Here's the description of Kaeir that I wrote up before the recent hiatus. Perhaps I can get the Taltheran one and we can standardise them to a degree? Ibrahim ---- The Kaeirean Republic (Player: Ibrahim Underwood (ibrahim_dughlas-gani@moe.edu.sg) General description: Kaeir has only recently “won” its independence from Taltheran, when a conspiracy of Taltherani merchant Houses and the elite Kaeirean Guard (established by the Taltherani Prince of Kaeir, from Taltherani, Kaeirean and mercenary troops) overthrew the Prince of Kaeir, and denounced the Taltherani King. The majority of Taltherani troops in Kaeir, including the pride of the Taltherani fleet, who had been stationed in Kaeir, followed the new republican spirit that had spread amongst the military ranks, swearing fealty to the new free and independent Kaeirean Republic. Kaeirean Republicanism is now the creed of Kaeir, and royalism, as well as any partisan deviations of clericalism, the enemy of republican liberty. Society concept: Once the most infamous den of corruption, thievery, and piracy on the Midsea, the Kaeirean islands of Celtehar and Celtalath have re-emerged from decades of Taltherani domination as a unitary Republic. Now a major nexus of western Midsea trade, the capital of Port Celtehar has become a large, cosmopolitan city with residents from many lands of the Midsea. The new Kaeirean Republic is essentially a merchant oligarchy, where power resides in the hands of the Senate of the Kaeirean Republic, comprised of the Major Houses, and the chief commanders of the Kaeirean Guard. Politically, the Republic’s policies are unclear. This becomes particularly worrying for geopolitical watchers on the western Midsea when one considers the mighty fleet that the Kaeirean Republic possesses, which was formerly the glory of the Taltherani Navy. The semi-ideology of Kaeirean republicanism though, with its clear populist and anti-monarchical beliefs though, seems poised to spread beyond these two small isles. Scholars from the Cedonian branch of the Society of Scholastics note however, that the Republic is essentially an aristocratic-commercial society devoid of any monarchical figures, and participation in politics is possible only for those of noble (or wealthy merchant) birth, and those who have worked their way up through the ranks of the Kaeirean Guard. Scholastic critics reject the labeling of Kaeirean republicanism as an ideology, interpreting it as simple aristocratic reactionary response to Taltherani monarchist attempts at centralisation, and therefore utterly devoid of any philosophical foundation. Principal elements: Ruling agencies - Kaeirean Senate. Key elements - The Triumvirate: Osric Basilludin, First Citizen, Port Kaeir Governor and Kaeirean Guard Commander. Gregor Ulricovic, Celtehar Governor. Cyril van Fitzlyri, Celtalath Governor. Major Houses - republican merchant houses from the mainland and Kaeir, the counter-balance to the Triumvirate, in the Senate. Merchant Association - de facto grouping of foreign merchants from beyond the Taltheran-Talishara-Kaeir region. Kaeirean Underworld - Local clan associations that become a haven for the surviving piratical/criminal element. Easterners' Enclave - autonomous enclave of merchants from the eastern Midsea, particularly Mir, predating the Taltherani conquest. Information Secretariat - newly formed agency with dual purpose of intelligence and propaganda. ---- History During the Cedonian Empire, Kaeir was incorporated as the Duchy Kaeir, playing little role at all in Imperial politics or economy. It was out of this that Kaeir developed into a cultural and economic backwater, becoming a haven for pirates and refugees of the western Midsea sea lanes. During the post-Cedonian period, Old Kaeir emerged as a centre of piracy under the direction of the Mayoralty of Port Kaeir on Celtehar. Little changed in the rural boroughs of both Celtehar and Celtalath, though Port Kaeir developed into a major city, numbering 30,000 souls. Kaeir became synonomous throughout the Midsea with terror, piracy and murder. In 1405, the Ka’Shari established a colony on Celtalath Island. Initial attempts against the Kaeirean pirates fail, and the Ka’Shari had to wait until help from the Ka’Shari arrived some years later. In 1406, Ka’Shari efforts at converting native Kaereans on Celtalath fail miserably. However, the Ka’Shari do succeed to in developing a small town in one of the harbours of Celtalath. The infamy had reached such a height that in 1413, as part of its policy to dominate the Northeastern Midsea trade, Taltheran attacked Kaeir, destroying the Pirate Fleets of Old Kaeir. Taltheran wiped out the pirates, executed the Mayor and his family, and brought the islands firmly within the orbit of Taltheran. Kaeir was reformed into a Principality, with the crown prince of Taltheran as the Prince of Kaeir. Port Kaeir flourished as a centre of trade, allowing Taltheran to dominate the western searoute, developing so quickly that population of the Port double in less than a decade. Soon after though, the majority of the Ka’Shari left as Taltheran influence began to dominate Celtalath, though enough remained for a moderate town to remain, Kahshar. Conscious of external threats to this new jewel of the Taltherani crown, the strength of the Taltherani Navy was stationed at Port Kaeir, strengthening the Prince’s position in Taltherani politics. Conscious of his position, he strengthened his personal troops, forming the Kaeirean Guard to protect his own position and control of the Principality. Recruiting the best and brightest marines from the Taltherani Navy, and the most able mercenaries from across the Midsea, the Kaeirean Guard became within a few years the most elite military unit within Taltheran. Despite the extremely well developed external defences, Taltheran, and the Prince of Kaeir in particular, failed to ensure that the Taltherani Navy Commanders and the Kaeirean Guards remained loyal to Taltheran. Isolation from the mainland, poor control of troops, disaffected Navy and Guard leadership, and the fabulous wealth of the Midsea trade soon combined, sparking a revolution that shook Taltheran to its knees. In 1440, the two-decade link between Kaeir and Taltheran was broken when the Kaeirean Guard, an elite marine unit serving under Prince Agaraxsen organised a coup overthrowing Agaraxsen, abolishing the Principality of Kaeir and founding the Kaeirean Republic. The Republican Revolution saw Taltheran lose half of its Royal Navy, as key units joined the coup, throwing their lot in the charismatic and cunning triumvirate that had organised it. A new Naval Power had arisen, one with a mercenary attitude to trade and diplomacy, and the arms to ensure the dominance of Kaeirean Commerce in the western Midsea. NOTICE: This communication is meant only for the addressee(s) named above and may contain information which is confidential and/or legally privileged. If you are not the named addressee(s), or the agent responsible for receiving and delivering this communication to the named addressee(s), this communication has been sent to you in error. If so, kindly contact us immediately for retrieval purposes. Unauthorised dissemination,distribution, copying or reliance on this communication is prohibited and may attract criminal penalties. Thank you. ---------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, send mail to celandra-off@phoenyx.net.
