The Free City of Macharia

NAME: The Free City of Macharia

KINGDOM AT A GLANCE: Despite its unforgiving location, the Free City of Macharia is a bustling trade hub for the south-west of the continent. It is said that countless exotic spices, wares and goods travel pass through on a daily basis, carried across the unforgiving Dathani desert by merchant caravans, the safety of which is maintained by the Macharian Knights.

SIZE AND LOCATION: Small. The Free City of Macharia is located to the far south-east of the continent, nestled in an arid mountain range that extends into the Desert.  

WEALTH: High. Trade is bustling in the Free City at present, although the effects of the Empire’s collapse has begun to hurt the bottom line of many.   

STABILITY: Medium. There has been a surge of civil unrest over the last few years, with the cities’ merchants having grown increasingly restless at the heavy taxation the current Merchant Princes have imposed upon them.

DANGER TO TRAVELERS: Medium-to-High. Travelling to the Free City of Macharia, while profitable, is not for the faint hearted. Aside from the obvious geographical issues, the civil unrest in the city has stretched the resources of the Macharian Knights, which in turn has seen an upswing in bandit activity. It is estimate that one in four caravans are lost traversing to and from the city.

FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Plutocratic. Ruled by a council of the five richest merchants within the city who are known as the Merchant Princes.

FREEDOM AND OPPRESSION: The Merchant Princes maintain a heavy hand over the local economy, in turn using it to control the populace. Earning their favour entitles an individual to almost unsurpassed freedom, while their ire brings heavy taxation and quite often violent results. Theft is a capital crime in Macharia, while murder and other ‘lesser’ offences carry a sentence of hard labour.

COMMON SPECIES: Humans (55%), Orcs (10%), Dwarves (10%), Draconic (9%), Elves (4%), Other Minorities (12%).

MILITARY FOCUS: Macharia is famed for its Knightly Order, which is charged with the protection of the city itself and the surrounding areas. The order is estimated to have around five hundred members, of which two hundred is comprised of squires, pages and assorted retainers. Primarily funded by the Merchant Princes, it is not uncommon for small detachments to be loaned to trade caravans in return for a fixed percentage of the profits their goods generate. The city also boasts a sizeable city guard and many of the richer merchants possess their own forces.

TECHNOLOGY: Medieval with some smatterings of Early Reniassance advancements, most of which not fully embraced by the local populace as of yet. Often seen as a status symbol of the Merchant Prince’s wealth and power. 

PLAYER CONTROLLED: No