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	==After the Dragon Priests ==		==After the Dragon Priests==

	Following the death of [[Dzree]], the Dragon Priests began		Following the death of [[Dzree]], the Dragon Priests began

CARAAMON: The Government of Ratha Through History (book) moved to Government of Ratha Through History, The (book)

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The Government of Ratha Through History (book) moved to Government of Ratha Through History, The (book)

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			[[Category:Book]]
	==The Government of Ratha Through History ==		==The Government of Ratha Through History ==
	''by Kartash Merrhai ''		''by Kartash Merrhai ''

Maintenance script: Book:HkmGRTH moved to The Government of Ratha Through History (book): duplicate book

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Maintenance script: New page: ==The Government of Ratha Through History == ''by Kartash Merrhai '' Ratha, like most lands within the control of the S'Kra Mur, has a rich history accompanying a complex and intricate...

2007-08-02T08:33:51Z

New page: ==The Government of Ratha Through History == ''by Kartash Merrhai '' Ratha, like most lands within the control of the S'Kra Mur, has a rich history accompanying a complex and intricate...

New page

==The Government of Ratha Through History ==
''by Kartash Merrhai ''

Ratha, like most lands within the control of the S'Kra
Mur, has a rich history accompanying a complex and
intricate form of government and social standing. As
Ratha is a city of trade, many foreigners visit our
fair city -- it is for these outsiders that I shall
seek to explain our ways.

The S'Kra Mur people have dwelled on Reshalia Island
for ages, far too long ago for any historian to place
an accurate date upon, or even to make such an
attempt. The earliest S'Kra Mur here were not very
civilized, yet lacking the Gift of Peri'el, the gift
of Tail. The S'Kra Mur here were formed into multiple
warring tribes and clans. These clans fought over
food, land, or just for the sheer joy of it.

We know at some point, many years later, the S'Kra
began to grow wiser in the ways of the world. The
large Reshalia Island was not so frequently split by
wars between the tribes (now smaller in number, each
larger in size). The S'Kra Mur had begun the mastering
of the arts of alchemy, shipbuilding, and forging. Our
people excelled at the two former, with an acceptable
grasp on the latter.

It was this growth of civilization that later led to
the rise of our greatest leader ever, Sarkhhl. This
leader was born into one of the more medium-sized
clans on Reshalia, one which had its focus on sailing.
In fact, from this clan came Reshalia's greatest
sailors, and Sarkhhl was no exception -- he was
training in the ways of skills of his birth clan,
though he also made a great effort to learn the skills
of other clans. Forging, alchemy, shipbuilding,
fishing... but this is not a biography of Sarkhhl, is
it?

Sarkhhl, now called Sarkhhl Smo'neh, began a process
of uniting the Reshalian Clans, and he succeeded,
becoming the first King of Reshalia. Several of the
clans, fearing his rise, had fled the island, leaving
his rule there unopposed.

Prior to the uniting of the clans, most of the S'Kra
Mur on Reshalia Island had lived in small villages, or
at most, towns of moderate size. King Sarkhhl began
the creation of the first city on Reshalia: Ratha.

And so, that was the start of government in Ratha.
Though Sarkhhl himself oversaw the construction of the
bulk of the city, Ratha was not completed in his
lifetime. When Sarkhhl died, his firstborn son assumed
the title of King, and ruled after him. In time, the
Kings of Ratha created the Fangs of Ushnish, and
brought S'Kra Mur raiders along the mainland coast to
heel.

Shortly after the raiders ceased their activities,
Ratha began trading with the mainland, bringing in
wealth to the city and the Rathan Kings. Some time
later, the Gor'Togs were brought from the mainland to
Reshalia, and were used to continue heightening
Ratha's prosperity. Ratha had a new source of labor
for shipbuilding, dockworking, and other manual tasks
best suited to a race of strong, enduring people.

Ratha enjoyed the support of the Gor'Togs long after
they separated from the S'Kra Mur on the mainland,
which further fueled success of the island city. Ratha
grew in riches and influence, and its King remained
powerful and wealthy.

It wasn't until the rise of the Empire that things
began changing. The mainland had begun falling quickly
under the control of the Chieftain, Akroeg, and later
his son Emperor Verek. During the reign of Emperor
Baraliban, the King of Ratha signed a treaty bringing
Ratha itself into the Empire, and under the rule of
the Emperors. Other islands were not so quick to join
the Empire, and they resisted. They were brought in by
force, and so suffered where Ratha did not.

The bulk of the Reshal Sea, and the islands within it,
became the Imperial Province of Qi, and was ruled by
an Imperial Governor (the first one being the former
King) from Ratha's Sshoi-Sson Palace.

After the Resistance War, the Governor of Qi declared
himself the King of the entire province. This was a
problematic declaration, though, as the new King
couldn't control all of Ratha, let alone the entire
island. What's more, several other islands in the
Reshal Sea proclaimed that they were independent,
ruled by no King.

The King of Ratha was soon forced to come to terms
with this situation, and so created the Merchant
Council. The Merchant Council was a new system in
Ratha, for never before had the King shared power.
Their powers were different than those of the King,
though; where he controlled the military, the taxes,
the laws, the Merchant Council had direct control over
just one thing -- trade.

Besides power, the Merchant Council differed in how it
came to be a part of the government. Every year, the
seven wealthiest and most influential families were
chosen in a festivous ceremony, held by the King, to
be raised to the Merchant Council. Some families would
retain their position, but others who had lost wealth
or influence would be removed, and replaced by new.

The King had several reasons for establishing the
Merchant Council. Not only did it take away his
greatest enemies and make them his supporters (in a
sense), but it provided the most powerful people in
Ratha with new enemies: each other. The Merchant

Council's control over trade made the position one of
great wealth, prestige, and power, and so every family
on the island bitterly fought to claim a seat on the
Council by destroying one of those families on it.
Their trade practices became more cutthroat, and the
business occasionally even stooped to actual deaths.

Regardless of the infighting, the Merchant Council
functioned expertly. Trade between Ratha and the rest
of the world resumed. The King and the Merchant
Council created the new Trade Calendar, allowing the
most simple matters such as dating and timekeeping to
return. In short, to the wartorn and chaotic remains
of the Empire, Ratha became something of a stabilizing
force.

As even any half-educated Human louse would know, the
Trade Calendar's months were not fixed in stone. They
were determined anew each year. Merchants the world
over waited eagerly each year when it came to the time
that the Merchant Council generally announced the old
month ended and the new begun, and when they did make
that announcement, grand festivals were held in Ratha
to commemorate the event. It brought great wealth and
glory to the Merchant Council.

It certainly seemed things were on a recovery.
However, little more than thirty years later,
missionaries arrived in Ratha and began preaching
about the glories of the World Dragon. It was shortly
after that occurrence that the city of Shard was
razed, and things just went downhill from there. The
Rathan King at that time refused to join with the
Dragon Priests, and when he died of old age, he told
his young son to resist also. They wished Ratha to
remain free.

And so Ratha was free, for about twenty years, even
while the rest of the world fell piece by piece. The
young king sent support in the form of food and money
and other goods when he could, but he dared not openly
oppose the Dragon Priests. But then one day, the king,
in the good health of youth and an master athlete and
warrior strong in body, mysteriously died. The
Merchant Council surrendered to the Dragon Priests
without a fight.

==After the Dragon Priests ==

Following the death of Dzree, the Dragon Priests began
suffering defeat after defeat around the four mainland
provinces, as morale among the priests dropped and
"heroes" attempted to overthrow their cruel rulers.
Their attempts were almost entirely successful.
However, in Qi, things did not go in quite the same
way.

The Dragon Priests remained fairly strong on the
conquered islands, but now the great dragon was
without a head. Factions each chose to throw their
support behind various individuals, and then these
factions began open warring in order to take control
of the Priesthood, and its collapsing Empire. So Qi
became torn by battle.

As it was the last land to fall to the Priests, so it
was the last to recover. For almost two decades the
island of Reshalia was split by the warfare of the
Dragon Priests. One group would assume control of the
island, only to be toppled two years later, if not two
months. And of course, who controlled Reshalia
controlled the numerous smaller islands in the seas
surrounding it.

So, as I wrote, that chaos ruled for nearly two
decades. It was around that time that the wealthiest
families in the province joined together to end the
fighting. They combined their strength and their
resources, and began a war of their own to rid
Reshalia of the Dragon Priests. This campaign took
several years, but once it was finished, the Dragon
Priests had been soundly defeated.

These families retained their alliance then, forming a
new government for Qi. No longer would there be a King
in Ratha. The heads of these wealthy families set
themselves up as the new rulers, each holding the
title of Patriarch. Another council was created --
this, the Council of Advisors.

The Council of Advisors is occupied by one mid-ranking
member of each of the nine ruling families.
Technically speaking, the Council of Advisors is the
ruling body of the province. Realistically, that is
not precisely the case -- the Councilors do not have
the power to make such important decisions themselves.

To make things more clear, there is a great deal of
hostility between several of the Houses. Besides
quarrels they've built up over the many years of their
existences, these families are also frequently
business adversaries. They compete directly for
wealth, which in Ratha is everything. The purpose of
the Council of Advisors is to allow members of the
Houses to meet and hold their discussions. The
Councilors then take back everything in detail to
others of their House, including the Patriarch. These
matters are then decided by the family. The Council of
Advisors will then meet again, and vote based upon the
wishes of the House.

It is a complex system, full of formalities and
technicalities. However, it has allowed Reshalia
Island to continue to prosper and grow in wealth, even
after the overthrow of the Dragon's Empire. There are
nine ruling Houses, each with its own businesses that
have given it the power, wealth, and prestige it
possesses. Almost all of the Houses have built great
temples to the gods that oversee their realms, to
curry favor and prosperity.

'''First is House Zsikiel,''' a S'Kra Mur family. Zsikiel
bears a remarkable history, as they say the Kings of
Ratha came from their blood. The Zsikiels remained
powerful during the Empire of the Seven Pointed Star,
producing great Generals, Governors, delegates. Among
many notable figures from history of Zsikiel blood was
the Emperor Ithevwe. The family is a great military
force.

House Zsikiel runs the justice of Reshalia. They
command the city's guards, and virtually all the
judges of the city are of House Zsikiel. The family
bears a reputation of being fair and honorable, and so
they are widely respected throughout the Five
Provinces.

'''Second is House Tierskel,''' a S'Kra Mur family. This
family gained importance by being one of the first to
employ Gor'Togs and bring them over from the mainland
after the S'Kra Mur there discovered the race. The
Tierskels put the Gor'Togs to work, and earned a
fortune from their efforts. The family now controls
the docks, shipyards, and dry docks of Ratha.

'''Third is House Lisska'Vran,''' a S'Kra Mur family. The
Lisska'Vrans are a younger family than many of the
Nine, originating during the later years of the Seven
Pointed Star Empire. Through ingenius business
practices, they rose quickly to a high status in S'Kra
Mur society. The house now owns a major portion of the
warehouses in the city of Ratha, and there are rumors
of an alliance between them and the Tierskels.

'''Fourth is House Moglin,''' a S'Kra Mur family. Like House
Tierskel, the Moglin family profited off of Gor'Tog
slavery prior to the Empire, but House Moglin was the
first to free their slaves and encourage entry into
the Empire. The family was a driving force in the
release of all slaves in Qi. House Moglin owns a major
shipping fleet, making them wealthy in the realms of
trade.

'''Fifth is House Dne,''' a S'Kra Mur family. Dne is the
youngest family, and also the smallest. They came into
power shortly before Ratha surrendered to the Dragon
Priests. House Dne is almost as secretive as Odalva,
but their wealth is still substantial. They control a
large portion of the cloth trade.

'''Sixth is House Redthorne,''' a Human family. One of the
greatest naval families during the time of the Empire,
the Redthornes earned a reputation of ruthlessness and
a willingness to use force to back themselves up. The
family eventually settled in Ratha and created a
shipping company, which they ran with their rather
massive fleet of ships. The Redthornes remain now in
charge of this shipping company, owning the largest
fleet of merchant vessels in the Five Provinces. There
are fierce hostilities between House Redthorne and
House Odalva, as well as between Redthorne and the
Var'Quels.

'''Seventh is House Odalva,''' an Olvi family. The Odalvas
operate a merchant fleet, like House Moglin and House
Redthorne, but Odalva differs in its methodology.
Where House Redthorne refuses to deal with the pirates
at all, Odalva has taken the stance of being willing
to pay them off. The family also plays an integral
part in the black market.

'''Eighth is House Nadamian,''' a Dwarven family. The
Nadamians are one of the wealthiest and most respected
Dwarven families, and in fact, they are divided into
two portions. The eastern family, and the west. The
Nadamians originated in Forfedhdar, where a member of
the family has always sat on Hibarnhvidar's Council of
Elders. During the Empire, a part of the Nadamian
family went, with an entourage of workers, to Reshalia
in order to strengthen their wealth and spread their
influence. They supply metal, ores, and gems to Ratha
from the mainland, and then those materials are
shipped to other islands. The Nadamians are also very
religious and devout.

'''Ninth is House Pantel,''' a Halfling family. This well-
off House initially from central Zoluren, came to
Reshalia after the parceling of the Empire into the
Five Provinces. They bought up most of the prime
agriculture land on the island, where they began their
trade of growing high quality grain. This they sell
directly to the other merchant families, who ship the
low priced goods. <br>

By my hand, <br>
''Kartash Merrhai ''