The Republic of Dormin is a small city state located on an island off the western coast of New Ceardia. Once a prominent silver market, the Republic faced economic collapse, which was followed by a revival through growing hops and brewing beer. Now renowned for its beer, the collapse is forgotten and the island is thriving.
History[]
The island on which the Republic of Dormin is located was settled in the year 47 AC, as a number of miners made the journey from the Kingdom of Silver Shores in search of silver to branch out from the somewhat dominated land control in the motherland. With the huge increase in the use of Regals, a very large number of new settlers made the journey over as time went on to flee the slow depletion of silver driven on by the Regalian Empire. Silver supplies were very plentiful within the mountain, and enjoying the independence of the new isle, the original mining families had come to control entrance to most of the mines. Eventually, it was decided that they should set up their own state. In most cases, this would have been totally unfeasible, but with a huge influx of citizens seeking prosperity, the new state was founded, and it became a recognized state under the rule of a small council.
The first real struggle in Dormin was one of politics. With an informal model of leadership in place, the people were left much to their own devices. Many wished to set up a life on this new island, but the political climate was not right. The leading few were taking advantage of their citizens; Dormin was not the utopian dream that so many were looking for. It drove on political friction until finally Dormin reached a social breaking point; the revolt was mostly peaceful, but relied on heavier threats. Rebellion was so widespread that the highest order of individuals had little choice but to step down. Now being a community of equals, the people decided to elect representatives and the five with the most votes would form the council.
With the political situation stabilized, Dormin began to focus on its main industry: mining silver. Their biggest buyer was the Regalian mint despite Regalia’s interference with the Kingdom of Silver Shore’s economy, and relations between the two were very strong. Some farms were set up, but much of the food was imported. The Republic developed rapidly, although the island’s limited size curbed growth. The city of Dormin became a sprawling, yet not unpleasant, city of considerable size, housing the vast majority of the island’s populace. Yet as the island reached a prosperous peak, it was shaken by an economic crisis. The Regal started minting in gold, causing a collapse in the silver market, upon which Dormin’s whole economy was based. With this, many fell into poverty, food was in short supply, and the whole country could not afford its own living standard. Much of the population returned to the Kingdom of Silver Shores, leaving a sizable chunk of the capital uninhabited.
The Republic’s resurgence was not too long in the making, and it was quite the impressive piece of innovation. Where miners had once set up camp, a few of the more prudent merchants and business men saw new opportunity. Great empty fields would be perfect for agriculture, but Dormin had always imported the food it needed. With a great growth in the sale of beer underway, this was their opportunity to become a major exporter of hops. Therefore, those with enough money to last a year began to set up huge fields of hops for export. Although the year was rough, and the population had dropped to a quarter of its peak by the end, reaching an all time low of barely over a thousand, the harvest saw great rewards. With this, the few tycoons who owned the hops production set up breweries, and so it was that beer became the biggest export of the Republic.
With the entrepreneurial skills of the local businessmen, the Republic of Dormin has come close to its old levels of prosperity. Workers are flocking in to farm the fields in return for decent wages. Although the population is still not quite at its previous peak, the city of Dormin is on its way to repair. The biggest remaining problem is the corruption within the council and the recent move away from democracy in favor of oligarchy.
Etymology[]
The name of the capital city Dormin is a corrupted form of door to the mine, referring to the city’s original purpose as a gateway to the mines. As a city state, the name of the republic is simply the same as its capital, Dormin, making it the Republic of Dormin.
Geography[]
Dormin is a relatively flat island covered in hilly grasslands, located in a large bay, with the Kingdom of Silver Shores to the north and west. A large mountain chain cuts down the middle of the island, with far flatter grasslands on either side. The island is roughly diamond-shaped.
Climate[]
A temperate island, the Republic of Dormin sees temperatures neither too high nor too low. The temperature range is typically between about freezing temperature to a pleasant heat. Rainfall is quite frequent, but not too heavy. A small variety of animals survive on the island, mostly smaller creatures, as well as the livestock kept by some of the farmers. The most common types of flora seen are coniferous hardwood trees as well as common ferns.
Notable Landmarks[]
- Silver Peak
- The tallest mountain on the island, Silver Peak is known more for silver than for height. It sits right in the center of the mountain chain, and it shadows over the city of Dormin. It was the first mountain mined for silver.
- Delta Entfernt
- Delta Entfernt is a large, boggy delta found on the west coast of Dormin. The spider-like formation of small rivers trickle out into the ocean.
Government[]
In principle, Dormin is governed by a council of elected representatives whose class is not particularly relevant. In effect, the council is made up of beer oligarchs who buy their workers votes and change the laws to favour themselves. There are three distinct classes: the oligarchs, most of whom make up the Council of Dormin, while others are simply influential figures; the middle class, made up of skilled labourers and administrators who work closely alongside the oligarchs, well paid and in high demand; and the working class, who take up unskilled roles on the farms.
Current Councilmen[]
- Chairman: Gerhard Ingelester
- Markos Jung
- Viktor Leubrechting
- Alaric Pfahler
- Gisilfrid Schweinböck
Foreign Relations[]
The state has no real rivals, although there has been tension with the far greater Kingdom of Silver Shores due to the few mass migrations between the two countries. That said, more recently trade relations have improved as Silver Shores imports large quantities of beer. Relations are particularly strong with Regalia, with whom Dormin is nominally allied. Again, the significance of Dormin is drawn from its production of beer.
Military[]
The state has no formal military due to its small size. The primary way of keeping order is through the oligarchs’ personal guards, who ensure that laws are followed. In case of war, the common people are recruited into the army. When Regalia’s war tides rise, it brings discomfort to the locals of Dormin who find themselves concerned over getting involved in wars.
Economy and Technology[]
The state has recently returned to possessing a very strong economy, as workers are relatively well-treated while the oligarchy hold a monopoly on Ceardian beer. There is a considerable lack of diversity in the market however, which was a problem when the silver markets crashed, and could be a problem again. The main two exports are beer and silver, with beer taking a primary role since the market crisis in silver. The City State imports most of its food, as it has little to no production in agriculture beyond hops on the island. Technologically, the state has a number of advances in certain areas, but in weaponry and transport Dormin is rather limited. However industrial producers, such as brewers, are some of the best to be found in the region.
Demographics[]
- Ailor - 78%
- Dwarf - 12%
- Talar - 7%
- Other - 5%
Culture[]
The people of Dormin are known, quite simply, as “Dormin people.” The culture can vary quite widely from the richest to the poorest, but there are many common factors. The prevalent religion on the island is Unionism, although it is generally not followed too devoutly. They celebrate each cycle with a week-long festival, though this is often more about merry-making than religious contemplation. Much of the culture is similar to more conservative Ailor cultures on things such as marriage, childbirth and social etiquette. Despite the occasional economic hardship, the Dormin people are quite resilient and optimistic, often appearing very jolly. Although this is a generalization, it can certainly be seen to be true. Among the higher classes, the fashion is a direct import from that of Regalian nobility, if a few years behind. Food and cuisine is fairly simple, as the reliance on imports is so great. Food is rarely fresh for this same reason, and the local people take little pride in their cuisine. The island’s law is variable from town to town, often defined by the local ruling oligarch, and some choose to pursue some laws more than others.
Symbols[]
A common national symbol is the flagon, representative of the beer industry. The nation’s flag is dark green with a yellow circle in the center.
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Trivia[]
- Some commoners nickname their council ‘the council of drunkards,’ due to the majority of councilmen being heavily involved in the brewing industry.
- A popular folk tale speaks of how the island sprung from the oceans in order to provide for the people of Dormin, who were struggling in Silver Shores.
- In recent years, sport has been increasingly popular on Dormin, even among the common folk. A popular sport involves dashing up hills, inside abandoned mines and collecting a prize before the opponent.
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