Mercatia

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Overview

Mercatia (Imperial \ˌmɜrkˈheɪʃə\ meaning merchant land) is named for its strong association to commerce. Lore about Mercatia is common and accurate. It has been a civilized part of the Shard of Acrolon since the early Shattered Age, allowing for many scholars and historians to study the region.

History

Mercatia has a long and interesting history.

Fallen Lands

Even before the Shattered Age, during The Zero Year, the land of Mercatia experienced remarkable events. Originally the lands now called Mercatia were not an archipelago, but were hilly and mountainous terrain with many plateaus. However, at some point during the Time Storm, a Star fell from the Astral Sky and impacted with the lands of Mercatia. A considerable amount of Fury power associated with the Titan Severed Horizon leaked out, pulling the entire region under the waves of the Jeweled Sea. Only the tallest peaks and plateaus remained above the water, creating the archipelago seen today.

Shattered Age

Immediately after the Time Storm, the lands of Mercatia were uninhabited, which gave them a very foreboding reputation. During the Tribal Times of Acrolon, Mercatia was called Bannor (Nortongue, meaning exiled Nor) and was essentially an archipelago of penal colonies for Nor that were exiled from their homelands. These exiles eventually formed loose forms of governance, often involving criminal enterprise. This would eventually earn the region the name Pirate Isles (Commontongue, Imperial Insulae Piratae), which it kept for the first 200 years of the Shattered Age.

The Realm War

While most of the regions of Acrolon were adopting governance by monarchs around IR 230, the isles remained a loose confederation of clans. This contributed to the isles being largely unaffected by the The Realm War at the end of the Age of Kings. The isles did not hold a seat of political or military power, nor did they have allegiances to other kingdoms of Acrolon. Combined with the fact that the Barigor forces were primarily land-based, the isles escaped the conquest of the Barigor unconquered and unscathed.

However, one of the first remarkable achievements of Isaac was to form an alliance with the leaders of the Pirate Isles in resisting the Barigor. The naval power proved crucial to the counter-offensive that led to the Barigor in Acrolon surrendering.

Isles of Splendor

In the year IR 1246, an Orc named Suentius was born in southern Oscillia. At a young age, he was recruited into a pirate crew after persuading the pirates to spare his life. As a Paragon of Persuasion, Suentius was able to climb the ranks of his pirate company quickly. He would later become a Herald of Pattern, partly in service to Cambion but primarily in service to his influence over the inhabitants of the Pirate Isles.

With the combination of the power of his Heraldric magic and his powers of persuasion, Suentius became the first in history to unite the pirate companies into a single body, which he ruled as a pirate king. However, not entirely satisfied with the marginal life of piracy, Suentius implemented a plan to change pirate society. He executed a cultural campaign to rename the Pirate Isles to Admirali (Imperial \ˌædmərˈɔli\ meaning Isles of Wonder), its capital the city of Mercatia. However, the name cultural, economic, and political relevance of the city of Mercatia caused most people to refer to the islands by the same name, resulting in Mercatia becoming the unofficial name for the kingdom. The pirates steadily turned to more legitimate forms of commerce under the Mercatian Charter compact.

Dark Age

Suentius ascended to become the God of Pattern soon after the cataclysm known as The Fall. As a result, the young kingdom of Mercatia transformed into a corporatocracy, ruled by the merchant companies that held its political, economic, and military power. Though very busy with the duties of a Primarch, Suentius tried to guide the fledgling nation. Suentius knew that the Dark Age would inevitably cause a corruption of the government of Mercatia. However, there were two primary contributions Suentius made to Mercatia during the Dark Age to mitigate this corruption: The Turned Palm and Imperial independence.

Imperial Independence

Suentius leveraged his own persuasiveness and the greed of Mercatian nobility to keep the nation independent from the Dark Empire of Acrolon. The insulation was not perfect, some merchant houses could not resist the allure of Shadow Magic and Demonic influence. But Mercatia was considered a vassal state to the Dark Empire, instead of being directly governed. This not only reduced Lascivia's grasp on Mercatia, but also allowed Suentius to conduct secretive operations during the Dark Age.

The Turned Palm

Suentius formed a secret society within Mercatia. This secret society attempted to shape the society while Suentius was busy managing his Grand Design of Pattern. Major missions included:

• Kept an invisible dagger at the throats of the leaders of Mercatia for when a revolution against their corruption would become necessary.
• Kept the powers of Mercatia firmly aligned with independence from the Dark Empire.
• Worked as secret allies to servants of Day during their exile in the Dark Age, keeping them intact until a new age could be ushered in.

Dawn Age

The most notable event in Mercatia during the current age was The Change in Ledger beginning in IR 2192, where The Turned Palm orchestrated a number of violent and non-violent usurpations of power in the ruling class of Mercatia, leading to The Second Charter. This plan, put into place in the early Dark Age by Suentius, was meant to rapidly remove the worst influences of Dark Age politics from Mercatia as quickly as possible. While thorough, the effort was not perfect, and secret influences of Demonic and Dark Age powers still hide in the power structures of Mercatia.

Mercatia has also spent considerable resources attempting to resettle the lands of Oscillia, focusing on the nearby southern coast of the region.

Cosmology

Mercatia has many unusual cosmological features.

The Brine Star

One of the most unusual cosmological features of Mercatia is The Brine Star. The Brine Star is a Star that fell from the Astral Sky during the chaos of The Zero Year. It landed in the center of the landmass where Mercatia is today. An enormous amount of Fury energy spilled out of the star, believed to be associated with the Titan Severed Horizon. This energy plunged the entire region beneath the waves of the Jeweled Sea, leaving only the tallest peaks and plateaus above sea level as islands.

Most of the physical Brine Star sits at the bottom of the Jeweled Sea between Goldreach, Skelheim, Arborline, and Barrowhome. However, four shards of the Star hover near the surface of the sea above the submerged Star, as if left behind from the original impact, and not obeying gravity.

The Brine Star is the cause of torrential storms an average of once per year, called Brine Storms. These Fury fueled storms are highly destructive, like hurricanes, and the archipelago braces for them each Firewatch, when they tend to manifest. For several days after each Brine Storm, there is a tidal phenomenon called The Kneeling Tide, where the sea level drops significantly for a few hours each day. This reveals many tidal islands throughout the archipelago.

Aside from the Star itself, and the submerged regions of ancient land, the influence of Severed Horizon includes massive Fury Coral reefs and a population of Dragon Turtles.

Geography

There are 17 major islands in the archipelago of Mercatia, grouped roughly by convention. There are also over 100 minor islands in the archipelago, but those are generally discussed on the article of their closest major isle, so are not listed here. The archipelago is roughly 550 miles north to south and 450 miles east to west.

Additionally, the bottom of the Jeweled Sea is riddled with ancient sites from The Zero Year after The Shattering. Sunken cities, castles, towers, villages, caves, and more lie in the depths of the Jeweled Sea, largely unmapped and unexplored.

Sunset Reach

The Sunset Reach refers to the five westernmost Isles of Splendor:

• Dustmere: Population 3800, famous for exotic fish, limestone, and gems
• Rothlene: Population 24900, home of a mad Arcanist and cursed statue, produces paper, books, and scribes
• Keshlene: Population 5300, home of a Charter House of master metal smiths
• Kopakita: Population 48700, breadbasket of the Isles, famous exotic birds and cats
• Langtide: Population 73600, second largest population and economy in the Isles of Splendor, site of The Strange Tide of Acrolon

Green Reach

• Bogshade: Population 800, feral villages gathering exotic jungle resources for House Viridian
• Foamglass: Population 2900, mysterious and hazardous plant braved for a valuable mineral
• Valdessa: Seat of power for House Viridia, large population, varied economy
• Silbrae (Imperial, person), once Serenia (Imperial, peaceful) and Vollrland (Nortongue, field land)
  • 1 city, 1 town, 1 village
  • City famous for chimes
  • Red clay fields
  • Eastern marsh
  • Southern hill ridge with spring feeding lake and rivers
  • Seasonal flooding
  • Hill village that with an iron mine and scree fields
  • Medium quality road system

Central Islands

• Arborlene (Imperial, trees), once Ydalstiga (Nortongue, Ydalla step)
  • 1 city (Aurentis), 1 town, 3 villages
  • Massive, ancient magical forest of secrets, roaming with Spring Servitors and overgrown Spring nurseries
  • Lake with fishing village
  • Lumber villages
  • City with beautiful beaches
  • Culturally specific family structures
  • Intense, magical rainfall on the west side of the island due to interactions with Barrowhome, intense gravity to the rain
  • Medium quality road system
• Barrowhome (Commontongue, burial), once Grofhaugr (Nortongue, grave hill)
  • Western mountain range with springs feeding lake
  • Massive hill system with countless barrows, following suit of after the burial of Skathi
  • Eastern great pit used as a dump by many sailors, sinkhole to Gehenna caused by intense gravity rains
  • Arcanist tower in the middle of the lake
  • Intense magical rainfall on the east side of the island due to interactions with Arborline, intense gravity to the rain
  • Glacial terrain in the south caused by the death and burial of Skathi, Shard God of Winter
  • Temple of Autumn in the southern snow that looks after Skathi's tomb
• Brighthold (Commontongue, glowing crystals), once Lucina (Imperial, glowing crystals)
  • 1 city, 3 villages
  • City famous for and crime and vice with one very lurid district
  • Villages farm regrowing glowing crystals, which is physically dangerous work
  • Expansive basalt quarries
  • Medium quality road system
• Goldreach (Commontongue, wealth), once Aurea (Imperial, gold isle) and Bannorsgard (Nortongue, exile fort)
  • 1 metropolis, 1 city, 4 towns, 5 villages
  • Mercatia is the capitol and largest city in the Isles of Splendor
    • Incredibly oppulent, constructed of marble with many semi-precious murals
    • Famous for its extensive and sophisticated justice apparatus, honed by earning respect with the weight of pirate contracts and Dark Imperial justice
    • Wall District is a linear neighborhood that stretches along a harbor wall protecting ships in the southern harbor
  • Nectarine is the second largest city on Goldreach
    • Famous for orchards of exotic fruit that is turned into wines, brandies, lambics, and nectars
    • Has a rivalry with the vintners of Greycairn
  • Central hill ridge with multiple springs feeding rivers and lake
  • Village famous for unusual pastries
  • Vibrant oak forest
  • Hill quarries of marble
  • Powerful storms from The Brine Star
  • High quality road system
• Greycairn (Commontongue, arid), once Fuscus Lapis (Imperial, brown stone) and (Brunnstein (Nortongue, brown stone)
  • 1 city, 2 villages
  • Iron, coal, and other mines near villages
  • Pacifistic cultures
  • Brushland, clay ground
  • Small eastern delta
  • Central hill ridge with limestone quarries
  • City with renowned singing smiths
    • Growing vintner industry that grow their grapes on the northern hillsides, competing with Nectarine
  • High quality road system
• Skeldheim: Population 3100, home of House Alair
• The Spike (Commontongue, height), once Storra (Nortongue, tall)
  • 4 forts, located above a massive tunnel system
  • Massive forested mountain
  • Caves "of chimes"
• The Yellow (Commontongue, color and arid), once Xhevahir (Darktongue, gem), Meridia (Imperial, south), and Suthakr (Nortongue, south field)
  • 1 ruined city, 2 ruined towns, 2 ruined towers
  • Originally a fertile lea island in the Shattered Age, specializing in pastures and livestock
  • Bought by Dark Imperial noble in the Dark Age due to a rare mineral found in the soil
  • Overexploitation over centuries turned the island into a desert wasteland
  • Lingering demons and demon cults, Void pools
  • Tides carry unwholesome debris to neighboring islands
  • Angry / insane Telar

Inhabitants

Species

The Isles of Splendor are the most cosmopolitan region of any Shard. Mortal species from every Shard can be found here, as well as species of Strange and Fury origins. The most populous species are Humans, Orcs, Elves, and Dwarves.

Rarer species include Treatlings, Lascivians, and various Ferals.

Factions

The distinction between political and economic factions is immaterial in Mercatia, and so these factions are not separated in that way.

Nobility

The nobility of Mercatia are the investment companies that own the companies that actually do things. They operate like a mix between private equity firms and Renaissance patron families. Their primary contribution to the economy is the ability to muster enormous amounts of capital to underwrite major ventures. Their primary political contribution is voting on the policies and rules that govern all of Mercatian society through an organization called The Conclave, comprised of members from each house, voting based on their relative economic power. Otherwise, the noble companies are the beneficiaries of the enormous economic power of the lower classes.

There are nine Great Houses of Nobility, in addition to 25 Lesser Houses and 57 Chartered Houses.

Ancient Houses

These houses predate The Change in Ledger originating in either the Dark Age or Shattered Age.

• House Viridian: Formed in the early days of the Empire of Acrolon from one of the original pirate kingdoms. Specialize in exotic resources from the jungles of Viridia.
• House Cassavar: Formed in the middle days of the Empire of Acrolon. Specializes in banking and usury.
• House Drogash: An Orc family formed in the early days of the Empire of Acrolon from one of the original pirate kingdoms. Specialize in naval construction, martial training, and weaponry.
• House Malvaxis: Formed in the Dark Age. Specialize in alchemy, medicine, and related instruments.
• House Thalvarran: The oldest of the Great Houses, formed from the original pirate kingdoms of Bannor. Specialize in timber, textiles, and paper production.
• House Kalovinon: An Elf family formed in the late Shattered Age from Patternsail travelers dealing in art and entertainment.

Young Houses

• House Alair:
• House Fairhull:
• House Vexel:

Culture

• Carnivale, week four of Sperantsain: Weeklong party with masks. This started as a ploy of subterfuge for Suentius to help Lucidus outcasts and secret societies to work against the Dark Empire, wrapped in a way that was very attractive to the decadent Dark Empire. It was conceived as a "gift" from Suentius to honor Lascivia, but was actually a manipulation to resist her.
• "Bon Voyage" before any voyage, pour a bottle of wine on the deck of the ship for good luck.
• "Welcome Home" when you arrive home from a voyage: toss coins into the sea as thanks for a safe voyage.
• Mate Lot: The ability to form a legal partnership and inheritance with anyone in your "crew".