Arbiter of the Four Winds
Overview
The Arbiter of the Four Winds is an Urizen Imperial title initially commissioned in Summer 382YE. While work began on restoring the Temple of the Four Winds in Morrow, it was interrupted by the invasion of the Druj. The orcs sacked the building site, slaying a great many sword scholars in the process. The project was halted, and did not resume until the following year following the liberation of Peregro. The reconstruction was completed shortly before the Summer Solstice 383YE.
Legally this title is "Envoy to the Disciples of the Tempest Jade Maiden" but as more sword scholars have come forward, the title (already a bit of a mouthful) has become increasingly incorrect. While the Disciples of the Tempest Jade Maiden are still well respected, they are far from the only prominent sect of sword scholars in Urizen, and by no means the only group to study at the Temple of the Four Winds.
Responsibilities
The Arbiter of the Four Winds serves as envoy to the sword scholar sect associated with the Temple of the Four Winds in Peregro. Now fully restored, the temple there is dedicated to the pursuit of Wisdom, as seen through the lens of the teachings of the first sword scholar, Sulemaine, the so-called "Paragon of Blades". The Envoy is expected to liaise with the sword scholars, and present their philosophy at Anvil and to the Urizen people as a whole.
Powers
Bounty of Liao
The sinecure provides eight measures of liao to the Arbiter of the Four Winds each season, to be used as they see fit.
Voice of the Sword Scholars
The Arbiter of the Four Winds supports the congregation of the sword scholars, and receives 16 votes in the Imperial Synod. They may use these votes in any appropriate assembly, following the normal rules for votes provided by a sinecure.
The Labyrinth Sword
The Arbiter of the Four Winds is the legal custodian of the Labyrinth Sword, a relic believed to be associated with Sulemaine herself. If an individual loses the title, then the sword must be given to the new title holder. The sword is a unique artifact and cannot be replaced if it is lost or stolen.
Appointment
The Arbiter of the Four Winds is appointed at the Summer Solstice by the Urizen National assembly.
The title can be held by an Urizen citizen. The Arbiter of the Four Winds serves until the next election, or until they die, step down, or are revoked. They can be revoked by the General Assembly, the Urizen National Assembly, and by the Assembly of the Nine.
Temple of the Four Winds
The Temple of the Four Winds was originally constructed in Peregro long before Urizen joined the Empire. It was destroyed during the purge of the sword scholars that took place in the reign of Emperor Giovanni, but the ruins remained a place of pilgrimage for the sword scholars. It was especially important to the Disciples of the Tempest Jade Maiden sect, the largest of the surviving fellowships. Its reconstruction was initially commissioned with the encouragement of the surviving sword scholar sects at the Spring Equinox 382YE.
The Druj completed the work the enemies of the sword scholars had begun, further ruining the already dilapidated structure. When the work finally resumed, the temple practically needed to be rebuilt from the foundations upward. Very little of the original temple remains, and what little was preserved now stands as part of the gardens that surround the spire, an austere reminder of hidden dangers and the vicissitudes of fate.
The Temple consists of a slender tower, surrounded by quiet shrines and contemplation galleries. At night, the entire temple is illuminated by lanterns decorated with sword motifs, whose soft glow also reveals intricate scrollwork that cover the white granite walls depicting tiny white flowers.
| Summit | Elected | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Summer Solstice 385YE | Herminius of the House of the Wanderer | 235 Votes |
| Summer Solstice 384YE | Cato Hypation | 92 Votes |
| Summer Solstice 383YE | Aspar | 26 Votes |
Recent Elections
This tile is no longer being elected as the Bourse seat it oversaw is not in Imperial hands. The table to the right shows the citizens who have been elected to hold this title in the years since Empress Britta died.