- For the headquarters of the Assembly, see Chamber of the Assembly.
The Assembly of Orzammar
The Orzammar Assembly, housed in the Chamber of the Assembly in Orzammar's Diamond Quarter, is the central legislative political body in the city, second in influence only to the Kings and Queens of Orzammar and capable in many instances of superseding his or her power.
In the ancient Dwarven Empire it is probable that the major thaigs had their own Assembly, since Kal-Sharok maintains one, however the monarch supercedes their authority as King Endrin Aeducan is seen to demand Kal-Sharok's Assembly to respect Orzammar's rule over them.[1]
Structure
Members of the Assembly are known as "deshyr," which roughly translates to "assembly lord."[2] They are sometimes called, perhaps derisively, "deep lords."[3] During the events of Dragon Age: Origins the Assembly is composed of eighty deshyrs drawn from the most influential noble houses in the city. The right of a noble house to claim a vote in the Assembly is predicated on that house having a deshyr, general, or Paragon among their ancestors.[4] Therefore, the number of Assembly members can fluctuate. Any caste other than the noble caste is not represented in the Assembly.[5]
To become a member there must first be an opening in the tightly closed ranks, and this usually occurs through death or resignation. An acting member then nominates a candidate who must be approved by one-third of the Assembly.[6] Resignation is uncommon as a deshyr holds their position for life, as does the monarch.
Functions
The Assembly as a legislative body sets law and advises the king, and functions to a lesser extent as a judicial system in the case of criminal law. Any deshyr may submit proposals or regulations for debate. The proposed law must be ratified by a majority vote of the Assembly members before the proposal can become law. Debates on such proposals can last years in some cases.[7] The Assembly is also used to decide the fate of those who commit serious crimes, such as kinslaying, and to determine their punishment.[8]
The king or queen too may submit proposals for consideration and these are decided upon in the same fashion as if the proposal had been made by a deshyr. When the Assembly enacts a law but does not have a unanimous vote, the king or queen may send the law back for further debate and another vote. This can be done on an unlimited basis and amounts to a legislative veto.[9] The Assembly can also become deadlocked when a decision cannot be made and this can have disastrous consequences for the city, particularly when it regards the choosing of a king. Bloodshed and chaos run rampant during these times as warring candidates battle for dominance.
When the Assembly passes a law, it is recorded in the Memories.
Kings and queens are voted into power by a majority vote in the Assembly but this is typically not such a simple matter. Murder, blackmail, and betrayal often presage such decisions when various candidates vie for the position of king. Assembly members are also not safe during such times of debate as Assembly members can be murdered to open a spot in the exclusive roster.
Traditionally a king appoints his successor, often an elder son, to rule in his stead by naming him the first candidate for consideration.[10] This does not ensure the heir will be king as the Assembly is not required to recognize the king's choice, but in practice the successor typically takes the throne. There is no proscription upon a female heir being named.
In addition to voting in a king, the Assembly also votes upon the creation of new Paragons, a task of arguably even more importance than that of choosing the king. Declaring a dwarf a Paragon is essentially declaring a new noble house, since that Paragon and their family will be elevated to noble status. From then on, they will have the right to their own deshyr in the Assembly.
Assembly Steward Bandelor
Members
- Bandelor: The Steward of the Assembly. A non-voting member.
- Lord Denek Helmi: The deshyr of House Helmi in the Assembly and during the events of Dragon Age: Origins it's youngest member as well.
- Lady Dace: She is appointed by her family's patriarch as House Dace's deshyr in the Assembly.
References
- ↑ Mentioned in the conversation between King Endrin Aeducan and Lords Meino and Bemot during The Nobles' Feast.
- ↑ Dragon Age RPG Set 2 Player's Guide, pg. 17.
- ↑ As referred to by Ohgren.
- ↑ Mentioned by Assembly Steward Bandelor.
- ↑ As mentioned by Lord Denek Helmi.
- ↑ Dragon Age RPG Set 2 Player's Guide, pg. 17.
- ↑ Dragon Age RPG Set 2 Player's Guide, pg. 17.
- ↑ As seen in the Dwarf Noble Origin.
- ↑ Dragon Age RPG Set 2 Player's Guide, pg. 17.
- ↑ Dragon Age RPG Set 2 Player's Guide, pg. 18.