THE CHURCH
The “Diocese” of Eldred’s Cross is unique in that it is a single parish instead of several, and has only one church, the great Cathedral of Saint Michael de Luminus.  Although the population could certainly support more church structures, the physical area The Cross occupies puts its residents in close proximity to the cathedral, negating the need for others.  Despite the rough nature of life in the city, the majority of its residents are still practicing Cuthbertians, and St. Michaels holds (1) Mass per day, plus Midnight Mass, and Masses on Sunday.  Weekday services have light attendance, but on Sunday the cathedral is crowded, and is standing room only.

Tithing for the Church is lower in The Cross than elsewhere in the Empire.  Therefore, services provided by the clergy (especially Divine Spells) cost triple the normal rate as in other parts of the Imperium.  In addition, the Church squeezes further funds out of the military for providing mass blessings of troops, consecrated burials, etc.  In Florenta, the Cardinal has decreed that a larger portion of general Church funds be given to The Cross in order to make up for the deficiency, as he recognizes the very real morale crisis which would result if the Church did not stand strong in a military city during time of war.

In Eldred’s Cross the Church fulfills all its usual obligations; Priests perform weddings, funerals, blessings, family counseling.  Nuns attend the needs of the poor and sick, care for orphans and operate schools.  Monks assist in running the schools, and in carrying out the day-to-day labor of keeping the church running.

By unofficial Cardinal’s decree, Grand Inquisitors are not permitted to perform their office within the city.  In a place such as The Cross, it would result in devastation and the collapse of one of the most vital places in the Imperium.  Naturally, this does not sit well with the Inquisition, and they have been known on occasion to run unsanctioned black-ops into The Cross to purge a particularly evil element.  This is infrequent, and as a result of their absence, several truly evil beings have achieved a solid foothold within the city.

Under the office of its current Bishop, the Church in Eldred’s Cross is not the dominant, not-to-be-disobeyed force it is in other corners of the Imperium.  Brothels and rowdy taverns, streetwalkers and a bold Facci element are not condoned, but are wearily tolerated as the price of doing business in a military city.  This is not to say the Church is powerless, only that The Cross has a weak Bishop.  There are individuals within the organization who are true to Cuthbert’s teachings, and work tirelessly to combat evil and defend the faith.  These strong personalities are also tolerated by the Bishop, who does little to keep them in check.  As a result, they work almost independently, using their own faith and morality as a guide.  Regardless of how far from active practicing one of the faithful may have drifted, few people (be they noble or common) are eager to interfere with a St. Michael’s paladin intent on shutting down a brothel for a night, or who has identified a masquerading undead in a crowded tavern hall…

Religious holidays are as follows; Christmas (in December) is a one day event celebrating the birth of Cuthbert.  Palm Sunday (April) celebrates the week prior to the savior’s crucifixion, and includes a special mass where palm leaves, imported from Tenedor and Thippus, are given to the faithful and fashioned into crosses.  Ash Wednesday (April) includes quiet services where the faithful receive a smudge of ash on the forehead to remind them of the crucifixion.  Easter Sunday (April) marks Cuthbert’s resurrection.  All these are low-key celebrations in the cathedral and home.  The most popular holiday is in May, the Feast of San Gennaro, which involves a week-long festival of religious parades, dances, street fairs and food.  It is celebrated by the faithful & non-believers alike (who simply enjoy the fun and festive atmosphere.

Secular holidays include the Emperor’s Birthday (June), Festa Eldred (August; a 2-day celebration of the House of Eldred,) and the Day of the Fallen (October), a Veteran’s-Day-style celebration of military men & women who have fallen in action.  It is a day of military parades, formations, speeches and martial music.

MERCHANTS & GUILDS
As in other cities within the Empire, merchants and guildsmasters enjoy considerable prosperity and influence.  In The Cross, the three guilds represented are the Teamsters (overseeing all overland transport, caravans, carts & wagons, stables & all beasts of burden), the Merchants (overseeing all buying and selling of goods) and the Tradesmen (overseeing all aspects of construction [carpenters, masons, plasterers, painters, engineers, roofers, etc.] and manufacturing [smiths of all types, leathermen, tailors & weavers, woodworkers, even artists]).   These guilds are powerful, for nothing gets done in The Cross without their involvement… not even the war effort.  If a person is engaged in any of the mentioned activities, he/she must belong to the guild, or be pushed out of the city… sometimes literally.  So in addition to paying entry tolls, market tariffs, merchant taxes and resident taxes, these people must pay dues to the guild.  Naturally, all costs are passed along to the consumer, so prices tend to be higher in The Cross than elsewhere.

LAW & JUSTICE
Duke Lucius Eldred is known for his decisive rulings and strict punishments.  Because The Cross is home to a rough, untamed folk, the Duke sees the only way to keep order is to enforce the limited rules with an iron fist.  Therefore, the city’s dungeons are large and deep, its gallows and headsman’s block active, and the penalties for breaking the law severe and final.  In extreme circumstances there is also Iron Trees Prison, mere days away from the North Gate… The High Constable is a very powerful figure in Eldred’s Cross, and his fatherly demeanor and kindly smile masks a truly ruthless personality.  His men are incredibly loyal to him and to the Dukedom.  He is feared by the Facci, despite their strength.

Members of The Watch of Eldred’s Cross
THE WATCH is a force of 250 men & women dedicated to law enforcement and firewatch/firefighting duty.  They patrol the streets, market and docks day and night, break up fights, apprehend criminals, keep order, provide security at gatherings and public executions, guard court proceedings, escort those ministers who do not have their own bodyguards, protect Tariff Officers and Tax Collectors, escort strongboxes of gate tolls to the Ministry of Accounting, fight fires and provide directions for visiting travelers.  In times of attack they supplement the Guard on the walls and at the gates.  Low to mid-level fighters, their ranks have a sprinkling of low-level spell-casters to provide a little extra punch.  They are the real law on the street, respected and appreciated by most, feared and hated by others, and just as vulnerable to bribery as watchmen in other cities (though one must be careful… the offer of a bribe to the wrong Watchman can quickly result in a public hanging for ‘Attempted Bribery of a Public Official.’)

These watchmen are not heroes.  They are good fighters, perform a job, are dedicated to it, and have a strong moral core… but they are not stupid.  They will not pursue a fleeing Facci member into the sewers, will not risk injury by going against ridiculous odds and jumping into dock brawls, and are easily scattered by a forceful show of magic.  They come back, however, with much more strength…  Such is the authority of the average watchman that she is well within her right to pump a few crossbow bolts into a potentially dangerous or disruptive individual and let the Constable sort it out later… almost always in the Watchman’s favor.  Killing an Eldred’s Cross Watchman is a deadly proposition.  The wheels of government will grind to a halt, and the full force of the Dukedom will be brought to bear until justice is served.  Even the Facci will not kill a Watchman unless it absolutely cannot be avoided, and in such a case it had better be sanctioned in advance by Zephira, or the offending Rogue will find himself literally delivered into the hands of the Constable.  Knocking a watchman out with a blow to the head is a different matter entirely, and is accepted on both sides of the law.  To the Constable’s mind, this serves as a good lesson to The Watch to keep their wits about them, and a warning of what could have happened…
           
Gaolers handle the care of prisoners, run the dungeons and carry out all executions.  They tend to be an ugly, grubby, brutish lot, and members of The Watch do not associate with them.