Free Cities of Hesperia

The six Free Cities are all that remains of the former Hesperian Empire, a loose consortium united and divided by their shared tumultuous history. Although humanity was victorious in the Serpent War, many of its longstanding institutions crumbled, including the Imperial family. Vessuves IV was killed in the closing days of the war, and with him, any compelling reason for the cities to remain united. Today, the Free Cities are locked in an eternal political struggle that only rarely breaks out into violence. They still remember the Yuan-Ti invasion that nearly uprooted their entire society, and in each city people assume, probably correctly, that the other five cities will rise up in solidarity should humanity ever come into peril again. Ettleas is the most modern of the Free Cities, which is somewhat ironic since it was once the seat of the Empire. It has embraced the tribunal system of the Free Cities and uses it for civic and neighborhood government as well. Verden stands in stark contrast to Ettleas. It is a sprawling city-state that embodies the feudal system. It is also the home of the Mage's Council, which was the second pillar of society in the days of the Empire. Nes Desmoi is a bustling coastal town ruled by the self-sufficient Duchess Maru. It is far from the clockwork caravan's route and is somewhat difficult to reach, but it has a reputation as a pleasure retreat for the wealthy, whether noble or not. Stobon lies further down the coast, where the land starts getting harder and colder. Because of its busy harbor and easy access to inland cities, it has become a very successful commercial hub. Queen Hjurka is officially the monarch, but the important decisions are made by the representatives of the sailors guild, the merchants guild, and now, the tinker's guild. Gelessol-An is perhaps the most modern city of all, a brand-new settlement that exploded overnight thanks to industrialization. The lumber town is only about 50 years old, but it has swiftly grown to the size of Verden. It's the home of the Tinker's Guild. Cevelland was actually founded by dwarves, and dwarves still make up a sizeable portion of the population. The surrounding hills are known for their sheep.

Structure

The Free Cities do not often seek to interfere in each others' business, but when an affair must be settled in a public forum, the cities do so through the judgements of the Tribunal. This court is comprised of six judges, one from each of the Cities.