Friday 29 November 2013

City of Rats Part II: Government of Dunwall

Dunwall's government is made up of a ruling Castellan (typically the head of House Kaldwin) and a city council that concerns itself with the day-to-day business of the city.

House Kaldwin has ruled over Dunwall since the War of the Castellans in the early 420s, a position that they have held despite wars and upheavals. Indeed it was Castellan Lando Kaldwin who led the liberation of his city and forced the Khadorans out in 468 AR. The latest Kaldwin to rule over Dunwall was Jessamine Kaldwin who committed herself to a just and compassionate rule, doing whatever it took to alleviate the suffering of her people. Sadly she was recently assassinated, as it is widely believed, by her bodyguard Corvo Attano. Her heir and daughter, Emily Kaldwin, is presently missing with her current whereabouts unknown.

After Jessamine's death, Thane Hiram Burrows took power as the Lord Governor with approval from Merin but on the condition that it was only a temporary measure until either Emily Kaldwin was found or a new Castellan was appointed. Burrows had served House Kaldwin for a number of years and had been made a Thane by Jessamine's father, Euhorn Kaldwin. Though in contrast to the late Jessamine, Hiram rules with an iron fist and has enforced harsh measures on the city to deal with the plague that has engulfed it.

The City Council is largely made up of Dunwall's nobility, though there is a growing number of rich merchants and industrialists whom have gained seats in the Council. The Council mainly deals with the every running of the city, the collection of taxation and paying the City Watch's wages. With the coming of the plague it has had to introduce emergency measures and concerning to some the head of Dunwall's Menite religion, High Overseer Thaddeus Campbell, was appointed to the City Council by the Lord Governor to act as the de facto head of the Council.

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