Anthology of War, Greed, Fame, Pride, and Nationalism

Independence

Discover the captivating tale of a courageous man who single-handedly rescued Ishtar from the clutches of its relentless adversaries. The continent would have faced a dreadful destiny, for it would have been compelled to embrace the lifestyle, cultural beliefs, norms, and even government of their adversaries. This is the captivating tale of how thanks to the efforts of one powerful wizard, the decentralized continent of Ishtar banded together and triumphed over the militaristic Empire of Alvarez, which had its stronghold across the vast Atlantic Ocean. Remember to hit the star and comment your thoughts. No disrespectful language will be allowed.

Ishtar was a vast continent comprised of numerous kingdoms interconnected by shared borders. Despite embracing the same beliefs and adhering to common norms, each kingdom bore its own unique identity. On one hand, Ishtarians were proud to live by their own country's cultural identity. This meant that they had the freedom to move from nation to nation, without too much interference from the government. Unfortunately this was far from the truth, because some countries were very strict on migration across the continent. In addition, their governments were either partially or completely corrupt. Heads of state would take bribes from the affluent and would receive their political support down the road. Thus, most Ishtarians did not have a positive view of the government in their countries. This was especially the case in Fiore, with the Magic Council. Most of the Councilors did not possess a law degree, thus granting them the liberty to exploit their titles as means to coercively gain power and wealth in the realm of politics. Several kings have tried to root out the corruption, but their efforts were either temporary or were poorly enforced. The Rune Knights, the Army of Fiore, was entwined in the corrupt web of the Council for one key reason. The Head Bishop of the Royal Catholic Church, Reverend David Smithfield Jr, held the authority to promote generals in the military to their esteemed positions. He was equally corrupt like the Magic Council, notorious for his lucrative trade of indulgences. The profits he made were cleverly channeled into his personal bank account and then redirected to that of the Council. The indulgences were sold under the guise of predicting the imminent Final Judgement by the One True God. Anyone who didn't buy an indulgence before the established deadline faced an inevitable fate of eternal damnation in the depths of Hell. It was in this corrupt environment that a young wizard joined an independent guild called Equilibrius. Meet Edwin Regan, the son of the esteemed Lord Ian and Lady Mary Regan. These influential nobles earned their seats in the court of King Jacob through their exceptional merits and accomplishments. Mary was adored by her aristocratic colleagues for her compassion and meritocratic nature. She consistently exerted great effort, even after gaining King Jacob's favor as a distinguished courtesan, alongside her husband. Ian, the father of Edwin, displayed just as much diligence as Mrs. Regan. In his free time, he would gather his friends and invite them to an exclusive country club for an exhilarating golf tournament. Every time, he emerged victorious with the most impressive score among the group. Edwin was raised by Mr. and Mrs. Regan's most trusted tutor, Aristotle. Their son was very attentive when Aristotle taught philosophy, sociology, moral ethics, rhetoric, and science to young Eddie. Eventually, he graduated with flying colors at the age of eighteen. Then the Regan family received an extraordinary letter from the esteemed guildmaster of Equilibrius, notifying them that their prodigious son had successfully earned the privilege to embark on a transformative journey as an influential wizard within their prestigious guild. After some words of encouragement, Mr. and Mrs. Regan dropped him off at a dormitory owned by Equilibrius. He was admitted as a member and quickly rose through the ranks to become its elite S-Class wizard. Missions that he undertook were completed with godlike precision, to the awe of his employers. In response, Master Brian O'Reilly has appointed Eddie as the guild's co-master. This extraordinary title made him the guild's most powerful wizard, granting him access to undertaking the most difficult missions yet. Unfortunately, the pride that his parents had in their son's achievements ultimately led to their downfall during their encounters with the King. Under the guidance of the respected leader, Jacob the Great, Eddie's potential as an extraordinary mage was greatly fostered. He was entrusted with tremendously challenging quests, which he fearlessly undertook all on his own. The other court members were annoyed by this apparent favoritism, feeling envious of Mr. and Mrs. Regan. The courtesan encounters with his royal Highness were marked by an intense atmosphere, as the Regans vied with the other courtesans to secure an even greater share of his affections. One morning, they met at Jacob's castle in the heart of the capital of Fiore, Crocus City. They were discussing the state of the economy and the King personally recommended the Regans' system in the meeting. He would set the price of Fiore's main exports, including spices, herbs, aromatics, and oils. When he met merchants from other countries, he personally sold these goods at a price that was ten times higher than their original value. Just imagine, an astonishing 500 kilograms of cayenne pepper, originally worth a mere 50 dollars domestically, were sold abroad for an incredible 500 dollars. The Holy Empire of Seven and the Islands of Caelum prospered from the Regan system of economics. Unfortunately, the Kingdom of Bosco was left marginalized in the continental stock market. Under Ian and Mary Regan's economic system, the value of Boscan timber and precious cobblestones was significantly lower compared to the spices from Fiore. Consequently, due to a severe lack of interest in importing timber from Bosco, the markets were left in disarray and the once bustling docks stood barren, devoid of any merchant vessels. In order to enhance the appeal of her merchandise, Queen Priscilla V of Bosco decided to decrease the cost of purchasing wood and minerals from her nation. It did not work, because deflation wreaked havoc on the economy. People could afford to buy the essential goods, however the money they used was almost worthless. The Queen had to raise prices again in order to restore the currency. This caused resentment among the citizens, and the economy was set back even further. The Queen ultimately had to accept the fact that reducing the cost of goods was simply not a viable option. On public television, she admitted that Bosco was quickly becoming marginalized by Fiore. It stoked the flames of resentment against her, leading to a palace coup by the guilds that almost wiped out the capital, Vockerode Town. Her soldiers tirelessly attempted to quell the rebellion of the wizards, but they slowly killed them all.