Elruth-Marecea

The history of the Commonwealth is deeply tied with the Elruth Empire and its internal cultures as well as the influence of the empire's neighbors. Long before the Commonwealth was formed, the Elruth Empire was the hegemony ruling the centre of West-Ciradon. The empire expanded its reach during the early Second Age, assimilating diverse cultures and territories. Its reach stretched from the Sunter Plains in the north to the Ruby Sea in the south. 

Frequent skirmishes and wars with its rival Tassendrel shifted borders and people, the nation becoming a melting pot of elven, dwarven, and Lesserkin influences. With the fall of the Empire the people forced together in bondage rose united with the vision to forge the land into one of equality.

The lands of the modern Elruth-Marecean Commonwealth were first settled by the dwarves during the first millennia of the First Age. These primitive dwarves lived in small tribes, often waging war upon each other for territory or resources. The dwarves tended to congregate around the leyline rich areas of Mount Zuriss, leaving the deserts of the east sparsely populated. As the First Age progressed many primitive human and other Lesserkin groups such as the Bohalion, Haucians, and Mareceans would begin migrating to the region by river. 

They began to settle in the regions that had previously been ignored by the Elderkin. Still divided amongst themselves the dwarves were largely disinterested in the affairs of mankind, allowing early human civilizations to flourish in their shadow. In particular the Kingdoms of Bohalion and Marecea would quickly develop into some of the largest human countries during the First Age. 

As the First Age neared its end a legendary dwarven statesman named Ogrith Vaor would arise within House Zuriss. Through a series of conquests, royal marriages, and political maneuvering, he managed to unify all of the remaining city states within the mountain range. In 2906 FA the High Kingdom of Zuriss was proclaimed with Ogrith Vaor as it's leader and mountain range was named in honor of his clan. The kingdom started expanding further south and slowly assimilated the dwarven witch covens of the Kochand civilization in order to access the Ruby Sea.

When the Second Age dawned with the start of the First Gate War, the Forgotten would attack the Kingdom of Zuriss in their quest for world domination. However under the leadership of Ogrith Vaor, Zuriss was able to successfully defend their lands and eventually helped drive the Forgotten out of Tyrrell. As a result the human nations of the southern deserts would be among the few in West Ciradon to not be directly involved in the Gate War.  Yet despite their good fortune in avoiding most of the bloodshed, they could not completely avoid the repercussions of the conflict.  

Thanks to the human Dark Lord and his followers amongst mankind, humanity became seen as a threat to the Elderkin for the first time. Many Elderkin believed that mankind could be easily swayed to the side of darkness and that agents of the Forgotten may have still been plotting in secret. As a result of these fears the Elderkin would begin exerting a more direct influence over human affairs. An informal system began where the surviving human nations of West Ciradon would be forced to become vassals to Elderkin countries or loose their sovereignty entirely.   

The High Kingdom of Zuriss was no exception as it began expanding outward. Over the next few centuries it quickly annexed more and more of mankind's previous territories, tribes, and kingdoms. Some put up resistance and were quickly swept away by dwarven magic. Others, seeing the destruction of neighboring human countries, negotiated deals with Zuriss or else reluctantly acquiesced to their demands. By the year 500 SA the High Kingdom of Zuriss had become the hegemon over the center of the continent and was officially renamed the Elruth Empire.  

In 682 SA the Fourth Gate of the Forgotten was discovered buried near the River Kochur in the lands of the Marecean peoples. While the gate itself had yet to be activated, its existence posed a grave threat to the Elruth Empire and the world as a whole. To prevent anyone from opening it, Elruth quickly claimed its location and began fortifying the land around it. For the Marecean's who had already become increasingly under Elruth's control, the discovery of the gate was used as pretext to force the remaining human population into serfdom. 

Marecean manual labour and slaves were used for construction alongside more sophisticated dwarven engineering to help build the Fortress of Tundegqi. It took two generations of human labourers to finish the project, but by the time it was done the Tundegqi was the largest fortification to have ever been constructed up to that point. It was believed that no human could ever reach the central chambers where the Fourth Gate lay. 

Unfortunately the new Dark Lord chosen by the Forgotten was not a human at all, but one of Elruth's dwarven generals. Having overseen it's construction, he commandeered the Fortress of Tundegqi upon it's completion and immediately unleashed the forgotten upon Tyrrell once again. Resentful over their centuries of mistreatment by the Elruthian's, the vengeful Marecean labourers joined the armies of the Forgotten.  

The Marecea, driven from their ancestral lands by Umridel, found a new home along the Elru-River in the aftermath of the Fourth Gate events in the 760s of the Second Age. Lesserkin slaves, including the Marecea, played a crucial role in the empire's production of textiles and wood in the northern region of Olonur.

In the wake of the fall of the Elruth Empire, the power vacuum left by the dwarven rulers led to internal strife and conflict among various factions vying for control. In the 22nd year of the 3rd age, a significant turning point occurred as major human factions of former serfs united under the leadership of the First Yewthane. Faced with the common goal of pushing the dwarves back to their mountains, the people rallied together, and the Commonwealth of Elruth-Mareca emerged as a beacon of freedom and equality.

Over the next 28 years, the Commonwealth embarked on a transformative journey, shaping its identity and forging a new path for its diverse populace. The establishment of a parliamentary democracy and the creation of the nations constitution marked a radical departure from the authoritarian rule of the Elruth Empire, granting all citizens a voice in the nation's governance.

The regions within the Commonwealth, each with its distinct history and culture, began to find common ground as the principles of unity and cooperation took root. Toridel, the former elven city of Thorin'del once taken by the Empire from its Rival Tassendrel , became the capital, serving as a symbol of cultural diversity.

The Commonwealth of Elruth-Mareca boasts diverse geography, reflecting its rich history and cultural amalgamation. The regional capitals showcase distinct characteristics:

Toridel:

Toridel, the capital of the Commonwealth, it lies along the top of the Vosk-River and it stands as a visual testament to the nation's intricate history. Originally an ancient elven city named Thorin'del, it was later taken over by the Elruth Empire  from their rival the empire of Tassendrel. The city's architecture is a captivating fusion of classic elven aesthetics, traditional dwarven structures, and newer human additions. Located in the northern part of the nation, Toridel serves as a symbol of the Commonwealth's steps to pave the path for a new future.

Degarhuth:

Situated in South-Olonur, Degarhuth is a city deeply entrenched in history. Its core revolves around a small dwarven keep from the early 2nd age. The strategic positioning along the Eru-River played a pivotal role during the War of Dawn, fostering growth and development through river trade extending down to the Ruby Sea.

Urdkulen:

Found in Gekskar-qi, Urdkulen encapsulates a city with a complex cultural backdrop. As a former border town with the Great Holds, Urdkulen witnesses the clash of different dwarven cultures. Despite the Commonwealth's efforts to maintain order, its weak security force struggles, leading to corruption and providing a breeding ground for smuggling and crime.

New-Marechal:

Located in Bar-Marecea, New-Marechal serves as the new home for the Marecea people. Positioned around a life-sustaining oasis, the city reflects the resilience of its inhabitants. The Marecea, known for their craftsmanship, produce small totems crafted from bone, clay, or driftwood, inspired by their forgotten past. The city exudes an atmosphere of seclusion as the Marecea focus on rebuilding their lives and preserving their unique cultural identity.

Kromflitzruth:

This inhospitable desert serves as the natural border with Umridel. Both nations have yet to finalize their actual borders due to the desert's lack of value to either of them. Kromflitzruth remains a vast and harsh expanse, marking the outer limits of the Commonwealth's territory.

The Yewthane serves as the head of government and head of state. The position is limited to ten years per term, with no explicit limit on re-elections.

Yewthane Alkimar gek-Rahman

Serving as the current Yewthane for an impressive 28 years, Alkimar gek-Rahman is a pivotal figure in the Commonwealth's political landscape. A seasoned leader, he played a crucial role in the revolution and has been re-elected for three consecutive terms. His leadership has been marked by stability and a commitment to the principles of equality and justice.

The Commonwealth's constitution establishes a framework that allows the Yewthane to serve up to 10 years per term, with no explicit limit on re-elections. Elections are held every five years for regional leaders known as Dugthanes and every ten years for the Yewthane.

Regular elections every five years determine the composition of the Commonwealth's Parlament. All lesserkin above the age of 20 have the right to vote, promoting broad participation in the political process. Elderkin on the otherhand, while "valued" members of society, are restricted to voting between the ages of 50 and 100, stoping ancient and powerful nobles to participate in the running of the nation.

Each of the four regions within the Commonwealth is overseen by a Dugthane, responsible for regional governance. These leaders play a vital role in representing the interests of their respective areas by working trough the parlament for a cohesive national agenda.

Free Olonur Movement: A Jadiran-aligned separatist movement centered on Olonur and Geskar-Qi provinces. This movement is supported by large parts of the Jadiran population and is descended from the Jadiran Liberation Forces, the Olonur Free Army, and the Free City of Degaruth. A radical grey party with moderate hierarchist tendencies and an individualist economic policy and moderate conservative social position. This party is led by Bondir Delaghaz.

Elruth Reform Party: Split between its beastkin and human wings, this party is effectively a coalition between the Young Claws, the Steel Hooves, and the Meural Militia Coalition. The Young Claws are a Kottur rights group with socially conservative views but moderate green, moderate equalist stance, and the Steel Hooves are similar but for Minotaurs, while the Meural Militia Coalition is actually moderate green, moderate Hierarchist, and radically socially conservative. They don't take a specific stance on economics. These separate groups have formed a coalition party to amplify their platforms in the Chamber of Voices.

Crown Party: A dwarven party that mostly draws its strength from the East Elruthian populations in Therul, Meural, and Toridel but has some support in Geskar-qi, this is the smallest of the elected factions. This party is openly Hierarchist and Green but is moderately Social liberal as a way to differentiate their position from Zuriss and Goruth and be accepted into the EMC political system where the compromise of allowing multiple different factions within the Chamber of Voices had made moderate social liberalism the expectation. This party is led by Rinvareth Daonkihar.

Orange Host: A unelected faction, this group is largely Vezdulan nationalists trying to separate from the Elruth-Marecea Commonwealth.

Hauvek Dawn: A Hauvek Independence faction in Kromflizruth that focuses on greater Hauvek cultural and economic rights first and autonomy or even independence second. 

Elruth Restoration Movement: A far Green, far Hierarchist, deeply conservative social and economic faction who believe that Elderkin who vote for one of the ruling parties are traitors. This faction wants the total reunification of the Empire. Different factions prefer Zuriss or Goruth, but all agree that the Elderkin should be in charge. 

True Equality Movement: A Beastkin equality movement with support from the Kottur and Minotaur communities. They are more socially liberal than the conservative beastkin movements. They don't want separation; they want equal treatment with the Humans and Dwarves, which are currently dominant.

The lands of modern Elruth-Marecea were always some of the poorest parts of the Elruth Empire, being mainly focused around serf based agriculture and transport by river. The economy in the region was badly affected by the War of the Dawn and subsequent Elruth Civil War. However while they have experienced undeniable hardships, the economy of Elruth-Marecea has begun to recover in recent years. The end of Lesserkin serfdom and the transition to a market economy has tremendously increased the living standards of Elruth’s old peasant class. 

While they largely have yet to achieve comparable success compared to many of the more prosperous human states, they can at least now enjoy the fruits of their own labor and advance their societal standing. However the economic inequality of the past empire has yet to diminish, and many have even worsened in recent years. The previous dwarven ruling class, while technically equals under the law, still hold an oversized share of the country’s wealth and political influence. There also exists a large gap between the country’s relatively wealthier north and the poorer desert provinces in the south. 

Thanks to these conditions corruption is rampant and a large drag on the economy. Much of the Elruth-Marecean economy is still centered around irrigation based agriculture. The nations economic engine revolves around the production of textiles, pottery, and foodstuffs. The rivers coursing through the nation are lined with numerous mills, catering to wood, grain, and textile processing. In recent years light manufacturing has become more common with things such as canneries, beauty products, and general use items bringing in much needed revenue. 

International trade via the river systems suffered a huge blow from the War of the Dawn and has yet to fully recover. The ongoing insurgency in the Voskgardian and Elruth Occupation Zones have made the northern reaches of the River Vosk dangerous, while Umridel’s control over the mouth of the Elru often restricts products or materials they don’t want humans to have. This has often led to resource scarcity in the nation and has acted as a bottleneck to further industrialization. While many workshops and mines from the Elruth Empire were destroyed during the Civil War, some have been restored under human ownership with varying results. 

The commonwealth is still considered to be in the early stages of industrialization. While well behind the industrial powerhouses of the Fifth Column states, Elruth-Marecea is still ahead of most Elderkin nations. For example a railway system connects the major cities and production centers, but is not as extensive as most other human nations and the trains are somewhat antiquated. Steam-powered riverboats are ubiquitous on the waterways and used by both human, beastkin, and dwarven citizens. 

The extensive network of rivers has given rise to hydropower, especially along the dams and locks previously built by Elruth. These provide ample power for many water mills and have even been used to create hydroelectricity. The majority of the commonwealth’s cities have become electrified, though many Elderkin and southern municipalities still lack it. The House of Zuriss inherited almost the entirety of the Elruth Empire’s previous airship fleet, leaving the commonwealth without much in the way of air transport. In recent years the country has tried to fix this gap by importing heavy aircraft from Turangar, though this is still in its infancy. 

Thanks to the dwarven minority and the significant influence of the surrounding Elderkin countries heavy industry is almost entirely absent in Elruth-Marecea. This is usually presented as an environmentally conscious decision so as to avoid damaging the field or ruining their relations with the neighboring Elderkin. Some have speculated though that the real reason for Elruth-Marecea’s absence of heavy industry is because they lack the necessary resources and foreign capital to actually scale up to Voskgardian standards. 

Instead industrial production has been focused on improving efficiency within the agricultural sector with inventions such as tractors and supply trucks. Though the country is noted as being somewhat resource poor, revitalized dwarven mines and workshops contribute to the nation's output. A concerted effort is underway to help alleviate the dependency on foreign resource imports and expand the local mining sector. 

The culture of the Commonwealth is a rich tapestry woven from the threads of various civilizations that have converged over time. A true melting pot, it embraces the diversity brought by ancient nomadic tribes, refugees of the War of the Dawn, remnants of dwarvish traditions, echos of old elvish bastions, reformed Lesserkin societies forcibly displaced from their homelands, and newer migrants from different corners of Ciradon. This amalgamation of cultures has given rise to a unique and vibrant social fabric, where traditions are shared, adapted, and celebrated. 

The Commonwealth stands as a testament to the resilience of its people, who, despite diverse origins, have come together to forge a collective identity rooted in shared challenges, shared victories, and a common vision for the future. Thanks to the legacy of the Elruth Empire, Ciradon Corespeak is the lingua franca of the Commonwealth. It is spoken and understood by nearly everyone regardless of their native language. 

Thanks to this language, radio has become a common unifier in the modern day. The commonwealth has greatly adapted the radio for civilian use, and it has proven vital in maintaining the sitting Yewthanes ability to project the states control over it's diverse people. Both Elderkin and Lesserkin have started to tune into the weekly radio broadcast of Commonwealth news, music, sports results, and speeches from the Yewthane or other officials. 

While the technology is still in its infancy, one can still find at least one such radio-apparatus within most settlements of the nation, often with most of the settlements inhabitants clustered around it for the weekly broadcast. Gateball is the national sport of Elruth-Marecea and acts as a national pastime. Many teams are found throughout the country and help bring people of diverse background closer together. 

Elruth-Marecean society is home to many different religions. 57% of the population are Sagiraist. The Maraceans are largely Sagiraist, and it was a popular religion among other human groups in the region. The traditional Catenic Pantheon is the second most common faith at 31%, mostly amongst dwarves but also with some human followers. 5% are Zoryaosist, 4% Dhazigastic, 1% Verdant Creed, and 2% are other agnostic or atheist groups. Sagiraism is dominant but a lot of traditional Catenic holidays are still recognized, largely due to cultural momentum from the Elruth Empire. Freedom of religion in the commonwealth is granted by law. 

In a Commonwealth city, the bustling streets and markets present a captivating tableau of diversity. Straight-backed former serfs, liberated from the shackles that once bound them, move with a newfound sense of freedom. Masked Mareceans, selling their intricate totems and trinkets, contribute to the city's vibrant atmosphere. Elves, once cautious due to the strained relations to the dwarves, now engage freely in trade and cultural exchange. 

Pale northerners and dark-skinned southerners create a visual testament to the Commonwealth's inclusive spirit. Dwarves, now sharing spaces once dominated by their kind, now intermingle with beastkin of various shapes and sizes. The streets echo with the diverse sounds of different languages, and the air is filled with the captivating blend of unique cultural clothes and customs, creating a rich tapestry of shared experiences and reluctant coexistence.

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• The Commonwealth of Elruth-Marecea was created by ZimZamZimbaloo of the World of Tyrrell discord.