Guildlands
The Guildlands are the richest of the country within the Kingdom of Thaxnoria. The historic wealth of the Guildlands was a result of an abundance of gold and gemstone, however the wealth of the country is now as much a result of trade and speculation as it is production.
The Guildlands are a country obsessed with the acquisition of wealth, this is evident in the Guildlands’ society, religion, and political structure. This also extends to to its legal structure, with slavery, which is illegal within the Kingdom of Thaxnoria, being permitted because of the wealth it generates.
Level of Autonomy
Even with the use of messenger birds and magical communication it is impossible for any absolute ruler or even council to effectively rule such a large kingdom. As a result, a large degree of autonomy is vested within local rulers, who must profess loyalty to the Monarchy, the House of Peers, and the Kingdom of Thaxnoria. The Guildlands are an oddity among the countries of Thaxnoria as it has no first lord or family who have primacy in the region; instead countless guild councils rule cities, towns, and surrounding regions. The guild councils have been given free reign to rule as they please, and they have made good use of it, expanding trade, creating free ports, and further stratifying wealth. Guild councils are made up of representatives of the six most powerful guilds within a city or town, each having an equal vote on all matters. When the guild councils are unable to reach an agreement a referendum is held amongst all official registered guilds. It is not uncommon for the same guilds to hold positions on multiple guild councils, with the same guilds being effectively able to create petty kingdoms of various towns and cities under their rule.Race Relations
The Guildlands have a notoriously bad reputation when it comes to relations between humans and nonhumans. Nonhumans suffer discrimination both social and legal, with high taxes, restrictions on employment, and segregation, though within the Kingdom of Thaxnoria none of these are unique. The true distinction is the abusive exploitation of nonhumans, in mines, workshops, docks, or farms, it is ever present, and even slavery is used, exclusively on nonhumans, being justified by the increase in profits; this is despite slavery being outlawed throughout Thaxnoria.Views on Arcane Magic
Much like virtually all of the Kingdom of Thaxnoria the Guildlands are an adherent to the Toc’vastil Accords , as such mages are imprisoned within the Arcane Bastilles. Those mages who resist or attempt to evade the Bastilles are hunted by Brightswords. However there are a number of long and short term opportunities for mages to leave the Bastille system. Mages can be regularly hired out for a variety of tasks, from clearing land with their fire, conjuring rain water a field, killing bandits or monstrosities, or entertaining nobles at a ball. Further mages are able to be purchased for a time, be it a day or a year, by rich individuals for any purpose, should the mage be injured in a manner that impacts their ability to cast magic or dies a fee is required.History
The Guildlands, as they are today, are remarkably young and a direct result of the Thaxnorian Unification. Prior to the Unification the Guildlands were the Gilded Kingdom of which the Guildlands are a direct successor state. The Gilded Kingdom dated back to The Exodus and was founded by the Avman refugees displacing the Barite people who had created kingdoms in the lands since the Age of Contact. Once the Age of Blood was brought to an end the Gilded Kingdom prospered, as a result of the wealth found in the mines of the kingdom. The resource-rich Kingdom became a powerful force within the Arm of Runedastil. This power and influence was brought to an end with the coming of House Gathral and Thaxnorian Unification. The Gilded Kingdom was ardently opposed to House Gathral establishing a foothold upon the Arm of Runedastil, but was unable to prevent it. House then brought war to Gilded Kingdom, blockaded its ports, prevented its trade, and risked its destruction. The power guilds of the Gilded Kingdom violently rebelled against the Monarchy, they killed the entire royal family and those that would oppose House Gathral. The guilds then turned over the kingdom to House Gathral and asked that in their wisdom they allowed the local guilds proper just as Thaxnoria, and so it was that the kingdom was turned over to guilds and became the Guildlands.Religion
Historically the deity worshipped within the country was Waukeen, although other deities certainly did receive worship. When the Faith of the Octurn was formed there was little opposition as the worship of Waukeen was co opted into the Octurn.Agriculture & Industry
Much of the economy relies on the taxation of trade from trade moving from Runedastil to the Wild Isles, Kasari Dominion, and Velgan Empire. Gold and luxury goods make up a large remainder of the economy, while it's agriculture and heavy industry are plagued with inefficiencies as a result of poor training and slavery.
Our Gold is Good
Founding Date
229:Contempt
Type
Geopolitical, Province
Capital
Alternative Names
The Guilds' Lands, The Gilded Kingdom
Demonym
Gilded
Government System
Oligarchy
Power Structure
Semi-autonomous area
Parent Organization
Official Languages
Controlled Territories
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