Morencia

IN THE CENTRE OF AN IMMESE LAGOON ON THE southern coast of the continent, the city-state of Morencia occupies a central place between the Charneault Kingdom and the Castinella Provinces.

History

Rise and Apogee

Legend has it that the ancestors of the Morencian people fled south to escape the Bürach Empire’s ethnic persecution, coming at last to a series of small, desolate islands in a large lagoon. To conceal their escape, the refugees devised the Mist Spell that conjured a dense, constant fog over the reefs and sandbanks around the islands. Since then, only those trained by Morencia’s famous Guild of Navigators have been able to lead a ship through the Misty Reefs.

Thanks to that protection, the city of Morencia quickly rose from the swampy islands. Ideally located between several major powers in Etharis, the young city-state focused on navigation and trade to establish dominance over commercial maritime routes.

An affinity for navigation, combined with a rigorous and perfectionist mentality, allowed Morencia to develop the fastest and most reliable ships ever built. In time, the Morencians also revealed themselves to be risk-management experts, which further established Morencia’s reputation as an inevitable trade hub.

Geopolitics

As a city relying on trade, Morencia welcomes many travellers, the majority being merchants. The city has devised a detailed and careful policy to efficiently manage the constant influx of foreigners. Merchants are welcomed but tightly monitored, and they are forced to stay in specific districts during the night. Citizenship is never granted to such merchants except in exceptional circumstances, and they are not allowed to reside in Morencia for too long. This forces constant incoming and outgoing flows of population that are a further boon to the Morencian economy.

But, while Morencia limits the influence of foreign merchants within its walls, Morencia’s merchants are themselves a powerful force throughout Etharis. Morencia is the seat of the continent-spanning Augustine Trading Company, which works everywhere to bend the flow of gold and goods towards itself. Within Morencia, the Augustine Trading Company has worked to align other entities’ interests with its own. It has absorbed Morencia’s powerful Bankers Guild, and through them it has come to control the city’s Supreme Council as well.

The Castinellan Provinces have attempted to take control of Morencia on numerous occasions, using both force and subterfuge. Their most recent but unsuccessful attempt involved capturing a member of the Navigators Guild and forcing him to lead a Castinellan armada through the Misty Reefs. Only the cunning intervention of the Charneault Kingdom saved Morencia from annexation. Grand Shaman Aethorion, helped by a small group of elven shamans, was able to interact with the Mist Spell to bring the Charneault Kingdom’s ships directly to the rear of the Castinellan armada.

A terrible battle took place at Morencia’s doorstep, and although the Castinellan armada managed to destroy a large portion of the Morencian fleet stationed in the Arsenal of Morencia, the Charneault Kingdom’s ships and the remaining Morencian defence forces led by Admiral Endoria Onaglie managed to surround and overwhelm the attackers. Only a few Castinellan ships survived, though the defenders also suffered heavy losses.

Since then, the Castinella Provinces have yet to attempt another military conquest, but they have not given up their ambition of controlling Morencia. They have recently strengthened their connections with the Augustine Trading Company, which many Morencians see as the explanation for a series of underhanded moves by the Bankers Guild Master Kolhys.

The truth is more complex, but many have noted that the Bankers Guild profited immensely in the aftermath of the Castinellan Provinces’ attack. Backed by the Augustine Trading Company’s coffers, the Bankers Guild offered a generous loan for the reconstruction of the Morencian fleet, but the offer was so generous that it aroused greater suspicion. Finally, Doge Lorenzo Flabenici was able to steer the Supreme Council on another course that would turn out to be even more dangerous. To raise the funds, the Supreme Council opened the way to the sale of its seats. This was supposed to allow any guild or other community to earn a place on the Supreme Council, but bids became so high that many had to arrange astronomical loans from the Bankers Guild to purchase their seat.

Moreover, the Bankers Guild itself was able to buy the biggest share of the available seats. In addition to empowering the Bankers Guild, this sequence of events considerably weakened the position of the Doge.

The Dread of the Moonless Night

The nights have become far more dangerous in recent months, with people being found dead in the streets and canals of Morencia. Rumours are swirling that monsters have appeared to punish the sinful, but so far none really know what the cause of these attacks are. However, the modus operandi is extremely barbaric and strangely similar, almost ritual. The creature—or whatever it is—always attacks when the moon is not visible, either absent or masked by clouds. Increasing night patrols has had no effect, so as a last resort, the Supreme Council has hired the famous witch hunter, Vedemir Kaltstahl, to investigate.

Current Events and Conflicts

Culture and the Mundane

Rumors