The Republic of Mercy
To the east southern continent, just north of the equatorial divide, in the warm waters of the Dryman Sea, lie an archipelago of islands called The Havens. Within these warm and balmy isles are situate the rich, rogue Republics of Mercy, Drna and Kalandria.
These renegade States live on vice- piracy, gambling, whoring, slavery and the pernicious papavert weed. Ruled by strange tyrants, whose loyalties are variable, and easily bought, the inhabitants of these Lands are much to pitied.
The Republic of Mercy peddles flesh. Men and women from all Lands flock to its pleasure houses, to revel in titillation and dissipation and to satisfy every desire of their hearts and minds. In the courtyards of the wealthiest men and women of the Republic, an unending stream of unfortunates is paraded before bidders seeking bodies for cheap labour, pleasure or something worse. And in its dark, seaside taverns, strong men and their well-honed swords can be bought for the right amount of coin.
Mercy is ruled by a despot of obscure origins and unmatched cruelty who calls himself The Pastor and the beleaguered citizens of Mercy his "flock". His seat of power is an ancient fortress denoted in the old writings as The Spyre. Carved from a column of pure obsidian that towers above the capital town, it looks like a long mournful face gazing sadly into the distance. It had rested uninhabited for centuries, before the Pastor came.
The Spyre's origins are lost in the deep recesses of antiquity but its histories are dark and disturbing. The Keeper of These Chronicles has yet to decide if such information as has been gleaned about this grim edifice will ever be written into These Chronicles.
Public Agenda
Unclear to other States (but be assured, it's not good...)
Military
Fairly large navies, perhaps third in size among the maritine States
Maintains an small army, mainly used to terrorise the population
Augments its armies with mercenaries from the far eastern lands and forces of the mountain war-lords, for bigger campaigns
Religion
None- outlawed by the Pastor
Foreign Relations
Closest ties to Drna
Friendly with Kalandria (though the leaders of Kalandria do not trust the Pastor)
Friendly with The Kulani Imperium (Kula)
Not friendly with Solander
Not friendly with Acquillar, once allied with Drna and Kula to attack Acquillar
Agriculture & Industry
Pleasure houses (sex-trade and papavert)
Slaves
Smuggling, including funding Kalandrian piracy
Leader
Government System
Despotism
Power Structure
Feudal state
Economic System
Mixed economy
Currency
Gold coins
Silver coins
Official Languages
Neighboring Nations
Comments