[u][b]Nation Name:[/b][/u] Republic of NORA

[u][b]Culture/Beliefs:[/b][/u] The People of the republic are a strong, resurgent populous having overcome many hardships on their initial journey or rather forced exodus from the south-lands. They're extremely loyal to each other & their heroic leaders/founders who's vision, dedication & hard work, has managed to begin (as far as they know) rebuilding any form of civilization. They are united, they work & fight together against anything that comes their way in hopes that one day they will help build a lasting refuge for humanity in this new hostile world. However they know 'Rome' cant be built in a day, & they know many hardships await them yet some more immediate than others but they stand ever ready to face anything!. 

They're of mixed ethnicity's & religions, all forms of religion are allowed but under no circumstances are members of any religion allowed to clash verbally or physically with the views of anothers religion & believes. The republic is also strongly against any form of racial intolerance & extremism which is in extreme cases punishable by banishment & threat of execution.

[u][b]Place on map:[/b][/u]
[hider=World map][img]http://i.imgur.com/0SEASpx.png[/img][/hider]
[hider=Republic of NORA map][img]http://i.imgur.com/1kXjvyV.jpg[/img]

[hider=Directory][i][u][b]Directory:[/b][/u][/i]
> [i][u]New Hope[/u] - Capital City of the NORA republic. Housing: Everything, NORA capital building, underground base & facilities.[/i]

> [i][u]Midgar[/u] - Large industrial town housing: clay pits, clay-work kilns, smelt-works, assorted workshops, Oil/Gas refining plant, & several functional factories.[/i]

> [i][u]Twin-Tree[/u] - Small town hosting the republics forestry industry responsible for harvesting/processing/preserving the valued resource. housing: Lumberyards, warehouses & workshops.[/i]

> [i][u]Kenai[/u] - Industrial Port town that houses: Naval base/yard, docks, fisheries, warehouses, smelt-works, Fuel storage tanks, oil/gas refining plant, workshops, & many operational factories.[/i]

> [i][u]Kutal[/u] - A Fortress Town - The (overland) gateway to the republic, Is the only town where all outside trade is authorized to be conducted either to or from the republic. Housing: 'The markets', warehouses, workshops, military base, independent & isolated quarantine & testing laboratories, Shanty-town (outside the walls).[/i]

> [i][u]Norv[/u] - Originally a small trade outpost based at a crossroads linking to the Inuit settlements in the west, now a sizable farming town where most of the livestock is raised. Housing: The republics largest luxury inn/resort (Tourist-trap), Norv-105 entertainment radio shack, cattle market, farming industry surplus warehouses, department of agriculture offices, lumberyard, warehouses. (Note: Ironically is no way related to the name NORA in anyway, An old village road sign was found with most of the letters obscured the only legible letters left made up the locations name as a symbol of respect & remembrance.)[/i]

> [i][u]Prudhoe Bay Outpost[/u] - A remote military outpost outside of the republics official territorial claim far to the north with considerable defenses onsite protecting the civilian engineers, gas harvesting refineries, & the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field, also responsible for the protection and maintenance of the northern part of the restored crude-oil pipeline & pump stations. (Note: people stationed here receive environmental hazard bonus pay due to the extreme climate & remoteness with the exception of a couple of small Inuit settlements which help supply food.)[/i]

> [i][u]The Post[/u] - A small joint 'Inuit/NORA' settlement right on the edge of the republics northern official boarder line. Houses a military outpost responsible for the protection & maintenance of the central part of the restored crude-oil pipeline & pump stations, Farmland with some livestock, lumberyard, stone quarry, & warehouses.[/i]

> [i][u]Fort-Edge[/u] - A military fortress with strong defensive walls and fencing that was constructed to help shield & protect the nearby Inuit population from predatory wildlife, Most notably the mutated wolfs which seem to have originated from the thickly forested area west of the fort. It's easily summarized the name of the fort is due to its location near the edge of the forests treeline. (Note: although the fortress stands strong with walls & fencing that has been extensively setup from shoreline to shoreline in each direction north & south of the fort, groups of wildlife are still finding their way through occasionally harassing the local Inuit populous and their livestock but the quick response & regular patrols of the military stationed in the area have still dramatically helped keep these situations in control for the time being at least.)[/i]

[i][u]Misc.[/u]
> Black dots on map represent other settlements & villages of the republic.
> Yellow dots on map represent original local Inuit settlements whom are now part of the republic.
> Blue dot - Landmark location of the hydroelectric dam.[/i] 

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[b]Old World Connection:[/b] Us & Canadian military hardware & surplus, Russian & British merchant & military navy's.

[b]Populations:[/b] Rough estimates @ 30,000 military, 10,000 emergency response services, 60,000 civilian & government.

[b]Government type:[/b] Technocracy / Budding-progressive Imperialist Republic

[b]Spoken languages:[/b] Primary language: English - Secondary Languages: Russian, French, Japanese, Spanish, & Inupiat.

[b]Economic System:[/b] Mixed Economy - Free/Lightly regulated market

[b]Exports:[/b] Pottery, Clay, wooden craft goods (e.g furniture), Wood, Limited & Regulated amounts of small arms & ammunition (mostly old pistols & recast bullets), Controlled & heavily regulated/limited amounts of Coal, Crude oil & diesel Fuel, Metals, tools, Regulated amounts of propane gas cylinders.

[b]Imports:[/b] Medicine/Drugs, Books, Salvaged electronic goods, sealed/preserved Foodstuffs, Salvaged Vehicle wrecks, Detailed information, Alcohol, Salvaged old world weapons (broken), munitions, Heavy duty industrial vehicles. 

[b]Food/Water Sources:[/b] Fresh Water, fish & electricity all come from the Susitna river & the hydroelectric Dam there, Due to the climate their crops are mostly limited to primary (cold weather) crops such as potatoes, carrots, lettuce, cabbage, & turnips, but there are other local food sources such as caribou, moose, Dall sheep, & some dairy cows that have been herded.

[hider=Pros & Cons][u][b]Pros: [/b][/u]
Firmly United - Their unity & dedication to their people & the republic borders on the fanatical, they're rebuilding civilization for all of humanity & that gives everyone hope, goals and a future to look forward to. However all should know they're prepared to fight tooth & nail to keep it safe willing to resort to extreme measures if their hand is forced. Their unity is further shown by the hard work of the common people the farmers, laborers & craft workers & their limitless dedication to aiding the construction & improvement of everyone's livelihood.

Everyone Matters! - While all drive & direction of their makeshift government is run & decided upon by a select few & ultimately their heroic leaders. All of the peoples wants, needs, feedback & opinions are all voiced through representatives fairly elected from every group that has become part of the republic which helps put many fears & civil unrest at ease.

Military hardware & Electricity - Thanks to the Hydro electric dam & some engineering ingenuity, with a dash of trial & error all settlements of the NORA republic are powered allowing many home comforts (most notably heating) to the populous, But also helps power the center & founding point of the republic which their leader & the few remaining of his group began building from a safely secured military base with bunkers creating their current capital "New Hope".

Quality Education - Thanks to the collective & dedicated efforts in establishing places of learning throughout the republic, The entire populous benefits sharing & maintaining many skills & relearning long-lost ones as-well. Thanks to apprenticeships as-well many skilled laborers are getting into their respective workplaces with little to no on-site training ensuring productivity in the long run. Skilled doctors, researchers & engineers are also being trained up from young ages only furthering the longevity of the republic & the continued survival of its people.

[u][b]Cons:[/b][/u]
Limited crop growth - Due to the climate they have a short 100 day growth season for all standard crops not resistant to the cold weather, they have a decent balance of foodstuffs to supply everyone in the republic as it is, but the more remote locations (especially to further north) suffer from regular shortages despite the encouragement of each household growing a little of their own in gardens were possible which makes small localized farmers markets a big fanfare for the locals. However this is a problem in the long-term as population growth, progression & expansion of the republic will further strain the current foodstuff stocks, what limited amounts of crops that get stored as surplus is little and ultimately used by the military in short order or distributed as relief aid to settlements that suffer poor harvests.

Spaced Settlements - The various settlements spread out over the Republics territory are of different distances from the capital some more distant & remote than others but every location is set up near a required resource thus each settlement & outpost is dependent on the others for the republic to continue functioning on a daily basis each settlement tends to have basic defenses including substantial local & militia forces to hold out against bandits, monsters & raiders long enough for a substantial military force to respond & secure the area. Per-longed sieges to any of the settlements ultimately effects the republic on a whole as nothing is currently in abundance or stockpiled, then combine the crop issues & foodstuff distribution and supply issues on top of everything. Hence why the Military of the NORA republic is fast to mobilize & respond to any necessary situations the working rail systems & partially repaired roads throughout the republics territory help in this matter.

Medicinal Shortages - Much of the Medicine reserves & stockpiles have severely diminished in the few short years of the republics establishment, Medicine is tightly guarded & regulated and reserved for those most in need & the military. The supply's becoming more & more pressed and with the many goals & projects the republic is working on they haven't yet managed to get a proper production line in the works for making medicines or securing any more. As it currently stands outside trade is the only very limited income of medical goods for the republic and quickly becoming one of the more pressing matters if it wasn't already.

Mutants/Outlaw hatred & distrust - There are many tribes of mutated humans to the south most not to friendly & others outright cannibalistic mix in extremist Cults, warlords, & roaming outlaws occupying much of what was north America. The Many groups that journeyed north during the initial exodus had many issues with these groups along the way... So hatred, fear, & distrust of them from the people of the republic is extreme & intense to the point where if they enter the republics territory uninvited & unescorted they are to be killed on sight!, As expected the feeling is mutual, many desperate warlords & outlaw groups have tried attacking the republic for supply's & loot only to be beaten away time & time again if not utterly wiped out. Only one instance did a mutant clan try attacking the republic & were made example of not one of their warriors returned alive & their body's impaled on makeshift stakes as a warning in an area known as the southern wastes (A dead zone that is a desert-like-waste where nothing grows with pockets of radiation scattered throughout the area) Yet another prime example of the animosity these groups have for the NORA republic.

Hidden old world relics of chaos & lore - Several years ago in their efforts to bring the secured underground Facilities of NORA back into full operation Natasha Liethens crew made a substantial discovery not long after getting old-world military vehicles operational again, they found command consoles linked to a dozen on & off site "silos" housing unfired tactical 'third-strike' missiles however Natasha & her tech-savvy engineers have yet been unable to find or bypass the heavily-encrypted security systems in place. Despite the stories that had been passed down from their ancestors both Ron Sterling & Natasha Liethens have a keen interest in gaining access to the weapons but to what end is unknown as they've kept this information to themselves & a select group of engineers working on it, fearing it may cause panic (such as repeating history) with the rest of the population if the information became public knowledge.
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[hider=Mutants/Major Hazards][u][b]Mutants/Major hazards in area:[/b][/u]
Northern Wildlife: Wolf packs - starved & desperate feral animals simply trying to survive by hunting anything & everything edible living or dead.

Mutated Wolf packs - For some unknown reason they do not get along with their 'healthy' counterparts and often consume them as a food source however normal wolfs will not fight or eat them in return instead fleeing at their presence like all prey. These wolfs are larger move in smaller groups rather than packs, harder to kill, stronger, faster, & all out lethal & extremely poisonous to both humans & other animals when wounded by them. Exhibit unusual & strange/unpredictable behavior. to be avoided at all costs, extremely hazardous!.

Mutated/poisoned Wildlife - (eg. caribou) Some of the wild unherded animals that the people of the republic use for their meat sources are extremely hazardous & not for consumption due to contamination/poisons as such all hunted wildlife is thoroughly & exhaustively tested. As such safely herded & bred animals are the preferred meat source in the republic. It is noted that the hazardous wildlife seems (According to amounts of wild meat that's been disposed of due to contaminants) to be mostly concentrated to the eastern areas of the republic. Investigation into the cause of the matter is in the works but suspected to be result of radiation or diseased/poisoned food or water sources some of the animals sustain themselves from.

Hostile Mutant Tribes to the south - the mutual resentment, clashes, treatment of the mutant people is no small matter some tribes are more peaceful than others but to the republic they all the same & dangerous. Relations between the two are further exacerbated by the continued refusals for the republics 'Warning' (impaled mutant corpses) to be taken down & buried, Any mutant that forcibly tried do to so has only added to the collection if caught.

Hostile Outlaws, Warlords, gangs & cults - All though minimal some trade is conducted with the more peaceful or agreeable warlords to the southeast in return they don't bother Nora's boarders, But there are many others that don't and often trespass on the republics territory, bandits try raiding remote towns albeit unsuccessfully but doesn't dissuade them from trying time to time. These groups are a constant annoyance but one easily dealt with for the time being.

The southern wastes - a dead zone with scattered pockets of radiation spans a large area through-out the south Yukon & British Columbia, there's nothing out here but the dead and is avoided by all except the occasional group of travelers from the mutant tribes or bandit gangs that traverse the surrounding areas heading elsewhere.

Diseases - Sickness & disease are constant for any survivors, the republic has medicinal stock & protected so most citizens only get the flu every so often, however with so many groups & mutants roaming the southern boarders of the NORA republic who are unsanitary & already have extreme issues with many diseases the fear of spread is a huge concern which is why the republic established & enforced controlled external trade rules limiting all southern trade to one small town which acts as the Secure gateway to the rest of the republic in terms of authorized travel & trade goods with the various groups to their immediate south.
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[hider=BackStory][u][b]Backstory:[/b][/u] Their origin starts from a handful of survivors from the chaos that had been unleashed upon the world either from the few who went underground or the few that inhabited remote places that managed to avoid getting hit by any of the many catastrophes that befell the world. Early on these small groups tried working together living day to day beset by dangers constantly, limited resources, starvation & unclean water, it was one thing after another with no future in sight eventually after many deaths some of the groups managed to scrape out what little of a living they could even working together with other groups despite the constant clashes & desperation. this went on for a few years eventually what little resources that could be collected dried up and the groups turned on each other while disease continued to run rampant, what ended the chaos was when the crops just died out the land dried up becoming totally unusable every scrap of food was getting used up leaving many hungry another couple of years of utter desperation, starvation, fighting, just pure horror ensued they nearly died out entirely near the end many from the groups tried to pack-up what they could ready to try moving somewhere more hospitable but between monsters, mutants, killers & no destination everything seemed futile.

Then a large group came wandering through their lands at the head of it two young teenagers, Though their supply's where limited they offered what little they could to the many small groups of the various survivors, even sharing medicine it wasn't long before the groups began inquiring where these strangers were from & what they were up to. The same things had befallen them but when the land died & supply's began thinning out, instead of fighting they pooled their resources and began a mass exodus lead by the children of two former leaders of the largest groups from where they had survived & originated and they had explained they were following old notes & a map north to a place said to be safe and secure where they could survive, the groups with the lack of resources quickly decided to join the exodus north through the destruction & wastes in hope of finding this unknown haven.

With the experiences of the recently joined groups they were able to map different routes so they weren't all concentrated into one large group/target while trying to avoid the dangers previously encountered in attempts to move initially it had worked, but further north was unknown territory and already one of the split off groups failed to make the rendezvous, after a few days they choose to press on with the same plan they moved further north headed towards Alaska on the way the main group had fought off mutants & raiders and crossed a expansive wasteland things just seemed to be getting bleaker as they went on, on the far boarder of the waste land they'd crossed they setup camp waiting for the other groups, a couple more had just vanished entirely, a third group had one very ill survivor manage to reach another of the groups on the way explaining they'd wandered into a heavy radiation zone attempting to avoid bandits & had either died of exposure to radiation or killed by looters the lone survivor fell a day later. the few groups that made it had suffered at the hands on raiders, mutant tribes and one group lost a nearly half their people to a sacrificial cult that had offered them a place to rest.

Bettered & demoralized they pressed on into the cold climate after even more trials & weeks they'd finally reached the location on the map, finding some decaying buildings with only a handful of remains throughout the area from the old world, it was here the people collapsed to the ground giving up only the two leaders seemed to have the strength to press on wandering into a large building near the center it was also here that NORA was found & the people's hope was renewed!, As a little investigation in the buildings files & other buildings they found preserved foods stocked up, weaponry, detailed local maps & shelter thus began the creation of the NORA republic and from the wrecks & the ashes began building what would become the capital "New Hope" from there they could survive & expand.

<Still being worked on...>
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[hider=Individual Characters]

[hider=Ron Sterling]
[b]Character name:[/b] Ron Sterling
[b]Position in nation:[/b] President/Emperor - The main ruler of the NORA Republic. (Note: People just call him "Boss".)
[b]Characteristics:[/b] 5ft'6, Dark haired, hazel eyes, average build, Caucasian/White slightly tanned skin-tone.

[b]Short bio:[/b]
Ron was very young when he lost his parents but he recalls the stories he was told of his grandparents that had lived in the old world & thus inherited the notebooks & files that had been left to his parents, most of his teen years were spent journeying north in efforts to find a location his father & a map in the notebooks he had that told him about a holdout of safety & security. Ron Sterling is an inspiring youth that was able to shoulder the burden of many lives when he explained the situation to his group of survivors, a handful of the adults that hadn't died off with the same illness Rons father had suffered from causing his demise, Voiced their dislike for the idea or proclaiming he was trying to find something that probably doesn't exist anymore. None the less with dwindling resources & living on the edge day to day everyone ultimately followed Rons lead. With the help & support of his close friend Natasha Liethens they Traveled the great distance & faced many hardships & losses which ultimately brought hope & a new start for the groups and survivors that joined along the way. Ron is now in his early twenties and has Dedicated himself to the newly founded republic & works tirelessly into making it something great, Even though many hard decisions & choices have to be made regularly he hasn't given way & continues to shoulder even greater burdens which is why many see him as a true hero that ensures their safety & that of their children.

[b]Other features:[/b] Calm minded, intelligent, and resourceful. Dedicated to creating a haven for survivors seeking hope. Ron dislikes people calling him president or any other ruler title hence why people have turned to calling him "boss". Has a close relationship with Natasha from knowing each other since childhood, (Unknown to Natasha is why their groups/parents got on so well was because their parents had named each other as godparents to their children should anything happen to them despite both being from diffrent groups of survival hinting they were very close family friends) Ron often depends on Natasha but also supports her with any issues she's having in return. He also hasn't been able to admit any feelings for Natasha & as a result often finds himself in the occasional awkward moment with her.
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[hider=Natasha Liethens]
[b]Character name[/b]: Natasha Liethens (AkA: Nat)
[b]Position in nation:[/b] Joint ruler President/Empress - The secondary ruler of the republic. (some refer to her as the 1st lady mostly by the older people of the republic due to her close relationship with Ron Sterling.)
[b]Characteristics:[/b] 5ft'2, dirty blonde, light green eyes, average build, Caucasian/White of fair complexion & light skin tone, Has a small but distinguishable scar above her left eye which cuts slightly into her eyebrow received in battle.

[b]Short bio:[/b]
Natasha Liethens was originally from a different group of survivors than Ron Sterling, but like him she was very young when she lost her parents to illness. Natashas parents had however taught her much in her early youth they even had a functioning laptop which they'd kept secret as they also had limited power from jury-rigged old world 'yacht' battery for it but thanks to which Natasha learned about computers & many skills in their use, why her parents thought this knowledge would be handy to carry on in such times is unknown but greatly appreciated. Natasha was also one of the few if not the first to see the issues arising for her groups long-term survival especially after a mysterious disease also killed off most of her groups adults as well (including her parents) She sided with the idea of mobilizing & moving north with Ron's group & any others they could convince as well. Natasha shoulders much of the burdens of the republic herself along with being responsible for the maintenance & continued operation of the electronics on base in the capital, As well as unlocking more of their available capabilities, She is a pillar of support for the people also making many decisions & calls on matters of import to the republic, Natasha is now in her early twenties & has dedicated herself working tirelessly to help build the nation into a shining beacon for all humanity to find safety & a future in.

[b]Other features:[/b] Very Friendly, dedicated & hardworking, kind to others, & Highly intelligent - considered one of the greatest minds of their time!. Natasha has kept & collected many books, notes, mp3 players (made into a bulky necklace when she was traveling north) & Cd's from her journeys, Is practically in charge of NORA base operation in the capital bringing its systems back online & keeping them operational. Also finds time to teach many people on a weekly basis in classes to help them better themselves & the republic on a whole. Is a long time friend of Ron Sterling & keeps a very close relationship with him but wont openly admit her feelings for him creating no small amount of distress for herself & awkward moments between them.
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[hider=Tobias Volker]
[b]Character name:[/b] Tobias Volker (AKA:"smokestack" - none of the younger 'kids' can stand being near him when he has a cigar.)
[b]Position in nation:[/b] Head of the republic's military forces. (High Council member)
[b]Characteristics:[/b] 5ft'9, Broad shouldered, & muscular, hazel eyes, Heavily greying hair (formally blonde), very dark-white skin-tone, numerous battle scars, missing pinky finger on his left hand, A Tattooed list of places run down his left arm from the shoulder along with tally marks, American flag Tattoo on his right shoulder, special forces tattoo on his right forearm of a hat wearing skull with a sword pointing upward through it in front of a shield reading: "De oppresso liber" Mimicking his fathers.

[b]Short bio: [/b]
Tobias is a man getting on in his advanced years, whose fought through the worst & he's survived to this day by fighting through hell-storms after that. A Combat Veteran long past deserving of retirement & some small measure peace, He followed his Fathers orders trying to defend against the chaos that engulfed what was America, when his father was lost in battle he continued leading what was left of the us military, mercenary's & volunteers in efforts to hold out & protect innocents from harm. Him & his few remaining men have seen it all from famine, disease, & radiation poisoning, to Murderers, despots, cultists, Mutants & monsters. They held out for years despite how futile & desperate things got until one eventful day, An unknown broadcast of a young female voice came over the heavily worn & overused military radio that had belonged to his fathers squad from the old world. It was as if all of his troops had gotten a sudden boot to their rears as they where running around shouting the news in amongst the cheering & loud chatter. His radio operator was unable to reply due to their signal not being strong enough to reach back but had already began recalling all of their units that were out on recon knowing they'd want the news too. Tobias listened to the broadcast with heavy concentration & held breath, the news of other peaceful survivors and civilization with a large populous of people having found a safe place to occupy, with reservations but hope he gathered what was left of his command & what few civilians that they had managed to keep alive and hit the road & journeyed north in search of this 'republic'.

To say he was a little dismayed at the initial sight, or rather the age of the republics leaders when he arrived would be an understatement. Also a lesser & not so intuitive man might of tried assuming control as his trained veteran troops could of most likely dealt with the ramshackle of volunteer defenders, However he saw the dedication & hope in their peoples faces, also that they where healthy and fed, even proper housing & facility were available for all as needed further more their leaders seemed to confer to some length with the peoples opinions around them at Tobias's forces arrival showing there was still some bare-bones base level of democracy still being enforced which what ultimately convinced Tobias in letting his people join, his time & experiences with them has only ensured his choice was right further & his respect & admiration for the two young founders having endured so much themselves & what they're trying to accomplish making him a steadfast & loyal member of the republic, who oversees military operation & training for their now properly established and trained military, law enforcement, & militia forces.

[b]Other features:[/b] Dedicated, hardworking, No-nonsense, military tactician, loves cigars but due to the rarity only indulges as a private celebration for good days when nothing has happened & no severe injury's or casualty due to hostilities have occurred. Also (like any other of the older adults) hasn't found it in his heart to explain to Ron or Natasha that the place & sign they found on the wall inside the main building is actually 'NORAD defense command' & not 'NORA' as the decay or damage of whatever went down here originally, obscured the last letter & the words of what it stood for, and instead just goes along with it. He operates the military near by the capital from what was formally known as Fort Richardson using it as the militarys central command base.
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[hider=Kurst Brothers]
[b]Character name:[/b] Wilbert & Nikkel Kurst
[b]Position in nation:[/b] Civic & Military Infrastructure & logistics Advisers/Senators (members of the High council), Wilbert is also founder & CEO of Kurst Banking Trust.
[b]Characteristics:[/b] Nonidentical twins
Wilbert Kurst - Is 4ft'7, jet-black hair, White, slightly unfit bordering on porky, Heterochromia iridum - Left eye is sky blue the other is hazel brown, button nose.
Nikkel Kurst - Is 5ft'1, Slender sporty build, White, Platinum Blonde, Heterochromia iridum - Left eye is Amber the other is sky blue. sharp nose.

[b]Short bio:[/b] Both are highly intelligent & skilled with advanced numeracy, they have been utterly invaluable in helping establish & regulate a stable economy & establish a proper form of currency & value systems for both foreign & domestic use earning them places in the High council, the republic's daily infrastructure runs fluently thanks to them & some measure of normality restored to the people who vaguely recall the old world ways. Both brothers are now in their late forties each with their own familys but close as ever to each other so much so they live next door to each other. They are extremely grateful & thankful to their saviors & leaders for the refuge & safety they were provided with upon their arrival to New Hope & have said despite how hard they work for the republic they can never repay the debt they owe for the lives & that of their familys as well.

[b]Other features:[/b]
Nikkel - Heads up his staff which oversees & manages logistics & funding for the law, military, & emergency services throughout the republic of NORA. enjoys discussions over games of chess & checkers, dotes on his family.
Wilbert - Heads up his staff in the regulation, management, & logistics of all civic transport, Trade, Banking, Funding & Taxs, for all throughout the republic of NORA. He even established (with his brothers help) the first bank in the republic that helps oversee the governments operation of the nation. enjoys discussions over games of chess & scrabble, dotes on his family.
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[hider=Klein Reik]
[b]Character name:[/b] Klein Reik (AKA: "Doc")
[b]Position in nation:[/b] Chief Medical Official (High council Member) 
[b]Characteristics:[/b] 5ft'2, Average build, Rectangular glasses (for reading), Dark African-American, jet-black hair, greyish-blue eyes, square chin.

[b]Short bio:[/b] Klein Reik Is the highest ranking & most skilled medical professional in the Republic of NORA, he's in charge of all healthcare, medical supply storage & distribution, and well being of all patients throughout the republic. He's helped re-establish Medical laws, practices, & medical quarantine fail-safes, as well as having founded a medical collage in the capital which no one is allowed to practice medicine without having graduated from, He can most likely be found working or teaching there on a regular basis.

Klein has been instrumental in aiding the republic & the peoples health, as well as helping develop numerous ways of sampling and testing blood & DNA samples in newly reconstructed laboratories, each settlement has a medical center with it's own lab & surgical facilities allowing for urgent or high quality medical care to emergency cases, as well as established locations to operate medical care from in-case of sieges & epidemics. Klein is awe of the ideals & foresight of the republics leaders & works hard in his role to support and better the republic.

[b]Other features:[/b] Caring, Trustworthy, Dependable, & Dedicated. It's also thanks to him and his reasoning with the other council members with the exception of Ron Sterling who wholeheartedly agreed with the idea in the first place that all Healthcare is freely provided to the people of the republic. Also it has been made regulation that all doctors are held to high standards in the daily execution of their duties & medical practices, all their work & records are scrutinously reviewed on a regular basis ensuring quality healthcare.
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[hider=Alexander Hund]
[b]Character name:[/b] Alexander Hund
[b]Position in nation:[/b] Minister of Education (High Council member)
[b]Characteristics:[/b] 6ft'2, broad shouldered, muscular body build , built like a tank, heterochromia hair natural Red/blonde, Brown eyes.

[b]Short bio:[/b] People Initially feared Alexander due to his appearance & his deep voice, but anyone who actually got to know him found peoples reactions hysterical as Alexander is one of the most intelligent, friendly & kind people you're ever likely to meet. He's from one of the more recent groups to have arrived & merged into the republic, His fondness for knowledge & books is derived from his parents and had amassed a sizable collection in his travels, a collection that's only expanded ten-fold since arriving in the republic. He started small classes teaching kids how to read & write early on as had many others from the various groups but it was Alexander that went out of his way to get together with other like minded teachers, sharing information and books getting specialists & skilled craftsmen to teach their skills as well, it wasn't long before he approached Natasha during one of her volunteer gathering efforts for people willing to learn computer & engineering skills after a long discussion with her & a strange man that had been passing by the following day several guards in the capital had sought Alexander out & escorted him to the restored main ground building which was now city hall upon entering he saw for the first time the massive letters on the wall reading 'NORA' above a heavily scorched picture of a partial shield with a wing & part of a globe on it. Alexander had been escorted to the council room (door label read: command room) where he saw the strange man again who introduced himself as Ron Sterling, at a loss for words Alexander shook the mans hand and sat down at the indicated chair shortly after the Familiar Natasha entered along with a few others, and they began discussing his work in gathering teachers & organizing them.

Thanks to Alexander Hund's work proper facility's have been established for education throughout the republics territory freely available for all to attend classes at, Each of the schools double as a public library & storage of knowledge & the every growing history records of events past & present filling the gaps of what could of been lost to the ages. Copy's of every collected book are printed & issued to every facility as are amounts of blank workbooks for student use, funding for this comes from the taxes & revenue in place through the republic thanks to the Kurst brothers, Wilbert Kurst even teaches advanced mathematics classes occasionally in the capital school in return he enjoys games of scrabble against Alexander and some of his gifted English students. Ultimately Alexander Hund is in charge of all schools & teachers overseeing their requirements & operation along with his teaching duties.

[b]Other features:[/b] Overly generous, highly intelligent, Kind, & thoughtful of others. Upon becoming Minister of Education he had a custom jacket made with leather patches on the arms elbows (something he read in a book once about a teacher) inscribed above the breast pocket reads "Mr. Hund", a jacket he wears with pride everyday at work. As a result this jacket fad has spread amongst all registered teachers becoming an unofficial uniform. (Note: due to the popularity of the classes & schools the leather patched jackets help people distinguish teachers from the other students, although recently issued id cards with blue cotton neck bands also help.)
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[hider=Nonna Katenka]
[b]Character name:[/b] Нонна Катенька / Nonna Katenka
[b]Position in nation:[/b] Naval forces Commander / Mayoress of Kenai
[b]Characteristics:[/b] 5ft'4, slender curvaceous build, White (Belarusian), Long jet-black hair, Light blue eyes.

[b]Short bio:[/b] Нонна Катенька Was with a flotilla of ships wandering the oceans scavenging for supply's on every remote island & adrift ships trying to avoid contact with any mainlands due to hostilities in the past They've been sailing & rusting away since the world fell into chaos originally remnants of the Russian military & merchant navies, they linked up with some British & a handful of Japanese naval ships that got caught in the same situation. Their ships were in heavy disrepair and extensively jury-rigged to keep operating all these years Нонна or Nonna is the 3rd generation of their group of survivors born on-board the ships and was quickly recognized as a great talent quickly learning any & everything she set her mind to. Due to strained resources & the loss of several more ships pushed way beyond their limits further causing issues with overcrowding as a result they were becoming increasingly desperate. Their hope for life was rekindled  when a foreign transmission was received telling of a safe haven for survivors, seeing their situation it was an almost immediate & unanimous decision to head for it. Their arrival & integration into the republic was almost immediate some of the older people declaring now they have land to live on that they will never set their feet on board a ship ever again.

Nonna's abilities were quickly apparent and she proved quite skilled at military tactics so much so Tobias Volker tried to recruit her as an officer & apprentice which she imminently refused, requesting to be allowed to remain with what was left of the navy, she was promptly given command from her groups superiors as now they had a new home had no interest in continuing operating the ships. With little use for a navy the ships they were left rusting in port, Nonna instead gaining rank in one of the settlements repairing & re-purposing old-world factories allowing an increase in the metalwork industry & mass production which rapidly increased the republics construction & repair efforts as such earned her a position in the council as an industrialist. After several meetings Nonna began to trust the others & began explaining reasons behind why she wished the navy to be operational upon their arrival to the republic explaining that horrors existed at sea & not just on land also the increase in fish would help somewhat with food issues. Since Nonna now in her mid twenties has become a member in the high council & is in charge of both civil & military ships of the republic, and her desire to protect the people of the republic is no less than the others whom she highly admires & respects. The settlement of Kenai is a rapidly progressing industrial center & commercial fishing town which helps supply much of the republic with goods.
 
[b]Other features:[/b] Calm minded, Graceful, Kind, Makes important decisions quickly with calculated resolve, Intelligent, skilled tactician, mechanic, loyal & hardworking, It was with Nonna's assistance they managed to get the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System operational again allowing production & transport of crude oil in the republic. She became close friends with Natasha Liethens when she helped repair & restore electronics on the salvaged military ships while they were being made seaworthy again. Has a huge crush on the republics ruler Ron Sterling turning bright red nearly every-time she gets to talk to him directly during meetings somehow Natasha is unaware of this.
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[hider=Aluki Innugati]
[b]Character name:[/b] Aluki Innugati 
[b]Position in nation:[/b] Head of agriculture
[b]Characteristics:[/b] 4ft'7, almond shaped dark brown eyes, high cheekbones, Thick dark brown hair, Flat nose-bridge, thick dark skin. small build (looks average build with her thick winter clothing).

[b]Short bio:[/b] The Inuit where the only survivors that originally lived in the region when the others from the south came searching for a safe-place to call home there was much fear they where like the bandit gangs & warlords to the south, to their surprise these travelers were peaceful and even shared what little medicine they had with the Inuit people both becoming fast friends & dependent on each-other for survival, both against the monsters and the elements. They slowly came around to joining the republic & aiding in the development of farms, hunting & animal husbandry, they are now steadfast members of the republic of NORA & are treated fairly as equals unlike the stories their elders told of the people in the old world.

Aluki is in her early thirties & is in charge of overseeing all of the farming communities & industries throughout the republic, Her management & skill is the only reason the remote area suffer only occasional shortages & not constant shortages of foodstuffs. She has the respect of many as her job is not an easy one, her tireless efforts to ensure productive long-term food supply are becoming strained but she's still managing to keep some order of balance. Often brings up discussions about alternative food production methods in hopes of bettering their situation.

[b]Other features:[/b] A very quiet person, Friendly, Kind, and a mother of three, She truly loves what they are trying to accomplish with the new nation and is wholeheartedly dedicated to it, she's especially appreciative of the free health care her people receive as before the southerners arrival their people suffered greatly from illnesses, and thanks to the military they're also safer from the unusual large wolfs that hunt in the wilds whom had claimed many brave warriors that dared to face them.
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[hider=John Hoolens]
Character name: John Hoolens
Position in nation: Elected Mayor of Norv
Characteristics: 5ft'9, brown hair, average build, brown eyes, pale-white skin-tone, somewhat feminine facial structure (earning him the nickname "prettyboy" much to his discomfort).

Short bio: Jhon Hoolens is a very popular politician who has proven quite skilled in domestic affairs and local scale logistics, a diplomat of sorts between the people & the higher ups though the majority overwhelmingly favor Ron Sterling & Natasha Liethens, he has his own substantial following despite many of his own supporters strongly disliking his personal view of making peace with the more friendly mutant tribes to the south. Jhon while not disliking the current rulers is very vocal in his views of the current half & half government in place wanting a fully established equal, & free democratic system in place where the populous opinions & votes make-up the overall decisions of the republic & those choices to not be subject to the approval or disapproval of the High council members.

Other features: A chatty-cathy, Strong willed, Stubborn, An ambitious 'for the people' politician, He severely detests Raaz & his warmongering views - openly declaring Raaz is exactly what the republic does not need in its officials.
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[hider=Raaz]
Character name: Raaz
Position in nation: Governor-Militant of Kutal
Characteristics: 5ft'1 (claims 5ft'2), stocky build, overly muscular, blonde, one right-reddish eye, large scar over his sealed closed left eye, eye-patch, covered in battle wounds/scars.

Short bio: The rather loud individual known as Raaz is one of Tobias Volkers 'trusted' & loyal officers serving in the military, placed in-charge of Kutal but given strict orders not to hassle mutant traders that visit the settlement (not that he has to the local merchants are more than happy to abuse & con the mutant traders without being told to). His duties are to guard the 'gateway' to the republic from hostile outsiders a task he enthusiastically carries out, Raaz often makes requests ('often' as in daily) to be allowed to lead an expeditionary force to attack either the mutants or bandit warlord groups to the south & gain territory and is 'often' told "No!" (that's after putting Volkers no-nonsense reply politely) thus causing raaz to loudly & frustratingly announce his views & thoughts loudly to those around him.

Other features: An Alcoholic, loud/foul-mouthed wild dog on a leash, skilled combatant, Obedient to his master, Psychotic Warmonger seeking glory. Raaz is a former '& in his time rather ruthless' warlord who was ultimately subjugated by Tobias Volker (before they came north following the radio transmission), what caused Volker to spare & recruit him was that amongst all the warlords at the time Raaz was the only one who displayed any decent tactical ability with his forces & despite his extreme-love for combat he protected his civilian populous with utmost ferocity all of them being cared for & fed to the best of his ability which also explained to Volker why Raaz's warriors where so fanatical & dangerous opponents in the field. In return of Volkers treatment & kindness to his civilians & captured warriors on-top of his offer to spare his life & join his forces Raaz holds the utmost respect & loyalty to Tobias Volker following his orders to the letter!. 

Also due to being a former warlord his understanding & negotiation skills have actually helped make peace with several bandit warlords to the south resulting in additional trade opportunities outside of the republic albeit is mostly manufactured small-arms & ammunition going out in return they're getting a steady & mixed assortment of goods coming in. It should also be noted that Raaz's tactical mind has shown through here too as his weapon deals are more generous in helping supply the smallest or weakest warlord faction against the larger factions, earning appreciation & favoritism from the warlord in return, & when they gain ground & grow his deals with them normal out & he then swaps supporting the newest small & weakest faction with the same deals. This is helping ensure some measure of balance with the warlord factions to the southern boarders keeping any one from getting too powerful & getting any ideas of coming north on raiding runs while doubling to ensure that the 'appreciative' warlords trade-goods to the republic are generous as they gain loot from their conquests.
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[hider=Mira Lixiss Hawks]
Character name: Mira Lixiss Hawks
Position in nation: Industrial Minister, Mayoress of Midgar  
Characteristics: 5ft'8, curvacious-slender build, redhead, amber eyes, Golden-brown skin tone, excellent posture.

Short bio: Mira quickly rose up as a skilled leader in her own right, her skill & understanding of industry, business, & logistics allowed her to unify several workforces under her control their workshops & factories included creating the biggest industrial power within the republic she then set about manufacturing goods & freely supplying them to the defense forces of the republic and after continuous contributions & financial sacrifices earned a position in the council where she quickly gained more responsibilities & power allowing her position to rise into eventually becoming a member of the high council. Seeing as the workforce she created pretty much owned everything local to their city area & the influence she gained it's no surprise how she got elected mayoress. the name of the industrial city however is from an old-world fantasy book she had read in her youth which out of nostalgia or relevance to the industrial setting renamed the city to Midgar.

Other features: A highly intelligent hardworking professional, Utilizes her looks to her advantage in negotiations with other industry powers in the republic, despite her professionalism Mira is a kind & friendly person with a very outgoing personality, Despite many council members disliking her rapid & ambitious rise to the high council & the influence she wields Mira Lixiss Hawks is actually fanatically loyal to the republic & its leaders & has only worked with the best intentions for it & the people however many members of the general council would like to see her lose her rank & seat on the high council more out of jealousy & distrust then anything.
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