The City of FreePort
FreePort City is currently under the rule of Count Gerald Iseman who will be the last in the Iseman line to rule. Every 75 years FreePort city holds a general election that takes place throughout the entire year to pick the new successor to the city. 
While it is democratic, (and everyone is allowed to vote including children) voters do not choose a single count. Instead, the yearlong procedure is there to pick a family who will rule for three generations until the grandchild (or third generation) dies. And should the death of the family members come before the first or second generation is born or can rule, another family member closest to them will fill the spot until the 75 years have passed.
Never in the history of FreePort’s democracy been a time where there has not been a family member or distant relation to rule as a member of the elected lineage. It is for that reason that the election process takes one full year. During the time, businesses and organizations slow their work, events are canceled or scaled down and all but the necessary city projects are halted, all to focus on finding the proper family. Nominations are taken for five years before the election year so the actual year of the election can be devoted entirely to in a sense, interrogating the family to find mental, physical and ideological problems that might send FreePort in the wrong direction (not to mention finding a man or woman with plenty of children and/or siblings).
FreePort is the third most populous city in Atla and is currently the sixth largest in land area. Because it is a major port city, it is perhaps the most diverse when it comes to religions and cultural representation. Though it does have a huge population, a good portion of the residents are gone many months out of the year working as sailors, traders or in the military. Every one of the five major religions are represented to at least some degree, with the followers of Gent and Atla representing a combined 75% of the city’s population.
The city is separated by three walls that run from the north to the south coast creating, with the west coastline, a near perfect square. Inside the wall is the urban center where all the shops, markets, warehouses and other industrial facilities are located (not to mention the houses and hotels). Along the wall there are also three long boulevards positioned against the three walls that have smaller shops and hold the unintentionally segregated communities. The north boulevard at its western end is home to the followers of Vos. The eastern boulevard on either side of the main gate is home to the followers of Steyman. And in the south east corner the followers of Desanna have grouped together.
Because the city is so diverse, it is by necessity that everyone has become tolerant of other religions and lifestyles. That does not mean however, that the groups of people do not stick together primarily. These pseudo-segregated areas were formed again, not by intolerance, but by fellowship. Originally founded by followers of Gent, immigrants who came to FreePort for work tended to move in and build their houses next to people they either knew before, or had something in common with, which more often than not was their religion. Because of this, the first families to follow Desanna built their houses away from the first group, and attracted more followers of Desanna. In this way, the city continued to grow in separate areas, slowly forming the separate communities.
Outside FreePort’s protective wall is the farming area which, though it includes 75% of the land, only holds 20% of the population. Dozens of other cities and villages are scattered throughout the Valley of Gent, however they are not considered part of FreePort city, as the farming area is. It is here that much of the food for the city is produced. Because of FreePort’s isolated location on Atla, the only way to reach it being by boat (or the deadly cliffs), it remains self-sufficient despite the quantity of traded goods that are available. Consumable goods traded to Atla usually come in the form of exotic produce and alcohol, and the occasional supplement of vegetables during rough seasons. While the exact date is unknown, the ancient people of FreePort began transporting animals from the rest of Atla to the valley. While the exact nature of the legend of the cliffs is unknown, records do show that a massive flood destroyed most everything in the valley thousands of years ago. This killed off most flora and fauna. When the area was settled again, the people were forced to reintroduce animals to have any chance of surviving.
FreePort is the trading capital of Atla and a mandatory stop for all goods coming from outside the continent. Whether it’s coconut and pineapple from the archipelago or rice and bamboo from the land of Feron, they all stop at FreePort’s many, many docks and harbors before they can reach their final destination. Fitting for such a huge number of travelers and sailors, the city is also home to the provinces largest bar. And it isn’t just size that sets the bar apart from any other. Run by Jonas Heckler, (an eccentric decorator to say the least), the bar has been built into a mini Velwythe. The multi-storied structure is divided into separate rooms, each designed in a theme based around the diverse cultures and styles of Velwythe.
With the current plans for the railline to connect FreePort to the rest of Atla through the cliffs of Gent, the volume of goods shipped and processed is expected to double within five years of raillines completion. There is however, a great deal of opposition to the railline for a variety of reasons. From destroying Atla’s greatest national treasure to the inability of FreePort’s already cramped inner walls to handle the inevitable population explosion, few citizens are excited about the changes. And to make matters worse, Count Iseman has remained silent on the issue for several years. Though very few outbreaks of violence have resulted from the Count’s silence, protests and general unrest are widespread throughout the city. For the first time since the formation of the provinces, whispers and murmurs of impeachment are growing louder every day. No word has been officially given in regards to the Count’s resignation–or stance on the railline. Should the current Count be impeached (which would be the first time in the modern city’s history) the city council would take up all the duties of managing the city until a new family would be selected (as happens during every election year). If in fact the Count is impeached, immediately after the decision the entire city will begin the lengthy search for a new family in exactly the same way it would take place under normal circumstances.