The Independent City States

Population: 2.1 million. A union of the city states Enders, Harastor, Stavalot and Bondor. It is primarily a trade union and is often nicknamed the Mercantile Empire. The union was founded in 922, when Stavalot joined the union of Harastor and Bondor, the Drusian Compact. In 1035 the city state of Enders was admitted to the union and quickly became dominant.
==Legal system==
Every five years citizens can register to vote by paying 1 sd. The registered voters elect the burgomaster and a other few important office holders at this time. They also elect a city council, but council election are held every year. This applies to Harastor and Stavalot. In Enders the city council are held once every five years, and the council assemble to distribute the leading offices among themselves, including the office of burgomaster, which is called mayor in Enders. In Bondor, some major offices belong to certain families. The burgomaster is elected every four years (not five).
For every crime the city council has assessed a fine. This fine will as a minimum cover the expenses of the trial and any compensation. If this fine is not paid, then the perpetrator's property can be confiscated, and the criminal may have to serve temporary serfdom (that is, rented out as a slave). A few privately owned debtor's prisons exist to house them when not 'hired'. In the more serious crimes (such as mutilation, arson, rape and murder) a suspended death sentence is pronounced to be executed if the serf does not work his best. Even if the fine is paid, grave criminals will usually be denied the right to ensure himself in the Assassins' Guild for a period.