Byllantium Trade Company

General History

The Byllantium Trade Company, named after its Founder and effective Ruler, Nesmo Byllantium, Is one of the youngest independent Powers within Theros. Its founding as a Company was little more then 60 years ago, and since then has become an economic powerhouse. It is one of the most influential economic states within Theros, willing to trade anything with anyone for the right price. As a nation, it was originally founded as a simple merchant hub in Lenes, which was once a Melestis colony. However, the Merchant hub became exceedingly prosperous as a result of rich mineral deposits in the area and its vicinity to several powers. Eventually, Nesmo used his influence and charm as well as several trade deals to negotiate successfully the independence of his Byllantium Trade Company.

After the colony declared independence, it was able to functionally trade with any power without restriction as a result of its relative neutrality to the many imperial conflicts. This influx of goods and gold through Byllantium has allowed its people to prosper, and most of the people within Lenes itself are of the higher mercantile class. These features of the Byllantium company and its charismatic leader has allowed the company to absorb several of the smaller colonies and independent city states that surrounded Lenes, expanding its borders and innate resources.

Economy

Despite being in essence a company itself, the Byllantium Trade company acts more like a middleman and has relatively little power within the actual nation outside of negotiations, laws, and general representation. The Byllantium Trade Company is instead a nearly unrestricted free market economy with various independents and sub-companies being allowed free reign to produce, purchase, and trade goods. Even the roads, police force, and standing army are all run independently from the Governing Byllantium Trade company. Despite this however, there are a few regulations in check to keep monopolies from forming, but its a coin toss if it'll be enforced. As a result, massive company factions have formed within the Vulgate Trade company that compete with each other and buy out or extinguish smaller suppliers. The Three main ones being as follows:

• Sanguine Shares: Sanguine Shares has a major hold over most of the mineral trading within the Vulgate trade company, with their Leader being a former dwarven Miner named Chork Mountainmane.
• The Chouette Company: The Chouette Company has a large stranglehold over animals, livestock, produce, and their products and derivatives. they are the major supplier of food and other things like leather, wool, and milk.
• The Gold Seals Corporation: The Gold Seals Corporation is headed by what appears to be a Hristianan man named Mulli, a lover of extravagance and a well known schemer. The Corporation mainly controls many of the crafts and trades, such as jewelry, manufacturing, Arms and Armour, and the like.

Population

The Byllantium Trading Company is dubiously one of the most progressive nations in terms of races and relations. As a result, the nation has a mixing pot of cultures from Akroans, to Minotaurs, to Leonins. Nearly all of the non violent races can be found here, and many nations have embassies within the capital city. Despite this, there is much distrust between the different races and nationalities, and many low level gangs will form within certain areas. Much of the Byllantium City are segregated not by law, but by individual culture's customs, leading to violence between gangs.