Portisian Republic

Introduction

The Portisian Republic is a meritocratic nation on the western coast of Linea. Its current members are Albasra, Melem and Korth. The country covers the entirety of the western shoreline known as the Coast of Prosperity. Travelling the length of the country takes just over 30 days, from the northernmost point of Albasra to the southernmost point of Korth. Albasra, Melem and Korth were once a single country known as the Kingdom of Albasra but through rebellions, Melem and Korth became independent countries. Following the Albasran War, which saw the last Albasran monarch attempt to retake Melem and Korth, the three nations decided to come together into one republic.

System of Government
Following the Albasran War, the three nations came together and established a meritocratic form of government, where a small council of representatives from Albasra, Melem and Korth come together to govern on matters of state. While the three nations hold some individual powers, it was agreed that they were ultimately stronger as one nation.

The council of Portis have power over decisions which affect the republic as a whole. For example, major infrastructure projects, wars or other matters of diplomatic relations with neighbouring countries. Whereas, each individual member nations have powers of their own affairs such as taxation, citizen wellbeing and crime.

Albasra
Albasra is the northernmost nation in the republic. It was once the seat of the Albasran Monarchy and since the end of the Albasran War, has retaken the position of primary administrative power in the republic due to its historic importance and diplomatic influence.

Albasra is renowned for its beauty. While some parts of Albasra still hold the scars of war, large portions of the once extensive war zones have been returned to their former glory. Albasra’s capital is Olstorn. Completed in the early years of the old kingdom, it remains of key historical and cultural importance. It is renown for its theatres, museums and schools. Albasra is a melting pot of many different nationalities and races. The nation entices many from across the continent and many of the towns and cities are very metropolitan. While this adds to the vibrancy of the country, it is clear that it has lost much of its more traditional national identity, taking a more academic approach to its history.

Albasra’s steward is Gregor Pontiff. He was named steward of Albasra following the death of his father, Elias Pontiff, who died of chronic injuries incurred during the Albasran War, just five years into his stewardship. While Elias was named first steward of Albasra for his actions during the war, Gregor has proved to be a fine steward in his place. He spent much of his time repairing the diplomatic relationship with the Qey Empire. An effort which has seen a strong friendship develop between the two nations.

Melem
Melem sits between Albasra and Korth along the Coast of Prosperity. Often referred to as the Gatekeeper of the Sea, Melem deals with most of the trade that reaches Linea’s shores. Melem was the first to rebel against the old kingdom of Albasra in the Melemese Rebellion (58 AL). The rebellion was caused by economic turmoil due to King Kilnen’s prolonged absence from court. Following the rebellion, Melem prospered, having gained the power to reshape their economy to focus more on trade and shipbuilding.

Melem’s capital is Shipwright. It is possibly the most prosperous city on the continent as it sits on the shoreline of the Cerul Coast. Almost all business in Melem begins there. Shipwright is also the origin point for the Great Canals. A series of dug canals which reach across Melem and into the rest of Portis as a whole. Plans for a proposed expansion into the Qey Empire have also been put in place. This allows ships to be tugged along by giant dinosaurs across the continent to deliver goods and people to locations in a fraction of the time it would take to travel by land.

Melem’s steward is Stuart Fitzpatrick. He was a wealthy businessman before being named steward of Melem. Since then he has stepped down from his former business and fully adopted the role of steward.

Korth
Korth is the southernmost member of the republic and widely considered its military powerhouse. Korthians are often disinterested in negotiation, understanding that a moment’s hesitation spells the difference between life and death. This militaristic mindset comes from the constant threat of dinosaurs that roam up from the Valley of Transit on the southern border. Without Korth’s vigilant guard, they would surely do untold damage. While dinosaurs threaten Korth, they also represent a constant source of trade. Some dinosaurs are used for their meat, others as beasts of burden and some are even sold on as pets.

Korth became in independent nation in 60 AL following the Korthian Rebellion. Spurred on by the success of the Melemese Rebellion, and having developed strong diplomatic ties with the new Melemese leadership. While the people of Korth were happy to be independent from the monarchy which they felt abandoned by, it was clear they did not have the economic strength to stand alone. This was until they began utilising the natural resource which until that point had been a constant liability for the fledgling nation, the dinosaurs. Until the rebellion, dinosaurs were hunted and disposed of as decreed by the Albasran monarchy. With their new-found independence, they instead began a program of taming and training the beasts, providing the stability they needed to survive as a nation.

In History
Historically the nations of Albasra, Melem and Korth were once united under the Albasran monarchy, when Melem and Korth were cities. The kingdom was founded by the first settlers to Linea and quickly spread to cover the entirety of the Coast of Prosperity. The Kingdom stood united until 58 AL, when the citizens of Melem rebelled and seceded from the monarchy, founding their own nation in the heartland of the kingdom. The rebellion was such a success, just two years later in 60 AL, the citizens of Korth also rebelled and seceded from the kingdom. The exact cause of the rebellions are not known but many believe it was due to the failings of King Kilnen, the second king of Albasra.