Amezajik Ideas

Traditions
+10% Trade Power Abroad
+20% Spy Network Construction

Smoke of GlamourAmezajik's markets are the wonder of the Summer Islands. The shops are full of finely crafted goods, the stalls gilded & bejeweled, and its goods seem to always be the best. But any trader that buys too hastily is bound to face disappointment, as these beautiful goods are often the product of illusion, hiding an average or mediocre product behind layers of glamour. From the jungles around Antsampisy to the highland groves of Dirajikody, the forests of Amezijak are suffused with natural magic, and the resins of their trees make the best incense for illusory magics. Many of Amezajik's numerous merchants are also mages, who make good use of that incense to produce smokes of glamour that can make common gravel look like shining rubies. The Amezajiki tolerate what others may call scams, as the swift trade of the merchant mages are the prime driver of revenue for the state.
+15% Trade Efficiency

Contractual TamperingThe northern Vyzemby have learned not to trifle with Amezajik's merchant mages, as their mastery of illusion has earned them a reputation for trickery and deceit. What few of them know, however, is that Amezajik's mages also make use of their craft in service of the state. Official documents, contracts, treaties; any written agreements may be subject to invisible amendments that will only reveal themselves when most advantageous to the people of Amezajik. These mages have moved far beyond small letters hidden in reams of paperwork to ensure that every deal turns out to be in their favor.
-25% Cost to fabricate claims

Illusion furnacesIn 1502, when the Northern Tribal Alliance gathered a massive army to invade Tsamanosy, the Amezajiki war-mage Rivomanantsoa Hillwalker invented a new technology to even the odds. The incense so commonly used in Amezajik's markets was requisitioned for the war effort and burned in huge furnaces, producing enough illusory smoke to hide an entire army under its spell. When the enemy transports made ground along the coast of Angoitra, they expected fierce resistance. What they saw was a burned, lifeless savannah. As the armies relaxed and made camp, Hillwalker revealed the ruse; Amezajik's warriors and Iambirety Guards appeared seemingly out of nowhere, and drove the invaders into the sea.\n\nOf the Unification Wars of the Summer Isles (1715) by Otho the Past-seeker
+1 Land Leader Manoeuvre

The IambiretyAntsampisy is a place where law and lies are more flexible than elsewhere on the Summer Isles. Where outsiders may see a swindle, locals see good business. The city's reputation attracts many shady customers but the city has managed to curtail organized crime by making sure the most competent of the city’s goons and thieves, along with a cadre of experienced adventurers, are inducted into an "independent" guard force known as the Iambirety. Ensuring their loyalty is a costly undertaking, but a worthy one, as the Iambirety’s prowess in defending the city from foreign armies and would-be rebels alike is unparalleled, and their incorruptibility is legendary. After all, who else would pay them so handsomely to do what they love?
+5% Mercenary Discipline

The Laws of TradeForeign scholars have long wondered why merchants would stop at Atsampisy to trade, knowing full well the reputation of the city. The Laws of Trade is a massive tome of 6020 pages that details everything a merchant can and cannot do, which includes lengthy descriptions of how, when and where specific spells can be used. Using the city's laws to scam the scammers is seen by the best merchants as a challenge, though they usually recruit a lawyer to oversee their attempt. These laws are enforced by the incorruptible Iambirety, ensuring the city's prosperity.
-15% Stability Cost Modifier

Phantom ChameleonsFirst added to the Order's 'Compendium of Natural History' after Avery Foolfoot's 1764 expedition to the Summer Islands, the Phantom Chameleon is native to the jungles of Amezajik. With their tiny size and natural camouflage abilities, a Phantom Chameleon is already difficult to spot, and initial reports described them as incorporeal, or able to teleport over short distances. These reports have since been attributed to their ability to project an image of themselves a short distance away, which has made the lizards all the more prized - The Order's naturalists are still uncertain whether the species is actually as rare as first reported, or just nearly impossible to catch in their natural environment. Due to their innate magic and rarity, the Phantom Chameleon is among the most prized pets of Cannor's richest aristocrats; It is said Princess Laurenne Siloriel owns a dozen.\n\nThe Order of Chronicler's 'Compendium of Natural History, 27th ed.' (1812)
+1 Yearly Prestige

The Clove WarsBy the end of the 1500s, Antsampisy had emerged as the largest market for the purchase of cloves, and the Amezajiki fiercely protected their trade from all competitors, especially their hated rivals Ataturozi. What began as squabbles in backwater outposts quickly escalated, as privateers and state-sponsored thieves stole or destroyed entire shipments of the precious flower buds. In 1601, Amezajik organized a blockade of Ofavi, and in response, the Ataturozi raised an army and marched on Antsempisy. Begun, the Clove Wars had.
-20% Cost to justify trade conflict
+20% Privateer Efficiency

Ambition
+1 Merchants