Whisper Vote
When a member of the Noble Court has upset another (or several other) members, to a significant enough degree, the main course of redress is to call a Whisper Vote. Masked behind layers of diplomacy, to an outsider the process would look identical to any other court session, with the exception that they are generally held in the evening, rather than during the day, and everyone's countenance tends to be a lot more grim.
A Whisper Vote calls for judgement on the fate of the accused noble, which is decided over the course of the evening, as the Viziers of the sixteen noble families, and the Lord Captain Emissary, make their votes known. As the evening progresses, the Vizier may change their vote in response to the votes of others. A verdict is only reached once a majority declare one of the four preferred outcomes:
- Forgiven: A Forgive Verdict keeps the noble's status as it was before the vote took place. Although nothing has officially changed, the process of having been accused can have serious diplomatic repercussions, for the accused and the accuser, and also for the relationships between noble families, depending on how each Vizier ultimately voted.
- Exiled: An Exile Verdict allows the noble to remain in the nobility class, with the rank of Katib or Katiba (depending on gender) - although, an exiled Dame Viziera is permitted to keep her title. However, they are forbidden from residing at court, relieved of all courtly duties and are no longer considered active members of their noble house. Nobles who have been Exiled are still recorded in the Peerage of the Second Court, and are still recognised as family members by their noble household.
- Banished: A Banish Verdict strips the noble of their nobility. They are removed from court and no longer recognised by their families or the court as ever having existed. Mention of their name is forbidden, and all information about them is expunged from the Peerage of the Second Court. They must now make their way as commoners.
- Executed: An Execution Verdict is given when the court (or at least, the Viziers) consider Banishment to be either too kind, or too dangerous. The noble undergoes the same expungement treatment as they would if they were banished, however rather than being permitted to live in the lower levels of the city, they are instead killed.
