The Guild Republic of Ladrestir

Little is known about the lands of Ladrestir from before the first colonists settled. Much of the territory had no signs of civilization, suggesting that the majority of these lands had never been inhabited by sapient beings for any meaningful amount of time. However, on the site of modern-day Hankala, the remains of an ancient city were present. Long since abandoned and almost entirely reclaimed by nature, this city had few answers for the first settlers to find it, or for the archeologists who would later examine it in greater detail. What few conclusions could be drawn suggest that the city was in contact with the larger civilization that once occupied the nation of Lyzum, as items and structures with similar designs were found in both locations. Whether this city was a colony of the proto-Lyzum people, or simply traded with them, has yet to be determined.

While colonists were originally content to allow visitors to examine the structures, practical matters eventually prevailed. Whatever of value could be found in the city was eventually salvaged for use by the land's new occupants, and the rest gradually destroyed to make room for things of more immediate use. Nearly all of the ruins on the surface have long since been destroyed, their mysteries along with them, though some theorize that other clues about the civilization that used to reside here may remain underground.

While the initial colonization of Ladrestir was slow, it rapidly picked up in pace as the breadth of its natural resources became apparent. Though its overall territory was small, the first colonists noted its particularly dense forests, which seemed to grow faster than those they were familiar with. Early mining exploits revealed high concentrations of valuable ores, and the mostly-docile nature of local flora and fauna allowed for their easy harvesting. Individuals from numerous different trades found themselves flocking to Ladrestir to exploit this surplus of resources, and it wasn't long until those with the means to fund larger-scale exploitation took notice as well.

Within only a few years of this gold rush, the first guilds began to form in order to protect the industries that were beginning to emerge, at the same time that the foundation of a government began to take shape. This early government initially existed almost exclusively to enforce agreements made between the guilds and to mediate their disputes, though its role gradually increased to provide the other basic functions of government as they were identified. However, even in these early years, many of these functions were happily outsourced when a guild was available to handle the responsibility. Contracts for these responsibilities became nearly the sole source of income for the government, as most other means of generating income were strongly fought.

As the extraction of the territory's resources improved, so too did its ability to make use of these resources. Rather than simply export the raw ores or lumber abroad, new industries in Ladrestir itself could process them into something even more valuable and bring even greater wealth to the region. Naturally, it did not take long for the industries to organize into guilds of their own in order to protect their workers and operating regions.

Eventually, Ladrestir reached its modern borders. Until this point, the guilds that shared the same industries had been content to limit their competition to new regions rather than fight over those already claimed. However, with no more room for their territories to expand uncontested, the only way for a guild's territory to expand was at the direct expense of another. It was then that a quiet period began, where things operated mostly business as usual for most industries in the nation. This quiet period, however, was mostly on the surface. In reality, the various guilds were in a flurry of activity, forging alliances and planning the downfall of their rivals.

The following decades saw the entire nation plunged into total economic chaos, as the guilds used every tactic at their disposal to destroy their direct competition. Guilds would find that they could no longer buy the goods needed for their craft, or they would learn that their previous markets now had exclusive contracts to buy from their competitors. Those looking for work and training found themselves in high demand, as a guild with no apprentices would eventually starve. More overt acts of war were also common - assassinations, tampering with goods, and even brawls between rival artisans.

The government of the nation found itself utterly unprepared to deal with the turmoil, initially attempting to end the struggle by dictating territories to each guild. This was met with near universal opposition from all the guilds, who did not want their territories limited. Those guilds managing government services threatened to renege on their contracts, which would see services for all citizens ended and nearly all the government's income snatched. As a result, this solution was quickly discarded in favor of attempts to negotiate settlements between rivals. Unfortunately, few negotiations the government facilitated began in good faith. In reality, they typically only began once a clear victor in a particular conflict had emerged, and did little more than confirm the specific terms of peace.

Eventually, each industry in the nation would come to be monopolized by a single guild each, as they systematically destroyed and absorbed their rivals. However, it was at this point where the guilds drew the line. Initially, some guilds attempted to further expand by breaking into new segments of the economy than they had previously occupied, but they quickly found their efforts stalled. These attempts were met with a market already thoroughly controlled, and fierce resistance from established enterprises prevented any lasting gains.

The government of Ladrestir was now completely dominated by the guilds, who ironically began now to empower it. The guilds that remained in the nation could no longer simply destroy one another, but their own business interests still did not always align. As a result, a neutral party had to be given the ability to genuinely mediate these disputes. Already subservient to the guilds by this point, the government was organized into one fitting the needs of the guilds, with little meaningful power.

Ladrestir is located on the Belt, south of Maelstrom and west of Entrine. In the most common mapping layout of the Belt, it is placed far to the west. Its location leaves the nation in semi-perpetual twilight, punctuated each day with a very short period of brighter light or stronger darkness. The nation itself is composed of four larger islands, with smaller islands interspersed throughout. Even today, each island is coated with rather dense forest, the only exceptions to this rule being in locations where settlements reside or where infrastructure exists.

Ladrestir enjoys a temperate climate thanks to its position halfway between the two extreme ends of the world. Its weather is similarly mild, with little in the way of powerful storms to cause damage. As a result of this generally pleasant atmosphere, wildlife on the nation has thrived. Plant life in particular is abundant here, seeming to hold an accelerated life cycle. Plants grow with greater speed here than in other places of the world, resulting in an environment that naturally appears to repair itself faster than most.

With plant life so abundant, there was little need for competition between the animals that call Ladrestir home, and most are herbivores as a result. A lack of predators has made the majority of these animals extremely docile and lacking in what most would consider to be common survival instinct, much to the delight of the first hungry settlers that arrived. However, the introduction of more predatory animals though both colonization and trade has raised concerns, as such creatures pose grave risks to the native wildlife.

The government of Ladrestir claims to be a republic that represents all citizens within its borders, though in the present day little effort is made to maintain this illusion. In reality, Ladrestir's government has been completely subverted and dominated by the guilds that manage its economy, with the common citizen having little say in the affairs of state. However, it also occupies a unique space of being the sole formal authority that is able to keep the guilds in check. No guild in Ladrestir wishes to see any other guild gain too much power or influence, and so the government has become the tool each guild uses to ensure each other guild never gets too far ahead.

The main governmental body of Ladrestir is the Guild Council, a chamber of representatives elected by the various guilds. Each guild is represented by anywhere from two to twenty individuals of their choice, with the specific number dependent upon their financial contribution to the government. As a result, all guilds have at least some representation, while the most wealthy guilds have greater influence in national affairs. This financial contribution occurs annually, with the members of the Guild Council being reselected after all yearly contributions are received. Notably, the total number of representatives fluctuates each year based on this contribution, and the Guild Council has no set number of representatives expected.

After the Guild Council is selected for a year, they vote for the appointment of a Guildlord or Guildlady. The elected individual acts as the executive of the national government, as well as setting the agenda for the council and acting as a tiebreaker for it when required. All votes within the Guild Council, including the vote to appoint a GuildLord or Guildlady, are passed with simple majorities.

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