The Thing

The Thing is the assembly of the each of the Clans of the Finnar (men and women). It is a meeting of all of the freemen in an area, starting as small as a Karl and the Bondi beneath them, and going all the way up to the Althing that happens in the king’s castle.
On occasions, a Thing is celebrated between Clans when deciding disputes, alliances, marriages, trades, etc.

Important matters arising at a local Thing are passed along and represented at the jarl’s Thing, where each jarl brings the matters of their own jarldom to the provincial meeting of rulers.
At the Thing, disputes are resolved and decisions are made. A Thing is a great gathering, and so it often coincides with religious rites and is a time for great commerce.
The Thing meets at regular intervals, almost always on feast days, they vote on a great many matters, decide on laws and legislation, arbitrates disputes, elects jarls and kings, and address countless other matters which need arbitration.
Usually, it is an Arctic Crows that oversees the thing, a rune-wise galdr who has memorized the laws of the land. The Arctic Crow's role is to represent the law in all arguments and to be objective.
While each person has a vote in the Thing, it tends to be the case that a jarl has a great many votes, with those beneath them voting as they do.
Each person is free to speak as they wish at the Thing. A lowly Bondi can speak to the jarl, or even the king as an equal during the assembly. Each voice should be given time and should be allowed to speak.
Though the Thing can make decisions and pass laws, the assembly itself has no power to enforce them. For example, a Thing may agree to undertake a large public works project, such as the construction of a wall or canal, and take up a collection to fund it. Who sees that the silver is spent where it should be? Justice is often in the hands of those who wish to seek it, but the ruling of the Thing in determining the legality of such justice is paramount in avoiding revenge feuds.