Allow me to disagree somewhat. What we know about the Hendreiki is that freedom is at the center of their society. Some three centuries ago, King Andrin transformed the Hendreiki tribe into the Kingdom of Heortland, replacing clan chieftains with sheriffs, apportioning the kingdom into marches ruled by barons, and appointed earls to oversee the barons. However, from what we know, these royal officers do not form a true hereditary aristocracy. These officials are (or were) regarded as keepers of the Hendreiki freedom.
That is not necessarily the same thing as a "top down style" - you still have clans, clan councils, and traditional Orlanthi life. Of the three tribes of the Heortland, three (the Volsaxi, the Jondalarings, and the Hurlantings) fall within the range of traditional Heortlings. However, it did create something of a "overclass" dependent on royal patronage and not upon the local communities that did not traditionally exist in Heortling cultures.
I suspect that there are some strong similarities between the organization of the cities of Sartar and of Heortland.
The Esvulari are different, of course.
> > Finally, I suspect there is a serious undercurrent of longing
for old
> > glories in Karse (i.e. before the CreekStreamRiver was stolen
from
> > them), so there may be some archaic governing structures kept in
> > place as a symbol of past glories.
IIR, Karse is originally a Pelaskite settlement and is probably significantly different from places like Jansholm or Durengard. However, I don't know how much of a Pelaskite identity exists there anymore, since it has been dominated by Heortlings for a very long time. Probably most folk in Karse are Heortlings. I really don't think the old Midkemia Carse product is terribly on-point though.
Jeff
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