Republic of Gazzarit

The Eilistraean Republic of Gazzarit was founded in 992, 3e in the aftermath of several crises in the Drow city of Gazzarit within the underdark below The Commonwealth. A presidential republic founded by Vorr and Alexios Libertaki with the aid of Gal and the Parental Problem's Possee, the drow city-state is a technological wonder and commercial powerhouse with strong ties to the surface nation of the Commonwealth and has had an instrumental historic effect in the 60 years since its founding.
Created with the goal of equalising gender, race, and religious relations within the underdark stronghold, the republic is officially a holy democracy in worship of the goddess Eilistraee, and uses her symbol of the crescent moon on their flag in honour of her. The republic is also the most powerful and notable democratic nation in Prima Terra, and although much has been done to improve the lives of their people since the nation's founding, the republic still harbours a strong aristocratic and capitalistic movement, with its caste system still partially enforced and the cult of Ellestraee holding immense political power.
The fledgling city-state would also be brought into the 40 Year War in the aftermath of the Commonwealth's invasion by the Seldrinar Supremacy and Eldrian Empire, fighting alongside the Commonwealth resistance and their faction throughout Gwenydd.

Culture

Gazzaritian culture is based on technology and magic. Commerce, invention, and hard work and key tenants of the city's beliefs. Since the republic's creation, mobility between castes and social status has been improved immensely. The city has also become a bastion of Eilistraee worship, with evangelization becoming the main goal and reputation of the republic since the election of President Gal.

History

The Republic of Gazzarit was born out of the ancient and long-standing City of Gazzarit, a monarchistic, matriarchal, and Lolthist nation deep with in the underdark with a long history of isolationism, war with the surface, and battles with other underdark peoples including ilithids, deep gnomes, and deep dwarves. Built into some natural caverns and tunnels, much of the city was tunneled together and built out of solid earth and stone. This gave the city a sprawling, near impregnable quality where only burrowing monsters could get past its narrow choke points. The city spread itself across three tiers, the upper, middle, and lower city.
The city was first founded by Drow exiles from The Vale, who dwelved into the underdark after Supremator Necronamor exiled them. These Drow exiles continued to follow the teachings of Lolth, and were matriarchal and war-like society. In common Gazzarit legend, their first Matriarch, Rachnerya, sudbuded the seven villages of deep gnomes living in the shadow of an ancient ilithid ruin, and using the captured gnomes as slave labour built the first quarter of Gazzarit in what is now the presidential palace.
Over time, the city developed a unique caste system and was jointly ruled by the political Matriarch, and religious High-Priestess of Lolth. The caste system was incredibly hard to move between, with only some mobility if people joined the military or priesthood or were permitted to become a mage. Men, for a long time, were also forbidden from many stations of rank or government.
Gradual reforms over men's rights and mobility between castes would slowly occur over the thousands of years, and Gazzarit become a formidable city-state within the underdark, but remained isolated and secluded from the surface world. Some legends and myths talk of Gazzaritian drow kidnapping Kernowian and Gwenyddian children, but these remain historically unproven.

The Ucothah Crisis

In 991, 3e, the nearby ruined Illithid city of Shuggilbh became active as the form and soul of Ucothah began to reconstitute itself. The elder god corrupted the remaining mind-flayers and their cult began to move throughout the underdark. Using captured Gazzarit scouts, the cult were able to ambush and take control of the city of Gazzarit, its first conquest in what they dreamed to be many. Survivors sheltered in secluded districts of the city, such as the royal palace, fort complex, temple, and Magerium. Some also found solace in the secret tunnels around the city used by criminal gangs and escaping slaves.
The city remained under Ucothah's grip until the elder god was defeated by the Parental Problem's Possee, and his control of his charmed subjects was broken. The Gazzaritian government reclaimed control of the city, with Matriarch Zronadil maintaining a lose grip on power. Peace and order was gradually restored, but many of the common people had become dissillusioned with the government in the wake of so many deaths.

The Revolutionary Movements

Some of the survivors decided not to return to the city, and alongside many freed slaves who had been abandoned by their masters when the ilithids an their controlled subjects invaded, galvanised around the masked and radical leader, Alexios. Alexios formed a new caste, the 'free people' known as the Libertaki and began to continue recruiting and training new members of his movement.
Soon, his movement attracted enough members and they were well trained enough to release his manifesto. The Statement of the Libertaki called for the destruction of the caste system, the ending of slavery, and the abolition of Lolth worship in favour of Eilistraee. The group soon began small scale terrorist activities around the city, including the killing of slave-owners, vandalism of religious shrines, and attacks on on military and government buildings.
Meanwhile, a more 'free-market' movement was being orchestrated amongst the merchant classes. Led by industrialist and inventor, Vorrinadrel Golding Paladokus, formed a coalition of other merchants and minor government figures intent on creating a powerful industrial and commerical hub.
A third movement, led by some elements of the military, became corrupted by remnants of Ucothah. Led by Draesos, they sought to undermine the city and restore illithid and elder god control over the city.

Second Ucothah Crisis

These three movements were coming to a head when the adventurers known as the Parental Problem's Posse fled a botched assassination attempt in Palaidcyntaff and took shelter in the drow city. The group would work alongside Vorr and Alexios to spread their goals, bringing wealth and new members to Vorr's faction whilst supporting some Libertaki strikes on key strongholds.
Overtime, the party discovered Draesos' schemes and how he had corrputed much of the key members of government. Whilst attempting to confront him in the ruins of Shuggilbh, the corrput military man escaped back to Gazzarit and war had begun as the Ucothah minions tried to retake the city. The party were able to reconcile the differences between Vorr and Alexios, and united their factions. Bringing the combined strength of the inventor industrialist and the revolutionary leader to the central palace, the group had a massive battle with the elder god's forces and using Vorr's robot mech-suit invention, Vistani Danger, they were able to defeat him and save the city.

Creation of the Republic

In the aftermath of this second crisis, both Vorr and Alexios held extrondinary power amongst the Gazzaritian people. The Cult of Lolth, part of the corrupted forces, and the government of Matriarch Zronadril were part of a joint leadership council with the revolutionary and the capitalist. Despite the Lolothist and Matriach's objections, the entire slave population of Gazzarit were freed and granted the new caste of 'Libertaki' in honour of the movement. This swelled Alexios's radical support, and alongside the general animosity the city's population had towards the corrput and wealthy theokrati caste, the cult of lolth were largely exiled and replaced with worship of Ellestree.
This radical fervour galvinised many, and the more conservative members of Gazzaritian society, intially torn between the cult of lolth, the matriarch, and Vorr's factions, all agreed to unite behind the industrialist instead. Vorr's support also swelleed after her sent many of his forces, including the robot Vistani Danger, to aide the Commonwealth Rebellion and deafeat Azumon the Burning One and his dracolich, Galvurnax at the Battle of Saunton. The Matriarch abdicated her throne, and there was now a near 50/50 split between Vorr's supporters and Alexios'. The two factions were only united by Gal, a member of the parental problems possee, who 'adopted' herself to both of them.
Eventually, through negotation the establishment of the Republic of Gazzarit was created. A market economy was created, and the castes remained by their restrictions were largely removed, allowing for much easier movement between social stratum. The Republic elected Vorr as it's first president.

President Vorr

Vorr's presidency lead to increased economic reform, as the old aristocracy either lost out on status and money or were forced to transition into investors and merchant princes themselves. Gazzarit's economy boomed, thanks to trade with the surface, and loosening of regulations that saw new inventions and productivity increase. Vorr became extremely popular amongst the elites, as he liberalised the economy and culture of Gazzarit, and helped sign off on military and magical reforms.
Despite these positive improvements, his ally and powerful Gazzaritian leader Alexios became disillusioned with the status of things. Slavery had ended, but many of those former slaves now worked poorly paying and dangerous jobs for their former masters. He felt these reforms were not enough, and he tried to politically challenge Vorr but failed at every turn as the First President created a bloated bureaucratic and political system that made opposition difficult.
By the 1020s, Alexios had grown tired of this and opted to leave the city with his staunchest supporters. Despite their differences, Alexios's approval of the government had granted a sense of legitimacy to the city. This put his power under pressure, and he found himself cutting more deals and back-door trading to cement his power instead. When the 40 year war began, Vorr was slow to answer calls to aid. He sent some token forces, but kept most of his army in Gazzarit. This caused further division between many of the factions with in the town, who either adored the Commonwealth for their shared revolutionary history, or for their strong trade ties. Eventually, Vorr would commit more forces under the leadership of his adopted daughter, Gal, including Vistani Danger itself.
Vorr's backdoor trades would be discovered, and it was also revealed by his long-time associate and head of his commercial assets, Julyn, that he was embezzeling tax money. Vorr was impeached by the Represenatives of the People and ousted from power.

President Gal

The aftermath of Vorr's ousting created a power vacuum, and civil war was close to breaking out within the city state by 1034. Gal, fighting in the Commonwealth, would return to the city to try and restore order. The various factions, knowing a war with the Eldrians and Seldinar was still waging, and the memories of conflict in the 990s still in the mind, united behind the national hero and Gal won the snap-election with 90% of the vote. As her first action, Gal exiled her father, Vorr, and returned his stolen assets to the people. Gal left her vice president and brother in charge, and returned to wage war, returning for key events and holidays or to sign major legislation.
Gal's presidency say a decreased seperation between religion and politics, with the church of Elleestree becoming more political powerful, and the nation officially renaming itself. Worship of the moon-goddess become more overt, with holy processions and feast days becoming frequent occurances. Gal maintained the exile of her father despite his pleas, and would use much of the wealth gained from their support of the Commonwealth in the war to restore downtrodden parts of the city.
Under Gal, Gazzarit has remained a staunch ally of its surface neighbour, and has become a more religious city. Reforms around social mobility continue, and the wealth gap is smaller than it was under her predecessor.

Demography and Population

Gazzarit remains a majority drow city, with dark elves populating 85% of the total population. The second largest minority is kobolds and deep gnomes, with a healthy population of over races including surface dwellers forming smaller population pockets. Many of these people are descendents of the former slaves of the city, but a growing group of them are immigrants attracted by Gazzarit's growing and prosperous economy.
The largest religions is worship of Eilistraee, with Dark Seldarine worship completly outlawed and abandoned since the dawn of the republic. Rumours of secret Lolthist hold-outs remain. Other religions include Divinitism, Halfling pantheon, and dwarven worship as well. Draconism is a sizeable religion amongst the kobold people.
Wealth equality has stablised in the fledgling nation, once a staunch divide existed between the ruling and working castes, but since the republic's birth mobility has increased and wealth of the lower castes has increased. There is still a divide between the lowest members of society, however, with class tensions still exisiting and some beliving the Libertaki movement should have pushed for more when establishing the nation.

Technological Level

Gazzarit is amongst the most scientifically and technologically advanced in all of prima terra. Vorr's leadership and industralist nature has seen a boom in magical technology, such as his moving picture technolgy, electrified public transit, horseless carriages, and mechanoid constructs becoming associated with the nation. Production on these assets has slowed in recent decades as are more traditional arcane and religious focus has emerged, and the famous giant mech of Vistani Danger was destroyed during the war.
An artificial sun also exists in their agricultural district - a feat of arcane engineering not seen since the time of Rexia. Gazzarit has shared some of these inventions with the rest of the world, but the cost and expertise of maintaining them has made the other nations slow to adopt Gazzaritian technology.

Foreign Relations

Gazzarit maintains peaceful and strong relations with is surface neighbour, the Commonwealth. Their main embassy is in the city of Palaidcyntaff, where the city's main portal to the nation exists. Smaller embassies in Saunton and Pennygyntaff also exist due to portals leading there as well. Movement between the two nations is relevatily easy, with large trade deals and visiting rites garunteed.
Gazzarit has some positive relations with other members of the Commonwealth Faction from the 40 year war. The Drow republic has diplomatic contact with Southaxe and has previously held a treaty with Altruscia.
The nation is openly hostile to the Seldrinar Supremacy and Eldrian Empire due to the war. With the Supremacy, this is also a major religious divide as Dark Seldarine worship is prevelant in the elven empire, whilst Gazzarit has completely outlawed it. Rumours of unrest in the Supremacy, led by the White-Mask movement, have been tied to Gazzaritian support.

Founding Date

992, 3e

Capital

Gazzarit

Demonym

Gazzaritian

Government System

Democracy, Presidential

Power Structure

Unitary state

Economic System

Market economy

Legislative Body

Represenatives of the People

Judicial Body

Church of Ellestraee

Executive Body

President of the Republic

Controlled Territories

• Gazzarit

Neighboring Nations

• The Commonwealth

Related Species

• Elf
• Half Elf

Related Ethnicities

• Gazzaritian