Senate

From PathfinderWiki
Senate
(Organization)

Type
Appointed legislative body
Leader
Headquarters
The Senate, Oppara, Taldor
Goals
Author and enact the nation's laws
Scope
National
Members
222 nobles
Source: Crownfall, pg(s). 72–79

The Senate, located in Senate's Hill district in Oppara, is the seat of the senatorial branch of the Taldan government, also called the senate, or the Taldan senate.1

Building

The Senate building is larger than even the Imperial Palace and has existed in one form or another for millennia, although many large-scale repairs and revisions have been required though natural disasters, sabotage, and war. It is a grandiose T-shaped edifice constructed from white marble and surrounded on all sides by ostentatious columns that depict glorious scenes from Taldor's history. One hundred steps lead to its main entrance.12

Organization

Aside from the grand prince himself, the senate remains the most important branch of Taldan government as the 222 hereditary legislators put the grand prince's orders into formal law. Senatorial positions are held for life, in theory, although political disgrace, sudden death, or other unforeseen issues have ensured that about a dozen or so seats remain unfilled. The grand prince has the authority to fill these seats and the senate can elect any citizen during the annual Grand Day of Exaltation to be ennobled and take the mantle of senator.3

Exaltation Massacre

In 4718 AR, in a bloody protest against the senate's 107–79 vote to repeal primogeniture, Grand Prince Stavian III sealed the senate chambers during the Grand Day of Exaltation's gala, murdered the commoner Kalbio of Breezy Creek being exalted, and ordered a force of foreign mercenaries to slaughter his daughter Eutropia Stavian and all senators and related nobles present. Of the 180 people killed, 78 were senators; Stavian III himself was wounded in the ensuing violence, presumed dead, and ultimately deposed. The massacre was the inciting event of the War for the Crown, a civil war of succession that resulted in Eutropia being crowned Grand Princess.45

Notable members

See also: Category:Senate/Members

Notable past and present members of the senate include:

References

The Taldan senate as an organization features prominently in the War for the Crown Pathfinder Adventure Path, and as a structure in Crownfall. Several members of the senate are also described in the "Faces of the Senate" article in Crownfall. A map of the Senate's above-ground level appears in The Lion's Justice.

For additional as-yet unincorporated sources about this subject, see the Meta page.

  1. 1.0 1.1 Joshua J. Frost. “Oppara, The Gilded City” in Taldor, Echoes of Glory, 20. Paizo Inc., 2009
  2. Thurston Hillman. “Crownfall” in Crownfall, 15. Paizo Inc., 2018
  3. Mark Moreland, et al. “Life in Taldor” in Taldor, the First Empire, 6. Paizo Inc., 2017
  4. Mikhail Rekun. Eutropia Stavian” in Legends, 42–43. Paizo Inc., 2020
  5. Erik Mona, et al. Shining Kingdoms” in World Guide, 123. Paizo Inc., 2019
  6. 6.0 6.1 Thurston Hillman. “Faces of the Senate” in Crownfall, 74. Paizo Inc., 2018
  7. 7.0 7.1 Thurston Hillman. “Faces of the Senate” in Crownfall, 75. Paizo Inc., 2018
  8. 8.0 8.1 Thurston Hillman. “Faces of the Senate” in Crownfall, 76. Paizo Inc., 2018
  9. Eleanor Ferron. Oppara Gazetteer” in Crownfall, 70. Paizo Inc., 2018
  10. Lyz Liddell. “Spirits of Six Emperors” in The Six-Legend Soul, 69. Paizo Inc., 2018
  11. 11.0 11.1 Thurston Hillman. “Faces of the Senate” in Crownfall, 77. Paizo Inc., 2018
  12. 12.0 12.1 Thurston Hillman. “Faces of the Senate” in Crownfall, 78. Paizo Inc., 2018
  13. 13.0 13.1 Thurston Hillman. “Faces of the Senate” in Crownfall, 79. Paizo Inc., 2018