The Concordate

The Concordate is the governing body of Crownhold and, through it, of the Vale of Fingers. It was established by the Crown Concordia, the accord struck after the rebellion that ended the old monarchy, and it holds authority collectively, as a council of representatives rather than a single crowned head. The last king's crown is kept vaulted in Crownhold, neither worn nor destroyed, a standing reminder of the rule that was set aside.

From Crownhold the Concordate negotiates law, settles disputes before they harden into war, and administers the institutions of the city, among them the courts, the archives, and the Great Library, whose doors do not open easily. In recent months its temper has tightened: new ordinances, closed sections, and a reinforced watch, set against a disquiet its members do not name plainly.