Sea Lord

At the top of Freeport’s government is the Sea Lord. This is a position held for life; once the seat has been attained, the only way a person can lose it is by death or abdication. The post of Sea Lord is unimpeachable; no matter the crime, the Sea Lord can never be removed. For obvious reasons, Freeporters are very concerned about who holds the title, and contention over this position has been the source of many of Freeport’s troubles.
In theory, the Sea Lord’s rule is law, though his or her edicts are subject to the approval and support of the Captains' Council. A Sea Lord can make laws and enjoys nearly all the powers held by traditional monarchs, but there are limits. The Sea Lord must acquire the council’s approval in four vital areas: declaring war, entering into treaties with foreign powers, allocating city funds, and levying taxes. These last two come up most often and create the greatest amount of tension both within the council and between the council and the Sea Lord. Since the members of the Captains' Council have more income than most and thus are usually the ones who end up paying the most in taxes, they feel strongly about incurring new ones and about what’s done with the money raised. This control is one reason why the streets in the Merchant District where most councilors live are well cared for while those in Scurvytown are falling to pieces (and also why Bloodsalt is a festering mire of violence and upheaval).
Before death or abdication, the Sea Lord is supposed to name a successor. Only a person of the Drac bloodline can actually become Sea Lord.

Type

Nobility, Hereditary

Form of Address

My Lord

Length of Term

For Life

Related Locations

• Freeport

Related Organizations

• Captains' Council