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  1. | General Overview | History | Geography | Government | Economy | Demographics | Culture | General Overview COMMONWEALTH OF VARIA Sodruzhestvo Variya (Oltvan) Motto : Dlya Luchshego Zavtra (For a Better Tomorrow) Anthem : Prekrasnoe Daleko (Wonderful Future) The Polar Banner Map of Varia Capital City Oltva Largest City Verengard Official Language Oltvan Acknowledged Languages Severo-Polosnian, Livanian Nationality (32%) Oltvans (27%) Polosnians (19%) New Varians (15%) Severnians (12%) Livanians (5%) Indigenous People Religion (73%) Borealists (19%) Atheism (8%) Others Demonym(s) Varian(s) Government Federal Semi-Presidential Republic (under One-Party rule) President Wojciech Kaminski Prime Minister Alfred Kalējs Assembly Speaker Orhan Akhmetov Legislature Upper House States Assembly Lower House Commonwealth Assembly Area 504,410 km2 (194,754 sq mi) Population 13,476,965 Density 26.7/km2 (69.2/sq mi) GDP PPP $433,70 billion (154,397.2 trillion VL) GDP Per capita $32,181 (11.46 million VL) Currency Varian Livre (VL) Time Zone IAT+0 Date Format dd/mm/yyyy Driving Side Left Calling Code +177 Internet TLD .vr Varia (vɑ:’ɾiɑ, va-RI-ya), officially the Commonwealth of Varia (Oltvan: Sodruzhestvo Variya) is a federation of eight nations, located in the northern hemisphere of Esferos, in the northern coast of the Doll-Guldur Continent. Varia borders the nation of Novasemita to the west, Novia Xeneia to the south, and the Thulian Ocean to the north. Varia covers a total area of 504,410 km2 (194,754 sq mi), and has a population of 13.5 million. Oltva is the capital city where the Commonwealth Government is based, while Verengard is the largest city by population and the financial centre of the nation. Varia is a multicultural nation, with no single ethnicity gaining a majority over the total amount of population. Despite this, Oltvan is considered to be its official language and serves as the lingua franca, being spoken by 32 percent of the population as their mother tongue. Varia’s climate is predominantly cold, with only a small area of warmer continental climate in the southern regions. Prehistoric human activity on Varian soil dates to around 10,000 BF, and the region has been continuously populated ever since. The territory of Varia has been multicultural, hosting different migratory people from time to time. The first of modern-day Varian ethnicities that inhabited the region is the Livans people, who settled on the very southern edge of the region in around 4,000 BF. The Severnians and Polosnians eventually invaded the region and pushed the Livans northward toward the Dalekie Mountains in around 2,100 BF and settled in the south. The Oltvan Great Voyage of the 3rd century saw several waves of Oltvan invaders defeating the former inhabitants and claiming much of modern-day Varian territory, bringing with them the Borealist faith. The Aurora Wars dominated the 4th century history of Varia, and The Kingdom of Oltva eventually emerged by the 5th century after King Vyacheslav united all factions of the Oltvan invaders. Between the 5th to the 9th century, Oltva expanded slowly over the other petty kingdoms of the Polosnians and the Severnians. However, a succession crisis and a state of anarchy ended the Golden Age of Oltva in 821 AF when the city of Oltva was sacked. The Eight Nations period lasted until the 12th century, filled with continuous wars while the region entered the age of enlightenment. Eventually, the Polosnian Queen Wyszesława completed a series of Polosnian expansions and united the eight Kingdoms under the Union of Varia in 1192. Varia remained a largely agrarian nation until the Varian Student’s Coup of 1291 forced the monarchy to agree on the Eight Nations Treaty of 1291, giving the minorities of Varia more rights, ending serfdom and bringing industrialisation to Varia. The new regime was soon dominated by wealthy aristocrats and industrialists, and the massive wealth gap triggered the 1321 General Strike and the end of the Monarchy. The newly proclaimed Commonwealth of Varia was unstable, however, and political disagreements led to the First Varian Civil War in 1324-1332 which ended with the dictatorship of Sviatopolk Ziminsky (1332-1351) and Yevgeniya Tavon (1351-1376). A state of anarchy enveloped Varia between 1376 until 1404 with the victory of the Varian Restoration Authority under Wojciech Kaminski. In 1408, constitutional reforms were implemented, but the Restoration Authority remained dominant over Varia to this day. Varia is a semi-presidential republic with its bicameral legislature comprising the Commonwealth Assembly and the States Assembly. Varia is considered a middling power and has a developing market with an upper-middle income economy. Varia has the fifth largest economy by total GDP and GDP per capita in Doll-Guldur, and its citizens enjoy average standard of living, and safety. Varia has a mixed-approach economic system, with both the government and private corporation contributing significantly to the economy as a whole. The state of Varia provides free education up to secondary education and universal health care coverage, though these services still lacking in terms of quantity and quality. Varia boasted hundreds of protected national parks and endangered habitats, and thousands of historic landmarks, supporting its developing tourism industry. Etymology The name Varia is an old Oltvan word that literally means "Various". The name was a shortening of the Union of Varian Crowns (Oltvan: Soyuz Varianskikh Koron), the name of the polity established by Queen Wyszesława in 1192. The name remained as the official name of the Commonwealth of Varia following the General Strike of 1321, in order to represent the various ethnicities and the multiculturalist values of the Commonwealth. There were attempts at renaming the Commonwealth, predominantly due to the name being very much descriptive in Oltvan. One such attempt was done by President Sviatopolk Ziminsky in 1333, into the Commonwealth of Polosnia, reminiscent of his own homeland. This attempt triggered a widespread protests across the country, which stopped the movement from ever going forward. Another attempt to rename it was in 1407, when several members of the Commonwealth Assembly argued to adopt the name of Commonwealth of the North (Oltvan : Severnoye Sodruzhestvo) or even the Polar Commonwealth (Oltvan : Polyarnoye Sodruzhestvo) but both did not receive widepsread support, the former due to its ambiguity, and the latter due to the fact that Varia was not located in the Continent of Polaris. Geographical Conditions Varia is located in the northern coasts of the continent Doll-Guldur. Geographically, it is located between 1°30'30" East - 8°10'10"East and 50°40'10"North - 59°10'10" North and is very near with the Meridian of Marcarius. Varia is bordered by two other states; the nation of Novasamita to the west and southwest and the nation of Novia Xeneia to the south. To the north, Varia is bounded by the Thulian Ocean, specifically the Proxima Thulia Sea. Varian territory is relatively flat but rugged, similar to the make-up of the majority of Doll-Guldur's landscape. The region is marked by lowlands on its extreme north and south, separated by highlands and the Dalekie Mountains in the middle. The highest point in Varia is Mount Północna, literally means "Mount North" due to the view of the Northern Stars from it's peak. Varia is located near the divergent boundaries of Doll-Guldur's two tectonic plates to the south of Varia. The divergent motion of the tectonic plates caused the formation of rift valleys in the south and a tectonically active region that oftentimes creates earthquakes. Due to the extremity of its northward location, Varia experienced high temperature variation between seasons. Temperature can fall to below -30° C in the northernmost point during winter, while in the south, in can reach 28 to 30° C in summer. The variation of temperature is caused due to climatic difference between the north and the south of Varia. South of the Dalekie Mountains, rain shadow effect caused the region to receive higher rainfall and is generally warmer, while north of the Mountains, the region is more colder and arid. Due to this, huge amount of Varia's territory is covered with Taiga Forests, with only a small and much more humid continental climate to the very southern point of the nation. Due to this phenomenon, the vast majority (78%) of Varia's population reside to the south of the Dalekie Mountains, while the north is mostly desolate with minor settlements near bodies of water and navigable rivers. Socio-Political Conditions Varia is a multiethnic state, composed of the Eight Nations of the Commonwealth, and multitudes of smaller indigenous people. These Eight Nations are, in order of population, Oltvina, Polosna, Sodnia, Severnia, Belina, Ineria, Livania, and Yashelia. Each of these nations has their own language, and unique traditions and values. Throughout Varia's history, these nations has been at war with each other, united and reunited multiple times, ultimately leading to the formation of the Union of Varian Crowns in 1192. Ever since, the Eight Nations has been living under a single state, and cultural mix was unavoidable. From new foods, to clothing, and even new dialects were established by inter-cultural mixing that happened under the Union, and later the Commonwealth. Varia today is a federalised semi-presidential republic, and put heavy importance on the sovereign authority of its member states. None of Varia's member states are elevated above the other, with the exception of the imposition of the Oltvan Language for the sake of convenience. Cultural and traditional values were protected from harm, and each states will negotiate as if they are different nations in settling disputes. With years of intermingling and government emphasis on multiculturalism, a new cosmopolitan group emerged from Varia's diversity, the so-called New Varians, who does not indetify from any of the Eight Nations, instead wholeheartedly embrace the plurality of Varia as a multiethnic state. These people dominates the urban landscape of Varia, and has only grown in number with passing time. The more conservative member of society viewed the New Varians with mild suspicion, fearing a dilution of their cultural heritage. Nevertheless, the Varian Restoration Authority under President Wojciech Kaminski remained committed to the unity and cohesion of the Commonwealth.
    9 points
  2. Térassic Estates Free Land Of Térassic Estates Tierras Libres dux Territorius del Térassico Flag Motto: Cada, un. "Every, one." Anthem: Tierra Del Sol Nasciente "Land Of The Rising Sun" Duration: 1 minute and 28 seconds.1:28 National Seal Sielo Nacional dux Territorius del Térassico National Seal of Térassic Estates Capital and largest city Del Sol Official language and national language Térassin and Common Ethnic groups 59% Térassian (mixed population) 35% Immigrant Desceandants 6% Indigenous Religion 66% Térassianism 54% Modern 12% Classic 39% no religion 5% other religions Demonym(s) Térassian Government Presidential republic • President Mila Arturo • Vice President Gelina Julius • President of the National Assembly Carlus Malta • President of the National Court Petros Augustus Magno Legislature National Congress • Upper and Lower House National Assembly Area • Total 135,285 km2 (52,234 sq mi) Population • Total 8,059,666 • Density 59,6/km2 (154,3/sq mi) GDP (PPP) In IMU • Total $372,1 bilion • Per capita $46,178 Currency Plur (p) Time zone IAT−1 Date format dd/mm/yyyy Drives on right Calling code +2 55 2-Letter Code TE 3-Letter Code TAE TLD .te Térassic Estates, officially the Free Land of Térassic Estates, is a presidential republic located in the southern part of the continent of Aura. The country is bordered by the Barry Sea to the west, the Serenity Sea to the east, and the Darkesian Sea to the southeast. It shares a southern border with Aktova, with which it shares the main island, and also includes smaller islands situated in the surrounding seas. Its geography is diverse, with coastal plains, mountains, and tropical forests that harbor rich biodiversity. The country has an area of 135,285 km² and an estimated population of 8 million people, with its capital Del Sol, which is home to around 1 million inhabitants. Throughout its history, Térassic Estates was an port nation, serving as a hub for trade routes between the continent of Aura and other regions. Its strategic location at the crossroads of maritime routes made the country a crucial point for the trade of spices, precious metals, and various goods. Del Sol, the capital, emerged as one of the largest port centers in the region, attracting merchants, immigrants, and explorers from various parts of the world, which shaped its cultural and demographic identity over the centuries. Térassic Estates gained independence after a series of peaceful revolts led by local merchants, dockworkers, and small farmers. The declaration of independence marked the end of colonial control and the beginning of a period of political and economic reorganization. Despite liberation, the new country inherited significant social inequalities, which were progressively addressed over the following decades. Térassic Estates adopts a Presidential Republic system. The current president, Mila Arturo, is known for her administration focused on progressive policies and social inclusion. Following the steps of previous administrations, her government has promoted the expansion of universal healthcare programs and access to public and higher education, as well as advances in technology, renewable energy, and sustainable tourism. Over the past few decades, the country has been an example in implementing progressive social policies. The universal healthcare system was established to ensure free medical care for the entire population. Additionally, the government expanded access to free public education, with the construction of new schools and universities, as well as incentive programs for higher education. The country is also recognized for its pro-LGBTQIA+ policies, being one of the regional leaders in civil rights for this community. Anti-discrimination laws, along with initiatives such as support centers and educational programs on gender equality, position Térassic Estates as a reference in social inclusion. Térassic Estates has a mixed capitalist economy with strong participation from both the public and private sectors. The country is the 11th largest economy in Aura, with an estimated Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 372.1 billion IMU and one of the highest per capita GDPs in the region, reaching 46,000 IMU. Tourism is the most important sector of the economy, representing more than 60% of GDP. The country is famous for its paradisiacal beaches, tropical forests, and mountainous landscapes, as well as luxury resorts and cultural attractions in cities like Del Sol. Ecotourism has also been growing, focusing on environmental preservation and sustainable tourism. The Xamálica Nature Reserve, for example, is one of the most sought-after destinations for tourists seeking outdoor adventures and a connection with nature.
    7 points
  3. More about Hôpital Universitaire Tombeau Hôpital Universitaire Tombeau (Tombeau University Hospital) Hôpital Universitaire Tombeau was founded in 1235 by Marcelle Fullo Tombeau, a wealthy physician in the then northern territories controlled by the national government. Tombeau was a military doctor, who saw that many settlers didn’t have proper medical care, and had to beg army physicians for surgeries. Marcelle Fullo Tombeau, painted by Henri Van Slyck, 1256 The Original HUT building found in 1386, before it was restored as a historical site Tombeau created HUT in a two room brick walled wine press building. HUT was initially called l'Hôpital du Pauvre Voyageur. Funding was tight, and came from donations from friends, and donors who would mail donations through word of mouth, or almanac advertisements. Medical care was free, or extremely discounted (sometimes called penny exams). The Original HUT building found in 1386, before it was restored as a historical site A vicious winter in 1248 left many people injured, and the free medical care provided by HUT drew the attention of the committees forming the state of Mare de Sang. HUT gained a state charter in 1250, and has been a state funded medical institution ever since. The teaching function of the hospital began in 1255. It began to take in students, have a curriculum, and certify physicians. the modern HUT campus in the heart of Ruisseau Rouge To date HUT handles the highest volume of severe illness cases in the northern region. HUT has a full service burn-unit, intensive care unit, and epidemiology unit, among other specialty services. HUT’s 9000 staff, students, visiting physicians, and affiliated out-patient specialists play a major role in the overall health of the northern region. OOC: Official event begins Nov.3, stay tuned for updates
    6 points
  4. Esferos 1.22 Welcome @Pacific Estates, @Atmskull, @Rivers, @Staneburg, @Aktova, and @pipripfat! For balancing purposes, some of your responses relating to your nation's basic statistics had to be changed. Please check the Big Book of Numbers and let us know via DM if you'd like any of them changed and we'll work on it together. You can also check out more info on balance in the Guidance on Session Zero. We encourage you to use the Sheets comment feature to comment desired changes on cells in your row and we'll update them for you (this also applies to blank cells). You may now access the entirety of the TWP Roleplay Discord server, including your continent chat! The following balance changes were made:
    5 points
  5. Arifiyyah

    The Royal Tea

    EPISODE ONE Jamal: Yo, what's up everyone? Welcome to the first episode of The Royal Tea podcast. I'm Jamal, your favorite politician. And with me is everyone's favorite leader, Sultan Arif Nazhim Shah. How are you doing, your Highness? Can you tell us a little about this podcast? Arif: Hey everyone, peace out. Just call me Arif, man. This podcast is Jamal's idea. If you're wondering, we've been close friends since we were kids. We're like brothers, but from different worlds. So, this podcast is a new way for me to connect with you guys, whether you're from Arifiyyah or watching from around the world. You know Jamal, we young people are into this stuff. Even though I'm a leader, I'm still young and I want to do this. Jamal: Can you tell us more about your outfit today? Arif: Ah yes,this is like casual batik for holiday trip or something. Created by the Palace,designed by myself. I think we need to innovate our traditional wear into something modern but don't overdo. Like mine,simple yet cultured Jamal: So, your Highness, or I guess we can just call you Arif now, some of you might be wondering if this podcast is just for chatting? Nope, we'll be talking about your personal stuff, current events in the country, a bit of politics, and just having fun. We'll also invite other politicians and public figures to join us. Arif: Yeah, Jamal. So, for our first topic, why did you get kicked out of your party? (laughs) Jamal: Woah, that's a hot one. My answer is that it was the party's decision, so whatever. I've said it many times, I'm not pro-government, I just support what's right and fight what's wrong. My leader is just super jealous. Ten of my friends got kicked out too, so we're a gang now. 🤣 Arif: (Laughs) So what are your plans now? Jamal: Hmmm... Just doing podcasts, I think. I need a break from politics for a while. We can get back to playing basketball and badminton. What about you, anything exciting going on? Arif: As usual, a Sultan is never not busy. But yesterday, I visited the TARL national phase construction site with the Minister of Transportation. Alhamdulillah, in Arifiyyah, we expect the first six stations to be operational by the end of this year. I also had a meeting with our Chief Minister yesterday to discuss the 2025 budget, which will be presented soon. Jamal: (claps) That's our Sultan, always on top of his game. So, this episode has gone longer than we planned, huh? We just wanted to do a quick intro. So, that's it for today. Peace out everyone. Arif: Goodbye Arifiyyah, see you again in the next episode!
    4 points
  6. Part 1 Closing eyes attempted to focus on the road ahead of it, continually sucked beneath 18 wheels and 36 metric tons of freight and tractor. Gavs Urs kicked himself awake and looked at the time on the dashboard. Nearly 1800 hours. He was coming up on the end of his 10 hour limit for driving. He had to stop soon if he wanted to be on the right side of the law. The next town is just a couple clicks away the veteran said to himself, I just need to get there. Gavs kept his foot planted on the gas pedal, and stretched as many kinks as he could out of his arms and back. The orange and purple sky, the black road, and the khaki mountains in the distance was all Gavs could see. Until he saw a black dot in the distance. It’s another car. Maybe if I focus on it and the shrubs I can keep myself awake. The black dot grew in the road. It darted off the road and vanished. Gavs shook his head. A new black dot appeared in the distance. It was large in the road, but still just a blob. Then it vanished. Gavs slapped his face and aimed the AC vent at his face. Gavs looked to the bushes on the side of the road, and saw shoulders. They flowed in the little shadows of the shrubs and stones. Then they were on the road. Gavs twisted the steering wheel. He hit the brakes and punched the tall shifter with a soccer ball head. Eyes wide. Short sharp breaths with every whip of the wheel. Gavs body whipped inside the cabin. He screamed. The tractor and its trailer bounced on their tires and turned over. Screeches, sparks, and smoke rocketed out from the engine bay of the flat faced tractor. Soon the entire vehicle was engulfed in flames. The cargo of food stuffs spilled onto the road and caught fire with the runaway diesel. As the sun descended in the sky, lights flashed and sirens roared in the distance. An officer of the Viriarma flew down the road and shouted into his radio, “I have a vehicle fire on state route 15 outside Antonville, requesting a highway fire unit. It looks like a tractor trailer just overturned.” --- Peritus Leon Boulanger stood beside his interceptor car, watching from a distance as the tractor and trailer became an inferno. Leon cleaned off his narrow nose, and took sand out from the sides of his squinted eyes. Dux Princeps Marcelle Cordonnier joined him. The old chief snorted with his large nose, and waved a cigarette by his large, gray mustache before lighting it. “Don’t say it,” Leon said, before taking off his hat to wipe the sweat from his forehead. “There is nothing that we can see from here that would cause a crash,” Marcelle said. “It has to be the chienoir.” Marcelle looked over at Leon. “That’s a xenoxeno myth,” Leon said. “You listen to too many fairy tales.” Leon fastened his hat to his head. “This is no fairy tale, Leon,” Marcelle said with a blank stare. “The chienoir is real. I’ve seen one myself. I would never wish it on my worst enemy.” A fire engine came to a halt nearby with only its lights flashing. Fire fighters jumped out and gathered together. “Write down what you can,” Marcelle said. “Get some cones from the shack and tape it off. I have to email High Crimes so they can send an Auto Repertor. Three crashes in only a couple days is going to raise some red flags, especially a food truck like this one.” Leon started walking towards his patrol interceptor and opened the door. “I’m coming in tomorrow, right?” Leon said. Marcelle stopped in his tracks. “Yes, Nauta’s surgery was just cleared,” Marcelle said. “Hopefully the poor bastard’s shoulder will be back to normal. If not, then we’re going to be pulling long days again.” “I’ll say a prayer for him,” Leon said. “See you then.” Marcelle entered the command car and drove off at high speed. Leon got into his interceptor and began typing on the laptop planted where the car radio would be. Leon looked up from his laptop towards the blaze. Firefighters got to work cutting away nearby brush, and hitting burning cardboard boxes with foam. A figure stood behind them. A dog, with its head held high. Leon blinked. The dog vanished. He looked back at his laptop and continued typing, shielding the road from sight using his hat.
    4 points
  7. The Global Health Coalition Summit is a gathering of major pharmaceutical, medical, and educational institutions to share ideas, highlight important health issues, and to allow for excellence in medicine. The GHC (NPC and not super powerful) is composed of physicians, researchers, government officials, NGOs, and benevolent financiers with the goal of furthering global health, and excellence in health practices. The summit will last from November 3rd to the 16th in Nouveauterra at Hôpital Universitaire Tombeau, and will feature medical institutions, insurance providers, research institutions, and government entities. The summit will allow for the discussion of successes, challenges, and knowledge in the healthcare sectors around the world. How to Participate: There are 4 posting types Speaker Series: You have a person or a group of people present an idea or issue to the summit. Get creative, with charts, graphics, maps, anything like that. Panel: Two or more players collaborate on a discussion between characters and post the discussion in the thread. Make sure to tag participating players with @ and their forum name. Tabling: A player posts about an insurance provider, medical institution, research institution, health related NGO, or government health entity that has a table set up at the University Hospital. This should have a name, logo, and an information/historical section. It can also include any current developments. Contemporary Event: This is for posts about current events that coincidentally happen while the Global Health Coalition Summit is also taking place. This can range from an economic deal to an assassination, celebrity drama, etc. Graphics, audio, visuals, and everything else are highly encouraged. You can always DM me or message me on Discord for clarification.
    3 points
  8. | General Overview | History | Geography | Government | Economy | Demographics | Culture | Geography Varia is located in the northern coasts of the northern continent of Doll-Guldur, and is part of the polar area of Esferos. Geographically, it is located between the longitude of 1° 30' 30" East - 8° 10' 10"East and the latitude of 50° 40' 10"North - 59° 10' 10" North. Varia’s easternmost point is very near the Meridian of Marcarius, and thus is part of IAT+0 time zone, domestically called Varian Time. Varia is bordered by two other states in Doll-Guldur; the nation of Novasamita to the west and southwest and the nation of Novia Xeneia to the south. To the north, Varia is bounded by the polar Thulian Ocean, specifically the Proxima Thulia Sea, which freezes over during winter. Landscape Varian territory is relatively flat, with its highest point only reaching below 1.3 kilometres from the surface of the sea. However, Varia’s landscape is quite rugged, similar to the make-up of the majority of Doll-Guldur's landscape. Hills and valleys straddled the nation, stretching from the southwest point to its northeast. The region is marked by lowlands on its extreme north and south, separated by highlands and the Dalekie Mountains in the middle. The highest point in Varia is Mount Północna (1272 m from sea surface), while its lowest point is the Czamisto Depression which reached the depth of -10m from sea surface The highly diverse and rugged landscape of Varia is due to its proximity near the divergent boundaries of Doll-Guldur's two tectonic plates, wich separate a smaller northern landmass with the larger southern landmass. The divergent motion of the tectonic plates caused the formation of rift valleys which formed the stretched hills and canyons of Varia, as well as creating a tectonically active region that experienced earthquakes often. There are some minor surface volcanic activities, due to the nearby plate boundary, however most of Varia’s volcanic landscapes have been formed millions of years ago and are not currently active. Taiga coverage in Northeast Varia, in Polyar Rayon. Climate The vast majority of Varia lies under the Subarctic climate category due to the extremity of its northward location. On average, Varia experienced harsh and cold winters with temperatures averaging -20° C, and cold arid summers with average temperatures of around 18° C. The landscape of Varia also created a higher climatic difference between the extreme north and south of the nation. Temperature can fall to below -30° C in the northernmost point during winter, while in the south, it can reach between 20 to 25° C in summer. This difference is caused by the Dalekie Mountains, which despite its low altitude, forces southwesterly winds that carry moistures up to dry, causing a rain shadow effect that gives higher rainfall and humidity to the southern regions, while making the northern regions much colder and arid. However, the temperature variation does not affect the biome make-up of Varia, which is mostly composed of taiga forests, with a small coniferous and savannah coverage in the southernmost point. Regional Division Varia is divided into eight Commonwealth States, four Commonwealth Districts, and five Commonwealth Metros. The eight States governed their own territory, with their own elected governments and their own laws and constitutions. The States use their own local language in administration, have their own separate State Budget, and govern autonomously for the most part, with exception on defense, security, and financial matters which belong to the central government. Commonwealth Districts are regions that do not have their own autonomy, and are subject to the Commonwealth Government. The districts are headed by elected Governors, and have their own local legislatures, but lack most of the privileges afforded to States, including the right to raise their own taxes. Commonwealth Metros are similar to Districts, but they are led by elected Mayors. Both States and Rayons are further divided into Municipalities which are categorised into Urban (Cities) and Rural. Municipalities are governed by elected Mayors and deputies of the Municipal Councils, and are responsible for building and maintaining local infrastructures. For administrative and bureaucratic services, Municipalities are separated into Sectors, before being further divided into Communes. Communes comprise between 75 to 200 families, and are the smallest subdivision of the Commonwealth. Each Communes have their own unique customs and their own local financial arrangements, but are generally led by an elected Chairman.
    3 points
  9. Staneburg THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF STANEBURG Motto: Unity in Diversity Location of Staneburg in Aura Capital City Cauloria (Largest city) Demonym(s) Staneburgian(s) Government Federal Presidential Republic President James Wilton Vice President Karl Anderson Speaker of the House Jenny Hoffsburg Legislature Congress of the State Upper House The Senate Lower House The House of Representatives Judiciary The Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Corayson Land Area 187,139 km2(72,255 sq mi) Population 12,651,808 Density 67.6 km2 (175.1 sq mi) GDP (PPP) 470 Billion IMU Per Capita 37, 189 IMU Currency Stence Time Zone IAT+0 Calling Code +2 40 Country code SBG, SB Internet TLD .sbg General Overview Staneburg, officially known as The Federal Republic of Staneburg, is a country located in the northeastern coast of the continent of Aura in Esferos. The country is bordered by Greiya at its Northwestern border and the sea at its Eastern border. The country has a land area of 187,139 km2(72,255 sq mi). The administrative capital is the Federal City of Cauloria, which is currently the largest city in the country. Other notable cities include Vaulernia, which mostly acts as the entertainment hub of the country as well as being the second largest city in the country; Easton City, Springswold and Willowdale. The population of the country is currently estimated at 12 million Staneburgians and a population density of 67.6 km2 (175.1 sq mi). The country is governed as a federal republic, which gives a certain level of power to the administrative divisions of the country. Geography Staneburg located at the northeastern coast of Aura has different climates and elevations across its borders. The country has its costal borders to be flat as compared to the inner borders. The northeastern part of the country as well as the coastal borders is characterized with an elevation of 1 metre (1 feet). The central part of the country is known to be quite hilly with an elevation of about 50 metres (150 feet). The highest point of the country is the Mount Alexis which has an elevation of 2000 metres (6500 feet). There are some inner parts of the country with a relatively flat land with the same elevation as the coastal parts of the country. The country has different climate conditions across its borders. There are about four main climate conditions which are experienced by the inhabitants of the country. The coastal parts as well as the central parts of the country are dominated by the tropical and subtropical conditions which causes the inhabitants in these areas to experience a high amount of rainfall annually. These areas are also characterized by their cold environment due to these conditions. The country also had a semiarid desert which passes through it at its southwestern borders. The average temperature of these areas during the summer period is estimated to be at 23° C. There are also savannas and grasslands located close to these areas. These areas are characterized by the presence of several grasses which spreads across the lands. Elevation of Staneburg Climate conditions of Staneburg Government Staneburg is a Federal Presidential Republic which is made up of three arms of government; these are the Executive branch which is headed by the President currently His Excellency James Wilton, who appoints a group of cabinet ministers approved by a majority vote in the Congress of the State. The President is assisted by the Vice President, currently His Excellency Karl Anderson who together with the President are elected on an election ticket by a majority vote by the qualified citizens of Staneburg. The Legislative branch is the Congress of State which is made up of two houses the upper house, The Senate made up of 20 senators and the lower house, The House of Representatives made up of 380 representatives. The House of Representatives is headed by the Speaker of the House currently Hon. Jenny Hoffsburg, elected by a majority vote of the members of Congress before the opening of a new congress. The Judicial branch has 10 justices headed by the Chief Justice, currently His Lord Alexander Corayson, who are appointed by the President with the approval of the Judicial committee of the Congress of State. The nation is governed at the local levels through a state government at the regional level and a municipal government at the city level. Economy The country of Staneburg has a growing economy that sustains the lives of inhabitants within its borders. The currency used by the nation is the Staneburgian Stence. The country's GDP (PPP) is currently estimated at 470 billion IMU. Its GDP per capita is 37,189 IMU. Staneburg's economy is currently sustained by its tourism sectors, which consist of tourist sites within the country as well as museums, which have some forms of art depicting the history of the country. The economy is also driven by its fishing sectors, which utilize the coastal borders of the country.
    3 points
  10. Part 3 Darkness consumed the landscape, except for the few streetlights in the center of town, and The Longhouse on the main road. The all purpose trucking oasis and gas station at the edge of town was well lit, with a wide neon sign on a tall steel pole. In a corner of the large lot, away from the resting trucks, was Leon leaning on his sedan. Leon zipped up his coat and kept his hands in his pockets. An old white truck with chipped paint slowly came into the parking area. It slowed down near Leon and the window rolled down. “Stay close to my tail, we’ll have our lights back on when we hit Rue de la Fête.” Leon got in his car and followed Marcelle out of The Longhouse parking lot, down a packed dirt service road, and towards the desert. Stars and mountain tops were the only visible entities. The moon was asleep as well. Leon drove, watching the white pickup as it rumbled over stones, and unpacked earth. Leon backed away from Marcelle’s car. Leon’s windows were kept down in the hopes of hearing something from Marcelle, but all he got were diesel fumes. Marcelle turned on his car’s lights, and Leon did too. Leon looked to see a small box on a wooden pole. When they drew within a stone’s throw of the mailbox they both stopped and turned off their cars. Marcelle and Leon got out of their cars and walked on the sand. Marcelle held up a hand. He crept forward, and came to stairs in the earth. They both descended the stone steps and came to a wood door. “Quies,” Marcelle said. “It’s Marcelle.” An old metal lock turned, and the door opened. A woman with dark hair and tanned skin opened the door. She was adorned in many beads, bracelets, and a gold chain. Her hair was half concealed in a thin skull-wrap. “I smell death,” Quies said. The door began to close until Marcelle’s boot stuck in the doorway. “You don’t want to hear what I have to say.” “I’m here because you’re all I have left,” Marcelle said. Quies let out a short sigh and opened the door. Leon and Marcelle walked in and sat at a small table in the dim kitchen. Quies sat opposite from them. “I know you two are in deep trouble,” Quies said. “I can sense it from the water of the spirits. Five people too many have died. Black dogs are in every shadow, every rise and fall in the land.” “We know. We’ve seen them.” Marcelle said. Leon raised his hand, but Marcelle raised his quicker. “What do we do now?” Leon shook his head. “I can’t tell you,” Quies said. Marcelle grabbed Quies’ hands as tears grew in her eyes. Footsteps echoed above their heads. Leon rose to his feet, with his pistol held high. Marcelle and Quies sat together at the table. “One by one,” Quies mumbled. Snarls crept in through the walls, and heavy breaths chilled Leon’s spine. “Until they’re satisfied.” “I remember, one must make amends, so to speak,” Marcelle said. Quies looked up. “It’s a price you cannot pay,” Quies said. Marcelle drew closer and hugged Quies. He let out a short chuckle. “Maybe if I had listened to you and we ran away,” Marcelle said. “We’d be happy in Saint Mark. Eating pickled plum.” Marcelle gave a small laugh. Quies did too, through tears. “We were kids. Breaking the law always sounds fun. But disappointing our parents wasn’t an option,” Quies said. “Maybe it’s fate that we would be here like this.” “Am I losing my mind!?” Leon yelled as we walked towards the door and aimed his pistol at it. Marcelle let go of Quies. “Go to Felix,” Quies said. “Beg and pray. That is all you can do. Maybe they will have mercy, but I’ve never seen it.” Marcelle leaned over the table and gave a kiss to Quies’ forehead. “This may be goodbye. I hope to see you in the waves of the sky, caros.” “I hope to see you there too,” Marcelle said. He turned on his heel and rose up. “We have to get to Monture d’Or.” Marcelle drew his pistol from his pocket and leapt to the front door. Marcelle and Leon gave each other a quick nod. Marcelle threw open the door. Both men came out the door with guns drawn. They hurried up the stairs and to their vehicles. They turned them on and began to fly towards the road. Leon drove with his shoulders high and his windows rolled up. Shoulders and snouts and fangs faded in and out of the darkness. A snarl or a bark would catch his ear and he’d twitch to one side. Figures in the distance would disappear, only reappear at a moment’s notice. The two men followed the dark road, and headed towards the small outpost in the darkness. Monture d’Or. A free, public hospital in disrepair. Only one floor tall with a couple dim lights illuminating the brick walled building. It somehow didn’t grow brighter as the two cars approached it. Marcelle and Leon screeched their cars into the parking lot, and jumped out of them. They ran through the front door, howls and the gnashing of teeth on their heels. The waiting room had a few short metal benches, and a wide desk at the other end. Marcelle and Leon came up to the desk, and a heavy set man looked up at them. “We’re with the Viriarma,” Marcelle said. “We need-” the nurse spoke up. “Thank the gods you’re here,” the nurse said. “Maybe you can shoot some of those wild dogs out there. They’ve been driving me nuts.” Marcelle leaned over the table. “Where is Felix Nauta?” Marcelle said. The nurse’s eyes widened. “He’s down that hallway to the right,” the nurse said. “110.” Marcelle and Leon ran down the hallway with guns drawn. Past stained linoleum and dingy walls. Around the corner, and to the only partly lit room. Marcelle and Leon entered the room to Felix. He was covered in a bedsheet from his hips down. An IV in his arm, and a heart monitor on his finger. “I didn’t think I’d see you two here,” Felix said. He coughed and his heart rate spiked for a moment. Marcelle grabbed the seat by the door, and brought it closer. “Let’s say, some circumstances brought us here,” Marcelle said. Felix laughed. “Circumstances,” Felix said. He shook his head and relaxed his body. Felix pointed at Leon, who stood by the door. “Who needs enemies when you have friends like these, right?” Felix coughed again, and Marcelle looked away. “I wasn’t trying to hurt you,” Leon said. “I was just trying to stop that jackass.” Felix slammed his fist, and the beeps of his monitor jumped up. “And you covered it up,” Felix said, pointing to Marcelle. “You put ‘not service related’ on my report. Because you coded it like that, my health insurance won’t cover the full cost. I’ll be paying debts for this surgery for years. I don’t even know if they’ll let me serve again.” Marcelle let out a deep sigh. He looked up at Felix. “I couldn’t lose two peritus in one go,” Marcelle said. “I couldn’t.” “You could’ve said it was the guy’s gun. Or hell, that it was a piece of the truck from yanking him out that rust bucket,” Felix said. “No, you just wanted it under the rug. The funniest thing.” Felix pointed at Marcelle. “They couldn’t get the fragment out. Now there’s a piece of copper a hair away from my heart, and one day it could breach it. I’m fucked!” Felix laid back in his bed and stared at the ceiling. Marcelle clasped his hands together. “For the sake of the town,” Marcelle said. “The people. Your family, our families. Would you forgive us?” Felix looked over at Marcelle. “Are you even sorry for what you did?” Felix asked. Leon looked over for a moment. “I had to shoot him,” Leon said. “I did what I had to do. He was gonna kick your ass.” “There’s your answer, Dux Princeps,” Felix said. “You deserve everything that’s coming to you. Everything. Get out of my room.” Felix relaxed on the bed and turned his head away. Marcelle balled up his fist and inhaled deep into his lungs. He stood up. His eyes were planted on Leon, who gave back an expressionless stare. Marcelle walked towards the door with his eyes relaxed. Leon followed Marcelle down the hallway. They came out of the lobby and to the front of the hospital. Marcelle lit up a cigarette once again. Leon turned to Marcelle. “What is a chienoir?” Leon asked. Marcelle shook his head. “The Danav people tell stories of these dogs from long ago,” Marcelle said. “If a member of a group betrayed someone, and left them to die in the wilderness, the spirit of the air would guard their soul. But dogs would come to feast on those who betrayed them. Some say it’s a folk story to stop wickedness. If you betray your brother the chienoir would come for you.” “But, if those dogs in the road, or in Goede’s house are real,” Leon said. He cut himself short. “I told you it was no fairytale, boy,” Marcelle said. “They’re surrounding us right now! You couldn’t even repent for a moment to save your skin! Now the dogs will never leave. They will eat us.” Marcelle threw down his cigarette in anger. “So what now?” Leon said. Marcelle started walking to his car. “Say your last prayers, and die quickly,” Marcelle said. “Go into the wilderness, and let the dogs consume you. That is all that is left for us.” Marcelle began to walk. “Where are you going?!” Leon shouted with a hoarse voice. Marcelle stopped and turned back. “I’m going to my beloved,” Marcelle said. “To truly say goodbye one last time. That’s if I even make it. I’d be cautious if I were driving far. Their presence tends to make people sleepy when they’re traveling far. Just go home and say goodbye.” “I’m not doing that shit!” Leon shouted. “I’m getting out of here!” Leon ran for his car and jumped inside. He slammed the door. Marcelle watched in awe as Leon’s car sped away. Marcelle got in his truck and opened a brick-like laptop. The laptop had a page open. It was an incident form. Marcelle dragged the document to an email draft, and began typing. To Hoog Department Viriarma Human Resources, My apologies for the late email, but I need a change order for incident report DH14140815 Attachment F, regarding Peritus Felix Nauta. In previous documentation, I listed Peritus Nauta’s injury as not being directly related to service. However, after further investigation, myself and office staff determined the injury was sustained during service. Please adjust this report accordingly, and forward updated documentation to Peritus Nauta. Sincerely, Dux Princeps Marcelle Cordonnier Officer-in-Charge of Antonville-Hercus Zone Marcelle hit send on the email, and closed the laptop with a quiet sigh. He began to babble to himself as he turned the truck on, “Forgive a fool like me, gods above. I put myself above others, when people who’ve built me up in my life have done the opposite. I know my sins are many, and deep. I’ve held secrets, killed honest men, and betrayed my very unit. In fact, you know the sins I’ve done and I’ve forgotten. The wolves are coming closer now. I’m sure they won’t miss their man. If it really is my time to go, make it quick. I’ve seen death, and know it is usually painful. Spare me, maybe, this one time.” Before Marcelle could comprehend how far he had driven, he came to the mailbox in oblivion. The faint sound of breathing, and shuffling sand surrounded Marcelle. He got out of the truck, and went down the stairs. He knocked. “Caros,” Quies said. Marcelle stepped in and set down his gun on the small kitchen table. “I don’t think I’ll be alive tomorrow,” Marcelle said. “I’ll leave your door, and the dogs will take me. I want to spend one more night with you before I am gone.” “Then rest,” Quies said. “Let me hold you.” Quies and Marcelle slipped into bed. Marcelle clutched Quies and attempted to hide his tears, yet Quies could see them. She rubbed his scalp, and whispered over him. The low gurgle and panting of dogs circled the house. As Quies outed a small candle, she wiped away her own tears. --- Leon screamed into the air. His throat was torn apart by his voice. The arrow for his gas tank drew further and further down. Every gas station, interchange, and rest area was more deserted than the last. The engine’s roar shrunk to a whimper. The howls of the damned clawing at Leon’s mind. The engine fell silent, and the car began to roll. Leon kept the car on the road, but it slowed until all of its momentum had waned away. Leon jumped out of the car, pistol in hand. “You want me!? Have me, god damn, come on!” He shot at the darkness. The forms twisting around each bullet, and yet remained whole. Shoulders of great beasts circled Leon. He held up his pistol, and yanked out the empty magazine. As he reached for another, teeth bared down on his forearm. He yelled, and threw his arm to one side, sending the pistol in the sands. Leon yelled once more before he fell down, voice cracking and tears streaming down his face. Teeth and fur engulfed him. The keepers of the night made a meal of the man. Cracking bone, and twisting flesh until only shards remained. --- Marcelle woke up in darkness. He gasped, and looked over to Quies, who was fast asleep in an upright position. Marcelle climbed out of bed. He grabbed his pistol from the kitchen table, not breaking his stride to the door. He opened the door, and stepped outside. Marcelle went up the stairs to the mailbox. He looked out at the desert sand. A black dog stood in the distance. For a moment, the two seemed locked together. Marcelle squinted in the morning sun. The dog stood still. The dog turned into the wind and vanished. Marcelle fell to his knees. He threw the gun into the wind before he fell onto his side to cry tears in the sand. They would dry up as quickly as they fell.
    3 points
  11. Part 2 Leon sat in his interceptor and stared at the sands and the road, wide brimmed hat tilted down, reclined in his seat. No cars. Not even a passing plane. Leon looked down at the coffee cup in the seat divider. He brought it to his lips. He tasted air. He took off the cap and planted it deep in the cup. A buzz came over the radio set. “Any available units, respond to a call of dangerous wildlife at the 101 Rue des Bosquet. Described as multiple dogs at the northern edge of the property.” “105 responding, show me in route,” Leon said. He put on only his lights, and fixed his hat. Leon took a left down a long, desolate road, with a small dot of a house far down it. A shape moved in the sand. Leon looked to where it was, and slapped open the lock on the shotgun holder beside his seat. “105 is approaching 101 Rue des Bosquets, consider me on scene now,” Leon said. He came to a stop in front of the house. A short, one story farm house stood in the sand. The sandstone walls and slate roof nearly blended into the mountains far behind it. Leon stepped out of the interceptor with his shotgun in hand. “Be careful!” an old woman shouted from within the house. “Goede!” Leon said, “Is Jan with you?” “No, it’s just me and my shotgun,” Goede Sterk said. “But two shotguns is better than one.” “Have you seen the dogs move anywhere?” Leon said. He brought up his shotgun and stepped closer to the house. “Close to the road,” Goede said. “Come inside! We can shoot them from here.” “I’ll be on the porch,” Leon said. He came around the house, watching the sand and the distance. The shotgun held high, but not in line with his eye. “You ever use that gun, Goede?” Leon asked as he came to a backdoor. “On Jan,” Goede said. “You know how some men are. They think a little ass is a great snack for the road. But bring a harlot to my home, oooohhhh I could’ve plastered him on the wall, and I wouldn’t repent!” “I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear that last part,” Leon said. A laugh boomed within the house. “Don’t worry, I won’t kill him when you’re on duty,” Goede said. Leon shook his head and knelt down by the backdoor. “What happened to your friend?” Goede asked. “Friend… Nauta, he is on leave,” Leon said. “He was hurt while responding to a call with me.” “Oh right, that joyriding punk in the stolen truck,” Goede said. “I heard he had a gun.” “He did, yeah,” Leon said under his breath. “Do you see anything?” “No, I. What was that? OH LORD---!” A yell came from the house. A boom echoed out from it, cracking in Leon’s ear. “Goede!” Leon yelled. He turned around and grabbed the door handle. “Goede are you alright!?” Leon looked to a window right next to the door. He butted the window with his shotgun. Glass snapped and crashed to the ground. Leon cleared the remaining glass with the gun barrel. He reached inside and turned the lock to the door. He yanked the door open. He looked around the dark room, and saw Goede. He vomited and leaned against the door frame. An enormous splash of blood covered the front door. Goede’s headless corpse spasmed on the floor. --- Marcelle and Leon stood at the front door to the house. The interceptor and the command cars parked in front of the house, and a white van at the side. Camera flashes lit up the windows every couple of minutes. “Leon,” Marcelle said. He threw a stump of a cigarette to the ground. “Goede was a sane woman.” “I didn’t see a damn dog!” Leon said. Marcelle took off his hat and stared into Leon’s eyes. “But did you see something?” Marcelle said. The two men faced each other with a cold to their eyes. Leon licked his dried lips. “No,” Leon said before turning away. Marcelle put his hat on. “If you’re hiding something from me, the gods will have a field day with your corpse,” Marcelle said. Leon turned back to Marcelle. “I didn’t shoot that woman!” Leon said. “I never said you did, boy,” Marcelle said with a sideways glance. Leon looked over Marcelle’s shoulder, and saw shoulders dance in the sand. Marcelle turned his head to the desert, and then turned back to Leon. Marcelle shook his head and retrieved a cigarette from the breast pocket of his khaki uniform. “How are you so sure it’s a chienoir?” Leon asked. Marcelle looked up from his cigarette, with his unlit lighter held close to it. “Come to The Longhouse on the main road after sundown,” Marcelle said. “Bring your gun.” Marcelle lit his cigarette and walked towards the command car. Leon looked at the house and let out a loud sigh before walking to his interceptor.
    3 points
  12. Critics, columnists, and connoisseurs gather annually for three weeks at the Dome of the Moon Dancers in the seaside village of Ville-de-Bloise to celebrate the year’s films, documentaries, and artistic projects. The Société Cinématographique d’Nouveauterra (SCNouv) organizes the film festival with screenings of films submitted by filmmakers, and endorsed by Society members. SCNouv is composed of film journalists, screenwriters, directors, educators, and masters of the craft, all in celebration of film, and to bring light to new filmmakers. At the end of the festival, SFNouv votes (Excel RNG) for a number of different films, actors, directors, and cinematographers, to be recognized for their efforts. These come with awards, which include: La Flor d’Or for best film overall, La Petal d’Or for the runner up film, La Stem-d’Or for the third voted film. Also included are Best Actor, Best Actress, Best School Film, Best Documentary, and Best Cinematography. How to Participate Players can submit a max of 8 films throughout the entire event. They all must be contemporary (released in 1424). Please use the format below to aid in judging: (Poster Encouraged but Optional) Title Genre Maturity Rating (In Own Country) Film Studio (Established Studio, Indie Studio, or School Project [school must be named]) Leading Actor/Actress/Documentarian Supporting Actor(s)/Actress(es)/Documentarian(s) (If Not a Solo Film) Cinematographer(s) Description of the Film/Documentary Deadlines: Dec 6th: School Project Dec 13th: Indie Films Dec 20th: Established Studio Films If there are any questions or if you need assistance, please message me in Discord
    3 points
  13. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    african-sunset-motivational-upbeat-and-inspiring-130595.mp3 Nalibian National Anthem Welcome to Nalibia, Sheva Province As you our guest step off your planes and yachts, we welcome you. I am Queen Culela Gail of House Senai, and I am honored to be your host during your visit to our beautiful Empire. Even though the ball is not for a few days, the 28th of this month, Saturday. Feel free to explore the city, and take in the sites. (*RP a charachter exploring the city leading up to the event if you like.) Art Gallery Bathhouse Botanical Gardens Souks / Bazaar Museum of History All Backgrounds are 1024x1024px The Offical Background for the Event (Don't take the word "Official" literal. If you manage to generate a character with a background you like, feel free to use that.) (These is simply to make is easier for you) Red Carpet Ballroom Tearoom 1 Tearoom 2
    3 points
  14. Resident nation: Sekiya Discord name: Sekiya Map nation name: Säkkia Long name: The Principality of Säkkia A couple sentences paragraphs about your nation: Säkkia is a large and vast nation in the north of Doll Guldur. The majority of the country is Tundra, and largely uninhabitable, except for the south and around the banks of the Storafors river. The port city of Fiskoping sits on the river's mouth, where it reaches the Mazu Bay. The economy of Säkkia is primarily service based, however the country’s state owned oil, gas, hardwood and mineral industries help to fill the nation’s coffers. With a population of just over six million, the state invests heavily into its people’s education and health. Säkkia has many highly skilled jobs in pharmaceuticals, tech and research. Säkkia is heavily reliant on imports from its neighbors, and Esferos as a whole. Säkkia’s consumer goods production is limited, and the agricultural sector is almost non-existent, however aquaculture, hunting and foraging has helped to feed Säkkis throughout most of its history. Säkkia is a constitutional principality, with a noble family holding ceremonial control over the country and its military; however the noble family lacks any de facto control. Säkkia was historically a part of The Golden Emmeria-Khesed, however seceded in ~1022. Several small border wars were fought between Säkkia and its neighbors in the 11th century, bringing about its modern borders. (Rough estimate of modern history, subject to change) Map request as an image or plot number: G2 & G3 (Minor edits in the eastern borders) 3-Letter Code: SAK 2-Letter Code: SA Capital City: Älvdal (Location is the white dot on the map) Government Type: Constitutional Principality The population of my nation is: Below average/average? (Thinking around 6 mill) The population density of my nation is: Below below average The GDP per capita of my nation is: Above average (Thinking around 70k) Government Spending - Which statement best describes your nation? Backup choice. My nation has an extensive social safety net, or provides multiple programs like universal healthcare, welfare, and free tuition for its citizens My preference is for this one. My nation’s government spending is a vast majority of our GDP, such as having to coordinate our import-dependent economy. (this option is subject to Cartography Board approval) Military Indicator - Which statement best describes your nation? The military forces of Säkkia is small, but well equiped. It is similar in size and structure to the Swiss Armed Forces. Säkkia also has a militia system. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militia_System My nation has little incentive or political drive for military spending, but maintains a small-to-moderate modern armed forces. Any other inspirations or concepts you want to share: A lot of inspiration on Norway, however the language will be based on Swedish, with some scarce groups similar to Saami.
    2 points
  15. Resident nation: Aktova Discord name: aktovanfederation_15513 Map nation name: Aktova A couple sentences about your nation: Aktova is a nation located in the middle of the Barry Sea, relying heavily on fishing and trade with its neighboring countries. The nation is technologically behind compared to others in the region but harbors ambitions of becoming a global leader in technology. Aktova’s economy is largely based on maritime trade, making the sea its most vital resource. However, its navy is weak, which limits its ability to protect its trade routes or project power beyond its immediate region. The ruling government is a dictatorship, with a leader who prioritizes national unity and stability above everything else. This dictator dreams of building a powerful navy to dominate regional trade and eventually control global maritime commerce. Though Aktova’s technological capabilities are currently limited, it has started laying the groundwork to develop advanced industries that could one day give it a competitive edge. The dictator envisions a future where Aktova, through both military might and technological prowess, becomes a dominant force in world affairs. To achieve this vision, the nation faces significant hurdles, including modernizing its fleet, securing resources, and maintaining internal unity amidst external pressures. With such ambitious goals, Aktova’s journey toward dominance is likely to be fraught with internal and external challenges, making the balance between stability and growth critical to its success. Map request as an image or plot number: https://imgur.com/a/PoCDxec 3-Letter Code:AKT 2-Letter Code:AO Capital City:Karakoy Government Type:Dictatorship The population of my nation is: Average The population density of my nation is: Below Average The GDP per capita of my nation is: Above average Government Spending - Which statement best describes your nation? My nation provides moderate social programs, or a small selection of social programs. My nation has an extensive social safety net, or provides multiple programs like universal healthcare, welfare, and free tuition for its citizens x My nation does not provide social programs beyond bare necessities and/or high school educations. My nation does not prioritize social spending, but engages in some large-scale government or public spending projects. My nation’s government spending is a vast majority of our GDP, such as having to coordinate our import-dependent economy. (this option is subject to Cartography Board approval) Military Indicator - Which statement best describes your nation? My nation has made a commitment to security, and maintains a moderately sized modern armed forces within our means. My nation has little incentive or political drive for military spending, but maintains a small-to-moderate modern armed forces. My nation has prioritized military spending at the expense of other key areas and may have been criticized for lack of freedom or human rights issues. x My nation does not prioritize military spending due to other priorities, the belief we are safe, or we don’t have enough money left over to fund it. My nation is heavily embattled and we believe we face an existential threat. (this option is subject to Cartography Board approval) Any other inspirations or concepts you want to share: Aktova can focus on espionage and industrial sabotage to accelerate its technological growth, stealing blueprints or reverse-engineering foreign technologies. It might establish secret shipyards or offshore bases in the Barry Sea to strengthen its navy discreetly. The dictatorship could promote nationalism and a culture of innovation, rewarding scientists who advance the nation’s goals. Aktova might also try to expand its strategic alliance and invite more of its neighbors to join, offering resources like seafood or rare marine minerals in exchange for technological support. Its geographic isolation could provide natural defenses but also limit easy expansion, requiring clever diplomatic or covert strategies to influence global trade.
    2 points
  16. 7 October 1424 - Today the controversial Pharmaceutical Copyright Act has been granted royal assent and has been signed into law. This law has effectively changed copyright law in Zoran in regards to medications and pharmaceutical products in that the Zoranian government will no longer recognize nor provide patents on drugs, effectively forcing pharmaceutical companies to sell their medications as generics in Zoran. This law, championed by the Red Throne Party, was created on the grounds that drugs that can save lives or improve the health of the citizenry should be viewed as a common good whose price should not be inflated by patents and copyright. The party argues that it is the goal of the Zoranian government to ensure that there are little to no barriers to healthcare and that patents on drugs can prevent people from accessing lifesaving treatments and thus go against this ethos. Critics of this law have stated that this would endanger Zoran's economy by making it harder for pharmaceutical companies in Zoran to fund their R&D departments. Furthermore, critics argue that the law could risk the imposition of trade barriers on the country from foreign powers who would see this as undermining their economy and copyright laws. These critiques are not without merit as the law could very well isolate Zoran economically and could have massive impacts on supply chains. However, supporters of the law cite that the lowered prices due to the removal of patents and vital medications can reduce the financial burden on the state's healthcare system. Supporters further argue that it could lead to Zoran becoming a hub for generic drug production and could open doors to trade with developing economies to allow them access to vital life saving drugs at lower costs. Those from the Junaluskanist party praise Queen Atsila for her decision to pass the bill saying that it may inspire changes abroad and incite the proletariate to demand the removal of such "monopolistic bourgeoise practices" elsewhere in the world. How this law will impact the daily lives of Zoranians and the country's international relations is just speculation at the moment, but in the next few days we are likely to see the consequences this law will bring.
    2 points
  17. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Nouveauterra Lucius Valaris - Ballroom Lucius is dancing with a number of other boisterous young men in a giant circle, causing a small tremor in the floorboards. He doesn’t focus on the circle, but at the periphery. To a beautiful blue shirt and white skirt. Stella Niewhus. She is talking to that slender young man again. Lucius’ slipping from her mind. He can’t stand the idea. He leaves the ring of stompers, and makes a straight line towards Stella. Nobody is going to stop Lucius Valaris, Third of his name, heir to the Valaris fortune, and Sinister in the De Rek Third Young Gunners Company. Uva Dolphin is standing at the edge of the crowd, and spots the dashing man walking straight towards her. She gives Lucius a loving glance, and meets wide, ferocious eyes. Lucius’ bodyguard Crass is hot on his heels. Uva steps to the side and avoids the pair by a hair.
    2 points
  18. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Nouveauterra Theo Van Meer - Ballroom Theo is initially dancing alone, attempting to match the up and down beats of Nalibian dance music, but when that doesn’t work, he notices you just need the down beat to dance. The aspiring 21 year old trust fund baby is trying to fit in at the who’s who of elite society. But it isn’t the place for him. How can a guy who really likes long walks and solitude inherit control of a vast multi-million mark fortune? Theo notices Stella Niewhus and Uva Dolphin dancing near a group of some locals and gravitates towards them. Stella greets Theo with a smile. “Nice to see ya!” Stella shouts over the music. “Same!” Theo whips his head back to ensure he didn’t destroy someone’s toes. He turns back to Stella, hunched over. “The studio!” Theo shouts. “By yourself!?” “Not exactly!” Stella shouts. She smirks and turns her back to Theo. “I need friends! Who love music! Like you!” Theo leans in. “Like me!?” Stella nods her head to the music. “Say less!”
    2 points
  19. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Nouveauterra Stella Niewhus and Uva Dolphin - Ballroom Uva Dolphin, the youngest of the Dolphin publishing family empire, is too late to warn Stella Niewhus as Lucius stomps across the room, trailed by his bodyguard. Uva wonders if she has done enough as a friend to protect Stella. Stella and Theo are dancing together on their own, away from the other partiers. They trade laughs and step in time together. Stella looks at Theo, and thinks about how he might actually be more than a mister-money-bags. Their shared love of music and haute cuisine might be worth brewing for longer. Can the warmth of love exist in the cold capitalist mechanisms of the business world? Stella is jolted by Theo’s sudden grim expression. Stella turns her head and sees Lucius darting towards her. Stella ducks. Lucius loses his footing as he bumps into Stella. The floor, slick from sweat, a few spilled cocktails, and grease, gives no hold for Lucius’ shoes. Lucius falls forward with incredible force. Lucius’ head connects with the ground, and he goes limp. As his body stops, dancers are confused. They look down, and reach for the unconscious young man. Crass is reaching for attendants standing by the edge of the ballroom. They rush to aid the sleeping socialite, but they may be too late. Anyone who suffers such a severe fall may be irreparably changed. Stella looks on at Lucius with a deep hollowing of her gut. “What have I done?” Stella asks herself. Theo holds her by the shoulder and ferries her to a table with Uva a step behind them.
    2 points
  20. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    This is the Royal Ball Event, the opening event of the Royal Ball. The final event, with the theme being socializing. Post a picture of the person at the event. They can be dancing alone or with someone else, or even sitting in a corner alone or with a group. Talk about the person/people; what is going through their mind, what are they talking about, how do they feel. And of course; who are they? If you have more than one person in an image, feel free to focus on only one of them.
    2 points
  21. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Attiq Uchennah of the Iweobiegbulam family is the heartthrob of the silver screen as well as a singer-songwriter. Here by request of many of Nalibia's ladies. As the highest-paid actor for the past two years, Attiq has earned his right to greet us with his presence on the red carpet. He is wearing a piece by X-Mac, an elaborate dashiki suit of vibrant colors made of Zalet-crafted cotton. His earrings are designed and crafted by Elias Bouchta, whom a lot of our guests are wearing tonight. His new album will drop this winter as the official soundtrack of his upcoming action movie, Soverign Siege.
    2 points
  22. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Princess Teniayo of House Medhane is here today wearing clothes designed by designer Arsema; the design on her dress represents her Mamon culture through its elaborate bead embroidery, a staple craft of her province; her jewelry is made and designed by Elias Bouchta; and her hair and makeup are styled by Hamza Yirari. Princess Teniayo is crowned to ascend the throne of her father, which we got a beautiful preview of over this past summer. She took over as acting queen for two months when her father was temporarily bedridden, and we saw just how capable she was as a ruler. The people's overall happiness increased with some jokingly asking, "When will he need another vacation?".
    2 points
  23. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Nouveauterra Stella Niewhus and Uva Dolphin - Red Carpet Stella Niewhus and Uva Dolphin walk out onto the red carpet to some applause and whooping as reporters took photos. Stella wears a complete set of a blue floral shirt and a white dress skirt from Caroline Bonflueve, a very modern fashion designer known for loud, stylized clothing. Uva is wearing a green fluted dress designed by her friend Vales Canes, an outsider fashion designer and artist of Danav descent. Both wear fashion that breaks the mold; an established designer distorting the old and creating something new, and a new designer from an often marginalized ethnic group. At 20 years old, Stella is the leading eldest daughter of the Niewhus Clan. The Niewhus Clan was born from the exploits of Niels Van Niewhus, who formed Entreprise de Castellum-Niewhus-Perrier in 1312. CNP is now the largest financial services company in Nouveauterra in terms of total controlled assets. Uva, also 20, is the second oldest daughter of the Dolphin Clan, a family of booksellers and publishers with their Dolphin Press being one of the primary publisher-distributors in the country. Stella produces music, and Uva is a muralist and artist. The friends of 10 years are hard to separate. While Uva is ogling the dashing hunk Lucius Valaris III, Stella is gushing about her production exploits. “Melancon, Jeune Aigle, and a collab between Julia Niewpoort and Guy Calx,” Stella said. “That’s crazy! I listen to Melancon all the time,” Theo said. “I wouldn’t have guessed the old school president was doing that now.” Stella gave an exaggerated pout. “I could be doing more,” Stella said. “But I’m currently stuck with Concordia Disques, so it’s only the artists that management has vetted so to speak. But I have a plan.” “What kind of plan? Wait, you’re going to go independent?” Theo was hooked.
    2 points
  24. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Nouveauterra Lucius Valaris III - Red Carpet Lucius walks onto the red carpet with his usual confident swagger. Waving to the camera and showing his bright smile, which costs about as much as a down payment on a house. He wears a brown suit from Pastor, an upstart fashion house in the heart of Gué, a major southern city. It’s popular with rich youths, and their parents who want to buy something that won’t make grandmother fall dead if it were covered in wine or stains. There’s an unspoken rule among Nouveauterrans about colors in high fashion. People of the old Markian ethnic group often wear brown, or earth tones. People of Danav descent (or who claim to be of that descent) wear green. And the grab-bag of ethnicities that fall under Old Gulderian usually wear colors spanning from red to orange. Lucius is the leading knucklehead of the Nouveauterran Valaris Clan. With origins dating back to the founding of the nation, the Valaris clan has woven its way into being a shipping empire, with a controlling stake in the Valaris-Heraclitus shipping company, the country’s shipping monopoly. Lucius spotted her from the corner of his eye; Stella Niewhus. She was obscured by a tall yet lanky figure. Lucius brought his hands together and made a dash for Stella, only to be physically blocked by Uva Dolphin. “Are you Lucius Valaris?” Uva said. Lucius attempted to look around Uva, but manners took first priority. “Yes, uhm, yes I’m Lucius.” Lucius couldn’t escape Uva’s double handshake. He wanted Stella, but there must be some way around this Danavian diva.
    2 points
  25. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Nouveauterra Theo Van Meer - Red Carpet Theo is somehow embodying zero percent of his father’s media training while walking down the red carpet. His blue suit is from Maurice Olivier, an old-guard tailor of the famed Rue de Marchandes in Pointe-d’Espoir. Deep blue or black suits and pocket squares are the hallmarks of the old-monied elite in Nouveauterra. Even people who want to fit in have to get with the dress code. Theo is 21 years old, and the leading son of the Nouveauterran Van Meer Clan. The Van Meer Clan was born after the successes of Fabien Van Meer in business. Fabien was the leading partner of Entreprise de Matériaux de Mistige Inham, which later evolved into Matériaux Unis (MatUnis) in 1323. MatUnis is to-date the leading mining company in Nouveauterra, and has made the Van Meer clan incredibly wealthy. Their mining profits are the basis for some sovereign wealth funds in the nation. Theo is meant to inherit this great wealth, but he has to grow into those shoes first. As Theo ends his walk on the carpet, he spots Stella Niewhus. Stella returns his gaze with a little wave and a smile. Stella’s face looks familiar; Université Ferax, as the head of student government. Theo remembers her speeches, and how she seemed to remember everybody’s name. Maybe she’d remember Theo.
    2 points
  26. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Prince Consort Chufu Olayinka, stood on the red carpet, welcoming the guest as they entered the Ballroom. He extended his hand to welcome the incoming tide of glamour. His smile was as bright as the polished gold of his sash. Each guest brought with them whispers of their nation's history, their ambitions, and the subtle perfume of power. A sea of eager paparazzi cameras flashed, the light bouncing off the jewels and gleaming smiles of the guest. The red carpet was not merely a backdrop for the evening's fashion display but a symbol of the unity and prestige that transcended borders and social classes. Chufu felt a swell of pride in his heart, knowing that this event would serve to strengthen the bonds between the nations of Esferos. "Welcome, esteemed guests, to the Annual Royal Ball of Nalibia! It is an honor to host you all here tonight. Let us cast aside our titles tags and revel in the beauty of unity and friendship," he declared, his smile infectious. He continued, "Tonight is not just about royalty and wealth, but about celebrating the tapestry of cultures that make our continent so vibrant. We are all equal under the stars of Nur, and it is our shared experiences that will illuminate our future together." This is the Red Carpet Event, the opening event of the Royal Ball. This event will start at 4pm with the theme being cultural fashion. Post a picture of the person on the red carpet in formal attire. Talk about the fashion; who made it, what is the cultural significance, statement or symbolism being displayed. Also talk about the person; who are they, how are they or their family important to your nation. Feel free to bring the person to life however you wish.
    2 points
  27. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Jamaldine of House Nataye tried to be unseen at the tea ceremony. He wasn't very good with people, and even worse talking to girls. He scanned the room looking for familiar faces that would hopefully approach him, while he desperately anticipated and waited for his buddies to arrive. In all, the events his parents made him attend, were never as bad as he imagined them to be, and so far the Royal Ball's tea ceremony was not different. The other youths sharing his table were pleasent company... Though he failed to remember some of their names, which filled him with anxiety, hoping they or someone would casually mention them. He presented the table some homemade praline pecans. His favorite candy treat, a confection with a history as rich as its flavor. The melt-in-your-mouth treat is a cross between a cookie and a candy and it’s loaded with a cooked mixture of sugar, nuts, and vanilla, often ground to a paste for use as a pastry or candy filling, analogous to marzipan; also, a sugar-coated almond or other nutmeat. He felt at ease watching his peers enjoy the dessert, it was in his mind as though they were enjoying him as well.
    2 points
  28. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Nouveauterra Lucius Valaris III - Noon Tea The young Lucius Valaris the Third walks into the tea room, and is hushed by his bodyguard Crass before he can make a fool of himself and his lateness. Lucius is a bit of an addict when it comes to lunaluma currant cakes. He has six of them stacked on his small tea plate. The lunaluma cakes are palm-sized, and are shaped like golden half-moons with currant filling as well as a powdered sugar coat. They’re a common snack in southern Nouveauterra, where currants and similar grapes are plentiful. Lunalumas are so common that the rich and poor alike eat it. It’s sometimes used as a canary for whether people have spare income; if a person can’t afford even a lunaluma for themselves or a child, they’re very low on funds. Lucius is excited to be around people. The gadfly is always up for a party, at the expense of actual business tutelage and learning. He does have an ulterior motive for this very public outing. Lucius wants to find Stella Niewhus, his ex-girlfriend from his days at Université Ferax.
    2 points
  29. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    The two sisters Daluchineke and Fumnanya of House Abdeslam, sat near a window taking in the elegent scene as other guest hobnob around the room. Near them is a Crunch Cake, a sweet and slightly tangy cake that is a true Nalibian staple. This moist yellow cake features a nutty top that contrasts with the coconut and vanilla extracts inside. It's finished with a light sugar glaze that adds just the right amount of sweetness. The cake is a popular dessert in the Empire of Nalibia, with each family having their own unique twist to the toppings. In this case the girls' cake is topped in chocolate. Daluchineke, the elder sister's, mind raced with excitment, thinking of the coming ballroom dance. Making new and reconnecting with old friends from around the world. Fumnanya the younger, on the other hand was just trying to get through the day. She'd much rather play online video games where her actual friends were. Both sisters understood the the need to attend the event. Networking with future world leaders meant a chance to leave a mark on the world, something they had been raised to value and chase after their entire lives.
    2 points
  30. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Nouveauterra Stella Niewhus and Uva Dolphin - Noon Tea Stella Niewhus enters the tea hall tailed by her publicist Zana and her best friend Uva Dolphin. The two friends are an oddity of genuine friendship in a cutthroat world. Stella and Uva are sipping on Pic Blanc tea from a small tea company called Freres Eauplat. Pic Blanc comes from black berry trees that are in the incredibly high mountains of southern Nouveauterra. The blend is known for its naturally sweet flavor, and the incredible price necessary to even have a cup of it. Stella and Uva have many cups’ worth of leaves in their entourage. Stella and Uva are both excited for the Ball. They had only been in the country as little children long ago. They saw Clara of the Volp Clan take the hand of King Cherut Mayrah of House Armoni in marriage. Being back again as fresh twenty-year-olds lets them have a new appreciation for the country. Stella is also here on some business. Stella wants to create her own record label and her father Walter approves, but she needs her own funds to get that plane aloft. Rumor has it Theo Van Meer is a fan of the artists Stella produces for. Maybe if Stella can grant him access to his favorite stars, he’d be willing to foot the bill for a joint musical venture in Santalmont.
    2 points
  31. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Nouveauterra Theo Van Meer - Noon Tea Theo Van Meer sits at the enormous Nalibian tea-hall alone. He sips a tea that seems almost unbecoming of a young man of his status, Te d’Braconnier. Translating as the poacher’s tea, it is a tea that is blended with petrified berries. It’s more commonly sipped straight by farmers and gamesmen, however Theo likes his mixed with milk and honey. The strangely decadent commoner’s tea is very much on brand for a young boy reluctantly being groomed to rule. Theo’s anxious. The relaxing evening has been molded into a horse-race by Theo’s father Ludo. Ludo’s coaching says it is a great business opportunity to connect with other young adults of his stature, and forge future alliances. This coaching is because Theo is the leading son of the family by terrible coincidence; Theo’s older brother Robert died in a boat crash with four others two years prior. Theo is the next great son, but will he be the crooked reflection of his brother Robert’s potential, or forge his own path in a new era? Before any of this is possible, he must make the ultimate choice, biscuit or scone?
    2 points
  32. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    african-sunset-motivational-upbeat-and-inspiring-130595.mp3 Welcome to the Royal Palace in Sheva Province's Capital city of Cyro, Nalibia. "Welcome, esteemed guests, to the Palace of Cyro," Queen Culela Gail's melodious voice resonated through the grand foyer, her smile as warm as the sun-dappled marble beneath the attendees' feet. The air had the scent of exotic blooms and the faint sound of a harp playing a delicate tune, setting a serene atmosphere for the opening event of the Royal Ball. Her eyes danced with excitement as she greeted each guest with a grace that could only be taught by generations of royal lineage. This is the Tea Ceremony, the opening event of the Royal Ball. The theme being cultural desserts and treats. Post a picture of the person in a tea room holding, eating, drinking or near the food item. Talk about the item's cultural significance to your nation, and who the person in the image is as well as what they are thinking in the moment.
    2 points
  33. Resident nation: Staneburg Discord name: .colby22 Map nation name: Staneburg A couple sentences about your nation: Staneburg is a federal presidential republic nation which is known for their tourist friendly environment and culture. The nation mostly focuses on providing social reforms and interventions for their citizens enabling them to get the basic necessities needed for life. The nation would also focus on the agriculture sector which would be used to produce crops which could be used to feed the inhabitants and also to export some for income. The nation would also focus on tourism as another form of income and also to exhibit its arts. Map request as an image or plot number: A18, i'm open to any suggestions. 3-Letter Code: SBG 2-Letter Code: SB Capital City: Cauloria Government Type: Federal Presidential Republic The population of my nation is: Average The population density of my nation is: Average The GDP per capita of my nation is: Average Government Spending - Which statement best describes your nation? My nation provides moderate social programs, or a small selection of social programs. X My nation has an extensive social safety net, or provides multiple programs like universal healthcare, welfare, and free tuition for its citizens My nation does not provide social programs beyond bare necessities and/or high school educations. My nation does not prioritize social spending, but engages in some large-scale government or public spending projects. My nation’s government spending is a vast majority of our GDP, such as having to coordinate our import-dependent economy. (this option is subject to Cartography Board approval) Military Indicator - Which statement best describes your nation? My nation has made a commitment to security, and maintains a moderately sized modern armed forces within our means. X My nation has little incentive or political drive for military spending, but maintains a small-to-moderate modern armed forces. My nation has prioritized military spending at the expense of other key areas and may have been criticized for lack of freedom or human rights issues. My nation does not prioritize military spending due to other priorities, the belief we are safe, or we don’t have enough money left over to fund it. My nation is heavily embattled and we believe we face an existential threat. (this option is subject to Cartography Board approval) Any other inspirations or concepts you want to share: Not really
    1 point
  34. The dikahnawadvsdi aninotlvsgi iyunadai has passed a bill that, if approved, will grant the Royal Aviation Administration the power to regulate the prices of airline tickets. People worry that these regulations will make air travel less affordable as the price of tickets would no longer change with market while supporters of the bill believe it would allow Zoranian airlines to focus on quality of travel and quality of service on their airline flights which would allow airlines to compete with each other over the quality of their service domestically and internationally. Opposition to the bill believe that these prices would cripple the Zoranian aviation industry as Zoranian airlines would not be able to compete with the potentially lower prices of the international market. "It's no longer the 1360s," says Lawmaker Tsosie of the Republican Action Party, "the Zoranian economy is more connected to the international market than back then where regulations like this were to help make a new industry a viable option for travel. But now the aviation industry is a huge part of the global economy that has flourished under its deregulation and its ability to set its own price based on supply and demand. By enforcing these regulations upon the industry, we are likely to see Zoranian airlines be unable to compete with the international market and thus potentially risk an entire industry in our economy along with the thousands of jobs it supplies for potentially a higher quality of service that is not guaranteed." Regardless, this bill will not become law until the Queen gives her approval on it but this hasn't stopped Zoranian airlines from scrambling as they seek to draft plans for if the regulations pass.
    1 point
  35. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Nalibia will be hosting a Royal Ball Event. It will be a one day event, hosted in Cyro the capital city of Sheva Province in Nalibia of Nur. The event historically has been used by Nalibians as a way for young Princes, Princesses, Lord, Ladies and Nobles to meet and possibly form long-term relationships that eventually lead to courtships and ultimately marriage. But recently individuals from other nations have been invited and have attended, showing off their nation's (or personal/family) prestige, wealth, and/or statues. Ultimately "Titles" do not matter. As it is about celebrity, statues. pedigree and wealth. And maybe a family/personal ambition to marry into royalty or wealth. The person does not have to have been rich their whole life to attend... They simply have to be rich or well established now. lol How to: The event would be handled like a red carpet event where you would talk about the fashion of the attendees (think Vanity Fair at the Grammys) and give a brief history of their family and/or the achievements of the individual if any. All nations that attend would participate by sending at least one male and female for you to talk about, with a picture of them at the event. The attendee could be anyone in their teens or early twenties that are rich/elite. They would be the sons or daughters of, if not they themselves "important" (rich cough) people. Imagine that the ticket price is too high for anyone but the wealthy or well connected to attend. Imagine a young Paris Hilton (because her family wealth and name), or a young Prince Henry (because his family's royal statues), or the Bush twins when their dad was president (because their parent is/was head of state), or even a young Reese Witherspoon or Taylor Swift (because her own celebrity and personal wealth) attending a Grand Red Carpet Event. Rules: The person attending the function must be between the ages of 12 and 25. The person attending the function must either be someone of statues them self, or be the child of someone with status. (Celebrity, CEO, Politician, Ruler/Head of State, Royalty, High Ranking Officer, ect.) If you take part in an event; you must make a male and female attendee for that event. Feel free to make as many people as you want for each event. If you RP your attendee interacting with someone from another nation be respectful. Have fun and be creative! (If you know of other AI generators, or better prompts, phrases, keywords, formats, etc; please feel free to DM me so I can share it.) The two AI image creators I use are https://www.bing.com/images/create?FORM=GENILP : It is free to use and no limit on the amount of images you can make. It makes very good images of both people and objects... However it is very strict. Words like "curvy" can lead to images being flagged or blocked as "sexually explicit", which can be frustrating. Which leads me to, https://perchance.org/free-nsfw-ai-generator : It is also free with no limit on the amount of images you can make. However, I feel like the images are of slightly lesser quality than Bing, and images are less detailed and mess up more often. The perk of this AI generator is that words are not blocked. The draw back however is that it is more likely to make people nude so you have to keep generating or change keywords to get the desired results. Prompts I used to make examples: Beautiful African princess in her early teens walking on a red carpet into a palace, wearing a culturally inspired formal dress and shoes, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Morocco, Ancient Israel, styled hair, late evening, view full-body, red carpet event, shoes, paparazzi, Bing left/top | perchance right/bottom (removed Paparazzi to get better results) Handsome African prince in his early teens walking on a red carpet into a palace, wearing culturally inspired formal attire and shoes, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Morocco, Ancient Israel, late evening, view full-body, red carpet event, shoes, paparazzi, Bing left/top | perchance right/bottom (removed Paparazzi and specified pants to get better results) African lord and lady in their early teens dancing in a ballroom, wearing culturally inspired formal attire and shoes, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Morocco, Ancient Israel, hair style, late evening, view full-body, ball, gala, shoes, paparazzi, Bing left/top | perchance right/bottom Tip to help those with a character they wish to appear at more than one event of the Royal ball... Example, 1) you make a character you really like. This character is at the Red Carpet event, but I would also like to show her at/in the ballroom... 2) Us a background remover like https://www.remove.bg/ (it is free to use), to remove the background. 3) Generate a room yourself or use a background that I will provide Monday. 4) Use a website like https://www.canva.com/ (it is free to use), to then put both pictures together. 5) Final, Use the picture your done. lol (If anyone knows a better way, I am all ears...) The Events Tea Ceremony - Noon (Eastern time) This event will start at noon with the theme being cultural desserts and treats. Post a picture of the person in a tea room holding, eating, drinking or near the food item. Talk about the item's cultural significance to your nation, and who the person in the image is as well as what they are thinking in the moment. Red Carpet - 4pm (Eastern time) This event will start at 4pm with the theme being cultural fashion. Post a picture of the person on the red carpet in formal attire. Talk about the fashion; who made it, what is the cultural significance, statement or symbolism being displayed. Also talk about the person; who are they, how are they or their family important to your nation. Feel free to bring the person to life however you wish. Ballroom - 8pm (Eastern time) The final event will start at 8pm with the theme being socializing. Post a picture of the person at the event. They can be dancing alone or with someone else, or even sitting in a corner alone or with a group. Talk about the person/people; what is going through their mind, what are they talking about, how do they feel. And of course; who are they? If you have more than one person in an image, feel free to focus on only one of them. The event is a month away (as of today); being held on Saturday, September 28th 2024. Feel free to start writing early as opposed to the day of (which would also be fine). The day after (Sunday, September 29th 2024) I will hold a Recap Event. If you missed the event or wanted to make someone new; you can post it on this day noting which function they are attending. If you want to participate, but won't be available on either day; you can write it early and send it to me. I'll then post it for you during the event. I'll need the images you wish to use, and your writings before September 28th.
    1 point
  36. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Saint Mark Maria Calidum Heads turned as Maria Calidum, seventeen-year-old daughter of hotel magnate, Sir Emerson Calidum and Lady Arthwyete-Calidum, entered the golden ballroom. She was noticed, as she always was, and as she always sought to be. It wasn’t only her flawless features or her gorgeous da Lautus gown in the Aucturian style that drew the glances … she was known. Her power over the choices of the Markan aristocratic youth was remarkable. She was what other influencers dreamed to be. Pleased to see so many of her disciples in attendance, she glided over the parquet floor and began to reward them with her attention.
    1 point
  37. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Saint Mark Lord Evard Vetopes, The Earl of Greylyn (fore) with his twin brother, Lord Emmanuel (back) Cameron Riffles: Well, Jennifer, here we are in Cyro, Nalibia at the Sheva Palace for the Nalibian Royal Ball, reporting for the MBC. Did you ever think this event would even catch the interest of Saint Mark, let alone be the must-have invitation it has turned out to be? Jennifer Synctus: The road to this day has certainly been filled with twists and turns, Cameron. When first announced, the Great Houses were having none of it. Gauche! They proclaimed! Cameron: Yes, many invitations sat unopened. Jennifer: Indeed. However, as is often the case, the youth thought otherwise. Whether it was a reaction to the, can we say, stodginess of their elders, or because a ball in a faraway land peaked their sense of adventure …. Cameron: … or that socialite and influencer, Maria Calidum, announced her intent to attend … Jennifer: Indeed. Yes, that too. Well, as we know now, every young Markan aristocrat who can free his or her schedule is taking part. Cameron: Yes, they are, Jennifer, and that brings us back to the Red Carpet. Approaching now are Lord Evard Vetopes, eldest son … Jennifer: … by seven minutes! … Cameron: … of The Duke of Anor and his younger twin brother, Lord Emmanuel, both eighteen years old. Jennifer: The Duke of Anor is, of course, one of the Electors of Saint Mark, and his House of Vetopes is one of the oldest, established in the mid-eight hundreds. Cameron: The young gentlemen are wearing red velvet by da Lautus inspired by the Aucturian Era of the 1310s that is all the rage among young aristocrats this year. Jennifer: Yes, and the red, for our foreign viewers, is a traditional hue of Saint Mark. So elegant! These two scions of Saint Mark would be quite a catch for any of the fine young ladies in attendance.
    1 point
  38. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Saint Mark Lord Gustave Crassus Gustave Crassus, eldest son of The Marquis of Penguie, very much enjoyed his tea … Serenity Coast Gold, of course … along with the delicious cakes and sandwiches, spreads and toppings that made it an event. It wasn’t unusual for him to spend a couple of hours relaxing over tea with friends and then have just enough time to change for dinner. The Tea Ceremony at this Nalibian Ball was exquisite. Everything was just as it should be, with a couple of tasty surprises added in for local flavor. Lovely! His mother, Lady Ineptia, had been the one to suggest he attend this event. He was twenty-two years old and, although he had many friends, had no serious girlfriend. It was an opportunity he should not pass up; she had insisted. He resisted at first … after all, he resisted all of her suggestions as a matter of course … but then it became trendy and so many of his friends would be attending anyway, so he relented. He had almost missed the deadline to RSVP, but his father had pulled a few strings and well, here he was.
    1 point
  39. Nalibia

    Nalibian Royal Ball

    Hello, I am Iruka Alaba and I will be taking you on a short tour of Cyro this evening; to get you ready for the up coming Royal Ball. The staff of the royal palace, are diligently preparing for the highly anticipated Royal Ball. It will be the first time in over a decade that the Palace of Sheva has hosted, and Queen Culela is personally overseeing the preparations for the event; which is now less than 2 weeks away. It is not only the palace personal whom are getting ready for the Ball, but what seem like the entire city of Cyro. "Guest are expected to begin arriving some time next week, and we are ready to welcome them to, the greatest City in Nalibia," said Nwanneka a local antiquity dealer. One of the many places our guest will be sure to visit is the Cyro Grand Bazaar; where they will surely find treasures of handwoven textiles, gleaming jewelry, and intricate ceramics along with exotic fruits and spices. Boasting a history that spans over five centuries, the Cyro Grand Bazaar is a Shopper's Paradise. Walking into the Grand Bazaar is like stepping into a different world. As you pass through the grand entrance, you'll find yourself immersed in a maze of narrow alleyways, each teeming with vibrant shops and eager shopkeepers. The bazaar is divided into various sections, each specializing in specific types of goods, from jewelry and textiles to ceramics and spices. Navigating the labyrinthine alleys is part of the adventure, and you never know what hidden gem you might stumble upon around the next corner. While the guest are here, it should be a crime for them to not stop at one of Cyro's bathhouses. If you haven’t yet heard of hammam, you are bound to soon. This treatment makes itself known around the world for being a relaxing and cleansing Nalibian ritual that is centuries old. Hammam differs slightly from the traditional thermal spa. While both are profoundly relaxing and good for the skin, rather than using thermal waters, hammam treatments use hot steam to encourage a deep and invigorating cleanse. Many hammam treatments also use vitamin-E rich, olive-based soap known for its skin-nourishing and exfoliating properties. Additionally, some treatments may include rhassoul clay, an antibacterial mineral that effectively and safely removes toxins and impurities from the body, reduces sebum and tightens pores. The tradition of bathing is an integral part of Nur culture, often taking place in beautiful old bath-houses. Bathing is as much a place to gather and talk, as it is a place to relax and clean yourself. While there is no right or wrong way to enjoy the bath area, the traditional use involves alternating between hot and cold. After showering, it is recommended that guests go from the hot tub to the cold pool, starting with our hot tub or mugwort herbal bath which typically range from 103 to 109 degrees Fahrenheit. For guests with a scheduled body scrub service, it is recommended that they soak in one of these tubs for at least 10 minutes prior to their service time. Soaking in hot water not only softens the skin to make the exfoliation process easier, but also maximizes the effectiveness of the cleansing treatment by opening your pores. While both are popular, the hammam is often favored because of its use of steam over water. Steam does wonders for softening skin, relaxing the mind, and opening the pores for a deep cleansing experience. Get your cameras ready because we're embarking on a journey through the greenest botanical gardens on the planet. Plants are great. You know it, we know it, everybody knows it. And this is the best place to see them. These gardens are a feast for the senses and a haven for plant lovers everywhere. With many of city's garden's being more than 160 years old, Cyro's Botanical Gardens has it all. Those searching for a little peace and quiet from the hustle and bustle of our city would do well to spend a few hours at one of its verdant oasis. Lastly but not at all the least, what city would be complete without Museums and Art galleries, to truly tell the history of our nation and capture the imagination of our guest. With over 100 Museums and Art galleries there is no shortage of inspiring material for history buffs and artist alike. At the Age of Discovery Museum, guest can savor the full Museum experience. With enough exhibits to take two days to immerse yourself in everything the campus has to offer. Or you can visit the Royal Gallery with over two hundred exhibitions to admire and spend the whole day immersed in works from around the world. Senay Automotive is one of this year sponsors. Headquartered in Wassouta, Sheva Province; Senay has donated several Orishas IV vehicles; to chauffeur the guest around the city during their visit. Though we have covered many activities and sites, Cyro has much more to offer from; lively nightclubs to quite hookah lodges, high-end restaurants to local dives and diners, and many other locations for families and guest of all ages. It is with great pleasure that your host Queen Culela and Prince Chufu, offer all guest personal transportation in the Senay Orishas IV luxury vehicle, provided by Senay Automotive. We hope to see you soon. More info on the Province of Sheva
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  40. Resident nation: Weisland Discord name: rivers_cyan Map nation name: Varia A couple sentences about your nation: The Commonwealth of Varia is a federation of eight nations, formed after a lengthy civil war and has been led by a single technocratic party. A recent reform brought some democratic rights to the citizenry, but the party remained dominant ever since. Varia’s economy is based on mining and agriculture, and its industry is focused on processing the goods that these sectors produce. The nation is plagued with energy shortages and being far in the north, it suffers from lack of ice-free ports. Varia believes in non-interventionism, and longed for trade relationships to bolster its energy demands and seek investments towards economic expansion. Map request as an image or plot number: G1 3-Letter Code: VAR 2-Letter Code: VR Capital City: Oltva Government Type: Federal Semi-Presidential Republic under One-Party Rule The population of my nation is: Average The population density of my nation is: Average The GDP per capita of my nation is: Average Government Spending - Which statement best describes your nation? X My nation provides moderate social programs, or a small selection of social programs. My nation has an extensive social safety net, or provides multiple programs like universal healthcare, welfare, and free tuition for its citizens My nation does not provide social programs beyond bare necessities and/or high school educations. My nation does not prioritize social spending, but engages in some large-scale government or public spending projects. My nation’s government spending is a vast majority of our GDP, such as having to coordinate our import-dependent economy. (this option is subject to Cartography Board approval) Military Indicator - Which statement best describes your nation? My nation has made a commitment to security, and maintains a moderately sized modern armed forces within our means. My nation has little incentive or political drive for military spending, but maintains a small-to-moderate modern armed forces. My nation has prioritized military spending at the expense of other key areas and may have been criticized for lack of freedom or human rights issues. X My nation does not prioritize military spending due to other priorities, the belief we are safe, or we don’t have enough money left over to fund it. My nation is heavily embattled and we believe we face an existential threat. (this option is subject to Cartography Board approval) Any other inspirations or concepts you want to share: Varian society is based on a mix of Eastern European and Northern/Central Asian Cultures. Inter-ethnic tension is one of the main issues of its domestic politics.
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  41. 13 August, 1424 - Today the Internet Rights Amendment failed to pass in the Iyunadai with the Red Throne Party voting against the amendment along with the Talon League coalition. Chancellor Yenuha Aditsi had this to say on this matter, "It is a shame that the Internet Rights Amendment was rejected by the Iyunadai, it would have brought great change to the people of Zoran in providing them basic access to information in an age of globalization." When asked about if he had any insight as to why the Red Throne Party might have voted against the amendment, he had this to say, "I do not believe that the lawmakers of the Red Throne party are against the idea of the Internet Rights Amendment, on the contrary I was under the impression that a majority of them are very much in favor of enshrining internet rights into the Zoranian constitution. But from what I have heard among the lawmakers of the party, they want to collaborate with the Pirate Party to re-write the proposed amendment and make it more defined and robust in its protections. What they mean by this I cannot say, but it would be safe to assume that the Internet Rights Amendment is far from dead." Agasga Florius of the Pirate Party and Degotoga Atawodi of the Red Throne Party refused to comment on the situation at this time. The public reaction to this ruling has been mixed with some saying that this was an disappointing decision by the lawmakers while others praise it believing that the proposed amendment was not properly thought out. Others praise the decision believing that access to the internet is not a human right and that the lawmakers acted wisely in rejecting the amendment.
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  42. Resident nation: Republic of Oestea Discord name: atmskull Map nation name: Oestea A couple sentences about your nation: Oestea is an island nation located between two oceans and two continents. An ancestral land for its people, Oestea carries a rich millennia-old culture characterized by its customs in music, fishing, and the traditional Oestean tapestry. In modern times, Oestea has adopted numerous social policies aimed at economic equality among its citizens, as well as promoting free education and healthcare for its population. However, it has not always been this way. Due to nearly a century of authoritarian governments, Oestea remains a developing country, primarily dependent on fishing and tourism, but with significant potential in mining in the near future. In international relations, Oestea consistently seeks to maintain a position of neutrality, prioritizing diplomacy. Its geographical location near the "Gate of Time" ensures important economic and strategic control at the separation of the continents of Doll Guldur and Aura, giving Oestea a certain significance in the international arena. Map request as an image or plot number: G11 3-Letter Code: OES 2-Letter Code: OE Capital City: Crystalport Government Type: Social Democratic Republic The population of my nation is: Below average The population density of my nation is: Above average The GDP per capita of my nation is: Average Government Spending - Which statement best describes your nation? My nation provides moderate social programs, or a small selection of social programs. X My nation has an extensive social safety net, or provides multiple programs like universal healthcare, welfare, and free tuition for its citizens My nation does not provide social programs beyond bare necessities and/or high school educations. My nation does not prioritize social spending, but engages in some large-scale government or public spending projects. My nation’s government spending is a vast majority of our GDP, such as having to coordinate our import-dependent economy. (this option is subject to Cartography Board approval) Military Indicator - Which statement best describes your nation? My nation has made a commitment to security, and maintains a moderately sized modern armed forces within our means. X My nation has little incentive or political drive for military spending, but maintains a small-to-moderate modern armed forces. My nation has prioritized military spending at the expense of other key areas and may have been criticized for lack of freedom or human rights issues. My nation does not prioritize military spending due to other priorities, the belief we are safe, or we don’t have enough money left over to fund it. My nation is heavily embattled and we believe we face an existential threat. (this option is subject to Cartography Board approval) Any other inspirations or concepts you want to share: My inspiration for this country was primarily from mountainous island nations like Japan and Taiwan, where governments need to find other economic means to sustain the economy due to the scarcity of land for agriculture. I was also inspired by Polynesian culture to develop the culture of this country.
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  43. The Elliot Star The Elliot Star is Sensoria's leading newspaper, based in Elliot City.
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  44. Huxley Reelected Fort Triumph — Polls closed across Sensoria Wednesday night, and now the Star can officially project that Harper Huxley has won reelection as Coordinator of the Assembly of Delegates, decisively defeating Conservative Alliance challenger Delmer Walwyn. Walwyn has congratulated Huxley on her victory and expressed a desire for ongoing cooperation with Huxley's administration. Huxley gave a speech in Fort Triumph, thanking the people for their confidence in her, and promising to "continue the great work of Joe Krantor in building a new, strong Sensoria." Huxley's Progressives have maintained a strong grip on Sensorian politics since Joe Krantor first founded the party with promises of constitutional reform. Huxley was first elected to the office 4 years ago, following Joe Krantor's announcement that he would be retiring from the position at the end of his term. Huxley, then Krantor's Secondary, was thrust into the spotlight as his successor. Huxley's first victory came at a much narrower margin than any of Krantor's, but in her time as Coordinator, Huxley has managed to build a significant rapport with Sensorian voters, undoubtedly helping to expand her margin of victory in this election. Huxley's first term accomplishments include completing multiple major infrastructure projects and the expansion of the Sensorian tourism industry. For her second term, Huxley has promised to look outward and build relations across Aura and throughout Esferos.
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  45. Resident nation: Free Land of Pacific Estates Discord name: thepacificestates Map nation name: Pacific Estates A couple sentences about your nation: (original content, not NationStates stats) The Pacific Estates is a state located in the Barry Sea, in the Island just below the Strait of the Sun Dragon. With a vast tropical forest, natural riches and lush beaches, Pacific Estates is a country well known for its tourism, culture, celebrations and local food, qualities on which its economy relies. Having invested in infrastructure to accommodate the flow of tourists throughout the year and especially in high seasons, the country has ports, airports and a large hotel network. Currently governed by President Mila Arturo, it is a country characterized by its diversity in addition to its social and progressive policies. Historically, the Pacific Estates was a port nation, where it served as points of trade and exploration for large empires, not having great military relevance, ultimately gaining its independence in recent history through the Popular Estatesian Revolt. Due to the country's port history, the large cities are generally located on the coast, as is the majority of the population, with only a few communities remaining in the interior of the country. Map request as an image or plot number: D13, D14. But i'm accepting suggestions. 3-Letter Code: PAE 2-Letter Code: PE Capital City: Del Sol Government Type: Presidential Republic The population of my nation is: Below average The population density of my nation is: Above average The GDP per capita of my nation is: Above Average Government Spending - Which statement best describes your nation? My nation provides moderate social programs, or a small selection of social programs. X My nation has an extensive social safety net, or provides multiple programs like universal healthcare, welfare, and free tuition for its citizens My nation does not provide social programs beyond bare necessities and/or high school educations. My nation does not prioritize social spending, but engages in some large-scale government or public spending projects. My nation’s government spending is a vast majority of our GDP, such as having to coordinate our import-dependent economy. (this option is subject to Cartography Board approval) Military Indicator - Which statement best describes your nation? My nation has made a commitment to security, and maintains a moderately sized modern armed forces within our means. My nation has little incentive or political drive for military spending, but maintains a small-to-moderate modern armed forces. My nation has prioritized military spending at the expense of other key areas and may have been criticized for lack of freedom or human rights issues. X My nation does not prioritize military spending due to other priorities, the belief we are safe, or we don’t have enough money left over to fund it. My nation is heavily embattled and we believe we face an existential threat. (this option is subject to Cartography Board approval) Any other inspirations or concepts you want to share: Inspirations for Pacific Estates follow Latin American nations' culture, language and climate, especially Brazil. I would like my nation to be more progressive, so I think of countries with greater social freedom in political terms, which have taken advantage of the presence of other nations to incorporate culture and diversify it even further.
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  46. 11 August 1424 - Today it was announced that the proposed Internet Right Amendment to the constitution will be brought to vote in the Iyunadai in the coming days. This bill was proposed by Lawmaker Agasga Florius of the Pirate Party and would make internet access a human right for Zoranian citizens and would have dramatic far reaching changes that could send ripples through the internet service industry. The expanse of these changes are to be speculated but it is already being met by much resistance from the Talon League coalition, with leaders of the coalition stating that internet access is not a human right "as humanity has existed for centuries without it and the implementation of such an addition to the constitution would mean that people have been deprived of a right for centuries." This is just simply one of their objections to the proposed amendment with the various leaders of the political parties of the Talon League each coming up with their own reasons for opposing the law. The Prosperity Coalition, on the other hand, has been silent on the matter so far. Those close to Junaluska of the Junalusaknist Party has stated that they are likely to support the amendment stating that "the internet is necessary for the revolution to spread abroad in the modern world and for the citizens of Zoran to learn about the injustices of the global capitalism and to be part of the international struggle for a better world." Other parties have not given insight into their opinions on the amendment yet and no hints have been found with regards to the other parties. In the coming days more details will likely be released by the other political parties as to how they attend to vote on this amendment.
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  47. Kingdom of Zoran ᎠᏰᎵ ᎤᎾᏙᏢᏒ ᏐᏩᏂ (Zoranian) Ayeli Unadotlvsv Sowani Flag Motto: Arise from Broken Chains Anthem: Arise Triumphant internationale_orch2.mp3 Capital: Alisdulo'i Official Languages: Zoranian, Darkesian Sign Language, Common Nationality: 98.2% Zoranian 2.8% Other Religion: 83.5% Zonethos(name pending) 13.3% No Religion 3.2% Other Demonym: Zoranian Government: Monarch: Chancellor: Unitary Semi-Constitutional Monarchy Atsila Ani'-Wah' I Yenuha Aditsi Legislature Dikahnawadvsdi Aninotlvsgi Iyunadai Land Area 324,820 km2 (125,414 sq mi) Population Density 44,747,571 (6th) 137.8 km2 (356.8 sq mi) (3rd) GDP (PPP) Total Per Capita 1424 estimate $2.062 trillion (4th) $46,103 (11th) Currency Adela (🝪) Time Zone IAT +1 (OT) Date dd/mm/yyyy Driving Side Right Calling Code +2 02 Internet TLD .zo
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  48. --/ Khesed-Emmeria Institute for Ancient Research & North Point D∴G \-- --/ Administration Passcode Required \-- _____________________ --/ FLASH IDENT \-- --/ FLASH IDENT \-- _____________________ --/ VISUAL IDENTIFICATION APPROVED \-- --/ ACCESSING FILE: THE ORIGINS OF EMMERIA \-- --/ END OF FILE \--
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  49. Overview │ Geography │ Demographics │ History │ Politics │ Culture │ Economy │ Infrastructure Notable Figures │ Map Repository │ Other Graphics and Images OVERSYN // OVERVIEW Fujai (fu:'jaɪ, foo-yEYE), officially the People's Communes of Fujai (Fujansk: Folkskommunarna Fujai), is a communal socialist directorial republic located in and near the Thulian Ocean in northern Polaris. It is comprised of the island of Saisland, portions of the Setgård islands, and the regions of Hasmark and Lannreid on mainland Polaris. Fujai also lays claim to the areas of Lannreid and Setgård controlled by Dalimbar since the 1200s. — - People's Communes of Fujai Folkskommunarna Fujai (Fujansk) - Flag Coat of Arms Anthem: Arbetarna (Common: The Workers) Motto: For alltid framover, for alltid nordover (Common: Forever forward, forever northward) Location of the People's Communes of Fujai (red) in Polaris (red, dark grey, & light grey) Capital and largest city Keiserholde Official Languages Fujansk First Languages: 76.3% Fujansk dialects 4.6% Kynsk 1.9% Gloisk 1.1% Other North Berganisk 1.1% Dalimbari 15.0% Other Demonym(s) Fujar (noun) Fujansk (adjective) Fujar (plural) Government Communal socialist directorial republic • Rådsrodd Iren Kristoffshavn • Velktingstalar Aina Landsvik • Hovudmidjar Aldis Steredal Legislature Velktinget History • States prior to unification by the early 500s • Unification of Saisland and Hasmark 1021 • United Kingdoms of Fujai and Glorijk 1042 • Gulhatt Republic 1113 • Re-established monarchy 1134 • Lannreid Forbund joins 6 June 1211 • People's Commune 26 April 1316 Population • 1420 census 7,294,825 • Density 13.9/km² Area • Total 521,912 km² • Water (%) 6.8 (1415) Elevation • Highest point 2,265 m - Trondhelm • Lowest point Sea level - Thulian Ocean GDP (PPP) 1424 estimate Total 521.84 billion IMU (12.84 trillion FJK) Per capita 71,535 IMU (1.760 million FJK) Currency Fujansk krone (FJK) Time zone IAT-3 (PCT Polaris Central Time/ SPT Sentriskpolaris tid) Driving side right Calling code +1 48 Country codes FJ FJA Internet TLD .fj Fujai has a total area of 521,912 square kilometers and a population of 7.3 million, mostly concentrated in south and west Saisland and south and east Hasmark. The country is bordered by Dalimbar on the east, shares an extensive border with Cambria to the south, and in the east borders Gloibria and the Cambric exclave of Corentin. Much of its coastline, especially in Saisland, is broken by deep fjords, with large areas covered by forest, tundra, and mountains. Its maritime location heavily moderates its climate, making it relatively temperate compared to its latitude in the east and south, with its coldest locales located in the northwest. Humans have inhabited what is now Fujai since approximately 11,000 BF. Berganisk peoples have inhabited the region since at least 2800 BF, being recorded in history in the centuries before the Markian Founding as the Saisar, Hasar, and Lanning, comprising along with the Glorar and and the peoples known as the Næring. The period from roughly 200-500 AF was characterized by migration, settlement, and raiding along the coasts of northern and eastern Polaris. Independent states emerged in Hasmark and Saisland in the early 500s, uniting into the precursor to the modern Fujansk state in 1021. The personal union of Fujai and Gloibria occurred in 1042 in response to growing Cambric influence in the region, failing in 1113 due to the Fujansk Civil War, which established the short-lived Gulhatt Republikk before the monarchy's restoration. The next two centuries were characterized by increasing Dalimbari aggression, with the Lannreid Forbund joining Fujai for protection in 1211, and a succession of wars eating away at Fujai's western territory throughout the 1200s, leading to increased alignment with the Astorians to the south. The disastrous First Northern War (1309-1312) dramatically reduced Fujai's area and began an economic depression leading to the Fujansk Revolution, which established the Red Monarchy, a socialist directorial republic with an elected ceremonial monarch. After a decade of economic reorganization, the ceremonial monarchy was abolished in 1331, leaving the current system in place. The Second Northern War (1357-1365) resulted in the return of much of Fujai's land to mid-1200s borders, and aided in Fujai's postwar economic success. On an international level, Fujai has been closely aligned with the Astorian Union (AU) for over a century, primarily as a defense against Dalimbar, and while not a full member, is a signatory of many AU treaties. Fujai is one of the few nations to use a directorial system of government. Executive power is vested in the seven-member Stadsråd (State Council), and its members and its Rodd (Voice) are directly elected yearly. The Velkting forms the legislative branch and has the power to initiate recall elections for the Stadsråd. Iren Kristoffshavn serves as the current Rådsrodd, Tova Landsvik as the Speaker of the Velkting, and Aldis Steredal as the Hovudmidjar (Head Mediator). Fujai uses a democratic socialist economy with universal healthcare, education, housing, transit, and an extensive social security system. These are funded with some of the highest and most progressive taxes in the world. Profit is outlawed in Fujai, and most companies operate as worker cooperatives or are under public ownership. Much power is delegated to the local kommunar, which often leads Fujai to be termed a "decentralized" or "municipal" state, while acknowledging the immense influence of the central government. Other values central to the Fujansk system include the landsuveren (land sovereign) and bypraksis (city practice). Fujai maintains an extremely high ranking in many international metrics, including quality of life, health, education, protection of civil liberties and political freedoms, equality, prosperity, and human development.
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  50. Guide to TWP Roleplay and Esferos Lore Introduction Current map version 1.22, updated 11 October 2024 Esferos Topographic Map | Biome Map | Tectonic Map | Wind & Sea Map TABLE OF CONTENTS: Welcome to the map! Where can I RP? A brief "Session Zero" for TWP Roleplay Esferos lore introduction Welcome to Esferos! The center of roleplay in TWP is the map of our world, Esferos. Our canon is tied to the map and our stories are built by our community—whether you're into nation building, international affairs, or rootin' tootin' cowboys, you'll find something that grips you here. There's no telling how deep you'll go! Citizens of The West Pacific can request a place on the map to develop a history, culture, and people for their nation. While collaborating with others, you will create roleplay like factbooks, news, stories, or sports—essentially, whatever you want to do with your nation within reason. The current RP year is 1422 AF, this translates to modern-day Earth. Most technologies are also roughly equivalent to the modern day. Before we get too into things, if you have any questions, you may address them to one of the Lorekeepers on the TWP Roleplay Discord server. To join the world of Esferos you must be a citizen of TWP, read the rest of this Guide, introduce yourself on the RP Discord server, and submit your Mapplication™ in the Mapplication™ thread. We very strongly encourage you to join RP Discord server before you submit your Mapplication™. Ideally, we want everyone to have the opportunity to get to know the different regions of Esferos (geographically and culturally) and see who is active there so you can decide which area is the right fit for you, as opposed to throwing a dart at the map. Where can I roleplay? TWP's two roleplay locations are the regional forums and the TWP Roleplay discord. However, these two places have different uses. TWP Forums TWP's forums are the official home of TWP's roleplaying—there are four roleplay subforums available for use: Atlas of the Occident - Map and Factbook - Home of the regional map and forum-based factbooks of the nations that reside in it. The Repository - Local & World News - The place to post newswires about the goings on in and around your nation. Roleplay - How the West Was Won - The general RP subforum. If you have an IC roleplay thread to post, it belongs here. OOC Support - Information & Dispute Arbitration - The place where OOC threads belong and where disputes can be resolved. And of course the RP Archive, which is, as you guessed, where really old clutter goes. RP Discord The TWP Roleplay Discord server is the home of OOC discussion and worldbuilding. Its activities include nation building, arts and crafts, regional planning, and all sorts of other things, but it is not the place for in-character (IC) talk. It is also not a gameplay or foreign affairs Discord, nor a substitute for the general chat and spam functions of main TWP server. You can find an overview of the server's rules, roles, and channels and links to helpful resources in the #welcome-info channel. Roleplay Resources Official Resources Big Book of Numbers - This contains the core statistics and basic information for all nations on the map, including capitals, land area, population, languages, and much more. The information you provide in your Mapplication™ will go in the Book, and you can comment on cells to add further information. Session Zero Guidance - This guidance forms the basis of our shared world. No one is allowed to go against the guidelines set in the Guidance. Unofficial Resources Language Table - This spreadsheet contains the names of all Esferosi nations in the different languages of Esferos. Maintained by Giovanniland, based on the spreadsheet begun by Kurabis Legal System Questionnaire / Comparison - Prompts to explore the way your nation's society is constructed through its legal system Nation Building Exercise - A useful exercise for exploring balance in nationbuilding. A brief "Session Zero" for TWP Roleplay The term "Session Zero" comes from tabletop roleplaying games, in which before a campaign starts, the game master sits down with the players to introduce the setting, set boundaries, and clarify expectations for the coming games. For our uses, it refers to the most basic rules and customs you need to know before starting to build your nation on Esferos. When in doubt or in need of help/guidance, ask the Lorekeepers. They are all experienced in subjects related to wordbuilding such as history, military studies, archaeology, anthropology, and political and international studies. They also guide the balance, quality, and realism of our shared world, and may take action to enforce it. Balance An overriding goal of TWP Roleplay is balance—this means everything good comes with drawbacks. No nation can be good at everything, just as no nation can be bad at everything. You cannot “win” the RP spreadsheet Your goal should not be to have the highest number on a sheet. Having a high population, a high GDP per capita, or high military spending each have their own drawbacks. It is a balance. Realism Technological realism: Existing technologies with widespread implementation, such as cell phones or helicopters, are fair play. Advanced technologies with limited or experimental implementation, such as fully autonomous vehicle fleets or advanced laser weapons systems, are guided by balance: if a real-life analogue nation has access to a technology, then you may attempt to justify that access by defining the balance. Historical realism: Real-life religions and languages do not exist on Esferos. Similarly, you cannot use RL religious symbols in your IC religion. You may reference them as inspiration or ‘flavour’ out-of-character. Using similar inspirations to other nations does not mean your nation must be related to them. Your nation didn't always exist in its current form. People probably lived there for thousands of years, but much of it was in a very different form to modern life. It's unlikely that the exact same political entity that exists today existed hundreds of years ago. Ancient developments should follow a timescale with reference or similarity to the real world. If you are interested in exploring the ancient history of your region of Esferos, you should look into real-world societal developments for similar regions and timespans on Earth. Modern developments should also reference the real world. For example, the ‘Industrial Revolution' was a process which unfolded at different scales and speeds around the world from 1760 to today. International relations don't have to be cordial, and your nation can have been friendly and have histories with countries it isn't friendly with today. Miscellaneous realism: Just as RL religions and languages don’t exist here, RL places don’t exist either. Do not name your nation, cities, and other things after prominent RL places like “Shanghai”. Exceptions are common given names like “Georgetown”. If you need help coming up with names, ask in the Discord or check out a random name generator. There is no magic. That doesn’t mean people can’t believe something is miraculous or magical, but you cannot state as an OOC fact that it is. You should make distinctions between historical, semi-legendary, and legendary events and figures. Just because something is not an OOC fact does not mean that it cannot be believed to be fact IC. The laws of physics are the same as we understand them in the real world. They cannot be manipulated or exploited in any extraordinary way. Humans are the only available species to roleplay as. The current year is not the beginning of your nation’s story We recommend avoiding the propensity to make big events happen in the current year; you should roleplay past events or allow them to be a historical fact. Just because you weren’t playing your nation before does not mean it didn’t exist or have relationships. Talk to your neighbours and define your historical relationships with them, it’s all part of the fun! War is difficult, messy, and detailed There is no total victory. You should find some drawback or disadvantage to your activity—there’s no fun in always winning all the time. Just because you have a large army and say military spending is 50% of your GDP doesn’t mean you win. Be tactful and realistic; look to real life examples and ask the Lorekeepers for help if you need it. Yes, North Korea is a “real life example” but their level of expenditure is an extreme outlier and comes at great cost. Border changes will not happen without Loremaster approval. This would be dependent on quality and content of roleplay. Remember that matters of war and military are subject to oversight by the Lorekeepers for balance and realism purposes. You are not a “recently discovered tribe”, and avoiding other common tropes There are no “undiscovered” nations on Esferos, just as there are none on Earth. If your nation is “opening up diplomatic and foreign relationships after a long period of isolationism” you are not going to be up to the modern standard of life or technology. Continents are not “Teams” The Continental Congresses don't have meaning beyond out-of-character (OOC) planning. There is no IC organization called a "Continental Congress". In the Continental Congress channels, we come together to plan histories, geography, and other things that affect our neighbors, but the goal isn't one continent-spanning intergovernmental organization. Avoid treating continents as teams. A few community rules Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Worldbuilding and RP can be daunting, but you’re not alone—we’re a community. Roleplay is multilateral, which means every party has to agree—you only participate in ways you agree to. If any issues arise, please let one of the moderators know. Along with this is zero tolerance for hate imagery or masked clones or iterations of nations like Nazi Germany. This section is adapted from the TWP RP20 Guidance and Rebalancing, which includes a slightly more in-depth version of the Session Zero. Esferos lore introduction Geography Our planet is called Esferos, a medium-sized terrestrial world orbiting a gas giant around a binary star, and is the only astronomical object known to support life. Its surface covered mostly by oceans, with a handful of major continents and numerous smaller island chains. The five continents of Esferos are Andolia, Aura, Doll Guldur, Nur, and Polaris. Andolia is located in the southern hemisphere — a land of broad grasslands and forests in the east, mountainous shores in the west, and deserts and rainforests in between. Andolia also has the most active volcanos of any continent. Aura is regarded by some as the historical center of Esferos — much of the southern part of the continent is tropical, covered in lush rainforests and fertile plains, while the north is much more arid and contains the world's largest desert. Doll Guldur is a rugged land in the northeast of the region — its terrain is made up of great plains and wide forests, with shattered mountain chains along the eastern coasts. Doll Guldur also contains the world's largest endorheic basin. Nur is located far to the east the other continents — its surface is covered by plains and rainforests in the north to mountains, temperate forests, and steppe in the south. Nur is the largest and least densely populated continent of Esferos. Polaris is located in the far north — it is a land of great forests and greater mountains in the west, grasslands and hills in the east, and desert in the center and south. It is also home to the largest freshwater lake in the world. Miscellanea Most of Esferos uses the Markan calendar system, which counts time from the founding of the Holy Principality of Saint Mark. One properly counts time using the BF and AF suffixes, short for "Before Founding" and "After Founding". The current year is 1424 AF. You can easily translate between the Markan and Gregorian calendar by taking the year in the Gregorian calendar and subtracting 600. For instance, 1900 CE in our time is the same as 1300 AF in roleplay time (1900-600=1300). The international language of Esferos is called 'Common'—it originated as a trade pidgin among sailors in the Darkesian Sea and spread from there. Out of character, most players use English to approximate it, but it is not related to English in-character. Esferos is a multipolar world—no single power international power has the strength to dominate the others.
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