Kuulik Trade Company
| Capitol | Narik |
|---|---|
| Head of State | Akerke |
| Government | Corporate Beaurocracy |
| Location | Northeast Otan |
| Land Area | 13,024 sq. miles |
| Population | 693,220 |
| Racial Mix | |
| Founded | 1 IM |
| Founded by | [[]] |
The Kuulik Trade Company is the smallest nation in Otan, yet boasts the most far-reaching influence of any nation. The diminutive size and small numbers of the Kuulik people preclude their ability to bully other nations on the battlefield. Having settled in the largely infertile and undesirable territory, the people of the Kuulik Trade Company have affected world politics through trade.
Population
With rare exceptions, the territory of the Kuulik Trade Company is comprised of Kuulik citizens. Non-Kuulik citizens old enough to perform work duties are considered employees of the company. Non-citizens who occupy the territory are almost entirely traders or bargain-hunters looking to acquire goods before they are sent abroad.
Traders can be of any strain as they hail from every country in Otan from Ortalyk to Araldar. Many Kuulik Trade Company citizens live abroad, establishing and maintaining trade routes in every port and settlement where currency can be found. The Kuulik Trade Company offices are often considered a boon to most nations, who rely on their dedication to trading to keep local economies energized.
Because Kuulik Trade Company offices on foreign soil are so easily taxed, the governments benefitting provide the offices with police and military protection, as well as the benefit of the doubt in court cases or other disputes.
Geography
The peninsula occupied by the Kuulik Trade Company, situated between Ortalyk and Maercland is small. It covers only thirteen thousand square miles, making it the smallest country in Otan.
Kuulik Trade Company Cantons
The Kuulik Trade Company is made up of 4 cantons.
Sawda Canton
| Land mass (sq. mi.) | 8,592 |
|---|---|
| Rural population | 382,895 |
| Urban population | 74,642 |
| Total population | 457,537 |
Sawda Canton is a canton of 457,537 souls in the country of Kuulik Trade Company. Sawda Canton is administered from the nation's capital of Narik.
Usinis Islands
| Land mass (sq. mi.) | 1,360 |
|---|---|
| Rural population | 32,754 |
| Urban population | 10,658 |
| Total population | 43,412 |
Usinis Islands is home to 43,412 Kuulik souls of the Kuulik Trade Company. The Usinis Islands are administered from the canton's capital of Kepil.
Jetkizuu Island
| Land mass (sq. mi.) | 184 |
|---|---|
| Rural population | 10,139 |
| Urban population | 9,438 |
| Total population | 19,577 |
Jetkizuu Island is an island of 19,577 souls in the Kuulik Trade Company. Jetkizuu Island is administered from the canton's capital of Jetkizuu.
Kelisim Canton
| Land mass (sq. mi.) | 2,888 |
|---|---|
| Rural population | 158,787 |
| Urban population | 13,907 |
| Total population | 172,694 |
Kelisim Canton is a canton of 172,694 souls in the Kuulik Trade Company. Kelisim Canton is administered from the provincial capital Sart.
Sop Province
| Land mass (sq. mi.) | 8,072 |
|---|---|
| Rural population | 136,161 |
| Urban population | 14,437 |
| Total population | 150,598 |
The Sop Province's lone city of Balsagasi receives few visitors. The province of Sop Borders Ontustik to the south, however the Calphate is rarely interested in affairs outside its borders. The Sop Province is home to only one major settlement, which serves as it's capitol:
- Balsagasi (pop 14,437) - provincial capitol
Former Kiywar Territory
| Land mass (sq. mi.) | 56,468 |
|---|---|
| Rural population | 240,305 |
| Urban population | 0 |
| Total population | 240,305 |
The former Kiywar Territory is no longer part of Ortalyk having seceded to form the new republic of Jalinjeri.
The Kiywar Territory was the largest and least populated region of the country and has no official settlements. An unofficial settlement had recently been established prior to its secession. It now serves as the capitol of the newly formed republic of Jalinjeri:
- Jalinbeti - Unofficial Settlement founded by Hedgewind Jalinbeti
Notable Ortalyk Landmarks
- Zhurek Palace - The seat of Ortalyk power, situated in Kala Astanals
Political Environment
Ortalyk's current leader, Tsar Batil Zhurek was granted his title by his family, the legendary Zhurek dynasty. While it is traditional for the role of Tsar to pass from father to son, it is the Zhurek family who are the final arbiters. They have on rare occasions passed over sons for succession in favour of daughters and deposed reigning Tsars in favour of other family members. The tradition is family rule over all other tradition.
It is well known that the Zhurek dynasty has existed since 1 IM, but what is not known is how far back it actually existed. Some speculate a legacy as long as 1,000 years. Ortalyk's best spellcasters and clerics have been unable to divine information from before the Great Erasure in which the memories of all creatures and men of Otan were lost.
International Politics
With human and non-human states on all sides, Ortalyk often operates in broad strokes when it comes to managing their relationships with neighbor states. Ortalyk has been in nearly a constant state of war with the Ungirsi, Grendel and Kuuliki nations to the north. It has been in repeated conflicts with both their human and dragonborn neighbors to the south, the former for reasons that stem from religion and the latter for providing political, financial and material support to their kobold ancestors.
National Politics
Ortalyk is made up of 9 provinces, each of which is administered by a Boyar, including the capitol province of Astanals. The Boyars in turn nominate Governors to manage each settlement in their domain. While keeping life running smoothly in their assigned province is their chief concern, each Boyar is ultimately responsible to provide troops to the Tsar including infantry, crossbowmen and cavalry organized as divisions of the Tsar's Army.
Provincial Politics
In every province there are one or more settlements of a thousand or more Ortalykshilar. Each of the 28 settlements is administered by a Governor, who is appointed either by their representative Boyar or in some cases, by the Tsar himself.
Civic Politics
The Governors are tasked with maintaining the cities, providing security for the inhabitants and assisting in recruiting for their reigning Boyar. During times of peace, it is not unusual for a city governorship to be a lifetime appointment unless corruption, egregious mismanagement, or other malfeasance is found in their administration. Minor frailties in a governor's rule will generally be met with 'special assistance' from the Boyar, or even the Tsar, before they are ever replaced.
Military
The Ortalyk military is made up of 18 regular divisions and one special division dubbed The Tsar's Guard. The latter are hand picked soldiers from the other provincial regiments. Provincial divisions are recruited and organized by that province's Boyar, though it is rare for the Boyar to be part of the division. Each division not led by the Boyar is commanded by soldier of the rank of general.
Military organization can vary from one division to another depending on a number of factors from recruitment and logistics, to terrain and the nature of the enemy. Flying enemies may require special tactics, while tunneling enemies require another. The bulk of most regiments are made up of infantry, followed in numbers by crossbowmen, cavalry, engineers, quartermasters, signallers and special forces. The latter often made up of spellcasters and other adventurer classes.
The Tsar's Guard is in contrast, low on infantry, while rich in crossbow and cavalry. This special division is also host to some very powerful spellcasters and other adventure classes with the Tsar Batil Zhurek having often taking to the battlefield himself.
History
The capitol of Ortalyk, Kala Astanals, has simply existed for all of known time. It's name in the Ortalykshilar tongue, once assumed to be the common tongue means "capitol city". Under the leadership of the Zhurek dynasty, Ortalyk has been in a state of constant war, most often with Orks and their like but periodically with other more agreeable humanoid racess such as Elves and Dwarves.
Many of these great conflicts found their origins in the wars fomented by the great wizard Nickar and his sworn enemy Zoranthar. It was Batil Zhurek with the help of Shardenzar Sardarbek who eventually brokered a peace between them. This peace ultimately spread through most of the Otan, though pockets of conflict continue to exist.
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