The Truce Palace of the Free Realms
The Truce Palace at Rockport is permanently protected from evil, warfare and curse. Owing to these benefits the rulers of the Free Realms, in 1101YAC mandated virtually unanimously that Rockport was to be the site of the headquarters of the Free Realms inter-realm business. Diplomats from the Free Realms move to stay there semi-permanently in order to conduct inter-realm business. The realms also built a universal sports stadium, arena and training halls for the Free Realms citizenry. Dues from these constructions pay for their upkeep, with all other profits given to the realm of Rockport to pay for the land rents, construction and other matters.
Even evil-aligned beings can enter the Truce Palace grounds or the other facilities, but they should be aware of the following effects:
1. Special abilities unique to undead and evil metahumans will not function in the Truce Palace or the other compounds.
2. Only diplomatic business allows the presence of hostiles within the truce palace. If a member of a threat race comes to the palace but either acts with evil intent outside it or breaks the truce conditions inside the palace, they are stripped of their powers whilst in Rockport's hex. If this for example negates the connection to the Negative Material Plane for an undead, they would instantly be slain.
3. Truce Palace is on Rockport but is extraterritorial. All Palace staff and guests are hosted by Rockport and are bound by its laws, except insofar as is necessary to facilitate a particular truce or negotiation. However, all taxes and fees of Rockport are payable.
4. Only Rockport military and militia units provide security for the Truce Palace.
5. Rockport's rough and ready legal system is in now way abridged by the inter-realms laws agreed by the Free Realms. They come to Rockport as if to any other "neutral zone".
6. Except where potential membership of the Free Realms alliance would say otherwise, Rockport is free to pursue its manifest destiny in any way shape or form it desires.
7. Hostile or damage-causing spellcasting will not function within the Truce Palace by fiat of the Immortal protecting the palace.
8. As far as is possible the Truce Palace functions as an open neutral-aligned high temple to negotiation, statecraft and peacekeeping. Any undead within its boundaries are treated as having been automatically rebuked, no save allowed.
9. The Truce Palace can expressly NOT provide any form of sanctuary to criminals or wolfsheads.
10. Due to the total war nature of certain conflicts, when total war is declared on an entity, its nation or its armies, no such person, group or creature can be brought to Truce Palace in any way, shape or form as there is no possibility of truce.
11. Rockport's Truce Island is to be heralded wherever Bellmen and Bards gather or spread news as the official Court to which Free Realms business must be brought.
12. A noble who does not and never has ruled a Free Realm is to be appointed to be the Prince or Princess of the Free Realms Truce Palace. This person is the master or mistress of the compound for all purposes and their vote is the tiebreaking vote in any debate or resolution of the Free Realms.
13. Respecting Rockport's freedom and sovereignty, nevertheless Haranlarche, Ienos, the Eastern Empire, Greenport, Cliff City, Zakhara, Aquatica and the Dinosaur Hegemony all will be providing elements for a Truce Flotilla. This flotilla of mixed vessels will be patrolling permanently the waters between Harandeep, Ienos and the Black Dog Straits in the so-called Dread Triangle. The Dread Triangle Flotilla will not enter Rockport territorial waters, but will be the surface patrol militia for the Dreadsea (in an effort to cut down on piracy, which now accounts for more than 25% of all shipping losses despite the destruction of Bloodport).
14. Lyndorea will be the alternate seat of Free Realms inter-realm government in the event that Rockport is annihilated.
15. Only an absolute majority vote of members of the Free Realms in good standing can authorise a Savage, Barbarian, Foreign or Enslaved Realm to stand in council of the Free Realms before the Free Realms Assembly. All unsuccessful plaintiffs for such a cause will be attending otherwise as individuals of no formal standing.