Directing Oligarchy: Difference between revisions

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m Later members: reordering citations
In Living Greyhawk: adding section header; further clarification of "quorum" in Notes
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| [[Nerof Gasgal]] || [[570 CY|570]] - [[598 CY]]||  
| [[Nerof Gasgal]] || [[570 CY|570]] - [[598 CY]]||  
|-
|-
| [[Ellon Thigpen]] || (?) ||
| [[Ellon Thigpen]] || (?) || in the novel ''[[Night Watch]]''
|}
|}


The Free City was without a Lord Mayor and full Oligarchy for at least four months in [[598 CY]], when six members of the Oligarchy died and/or were murdered.  At the time, Director [[Dernan Nathane]] (Guildmaster of the Merchants' and Traders' Union) planned to sway popular opinion and use the [[Public Council]] of Greyhawk to "ratify ''his appointment'' of a new Oligarch to restore a quorum"{{csb|Grumbler3|1}}  He would then attempt to have the other Oligarchs make his role as unofficial acting Lord Mayor {{csb|Grumbler3|1}} made permanent.  His plan focused on needing 11 of 16 Oligarchs for a quorum vote, and with only ten remaining after the disastrous events following Greyhawk’s Centennial Celebrations, the narrative was that the Directorate was unable to vote or act, at all.{{refn|name=quorum |group=note }} However, quorum is counted from the official number of sitting Directors, and there were enough Directors for a vote to appoint new members of the Directing Oligarchy, and Nathane seems to have been attempting to not follow that standard.  The outcome afterward is not known, so it is possible the normal procedure for appointing new Directors (a quorum vote, instead of appointment by the Public Council) followed later in the year (after [[Goodmonth]]).  
== In Living Greyhawk ==
The Free City was without a Lord Mayor and full Oligarchy for at least four months in [[598 CY]], when six members of the Oligarchy died and/or were murdered.  At the time, Director [[Dernan Nathane]] (Guildmaster of the Merchants' and Traders' Union) planned to sway popular opinion and use the [[Public Council]] of Greyhawk to "ratify ''his appointment'' of a new Oligarch to restore a quorum"{{csb|Grumbler3|1}}  He would then attempt to have the other Oligarchs make his role as unofficial acting Lord Mayor {{csb|Grumbler3|1}} made permanent.  His plan focused on needing 11 of 16 Oligarchs for a quorum vote, and with only ten remaining after the disastrous events following Greyhawk’s Centennial Celebrations, the narrative was that the Directorate was unable to vote or act, at all.{{refn|name=quorum |group=note }} However, quorum is counted from the official number of ''sitting'' Directors, not from a set number of members, and there were enough Directors for a vote to appoint new members of the Directing Oligarchy, and Nathane seems to have been attempting to not follow that standard.   
 
The outcome is not known, so it is possible the normal procedure for appointing new Directors (a quorum vote, instead of appointment by the Public Council) followed later in the year (after [[Goodmonth]]).  It is also possible an appointment by the Public Council was still made, and a vote by sitting Directors to elect a Lord Mayor was made.


== Members ==
== Members ==
Line 42: Line 45:


A Director's term is indefinite, though a director may leave office through retirement, being removed from office, or death.{{csb|CoG|6|Folks, Feuds, and Factions}}  A Director may also resign from office.{{csb|Grumbler3|1}}<ref name=oligarchy /> The [[Lord Mayor]]'s term is also indefinite, unless they "die, retire, resign, or fail a no-confidence vote consisting of a two-thirds majority of the Directing Oligarchy."{{csb|TAB|62}}  Current sitting council members elect new Directors when a vacancy is to be filled,{{csb|Grumbler3|1}}{{csb|TAB|62}} though they are "not always obliged to replace an Oligarch"{{csb|CoG|6|Folks, Feuds, and Factions}} and "replacement of an Oligarch who dies or retires is not required."{{csb|TAB|62}}  To replace a Lord Mayor or Director, they must have a "two-thirds majority"{{csb|TAB|62}} or quorum{{csb|Grumbler3|1}} (the minimum number of members who must be ''present'' (as opposed to the number voting) for official business to be carried out)—though quorum changes based on the number of sitting Directors on the Oligarchy at any given time.{{refn|name=quorum |group=note |''[[The Adventure Begins]]'' cites "a two-thirds majority"{{csb|TAB|62}} for council action.  
A Director's term is indefinite, though a director may leave office through retirement, being removed from office, or death.{{csb|CoG|6|Folks, Feuds, and Factions}}  A Director may also resign from office.{{csb|Grumbler3|1}}<ref name=oligarchy /> The [[Lord Mayor]]'s term is also indefinite, unless they "die, retire, resign, or fail a no-confidence vote consisting of a two-thirds majority of the Directing Oligarchy."{{csb|TAB|62}}  Current sitting council members elect new Directors when a vacancy is to be filled,{{csb|Grumbler3|1}}{{csb|TAB|62}} though they are "not always obliged to replace an Oligarch"{{csb|CoG|6|Folks, Feuds, and Factions}} and "replacement of an Oligarch who dies or retires is not required."{{csb|TAB|62}}  To replace a Lord Mayor or Director, they must have a "two-thirds majority"{{csb|TAB|62}} or quorum{{csb|Grumbler3|1}} (the minimum number of members who must be ''present'' (as opposed to the number voting) for official business to be carried out)—though quorum changes based on the number of sitting Directors on the Oligarchy at any given time.{{refn|name=quorum |group=note |''[[The Adventure Begins]]'' cites "a two-thirds majority"{{csb|TAB|62}} for council action.  
Separately, in ''[[Greyhawk Grumbler]]'' #3, quorum (which is frequently two-thirds majority) is defined as "eleven".{{csb|Grumbler3|1}}  This number is based on two-thirds of the then-current number of sitting Directors being sixteen.  Since it is not ''required'' to replace Directors if they die, the number of sitting Directors would fall from sixteen to ten with the murders/deaths occurring at the Centennial Celebrations of [[598 CY]].  However, it cannot be assumed that with a minimum number of Directors in the Oligarchy being twelve, that quorum would be set to a specific number (eleven) or that it would require a unanimous vote of eleven for the Oligarchy to act.  Action certainly would have to be taken to return the Oligarchy to the required minimum of twelve Directors, but that would likewise not require a unanimous vote of all ten members.}}
Separately, in ''[[Greyhawk Grumbler]]'' #3, quorum (which is a two-thirds majority) is defined as "eleven".{{csb|Grumbler3|1}}  This number is based on two-thirds of the then-current number of sitting Directors being sixteen.  Since it is not ''required'' to replace Directors if they die, the number of sitting Directors would fall from sixteen to ten with the murders/deaths occurring at the Centennial Celebrations of [[598 CY]].  However, it cannot be assumed that with a minimum number of Directors in the Oligarchy being twelve, that quorum would be set to a specific number (eleven) or that it would require a unanimous vote of eleven for the Oligarchy to act.  Action certainly would have to be taken to return the Oligarchy to the required minimum of twelve Directors, but that would likewise not require a unanimous vote of all ten sitting members, and could be done by seven Directors (two-thirds of ten).}}


Directors elect one of their number to serve as [[Lord Mayor]]. The Lord Mayor serves for life, acting as head of state for the [[Free City|City]] and [[Domain of Greyhawk]], while also heading both the Directing Oligarchy and the [[Council of Mayors and Manorial Lords]]. The Lord Mayor also officially acts as commander-in-chief of Greyhawk's military, though actual command is most often left to the Captain General of the Watch.
Directors elect one of their number to serve as [[Lord Mayor]]. The Lord Mayor serves for life, acting as head of state for the [[Free City|City]] and [[Domain of Greyhawk]], while also heading both the Directing Oligarchy and the [[Council of Mayors and Manorial Lords]]. The Lord Mayor also officially acts as commander-in-chief of Greyhawk's military, though actual command is most often left to the Captain General of the Watch.

Revision as of 10:30, 15 October 2024

Greyhawk Organization
Directing Oligarchy
Other names:Directorate, Directorship, Oligarachy
Type:Government
Founded:209 CY
Leader:Lord Mayor Nerof Gasgal
Members:Greyhawk citizens
Headquarters:Free City of Greyhawk
Enemies:Iuz, Pomarj

The Directing Oligarchy of the Free City of Greyhawk, sometimes called the Directorship[1], Directorate[2], or simply the Oligarchy[3] is the chief governing body of Greyhawk City. The Directing Oligarchy is also responsible for governing the Domain of Greyhawk, though its authority and reach is somewhat more limited in that respect. Members of the Directing Oligarchy are called "Directors," or sometimes, "Oligarchs".

History

The Directing Oligarchy traces its roots back to the early third century CY, when Greyhawk was still subject to the Great Kingdom. In 209 CY, Greyhawk's garrison commander, Ponjes the Bull, was appointed Landgraf of the Selintan by Overking Jiranen, after the assassination of Landgraf Lucien Nial. Attempting to avoid Nial's fate, Ponjes restructured the local government, dubbing himself Greyhawk's first Lord Mayor, and creating an executive council to share power, composed of military, civic, and religious leaders—the Directing Oligarchy.

Notable Lord Mayors of the Free City of Greyhawk
Name Years of Reign Notes
Ponjes the Bull 209 CY - (?) first Lord Mayor
Zagig Yragerne c.310 CY
Paerinn c.498 CY Declared Greyhawk a Free City
Nerof Gasgal 570 - 598 CY
Ellon Thigpen (?) in the novel Night Watch

In Living Greyhawk

The Free City was without a Lord Mayor and full Oligarchy for at least four months in 598 CY, when six members of the Oligarchy died and/or were murdered. At the time, Director Dernan Nathane (Guildmaster of the Merchants' and Traders' Union) planned to sway popular opinion and use the Public Council of Greyhawk to "ratify his appointment of a new Oligarch to restore a quorum"[4] He would then attempt to have the other Oligarchs make his role as unofficial acting Lord Mayor [4] made permanent. His plan focused on needing 11 of 16 Oligarchs for a quorum vote, and with only ten remaining after the disastrous events following Greyhawk’s Centennial Celebrations, the narrative was that the Directorate was unable to vote or act, at all.[note 1] However, quorum is counted from the official number of sitting Directors, not from a set number of members, and there were enough Directors for a vote to appoint new members of the Directing Oligarchy, and Nathane seems to have been attempting to not follow that standard.

The outcome is not known, so it is possible the normal procedure for appointing new Directors (a quorum vote, instead of appointment by the Public Council) followed later in the year (after Goodmonth). It is also possible an appointment by the Public Council was still made, and a vote by sitting Directors to elect a Lord Mayor was made.

Members

The Directing Oligarchy usually numbers twelve to eighteen individuals,[5][6][7][8] representing the city's major professional guilds and the military. Certain positions on the Directorate are set. Among these are "Captain-General of the Watch, the Constable, the Guildmaster of Thieves, and the Guildmaster of Assassins."[5][6] Other seats on the council are filled variously by "representatives of the Society of Magi, the Merchants and Traders Union, Artisans League, and clerical leaders."[5][6]

A Director's term is indefinite, though a director may leave office through retirement, being removed from office, or death.[7] A Director may also resign from office.[4][9] The Lord Mayor's term is also indefinite, unless they "die, retire, resign, or fail a no-confidence vote consisting of a two-thirds majority of the Directing Oligarchy."[8] Current sitting council members elect new Directors when a vacancy is to be filled,[4][8] though they are "not always obliged to replace an Oligarch"[7] and "replacement of an Oligarch who dies or retires is not required."[8] To replace a Lord Mayor or Director, they must have a "two-thirds majority"[8] or quorum[4] (the minimum number of members who must be present (as opposed to the number voting) for official business to be carried out)—though quorum changes based on the number of sitting Directors on the Oligarchy at any given time.[note 1]

Directors elect one of their number to serve as Lord Mayor. The Lord Mayor serves for life, acting as head of state for the City and Domain of Greyhawk, while also heading both the Directing Oligarchy and the Council of Mayors and Manorial Lords. The Lord Mayor also officially acts as commander-in-chief of Greyhawk's military, though actual command is most often left to the Captain General of the Watch.

Recent Directors

In Planting 598 CY, the Directing Oligarchy numbered sixteen. It was reduced to ten with the deaths and murders of five Oligarchs during the Centennial Celebrations in Goodmonth, and the absconding of Turin Deathstalker.
The Oligarchy consists of the following members:[9]

Former Directors

The following Directors are listed in the order in which they left the Directing Oligarchy:

Later members

In Night Watch, Robin Wayne Bailey names the current Lord Mayor and other Directors. Though no specific date is given, the book is set in a potential "future" of Greyhawk where "no one... had heard from the Circle of Eight in over fifty years, and Mordenkainen himself had not been seen for more than that."[12] It is assumed from other material published at the time (in which Mordenkainen is present) this would place Night Watch at least in 630 CY or later if it is considered part of the same timeline.

The City of Greyhawk in the novel has different members of the Directorate, but Nerof Gasgal only died months before[13] and "no one had been too upset when Nerof died suddenly under questionable circumstances."[14] This would mean (if part of the same timeline) Nerof Gasgal lives to be near 110 years old and Lord Mayor for 80 years before being murdered. He is also murdered in 598 CY in other officially published material.[4]

There are eighteen Directing Oligarchs in Night Watch.[15] Among them are:

References

Notes

  1. a b The Adventure Begins cites "a two-thirds majority"[8] for council action. Separately, in Greyhawk Grumbler #3, quorum (which is a two-thirds majority) is defined as "eleven".[4] This number is based on two-thirds of the then-current number of sitting Directors being sixteen. Since it is not required to replace Directors if they die, the number of sitting Directors would fall from sixteen to ten with the murders/deaths occurring at the Centennial Celebrations of 598 CY. However, it cannot be assumed that with a minimum number of Directors in the Oligarchy being twelve, that quorum would be set to a specific number (eleven) or that it would require a unanimous vote of eleven for the Oligarchy to act. Action certainly would have to be taken to return the Oligarchy to the required minimum of twelve Directors, but that would likewise not require a unanimous vote of all ten sitting members, and could be done by seven Directors (two-thirds of ten).
† — denotes a character deceased by 598 CY.
††—denotes a character who died (or was assassinated) during the Centennial Celebrations in 598 CY.[4]

Citations

  1. The City of Greyhawk (1989), p.32, Folk, Feuds, and Factions.
  2. Night Watch (1990).
  3. The City of Greyhawk (1989), p.9, Folk, Feuds, and Factions.
  4. a b c d e f g h i Greyhawk Grumbler #3, Goodmonth 598 (2008), p.1.
  5. a b c The World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting (1980), p.11.
  6. a b c World of Greyhawk Fantasy Game Setting (1983), p.25, Guide.
  7. a b c The City of Greyhawk (1989), p.6, Folks, Feuds, and Factions.
  8. a b c d e f The Adventure Begins (1998), p.62.
  9. a b c The Directing Oligarchs of Greyhawk. (April 2008)
  10. The Adventure Begins (1998), p.63.
  11. From the Ashes (1992), p.8, Campaign Book.
  12. Night Watch (1990), p.170.
  13. a b Night Watch (1990), p.270.
  14. a b c Night Watch (1990), p.229.
  15. a b c d e f g h Night Watch (1990), p.103.
  16. Night Watch (1990), p.307.
  17. Night Watch (1990), p.12.
  18. Night Watch (1990), p.92.

Bibliography

———. "Gem of the Flanaess: City of Greyhawk - Clerkburg, part 2." Living Greyhawk Journal #5. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2001.
———. "Gem of the Flanaess: The Artisans' Quarter." Living Greyhawk Journal #2. Renton, WA: Wizards of the Coast, 2000.

Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index

The Encyclopedia Greyhawkania Index (EGI) is based on previous work of Jason Zavoda through '08, continued by numerous other fans. The EGI article has a list of sources, product names, abbreviations, and a link to the full, downloadable index.

Topic Type Description Product Page/Card/Image

Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, The City of Greyhawk: Adventure Cards 5, 22
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, The City of Greyhawk: Folks, Feuds and Factions 4, 6-16, 19, 25, 27-42, 54, 61, 65, 66, 75, 77, 78
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, The City of Greyhawk: Gem of the Flanaess 22, 32, 56, 58, 83
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, City of Hawks 38, 39, 133, 213, 394
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Dragon magazine #009 6
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Dragon magazine #262 39
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Dragon magazine #268 70
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Dragon magazine #301 88, 90
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Dragon magazine #344 48, 50, 51, 55
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Dragon magazine #359 76
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Dragon magazine #AN3 104
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Dungeon magazine #041 48
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, From the Ashes: Campaign Book 4-12, 25, 33, 62-66, 71, 82, 85
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Greyhawk Adventures 36, 37, 40
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Living Greyhawk Gazetteer 41, 51, 52
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Living Greyhawk Journal #0 6
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Living Greyhawk Journal #1 26, 27
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Living Greyhawk Journal #2 7, 8, 9, 10, 29
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Living Greyhawk Journal #3 27
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Living Greyhawk Journal #4 29, 30
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Living Greyhawk Journal #5 4, 5, 9
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Night Arrant 276, 277, 301, 346, 351, 356, 384, 387-392, 396
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Oerth Journal #03 7
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Oerth Journal #04 4
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Oerth Journal #06 20
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Oerth Journal #07 17
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Oerth Journal #10 22,75,76
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Oerth Journal #17 16
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Oerth Journal #28 7
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Oerth Journal #31 28
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Player's Guide to Greyhawk 23, 29
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Restless Nights, D&D 3.5e Web Article Web
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Slavers, AD&D 2e 6, 32, 109
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Saga of Old City 45, 65
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, The Adventure Begins 7, 33, 40-43, 45, 47, 54, 58-60, 62-67, 70-72, 74, 76, 78, 83-88, 91, 92, 94-97, 101, 102, 110-112, 114-119, 121, 123, 124, 126
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, LT3 The Doomgrinder 22, 23, 27
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, WGA4 Vecna Lives! 21, 86
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, The World of Greyhawk Fantasy World Setting (Folio) 11
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, WGR4 The Marklands 9
Directing Oligarchy (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, World of Greyhawk boxed set (1983) 25
Directing Oligarchy {Directorate} (City of Greyhawk) People Group Council, Night Watch (1990) 11, 24, 31,