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Auz
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AlteredTundra
Lord Zee
Name of Nation: Drakon, The Fortress City of Gold, Blessed Under the Dragon Star
Species: Primarily Humans, but the mercenaries and tradesmen result in a large variety of other races.
Culture and Society: Drakon is a merchant kingdom ruled by a single Monarch and a Council of the richest members of the city. The monarch is the one who handles most decisions that affect the city as a whole, but uses the Council as advisers and can be overruled if enough of the Council oppose his decision.
Given the influx of tradesmen, artisans, and others to Drakon's wealth and security, the culture of Drakon is an extremely diverse one and has very few common factors across all of its citizens.
Drakon places a high value on wealth and individual ability. It was through wealth and one man's ability that they had gained their independence in the years past, and it was through the wealth of their great city and the ability of its defenders that they stay independent to this day. The most esteemed members of society are the wealthy and those deemed extremely capable.
Drakon also places a high value on flexibility, innovation, and adaptability. Being able to adapt to the circumstances, find creative solutions to problems, and bend in order to make deals and get things done are considered to be the best qualities a person can have. Which is why native Drakonians are often puzzled by some nation's fixations on tradition, fixation on race, or their inability to let the past go and look to the future. The only things that matter to Drakonians is your individual ability and how you can apply that.
The religion of Drakon is very small, and has little to no impact on the lives of its followers or the kingdom itself. They worship a minor dragon god of wealth, Gurthan (whose holy star the Dragon Star Bank was founded under) who they believe takes only those who have made themselves wealthy through their own ingenuity and cunning into his Golden lands. Thus the religion places a strong value on individual ability.
As a hold over from their centuries of being influenced by Imasicia culture, Drakonians place a high value on keeping one's word and keeping to the contracts that are signed. If they are betrayed or the deal is otherwise broken, Drakonians have a tendency to pursue vicious vengeance for their perceived wrongs. It is one thing to request a renegotiation of a contract or deal, it is quite another to break it yourself for selfish reasons.
Geography: The land surrounding Drakon is barren and rocky. Very little grows there and what does grow has a foul taste at best and is actively poisonous at worst. Boulders scatter across the landscape, as it tossed by a giant throwing a tantrum. Some rocks and plants glow strangely, pulsing with an unsettling regularity that increases as travelers draw near. It is an inhospitable place, but one Drakonian's are proud to call their home. They carved a living out of disaster, a trading republic out of subjugation.
When first coming upon the city of Drakon, you could be for given for thinking you had stumbled upon a mythical city of gold. The city gleams like it is made of the precious metal, shimmering in the setting and rising sun. It's high walls shine proudly, as if daring any attackers to try and breach them. It is a breath taking sight, truth be told. Unfortunately, no matter how pretty the color of Drakon is it is all an after effect of the Cataclysm. The stone around Drakon has taken on the sheen of gold. It is still stone, however, and as such is monetarily worthless. Pretty and useful for building though.
The buildings of Drakon are an odd mix of practicality and aesthetic. The buildings are all laid out in such a way as they can easily be collapsed to block of the streets but at the same time are adorned with marvelous sculptures and murals from hundreds of different cultures.
In the center of Drakon there is an arena known as The Pit. On most days it is where gladiator slaves are made to fight for the amusement of the crowds. It is also used as a way to safely settle disputes between mercenary companies that get into disagreements without the two belligerents destroying parts of the city itself.
History:
6000 years ago: Earliest known settlers of what will become Drakon, as tribes and minor kingdoms arise in the surrounding area.
5000-4700 years ago: Tribal warfare results in ownership of Drakon changing hands several times, chaos reigns in the surrounding area. Drakon finally comes under secure and stable control and is immediately rebuilt with defense in mind.
4700: After centuries of warfare Drakon is conquered and absorbed into a long forgotten kingdom. The last Drakon ruler hides the city's wealth beneath the palace, beginning a tradition of each ruling family slowly adding to the wealth, in hopes of eventually being ready to declare independence.
4500-4000: The Human Imperium arrives and begins warring with the tribal kingdom. Drakon, hoping for an opportunity to increase its power, declares allegiance to the Imperium and aids them in subjugating the surrounding area. The Imperium rewards Drakon by making it the center of Imperial power in the region.
4000-3300: Drakon's favor with the Imperium wanes as Imasicia is absorbed and Imperial culture rushes into it.
3300-2100: Drakon rises in power and influence within the Imperium as Imasicia collapses into warring tribes.
2100-2000: 1300 years of war and expansion of the Imperium is wiped out by the Cataclysm. The Old Empire is brought to its knees and splits into two warring empires and the Imperium, unprepared for a magical disaster of such proportions, loses its grip entirely on its eastern territories. Chaos reigns again as Drakon struggles to survive as its once fertile lands are made barren by the magical disaster. During the chaos the only people who know of the wealth beneath Drakon are slain and the wealth is forgotten.
2000-1701: The Imperium collapses as it was unable to regain its strength after the Cataclysm. The warring Imasician tribes migrate eastwards and unite, quickly conquering the vastly weakened and borderline starving Drakon.
1701-1605: Imasicia reestablishes itself as a centralized state and brings Drakon back from the brink. Initially grateful, Drakon's people soon began to balk under the Imasician rule. Perhaps it was because of the Imperium's distance, or perhaps it was that Imasicia's rule was different, but the two cultures did not mix well. Still, the grumbling of Drakon was subdued as they had neither the population nor the army to rebel against Imasicia.
1605-1498: Drakon's protests grow louder as Imasicia drags them into a war against the orcish islands. Drakon had never had problems with the islanders, offering them a safe harbor and some coin to be left alone when the city wasn't under Imperium protection, and didn't see the necessity for its citizens to bleed when trade and peace could prevail. The orcish raiders no longer agree to the deal struck by Drakon and begin attempting raids there as well, forcing the city to build more defenses and become too formidable to raid.
As Imasicia ignores their protests and continues its war of retaliation, and Drakonian blood spills in a foreign sea for a cause not their own, calls for independence grow louder each day. Queen Orella agonizes over the decision in her palace, wandering the lower halls. Independence would mean an end to Drakonian citizens dying for Imasician pride. But it could also mean a war with Imasicia that they would lose entirely and perhaps even get wiped off the face of the earth for.
The Queen leans against a dragon statue in the lower halls, asking for guidance from Gurthan. The statue makes a clicking noise and slides open, revealing a hidden passage. Orella goes down the passage, pulling a torch with her, and finds the hidden wealth of Drakon. A gift from Gurthan, a way to bring her city to independence.
Orella acts quickly. She hires many mercenaries to man the walls of Drakon with her people, pleading that she needs more defenders since so many of her own soldiers are off fighting the islanders. Imasicia, distracted by its wars, buys the lie. As soon as she has her walls strongly defended and manned, Queen Orella declares independence from Imasicia, and withdrawing Drakonian aid from the war against the islands. Imasicia's response is swift, but ultimately fruitless. With its attention divided between the islands and Drakon, it cannot muster enough forces to push through the defenders of Drakon and ultimately decides that the subjugation of the islands is worth more than attempting to reclaim Drakon. Drakon gains its independence, and sets about establishing itself as a trading Kingdom. Nominal alliances are set up with their neighbors, to have easily accessible support should Imasicia try to reclaim them, and they use their wealth to garner a massive force of mercenaries and goods to sell and trade around the world.
Territorial Claims: Very small claim on the eastern coast, right beneath Imascia.
Economy: Through marketing their mercenaries for hire and expanding their trade network, Drakon has established itself as an economical powerhouse. They have trade stations in every nation that hasn't outright denied them such a right, and have large land based trade routes. The city-state has gone to great lengths to ensure that even in times of war their own trade routes are not disrupted, keeping the coin flowing in and out of Drakon smoothly. Their mercenaries are available to be sent all over the world and can be seen in actions across the globe, as can their various assassin, mage, spy and thief guilds. Drakon has become very effective at producing finished products, buying large amounts of raw resources and turning them into luxury products. Along with The Grand Duchy of Rhaetia, Drakon has a firm stranglehold on the international salt and slave trades, often allying with Rhaetia to ensure that their dominance of those two very lucrative markets stays unchallenged.
Drakon's trading outposts have specially crafted mirrors that allow instant communication back to Drakon itself, allowing for mercenaries to be hired, orders to be placed, and information to be sent back to Drakon instantaneously. These mirrors are costly to place and difficult to move, and are required to all be active for the farthest ones to connect to one other (for example, if there is one in Annotilus and it wants to be used to talk to the one in Drakon, there has to be active mirrors in trade posts across Takanis to allow that connection, otherwise its just local communication) but once in place connect Drakon's outposts in a way no other trade network can.
The Dragon Star Bank is one of Takanis' largest financial institutions. They offer loans, invest in growing industries and governments, help establish trade, and a variety of other services. The bank has branches and representatives all over the world, often coming into conflict with Balk and Valiant over the markets there. More than happy to loan coin to whomever needs it, be they peasant or king, the Dragon Star Bank keeps careful accounts of who owes them money and how much. And the bank always gets its money back, one way or another.
To sum up, Drakon's wealth comes from the mercenaries (be they soldiers, spies, assassins, mages, or thieves) it sells to others, the luxury products it delivers across the world, its joint stranglehold on the international salt and slave trades with Aseophin, and their extensive land based trade.
Army: The army of Drakon is largely made up of various mercenary companies, all from different parts of the globe. Variety is this military's greatest strength and what allows them to be sold to so many around the world. In extremely dire times, the mercenary companies can all be called back to Drakon to fight under its banner. Such times are rare, however, as Drakon goes to great extents to avoid having actual war declared on them.
As such, the actual Drakonian military that isn't purely mercenaries are all specialist and elite soldiers.
First are the Wardens, a heavy infantry force whose sole purpose is to defend Drakon from invasion, serving jointly as a powerful city guard and military police for all the various bands of mercenaries that can violently clash inside the city from time to time, and to protect Drakon's trade caravans. These soldiers, as part of their training, are available for hire as mercenaries and serve in such a fashion for five years. They are available at a much lesser cost than what they're worth as Drakon wants them to have experience in battle as much as possible and as soon as possible. Those who survive after five years are then taken to Drakon itself to be assigned either as city guards or caravan guards as necessary. The Wardens represent Drakon's most elite and well equipped force, and stand ready to hold the city against any and all invaders.
Second come the Watchers, a light cavalry force that patrols the borders and countryside of Drakon to give the city warning should an invasion force arrive. Riding giant lizards (as the barren, rocky, near lifeless terrain that is the countryside of Drakon is wholly unsuited for horses), equipped with a variety of ranged weaponry and intimate knowledge of the land, and specializing in guerrilla tactics the Watcher's purpose is to harass the enemy within Drakon's borders once warning has been sent to Drakon itself.
Finally are the Dragonmen of Gurthan. Crafted by the mages of Drakon, these flesh constructs are normally lifeless by themselves. What appears to be towering parodies of man with scales, claws, razor sharp teeth, and a lizard's head, waiting in stasis beneath the palace. However, when biomancy is applied to them they are given life and terrible power. Their claws and teeth can rend armor, they breath fire, and they live for destruction and chaos. Controlling them is difficult and as such Drakon rarely summons them.
Navy: The navy at Drakon's disposal is less than the army, but still respectable. Based off of the strongest navy nearby, Sangahara they have a decent amount of warships at their disposal (300 to be exact) but the vast majority of their naval focus has been on trade ships that can fend off pirate attacks and survive the seas to deliver goods.
Traits:
Economic Powerhouse: Drakon's economy is one of the strongest in the world, and very few things are out of their reach to fund. (+4 to Economy tree)
Military of Mercenaries: Drakon has a wide variety of mercenaries and soldiers to call upon to fight for them or sell to the highest bidder, but these men and women are driven by coin and power rather than loyalty. (+4 to army and navy, their military is the size of a nation with many times Drakon's size and population, but the mercenaries can be more easily bought or coerced than soldiers of other nations)
Fortress City: Drakon was originally built with defense in mind, and only upgraded from there. It is a formidable location to assault, with high and strong fortress walls, a layout designed to be easily defensible, and numerous defenses to repel any invasions. It is also a difficult location to siege, with almost nothing to sustain enemy forces in the surrounding landscape, huge stores of food to last the population five years, and a fresh water underground lake, taking the city of Drakon would be an extremely costly ordeal. Due to the size and power of their neighbors, Drakon has become one of the most powerfully defended cities in the world.
Barren land: The lands around Drakon are not suited for growing food or harvesting resources. Drakon is forced to import nearly all of its food and raw supplies.
Communication magic: Ever interested in overcoming the difficulties of land trade, Drakon has developed magical mirrors that can allow for instantaneous communication between the two pairings, connecting their various trade posts and drakon around the world in a way not seen by other nations. This has cost Drakon dearly to develop, however, and much of their research in other magical areas has been crippled by it. (Unique tech tree, -2 on any rolls to increase magical sophistication stats)
Foreign Relations:
Aseophin: Simultaneously Drakon's fiercest rival and closest ally, the relationship between the two merchant kingdoms is complex, to say the least. They both work greatly to gain the upper hand over one another in the various trade markets, but also jointly defend those trade routes from others who would seek to eliminate one or both of them from those markets, and those who would disrupt the trade of both republics.
Imasicia: Officially, the Regnum is a staunch ally of Drakon. Indeed, the current king is a relative to the Regnum's own ruler due to years of political marriages. Unofficially both parties know that if given even the slightest opportunity, Imasicia would conquer and absorb Drakon into it's empire once more.
Everyone else: A trade partner, to some degree. (Can and probably will be changed based on other player input, but Drakon will try very hard to be trade buddies with everyone)
Rolls:
Land Area: 1 (6-5)
Land Fertility: 2 (7-5)
Development: 20 (19 +1)
Land Power: 20 (18 +2)
Naval Power: 13 (8 +5)
Economy: 20 ( 15+5)
Magical Reserves: 12
Magical Sophistication: 12 (6+6)
Other:
Species: Primarily Humans, but the mercenaries and tradesmen result in a large variety of other races.
Culture and Society: Drakon is a merchant kingdom ruled by a single Monarch and a Council of the richest members of the city. The monarch is the one who handles most decisions that affect the city as a whole, but uses the Council as advisers and can be overruled if enough of the Council oppose his decision.
Given the influx of tradesmen, artisans, and others to Drakon's wealth and security, the culture of Drakon is an extremely diverse one and has very few common factors across all of its citizens.
Drakon places a high value on wealth and individual ability. It was through wealth and one man's ability that they had gained their independence in the years past, and it was through the wealth of their great city and the ability of its defenders that they stay independent to this day. The most esteemed members of society are the wealthy and those deemed extremely capable.
Drakon also places a high value on flexibility, innovation, and adaptability. Being able to adapt to the circumstances, find creative solutions to problems, and bend in order to make deals and get things done are considered to be the best qualities a person can have. Which is why native Drakonians are often puzzled by some nation's fixations on tradition, fixation on race, or their inability to let the past go and look to the future. The only things that matter to Drakonians is your individual ability and how you can apply that.
The religion of Drakon is very small, and has little to no impact on the lives of its followers or the kingdom itself. They worship a minor dragon god of wealth, Gurthan (whose holy star the Dragon Star Bank was founded under) who they believe takes only those who have made themselves wealthy through their own ingenuity and cunning into his Golden lands. Thus the religion places a strong value on individual ability.
As a hold over from their centuries of being influenced by Imasicia culture, Drakonians place a high value on keeping one's word and keeping to the contracts that are signed. If they are betrayed or the deal is otherwise broken, Drakonians have a tendency to pursue vicious vengeance for their perceived wrongs. It is one thing to request a renegotiation of a contract or deal, it is quite another to break it yourself for selfish reasons.
Geography: The land surrounding Drakon is barren and rocky. Very little grows there and what does grow has a foul taste at best and is actively poisonous at worst. Boulders scatter across the landscape, as it tossed by a giant throwing a tantrum. Some rocks and plants glow strangely, pulsing with an unsettling regularity that increases as travelers draw near. It is an inhospitable place, but one Drakonian's are proud to call their home. They carved a living out of disaster, a trading republic out of subjugation.
When first coming upon the city of Drakon, you could be for given for thinking you had stumbled upon a mythical city of gold. The city gleams like it is made of the precious metal, shimmering in the setting and rising sun. It's high walls shine proudly, as if daring any attackers to try and breach them. It is a breath taking sight, truth be told. Unfortunately, no matter how pretty the color of Drakon is it is all an after effect of the Cataclysm. The stone around Drakon has taken on the sheen of gold. It is still stone, however, and as such is monetarily worthless. Pretty and useful for building though.
The buildings of Drakon are an odd mix of practicality and aesthetic. The buildings are all laid out in such a way as they can easily be collapsed to block of the streets but at the same time are adorned with marvelous sculptures and murals from hundreds of different cultures.
In the center of Drakon there is an arena known as The Pit. On most days it is where gladiator slaves are made to fight for the amusement of the crowds. It is also used as a way to safely settle disputes between mercenary companies that get into disagreements without the two belligerents destroying parts of the city itself.
History:
6000 years ago: Earliest known settlers of what will become Drakon, as tribes and minor kingdoms arise in the surrounding area.
5000-4700 years ago: Tribal warfare results in ownership of Drakon changing hands several times, chaos reigns in the surrounding area. Drakon finally comes under secure and stable control and is immediately rebuilt with defense in mind.
4700: After centuries of warfare Drakon is conquered and absorbed into a long forgotten kingdom. The last Drakon ruler hides the city's wealth beneath the palace, beginning a tradition of each ruling family slowly adding to the wealth, in hopes of eventually being ready to declare independence.
4500-4000: The Human Imperium arrives and begins warring with the tribal kingdom. Drakon, hoping for an opportunity to increase its power, declares allegiance to the Imperium and aids them in subjugating the surrounding area. The Imperium rewards Drakon by making it the center of Imperial power in the region.
4000-3300: Drakon's favor with the Imperium wanes as Imasicia is absorbed and Imperial culture rushes into it.
3300-2100: Drakon rises in power and influence within the Imperium as Imasicia collapses into warring tribes.
2100-2000: 1300 years of war and expansion of the Imperium is wiped out by the Cataclysm. The Old Empire is brought to its knees and splits into two warring empires and the Imperium, unprepared for a magical disaster of such proportions, loses its grip entirely on its eastern territories. Chaos reigns again as Drakon struggles to survive as its once fertile lands are made barren by the magical disaster. During the chaos the only people who know of the wealth beneath Drakon are slain and the wealth is forgotten.
2000-1701: The Imperium collapses as it was unable to regain its strength after the Cataclysm. The warring Imasician tribes migrate eastwards and unite, quickly conquering the vastly weakened and borderline starving Drakon.
1701-1605: Imasicia reestablishes itself as a centralized state and brings Drakon back from the brink. Initially grateful, Drakon's people soon began to balk under the Imasician rule. Perhaps it was because of the Imperium's distance, or perhaps it was that Imasicia's rule was different, but the two cultures did not mix well. Still, the grumbling of Drakon was subdued as they had neither the population nor the army to rebel against Imasicia.
1605-1498: Drakon's protests grow louder as Imasicia drags them into a war against the orcish islands. Drakon had never had problems with the islanders, offering them a safe harbor and some coin to be left alone when the city wasn't under Imperium protection, and didn't see the necessity for its citizens to bleed when trade and peace could prevail. The orcish raiders no longer agree to the deal struck by Drakon and begin attempting raids there as well, forcing the city to build more defenses and become too formidable to raid.
As Imasicia ignores their protests and continues its war of retaliation, and Drakonian blood spills in a foreign sea for a cause not their own, calls for independence grow louder each day. Queen Orella agonizes over the decision in her palace, wandering the lower halls. Independence would mean an end to Drakonian citizens dying for Imasician pride. But it could also mean a war with Imasicia that they would lose entirely and perhaps even get wiped off the face of the earth for.
The Queen leans against a dragon statue in the lower halls, asking for guidance from Gurthan. The statue makes a clicking noise and slides open, revealing a hidden passage. Orella goes down the passage, pulling a torch with her, and finds the hidden wealth of Drakon. A gift from Gurthan, a way to bring her city to independence.
Orella acts quickly. She hires many mercenaries to man the walls of Drakon with her people, pleading that she needs more defenders since so many of her own soldiers are off fighting the islanders. Imasicia, distracted by its wars, buys the lie. As soon as she has her walls strongly defended and manned, Queen Orella declares independence from Imasicia, and withdrawing Drakonian aid from the war against the islands. Imasicia's response is swift, but ultimately fruitless. With its attention divided between the islands and Drakon, it cannot muster enough forces to push through the defenders of Drakon and ultimately decides that the subjugation of the islands is worth more than attempting to reclaim Drakon. Drakon gains its independence, and sets about establishing itself as a trading Kingdom. Nominal alliances are set up with their neighbors, to have easily accessible support should Imasicia try to reclaim them, and they use their wealth to garner a massive force of mercenaries and goods to sell and trade around the world.
Territorial Claims: Very small claim on the eastern coast, right beneath Imascia.
Economy: Through marketing their mercenaries for hire and expanding their trade network, Drakon has established itself as an economical powerhouse. They have trade stations in every nation that hasn't outright denied them such a right, and have large land based trade routes. The city-state has gone to great lengths to ensure that even in times of war their own trade routes are not disrupted, keeping the coin flowing in and out of Drakon smoothly. Their mercenaries are available to be sent all over the world and can be seen in actions across the globe, as can their various assassin, mage, spy and thief guilds. Drakon has become very effective at producing finished products, buying large amounts of raw resources and turning them into luxury products. Along with The Grand Duchy of Rhaetia, Drakon has a firm stranglehold on the international salt and slave trades, often allying with Rhaetia to ensure that their dominance of those two very lucrative markets stays unchallenged.
Drakon's trading outposts have specially crafted mirrors that allow instant communication back to Drakon itself, allowing for mercenaries to be hired, orders to be placed, and information to be sent back to Drakon instantaneously. These mirrors are costly to place and difficult to move, and are required to all be active for the farthest ones to connect to one other (for example, if there is one in Annotilus and it wants to be used to talk to the one in Drakon, there has to be active mirrors in trade posts across Takanis to allow that connection, otherwise its just local communication) but once in place connect Drakon's outposts in a way no other trade network can.
The Dragon Star Bank is one of Takanis' largest financial institutions. They offer loans, invest in growing industries and governments, help establish trade, and a variety of other services. The bank has branches and representatives all over the world, often coming into conflict with Balk and Valiant over the markets there. More than happy to loan coin to whomever needs it, be they peasant or king, the Dragon Star Bank keeps careful accounts of who owes them money and how much. And the bank always gets its money back, one way or another.
To sum up, Drakon's wealth comes from the mercenaries (be they soldiers, spies, assassins, mages, or thieves) it sells to others, the luxury products it delivers across the world, its joint stranglehold on the international salt and slave trades with Aseophin, and their extensive land based trade.
Army: The army of Drakon is largely made up of various mercenary companies, all from different parts of the globe. Variety is this military's greatest strength and what allows them to be sold to so many around the world. In extremely dire times, the mercenary companies can all be called back to Drakon to fight under its banner. Such times are rare, however, as Drakon goes to great extents to avoid having actual war declared on them.
As such, the actual Drakonian military that isn't purely mercenaries are all specialist and elite soldiers.
First are the Wardens, a heavy infantry force whose sole purpose is to defend Drakon from invasion, serving jointly as a powerful city guard and military police for all the various bands of mercenaries that can violently clash inside the city from time to time, and to protect Drakon's trade caravans. These soldiers, as part of their training, are available for hire as mercenaries and serve in such a fashion for five years. They are available at a much lesser cost than what they're worth as Drakon wants them to have experience in battle as much as possible and as soon as possible. Those who survive after five years are then taken to Drakon itself to be assigned either as city guards or caravan guards as necessary. The Wardens represent Drakon's most elite and well equipped force, and stand ready to hold the city against any and all invaders.
Second come the Watchers, a light cavalry force that patrols the borders and countryside of Drakon to give the city warning should an invasion force arrive. Riding giant lizards (as the barren, rocky, near lifeless terrain that is the countryside of Drakon is wholly unsuited for horses), equipped with a variety of ranged weaponry and intimate knowledge of the land, and specializing in guerrilla tactics the Watcher's purpose is to harass the enemy within Drakon's borders once warning has been sent to Drakon itself.
Finally are the Dragonmen of Gurthan. Crafted by the mages of Drakon, these flesh constructs are normally lifeless by themselves. What appears to be towering parodies of man with scales, claws, razor sharp teeth, and a lizard's head, waiting in stasis beneath the palace. However, when biomancy is applied to them they are given life and terrible power. Their claws and teeth can rend armor, they breath fire, and they live for destruction and chaos. Controlling them is difficult and as such Drakon rarely summons them.
Navy: The navy at Drakon's disposal is less than the army, but still respectable. Based off of the strongest navy nearby, Sangahara they have a decent amount of warships at their disposal (300 to be exact) but the vast majority of their naval focus has been on trade ships that can fend off pirate attacks and survive the seas to deliver goods.
Traits:
Economic Powerhouse: Drakon's economy is one of the strongest in the world, and very few things are out of their reach to fund. (+4 to Economy tree)
Military of Mercenaries: Drakon has a wide variety of mercenaries and soldiers to call upon to fight for them or sell to the highest bidder, but these men and women are driven by coin and power rather than loyalty. (+4 to army and navy, their military is the size of a nation with many times Drakon's size and population, but the mercenaries can be more easily bought or coerced than soldiers of other nations)
Fortress City: Drakon was originally built with defense in mind, and only upgraded from there. It is a formidable location to assault, with high and strong fortress walls, a layout designed to be easily defensible, and numerous defenses to repel any invasions. It is also a difficult location to siege, with almost nothing to sustain enemy forces in the surrounding landscape, huge stores of food to last the population five years, and a fresh water underground lake, taking the city of Drakon would be an extremely costly ordeal. Due to the size and power of their neighbors, Drakon has become one of the most powerfully defended cities in the world.
Barren land: The lands around Drakon are not suited for growing food or harvesting resources. Drakon is forced to import nearly all of its food and raw supplies.
Communication magic: Ever interested in overcoming the difficulties of land trade, Drakon has developed magical mirrors that can allow for instantaneous communication between the two pairings, connecting their various trade posts and drakon around the world in a way not seen by other nations. This has cost Drakon dearly to develop, however, and much of their research in other magical areas has been crippled by it. (Unique tech tree, -2 on any rolls to increase magical sophistication stats)
Foreign Relations:
Aseophin: Simultaneously Drakon's fiercest rival and closest ally, the relationship between the two merchant kingdoms is complex, to say the least. They both work greatly to gain the upper hand over one another in the various trade markets, but also jointly defend those trade routes from others who would seek to eliminate one or both of them from those markets, and those who would disrupt the trade of both republics.
Imasicia: Officially, the Regnum is a staunch ally of Drakon. Indeed, the current king is a relative to the Regnum's own ruler due to years of political marriages. Unofficially both parties know that if given even the slightest opportunity, Imasicia would conquer and absorb Drakon into it's empire once more.
Everyone else: A trade partner, to some degree. (Can and probably will be changed based on other player input, but Drakon will try very hard to be trade buddies with everyone)
Rolls:
Land Area: 1 (6-5)
Land Fertility: 2 (7-5)
Development: 20 (19 +1)
Land Power: 20 (18 +2)
Naval Power: 13 (8 +5)
Economy: 20 ( 15+5)
Magical Reserves: 12
Magical Sophistication: 12 (6+6)
Other:
Land Area: 5
Land Fertility: 20
Development: 1
Land Power: 15
Naval Power: 4
Economy: 14
Magical Reserves: 4
Magical Sophistication: 5
Land Fertility: 20
Development: 1
Land Power: 15
Naval Power: 4
Economy: 14
Magical Reserves: 4
Magical Sophistication: 5
Land Area: 2
Land Fertility: 6
Development: 15
Land Power: 9
Naval Power: 1
Economy: 3
Magical Reserves: 16
Magical Sophistication: 15
Land Fertility: 6
Development: 15
Land Power: 9
Naval Power: 1
Economy: 3
Magical Reserves: 16
Magical Sophistication: 15
Land Area: 4
Land Fertility: 9
Development: 12
Land Power: 10
Naval Power: 1
Economy: 7
Magical Reserves: 10
Magical Sophistication: 10
Land Fertility: 9
Development: 12
Land Power: 10
Naval Power: 1
Economy: 7
Magical Reserves: 10
Magical Sophistication: 10
Land Area: 2
Land Fertility: 10
Development: 9
Land Power: 5
Naval Power: 14
Economy: 9
Magical Reserves: 7
Magical Sophistication: 2
Land Fertility: 10
Development: 9
Land Power: 5
Naval Power: 14
Economy: 9
Magical Reserves: 7
Magical Sophistication: 2
Land Area: 4
Land Fertility: 10
Development: 1
Land Power: 12
Naval Power: 1
Economy: 4
Magical Reserves: 20
Magical Sophistication: 4
Land Fertility: 10
Development: 1
Land Power: 12
Naval Power: 1
Economy: 4
Magical Reserves: 20
Magical Sophistication: 4
Land Area: 3
Land Fertility: 10
Development: 10
Land Power: 10
Naval Power: 1
Economy: 10
Magical Reserves: 10
Magical Sophistication: 1
Land Fertility: 10
Development: 10
Land Power: 10
Naval Power: 1
Economy: 10
Magical Reserves: 10
Magical Sophistication: 1
