Sudervik

Kingdom of Sudervik Kingland Sudervik
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Strength From The Sea!
Anthem: "To The Süd We Thank"
Capital	Thanekeep
Largest city	Thanekeep
Official languages	Suderviker
Recognised national languages	Firenlander, Salderlander, Estislander, Wijnlander
Recognised regional languages	Haringlander
Ethnic groups	Suderviker
Demonym(s)	Suderviker
Government	Semi-Constitutional Monarchy
• King	Adalbert IX
• Prime Minister	Rikkert Fleer
Legislature	Parliament of Sudervik
Establishment
• Early Feudal Age	Thanekeep-Wodenstad Unification
Population
• Estimate	28,822,000
Currency	Sudervik Florin

Sudervik, officially the Kingdom of Sudervik is a sovereign state located in the Süd Depths. Sudervik is the foremost constitutional monarchy in the known world, with the island of Thaneisland serving as the crown-territory and capital of the kingdom. The rest of the kingdom is comprised of the sister islands of Firenland, Estisland and Wijnland, and the dependent islands of Salderland, Aldland, Galdfeldisland, Emralisland and Haringland, and a number of smaller islands. The islands have a total area of about 287,640 square kilometres with a population of 28 million. The Kingdom of Sudervik is not a federation; it is a collection of one sovereign state and many dependent territories and satellite states united under its monarch. However, due to their separate historical and cultural identities, these parts of the realm have always felt disassociated with Sudervik proper. Viceroys and governors have assumed administrative responsibilities in many distant islands, acting as personal representatives of the monarch.

The Kingdom of Sudervik is the name for the entire collection of islands. The kingdom did not start to consolidate until the early feudal age of the island, when the lord of the city-state of Thanekeep had entered into a dynastic union with the sovereign Grand Princess of the city-state of Wodenstad, with Wodenstad being the lesser partner in the personal union. After both Thanekeep and Wodenstad were united, the new nation increasingly became a hegemonic power in its region, exerting influence over smaller island realms nearby and coastal territories.

Sudervik has been in a period of technological and cultural stagnation, appearing to be stuck in the late 17th to mid 18th century. There is no explanation as to why such a phenomenon has occured, and the population of Sudervik is unaware of the stagnation.

Etymology

The name Sudervik originates from a language used by the first settlers of Sudervik, called Old Sudervik. The langauge is no longer used, as it has been replaced by a more modern version, but is still translatable. The name Sudervik can be roughly translated to "Vines of the Süd", where 'suder' means 'belonging to Süd' and 'vik' roughly menaing 'vines' or 'vegetation'. The most most widely accepted hypothesis for "Vines of the Süd" is the first description of the islands the early settlers had came up with, likely taking note of the lush coastline and vines and moss growing on the fjords and cliffs. The capital island, Thaneisland, can be translated to 'Noble Island'. Firenland translates to "Land of the Fir". Wijnland to "Land of Wine" and Estisland to "East Island".

History

Sudervik was first settled sometime in the early Old Age, which is a rough equivalent to a Stone Age. The first settlers, now called Ancient Sudervikers, were a seafaring and nomadic people, who used primitive ships to travel an unknown distance into the Süd Depths, eventually arriving on Thaneisland. Their arrival and creation of a permanent settlement marked the coming of farming, improved stone tools and pottery. The Iron Age of Sudervik marked the beginning of significant cultural development. Large hill forts appeared on hill summits, smaller promontory forts created along the coastal cliffs, and settlements started to spread along the coastline as populations grew.

The second island to be settled was Firenland. Ancient Suderviker fishermen had discovered the island, and subsequently sent explorers to survey it. After several years, a permanent settlement was esablished on Firenland, named Wodenstad, or "Wooden City". The separation between Thaneisland and Firenland eventually created disparity between cultures and language. The people of Firenland became forest-dwellers and hunters, abandoning their seafaring past while the people of Thaneisland remained fishermen and a coastal culture. The two islands would be in constant competiton with each other economically, and eventually militarily.

Sometime in the late Iron Age but before the early medieval period, Thanekeep was founded and became the central city on Thaneisland. By this time the city of Wodenstad had become its own independent city-state, ruled by an oligarchy of wealthy individuals. The city-state of Thanekeep had adopted a different system of government, with a despot coming to power and acting as a king in his own right. The late Iron Age had marked the discovery of the islands of Emralisland and Galdfeldisland, each becoming pseudo-independent from the despot in Thanekeep. These islands would also develop their own variant language and culture slightly different from that on Thaneisland.

The early medieval age is considered the longest age in the history of Sudervik. During this time, technology and culture had made early advancements but lost momentum and eventually became stagnant. Decades of separation and isolation between the settled islands had led to further cultural differences. Fortunately, the despot of the city-state of Thanekeep, Emond of House Algra had been working to maintain relations with the rulers of Wodenstad, and even supported (and likely started) a civil war in the city. The despot of Thanekeep had sent money and soldiers to support a local aristocratic family, namely its patriarch Sjeark Duursma in making Wodenstad a monarchy with House Duursma at its head. In return, despot Emond was promised the hand of Sjeark's eldest daughter Sysje in marriage. After the oligarchy was ousted and the civil war had ended, Sjeark Duursma had become the self-proclaimed despot of Wodenstad. The despot of Thanekeep recieved his marriage to Sysje, forming an alliance with the new House Duursma. When Sjeark had fallen ill and was near death, Emond had claimed that Sysje was the rightful heir and had precedence over her younger brother Jarig. After Sjeark's death, the first major conflict between the city-states of Thanekeep and Wodenstad had erupted. For Jarig, the war was doomed from the start. The young pretender lacked the confidence of many of the wealthy families of Wodenstad, and held him in low regard. Most of the aristocratic families of Firenland had decided to support the more mature Sysje, as she had the advantage of age and alliance. Jarig had only continued the war for two and a half weeks, but eventually surrendered after failing to rally support. He was forced to renounce his claim to the throne of Wodenstad, and was sent to the city of Galstad on Galdfeldisland for the remainder of his life. Sysje was crowned under the protection of Emond as "despotess of the island of Firenland and all possessions therein". Emond eventually did the same, crowning himself officially as "despot of all Thaneisland". These new despotates would be the backbone of the future Kingdom of Sudervik.

During the "late" early medieval age, the islands of Salderland, Wijnland and Aldland had permanent settlements established and populations there began to grow more rapidly, and by the middle age most of the reasonably sized islands in Sudervik had at least one settlement, with the last settled islands being Estisland and it's surrounding islets.

The Kingdom of Sudervik was officially created in the middle age, when the united despotate of Thaneisland and Firenland under despot Hermen I had vassalized the island of Galdfeldisland and gained suzerainty status over Emeralisland. Hermen I had believed that he controlled enough of Sudervik to proclaim himself "King of Sudervik, Despot of Thaneisland and Firenland, Lord Protector of Galdfeldisland and Suzerain of Emeralisland". Not everyone initially recognized Hermen I as king of Sudervik. It took years of convincing to win the opinions of weathy aristocrats and landowners. It wasn't until Hermen's son Nicolaas ascended to the throne

Geography

Pine forests dominate the landscape of the islands.

Sudervik and all islands and islets within are located in a body of water called the Süd Depths, where its name is derived. Most of the islands are represented by forested hilly landscapes with jagged and rocky coasts. Almost all of the islands are covered by temperate coniferous rainforests and taiga, the coniferous forests dominated by pine, spruce, fir and larch. Some portions of the islands are wetlands or meadows, especially near the numerous rivers. A number of areas of the kingdom have been designated as Royal Preserves, protected natural areas for use of the royal family only. Along the rock-bound coasts are lighthouses, beaches, fishing villages, and thousands of offshore islands. There are jagged rocks and cliffs and many bays and inlets. Geologists describe this type of landscape as a "drowned coast", where a rising sea level has invaded former land features, creating bays out of valleys and islands out of mountain tops.

There are a large number of wild animals present on the islands, with the most common being reindeer, coyotes, foxes, pine squirrels and beavers. Sudervik is home to a great number of birds including Golden Eagles, Cardinals, Bluebirds, and Westland Petrels. Many species of fish live in the ocean waters surrounding the islands, and the fishing industry is a major part of the economy, including commercial whaling.

Climate

The climate of Sudervik is humid continental climate and a cool summer subtype. Surface water temperatures around the islands reach a summer average of 12 °C (54 °F) inshore and 9 °C (48 °F) offshore to winter lows of −1 °C (30 °F) inshore and 2 °C (36 °F) offshore. The sea keeps winter temperatures slightly higher and summer temperatures a little lower on the coast than inland. The maritime climate produces more variable weather, ample precipitation in a variety of forms, greater humidity, lower visibility, more clouds, less sunshine, and higher winds than a continental climate. Light to heavy fog is a common and near daily occurance on the islands

Politics

Main articles: Government of Sudervik and Politics of Sudervik

Adalbert IX, King of Sudervik

Rikkert Fleer, Prime Minister

The Kingdom of Sudervik is a semi-constitutional monarchy. The reigning monarch is the head of state, the incumbent being King Adalbert IX. The monarch is the ultimate head of state and is, at least nominally or symbolically, advised by parliament.

The King is the Head of State and the Commander-in-Chief of the kingdom and all dependent territories, and has near absolute authority over the Royal Armed Forces, the bureaucracy, and the entire kingdom and regions itself. The King has sole power to appoint, dismiss, approve, and supervise the regional governors and Viceroys. The King also has the power to organize and declare the budget, economy, taxes, and trade, order the Parliament into session, dismiss it from meeting at will, declare its agenda, and propose, reject, and initiate all Parliamentary bills. The King also controls, supervises, and disbands the Courts and has the final judicial say. As such, the Kings mere word is enough for the Royal hierarchy to enact his will. Despite all this, the monarch usually goes through the proper channels and conducts the necessary formalities to enact his will.

The Parliament of Sudervik, formally known as the His Majesty's Royal Parliament, has its powers limited by the monarchy. The parliament is comprised of several political parties, with dominant party being the Nationale Volkspartij. The monarch holds the ability to veto bills and appoint officials. Most day-to-day administrative duties lie in the hands of the Council of State, headed by the Prime Minister. In practice the monarch wields a large amount of influence over government policies and national opinion, due to general widespread popularity. No major conflict has ever arisen between parliament and the monarch, due to the dominance of the Nationale Volkspartij. As a result, the monarch effectively controls government policies. The other largest political parties include the Liberale Partij (Liberal Party) and Vaderlandpartij (Fatherland Party).

The republican movement has existed since the foundation of the commonwealth, and is generally associated with the Liberale Partij, the largest opposition in Parliament. However, it has gained little influence and traction, due to the monarchy's widespread popularity and the stability many citizens feel it gives the country. Three citizen-sponsored referenda on the issue have been held, in 1949, 1955 and 1959; all failed, although the republican vote in 1955 exceeded 30%. It was only after the immense cost of a power shift in the government following the death of Stephen IV that the republican movement grew in popularity.

Military

Main article: Sudervik Defense Forces

Sudervik's military, officially His Majesty's Royal Defence Forces, Sudervik Defence Forces or SDF, is organised into the Royal Ground Security Service, Royal Naval Security Service, Royal Peacekeepers and Joint Support Service branches. As of the last census, the SDF has a strength of 200,000 active soldiers and 60,000 civilians. Reservists are available to the armed forces and participate in defence exercises and deployments abroad. Military service is compulsory for men at age 18 and are required to servce one year. The Royal Peacekeepers have around 90,000 active members. They serve as a gendarmerie tasked with maintaining order throughout the nation. During peacetime, each constituency has it's own Head Peacekeeper who is the commander of the district's respective garrison. Their duties consist of arresting political dissidents, rebels, and other lawbreakers. Peacekeepers form the bulk of both law enforcement and the military of Sudervik as they serve as foot soldiers and police.

Economy

Agriculture

Sudervik has long supported and maintainted a primarilly agrarian economy. Wheat is the single most important arable crop, but oats and barley are also cultivated extensively. In some parts of the kingdom, legumes and beans are also cultivated. On the island of Cardlow, a hybrid tobacco is grown extensively and exported to all parts of the kingdom. Sheep, cattle, oxen and pigs are the most common for animal husbandry. Watermills and windmills are common gristmills in agricultural areas.

Mining

Mining does not make up a large part of the economy, but the demand for metals in the country is still high. The main resources extracted from mining are iron, tin, lead, silver and coal. Acquiring ore through strip mining has been supplemented by more advanced techniques, including tunnels, trenches and bell-pits. Iron ore is usually processed locally at water-powered bloomery. Exploitation of woodlands has provided ample amounts of required charcoal for the smelting process, however in some areas coal is mined commercially produced from bell-pits and strip mining as a bi-product of other mines.

Huge quantities of silver are produced from a semicircle of mines on the island of [placeholder]. Around three to four tonnes of silver are mined each year. Tin mining is centred in [placeholder], exploiting alluvial deposits. Tin is a valuable export good, and shipped to every island in the kingdom. Lead is usually mined as a by-product of mining for silver, with mines in [placeholder] near the silver mines. Economically fragile, the lead mines have survived as a result of being subsidised by silver production.

Industry

The dominant form of mechanized power is created from watermills. Using water towers as buffers and gears for transmission, water mills have been the primary means of industrial production in Sudervik. Water mills are used for grinding grain, producing flour for bread, malt for beer, or coarse meal for porridge. Hammermills use the wheel to operate hammers. Fulling mills are powered using water wheels for cloth making. The trip hammer is also used for making wrought iron and for working iron into useful shapes, an activity that is otherwise labour-intensive. The water wheel is also used in papermaking, beating material to a pulp.

Suderviker engineers have developed a unique style of watermill station. If a location does not have a dedicated source of flowing water, a water tower will be constructed and filled. The process of filling a water tower is time consuming, as the water must be transported by land, and lifted in large buckets using a treadwheel crane. After the water tower is filled, the tower will be connected via a system of aqueducts to the water wheel. Once used, the water is channeled into a small drainage area where it is then pumped back into the water tower using a windpump, or muscle-power via a horsemill where horses, oxen or slaves are used. This system is more expensive, requires constant maintenance and periodic refilling of water due to evaporation and general water spillage. As a result of this, watermills are generally constructed along the abundant river systems found on the islands.

Windmills are also used in competition to water wheels. Certain areas of the kingdom have advantages to using windmills or watermills and vice versa. Windmills are also used to power many other industrial processes, including papermills, threshing mills, and to process oil seeds, wool, paints and stone products. There are more than 30,000 watermill stations and 18,000 windmills spread across the kingdom, making up a majority of it's industrial capacity.

Infrastructure

Sudervik maintains an extentive network of brick roads and bridges, and maintains a large public works labour force for upkeeping the vast network.

Transport

Sudervik's extensive and connected systems of navigable rivers and coastal access allows for cheap and easy transportation of agricultural products. Land transport is a suppliment to the navigable rivers to enhance the all-weather shipment of cash crops to market. Roads tie farms and plantations areas to the nearest river or seaport for easier and more cost-effective shipping.