The Miat have Spoken

 As the year Khusra-Fadhlan 3 ends, year Urodas-Bayzadis 1 begins.

All hail the new Souffets, Urodas al Arasqiy and Bayzadis al Othmani!

Though the people clamored for Dalinar al Khalid, the bani of Gadeed were still wary of what the general would do if he wielded the power of the state in conjunction with the adoration of the people and the soldiers of the cities. Instead, they turned to Bayzadis, an aridani woman of Banu al Othmani—for the Othmani have had recent successes against the Red Cloud and his hordes, in the hiring of certain barbarian adventurers to be thorns in the paw of that villainous Kzin warlord. And so the bani hoped to assuage the people, in that, though they did not get Dalinar as Souffet, they did get one whose house has been prosecuting the conflict with the Red Cloud even as Dalinar would.

Meanwhile, the bani also voted for Urodas al Arasquiy to succeed Khusra of the same house, swayed at least somewhat by the influence of Banu al Rashid. The Arasquiy are a notable merchant clan, who compete broadly with the Hanse across Dirac’s Sea, so it will be interesting to see how things develop when the Hanseatic campaign against the pirates resumes in the east after winter's end. Meanwhile, Urodas will most likely see to domestic and trading affairs, while Bayzadis marshals the forces of Cothon and Gadeed against the Kzinti threat.

The Feast of Investiture

With the closing of the lunar year and the beginning anew, it is at the Feast of Investiture that the seals of office for the Souffets are transferred from those outgoing to those incoming. After the feasting, the new Souffets would then receive oaths from those currently in lesser office, and either affirm them by reinvesting them with their authority, or take back their office, so that another might be invested in their place.

The great feasting in the palace of the Souffets in Gadeed had more solemnity this year than in years previous, given the looming threat of the Red Cloud. Though nevertheless a grand affair and wondrous spectacle—into the court were brought whole roasted hma, sewn back into their skins, and dejejas stuffed with dates or plums, pickled smelts and ninenyelu, small gilekites steamed in wine, all delivered on silver and gilt platters—there was a seriousness in the air that subdued the merrymaking that young wine usually engenders.

At this feast as well, Chir'dirine the Princess of the Xolda Klackons, who share Cothon with humans, was a prominent guest with her entourage of pale-carapaced dores and gilt-carapaced sister- and cousiness-courtiers. Her own carapace oiled and perfumed and darkly gleaming, she watched the rites of investiture with great interest, and presented herself to both pairs, of departing and of incoming Souffets. In this, she is not really partaking in any ritual of fealty, but presenting herself as an equal to reaffirm the ancient alliance between the men of the Dual-Cities and the Xolda Klackons who dwell amongst them.

Urodas and Bayzadis recited the ancient oaths to the Dual-Cities and the Ten Cities' League, and thence received the chains and seals of their office from their predecessors. So then did they in turn receive the oaths of the chiefs of the bani-tribes and other officers of the state, and give unto them their offices. Not all who were in office retained their office, however, for it is the prerogative of new Souffets to install to their courts their own loyal followers.

And there are other offices to be filled by election or lot, thence to receive their authority from the hands and the seal of the Souffets. Some of these posts are to be held by those of noble birth (such as the Adirim, Council of the Mighty), but there are many offices of the state and the league that are held by ordinary citizens.

For Sesel

Who as a citizen is eligible for certain offices, by election or by lot. Sesel should roll d100 and consult the table below to see if he is called to any civil office for the next year:

1 - called to serve as one of the Thalatheen (a panel of judges)
2-3 - called to serve on the Bem (the popular assembly)
4-10 – no office
11 - Katib to the Harbor
12 - Katib to the Knights Pylaea
13 - Katib to the Censors
14 - Katib to the Poor Brothers
15 - Katib to the Migdol of the Dyers
16-29 - no office
30 - Katib to the Court of the Moon
31 - Katib to the Court of the Mount
32 - Katib to the Souffets
34 - Katib to the Armory
35-49 - no office
50-51 - Hamladdir to the Mahanet (General)
52-63 - no office
64-70 - called to serve the army
71-92 - no office
93 - Katib to Alagadrein
94 - Katib to al Zaytun
95-98 - envoy to the Xolda Princess
99-00 - envoy to the Attine Spire

Thalatheen – the Thirty
A panel of thirty judges who review the conduct of civil and military officers. A citizen selected for this office should roll 1d6 at the beginning of each month; a 1 indicates a review is afoot, details to be generated by the referee

Bem – the Popular Assembly
The Bem is responsible for voting on certain proposals of the Souffets. If the Bem is summoned, the player-character must spend their downtime for that week attending the assembly to listen to debate and vote on the proposal

Katib – Scribe
A minor official assigned to a variety of offices to assist operations. Very much like the quaestors of ancient Rome, the Kataba's chief function is as auditors and assistants. A player-character performing such duties must spend one downtime per month attending to said duties; on the upside, this will entail some familiarity with the officer they are assigned to, and to the arena they are engaged in

Hamladdir – Shieldbearer
No longer literally the shieldbearers/bodyguards of the Mahanet (General), this is a junior military officer who acts as an aide de camp or sometimes a quartermaster. A player-character chosen for this office must either attend the Mahanet in person, or supply a person of character and skill in their stead (e.g. a son, a trusted servant, or perhaps a cousin, &c.). While the Mahanet is in the city it requires only one downtime per month to fulfill this duty, but if the Mahanet marches forth, then his Hamladdir must perforce go wither he goes

Army Service
A player-character called to serve the army as a citizen must supply armsmen to the army according to his rank and wealth. This does not necessarily mean personally serving (many nobles outfit their own Gilmani or men-at-arms to serve), though citizens of lesser means are expected to outfit themselves with arms and serve in the heavy infantry.
An iqtadar of a smaller holding might be expected to send a heavily armed infantryman and his shieldbearer, plus ten archers/skirmishers, and a slave or servant or two to serve their camp.

Envoy to Klackons
An unusual post, but Sesel's reputation precedes him enough that he is in consideration. He helped spearhead the crusade against the creatures haunting the Sixth House in the Spire of the Attines, after all. This post would entail service similar to that as a Kitab, although with the additional responsibility to act as a liaison between Souffets and Klackons under extraordinary circumstances (details to be determined by the referee)