The Divan Vel'Shavas
The Divan Vel’Shavas
An assembly of Viziers within the Vorr’Khal Sultanate, serving as specialized ministers who guide and execute the Sultan’s policies. Unlike hereditary nobility, Divan Vel’Shavas members ascend by merit and expertise, maintaining the dynamic edge of the Sultanate’s governance.
1. Meaning & Etymology
“Divan” – In Khalish tradition, refers to a formal council or assembly; often linked to scholarly or judicial gatherings.
“Vel’Shavas” – A composite phrase in the older desert tongue:
“Vel” = “Radiant Threads” or “Guiding Rays”
“Shavas” = “Collective Wisdom” or “Communal Judgement”
Overall Translation:
“The Council of Guiding Wisdom” or more poetically, “The Radiant Tapestry of Judgment.”
2. Membership & Role
The Divan Vel’Shavas is composed of Viziers—individuals elected by the Council of Radiance, a higher advisory body to the Sultan.
Council of Radiance Composition:
The Five Marquis
Oversee major cities or strategic domains (e.g., Caldan, Milas, Void Spire).
Command significant military and economic influence.
Select Viscounts
Not all Viscounts are included; only those appointed for regional importance or specialized expertise.
Senior Viziers
Heads of specific ministries like finance, war, arcana, and agriculture.
Provide specialized counsel to the Sultan.
(Occasional Invitees)
Could be distinguished Baronet(s) or notable officials brought in for specific issues.
From within this Council of Radiance, those deemed most skilled, learned, and dedicated can be elected to the Divan Vel’Shavas, effectively formalizing their role as Viziers.
Vizierial Function
Advise the Sultan on day-to-day governance and policy execution.
Develop edicts and strategies in line with the Sultan’s decrees and the Council of Radiance’s legislative framework.
Hold temporary or lifetime appointments, depending on merit, performance, and the Sultan’s approval.
3. Characteristics
Non-Hereditary – Membership is not passed down by bloodline; it must be earned through expertise and achievement.
Expert-Led – Each Vizier excels in at least one realm: finance, diplomacy, war, law, arcana, culture, etc.
Adaptable & Rotational – Seats are revoked or reaffirmed regularly, ensuring the Divan Vel’Shavas remains current with the Sultanate’s shifting priorities.
Loyal to the Sultanate – While loyal to the Sultan, they also answer to the greater Council of Radiance, balancing royal wishes with broader noble consensus.
4. Cultural Perception
Respected Intelligentsia – Commoners and nobles alike view the Divan Vel’Shavas as true “professionals”, the intellectual backbone of the realm.
Occasional Envy – Some hereditary nobles resent Viziers who reach great heights without noble blood, yet they grudgingly rely on the Divan’s expertise.
Symbol of Meritocracy – The Divan is a beacon of hope for talented individuals outside noble lines who aspire to serve the Sultanate at its highest levels.
5. Public Agenda
Maintain Stability & Prosperity – Through advisory proposals, balanced economic measures, and judicial clarity.
Promote Skilled Governance – Encouraging scholarship, stewardship, and intellectual achievement across the realm.
Enforce the Sultan’s Will – Translating royal decrees into practical administration, bridging the gap between noble whim and everyday governance.
6. Axiom
“From Mind’s Light, We Guide the Realm.”
Not to be confused with the Sultanate’s overarching axiom (“In Unity and Prosperity, We Shine Brighter Than the Desert Sun”), this mini-axiom or motto reflects the Divan Vel’Shavas’s emphasis on knowledge, wisdom, and rational leadership.
7. Alternate Names
“The Shavas Court” – Used by common folk who see it as a specialized court of intellectuals.
“The Lightbearers’ Divan” – A more poetic expression in academic texts, referencing the Divan’s role in guiding policy with clear thought.
8. Demonym
Members or affiliates of the Divan may be colloquially called “Vel’Shavi”—“Those who stand in the radiant circle.”
9. Founding Date
223 AEL – 31 years after the Sultanate’s founding in 192 AEL.
Established by Sultan Jafir Vorr’Khal to professionalize the advisory system, shifting from pure noble-based counsel to a merit-based model that would later become the Vizier caste.
10. Leader & Leader Title
Leader: Grand Vizier Omid al-Shidar
Title: “First Ray of Vel’Shavas”
Symbolic for being the foremost guiding light among the collective.
Oversees internal organization, rotations, and appointments within the Divan, ensuring a balanced representation of expertise.
11. Founder
Sultan Jafir Vorr’Khal (reigned from 210 AEL to 244 AEL)
Noted for modernizing many aspects of governance.
Wanted an institutional safeguard against incompetent or self-serving nobles.
12. Organization Structure
Grand Vizier (“First Ray”)
Viziers of Key Ministries – War, Finance, Diplomacy, Arcana, Merchant Relations, Law & Justice, Agriculture, etc.
Assistant Viziers – Deputies or specialized experts, typically assigned to one main Vizier.
Clerks & Scholars – Support staff handling research, record-keeping, and preliminary investigations.
13. History
Early Years (223–250 AEL) – Dominated by founding vision, focusing on setting up standards for Vizier appointments.
Growth & Stabilization (250–400 AEL) – The Divan Vel’Shavas helped shape desert fortifications, trade expansions, and legal reforms, gradually eclipsing purely noble advisers in technical expertise.
Modern Era (400 AEL–Present) – Under Sultan Arvad Vorr’Khal and Sultan Grada Vorr’Khal, the Divan further refined defensive strategies, economic laws, and diplomatic alliances with foreign powers like Kozuka, Dominion of Kafka, and Al-Muru Daxin.
Their reliance on skilled, rotating appointments keeps them responsive to crises (pirates, necromancy threats, internal power struggles), upholding the mantra that merit can stand alongside noble lineage in governance.
Conclusion
The Divan Vel’Shavas embodies the Sultanate’s adaptive spirit, melding tradition with skill-based advancement. Rooted in Sultan Jafir Vorr’Khal’s founding ideals, the organization ensures that wisdom and knowledge shine brightly among the desert’s royalty—ever committed to the realm’s unity and prosperity in the face of changing times.
“From Mind’s Light, We Guide the Realm.”
Founding Date
223 AEL
Type
Court System
Alternative Names
“The Shavas Court” – Used by common folk who see it as a specialized court of intellectuals.
Demonym
Members or affiliates of the Divan may be colloquially called “Vel’Shavi”—“Those who stand in the radiant circle.”
Leader
Ruling Organization
Leader Title
Founders
Parent Organization
Location
Notable Members
