Giovanniland

(OOC: 7.7.2021 Edition)
CONTENTS
1. Overview
2. Etymology
3. History
4. Demographics
5. Politics
6. Culture
7. Economy
8. Infrastructure
9. Education

From the Office of The Crimson King
November 5, 2020  
 
 
 
 
Special Statement of The Crimson Order

The Crimson Order has offered it's services to member region Equilism regarding Judicial Process. The College of Cardinals will serve the Judicial process needs of Equilism as stated in the Executive Order of the Governor General of Equilism.
 
 
 
 
 

Please mask @Dilber the Delegate of the West Pacific.
Please change my role to Guardian.
Thanks!

Back again for another tale from the land of Zor? Well for this tale you better hope you don’t lose your head.
There are many spirits that reside in Zoran, some as malevolent as the Urakti and others as peaceful as a visiting soul of a family member. But there is one spirit that is feared above all, the Crimson Rider. Every blood moon it is said that the Crimson Rider, on his wicked horse Cyprus, rides down from the moon to make his ride across the Zoranian isles to round up any stray spirits that remained in the mortal realm for too long. However, the Crimson Rider shows no mercy to any poor traveler it counters on its midnight ride. For you see, the rider does not see the mortal flesh of man, he only sees their souls and thus believes them to be lost spirits and he drags them with him on his midnight ride down to the underworld. Yet during the night, mortals will hear his eerie yet captivating call for the dead to return to their respective afterlives. This call causes many poor fools to cross paths with the Rider. One such fellow was Lagida Tle’-Maya’.
Lagida was a beautiful woman who had suitors traveling from all thirty tribes of Zoran asking for her hand. But all these suitors were turned away for she believed that she needed no man to be happy. She sometimes saw her beauty as a curse as that was all men would see, they wouldn’t see her for her intelligence or for her singing voice. Unfortunately for poor Lagida, the people of her demanded that she either marry or become a seer, a mystic like position that existed before Adanvdo graced the land with his presence. She did not wish to live the life of a seer so she relented and decided to marry. But at this point no man was willing to marry her because she broke their hearts before. Unable to find a husband on her own she had to wait until her mother could arrange a marriage for her. But she made one request to her mother, she wanted a man who could sing. While her request was an unusual one her mother granted her daughter this.
However, that night there was a blood moon and all Zoranians closed their windows and their doors for they knew it was time for the Crimson Rider to make his rounds. Lagida was never the superstitious type and always thought the stories of the elders were nothing more than stories to keep them from misbehaving. But that night her doubts will lead to her demise. While Lagida slept through the night, she heard an enchanting voice sing in the distance which caused her to wake,(Note: the words of the Rider has a similar meter to The Alan Parson's Project's song The Cask of Amontillado(yes it is based on Edgar Allan Poe's short story) listen to it a bit and then read it if you want to. It doesn't work perfectly with some of the lines but it is the best I can do to describe the way I imagined it)
Hear me all spirits,
Return to your halls;
The master requires,
Your return to your sires,
Adhere to my call,
And you might just find,
The crimson rider
Upon his night ride
Lagida thought this was some man playing a prank upon the village people by pretending to be the Crimson Rider. Yet she found the voice of this nonexistent man to be enchanting and thought him to be the man she wanted to marry. She rushed down the steps and unlocked the door before rushing out into the streets to find this mystery man. Lagida ran out of the village in the direction she was hearing the enchanting voice,
Seven hours till dawn,
But the night will drag on;
As the Great Spirit’s Liaison,
Will ride on and on,
Adhere to my call,
And you might just find,
The crimson rider,
Upon his night ride,
But as she drew closer, the enchanting voice grew eerier and eerier and the air around her grew cold. Despite the cold air, Lagida walked on determined to see the man she may wed. After a few more minutes of walking she soon noticed that frost soon formed on the plants around her as they died of the cold. She knew something was wrong but she did not want to admit the truth behind it all. It wasn’t long till the thundering of hooves filled her ears and she saw the approaching shadow which she hoped to be her mystery man. But as the shadow became clearer she came only to find the crimson rider upon his night ride. The rider rode a translucent black horse with glowing white eyes that showed all men feared to see. But the rider himself was a sight to behold. He wore a red cloak with gold trim and underneath he wore a black doublet that looked as though it were made of leather with a red undershirt. He wore black trousers and black leather gloves. But that wasn’t the frightening part about him, his face was what sent fear down Lagida’s spine. His head was charred, melted, and as black as coal and his eyes were like red tongues of fire. The rider stopped when he saw Lagida on the road, his red eyes staring deeply into her soul. Without saying a word, the rider extended his left hand towards Lagida and thin red wires spew forth from his arm. The wires wrapped around Lagida until she couldn’t move a single part of her body. She screamed in vain as the wires dug into her and burned her flesh before she fell to the ground tied up and helpless. The Crimson rider then signaled for his horse to continue on its way and it began to zoom through the night while dragging poor Lagida as he rode. She screamed and cried as was dragged through mud, dirt, gravel, and water but it was too late for her as the rider took her life and dragged her into the Underworld.
When you hear my song,
Know you do not have long,
Till I come along
To take what does not belong
When the moon bleeds red
Know that the dead will be led
By the Crimson Rider
Whose tale has no end

Gather around young and old as I tell you tales best left untold.
Many moons ago, before Advanvdo blessed the land with his presence, there was a man named Yeminose. Yeminose was a renowned hunter across Zoran, it was said he once killed twenty Jaguars all on his own in less than an hour. He was the ideal man, strong, humble, wise, athletic, pure of heart, and charitable. But as his fame and renown grew he lost his way and grew prideful, greedy, pompous, and arrogant. It was though he was a whole different person.
One day, Yeminose was making his rounds through his village when he encountered a shaman who had heard of the great hunter who had lost his way. The shaman wore rags and old tattered clothes made of elk skin. Yeminose looked down upon the old shaman with disgust and said,
“How can a man who speaks to the spirits present himself in such an indecent and filthy way.”
Little did he know that this shaman was an aparition of the Great Spirit who had come to teach a lesson to the prideful young hunter. The shaman spoke with a stern voice,
“Young hunter, you may be strong and you may be fit but your heart is as black as the deepest depths of the sea. How can you speak of the spirits when your own soul is as vile as the mouth of bottom feeders like the crab?”
Yeminose was enraged at these words and said,
“How dare you, you old fool! Do you not know who I am!? I am Yeminose! Slayer of Jaguars! Bane of sharks! Master of the jungle! I demand you get on your knees and beg my forgiveness!”
The Great Spirit did no such thing and instead challenged the prideful Yeminose,
“How about this, there is a monster in the deepest part of the jungle. It is known as Toranas, an Urakti that has taken the form of a muscular hairy creature that stands at 8 feet (2.44 meters) tall that bears great strength and invokes fear in any being or creature that encounters it. If you can slay this beast then you shall earn my apology and be known as the greatest hunter in the world.”
Yeminose, who was one to never turn down a challenge, accepted the challenge. But his pride and arrogance will get the better of him.
He ventured into the darkest depths of the jungle. All sunlight was blocked by the canopy of the great and ancient trees. The jungle was unnaturally quiet, no creature made a sound, not even the platypuses in the rivers. But there was a parrot, who stood on a branch, that spoke,
“Turn back *squack* death and doom ahead *squack*.”
Yeminose ignored this parrot, only laughing at its mimicry of some cowardly fool.
No creature or beast can best me! I am the greatest hunter in Zoran!
He thought to himself as he crossed a riverbed, going into the deepest part of the jungle. He has never traveled this deep into the jungle before. His previous confidence faded from him and was replaced with uncertainty. The trees were twisted and covered in thorns. The roots were black and were visible above the ground and a thick fog covered the floor of the jungle. The silence along with the reduced visibility put Yeminose on edge
Suddenly, the earth shook under his feet as he heard stomping in the distance. His legs began to tremble and he found himself unable to move. From the fog he saw a silhouette of a giant hairy creature with glowing red eyes. It stood on two legs and had arms that were the size of Yeminose’s body. He could hear its heavy breathing as it drew closer and he saw the face of the humanoid-like creature. The creature had huge feet and it walked in a strange manner. The proud hunter struggled to raise his bow up in time before he let out a blood curdling scream that echoed throughout the jungle as the creature picked him up, threw him onto the ground, and mercilessly stomped on him. That day many Zoranians heard the strange roar of the creature and when people went to investigate all they saw were the remains of a human corpse and giant humanoid footprints.
It is said that Toranas still roams the jungle till this day, and some say that there are more of his kind out there. But when you hear its thundering roar you know your end draws near. Let this be a lesson about pride, no matter how great of something you may be there will always be something or someone greater than you that will crush you.

Here's a TWP-themed Sasquatch! The colors used were mainly tones of purple and red from the TWP Pirate flag. I admit it, drawing with a mouse is probably not my best skill. But I'm happy with the result! 
 

Here's a TWP-themed Sasquatch! The colors used were mainly tones of purple and red from the TWP Pirate flag. I admit it, drawing with a mouse is probably not my best skill. But I'm happy with the result! 
 

That's a really cool online painter app!

He blends in with his surroundings

May the Blessings of Admin be upon you!
Announcing regional member:
Zday
And individual member:
Vara
Welcome to The Crimson Order.

I have failed to properly conclude this.  My apologies.
Noting that all Cardinals were advised of the appointment, and there has been no dissent, The College of Cardinals has given it's Assent to the appointment of @Elegarth as Regent of The College of Cardinals, and therefore also sits as a member of The Court of The Crimson King (Cabinet).
Hail Regent Elegarth!

I read that forum thread recently. I am fine with the current Z-Day despite the pandemic, but I understand those who aren't. If it changes, I am excited to see what comes this year. 

New Government Announcement
The long tenure of King Platypus has voluntarily come to an end. Platypus, who has served as Spiritus’ Chief Executive since 17 November 2018, opted not to run for office again, instead deciding to stand down due to other commitments. While Platypus might no longer hold the office, his legacy won’t be forgotten anytime soon, as evident by the new Chief Executive’s awarding of the Exaltation of Spiritus Award to King Platypus for his “extensive, continuous, and excellent service to Spiritus.” But as one era ends, another must begin to fill its void, and the citizens of Spiritus have elected their new Chief Executive.
Feirmont, whose resume includes - Delegate, Minister of Regional Affairs, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Chief Justice in The South Pacific, as well as Minister of Culture, Minister of the Army, and Chair Potato in Spiritus, was elected on 10 October 2020. Feirmont has a passion for all things Spiritus, and many look forward to his reign as Chief Executive. His campaign included ideas to spark more roleplaying in the region, planning forum and RMB events, and getting Spiritus more involved in inter-regional diplomacy. However, he stated that the real meat and potatoes of what he wanted to do was shaking up the composition of the regional government and establishing more offices than just Culture and Foreign Affairs.
And that’s exactly what has been done. On 13 October, Feirmont announced his new executive government. The foreign affairs office, headed by Diplomat and Champion Handshaker (Delegate) Salaxalans, was retained with a focus on incoming diplomats and inter-regional relations. The culture office, retained as well, headed by Master of Ceremonies King Platypus, sees its focus on intra- and inter-regional festivals. The communications office, a new office headed by Lead Editor Kialga, will begin writing and editing government dispatches, large scale announcements, and foreign news to be used to connect Spiritus and her allies abroad. Lastly, the recently established Attorney General’s office is to be head by TimothySnyder, and will be prosecut[ing] criminal cases, and expressing the opinion of the Government of Spiritus in civil and advisory proceedings.
Feirmont expressed confidence in what his new government would be able to accomplish, leaving brief statements on each of his appointments. On Salaxalans “Salaxalans is perfect for the role, given the enthusiasm for potatoes and the wild work with N-Day preparations. Also being the delegate and the face of the region is a plus.” On King Platypus “Platypus is no stranger to planning, and will do an excellent job in this role.” On Kialga “Although Kialga is fairly new(ish) to Spiritus, [their] knowledge of NS and experience in previous writing roles makes for an invaluable asset to the government.” On TimothySnyder “Basically, [TimothyS] wants to do it, I'll let him do it, and he'll be darned good at it.”
Many wish and foresee success to the new Chief Executive and his government. As his new government kicks off, this is the first of many communications in store that the Feirmont government hopes to put out.
written by Lead Editor Kialga

Unified History
Early Giovannian Empire

The unification of Lavender Island by the Giovannian Empire.
The Giovannian Empire officially came into existence on the day of 16 January 560, when Iulio of the Abrentan Republic and Nima VII of the New Lavandulan Empire agreed to share power as Emperor Iulio I and Empress Nima I. The new state was named after Triumvir Giovanni of Abrento that spearheaded the unification process, who was posthumously declared Emperor Giovanni I. Iulio and Nima ruled together for twenty-one years, leaving a lasting influence on the nascent empire's institutions. They consolidated the new government as an absolute monarchy and divided the empire into various regions, which developed into the modern-day administrative divisions of Giovanniland. The monarchs also expanded the imperial military, annexed some frontier mountainous regions, and colonized Valakilea in the modern-day Doyan Islands. Iulio ruled alone for three more years after his wife died in 581, and was succeeded by their son Augusto.
Augusto sought to create an unified national culture with elements from the Abrentans and Lavandulans, forming a new cultural and ethnic group called the Giovannese. He expanded the Lavender Festival to the entire country, built more Iantenist churches, introduced Abrentan music and cuisine to the Lavandulans, and created a law code incorporating costumes from both cultures. After Augusto's death, his brother Flavio ruled from 621 until 635. He waged war against the Glendora people of Blue Bubble, who had been divided for centuries into northern and southern clans. The northern clan negotiated with General Dezeno and agreed to submit, believing that the Empire would help their side win, while the southern side resisted for four more years until their final defeat in 631 at Atsinanana.
The two next empresses Nima II and Essuna focused on the economy, and both reigns saw the increase of exports and trading posts established by the Empire in the Darkesian Sea. After the death of Essuna, her son Tommaso I inherited the throne, and the goal of unifying the island returned to prominence. Tommaso's increase in military spending alerted the nobles of Minsu, who decided to declared war against the Giovannian Empire in 670. Tommaso then declared war in return and encouraged the Lavandulan populations in northern Minsu to rebel, after having been under Minsunese domination for over a century. This started the northern front of the war, while in the south General Artorio led another offensive. The two fronts met in the Minsunese capital of Asahi, and after a failed siege, the successful Second Siege of Asahi came to an end in 689, with Emperor Sora of Minsu being placed under house arrest and a Giovannian military junta being established. Furthermore, with the fall of Minsu, the Minsunese colony of Savaiakea in the modern-day Doyan Islands was also transferred to Giovanniland.
Although Tommaso I died in 686 before the war ended, his son Giovanni II oversaw the final stages of the war and then became the first emperor to rule over an unified Lavender Island, which lasted for the following four centuries. He ruled from 686 until 745 for a total of 58 years, the longest of any emperor. After three peaceful decades featuring important progress in trade and military affairs, expansion happened once more due to economic interests, this time outside of the island. When the Ardala Khanate in northern Andolia fell into a succession war in 721, Giovanni II authorized an imperial fleet to sail off Porto Violeto and Abrentopole soon after. The fleet reached the Isule Annovi in the first day of 724, where the important fortress of Isula Magna was founded, and afterwards it landed in the Ardalan mainland. The city of Andoliavilla was the first major settlement founded by the Giovannians there, and the coast was named Lido Flavi, in honor of Admiral Flavio that led this fleet.

The southern Darkesian Sea in 720.
The imperial armies took advantage of the fighting between the khans Naran, Elbeg and Tsaghan, who fought for control of the Ardala Khanate. Naran Khan was the most powerful of them, at the time controlling the Ardalan capital of Altan-qota and also the fertile valleys of the Irto River. From the newly founded base of Andoliavilla in 724, General Ottavio gradually came to conquer the Irto River valleys and surrounding lands over the next few years, allying with some local rulers unhappy with the Ardalan rule. Concurrently, General Galzeno fought against the troops of Tsaghan Khan in eastern Ardala, capturing their chief settlement of Tengis and killing the khan in 729. Two generals joined their forces for the siege of Altan-qota, which lasted until 734. Ottavio then invaded the royal palace to murder Naran Khan and his family, ordering the destruction of the city, and founded the colonies of Lido Flavi and Doruna.
The final expansion of Giovanni's reign saw General Lukiano advance southwards into the lands controlled by Tamir Khan, Naran's younger brother, where he founded the Colony of Kordelleria. Last but not least, the emperor signed of the Treaty of Syntilla with Saint Mark in 744, starting a centuries-long collaboration between the two Auran powers that continues to this day. Giovanni's successor was his granddaughter Emilia, and during her reign there was an attempt to conquer the last independent Ardalan lands, however it had mixed results and only managed to annex a few cities. Emilia had more success with conquering the realms in modern-day Fhaengshia, ordering a large military expedition to be raised in the Colony of Doruna and then march east. It entered the Kingdom of Ahfeginsi in the 751, soon capturing the capital Finsi and annexing the entire realm in 752, and the same happened to the Kingdom of Shihganfe in 754 after the successful siege of the capital Ganfa.
Unfortunately, the Giovannian advance was stopped after a failed siege in 755 to the city of Ruike, held by the powerful Kingdom of Fhaengshia. Emilia died later that year, leaving the throne to her younger sister Anna I, who ordered the conquest to halt for the time being. She agreed to send reinforcements from Lavender Island a year and a half later, and once they arrived, General Numerio commanded a successful siege of Ruike. Meanwhile, Admiral Nero won naval battles near the cities of Pirhaen and the capital Fhaendhaw by 760, leading King Soetihn of Fhaengshia to escape to the southern Gheffian region in advance. The imperial forces then pursued him over the two next years until he agreed to surrender in 762, and the Colony of Fhaengshia was then established.
Anna's later years saw further colonial expansion, for example fighting the last Ardalan resistance, led by Elbeg's third son Daichin Khan who commanded a fierce last stand against the Giovannian Empire. He was killed after the siege of Gal-gazar in 770, and his lands were annexed to the Colony of Kordelleria. The empress also sought to expand the Colony of Doruna eastwards to better connect it with the new Colony of Fhaengshia, adding in 781 the mountainous lands of modern-day central Fhaengshia to it, and then consolidating control of the new colonies until her death in 792. Her nephew Paldeno then ruled until 805 and sent expeditions towards islands in the central Darkesian Sea as well as the Outer Sirenas to the southeast, in order to increase the Empire's trading influence.
Middle Giovannian Empire (Pax Giovanniana)

A detailed map of the Giovannian Empire's conquests, including major happenings such as agreements, battles and the founding of new settlements.
The reign of Paldeno's son Iulio II started a period of peace and prosperity for the Giovannian Empire, featuring magnificent economic growth and development of a national identity. During Iulio's reign, many composers, writers and artists had their works financed by notable merchants, and farther expeditions began to establish trading posts in other continents. Iulio's younger sister Abrelia reigned from 824 to 853, and she oversaw the annexation of the Emüne Kingdom in 830 to expand the Kordelleria colony southwards, and an expansion of the Fhaengshian colony into the southern forests. The two next rulers Tenzina and Kesare made preparation for further expeditions by enhancing the military with new technology, and also oversaw the transfer of the capital from Porto Violeto to the newly founded Giovannia, a city built in order to celebrate the prosperity of the empire.
This ushered in the reign of Kesare's daughter Zodena I from 888 to 916. The Varanian War happened in the middle of her reign, in which the northern tribes of Varanius were annexed to the Lido Flavi colony in 904, cementing the Giovannian Empire's influence in the Darkesian Sea. However, defeats against the southern tribes and their geographical remoteness led Zodena to table her plans for annexing the rest. Her younger brother Vittore ruled from 916 to 937, and his reign saw the start of a new age of exploration in the Viatic Ocean, starting famous trade routes with the western Nuran civilizations. In modern-day Sekiya for example, Porto Nurano (Tianshi) was founded in an island off the Sekiyan coast in 920, and later in the decade, the trading posts of Divalle (Qiuxia), Bopeng, Tommasopole (Touma), and Trilaquo (Sanbo) were added to the Empire. The coastal states of Fugo and Fuzhou also fell under Giovannian influence as puppets, but not directly controlled, a model that was also widely repeated in other areas.
Vittore's successors reaped the benefits from the Giovannian fleets' voyages around Esferos, marking the 10th century as a time of economic, cultural and military prosperity. His son Giovanni III and daughter Trinella channeled this wealth into development of the mainland, and cities such as Porto Violeto, Abrentopole, and Urido thrived as major commercial hubs. Further overseas voyages took place during the rule of Trinella's son Dolkare, reaching the peak territorial extent and military strength of the Empire. Dolkare's son Tommaso II then ruled from 999 to 1039, celebrated for a long and peaceful reign that consolidated a new cultural era. However, his rule is also seen in an ambiguous light since economical and military advances fell behind during this time, causing problems later.
Overall during the Middle Giovannian Empire period, unparalleled economic growth happened due to strategic control over lucrative trade routes and abundant resources. The many voyages and expeditions facilitated trade with all continents and brought in diverse goods, while farming and resource extraction in the colonies provided an important backbone to the imperial economy. These riches fueled urban growth as well as the construction of marketplaces, universities, palaces, Iantenist temples, and other public works showcasing Giovannese affluence. The merchant class gained prestige and led commercial innovations—the grand expeditions during the time of Vittore were supported by organizations of merchants and moneylenders, such as the Trading Institute of Lavandula established at Urido in 923, which evolved a century later into the Emeria Lavanda as a pioneer in the history of modern banking.
Social aspects such as culture and religion were also strongly affected by the economic prosperity. This period was a time of artistic and intellectual brilliance, featuring famous works such as the Epic of Giovanniland about the national history of several millennia, the majestic frescoes of the Imperial Palace, and the Giovannese style of classical music with world-renowned operas. Meanwhile, Iantenism reached new lands and left a lasting legacy, with positive aspects such as the prominence of events like the Lavender Festival, and the educational role of founding many academies and universities promoting literacy, philosophy, and the sciences. However, negative aspects were also present, since most religious heads did not object to the abuses carried out by colonial administrators against indigenous peoples, and instead benefitted from the spread of Iantenism.
In regards to the ethnic groups, the Giovannese enjoyed the most privilege in the empire. Besides the important economic and cultural roles, the imperial government also encouraged them to settle in the colonies, in areas such as fertile valleys and mining areas, where they came to control vast agriculture and extraction operations. The other peoples of Lavender Island, namely the Glenpavian and Minsunese, were also important for the Empire's development, with many of them adhering to Giovannese culture and reaching positions of power. However, movements of expression advocating for valorization of their native cultures surged by the end of the period, eventually developing into the independence of Blue Bubble and Minsu decades later.
On the other hand, the indigenous inhabitants of the colonies suffered greatly at the hands of the Empire. Many perished in the wars of conquest and resistance, while harsh working conditions and forced labor in mines, plantations, and construction projects claimed more lives under colonial rule. Giovannese settlers soon outnumbered natives in strategic regions like the Irto River Valley, leading to traditional ways of life being disrupted while a new society shaped by colonial culture emerged, and any rebellion opposing it was thwarted with force.

The administrative divisions of the Giovannian Empire, shown with their borders during the Empire's peak in the late 10th century.
Late Giovannian Empire
Upon Tommaso II's death in 1039, his daughter Lavinia inherited the throne and soon faced some revolts, which she managed to end by easing some restrictions. Her decisions upset the more conservative members of the imperial court, which took their chance to strike after she died in 1053, and her son Silvio decided to reverse the policies soon after taking the throne. This angered the Glendulan people, starting their ambition of becoming an independent nation once more. Meanwhile, some Minsunese aristocrats had sent their children to pursue education abroad decades before, spurring the formation of the Gaikoku Society during Nima's reign with the goal of writing anti-Giovannian propaganda. Silvio's authoritarianism caused one of the society's members, called Fukito, to begin writing a book called the "Woes of the Masses" denouncing the Empire. This turmoil resulted in Silvio's assassination in 1062, after which his sister Zodena II inherited the throne.
Zodena tried to restore peace, however the quality of life for the Empire's inhabitants was declining. Meanwhile, the imperial government banned the "Woes of the Masses" and other similar works, leading to the arrest of their authors, and subsequent trials where they were found guilty of treason and hanged. These events fueled Minsunese nationalist sentiments, culminating in a large protest in the capital Giovannia suppressed by the empress. After her death in 1073, her son Giovanni IV inherited the throne but died under uncertain circumstances in September 1074, sparking a succession dispute. Independence movements capitalized on the confusion, leading to unrest until Iulio III secured the throne in March 1075. Fhaengshia's monarchy returned from their centuries long exile, a mass movement of Glendulans to modern-day Blue Bubble led to the formation of the Glenpavian Group, Hisamatsu Jin gathered like-minded people to discuss independence for Minsu, and Khan Daichin II launched an Ardalan rebellion. This last insurgency threatened the Lido Flavi and Kordelleria colonies, nearly reaching Andoliavilla before the generals Aetio and Didio turned the tide and quelled the revolt in 1079.
Besides overcoming the rebellion, the young Iulio III enacted policies that successfully reduced the economic downturn. However he only came to rule until 1084, when he was poisoned due to family intrigue and his brother Kassio took the throne. Kassio's stubborn actions raised the unrest to unforeseen levels, starting with the Colony of Fhaengshia's rebellion two years later with encouragement from their native monarchy. Imperial troops unsuccessfully tried to contain the rebellion, and it soon spread to the neighboring Colony of Doruna, where many Fhaengshians had migrated to. Furthermore, the Glendulan and Minsunese were also appalled by the fact many of them had died in combat during this and previous rebellions, adding another reason for their independence demands.
Hisamatsu Jin met with the Glenpavian Group in 1089, and the following year saw both Blue Bubble and Minsu launch their rebellions, which the Giovannian army failed to contain. Kassio wanted to continue trying to defeat the independence movements, but by mid-1091 it became clear that the situation was no longer salvageable. A coup replaced Kassio with Petro I, who recognized the independence of Blue Bubble, Fhaengshia and Minsu, and also signed the Tri-Lavender Treaty with the two other Lavender Island nations in 1094, accepting them as equals and agreeing to pay reparations. During the later years of Petro's reign, border clashes with Minsu led to the formation of the modern-day border.
The next empress Hadriana ruled from 1113 to 1132, and has a controversial legacy for enacting policies in favor of ethnic persecution, displacement and forced cultural assimilation in the remaining Andolian colonies, as she feared losing these lands for two main reasons. The first was that, although the indigenous population had decreased since the 8th century due to the wars of conquest and forced labor within the Empire, it was still a significant number that could also rise in new revolts like the previous Ardalan insurgency led by Khan Daichin II. The second is that the remaining areas included fertile farmlands and profitable mining operations important for the imperial economy. Hadriana's policies continued for almost 200 years and were very harsh to the indigenous populations, cementing the dominance of Giovannese settlers in modern-day Giovandolia and paving the way for its transformation from colony to an integral part of Giovanniland.
Hadriana's younger brother Karlo inherited the throne after her death. He reorganized the nation's administrative divisions, introducing the two-tier system of regions and municipalities that is still used today, and led the Karlian Renaissance where the Empire regained cultural and economical strength over several decades without major internal conflicts. Furthermore, he also built upon the work of his two predecessors that had opened relations with Minsu and Blue Bubble, and worked towards the formation of friendly ties, which was achieved towards the end of his reign. The following reigns of Antonia and Nima III continued these principles and also made the first steps for the eventual industrialization of Giovanniland.
Unfortunately, a new period of turmoil started when Nima III was assassinated in 1192. Her younger brother Petro II attempted to decrease tensions but faced a major rebellion in northern Varanius that threatened to spill to the rest of the Colony of Lido Flavi. Petro was unable to quell the revolt, and the situation was left to Emperor Klaudio to solve, who saved the lands of modern-day northern Giovandolia while recognizing the independence of Varanius in 1204. Over the following years Klaudio also signed decolonization treaties for other territories, such as the Doyan Islands. His daughter Anna II inherited the throne in 1217, and seeing the need for national modernization and stability, Anna relinquished part of her power and the title of Empress in 1225, marking the change between the Giovannian Empire and the modern Kingdom of Giovanniland. She also granted equal administrative status to Auran and Andolian Giovanniland, abolishing the colonies of Lido Flavi and Kordelleria, and replacing them with regular regions administered as in Lavender Island.
Political reform and industrialization
Giovanniland became a semi-constitutional monarchy in 15th June 1225, after which Anna II ruled as Queen. The Senato was now elected by popular vote under the new system, but the monarch retained the power to appoint any senator as prime minister, according to their best judgment of who might form the best cabinet. Anna II chose Vinikio de Abreo-Florino as the first Prime Minister of Giovanniland, an entrepreneur active in the rising industrialization happening in various major cities. The Queen directed him to place Giovanniland on the path of becoming fully industrialized, reworked various government institutions, and codified the basic rules of the election process, such as senators being elected by region and having a five-year term. The major political parties of the century were at first the right-wing Partito Konservatore (Conservative Party) and the centrist Partito Librale (Liberal Party), as well as the left-wing Partito Demokrata (Democratic Party) later on. The two first dominated politics during this period, and even though they had different ideas on key issues of the era, the monarch used their power to ensure continuity between national policies so that the country could develop.
During the reign of Queen Abrelia II, the liberal brothers Vinikio and Raffello de Abreo-Florino contributed the most to national industrialization, while the conservative Zutrina Amafinia focused on expanding foreign relations and adapting Giovanniland to a new era in the international stage. The Queen died during the third year of Tommaso's prime ministership and was succeeded by her son Filippo, who ruled for five decades and is remembered as a great monarch. During Filippo's reign, Giovanniland became fully industrialized, and many infrastructure projects were funded with the industrial profit, such as a grand railway network to facilitate commerce, with Giovannia, Porto Violeto and Andoliavilla as the main hubs. Cities were modernized, and soon started receiving electricity in the 1280s. Furthermore, an important external achievement from this time was the update of the Tri-Lavender Treaty into a stronger version, with more cooperation between the three nations. King Filippo's reign from 1241 to 1293 was overall a time of economic prosperity, rapid urbanization, infrastructure modernization, and last but not least technological, scientific, and cultural innovations.
Filippo's nephew Iulio IV succeeded him after his death, and although Iulio's reign was shorter, the happenings during this time had a wide impact in Giovannilandian politics. Social movements were rising at the turn of the century, and this was also reflected in the Senato composition, where the Conservatives lost seats while the left-wing Democrats and newcomers Partito Labrista (Labour Party) increased their representation. However, Iulio grew in a conservative background and was not very friendly to these changes to society, and a political crisis in 1307 led to the resignation of both the king and the conservative prime minister at the time, Laronia Diadumena.
Contemporary period

The modern-day borders and cities of Giovanniland and its neighbors.
The next monarch was Osella, who reigned from 1307 until 1343 and was the granddaughter of the late King Filippo. She had different viewpoints and better political expertise, which allowed her to solve the issues and choose a direction for the country to move forward. During the prime ministership of the democrat Gaio Andago-Lugiune, Anna III gathered support from a wide political spectrum to plan the formation of a welfare state, her main goal. She also spearheaded national integration projects such as the north-south highways in both the Auran and Andolian territories, and outlawed of any kind of persecution against Native Andolians. Other important aspects of Anna's reign were the expansion of voting rights to all citizens of Giovanniland, and the formation of new parties such as the Partito Verde (Green Party), Partito Kentri (Center Party) and Partito Patriota (Patriot Party).
Starting from 1324 a new era in Giovannilandian politics started, where the left-wing coalitions controlled the Senato for almost five decades except for two short-lived conservative governments, featuring Labour prime ministers for the first time. This aided Osella's welfare state project, as well as crucial advances in education, health, infrastructure, human development, security and many other areas. The most important prime minister of this period was the Labour politician Gigero Tiberio-Vittori, deemed the Architect of Modern Giovanniland, who served for four complete terms between 1339 and 1355. His social democracy concepts have enjoyed extensive influence since then, being a prominent part of the national development plan in the present day.
The Green Party also came to lead a government during the reign of Queen Osella. The party leader Anna Tansegano became prime minister and promoted ecotourism through the creation of national parks and natural reserves, as well as encouraging the replacement of coal as the dominant energy source in Giovanniland with hydropower, which was soon accomplished. Following Osella's death in 1343, her grandson Giovanni V ruled from 1343 to 1377, continuing her policies. Important accomplishments of his reign were the update of transport infrastructure to connect all settlements with at least five thousand people and make it more environmentally friendly, the codification of several workers' rights bills into a single updated document which improved minimum wage standards, the rise of solar and wind power to complement the dominant hydropower as energy source, and the renewal of Giovannilandian ports to keep up with global trade.
The decade of the 1370s saw the end of the left-wing domination in the Senato, and also the death of Giovanni V, whose younger sister Anna III inherited the throne. After the significant social advances during the previous decades, Anna chose the rising technology sector as a new focus for the country since it began to complement the rest of the tertiary sector, and she also dedicated subsidies for a home electronics industry. Fulvio Benaventura (Conservative), an entrepreneur that invested in the technology market until being chosen as prime minister between 1377 and 1385, contributed a lot to Queen Nima's goals and so did his successors. Alliances were created in this new political era, for example a centrist coalition between the Liberal, Center and Democratic parties, all of which sought to offer an alternative for the left and right governments. Gepello Kesare-Karpo (Liberal) devised this alliance, one of the key senators during Nima's reign alongside the conservative leader Fulvio and the left-wing leader Kornelia Tiberio-Vittori, the daughter of Gigero.
The current monarch King Giovanni VI has ruled since 1407 and has overseen a number of projects, such as developing Giovanniland as a pioneer nation in the field of environmentally friendly technology, and successfully regulating the rising online sectors of the economy. He also pursues an active external policy, which led to the nation's role in hosting the Quorivo & Kharventhin Summer Esferiad together with Blue Bubble, and to a recent economic treaty with Saint Mark and Dalimbar. Overall, Giovanniland is today one of Esferos' largest economies and richest countries per capita, with a technologically advanced economy, expansive welfare state and robust environmental policy.

Kingdom of Giovanniland
(Giovannese: Regno de Giovanniterra)
Overview - History (Auran - Andolian - Unified) - Geography - Politics - Demographics - Economy - Culture

Chapter II: Deceit and Distrust
It was three whole days after the murder of Mr. Osborne. The National Senate hastily convened in a hotel ballroom a few city blocks away from its original meeting place, now tainted with the permeating stench of bloody murder. The National Senate Palace was cordoned off by police, the residents of Friberne now in an uproar. The murder had shocked the Santo-Dominian capital, once a peaceful and tranquil city built on hillsides. Now, there were four suspects, and they belonged to the highest and lowest echelons of society at the same time: politicians.
President Paul Goldberg arrived for his interrogation session on a sunny Thursday. The weather was good, his emotions were not. A bloody murder, he thought, and a poor, innocent victim. Mr. Osborne did not deserve such a terrible fate. I would've taken a bullet for him. Regardless, a dapper man dressed in a neatly pressed black suit came into the interrogation office. The man closed the door, sat down opposite the President, and said, "Good morning, Mr. President. My name is Andy Albanese, and I'm a crime scene investigator here at the Police of the Federal City of Friberne. As the chief of the investigation into this terrible murder, I will be asking you questions. Your duty as a citizen is to answer them truthfully without reservation or deceit."
"I understand, Mr. Albanese." Goldberg replied. "Your job isn't easy."
"Thank you, Mr. President. Now, as an officer of the law, I must declare to you your rights. If you want access to a lawyer, you shall be granted that access. If you cannot afford a lawyer, the Government will provide one for you. You have the right to remain silent, but your silence may be used against you in a trial. Any testimony you offer can be used against you in a trial. Your testimony will be videotaped by this camera on the table here, but anything you say that is related to this case can be used and may be used against you."
"Thank you, Mr. Albanese. Now, we shan't waste time. What questions do you have for me?"
Albanese said, in a calm and collected manner, "Mr. President. Did you commit the crime? Did you murder Mr. Osborne that night?"
"No, I did not. I was alerted by a cry of shock that I presume to be uttered by Mr. Osborne as he was fatally attacked by the culprit."
Albanese continued, "Were there any other people in the National Senate Palace at the time of the crime?"
"Yes, Mr. Albanese. Vice President Donald Verbloem and Senators Jan Davis Lovings and Dennis Ford. All three were in the building, I presume. One of them alerted me to Mr. Osborne's death, but I am not sure who that was." Goldberg replied.
"Mr. President, did you come in contact with Mr. Osborne on the day of the crime?"
"No. I did not see or talk or contact Mr. Osborne in any way, shape or form. I was occupied with meetings and commitments throughout the day." This was evidently a lie, but the President collected himself. By now, he had become accustomed to the art of subtly lying to the most investigative of journalists and reporters. It was a necessary lie, Goldberg told himself.
Seeming to have sensed Goldberg's uneasiness, Albanese sat up and stared at him for a few moments. Goldberg did not respond, and Albanese backed down from whatever plan he hatched. Taking out a notepad and a pencil, he flipped to the first page and asked: "Mr. President, do you have any predictions on who may have committed the crime? Would Senators Ford, Lovings or the Vice President have committed the crime? Do they have any motive you were aware of that would make them murder Mr. Osborne?"
Goldberg replied: "I am not aware that any of my fellow colleagues had any motive to murder Mr. Osborne. I don't know if the Senators or the Vice President have any vendetta against Mr. Osborne, and I am not aware of such vendettas even if they do exist."
Albanese skeptically looked into the President's eyes. This guy is claiming innocence......perhaps too obviously, Albanese told himself. He edged his seat closer to the table and said: "And what about you, Mr. President? Do you have any motive or vendetta against Mr. Osborne? Did you have any friendship, relationship, feud or similar things with Mr. Osborne?"
Goldberg knew that he had to lie again. He was friends with Mr. Osborne, and had been so since they were in middle school. However, to save himself from looking guilty, he had to lie again. "No, Mr. Albanese. I was not friends with Mr. Osborne, and I did not have any relationships with him. I did not feud with him either. He was a man I did not know well."
Albanese looked even more skeptical. With frustration and harsh skepticism written all over the CSI's face, the President did not flinch. Both men were accustomed to people like the other, and neither side would back down, give up or tell the truth. For now, it was a stalemate, and Albanese said: "Mr. President, I believe that's all for now. You can leave."
"Thank you, Mr. Albanese. If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact my office to schedule more appointments and meetings. Now please excuse me, as I have an appointment to attend. Have a good day, Mr. Albanese."
Andy Albanese did not respond.

A CAPITAL CRIME

Chapter I: The Beginning of the End
 
The clocks struck eleven, in the darkest of nights. As shopkeepers and residents of Friberne retreated to their study wooden chalets, the capital of Santos-Dominius seemed to go to sleep. But, as the saying goes: "The city never sleeps......"
The National Senate Palace shut its doors, with the last of legislators walking out into the wide, paved boulevards beyond its premises. The building's halls, old, storied and with a subtle hint of medieval flair, darkened as the last lights and electronic candles were switched off. The groundskeeper, Mr. Osborne, was to be the only person in the building under normal conditions. This was to be untrue on this fateful night.
Meeting Room No. 132 was like any other, but also different in that on this night, it was bustling with noise while its adjacent counterparts were empty and collecting the few scraps of dust Mr. Osborne had not cleaned. Inside the room, President Paul Goldberg, Vice President Donald Verbloem and Senators Dennis Ford and Jan Lovings were in a heated discussion. Just by looking, any observer would come to the conclusion that was a dignified affair, but in reality the words these men uttered hid sharp knifes and strong blades. Politics was a game of reputation, and the four of them knew that insulting one another was neither the best way to reach agreement nor the best way to give someone else a good impression. Instead, their words, though polished and reserved, were heavy and with subtle deceit. Neither side was willing to back down or strong arm the other.
As the night went on, the conversation finally deteriorated. What began as a simple insult lodged by Senator Ford and aimed at President Goldberg circled the drain, and soon the room erupted into strong(but still dignified and somehow polite) rhetoric. President Goldberg, who did not care for these arguments and insults, attempted several times to de-escalate the situation, all to no avail. Vice President Verbloem and Senator Ford kept hurling words of contempt at each other, while Senator Lovings, visibly annoyed by this petty argument, joined it constantly to rebuke both men, only to be yelled at and shut out from the conversation.
"Gentlemen, please, for the love of God, sit down and take a deep breath," Goldberg said.
"NOT A CHANCE!" Ford exclaimed. "You already have the Presidency. I won't yield any further concessions to you!"
"Do you SEE this repugnant man, Paul? How dare HE, a LOWLY SENATOR, insult ME, the VICE PRESIDENT!?" Verbloem shouted.
Lovings yelled: "BOTH OF YOU, SIT DOWN and STOP this MADNESS!"
Goldberg had had enough. He knew, out of years of experience in politics, that this conversation was not going to produce any useful results. Hence, he strongly exclaimed, in the most dignified and presidential way possible: "GENTLEMEN. This. Meeting. Is. Adjourned."
Verbloem, Ford and Lovings all looked at the bearded President, first with contempt, then with shock, and then finally with apologetic looks. No one wanted to infiuriate the highest government official of the country they serve. The four men shook hands with each other, whispered a few words of apology and disappointment, and exited the room into the few dimly-lit hallways of the National Senate Palace.
Goldberg, already burdened with the complications and work of the Presidency, strolled slowly down the halls, walking steadily towards the exit. Halfway down the third corridor he passed through, he met a jubilant Mr. Osborne.
"You look positively happy, Osborne. What made you so?" Goldberg asked.
"I successfully cleaned the portrait frame of our founding President, Bill Mulberry, without damaging the painting itself. It was a hard job, but I pulled it off!" Mr. Osborne replied in an excited manner.
Goldberg smiled, pat the satisfied groundskeeper on the back, and continued to walk towards the exit he used whenever he came to the National Senate. Mr. Osborne walked in the other direction, past Meeting Room No. 132 and down a dark, almost pitch-black corridor. Goldberg did not give this action of his much thought. The presidential exit door of the National Senate Palace was in sight when a muffled but blood-curdling cry of shock rang through the halls, followed by someone screaming: "MURDER! Mr. President, where are you? Poor Mr. Osborne has been murdered!"
Without even a second thought, Goldberg rushed out the building and out into the National Senate gardens. There, he rushed over to the safety of his limousine, and was swiftly escorted back to the Presidential Residence. This is going to be a long night, the President thought. This would prove true.

April 30, 1420
11:00 AM Over Time
“Atsila Ani’-Wah’ under orders of the Grand Defense Council you are under arrest for treason!” yelled a soldier from the other side of the door. Atsila looked at the door in fear as the thought of being put in a prison cell crossed her mind.
I didn’t ask for this! I don’t want to be queen! I wasn’t part of any of this!
She thought to herself. The soldier banged on the door again,
“Atsila Ani’-Wah’ if you do not open the door this instant we will be forced to use force.” yelled the soldier. Atsila could hear the soldiers planting charges on her door. She just stood there, paralyzed with fear.
Great Spirit please help me!
“Hey what’s the deal here? Don’t you guys think that ballistic breaching is a bit much for a normal apartment door?” said a muffled and unrecognizable voice. The sound of gunfire followed along with the sound of bodies hitting the floor, people being grappled, and a...wilhelm scream? Atsila leaned against her wall and slid down to the ground out of fear. Then there was silence and no sound was outside...until there was a slight click heard from the door followed by another click and a third click. After the third click the door unlocked and the door opened to reveal a man in a black reflective helmet mask in some strange black armor. Behind him were the unconscious bodies of six Zoranian soldiers and the man looked completely unharmed. He walked into her apartment casually as if nothing happened and looked at Atsila.
“Sorry about that, hope they didn’t cause you too much trouble.” said the man. Atsila could tell that the man’s voice was modulated as it sounded too deep for it to be natural.
“Who are you?” asked Atsila. The man’s body language shifted to give the idea that he was insulted,
“How can you not know who I am?! I am the one and only CGZ and I am here to save your hide from the idiots in the GSC, the fat cats in their towers of false power, the fanatics that use the Great Spirit’s name for their own desires, and from the monarchists that are the closest thing you have to a fan club. Look I am not on any side of this war but seeing as you are an enemy to three of the four sides and a potential pawn for the fourth and that just makes you a target. Now I am offering you the chance to come with me and hide until the war ends. Just going to say it now, I am probably your only hope kid.” CGZ offered his hand to Adsila. Adsila thought about her situation for a minute, what he said was realistic as without her one side in the war effort would fall into divisions over who to make into a monarch and so she would become a target by the two other sides. Also she already is considered a traitor by the GSC so it looks like she has no other choice. She takes the legendary thief’s hand and is pulled to her feet.
“Now before I take you with me I am going to have to blindfold you.” He says, taking out a black blindfold, “While I want to help you I can’t trust you with the location of my secret hideout. So if you could put that on it would make my job ten times easier.” Adsila sighs and begrudgingly puts it on. The thief then grabbed her hand and began to lead her out of the apartment building, through the conflict filled streets and into what she can assume to be a car. She was buckled into her seat with help from CGZ before he accelerated causing her to be pushed back into her seat.
“When did my life get so complicated?” she said out loud without even realizing it,
“Probably when your father died. Just stating the obvious here.” answered CGZ.
As they sped down the streets they could hear the sounds of gunfire and explosions. While she could not see, Adsila already imagined what must be going on. A few bullets even hit the car but they didn’t do any damage to the vehicle due to how armored it must be.
“Jeeves play My Mix!” said CGZ and a posh sounding voice answered,
“Right away sir.” A drum solo began to play from the speakers of the car and classic rock filled Adsila’s ears.
“How are you so calm during all of this?! People are literally dying around us!” Atsila says trying to yell over the classic rock music,
“Look it isn’t that I don’t care but it's the fact that I have to worry about getting you to safety without drawing too much attention to myself by using secret tunnels that I have all around the country. The thing is that the closest entrance to one of these tunnels is in the middle of one of the conflict zones. It is going to keep a level head when driving anyways.” says CGZ as he manages to swerve around a very obviously placed landmine that was set in the middle of the road.
“Damn that was a famous Dalimbari mine! How much funding do these private militaries have!? Anyways, as you can-oh wait you can’t see, well if you could see you would understand why I am having to be so calm while driving. If I wasn’t calm then we wouldn’t survive so if you would be so kind try not to interrupt the music.” Adsila didn’t know what to say about this.
By the Spirit I don’t know whether I am with a bold genius or an adrenaline junky madman!

v13.0 - 9 October '20
Welcome @Tiritchiq, @iOctagon, and @Gloibria
https://i.imgur.com/QSTHDL3.png

A new issue of the Osiris Oracle has been released! Read here ^^

Before you read......
Welcome to the first publication of the Santo-Dominian Post,
a newspaper publication focusing primarily on news stories,
information and content from the Federal Republic of
Santos-Dominius. We strive to conduct fair journalism. We are
funded by the Santo-Dominian Government, but strive for
impartiality. Our editorial is firmly independent and
devoid of political bias.

Today's Headlines
Elections In Santos-Dominius Hand President Goldberg
And Democratic Congress Party
Slim Victory
Today, the Federal Republic of Santos-Dominius held its 4th general election ever in its history. The young nation has a peculiar obsession with democracy, holding elections every few months as mandated by the Term Limits Act of 2020 and enshrining strict term limits in its Constitution. After a long night of vote processing, including absentee and mail-in ballots, the results were distributed to major news media companies and television networks for release and broadcast.
 
The country's top job, the Presidency of the Federal Republic, was up for grabs. Incumbent President Paul Goldberg(D-FE), the fourth person to hold the position in the nation's history, defended himself from three other contenders. Chief among them was Senator Eliot Klein(L-SN), former President(the third) and Leader of the Opposition. Klein had a personal feud with President Goldberg after the latter forced the former out in the last election, winning a landslide victory that contradicted polls pointing to Klein's re-election. Klein represents the Country Liberal Party(CLP), the main opposition party of the country at the moment, and had launched a scalding campaign that nearly caused the President's approval ratings to dip below the golden 50%. The second competitor is found in the Split Conservative Union(SCU), a smaller, far-right version of Goldberg's centre-right Democratic Congress Party(DCB). The Union fronted Sen. Dennis Ford(U-YC), a firebrand politician and inflammatory speaker accused of xenophobic tendencies. Ford initially gained traction at the expense of President Goldberg, though his campaign slowly declined after Goldberg constructed a fragile but massive electoral coalition consisting of working-class voters, environmentalists, welfare state advocates and classical liberals. The third and final contender against Goldberg was Sen. Jan D. Lovings(C-SN), former President(the second) and Leader of the Communist Phalanx(SDCP), a far-left party that split from the Liberals after Klein forced out Lovings in a Liberal leadership spill to become President. Lovings was quickly dismissed as a fringe candidate by the press and public, and couldn't do much but prove these assumptions right by performing poorly in presidential debates.
 
In the end, when the votes were counted and the results televised, radioed and printed, President Goldberg won re-election, securing a second four-month term. However, this election signalled potential danger for the DCB: its vote share decreased sharply from a comfortable 65% to a paltry 51%. Goldberg's second term would be weaker than his previous, and now the doors were open for a possible leadership challenge from within. Senator Klein's vote share was a close second with 44%, while Sens. Ford and Lovings received 3% and 2% respectively, befitting of the latter two's fringe statuses. In the Santo-Dominian capital of Friberne, Goldberg declared victory in front of a cautiously optimistic crowd, saying: "Santo-Dominians have answered my call and graciously given me their votes of confidence in my administration. I will work hard, more so than last term, to repay this immense honour that has once again been mercifully bestowed upon me." In the CLP headquarters, things were much more saddening, and many supporters sobbed while Sen. Klein uttered the words of defeat: "I hereby concede my candidacy for the Presidency of the Federal Republic, and acknowledge President Paul Goldberg's victory. I have called the President to congratulate him on his win." Sens. Ford and Lovings conceded via statement, and both refused to make speeches in-person, the former claiming busyness and the latter claiming sickness.
 
With the presidential elections now over, President Goldberg reaffirmed his promises and priorities in his first speech since his victory. Offering an optimistic vision, the President said: "With the elections behind us, we must now confront the challenges of our time, and overcome them as united, strong and peaceful Santo-Dominians. As your president, I will commit to several campaign promises this term. I will expand the welfare state and the Citizenship By Investment Program. I will expand health insurance and give more funding to create Santo-Dominian universal healthcare. I will construct 100 elderly care and childcare centres, 50 hospices and 10 medical centres across the country. I will expand infrastructure and construct new ports, dockyards, sea cargo terminals, ferry and cruise terminals, medium- to small-sized airports and completely electrify present transportation methods. I will give funding to the automobile industry to create new, electric cars and slash public transport fees and costs. Santos-Dominius will become a beacon of responsible, open, free and fair social democracy with a competition-driven and continually growing economy."
 
Presidential Election Results Table
Candidate Party Nat. Senate Canton Incumbency Approx. Votes Approx. Vote Share Paul R. Goldberg
[WIN]
DCB Friberne Yes 1,558,050,000 51% Eliot Klein CLP St. Arlaine No 1,344,200,000 44% Dennis Ford SCU Yatasailie-Comte No 91,650,000 3% Jan D. Lovings SDCP St. Arlaine No 61,100,000 2%  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The official logos of the four parties contesting this election are attached below. From left to right, in order of party size: Democratic Congress for the Betterment of Santos-Dominius(DCB), Country Liberal and Santo-Dominian Unionist Party(CLP), the Split Conservative Union of Santos-Dominius(SCU) and the Santo-Dominian Communist Phalanx(SDCP).

I went with Z-Day but that's because I never participated in N-Day yet. Probably in a few days when it happens I'll go back here and change my opinion. 

Recently reported sighting....

 
 

fixed that Gio