Levilion Application Thread – [MT]

[Sjalhaven]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Autonomous Administration of Chawpisuyu
Nation Name (Common): Chawpisuyu
Capital City: Patamarca
Requested Location: To be arranged later with Rocia
Requested Population: 2,163,522
Culture: Indigenous (primarily Quechua), Rocian Mestizo, White Rocian, Black Rocian (exact breakdown tbd, but in that order of importance)
Government Type: Libertarian socialist confederation under a semi-direct democracy
National Overview: Current page, everything is there already and I don't think there is anything that requires to be changed. History essentially only diverges from Rocia in a sizeable way in the second half of the 20th century.
Economic Overview: It's not particularly rich and its economy is mostly based on agriculture and forestry. Sizeable petroleum reserves that are underexploited currently but with great potential and increasing the stakes of the Chawpisuyu conflict.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: Well Rocia is there so it make sense for Chawpisuyu, and yes Levilion looks fine.
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: Chawpisuyu's current beginning of a page, could list other things but I think that should be fine.
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: Not since like 2014 or so.
Anything else to add?: Venceremos

[Tyrnica]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Autonomous Administration of Chawpisuyu
Nation Name (Common): Chawpisuyu
Capital City: Patamarca
Requested Location: To be arranged later with Rocia
Requested Population: 2,163,522
Culture: Indigenous (primarily Quechua), Rocian Mestizo, White Rocian, Black Rocian (exact breakdown tbd, but in that order of importance)
Government Type: Libertarian socialist confederation under a semi-direct democracy
National Overview: Current page, everything is there already and I don't think there is anything that requires to be changed. History essentially only diverges from Rocia in a sizeable way in the second half of the 20th century.
Economic Overview: It's not particularly rich and its economy is mostly based on agriculture and forestry. Sizeable petroleum reserves that are underexploited currently but with great potential and increasing the stakes of the Chawpisuyu conflict.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: Well Rocia is there so it make sense for Chawpisuyu, and yes Levilion looks fine.
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: Chawpisuyu's current beginning of a page, could list other things but I think that should be fine.
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: Not since like 2014 or so.
Anything else to add?: Venceremos

Accepted.

[Albrennia]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Commonwealth of Albrennia
Nation Name (Common): Albrennia
Capital City: Providence
Requested Location: The Albren Peninsula of northeastern Marceaunia Major.
Requested Population: 80,631,224
Culture:

Albrennia is, in origin, a Rythenean colony, and it retains deep cultural ties to its motherland: a shared language and a common body of literature, a shared heritage of mercantile traditions and republican ideals, and even a common affection for rugby (not so much for cricket). But Albrennia also possesses the oldest Auressian culture in Marceaunia, one that has developed in distinctive ways. From its Rotiferist beginnings, it derived a deep respect for education, a ferocious work ethic, and an originally predestinarian assumption that success represented divine favor, or at the very least objective merit. That, in turn, led to the feature that outsiders most often associate with Albrennian culture: a certain unscrupulous capitalist joy in competition, and a belief in market competition as the best way to determine the worth of most things - people as well as products. But Rotiferism conferred other, more progressive traditions as well: a commitment to academic freedom and excellence, a belief in the value of innovation and experimentation, an appreciation for free speech and open debate, and ultimately a deep suspicion of any authority that goes too long unchallenged. Ironically, many of those traditions were gradually to undermine orthodox Rotiferism's cultural dominance, eroding long-held taboos against homosexuality and expanding women's role in Albrennia's economy and politics - at least for those women who manage to succeed in what remain male-dominated circles of power.

From this Rythenean Rotiferist origin, Albrennia has undergone a dramatic evolution. Its peace and prosperity, as well as the contacts that its centuries-old trading networks offer across the world, have made it a magnet for immigration since the eighteenth century: first from Auressia, and then from Marceaunia Minor, and finally from around the globe. The process of assimilation has not always been smooth, and to this day, the great universities of Tolland and Alford are dominated by old Rotiferist families - with the result that the Commonwealth's ruling elite is likewise unrepresentative of its modern demographics. The great cultural institutions of immigrant communities old and new are instead the labor unions, which brought Albrennia to the brink of civil war before finally winning for themselves a uniquely powerful position at the heart of the Commonwealth's government. In the murky accommodation of labor solidarity with Rotiferist competition lies the great cultural mainstream of the Albrennian middle class: the true center of the nation. It is that creative tension that produced Albrennia's most well-respected cultural output: authors, musicians, and filmmakers whose synthesis of a restrained Rythenean sensibility with global influences has produced something strikingly new.

Government Type:

Albrennia is a republic, albeit an imperfect one. Over the centuries, it has evolved from a system dominated by Parliament to one in which the Chancellery holds broad executive authority over the day-to-day running of the Commonwealth, with Parliament's role largely restricted to major legislation and the annual budget. The chancellor is elected every six years; the unicameral parliament is elected by thirds, with one-third of members standing every two years. While the franchise is universal for citizens, an exceptionally lax campaign finance system means that the so-called "Pillars" - the gigantic corporate conglomerates that control more than half of Albrennia's economy - have hugely disproportionate say over who is actually able to win elected office. Moreover, Albrennia's powerful chancellery is overwhelmingly staffed by permanent civil servants with job protection - the "Establishment" - almost all of whom are drawn from the traditional elite proving-grounds of Tolland and Alford Universities. While these schools have begun to diversify, this still means that the Albrennian government is largely a white, male, Rotiferist environment: one in which everything is run efficiently and professionally, but in which nothing much tends to change no matter who is elected.

There are some checks on the power of the Establishment. The rule of law is alive and well in Albrennia: while most judges are drawn from the same social class as the civil servants, the legal profession possesses a strong tradition of independence and a professional culture that prizes defending underdogs. The Albrennian constitution is based on Rythenean republican values, and includes strong protections for individual rights and democratic norms. It also enshrines the Rotiferist value of free debate in one of the most robust free-speech provisions anywhere in Levilion. The courts take all of this very seriously indeed, and so they have become the primary forum of vindication for people who lack the funds to compete in electoral politics.

The main check on the economic and political influence of the Pillars, on the other hand, is Albrennia's labor movement. Albrennia's workforce is compulsorily unionized by sectors, with all the sectoral unions united under the Albrennian Conference of Labor (ACL). Both the ACL and the Pillars are directly legally involved in Albrennia's budgeting process: once every three years, the country's biggest conglomerates negotiate directly with its "one big union," with the chancellery mediating. That negotiation fixes the minimum wage for all workers, determines the level of health insurance that all employers will be required to provide, sets pension rates to be paid by all employers, and otherwise determines the nature of Albrennia's social safety net. This places the cost of social welfare almost exclusively on business: healthcare, pensions, and unemployment insurance are paid directly out of corporate profits, not out of tax revenue. The arrangement has the advantage of promoting labor peace, since it corrals the most important causes of labor disputes into a single nationwide process with a mediator who can force it to an outcome. Notably, the only major social benefit that is wholly taxpayer-funded is education; in a reflection of its longstanding importance to Rotiferist values, primary education through graduate school are entirely tuition free, and have been for more than a century.

Albrennia's military also possesses an unusual role in its political system. Over time, the Department of War - responsible for the army - has dwindled, until the Albrennian army today is little more than a rump force of gendarmes and engineers manning the extensive fortifications across the Isthmus of Lamont. By contrast, the Department of the Navy has been entirely absorbed into the force for which it is responsible. Known simply as the Fleet, the Albrennian navy includes one of the world's largest marine corps, an enormous fleet of naval aircraft, and the notorious Fleet Intelligence Corps, and it absorbs more than half the Commonwealth's total annual budget in an average year. The Fleet is generally understood as a kind of sui generis institution within the Albrennian government: it reports directly to the chancellor and is entirely outside the control of the permanent civil service. It cannot be audited, it is not required to report to Parliament on operations outside Albrennia, and it even possesses its own military courts over which the civilian judiciary has little review. The Fleet has its own academies, equal in prestige to Tolland and Alford, and it administers itself rather than being subordinate to any civilian branch other than the Oaken Office itself. It is, in most ways, a government-within-the-government, and only the intense strictures of its distinguished tradition keep it accountable to the civilian administration in any meaningful way at all.

Finally, while Albrennia is formally a unitary and not a federal republic, in practice it has devolved considerable powers of day-to-day administration not to states or provinces but to cities. As the Commonwealth is heavily urbanized, this has much the same result: mayors and city councils preside over nine metropolises each of five million residents or more, accounting collectively for almost sixty percent of the country's population. Fire safety, municipal zoning, most environmental regulation, and much law enforcement are handled on a city-by-city basis. Except in small towns, urban politics are just as dominated as national politics by the campaign contributions of the Pillars and the unions, and the courts remain the primary political recourse of ordinary people.

National Overview:

In 1460, the Rythenean explorer Rufus Albren discovered land far to the west of Grafton. Over the next forty years, Rythenean traders made contact with the powerful Hathawekala Confederacy, the native sovereign of what became known as Albren's Land - or Albrennia. It soon became apparent that the traders had brought disease as well as cooking pots and axes, and epidemics ravaged the area, reducing the Hathawekala population by half by 1500.

Meanwhile, Rythene found itself in religious turmoil. Following a reformist preacher named Walter Hartcliffe, a new branch of Classical Perendism had emerged: the Rotiferists. Meaning literally "those who follow the direction of the wheel," this term referred to a predestinarian movement. Hartcliffe preached that everything that really matters about the Earth is inevitable and irresistible: the changing of the seasons, the movement of the stars, the tide, the cycle of life and death. Therefore, spiritual balance cannot actually be within the attainment of the individual. All that a man can really do is submit himself to the world, to understand its processes and surrender to them. If God so wills it, he will achieve balance, just as the sun rises and the winter turns to spring. If God does not will it, well - "Not every tree survives the winter," in the old Rotiferist aphorism.

Rotiferism inspired certain important values. Since Rotiferists were constantly and anxiously examining themselves for signs that they were indeed in balance with the world, the denomination acquired a reputation for self-discipline and extremely hard work - the supposed signs of a balanced soul. Since they claimed to derive their predestinarian beliefs by rational deduction from the natural world, they regarded education and literacy as a sacred duty. The movement was dominated by the educated merchant classes, who considered their prosperity a sign of God's balancing work within them. And as this reformist proto-bourgeosie ran up repeatedly against the aristocratic elite's hold on politics and religion, it came to feel that the only way to build a truly godly and balanced society was to start over.

In March of 1504, the caravel Springsong sailed from Dellhaven with some three hundred Rythenean Rotiferists aboard. They had a safe crossing, and established a settlement at Newhaven. The Hathawekala Confederacy had fallen into disarray under the pressure of epidemic disease, and the colonists were able to play different indigenous factions off against each other, offering the aid of soldiers armed with steel weapons and horses in exchange for food and knowledge of local conditions. By 1515, the colony was firmly established and had begun attracting thousands of immigrants from Rythene per year: mostly Rotiferists, but including many less pious families who simply wanted free land. By 1530, the eight original cities of the Commonwealth had been founded along the rocky Hesperian seaboard: Newhaven, Tolland, Alford, Colrain, Wellfleet, Lanesborough, and Sherborn. Within a generation of its founding, Albrennia had become self-sufficient in food and raw materials from Rythene. It was a functioning society in its own right.

It is often forgotten today that well over half of Albrennian history predates the Commonwealth's independence: it was the oldest and earliest-developed Auressian colony in the New World. By the time the first Tyrnican colonists settled in what is now Audonia, Newhaven had been a major city for almost two centuries. Alford and Tolland Universities, both established in the 1540s, are older than many prestigious institutions on the other side of the Hesperian. The colony's expansion was slow but steady, pushing the Hathawekala remnants beyond the mountains of the Isthmus of Lamont before stopping; already, Albrennia's culture had evolved to orient it toward the sea, not toward the trackless expanse of the Marceaunian interior, and the promise of trade was more alluring that the dangers of further expansion. As a result, Albrennia became more tame more quickly than many New World colonies: safe behind its natural border, rendered homogenously Auressian by the mass displacement of the Hathawekala to the west, busily engaged in turning the vast pine forests of the Albren Peninsula into a fleet of sailing ships rather than fortresses. Those ships, in turn, became the backbone of much of the colonial trade that connected Auressian nations to their colonies: carrying slaves to Marceaunia Minor, and carrying sugar and rice and coffee and tobacco from the New World back to Auressia. Most Auressians, by the mid-seventeenth century, no longer really thought of Albrennia as the frontier: it was a place of universities, coffee shops, busy trading ports, and century-old cities - a little piece of the Old World on the shores of the New - and its legions of merchants were a common sight in ports on every shore of the Hesperian.

But as Albrennia became a more established and comfortable place, so too did it change in the process. By the eighteenth century, the voyage of the Springsong was already two centuries in the past, and the Rotiferist majority was consigned to history. Generations of immigrants had come seeking not a godly society, but cheap land and work on the docks and the chance to sail the world with the Albrennian merchant marine. While most immigrants continued to hail from Rythene, there were far more Apostolic and mainstream Classical Perendists than Rotiferists. And increasingly, the major cities of Albrennia became a magnet for immigration from Blayk, Vervillia, and Tyrnica as well. The colony remained majority-Auressian only because, while Albrennian merchants were central to the slave trade, slavery itself was banned in Albrennia. This prohibition testified to the lingering cultural influence of Rotiferist values, even as Albrennia became less and less religiously homogenous. Those values showed through in other ways, too: in Albrennia's republican colonial government, a source of constant ideological objection in the royal court of Rythene; in Albrennia's guarantee of universal primary education, the first such system in the world; in the unfettered competitive markets that made Albrennia a hive of commercial activity; and in the establishment of the Albren Bank in 1757: one of the earliest central banks in the world, created not by a sovereign crown but by a mere colonial government.

And so the Upheaval found Albrennia already a country of six million souls, with global trading networks and almost three hundred years of history and well-developed political institutions. Rythene's policy of benign neglect, exemplified in the 1622 International Markets Act, had allowed Albrennia to flourish on its own - trading with all Auressia as well as with the mother country. Charles IV's revocation of the Act infuriated the old Rotiferist elite and the more secular merchant classes alike, and support for the Rythenean Revolution was almost universal in Albrennia. In turn, the 300-year republican tradition of Albrennia's colonial government earned the colonists more respect from Rythene than any other colony could expect. And so, while Amandine rose up for independence and the Brothers of Freedom plotted in Audonia, Albrennia stood steadfastly beside its motherland, already seeing itself more as a partner than as a subject. In the War of the Commons, the colonial government nationalized hundreds of merchant vessels and their experienced crews - an act that would go down in history as the origin of the Fleet - and the Tyrnican Navy found itself fighting pitched battles in the Galene Sea with an enemy from the far side of the Hesperian. When war finally ground to its close, it was clear that Albrennia was too important to be allowed to remain in Rythene's hands, but too powerful in its own right to simply be transferred to another colonial power. The Congress of Vedayen saw Albrennian independence as the simplest solution to an insoluble problem, and so the Commonwealth gained its sovereignty not on the battlefield but as a grudging gift of its erstwhile enemies.

With 300 years of practice at self-government, independence brought few immediate changes after 1816: Albrennia's colonial governor became the chancellor, its assembly the parliament, and the colors on the flag were a bit different. But the coming decades would be more tumultuous. As Audonia and Amandine struggled with slavery and political unrest, respectively, Albrennia began rapidly to industrialize from the 1820s on: a dense network of canals, railroads, textile mills, and eventually armaments factories sprang up, taking advantage of iron and coal deposits in the Lamont Range of western Albrennia. The accelerating demand for labor that resulted, together with Albrennia's political stability in an unstable era, brought another wave of immigration: this time more from Tyrnica and Palia than from Rythene. As Albrennian manufacturing boomed, the Commonwealth began to look abroad for markets, and by the 1860s it had begun the sort of gunboat diplomacy that has characterized its foreign policy ever since: Albrennian companies would establish themselves in remote corners of Marceaunia Minor and !Africa, sell guns and buy sugar or bananas or rubber, and call in Fleet gunboats and Marine Corps shore parties when local kings or caudillos attempted to back out of the deal. Albrennia's premodern global network of trading posts and sailing routes evolved into a modern web of corporate subsidiaries, trading concessions, monopoly agreements, and anti-smuggling patrols. In order to protect this invisible commercial empire, the Fleet ballooned in size, absorbing first the Department of the Navy and then most of the budget of the Department of War, and acquiring unique legal privileges and protections as it went.

At home, forty years of uninterrupted prosperity and growth came to an abrupt end with the Panic of 1876: a crash in the price of silver made it impossible for the Harp-Wellfleet Bank to redeem millions of guilders in bonds from the Bank of Albren, causing a cascading crisis of confidence in the credit of most big banks and, ultimately, in the value of the Commonwealth guilder itself. To force the crisis under control, the Bank of Albren ultimately switched entirely to a fiat money system, abandoning the silver standard altogether. Then it bailed out the banks with cheap money, and the Chancellor used the Fleet to make it very clear in small countries across Marceaunia that the new fiat guilder might not be backed with silver, but it was backed with lead. By 1880, the worst of the economic depression was over, but hundreds of companies with origins going back to the sixteenth century were bankrupt. The few corporations that had survived bought up billions of guilders' worth of distressed assets, and when the economic smoke cleared, the Albrennian economy was unprecedentedly centralized and vertically integrated, with just a dozen corporate conglomerates accounting for nearly three-quarters of GDP. The Pillars had been born.

Pillarization enormously increased efficiency in the manufacturing sector, leading - among other things - to the birth of Albrennia's modern shipbuilding industry. But it also created a de facto employer cartelization of the labor market, in which a small group of corporations were able to prevent wage competition across the entire economy. Albrennian workers, previously accustomed to a fairly high standard of living, suffered completely stagnant wages for almost twenty years. Widening economic inequality exacerbated preexisting social inequality: the native-born, ethnic-Rythenean, mostly Rotiferist Establishment controlled both the Pillars and the government, and tens of millions of immigrant, non-Rythenean, Apostolic citizens found themselves utterly excluded from economic and political power. The inevitable consequence was a wave of labor unrest, as local union organizing drives faced off with gendarmes and Fleet Marines, and then founded sectoral unions, which in turn founded the Albrennian Conference of Labor. By 1898, more than seventy percent of Albrennian industrial and farm workers belonged to unions affiliated with the ACL. That year, tensions boiled over after Fleet Marines gunned down strikers in Sherborn, and the ACL called a general strike. Despite a declaration of martial law and gun battles in major cities that left hundreds dead, the strike shut down the entire Albrennian economy for fifteen days - known in Albrennian labor circles to this day as the Glorious Fifteen. On the sixteenth day, the government capitulated: it recognized the unions, and called a conference of the Pillars and the ACL to discuss fundamental changes to Albrennia's economy and society. The result of the Providence Conference was the modern Albrennian economy: compulsory unionization; nationwide corporatist bargaining to set wages, pensions, and benefits by agreement of the Pillars and the ACL; and a reformed university admission system that finally allowed working-class youth to gain access to Tolland and Alford and the other gatekeepers of the Establishment.

The system worked, at least well enough. The Pillars adjusted to sharply increased labor costs by relying on the unions to improve the skill of workers, increasing per-worker efficiency and boosting overall production. This symbiosis of labor and management was most successful in the arms industry, which in five years made General Armaments the world's largest private arms dealer. Both General Armaments and Wellfleet Industries were deeply involved in fueling the arms race that led up to the outbreak of the First Great War, and Albrennian greed would later become a common explanation for the war among conspiracy-minded Auressians. But when Rythene marched to war, the Establishment - conscious as ever of its roots - followed without hesitation. The withering of Albrennia's army into a gendarme force spared the Commonwealth the horror of the ground war: it sent no ground troops to Auressia. But for the second time in history, the Fleet sailed into the Galene Sea: no hastily assembled force of armed merchantmen this time, but the product of one of the world's most powerful shipbuilding industries and strongest naval traditions. Albrennia's contribution to victory was to bloody the Tyrnican Navy badly enough to force it into port, and then to impose a crushing blockade that helped to starve Tyrnica out of the war. At the Treaty of Arden, it was seated as the equal of the other Coalition powers - an event still remembered today as Albrennia's formal arrival on the world stage.

In the postwar period, Albrennia was both an asset and a hindrance to Rythene's attempt to act as a global policeman. The Commonwealth - or, at least, the Establishment - still felt a deep loyalty to Rythenean culture and republican values, and so the Fleet was a willing partner to the Rythenean Navy in enforcing a vision of maritime law based on free trade and free navigation. By the late 1920s, in fact, Albrennia was consistently advocating for a more forceful stance against Songha, and unsuccessfully attempted to assemble a coalition to stage a freedom-of-navigation operation through the Straits of Qes. But Albrennia was also, in some sense, a competitor to Rythene: while the older country remained a major imperial power, Albrennian companies kept quietly establishing themselves in Rythenean colonies and buying lucrative local industries out from under the Rythenean overlords. It was a new kind of empire, an invisible empire of corporate subsidiaries and private oilfields, in which the name on a contract mattered more than the flag that flew over a city. And where the Rythenean writ did not run (especially in the smaller nations of Marceaunia Minor), Albrennia continued its older and more cutthroat competition for influence and natural resources with Amandine - a competition that sometimes spilled over into direct intervention by Fleet marines in sunbaked coastal cities up and down the Demontean coast.

When the Second Great War broke out, neither the Establishment nor the Albrennian public needed to be convinced of the Songhan threat. Once again, Parliament declared war the same day as Rythene. But after its victories against Tyrnica, the Fleet suffered from crippling overconfidence. It intervened to defend the Ta-Puia Archipelago, but was forced to retreat - leaving eight thousand Fleet Marines marooned on the islands, where most of them would perish in battle or from mistreatment after capture. When the Fleet rallied to defend Blaykish Mesonesia, it was shattered again, losing four aircraft carriers and twelve thousand lives. The myth of Albrennian naval invincibility had been obliterated.

But the reality of Albrennian industry remained quite intact. Late 1939 to early 1941 witnessed an unprecedented national mobilization: Wellfleet Industries ceased work on all civilian shipping, and managed to produce twelve aircraft carriers, thirty cruisers, and ninety destroyers in twenty months. To crew the new Fleet, Albrennia instituted its first - and thus far only - national draft. In July 1941, at the Battle of Saint-Baptiste, the Fleet intercepted and practically annihilated a Songhan invasion armada, establishing Allied control of the eastern Demontean and paving the way for Amandine to liberate Blaykish Mesonesia. The next year, when Amandine and Blaykish land forces seized the southern peninsula of the Qes Straits Zone, it was the Fleet that used this opening to force a path through the straits: fighting one of the largest naval battles in history, and dealing what turned out to be an irretrievable blow to the Songhan Navy. By the end of the war, the Fleet was the single largest force in the Sea of Qes. While Albrennia had not fought on land since the debacle of Ta-Puia, and while it had not contributed in the Auressian Theater at all, its naval operations alone had been decisive enough to enable it to stand among the crucial players in the conflict.

The postwar period has had its fair share of both triumphs and disappointments. Hawkishly anti-Songhan since the early 1920s, Albrennia was outraged by the relatively generous terms granted to the Empire at Porte-Tordu. Alone among the Allied powers, it remained deeply invested in the Sea of Qes for years after the peace: aggressively patrolling with freedom-of-navigation operations; running Fleet Intelligence Corps operations to slow and destabilize Songha's recovery; and investing heavily in Songha's neighbors, in order to surround the Empire with states fearful of its expansion and sympathetic to Albrennian corporate interests. Albrennian efforts were imperfectly successful, at best, but they did hinder and delay Songha's recovery. They also made the Commonwealth a lasting enemy in Isuan.

Ultimately, though, even Albrennia's attention slipped away. Auressian decolonization offered the Commonwealth a distinctively Albrennian imperial moment: as the old empires withdrew, Albrennian corporate emissaries arrived to congratulate former colonies on their independence and present enticing offers of investment. When newly independent governments discovered, to their dismay, that this left their mines and oil reserves and agriculture owned by Albrennian companies, the Fleet stood ready to discourage any unwise attempts at nationalization: airstrikes, shore bombardment, and Marine Corps invasions backed up Albrennian corporate influence in small nations around the globe. Military spending remained accordingly high, accounting for more than half the national budget even in peacetime. Albrennia was also a founding member of the Association of Marceaunian States, and has ever since been a rival with Amandine for leadership of that organization; Albrennian diplomats have often used the AMS as an effective tool by which to "defend property rights" - shielding Albrennian companies from nationalization or taxation. Albrennia's influence has not been entirely self-centered, though; as Rythene relinquished its role as the global policeman, the Fleet has become Levilion's most prominent anti-piracy and anti-smuggling and free-navigation force, the principal guarantor of the Law of the Sea.

But in time, the "invisible empire" began to have unforeseen consequences: in response to high labor costs at home, the Pillars quietly began to offshore many of their less-skilled manufacturing operations to other nations where they possessed commercial interests. By 1990, the great majority of radios, televisions, and home appliances produced by Albrennian companies were actually made overseas. The result was a crisis unseen since 1876: the collapse of a Pillar conglomerate, the General Helpmeet Group. An immense taxpayer-funded bailout was necessary to rescue GHG's pension and healthcare and unemployment-fund obligations while at the same time easing the company into bankruptcy, and Albrennia suffered three years of severe recession in the early 1990s. But GHG's demise coincided with the rise of the newest Pillar: Albrennian Informatics, or AlbrInfo. A uniquely organized conglomerate known as the "Start-Up Pillar," in which employees are able to start their own businesses within the corporate umbrella at will, AlbrInfo has been at the forefront of information technology since the mid-1990s, and many of the search engines and social media platforms used across Levilion are actually AlbrInfo intellectual property. In just twenty years, it has surpassed Wellfleet Industries to become the largest and most profitable Pillar, and its power is beginning to cause significant political unease within the Albrennian Establishment.

Other problems have also arisen. Many communities have never fully recovered from the collapse of GHG, and since Albrennia's entire social safety net is predicated on compulsorily unionized employment, long-term full-household unemployment can result in a depth of poverty hardly known elsewhere in the developed world. The postwar period has also wrought substantial cultural changes in Albrennian society: in a movement led by the universities, which have retained their immense influence ever since the sixteenth century, women have been (mostly) accepted as equals in the workplace and homosexuality has been normalized, with even the Rotiferist Church agreeing to perform gay marriages. Not all Albrennians, especially in rural western areas, are comfortable with these changes. Despite a wave of immigration from !Africa and Isuan, the Albrennian Establishment remains overwhelmingly white, and tensions over unfair policing and unequal access to political power have provoked repeated bouts of urban unrest. But despite its flaws, Albrennia remains a critical nation in Levilion's international community: its position in global trade and finance remains dominant; it is still a leading naval power capable of projecting force within days anywhere in Levilion; and despite its difficulties, it is prosperous and peaceful enough to remain a locus for immigration from nations developed and developing alike.

Economic Overview:

Albrennia's economy has been formatively shaped by a few important factors. First, it possesses quite few natural resources: it is a cold, dreary country with substantial deposits of steel and coal in the Lamont Range, a little offshore natural gas, and some moderately arable land near the coast. There is not much else. As a result, Albrennians have for five hundred years looked to the sea for prosperity: this is a merchant culture, committed to market competition, in which success is based on buying and selling and dealmaking rather than on finding wealth beneath the earth. Ironically, that exact tradition is what made Albrennia a manufacturing powerhouse in the nineteenth century: in Albrennia, manufacturing was always a matter of taking raw materials from elsewhere, processing them into something more valuable, and selling them on at a profit. Today, while Albrennian manufacturing has declined somewhat in importance, the Commonwealth remains one of the world's largest shipbuilders and arms manufacturers; Albrennian weapons are a common sight in any conflict zone. And the theory that made Albrennia a manufacturing center - that prosperity is based on the ability to add value, and that added value is the result of knowledge rather than natural wealth - remains crucial to the nation's wealth. Albrennia is, as it was four hundred years ago, a lynchpin of global trade, shipbuilding, and commerce.

And Albrennia is wealthy - though its wealth is very unevenly distributed. This is due, in large part, to a unique legal feature: Albrennia has no antitrust laws whatsoever. In consequence, the Albrennian economy is defined by a phenomenon that began after the Panic of 1876: "Pillarization." This term refers to the vertical integration of entire sectors of the Albrennian economy under a single corporate conglomerate. The oldest and most well-known example is Wellfleet Industries, which is a conglomerate including mining companies active in thirty-one countries, hundreds of electronics and mechanical engineering firms, research-and-development labs, and the largest shipyard complex in Levilion: all under the same corporate umbrella, and all oriented toward the same ultimate goal of producing ships for commerce and for war. There are thirteen Pillars in Albrennia, and together they control well over half of the national economy, including almost all manufacturing, agriculture, and high-tech industry. The advantages of Pillarization are clear: an ability to muster economies of scale, and to reduce transaction costs, that has enabled the Pillars to undercut international competitors for more than a century. Its disadvantage is also plain: except for AlbrInfo, with its innovation-encouraging corporate structure, the Pillars have eliminated all domestic competition; this leaves them with a less pronounced incentive to create new products and ideas. On the other hand yet again, Albrennia's status in global trade has made it a natural financial center in Levilion: the Newhaven Stock Exchange indexes companies that do business all over the world.

The counterbalance to the Pillars is Albrennian organized labor. Since the Providence Conference in 1898, Albrennia has been a compulsorily unionized economy: a particular labor union represents workers in each sector of the economy, and all workers in that sector are required by law to belong to that union. As a result, about eighty percent of working-age Albrennians are unionized; the rest work in the public sector or are in management roles. The Albrennian Conference of Labor, or ACL, is the confederation of all of these sectoral unions: this "one big union" represents an overwhelming majority of Albrennian workers. Every three years, the chancellery mediates negotiations between the ACL and the Pillars, which decide matters of employment law nationwide: what the minimum wage is for all workers, what medical insurance and pensions and unemployment insurance all employers must provide, what workplace safety standards will be enforced. As a result, Albrennia's welfare state is not taxpayer-funded: it is based on employment benefits payed directly by corporations to workers and their families, in accordance with state-mediated corporatist negotiations. This means that, while Pillar executives may be outrageously wealthy, the Albrennian economy is based on a solid, unionized middle class: its income inequality reflects the height of its ceiling, not the depth of its floor. The one major exception to this rule involves households in which no one is able or willing to work; since almost all Albrennian welfare benefits are paid by employers to employees and their families, households experiencing total unemployment are exposed to absolute poverty.

Finally, throughout Levilion Albrennia is associated with a certain kind of economic imperialism. Albrennian Pillars are multinational corporations, with mines and plantations and "low-wage manufacturing plants" - sweatshops - across the globe. To some extent, this is an inevitable consequence of compulsory unionization and its high labor costs: economic activity that cannot be cost-effectively achieved in Albrennia is outsourced. The Pillars' closely symbiotic relationship with the Albrennian government means that the Fleet serves as a guarantor of Albrennian corporate interests: in smaller or poorer countries, governments hostile to the Pillars can expect to be met with "dirty tricks" by the Fleet Intelligence Corps, and - if those fail - by carrier-borne airstrikes and Marine landings. More than most other nations, Albrennia's prosperity is and always has been bound up with global commercial networks, and so it is constantly angling for an advantage in emerging markets, and seeking to secure control of valuable resources and cheap labor - no matter whose flag flies where it does so.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: Good people, interesting conversations on the Discord, compelling but not straitjacketing lore. What's not to like?
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: I believe this app should suffice.
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: None whatsoever.
Anything else to add?: Looking forward to building this world with y'all!

[Lozeria]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Senejorese Republic (République sénéjoraise)
Nation Name (Common): Senejor (Sénejor)
Capital City: Sainte Marine
Requested Location:
Requested Population: 45.7 Million
Culture: Ethnic Groups:
*84.5% Auressian
*7.45% Native Marceaunians
*4.4% Idican
*3.65% Other + Mixed
Government Type: Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Republic
National Overview: First discovered by the Native Marceaunian Tribes in TBD the now modern day territory was primarily inhabited by the Otekah (!Navajo) people in the South and Centre of the country and the !Chumash along the western coast. In 1595 Blaykish explorer Henri Séjour became the first Auressian to land in Senejor near the present day city of Trinité which was later settled as one of the first Blaykish settlements in the country. The first contact between the Auressians and Natives happened outside the town of Lahaye when a Blaykish group of explorers discovered a !Tolowa village. Originally relations between the two were cordial although much of the native population (95%) would die due to various diseases brought unknowingly by the Blaykish.

The colony of Sainte Marine was formed in 1799 and was merged with the other Blaykish colonies in the area forming much of the present day borders of Senejor. At the outbreak of the Blaykish civilwar the Comité consultatif de Sainte Marine (CCSM), at the time an advisory body to the Governor-general announced it would assume temporary Legislative Powers effectively declaring Home Rule in Sainte Marine. In 1806 the CCSM and it's chairperson Napoléon Flandin voted 7-3 in favour of declaring independence with most of the opposition coming from Gilbert Loyalists and formed the État de Sainte Marine or State of Sainte Marine. Flandin assumed powers as the Consul of the State and suspended the CCSM in favour of the Assemblée générale de Sainte Marine which became an advisory body to the Consul. The Consul and by extension Flandin assumed dictatorial powers during the First Constitutional Convention which Flandin used to put down native rebellions and impose a temporary ban on Blaykish immigration which he feared would cause the end of the State.

Flandin died in 1823 from a massive heart attack leading the AGSM to inaugurate Gaétan Marchal as Consul. Marchal suspended the ASGM and would rule by decree, Marchal and his ideology (Marchalism) espoused a sort of socialist nationalism along with a strong central figure. Marchal established the Organe consultatif central auprès du consul (OCCAC) as a legislative body that compared to the Consul was relatively weak. Marchal and much of the OCCAC would perish after the ship they were sailing on from Trinité to Sainte Marine capsized and sank in rough weather. The surviving members of the OCCAC who were mainly Reformists Marchalists dissolved the OCCAC and reestablished the General Assembly and elected Aymeric Larousse as Consul.

Larousse announced various reforms including the Second-constitutional convention and elections to the General Assembly and the abolition of Slavery and full voting rights for all men above the age of 28. The Parti démocrate marchaliste won a plurality of the seats available and Larousse was voted out of office by the General Assembly. The leader of the PDM Hervé Compere became Consul and tried to distance himself from the more Radical elements of Marchalism and remained as Consul until his defeat in the January 1840 parliamentary election. The conservative People's Party won an overall majority of seats and elected Cédric Gaume as Consul. Gaume was only in office until his death six months after he became Consul from Cholera. Gaume was replaced by Augustin Allais until his resignation in 1845 following the PP's disastrous general election defeat. The PDM's leader Thaddée Vaillancourt became Consul with a radical-Marchalist agenda including decreasing the Military to a mainly defensive role. In 1847 General Valéry Jaccoud surrounded the Palais du Peuple and the General Assembly building and forced to resign and appoint Jaccoud as Consul.

Jaccoud suspended the General Assembly and declared himself Supreme Consul and banned most political parties. Jaccoud established the Comité révolutionnaire as the new Legislative Body and appointed it's 48 members, mainly Generals and former pro-military politicians. Jaccoud was instrumental in the annexation of several Native territories into Sainte-Marine becoming the last territorial expansion of Sainte Marine and changed the country's name to the Senejorese Republic (République sénéjoraise) in 1855. Jaccoud would later die of Pneumonia in 1867 and his Deputy, General Henry Courbis was inaugurated the day of his death. Courbis would only be in office briefly until he and most of the Revolutionary Committee were killed by a Pro-Democracy bombing just outside of Fort Tristan.

The Fourth Constitutional Convention was held in 1868 with acting President Abélard Auch becoming the country's first Directly elected head of state. Term Limits for the President were set to 10 years in 1870 with Auch serving until 1880. Senejor stayed neutral in the First Great war and Women were granted the right to vote in 1916. From 193X to 1943 Senejor was involved in the Second Great War folowing the Songhese attack on Blaykish Mesonesia and was in a strategic location due to it's large Demontean coast. Following the war the Fifth constitutional Convention was held and established the role of Prime Minister and made the role of President mainly ceremonial.

The first Prime Minister was Élie Plantier from the Neo-Marchalist Parti travailliste démocratique (PTD). Plantier later became President in 1940 and served until 1950. Plantier was succeeded as Prime Minister by Serge Féret who resigned in 1955 following a disappointing general election result for the PTD. Romuald Gaubert became Prime Minister and the first amputee to become Head of Government in Senejor due to his involvement in the Second Great War when his ship was sank and he was severely injured during his escape and wait to be rescued. Gaubert would serve from 1955 to 1970 when he was appointed President.

Michèle Bessette was elected in 1975 in a landslide General election for the PTD becoming the first female Prime Minister. Bessette expanded the Senejorese Welfare State and decriminalised homosexuality in 1981. Bessette became President in 1990 and retired in 2000. Bessette was succeeded by Timothé Calvet who served as Prime Minister from 1990 to 1992 when the Opposition won a vote of no confidence and Laura Grosjean became Prime Minister until her resignation in 2008. Arsène Bourbeau served as Prime Minister from 2008-2010 and held a referendum on Same-Sex marriage in which the Yes campaign won 61% of the vote. Bourbeau became President in 2010 and the PTD's Justine Courtial became PM in 2010 after 15 years as the opposition.

Economic Overview:
*GDP: 1.59 Trillion
*GDP per Capita: 37,000
*Economy Type: Mixed Economy
*National Debt: 1.55 Trillion
*Main Imports: Vehicles, Machinery including computers, Mineral fuels including oil
*Main Exports: Machinery including Computers, Organic chemicals, Optical, technical, medical apparatus
*Currency: Lozaire
*Unemployment: 10.4%
*Gini: 0.324

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: Interesting lore/worldbuilding potential (Plus the community seems nice)
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: It's on the old IIWiki and I can't get it back.
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: No
Anything else to add?:

[-AlEmAnNiA-]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Republic of Sulatia (Suulaten Tasavalta)
Nation Name (Common): Sulatia (Suulati)
Capital City: Karvistonpuoli
Requested Location: Can be figured out once I'm in the discord
Requested Population: 60-70m
Culture: Predominantly Finno-Ugric (Finns, Estonians, Karelians, and Ingrians more specifically) with small minorities of Slavs (no preference) and Germans (if applicable in the location we decide). Finnish is the dominant culture after extensive "Finnofication" of the other ethnic groups, however following 1916, other Finno-Ugric groups are considered equal.
Government Type: Unitary directorial republic
National Overview: The area of Sulatia has been inhabited since roughly 60,000 BP. Bronze working was introduced ca. 3000 BCE with several cultures, most notably the Kaarre culture, arising during this time. The cultural continuity of the Kaarre continued into the 1st millennium BCE with the transition to the Iron Age believed to occur between the 300s and 100s BCE. The Iron Age saw a transition from pastoralism to nomadism, with the culture spectrum of Keranic¹ (Finno-Ugric) groups being collectively referred to as Iron Age Nomads. Migration eastwards culminated in the Sulatian conquest of Teno River basin over the course of the 8th century CE, and is largely considered by both archareologists and historiographers to be the end of the Keranic Iron Age.

The settlement of the Teno river basin saw the semi-nomadic tribal alliance of Sarvalians (Finns), Jatilians (Estonians), and Lamalians (Karelians) transition to a pastoral life style and, together with the Vogarians (Ingrians) who had settled the region sometime during the 4th century CE, formed the Duchy of Sulatia. The duchy was a loose confederation of the settled Keranic tribes, and various warlords ruled as semi-independent polities. The lands of Sulatia were finally united under Kaarlo I and, in 1280, was crowned as Grand Duke. The proceeding centuries saw Sulatia expand southwards, incorporating various Isaric and !Slavic polities in what is termed Etalaasettava². By the 17th century, Sulatia reached its territorial height, incorporating parts of Tyrnica, X, and Y. This territory was gradually eroded as a result of the [War] and [Second War] fought against X and Y. Inspired by the Rythenean Revolution of 1790, republican revolutionaries toppled the monarchy, and by 1801, had instituted a republican form of government.

The era of the First Republic of Sulatia was marked by the implementation of authoritarian measures carried out by the Popular Tribunal in efforts to effectively quash royalist sentiment. Additionally, the nation found itself at war with its neighbors in an attempt to spread republicanism. While Sulatia was defeated in these wars, the opposing powers failed to manage to a total defeat of the nation, and its republican government managed to survive into the post-war years. In 1874, Erkkilä Toivo was elected as President of the Popular Tribunal and began a policy of normalization with the other Auressian states. The outbreak of the Great War saw Sulatia emerge as one of the victorious powers, however the nation was never fully able to reap the benefits of victory. Economic and social strife caused by the war saw a second revolution occur, with the Second Republic of Sulatia being proclaimed in 1916. The new national convention passed several reforms aimed at wealth equality, workers' self-management, and social ownership of property. Despite the implementation of many socialist policies, Sulatia does not claim to be a socialist state.
Economic Overview: Sulatia has completely embraced Marxist and socialist economic ideas and theories. Private enterprise is effectively illegal and economic endeavors most be approved by the community they are expected to occur. Syndicalist ownership is the most common form of economic ownership at approximately 60%, followed by collective ownership (by means of workers' cooperatives) at 25%, state ownership at 9%, and communal ownership at 6%. Regardless of the ownership method, some form of workplace democracy is implemented , with the two most common methods being workers direct democracy and managerial-elect systems.

Generally would be considered a developed, post-industrial economy with a nominal GDP of $2.124 trillion ($35,279 per capita), high equality, and high HDI.

Miscellaneous Information
(feel free to ignore this, this is mostly so I don't forget)
1. From Proto-Finnic kecrä meaning spindle or wheel; referring to the wagons used to transport dwellings when migrating between pastures.
2. From Finnish etelä and asuttaa meaning "Colonizing the South"
Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: People said it was cool
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: https://iiwiki.us/wiki/Monarchy_of_Poliania
Any issues with NationStates moderation?:
Anything else to add?:

[Tyrnica]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Commonwealth of Albrennia
Nation Name (Common): Albrennia
Capital City: Providence
Requested Location: The Albren Peninsula of northeastern Marceaunia Major.
Requested Population: 80,631,224
Culture:

Albrennia is, in origin, a Rythenean colony, and it retains deep cultural ties to its motherland: a shared language and a common body of literature, a shared heritage of mercantile traditions and republican ideals, and even a common affection for rugby (not so much for cricket). But Albrennia also possesses the oldest Auressian culture in Marceaunia, one that has developed in distinctive ways. From its Rotiferist beginnings, it derived a deep respect for education, a ferocious work ethic, and an originally predestinarian assumption that success represented divine favor, or at the very least objective merit. That, in turn, led to the feature that outsiders most often associate with Albrennian culture: a certain unscrupulous capitalist joy in competition, and a belief in market competition as the best way to determine the worth of most things - people as well as products. But Rotiferism conferred other, more progressive traditions as well: a commitment to academic freedom and excellence, a belief in the value of innovation and experimentation, an appreciation for free speech and open debate, and ultimately a deep suspicion of any authority that goes too long unchallenged. Ironically, many of those traditions were gradually to undermine orthodox Rotiferism's cultural dominance, eroding long-held taboos against homosexuality and expanding women's role in Albrennia's economy and politics - at least for those women who manage to succeed in what remain male-dominated circles of power.

From this Rythenean Rotiferist origin, Albrennia has undergone a dramatic evolution. Its peace and prosperity, as well as the contacts that its centuries-old trading networks offer across the world, have made it a magnet for immigration since the eighteenth century: first from Auressia, and then from Marceaunia Minor, and finally from around the globe. The process of assimilation has not always been smooth, and to this day, the great universities of Tolland and Alford are dominated by old Rotiferist families - with the result that the Commonwealth's ruling elite is likewise unrepresentative of its modern demographics. The great cultural institutions of immigrant communities old and new are instead the labor unions, which brought Albrennia to the brink of civil war before finally winning for themselves a uniquely powerful position at the heart of the Commonwealth's government. In the murky accommodation of labor solidarity with Rotiferist competition lies the great cultural mainstream of the Albrennian middle class: the true center of the nation. It is that creative tension that produced Albrennia's most well-respected cultural output: authors, musicians, and filmmakers whose synthesis of a restrained Rythenean sensibility with global influences has produced something strikingly new.

Government Type:

Albrennia is a republic, albeit an imperfect one. Over the centuries, it has evolved from a system dominated by Parliament to one in which the Chancellery holds broad executive authority over the day-to-day running of the Commonwealth, with Parliament's role largely restricted to major legislation and the annual budget. The chancellor is elected every six years; the unicameral parliament is elected by thirds, with one-third of members standing every two years. While the franchise is universal for citizens, an exceptionally lax campaign finance system means that the so-called "Pillars" - the gigantic corporate conglomerates that control more than half of Albrennia's economy - have hugely disproportionate say over who is actually able to win elected office. Moreover, Albrennia's powerful chancellery is overwhelmingly staffed by permanent civil servants with job protection - the "Establishment" - almost all of whom are drawn from the traditional elite proving-grounds of Tolland and Alford Universities. While these schools have begun to diversify, this still means that the Albrennian government is largely a white, male, Rotiferist environment: one in which everything is run efficiently and professionally, but in which nothing much tends to change no matter who is elected.

There are some checks on the power of the Establishment. The rule of law is alive and well in Albrennia: while most judges are drawn from the same social class as the civil servants, the legal profession possesses a strong tradition of independence and a professional culture that prizes defending underdogs. The Albrennian constitution is based on Rythenean republican values, and includes strong protections for individual rights and democratic norms. It also enshrines the Rotiferist value of free debate in one of the most robust free-speech provisions anywhere in Levilion. The courts take all of this very seriously indeed, and so they have become the primary forum of vindication for people who lack the funds to compete in electoral politics.

The main check on the economic and political influence of the Pillars, on the other hand, is Albrennia's labor movement. Albrennia's workforce is compulsorily unionized by sectors, with all the sectoral unions united under the Albrennian Conference of Labor (ACL). Both the ACL and the Pillars are directly legally involved in Albrennia's budgeting process: once every three years, the country's biggest conglomerates negotiate directly with its "one big union," with the chancellery mediating. That negotiation fixes the minimum wage for all workers, determines the level of health insurance that all employers will be required to provide, sets pension rates to be paid by all employers, and otherwise determines the nature of Albrennia's social safety net. This places the cost of social welfare almost exclusively on business: healthcare, pensions, and unemployment insurance are paid directly out of corporate profits, not out of tax revenue. The arrangement has the advantage of promoting labor peace, since it corrals the most important causes of labor disputes into a single nationwide process with a mediator who can force it to an outcome. Notably, the only major social benefit that is wholly taxpayer-funded is education; in a reflection of its longstanding importance to Rotiferist values, primary education through graduate school are entirely tuition free, and have been for more than a century.

Albrennia's military also possesses an unusual role in its political system. Over time, the Department of War - responsible for the army - has dwindled, until the Albrennian army today is little more than a rump force of gendarmes and engineers manning the extensive fortifications across the Isthmus of Lamont. By contrast, the Department of the Navy has been entirely absorbed into the force for which it is responsible. Known simply as the Fleet, the Albrennian navy includes one of the world's largest marine corps, an enormous fleet of naval aircraft, and the notorious Fleet Intelligence Corps, and it absorbs more than half the Commonwealth's total annual budget in an average year. The Fleet is generally understood as a kind of sui generis institution within the Albrennian government: it reports directly to the chancellor and is entirely outside the control of the permanent civil service. It cannot be audited, it is not required to report to Parliament on operations outside Albrennia, and it even possesses its own military courts over which the civilian judiciary has little review. The Fleet has its own academies, equal in prestige to Tolland and Alford, and it administers itself rather than being subordinate to any civilian branch other than the Oaken Office itself. It is, in most ways, a government-within-the-government, and only the intense strictures of its distinguished tradition keep it accountable to the civilian administration in any meaningful way at all.

Finally, while Albrennia is formally a unitary and not a federal republic, in practice it has devolved considerable powers of day-to-day administration not to states or provinces but to cities. As the Commonwealth is heavily urbanized, this has much the same result: mayors and city councils preside over nine metropolises each of five million residents or more, accounting collectively for almost sixty percent of the country's population. Fire safety, municipal zoning, most environmental regulation, and much law enforcement are handled on a city-by-city basis. Except in small towns, urban politics are just as dominated as national politics by the campaign contributions of the Pillars and the unions, and the courts remain the primary political recourse of ordinary people.

National Overview:

In 1460, the Rythenean explorer Rufus Albren discovered land far to the west of Grafton. Over the next forty years, Rythenean traders made contact with the powerful Hathawekala Confederacy, the native sovereign of what became known as Albren's Land - or Albrennia. It soon became apparent that the traders had brought disease as well as cooking pots and axes, and epidemics ravaged the area, reducing the Hathawekala population by half by 1500.

Meanwhile, Rythene found itself in religious turmoil. Following a reformist preacher named Walter Hartcliffe, a new branch of Classical Perendism had emerged: the Rotiferists. Meaning literally "those who follow the direction of the wheel," this term referred to a predestinarian movement. Hartcliffe preached that everything that really matters about the Earth is inevitable and irresistible: the changing of the seasons, the movement of the stars, the tide, the cycle of life and death. Therefore, spiritual balance cannot actually be within the attainment of the individual. All that a man can really do is submit himself to the world, to understand its processes and surrender to them. If God so wills it, he will achieve balance, just as the sun rises and the winter turns to spring. If God does not will it, well - "Not every tree survives the winter," in the old Rotiferist aphorism.

Rotiferism inspired certain important values. Since Rotiferists were constantly and anxiously examining themselves for signs that they were indeed in balance with the world, the denomination acquired a reputation for self-discipline and extremely hard work - the supposed signs of a balanced soul. Since they claimed to derive their predestinarian beliefs by rational deduction from the natural world, they regarded education and literacy as a sacred duty. The movement was dominated by the educated merchant classes, who considered their prosperity a sign of God's balancing work within them. And as this reformist proto-bourgeosie ran up repeatedly against the aristocratic elite's hold on politics and religion, it came to feel that the only way to build a truly godly and balanced society was to start over.

In March of 1504, the caravel Springsong sailed from Dellhaven with some three hundred Rythenean Rotiferists aboard. They had a safe crossing, and established a settlement at Newhaven. The Hathawekala Confederacy had fallen into disarray under the pressure of epidemic disease, and the colonists were able to play different indigenous factions off against each other, offering the aid of soldiers armed with steel weapons and horses in exchange for food and knowledge of local conditions. By 1515, the colony was firmly established and had begun attracting thousands of immigrants from Rythene per year: mostly Rotiferists, but including many less pious families who simply wanted free land. By 1530, the eight original cities of the Commonwealth had been founded along the rocky Hesperian seaboard: Newhaven, Tolland, Alford, Colrain, Wellfleet, Lanesborough, and Sherborn. Within a generation of its founding, Albrennia had become self-sufficient in food and raw materials from Rythene. It was a functioning society in its own right.

It is often forgotten today that well over half of Albrennian history predates the Commonwealth's independence: it was the oldest and earliest-developed Auressian colony in the New World. By the time the first Tyrnican colonists settled in what is now Audonia, Newhaven had been a major city for almost two centuries. Alford and Tolland Universities, both established in the 1540s, are older than many prestigious institutions on the other side of the Hesperian. The colony's expansion was slow but steady, pushing the Hathawekala remnants beyond the mountains of the Isthmus of Lamont before stopping; already, Albrennia's culture had evolved to orient it toward the sea, not toward the trackless expanse of the Marceaunian interior, and the promise of trade was more alluring that the dangers of further expansion. As a result, Albrennia became more tame more quickly than many New World colonies: safe behind its natural border, rendered homogenously Auressian by the mass displacement of the Hathawekala to the west, busily engaged in turning the vast pine forests of the Albren Peninsula into a fleet of sailing ships rather than fortresses. Those ships, in turn, became the backbone of much of the colonial trade that connected Auressian nations to their colonies: carrying slaves to Marceaunia Minor, and carrying sugar and rice and coffee and tobacco from the New World back to Auressia. Most Auressians, by the mid-seventeenth century, no longer really thought of Albrennia as the frontier: it was a place of universities, coffee shops, busy trading ports, and century-old cities - a little piece of the Old World on the shores of the New - and its legions of merchants were a common sight in ports on every shore of the Hesperian.

But as Albrennia became a more established and comfortable place, so too did it change in the process. By the eighteenth century, the voyage of the Springsong was already two centuries in the past, and the Rotiferist majority was consigned to history. Generations of immigrants had come seeking not a godly society, but cheap land and work on the docks and the chance to sail the world with the Albrennian merchant marine. While most immigrants continued to hail from Rythene, there were far more Apostolic and mainstream Classical Perendists than Rotiferists. And increasingly, the major cities of Albrennia became a magnet for immigration from Blayk, Vervillia, and Tyrnica as well. The colony remained majority-Auressian only because, while Albrennian merchants were central to the slave trade, slavery itself was banned in Albrennia. This prohibition testified to the lingering cultural influence of Rotiferist values, even as Albrennia became less and less religiously homogenous. Those values showed through in other ways, too: in Albrennia's republican colonial government, a source of constant ideological objection in the royal court of Rythene; in Albrennia's guarantee of universal primary education, the first such system in the world; in the unfettered competitive markets that made Albrennia a hive of commercial activity; and in the establishment of the Albren Bank in 1757: one of the earliest central banks in the world, created not by a sovereign crown but by a mere colonial government.

And so the Upheaval found Albrennia already a country of six million souls, with global trading networks and almost three hundred years of history and well-developed political institutions. Rythene's policy of benign neglect, exemplified in the 1622 International Markets Act, had allowed Albrennia to flourish on its own - trading with all Auressia as well as with the mother country. Charles IV's revocation of the Act infuriated the old Rotiferist elite and the more secular merchant classes alike, and support for the Rythenean Revolution was almost universal in Albrennia. In turn, the 300-year republican tradition of Albrennia's colonial government earned the colonists more respect from Rythene than any other colony could expect. And so, while Amandine rose up for independence and the Brothers of Freedom plotted in Audonia, Albrennia stood steadfastly beside its motherland, already seeing itself more as a partner than as a subject. In the War of the Commons, the colonial government nationalized hundreds of merchant vessels and their experienced crews - an act that would go down in history as the origin of the Fleet - and the Tyrnican Navy found itself fighting pitched battles in the Galene Sea with an enemy from the far side of the Hesperian. When war finally ground to its close, it was clear that Albrennia was too important to be allowed to remain in Rythene's hands, but too powerful in its own right to simply be transferred to another colonial power. The Congress of Vedayen saw Albrennian independence as the simplest solution to an insoluble problem, and so the Commonwealth gained its sovereignty not on the battlefield but as a grudging gift of its erstwhile enemies.

With 300 years of practice at self-government, independence brought few immediate changes after 1816: Albrennia's colonial governor became the chancellor, its assembly the parliament, and the colors on the flag were a bit different. But the coming decades would be more tumultuous. As Audonia and Amandine struggled with slavery and political unrest, respectively, Albrennia began rapidly to industrialize from the 1820s on: a dense network of canals, railroads, textile mills, and eventually armaments factories sprang up, taking advantage of iron and coal deposits in the Lamont Range of western Albrennia. The accelerating demand for labor that resulted, together with Albrennia's political stability in an unstable era, brought another wave of immigration: this time more from Tyrnica and Palia than from Rythene. As Albrennian manufacturing boomed, the Commonwealth began to look abroad for markets, and by the 1860s it had begun the sort of gunboat diplomacy that has characterized its foreign policy ever since: Albrennian companies would establish themselves in remote corners of Marceaunia Minor and !Africa, sell guns and buy sugar or bananas or rubber, and call in Fleet gunboats and Marine Corps shore parties when local kings or caudillos attempted to back out of the deal. Albrennia's premodern global network of trading posts and sailing routes evolved into a modern web of corporate subsidiaries, trading concessions, monopoly agreements, and anti-smuggling patrols. In order to protect this invisible commercial empire, the Fleet ballooned in size, absorbing first the Department of the Navy and then most of the budget of the Department of War, and acquiring unique legal privileges and protections as it went.

At home, forty years of uninterrupted prosperity and growth came to an abrupt end with the Panic of 1876: a crash in the price of silver made it impossible for the Harp-Wellfleet Bank to redeem millions of guilders in bonds from the Bank of Albren, causing a cascading crisis of confidence in the credit of most big banks and, ultimately, in the value of the Commonwealth guilder itself. To force the crisis under control, the Bank of Albren ultimately switched entirely to a fiat money system, abandoning the silver standard altogether. Then it bailed out the banks with cheap money, and the Chancellor used the Fleet to make it very clear in small countries across Marceaunia that the new fiat guilder might not be backed with silver, but it was backed with lead. By 1880, the worst of the economic depression was over, but hundreds of companies with origins going back to the sixteenth century were bankrupt. The few corporations that had survived bought up billions of guilders' worth of distressed assets, and when the economic smoke cleared, the Albrennian economy was unprecedentedly centralized and vertically integrated, with just a dozen corporate conglomerates accounting for nearly three-quarters of GDP. The Pillars had been born.

Pillarization enormously increased efficiency in the manufacturing sector, leading - among other things - to the birth of Albrennia's modern shipbuilding industry. But it also created a de facto employer cartelization of the labor market, in which a small group of corporations were able to prevent wage competition across the entire economy. Albrennian workers, previously accustomed to a fairly high standard of living, suffered completely stagnant wages for almost twenty years. Widening economic inequality exacerbated preexisting social inequality: the native-born, ethnic-Rythenean, mostly Rotiferist Establishment controlled both the Pillars and the government, and tens of millions of immigrant, non-Rythenean, Apostolic citizens found themselves utterly excluded from economic and political power. The inevitable consequence was a wave of labor unrest, as local union organizing drives faced off with gendarmes and Fleet Marines, and then founded sectoral unions, which in turn founded the Albrennian Conference of Labor. By 1898, more than seventy percent of Albrennian industrial and farm workers belonged to unions affiliated with the ACL. That year, tensions boiled over after Fleet Marines gunned down strikers in Sherborn, and the ACL called a general strike. Despite a declaration of martial law and gun battles in major cities that left hundreds dead, the strike shut down the entire Albrennian economy for fifteen days - known in Albrennian labor circles to this day as the Glorious Fifteen. On the sixteenth day, the government capitulated: it recognized the unions, and called a conference of the Pillars and the ACL to discuss fundamental changes to Albrennia's economy and society. The result of the Providence Conference was the modern Albrennian economy: compulsory unionization; nationwide corporatist bargaining to set wages, pensions, and benefits by agreement of the Pillars and the ACL; and a reformed university admission system that finally allowed working-class youth to gain access to Tolland and Alford and the other gatekeepers of the Establishment.

The system worked, at least well enough. The Pillars adjusted to sharply increased labor costs by relying on the unions to improve the skill of workers, increasing per-worker efficiency and boosting overall production. This symbiosis of labor and management was most successful in the arms industry, which in five years made General Armaments the world's largest private arms dealer. Both General Armaments and Wellfleet Industries were deeply involved in fueling the arms race that led up to the outbreak of the First Great War, and Albrennian greed would later become a common explanation for the war among conspiracy-minded Auressians. But when Rythene marched to war, the Establishment - conscious as ever of its roots - followed without hesitation. The withering of Albrennia's army into a gendarme force spared the Commonwealth the horror of the ground war: it sent no ground troops to Auressia. But for the second time in history, the Fleet sailed into the Galene Sea: no hastily assembled force of armed merchantmen this time, but the product of one of the world's most powerful shipbuilding industries and strongest naval traditions. Albrennia's contribution to victory was to bloody the Tyrnican Navy badly enough to force it into port, and then to impose a crushing blockade that helped to starve Tyrnica out of the war. At the Treaty of Arden, it was seated as the equal of the other Coalition powers - an event still remembered today as Albrennia's formal arrival on the world stage.

In the postwar period, Albrennia was both an asset and a hindrance to Rythene's attempt to act as a global policeman. The Commonwealth - or, at least, the Establishment - still felt a deep loyalty to Rythenean culture and republican values, and so the Fleet was a willing partner to the Rythenean Navy in enforcing a vision of maritime law based on free trade and free navigation. By the late 1920s, in fact, Albrennia was consistently advocating for a more forceful stance against Songha, and unsuccessfully attempted to assemble a coalition to stage a freedom-of-navigation operation through the Straits of Qes. But Albrennia was also, in some sense, a competitor to Rythene: while the older country remained a major imperial power, Albrennian companies kept quietly establishing themselves in Rythenean colonies and buying lucrative local industries out from under the Rythenean overlords. It was a new kind of empire, an invisible empire of corporate subsidiaries and private oilfields, in which the name on a contract mattered more than the flag that flew over a city. And where the Rythenean writ did not run (especially in the smaller nations of Marceaunia Minor), Albrennia continued its older and more cutthroat competition for influence and natural resources with Amandine - a competition that sometimes spilled over into direct intervention by Fleet marines in sunbaked coastal cities up and down the Demontean coast.

When the Second Great War broke out, neither the Establishment nor the Albrennian public needed to be convinced of the Songhan threat. Once again, Parliament declared war the same day as Rythene. But after its victories against Tyrnica, the Fleet suffered from crippling overconfidence. It intervened to defend the Ta-Puia Archipelago, but was forced to retreat - leaving eight thousand Fleet Marines marooned on the islands, where most of them would perish in battle or from mistreatment after capture. When the Fleet rallied to defend Blaykish Mesonesia, it was shattered again, losing four aircraft carriers and twelve thousand lives. The myth of Albrennian naval invincibility had been obliterated.

But the reality of Albrennian industry remained quite intact. Late 1939 to early 1941 witnessed an unprecedented national mobilization: Wellfleet Industries ceased work on all civilian shipping, and managed to produce twelve aircraft carriers, thirty cruisers, and ninety destroyers in twenty months. To crew the new Fleet, Albrennia instituted its first - and thus far only - national draft. In July 1941, at the Battle of Saint-Baptiste, the Fleet intercepted and practically annihilated a Songhan invasion armada, establishing Allied control of the eastern Demontean and paving the way for Amandine to liberate Blaykish Mesonesia. The next year, when Amandine and Blaykish land forces seized the southern peninsula of the Qes Straits Zone, it was the Fleet that used this opening to force a path through the straits: fighting one of the largest naval battles in history, and dealing what turned out to be an irretrievable blow to the Songhan Navy. By the end of the war, the Fleet was the single largest force in the Sea of Qes. While Albrennia had not fought on land since the debacle of Ta-Puia, and while it had not contributed in the Auressian Theater at all, its naval operations alone had been decisive enough to enable it to stand among the crucial players in the conflict.

The postwar period has had its fair share of both triumphs and disappointments. Hawkishly anti-Songhan since the early 1920s, Albrennia was outraged by the relatively generous terms granted to the Empire at Porte-Tordu. Alone among the Allied powers, it remained deeply invested in the Sea of Qes for years after the peace: aggressively patrolling with freedom-of-navigation operations; running Fleet Intelligence Corps operations to slow and destabilize Songha's recovery; and investing heavily in Songha's neighbors, in order to surround the Empire with states fearful of its expansion and sympathetic to Albrennian corporate interests. Albrennian efforts were imperfectly successful, at best, but they did hinder and delay Songha's recovery. They also made the Commonwealth a lasting enemy in Isuan.

Ultimately, though, even Albrennia's attention slipped away. Auressian decolonization offered the Commonwealth a distinctively Albrennian imperial moment: as the old empires withdrew, Albrennian corporate emissaries arrived to congratulate former colonies on their independence and present enticing offers of investment. When newly independent governments discovered, to their dismay, that this left their mines and oil reserves and agriculture owned by Albrennian companies, the Fleet stood ready to discourage any unwise attempts at nationalization: airstrikes, shore bombardment, and Marine Corps invasions backed up Albrennian corporate influence in small nations around the globe. Military spending remained accordingly high, accounting for more than half the national budget even in peacetime. Albrennia was also a founding member of the Association of Marceaunian States, and has ever since been a rival with Amandine for leadership of that organization; Albrennian diplomats have often used the AMS as an effective tool by which to "defend property rights" - shielding Albrennian companies from nationalization or taxation. Albrennia's influence has not been entirely self-centered, though; as Rythene relinquished its role as the global policeman, the Fleet has become Levilion's most prominent anti-piracy and anti-smuggling and free-navigation force, the principal guarantor of the Law of the Sea.

But in time, the "invisible empire" began to have unforeseen consequences: in response to high labor costs at home, the Pillars quietly began to offshore many of their less-skilled manufacturing operations to other nations where they possessed commercial interests. By 1990, the great majority of radios, televisions, and home appliances produced by Albrennian companies were actually made overseas. The result was a crisis unseen since 1876: the collapse of a Pillar conglomerate, the General Helpmeet Group. An immense taxpayer-funded bailout was necessary to rescue GHG's pension and healthcare and unemployment-fund obligations while at the same time easing the company into bankruptcy, and Albrennia suffered three years of severe recession in the early 1990s. But GHG's demise coincided with the rise of the newest Pillar: Albrennian Informatics, or AlbrInfo. A uniquely organized conglomerate known as the "Start-Up Pillar," in which employees are able to start their own businesses within the corporate umbrella at will, AlbrInfo has been at the forefront of information technology since the mid-1990s, and many of the search engines and social media platforms used across Levilion are actually AlbrInfo intellectual property. In just twenty years, it has surpassed Wellfleet Industries to become the largest and most profitable Pillar, and its power is beginning to cause significant political unease within the Albrennian Establishment.

Other problems have also arisen. Many communities have never fully recovered from the collapse of GHG, and since Albrennia's entire social safety net is predicated on compulsorily unionized employment, long-term full-household unemployment can result in a depth of poverty hardly known elsewhere in the developed world. The postwar period has also wrought substantial cultural changes in Albrennian society: in a movement led by the universities, which have retained their immense influence ever since the sixteenth century, women have been (mostly) accepted as equals in the workplace and homosexuality has been normalized, with even the Rotiferist Church agreeing to perform gay marriages. Not all Albrennians, especially in rural western areas, are comfortable with these changes. Despite a wave of immigration from !Africa and Isuan, the Albrennian Establishment remains overwhelmingly white, and tensions over unfair policing and unequal access to political power have provoked repeated bouts of urban unrest. But despite its flaws, Albrennia remains a critical nation in Levilion's international community: its position in global trade and finance remains dominant; it is still a leading naval power capable of projecting force within days anywhere in Levilion; and despite its difficulties, it is prosperous and peaceful enough to remain a locus for immigration from nations developed and developing alike.

Economic Overview:

Albrennia's economy has been formatively shaped by a few important factors. First, it possesses quite few natural resources: it is a cold, dreary country with substantial deposits of steel and coal in the Lamont Range, a little offshore natural gas, and some moderately arable land near the coast. There is not much else. As a result, Albrennians have for five hundred years looked to the sea for prosperity: this is a merchant culture, committed to market competition, in which success is based on buying and selling and dealmaking rather than on finding wealth beneath the earth. Ironically, that exact tradition is what made Albrennia a manufacturing powerhouse in the nineteenth century: in Albrennia, manufacturing was always a matter of taking raw materials from elsewhere, processing them into something more valuable, and selling them on at a profit. Today, while Albrennian manufacturing has declined somewhat in importance, the Commonwealth remains one of the world's largest shipbuilders and arms manufacturers; Albrennian weapons are a common sight in any conflict zone. And the theory that made Albrennia a manufacturing center - that prosperity is based on the ability to add value, and that added value is the result of knowledge rather than natural wealth - remains crucial to the nation's wealth. Albrennia is, as it was four hundred years ago, a lynchpin of global trade, shipbuilding, and commerce.

And Albrennia is wealthy - though its wealth is very unevenly distributed. This is due, in large part, to a unique legal feature: Albrennia has no antitrust laws whatsoever. In consequence, the Albrennian economy is defined by a phenomenon that began after the Panic of 1876: "Pillarization." This term refers to the vertical integration of entire sectors of the Albrennian economy under a single corporate conglomerate. The oldest and most well-known example is Wellfleet Industries, which is a conglomerate including mining companies active in thirty-one countries, hundreds of electronics and mechanical engineering firms, research-and-development labs, and the largest shipyard complex in Levilion: all under the same corporate umbrella, and all oriented toward the same ultimate goal of producing ships for commerce and for war. There are thirteen Pillars in Albrennia, and together they control well over half of the national economy, including almost all manufacturing, agriculture, and high-tech industry. The advantages of Pillarization are clear: an ability to muster economies of scale, and to reduce transaction costs, that has enabled the Pillars to undercut international competitors for more than a century. Its disadvantage is also plain: except for AlbrInfo, with its innovation-encouraging corporate structure, the Pillars have eliminated all domestic competition; this leaves them with a less pronounced incentive to create new products and ideas. On the other hand yet again, Albrennia's status in global trade has made it a natural financial center in Levilion: the Newhaven Stock Exchange indexes companies that do business all over the world.

The counterbalance to the Pillars is Albrennian organized labor. Since the Providence Conference in 1898, Albrennia has been a compulsorily unionized economy: a particular labor union represents workers in each sector of the economy, and all workers in that sector are required by law to belong to that union. As a result, about eighty percent of working-age Albrennians are unionized; the rest work in the public sector or are in management roles. The Albrennian Conference of Labor, or ACL, is the confederation of all of these sectoral unions: this "one big union" represents an overwhelming majority of Albrennian workers. Every three years, the chancellery mediates negotiations between the ACL and the Pillars, which decide matters of employment law nationwide: what the minimum wage is for all workers, what medical insurance and pensions and unemployment insurance all employers must provide, what workplace safety standards will be enforced. As a result, Albrennia's welfare state is not taxpayer-funded: it is based on employment benefits payed directly by corporations to workers and their families, in accordance with state-mediated corporatist negotiations. This means that, while Pillar executives may be outrageously wealthy, the Albrennian economy is based on a solid, unionized middle class: its income inequality reflects the height of its ceiling, not the depth of its floor. The one major exception to this rule involves households in which no one is able or willing to work; since almost all Albrennian welfare benefits are paid by employers to employees and their families, households experiencing total unemployment are exposed to absolute poverty.

Finally, throughout Levilion Albrennia is associated with a certain kind of economic imperialism. Albrennian Pillars are multinational corporations, with mines and plantations and "low-wage manufacturing plants" - sweatshops - across the globe. To some extent, this is an inevitable consequence of compulsory unionization and its high labor costs: economic activity that cannot be cost-effectively achieved in Albrennia is outsourced. The Pillars' closely symbiotic relationship with the Albrennian government means that the Fleet serves as a guarantor of Albrennian corporate interests: in smaller or poorer countries, governments hostile to the Pillars can expect to be met with "dirty tricks" by the Fleet Intelligence Corps, and - if those fail - by carrier-borne airstrikes and Marine landings. More than most other nations, Albrennia's prosperity is and always has been bound up with global commercial networks, and so it is constantly angling for an advantage in emerging markets, and seeking to secure control of valuable resources and cheap labor - no matter whose flag flies where it does so.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: Good people, interesting conversations on the Discord, compelling but not straitjacketing lore. What's not to like?
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: I believe this app should suffice.
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: None whatsoever.
Anything else to add?: Looking forward to building this world with y'all!

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Senejorese Republic (République sénéjoraise)
Nation Name (Common): Senejor (Sénejor)
Capital City: Sainte Marine
Requested Location: (Image)
Requested Population: 45.7 Million
Culture: Ethnic Groups:
*84.5% Auressian
*7.45% Native Marceaunians
*4.4% Idican
*3.65% Other + Mixed
Government Type: Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Republic
National Overview: First discovered by the Native Marceaunian Tribes in TBD the now modern day territory was primarily inhabited by the Otekah (!Navajo) people in the South and Centre of the country and the !Chumash along the western coast. In 1595 Blaykish explorer Henri Séjour became the first Auressian to land in Senejor near the present day city of Trinité which was later settled as one of the first Blaykish settlements in the country. The first contact between the Auressians and Natives happened outside the town of Lahaye when a Blaykish group of explorers discovered a !Tolowa village. Originally relations between the two were cordial although much of the native population (95%) would die due to various diseases brought unknowingly by the Blaykish.

The colony of Sainte Marine was formed in 1799 and was merged with the other Blaykish colonies in the area forming much of the present day borders of Senejor. At the outbreak of the Blaykish civilwar the Comité consultatif de Sainte Marine (CCSM), at the time an advisory body to the Governor-general announced it would assume temporary Legislative Powers effectively declaring Home Rule in Sainte Marine. In 1806 the CCSM and it's chairperson Napoléon Flandin voted 7-3 in favour of declaring independence with most of the opposition coming from Gilbert Loyalists and formed the État de Sainte Marine or State of Sainte Marine. Flandin assumed powers as the Consul of the State and suspended the CCSM in favour of the Assemblée générale de Sainte Marine which became an advisory body to the Consul. The Consul and by extension Flandin assumed dictatorial powers during the First Constitutional Convention which Flandin used to put down native rebellions and impose a temporary ban on Blaykish immigration which he feared would cause the end of the State.

Flandin died in 1823 from a massive heart attack leading the AGSM to inaugurate Gaétan Marchal as Consul. Marchal suspended the ASGM and would rule by decree, Marchal and his ideology (Marchalism) espoused a sort of socialist nationalism along with a strong central figure. Marchal established the Organe consultatif central auprès du consul (OCCAC) as a legislative body that compared to the Consul was relatively weak. Marchal and much of the OCCAC would perish after the ship they were sailing on from Trinité to Sainte Marine capsized and sank in rough weather. The surviving members of the OCCAC who were mainly Reformists Marchalists dissolved the OCCAC and reestablished the General Assembly and elected Aymeric Larousse as Consul.

Larousse announced various reforms including the Second-constitutional convention and elections to the General Assembly and the abolition of Slavery and full voting rights for all men above the age of 28. The Parti démocrate marchaliste won a plurality of the seats available and Larousse was voted out of office by the General Assembly. The leader of the PDM Hervé Compere became Consul and tried to distance himself from the more Radical elements of Marchalism and remained as Consul until his defeat in the January 1840 parliamentary election. The conservative People's Party won an overall majority of seats and elected Cédric Gaume as Consul. Gaume was only in office until his death six months after he became Consul from Cholera. Gaume was replaced by Augustin Allais until his resignation in 1845 following the PP's disastrous general election defeat. The PDM's leader Thaddée Vaillancourt became Consul with a radical-Marchalist agenda including decreasing the Military to a mainly defensive role. In 1847 General Valéry Jaccoud surrounded the Palais du Peuple and the General Assembly building and forced to resign and appoint Jaccoud as Consul.

Jaccoud suspended the General Assembly and declared himself Supreme Consul and banned most political parties. Jaccoud established the Comité révolutionnaire as the new Legislative Body and appointed it's 48 members, mainly Generals and former pro-military politicians. Jaccoud was instrumental in the annexation of several Native territories into Sainte-Marine becoming the last territorial expansion of Sainte Marine and changed the country's name to the Senejorese Republic (République sénéjoraise) in 1855. Jaccoud would later die of Pneumonia in 1867 and his Deputy, General Henry Courbis was inaugurated the day of his death. Courbis would only be in office briefly until he and most of the Revolutionary Committee were killed by a Pro-Democracy bombing just outside of Fort Tristan.

The Fourth Constitutional Convention was held in 1868 with acting President Abélard Auch becoming the country's first Directly elected head of state. Term Limits for the President were set to 10 years in 1870 with Auch serving until 1880. Senejor stayed neutral in the First Great war and Women were granted the right to vote in 1916. From 193X to 1943 Senejor was involved in the Second Great War folowing the Songhese attack on Blaykish Mesonesia and was in a strategic location due to it's large Demontean coast. Following the war the Fifth constitutional Convention was held and established the role of Prime Minister and made the role of President mainly ceremonial.

The first Prime Minister was Élie Plantier from the Neo-Marchalist Parti travailliste démocratique (PTD). Plantier later became President in 1940 and served until 1950. Plantier was succeeded as Prime Minister by Serge Féret who resigned in 1955 following a disappointing general election result for the PTD. Romuald Gaubert became Prime Minister and the first amputee to become Head of Government in Senejor due to his involvement in the Second Great War when his ship was sank and he was severely injured during his escape and wait to be rescued. Gaubert would serve from 1955 to 1970 when he was appointed President.

Michèle Bessette was elected in 1975 in a landslide General election for the PTD becoming the first female Prime Minister. Bessette expanded the Senejorese Welfare State and decriminalised homosexuality in 1981. Bessette became President in 1990 and retired in 2000. Bessette was succeeded by Timothé Calvet who served as Prime Minister from 1990 to 1992 when the Opposition won a vote of no confidence and Laura Grosjean became Prime Minister until her resignation in 2008. Arsène Bourbeau served as Prime Minister from 2008-2010 and held a referendum on Same-Sex marriage in which the Yes campaign won 61% of the vote. Bourbeau became President in 2010 and the PTD's Justine Courtial became PM in 2010 after 15 years as the opposition.

Economic Overview:
*GDP: 1.59 Trillion
*GDP per Capita: 37,000
*Economy Type: Mixed Economy
*National Debt: 1.55 Trillion
*Main Imports: Vehicles, Machinery including computers, Mineral fuels including oil
*Main Exports: Machinery including Computers, Organic chemicals, Optical, technical, medical apparatus
*Currency: Lozaire
*Unemployment: 10.4%
*Gini: 0.324

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: Interesting lore/worldbuilding potential (Plus the community seems nice)
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: It's on the old IIWiki and I can't get it back.
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: No
Anything else to add?:

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Republic of Sulatia (Suulaten Tasavalta)
Nation Name (Common): Sulatia (Suulati)
Capital City: Karvistonpuoli
Requested Location: Can be figured out once I'm in the discord
Requested Population: 60-70m
Culture: Predominantly Finno-Ugric (Finns, Estonians, Karelians, and Ingrians more specifically) with small minorities of Slavs (no preference) and Germans (if applicable in the location we decide). Finnish is the dominant culture after extensive "Finnofication" of the other ethnic groups, however following 1916, other Finno-Ugric groups are considered equal.
Government Type: Unitary directorial republic
National Overview: The area of Sulatia has been inhabited since roughly 60,000 BP. Bronze working was introduced ca. 3000 BCE with several cultures, most notably the Kaarre culture, arising during this time. The cultural continuity of the Kaarre continued into the 1st millennium BCE with the transition to the Iron Age believed to occur between the 300s and 100s BCE. The Iron Age saw a transition from pastoralism to nomadism, with the culture spectrum of Keranic¹ (Finno-Ugric) groups being collectively referred to as Iron Age Nomads. Migration eastwards culminated in the Sulatian conquest of Teno River basin over the course of the 8th century CE, and is largely considered by both archareologists and historiographers to be the end of the Keranic Iron Age.

The settlement of the Teno river basin saw the semi-nomadic tribal alliance of Sarvalians (Finns), Jatilians (Estonians), and Lamalians (Karelians) transition to a pastoral life style and, together with the Vogarians (Ingrians) who had settled the region sometime during the 4th century CE, formed the Duchy of Sulatia. The duchy was a loose confederation of the settled Keranic tribes, and various warlords ruled as semi-independent polities. The lands of Sulatia were finally united under Kaarlo I and, in 1280, was crowned as Grand Duke. The proceeding centuries saw Sulatia expand southwards, incorporating various Isaric and !Slavic polities in what is termed Etalaasettava². By the 17th century, Sulatia reached its territorial height, incorporating parts of Tyrnica, X, and Y. This territory was gradually eroded as a result of the [War] and [Second War] fought against X and Y. Inspired by the Rythenean Revolution of 1790, republican revolutionaries toppled the monarchy, and by 1801, had instituted a republican form of government.

The era of the First Republic of Sulatia was marked by the implementation of authoritarian measures carried out by the Popular Tribunal in efforts to effectively quash royalist sentiment. Additionally, the nation found itself at war with its neighbors in an attempt to spread republicanism. While Sulatia was defeated in these wars, the opposing powers failed to manage to a total defeat of the nation, and its republican government managed to survive into the post-war years. In 1874, Erkkilä Toivo was elected as President of the Popular Tribunal and began a policy of normalization with the other Auressian states. The outbreak of the Great War saw Sulatia emerge as one of the victorious powers, however the nation was never fully able to reap the benefits of victory. Economic and social strife caused by the war saw a second revolution occur, with the Second Republic of Sulatia being proclaimed in 1916. The new national convention passed several reforms aimed at wealth equality, workers' self-management, and social ownership of property. Despite the implementation of many socialist policies, Sulatia does not claim to be a socialist state.
Economic Overview: Sulatia has completely embraced Marxist and socialist economic ideas and theories. Private enterprise is effectively illegal and economic endeavors most be approved by the community they are expected to occur. Syndicalist ownership is the most common form of economic ownership at approximately 60%, followed by collective ownership (by means of workers' cooperatives) at 25%, state ownership at 9%, and communal ownership at 6%. Regardless of the ownership method, some form of workplace democracy is implemented , with the two most common methods being workers direct democracy and managerial-elect systems.

Generally would be considered a developed, post-industrial economy with a nominal GDP of $2.124 trillion ($35,279 per capita), high equality, and high HDI.

Miscellaneous Information
(feel free to ignore this, this is mostly so I don't forget)
1. From Proto-Finnic kecrä meaning spindle or wheel; referring to the wagons used to transport dwellings when migrating between pastures.
2. From Finnish etelä and asuttaa meaning "Colonizing the South"
Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: People said it was cool
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: https://iiwiki.us/wiki/Monarchy_of_Poliania
Any issues with NationStates moderation?:
Anything else to add?:

Although this was sorted out on Discord a while ago, all three are accepted!

[Songha]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Democratic Republic of Tìrmon
Nation Name (Common): Tìrmon, Tirmon
Capital City: Ùrraon
Requested Location: https://i.imgur.com/vhueXPz.png
Requested Population: ~28 Million
Culture: Celtic; Gaelic Sub-groups with a Brythonic minority in the Southeast
Government Type: I'd prefer Tìrmon to be a Libertarian Socialist state, but if this is too incompatible with the lore I can adjust it to a Social Democracy.
National Overview:
Tìrmon traces its roots back to the settlement of Gaelic Celts- the Old Ghàels - in roughly ~1200 BC, in the North of the "Imperial Exclusion Zone" (IEZ); or in layman terms the non-confederacy territory to the West. These settlers displaced Early Germanic Tribes in the area, ultimately driving them to extinction. This change in Tìrmons ethnology resulted in its transition to a divided tribal territory, where over the next millenia, the Old Ghàels split into three primary factions; the dominant Mòraineans, who ruled over the Central and Eastern Territories, the Innseans, who ruled over the Western Coast, and the Adauans, who ruled over a small, yet defensible portion of land in the Northwest Territory. Another development during this period is the introduction of the Caitasi -- a Brythonic subgroup uniquely distinct from the descendents of the Old Ghàels, drawing their origins from the same foundation as the Brythonic minorities in Castelana. These Caitasi inhabited the densely forested Southeast, and inhabited the sparsely populated region roughly ~350 BCE.

Beginning roughly 100 BCE, the Sabarine Republic begins to make incursions to the Caitasi controlled territories; under pressure from both side, they fall under the Sabarine Republic and are integrated into the Castelana Province (assumption, correct me if wrong); at which point, skirmishes begin breaking out between the Mòraineans. The result of the Mòraineans possessing relatively undefensible land, as well as their rivals of Innsea and Adaua, result in them losing the majority of their land to the Sabarine Republic by 40 BCE. This point in Tìrmoni history lays the real beginning of "state building" by the Ghàels, when the Peace of Ùrraon was signed; resulting in the first promised peace between the three Gaelic Kingdoms, as well as the beginning of Innsean and Adauan resistance against Sabarine Expansion.

Despite this combined resistance, Mòrainea and Innsea lost most of their territory by 100 AD, while the Sabarine Expansion was halted only by the Northern Mountains that had shielded Adaua from their Gaelic rivals for hundreds of years. For the next two hundred years, control of Adaua eludede the Sabarines; due to combined factors of continuing Guerilla resistance in the conquered Gaelic territories, the general lack of knowledge about the Gaelic territories, and especially the far north, and the aforementioned geographic advantage. In roughly 300 AD, Adaua finally fell to invading Sabarine forces; but true administrative force over the Highlands and Mountains continued to elude the Sabarines for as long as their Empire stood.

Discontent with Sabarine rule never went away, and as the ability of the Sabarine Empire to control its territory faded, the Ghàels were quick to seize on this territory, with Sabarine rule over Tìrmon being essentially over by 475 AD. This time in Tìrmoni history saw an even more divided period; with small self-proclaimed kingdoms in every town and estate, with only Adaua fully reforming after their rebellion. This lack of consolodisation led to the Second Sabarine Empire effortlessly re-establishing their control over an exhausted and fractured Tìrmon by the late 8th Century, and in Adaua by the early 9th Century. This period of Sabarine rule saw the native Adhragealbhan religion get pushed to exinction in almost all of Tìrmon except for Adaua and some isolated rural areas; this rapid period of assimilation, however, saw the syncretisation of Adhragealbhan and Perendism, resulting in the continued veneration of many mythological figures and a number of folk practices that some outsiders might call witchcraft.

This religious heresy caused great friction between the Sabarine Empire and their Ghàel subjects; it would lead to a number of failed smaller rebellions, until a larger, regional rebellion began in the 16th Century. This rebellion would explode in popularity across Adaua, Innsea and Mòrainea, resulting in the declaration of the Three Kingdoms of those names, under a Ghàel Alliance. Fighting would continue for over three decades, in a conflict called the 33 Dark Years in Tìrmoni History, ultimately resulting in the final Sabarine withdrawal from Tìrmon. Immediately after Sabarine withdrawal, both Innsea and Adaua were forced into Tributary State status by the Kingdom of Mòrainea, who had become even more dominant as a result of this conflict.

This state of affairs would continue as the status quo for centuries, until the Great Upheaval. The Kingdom of Mòrainea was one of the first nations affected by the Great Upheaval -- as both Republican Revolutionaries and its Tributary States alike rebelled, resulting in the War of the Siarach League from 1799 to 1805. The war ultimately laid the groundwork for a united Tìrmon; As the Kingdom of Mòrainea ultimately subjugated its Tributary States of Innsea and Adaua, while a peace treaty was signed with the Mòrainean Republicans, reforming the Kingdom into a Constitutional Monarchy. As the Great Upheaval rocked the whole continent, and Castelana was struggling with its own Opal Revolution, the Mòraineans took the opportunity to occupy the former Caitas territory, re-establishing the Caitas Province after a brief conflict with the Castelans. (This conflict can, of course, be discussed or revised; this was the best way I could figure to come to Tìrmons modern borders but if you guys have feedback please let me know.)

The next hundred years saw some tensions between Mòrainea and Castelana, due to their disputes over the Caitas Province. At the beginning of GW1; oweing to Mòrainean fears of Rythenean Dominance, they sided with the Galene League; however, the inept Mòrainean Military Leadership, made up largely of Nobles rather than qualified individuals, resulted in great losses in forces sent to the main frontlines; these embarassing losses, coupled with economic woes, and religious tensions as the new King took a more hostile approach to religious syncreticism rather than passive, ultimately resulted in the Tìrmoni Revolution -- an uprising of Syndicalist Revolutionaries beginning in the Mòrainean capital city of Beltra, before spreading to other cities such as Arddea, Kinross, and Dechowgau, among others. As a result of much of the military and military command being deployed overseas; major cities in Tìrmon fall to Socialist Revolutionaries, and sporadic fighting spreads across the Tìrmoni countryside, before King Cennètig III abdicates in 1912. The new Socialist Republican Government unilaterally withdraws from GW1 -- though a faction of Monarchist troops unloyal to the new govenrment continues to fight under the command of the Galene League.

The newly formed Democratic Republic of Tìrmon becomes one of the first Socialist nations in the world -- combining values of Syndicalism, Left-Wing Nationalism and Religious Socialism under Adhragealbhan to form a unique identity that shaped Tìrmon for the next century. A new, Centrally Planned City is built -- Ùrraon, named after the now abandoned town where the Peace of Ùrraon was signed two millenia earlier. The new Constitution includes the ratification of Human Rights, a Presidential Governmental System, and the Devolvement of Governmental Powers to the Constituent Countries of Mòrainea, Innsea, Adaua and Caitas, as well as the Capital Federal District of Ùrraon.
Economic Overview:
The economic foundation of Tìrmon is on Trade Unions and worker-managed workplaces, under Syndicalist tradition. Tìrmon is a fertile and arable nation - perhaps referred to as one of the breadbaskets of Auressia. Its economy relies heavily on agriculture, fishing, renewable energy, and mining; as well as healthy service and finance industries. It suffers from a lack of gas, oil, copper, gold, cobalt, as well as being a somewhat shunned state by the liberal, capitalist democracies of Auressia; resulting in a national spirit of Self-Sufficiency where possible.

Miscellaneous Information

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[Tyrnica]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Democratic Republic of Tìrmon
Nation Name (Common): Tìrmon, Tirmon
Capital City: Ùrraon
Requested Location: https://i.imgur.com/vhueXPz.png
Requested Population: ~28 Million
Culture: Celtic; Gaelic Sub-groups with a Brythonic minority in the Southeast
Government Type: I'd prefer Tìrmon to be a Libertarian Socialist state, but if this is too incompatible with the lore I can adjust it to a Social Democracy.
National Overview:
Tìrmon traces its roots back to the settlement of Gaelic Celts- the Old Ghàels - in roughly ~1200 BC, in the North of the "Imperial Exclusion Zone" (IEZ); or in layman terms the non-confederacy territory to the West. These settlers displaced Early Germanic Tribes in the area, ultimately driving them to extinction. This change in Tìrmons ethnology resulted in its transition to a divided tribal territory, where over the next millenia, the Old Ghàels split into three primary factions; the dominant Mòraineans, who ruled over the Central and Eastern Territories, the Innseans, who ruled over the Western Coast, and the Adauans, who ruled over a small, yet defensible portion of land in the Northwest Territory. Another development during this period is the introduction of the Caitasi -- a Brythonic subgroup uniquely distinct from the descendents of the Old Ghàels, drawing their origins from the same foundation as the Brythonic minorities in Castelana. These Caitasi inhabited the densely forested Southeast, and inhabited the sparsely populated region roughly ~350 BCE.

Beginning roughly 100 BCE, the Sabarine Republic begins to make incursions to the Caitasi controlled territories; under pressure from both side, they fall under the Sabarine Republic and are integrated into the Castelana Province (assumption, correct me if wrong); at which point, skirmishes begin breaking out between the Mòraineans. The result of the Mòraineans possessing relatively undefensible land, as well as their rivals of Innsea and Adaua, result in them losing the majority of their land to the Sabarine Republic by 40 BCE. This point in Tìrmoni history lays the real beginning of "state building" by the Ghàels, when the Peace of Ùrraon was signed; resulting in the first promised peace between the three Gaelic Kingdoms, as well as the beginning of Innsean and Adauan resistance against Sabarine Expansion.

Despite this combined resistance, Mòrainea and Innsea lost most of their territory by 100 AD, while the Sabarine Expansion was halted only by the Northern Mountains that had shielded Adaua from their Gaelic rivals for hundreds of years. For the next two hundred years, control of Adaua eludede the Sabarines; due to combined factors of continuing Guerilla resistance in the conquered Gaelic territories, the general lack of knowledge about the Gaelic territories, and especially the far north, and the aforementioned geographic advantage. In roughly 300 AD, Adaua finally fell to invading Sabarine forces; but true administrative force over the Highlands and Mountains continued to elude the Sabarines for as long as their Empire stood.

Discontent with Sabarine rule never went away, and as the ability of the Sabarine Empire to control its territory faded, the Ghàels were quick to seize on this territory, with Sabarine rule over Tìrmon being essentially over by 475 AD. This time in Tìrmoni history saw an even more divided period; with small self-proclaimed kingdoms in every town and estate, with only Adaua fully reforming after their rebellion. This lack of consolodisation led to the Second Sabarine Empire effortlessly re-establishing their control over an exhausted and fractured Tìrmon by the late 8th Century, and in Adaua by the early 9th Century. This period of Sabarine rule saw the native Adhragealbhan religion get pushed to exinction in almost all of Tìrmon except for Adaua and some isolated rural areas; this rapid period of assimilation, however, saw the syncretisation of Adhragealbhan and Perendism, resulting in the continued veneration of many mythological figures and a number of folk practices that some outsiders might call witchcraft.

This religious heresy caused great friction between the Sabarine Empire and their Ghàel subjects; it would lead to a number of failed smaller rebellions, until a larger, regional rebellion began in the 16th Century. This rebellion would explode in popularity across Adaua, Innsea and Mòrainea, resulting in the declaration of the Three Kingdoms of those names, under a Ghàel Alliance. Fighting would continue for over three decades, in a conflict called the 33 Dark Years in Tìrmoni History, ultimately resulting in the final Sabarine withdrawal from Tìrmon. Immediately after Sabarine withdrawal, both Innsea and Adaua were forced into Tributary State status by the Kingdom of Mòrainea, who had become even more dominant as a result of this conflict.

This state of affairs would continue as the status quo for centuries, until the Great Upheaval. The Kingdom of Mòrainea was one of the first nations affected by the Great Upheaval -- as both Republican Revolutionaries and its Tributary States alike rebelled, resulting in the War of the Siarach League from 1799 to 1805. The war ultimately laid the groundwork for a united Tìrmon; As the Kingdom of Mòrainea ultimately subjugated its Tributary States of Innsea and Adaua, while a peace treaty was signed with the Mòrainean Republicans, reforming the Kingdom into a Constitutional Monarchy. As the Great Upheaval rocked the whole continent, and Castelana was struggling with its own Opal Revolution, the Mòraineans took the opportunity to occupy the former Caitas territory, re-establishing the Caitas Province after a brief conflict with the Castelans. (This conflict can, of course, be discussed or revised; this was the best way I could figure to come to Tìrmons modern borders but if you guys have feedback please let me know.)

The next hundred years saw some tensions between Mòrainea and Castelana, due to their disputes over the Caitas Province. At the beginning of GW1; oweing to Mòrainean fears of Rythenean Dominance, they sided with the Galene League; however, the inept Mòrainean Military Leadership, made up largely of Nobles rather than qualified individuals, resulted in great losses in forces sent to the main frontlines; these embarassing losses, coupled with economic woes, and religious tensions as the new King took a more hostile approach to religious syncreticism rather than passive, ultimately resulted in the Tìrmoni Revolution -- an uprising of Syndicalist Revolutionaries beginning in the Mòrainean capital city of Beltra, before spreading to other cities such as Arddea, Kinross, and Dechowgau, among others. As a result of much of the military and military command being deployed overseas; major cities in Tìrmon fall to Socialist Revolutionaries, and sporadic fighting spreads across the Tìrmoni countryside, before King Cennètig III abdicates in 1912. The new Socialist Republican Government unilaterally withdraws from GW1 -- though a faction of Monarchist troops unloyal to the new govenrment continues to fight under the command of the Galene League.

The newly formed Democratic Republic of Tìrmon becomes one of the first Socialist nations in the world -- combining values of Syndicalism, Left-Wing Nationalism and Religious Socialism under Adhragealbhan to form a unique identity that shaped Tìrmon for the next century. A new, Centrally Planned City is built -- Ùrraon, named after the now abandoned town where the Peace of Ùrraon was signed two millenia earlier. The new Constitution includes the ratification of Human Rights, a Presidential Governmental System, and the Devolvement of Governmental Powers to the Constituent Countries of Mòrainea, Innsea, Adaua and Caitas, as well as the Capital Federal District of Ùrraon.
Economic Overview:
The economic foundation of Tìrmon is on Trade Unions and worker-managed workplaces, under Syndicalist tradition. Tìrmon is a fertile and arable nation - perhaps referred to as one of the breadbaskets of Auressia. Its economy relies heavily on agriculture, fishing, renewable energy, and mining; as well as healthy service and finance industries. It suffers from a lack of gas, oil, copper, gold, cobalt, as well as being a somewhat shunned state by the liberal, capitalist democracies of Auressia; resulting in a national spirit of Self-Sufficiency where possible.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?:
IIWiki and/or RP Sample:
Any issues with NationStates moderation?:
Anything else to add?:

Accepted! Once again, this application was actually processed some time ago.

[Jayagiri]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Republic of Jayagiri
Nation Name (Common): Jayagiri
Capital City: Pakuan
Requested Location:

Requested Population: ~49 million
Culture: Predominantly Malayo-Polynesian (specifically Sundanese, Javanese, Madurese with Sundanese being the largest), with a small amount of Austronesian minorities such as Formosan (from Songha, obviously) and Pamanyungan.
Government Type: Unitary Semi-Presidential Constitutional Republic
National Overview: The area of what is now called Jayagiri has been inhabited by modern humans since, at least 70.000BP, long before the development of the Proto-Isuan people (the first people inhabiting the continent of Isua). Various documentations stated that the people of Jayagiri have ancestry ties with the Songhese people (or the Deutero-Isuan people), and the early inhabitants of the Jayagiri mountains were inter-married with the Proto-Isuan people, resulting in the emergence of Jayagirians. The other few remaining Proto-Isuan people would later became a minority, and developed sea-faring skills and tools, which later would make them the inhabitant of the lesser islands just south of Isua. The inter-marriage transitioned the food-gathering and hunting culture into farming such as plants or livestock. Bronze culture started to develop ca. 1500 BCE, with the earliest developing culture was that of the Kadirian culture (!Javanese). The Kadirian culture continued to develop into the 1st millenium BC, where society has started to flourish into a more structural forms. Small villages has started to appear across the area of Jayagiri, and ancient religions such as animism and dynamism were starting to develop by the early 300 BCE.

The introduction of Iron Age believed to occur a bit late, around 50BC. The Iron Age transitioned the culture with the development of iron tools and weapons, further helping not only the defense of the people itself but also the farming culture to be more advanced and efficient. By the 1st AD, a larger Chiefdom was established, further expanding the settlement of the Kadirian people. The Chiefdom eventually split into two, the Kalingga chiefdom (north Kadirians) and Medang chiefdom (south Kadirians). Both chiefdoms had wars against each other and against the external influences such as the Songhese people.

Kingdoms started to appear in the early 7th century AD, with the emergence of Kamulan kingdom, repalcing the previous chiefdoms. This kingdom didn't last long as it also had internal conflict which resulted the kingdom to be divided into two, Salaka and Medang by the end of 11th century. The two kingdoms were also short-lived, as a large war between the two kingdom occured in the 1300s, with the cause believed to be a misunderstanding by the high-ranking royal of the Medang kingdom. The Kingdom of Medang eventually lost to Salaka, and a new kingdom was later established, uniting the whole land of Jayagiri under the rule of Larang Kingdom. The Kingdom flourished for centuries as a result of trade and the influences from the neighbouring Songha and the early contact with the Isaric people. A trade route was established* through the small straight between Isua and Auressia. The invention of sail ship also kickstarted trade and contacts with those of the Proto-isuan people in the small islands south of Isua. The power of Larang Kingdom also resulted in an annexation of eastern island chains. The contact with the Isaric people resulted in a large-scale and fast development particularly in technology and education. This period is often referred to as a "Golden Age" in Jayagirian history.

The early full-scale contact with the Isaric people were in the 1750, when Tyrnican traders started to explore the planet, not only to the New World (Marceaunia) but also to the eastern world of Isua through the sea. The relation becomes more colonialistic by the end of 17th century where the Tyrnican royals used militaristic force to monopolize the production of resources in Larang. For most of the colonial period, Tyrnican control over the continent was tenuous. Tyrnican forces were engaged continuously in quelling rebellions both on and off Isua. The influence of local leaders such as Prince Kusumanagara, Kapitan Samarawijaya weakened the Tyrnican influence and tied up their military forces.

The founding of the First Republic was marked by the revolt in the early 1910, where a new local leader who returned from Tyrnica to study led the revolution against the colonial power in March 1914, a year after Tyrnica went into isolation, due to their loss in the First Great War. The Republican government took place, with Jayagiri as its name (some believed the meaning is "God's Blessing", but its actually inspired by the ancient mountain range named Jayagiri) but it was not for long until the Alliance took over the government in an invasion. Songha, one of the main power in the Alliance eventually took control of Jayagirian government. The republican government was cornered into the southern coast, and eventually lost to the Songhese rule.

It was not until the 1943 where Jayagiri was liberated by the Coalition, sneaking through the Harapan Island, and fought in a bloodbath against Songhese forces further inland, and successfully liberated Jayagiri by the early 1943 after establishing a base in the what is now the city of Dermayu. With the Alliance lost in 1943, Jayagiri gained independence, helped by the Coalition to form the second republic. The Republic of Jayagiri was helped financially by those of ex-Coalition member countries, and experiencing a quick recovery after heavy destruction across the country.
Despite a quick recovery, Jayagiri experienced an authoritarian regime in the 1955, where Hartono Sukardjo, a Songhan-aligned, far-right chauvinist politician ascended to the seat of presidency. There were revolts across the country for many years but was heavily suppressed with almost a hundred thousand people were killed due to the oppression. The cold war between Albrennia and Songha also triggered the far-right political party to be dominant, and opposition were often silenced. Though, by the end of 1987, the regime came to an end, as Hartono died due to sickness, as well as intervention by Albrennia (and the alliance of Northern Auressia) in the political stage of Jayagiri, reduciing the Songhan influence in Jayagiri, with the far-right political party was finally outlawed, giving chances for centrist and centre-left political parties to take part in the parliament, and the government.

Jayagiri would later develop under the new control. Private companies emerged across the country, the free-market policy was implemented, and the economy experienced a surplus in export after a founding of oil reserves off shore and minerals. The large farming of palm oil, spices, cocoa, tea and livestock also helped Jayagiri to gain benefits of international trade. By the early 1990s, service and manufacturing industries became increasingly common, with a lot of companies in Jayagiri offered manufacturing services to Auressian companies. Its large population also became a hotspot for Auressian, Marceaunian companies to expand their market while providing job opportunities for Jayagirians. This also kickstarted the introduction of modern, western culture from Auressia to Jayagiri.

Economic Overview: Jayagiri has a mixed-economic system, with a tendency to capitalism. Jayagiri is best called "controlled capitalism" as although the market are free, government regulations and state-owned companies still took place in the market to control the companies in order to prevent monopoly and extreme exploitation. The main exports of Jayagiri are mostly mining products (mineral and metal), electrical appliances and manufactured products (vehicles, tools), food (cocoa, palm oil, spices, livestock) and rubber. Its a not-so-developed country as the economy is not as good as developed countries, but still far better than developing countries. GDP is similar to that of Thailand's.

Miscellaneous Information None

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: I'm re-applying so you already know the reason
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: Check my previous app, or just read Valgiaon iiwiki.
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: None
Anything else to add?: None

[Xiaodong]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Republic of Kaona
Nation Name (Common): Kaona (ข้าวนา; ''Kâao Na'')
Capital City: Phuko
Requested Location:https://i.imgur.com/eYuJYG0.png
Requested Population: 87,396,981
Culture: Thai with Lao minorities
Government Type: Unitary semi-presidential republic
National Overview: Kaona is a nation that has traditionally straddled the !indian/hindu and !sinitic/Confucian divide in Isuan(?). From 800CE to the 1300's the Bassac Empire (Lao) ruled over the area until declining into stagnation and eventually civil war, leading to the Yutkong Kingdom which was dominated by ethnic Kao (Thai) ruled the area. In the 1700's the Yutkong kingdom had been replaced by Ratchakao Kingdom. All three of these polities were defined by patronage to religious authority, a series of vassals that surrounded the core of the empires/kingdoms and a constant divide between centralisation and autonomy for noble, minority and religious groups.

The latter kingdom became increasingly corrupt and unstable, leading to a substantial increase in foreign exploitation. On colonial issues, I'm fairly sanguine on if it is done so or not. If Kaona is colonised I'd rather it was done under under a protectorate thereby keeping the monarchy although am flexible. Colonisation would entail the post-independence state being more heavily anti-imperialist whilst non-colonisation - likely in a similar manner as rl China, Thailand or pre-Meiji Japan being exploited but not directly ruled - may make the nation post-independence less anti-colonial in its outlook.

Either way following the second great war the nation either after a civil war or a war for independence becomes an independent republic under the quasi-socialist Vonekham Sisoulith. Sisoulith's regime was dominated by ethnic Bassacs (Lao) which led to dissatisfaction from the military, who overthrew him and entrenching a form of "militarised republicanism" as the national ideology that was highly centralising and authoritarian. A long-running ethnic insurgency would emerge that would only end with democratisation in 1986. Under military rule Kaona would undergo a policy of economic reconstruction and industrialisation that led to Kaona's economic growth to improve substantially. Fatigue with the military government meant in 1986 it surrendered power to an elected government. Since the 1980's Kaona has been a multi-party democracy with improving records on human rights and political freedoms, although these continue to be disrespected in various quarters. Politics has been dominated by divisions between populist, socialist and former pro-royalist conservative parties although tends to be personality rather then policy driven. Ethnic relations, economic competence and corruption remain salient political issues.

Economic Overview: The nation is considered to have a middle income economy. Various reforms made by the military government led to very high growth up until 1980's/90's when a crash saw growth continue but at much more modest levels. The economy is dominated by manufacturing, particularly of electronics and semiconductors, as well as automobiles and various consumer goods. Traditionally rice and palm oil exports have also been important sectors and continue to play a prominent albeit lesser role. There could be some oil/gas deposits historically mined but no longer play a major role, but can simply instead have Kaona be primarily a rice exporter pre-industrialisation if need be.

GDP pc would be $27k ppp and $9k nominal.

Miscellaneous Information It would predominantly have Thai/Lao food.

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: Want to try out a new region.
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: iiwiki, newsthread, rp
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: none
Anything else to add?:

[Tyrnica]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Republic of Jayagiri
Nation Name (Common): Jayagiri
Capital City: Pakuan
Requested Location: (Image)
Requested Population: ~49 million
Culture: Predominantly Malayo-Polynesian (specifically Sundanese, Javanese, Madurese with Sundanese being the largest), with a small amount of Austronesian minorities such as Formosan (from Songha, obviously) and Pamanyungan.
Government Type: Unitary Semi-Presidential Constitutional Republic
National Overview: The area of what is now called Jayagiri has been inhabited by modern humans since, at least 70.000BP, long before the development of the Proto-Isuan people (the first people inhabiting the continent of Isua). Various documentations stated that the people of Jayagiri have ancestry ties with the Songhese people (or the Deutero-Isuan people), and the early inhabitants of the Jayagiri mountains were inter-married with the Proto-Isuan people, resulting in the emergence of Jayagirians. The other few remaining Proto-Isuan people would later became a minority, and developed sea-faring skills and tools, which later would make them the inhabitant of the lesser islands just south of Isua. The inter-marriage transitioned the food-gathering and hunting culture into farming such as plants or livestock. Bronze culture started to develop ca. 1500 BCE, with the earliest developing culture was that of the Kadirian culture (!Javanese). The Kadirian culture continued to develop into the 1st millenium BC, where society has started to flourish into a more structural forms. Small villages has started to appear across the area of Jayagiri, and ancient religions such as animism and dynamism were starting to develop by the early 300 BCE.

The introduction of Iron Age believed to occur a bit late, around 50BC. The Iron Age transitioned the culture with the development of iron tools and weapons, further helping not only the defense of the people itself but also the farming culture to be more advanced and efficient. By the 1st AD, a larger Chiefdom was established, further expanding the settlement of the Kadirian people. The Chiefdom eventually split into two, the Kalingga chiefdom (north Kadirians) and Medang chiefdom (south Kadirians). Both chiefdoms had wars against each other and against the external influences such as the Songhese people.

Kingdoms started to appear in the early 7th century AD, with the emergence of Kamulan kingdom, repalcing the previous chiefdoms. This kingdom didn't last long as it also had internal conflict which resulted the kingdom to be divided into two, Salaka and Medang by the end of 11th century. The two kingdoms were also short-lived, as a large war between the two kingdom occured in the 1300s, with the cause believed to be a misunderstanding by the high-ranking royal of the Medang kingdom. The Kingdom of Medang eventually lost to Salaka, and a new kingdom was later established, uniting the whole land of Jayagiri under the rule of Larang Kingdom. The Kingdom flourished for centuries as a result of trade and the influences from the neighbouring Songha and the early contact with the Isaric people. A trade route was established* through the small straight between Isua and Auressia. The invention of sail ship also kickstarted trade and contacts with those of the Proto-isuan people in the small islands south of Isua. The power of Larang Kingdom also resulted in an annexation of eastern island chains. The contact with the Isaric people resulted in a large-scale and fast development particularly in technology and education. This period is often referred to as a "Golden Age" in Jayagirian history.

The early full-scale contact with the Isaric people were in the 1750, when Tyrnican traders started to explore the planet, not only to the New World (Marceaunia) but also to the eastern world of Isua through the sea. The relation becomes more colonialistic by the end of 17th century where the Tyrnican royals used militaristic force to monopolize the production of resources in Larang. For most of the colonial period, Tyrnican control over the continent was tenuous. Tyrnican forces were engaged continuously in quelling rebellions both on and off Isua. The influence of local leaders such as Prince Kusumanagara, Kapitan Samarawijaya weakened the Tyrnican influence and tied up their military forces.

The founding of the First Republic was marked by the revolt in the early 1910, where a new local leader who returned from Tyrnica to study led the revolution against the colonial power in March 1914, a year after Tyrnica went into isolation, due to their loss in the First Great War. The Republican government took place, with Jayagiri as its name (some believed the meaning is "God's Blessing", but its actually inspired by the ancient mountain range named Jayagiri) but it was not for long until the Alliance took over the government in an invasion. Songha, one of the main power in the Alliance eventually took control of Jayagirian government. The republican government was cornered into the southern coast, and eventually lost to the Songhese rule.

It was not until the 1943 where Jayagiri was liberated by the Coalition, sneaking through the Harapan Island, and fought in a bloodbath against Songhese forces further inland, and successfully liberated Jayagiri by the early 1943 after establishing a base in the what is now the city of Dermayu. With the Alliance lost in 1943, Jayagiri gained independence, helped by the Coalition to form the second republic. The Republic of Jayagiri was helped financially by those of ex-Coalition member countries, and experiencing a quick recovery after heavy destruction across the country.
Despite a quick recovery, Jayagiri experienced an authoritarian regime in the 1955, where Hartono Sukardjo, a Songhan-aligned, far-right chauvinist politician ascended to the seat of presidency. There were revolts across the country for many years but was heavily suppressed with almost a hundred thousand people were killed due to the oppression. The cold war between Albrennia and Songha also triggered the far-right political party to be dominant, and opposition were often silenced. Though, by the end of 1987, the regime came to an end, as Hartono died due to sickness, as well as intervention by Albrennia (and the alliance of Northern Auressia) in the political stage of Jayagiri, reduciing the Songhan influence in Jayagiri, with the far-right political party was finally outlawed, giving chances for centrist and centre-left political parties to take part in the parliament, and the government.

Jayagiri would later develop under the new control. Private companies emerged across the country, the free-market policy was implemented, and the economy experienced a surplus in export after a founding of oil reserves off shore and minerals. The large farming of palm oil, spices, cocoa, tea and livestock also helped Jayagiri to gain benefits of international trade. By the early 1990s, service and manufacturing industries became increasingly common, with a lot of companies in Jayagiri offered manufacturing services to Auressian companies. Its large population also became a hotspot for Auressian, Marceaunian companies to expand their market while providing job opportunities for Jayagirians. This also kickstarted the introduction of modern, western culture from Auressia to Jayagiri.

Economic Overview: Jayagiri has a mixed-economic system, with a tendency to capitalism. Jayagiri is best called "controlled capitalism" as although the market are free, government regulations and state-owned companies still took place in the market to control the companies in order to prevent monopoly and extreme exploitation. The main exports of Jayagiri are mostly mining products (mineral and metal), electrical appliances and manufactured products (vehicles, tools), food (cocoa, palm oil, spices, livestock) and rubber. Its a not-so-developed country as the economy is not as good as developed countries, but still far better than developing countries. GDP is similar to that of Thailand's.

Miscellaneous Information None

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IIWiki and/or RP Sample: Check my previous app, or just read Valgiaon iiwiki.
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Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Republic of Kaona
Nation Name (Common): Kaona (ข้าวนา; ''Kâao Na'')
Capital City: Phuko
Requested Location:https://i.imgur.com/eYuJYG0.png
Requested Population: 87,396,981
Culture: Thai with Lao minorities
Government Type: Unitary semi-presidential republic
National Overview: Kaona is a nation that has traditionally straddled the !indian/hindu and !sinitic/Confucian divide in Isuan(?). From 800CE to the 1300's the Bassac Empire (Lao) ruled over the area until declining into stagnation and eventually civil war, leading to the Yutkong Kingdom which was dominated by ethnic Kao (Thai) ruled the area. In the 1700's the Yutkong kingdom had been replaced by Ratchakao Kingdom. All three of these polities were defined by patronage to religious authority, a series of vassals that surrounded the core of the empires/kingdoms and a constant divide between centralisation and autonomy for noble, minority and religious groups.

The latter kingdom became increasingly corrupt and unstable, leading to a substantial increase in foreign exploitation. On colonial issues, I'm fairly sanguine on if it is done so or not. If Kaona is colonised I'd rather it was done under under a protectorate thereby keeping the monarchy although am flexible. Colonisation would entail the post-independence state being more heavily anti-imperialist whilst non-colonisation - likely in a similar manner as rl China, Thailand or pre-Meiji Japan being exploited but not directly ruled - may make the nation post-independence less anti-colonial in its outlook.

Either way following the second great war the nation either after a civil war or a war for independence becomes an independent republic under the quasi-socialist Vonekham Sisoulith. Sisoulith's regime was dominated by ethnic Bassacs (Lao) which led to dissatisfaction from the military, who overthrew him and entrenching a form of "militarised republicanism" as the national ideology that was highly centralising and authoritarian. A long-running ethnic insurgency would emerge that would only end with democratisation in 1986. Under military rule Kaona would undergo a policy of economic reconstruction and industrialisation that led to Kaona's economic growth to improve substantially. Fatigue with the military government meant in 1986 it surrendered power to an elected government. Since the 1980's Kaona has been a multi-party democracy with improving records on human rights and political freedoms, although these continue to be disrespected in various quarters. Politics has been dominated by divisions between populist, socialist and former pro-royalist conservative parties although tends to be personality rather then policy driven. Ethnic relations, economic competence and corruption remain salient political issues.

Economic Overview: The nation is considered to have a middle income economy. Various reforms made by the military government led to very high growth up until 1980's/90's when a crash saw growth continue but at much more modest levels. The economy is dominated by manufacturing, particularly of electronics and semiconductors, as well as automobiles and various consumer goods. Traditionally rice and palm oil exports have also been important sectors and continue to play a prominent albeit lesser role. There could be some oil/gas deposits historically mined but no longer play a major role, but can simply instead have Kaona be primarily a rice exporter pre-industrialisation if need be.

GDP pc would be $27k ppp and $9k nominal.

Miscellaneous Information It would predominantly have Thai/Lao food.

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Both accepted!

[Hwaha]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): The Empire of Hwaha (Hanja: 華夏帝国; Romanization: Hwahajeguk)
Nation Name (Common): Hwaha
Capital City: Tonggyeyong typically (literally, 'Eastern Capital'); Sanpogong during the summer season
Requested Location: Map Proposal (credits to Tyrnica)
Requested Population: 102.5 million
Culture: Jeolla and Penninsular Japonic

I intend to base Hwaha's culture off of medieval Baekje, which linguists believe spoke an admixture of Penninsular Japonic and a proto-Koreanic language. Practically, this means I will use the Jeolla dialect as the basis of a hegemonic 'standard' Hwahan, but with very overt Japonic influences in terms of vocabulary, sounds, naming conventions, honorifics, etc. Additionally, as Baekje was a fairly maritime and commercial society, I will depart from Korea's historical development in favor of a quasi-thalassocratic sea-faring culture.

In simple terms, this means two things. First of all, Korean names for people or places likely will likely not resemble OTL (i.e. no 'Kims' or 'Lees,' comparatively fewer 'Parks,' etc.). Second of all, Hwaha's written script will largely use Hanja for proper nouns (i.e. will use Chinese characters). Finally, Japonic vocabulary will abound, particularly relative to nautical or financial terms where the Proto-Japonic language would have remained in use.

In addition, I intend to juxtapose the 'sophisticate' standard Hwahan with both an abundance of regional dialects as well as various Tungstic minority groups. In outlying islands, this includes Ainu and Ryukyuans, as well as an extant Jōmon population, based on our anthropological / archeological understanding of what their cultures looked like. On the mainland, especially in the northern regions of the nation, I intend to have a number of Jurchens and a particularly successful Sakha minority.

Common surnames include Jin (眞), Hae (解), Mok (木), Baek (苩), Guk (國), Hyeop (劦), Yeon (燕), Sa (沙), Tak (卓), Tae (泰), Wang (汪), and Ae (艾).

Government Type: Guided constitutional monarchy.

Despite being a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government, Hwaha is best defined as an 'guided democracy,' and sometimes classified as a 'quasi-stratocracy' given the apparent correlation between military service and bureaucratic postings. However, this is less due to any rampant corruption or military cronyism - as would be the case in a military junta - but Hwaha's traditional understanding of the relationship between the military and government. Hwaha's military neither direct nor indirectly controls the civil service, but a majority of civil servants are of a military background.

This is largely because - in the Hwahan political consciousness - military service and government positions are inextricably linked (see the 'National Overview' for more context on this). There is no separation of military and civilian power. Historically, the military and scholarly civil service essentially became indistinguishable due to a major era of internal strife - the Sajōnguku-Sidae (English: The Era of Four Warring Kingdoms; Hanja: 四戰國時代), which spanned throughout the latter 16th and entirety of the 17th century; the increasing manpower demands of the fighting ultimately forced all aristocrats to take up arms.

The nation's elections (both parliamentary and for governorships) are - for the most part - genuinely conducted in a fair and free manner but are subject to a number of structural and cultural issues that tilt the nation's political spectrum broadly towards the illiberal:
• Foremost, seats in the Diet are contested in First Past the Post elections, meaning that a candidate simply needs to win a sheer majority for total representation.
  
• Furthermore, in alignment with its Confucian past, Hwaha's political system does not have universal suffrage, but instead requires - on a 'Confucian basis' - that all voters take a basic political literacy exam - the 'Kwago.' The Kwago exam includes questions on parties, history, and economics, and science, favoring those with a university education. An alternative exam, the 'Mugwa' (an officers' equivalent) is accepted in lieu of the Kwago.
• Additionally, Hwaha is a relatively xenophobic and insular society, with the concept of 'minjok' (that Hwahans are a special people) being a fairly widely accepted concept. It is not even seen as particularly discriminatory but is taken at face value. Though Hwahans are generally hospitable enough if approached - even the most liberal are broadly opposed to the idea of non Isuan persons attempting to integrate into their society.
• Finally, culturally speaking, Hwahans simply do not see voting as part of civic virtue,' and - in some cases - detrimental. Therefore, even those who pass the exam may not elect to cast a vote unless they truly feel the nation is at stake. However, because the Kwago exam requirement severely limits suffrage to begin with, Hwaha's voter turnout generally doesn't reflect the dire lack of participation.
This isn't to say that politics are entirely corrupt. For one thing, in lieu of ideological loyalties, the MPs are still elected, and are still therefore required to curry favor in the voting population of their prefectures. This includes championing reforms such as improved access to safe public transportation, and business initiatives; additionally, many MPs or local governors / Furthermore, a triad of ministries known as the 'Three Offices,' or Samsa (三司), routinely spot-audits various MPs and local parliaments for embezzlement.

Regional / parliamentary politics aside, most power truly rests in the hands of career bureaucrats in Tonggyeyong. Though the heads of the ministries - the ministers - are appointed by the Prime Minister from the MPs, these minister positions are sinecures at best. With the parties continually switching control - with internal power struggles within the parties as well - the average Minister stays in his post for perhaps two years at most. Therefore, regardless of who is in control, it is often the senior bureaucrats within any given ministry who understanding the structure and politics of how to get things done; thus, authority is often simply delegated to these veteran politickers. Since bureaucrats are often former military officers or very highly educated civilians, Hwaha's bureaucracy is also noted for its efficiency.

The extent of bureaucratic influence in Hwaha is best exemplified by the Wonrō (元老) , an unofficial group of advisors who advise the Emperor on political matters. These Wonrō are - without exception - former bureaucratic kingmakers, and are understood to tacitly guide Hwaha from behind-the-scenes. Still, as the Wonrō are not institutionalized and - legally - exercise no direct power, it is difficult to assess to what extent this claim is true. Officially speaking, the Wonrō are simply friends of the Emperor and Prime Minister.

National Overview:

Hwaha's entry into the modern world began with the Sajōnguku-Sidae (English: The Era of Four Warring Kingdoms; Hanja: 四戰國時代), sparked by an inheritance crisis. Historically, the Imperial dynasty was considered to be a clan of semi-divine representative of the heavens, stemming from antiquity, directed descended from Tangun (檀君), the first great God-Emperor born of the marriage of a bear and tigress. Additionally the Imperial family - throughout the course of its long history - developed four separate cadet lines. Should the royal family of Hwaha be unable to produce an heir, tradition dictated, a son from one of these families would instead be the rightful inheritor.

The then-incumbent Emperor had not 'been interested in bearing an heir' - with modern historians asserting that he was in fact a closeted homosexual with various lovers. This become a major issue upon his death when - understandably - there was no son to succeed him. And though a seniority among the cadet clans had been established, the head of the foremost clan was a known alcoholic and hedonist, with the bureaucracy protesting his ascension for a period of one-hundred days, barring his coronation as long as they could. This ultimately escalated into his ordering their slaughter, which was deemed a terrible atrocity and gave the three other clans ground on which to assert that he was entirely unfit to rule. Thus began the Sajōnguku-Sidae

The Sajōnguku-Sidae saw the transformation of the formerly overwhelmingly scholarly aristocracy into a warrior-scholar caste. Prior, the traditional aristocracy - the Yangban was divided into two distinct categories: Munban (scholars) and Muban (warriors). However, as conflict dragged on and became increasingly brutal, each faction began to scrape the barrel for manpower and - importantly - proper leadership. Eventually, it became essentially mandatory for all Yangban - Muban or otherwise - to receive a formal education in the art of war. Because the Yangban class was not technically hereditary but still officially 'meritocratic' - many soldiers (commoners willing to serve as officers) used this turmoil to climb into the gentry whereas many legacy Yangban families opposed to military service gradually lost their titles.

Thusly, the Yangban began to enter combat with increasingly sophisticated weapons and martial training. By the end of the warring states, the Muyedobotongji martial manual joined various Confucian classics as a text covered by the 'Kwago' Civil Service Exam, and various forms of martial arts blossomed, particularly Taekwondo and (swordsmanship (Kumdo)). Specialized training schools in the cities, known as Dojang, thrived. And finally, with the arrival of Auressian merchants by the end of the warring era, Matchlock muskets were quickly studied and produced in quantities that outstripped many Auressian Empires.

As the war escalated and peasants were conscripted into the various armies, the various kingdoms were forced to invest heavily into irrigation systems to keep the peasants on their land and supply their growing armies (with a diminishing labor pool no less). And as the demographic changes led to the diminishing of the Yangbans' traditional economic power, and as territory continually switched hands, peasants families began to - increasingly - own growing plots of land. When the war concluded, the victorious faction honored the peasants' new land claims in a desire to cultivate goodwill / maintain harmony. These factors led to Hwaha's post-war agricultural efficiency even surpassing what it had been prior to the outbreak of hostilities, and within three generations Hwaha's population had largely recovered from the senseless violence.

Though Hwaha remained relatively stable in this period up until the 19th century, major changes were underway. The population explosion (resulting from the de facto land reforms and improved irrigation systems - led to increasing urbanization centered around former fortresses and trading towns. No longer needed for defensive purposes, many fortresses were converted into thriving market settlements. The Yangban - bloodied and exhausted - began to return to their roots as scholar-administrators (though they now also retained their martial status & duties), and began to dedicate themselves to maintaining harmony through force as well as clever administration.

Hwaha's population also achieved a fairly high degree of literacy through the implementation of Hangeul, though Hanja continued to remain in use for common nouns / verbs. Though most Hwahans were not fully literate by the turn of the 19th century, most had familiarized themselves with the vocabulary necessary to conduct independent trade, selling their own goods or crops at market.

Then comes the 'Great Skirmish.' Essentially, my intention for this is that (approximately in the mid 19th century) a flotilla of modern warships from an Auressian power - some marines, too - would come into contact with a major fleet of panokseons on an attempted trade / diplomatic mission. The Hwahan admiral - boldened by his numbers - would essentially tell the Auressians to sod off or die, resulting in the sinking of a dozen or so Hwahan warships and the seizure of several outlying islands. The war would end with a humiliating peace, with the Hwahans forced to cede a settlement for use as a harbor / trade post as well as several trade agreements. This would begin Hwaha's modernization. (Note: said Auressian power would ideally be violently ejected by a modernized Hwahan fleet by the early 20th century).

The Emperor Munju (regnal name, Hwon-ji) would take power approximately five years after this catastrophe, leading the nation into the Hwon-ji Era. Emperor Hwon-ji, an avid scientist, would encourage the doctrine of Seohak, or 'Western Learning.' Hwon-ji's reign would be marked by the rapid expansion of the bureaucracy from its traditional structure into something resembling an Auressian nation's, the increasing centralization of power under the authority of the Emperor (with loyalist factions undermining regional cliques through political pressure).

Hwon-ji's reforms - understandably - would come to upset various powerful Yangban; about a decade after his ascension, a powerful clique of wealthy Yangban would attempt to form a break-off nation based on traditional principles - the 'Southern Clique,' calling reactionary Yangban and armed monks from across the nation to raise arms in rebellion. The plotters, however, made the mistake of directly defying the Emperor - who was still seen as semi-divine by the masses - and though they amassed considerable Yangban support, Hwon-ji's supporters would still include the majority of Yangban as well as an enthusiastic peasantry. Despite several initial catastrophes, Hwon-ji's armies would be whipped into shape by foreign guest officers, receiving ample instruction in terms of organization, logistics, weapons, and training methods.

Throughout the war effort, the Empire would begin construction on strategically vital railroads, telegraph wire, and the implementation of a Western-style bureaucracy to track the vast quantities of munitions and supplies that were being consumed. Though these efforts would normally have been opposed by reactionary forces, the bulk of the conservative Yangban were incidentally in the process of committing treason and more conservative minded loyalists generally saw these things as necessary to winning the war and kept their reservations to themselves. In the process, Hwaha quite nearly bankrupted itself, but was just barely able to finish the war before defaulting on its loans.

The fighting would end after five years with the siege of Gwacheon, with the starving plot leaders resolving to ingest arsenic to avoid capture. After the destruction of the Southern Clique, Hwaha would emerge primed for major nation-wide reform. It was a unitary country with a strong bureaucracy that had shattered the power of its most reactionary elements, enjoyed an enthusiastic / fairly literate urban population, and makings of modern industrial infrastructure with an intricate network of roads, the beginnings of a railroad network (in the form of military railroads) and telegraph lines.

Hwon-Ji's reign was also marked by major economic changes. At the beginning of Hwon-Ji's rule, Hwaha had significant cottage industry. However, as newly established economic ministries expanded and began to assume control over the nation's various natural resources & urban land use, powerful ministers formed friendships with aspiring commoner entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs - the founders of today's Chaebol conglomerates - were able to purchase the raw materials and the land they needed at exceptionally cheap prices, as per Hwon-Ji's policy. They also received generous loans to import the industrial machinery they needed from overseas.

Hwon-Ji's son, Mujong, would continue his father's reforms by implementing a public education system - at least in major cities (with the countryside not receiving public schools until the mid 20th century), providing stipends for Hwahans who wanted to study at Auressian universities, and encouraging further expansion of the Chaebol. Hwon-Ji's grandson, Jintae, would probably be a bit more of a hawk, coming into the helm of a dynamic and bloodthirsty Hwaha. During Jintae's rule, I intend to have the Hawahn navy successfully reclaim the lost trading ports through force, marking Hwaha's first victory over an Auressian empire.

Hwaha might side with the Coalition during the Second Great war out of a desire to balance against Songhese power - reconciling with the various Auressian nations it had formerly clashed with. Hwaha would then spend the cold-war era ingratiating itself into the Auressian - Marceaunian trade networks. It would grow rich selling cars, electronics, and steel, all the while maintaining a strong military deterrence against Songha. In the modern-day, however, Hwaha might begin to align itself more with Songha out of growing distaste of Auriessian hubris and a perception of growing moral dilapidation in the West.

In terms of religion, a majority of Hwahans consider themselves adherents of state Shinkyo, but the reality is that Hwaha is extremely Syncretic. A sizeable number of Hwahans consider themselves 'Perendist' as well, but belong to the Hwahan Jayeondō Sect (自然道), which technically is part of classical Perendism. The Jayeondō emphasize various theological beliefs deeply rooted in traditional Hwahan tradition, including changing the name of Perend, which is Sangmok-Seonsaeng, asserting that the Emperor of Hwaha - not the dicere - is the true spokesperson of the nature God, etc.

Also as a brief discussion about social stratification in Hwaha: though Hwaha is officially rid of the caste system - the Hopae - it is still often helpful to consider Hwaha as defined by unofficial class distinctions (understanding that nothing is legally inscribed, and that there is moderate social mobility). Essentially, the Yangban are still at the top of Hwahan society. Yangban generally work in the bureaucracy, law, or as academics or public school teachers, all of which are relatively well compensated and prestigious professions. Military officers are also part of this class, with many leaping from military service into the bureaucracy.

Below the Yangban rests a large - but still minority - middle class of doctors, bankers, software engineers, and middle-managers - known as the 'New Chungin'. Though these individuals are of lower prestige than the Yangban, but generally as wealthy if not wealthier. Technically speaking, major Chaebol families are part of the New Chungin. Below the New Chungin come the Chōnmin - followed thereafter by those working in manual professions - Sangmin. These distinctions do not exist in law whatsoever, but do continue to guide social interaction in Hwaha. It should be reiterated that these classes are considered in relation to one's current status, not one's pedigree.

Fashion trends & celebrity gossip generally center around Sanpogong - the nation's de facto cultural capital. Initially built in the 17th century as a summer palace, the site eventually morphed into a Versailles-style palace complex with the establishment of the current royal family. Eventually, though the government would be moved back to Tonggyeyong as the military began to assert further political control - Sanpogong would remain the royal family's residence & morph into a veritable city in its own right. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Sanpogong would be the nation's cultural capital. The royal family is of particular interest to most Hwahans, who generally tend to follow the fashions set by the dynasty's young princes. Though Hwaha has a vibrant pop culture, celebrities follow the trends of the royals rather than vice versa.

Economic Overview:

Hwaha is a developed economy with a high standard of living and educational attainment. Historically, Hwaha's government has taken a Dirigiste towards promoting economic growth, essentially orchestrating the requisite factors for success in 'strategic industries' while nationalizing the most essential, such as utilities and mass-transit. As the economy grew more developed, however, the government has begun to adopt increasingly laissez faire policy.

Hwaha's major industries include electronics, telecommunications / equipment, ship-building, motor vehicles, processed foods, Organic Chemicals, and steel with industries such as aerospace and robotics receiving generous and targeted government subsidies. Additionally, 'morally conscionable' mass-media, including TV & Film, animation, and (more recently) video-games, has also received an outflow of support in accordance with the nation's concerted 'soft-power' efforts over the past half century, enabling the exports of TV dramas and animated films for an increasingly global audience.

Hwaha's economy is dominated by a group of twelve major Chaebol, or large family-run business conglomerates. Typically, each conglomerate practices horizontal integration - even at the expense of short-term profits - to insulate itself from hostile takeover attempts or major fluctuations in the nation's economy. Because of this, the same conglomerate that produces the army's tanks also sells children's dirt bicycles, for example.

Agriculture and fishing are heavily subsidized industries due to Hwaha's relatively high population density; economically and strategically, the subsidies are intended to ensure Hwaha some degree of self sufficiency should rice or other crops suddenly become unavailable on global markets. Ranching is particularly lucrative as Hwahans gradually incorporate more barbecue into their diets; however, this has contributed to slash-and-burn practices.

The average Hwahan salaryman works approximately forty-five to fifty hours a week. Unlike most other modern economies, however, women have been somewhat discouraged from working. Though less successful in major cities (where most women are independent and do work), government programs to promote the 'nuclear family' and traditional values have - at a hefty sum - incentivized stay-at-home motherhood in smaller cities and the countryside. As a result, Hwaha's GDPPC is lower than comparably advanced societies.

Economic inequality is also quite pronounced with a fairly high GINI index of 40.5. Though a majority of Hwahans live in relative comfort, outlying prefectures generally subsist at a far lower level of development than the capital prefecture, for example. Furthermore, the persistence of an elite 'Gaemamusa' class as semi-permanent fixtures of the Hwahan military establishment, the persistence of political dynasties, as well as the concentration of wealth in the hands of chaebol families have all contributed to the level of inequality. Finally, minority groups - especially Jōmon - have swayed the figures substantially by insisting on near-primitivist lifestyles.

Though Hwaha is classified as a developed country it is a bit irregular in that notable swathes of the country are at essentially post-Soviet standards. This generally entails peripheral prefectures with minority populations and / or significant natural resource reserves (i.e. coal, iron, etc.). In contrast, the heart of the Empire - densely populated majority Hwahan Core prefectures - teem with bustling, efficiently-planned glass & steel metropolises that lead the world in many fields.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: It looks like a neat & new experience, the community seems incredible, and the work put into it thus far looks amazing. This is a project I'd love to be a part of / RP with.
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Anything else to add?:

[Palchae]

* Resubmitting for name change

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): The Empire of Palchae (Hanja: 八濟帝国; Romanization: Palchaejeguk)
Nation Name (Common): Palchae
Capital City: Tonggyeyong typically (literally, 'Eastern Capital'); Sanpogong during the summer season
Requested Location: Map Proposal (credits to Tyrnica)
Requested Population: 102.5 million
Culture: Jeolla and Penninsular Japonic

I intend to base Palchae's culture off of medieval Baekje, which linguists believe spoke an admixture of Penninsular Japonic and a proto-Koreanic language. Practically, this means I will use the Jeolla dialect as the basis of a hegemonic 'standard' Palchan, but with subtle Japonic influences in terms of vocabulary, sounds, etc. Additionally, as Baekje was a fairly maritime and commercial society, I will depart from Korea's historical development in favor of a quasi-thalassocratic sea-faring culture.

In simple terms, this means two things. First of all, Korean names for people or places likely will not necessarily resemble OTL (i.e. no 'Kims' or 'Lees,' comparatively fewer 'Parks,' etc.). Second of all, Palchae's written script will largely use Hanja for proper nouns (i.e. will use Chinese characters). Finally, Japonic vocabulary will be introducced, particularly relative to nautical or financial terms where the Proto-Japonic language would have remained in use.

In addition, I intend to juxtapose the 'sophisticate' standard Palchan with both an abundance of regional dialects as well as various Tungstic minority groups. In outlying islands, this includes Ainu and Ryukyuans, as well as an extant Jōmon population, based on our anthropological / archeological understanding of what their cultures looked like. On the mainland, especially in the northern regions of the nation, I intend to have a number of Jurchens and a particularly successful Sakha minority.

The eight most prevalent surnames include Jin (眞), Hae (解), Mok (木), Baek (苩), Hyeop (劦), Yeon (燕), Sa (沙), Tak (卓), Tae (泰), Ang (汪), and Ae (艾). Proper names tend to

Government Type: Guided constitutional monarchy.

Despite being a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government, Palchae is best defined as an 'guided democracy,' and sometimes classified as a 'quasi-stratocracy' given the apparent correlation between military service and bureaucratic postings. However, this is less due to any rampant corruption or military cronyism - as would be the case in a military junta - but Palchae's traditional understanding of the relationship between the military and government. Palchae's military neither direct nor indirectly controls the civil service, but a majority of civil servants are of a military background.

This is largely because - in the Palchan political consciousness - military service and government positions are inextricably linked (see the 'National Overview' for more context on this). There is no separation of military and civilian power. Historically, the military and scholarly civil service essentially became indistinguishable due to a major era of internal strife - the Sajōnguku-Sidae (English: The Era of Four Warring Kingdoms; Hanja: 四戰國時代), which spanned throughout the latter 16th and entirety of the 17th century; the increasing manpower demands of the fighting ultimately forced all aristocrats to take up arms.

The nation's elections (both parliamentary and for governorships) are - for the most part - genuinely conducted in a fair and free manner but are subject to a number of structural and cultural issues that tilt the nation's political spectrum broadly towards the illiberal:
• Foremost, seats in the Diet are contested in First Past the Post elections, meaning that a candidate simply needs to win a sheer majority for total representation.
  
• Furthermore, in alignment with its Confucian past, Palchae's political system does not have universal suffrage, but instead requires - on a 'Confucian basis' - that all voters take a basic political literacy exam - the 'Kwago.' The Kwago exam includes questions on parties, history, and economics, and science, favoring those with a university education. An alternative exam, the 'Mugwa' (an officers' equivalent) is accepted in lieu of the Kwago.
• Additionally, Palchae is a relatively xenophobic and insular society, with the concept of 'minjok' (that Palchans are a special people) being a fairly widely accepted concept. It is not even seen as particularly discriminatory but is taken at face value. Though Palchans are generally hospitable enough if approached - even the most liberal are broadly opposed to the idea of non Isuan persons attempting to integrate into their society.
• Finally, culturally speaking, Palchaens simply do not see voting as part of civic virtue,' and - in some cases - detrimental. Therefore, even those who pass the exam may not elect to cast a vote unless they truly feel the nation is at stake. However, because the Kwago exam requirement severely limits suffrage to begin with, Palchae's voter turnout generally doesn't reflect the dire lack of participation.
This isn't to say that politics are entirely corrupt. For one thing, in lieu of ideological loyalties, the MPs are still elected, and are still therefore required to curry favor in the voting population of their prefectures. This includes championing reforms such as improved access to safe public transportation, and business initiatives; additionally, many MPs or local governors / Furthermore, a triad of ministries known as the 'Three Offices,' or Samsa (三司), routinely spot-audits various MPs and local parliaments for embezzlement.

Regional / parliamentary politics aside, most power truly rests in the hands of career bureaucrats in Tonggyeyong. Though the heads of the ministries - the ministers - are appointed by the Prime Minister from the MPs, these minister positions are sinecures at best. With the parties continually switching control - with internal power struggles within the parties as well - the average Minister stays in his post for perhaps two years at most. Therefore, regardless of who is in control, it is often the senior bureaucrats within any given ministry who understanding the structure and politics of how to get things done; thus, authority is often simply delegated to these veteran politickers. Since bureaucrats are often former military officers or very highly educated civilians, Palchae's bureaucracy is also noted for its efficiency.

The extent of bureaucratic influence in Palchae is best exemplified by the Wonrō (元老) , an unofficial group of advisors who advise the Emperor on political matters. These Wonrō are - without exception - former bureaucratic kingmakers, and are understood to tacitly guide Palchae from behind-the-scenes. Still, as the Wonrō are not institutionalized and - legally - exercise no direct power, it is difficult to assess to what extent this claim is true. Officially speaking, the Wonrō are simply friends of the Emperor and Prime Minister.

National Overview:

The name 'Palchae' literally translates into 'Eight Vassals,' denoting the eight historical subdivisions of Palchae. Palchae, though unitary, was founded by eight major nomadic clans in antiquity and though these clans do not necessarily rule into the present day, the domains they established have maintained identities separate of one another in terms of regional cuisine, dialect, and custom. During Palchae's various periods of civil war, it was upon these eight regions that factions generally formed and though Palchae today speaks one uniform dialect, idiosyncrasies do persist.

Palchae's entry into the modern world began with the Sajōnguku-Sidae (English: The Era of Four Warring Kingdoms; Hanja: 四戰國時代), sparked by an inheritance crisis. Historically, the Imperial dynasty was considered to be a clan of semi-divine representative of the heavens, stemming from antiquity, directed descended from Tangun (檀君), the first great God-Emperor born of the marriage of a bear and tigress. Additionally the Imperial family - throughout the course of its long history - developed four separate cadet lines. Should the royal family of Palchae be unable to produce an heir, tradition dictated, a son from one of these families would instead be the rightful inheritor.

The then-incumbent Emperor had not 'been interested in bearing an heir' - with modern historians asserting that he was in fact a closeted homosexual with various lovers. This become a major issue upon his death when - understandably - there was no son to succeed him. And though a seniority among the cadet clans had been established, the head of the foremost clan was a known alcoholic and hedonist, with the bureaucracy protesting his ascension for a period of one-hundred days, barring his coronation as long as they could. This ultimately escalated into his ordering their slaughter, which was deemed a terrible atrocity and gave the three other clans ground on which to assert that he was entirely unfit to rule. Thus began the Sajōnguku-Sidae

The Sajōnguku-Sidae saw the transformation of the formerly overwhelmingly scholarly aristocracy into a warrior-scholar caste. Prior, the traditional aristocracy - the Yangban was divided into two distinct categories: Munban (scholars) and Muban (warriors). However, as conflict dragged on and became increasingly brutal, each faction began to scrape the barrel for manpower and - importantly - proper leadership. Eventually, it became essentially mandatory for all Yangban - Muban or otherwise - to receive a formal education in the art of war. Because the Yangban class was not technically hereditary but still officially 'meritocratic' - many soldiers (commoners willing to serve as officers) used this turmoil to climb into the gentry whereas many legacy Yangban families opposed to military service gradually lost their titles.

Thusly, the Yangban began to enter combat with increasingly sophisticated weapons and martial training. By the end of the warring states, the Muyedobotongji martial manual joined various Confucian classics as a text covered by the 'Kwago' Civil Service Exam, and various forms of martial arts blossomed, particularly Taekwondo and (swordsmanship (Kumdo)). Specialized training schools in the cities, known as Dojang, thrived. And finally, with the arrival of Auressian merchants by the end of the warring era, Matchlock muskets were quickly studied and produced in quantities that outstripped many Auressian Empires.

As the war escalated and peasants were conscripted into the various armies, the various kingdoms were forced to invest heavily into irrigation systems to keep the peasants on their land and supply their growing armies (with a diminishing labor pool no less). And as the demographic changes led to the diminishing of the Yangbans' traditional economic power, and as territory continually switched hands, peasants families began to - increasingly - own growing plots of land. When the war concluded, the victorious faction honored the peasants' new land claims in a desire to cultivate goodwill / maintain harmony. These factors led to Palchae's post-war agricultural efficiency even surpassing what it had been prior to the outbreak of hostilities, and within three generations Palchae's population had largely recovered from the senseless violence.

Though Palchae remained relatively stable in this period up until the 19th century, major changes were underway. The population explosion (resulting from the de facto land reforms and improved irrigation systems - led to increasing urbanization centered around former fortresses and trading towns. No longer needed for defensive purposes, many fortresses were converted into thriving market settlements. The Yangban - bloodied and exhausted - began to return to their roots as scholar-administrators (though they now also retained their martial status & duties), and began to dedicate themselves to maintaining harmony through force as well as clever administration.

Palchae's population also achieved a fairly high degree of literacy through the implementation of Hangeul, though Hanja continued to remain in use for common nouns / verbs. Though most Palchaens were not fully literate by the turn of the 19th century, most had familiarized themselves with the vocabulary necessary to conduct independent trade, selling their own goods or crops at market.

Then comes the 'Great Skirmish.' Essentially, my intention for this is that (approximately in the mid 19th century) a flotilla of modern warships from an Auressian power - some marines, too - would come into contact with a major fleet of panokseons on an attempted trade / diplomatic mission. The Palchaen admiral - boldened by his numbers - would essentially tell the Auressians to sod off or die, resulting in the sinking of a dozen or so Palchaen warships and the seizure of several outlying islands. The war would end with a humiliating peace, with the Palchaens forced to cede a settlement for use as a harbor / trade post as well as several trade agreements. This would begin Palchae's modernization. (Note: said Auressian power would ideally be violently ejected by a modernized Palchaen fleet by the early 20th century).

The Emperor Munju (regnal name, Hwon-ji) would take power approximately five years after this catastrophe, leading the nation into the Hwon-ji Era. Emperor Hwon-ji, an avid scientist, would encourage the doctrine of Seohak, or 'Western Learning.' Hwon-ji's reign would be marked by the rapid expansion of the bureaucracy from its traditional structure into something resembling an Auressian nation's, the increasing centralization of power under the authority of the Emperor (with loyalist factions undermining regional cliques through political pressure).

Hwon-ji's reforms - understandably - would come to upset various powerful Yangban; about a decade after his ascension, a powerful clique of wealthy Yangban would attempt to form a break-off nation based on traditional principles - the 'Southern Clique,' calling reactionary Yangban and armed monks from across the nation to raise arms in rebellion. The plotters, however, made the mistake of directly defying the Emperor - who was still seen as semi-divine by the masses - and though they amassed considerable Yangban support, Hwon-ji's supporters would still include the majority of Yangban as well as an enthusiastic peasantry. Despite several initial catastrophes, Hwon-ji's armies would be whipped into shape by foreign guest officers, receiving ample instruction in terms of organization, logistics, weapons, and training methods.

Throughout the war effort, the Empire would begin construction on strategically vital railroads, telegraph wire, and the implementation of a Western-style bureaucracy to track the vast quantities of munitions and supplies that were being consumed. Though these efforts would normally have been opposed by reactionary forces, the bulk of the conservative Yangban were incidentally in the process of committing treason and more conservative minded loyalists generally saw these things as necessary to winning the war and kept their reservations to themselves. In the process, Palchae quite nearly bankrupted itself, but was just barely able to finish the war before defaulting on its loans.

The fighting would end after five years with the siege of Gwacheon, with the starving plot leaders resolving to ingest arsenic to avoid capture. After the destruction of the Southern Clique, Palchae would emerge primed for major nation-wide reform. It was a unitary country with a strong bureaucracy that had shattered the power of its most reactionary elements, enjoyed an enthusiastic / fairly literate urban population, and makings of modern industrial infrastructure with an intricate network of roads, the beginnings of a railroad network (in the form of military railroads) and telegraph lines.

Hwon-Ji's reign was also marked by major economic changes. At the beginning of Hwon-Ji's rule, Palchae had significant cottage industry. However, as newly established economic ministries expanded and began to assume control over the nation's various natural resources & urban land use, powerful ministers formed friendships with aspiring commoner entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs - the founders of today's Chaebol conglomerates - were able to purchase the raw materials and the land they needed at exceptionally cheap prices, as per Hwon-Ji's policy. They also received generous loans to import the industrial machinery they needed from overseas.

Hwon-Ji's son, Mujong, would continue his father's reforms by implementing a public education system - at least in major cities (with the countryside not receiving public schools until the mid 20th century), providing stipends for Palchaens who wanted to study at Auressian universities, and encouraging further expansion of the Chaebol. Hwon-Ji's grandson, Jintae, would probably be a bit more of a hawk, coming into the helm of a dynamic and bloodthirsty Palchae. During Jintae's rule, I intend to have the Hawahn navy successfully reclaim the lost trading ports through force, marking Palchae's first victory over an Auressian empire.

Palchae might side with the Coalition during the Second Great war out of a desire to balance against Songhese power - reconciling with the various Auressian nations it had formerly clashed with. Palchae would then spend the cold-war era ingratiating itself into the Auressian - Marceaunian trade networks. It would grow rich selling cars, electronics, and steel, all the while maintaining a strong military deterrence against Songha. In the modern-day, however, Palchae might begin to align itself more with Songha out of growing distaste of Auriessian hubris and a perception of growing moral dilapidation in the West.

In terms of religion, a majority of Palchaens consider themselves adherents of state Shinkyo, but the reality is that Palchae is extremely Syncretic. A sizeable number of Palchaens consider themselves 'Perendist' as well, but belong to the Palchaen Jayeondō Sect (自然道), which technically is part of classical Perendism. The Jayeondō emphasize various theological beliefs deeply rooted in traditional Palchaen tradition, including changing the name of Perend, which is Sangmok-Seonsaeng, asserting that the Emperor of Palchae - not the dicere - is the true spokesperson of the nature God, etc.

Also as a brief discussion about social stratification in Palchae: though Palchae is officially rid of the caste system - the Hopae - it is still often helpful to consider Palchae as defined by unofficial class distinctions (understanding that nothing is legally inscribed, and that there is moderate social mobility). Essentially, the Yangban are still at the top of Palchaen society. Yangban generally work in the bureaucracy, law, or as academics or public school teachers, all of which are relatively well compensated and prestigious professions. Military officers are also part of this class, with many leaping from military service into the bureaucracy.

Below the Yangban rests a large - but still minority - middle class of doctors, bankers, software engineers, and middle-managers - known as the 'New Chungin'. Though these individuals are of lower prestige than the Yangban, but generally as wealthy if not wealthier. Technically speaking, major Chaebol families are part of the New Chungin. Below the New Chungin come the Chōnmin - followed thereafter by those working in manual professions - Sangmin. These distinctions do not exist in law whatsoever, but do continue to guide social interaction in Palchae. It should be reiterated that these classes are considered in relation to one's current status, not one's pedigree.

Fashion trends & celebrity gossip generally center around Sanpogong - the nation's de facto cultural capital. Initially built in the 17th century as a summer palace, the site eventually morphed into a Versailles-style palace complex with the establishment of the current royal family. Eventually, though the government would be moved back to Tonggyeyong as the military began to assert further political control - Sanpogong would remain the royal family's residence & morph into a veritable city in its own right. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Sanpogong would be the nation's cultural capital. The royal family is of particular interest to most Palchaens, who generally tend to follow the fashions set by the dynasty's young princes. Though Palchae has a vibrant pop culture, celebrities follow the trends of the royals rather than vice versa.

Economic Overview:

Palchae is a developed economy with a high standard of living and educational attainment. Historically, Palchae's government has taken a Dirigiste towards promoting economic growth, essentially orchestrating the requisite factors for success in 'strategic industries' while nationalizing the most essential, such as utilities and mass-transit. As the economy grew more developed, however, the government has begun to adopt increasingly laissez faire policy.

Palchae's major industries include electronics, telecommunications / equipment, ship-building, motor vehicles, processed foods, Organic Chemicals, and steel with industries such as aerospace and robotics receiving generous and targeted government subsidies. Additionally, 'morally conscionable' mass-media, including TV & Film, animation, and (more recently) video-games, has also received an outflow of support in accordance with the nation's concerted 'soft-power' efforts over the past half century, enabling the exports of TV dramas and animated films for an increasingly global audience.

Palchae's economy is dominated by a group of twelve major Chaebol, or large family-run business conglomerates. Typically, each conglomerate practices horizontal integration - even at the expense of short-term profits - to insulate itself from hostile takeover attempts or major fluctuations in the nation's economy. Because of this, the same conglomerate that produces the army's tanks also sells children's dirt bicycles, for example.

Agriculture and fishing are heavily subsidized industries due to Palchae's relatively high population density; economically and strategically, the subsidies are intended to ensure Palchae some degree of self sufficiency should rice or other crops suddenly become unavailable on global markets. Ranching is particularly lucrative as Palchaens gradually incorporate more barbecue into their diets; however, this has contributed to slash-and-burn practices.

The average Palchaen salaryman works approximately forty-five to fifty hours a week. Unlike most other modern economies, however, women have been somewhat discouraged from working. Though less successful in major cities (where most women are independent and do work), government programs to promote the 'nuclear family' and traditional values have - at a hefty sum - incentivized stay-at-home motherhood in smaller cities and the countryside. As a result, Palchae's GDPPC is lower than comparably advanced societies.

Economic inequality is also quite pronounced with a fairly high GINI index of 40.5. Though a majority of Palchaens live in relative comfort, outlying prefectures generally subsist at a far lower level of development than the capital prefecture, for example. Furthermore, the persistence of an elite 'Gaemamusa' class as semi-permanent fixtures of the Palchaen military establishment, the persistence of political dynasties, as well as the concentration of wealth in the hands of chaebol families have all contributed to the level of inequality. Finally, minority groups - especially Jōmon - have swayed the figures substantially by insisting on near-primitivist lifestyles.

Though Palchae is classified as a developed country it is a bit irregular in that notable swathes of the country are at essentially post-Soviet standards. This generally entails peripheral prefectures with minority populations and / or significant natural resource reserves (i.e. coal, iron, etc.). In contrast, the heart of the Empire - densely populated majority Palchaen Core prefectures - teem with bustling, efficiently-planned glass & steel metropolises that lead the world in many fields.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: It looks like a neat & new experience, the community seems incredible, and the work put into it thus far looks amazing. This is a project I'd love to be a part of / RP with.
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: Resume.
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: I don't believe ever
Anything else to add?:

[Volarea]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Republic of Sovar (Tjóðveldi Sjóvar)
Nation Name (Common): Sovar (Sovarese: Sjóvar)
Capital City: Sulastad (Súlastað)
Requested Location:

Requested Population: 347,382
Culture: Predominantly Faroese
Government Type: Unitary Parliamentary Republic
National Overview: Sovar is a Unitary Parliamentary Republic located in the North Hesperian Ocean, north of Rythene by about 800km. Sovar is currently one of the smallest countries in the world with a population of just under 350,000 people, mainly in cities and towns such as the Capital and Largest city Sulastad which was home to 102,477 people at the last census. Lágurstad is the second largest city in the country with just over 50,000 people residing it it's metro area. Lágurstad was the historical capital of the country before it was changed post independence to Sulastad.

Sovar was part of Rythene from the 1550s to 1972 when a referendum on independence passed with 68% of the vote, spurred on by the nationalist SFF party which had been influential on the islands from the late 40s onwards. Following the country's independence the SFF collapsed into several different parties, the two major parties include the Republikanska felag (Republican Alliance) and the Framstigsflokkurin (Progress Party), both are centre-right parties with their main difference being on economic issues as the Progress Party advocates for increased spending and are on the left wing economically. After the SFF collapsed the Rf became the largest party in the Tjóðsambinding for the next 25 years until they were defeated in a landslide to the Ff. Rf would gain control of the Tjóðsambinding in the 2007 Election although with a small majority. In the following 2012 Election the Progress Party regained power although lost the 2017 election.
Economic Overview: Sovar is a First-world economy with much of the population in the middle class. Since the country's independence in the 1960s the economy has grown and diversified although Fishing still remains one of the largest sources of income in the country. The IT sector has been growing significantly in recent years with the Government giving out grants to IT companies in the country.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: The region seems interesting
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: (Alsland on IIWiki and relating pages + Alsland newsposts)
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: No
Anything else to add?:

Insert let me in gif here

[Shffahkia]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Kingdom of Savolia
Nation Name (Common): Savolia
Capital City: Pethos
Requested Location: Islands between the Galene and Hemetrian seas with a possible small mainland claim
Requested Population: ~16-23 million
Culture: Savolian (!Greek)
Government Type: Unitary Parliamentary Monarchy
National Overview: Savolia was at the height of its importance during antiquity where it became a centre of trade spreading its influence throughout this period. It would later be incorporated into the Sabarine Empire where it would continue to be a region of significant cultural influence. During Sabarine rule, Savolia would gradually be united under the Jovianic Dynasty who ruled the islands and coast as local nobility later uniting Savolia as a single unified country. As the Great Upheaval arrived, Savolia would side with the monarchist faction. However, the kingdom had to pass significant reforms in an attempt to preserve political stability. Political instability would nevertheless be a significant presence in the kingdom throughout the 17th century with Savolia experiencing a civil war in 1895 between the reformist and conservative factions each supporting their own claimant to the Savolian throne. Ultimately the Tyrnican-supported reformist faction came out on top. In the following years, Savolia would take up several consolidation policies unifying the country. During the First Great War, Savolia remained neutral still dealing with the reconstruction of its own lands.

In the early 1920s-30s, Savolia would experience the rise of !fascism with the country electing a pro-Lancero politician as prime minister. As the tide of the Second Great War began to turn against the Alliance, the Savolian monarch disbands the government and appoints a pro-peace government effectively surrendering to the Coalition.
Alternatively, Savolia could have attempted to continue its neutrality from the first Great War being swiftly conquered by Palia during the conflict and later liberated by the Coalition.

After the Second Great War country entered an era of prosperity and reconstruction as it aligned itself with Auressian democracies and opened its economy. Modern-day Savolia, although prosperous, is politically and societally divided as western Savolia is still staunchly religious and conservative while its eastern islands and largest cities are largely secular and liberal.
Economic Overview: Due to its central location between the Hemetrian and Galene seas, shipping, trade, banking and fishing are leading sectors of the Savolian economy making the country a trade-hub. Tourism is also a major industry with many coming to see the country's ancient settlements and beaches. Because of its poor soil, Savolia has historically been and is to this day dependent on food imports. Its economy is strongly influenced by corporatist policies where labour organisations, employers and the government settle on salaries and conditions.
Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: I like the established lore
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: Shffahkian Newsroom in Eurth
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: no
Anything else to add?:

[Varienland]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Republic of Amarata
Nation Name (Common): Amarata
Capital City: Qalbbar/Castello Rosso
Requested Location: https://imgur.com/qEF0cvg
Requested Population: 24,275,106
Culture: Amaratan (Maltese) with sizeable !Arab and !Italian minorities
Government Type: Unitary Parliamentary Republic
National Overview: Due to it's strategic location and relative proximity to the First Empire it became one of the first parts of Idica the Empire expanded into. During the fall of the first empire the province was invaded by !Germanic tribes who established several kingdoms in modern day Amarata, which were gradually conquered by the second empire, restoring imperial rule to the province. During this time !Italian would gradually gain influence over the area, especially with the weakening of the empire, and eventual transformation into the Occidental Confederacy. Amarata would transform into more of a colony of !Italy and saw increasing attempts at repressing Amaratan culture the result of which is still seen today. During the first great war Amarata revolted and was granted independence following the peace of X (This and second gw still needs to be discussed)
Following independence Amarata would seek to restore ties Auressia, post independence is still mostly up for debate though.
Economic Overview: Amarata is big on shipping, and successfully industrialized following independence, today it has a mixed economy with exports of (can be discussed) as well as a sizeable tourism and agricultural sector.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: Liking the concepts so far, and I'm interested in working with them.
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: https://iiwiki.us/wiki/Limonaia
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: No
Anything else to add?:

[Marsane]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Wallenish Union
Nation Name (Common): Wallena
Capital City: Raschau
Requested Location:https://imgur.com/x3F5BL9 Something like this ? Sorry it's ugly!
Requested Population: 35 million
Culture: Germanic (settler), Athabaskan, Tinglit, Eyak (Indigenous population)
Government Type: Decentralized confederal socialist state (Influence from De Leonism, Left-Libertarian tendencies)
National Overview:

Prior to the arrival of predominantly Tyrnican settlers, the land of modern-day Wallena was home to a multitude of indigineous clanar societies. Most of which remained independent of one another until the formation of the ‘Deix'kootéeyaa Confederacy’ (often simply referred to as the Deix Confederacy), a retroactive term used to describe the loosely unified indigienous people of of the modern-day Hofen-Brenau region of Wallena. The Deix recorded several conflicts with now defunct clans but still remained decentralized.

By the arrival of the first predominantly Tyrnican settlers in the mid 1500s the Deix Confederacy was still relatively active in the north-western regions of the area. Initial contact between Tyrnican settlers and the Deix, as well as other idigenous peoples such as the T’ooch’kadi, was reportedly described by both parties as uneasy. Skirmishes between idigenious peoples and settlers became increasingly common as several succeeding waves of settlers followed initial expeditions. The Treaty of Klarwald in 1620 would oversee the formation of a standing colonial militia, with contributions from the various colonial provinces of the region. The Atzbach Charter in 1632 formulated a type of decentralized forum for the purpose of negotiating colonial matters among the provinces. This Charter would form the basis for the first semblance of a ‘united’ colonial governance, despite still lacking independence from Tyrnica proper.

Wittau, Rettenberg, and Klement (all settlements along the south-eastern coast) became major centers of commerce in colonial Wallena -- profiting off of fur-trading, fishing, and other agricultural activities. By the mid 17th century conflicts with the Deix and the T’ooch’kadi had become more common along the western borderlands as the colony expanded.

Pro-independence sentiment began to muster its way into colonial politics as early as 1780, with the Self-Determination Movement in 1785 and 1789. These early movements generally failed, unable to gain widespread support due to the focus on westward expansion and further conflict with the remnants of the Deix Confederacy. Misinformation campaigns driven by the colonial loyalist government did much to discredit the ability of the colonial militias to defend the frontier without the help of Tyrnica proper.

The independence movement would resurface with greater momentum in the waning years of the First Great War; spurred by controversial war taxes on the colonial dominion as well as an enforced draft of colonial citizens. In late March of 1913 the Liesfeld Proclamation was signed as an official declaration of Wallenish independence, backed by Albrennia internationally. Some limited reform came soon after, addressing issues of taxation and land-use. The implementation of the single-tax saw Wallena take a more radical departure from previous economic structures in the region.

The Wallenish Revolution occurred several years later in 1920, led by a strong coalition within the labor movement; inspired by the economic and political structure in Sulatia. Over the course of the next several years, at the behest of the first popularly elected Stateholder Ewald Krantz, the state would transition towards complete common ownership of the means of production. Through a process of ‘Horizontalization’ (which included the enshrinement of workplace democracy in the nation’s constitution and the establishment of usufructs) Wallena would transition away from a traditional capitalist economy.

Economic Overview:

Since the Revolution of 1920, Wallena has radically reformed its economic model. Horizontal leadership is enshrined in the constitution, leading to the popularity of worker co-ops as the most common model of economic organization. Larger co-ops utilize a representational system of workplace democracy whereas smaller operations generally have a system of direct democracy or direct election of a workplace manager. Wallena also maintains a single land-value tax; the surplus of which pays into the universal ‘citizen’s dividend.’ Mutual-credit banks are also the most common form of lending in the nation.

Structurally, Wallena utilizes a market-form economy for the allocation of goods and the exchange of services. Historically, Wallena thrived on a plentiful agricultural industry supplemented by the (at the time) prosperous fur-trading industry. As the colony industrialized manufacturing and coal and steel extraction became the focus of the colonial administration. Following independence Wallena was a middling player in the regional market, though often a promoter of free trade with its northern and southern neighbors.

In the modern day, software and service-based IT industries are the most notable of Wallenish industries. Encouraged by the horizontal system of economic organization as well as a focus on the promotion of education in the 1950s and 60s. Wallena is classified as a developed country with a relatively high standard of living and a fairly educated workforce.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: I enjoy the lore! It was also fun to discuss and work out my concept with others.
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: https://anterra.miraheze.org/wiki/Kyusho
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: Nope!
Anything else to add?:

Nah

[Tyrnica]

* Resubmitting for name change

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): The Empire of Palchae (Hanja: 八濟帝国; Romanization: Palchaejeguk)
Nation Name (Common): Palchae
Capital City: Tonggyeyong typically (literally, 'Eastern Capital'); Sanpogong during the summer season
Requested Location: Map Proposal (credits to Tyrnica)
Requested Population: 102.5 million
Culture: Jeolla and Penninsular Japonic

I intend to base Palchae's culture off of medieval Baekje, which linguists believe spoke an admixture of Penninsular Japonic and a proto-Koreanic language. Practically, this means I will use the Jeolla dialect as the basis of a hegemonic 'standard' Palchan, but with subtle Japonic influences in terms of vocabulary, sounds, etc. Additionally, as Baekje was a fairly maritime and commercial society, I will depart from Korea's historical development in favor of a quasi-thalassocratic sea-faring culture.

In simple terms, this means two things. First of all, Korean names for people or places likely will not necessarily resemble OTL (i.e. no 'Kims' or 'Lees,' comparatively fewer 'Parks,' etc.). Second of all, Palchae's written script will largely use Hanja for proper nouns (i.e. will use Chinese characters). Finally, Japonic vocabulary will be introducced, particularly relative to nautical or financial terms where the Proto-Japonic language would have remained in use.

In addition, I intend to juxtapose the 'sophisticate' standard Palchan with both an abundance of regional dialects as well as various Tungstic minority groups. In outlying islands, this includes Ainu and Ryukyuans, as well as an extant Jōmon population, based on our anthropological / archeological understanding of what their cultures looked like. On the mainland, especially in the northern regions of the nation, I intend to have a number of Jurchens and a particularly successful Sakha minority.

The eight most prevalent surnames include Jin (眞), Hae (解), Mok (木), Baek (苩), Hyeop (劦), Yeon (燕), Sa (沙), Tak (卓), Tae (泰), Ang (汪), and Ae (艾). Proper names tend to

Government Type: Guided constitutional monarchy.

Despite being a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary government, Palchae is best defined as an 'guided democracy,' and sometimes classified as a 'quasi-stratocracy' given the apparent correlation between military service and bureaucratic postings. However, this is less due to any rampant corruption or military cronyism - as would be the case in a military junta - but Palchae's traditional understanding of the relationship between the military and government. Palchae's military neither direct nor indirectly controls the civil service, but a majority of civil servants are of a military background.

This is largely because - in the Palchan political consciousness - military service and government positions are inextricably linked (see the 'National Overview' for more context on this). There is no separation of military and civilian power. Historically, the military and scholarly civil service essentially became indistinguishable due to a major era of internal strife - the Sajōnguku-Sidae (English: The Era of Four Warring Kingdoms; Hanja: 四戰國時代), which spanned throughout the latter 16th and entirety of the 17th century; the increasing manpower demands of the fighting ultimately forced all aristocrats to take up arms.

The nation's elections (both parliamentary and for governorships) are - for the most part - genuinely conducted in a fair and free manner but are subject to a number of structural and cultural issues that tilt the nation's political spectrum broadly towards the illiberal:
• Foremost, seats in the Diet are contested in First Past the Post elections, meaning that a candidate simply needs to win a sheer majority for total representation.
  
• Furthermore, in alignment with its Confucian past, Palchae's political system does not have universal suffrage, but instead requires - on a 'Confucian basis' - that all voters take a basic political literacy exam - the 'Kwago.' The Kwago exam includes questions on parties, history, and economics, and science, favoring those with a university education. An alternative exam, the 'Mugwa' (an officers' equivalent) is accepted in lieu of the Kwago.
• Additionally, Palchae is a relatively xenophobic and insular society, with the concept of 'minjok' (that Palchans are a special people) being a fairly widely accepted concept. It is not even seen as particularly discriminatory but is taken at face value. Though Palchans are generally hospitable enough if approached - even the most liberal are broadly opposed to the idea of non Isuan persons attempting to integrate into their society.
• Finally, culturally speaking, Palchaens simply do not see voting as part of civic virtue,' and - in some cases - detrimental. Therefore, even those who pass the exam may not elect to cast a vote unless they truly feel the nation is at stake. However, because the Kwago exam requirement severely limits suffrage to begin with, Palchae's voter turnout generally doesn't reflect the dire lack of participation.
This isn't to say that politics are entirely corrupt. For one thing, in lieu of ideological loyalties, the MPs are still elected, and are still therefore required to curry favor in the voting population of their prefectures. This includes championing reforms such as improved access to safe public transportation, and business initiatives; additionally, many MPs or local governors / Furthermore, a triad of ministries known as the 'Three Offices,' or Samsa (三司), routinely spot-audits various MPs and local parliaments for embezzlement.

Regional / parliamentary politics aside, most power truly rests in the hands of career bureaucrats in Tonggyeyong. Though the heads of the ministries - the ministers - are appointed by the Prime Minister from the MPs, these minister positions are sinecures at best. With the parties continually switching control - with internal power struggles within the parties as well - the average Minister stays in his post for perhaps two years at most. Therefore, regardless of who is in control, it is often the senior bureaucrats within any given ministry who understanding the structure and politics of how to get things done; thus, authority is often simply delegated to these veteran politickers. Since bureaucrats are often former military officers or very highly educated civilians, Palchae's bureaucracy is also noted for its efficiency.

The extent of bureaucratic influence in Palchae is best exemplified by the Wonrō (元老) , an unofficial group of advisors who advise the Emperor on political matters. These Wonrō are - without exception - former bureaucratic kingmakers, and are understood to tacitly guide Palchae from behind-the-scenes. Still, as the Wonrō are not institutionalized and - legally - exercise no direct power, it is difficult to assess to what extent this claim is true. Officially speaking, the Wonrō are simply friends of the Emperor and Prime Minister.

National Overview:

The name 'Palchae' literally translates into 'Eight Vassals,' denoting the eight historical subdivisions of Palchae. Palchae, though unitary, was founded by eight major nomadic clans in antiquity and though these clans do not necessarily rule into the present day, the domains they established have maintained identities separate of one another in terms of regional cuisine, dialect, and custom. During Palchae's various periods of civil war, it was upon these eight regions that factions generally formed and though Palchae today speaks one uniform dialect, idiosyncrasies do persist.

Palchae's entry into the modern world began with the Sajōnguku-Sidae (English: The Era of Four Warring Kingdoms; Hanja: 四戰國時代), sparked by an inheritance crisis. Historically, the Imperial dynasty was considered to be a clan of semi-divine representative of the heavens, stemming from antiquity, directed descended from Tangun (檀君), the first great God-Emperor born of the marriage of a bear and tigress. Additionally the Imperial family - throughout the course of its long history - developed four separate cadet lines. Should the royal family of Palchae be unable to produce an heir, tradition dictated, a son from one of these families would instead be the rightful inheritor.

The then-incumbent Emperor had not 'been interested in bearing an heir' - with modern historians asserting that he was in fact a closeted homosexual with various lovers. This become a major issue upon his death when - understandably - there was no son to succeed him. And though a seniority among the cadet clans had been established, the head of the foremost clan was a known alcoholic and hedonist, with the bureaucracy protesting his ascension for a period of one-hundred days, barring his coronation as long as they could. This ultimately escalated into his ordering their slaughter, which was deemed a terrible atrocity and gave the three other clans ground on which to assert that he was entirely unfit to rule. Thus began the Sajōnguku-Sidae

The Sajōnguku-Sidae saw the transformation of the formerly overwhelmingly scholarly aristocracy into a warrior-scholar caste. Prior, the traditional aristocracy - the Yangban was divided into two distinct categories: Munban (scholars) and Muban (warriors). However, as conflict dragged on and became increasingly brutal, each faction began to scrape the barrel for manpower and - importantly - proper leadership. Eventually, it became essentially mandatory for all Yangban - Muban or otherwise - to receive a formal education in the art of war. Because the Yangban class was not technically hereditary but still officially 'meritocratic' - many soldiers (commoners willing to serve as officers) used this turmoil to climb into the gentry whereas many legacy Yangban families opposed to military service gradually lost their titles.

Thusly, the Yangban began to enter combat with increasingly sophisticated weapons and martial training. By the end of the warring states, the Muyedobotongji martial manual joined various Confucian classics as a text covered by the 'Kwago' Civil Service Exam, and various forms of martial arts blossomed, particularly Taekwondo and (swordsmanship (Kumdo)). Specialized training schools in the cities, known as Dojang, thrived. And finally, with the arrival of Auressian merchants by the end of the warring era, Matchlock muskets were quickly studied and produced in quantities that outstripped many Auressian Empires.

As the war escalated and peasants were conscripted into the various armies, the various kingdoms were forced to invest heavily into irrigation systems to keep the peasants on their land and supply their growing armies (with a diminishing labor pool no less). And as the demographic changes led to the diminishing of the Yangbans' traditional economic power, and as territory continually switched hands, peasants families began to - increasingly - own growing plots of land. When the war concluded, the victorious faction honored the peasants' new land claims in a desire to cultivate goodwill / maintain harmony. These factors led to Palchae's post-war agricultural efficiency even surpassing what it had been prior to the outbreak of hostilities, and within three generations Palchae's population had largely recovered from the senseless violence.

Though Palchae remained relatively stable in this period up until the 19th century, major changes were underway. The population explosion (resulting from the de facto land reforms and improved irrigation systems - led to increasing urbanization centered around former fortresses and trading towns. No longer needed for defensive purposes, many fortresses were converted into thriving market settlements. The Yangban - bloodied and exhausted - began to return to their roots as scholar-administrators (though they now also retained their martial status & duties), and began to dedicate themselves to maintaining harmony through force as well as clever administration.

Palchae's population also achieved a fairly high degree of literacy through the implementation of Hangeul, though Hanja continued to remain in use for common nouns / verbs. Though most Palchaens were not fully literate by the turn of the 19th century, most had familiarized themselves with the vocabulary necessary to conduct independent trade, selling their own goods or crops at market.

Then comes the 'Great Skirmish.' Essentially, my intention for this is that (approximately in the mid 19th century) a flotilla of modern warships from an Auressian power - some marines, too - would come into contact with a major fleet of panokseons on an attempted trade / diplomatic mission. The Palchaen admiral - boldened by his numbers - would essentially tell the Auressians to sod off or die, resulting in the sinking of a dozen or so Palchaen warships and the seizure of several outlying islands. The war would end with a humiliating peace, with the Palchaens forced to cede a settlement for use as a harbor / trade post as well as several trade agreements. This would begin Palchae's modernization. (Note: said Auressian power would ideally be violently ejected by a modernized Palchaen fleet by the early 20th century).

The Emperor Munju (regnal name, Hwon-ji) would take power approximately five years after this catastrophe, leading the nation into the Hwon-ji Era. Emperor Hwon-ji, an avid scientist, would encourage the doctrine of Seohak, or 'Western Learning.' Hwon-ji's reign would be marked by the rapid expansion of the bureaucracy from its traditional structure into something resembling an Auressian nation's, the increasing centralization of power under the authority of the Emperor (with loyalist factions undermining regional cliques through political pressure).

Hwon-ji's reforms - understandably - would come to upset various powerful Yangban; about a decade after his ascension, a powerful clique of wealthy Yangban would attempt to form a break-off nation based on traditional principles - the 'Southern Clique,' calling reactionary Yangban and armed monks from across the nation to raise arms in rebellion. The plotters, however, made the mistake of directly defying the Emperor - who was still seen as semi-divine by the masses - and though they amassed considerable Yangban support, Hwon-ji's supporters would still include the majority of Yangban as well as an enthusiastic peasantry. Despite several initial catastrophes, Hwon-ji's armies would be whipped into shape by foreign guest officers, receiving ample instruction in terms of organization, logistics, weapons, and training methods.

Throughout the war effort, the Empire would begin construction on strategically vital railroads, telegraph wire, and the implementation of a Western-style bureaucracy to track the vast quantities of munitions and supplies that were being consumed. Though these efforts would normally have been opposed by reactionary forces, the bulk of the conservative Yangban were incidentally in the process of committing treason and more conservative minded loyalists generally saw these things as necessary to winning the war and kept their reservations to themselves. In the process, Palchae quite nearly bankrupted itself, but was just barely able to finish the war before defaulting on its loans.

The fighting would end after five years with the siege of Gwacheon, with the starving plot leaders resolving to ingest arsenic to avoid capture. After the destruction of the Southern Clique, Palchae would emerge primed for major nation-wide reform. It was a unitary country with a strong bureaucracy that had shattered the power of its most reactionary elements, enjoyed an enthusiastic / fairly literate urban population, and makings of modern industrial infrastructure with an intricate network of roads, the beginnings of a railroad network (in the form of military railroads) and telegraph lines.

Hwon-Ji's reign was also marked by major economic changes. At the beginning of Hwon-Ji's rule, Palchae had significant cottage industry. However, as newly established economic ministries expanded and began to assume control over the nation's various natural resources & urban land use, powerful ministers formed friendships with aspiring commoner entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs - the founders of today's Chaebol conglomerates - were able to purchase the raw materials and the land they needed at exceptionally cheap prices, as per Hwon-Ji's policy. They also received generous loans to import the industrial machinery they needed from overseas.

Hwon-Ji's son, Mujong, would continue his father's reforms by implementing a public education system - at least in major cities (with the countryside not receiving public schools until the mid 20th century), providing stipends for Palchaens who wanted to study at Auressian universities, and encouraging further expansion of the Chaebol. Hwon-Ji's grandson, Jintae, would probably be a bit more of a hawk, coming into the helm of a dynamic and bloodthirsty Palchae. During Jintae's rule, I intend to have the Hawahn navy successfully reclaim the lost trading ports through force, marking Palchae's first victory over an Auressian empire.

Palchae might side with the Coalition during the Second Great war out of a desire to balance against Songhese power - reconciling with the various Auressian nations it had formerly clashed with. Palchae would then spend the cold-war era ingratiating itself into the Auressian - Marceaunian trade networks. It would grow rich selling cars, electronics, and steel, all the while maintaining a strong military deterrence against Songha. In the modern-day, however, Palchae might begin to align itself more with Songha out of growing distaste of Auriessian hubris and a perception of growing moral dilapidation in the West.

In terms of religion, a majority of Palchaens consider themselves adherents of state Shinkyo, but the reality is that Palchae is extremely Syncretic. A sizeable number of Palchaens consider themselves 'Perendist' as well, but belong to the Palchaen Jayeondō Sect (自然道), which technically is part of classical Perendism. The Jayeondō emphasize various theological beliefs deeply rooted in traditional Palchaen tradition, including changing the name of Perend, which is Sangmok-Seonsaeng, asserting that the Emperor of Palchae - not the dicere - is the true spokesperson of the nature God, etc.

Also as a brief discussion about social stratification in Palchae: though Palchae is officially rid of the caste system - the Hopae - it is still often helpful to consider Palchae as defined by unofficial class distinctions (understanding that nothing is legally inscribed, and that there is moderate social mobility). Essentially, the Yangban are still at the top of Palchaen society. Yangban generally work in the bureaucracy, law, or as academics or public school teachers, all of which are relatively well compensated and prestigious professions. Military officers are also part of this class, with many leaping from military service into the bureaucracy.

Below the Yangban rests a large - but still minority - middle class of doctors, bankers, software engineers, and middle-managers - known as the 'New Chungin'. Though these individuals are of lower prestige than the Yangban, but generally as wealthy if not wealthier. Technically speaking, major Chaebol families are part of the New Chungin. Below the New Chungin come the Chōnmin - followed thereafter by those working in manual professions - Sangmin. These distinctions do not exist in law whatsoever, but do continue to guide social interaction in Palchae. It should be reiterated that these classes are considered in relation to one's current status, not one's pedigree.

Fashion trends & celebrity gossip generally center around Sanpogong - the nation's de facto cultural capital. Initially built in the 17th century as a summer palace, the site eventually morphed into a Versailles-style palace complex with the establishment of the current royal family. Eventually, though the government would be moved back to Tonggyeyong as the military began to assert further political control - Sanpogong would remain the royal family's residence & morph into a veritable city in its own right. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Sanpogong would be the nation's cultural capital. The royal family is of particular interest to most Palchaens, who generally tend to follow the fashions set by the dynasty's young princes. Though Palchae has a vibrant pop culture, celebrities follow the trends of the royals rather than vice versa.

Economic Overview:

Palchae is a developed economy with a high standard of living and educational attainment. Historically, Palchae's government has taken a Dirigiste towards promoting economic growth, essentially orchestrating the requisite factors for success in 'strategic industries' while nationalizing the most essential, such as utilities and mass-transit. As the economy grew more developed, however, the government has begun to adopt increasingly laissez faire policy.

Palchae's major industries include electronics, telecommunications / equipment, ship-building, motor vehicles, processed foods, Organic Chemicals, and steel with industries such as aerospace and robotics receiving generous and targeted government subsidies. Additionally, 'morally conscionable' mass-media, including TV & Film, animation, and (more recently) video-games, has also received an outflow of support in accordance with the nation's concerted 'soft-power' efforts over the past half century, enabling the exports of TV dramas and animated films for an increasingly global audience.

Palchae's economy is dominated by a group of twelve major Chaebol, or large family-run business conglomerates. Typically, each conglomerate practices horizontal integration - even at the expense of short-term profits - to insulate itself from hostile takeover attempts or major fluctuations in the nation's economy. Because of this, the same conglomerate that produces the army's tanks also sells children's dirt bicycles, for example.

Agriculture and fishing are heavily subsidized industries due to Palchae's relatively high population density; economically and strategically, the subsidies are intended to ensure Palchae some degree of self sufficiency should rice or other crops suddenly become unavailable on global markets. Ranching is particularly lucrative as Palchaens gradually incorporate more barbecue into their diets; however, this has contributed to slash-and-burn practices.

The average Palchaen salaryman works approximately forty-five to fifty hours a week. Unlike most other modern economies, however, women have been somewhat discouraged from working. Though less successful in major cities (where most women are independent and do work), government programs to promote the 'nuclear family' and traditional values have - at a hefty sum - incentivized stay-at-home motherhood in smaller cities and the countryside. As a result, Palchae's GDPPC is lower than comparably advanced societies.

Economic inequality is also quite pronounced with a fairly high GINI index of 40.5. Though a majority of Palchaens live in relative comfort, outlying prefectures generally subsist at a far lower level of development than the capital prefecture, for example. Furthermore, the persistence of an elite 'Gaemamusa' class as semi-permanent fixtures of the Palchaen military establishment, the persistence of political dynasties, as well as the concentration of wealth in the hands of chaebol families have all contributed to the level of inequality. Finally, minority groups - especially Jōmon - have swayed the figures substantially by insisting on near-primitivist lifestyles.

Though Palchae is classified as a developed country it is a bit irregular in that notable swathes of the country are at essentially post-Soviet standards. This generally entails peripheral prefectures with minority populations and / or significant natural resource reserves (i.e. coal, iron, etc.). In contrast, the heart of the Empire - densely populated majority Palchaen Core prefectures - teem with bustling, efficiently-planned glass & steel metropolises that lead the world in many fields.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: It looks like a neat & new experience, the community seems incredible, and the work put into it thus far looks amazing. This is a project I'd love to be a part of / RP with.
IIWiki and/or RP Sample:Resume.
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: I don't believe ever
Anything else to add?:

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Republic of Sovar (Tjóðveldi Sjóvar)
Nation Name (Common): Sovar (Sovarese: Sjóvar)
Capital City: Sulastad (Súlastað)
Requested Location: (Image)
Requested Population: 347,382
Culture: Predominantly Faroese
Government Type: Unitary Parliamentary Republic
National Overview: Sovar is a Unitary Parliamentary Republic located in the North Hesperian Ocean, north of Rythene by about 800km. Sovar is currently one of the smallest countries in the world with a population of just under 350,000 people, mainly in cities and towns such as the Capital and Largest city Sulastad which was home to 102,477 people at the last census. Lágurstad is the second largest city in the country with just over 50,000 people residing it it's metro area. Lágurstad was the historical capital of the country before it was changed post independence to Sulastad.

Sovar was part of Rythene from the 1550s to 1972 when a referendum on independence passed with 68% of the vote, spurred on by the nationalist SFF party which had been influential on the islands from the late 40s onwards. Following the country's independence the SFF collapsed into several different parties, the two major parties include the Republikanska felag (Republican Alliance) and the Framstigsflokkurin (Progress Party), both are centre-right parties with their main difference being on economic issues as the Progress Party advocates for increased spending and are on the left wing economically. After the SFF collapsed the Rf became the largest party in the Tjóðsambinding for the next 25 years until they were defeated in a landslide to the Ff. Rf would gain control of the Tjóðsambinding in the 2007 Election although with a small majority. In the following 2012 Election the Progress Party regained power although lost the 2017 election.
Economic Overview: Sovar is a First-world economy with much of the population in the middle class. Since the country's independence in the 1960s the economy has grown and diversified although Fishing still remains one of the largest sources of income in the country. The IT sector has been growing significantly in recent years with the Government giving out grants to IT companies in the country.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: The region seems interesting
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: (Alsland on IIWiki and relating pages + Alsland newsposts)
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: No
Anything else to add?:Insert let me in gif here

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Kingdom of Savolia
Nation Name (Common): Savolia
Capital City: Pethos
Requested Location: Islands between the Galene and Hemetrian seas with a possible small mainland claim
Requested Population: ~16-23 million
Culture: Savolian (!Greek)
Government Type: Unitary Parliamentary Monarchy
National Overview: Savolia was at the height of its importance during antiquity where it became a centre of trade spreading its influence throughout this period. It would later be incorporated into the Sabarine Empire where it would continue to be a region of significant cultural influence. During Sabarine rule, Savolia would gradually be united under the Jovianic Dynasty who ruled the islands and coast as local nobility later uniting Savolia as a single unified country. As the Great Upheaval arrived, Savolia would side with the monarchist faction. However, the kingdom had to pass significant reforms in an attempt to preserve political stability. Political instability would nevertheless be a significant presence in the kingdom throughout the 17th century with Savolia experiencing a civil war in 1895 between the reformist and conservative factions each supporting their own claimant to the Savolian throne. Ultimately the Tyrnican-supported reformist faction came out on top. In the following years, Savolia would take up several consolidation policies unifying the country. During the First Great War, Savolia remained neutral still dealing with the reconstruction of its own lands.

In the early 1920s-30s, Savolia would experience the rise of !fascism with the country electing a pro-Lancero politician as prime minister. As the tide of the Second Great War began to turn against the Alliance, the Savolian monarch disbands the government and appoints a pro-peace government effectively surrendering to the Coalition.
Alternatively, Savolia could have attempted to continue its neutrality from the first Great War being swiftly conquered by Palia during the conflict and later liberated by the Coalition.

After the Second Great War country entered an era of prosperity and reconstruction as it aligned itself with Auressian democracies and opened its economy. Modern-day Savolia, although prosperous, is politically and societally divided as western Savolia is still staunchly religious and conservative while its eastern islands and largest cities are largely secular and liberal.
Economic Overview: Due to its central location between the Hemetrian and Galene seas, shipping, trade, banking and fishing are leading sectors of the Savolian economy making the country a trade-hub. Tourism is also a major industry with many coming to see the country's ancient settlements and beaches. Because of its poor soil, Savolia has historically been and is to this day dependent on food imports. Its economy is strongly influenced by corporatist policies where labour organisations, employers and the government settle on salaries and conditions.
Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: I like the established lore
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: Shffahkian Newsroom in Eurth
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: no
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Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Republic of Amarata
Nation Name (Common): Amarata
Capital City: Qalbbar/Castello Rosso
Requested Location: https://imgur.com/qEF0cvg
Requested Population: 24,275,106
Culture: Amaratan (Maltese) with sizeable !Arab and !Italian minorities
Government Type: Unitary Parliamentary Republic
National Overview: Due to it's strategic location and relative proximity to the First Empire it became one of the first parts of Idica the Empire expanded into. During the fall of the first empire the province was invaded by !Germanic tribes who established several kingdoms in modern day Amarata, which were gradually conquered by the second empire, restoring imperial rule to the province. During this time !Italian would gradually gain influence over the area, especially with the weakening of the empire, and eventual transformation into the Occidental Confederacy. Amarata would transform into more of a colony of !Italy and saw increasing attempts at repressing Amaratan culture the result of which is still seen today. During the first great war Amarata revolted and was granted independence following the peace of X (This and second gw still needs to be discussed)
Following independence Amarata would seek to restore ties Auressia, post independence is still mostly up for debate though.
Economic Overview: Amarata is big on shipping, and successfully industrialized following independence, today it has a mixed economy with exports of (can be discussed) as well as a sizeable tourism and agricultural sector.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: Liking the concepts so far, and I'm interested in working with them.
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: https://iiwiki.us/wiki/Limonaia
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: No
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Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Wallenish Union
Nation Name (Common): Wallena
Capital City: Raschau
Requested Location:https://imgur.com/x3F5BL9 Something like this ? Sorry it's ugly!
Requested Population: 35 million
Culture: Germanic (settler), Athabaskan, Tinglit, Eyak (Indigenous population)
Government Type: Decentralized confederal socialist state (Influence from De Leonism, Left-Libertarian tendencies)
National Overview:

Prior to the arrival of predominantly Tyrnican settlers, the land of modern-day Wallena was home to a multitude of indigineous clanar societies. Most of which remained independent of one another until the formation of the ‘Deix'kootéeyaa Confederacy’ (often simply referred to as the Deix Confederacy), a retroactive term used to describe the loosely unified indigienous people of of the modern-day Hofen-Brenau region of Wallena. The Deix recorded several conflicts with now defunct clans but still remained decentralized.

By the arrival of the first predominantly Tyrnican settlers in the mid 1500s the Deix Confederacy was still relatively active in the north-western regions of the area. Initial contact between Tyrnican settlers and the Deix, as well as other idigenous peoples such as the T’ooch’kadi, was reportedly described by both parties as uneasy. Skirmishes between idigenious peoples and settlers became increasingly common as several succeeding waves of settlers followed initial expeditions. The Treaty of Klarwald in 1620 would oversee the formation of a standing colonial militia, with contributions from the various colonial provinces of the region. The Atzbach Charter in 1632 formulated a type of decentralized forum for the purpose of negotiating colonial matters among the provinces. This Charter would form the basis for the first semblance of a ‘united’ colonial governance, despite still lacking independence from Tyrnica proper.

Wittau, Rettenberg, and Klement (all settlements along the south-eastern coast) became major centers of commerce in colonial Wallena -- profiting off of fur-trading, fishing, and other agricultural activities. By the mid 17th century conflicts with the Deix and the T’ooch’kadi had become more common along the western borderlands as the colony expanded.

Pro-independence sentiment began to muster its way into colonial politics as early as 1780, with the Self-Determination Movement in 1785 and 1789. These early movements generally failed, unable to gain widespread support due to the focus on westward expansion and further conflict with the remnants of the Deix Confederacy. Misinformation campaigns driven by the colonial loyalist government did much to discredit the ability of the colonial militias to defend the frontier without the help of Tyrnica proper.

The independence movement would resurface with greater momentum in the waning years of the First Great War; spurred by controversial war taxes on the colonial dominion as well as an enforced draft of colonial citizens. In late March of 1913 the Liesfeld Proclamation was signed as an official declaration of Wallenish independence, backed by Albrennia internationally. Some limited reform came soon after, addressing issues of taxation and land-use. The implementation of the single-tax saw Wallena take a more radical departure from previous economic structures in the region.

The Wallenish Revolution occurred several years later in 1920, led by a strong coalition within the labor movement; inspired by the economic and political structure in Sulatia. Over the course of the next several years, at the behest of the first popularly elected Stateholder Ewald Krantz, the state would transition towards complete common ownership of the means of production. Through a process of ‘Horizontalization’ (which included the enshrinement of workplace democracy in the nation’s constitution and the establishment of usufructs) Wallena would transition away from a traditional capitalist economy.

Economic Overview:

Since the Revolution of 1920, Wallena has radically reformed its economic model. Horizontal leadership is enshrined in the constitution, leading to the popularity of worker co-ops as the most common model of economic organization. Larger co-ops utilize a representational system of workplace democracy whereas smaller operations generally have a system of direct democracy or direct election of a workplace manager. Wallena also maintains a single land-value tax; the surplus of which pays into the universal ‘citizen’s dividend.’ Mutual-credit banks are also the most common form of lending in the nation.

Structurally, Wallena utilizes a market-form economy for the allocation of goods and the exchange of services. Historically, Wallena thrived on a plentiful agricultural industry supplemented by the (at the time) prosperous fur-trading industry. As the colony industrialized manufacturing and coal and steel extraction became the focus of the colonial administration. Following independence Wallena was a middling player in the regional market, though often a promoter of free trade with its northern and southern neighbors.

In the modern day, software and service-based IT industries are the most notable of Wallenish industries. Encouraged by the horizontal system of economic organization as well as a focus on the promotion of education in the 1950s and 60s. Wallena is classified as a developed country with a relatively high standard of living and a fairly educated workforce.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: I enjoy the lore! It was also fun to discuss and work out my concept with others.
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: https://anterra.miraheze.org/wiki/Kyusho
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: Nope!
Anything else to add?:

Nah

Accepted, as usual!

[Estann]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): The Federation of Estann
Nation Name (Common): Estann
Capital City: Middletown
Requested Location: https://imgur.com/a/g6yqtcx
Requested Population: 15,600,000
Culture: Mixture of Eastern USA and Canada, as well as pockets of Native American, Hispanic, and French Canadian/Cajun.
Government Type: Confederal Representative Democracy
National Overview:
Prior to the arrival of settlers from Auressia, the land that would one day be incorporated into the Confederation of Estann was held by a multitude of native tribes. These tribes would war with each other over the control of Estann's abundant natural resources and would split into at least three distinct cultural groups. Almost all citizens of native ancestry within Estann today can trace their ancestry back to these native nations.

Auressian settlers would arrive in 1692 from Rythene, with the formation of the Fort Brookston which would slowly grow into the Colony of Cascadenia. By 1708, two colonies from Blayk and Palia were also established nearby, ostensibly to prevent the growth of Rythenean influence in the region. These colonies would become the Colonies of St.Rauchamp and La Stieza respectively.

These colonies, as proxies for their colonial benefactors, would maintain relations from cordial to hostile with native peoples, often using these indigenous nations as proxies to try and establish influence over the area. The most successful of these would be Cascadenia, which would manage to pull many of the native nations in the region into the new Confederation of Cascadenia in 1766 for mutual security.

This would come to a head in 1798, as both St.Rauchamp and La Stieza and their indigenous allies would take advantage of the chaos in Rythene to try and dismantle the Cascadenian Confederation, during the Rythenean Revolution. However, as revolution spread to both Blayk and Palia, the support both colonies had counted on from their mother countries would not arrive, leading to a long protracted conflict of skrimishes, punctuated by few decisive battles near the end of the conflict in 1807. Both the former Colonies of St.Rauchamp and La Stieza and their Native allies would be incorporated into the Confederation, which is today referred to as Greater Cascadenia.

This new arrangement would not last however, as the local government would enact on a campaign of homogenization, forcibly displacing their former Native allies and enacting policies that barred the speaking of languages other than Rythenean in order to stabilize the region. This would result in much of the current native population being confined to the modern state of Thirteen Rivers.

Cascadenia would formally announce its independence from Rythene in 1825. This would ultimately result in the 1828 "June Revolution" where many settlers in areas once home to Native peoples, dissatisfied with the Government in Brookston, would attempt to secede from Cascadenia. Attempts by Cascadenia to forcefully reintegrate the breakaway regions would end in failure, as at the time Cascadenia lacked a formal military. The militias they utilized tended to sympathize with the breakaway states, and would often lend their support to the cause. Skirmishes between militias and, later, the Cascadenian Army would continue for nearly two decades.

Further complications would be felt when the former colonies of St. Bauchamp and La Stieza would also formally secede from Cascadenia in 1844. The nature of the situation would change from a regional rebellion into an open civil war. This would come to be known as the Western War.

Intervention by [NATION] would not help matters, resulting in Cascadenia fighting both foreign interventionists and secessionist forces on home soil. Further, relations between St.Bauchamp and La Stieza would sour in 1845 over differences in how each viewed the post-war situation. La Stieza wanted the complete dissolution of the former territory of Cascadenia into its component states, whereas St.Bauchamp wished for a confederation of states which is would lead. Further, the conflict would see the formal establishment of the Nation of the Thirteen Rivers, which would enter hostilities with the other states, hoping to reclaim the ancestral territory of its component members.

The situation would change again in the Republic of Blue Valley, which had announced its formal neutrality in the conflict, save for defending against Cascadenian aggression. Here a Commandant by the name of Walter Von Estal, a descendant of Tyrnican immigrants, would be tasked with defending the small down of Joneston from a Cascadenian contingent lead by Sir Tyrion Rowley. Despite being outnumbered and lacking proper artillery, Von Estal would succeed in routing his opponent at the battle before chasing down the remains of the force. This soon catapulted him to the rank of General, and he would soon go on a campaign of decisive battles.

All this time, the forces of [NATION] were making greater and greater gains in the territory of Cascadenia, including taking the capital of Brookston. It was clear that, unless drastic action was taken, the whole territory could fall under [NATION's] control. Speaking on behalf of the Blue Valley Republic, Von Estal proposed the creation of a new Federation of nations which would be capable of beating back the intervention forces and secure peace. Under the new federation, each member state would have an equal say in national government. After numerous debates and deliberations, the Confederation of Sovereign Nations was declared on August 4th, 1848.

Following this, the new Confederation would embark on a campaign to drive [NATION] from the country and maintain the country's independence. With the formal declaration of peace in August of 1849, the first formal elections for President of the Confederation was held. Many assumed that Von Estal would run, and be a shoe in for president due to his popularity as the architect of the Confederation and following military campaigns. This was confirmed shortly thereafter, becoming the first President in 1850. He would serve only one term, declining to run in the 1854 election. The country would nonetheless be renamed the Federation of Estann in honor of the man, following his death in 1863.

Despite its newfound peace, it would take decades for Estann to recover from the decades of conflict that had once torn it apart. It would remain largely removed from the tumult of the Great War, though would maintain more cordial relations with Blayk than with Rythene, supplying the former with War material. This would increase tensions between Estann and Rythene.

The Second Great War by contrast would be a pivotal moment for Estann and its member-states. With a much more robust economy, and nationalism flaring under the firebrand rhetoric of President Jean-Paul Favreaux, the country would slowly devolve into a militaristic dictatorship. Following the war, the Dictatorship of President Favreaux would collapse, with more political power being transferred to the member-states of Estann. This leaves Estann with a fairly weak central government, making it more of a Confederation in-practice.

Economic Overview:
GDP: 343.2 Billion
GDP Per Capita: 22,000

The Economy of the Federation varies considerably from state to state. Some States are much wealthier than others, leading to a wide disparity in income. Equally varied is how those economies are structured, with systems ranging from State Capitalism, to Market Socialism, to Free-Market Capitalism, to name a few. The Federal Government itself has little ability to intervene in the economic policy of its member states. However, it does set policy on foreign trade, such as the imposing of tariffs or embargoes on foreign goods. The economy is considered quite diverse, with each State tending to specialize more in certain sectors of the economy.

Miscellaneous Information
The Federal Military is pretty sad, being largely limited to one Army Light Infantry Brigade, as well as maintaining largely vestigial Navy and Airforce groups. The Federal Military is prohibited from operating within the states, and is largely limited within the boundaries of Middletown. Most of the Federations military power is maintained by the disparate defense forces of the states. Most military policy of the Federation is setting guidelines for standardization of ammunition and communications equipment.

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: Old region slowly died as it was taken over by shitposters and trolls. There are still some people who are trying to RP and rebuild the region, but they're still inhabiting a Discord that is infected with the aforementioned bad apples, so I have little confidence in the rebuild succeeding. I decided it was time to move on, and Levilion seems like a good place to put down roots.
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=466670 (this is the best I got to give at the moment.)
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: Nope
Anything else to add?: I'm more used to military worldbuilding, and even there I'd hardly call myself an expert.

[-AlEmAnNiA-]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Yukzau Commonwealth (彧州共和國)
Nation Name (Common): Wun (桓)
Capital City: Dajung (大中)
Requested Location: I will leave it to the mercy of the regional cartographer
Requested Population: 50m
Culture: Predominantly Yue, She, and Cantonese Han (with a politically reinforced local identity), minorities from neighbors
Government Type: Unitary, constitutional presidential Liuist republic
National Overview: Wun was initially inhabited by a succession of local kingdoms who later came under !Ancient China influence and occasionally relevant actors in geopolitics before being eventually conquered by the expanding !Ancient Chinese state. Once conquered, the area saw gradual !Han settlement and Mandarin became widespread. Local revolts to re-establish a sovereign Yue-She state periodically arose, although by the 19th century, Wun was a stereotypical !Chinese province.

Preceding the last years of the [Dynasty], contact with nationalist and western liberal ideas (as a result of the Great Upheaval), combined with the observed inefficiency of the sprawling !Chinese government drove the creation of a new 'local-nationalist' ideology across !Chinese lands that called for the dissolution of the 'imperialist' !Han concept - not only politically, but also culturally with the denial of Han identity - and the replacement of the empire with nation-states of individual regions that were based on organic social relationships and civil society that truly benefited locals. This culminated in the Blossom of Nations in the 1860s, which saw the near complete collapse of !China and the creation of numerous republics based on this ideology. Geopolitical occurrences over the course of the 20th century has seen some of these republics be reabsorbed into the !Imperial Chinese government, Kaona, Palchae, and other Isuan polities.

Wun is built upon an unique form of republicanism in Isuan that is almost alien to westerners. The basic unit of society are lineage associations, who due to urbanization and industrialization have become corporation-like patronage and assistance networks spread across society and are no longer limited geographically. The core of such units are the housan 豪紳 or landed gentry, the bourgeoisie and the most successful of a clan who use their affluence to benefit other clan members through sustaining the lineage association's structure and services. Government aims to be minimalistic, with local administration functioning as a network of lineage associations who consult each other and agree on actions that benefit each association's capabilities, and higher level government becomes a network of such networks. Thus organic social relationships are the main actors that benefit society, and actual 'government' is very much occasional in design, only 'materializing' when a need for its purpose occurs. However lineage associations are not the only such corporations, religious organizations as well as tribal associations function similarly and are usually regarded as equal. A system of polycentric law also exists.

Economic Overview: Developing economy scoring average on most economic and human developmental indices. Nominally free market but has been accused of falling to crony capitalism due to the significant involvement of most economic actors with politics. The economy is based on labor-intensive manufacturing, tourism, and mining.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: Already in
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: Already in
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: N/A
Anything else to add?: I can create all of China if you give me the resources so that way other applicants can just slot into premade states.

[Castrie]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Regne d'Castre
Nation Name (Common): Castria
Capital City: Canillo
Requested Location: Posted on the Discord
Requested Population: 32,974,308
Culture: Catalans
Government Type: Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
National Overview: Castria began existence as a Dukedom of Palia following the dissolution of the Sabarine Empire, before the accession of Ramiro the Bishop, who was the sole heir to the Dukedom following the deaths of his brothers, however his position of Bishop in the Perendist Church complicated matters, until he as granted permission to ascend to the throne as Bishop and formally separated Castria from Palia, preventing a civil war between the ethnic Catalans and Palians. For much of his reign, he appointed Church officials to important positions and many institutions requires being a member of the clergy to gain access to, however these measures began to anger both barons and peasants who resented being the personal fief of a Bishop and led to a brief rebellion in the 1500s, with the Bishops surrendering their position as King and crowning Peter, the Duke of Calcena, then the largest land owner that wasn't a church official. However the brief interlude ended following the death of Peter, who died childless, saw the crown go to his young cousin, Peter II, who had a Regency declared which was organised and run by various Church officials, who proceeded to have a large influence in the subsequent Monarch.

Despite grumblings, the issue wasn't address again till the early stages of the Upheaval. The heir to the throne, James, had proved to be rebellious and disapproving against the Church's influence, leading to his younger brother being installed instead. Angered at being skipped, he waged a brief war that saw his defeat and subsequent fleeing to form an exiled court. Believing the public had sided with them, the Church began to rule more openly, doing away with previous pretences. This, along with the rebellious furore of the already occurring Upheaval, saw the people rise against the Church's influence and install James as monarch. Weary of his position, James III treated his government in the more constitutional style, ceding more and more power throughout his reign to placate the people. The monarch's position was solidified with the establishment of the Confederacy, which he had supported as a way to defend Castria against possible attempts to retake control by the Church.

During the 20th century, the rise of authoritarianism proved particularly troublesome for Castria. Though the King was personally opposed to such politics, the rise of his cousin as a proponent of fascism and leader of the Castrian Ianzism Party proved too great for him to stop without breaking his political role. However, following the popular election of the CIP, the King refused to allow the Party to form a government and instead requested the Liberal Party to do so, however they were unable to before the CIP launched a coup that saw the King and his supporters flee the country, while his cousin was installed as Emperor of the Castrians. From then, Castria aligned itself closely with Lancero Palia, joining in an alliance with the nation during the outbreak of the Second Great War, while the deposed brother helped organise the Castrian Army-in-Exile and supported Castrian resistance movements. The defeat of Castria in the Second Great War saw the King restored to the throne in recognition for his efforts in fighting the CIP and his attempts at preventing its rise.
Economic Overview: Castria is a nation with a typical economy for a developed nation, its primary exports being services, banking, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals, with secondary industries in fishing, car manufacturing, and tourism. Interesting, Castria receives a large number of grants from the Perendist Church due to the large number of seminaries that operate in the nation.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: Cause I love you
IIWiki and/or RP Sample:
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: Nein
Anything else to add?:

Can't believe a Kiwi runs this region

[Audunia]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Regne d'Castre
Nation Name (Common): Castria
Capital City: Canillo
Requested Location: Posted on the Discord
Requested Population: 16,974,308
Culture: Catalans
Government Type: Unitary Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
National Overview: Castria began existence as a Dukedom of Palia following the dissolution of the Sabarine Empire, before the accession of Ramiro the Bishop, who was the sole heir to the Dukedom following the deaths of his brothers, however his position of Bishop in the Perendist Church complicated matters, until he as granted permission to ascend to the throne as Bishop and formally separated Castria from Palia, preventing a civil war between the ethnic Catalans and Palians. For much of his reign, he appointed Church officials to important positions and many institutions requires being a member of the clergy to gain access to, however these measures began to anger both barons and peasants who resented being the personal fief of a Bishop and led to a brief rebellion in the 1500s, with the Bishops surrendering many of their positions of power and crowning Peter, the Duke of Calcena, then the largest land owner that wasn't a church official. However the brief interlude ended following the death of Peter, who died childless, saw the crown go to his young cousin, Peter II, who had a Regency declared which was organised and run by various Church officials, who proceeded to have a large influence in the subsequent Monarch.

Despite grumblings, the issue wasn't address again till the early stages of the Upheaval. The heir to the throne, James, had proved to be rebellious and disapproving against the Church's influence, leading to his younger brother being installed instead. Angered at being skipped, he waged a brief war that saw his defeat and subsequent fleeing to form an exiled court. Believing the public had sided with them, the Church began to rule more openly, doing away with previous pretences. This, along with the rebellious furore of the already occurring Upheaval, saw the people rise against the Church's influence and install James as monarch. Weary of his position, James III treated his government in the more constitutional style, ceding more and more power throughout his reign to placate the people. The monarch's position was solidified with the establishment of the Confederacy, which he had supported as a way to defend Castria against possible attempts to retake control by the Church.

During the 20th century, the rise of authoritarianism proved particularly troublesome for Castria. Though the King was personally opposed to such politics, the rise of his cousin as a proponent of fascism and leader of the Castrian Ianzism Party proved too great for him to stop without breaking his political role. However, following the popular election of the CIP, the King refused to allow the Party to form a government and instead requested the Liberal Party to do so, however they were unable to before the CIP launched a coup that saw the King and his supporters flee the country, while his cousin was installed as Emperor of the Castrians. From then, Castria aligned itself closely with Lancero Palia, joining in an alliance with the nation during the outbreak of the Second Great War, while the deposed brother helped organise the Castrian Army-in-Exile and supported Castrian resistance movements. The defeat of Castria in the Second Great War saw the King restored to the throne in recognition for his efforts in fighting the CIP and his attempts at preventing its rise.
Economic Overview: Castria is a nation with a typical economy for a developed nation, its primary exports being services, banking, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals, with secondary industries in fishing, car manufacturing, and tourism. Interesting, Castria receives a large number of grants from the Perendist Church due to the large number of seminaries that operate in the nation.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: Cause I love you
IIWiki and/or RP Sample:
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: Nein
Anything else to add?:

Can't believe a Kiwi runs this region

[Bhikkustan]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Okimili Confederacy (Omu Okimmilī)
Nation Name (Common): Okimili
Capital City: Ngwochendo
Requested Location: Will make a nice claim
Requested Population: 11,082,871
Culture: Dominant culture is Aga (!Igbo), but culturally diverse with other southeast nigerian groups
Government Type: Confederal elective constitutional monarchy with theocratic elements
National Overview: The Okimili Confederacy (Aga: Omu Okimmilī), more commonly referred to as Okimili (Aga: Okimmilī), is a confederal sovereign state in Idica, bordered by State 1 to the north, State 2 to the west, and State 3 to the east. It has an estimated population of roughly 11 million, divided into eight Oraeze which are united as a confederation and are responsible for much of their own governance.

One of the first areas in Region to be consistently inhabited by Homo Sapiens, Okimili has seen the presence of modern humans since the early neolithic era. Its precolonial history was marked by the emergence of several smaller city-states clustered along the banks of the Okimili river and Ebili coast, which would engage in conflicts for much of the antique era. In roughly 150 BP the region saw the birth of the Nkuziani religion, and by the beginning of the present era this faith would be the dominant faith on the Ebili coast of Idica. The strongest of the city states was Otutudei, which boasted the strongest oracles and a large army, and was able to achieve a position of quasi-dominance over the other states. However, in 900 PE Otutudei was struck by an earthquake which levelled much of the town and caused its people to desert to other cities in the belief that it was cursed. This paved the way for Ngwochendo to merge as the dominant state, following a period of intense war. The arrival of Auressian nations brought many of these city states under the protection of Rythene, which undermined the traditionally democratic systems of governance with warrant chiefdoms in order to easier control the area. Following the decline of imperialism in the 20th century, the Okimilian city-states were united into a confederal state, so as to preserve their independence while remaining one nation for th purposes of defence and foreign relations.


Economic Overview: In the modern period, Okimili is a wealthy state. Its relative political stability when compared to the neighbouring states of Idica, as well as peaceful transition towards independence and close relations with Auressia have propelled the nation to prominence in its region. Its economy is reliant on tourism, with significant inputs from agriculture, in particular palm oil, and in shipping and shipbuilding. However, Okimili is also widely regarded as a highly authoritarian state with strong restrictions on political and press freedoms. While the larger urban areas are wealthy, many rural areas are comparatively poor and even lack basic amenities such as power and drinking water. Ethnic tensions are also present, as the Aga are the ethnic group of the nobility and receive privileges over the other groups who together make up the majority of Okimili's population.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: It looks funky
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: https://iiwiki.us/wiki/Okimili, plus https://iiwiki.us/wiki/Mabifia if you need a more complete nation
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: All kiwis got warned so that
Anything else to add?: I am keen to help set up Idica and make it unique from the boring old africa=civil wars plus genocide with some wide-ranging new things if this would be welcome

[Bhikkustan]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Republic of Yunsan (雲山共和國)
Nation Name (Common): Yol (嶽)
Capital City: Hojin
Requested Location: Republic one on prem's map
Requested Population: 30 million
Culture: Sichuanese chinese
Government Type: Unitary, constitutional presidential Liuist republic
National Overview: Initially inhabited by !Bashu chinese, Yol was initially resistant to control from the central !Han polity and was aided by its geography, before being eventually subdued. While the !Bashu language would eventually die out and be replaced by !Mandarin, cultural influences remained and despite efforts from the central court some of these remained constant. In particular, Yol was home to many !Salvationist cults, which would spark peasant uprisings up until the eighteenth century. In 1757, the Sifongdao uprising was crushed brutally, effectively ending the unrest in Yol. Despite this suppression, the region would retain some ideals of a national identity, meaning that with the outbreak of the Blossom of Nations upheaval soon began in Yol. While there were many currents within the Yol Republican movement, they would eventually come under the domination of the Deng clique, a group of several military officers who were all sons of Deng Honghu. The Deng clique were influenced by the Niangjumen society, a millenarian and egalitarian movement similar to those which had existed earlier. The state established was similar to that of neighbouring Wun, with lineage associations being especially important, though central political power would remain under the control of the Deng clique until the 80s when democratic elections were held. The importance of the Niangjumen and other secretive religious movements over political parties is still significant, and local political administration is often administered on a parochial level. (Will work this through in more detail with Prem)
Economic Overview: Developing economy, big mining sector, likely tourism as well. Free market, though with an emphasis on cooperatives and wealth distribution on the local level. Tourism is also significant, as is logging and high-tech manufacturing.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: Already here
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: You have
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: nope
Anything else to add?: Okimili will be somewhat on pause until there is more interest in Idica, tho I still do intend to work on it

[Finium]

Basic Information

Nation Name (Official): Velíkoje Gosudárstvo (Вели́кое Госуда́рство/վելիկոյե կնյաժեստվո)
Nation Name (Common): Bolshtine Republic ( póle + ródina -> bolodine + harmony with Большо́й + Germanification -> bolshtine)
Capital City: Odingrad
Requested Location: East slavic cultural zone
Requested Population: 75 per Km2
Culture: Historical Cossack and Brahamanism, extantly influenced by western nationalism and political theory
Government Type: Presidential republic
National Overview:
The great state emerged as a reaction to a counter-migration of Indo-Aryans back into the central grasslands (comparable to the Pontic-Caspian Steppe) during the turn of the millennium. Brahmanical and Vedic traditions influence the nomadic pastoralist society of the latent Cossacks. The political and literary traditions introduced by the counter-migration, greatly influenced the Cossacks. Rather than sharing these new ideals or influencing a cultural renaissance, sparked a cultural backlash in which the Cossacks, after adopting some Brahmanical traditions, expanded their influence in defense of local customs. This period was characterized by the development of a unique cultural tradition which came to dominate the Bolshtine region during the middle ages.

A militant western religious tradition emerged in the later middle ages and during the industrial revolution. During this period, disaffected warriors and merchants were attracted to new philosophical traditions from the west which encouraged social mobility and egalitarianism. These political shifts came to a head during the Great Upheaval, during which the traditional Brahamanical elements of society were toppled and suppressed. Militancy became a new form of political aesthetic, but in an anti-monarchist vein which ultimately saw the Bolshtines side against Tyrnica during the first war. The red-headed step-child of the republican movement, the Bolshtines were later reviled by their allies and ultimately joined with the Alliance during the second war.

The modern Bolshtine is a pseudo-stratocractic republic with civilian officials often adopting the material culture of the national military. Militarism, which was historically an identifying feature of Bolshtine society, has degraded to a level of decrepitude in which middling political figures and even private companies exchange pompous salutes. Likewise, the military has emerged as a dominant social club rather than a great force for national defense. The nation has been consumed by a middling interest in "military preparatory" elementary schools and patriotic parade planning committees. Meanwhile, the Bolshtine's international influence has waned from formidable force to a politely tolerated joke abroad. Private corporations with ties to the government still attempt to circumvent international arms restrictions for a quick profit, but these are no longer part of a concerted diplomatic movement to resist democratization.

Economic Overview:
The Bolshtine region's historical industries included pastoral herding, fishing, and forestry. During the 50s and 60s, high purity uranium deposits were discovered around the gulf periphery and radically altered the national economy. Uranium, a popular source of clean energy and much-loved WMD ingredient, originally fell under the purview of nationalized mining conglomerates formed during the course of the second war to secure the nation's vital mineral resources. Mining, as a rule, had generally been considered commercially unviable in the Bolshtine region and was an unpopular historical career that indicated poverty. After the discovery of uranium, however, there was suddenly a large-scale, lucrative mineral interest in the government portfolio. During the 70s and 80s, this allowed the military to fund its own expansion as well as export arms and ideology internationally. The Bolshtine thwarted democratic movements, propped up despots, and defied arms embargoes during this period, bringing them into conflict with the western world. Sanctions advanced, first targeting luxuries and heavy machinery, but eventually the west was forced to target the military's cash cow and mineral exports were closed off. The government was forced to reorganize itself to avoid embargoes and privatized almost all of the mining industry; sometimes even finding international commercial partners to continue the exploitation and exploration. Tyrnica notably gained interests in some of the largest uranium operations and helped to deescalate the raging economic war. While the money began to flow again, the state had lost control of its key assets and previously overfunded departments, such as the military, were suddenly forced to radically downsize, leading to the modern military decline.

Miscellaneous Information

Why are you interested in joining Levilion?: premier ns graphic design school
IIWiki and/or RP Sample: Have never heard of either
Any issues with NationStates moderation?: santh knows my name
Anything else to add?: n/a