Antonio Giovanni, Confederation of Veneto

Antonio Giovanni, son of Carlo Giovanni and grandson of Karat V Diaogo, is the current ruler of the rich merchant city-state of Veneto and it's confederation. Veneto is one of two crossroads to a series of well constructed, maintained, and defended roads. The other crossroads is located at Città Dei Mille, a city under the control of Veneto in all but name. Each crossroads has a trade road to two or three major cities, which increases the wealth of both parties involved, but also creases the influence of Veneto over the city. So far three, almost four minor cities are heavily influenced in such a way, all of them independent republics. Veneto is connected to a minor city of Dictatress Aeneid, also known as "Dedoh" by the people of Veneto. Veneto also runs a road to a few cities of a local Duke. Città Dei Mille has only one or two roads to other "peoples" or fiefdoms, with the road to the Duchy of Nektatine being the only trade route maintained year to year. Ouranoúdóro, shortened to Ouranoú, is the current duchess of Nektatine.

The current roads that make travel of goods, scouts, messangers and Chiarire (vulgar Scaept, "Awakened") missionaries, were constructed during the reign of Antonio Giovanni. The medication fath of Chiarire, was only recently founded in Veneto, but it has found itself very popular with merchants and those who wish to befriend merchants. The period before, during the reign of Carlo Giovanni and those before him, was when the trade routes were formed and the clearing of bandits started. Veneto is located at the crossroads of the great river wetlands, a steppe, and a great pine forest. Veneto has full access to almost all of the luxury goods and iron mines of any of the small cities it is a trading partner of, and it has the largest selection of salt mines, not to mention a large wheat harvest from Veneto and Sofia.

Sofia is a curious case, because it has it's own military and own private workforce that maintains it's area, but all of it's infrastructure has been paid for by Veneto merchants over the generations, so the city merely has it's workers maintain or improve what was built before. Sofia also has it's own government, which isn't picked at all by Veneto, and unlike Città Dei Mille it doesn't suddenly add buildings which were paid for by Veneto. Despite this, Sofia is very close to Veneto and is heavily influenced by it. Generations earlier, the city was mostly in command of a mostly desert area, with some floodplains that were poorly managed. Veneto money and trade paid for them to expand their territory, construct many wheat farms, and get their own lands in order. In return, Sofia has provided a number of professional spear infantry, along with some composite bowmen and a series of other types of trained soldiers. Veneto uses these soldiers to expand its Milizia Commerciale (Trade Militia), which over generations has turned crude men with clubs into hardened swordsmen, and turned chariot archer patrols into mobile bands of Milizia Mercantile (Merchant Militia). The Milizia Mercantile are a mixture of rich merchants and mercenaries in chainmail and plate, who ride in horse back and help clear the camps of savages or bandits.

The local lands are in chaos, with many riches untapped by anyone, and bands of bandits, robbers, and savages being around every corner unless under heavy watch and patrol. The most powerful people are merely a Duchess, Duke, or Dictatress; with a few cities not half as big or grand as Veneto or Città Dei Mille. People immigrate to Veneto constantly, and the cities culture, luxuries, and imported cultural artifacts have resulted in a happy people, who only enhance the cultural power of Veneto even more.

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Antonio Giovanni is said to be caught between Dictatress Aeneid and Duchess Ouranoú of Nektatine, as he is growing older and since his father has recently stepped down, it is perhaps the last opportunity to cement his power. Antonio Giovanni has spent all his life chasing down bandits, conducting diplomacy, and overseeing important trade; while his father worked internal politics and the logistics of the Milizia Commerciale. It is widely known that Antonio Giovanni wishes for peace and stability, believing that there is so much untapped riches and space available, and that all the cities and duchies are heavily dependent on the current stable, strong trade network. He has obtained the promises of friendship and fellowship in defense from Aeneid and Ouranoú, but women are rumored to be fickle in friendship, and such fickleness could be terrible for stability and trade if it becomes war. Rumors do state however that the man is vain and lustful, and wishes to marry the most attractive and powerful women he can, which are currently the two other rulers.

Aeneid is said to be warmer towards Antonio and their families are said to have known each other for generations, and she doesn't have many problems if any with Antonio or Veneto. Città Dei Mille is however, distant from Veneto and very close to Nektatine, and so it would be a disaster if conflict were to happen in that area. Should a marriage be to reward loyalty or make a conflict impossible? Should it draw those who are close closer, or those further apart? Aeneid doesn't appear to be attracted to Antonio, but she respects him, and rumors say she has encouraged him to find a suitable, powerful woman to marry. Duchess Ouranoú is said by some to not respect Antonio, but others claim that she asks about him constantly when he is away. Nektatine and it's cities are richer then the cities of Aeneid, but the mines, farms, and roads were bought or built by Antonio Giovanni himself. Nektatine indeed is dependent on Veneto, and the faith of Chiarire spreads like wildfire through the city and it's lands.

It remains to be seen what will happen. Antonio Giovanni is currently a man without equal in this region, commanding the strongest armies, almost ten times the profits, a vibrant culture, and a powerful religion which spreads quickly and powerful from the lips of his merchants. If the Confederation of Veneto were to merge with Aeneid Dittatura or the Duchy of Nektatine, it would be an unstoppable force in the region, and the riches of Veneto would flow into the new kinlands, while newly extracted luxuries would flow out. In the event that in this or the next generation the Giovanni family marries to marry into both of it's strongest allies, it would be very easy for a new Imperium to be forged.