Minister (of Exodus)
Among the Elves of Exodus, the minister is a catch-all term for an official with the authority to command others in a specific place or a specific branch of the Exodite hierarchy. The hierarchy has ministers all the way from the smallest village manager to the supreme Exodite Council, and the ministries are the fundamental unit of Exodite hierarchy. Practically every elf answers to some minister or another, and the typical minister also answers to other, higher ministers. A ministry can consist of the affairs of one village, or a single workshop. However, at the high end, the Minister of Fin-Allan has powers that can be described as nothing less than imperial. And though, some positions in the Exodite hierarchy have different terms, such as the Mayor of Fin-Allan (largely named so to distinguish from the minister of Fin-Allan) or the captains of the Exodite army, the ministry defines Exodite hierarchy in general.
At its heart, having ministry is about having fairly undefined and expansive powers to make decisions and give orders to some part of the Exodite hierarchy, for the benefit for the Exodite state. Exodite ministers are less restricted by law and charter and more by custom and the knowledge that if they step out of line, their own superiors can remove them. Thus, the ministries form something of a layered dictatorship, where each step of the pyramid has as much power over the ones below as they can get away with. It is the Exodite elves' strong ingrained sense of civic responsibility and belief in the oneness of the Exodite state that curtails many of the abuses of this system, as the elves by and large view the idea of using one's position of trust in the hierarchy for ones own benefit with the highest contempt.
Appointment
Ministry is appointed on the appointing minister's personal discretion, usually either on the basis of loyalty and ability, or because the junior Exodite has been mentored for the position. Nepotism as commonly understood is largely unknown to Exodus, but personal relationships still play a part in determining who can become a minister.
Grounds for Removal/Dismissal
There is no formal cause needed to dismiss a minister, only direct authority over the minister in question. In a fashion fairly typical of the Exodites, a superior minister is expected to exercise their judgment over whether the junior one remains suited for their duties, and remove them if not.
Type
Civic, Professional
Form of Address
Minister
Current Holders
Related Organizations
Comments