The Circle of Banners
Kalros is governed collectively by a confederated ruling body known as the Circle of Banners. It is not a permanent court or centralized government, but an assembly of power, convened to address matters that threaten or affect Kalros as a whole. The Circle exists by necessity rather than law, and its authority endures only so long as the clans continue to recognize it.
Each recognized major clan is entitled to raise its banner within the Circle. A banner represents more than territory or lineage. It signifies the ability to defend land, uphold oaths, and answer the call when Kalros is threatened. Clans that cannot protect their holdings or honor their obligations may see their banner challenged, barred, or stripped of recognition.
Representation within the Circle is determined by each clan according to its own customs. Some send chieftains or elders, others champions, war-leaders, pack alphas, or spiritual figures. There is no requirement of uniformity, and the Circle does not interfere in how a clan chooses its Voice.
The Circle of Banners convenes at agreed-upon gathering sites or in response to crisis. Its purview includes collective defense, inter-clan borders, recognition of new clans, censure of oathbreakers, and foreign diplomacy. Decisions are not enforced through written law, but through reputation, pressure, and the threat of collective response. A decision ignored is remembered.
At the center of the Circle stands the Banner Speaker, a temporary role granted to an individual deemed capable of holding the gathering together. The Banner Speaker moderates disputes, recognizes voices, and serves as the outward face of Kalros in negotiations with foreign powers. The position carries no permanent authority and may be revoked or challenged if confidence is lost.
The Circle of Banners does not rule Kalros. It prevents it from tearing itself apart. Unity within Kalros is conditional, fragile, and fiercely defended, and the Circle exists to give that unity a shape when it is most needed.
Each recognized major clan is entitled to raise its banner within the Circle. A banner represents more than territory or lineage. It signifies the ability to defend land, uphold oaths, and answer the call when Kalros is threatened. Clans that cannot protect their holdings or honor their obligations may see their banner challenged, barred, or stripped of recognition.
Representation within the Circle is determined by each clan according to its own customs. Some send chieftains or elders, others champions, war-leaders, pack alphas, or spiritual figures. There is no requirement of uniformity, and the Circle does not interfere in how a clan chooses its Voice.
The Circle of Banners convenes at agreed-upon gathering sites or in response to crisis. Its purview includes collective defense, inter-clan borders, recognition of new clans, censure of oathbreakers, and foreign diplomacy. Decisions are not enforced through written law, but through reputation, pressure, and the threat of collective response. A decision ignored is remembered.
At the center of the Circle stands the Banner Speaker, a temporary role granted to an individual deemed capable of holding the gathering together. The Banner Speaker moderates disputes, recognizes voices, and serves as the outward face of Kalros in negotiations with foreign powers. The position carries no permanent authority and may be revoked or challenged if confidence is lost.
The Circle of Banners does not rule Kalros. It prevents it from tearing itself apart. Unity within Kalros is conditional, fragile, and fiercely defended, and the Circle exists to give that unity a shape when it is most needed.
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