Leopoli

The Republic of Leopoli, also known as the Free City of Leopoli, is a state located on the Inner Sea of Hasperia. It controls the immediate surroundings of the city proper, and have set foot on the "Terra Firma", the mainland consisting mostly of 1/3 of the Monterosa Plateau, for security and resource extraction purposes.

In addition, Leopoli controls 3 small outposts on the desolate shores west of the city. The northernmost one, Negroponte, is both a naval base and a trading post with the natives of the hinterland. The two smaller, southern ones were established as pirate-watching bases to protect lucrative trade routes to the south. It is rumored that Leopoli is willing to operate those bases with either Verduro, Desteylle or Baalys, for increased pirate-hunting efficiency.

 Government 

Leopoli is ruled by an Archon elected for a single term of 4 years, and an executive body of elected officials referred to as the "Signoria".

Both the Archon and the members of the Signoria are elected by a class of citizens. Leopolitan citizenship requires birth in Leopoli by parents having lived for at least ten years in the city, and a certain ammount of wealth consisting of estates, companies, ships, or simple money accumulation. The elections are held on the main Piazza, where voting amphorae are placed between the two Columns and guarded by officials dressed in ancient Archadian civic attire.

While officially at the head of the Republic, the Archon holds little to no substantial powers beyond symbolic ones, acting as a figurehead and attending ceremonies. Uniquely enough, the Archon is elected between the youth of the citizenry, from ages seven to eleven, and rule a single term of four years (the oldest Archons thus never acheiving the majority age of 16). Commented by foreigners as an elective monarchy with a perpetual regency, the Republic views its chief magistrature as both a way to ensure that no Archon would attempt to usurp power, and as an extraordinary opportunity for civic formation and education for the most privilegied of its youth. The Archon can be of either gender, and the candidates are chosen randomly from the pool of eligible children.

The Signoria is a more complex institution, ruled by elected members and advisers, but also consisting of an unknown number of committees formed by anonymous members.

The Palazzo Archontale is the seat of government, which also sprawls in a number of administrative buildings centered around the main Piazza.

History

While the occupation of the site Leopoli dates from the imperial attempt at establishing a provincial capital in the area (dubbed Archadia Minor for the lack of an official name following the completion of the project), the actual city was established by refugees fleeing the devastation of the Archadian Empire during the series of wars and civil wars that saw its ruin. Republican since its heydays, Leopoli managed to survive and thrive by maneuvering some of its more powerful neighbors and with allying with some others.

Not bent on expansion, the Republic still managed to establish a few outposts on its main commercial lanes, a potential subject of contention with its rivals,

The Reformation saw the Free City embrace Sotirasity as its main religion, tough religious liberties are more relaxed than in the mainland. Leopolitan support allowed the princes of Volodymir to unite the Vozdh under the banner of Sotirasity, and commercial, military and cultural exchanges have been rich ever since. More recently, Leopoli ferried the Vozdinian armies during the siege of Archadia which ended in the demise of the Republic of Tor Ardwen. With the defeat of the Sotiran league, Leopoli now finds itself in a delicate situation.

See RP text "Children of the Lion" for more information.

 Relations 

Staying as far as it could from the turmoil during the centuries following the fall of Archadia, Leopoli still commited itself following the Reformation, and now vows to return to its traditional neutral stance regarding geopolitical affairs, to no avail. For many members of the Signoria, it is great time the city fully assumed its place in the world and considered establishing alliances to ensure its survival as a free city.

Whether the new Empire, the Order of St-Kastor, its close neighbor in Lonesheim, Montdrian, or the other states views Leopoli with distrust or interest remains to be seen.

 Culture 

While mostly Archadian in origins, the population have long since mixed with peoples from all over the world and developed its own cosmopolitan culture. The city proper is colourful and often adorned with draperies and ornaments, shuffling along the procession of carnivals and holidays that rhythm Leopolitan life.

The Republic's symbols are the Winged Lion, who is said to have fled Archadia during its fall by betrayal, and its patron saint San Markos, who, after having killed his father who would have brought his countrymen under foreign servitude, lived a holy life of repentance and converted the city's inhabitants to the solar religion.