Trakoria is nothing if not a trade empire. The Trakorian Sea is one of the most heavily trafficked trade areas of the entire Ereb Altor (i.e. the fantasy continent), with only the Copper Sea (i.e. the equivalent of the Med) in the south comparing to it. This is not felt more keenly than on the core island of Paratorna, where Kastyke, goddess of profits and fortune, is the most celebrated deity. Her mantra is “Kastyke loves the ones who love themselves”; those who are rich are so because they have the goddess’ blessings, the poor have themselves to blame. In a culture where making profits is a sacred act, rich merchants and merchant houses are high status, indeed, and the contract almost holy writ.
That said, Trakoria is not actually a free market. To be allowed to engage in business ventures, there’s a long range of permits and licenses that an entrepreneur needs. Those who do not have all the appropriate are out of luck. While these are not created by the throne, but rather by merchant guilds, they are vigorously upheld by it. The limited oversight over the issuing of them has also led to rampant corruption and bribes are typically needed to get the needed paperwork done (though these licenses are commonly done in burned clay, with imprints, as the fashion is that the weight of these frames imply importance and status. It’s not uncommon for lawyers to drag around heavy carts loaded with dozens of such tablets).
TRADE ROUTES
A series of important trade routes that deserve mention:
The South Continental Trade - Frimbolve Olvi:
Frimbolve Olvi is the major port receiving trade from the southern continent. Traders from Magilre, Klomellia, Kardia and the entire Copper Sea region enter Trakoria through this port. Much of it is transported overland to Krindenmaar or Tigold for further transport to the rest of Trakoria.
The Western Continental Trade:
While Ransard is an eternal enemy of Trakoria and thus does not trade with it, the city of O is a very important port of export of goods from Central Ereb (indeed, the Empress is from this area), and Jorduashur in the North also trades with Trakoria. For these partners, the ports of entry are the heavily fortified port of Karnald, Melse - a.k.a. Tricilve of the South (with an entire city district devoted to foreign traders and sailors), and Tricilve itself.
The Trakorian Sea Trade:
This lane of domestic trade goes between the major ports of Tigôld on Saphyna, Tricilve on Paratorna, Vumbra on Trinsmyra, and then onto Palamux. The last island has several significant ports for this trade lane: Trybra is the major entry point to Moskoria, just as Maghurbal is for the Holy Kishate. Finally, Soblak is highly important, as it connects the stone and lumber from Ziddisbar to the trade lane. However, the ports on Palamux are constantly subjects to the whims of Pazuzu, the Eternal storm. It most frequently haunts the coastline of HOXOH, explaining why the Shining City has never become a trade centre, but every once in a while, the other ports are also hit, disrupting trade every time.
The Sulphur Trade:
Twice a year, spring and fall, a convoy heads out to the Trakorian colony of Marjura. It starts in Tricilve and goes north, making stops in Siola, Mynd Mazuldre, Vumbra, Rakma and finally Isakra on northern Trinsmyra, before heading off on the one month long journey to the colony.
MAJOR TRADE GOODS
Saphyna:
This is the bread basket of Trakoria: Grain and beer are the major exports.
Paratorna:
Aside from fashion, Paratorna produces high quality wine and langocks - a cheap staple food (think a cross between beets and salad), weapons (as the main Imperial weapon factories are here). One could say that the academy in Tricivle - the most important centre of learning in the realm - exports academics. Though to be fair, it also imports academics, because more than half of the faculty are from foreign parts.
Asbast, Cruta and Sylvoleum deserve special mention.
Asbast
This is a material made from snake grass, an invasive weed that has taken over Karramak and parts of Hiltre. The thing strangles all other ground vegetation, making any soil useless for grains. It is pretty much impossible to get rid of, as it is fire resistant. That quality, though, also makes it useful. Thus, it is harvested and the fibres are woven to mats. Those are used in many capacities: nobles often use it as insulation to fireproof their houses, or cover the roofs with it. The navy covers the keel of major warships with such mats, which slows the ships significantly but also provides important protection.
Sylvoleum
Is extracted from trees and processed to create an oily fuel that is highly flammable. It can be used as fuel for small lamps. Ships bound for Marjura carry barrels of this to protect themselves against giant sea serpents, as the oil stays on the ocean surface and just keeps burning. That quality also makes it highly wanted by both army and navy, as it can be used as an explosive, launched from catapults and trebuchets. The trees in question grow in Hiltre, and a lot of the oil is refined in Kamest.
Cruta
-can be produced from sulphur and some other products. It’s a highly volatile black powder that burns incredibly fast. When put in a tightly sealed container, the result is an explosion. As such, the mining industry has found great use for it. So has the army, which uses barrels of this stuff to create mines or to quickly destroy strategic material to deny the enemy access.
Trinsmyra
The woods growing in the highlands do produce the oil needed for sylvoleum. Also, the mining industries are absolutely vital for the Paratornian economy, which is why the Trakorians have implemented direct rule. The region exports high quality iron, copper and tin. Finally, Isakra exports whale oil and fish.
Palamux
Major exports are stone and lumber from Ziddisbar, and salt and high quality weapons from Moskoria. The island of Myxa, just off the north coast, exports fish. Kargom doesn’t export any goods, but the tattoo artists and dancers from there are in high demand all over the realm. Also, the Bansika martial art is an important export in the sense that most people interested in learning go to Bhannavil to do so.
Marjura
Sulphur. This commodity is enormously important for the Crown, as it makes up a third of the total revenue stream. That’s why Marjura was colonized. The Sulphur is used for making cruta. It is also a component for medical and alchemical potions, and spell working, and is thus sought after by both DiFolts, Illusionists and academics. But most importantly, it’s a component for clearing wine. That one use brings in more revenue than any other, and to maximize profits, the lion’s share of the export goes to this purpose. Needless to say, the Merchant House of Shakello, which has been given an Imperial Charter over about 80 % of this trade, is extremely rich.