A Civic Registrar is an NPC citizen entrusted by a settlement's Consul
to welcome newcomers into the city on its behalf - a way for a
settlement to keep its gates open even when no player citizen of
sufficient standing happens to be around to extend the offer
themselves.
Gaining Citizenship
If you're new to Mystavaria and looking to settle somewhere, seek out
a settlement's Registrar and use REQUEST CITIZENSHIP FROM
<registrar>. Most Registrars will want to have gotten to know you a
little first before they'll vouch for you - though if the Registrar
themselves is still a stranger, the goodwill of enough of the
settlement's other NPC citizens can carry the request instead.
Meliura and Praestantia are the exception, welcoming newcomers
without that requirement. A Registrar will never grant citizenship
to someone with strained or hostile standing toward the city,
whichever settlement you ask - that decision is reserved for a
player citizen to make in person, who alone can look past old
enmity where an NPC cannot.
Residency, as a Lighter Alternative
A Registrar can also grant residency with REQUEST RESIDENCY FROM
<registrar> - see HELP RESIDENCY for the full details, but in
short, it costs an entry fee and annual upkeep, and grants the right
to buy and build property without asking you to renounce your
citizenship or join the settlement's ranks. It isn't a substitute for
belonging somewhere, though - if you're new and undecided, it's
usually better to pursue citizenship of a home you actually want to
invest in first, and only reach for residency elsewhere afterward
(or if you're deliberately choosing to remain without a citizenship
of your own).
A Word of Caution
A Registrar has no judgement beyond the rules above - it's worth a
settlement's citizens keeping an eye on who their Registrar lets in,
since an NPC can't account for circumstances a human citizen would
notice at a glance. A settlement's Consul may appoint or remove a
Registrar; see CITY POWERS REGISTRAR for that syntax.