Archive:Edievia

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Republic of Edievia
Respoblec o Taaev
Flag Seal
Motto: Locraedaes Napralales
Independent Industry
Anthem: Déis Lagen aéis Giáol
From the Mountains to the Sea
CapitalClaën
Largest Restits
Official languages Edievian
Recognised regional languages Laendish
Aligian
Yaindian
Minority languages Edievian-Aligian Creole
Demonym Edievian
Government Parliamentary constitutional republic
 -  Prime Minister Telt Osuvde
 -  Head of Parliament Ionas Náid
Legislature Parliament
Establishment
 -  First Union 1632 
 -  First Republic 5 January 1793 
 -  Kúúlist Republic 19 June 1912 
 -  Republic of Edievia 10 April 1955 
Area
 -  Total 216,591.12 km2
83,626 sq mi
Population
 -  2010 estimate 23,741,631
 -  Density 48.26/km2
125/sq mi
Currency Edievian Paels (EDP)
Date format dd-mm-yyyy, CE
Drives on the left
Calling code +25
Internet TLD .tv

Edievia (/ə'diviə/, Edievian: Taaev [t̪aɛv]), officially the Republic of Edievia (/ripʌblɪk əv ə'diviə/, Edievian: Respoblec o Taaev, Respoblec Taaevaes), is a sovereign state located in Western Soltenna, with the capital located in Claën. Edievia borders Qonklaks to the north, Quaxin Xun to the south, Sialia and the Dragon Sea to the west, and Zaizung to the east. A member state of the Soltennan Council, Edievia is home to around 24 million people, with the largest city being Restits.

Etymology

Edievia's native name Taaev comes from the late Colian phrase etagu gêbe, meaning "our land", and was most likely pronounced [et̪agu gɛbe]. As the Edievian people began to develop a coherent identity as a people, this phrase endured phonetic degradation:

   *etagɛb > *etajɛb > *tajɛb > *taɛb > taɛv 

Names

Edievia has two formal names, Republic of Edievia and Edievian Republic (in Edievian, Respoblec o Taaev and Respoblec Taaevaes). In formal international contexts, Republic of Edievia is preferred. Internally (such as on currency), Edievian Republic is more common. Commonly in governmental communications, the nation will be referred to just as 'the republic'. Referring to the country simply as 'Edievia' is permitted but not entirely respectful; generally, only native Edievians will call the country Edievia. When in doubt, refer to the country as 'the Republic of Edievia'.

History

The Edievian Republic is one of a series of national entities that has developed in western Šarkunen. Its origins lie in the Colian Empire, a sprawling nation that ranged from the Duhlac Gulf to the Amiyant Sea, south to the Paršita Sea, and north to the southernmost lake of contemporary central Laefevia. The Colian Empire consisted of several cities and a well-designed and maintained road system that linked the various ends of the empire. Aqueducts carried water to cities, and early sewer systems brought waste away. Infrastructure was highly funded and constantly updated and maintenanced. Beginning in approximately the year 800, corruption in the ruling upper class began to chip away at Colian society, and the rioting lower classes usurped power. The empire crumbled as infrastructure was neglected in the ensuing 12-year anarchy. The weakened cities were unable to hold their populations, and people fled to the countryside to eke out an existence. During this time, invasions and migrations from nearby peoples pushed the Colian peoples around the peninsula. By the year 1000, the Colian Empire was a distant memory and various populations of ethnic Colians made their living along the western parts of Šarkunen. Most had moved away from the leeward side of central mountains and settled from the foothills to the gulf coast. These peoples slowly organized themselves into an early, slightly uneasy alliance of villages, referring to themselves as etagu gêbe, the etymological ancestor of Edievia's demonym Taaev. Etagu gêbe's slow unification prevented much technological change and halted the growth of the civilization. Around the year 1600, Taiêb (the newly evolved name for the area) was growing into a union of people with a stronger national identity and growing interest in creating a nation outright.

Origins of Edievia

The first Edievian nation was founded in 1632, as the Todotet u Tujd Taêbesj (contemporary Edievian Tudot u Túid Taaeves, "Union of Edievian Peoples", often abbreviated as the TTT), and occupied a territory roughly equivalent to contemporary Edievia. Its capital, contemporary Claën (then called Clagen), was a small city of no more than a thousand inhabitants, but was chosen for its central location relative to the other Edievian villages. This first epoch of Edievian unity, under the TTT, lasted until 1792, during which internal tensions came to a head with the first Edievian Revolution (Siáe Naóis Revolots Taaevaes). The 160 year peace under the TTT was only superficially calm. Much like the Colian Empire before it, the TTT was ruled by an aristocratic upper class that profited off of a drastically poorer class of farming peoples. Taxes were levied on transporting goods, using rivers for transport, and many farmers rented their animals and/or equipment from the nobleman who owned the land. The impoverished lower class outnumbered the upper class 20 to 1, and on 9 September 1792, the farmers revolted in Restits. They ignited food stores and overnight, 2/3 of the city was engulfed in flames. Over the next week, several other cities and towns fell to rioting. People of the upper class were captured and tortured before being killed. For a full month, vigilante justice brought the country to its knees as cities burned and people of perceived high status were maimed. The final killing was committed on 11 October 1792. The month of burning and death is now known as the Prantaf úis Gal, the month of the pyres.

The First Edievian Republic

The country reorganized itself under civilian rule as a republic, and on 5 January 1793, the first Edievian Republic (Respoblec Taêbês, contemporary Edievian Naóis Respoblec Taaevaes) was founded. Claën (then spelled Claien) was chosen to remain as the capital of the nation, and the first general assembly (Sot u Tujd, contemporary Edievian Sot u Túid; "Court of the People") was met on 15 January 1793. The Sot u Tujd consisted of representatives (dodeman, speakers) from the newly-created provinces (taglin) who were elected by the people. Voting laws in the first republic were lax - any property owner could vote, irrespective of gender, class, or national origin. The first convention of the Sot u Tujd lasted for 10 days, and its first mission was the choice of a president (obsesaeg). Varvat Olaëne was chosen by the dodeman as the first president of the Edievian Republic. During the first republic, Edievia took root as an industrialized nation. Edievia increased its ties with its neighbors, especially Nithalosia and Laefevia, who were also powers in the region. Olaëne also established the first national currency in 1794, the paels, still in use today. Edievian economy turned from exclusive fishing and farming and towards the resources inland, primarily the lush forests of the () mountains and the mineral resources below them. By the mid-1800s, Edievia was exporting as much iron as it was using, and Edievian oak, pine, and aspen were in demand for furniture-building across the Šarkunen Peninsula. The first Edievian republic was a period of relative peace and growth for the nation. The peace and economic expansion of the first republic was not to last. The first rumblings of trouble were heard in 1893, the centennial of the republic. The populations of the northwestern provinces were feeling overwhelmed by their southern neighbors. The close ties to Laefevia and Nithalosia to the south and east were proving lucrative for those living there. Similarly, the wealth coming into the capital via trade and fishing created an air of exoticism and elitism among the Claën bourgeoisie. The lavish celebrations of the centennial in Claën and other large cities enraged northwesterners, who saw it as a snub towards their underfunded provinces. Protests erupted in late January 1893, but were quelled by deliberations in the Sot u Tujd. An uneasy peace was forged as taxes were reallocated to better fund the northwest. The reallocation of tax money proved to only be a bandage on the situation. The discontent of the northwesterners moved underground, where anti-southern societies were established. Opinions of these societies varied wildly; some wanted to infiltrate the Sot u Tujd and redirect more funds to the northwest, others wanted to secede from the republic, and others wanted to establish a new form of government. Propaganda began to circulate in northwestern towns, and by 1900, the general sentiment shifted towards overthrowing the republic. The northwest lacked the power and resources needed for a full coup d'état, but they did have the propaganda machine necessary. These people began to refer to themselves as tudjeman (contemporary Edievian tudiéman), "the people's people". Most tudjeman dissent societies were of the communist mindset at this time, and over the next decade they spent time spreading anti-republic messages throughout the outer regions of Edievia, especially the mountainous east, where the bulk of Edievia's industry lay.

The Communist Republic of Edievia

The conspirators' patience and planning was rewarded; on 12 May 1912, provinces across Edievia's peripheries exploded in protest and revolt. With the exception of the wealthy urban centers (principally Claën, Restits, and Taiedelt), almost the entire country was enraged, angry at the perceived waste and misspending of money. The tudjeman had convinced the entire country that the cities were sponging up funds and slowly draining the rest of the country, especially the native industries of logging and mining. The Sot u Tujd was overwhelmed and in-fighting among the dodeman defeated most prospects of stabilizing the country. Protesters poured into Claën on 16 May 1912, overnight the protests and demonstrations turned to rioting and looting. The capital was devastated, but somehow spared from fire. Instead, the goods and luxuries were looted and sold off throughout the country. With Claën on its knees, and the other large cities poised to be struck, the tudjeman were ready to take power. Elections were quickly run, and on 1 June 1912, the Sot u Tujd was fully populated by tudjeman representatives from the northwest and other peripheral provinces. They amended the laws and removed the laws that required a president. The Sot u Tujd took control of all politics and set up a communist society, the Respoblec Comunisamel o Taaev (Communist Republic of Edievia). Each province was allocated an equal amount of tax monies, while the dodeman secretly padded the accounts of northwestern individuals who helped with the initial revolt. The new distribution of wealth seemed to appease the masses, and Edievia sojourned forward. The Sot u Tujd slowly enacted legislation that nationalized various industries - by 1935, the logging, mining, and paper industries had been nationalized. In 1940, all shipping via boats larger than 3m long was nationalized. In 1945, the fishing industry was nationalized. The people who had pushed for new government 30 years prior began to feel betrayed. In 1951, 92% of Edievia's GDP came from industries nationalized by the government. Only citizens who farmed were fully outside the government's grasp, though tax collectors still visited to take the government's share of their income. The remainder of citizens were becoming more and more dissatisfied with the Sot u Tujd's control, and felt ignored by those who were supposed to represent them. Slowly, unrest built, especially in the cities, where the citizens felt especially hurt by the government's policies. Dissent spread quickly from the cities to provinces throughout the country. Even the largest city in the northwest, Elevag, began to see anti-government signs. 1953 brought further protest against the government. The nationalized industries made protest difficult, however, as individuals caught engaging in anti-governmental activity were swiftly removed from their jobs. The nationalized police force took care of demonstrations as they appeared, and throughout 1953, the Edievian people were subdued by their own government. One dodeman of the Sot u Tujd, Agja Padgeg, remarked "Caelconom nes fos mimiat ales endalan sié túid catiat fog daéis udracaes. Naholeriv ne."[1] ("We have learned what happens when the people try to take power from the government. We will not allow it.") 1954 was a turning point in the protests against the government. Those opposed to the communist officials named themselves the tujd velgusj (contemporary Edievian túid velgus, the "real people", chosen in spite against the representatives that did nothing for them). The tujd velgusj were vehemently against the Sot u Tujd's control over the nation, and made it clear that the tudjeman would be removed from power, with force if necessary. Protests began again throughout the country, and the government police was issued to stop each. On 6 February 1954, the first shots were first just outside of Claën, in the town of Dogarde. The government police had been directed to quell a protest, and protesters had begun to throw bricks and stones at the police force. One officer misheard the order tiélab ("aim") as straelab ("fire" or "shoot"), and fired at the crowd. Three were killed in the initial shooting, an event known now as the sataes óis magaes (the "start of the end"). The crowd at Dogarde retaliated and killed five officers. The Sot u Tujd immediately reacted as if war had been declared, and governmental police took the town. No civilians could leave or enter, and supplies to the town were limited to the bare necessities to live. The tujd velgusj saw this as an act of betrayal and treason.

Civil War

The shots fired in February 1954 were the first of many to come. The tujd velgusj quickly stopped protesting and demonstration efforts went underground. Governmental power was strongest in Claën and Restits, the large coastal cities. Inland cities, as well as those to the north and south, were less controlled by the tudjeman, and the tujd velgusj used these cities, such as Darob, Colto, and Traiastat, as their bases. The tujd velgusj began to amass an army and the supplies to back it, and to refer to themselves as the Velgostoc ("reality") as a show of determination. Soon a shibboleth was born to inquire if an individual was a member of the Velgostoc - "Mes ab du dóis velgostoc?"[2] ("Are you in the reality?", c.f. "Are you in this reality?") On April 13, Velgostoc forces invaded Restits. Velgostoc intelligence held off government police reports as the army marched from the east to Restits, and managed to ambush and overwhelm government forces. The government expected forces to attack Claën and had most of the national army stationed there and around the surrounding towns. Instead, Restits was captured by the Velgostoc after three days of fighting, and with minimal civilian casualties. The Velgostoc army suffered few losses as well, and was able to garrison itself and use Restits as a new base.

Control of Edievian territory by the Velgostoc and Tudjeman in December 1954

The government and Sot u Tujd was bewildered by the Velgostoc's actions. The suppression of government intelligence was a blow to the public's perception of governmental power, and instigated further riots in other cities. The national army locked down Claën and the Siél Peninsula futher west, blocking access to the city of Aovo and its seaport. Velgostoc forces avoided the peninsula and instead surged southward from Restits, towards Banen and Traiastat, before stopping at the Lesidean border. The national army's position at Claën did not permit defense of the mountainous east, and the the Velgostoc was quickly able (within about a week) to take the region. At the end of 1954, Velgostoc forces controlled about 4/5 of the country. The citizens of Claën, tiring of the strict control over their lives, began rioting in December of 1954. Government offices were broken into and looted. January 1955 brought further rioting in Aovo and other settlements on the peninsula. The government's and national army's control over the Siél Peninsula and Claën was weakened by these actions, and the government's power began to slip. Velgostoc forces finally made the final push into Claën on 3 February 1955. The invasion was not nearly as rapid as the previous gains made by the Velgostoc. The national army had been preparing for Velgostoc action, and fought voraciously. Artillery bombardment obliterated 1/5 of the city and displaced thousands of inhabitants, while the Velgostoc army faced severe losses after six days of fighting. The national army was poised to maintain control over the city until Velgostoc forces set off explosives in the sewers near the seaport on 11 February. The national army lost most of its artillery in the explosions. The tudjeman-controlled Sot u Tujd surrendered to the Velgostoc forces on 15 February. Celebrations began in Claën and were echoed throughout the country. The dodeman who had so severely dominated the country were imprisoned (and later tried for war crimes), and an interim government was established while month-long elections were held to bring in new dodeman.

The Contemporary Republic

On 20 March 1955, the new elections came to a halt. New dodeman, rightfully elected, arrived in Claën and the Sot u Tujd. The new session convened on March 25, and much like the first session of the Sot u Tujd in 1793, the first goal was the selection of a president. The Sot u Tujd also changed the title from president (obsesaeg) to prime minister (primiaer). The deliberations lasted a week and a half. The selection process was stymied by fear in choosing a prime minister with ties to the dying, but still existent, tudjeman party. 6 April 1955 brought the official selection of Iart Omalcog as the first prime minister of what would be the new republic. His first course of action was the establishment of a new Edievian republic to succeed the communist government behind it. Great fanfare in Claën was prepared for 10 April 1955, as Iart Omalcog signed the official proclamation establishing the Republic of Edievia (Respoblec o Taaev). The new republic drastically revised its laws to avoid another majority from filling the Sot u Tujd. The amount of dodeman elected from each province was raised to six. In order to disallow a majority of dodeman from the same party being elected from one province, each province's elections would be broken into two tickets with different parties on each. The Sot u Tujd quickly passed legislation to de-nationalize the industries that had been nationalized during the communist republic. Privatizing these industries quickly bolstered the economy. While the new republic enjoyed some public support, many citizens of Edievia still required assurance that the Sot u Tujd could be trusted. The dodeman opted to continue to repeal laws passed during the communist republic and increase autonomy of the provinces. Omalcog also established the Commission of the Edievian Language (Comisia o Taaevaod), intended to set up a written standard for the language. Prior to its inception, the language was written with varying standards. Omalcog's commission dropped the use of the letter <j> and introduced the method of marking consonant alternations with <i> and an acute accent on the following or preceding vowel. While initially met with public resistance, the language reform quickly fixed the varying rules of orthography and helped unify the country while keeping the provinces relatively autonomous.

Geography

Located on the western shore of the Isthmus of Meliku (a slightly narrow band of land in the approximate middle of Šarkunen), Edievia ranges from the shoreline on the Duhlac Gulf to the () mountains.

Geology

Climate

Edievia's climate per the Köppen climate classification system

The majority of Edievia falls within the Csa classification of the Köppen classification. The mountainous eastern border experiences heavier rainfall than the rest of the country, as the highlands phase into cloud forest towards the Laefevian border.

Biodiversity

Politics

Government

The Edievian government is a parliamentary representational republic. The parliament, called the Sot u Túid (Court of Peoples), is made up of six representatives (called dodeman) from each of the nine provinces. The prime minister (primiaer) constitutes a different branch of the federal government, but shares some responsibilities with the Sot u Túid.

Prime Minister Sot u Túid
Writes legislation Approves legislation written by Prime Minister
Approves legislation written by Sot u Túid Writes legislation

Governmental Commissions

The government also manages the following federal commissions, which oversee nation-wide initiatives:

Commission Name English Commissioner
Comisia o Valot Commission of Currency Miaël Gresc
Comisia u Celtia Edus Commission of Foreign Affairs Erse Eostirne
Comisia on Aelcaelconaes Commission of Education Lecsand Iurog
Comisia o Vanesióbaes Ruel Commission of Aerial Transport Iart Ovape
Comisia o Vanesióbaes Etagiél Commission of Land Transport Siágo Vaéisvóis
Comisia o Taaevaod Commission of the Edievian Language Pesa Coe
Comisia o Prantaes Commission of Defense Traian Cisar

Administrative divisions

Edievian provinces and their capitals

Edievia is divided into nine provinces (in Edievian, taglin), one of which is categorized as a city (the capital, Claën). The provinces are further divided into 74 counties (agortúit). The provinces enjoy relative autonomy (ever since the civil war) and are able to self-govern so as any provincial laws do not conflict with federal ones. Claën enjoys special status as the capital city, and is its own province and county. It passes its own legislation and sends its own dodeman to the Sot u Túid. The provinces and their capitals are:

Province Capital
Slin Voer
Siél Aovo
Claën Claën
Iomaësg Restits
Argesián Traiastat
Lepal Elevag
Boiad Taiedelt
Geciét Darob
Necióro Colto

Foreign relations

Edievia is a member of the Soltennan Council.

Military

Economy

Transport

The logo of Rurec Airlines, Edievia's flag carrier airline.

Edievia's flag carrier airline is Rurec Airlines, founded in 1966. It is a private company, but is backed by the Edievian government (Edievian law prohibits nationalisation of private companies, but allows the government to back them). The Commission of Aerial Transport manages Rurec's government backing. The Commission of Aerial Transport also pegs all other airline prices to those of Rurec, as a preventative measure against price gauging by the private airlines.

Energy

The majority of Edievia's power is generated by wind, in immense wind farms across the Duhlac Gulf and between the islands of the Slin province.

Science and Technology

Tourism

Currency

The official currency of the Republic of Edievia is the Paels (plural Péils, in English it is often used as Paels for both singular and plural).

Demographics

Ethnic groups

Much of the Edievian population is ethnically Edievian; the Laendish-speaking population, while linguistically separate, considers themselves as ethnic Edievians and descendants of the Colian peoples. The largest minority in Edievia is made up of Aligians, a pre-Colian group of peoples who did not assimilate during the Colian Empire's rule.

Urbanisation

Language

Regional languages in Edievia

Edievian is the official language of the entire republic, however Laendish is official regionally in the provinces Geciét and Nicóro, and Aligian is official in the province of Argesián. In all provinces where another language is official, all documents, public postings, and signs are required in both Edievian and the provincial language. Schoolchildren in Geciét, Necióro, and Argesián begin learning the respective provincial language starting at age 6. Instruction otherwise is conducted in Edievian.

Languages such as Riyan, Laefêvëši, Garthrírn, and Nithalos are spoken along international borders, though none of these languages are official. All borders connecting to UŠN member nations have signage in all official UŠN languages.

Education

Healthcare

Religion

Culture

Heritage

Edievian society is the closest descendant to the ancient Colian culture. Colian culture was deeply ingrained in family; the family unit was the most important facet of Colian society. Edievian culture continues this feature in a slightly more relaxed form. The family unit, centered around a married couple. Sexual and romantic orientation in Edievian culture are fluid and no one orientation is considered preferential. Marriage is a life-long covenant. Death of a spouse entails the living spouse to widowhood; remarriage after the death of a spouse is exceptionally rare and typically frowned on by Edievian society. Divorce is even more rare, and only seen as a last resort in an abusive or unfaithful relationship. Remarriage after a divorce is more accepted than remarriage after death, though it is still a rarity. Like many of the Šarkunen cultures, Edievian culture is not a gender-based society. Gender equality is a tenant of Edievian culture, and it is believed that a person's worth is dependent on their work ethic and not gender.

Architecture

Literature

Art

Music

Theatre

Film

Cuisine

Sport

Symbols

As country straddling the sea and the mountains, Edievia's dependence on land and water is often symbolized in the river otter, a common animal along the rivers of non-urbanized areas. The river otter is the national animal of Edievia, and native Edievians compare the animal's strong family structure to that of Edievian society.

Notes

  1. This quote has been reformatted into modern standard Edievian. It was originally published as "Cêlconom ne-sae fos mimiat ale-sae endalan sje tujd catiat fog edêsj udracês."
  2. This quote has been reformatted into modern standard Edievian. It was originally spelled as "Mes ab du dosj velgostoc?"

See also