Rissian
Fast forward ten years, after our main plot, this scene happens in Narbonne University, in Eurani City, 825AK.
"Students, please open your sovereignty textbook. We will begin this second lesson of the semester, and first actual lesson after introduction to the syllabus, by going to chapter 1, and look at the epigraph there.""They told me to mind my own business, that this Rissian was above my head. Don't they know who I am?" Spoke the king of Alessia.
"I'm afraid, mighty Sun King, that they do, it's you who don't know who they are. For their exact names and numbers are not known to the uninitiated." I said. And I was proven right later.
"But surely, they cannot be as puissant as I, for, after all, after I, the flood!"
"After you the flood, surely, but for them, the flood will not even wait for their passing..."
Reminding this impudent king that one conclave of sorcerer-priests was bad enough, but three of them? Chosen for magical might? Not while I'm on the same continent, please.
"But, Zim, how powerful could those priests be? Surely the Alessian Dawn Pistoleers were a threat!"
"Ah, but this is one of the important points of this first chapter, thank you Klivin! The Dawn Pistoleers could have gone anywhere in Eurani, and killed any priest that made them unhappy. Now, if only any of the conclaves were on Eurani..."
"None of them are?"
"Not a single one, they are in Loro, New Lolland, and Kagomei, of all places."
"Any of them places where the Eurani would have allies, Zim?"
"The Sotto-Longa Heralds and the Panettone Hermits are hardly Eurani's best allies. Their fractious relationships with Eurani are discussed in detail in this chapter, and you will be quizzed!"
A near-universal groan met his statement.
"But, Zim?"
"Yes, Kerami?"
"Isn't all this religion of little interest for our major, we're all here in a school dedicated to international commerce, not religious studies.
"Ah, but this religion is a patron of commerce, of the arts, it wants GNP to grow, international trade to flourish, many of its initiatives show that. If anything, that is a major contributing factor to their disputes with Eurani who only embraced free trade amongst themselves until Lai Dang."
A light went up behind Kerami's eyes. "Were any of the conclaves involved, at Lai Dang?"
"What an excellent question! Spoiler alert, yes. That's in your second book, chapter twelve.
During the introductory meetings prior to Lai Dang, many noticed the absence of Meihomei and the reduced role of Secretary of State Veneer, who was taking precaution for her early pregnancy. What is much less well-known is that her niece and principal aide, Lusitania Van Pelt, her son, Amarat Jr Veneer, her daughter-in-law Flora Rolli, also in early stages of pregnancy, as well as her circle-mates, Sothlee De Byzance, Dan Ma, smoothed feathers, laid preparatory ground work and generally prepared everything for the later arrival of Meihomei with Lusitania's brother, Linnaeus Van Pelt, as well as a sizable share of the minor heads of state of Asirania. Even less known, the political influence wielded by Hari Pawtel, Magelord of Niseiand Midori Anapurna, First Princess of the Second Rank of the Nisei, First princess of the second rank of the Nisei, both mages emeritus in the Nisan tradition, was key in some nations' reaction to the treaty. The three dell'Auro sisters, standing apart as the most politically influent individuals not affiliated with a circle, are still sorceresses to their toenails, and they spoke with one voice, breaking Eurani's isolation in Eurani parliament, in Alessia and Brescia.
"All that? Zim, how can we be sure of their good intent?"
"You are on a roll today, aren't you? That is a good question, to which there is only one good answer. We can't. We cannot assume good intent, not over a long enough period. Which is, I presume, why Rissian is performed every hundred arnds, to prevent truly bad intent from festering, or just personality conflicts from escalating."
History
Execution
- Every hundred arnds, the three conclaves meet, and agree on which conclave and which individuals carries the best the burden of the Elements' favour.
- The current "rissian" is composed of 25 members, and the other two are composed of 16, for a total of 63.
- The current high nine cannot vote unless the 48 others cannot already find an agreement.
- Because of this, a rissian usually lasts 2 or 300 arnds instead of just 100, leading to some stability
- Less well known is that concessions are usually wrangled, even to let the status quo continue, such as the agreement that trade in Temple Guardian tcha leaves is tax-and-tariff-exempt if to another circle, from both source and destination governments.
- Matching provisions regarding the trade in Flying Serpent tcha and Storm Dancer keffiyeh were reached soon after, to keep the balance.
Components and tools
Participants
- Kautanissian Conclave, in 815AK, this is a group of 25, led by Sothlee De Byzance, By the grace of the Elements, First Duty and First of the Nine, Aumhivina Kautanissian and Dan Ma, Standard bearer of the Dawn, Defender of the Rising Sun, By the grace of the Elements, Zeroth of the Nine, Paragon Paladin and Earlmage Kautanissian.
- Kautassian Conclave, composed of 16, led by Earlmage Kautassian and Aumhivina Kautassian
- Kautarissian Conclave, composed of 16, led by Earlmage Kautarissian and Aumhivina Kautarissian
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