The Grand Republic of Thasen
The Grand Republic of Thasen is in the southern part of the empire, bounded to its north by the Encircled Sea and its south by the Sea of Elthos, the sea that separates the continent of Elsoth, on which resides much of the empire and its various neighbouring lands and polities, from the Southlands, with its myriad minor polities, as well as the Realm of Hadash. To the west are the southern reaches of the Realm of Intis.
Thasen is mostly nominally a republic. It has a deeply entrenched aristocracy. There is a long tradition of holding votes, but since only aristocrats can vote, it is exceedingly rare for an individual who is not a member of the aristocracy to rise to even a minor position of power. While Thasen's wealth derives from its dominance over maritime trade, it is by far the most restrictive polity in the empire where commoners' trading rights are concerned. Elsewhere in the empire, it is a given that mercantile enterprises involve wealthy commoners. In Thasen, that represents a threat to the aristocracy, who instead operate such businesses directly. It is a habit regarded as peculiar by others in the empire, who discourage speaking of it openly at the imperial court, in case it might give burghers ideas above their station.
The nobility of Thasen had been nearly eradicated during the Greytide and people sought to piece a society back together. In those earliest years after the Greytide, the fledgling empire comprised the Realms of Adana, Hana and Dyria, but did not extend its reach to Thasen. The people of Thasen came together to establish systems of governance, initially at a city level, before there was quite any concept of forming a unified polity once more. Over the coming decades, they formed the League of Thasen, then ultimately proclaimed themselves the Grand Republic of Thasen in the mid-100s. Thasen joined the empire in the mid-200s, long after the initial grouping formed by the Realms of Adana, Hana and Dyria.
Thasen's capital is in the city of Benetta, situated on the Thasund, the sound that links the Encircled Sea to the Elsothian Channel. It is in a prime location to be a major player in maritime trade and has created an appealing environment for merchants from beyond the empire. No single house has a controlling stake in Benetta, which is administered by a council.
Praesens Althario Damiani rules Thasen and his house is currently the most prominent and wealthiest. He does not however wield absolute power. The senate of Thasen is influential and its input on laws cannot safely be ignored by the praesens.