I. The Lord Steward

The Steward serves as the chief authority of the Spire and the Seneschal of the Reach—entrusted not as a distant noble, but as a dedicated servant of the people. Their governance stems from stewardship, not supremacy, grounded in duty to the needs and well-being of those they represent.

Honorific

In ordinary speech and record, the office is referred to simply as the Steward (or Stewardess). In formal addresses of leadership, the full honorific of Lord Steward or Lady Steward may be used, or another according to the bearer’s preference.

Tenure and Accountability

• Holds office by the people’s trust, until voluntary retirement or lawful impeachment by due process.

• May be removed only if proven guilty of dereliction of duty or corruption, tried via the same process as all other government officials.

• Takes a self-inflicted Penance of the Gauntlet, a binding curse ensuring that if the Steward acts against the Spire’s interests, they suffer punishment for it. Upon infliction, the Penance is declared to all in the Spire.

Powers

• Appoint a cabinet of councilors to advise and govern in their domains.
• Call upon militia and guard deployments, in coordination with the Marshal and Constable, ensuring readiness and cohesion of response.
• Propose, amend, and enact laws, though such laws remain subject to council review and may be repealed or amended by majority vote.
• Intervene in the absence of a relevant councilor, if immediate resolution is required and delay would imperil the Spire. In such cases, the Steward’s action holds force only until the absent councilor or the council at large may review and ratify it. (See Section VI)
• Serve as arbiter of law, though must convene a tribunal with the relevant councilors for serious or specialized cases.

Voting Weight

The Steward’s vote counts as two in council proceedings, but it is expected to align with the councilor whose domain holds greatest relevance to the proposal. They possess the ability to veto, though this power may not be used lightly. The council may overturn the Steward’s veto if ⅗ of the council votes against it. The Steward cannot vote in the case of an overturn.

Core Duties (in plain terms)

The Steward is the figurehead of the Spire, charged with looking after its interests as a whole. They are expected to ensure the government does not fall into stagnation, and that no branch of it is left to wither or be forgotten as responsibilities pass from one hand to another. In essence, they safeguard the Spire’s continuity, unity, and direction—ensuring the people’s voice and welfare remain at the heart of governance.

II. The Circle of Advisors

Each councilor serves a distinct jurisdiction, advising and acting within their domain. Each councilor is granted a Signet of the Circle upon assuming their role, symbolizing lawful authority and commitment to the Spire. The signet is returned at the end of tenure; if a councilor dies in office, it is buried with them, bent and scored to mark the Breaking of the Ring.

Marshal

Oversees defense and offense of the Spire’s external affairs. Commands field armies and directs fortifications. Jurisdiction includes war declarations, defense strategy, and alliances in times of conflict.

Constable

Oversees the Fingers of the Gauntlet and ensures internal security. Commands city watch, criminal justice enforcement, and riot control. Jurisdiction includes crime, policing, and maintenance of order.

Magister

Oversees arcane and otherworldly affairs. Advises on magical threats, manages research into the arcane, and regulates the use of sorcery. Jurisdiction includes curses, magical anomalies, and the unseen.

Chancellor

Oversees diplomatic and foreign relations. Manages emissaries, negotiates treaties, and represents the Spire in diplomacy. Jurisdiction includes all external diplomatic efforts.

Exchequer

Oversees economy and resources of the Spire. Manages taxation, trade policy, and treasury. Jurisdiction includes affordability of proposals, foreign trade agreements, and management of wealth.

Tribune

Sits in all council deliberations, with full rights of speech and proposal, but holds no binding vote. They are, if in disagreement with the enactments of the council, able to assemble the Petitioners’ Forum as detailed in Section 10.

Future Expansion 

The Circle of Advisors may, by a vote of no less than three-fifths of its members, ratify the creation of additional ministerial seats to meet the needs of governance. Such seats may pertain to new domains—such as naval command, health and medicine, trade regulation, or other fields deemed vital to the welfare of the Spire and the Reach.

Any newly created seat shall carry equal rights and responsibilities as other councilors, unless otherwise specified in its founding decree. The appointment of the first officeholder shall follow the same process as outlined in Section VII (Councilor Appointment & Removal).

III. Shared Rights & Privileges of the Councilors

• Each councilor is entitled to a voice in debate and one vote in collective proposals.
• Councilors are entitled to transparency in matters that touch their jurisdiction. The Steward and other councilors must keep them informed so they may fulfill their duty.
• Councilors may only be removed via tribunal, if found guilty of dereliction of duty or corruption.
• Each councilor may appoint aides, deputies, or officials to assist in execution of their duties.
• In the event of a deputy, the council as a whole must vote upon their temporary tenure in the seat.
• Any councilor may call for debate on a matter in the council chamber.

IV. Council Procedures

Meetings

The Council must convene at least once per season for regular governance. Emergency sessions may be called at any time by councilors, so long as three of them support the motion to convene.

Quorum

No decision is binding unless at least four members are present. If quorum is not met, the meeting may still proceed for discussion, but no law, decree, or binding measure may be passed until proper attendance is achieved.

Deliberation & Voting

All motions must be introduced clearly and entered into the official record. Each councilor shall have one vote, except the Steward, whose vote carries the weight of two as outlined in Section I.

Record-Keeping

All proceedings, including proposals, debates, votes, and rationales, must be recorded in full. These records form the foundation of public transparency, as detailed in Section V.

V. Public Accountability

Transparency

Records maintained under Council Procedures must be preserved and made available for inspection by any citizen. Notice of new laws, decrees, treaties, and taxes shall be posted in the townhall and on public boards throughout the Spire.

Petition Rights

Any citizen may submit grievances, proposals, or questions to the council for hearing. Petitions must be acknowledged by the council for review. The council may adopt, amend, or dismiss petitions, but a written rationale must be provided for dismissal.

Public Assemblies

At least twice every [2 Months], the Steward and council must convene an open assembly wherein citizens may address them directly. These assemblies are to be recorded, with both grievances and responses entered into the public record.

Accountability in Conduct

Councilors and the Steward alike are expected to uphold the standards of their office. Any proven concealment of decrees, falsification of records, or refusal to acknowledge lawful petitions constitutes dereliction of duty and is subject to removal as outlined in Section VII.

VI. Checks on Power

Conflict of Interest

A councilor must recuse themselves from voting on matters of direct personal profit.

Emergency Powers

In times of immediate crisis, the Steward may act unilaterally for no more than five days, after which council ratification is required.

• Crises include war, invasion, riot, famine, plague, or any sudden threat that endangers the Spire or its people.
• Emergency decrees are temporary and lapse unless confirmed, amended, or rejected by the council once convened. The Steward may not enact permanent law or levy lasting taxes without ratification.

VII. Councilor Appointment & Removal

Appointment

Councilors are appointed by the Steward, who holds the sole right of appointment. However, the Steward may instead call for a public election to fill a vacant seat, particularly in times of unrest or when deemed appropriate to gauge public will.

Tenure

Councilors serve until resignation, removal, or death.

Removal

Any government official may be removed from office if found guilty of dereliction of duty, corruption, or treason, through either council-led or citizen-led initiative.

Paths to Accusation:

• Council-Initiated
  • Two sitting Councilors may submit a formal accusation.
  • The accusation must be publicly declared.
• Citizen-Initiated
  • The Petitioners’ Forum may bring forth an accusation with a majority vote.
  • Alternatively, any citizen or group of citizens may file a charge, so long as it is supported by the Petitioners’ Forum. 
  • Upon validation, this triggers a public vote to convene a tribunal.

Tribunal Process:

• A Tribunal Panel is formed of three members:
  • The Steward, unless they are the accused.
  • Two councilors, chosen by lot (excluding the accuser or accused).
• The panel must publicly review evidence and hold at least one open hearing.
• A majority vote of the panel determines guilt or innocence.

Upon conclusion, the People’s Tribune shall be notified of the verdict. The Tribune may, within ten days, call for civic review if evidence of bias, error, or undue secrecy arises. Should the Petitioners’ Forum vote by majority to contest the ruling, the council must reopen the inquiry or submit the matter to public referendum.

Outcome

• If guilty, the official is stripped of office and privileges, and barred from holding public position for no less than [4 Months] after. 
• A by-election or appointment must fill the seat within 30 days.
• If the Steward is removed, the Deputy Steward assumes interim authority until a new Steward is selected by the method outlined in Section 1.

Absence & Dereliction

If a councilor is absent from their duties without cause for a prolonged period, an inquiry may be initiated by the Steward or no fewer than two councilors. The inquiry shall investigate the councilor’s whereabouts and determine whether the absence is excusable (such as illness, injury, sanctioned travel, or other just cause) or negligent.

If the inquiry concludes that the councilor has abandoned their post, or if their whereabouts cannot be reasonably ascertained within fifteen days, the councilor shall be declared derelict in duty and formally removed from office. Their signet is to be recalled, and a by-election or appointment must be held within thirty days of removal to fill the vacant seat.

Should a councilor refuse to answer a formal summons to tribunal without just cause, they shall be deemed incapable of fulfilling their duty to the Spire, and removed from office on grounds of dereliction.

VIII. Judicial Process

Should one be accused or due for penance, they may declare the wish for a tribunal to pass judgment in matters of law and justice.

• The Steward, plus two councilors chosen depending on the matter at hand.
  • Military matters → Steward + Marshal + Chancellor.
  • Magical disputes → Steward + Magister + Exchequer (or Constable if criminal).
  • Diplomatic disputes → Steward + Chancellor + Exchequer.
  • Civic/cultural disputes → Steward + Constable + Chancellor (or Exchequer if financial).
• The tribunal passes binding judgment by majority vote.

IX. Stewardal Succession

In the event of the Steward’s death, absence, or permanent incapacity, the council must select from among their own number a Deputy Steward to assume interim authority. This Deputy shall hold all powers of the office until a successor is chosen.

Succession Process

• Within 30 days of the Steward’s confirmed death, a public election must be held to determine the next Steward.
• All current councilors are automatically entered as eligible candidates on the ballot.
• With the nomination of four other citizens, a citizen may be entered into the ballot as an eligible candidate. 
• Citizens of the Spire shall cast their votes in a general election.
• The candidate who receives a simple majority of the popular vote shall be instated as the new Steward.
• If no candidate receives a majority in the first vote, the top two candidates will enter a runoff election within one week.

Until the election concludes, the Deputy Steward shall act with full authority but may not pass permanent laws or enact lasting decrees.

X. The People’s Tribune

To preserve a civic check on authority and safeguard democratic voice within the governance of the Spire, the People’s Tribune is elected from among the Petitioners’ Forum to act as the people’s advocate and representative in matters of law and policy.

Election

• Elected by citizens of the Spire every two months.
• Candidates must be members of the Forum.
• No individual may serve as Tribune for more than three consecutive terms.

Powers & Responsibilities

• Oversight of Council Decrees:
  When a law, policy, or decree is passed by the council, the Tribune may, within ten days of its public notice, call for a Vote of Repeal or Amendment among the Petitioners’ Forum. This authority extends to all council resolutions, including the outcomes of impeachment or removal proceedings.
  
• Vote of Repeal or Amendment:
  The Tribune must present the full contents of the debated decision and the rationale for contestation. If a simple majority of present Forum members vote to oppose the council’s decree, one of the following occurs: 
  • The council must amend the decision in accordance with the Forum's recommended changes and resubmit it. 
  • Or, the council may hold a public assembly vote. If the general populace votes by majority to overturn the policy, it is revoked.
  • The Tribune must present the full contents of the law and rationale for contestation.
  • If the council attempts to override the Forum’s repeal with a unanimous vote, the matter is automatically placed before the general citizenry in a binding referendum. A simple majority of the voting populace determines the final outcome.
• Proposal Authority:
  The Tribune may submit a policy proposal or amendment on behalf of the Petitioners’ Forum for council review. This proposal must be formally acknowledged and discussed at the next council session.
• Public Advocacy:
  The Tribune shall gather, compile, and voice the petitions and grievances of the citizenry. While they may attend council meetings as an observer, they do not hold a formal seat or vote in its proceedings.

Limitations

• The Tribune holds no power to command military, guard, or treasury forces.
• May not intervene in emergency decrees or wartime declarations.
• Their proposals carry no force of law unless passed through council or citizen referendum.

XI. Amendment of the Charter

The Charter is not a static decree but a living covenant. Its purpose is to serve the people of the Spire, and as the region grows, so too must its laws. The Steward may propose amendments to this Charter, but never in a manner that strips away the rights or powers of the citizenry.

Any major addition or alteration—particularly those affecting the structure of governance, the rights of the people, or the powers of the council—must be ratified by a simple majority of the council before it may take effect.

This principle reflects a simple truth: the capacity of mortalkind is its growth and change, and to forbid such change is to deny what it means to be human. In preserving this Charter as both foundation and evolving instrument, we ensure that the Spire remains governed not by stagnant stone, but by the living will of its people.

By the will and decree of the Circle of Four, on this 16th day of Falltide of 1641, we do appoint Meriel Gwyneth, Daughter of House Noctis, as the first Lady Steward of the Spire. Under her charge, the Seneschalty of the Southern Reach shall be established—crafted not for dominion, but to strengthen and empower the very people it is sworn to serve.

To safeguard against disquiet, it is further decreed:

• Upon Harrowing 17 [November 24], a referendum shall be called via official ballot cast by the citizenry, to determine the course ahead: whether to keep this Seneschalty as the enduring form of governance, or to revert to the old foundation of the Circle of Four.

Signed and Ratified by,

Councilwoman, Lady Penelope F. Periwinkle
Councilwoman, Lady Eithna Primriver
Councilor, Ser Adrian Pandion
Councilwoman, Lady Yuna Moontusk of Clan Moon
Captain, Umeneri Helara, Princess Yuelian of the Bordered Red Banner of Uul’san
Head Envoy, Ser Gallavan Aster of Asterhold
Lady Meriel Gwyneth of House Noctis

Amendments, as of Falltide 17 of 1641

In ordinary speech and record, the office is referred to simply as the Steward (or Stewardess). In formal addresses of leadership, the full honorific of Lord Steward or Lady Steward may be used, or another according to the bearer’s preference. (Section I)

Takes a self-inflicted Penance of the Gauntlet, a binding curse ensuring that if the Steward acts against the Spire’s interests, they suffer punishment for it. Upon infliction, the Penance is declared to all in the Spire. (Section I)

Oversight of Council Decrees:
When a law, policy, or decree is passed by the council, the Tribune may, within ten days of its public notice, call for a Vote of Repeal or Amendment among the Petitioners’ Forum. This extends to the appointment of a new councilor or a tribunal ruling. (Section X)

Vote of Repeal or Amendment:
The Tribune must present the full contents of the debated decision and the rationale for contestation. If a simple majority of present Forum members vote to oppose the council’s decree, one of the following occurs:

• The council must amend the decision in accordance with the Forum's recommended changes and resubmit it.
• Or, the council may hold a public assembly vote. If the general populace votes by majority to overturn the policy, it is revoked.
• If the council attempts to override the Forum’s repeal with a unanimous vote, the matter is automatically placed before the general citizenry in a binding referendum. A simple majority of the voting populace determines the final outcome.

(Section X)

With the nomination of four others, a citizen may be entered into the ballot as an eligible candidate. (Section IX)

XI. Amendment of the Charter

The Charter is not a static decree but a living covenant. Its purpose is to serve the people of the Spire, and as the region grows, so too must its laws. The Steward may propose amendments to this Charter, but never in a manner that strips away the rights or powers of the citizenry.

Any major addition or alteration—particularly those affecting the structure of governance, the rights of the people, or the powers of the council—must be ratified by a simple majority of the council before it may take effect.

This principle reflects a simple truth: the capacity of mortalkind is its growth and change, and to forbid such change is to deny what it means to be human. In preserving this Charter as both foundation and evolving instrument, we ensure that the Spire remains governed not by stagnant stone, but by the living will of its people.

Amendments, as of Harrowing 3 of 1641

Oversight of Council Decrees:
Amended to:
When a law, policy, or decree is passed by the council, the Tribune may, within ten days of its public notice, call for a Vote of Repeal or Amendment among the Petitioners’ Forum. This authority extends to all council resolutions, including the outcomes of impeachment or removal proceedings.

Added to the end of Tribunal Process:
Upon conclusion, the People’s Tribune shall be notified of the verdict. The Tribune may, within ten days, call for civic review if evidence of bias, error, or undue secrecy arises. Should the Petitioners’ Forum vote by majority to contest the ruling, the council must reopen the inquiry or submit the matter to public referendum.

VIII. Judicial Process
Amended to:
Should any citizen or official stand accused or be called to penance, they may petition for a tribunal to render judgment in matters of law and justice. The tribunal's ruling may still prescribe penance under the Gauntlet, as deemed fitting to the gravity of the offense.

Clarification:  These points were always part of the Charter’s design, though not clearly outlined before. The amendments are meant to clarify and make its principles easier for all citizens to understand.