District Commander

The morning sun had yet to rise, and Selunn found herself yawning outside the gatehouse to the Palace. She was not there by choice, of course; a courier had arrived at their own gate in the night and had delivered a simple message to her parents.
"The heir to House Sunhall will report to the Palace of the Princeps before dawn this day."
It was an unconscionable time, and so she had dispensed with any of the ordinary formalities that would have normally come with a visit to the Palace - no fancy ball dress, no retinue of retainers, just a vest and riding breeches. She rubbed her eyes. If her hunch was right about why she was here, it wouldn't matter what she wore.
The guard at the gatehouse finally motioned, and unlocked the wrought iron side door. "Head to the first sitting room in the eastern wing. I trust you know where that is, Lady Eudelind?"
She nodded and waved him off. The layout of the Palace was simple enough, and there was enough light of day to get around. The guards at the Palace doors opened them at her arrival; one of them pointed her to the right, down a side corridor. There were a number of Palace staff moving around the main hall already, cleaning and buffing the floors and statuary, and none gave her more than a passing glance.
To her great consternation, the Princeps, Constantine, was waiting for her in the sitting room, alone. He closed the book he was reading and stood.
"Selunn Eudelind. You know why you are here, of course." He was wearing his Principality regalia; Selunn remembered that today was the day of the seasonal investitures.
"Yes, Princeps. I suppose there is no excuse to be made for striking and wounding Lord-Captain Turaide's firstborn." She kept her gaze to the ground. The story of the gala incident had already circulated all throughout high society, with Veno Turaide doing his best to change the story and cast himself as the victim, rather than the affronter who dared force himself on Katri. The pause stretched for a moment.
The Princeps spoke. "There is an excuse, actually, but suffice to say that this will become more of a learning opportunity for you rather than a punishment." He glanced at her outfit. "You're hardly wearing something appropriate for visiting the Princeps."
Selunn glanced up. "I can return home and change, if that would suit your preference."
"No matter." Constantine turned his back to her, looking outside the window at the rising sun. "I have discussed the situation with Captain Turaide and several witnesses at the gala and came to my own conclusions. Your actions demonstrate a moral character that I believe may be honed to the use of the Principality in the years to come. Are you willing to serve, Lady Eudelind?"
"Of course, Princeps." Selunn gave a deep curtsey, though now suddenly unsure of what was to come. "We of Sunhall are at your service."
"Good!" The Princeps turned back to her and gave her a smile. "Go through that door and my couturier will get you fitted. You will be part of the investiture today."
Selunn exhaled sharply. "The investiture...the District Commander's investiture? Surely the Princeps is not serious?"
"I am quite serious, Lady Eudelind. I am solving multiple problems at a stroke, here, but you should consider this a test. Should you pass, there will be many doors open for you in the future." Constantine clapped her on the shoulder. "Go get dressed. The ceremony begins in only an hour, and while my couturier works fast, he may not be able to perform miracles."

Qualifications

The office of District Commander is a political appointment; the Princeps may appoint anyone of their liking to lead any of the roughly two hundred districts of Etoile. That being said, no small amount of political skill is required to be effective in the role, and every new District Commander is selected based on their personal ability to lead. By custom, would-be appointees are also informally required to display considerable personal skill at arms before being considered for the role.

Appointment

District Commanders are appointed on an annual basis; a shortlist of candidates is compiled by the First Minister and presented to the Princeps at the opening of the Minister's Council. Those names selected are presented with their insignia in a joining ceremony not long afterwards; only the Princeps and their District Commanders may carry the insignia of the Sun of Etoile. The Princeps is the root of state authority, and is the only person who may appoint Commanders to govern the districts of Etoile.

Duties

District Commanders are, in theory, the second highest ranking officers in the Principality of Etoile, behind only that of the Princeps. Therefore, they are under oath to uphold the Principality's ideals - the embracing of Progress, the freedom of the pursuit, and the protection of the nation. In many far-flung districts of Etoile, weeks travel away from the Etoile Capital City, it is only the District Commander, their retinue, and the various traveling magistrates that represent the central government.

Responsibilities

District Commanders serve as the voice of the Princeps in the district they govern. In this respect, they have absolute and total authority in nearly all matters outside those of the magistrates - they are able to compel action, set public policy, and raise levies if necessary. However, power wielded in such a way is quickly lost, and it is expected that District Commanders work with the local powers in an area (ex. the mayors of towns, the heads of local consortium interests) in order to effectively govern and carry out their tasks - promoting the prosperity of an area and settling local affairs. A District Commander is expected to be able to both assert authority in an area, and reinforce the legitimacy of said authority.

Benefits

The role of District Commander, while itself an honored and powerful position, is also a litmus test of sorts for future political actors; those appointed to the position tend to be on the younger side. Appointees to the role are granted large discretionary budgets and considerable latitude in their own affairs. Successful tenures as District Commander can lead to ministerial appointments or consortium liasion roles, positions of prestige and wealth.

Accoutrements & Equipment

The dress uniform of a District Commander is a modified military uniform, derived from that of a Principality armored cavalry officer - a bright red coat over black fitted dress trousers, a belt around the waist and slung over the shoulder, with a pointed cap bearing the Star of Etoile, and insignia to match. This uniform is fitted to the Commander upon appointment. The Principality also purchases Power-Wagons for its District Commanders, custom modified for their own use during their tenure.

Grounds for Removal/Dismissal

In theory, District Commanders may only be dismissed by the Princeps, and may be dismissed for any reason. Practically, however, the performance of a District Commander will typically be reported on by a regular basis - muckrakers from Etoile Capital City journals are constantly on the prowl looking for signs of ineptitude or grift across Etoile. In addition, a District Commander who does not manage to gain and secure the confidence of the local powers and authorities will quickly find themselves ineffective and unable to project the authority of the Princeps; such a position is untenable and will lead to the dismissal of the Commander on relatively short notice.

History

While The War of Unification had erased the boundaries of all the pre-Etoilean kingdoms, it remained the case that Saibh was a patchwork array of disparate cultures and peoples, united only by the strength and fury of the First Princep's war machine. In an effort to consolidate his rule, the First Princeps decided on a relatively lassiez-faire approach to governance, drawing out districts that roughly corresponded to pre-war boundaries and appointing loyal officers to govern them, working with the local power base. This approach to post-war reconstruction yielded dividends, as each officer could tailor greater Principality policy to the needs of their populations. Due to its success, the system of districts and commanders has persisted to the present day.

Type

Civic, Political

Form of Address

Lord/Lady

Alternative Naming

DC

Source of Authority

The Princeps of Etoile

Length of Term

Five years or at-will

Related Organizations

• Principality of Etoile