Iccot
Structure
Iccot is ruled by the Council of Iccot , a seven person group of elected leaders of the Iccot community. While membership in the council has few requirements other than it no two members can share the same bloodline, it has remained filled with powerful merchants in the city. Members can be voted out, and new members voted in when there are vacancies.
The city is cutthroat in its politics, with the Merchant Lords of the council controlling nearly every aspect of the city-state's day to day. Surrounding areas often send representatives to the city to request aid or petition for changes in laws, but generally have little power in comparison to the wealthier families that live in the capital.
History
Iccot began as a simple port for merchants trading with the boats that floated down the two rivers the settlement was built over. Over years, it grew to become a city-state and eventually a full fledged nation. It remains fairly small, having purchased much of its land from nearby nations, or traded it for better access to the sea.
Demography and Population
Iccot is a diverse nation with inhabitants from all corners of the continent, and travelers passing through regularly. This is most noticeable in coastal cities and especially in the capital, but has spread to the surrounding farmlands as well.
Most of Iccot's population lives in its cities, with the remainder of the country being sprawling farms with small towns that pop up around them.
Trade & Transport
Iccot has complex trade relations with its neighbors thanks to its centralized location, access to the sea, and control of where major rivers feed into the sea. Many nations trade to Iccot, who then resells the goods to other adjacent nations.
It produces grain in excess, as well as luxury goods that include high quality wine and fruit. It relies on its neighbors for metals, wood, and cloth to build its ships and day to day tools.
Slavery
Slavery is legal and a hotly debated topic in Iccot. Petitions to ban slavery have been forwarded to the Council of Iccot numerous times, most recently having failed by a 3 to 3 vote with 1 abstention. While widely disliked by the general populace, numerous powerful merchants quietly lobby for it to remain legal, and most trade is done in gray-markets, with anonymous buyers and sellers. It is assumed that numerous councilors are directly benefitting from the trade, and the votes are largely for show and used more for political machinations than true opinions.
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Capital
Demonym
Iccotian
Government System
Oligarchy
Power Structure
Autonomous area
Economic System
Market economy
Currency
Gold Lyre, Silver Tael, Copper Branc
Major Exports
Sea salt, Wine, Honey, Ceramics, Slaves
Major Imports
Textiles, Metals, Wood, Slaves
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
