The Assemblies of the Synod

The Imperial Synod is divided into Assemblies that have differing powers, responsibilities and roles in ensuring the virtue of the Empire.

There are four types of Assembly in the Synod:

The General Assembly
The National Assemblies
The Virtue Assemblies
The Assembly of the Nine

Despite their names, there is no requirement for the Assemblies to meet. The Civil Service does not arrange meetings for the Assemblies; it only handles the judgments they make. The priests of an Assembly may choose to meet when and where they wish.

The Hierarchy

There is a hierarchy amongst the Assemblies.

The greatest authority lies with the General Assembly, whose judgments overrule those made by any other Assembly.
The judgments of the Assembly of Nine overrule those made by any Assembly bar the General Assembly.
The judgments of the National Assemblies have precedence over the Virtue Assemblies within the bounds of the particular nation; otherwise they are equal.

The obvious limitation on the above relates to powers not possessed by an Assembly. For example, the Marcher Assembly cannot recognise an Exemplar of Wisdom. Only the Virtue and General Assemblies can do this.

Friar Margaret's expression looked like she had just drunk a cup of lemon juice. "Bishop Juliet, I find your entire attitude to the The Way to be contemptible. What you call Prosperity, I call blatant corruption. And yet, if I am to deny the Freeborn blasphemer the chance to twist the minds of his congregation, I shall need the support of yourself and your cronies.

"So... aside from a measure of my Pride, what else is it going to cost me?"

The General Assembly

The General Assembly is composed of all Synod priests, i.e. all citizens of the Empire who have responsibility for a congregation and guide their spiritual wellbeing. The authority of the judgments made by the General Assembly extends to the whole Empire, including the Throne. The General Assembly is the greatest of all the Assemblies and its judgments stand in authority over those made by any other Assembly.

The National Assemblies

The National Assemblies consist of all members of the Synod from the same nation. With the establishment of the Imperial Orc assembly in Winter 377YE there are ten National Assemblies. Each National Assembly is charged with the spiritual well being of the nation it is responsible for. The authority of the judgments made by the National Assembly extends only to individuals and groups within that nation.

The Virtue Assemblies

The Virtue Assemblies consist of all members of the Synod who are dedicated to the same Virtue. There are eight Virtue Assemblies:

One Assembly for each of the Seven Virtues
The Assembly of the Way, which consists of all members of the Synod who are not dedicated to a specific Virtue path.

The Virtue Assemblies are responsible for each selecting a Cardinal from their number to sit upon the Assembly of the Nine. The Virtue Assemblies are responsible for ensuring their Cardinal is virtuous.

The Assembly of Nine

The Assembly of Nine consists of the Cardinals appointed by each of the Virtue Assemblies and the Throne. Each member of the Assembly has a single vote. In addition, the Throne may issue a deciding vote in the event of a tie between members.

The Cardinals of the Seven Virtues are responsible for selecting a Gatekeeper from their Assembly. The Gatekeepers are responsible for apportioning the True Liao.

The Cardinal of the Assembly of the Way is responsible for selecting a Conscience of the Senate. The Conscience of the Senate is a layperson who meets with the Senate. The authority of judgments made by the Assembly of Nine extends to the whole Empire, excluding The Throne.

Any member of the Assembly of Nine, bar the Throne, may appoint a proxy.

The Assemblies of the Synod

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