Sila Marco Velen			Almirante
	The nominal leader of Merochas, Sila is a veteran Merochasan politician.  That is to say, he is a corrupt one.  Sila is coming to the end of his first five-year appointment to the Almirantasco, and would like to continue for at least another five years.  He has managed to exact, extort, gouge, and squeeze every veryt possible from his subordinates and the enormous amount of trade moving through his city.  He has been admitted to the ranks of the Casas Menoras (no small feat, and not cheaply obtained), provisional upon his retirement from the Almirantasco.  He has also purchased a small estate near Vrailas, but now needs more funds to refurbish and outfit his Vinca.  Sila is determined to hand an established Casa over to his son Averro.  Averro's mother Isavela is a mousy little woman, who stays closeted at the estate and does her best to care for Averro.  Sila rarely visits his family, preferring to spend most of his available free time in the city with his mistress Josevina Tea Rosario.

 

	Clautio Jose Meca			Ministro te Trueque y'Aranceles
	Clautio is the wealthiest official currently in civic office.  As Ministro te Trueque y'Aranceles, Clautio is head of all atuaneros in Merochas, and collects his cut of any bribes or confiscated cargoes.  Clautio passes along a portion of his cut to the Almirante, but keeps the largest portion for himself.  Clautio is a wily merchant, and has wisely invested the proceeds in several profitable ventures.  As a result, Clautio is quite rich, and is looking to buy himself an adoption into one of the Casas Crantas - he just hasn't decided which one.  Clautio is privately convinced that Sila's days are numbered, and is looking to back out of civic office before the inevitable blood-letting begins.

 

	Octavio Velipe Cuajan			Ministro te Malecones
	Octavio is a rugged middle-aged man of mixed Merochasan and Belaquini descent, who has worked his way into a position of comfort and influence.  As head of the Tepartmento te Malecones, Octavio arranges for the maintenance and operation of the various docks, dikes, gates, pumps, and other harbor and canal facilities.  Octavio's responsibilities are very important to the continued prosperity of the city.  As a result, Octavio is able to arrange contract work in such a way as to spread civic spending around to various Casas while at the same time skimming his cut off the top.  So far, he has also managed to ensure that the work done is performed in a tolerably conscientious fashion, and thus avoid any embarassing disasters. Octavio is also responsible for the maintenance and operation of various "civic" landmarks as the Colesio and Teatro, and the various government buildings, etc.

 

	Emilio Zaro Tiojenes			Capitane-Major tel Cuartia Civil
	Capitane-Major Tiojenes is the head of the Cuartia Civil, which enforces the peace in all cities and major towns in Merochas, as well as enforcing less popular civic laws.  The Cuartia is just as corrupt as any other government institution, and its officers expect to receive a small "bonus" for doing their job well - i.e. anyone who is obviously innocent, but lacks influence, may be charged anyway unless they offer a bribe to the Cuartianos involved.  Portions of these bribes pass their way up, in various forms (a favor, a switch in scheduled shifts, etc.) to the Capitane-Major.  Emilio doesn't make as much of a profit as his counterparts in the atuaneros or malecones, but he has amassed a comfortable savings while in the Cuartia.  He is fairly young (mid-thirties), has made regular gifts to the Almirante and members of the Consejo, and expects to continue as Capitane-Major for quite a few more years before retirement.

 

	Patricio Tristan te Lieja Remajeos			Capitane-Cenerale tel Armata
	Capitane-Cenerale Patricio is a distinguished Armatator and a very capable commander.  He has maintained Merochasan naval superiority against Mekystani privateers and Zurian corsairs, and has protected the valuable trade routes between Merochas and Ixtas, Karatas, and Bustaba.  He is well-liked by most of the Casas (both Crantas and Menoras), and is respected by his officers and men. Patricio is also a childless widower who has come to increasingly fear death, and has joined one of the sectas misterioso (mystery cults) that have recently become so popular among certain "fashionable" Merochasans.  His behavior has become erratic and disjointed at times, and his close friends and aides are becoming very concerned for him.  So far, no-one has taken any overt action, but his behavior cannot be kept secret much longer.

 

	Tacito Petro Luis Ruano			Comantante-Cenerale tel Ejercito
	The Comantante-Cenerale tel Ejercito has served in various companias mercenarios since the age of fifteen.  He was born to a family of Jyvelan farmers near the Merochasan border.  When he was ten, bandits raided his home and killed most of his family.  Left with only his little sister and no ready means of income, Tacito took his sister to distant relatives in Cotaviya.  He worked there for several years, but mistreatment by his relatives drove him to join a compania mercenarios headed into Telrak.  Over thirty years later, Tacito has achieved the highest military position available in Merochas, the commander of all Merochasan land forces.  Tacito is an expert at the tactics of maneuver and position, and prefers to avoid pitched battle whenever possible.  This is one major reason why Tacito was appointed as the Comantante-Ceneral (the others being that he has avoided offending most of the Casas Crantas and has accepted the right recalos (gifts) to perform various tasks for some of the Casas).  Tacito has not been so careful with the Casas Menoras, however, and many of them dislike his methods, which have on occasion resulted in lost crops and slaughtered herds in several border communities.  Tacito knows who his true masters are, though, and is confident that he can continue to please them while ignoring the squabbles of the menoras.