Gervasa



Gervasa is an ancient city, older than the river that bisects it on the way to the sea, and nearly as old as the weathered mountains that loom over it to the north. It was the capital of a continent-spanning empire once, but that was long ago. Now Gervasa is a trade city in the final centuries of a long but inexorable decline. The great arches that once graced its gates are the broken teeth of a beggar's smile. The bronze cupolas that once adorned its towers are green with age and neglect, if they haven't been peeled away and sold in the Heroes' Bazaar.

Government
The governing power of Gervasa, like the rest of the Seven Cities, is divided between the Prince, the Ministry, and the Senate.

Prince
The Prince of Gervasa is a hereditary position dating to the time when Gervasa was the capital of a great empire.

Ministry
Each seat in the Ministry represents an associated guild. Members of the Ministry are chosen by their respective guilds, and fill those posts until their respective guilds see fit to replace them. In practice, Ministry positions are often held for life. Within the Ministry are specific posts, such as the Minister of Public Works, which are appointed by the Minister General of the Merchant Guilds from within the membership of the Ministry.

Senseschal
The presiding officer of the Ministry is the Seneschal, who is selected from among the Ministers by the Prince. The Seneschal presides over the Ministry's debates, determining which members may speak. The Seneschal is also responsible for maintaining order during debate, and may punish members who break the rules of the Ministry. Conventionally, the Seneschal remains non-partisan, and renounces all affiliation with his former guild when taking office, and for the duration of that term. The Seneschal does not take part in debate nor vote (except to break ties, and even then, subject to conventions that maintain his or her non-partisan status), although the Seneschal is still able to speak. Aside from duties relating to presiding over the Ministry, the Seneschal also performs administrative and procedural functions, and remains a constituency Member of the Ministry.

The current Seneschal is Karl-Heinz Wassmeier.

Minister General
In contrast to the Seneschal, the Minister General is elected by the Ministers themselves. The position of Minister General is largely ceremonial, although in theory the position is supposed to provide a balance to the power of the Seneschal. The Minister General allocates specific posts, or Commissions, to members within the Ministry, and technically can dismiss other members of the Ministry, including the Seneschal.

The current Minister General is Gottfried Todbringer.

Commissions

 * Gottfried Todbringer, Commissioner of Commerce, Trade, and Taxation
 * Reiner Ehrlich, Commissioner of Docks, Shipping, and Waterways
 * Joachim Hofflich, Commissioner of Lands and Holdings
 * Diane Ablonczy, Commissioner of Public Works
 * Karl-Heinz Wassmeier, Commissioner of the Treasury and Expenditures

Municipal Senate
Positions in the Senate are either inherited, or the result of elections by the aristocracy. Inherited positions are always held by aristocrats, but elected positions may be held by any citizen of the city. There is no set time period for elections: elected positions in the Senate are traditionally held for the life of the Senator, although a Senator may be removed by a motion of no confidence, and a replacement Senator elected.

Council of Electors
Within the Senate is the Council of Electors, which is a mixture of hereditary and appointed positions, all of which are held by aristocrats. Most of the positions in the Council of Electors are filled by inheritance, but when a position becomes vacant and there is no one to inherit it, a new Elector is appointed by the Senate from among themselves. This position then becomes hereditary.

The Council of Electors serves several important functions. First, and most importantly, the Council of Electors is responsible for selecting the new Prince upon the death of the previous Prince, from among that Prince's heirs, from among the former Prince's family and relations if no suitable heir exists, or from among the aristocracy is no suitable relations can be found within a suitable time. Second, no new tax may be established without the approval of the Council. Third, the Prince may not declare war or commit any of Gervasa's military forces without the approval of the Council of Electors.


 * Baroness Elise Sturdevant
 * Count Arkona
 * Baron Jeggare
 * Countess Lerouny
 * Duke Ornelos
 * Duchess Zenderholm

Military
The military might of the city of Gervasa is composed of four branches:


 * Imperial Legion, under the command of General Johann Schwermutt
 * Municipal Guard, under the command of Grand Marshal Maximillian von Gescher
 * Phoenix Guard, under the command of Commander Celina Borocz
 * Scarlet Legion, under the command of Captain Savina Marta

Officials and functionaries
There are a number of other officials, functionaries, and hangers-on who serve the city or those who rule it, but their power and authority is either severely circumscribed or ceremonial.


 * Representative of the Academy, High Wizard Albrecht Helseher
 * Royal Champion Serkan Iskander
 * Court Minstrel Rephael Eleftherios
 * The Knight Eternal Siegfried Prunkvol
 * Master Of The Hunt Istvan Vincze
 * Royal Chaperone Hildegarde Zimperlich
 * Ladies-At-Court (attendants to the Princess)
 * Royal Physician, Doctor Kreios Porphyrios

Districts and neighborhoods
(working)

Climate
Typical temperature, rainfall, and snowfall for the city of Gervasa. (There is of course some fluctuation from year to year.)