The League of Free Cities

During its early years, the league was led by the Assembly of Freemen. An assembly born from the three city councils that formed the legislative body of the independent city states. At first this councils comprised of a hundred seats that any freemen could sit on at the beginning of the session, where they would vote and pass laws. However, as the league was created, the three councils were made into one with three hundred seats. However, it was in the tension of the first invasion, that the original families who escaped the Elves used the opportunity to grab power for themselves, as the house would be divided into two chambers. The upper chamber with 180 seats reserved for the original families, and a 100 that would remain open for those freemen who sat in the assembly at the beginning of the day.   At first, the league was led by the three mayors. However, as the council accumulated power, the office of the consuls was created. One from each city, and voted in by the assembly. Although unlike the mayors, only those from the original patrician families could serve as consuls. The excuse for this was that elven powers were trying to send spies to destroy the republic from within.    As the upper chamber of the Assembly of Freemen gained power, the Assembly was divided in two. That of the senate, with hereditary titles among the patrician families, and the Common Assembly, who remained working as intended in the first years of the republics, although extremely weakened.    As fears of elven spies spread, the Council of Inquisitors was created.   Although initially the League was led by three consuls, as one of the cities amassed more wealth and power than the others, the Consul from such city became the real executive of the Republic, which no longer served as a confederation. The senate and assembly also stopped rotating each year between the cities. With the city of ---- becoming the de facto and eventually de jure capital.

Early years After the Second Great Slave Revolt in the High Kingdom of the era, rather than fight their former masters, like the last rebellion did, they four leaders of the escaped slaves host chose to run east for freedom. However, they soon found themselves with a decision. If they escaped through the Great Grass Sea, they will soon be reached by the horses of the elven slave hunters. However, if chose the south-east, the terrain of the marshes would slow down the elven slavers. However, this would also mean to brave the dangerous wildlife, as well as the multiple diseases of the peninsula. Three of the freemen leaders chose this path.   It is said that only a third of the freemen host survived. And with each hardship survived, the squabbles among the leaders increased. The host fractured, as they found better and better land to settle. With only one of the leaders reaching the southern coast, where they would be as far as they could be from the High Kingdom. However, the slaver hunters soon suffered from the hardships, and their forces were decimated as well by the land.   Three settlements where born then, small fishing villages who suffered greatly during the first decades. One funded by the elven leader, another by the Barlishman, and another by the children of men. However, against every odd, these settlements soon grew into cities, especially as they began to brave the seas with small merchants fleets.   However, although left alone for decades by the Elven High Kingdom, as they expected the problem to solve itself. As the cities grew in size and wealth, the High Kingdom could not tolerate their existence any longer. As their mere existence was a source of rebellious sentiment among the slave class, as any would try the journey east to reach  the cities where they could go free, as not even the free kingdoms provided such protections. Some even had treaties with the elves, and soon would turn them back in. And so, the High Elves declared war on the nascent cities.   The First Elven Invasion   The elven armies amassed their forces in a size that had not been seen in Westoria for generations, and they soon marched into the marshes with one purpose, to destroy the three cities. However, they soon fell prey to the land, as a large portion of their army soon succumbed to disease and the wildlife before they even reached the gates of the first city.    The initial response of the cities was unorganized, as each mayor squabbled, failing to come up with an organized defense between the three independent cities. However, as one of the cities was sacked, and burned to the ground, the finally decided to sign a pact of mutual defense, and a joint army was raised. The three mayors sharing equal authority with their forces. This was all done to avoid the same fate as the first city, although it is argued whether the elven forces even had the manpower to destroy all the cities.   Soon their forces faced the elven army, and although no army won a decisive victory, the elves soon retreated for the winter. The survivors soon return to the city and began to rebuild.

The League is a highly multi-cultural and multi-ethnic realm, where you can find any race in Westoria. Although the majority of those are Barlish, Elven and Men.

The military forces of the League consist of three elements. An ordinary force of conscripted citizens, although they can also free themselves from service by paying. And auxiliar force of freemen who wish to earn their citizenship with military service. And the largest branch which consists of mercenaries.