Republic of Cyravest

## Heraldry

The Emblem of the Delphan, depicting a dolphin

The **Republic of Cyravest** is a merchant republic of Cisteria that is grouped in with the Pracian merchant republics that emerged after the Merovian Schism in CE 650. It is based in the port city Cyravest, and today the two are synonymous.

Thanks to open trade with Vostok Manda and beyond, Cyravest was able to grow rapidly and amass large amounts of wealth and power within the Papetral Pontifect and the Jade House of Lords simultaneously. They were contested by other merchant republics until the Battle of Eloria in CE 799 when they seized complete military control of Prace in all effectiveness.

The Cyravine city-state was founded as a safe haven for the people of Ghine escaping persecution during the Olivian Wars. In its early years, it prospered on the salt trade. In subsequent centuries, the city state established a thalassocracy. It dominated trade in the Arpasian Sea, including commerce between Laconia, Cascadia, and Tyrrhos.

For most of its history, the Pontifect relied on Cyravest to loan out its navy. However, Cyravest often perceived the High Pontiff as an enemy and maintained high levels of religious, financial, and ideological independence leading up until the Niocletian takeover in CE 969. Thanks to this independence, they were able to achieve territorial conquests along the Arpasian Sea and the Elorian Channel

Cyravest became home to an extremely wealthy merchant class leading up to its founding, who patronized renowned art and architecture. Cyravine merchants have been among the most influential financiers in Neuphany. To this end, their gold florin is used across the Old World in financial ventures and politics alike.

The republic is ruled by a Delphan, who is elected by members of the Great Council of Cyravest, the city-state's parliament. The ruling class, as with other maritime republics, is an oligarchy of merchants and aristocrats. Despite this, the republican system remains popular among its citizens. The city-state enforces strict laws and employs ruthless tactics in its prisons.

Cyravest is known as the "City of Splendors," "Jewel of Prace," "The Proudest City," and the "City of Jade." Most citizens speak a form of Elvish called *Cyranian*, although its publications are written in Pracian Common or Low Elvish.

## Overview

The city of Cyravest emerged as an independent city-state, one of a number of Cisterian city-states, during the Borean Period. Nominally, a *Rex Borea* was chosen from the ruling noble house that succeeded former Goodfellow rule. However, actual power was held in those with wealth, and over time, this was not synonymous with each other. This was especially the case in Cyravest, in which the ruling authority were not associated with the great families of Ghine.

The Aramund, Lundwe, and other noble families all fought for power in Cyravest, as the power of the merchant class allowed the Jade House of Lords to gain wealth and power in the city. Cyravine influence extended over Ludor and Baredor, and had practically complete control of the Arpasian Sea. Cyravest constructed large amounts of naval vessels for the Pontifect, loaning them out in exchange for educating their elite. Eventually, Cyravest began to fill their ranks with civil-law notaries and gained advantage over its neighbors.

The collapse of the Borean League was a slow process, and throughout the entire collapse, Cyravest gained prominence and wealth. Their merchant class took advantage of the Falian invasion and began trading with the regions ravaged by the conflict, and strengthened trade between themselves and Auberoth. Throughout the Saturnite Wars, the aristocracy of the major Pracian city-states lost power as trade through the Ascani Empire became less lucrative.

Cyravest reformed into a merchant republic at the Convention of CE 650, as the Pontifect noted that joint-stock companies like the Nancay Company and the rising merchant class were becoming shadow-rulers of Prace, which needed to be addressed. The governments of many city-states, including Pria, Cyravest, and Ghine, were reformed to be merchant republics in the old Hellastian style. This for all purposes ousted the old aristocracy and transitioned into a merchant ruling class.

The zenith of Cyravest began in CE 799 when Cyravest and Pria came to blows at the Battle of Eloria. The devastating defeat of Pria coincided with Cyravine monopolization of trade with the Nephyr Company. Cyravest continued to gain power, wealth, and influence over Prace and beyond.

Over this period between the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Eras, Cyravest's involvement in the Black Crusade among other transgressions led to their falling out of line with the High Pontiff's favor and into the ranks of the Niocletians, who were former rivals and enemies. In CE 969, this alliance culminated with the Niocletians under Ishtar Savonis and a force organized by the Delphan killing the High Pontiff and many high-ranking officials to benefit both of their parties. This also quashed ambitions of Cyravest's former rival of Pria and their emerging competitor Veance.

## Origin story

The story surrounding the first settling of Cyravest is based on an anecdote produced by its first residents. The settlement was originally conceived as an estate of a noble family fleeing Ghine in the Sixth Era, during a time of great turmoil after Olivian occupation. The settlement was small and for a time saw very little activity, until about CE 250. At this time, some of the Jade-blood children who lived on the outskirts of the estate would take turns swimming out as far as they could into the Arpasian Sea, with the furthest swimmer being called the *halatir*, "kingfisher" in High Elvish.

On one occasion, a Jade-blood boy swam out far into the sea, further than any of his peers. However, the unknown boy was a stranger to the settlement, and did not have family there; the other young men of early Cyravest continued to play with him, calling him "Nemo" (*nobody*) as they were worried they would get in trouble. Nemo could swim farther and faster than any of them, and did so for many weeks.

The other boys came to realize that Nemo was no ordinary boy, when one day a boy tried mimicking his swimming technique - ducking underwater and then reappearing some dozen yards ahead - and saw that while he was underneath the water, Nemo had in fact turned into some kind of fish-like beast! When confronted, Nemo admitted he was no ordinary boy, but liked to come and play with them. The boys forgave him for the deception but asked that he be in his true form when he was with them.

Soon, the adults of early Cyravest took notice of the strange creature on the coast playing with their sons. A greyish, bottlenose fish of some kind rolled on the beach, swam in the water, and even showed the young boys where to find fishing spots on the coast. When asked about it, the boys called Nemo *adelfinar*, or "brother." Stories of the creature attracted tourists from all over Prace to see the creature for themselves, a majority of them believing the creature to be a blessing by Ghi. The creature, which came to be known as a "dolphin," was heralded as a sign of Mim Kapal's favor of Cyravest over Ghine, and the emblem of a dolphin became the crest of the city-state in perpetuity.

## Defenses

Cyravest has a standing army, the Sindacollos ("Grey Mantles"), composed of 400 archers and spearmen, that act as a constabulary. Most of the Sindacollos are formed by mercenaries, with a number of slaves gifted by merchant nobility. An independent militia force can also be assembled by the Delphan to protect the city in times of need, which are used as an auxiliary to the Sindacollos.

The most prominent defense of Cyravest is also tied to both its origin myth and its heraldic crest: a creature called the *lingwilocce*, the "Larkspur" of the Cyravine harbor. The Larkspur is described as resembling a dolphin or whale, though much larger and with potent magical abilities and a desire for beauty and wealth. Its exact appearance is somewhat of a mystery, though Cyravine academics maintain it as being a dragon. The people of Cyravest make sacrifices to it in the form of gold, pearls, and jade, which is dropped into the harbor on regular intervals, and plant the eponymous larkspur flowers in their gardens facing the harbor believing the Larkspur itself likes the decor. The Larkspur is alleged by many residents to be the soul of the dolphin Nemo.