§2.1 - Establishment of the Council of Rivermarch

(a) The Council of Rivermarch is hereby established as the supreme legislative and executive body of the realm, authorized to enact, interpret, and enforce the laws of this Codex, oversee the operations of state, and preserve the sovereignty of Rivermarch.

(b) The Council derives its authority from the Founding Charter and the consent of its recognized citizens and lawful settlers, and its actions shall carry the full weight of law.

(c) All Council proceedings, appointments, and enactments shall be entered into the Civic Register and made accessible to the public, barring sealed orders under emergency provisions.

§2.1.2 – Composition and Membership

(a) The Council shall consist of eight (8) voting members, each holding one Office of Governance, as follows:

(i) Lord Regent – Executive head of state and chair of the Council;
(ii) Counselor – Keeper of civic morale, historical precedent, and cultural unity;
(iii) General – Supreme commander of military forces during wartime and external conflict;
(iv) Emissary – Envoy for foreign affairs, diplomacy, and external treaty maintenance;
(v) Magister – Authority over arcane regulation, magical oversight, and tribunal advisement in arcane matters;
(vi) Treasurer – Keeper of fiscal policy, taxation, commerce regulation, and treasury allocation;
(vii) Viceroy – Regional governor responsible for administrative control of outlying settlements;
(viii) Warden – Director of law enforcement, civic order, penal systems, and public peacekeeping.

(b) Each Councilor shall exercise equal legislative standing, with no vote weighted above another. The Lord Regent may serve as tie-breaker only in the event of an equally split decision.

(c) Council membership shall be exclusive: no individual may simultaneously hold multiple Offices of Governance (§2.1.6), nor may any Councilor cast more than one vote in Council matters.

§2.1.3 – Eligibility and Disqualification

(a) Eligibility for Council office requires:

(i) Legal recognition as a citizen of Rivermarch;
(ii) Demonstrated expertise or service in the domain relevant to the office sought;
(iii) Sworn Oath of Office, affirming allegiance to the Codex and the Council's authority.

(b) A candidate shall be disqualified from office or removed from seated status upon:

(i) Conviction of a High Crime or Major Offense (§4.1);
(ii) Tribunal declaration of unfitness, corruption, magical coercion, or abandonment of duty;
(iii) Active allegiance to a foreign or extraplanar power without Council license.

(c) Councilors must maintain active presence within Rivermarch territory and may not be absent for longer than thirty (30) consecutive days without prior notice and majority approval.

§2.1.4 – Authority and Jurisdiction

(a) The Council shall possess complete jurisdiction over:

(i) Legislative creation, revision, and repeal of Codex laws;
(ii) Oversight of all Offices of Governance and subordinate administrative bodies;
(iii) Diplomatic relations, trade policies, military command structure, and magical regulation;
(iv) Tribunal appointments and confirmation of high-level civic officers.

(b) The Council may delegate specific authority to officers or task forces by written resolution but retains the right to revoke, amend, or override such authority at any time.

§2.1.5 – Continuity of Governance

(a) In the event that multiple Council seats are vacated simultaneously due to death, incapacitation, or betrayal, surviving members shall possess emergency authority to appoint provisional successors and restore quorum under §2.3.4.

(b) Until quorum is reestablished, the Lord Regent—or in their absence, the longest continuously seated Councilor—shall act as interim steward of governance.

(c) All existing charters, decrees, and tribunal rulings shall remain binding and in effect regardless of Council composition unless lawfully repealed.

§2.1.6 – Prohibition on Dual Officeholding

(a) No person shall simultaneously hold more than one Office of Governance. Any appointment or assumption of a second office shall automatically vacate the first unless authorized unanimously by the Council under declared emergency.

(b) No Councilor may serve in a proxy capacity or exercise official powers through magical construct, familial surrogate, or compelled agent.

(c) Violations of this section shall trigger immediate suspension and tribunal investigation, with revocation proceedings initiated upon majority vote.