The Encyclopedia Norfolkica (Maintenance - DO NOT POST)

[Free Norfolk City]

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The Encyclopedia Norfolkica is the largest Norfolkite-language encyclopedia, published from 1917 to the present day—it boasts comprehensive information about the Crystal Castle Republic and its people. Every aspect of Norfolkite life is included, including history, economics, science, art, and culture, and the ethnic diversity of the CCR's minorities and their languages and cultures are just as extensively covered. There is detailed information about its fellow Garbanosphere nations, also. We hope you find the information posted here useful.

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Here are some introductory facts:

The Crystal Castle Republic's total population, including its Esvanovian holdings, is 7,850,000,000 and counting. It is the only country in the world that uses the French Revolutionary Calendar. The Norfolkite politician and reformer Théophile Toussaint believed that it would set the country apart from the rest of the world, highlighting its committment to republican, democratic values. In his time, the country pursued the policy of defeudalization, which was implemented following the Great Expulsion of 1868, when the Garbanian colonial empire expelled the city state after their patience with Norfolkite reformers like Toussaint had snapped. It hadn't helped that Toussaint quoted the English soldier-statesman Algernon Sidney when he said that as death is the greatest evil that can befall a person, monarchy is the worst evil that can befall a nation.

- that the Monmouth Bay Trading Company was initially a Garbanian company? Following the arrival of James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth and his mistress Henrietta Wentworth, 6th Baroness Wentworth upon Garbanian shores, the notorious rogue and bigamist (he married his mistress despite having left behind in Britain a wife and their children, as well as three children born to another mistress in Eleanor Needham) took service with his host country, having turned down involvement in a proposed rebellion that would have seen him, had it been successful, made the King of England, Scotland and Ireland. James Scott, who had gone eastward after leaving the court of William of Orange to fight the Turks, decided to secure the services of a small fleet financed in part by Lady Wentworth's jewellery to set sail in search of opportunity. He found it in Garbania, where the Emperor Bernardaud gave him the task of exploring the region of Esvanovia. James Scott sailed into what would become Monmouth Bay, and established both a trading company and the capital of the colony, Charlottechurch. The MBTC would rule the colony of Garbania-in-Esvanovia from its headquarters in what would become the Crystal Castle Republic—however, following the Great Expulsion, Garbania ceded control of the colony to the CCR, while the MBTC established itself as a Norfolkite company in line with this, albeit with great reluctance. Despite James Scott's bigamy and his deathbed refusal to acknowledge that his relationship with Lady Wentworth had been sinful, he is traditionally credited with having brought orthodox, Nicene Christianity to Garbania, whose Christian minorities tended to be localized variants of long forgotten heresies. However, much like the aforementioned minorities, "Nicene" Christianity fared no better in capturing the souls of the nation, as the country clung staunchly to the traditional pantheon and Manichaeism, which worked together much like Shinto and Buddhism do in real life Japan. He is laid to rest alongside Lady Wentworth in an ornate mausoleum in Garbania, where their descendants continue to impact Garbanian society and politics.

- that the Crystal Castle Republic implemented polysynody, which was the system of government in use in France between 1715 and 1718 and in which each minister was replaced by a council? Polysynody was established in the Crystal Castle Republic at the behest of certain politicians following the Great Expulsion, who felt it would serve as an effective counter to what they felt were the excesses of monarchy. Along with the liberum veto and the presidential diarchy, it is a core element of Norfolkite politics. Each council, as well, is chaired by a first among equals figure that represents the CCR abroad, such as Gennice Alcendor, who handles foreign affairs as the head of the council for foreign affairs.

- that the Crystal Castle Republic's state religion is deism? The Theophilanthropists ("Friends of God and Man") were a Deistic sect created by certain intellectuals and politicians in the CCR that believed deism would prevent tensions between competing religious groups in the country. Religious freedom is guaranteed, and no one is forced to convert to this sect, which openly admits that it was a creation of the government that co-opted the popularity of deism as an "enlightened alternative, a third way" in the debate between atheism and theism. The Theophilanthropists do not try to make converts, either.

- that the Crystal Castle Republic de jure rules Norfolk-in-Esvanovia, but de facto the colony is the private fiefdom of the Monmouth Bay Trading Company? One of the nation's oldest companies, the MBTC was established to faciliate trade with the indigenous populations of the colony such as the Toteco, the tribe that inhabits the islands south of Aureumterra and Sombreland. Garbanian policy was one of gradual assimilation, most notably in the controversial policy of flirty fishing, a form of colonialism by sexual intimacy in which women deemed "expendable" would be married off to indigenous leadership to faciliate their support of Garbanian colonialism, and their assimilation into its society; as well, indigenous commoners would be offered the services of sex workers to entice them to follow suit. The policy co-existed with the government's encouraging of Garbanian men to seek out indigenous women as wives. When the CCR took control of the Esvanovian colony, it quietly repealed the policy of flirty fishing, but nevertheless encouraged the mixing of populations.

Norfolk-in-Esvanovia was traditionally seen as flyover country after the CCR took control of the colony, which might explain why the MBTC was allowed to continue administration, being that it was far more experienced with the place than the first crop of Norfolkite politicians. The last Garbanian 'viceroy' of the colony, Bartibalgory Labistiana, the sovereign's personal representative, noted that the population, settler and indigenous alike, abhorred the Great Expulsion once word got out that the CCR would inherit the colony. He noted that Geororananach Gestve, who led a mob of citizens (though, to their credit, they were rather peaceful) to his palacial home, demanded that the Imperial Court "remove the traitors in our midst," as it was, and to some extent still is, commonly believed that traitors had infiltrated the government and were attempting to dismantle the Garbanian colonial empire. When the news came that the Emperor had personally ordered the expulsion, and that claims of treachery went unproven, many refused to believe; indeed, Geororananach Gestve and his fellow loyalists joined the waves of emigrants who fled the CCR and NIE to Garbania and her other colonies.

However, not all Garbanians left, and they assimilated into these new countries accordingly. Those who left were known as the Revenants (from the French verb "revenir," which means to return) while those who stayed were called Resters (from the French verb "rester," which means to stay). In both the CCR and NIE, street fights between both sides were recorded, particularly during the Great Anarchy, which was when there was effectively no central government in power. Violence escalated until the Shaiburg Massacre, in which Garbanian soldiers under the command of Girard Dieudonné opened fire on the violent mobs while cavalry charged from behind. While the suppression of the violence was welcomed, Dieudonné's policy of killing rioters without trial, taking no prisoners, was controversial, although Dieudonné himself claimed that acts like the ransacking, looting and burning to the ground of the Romani Orphan Asylum justified the harsh measures. He returned to Garbania a hero, but in the CCR, his reputation is more mixed. Violence was also reported in Norfolk-in-Esvanovia, but Army officers like Istian Matouche, Eméo Bourbonnais and Zénélon Jutras were more able to minimize casualties.

As well, while indigenous populations were often consulted and relied upon by the colonial government, a group of indigenous intellectuals came together as a third faction, calling for the restoration of the pre-colonial Kingdom of Anmhonm. While the Garbanian monarchs claimed the title of King of Anmhonm, these intellectuals, the Restorationists, believed that the rightful monarch was Tuzazret vu Vizshleck, who famously sympathized with their aims but refused to claim the throne of his ancestors. Instead, he pursued the creation of what would become the Jeune Indigènes, a group that aimed to support and uplift the indigenous populations of the new nation. A notable ally of his was Ztupeed Iben Za Faq, from the Garbanian colony of Ngombia, representing the small Ngombian community. Without Tuzazret's involvement, the Restorationists promoted the idea that upon restoring the kingdom, they would simply look to recruit another descendant of the last king, King Gnelkrog. The Restorationists, however, were opposed by those who recalled that according to the legitimist line of succession, the Garbanian monarchs were the real kings, due to the marriage of Emperor Varillnibal with Princess Vulilla, the mother of the famous brothers Gnaungaud and Ulred; this argument is traditionally seen as why Tuzazret vu Vizshleck refused to support the Restorationists.

Before the Crystal Castle Republic was established, the newly minted country called itself Free Norfolk City, and was led by the All City Democratic Committee, led by Valdémard Lanthier, an ethnic Garbanian. The most famous of the founders of the CCR, Valdémard Lanthier initially participated in the ultimately vain efforts to work out a deal with the Imperial Court to make up for what was believed to be years of neglect. The Emperor Weyerlbert was a stern, strict and stubborn character who believed that the Norfolkites were ungrateful and impatient, and often refused to meet with Lanthier whom he considered the worst of the bunch. Lanthier had his supporters in the Imperial Court, however, such as Gepibalgory Genennitte, Detroryan Bieryne, Jhadeistophe Jolbanitte, Giraardlan Gilentor and Ulrhelagon Dalorel, who were important figures themselves and thought the Emperor was being petty and vindictive. When the Emperor's effigy was put to the torch in Free Norfolk City during the annual Empire Day festivities, Emperor Weyerlbert immediately summoned his chief minister Cedronan Stedwing and dictated to him the expulsion decree, which went into effect immediately upon being issued. Stedwing's great reluctance has been known to historians, but he was unable to convince the headstrong sovereign to reconsider, and resigned in protest immediately thereafter, leaving his successor Simulmas Jurart to carry out the emperor's orders.

Lanthier, having heard of the decree from Stedwing, swiftly returned to Free Norfolk City, where he was greeted by a mob of citizens, anxious and concerned, demanding he tell them if the reports were true; upon doing so, many of them retreated to their homes or places of business for several hours to quietly absorb and contemplate the significance of the announcement. Free Norfolk City, a free imperial city in the empire, had long prided itself in its service to the realm, and to be told that they were no longer worthy of membership shook them to the core, especially the soldiers from the war in Caprona who had seen their friends and loved ones die in battle. These soldiers, who had lived in Free Norfolk City their whole lives, would be seen getting drunk in taverns, asking random passersby: "Why? What did we do it for? Was it worth it?" and one soldier in particular, Alenric Syltinius, committed suicide outside the Imperial Palace, his suicide note reading, "I, loyal to my country, refuse to live under the shadow of this great crime," which provoked Empress Melilia to have him laid to rest in what would become the Tomb of the Steadfast, a national war memorial; initially the Emperor refused this, but his wife told him of rumors of a planned military coup, and managed to get him to allow it. Historians generally believe, however, that those rumors were just rumors, and that most opposition in the military was from individual soldiers rather than a serious, united effort. His successor, Crown Princess Yvalyn, was against expulsion, but upon her ascension to the throne, made no effort to restore colonial rule, citing that all avaliable data proved it an impossible task. However, she did sign the famous pact of understanding between Garbania and the CCR, under the watchful eye of Tutumal Maraitte, her chief minister and the leading advocate of accepting the new status quo.

Meanwhile, in Free Norfolk City, Lanthier and his associates were celebrating his marriage to Sara Barnes, who hailed from Abetton. Sara was a single mother who immigrated to Free Norfolk City with her daughter Cordelia shortly before expulsion. We note this because it was at the after-wedding festivities that Lanthier decided upon the establishment of the Crystal Castle Republic, inspired by the example Sara provided of a failed republican plot to overthrow the monarchy in Abetton; that she was already pregnant with his child before the wedding took place also inspired him. As such, he collected his associates and told them of his plans. His associates were divided, as quite a few of them were monarchists who advocated importing a Garbanian royal to take the hypothetical Norfolkite throne; one even joked of giving it to Lanthier himself, but Lanthier rejected it; one contemporary noted that Cordelia, his new stepdaughter, misheard, and began calling herself a princess. When Lanthier and Sara had to explain that this was not the case, Cordelia sobbed, insisting she should be a princess.

The split was fifty-fifty with monarchists and republicans getting into heated debates; at the center of the conflict was the rift between monarchist and republican groups, as well as the rift among monarchist groups themselves; some monarchists refused the idea of a Garbanian royal, believing that House Zurithalissaran no longer had any respect among the population, pivoting instead to candidates from noble houses such as descendants of the Duke of Monmouth. Tuthore Laulois, the leader of the monarchist faction, was adamantly supportive of the mainstream position, that a member of the Imperial Family should take the throne, but the monarchists were left reeling once the Emperor decreed that any member of the Imperial Family who accepted the Norfolkite throne would be disowned with immediate effect. That he threatened to disown his own children should they be interested, to say nothing of his nieces and nephews and other, distant relations, also led to the nobility rejecting the idea since the Emperor got around to declaring that any noble house who accepted the throne would be demoted to the status of commoner and lose their properties; not wanting to recieve charges of high treason for disobeying the government, they told the monarchists to look elsewhere. A last ditch effort to preserve monarchist rule by reaching out to the Restorationists in the hopes of a great reconciliation fell through, and consequently Laulois wrote to Lanthier, the leader of the republicans, that he was conceding defeat before he retired from politics.

Consequently, on 7 Pluviôse LXXVI, the Crystal Castle Republic was proclaimed with Lanthier as its first president. It derives its name from the Crystal Castle, which was an imposing castle built upon a crystal mine. The Crystal Castle dominates the skyline of the city and serves as the city's primary fortress and redoubt, and can be compared to other fictional castles such as Gormenghast and the Red Keep. The castle was built long ago by Ser Mattimeo Zorzi, a foreign mercenary who rose through the ranks of pre-colonial Anmhonm, and is where the president and their family live; during colonial rule, it was the home of the viceroy, and before then, the royal family of Anmhonm. The population was largely supportive of the republican cause, but the end of monarchy led to the last great wave of emigration, although individual monarchists stayed and converted to a platform of cultural conservatism that sought to preserve everything else traditional, appealing to the Garbanian minority. President Lanthier's first order of business was to establish the idea of a Norfolkite people and nationality, seeking to promote the unity, independence and well-being of Free Norfolk City and the Norfolkite people, manifesting itself in the adoption of the ideas of the melting pot and civic nationalism, in contrast to the ethnic nationalism found in Garbania. This was intended to placate the concerns of the remaining Garbanians, as well as other minorities who were considered separate from the "Norfolkite nation," such as the indigenous Anmhonmites, some of whom were suspected of embracing more radical, xenophobic ideas. It was also part of Lanthier's attempt to recruit veterans of the Caprona conflict to join the new military as officers who would train the first batch of recruits. The first political parties began to form, most notably Iago Soria's Platonic Republican Party, which advocated the establishment of the world's first state based on the ideas found in Plato's Republic. Iago Soria would later rise to power, but his attempt at a Platonic state, despite initial gains, ultimately ended in failure, although the party still exists today, albeit as one of many minor parties. The importation of foreign ideas also led to the establishment of Ezekiel Toule's Communitarian Party, which advocated mutualist economics, and the Jeune Indigènes, which ran on a platform based on traditional, indigenous knowledge; similar to the real life idea of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. Tuzazret vu Vizshleck did not become president, but he held the position of minister for indigenous affairs, and was responsible for many laws and regulations aimed at ensuring indigenous peoples' well being, most notably the creation of self-governing tribal associations.

The Crystal Castle Republic's first major problem was the accomodation of the Romani population. The Romani, colloquially known as the Roma traditionally lived a nomadic, itinerant lifestyle. Official Garbanian policy was to assimilate the Romani, based on the ideas of Prussian writer Friedrich Buchholz, who famously proposed that the best way to combat anti-Semitism was to have Jewish girls marry Christian men, while Jewish men had to be forcibly conscripted into the Prussian army; as such, Romani women found themselves encouraged to marry non-Romani, while Romani men were encouraged to enlist, but while neither were explictly forced to, it was definitely recommended in such a way that many Romani felt unwanted, and that their culture and way of life were being threatened no differently in Garbania than elsewhere. It did not help matters that Garbanian officials oftentimes forced the Romani to leave Garbania proper and accept resettlement and life on "travellers' reservations" in Garbania-in-Esvanovia, since the other colonies were deemed "too incompatible" for resettlement. Some Romani migrated to Free Norfolk City, most notably orphans of parents who did not survive the expulsion from Garbania. In the last years of colonial rule, the Romani Orphan Asylum had been established to provide a brighter future and a better life for them, and despite the attack on the asylum, it had been rebuilt. While initially, the ROA was led by non-Romani, the rebuilt ROA was led by Romani, most notably Stiggur Durrant and Kennick Hodkins, who were advocates for Romani integration, but done in a culturally conscious manner. Initially, the Romani kept to themselves on the outskirts of the city state, but things changed when Fawnie Stareley, who worked as a tavern wench, had a one night stand with a visiting Garbanian nobleman's son, leading to a pregnancy. A single mother who found no support in either Norfolkite or Romani society, Fawnie's story was reported sympathetically by Rosanadette Rolalamont, a noblewoman and ardent philanthropist. Fawnie's daughter Mermeyi was taken in by the RCA after Fawnie was raped and murdered by a stalker. It is noteworthy that the murderer was lynched by a mob comprised of many of the same people who carried out attacks on the Romani community during the Great Anarchy. However, the Romani in Norfolk-in-Esvanovia did not report any antiziganist violence during the Great Anarchy; reports at the time suggest they were targeted at random, and out of petty opportunism.

Rosanadette Rolalamont was also the foundress of the Countess of Evermore's Connexion, a small society of evangelical churches as a result of the Great Stirring, which saw a renewed interest in the Christian religion, specifically its mainstream, orthodox form, commonly attributed to the conversion of the Garbanian nobleman and statesman, Alaberlbert Retsley, to Roman Catholicism after his marriage to Concepción Argüello, the daughter of José Darío Argüello, the Spanish governor of Alta California, having converted in order to marry her. The couple moved to Garbania, and Papa Al, as he became known as, supported the preaching of Christianity to the masses; the Countess of Evermore was one of the high profile converts—albeit as a Protestant. The Retsleys have many descendants to this day, and continue to practice the Catholic faith.

After the Great Anarchy, the Romani sent a letter of intent to the new government, requesting official recognition of their community. This letter was well recieved, and Lanthier officially declared that antiziganism would never be tolerated in the Crystal Castle Republic. Over the centuries, the title of King of the Gypsies was claimed by or given to many different people; however, as the term Gypsy is also used in many different ways, the King of the Gypsies may be someone with no connection with the Roma; most notably, the Garbanian monarchs claimed the title. Roma, it is said, often adopt the dominant religion of their host country, and the Roma in Garbania were no exception. However, some rallied around a Catholic religious order for women based around Sara-la-Kâli, to whom the Romani prayed with intense fervor. When the Crystal Castle Republic was declared, the Romani community elected the famous bare-knuckled boxer Stevo Sedgewick as their king, though he sparked a scandal when he married a non-Romani woman, Roxina Rondeau, who adopted the Romani way of life; he was comparable in status and authority to John Faa.

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The Kindrakewich (anglicized version of Kyndrakevych) were originally an immigrant family that came from the country of Rhossenia during Garbanian colonial rule—the Rhossenians form the largest minority in the Crystal Castle Republic, largely due to the efforts of Garbanian colonial agents to recruit Rhossenian serfs to bolster colonial economies; Leonid Kyndrakevych arrived at the District of Woodberry, and established himself as a consummate businessman. He also worked alongside Urziks and Aldans, who were just as happy to flee a country whose laws codify a system of serfdom, preventing peasants from leaving the lands of their liege lord and imposing on them certain obligations. The family's story was rather cliche—they left their homeland for a brighter future and a better life, and for the most part, they acquired both those things, but it wasn't easy, but what in life ever is? Local historian Ralf Horris reported that...

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The Garbanosphere is the Garbanian sphere of influence, with a core group of polities that today maintain close political, diplomatic and military co-operation; states who are, or have been, members of the Garbanian Empire.

They are as follows:

- The Crystal Castle Republic of Free Norfolk City
- The holdings of the Monmouth Bay Trading Company, known as Norfolk-in-Esvanovia
- The Garbanian colonies of Onyxania and Ngombia
- The Garbanian dependent territory of Empire Bay
- The United Provinces of Garbania, its namesake

These five nations maintain close cultural and diplomatic links with one another, and relations have traditionally been warm between them.

[Free Norfolk City]

"Welcome to the virtual Norfolk-in-Esvanovia! We're glad to have you with us, and give you a glimpse of what makes our country such an outstanding place to live, learn, work and do business. Norfolk-in-Esvanovia offers an enthusiastic blend of old time frontier and futuristic technology, and it's all powered by the pioneer spirit of hospitality and free enterprise. We're proud of the unique combination of benefits that make up the Esvanovia Advantage: spectacular scenery; a treasure trove of natural resources; the most highly educated, skilled and productive work force; the lowest overall taxes; and much more. We welcome you to take a look around, explore these posts and put the Esvanovia Advantage to work for you. We hope to see you in the actual, as well as the virtual, Norfolk-in-Esvanovia! What? Need even more of a reason? Norfolk-in-Esvanovia is a spectacularly diverse country geographically, from mountains to lakes, to forests and plains. Come visit and see for yourself!" - Kenelm Rouse, MBTC Spokesman

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Originally known as Garbania-in-Esvanovia, Norfolk-in-Esvanovia is the sole colony of the Crystal Castle Republic of Free Norfolk City. It is divided into twenty three provinces, and one territory, and is de jure governed by the Republic, but de facto under the private control of the Monmouth Bay Trading Company. The capital of the colony is Charlottechurch, which borders Monmouth Bay, named after James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, who claimed the territory for Garbania. While Free Norfolk City is a city state, divided into districts, which are then divided into wards, Norfolk-in-Esvanovia is divided into provinces, which are then divided into counties; however, just like Free Norfolk City, it too operates under consensus-style government; that means that there are no political parties there, either. Outsiders from Garbania sometimes look to the consensus governments of the Norfolkites as a better alternative to party politics run amok, and a way to tone down the jeering, heckling and lack of decorum that has become the norm in the Garbanian Parliament. Consensus government also has its critics, of course, but most Norfolkites seem content with the current system.

"She was a tiny, seemingly fragile woman made of steel—willful, passionate, intense," said one historian of Princess Yvarudette of Garbania, one of the daughters of the Emperor Hamestophecetus. She, alongside her husband Meberarducius Wirsaud, is traditionally credited with having proposed colonialism as a means of alleviating the burden placed upon the Imperial Court by the remnants of rebellious nobility; she pushed for the captured soldiers of their private armies to be deployed overseas as colonists rather than simply executed won over her father and his ministers, and as such, one of the first trading posts in Esvanovia, Fort Yvarudette, was named in her honor.

The provinces and territory of the colony are as follows:

1. Bravannia: The Province of Bravannia's capital is Botolphston, and was named in honor of Ser Nepnedhnain Bravanni, a prominent figure in the early development of the then-colony of Garbania-in-Esvanovia. The Bravanni were one of the foremost families in the ancien régime back in the day, and commanded significant clout and authority, especially when they had ties to the sovereign, who ruled as an absolute monarch for many years before they got fed up with the people peskily pressing them for more freedom all the time. The province's capital, Botolphston, was founded by Norfolkite settlers; it was named after Saint Botolph of Thorney, the patron saint of the Norfolkite people. It was a quaint little town until the independence of Free Norfolk City, at which point many Norfolkites flocked to it, and the surrounding area.

2. Venatur: The Province of Venatur, with its capital of Brontëville, was founded in 1870 by one Ser Euchariah Longfellow, another prominent figure in the colony's history. Venatur was founded two years after Norfolkite independence, during what is called the Interregnum, which was a relatively short but important period in the history of the colony. Called Uncle Euch, he was famous for his letter to Emperor Weyerlbert, urging him to intervene swiftly in the outbreak of political tension, stating that he "must stop this spectacle, which is leading to a very dangerous situation," and for his decision to act independently of Imperial authority when no real response was forthcoming; indeed, Euchariah commanded wide networks of supporters and often took forceful action. A controversial figure, Longfellow is celebrated as a populist champion of the poor or, conversely, denounced as a proto-fascistic demagogue. A family of politicians, the Longfellows are considered a political dynasty in Free Norfolk City, despite Euchariah Longfellow's support of unionism and rejection of Norfolkite independence. After the proclamation of the Crystal Castle Republic, Euchariah Longfellow reluctantly accepted the new order and got busy trying to make Venatur great. One of his descendants, Ahasuerus Longfellow, even became President of the Crystal Castle Republic itself.

3. Île de Femme: The Province of Île de Femme was named in honor of the Manamanans, who are the majority population; a matriarchal, matrilineal tribe, the Manamanans have lived here for generations. Chieftess Tzaneen Heonteosu Gildu had the most important influence on the creation of the province, which was established by the Garbanians in 1870. The last Garbanian governor of the colony, Dalaerlbert Yvieuchamp, authorized its creation in the hopes that it would help alleviate the worries of the indigenous population. The governors of the colony had seldom, if ever, functioned as model rulers, but most of them had taken some personal share in its government, and had interested themselves in the well-being of the inhabitants, but with the creation of the province, it was now up to the inhabitants themselves to handle their own affairs. As such, when Garbania-in-Esvanovia was handed over to the Norfolkites, Teri'i Vennells was appointed the first premier.

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After the Great Expulsion, due to the decree of 7 Pluviôse LXXVI, Free Norfolk City reluctantly accepted independence from the Garbanian Empire; the Imperial Court was able to mitigate the effects of the decree at home for a while, but when they decided to transfer the Esvanovian colony to Norfolkite control, there were numerous riots and protests throughout the country. However, despite persistent demands at home to rescind the decision, and Free Norfolk City's staunch refusal to accept control of the colony, a deal was eventually brokered between the Imperial Court and the Lanthier Administration, leading to the establishment of Norfolk-in-Esvanovia, via the Decree of 22 Pluviôse XCVII. At the time of this transfer, the last Garbanian governor, Dalaerlbert Yvieuchamp, resigned in protest and refused to attend the transfer of power ceremony, leaving the duty to his deputy, Mordach Masouche; in his place, the Norfolkites appointed Kenelm McCourtney as the first governor.







It was heavily implied by the Imperial Court that should the Norfolkites continue to refuse taking over the colony, the Garbanians would have pulled out anyway, and historians note such a move was meant to shame and embarass the Norfolkites.

As Governor, McCourtney's orders were to largely maintain the political system set up by the Garbanians, but local demands for clarification on Norfolkite intentions (as the territory enjoyed a high level of peace and order under Garbanian rule, and locals wished to maintain this) led to the Declaration of 8 Frimaire XCIX, which was promulgated throughout the territory. This Declaration was controversial because it maintained the traditional monopoly of the Monmouth Bay Trading Company, the largest and oldest corporation in the Republic, at the expense of agitated reformists, both in the territory and in the city state itself. It was well noted that the company had faced, in the waning years of Garbanian rule, significant criticism, with many calling for direct, Garbanian rule as was established elsewhere, a fact not lost on the Norfolkites. It is believed that the Norfolkites maintained company rule solely on the basis that the MBTC were more acquainted with the territory than them. The MBTC was more than happy to work with the Norfolkites, and officially declared support for the new regime; the indigenous peoples were also quite content to do so, because the Norfolkites






Daeztegon







The first major problem of the new regime was the process of settler flight, as many Garbanians refused to accept the end of Garbanian rule, leading to a brain drain and revenue shortfall. However, those who moved to Garbania proper suffered ostracism from all sides; many blamed them for the political turmoil surrounding the empire during the late nineteenth century, while others discriminated against them because their customs, cultural behavior, and Garbanian language proficiency are not up to Garbania's native standard. As such, despite their Garbanian appearance and heritage, they were treated as foreigners; as a result, the returnee community is often represented as feeling removed from Garbanian culture while longing for Anmhonm or Esvanovia. The recent history of the returnees has been characterized by a sense of twofold alienation, on the one hand from the land of their birth and on the other from their adopted homelands. Many returnee communities hold remembrance ceremonies, while quite a few founded a political party calling for the return of colonial rule to Free Norfolk City and Norfolk-in-Esvanovia despite most on both sides agreeing it will likely never happen. Many (but not all) Ngombians also left with them, mostly back to Ngombia. though some went elsewhere in the empire, such as Garbania proper.

To deal with this problem, the Norfolkites decided to lean on an old Garbanian tactic: they sent agents to countries such as AHSCA, Abetton and Katase, inviting their people to immigrate to the territory, among others, promising lucrative land deals and equal rights. This does not mean all Garbanians fled; in fact, quite a lot of Garbanians stayed in the territory, and joined efforts in Free Norfolk City to maintain Garbanian culture and heritage. There was also emigration from Free Norfolk City as many Norfolkites, including numerous Anmhonmites, immigrated to the new colony. The MBTC began its long-running program to lure Norfolkite workers; many Norfolkite men will move to the colony to work, sending money home to their families. These initiatives largely succeeded, giving the Norfolkites a significant boost to national morale, proving the new country had what it took to govern itself.

The second major problem came with the reformists demanding an end to company rule; this problem has yet to be solved, due to neither side gaining a clear advantage; in FNC, the Progressive Conservatives, or ProCons, are the leading pro-reform political party, with its members calling for the liquidation of the Monmouth Bay Trading Company and the establishment of direct, Federal rule. However, this party, while one of the five major parties in Norfolkite politics, has been unable to secure enough power to enact such plans, while the current ruling party, the Social Constructive Party (also known as the Social Constructives or SoCons), is fine with the status quo. There is currently no political party advocating for the independence of the colony. As well, the MBTC donates significantly to the SoCons, and routinely encourages employees to vote for them come elections.

As well, the Bloc Populaire Garbanien (lit. 'Garbanian Popular Bloc'), often shortened to the Bloc Populaire or the Bloc, is a political party which aims to represent the significant Garbanian minority in the Crystal Castle Republic. It has had support throughout the colony for many years; as an ethnic minority organization representing the Garbanians of the CCR, above all, the Bloc concerns itself with Garbanian minority rights, such as cultural and territorial autonomy. The founder of the Bloc, S.P. (Simyn Petyr) Yscuardt, created the Bloc due to fears and concerns the Garbanian community had over the Norfolkization programs, and many Bloquistes today continue to agitate for their goals; the most important being the preservation and development of the Garbanian community; their ideal policies include the free use of mother tongue in private and public life, as well as in administration and justice, the continued existence of the Garbanian language school system, with all levels and all types of instruction (against those who support the merger of Garbanian and public schools), and cultural autonomy for all national minorities. They have claimed on several occasions that they believe local autonomy (decentralization) to be the most appropriate and efficient form of self-government. However, the Bloc has also stated that it wishes to achieve this goal only through a dialogue and consensus with the Norfolkite majority, and based on proven models such as the United Island States of AHSCA. The Bloc has also consistently rejected the calls of fringe, terminally online "real" patriots to demand the return of colonial rule, encouraging loyalty to the Republic.

The third major problem is the territorial dispute with Aureumterra over one of the constituent islands of the territory of Toteco. While mainland Norfolk-in-Esvanovia is divided into provinces, the islands that constitute the homeland of the Totecan people, simply known as Toteco, were combined to form the territory of the same name. While neither side has engaged in military action, it is often a facet of Aureumterran politics to push for the seizure of the island, while the Norfolkites have insisted on a peaceful resolution, which every political party supports.

Of course, as tends to happen in countries the world over, things change; when the Norfolkites issued the Declaration of 8 Frimaire XCIX, they made some adjustments to what the Garbanians had left behind; chief among them was merging several provinces to form new ones, and repealing various leftover, feudal laws and customs. The Norfolkites chose to keep Charlottechurch the capital, but controversially began renaming various streets and landmarks; their decision to remove certain statues and put them in a museum rustled the jimmies of the Garbanian community, who felt that such moves were an attack on them. In response, many Garbanians banded together, forming flash mobs that prevented the removal of statues, or that put up some of their own to replace those lost. The Norfolkization program ended with a decree on 17 Thermidor CVIII, based on signs of a growing rapprochement between the Norfolkite majority and Garbanian minority, as well as an emerging awareness (though not as much as would've been liked) by the indigenous peoples. The Jeune Indigènes were quite active in the colony, and their efforts led to what would be called the Quiet Revolution, a period in history where indigenous peoples came to acknowledge themselves as nations deserving the right to govern themselves. The Quiet Revolution was said to have properly begun when, echoing the critiques of figures like Paisius of Hilendar, Oguagur Blodosken, called on Anmhonmites to task for what he felt was an increasingly stagnant effort to preserve their ancestral culture. His "were we not kings?" speech was a smash hit among Anmhonmites, many who took to reconnect with their roots.

The Garbanian minority felt a similar upswing due to the efforts of figures like Napolidore Métivier and Chrysélie Choquette, who felt similarly that "unconscious Norfolkization" was a significant threat to the community. Franta al-Nedwied and Honza al-Nedwied, a pair of Norfolkite brothers, even brought Norfolkite concerns to light, chief among them being a deep seated fear of being surpassed by foreign powers, and potentially even annexed by one. Kordula Pažoutová, Arnošt Bouřný, Melchior Podhajský and Jolanda Astroubrus participated, also. Overall, the Quiet Revolution was seen as a rejuvenation of the country in the CCR proper, designed to reverse what was seen as political and cultural stagnation, while in Norfolk-in-Esvanovia, it was seen primarily as a rejection of the traditional power structure of the MBTC, which seemed increasingly anachronistic as it held tenaciously to a conservative ideology and relentlessly defended outdated traditional values.

Norfolk-in-Esvanovia is the home of the Thin Tim, a popular meat snack based on the real life Slim Jim. The Thin Tim, best known for its "Break Into a Thin Tim!" campaign, was invented in 1917 as a cheap, efficient, and easy to pack snack for MBTC employees in distant, rural areas. The company behind the Thin Tim claimed that it was inspired by the Tomatek, who wanted to make food items that were easy to make and store, and could be consumed while at work or while traveling without the need to stop and set up camp. Thin Tims are considered a staple Norfolkite snack food, and are a fixture on road trips and sleepovers. The Tomatek themselves have been quite happy to lend a hand when it comes to marketing, leading the company to put an "Indigenous Approved" label on their products, as well as developing "culturally conscious advertisements" for radio and television. Thin Tims can be compared to pemmican, in that the original, Tomatek version of the snack, would keep for years without going bad, and because it can be kept for lengthy periods of time witout perishing, large amounts of this food were stored at various points along the trade routes and at trade posts to be used as the need arose. it was also a type of instant food: it did not require any preparation or cooking and was consequently ideal for the Tomatek.

[Free Norfolk City]

Ever since the Crystal Castle Republic was established, there have been sixty nine presidents in the country's history. However, it should be noted that the CCR's presidency functions differently than those in other nations—the President of the Crystal Castle Republic is the head of the country's Federal Council, which not only functions as the federal cabinet of the Republic, but its seven members also serve as the collective head of state and government of Free Norfolk City. Each member heads one of the departments of the Norfolkite federal administration. Polysynody, a long forgotten method of political organization in France in use between 1715 and 1718 in which each minister (secretary of state) was replaced by a council, is in use in Free Norfolk City, with each department head merely first among equals as a member of a department council, as per the recommendation of the Abbé de Saint-Pierre. As well, the Vice President of the Republic has more power than you would expect, and is considered a dual head of government; this practice, called diarchy, is derived directly from the customs of the Roman Republic, equivalent to the consuls of ancient Rome; it was believed that the VP having such power would ensure no president could established autocracy, or worse. It was initially proposed that Free Norfolk City become a monarchy, but due to no agreement being reached on who would sit upon the hypothetical throne, Valdémard Lanthier, the first president, declared a republican government; the country is governed under a non-partisan system known as consensus government, with first past the post being the preferred electoral system. This system of government has evolved in the CCR since 1870, and was imported into Norfolk-in-Esvanovia upon the establishment of Norfolkite control.

The first President of the Crystal Castle Republic, as said, was Valdémard Lanthier, who ran as the leader of the All City Democratic Committee, the impromptu group of esteemed intellectuals, businessmen, indigenous elders and the like who banded together as the All City Defense Committee. Lanthier's foremost achievement is that he established a consensus government system, in which all representatives sit as independents and are not organized into political parties, which are effectively banned. While the ACDC presented the consensus model as a brilliant alternative to party politics, some satirists considered it a move merely made out of spite as it was party politics that dominated Garbania at the time, and the ruling party there had endorsed the country's expulsion from the imperial fold. Over the years, many have tried to introduce party politics, but none have succeeded. The most famous case was that of Théophile Toussaint, who called the government of his time a paltry lot of fools, asses, beggars and cowards for having dismissed his proposed reforms. Lanthier also oversaw the policy of de-Garbanization, which is quite controversial even today; also called Norfolkization, the policy was aimed at creating a sense of nationhood among the people, long accustomed to being imperial subjects. Circling back to Théophile Toussaint, he was one of those who took the policy seriously, and made numerous suggestions such as the adoption of Deism as the state religion and the French Revolutionary Calendar as the official calendar to the government, both of which were ultimately accepted.

[Free Norfolk City]

OOC: Due to having hit a character limit, here is part two in regards to the districts of FNC...





18. Pleasantview:

* Pleasantview is what's called a suburban district, founded to accomodate the "New Norfolkite Man," a term devised by sociologists to describe Norfolkites during a time of great economic prosperity and cultural vibrancy.






It was one of many such districts founded; although the government has always striven to ensure the availability of affordable, high quality housing to all citizens, many residents of suburban districts chose to live in these districts, despite higher prices for homes, due to the issues that have long hindered growth and development in districts like Shaiburg; in Pleasantview's case, it is one of the younger districts, and has a diverse population. Visiting Pleasantview as a tourist is not uncommon nor unwelcome, as many community events there will gladly welcome you and treat you like a local. Neighbourhood block parties also welcome tourists, and many sitcoms and other shows film their episodes in this district, so you may chance upon seeing local celebrities doing their thing; perhaps you may even find yourself an extra in an upcoming episode of a show like Happy Life, Happy Wife or Darla.

19. Goldencorn: Goldencorn is considered the agricultural hub of the country, especially when it comes to corn. Just like Bubba Blue would tell you about the many dishes one can make with shrimp, residents of this district will do likewise with corn, especially corn burgers, candy corn and deep-fried corn on the cob, a big hit among locals; simple to make, delicious to eat, the batter is thick and creamy and when fried, becomes the perfect crunchy and crispy snack while you're out and about. Goldencorn was so named due to the cornfields that used to dominate the area; the corn farmers of old were not replaced, however. They still go about their business like they used to. Other crops are grown here also, but corn dominates. It is an annual tradition here that any surplus corn is donated to food banks. Tourists visiting this district should definitely check out the National Corn Museum, dedicated to all things corn. It gets its name from the fact that it used to be the hub for corn in the Garbanian empire, as corn is a favorite among indigenous people. The golden yellow complexion of local corn is invoked by the name. The Goldencorn Brown Stockings, usually called the Browns, are the district's baseball club; they were a very strong team in the mid-sixties, but their success waned. The club enjoys good support, however, and fans and commentators alike call them the Brownies, especially due to the club's tradition of supporting the Girl Guides, who sell their cookies to visitors at the ballpark every season; all proceeds go directly to the Girl Guides, who also recieve a sizeable donation from the club at the end of every season.

20. Wolfridge: Wolfridge was so named due to the presence of wolves and other canids; considered sacred by the indigenous Anmhonmites, they were left alone, and given food and blessings when approaching humans; however, sometimes, wolves would attack humans and their pets and livestock, which according to the Anmhonmites is a sign that the wolf in question is the incarnation of a vengeful spirit, and thus after being hunted and killed, is laid to rest in a shrine (often built on the spot where they were killed) where a specific ritual is conducted in the hopes the spirit will find peace and refrain from further attacks. It is a majority indigenous populated district, and tourists may not only often hear the howling of wolves, but humans joining along with them every full moon in the Wolfwood, a national park where the only humans permitted entry are park rangers and clergy. The Wolfwood was originally a sacred grove, and as such, tourists are permitted to visit the outer area, but any actual entrance is forbidden. However, this taboo has sometimes been ignored by even locals, sometimes with unfortunate results.

21. Crimsonfield: Crimsonfield was named for being the site of the Battle of Qbaadalagaa, where the Anmhonmite general, Habouji Mouhaga, decisively ended the Anmhonmite Civil War. It is another district with an indigenous majority population, and houses the Hall of Wonders, the country's largest museum, education, and research complex, as well as the tomb of Mouhaga, who refused burial anywhere else, insisting that only burial on the battlefield, despite having survived the battle, would work for him; to Mouhaga, the spirits of his fallen comrades could not rest until reunited with his spirit, and so he was buried there in accordance with his wishes. A nearby shrine was built to venerate their spirits, and an annual festival there is popular with tourists seeking to learn more about the indigenous people. Crimsonfield is also the location of the Habouji Mouhaga Memorial Stadium, the site of the Indigenous Games, one of the largest sporting and cultural gatherings of indigenous peoples in the Garbanosphere—tourists are more than welcome to attend the games, although they should be respectful during certain ceremonies. While it was the tradition of the Garbanian monarchs to preside over the games, and to welcome everyone to the event, this has largely fallen to the presidents of the Crystal Castle Republic to do in modern times.

22. Bankbridge: Bankbridge is the economic hub of the Crystal Castle Republic: banks and companies have their central offices in this district, and it is considered one of the most expensive districts to live in. The Monmouth Bay Trading Company is also headquarted here, and it is considered the official "embassy" of the Esvanovian colony to the Crystal Castle Republic. Only the wealthiest of tourists will find a good time here, as the businesses cater to the rich of local society. Due to its status as the economic hub, those on the political fringes tend to attribute everything negative to a supposed cabal of bankers and big business types who "control" the country. In fact, Malcolm Bain, a notorious talk show host (and not just for the Farting Politician series of pre-internet videos made at his expense) would routinely condemn said cabal on his program. Malcolm Bain can be compared to Lyndon LaRouche, especially in the fact that, much like LaRouche did when it came to the British, Bain has always been stridently anti-Garbanian and has included Princess Lilith, the Garbanian Imperial Family, and others in his list of conspirators who are said to control Norfolkite politics and the drug trade. He is the biggest Garbanophobe in the country, and has routinely faced condemnation for his Garbanophobic statements, some of which have inspired attacks on the Garbanian community—at one point, a diplomatic incident was caused, and the CCR had to placate the Imperial Court, though it insisted that it would not infringe upon its citizens' right to free speech just because of "one little pest." Most locals, however, tend to call this district Sugarbridge, due to the high numbers of escorts, sugar babies and other sex workers who come from other districts to deal with their well off clients. Princess Lilith of Garbania is frequently seen here, and many locals recall that when she wasn't organizing lavish parties, she was donating to local charities such as animal and women's shelters. Lastly, Bankbridge sports a multicultural population, comprised of representatives of all ethnic and religious communities.

Shaundi Michaelis, another 'GOAT' candidate popularly known as Mrs. Wrestlepalooza,

23. Cloudtown: Cloudtown was initially named because of the fact it was founded on a rather cloudy day, which was considered an auspicious omen at the time, but these days, the clouds come from the joints and vapes of the locals, as it is here where the cannabis farms are located. Do you remember the dope farms Ricky and his friends grew in Season 4 of Trailer Park Boys? Well, such farms are plentiful in Cloudtown, and they have been for centuries. Just like peyote among indigenous Americans, cannabis has the same role among indigenous Anmhonmites; the sacramental use of this particular entheogen has long been protected by law, both in the CCR and in Garbania during colonial rule—as well, cannabis tea is considered a core part of the Anmhonmite diet, as well as a local equivalent to bhang. Cloudtown's residents are multicultural, but there is a sizeable indigenous community whom has had some concern over so called weed culture due to alleged cultural insensitivity. The district hosts the annual Shake 'n' Bake festival every summer, which is dedicated to dancing and toking.

24. Winchestertonfieldville: Winchestertonfieldville prides itself on being the quaintest little district in the country. It is the smallest district, due to the fact it was formerly a rather small town, but it boasts that it has the biggest heart. If you're up for homemade cooking and small talk with old ladies as you help them cross the street, this is the district for you. Winchestertonfieldville is also the home of the Winchestertonfieldville Winnies baseball club; they play in the smallest market, but they have the best attendance in the league; not only that, but away games will see a ton of Winnies fans' butts in the seats, too. It helps that their ballpark is the highest rated in the sport, and that it is here that Norfolkites were first introduced to the game of baseball; however, unlike in real life, Norfolkite baseball echoes the various football codes of real life by having a single universally popular bat and ball game with more minor variants also being popular; however, the Winnies have only won the National Series (also known simply as the Nationals) once, in a stunning upset against the Bankbridge Bravados in seven games back in 2003. The Winnies also struck out one year when they signed one of the biggest free agents in recent years, star shortstop Milo Cowan, who turned down a Shohei Ohtani-sized offer from Bankbridge to play for the Winnies and is considered to be one of the biggest shocks in Norfolkite sports history. Cowan still plays for the team today, and has certainly impressed the way he was expected to. When asked why he chose the Winnies, he attributed his decision to the fact that his wife, his childhood sweetheart, came from the district and that her family (and the locals overall) had shown him such lovely hospitality that it left a great, big impression on him. "Family is so much important than money," he said in an interview. "Because lemme tell ya, it ain't gonna be all those dollar dollar bills, y'all that are at your bedside when it's time for ya to leave it all behind..."

26. Orangehills: Orangehills is where the booming and profitable citrus industry is based. If you're a tourist who loves all things orange, stop by and get a close look at how citrus is cleaned and packed, pick and orange, and shop for jam, jelly, honey, orange juice, souvenirs and more. The district's name stems from the orange trees that were planted on a series of several hills; this is due to the Garbanian colonists, who introduced oranges to the country; in fact, orange juice is considered the official beverage of the country because legend has it that the Garbanians served their indigenous hosts orange juice to celebrate the signing of a treaty of friendship. The Orangehills Tropicanas, known as the Trops, are the district's baseball club, and they have seen modest success on the field, while off it, their mascot, an anthropomorphic orange, has become one of the biggest (and worst, depending on who you talk to) internet memes in Norfolkite society. Street vendors selling all things orange are a fixture of the district, and it is not uncommon to see orange peels filling up rubbish bins. It is in this district that the Norfolkite habit of putting orange slices on pizza was born.

27. Heatherfield: Heatherfield is a modest, middle class district named after Lady Heather Gallifrey, a prominent socialite and philanthropist during the final years of colonial rule and the first few of independence; it was originally called Domakkeiss after the folk hero Domakk Eiss by the indigenous, and then Summerside by the colonial government. The indigenous welcomed the naming of the district because Lady Heather was a staunch supporter of indigenous people. Heatherfield is home to the headquarters of the Summerside Orphanage—best known as the place where Heather was raised as a child; despite having become privileged via marriage, she never forgot where she came from, and willed a sizeable chunk of her wealth in her will to the orphanage, which still runs today. The baseball club that plays in this district, the Heatherfield Hares, have been frequently considered a perennial loser in Norfolkite sports; imagine a timeline in which the Phillies did not win the World Series in 1980 or 2008, meaning that they were still waiting since 1883 for their first title. That is how bad the Hares have been as a franchise; indeed, they were the first Norfolkite sports franchise to amass over ten thousand losses, and the club holds the record for most ever losses by a single team in all of professional sports. While not founded as the Hares, the club is one of the oldest in Norfolkite baseball; because of, and in spite of, their longevity and rabid fan base, the Hares are a team historically associated with futility; while they have recently begun to finally look competent in recent years, the spectre of being the oldest franchise in Norfolkite sports to have never played in a championship game, let alone win a title, continues to loom over them.

28. Emmerdale: Emmerdale is a modest, working and lower middle class district that is the home of the Emmerdale Emmies baseball club, as well as sporting a variety of corner shops and bed-and-breakfasts offering rustic, old fashioned hospitality. The Emmies are rivals with the Winnies, which is sometimes called the most adorable rivalry in sports due to the sheer friendliness both teams share with one another, itself due to the fact that Winchestertonfieldville and Emmerdale, which directly border each other, have always seen their residents love and play with one another peacefully, especially in contrast to Shaiburg and Cromdale.

29. Lakeburg: The district of Lakeburg was so named because it was established around Lake Margrethe, a popular tourist trap and vacation destination. Despite its small size, it is one of the richest districts, and their baseball club, the Lakeburg Lakers have no trouble signing big name free agents and keeping their draft picks. The Lakers won five straight titles from 1950 to 1955, and despite not having such sustained success since, have won six more titles since, which puts them nonetheless in the upper echelons of the sport. The Lakers' ballpark features an all you can eat buffet and tourist-friendly prices for tickets and merchandise. Outside of baseball, Lakeburg sports an increasingly hip and well-heeled residential population, with many immigrant families choosing to set up shop in the district due to its many economic opportunities.

30. Rosewood: The ethnically diverse district of Rosewood is so named due to the myriad roses that grow in the district; its horticultural exploits brought into a fierce rivalry with Green River known to the Norfolkite people as the War of the Roses; while Green River has the Hanging Gardens, Rosewood has the Tiffanareum, the botanical garden that reminds one of (the real life) Edmonton's Muttart Conservatory. It was named in honor of Princess Tiffany (Tiffanee to the indigenous) of Garbania, who was an avid, trained horticulturalist who knew how to make a garden bloom. It later incurred the ire of all other districts when it was chosen to host McCorquodale Stadium, an open-air, multipurpose stadium that is primarly used as the home of the district's baseball club, the Rosewood Raiders, though it has also hosted athletics, concerts and the annual Garbanosphere Games, a multi-sport event among athletes from Garbania, its colonies and the Crystal Castle Republic, including the latter's Esvanovian colony. Renfrew Park, the former ballpark of the Raiders, still stands, as the aforementioned stadium was built directly adjacent to it in preparation for the 1969 Garbanosphere Games. The Rosewood Raiders are the only community-owned team in the National Baseball Association, with many fans being shareholders able to vote on team leadership, contribute to the team’s long-term viability, and work towards creating a baseball dynasty owned and operated by its fans, although the team has never been so successful. There are a variety of temples clustered around "Temple Street," most notably a Manichaean temple built by the Garbanian colonialists, as Manichaeanism (alongside the traditional pantheon, as the two have mixed about as well as Shinto and Buddhism have in real life Japan) is the majority religion of Garbania. The district is also home to the famous Marshtown, a neighbourhood named after the fact it contains a large number of Marshites, followers of the religion of Marshism; regarded with some suspicion and concern in Garbania proper during colonial rule, most Marshites were politely, but firmly, asked to leave the country, and they found their way to what would become the Crystal Castle Republic. They founded 'Marshtown' in this district, and were generally regarded as just another religious minority until the Marshite majority population underwent the process known worldwide as The Shift, with many Marshite men reputedly experiencing what Norfolkite commentators called the pink wave, or a closer connection to their feminine side. The Marshites here are followers of the Mercantile Sarda, as the initial Marshite arrivals were merchants who sought to trade.

31. Tuvanun: The district of Tuvanun is another district with a majority indigenous population; it was where the Anmhonm Broadcasting Corporation was founded after several indigenous leaders took issue with what they deemed to be chronic neglect of the indigenous community by the Norfolkite Broadcasting Corporation. The ABC quickly became popular among the indigenous community, and the Norfolkite Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (NRTC) took note, eventually deciding to grant a licence for a national broadcast network to the Indigenous Peoples Television Network, or IPTN; inspired by the success of the ABC, IPTN airs and produces programs made by, for and about Indigenous peoples; not only the Anmhonmites, but also the indigenous peoples of Ngombia, Norfolk-in-Esvanovia, as well as the descendants of the pro-Garbanian tribes of Caprona who live in the free imperial city of Empire Bay. Tuvanun hosts numerous museums dedicated to indigenous history and culture, and numerous elders sit on the district council, offering advice and guidance to district leadership. Kanatami Yards, the district's ballpark, is home to the Tuvanun Twisters baseball club, the only other club with predominantly indigenous ownership and staff. The Twisters have only won one title, in 1999, but are one of the most widely supported clubs; always in the top ten, sometimes in the top five, of attendance records, the club draws large crowds wherever they play. Their main rivals are the Rishagaba Royals; like the Royals, the Twisters market themselves on a culturally conscious basis, but Royals ownership routinely sought to block the creation of the Twisters, which many indigenous baseball fans believed was rooted in caste politics; the Royals were seen as the "highborn" club, while the Twisters were for everyone else. However, it is not uncommon to see "highborn" fans of the Twisters, or "non-highborn" fans of the Royals. Like the Royals, the Twisters also have non-indigenous fans. A book and movie based on the "oldest rivalry in Norfolkite society, let alone sports," Rats and Twits (named after the derogatory names the fans of the clubs give the other) came out to critical acclaim.

32. Woodberry: The district of Woodberry, home of the Woodberry Woodpeckers baseball club, was founded to accomodate the Woodberry Nature Reserve, one of five nature reserves in the country. Owing to rapid urban development, the country is in need of more land for things such as housing, which is deemed more important than nature reservation; however, the country has consistently denied any attempts to infringe upon the sanctity of nature reserves and national parks, especially due to indigenous pressure, as well as efforts from the Marshite followers of the Nature Sarda. The people of the district tend to vote for pro-environmentalist politicians accordingly. The Woodberry Woodpeckers won two titles back to back in 1992 and 1993, but have been largely failed to qualify for the playoffs in the years since.

33. Cottonhills: The district of Cottonhills is best known as the home of Cottonhills International Airport, a major international airport that serves Free Norfolk City, and is one of the largest transportation hubs in Varathron. Whitney Field, home of the Cottonhills Cavaliers baseball club, is found here, and is one of the oldest ballparks in the country; affectionately called the Cavs, the club has had modest success over the years. The district is also home to the Cottonhills Air Base, which is under the jurisdiction of the Norfolkite Air Force, as well as Cottonhills Prison, the country's largest and oldest operating internment facility. Cottonhills Prison has a rich history, primarily due to being the site of numerous executions, particularly of drunk drivers; while drunk drivers are banned for life from driving, even after a first offense, drunk drivers who kill people on the road, even if it's their own passengers, are controversially sentenced to death. The prison remains in operation as a crucial component of the country's criminal justice system. The prison is well-known for its strict discipline and emphasis on rehabilitation, with a focus on providing prisoners with rehabilitation programs such as education and vocational training to help them rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society after their release.

35. Hugora: The district of Hugora is where Mount Zeon, the highest natural peak in the country, is located. Mount Zeon was named by the Moravian missionary Dettert Dormettinger, who along with Tönjes Tútschmans, established the first Moravian missions among the Anmhonmites, with Zeon being the latter's rendition of the word Zion. The mountain's original name was Mount Kabloona. A district with a majority indigenous population, Hugora is where the first Anmhonmite language translation of the Bible was published, because there had never been any missionary work among them; those in Old Norfolk kept their faith to themselves due to the pact they had signed with the Anmhonmites, which mandated they refrain from preaching, and Christianity was seen more as a historical curiosity than an actual religion. Other than this, Hugora is popular with hikers and other outdoorsy types due to being home to Mount Zeon National Park, with its many winding trails. Upon reaching the peak, one will see anything from vendors offering refreshments to Christian believers singing praises to God.

36. Mapleville: the District of Mapleville was given its name due to the predominance of the maple syrup business; here, the maple magnates also produce a variety of other maple products, including maple sugar, maple butter or cream, and maple candy and taffy. It is the home of the maple syrup cartel, a government-sanctioned organization that controls the production and sale of maple syrup in Free Norfolk City, but this cartel grew a bit too powerful for its own good, because a group of independent producers who found the structure of the cartel to be too chafing denounced the cartel accordingly; but, first, a little history—maple syrup was first made by the indigenous people of Anmhonm; it has been significant to them for thousands of years, used for multiple purposes such as as a sweetener, an anesthetic, to preserve meats through the process of curing, and eventually as a trade item. It was one of many gifts shared with early Garbanian settlers; despite the fact the Garbanians already knew of maple syrup, and produced it themselves, it is said that a jug of maple syrup was one of the items the indigenous people gave to the settlers as a sign of good will. When the Garbanians annexed Anmhonm, indigenous producers banded together in the face of colonial measures aimed at streamlining and merging the various operations, oftentimes without any indigenous input whatsoever. This culminated in not only the aforementioned cartel's establishment, but the sirop gabelle, or syrup tax, as well, which was considered very unpopular—though there were brief lapses and revisions—until the advent of independence, at which point the new government intended to maintain the gabelle, despite promising to do away with the vestiges of colonialism. It had not helped that an incident comparable to the London Beer Flood and Boston's Great Molasses Flood occurred; all this combined to provoke a group of maple product producers (most of whom were indigenous, but not all) to declare they would no longer pay the gabelle, or do business with the cabal; soon enough, they refused to consider themselves part of Mapleville entirely—they declared independence as the District of Maplewood. As the Maple Crisis came about not too long after the Great Anarchy, the government took the matter very seriously, and threw their support behind a reform plan that called for the end of the cabal, and more economic equity. As such, the districts reunited shortly thereafter. Mapleville's baseball club, the Mapleville Marauders, play at Steeves Park.

37. Cedarhurst: The District of Cedarhurst is one of the wealthiest districts in the country, home to many old, distinguished families of Garbanian origin. Ser Euchariah Longfellow, who founded the province of Venatur in Garbania-in-Esvanovia, famously railed against them, calling them too stuck up and self-absorbed and blaming them for aiding and abetting the division of the empire; he was a fixture in the anti-independence scene, and campaigned throughout the country on a unionist platform accordingly. Upon independence, Longfellow blamed them even further. Cedarhurst is one of the oldest districts in the country, and its inhabitants were notorious for having rejected whom they felt were nouveau-riche social climbers, who ended up creating the District of Bankbridge; as such, the Cedarhurst Cedars and Bankbridge Bravados have since developed what is arguably the fiercest rivalry in all of Norfolkite sports. The rivalry is often a heated subject of conversation, especially in the home districts of both clubs, and the match-up is regarded by some sports journalists as the greatest rivalry in Norfolkite sports, with games between the two teams often generating considerable interest and receiving extensive media coverage, including being broadcast on national television, regardless of team standings or playoff implications, and the games are some of the most-watched games each season. Outside of baseball, the rivalry has led to violence between fans, players and managers alike, along with attention from politicians and other athletes. It does not help that while Bankbridge has a distinctly Norfolkite character, most of Cedarhurst is of Garbanian ancestry; that is, they are the descendants of the Garbanian colonial elite who did not leave following independence; as such, it is ironic that despite looking down at Bankbridge, the Garbanians who did leave looked down on them in turn. The truth of the matter is that the two districts have shared a rivalry since the beginning of Garbanian colonization; for over a century, Cedarhurst was arguably the educational, cultural, artistic, and economic power in the colony; its concentration of elite schools and manufacturing hubs helped maintain this position for several decades. During this time period, Bankbridge was often looked down upon as the upstart, over-populated, dirty cousin to aristocratic and clean Cedarhurst; however, during the late nineteenth, early twentieth centuries, Bankbridge's economic power outpaced Cedarhurst's, fueled by the presence of banks, hence its name; although this spurred massive growth in the Norfolkite economy, Cedarhurst never lived it down despite the myriad, lucrative rewards they reaped. The Royals, Twisters, Bravados, Cedars and Lakers collectively make up the Big Five, who dominate the popularity rankings as well as the record books; having way more resources than anyone else, fans of other clubs tend to hate them, although clubs like the Tropicanas and Cats have arisen competitively lately due to the power and influence of the internet.

38. Fort Rukkard: Named for the first enduring Garbanian post in Anmhonm, Fort Rukkard is best known as a glorified, supersized military town; indeed, parts of this district are commonly used as military training areas as there is undeveloped land there—King Rukkard V, for whom the district is named, was the reigning King of Anmhonm when the first Garbanian settlers arrived; he is one of the most discussed of all Anmhonmite kings, particularly due to the fact he allowed the Garbanians to settle his domain, as well as his relationship with his daughter, Princess TBD who had a deep and intimate bond with Délice Ouimet, a teacher and governess from Garbania. Local historian Mia Racicot reported in an article for a historical publication that the relationship was so close between them that she was not only inconsolable at Ouimet's death, but that she willed after her death to be laid to rest as close to her as possible; as such, she was the first member of the royal family to be buried somewhere other than the Royal Tombs. King Rukkard reputedly had his reservations about their relationship, but ultimately supported it, citing that she was a grown woman, an adult, and that she had to set her own course. Many LGBT citizens make pilgrimages to the mausoleum where both are laid to rest, although the relationship has been recently considered problematic due to the fact that Délice first met TBD when she was underage; some have even proposed renaming the district entirely due to the long-running debate over the pros and cons of Garbanian colonization. The district also has Jessicania, a micronation declared as a tongue-in-cheek secession from the Crystal Castle Republic motivated by frustrations over genuine concerns over what was felt by residents to be chronic neglect by the federal government, as well as a distinct lack of essential services. Resembling Denmark's Freetown Christiania, it was named after Jessica Lachaîne, a teenage activist who famously formulated the plan to secede; the secession was not recognized by any formal government and was merely a gesture indicative of the area's displeasure with district and federal officials; the district commissioner, a young Vilbert Gignac, met with representatives of the area, including Jessica Lachaine, and as a result, residents of Jessicania reconciled with the district; an annual Sovereignty Day celebration commemorates the event, and a logo sporting a dead skunk reminiscent of the logo of Red Green's Possom Lodge is displayed throughout the area. Gignac's rise to the presidency based on his support of reforming the seemingly antiquated district system was documented in a documentary about the events of the Summer of 92, which saw him lose much of the fame and goodwill he had once accumulated.

[Free Norfolk City]

The Duke of Monmouth, James Scott, the namesake of the company that governs the Esvanovian colony.

Harold Weissenegger, a former bodybuilder and action movie star turned politician who immigrated from abroad at a young age, found his first big break when he was given the role of the Duke of Monmouth in a movie chronicling the intrigues and plots of the Imperial Court of Garbania during the reign of the Emperor Bererdard. The Duke of Monmouth is considered by many to be a hero, a national icon, though some call him a representation of the ills of colonialism and imperialism; indeed, when Free Norfolk City recieved independence, the famous Monmouth Street was renamed, and it was only due to incredible public pressure that Monmouth Bay, or the trading company named after it, and the like avoided the same fate. But just who was the Duke of Monmouth? Well, to start things off, we need to talk about the company that bears his name.

The Monmouth Bay Trading Company was named after Monmouth Bay, around which the first Garbanian settlements in Esvanovia were established; both were named after James Scott, the 1st Duke of Monmouth, the eldest illegitimate son of Charles II of England with his mistress Lucy Walter. While in real life, the Duke led the infamous and failed Monmouth Rebellion, becoming little more than a footnote in history after a hideously botched execution at the Tower, in Garbanian history, after a stint fighting the Turks in the East (after rejecting calls from anti-Stuart rebels in England and Scotland to join their conspiracy), he craved a change of scenery, only to get it when, through some sharp vicissitudes of fate, he found himself in the Imperial Court of Garbania; you see, he initially opted for a life of leisure by touring Europe with his beloved mistress Lady Wentworth, starting with a voyage to Stockholm. He had all but abandoned his wife and five children; Lady Wentworth had him nailed down to rights, and as a result, she had much influence upon him; in return, she had sacrificed a good marriage to elope with the duke.

Initially, the Duke had always imagined that nothing would please his love more than the prospect of the crown of England, but he knew deep down that it was highly unlikely he would ever wear it. As such, he decided he would carve out a niche for the two of them another way, especially when the Duke failed to convince the plotting exiles of his (so he felt) unambiguous right to the throne. When he told them he had, thus, no desire to help them, they called him a coward and denounced him accordingly.

But how did the Duke of Monmouth end up in Garbania? Well, it's simple: turns out that all you need is a well placed storm. After William of Orange, ever the opportunist, gave him an ample purse to satisfy his needs and wants alike (his mistress sold much of her jewelry to bolster their funds), the Duke set sail with his mistress and a small bodyguard, but a storm struck (legend has it it was in the prelude to, or during, coitus) and sent the ship way off course, right onto Garbanian shores; according to Garbanian historians, he and his party were spotted by local authorities and eventually brought to the Imperial Court; the "foreign king" captured the public's imagination, and he became a focus of the sorts of intrigues and plots of which the Garbanian nobility has always been so fond; however, the Duke of Monmouth could find nobody willing to assist him in his return to England, let alone at the helm of a mighty army, for the Emperor Bererdard had little interest in waging war against a faraway country to press the duke's claim; he opted to leave him and his wife (for the Duke lied to the Garbanians, claiming that Lady Wentworth was his lawful wife) at a chateau, while dealing with more pressing matters such as the expansion of imperial rule in regions like Varathron.

It is not quite yet known why the Duke of Monmouth decided to assimilate into Garbanian society rather than to plot a return to his native land, but at some point, he wrote to the Emperor asking him to take him into his service, and to send him wherever there was an urgent need. It might've been because his "wife," Henrietta, was pregnant with his child, a common theory among historians. The Duke of Monmouth might've also wanted to prove that he was trustworthy in a foreign land populated by non-Christians of the Manichaean variety, with what little Christians there were practically heretics; he himself was a Protestant. As an orthodox, Nicene Christian, the Christians of the country reviled him as a potential threat, since they were the descendants of fleeing Arians and other "heretics" who had formed little communities throughout Garbania; they asked the Imperial Court to keep a close eye on the foreign duke accordingly. The Duke of Monmouth denounced the rumors as spurious, insisting he had no ill will towards the gracious country that had sheltered him.

He effectively abandoned his ambitions to be placed upon his father's throne, and was said to be filled with contempt for the country of his origin in his later years, since all he could remember of it was that he was dismissed as a mere bastard. However, though he had never produced the supposed evidence he had that he was the lawful king because his parents had secretly married, he openly claimed his father's titles the rest of his life in Garbania, and this worked to such effect that when his eldest child, a daughter, married the Crown Prince of Garbania, the future Emperor Lazabert, their child, Emperor Bernuelrys, took those titles for himself.

The Emperor Bererdard's chief minister, Albillnibal Luselaude, decided that the Duke of Monmouth ought to be put to work, and so offered him the headship of a planned expedition to Esvanovia to find new lands for Garbania to claim and settle. The Duke accepted the offer, and was placed in command of a small, but quite decently trained and equipped, detachment of Imperial soldiers and settlers, and told to establish imperial rule wherever he could, however he could.






Ulrnanuel Tynerose

[Free Norfolk City]

Free Norfolk City is governed as a unitary state without provinces or states. However, for the purposes of administration and urban planning, it has been subdivided in various ways throughout its history—most notably in the form of districts, each headed by a district commissioner. Some districts used to be their own, actual cities, before their merger with one another to form the Crystal Castle Republic; others were merged into other districts for the sake of political efficiency. Each district will be given its own post, chock full of pertinent information.

1. Seacliff:

* Seacliff is home to a myriad of beaches, and is popular among kids and adults alike for that reason.

* Boasts stunning views of the Great Varathron Sea from a variety of well developed vantage points, including Makeout Mountain, a popular spot for school sweethearts and couples trying to find the passion they once had for one another.

* The current District Commissioner for Seacliff is R.L. (Roger Lorenzo) Deuken. As Seacliff is often associated with spring break festivities, there have been occassional efforts of the district government to discourage rowdiness, combined with the rise of other spring break destinations, which has affected Seacliff's preeminence as a spring break destination; Commissioner Deuken got into office on a platform including trying to rejuvenate the district and put it back on the map of college and university students everywhere. He is a staunch supporter of the Kindrakewich Administration, and is considered quite popular among district voters.

* Persons of note from this district include talk show host and stand up comedian, Petyr Popov, baseball manager Timur Krusslin, famous actor Hayk Raqon and business magnate Orfeus McVicar.

* Seacliff has been famous over the years for its student festivities, with the CCR's own equivalents to real life customs like Spring Break and schoolies week. When either hits, many flock to this district to enjoy YTV's annual coverage, featuring numerous live performances from artists and bands on location. YTV (an initialism of Youth Television) is a Norfolkite cable television channel that focuses solely on programming for teenagers and young adults, and has spawned numerous sister channels in the Crystal Castle Republic and affiliated channels in fellow Garbanopshere countries, some of which have since gone independent. However, with the District of Dojabad siphoning many students away, Seacliff has been trying to reorient and recapture their old audience; it did not help when YTV moved their operations to Dojabad, sparking criticism of the channel executives by the Seacliff government.

* The Seacliff Dolphins (also known as the Phins) baseball club play in this district, and their ballpark, Rosenkreuz Park, is considered one of the finest in the sport, especially for the gorgeous views of the sea that all too often distract even players, let alone fans. Despite Christianity being a minority religion, the entrance to the park has these words engraved: "Jesus mihi omnia, nequaquam vacuum, libertas evangelii, dei intacta gloria, legis jugum" ("Jesus is everything to me, by no means empty, the freedom of the gospel, the untouched glory of God, the yoke of the law"), testifying to the club founder Cenwold Rust's Christian character. Cenwold Rust played sandlot baseball growing up, but had largely been devoted to other interests; he had once declined an opportunity to play in the minor leagues, but expressed an interest in establishing a charity aimed at helping poor kids get into the game. Baseball executives were so impressed by his class that that he was persuaded to become the owner of a new franchise altogether; he called them the Dolphins due to the fact that bottlenose dolphins are quite commonly seen in the area. While they were making modest gains on the field, the Dolphins were best known for having tapped into youth culture when, in the mid-eighties, their manager Soren Scott, a direct descendant of James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, appeared on national television to encourage college vacationers to come to their games; he later called that decision a mistake as locals experienced many problems during Spring break every year, and he tried to rectify this with attempts to channel youthful energy in a more wholesome direction. Things came to a head one night when fans stormed the field in Norfolkite baseball's equivalent to Disco Demolition Night; Soren Scott, so disgusted by the scene, stormed off to confront the club brass; when they refused his demands, he resigned immediately. While the club respected Scott's misgivings, the club saw so much revenue from the rather successful marketing campaign that the club refused to play along, leading to the controversial decision Scott made to take his talents to the Winchestertonfieldville Winnies, which boosted their image significantly.

* The Seacliff Dolphins are also known for the Phin Phanatics, a supporters' group (much like in real life soccer, you can find supporters' groups throughout Norfolkite baseball) famous nationwide for their ironclad support of their club. Much like real life soccer, it is considered a rite of passage in Norfolkite baseball to have a local club and to represent your district, and the Phin Phanatics are a great example of this custom, as many players and managers have commented upon their ironclad devotion; some even call them the best fans in the sport, which has rustled the jimmies of many other fandoms.

[Free Norfolk City]

2. Westcliff:

* Bordering Seacliff, but a tad more inland, Westcliff is a rather middle class district; full of professionals, featuring museums, statues and theatres, not to mention restaurants, bars and clubs. It's also pretty family-friendly, with many playgrounds, parks, and libraries for the kiddos.

* The current District Commissioner for Westcliff is Shelby Vattelle, considered by voters to be 'above average' and known for championing many progressive causes.

* Persons of note from this district include famous actresses Cordelia McCabe and Addison Davis and the diplomat, race car driver and billiards player, Raymond Applewhite, who made his mark as an international playboy for his jetsetting lifestyle and his legendary sexual prowess with women. He famously told an interviewer that when he married his wife, he told her that if someday, someone, somewhere knocks on the door of their house and says they're here to see their dad, there's a good chance that it might be true; as it turned out, he had a ton of illegitimate children, collectively called the FitzRaymonds (or Fitzies for short) by the Norfolkite media.

* One of the foremost places of interest in the district is Snothrower Park, the ballpark of the Westcliff Red Bulls, who have had some decent seasons, but have yet to win a single championship. The park was named after Ser Aristhenes Snothrower, who financed the creation of the club alongside many community initiatives in the district.

[Free Norfolk City]

TBA

[Free Norfolk City]

4. Goldenridge:

* One of the more wealthier districts, Goldenridge is where you'll find plenty of fashion stores with the latest designs and seasonal favorites. The area is one of the hearts of culture in the Crystal Castle Republic, as many artists, writers and other creative types come from here, and many aspiring artists and writers move here from other districts. The District Commissioner for Goldenridge is Michelle "Mimi" Carver, who was the lead vocalist and songwriter of the math rock band, Abetton Baseball; despite the group's short initial lifespan, their self-titled debut album became one of the most acclaimed emo and math rock records of its era. The band derived its name from the fact that its members, childhood acquaintances turned friends, had gone to Abetton for a class trip and had caught a game. Mimi Carver's plain-spoken, confessional lyrics are still found today in the margins of teenagers' notebooks and on their desks to this day.

* One of the Republic's most famous authors, Paúl Guapisaca, was born in this district; he was the Charles Dickens of Norfolkite literature, having written numerous novels, essays and plays; like Dickens, his work has never been out of print, also. Guapisaca's most famous novel, A Tale of Two Families, is an epistolary novel set against the conditions that led up to the Expulsion of 1868 and the Great Anarchy, and while it is Guapisaca's best known work, and is said to be one of the best-selling novels of all time, the novel was banned in Garbania and her other colonies during the reign of Emperor Weyerlbert; the novel has been adapted for film, television, radio, and the stage, and has continued to influence popular culture to this day. Blending Dickensian imagery with Dostoevsky's exploration of the human condition is a great way to summarize his work. Guapisaca was also active politically, but while most of his peers were republicans, he was a staunch monarchist; upon the founding of the Crystal Castle Republic, he refused to attend the celebratory festivities, spending his time writing the famous Elegy to a Dying Breed, in which he lamented the end of imperial rule and the institution of monarchy in general.

* Other well known creatives from this district include Veronique Saint Laurent, whose family were among those Garbanians who rejected leaving upon independence; like Marguerite Duras, she wrote a novel much like L'Amant, but her version was about a lesbian romance rather than a heterosexual one; when the movie adaptation came out many years later, it was met with significant controversy at home and abroad; while Saint Laurent wrote rather prolifically, she is mostly known for this novel, much like D.H. Lawrence was for Lady Chatterley's Lover, though instead of an obscenity trial, she suffered a decline in relationships due to her tendency to not be a respector of persons, nor to obscure the dirty laundry of certain people in her life.

* Another notable creative is Cheyenne Wilder, who wrote a pictonovel based on her forays into the heart of teenage Norfolkica, and her passionate plea for a greater understanding of youth issues. It inspired a movie based on a compilation of several stories in the pictonovel, but the film was also deemed controversial upon its release (in real life terms, you could compare it to 1995's Kids) and caused public debate over its artistic merit, much like the film adaptation of Saint Laurent's book. Wilder herself acknowledged the controversy, but argued that by so provoking the viewing public, it had done what she set out to do: to provoke discussion on how best to raise the next generation.

* Beth McGhee wrote an epic poem called Natalie, which follows a Garbanian girl named Natalie Lowney and her search for her lost love Brado during the time of the Great Anarchy. Again, the film adaptation was controversial, this time due to the explicit, graphic depiction of the Shaiburg Massacre, which Garbania has consistently refused to apologize for; when the film was released in Garbania, it provoked numerous petitions and calls to do so, which were all rejected. "There is no need for the current government to apologize for the sins of a past one," a Garbanian official told the media at the time. "We, the present government and people of Garbania, have nothing to be sorry about." The poem's best known moment is when Natalie finds Brado's corpse amidst the piles of scattered bodies (he had sacrificed himself to protect fellow innocents), but McGhee chose not to actually depict the massacre herself. A statue of Natalie holding Brado's corpse in a style reminiscent of Michelangelo's Pieta can be found in the district of Shaiburg; called the Shaiburg Massacre Memorial, it is often adorned with flowers, cards, and signs calling for the Garbanian government to make amends.

* Sherri Cornette, from the province of Quaybeck in Norfolk-in-Esvanovia, set up shop in Goldenridge, and was famous for her sensational oratory skills; she wrote countless essays and articles about colonial life and politics, including one in which she condemned Emperor Weyerlbert and a certain few underlings of his for what she felt was their treasonous behaviour; indeed, she spoke out routinely against Norfolkite independence, and was one of the first leaders of the Bloc Réunionniste, which sought to reunify Free Norfolk City and Norfolk-in-Esvanovia with the Garbanian colonial empire. She fought vigorously in a war of letters and words with Beth McGhee, who supported Norfolkite independence. When Garbania-in-Esvanovia was handed over to the Norfolkites, Cornette wrote to a close friend that somebody really oughta teach "that ripe 'ol bastard in the capital a lesson," but said friend handed the letter over to the authorities, and Cornette was charged with plotting the murder of the sovereign, but she was acquitted when the judge ruled that merely wishing for something was not the same as actively planning. When McGhee's Natalie hit the presses, she wrote Gnatalie, a parody of the poem that incurred the anger of many in Shaiburg over its premise that the Shaiburg Massacre was entirely justified, a stance shared by many in the Garbanosphere today.

* Patrick Steffan Ruddock, better known simply as P.S. Ruddock, was best known for his (young) adult animated sitcom, What's It All About?, filled with colorful and dysfunctional characters that are still seen as memorable today; comparable to shows like As Told by Ginger, Braceface and Daria, it centers around a young woman, Carrie Dreiser, and her attempts to find her purpose in life. The series ran for five seasons, but the series finale was a film-length installment; characters from the show, Carrie in particular, tend to be quite popular online, particularly in discussion forums and imageboards, while Ruddock himself has gone on to make numerous other shows and movies; nonetheless, he considers WIAA to be his favorite, and routinely goes online to talk to fans; Patty French, Carrie Dreiser's voice actress, also lives in Goldenridge; she was the same age as Carrie in the first season, fourteen, when Ruddock hired her for the show in an attempt to be more authentic; in fact, his policy was that all voice actors should be around the same age as the characters they were voicing. The show is considered to be a cult classic a la My So Called Life, and has been frequently cited by multiple publications at home and abroad as a stellar depiction of teenage life and as one of the best teen dramas of all time.

* Spencer Remple, a prominent mosaicist best known for his cornerstone work of Norfolkite art, a massive mosaic on the ceiling of the Norfolkite Museum of History depicting the foremost events of Norfolkite history from a humanist perspective; initially a museum dedicated to contributions to Garbanian civilization from a colonialist perspective, the NMoH modified its mandate to emphasize Norfolkite identity and history upon independence, and Remple was chosen to help with that, along with many others. Remple himself reluctantly supported independence out of a belief that you had to deal with the cards you're dealt, and a country is no exception to this rule.

* Roberta Antonia Hutsell, better known as R.A. Hutsell, is best known as the "Queen of Claymation," especially in regards to her adult stop motion-animated sitcom, The Maid, which revolves around the life of a down on her luck woman from the Esvanovian colony who becomes the maid for a upper-class family in Free Norfolk City; the comedy of the show was formulated with many running gags, which contributed heavily to the success of the series; indeed, much of this formula was character-based, with all major characters possessing a specific trait or quirks that provided a source of parody for other characters. The conflicting elements of each character's own comedy were often played off against one another, and at times, the characters would break the fourth wall and comment on the situations themselves, or the titular character, Lylah Dawson, would comment to the audience or look into the camera. The show was a spinoff from a short stop-motion film, Nancy Eat-More, which was broadcast by YTV (Youth Television Channel)'s animation showcase, Cartoon-O-Rama! and revolved around a young girl named Nancy, a stereotypical popular and wealthy girl whose claim to fame is her love of the all you can eat buffet; in it, a nameless maid (the future 'Miss Dawson') scolds her for making a mess of her bridesmaid dress at a wedding.

* Finally, Émile Korczak-Jankowski wrote the first fight song in Norfolkite baseball for the district's baseball club, the Guardians, who play at Cadbury Park. While he had several biological children, he adopted a son from Ngombia, named Kai, who, due to the surname law not yet in effect, took the surname of his doting wife, Marjorie Morningstar. The marriage of a colored man to a white woman, one of many to occur, alienated Mareyland, who had been hoping the Norfolkites would be a useful ally against their Garbanian rivals; however, the racist government of Mareyland was effectively denounced by the newly independent city state, and to this day, the Garbanian position is commonly taught in Norfolkite schools.

[Free Norfolk City]

5. New Herrnhut:

* The Moravians, a Protestant religious group based in the town of Herrnhut in Saxony, began missionary work in Anmhonm during Garbanian rule—they established a series of missions along the coast which became the focus of religious, social and economic activities for the Anmhonmites who gradually came to settle near the communities. Despite Christianity already existing in the country, it was solely confined to the descendants of Anglo-Saxon refugees, who in order to stay in the pre-colonial Kingdom of Anmhonm, were forbidden to preach the gospel under penalty of expulsion. The Moravians had a huge impact on the life and culture of the Anmhonmites, and what emerged was a unique culture rooted in their traditions with indigenized European practices. New Herrnhut (German: Neu-Herrnhut) recieved its name in honor of Herrnhut, a town in Germany that holds a prominent place in the history of Protestantism, as well as the broader history of Christianity itself.

* The Kings of Anmhonm did not mind the Moravians, though tensions arose when the Old Norfolkites, as the descendants of the Anglo-Saxon refugees called themselves, protested the leniency towards preaching shown to the Moravians, which led to King Hrabaakhod the Just repealing the ban on preaching. Called Old Believers or Old Catholics (though the use of the latter does not mean there is any ties to the Old Catholics that separated from the see of Rome after the First Vatican Council), the Old Norfolkites clung to a pre-Tridentine Mass, as well as a pre-Tridentine understanding of doctrine; at first, they believed in the primacy of the Pope of Rome, but when word broke out that the Pope, Alexander II, had supported William the Bastard's conquest of England, they denounced the Pope, renounced all ties, and adopted a rather proto-sedevacantist view. They appointed an archbishop to govern them, much like the archbishop of Canterbury in Anglicanism, and established the Norfolkite National Catholic Church, or NNCC, which is, according to the government, the state church, but not the state religion, of the country, although this status merely entitles it to the privilege of performing special services on major national events. They believe they preserve ancient Catholic doctrine through adherence to the "ancient Catholic faith," and their founder of the NNCC, Aelfrēd, son of Ælfric and Æthelflæd, was called the Hothead for his stubborn, fiery nature; however, he is only considered an honorary founder; the real founder was Ser Godrick Knowlton, whom Cenwold Rust said upon his death that he, "gave all his loyalty, love and labor for the church and his people," and that Knowlton believed that, "to serve people is to serve God. He gave his life for Jesus and the church." A peculiar tradition in the NNCC is that if a Church member is dissatisfied with the particular pastor of his residence parish, he may choose to be served by another pastor who matches better with his views, for example in a neighbouring parish.

* The Moravians are best known for their land acknowledgements, in which they declare that they "gratefully acknowledge that we live, gather, and worship in Anmhonm, the traditional territory of the Anmhonmite people," and that "together, with them and with all the peoples who have settled here from around the world, this is our home, our Creator’s gracious gift," and for their myriad outreach programs such as monthly, free lunches from community kitchens, promoting restorative justice practices and hosting AA meetings and rehearsals and concerts for various musical groups. You’ll find people from all walks of life in the Moravian Church, as they believe that each person is unique and has a unique relationship with God. Love God and serve others in a safe, open environment is the church's core principle. After all this time, the Moravian church, its customs and traditions are still very much alive in the country, as examplified by the District Commissioner, Konrad Rútler, a pious Moravian himself. It should be noted that it is not expected nor demanded of a District Commissioner to be a Moravian.

* The original mission community was named Hoffnungsthal (“the valley of hope”) and there were seventeen in total, which coalesced over time to form the district of New Herrnhut. One of the oldest churches in the country, on Zinzendorf Street, still holds services and welcomes any and all, most notably during the Great Anarchy, when the Moravian pastor Boaz Emenheiser, affectionately called Papa Bobo by his Anmhonmite flock, offered the church as shelter for those needing safety from the violence, as well as a neutral meeting ground for those discussing an end to it; a statue of him can be found at a local park not far from the church. It is called the Rokkenfelder Church in honor of Johann and Wilhelm Rokkenfelder, a pair of pious brothers, who are traditionally held to be the first two Moravian missionaries in the country's history. This district's baseball club is called the Saints, in honor of its Christian heritage, allthough the vast majority of inhabitants are not Christian, similar to how Russians are the majority in the so called Jewish Autonomous Oblast.

[Free Norfolk City]

6. Beulahdale:

* Beulahdale, sometimes called Little Ngombia, is the district home to the Ngombian community, one of the many, diverse ethnic groups in the country. It was named after the province of Beulahland in the Garbanian colony of Ngombia, which was named after Princess Beulah of Garbania, who is the center of the Princess Beulah Movement, a religious sect followed by the primitive tribes of the interior; it's a cargo cult that believes in the divinity of Princess Beulah Vessair, a member of the Imperial Family of Garbania, as her mother belonged to the ruling dynasty, House Zurithalissaran. However, members of the sect did not found the district nor the province; both were simply named in her honor by others; in case of the former, historians contribute its founding to the efforts of one Ser (Chief) Shallamangashesallamangalla, whose son
Teyanomanutunuu married a pretty, buxom Norfolkite girl named Armeca, a commoner by birth, and Ser Chauncey Ewing, an agent of the Tribal Preservation Society, who sought to ensure indigenous survival at home and abroad, during colonial rule. The District Commissioner is Ohatatama Nauyaatitaktiit, an ethnic Ngombian; while it is not demanded that one be such to fill the position, every DC since the district's inception has been an ethnic Ngombian.

* After the indigenous peoples, and the Rhossenians, the Ngombians are the third largest ethnic minority in the Crystal Castle Republic; they came in droves after the Garbanian conquest of Ngombia; it is said by historians that had Free Norfolk City stayed within the imperial fold, the Ngombians would be the second largest ethnic minority, but after independence, many returned to Ngombia, or went elsewhere in the Garbanian colonial empire. The district is considered modest economically, and notable sites of interest include the headquarters of the Indigenous Friendship Society. The Indigenous Friendship Society was initially the Norfolkite branch of the Tribal Preservation Society, which was established in Garbania to maintain good relations with the various indigenous peoples of the empire, but once Free Norfolk City acquired independence, it changed its name to the Indigenous Friendship Society and shifted its focus to ensuring good relations between the indigenous peoples of the city state and its Esvanovian colony and the Norfolkite people.

* Chief Shallamangashesallamangalla, knighted by the Garbanian sovereign for his efforts to rally Ngombians to the imperial cause during the war with Mareyland, is honored as a folk hero by the inhabitants of the district due to his service in the Imperial Garbanian Army during the liberation of Ngombia, and he was one of the myriad chiefs who asked the Garbanians to annex their country. His daughter, Princess Nkuku, married the Crown Prince of Garbania, and in a rare moment for Garbanian royalty, two of their sons were given Ngombian names in Omai and Uruumatata; this marriage ensured that the two royal lineages, and thus the two peoples and their countries, would be intertwined forevermore. The district also features a museum of Ngombi history and culture, as well as restaurants, convenience stores and specialty markets. Many residents here are guest workers from Ngombia who send money back home to their families, while some have lived here for generations; you may see Ngombian workers at places like Deverinos' Pizza and the Devernois supermarket chain.

* Some non-Ngombians live in Beulahdale, such as the significant others of Ngombian men and women, as well as indigenous Anmhonmites who were in the area before the Ngombians arrived. When Sorukdud, a nobleman of Anmhonmite descent, sent his son Kekdok to Ngombia to aid in the war effort, he learned that his son married a Ngombian woman, and that he was sending her to his father's care to keep her from harm; this woman, Tetuanuireia, affectionately called Bonnie Princess Tettie by the Norfolkites, was said to be the first Ngombian to come to the country. Once the war ended, she returned to her husband who established a plantation in Ngombia, but many more Ngombians would go to Free Norfolk City after she gave a rather glowing review. Relations between the Ngombians and non-Ngombians are usually cordial, though there are numerous stereotypes that permeate their relationship.

* In one of the more strange events of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln politely rejected an offer of elephants from the King of Siam. However, the Emperor of Garbania accepted such an offer from the chiefs of Ngombia, and created the Imperial Army's elephant corps, stationing them in Free Norfolk City. It was believed that the Emperor accepted the offer solely because doing so increased his stature among the Ngombi; the Imperial Elephantry was a peculiar curiosity among Norfolkites, who wrote and spoke extensively of Yassa Yere Qereqeretabua, the unit commander. During the Great Anarchy, it was tabled by Kumai-Kana Toba, the then-unit commander, that the elephants should be deployed against the rioters; this legend has circulated extensively among Norfolkites for generations, but is largely considered to be a fanciful myth. However, it is documented that Kumai-Kana Toba resigned as commander when Free Norfolk City declared its independence; he hastily retired to his native Ngombia, where he helped teach then-modern skills and tactics. Kirupano-Eza'e Kaina assumed the commandership after swearing an oath of loyalty to the Republic, which was seen by quite a few Ngombians as a stab in the back; due to the rather superstitious nature of the Ngombians, the expulsion of Free Norfolk City wreaked havoc upon many families, for it was believed that the Garbanian monarch was divinely appointed; as such, it was up to Princess Roxnique, a descendant of Princess Beulah, to issue an order similar to what Major Yoshimi Taniguchi issued to the Japanese holdout, Hiroo Onoda, that the Garbanian monarch told them to accept the unacceptable; despite this order, many Ngombians left the country. Of course, nowadays, Ngombians are happy to live wherever they can make an honest living, so this is, if anything, a merely curious episode in their history. The current commander of the Elephantry Guard is Chief Haamanemane, who was appointed to the position as a liaison between the Ngombian community and the president, similar to that between the Garbanian monarch, as high chief, and the Governor General of Ngombia, whom by law is always Ngombian and represents the Ngombian people in matters of importance.

* The district's baseball club is the Beulahdale Belles, and they were founded by Tepau Luhaan, a businessman and adopted war orphan from Ngombia who named the club after the young women he saw playing an old-school, neighborhood baseball game together. The Belles present themselves as a club by Ngombians, for Ngombians, and they enjoy widespread support among the Ngombian population, not just in Free Norfolk City but the Garbanosphere as a whole. Their ballpark, Morya Gosavi Field, was named in honor of a prominent saint of the Hindu Ganapatya sect, which considers Ganesha as the Supreme God, and holds the record for the loudest crowd roar recorded at a sporting event. Despite not being a member of the Big Five, the Belles are quite able to hold their own every season. One need not be a Ngombian to be a player on the team; in fact, many non-Ngombians have become legends and icons to the Ngombian fans of the club.

[Free Norfolk City]

7. Štroblovágrad:

* The DIstrict of Štroblovágrad, called Little Rhossenia, is the district founded by members of the Rhossenian community, the largest ethnic minority in the country. The district also includes people who belong to minority groups in Rhossenia who also immigrated, such as the Urziks, Aldans, Keldara and Elassians. While a select few of these groups were permitted to live in Garbania proper, the vast majority of the initial diaspora were sent to the colonies by a somewhat xenophobic government eager to find a means to populate and maintain control over its colonies; Free Norfolk City would take in the vast majority of these unwanted immigrants, and this district was established in their honor.

* Štroblovágrad is a modest, middle class district, and is home to many Elkesaite temples and shrines, as well as a few for those reconstructionists seeking to revive the Rhoss folk religion, called Nebovera. There are also non-Rhossenians who live here, such as Ngombians, Anmhonmites and Garbanians. Rhossenians pride themselves on hospitality and courtesy, so tourists visiting this district can expect plenty of both in equal measure.

* Baseball took off among the Rhossenians rather quickly. They caled their club the Sea Bears, to honor their ancestors who first settled in the country. They play at Tikhonov Park, named after prominent business magnate Veniamin Tikhonov who financed the creation of the club. The Sea Bears have enjoyed modest success since inception, and are well supported in attendance and merch sales.

[Free Norfolk City]

8. Rishabhgaba:

* This district used to be the holiest city in Anmhonm, and accordingly, demographically, is the district with the largest indigenous population, which is also the majority. Rishabhgaba was the only city that survived the great, terrible mess that was Free Norfolk City's unrestrained urban sprawl, as even the careless proto-Norfolkites did not desire to tempt fate; a local sage, Xocoao, ensured the city would endure, thus making it the first district, even if only honorarily. William Noah Guengerich, adopted by Moravian missionary Uzziah Guengerich as a foundling, was an indigenous writer who observed that despite the rapid, radical changes, life in Rishabhgaba stayed much the same as it had always been; he would later become a missionary himself, and preach the Gospel throughout the Garbanian realm. You will find many religious and cultural processions here to be an annual occurance, and many temples and shrines will gladly welcome foreigners curious to learn about their culture and traditions regardless of, if any, religious or ethnic affiliation.

* Rishabhgaba was the pre-colonial capital of Anmhonm; as such, it has often been called a city within a city. All the kings, queens and their children of the Kingdom of Anmhonm are laid to rest here, and ceremonies conducted to venerate and appease their spirits are still conducted annually. It was here during the governorship of Andrysch Traerry that laws protecting indigenous culture were passed due to the Garbanian equivalent to the Enlightenment; originally, the Garbanians were ambivalent to apathetic about the minorities they ruled as their hope was cultural assimilation, but the aforementioned laws were part of a realm-wide effort to establish 'peace and order for generations to come,' enduring short term pain for long term gain, as one critic noted. With the Royal Family of Anmhonm shuffled down to the nobility, and with their main line brought into the Imperial Family of Garbania via marriage, the Emperor Ulriuinhrasil appointed his chosen governor Philerlbert Gueyne (with the implication that all future governors would do likewise) to represent him (and, thus, the Crown) at the most important ceremonies, fulfilling the role that the Kings of Anmhonm once held. With independence, the presidents of Free Norfolk City took upon the role themselves.

* The historically inclined will also appreciate the museums and cultural centres that dot this district, as well as the Royal Temple, where the Anmhonmite monarchs used to be crowned and come to conduct the most important rituals, such as prayers for newly elected presidents; in olden times, these prayers were for the Garbanian monarchs, and before them, the indigenous monarchs. The Royal Temple is considered the holiest site in Anmhonmite society, and the Royal Crypt was built adjacent to it in the temple complex; only the finest of the fine, the 'chosen few,' are laid to rest here, most notably the sage Ukrunar, who could be compared to the Dalai Lama or the Lubavitcher Rebbe in his authority and clout within his community. His followers were fiercely loyal to him, though he himself had no desire for followers; would be better, old ladies would tell them, if you simply followed his admonitions for hope for all people and harm done to none in every action. Ukrunar pioneered the cause of indigenous rejuvenation, which began as an Anmhonmite attempt to "recapture, to recharge, our spirit as a people," and ended influencing the other indigenous peoples of the Crystal Castle Republic, and through them, minorities at large. The choir that gathers at the Royal Temple is world renowned. "Beautiful, nostalgic, haunting, peaceful. I feel like I'm in another world when I hear this," said one tourist from AHSCA upon hearing them sing. The Royal Temple is also open to visitors, but as it is considered the most sacred building to the indigenous population, proper decorum is expected.

* Before colonial rule was established, various Garbanian adventurers and explorers visited the country. The Norfolkites already present called them fellow wayfarers; the name was devised by combining the word 'way' with 'farer,' from an Old English root, fær, "journey, road, passage, or expedition." One of them was Emmnrion Jeansley, an aspiring court painter whose sketches and drawings of scenes of indigenous life brought him notoriety back home, but also inspired many other Garbanians to set sail for Anmhonm. Another Garbanian visitor was Didinieve Chaamont who established Fort Chaamont, a key trading post which today is a national landmark. Ogielvin Vautult led the first batch of Garbanian settlers; these were permitted to settle in the country, and they built a Manichaean temple and shared scientific and geographical knowledge. While there is no shortage of documentation of Manichaeism in the Royal Archives of Anmhonm, the religion acquired only a few converts in Anmhonm, and to this day is merely one of many minority religions as opposed to the majority religion that it is in Garbania, albeit in conjunction with traditional Garbanian beliefs and practices, much like Shinto and Buddhism in real life Japan.

The Rishagaba Royals are the district's baseball club, playing at Kekebara Park. One of the oldest clubs in the sport, the Royals are the oldest continuously operating professional baseball team nationwide, and the only existing NBA club to predate the founding of the league. In fact, it is one of the oldest Norfolkite professional sports franchises in general. While the club has a diverse fanbase, the club is seen largely as being the club for indigenous people (much to the chagrin of their rivals, the Tunavun Twisters); indeed, the operates in both Norfolkite and Anmhonmite. For many years, public address announcements and press releases have been given in both languages, and the team website and social media outlets are in both languages as well. At home games, the first stanza of the anthem is sung in Anmhonmite and the chorus is sung in Norfolkite.

[Free Norfolk City]

9. Dojabad: Dojabad is the district home to many night clubs that were founded as a more hip, modern alternative to the traditional taverns and pubs that dot the city state. It boasts that it is the world's largest college town, and all too often, the student population outnumbers the local population. Not only is it very popular among college students and young professionals, but many musicians shoot music videos here—you'll also find many celebrities congregating here, both of Norfolkite and foreign origin. Tourists are more than welcome to visit the many establishments here, but should know that Dojabad has had its fair share of riots and other bouts of civil discord, most notably when a particular celebrity is in the area, or if a certain sports team has won or lost a big game. This district's baseball club, the Cats, are well supported by locals, but out-of-district fans often complain about their ability to attract more free agents than them. The Cats were named after a black cat that was spotted running around the ballpark, the Suncoast Dome, during a game; when they were able to scoop up the cat and continue the game, it was discovered she was simply heading to where her kittens were; consequently, the club adopted the tradition of, rather than having a traditional mascot, adopting an actual black cat as its mascot; the club also boasts that every single feline it's had as a mascot is a descendant of the original black cat that etched her name, Ruby, into the history books. As a result, cat memes have been used by the club's marketing department to secure the allegiance of new generations of fans, and due to the black cat in particular being considered the most sacred type of cat in Garbanian spirituality, many members of the Garbanian minority are avid fans of the club.

[Free Norfolk City]

10. Old Norfolk: Known as the oldest district in the nation, Old Norfolk is what remains of Free Norfolk City before Garbanian rule and its unrestrained urban sprawl resulted in it consuming every other city and town in the Kingdom of Anmhonm. It is here that one can still hear the language of Englisċ, also known as Anglish, which is a modernized variant of the otherwise extinct Old English language—the residents here pride themselves on speaking their mother tongue "unmixt and unmangled" after so many centuries. The Norfolkite language is essentially a glorified creole, a blend of Englisċ and Anmhonmite, but while it is the official language of the country, various minority languages are given government support, and Englisċ is no exception. The majority of the district's population are descendants of the Anglo-Saxon refugees fleeing the Norman conquest of 1066, who gave Free Norfolk City its name. Grog and mead are in great supply here, and many tourists are welcome to check out the churches that still practice the original Christianity of the aforementioned refugees who arrived a mere twelve years after the Great Schism, which they have clung to as "Old Catholics," distancing themselves from modern Catholic attempts to bring them more in line with orthodox Catholic liturgy and thought. The oldest church in the country, dedicated to Saint Botolph of Thorney, the patron saint of boundaries, and by extension, of trade and travel, is one of its most notable landmarks; Saint Botolph is the patron saint of the ethnic Norfolkites, after all. However, while only Christian Norfolkites have him as such, Saint Botolph has been adopted by Norfolkites regardless of ethnicity. When Garbania expelled Free Norfolk City, Ða Engliscan Gesiðas (The English Companions) was founded by various members of the Anglo-Saxon communities in both countries to support and promote the identity, history, language and culture of the Anglo-Saxons; its main offices are found in this district, but its activities cover all districts, as well as all of the Esvanovian colony.

[Free Norfolk City]

11. Edmonton: Edmonton is a working class district that borders its long time rivals, Shaiburg; while Shaiburg is the poorest district, Edmonton is the second poorest. It is the home of the Edmonton Eddies, one of the most popular baseball teams in the country. They play at Sherwood Park, one of the oldest active ballparks in the major leagues. The Edmonton Eddies have long since tapped into this district's almost fanatical devotion to itself, and if you like baseball, you'll be given blow by blow coverage of practically every year in Eddies history since the club was founded way back when. Wearing Shaiburg team merchandise tends to be frowned upon, but you'll likely be forgiven if you're a tourist, as long as you can keep up with the banter. Basically, Shaiburg and Edmonton is a very intense rivalry both on and off the ice. Players and fans don't like each other at all. Other than sports, Edmonton features a thriving cultural scene with many festivals year round, most notably the Edmonton Exhibition, which is a seventeen day summer fair that ends with a great big fireworks display on the final day. Although a family friendly fair, you may occassionally see some trouble with the occassional fight or suspicious persons; however, security is usually on the ball.

[Free Norfolk City]

12. Redwall: Redwall is the district where numerous ministries, departments and agencies are headquartered; as such, Redwall is used as a metonym for the Norfolkite civil service and government by locals and foreigners alike. It is the home of the Crystal Castle, the imposing, forboding home of the President of the Republic, Lorraine Kindrakewich, and her family. The Crystal Castle was named by the locals after it was built by Ser Mattimeo Zorzi, whose tomb can be found not that far from it; initially, it was the home of the Garbanian governors of the colony, and before them, the kings of Anmhonm. While foreigners are welcome to visit Redwall, it is requested they refrain from photography and recording of the buildings unless otherwise allowed by tour guides. Redwall is so named because of the distinct red walls of the Crystal Castle. The Redwall Capitals (known as the Caps) is the district's baseball club, and is the traditional rival of the Bankbridge Bravados, with whom they enjoy the fiercest rivalry in Norfolkite sports with numerous incidents between players, managers and fans alike.

[Free Norfolk City]

14. Jeannesport:

* Jeannesport is a working class district where many sailors and fishermen have lived for generations; most notably, it is the home of Liberty Street, formerly called Monmouth Street, which is modeled after Kamurochō, a fictional district of Tokyo from Sega's Yakuza media franchise, itself modelled after Kabukichō, Tokyo's renowned red-light district and entertainment precinct. District planners wanted to keep the sailors entertained, both to boost morale and to avoid incidents in neighbouring districts involving drunk, rowdy soldiers. Initially named after the Duke of Monmouth, a prominent figure in Garbanian history, it was controversially renamed during the Lanthier Administration as part of its de-Garbanization policy. Many sailors, foreign and domestic, would check out the taverns, general stores, and love hotels; the amount of ships coming to and fro every day of every year meant that Jeannesport became one of the richest districts in the country, though there was a sharp decline when the expulsion of 1868 occurred, followed by the Great Anarchy. The proliferation of various adult establishments such as strip clubs, adult arcades, and x-rated book and video stores, sometimes offer rooms with a little privacy for an hourly fee, no ID required, provoked widespread concern and controversy during the mid twentieth century, though the courts ruled that these were all fine and dandy, as Norfolkite law professes that the government has no reason to peer into the sex lives of its citizens, save in certain instances; Jeannesport, of course, offers regular hotels and such, also.

* Jeannesport is also notable for housing a sizeable Romani population, largely due to the efforts of the Committee for the Relief of the Romani Poor, which was a Garbanian charitable organisation that sought to provide sustenance for Romani and other indigent, itinerant peoples in the realm. Of course, many historians have accused it of being both xenophobic and opportunist, as the CRRP's idea was to encourage them to leave Garbania proper for the colonies. The vast majority ended up in what would become Free Norfolk City, with local authorities confining them to Jeannesport; as such, many Romani became sailors for trading companies, or enlisted with the Navy or Coast Guard. The Romani History and Culture Museum houses many interesting exhibits and artefacts pertaining to Romani settlement, such as the exhibit on the efforts of Romani feminists to balance committment to protecting and preserving Romani culture while marrying non-Romani men, as well as one offering an overall look at the challenge Romani face between assimilation and sticking to the old ways. However, other itinerant groups and the like have found shelter here, commemorated yearly on Independence Day celebrations at the Memorial to the Lost and Damned.

* Tourists seeking to visit Jeannesport would do well to visit the local pubs such as the Caribou's Head as well as the Cat's Paw, the oldest brothel in the country. It also has a bunch of opium dens, which were permitted to exist following they accept state oversight. Free Norfolk City experimented early on with ideas such as safe injection sites, but these are still pretty controversial, and not all districts have them.

[Free Norfolk City]

15. Green River:

* Green River is a mixed district, in that the upper, middle and lower classes all mingle together within. It is commonly suggested by historians that the district was named after a particularly striking algae bloom in the Shanadoo (called Xanadou by foreigners), the river that passes through the district. The Shanadoo is the main river in the country, and is considered sacred by the indigenous community as it was a lifeline to millions of people who lived along it and depended on it for their daily needs during pre-colonial times; as such, the position of riverwarden was created to maintain ecological integrity, as well as to prevent crime and rescue wayward children.








The Garbanian colonialists maintained the position, and the Norfolkite government did likewise; in fact, there are still riverwarden stations all along the river. Polluting the river is considered one of the biggest taboos in indigenous culture, and green initiatives have largely succeeded in keeping it pristine and beautiful. As well, the district is called a little sliver of the Orient, due to its distinctly Asian aesthetic, most notably in the form of neighbourhoods like AHSCAtown, Little Manila, Kuronami Street, Motokata Square, and the ballpark, Motoyasu Field, which hosts the district's baseball club, the Green River River Hounds. Most notably, the district is home to the famous Temple of the Dog, which, as you may expect, is dedicated to the veneration of the dog, man's best friend. In indigenous culture, the dog is considered the most sacred animal, sent by the Creator to attend to mankind's needs. Many dog-centric contests and festivals are held here, and tourists are more than welcome to attend, especially if they have brought their own dogs with them; animal shelters tend to set up booths during those to encourage citizens to adopt, and despite revolving around dogs, animals of all kinds are welcome to recieve blessings and to be loved. Many dog owners bring their dogs to the Temple of the Dog for burial, regardless of what religion, if any, they practice. The Anmhonmites, in contrast to the Garbanians, who venerated cats, preferred the company of dogs, referring to their fabled descent from a supernatural dog-man. Dogs being "man's best friend" is considered one of the cardinal rules of the traditional Anmhonmite religion; to them, the Gods chose dogs to be their representatives on Earth, and many elders refer to them in the same way one might guardian angels. However, many foreigners have commented on the stray dog problem, as it is traditionally considered taboo, much like it is with stray cats in Garbania, to have them spayed and neutered, as doing either is considered an affront to the Gods. However, in recent years, indigenous elders have worked with animal welfare agencies to control the population in a "culturally conscious" manner. It is considered a serious cultural taboo among them to mistreat dogs in any way, although one will be forgiven for having a case of cynophobia. Lastly, Green River is also the horticulture capital of the country, being the home of not only many parks, community gardens and greenhouses, but the Hanging Gardens, a remarkable feat of engineering with an ascending series of tiered gardens containing a wide variety of trees, shrubs, and vines, resembling a large green mountain. it is one of the most popular hotspots for tourists and locals alike; if you want somewhere romantic, they're the place to go. You may even see more than one marriage proposal, too.

[Free Norfolk City]

16. Pepsiville: Pepsiville was named for Colanus Pepsius, a notable figure in Anmhonmite history, best known as the representative of the indigenous population who greeted the first Garbanian arrivals many centuries ago. This meeting is remembered, and reenacted, on the holiday of Meeting Day, which, while widely celebrated, sometimes invites controversy. Pepsiville contains one of the oldest buildings in the country, Pepsius' home, which is a museum dedicated to his memory. Pepsiville was also the home of Jack Thaddeus Coke, the namesake of the cargo cult in the interior of Ngombia; much like John Frum in real life, Jack Coke is depicted as an Imperial Garbanian Army soldier, and his followers eagerly await his return. Although the majority of Pepsiville residents are indigenous, it


The majority of residents are indigenous.