Advisor on the Vallorn
Overview
The Advisor on the Vallorn is an Imperial title that may be held by any Navarr. The position was established by majority vote of the Senate in Spring 378YE.
The Advisor of the Vallorn has been the target of several attacks by agents of the Whisper Gallery. These eternals appear to object to the Advisor's role in directing the Empire's historical research agenda.
Responsibilities
The title is responsible for advising the Senate on matters relating to the vallorn, and protecting the Empire from the influence of this mysterious force or entity. As custodian of the Great Library of Hacynian, if the commission were to be threatened in any way, it would be their responsibility of the Advisor to deal with those threats. Likewise, if any opportunity relating to the library presented itself, they would make any decisions needed to take advantage of that.
Powers
Historical Research
The advisor has the power to authorize a single historical research request each season. The civil service is able to process up to two research requests in total per season - research requests authorized by the Senate, the advisor or the Minister of Historical Research all count against this limit. The results of the research are compiled by the civil service then presented to the advisor.
To use this power, the advisor provides an announcement to the Civil Service, who present the decision to the Imperial Senate. No voting is possible by the Senate at this point, as the power has been delegated to the advisor. The Imperial Synod may, however, choose to exercise their veto over the advisor's decision.
Right of Address
The Advisor on the Vallorn has the right to make an address to the Senate once per summit. This is intended to allow them to present important information for the Senators consideration. It is extremely impolite not to inform the Speaker's seat of your intention to use the Right of Address in advance of a session.
Declaration of Interdiction
Once per summit, the Advisor on the Vallorn can raise a Declaration of Interdiction to the agenda of a Conclave session without spending crystal mana. They follow all other rules and guidelines for submitting an article for the Conclave agenda (it must be in advance, with the assistance of a civil servant, and they are responsible for any presentation).
Custodian of the Great Library
The Advisor has custodianship of the Great Library of Hacynian in Hercynia. They are not automatically assumed to be involved in the day to day operation of the library but are assumed to direct those efforts. The custodian cannot take any action that would require a legal power to authorize, such as abrogating or ceding the commission (which are powers of the Imperial Senate).
Appointment
The Advisor on the Vallorn is appointed by unanimous decision of the Navarr senators. If a unanimous decision cannot be reached, the title may be appointed by the Imperial Senate instead.
The title can be held by a Navarr citizen. The advisor has tenure, and serves until they die or step down. They can be revoked by the General Assembly, the Navarr National Assembly, and by the Assembly of the Nine.
Publication
Notes presented to the Senate by Neb, a previous Advisor on the Vallorn, have been made available to anyone who is interested - File:Vallorn Notes.pdf.
The Advisor on the Vallorn has also commissioned a number of historical research projects. Details of these projects can be found here.
| Summit | Elected |
|---|---|
| Spring Equinox 384YE | Nathair Autumngale |
| Summer Solstice 382YE | Siân Eternal |
| Spring Equinox 380YE | Siân Eternal |
| Winter Solstice 378YE | Neb |
| Spring Equinox 378YE | Merel Pathfinder |
Recent Elections
This title is currently held by Nathair Autumngale. This title has tenure, the occupant may hold the title until it is revoked, they die or they relinquish the position. The table to the right shows the citizens who have been elected to hold this title in the years since Empress Britta died.
The Great Library of Hacynian
The Great Library of Hacynian is a folly constructed with small amounts of weirwood, white granite, and mithril, and incorporates parts of an older Terunael structure. It was built at Mourning Hollow, an old battlefield on the south-eastern borders of Summersend, in Hercynia.
The new building has been constructed as much as possible in the style of the old ruins, incorporating their original stone wherever possible. The structure is not especially large, but it is exceptionally beautiful, filled with shelves of scrolls and parchments written by students of Navarr history. It also incorporates a small shrine dedicated to the virtue of Wisdom. The shrine is lit by a single lightstone held by a wooden candlestick with swirling vines carved on its surface. The candlestick is another relic of the ancient temple. Carved by Jhessail Cedny, one of the founders of the nearby steading of Foxden, the candlestick apparently also sat in the original library before it was destroyed by the Vard.
In the central chamber sits a large weirwood table, the surface engraved with intricate swirling patterns and serving as a focus for blood magic of the vates who visit the library to study. In the middle of the table rests a battered cauldron, the Bowl of Phaleron, which once served as a covenstone for the magicians who tended the original library.
History
Mounring Hollow was for a very long time haunted by the unquiet spirits of dead Vard and Navarr warriors, apparently trapped there as the result of some forgotten curse or betrayal. Following a heroic expedition to the Hollow in Winter 379YE, there have been no further sightings of ghosts. The same expedition located the ruins of an old building, a so-called "Temple of Phaleron" dedicated to the eternal of the same name. Built in a peculiar regio that seemed to cycle alignment between Day and Night realms, there was evidence that the temple was once a large library built by the Terunael people of the city of Hacynian (from which the entire territory takes its name).
In Spring 381YE the Imperial Senate voted to restore the library there. Work on the new structure was quickly completed, shortly before the Summer Solstice 381YE, and the first librarians and archaeologists arrived within the week. Not much is known about the history of the original structure, although the interest of Phaleron is obvious. There is some evidence that at least one other eternal, perhaps Sung or the Whisper Gallery have an interest in the area as well. The eternals' influence presumably cycles along with the peculiar regio.
Terunael Lorekeeper
There was briefly an Imperial title - Terunael Lorekeeper - created to oversee the library but that role was effectively abrogated when the Senate passed a motion to amend the powers of the Advisor on the Vallorn granting them custodianship of the library. The Lorekeeper was expected to take on a specific oath: "I will protect the Library for as long as I can." The oath was apparently that sworn by a pre-Imperial Navarri vate whose spirit was kept captive in Mourning Hollow by the grim magic of a volodny. The tormented spirit was freed in 379YE when this oath was taken up by the heroic explorers visiting Mourning Hollow to deal with the dark curses found there.