Republic of Tridunai

To say that Tridunai gained independence in 1030 and from then on saw no serious threats to its independence until the 1950s would be a slight overstatement, but is true for most of the city's history. As a strategically important chokepoint along the Alcedina coast, it was the final city sezied by the Kingdom of Sunþiruda, and one of the last to be vacated by the Sunþirudans. However, vacated it was, in 1030, with the Sunþirudans leaving behind not just the original Elven walls, but also a series of coastal fortifications designed to keep out the Costtorali League, thus making the city even more impregnable. These forts prevented the city from predation by either the nearby republics of Ultarra or the Costtoraline, as well as protecting the city from the early expansion of nearby Floren. Tridunai would exist in the shadow of Floren for much of the early republic, between the 1100s and 1300s, with various rulers conducting hostile or friendly diplomacy but never going to war. Their fort network was simply too sophisticated for even the other Alcediner to breach, much less nearby Erleting tribes, and even the mighty Principality of Mediolene did not attempt to attack the city, merely accepting token tribute. However, the Medioleni became more and more domineering over the years, and in 1393 Tridunai would join the other cities in a coalition to defeat Mediolene. After the Floreni army was crushed by the Medioleni, Tridunai played a key role, when, along with Insulana, they prevented the victorious Medioleni from escpaing the Floreni countryside, allowing the forces of the northern cities to occupy Mediolene and force the state to capitulate.

After the war, Tridunai seized several key border provinces from the battered Floreni as well as began their own banking service, which at first was primarily used by the southern and eastern cities. This allowed them to actually surpass Floren in power for over a century, but the Floreni simply had the population advantage and would later rise under Gens Aghiatti. The Aghiatti ruler Luc the Magnificent would expand his state all the way to the walls of Tridunai itself in 1775, as well as force the Tridunai to disband their banking operations. Though Tridunai would later reclaim much of their former territory, which remains contested to this day, they would never again threaten Floren on land or by sea. However, the city emerged as a major center for the silk industry in the aftermath of these wars, as elven techniques continued to disseminate. Reverse-engineered by a merchant's son, and with several coccoons procured via the black market the industry took off. Silk and clothwork soon became the heart f the economy, rivalling even Floren. Worried about the potential for a Floreni invasion to remove competition, as with the banks, the Tridunai financed an expensive renovation and expansion of their walls, coastal forts, and other defenses, and built a series of impressive forts guarding the Tridunai Pass (the main trade route to the south) and the nearby highlands. Completed only in 1903, many of these forts would soon be used against them by the legendary general Sarbarve after the devastation of Dragan Ivar's Army. Although Tridunai itself didn't fall, and most of their fortifications held throughout the wars, the garrisons at the pass and in the highlands were surprised at the tail end of the war and the forts were seized by Sarbarve, who made a shocking assault from the south. By holding this critical section of the Tridunai defenses, Sarbarve was able to put pressure on the city and prevent them intervening against him, even after troops from other cities arrived to help. Even though some of the forts would be recaptured, the Tridunai could not dislodge Sarbarve from the highlands, and he continues to be a threat to Tridunai to this day.

Unlike Tridunai's generally steady geopolitical history, the city has has a turbulent political scene. The republic was first organized by local populists, but would lapse into oligarchy by the rise of Floren. Tridunai would see the rise of its first Gens Tyrani in 1274, who gained power by promising to organize against the Floreni. His rule would only last a short while before populists emboldened by the spread of Blazeology overthrew him and proclaimed a religious state, with a Blazennian noble family even invited to be nominal heads of the state. This 'nominal' status became actual within the century, with the gens leading the fight against Mediolene and receiving popular acclaim. However, they would later be toppled by the banking oligarchs, who ruled the city until 1775. These oligarchs were then replaced by a populist republic for a short period before the rule of the gens of silk (who had discovered and monopolized the industry and thereafter taken it as their family name) took control in the 1800s. The rule of Gens Seris would last until the devastating blows wrought by Sarbarve, when their rule was brought to an end and the other merchants dealing in silk (the monopoly having long since faded) divided the industry amongst themselves. It is this council that has ruled the nation since the 1950s.