Head Gardener of Urizen

Overview

The Head Gardener of Urizen is an Imperial title commissioned in Autumn 380YE by the then Civilian Commissioner of Urizen, Juliana of Phoenix Reach. The position of Head Gardener is a sinecure, requiring minimal responsibility but offering a regular income of valuable herbs. It was amended in Autumn 381YE by the Imperial Senate, adding additional responsibilities and changing it from a tenured position to an annual appointment.

Responsibilities

In addition to receiving a bounty of herbs from the Garden of Pallas, the Head Gardener of Urizen is custodian and record keeper for the Prosperity fund of Urizen. They are expected to use the fund to secure the greatest Prosperity for the nation. They are also responsible for the safekeeping of the Garden of Pallas - if the garden were to be threatened in any way, it would be their responsibility to deal with those threats. Likewise, if any opportunity relating to the gardens presented itself, they would make any decisions needed to take advantage of it.

Powers

Grand Bounty of Herbs

The Head Gardener gains custodianship of a sinecure. They receive a significant amount of herbs each season: seven doses of True Vervain, and 5 doses each of Imperial Roseweald, Cerulean Mazzarine, Marrowort, and Bladeroot.

Appointment

The Head Gardener of Urizen is appointed during the Winter Solstice, by a judgement of Appointment in the Urizen National assembly.

The title can only be held by a Urizen citizen. They can be revoked by the General assembly, the Urizen National Assembly, and the Assembly of the Nine.

The Gardens of Pallas

In the absence of other guidance, the Civil Service built the Gardens of Pallas in central Iteri, along the banks of the river Couros in Zenith. The gardens are carefully laid out in such a way that the various beds form the Rune of wealth when viewed from above. Likewise, the ushabti that tend the herb beds have the rune inlaid onto their faceplates and chests. These ushabti are specially adapted to the task of looking after the gardens - each has a useful gardening tool in pace of one of its "hands", and cunningly made wicker baskets for collecting herbs mounted on their backs.