The Emperor of Turelion
Head of the Empire of Turelion, the position of Emperor was created at the founding of the Empire by Machestaro I. Regardless of whether an Emperor acts in a manner befitting of their station, whether they work tirelessly for the good of the people, or whether they spend their lives in hedonistic debauchery, they are the ultimate authority in the territories claimed by the Empire in Kelbonnar.
Appointment
An Emperor is appointed when their predecessor is deceased. In practice, a reigning Emperor will make it clear during their lifetime who they wish to succeed them, and upon their death their candidate will be duly crowned. In practice however, this does not always happen, as bloodily demonstrated after the death of Borial I ‘the Miser’ 174AIF, which lead to the period of conflict between his three sons known as the Triplets’ Interregnum.
Theoretically Emperors can be appointed by the abdication of their predecessor, though in reality this has only ever happened once, when Turael I abdicated in favour of their son Turael II due to increasing concerns about their health. Sadly for Turael I, two weeks after their son's coronation, they were found dead, apparently after having fallen from one of the towers in the Grand Imperial Palace. Although this death ruled to be an accident and abdication continued to be regarded as aa perfectly legitimate form of succession, it has not happened since, presumably as Emperors since have felt that abdication was as much a death sentence as simply dying in office.
Duties
The main duty of the Emperor is ‘to govern the Empire of Turelion with benevolence and compassion, to ensure that all of their Imperial subjects are given the opportunity to live peaceful, prosperous and fulfilling lives.’ What this actually means in practice is very vague, as the only record of this statement is from the coronation speech of Machestaro I, and even this single extract has been recorded in several different ways. In essence, the statement has been boiled down to mean that Emperor’s should ensure that the Empire is governed as well as possible.
Imperial law makers have taken a great amount of due care to guarantee that the Emperor is able to defer the enactment of the statement to appointed individuals or committees who act on their behalf, thereby washing the hands of the Emperor from almost all responsibility.
In addition, the Emperor is technically required to be present, or at the very least to appoint an appropriate stand in to represent them at myriad of social and political events, which range from the monthly services of the The Imperial Church of Astartes in the Grand Astartic Temple held in honour of the Imperial family, to the weekly sessions of the Congregation of Lords. Whether or not the Emperor chooses to actually attend all of the things that they are supposed to make an appearance at or preside over is very much at the discretion of the Imperial personage. Most Emperors will only tend to show up for things that they can see giving them a specific political advantage or enough good press to be worth their time, and will otherwise send trusted deputies, family members or close advisors, in their stead.
Responsibilities
Technically, the ultimate responsibility for all matters lies with the Emperor as the head of state, from ensuring that the economy is well run to ensuring that their people across the Empire are safe. However, in practice, like the official duties that the Emperor is supposed to conduct, any Emperor can be safe in the knowledge that their advisors will be able to pin the blame for any mishap on the people that the they have trusted to run official business on their behalf. Satraps and Colonial Governors are frequently turned into scape goats whenever something goes horrifically wrong in their province or charge for instance.
Accoutrements & Equipment
Whilst the Emperor has many pieces of official paraphernalia that are carried or worn at various official functions and ceremonies, none is more important or significant that the The Imperial Diadem. The diadem, was once a strip of red cloth that was used by the first Emperor, Machestaro I to tie his hair back in battle, and since the creation of the Empire of Turelion, the diadem has been worn by successive Emperors to denote their power and authority over the whole of the territory of Kelbonnar's Material Plane under their auspices. The diadem has evolved somewhat over the years, and the original strip of fabric is not incorporated into a much more elaborate gold crown, but its symbolism is by no means diminished.
Grounds for Removal/Dismissal
Technically there is no official way to remove a reigning Emperor from office, as the Emperor’s word is essentially deemed to be law. Despite this, two Emperors in the history of the Empire of Turelion have been removed from office Belliotrix II in 213AIF and Borial III in 312AIF, but because there is no official or legal means of doing so, both were victims of coups launched against them by members of the Imperial Court, who wished to replace them with a more level-headed, or more easily controlled relative.
Of course, there are systems in place to identify and crush any potential coup that is brewing against a reigning Emperor, and oversight of these systems and any ongoing investigations falls to the Imperial Inquisition. It is unknown how many potential coups against the Emperors the Inquisition has stopped over the years, but the number is thought to be far larger than anyone in the Imperial Court would care to admit. In the case of Belliotrix II and Borial III, the reason that the coups against them were a success is that the conspirators ensured to get the Grand Inquisitor onside so that neither he, nor his agents would interfere. This knowledge that the Inquisition are not completely incorruptible always breeds doubt and worry in the dark places of every Emperor’s mind….
Type
Nobility, Hereditary
Form of Address
Your Imperial Majesty
Source of Authority
Length of Term
Life, or in rare cases until abdication.
First Holder
Current Holders
Related Locations
Related Organizations
Comments