The Order of Righteous Nations

Preamble
We, the undersigned, in the hopes of forming a more totally awesome union, do hereby form the Order of Righteous Nations (TORN) under the following charter.

Article 1: Admission

 * 1.1) Any nation wishing to join the Order of Righteous Nations will file an application in the appropriate section of the TORN forums.
 * 1.2) Applicants MUST wear the "TORN Applicant" alliance affiliation.
 * 1.2.1) This AA affords limited protection. Wars on applicants will be dealt with on a case by case basis, and applicants may or may not be defended militarily. If you're looking to escape from justice, you will not find shelter here. If attacked for no reason, we will assist you.
 * 1.3) Applications will be approved or denied by the Emperor on the advice of the Admissions Council after the prescribed admissions process has been followed.
 * 1.4) Approved applications will place the new member at Recruit level.

Article 2: Membership Structure

 * 2.1) Emperor: The Emperor has the power to make and execute all decisions having to do with alliance affairs.
 * 2.1.1) The Emperor holds his position for life, or until resignation. The next Emperor is designated by the outgoing Emperor.
 * 2.1.2) The Emperor is the final and highest authority on all matters.
 * 2.1.3) Any powers not explicitly listed in the charter are given to the Emperor.
 * 2.1.4) The Emperor may be put up for removal from power by a unanimous vote of the Council. The motion must have the approval of all 4 Ministers, and at least one Regent. If this is the case, a vote will be put up to general membership. If 75%+1 vote for removal from power, the Emperor is removed, and a replacement shall be nominated by the Council, and confirmed by all 3/4 Ministers.
 * 2.1.5) Should the emperor go MIA for a period of 10 days or more all powers and rights granted to the emperor excluding charter amendments shall be granted to the unanimous vote of the regents. Upon return of the emperor all powers granted are removed.
 * 2.1.6) Should the emperor's nation cease to exist and not be recreated within 5 days of its deletion the council will nominate a replacement which must be confirmed by 3/4 of all ministers.
 * 2.2) Regents: The Regents of TORN are second in authority only to the Emperor. They are all hand appointed by the Emperor, in any number of his choosing, and serve at his leisure.
 * 2.2.1) In the absence of the Emperor, the Regents have the following specific powers: Authority to authorize war on individual nations. Authority to negotiate agreeable reparations for incidents requiring such. Authority to declare war when required to by treaty only.
 * 2.2.2) Regents have the authority to make official announcements, or negotiate on behalf of the Emperor. They are expected, however, to consult with the Emperor so as to not communicate in error.
 * 2.3) Ministry: TORN Ministers are appointed by the Emperor. Any Minister may create titles or organizations as necessary to execute their duties.
 * 2.3.1) Minister of Finance: The Minister of Finance is tasked with running the TORN bank. He will manage bank resources allotted to him in order to maximize growth of the alliance via efficient distribution of aid.
 * 2.3.2) Minister of Foreign Affairs: The Minister of Foreign Affairs helps represent TORN to the outside world. He is tasked with appointing ambassadors and envoys, as well as assisting the Emperor with negotiating and drafting treaties.
 * 2.3.3) Minister of Internal Affairs: The Minister of Internal Affairs is one of the primary managers of day to day affairs. He will upkeep a current member roster, as well as oversee the Departments of TORN, appointing members to run these departments as needed. Further day to day duties not listed may also fall to him.
 * 2.3.4) Minister of War: The Minister of War is the protector of the alliance, and is only under the Emperor in the military chain of command. The Minister of War allocates and organizes members in military service as needed. In war, he and the Emperor draft war plans, and the Minister of War executes them.
 * 2.4) Council: An elected Council will also serve in government. There is a flexible number of councilors, determined by the membership count in the first day of the election cycle. At that time, the council size shall be set at 2 councilors + 1 for each 50 members, with a minimum of 3 councilors.
 * 2.4.1) Elections: The council election process shall begin 6 days before the end of the month.
 * 2.4.1.1) 2 days shall be reserved for nominations. Any member may nominate any honored member for the council.
 * 2.4.1.2) 2 days shall be reserved for campaigning, where candidates shall state their platforms, and be questioned by the membership.
 * 2.4.1.3) 2 days shall be reserved for voting.
 * 2.4.1.4) At the end of the 2 day vote period, the top vote getters will be ratified as the Council for that month, based on the size of that month's council prescribed by article 2.4.
 * 2.4.2) Councilor duties include drafting and voting on alliance doctrines, representing the voice of the general membership in government, and administrating day to day affairs of the alliance in partnership with the Minister of Interior Affairs.
 * 2.4.3) Councilors are also charged with assuring the true and faithful execution of all articles of this charter.
 * 2.5) Honored Members: Honored Members have distinguished themselves within TORN, and are recognized as such.
 * 2.5.1) Receiving Honored Membership: The TORN Council may, at any time, recommend a member for Honored Membership with a simple majority vote. Following such a recommendation, the Emperor will either confirm or deny the recommendation. Upon confirmation, the new membership title is immediately awarded.
 * 2.5.2) Rights of an Honored Member: Only Honored Members may run for TORN Council. Honored Members have increased forum access.
 * 2.6) Members: Those who have passed the recruit test are promoted to full membership. Full members have raiding rights as prescribed in article 3.2, and voting rights for electing the TORN Council.
 * 2.7) Recruits: Recruits are newly accepted members. Recruits have 7 days to pass the prescribed recruit test, else they face expulsion from the alliance. During this time, they do not have raiding rights, and their forum access is limited.

Article 3: War

 * 3.1) The power to declare a state of war falls to the Emperor alone. If so declared, all member nations of TORN are under the effective control of the War Command of TORN. All orders given MUST be obeyed on pain of expulsion and permanent reduction of infrastructure to zero, until the state of war is lifted by the Emperor.
 * 3.1.1) Interim War: In the case of the absence of the Emperor when an apparent attack is made, any present government are required to react. At least one Regent or Minister must move to recognize hostilities. In such a motion, all present Regents, Ministers, and Councilors must verify this judgment, in which case a state of war can be recognized until such time the Emperor returns to formally initiate a state of war, or withdraw the acknowledgment of war.
 * 3.2) Land Raiding
 * 3.2.1) Nations bearing no alliance affiliation may be raided at will, so long as they do not reside on the red or orange color spheres.
 * 3.2.2) Nations bearing any alliance affiliation shall NOT be attacked without authorization of the Minister of War, a Regent, of the Emperor, unless: The alliance contains 5 or fewer members, and is NOT the protectorate of another alliance of over 20 members, so long as they do not reside on the red or orange color spheres.
 * 3.2.3) Unauthorized attacks on nations not fitting these "fair game" requirements will obligate the offending nation to pay reparations of not less than 100% of damage caused, along with immediate peace.
 * 3.2.4) Only ONE active war at any given time may be for the purpose of land raiding.
 * 3.2.5) Failure to follow these rules may lead to one of the following punishments, based on the severity of the offense and the offender's history:
 * 3.2.5.1) Temporary Raid Ban: The offending nation will be sentenced, on top of reparations owed, to a raiding ban of not more than one month. During this time, any wars not authorized by the Minister of War, a Regent, or the Emperor will result in immediate expulsion and possible military action.
 * 3.2.5.2) Permanent Raid Ban: The offending nation will be sentenced, on top of reparations owed, to a raiding ban of not less than the remainder of time. During this time, any wars not authorized by the Minister of War, a Regent, or the Emperor will result in immediate expulsion and possible military action.
 * 3.2.5.3) Expulsion: The offending nation will be ejected from the Order of Righteous Nations. Depending on the nature of the offense, military action may or may not accompany this expulsion.
 * 3.2.6) Land raids are undertaken at the peril of the raiding nation. Should a raid go bad, no military or financial coordination will be given to assist the raiding nation. However, nations may choose of their own will to join in such wars, so long as those wars fit the requirements of raids themselves. Else, approval must be obtained from the Minister of War, a Regent, or the Emperor.
 * 3.2.7) Only full members or above are allowed to engage in Land Raids in any form.
 * 3.3) In-Game Spying: Use of the in-game spying feature, for all intents and purposes, is considered equal to war.
 * 3.3.1) Spying on a TORN member will elicit a response as if a war were declared. Reparations will be sought, and a military response may follow.
 * 3.3.2) TORN nations may only use spy attacks on a nation they are able to declare war on, as per articles 3.2.1 and 3.2.2, or targets authorized by the Minister of War, a Regent, or the Emperor.

Article 4: Espionage

 * 4.1) Acts of Espionage on TORN: Any information available only to TORN members shall not be shared with non-members. Doing so is considered spying, and will be met with the harshest of responses, up to and including sanctions and permanent reduction of the offender's infrastructure to zero.
 * 4.2) Acts of Espionage on other alliances: Under no circumstances will TORN members attempt to obtain information considered confidential by other alliances. Doing so will make said nation's protection by TORN forfeit, and TORN will take all reasonable measures to assist in just punishment on the offender, up to and including sanctions and permanent reduction of the offender's infrastructure to zero.

Article 5: Nuclear Policy

 * 5.1) Defensive Nuclear Strikes: In the case where a member nation is hit with a nuclear first strike, authorization for retaliation in kind may be obtained from any government member (considered to be Councilors, Ministers, Regents, and the Emperor).
 * 5.2) Nuclear First Strikes: Nuclear First Strikes on other nations may only be made with approval of the Minister of War, a Regent, or the Emperor.

Article 6: Doctrines

 * 6.1) Scope of Doctrines: Doctrines are documents dictating official alliance laws and policy. Doctrines are legally binding. However, all doctrines are subservient to the charter, and doctrines contradictory to the charter are null and void.
 * 6.2) Creation of New Doctrines: Doctrines may be proposed by any honored member or higher. Doctrines are approved as law by a simple majority vote of the sitting Council. A positive council vote may be vetoed by the Emperor.
 * 6.3) Repeal of Doctrines: Doctrines may be rendered null and void by either a unanimous vote of the sitting council, or by decree of the Emperor.
 * 6.4) Upon Emperor veto, a unanimous council vote can overturn the veto if accompanied by 3/4 of Ministers and one Regent to sign the Decree (the Emperor does not sign).

Article 7: Expulsion

 * 7.1) TORN does not tolerate asshats.
 * 7.2) Any honored member may motion for the expulsion of a member. A 24 hour vote will take place, and a 75%+1 majority vote is required for expulsion to pass. This is the only way to expel a council member. The emperor may not pardon a council member from expulsion, nor may he expel a council member on his own.
 * 7.3) The Emperor may pardon any nation so voted out from expulsion. The Emperor may not be put up for expulsion himself (he must first be removed from office). The Emperor may expel any member nation automatically, with no required vote. Overturning an expulsion from the Emperor requires a 3/3 council vote.

Article 8: Amendments

 * 8.1) Amendments to this charter will be made at the discretion of the Emperor.
 * 8.2) Articles 2.1.4, 7.2, and 7.3 further require a unanimous council vote and a 50%+1 general membership vote to amend.

Article 9: Disbandment

 * 9.1) A motion to disbandment may only be made by the Emperor, in conjunction with all Regents, Ministers, and unanimous vote of the Council. In this case, a vote will be put up to all full members for 3 days (72 hours). 75%+1 of all votes cast is required to confirm disbandment.
 * 9.2) Article 9 cannot be amended or removed, in whole or in part, under any circumstances.