Grand Republic of Lumaire

Overview
The Grand Republic of Lumaire, commonly known as Lumaire is a former Direct Democracy, now ruled by a Triarchy. The nation is located in the south of Rathnir, centered on the island of Zohrum with the capital of Lumaire, but extends its claims over a large portion of of the Rough Sea and the islands within it as well as the coastal region of the bay of Sinbal. Lumaire is best known for its independent minded peoples who are skilled in book-making and trading.

Pre-History
Records of sentient habitation in the region goes back hundreds of thousands of years with evidence of stone tools and the creation of torches being found dating back to 70 thousand years ago. According to archeological evidence farming developed around 10 thousand years ago by the Pagi Culture. For several thousand years the only inhabitants of Zohrum were the Pagi, who were simple farming peoples native to Sørligste. These peoples had little impact on the island and peacefully built up a small village on the southern end of the island that farmed beetroots and carrots and fished for cod in the sea. The Pagi people developed a cultural fear and respect of the vast cave system underneath the island, possibly due to how easy it can be to get lost in it and it is believed that the culture surrounding darkness and light that persists today developed from these fears.

Akratian Migration
Around 3,200 years ago, the people known as the Magi migrated North from far south in Sørligste. These people brought the Akratian language to the island as well iron smithing and wheat and potatoes. These people were expanionists and had a deep warrior culture that quickly dominated the native Pagi peoples into submission. The town was built up into a large port but after 200 years, the Magi migrated once again going northeast across the Routh Sea into what is now Southern Sparwood forming the old kingdoms that would unite into the United Empire of Akratia. As they left they took many Pagi slaves with them and the island was severely depopulated to the point of almost no habitation and would not regain its population it once had until thousands of years later. While having moved thousands of years ago, many signs of their existence can still be found such as old cloth banners as well as a destroyed portal found on the north end of the island.

Age of Colonization

The Island remained isolated and uninterrupted in the historical records until colonists from Yimmu-Audal arrived 194 years ago. Lead by Cesari, the colonists had been migrating south to set up a colony but due to the large amounts of ice and terrible currents, got lost at sea and many ships were sunk. The survivors of this disaster arrived at the island starving and sick. The remaining Pagi greeted them with open arms and provided them with shelter and food. The colonists were thankful and Cesari declared the day a holiday to be celebrated every year in remembrance of the kindness from the Pagi people. In the following weeks, while some Yimmu-Audal colonists died from disease, the strongest and healthiest helped build Fort Al-Matawa on a nearby hill, a wooden fort that stands to this day. With the fort constructed, the colony of Utummerai-Atulud was founded marking year 1 of the Lunasmaire people. For the next few months the colonists and Pagi peoples intermingled and built up the broken and near collapsed port that existed once before. A return ship was sent back to Yimmu-Audal and after a year it came back with more colonists and supplies. One thing of note that was brought along with the second wave of colonists was spruce saplings as the island had few trees on it. These trees would spread and eventually take over the island turning the once boundless fields into a large forest. For the next 170 years the population steadily grew on the island as the Pagi and Colonists intertwined and formed a new people and culture, the Lunasmaire (the people of the moon and sea).

Age of Liberation
For decades the colony remained isolated. The colony continued to grow in size but remained undisturbed from the outside world. No other return trips were made to Yimmu-Audal and no supply ships came in. The people were independent all but in name. However, the Lunasmaire stayed loyal to their motherland. This all changed when missionaries from Escharia came across the land and spread the word of Soleannen. The conversion was a complete success as the entire populace converted practically overnight in the year 176. This conversion lead to an increase in new thoughts and ideas. The Lunasmaire began to see themselves different from the homeland of Yimmu-Audal. What they once looked upon with pride was now seen with contempt. As the years went on more and more of the citizens Utummerai-Atulud began to complain about subservience to a foreign land they no longer felt any connection to. This resulted in what would be known as the Bloody Sea Event where the citizenry rose up and killed Cesari VI, the governor of the colony in the year 184. What followed was a swift takeover of the government and a body of the most respected citizenry got together and created the Declaration of Independence. A delegation was sent to Urnu-Arrak and Yimmu-Audal acknowledged its independence on the 5th Bright Moon of the year 185 and the Colony of Utummerai-Atulud was no more and the Grand Republic of Lumaire was founded. It is rumored that Yimmu-Audal had actually forgotten the colony existed and in a fit of rage one of the diplomats attempted to start a war.

WE THE PEOPLE of The Grand Republic of Lumaire do solemnly declare our independence from the Oppressors of Yimmu-Audal under the guiding principles of Freedom, Community, and Bravery. (Last line of the Declaration of Independence, Pg. 2)

Age of Democracy
After the nation declared independence, the people gathered in the Amphitheater, a building that was built years before during the colonial era, and created a new system of governance. What followed was days of debates and arguments between two factions, the Federal Faction and the Expansion Faction. Eventually a settlement was agreed upon and after a week of debates, Lumaire founded a system of governance akin to a Direct Democracy lead by a council of 5 (the council of 5 being the Councilor of the Directorate, Councilor of Diplomacy, Councilor of Finances, Councilor of War & Faith and Councilor of Development) with a Constitution binding the government together. It shortly thereafter had its first elections with which even non-citizens could vote and after a debate that went long into the night, Lumaire declared AlanTheApostate its first Councilor of the Directorate, after a narrow win of only 2 votes. With the government settled, the nation rejoiced. New Grand Buildings were built and the Town expanded rapidly. NightGazers, the Councilor of Diplomacy created the nations flag. However, this moment of peace was short lived as the country went through religious strife almost immediately.

Age of Discontent
The Councilor of War & Faith, the only position requiring a citizen to be Soleannen had been discovered to be a Hollandist, a local religion that had developed over the past decade under the Prophet Tom. This caused a crisis as the significant Hollandist minority felt threatened by Soleannen extremists who wished to exile the Councilor. AlanTheApostate struggled to keep the Senate together as Civil War loomed. During this dark moment, TheLastSven, a Cleric from Sidonia came to the people of Lumaire. Speaking to the gathered Senate, the Cleric proposed a union of faiths between Hollandism and Soleannen with his own, Sakrelism. This union was contested by a zealous minority of Soleannen followers headed by Blue Eagle, the Councilor of Finances but the rest including the entirety of the Hollandists agreed to unify the faiths. TheLastSven was praised for stopping Civil War and unifying the people. With the Civil War adverted, the Senate voted to seperate the position of War & Faith into two seperate Council positions.

Age of Growth
For the next 3 years, the colony built many Great Projects. This included, the Lumaire Library, the Grand Colosseum, and the Lumaire Newspaper and Printing Press. During this time, Lumaire slowly expanded onto the mainland a large farm was built in a nearby delta while the Bank of Lumaire was created in the Mountains further south on the continent. Lumaire hosted countless ceremonies and events such as the Rathnir Royale where 24 of Rathnir's greatest warriors fought for a grand prize of 100,000 Gold Ducats. Lumaire experienced a time of peace and prosperity with Rathnir beginning to notice the growing Regional Power of the South. This all changed when AlanTheApostate, fell unconscious in the mines below Lumaire.

Age of the Triumvirate
AlanTheApostate mysteriously went unconscious while down in the mines below Lumaire, rumored to have fallen due to dark magic. For the next 4 years he remained unconscious. This unfortunate event coincided with a group of Senators and Councilors going off to find a mysterious land rumored to be filled with magic. This left Lumaire leaderless and without enough members to hold a Senate Meeting. With Lumaire on the verge of anarchy, two Councilors (Blue Eagle and MasonMFS) and a third member, WildShadows seized power and suspended the Senate and Constitution. What followed was a series of energetic and decisiveness that lead to a rapid build-up of power for Lumaire. MasonMFS, Blue Eagle and WildShadows agreed to create a system of Dual Faiths so that both Sakrelism and Soleannen were the state religions. They then forced RPW_Roads out of the ice biome and to flee west as they established outposts within the Icebergs of the Rough Sea. Immediately afterwards, Guild City, an island in the North of the Rough Sea was looted and conquered. All that remained was Not Venice, a city that lay on the other side of the Sinbal Bay. After WildShadows went and negotiated with the King of the City, they agreed to join Lumaire. Within only a few years, Lumaire had quadrupled in size and power.

First Republic of Lumaire
The Republic of Lumaire was a direct democracy run by a Senate and headed by a Council of 5 (later 6). The Senate would gather in the Amphitheater and vote on all matters important to the state such as building a Colosseum or deciding taxes. Decisions such as war, alliances, and sending out diplomats all fell on the Senate. Few if any decisions fell outside the Senates control. The Senate was then headed by the Council. The power they held was little and their main job was to guide the Senate in their respective areas. The Councilors were as follows;

Councilor of Finances: This Councilor was concerned with the bank, taxes and gaining income for the upkeep of the town.

Councilor of Diplomacy: This Councilor acted as Diplomat and under the will of the Council would secure new citizens and allies for Lumaire.

Councilor of Development: This Councilor's duties were the construction of new buildings and where to have them.

Councilor of War: This position was originally War and Faith, but eventually only concerned the defense and maintaining of arms for the people of Lumaire.

Councilor of Faith: The last created position dealt with matters of state religion and tolerance of other faiths.

Councilor of the Directorate: While the other Councilors guided the Senate, the Director guided the Councilors on what to focus on.

The Triumvirate
The Triumvirate seized power from the Senate after it failed to do its duties for four months on end. The Triumvirate are a powerful group who act in their own accord with all decisions being directed through them. Any decision by a Triumviri is considered law. The only quasi system of Checks and Balances is a veto that can be done by any member of the Triumvirate at which point, whichever decision or action would be debated till a compromise is met. The Triumvirate succeeds at being decisive, however, many see them as tyrannical despite their continued insistence on fighting for the same values that Lumaire was founded upon. It remains to be seen whether the Triumvirate is here to stay or if a coup is inevitable.

Culture
The people of Lumaire, known as the Lunasmaire, are unique compared to other peoples of Rathnir. The Lunasmaire vary in genetics being a mixed race between colonists of Yimmu-Audal and the Pagi natives but most are an olive-skinned people with brown to dark black hair and brown eyes. The society values freedom, bravery and community. The Lunasmaire are independent minded and are proud of being the largest democratic society and one of the few while many other nations are lead by oligarchies or monarchies. Their isolation from most of the civilized world has lead to a mindset of valuing freedom to decide their own destiny but valuing their community to help their fellow friends and family and staying loyal to those they love. The peoples value of bravery comes from Yimmu-Audal traditions as when the colonists first came to the island they braved the darkness and evil that dwelled below to obtain valuable iron. This has lead to an adventure seeking spirit and a value of "hero traditions". The people enjoy a varied diet of fish carrots, potatos, bread, beetroot as well as fish and beef. The symbol of the Lunasmaire is the horse as it is common on Sørligste and symbolizes their value of freedom in the vast wilderness, protecting the herd and braving against the many predators. The people consider navy blue, rust red and yellow to represent them for blue represents the Sea and Moon, red represents the blood of heros who brave the night and yellow represents the vast deserts and plains they call home. The Lunasmaire have a deep book-making tradition and value the pen. One can find many poems and diaries in the vast Library of Lumaire while also reading up on the daily occurences in the Lumaire Newspaper and Printing Press. The two largest faiths of Lumaire are Soleannen and Sakrelism. Both religions see a unique reverance of the moon as the Lunasmaire see it as the ultimate symbol of light braving against the darkness they consider evil.