September Update + Comic Teaser + World Lore

Howdy everyone. Heretical here.

What can I say again but thank you. From every 1$ artificer patron, to our biggest 50$ goblin merchants. You all have kept this show going. It's thanks to you that we can afford to continue making the comic we've been teasing, and though it's taking longer than we thought, the quality is improving at a swift pace. Today I've decided to share another piece from the comic to showcase what your patronage has helped make. We're set for videos for the rest of this year so please sit back and enjoy as they come out!

In addition. The Sunday streams have literally put the biggest smile on my face, level 12 hype train was not something I even teased the idea of getting when I hit the go live button, but once again you and the rest of the tavern have given me nothing but joy. I hope to continue to make content worth your views, likes, and especially your patronage.

Thank you.

Now for the part that many of our theory hunters have waited for. Allow me to spend the rest of this post giving just a bit of world lore for Hakaran, the Merchant City of the East. If you are not one of our theory hunters, I hope you still enjoy the written piece here.

Hakaran - The City of Vagabonds

In Hakaran everything you see can be bought or sold. Whether it's the rich spices found on their ports by sea or air, the finest produce teleported in from the City's imposing Gate that connects it to all matter of distant lands; or sometimes even flesh sold beneath the frozen streets. Everything has a price, and everyone the same.

To live in Hakaran, one must develop a silver tongue, ensure it isn't stolen, and come ready to barter on all matter of goods.

The city in it's early years stood as a bastion of hope and democracy, after having thrown off the shackles of a now long forgotten empire. But Hakaran was never a place for the naïve or the generous, and within years the city devolved into a pirate haven. After surviving constant attacks from neighbors attempting to "clean up" the pirate threat, Hakaran eventually dominated the Eastern mountains through the use of powerful airships. As the only nation to develop such weapons, this led to the consolidation of power among Hakaran's Twelve Merchant Families that funded the research. Through a labyrinth of Private Military groups, contacts, nepotism, the backing of powerful criminal syndicates, and trade contracts nearly a thousand pages long each; the Merchant Princes of Hakaran took control of both Hakaran and it's territory. To reach the lands beyond Hakaran, one must travel through their mountains, and vice versa should one wish to leave the East and find a ship to take them across the sea. This has only led to a considerable growth in the power and wealth of the Merchant Families.

The heads of the families are referred to as "Princes" regardless of gender, as Hakaran believes it to be a spit in the face of all other nations and their "Royal" families that have tried to conquer them in the past. To those in Hakaran, royalty are to be mocked and shamed for having such wealth and nothing to spend it on.

Despite rampant crime, an oppressive regime, and freezing temperatures year round; the City of Hakaran remains known as the "Freest City in the World." Anyone can make their fortune here, provided they survive. No citizen is oppressed based on who they are, they are just hassled for however much coin they may have. The Merchant Princes even make it a contest amongst themselves to see which can better the city year by year. Whether through charity, donations, public healthcare, bolstering military strength, or the creation of public works and jobs for the people. Hakaran's Merchant Princes see it as a disgrace to not spend their money on their people, and actively avoid hoarding wealth where they can. Though the city still faces many troubles with homeless, starvation, among many other issues; Hakaran remains stubborn to the end. They actively refuse to admit such problems exist, and do what they can to resolve them quietly.

This however, does not translate to other nations. As one of the most stubborn people to exist, they are slow to forgive, and often allow grudges with outsiders to fester from generation to generation. This makes the world hesitant to deal with such a people, but Hakaran's unique location between the East and the West, and their armada of Sky ships, makes it a must for any nation to seek trade contracts with such a people.

To end, a quote from the world lore, Rudolph Mannicarium's "Guide to the World"

"The men will sell you weapons and spices, the women will sell you fabrics and armors, the children will sell you your own wallet, and the shoes you once had on your feet. If I had to describe Hakaran in a few words. It would simply be 'A Market So Free, You'll lose it all before you remember what you came to buy.' Oh, and quite cold."

END

Thank you again, we hope you enjoyed. I myself will be finishing up another longer video today which will release later this October! Can't wait to share!

Have a wonderful day,

-Heretical