Republic of Callaern

Nothing but prosperity. That is how Carric scholars love to summarize the history of Callaern. It may be an oversimplification, yet there is a core of truth to it. Since its founding, the city has been the heart of Carric culture. Known originally as Cara, it is said to have given its name to the Carric people themselves, though it is just as likely the city was named after the people who founded it. Regardless, it is undeniable that Callaern has played a central role in the identity of its people. One could say the Republic of Callaern is an extension of the city, and the city a reflection of the republic. As early as the fifth century Before The Fall of Parretoa, sources first mention Cara, a fortified settlement surrounded by earthen walls and a wooden palisade. The inhabitants are described as skilled seafarers, open to outsiders, and talented negotiators, traits they would later perfect and that would lay the foundation for the city's lasting success. After these early records, which date from the time of Old Ryria, mentions of Cara grow scarce. The Carric themselves love to claim that during this silent period, some among them sailed north and established new settlements along the northern coast. These colonies, they say, would one day give rise to the people known as the Knurds. The Knurds’ deep love for the sea, they insist, is a legacy inherited from their Carric ancestors. Sadly, no historical sources have yet been found to substantiate this story. Cara returned to prominence in the second century Before Parretoa, when the Buricators, the Emperors of Burbry, expanded their empire westward. Along the coast they encountered a welcoming people. The lands now known as Eberras and the Sunset Coast were divided among numerous city-states, each ruled by monarchs thirsty for trade and favoring tolerance. The greatest among these cities was Cara: a walled city stretching into the waters of the Bay of Berras, its long shipyards lining the shores, its harbors teeming with vessels. Canals wound through its streets, granting sailors direct access to markets and trade houses. A wide moat encircled the city, providing an additional layer of protection. The crown jewel, however, was the great fortress built on an island in the bay. Not only was it strategically sound, but it was also constructed according to the highest standards of Carric artistry, gleaming like a jewel above the city skyline. Truly, Cara was the crowning glory of the western coast, and the Buricators decided it must be theirs. After 100 Before Parretoa, Cara was conquered, though not through war alone. Seduced by lucrative trade agreements offered by Burbry, the city’s rulers entered into pacts that would ultimately lead to their downfall. Following a large-scale invasion in which Cara and the surrounding lands were besieged, occupied, and annexed into the rapidly growing Burbric Empire, governance of the city was transferred to Burbry's wealthiest senator, Falsarius, who installed himself as Magistrate of Calaerius, as the Burbric named the city. Following the Fall of Parretoa, the authority of the Buricators withered, and only the Magistrate remained as the sole ruler of Calaerius. From this position, the dynasty of Falsaria was founded, kings who would reign over the city in their own right. When the Burbric Empire once again returned to the western shores in the third century After the Fall, the kings of Falsaria quickly surrendered. In exchange for their loyalty, they were allowed to retain their positions. Thus, the kings of the House of Falsaria swiftly earned a reputation for prioritizing their own interests above those of their city. Between 260 and 320 AP, the Burbric Empire was wracked by revolts and uprisings in the north, east, and south. Many lands, weary after decades, or even centuries, of Burbric domination, rebelled. With the imperial armies fully occupied elsewhere, the city-states of the western coast seized the opportunity to claim greater autonomy. Calaerius followed suit. Pressured by the growing power of the merchant guilds, the king sought to free the city from Burbric taxes, trade laws, and import duties. Burbry, desperate to retain what little it could, allowed the western cities substantial independence to prevent them from breaking away entirely. It was a temporary solution at best. By 323 AP, the cities of Eberras and the Sunset Coast, already de facto self-governed, declared their full independence from Burbry in a joint proclamation. Thus, several former provinces severed their ties with the once-mighty empire, bringing a formal end to a sixty-year period of unrest. The newborn states quickly descended into power struggles. The northern cities all shared cultural roots in Cara, now known as Callaeran, or Callaern, and for a time there existed a sense of equality and mutual respect. But it was not to last. Spurred by the merchant guilds, the king of Callaern launched a series of wars to seize harbor cities and trading posts. Within a century and a half, Callaern had grown from a dominant city-state along the coast into an expansive power, even managing to wrest territories from the weakened Burbric Empire itself. By 650 AP, Callaern controlled nearly the entire northern half of the western coast. Its trade-driven policy made the city intensely focused on securing ever more lucrative trade routes and markets. Toward the end of the seventh century, tensions first flared with Assaen, a military trade republic to the south, on the border with Preica. Thus began a fierce and enduring rivalry. Rather than launch a large-scale invasion, Callaern adopted a subtler strategy. They allowed Assaen to entangle itself in various wars, offering to finance its campaigns in exchange for privileges and trade concessions. Callaern deployed spies and agents on a large scale, orchestrating conflicts to exhaust its southern rival. In the ninth and tenth centuries AP, this policy bore fruit. Without direct interference from Callaern, Assaen embroiled itself in a massive war to the south, a campaign that drained its resources to the brink. Through careful manipulation, Callaern steadily increased its hold over Assaen. When the war ended in 950 AP, Assaen was forced to cede half of its conquests to Callaern. Thanks to continued espionage and sabotage, Callaern ensured that Assaen could never repay the debts it had accumulated, thus securing its influence and keeping its rival firmly in check. The year 1085 AP marked a turning point for Callaern. For centuries, the merchant guilds had wielded enormous influence over the royal court. Many decisions were proposed, amended, or outright blocked by the guilds. Over time, the king’s prestige and authority steadily eroded, while the people increasingly turned to the guilds for leadership. In 1081 AP, Berwynn the Dreadful ascended the throne. Determined to curb the power of the guilds, he proposed a series of laws aimed at reducing their influence in political matters. Naturally, the guilds fiercely resisted, and many viewed Berwynn’s actions as an unlawful grab for absolute power. Nevertheless, Berwynn succeeded in passing a handful of these laws, exploiting a border conflict with Burbry to rally temporary support. Once that conflict was resolved, however, the guilds plotted their revenge. In the spring of 1085 AP, the guilds began sharply increasing the prices of essential goods, officially blaming the so-called "Laws of Berwynn." The common people, who already favored the guilds over the king, grew furious. By winter, as famine swept through the city, a massive uprising erupted. A citizen militia, bolstered by mercenaries hired by the guilds, stormed the palace on the island at the center of the bay. The king was dragged out into the streets and executed on the Square of Kings. What precisely became of Berwynn remains unclear; it is said that no grave was ever made for him, for there was no body left to bury. With the death of Berwynn, the monarchy of Callaern came to an end. The guilds seized power, installing the wealthiest among them as leaders of the newly formed Republic of Callaern. From then on, the city would be ruled by the Chief-Magistrate of the Republic. Prices fell back to reasonable levels, and the people were happy. In the aftermath of the revolution, Callaern swiftly dealt with its greatest external rival. In 1100 AP, Assaen was forced to submit to Callaern’s authority, thereby bringing the entire western coastline of the continent under the rule of the most powerful republic in Wordal's history. As I mentioned before, the city and the republic of Callaern cannot truly be separated from one another. Nevertheless, it is worth considering the city itself, whose character is every bit as fascinating as the state it anchors. All in all, the history of Callaern is a remarkable tale. Nothing but prosperity. It may sound too good to be true, but of all the histories recorded in Wordal, few come closer to that ideal than the story of Callaern.