In the name of Elwynn the White Orchid Lady, who looks upon her hapless followers with maternal love and pity, who views all their feuds and fighting just like quarrels among children, and who longs for her family to be reunited once again under the rule of the Duke of Elwynn and her child on Micras Balarak Alaion, his heirs and successors; and in the names of all the gods and goddess and godlings of Eluin and Sxiro, of Mors the stern and terrible, of Zurvan full of fire, of Truth and Beauty cold and clear and of Odin the one-eyed and all-seeing. In the name of all these gods and goddesses and all those we have yet to name, We the assembled people of of Elwynn, Flower of the North, Jewel of Many Facets, Land Between The Rivers; we the proud marchwardens of Sxiro, Ancient of Days, Mother of Empires, Seat of Death; we bind ourselves and our lands by this the High Law of Elwynn.
ARTICLE ONE: THE CAPITAL
Eliria is the capital of Elwynn. Because Eliria is in rebellion against the Golden Mango Throne, Dragonskeep is the temporary capital of Elwynn.
ARTICLE TWO: THE DUKE
In Dragonskeep shall reside the Duke of Elwynn, and his titles shall be His Grace the Duke of Elwynn, Lord of the Two Rivers and the Six Peoples, Warden of the North, Unifier of the Duchy, Sequestrer of Disharmony, Shahanshah of the Western Babkhi, Manifestation of the Thousand Year Hate.
The symbols of his office shall be three: the Orchid Coronet, the Antler Scepter, and the Carapace Torc.
The Duke may rule by decree, subject only to those restrictions placed upon him by this Code and by the Elwmoot.
ARTICLE THREE: THE COUNTS AND MARCHES
There will be three non-hereditary Counts of Elwynn: the Sheikh of the Babki of al-Ribat Eluinshahr; the High Priest of Joy in Hyperborea, and the Prince of the Eastern Elw. The Duke of Elwynn may create new non-hereditary Countships, or elevate citizens of noble heart and worthy deeds to the status of hereditary Count.
The three non-hereditary Counts of Elwynn shall rule over their peoples within Elwynn and shall be responsible for them wherever they reside. The Counts of Elwynn will be granted lands at the pleasure of the Duke. The Counts of Elwynn owe their loyalty and fealty to the Duke and shall be subject to his decrees.
The Counts of Elwynn have the right to create orders of chivalry and merit within their lands in order to administer them. Those appointed to these orders of chivalry and merit shall be referred to collectively as the Knights of Elwynn.
ARTICLE FOUR: THE COUNCIL OF ELIRIA AND THE ELWMOOT
When required by the Duke of Elwynn, he and the Counts of Elwynn will assemble in the Council of Eliria, established in the days of Duke Harald of the One Track Mind. For the duration of the crisis the Council will meet at Dragonskeep.
The Council will advise the Duke on matters he has called for their advice on. The Council of Eliria will have total competency in amending the High Law of Elwynn as well as deciding on policy to the rebellious provinces.
The Elwmoot shall comprise of all the Counts of Elwynn and the Knights of Elwynn. It will have legislative competency across the entirety of Elwynn subject to Ducal veto. The Duke of Elwynn shall have no vote or right to speak in the Elwmoot.
ARTICLE FIVE: PRIVILEGES OF THE DUKE
The Duke of Elwynn has the privilege of ruling by decree, subject only to the Imperial Law of Shirekeep.
The Duke of Elwynn has the privilege of, when convenient, summoning the Council of Eliria and consulting it on matters of interest to him.
The Duke shall be supreme arbiter of all non-martial disputes in Elwynn.
The Duke of Elwynn has the privilege to appoint zir own heir. Should a Duke of Elwynn ever die or abdicate without having chosen an heir, the Elwmoot may choose a new Duke by a 66% supermajority. If the Elwmoot cannot agree on a Duke after twenty years, the matter will be considered by the Dukes of Shireroth and the Kaiser and their choice shall be final.
The Duke of Elwynn has the privilege to expect active and responsible subordinates. Should a Lesser Noble vanish without warning, the Duke may spend two generations (sixty years) trying to find a suitable heir of zir line to take over zir position. Should no heir arise within sixty years, the Duke may declare that noble legally dead and do as ze wishes with zir lands and titles.
ARTICLE SIX: PRIVILEGES OF THE NOBILITY
All nobles have the privilege to enjoy the fruits of their own good governance, or suffer the consequences of their own malfeasance, in their own County. The Duke of Elwynn may grant or revoke authority over Marches at will, but ze may not unseat a Count from zir own County without the consent of the Elwmoot.
All nobles have the privilege of serving under a Duke whom they respect. Any noble who loses confidence in the Duke of Elwynn may propose a vote for that Duke's removal, which passes upon approval of all the Counts of Elwynn and a majority in the Elwmoot. The right to rebel in arms is sacrosanct and shall be conducted through ReGreSS.
All nobles have the privilege of serving an active and responsive Duke. Should a Duke of Elwynn ever vanish, the Duchy will wait twenty years in hope of zir safe return. After twenty years, the Duke will be declared legally dead and a replacement will be sought. The Duke will not be reinstated if ze returns after this time.
ARTICLE SEVEN: PRIVILEGES OF THE COMMONERS
All commoners have the privilege of freedom of movement within and without Elwynn. This means that those who wish to emigrate to a different county or Duchy may do so without interference except where prohibited by Imperial Law. Emigration to lands in rebellion against the Mango Throne and Ducal authority shall be subject to controls.
All commoners have the privilege to practice the non-infernal religion of their choice. Infernal religions, defined as those which actively aid and abet the demons of Balgurd, or which engage in metaphysically disruptive activities that threaten the integrity of dimensional boundaries ("high magic") are strictly prohibited under penalty of extradition to the hands of the Piscatores.
All commoners have the privilege of freedom from slavery and involuntary servitude. Any slave who enters the Duchy is immediately free by Duchy law, and any escaped slave who reaches the Duchy will be protected and resettled within.
All commoners have the privilege to live under an enlightened aristocracy, free from crooked politicians and mob rule.
All commoners have the privilege of swift, efficient, and impartial justice.
All commoners have the privilege to be considered for promotion to the nobility if they show exceptional valor, intelligence, dedication, or other suitably noble qualities.
All commoners have the right to free medical treatment provided for by their Count.
All commoners have the right to be educated at the expense of the Duke.
ARTICLE EIGHT: POLICY TOWARD REBELS
All Elw have both the sacred duty to strive towards a strong and loyal Elwynn united under the Crown that first raised it from barbarism millennia ago, and the sacred duty to treat other Elw peacefully and compassionately. Determining the proper balance between these two duties is left as an exercise for the reader.
ARTICLE NINE: RELATIONSHIP WITH SHIREKEEP
Elwynn is a loyal Duchy of His Niftiness the Kaiser of Shireroth.
If in extreme circumstances, Elwynn ever needs to consider secession from the Imperial Republic, either to become independent or to join a foreign power, the Council of Eliria shall have the final say.
No person of citizenship other than Shireroth shall exercise any executive, legislative or judicial competency in Elwynn.
Elwynn retains the right to refuse to have troops of other Duchies and states of Micras stationed within its sacred territory.
Raikoth retains special permission to secede from the Imperial Republic as accorded it in the treaty between Kaiser Raynor X and Prince-Elder Sethi Kalirion in the seventeenth century ASC, but shall consult with the Duke and the Elwmoot before exercising this privilege.
ARTICLE TEN: SYMBOLS OF THE DUCHY
The shield of Elwynn shall be a snowcapped range of mountains with a river issuing from the center, with an orchid blooming above, like so.
The animal of Elwynn shall be the Polar Bear, the bird the Swan, and the tree the Silver Birch.
The flag of Elwynn shall be three horizontal bands of white (top), blue (double width), and white with a white orchid in the center.
High Law of Elwynn
Moderator: (Elwynn) Prince of Elwynn
High Law of Elwynn
BE IT DECREED by the Council of Eliria, the counsellors of the Duke of Elwynn and the Duke of Elwynn himself, that the following has been made law and now constitutes the High Law of Elwynn.
Lord Montague
Balarak Alaiaon, Duke of Elwynn, Unifier of the Severed Duchy, Sequestrer of Disharmony
Also operating as Jean Carmichael, Duke of Evreaux, Speaker of the Imperial Assembly.
Oh and Eli Naveh too, Chief of the Ashkenatzan Naval Staff.
In Battle; Unbeatable. In Victory; Unbearable.
Balarak Alaiaon, Duke of Elwynn, Unifier of the Severed Duchy, Sequestrer of Disharmony
Also operating as Jean Carmichael, Duke of Evreaux, Speaker of the Imperial Assembly.
Oh and Eli Naveh too, Chief of the Ashkenatzan Naval Staff.
In Battle; Unbeatable. In Victory; Unbearable.