Onsruur

The Onsruur was the council of lords that ruled Khôltar, south Faerûn, for centuries. It was originally the name of a council member that codified the laws in place at the time, known as the Decrees of Onsruur, and over the years the name came to be used for both the code of laws, the legislative body that formed them, and the families that were members.

Organization
The Onsruur was a council of twenty voting members, one from each of the twenty most powerful families in Khôltar. Other family members may have been able to attend council meetings, but each family only got one vote. The organization had practically complete control over the Iron City, regardless of who was elected Belarkh (ruling lord).

Activities
The Onsruur were responsible for passing laws, paying the garthraun (police) to enforce the laws and defend the city, paying the malgart (judges) to administer the laws in court, set tax policy, set trade policy with other entities, and generally keep order so that things didn't interfere with business.

Tactics
Over the years, the Onsruur consolidated its power until it was essentially absolute. Even though the people elected the Belarkh, the Onsruur were the only ones allowed to nominate a person to run for the office. Typically, they chose a war hero or a successful crafter that they groomed and trained for the office, making sure that the person was wholly in their pocket and would speak their words, allowing the Onsruur to work behind the scenes. Those that thwarted the Onsruur's wishes or tried to push their own agenda usually met with a fatal accident or died of an abrupt sickness (brought on by poison).

Base of Operations
The Onsruur chambers were in the smaller of the two towers that were part of High Khôltar&mdash;the fortress/mansion in which the Belarkh was allowed to reside. Each family had their own opulent residence, most of which were clustered around the intersections of the Iron Way with Erethorn's Ride and Suldroon Street in the heart of the Iron City, in the district known as "Deep Coin".

Possessions
Each Onsruur House hired their own, heavily armed, bodyguards, rather than trust their security to the garthraun. Most of these were human and former mercenaries or adventurers, but other races, including yuan-ti, were represented in their number.