Tribune

In Incaras, City of Mercenaries each district is governed and represented by three tribunes, elected on three year terms rotating with one election annually. The Tribune is the primary city official most residents and citizens have dealings with, aside from the Watch. Tribunes are the first citizens of the districts, the organizers and coordinators, ombudsmen and patrons for their fellows. The Tribunes must know their fellows, their reputations and their stature within the neighborhoods. They will circulate and keep in touch with the population and be aware of needs for street care, water service from the aqueducts, care of sewers and drains and condition of buildings and residents. Species and ethnicity have bearing more in some districts than in others. Occasionally an exceptional individual gains office against expectations of what might be considered "normal" for a district.

Qualifications

Any city resident of adult age may run for office. This is one of the few official offices of the city open to any resident. Citizens are favored as citizens have greater influence and standing.  Candidates must abandon or resign from other offices to take the Rod and Amulet of a Tribune.  Or they must abandon the office of Tribune if seeking other public offices.

Appointment

Elections are monitored in each district by a Magistrate under the Regent High Justice, The Ward Keeper under the Regent Exchecker, and three Aediles. Announcement and set up of elections is administered by the Tribunes currently in office for each of three Demes, or neighborhood. They will commission the artists for the portraits, establish voting spots and awnings underwhich the city officers conducting the vote will settle themselves. Voting is only open to citizens. Voters gather at the polling location, names are verified against records by a register of the Regent Chancellor under the District Keeper of Rolls. Order is maintained by two hand of Vigils (or sometimes called Constables) of the watch. Each voter is issued a chit by an Aedile, a special voting gold coin. The number is determined by the register and verified. The coin is cast into a cask marked with name and a drawing of each candidate or one that is empty. At the setting of the sun, the Aedile will record the chits cast for each candidate, witnessed by the candidates or their agents and the register. The high count of chits cast for candidates wins. If more chits are found than were issued, a repeat vote is required. The register and Aedile for each Deme report to the Ward Keeper, District Keeper and Magistrate who verify counts and declare victors. The next day the Magistrate, Ward Keeper and District Keeper along with the Chief Constable of the District will collect the rod and amulet from those who are leaving office, or were defeated ( they will have collected or replaced these if the prior Tribune had died or suffered some mishap that prevented them from continuing in office.). They will swear in the new Tribune (or re-elected one). The oath is to serve the city and the people of the district, to perform the duties and uphold the laws. This is recorded and witnessed by the Magistrate, District and Ward Keepers.

Duties

The Tribunes of a District are the immediate city officers. They are expected to be familiar with their neighborhood Demes and the district in general. Annually they will coordinate and plan the voting for Tribunes and Council of the Thousand, the lesser legislative body. Once every 5 years they will supervise elections for a candidate for the House of Lords- open only to citizens of Squire, Master or Lord status.

• Daily duties:
• Meet with residents to hear issues, requests and complaints.
• Coordinate Neighborhood repairs, maintenance & construction, or water supply with the Ward Keepr that directs maintenance and repair actions.
• Intercede for citizens in lesser government. Take reports of missing persons, run away slaves or indentured/ bonds and crimes and deliver these to the Watch. Recommend candidates to the Watch ( a frequent step to citizenship) and other city jobs.
• Daily visit the Watch to verify identity of prisoners and issue minor rulings, or direction of the prisoner or case to Guild justice. Major rulings go to Deme council hearing. Citizens may request a hearing or trial by a Magistrate.
  
  

• Weekly:
• Direct cases of suspect death or murder to the Coronors or Inquisitors, or other crimes or suspicious activity to special investigations.
• Report weekly births/ deaths and departures to scribes of the Registrar.
  
  
• Monthly:
• Monthly Hold citizenship hearings. (Citizenship is open to any free person, residing in the city for 5 years, of at least 18 years of age. Those wishing citizenship appear before the Tribunes (Deme council ), a hearing is held with witnesses for and against, then there is a Council vote. If passed the citizen is registered with the District Keeper and the citizenship payment is made. An alternative is entering the City Watch (Constables/ Vigils) or City Guard ( Militia/ Defense forces)
• Conduct Deme Citizen drawing for Courts & Jury duty. Duty lasts one month and the names of 11 citizens are drawn from names on slips of paper presented by the register.

Tribunes weigh public expectations, community reputations and individual history against the laws and rules of the city. Ruling harsher against chronic offenders or outsiders. More leniently with familiar community members. A Tribunes office and future depend on good community relations and ability to turn out voters. Tribunes will build up patronage with many clients- helping with jobs, (inexchange for support or gifts), small loans or gifts of less than Citizenship cost monthly ( 50 gp for Residents, 100 for Laborers/ Common class, 200 for squires, 400 for Masters, 500 for lords. Gifts above this at any time are considered bribes). Likewise they may only accept gifts in line with their own Citizenship levels from any individual or Guiid. They also contribute to public services, festivals, and temple or civic rituals.

Accoutrements & Equipment

Tribunes carry a rod of office of bone or ivory, topped with a three headed Hawk- each head facing 120 degrees from each other. They wear the amulet of office in official functions and duties. The amulet is cast bronze with a tower flanked on either side by a coin and a sword, with a scroll above. The tower representing the city, the coin is trade and the sword strength ( some say the coin is the Guilds, the sword the mercenaries) and the scroll of law. They are allowed one guard (either an officer of the city guard or a retired mercenary) paid an annual stipend by the city. This guard wears the white leather armor and cloak of the city watch. Additional guards are at the Tribune's own expense.

Grounds for Removal/Dismissal

Complaints of Public corruption, illegal confiscation, embezzlement, Vote buying and canvassing, bribery, treason, plotting to kill or murder of officials, False witness or perjury are presented with witness or other evidence or testimony to Magistrates. If sufficient cause is found by the Magistrate to have been presented, the accused is called to trial by the Magistrates. Cases of treason, plot, murder or attempt, witchcraft or poisoning may result in the accused being arrested by the Watch and held in jail. Plaintiff and Defendent, or their lawyers or other representatives present testimony and witnesses to the court and heard by the Magistrate and two jurists selected by lot from the monthly Jury Duty pool. The Court rules on guilt or innocence and may impose fines, ejection from office, banishment or death for severe crimes such as murder, poisoning or wiitchcraft.

History

Incara of Wereglyd the first Lady Mayor and First Regent Polemarch with her Rengent Council, established the office of Tribune for the 5 original districts of the city roughly 700 years ago. Tymeren of the Copper Vipers, she represented the Mercenary district, their followers and retirees. Ieruhshee a centaur scholar represented the University, students and scholars. Uliah Wagoner represented the traders and guilds that settled the Fortress Gate. Vithri a Fae of Wood Elf blood and monk of the Temple represented them and their surrounding residents. Biluo the money changer represented the unaffiliated other residents and laborers.

Human, Centaur and Elven fae were the first. It took a century for the first Bahku . The First Octnon Tribune ( Edejo of the Tytak) occurred after the Great War of Inx ( 300 years ago) and the schism of the Octnon between the God-King and the traditionalists, with a colony of exiled Tytak Clan of Dragon Cult worshippers settling in the city. Only in the last century have monstrous species risen to the office. A'khyehn being the first Ghenid , and a reputed criminal boss. Urak, of the Oggrey or Oni race and Ikirth, who is of the Rakshasa species and is attributed as a skilled politician with goals of high office in the city.

Form of Address

Tribune