The Merchant Alliance

In this large lad in south-easth Gertia, many cultures find home: from old and religious dwarves to immigrant elves, drunk sailors from far away lands and simple peasants looking to live peaceful life. The merchant alliance accepts you all, as long as you have some coin in your pockets. There is no lands for goblins and half-orcs except the alliance, and no gods are considered fowl. There is no city of single ethnicity such as gnomish city or dwarfish city, though there naturally dominance of some races In some cities. The merchant alliance is the most diverse place in the world, although it’s not a fairy-land without racism: half orcs, elves and goblins do suffer from discrimination and aggression in most cities.

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Ideology

The Merchant alliance may be the only place in the world that accept all humanoid races who behave and accept the law, not necesaily from a progressive and enlightened perspective as much as economical one. You see, it is rather difficult to trade with Goblins while discriminating them.
This idiolgy have opened the gates of the Alliance to many races who are fleeing from genoiced in other lands, such as half-orcs, bugbears, goblins and half-yetis, making it the most racialy and culturely diverse land on Terrea

The Iron Council

The Merchant Alliance have no one leader, but a council that meets yearly (and more often if necessary) in Fobelson. This council composed by the mayor of each of the major cities: Fobelson , Cancun , Vault-gate and Shortop. Also, in means to help the elvish people advance quicker in these times of need, there is an elven representation in the council as well with equal influence, although there is no elven city in the alliance.
The Iron council leads the merchant’s alliance as it’s economic leaders, and in times of need such as war and drought. It rules over the military that contains people and leaders from all over the land and serves as the police force as well. Aside of that, each city has its own rules as long as they don’t contradict the ones of the Iron council.

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History

While the new-born kingdom of Orlando (empire) was buesy in it’s own interior and exterior wars, Gertia was already filled with other races and settlers that didn’t want to do anything with war, and was disappointed to discover that the kingdom has prohibited trading with strangers. Along with other dwarven and halfling city states in the south, a new alliance between these merchants was created: the merchant alliance. The dwarven from monta-ves were willing to trade with the alliance their rare gold and gems they like so much to dig, while sailors from afar arrived with exotic magic and cultures. With time, this alliance became an unstoppable economic force, unmatched by any kingdom – and when the Iron council realized that this may attract war from Orlando, a army war born, walls were built, tax had been taken and a new non-monarchic state has been created, proving itself equal in power to any other.
During the great war, the merchant alliance wanted to send help – but their army is small and focuses morea bout defense against threats, not conquest on foreign land – that when the merchant alliance proven again the power of coin – they hired mercenaries from the plunder lands, pirates and other crooks to join the blight. While Orlando sent infantry to the land of Lardon, the alliance controlled the sea. When the war was over, the mercenaries had been payed and a non-written contract between the plunder lands and the merchant alliance was created. The center of this relationship is in Cancun.

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Location in the merchant’s alliance

Cities and villages: Fobelson, Cancun, Dovenir
Geography: Sherwood forest, The yellow shores

Location: Eastern Gertia
No city is declared capital
Governed by the iron concil
Inhabiting races: humans, dwarves, elves, gnomes, halflings, half-orcs, goblins, dragonborns