Marquisate of Savona
Born from a patchwork of rival trade houses along the northwestern shores of the Tyrennian Peninsula, the Marquisate of Savona rose not through conquest but through quiet mastery of coin, contract, and leverage. While surrounding realms clashed in open war, Savona positioned itself as a broker of peace—then learned to sell that peace for profit.
Its government, the Signoria, is composed of twelve members, each selected from the city's most powerful guilds: banking, shipping, textiles, law, and more. These guildmasters meet behind closed doors to chart the republic's course, their decisions shaped more by profit and patronage than public mandate. Every five years they elect one of their own as Marquis, a largely ceremonial position meant to project unity and order. Behind the public pageantry, true power lies in informal alliances, secret ledgers, and carefully brokered favors.
The current political landscape is defined by the dominance of the Morello family, whose financial monopoly has made them kingmakers within the council. Nearly every guild in Savona, from shipwrights to stonemasons, either owes the Morellos a debt or relies on their bank for day-to-day operations, ensuring the family's quiet influence over nearly every decision made within the Signoria. Yet fractures are growing. Reformists push for civic representation and question whether the state's expanding overseas entanglements serve the republic or simply line private coffers. As wealth flows in from distant wars and far-flung contracts, Savona walks a narrow line between flourishing republic and gilded powder keg.
Goals
The Signoria’s foremost priority is preserving Savona’s status as the financial and cultural capital of the Sea of Riches. Members aligned with the "Patrician Doctrine" favor a patient expansion of influence through international loans, patronage of the arts, and manipulation of trade. Others, guided by the "Corsair Doctrine," call for bolder action—using privateers and naval contracts to project strength and safeguard the nation's interests abroad. Internally, Savona’s guilds grow restless. While nearly all rely on the Bank of Morello for credit and solvency, many artisans and reformers have begun to question whether the Signoria still serves the city—or only itself. Proposals for a civic chamber, a "Second Signoria," have sparked fierce debate among the ruling elite, who remain wary of legitimizing populist pressure. Abroad, the republic claims support for the Ithean Empire and Illandria in the Xvimnian War, but doubts persist about where Savona's coin truly flows. Whether by pragmatism or quiet profiteering, the war has become a proving ground for Savona’s ideals—and a test of how long it can balance Renaissance grace against the weight of ambition.Relationships
Savona trades freely with nearly every major power in the Sea of Riches, maintaining a posture of strict neutrality while quietly expanding its influence. Its financial ties to the Republic of Caspia are longstanding, with Savona's banks being deeply embedded in the republic’s politics and infrastructure—both admired and mistrusted in equal measure. The Kingdom of Cantabria is one of Savona’s largest trading partners, and recent crown-led expeditions have been quietly underwritten by Savona's banking families. The Aloen Empire, meanwhile, has pursued increasingly favorable trade accords with the Signoria, hoping to offset Caspia’s maritime dominance without provoking open conflict. Though Savona has declared its support for the Ithean Empire and Illandria in the Xvimnian War, the true destination of its coin remains an open question. As tensions rise across the region, many wonder how long the Signoria can maintain its careful balancing act before the weight of its ambitions tips the scales.Figures of Interest
Marquis Ettore Balestra
Male half-elf Once a renowned condottiero in the River Nations, Ettore Balestra rose to prominence through discipline, loyalty, and a reputation for resolving disputes tactically and efficiently. He returned to Savona with considerable wealth and a reputation for integrity and command, earning him quiet respect among the guilds and a measure of folk hero status among the city’s populace. When tensions among the Signoria reached a breaking point, he was elevated as a compromise candidate backed by House Morello and several moderate guilds. Though his role is ceremonial, Balestra remains an adept navigator of political undercurrents, maintaining quiet ties to both reformers and traditionalists. Few underestimate him—he did not survive the battlefield or the Signoria by being sentimental.
Type
Geopolitical, City-state
Alternative Names
Port Savone
Government System
Oligarchy
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Market economy
Neighboring Nations
Related Species
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