The beleaguered city of Longwater

The elven city of Vayapara "Longwater" is in some trouble.  They came through the apocalypse well enough, even growing in the years since.  New buildings have gone up and new ships have been built.  Their motto is Prosperity and Sovereignty, written on their flag and over the gates, but lately they haven't seemed to have much of either.

(unknown artist c.1850)

Longwater is one of the more northerly elven cities that survived, lying on a natural harbor surrounded by densely-forested pine hills.  As you approach the city, the first thing you'll notice are the uniformed military sentries bearing muskets.  If you're a human, they probably won't let you pass.  Humans have been raiding the outlying farms and settlements regularly, and elves aren't always careful to distinguish one tribe of humans from another.

Outside

Closer to the city, you come across great fields of alfalfa and pastures with a few cattle grazing.  There's a long building where a number of giants are gathered, a mission where they come to trade and learn the ways of the elven religion.

The city itself has a wooden palisade on the landward side, with watchtowers flying the white-and-tan, the striped flag of Longwater.  Just outside the palisade are a number of miniature wooden houses, brightly painted, mounted on poles a few feet off the ground.  (You might recognize these as spirit houses, places for lost spirits of the dead to dwell until they can be collected up and returned to the temple.)

(A. M. Vastnetsov)

At dawn, the gate is opened and a trumpet is sounded.  An honor guard of the city watch walks along the perimeter with lanterns to certify that the city is safe.  Each night at dusk, the process is repeated, a trumpet sounds, and the gate is closed.

To enter, you'll need a citizen of the city to escort you in.  It's customary to leave an offering at the gate before the image of the lost child emperor (long may he reign).  Just a penny or so will suffice.

Inside

Longwater smells of coal fires, the acrid stinging smoke of blacksmiths' forges.  People in this city look tired and thin.  Food has gotten scarce with all the human raids lately.  The city is surviving mostly on seaborne trade.

(Kate Baylay)

The most prominent people of the city are two powerful Ministers, who serve for life:

• The Minister of the Sea is in charge of ships, docks, the navy, and all oceangoing trade.  She was appointed a few years ago by the eldest Mother of the city.
• The Minister of the Land is in charge of agriculture, overland trade, the army, and relations with humans.  The previous one just died recently, so the temples are holding an election shortly to choose a new one.
• A few other ministers have lesser portfolios: Rites, Justice, and the Guilds.

Day to day, the Magistrate is more visible, in charge of collecting taxes, diplomatic relations with the viceroy and other cities, and tending to the needs of the household of Mothers and Fathers (who are the heart of the city).  The magistrate is chosen each year by the secret society that bid highest in an auction.

The current magistrate has been chosen before, during more prosperous times a few years ago.  She's a smooth talker, eager to please.  She'll say whatever it takes to make an interaction go more smoothly.  That, combined with the recent successful years of the city, has made her popular among the secret society leaders.  It's no surprise that she's been chosen to be magistrate multiple times.

But this current food crisis has her in a panic.  Bad under pressure, the magistrate is starting to make rash decisions, teetering on the border of fear and despair.

The powerful viceroy has sent word from across the sea that Longwater is to provide aid to one of the other cities, a rival city in the grips of an even worse famine.  The magistrate has received the message, but hasn't spoken to the esteemed ministers about it yet.  She sees a few options ahead:

1. Do nothing, incurring the wrath of the viceroy, but saving as much food as possible for the hungry people of Longwater.
2. Try to convince the ministers to send aid.  This would be the kind of unpopular move that could end the magistrate's political career.
3. Once the new minister of the land is elected, request that they assemble an army for a punitive expedition against the humans.  It could be very dangerous, but ending the raids (and taking some of their food in return) would give the city more options.

What would you do?