The Synodical Republic
The continent of Arak has seen many changes in rulership, what with so much land to claim. However, about 700 years ago, the two remaining monarchies of Arak joined together to form the Synodical Republic. This was not without resistance, as the Kingdom of Derunadel that preceded it was only able to convince the Rojek Dynasty of southern Arak after it had assumed control of the northern lands after the Dwarves of the Drakantal Empire were wiped out and expanded their Kingdom, slowly encroaching on the Rojek Dynasty's lands. However, the Rojek Dynasty did not make this decision cooperatively, as it was composed of several rulers -- two Human, and several Lynoxi feudal lords. The Lynoxi of the Yzerid did not like the sound of the new Republic and this led to the Yzerid Unification War which devastated the Sudwin Valley region for years before they were beaten into submission.
With the formation of the Synodical Republic, the decision was made that such an enormous landmass could not be ruled over by one or two rulers and that it was better for each region of Arak to self-govern. However, they wanted to unite the people and give them the power to decide what justice looked like to them and to allow them to choose who governs them. Many are still unsure how such a large empire as the Kingdom of Derunadel came to this decision after millennia of aggressive expansion, but it is believed that the last King of Derunadel, an Elf named Arundel Ellarian, was more empathetic than his predecessors and sought a better system than he inherited. Arak was split into five regions, the Anduskian Grasslands, the Taungar Valley, the Sudwin Valley, the Yzerid Desert, and the Esterburn Highlands. Each region was responsible for electing a Magistrate to preside over a number of settlements as befit the size of the city they resided in, and governing their region as the people saw fit. Arundel took inspiration from The Commonwealth of Myr, which had prospered for millennia despite the incursions of the Rathmore Empire into their territory, because of their democratic process.
Major cities in Arak held elections to determine their Magistrate, and decisions were made by the former rulers of their respective Kingdoms as to which settlements would fall under the jurisdiction of each city. The Magistrate was then responsible for holding elections so that the people could choose representatives to campaign in their interests to affect legislation. These politicians would listen to the will of the people and bring the concerns of their constituents to the Magistrate to try to come to a consensus on actions to be taken to make change that would benefit all, not just those in power. The Magistrates of Arak will meet with each other occasionally to discuss legislation and try to collaborate on laws that should be universal across Arak. One such notable universal law is the ban on enchantment magic, which is severely punished -- sometimes even being punishable by death.
The people of Arak were delighted at this change, never being given the chance to be heard before. This dramatically reduced the acts of terrorism some dissident factions had been responsible for due to conflicting interests. However, the Republic is still young compared to the Kingdom of Derunadel, and many Elves alive today were alive during the Kingdom's reign. Some remember what it was like to not have a voice and to be severely punished for criticism of the King, and yet some others still wish to go back to those days, believing that it was better when not everyone had a voice, as it is chaotic and against the tempered nature of the Elves, who often resist change. But the integration of the Humans of the southern lands brought much change with this new governance, and many Elves have shown a desire to restore Derunadel for no other reason than because change can be frightening or even dangerous. Only time will tell if the Republic's democratic system can last, but many Elves have embraced it wholeheartedly.
Magistrates generally serve for life, but due to the extreme discrepancy between Elven lifespans and those of the other races of Aellorah, the term limit for a Magistrate is fifty years. However, unlike a monarchy, there are guidelines for the behavior of a Magistrate, and processes in place to replace them if they are determined to be unfit. The most contemporary example of this is when Magistrate Eldar Gilzana of Eldham was deposed when the citizens of Eldham gathered and marched on the Statehouse and imprisoned him when the Paragons of Lys were ousted from the city, believing he was involved. However, after undead overran the city, a group of adventurers was able to discover that Eldar was coerced to cooperate with the Paragons' agenda, using his family as leverage. There are a few examples of Magistrates being ousted from their positions in this manner, but in most cases, when a Magistrate is removed from office, it is done through a majority vote of the city's politicians by the demands of the people.
The Esterburn Highlands region has only one Magistrate, the one in the city of Gloomwatch. However, they do not have jurisdiction over any over settlements, as the majority of the Esterburn Highlands are inhabited by the Ettinor people and a variant of Lynoxi. The Ettinor of the highlands self-govern, and mostly keep to themselves. This has been allowed by the Republic, as not many really care to live in the Esterburn Highlands due to the bitter cold, which the Ettinor inexplicably seem to enjoy.
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