Government of The Hexarchy
The Hexarchy is a federation of six constituent Realms, each led in turn by its own Lord. These Lords are, in turn, monarchs of their respective regions within the nation. While these Realms have organized into blocs that the country takes its often-changing official name after, these represent cultural zones and regions of close internal cooperation between individual Lords far more than they represent increasingly singular polities (with the exception of Pyrax's twin Realms). Thus, the country's name reflects a set of unified governments and cultures instead of fixed places in most respects.
Overview
The Hexarchy is, in reality, a federation consisting of at least six major socio-political divisions known as Realms. These, in turn, are currently organized into separate, larger blocs of allied (and increasingly unified) constituencies, some of the founding members being Pyrax, Eridu, and the Eventide Islands (of which two were merged into larger blocs as time pressed on). These blocs are where the country takes its official name from. The central government is run by a council-style government also termed the Hexarchy, which consists of the six principal rulers of the country: two from Pyrax, one from Elam, and the other three from the Eventide Islands' territories.
The central government is run by a high council also termed the Hexarchy, which consists of the six principal rulers of the country: two from Pyrax, one from Eridu, two from the Eventide Islands' territories, and one representing the country's south-western, semi-nomadic tribes. Aside from serving as the country's legislative arm, it also serves as a point of appeal and top-down decision-making for both the executive and judicial branches. Regional governments follow a similar format, as each Realm is effectively a monarchy led by rulers with varying political power in their respective regions.
The Council of Six
History of the Council
Pre-1686
The country originally possessed only one formal branch of government: The High Council of the Lords of the Six Realms, commonly as the Council of Six (which the country is consequently named after). Aside from serving as the chief legislative arm of the country, the Council also collectively serves as the country's high court when in session specifically for such purposes. Additionally, the Council also divides (mostly ceremonial or delegated) executive responsibilities between each of its members. This combination of personally assumed and delegated responsibilities form a rudimentary Federal Cabinet that is, in practice, supported in turn by a bureaucracy that carries out most of its actual functions.
Early Praetorship (1686-1710)
During the 22 years of the early Praetorship era, the Council of Six was gradually forced to re-examine its ability to rule an imperialist realm with a staggering, and still rapidly increasing, rate of diversity in its cultures. Rapid expansion and the shift of centralized power away from the Council to other governing organs forced the Council of Six to either expand its own numbers or create subordinate legislatures and other bodies to support its work in keeping both the aristocracy and the military in line with the needs of the diverse civilian population. The House of Representatives and a Senate were formed in short order by 1710, making the country briefly a tricameral legislature with the Council also serving various executive functions. However, the Senate was a short-lived idea as the Council and Praetor alike frequently clashed with its members, many of which were related to sitting Council members anyway.
By 1710, the Council was no longer representative of the Six Nations and many tribes, smaller civilizations, and various territories within the Hexarchy. The lack of action in the territorial dispute with Hurmu since 1706 with disputed, far-western territory of Karnamark (known to the Hexarchy under either Western Peninsula or New Karnak) further ceded decision-making power to the Praetor. The final collapse of absolute territorial authority held by the Council occurred as Lysstyrer was admitted into the Hexarchy and received a Council seat at the expense of Pyrax, which had already fallen under the shadow of the territory of Arumen, itself a Council member led by one of Praetor Gilgamesh II's older sons.
Modern Period (1710-)
The modern period saw the Council of Six rebranded as the Council of Six Nations. This Council consists of the country's senior-most leaders from the listed six cities throughout the country. A seventh seat is always reserved for the Praetor, who (by virtue of office) serves as the Council's president-for-life.
- Enkidu, representing Eridu, the Eastern Territories, and Suza, as well as the far-off Dromosker Island
- Everglow City, representing Lysstyrer, Nippur, and the other regions as far south as Naith and Deshret
- Kobol, representing the Ralgonese-majority Eventides, Elam and New South Caputia, along with New Zalae
- Ashtaroth, representing Asshyria and the Empty Quarter
- Azul'an, representing Arumen, Pyrax, and adjacent territories as far north as Naith
- Abyd'os, representing Karnak, West Karnak, and adjacent territory in The Green
- Marduk, the nation's capital. The Council now meets here, where the Praetor always serves as Council President.
There are plans for all new representation to fall under the nearest Council representative, or even a possible seventh seat representing the far-flung territories of the nation. The Praetor continues to serve as an additional, so-called "seventh member" of the Council, and always serves as the Council's leader and gives tie-breaking votes by virtue of office. While the Praetor is ostensibly elected by the Council from among its members (or immediate relatives) for life, the office is currently hereditary and will likely pass directly to one of the current Praetor's sons.
Arguments exist for giving Dromosker Island and other populous, separate nations their own Council seat, but the territory is not centrally located nor populous enough (with less than 2 million) to warrant central status. And, with all six seats being solidly distributed (again), the Council would ill-abide any further changes to its basic structure. Instead, two measures were approved: the retention of the House of Representatives from 1712, and the awarding of a federal cabinet position from otherwise unrepresented, major, territories such as the aforementioned island.
Powers & Duties
Appointment
The Council is, unlike before, appointed by senior aristocracy from these cities, if the major nobles/rulers/representatives/dictators are not sitting the council themselves. These appointment procedures differ according to region. At times, the regional rulers themselves sit the Council if the region represented is either politically or culturally homogenous, as in Karnak for the former and Arumen-Pyrax for the latter. In situations such as in Eridu, the Councilor is appointed by the ruler of Eridu with the approval of the other major leaders represented by that seat on the Council.
Powers
The Council of Six Nations acts in three capacities: as the primary source of the National Cabinet's most senior members, the upper chamber of the country's legislature (with veto and proposal power for major affairs), proposing candidates for high office (subject to Praetorian approval), and (individually) acting as chief judges of appeal in their regional courts (with the exception of Dromosker Island, which has its own native judicial system).
The Council votes its own members into the National Cabinet in separate processes, independently of the Praetor. The President of the Cabinet is also titled the President of the Hexarchy (not to be confused with the Praetor of the Hexarchy, who never holds that office). The Council thus has extensive legislative, judicial, and executive powers in all areas except for the military, with its primary check on authority being the Praetor and, to an extent, the House of Representatives (which collectively approves new Councilor candidates from their own regions).
Each member of the Council serves a term of 10 years, staggered once every 2 years. There are no term limits, but a general rule is that no Councilor may be below the age of 30, nor above the age of 70 at the time of their inauguration for any given term. Thus, the maximum amount of time each member of the Council may serve is 40 years, with the only exception being in Karnak, where the appointed Councilor (by virtue of being Pschent of Karnak) remains a member for life. Lysstyrer, similarly, is an exception, except there are no term limits, but it holds competitive elections for Councilor in a semi-democratic fashion, unlike in other regions of the country.
The National Cabinet
Pre-1710
The members comprising the Council of Six also serve in various government functions which change each year. However, these members are rarely present to discharge their executive functions at the Federal level while also attending to regional and local affairs. Thus, representatives are often appointed as Ministers of Cabinet to carry out their immediate superiors' work. These Ministers usually exercise real power at the Federal level, but are often hamstrung by the absence of the actual Council, the immediate power that its members have over their respective posts, and the ability of the Council to collectively overrule individual members' decisions (or even others' own overruling actions). Thus, foreign business is rarely done with most of the Federal Cabinet, and instead done either with the Council itself, or (barring that) at a regional level.
There are currently three Executive positions within the Council proper that are not delegated to other senior officials by the Councilors. Each year, a vote is tallied in a specific order to allot each position by majority vote to a single office holder. After these votes are successively carried out, the Cabinet is formed when the selected Lords appoint their corresponding representatives. The first vote is always tallied to select the President, the second tallied for the Prime Minister, and the third for the Lawgiver. Other positions are named and voted on in separate ballots.
Post-1710
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As with before, the National Cabinet consists of the various Council members. However, with the chamber's reduced dependence on having the
Cabinet Members
Firstly, the largely-ceremonial President is responsible for maintaining harmony between the Council members while the organization is in session. He also acts as the head of state during that year's cycle. Unlike the Vice President, the President has no power to cast additional tie-breaking votes, as a way to balance power within the Council. Since the foundation of the Hexarchy in 1685, this has been Gilgamesh, 1st Lord of Arumen.
The Prime Minister leads foreign policy efforts, and is also considered the head of government. This position has been occupied since 1685 by Karl Gloucester, 3rd Lord of Kobol.
The Lord Commander ceremonially leads the armed forces, but in peacetime remains largely the joint responsibility of the respective branch commanders. In 1687 and onwards, this is now the responsibility of Sargon II, 8th Lord of Eridu, due to his realm's strong martial power on the regional level.
The Lawgiver is the equivalent of a supreme Judge: a penultimate point of appeal before the Council itself. They also serve as the Council's premier legal advisor, and as an attorney general of sorts. From 1685, this has been Marduk, 5th Lord of Elam.
The Master of Coin is ceremonially the head of the national treasury. In reality, this position's actual power is limited, as most major financial decisions on a national level are made by the entire Council and on a regional level by its corresponding ruler. Additionally, the financial ministers in charge of national funds hold more actual power in practice than their superior; thus, the position has become little more than a sinecure to be passed around the Council as a concession to gain votes elsewhere. The current Master of Coin from 1686 is Cyrus, 3rd Lord of Suza. (The actual Treasury is located in Kobol.)
The Vice-President of the Hexarchy serves a ceremonial role. They (or their designated representative) cast an extra deciding vote in the rare event of a tied vote in matters requiring a 4/6th majority where abstentions occur and/or a Council member is absent and has not cast their own ballot. The Vice President during 1687 is Tiglath-Pileser, Lord of Nippur and paramount chief of the Hexarchy's nomadic southern tribes.
To distinguish its central government from the rulers themselves, the Hexarchy terms its central government "The Council of Six." This Council has final judicial and executive power over the entire country, and rules by consensus rather than through majority votes.
