Gamiri

The Gamiri, sometimes called the Nonarchy or The Nine (Takita), are the nine executive leaders of the Ororran church-state. Each leader or Gamiro is responsible for a department of government, and may only hold that role for one year. Individuals can therefore stay in power for up to nine years by occupying all seats.

The Nine are organised in three triumvirates of two junior and one senior, with the leader of the first triumvirate being the executive leader of the nation. At the end of their term Gamiri qualify automatically for the Krikaré or National Assembly, with an order of precedence determined by the length of their tenure. Candidates for the position of Gamiri are elected by combined vote of the National Convocation and the Krikaré, though candidacy can be vetoed by the Meisinn, the senior religious leaders.

Gamiri means “leadership” in Doroun, and is the official name of the institution. Commonly they are called The Nine - Takita in Doroun, with equivalents in the regional languages of Ororrplugin-autotooltip__small plugin-autotooltip_bigOrorr

Ororr [o-ROARR, ɒ̝rɔ'ɾ], also called the Holy Motherland of Ororr, is a theocratic nation in Anásthias, one of the world's great powers. It the largest nation in the world, perhaps the largest empire in history, occupying the entire northwest of the continent between the mountains and the sea. Ororrlanguagelanguagelanguage. Outside Ororr they are sometimes called the Nonarchy.

Nine is said to have been the number of the principle disciples of the Great Prophet.

Individual leaders are given the courtesy title Gamiro. In official documents their ordinal number is used, Poka being first, Payka second, Turka third, and so on. The form Pokamusa, meaning “first head” is commonly used by subordinates as a courtesy title, Pokagamira being rather a mouthful.

They each hold a position as executive officer in charge of various parts of the church-state, but their powers are tightly controlled, since they are obliged to only enact policies set out and approved by the Krikaré, the legislative body. They have no ability to initiative policy themselves, though they have some latitude as to how those policies are interpreted and enacted. The Gamiri are grouped into three triumvirates, Juniors, Seniors and Superiors. Each group has responsibility for different areas of governance. Individual Gamiri have responsibility for their own area of administration, in order of seniority. Departments have changed and been redefined over the centuries, the office of each Gamiro having numerous ministers who report to them.

1. Law
2. Military
3. Foreign Affairs
4. Revenue & Coinage
5. Trade & Ports
6. Transport & Pilgrimage
7. Education
8. Health
9. Doctrine

Following their training, Priests-Militant (PM) are apprenticed to an elder PM, in a civic or administrative capacity.  They continue their training for a number of years, learning many different roles.  After several years, PMs can go forward to candidacy for the Gamiri, if they are sponsored by a Kritarch. Sponsors put forward the most gifted apprentices for examination and election annually by a convocation of the Krikaré.

In principle any kritarch can put forward any number of candidates, but in practice most usually put forward one or two, and only candidates from the most senior kritarchs usually go forward to appointment. However their have been many examples of candidates from minor sponsors who performed particularly well before the convocation, though these are still in the minority.

The Nine are the executive Arm of the church-state, both in administrative policy and military affairs.  Members of the Nine are all quite young, usually under 35, and though they are broadly responsible for governing the church-state, their powers are severely limited. 

They have no power to introduce legislation or make major policy decisions, although they may express an opinion.  All policy decisions are made by the Kritarchs, the legislative body, except in specific emergencies where the Nine may be given emergency powers.  Individual members of the Nine may each take emergency measures within their department, but they are bound by collective responsibility and may be dismissed (or even summarily executed in extreme cases) if they exceed their powers.

New candidates are usually elected to positions within the Third Rank, since existing Gamiri generally seek appointment to a higher office each year. Competent lower-ranking Gamiri are usually elevated, though this is not always the case. It is possible for all members of the Nine to be dismissed from office following a disastrous year. In such cases, new candidates usually agree to election without portfolio, and then allocate their seats amongst themselves once the top nine candidates are elected. This is then usually confirmed by a ballot six months later.

The Nine are divided into three ranks, forming three triumvirates. Each Seat represents a different area of government, for which the holder is responsible for carrying out State policy as he sees fit, though each triumvirate has collective responsibility with two being able to veto the decisions of a third. 

Appointment is by annual election by the kritarchs, by secret ballot at a series of regional conventions. 

Progression within the Nine requires a candidate to prove him or herself at the lowest rank, and if they are proficient, they may be voted to higher rank.

New candidates for election to the lowest rank of the Nine tend to be relatively young, usually in their late twenties, but they must show all the qualities of piety, intellect and strength of character.  Unlike any other Arm of the church they are required to be chaste during their candidacy and tenure, putting aside all personal material distraction.  Strict sexual abstinence is not required, the point is that they must not be married, or be otherwise hampered by emotional entanglements that would interfere with their duties.

Members of the Nine hold a Seat for one year.  At the end of each year, they may chose to be elected to a different position in the same rank, or to be raised to the next.  Therefore the maximum time one person may be part of the executive is nine years, if he holds every seat, but that is an arduous task and rarely happens.  Candidates on average serve for five years: the ablest do one year in each of the two lower ranks, and a turn in each of the top jobs, while less able candidates may confine themselves to a year or two in the bottom rank, three years in the middle, and one at the top.

Former members of the Nine are automatically qualified to join the Krikaré, though their subsequent seniority depends on their reputation, executive experience and level of personal support.

After election, new members of the Nine go through the Investiture ceremony, in the High Sanctum at Foratuna, officiated by the Meisinn.  At the ceremony, each of the Nine are given a lamenary, a holy magical device which may only be used by them for one year. 

Lamenaries allow the Nine to communicate with each other wherever they may be.  They also each have particular properties, according to the Seat the member holds.

Some of these are war powers, and the Gamiri are expected to go to the front lines to help repel enemy incursion.