CHARTER OF THE TRIUMVIRATE OF VARGO

By the will of Emperor Alexius, Lord of the Phoenix Throne, Heir and Sword of Vladimir, Vassal of Zebulon, Seer of the Realm, Light Against the Dark, Steward of Human Destiny and Mentor to All Sentients, in order to enforce the laws of the Imperial realm on Vargo, and there to establish justice and fair treatment for all, to provide for the defense of His Majesty’s subjects, to promote their health and welfare, and to secure the blessings of the Pancreator’s Grace for all who abide in the Light of the Celestial Sun, this Charter for the Triumvirate is hereby ordained and established.

ARTICLE I:
Section 1. The planet Vargo, an autonomous territory within the Empire of the Phoenix Throne, shall henceforth be governed by a triumvirate of powers, in which are vested the interests of those who, as Voluntary Martyrs, sacrifice themselves for the sake of the many souls gathered under their care within the Pancreator's Design.

Section 2. The security of Vargo and the integrity of Imperial law on that world shall be placed in the hands of a Noble Triumvir, henceforth to be known as the Protector of Vargo, invested with full authority to act in the Emperor's name, and elevated from among the ranks of the nobility in accordance with the will of the peerage of the realm upon Vargo.

Section 3. The spiritual welfare of the flock upon Vargo and the integrity of ecclesiastic law upon that world shall be tended by the Church Triumvir, henceforth to be known as the Primate of Vargo, invested with full authority to act in the name of the Patriarch, and anointed from the body of the clergy in accordance with the will of the Synod of Vargo.

Section 4. Economic policy and the preservation or lore essential to the welfare of Vargo and her people shall be overseen by the League Triumvir, henceforth to be known as the Chancellor of Vargo, invested with full authority to act in the name of the Leaguemeister, and selected from among the leading guild members in accordance with the interests of the Merchant League.

Section 5. Membership in the Triumvirate signifies a commitment to the just and stable rulership of Vargo, as demonstrated by a willingness to provide resources for the common defense, each according to their ability, and to abide by the laws and rulings of the Triumvirate as they pertain to matters of interest to all inhabitants of Vargo.

Section 6. No provision of this Charter is to be construed as a limitation upon the sovereignty of any House over its own territory, nor as an infringement upon the jurisdiction of the Universal Church over matters of doctrine or ecclesiastic law, nor as a challenge to the patents and exclusives exercised by the Guilds of the Merchant League.

ARTICLE II:
Section 1. The Protector of Vargo, charged with the task of safeguarding the planet's security and peace against the wicked designs of enemies both within and without, shall serve as Commander in Chief of the Triumvirate's military forces, overseer of the world’s lands, first defender of her people, and champion of justice.

Section 2. The Protector of Vargo shall appoint worthy individuals to hold public office, empowered to enforce the laws of the realm, to serve as magistrates of said law for the justice of all, and to wage just war against the enemies of the Triumvirate and of the Empire of which it is a sovereign component.

Section 3. In order to safeguard the lives and homes of Vargo's people, the Protector of Vargo shall raise armed forces, capable of fighting on the land and the sea, in the air, and in the vast dark of the void, and shall be empowered to declare a state of war, and to rally the subjects of the Triumvirate in said endeavour.

Section 4. In order to promote the prosperity of Vargo’s people, the Protector of Vargo shall regulate the distribution and fair use of planetary lands, in accordance with the protocols and policies advanced by the Chancellery, and shall allocate funds for the construction and maintenance of public works of benefit to all.

Section 5. The Protector of Vargo shall serve a term of six months, and shall be elevated from the ranks of the nobility by a simple majority vote of the Noble Keyholders, nobles who possess Electoral Keys bestowed by the Emperor upon worthy individuals from among the Houses that have land holdings on the planet Vargo.

Section 6. Noble fiefholders on Vargo shall constitute from among their ranks an assembly, henceforth to be known as the Council of Peers, to assist in the wise governance of the vassals under their care as voluntary martyrs and shepherds of the Pancreator’s flock, and to settle such disputes as may arise among the nobility on the planet.

Section 7. The Council of Peers shall have the power to confirm all military and judicial appointments nominated by the Protector, to investigate matters of concern to the nobility, and to remove a Protector from office in the event of malfeasance, the latter requiring a two-thirds majority vote of the Peerage.

Section 8. A noble Keyholder shall have the power to veto any action undertaken by the Council of Peers or the Protector, except to impede his own removal from office as Protector, although said veto may be overturned if two-thirds of the Peerage concur, unless two or more Keyholders have invoked their veto privilege in concert.

ARTICLE III:
Section 1. The Primate of Vargo, charged with the precious burden of safeguarding the souls of Vargo's flock, shall serve as the Triumvirate's moral and spiritual shepherd, liaison to the Universal Church of the Celestial Sun, political advisor to the Synod of Vargo, and custodian of Church Law on the planet.

Section 2. The Primate of Vargo shall assign worthy individuals to serve as shepherds of the flock, to heal those who are ill or infirm, to provide counsel to those in need of spiritual comfort, and to serve as guardians of public morality, in accord with the doctrines of the Universal Church of the Celestial Sun.

Section 3. In order to safeguard the souls of Vargo's people, the Primate of Vargo shall rally the militant sects of the Church against incursions of Darkness that threaten the planet, and shall direct the Holy Inquisition to investigate heresies and other moral crimes that endanger the spiritual purity of the flock.

Section 4. In order to provide for the welfare of Vargo’s people, the Primate of Vargo shall oversee the construction of hospices, clinics, and churches, and the training of clergy sufficient to tend to their needs, both spiritual and physical, regulating the collection of tithes from the flock to fund such public works.

Section 5. The Primate of Vargo shall serve a term of one year, and shall be anointed from the ranks of the priesthood by a simple majority vote of the Church Keyholders, clergy who possess Electoral Keys bestowed by the Emperor upon worthy individuals from among the Sects that tend the flock on the planet Vargo.

Section 6. The collective bishopric and parish priests of Vargo shall constitute from among their ranks an assembly, henceforth to be known as the Synod of Vargo, to assist in the interpretation of doctrine, the determination of heresy, and the promotion of harmony and common purpose among the various Sects.

Section 7. The Synod shall have the power to confirm all clerical appointments nominated by the Primate, to investigate matters of concern to the Universal Church, and to remove an Primate from office in the event of malfeasance, the latter requiring a two-thirds majority vote of the Synod's members.

Section 8. A Church Keyholder shall have the power to veto any action undertaken by the Synod or the Primate, except to impede his own removal from office as Primate, although said veto may be overturned if two-thirds of the Synod concurs, unless two or more Keyholders have invoked their veto privilege in concert.

ARTICLE IV:
Section 1. The Chancellor of Vargo, charged with the oversight of legal and economic policies affecting Vargo and her people, shall serve as chief administrator of the civil bureaucracy, guarantor of the Triumvirate's fiscal solvency, and conservator of lore vital to the material welfare of the planet's populace.

Section 2. The Chancellor of Vargo shall designate worthy individuals to hold the public trust, charged with enforcing the collection of taxes and tariffs to fund public works, devising policies for the just use of planetary lands to the benefit of Vargo’s people, and reviewing the passage of laws that are fair to all.

Section 3. In the interest of the prosperity and material welfare of the populace, the Chancellery shall administer the Agora of Vargo and the general commerce of the planet, directing taxes and duties to promote industries of benefit to the people, while discouraging enterprises deleterious to the common good.

Section 4. In order to preserve the bounty of Vargo’s land and sea so that future generations may continue to enjoy these blessings from the Pancreator, the Chancellor shall review the use of planetary resources and devise equitable policies to guide the Protector in decisions regarding the allocation or development of said resources.

Section 5. The Chancellor of Vargo shall serve a term of six months, and shall be elected from the ranks of the Merchant League by a simple majority vote of the League Keyholders, guildmembers who possess Electoral Keys bestowed by the Emperor upon worthy individuals from among the Guilds that have interests on the planet Vargo.

Section 6. League merchants on Vargo shall constitute from among their ranks an assembly, henceforth to be known as the Mercantile Board, to assist in the sound administration of the economy and the wise application of lore essential to the common good, and to settle such disputes as may arise among the guilds on the planet.

Section 7. The Mercantile Board shall have the power to confirm all civil appointments nominated by the Chancellor, to investigate matters of concern to the Merchant League, and to remove a Chancellor from office in the event of malfeasance, the latter requiring a two-thirds majority vote of the Board's membership.

Section 8. A League Keyholder shall have the power to veto any action undertaken by the Mercantile Board or the Chancellor, except to impede his own removal from office as Chancellor, although said veto may be overturned if two-thirds of the Board concurs, unless two or more Keyholders have invoked their veto privilege in concert.

ARTICLE V:
Section 1. The military assets of the Triumvirate shall be known collectively as the Vargo Defense Force, charged with defending the planet against its enemies wherever they may be found, be it on the land and sea, in the air, or in the depths of the void itself, utilizing whatever level of force is required to eliminate the threat to planetary security.

Section 2. All Houses and Guilds on Vargo, whose properties and subjects enjoy the protection afforded by the Vargo Defense Force, shall contribute troops to serve in the common defense, or in lieu of personnel shall contribute monies toward a fund for the contracting of mercenaries to serve in their stead.

Section 3. Each contributor to the Vargo Defense Force shall appoint an officer of suitable rank to command their levy contingents in the field, or shall make provision for their troops to be under the direction of other persons they deem acceptable, subject to review by the Council of Peers.

Section 4. The Protector of Vargo shall appoint Marshals of the Field, Sea, Air, and Void to command the various arms of the Vargo Defense Force, subject to review by the Council of Peers, and in conjunction with the commanders of the levy contingents shall comprise the Council of War.

Section 5. The Council of War, at the direction of the Protector of Vargo, shall coordinate the resources and strategic goals of the Vargo Defense Force in order to serve the common defense of all citizens of the Triumvirate, without bias or prejudice.

Section 6. When threatened by overt acts of military aggression perpetrated by external enemies, any member of the Triumvirate may request the intercession of the Vargo Defense Force for the protection of property and personnel by appealing directly to the Protector of Vargo.

Section 7. The Vargo Defense Force cannot be called upon to attack other members of the Triumvirate, unless the Council of Peers has deemed the aggressor to be in a state of rebellion against the Triumvirate or Empire, or the Church has declared the aggressor and enemy of the faith.

Section 8. Each member of the Triumvirate has the right to bring grievances before the Protector should the Vargo Defense Force fail, in their estimation, to provide adequate protection for their property and personnel, and failing to find satisfaction there may appeal to the Council of Peers.

ARTICLE VI:
Section 1. It falls within the purview of the Council of Peers to resolve disputes between the Houses, and between individual nobles on Vargo, in the event that the matter at hand cannot be settled to the satisfaction of both parties by other means, whether the subject of contention be an issue of property, inheritance, or honor.

Section 2. Disputes may be placed for consideration before the Council of Peers by the Triumvirs, by the will of one or both parties involved in the matter, or by the collective will of those Houses not involved directly in the dispute, acting in the common interest of the nobility on Vargo.

Section 3. Upon receiving testimony from both sides in a particular dispute the Council of Peers shall resolve the issue by a simple majority vote, and in the event that the Council cannot reach a decision due to deadlock or dissension among the peerage, the Protector of Vargo shall have the deciding vote.

Section 4. Decisions rendered by the Council of Peers shall be considered binding upon those parties involved in a dispute, unless appealed to the Imperial Court on Byzantium Secundus, and failure to abide by the Council's decision shall constitute rebellion against the Triumvirate and sufficient grounds for martial action.

Section 5. Martial action undertaken under the aegis of the Council of Peers, in answer to a noble dispute, shall be considered exempt from the proscriptions against the internal use of the Vargo Defense Force detailed in this Charter, for nobles who fail to abide by the Council's edicts thus forfeit their right to protection from retribution for their transgression.

Section 6. Martial action undertaken outside the aegis of the Council of Peers, in answer to a noble dispute, shall be considered a threat to the security of Vargo, as it stands to undermine the stability of the people and government, and persons who are victims of such aggression can call upon the Triumvirate defense for aid, and expect that such aid be rendered.

ARTICLE VII:
Section 1. It falls within the purview of the Synod of Vargo to resolve disputes between the Sects, and between individual clergy on Vargo, in the event that the matter at hand cannot be settled to the satisfaction of both parties by other means, whether the subject of contention be an issue of doctrine or a personal matter.

Section 2. Disputes may be placed for consideration before the Synod of Vargo by the Triumvirs, by the will of one or both parties involved in the matter, or by the collective will of those clergy not involved directly in the dispute, acting in the common interest of the faith on Vargo.

Section 3. Upon receiving testimony from both sides in a particular dispute the Synod of Vargo shall resolve the issue by a simple majority vote, and in the event that the Synod cannot reach a decision due to deadlock or dissension among the body corporate, the Primate of Vargo shall have the deciding vote.

Section 4. Decisions rendered by the Synod of Vargo shall be considered binding upon those parties involved in a dispute, unless appealed to the Ecclesiastical Court on Byzantium Secundus, and failure to abide by the Synod's decision shall constitute rebellion against the Holy Church and sufficient grounds for defrocking of the offending party.

ARTICLE VIII:
Section 1. It falls within the purview of the Mercantile Board to resolve disputes between the Guilds, and between individual guildmembers on Vargo, in the event that the matter at hand cannot be settled to the satisfaction of both parties by other means, whether the subject of contention be an issue of property, monopoly infringement, or a personal matter.

Section 2. Disputes may be placed for consideration before the Mercantile Board by the Triumvirs, by the will of one or both parties involved in the matter, or by the collective will of those merchants not involved directly in the dispute, acting in the common interest of the public welfare on Vargo.

Section 3. Upon receiving testimony from both sides in a particular dispute the Mercantile Board shall resolve the issue by a simple majority vote, and in the event that the Board cannot reach a decision due to deadlock or dissension among the membership, the Chancellor of Vargo shall have the deciding vote.

Section 4. Decisions rendered by the Mercantile Board shall be considered binding upon those parties involved in a dispute, unless appealed to the Imperial Court on Byzantium Secundus, and failure to abide by the Board's decision shall constitute rebellion against the Triumvirate and sufficient grounds for arrest and imprisonment.

ARTICLE IX:
Section 1. The Triumvirs, Noble, Church, and League, shall meet at least twice a year, to confer on matters of import for the planet and to devise common policies to address the needs of the people, so that the security, spirituality, and economy of Vargo are tended in an atmosphere of shared purpose and common cause.

Section 2. Each Triumvir shall, three times a year, hold open court to receive petitions from the populace at large, passing judgement as required upon cases offered up to their discretion, and hearing the grievances and concerns of citizens of the Triumvirate, that they may understand the needs of the people over whom they rule.

Section 3. The Keyholders in each sphere, Noble, Church, and League, shall hold separate councils at least twice a year, to consider the performance of the Triumvir within their respective spheres, and discuss the decisions of their associated assemblies, and through consensus shall devise suitable counsel to offer their fellow leaders to better serve the needs of the Triumvirate.

Section 4. All the Keyholders of the nobility, clergy, and guilds may, in time of dire emergency in which two or more Triumvirs are dead or incapacitated, gather together in extraordinary session, to rule jointly by decree until such time as they may select suitable replacements for the fallen Triumvirs.

By the will of the Emperor, and the grace of the Pancreator in whose Light we find eternal salvation, let this Charter be enacted as the law of Vargo.

Alexius I, Emperor of the Known Worlds

Witnessed by,
Hierophant Marcus Aurelius Palamon, Archbishop of Byzantium Secundus
Magister Lamentation, Eskatonic Order
Witegas Aliandro Kirchwild, Sanctuary Aeon
Duke Alvaro Angel Santos Evaristo Castenda de Valencia
Duke Montgomery Hawkwood, Lion of Virigo and Liege of Delphi
Baroness Prajna Sophia al-Malik, Mistress of Perleria
Chancellor Howe, Supreme Order of Engineers
Consul Anselm Olivares, Charioteers Guild
Consul Percival Lystrom, Reeves Guild