The Merchant Republic

Flag of The Merchant Republic

**The** **Merchant Republic** was a group of companies from Estanqa that banded together during the Times of Occupation*.* The Merchant Republic was lead by the Sunblight family for almost as long as it existed.

## Geography

The Merchant Republic was located at the south eastern portion of Estanqa. It has tall mountains, hills, plains, and forests. The majority of the coastline has cliffs, but there are beaches as well. The Merchant Republic also owns the majority of The Great Estanqan Cave System.

## The Merchant's Charter

The Merchant's Charter is the document that outlined the legislative power, governmental process, freedoms and military structure of The Merchant Republic. It was created during The Times Of Occupation with the formation of The Merchant Republic.

## Economy

The economy of The Merchant Republic was generally focused around raw material exports such as coal, iron, redstone, lapis lazuli, amethysts, and diamonds. Because of their exports, The Merchant Republic was able to trade for more advanced technology and magic, but it was not as advanced as other major nations at the time.

## Naval ensign of The Merchant Republic

### Ancient History

For thousands of years the people that inhabited Estanqa were separated, either by mountains, large dense forests, or political borders. There were times when the continent was unified, times of civil war and breakaway states, times of prosperity and times of famine. Everything changed when magic was discovered, and everything changed again when colonizers from the "Old World" came to take their lands.

### The Times of Occupation

When the first colonizers from the ‘Old World’ came to Estanqa the disunited peoples of the continent were quickly overrun and taken over. As it got clearer and clearer to the people of Estanqa that they were not likely to win their defensive wars, one trading family came up with a plan. With their remaining power and influence the Sunblight family started the mass migration underground to the city of Floodgate***.*** A fortress was built into the mountain and with the combined effort of all citizens the colonizers were successfully repelled and the underground city began to prosper on its own.

### Emergence

Through decades of tentative trading expeditions and conquest The Merchant Republic expanded its borders to the above ground and the ocean, it took on an export based economy heavily focused on trade and ocean travel. It has been and continues to be a difficult transition for some citizens but it also spurred an economical, technological and magical boom. The Mercanti Calendar was invented to help with the new time measurements that a day-based trading system required. The Prime Minister responsible for The Emergence was Maerys Sunblight the 1st prime Minister of the new age, in the first month of his first term the preparations began and in the second month The Emergence officially started. Maerys was elected for two terms, but died in the fifth year of his second term; his term was finished by Matanar Sunblight, the son of Maerys after a 62-18 vote in the senate making him the 2nd Prime Minister. After Matanar, Dalaesa Sunblight was elected as the 3rd Prime Minister with a vote of 54-26; she served for one term. On the day that the new leader was to be elected, Gaevar Seamont began a coup and stormed the senate and sent another group to the Prime ministers home; his coup was successful and he lead for seven years before being deposed by Harlen Sunblight, making Harlen the 4th legitimate Prime Minister, Gaevar is often known as the one illegitimate Prime Minister. Harlen served for the remaining 3 years of the term that would have gone to Gaevar had he been elected democratically. After Harlen, Matalar Sunblight was elected as the 5th Prime Minister and served for two full terms with senate votes of 46-34 and 65-15 respectively. After Matalar, Viserra Sunblight was elected as the 6th Prime Minister with a senate vote of 68-12 her first term and 70-10 her second term.

### Mercanti-Keplarian War

The Mercanti Keplarian war(known as the Keplarian Colonial Push in The Merchant Republic) was a war that lasted from the end months of 78 AE to the beginning months of 79 AE. The war ended with a Keplarian victory, and the acceptance of peace terms by The Merchant Republic; which included the cessation of all arms deals involving Anatidad by The Merchant Republic and the payment of war reparations by The Merchant Republic to Keplaria totaling 200 million Mercanti dollars.

### The War of Stavasser

Also known as the **Great War** in some countries, the War of Stavasser was devastating for The Merchant Republic and the Sunblight family. The Merchant Republic, joined together in the *Trident Coalition* with Keplaria and Tachiv, fought against Anatidad, and later the Kalian Republic and Mirya. No one won the War of Stavasser. The war ended because of the collapse of economies on both sides, combined with the human casualties, and the respective revolutions such as the *Revolution of Unity* and *The War For Mercanti Liberation*.

### The War for Mercanti Liberation

It would be inaccurate to say the War for Mercanti Liberation started on one precise day, since the start of The Merchant Republic there was public dissent, and after The Emergence of The Republic and the interactions between the other nations of Stavasser there was a more cohesive fight against the Sunblight Family and The Merchant Republics government. It would be accurate to say however that the First Region of the Mercanti Republics was established in 86AE by Coronatian UCARE.

## Mercanti Armed Forces

The Mercanti armed forces was the standing army of The Merchant Republic, it consisted of four branches, The Army, Navy, Airforce and Underground Operations Command(UOC). The combined armed forces had an estimated manpower of 6,560,000(Six million five hundred and sixty thousand).

Although The Merchant Republic had a standing army, the majority of wartime forces were mercenaries, either hired from within The Merchant Republic itself or from foreign countries. There were several large mercenary companies that operated in The Merchant Republic.

## Calendar

The Merchant Republic used the Mercanti Calendar. It is a solar calendar with 400 days; 8 months with 55 days each, excluding the last month, which has 15 days. Weeks are 5 days long, and days are 20 hours long.

## Religion

The Merchant Republic had freedom of religion. Since the early stages of their society The Merchant Republic was Polytheistic, with many deities holding domain over different aspects of life and the function of the universe. The most worshipped deity in The Merchant Republic was Briorh, with almost 75% of Mercanti citizens reporting him as one of their worshipped deities. The second most worshipped deity being Kamnolarh, Briorh's sibling and counterpart, with roughly 60% of people listing zem as one of their worshipped deities. There is also Muha-set who is only worshipped by about 12% of the population.