Leader
First Magister
Moredo Rogare
Political Bodies of Lys
Lys is formally a Republic, with 3 political bodies - the Senate, the Conclave of Magisters and the First Magister.
The Senate is the Legislative branch
It holds 40 seats, divided equally between the 4 corporations that control Lys' economy:
- The College of Pleasures (the union of brothels and prostitutes)
- The Society of Merchant Venturers (the merchant guild)
- The Corporation of the Masters of Arts and Crafts (the artisan guild)
- The Brethren Court (the pirate and slaver guild)
Other than these 40 seats, there are a few more that can be nominated by the Lawmaker of Lys, who acts both as a President of the assembly and as the Supreme Judge in the city.
The Conclave of Magisters is the Executive branch
Their number can vary, although the seats traditionally go to a few selected families within Lys. Mostly, they represent the core of each guild, as these houses rose to power through the domination of a particular branch of Lys' economy. In time, prestige substituted wealth and power and transformed the Magister title in a hereditary one, although not officially. As a general rule,
no guildmaster can also occupy the post of Magister; this way, when a powerful newcomer rises to wealth, they are usually given the guildmaster role, to avoid them tampering with the Magisters' position. This has been favored by the Rogares, as the connection between guild and magisters has moved from one of alliance to one of rivalry, easily exploitable.
The First Magister is the head of the Conclave of Magisters
Originally, it represented the president of the tight group - a primus inter pares, a figurehead - but in time, through the political machinations of the Rogares, it transformed in the real government of Lys, leaving the Conclave to act as a Consultive body rather than the real executive.
The First Magister has the power to declare war, to pardon, to veto the laws that the Senate pass, and informally direct almost all political action within Lys. It must be noted, though, that his power is not boundless. It remains a political body that has to answer to the rest of the Lysene state, not a Monarch that has the legitimacy of deciding regardless of the people's interests and opinions.
Military
The armed forces of Lys are divided into two branches, whose control is divided between the two main institutions of the city:
- The Navy holds much more importance within Lys (an island specialised in trade and piracy) and thus lies under the care of the Senate (as the 4 guilds want to scrutinize its activity directly: a Captain-General is thus elected every year to its command (he controls both the Fleet - the Marineria - than the Soldiery fighting on board of the Galleys of the city - the Mariners)
- The Army started as the guards of the Conclave, a body of soldiers loyal to the oligarchs dominating the city (needed to preserve them from an eventual coup from discontented guildmasters for example after some time, the wars over the Disputed lands created the need of a standing army specialised in land operations (Compagnia della Disputa), rather than relying on the Mariners (good for boarding operations and raids on the coast, but not long conflicts on land). This slowly took over the traditional body of foreign sellswords that defended Lys' walls (Compagnia di Ventura)
- Finally, the law and order is maintaned by the corps of the Pillow Watchers: originally, the name came from the bouncers' union that held the brothels' unruly customers at bay; in time, their role became so essential to the good name of Lys (whose red districts attract huge swats of happy customers into the city) that the Senate institutionalized them into an actual police force under the dependence of the Lawmaker of Lys
Enterprises and Associations
- The Rogare Bank doesn't need an introduction, really, as its influence seems to have no limits, both as the primary hub for loans, money exchanges and investments in all of Essos (since the fateful demise of the Iron Bank of Braavos) and as a political broker for diplomatic and commercial enterprises.
- The East Essos Trading Company is a newly formed joint-stock company (the shares' majority controlled by the Rogare family): its shares are freely SOLD in Lys, providing the investors yearly returns depending on the Company's success. The EETC specializes in trade, transport and escort to naval and commercial expeditions throughout the known world, capitalizing on Lys' protection and international standing.
- Finally, the Steel Angels have recently risen to notice after centuries of relative anonimity: they constitute a Knightly Order dedicated to the god Bakkalon, the Pale Child, whose domain oddly intertwines war and education; the Knights of Bakkalon have the habit of saving the orphans they fall upon during their military expeditions: their pupils are then sent to one of their chapterhouses (their headquarters is of course in Lys) where they are raised as the new generation of Angels.
Comments