Aureunite Fundamental laws

Aureunite Fundamental Laws

Passed in the Winter of 58 Caeli Era

**Article I**

Section I:

A- The Head of Government for the Aureunite State shall additionally be the Head of State and be known as The Founder of Aureus.

B- Legislative power within the Aureunite State shall be vested unto the Council of Lords composed of each member of the nation ranked Duke or higher.

C- In the event of national refrenda, each member of the Aureunite State awarded the title citizen or above shall hereby be granted the right to vote and voice their opinions.

Section II:

A- The Founder shall, within the Council of Lords, be granted double voting power with a voting equivalent of two full votes within the Council.

B- All articles, laws and legislative proposals hereby passed must adhere to the articles of the Fundamental Laws unless otherwise designated by The Founder.

C- The Founder shall hold supreme power over the Aureunite armed forces within bounds of authorised deployment by the Council of Lords save in the event of emergency or existing declarations of war in which case The Founder may deploy the Aureunite military as they see fit.

D- The Founder shall have the power to declare an emergency within the State of Aureus at such a time as they see fit if the nation is under the influence of some extraordinary emergency.

Section III:

A- Lords within the State of Aureus shall be granted one full vote within the Council.

B- Dukes within the State of Aureus shall be granted one half vote within the Council.

C- Members of the Council of Lords have the power to designate proxy votes to any member of Aureus holding the rank of Knight or above to cast their vote and participate in Council discussion on their behalf.

D- In the event that a member of the Council of Lords misses at least three Council meetings, it is at the discretion of the Council to discipline or demote said member as they see fit.

E- All official meetings of the Aureunite Council shall be recorded with all votes, propositions and minutes added to the official record.

Section IV:

A- All legislation enacted through the Council of Lords shall be passed by majority vote and have binding weight.

B- All legislation created prior to the Fundamental Laws are to be considered unconstitutional and now defunct but should be reformed and recodified by the Council of lords at the earliest opportunity.

C- In the event of national emergency, The Founder may enact legislation required for the stability of the nation through official decree without the consent of the Council of Lords.

D- Meetings of the Aureunite Council shall be called by order of The Founder or by formal request for a meeting issued by two or more Lords of the Council.

E- In the event of an issue of national importance or other such emergency measure, The Founder may summon an emergency Council vote not classified as an official Council meeting for the purpose of solving the issue at hand.

Section V:

A- It is the right and ability of all members of Aureus ranked Citizen or higher to propose and craft legislation of the state for the purpose of consideration by The Founder and The Council.

B- It is the right and purview of The Council to decide which pieces of legislation to consider, codify and debate.

C- Any citizen proposing legislation may request formal processing and a full council vote on any proposed legislation providing they produce to The Council a formal draft bill countersigned by at least three members of Aureus ranked Citizen or higher.

**Article II**

Section I:

A- All members of Aureus granted the rank of citizen shall be afforded inalienable rights considered fundamental to the governing of Aureus and irrevocable by any and all authorities.

Section II: A- Citizens of Aureus are hereby granted the inalienable right to free passage and movement between all Aureunite settlements, military installations and territorial claims.

B- Citizens of Aureus are hereby granted the inalienable right to free speech which does not endanger or otherwise compromise national security.

C- Citizens of Aureus are hereby granted the inalienable right to protection under and involvement in crafting and upholding the laws and political institutions of Aureus.

D- Citizens of Aureus are hereby granted the inalienable right to propose legislative items or further amendments to the Fundamental Laws through a member of The Council.

E- Citizens of Aureus are hereby granted the inalienable right to seek advancement and promotion within the hierarchical structure and government ranks of Aureus.

**Article III**

Section I:

A- The ranks of Aureus set out henceforth establish the governmental structure of Aureus with each rank holding absolute power to direct and order lower ranked members of Aureus providing such direction does not infringe upon rights and powers set out within the Fundamental Laws.

B- Ranks up to the rank of Knight may be granted at the discretion of The Founder or The Council.

C- All Ranks of Knight or above must be granted through a full council vote.

Section II:

A- The lowest established rank within the nation of Aureus is hereby outlined to be recruit

B- The rank of recruit is hereby granted the right to ownership of personal possessions but not the possession of personal property unless an exception is granted by The Founder.

C- Recruit is the rank of citizenship to be designated to all new members unless explicitly authorised otherwise.

Section III:

A- The rank of citizen is hereby established as above recruit in the Aureunite hierarchy and as such will be awarded by promotion from Recruit to Citizen by the Aureunite Council or some other such authority Outlined in Article III, Section I.

B- The rank of citizen is hereby awarded the right to own personal property within the Aureunite Empire.

C- The rank of citizen is hereby awarded the right to own and operate commercial property and enterprise within the Aureunite Empire as well as hold rank within a profession as awarded by their guildmaster.

Section IV:

A- The rank of knight is hereby established as above citizen in the Aureunite hierarchy and a member of the Aureunite gentry and thus all ranks below are subject to the authority of any holding the role of knight unless otherwise instructed so by a higher authority. This role will be awarded by vote of the Aureunite Council as outlined in Article III, Section I.

B- The rank of knight is hereby awarded the right to act as an Aureunite diplomat if authorised to do so by the Council.

C- The rank of knight is hereby awarded the right to act as an officer in official governmental capacity or within a national guild if authorised by decree of the Council, Guild Master or a Political officer similarly empowered by the Council.

Section V:

A- The rank of hero is hereby established as above knight in the Aureunite hierarchy and as such will be awarded by promotion from knight to hero by discretion of the Aureunite Council as outlined in Article III, Section I for actions deemed by the Council as ‘heroic contributions to the nation’.

B- The rank of hero is hereby awarded the right to their image being memorialised in the national Hall of Fame in recognition of their actions.

C- The rank of hero is hereby awarded the right to act as an official permanent ambassador or otherwise empowered national officer or imperial governor by permission of Council Vote.

D- The rank of hero is considered a permanent honorific awarded by the nation and as such may not be promoted or demoted through the Aureunite member system unless by exceptional circumstances where Council mandated punishment and removal of role is warranted.

Section VI:

A- The rank of duke is hereby established as above knight and hero in the Aureunite hierarchy and a member of the aureunite nobility and thus all ranks below are subject to the authority of any holding the role of duke unless otherwise instructed so by a higher authority. The role shall be awarded by promotion from knight to duke by discretion of the Aureunite Council as outlined in Article III, Section I.

B- The rank of duke is hereby awarded the right to manage and operate a town within the Aureunite nation. They may also act as an official permanent ambassador or otherwise empowered national official or imperial governor by permission of Council vote.

C- The rank of duke is hereby awarded the right to act and speak as a member of the Aureunite Council as outlined in Article I of the Aureunite Fundamental Laws.

Section VII:

A- The rank of lord is hereby established as above the rank of duke in the Aureunite hierarchy and a member of the aureunite nobility and thus all ranks below are subject to the authority of any holding the role of lord unless instructed to do so by a higher authority. The role shall be awarded by promotion from duke to lord by discretion of the Aureunite Council as outlined in Article III, Section I.

B- The rank of lord is hereby awarded the right to manage and operate any number of towns within the Aureunite nation. They may also act as an official permanent ambassador or otherwise empowered national official or imperial governor by permission of Council vote.

Section VIII: A- The Council of Aureus hereby has the power to establish other roles, ranks and honorifics outside of this established structure if it is their pleasure to do so.

B- All roles outlined with Article III of the Fundamental articles shall hereby enjoy the privileges outlined in each role below their station within the nation.

C- Anyone previously having held the rank of Founder shall be afforded the role of Ex-Founder and become dedicated to the record keeping and preservation of all official Aureunite communications and Council meetings as well as hold the equivalent rank of Lord of Aureus in perpetuity save by vote of removal by the Aureunite Council.

**Article IV**

Section I:

A- The rank of founder is hereby established as the rank above lord in the Aureunite hierarchy and a member of the Aureunite Empire and thus all ranks below are subject to the authority of any holding the role of founder unless instructed to do so by a higher authority. The role shall be awarded by promotion from lord to founder by discretion of the Aureunite Council as outlined in Article III, Section I.

B- Only one member of Aureus may hold the rank of founder at any given time and the succession to the role of founder will be done so by nomination of the old founder subject to approval by Council vote.

Section II:

A- It is the role of the founder to maintain and oversee the entire nation and as such govern as they see fit within the bounds of law outlined by the Council. As such, it is the right of the founder to call to order a council meeting at any time they see fit.

B- It is the role of the founder to act as the executive power of the Aureunite Empire and as such administer and oversee all governance and justice within the nation.

C- It is the role of the founder to act as commander in chief of the Aureunite armed forces and to act in accordance with established national protocols of military action.

D- It is the role of the founder to act as the chief diplomat of the Aureunite nation subject to council approval for international treaties and general policy.

E- It is the role and power of the founder to enforce emergency banishment and or confinement of any member of the Aureunite Empire pending formal hearing before the Founder as the nation’s chief administrator of justice.

**Article V**

Section I:

A- The Council of Aureus is hereby designated as the court of arbitration of all justice within the Aureunite Empire to adjudge all cases brought before the Founder as the nation's chief administrator of justice.

B- All punishments and sentences awarded within the Aureunite Empire are to be done so by designation of council vote subject to evidence presented, if any, and a formal hearing.

C- All members of Aureus, regardless of rank, may be punished if done so by majority vote of the Aureunite Council.

D- Any Lords or Dukes subject to disciplinary action before the Aureunite Council may not cast votes in their official council sentencing.

E- It is the role and power of the Aureunite Council under the direction of the founder to codify and formalise all crimes, punishments and discipline within the nation.

**Article VI**

Section I:

A- The Aureunite Military is hereby designated as under the command of the Commander in Chief of the Aureunite Armed forces, a role to be held by the reigning Founder of Aureus.

B- The Aureunite Military is to be treated as a professional force within the Aureunite Nation and awarded appropriate resources subject to their requests by the Aureunite Treasury.

C- The Aureunite Military shall be put under the day to day command of the Commander of Joint Chiefs appointed by and answerable directly to The Aureunite Founder.

Section II:

A- It is the job of the Commander of the Joint Chiefs to structure and establish the chain of command within the Aureunite Military subject to the outlined structure approved by the Aureunite Council.

B- It is the job of the Commander of the Joint Chiefs to carry out each cycle a report on the readiness of the Aureunite Military to be presented to The Founder and the Aureunite Council for review.

C- It is the job of the Commander of the Joint Chiefs to establish and appoint the individual branches of the Aureunite Armed forces subject to the will of the Commander in Chief.

Section III:

A- All orders issued by the Commander in Chief or Commander of the Joint Chiefs and their designated subordinates regarding any and all military matters within their purview must be carried out else the member be subject to disciplinary action.

B- The Commander in Chief as well as the Commander of the Joint Chiefs may classify any information they deem pertinent to ongoing or future Aureunite military operations as well as any information relevant to the security and stability of the Aureunite Empire as classified with the punishment for release of said information and other particulars to be decided upon by the Aureunite Council.

C- The Aureunite Military henceforth is not to be bound by any international treaties, regulations or otherwise rules which limit or restrict the operations of the Aureunite Military and the continued defence of the realm beyond those which they have been directly ordered to adhere to by the Commander in Chief.

**Article VII**

Section I:

A- The nation of Aureus is hereby to be known as the Aureunite Empire in official documents or otherwise referred to as Aureus, the Golden Empire, Aureunite Nation or the People of Aureus as well as their respective subsidiaries.

B- It is the right and power of Aureunite subsidiary groups as well as tributaries to the empire to continue usage and powers associated with their national titles and roles providing they do not interfere with the national laws or powers of the Aureunite State.

C- The Aureunite State hereby directs the Sentinel Corporation, Nordkalte Principality and the Kingdom of Morvia as Aureunite Subsidiary states henceforth to be incorporated into the Aureunite Empire.

D- It is henceforth the right and power of the Aureunite Council to designate subsidiary or tributary states to the Aureunite Empire and any powers and privileges awarded as such.

Section II:

A- It is the right and power of the Council to appoint to the administration of governors designated by the Council regions, towns or provinces within the Aureunite Empire for governance as their charter is directed by the Aureunite Council.

B- It is the right and power of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to appoint imperial governors to regions, towns or military areas where authority has not already been delegated by decree of the council with powers as outlined by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and to expire upon permanent replacement by the Aureunite Council or otherwise direction by the Commander in Chief.

C- The Council of Aureus may choose to create outposts, towns and or cities outside of standard national laws and regulations with special powers as designated by Council Charter should the need arise.

Section III:

A- Alongside the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, it is the job of The Founder to create government departments relevant to the ongoing business of the state with responsible ministers appointed by majority vote of the Aureunite Council.

**Article VIII**

Section I:

A- The above articles may be amended by majority vote of the Aureunite Council pending a full council vote. Any amendments made without the presence of the full council will be considered null and void.

B- The Fundamental Laws cannot be superseded and the powers outlined within are considered the most fundamental elements of all Aureunite legal doctrine.

C- Any and all Acts passed by the Aureunite Council can and may be amended by future Aureunite Councils with the newest legislation addressing any issue can and shall supersede past legislation unless specifically stated otherwise.

Section II:

A- The Fundamental Laws are hereby to be adopted upon approval of a majority of the Aureunite Council in an official vote to overturn the previous Articles of Authority and thus repealing all former Aureunite laws.

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