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[[File:BormarFlag.png|thumb|The banner of Bormar and, by
The First House is the national legislature of '''[[Bormar]]'''. It was created at Bormar’s inception and settled in Ereben, the nation’s capital. Its structure consists of the one-hundred richest nobles of Bormar, one of which is granted executive authority. The First House has the final say on all matters within Bormar’s borders and may unilaterally pass law, command armies, officiate diplomacy and other relevant duties-of-state.
The name ‘First House’ stems from the leadership of ancient [[Dwarves|'''Dwarven''']] settlements where all decision-making and discussion would occur in the home of the settlement’s Elder. Since this was the first instrument of young Bormar’s tenuous power, it was titled the
Nearly all offices, documents or paraphernalia related to
== The Nobles ==
Bormar’s noble system has always been directly tied to wealth, this extends to pre-Bormar times where settlements would strive to be the richest within the Mar
For this reason, the richest Dwarves are appointed to serve in
The First Book (seen as the proto-constitution of Bormar) only identifies two criteria to become a Noble within
Rulin Morju, a retired First Speaker wrote,
Originally, a majority vote by The First House on a candidate was all that was required to appoint a new First Noble. But following the
Once appointed, the new First Noble must give up their control of their Holding and move to Ereben, relying solely on their own amassed wealth. While greed is not an uncommon emotion of most unascended nobles, First Nobles will usually rise to the call, and diligently use their wealth to better the nation, usually retiring with a much smaller pool of wealth as they spent it on bettering the nation.
First Nobles do not lose their title should another unelected Noble surpass their net worth. First Nobles serve for life unless they are voted out, or die.
== Legislation ==
The First House’s legislation is called
Interestingly, First Nobles are constitutionally required to finance the majority of any legislation or proposals they present to
Finally, it means First Nobles can convene and co-sponsor First Acts, massively increasing the available funding for bills. This was used for some of
Any First Noble (save for The First Speaker) may author, co-sponsor, submit, fund, amend and vote on First Bills. Most bills only require a Simple Majority to successfully pass and become a First Act. For bills which amend
▲Finally, it means First Nobles can convene and co-sponsor First Acts, massively increasing the available funding for bills. This was used for some of The First House’s largest legislation, like The First Act of Land Reform or The First Act of National Infrastructure.
▲Any First Noble (save for The First Speaker) may author, co-sponsor, submit, fund, amend and vote on First Bills. Most bills only require a Simple Majority to successfully pass and become a First Act. For bills which amend The First Book, alter domestic or international trade law, add or remove Government Organisations or state or modify the official position of Bormar (Statements of denunciation, declaration of war, activation of conscription, etc.) require a Supermajority to pass.
== Offices of The First House ==
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=== The First Speaker ===
The Office of The First Speaker of The First House is the highest elected office in Bormar, it is an Administrative office within The First House. First Speakers can serve for life, but usually serve for a decade due to the stress of the role.
The First Speaker is elected from one of the First Nobles. First Nobles must be nominated by five or more other First Nobles to be permitted to stand for election. It is usual that a dozen or more First Nobles are standing for election.
Voting is done through multiple rounds of
The First Speaker has executive authority over the administration of Ereben, facilitating the debate of each First House session, signs passed legislation into law and acts as the Chief Executive of any assembled National Military.
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The Office of The First Speaker consists of an entourage of nearly 35 aides. This includes accountants, script-writers, security, representatives from Bormar’s Offices, translators, and more.
First Speakers are constitutionally advised to be “impartial in all matters of state, and an unbiased mediator within
=== The First Wardens ===
The First Wardens are the hand-picked, highly-trained private security force operating solely within the First House. They are the only policing force bestowed the power of legal authority within the complex. The First Wardens are sworn to secrecy, as they are granted access to the entirety of the First House.
First Wardens are some of the most skilled fighters from Bormar and usually are chosen from
=== The First Beadle ===
The First Beadle is responsible for various administrative and house-keeping tasks within
They chair the First Commission of the House, which is a body of bureaucrats responsible for the up-keep of the House, maintenance and all other assistive duties required for house business, including lamp-lighting, cleaning, printing, clerks, and more. The First Beadle and their team, officially called
The First Beedle themself holds the First Hammer, which is used to strike the Deep Iron Ribs of The First House, before loudly announcing the entrance of a First Noble.
== Sub-Organisations ==
In 416 BY,
The first commission was the First Commission on the House, headed by the First Beadle and occupied by the First Beadlery and the First Speaker. This commission is directly in-charge of all House bureaucracy. Other notable commissions include: The First Commission of Vingi-Borian Relations, The First Commission of [[Zietal Mar|'''Zietal Mar''']], and The First Commission on the Third Tunnel Through the Koreggi Mountains.
While commissions do not possess enumerated powers, on the House floor, members of Commissions relating to the task at-hand are generally given speaking priority and their speeches are respected, regularly swaying votes on legislation.
When bills that relate to an established Commission are introduced, a short period of debate will be permitted before
== Architecture ==
The First House is renowned across Bormar (and the remainder of the continent) for its uniquely and universally Dwarven architectural style. The entire exterior walls are solid stone, beset with stone statues and carefully inset mosaics of key points of political and Dwarven history.
The building, consisting of 10 overground storeys sits at just over 80 metres, except for the central tower which, at the tip of the flagpole, stands at 120 metres. The roof was one of the first major buildings in Bormar to be tiled. The material the tiles are made from varies occasionally, from slate to marble and occasionally rare metals.
=== The Central Tower ===
The Central Tower is primarily used as a set-piece. The incredibly tall tower dwarfs everything else in Ereben and is a physical embodiment of the power of The First House.
At the top sits
A flagpole rises ten metres above the roof of the tower, its tip being the height metric of the tower. It will be empty unless there is a celebration, tragedy, or meeting of The First House. Flown symbols include the flag of Bormar, the flag of the Molir, and other symbols of notable importance to the occasion in which they were flown.
=== The Interior ===
The interior of
Each First Noble is given a bespoke office and complete authority on furnishing and design. First Nobles will regularly commission craftsdwarves of their own holding to design and detail the office.
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The First House Chamber is a large hexagonal stone chamber, with tiers of padded wooden benches surrounding several rostra. First Nobles will sit and speak from the benches, which has no designated seating plan. The First Speaker, their aides and House Officers preside, and work from the many rostra.
The First Speaker will preside from the rostrum in the centre of the chamber. It is constructed from three tiers of cylindrical stone, each tipped with Deep Iron. The top tier has a stone and deep-iron chair and rests upon a rotating mechanism that allows The First Speaker to slowly rotate as they speak, or turn to face a specific First Noble to listen or address them. Embedded into the sides of each tier are cavities with relics of Bormar, including the [[Chapter One|'''All-Gem''']].
The chamber itself was carefully re-designed by fifteen architects known as the First Few to have excellent acoustic properties, with
At each wall-joining, a wide spine of Deep Iron stretches from the floor into the ceiling, converging at the centre. This provides structural support, and also acts as an internal bell which is rung by
Morju wrote,
== Notable Members ==
* '''Onya Strongvoice''' - Eighty-Fifth First Speaker
* '''Voman Stoutheart''' - A disgraced First Lord whose whereabouts are currently unknown▼
▲Voman Stoutheart - A disgraced First Lord
[[Category:Factions And Organisations]]
[[Category:Unfinished]]
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