[center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/syTJqnV.jpg[/img] [b]Nation Name:[/b] The Republic of Avalia [hider=Map of the Republic] [img]https://i.imgur.com/b3iZMjz.png[/img] [/hider] [b]Type of Government:[/b] A Transitional Authoritarian Democracy [b]Head(s) of Government:[/b] [s]-King Harold Holfgar the VIII, the former ruling monarch, deceased[/s] [s]-Helna Govics, former head of the Royal Cabal, deceased[/s] -Field Marshal Adron, Leader of the General Staff and commander of Avalian Armed Forces - Alicia Karlsson, council member, Head of R&D - Gunner Hampus, council member, Head of the Tears of the Sky Labor Union - Albin Hescher, council member, famous Industrialist - Niklos Eskil, council member, head of the "Republican Movement" [/center] [b]Economy/Technology: [/b] Thanks to the progressive policies set forth by the preceding monarch, the Avalian economy has done well to modernize and industrialize to a point of being on par with most modern powers. This is also thanks to in part the large systems of navigable rivers that snake through the nation, generating a far higher ceiling for potential capital wealth. In fact, with trade and transport relatively easy, the resulting canals and railways only furthered this rise in both credit and capital. With a growing middle class and a easing of acquiring credit, this has led to a boom in entrepreneurship and innovation. Despite this industrialization, and with it, urbanization, some of the main exports come from agriculture, being namely cotton and wheat. Salt and Coal also remain high on the export list, thanks to the very rich low lying mountains that make up part of the northern border. The largest imports happened to be sugar, coffee, silver, and spices. The lack of a proper merchant marine and the domestic problems at home as created a highly centralized economy within the nation. Large unions control vast swaths of labor, unions who not a decade before were entirely illegal. Various ideas of Social Liberalism and Market Liberalism are practiced within by said organizations as the government itself has yet to take any true hard stance on the matter. Regardless, the Republic most certainly practices and endorses capitalism and only seeks to modify the system, not outright replace it with an entirely different system. This has lead to an explosion of a middle class and with it, a internal consumer market, creating a healthy tax base that has been more than useful in stitching the country back together. The nation’s military and civilian benefit from cutting edge communication technology which when combined with their complex railroad, road, and more recently canal efforts have lead to a nation where a message from one end of the nation could be spread to all the far corners in merely hours or days. Among many of the innovations, none of have causes as much of a stir than in heavier than air flight. For the past few decades, the modernized army had utilized lighter than air balloons as both scouts and staging points for their now famous Winged Fusiliers, but much to the dismay of Valkyrians everywhere, their kingdom was not the first. Vaspen was able to get some aircraft flying before the Avalians could, and thus the previous king ordered full research to grow their own homemade aircraft. For now, the AR-3 serves as the latest in Avalian design, with much talk surrounding other related fields as well. However to this day, a sort of jealousy and rivalry is felt towards the Vaspen aircraft designers. [b]Primary Species:[/b] Humans Valkyrians, Valkyria The natives of the lands the Autumn Republic are known as Valkyria. In terms of their physiology, they are fairly similar to humans, but with very notable differences. First and foremost is their bird like features.With their large wings and feathered tails sprouting from their lower backs, giving them the natural ability to fly. For a Valkyria, flying is nearly no different from walking or running, making them incredibly mobile creatures. For the rest of their physiology, Valkyrians stand at a modest 5’2 to 5’3 with rare exceptions, normally possessing hair/feather colors of black, white, and brown. Valkyrians also seem to naturally perform better at high, thin air altitudes, where normally humans would have difficulty breathing, making them right at home in the sky. [b]Population:[/b] 51 Million [b]Culture:[/b] For much of Avalia’s history, a strong divide between the nobility and the peasantry has existed. Between the ethnic origins of the Valkyrians and Humans to the infamous book “The Peoples of Law”, a strong sense of servitude and noble birthright had been enforced to appease the mighty Imperium that the held vassalage to. This all changed, however, with the rise of King Holfgar the VII, otherwise known as the “Iron King”. His radical changes in both power and economic structure has lead to a growing sense of self determination and hatred for the nobility. Even as the merchants coffers grew, they were still held by tradition to be subservient to even the poorest of the noble families, as was their noble blood. This too, seems to be changing, quietly, in the dark. [b]Religious and Other Beliefs:[/b] While many in this growing age of rationalism prefer to merely believe in the natural order of the world, some still speak of the ancient prophecies and traditions that swirl around the original peoples and the mysterious “King of the Skies”. Some call him a god, others merely think he was a powerful ruler of the time, but no one has yet known for sure what to make of it. Aside from that, various major religions are practice without much fuss for now. [b]Location/Territories:[/b] Dark Green [b]Climate:[/b] Fair temperate, experiencing warm summers and cold winters. [b]Military:[/b] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/qmbfWfm.jpg[/img] [i][u]"Join Today! For Honor and Duty"[/u][/i] [/center] The entire military as a whole is headed by the “General Staff” with the Field Marshal at its head. From there it splits into the Avalian Army and Avalian Navy. Within the Avalian Army there are two Corps, The Infantry Corps holding much of the artillery, infantry, and Winged Fusilier battalions and the Cavalry Corps which held Dragoons, light, and heavy cavalry battalions. These Corps hold within them various divisions and brigades. Of course, the most famous of which are the “Winged Fusiliers”. These brigades were formed during the Iron Kings reformations of the army alongside Field Marshal Adron. They’re purely made up of Valkyrians using their incredible mobility to their advantage. They wield often carbines, grenades, and pistols. They even use a unique pistol that was converted to launch grenades as pictured. These brigades are of higher quality than most, as Valkyrians also serve in the regular infantry battalions alongside human comrades. [hider=Valkyrian Regulars] [img]https://i.imgur.com/WRhgZyI.jpg[/img] [/hider] [hider=Winged Fusilier Equipment] [img]https://i.imgur.com/X9S3NFZ.jpg[/img] [/hider] In addition, the Army Corps has formed an experimental wing made up of scout aircraft and small lighter than air vessels for reconnaissance and harassment. This field is showing promise to the General Staff, so it is likely to be highly subjected to change. [hider=The AR-3, the latest and greatest Avalia has to offer] [img]https://i.imgur.com/lcOQ1Bj.jpg[/img] [/hider] The Avalian Navy is a luxury that the Kingdom has had a hard time affording. With potential land base enemies posing more of a threat, the naval arm acts more as a trade interdiction and coastal defense force, made of cruisers, destroyers, and even a few submarines. Some of the larger ships also host a platoon or two of Winged Fusiliers for commerce raiding and scouting. [b]Magic Prevalence/Usage:[/b] Magic was outright banned from the masses centuries ago and has remained so ever since. Only the Royal Cabal of Sorcerers are allowed to practice. Every year “Dousers” go through the cities and farms to find those who contain large magic potential, and then are whisked away to become incredibly powerful sorcerers who serve the nobility, in particular, the king. Thus, while powerful and skillful users exist, they are very few in number, and solely serve the king. When they were outright slaughtered, magic within the nation died with them. Perhaps with the vacuum and changing times, it may return. [b]History/ Background Info:[/b] [u][i]Where All Things Must Begin[/i][/u] “Welcome the people of the sky, and they shall serve well.” -A common phrase found on artifacts of the region. Much of the early history of the native Valkyrians to this land has been lost to time. What remains is mostly speculation, as recorded history of the region only begins after migratory human tribes began to settle the region, and consequently interact with them. Full integration was suspected to have occurred during the raider invasions of around 400 BCE. These invasions are to have supposedly created a deal among the two races, in which the more fortified human communities allowed shelter and safety so long as the peoples of the sky served them loyally . Many radicals point to these events as evidence for human superiority, but with recent trends and archeological digs, the evidence seems to suggest a far more symbiotic relationship than previously thought. Much is being rediscovered, as it was destroyed when the later kingdom was vassalized by the Imperium. [u][i]The Rise of a Kingdom[/i][/u] “Those of noble blood, of noble mind, and of noble heart are the true heirs of this world!” -King Aaden Holfgar’s coronation speech. The Kingdom of Avalia was created when a man only remembered as “The Sky’s King” had binded the small fiefdoms surrounding his land under his rule through marriage, blood, and war around 200 BCE. Though this kingdom would not last too long. Around 1700, the Yllendyr Imperium had begun its expansion. The noble families and King Adalwolf the Wise were given an ultimatum by the Imperium, to either become a loyal vassal or be completely folded into the Imperium itself at the end of a gun. King Adalwolf the Wise agreed hastily, fearing the Sky’s King would “return” should their homeland be laid to waste. In an attempt to appease the Yllendyr Imperium, to prove the completely loyalty, and gain favor in the higher court, the noble families went about destroying Avalian, and more often than not, Valkyrian symbols of culture and pride. This drastic move, while upsetting to many of the peasant Valkyrians and Humans who lived under this rule, seemed to have worked perfectly, for the Kingdom of Avalia was able to retain its name and relative indepence so long as it served as a loyal vassal and never operate on its own outside of the Imperium. The Avalian Accords, as this became later formalized as, solidified this agreement and thus began the longer chapter of the Kingdom’s history. A vassal kingdom. Centuries of being a part of this Imperium lead to a growing gap and disconnect from the peasantry and the nobility, particularly the Valkyrians, as the various families competed to gain favor with the high courts of the Royal Family. The Valkyrians and human peasantry began to become further agitated, and in response to the growing unrest, King Enar the III requested aid from the high courts of the Yllendyr Imperium. In response, a cabal of powerful sorcerers arrived, swearing loyalty to the crown and nobility. After a demonstration of their powerful magic, the masses became quite once more. This was further emphasized when in the early 1700s, a book was published titled “The Peoples of Law” detailing the necessity of the nobility. The very survival of the kingdom, the peasants, and the Valkyrians depended on the continued leadership of their King and his rulers, less the great and powerful forces and evils of the world, raiding from the sea and invading from the land, would destroy us all. The book became widespread and soon was taught to many dukes and duchesses, as well as preached to the common folk of the land. A mentality soon set in among many, that the nobility and their blood were of a special breed, a higher quality crop, then that of other lesser peoples. From noble to peasant, it was all sincerely believed for hundreds of years that this held sway. Having good harvests and generally staying out the major wars the Imperium waged seem to justify, validate this belief. However, as the century began to turn, so to did Avalia’s history, and culture. A Man of Iron “One man always makes a difference. Sometimes it’s a small one. Other times, he tips a war.” -King Harold Holfgar the VII to his advisors upon promoting Field Marshal Adron The Kingdom of Avalia had more or less stagnated under Imperium vassalage. Series of unimpressive kings and queens had lead Avalia to the edge of outright decline in the 18th century, but soon one of the most ambitious men of Avalia’s history would take power. King Harold Holfgar the VII was crowned on May 3rd, 1820 at the age of twenty five years. This was a man with an insatiable appetite for power, and was the first of many to begin turning the nation towards total independence. For the first time, instead of seeking favor from the courts of Imperium to achieve power, he sought to distance himself from it, to make it clear he was the one in charge, not the high court. Of course he was not public with this goal or idea, but began to make subtle changes to how the kingdom interacted with the Imperium. First and foremost was the banning of the once treasured book “The Peoples of Law”. While it was seen significant, it was already falling out of favor with recent discoveries in the fields of science and biology, and merely served to encourage the nobility to seek favor with Imperium rather than the king himself. Secondly, in private, he ensured the total loyalty of the royal cabal of sorcerers to further secure his personal protection. Using them, he began to strong arm noble families into attending conferences, balls, and festivals hosted in the capital itself more often, all the while displaying his vast wealth to show who really ran the kingdom. Any who showed a hint of disloyalty was imprisoned while any who proved their loyalty gained favors and reward. Very soon he had much of the nobility behind himself. Once he had his house in order, so to speak, he began to work upon the nation itself. A century of near total stagnation had originally left the Kingdom of Avalia behind in many fields, thus he sought to change that. He invited merchants and artisans onto his council and together they began to re-industrialize the kingdom. Factories went up, mines were dug, and rail laid. A complete rework of the tax system fostered a great deal of easily acquired credit that, after the “adjusting” of a few laws, made it so those of lower class could acquire far larger loans than originally allowed. Soon private ventures were establish and a growing middle class began to form. While originally the noble families protested such moves, they soon grew quiet as their own coffers grew thanks to the booming economy and industry. King Holfgar even established an official “Royal Research Division” and injected his own funds into the University of Avalia to foster a more common form of education. These particular actions and his strong control over the nobility earned him his title “The Iron King”. While he never formally accepted this name, he certainly didn’t stop people from calling him such. With his economy pointed firmly in the right direction and modernizing, he turned his gaze towards the military itself. Previous kings had done little in the way of modernizing, but had at least created a professional standing army years ago. In this army, only the nobility could rise high in the ranks. It was unheard of, and almost illegal for a commoner to even become an officer, let alone a captain. Thus, it was a place were many of the noble families simpled dumped their bastards, sons, and daughters who were not being groomed to take over the house. As a result, the commissioned based system of the Avalian military had also lead to further stagnation. The Iron King sought to change this immediately, but he needed an example. An infallible man who demonstrated, no, commanded authority, regardless of his birth. That man was Robert Adron. Adron had entered the military at the very bottom, and through courageous valor in the new world, cunning, and quiet a few duels of honor, had risen through the ranks as high as captain. That seemed to have been as high as he could go, as a noble family conspired to prevent him from climbing any further as revenge for shooting their son’s ear off in a duel. After reading through the seemingly endless pile of recommendations, commendations from both peers and officers alike, the Iron King stepped in personally and resolved the matter. Acting as a sort of not-patreon-yet-totally-a-patreon, Adron was able to rise higher and higher until becoming Field Marsha himself in 1880. With this promotion, Adron went about further modernizing the military, completely banning the noble commission system, reforming conscription laws, and modernizing both the military tactics and logistical systems. It seemed that the Iron King had found his strong man general, and was just about to finally begin plotting his endgame. . . W[u][i][b]here All Things Must End[/b][/i][/u] On September 8th, 1888, King Holfgar the VII died due to a sudden heart failure. His one and only heir, now King Holfgar the VIII, was more interested in his women than in his country. The royal court practically seized power and began to undo much of the Iron King’s work. Many loudly protested, and none louder than Adron and his wife. They both accused, quiet openly, that the nobility would rather see Avalia outright absorbed into the Imperium than care for its citizens. The nobility, at the height of their power, thought to teach Adron like a attack dog why he was to obey the hand that fed him, not bite it. On a warm, spring day in 1891, the nobility in quick succession with both the royal cabal and King’s Guard arrested, tried, and beheaded Adron’s wife while he was away inspecting a military post. He was mailed his wife’s head in a box. From then on, it seemed the old attack dog had learned its lesson with Adron quieting down. Now, after 10 years of meticulous plotting and planning, Adron shall have his revenge.