The Arbiter

The Arbiter is the head of the Order of Tor, and is supposed to be the physical incarnation and carrier of the will of Tor on Iatar.

Requirements

The only requirement in the modern age is that you not be related by blood to the previous Arbiter.

Appointment

Traditionally, The Arbiter is supposed to be appointed by Tor, via a special revelation to the current Arbiter some time before their death. For the first few hundred years this was the case, but since the completion of The Restoration, the new Arbiter has been appointed by the previous one, as no further revelations have come. Some say this means the title was not meant to endure beyond the Order's initial mission, but by and large, The Arbiter is respected as the rightful head of the Order of Tor.

Duties

The Arbiter is the leader of the Order of Tor, the largest Divine Order on Iatar, and is therefore the most powerful religious leader in the world. He is the unchallenged authority on most Divine matters among the Human, Dwarf, and most lesser racial populations, so has a high moral obligation to uphold the values of Tor.
Aside from wider moral teaching, The Arbiter is also the highest-ranking judicial official in every Human nation in Faenir. Their duties include settling appeals made at the highest level, interpreting the Divine Law and the concordance of the laws of nations with the Divine Law, and holding legal authority over Heads of State. As can be imagined, The Arbiter holds tremendous power, and at various times that power has been used to dictate the course of events in Faenir. However, it is quite rare for The Arbiter to act unprovoked, instead declaring the legality of a nation's actions after the fact, or pronouncing judgement on a guilty party.

Accoutrements & Equipment

Historically, The Arbiter was said to have carried The Fist of Tor, though that artifact has been lost to time. Today, they hold a ceremonial mace to represent the legendary weapon. Additionally, they wear ceremonial robes, which are blue with gold and silver embellishments, with a silver fist emblazoned upon them. Finally, they wear The Crown of Justice, a silver circlet with an imbued Sapphire setting.

Grounds for Removal/Dismissal

The Arbiter is usually an office held until death, though there is provision to remove a sitting Arbiter should they be deemed unfit to hold the position. An Arbiter may abdicate voluntarily, usually due to health concerns. In this case, they no longer carry out the responsibilities of The Arbiter, but are still held in the same regard as when they did, as no malpractice led to their removal.
In the case of sever malpractice or miscarriage of justice, The Arbiter may be removed by a two-thirds majority vote of the Council of Justice. This has not occurred in recent times, though during the low-point of the Order throughout the Long Peace it was quite common.

History

The Arbiter was established in 1 TE, when Tor was departing from Iatar, to serve as the representative of Tor in his absence. They led the Order of Tor's effort during The Restoration, wielding power unchallenged throughout Iatar, but as The Restoration came to end, so too did the power of The Arbiters. Additionally, since intercontinental travel had ceased, The Arbiter was now confined mostly to Faenir.
They held very little sway over the events during The Long Peace, and it was felt that the Justice of Tor had left Iatar for good. It wasn't long into the lifespan of the first modern human kingdoms before The Order, and with them, The Arbiter, began to regain influence. Their power was no longer so great that it could not be challenged however, and though The Arbiter during Haldarn's Conquest declared it unjust, the Randirion Empire grew to encompass most of Faenir regardless.
Though they came to accept the existence of the Empire, one of the most significant unprovoked decrees of The Arbiters came during the reign of Kovia the Mad, when The Arbiter declared his reign unjust, and that it was legal in the sight of Tor to succeed from the Empire. This came after the first wave of successions in the Freelands, but was definitely the catalyst which led to the total collapse of the Empire.
Since that time, The Arbiters have not done much of note, though their influence is as great as ever, and many attribute the long period of peace between the major kingdoms of Faenir to them and their efforts over the last 600 years.

Type

Religious, Special

Status

Active

Creation

Tor, 1 TE

Form of Address

Your Most Holy Justice (oral), Lord Justice (naming)

Alternative Naming

The Champion of Tor

Source of Authority

Tor

Length of Term

Lifelong

Current Holders

• Rual the Frail

Related Organizations

• Order of Tor