Uniter
The Uniter was the leader of the Unity, ruling the Cluster Islands from 2000-2040 Vol. There were only two who held that title: Walemin, who gave it to herself as the one who joined the islands, and Kezlaf, who assumed the title after Walemin's death.
Responsibilities
In the early Unity, the Uniter oversaw the trade of goods carried by the conduit. Walemin gradually assigned herself further responsibilties as she saw the need, such as appointing government officials and court judges, and coordinating relief missions. In his time as the Uniter, Kezlaf also frequently visited the various islands to directly respond to threats to the Unity and also to scout out candidates for the Wringers.
Benefits
In 2019 Vol Kezlaf established the Wringers, a unit of former Water Seekers serving as personal bodyguards to the Uniter.
Grounds for Removal/Dismissal
As described in the Unity's founding documents, "Uniter" was intended to be a title held for life. Some provisions were outlined for the delegation of duties in the event the Uniter experienced declining ability. These were never tested, since Walemin died of a sudden illness and Kezlaf was killed in battle.
History
Although Walemin had been working for more than two decades toward a pan-island government, the Unity's official founding date was the first day of 2000 Vol, when the inaugural conduit run between Mraydor and Galtern proved the viability of high-speed ocean travel. When the conduit boat left Mraydor on the morning of that day, Walemin was a senior councilmember enjoying the new year's festivities. When it returned, the conditions of the agreement between Mraydor's governing council and Galtern's Worthies were fulfilled, and Walemin's first act as Uniter was to join two broken pieces of wood as a symbolic unification of the two islands.
The Unity as Walemin initially conceived of it was as an entity separate from the islands' governments, operating in cooperation with them. As such, the role of the Uniter was originally to coordinate inter-island commerce and traffic. However, since the Unity's council was composed of governors and other high-ranking officials, Walemin used her "big picture" perspective to justify advising them. Kezlaf took this a step further, dictating laws and policies to be followed Cluster-wide and to take precedence over any local rule.
The Uniter and the Unity both ended on the same day. An organized opposition called the Dissolvers had been growing for decades, and in 2040 Vol they launched a desperate attack on Mraydor that succeeded in no small part because the Uniter's authority was beginning to erode even within his most loyal circles.
Cultural Significance
The Uniter as a concept was most popular before the rank properly existed. Once the conduits were built, Walemin's indifference to the harm done to tideriders and local economies led her to be seen as remote and out of touch. Kezlaf's abuses served to fix the Uniter in the public mindset as a terrifying figure. After the Unity's defeat, when Alcendis took charge of the remaining Wringers, many believed that she was planning to succeed Kezlaf as Uniter. Only recently, now that she has retired from being Dancinglight, has that rumor finally been laid to rest.
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