Known as "The Black Steel government" in everyday parlance, or even just "Black Steel," the federal government that oversees The Scabbard, Thornton, and the rest of The Edge is officially known as "The Scabbard-Edge Confederation" on diplomatic papers, and in any context where it sounds more impressive or appropriate. In these contexts, the name generally carries the implication that "The Edge" includes most of the jungles and coastline between the Great Divide and The Scabbard, though in reality Black Steel controls only a few small areas in the region, mostly in the immediate vicinity of Thornton. (See regional map.)
The federal government handles foreign relations, from diplomatic negotiations to trade rights to the national defense, but imposes few domestic laws -- all of the few relating either to dealings with foreign people and foreign powers, to establishing basic freedoms for all its citizens that no local government can deny, or to making it possible for the federal government to perform its function. No domestic taxes are imposed; the federal government receives all of its income through customs tariffs and (extremely widespread) investments in local businesses. Local governments have a high degree of local autonomy however, and may impose their own taxes and laws so long as they fall within the laws of the Confederation as a whole. Local rule has shown a tendency toward government by some form of popular vote, but this is not strictly required according to Confederation law -- indeed, as Alluarten and Thestrinarra (and for a long time, the town now known as Thornton) demonstrate, there is no strict requirement for any local government to exist at all -- so long as the people's basic freedoms are not denied by whatever power structure may form instead.
Government: The Scabbard-Edge Confederation's governing body consists of a 24-member cabinet, though there are also two members of the cabinet staff who are accorded voting privileges under certain circumstances, and all officially-appointed ambassadors have the right to introduce legislation, though not to vote on them. The full cabinet meets only occasionally, and its primary role at present is to confirm, reconcile, or overturn the provisional decisions passed by "Interim Councils" -- which amount to cabinet meetings that require smaller, and therefore more achievable, quorums.
History: Black Steel's original leadership was a tight-knit group initially driven together by circumstances and necessity on Lost Soul's Island off the Fire Coast, and forged into a unit by the need to resist their would-be masters in the pirate fiefdom that soon claimed them for its own. This original core prepared and led a group of sailors and warriors, disgruntled with their pirate leadership, to escape the fiefdom and come south to the Broken Sea, their ships laden with recovered pirate treasure. With the development and growth of The Scabbard and later The Edge, the original core has expanded to meet the needs of the people they rule, and whom they serve.
The Scabbard-Edge Confederation has evolved organically into its present form as a series of compromises between its various component factions: Between members of the original Black Steel leadership, later important additions to its ranks, and the towns of The Scabbard and Thornton. As the needs of the young nation have changed, the Cabinet has evolved to meet them, maneuvering the people best-suited to handling the needs of the nation into the best positions from which to do so.
Key government figures: (The Central Cabinet)
Brenlyth Mytras: The Scabbard's highest elected official, the chairman of its Town Council, always represents the Confederation's capital city on the Central Cabinet as Minister of the Scabbard. The current office-holder, Brenlyth Mytras, is a the innovative head of the progressive political party that won this year's Scabbard election in a landslide.
Minister Grynne: Friendly, unassuming, and sometimes shy, Grynned heads Black Steel's Ministry of the Interior, and can always be seen around The Scabbard, keeping an eye on the nation's investments and his ministry's projects around the city. He is quietly competent at the wide-ranging duties of his job, and probably knows every one of the thousands of Scabbard citizens by name.
Admiral Lynethizon: Black Steel's Minister of the Navy is thoroughly familiar with all forms of battle on the high seas; he learned some of his dirtiest tricks in the course of many years as a pirate captain before throwing over his pirate lord to escape with Black Steel. Though his first responsibility is for the flagship Avenger, Lynethizon's responsibilities on the Central Cabinet include ensuring the safety of Black Steel's extensive transport fleet and the many civillian ships that make its harbors their ports of call. He and Scaelorrel naturally work very closely together, to the point where some like to say that Lynethizon is actually Assistant Minister of Defense and Scaelorrel the Assistant Minister of the Navy.
The Honorable Matrix: Black Steel's Foreign Minister and ambassador to Shalasia (the title of "Honorable" is traditionally granted to all ambassadors; it is not a reflection on her character) is an expert negotiator and diplomat; it was Matrix who famously brokered the peace treaty now in force between Shalasia and Espava. She can dominate a room with the sheer force of her commanding presence, in part perhaps simply because of her devastating beauty. Matrix gives everything to her career and the Confederation's foreign interests as a matter of course; though it is said to be a love match, this surely has informed her engagement to be married to Pasha Fokahre, an important member of the Court of Shalaton, with major land-holdings in the iron-rich hills of northern Shalasia.
Chairman Noble: The head of the Cabinet and chair of its meetings, Noble resides in The Scabbard and rarely leaves -- except on vitally important occasions such as the battle for Kaiimar, on which he went to lead Black Steel's troops personally. He is deeply attached (though not officially engaged) to Captain Goldenrod, the Minister of Court Affairs and head of one arm of the Trident -- Black Steel's primary military force.
General Scaelorrel: An expert strategist and tactician, the Black Steel Minister of Defense is responsible for the overall disposition of the nation's armed forces, especially including its Trident rapid-response teams. Scaelorrel is regularly consulted by the other members of the Central Cabinet, to ensure that key locations can be properly defended, and their plans and initiatives will not endanger national security.
