Yarland

## Description:

Yarland is a democratic mercantilist state situated on the easternmost coast of the western island of the Continent of Pilbo. The nation is an economic powerhouse responsible for housing dozens of massive merchant guilds and trade companies, thousands of taverns and restaurants, some of the finest cuisine Pilbo has to offer, and some of the continent's largest banks and richest families. Yarland maintains positive relations with many of the continent's other nations, except for the Pilboan Empire and its puppets with whom Yarland maintains a cold war and arms race.

Due to Yarland's place on the Continent of Pilbo, no one outside of the continent is aware of the country. Within Pilbo, however, the country is incredibly well known and often the topic of much discussion.

### Organization:

#### Population: 71,633 citizens

Founded in 974 PC

The nation of Yarland is led directly by Il Consiglio del Popolo, or "The Council of the People," the name for the base of voters within the nation's citizenry. The people vote on all issues, both local and nationwide, which allows for far greater individual freedom and activity in the country's politics. The voting base of the country elects their mayors and governors to lead them, but the people maintain the most political power as a group and can always overturn the edicts of elected officials. Ambassadors are also elected by the people and hold their positions for life. The exception to Yarland's strict democratic processes is their military, which is a meritocratic system kept separate from the nation's politics; according to the Yarland constitution, the military is forbidden from involving itself in politics, and no military official can hold office ever.

Despite Yarland's position as a direct democracy, this does not mean that everyone is allowed to vote, or that every citizen holds an equal vote. Only those who own a business or can pay the mandatory poll tax are registered voters, which causes the nation's voter base to fluctuate substantially from year to year. According to Yarland's founding documents, this system was established under the idea that the guilds and companies made the widest use of the nation's infrastructure, economy, and diplomacy and therefore should receive the representation afforded to them.

This democratic system does not make it impervious to corruption, however. Powerful guilds and companies will pay their employees single sums of money to pay for the year's poll tax under the pretense that the employees use the money to vote in the company's favor, local officials are often sponsored by conglomerates or guilds and often operate as political arms of the group they work(ed) for. As a result of this political situation, the guilds and companies maintain an incredibly amount of power and influence as they continue to force the country's economy upwards and outwards.

Yarland's economic and political situation has created a powerful sphere of influence in and around the neighboring regions. Yarland's mercantilist economics encourages imperialism and economic aggression towards other nations, and has led to Yarland's forceful puppeteering of several neighboring countries. Any sovereign state within the Continent of Pilbo's central channel will inevitably find themselves butting heads with Yarland or one of its many guilds or companies, which frequently results in negative diplomatic relations, tariffs and economic intrigue, and the eventual absorption of the nation into Yarland's conglomerate of colonies and puppets.

Yarland maintains positive relations with the JPCU, but is frequently overshadowed by the Pilboan Empire. As a result, Yarland views the JPCU with a bitter and untrusting light that leads to the bending and breaking of JPCU rules and regulations; JPCU probes in Yarland suspect that the country actively encourages illegal trade with groups and nations outside of the Continent of Pilbo.

#### Prominent Trading Guilds/Companies:

1. Caloprara Merchant Company: Led by Cardinale Caloprara;
2. Donado and Co. Trading Guild: Led by Guidobaldo Donado;

### Equipment:

Yarland maintains a strange level of technology that fits somewhere within the European Renaissance and modern era. The wealthier members of Yarland's society have access to electricity (provided commonly through magic, however) while the common people continue to live and work as if it were still the late Middle Ages. Muskets and cannons mark the more advanced of Yarland's military forces, which stands in stark contrast to the Dwarves of Clan Greyforged or the modernized tanks and jets of the Pilboan Empire. A majority of Yarland's technological developments come in the form of trade, economics, law, and sailing.

Like a majority of Pilbo's groups, Yarland's magical knowledge far surpasses its technological capabilities. The nation maintains several magic colleges within its borders, many of which only cater to the wealthy elites—most famously, Yarland's Scuola di Arti Mistiche, or the School of the Mystical Arts, which is famous for the quality of mages produced by the school. Many amenities and facilities commonly associated with technology are instead provided by magic of some kind. Yarland's military forces make use of mages and magic in combat, as well as using enchanted equipment.

Yarland prefers to fight its enemies on the economic battlefield of trade and negotiation as opposed to open warfare, but is most infamous for preying on smaller and weaker nations by influencing them to rely on Yarland's economic power before eventually forcing the weaker nation to willingly submit to Yarland or face bankruptcy and collapse. Yarland will also use the influence and wealth of its leading families and guilds to spy on or sabotage enemy nations, abusing its economic freedom as much as possible. While Yarland considers war to be barbaric and uncivilized, the nation is not above such drastic measures to ensure the safety and security of its investments and assets, both foreign and domestic.

#### Military:

Yarland's military might is significant, well-trained, and sizable. While the military is forced to stay out of politics, it still plays a very active role in protecting the coasts, cities, towns, villages, and property of Yarland and its largest companies. Thanks to this separation of military and statecraft, Yarland's armies and navy are forced to work as sellswords to maintain their level of equipment and funding, which has led to the group being associated with the wealthy and as thugs.

A majority of Yarland's military might comes in the form of their fleet, which stands at over one thousand (1000) boats strong. While their vessels are not as advanced as those of the Drahran Empire, their fleet's size and combat prowess make them one of the largest threats on Pilbo's oceans. The fleet is incredibly territorial and highly trained, and will fire on unidentified vessels without warning to ensure the continued safety and security of Yarland's assets.

On land, Yarland's military consists of pikemen, light and heavy cavalry, musketeers, and skirmisher marksmen. Yarland's centers of commerce and population are protected by large garrison forces and standing armies to defend against invading raiders, Beastmen, or other creatures. Yarland's footsoldiers are renowned for their skill and discipline.

### Religion:

Unlike many of Yarland's neighbors on the Continent of Pilbo, Yarland practices absolute religious freedom. The nation does not have an established church of any kind, and welcomes the temples and priests of all humanoid races—even the Drow and the strange godlike entities of cults. This freedom comes at a steep price, however.

Any religious organization looking to own property, build a temple, or hold services of any kind must pay a substantial "worship tax" that forces even the kindest and most charitable of groups to demand donations or tithes from their followers in order to maintain operations. Those temples and groups that fail to pay their worship tax are arrested and their assets forcibly seized.

### Culture:

Culturally, Yarland is often compared to Venice during the Renaissance. The nation's mercantilist economics, plutocratic government, trade power, and penchant for sailing make the similarities clear. These similarities are purposeful, and come as a result of Yarland's founding by Italian explorers in the early sixteenth (16th) Century. Yarland's origins as an pld colony of Venice became muddled following Yarland's war for independence when it broke off from its parent colonies and formed an independent state.

Yarland's cultural ties to Italy continue with the cuisine and local love of the arts, including a love of wine. Yarland's wealthiest families and companies decorate their establishments and mansions with all sorts of commissioned artwork, accompanied by paid orchestras or musicians. Statues, sculptures, paintings, mosaics, mastercraft carpentry, and more are all a result of Yarland's incredible wealth and obsession with the sophisticated aspects of life.

## History (PC):

1. 763- Yarland is founded through a brutal civil war
2. 864- A hero arises: Cynehild Cynesigesdohtor
3. 771- Cynehild Cynesigedohtor discovers an artifact of great and terrible power while exploring.
4. 775- Cynehild Cynesigesdohtor sells his services to three kings, each trying to outbid and beat the others.
5. 802- Cyncehild Cynesigesdohtor dies after the three kings turn on him, realizing his scheme
6. 825- A new hero arises: Gnef Son of Gnerf
7. 841- Gnef son of Gnerf is scarred by a giant
8. 859- Gnef son of Gnerf uses magic to travel to Hell, and never returns home.
9. 931- A hero arises: Mina Tiril
10. 1091- Mina Tiril loses an arm and becomes a tavern keeper.
11. 1094- Mina Tiril dies after her tavern is attacked by bandits.