Republic of Lymia
| Capital | Pepor |
|---|---|
| Head of State | Prime Minister Gontar Seascai |
| Government Type | Parliamentary Republic |
| Cultures | ~65% Lymian, ~25% Silnarian, ~5% Hasaapian, ~2% Runran, ~0.5% Kuilei |
| Religions | Silnarian (State and Majority) |
| Population Density | Very High |
| Population | 11 millions |
The Republic of Lymia, commonly known as Lymia, is a republic established to the East of Silnaria on its namesake Lymian Plains, located to the east of the Arzidan Mountains and the north of Kurannian Highlands. Lymia is located on flat, fertile land, with multiple river irrigating its territories. The Republic is inhabited by its native Lymian - an ethnic group consisting of mostly purple and dark-skinned Tholian elves, whom are culturally closely related to the Silnarian. To its north it is inhabited largely by Silnarian or East Silnarian, many of whom belonged to cities that revolted alongside the rest of the Lymian cities against Silnarian rule.
Lymia is among the wealthiest and most developed countries in all of Ramul Ta, boasting high income and fertile land. It is relatively democratic and tolerant compared to many other states, having officially banned slavery on independence and have a constitution guaranteeing free speech and ideas to its residents. Lymia is a federal parliamentary republic, consisting of six founding provinces and six territories, with the states enjoying high degree of autonomy and privileges while the territories are directly managed by and represented within the federal government - the Assembly of Lymia. The eligible, propertied and rich citizens of the provinces each elect their own representatives to the Assembly on regular 5 years terms, with the amount of seats in the Assembly assigned by the total population of each provinces.
The Republic's internal politics are defined by two main factions - the Seascaidh and the Dubhara faction, both named after the respective great family that leads each faction. The Seascaidh represents an Old Guard faction of sort, and favors guaranteeing existing rights of the provinces and territories, mercantile expansion and strengthening relationships on all sides, while the Dubhara faction, hailing from a military lineage, favors more aggressive ways to securing the Republic's interests, often seeking to wield the Republic's considerable military forces to bully foreign countries and secure trade routes and profits, while strengthening the central government's control.
History
The Republic was established in a massive rebellion against Silnarian imperial rule over a century ago - but before that, the Lymian provinces had been drifting away from the rule of the Empire. Lymia was previously seen as barely inhabitable swampland located to the east of Silnarian core land - but this was proven to be false as agricultural techniques improved and the marshland were drained and cultivated. Soon the Lymian provinces became the Empire's richest provinces, giving rise to numerous powerful and prosperous cities that became a power bloc inside the empire. When the Emperor Clúal constructed the Lymian Gate, the status of the Lymian provinces as the commercial center of the Silnarian Empire was further cemented.
When the Silnarian Empire broke down in a series of civil wars and the South Silnarian Empire collapsed and were replaced by the Salvainian Empire, the Lymian provinces saw their opportunity for independence and rose in revolt, with domestic slavery of some Lymians as pretext. In reality, the amount of Lymians enslaved as domestic servants were trivial - at least compared to the amount of beastkins enslaved for hard labor, and the real reasons for revolt was over excess taxation and tariffs - Lymia did not want to fund the Empire's expansionist war anymore. After decades of hard fought, bloody war, the Lymian Republic won its independence and signed a peace treaty with Silnaria.
Despite this bloody history, the Lymian Republic have maintained a cordial relationship with Silnaria ever since, recognizing that Macen powers to the south pose as much a threat as their former overlord..
Government
The Lymian Republic is a parliamentary republic, but not a true, modern day democracy - Only citizens with significant property can vote - by estimate somewhere between 5 - 10% of the actual population.
The government is formed by the biggest party in the parliament (Frongung) - or a coalition therefore, who pick a prime minister amongst themselves and fill the council with it. A re-election occurs every five years. Lymia’s governance is remarkably stable, and transition of power is peaceful - especially by Ramul Ta standards.
Powers are shared somewhat equitably between the cities, but there are tensions between the cities - which dominate politics, and the remaining noble lords within the limit of the Republic, who resent the burgher’s dominance. The rulers of Lymia has adopted a stick and carrot approach to this, subverting noble’s power and incorporating them into the rising merchant class, and by this point in Lymian history, the point of an aristocratic counterrevolution has largely diminished, and the republic’s mostly focused on external threats - of which there are plenty.
Citizenship
The Lymian Republic values elven supremacy above all. High and Dark Elves have an easy time obtaining citizenship and voting rights, and the southern elves (Wood, Fae and Steppe) are considered equal when literate. Sufficient property is required to vote in Lymia.
Non-elven races often obtain literal second-class citizenship - citizenship by primogeniture, which are only inherited by the two eldest children of the first generation - and then the eldest afterward. It is rare, but possible for non-elves to be seated in parliament. They are an insignificant force in politics, however.
Non-citizen born in the territory are considered residents.
The Charters
In 1008 PS, the then-prime minister of Lymia passed a series of acts through the Assembly known as the Charters. The acts allowed the Prime Minister and relevant cabinet ministers to officially sanction certain enterprises which operated far away from the Republic. Chartered companies were granted authority by parliament to maintain their own armed trade fleets, company soldiers and fortifications. The purpose of the Charters was to allow entrepreneurial Lymians to seize and maintain extracontinental assets such as trade ports and plantations. As of 1051 PS, there are 9 Chartered companies operating in Ruttenia, Baninta, Runra and the Arcane sea.
The two largest Chartered companies are the Odon Bay Company (OBC) and the New Lavally Colony (NLC). Both companies use extensive slave labour and maintain large colonial armies and fleets. The OBC in particular exploit the native Midorite population on Koinao island, maintaining jaw-droppingly vast plantations. Both Companies manage to circumvent Lymian anti-slavery laws by simply claiming that their workforce is indentured servants and simply repaying a debt. This is a lie.
States & Locations
The Republic of Lymia is divided administratively into six provinces and six territories.
Provinces
The six provinces consists of Uaine, Aenach, Rithillia, Lochchriocha, Lower Durwynd and Upper Durwynd. These are the most populated provinces of Lymia each with one major city that participated in the original uprising.
The largest city is Caladhara which is the de facto commercial capital of Lymia, this is followed by Tirnolagh, the commercial center of River Uaine. Both are surrounded by fertile land and located in a rich alluvial plains. Both city are home to a major university named after the city themselves.
The city of Comhaontu is the official capital and the seat of the Assembly. It is a small city that exists for political covenience, and is likely the 6 - 7th largest city in Lymia.
Territories
The remaining divisions are territories, which has less proportional representation in the Assembly compared to the states and less guaranteed and special rights. Most of the territories consists of hinterland that are less developed and well-populated.
The only exception is the province of Talnua (New Territories), which are densely populated land populated mostly by Silnarian that were captured from Silnaria during the War of Independence and annexed to the Republic. Despite their status the population is mostly loyal to the republic.
Important Figures
Important figures and politics in Lymia are best understood through the collective influence of the two largest parties in parliament - both of which are tied to two prestigious noble or merchant houses.
The Conservative Party
Led by the House of Seascai and the current Chancellor Gontar Seascai, the Conservatives represents the conservative elements of the Republic. The party favors peace, long-term stability and gradual expansionism, and prefers to maintain peace with the other powers.
The party has been in power for most of the preceding century, trading powers with the Progressives occasionally. They are proud of their heritage - as most of its founding members consists of the elders of the Republic, and take pride in most of its members - or their parents having signed the Declaration of Independence
The represents and controls most of the businesses of Lymia.
The Progressive Party
Led by the House of Dubhara and its leader Chia Dubhara. The progressive party claims a very warlike heritage. Its leader, the House of ubhara, used to be an illustrious minor noble house that supplied the Silnarian royalty with a series of outstanding generals, until they were betrayed and the house defected to the nascent Lymian Republic
But ancestral grudges no longer drive the party - not on the surface. They believes in proactively using Lymia’s military and fleet, expansion aboard, securing trade routes and colonies. It believes in brinkmanship - but not outright war with its fellow great power.
Domestically, it believes in active improvement of non-voting citizens’ rights, and improved living conditions for indentured servants and foreign mercenaries - but not universal suffrage. They also believes in raising taxes to fund foreign adventures and wars.
Though political control of armies is prohibited by law, the House of Dubhara is understood to have significant influence - if not control over the foreign Hasaapian mercenaries employed by Lymia.