Byllantium Trade Company
History
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.
Leader
Nesmo Byllantium
Nesmo Byllantium is one of the most charismatic and deceptively intelligent people in Theros. It is believed that he is in fact a demi-god, a result of his surprisingly youthful appearance for an 85 year old, and his unnatural charisma and wisdom. Like many within the Byllantium Trade Company, Nesmo indulges in many luxuries, often adorning himself with gold, jewels, and fine silk. He also is known to keep many rare and exotic pets, even occasionally commissioning mages to create new monstrosities for him to play with.
Nesmo claims that he is the son of a god or goddess, usually Heriod. But depending on the culture he is interacting with, he will occasionally switch parents. Claimed parents include Thassa, Purphosos, Keranos, and even Karametra on a few occasions. As a result, his claims to demi-godhood are dubious, but plausible, especially since his skills may indicate a link to Phenax. Of course these claims can get him into trouble with the Gods on occasion.
Nesmo was born in Lenes, a colony of Meletis, approximately 85 years prior to the current date. He was born to a single parent, of whose gender is not known. Nesmo claims that he started Trading on a noticeable level when he was 13, although he did not found the actual company until some years later. His quick wit, charm, and intelligence allowed him to negotiate to an impeccable degree, and the modern day Byllantium Trading Company is proof of this; as he was able to negotiate peacefully the independence of Byllantium (to an extent) with Meletis thanks to some honeyed words and promises of exclusive trade deals.
Lenes
The City of Lenes was founded as a simple colony of Meletis nearly 150 years prior to the current date. It was a settlement built on an island in the middle of a small lake, and was used for both military operations and further colonization.
However, Lene's primary function was that of mining and trade. in nearby mountains, the people of Lenes struck it rich with vast gold veins. While its positioning made it a grade source of diplomatic trades between nations. eventually, Nesmo rose to power using the Byllantium Trading Company, buying up the land and leasing it to sub companies and independents, creating the nation.
The people of Lenes are highly diverse, yet segregated. The culture of Lenes is so extremely multifaceted that it borders on splintered. As a result, many sections of the land were split not just among the wealthy and poor, but between the races. Typically the wealthiest members and merchants are those that are of the common races, with each rarity of race afterwords becoming exponentially more poor. This causes a lot of race and income clashes, as the Governing Trading Company does little to manage its race relations, while still not enforcing any anti-discriminatory laws against minorities and women.
Locations:
- The Gold Seal Casino
- Embassy Lane
- The Golden Pyramid of Nesmo
- The Chouette Beast Pit
- The Sanguine Specialty Stores