Constitution of Myroria

Preamble

We, the Sedera of Myroria, duly-elected to the Auspicious Throne of the Spirits and Ancestors, do solemnly swear to the Blessed and Holy Living-Omens of the Spirits and Ancestors; that is, the sparrows and owls of Holy Mere-rûn, the witness of Our peers and their Houses-in-spirit, and Our own Ancestors in Heaven and Our Guardian and Ever-Watchful Spirits that, in a policy of ever approaching perfection in Our nation's governance, We will faithfully and honorably serve the body politic of Myroria and their best interests.

In consideration of the tendency of human affairs to strive towards progress and modernity, We deem it necessary and expedient to, in an effort to strive towards achieving the grace and pride of Our Spirits and Ancestors, establish the fundamental and base laws of the newly-styled Union of the Great, Lesser, and Independent Houses of Myroria. With their ever-present guidance and teaching voice, We wish to give greater meaning to the laws that govern Our borders and care for the greater welfare of Our people. To do so, We hereby decree the following to be the Law and Constitution of the Union of the Great, Lesser, and Independent Houses of Myroria.

We owe the fortunate occassion to establish this document to the guidance, education, and protection of the Spirits and Ancestors of the Myrorian nation and all their Houses. To them, We and we truly owe all that exists and will ever exist.

Edict of Establishment

Having, by virtue of Our Ancestor-blessed nature, been duly elected to the Auspicious Throne of the Spirits and Ancestors; desiring to promote the welfare of, security of, education of, and in development of the moral faculties of Our beloved kinsmen, the very same that have been afforded the protection and care of their own Ancestors, We hereby decree and promulgate an Official Law and Constitution of the Union of the Great, Lesser, and Independent Houses of Myroria, to establish in writing a code by which Ourselves, Our successors, and Our fellow kinsmen are to follow and conform.

The Union's right of sovereignty has been plainly received via the blessing of Our and our Ancestors and will be passed on to all of Our and our descendents for time immemorial.

The Council of Great Houses Under the Sedera will convene for its first meeting on the second moon of this year, seventeen hundred and forty and the time of its opening shall be the date that this Constitution comes into force.

When it comes time to amend this constitution, We, Our successors, and the Council of Great Houses reserve the right to introduce legislation to that effect. The Council of Great Houses shall pass an amendment by a two-thirds majority vote and by no other means may this document be changed, altered, or discarded.

The Council of Great Houses, Our ministers, and Ourselves shall be given the duty to comply and enforce this document.

His Majesty, Sedera of Myroria, Duke of Pelagis, Lord Protector of the Eluvataran Isles, &c., &c., &c.
RESDAIN III DEMNEVANITH SED.

Article I: Rights and Responsibilities of the People

1. The conditions necessary for being a Myrorian citizen shall be determined by law.
2. Myrorian citizens may be appointed to civil, military, or other public services equally and as determined by law and qualification.
3. Only natural-born Myrorian citizens may serve in the Council's Army and His Majesty's Border Guard.
4. Myrorian citizens are duty-bound to pay taxes according to the provisions of the law.
5. Myrorian citizens shall have the right to move their abode freely according to the law.
6. No person shall be detained without due process of the law.
7. No person may be deprived of his or her right to trial before a judge and jury.
8. Except in cases within the provisions of the law, no Myrorian citizen may have his or her belongings searched without his or her consent.
9. People, within the provisions of the law, enjoy the right to free religious practice.
10. People, within the provisions of the law, enjoy the right to freedom of speech and the written word.
11. Myrorian citizens, within the provisions of the law, enjoy the right to free association in groups and to gather publicly.
12. Myrorian citizens may, within the provisions of the law, present petitions to the Sedera and/or Council of Great Houses.
13. Myrorian citizens enjoy the right to pledge allegiance to, or break bonds with, any Great or Lesser House.

Article II: The Council of Great Houses

1. The Council of Great Houses shall be comprised of representatives appointed by the three largest Great Houses.
2. The size of the Great Houses shall be defined according to population; this number shall be collected by a census as described in Article II.
3. Every law requires the consent of the Council of Great Houses.
4. The Sedera, Head of the Majority, Head of the First Minority, and Head of the Second Minority shall be the only personages permitted to submit legislation to the Council of Great Houses.
5. The Council of Great Houses shall vote on legislation submitted by the Sedera.
6. Bills approved by the Council of Great Houses shall be effective immediately.
7. Bills rejected by the Council of Great Houses cannot be introduced in the same session.
8. The Council of Great Houses shall meet at least twice yearly.
9. A session of the Council of Great Houses shall last four months. In case of necessity, a session can be prolonged on order of the Sedera.
10. In case of necessity, an emergency session of the Council of Great Houses may be called.
11. The length of an emergency session shall be determined by the Council of Great Houses at its will.
12. A session of the Council of Great Houses may be prorogued at the discretion of the Sedera.
13. The Council of Great Houses may not be prorogued for more than two consecutive sessions.
14. No debate or vote can be opened in the Council of Great Houses unless one-third of all its members are present.
15. Votes in the Council of Great Houses shall be taken by simple majority. In case of a tie, the Sedera may break the tie.
16. The Council of Great Houses shall elect a Sedera from its own membership on the death, abdication, or removal of the previous one. A Sedera must be elected by a three-fifths majority.
17. The Clerk of the Council of Great Houses shall handle clerical business in the Council of Great Houses.
18. [AMENDMENT NOVEMBER 5, 1933] The Clerk of the Council of Great Houses shall reapportion seats twice between official censuses according to official projections from the census body.
19. [AMENDMENT NOVEMBER 5, 1933] The Clerk of the Council of Great Houses shall conduct these reapportionments no less than one and one-half years apart from each other.
20. [AMENDMENT NOVEMBER 5, 1933] The Clerk of the Council of Great Houses shall have belonged to no Great or Lesser House for at least ten years prior to his or her appointment.
21. The Council of Great Houses may enact its own internal rules and procedure.

Article III: The Census and House Pledges

1. A national census shall be conducted every five years.
2. This census shall be conducted by a census body established with the consent of the Council of Great Houses and the Sedera.
3. The following information must be obtained from every man [AMENDMENT APRIL 23, 1878] and woman [END AMENDMENT] over the age of 20 in the nation: age, place of residence, and House membership.
4. If a man [AMENDMENT APRIL 23, 1878] or woman [END AMENDMENT] names a House not registered as a Great or Lesser House with the census body [AMENDMENT NOVEMBER 5, 1933] or Clerk of the Council of Great Houses [END AMENDMENT] as their member House, it shall be recorded as an "Independent House".
5. All Great, Lesser, and Independent Houses shall be recorded in the House Register.
6. A Great House is defined as a collection of two or more Lesser Houses.
7. A Lesser House is defined as a body of individuals connected by blood, marriage, or official adoption who have applied for official House status according to the law.
8. An Independent House is defined as one or more people who may or may not be connected by blood, marriage, or unofficial adoption who have not applied for official House status according to the law.
9. A Lesser House may pledge its allegiance to a Great House according to the law.
10. The right of a Lesser House to pledge its allegiance to a Great House may not be infringed.
11. The three Great Houses largest in population shall be given the right to send representatives to the Council of Great Houses according to the size of their membership as defined in this article.

Article IV: The Sedera

1. The Council of Great Houses shall elect the Sedera for a lifelong term from among its own membership as described in Article I.
2. A Sedera must be elected with a three-fifths majority as described in Article I.
3. The Sedera may introduce legislation to the Council of Great Houses as described in Article I.
4. The Sedera may veto legislation presented to him or her.
5. The Sedera opens, closes, and prorogues sessions of the Council of Great Houses.
6. The Sedera serves as supreme commander-in-chief of the nation's armed forces.
7. When the Council of Great Houses is not sitting, the Sedera may issue Royal Ordinances in the place of Council-approved laws.
8. These Ordinances shall be put before the Council of Great Houses at its next session and approved or rejected.
9. If rejected, these Ordinances no longer apply or carry legal standing.
10. The Sedera confers titles of nobility, rank, orders, and other marks of honor.
11. The Sedera may commute the sentences of, or pardon, convicted criminals.
12. The Council of Great Houses may remove a Sedera by a seven-tenths majority.
13. The Sedera shall appoint Ministers for foreign affairs, war, the treasury, and internal matters of state.
14. The Sedera may appoint any additional number of personal Ministers.

Article V: Judiciary

1. There shall be Courts of Law established in the name of the Council of Great Houses and the Sedera.
2. The organization of these Courts of Law shall be determined by law.
3. Judges in these Courts of Law shall be appointed from among those who possess proper qualifications according to the law.
4. Trials will be conducted publicly and before a jury of the accused's peers.
5. Trials may be closed to public viewing at the discretion of the Court of Law or according to law.
6. All those accused of a criminal offense are to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Article VI: Finance

1. The imposition of a new tax or adjustment in an existing tax's rates shall be determined by law.
2. The raising of national loans and the contracting of other liabilities shall be delegated to the national treasury, except for the Budget, which shall be delegated to the Council of Great Houses.
3. The expenditure and revenue of the state shall require the consent of the Council of Great Houses and Sedera through an annual budget.
4. If the Council of Great Houses does not pass a budget, the government shall perform according to the previous year's budget.

Article VII: Provisions for Amendment

1. If it becomes necessary to amend this document in the future, the Sedera or the Council of Great Houses may introduce legislation to that effect in the latter body.
2. No debate or vote shall begin on a constitutional amendment unless two-thirds of the Council of Great Houses is present.
3. Any constitutional amendment must be passed with a two-thirds majority vote.