The Four Lords

Many Lords who owed fealty to Ethar have undergone a change in position after his death. While House Klaid has held the city by appointment of the kingdom since its founding, Lord Klaid was not in Nurem when the war ended, and in his absence, House Straus, House Wilders, and House Munst rushed to restore order in the rioting city as the law of the Kingdom collapsed. By the time Lord Klaid returned, he had but a small portion of the city left to obey his rule. The rule of the Four Lords consequently began; a poor alliance made out of necessity rather than desire. Nurem was occupied by the Libertians for three months at the war’s conclusion. After the end of Nurem’s occupation, order in the city fell apart and it was only the intervention of the noble families that prevented total anarchy and dictatorial gang rule.   Nurem has been divided into four vague districts, and each of the Four Lords owns the land within their district. The only exception is the House of Obligation, an unassuming townhouse not far from the Baston owned neutrally by the Chief Administrator to the Four Lords. It is here that the city’s rulers meet to discuss business, politics, and to settle disputes. The four administrative districts are the Common District, Quayside, the Small District and Haplam.   Lord Hans Klaid is the most powerful lord in the city and rules the Baston as well as Haplam; a wealthy district of the city. He appoints the commander of the City Watch, and therefore commands a significant military in addition to his household guard. Though the other three would not like to admit it, he commands the most respect, and many see him as the true leader of Nurem. He is stern and punishes wrongdoers harshly. His ancestors were Kings, but became lesser lords when the city states of Pallas were united into a single kingdom 70 years ago. Lord Klaid's focuses have been upon external threats to Nurem and preparing the city for a siege he seems certain will be coming.   Lord Fergus Straus rules the Common District, and therefore controls the production of Nurem. The Common District includes Procession Square, which entails many of the city's important institutions, giving Lord Straus a great deal of power. However, he is regarded as a pushover and generally weak ruler who is more concerned with Nurem's high society than being an effective ruler, and typically makes poor and hasty decisions when they are presented to him. This being said, he remains at a healthy mixture of popular and unpopular. He is the chief patron and a frequent visitor of the Great Bay Theatre. Lord Straus' focuses have been mainly on maintaining his family and their wealth, entertaining his hobbies and putting leadership on the back foot.   Lord Gert Wilders rules the Small District - where most lower citizens of Nurem live and where the most taverns, brothels and entertainment areas exist. He is quiet, shrewd, a cunning businessman, yet sickly, and visits a private doctor each morning. Lord Wilders is disliked by the wealthy and the nobility for a percieved inability to control the gangs and crime that run rampart in the Small District. His apparant invisibility to his own people, and the rest of Nurem, has led to most barely remembering he exists - which is perhaps a worse perception to be had of than that of Lord Straus. Lord Wilders spends most of his time at his home in the Small District, but still attends every meeting of the Four Lords will diligence. He seems to be focused upon solving the escalating gang problems between Ibsed and the Small District.   Lady Lyra Munst rules Quayside, which contains Nurem's dockyards and harbour. She is responsible for Nurem’s ships and merchants. She has a good relationship with the common people, especially the sailors and sea dogs that she is responsible for. Lady Munst is an actionable leader like Lord Klaid, but while the latter wishes to secure Nurem's safety with defensive tactics and negotiation, the former believes that Nurem should strike first against Libertian ships. She seems focused upon turning Nurem into a naval power.