IS THE GHB LEGALLY DEAD?/VERDANT'S LEGAL TIES TO THE CHURCH

The Grand Highblood is a title which is passed down to Purples. In order for a Grand Highblood to officially be announced as deceased, the faithful of the church must find his skull and blood. The skull is gifted to the next Grand Highblood, to be added to the Throne-seat he holds, and the blood is used to anoint the new Grand Highblood.

If a Grand Highblood's corpse is destroyed, thereby ensuring a skull and blood cannot be retrieved, the Empress is in charge of declaring that the Grand Highblood is deceased, and electing a new Grand Highblood falls on to the Church's Faithful in conjunction with HIC.

The Grand Highblood's title is a lifelong title, and cannot be ceded willingly; death must be involved to ensure that a GHB loses their title. The Empress can also declare a Grand Highblood unfit to rule and have him killed.

As Verdant has neither skull nor blood of the presumed-deceased GHB, his legal status is 'off-planet and voyaging'. It is assumed he will return when he sees so fit or when the Messiahs guide him home. This is a problem because the Legislacerators have to pass all of Verdant's new laws through the Church and the Grand Highblood needs to sign off on them to allow the changes.

Therefore, Legislacerators are bound by red tape, unable to take action as the Church is lacking its Grand Highblood, as well as refusing to elect a New GHB because theirs has not been confirmed as deceased.

Being unable to pass new legislation is a serious issue on Verdant, even moreso now that the arrival of Alternians practically requires new rules and regulations to be implemented.