The Free Cities
Structure
At the top of the pyramid is the Council, a group of the most powerful noblemen in the Free Cities. Each has a single vote when matters are brought before them, and they must vote secretly. This prevents the nobles from submitting to pressure from other Council members to vote a certain way, and allows them to avoid scandal. However, this rule was removed by Gehrman during his tenure as High Lord some years before Aristea's Rebellion, and has since been viewed as one of the preceeding events to his fall.
The council was led by 17 men, and no women were permitted membership. 16 were simply called Councilors, and the 17 would vote on who would become the High Lord. This position was held for life, and gave that lord certain privileges:
The High Lord becomes the head general of the Free Cities army, comprised of the armies of the member cities. He has the authority to decide strategy during times of battle and dictate training that must be maintained during times of peace.
The High Lord may bring matters before the Council at his discretion, and table matters he does not view as important. These decisions can be overturned by a 9/7 majority in the Council.
The High Lord becomes the face of the Free Cities to other nations, acting as the chief diplomat while also being in charge of negotiating with foreign diplomats.
The High Lord becomes the highest judge in the land, able to give pardons and demand trials into individuals. He is the only judge permitted to preside over a trial involving a member of the Council.
Beneath the Council are the lesser lords, given no special powers for joining the Free Cities. However, joining the alliance prevents them from being at the mercy of enemy nations such as Draica or Agder, as well as the Free Cities themselves. Bandit raids became quite popular against the cities further from Calyra that did not join the alliance, pushing many of them into making the decision under duress.
History
The Free Cities were not the first alliance of smaller cities to be formed as a result of Draican aggression. However, they were the most successful, having created a powerful union of cities across western Arith that rivaled the other world powers. During the Elven Genocide, many of the Atlan elves fled into Arith to avoid the death that was inflicted upon their homeland. Xarkanas viewed the warring human cities of the northern continent as little more than his next conquest, particularly keen on destroying the supposedly invulnerable gates of Voletaria. However, Lord Allisant Rhannor of Calyra was not content to allow the tiefling emperor free reign across his lands. He called to his fellow Craxan lords, telling them to join him at the Gap of Ven. At first, it seemed that he and his cavalry would stand alone against the Draican horde. Then, as his army battle to their deaths, horns from the north sounded across the plains. Thousands of human soldiers charged the battlefield, cutting off Rhannor's men from the enemy and giving them time to regroup. Voletarian turtle knights emerged from the mountains to the east, riding guard drakes and rams. It was a glorious battle, and the moment in history that secured the future power of House Rhannor.
All together, 16 armies had come to aid Lord Allisant's meager forces. King Elric Eberhardt of Voletaria, Lord Allisant Rhannor of Calyra, Lord Trey Vandra of The Walls, Lord Carlisle Viret of Honrich, Prince Aldred Osner of Atredor, Lord Peter Dulle of Kathia, King Oswald Gaignes of Timberscar, Count Folker Stratder Southshire, Lord Garland Caldel of Dawnachre, Marquess Fynn Seamont of Goldport, Lord Oskar Daven of Cloudmoore, Lord Raek Solomour of Everhold, Prince Bodo Armway of Shadecrest, Lord Audric Vizen of Eaglecrest, Lord Colin Pellesset of Borteaux, King Jeffrey Mardieu of Qempool, and Lord Winfred Vasserral of Root's Run. Together, these lords worked together to find a homes for the fleeing Atlan refugees, allowing them to join their cities freely. Elven culture was greatly admired by many of the southern lords, and their mastery of magic had not spread north to the human kingdoms. The second half of the refugees that fled by sea from Ivar headed to the Talun peninsula, building the city of Remnant at its peak. Over the years, Craxan men would intermarry with the elves and have children, eventually leading to the population of half elves in the world booming. Remnant became the center of Elven culture for many years, only getting replaced when the Atlan remnants began gathering to retake their home many years later during the White War.
The Turtle Rebellion of 713 Third Age would signal the beginning of the end. With the election of Highlord Gehrman Dunwall of Everhold, many problems growing within the alliance began to fester into conflict. Voletaria had long ignored the ruling of an alliance-wide pantheon, maintaining their worship of Khoran the Stormlord over all gods. This was in direct conflict with recent efforts to integrate worship of the Sun God Vizara as the primary deity, lowering Khoran to a less important position. The tenants of Vizara were incredibly incongruent with the Tenants of the Storm, Khoran's holy doctrine. Rather than the freedom of nature, Vizara called for the establishment of order and law. While Khoran promoted the nomadic lifestyle and called for his people to discard of material attachments, Vizara called upon unity and civilization. Most egregious to Voletarian culture was the mandate of "sexual perversion", restricting intercourse and marital unions to exist purely for procreation. Khoran himself often appeared in many different forms taking on different genders over the centuries, even having a specific cult that worshipped his feminine alter-self Kaliana, and this fluid freedom was integral to much of Voletarian society. It was also a matter of contention that the Eberhardt family of Voletaria continue to use the title of King. Within the Council, none were meant to be higher than the rest. All had given up the title of prince or king, lowering themselves to lords as proof of their devotion. However, as the family of Khoran's first child, the Eberhardt's argued they had a divine duty to remain "Kings of the Mountains." As such, they would continue to use the title King in order to honor Khoran's commands.
This conflict came to a head when the High Lord's spymaster accused King Adam Aberhardt of engaging in sexual perversion with his squire, a lowborn. The squire was executed, causing Adam to break free of his restraints and escape to Voletaria before he too could be executed. Many of the Councilors were surprised Gehrman attempted this at all, given the strength of the Voletarian army and the reported power of its leaders, such as the young Adam himself. However, it seemed that whatever mania drove him to such a brash action was not yet finished making bad choices. With Voletaria gone, the leader of the opposition to accepting Androsi slave trade into the Free Cities was gone with them. As such, the 9/7 opposition majority was lost as Adam was replaced by Lord Trevor Colman of Hiliford, turning in his "yes" vote and officially beginning Gehrman-era slave trade. It was this decision that would lead to the enslavement of a young girl named Aristea.
Disbandment
Aristea was the daughter of a blacksmith, and before she could finish her apprenticeship and start her own trade, her father died of illness and she was thrown into poverty. Upon getting caught for stealing bits of food to survive, she was sold to a wealthy merchant within the city of Calyra and worked as a laborer thanks to the strong body she had developed shaping metal for so many years. She was a pious follower of the Wonderbringer Gond, and would pray often to him during her time as a slave. Rather than give in to her new life, Aristea unified the other slaves she was chained to and struck down her owner, marking the first in a series of battles she was destined to win. With inspiration granted to her by Gond, she melted down all the chains she and her household of slaves were bound with and forged a blade from the raw iron. Aristea poured her heart and soul into the sword, and quenched the blade in the blood of her former master as she forged. It became known as the Chain-Breaker Blade, an artifact of such power that it rivaled legendary weapons such as the Sunspear and Red Obsidian.
With this blade, and a host of freed slaves at her back, she orchestrated an uprising within Crifux, the hub of all slave trade on the western coast of Arith. Within three days the city was hers, and it served as the base of operations for her to unite the Free Cities under her rule. Adam Eberhardt returned to the Rhannor Fields, bringing an army of legendary status to aid Aristea in her conquest: Val-tivar, the Thundering Vanguard. With her freedman army, the Voletarian Turtle Knights, and the Thundering Vanguard, little could stand in the Rebel Princess's way. She struck down army after army, general after general, city after city. Finally, she arrived at Everhold to defeat the High Lord.
While she led the capture of the city, Adam dueled Gehrman within the Everhold throne chamber. The battle was fierce, Gehrman having years of experience to match Adam's raw power. When Aristea finally caught up to her ally, she found Adam had impaled Gehrman upon his Sunspear and torn down the Dunwall flags from around the hall. He bowed to Aristea and swore allegiance to whatever government she formed, swearing to help enact her vision across Arith. With each of the 17 cities under her control, the rest of the alliance gladly joined her for an end to the growing chaos within the region. Aristea disbanded the Council and formed the Order of Aristea, under her command as Queen. She ruled from Everhold, and rather than having the position be hereditary, she formed the Council of Houses which has remained the regions main governmental structure ever since.
DISBANDED/DISSOLVED
357 Second Age - 722 Third Age
Type
Alliance, Generic
Capital
Successor Organization
Head of Government
Government System
Oligarchy
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Market economy
Currency
Rhannor Emblems were the most popularly used currency by the Free Cities, as the Snow-Rose Treaty would not be signed until the Order of Aristea began diplomacy with the World Garden.
Location
Neighboring Nations
Notable Members
Related Ethnicities
Comments