Marcellus

Marcellus, officially the Marcelli Empire, is a nation located on the Gulf of Marcellus of the Skylessian mainland. It is bordered by Alimond and Araducia to the northeast and southeast respectively, and the islands of the Isla del Fuego and Teraskyrn are located off the coast to the northwest and southwest respectively.

The Marcelli Empire is a significant continental power on Skylessia, and the closest state the continent has to a superpower. An industrializing state, Marcellus boasts a unique navy of steam-powered warship and trading vessels, complementing both its economy and national defense. The nation historically based on trade has a remarkably high standard of living compared to the other nations of Skylessia, but it also has its major share of corruption and crime, of which the government actively battles.

History
Marcellus has historically been a merchant oligarchy, the center of the trade industry that allowed it to remain a significant power on Skylessia for most of its history. Aside from its prime position for trade and development, the country had production capabilities in the form of farmland, aided by the moderate climate of the region that allowed it to grow foodstuffs. Marcellus remained a self-sustainable power while also exporting various goods, of which wine has been a significant Marcelli export. During the days of the Marcelli Republic, the country was the heart of the Skylessian Renaissance, and became a hotbed of social and technological development that influenced the entire continent. The subsequent strengthening of the nation also ensured Marcellus' political and economic influence, allowing it to be one of the dominant and developed nations of Skylessia.

Located the furthest from the Thing, Marcellus was largely unaffected for the first decade of the Demon Wars until Trade Queen (at that time Council Head) Cederbaum-Hayes formed an alliance with Azgarth in 11 A.D. to combat the invading demons infringing at their borders. By 15 A.D., the Marcelli-Azgarthi Alliance reclaimed Arad'uun and Val Mae, incorporating them into the alliance; this strategic victory was considered to be the turning point of the Demon Wars. Fighting continued to 30 A.D., in which the Thing was defeated, returning Skylessia to a human domain. In 31 A.D., Marcellus incorporated its holdings of Arad'uun and Val Mae as it crowned itself the Marcelli Empire, gradually becoming Skylessia's superpower.

Geography
The majority of Marcellus' geography is located on the Marcelli Cape, forming the southwestern tip of Skylessia and the Gulf of Marcellus. The cape, comprised of the Marcelli district of Magani, Ocelli, Progni, and Strati, is primarily formed by flat, moderate plains and hills with little geographic deviance, which has eased the conditions of urban development in the area. There are two bodies of woodlands in northern Marcellus; the northern Ara'qin Forest extends from Araducia into Rivanolli and stops in northwestern Murati, while Murati itself has the Imperial Woods that surrounds the Imperial Capital. The Bastion Mountain Range is shared with Alimond, which forms the southern portion of Vrapi while passing through the northern end of Rivanolli.

Climate
The climate of Marcellus has a predominantly Mediterranean temperate seasonal climate, with hot summers and cold winters. Due to latitude, geographical layout, and elevation, the northern regions of Marcellus are notably cooler than the rest of the nation. The western coast is largely oceanic, and is accompanied by a significant amount of rainfall. Snowfall in Marcelli winters are largely mild to moderate, although the occasional snowstorm is not unheard of. An alpine climate dominates the Bastion Mountain Range, with cool temperatures in the summer and extremely low temperatures in winter. Vrapi, catching and trapping the oceanic front, is the recipient of the heaviest levels of rainfall throughout the year.

Administrative Division
The Marcelli Empire is divided into seven administrative divisions known as districts. Aside from the capital district, Murati, all of Marcellus' districts are ruled by a noble family, which represents the governing power in their respective areas.

Murati
Murati, the smallest Marcelli district, is at the center of the Marcelli Empire and the seat of the Imperial Throne and the Trade Council. Founded by the Silver Empress in the late first century in order to better administrate the Empire's northern territories, Magani is considered to be the pride of Marcelli achievements. The entire coast is lined with shipyards housing both trade fleets and the famed Steel Fleet of the Empire, making it a flourishing port of trade as well. The Murati Canal, a massive waterway constructed in the mid-second century, cuts through the Cape of Marcellus and connects the ships of southern Skylessia to the rest of the Empire. The capital city, the Imperial Capital, is patrolled constantly by the Imperial Company, an elite military detail whose jurisdiction lies with the defense of the city and its government. The standard of living in Murati is considered to be remarkably ideal, although attention has been drawn to recent concerns of the next generation being naive to the events of the world beyond. Marvin Cederbaum-Hayes, as the Trade King, directly governs Murati.

Magani
The former capital of Marcellus, Magani has lost a fair amount of trade importance since the establishment of Murati and its Canal. However, it is still a thriving port and continues to enjoy a fair amount of traffic with trade goods from Teraskyrn and Azgarth. The relocation of the capital and economic importance has also given rise to organized crime, previously unheard of in a more tightly-enforced Magani, including an influx of pirates and smugglers out at sea, as well as crime lords and kingpins wielding considerable influence in Magani's major cities, allowing for an underground but significant trade of illegal products, such as slaves and Colpathi. Despite attempts to curb organized crime, the government has been criticized as ineffective against the criminal element, and rumors have it that certain Trade Prince contenders are backed by the mobs themselves to ensure a certain degree of security and lack of oversight over their illegal operations. Magani is currently governed by House Vazzoler.

Ocelli
Ocelli is best known as the birthplace of Trade Queen Amrita Cederbaum-Hayes, the "Silver Empress" who led the Empire to victory during the Demon Wars. Many consider the reputation garnered from this achievement to be the element that has preserved Ocelli's traditions, and the lands of Ocelli have remained largely unspoiled since the formation of the Marcelli Empire and its gradual industrialization throughout the country. Unlike the rest of the nation, the district is considerably more idyllic, cited as being reminiscent of the times of the republic. The primary market of Ocelli is the export of wine and wine products, evidenced by the large tracts of vineyards and grapefields that stretch throughout the district. The inhabitants of Ocelli are famously traditional, with a "stubborn preference of hard labor over technology", although the development across the nation has influenced modern values in Ocelli. Ocelli is currently governed by House Cederbaum-Hayes.

Progni
Considered the birthplace and heart of the Renaissance, Progni's mission, supported by a range of academies and institutions, is to preserve the nation's cultural heritage while remaining true to its cosmopolitan development. Unsurprisingly, its reputation has gathered a crowd of renowned talents and great minds of Skylessia, where the arts are worked upon, and scientific theories formulated and tested. Due to its location on the west coast, Progni is the administrative center and colonial trade hub of the mainland where affairs of the new continent to the west is concerned. Port Saleno is the most popular first stop for colonists attempting to reach the new world via specialized steam-powered liners. Progni is currently governed by House Leitamant.

Rivanolli
One of the annexed territories of the demon wars, the former lands of western Arad'uun are incompletely settled and developed. Rivanolli is home to a significant Arad'uuni minority, many of which have been integrated into the Empire and the Marcelli way of life, with members of the district's leadership tracing their heritage to Arad'uuni ancestors that fought alongside the Great Marcelli Host during the Demon Wars. At that same time, a smaller, vocal minority protest against the "Marcelli occupation", which they blame for the destruction of the traditional Arad'uuni way of life. Their long-standing chief concern remains with the wanton destruction of the forests, the wood being used for housing and explorer ships. The struggle between the district government and the Arad'uuni extremists remain a modern controversy, with the latter have been harassing lumberjacking operations for years. Rivanolli is currently governed by will fill in later.

Strati
Known as the birthplace of the hero Maximillian Zwingley, although the noble descendants have traced ancestry to his cousin, Ernest Zwingley. The breadbasket of Marcellus, Strati's farmlands provide most of the Empire's food supply, and is in an ideal position to distribute it all throughout by either caravan or ship. The district itself is considered to be fairly backwater, although the inhabitants have taken advantage of farming machines. This has made the landowners quite wealthy, although unemployment among the family farmer caste continue to gradually be displaced as a result, forcing them to move to the industrialized areas for work. Strati is currently governed by House Zwingley.

Vrapi
Although Val Mae has historically been a barren geographical area with poor farmlands, Marcellus discovered the Val Maean secret of steel after the Demon Wars. The research and development of steel manufacturing, particular applied to shipbuilding, has seen the repurposing of Val Mae, renamed the Vrapi district, and the mining operations are extensive, activities which upset the ancestral natives of Val Mae. The Vrapi district is also known for their mercenaries, many of them descendants of the Val Maeans who continued their business after the fall of their nation. Vrapi mercenary bands widely considered to be the most fierce men offering their skills on the market, though there are few as prominent as the Black Petal Mercenaries or the Mad Bull Band. Vrapi is currently governed by House Crimearain.

Government
The Marcelli Empire is ruled by the Trade Council, which is made up of the Trade King himself, the six Trade Princes of the non-Imperial districts, and an assembly of councilors that represent sub-districts all over the Empire. The Trade Council gathers every month, or during times of crisis, in order to discuss the state of the realm and create new laws or policies affecting the nation. Though it is the Council as a whole that makes the laws, it is the Trade King who always has the final, binding word.

The Trade King is the highest authority within the Marcelli Empire as its sovereign, and the strongest political influence in the Trade Council. Trade Kings are meant to handle the most difficult decisions concerning the nation, although several historical Trade Kings have micromanaged the entire nation with the Council acting instead as an advisory body. When a Trade King dies or resigns, a new one is elected from one of the six Trade Princes of the Empire, voted upon by all eligible land-owning nobles.

The Trade Princes are the equivalent of a duke or duchess by noble rank, and are the rulers of each of the six major districts of Marcellus. The Trade Princes have autonomous privileges in the administration of their own districts, but they also must adhere to the policies set for by the Trade Council. A Trade Prince is elected from the barons of his or her respective district in the event the previous Trade Prince either dies, resigns, or ascends as Trade King. As with any political office, any aspiring Trade Prince would require much wealth or political clout to be considered a contender for the title.

The lower nobility of the Marcelli are known as the Trade Barons. Any noble recognized by the Trade Council and with land ownership rights is known as a Trade Baron. They have greater influence and privileges than the citizenry of merchants and farmers, although they are required by law to serve their respective Trade Prince. The more powerful barons have the best chance of finding a place in the Trade Council, although weaker Trade Barons ascending to the position has not been unheard of.

Foreign Relations
As Skylessia's superpower, Marcellus has been a leading force in continental politics following the Demon Wars. Its role in the Demon Wars have allowed for a prospering Azgarthi-Marcelli relationship for over a century and a half, and Azgarth and Marcellus are considered to be close political allies. Alimond, having also been an ally in the demon war, is in a state of technological competition with Marcellus, but both nations still maintain smooth diplomatic relations.

Marcellus maintains diplomatic ties with Sk'harrah, having rendered aid and assistance to the construction of the nation after the Demon Wars. Its few political relations with Nagarath, however, are strained due to the latter's isolationist policies, although recent years have seen minor improvements in this sphere. Marcellus retains no relations with the Northern Territories or the Wilds.

Military
As the near-equivalent of a Skylessian superpower, Marcellus boasts a considerable military force. Its branches are divided amongst the navy, army, air force, and the imperial branches. In response to the demon threat, Marcellus incorporated the Val Maean tradition of conscription in 33 A.D. to have a standing military force ready to face external threats at any time. However, this policy has been eased in recent decades due to military overspending in keeping a large military force, the manpower taken from Marcellus' thriving trade industry, and the shifting of government policy towards exploration of the new continent. Despite the de-emphasis on military conscription, however, a sizable corps of lifelong military careerists make up a respectable fraction of Marcellus' armed forces, ensuring a certain professional standard.

The conscription policy still exists, but mandatory services has been reduced to a year-long rotation among all able-bodied individuals eighteen years of age, regardless of gender. This keeps the costs of running the military stable, and allows for the presence of a perpetually standing military force. It also ensures that all able-bodied citizens have at least a degree of military training, allowing Marcellus to be better prepared should the nation ever go to war and require manpower. "Dodging the draft", however, is a fairly widespread practice with its own set of legal and illegal loopholes. Civilian service and desk jobs are offered to candidates who match a certain set of educational requirements. Furthermore, the conscription policy is not heavily nor thoroughly enforced, and there have been uncommon cases where recruits simply chose not to show up at the local military base, and bureaucracy never followed up. Another legal loophole is the possibility of paying a sizable fee in return for exemption from service; this puts the nobility at an obvious advantage, but the conscription policy is found to be a more popular option amongst the proletariat, who see military service as a steady source of income.

Army
The Marcelli Army is a land-based military outfit formed to defend Marcellus' interests. As the least technical and specialist of Marcellus' military branches, most conscripts serving one-year rotations are put into the army; the army also has the highest number of professional careerists that are highly-trained soldiers and leaders, but the ratio of such individuals to the total number of military personnel of the corresponding branch is the lowest. The Marcelli Army presently serves mostly as a national guard outfit, and is equipped to handle law enforcement and crisis response.

Due to its high number of rotating conscripts and low number of professional careerists, the Marcelli Army is considered to be under-equipped for actual warfare. The absence of demons and global threats, as well as the emphasis on economic development, saw a reduction of funding to Marcelli ground forces as early as the late first century, and the army is considered to have lost much of the prestige it retained during the Demon Wars.

Navy
The Marcellus military is symbolized by its navy, considered to be the most powerful in Skylessia. The navy is largely comprised of steel ships with steam engines that allow for self-propulsion, outclassing the navies of their neighbors, which either have not developed their own steam engines or do not employ it to the extent the Marcelli Navy does. The choice of steel over wood in building materials make Marcelli warships much more durable, and it is much more likely to survive long-range magical bombardment. At the same time, ships, due to its inherent weight class, have better capabilities of launching pegasi and wyverns into the air, complementing the air force's abilities to extend their influence over the oceans.

Although they are militarily uncontested, the Marcelli Navy mostly involves itself in the safeguarding and administration of both the nation's transport and trade industries; merchant vessels transporting trade goods and commercial vessels transporting colonists to the new continent often sail with the blessings and protection of the Marcelli Navy.

Air Force
Of the three traditional branches of the military, the Marcelli air force is the smallest branch. Due to the prices and expenses involving pegasi and wyverns, the air force is largely a professional volunteer force comprised of highly-paid professionals; conscripts rotated into the air force almost never ride a pegasus or wyvern, being delegated instead to the involvement of logistics and breeding. Although a significant military branch, the Marcelli Air Force does not stand out in particular compared to those of other nations.

Due to the modern steam-powered warships of the Marcelli Navy, there has been an increasing trend of air force assets being stationed on Navy ships due to the steel vessels being better accommodations for on-ship takeoff than their wooden predecessors. Although there is debate on the strategic practicality for the air force's sudden interest in seaborne assets, it is generally unanimously agreed that the development have strengthened ties between the two branches of the Marcelli armed forces. Although both pegasi and wyverns are utilized, there are more wyverns than pegasi in the Marcelli Air Force, attributed to wyverns having better vertical takeoff ability that make it suitable for launching off warships with limited space.

Imperial Forces
A specialized branch of the Marcelli armed forces, the Marcelli Imperial Forces, better known by their unofficial moniker of the Imperial Company, are an elite professional military force tasked with protecting the Marcelli capital of the Imperial Capital and the Marcelli government. As protectors of the Trade King, the Imperial Company are considered to be some of the best professional soldiers that can be found in Marcellus. Acceptance into the Imperial Company is among the most rigorous of process in the Marcelli military, and martial skill is tested alongside intelligence and loyalty. Service in the Imperial Forces is traditionally considered a lifelong commitment, although retirements or resignations are not uncommon. Furthermore, many of the Imperial Company have part-time jobs in Murati. There are no more than two hundred members of the Imperial Company at any time.

Historically, the Imperial Company swore allegiance to the city as opposed to the sovereign, but threats of a cessation of government funding brought them officially under government oversight in 53 A.D., putting them under the direct authority of the Imperial Throne.

Demographics
The predominant ethnic group of the Marcelli Empire are the regional descendants, generally defined as the descendants of the Marcelli Republic. The incorporation of former Ara'duuni territories and Val Mae has seen an influx of these ethnic populations into their national census. The latest census has both ethnic minorities sharing approximately a quarter of the population with a roughly equal ratio.

Crime
A rising wave of organized crime has been a major concern for Marcellus. Sociologists attribute this wave to the discrepancy between wealth and political dynamics after the capital of Marcellus was moved from Magani to Muragi in 31 A.D. A large portion of Marcellus' major crimes are organized, although most of these syndicates and crime rings are business-orientated; few instances of organized crimes exposed in Marcellus are of the violent nature, tending to lean more towards smuggling and trafficking. It is generally believed that such syndicates are largely headquartered in Magani.

One major concern of the Marcelli government in terms of organized crime is the smuggling and trafficking of Colpathi and slaves. The former is illegal outside proper medical and religious usage, while the latter exists through the "indentured worker" legal loophole. Government efforts to combat the wave or organized crime has thus far been criticized as ineffective, and general public perception believes at corruption within the district government system to facilitate the existence of these crime rings.

Economy
Historically the center of Skylessian trade, Marcellus has the leading economy of the continent, being the economic and financial center of Skylessia.