Navarr leadership

The Navarr appreciate that leadership is a difficult, tiring task. They respect those prepared to take that task on, but they also demand a commitment to keep going when the going gets tough. Leaders are sometimes seen as servants of the community, but they possess real authority over the steading or striding they lead. If people are unhappy with their leadership, they expect to switch loyalties to a leader they are happy with.

Navarr stridings are fluid things, with individuals and families moving from one to another as the mood takes them. The Navarr encourage individuals to choose the striding that is travelling in the direction they want to go, a philosophy that underpins their approach to life. In theory, this choice is made anew each time a Navarr comes to a crossroads although in practise most stay with the same striding for years.

Throughout their history the Navarr have always adapted and followed the most suitable people required to meet the challenges of the time. A new Navarr striding is created when an individual chooses to go their own way. They generally become leader for a new striding formed of those who choose to follow them.

While they have little need for other titles or positions, most communities of Navarr select a brand. A brand is an individual who takes responsibility for organisation and direction of the community. Their name comes from the tradition of branding the leader as a mark of their responsibility to their community, and this branding is usually associated with a ceremony where they swear to protect and serve the community to the best of their abilities.

In a striding, the brand deals with the protection and supply of the group, and makes decisisons about where to travel. In a steading, the brand provides leadership and government. When Navarr groups meet, the brands either cooperate or appoint one of their number to provide overall leadership if that is required. It is not uncommon for a larger community of Navarr to have more than one brand, each with a defined area of responsibility. Such settlements operate either through the informal co-operation of the brands, or employ a system where the brand whose responsibilities apply most appropriately to the current crisis takes the lead.

Individuals stay with a group as long as they agree with the direction the current leader has set. If disagreements within a Navarr community become irreconcilable, then the community splits, a new brand is nominated and they take whichever Navarr wish to travel with them to found a new community

Leading a territory

Within the Empire there are three forests claimed by the Navarr that are so large that they define a territory. Most of the Navarr steadings are found within these forests. The lands are governed by the Navarr who appoint Senators by communal agreement. The Navarr use a simple process, gathering together everyone with an interest and then those who would speak for the territory step forward. Once the candidates are clear, the Navarr present choose who to stand behind. The process is very fluid, it is common for individuals and groups to move to coalesce support where it appears to be most effective. Once it is clear that everyone has made a choice, the individuals with the most support become senator for those territories being contested.

Navarr Senators have a reputation for careful and considered voting. They try to operate by accruing political capital from Senators of other nations which they use on key votes, either for the good of Navarr as a nation or for the Empire as a whole. Their reputation for impartiality predates the formation of the Empire and a Navarr Empress or Emperor is often chosen in times of internal strife.