Overview
Carthmoor is a feudal hereditary monarchy with elective dynastic succession.
The reigning King or Queen possesses broad executive authority, but Carthmoor is not governed by the Crown alone. Great Houses exercise substantial hereditary authority within their own lands, while the Small Council administers the machinery of royal government.
Effective rule therefore depends upon a balance between royal authority, regional power, and institutions whose influence extends beyond any individual monarch.
The Sapphire Throne
House Jordayne has ruled Carthmoor since Maedar's Conquest in 0 AC.
The Crown passes within the Jordayne dynasty, but not automatically from parent to eldest child. Eligible royal heirs are considered by the High Council following the death of a sovereign.
Birth order carries considerable weight, but does not determine succession.
The ruling sovereign may openly favor or recommend a particular heir, and such a preference carries significant political influence. It does not bind the High Council.
Royal Heirs and Legitimacy
Marriage is not the sole basis of dynastic legitimacy in Carthmoor.
A recognized child of the sovereign born to a member of another noble House may be accepted as a legitimate royal heir even when the parents were not married.
Thus, several members of House Jordayne may possess valid claims simultaneously. None has an absolute right to inherit until chosen by the High Council.
The individual widely expected to succeed may be called the presumptive heir, but the designation reflects expectation rather than legal certainty.
The Regent
A Regent exercises the authority of the Crown when no reigning sovereign is able to do so.
A regency is temporary and does not itself confer a claim to the Sapphire Throne.
Queen Maessa Jordayne presently serves as Queen Regent following the death of Jorrel II. Her executive authority will end when the High Council's chosen sovereign assumes the throne.
The Small Council
The Small Council is the Crown's permanent governing body. Its members advise the sovereign, administer their respective offices, and oversee the daily operation of royal government.
Advisers served Carthmoor monarchs from the kingdom's earliest years, but King Jorrel I formalized the Small Council as a permanent institution approximately 250 years ago.
The Council traditionally consists of seven senior officers.
Lord High Chancellor
- Full Title: Lord High Chancellor of Carthmoor
- Additional Style: First Minister of State
- Council Title: Lord Chancellor of the Small Council
- Common Usage: Lord Chancellor; the Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor is the Crown's chief minister and principal political officer.
Second only to the sovereign in the daily administration of the kingdom, the Chancellor coordinates the Small Council and ensures that royal decisions are carried out throughout Carthmoor.
When authorized by the Crown, the Chancellor may summon officials, issue directives, and speak in the sovereign's name.
The Lord High Chancellor presides over the Small Council when the sovereign is absent but does not thereby become Regent. A regency is a separate office.
Upon the death of a sovereign, the Chancellor also summons and presides over the High Council and oversees continuity of government until the succession is resolved.
Chancellor of the Treasury
The Chancellor of the Treasury oversees Crown revenues, taxation, expenditures, royal debts, and administration of the treasury.
Chancellor of Laws
The Chancellor of Laws oversees the administration of royal law and advises the Crown on decrees, courts, jurisdiction, and other legal matters. Local justice remains largely in the hands of authorities possessing jurisdiction over their own lands, subject to royal law.
Chancellor of the Admiralty
The Chancellor of the Admiralty oversees the Crown's naval affairs, including royal fleets, maritime defense, and naval readiness. The office also coordinates naval forces supplied by the Marches when called into royal service.
Chancellor of Whispers
The Chancellor of Whispers oversees the Crown's intelligence network and advises the sovereign on espionage, counterintelligence, foreign agents, political threats, and information vital to the security of the realm. The office traditionally operates with considerable discretion.
Grand Magister
The Grand Magister represents the Order of Magisters before the Crown and advises the sovereign and Small Council on scholarly, arcane, historical, medical, and other specialized matters. Unlike the Chancellors, the Grand Magister represents an institution whose authority and traditions exist independently of the Crown.
Lord High Commander of the Royal Guard
The Lord High Commander leads the Royal Guard and bears primary responsibility for the personal security of the sovereign and immediate royal household.
The Royal Guard is broken into two units: The Kingsguard and the Queensguard. They all wear white cloaks, but the badges they wear distinguish which guard they belong to. The Kingsguard wears the sigil of Royal House Jordayne while the Queensguard wears a sigil that consists of the Queen’s House and the Royal House Sigils entwined.
The High Council
The High Council is a temporary body convened following the death of a reigning sovereign for the sole purpose of determining the succession.
Its membership is established by law and tradition rather than selected by the Lord High Chancellor.
The Lord High Chancellor summons and presides over the Council but does not ordinarily vote.
Its voting members are drawn from Carthmoor's Great Houses and other principal institutions according to the laws governing succession. Neither the Regent nor a candidate under consideration for the Sapphire Throne may vote upon the succession.
The Council considers the eligible members of House Jordayne and selects the candidate it judges best suited to rule.
The Council must choose a Jordayne.
If the voting members are evenly divided, the Lord High Chancellor casts the deciding vote.
Once the new sovereign assumes the Sapphire Throne, the High Council dissolves.