Republic of Istria
In the maelstrom that this region of the World suffers, from wars, poverty, and feudalistic lords, the eastern shores of the Sea of Voros hosts a remarkable place, the Republic of Istria. Centered around the port metropolis Istria, a mercantile republic has sprouted up, with some marked traces of their past as a principality remaining, namely the Crowned Prince (formally Prestolonaslednik in their tongue) holding two votes. Despite the immense wealth flowing into the city and the abnormal freedoms afforded to its people, little of this trickles over the Castle Mountains into the countryside the city-state holds sway over. The wealth disparity and economic trend towards farming leaves the eastern countryside a rolling land of green fields with charming villages intermingled.
This serenity is surprisingly not under threat by its neighbors, with the wars between Veliuona and Masovia and Dombrich keeping out of Istrian lands. Their last war was decades ago between Istria and Elbasan that concluded at the Battle of Hell's Forest. Like the rest of the World, dangers are ever present, but that responsibility falls upon the petty lords of villages and the brave efforts of skilled adventurers.
This serenity is surprisingly not under threat by its neighbors, with the wars between Veliuona and Masovia and Dombrich keeping out of Istrian lands. Their last war was decades ago between Istria and Elbasan that concluded at the Battle of Hell's Forest. Like the rest of the World, dangers are ever present, but that responsibility falls upon the petty lords of villages and the brave efforts of skilled adventurers.
History
Istria has always been a part of some greater empire and been little more than an afterthought within it. 3000 years ago it was part of the Khazar Empire before they crumbled during the Black Ash Days. Thereafter it was part of the Sildeyuir Empire, and was predominantly a sun elven region, compared to the moon elf dominated region to its north that would become Veliuona. This empire also fell when the Impilturians invaded from the north and exterminated the Mithral Elves and subjugated the land for several centuries before it's recession. Finally, in the 500s to 600s, Istria was part of the Masovian Kingdom, which was short lived at three generations of kings before it was corrupted by the Jade Queen and fell, becoming the Duchy it is today.
At the beginning of the 700s, Istria was the most powerful city on the Sea of Voros, and with no formal government overlording it. A decade long struggle followed of the nobility scrambling for control over their small fiefs and pieces of the city's power before the Crowned Prince Pollux seized ultimate control of the capital, subjugating the petty lords both within and without. Thus the Principality of Istria was founded. His son, Pollux II, was a cruel but cowardly ruler, and caused the wealth of Istria to collapse.
With madness in their head of state, and starvation in the streets, an uprising began to topple the Prince. In the summer of 777 AC, the people of Istria stormed Seaspike Castle, and forced the Prince to give up his power in place of establishing a crowned republic. To not disrupt the feudal balance of power too dramatically, the Crowned Prince was allowed to hold two votes compared to every other senator's one. One of the most impactful pieces of legislation was the building of Canal Keep, connecting the Sea of Voros to the Krovitya River, and expanding Istria's influence over the entire region, reaching out into the Sea of Fallen Stars.
As the years passed, the Crowned Prince was turned into an elected position, and the role of senator moved from a political station any civilian could claim to a mishmash of noble families that would vie for elected power, closing off the role of senator to familial circles.
Demography and Population
The Republic of Istria covers an area of 4700 square miles. Of this, 38% (1780 sq. miles) is arable land, and 61% (2819 sq. miles) is wilderness
The Republic of Istria has a total population of 276 thousand people. The largest city and namesake, Istria, has a population of 55 thousand people, dwarfing every other settlement in the country's influence. It is an outlier as it wouldn't be able to support such a metropolis if it weren't for the Sea of Voros and serving as the central hub of trade and movement through the region. The second largest city is Riverest at 6829 people, the second largest being Eastwind at 4097. The only other population centers large enough to mention are Mountain Shadow, Canal Keep, and West Krasta.
The Duchy of Masovia has 5 active castles and 2 ruined. Of these, 4 castles and 0 ruined are in civilized lands, and 1 castles(namely Canal Keep) and 2 ruined are in the wilderness, along borders, etc.
Territories
The Republic of Istria is centrally focused in the metropolis of Istria, and acts more like a city-state. The Sea of Voros surrounds the city on all sides except the east, where the Castle Mountains sharply rise. The heavily forested Sijana Valley sits on the opposite side of the mountains, a temperate rainforest. Mountain Shadow sits beneath Mt. Dreamwalker, famous for a legendary Stone Giant, with Shimmer Pond to it's south. To the south, the Ledenjak Mountains form a rainshadow affect that formed the Hell's Forest badlands, with Eastwind a port town sitting on the rainy western slopes. West Krasta is a village sitting along the Krovitya River's banks, sandwiched between Hell's Forest and the Westhills. Most of the small villages can be find along the river, before finally reaching the large town of Riverest, second largest after Istria. To the north, Canal Keep is composed of two castles guarding and tolling either end of the canal. The Falling Cliff is an unstable mountain that is constantly landsliding into the sea, but has attracted a mining town named Topazton for the abundant topazs found within the Cliff. Unfortunately for them, a callous Topaz Dragon named Gaulauntyr has taken the mine and lairs there.
Military
The Republic of Istria has a tiny standing military, primarily composed of ships on the Sea of Voros or protecting barges along the Krovitya River. Istria proper has a guard force of over 500, with another 1000 in reserve. The countryside's military falls into the municipality's militia, with at most a handful of active guards and emergency reserves, with noble families often training one or two knights, which act as wandering hedge knights before returning home as protectors of their home.
Religion
Istria is classified as a Lawful Neutral society. Within the main city, the Church of Abadar holds a monopoly on the people, with his cathedral located in the center of town. This building formerly belonged to the Seldarine, constructed during the time of Sildeyuir and boasts some of the strange architecture of the elves giving the building the look of a coiling spire rising over the wharfs. Outside of the cathedral, shrines are dotted all along the city streets. Istrians consider Abadar their patron deity, the source of their wealth and influence, and the heart of their stable society. The reverence of other gods doesn't typically lead to dire consequences, but the populous views those not worshipping Abadar as backwards, and will make doing business difficult if they don't refuse outright. This fervor can be temporarily blinded by enough coin however.
Outside of the city, the sparce towns and villages are less prone to reverence of Abadar, but are primarily Lawful in nature. One of the more common deities among the peasantry is Erastil, or other minor gods of hearth and home. The petty nobility that rule over the small scale fiefs either take up the faith of Abadar, Erastil, with the particularly iron-fisted giving Bane their reverence. Hedge Knights of these three deities wander the countryside.
Outside of the city, the sparce towns and villages are less prone to reverence of Abadar, but are primarily Lawful in nature. One of the more common deities among the peasantry is Erastil, or other minor gods of hearth and home. The petty nobility that rule over the small scale fiefs either take up the faith of Abadar, Erastil, with the particularly iron-fisted giving Bane their reverence. Hedge Knights of these three deities wander the countryside.
Maps
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Republic of Istria
Founding Date
31 Virtius 777 AC
Type
Geopolitical, Republic
Capital
Alternative Names
The Farmer's Land, Sea Country
Demonym
Istarian (alt. Vorosian)
Government System
Monarchy, Crowned Republic
Economic System
Market economy
Legislative Body
As it stands today, Istria serves as the capital and is headed by five noble families (Blackmyre, Cerwyn, Hornwood, Lowther, and Tolland(Crowned).) Istria is the central focus of wealth, commerce and political dealings, with the eastern lands of the Republic mostly left to their own devices with the exception of Riverest, with villages headed by petty lords in a miniature version of feudalism. Despite the disinterest, the eastern countryside is still beholden to the laws levied by the capital, and are afforded votes in the Senate. Due to the balance of power in Istria, the small houses of the east have such minute voting power compared to the nobles within the city, and have all but given up visiting. It's not uncommon for a village to have its own laws set down by their local lord.
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Friendly, Trade Partners
Diplomacy between the Duchy and the Republic have been remarkably amicable, with extensive open trade between the two.
Friendly
Due to political shrewdness, Istria has set itself as a friendly trade partner and simultaneously not worth conquering.
Friendly
While the Republic of Istria disapproves of Dombrich's form of government, the two are mutual trading partners, and thus find themselves rather agreeable when the gold is flowing.
Peace Treaty
A war has recently ended between Istria and Elbasan, with good relations opening up.
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