Kaeirean Diplomatic Representation Three levels of Kaeirean diplomatic representatives exist - an External Commissioner of the Ministry of Commerce, a Mission-Magister, and an Ambassador. The three levels correspond to the degree of state interest or mercantile involvement in the respective nation, region or city. All three positions belong to the Magister rank or higher, and as such can only be filled by members of the Great Houses. With the exception of the External Commissioner, Kaeirean diplomatic representatives are appointed by the Lord-Consul of the Republic. External Commissioners: External Commissioners are appointed by the Ministry of Commerce in consultation with the Office of the Inquisitor, and are often merchants involved in trade with that region or reside there on a semi-permanent basis (rarely are the External Commissioners career diplomats, they though often have prior experience as state officials back in Kaeir). If a suitable candidate cannot be found amongst local Kaeirean merchants in that region or city, a junior official of the Ministry of Commerce or the Office of the Inquisitor is appointed. Existing representation: External Commissioners can be found in any land where a significant number of Kaeirean merchants regularly do business or have established themselves on a semi-permanent or seasonal basis. An example of this can be seen in Rhudyn, where for a number of years official contact between the Republic and the Kingdom was non-existent, though commercial contact between Kaeirean and Rhudynese merchants had been occurring for quite some time. Missions are to be found in lands and cities of significant trade interest that do not warrant a full blown Embassy - the Ban Horroth, Bel'Adne, Port Jabau, smaller Sedonian cities (Gomel, Zayura, Inibar, Vizur and Sedonloc), Talishara in Yora'Timar,a number of southern Midsea ports (Anaduan, Anecir, Damaris, Cormenaera, Crisaeda, Videss, Parmouth, Fauve Monde), the Razanian cities (Haran & Aryisa), and the Joint Protectorate of Coryn. Embassies are to be found in Akbari in the Shanari Commonwealth, Thalsedon in Sedonia, Mirabalpur in Mir, Aixelsydan, Celpalar. Exceptions: Due to the difficult historical relationship between Kaeir and Taltheran in the past, the highest diplomatic representation in Tal City was an unofficial External Commissioner, whose main role was to act as an arbitor in the internal affairs of Kaeirean merchants (and thus limit contact with the sensitive and unstable Taltherani government). It is a well-known secret though that the highest Kaeirean official in Taltheran for quite some time was an unidentified Magister of the Kaeirean Field Agency, the intelligence arm of the Office of the Inquisitor. One of the only nations to not have any Kaeirean diplomatic representation is Milakanur, as Kaeirean merchants avoid its ports both on religious grounds and as a reflection of state policy. Officers of the Inquisitor though are to be found in Milakanur, though these obviously are not official representatives (one can only assume they belong to the Field Agency). Rimrivertown is another notable exception, as the traditional duties and responsibilities of an Ambassador are performed by the Lord-Governor of the Kaeirean colony of Rimrivertown. Saltrim City is another exception, where the Magister-Resident officially only advises the Saltrimi Conclave, but in reality exercises executive authority. Lastly, the Joint Protectorate of Coryn in north-eastern Taltheran should be mentioned, as even though it has no connection with the Kaeirean state, nevertheless comes partly under the Kaeirean sphere of influence. A Mission is maintained in Coryn due to the city's role as the coastal gateway to the Morvali. Administered jointly by the Holy Tower of the South and the Church of the Creator, religious organisations from Kaeir and Mir respectively, mean that interference or direct support of the administration by the Mission is inappropriate. However, it is a strategic goal of the Republic to ensure that Coryn, the smallest and poorest of the four Taltherani cities, remains stable and is able to function as a port thus allowing merchant access to the Morvali as well as ensuring the stability of the nearby border with the Shanari Commonwealth. This policy is also influenced by Millati beliefs of Kaeireans, many of whom - officials, nobles and commoners alike - hold paternal feelings for the Morvali (the Morvali having been increasingly influenced by the Millati religion in recent years). For these reasons, Coryn has a level of Kaeirean diplomatic representation unwarranted for its size or commercial value. Composition of Embassies and Missions: The chief official of an Embassy is the Ambassador, who is appointed by the Lord-Consul, directly accountable to the Senate and belongs to the Diplomatic Corp of the Office of the Inquisitor. Under him are: - a Magister-Military responsible for Embassy security (seconded from the Office of the Commander of the Guard) and is empowered to act as the equivalent of a Borough Bailiff with the accompanying powers and rights (assuming responsiblity for matters concerning the Kaeirean Constabulary, and answerable to the Magister-Inquisitor) when necessary. In times of crisis the Magister-Military outranks all other diplomatic staff, with the power to give orders to all staff and any Kaeirean citizens inside the Embassy or Mission compound at the time (indeed, a Senate decreed at the onset of the Three Power occupation of Taltheran that any Kaeirean citizens in Taltheran must obey directives issued by External Commissioners in Tal and Pran, and that any Kaeireans failing to do so would face an interview with the Office of the Inquisitor for suspicion of deliberately or otherwise causing harm to the State upon their return to Port Kaeir.) - a Magister-Chamberlain responsible for the administrative affairs of the Embassy (seconded from the Office of the Chamberlain of the Republican Palace). - a Magister-Inquisitor responsible for the upholding and application of Kaeirean law in the Embassy and amongst Kaeirean merchants (assuming responsibility for matters relating to the Kaeirean Ministry of Law, and empowered as the equivalent of a Borough Judge with the accompanying powers and rights), and for the defence of the Embassy from internal and external threats (the Magister-Inquisitor in particular ensures that officials of the Embassy do not abuse their positions or commit "crimes against the state", and unlike other diplomatic officials, is appointed by and under the direct command of the Lord-Inquisitor of the Republic). The Magister-Inquisitor also assumes the Ambassador's duties should anything prevent the Ambassador from carrying them out. - a Magister-Commerce responsible for any and all matters concerning Kaeirean commerce and trade, and matters concerning the Kaeirean Ministry of Commerce (seconded from the Ministry of Commerce), in particular Kaeirean commercial law and the Kaeirean law of the sea; - a Green Magister, responsible for ensuring the Embassy is conducted in accordance with the customs and traditions of the Green Lady (this position has been a very new innovation, introduced by a number of Ambassadors and Magister-Missions independently) though the shamanic wards of Kaeir used for privacy and security are far less effective outside of Kaeir so more often than not essence magic is used instead for warding diplomatic offices. The Magister-Military, Magister-Chamberlain, Magister-Inquisitor and the Magister-Commerce each have their own support staff who are also normally seconded from their home ministries, but are answerable to their supervising Magister only. Missions also possess the four diplomatic Magisters, though the number of support staff is far smaller. External Commissioners very rarely do not possess any Magisters, or support staff. When an External Commissioner does become overworked or the region rises in importance or strategic value, the position is normally upgraded to a Magister-Mission (the same applying to a Magister-Mission to Ambassador). As a standard practice, Missions and Embassies include a company of Colonial Guard (a Kaeirean company numbers 25 soldiers). It is assumed that a good number of the Magister-Inquisitor's staff are from the intelligence branch of the Office of the Inquisitor, the Field Agency, but as both a matter of policy and discretion, this has never been discussed. Strategic or critically important Embassies and Missions sometimes will have a resident sorcerer as well, though state sorcerers are currently in short supply (an issue hope to be addressed by Green College graduates in the near future). --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? The New Yahoo! Movies: Check out the Latest Trailers, Premiere Photos and full Actor Database.---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send mail to celandra-off@phoenyx.net.
