Government (Exile's Song reading notes)

In the past Darkover was ruled by the Comyn Council consisting of one representative from each Domain except Aldaran which was excluded for some undisclosed past crime or disagreement. The representative for each of remaining Domains was male except for the Aillard Domain who was female and the Elhalyn representative who could have been either. The leroni from each Tower also attended. The Council met in the summer and made decisions about trade with the Terrans and other matters. (ES394) At the end of the Sharra Rebellion the numbers of the great Comyn families were so reduced that it was decided to replace the Comyn Council with the Telepathic Council which did not really meet as such. (ES418) It is now the intention of the Regent to abolish the Telepathic Council and reestablish the Comyn Council. This decision was made after a delegation of men from the City Guilds and from the countryside came to the Regent and requested that the Telepathic Council be abolished and replaced by the Comyn Council. These men felt the Telepathic Council was too influenced by Terrans and did not represent the true interests of Darkover. (ES419) They also desired the restoration of the traditional Elhalyn line of kings. (ES421) This was an unusual action by the common people. (ES419)

The Great Families of Darkover are called Comyn and have ancestral lands and properties called Domains. Armida is the Alton stronghold in the Alton Domain. (ES85)

On the proposed new Comyn Council Marilla Aillard is the current representative of the Aillard Domain, Dyan Ardais is the representative of the Ardais Domain, Francisco Ridenow is the representative of the Ridenow Domain, Gabrial Lanart is claiming to be the representative of the Alton Domain, and Regis Hastur is head of the Hastur Domain as well as Regent of Darkover. (ES418,420)

Mikhail Lanart was made Regent for the Elhalyn domain by Regis Hastur. (ES427)

There is no tradition of democracy on Darkover. (ES419)

Swords and daggers were worn to the meeting of the representative of the domains. (ES423-424)

Lewis Alton has represented Darkover in the Terran Senate for years but has resigned his position. (ES336)

Regis Hastur appointed Herm Aldaran to the lower house of the Terran Federation legislature six years ago. (ES423)

Years ago Marius Atlton could have taken his place on the Comyn Council at age thirteen if the Council had permitted it. (ES80)

The Cortes can declare someone to be a ward of another person. (ES317)[Unfortunately this work does not explain what the Cortes is and how it functions in Darkover society and government.]

Elhalyn women could sit on the Comyn Council to represent their Domain. (ES388)

source file (Last modification: Wed Apr 21 17:21:45 1999)