The Unity Charter
The Unity Charter was written in the first year of the Freedom Age. It was largely composed by the druid Marcan, with input from King Ryntan, new Queen Jessamyn, and some experts on law and government. It is signed by Ryntan and Jessamyn, and has never been amended since its signing.
PREAMBLE
This island nation of Shadow Star, having risen from the realm of darkness and overthrown our cruel oppressors, do establish and ordain this Unity Charter for the purposes of ensuring protection against tyranny, create a stable and peaceful domestic structure, and act as an eternal bulwark against the forces of Chaos, that they may never again overtake our nation with their evil.
ARTICLE I
Section I. This nation of Shadow Star thusly established shall henceforth be governed in such a manner as laid out in this Charter. The highest rank of government shall consist of no more than one direct descendant of the royal bloodline, in conjunction with one or more persons who have gained the blessings of one of the four gods of the realms, in the form of a bondcreature bearing colors distinguieshed as royal markings, hereafter referred to as the Royal Council.
Section II. This Royal Council shall govern over this nation with the blessings of Irotana and the gods of the four realms. They are sworn to uphold the sovreignity of the nation, to support the protection of the gods' creatures, and to hold the gods as the highest authority.
Section III. Both the Royal Council and individual members of the Royal Council are alotted the following powers and responsibilities.
Clause 1. In times of war, or in sieges and battles, the Royal Council acting in agreement is given the ultimate command of battle troops and is responsible for overall war strategies.
Clause 2. The Royal Council acting in agreement shall act as the sole entity responsible for all treaties and negotiations with the realm of Chaos.
Clause 3. The Royal Council acting in agreement has the ability to pass laws brought to them by the Council of Guilds. They may also recommend laws to be written to the Council of Guilds.
Clause 4. The Royal Council acting in agreement or individually has the power to enforce passed laws through command of the Knights of their realm.
Clause 5. The Royal Council acting in agreement has the power to create and maintain a national budget, in conjunction with the Council of Guilds. The Royal Council has the sole power to approve any budget.
Clause 6. The Royal Council acting in agreement or individually has the power to pass executive orders with fixed dates of expiration, here called decrees.
A decree may be passed by any one individual member of the Royal Council if and only if it is enacted by the people of that particular realm and affects only the people of that realm, and that decree affects primarily less than two-thirds of the population. Otherwise such a decree must be approved by the full Royal Council.
Any decree can be terminated immediately by a three-quarters overrule of the Royal Council.
Clause 7. The Royal Council acting in agreement or individually may grant pardons to perpetrators of high crimes against the nation.
Clause 8. The Royal Council acting in agreement may impeach and then remove from office any Guildmaster who has been found guilty of a felony crime.
Clause 9. The Royal Council acting in unanimous agreement in conjunction with the unanimous approval of the Council of Guilds may enact amendments to the Charter.
Section IV. The following powers are forbidden to members of the Royal Council.
Clause 1. A royal member may not declare war or send troops to battle without the approval of the Royal Council.
Clause 2. A royal member may not raise taxes without the approval of the Royal Council.
Clause 3. A royal member may not negotiate or make treaties with Chaos without the approval of the Royal Council.
Clause 4. In the event that there is only one member of the Royal Council for any reason, the powers of the full Royal Council are forbidden to them, except in conjunction with the Council of Guilds.
ARTICLE II
Section I. In addition to the Royal Council, this Charter also reestablihes the Council of Guilds and grants them powers and responsibilities as outlined below.
Section II. The Council of Guilds shall be composed of several Guildmasters as detailed below.
Clause 1. The Council of Guilds shall be made up of one Guildmaster for each of the following Guilds: Artisans, Bards, Knights and Mages.
Exceptions may be granted as follows: The Healers may also send a Guildmaster to the Council if so allowed within the Mages' Guild Charter. The Druids, upon reaching a sufficient number for a quorum and forming a Charter, may also send a Guildmaster.
Clause 2. A Guild that does not have a Charter that is ratified by two-thirds of its masters may not be represented.
Clause 3. Guildmasters may be elected or chosen as outlined in their Guild Charters.
Clause 4. A Guildmaster may choose to send a delegate to represent their Guild in his or her place.
Section III. The Council of Guilds in agreement is granted the following powers and responsibilities.
Clause 1. The Council of Guilds may create and lay down in words laws to be passed by the Royal Council.
Clause 2. The individual Guilds are granted direct control over their spheres of influence as outlined by their Charters and shall be considered the deferrative authority within their sphere.
The spheres of influence for each Guild are as follows: Bards are to the written word and shared publications; Artisans are to craft and coining; Mages are to magic, and Knights are to domestic or peacetime use of force.
Knights are also granted the responsibility for judiciary power over criminals and review of laws.
Clause 3. The Council of Guilds and the Guilds themselves are immune to dissolution by the Royal Council or other forces short of a divine order.