IC Portion of the Application1. What is the official name of your nation? The Bundesrepublik of Austrakia
2. What type of government currently runs your nation? An authoritarian nation under the GNP political party, who were elected democratically in 2015. The opposition parties are not outlawed, but their activities are strongly ‘discouraged’ and curtailed. While Chancellor Kürzen has remained aloof, his government agencies have made sure to crack down on any perceived dissension.
4. Your Head of State: Chancellor Heinz Kürzen
5. What is your national population? 19 million
6. What type of economy operates your nation? A mix of state run and private enterprise, although with sanctions, a lot of companies have failed. The economy is stagnant due to sanctions proposed and enforced by Neu Engollon in response to the GNP taking power. A very few select nations will trade with Austrakia, but as the economy rapidly declines, things are becoming more desperate and bleak.
7. Give us a brief description of your nation (culture, society, spirituality, politics, climate, geography, etc.)Part of the heart of Teutonic culture in Madurin, Austrakians are very proud of their heritage and ancient tribal culture. At the high of the Greater Teutonic Empire, a political union with Reinhalt, the other main Teutonic state in Madurin, they controlled many parts of neighboring modern day nations like
Taranima.
Prior to the formation of Greater Teutonia, eastern cantons of Neu Engollon were, for a time, heavily under the control of Austrak nobles and the early independence movement, led by Wilhelm Tell and his descendants, fought the Austraks and pushed them out of the Teutonic cantons. Several more intrusions into Neu Engollian affairs led to a Federal Army pushing out the Austraks once and for all in the 15th century. The growth of Neu Engollian power in that same era pushed the Austrakian states closer into union, as well as a union with their cousins in
Reinhalt, under the leadership of Kaiser Werner II.
Several Slavic ethnics, remnants of the former Austrak-Reinhalt empire, call the Bundesrepublik home. Like their brethren in other non-Slav dominated nations like Neu Engollon, the Roman Free States, and Gaul, they have struggled for their rights and equality in Madurin.
Religion has a subdued place in Austrak society, with a sizable minority of people being Lutheran Protestant, and the rest of those hailing to any religion claiming Orthodoxy, Judaism, or Paganism.
The Gründer Nationalistische Partei, or GNP, has been deemed right wing nationalist and even fascistic by many outsiders. Austrakia has often been under authoritarian regimes, but the GNP pales in comparison to the national socialists that held power during the Great War. Austrakia continues to struggle between those wanting a return to more open democratic values and those who feel that the GNP offers the best counterance to Neu Engollian strangling of their nation and economy.
To handle internal dissension, the BMI, Bundesministerium für Inneres, has cracked down severely in the last decade. Very vocal anti-government Austraks have disappeared over the last decade, some never to re-appear. The food ration lines are getting longer. There is an often stressed and frustrated feeling of the common classes at both their own government’s inaction and the other sanctioning Western Madurin governments, that sometimes results in full blown riots at its worst.
Externally, the BND, the intelligence organization has worked to bring some security to the Bundesrepublik through operations against several other Western Madurinite nations, and some Tavlyrian nations. Unlike some of the other Teremaran intelligence organizations, they do not have any reach outside of the region, but they don’t have much concern outside the region, either.
Austrakia and Neu Engollon fought a major war one hundred years ago and have fought several border skirmishes since due to their mistrust of each other. Relations have not improved with continuing intrigue and detention of each others’ nationals. Embassies have been withdrawn from each other’s territory and many negotiations are conducted on the bridges that connect the two nations over the Thal Fluss. It could be a future hot spot in the region if the two nations resort to full blown war.
The Bundesrepublik has a lot of minor mountain ranges, valleys and shares the Alps with Neu Engollon, Gaul and the Roman Free States. It has the Danvard River that runs through most of the nation and lakes, but it is landlocked otherwise and relies on trade from neighbors that ignore the Neu Engollian driven sanctions. The weather tends to be cool to frigid throughout the year.
IC Portion of the Application1. What is the official name of your nation? The Republic of Falkasia
2. What type of government currently runs your nation? Single-party Hereditary Dictatorship
3. Your Head of Government: Premier Vladimir Kazyenko
4. Your Head of State: Premier Vladimir Kazyenko
5. What is your national population? 35 million
6. What type of economy operates your nation? Predominantly laissez-faire capitalism with “quality-of-life” governmental regulation
7. Give us a brief description of your nation (culture, society, spirituality, politics, climate, geography, etc.)Falkasia is a Nordic-Slavic nation situated in north-central Tavlyria. Its northernmost regions are comprised of snowdrift laden tundras, interspaced by central grasslands in the center, and ending in chaparral brushland to the south. Historically, Falkasia is a “post-Soviet” state having operated a pseudo-puppet to a large communist regime during the majority of the 20th centry. Its people, strongly independent with a defined national identity, broke away following their overlord’s collapse and reformed as a nation. The Kazyenko family, with their historic ties to the anachronistic Falkasian and Gragastavian aristocracies, was entrusted by the people to rule the country. Roman Kazyenko, who led from 1991 until his death in 2000, was succeeded by his son Vladimir in early 2001.
In the short two decades since, Vladimir has re-invigorated the Falkasian economy and rebuilt much of the country’s aging infrastructure. Falkasians are among the most prosperous and wealthy in the region, and they try to keep it that way by avoiding unnecessary conflicts or intrigues. Although possessing a numerically small professional force, the highly-disciplined Falkasian military fields advanced, sometimes seemingly arcane, technology that results in battlefield dominance. The FSIS, or Falkasian Special Intelligence Service, ensures that all branches of the military and civilian government are kept aware of threats internal and abroad; even if their motives and end objectives may not always align with Kazyenko’s doctrine. Major population centers include the capitol Ekaterine, where both the seat of government and major government and financial institutions reside. Volsk, being Falkasia’s only port city, sits on the almost perpetually-frozen Falkasian Gulf. Save for two months in summer, the only way to access the port is via ice lanes plowed and patrols by a small fleet of icebreakers. Stana sits to the south along the tumultuous border with Gragastavia, and boasts both a uniquely blended culture and architectural style.
The Falkasian government is headed by Vladimir Kazyenko, with power expected to be passed down to a to-be-designated heir following his death. Vladimir currently has no blood relatives, family, or significant others to speak of. In lieu, he surrounds himself with an assortment of professional Ministers and advisors who manage the everyday functions of Falkasia and his government. As a matter of principle, due in part to both the collective perspective of Falkasian culture and Kazyenko’s own views, the government does not meddle in economic or private affairs of its citizens. Minimal oversight and regulation is levied to ensure safety and health for all citizens and the nation at large. Beyond this layer of oversight, citizens are free to do as they please so long as such actions do not impact the wellbeing of others. Remarkably, this hands-off mentality has led to a stable and surprisingly happy population despite the persistence of underground unsavory elements and questionable practices.
Diplomatically, Falkasia is generally seen as isolationist and neutral. While Gaulic apologists are always quick to cast accusatory fingers at Falkasia, rarely does the nation involve itself in conflicts without there first being a present threat to the nation. The prime, and rare, exception being when such a conflict ultimately serves Falkasia’s best interests.
IC Portion of the Application1. What is the official name of your nation? The Republic of Terre Des Gaules (Gaul)
2. What type of government currently runs your nation? Parliamentary Republic
3. Your Head of Government: President Michel Trevalle
4. Your Head of State: Prime Minister Bertrand St. Vitroix
5. What is your national population? 79 million
6. What type of economy operates your nation? A mix of socialism and capitalism unique to the Republic. They are very interdependent on the other nations of Western Madurin, especially Neu Engollon, their closest trading partner. They export fine luxury gourmet goods to the rest of the region, including a robust wine trade.
7. Give us a brief description of your nation (culture, society, spirituality, politics, climate, geography, etc.)Gaulic culture runs deep and they have a well established sense of superiority over the many other ethnic groups in the region and the world. This led in part to their lust for empire, along with pragmatic concerns for resources and power bases. Now that the Gaulic Empire is long gone, with only remnants of territory left in corners of the region and world, such as Dachine and Marveille, the Gauls continue to struggle with the excesses of past generations and try to make right their subjugation of other cultures. Waves of immigration, mostly from former colonies, have in turn given over to waves of xenophobia and race riots, but slowly, a new polyglot Gaulic identity is taking shape in the modern age and the days of race and anti-immigrant riots seem to be fading.
Along with the dozens of different ethnic immigrant minorities now present in Gaul, the sizeable native Bosque minority, numbering about half a million people claim a homeland in the Northeast of the Republic. They have been heavily persecuted by the surrounding Gauls. It is ironic to many considering that the Bosques have more generational claim to the area than the Gauls, who arrived slightly later on the Western Madurin peninsula in ancient times. Bosques have struggled over the recent decades to get equal rights and be respected as contributors to Gaul.
There is a class system, but it is not as pronounced or clear as it is to its eastern neighbor, Neu Engollon. A lot of the divide lays in generational and immigration lines.
Many Gauls are Catholic, with a smattering of Huguenots, Protestants, Muslims from Southern Tavlyria and Pagan and Norse immigrants from Northern Tavlyria. Religion does not have a big bearing on government in the Republic.
Politics are divided pretty typically between liberals and conservatives that each share about half a dozen parties that must work to form coalitions to run the country.
Gaul has a moderate to maritime climate in the north, center, and west, while to the south it has a balmy, Mediterranean climate. To the northeast and east, Gaul shares mountains and foothills of the Alps with their eastern neighbors, Neu Engollon and Taranima. The mountainous northeast corner is where the Bosques call home.
IC Portion of the Application1. What is the official name of your nation? The Grand Duchy of Glisandia
2. What type of government currently runs your nation? Absolute monarchy. The prior parliament was dissolved during the War and Yellowsian occupation. Efforts are under way to reinstate the legislative body, but as of yet have so far been unsuccessful, even though desired by much of the population. Members of Parliament are often targets of the Holy Domain, unless they have secret agreements with the fanatical Christian rebels, hence the lack of candidates.
3. Your Head of Government: Prime Minister Einar Wolfursson
4. Your Head of State: Grand Duke Henryk Pierdcziensky
5. What is your national population? 33 million6. What type of economy operates your nation? Capitalism, but the economy has not recovered very well from the war, and to be truthful, it wasn’t doing that well beforehand. Some of the products that are exported are dairy (which is of poor quality in comparison to Western Madurin and Southern Tavlyrian exports), office furniture, and orthopaedic devices. There is very little market for Glisandian products and a lot of imports are far out of affordable range of the average Glisandian.
7. Give us a brief description of your nation (culture, society, spirituality, politics, climate, geography, etc.)Most Glisandians are descended from their former parent nation, Yellowsia, and Glisja and Yelskja are dialects of the same root language. They share the same version of Norse faith and many of the same cultural traditions. That being said, the two nations are like hateful cousins and stand by their minor differences. They have fought many wars against each other since the split. There is also a sizable Polish/Slavic (also mostly Catholic) minority in the Grand Duchy, and the current ruling royal house is of Pole-Slav descent. In the south, there are a handful of smaller ethnic minorities shared with northwest YSR.
The civil war that resulted after the Yellowsian invasion and gave birth to the Holy Domain has put a damper on recovery, despite the generous Western Madurin aid that continues to flow in.
IC Portion of the Application1. What is the official name of your nation? The Democratic Republic of Gragastavia
2. What type of government currently runs your nation? Gragastavia is a “democratic” presidential federal republic with power divided between an executive, legislative, and judicial branch. The executive and judicial branches are made up of the Office of the President of the Republic and the Federal Court, respectively. The legislature is bicameral with power separated between the Federal Assembly and the Federal Council.
3. Your Head of Government: President Farouk Hussein (discussed further below) is the most senior member of the civil service and can appoint cabinet ministers with the approval of a majority of all legislators.
4. Your Head of State: President Farouk Hussein, a former military officer who served as King Siegfried II’s chief of staff during the transition, leveraged his position to win political acclaim and achieve electoral success in the nation’s first presidential election since the partition. He is due for re-election in 2024.
5. What is your national population? 55 million
6. What type of economy operates your nation? The Gragastavian economy is fiercely capitalist with little, if anything, in the way of regulation. Due especially to rampant collusion and corruption among government officials, not much headway has been made in the way of reducing the impact that companies have on influencing national policy that concerns them. Except to address major market failures that are found to have a significant detrimental impact on Gragastavian society, very little is done to rein in the economic growth and development.
7. Give us a brief description of your nation (culture, society, spirituality, politics, climate, geography, etc.)Prior to the partition, Gragastavia was a nation sharply divided between the more secular north and the fundamentalist south. An intersection of many different cultures and religions, Gragastavia has been a cosmopolitan society throughout much of its history. Cultural clashes have plagued the nation in some form or another for centuries. Religious conflicts, especially between the Polatilians and Muslims, have been commonplace and still inform much of the animosity between Gragastavia and South Gragastavia to this day. Indeed, ever since the Polatilian Revolution and the assumption of the throne by the Schechtmann dynasty in the 1700s, the discord between Muslims and Polatilians in Gragastavia has been a permanent feature of the national landscape.
This long-standing dispute eventually boiled over into the Gragastavian Civil War (or the Islamic Revolution, as others would frame it) that saw the southern half of the nation declare and win independence from the north. Despite significant foreign support, the desert climate simply proved too much for the conventional forces of the north to be able to defeat the southern insurgency. The succession conflict between the designated heir to the throne Josephine and the slighted heir-apparent Siegfried further drove a wedge in northern resolve, as the future King Siegfried’s first priority was to sue for peace with the South Gragastavians. Siegfried has since abdicated the throne and abolished the monarchy, leaving the new Gragastavian republic with a significant power vacuum as they struggle to redefine themselves in this new era.
Despite this, the power of Gragastavian industry has remained resolute. In fact, with the peace settlement, the nation’s economy has rebounded significantly as the uncertainty of war no longer haunts investors and executives. Entrepreneurship has always been a significant aspect of Gragastavian culture, as it is not unknown for compromised intelligence agents to try to sell timeshares to their captors, and the decrease in arms manufacturing has led to a growth in the consumer goods market. Even with this economic development, however, wealth disparity and social stratification remains a major problem that looms over Gragastavian society, as the cost of living has increased while wages have largely remained stagnant and may even decrease with more soldiers returning to civilian life.
While jokes about Gragastavia’s climate ranging from rocky deserts to sandy desert are accurate for the most part, there is still some variation in environment. The northern border with Falkasia is a rocky shrubland, which transitions into the vast swathes of sand that Gragastavia is known for. Coastal areas, most notably along the banks of the River Duhaba including the city of Al-Duhaba, tend to be lusher than the surrounding deserts due greater amounts of water available for vegetation. The border with South Gragastavia is known for immense sand dunes and general barrenness, although camel caravans are not an uncommon sight making the dangerous trek across the desert.
IC Portion of the Application1. What is the official name of your nation? The Confederacy of Neu Engollon
2. What type of government currently runs your nation? A direct democracy up to the Federal level. The Federal Assembly is made up of representatives voted in by their cantons, the number of cantonal representatives varies. A Federal Council acts as the cabinet for the Council President. Informally, there is another layer of government of the major oligarch families that run the Confederacy such as the Tells and Tofts.
3. Your Head of Government: Federal Council President Brigitte Garavano. She is about to run for re-election.
4. Your Head of State: Confederacy President Jean Kriegman handles the ceremonial duties for the Federal Council. He has had 4 successive terms so far. It is important to note that his cousin, Napoleon Kriegman, is a wanted fugitive and war criminal that runs his own band of mercenaries that will do any number of vile things for money.
5. What is your national population? The population of the Confederacy hovers around 38 million people, with 14 million of them packed in the greater Burgunden metropolitan area.
6. What type of economy operates your nation? Capitalism with some mild government regulation. The oligarchs that own the major conglomerates are the major power families of the nation. A lot of the Confederacy’s economy is geared towards global hospitality, food and beverage industries with such brands as Presarius Plaza Hotels,
Burgunden Breus, and
Terembev having thousands of locations the world over.
Another large industry is technology, both civilian and military. The largest example of these strong tech companies would be
Schwyz Defense Systems.[/ur].
Lastly, one of the largest unique industries of Neu Engollon has been private military contracting, or mercenaries, if you prefer a bolder term.
Private soldiers throughout the region’s history of conflicts have seemed to have been dominated by nationals from Neu Engollon. Several hundreds of private military and security companies have been established in the small central Western Madurin nation, but the most infamous and lasting has been the Uli-Schwyz, or [url=https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=195503]USG Security Corporation as it is referred to these days.
7. Give us a brief description of your nation (culture, society, spirituality, politics, climate, geography, etc.)Neu Engollon is a crossroads for Gaulic, Teutonic and Roman/Latin cultures in Madurin. The Gaulic and Teutonic (Austrak or Reinhalter) ethnicities are the larger of the groups. There have been tensions in the past, especially with the Gaulic invasion at the end of the 18th century, in which the Gaulic ethnics were seen as fifth columnists; and during the Austrak border war when the Teutonic ethnics were viewed similarly by the other two groups. There is a fourth, smaller ethnic group of Slavs, remnants of the former Austrak-Reinhalt and Taraniman empires mostly consolidated in the far north. In recent years, the Slavic-Neu Engollians have fought for more rights and recognition in the Confederacy, rightfully feeling that they have been treated as second class citizens. Neu Engollon has welcomed small waves of immigrants over the last few decades with stringent screening. Many of them have been from Wishtonia, refugees of the Hutanjian War, and from Southern Tavlyrian, escaping the conflicts there.
There is a loose class system, with the oligarchical families like the Tofts and Tells at the top, along with some top military and political families. Many of the top power political, military, and oligarchy families are intermingled. Another layer of oligarchs and capitalist families and figures is below that, with an upper middle/white collar, lower middle, blue collar/working, and immigrant labor classes beneath.
There are some Christians in Neu Engollon, but a good portion of the modern nation is agnostic/atheist and religion has no influence on how the state is run. Some ancient Madurinite Orthodox and Catholic orders had influence in the early centuries of the Confederacy, and some historic cathedrals and sites are scattered throughout the nation to bear proof to their influence, but religion is quite marginalized now in modern Neu Engollian society.
Sport is a big part of Neu Engollian society and the nation’s teams have won a world cup in both rugby and hockey, as well as participating in several other sports including the Teremaran Winter and Summer Olympics delegations. Neu Engollians excel at many winter sports like skiing, curling, dog sledding and biathlon. Many famous tennis players have hailed from the Confederacy like Paul Quiront (who was also a one time mayor of Albertville), and Marlena Girard, although with the pullout of the NETC (Neu Engollian Tennis Committee) from the world federation, tennis has lost some popularity. The National Championship Opens still seem to be fairly popular.
Garavano’s political coalition rode into power in 2014 in direct public reaction to the policies of President Alainsburg and the Central Federalist Party (CFP). Brigitte Garavano was a prominent Ciavno politician in the local branch of the Alpine Democrats. There was strong repulsion in the nation to the CFP’s push to integrate with the WMTA (Western Madurin Treaty Alliance) and contribute Neu Engollian troops to the peacekeeping forces in southern and northern Tavlyria. The feeling was that Alainsburg and the CFP were skirting the neutrality clauses of the constitution and risking national security in aid of the Western Madurin alliance. Shortly after the election, and with the successful conclusion of the Northern Tavlyrian War forcing the YSR to sign the Treaty of Frardjol, Neu Engollon began an immediate pullback of troops and a downgrade to observer status in the WMTA (Now succeeded by the TSO).
The CFP is strongly funded by the oligarch families and has popular support within the military and intelligence communities of the Confederacy. The coalition of Alpine Democrats, Ligurian Republicans and Rivieran Bridgers can claim popular support from the middle and working classes. Though CFP lacks popular support, they have the power brokers to make things happen. They are staging a comeback and working on winning rural, conservative support.
There is a noticeable climate divide between the southern third of the Confederacy, which is of a balmy, Mediterranean climate made up of territory won during the liberation of the nation from Gaulic control in the early 19th century, the plains and low hills of the central part of the nation, and the Alps and smaller mountain ranges of the north, which has a cooler climate most of the year. The mindset between the three is almost as extreme as the divides between the three main ethnic groups of the Confederacy.
IC Portion of the Application1. What is the official name of your nation? The Islamic Republic of Qasifya
2. What type of government currently runs your nation? A parliamentary system was set up, but the parliament was dissolved 17 years ago and never reinstated. The central government has little control outside the capital of Jamfar and hasn’t had much of any control in some time.
3. Your Head of Government: President Hassan Al-Zhouri
4. Your Head of State: Prime Minister Zayim Fouzani
5. What is your national population? 11.5 million
6. What type of economy operates your nation? Barter system is in place with the local currency too inflated to be worth anything. Most financial transactions are conducted with Gragastavian riyals, Falkasian dinars, or Prostoreich marks.
7. Give us a brief description of your nation (culture, society, spirituality, politics, climate, geography, etc.)Qasifyans are descended from the same tribes that have roamed the south deserts of Tavlyria for ages. The Arabic population is by far the most dominant, with smaller minorities of Berbers, Bedouins, and Turkic people. They are closely related to the people of Gragastavia and Figuerroa. It was part of the Great Terim Caliphate for centuries, with many famous imams, statesmen, and scientists hailing from the area.
During the colonial rush, Qasifya was one of the first footholds of the Gauls, who spread out from the Marveille peninsula into the surrounding rocky areas in search of mineral resources and the famed Southern Tavlyrian trade routes. With the large garrison in Marveille, they defeated the local tribes allied to the Terim Caliphate. The Gauls would later push out the last of the Terim Caliphate from Qasifya in a series of conflicts, allying with the Reinhalters in order to claim Southwest Tavlyria for the Madurinite Christians. They confidently established a proper colony. Qasifyans were brought to Western Madurin and to other Gaulic colonies in Wishtonia to work mines and plantations for meager wages, if any.
Marveille was a major staging base during several regional conflicts and was the center of Gaulic rule in Qasifya, even though Jamfar was the traditional capital as far as the local population were concerned.
Resistance groups formed and eventually consolidated under the banner of the Qasifyan Liberation Army to throw off their colonial rulers.
For a decade and a half, the QLA waged a dirty, bloody struggle against the Gaulic occupiers, until, with everything unraveling in multiple colonies, the Gauls caved, signing over the country to the new local leadership with the stipulation that they be allowed to hang onto the port of Marveille for 50 years, and by referendum every 10 years after that mark. The first referendum vote was a landslide for remaining a Gaulic protectorate, with a very small percentage for independence and less than a percent for reunification with Qasifya.
For the next 3 decades, the small republic struggled to get established, negotiating deals with resource companies in the region and dealing with major internal strife. They pushed back one major incursion from Gragastavia in the 1970’s with Gaulic support.
Gaul remained a strong presence, retaining many links and concerns. Central authority broke down and warlords rose up, thwarting the authority of the central government and attacking the foreign run mines. In the 1990’s, a newly reformed QLA declared a jihad on Gaul, the Westerners, and any other foreigners that interfered in Qasifya. They started a terror campaign, culminating in the bombings of the Marveille Governor’s mansion, taking out the territory's leadership; and the LeClerc airport bombing in Paritte in 2010, which killed hundreds.
An outraged Gaul had had enough and demanded revenge. They staged an invasion through Marveille and building a coalition of Western Madurin nations to quell the warlords and hunt down the terrorists. The coalition would form the backbone of the newly formed Teremaran Security Organization, which succeeded the WMTA. The TSO tasked itself with getting regional security under control, and would later respond to the YSR invasion of Glisandia and Jumnia.
After several years, and most of the other nations dropping out, with many of the top leadership of the QLA decimated, Gaul declared victory in Qasifya and pulled back. They would, however, go in several more times in raids on QLA strongholds and training camps and to punish the warlords who supported them.
1. What is the official name of your nation? The Federation of Roman States
Also known as the Roman Federated States, and the Roman Free States
2. What type of government currently runs your nation? A unicameral parliament run by a Prime Minister.
3. Your Head of Government: Prime Minister Alberto Fergaloni
4. Your Head of State: President Marco Perontino
5. What is your national population? 22 million
6. What type of economy operates your nation? Capitalism, with a small bit of free market socialism.
7. Give us a brief description of your nation (culture, society, spirituality, politics, climate, geography, etc.)The Romans have long boasted about their influence in the region, but it has long since been on the wane with only remnants of the old Roman Empire remaining. Like many of their neighbors, they have had issues with the ethnic groups that were once included in that empire, and now make up a large immigrant population within the Free States. The Latin dominant culture have a vibrant tradition in art, cuisine, and literature.
Few Romans can claim to be living a high standard of living, but those that do are well resented by the rest and the gap is growing.
Catholics are the most numerous of religions in the RFS, but Orthodox and Protestants are also decently represented in the States. A minority of other religions such as Buddhists, Jews, and Muslims also call the RFS home, but a very small percentage.
Early Latin was never abandoned as a language, and retained by a good amount of the population, along with the newly developing Roman (Italian) lingua. Both languages are official for the Federated States and used almost equally, with a smaller group of immigrant languages also being used by the modern Roman States.Italian and Latin speakers have clashed in the past, but they have found a peaceful balance today.
The RFS is mountainous, with the infamous Alpens to the NW, and with smaller alpen ranges to the northeast, and low coastal lands to the southeast and south. It has a Mediterranean climate in most of the southern two thirds of the nation.
They are proud to be the headquarters of the Teremaran Security Organization, in Roma, their capital. The RFS has been a stalwart ally of Gaul and Neu Engollon for decades, and the three nations often confer on defense policy. Now that they have formed a larger political, economic, and military alliance with many Madurin, and some Tavlyrian nations, they continue to see themselves as being at the forefront of regional defense and security.
IC Portion of the Application1. What is the official name of your nation? The Republic of San Rosito
2. What type of government currently runs your nation? A military junta
3. Your Head of Government: General Gabriel Pedro Elizondo
Commandant of the ERSR (Ejercito de Republic de San Rosito - the Army); General Elizondo is also the head of the ruling junta.
4. Your Head of State: General Juan Garcia Arenas
Commandant of Las Fuerzas Aéreas (the Air Force); one of the four of the ruling junta, General Arenas is the public face around the region for official functions. General Elizondo has not left the country since the coup, fearful that he will be taken into custody by international authorities, but more so fearful that a counter-coup would depose him in his absence, leaving him exiled away from his power and money.
5. What is your national population? 23 million
6. What type of economy operates your nation? There is some free market economy, with a strong agrarian emphasis, but legitimate exports are not their priority. San Rosito is basically a narco state with opiates and cocaine being shipped out in bulk to the rest of the region. The junta has turned a blind eye to this while half heartedly cooperating with outside authorities to rein in the cartels.
7. Give us a brief description of your nation (culture, society, spirituality, politics, climate, geography, etc.)Indigenous tribes resided in the area for thousands of years. Latin explorers sent missionaries into the area half a millenia ago to bring Christianity and other Western Madurinite religions and culture. Some Latin missionaries and administrators were benevolent, while others enslaved the tribes people to work plantations.
San Cristal was liberated and founded by Don Salvador Diego Rosito, who took inspiration from the other colonial liberation movements in the surrounding states like Brazil. He set about to establish a strong Republic, but was betrayed by some of his own counsel during factional fighting following independence and killed. A martyr for the people, the nation that was briefly known as San Cristal was renamed San Rosito in his honor.
Many San Rositans are Catholic, with the remainder worshipping the pagan gods of the ancient tribes. They have a strong respect for the land and the animals and a strong aversion to upsetting the natural balance. Other than the tightly packed metro areas and some coastal villages, a lot of the interior is undeveloped with small agricultural fields interspersed with the jungle.
The climate is humid and tropical, with some cooler weather in the Cuatzul Mountains to the west and running to the northern border into Brazil. The coasts are pristine with resorts that beckon the tourists, despite the troubles in the Republic.
San Rosito tended to support the Western Madurin nations in conflicts in the region during the 20th century when pushed, but also stayed neutral when given the choice. With the coup that overthrew the democratically elected civilian government and the following estrangement due to the military’s inability to control the cartels, the Republic has begun to look for other allies in the region, looking across the Tavlyrian Ocean to the eastern continent.
IC Portion of the Application1. What is the official name of your nation? The Holy Commonwealth of Skartok
2. What type of government currently runs your nation? Skartok is a unitary theocratic absolute monarchy. The Grand Patriarch holds ultimate executive, legislative, and judicial power and sits at the head of the Patriarchal Conclave. The Grand Patriarch can delegate some of their responsibilities to Patriarchs, clergy, or laypersons to serve in senior administrative positions at the Grand Patriarch’s discretion, but all government officials are responsible to the Grand Patriarch either directly or through their superiors. Prior to the transition, a chancellor appointed by the then-Gragastavian Grand Patriarch served as the leader of Skartok. This position has been retained and the chancellor serves as the nation’s head of government. At the local level, some democracy exists through the election of mayors and aldermen, but their power is limited by law.
3. Your Head of Government: Patriarch Thorton Maynard Hale, Chancellor of the Faith
4. Your Head of State: Grand Patriarch Cyrus Woods
5. What is your national population? 5 million
6. What type of economy operates your nation? The Skartokian economy is a small affair, focusing primarily on subsistence agriculture and skilled trades, although there is some industrial emphasis on mining, primarily precious metals, iron, coal, and aluminum, that make up most of Skartok’s export market, followed closely by aluminum food and beverage cans. Market regulation is moderate and tends to target large businesses the most, as the previous Skartokian chancellors tended to be suspicious of the detrimental role that such companies could have on the well-being of citizens. Regulations for environmental protection and working conditions are the most notable government interventions in the economy.
7. Give us a brief description of your nation (culture, society, spirituality, politics, climate, geography, etc.)Since the infrastructure and power of the Polatilian Faith has been completely transferred to Skartok, many questions as to both the future of the country and the future of the religion have come to the surface. The new Grand Patriarch, Cyrus Woods, has made it clear that the fundamental teachings of the religions have not changed, and that he plans to proceed with caution as he delineates at new direction for the Skartokian and Polatilian peoples. There are others both in the Conclave and in Skartok at large that oppose what they see to be a corruption of the office of the Grand Patriarchy and may be moving to scale back the role that religion plays in the governing of the nation.
Skartok itself tends to be a conservative nation, both socially and politically. A few large cities line the nation’s waterways, but most of the population is concentrated in towns and villages that dot the verdant landscape. Characterized by rain, Skartok has a temperate climate that tends to be on the cooler side due to its position relative to the Falkasian Gulf Stream and the East Tavlyrian Current. Vegetation is abundant, fertile farmland abounds, and expansive forests often serve as boundaries between municipalities.
While religion is an important part of many Skartokians’ lives, they nevertheless tend to be a humble folk, despite the presence of the large ecclesiastical institutions in their proverbial backyard. Most are employed in either agriculture or skilled trades and seldom leave their towns except on pilgrimage. In modern times, more and more young people are moving into the cities to pursue higher education and many leave the country entirely due to the lack of opportunity for college-educated individuals. While agricultural work still remains an option for many Skartokians, foreign and domestic investment in industrial agriculture is making the stock of farm labor obsolete, which is further fueling a population shift toward the cities.
IC Portion of the Application1. What is the official name of your nation? The Islamic Republic of South Gragastavia
2. What type of government currently runs your nation? South Gragastavia is a unitary theocratic Islamic republic. Laws are passed by the National Congress, but those laws have to be approved by the Conference of Muftis to ensure that they are consistent with sharia law. Members of the National Congress are directly elected by their constituencies; however, candidates have to be approved by the Conference of Muftis. The Conference of Muftis consists of the nation’s top Islamic legal scholars and clerics, who elect the First Mufti to serve as their presiding officer. To be considered for membership in the Conference, one must first be selected as a candidate by the First Mufti before being confirmed by the sitting members of the Conference. The First Mufti and the President of the National Congress select a council of viziers to administer the bureaucracy.
3. Your Head of Government: Grand Vizier Khalid Rashad Abdullah Al-Ajlani was a jurist and a professor of Islamic law at Mahadid University before becoming mayor of that city. While not as ardent of a fundamentalist or a radicalist as many of his contemporaries, Al-Ajlani nevertheless became an influential advocate for the South Gragastavian independence movement. He was an unlikely choice for the position of Grand Vizier, but was appointed to the position at the urgings of the President of the National Congress.
4. Your Head of State: First Mufti Harun Halabi is a well-established Islamic cleric who was one of the major leaders of the separtist movement. He was initially appointed to the Conference of Muftis by the constitutional convention and was quickly elected as First Mufti at the conclusion of the Conference’s first meeting. He will serve until death, removal, or resignation.
5. What is your national population? 42 million
6. What type of economy operates your nation? South Gragastavia operates with a mixed economy that relies primarily on free markets, but with significant regulations and with some nationalized industries. Certain public utilities, such as air and rail travel and telecommunications, are publicly-owned, as is the oil and petroleum industry. Indeed, oil and petroleum makes up most of South Gragastavia’s exports, much like their neighbor to the north. Most of the government’s interventions center around preventing fraud and protecting workers by ensuring that companies operate within the confines of sharia law.
7. Give us a brief description of your nation (culture, society, spirituality, politics, climate, geography, etc.)The partition agreement between Gragastavia and South Gragastavia came with a 90-day period for free passage across the border. Gragastavians that wished to migrate to the Islamic South Gragastavia could do so, as could anyone who wished to live in the Polatilian Gragastavia. While some illegal border crossings do still occur, South Gragastavia is beginning to undergo a cultural transformation as the nation becomes increasingly conservative in its social customs. At the same time, South Gragastavia is also seeking to redefine itself as a legitimate nation on the world stage and distance itself from its roots among radical Islamic terror groups, such as the Gragastavian Liberation Organization and the People’s Islamic Revolutionary Militia.
The primary hurdle for the new government was to wrest power back from the various insurgent groups through the establishment of a professional army. While the newly-established South Gragastavian Army did much to protect the nation’s sovereignty from any lingering insurgent groups, the fervor of the revolution would not be so easily extinguished. A conference of former and current insurgent leaders established what would become the South Gragastavian Islamic Volunteer Defense Regiment, a paramilitary organization driven by a fundamentalist Islamic ideology. This compromise helped ease intranational strife and allowed the government to turn their attention to building their new nation.
South Gragastavia’s political scene is officially nonpartisan, though informal coalitions exist in the Conference of Muftis and the National Congress. Tensions among the political leadership are minimal insofar as Grand Mufti Halabi maintains a significant degree of control over the executive and legislative arenas. He has promised to scale back his involvement once the nation is firmly rooted, but until that point is reached, it is clear who is in charge.
At the conclusion of the civil war, an uneasy truce with Gragastavia was established. The newly-formed Democratic Republic of Gragastavia has recognized South Gragastavia as a sovereign state, but many other nations still refuse to grant South Gragastavia the same courtesy. President Farouk Hussein of Gragastavia, in a show of good faith, has promised to work with the South Gragastavians to help them gain international acknowledgement, but their efforts so far have proven fruitless.
Amid all of this, the city of Maqhab remains split between the Gragastavians and the South Gragastavians, a permanent mark in the desert of the disunity that ultimately led to the conflict and the loss of life that stains the sands with the blood of fallen Gragastavians, north and south.
IC Portion of the Application1. What is the official name of your nation? The United Socialist States of the Yellow Star Republic
2. What type of government currently runs your nation? Authoritarian one party state. The main faction within the state security organization, The RLO, overthrew the Politburo of the socialist ruling party during the Northern Tavlyrian War. The RLO still runs the YSR as a socialist state in name, but in practice, it is more of a nationalist and authoritarian system with the trappings of socialism.
3. Your Head of Government: Director General Gerta Hildgursdottir; Former Director, and head of the most ruthless faction of the RLO. She did away with her former boss at the RLO, then consolidated power within the government, making alliances with other factions and departments until she was confident that she could depose the Politburo with little internal resistance. Now she rules the state, pragmatically and ruthlessly, but fairly efficiently.
4. Your Head of State: See above
5. What is your national population? 112 million
6. What type of economy operates your nation? Socialist with state owned industry, but some private industry allowed.
7. Give us a brief description of your nation (culture, society, spirituality, politics, climate, geography, etc.)The climate of the YSR is mostly arctic tundra, with some mountainous areas and a slightly milder maritime climate on parts of the eastern and southern coast.
Norse tribes roamed the north of Tavlyria. One of the strongest were the Yellowsians, or the Yelskja. The Yellowsian empire included the Glisja lands (modern day Glisandia, and other areas, run by dukes and barons under the Koningur (King).
Slowly, the Yellowsian Empire broke apart, with the largest piece, Glisandia, breaking in the 18th century. Strife rocked the Empire in the 19th century, and several uprisings were put down, with the communards and anarchists being dealt with severely. The future hero of the Revolution, Vaugimir Itzek Lunyuk, would exile himself to escape capture and torture in the dawning of the new century.
The Marxists continued to organize and by 1920 the Koningur’s secret police were no longer able to suppress them. Lunyuk arrived back out of exile to lead the socialist Revolution and overthrow the royals. Lunyuk’s main faction of Menshevik-style socialists won out over the communists and other leftist factions to dominate the Revolution and eventually wipe out competition over that year. The royals fled to neighboring states, but many were executed by the Reds. In 1921, the Yellow Star Republic was declared and the Kingdom of Yellowsia was abolished.
Over the next decade, Lunyuk would consolidate power. Unlike a certain similar nation who had a Revolution around this time, there was no subsequent civil war as no faction, even the Whites, were strong enough to challenge the Reds under Lunyuk. Wars were fought with neighbors, most notably Glisandia, as the YSR attempted to expand the Revolution.
While the Norse and Christian religions were tolerated under the socialist regime, they had to operate out of the public eye and often drew the ire of the government when they overstepped their bounds. Extreme religious sects were dealt with harshly, as were religions and their devotees that were deemed as foreign influenced. Polatillians, Jews, Muslims, and Glisandian Catholics were, and continue to be, persecuted although there are few devout worshippers of those religions that are left within the YSR today.