Grand Republic of Libertia

The Grand Republic of Libertia is a grand republic and the only democracy in the known world. Libertia occupies the southern portion of the continent of Karthica - an area formerly made up of tribes and small settlements with numerous cultures. At the dawn of the age, one thousand - two hundred years ago, this land was invaded and pillaged countless times by more powerful warlords and raiders from the north and from across the sea. As time went on, the various cultures began to band together into a loose confederacy of states, and the precursor of modern Libertia was born. The capital of Braevin City began to grow, and the new alliance of states became strong. This is also the origin of Libertia’s democracy; during the early days, each leader within the confederacy would send forth someone to represent them in Braevin City to organise the defence of the alliance. Roughly 400 years later, in the current time, this alliance has grown into a grand republic with a centralised government, military and economy. Where once kings sent forth electors to vote for them, now a growing elite citizenry elects the leader of the republic as a whole. Compared to the rest of the known world, the people of Libertia are able to pursue whatever they wish, and as such, Braevin City has become the richest and largest city on Karthica.   This being said, however, the imbalance of wealth between the highest and lowest of the citizenry are incredibly high. The elite of Libertia, while a large class of the citizenry in itself, barely recognises the squalor that the poorer Libertians live in.   The presence of guilds, lords and feudalism in Libertia has slowly evaporated over time. Firstly, merchant families became excessively rich and largely ran the state as an enterprise as the former elector kings’ power steadily fell behind the economic might of the patricians. Their trading operations created enormous wealth, which was used to transform the state into a rapidly modernising country. Many of the first educational facilities and universities were founded in Braevin City, as were scientific laboratories and scholarly houses. The arts, in the last 150 years, have flourished in the city. Theatres and great works of art can be found across the cities - their creators names being household amongst the growing class of wealthy citizens. It would seem to many as if the city was a bastion of civilisation on a continent rife with danger, magic and war. Secondly, as the wealth of the merchants became the wealth of the state, the power wielded by the old traditional dukes and petty kings that founded the state was diminished. Peasants moved to be closer to Braevin City, for just a chance at the wealth of the state. Sons and daughters of the merchant families struck out on their own with portions of their families wealth, hired this growing workforce and created the first companies; permanent economic enterprises designed to provide goods to the growing wealthy citizenry of the state.  

A Republic of Many Cultures

Unlike its northern neighbour, Pallas, the geographical region of Libertia is comprised of many different ethnic groups that are spread out across the south. The Republic was not born out of a common ethnicity like Pallas, but rather from the desire of the various petty kingdoms and tribes to unite into a stronger power to resist invasion and oppression. As such, Libertia has a certain degree of ethnic tension and cultural differences compared to other kingdoms in Karthica.  

Heartlander

Roughly 40% of the population are Heartlanders. This cultural group has only truly emerged and grown since the founding of the Republic in the last four centuries, and the Heartlander culture is found in only the area immidiately surrounding Braevin City, but most importantly the city itself is predominantly Heartlander. It is the culture and values of the Heartlander people that form the basis of Libertia's principled republic, not to mention the foreign stereotypes against its people. Heartlanders built Libertia into the powerhouse it is today, particularly Braevin City, which they transformed into the most powerful city in the known world.  

Aquitan

The Aquitan people are natives of the western coasts of Libertia, or the Aquitan region, as well as the Nante. An affinity for traditional arts and practices, a strong stubborness and a distaste for authoritarianism characterise the Aquitan people. The cities of Dorleon and Marais highlight the Aquitan spirit and culture through their liveliness and embodiment of the Aquitan way of life.   Prior to the formation of the Republic, the region of Aquitan and its many small merchant republics staunchly opposed the concept of unifying with the other petty kings and tribes. It was only after the Green Orcs of the south west threatened them directly that they agreed that unification was neccessary, though they stipulated that they retain significant autonomy from the centralised government.  

Briággo

The Briággo region is home to the Briággo people. Awash in warmth and shaped by rolling hills, the Briággo people are the stewards of some of the world's most treasured luxuries. Wine, grapes, olives, citrus fruits and perfume... all of these highly desirable goods are produced in Briággo.   Briággo was not initially part of the Republic in its initial formation. It was only in 1118 that the Republic aggressively motioned to submit Briággo to their rule. Wishing to avoid blooshed, the city states of Vieri and Laranzi agreed to join the Republic. As such, Briággo still has strong anti-Libertia views amongst its citizens.   In 1240, near the end of the Great War, Briággo leaders took advantage of the Republic's involvement in the war to lead a rebellion. Libertia had ended the war by the time the revolt was in full swing, but they were forced to withdraw most of their armies from Pallas, ultimately hurting their ability to expand there.