They intentionally ruin the Spire so that it goes from top dog to absolute bottom feeder and they refuse to promote anyone to provincial so that it can rebuild itself?

It's who you know not what you know. The Imm controlling the spire has his pet favorites who, despite making *multiple* errors that any single one would individually result in removal from the cabal, will promote to (of all titles) Justiciar (surely taking the piss) and then Provost. Amazing.

TL;DR thought you were hard done by and deserved provincial