View source for Elders may advise houses, clans, or leadership

{{LawPageHeader
|title=Elders May Advise Houses, Clans, or Leadership
|category=Tsm’syen Law
|status=Working
|part=Part II — Social Order of the Tsm’syen
}}

'''Principle'''
Elders may advise houses, clans, or leadership.

== Purpose ==
This page clarifies the advisory role of elders within Tsm’syen law. Elders provide guidance, memory, and perspective to support lawful decision-making, while respecting the authority and responsibilities of houses, clans, and recognized leadership.

== Statement of Law ==
Elders may:
* advise houses on matters of responsibility, conduct, and balance
* advise clans where issues affect inter-house relations
* advise leadership when guidance is requested or when law is at risk of misapplication

Advice does not replace authority, but supports it.

== Nature of Elder Advice ==
=== Advisory, Not Directive ===
* Elders do not command outcomes.
* Elders do not unilaterally decide disputes.
* Advice supports lawful authority rather than overriding it.

=== Grounded in Legal Memory ===
* Advice draws from ayaawx and adaawx.
* Elders recall precedent, past resolutions, and witnessed outcomes.
* Guidance emphasizes continuity and restraint.

=== Relational Responsibility ===
* Elders advise within relationships they are recognized in.
* Authority to advise arises from trust, conduct, and recognition over time.
* Advice is offered in service of balance, not personal influence.

== Scope of Advice ==
Elder advice may address:
* interpretation of ayaawx
* historical precedent and consequence
* responsibilities attached to names, crests, or territory
* risks of imbalance or harm
* appropriate paths toward restoration or restraint

== Limits ==
* Elders do not create new law through advice.
* Elders do not substitute for house or clan authority.
* Advice cannot be used to bypass lawful jurisdiction.
* Elder guidance remains accountable before witnesses and public memory.

== Modern Context ==
In modern governance settings, this principle ensures that:
* elders are not reduced to symbolic figures
* advice is not mistaken for political control
* leadership does not claim elder support without consent
* traditional guidance is not weaponized to justify predetermined outcomes

== Practical Indicators ==
Lawful use of elder advice will:
* be openly acknowledged
* respect the authority of the receiving house or body
* remain consistent with known precedent
* avoid secrecy or coercion
* strengthen balance rather than centralize power

== See also ==
* [[Elders as Interpreters of Law]]
* [[Interpretation Considers History, Relationship, and Consequence]]
* [[Ayaawx (Tsm’syen Law)]]
* [[Adaawx and Territory]]
* [[Limits on Authority]]
* [[Maintain Balance Across Houses]]
* [[Accountability before Witnesses]]