Newsgroups: alt.pub.dragons-inn
Subject: [History] [Academy] History of Generica, part 3
Message-ID: <1993Feb24.214024.11994@midway.uchicago.edu>
From: djb6@ellis.uchicago.edu (Dennis Brennan)
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1993 21:40:24 GMT

ADMIN:  Recall that Dougl is a student at Generica's St. Cuthbert Academy,
a school for the training of young paladins.

"As you recall from the last lecture," the pedagogical cleric drawled, "The
city of Generica was founded by the transplanted House of Grale.  We learned
that Lord Glorshanned and his household, including his noteworthy wife
'The Genere,' fled northward from the herediary abode of the House.  We
traced the continuation of Glorshanned's line of descendancy and their
rule on Generica."

"Today," he continued, "We will focus on the change in leadershop of the
Generic state between the noble houses and the merchant class."  As the
lecturer peered up from the podium, the sunlight from the overhead
skylight glittered off of his spectacles.  "Who will venture to guess
which events promoted this transformation of the Generic political scheme?"

Recalling the interpretation posited by the sage Verdier (in the readings
which had been assigned for that week), Dougl rose in response to
the instructor's query.  "Father, one of the early steps toward the 
transformation was the formation of the Company of Traders in Generica
in the Hundred and Fortieth Year of the City."  

Before Dougl could sit down, the instructor pressed him to elaborate.
Dougl began, "Father, as I recall from the reading, merchants from
a number of different places on the coast of the Great Blue, especially
including Varande, Generica and Parahan, associated themselves in order
to better operate in the face of Rameshander expansion in the south.  
Generica was chosen as the headquarters of this association due to its
central location.

"Making their case before the Generic lord, who was- I believe- 
Lord Moravy III at that time, the merchants argued that an economically
vibrant Generica was stronger than a primitive one.  This argument was
underscored when news arrived that Rameshan had managed to conquer the
land of Parahan and sack its capital.  

"Now Moravy III was a bright man, and worked out a deal whereas the 
merchants would assist the Crown in providing for the defence of the town
and in financing public works.  With the influx of capital both from the 
increase in trade and from refugees fleeing from Rameshander conquest,
Generica prospered and grew.  The Arcade of Fountains was improved
during Moravy's reign.

"Moravy III was succeeded by his nephew, Lord Kobe.  Kobe had less foresight
and spent most of his time hunting for sport out in the forest reserves.
He left most of the governing to his Regent.  The Regent allowed his
loyalties to be sold to the highest bidder, and from this point onward
the merchants were the de facto rulers of Generica."

"A satisfactory response," judged the instructor.  "But the current
head of state in Generica is Melwis, an overt merchant.  Who would care
to delineate how the power of the merchants was legitimized?"

--
Bueller?  Bueller?  Anyone?  Anyone?

Somebody want to pick up from here?

One of these days we ought to get the history of the Generica-Lizard Man
war straightened out too.

-- 
Dennis Brennan
djb6@midway.uchicago.edu