The city state of Markham is ruled not by a single man but by a Council, made up of men and women of the most important roles in the city. These include:
Trade Guildmaster/Guildmistress: The man or women elected to speak on the matter of trade in the council by the many trade guilds. The recent Guildmasters are responsible for Markham’s growth but also have stunted its ability to compete with the likes of Starkhaven and Kirwall due to unnecessary penny-pinching.
Lord of the Watch: This is arguably the most powerful positions in Markham. The Lord of the Watch is in charge of the Watch, Markham’s police and military force and is responsible for the internal safety of the city as well as the external patrols of the trade routes. If war is declared against the city, it is the Lord of the Watch that takes overall command of the city until all hostilities are ceased. The man currently in position of this title is Aldred Thorne, the third of the house to carry the name Lord of the Watch. In recent days however, Aldred has grown increasingly sick and he is soon expected to pass the position down onto his eldest son, a captain in the Watch and Keeper of the Northen Paths.
Knight-Commander of the Templar Order: A lesser role than the name suggests mainly due to the fact that Markham’s Circle is small. The Order is currently under a dark cloud due to the corruption uncovered about the previous holder of the title, Knight-Commander Arabella's father. There is also much tension between the Watch and the Templars since, due to the small size of the Templar garrison, the Watch often unknowingly investigates crimes before realising they of a mystical nature, unintentionally cutting them out of their own duties.
First Enchanter of the Mages Circle: As with the Knight-Commander the role is somewhat stunted due to the smaller size of the Circle in comparison to other cities. They have a very low number of runaways due to smaller nature of the Templar presence in the city. The previous First Enchanter recently past away and was replace by a young mage named Kaltha, a hot-headed and rash woman. She is often requesting the Lord of the Watch's council in matters, which further angers the Templar Order.
Alieange Elder: A newly created position made due to the recent influx of elves in the alienage. The Elder speaks for the elves inside the alienage, requesting aid and helping with the statistical problems with the large number of elves living in the city. It is widely believed that it was Aldred Thorne, the current Lord of the Watch, and his reluctance to allow race to determine place that drew in so many elves from other cities for a chance at a fair shot at a life. Councilman Suledin is the present Elder, a grey haired man possessing a deadily serious disposition and fiercly protective of the rights and freedoms of his people in Markham.
Should a meeting between the cities of the Free Marches be called, a representative from the Councilmen will be elected to go. Although it is commonly the Lord of the Watch who is elected due to his or her intimate knowledge of Markham’s military status, it is not unheard of for another Councilman to be sent.