Senate

Senate

(Organization)

Type

Appointed legislative body

Leader

Grand Prince of Taldor

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.

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.

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.

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.

Notable members

See also: Category:Senate/Members

Notable past and present members of the senate include:

• Grand Duke Avernathus of the Porthmos Gap
• Baronet Duranis Cicato of the lands south of Cassomir
• Lady Zariyah Clement of an estate near the Verduran Forest
• Marquess Charlotte Deschamps of House Cato
• Landgrave Ogvai Jarlbjorn of the lands south of the Fog Peaks
• Karthis of Sophra Prefecture and House Karthis
• Lord Remilliard Kastner of the Taldan House Kastner
• Katalon, the horse of Beldam I
• Viscountess Octavia Nicodemius of the Endless Repository
• Marquess Tanasha Starborne, elected of Wispil
• Duke Georgi Backus Talbot II, merchant
• Earl Gahez Varima of Zimar
• Earl Calhadion Vernisant of Greater Ridonport
• Count Orlundo Zespire of Tandak Prefecture

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.