Gnoll Reservations

The **Gnoll Reservations** is a sovereign entity to the north of the Union. The Reservations are subdivided into individual reserves for separate clans. There are 16 Unitary Reserves, each housing one gnoll tribe. There are also two Collective Reserves (Central & Northern) that are the dominion of the remaining 40+, usually smaller, tribes.

The Gnoll Reservations, while each autonomous (to a varying degree), act as one sovereign nation with regards to foreign relations. However, they maintain diplomatic relations only with the Union, with the Union's Office of Resident Creatures (part of the Interior Department) taking care of their relationship with Tannos and the wider world.

## Government

The *Northern Reservations Act of 2433* established the Gnoll Reservations government as a three-part system: the tribe, confederation, and oversight.

### Tribe

Tribal government is twofold - the temporal and spiritual. The temporal leadership is based on the Chief. The tribe's chief holds absolute sway over the tribe and holds the power to declare war, move the tribe, and many others. The foremost role of the Chief is that of military leader. They are always male, showing the divide in Gnoll culture between male and female roles. When a chief dies, his successor will be chosen by the Shaman from all males of the tribe with pureblood (no tribal intermarrying for at least 4 generations) who can claim descent from a previous Chief.

The tribe will also have a Shaman. The shaman leads the tribe with all things spiritual and also holds the power to declare when the hunting season will begin. The Shaman is believed to be able to speak to the spirits and will convey their wishes. Much as the chief must always be male, the Shaman is always female - representing Gnoll thought that the spiritual domain is feminine. The Shaman's successor will be chosen by a ritual in which the spirits will speak through one of the female gnolls present - thus choosing her as the new Shaman.

### Confederation

At the higher level, the united reservation tribes convene a single legislative body, known as the United Tribes Council (UTC), with each reserve sending two delegates (four from each of the Collective Reserves) to discuss matters. The councillors are elected every two years (odd-numbered years) and convene in the de facto capital of Jagged Rock in the summer, after election in the spring. The UTC holds a legislative session of 6 weeks before returning to their Reserves to discuss matters furhter, and then meet the following summer for another 6 week session to vote on matters discussed over the previous year.

#### Paramount Chief

The Head of Government of the Gnoll Reservations was established by the Northern Reservations Act of 2433 as the Paramount Chief. The election of the Chief shall be of a leader of one of the tribes. The Chief serves for a single 6 year term. The succeeding Paramount Chief cannot be the chief of the same tribe. Only chiefs of the 16 Unitary Reserves are eligible.

The current Paramount Chief, who was elected in 2493 and will step down in the summer of 2499, is Garecayo of the Northern Tiyemmenon.

### Oversight

Whilst the reservations are, essentially, sovereign; they are still subject to an extent to the laws and policies of the Union. The Office of Resident Creatures appoints a Federal Representative who sits in with the United Tribes Council and has veto power over major legislation.

The Treaty of Jagged Rock (which solidifies the Reservations' relationship with the Union) also gives the Union Marshals jurisdiction over law enforcement matters when it is considered necessary. They are also liable to help with a unanimous vote by the UTC.

The current Federal Representative is Leeman Hoskyn.