Read Online The Black Sword Trilogy: The Four Nations by Jeffery VanMeter - Free Book Online
Authors: Jeffery VanMeter
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once the King is gone and another idiot put in his place, the first part of our work will be done.”
“You are most wise, Master.”
“You have done well, my servant. When this business of ours is over, you will be richly rewarded.”
The face in the fire disappeared and Leyews felt his heart rise at the confirmation of his good deeds being rewarded.
The Admirals of Sheyron
The people of Sheyron learned early in the development of their nation that the key to the survival of their tiny nation lay in trade. Having only one large city, Korsh and small towns on islands off of their cost, Sheyron did not have population enough to support a large military force. Their well-trained army could defend its borders for a time, but not win a sustained military campaign.
Sheyron did have the largest Navy in the known world, but that had been nearly an accident. Before the Dark Times, the growing and developing land nations came to rely on Sheyron for trade with the other nations and during the Dark Times, Sheyron provided supplies and materials needed for the other nations to sustain their fight. Sheyron was able to do this by sailing their ships out of their own harbors and up the Serpent River in Walechia and the Tree of Life in Masallah. For this, the other nations provided protection for the small nation.
When the Great War broke out, Sheyron ensured its own survival by trading and transporting weapons and supplies for Masallah and Walechia for free if the two nations agreed not to invade Sheyron. Neither nation, of course knew of the arrangement with the other and both were under the impression that their agreement with Sheyron was exclusive.
Faraday’s war began by him seizing control of Korsh and shutting down trade and shipping. When supplies for Masallah and Walechia began to run low, his invading army, made up of thousands of troops from all four nations had a much easier road to victory.
After the Great War, Sheyron again began trading with the other three nations and the nation quickly began accumulating great wealth and power. By shipping goods from all the nations to ports all over the known world, wealth flowed into Korsh. It was said that “a river of gold” flowed into the palace on the island of Nozel.
It was so rich, in fact that any citizen of Sheyron that did not earn a minimum amount of currency per year was given a special stipend from the government in order to maintain “A standard of living worthy of a citizen of Sheyro n (Admiral Gondol).” In order to qualify for this stipend, a citizen had to maintain a job or profession within the borders of Korsh or on one of the islands. This made citizenship in Sheyron much prized by the peoples of other nations and many attempted to emigrate. However, Sheyron had very strict immigration laws and jealously protected her borders.
Being a very wealthy nation, Sheyron also became known as a home of artists and intellectuals. Professional musicians, painters, sculptors, writers and p hilosophers were sponsored by the government to “Enrich the lives of the great people of Sheyron (Admiral Hono)” and the arts flourished. Grand sculptures lined the streets of Korsh and great paintings hung every official building and hall. And because Sheyron had trade with all the other nations, there was never any fear of hunger or disease. Because all the other nations relied on goods provided through Sheyron’s trade; such as crops from Walechia sold to Masallah (and vice versa), Sheyron’s trade empire had never been in jeopardy since the end of The Great War. A shortage of tobacco had been the only thing to provide any kind of unrest in the five hundred years following the end of the
“You are most wise, Master.”
“You have done well, my servant. When this business of ours is over, you will be richly rewarded.”
The face in the fire disappeared and Leyews felt his heart rise at the confirmation of his good deeds being rewarded.
The Admirals of Sheyron
The people of Sheyron learned early in the development of their nation that the key to the survival of their tiny nation lay in trade. Having only one large city, Korsh and small towns on islands off of their cost, Sheyron did not have population enough to support a large military force. Their well-trained army could defend its borders for a time, but not win a sustained military campaign.
Sheyron did have the largest Navy in the known world, but that had been nearly an accident. Before the Dark Times, the growing and developing land nations came to rely on Sheyron for trade with the other nations and during the Dark Times, Sheyron provided supplies and materials needed for the other nations to sustain their fight. Sheyron was able to do this by sailing their ships out of their own harbors and up the Serpent River in Walechia and the Tree of Life in Masallah. For this, the other nations provided protection for the small nation.
When the Great War broke out, Sheyron ensured its own survival by trading and transporting weapons and supplies for Masallah and Walechia for free if the two nations agreed not to invade Sheyron. Neither nation, of course knew of the arrangement with the other and both were under the impression that their agreement with Sheyron was exclusive.
Faraday’s war began by him seizing control of Korsh and shutting down trade and shipping. When supplies for Masallah and Walechia began to run low, his invading army, made up of thousands of troops from all four nations had a much easier road to victory.
After the Great War, Sheyron again began trading with the other three nations and the nation quickly began accumulating great wealth and power. By shipping goods from all the nations to ports all over the known world, wealth flowed into Korsh. It was said that “a river of gold” flowed into the palace on the island of Nozel.
It was so rich, in fact that any citizen of Sheyron that did not earn a minimum amount of currency per year was given a special stipend from the government in order to maintain “A standard of living worthy of a citizen of Sheyro n (Admiral Gondol).” In order to qualify for this stipend, a citizen had to maintain a job or profession within the borders of Korsh or on one of the islands. This made citizenship in Sheyron much prized by the peoples of other nations and many attempted to emigrate. However, Sheyron had very strict immigration laws and jealously protected her borders.
Being a very wealthy nation, Sheyron also became known as a home of artists and intellectuals. Professional musicians, painters, sculptors, writers and p hilosophers were sponsored by the government to “Enrich the lives of the great people of Sheyron (Admiral Hono)” and the arts flourished. Grand sculptures lined the streets of Korsh and great paintings hung every official building and hall. And because Sheyron had trade with all the other nations, there was never any fear of hunger or disease. Because all the other nations relied on goods provided through Sheyron’s trade; such as crops from Walechia sold to Masallah (and vice versa), Sheyron’s trade empire had never been in jeopardy since the end of The Great War. A shortage of tobacco had been the only thing to provide any kind of unrest in the five hundred years following the end of the
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