Muscle is strength yes-yes, but gold-gold is Power!
The Most Serene Ratpublic of Orilgio
History loves to chronicle the deeds of commanders and warriors, but it is the administrators that make it happen. The rats of Origlio proudly claim decedent from one of Ironclaw Catslayer's stewards who had unmatched intellect and a way with numbers that they claim is what even allowed Ironclaw to rise ot power to begin with!
They first took shelter after the fall in a store called "Orologio d'Oro" where they found an untold wealth of gold and shinnies. Even better is that they came across and entire cache of the Creator's Timekeepers and have studied them zealously, leading to them being one of the few able to keep track of time. By taking apart some of the Timekeepers, the also discovered the art of Cogsmithing, an art that would form the bases for the College of Coggery and a great deal of clockwork-based technology that the Ratpublic fiercely guards.
In the beginning, they too were ruled like so many others by a tribal-tyranny that profited greatly off of timekeepers and gold. Overtime, such responsibilities became increasingly privatized by wealthy merchant families until they gained enough power to overthrow the tyrant outright, having bribed all of his guards.
In an incredible display of willpower and cooperation (by rat standards), the merchant families decided not to try and kill each other for the position of power,
but instead elected one of their own. Elected through murder, intimidation and bribery, but elected none the less. Thus forming the Most Serene Ratpublic of Origlio and steadily expanding their trade empire for he who controls the coin, can control all.
The Ratpublic also claims to be the first to have ever successfully hired a Blackwing although they tend not to give any details surrounding the matter when pressed for some mysterious reason.
The Most Serene Ratpublic likes to view itself as enlightened and refined compared to their more savage, brutish kin and done away with the barbaric way of who ever is strongest is leader. No, instead they use the intelligent and enlightened ways of an oligarchical machine oiled with blood and gold, but those are "small" details. Within the Ratpublic are five powerful Merchant Clans who elected a Merchant Prince as head of state for life. If said life term is five years or five seconds, it all depends on how crafty said Merchant Prince is. While noble birth and skill is certainly taken into consideration, if you don't have money in the Ratpublic, you don't have power at all. The number of backroom deals and politicking that goes on constantly within Origlian politics means that while their leaders are rarely the strong warrior types, those who survive are crafty politicians and masterful schemers if not a little paranoid.
The primary title of the Ratpublic is the store whose name they've misconstrued to use as their name, a watch and jewelry shop known as Orogogio d'Oro.
It possess a fantasy amount of wealth in the form of gold and jewels and is what contributed to the massive wealth of the Ratpublic. However, their claims lay far beyond just their single, comparatively small store as they own a large trade network of outposts and scavenging sites all across the store, mostly in safe and secure locations which they use to both trade goods with and spy on others with. From said network, the Merchant Clans of Origlio dress themselves in exotic fabrics from hipster boutiques, dyes from art stores, fine foods from fast food courts and other exotic wares.
Merchant Clans (sometimes also called Families, Houses, Packs, etc) have become specialized in certain areas over time, ether by choice or being forced into it indirectly. That is not to say that one Clan has a paw in the territory of another Clan's. While all Clans have something invested in the more mundane trade lines, they also "specialize" in some areas. There are five Clan-Houses: Glittori, Acamia, Mitteri, Cratore, and Fabriel.
House Glittori - Scoundrels and lowlife given power, they claim domain in many gambling dens, taverns and brothels and make money solely off of that. They are also the ones who most often have the most dirt on the other Houses and is one of the primary reason they are in power to begin with.
House Acamia - Scholars with the power of intellect who control the College of Coggery as well as other educational institutions. They also act as the most learned individuals within Origlio, often becoming administrators or (biased) judges.
House Mitteri - Formerly a band of Condottieri Mercenaries, they are the most militant of all the houses with the least amount of subtly. They are often the liaison between mercenary and employer and make their money off of profiting from the mercenary "donations" that are given to them from the various contractors. They are both the strongest and weakest house as while they have the most military behind them, they have the fewest actual means of producing wealth themselves so often will rent out their men to other nations.
House Cratore - Preferring to stylize themselves as "voice of the common rat", House Cratore has the support of many production houses and guilds. Of course,
how much they actually listen to commoners is up to debate.
House Fabriel - True merchant claiming to be the original bloodline which set up the entire Ratpublic, they focus on the luxury goods that all other houses crave.
In the Ratpublic, gold rules all. Being nobleborn or being skilled is nice, but being poor is a death sentence. The common rat labors as craftsmen or laborers who directly or indirectly feed one of the Merchant Clans. While some food is grown in large flower pots right outside the store, once used to grow flowers, most of it is imported from more fertile lands. Of the Smalls who live in the Ratpublic, little care or thought is given to them with nothing outstanding to say about them other than sometimes one of them may be taken as a mistress by a Merchant Family; they are still expected to work just as much as an other commoner although none of they have gotten close to positions of power. Gambling is a favorite pass time among the less wealthy in the hopes that by making it big on a bet, they can propel themselves into power. Everything that can be bet on is often bet on from foot races to dice games to even how much money the next shipment or caravan will bring in. One Merchant Clan, the Gitorri controls a large number of gambling dens and brothels and has make their wealth almost solely on them.
The Ratpublic cares little for religion as zeal cannot buy power to them. They pay only lip service to both the Cult of the Creators and the Faith of Fire leaning more towards the side of the Creator Cult as much of their wealth and power comes from the Creators indirectly or directly. During the "Great Schism", the Ratpublic stayed neutral so they could sell arms and information to both sides of the conflict while also taking in refugees as workers. It was within the realm the of the Ratpublic which peace was negotiated upon as despite them joining the side of the Creators very late int the conflict, they were considered to be the most neutral safe haven for both sides so long as they got paid.(as)
