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Siddar City

General Info

  • Government : Anocracy
  • Population : 80,000
  • Region : Old Province
  • Ethics:
    • Militarist
    • Egalitarian

Society

Government

As the capital of the Republic of Siddarmark, Siddar City is in theory under the direct control of the Lord Protector.

In practice however, the administration of the ever-growing Republic, its Army, and the complex web of political and economic treaties has necessitated the separation of the city government from the direct apparatus of the national State.

In keeping with the Republic's military roots, authority over the city is vested in the Gendarmerie of Siddar City, the direct descendant organization from the city's original town watch. Upon election or vacation of the position, the Lord Protector appoints a Sergeant-at-Arms of the Siddar Gendarmerie, who administrates the daily business of the City on the Lord Protector's behalf.

The Siddar City Sergeant-at-Arms (abbrev. Siddar S.A.) is traditionally nominated through a general election. Due to the great political influence of Member-Electors of Parliament (MEP) wield within their districts, the support of Parliament is effectively the deciding factor in these general elections.

Despite the seemingly autocratic nature of military rule, citizens of Siddar City enjoy a greater degree of participation in their governance than their fellow countrymen. Member-Electors of Parliament, though lacking legislative authority, carry a great deal of influence within the Gendarmerie. Several over-reaching Sergeants-at-Arms have found themselves expelled due to political pressure exerted by a few key MEPs.

As each city District is free to select their Elector, a patronage system has developed over time. In return for popular support during the yearly MEP nomination process, the candidates are expected to provide material and financial support for members of their representative district.

Notable Locations

  • Lord Protector's Palace :

    At the heart of Siddar City lies a small complex of unassuming government buildings which at first glace may be mistaken for an administrative annex. Constructed at the direction of Urwyn Ludovic, the first Lord Protector, the Lord's Protector Palace is as much a symbol of the idealism of the Republic as it is a tangible representation of the current state of the Republic.

    The palace, unlike its name may suggest, is not walled off and isolated from the rest of the City. Citizens are free to enter the palace grounds, and even request admission to the Palace itself for an audience with the Lord Protector. To hide away behind ramparts and fortifications is anathema to the founding principles of the Republic.

    At the same time, the increasing militarization and aggressive expansionism can be plainly seen at the Palace. The Army's honor guard routinely parades through the palace grounds, and every entrance to the palace buildings is placed under the careful watch of a posted sentry. Many neighboring buildings have been taken over by the Army to house its growing bureaucracy. Perhaps most telling of all, the adjoining army academy fills the air with a cacophany of drums, whistles, and lockstep footfalls.

  • Headquarters of the Expedition :

    Located in the Government District of Siddar City, the Republic Expeditionary Forces Headquarters is located within the military complex surrounding the Lord Protector's Palace.

Prominent Figures and Organizations

Gendarmerie of Siddar City

Descended from the original town watch, the Gendarmerie is an independent branch within the Army of the Republic whose primary duty is the administration and defence of the city itself.

Culture

Siddar City practically sets the cutlural tone of the Republic. Although many smaller towns and villages retain their unique personality, the contemporary zeitgeist is set by the whims and fancies of Siddar's merchant princes.

The Republic's fascination with the relics of the First Age is strongest in Siddar City. Many powerful and influential families use archaic name spellings, or at least their best attempts at an archaic spelling. Some nuveau-riche families have been known to change their family name to something more traditional upon attaining public visibitlity. The Gahrdyn family, of Gahrdynyr Trading House fame, rebreanded themselves upon the nomination of Sahmael Gahrdyn, nee Samuel Garden, to Member Elector for the Marine Tradesmen Guild.

History

Timeline

Date Name Event
0Y 7M Arrival at Siddar Bay After two grueling months, the refugee caravan from The Gate arrives at Siddar Bay. With summer quickly receeding, the refugees set up a makeshift encampment and begin preparing for an arduous winter.
12Y Siddar City Officially Founded Under the direction of Urwyn Ludovic, the makeshift wooden structures would be rebuilt out of more permanent materials starting with the harbour, the lifeblood of the burgeoning city.
570Y 6M Coup Against the Republic With several high ranking officials secretly replaced by simulacra, the Eternal Flame Cult attempted to incite a civil war within the Republic by pitching the Army and the Expedition against one another while setting the city's poorer districts ablaze. The plot was unraveled as the simulacra were exposed, rallying the citizenry behind the exonerated Commander of the Expedition, Greghor Stonhyr.