Council of Thorns

The court rules under the motto: “Through thorns does justice prevail” “Amé, Até, ven faré”

## Information

### Allegiance

King of the Andals, Lord of the Five Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm

### Founded

564 A.C by Gaearon I Soothereos

> *"The Council of Thorns had its founding under the king Gaerion Soothereos."* — Rhaek Commander Erika Noval
> *"He told it as this; the thorns of advice prick him at every counseling."* — Harold of Coin Bronn Faire
>
>

The **Council of Thorns** is a body which advises the king of the Five Kingdoms and institutes policies at his command. It is the inner council of the king, essentially forming the "government cabinet" of Soothereos. Members are appointed to their position by the King; theoretically they can be dismissed at will by the king, however in practice this might lead to undesirable political fallout.

The king serves as the head of the council and takes note of its recommendations, but only the king can make the council's decisions into law. The Right Sworn of the King is the leading advisor on the council and serves as the king's proxy when he is not present, in which case the Right Sworn chairs the meeting. If the king is a minor, then by default the appointed regent will act in place of the king on the council.

The Council of Thorns meets at the capital city of Throes Peak in Castlerock.

## Composition

Members of the Court of Thorns are appointed and dismissed by the king, in theory as the king wills. In practice, of course, appointments or dismissals may have undesired political consequences which the king must consider.

The Court of Thorns usually consists of six non-hereditary positions. Long vacancies sometimes occur for one of these positions, i.e. during time of war, though this is considered undesirable.

* Right Sworn of the King: chairs the Council of Thorns, serves as the King's proxy during his absences.
* Harold of Coin: the realm's chief treasurer and bookkeeper.
* Harold of Whisperers: the realm's chief intelligence advisor and spymaster, supervising covert activities and information gathering, both at home and abroad.
* Harold of Laws: the realm's chief legal advisor, who also manages the dungeons of Castlerock, and supervises law enforcement.
* Convener of the Rhaeks: the representative of the five Lord Rhaeks of the realm, speaking strictly on their behalf. This is a nominated position by the Lord Rhaeks, in which is served for a non-consecutive term of three years. Afterward, a different Lord Rhaek must be appointed. Though they speak on the behalf of the others, they are often bought out by the wealthier to push agendas.
* Father Palor: The pholiosopher assigned to Castlerock, and thus to the realm. Like all pholiosopher assignments, the Arch Pholiosopher is appointed by the Conclave of Pholiosophers at the Citadel, not the king. While controversial, the King and the Right Sworn of the King have the authority to exclude the Arch Pholiosopher from the Council of Thorns, and even imprison him, but cannot replace him as Arch Pholiosopher. This makes the Arch Pholiosopher unique as the only member of the council not specifically chosen by the king.

If the regent of an underage King does not already possess one of these positions, then they are included in the Court of Thorns as the King's proxy.

The Lord Vicar of the Order of the Watch is not, strictly speaking, a position in the Council of Thorns, however the Vicar frequently attends meetings to report on conditions in the capital city and the general realm in entire. Nor the Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard, though likewise to the Lord Vicar, occasionally attends meeting.

## Members

### Under Veryis I Soothereos

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Viserys I Soothereos included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Gaearon I Soothereos

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Gaearon I Soothereos included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Orinthal I Soothereos

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Orinthal I Soothereos included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Gaearon II Soothereos

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Gaearon II Soothereos included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Aetherld I Soothereos

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Aetherld I Soothereos included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Aurielis I Soothereos

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Aurielis I Soothereos included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Veryis II Soothereos

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Veryis II Soothereos included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Elverion I Soothereos

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under lverion I Soothereos included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Elverion II Soothereos

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Elverion II Soothereos included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Amedius I Soothereos

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Amedius I Soothereos included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Amedius II Soothereos

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Amedius II Soothereos included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Aethelred I Herrenhall

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Aethelred I Herrenhall included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Leofric I Herrenhall

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Leofric I Herrenhall included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Eadric Herrenhall

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Eadric Herrenhall included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Cynric Herrenhall

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Cynric Herrenhall included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Leofric II Herrenhall

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Leofric II Herrenhall included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Aethelred II Herrenhall

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Aethelred II Herrenhall included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Hadrian Aegrodorin

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Hadrian Aegrodorin included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Orinthal III Aegrodorin

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Orinthal III Aegrodorin included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Gaearon III Aegrodorin

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Gaearon III Aegrodorin included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Caesarian Aegrodorin

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Caesarian Aegrodorin included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers

### Under Veryis III Aegrodorin

The positions and members of the king's Council of Thorns under Veryis III Aegrodorin included:

* Rhaek Commander of the Kingsguard: (if applicable)
* Harold of Whisperers