Upon each notice board and around the town hall building, several parchments with bright labels upon them say:
This is a transcription of the townhall meeting having taken place this night. This is to recount and explain the generalized goings ons of the meetings. Be advised, direct quotations have been drastically reduced to save on ink.
- Ser Adrian announces coming changes to government. The changes being to shift from the Council of Four model to that would act under a Seneschal.
- The appointed Steward: Meriel Gwyneth, Daughter of house Noctis.
- Meriel Noctis steps to the stage. Speaking to the people reassurances that the leadership is on a united front.
- Meriel, Helara, Gallavan, Adrian, Yuna, and Eithna sign a parchment ratifying the counsel’s decision on the change of government.
- Gallavan was appointed Constable.
- Helara was appointed Marshal
- Meriel announces the rest of the seats on the counsel will be elected.
- Anonymous: “Will we cast votes, or will you pick?”
- Meriel: “Votes will be cast, aye.” “I shan’t go against the voice of the people, in who they desire to forge the new government’s path.” “The result will be entrusted to the town clerk, Anya.”
- Anonymous: “Why is it called ‘of the Southern Reach’ when its merely the town’s government?” “We don’t have the right to represent the Walljacks of the Upper Reach or the Stonerunners in the east. They are not here. Nor are they represented.”
- In short: Why do we call ourself Southern Reach when we aren’t the whole reach?
- Meriel: “nay thou’rt correct. But the name of the Reach is not meant as conquest, but as charge. Our governance must not serve only its stones and streets, but the valleys and plains around us.”
- In short: The town serves the surrounding lands, not the other way around.
- Anonymous: “Does that then mean from the day of this decree forward that the law that governs the Spire Governs the Reach in its entirety? Or should we expect different law charters for the town and for the regions.”
- In short: Does the law go outside the town? Is there laws for outside the Reach?
- Meriel: “The law of the Spire shall remaineth the root. Yet law doth not grow the same in every soil. What binds folk within these walls, mayeth not suit the shepherd of the uplands, nor the fisher along the shoals.” “It will be an endeavor to unify the reach.”
- In short: Law remains within town, but will seek to accommodate those who function outside it.
- Anonymous Interjector: “Sir Ingram had promised me that it would be different. That knights can serve whoever they swear to. That their virtue can be pure. That I needn’t be my father.”
- Notetaker’s Note: What?
- Meriel: “It will be an endeavor to unify the Reach, befitting each part of it.”
- Anonymous: “Soooo. What’s to stop this becoming like, really messed up? Think of it like this, if you would oh gracious ruler. Nothing’s in your way anymore. What power do the people have?”
- In Short: A concern of absolute power without checks and balances.
- Notetaker’s Note: This was very long winded. Most of the quote has been appended.
- Meriel: “The reform shall be published for all to see. However to answer it presently.” - “Mine own hand is not unshackled. The council serves not beneath, but beside - each entrusted with power to their domains. Should I reach too far, they mayest overturn me.”
- In Short: There are methods for the Steward to be impeached or deposed. There will be details publicized on how this will work.
- Meriel: “In a months and a half’s time, it is fully able to be called to vote and reversed back to the former Circle of Four.
- Gallavan: “The charter covers succession” - “Section nine to be exact.”
- Meriel: “Yes, in Section Nine - a public election is held to determine the next Steward. All entered councilors are automatically entered into the ballot-”
- Anonymous Babler: “I see no time of which it had to take before a new emergency is declared.” On to something about not having elected Meriel.
- Notetaker’s Note: I am NOT recording all that.
- In Short: What are the limitations of terms? Minimum? Maximum? Will we address not having elected you?
- Meriel: “To declare one emergency after another would be an abuse, and in such a case the charter gives easy grounds for impeachment.” “As for mine station, I was chosen not by whim but by the unanimous voice of the council. I have served upon two of the three last cycles as Councilor. And the Tribune, though without a vote, bears power none of us hold.”
- In Short: Abusing the system to rotate powers quickly can be overruled and relevant impeachments can take place to root this corruption, voted by the people. Meriel’s position was chosen by the council, and given credence to an extensive record of servitude. Petitioner’s forum may repeal anything the council decides on.
- Anonymous Babler: “yes but in a true emergency, where the council and the Steward are at odd ambiguity begets chaos, you cannot define these emergency powers with the mindset of a council and steward in aligning ideals. I feel there are quite a few edge cases I can read in this document alone. As for this petitioners forum, I do not see how people are selected to partake in that whatsoever. Will there be a full separate document on such? Another thing I notice is the councilors don’t have to be elected, but can just be chosen by you, and if thats the case, why not pick a bunch of councilors who only agree with you and ignore the people in general?”
- Notetaker’s note: I am charging this individual for my ink.”
- In Short: Worries of the council being at odds with one another. Confusion about the petitioner’s forum. Worry of corruption and ingoring the peoples.
- Meriel: “Edge calls are inevitable, they exist in all things, and no charter shall ever account for each. We should have endless verbiage. But that is why it is built with check, the Steward cannot act without review, nor without the council’s review.” “Even in discord, it is better to have swift action bound by later scrutiny than to lose all hesitation.” “The petitioner’s forum is no closed circle.”
- In Short: The Steward cannot act without checks and balances from other parts of the government. Edge cases are bound to happen and will be addressed by council and people alike. Petitioner’s forum is a public position.
- Anonymous: “So you said that like, the councilor people would automatically be in the running for the Steward thing. But uh, would other people also be… Running?”
- In Short: Concerns of exclusion from a new Steward vote.
- Meriel: “It is intended.”
- Notetaker’s Note: Implying that it is intended for both council members and townsfolk to be apart of the ballot.
- Anonymous: “How might that work?”
- Meriel: “I shall, alike how I did previously for the Circle of Four - detail how elections will be changing. Especially now that it shan’t default of top four ranked choices.”
- In Short: It will be as a normal election, but not rely on ‘four most popular’.
- Anonymous Babler: “What positions are up for election? What timeframe can we expect campaigns and voting to start?”
- Notetaker’s note: This was severely shorthanded
- Meriel: “The previous cycle was due to end in two days time, and then be up for campaigning for the next week.” “I will permit people the time to gather their thoughts, and also sign up their organizations for the Petitioners’ Forum.” “Following the week of campaigning, it will go to voting for a day or two - then the seats confirmed. This shall be done by the Town Clerk Anya as it has in the past, as to ensure no concern of deceit.”
- In short: In light of a new voting cycle, an election for the new positions will be put up next week to allow organizations to form and join the Petitioner’s Forum. After campaigning there will be two days of voting.
- Anonymous: “You say there are checks in place, and that the council cannot stand when it ignores those governs, but what of the monarch? Queens? Kings? Dukes? Jarls? They often ignore those they govern. The only thing keeping them in power is they hold the monopoly of violence in their realms.” “What is to prevent a council from ignoring the populous and simply subduing the Spire by thread of death?”
- In short: What stops tyranny?
- Meriel: “Monarchs cling to power by keeping arms in their own hands alone. But that is not the Spire’s way. This charter was wrought to ensure the arms defend the Spire, not subdue it.”
- In short: By basis of the beliefs of the Spire, tyranny would be hardpressed to be let pass.
- Meriel: “That is, to say, this reform is not set in stone forevermore. There is room for growth and change.”
- Anonymous Babler: “Is it four or six of the positions that are up for the election?”
- Meriel: “Tribune, Exchequer, Chancellor, and Magister.”
- Anonymous: “Will the Marshal hold both the position of Marshal and Militia Captain, or will the Militia be reformed much like the council.”
- Helara: “Seeing as Captain is no longer the highest authority, I will likely elect to appoint more to the position to diffuse responsibility.” “That is to say, it will likely change as well.” “Just have to work out the logistics of it once the other bureaucratic matters are attended to.”
- In short: New captain will be instated as well as a reform of the militia.
End of transcription
Town Hall minutes have been dutifully recorded by yours truly Doctor Gaetoile Audibert d'Claire.
