Braelin

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Braelin is governed by a five-person council elected every three years by resident householders and registered guild members. The council elects a Reeve annually.

Council of Braelin

The Council is made up of five traditional positions, each selected by the constituents that they represent.

• The Road Warden - Responsible for safety on the roads in and near Braelin, caravan licensing, patrols, and the majority of legal disputes. This office is selected by a moot of caravan masters and mercenary captains.
• The River Warden - Administers traffic on the Timbrel River, including docking rights for barges and boats, river tolls, regulating craft, and (such as it is) water safety. Oversees the docks and raft-yards. This office is selected by a moot of the riverboat captains and dock bosses.
• Guild Speaker - This position represents all guild interests. Due to the nature of Braelin as a transport hub, and the significant influence they wield in the town, this is nearly always filled by a member of the Teamster's Guild.
• Commons Speaker - This position represents all non-guilded householders in Braelin not otherwise represented. Generally, this means shopkeepers, craftsmen, fishers and farmers, and artisans.
• Minister of Accounts - The Minister controls the execution of taxation, caravan fees, warehouse rents, public maintenance, the funding of the (meager) town watch, and civic works. The Minister also oversees the office of the Weighmaster, which is an incredibly important position. This position is often filled by agreement of the other council members by someone with the skill and ability to actually perform the job, and who they can all agree on.

Voting

Majority voting is the rule, using a black/white stone system if necessary. Changes to tolls, road and waterway usage laws, warehouse allocation, or anything directly affecting existing trade arrangements requires four votes.

The Reeve

Each year the council chooses one of its own members to serve as Reeve, which brings with it authority and responsibilities in addition to the Council office they already hold. The Reeve:

• Formally greets and receives caravans and shipments,
• Manages policies related to seasonal population changes,
• Oversees festivals, fairs, and external negotiations (with other towns or with Guilds),
• Authorizes militia mobilizations (in the rare event that the Guilds and the Watch can't handle a crisis).

The authority and power of the Reeve varies greatly depending on the individual and the Council Office they hold.

The Wardens' Watch

Braelin maintains a mixed security force of about 25 permanent members, which are augmented seasonally from among idle mercenary companies for some additional coin. Typical duties of the Watch include:

• Road security inside Braelin and within a half-day travel on the roads outside of town,
• Dock patrols and anti-smuggling work,
• Fire response (especially in the warehouses and raft-yards),
• Occasional caravan escorts for a fee,
• Peacekeeping (particularly during festivals).

Minor crimes normally involve a fine levied by the Minister of Accounts, and set at traditional amounts. More severe crimes (such as murder or fraud) are judged by a Moot of Three. Members of this panel are drawn from respected elderly householders, and must include one person from Braelin with the other two coming from neighboring towns.

Seasonal Government

When population rises during festival seasons or peak transport times, special measures are generally activated.

• Seasonal market charters are authorized, providing for temporary market stalls, hostels, and tent barracks in the south meadows along the Timbrel Road.
• The Road Warden assigns a Wagon Marshall to prevent congestion on the roads; this is usually a member of the Wardens' Watch.
• The River Warden assigns a Boat Marshall to enforce order among incoming rafts, barges, and boats and to prevent disputes at tie-up points on the docks.
• Seasonal watch auxiliaries are hired from among idle mercenary companies, teamsters, or locals to ensure public order in the streets.

The Council will meet more regularly during these times, sometimes daily, to ensure that goods keep moving and order is kept.

Braelin's economy is based nearly entirely on the movement of goods. Sitting on the crossroads of the Revel and Timbrel Roads, as well on the usually-navigable Timbrel River, the town is a natural point of collection for ores from the White Mountains and lumber from The Timber before it goes downriver to Alden Port. The management and administration of goods transport (and related fee collection) is what feeds the people of Braelin.

These are the most important trade and administrative offices in Braelin, and are critical to the every day operation of the town.

The Weighmaster's Hall

Braelin has a well-earned reputation for fairness and honest weighing. This is in large part due to the establishment of the relatively independent office of the Weighmaster. While technically reporting to the Minister of Accounts, it is the rare Minister that dares to meddle in the business of the Weighmaster; and it is the rare Weighmaster that dares to cross the various Guilds that he serves. The Weighmaster certifies ore shipments (mainly iron, copper, and tin) against standardized weights. Fraud is considered a significant offense - one that would certainly require a Moot of Three.

The Yards

A significant amount of lumber comes into Braelin overland from the east, to be floated downriver to Alden Port. The Yards are where timber rafts are put together and tagged before floating, where permits are issued for the rafts, and where river access for cutters and haulers is managed. Without careful management of the number and timing of the rafts, navigability of the Timbrel River would be a problem.

Toll House and Charter Office

This is technically an office of the Minister of Accounts, though it is always run by an assistant with direct knowledge of the river trade and schedules, along with some familiarity with the dock bosses and boat captains. This office collects dock fees, issues watercraft charters, works with the Wardens' Watch to maintain order on the docks, performs maintenance on the riverfront, and administers the queueing system for boats and barges (both empty and loaded) at the docks.

Warehouse Registry

This office also reports to the Minister of Accounts, and manages the storage of goods moving into and out of Braelin. Apart from goods used within the town itself (such as for shops and artisans), no trader or guild is allowed their own warehouse or storage, though they are allowed to post their own security wherever they store goods. The warehouse registry handles permits and inventory for long and short-term storage, timber stacking, and storage of caravan goods.

The Stables

The large number of haulers and waggoneers moving through Braelin necessitate significant housing for mules, oxen, and horses. Managed by the Farrier's Guild, the Stables are not exclusive and certainly are not sufficient for all animals during peak transport times. However, prices are set annually so that caravanners and the Teamster's Guild can predict costs, and the quality of care for the animals is excellent. Due to the large size of the facility and the volume of animals that it manages, the Stables has earned itself a local nickname - the Rancid Ranch.

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