Council of the Five

The Council of Five rules Aspalia.

Council Structure and Scope

The Council is composed of the Lord Wardens of the 3 major settlements (Dytika, Psarion and Gefyra), the Lord General and the Lord Merchant. The Council is responsible for foreign affairs and trade, nation building, the national legal system and national defence. Additionally each Lord of the Council has other responsibilities specific to their office.

The Lord Wardens are semi-hereditary roles, they stay within the family but are not necessarily inherited by the direct heir of the previous Lord Warden. A Lord Warden can be removed from office by a unanimous vote of the other four council members.

When a Lord Warden dies (or is removed from office) the other four Councilors choose a suitable replacement from the Wardens line (by majority vote). If the Lord Warden of Dytika is present, they get the casting vote in a 2:2 draw. If the Lord Warden of Dytika is the one being replaced, the Lord Warden of Gefyra gets the casting vote if required.

Should the lost Warden's entire line be dead, such that there is no candidate, tradition dictates that the city of the Warden holds a public ballot to elect the new Warden. Candidates in such an election require the backing of at least one of the remaining councilors, but councilors can support multiple candidates (This rule only exists so the elected candidate is not immediately deposed by unanimous vote of the council)

The Lord General serves at the pleasure of the other lords. The Lord General can be replaced by a majority vote of the council at any time. As a practical concern, the Lord General needs to command the respect of the Aspalian troops to be effective so he is generally selected from amongst the country's military commanders.

The Lord Merchant is elected annually in Zukoz by the Aspalian Merchants League, a trade body based in Dytika.

Current Sitting Members

Lord Warden of Dytika - Lord Ulrick Gadabadi III

Lord Warden of Psarion - Lord Astleberry Mulgogi

Lord Warden of Gefyra - Lord Kirn Ukuta XIII

Lord General - Lord Horatio Swaar

Lord Merchant - Lord Hebi Vyapari