The Brynic Confederacy
The Brynic Confederacy is a loose political alliance of the nations that inhabit the Greater Bryn Valley. The Confederacy was originally formed as a means to coordinate defences against larger empires bordering the member nations such as the Runic and Amarian Empire, however, the confederacy conglomerated into an Empire of its own (with the Kingdom of Durabryn being the seat of the emperor) for a time before it disbanded to form its second iteration. Due to these events, the confederacy is still largely swayed by politics within Durabryn and its members still hold congresses within the Durabryn capital of Brondholm.
However, other than influence, the Confederacy and its leading figures have little if any executive power over its constituents. The majority of the kingdoms and duchies within the confederacy hold full autonomy and often flout the agreements made by its treaties, this includes starting wars amongst one another and refusing to accept a call to arms from another member who is under attack.
Structure
The Confederacy is largely a bureaucratic entity, headed up by nobles and wealthy individuals who were either appointed by the kingdom or duchy they represent or in turn nominated by those representatives to take up administrative roles within its structure. The first officer of the confederacy, a position that changes every five years, is nominated by the representatives of the confederate state whose turn it is to have their representative take the position. Each kingdom within the confederacy will have fifteen representatives, duchies having five representatives (with the exception of the Grand Duchy of Canyndor which has fifteen), the positions of the presiding officer, treasurer and other clerical and admin positions are voted upon by these representatives for nominated individuals.
The legislature is a laboriously slow process in the confederacy, largely by design. Though it is the representatives of the Confederacy that ultimately vote on such laws and motions, and the First Officer is ultimately responsible for bringing such votes to consequence, they do not possess the power to draft such laws and motions. This is still the responsibility of the sovereigns of the confederate states.
The Treasurer of the Confederacy is primarily responsible for ensuring the financial viability of the organisation's congregations, this means raising funds through the limited tax powers granted to him and paying out salaries to representatives as well as owners of venues used to house the congregation while it is in session. In the confederacy's initial conception, representatives were intended to fund their own attendance however this led to considerable absences that brought the organisation's legitimacy into question. To remedy this issue, representatives would become salaried by a common and neutral treasury, which would receive funds through minor tariffs and tolls paid to the treasurer by the sovereign members. Due to the complex nature of travelling to congregations, representatives are generally of minor nobility whose income relies on such positions, and travel with the confederacy's common enterage as it moves between congregations and royal courts.
Public Agenda
The Confederacy largely serves to coordinate the foreign policy of its members, to avoid internal wars and to adequately fund defensive measures against larger foes in the shape of the greater empires at their borders. While the organisation is often derided as a cynical means for lesser nobles to wield power and accrue wealth. However, when the confederacy works well, it sees the most vulnerable of the members of its ranks bolstered and the brashest and warmongering calmed and consoled. Trade and commerce are greatly improved due to the efforts of the confederacy, as the often petty squabbles of sovereigns are now secondary to the income of the lesser nobles who so rely on goods being shipped and sold across the borders of the confederate states.
While war, as is human nature, has not yet been fully curtailed by the treaties of the Confederacy, the brutality and dire consequence of it has been reduced somewhat. Though the lowliest of caste may still starve and perish due to the ravages of war, nobles have largely been granted means by which to stop their property being stolen and defiled during war, their persons harmed and family kidnapped.
Territories
In the initial incarnation of the confederacy, the members consisted of the Kingdom of Durabryn, the Kingdom of Sarbrynia, the Kingdom of Alva, the Kingdom of Doria, and the Kingdom of Redoria. The only kingdoms of the central kingdoms which was not a part of the confederacy were the northern kingdom of Duramir and the eastern kingdom of Torania. This vast alliance would prove a formidable gesture towards any conqueror looking towards the confederacy. When the confederacy largely consolidated into the Brynic Empire, both Doria and Alva were broken down into smaller divisions. The Second Confederacy however would include all previous members (or constituent parts thereof) and the Kingdom of Duramir due to tensions along the Silver Mountains. Torania remains an outsider of the confederacy but has generally faired well despite this.
Type
Political, International
Leader Title
Legislative Body
The Congregations of the Confederacy are generally held twice per year, though no limit is set, to allow for legislation and appointments to be voted on while not posing too great an imposition upon its representatives. The locations for which congregations are held are set in advance and only changed in extenuating circumstances, these locations are generally picked for suitability in terms of quality of accommodation and ease of travel hitherto. While each and every representative does not need to be present at such congregations, it is required that each member state has at least one representative present for the congregation to be considered valid.
Related Ranks & Titles
Kingdom of Durabryn
Kingdom of Sarbrynia
Mandate of Balomir
Kingdom of Redoria
Princedom of Miria
Duchy of Alva
Kingdom of Duramir
Noble Republic of Aijia
Grand Duchy of Canyndor
Duchy of the Dales
Comments