Merensk

Merensk
Nation:	Unified Governorates of Benacia
Population:	1,982,444
Predominant language:	Official: Praeta Istvanistani Tolerated: Lakhesian Red Lach Tellian
Main roads:
Major districts:	Panopticon Citadel,
Current mayor:	Salbnan Lysander Falk
Map versions:	8.0.1 - current

Capital, since 1671 AN of the Unified Governorates of Benacia, headquarters of Benacia Command and the Black Legions.

History

As befits the region, the records concerning Merensk are sparse - at best, even down to modern times on account of the frequent calamities which overwhelmed the continent. Known to the Ashkenatzim as Introbsk. It can be determined that the city was confirmed as the seat of the Lichgraviate of Lachmeren in the year 1635 and, as part of the Lichnina, it was ruled by a Lichgrave serving as royal governor appointed at the behest of the Empress of Minarboria, who was herself - needless to say - also a revenant. It was a peculiar time in the history of the continent, when corpses were in many cases more animated than their living counterparts. This arrangement, periodically reaffirmed, endured for the duration of the reign of the undead over southern Benacia.

The population of the city during that period comprised of a Laqi majority whose heritage dated back to their settlement in the region following the collapse of the Laqi Free State.

The city's garrison was drawn from local military units of the Lachmeren Military District, which were the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Lachmeren Regiments and the 3rd Pergola (Air Defence) Regiment.

There are indications that, during the restoration of human rule (1649–1650), Merensk somehow survived being on the receiving of the attentions of one Kizzy Drakland. Merensk was reported at that time to have been relatively stable, it had been claimed by Shireroth rather quickly with no local opposition. The people of Lachmeren were reported to have regarded Shireroth as the lesser of two evils, the greater evil being left to the Green or other foreign powers. Considering the famous antipathy of Minarboreans towards the Imperial Republic it is entirely possible that this assessment was the product of the imagination of an overly optimistic Salbnan trying to curry favour with High Command in Shirekeep.

Indications exist that Tapferite bosarchs conducted missionary work in the region of Merensk, even obtaining dispensation to splash passers-by with goats milk as part of their missionary work. Fortunately this appears to have left no lasting impact upon the wider population.

More serious however was growth of daemonic cults in Lachmeren, again under the tutelage and indulgence of Kizzy Drakland, who had acquired for herself the title of "Daemon-Queen" of Malarboria. The practice of overt daemon-worship, in addition to causing significant tensions with Imperial authorities, also began to stoke resentments amongst Merensk' multi-ethnic population. Matters would be soon brought to a head during the Folksraad elections of 1660 which saw a disparate coalition of minority parties, quietly supported by sympathetic outsiders take on the Loyalist Legion, the puppet party of the Daemon-Queen.

The sequence in which revolutions and emigrations saw Malarboria replaced by Modan, and Modan replaced by Malarboria-Modan in turn, need not concern us here but we can note that at the end of this sequence Merensk was elevated in status, in the year 1668, by becoming the capital of the consolidated subdivisions of Lywall, Lachmeren, and Angularis, henceforth called Malarboria. This arrangement itself would only last four years until the events of the Kalirion Fracture would overwhelm the continent once again, and this time see Merensk arise from the wreckage of the old Imperial order as the capital of the Unified Governorates of Benacia and the foremost citadel of the Black Legions.