Declaration of the Eleventh Amendment to the Ayndric Charter

The following is a transcription and translation, from Zetashari to High Kilranian, of the address delivered by Her Eminence, the Iron Sultana Yspedas, on the 17th Dawn of Lowharveste, 4856, in the Nakym Fountainyard at the Dunlas uv Ayndr, the Dashari supreme court. As with all properties of the Athenaeum, theft and illegal reproduction are felonious.

## Address

*A restless crowd grows quiet as two Ayndrist priestesses, clad in the traditional gold and maroon robes of the Earth Goddess' messengers, exit the court. Surrounding a raised podium on either side, the two begin the legal Kyeta Ic chant, humbly asking Her for guidance in the Sultanate's affairs. The bell in the fountainyard tower tolls, and grandiose Dashari flags unfurl from the sides of the legendary building. The Iron Sultana appears from within the court, and moves gracefully to the podium, carrying the Sultanate's pride in her form. She settles, and begins speaking:*

Greetings, my sisters, comrades, and fellow devotees of Ayndr. Sure as the sun shines on our empire, I extend my blessings to you on this momentous day. The coveted light and words of the Earth Goddess have shone and rung true on us, keepers of the Sultanate and the Dashari spirit. We find ourselves today at the familiar sandswept intersection our divine matriarchy hath faced for millennia - that which juxtaposes the loyalty to our past, comfort, and history, and our bravery to challenge the future and the unknown with new strength, heart, and mind, with Her as our guiding light.

It brings me deep pride and joy, my sisters - that I indeed hope you will share - to announce that the path forward is further illuminated as of today. Effective at the indeterminate end of my reign as Her chosen avatar, the Untays will be abolished. Following decades of pilgrimage, collective soul-searching, and coexistence with the Great Mother, Her indisputable and regal verdict is that the process by which we carry Her word on Aquilan earth in our governance must change. No longer must the line of succession between one of Her avatars and the next be marked by the blood of sisters. Our Sultanate moves to mark the next Sultana - and those everafter - as having been chosen by the confidence and pride of the elected representatives of our sisters, they themselves having been chosen by popular will.

In doing so, we move to honor Her by removing the stain of senseless violence and bloodshed from the divine bond we share with Her and with one another since birth. Instead, sisterly will and confidence will govern our land, from Alcyon to Baylas, and throughout our heavenly holdings in Aquila. A new age of collective attunement to Her will shall be ushered in, under the firm and loyal leadership of myself and all of Her future avatars, for eternity. With our itinerary on this divine path set out, I move now to introduce the qualities that any Sultana must possess, upheld under oath to Ayndr by the Grand Council. Any leader of our empire MUST:

1. Be over the age of 35, to ensure wisdom and austerity;
2. Have three years of non-volunteer service to our armed forces, to ensure courage and decisiveness;
3. Have graduated with a three-year degree from any Dashari university OR be a respected theologian or member of the clergy, to ensure astute mind and connection to Ayndr;
4. Have a husband, to ensure heart and closeness to what the matriarchy swears to defend;
5. Have been born in Dashari, to ensure absolute loyalty to our divine Sultanate.

Any sister that bears these qualities - no doubt many of us, already sworn to protect our families and homelands - bears the duty to vote and maintain an active interest in the governance of our Sultanate. Only with connected hearts, minds and wills can we best follow Her word and ensure the continued stability and supremacy of our way of life. Only with those can we ensure that our lands remain fertile, our waters remain safe, and that our husbands and sons enjoy the peace and calm bestowed to them by Her. It is an honor that an obsolete interpretation of Her word comes alongside me to my tomb, so that the future of our Dashari remains sunlit and prosperous as always. We have conquered strife and darkness unlike any other peoples, my sisters.

Onward forevermore. Long live the Earth Goddess!