[IC] Council Meeting
Council meeting.
(IC - All of this takes place inside the ward)
A council meeting is a daily event, held in the most central chamber of the central keep. It's the brain of the city, with major proclamations being decided by 11 of the city's most influencial citizens. You'd expect opulance, as most of the central portions of the city were reserved for the wealthy, but the actual chamber was fairly austere.
The central chamber was a large room with few furnishings, all ancient looking. A huge stone table took up the center. There were 11 much newer looking ornate wooden chairs seats, with three empty seats of a more plebian varety for pertenent witnesses. Each chair was plainly marked by the family crest or title of whoever sat in it. In the corner of the room were 4 guards, a few pages to run errands, and a sternographer.
The largest chair was reserved for Doge Maria-Anna Mongiello, an older figure in garments of silk. Her eyes were literal amethysts with a light glow - it was known she'd had them replaced when her vision began fading. She'd never actually been the guild master of the tailor/seamster guilds by law, but she'd been a judge at so many of her family's contests that there wasn't a guild in the city that respected their judgement.
Earnesto Lorenzi took another seat. He was the youngest, by far, on the council, but his family's previous generation had done quite well in furthering their interests. He wore more leather and fur on his outfit than the others, common among younger nobles who considered themselves slightly adventurous. In terms of pure wealth, the Lorenzi were probably the the wealthiest in the room. He was perhaps the least guarded of those on the council, either owing to his youth or his security in his seat. Or was he simply projecting this in the face of older more experienced faces?
Cicero Falcheetto was a man in his late middle age. His outfit was the most plain here, leather, without the fur of ernesto, and not a drop of color, though he did sport a few metalic bands here and there. Cicero sported a number of scars and wore an empty scabbard on his back - no one walked into the council chamber armed, but the man had a reputation for getting his hands dirty, and the scabbard sent a certain reminder.
Cosimo Del Shiavonne was another man in his late middle age, but rumor indicated he might be significantly older than he looked. He had, rather famously, left the university before completing his phyisicians degree to go treasure hunting, and returned 10 years later and been welcomed into the family with little fanfare. His choice on the the council to replace the previous Shiavonne had been something of a shock. He was tanned and well travelled, but wore modern Vissian fashions.
Finally, Carmine Zustignan took the last of the great houses seats. She was in her late 30's, and had heavily campaigned for additional imports of clockwork experts to expand her family's industry. It was unusual to have such an ambitious member of the Zustignans on the council, but she'd tempered her ambition while acting as her family's representative. Her silk outfits had many small charms and mechanical wonders acquired from years of study from abroad.
There were, of course, other council members in attendance, but few let their personality show through their duty. Fernando D'Aldez was the current mayor of the city, a guild member of the coupers, who had, through desperately pleading to all for good will, somehow managed to keep his seat for three years after his predecessor had mysteriously vanished (not the first in that position to do so).
Fernando appeared to be chairing the meeting that day "Very well then. The matter is adjourned. Next matter is a petition by a representative of the Barbaroman:, who wishes to address the council. He has stated that it's regarding a matter of safety to the city itself, a potential threat one of his associates have discovered."
The head of the local guard looked interested. "Really?"
Earnesto Lorenzi laughed "Anyone care to wager that this involves the word of thieves? 100 Cicari it does."
Carmine Zustignan spoke up "Point of order: Wagers in the council chambers are against our procedures."
Fernando jumped in: "Lady Carmine, I am certain this was meant in jest. Yes?"
Cosimo De Shiavonne interjected "Of course, he's probably not wrong. We should hear about this anyway, yes?"
There were general assent on the council, and Vasati and "the Messenger" were shown in.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:44, Mon 22 June 2020.