The Drifting Cities

Structure

In the wake of the destruction of the Elven continent of Elstra, the last vestiges of the Old Order of the great Elven civilization lingers only on the Drifting Cities. Though each of the seven is technically an independent mobile settlement, drifting across the ocean at the whim of its own government, each of the cities still organizes itself around the rites and governing styles of the lost civilization they serve as the sole remaining relics of. To this end, the Drifting Cities all maintain the same style of governance, though each individual city may have its own minor quirks. Each city is governed by the combined authority of the cities reigning Prince or Princess, as well as the many members of the Luminary Assembly.
Holding a great deal of power in the politics of their respective city is the Prince or Princess. Though often lacking any direct ties to the old Elven monarchy, these despots claim noble heritage and often it is not uncommon for their family to have been the one reponsible for the cities construction. That said none among them claim the title of King or Queen, as not only has the bloodline of the ancient monarchs seemingly died out, but the Crown of Taldathor that bore the authority of the royal family was one of many ancient treasures lost in the Great Calamity, the destruction of the Elven homeland.
The Luminary Assembly is an elected council of representatives who serve to keep the power of the Prince or Princess in check. The Assembly is comprised of one member for every ward of the city, elected by those within their respective ward. Their tasks are many, serving both as advisors to the Prince or Princess as well as being able to stop any of their decrees through a simple majority vote. Though in theory the Assembly lacks the ability to propose any of their own laws or legislation, many have been known to bend the ear of their despot to bring their own ideas forward.

Culture

It is said that while the culture of the Elves of Antiquity has long since died out, the cultures of the Drifting Cities is the closest one comes to being able to see what such an ancient culture was like. The people of the Drifting Cities are a highly refined people who seem to be chasing after a bygone age. Lacking the abundant resources of their homeland and having lost vast amounts of knowledge after the Great Calamity, the communities after the Drifting Cities have become a very communal people, working together to share what they do have and striving to keep their old world alive through song and story. 
While the people of the Drifting Cities are each unique with their own distinct cultural pillars, one of the things they all share in common is a reverence for tradition and structure. Ancient festivals to their Ancestor Gods remain unchanged after thousands of years, and even their style of government has gone without any significant reformation even after the fall of Elstra.

Assets

Though the Drifting Cities are brilliant to behold and display a wonderous history, the nature of the cities being massive artificial constructs floating across the sea leaves them lacking in many critical resources. When the Drifting Cities were first being constructed in the years leading up to the Great Calamity, massive stockpiles of quarried stone, forged metals, hewn lumber, and a great collection of crops, seeds, and soil were housed within each city. This abundance of resources was meant to last the people of the Drifting Cities long enough to become self-sustaining, but due to the limitations of space on the cities, and the need for frequent maintenance, such dreams would prove impossible.
As no new stone or metal could be mined from the cities themselves, they often drift from island to island across the oceans to mine them for their resources. Before these islands are left behind, hundreds of new trees are planted with the intent of coming back years later to harvest their lumber, as the extensive root networks trees require make it difficult to plant them within the Drifting Cities without causing serious damage. From these resources and those imported from the mainland, Elven artisans craft exotic and illustrious works to sell to the people of Eyria in exchange for resources they need to maintain their cities and way of life.
The one aspect of the city that is self sustaining is their crops. Soil and seeds were used to make large farm plots across the outskirts of the cities, as well as personal farms existing on many rooftops of buildings within the city. Hardy crops and fish harvested from the ocean around them are staple foods in all of the Drifting Cities, while water is pulled directly from the sea and magically desalinated to provide fresh drinking water for both crops and the people of the city.
The militaries of the Drifting Cities are generally simple city defense forces meant to protect the cities both from raids by especially bold pirates as well as from the many threats that lurk beneath the waves. In their long history no faction has ever attempted to invade one of the Drifting Cities, and as such the outer defenses of each city are more designed to protect against the sea itself rather than an invading army.

History

When the Elves of Elstra became aware of the coming of the Great Calamity, when their scholars and sages first learned that the Dark Star of Norek would collide with their home, panic swept across the land. Tens of thousands fled on vessels bound to Eyria despite the pleas of the Last King of the Elves to stay strong and united. More than just the common people of Elstra, the nobility planned for their own survival as well. Bringing their vast resources together, they began constructing nine massive vessels, each the size of a town and built densely to house tens of thousands of souls. In the three years between learning of the coming Calamity and the fall of the Dark Star, seven of these vessels were finished, the seventh departing from Elstra just a month before the Great Calamity.
Though over a hundred thousand departed on the Drifting Cities, many more lingered on Elstra when the Calamity came. The Last King of the Elves planned to forestall the Calamity and save Elstra, but while the details of his plan remain unknown, what is known is that it failed. The Dark Star struck Elstra and shattered the continent, sinking the land beneath the ocean. All those who stayed behind died, and now all the remains on the broken remains of Elstra are blasted ruins and the ashes of a dead civilization. In mere moments, one of the greatest civilizations the world had ever known was destroyed, and all that was left living was the Drifting Cities.
In the centuries since the Great Calamity, the Drifting Cities have grown apart. Their cooperation did not last long beyond their construction, and while they maintain diplomatic relations and Trade, they have each gone their own way. In modern times the cities now float along the oceans natural currents, drifting counter-clockwise around the continent of Eyria.

Type

Geopolitical, City-state

Government System

Monarchy, Constitutional

Power Structure

Confederation

Economic System

Traditional