Covenant of the Çerid

This article or section is a work in progress. The information below may be incomplete, outdated, or subject to change.

(Note: the following is the definitive text of the Covenant of the Çerid as adopted by the Vocal Assembly of 7048 ASC. While the document has a certain thematic organization, the section headings are not present in the original, and are provided here for ease of perusal.)

Preamble

Behold! We are the Çerid, who stand unbound; the Çerid, courageous, cunning, and free! We speak! Let our voices be heard through the land, throughout the world! These shall be the ways by which we, gathered together, keep peace and good order amongst ourselves and with the ovareshid, in goodwill and generosity.

Citizenship

By Right

These are the things that define a Çer: that her mother, too, was a Çer; that those who raised her were Çerid; that she knows of Çer ways and respects them; that she identifies herself as a Çer to any who ask.

Residence

Those who are not Çerid may reside among them, but only at Çer sufferance. Such a one must obtain, and retain, approval to dwell on Çer land: from the custodian of the place to be dwelt in, who must judge from her own concerns as well as on behalf of the zeren of that place; from the community, who must decide whether it pleases them to have such a one among them; and from the Vocal Assembly, who must be persuaded that such a one poses no threat.

Symbols

Banner of Traversal

The Banner of Traversal, or the Banner of the Eyes of Tahgli, shall be raised by those who wish to signal to the custodian of a place that they wish to cross it in a timely fashion, stopping only to rest, eating only from their own supplies. One who travels beneath this banner and meets these conditions shall not be hindered. The Banner of Traversal must have a red field, the larger tan circle of the world in its center, and to either side the yellow Burning Eye of the day and the white Gentle Eye of the night.

Banner of Mercy

The Banner of Mercy shall be raised by those who wish to signal to the custodian of a place that they suffer a threat to life or health, and desire the aid of the custodian either by her actions or by the use of the place she guards. The Banner of Mercy must have a black field with the white circle of the Gentle Eye; should the one in need not have one in her possession, she may verbally claim the mercy of the Gentle Eye to the custodian.

Giving Paw

The Giving Paw shall be the mark of a Speaker. One bearing this symbol, and claiming to enter a place to speak with its custodian in her capacity as a Speaker, shall be permitted to do so until her business is concluded, without challenge or eviction. It shall be in the form of an open paw holding three precious stones.

Custodianship

Land Claims

All that which is normally dry land belongs ultimately to its zerenid, who each choose a custodian for the place that is theirs. If there is a place with no custodian, any Çer may entreat with its zeren to take up that role.

No place that disappears beneath the waves or tides may be claimed, for there is no zeren there. It may be traversed by any Çer who wishes to pass, but its further disposition must be decided by those who live nearby.

The marked boundaries of each place may be no closer to each other than fifteen paces, that there should be no conflict between zerenid or custodians in the regions where their places meet.

Custodial Rights

The custodian of a place shall, on behalf of its zeren, determine who else may dwell within, enter into, or use the resources of, that place. She may require one who wishes to do so to pay her in goods or services according to a mutually agreed contract. Any space or resources available in her place will be available for her use, save those given by contract to another, so long as the zeren of the place is not opposed.

Custodial Duties

The custodian of a place must make her home there, that she may watch over it in the zeren's name. She must place visible markers along its bounds, to make the zeren's domain known to all who pass. She must guard the place, that interlopers do not anger the zeren. She must keep the place clean and in the glory given to it by Taghli, that the zeren will be content.

The custodian must allow one who travels beneath one of the Banners to pass according to the meaning of the Banner used, so long as those traveling beneath it hold true to the Banner's intent.

Inheritance and Transfer

A custodian may sell or gift her right in a place to another. If she keeps it until death, her custodianship may pass in the following fashion: if she has one daughter who lives, the daughter has one year to claim it. If she has many daughters who live, she may choose one to inherit, who has one year to claim her right; should she not do so, any other daughter may claim it within one year after the first. If there are no daughters, custodianship may be claimed by the fellowship of her living husbands until they too pass into death. In the above manner will their haçkesh be pleased by the care they give to their line.

A male may be custodian of a place only if unmarried and without daughters; a bachelor who is custodian must pass his right to his wife upon marriage.

Voided Claims

Any claim of custodianship of a place, whether new or transferred, must be looked upon favorably by its zeren. Should a zeren show its displeasure at the time of the claim, one may not become custodian of that place. Should an existing custodian disrespect the zeren of her place, she may transfer it to no one, and upon her death it may be claimed as if none had had custodianship before.