The City Ward

Director Conner Iessan
The Ward is operated by Connall "Conner" Iessan, who is the Director of the security force that all District Leaders turn to when requiring extra help in their district, and upholds a basic minimum of order in the Districts without a Leader.

Once the leader of the spy network for the Oligarchy, it was a natural transition for Conner to take charge of all identities that were loyal to him, and continue using them as he saw fit in order to police the city's supernatural for the better good. The Ward upholds many of the laws that were put into place by the Oligarchy before it fell in 2012.

Haven Crest (Headquarters)
Located in the city central district, much like an embassy of neutral ground, sits the Haven Crest complex.

Haven Crest is a large building with a courtyard and pond. The building itself is comprised of three floors and a basement. The shape of the building is an H, with freshly refaced brick walls. A broad flagstone path leads from the parking area to the building, making a rectangle around the entire structure, and leads to the two side doors on the west and east sides. The small lawns have been converted into sitting gardens, and are bordered on the outside by the path. The sitting areas are designed to offer sanctuary from the loud and noisy environment around them. Tall evergreen hedges present a selection of private spaces where one might enjoy one\'s lunch outside, or simply find a moment of privacy under the sky. These small spaces are outfitted with a tasteful selection of stone or wrought iron benches, and the occasional birdbath.

At the back the center of the H is not a path, but a pebbled courtyard, with a small man-made koi pond just near the reaches of the building. A high wrought iron fence with ornate, but still quite sharp, spikes at the top keeps unwanted guests out. A row of tall, narrow evergreen bushes provide a windbreak and a backdrop to the fence. The courtyard has four stone benches among corniced gardens, ensuring a rather symmetrical and formal feel of the old-world.

The street side of the H is devoted to business offices, currently vacant and awaiting occupants. The back side of the H is rented out as apartments available on a monthly, annual, or semiannual basis. The center section of the H is devoted to facilities such as laundry, rental offices, and the like.

Ward Law
Ward Law is intended to provide a relatively safe and peaceful environment in the city, as well as keep organizations that might think to overthrow District Leaders in check. The City Ward gives way to District Leaders in their own District, but in unclaimed territories, Ward Law is the only official law. In quick summary form, the City Ward's rules are as follows:


 * District Law overrules Ward Law.
 * You must get approval from a District Authority or a Ward Agent before revealing the supernatural to a human. If someone finds out, report it immediately.
 * Mortal humans have no rights unless issued them specifically by a District Authority or the City Ward. The Risk/Venture tattoo also grants these rights.
 * Supernaturals may not destroy buildings or other noticeable structures in a way that can't be explained to mortals.
 * Do not use any supernatural abilities in front of the unaware unless they can be explained away.
 * All werewolves are to contain themselves properly and responsibly during the full moon. Any accidental transformation must be reported to a District Authority or to the City Ward.
 * Passing the werewolf curse is prohibited.
 * Gang activity and anarchist movements will not be tolerated.
 * Murder of another supernatural is prohibited.
 * Any reckless activity that the City Ward deems to be a threat to secrecy or peace will be dealt with as the City Ward deems appropriate.
 * The City Ward may do as they see fit in the Unclaimed Territories to maintain a basic level of peace and safety.

What "Neutral Territory" means to your character
The Haven Crest Complex is the center of the City Ward's territory and operations. The City Ward claims its territory as neutral, answering to no District Authority but the council of District Leaders as a whole. This territory is a small island that barely interrupts the territory around it, only the nine city blocks on which Haven Crest sits and borders, and it is not the policy of the City Ward to offer political asylum by default.

If a person is pursued by a District Authority into the City Ward's territory, an agent will immediately be dispatched to investigate and bring the individuals in question to the Ward's leadership for evaluation. This policy is intended to provide some measure of shelter from potentially extreme District actions without unnecessarily interfering with their jurisdiction. In most cases, the subject will be turned over to the relevant District Leader without a fuss - provided they accept the armed escort to Haven Crest peacefully. If either party resists, they will be brought in by force; if they do manage to escape, they will be tracked by the City Ward and brought in by whatever means the City Ward Enforcement Director deems necessary, and their District Leader will be notified immediately.

The City Ward maintains a very tight security net around their small space, for obvious reasons. If you are a supernatural on City Ward territory, you are being watched. Cameras and enchantments are used as well as spies and plainclothes eyes-and-ears. A not-so-subtle enchantment has been laid on the streets on the edges of the territory that gives any supernatural crossing it a very slight buzz, a mental feeling much like the sensation of a vibrating cellphone, with a similar duration. For the humans, or exceptionally dense, Conner has had a thin gouge cut in the pavement and concrete around the perimeter; it's easily visible to the naked eye, mostly because the city went with the cheap fix on the vandalism and covered them with thick, ugly, bulging black sealant. If you cross this line and you are not being pursued by a District Authority, or the City Ward, but are in danger, you will receive assistance from a Ward Agent as soon as they can get to you. This may be a couple of minutes, or it may be nearly instant.

What a District Authority is, as defined by the City Ward
Any known agent, enforcer, or representative of a District Leader or their governmental structure.

What a District Leader is, as defined by the City Ward
Any individual who was appointed as such at the restructuring of the Oligarchy, or who has been named successor to such a post and accepted by a majority of the District Council; also, any agent or office created in due course by the District Council to represent their interests and the interests of the supernatural community. The City Ward maintains that the Oligarchy's authority is unbroken; the only legitimate authority is that which is put into place, or acknowledged by, the District Council. Any other claims to authority or territory have little to no influence on the Ward's behavior, although some consideration is given to powerful and respectable organizations such as Sacramentum and peaceful Strongholds.

Ward Law
The City Ward has few laws, as their guidelines are solely meant to preserve the secrecy of the supernatural and keep general peace. Each District has laws that may be redundant, or may conflict with, Ward Law. If conflicts between District Law and Ward Law come up, the relevant District Leaders are made aware of the case and may override Ward Law. If an infraction occurs in an area that has no District Leader, only Ward Law will be enforced unless the matter is brought before the District Council.

District Law
The City Ward enforces District Law in Districts where the District Leader has reached an arrangement of mutual support with the City Ward. In these cases, there will be no conflict between Ward Law and District Law, as the District Law will be checked for possible conflict before the arrangement is finalized and a compromise reached.

Stronghold
The City Ward recognizes that, in various situations, forms of authority outside of the District setup may arise. These are referred to as Strongholds; places where a non-District authority has taken control, or where a particular species has claimed a domain as theirs. Strongholds are defined as one of two situations. A leader as claimed territory for themselves, and has means of maintaining some form of authority there; or a specific species has gained dominance in the area, either by near-exclusive population or by general consensus. The City Ward does not recognize the authority of Strongholds, but consideration is given to their claims and boundaries. As always, criminal gang activity or any attempt to undermine the authority of the District Council will not be tolerated.