Tronarii
A desert nation known as the land of Shimmering Bronze, Tronarii is located on a peninsula within the world of Savarra on the same continent as Jassira. It lies across the southern sea from the Frost Marches, Tronarii once acted as the smith-nation of Belhar before earning its independence long ago. Every member of the Marked Merk Mercenaries came from Tronarii, growing up or being born there.
History
Its bloody wars -- known as trade wars -- started about three centuries ago when the most powerful merchants within the nation began to finally see to the recovery of Tronarii as a nation. Many of the merchant class saw themselves above the Tronarii Republic's various representatives and Senate, raising their own armies with their amassed wealth.
One fateful night, Tronarii's senate crumbled. Nobles took various sides in the trade wars using their homes and lives. They were mere prizes to the merchants for their battles, no different than the copper and tin mines spotting much of the countryside. Growing wealth changing hands brought further attention from the orc raiders, destroying the fleets of the local lieges and further sealing their demise.
Since then, many nobles lost their titles or were forced to marry. This led to changing the overall control of the nation to the merchants and soldiers, using their copious goods and equipment as collateral to bail the nobles out and secure their positions and titles. This led about to the establishment of the "Bronze Barrier" and complete removal of traditional feudalism for mercantile struggles. In more modern days, the Republic is now seen as a puppet facade that ensures a smooth organization focused on profit.
Geography
In terms of useful land, Tronarii isn't very large; as a coastal peninsula, much of its people are forced to migrate further east toward other nations or across the sea to find better lives all the time. It supports few true cities and has little for a proper army but maintains its historical independence to everyone but the peak empire's might through its vast defensive deserts and loyal mercenary legions.
Much of Tronarii's coastline is untended, lacks natural defenses and beyond its major ports has sparse life making settling long-term impossible. Instead, the geography of its coastline has been plagued for by orc raiders in high quantities all seeking to break it; orcish ships have been buried into the shorelines to create artificial hills that can better catch coastal winds in an uncanny form of wind-catching dunes. This moisture farming has been creating a more habitable locale only found in the estimated 100 oasis.
Government
Tronarii emulates feudalism despite calling itself a Republic; many of its senators are figurehead nobles who act as diplomats for the merchants and warlords, parlaying and feigning their meetings as regular republic votes.
Culture
The value placed upon bronze has formed a cultural phenomenon known as the Bronze Barrier; this form of class separation means that many ex-nobles and beggars spend much of their life impoverished out outright enslaved without any form of status.
Most men and women of Tronarii live in the northern stretches of the nation where the weather is temperate. Yet many still dress in light-weighted clothing to protect from both sunlight and strong winds, for both the morning and nights. Serfs within the nation may wear as little as loincloths and shawls however while citizens wear togas; regardless of class, one will find that citizens will often have lengthier designs to allow them to roll or slack it for various occasions. Merchants, mages and those with any power left in the nation distinguish themselves with feather decorations adjoined to the hems of their toga.
A sign of status in Tronarii, however, is someone who carries a bronze ring, knife or sword signifying wealth and the ability to protect one's self. This is why the mercenaries of the land have become so famous; they appear akin to minor lords within the merchant-contested nation and carry themselves at even stride with some of the most well-tested soldiery throughout the world. Many believe because of this the mercenary life is easy or privileged - but unlike the entitled or the enlisted, mercenaries have almost exclusively earned their metal.
As a testament to their wealth, soldiers from Tronarii are often adorned in the finest bronze and metal in the land. Kept lightweight and durable, the works from the nation can often fetch a pretty coin on reputation alone from their rigorous alloy perfection rituals. Even now with the most recent stint of wars, the nation is considered one of the wealthiest in the known world thanks to this; but it also has a single downside. Travelers consider the nation wealthy and visit it without knowing the true nature of the waning, open-battles. Only those who survive the nation could entrust the truest advice; if you go to the land, find someone who can help you avoid the worst of things - the last thing anyone needs is to be drawn into the hectic mercantile animosity wreathing the rich sands of Tronarii.
Interactions between those from Jassira and Tronarii is rather unique -- both are deserts but with different rulerships. Many hailing from Tronarii view Jassira as a bastion of freedom from the bronze-necessitated class system. However, the only thing Tronarii boasts is that its feudalistic warfare between merchants is overall more stable for its people -- many cities might swap hands through wealth but bloodshed is often kept small or outside of the city streets.
Religion
Worship in Tronarii is largely non-focused, worshipping all members of the Pantheon. One of its ports is a valuable hub for members of Tira's paladin order.
Mallach is perhaps one of the few gods left underworshipped, as seen by Boomer and his interest in learning more; few have time for play in the busy nation and end up under appreciating the deity.
Economy
Despite being a desert nation, the amount of bronze available in Tronarii makes it one of the most economically stable and powerful nations in the known world. Further adding to this, their peninsula's location within the middle of Jassiran and ex-Belhar trade routes keeps the merchant class of Tronarii as some of the most powerful and wealthy individuals alive.
Trivia
- The Tronarii Codex was created before the Codex system was; it was originally intended to be implemented alongside Lieutenant Jen.
- It is home to some of the hardiest horses thanks to withstanding harsh weathers and building the stamina for traversing the larger stretches of less-than-hospitable sands. Jen's horse was bred using a Belhar draft mare and a Tronarii racing stud. Strangely enough, there are few centaurs within Tronarii.
- Tronarii and Jassira were unironically made and coincidentally were almost identical; this led to relocating the two onto the same continent.