Vosk League Charter
We, the undersigned, do, on this date, hereby declare and establish an alliance, to be known as the Vosk League. In so doing, we declare that:
The City Leaders of the Vosk River do not accept the dominance, influence or authority implied or assumed by ANY City over the Vosk River and its Cities and Residents.
The Vosk League is a vehicle for our common action, not common governance. We stand united for common defense, and safe, open trade between and amongst its members.
DEFENSE
All Members agree to the mutual defense treaty implied by this document. An attack on one city will be interpreted as an attack on the League, and the League will take full retaliatory measures against the attackers. Defense procedures will be established to quickly relay Military Conditions along the Vosk.
All Members agree to the mutual nonaggression pact implied by this document. No city shall take hostile action against another and shall never seek to harm a member city's citizens, trade or independence.
The Vosk League does not stand for, or endorse, aggression by any member city against any city outside the League. As such, members cities are not bound to assist in the aggression of one city against any city outside the League.
TRADE
The Vosk League stands united for safe, open trade between its member cities. As such, reasonable tariffs and taxes will be maintained between the member cities.
CITY GOVERNMENT
Cities of the Vosk League are free to choose their own manner and form of Government and Laws. No city's membership status shall be affected by the manner of government they choose.
Amendment: Dual homestones by member(s) of the Vosk League was found to be unacceptable. (Approved: 1/12/03)
Amendment: Distribution of Proceeds. It was agreed by the Vosk League Leaders that rather than collecting taxes on goods sold at the trade bazaars for their cities, that they would accept 1 silver booth rental fees with the exception of any ships auctioned or sold or the blackwine beans since they are so expensive. Proceeds from the Monthly Vosk League Gatherings, such as rental fees and taxes on exempt items from the trade bazaars, would be split between the Merchants and Vosk League Members to pay for expenses such as, patrolling between cities along the Vosk River, scribe wages, etc. City will split these City proceeds of the rental fees and any ship and blackwine taxes with the League. The split is 75% to the City and 25% to the League coffers. (Approved: 4/20/03)
LEAGUE MEMBERSHIP
Membership in the Vosk League is open to any city lying along the Vosk River. This does not include the Olni or Cartius Rivers.
Membership in the league is not compulsory. A city may withdraw, upon giving written notice to the League Council.
Amendment: Application to Vosk League Protocol. A membership Application, including listing of all the cities that are eligible will be kept in the VL scrolls (website). Non-member, eligible cities may read and apply for membership. New applications must be submitted to the Vosk League Leaders Council 10 days prior to the next scheduled Ubars meeting for the Council. Applications forwarded after the 10 days will held till the following meeting of the current one to be held. (Approved: 4/20/03)
INTERCITY TRAVEL
Travelers from one city to another shall be subject to the laws of that city with the following limitations:
Free women of League cities shall have complete freedom and safety of travel between said cities. Should their behavior be thought to warrant a collar, they shall be apprehended, treated with the full dignity accrued to their status, and returned to their home cities for disposition or trial.
Merchants of League Cities shall have complete safety of travel between cities as long as they commit no crimes.
Slavers of League Cities shall not accept contracts to collar the free women of other League Cities.
League Council
There shall be established by this Charter, a League Council, composed of one representative of each city, that being either the City Leader, or one authorized to act on that leader's behalf. The term for these seats is indefinite. In addition, a Council Scribe shall be appointed by the Council. The Council Scribe shall serve for One Gorean Year.
The purpose of this Council is to discuss matters relating to the security and common interest of the member cities.
The Council shall meet at regular, predetermined intervals, or whenever a special meeting is called at the behest of any of its members. This request must be in writing and must be sent to all council members within one hand of the requested meeting.
Each City shall rotate hosting the meeting, with the hosting City's Representative serving as moderator. It shall be the duty of the moderator that the discussion follows a queue kept by the Council Scribe. The moderator shall be responsible for logging the meeting and sending the minutes to all council members.
It shall be a duty of the League Scribe to call votes on proposals put before the League Council and to log and register such votes and to be prepared to read them back to the Council as need.
In the event that a Council member cannot attend a meeting, a substitute may vote that member's proxy as long as this representative is provided with a scroll, from the Regular Council Member vouching for the identity of the substitute. This substitute must, in the text of the scroll, be empowered to cast the regular member's vote.
OOC Side Bar
This is designed as an OOC side bar, more or less, to the IC charter being adopted by the members of the Vosk League. The League exists in the books, and we intend to use references from them to justify and govern our actions.
Since such organizations live on both sides of the character line, it was thought that dividing the IC and OOC functions would be wise.
DEFENSE
It is assumed that all members have ongoing, NPC if necessary, patrols that will see any aggression that passes its way, either by land or river. SO, an attack on any city flanked by member cities could hardly be "by surprise."
Any member city attacking another can expect to get quickly overrun by League Forces from all flanks, and control of that city will be assumed by the Council.
In the event of an attack by an outside city; would warrant justification in the form of R/P logs, of the group leaving their city or lair and traveling to the besieged city. No group will be recognized unless this type of justification can be provided, without the logs the SL will not be viable and thus null and void.
TRADE
RP of Merchant transactions, recording of mooring fees, etc., are great ways to help establish a city's cash flow and commerce. League Harbor Masters should devise a common fee schedule for members, much less than for nonmembers.
CITY GOVERNMENT
The Vosk League endorses no forums, GHC, ANGor or otherwise. It will not base entry by an otherwise qualified city on the forum it chooses for its RP.
The IC Charter is specific on geography for a reason. In Renegades, the league was formed to protect against the aggressive influence of surrounding cities, like Thentis, Treve, Port Kar. To allow such cities to join would defeat its purpose.
A city that chose to withdraw would have difficulty surviving, with all the scrutiny it would be under, not to mention the onerous fees it would have to pay.
It is assumed that cities pay a portion of their revenues to a fund that guarantees the smooth operation of the League.
INTERCITY TRAVEL
It's assumed that all will make reasonable attempts to reflect travel time as it would be on Gor. Travel from one city to another should take into account method of travel (Tarn, Ship, Wagon, etc.). I.E., it would take a while for Turmus Forces to arrive in, say, Whitewater....they cannot just "show up."
We, like all of Gor, assume that the Gorean Arena and Gorean Tavern are easily accessible from all cities without regard to travel time.
COUNCIL MEETINGS
The Council shall meet in the last hand of each month. Emergency meetings require at least 48 hours notice. The location of the meetings shall rotate, in what order to be devised upon the signing of the charter. The representative of the hosting city shall moderate the meeting. The VL Scribe will send out agenda prior to the meeting, log the meeting; and send the minutes out to all council members with a notation of where the next meeting will be held. By doing such, it is hoped that this will allow all cities and council members to remain on equal footing. (Appended 4/20/03)
Amendment: Old Business / Agenda. Old business will only remain on the league agenda for three months. (Approved: 2/27/03)
The Council Moderator shall moderate, based on the queue system common to all.
In the event a proposal is made, each council member may speak once either for or against the proposal, and may have one rebuttal before a vote is called. It shall be a duty of the Council Scribe to track the number of times a member has spoken on any given proposal, and to remind the Council Moderator should the member's speaking privileges on a certain issue expire.
COMBAT
The Vosk League recognizes the SRoG - Ship Registry of Gor, as the official format governing the use of ships on Gor, including naval, port and raiding combat where ships are involved. Individuals may choose the registry of their choice for personal applications. (Appended 4/20/03)
All other combat will be governed by the caste the representative city follows (i.e., RRaMC, Scarlet, RWoNC).
A list of all representative Cities and the Caste they follow (RRaMC, Scarlet, RWoNC) will be composed and sent to all upon joining the league.
