NationStates

The Commonwealth of Taledonia is an island nation of the North Pacific, almost 1000 km off the coast of British Columbia, and roughly 700 km south of Kodiak Island. Encompassing 32,389 km², Taledonia is a land of deep, old woods, frozen mountain ranges and glacial lakes. Temperate and rainy for the majority of the year, December through February see the land transformed into a snowscape. Of particular renown are the Freyja Glaciers, a group of 7 mountain glaciers dating back to the last Ice Age, and which feed the majority of Taledonia's eastern coast. The Cloudburst Mountains, the tallest chain on the island, reach an elevation of 3,857 m above sea level, and dominate the landscape.

The Taledonian economy is heavily resource driven, given the abundance of natural resources found throughout the island. Exports are above imports, though not by much, as the manufacturing industry is rather undeveloped, forcing a relationship of exporting raw materials and importing finished goods, though this is beginning to change as manufacturers are gaining a reputation for high quality, if at somewhat higher cost. The service industry is the second greatest contributor to the economy, with food service and hospitality leading the way.



Society
Stoic, modest, ascetic, independent; these are the words that best describe the denizens of Taledonia. Holding their privacy and freedom as sacrosanct, the demographic of the island has remained largely rural, with urban centers being business and industrial hubs while smaller townships and villages surround them, all of which is interspersed with vast acres of farmland. It is this "Garden City" layout that led to the creation of the various semi-autonomous city-states that form the Commonwealth.

Duty is held as a high virtue, with participation in governance and the military seen as the greatest expression of one's ability to live freely. As such, actively taking part in local government is a large part of social life, while military training is an integral part of most school curriculum. Most men between the ages of 16 to 30 have enrolled at least once to serve in one of the military branches of the Commonwealth, while many more are members of local militias, able to be called upon at a moments notice to protect home and hearth.

Honour and dignity play large parts in Taledonia society, and as a result dueling is an intergral part of the culture. While Taledonians are generally a carefree, good humoured and stoic lot, deliberate offenses are taken very seriously and will most often end in a challenge being offered. If redress is given, the whole affair can be settled amicably, but when neither party will step down, they may apply at the office of a local magistrate or law enforcement branch for a dueling permit and official witness. If both parties willingly sign, then a time and place is set, along with the conditions of the duel. While not all contests are fatal, traditionalists tend to favour swords or single-fire pistols.

Sexually-liberated, Taledonians are none-the-less modest in their affections and manners. While it is not at all taboo, intimacy is seen as a private affair, which is best left for the knowledge of those involved as opposed to society as a whole. Conversation on the topic of fornication isn't considered dinner conversation, but will not elicit strange glances from listeners, nor are Taledonians prudish. Fashion tends to flatter both sexes, with men preferring uniforms, suits and fine but plain fabrics, while women generally dress in flowy but form-fitting gowns and dresses, with lace, silk and gossamer doing wonders to show off plenty of skin while simultaneously leaving much to the imagination.

Religion and Spirituality
Organised religion doesn't have much traction on the island. Spirituality is considered a personal matter unique to the individual and incompatible with organised structures. Though the majority of citizens believe in a type of new age animism or metaphysical belief, with a duality existing between the physical world and the realm of thought, or immaterium. Many people and cities maintain pleasure gardens, taking strength and peace from these bastions of nature within the urban realm, while green architecture is widely popular. Natural running water, such as waterfalls or mountain springs, are held as highly therapeutic to the soul, with bathing in them seen as a way to wash clean ones spirit. That being said, there are various established churches and temples spread throughout the island. The most prevalent, in order of membership, are: Protestant faiths, Roman Catholic, Shinto and Buddhism, Latter-Day Saints, and Greek Orthodox.

Table of Contents

History / Geography / Politics / Foreign Relations / Military

History

Fort Taledon
Discovered in 1778 by the British captain James Cook, the Isle of Taledonia was seen as a valuable asset to hold in the Pacific. With the Western coast of Canada being brought under British control, it was only logical that a naval port be established on the island to act as a forward way station for the Royal Navy. In April of 1780, the Gilded Clover, escorted by HMS Globe and supplied by the Riverwood and the Goldengreen, made land within what would become known as Beaver Bay, which formed a natural harbor against the strong tidal winds. There, the settlers of the Gilded Clover, the Riverwood, the Goldengreen, and the sailors of HMS Globe erected a small wooden fort, which they christened Fort Taledon. The fort proved an effective supply route, and enjoyed the prosperity inherent with the naval traffic. This was made especially so with the creation of the First Fleet in 1787, which was tasked with the colonization of Australia. Between the years 1781 and 1806, Fort Taledon was expanded to include a medium sized harbor and small drydock, a small armory and barracks able to house a hundred soldiers, and a small town had been established outside the fort walls. In 1805, Fort Taledon received its first civilian governor, replacing the military-governor that had been established along with the fort.

The Napoleonic Wars
When war broke out between the French and British empires, Fort Taledon was largely untouched by the affair. In 1807, however, the fort was expanded, allowing for a larger garrison. A prison was also erected, and shortly afterwards began receiving many captured French sailors. From 1807 to 1810, Fort Taledon saw larger naval activity, as the Royal Navy began larger operations in the area to counter similar French activity. On 7 October 1810, with the majority of the Pacific fleet out at sea, a French fleet sailed towards Taledonia and laid siege to the Fort. After a prolonged exchange of cannon fire from the French and the defenders in the fort, it became apparent that the beleaguered garrison would not be able to hold out. On 8 October 1810, the governor officially surrendered Taledonia to the French admiral, who immediately took up residence and garrisoned a large force within the walls and in the town. Much to the surprise of the people, the French remained decent, and did not impose harsh restrictions upon the population.

On 15 February 1811, a fleet of twenty Royal Navy warships arrived at Taledonia and set up a blockade of the island, cutting off the fort and the seven French warships anchored in the harbor from the Pacific. After several attempts at breaking the blockade, through direct engagement, stealth and threats of reinforcement by the French navy, the British finally moved ashore on 23 February. After a pitched battle, the fort was retaken by the Royal Navy, and the surrendered French imprisoned. After a rebuilding effort, which restored the defensive walls to their full strength, the fleet once again moved off to engage elsewhere in the Pacific. From then on until peace broke out in 1815, Taledonia continued its minor role as a prison for captured French soldiers.

Vassal to the Crown
With the defeat of Great Britain's greatest contender, Taledonia was ushered into a period of strong growth. With the Royal Navy's firm control of the seas, and with Britain beginning a push to dominate much of the world, the island became a hot spot of trade and naval activity. As exploitation continued and grew in the Pacific, Taledonia served as a valuable supply port, and many prominent businesses set up warehouses and storefronts, seeing the colony as a secure location to store their goods whilst at the same time being far enough out of the government's eye so as not to interfere with the lucrative opium trade. The expansion of Fort Taledon reached its highest point in 1839, when Queen Victoria announced that she was sending a large expedition to China. In order to accommodate the large amount of goods and naval vessels entering and leaving the island, construction began on a large port that could hold near five hundred vessels, and was lined with large warehouses and garrison quarters.

When the port was finished in 1842, the island of Hong Kong was occupied successfully by the British, and Taledonia was no longer needed as a way-station for the navy. However, with such a large port and the ideal location between China, India, Oceania and North America, traders began to flock to the colony, bringing with them thousands of settlers looking to cash in on the lucrative opportunities arising in the Pacific. In 1844, Fort Taledon bloomed well beyond its fortifications, and was now a city of near a million people. It was at this time that the natural resources of the island were being discovered, and the influx of settlers ensured that it wasn't long before they were being exploited. Within a few months there were several new mining operations, and the lumber industry was booming as merchants sought greater trade fleets to ship the raw materials back to the industrial centers of the Empire.

A World at War
With the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the powder-keg of alliances in Europe exploded into all out war which, due to the colonial nature of the previous century, meant a global conflict. While Taledonia remained far from danger, it was still under the banner of Empire, and as such was required to send soldiers to the front lines. The meager garrisons stationed on the island were moved to reinforce the Australian and New Zealand forces moving to secure German Samoa and New Guinea. With the overwhelming allied forces in the area, as well as the declaration of war from Japan, the German colonies soon fell, and the Taledonian forces were moved to the African theater. Proving ineffective against the guerrilla tactics employed by the Germans under Colonel Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, British High Command ordered the Taledonians redeployed to the European theater, where they took on lighter duty behind the front-lines; garrisoning rear trenches and defending supply routes was about the sum of their efforts.

Following the Armistice, the Taledonian soldiers returned home. Having seen action only in the successful Pacific and African campaigns, and then minor duty in Europe, most were without the mental scarring and shell-shock suffered by many other nations' soldiery. A small economic boom emerged, as the returning soldiers were eager to get to work. This proved invaluable, as the island was able to stave off most of the economic collapse of the Great Depression; though at the cost of becoming a rather isolated economy with few trading partners. During this time, the population regressed somewhat technologically and culturally, returning to simpler farming and manufacturing techniques, as well as reducing markets to the local level.

Politics

The Commonwealth of Taledonia has a republican government. Having long ago found the Westminster-style parliamentary system repulsive, and having seen the noble foundations of the American presidential system fall into corruption and strife during and after the war period, the Taledonian populace looked instead to the examples of Ancient Rome and the Italian States of the 15th-17th century. Florence, the Ambrosian Republic and the Old Swiss Confederacy all provided valuable insight into how a state should be run. The island is split between various Free-Cities, each of which have their own local governments and hold most of the legislative power within their realms. Executive and judicial power is vested nationally within the Senate, whose members represent the landed gentry and are presided over by the co-ruling Consuls.

Purpose of Government
The administration of the state, being that which affects and influences the greatest number of citizens, should be the highest concern of any sovereign people. Government is the foundation of civilization, establishing the basis for all societal mores, traditions, and civic unity. As such, it is of the utmost importance that government be defined, as unambiguously as possible, to ensure a solid foundation for the nation. For the establishment of a free and just society, government must be defined rigidly, to ensure it is as limited in its powers as possible, so that, no matter the ideologies or desires of those in office, the people of Taledonia cannot be prevented from pursuing their chosen paths in life.

Therefore, the founding premise upon which our new government should be formed is: The individual is the sovereign of their own life, willingly partaking in a shared destiny. Proceeding from this central premise, government must be as inobtrusive as possible, acting more as arbiter between citizens rather than director.

Principles of Government
A proper government, established for the preservation of a free and just society, must hold the following principles:


Structure of Government
The Commonwealth of Taledonia is organized as a Unitary Republic, where authority is vested in a single government entity. This entity, whose purpose is to ensure the freedoms and collective goals of the people, will delegate responsibility and authority as necessary to ensure the proper administration of the nation.
In keeping with the principle of Separation of Powers, the government shall be organized into the Executive, Legislative, Judicial, and Civil Service.