Veinir Bulava | Bestowal of the Bulava

[Xarkly 12618]

Veinir Bulava

BESTOWING OF THE BULAVA

 

KRUSAE ZWY KONGZEM

 

Issued by the

CROWN

On this 6th day of Vzmey and Hyff of 394ES

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VA BIRODEO HERZENAV AG EDLERVIK

 

For generations, the Lord Palatine - and, on one occasion, the Lady Palatine - has served as the greatest power in the Kongzem of Haense, second only to the Crown themselves, and the position has evolved drastically over time before assuming its modern role as head of the Aulic Council. Throughout the storied history of the Office, which is fully documented in the Archives by the Royal Scribe, the appointment of the Lord Palatine has typically been reduced to a mere verbal announcement or, at best, a writ of appointment. In pursuit of championing the Sigismundic Era of culture and tradition in Haense, the Crown seeks to harken back to the days of King Stefan I for inspiration in establishing a proper ceremony to appoint the Lord Palatine befitting of the gravity of the Office. 

 

Thus, the Crown is pleased to codify the Bestowal of the Bulava (Naumariav: Veinir Bulava).

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BESTOWAL OF THE BULAVA

 

I. The Bestowal shall always take place at sunrise before the Throne.

II. The man, or woman, to be Palatine shall attend in the company of (1) their spouse, (2) the head of their family, and (3) any children they have sired.

III. As dawn breaks, the man or woman who would be Palatine kneels before the Crown, and a gong is sounded to signal the following recital:

 

Crown: Who is this who comes seeking the Golden Bulava? 

Palatine: I come as [name], of the House/family of [family name].

Crown: Why do you seek the Golden Bulava, [Palatine name]? 

Palatine: I seek it not for glory, nor do I seek it for honour, nor for power.

Crown: Then why?

Palatine: I seek it not for my own sake, but for the people of Hanseti and Ruska, so that I might answer Godan's calling to build for them a world in which harvests are plentiful, in which their might is assured, and in which the golden crow flies with pride. 

Crown: To do so is to live not for yourself, but for your Kongzem. To assume this duty is to the neglect of all others. 

Palatine: This I know.

 

IV. The gong chimes again. The head of the Palatine's House or family steps forward and places a hand on their right shoulder as the recital continues.

 

Crown: The burden of the Bulava weighs heavier than all others. Do you accept it, to the neglect of your family, their dreams, and goals?

Palatine: This I know, and I accept.

 

V. The gong chimes again. The Palatine's spouse, should they have one, steps forward and places a hand on their left shoulder as the recital continues.

 

Crown: The hardships of the Bulava strike truer than all others. Will you weather them, to the neglect of even all else you hold dear?

Palatine: This I know, and this I accept.

 

VI. The gong chimes again. The Palatine's children, should they have any, step forward and place their hands on the Palatine's back as the recital continues.

 

Crown: The demands of the Bulava tax greater than all others. Will you answer them, to the neglect of other dreams? 

Palatine: This I know, and this I accept.

 

VII. The gong sounds one final time as the Crown approaches the kneeling Palatine with the Golden Bulava.

 

Crown: These costs you know, and these costs you accept. To live as Palatine is to live for others, more than any Knight. It is to dream and work for others, more than any Priest. It is to fight for others, more than any Soldier. To live as Palatine is to sacrifice yourself.

Palatine: This I know, and this I accept, without doubt, fear, nor hesitation.

 

VIII. The Crown offers the Golden Bulava to the Palatine, and both the Palatine stands with the Bulava in hand, which remains held also by the Crown.

 

Crown: Then you are named Lord/Lady Palatine of the Kongzem of Hanseti and Ruska. Your fate and life is woven to her people and Lady Haense and surely as mine. Be welcome in my Kongzem, truest brother/sister.

 

IX. The Crown and the Palatine clasp forearms without bowing as a sign of mutual respect, and the Bestowal is complete.

 

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IV JOVEO MAAN

His Royal Majesty SIGISMUND III by the Grace of Godan, King of Hanseti and Ruska, Grand Hetman of the Army, Prince of Bihar, Dules, Lahy, Muldav, Solvesborg, Slesvik and Ulgaard, Duke of Carnatia and Vanaheim, Margrave of Korstadt, Rothswald and Vasiland, Count of Alban, Alimar, Baranya, Graiswald, Karikhov, Karovia, Kaunas, Kavat, Kovachgrad, Kvasz, Markev, Nenzing, Torun, and Toruv, Viscount of Varna, Baron of Esenstadt, Kraken’s Watch, Kralta, Krepost, Lorentz, Rytsburg, Thurant, Venzia and Astfield, Lord of the Westfolk, Protector of the Highlanders, etcetera.

[Herod 802]

The newly appointed Lord Palatine stared at the document for what seemed like hours now, numerous thoughts came to his mind.

Is this too much of a burden?

He looked back at a time he was a child, when Lord Speaker Igor tutored him along with the now King Sigismund.
He could barely lift the Black Bulava with two hands at that time.

His mind raced; could he metaphorically lift the Golden Bulava?

He had no spouse to back his left shoulder, no children to hold his back and the Patriarch of his family had burden of his own.