Governance of Settlements

Governance in Duskara is defined by the needs of survival and resource management, varying between the twilight belt cities and the cave settlements. Each community has developed systems that reflect their unique environments while fostering collaboration with their neighbors.

In the twilight belt, city-states operate autonomously under the leadership of a Council of Windkeepers. Reflecting the existential importance of resource management, these councils are typically composed of representatives from the most critical sectors: agriculture, trade, and water management. These key figures are joined by leaders from prominent Wind-Kin families and elected delegates from communal forums, ensuring a balance of specialized expertise and popular will. Leadership often rotates with the changing wind patterns, a practice that ensures flexibility and equitable power distribution, while decision-making is rooted in consensus.

Most twilight settlements operate under seven-member Councils of Windkeepers, with representatives holding specialized roles: water management, agricultural oversight, wind energy systems, trade coordination, and three general governance positions rotating among Wind-Kin leaders. Wind-votes in these councils often employ hand-raising rather than formal urn ceremonies, with decisions recorded when clear majorities form. Emergency audiences—triggered by water judges, Stormwardens, or citizen coalitions presenting crisis evidence—suspend normal procedures, requiring council response within three solar cycles.

Cave settlements, by contrast, are governed by Warmth Circles—smaller councils centered around geothermal hubs. Leadership within these communities is often hereditary but subject to periodic approval by the populace, ensuring accountability. The focus of governance in the caves is internal harmony, with decisions frequently mediated by elder weatherworkers or spiritual leaders who balance practicality with tradition.