When the humans ventured southward across the land, they came across a unique form of government - an oligarchy known as The Triumvirate, composed of a representative from each of Zilargo's three major cities. Each of these cities (and the surrounding areas) are governed by their own Council of Nine. To the uninformed, the Councils of Nine and the Triumvirate itself are democratically chosen, unique to Khorvaire. The simple truth is that these positions are entirely determined by the plots and schemes of the wealthy, deeply treasured both for their prestige and authority. Despite the large presence of non-gnomes in Zilargo, the Councils of Nine are populated solely by gnomes.
Responsible for the many laws of Zilargo, the Triumvirate wields almost absolute political power. However, the gnomes are keenly aware of the practical limits of this power, and frequently the threat of power is more than enough to accomplish what is necessary. A pecularity of Zil politics is that while the elbowing and skullduggery between gnomish clans and families is intense, all agree and understand that the needs of the nation come first, and when real threats to national security emerge those rivalries must be put aside.
The grave exception to this national unity is the Aurum. While originally a dwarvish organization, the group grew significantly over the course of the war, promising stability and power in a shattered kingdom. While Eberron is home to a large number of secretive organizations, bigger fish like the Chamber or the Lords of Dust operate on a deeper level and on longer time scales than even gnomish schemes. By contrast, the personal greed of the Aurum strikes directly at the fundamental nature of Gnomish intrigue, bending the guardrails of safety.
For those of higher station in gnomish society, Aurum membership is something to be hidden rather than flaunted. Several members of the councils of nine are ranking members of the Aurum, but have thus far managed to conceal this status from the Trust.
Source: Politics of Eberron
The Triumvirate rules Zilargo. This council, composed of a representative from each of the major cities of Korranberg, Trolanport, and Zolanberg, was founded as an oversight committee to monitor the behavior of students and patrons of the Library of Korranberg. The powers and duties of the Triumvirate slowly expanded to cover the entire nation. Each of the three cities has its own Council of Nine, gnomes drawn from wealthy families who manage local civic concerns. In theory, the city’s representative to the Triumvirate is democratically selected from its council. In practice, the process is anything but democratic, as secret wars of words and blackmail determine power within each council.
The Trust, the secret order that protects Zil society, reports directly to the Triumvirate. It has a coordinator in each city who works with the local council. Few realize that the Triumvirate possesses an impressive vault of information concerning political, military, and economic activities that rivals that of the Library, thanks to the work of the Trust.