The World Of Khoras - Civilization - Nations

"The main mast creaked, the rudder groaned,
against the railing I was thrown.
The ship was tossed about the sea,
saving us all was up to me"
-from a Popular Harbor Alehouse Song

Proper Name The Imperial Protectorate of Mercia
Ruler His Most Noble Majesty, Master of the Sapphire Main, Scourge of Piracy on the High Seas, Anchor of Storms, Rudder of the Nation, King Alfred II, the Wise, Commander of the High Seas
Estimated Population 5,800,000
Demographics Human 65%, Grum 14%, Saurian 9%, Ogre 6%, Elven 3%, Orc 2%, Baenite 1%
Adjectival/Demonym Mercian/Mercians
Languages Southern 50%, Rukemian 50%
Capital City Freeport (Population: 47,200)
National Colors Blue and grey.
Year Founded 184
Currency Rukemian
Natural Resources Lumber (especially Mercian Red Oak), fish and other seafood, citrus fruits, bloodroot, podmoss, sunfish
Manufactured Goods and Major Exports Timber (especially Mercian Red Oak), boats and ships, foodstuffs, fruit, stormdraught (drink)
Wealth Above Average
Government Type Constitutional Monarchy
Government Stability Stable
Allies Rukemia, Ormek, War Vale
Enemies Coalition
Technology Level Dark Ages
Primary Religion Semorjon
Other Religion Imarus, Barrinor, Vorkayne, Sarreth, Kael, Mireldokar, Daramis, The Three Fates, Drenmoragin
Climate Semi-tropical
Approximate Land Area 1,600,000 square kilometers
Arable Land 18%
Terrain Coastal forest

Description

Mercia is primarily a seafaring nation and one of the oldest countries in existence. It is culturally and financially dependent on the sea. Its capital, Freeport, has grown up around its large harbor. The city has several buildings on islands and bridges connecting these islands to the main land, giving the city a spider web look on one side. Freeport is a major trade center and port. Many hundreds of small fishing vessels that sail the Sapphire Main call Freeport home.

Geography

Mercia is a peninsula with rough hills in the west, heavy forest in the north and center and fertile plains in the east and south. Most communities in Mercia are on the coast where they can fish and sail. Mercia has hot summers and moderate, rainy winters. It is known for plentiful orange trees.

Notable Fauna and Flora

Mercia has wetlands to the west wherein may be found both ebrin and red asps. Erriku groups are commonly sighted on the southern coasts while sunfish and black razor fins are plucked from the rivers. The harbors are home to seals and the occasional whale. Out to sea the huge fine of a megalodon is spotted on rare occasions. Mercian ports, especially Freeport, inspect incoming cargoes carefully as blood roach infestations are greatly feared. So far, Mercia has done a good job keeping the blood roach out, despite the fact that Ormek, its neighbor, is heavily infested. Mercia harvests a great deal of lumber from the land, but has few useful herbs besides the occasional patch of blood root. Several deathgrip trees grow in the western wetlands of Mercia.

History

Mercia has remained relatively unchanged by history and untouched by the ravages of war. It is a peaceful nation that coalesced from many fishing villages that survived the Great War. Mercia's first king, Frederick Mercan I, was named from the nobles in the summer of 184. The stability of this country is evident in the fact that it has been ruled by a single line through out its entire history. Mercia began as a very small kingdom (which probably helped it survive the Great War). During the Age of Sorrow it slowly expanded and strengthened its naval forces. In the year of 1352 during the Age of Rebirth, Mercia officially united with the Rukemian Empire and became a subordinate kingdom. This was a controversial decision at the time, but the current King, Alexander Mercan IV, saw the economic and military benefits of allying with such a powerful nation. Mercia was having financial difficulties and was losing the war against pirates. Several nobles were eyeing the throne and Alexander felt that a political coup was not far off. His decision saved Mercia and with Imperial help, piracy was brought under control. The nobles backed down and Alexander held on to the throne. Since then, the Empire has extracted a heavy toll with Imperial taxes and certain modifications to Mercian law. 

Government

Mercia's government is a standard monarchy. However, it is a subordinate kingdom to the Empire. Mercia walks a fine line between being an ally with Rukemia and little more than a province. The Empire taxes Mercia and demands the application of certain Imperial laws. King Alfred II is an experienced sea captain and a valiant man-at-arms. His shrewd politics and cunning have recently helped his small kingdom develop a stronger economic foundation and a superior naval force. This has gained it much Imperial favor. Mercia now builds all Imperial ships.

There exists a definite "class" system in Mercia. The vast majority of the citizens of Mercia are simple farmers, fishermen and woodsmen who are quite poor and taxed heavily. The royalty and nobility of Mercia own all the land and rent it to the laborers. Most of the wealthy familiers live along the coast and many own their own private islands. The commoners work the docks and live in the city.

Legal System

Despite its divided class system and ueven distribution of wealth, Mercia has a very fair legal system. Compared to many other kingdoms, Mercian laws are lenient and punishments are soft. To supplement the high taxes, most criminal punishment takes the form of large fines. In Mercia, a criminal faces a royal judge who listens to evidence and witnesses and then passes judgement. In addition to fines, seizure of property  and indentured service to the crown are common sentences. Only the worst crimes: treachery to the crown, breaking an Imperial law, murder of a nobleman, etc. warrant real punishement.

Military

Mercia has a strong fleet of nine royal warships that patrol the Mercian coastal waters. These huge war vessels protect all ships in the water from pirates. This fleet is led by the flagship Pride of Mercia. Freeport itself has a group of twenty Port Defenders which constantly patrol the harbor. Port Defenders are small, fast heavily armed row boats with a crew of 8 rowers and 4 archers. Within Freeport, a small force of 2,500 city guards exists. These guards patrol the city and also serve as the city militia when needed.

Economy

Fishing and other sea related crafts are the backbone of Mercia's economy. Over three fourths of the food in this nation is plucked from coastal waters. Some larger Mercian vessels conduct whaling. Huge ship yards which build and repair a variety of large sailing vessels comprise a major industry in Mercia and employ thousands of people. Mercia builds ships on contract for Rukemia, Ormek, Kitar and the Drakkellian Alliance.  Wood carving, farming, whale products and lumber supplements the economy.

Culture

Ships from all over the world stop here. Mercia is considered politically neutral with regard to naval conflicts. The authorities strictly enforce this. No conflicts between ships are allowed to be brought into the harbor. All ships and mariners are considered brothers when in Freeport. 

Almost everyone derives their livelihood from the sea. Much of the wealth in Mercia ends up in the coffers of the nobility, who waste much of it on fashionable clothes, jewelry, art from Vogue and fine tobacco from the grumman lands.

A common Mercian way of saying Hello or Goodbye is "Fair Winds!". A common Mercian curse is "Woe betide you." Another common saying is "Tight Lines!" referring to ship riggings and fishing lines.

It is tradition that fishermen and sailors of Mercia wear a gold ear ring in their left ear. This gold ring is to be used to pay for funeral expenses should they die at sea and their body be washed up on shore.

The manatee or "sea cow" is a large, peaceful aquatic herbivore which is very common in the warm waters of the southern coast. These beasts have been adopted as the unofficial mascot of Mercia. It is considered very bad luck to kill one.

Stormdraught is a popular drink in Mercia. This rare and complex blend of distilled spirits is accentuated with seventeeen different spices and aged in oaken casks for smoothness. Originally used for its medicinal properties, it is a favored companion to mariners on long voyages. Stormdraught is strongly associated with Mercia, with Freeport and with mariners in general.

Magic

Mercia has a fewer wizards than most nations of its size. However, it does have a particular group of specialty wizards called "sea mages". These wizards specialize in magic associated with the sea. They can predict weather, calm rough seas, summon wind, lure schools of fish and banish clouds for stellar navigation. Sea mages find a great deal of work in the busy port cities of Mercia. Beyond this, there are naturalist wizards, a few hedge wizards and some traditional mages in the larger towns and cities.

Common Names

Male Names

Agrim, Aleks, Arben, Beskan, Chael, Draydak, Edan, Jeorga, Ludan, Mardo, Roeban, Stevak, Valdimir

Female Names

Arianna, Bejari, Dalenya, Gemyra, Leeya, Myrian

Notable Noble Family Names

Baillan, Bergan, Darnek, Fadema, Gorkan, Hach, Kambert, Kurtak, Lasidan, Morgal, Ossrak, Ramadar, Strad, Tartun, Veledan

Towns

Name Population Notes
Daven's Port 24,800 Daven’s Port is a scholarly community with a population of herbalists, alchemists, sages, scholars, mages. Daven’s Port has a very good wizard’s guild along with an excellent museum, library and a small school of which the townsfolk are quite proud.
Fishbaugh 17,200 Fishbaugh is a fishing community named for the unique method of capturing fish which the local fishermen have developed called baughing. Baughing involves harvesting fish caught in the underwater webs of a local variety of marine spider. Several variations of baughing have developed. One involves dragging the waters with special nets woven from the silken threads of the water spider. These nets are virtually invisible in the water and have proven quite effective at capturing large groups of fish. Fishbaugh is a quiet community ruled by a benevolent paladin lord who left Ormek long ago when he could no longer endure the corruption he found there.
Willow Bay 16,300 Willow Bay is a small peaceful community built upon a small bay and named for the many dozen weeping willow trees which grow here. With incredibly blue water framed by distant mountains, Willow Bay is considered one of the most picturesque places in all of Mercia.
Thykerra 15,400 According to legend, Thykerra is named after a beautiful elven princess who took her own life when an ancient god cursed her for some minor transgression. There are several variations of the legend which often conflict as to the nature of the curse or even what deity was involved. It is doubtful that there is any truth to the story, except perhaps that there was once an elven woman named Thykerra. In any case, Thykerra has a sizeable elven populatio and an elven name. Humans and elves live and work in harmony here. Thykerra conducts a mix of farming, logging, mining and craftwork, but never so much of any that the land is stressed.
Inserra 13,000 Like Thykerra, Inserra has a respectable elven population. Situated on the Stout River and at the edge of the forest, Inserra is primarily a farming community which also harvests the plentiful local forests. Logs from Inserra are rafted down to Freeport for the production of ships and boats. In addition to farming and logging, Inserra has a small iron mine and quarry.
Sandy Shore 11,300

This prosperous town sits on a broad beach which is heavily sheltered by high cliffs and tall trees inside the deep Saleng Bay. Mariners agree that Sandy Shore is the best place to wait out a storm if you happen to be nearby, off the southwest coast of Mercia.

Brian's Port 9,200 This is the best place to make contact with Mercia's underworld. A fence can be found for almost any illegal cargo. Although Freeport has a large chapter of the Mercian thieves' guild, the actual headquarters is here in Brian's Port.
Three Docks 6,600

Noted for its three large docks that stretch out into the harbor, Three Docks is a quiet town of farmers and fishermen. Besides a few excellent fishing spots, there is very little of interest in this sleepy little town.

Oakbridge 4,100 Oakbridge is named for the massive timber bridge that spans the mouth of the creek which flows through town. It boasts a very strong militia for a town its size, run by an ex-Rukemian military officer named Gorran. Gorran has a 17 year old daughter of whom he is very protective. He can often be found threatening sailors who try to talk to her. Gorran has a widely known vendetta against the ship captain Callister Drabbyn, though no one knows exactly why. Perhaps it has something to do with his daughter.
Riverfort 1,200 A small frontier town at the mouth of the Barakose River. Riverfort sits at the very edge of the Barakose Swamp and is charged with defending the border and the villages in that region.

Villages (Population less than 1,000)

Adiroth, Ash Hill, Axebite, Baily Shallow, Ballantree, Baran’s Mill, Bard’s Crossing, Battle Mound, Belter, Blackpool, Bleak Rock, Briar Glen, Bridgewater, Bright Water, Broken Hull, Broken Knife, Caerstone, Carrig’s Well, Carrow’s Bluff, Craydon’s Hill, Crossroads, Crossroads, Dalen’s Spring, Drummond, Duncaster, Dundrogan, Dunsfallow, Eastwatch, Edgemarsh, Edgewood, Eldercairn, Endroad Keep, Fairmeadow, Falling Timbers, Far Inn, Farndale, Fathingham, Fenmarsh, Fine Wood, Finewater, Five Stone Cross, Gilly’s Prairie, Greenstone, Greyshore, Gull’s Rest, Halden’s Gate, Hammerhall, Hatiroth, Hawk Pine, Hawkwood, High Bridge, Hunter’s Home, Idan’s Arch, Ironfall, Ivy Falls, Keth Dale, Knight’s Crossing, Longboat, Longburrow, Maiden’s Fall, Mandenbary, Mythwood, Northwatch, Oakhurst, Otter’s Run, Panningway, Pirate’s Bane, Polg’s Rock, Prithdin’s Lodge, Pyre Hill, Qarto, Queen’s Ferry, Rannok, Ravensdell, Red Oak, Regmar’s Folly, Rogue’s Point, Rose Wall, Saltrock, Silver Lake, Stome Cliff, Stone Pond, Stoneharren, Storm Wall, Tattered Sails, Thistledown, Threshold, Traegyn’s Tower, Tragan’s Cross, Trail’s End, Triad, Troll’s Head, Tummel’s Wood, Uldritch, Wardelar Manor, Warnock, Westwatch, White Crest, Willowdale, Woodridge

Travel and Distance

Mercia has a network of mixed roads. Major roads leading to the capital city are paved, but outlying regions have older unpaved dirt roads. Sea going vessels regularly connect all of the port towns in Mercia with each other and nearby neighbors. Finally, river rafts transport goods and raw timber is floated down river toward Freeport. For more information, see the Travel and Distance page.

      Typical Travel Time
Route Terrain/Road Conditions Distance Walking Wagon/Cart Horse Riverboat Ship
Freeport - Three Docks Paved Road 289 km 12 days 9 days 6 days   3 days
Freeport - Sandy Shore Paved Road 506 km 21 days 15 days 10 days   12 days
Freeport - Inserra Paved Road 367 km 15 days 11 days 7 days 5 days  
Freeport - Fishbaugh Paved Road 180 km 8 days 6 days 4 days   4 days
Freeport - Brian's Port Paved Road 188 km 8 days 6 days 4 days    
Fishbaugh - Brian's Port Paved Road 136 km 6 days 4 days 3 days   2 days
Thykerra - Three Docks Paved Road 439 km 18 days 13 days 8 days    
Three Docks - Oakbridge Paved Road 273 km 11 days 8 days 5 days    
Oakbridge - Sandy Shore Dirt Road 272 km 12 days 9 days 5 days    
Sandy Shore - Daven's Port Dirt Road 235 km 10 days 8 days 5 days    
Daven's Port - Willow Bay Dirt Road 328 km 14 days 11 days 6 days    
Willow Bay - River Fort Dirt Road 178 km 8 days 6 days 4 days    
Thykerra - Willow Bay Dirt Road 442 km 19 days 15 days 9 days    
Thykerra - Inserra Paved Road 278 km 12 days 8 days 6 days    
Inserra - Drachen's Bluff (War Vale) Dirt Road 751 km 32 days 24 days 14 days 10 days  
River Fort - Drachen's Bluff (War Vale) Dirt Road 891 km 38 days 29 days 17 days    
Thykerra - Freeport - river River 448 km       6 days  
Freeport - Galen's Shore - by ship Sea 663 km         7 days
Freeport - Kohara - by ship Sea 500 km         5 days
Freeport - Land's End - by ship Sea 928 km         10 days
Freeport - Stovikar - by ship Sea 1,604 km         17 days
Freeport - Oakbridge - by ship Sea 913 km         10 days
Freeport - Daven's Port - by ship Sea 1,307 km         14 days
Freeport - Willow Bay - by ship Sea 1,700 km         17 days
Freeport - River Fort - by ship Sea 1,815 km         19 days
Oakbridge - Eramathan ruins Grasslands 272 km 13 days 10 days 6 days    
Three Docks - Eramathan ruins Grasslands 339 km 16 days 13 days 7 days    

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