Geilbonus: Speaker of the Imperial Senate

	Reaching Moon Megacorp's Life of Moonson Geilbonus Speaker of the Imperial Senate	Age: 93 Career: Government Religion: Red Emperor Culture: Dara Happan Disposition: Shrewd, conservative, sycophantic
Return to Home Page Gloranthan Folk Tales Gloranthan Songbook Moonie Madness Life of Moonson Carmanian Sources Malkioni Scriptures	You were born to one of the most ancient and illustrious families of Dara Happa. Following the tradition of your fathers, you entered government service as soon as you were able, passing the literary examinations with ease and beginning a career of service which has brought you to the pinnacle of the Imperial Government. You are revered as the Wise Old Man of the Empire. After a lifetime's service to the Empire you have achieved what you consider to be the highest position. The Senate contains the wise, rich, old and noble senators whose job it is to guide the Emperor and maintain the stability of the Empire. The Cult of the Red Emperor is the most important of the many chains of command. It represents stability, tradition and social cohesion. Its members inspect and co-ordinate the workings of other organisations, and modify their actions by the constrains of Imperial Justice. The current Mask, Argenteus, acts as a focus for the love and devotion of his subjects. He works to calm and to unify them. He does not usually interest himself in the day to day running of the Empire. When he does intervene in secular affairs, it is usually on the advice of members of the Imperial Household. But the Senators, collectively, have far wider experience of worldly affairs, and you have made it your goal to ensure that their advice is presented to Moonson, so his decisions can be well informed. In your personal life you have great pride for your nephew, Paulis Longvale - now an eminent and respected senator. His mother was your sister, Marissa, a priestess of the Lunar religion who married one of the few barbarian kings of Talastar to truly convert to the Lunar Way on "White Shirt Day" (when the bulk of the population feigned conversion). His name was Peterin Longvale, and he became a senator and a firm friend of yours. Peterin and Marissa were foully murdered on the streets of Glamour by a petty thief named Josephus Valindus. Even worse, this was in front of their young son Paulis. You were the judge at the trial of Josephus and had no compunction in sentencing him to death. However, the Danfive Xaron cultists, curse them, decided to offer him redemption in their penitentiaries and so he was spared. After this you took Paulis under your wing and sent him for what was supposed to be a season's seasoning on the frontier. In fact he was a few years in the Kingdom of Bilini in the midst of war and conflict and returned a man rather than a boy. You now wonder how much his experiences changed him since after brief period of renown as an author and wit, he has become a reclusive playboy, seemingly withdrawn and introverted. Recently you had him appointed as Master of Circuses to try and bring him out of his shell. However, you have your own dangerous secret. It is the adulterous affair that you had with Zalote, the beautiful wife of Hasperat, an Examiner of the Moon. You loved her desperately, and still do. If only she were not married to Hasperat.	Background The Dara Happan Tripolis You are descended from the divine rulers of the antediluvian Dara Happan Tripolis. This state was founded by the Sun-God, Imperial Yelm, and has a continuous history stretching back over a hundred thousand years. The ancient ways of nobility and rulership are innate in you, and you won't let anybody forget it - especially not the parvenu commoners who now think to take a share in the government of the Empire! Naturally, these new-fangled Lunars (whose religion is scarcely four hundred years old) depend on the accumulated wisdom and institutions of old Dara Happa. By displaying your adherence to the ancestral traditions, you prove yourself worthy to participate in the politics of Empire. All civilised values ultimately stem from the ways of the Sun-God. Moonson himself is the Dara Happan Emperor, having passed the Ten Tests which justify him in the eyes of Yelm. Moonson Imperator You are a devotee of the Red Emperor. You worship Moonson, the Emperor of Peloria, Son of Light, Lord of Glorantha, Bridge to Heaven, Free-Keeper of the Souls. The cult worships the Red Emperor as the perfect embodiment of the Lunar Citizen. It does so by enforcing his Justice, supervising the actions of all other governing institutions in the Empire, and providing structures for all citizens to aspire to and achieve the highest rank. As such, it determines the basic social structure of the Empire, overlying the Empire's disparate cultures. The High Priest of the Red Emperor's cult is the Speaker of the Imperial Senate, a position you have the honour of holding. The Imperial Senate You have followed a career in the Imperial Senate. Young men of good family study to pass the exams which will win them appointment to junior secretarial posts. Success brings promotion, at first to roving assignments, then to more settled positions in local government and the judiciary, and finally to the Imperial Senate as one of Moonson's trusted advisors. It is in the chamber of the Senate that the fate of the Empire is determined. You are the Speaker of the Imperial Senate.
	Objectives Personal Always be a fair and impartial Judge: weigh up the merits of every case before you make a decision. Help your nephew Paulis become more outgoing. Try and find him positions of responsibility from which he can serve the state. Dara Happan Law is being subverted by the Danfive Xaron cult. Criminals are being allowed to literally get away with murder! You must limit the powers of the Xaroni to take away properly condemned men! Formulate an agenda item for the senate session. Career Preside over the Senate when it meets in full session. Ensure that all Agenda Items and Private Motions are properly debated, and report the advice of the Senate to Moonson after the session has closed. Invite as many people as possible to participate in Senatorial debates, so that different voices can be heard before the Senate formulates its advice. Uphold the moral character of the Senate. Bar from voting any senator who is proven corrupt. Make it clear that the Senate, not the Presidium, is the supreme authority under the Emperor. Try to hold Senate Confirmation Hearings when anyone is appointed to a senior position, to show where real power lies. Religious Ensure the Senate passes resolutions conferring extraordinary praise and honours on Moonson. Have Moonson declare next year to be a Red (Full) Moon Year, i.e. business as usual. Have Moonson confer more powers on the Senate and away from the Presidium.	Who You Know Your Family Paulis Longvale: your young nephew and protégé, you have ensured he gets nothing but the best in life. You have brought him up as if he were your own son. Last year he was appointed Master of Circuses on your recommendation: an ideal springboard for a Senatorial career. Personal Acquaintances Beat-Pot Aelwrin: as Commander of the Imperial Guard, he protects your god. Makkrit-oor, Satrap of Darjiin: He is the Satrap of your homeland, and therefore you treat him with respect. However, personally you find him boorish and immature. Your nephew would make a far better satrap. Mikos Thiokonos: the Imperial Chamberlain runs the Emperor's Household very efficiently. You value his opinion on Senatorial matters. Moonson Argenteus: the Red Emperor is your god. Revere him. Var-eel, Satrap of Oronin: an old friend who also believes in traditional values and the rule of Dara Happan law. Through your Career Grand Master Orsorkhon: head of the cult of Danfive Xaron. Although feared by criminals, you know that by offering condemned criminals 'sanctuary' within their Penitentiaries, the cult is undermining the ancient rule of traditional Dara Happan law! Marshal Volkhovos: head of Military Intelligence, the Blue Army. You cannot condone the rumoured practice of state-sponsored assassination: simple justice demands that criminals be tried in open court and sentenced to death. Ivex Devouring Dog, Imperial Tax Collector: Little does he know that you first met him some seventy years ago when he was tax advisor to the Sultan of First Blessed, Garak-Taran, and you had just started your first bureaucratic appointment as a tax investigator in First Blessed. You were a young and impatient man in those days eager to enhance your reputation. Therefore, on the basis of a small mistake on a tax form, you risked all and ordered a full audit of the sultan's records. Luckily for you he proved to even more corrupt than you expected, and he was executed for his crimes. Jar-Eel the Razoress: this young woman calls herself an incarnation of the Red Goddess. You own a very interesting and erotic book supposedly authored by her. The Red Dancer of Power: the chief Missionary of the Lunar Way also runs the economy. Great Sister: the Daughter of the Red Goddess is an interfering busy-body, but sister of your god.
	Other Knowledge Senate Confirmation Hearings are investigations into the moral character and practical qualifications of someone who has recently been appointed to a new office. Senate Confirmation Hearings must be held in public. There will be four participants: the Candidate and three Panellists. These are: the Investigator (whoever called the confirmation hearing; alternatively, someone nominated by them); the Advocate (a supporter, nominated by the Candidate); the Censor (yourself, as Speaker of the Senate). The Hearing must be role-played out in three rounds of cross-examination, during which the Panel is trying to discover the motivations and background of the Candidate and assess his suitability. In each round, one of the three Panellists draws a card, in the order listed above (Investigator, Advocate, Censor). The cross-examination cards allow you to investigate the Candidate's objectives and determine if he is truly suited to hold high office. At the end of the day, the Panel will vote on whether the candidate is acceptable for his role. As the Investigator and Advocate may be partisan, it is vital for you to weigh up the merits of the case (as determined through cross-examination) and come to a just and fair judgement which will reflect well on the Senate and Empire. The Silver Quill. This is a prestigious literary award, worth 10 influence to the winner. No categories are prescribed: past prizes have gone to poetry, fiction, historical and scientific works. It is administered by Fod-Ariam, the Red Sage of Glamour. You are one of the judges of this award. You will not have time to read all the books, and should pay close attention to your colleague, Fod-Ariam, the chairman of the judges. You see this as a purely ceremonial role. Crime and Punishment. Most punishments under the Dara Happan lawcodes still current in the Empire are meant as deterrents: branding, blinding, mutilation and execution (in various ways) are decreed for what might seem comparatively minor offences. However, over the last few millennia zero tolerance of crime has proven to be very effective. Imprisonment per se seldom features in the Dara Happan laws, except for crimes such as debt. The cult of Danfive Xaron is not formally a part of the judicial or penal apparatus of the Lunar state. However, they currently have the right to interfere in any case and take the prisoner (even if punished with a death sentence) away to be "rehabilitated". In reality, this means that they are locked away for a few years before being let loose upon the unsuspecting populace - fully able to offend again! Is that justice?	Secrets Geilbonus the Sycophant committed adultery with the wife of Hasperat, one of the Lunar Examiners. The murderer of Geilbonus' sister and brother-in-law was never brought to justice. Geilbonus is a firm believer in ancient Dara Happan laws and practices. Paulis Longvale is the nephew of Geilbonus. Geilbonus began his career as a tax investigator in First Blessed. Special Item The Red Water: this beautiful red gem was given to you by your beloved Zalote. You will always treasure it.
	Reaching Moon Megacorp's Life of Moonson was written by Nick Brooke, Chris Gidlow,David Hall and Kevin Jacklin, with Rick Meints and MOB. The lead authors for Geilbonus were Nick Brooke and Chris Gidlow. Glorantha, HeroQuest, Hero Wars, and Issaries are trademarks of Issaries, Inc. The contents of this page are copyright by Nick Brooke and Chris Gidlow, 2001; any material derived from Greg Stafford's world of Glorantha is also copyright by Greg Stafford. Glorantha is the creation of Greg Stafford, and is used with his permission.