For most of the last fifty years, the city government was run by the city council, whose members are appointed by tradition from the guilds and the ruling families. This means the Garhounds, Ingilli, Indagos, Eiskolli, Bronze Workers, Cloth and Leather workers, and other guilds, and the leadership of the Orlanth, Issaries, Lhankor Mhy and Pavis cults. The Orlanth cult lost its former position under the Lunar Occupation, and the Seven Mothers and Patromas family were added.
Under Sor-eel the Short, the city council appointed judges, levied taxes, controlled food distribution, keeps the peace within the walls, etc. A mayor is head of the city council. He is elected every five years from among the council members by all citizens who care to vote. The mayor appoints clerks, and is responsible for overseeing their work, which includes tax records, food payments, and so on.
In 1622, Sor-eel the Short was replaced as governor and the term of Brygga Scissortongue, who had been mayor since 1612, expired. The new Governor, Halcyon var Enkoth, cancelled elections and appointed Jotoran Longsword to directly carry out those tasks. The city council was left largely powerless and ignored.
After the Liberation, Argrath Whitebull was acclaimed “Prince” by his army and by the leading figures of New Pavis. This is a title associated with the House of Sartar, and the same title Dorasar claimed. It means he is the head of the Orlanth Rex cult and that he has no superior. He is literally “First”.
But what does that mean for the administration of New Pavis? Argrath is chiefly a religious and military leader – his focus is on all of Prax and then Dragon Pass. New Pavis is important to him primarily because it reinforces his dynastic claims, and it is a good mustering place for his military forces. By summer of 1626, his attention was firmly on Dragon Pass.
As a result, Argrath is not involved in the daily administration of New Pavis, any more than Sor-eel the Short was.
As Prince, Argrath acknowledges the city council, and has turned over daily administration of the city to them. At the same time, he has reserved the right to appoint judges (and judge matters himself when he deems it necessary). Argrath has appointed a loyal follower as head of the Pavis Royal Guard, and the constabulary are all veterans of Argrath’s army. They report to him, and largely ignore the city council. If there is some problem the Royal Guard can’t handle, Argrath has several hundred loyal veterans barracked inside the city.
But for most daily matters of city government, it is up to the city council to take care of matters, while also staying on the good side of the Prince. Once it becomes clear Argrath plans to lead his army into Dragon Pass, the real politics begin – who will run the city as Argrath’s representative? And what forces will they be able to call upon to back up their rule?
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In some ways – things haven’t changed. Argrath and his warriors are the overlords of the city as much as Sor-eel and his soldiers were. The city council has no more authority over Argrath (and his companions, warriors, and key allies) as they did over Sor-eel. In both cases, much of the military power is from outside of the city – with the Lunars, it was soldiers from the Heartlands and Provinces; with Argrath it is Praxians.
However there are some key differences. Argrath is strongly supported by the largest cult among the city’s permanent residents (Orlanth). He is religiously accepted by most of the city’s residents and major cults in a way that Sor-eel never could be. Additionally, the use of anonymous thugs, secret murders, and disappearances against rivals has largely stopped.
One big difference is that Argrath has a lot more military resources than the Lunar Governors had other than during the initial invasion. Sor-eel had three regiments of soldiers, plus allies among the Sable Riders. Halcyon had two regiments, and fewer allies.
Argrath has some 10,000 warriors, mostly from among the Praxian tribes. He also has many more allies among all the tribes – but especially among the Bison, High Llama, and Sable Riders, plus the Pol-Joni and Zebra Riders.