation

Any Imperial citizen who is a member of a sodality, or is a civil servant, is free to enter the chamber and speak therein while the sodality is in session. The sodality is free to permit citizens who are not otherwise eligible to enter and to speak if they choose to do so. Such guests may be asked to be quiet at any point, and treated as unwelcome guest if they refuse.

In addition, the right of witness ensures that every member of the Synod is entitled to observe the session. As with other bodies of state, members of the Synod may not participate in the session unless they are also a member of the sodality, and can expect to be expelled if they are disruptive.

Limitations

Manifesto

• Each sodality much have a manifesto
• A valid manifesto makes three concise assertions of the things that members believe
• A valid manifesto has three clear statements expressing what the sodality exists to do

A sodality only becomes an Imperial sodality when its existence is formally recognised with a Senate motion that explicitly names the sodality and lists its goals. The goals enumerated in the Senate motion must encapsulate the sodality's purpose. To ensure that the purpose is clear a sodality is expected to provide a clear, concise manifesto that makes three assertions and three statements, in a similar format to those adopted by the orders of the Conclave.

All Senate motions are subject to scrutiny by the Constitutional Court who study the wording to ensure that it is compatible with Imperial law and the Imperial Constitution. The Court pay special attention to the enumerated goals of any sodality and are likely to reject anything that is overly long or broad or which tramples on the responsibilities of an established part of the Imperial government or even another sodality.

It is not possible to grant legal powers to a sodality that do not naturally accord with the responsibilities outlined in the group's manifesto.

Veto

• A resolution to employ a legal power must be announced to the Senate
• Legal powers employed by a sodality are subject to veto by the Synod and the Throne

All resolutions by a sodality to use a legal power must be announced in the Senate before they can be effective. At that point they are subject to veto by the Throne if they are present.

The same remit governs the actions of sodalities, so the Synod can veto the announcement of any legal power enacted by a sodality. Any legal power that would have constitutional implications could be vetoed by the General Assembly or by the Assembly of Nine, and any normal legal power could be vetoed once per summit. A decision that is vetoed cannot be revisited before the start of the next summit.

Dissolution

• The Imperial Senate can dissolve a sodality with a a constitutional vote of the Senate

The Senate can dissolve an existing sodality with a constitutional vote of the Senate. If a sodality is dissolved, than any Imperial titles that are appointed by that sodality that are not explicitly resigned to new appointment methods are abrogated.

Upkeep

• The cost to the Imperial treasury is four thrones per season per sodality

The civil service are required by law to keep careful records of which citizens are members of an Imperial sodality so that they can support the sodality's ability to elect a speaker and enact any other powers they have. The more sodalities that exist, the more expensive this operation becomes. By default, the upkeep for each sodality is four thrones a season.

An opportunity to grant an existing Imperial sodality additional new legal powers or abilities may explicitly include an increase in the sodality's upkeep to reflect the benefits.

Further Reading

Core Brief

• Imperial Sodality
• Member of a Sodality
• Appointment by Sodality
• Powers of a Sodality

Active Sodalities

• Apothecaries Guild
• Magpies
• Sun Chamber
• Vallornguard

Former Sodalities

• Silent Bell.