Tome Monannan

"Henceforth, the affairs- and more importantly the authorities of state- are leatherbound, no longer held in the heads of many, but in the pages of one, though there are many of them. As Gentos decrees in Gouthas' stead, powers of the Lord shall not exceed the rights afforded to him by the common agreement of each House. Long live Gwendor, forever faithful, forever fortunate." - Grefeth Hildar, leading legal scholar proclaiming the new constitution

The Tome Monannan is the founding text of what has become the Gwendorian Constitution. It is the single most important document in Gwendor as it outlines the limitations of the Lord's powers, and defines House relations in the political sphere. Not only this, but the Tome holds authoirty as the defining text in matters of executive government as it lays out the permissions of local, regional and national government: its original purpose was to standardise governence across the Lordship after all. In this, it enshrines the supremacy of the Lord in matters of common law, but codifies the Lord's role as purely executive, not legislative: the Seat holds the power and authority to enforce existing laws by any means deemed appropriate during times of peace and war. However, each House withholds the right to object to the Lord's methods of enforcement, therefore balancing power between the Houses, and the office by which they are ultimately united. 

The original Tome can be found in the Lepidas Prime, the most senior legislative chamber in Gwendor as a whole, and is kept there to remind not only those who sit as representitives of their powers, but to remind the Lord of his limitations. Facsimiles exist across Gwendor as such a crucial legal text must be consulted often by scholars, lawyers and enthusiasts alike, with some aqcuiring for their authors: the Thornpassage Tome is often claimed to have been transcribed by Cyrilus Broadbane, son of Gentos Broadbane himself. However, it is more likely to have been copied by an obscure understudy to whom the task was given as an administrative afterthought. Nevertheless, these copies evoke similar wonder to the original as people far and wide can go to see the document that proclaimed them citizens rather than subjects.

Above this sedentary function, the Tome features in the Monannan Trakkus of the Lord's Paladins, who serve as the documents manifested guardians, among other roles. In this ceremony, the Tome is moved from the Lepidas Prime, and taken to the Paladin's Quarters within the The Giritath and the rites are performed in the privacy of the Quarters. Later, the vows are reaffirmed in a public audience held whenever a new member is inducted.

Type

Manuscript, Legal