====== Small Council ======

===== Summary =====
The **Small Council of Skyss**, also known as the **Keeper's Council**, is the primate administrative body responsible for the day-to-day governance and executive oversight of the [[:skyss:places:skyss|Kingdom of Skyss]]. Composed of senior civil servants and high-ranking officials, the council manages the realm's logistics, intelligence, and resources, providing essential support to [[:skyss:chars:king_thirfinn|King Thirfinn]]. While the [[:skyss:chars:electors|Council of Electors]] handles broad constitutional matters such as succession, the Small Council focuses on the detailed administration required to maintain the kingdom's peace and prosperity.

===== Description =====

==== Chamber and Protocol ====
The council convenes within the [[:skyss:places:kronstadt:kings_palace|King's Palace]] in [[:skyss:places:kronstadt|Kronstadt]], specifically in the birch-panelled Small Council room. Members are seated in nine ornately carved, high-backed chairs arranged around a polished wood table. The sessions are typically chaired by the [[:skyss:chars:offices:clerk_of_the_privy|Clerk of the Privy]], who manages the agenda and coordinates the various departments represented at the table .

==== Function and State Labour ====
The council’s remit encompasses several critical domains:
  * **Intelligence Gathering:** The Secretary of the [[:skyss:places:bot|Board of Trade]] provides the council with high-level briefings on international trade flows and geopolitical shifts, such as the Cottalemnese crisis of 774 AM.
  * **Judicial Record-Keeping:** Through the [[:skyss:chars:offices:keeper_of_the_rolls|Keeper of the Rolls]], the council monitors sentencing trends and maintains the legal precedents established by the [[skyss:chars:kings_justices|King's Justices]].
  * **Logistics and Infrastructure:** The [[:skyss:chars:offices:keeper_of_the_dockyard|Keeper of the Dockyard]] ensures that the Skyssian naval patterns and shipbuilding schedules are maintained to support maritime hegemony.
  * **Exchequer and Treasury:** Financial oversight and the management of the royal archives are handled by the [[:skyss:chars:offices:keeper_of_the_cloth|Keeper of the Cloth]] and the [[:skyss:chars:offices:keeper_of_the_treasures|Keeper of the Treasures]].

==== Diplomatic Responsibilities ====
The council is frequently tasked with selecting and preparing ceremonial items for foreign dignitaries, a process that reflects the state's interest in [[:skyss:chars:standardisation|standardisation]] and soft power. In 774 AM, the council deliberated on gifts for the wedding of King Alasdair V of Dael Riata, considering rare items from the King's Treasures such as:
  * **The Travel Bureau:** A fine example of travel furniture with secret compartments, captured by the Navy from the Queen of Bernicia.
  * **Bjorn Arneson's State Sword:** A naval masterpiece featuring a mother of pearl handle and gold inlays.
  * **Queen Flora’s Crown:** A sapphire-set circlet containing "Jorunn’s eye," an [[skyss:other:amulets|amulet]] used for scrying.

===== Members and Offices =====

The following table lists the main offices of the Small Council and the individuals holding these posts as of 774 AM:

^ Office ^ Known Member ^ Primary Role ^
| [[:skyss:chars:offices:clerk_of_the_privy|Clerk of the Privy]] | [[:skyss:chars:harald_bjornson|Harald Bjornson]] | Council Chair and Secretary |
| [[:skyss:chars:offices:secretary_to_the_bot|Secretary of the Board of Trade]] | [[:skyss:chars:olaf_olafsson|Olaf Olafsson]] | International Intelligence  |
| [[:skyss:chars:offices:keeper_of_the_keys|Keeper of the Keys]] | [[:skyss:chars:ingrid_kemisdottir|Ingrid Kemisdottir]] | Principal Secretary to the King  |
| [[:skyss:chars:offices:keeper_of_the_cloth|Keeper of the Cloth]] | [[:skyss:chars:birgitte_elfrunsdottir|Birgitte Elfrunsdottir]] | Senior Exchequer Officer  |
| [[:skyss:chars:offices:keeper_of_the_dockyard|Keeper of the Dockyard]] | [[:skyss:chars:freya_ingridsdottir|Captain Freya Ingridsdottir]] | Senior Naval Operations  |
| [[:skyss:chars:offices:keeper_of_the_treasures|Keeper of the Treasures]] | [[:skyss:chars:henrik_johansson|Henrik Johansson]] | King's Art and Relic Collection  |
| [[:skyss:chars:offices:keeper_of_the_rolls|Keeper of the Rolls]] | [[:skyss:chars:hilda_helgasdottir|Hilda Helgasdottir]] | Senior Officer, House of Justice  |

===== Relationships =====

==== People ====
  * [[:skyss:chars:king_thirfinn|King Thirfinn]]: The elective monarch who oversees the council.

==== Places ====
  * [[:skyss:places:kronstadt:kings_palace|King's Palace]]: The seat of the council's authority.
  * [[:skyss:places:kronstadt|Kronstadt]]: The administrative heart of the kingdom.
  * [[:skyss:places:kronstadt:house_of_justice|House of Justice]]: The department recorded and overseen by the Keeper of the Rolls.



^  [[:skyss:welcome]]  ^  [[:skyss:characters]]  ^  [[:skyss:places]]  ^  [[:skyss:pantheon]]  ^  [[:skyss:other]]  ^


{{tag>fantasy world-building skyss_chars Skyss Small_Council Keepers Council 2026 james}}