The average citizen spends the majority of their day working as a source of income to afford the taxes levied against them and the costs of living in Estrago. The vast majority of careers involve manual labor: lumber, farming, mining, and fishing. These sectors of economic productivity are dominated by a few large corporations that desperately struggle for control over their respective markets. Through their wealth and dominance over the economy, these companies wield a great deal of influence over the policies set by the Estragon government. Among these mega-corporations, the druids are the foremost group; they have solidified their base of power by monopolizing the growth of a rare breed of magical mushrooms. These fungi possess the ability to cure any form of sickness or disease that is found within Estrago, yet their sale is controlled to ensure greater economic prosperity and growth. By limiting the supply available for sale, the druids ensure the individual price of each mushroom remains extremely high, and the demand for their powers ensures that afflicted citizens will do whatever is necessary to acquire them. This, combined with their profitability through export to international markets, ensures that the crop is a core component of the Estrago economy, so they wield the greatest influence over the Estragon government and its citizens.  

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The government and economy of Estrago are closely intertwined. Because council officials are elected to serve as local representatives, major corporations or wealthy individuals can serve as benefactors to prospective candidates. The elections of Estrago are decided by the amount of money individual candidates are able to raise during their campaign process.  In this way, governmental seats are literally bought rather than won by strength of position or representation; subsequently, council members become slaves to the will of the corporations that purchased their seat. They must follow the wishes and demands of their backers, for pursuing individual goals risks alienating the people that determine your ability to win future elections. This motivates all people to achieve the greatest level of individual wealth possible, so they can have an impact on the outcomes of elections, for wealth is the determinant of political power in Estrago. For this reason, the corporations of Estrago are determined to make life as expensive as possible for the average person as possible. If standard citizens are forced to dedicate their lives towards work, they will not be able to rally against the corporations that oppress them, and they will not have the financial means to oppose companies during election periods. This has led to the wealthy and powerful pushing prices as high as possible without provoking violent revolts while the populus can only work harder or take on more dangerous occupations to feed themselves and their families.  

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 Because the mushroom business employs a small percentage of the population, especially compared to its relative power in the economy, most citizens seek their income through other avenues of productivity. In terms of employed individuals, the food sector dominates the economy; the majority of the population is employed by companies that achieve a profit through production of food for consumption by the general populus. Most are employed either directly by farms and fisheries or by companies seeking to refine these products into food for consumption; similarly, many are employed by companies seeking to harness the natural forests of Estrago for their lumber. This product is then transported to be converted to materials that can be utilized for a variety of purposes: construction, manufacturing, and shipping. With regards to menial labor, the mining companies are the last major component of Estrago’s economy. Of all the forms of economic productivity besides mushroom growth, mining is the most profitable for both worker and corporation, for the mines of Estrago are rich in gems as well as metals; however, the conditions for each of the workers are often brutal. Amongst all the different occupations held by the people of Estrago, violations of worker’s rights and dangerous working conditions are most common within the mines; despite this, people are drawn to a life below ground by the financial opportunities it provides.  

 

Finally, a small sect of the population engages in more educated or enlightened crafts. The most prominent are in managerial roles, for corporations need people versed in economic theory to successfully oversee them. The individuals that have a hand in these companies are educated to provide a competitive edge, and they achieve great financial success through association with  the most profitable entities in the state. In addition, banking institutions are owned and managed by well-educated individuals comparative to the rest of the population. By controlling the finances of all people, from the wealthiest person to the person, these people have achieved a level of profitability and financial stability that is unobtainable to the average person. In terms of individuals within Estrago, these citizens, the ones who have a hand on the financial heartbeat of the state, have the greatest level of wealth and power.  

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Currently, villages form the economic backbone of Estrago. As seen below, these population centers provide workers for local industrial sites, and serve as a location to centralize resources for transportation throughout the state and beyond. These villages function as an extended family for all of the residents that live there, for the children of the village are raised during the working hours by the elders of the village. By freeing parents from their child-rearing responsibilities during the day, all working aged adults are able to be an active member of Estrago’s workforce, so the individual income of each citizen and family is greater while the total economic productivity of Estrago increases; however, this decision has not been made solely out of interest for greater prosperity. High tax rates and increases in individual cost of living, primarily due to the influence of corporations in government, have forced people into the workforce to meet the financial burdens of life in Estrago.