Concordant Mandates
The Concordant Mandates are the laws that bind the citizens and the members of the Concordance for Survival together. Without them, we would easily fall to a hostile power or a simple interdimenstional invasion. With the Mandates as our bond and our guide, we have created the greatest civilization that our world has ever known.
The Mandates are both the glue that keeps our little club of survivors together and the buffer that keeps us from killing each other. Under the Mandates, righteous paladins and dark necromancers fight together against extraplanar invasions of nasties and beasties. Best of all, the Mandates allow an old orc like me to get a drink in elf town under their big silver tree!
All residents of the Zone are bound by the Mandates of the Concordance for Survival. They are administered by the Concordant Conclave and enforced by the Zone Authority.
The Duty of Defense
All residents of the Zone must participate in the defense of the Zone when called upon. The area within 10-miles of the Pit shall be kept clear. Any settlements within that area shall be protected by walls. Anyone giving aid or comfort to those levying war upon the Zone shall get convicted of treason and declared outside the protection of the law.
All residents of the Zone have a war assignment. When two horns blow, everyone must prepare for a Day of War. Soldiers must report to their assigned fortress and prepare for battle. Civilians prepare to shelter in place and may be called upon to back up the troops or flee.
This Duty also mandates that the area from the Pit Wall out to a 10-mile diameter, the Inner Ring, be kept clear of growth and settlements. This is to deprive any invading creatures or armies of cover in that area. The elves have carved out an exception for the Anomalous Forest that they patrol.
The Treaty of Trade
Sophonts within the Manifest are entitled to negotiate a fair price for goods that they own.
On Days of Trade, residents enter the Manifest to buy and sell unembargoed goods. Licensed merchants may conduct trade on a large scale.
The Treaty of Passage
Those bearing the correct identification may enter the Zone and cross any non-military borders.
This includes residents of Erathia, residents of the Zone, and sophonts from the Manifest. However, sophonts of Shadow and Faerie shall not enter the Zone in exchange for allowing passage to any who want to enter Shadow or Faerie.
The Right of Salvage
When the Manifest does not contain sophonts, it's natural resources may be salvaged by licensed salvagers.
Harvest Days are highly regulated. The quota is determined by the Manifest Authority, the quotas are auctioned, off and the Salvager Guilds vie to gather the most resources.
The Right of Return
Everyone is entitled to return to their place of origin. Lawful sophonts of the Manifest must be allowed to return before it leaves our world.
Sometimes people get left behind. Those who tarry too long in the Manifest or in Erathia get trapped in the wrong world, but some do it on purpose.
The Right of Justice
Every mortal in the Zone has the right to a swift trial and humane treatment.
Every canton in the Zone has a separate judicial and prison system regulated by the overall Zone Justices.
Freedom of Speech
Freedom of speech, press, and other forms of expression are guaranteed.
The concept of freedom of expression was novel when introduced, seen as an interesting experiment by some and as an insidious otherworldly infection by others. It has led to the rise of the newspapers, a dissemination of knowledge, and the flowering of civilization.
Abolition of Slavery
The gods' final decree before they withdrew was that all mortals should be free, sophonts shall not own each other.
The founders of the Concordance made the end of slavery a precursor to membership, thinking that their traditional enemies would not be able to survive without it. To their surprise, Borthakar and Kiris both ended the practice and they are now thriving members.
Rule by Representation
Now that the Divine Mandate of Kings has withdrawn, power now resides in the mortal peoples of Erathia.
The right of mortals to select their own leaders is another extraplanar idea that has taken root in the Zone. The idea has spread on Erathia, leading to the end of most of the monarchies in the world.
Bear the Ident-a-hedron
Every sophont within the Zone shall carry official identification, the ident-a-hedron, at all times. They shall present it to the Zone Authority upon request.
The newest mandate was enacted after the creation of this almost fool-proof soul-based identification system.
Independence of Cantons
Within their borders, the governing bodies may enforce any laws that do not interfere with the Mandates.
The fractious alliance of former enemies could never hold together without their right to operate independently within their borders. Only the Mandates are universal over the entire Zone and the Concordance only claims authority for overall security and intra-Zone activities.
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