Merchmin

Merchmin, the northern region of the Eastern Continent,
split into smaller countries after the fall of the Empire.
The disputes never stop in this land ever plagued by war.
Then the rise of the Four Principalities
set the stage for an even greater conflict.
Here we will explain the political and military systems of each Principality
and how the Marquis of Berth acquired the Kingdom of Finney.
Pay close attention to the systems.

[ Added 10/23/21 ]

Shifting Forms of Government

Merchmin is a peninsula protruding from the north part of the Eastern Continent. The narrow strip at the base of the peninsula acts as a barrier separating it from the Lordless Land. The most remarkable point of note is that when an outbreak of monsters devastated the Lordless Land, Merchmin remained untouched. This geographical setup isolated Merchmin and it became a land of warring nations.

Merchmin was originally comprised of various city-states. After falling under the rule of the Empire, the land was distributed among many Imperial vassals. This resulted in the land being subdivided into smaller regions run by feudal lords. These feudal lords were under Imperial rule, but circumstances changed after the Empire fell. The influx of many nobles and aristocrats fleeing the Lordless Land caused mass restructuring among the lords. The strong expanded the borders of their territory and gained high rank while the weak lost their property and titles. After the chaos of these wars settled, four Marquises rose to power. These Marquises established the Four Principalities that would become the central focus of the region.

The unique characteristic of Merchmin is that many long wars were fought until the Four Principalities were established. As a result, each country came up with its own political systems to survive the fighting.

Shifts in Government

～3500 BS	Beginning of Civilization
3500 BS ～ 400 BS	Age of the City-States
400 BS ～ 465 BS	Age of the Hahn Empire
	Ruled by the Hahn Empire
400 ～ 800	Warring Nations Era
800 ～ 1218	Age of the Four Principalities
1218 ～ 1269	Age of the Finney Kingdom
	Ruled by the Marquis of Berth
	Ruled by Cantal
	Ruled by the Count of Jade
1305 ～	Age of the Peace Treaty

Timeline

35,000 Years Ago	Appearance of modern humans
10,000 Years Ago	Agriculture spreads from the Central Plains
c. 5800 BS	Introduction of bronze goods
c. 2700 BS	City-States spread from the Central Plains
c. 1850 BS	Quells are introduced
1800’s BS	Conflicts begin between the City-States
370 BS	Invasions by Hahn and the Independent City Alliance
272 BS	Merchmin conquered by the Kingdom of Hahn
Beginning of the Common Era	Introduction of the Hahn Empire system of government
101	All feudal lords take part in the Weissland Expedition
266	Corruption of the feudal lords and the ruling classes begins
372	Dissent grows among the people
453	All feudal lords seek relief from the Imperial Capital
454	All feudal lords form the Merchmin Alliance
464	Merchmin Alliance rebels against the Empire
465	Merchmin Alliance joins the Anti-Imperial Coalition
	Anti-Imperial Coalition marches on the Imperial Capital
	Fall of the Hahn Empire
473	Anti-Imperial Coalition dissolves
	Merchmin Alliance dissolves and each feudal lord returns to their own territory
474	Warring Nations Era in Merchmin. The feudal lords fight amongst themselves
897	Gustave becomes Marquis of Berth
900	Principality of Berth founded
962	Four Principalities established
1000	Tools are introduced to Merchmin
1085	Nohl and Berth form an alliance
	Arranged marriage of the son of Marquis Nohl to Marquise Berth
1087	Principality of Berth acquires Finney Island
1088	Finney Kingdom founded
1195	Gustave XII born
1201	Attack and Defense of Wallonie Forest (Otto vs Nohl)
	Attack and Defense of Fort Labre (Berth vs Sude)
1210	Battle of Tiberius (Berth vs Sude)
1212	Engagement at San Jabouille (Berth vs Sude)
1218	Battle of Tura (Otto vs Nohl)
	Battle of Wallonie (Otto vs Nohl and Berth)
	Gustave XII ascends the throne
	Gustave XII marries Marquise Sophie of Nohl
1219	Battle of Sude River (Gustave XII vs Bruyere)
1220	Battle of Magny-Cours (Berth vs Otto)
	Gustave XIII born
1222	Philippe born
1223	Spell Caster Cielmer summoned to Thermes
1227	Marie born
	Gustave XIII fails the Firebrand Ceremony
	Sophie and Gustave XIII exiled
	Nohl revolts
1228	Gustave XIV born
1229	Younger brother of Marquis Sude becomes a vassal of Finney Kingdom
	Cantal Born
1231	Otto marches troops toward the mountain range
1239	Arnoux revolts
	Philippe becomes Marquis of Nohl
1241	The Principality of Sude becomes part of Finney
1243	Fourth Battle of Magny-Cours
	Merchmin unified
1245	Marie marries Cantal
	Half of the Otto territory is annexed under Finney Kingdom
	Gustave XII dies
	Gustave XIV ascends the throne
1247	Marquis Philippe of Nohl marries the third daughter of Marquis Sude
1248	Gustave XIII advances into Merchmin
	Gustave XIV dies after the Battle of Buckethill
	Philippe II born
	Various countries of Merchmin fall under the control of Gustave
1249	Philippe goes to Thermes Castle and accedes the Royal House of Finney
1250	Marie returns to Thermes
1251	Marie marries Count Kelvin of Jade
1255	Philippe II assassinated during the Firebrand Ceremony
	Philippe dies
	Cantal is assigned as caretaker of Thermes
1264	Firebrand Ceremony held in secret
1269	Round-table conference at Hahn Nova
	Cantal rebels
1270	Cantal seizes control of Merchmin
1282	Marquis of Nohl leads a rebellion
1288	Cantal dies. Succession war in Otto begins
	Pact of Lords signed in Merchmin
1292	Pact of Lords dissolves
1305	Merchmin joins the Hahn Nova Treaty

Four Principalities

The Four Principalities comprise the four main regions of Merchmin. They started as territories governed by Lords in the age of the Hahn Empire, but were reorganized into countries with named titles after the fall of the Empire. There were originally five ranks assigned to the nobles: Duke, Marquis, Count, Daron, and Viscount. Each rank is granted a certain amount of territory and automatically given the power to govern it. For example, if one were given authority to control Berth, that person would be given the rank of “Marquis” since it is associated with the territory and they would be called “Marquis of Berth”.

In addition, the rank of Duke is exclusive to members of the Imperial Family and Lords are given the authority to rule their Principalities as Kingdoms. There are no Dukes in Merchmin, however, so Marquis is the highest rank.

1 Berth

The Principality of Berth as we know it today regained its power in the southwestern part of Merchmin in the latter half of the 800’s. The Marquis of Berth originally governed the central part of Thermes in the days of the Hahn Empire. However, the House of Berth declined and disappeared altogether during the wars of the 600’s. The title was lost until Gustave Eugene I gained control of Thermes and restored it. From then on, the House of Eugene inherited the title of Marquis of Berth.

The Principality of Berth was governed by a charismatic autocracy. All decisions and policies were made by the one who inherited the name of Gustave. Gustave Eugene was an extremely charismatic lord who rose to power by gaining the support of the people. Naturally, it is expected that his successors possess the same amazing charisma to sway the people.

Another unique characteristic of the Principality of Berth lies in its military system. The size of armed forces in other countries were proportional to the number of vassals under their control. Berth, however, held direct control of an overwhelming number of elite guards. This happened because those who could not succeed the title, such as the second and third sons of the Marquis, were employed as guards. This incurred high expenses, but was quickly relieved through trade with other countries via maritime routes. The specialized army of elite guards laid the foundation for a strong country.

2 Otto

The House of Otto is a distinguished family line dating back to the Hahn Empire. They were given territory in the northernmost part of Merchmin and played an important role in keeping watch over that region of the Empire. Otto took pride in its national stability, powerful military, and its many scholarly retainers with Imperial ties. This allowed Otto to maintain its territory after the collapse of the Empire and survive as one of the powerful Merchmin factions.

Otto continued to use the system of government from the days of the Empire. The Marquis of Otto held political power, but there were absolute rules concerning notable aristocratic families and how to govern the people. The fact that the Marquis himself felt so strongly about upholding the rules gave him charisma and he earned the trust of the people. However, those rules have changed with the times. Power tends to corrupt and make strange bedfellows. The Marquis of Otto became a name well known among women. Perhaps this led to the many blood relatives of the Marquis, which became a unique characteristic of the Principality of Otto.

Otto troops were comprised of the many relatives of the Marquis. This created a force that took pride in its strong ties. The well-coordinated military forces overwhelmed their opponents with clever tactics. For this reason, Otto became a huge threat to the other countries of Merchmin. Another feature which set them apart from other countries was their navy. Otto had established maritime trade routes in ancient times to overcome the disadvantages of their landlocked territory. As a result, their navy always has been and continues to be available at all times.

3 Nohl

The Principality of Nohl was formed when smaller countries in the territory stood together after the Empire fell. The Marquis of Nohl at the time was selected to lead the alliance and govern the territory. This placed the Marquis in charge of governmental affairs and making all important decisions at the alliance meetings.

Despite being placed in charge of the territory, the House of Nohl had to work within various restrictions under the terms of the alliance. They proceeded to strengthen relationships among the various countries and stabilize domestic affairs. This was a great success and the Principality reached a perfect balance under the leadership of the Marquis. The various lords made their opinions well known via the parliament, always trying to stir up trouble. However, the feelings of unity to protect against outside forces which led to the founding of the Principality remained unchanged and the territory stands strong.

In Nohl, each lord maintains their own military force. The troops directly controlled by the Marquis of Nohl are no different, lacking the authority to act independently. Not even the Marquis can launch military campaigns without first holding a meeting with the lords. For this reason, Nohl fights many defensive battles and very rarely initiates the attack.

4 Sude

Sude is a Principality that formed after wars broke out in Merchmin. The territory was originally northwest of the Au Rouge river, based in the plains near Thermes. Sude lost power when the Empire fell, however, and the remnants of the territory were annexed under other powers seeking to profit from the chaos of the Warring Nations Era. Eventually the capital was relocated to its present location, serving as a transit point for trade between Merchmin and the southern part of the continent.

Sude profited during the Warring Nations Era and gained the power it now holds today. Its policies continue to be based around commerce with the Marquis making all decisions and overseeing operations. When the Merchants Guild came to power, however, a council was formed to help advise the Marquis.

Sude primarily relies on mercenaries hired using the profits from foreign trade. Each of the lords possesses their own personal troops, but hiring mercenaries ensures that the Principality itself will not lose power through military engagements. On the other hand, guards under the direct control of Sude are stationed along seaways and trade routes to protect commercial interests.

The Kingdom of Finney

The one who controls Finney Island becomes the King of Finney and has the power to rule the Kingdom. Finney was founded by the Hahn Empire and existed until its collapse. However, Kingdom of Finney was not actually on the Island. The Empire instead held direct control of the Island and used it as a base for Imperial troops. Then, what exactly is the Kingdom of Finney?

1 The Royal House of Finney

In the days of the Empire, the Royal House of Finney was simply an honorary title, the Kingdom an imaginary nation with no subjects. As the Empire stabilized, nobles and the Imperial family grew in power and numbers. However, only the firstborn son received patronage from his parents. Other sons had no choice but to join the military, seek the path of Spell research, or become Diggers. The same applied to sons of the Emperor. Siblings and other relatives of the Emperor were given honorary titles and lands. The Kingdom of Finney was one of them.

Naturally, the fictional Royal House of Finney disappeared along with the Empire, but it resurfaced once more as wars tore through the region of Merchmin. This happened because Finney Kingdom was associated with the rank of Duke.

2 The Rank of Duke

“Duke” is the highest of the five ranks, higher than even Marquis. In other words, a Duke would have the authority to subjugate Marquises. When the Empire was still in power, the rank was only given to members of the Imperial Family and impossible to obtain otherwise. But the Empire was beginning to crumble.

The one who controls Finney Island is the King of Finney. The King of Finney was always a Duke. Therefore, obtaining Finney Island would grant the rank of Duke and set oneself apart from the other Marquises. This would also give authority to unite the entire region of Merchmin. Because of this, each country was looking for an opportunity to invade Finney Island. The Island was also a strategically important location for stationing troops, rich in mineral resources, and possessed a Megalith hiding Quells just waiting to be unearthed. Then Gustave VIII, Marquis of Berth, obtained Finney Island and resurrected the Kingdom of Finney.

3 The Marquis of Berth and the Royal House of Finney

The newly established Royal House of Finney became part of the Principality of Berth, so the organization and governmental structure of Berth remained largely unchanged. But the founding of the Kingdom of Finney required the taking of another Oath, pledging to the people a rule of charismatic dignity befitting that of royalty. This is why Gustave VIII used the Firebrand as the symbol of the Royal House of Finney.

Soon Spell Culture was established and Quells became important objects of worship. Skillfully drawing upon the beliefs of the people, Gustave instilled the idea that the one who held the Firebrand was the rightful King. Then a ceremony resembling religious rituals was created where the one who successfully handled the Quell proved to his vassals and people his right to be King of Finney. In this way, the name of Gustave became associated with strong charisma and the Royal House of Finney ruled over its subjects.

4 After Unification Under the Kingdom of Finney

As mentioned earlier, the governmental structure under the Royal House of Finney remained unchanged from when the region was the Principality of Berth. It was a Kingdom in name only and the people still lived under the same systems as when ruled by the Marquis of Berth. It had always been and continued to be some form of autocracy. However, when the Kingdom of Finney unified Merchmin, it was impossible for a single person to rule over the entire region and many talented figures were appointed to different locations. All lords of the region were now governed by the Kingdom, which led to several factional disputes within the Royal Palace. Each lord was acting in their own self interest, of course, looking for the opportunity to gain control behind the scenes. This was the current state of affairs when Gustave XIV succeeded as King of Finney.

Topic

Marquis Cantal of Otto

From 1272 onward, Cantal held Thermes, the seat of the Royal House of Finney, and gained control over Merchmin and the Lordless Land. The political system used at that time was not the one used in Otto, but exactly the same one used in Berth and the Kingdom of Finney. This was because Cantal had already been posted in Thermes Castle, the true political power in Merchmin, for about 15 years. In other words, the system of government had not changed from when Gustave XIII was still alive, only the person in charge.

For the people, 35 years of rule under Cantal was no different than under the Marquis of Berth. But the Firebrand was not used as a symbol of authority while Cantal was in charge.