Morloux Republic

**Population**: 60% Westrasi human, 10% Vassal Tribesmen, 9% Halflings, 8% Swe’yus human, 7% Janedi human, 5% Wood elves and Dryads, 1% Other

**Capitol**: Larus

**Government**: Democratic Republic

Called the land of two revolutions, almost the direct antithesis to the old Belaran empire. A powerful nation, it’s an influential country both in Westrasi and the rest of the continent. Though whatever the fate of this nation, it’s true mark on history will be the radical new ideas on subjects from politics to science to philosophy, which will undoubtedly affect the world for centuries to come.

#### **Culture**

The fact that this country was born from revolution becomes immediately apparent when you talk to one of its citizens. The Morloux believe that everyone is ultimately free and equal and that no one should subject oneself to another person's will unless they’ve made themselves worthy or it’s beneficial to you. From this, they generally have little respect for people of authority, especially those who’ve inherited their position and nobility are treated with open hostility. This manifests as a characteristic bluntness and honesty, talking to anyone as if they were on first-name basis, regardless of social rank or actual closeness. This is interpreted by many foreigners as rudeness but in reality, being overly formal is what’s seen as rude in Morloux.

The overall culture is clearly Westrasi but it’s been influenced a lot by the people brought over as slaves during the nation's monarchic phase leading to a remarkably multicultural society.

##### Treant

The many Treant vassal tribesmen, elves and dryads who were brought here to work farms and plantations with their Treant magic, created an agricultural revolution, drastically increasing the food quality and quantity, leading to a population boom on the continent. This new larger and healthier population is probably one of the causes of the second revolution. Many of the treant natives returned home after they gained their independence but most stayed, having now lived here for generations. Most live in scattered communities in the countryside but many who abandoned their phobia of industrialisation choose to live in the cities where dryad and Westrasi wizards teach and incorporate each other's magic. Most Treant peoples speak a kind of “Treant Creole'' formed by the many tribesmen who now lived and worked together. In truth, now it's mostly just a dialect of Morloux and almost all of them speak standard Morloux in addition, though it grants them some cultural unity.

##### Swe’yus and Janedi

Out of all the slaves brought to the homeland, these two groups were the ones who were treated the worst. While their living conditions have significantly improved after the second revolution, the scars of slavery are the most apparent among them, particularly the Swe’yus. They’re the ones who’ve assimilated the worst, often living in ghettos and suffer the worst from poverty and prejudice, even by the treant. The Janedi fare better but have many of the same problems as the Swe’yus.

##### Halflings

The Belaran empire had been enslaving halflings since its inception, forcing them to craft tools and weapons for them. When Prince Leyron staged his revolt, he promised all halflings of Belara they would be free under his rule. So many skilled craftsmen in his army who built him arms, armour, ships, siege engines, castles and much more, granted him a technological edge over the royalists who were deprived of their armourers. The halflings, now no longer slaves to other masters, gained vast amounts of wealth selling their craftsmanship and today they fill most upper echelons of Morloux society, even seeing some in the Commons Seat. The republic (then kingdom) also gained much, as the freer, wealthier and more educated halflings advanced technology drastically and paid huge sums in taxes. While they’re generally regarded well by the Westrasi humans, the Treant, Swe’yus and Janedi hold some animosity against them as they hold much power and wealth in Morloux while these new arrivals, some of whose ancestors were brought on Halfling merchant slave ships, still occupy the poorer quadrants of society.

#### **Religion**

Freedom of religion is guaranteed under the Morloux Constitution. While Gloria-Etalia is the majority religion, the Church of the Divine Duality only has some influence with the chapel of Morloux being the largest religious institution. Halflings primarily believe in Gloria-Etalia, though a larger percentage of halflings are non-religious than Westrasi humans. Most Treant natives still follow some form of Treant worship, although it’s been very influenced by the local religion and the urbanised treants have mostly converted to GE. Large portions of Swe’yus and Janedi people believe in the Celestial religion, although most of them have converted to GE and are in fact often more devout than the local Westrasi.

#### **Organization**

After the formation of the first Morloux kingdom, three institutions were created. The Kings Seat, representing the royal house, the Barons Seat, representing the aristocratic elite, and the Commons Seat, representing the people. While this was certainly more fair than the previous system, it was still a minority that held most of the power. With the death of the royal family and most aristocrats during the second revolution, the Commons Seat for all practical purposes became the de facto state, whose members are elected in local elections in the various regions and cities across Morloux. The Barons Seat now only implements and enforces the laws that the Commons write. In theory the Barons could simply ignore their instructions and enforce their own laws, thereby taking all the power and instating a new rule, if it wasn't for the fact that the "Barons'' are just members of the Commons who're voted in and out on a half year basis. The Kings Seat is reduced to a ceremonial institution with no power or influence who's only responsibility is to manage the king's old estates, whose profits are all paid to the Commons Seat.

Currently, around fifteen different parties have members in the Commons, the two largest of which are the Democratic-Republic party, the oldest party in the Commons having formed only twenty years after the birth of the republic, and the Radical Liberalists Party, the current leading party which gained prominence the last forty years, with Corinou D’afete as party leader. New serving his first term as prime minister, Corinou has been engaged in politics for fifty years. His platform runs on sweeping economic and social reforms and anti-traditionalist rhetoric. A highly capable man with decades of experience, he’s popular both in and outside Morloux, though many kings worry how this headstrong man will shake up the political landscape.

#### **Origin**

After the Belaran civil war, the new Leyron royal family possessed the strongest nation in Westrassi but since it came to be partially through a people's revolt they had to grant some concessions to the people leading to a constitutional monarchy. Furthermore the Belaran kingdom, now mostly banished from the Westrasi main land, still held on to some of their old colonies and sought to regain power through them, something the Leyron family couldn’t allow. While Belara managed to gain colonies around the continent, due to their better ship technology, Morloux only managed to hold onto one in the south of the continent, Nulamore, however this one colony proved to be hugely profitable. This profit was mostly spent on waging the countless wars against their old kin in the north and the luxury goods were still reserved for the wealthy aristocrats of the old empire, so the people rarely saw much of this treasure. Adding to this, the Morloux brought many of its colonial slaves back to the homeland which led to explosive population growth and ethnic tension on top of the already existing halfling minority, unlike the Belarans in the north which rarely allowed foreigners to enter their lands. All these factors lead to the second revolution about two centuries ago, this time wiping out the royal family entirely and most of the old aristocracy, finally eliminating the last remnants of the old Belaran empire. This led to one of the first true democracies on the continent and introduced a radical new constitution which included things like the complete abollition of slavery, freedom or religion, freespeech, right to assembly, etc. This inspired many more revolutions in Westrasi, some bloody, some peaceful, some successful, some failures but whatever the case, the political landscape of the region had changed forever and the monarchies that remain must tread lightly.

#### **Diplomacy**

Morloux tends to have good relations with the rest of Westrasi, the obvious exception being Belara who they’re continuously extremely hostile towards, often swapping lands through battles and skirmishes. Morloux likes to use Jorivakian mercenaries in these many wars. Outside of this, they’re deeply intertwined with Westrasi politics.

They're relations to the eastern continent are significantly less civil. Many nations hold a grudge for Morlouxs slaving past, although these tensions have somewhat eased with the founding of the republic. Their worst enemy here is the Ecinevian League, who they wage multiple proxy wars against and everyone knows it’s only a matter of time before a full scale is declared.

#### **Geography**

Flanked by coast to the north and mountains to the south, the land is a very mild climate. Most of Morloux has been converted to farmland although forest is spreading again with help from the treant natives.

#### **Economy**

Nulamore is an important part of the Morloux economy, bringing exotic goods to the rest of Westrasi, although it’s far from their only source of income. Their trade network extends all the way around the Westrasi sea where they buy and sell the vast majority of their products. Morloux itself sells large amounts of high quality craftsmanship from the halfling population, whether that’s tools, toys, arms or other knick knacks as well as many luxury foods brought over and cultivated by the treants. Like many others they’ve attempted to cultivate xuxu beans but even with treant magic and labour, it’s been to no avail.