Thread:Talk:Velia/Why a federation?/reply

I think those are great questions! I don't think there should be a truly good reason for a confederation - that is, there shouldn't be a reason publicly known. Some individual or force is puppet-mastering or at least influencing the leaders of the cities to band together, and we don't know why. They have kept relative peace between the free cities since the fall of Zeno... but what secret keep the cities from attacking one another? I think it's better to not have a large external threat pushing at the borders, nothing obvious. It sends shiver down my spine to think there is a terrible threat being kept from us, that we must hunt to find before it is too late. Our leaders are keeping something from us, something that could change the world as we know it.

As for what are the cities free from... well, a unified rule I'd imagine. No one power oversees the cities, no singular rule. They are trading partners, sure, as little outside trade is to be had. But they don't want to have one force in control of any other. Each city and its domains has different laws, perhaps with the roads and Portlandia having a common law overseen by the Velian Council and with some accepted forms of arbitration with law jurisdiction disputes. I imagine they'd also regulate trade as they maintain the unified currency.

We haven't come up with even a true elven threat yet, no elven city that ravages our borders. There could be one, of course. All we know so far is that the actions of Paetani have alienated the non-humans, and I imagine most have been killed, isolated themselves, or left the area after the massacre of Yinthaesha. I suppose in the other free cities the elves, dwarves, and halflings might exist... but the elves most likely fear for their lives should they leave the cities - for the roads are patrolled by the Paetani.

Nor have we discussed what sort of monsters plague the lands, if any... those lead to some fun questions. I imagine there would still be threats that would justify having a standing military force besides just the threat of elven retaliation.