Council of Clans

Council of Clans
The Council of Clans consists out of 36 members, each representing one of the Twelve Clans. Thus, each Clan sends three Clan Earls to represent itself in the Council. Clan Earls must be Male Dwarves.

Tasks
The Council of Clans is tasked with creating new laws and voting on laws. The King can also propose a new law, which must be reviewed by the Council.

Proposing a new law
If the Council wishes to propose a new law, at least 6 Clan Earls must propose it together. Once they propose the law, it must be reviewed by the Council. The King can also propose a law, requiring no Clan Earls to propose it for him. This means that sometimes a Clan Earl who can find no support among the Council proposes it to the King instead, who can propose the law and force the Council to review it.

Passing a law
Once a law is proposed, the Council starts debating on the law. Each Clan Earl may talk for 729 seconds about the law and why he is against or why he agrees the law should pass. If he has any questions, the Clan Earl may also ask them to the proposers during his time. A Clan Earl may also use less time, or pass entirely.

This debate is behind closed-doors: only the 36 Clan Earls and the King may listen to it. Once the debate starts, no-one may leave the room until the debate is done. After every Earl has spoken, the King may speak to the Council as well. There is no official limit to the time the King may speak, but it usually takes less than 5 seconds: the King simply announces if he agrees, is neutral about or is against the law.

Once the debate is finished and the King has also spoken, voting starts immediately. The King asks every Clan Earl if he is in agreement or disagreement with the law, to which the Clan Earl responds either 'aye' or 'nay'. If the majority of the votes are 'aye's the law passes*, else the law does not pass and may not be proposed again, unless with the support of a majority of the Clan Earls.

While it rarely happens, a Clan Earl that was part of the group that proposed the law could vote against it after the debate. If that happens, the Clan who sent the Earl may decide to replace him with another Clan member.

*Interference by the King
If the King told the Council after the debate that he is against the law proposed and if the law is passed with a majority of 'aye' votes, the King may still intervene as long as no more than 24 Clan Earls voted 'aye'. If that is the case, the King may block the law, stopping it from passing. This is a rare occurance, because it puts the King in direct conflict with the majority of the Clans, and therefore the population. Especially since the King told the Council before the vote that he was against the law, so the 'aye' voters made up their minds against the opinion of the King. Right after the vote and blocking by the King, the Council is sent home to their Clans. Each Clan can then re-choose their Clan Earls, if they wish to do so. Then, the vote on the law is repeated. If the result is the same (with the King having and being able to block the law), the entire Council is suspended.

At dusk the next day the High Priests of Moradin must contact him for his opinion on the law. If he agrees with the Council, the King vanishes and a new King has to be chosen (using the normal election process). If he disagrees with the Council and therefore agrees with the King, every Clan Elder that voted 'aye' are honourably discharged from the Council and need to be replaced by the Clans they belong to.