The Novan Exemplarstate is an apotheocratic monarchy and neo-syndicalist state steeped in a rich and vibrant culture. Descended from the Ancient Siscians and Medieval Lynlanders, the Novan people are a disciplined, industrious civilization who have persevered through grave challenges and trials to emerge as one of the most productive nations in the international community. With malice towards none and a firm desire to integrate Novan ideals into the international community of nations, the Supreme Magisterium in the national capital of Arxopolis has launched a brand new initiative to invigorate the Exemplarstate's Consulate and Embassy Programme and establish a new rapport between the Novan people and their neighbors in the international community. With this new enterprise, the Novan Exemplarstate seeks to fulfill its purpose of achieving mutual understanding with its neighbors and creating diplomatic ties to enrich the lives of the Novan people by opening the door to new cultures and new experiences previously closed off to them. The Exemplarstate eagerly awaits its new initiative to bear fruit and usher in a new age of Novan international diplomacy.
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
The Novan Exemplarstate (Siscian: Novus Ratiostatus), sometimes called Nova Siscia or less frequently Nova Secta is a sovereign state descended from the now-defunct Kingdom of Lynland, a medieval-era colonial power whose capital city, government and royal family were destroyed by a massive volcanic eruption in August 1409 CE. The resulting refugee crisis and period of near-anarchy in the colony — then known as Moultonsland and later as New Lynland — forced civic elders and scholars to 'get creative' in solving the problems facing the territory. Their solution was the invention of a brand new form of government called an Apothocracy, an elective monarchy boasting elements of market socialism, noocracy, syndicalism and technocracy in its composition. This uniquely radical new form of government, combined with the pomp and trappings of the powerful ancient Siscian culture, sought to channel its resources into the promotion of science and wisdom within the population. Every facet of Novan life was infused with the belief that scientific discovery, the promotion of reason and logic over mythology and superstition and the pursuit of wisdom would create the perfect human society: the Exemplarstate. This ideology has persevered over the course of the last six centuries, dating to the proclamation of the Exemplarstate on May 25, 1436 and the crowning of Astor Curzon the first Praeceptor, Kaison one year later on May 29, 1437.
Novan politics are organized around the central principle of a 'society of scholars and scientists', with the wise elders of the Novan people guiding the country through their shared collective knowledge and technical expertise. This body of technocrats, chosen meritoriously through a special council known as the Directorate of Elders, forms the basis of the national parliamentary body known as the Supreme Magisterium. These Magisters are responsible for crafting policy and addressing the needs of the state; they are also charged with holding a special conclave known as the Congregatione to elect the country's ruling head of government and state, a regent known as the Praeceptor who serves for life on the throne and wields much authority to help guide the country forward through a reliance on, yet again, science and wisdom. The Directorate of Elders, the Praeceptor and the Supreme Magisterium collectively form the core of the Novan government, the College of the Arx, serving in the capital city of Arxopolis while dispatching their agents throughout the country. The monarchy and its agents have allowed for the devolution of some civic powers to local polities, who employ the usage of semi-direct democracy to govern on a microscale following the Vinovian Renaissance of the 18th Century. At every level of Novan society however, the belief in logic, reason, science and wisdom prevails above all else in governing society.
The Novan Exemplarstate's economic system, known as the Orthodox Apotheosism model, is a unique amalgamation of different concepts and theories, much the same as its political authority. The central government in Arxopolis restricts its involvement in economic affairs to two primary roles: the levying of tariffs and taxes and the control of several key industries necessary for the securing of the Exemplarstate's national infrastructure interests (these industries include, but are not limited to, energy production, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, mining and petroleum production). All other business ventures in the Exemplarstate are labor cooperatives owned by each company or corporation's workforce. Financial oversight of each industry is controlled by special trade unions known as Guilds, which help establish Market Equilibrium by collectively managing shortages and surpluses through price and production controls. The Guilds help enforce what is known as the Tripartite Redistribution Theory, or TRT, where the profits of a business venture are partitioned into business reinvestment, laborers' wages, and national citizens' dividends (achieved through a non-purchasing stock market where capital stock based on company performance are allocated equally to the population. This creates incentivization in the workplace to improve productivity to ensure a greater share of the wealth generated, creating competitive markets.
Residing in a lush and fertile ecosystem protected through long-standing conservation efforts and climate change legislation, the Novan Exemplarstate enjoys rich biodiversity and stunningly beautiful habitats unspoiled by human hands, coexisting alongside historic villages and modern metropolises. This dedication to natural preservation and civilizational progress are driven through the theory of Socialis Fidem et Socialis Tutela, or SFST: Social Protection and Social Credit. Every citizen's basic human needs are met by the state, including education, employment, food, healthcare and shelter, social welfare or 'protection'. Meanwhile, expanded privileges granted through the achievement of exceptional public service and labor performance, or social credit, incentivizes people to not only work harder in the workplace, but put the needs of their community and their country first. This system promotes an intelligent, studious and versatile populace who live according to the belief that the collective good surpasses individual rights. These ideals manifest in the belief in gender, racial and sexual equality and through the equal protection under the law enjoyed by all citizens. Novans are well known for their love of high culture such as art, cinema and theater, music and literature, and the drive to excel in sport have made auto racing, combat sports, hockey and soccer immensely popular. And of course, Novan towns are famous for their beer halls!
For the purpose of establishing a legal definition for foreign diplomatic missions and the personnel who live in and staff said missions, there are six official legal classifications for foreign nationals residing in or working at an embassy or consulate. These six designations are: Ambassadors or an official of equivalent rank; Consuls or an official of equivalent rank; other Diplomatic Officials, hereby referred to as any credentialed member of a mission whose purpose is to provide counsel to an Ambassador, Consul, or officials of equivalent rank; the Family Members of Ambassadors, Consuls, officers of equivalent rank or other credential Diplomatic Officials; Security Staff, hereby referred to as any credentialed member of a mission whose purpose is to provide escort and security services to members of the mission; and Mission Staff, hereby referred to as any credentialed member of a mission whose purpose is to provide any other service or function to the mission not previously covered by Novan diplomatic law. Any other foreign national(s) residing in or visiting the diplomatic mission hold no special protection under Novan law while on Novan soil. Any declared diplomatic mission is considered the sovereign soil of the chartering nation, and foreign nationals of said chartering nation are to be given free and unrestricted access to the diplomatic mission unless being detained for committing a felony or misdemeanor crime while on Novan soil.
| Official Rank or Title | Can Be Detained | Can Be Expelled For Crimes | Can Be Arrested for Misdemeanors | Can be Arrested for Felonies |
| Ambassadors | NO | VARIES1 | NO | NO |
| Consuls | NO | VARIES2 | NO | NO |
| Diplomatic Officials | YES | VARIES3 | NO | NO |
| Family of Officials | NO | VARIES4 | NO | NO |
| Security Staff | YES | YES | YES | YES |
| Mission Staff | YES | YES | YES | YES |
FOOTNOTES
1 — The Ambassador or officials of equivalent rank in a foreign diplomatic mission enjoys unqualified diplomatic immunity from all felony and misdemeanor crimes. However, Ambassadors or officials of equivalent rank who utilize their posting to commit acts of espionage against the Novan Exemplarstate can have their diplomatic credentials revoked, leading to their automatic expulsion from the country. Also, in times of declared military conflict between the Novan Exemplarstate and the foreign diplomatic mission's host nation, diplomatic credentials can again be revoked, leading to their expulsion along with any other foreign nationals present at the diplomatic mission. Safe conduct out of the Exemplarstate is legally guaranteed in both cases.
2 — The Consul or officials of equivalent rank in a foreign diplomatic mission enjoys unqualified diplomatic immunity from all felony and misdemeanor crimes. However, Consuls or officials of equivalent rank who utilize their posting to commit acts of espionage against the Novan Exemplarstate can have their diplomatic credentials revoked, leading to their automatic expulsion from the country. Also, in times of declared military conflict between the Novan Exemplarstate and the foreign diplomatic mission's host nation, diplomatic credentials can again be revoked, leading to their expulsion along with any other foreign nationals present at the diplomatic mission. Safe conduct out of the Exemplarstate is legally guaranteed in both cases.
3 — Diplomatic officials assigned to embassies or consulates enjoy qualified diplomatic immunity, meaning that while they cannot be arrested for the committing of felonies or misdemeanors, they can be expelled from the country at the discretion of the Government of the Novan Exemplarstate for any crimes committed on Novan soil. This also extends to the ability of Novan government officials and constabulary forces detaining diplomatic officials for questioning while on Novan soil. Any diplomatic official ordered out of the Exemplarstate is legally entitled to safe conduct out of the country for both the official(s) and any family members present with them in the diplomatic mission at the time of their expulsion.
4 — The family members of ambassadors and consuls or officials of equivalent rank and other diplomatic staffers enjoy unqualified diplomatic immunity from all felony and misdemeanor crimes, and cannot be legally detained for questioning by government officials or constabulary forces while on Novan soil. However, the legal credentials of family members of diplomatic mission officials can be revoked at the discretion of the Government of the Novan Exemplarstate for continued harassment or injury to the body or property of Novan citizens, or for repeated willful negligence of obeying Novan law while on Novan soil. Novan law requires all family of foreign mission officials be offered safe conduct out of the country in the event of expulsion.
2 — The Consul or officials of equivalent rank in a foreign diplomatic mission enjoys unqualified diplomatic immunity from all felony and misdemeanor crimes. However, Consuls or officials of equivalent rank who utilize their posting to commit acts of espionage against the Novan Exemplarstate can have their diplomatic credentials revoked, leading to their automatic expulsion from the country. Also, in times of declared military conflict between the Novan Exemplarstate and the foreign diplomatic mission's host nation, diplomatic credentials can again be revoked, leading to their expulsion along with any other foreign nationals present at the diplomatic mission. Safe conduct out of the Exemplarstate is legally guaranteed in both cases.
3 — Diplomatic officials assigned to embassies or consulates enjoy qualified diplomatic immunity, meaning that while they cannot be arrested for the committing of felonies or misdemeanors, they can be expelled from the country at the discretion of the Government of the Novan Exemplarstate for any crimes committed on Novan soil. This also extends to the ability of Novan government officials and constabulary forces detaining diplomatic officials for questioning while on Novan soil. Any diplomatic official ordered out of the Exemplarstate is legally entitled to safe conduct out of the country for both the official(s) and any family members present with them in the diplomatic mission at the time of their expulsion.
4 — The family members of ambassadors and consuls or officials of equivalent rank and other diplomatic staffers enjoy unqualified diplomatic immunity from all felony and misdemeanor crimes, and cannot be legally detained for questioning by government officials or constabulary forces while on Novan soil. However, the legal credentials of family members of diplomatic mission officials can be revoked at the discretion of the Government of the Novan Exemplarstate for continued harassment or injury to the body or property of Novan citizens, or for repeated willful negligence of obeying Novan law while on Novan soil. Novan law requires all family of foreign mission officials be offered safe conduct out of the country in the event of expulsion.
The Novan Exemplarstate respects the necessity of diplomatic missions to keep an appropriate level of provisions and supplies on hand at all times, in addition to keeping a qualified, well-trained staff present to handle the various responsibilities at a consulate or an embassy. For this reason, the Novan government will place no restrictions on any clothing, food items, furniture, hygiene supplies, medical equipment and supplies (including medications), office supplies and other various sundries. Only two exceptions to this mandate exist: first, any type of flora (including fruit and vegetable-bearing plants, flowers, shrubery and trees) native to the charter nation of the mission must be cleared by the Novan government before being planted on diplomatic mission grounds, and only in specially-designated areas for the purpose of protecting the Exemplarstate's natural flora. Second, any fauna (including personal family pets of mission staff or other animals) must also be cleared by the Novan government before being transported onto diplomatic grounds due again to ecological reasons. Beyond these two restrictions, the only restrictions on the staff of a diplomatic mission and any vehicles or weapons present on diplomatic grounds are explained below. Any attempt to exceed the following limits without first obtaining an official waiver from the Government of the Novan Exemplarstate could result in the summary expulsion of all mission residents.
- Diplomatic Staff Members – Any official that serves in an advisory or counseling position to an Ambassador, Consul, or officials of equivalent rank, including but not limited to economic, military and political advisors. A total of ten (10) diplomatic staff members are permitted at a consulate or embassy at any given time, not including the family members of the diplomatic staffers present or visiting diplomats who are not maintaining a permanent residency at the consulate or embassy.
- Mission Staff Members – Any foreign national resident of a consulate or embassy not otherwise designated as a member of the diplomatic or security staff or family thereof, including but not limited to cooks, groundskeepers, personal aides and secretaries or servants. A total of fifty (50) mission staff members are permitted at a consulate or embassy at any given time, not including the presence of Novan nationals or visiting foreign nationals who are not maintaining a permanent residency at the consulate or embassy.
- Security Staff Members – Any foreign national resident of a consulate or embassy who is hired to serve as a bodyguard or escort or security personnel for diplomatic missions and their residents. A total of security (40) security staff members are permitted at a consulate or embassy at any given time at a consulate or an embassy.
- Vehicles of the Mission – Each consulate or embassy is entitled to house up to four (4) motor vehicles and one (1) helicopter of a non-military nature at their diplomatic mission for the personal use of consulate or embassy officials and staff. In addition, hangar space may be leased through the Novan Government at the nearest state-owned airport or military airfield for up to one (1) diplomatically-chartered aircraft flagged as belonging to to the chartering nation for their personal usage.
- Weapons of the Mission – Any weapons brought into the Novan Exemplarstate for usage at a diplomatic mission must be declared by the diplomatic mission upon arrival, and must be restricted to either knives; personal-use firearms (pistols, rifles [automatic or semi-automatic] and shotguns); truncheons or other club-like instruments; and ordinance of a non-lethal nature (such as, but not limited to, non-lethal explosive charges, firearms or grenades firing non-lethal chemical deterrents, rubber pellets or other non-lethal projectiles and other non-lethal crowd control countermeasures). The total number of weapons at a consulate or embassy must not exceed five (5) items classified as weapons for every security staff member present unless a special waiver of permission is obtained from the Novan government beforehand.
Diplomatic missions to the Novan Exemplarstate are currently directed to one of ten cities for consular missions; all embassies are directed towards one of the five main districts of the national capital, Arxopolis (though consulates are also open to the capital as well). Each of the ten cities selected as potential 'mission cities' were chosen based on their economic significance to the Novan state, either as the central hub of a major guild or as a prominent commercial, financial, mercantile or industrial center in the Exemplarstate. National consulates seeking to foster closer ties with a major oil producing state would be more apt to establish a consulate near the oil fields of Batavorum, while nations looking to invest in the high technology or international finance sectors would be more apt to open a consulate in Aurelia Salona or Aventicum-Vindonissa. Each city on the following list, including the national capital have specific districts set aside for diplomatic missions, as much to concentrate diplomatic quarters for ease of accessibility for all involved parties as it is to ensure that each parcel or partition of land can be customized by Novan engineers to meet the demands of each chartering nation. Consular and Embassy Facilties are constructed specifically for each nation according to their specific needs or special requirements, and can be furnished at no cost upon request. The ten Novan cities in the currently hosting diplomatic missions are:
Salernum Province✦1,041,326 (2020 Population Estimate)✦Seguntium Mountains Region✦Kyndall Edmunds, Bergomagister
At one time, it was nothing more than a small fishing village in what was then-known as the Curiel Mountains. Today, only a handful of small
tourist attractions remain from the small town of Sipsey; its radical transformation into the sprawling mountainside metropolis of Arxopolis
mirrors the radical transformation of the country from an agrarian colony to one of the world's leading centers for science and research. A
marvel of engineering, much of the city was carved into the steep slopes of the surrounding Seguntium Mountains, creating immense towers
and cathedrals of government that rival the high mountain peaks upon which they rest. Few cities can match the marvel that is Arxopolis.
As the national capital, the city is the leading government center of the Novan Exemplarstate, housing the three principal branches of the
College of the Arx in addition to the Exemplarstate's Archives, the National Stadium, and the Public Forum among other facilities. The city
is primarily divided into five main districts. The High Quarter is the uppermost portion of the city and is home to its famed ski resorts
and chalets. The Lake Millry Waterfront and the Lower City are the principal commercial districts of the capital, and boast some of the nation's
most exclusive boutiques. The City of Lights is a premiere tourist district, while the Praedium Maxima is the city's main government district.
Celeia Province✦15,492,377 (2020 Population Estimate)✦Lacus Monaeda Region✦Pete Hawthorne, Bergomagister
As the largest metropolitan area in the Exemplarstate, Aurelia Salona never lacks for fine dining or entertainment options. Some of the most
accomplished sporting franchises call the city home, and the nation's main film and television studios are based in and around the region. As
a city with ample tourism dollars flowing into it, one might assume the anchor of the Lacus Monaeda Region to be rather-one dimensional. In
fact, Aurelia Salona holds one of the most diversified Guild representations in the country. Its vast parks and outdoor recreational areas are
renowned, but so too are its gleaming skyscrapers housing some of the nation's leading banks, insurance agencies, and vehicle manufacturers.
Mursa Province✦12,198,112 (2020 Population Estimate)✦Cicutia Steppe Region✦John Colston, Bergomagister
Few cities in the Novan Exemplarstate have the economic might or population to challenge the power of Aurelia
Salona. Yet the communications and high technology sectors of Aventicum-Vindonissa have helped it compete in
earnest as the nation's second biggest city. Its proximity to several prominent mining centers in the mountainous
interior of the Exemplarstate have made its position on the Cicutia Steppe a very lucrative one for the country's
coal miners and mineral resource extractors. It is also one of the core transportation hubs in the Novan interior.
Viminacium Province✦5,451,864 (2020 Population Estimate)✦Plains of Gobannium Region✦Michael Carrell, Bergomagister
The Plains of Gobannium were once thought to be too desolate and unpredictable a region for any settlement to
thrive in. The area's violent spring storms and brutal winters required hardy souls with a strong constitution. Then,
in the 19th century, a massive oil field turned Gobannium into the leading petroleum producing region with more
barrels pumped from the clay soil in 2021 than every other geographical region in the Exemplarstate combined. All
of the country's oil producers have their headquarters in Batavorum, the largest and oldest city on the oil-rich Plains.
Coria Province✦10,290,235 (2020 Population Estimate)✦Nidium Hills Region✦Aaron Waits, Bergomagister
The Nidium Hills have long been one of the country's most diverse biomes, and was among the first major regions explored
by famed Novan discoverer Sir Winfrith Ealdwin Moulton's famed research expedition to the area in 1315. This may help to
explain why the city of Brigantium has become the nation's leading academic center and a hub for environmental sciences,
green energy development and biomedical engineering. Three of the nation's most renowned institutions for higher learning,
Holston University, the David Senn Medical University and the Brigantium Institute of Technology are all based in the region.
Lentia Province✦321,591 (2020 Population Estimate)✦Andreanae Mountains Region✦Isaac Gammons, Bergomagister
While many mission cities are bustling metropolises, Castra Corinium may be anything but; a small mountain town in the
alpine forests of the Andreanae Mountains, the old colonial fortress redoubt of the Kingdom of Lynland finds itself today
as the nation's center for forestry and timber industries. Yet its reputation as a rustic summer tourist destination with few
economic opportunities beyond the forests is changing thanks to a major find by engineer Bertram Treece in 1965. Today,
Castra Corinium is the site of the largest uranium deposit in the Exemplarstate, making it vital to Novan nuclear power.
Traiectum Province✦1,683,521 (2020 Population Estimate)✦Taniatide Forest Region✦David Townes, Bergomagister
Once a city renowned for its civic temples and museums, the oldest continually-inhabited settlement in the Exemplarstate
has begun to shed its 'antiquated' image in favor of a new identity as one of the leading retail centers in the country. Though
its forestry industry continues to rival that of Castra Corinium in total output, more than forty percent of Isca Victrix's 2020
economic power was generated by its burgeoning commercial retail ventures and manufacturing. Its proximity to several of
the Exemplarstate's largest rivers make it a major interior trading hub and the largest Novan textile manufacturing center.
Venta Calleva Province✦4,963,224 (2020 Population Estimate)✦Gulf of Devana Region✦Stephen Burkhardt, Bergomagister
As the largest city in Venta Calleva Province, the Gulf of Devana's anchor city Lagentium leads the way in commercial fishing,
shipbuilding, and a leading port of call for international trade. More foreign dollars flow into Lagentium than any other city in
the Novan Exemplarstate thanks to the many freight and shipping companies that utilize the city's massive port facilities, and
as a regional headquarters for their Novan business interests. Lagentium is also well known for its massive entertainment and
resort districts, a product of entertaining sailors after long voyages with gambling halls, cabarets, music halls and the theatre.
Biriciana Province✦698,727 (2020 Population Estimate)✦Malaeus Coast Region✦Felix Gaynor-Fites, Bergomagister
Portus Theranda's reputation as the capital of Novan leisure is well earned thanks to its beautiful white-sandy beaches and
clear waters. The Malaeus Coast is full of unspoiled nature preserves and wildlife, making it a premiere destination for many
watersports and outdoor recreational opportunities. Portus Theranda has also developed a reputation not only for its tourism
trade, but its growing presence in the Novan science community. The country's space exploration agency maintains its newest
launch facility near Portus Theranda, as well as its largest rocket propulsion research lab at the McCandless Technology Center.
Lindinis Province✦7, 295,338 (2020 Population Estimate)✦Scetis Orcades Plateau Region✦Ryan Lavallee, Bergomagister
Of all the cities and towns in the Novan Exemplarstate, no town presents more of a dichotomy or eclectic environment than
that of Vinovia. The site of the famed Vinovian Renaissance in the 18th and early-19th centuries that brought the country's
first democratic institutions into being, Vinovia remains to this day a city of artists and poets, with the city's famous street
performers a true sight to behold. Simultaneously, the city's long-standing museums and and neo-classical monuments make
it one of the engineering marvels of the Exemplarstate. Still, Vinovia's largest claim to fame is its vast agricultural output.
For those nations wishing to open a consulate or an embassy (or both) in the Novan Exemplarstate, please fill out one or both of the application forms provided below. Please fill out these forms in their entirety, as only completed forms will be processed, and completing a form will ensure faster processing time and potential approval. At the present time, the Novan Exemplarstate holds no prohibitions against governments with ideologies differing from our own. However, any aggressive act or acts made against the Novan Exemplarstate at present or in the future may result in the immediate closure of any consulate or embassy operating on Novan soil, along with the formal expulsion of all diplomatic mission officials residing at your consulate or embassy. If you wish for the Novan Exemplarstate to open a consulate, embassy or other diplomatic mission in return for the opening of a consulate or embassy in the Novan Exemplarstate, please either telegram us with the request or else leave the request in the "Special Requests" section of each application. All applications received will be processed in the order that they are submitted, and any additional information needed will be requested in return here in the diplomatic thread or via telegram. In conclusion, we wish to extend our formal gratitude for your decision to open a consulate or embassy in the Novan Exemplarstate, and look forward to opening diplomatic relations with your nation!
