[KarlKost]

Oh ho, looking very, very good.

So, up to now we have a city with the most peculiar system of power. The official goverment structure is mostly aristocratic, with the nobles of each race holding seats in the council, sort of like the Roman Republic and its senate, with the Mayor taking a job similar to the Roman's Consul. However, each race has a different say on what means "nobility". For Halflings, it means whoever falls in favor of their "King" (the supremme leader of the thieves guild - who has always been a halfling - chooses the council). To the Elves is a pretty fixed matter, based on some arcane system (perhaps even choosen by their gods?). To humans and dwarves, it is a matter of blood, you are born a Noble, difference beying that for Dwarves, the circle of nobles choose who will earn the title, and for humans it is a birthright passed down from parentage. And gnomes vote. And half orcs define "nobility" as the "best Warriors".

But thats not all, because the city other have two more systems of rulership; the first is the alliance of faiths; there are many different religions, but they all live toghether, and even more, they've managed to create a common administration. So, despite being several, they have a central organization. And that unified front have a LOT saying on the matters of the state. First of all, they purge the city of evil faiths, so there is an active inquisition of sorts, and secondly, it has the power of veto over any deliberance. Also, to be excommunicated by the alliance of faiths, probably means become an exiled; so, there is a great possibility of conflicts between priesthood x nobility (the council and Mayor can increase taxes on any one church, it controls the guards, and many other things).

And finally, we have the guilds. Those work based on merit, rather than on nobility. So, any person wishing to ascend, will probably look to the guilds, and if it is talented, it can reach a high post. The guilds hold offices under the secretariaty of the mayor, not an unimportant position, but their unnoficial power is far more important. A displeased guild leader can stop the city with a strike.

And lets not forget, we also have the thieves guild as the biggest non official power behind the throne, with a tremendous influence over the city's politic (not to mention that this mobster family picks 7 members of the council). All that makes the guild a power inside the power.

So, we have a very difuse power system, with many actors involved, which makes hard for a despotic nature to take over. That fact probably gives the citizens a certain degree of freedom they wouldn't have under a King for example. Also, it has an opportunity for social ascension under the guilds (but not outside of it), while still keeping an aristocratic force. Even races that are NOT represented on the council can grow inside the guilds, so, it is at least possible to see a half elf or even others becoming secretaries on the mayors office if they manage to climb the guild hierarchic steps

The price to be paid is probably corruption and inefficiency. It is likely that we are looking to something like the Roman Republic, a might and powerful city, but who has already gone its period of meteoric ascension, but it is now in decline. Perhaps, what still keeps all the political forces sticked toghether are the constant external threaths; the irony is, while there are monsters out there, the city will stand. If, by any chance, the city manages to eliminate all of it's many external enemies, it will colapse under its own weight.