A treasure from mark!

A short synopsis on the Politics of the Herders
 
The Herder Clans of Zalthar were first united by the formation of the “Council of 5”, formed from the 5 Elders from the 5 largest Clans, to save the Morac Herds during the time of the Tyranid Invasion of the Planet. It was retained after the Invasion, as a tool to represent what at the time was a threatened and declining society.

By the time of the 1^st Chaos Incursion, the Council of 5 had become an elected body, representing the Herder Nation. It had bought about many improvements and the Herder life-style had ceased to decline, bolstered in part by disillusioned escapees from the Hives and large Mining Conglomerates and Corporations

After the 2^nd Incursion, the Council of 5 was quick to act. In each Ceramite City, it formed the impromptu “Listening-Councils”. These consisted of 13 Men and Women from all groups, with all but 3 over and over the age of 18 Grand Cycles, elected by the entire population. It was the role of these “Listening-Councils” to hear all local civil and legal matters, especially accusation of collaboration after the incursion, keeping record of accused and accuser for 6 cycles after. The Council would then put its findings to the Population for their decision. Most saw innocent people free to carry on with their daily lives, whereas the guilty soon came to light and were often handed to the “Council of 5” for final Judgement. Thus “Witch hunts” and panic were avoided.

Despite its popularity and the improvements it bought about, the Council of 5 itself was not felt to be as representative of the individual Clans. Therefore, it was reformed as the Council of 50, anelected Ruling Council of representatives from the Listening-Councils of the 49 Ceramite Cities of Zalthar, the Head of the Council and its 50^th member with right of veto, was an honorary position offered to is the Governor as a sign of respect and as an acknowledgement of his Imperial Position and Title. 

The 3^rd and final change was one necessitated by the need to simplify the situation of the unnecessarily large “Listening-Councils“. Each City replaced its Listening-Councils with a smaller “Council of 7”, run on the same lines, though reduced to 7 Men and Women from all groups, with all but 3 over and over the age of 18 and all but 1 over the age of 16 and all over 10 Grand Cycles of age. The 7^th member was also elected as the Cities representative on the Council of 50, in addition to their place on the Council of 7. 

The Councils political creed is “Illegitimi non carborundum”, "Don't let the bastards grind you down".