The Aquatic Brotherhood

History
The Aquatic Brotherhood (TAB) was founded by +Zeke+, Count Rupert, and Fatt Sorum on April 16, 2007, under the guidance of the Confederacy of Independent States (CIS); though, TAB's predecessor alliance, Blue Turtle Alliance (BTA), was founded by Master-Debater and Voronov on October 21, 2006. The alliance was re-formed due to Master Debater's decision to lead BTA into war against the CIS through a PIAT with GATO. After completing the ToS, TAB went through a period of growth and stability. During this time TAB made many friends whom TAB defended in GWIV. TAB became famous in the war for the hell that was unleashed by TAB upon \m/ nations during the war, only 6 targets attacked by TAB were not anarchied. After the war, TAB strengthened their friendships with alliances like MHA and NpO, while gaining new friends like Ragnarok, TCB and the NPO.

During the winter of 2007-2008 TAB underwent significant changes. The first of which was the resignation of several key leaders: Fatt Sorum, Count Rupert, Tieandra, and Commander John. While all had different reasons for leaving, there was a common feeling among them and other long-time members: TAB's membership had grown complacent and had lost sight of the original vision. A movement for reform followed and was spearheaded by Tiberivs, Crushtania, and Jm0406. Other notable contributors were Hendrik The Great, MonE Mike, +Zeke+, Sorum, Count Rupert and Commander John. The result of the reform was a revision of TAB's Charter, reorganized forums, and a purging of members who were delinquent in their service to the alliance. With a renewed dedication to their allies and the values that made them a great alliance from the start, TAB's future is bright.

The Aquatic Order of Merit
Founded by Fatt Sorum, the Aquatic Order of Merit is the official recognition of excellence and distinguished conduct of The Aquatic Brotherhood. This award is bestowed upon those who have furthered the cause of the Brotherhood for the betterment of TAB and their Aqua brothers. Recipients are initially given Membership of the Order, then made Officers of the Order for further outstanding work. The highest honor one may achieve is the Commander of the Aquatic Order of Merit given to recognize the most esteemed and valorous efforts by an individual. Inductees into the Aquatic Order of Merit are such granted by a unanimous Triumvirate vote.

Aquatic Ascendancy
TAB as of June 20, 2008 begun an alliance wide Aquatic Ascendancy Project. Combining hard work, detailed planning and dedication, the AAP is a long-term commitment to strengthening the brotherhood by concentrating funds and recruitment hours into building the membership. The Aqua Ascendancy has set goals for TAB to once again become the premier Aqua alliance on Planet Bob.

The ratification of the Aquatic Ascendancy Treaty one month ahead of schedule was a fundamental cornerstone of the tripartite Aquatic Ascendancy Project.

Phases of the Aquatic Ascendancy Project


 * Phase I: June 20th - August 7th
 * Phase II: August 8th - September 15th
 * Phase III: September 15th - October 12th

Charter
Charter of The Aquatic Brotherhood

Preamble

“We, the members of The Aquatic Brotherhood embark on a new road to a brighter future and swear to uphold the bond of honor, brotherhood, protection and advancement that binds our nations together in a common purpose.”

These words were written when +Zeke+, Fatt Sorum, and Count Rupert founded The Aquatic Brotherhood. It is with their same spirit and with their same dream in our hearts that we do ordain and establish this reformed Charter for The Aquatic Brotherhood.

Therefore, let us and all members who come hereafter adopt the following as our creed:

As a Member of The Aquatic Brotherhood, I Pledge my allegiance to this Alliance:

I shall be vigilant and stand guard, watching over my brothers, lest any harm should befall them,

I shall defend my brothers against adversaries both foreign and domestic.

I shall work to see this alliance and my brothers prosper and grow.  I shall be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as I am about my own.

I shall foster a spirit of courteous consideration and cooperation within our alliance.

''I shall be fair, courteous and considerate in my dealings with others.  I shall conduct any necessary comment on, or criticism of my brothers with careful regard for the good name and dignity of the alliance, and will scrupulously refrain from criticism to gain personal advantage.''

I shall take the criticism of my brothers at its merit and will not speak against them publicly.

I shall always apply diplomacy and not make hasty decisions concerning events that shall affect the alliance.

I shall follow the directives of those appointed over me unless they violate the alliance charter.

I shall report all violations of the charter to my superiors immediately.

I shall place honor and the standing of my alliance before my own personal advantage.

I shall be too big for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear and too happy to permit the pressure of this game to hurt anyone, both within and without this alliance.

We shall also remain true and proud to the TAB motto - "Unity in Aqua, Strength in Brotherhood".

Article I: Identity

Section 1: In the spirit of our newfound commitment to create a bright new future and a positive honorable identity, separate from the failings of the past, we hereby declare from this day forward that our alliance will be known The Aquatic Brotherhood (TAB).

Subsection 1: Therefore, all member-states are to change their alliance affiliation to read: "The Aquatic Brotherhood".

Section 2: TAB is a democratic alliance that carefully selects its members according to their dedication, commitment and values.

Section 3: TAB is a democracy with power divided between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government.

Article II: Membership

Section 1: Any nation may apply for membership in TAB, but membership will be highly selective. The nation must not be in any current wars or be a current member in another alliance. No nation will be turned away on the basis of team color, ethnicity, and or government.

Subsection 1: It should be noted that TAB is an aqua team alliance. Changing your team color to aqua is required to become a full member. Those on a different sphere may only hold the position of a preliminary member.

Section 2: Nations wishing membership should fill out a membership application on the TAB forums. The following information should be included in the application along with any other information that is requested.

Section 3: During the application process, potential member-states will be asked to state their intentions regarding war. They may answer with one of the three responses listed below:

1. I have no reservations about going to war. If TAB goes to war, I will fight.

2. I do not wish to attack another alliance, but will gladly step up to defend my fellow TAB members in a defensive war.

3. I have no intention of fighting in a war, but in times of war I will do what I can to support the members of TAB that do fight. I also understand that because of the nature of wars that I may be attacked whether or not I wish to fight.

Member-states will be held to their commitments by the War Minister according to their answer. Applicants may be rejected on the basis of their answer to this question.

Section 4: Applicants must follow the New Member Schedule as outlined here: http://www.cn-tab.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=26

Section 5: Duties of TAB members shall be as follows:

Subsection 1: All TAB members will be required to support TAB’s armed forces in accordance with Article II Section 3 of the Charter, as well as attend any and all roll calls and military drills.

Subsection 2: All TAB members will be required to follow the rules set down by this Charter and the government.

Subsection 3: While we do not require that all members take an active role in the government, members are required to obtain a productive position within the alliance.

Subsection 4: TAB members will use tact and err on the side of caution when posting in the CN Forums or when talking with members of other alliances. The actions of one reflect on the alliance as a whole.

Section 6: Responsibility for the approval of all applicants falls to the Triumvir of State or his duly appointed agent.

Section 7: Any member-state wishing to leave TAB must either; a.) Post a topic of resignation on TAB's forums in the appropriate area, or b.) Send a message to any member of the Triumvirate informing them of said resignation.

 Article III: Executive Branch

Section 1: The executive branch of TAB will consist of the Triumvirate, the War Minister and the Chief Ambassador.

Section 2: All members of the executive branch have the right to manage their ministries however they see fit.

Section 3: No member may occupy more than one position at a time in the executive branch.

Article IIIa: The Triumvirate (as a body)

Section 1: The Triumviri are the heads of state of TAB. All treaties and public announcements must bear the signatures of the Triumvirate. Each Triumvir shall have veto power over all legislation/treaties and cannot be overruled. Legislation that is vetoed can be re-introduced after thirty (30) days.

Section 2: The Triumvirate is collectively responsible for state affairs and the overall direction of the alliance. Each Triumvir will oversee a specific are of the government: State Affairs (internal/external), Growth, and Finance.

Section 3: The Triumvirate shall appoint a War Minister, Chief Ambassador and High Magistrate to serve three month terms. Except for the War Minister, the Triumvirate’s appointees are subject to confirmation by the Brotherhood Congress by a simple majority vote.

Section 4: The Triumvirate is responsible for calling all elections as detailed in Article XII.

Section 5: During times of extreme crisis the Triumvirate may unanimously declare a State of Emergency for a period not to exceed 14 days. During the State of Emergency, the Triumvirate may rule by decree. At the end of the 14 day period the Chief Magistrate may renew the State of Emergency for another 14 days. After that any additional 14 day extensions require a 66 percent majority of the Brotherhood Congress.

Subsection 1: In the event the Triumvirate declares a State of Emergency, they must post said State of Emergency and the reasons for issuing said State of Emergency on the TAB website, in the appropriate forum.

Subsection 2: In the event that a State of Emergency is declared, the Triumvirate must post any decrees issued in his name on the TAB website, in the appropriate forum.

Subsection 3: After a State of Emergency, the High Magistrate must review the Triumvirate's actions individually and as a whole in a public report posted within a week of the close of the State of Emergency. The High Magistrate may choose to call for a vote of no confidence for any or all Triumviri if said report shows reason for such a vote to be necessary.

Section 6: The members of the Triumvirate will have six-month terms. The Triumvirate terms are staggered with one term up for election every two months. Anyone may run for Triumvir providing they receive 3 nominations. (See Article XII).

Section 7: The Triumvirate shall have any and all powers not already reserved to them (or other government agents) deemed necessary and proper to ensure the continued welfare and functioning of the alliance, or may delegate such powers to government officials/institutions as they see fit.

Section 8: The Triumvirate shall, at its discretion, appoint a Minister of the Interior to assist the Triumviri of Growth and Finance with their duties. The Minister of the Interior appointment must be confirmed by the Brotherhood Congress by a simple majority.

Article IIIb: The Triumvir of State

Section 1: The Triumvir of State is the head of government for TAB. He or she will be responsible for the day-to-day internal affairs of the alliance as well as directing foreign policy.

Subsection 2: At his or her discretion, the Triumvir of State may appoint a Chief Ambassador to help direct the external affairs of the alliance. Said appointment must be confirmed by the Brotherhood Congress.

Section 3: When elections are called for by the Triumvirate, the Triumvir of State is responsible for the conducting of the elections in accordance with Article XII.

Section 4: In the event that the Triumvir of State is absent or otherwise unable to fulfill his duties, the other two Triumviri shall assume said duties until such time as the Triumvir of State is able to resume them.

Article IIIc: The Triumvir of Growth

Section 1: The Triumvir of Growth is responsible for the growth and socialization of TAB member-states and the alliance in general. These will include the recruitment and education programs.

Section 2: Elections for the Triumvir of Growth will follow the rules and regulations as written in Article XII.

Section 3: Due to the nature of growth functions, the Triumvir of Growth will have to work closely with the Triumvir of Finance. All such interaction should be cooperative and professional.

Section 4: In the event that the Triumvir of Growth is unable to perform his or her duties, they shall fall to the other two Triumviri until such time that the Triumvir of Growth is able to resume them.

Article IIId: The Triumvir of Finance

Section 1: The Triumvir of Finance is responsible for the economy of the alliance and its members, and the organization and operation of programs dealing with alliance finances and tech programs.

Section 2: Elections for Triumvir of Finance will follow the rules and regulations as forth in Article XII.

Section 3: Due to the nature of growth functions, the Triumvir of Finance will have to work closely with the Triumvir of Growth. All such interaction should be cooperative and professional.

Section 4: In the event that the Triumvir of Finance is unable to perform his or her duties, those duties shall fall the other two Triumviri until such time as the Triumvir of Finance is able to resume them.

'''Article IIIe: The War Minister ''' Section 1: The War Minister will be appointed at the jurisdiction of the Triumvirate based on competency and experience. Said appointment must be unanimous and does not require Congressional approval.

Section 2: The War Minister is responsible for defending the alliance and for the organization and maintenance of the Brotherhood’s military including training, war games, roll calls and all other such military functions. He is supreme in all military matters unless overridden by a member of the Triumvirate. He will appoint commanders to deal with military subdivisions.

Section 3: In the event that the War Minister is unable to perform his duties, then the Legatus Legionis (AKA Military Chief of Staff) shall immediately assume the duties of War Minister until such time as the War Minister is able to resume them.

'''Article IV: Legislature ''' Section 1: The legislature of TAB will be unicameral and will be known as the Brotherhood Congress. All full members of TAB are entitled to membership, a voice, and a vote. The Congress will be presided over by the Triumvir of State.

Section 2: Any member may introduce legislation or bills but said legislation must receive a majority vote and the unanimous signatures of the Triumvirate to become law. Legislation that becomes law will be posted in the forums.

Subsection 1: Any legislation submitted for consideration is to be posted for discussion for a minimum of 72 hours (3 days) before a vote can be called.

Subsection 2: Any member of the Triumvirate or the member originally submitting the legislation can call for a vote at any time after the discussion period.

Subsection 3: Once a vote has been called for, voting for the legislation will be open for a period of 48 hours.

Subsection 4: If a piece of legislation fails to become law, it cannot be reintroduced for a period of thirty (30) days.

Section 3: Treaty Proposals negotiated by the Triumvirate, or Triumvir of State, or his duly appointed agent, must be submitted to the legislature for ratification. To be approved, treaties must receive 66% of the vote and the unanimous signatures of the Triumvirate.

Article V: The Judiciary

Section 1: The High Magistrate will head the Judiciary branch of TAB and is in charge of investigating allegations of illegal activities in regards to this charter or any document/treaty passed by the TAB Legislature. Therefore, all allegations of illegal activity must be made to the High Magistrate whose decision will be final. Any military matters requiring judiciary proceedings will be handled in a military tribunal by the War Minister and/or his agents.

Subsection 1: Infractions are to be handled as follows: (a.) Those dealing with the forums will be handled by mods/admins. Mods may give warns to a level of 60% (3 warns, a warn being 20%). Admins may give warns to a level of 80% (4 warns) and give suspensions up to 48 hours in length. (b.) Those dealing with military matters will be handled by a military tribunal. (c.) Any infractions requiring military action, expulsions or bans require a vote of Triumvirate. (d.) Any infraction not covered by a, b, or c will be handled directly by the High Magistrate or his agent.

Subsection 2: Any member subject to a ruling on an infraction by those detailed in Subsection 1 may appeal the decision to the High Magistrate. The appeal is to be posted in the proper format and forum within the High Magistrate's Office. All rulings by the High Magistrate are final.

Subsection3: In the case of forum warns, any member may apply to have their warn level reduced after a period of demonstrated good behavior on the forums (min. 30 days) since their last warn. All applications for warn reductions are to be made in the proper format and forum with the High Magistrate's Office.

Section 2: The High Magistrate will handle all appeals. Should no High Magistrate exist then the Triumvirate may choose to either handle the appeal themselves or appoint a former elected official to handle the case.

Section 3: Rulings by the High Magistrate carry the weight of law until otherwise changed through legislation or a Charter amendment

Section 4: During any period that the High Magistrate's office is vacant or that the High Magistrate is absent, then the Triumvirate shall collectively assume the duties of the high Magistrate during the vacancy.

Article VI: Impeachments

Section 1: A Bill of Impeachment may be posted in the Brotherhood Congress by any member against any member of government as noted in the charter, specifically those listed in Article III. The Bill must indicate the charge or charges that require the removal of the government official.

Section 2: Once a Bill of Impeachment has been posted, it is the responsibility of the High Magistrate (or the Triumvirate if the High Magistrate is being impeached) to validate that the charge or charges have merit. Note: This does not indicate the guilt or innocence of the party being impeached. Only that the charges have merit. (i.e. They are not frivolous in nature and have some basis in violating the Alliance Charter/Laws.)

Section 3: Once the Bill of Impeachment has been validated by the High Magistrate, there will be a three day discussion period where members can post in support or against the motion.

Section 4: Once the three day discussion periods ends, there will be an immediate 48 hour vote on whether to impeach or not. For the Impeachment to succeed, it must receive 66% of the votes cast.

Subsection 1: The Triumvir of State may exercise his right to veto any impeachment (other than his own, in which case other two Triumviri may exercise a joint-veto on a majority vote). If the Triumvir of State does veto a Bill of Impeachment, the Brotherhood Congress may overturn the veto with a 75% vote in favor of impeachment.

Section 5: If Approved, the Bill of Impeachment requires the unanimous signatures of the Triumvirate. Once approved, the official will be considered as removed from office and a new member will be selected in accordance with the appropriate procedures.

Subsection 1: An exception exists if one of the Triumviri is being impeached. In this case, the Bill of Impeachment must bear the signatures of the two other Triumviri and the High Magistrate.

Article VII: Resignations

Section 1: If for any reason an office of the Executive Branch becomes vacant, the Triumvir of State (or another Triumvir if the Triumvir of State is unavailable) shall call for an election.

Subsection 1: An exception exists in the case of the War Minister who, being appointed by the Triumvirate, does not require an election.

Subsection 2: The Triumvirate must call for elections within two weeks (14 days) of the vacancy.

Subsection 3: The Triumvirate may temporarily assign someone to fulfill the vacant role until the election.

Subsection 4: Such elections are to fill the remainder of the term, not a new 3 month term.

Section 3: If the War Minister resigns or is impeached then the Legatus Legionis (AKA Military Chief of Staff) shall immediately assume the position of War Minister. The Triumvirate must then confirm the new War Minister. If thus confirmed, no further action is needed. If the Triumvirate does not confirm the new War Minister, they must appoint a new War Minister in accordance with Article IIIe.

Section 4: If a Triumvir resigns or is impeached then elections will be held within one week after the resignation/impeachment to choose a replacement to serve for the remainder of the term. During this one week period and the subsequent election, a member chosen by the remaining Triumviri will assume the duties of the missing Triumvir.

Section 5: If the High Magistrate resigns or is impeached, the Triumvirate will assume the duties of High Magistrate (as noted in Article V, Section 2) until a new High Magistrate is duly installed.

Article VIII: Secessionist Movements and Interference in State Affairs

Section 1: TAB will not allow itself to be used by petty demagogues as a recruiting ground. Leaders of splinter factions will be destroyed and their followers will be given 48 hours to return to the fold. After 48 hours they will be treated as traitors to TAB.

Section 2: This article does not strip member-states of there sovereign right to terminate their membership in the TAB, but secessionist movements will not be tolerated.

Section 3: TAB will not permit any outside entity to interfere with its sovereignty or internal/external affairs and policies. Any such interference will be deemed an act of war.

Article IX: War Powers

Section 1: Declarations of War (alliance-wide) should not be taken lightly, as such all Declarations of War must pass a unanimous vote of the Triumvirate and a 60% majority in the Brotherhood Congress.

Section 2: In the event that any member-state is attacked by a foreign nation and or alliance, a Declaration of War is considered by TAB to be de facto. An attack on one is an attack on all.

Subsection 1: If a member-state is attacked by a nation in an alliance: Attempts will be made diplomatically to determine the cause of the attack, whether the enemy nation is in fact a member of said alliance, and whether the war can be resolved peacefully before asserting the de facto Declaration of War.

Subsection 2: Should a member-state come under an unprovoked attack, all member-states are expected to be ready to render assistance as requested by the Triumvirate, the War Minister or his agents per their intentions under Section 6 (below).

Section 3: TAB does not condone aggressive wars. All member-states are hereby ordered to refrain from attacking nations in alliances unless during times of war they are instructed to do so by the War Minister or his agents and there is a proper Declaration of War in place.

Subsection 1: In the event of an unapproved attack being made in error against a nation in an alliance by a member-state, reparations will be paid to the affected nation or alliance by the member-state making the error. Should the member be unable to pay, TAB will pay. Should the member-state refuse to pay reparations, the member-state will be expelled from the alliance and be considered a rogue nation.

Section 4: TAB does not condone the practice of attacking nonaligned or inactive nations (i.e. tech raiding). No member of TAB shall engage in this practice.

Section 5: The general public at large considers acts of espionage to be acts of war. As such all members of government, and all member-states are forbidden to participate in any acts of espionage. Any members believed to have performed acts of espionage will be brought before the High Magistrate. Espionage is considered grounds for removal from the alliance. Each member is however entitled to a hearing where evidence may be heard for and against before the High Magistrate before the member can be expelled from the alliance.

Article X: Nuclear Weapons

Section 1: TAB reserves the right of its member-states to create, develop and use nuclear weaponry (in compliance with the Charter).

Section 2: Although TAB is not a signatory of the For the Love of God, Think of the Children! Convention, TAB joins them in deploring the aggressive use of nuclear weapons and will not condone their use in such a fashion by any of its member-states.

Subsection 1: Should a member-state find itself under attack by a nuclear aggressor, they may respond in kind to the nuclear attack made by the aggressor without notice from the Triumvirate or War Minister.

Subsection 2: Any member-states fighting in support of a member-state who has suffered at the hands of a nuclear aggressor, must receive authorization from the Triumvirate or War Minister to launch nuclear weapons against the nuclear aggressor.

Section 3: Any TAB member-state who violates TAB nuclear policy will be considered a nuclear aggressor and removed immediately from membership in TAB. No trial will be necessary - expulsion is automatic.

'''Article XI. Disbandment'''

Section 1: In order for TAB to be disbanded, a vote must be put forth to both the Triumvirate and the Brotherhood Congress.

Section 2: A motion for disbandment can only be made by the Triumvirate.

Subsection 1: In the event someone on the Triumvirate puts forth a motion to disband, it must first be open for debate for a minimum of 72 hours.

Subsection 2: After the 72 hour debate period, a vote must be called for. A unanimous vote is required to pass the motion and place the bill before the Brotherhood Congress. The voting period in the Triumvirate is to be open for 48 hours or when all votes have been cast.

Section 3: If a motion to disband should pass the Triumvirate, it is placed before the Brotherhood Congress for consideration.

Subsection 1: Once before the Brotherhood Congress, there will be a debate period of 96 hours.

Subsection 2: After the 96 hour debate period is up, a vote must be called for. A supermajority of 75% is required to pass the motion and disband TAB. The voting period is to be open for 72 hours or when all votes have been cast.

Section 4: All votes to amend Article XI of the charter require supermajority votes of 75% in the Brotherhood Congress and the unanimous support of the Triumvirate.

Section 5: The Triumvirate’s power to rule by decree does not extend to disbanding TAB.

'''Article XII. Election Cycles'''

Section 1: Elections cycles are as follows:

Subsection 1: If a Triumvir resigns an election must be called for within a week (7 days). These elections will be conducted as outlined in Article XII Section 2 below.

Subsection 2: The High Magistrate will have a three month term with elections to be held in March, June, September and December.

Section 2: Elections are to be called for by the Triumvirate and conducted by the Triumvir of State as follows:

Subsection 1: The Triumvir of State will post Nomination Threads for all open positions in the Election Forum. Nominations are to start on the 12:00 midnight Game-Time on the 15th of the month and end at 11:45pm Game-Time on the 19th of the month (five days).

Subsection 2: All members in good standing are eligible to be nominated. Members may nominate themselves. For each position open, a member may nominate one and endorse two for each position.

Subsection 3: At the end of nominations, all those who have been nominated and have received two additional endorsements, will be candidates for office.

Section 3: Once the nominations are completed, the Triumvir of State will set up polls to conduct voting for all open positions. The polls are to open at 12:00 midnight Game-Time on the 20th of the month and run through 11:45pm on the 24th on the month.

Subsection1: Any candidate who is up for election may vote. However, candidates are not allowed to vote for themselves. They may vote for an opponent or abstain instead.

Section 4: The new Government-Elect will take office at 12:00 midnight Game-Time on the 1st of the month following the election.

Subsection 1: The Government-Elect are to be masked in their new positions upon certification of their election win. This will give them time to acclimate themselves to their new jobs ahead of taking office.

'''Article XIII. Charter Amendments and Changes'''

Section 1: The procedures for changing or amending the Charter are as follows:

Subsection 1: The High Magistrate may make minor changes in wording to clarify the meaning of the Charter but shall not make any changes to its substance.

Subsection 2: Changes to the Charter’s substance can be proposed in the same manner as other pieces of legislation. However said changes must be allowed a week (7 days) for debate before a vote can be called for by the Triumvir of State or the member making the proposal. If more time for discussion is required, it will be given at the discretion of the Triumvir of State in periods of 72 hours (3 days). For a change of substance to pass, it must receive a supermajority of 75% in the Congress and the unanimous approval of The Triumvirate, the War Minister, and the High Magistrate. Amendments require an identical process to pass.

Subsection 3: Changes or Amendments that fail to pass may not be reintroduced for a period of thirty (30) days.

Section 2: During a State of Emergency, the Triumvirate (by unanimous decree) may make tentative changes or amendments to the Charter which shall be posted with all other decrees; they will not be incorporated into the working Charter.

Subsection 1: After the State of Emergency has been lifted, changes/amendments to the Charter must be examined by the High Magistrate who may challenge and overturn the changes. If not challenged and overturned, the changes/amendments will be referred to the Brotherhood Congress where they will go through the standard change/amendment process.

This revised charter signed by the Triumvirate of The Aquatic Brotherhood - June 11, 2008
 * Scott Robb - Triumvir of State
 * Crushtania - Triumvir of Finance
 * Jm0406 - Triumvir of Growth

This revised charter signed by the government of The Aquatic Brotherhood - February 27, 2008
 * Tiberivs, Triumvir of State;
 * Crushtania, Triumvir of Finance;
 * Jm0406, Triumvir of Growth;
 * Hendrik The Great, War Minister;
 * MonE Mike, Chief Ambassador;
 * Imperator Azenquor, High Magistrate;
 * PCFootball, Minister of the Interior;

Original charter signed by the Founders of The Aquatic Brotherhood - April 16 2007
 * Fatt Sorum
 * +Zeke+
 * Count Rupert

Amendment 1 - Alliance-Given Aid

Section 1: In order to receive aid from the alliance, a member will have to be active in the alliance beyond just fighting in times of war. Nations who are eligible for aid must have gainful employment in the alliance, including but not limited to: helped complete tech deals, served in recruitment, served as diplomats, served as journalists, served as mentors, or have been active in alliance government/politics - will be granted aid. Eligibility will be granted at the discretion of the Triumvir of Finance and/or his/her duly appointed agent. The only exception to this rule will be occasions where a nation requires aid to rebuild after a war or after a rogue attack. Competitions and external deals shall not count toward alliance given aid quotas.

Section 2: Members who have gained employment will be able to claim a place on a TAB Aid Train. Aid trains will be set up at the discretion of the Triumvir of Finance and/or the Office of Financial Management. Every 10 days, TAB members will receive $1M in recognition of work done; Ministry Staff $2M; Cabinet Level officers and above, $3M. Those who have reached bank nation status will have tech deals subsidized to the aforementioned amounts.

Amendment 2 - Provision of a Shadow Triumvir

The Triumvirate on the advice of the Government may appoint a Shadow Triumvir.

Section 1 - Powers: The Shadow Triumvir shall be granted all the charter-appointed powers of an elected Triumvir in the event that one or more Triumvirs are unable to fulfill their duties due, but not limited to; notified unavailability, involuntary indisposition, or under investigation for breaching the statutes of the Brotherhood Charter. The Shadow Triumvir shall not have the right of veto to any legislation or emergency powers as granted to Triumvirs in Article IIIa, and any votes cast by the Shadow Triumvir during the absence of an elected Triumvir can be rendered void by the return of any elected Triumvir within 48 hours.

Section 2 - Activity: When all Triumvirs are active, the Shadow Triumvir will assist the Triumvirate and Government in a manner befitting a Government Official. The Shadow Triumvir shall have no voting powers during full Triumvirate activity. For the Shadow Triumvir to assume any or all Triumvirate powers, a Triumvir must either: announce his prolonged inactivity; be indisposed and unreachable by all available methods of communication for over 5 days; be under investigation by the Government for crimes against the alliance. The Shadow Triumvir may also act as a state and government representative at all times.

Section 3 - Eligibility: Either a Founder of The Aquatic Brotherhood, a Triumvir Emeritus or a Praeses Emeritus (Former TAB President, Vice-President or Prime Minister) that currently holds full TAB membership may be eligible to hold this office. External alliance members that fulfill the first criterion but not the second are not permitted for selection.

Member Services
The Aquatic Brotherhood prides itself on providing the best possible environment to cultivate excellence and growth in each brother.

The typical recruit, once granted preliminary membership will be placed in the TAB Mentoring Program, that provides one-on-one coaching in the mechanics of CN gameplay and politics. After full membership is gained through a short test, the mentoring program can be tailored to any area of expertise the member so desires (Military, Finance, Diplomacy, Journalism, etc.) to prepare them for future leadership. TAB members are given aid to improve their nation (dependent on activity) and are expected to participate in TAB tech deals to further enhance their growth. The TAB Growth Ministry in conjunction with the CAFE also places members into trade circles.

Government
The TAB government power is divided between the alliance-wide Brotherhood Congress (Legislature), TAB Government (Executive) and High Magistrate (Judiciary.) The Head of State and Government rests in a triumvirate, directly elected by the membership. (All members are part of the Brotherhood Congress.) Each Triumvir is responsible for the three major activities in the Brotherhood, namely the State (Internal Administration and External Relations), Finance and Growth. The Triumvirate selects its Ministry which then must be confirmed by the membership by vote in the Brotherhood Congress. The Brotherhood Congress may introduce legislation at any time, which may be ratified by vote. Triumvirs also wield a power of veto over legislation (if there is a Triumvirate majority.)

Government Departments
 * Growth Ministry
 * Finance Ministry
 * War Ministry
 * Internal Affairs Administration
 * The Judiciary
 * Foreign Relations Department
 * External Relations Commission
 * The Brotherhood Congress

Previous Triumvirates

Italics denotes current Triumvirate
 * First TAB Triumvirate: Fatt Sorum, Commander John, Count Rupert
 * Second TAB Triumvirate: Count Rupert, Commander John, Tiberivs
 * Third TAB Triumvirate: Fatt Sorum, Crushtania, Tiberivs
 * Fourth TAB Triumvirate: Crushtania, Jm0406, Tiberivs
 * Fifth TAB Triumvirate: Crushtania, Jm0406, Scott Robb
 * Sixth TAB Triumvirate: Crushtania, Jm0406, Scott Robb
 * Seventh TAB Triumvirate: Crushtania, Jm0406, BlackjackCF

Magister Emeritus/Past Leaders

TAB retains close ties with its past government leaders. Many advise the alliance in various capacities.

Italics denotes current TAB membership


 * Count Rupert (Founder, Prime Minister, Praeses Emeritus, Triumvir Emeritus)
 * Hendrik the Great (War Minister)
 * Fatt Sorum (Founder, Praeses Emeritus, Triumvir Emeritus)
 * LeVentNoir (Internal Affairs Minister)
 * Commander John (Internal Affairs Minister, Triumvir Emeritus)
 * Tieandra (Finance Minister)
 * aaannndddyyy (Internal Affairs Minister)
 * King Andrew IV (Congressional Liaison to the Master Council)
 * Atreidesphalanx (Growth Minister, High Magistrate)
 * Scott Robb (Triumvir Emeritus)
 * +Zeke+ (Founder)
 * Ghostmexi007 (Growth Minister)
 * Tiberivs (Triumvir Emeritus)
 * PCFootball (Finance Minister, Minister of the Interior)
 * Mahershallalchashbaz (Minister of Foreign Affairs)

Treaties
The Aquatic Brotherhood honors treaties with several alliances.

FIN Protectorate NpO MDOAP MHA MDOAP TCB MDOAP NATO MDP Ragnarok PIAT Veritas Aequitas PIAT ACV PIAT PLUS PIAT CON PIAT IRON ToA FCC SISTER (PIAT w/ Security Provisions) MK ToA Aqua Interalliance Cooperation & Economic Treaty PWC Protectorate Aquatic Ascendancy Treaty
 * the Revolution
 * Zenith

Link
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