Etrye

The Golden Finger of Ocrya

If ye are searchin' for a good time, look no further than good ol' Etrye! But don't forget to bring yer wallet! - Daerrom Bottlebane, famous dwarven merchant

Etrye is Ocryas richest country. It deals in all sorts of luxurious goods such as wine, rare metals, gemstones, exotic creatures and plants. Large vineyards and sprawling cities span the northern part of the country, while the southern part is focused on seafaring and trading. Etryan wine is known all over the world, and travellers and merchants from all continents can be encountered in Etrye's massive capital city Qakkah.

Structure

Prior to a recent expansion in the government, Etrye was ruled solely by a long line of sultans, originally hailing from Edria. About 130 years ago however, the sultan at the time founded a council consisting of the richest people in the country that took over most of his responsibilities and tasks. Furthermore, the general populace finally gained a more important role when the council made the decision to put a few important choices up to public votings. Nowadays, while the Sultan doesn't have a lot of responsibilities, he still has the right to overrule any decisions made by the council and the populace, securing the continuation of his family's rule.

Public Agenda

Etrye is primarily a trading nation. They export goods such as wine, lifestock and minerals to civilizations all over the world and they are the primary source of imported goods in all of Ocrya, with the harbour of Qakkah being the largest trade station in the known world.
Etryans mostly are a friendly and welcoming people, but they still are rather cautious, especially when regarding new people. It's easy to make friends with an Etryan, but gaining their trust is a much harder task.
On the political side of things, the Sultan and the Council have both decided to stay as neutral as possible, only interfering in other countries' problems when it also directly affects Etrye.

Assets

Etryan Wine is known and loved all over the world, which is why a vast part of the northern half of Etrye is covered in vineyards. It has been Etrye's primary exported ware for a long time, and it doesn't seem like that will change anytime in the near future. Etryum, a rare metal that has so far only been found on the large island of Etryos near Qakkah, is another important export good. It can be used to forge very durable weapons and armor and has a certain flexibility to it that makes it an important ingredient in a few types of machinery, including multi-chambered firearms. Fabricated goods exported to the rest of the world consist of ships, trained creatures, weapons and magnificent jewellery and furniture.
The Etryan military, while a bit small, is also a force to be reckoned with - what it lacks in manpower, it more than makes up in firepower. Its most famous unit - the legendary Elephant Knights, who ride on Elephants that are equipped with massive cannons on their backs - are known and admired all over the world with many militaries trying to build up similar units, although mostly to no avail.

History

The earliest evidence of the Etryan civilization can be dated back to about 2657 BF and was found on the island of Etryos near modern day Etrye's coast. It first consisted of a group of people from both Ocrya and Edria, which lead to their descendants light brown skin tones and slightly Edrian features. While early Etrya consisted mostly of humans, there were a few Elves and Dwarves too, leading to the comparably large percentage of half-elves in modern day Etryes population.
For about 600 years the early Etryans remained on Etryos, soon founding their first real city, Qrego, on the coast on the Island. In the year 1995 BF however, a different civilization from the mainland arrived in Etryos and convinced them to settle on the mainland under the guise of friendship, while in actuality they just wanted more unrestricted access to the resources on the island. Fooled by the newcomers friendly and seemingly honest demeanor, many Etryans took the journey to the mainland, leaving behind only a smidge of their populace.
Once they arrived on the mainland, they quickly started to settle, founding their first settlement - Qakkah - on the edge of the now destroyed land bridge that once connected Ocrya and Edria. Due to the friendly and open nature of the Etryans, Qakkah attracted many immigrants from Edria, quickly growing in size, reputation and power. Only about 80 years after its founding, Qakkah was the largest city on the Etryan peninsula, dwarfing the settlements of the people who tricked them into leaving Etryos. Soon, the Etryans started to expand and slowly started to settle further and further north, founding cities such as Qovale and Qarayah and starting their first wine businesses.
After the council of Medora disbanded in 57 AF, Etrye finally declared themselves as an actual country under the rule of the family that led their voyage onto the peninsula that they now called home. Qakkah soon became known as the main trading station of Ocrya after completion of a massive construction project expanding its harbour, and the Etryans quickly grew in power, wealth and population. Since then, not much has changed besides the modernization of many cities, with Etrye still thriving and growing everday.

Wealth of the Sea

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Alternative Names

The Golden Finger

Demonym

Etryan

Controlled Territories

• Qakkah
• The Isle of Etryos