The city is governed by Baron Severus Dukas Aprenos, who serves Count Pardus, a liegeman of Duke Dragases. The Baron is primarily responsible for the defense of the city and environs. As such he is accorded a share in the tax profits and does not have to pay imperial taxes for his household or businesses, although he does send a tribute to his liege, usually in the form of fine Tavian cloth. Severus must provide troops for his liege, the Count Pardus and for the Tagmatic Legions. His eldest son, Isidorus is serving in the legions now as an officer.

The day-to-day law keeping and tax duties of the city are the duty of the Kritai and the Imperial Secretariat, respectively. There is some overlap with the baron's interests, of course, and the baron tends to get his way. Nobles have the right to appeal to the Baronial court in matters of law, which makes nobles immune to most petty offenses that would get a lesser citizen hauled before a magistrate. But this has its limit. The baron depends upon the good will of the emperor and stepping on his laws and the rights of his servants can have serious repercussions. For this reason the eparch and scellarius meet regularly with the baron and his bailiff.

The politics of the nobility swirls around an event that happened eight years ago - like so many in turbulent world of noble politics, this springs from a shadowy event in the capital, Iconium. No one speaks of what exactly precipitated the events that shook the Tavian nobility, but the upshot of this was that Duke Avouris lost control of several of his holdings, including Tavia, to Duke Dragases. This was a major blow to the duke and caused repercussions down the feudal chain. The result was that the Earl who held Tavia in fief for Avouris, Earl Iustus Avouris Pleustes, whose family had controlled the town since its founding, was kicked out of the home of his birth. A new feudal ruler took over, the baron. The earl was allowed to keep his title and still controls much of the lands in Thessala.

The nobility can be broken into two camps, the nobles who support the current baron, or the supporters of the ousted earl, Iustus. As one may guess, most of the nobles inside the walls of Tavia support Baron. Few travel outside the walls alone; fewer still accept invitations from the earl or his supporters without taking along a taster.

The nobility does not just include the earl and the baron, several noble families make this area their home. Even those whose interests lie outside of Tavia maintain houses or estates within the city. Nobility is not a profession for most, some are members of guilds and many have relations in the church as well. For the most part the nobles of the Old Country, even those in the hinterlands of Thessala, do not seek employment in the imperial bureaucracy, unless it is an appointment to a very high office, perhaps one that would take them to the capital, Iconium.

Noble Chain of Command Chart

The Baron's Court

The Baron hold court on the first and third Wednesday of each month. Anyone can appeal to the baron for redress. If the Kritai has delt with the problem, a commoner has little chance of having the baron intercede. Normallyhe hears only matters involving the defense of the city, realtions with Faerie, or some dispute involving the nobles.

The trick is getting to see him. Nobles have to see the baron's seneschal, Gordian, for an appointment. Gordian, once a Justinan monk, is a very busy man. Minor nobles can be put off for weeks, if one offends Gordian.

Commoners have to run an even longer gauntlet. To have a chance at seeing Gordian you have to get past the baron's gatekeeper, Fronto, one of the most diagreeable and overweight men in Tavia. The wise learn that Fronto has a liking for certain pastries only found at Derca's bakery, in the fae quarter...

If the baron is away then his Baliff, Lord Carellus Asanes, will sit in his seat. Carellus is the right-hand of the baron, a wizard-warrior from the Themes. Carellus is frank and most nobles have learned not to bring up frivolous suits when he sits in for his master.

Other Notables of the Baron's Court:

Galla Agelina Aprene -- The baroness. Galla was raised in a convent until her marriage to the baron. She has borne him five children, four of whom are still alive. She oversees the household and the charitable work of the family. Galla has done much to improve the baron's standing amongst the poor of the city, but has angered some important guildmasters, including the bakers. (During the winter she spontaneously ordered bread to be given away when she saw a starving child begging in the streets.)

Sir Eudaemon Angelos Radenos -- Eudaemon is Galla's twin brother. Eudaemon is a member of the Bishop's Curia (some say at Galla's behest) and somewhat of a thorn in Severus' side. Eudemon always dresses very lavishly.

Brec -- Brec is the court entertainer and interpreter. An unusual choice. She is an Alfar woman of great beauty and wit. The baron is known to take her advice very seriously including her in many private meetings of court, despite the tongue-wagging this provokes.

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— Atrribution