문장관 의회

올레이 귀족의 칭호와 문장은 법적으로 금지되었다. 그러나 제아무리 황제의 힘이라 해도 수천 년의 문화와 전통에 비하면 미약한 법이다. 올레이에서 가장 오래된 가문의 혈통은 그 기원이 시리앵인의 족장 대까지 거슬러 올라갈 정도이며, 많은 가문은 안티바, 리베인, 그리고 앤더펠스의 막강한 가문과 관계를 맺고 있다. 그들은 유산을 포기할 뜻이 없었던 반면, 작위가 합법적이지 않았으므로 장자권과 상속권에 대해 상반된 주장이 벌어졌고 이로 인해 혼란스러운 상황이 발생했다. 거기에 나아가 르빌 황제가 자신의 지지자들에게 선물로 하사한 수많은 새 작위로 인해 문제가 더욱 복잡해졌다.

주디카엘 1세가 왕위에 올랐을 무렵, 그는 자신의 아버지인 "미친 르빌"이 남긴 정치적 혼란을 그대로 물려받았고, 그러한 혼란 속에서 동생 에티엔 2세를 잃었다. 궁정의 귀족들을 상대로 이기기 위해, 주디카엘 황제는 가장 먼저 문장관 의회를 설립했다. 문장관 의회는 작위 문제를 포함한 모든 분쟁을 관장하는 최종 결정기구로 기능하였고, 심지어 관련 문제에 대해서는 황제의 말도 뒤집을 수 있을 만한 막강한 권한을 지니게 되었다.

—성가회 학자 페트린 수녀 저, 올레이 통치체제에 대한 고찰에서 발췌

 

Council of Heralds

Legally, the titles and heraldry of Orlesian nobility were banned. But even the power of an emperor pales in comparison to thousands of years of culture and tradition. The oldest families of Orlais trace their lineage back to Ciriane war chiefs; many have ties to the great houses of Antiva, Rivain, and the Anderfels. They would not give up their legacy, but because their titles were not legal, they were mired in a mess of conflicting claims of birthright and inheritance, further compounded by the myriad new titles Emperor Reville handed out as gifts to his supporters.

When Judicael I took the throne, he inherited the political turmoil left behind by his father, Reville the Mad, which had cost his brother, Etienne II, his life. In a bid to win over the nobles of his court, one of Emperor Judicael's first acts was the establishment of the Council of Heralds. The Council would be the final arbiter over all disputes involving titles—even having the power to overrule the word of the emperor on such matters.

—From An Examination of Orlesian Government by Sister Petrine, Chantry scholar