Government and Industry of Bastok

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Administrative Organization

The Bastok Metalworks is the government sector of the Republic of Bastok. It also houses the smithing guild, the laboratory of the engineer Cid and embassies from San d'Oria and Windurst.

The modern-day Republic is run as a democracy with the officials being elected every few years. The government is run by a President, Senate and devided into Departments to handle the administrative duties.

Some include:

- Public Works
- Mining
- Trade
- Metal Works
- Cannonry

The most influential of the departments has always been the Mining Department reflecting that the major enconomic force remains the mining and crafting of ores.

President

The President is elected from among the Hume Populace every few years. The President is very active in deciding on issues though deffers much of his power to his Aide. The current Bastokan Head of State is President Karst.

Presidential Aide

The Aide is assigned with much of the internal duties especially trying to keep goodwill between the Hume and Galka populations. The Current Aide is Lucius.

Senate

The Senate is the backbone of the Republic. They run the Departments and day to day operations of the government so that the President and his Aide can deal with matters of the most importance. Of all the Senators historically the Senator of the Department of Mining has had the most influence.

Metalworks and Chief Engineer

Chief Engineer Cid and his expansive team of engineers and inventors work tirelessly to create the many technologies that keep Bastok running. It is rumored that Cid has begun to rival the Jeunoan airship technology with that of his own. Darksteel and cermet refinery, mining technologies, elevators, and more were all innovations of the Metalworks.

Military Organization

Military campaigns are designed by the Dept. of Defense but are approved by the Senate and President. The army as a whole is an organized Militia with the bulk of soldiers being citizens and adventurers who join as part of a conscription system. Even most of the soldiers who are in the legions that make up the core of the army tend to not be career soldiers.

The Republican Legions

The legions, of which there are four (including a naval legion), are the main fighting forces of the Republican army.The smallest unit of a legion is called a contubernium, and consists of ten soldiers led by a Decurian. Ten contuberniums form one centuria led by a Centurion, and a cohors (led by a Praefectus) is formed by nine centuria plus a unit of Musketeers. A single legion (led by a Legatus) is formed with seven cohors plus three thousand extra soldiers, including: heavy infantry, cannoneers, and supply troops. In times of peace one legion and one naval unit are all that is active with anyone of less than Decurion rank held in reserve. Also a person can have another take their place for active duty, and there are many cases of Humes offering to pay the poverty-striken Galka to stand in for them, these Galka become career soldiers and ultimately strengthen the legions. The branches of the military go as follows:

Invincible Shield is a renowned Bastokan hero due to his rank of Legatus of the 3rd Division during the Crystal War. Ater the Great War, Invincible Shield retired from his position of legatus, and spent the next several years writing the world-renowned “Ginuva's Battle Theory” while continuing service in the Republican Army’s first reserve. However, during a tour of inspection encompassing several countries in the Far East, Invincible Shield obtained crucial information that hinted at impending danger for Bastok and eventually all Vana'diel. Upon his return to the Republic, he immediately reenlisted himself in the army and returned to his position as legatus. Invincible Shield's current duties focus on the retraining and reeducation of the Republican Army's forces using methods based on various Conflict exercises.

Iron Musketeers:

These are a permanent unit commanded by the Trade Defense section of the Department of Industry. Originally developed to protect established trade routes in and out of Bastok, it spends much of its time these days battling the Quadav. A company is led by a Musketeer Commander, and is made up of ten Senior Musketeers, and thirty Junior Musketeers. Currently there are roughly one hundred companies, all of their members pulled from the best soldiers in the Republic's legions.

Gold Musketeers:

A permanent investigation unit commanded by the Surveyor Section of the Dept. of Mining, the Gold Musketeers are charged primarily with discovering promising seams of ore. Often the Gold Musketeers are called up on to scout foreign lands and enemy territories usually by hook or by crook. Often finding themselves in remote areas with little supplies and communication with their company and Bastok impossible, each gold musketeer is rigorously trained to be self-sufficient. They are similarly structured to Iron Musketeers and currently sixty companies are known to exist.

The Mythril Musketeers

Answering only to the direct orders of President Karst, the Mythril Musketeers are entrusted with a number of tasks crucial to the well-being of the Republic. From the protection of government officials to the eradication of encroaching beastmen forces, there is nothing these elite fighters cannot handle. They are typically stationed outside the president's office.

Members:

Captain Volker- The champion of Bastok, believed by many to have delivered the final blow to the Shadow Lord at the end of the Great War. He is the nephew of Ulrich, the previous Captin of the Mythril Musketeers.

Zeid- (Hume-given name War Cloud) is a much respected Galka Dark Knight and second in command of The Mythril Musketeers. Though he has been missing since shortly after the end of the Crystal War there are reports he has been seen by adventurers outside the city.

Iron Eater- He is a Galka and thrid in command of the The Mythril Musketeers. His true name is Pagdako. He plays a major role throughout the political goings on in the capital and has been assigned to personally guard the president.

Ayame- A young hume samurai who made the prodigious distinct of making the Mythril Musketeers at only 20 years old. She is the 4th in command and spends much of her time negoiating Bastok's dealings with other nations.

Naji- This young hume is the rookie on the Mythril Musketeers and though he's a little inexperienced compared to the others he didn't reach this position for nothing. Like Ayame his talent was impressive enough to Iron Eater in a sparring match to make the team at only 20 years of age. He currently guards the Metal Works.

Darksteel Musketeers:

Although unconfirmed, it is rumored that there is a branch of soldiers that answer only to the Senate. These rumored Darksteel Musketeers are allegedly assigned to jobs involving assassination, espionage, blackmail, and sabotage. It is said that this branch of the military is made of adventurer volunteers of all nations who receive excellent monetary compensation for their services to the Republic.

Industry

Bastok was originally built on the wealth gained from the
mining of mythril, a precious metal. But with recent developments in metal refining and processing techniques, Bastok has become famous as a craftsman's town.

Because of the desolate areas in and around Bastok they have little in the way of growing food themselves, besides popotoes, or supplying livestok with food. For this reason they rely on trade heavily for the necessities.

Mining, Crafting and Technology

Beyond the refinement of iron, the craftsmen of Bastok have made numerous breakthroughs with new kinds of metal, such as mythril, darksteel, and cermet. The research of Cid, a genius engineer, has led to the development of engines that utilize crystal energy and allow rapid advances in technology.

Supplying craftsmen around the world and sharing technolgies that Bastok has in abundance has made the few elite at the top very wealthy, typically the Hume, and just enough to provide the necessities for the rest.

Many trader's have come and made Bastok their home since they can get much of thier materials there and export goods.

Links

FF Wiki: Vana' diel

FFXI Article: The Mythril Musketeers

Volker

FFXI Encyclopedia: Zeid

FFXI Encyclopedia: Iron Eater

FFXI Encyclopedia: Ayame

FFXI Encyclopedia: Lucius

FFXI Wiki: Invincible Shield

FFXI Wiki: Bastok NPCs