Ajax Regional Application and Recruitment Thread [MT; Open]

[Talahara]

Applicant Information
Hey, it’s me.

IC Nation & Lore
a) Nation's IC name:
Republic of Tiānxià
Tianxia

b) Brief description of your nation:
The United Republic of Tiānxià, common spelling Tianxia, is a republic in East Ochran. While ostensibly a constitutional republic, since 1944 the country has been governed by a military administration with devolved government along the lines of military districts and historic commandery districts.

In practice, the regional governments are divided along cultural and geographic cliques, with significant warlordism beyond the core. Both reactionary and revolutionary elements exert significant influence across the country. The current head of the central government and the main Junting Army is Generalissimo Feng Zhixin.

Through most of modern history, the country of Tianxia formed the core of the Shenzhou Empire, a preeminent power in East Ochran. By the early 20th century, the Empire was reduced to a rump state in Tianxia. In 1940, the Empire was overthrown and the United Republic of Tianxia was founded. Its first president was subsequently removed in 1944 by a military coup after an attempt to restore the Empire. Initially, the military administration had popular support. Over subsequent decades, the authority of the military administration based in the capital of Xījīng has eroded in favour of local populist movements and militias.

The economy of Tianxia is mixed both in terms of state interventions and development. In the vast hinterlands, a peasant agrarian economy is still commonplace. Closer to the capital, there is considerable industrial development with a focus manufacturing for an export market. The military administration has also designated a number of special international economic zones to promote financial services and foreign investment.

Culturally, Tianxia is a multi-ethnic country, though the majority of the population belong to various Shen sub-ethnicities. The Xianese make up a majority with significant Dongese and Manzinese minorities. The Beian and Kitaganese make up more marginal regional minorities.

…

The historical Shenzhou Empire stretched across a large portion of East Ochran, formed from various Shen peoples and states across the region. The first dynasty of the Shenzhou Empire was formed semi-legendarily sometime in the mid-first millennium BCE and material culture recovered from that era attests the Empire was one of the first centralized states formed in human history. For the next millennium, the Empire existed in various forms with numerous dynastic changes often accompanied by periods of anarchy and warring provinces. Externally, the greatest rivals of the Shen were the Tsurushimese and the Kitaganese, who vied for commercial interests and territorial domination.

In the mid-10th century, the Shenzhou Empire came under threat from the Bayarids to the west. In the early 11th century, the Empire was ultimately conquered by the Bayarids and made a vassal state of the Khanate. The Bayarid Empire gradually collapsed over the 12th century and when the Shen reclaimed the Imperial throne, domestic historiography considered this yet another dynastic change.

By the 16th century, the Empire gained prominence as the terminus of the Jade Road, with trade flourishing following the stabilization of Uluujol to the west. This led to significant economic growth as well as technological and cultural exchange between Belisaria and Ochran.

Despite the size and power of the Shenzhou Empire in the first part of the early modern era, the country did not industrialize on a broad scale and by the 19th century the Empire saw its sphere of influence shrinking. This culminated in defeat in the First Cross Strait War at the end of the century. When the Empire failed in a revanchist war in the 1920s and 30s, the stage was set for the dissolution of the Empire and ultimately the foundation of the Republic of Tianxia.

c) Nation's type of government:
Presidential constitutional republic de jure
Military administration de facto

d) What languages are spoken in your nation?
Xiàhuà / Xianese (Mandarin Chinese)
Dōngyǔ / Dongese (Wu Chinese)
Mánziyǔ / Manzinese (Cantonese)
Běihuà / Beian (Jin Chinese)
Kitaganese (Peninsular Japonic)
Tsurushimese (Japanese)
Seonese (maybe...?) (Korean)

e) What ethnic groups are present in your nation?
Xiàrén / Xianese
Dōngrén / Dongese
Mánzi / Manzinese
Běirén / Beian

f) What are the major religions among your population?
Lùdejing, "Lùism", or "the Path"; a !Taoism philosophy/religion with elements of animism and henotheism.

g) Briefly describe your nation’s military (including size, role, branches, etc.):
The Junting Army is the largest professional fighting force with approximately 300,000 official active service personnel. A further 150,000 personnel are members of allegiant military cliques and an additional 200,000 personnel are members of rival cliques.
The Junting Army Ground Force has 200,000 personnel. It is a modern military force predominantly focused on defence of the capital region.

j) Critically discuss the strengths of your nation (esp. military & economic) and what role you see your nation fulfilling in the region.
The main purpose of Tianxia is to provide a lore anchor for East Ochran. In terms of strengths it should be relatively populous and have a degree of historical prestige that isn't necessarily realized in the modern era. Economically, it should be a primary and secondary industry hub, but with a great degree of foreign exploitation. In terms of international relations, the military administration considers itself "apolitical" and while the central government and internal factions might draw support or sympathy from different groups internationally, the central governments official policy is pragmatic, albeit a bit revanchist re: the area of the former Shenzou Empire.

h) If asked to reduce the strength of your nation, how would you do so?
Reduce the population, reduce the size of the military, make more overt infighting

IC Economics & Geography
a) Nation's IC GDP per capita:
USC 10,905.31

b) Nation's IC population:
78,474,968

c) What does your nation excel in exporting?
Consumer manufactured products, agricultural products, automobiles, textiles, common minerals

d) What does your nation need to import?
Power, electronics, REMs

e) What is your country self sufficient on?
Food

f) What is your preferred location on the regional map?
Open to discussion on this one... taking the Seonko (2/5) slot is presumptuous and I'd personally ask for a bigger footprint, just laying out different options. Connection to the east coast would be preferred.
https://i.imgur.com/OMcdD8g.png
https://i.imgur.com/p8cejqI.png

Roleplay History
Please provide examples of previous roleplays or worldbuilding. If you are unable to do so, please provide an explanation.
Tal Kem Zam

[Sunseong]

Applicant Information
a) Time on NationStates: Returning player. This is a new nation but I have played on and off for many years.
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c) Other nations: Not any that I use
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d) Were you recommended to Ajax? If so, by whom? Has any member of the region spoken to you about joining or applying? N/A

IC Nation & Lore
a) Nation's IC name: The Kingdom of Sunseong
b) Brief description of your nation:The Kingdom of Sunseong is similar to Korea today except if it were a kingdom. It also does not have the looming threat of North Korea so the military is not as big a deal. The Kingdom was an absolute monarchy until 1910ish and then tried some reforms and democratization. The nascent democracy was overthrown sometime in the 1930s. A military dictatorship ran the country with the King serving nominally as Head of State but all power was in hands of the military generals particularly the Army. In the 1970s the military junta collapsed due to internal pressure and democracy movements into what it is today. Sunseong is a trading nation that focuses on technological innovation and manufacturing. The nation is nominally a country concerned with international human rights but in practice frequently looks to other way when dealing with nations that do not have the same civil and political rights as Sunseong in order to achieve beneficial economic outcomes.
c) Nation's type of government: Constitutional Monarchy
d) What languages are spoken in your nation? Sunseongin (Korean)
e) What ethnic groups are present in your nation? Sunseongin
f) What are the major religions among your population? A local folk religion sort of based on Korean shamanism, daoism, and shinto.
g) Briefly describe your nation’s military (including size, role, branches, etc.): There are three branches; the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. The Navy is the largest and more powerful branch due to the reliance of Sunseong on trade and historical mistrust of the Army (See history above). The navy could be a green water navy with the army being mostly used for territorial defense. They army may also be used for peacekeeping abroad should a larger power support them. The air force is not particularly great nor is it bad either. It would need the support of a larger power to functionally operate outside of Sunseong airspace. Navy has ~70k personnel, Army ~50k and Air Force ~40k. (I am not picky on these numbers and can change at the needs of the region).
j) Critically discuss the strengths of your nation (esp. military & economic) and what role you see your nation fulfilling in the region. My nation would be an economically minded nation that seeks to protect its wealth via protecting trade routes. It would join whatever forum/international organizations that would be able to do that. The navy might be able to have some limited operational capacity in surrounding seas outside of the littoral zone but the army and air force are mostly confined to the territory of Sunseong unless supported by a larger power.
h) If asked to reduce the strength of your nation, how would you do so?
Reduce the size of the military. I can also reduce my economy. I am largely just basing it on South Korea but I can go lower if needed.
IC Economics & Geography
a) Nation's IC GDP per capita: ~$35k
b) Nation's IC population: ~50 million
c) What does your nation excel in exporting? Consumer household goods, electronics, shipbuilding. Aquacultural products
d) What does your nation need to import? Agricultural products, fossil fuels, rare earth minerals
e) What is your country self sufficient on? Not much
f) What is your preferred location on the regional map?
I am thinking somewhere near Yunxia. Perhaps on the south side of Yunxia but I am flexible for what makes most sense for the region. I am also not looking to be a huge nation in terms of geographical size definitely smaller than half of Yunxia. https://imgur.com/a/Eqd8hi8 If possible could I get a small island somewhere off the coast? The idea for my nation is that it is mountainous in the north and as a result most people live in the south along the coast. https://imgur.com/a/TMKh6dT I can do without the red parts if the nation is too big.

Roleplay History
Please provide examples of previous roleplays or worldbuilding. If you are unable to do so, please provide an explanation. I do not have any previous RP or world building experience on this nation as it is new. I used to RP in the Aeia region in which I RPed and world built pretty extensively. I am working on my factbook now. It is a WIP but my government page is mostly finished if you want to take a look.

[Mesogeia]

Applicant Information
a) Time on NationStates:
Many, many moons ago
c) Other nations:
- Mesogeia, Greater Anteliyea
d) Were you recommended to Ajax? If so, by whom? Has any member of the region spoken to you about joining or applying? I talked to a few people about this app.

IC Nation & Lore
a) Nation's IC name: The Pharonate of Khemetu (also latinized to Khemetia/Chemetia or Hemetia) Etymology meaning of Khemetu is three in reference to the three historic kingdoms united into one realm.
b) Brief description of your nation:
Its not brief….kinda

The khemetian civilization emerged between 3,100 and 2500 BC after migration upriver from the not!nile into the present day land where the three kingdoms of the Khemetu emerged, upper (Hedjet; the kingdom of the mountains in the eastern ranges, middle (Wadjet; kingdom of the valleys) in the central highlands, plains and well watered valleys and lower (Deshret: kingdom of the deserts) in the arid western regions of the country. By 2,500 BC the other two kingdoms had been subjugated by the kingdom of Upper Khemetu, a triumph of the highland culture over the lowlanders.

Mekhu, the first king of a United Khemetu established his capital at the lowland town of Neferwebkhet/(“bright beauty”) now called Neferoubaš in modern times. The first period of unity for the three kingdoms lasted for almost five centuries; during which time the early kings and their people perfected the cultural marks that would become a hallmark of later Khemetu civilization including the building of irrigation works, canals, as well as the large scale construction of funerary temple complexes centered around houses of eternity. Of the houses of eternity or pyramids as they later became known the most famous of which are the Red pyramid, the Falcon pyramid, the Snake pyramid, the pyramid of the Dog, and the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon, twin pyramids that acted as the focal point for the ancient necropolis of eternity where religious rites took place for centuries after the death of the king to honor them as ancestors.

The prosperity of the first union lasted for roughly 496 years until 2004 BC, when after a long period of stagnation marked by dynastic wars, coups, increased lawlessness and famine the three kingdoms collapsed into chaos as regional lords fought for power. This period of disorder lasting for a little over a century became known as the century of chaos.

The period of disunity came to an end when the lords of Hedjet in the highlands once more conquered the lowland region of Wadjet in 1899 BC reestablishing the unity of the three kingdoms in theory even if the third kingdom Deshret would remain largely independent from the other two for the duration of the second unity period.

The second union was characterized by an intentional revitalization of Khemetu civilization on the part of the national government with a reorganization of the kingdoms bureaucracy (accomplished in part by the subjugation of the local lords), a refocus on large scale building projects, irrigation works, and the building of monumental military fortresses along the country’s borders to keep a careful watch on would be foreign invaders.

The kings of the second union patronized scribes, artisans and craftsmen on a large scale which allowed for the early development of a small proto-middle class of learned men who allowed for the flourishing of art and the establishment of the first narrative writing paving the way for modern Khemetian literature.

While the kingdom of the second union was never able to fully subjugate the kingdom of Desheret during its existence the kings and lords of Desheret regularly paid tribute to the court of Niwaset the capital of the second union kingdom.

The second union collapsed after increased instability in 1594 BC with the second period of disunity of ancient Khemetu being known as the second century of Chaos; which like its predecessor period of instability was characterized by political turmoil internally in the three kingdoms as well as foreign occupation of the northern regions of the country as well as much of the kingdom of Wadjet.

After close to a century, the three kingdoms were once more united under the banner of a native dynasty in 1499 BC, this time it was a joint reconquest of the foreign occupied Middle Kingdom by the kingdoms of Hedjet and Desheret.

The reunification of the three kingdoms of Khemetu under the third union ushered in five centuries during which time the kings of the third union presided over a period of unprecedented wealth, cultural revival, and political supremacy over its neighbors.

The third union kings extended the borders of the Khemetian empire far beyond the traditional borders of the three kingdoms extending Khemetian influence north, south, and west via large scale military campaigns that brought them into conflict with their northern, western and southern neighbors who before then most Khemetians had viewed with a degree of suspicion bordering on xenophobia.

The ancient empire reached its zenith following the conquest of the rich spice islands of Punet and a series of military campaigns against both Kahsahr in the north and various polities to the south and west.

The Kingdom of the third union officially collapsed in 998 BC, despite this date however the kingdom had been under a series period of decline for over a century before its eventual fall that saw not only portions of the kingdom of Desheret reassert their autonomy but also saw the Isles of Punet declare independence under a line of queen-priestesses known as Kandake.

With the decline of central authority after the collapse of the third union various states emerged amidst the political instability of which there were the kingdom of Amenetet in the western plains, the kingdom of Emqabet in the north and around the country’s interior, the kingdom of Iabetet & Nebu (so named for its immense gold fields) in the south east and along the coast directly facing the Punet Isles which formed the final kingdom, a matrilineal state.

During the period of the four kingdoms, the separate states existed only at the whim and good grace of more powerful neighbors whom they regularly paid tribute.

Of particular note is the later Belthonid kings of Punet who after 930 BC strategically claimed a joint heritage of descent from the old kings of the three United kingdoms via the Kandake as well as according to legend from the union of one Queen Kandake and king Solomon of Yisrael. The later kings of Punet commonly known as the House of Belthon or the Belthonid dynasty assumed as their primary title that of Mai Heza (“Fierce lion”) and began consolidating their hold over the Punet isles as much of the mainland was invaded and desecrated by foreign invaders that included Vardani, Kembesans, Deshrians, Azagartians, Helianics, Latins etc.

Centered on their capital at Ofire/Ophir the Belthonids were initially a minor house (albeit being fabulously wealthy due to their control of the spice trade) until their union with the mainland kingdom of Nebu via a dynastic marriage to the last king of Nebu’s only child around the 5th century BC.

The period of history corresponding to 450 BC to 791 AD is known as the Old Belthonid empire or the Kingdom of Per-Nebu (“House of gold”) so named for the material wealth of the state. While the state of Per-Nebu actual authority flactuated greatly it mainly extended from the Punet Isles to the western regions of the old kingdom of later Nebu in the south west mainland to the interior of the former kingdom of Emqabet in the north, and to Bemiritra. Meanwhile much of the west and north west of the country, forming what was once the kingdom Amenetet had been overrun by western nomadic tribes and foreign invaders.

The Old Belthonid empire is remembered for being a great trading empire as well as for its adoption of coinage inspired by the Latin Empire, the christianization of the elite and the suppression of the old cults within the kingdom.

The end of the old Belthonid empire came in 791 AD after the mainland capital was sacked by either Gharbaic Bedouin tribes or Kembesans or by rival royal dynasts.

The period between 791 AD and 926 AD was a period of instability where the country was ravaged by foreign invaders.

The Belthonid dynasty was restored in 926 AD as the second Belthonid state or empire after which the dynasty has continued to rule over the Khemetian state with minor interruptions for well over a thousand years.

The medieval period of the Belthonid dynasty experienced a period of growth and prosperity that lasted until the 13th century, after which the Belthonids experienced a great reversal of fortune as neighboring states such as the Perateian empire, the Tahamajan Empire, and the Kingdom of Kembesa encroached upon the weakened Belthonid state; a crisis exacerbated by the premature deaths of successive monarchs, leaving the state in the hands of child monarchs and women who often could not exercise their power openly.

Around that time a great blow to the Khemetian psyche came when the ancestral home of the Belthonids the Punet Isles fell to foreign invasion by the expanding Tahamajan empire.

By the mid 14th century the Belthonid state was once more in political crisis; caused in part by widespread famine and economic disparity due to the Siriwang Eruption of 1353 AD, a dire state that was only made worse when the armies of Ihemod were seen on the western border of the kingdom in 1360.

For a period of thirty years Ihemod and his hordes devastated the western regions and lowland valleys of the country, while many fled or sought sanctuary in the eastern highlands, until Ihemod’s sudden death in 1390 brought the kingdom out of an unimaginable hell.

The Belthonid kings attempted to return to some level of normalcy, reconquering the Punet Isles, establishing a new capital at Kahirē in the central highlands. Even after the establishment of Kahirē as the new capital the Belthonids regularly rotated their courts between various large cities in different regions of the kingdom from time to time. The establishment of the royal court at Kahirē is characterized by an artistic renaissance of sorts not seen since the golden age of the ancient kingdom and the height of the old Belthonid kingdom. The period between 1390 and the 1500s is marked by a consolidation of the central royal government who found themselves faced with religious strife, dynastic struggles and even foreign conflicts.

The weakening of the empires’s frontier defenses caused by the invasion of Ihemod led to increased migration into the border regions of Khemetu by the nomadic Gharbaic tribes. Within two centuries of the Gharbaic migration into the khemetian highlands the Gharb tongue became so wildly spoken at court that it became like a second language for the king and the nobility.

Fearing the rising influences of the Mutulese in the region during the 1600s the Belthonids were persuaded to join with opposing forces in the Ozeros Wars; for this grave error it cost them greatly for in the war’s conclusion Khemetu was forced to cede the Punetian archipelago to the victorious Mutulese as well as grant them favorable trading rights; a fact that not only incensed native Khemetians but also devastated the king who was later deposed and assassinated by a powerful war lord who declared himself regent for the new king in 1680 AD; this murder of a divinely ordained monarch ushered in a period of disorder where the Belthonid king based at Kahirē, was little more then a figurehead as actual power rested in the hands of hereditary regional warlords positioned in the north and south whose power rested on their ability to acquire weapons and arms more easily then the lords of the interior.

In 1791 AD one young king reasserted his independence and rights as a divinely ordained monarch and disbanded the warlord regency once and for all and set about the daunting task of not only consolidating the state bureaucracy, modernizing an ancient monarchy, but also restoring the kingdom to its former glories. By the arrival of the 19th century, this modernizing young king had won a successful military victory against the much weakened Mutulese state, forcing them to handover the Punet Isles once and for fall.

The kingdom’s rapid modernization in the 19th century was sparked by an earnest desire on the part of the Khemetian nobility and the middling classes to become masters of their own destiny rather then to wait for another foreign power to come to dominate them.

The government has been described as an authoritarian theocracy in essence due to the monarch’s combined political, legislative, judicial and religious authority; so while in theory the political system of the state is most comparable to an absolute monarchy the country’s monarch governs in a manner that allows for consultation between the monarch, members of the extended Belthonid dynasty, traditional nobility, tribal clan chiefs, and wealthy merchant/business families

The current monarch is His Pharaonic Majesty Ramessu XIX, who is supreme head of the state with overreaching executive, judicial, legislative and religious authority. The Tjaty or Vizier, Prince Badabra functions as the chief Minister and head of the Pharaonic government presiding over the Council of Pharaonic Sealers, the Khemetian equivalent of a cabinet. The Tjaty is responsible to the Pharaoh and not the legislature.

The king is assisted in his duties by the Tjaty or the Vizier, Prince Badabra al’Belthon who functions as chief minister, head of government responsible not to the legislature but to the king.

The legislature known as the Djadjataa or Great Assembly or Consultative Council, consisting of two chambers the upper house of the Per Shepsu made of appointed members of the aristocracy and the lower Per Nedjes made of elected deputies from the provinces. While the Djadjataaa is responsible for advising the king, proposing laws and at times confirming the succession; and despite the appearance of being a fully functioning legislative body it has been labeled nothing more than a a rubber stamp by critics who point to the fact that the body is largely consultive in nature and that most matters of the state are decided beforehand by the extended members of the royal family and their elite inner circles often through bribes and unsavory means.

The Pharonate is divided into four regions, upper, middle and lower Khemetu, and the territory of Punet, with the regions further divided into 84 Sepats (or provinces), which are further divided into warets (districts) made up of cities, towns (nut/baki), villages, and hamlets (Demi/Timi).

The major pillars of the the kingdom of Khemetu’s economy are agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, and the natural resource sectors.

The country’s major exports include agricultural products (grain, cotton, sugarcane, lemons, oranges, shea, tobacco), oil, glass, textiles (linen, silk, cotton), and spices and aromatics (salt, myrrh, frankincense,cinnamon).

The manufacturing industry within Khemetu is centered around the textiles, paper and pulp, chemical, food processing, and the construction related fields

The tourism sector makes up an important component of the Khemetian economy with a large focus on the country’s extensive historical heritage (including ancient cities, royal palaces, castles, museums, the ancient pyramids and mausoleums of the old kings), the development of luxurious resorts and adjacent hospitality related industries.

The natural resource sector is based around the extraction of oil, iron ores, gold, as well as both precious stones, (including turquoise, sapphires, amethyst, jasper, malachite) and building stone (including granite, limestone, sandstone, and alabaster)

A section of the economy falls under royal monopoly at present including the majority of the petroleum production, and mining of gold and precious stones; as well as a good portion of the quarrying, paper manufacturing and logging done within the borders of the Pharonate.

While in times past royal control other economic products including textiles, dying, brewing, salt/natron, spices, and perfumes and even a section of the banking industry; despite the shift towards a more market economy in some respects the government and the king still controls a substantial portion of the economy either outright or through various middle men.

The currency is the Khemetian Deben

The unique culture of Khemetu reflects a blending of the cultural practices of highlander, lowlander, agriculturalist, nomadic pastoralist and so on. The country’s four historic capitals: Neferoubaš, Niwaset, Kahirē, and Rakotā. For centuries Neferoubaš and Niwaset alternated as capitals and rival centers of of culture and spirituality (both having large religious and educational institutions))until the founding of Kahirē a which point the city grew into a metropolis located on a well watered valley. The splendor of Kahirē was only overtaken in the 19th century by the move of the Pharaonic court to Rakotā after the power of the Pharaoh was once more restored.

Traditional Khemetian society is unique for its martial aspects, respect for ancestors/elders, a high value on women, and strong familial ties

c) Nation's type of government: unitary absolute monarchy
d) What languages are spoken in your nation?
-Khemetian/Khemetuan (Egyptian Coptic)
-Gharbaic (Arabic);
-Nehesian (Nobiin/Merotic);
-Kashtan (Nuba?)
-Medjan (Beja);
-Punetian (Yemeni)
-Kembesan (Amharic); spoken by Kembesan minorities in the south west
-Mutelese (holdover from Mutul occupation of archipelago)

e) What ethnic groups are present in your nation?
-Khemetian (major)
-Nehesian
-Gharib
-Medja
-Kashtan
-Kembesan
-Deshrian
-Vardani
-Punetian (on isles)
-Mutuli??



f) What are the major religions among your population?

The State Church of Khemetu is in communion with the Tyreseian Coptic Church, although animism and the belief in ancestor veneration persist throughout the country. The Patriarch of the Nazarist Church of Khemetu Patriarch Shenouda XIV resides in Rakotā, but the Holy See is based out of Neferoubaš, but the church establishment followed the sovereign’s court as the capital shifted from city to city over the next millennia.


g) Briefly describe your nation’s military (including size, role, branches, etc.):
The Pharaonic Armed forces of Khemetu is composed four main branches, the army, navy, air-force, and Pharaonic Guard or Medjay. The total number of active personnel is 268,000, with 210,000 being in the army, 33,000 in the navy, 15,000 in the Airforce, and finally 10,000 in the Pharaonic Guard. In addition some 320,000 remain in reserve status.

One to three years of military conscription is mandatory for all males, and females as well if their parents have no male child or if they have only one brother.

j) Critically discuss the strengths of your nation (esp. military & economic) and what role you see your nation fulfilling in the region.

The country’s strength lies in its resilience and ability to bounce back time and time again in the face of devastating odds; nothing more highlights this nationalist trait then the longevity of both the state church and the the ruling dynasty the Belthonids who have ruled originally a small fief, to a large kingdom, several kingdoms to empire) for thousands of years with as much political strife and dynastic discord to be expected from such a long lasting dynasty. Alongside resilience, the Khemetians are a fiercely proud people, family oriented with a strong propensity for martial affairs being surrounded on all sides by enemies.

-Strong economy, longevity, defensive military


Despite the perceived unity of the state that the dynasty and the national religion appear to uphold, festering just below the surface is strong opposition (some stressing minority) against the government’s authoritarian nature with some calling for liberalism and a reformation of the monarchy under a constitutional framework, others calling to a a return to the old days when the Belthonids were nothing more then figureheads while regional warlord ruled their regions as they saw fit; while others want the full abolishment of the monarchy.

The young Ramessu XIX has newly come to the throne, but his place there os shaky after having succeeded his ruthless grandfather on the Falcon Throne. With a boy barely out of his teenage years on the throne of a million years both the members of the Pharaonic court (a court mired with corruption, scandal, and intrigue) and the world look on waiting to see what kind of monarch the the young man will be. The members of his own family not thinking much of him until both his grandfather and father (the latter of which was mysterious) died suddenly paving the way for his sudden accession, while the traditional nobility (the hereditary rulers of the various provinces) and the various tribal chiefs seek to influence the new Pharaoh to bend to their whim and reassert the traditional dominance of the government by the old families over the new men that the old Pharaoh favored so much; while on the other spectrum the wealthy merchant families and mid ranking bureaucratic elite of the cities seek to use the Pharaoh to strengthen their hold on the government at the expense of the old families and tribal chiefs.

-As it currently members of the Pharaoh’s extended family and elite circles of friends are not above bribery, corruption, scandal and the occasional murder on the side; although the country’s media is strictly regulated to shield the Pharaonic family from any bad publicity.


h) If asked to reduce the strength of your nation, how would you do so? Cut population, cut GDP, political strife on overdrive. Play up the regional differences, ethnic division, place the reigns of power in the hands of an inexperienced boy (doing that already lol)

Khemetu has experienced both rises and falls, periods of isolation and expansion over its long history; having emerged from its strategic isolation in the 19th century the country rapidly industrialized and now the nation has sought to assert (using its military and navy to keep at bay threatening ideals it believes to be coming from primarily Charnea) itself more in the Ozeros and within the larger region of Scipia (using its economic resources as a bargaining chip as it courts foreign investment and cooperation). It is hostile to both Vardana and Charnea while seeking closer ties with former rivals sometime allies Alanahr and Kembesa.



IC Economics & Geography
a) Nation's IC GDP per capita: $30,260
b) Nation's IC population: 33,733,936
c) What does your nation excel in exporting? crude petroleum, oil, gas, gold, refined petroleum, glass, chemicals agricultural products (cotton, sugarcane, citrus fruits, spices), textiles (silk, linen, wool), beauty products, spices and aromatics,
d) What does your nation need to import? refined petroleum, wood, lumber, pulp, vehicles and automotive parts, machinery, aircraft and spacecraft, pharmaceuticals,
e) What is your country self sufficient on? agricultural products, textiles,
f) What is your preferred location on the regional map?

https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1072981738323718225/1235628312760418304/IMG_1403.png?ex=6635100a&is=6633be8a&hm=c17cc2cbc4a101a2de60316ca4def6a3ba2d47a04f666ba84d26927d7c06ad38&

Roleplay History
Please provide examples of previous roleplays or worldbuilding. If you are unable to do so, please provide an explanation.

Meso

[Talahara]

IC Nation & Lore
a) Nation's IC name:
Empire of Kembesa
Ye'kembesiya Negusa Negest Mengest (Meharic)
Haṣeyawi Gezeʼat Kembesa (Degamic)
Mootummaa Mootummootaa Kembesaa (Qullic)
Boqortooyada Weyn ee Kembeska (Janubic)

b) Brief description of your nation:
The Empire of Kembesa is a mid-sized nation in East Scipia. Kembesa is ostensibly a confederation of four nations ruled by the Yematid dynasty including the core Kingdom of Meharia, the Kingdom of Degama, the Duchy of Qullo, and the Principality of Janubia.
The term “Kembesa” has historically been associated with an eponymous peninsula, also called the Horn of Kembesa, which is the easternmost point of Scipia and divides the ______ Sea to the north and the Ozeros to the south. The name roughly translates to “Land of the Lions” in the ancient She’dje language of the region.

The earliest material evidence of human habitation in Kembesa dates to approximately 2700 BCE. The first central state of the region was the Kingdom of Ke'sem, founded in the mid-10th century BCE. Through much of antiquity, however, the region was unstable, with a number of competing tribal confederations vying for control over the region. By the mid first millennium BCE, the rival kingdoms of Melewa and Yebwi exercised significant control over the region.

Kembesa is perhaps best known as the birthplace of Mesfin, the warrior-king and founder of the Azdarin faith. Born sometime in the mid-10th century CE, Mesfin was the adopted son of a regional Mehari chief who was guided by the seeress Amsalech an appointed as the chosen of Gedayo. Mesfin became the leader of an army of freed slaves and conquered the kingdoms of Kembesa to found a new theocratic state. Mesfin died in 985 CE and his empire dissolved. However, Gharib followers of Mesfin to the north of Kembesa carried on in his name and founded the Almurid Caliphate in 993 CE. The Caliphate expanded across Scipia and continued to occupy Kembesa until the Ihemodian conquests of the 14th century. Ihemod ultimately died on campaign in Kembesa, but the Caliphate was never reunifed and the region of Kembesa was divided between a number of kingdoms again, though the Azdarin faith remained strong in the region.

The Yematid dynasty came to power in the Kingdom of Meharia in 1858, beginning a war of expansion that resulted in the conquests of Degama in 1864 and Qullo in 1879. The Principality of Janubia was conquered by Meharia during the chaos of the Hanaki War in 1930, following which King Woldemariam XII Yemata proclaimed the Empire of Kembesa. Clamour for reform lead swiftly to liberalization and national reorganization with the introduction of a constitution in 1936. Each constituent nation maintaining a degree of local autonomy under the constitution, though the imperial government maintains supreme authority over national and regional governments.

The modern constitution of Kembesa is a byzantine document and the source of a number of problems facing the modern country. Both despite and as a result of a morass of bureaucratic institutions and multicameral legislatures, the monarch retains significant power through control of the judiciary. As a result, the federation has been plagued with significant internal strife from the latter half of the 20th century to the present.

Economically, most of Kembesa has successfully industrialized despite continued wealth inequality. One of the greatest issues is power as the early-20th century power grid is both aging and inadequate to sustain the demand of the population which has increased rapidly over the past hundred years.

Geographically, Kembesa has a varied topography with hills in the north, river basins in the east, and a substantial desert in the southwest.

c) Nation's type of government:
Federal constitutional monarchy

d) What languages are spoken in your nation?
Meharic (!Amharic)
Degamic (!Tigrinya)
Qullic (!Oromo)
Janubic (!Somali)
Gharbaic (!Arabic)

e) What ethnic groups are present in your nation?
Meharis
Degamans
Qullos
Janubis
Gharibs
Vardanans
Bemiritrans
Copts

f) What are the major religions among your population?
Azdarin (~91%)
Regional animist faiths (~4%)
Perateian Christianity (~2%)
Coptic Nazarism (~2%)
N'nhivara (~1%)

g) Briefly describe your nation’s military (including size, role, branches, etc.):
The Royal Kembesan Army and the Royal Kembesan Navy are the two branches of the Kembesan military. Each branch has an independent air wing – a consequence of reorganizational failures in the 1950s. The Army receives the bulk of funding and counts approximately 200,000 active service personnel and 120,000 reservists. The Navy has 30,000 active service personnel and the same number of reservists and civilian workers. Conscription is mandatory for non-exempt 18-year-olds for a period of 9-18 months.

j) Critically discuss the strengths of your nation (esp. military & economic) and what role you see your nation fulfilling in the region.
I’d suggest that Kembesa is militarily strong but internally weak as a nation, maybe stronger than old Kembesan may have been regarded. While not necessarily as isolated as its last iteration, it would maintain a similar degree of obstinate xenophobia toward the Ozeros, but would endeavour toward rapprochement with the Gharibs and the Azdarin world.

h) If asked to reduce the strength of your nation, how would you do so?
Economy, population, whatever needs trimming.

IC Economics & Geography
a) Nation's IC GDP per capita:
$18,672

b) Nation's IC population:
35,084,331

c) What does your nation excel in exporting?
Tea, rice, cereals, precious stones, copper, platinoid metals, limited natural gas

d) What does your nation need to import?
Construction materials, most REMs, consumer electronics

e) What is your country self sufficient on?
Food, consumer manufactured goods, power for the most part

f) What is your preferred location on the regional map?

[Legatia]

Applicant Information
a) Time on NationStates: N/A
-
c) Other nations: Casambre, current concept.
-
d) Were you recommended to Ajax? If so, by whom? Has any member of the region spoken to you about joining or applying? N/A

IC Nation & Lore
a) Nation's IC name: (The) Federal Republic of Meridon
b) Brief description of your nation: The orienting concept for Meridon is a mix of contemporary Australia, certain southwestern European groups, and Polynesian native influences (with a touch of mesoamerican for flavor). It occupies a similar geopolitical and sociopolitical niche to Australia. Meridon is my primary concept that has a lot of development, drive, and love behind it and I am excited to bring it to Ajax.

Meridon would be originally inhabited by Tangaran tribes thousands of years ago, with the first colonization of the island by Garzans in the 1550s in the vein of trading posts and resupply stations. This continues until the Mutul come to Malaio in the 1600s and culminates in a period of limited contact from mainland Belisaria to Meridon until the mid 1700s. with the Arthuristans arriving NLT early 1800s to establish formalized rule in the area. Arthuristan colonization is likely to see more widespread displacement of the Tangaran native populations, including a number of colonial wars where colonization is spread out to the remainder of the archipelago. Meridon is likely to gain its independence in the very late 1800s or mid to early 1900s.

c) Nation's type of government: Federal parliamentary republic with an executive presidency. Unicameral legislature (Federal Council) with a popularly elected President who can be removed by a vote of no confidence of 2/3rds majority or higher. STV voting. Depending on how WBing plays out, this may change.
d) What languages are spoken in your nation? Predominantly Arthuristan, Garzan, with Tangaran/Polynesian languages in the mix.
e) What ethnic groups are present in your nation? Primarily Arthuristan, various Belisarian minorities (Garzan/Latin), some Garzan/Mutul/Zacapine-native mestizos, and a native Tangaran (Polynesian) group. Smattering of Asian peoples including Tsurushimans.
f) What are the major religions among your population? Predominantly Christian. Some Tangarans and tangaran tribal groups adhere to Tangaran folk religions.
g) Briefly describe your nation’s military (including size, role, branches, etc.): Meridon’s military is the Meridon Defense Forces, which consist of three branches- the Navy, Army, and Air Forces. By far the most well-funded is the navy, who operate 3 LHD/aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates, and submarines and auxiliary vessels with robust aviation capability. The Air Force is equipped with various transport, fighter, and helicopters. The Army is relatively small and focused on primarily motorized light infantry formations, but is well-equipped and well trained. The military is entirely professional.
j) Critically discuss the strengths of your nation (esp. military & economic) and what role you see your nation fulfilling in the region. Meridon is a relatively well-off nation that will serve not as a great power but as a significant regional influence. I am not yet well briefed on the political situation in that neck of the woods but I could see some interesting interactions going on with other nations, especially Tsurushima.
h) If asked to reduce the strength of your nation, how would you do so? I would make it more dependent on certain foreign imports or modify stats as necessary.

IC Economics & Geography
a) Nation's IC GDP per capita: 30-50k
b) Nation's IC population: ~35-39 million
c) What does your nation excel in exporting? Certain luxury goods such as coffee, tea, cocoa, bananas; gold and uranium, heavy machinery including airplanes and ships
d) What does your nation need to import? Much of its foodstuffs, petroleum to some degree, pharmaceuticals and RMEs, manufactured goods
e) What is your country self sufficient on? Timber and construction materials, bauxite to some degree, input on economics appreciated since it is a weak spot.
f) What is your preferred location on the regional map? Being worked on with Latin in the Oceania region.

Roleplay History
Please provide examples of previous roleplays or worldbuilding. If you are unable to do so, please provide an explanation. N/A

[Cheonghae]

Applicant Information
a) Time on NationStates: Almost 3 years.
-
c) Other nations:

The Great Kingdom of Joseon
Svetvostok
-
d) Were you recommended to Ajax? If so, by whom? Has any member of the region spoken to you about joining or applying? N/A

IC Nation & Lore
a) Nation's IC name: Republic of Cheonghae
b) Brief description of your nation:

Hannese, the main race of Cheonghae, is known to have originated from a nomadic tribe that lived east of the ancient Untsangasar. For much of ancient times, Hannese was divided into several kingdoms, but by the Middle Ages, the Kingdom of Hwacheon had united other Hannese nations to form a unified nation.

Historically, Cheonghae has frequently been at odds with neighboring countries Tsurushima and Yunxia. Cheonghae has maintained relationships with neighboring countries, sometimes against them and sometimes compromising with them. However, Cheonghae has not gained a particular advantage in these relationships.
(This part is just my idea and I need to discuss it with Tsurushima and Yunxia.)

In modern times, the Kingdom of Hwacheon experienced significant internal conflicts. Power struggles among nobles due to the sudden absence of the royal family ended with a massive revolution of citizens and soldiers. Citizens introduced republican rule into the country, and thus Choenghae was founded.

Cheonghae is a country with an economy that relies on trade through various high-tech products, petrochemical products, and heavy industrial exports. Because the majority of its territory consists of industrial zones or cities, and the breadth of its waters is greatly limited by Tsurushima and Yunxia, Cheonghae relies on imports of food, including marine products. Also, unrefined crude oil is Cheonghae's main import.

c) Nation's type of government: A presidential republic with mutual checks between legislative, executive, and judicial branches
d) What languages are spoken in your nation? Korean
e) What ethnic groups are present in your nation? Although the majority of Cheonghae's population is comprised of Hannese, ethnic groups from various countries also make up ethnic minorities.
f) What are the major religions among your population? It's a mixture of Christianity, Catholicism, Buddhism, and native faith.
g) Briefly describe your nation’s military (including size, role, branches, etc.): Cheonghae's military is the Cheonghae National Military Force, which is divided into the army, navy, and air force. The majority of troops and budgets are concentrated in the Army. The Navy and Air Force are relatively small compared to the size of the country's economy and defense budget. Cheonghae is implementing a conscription system for male and female adults, and non-commissioned officers and officers comprise professional soldiers.
j) Critically discuss the strengths of your nation (esp. military & economic) and what role you see your nation fulfilling in the region. Although Cheonghae is a powerhouse internationally, Cheonghae's geopolitical interests and national interests are focused on the Ochran continent. Cheonghae prioritizes strategies to realize national interests through negotiations and influence over strategies to project hard power to other countries.
h) If asked to reduce the strength of your nation, how would you do so? I will edit the statistics of the country.

IC Economics & Geography
a) Nation's IC GDP per capita: $ 48,500
b) Nation's IC population: 85,203,000
c) What does your nation excel in exporting? Automobiles, electronics, microchips, petrochemicals
d) What does your nation need to import? Food, rare earths, unrefined oil
e) What is your country self sufficient on? Only electricity.
f) What is your preferred location on the regional map? The area between Tsurushima and Yunxia, adjacent to the coastline

Map

Roleplay History
Please provide examples of previous roleplays or worldbuilding. If you are unable to do so, please provide an explanation.

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https://iiwiki.us/wiki/The_Great_Kingdom_of_Joseon
https://iiwiki.us/wiki/Svetvostok