Audonia: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| (11 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 9: | Line 9: | ||
|image_coat = AudoniaCockade.png | |image_coat = AudoniaCockade.png | ||
|alt_coat = <!--alt text for coat of arms--> | |alt_coat = <!--alt text for coat of arms--> | ||
|symbol_type = National Cockade | |symbol_type = [[Cockade of Audonia|National Cockade]] | ||
|national_motto = "''Esse quam videri''" <br> | |national_motto = "''Esse quam videri''" <br> | ||
|national_anthem = [[Main_Page|Over the Hills]]<br><small>"Over the Hills"</small><br> | |national_anthem = [[Main_Page|Over the Hills]]<br><small>"Over the Hills"</small><br> | ||
| Line 42: | Line 42: | ||
|leader_title6 = | |leader_title6 = | ||
|leader_name6 = | |leader_name6 = | ||
|legislature = | |legislature = Audonian Assembly | ||
|upper_house = House of the | |upper_house = House of the Delegates | ||
|lower_house | |lower_house = House of the Republic | ||
|sovereignty_type = | |sovereignty_type = | ||
|sovereignty_note = | |sovereignty_note = | ||
| Line 139: | Line 139: | ||
===Early Settlement=== | ===Early Settlement=== | ||
The initial settlement of what became Audonia was overseen by the Sankt-Suibertsland-Gesellschaft (SSG), a Tyrnican venture that, after three previous attempts that ended in failure, settled the town of [[St. Suibert]], from which the company and later colony was named, in 1710. Initially suffering from endemic shortages of food and outbreaks of disease, the colony began to recover and flourish when trade between natives and settlers was conducted, primarily the trade of Auressian weapons and goods in exchange for foods and native assistance in navigating the unfamiliar land. As the colony began to rise in wealth, eventually beginning to send valuable shipments of tobacco back to the homeland, the SSG was inevitably seized by the Tyrnican crown in | The initial settlement of what became Audonia was overseen by the Sankt-Suibertsland-Gesellschaft (SSG), a Tyrnican venture that, after three previous attempts that ended in failure, settled the town of [[St. Suibert]], from which the company and later colony was named, in 1710. Initially suffering from endemic shortages of food and outbreaks of disease, the colony began to recover and flourish when trade between natives and settlers was conducted, primarily the trade of Auressian weapons and goods in exchange for foods and native assistance in navigating the unfamiliar land. As the colony began to rise in wealth, eventually beginning to send valuable shipments of tobacco back to the homeland, the SSG was inevitably seized by the Tyrnican crown in 1725, renaming the colony Audunien in honour of the heir to the crown. | ||
Twenty years following first settlement of St. Suibert, [[Rythene|Rythenean]] interests in the New World began to be expanded upon. Previously a small trading post, Albert's Port, was renamed to | Twenty years following first settlement of St. Suibert, [[Rythene|Rythenean]] interests in the New World began to be expanded upon. Previously a small trading post, Albert's Port, was renamed to Kingstown and the colony of Arabelline was officially founded. Quickly, the new colony began to experience a series of programs aimed at both the rapid expansion of the city and encouraging the growth of its population. Such campaigns proved to be successful, the city ballooning in size to compete with the previously dominant Audunien. Both colonies began a series of encroachment campaigns on native territory, plunging the peninsula into frequent warfare between the colonials and native populations. | ||
The outbreak of the [[Eleven Years' War]] in 1748 saw open inter-colonial warfare breakout between Audunien and Arabelline for the first time after a series of antagonising incidents. Though the primary theatre of the war was in Auressia, the war in Marceaunia was no less vital. Enlisting the assistance of several tribal groups, the colonies battled it out, the balance of power frequently echoing that of the Auressian theatre. The annexation of Audunien by Arabelline signalled the end of the Eleven Years' War in Marceaunia, with the annexation being cemented in the peace talks. | The outbreak of the [[Eleven Years' War]] in 1748 saw open inter-colonial warfare breakout between Audunien and Arabelline for the first time after a series of antagonising incidents. Though the primary theatre of the war was in Auressia, the war in Marceaunia was no less vital. Enlisting the assistance of several tribal groups, the colonies battled it out, the balance of power frequently echoing that of the Auressian theatre. The annexation of Audunien by Arabelline signalled the end of the Eleven Years' War in Marceaunia, with the annexation being cemented in the peace talks. | ||
The peace following the end of the war enabled the colony to follow the general trend of industrialisation, particularly around the north-eastern portion of the nation and the capital of | The peace following the end of the war enabled the colony to follow the general trend of industrialisation, particularly around the north-eastern portion of the nation, renamed New Casmire, and the capital of Wilhelmsberg. In turn, however, tensions began to mount between the slave-owning elite of Arabelline and the burgeoning working class of the colony that resented the presence of slavery taking a number of labouring jobs. Additionally, a number of slaves had escaped to Audunien prior to the start of the Eleven Years' War and all were unwilling to be enslaved once again, forming a community in the north-west of Audonian which became known as Ausser Confederacy. The territory the Confederacy sat on was remarkably mineral rich and many slave-owners wished to regain their property, in addition to drawing attention away from the growing number of problems within the nation. The invasion of the Confederacy officially began the [[Ausser Wars]], a series of conflicts that last from 1780 till 1803, the first war ending in 1784 and officially dissolved the Confederacy, annexing it into Arabelline. The influx of former slaves into the nation served largely to only inflame racial tensions in the nation, while an influx of intellectuals from Rythene began to spread republican ideals through the nation, creating a dangerous powder keg that threatened to erupted. | ||
===Revolutionary Period=== | ===Revolutionary Period=== | ||
| Line 151: | Line 151: | ||
Republican sentiments exploded into the streets following the outbreak of the [[Rythenean Revolution]], though initially it was a contentious issue in the colony, though republican fervour was stoked by the arrival of a number of revolutionaries from Amandine fleeing the failed [[Bielmont Rebellion]]. Soon, Audonia became a hotbed of republican sentiment, with many towns renamed to scrub away connections to royalty and statues pulled down in a series of events referred to as the [[Republican Riots]]. Despite official support, the riots were violently cracked down on as they began to escalate in damages. Worryingly for many of the colonies of monarchies, Arabelline began to take measures to export the revolution abroad, most famously the [[Audonian Republican Brigade]], led by former Rythenean major [[Robert Morris]] during the [[Amandine|Amandine War of Independence]]. It was during this conflict that the fervour of republicanism transformed in violent anti-colonialism that would go on to shape Audonian policy for the next several decades. | Republican sentiments exploded into the streets following the outbreak of the [[Rythenean Revolution]], though initially it was a contentious issue in the colony, though republican fervour was stoked by the arrival of a number of revolutionaries from Amandine fleeing the failed [[Bielmont Rebellion]]. Soon, Audonia became a hotbed of republican sentiment, with many towns renamed to scrub away connections to royalty and statues pulled down in a series of events referred to as the [[Republican Riots]]. Despite official support, the riots were violently cracked down on as they began to escalate in damages. Worryingly for many of the colonies of monarchies, Arabelline began to take measures to export the revolution abroad, most famously the [[Audonian Republican Brigade]], led by former Rythenean major [[Robert Morris]] during the [[Amandine|Amandine War of Independence]]. It was during this conflict that the fervour of republicanism transformed in violent anti-colonialism that would go on to shape Audonian policy for the next several decades. | ||
The restoration of John VII was severely opposed by the colony, when paired with greater taxation led to a series of riots to break out in a number of major cities, while sabotage was conducted by the outlaw [[Brothers in Freedom]] movement hampered Ryhtenean colonial authorities measures to combat it. The return of Robert Morris, at the head of the [[Free Audonian Army]] kickstarted the [[Audonian Revolution]]. The FAA experienced a tidal wave of recruits, though their relative inexperience in fighting modern wars hampered early efforts, suffering major defeats at [[Battle of Adam's Creek|Adam's Creek]] and [[Battle of Euston|Euston]] that forced the rebellion northwards. Initially viewed negatively, the Tyrnican speaking populace began to supply the new rebellion, aided too by supplies brought over the border by Tyrnican colonial authorities in [[Wallena]] ensured that the rebels were capable of of remaining afloat during the first few years of the rebellion. By 1816, the war began to turn in the rebels favour, attaining victories in the Race to New Delhaven. Rythene, it's army cut off from its supply fleets and facing a hopeless situation, sued for peace following their defeat at the [[Second Battle of Euston]]. | |||
===Independence and Early Years=== | |||
The Congress of Sabaria secured Audonian sovereignty and international recognition, while all remaining colonial forces were forced to leave the claimed Audonian territory. Almost immediately, the nascent republic began to experience problems. The Senatorial Founding, which created the bicameral system of equal power houses, proved to be hampered quickly by bi-partisanship, with one house refusing to pass bills that originated from the house of its rivals. Additionally, the enforcement of taxation was suspiciously lacking, many of the wealthy offices went by without paying a dime. It was then that Robert Morris was recalled and assisted in the passing of the [[Reconstruction Bill]], reconstructing the Audonian government to its proto-modern form and the creation of the Tax Office Enforcement Authority. It was during discussions of the bill that the concept of federalisation was raised by the Tyrnican contingent. | |||
The concept began to quickly gain popularity amongst those that lived in Tyrnican-speaking portions of the new state, particularly when initial government offices were primarily filled with Rythenean-speaking Audonians and little effort made to fulfill promises made in exchange for Tyrnican support in the revolution. Efforts to see their demands enacted were quickly raised frequently within the the Assembly, however more pressing concerns saw the issue temporarily tabled until it was deemed more suitable. The primary cause of this was the outbreak of the First Continental War, its first conflict as an independent state. Initially spurred first by attempts made by segments of the Confederation of Southern Marceaunia to secede from it and their brutal repression, it quickly spiralled into an international affair between the neighbouring nations and a point of contention for Audonia. Though nominally allies during the formative years, a gulf began to grow between the CSM and Audonia in the years following the Congress of Sabaria particularly around the concern that the Confederation had begun to assert imperial demands and its internal instability posing a risk to continental peace. Eventually, it was deemed that Confederation posed too great a threat to Audonian interests and so the nation entered the conflict on the side of the rebelling states , seizing the island of [[Marbon Island|Marbon]] in the beginning months of the war, which was utilised to launch a series of raids along the coast of the Confederation, most notably was the attack on Nouvelle Valden which saw Audonian forces land on Confederation land for the first time since the Amandine War of Independence. | |||
Victory against the Confederation saw the CSM dismantled and Audonia to take a dominant position in the affairs of both Marcaeunia Major and Marceaunia Minor, while the transfer of [[Nova Kovaria]] in 1854 cemented its grip on the [[Rum Gulf]]. The establishments of trading posts and forts along the coast likewise saw the nation's fleet balloon in size to be one of the largest in the world to meet with the demands of its position, likewise granting it a prestige previously unseen by Marceaunian nations. Ever anti-colonialist, the nation issued the [[Faulkner Decree]], named for President Martin Faulkner and considered to be the zenith of Audonian power, which stated the nation would not tolerate further colonialisation of the continents and would intervene should nations from the Old World attempt to expand beyond their already established territories. In practice, however, the nation often turned a blind eye when it came to nations that it considered to be close allies, such as Tyrnica. | |||
Audonia's position was not without threat however, often battling [[Albrennia]] in a war of influence across the continent of Marceaunia Minor while the resurgence of the Republic of Amandine created a powder keg that risked destroyed the delicate balance of power in the New World, culminating in the creation of the Albrennian-Amandine Axis. Eventually tensions proved too great to ignore and spilt over into the [[War of the Adrienne Sea]], great naval battles dominated the Rum Gulf and seriously threatened the flow of international trade as Audonia began to fight a losing battle. Simultaneously, the extensive system of fortifications and posts constructed by Audonia along Marceaunia Minor's shores began to fall to axis forces as it became quickly apparent that the combined weight of axis were more than an equal, likewise Audonia's neglect of implementing technological innovations often saw its forces technologically outmatched in the ending years of the war. Its truest success was the defence of Marbon Island and New Kovaar, though these did little to quell Audonian resentment at its loss. The nation was only spared further destruction by the threat of its land forces that disuaded an axis invasion. | |||
Its defeat is often considered the lowest point of Audonian history, with the Treaty of Ste-Lourine demanding considerable reparations with further humiliation being piled on when it was forbidden from posting military forces onto Marbon Island, which at that point had been the primary port of its Marceaunian Minor fleet. | |||
Faced with overwhelming problems, the following decades are often referred to as the ''Miracle Years'' as unprecendent political and social effort was experienced to recover the nation from its low position. Notable in the period is the acceptance of the federalisation effort that split the nation between its Rythenean- and Tyrnican-etnic lines, though a strong central government was still maintained to prevent disunity and oversight of the new states governments, while the islands of New Kovaar was granted independence as the cost of rebuilding the islands was deemed too substantial for the nation to afford at the time, though a series of treaties were forced upon the island nation in the form of the [[Audonian-Kovarian Accords]] that kept it firmly in its sphere of influence. Though it did not regain its position as the primary trading nation in the Marceaunias, its economy did begin to flourish as trade with nations beyonds it traditional scope began to increase. Most notably, however, was the formal ending of the practice of slavery across the nation, though its practice had been steadily declining since the end of the First Continental War. | |||
Having failed to maintain its domination of both Marceaunias, Audonia instead refocused itself on the Rum Gulf and Marceaunia Major, with Nova Kovaria and the Maintane being the primary focus of its efforts. Having deemed Nova Kovaria an essential aspect of its Rum Gulf trade and influence, the Accords had granted the nation a strong grip over the fledgling state but did nothing add to its popularity. Indeed, so vital was Nova Kovaria that Audonia reserved the right to intervene in the nation if it was deemed necessary, its first intervention becoming the first deployment of the Audonian military since the signing of Ste-Lourine. Conducted in response to attacks on its naval ports by demonstrators, its success in returning order and the establishment of a pro-Audonian junta convinced lawmakers that intervention was a workable policy for the nation. Its conflict with the Maintane, brought about by economic rivalry led to a successfull occupation of most of [[Nilasia]] in 1881. | |||
Despite its military successes, the nation began to experience a severe economic downturn in response to its seemingly growing imperial ambitions, the ever present Albrennian-Amandine Axis became increasingly vocal in opposition to its actions. Despite this, Audonian lawmakers remained ndaunted and, bolstered by its successes, that the nation again intervened in Nova Kovaria in 1889 following the success of the anti-Accord faction in the elections, though popular resistance to the measure frustrated Audonia officials, while international backlash to the move prompted a swift withdrawal from the islands. Following the failure of its second intervention, Audonia embarked on a newer policy, that of the 'Good Neighbour', kickstarted by its surrendering of its right to intervene within Nova Kovaria and its withdrawal from Occupied Nilasia. Instead of backing itself solely through intimidation, it instead sought to grow positive ties and connections with potential partners and neighbouring nations, in contrast to both its militaristic past and the conduct of the Axis. The scheme proved successful, reversing its downturn and encouraging trade surplus that helped reestablish the nation to a place of prestige. | |||
===Twentieth Century=== | |||
At the turn of the century, Audonia was relishing an enviable position. Having pursued closer ties with the Galene League, in opposition to the usual Marceaunian trend of aligning with the Coalition, had caused it to attain a reputation of being a primary partner of Tyrnica and the destination of trade arriving from other League-aligned nations destined for ther rest of Marceaunia. Despite the outwards appearance of economic strength, internally social issues began to spill over. Primarily amongst these was the growing immigration from nations out of its historical homelands, particularly those of non-Auressian descent. Competition for jobs began to spill over into racial resentment, whilst the continued disenfranchisement of its non-white population created another growing faction within Audonia that sought to rectify the problem. A series of race riots rocked many urban centres throughout the country, targeted at both immigrant and Ausser businesses that were proving more successful than white ones, so severe a problem that the army often had to be deployed to quell the civil disturbances. | |||
Having pursued an unofficial policy of white supremacy, the government had also been watching with concern at the growing prosperity of its non-white populace and its growing educated class demanding enfranchisment. Unwilling to back down from the policy, the government instead placed the blame of the riots on the victims themselves and stepped up discriminitory policies to ensure the primacy of those from the 'ideal races'. Immigration limits were introduced for certain nations, though in practice they were only enforced for arrivals from certain nations, while economic prosperity was stifled by a series of measures introduced that again put preference on white businesses and owners. | |||
''See also [[Audonia in the First Great War]]'' | |||
To top off the concerns, the increasing likelihood of war between the Galene League and Coalition was placing pressure on Audonia to publicly commit itself to the League beyond its unofficial cooperation. At the time, it was assumed the nation would assist the League from the onset, not only because of the long history of cooperation between Audonia and the League, but also the nation was led by [[Theodrore Strauss]], the first ethnic-Tyrnican president. While even fellow Marceaunian nations prepared for to fight Audonia in the coming war, concerns about the likelihood of winning the war and the cost in trade in Coalition nations stayed Audonia's entrance into the war. Audonia's stance was soldified when Strauss officially announced the nation neutrality, sending League and Coalition nations scrambling to adjust battle plans now that a potential front was now officially closed. | |||
Despite announcing its neutrality, tensions began to boil as it became clear Audonia did not intend to cease trading with League-aligned nations and its frequent protests at the seizing of its trade vessels led to numerous occaisions when it was thought they might enter into the war. The closest brush to war came with the [[Audonian Port Crisis]], when the crippled Tyrnican ''Särpelgard'' sought refuge in the port of [[Fredericksburg]], following a confrontation with Amandine vessels which saw fire exchanged between Audonian and Amandine navies as the Amands entered into Audonian waters in pursuit of the ''Särpelgard''. International pressure mounted for the Audonians to hand over the vessels, reaching its apex when Amandine issued an ultimatum that they would be fired upon if they refused to release it, though the subsequent scuttling of the vessel prevented the ultimatum from coming to pass and ensured it would remain out of the war. | |||
Following the Port Crisis, Audonian assistance to the League would become far subtler, though alignment to the League did not prevent the trade decreasing in comparison to a rapid rise of trade with Coalition nations, largely attributed to the blockade placed upon Tyrnica and the growing destruction of its colonial territories and allies as the war progressed. Its agricultural industry and non-military related industry grew to be a vital aspect of the global economy, as a consequence of it being one of the few large powers not involved in the conflict and thus its industry was not geared towards manufacturing the necessary materials for the war. | |||
==Geography== | ==Geography== | ||
| Line 165: | Line 195: | ||
===Military=== | ===Military=== | ||
===Policing=== | ===Policing=== | ||
===Foreign Relations | ===Foreign Relations=== | ||
==Economy== | ==Economy== | ||
==Demographics== | |||
===Ethnicity=== | |||
{{bar box | |||
|title=<center>Ethnicity in Audonia (2020 census)</center> | |||
|titlebar=#ddd | |||
|left1= <center>Ethnicity</center> | |||
|right1= <center>Percentage</center> | |||
|float=right | |||
|width=300px | |||
|bars= | |||
{{bar percent|{{wp|White people|White}}|black|67.3}} | |||
{{bar percent|{{wp|Black people}}|blue|25.3}} | |||
{{bar percent|{{wp|Race|Other}}|cyan|7.4}} | |||
}} | |||
Audonia is a diverse country, though the majority of it's population is white. Descended from either Rythenean or Tyrnican settlers, the population generally resides in the south and east of the country, throw white communities are beginning to grow in western Audonia, particularly in gentrified regions. It's black population, generally referred to as Aussers, live in the north west of the country, but recent years of emigration within Audonia has begun to change the the racial geography in the nation, particularly as immigrants from non-white nations arrive. Other generally refers to populations from the Isuan or northern Indica, leaving clear stats on these populations uncertain. | |||
===Language=== | |||
===Major Cities=== | |||
===Religion=== | |||
==Culture== | |||
===Sports=== | |||
Sports in Audonia are immensely popular, as a result of aggressive government initiatives formed to combat a previous growth rate of obesity. [[Rugby Union]] is typically considered to be both the most popular sport in Audonia as well as the national sport of Audonia, with teams being largely fan-owned due to grass roots laws that govern sports authorities. The largest domestic league is the [[StrongFellows Championship]], the final of which often dominatae viewing figures on Audonian television, averaging 26 million viewers. The current league champions are Ellerby RFU, winning their sixteenth title. [[File:De Cougars.jpg|thumb|alignment|size:250px|The Audonian national team at the 2019 World Cup]] Aside from this, the [[President's Cup]] exists as a knock-out tournament that involves teams from each tier of the rugby system in Audonia, renowned for being a tournament that's hotly enjoyed for frequent appearances of 'giant-killer' teams from lower levels reaching far. Additonally, the [[AAA Championship]], contested between [[Albrennian national rugby union team|Albrennia]], [[Amandine national rugby union team|Amandine]] and [[Audonian national rugby union team|Audonia]] is played annaully and experiences similarly high viewership. The national team is also considered one of the best in the world, having won three previous world cups; 1961, 1977, and 2019. | |||
Other than rugby, [[association football]] is often debated as the nation's favourite sport, with viewing figures that rival that of rugby. Both sports enjoy a significant overlap in viewership and many stadiums are built to accomodate both football and rugby matches. The top of the football pyramid is called [[Audonian First Divison]], or Attarox First Division for sponsorship reasons, and comprises of a similar system as the StrongFellows Championship, except with 21 teams present instead of sixteen. The pyramid splits off into three different sections at the fifth level as the teams become seperated into their respective state systems. The national team is also popular, though its success in recent years has not been as prevelant as it had been previously, it's last tournament championship being in 2008 when it won the Marceaunia Cup for the second time, while only enjoying one [[Internation Cup (Levilion)|International Cup]] victory in 2006. It has previously hosted the tournament once, in 1990, while it is due to host the tournament again in 2022. | |||
[[File:Cougars Cricket.jpg|thumb|left|size:250px|Ryan Freight is considered one of the best international batters]]The most popular summertime sport is undoubtably [[cricket]], with many Audonians having play the sport mandatorily at school from a young age. The premier national competition is considered to be the [[States Cup]], contested between the top team originating from the domestic [[Arabelline (Audonia)|Arabelline]], [[St. Suibert (Audonia)| St. Suibert]], and [[Ausser State (Audonia]] the Ausser State]] leagues, operating a best of three game series between the three teams. The [[Audonian national cricket team|national team]] has also enjoyed international success in modern times, winning the [[International Championship (Levilion)|International Championship]] twice in a row, including the most recent rendition in 2019. | |||
Other than those, a number of sports are growing with support of the Audonian government, notably motorsports is beginning to gain traction with urban populations, the addition of the Audonian Prix at [[Road's End]] to the international circuit being a particular source of increased interest in the nation. Likewise, the sport of boat racing has always been a popular sport within the educated classes of Audonian society, with many university students taking part. The most prestigious is usually referred to as [[The Race (Audonia|The Race]], contested between Highclear University and the University of Southern Morriston. | |||
Athletics have been a growing interest in Audonia, with distance running and team-based sports being where the nation performs best. Demonde Ede is the most well-known athlete, having won gold at two 1500m races in consecutive tournaments. It's hockey team also performs admirably, having the record for most podium finishes without having won the gold. | |||
===Cuisine=== | |||
Audonian foods are renown for their abundance of spice used, and its combining of different cultural backgrounds to fuse together an immediately recognisable meal. It relies heavily on the collared greens, rice, and beans, while Audonians are known to not be particularly fussy in regards to what meat is used, with goat eaten as readily as beef. [[File:AudoniaGumbo.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Audonian Gumbo]] It's most famous dish is gumbo, though the correct ingredients used in the dish is a hotly contested debate within the nation. A common saying is 'I may not know how to describe it, but I know gumbo when I see it' attributed to famous chef Arthur Holzdeppe whose cookbooks brought Audonian cooking to the attention of the culinary world. Audonia is also renown for its abundance of seafood dishes. | |||
Being a member of the Rum Gulf, Audonia has a long and treasured history of alcohol production, most famously in the field of rum. The largest rum producer is Olivier's, which boasts Olivier's Spiced Rum as its premier product, one of the most widely exported rum's in the Gulf and frequently topping the charts of most popular alcohol in Audonia. Additionally, it maintains a versatile beer and cider industry, popular at sport events and festivals, uniquely Audonia does not ban alcohol company sponsorhips, so it is a consistently visible part of Audonian cuisine. | |||
===Art=== | |||
The history of Audonian art is vital in the history of Marceaunia art, the sunny and idyllic weather of Audonia attracted and spawned a number of renown artists including [[John Artuer]], who popularised the medium of watercolours, the celebrated Romantic painters [[Siggy Sabarine]] and [[Jasmine Brickton]], the impressionists [[Frederick Hotsup]], [[Adam Hills]], and [[Andre Scholtz]]. Additionally, the Audonian government frequently hosts the [[Morriston Gala Expo]], an international competition involving hundreds of artists across the world, winners recieving commissions from the government to decorated government buildings and to fill the galaries. | |||
The University of Fine Arts also trains and sponsors many up and coming artists from Audonia, promoting their work eagerly. The nations largest gallery, the Adder Collection, is one of the largest in the Western Hemisphere and host to hundreds of thousands of works of art. It also hosts one of the most renown art restoration teams in the west as well. The Adder Collection alone sees millions of visitors annually, while gallaries across the nation see tens of millions combined. | |||
===Festivals=== | |||
Festivals form an important part of Audonian culture, though only a relatively recent aspect of Audonian culture. The first festival, Sol Mardi, was founded by immigrants from the Rum Gulf islands, particularly [[Saint-Baptiste]], and has gone on to grow to immense popularity, spawning many subsidary carnivals in Audonia coastal cities. Despite this, they aren't entirely popular, some complaining of the excessive noise and spending that is attributed to the large festivals. | |||
Aside from carnivals, religious festivals are also celebrated with vigour. Audonia being primarily Perendist, public holidays are often prescribed to these days, though there are three primary festivals in the Audonian religious calender; the Enlightenment, the Pilgrimage, and the Return. The celebrations are spectles of religious devotion and art, with outsiders remarking that the festivals align with the life of Perend and becoming centred on mourning the further the celebration goes on. The final day of the Return often coincides with the first day of Sol Mardi. | |||
===Music=== | |||
The Audonian music scene was not particularly remarkable for much of the 19th century, it's most well-known composer, Gerald van Rivers, oten criticised as imitating his Auressian contemporaries. Religious hymns and working songs were the most popular songs of the people, often experiments into combining the two were well-recieved. The [[blues]] followed suit, until the 1950s, when the Audonian music scene became stand out in Marceaunia with the creation of[[rock and roll]]. | |||
[[File:Kendey.jpg|thumb|left|size:150px|Kendey Barebrow is credited with popularising rock and roll music globally]] It's preeminent artists, [[Johnny Low]], [[Kendey Barebrow]], and [[Randy Orgearas]] are some of the best selling artists globally and saw the genre explode in popularity, leaving a permanent influence on the music industry. The nation hosts a number of prestigous awards, such as the Gramaphone Society, initially founded to award the best artist from Audonia, it transformed to a number of categories and recipents come from across the globe. Johnny Low is the highest winning musician of this award, having seven different awards. Additionally, a number of sub-genres grew from this inital genre, most recently [[rap rock]] has emerged in popularity, meshing the highly popular rap genre with rock. The most well known artist is Auzzer, real name Martin Murphy from the Ausser State. Rap is popular in Audonia, however its main base of listeners is often the Ausser State, though white populations in Audonia are beginning to become receptive to the genre due to the popularity of rap rock. | |||
Cities in Audonia are also renown for their music scene, particularly Morriston, New Delhaven, Saint Arthur's Harbour, Arden, and Willemsberg. Combined, acts originating from these cities hold 74% of Number 1 records on the Audonian charts for the past fourty years, with Morriston and Arden considered competitors for the title of 'Music City of Audonia' as they hold 40% of those Number 1's between them. | |||
Pop music, of course, is also popular, with Audonia represented by acts such as [[Heavy Kitten]], [[Mach 5]], and [[Sensible Men]]. | |||
Latest revision as of 22:24, 2 August 2023
 | This article is incomplete because it is pending further input from participants, or it is a work-in-progress by one author. Please comment on this article's talk page to share your input, comments and questions. Note: To contribute to this article, you may need to seek help from the author(s) of this page. |
Free Republic of Audonia Freie Republik Audunien (Tyrnican) | |
|---|---|
 Flag
| |
| Motto: "Esse quam videri" | |
| Anthem: Over the Hills "Over the Hills"  | |
 Location of Audonia (dark green) in Auressia (dark grey) | |
| Capital and largest city | Morriston |
| Official languages | Rythenean |
| Recognised regional languages | Tyrnican |
| Demonym(s) | Audonian |
| Government | Unitary parliamentary republic |
| Claude Abernaty | |
• Vice-President | George Muench |
| Legislature | Audonian Assembly |
| House of the Delegates | |
| House of the Republic | |
| Establishment | |
• Settlement of Audonia | 16? |
• Audonian Revolution | 7 April 1815 |
• Union Act | 2 Ocober 1860 |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,379,006 km2 (918,539 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• 2020 census | 70,864,348 |
| GDP (PPP) | 2020 estimate |
• Per capita | $ |
| GDP (nominal) | 2020 estimate |
• Per capita | $ |
| HDI (2020) |  0.729high |
| Currency | Audonian Dollar (Ϻ) (COM) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 |
| Date format | dd-mm-yyyy (CE) |
| Driving side | left |
| Calling code | +03 |
| ISO 3166 code | AUD |
| Internet TLD | .ad |
Audonia (Tyrnican: Audunien), officially the Free Republic of Audonia, is a sovereign state and presidential republic situated in southern Marceaunia Major. Bordered by the Rum Gulf, Adrienne Sea, and Hesperian Ocean, it's only land border is Nilasia to it's north-west. Comprised of 2,379,006 square kilometres of land, it is divided into three semi-autonomous regions, overseen by a central government situated in the nation's capital city, Morriston.
The region of northern Audonia was initially settled by Tyrnican settlers in the late 17th century, before the area began to be contested by newly founded Rythenian settlements in the region's south, renamed to Arabelline. The Industrial Revolution saw tensions rise between the traditional slave owning elite and a growing urban working class, exacerbated by the Rythenean Revolution that saw the Monarchy of Rythene overthrown, a popular move in Audonia. Resistance erupted against the restoration of the monarchy, culminating in the Audonian Revolution, establishing Audonia as an independent nation. Disagreements between the new state of Audonia and its ally, Confederation of Southern Marceaunia, led to the First Continental War and establishing Audonia as the preeminent power in the Rum Gulf.
Internal divisions between the Rythenean population and the Tyrnicans led to the First Reformation which created the semi-autonomous region of Friedland in northern Audonia, which coincided with Audonia's defeat in the War of the Arabelline Sea. A number of issues began to arise following the loss of Audonia's prestige, primarily revolving around the institution of slavery within the nation, in addition to the status of Native Marceaunians, whose territory the industrialising nation began to increasingly encroach upon.
By the turn of the 20th century, the nation had regained some of its national prominence, benefitting from its global position in facilitating trade, though this placed it in jeopardy at the outbreak of the First Great War in its refusal to partake or cease to trade with the Galene League, leading to a number of incidents where ships sailing under the Audonia flag would be attack or boarded by Coalition vessels. Though it had narrowly avoided taking part in the First Great War, the Second Great War could not be, as it aligned with its old enemy Albrennia in the campaign against Songha. Victory in the war solidified Audonia's place in the world. Post-war, racial issues within the nation began to rise again, necessitating the creation of the Ausser State, a semi-autonomous state in north-eastern Audonia.
Audonia is a developed nation, with the nth largest economy at TBA. A fouding member of the Assembly of Marceaunian States, Audonia is a member of numerous intergovernmental organisations, assisting in the goal of global security and international freedoms. Its economy has followed the trend of many western nations, transistioning from an industrial economy to one based primarily in international banking and finance, however the automobile industry remains an important pillar, in addition to its arms industry and international shipping.
Etymology
Etymologically, the name Audonia is descended from the Tyrnican Audunien, itself derived from the recently born Prince Audun (later Audun VII). The name Audonia was adopted during the early stages of the Audonia Revolution as a means to sever links with the Rythenean forces against which they were rebelling, in addition to attempting to sway the ethnic Tyrnicans to align with the rebels. Initially spelt as Audunia, when the change to its modern spelling occurred isn't well recorded, with the two spellings appearing in different rebel propaganda throughout the war and for some time afterwards, the spelling was finalised as Audonia in the Act of Naming Convention (1820) in 1820.
History
Pre-Settlement
-Native Marceanian settlement
-Auressian Contact
Early Settlement
The initial settlement of what became Audonia was overseen by the Sankt-Suibertsland-Gesellschaft (SSG), a Tyrnican venture that, after three previous attempts that ended in failure, settled the town of St. Suibert, from which the company and later colony was named, in 1710. Initially suffering from endemic shortages of food and outbreaks of disease, the colony began to recover and flourish when trade between natives and settlers was conducted, primarily the trade of Auressian weapons and goods in exchange for foods and native assistance in navigating the unfamiliar land. As the colony began to rise in wealth, eventually beginning to send valuable shipments of tobacco back to the homeland, the SSG was inevitably seized by the Tyrnican crown in 1725, renaming the colony Audunien in honour of the heir to the crown.
Twenty years following first settlement of St. Suibert, Rythenean interests in the New World began to be expanded upon. Previously a small trading post, Albert's Port, was renamed to Kingstown and the colony of Arabelline was officially founded. Quickly, the new colony began to experience a series of programs aimed at both the rapid expansion of the city and encouraging the growth of its population. Such campaigns proved to be successful, the city ballooning in size to compete with the previously dominant Audunien. Both colonies began a series of encroachment campaigns on native territory, plunging the peninsula into frequent warfare between the colonials and native populations.
The outbreak of the Eleven Years' War in 1748 saw open inter-colonial warfare breakout between Audunien and Arabelline for the first time after a series of antagonising incidents. Though the primary theatre of the war was in Auressia, the war in Marceaunia was no less vital. Enlisting the assistance of several tribal groups, the colonies battled it out, the balance of power frequently echoing that of the Auressian theatre. The annexation of Audunien by Arabelline signalled the end of the Eleven Years' War in Marceaunia, with the annexation being cemented in the peace talks.
The peace following the end of the war enabled the colony to follow the general trend of industrialisation, particularly around the north-eastern portion of the nation, renamed New Casmire, and the capital of Wilhelmsberg. In turn, however, tensions began to mount between the slave-owning elite of Arabelline and the burgeoning working class of the colony that resented the presence of slavery taking a number of labouring jobs. Additionally, a number of slaves had escaped to Audunien prior to the start of the Eleven Years' War and all were unwilling to be enslaved once again, forming a community in the north-west of Audonian which became known as Ausser Confederacy. The territory the Confederacy sat on was remarkably mineral rich and many slave-owners wished to regain their property, in addition to drawing attention away from the growing number of problems within the nation. The invasion of the Confederacy officially began the Ausser Wars, a series of conflicts that last from 1780 till 1803, the first war ending in 1784 and officially dissolved the Confederacy, annexing it into Arabelline. The influx of former slaves into the nation served largely to only inflame racial tensions in the nation, while an influx of intellectuals from Rythene began to spread republican ideals through the nation, creating a dangerous powder keg that threatened to erupted.
Revolutionary Period
Republican sentiments exploded into the streets following the outbreak of the Rythenean Revolution, though initially it was a contentious issue in the colony, though republican fervour was stoked by the arrival of a number of revolutionaries from Amandine fleeing the failed Bielmont Rebellion. Soon, Audonia became a hotbed of republican sentiment, with many towns renamed to scrub away connections to royalty and statues pulled down in a series of events referred to as the Republican Riots. Despite official support, the riots were violently cracked down on as they began to escalate in damages. Worryingly for many of the colonies of monarchies, Arabelline began to take measures to export the revolution abroad, most famously the Audonian Republican Brigade, led by former Rythenean major Robert Morris during the Amandine War of Independence. It was during this conflict that the fervour of republicanism transformed in violent anti-colonialism that would go on to shape Audonian policy for the next several decades.
The restoration of John VII was severely opposed by the colony, when paired with greater taxation led to a series of riots to break out in a number of major cities, while sabotage was conducted by the outlaw Brothers in Freedom movement hampered Ryhtenean colonial authorities measures to combat it. The return of Robert Morris, at the head of the Free Audonian Army kickstarted the Audonian Revolution. The FAA experienced a tidal wave of recruits, though their relative inexperience in fighting modern wars hampered early efforts, suffering major defeats at Adam's Creek and Euston that forced the rebellion northwards. Initially viewed negatively, the Tyrnican speaking populace began to supply the new rebellion, aided too by supplies brought over the border by Tyrnican colonial authorities in Wallena ensured that the rebels were capable of of remaining afloat during the first few years of the rebellion. By 1816, the war began to turn in the rebels favour, attaining victories in the Race to New Delhaven. Rythene, it's army cut off from its supply fleets and facing a hopeless situation, sued for peace following their defeat at the Second Battle of Euston.
Independence and Early Years
The Congress of Sabaria secured Audonian sovereignty and international recognition, while all remaining colonial forces were forced to leave the claimed Audonian territory. Almost immediately, the nascent republic began to experience problems. The Senatorial Founding, which created the bicameral system of equal power houses, proved to be hampered quickly by bi-partisanship, with one house refusing to pass bills that originated from the house of its rivals. Additionally, the enforcement of taxation was suspiciously lacking, many of the wealthy offices went by without paying a dime. It was then that Robert Morris was recalled and assisted in the passing of the Reconstruction Bill, reconstructing the Audonian government to its proto-modern form and the creation of the Tax Office Enforcement Authority. It was during discussions of the bill that the concept of federalisation was raised by the Tyrnican contingent.
The concept began to quickly gain popularity amongst those that lived in Tyrnican-speaking portions of the new state, particularly when initial government offices were primarily filled with Rythenean-speaking Audonians and little effort made to fulfill promises made in exchange for Tyrnican support in the revolution. Efforts to see their demands enacted were quickly raised frequently within the the Assembly, however more pressing concerns saw the issue temporarily tabled until it was deemed more suitable. The primary cause of this was the outbreak of the First Continental War, its first conflict as an independent state. Initially spurred first by attempts made by segments of the Confederation of Southern Marceaunia to secede from it and their brutal repression, it quickly spiralled into an international affair between the neighbouring nations and a point of contention for Audonia. Though nominally allies during the formative years, a gulf began to grow between the CSM and Audonia in the years following the Congress of Sabaria particularly around the concern that the Confederation had begun to assert imperial demands and its internal instability posing a risk to continental peace. Eventually, it was deemed that Confederation posed too great a threat to Audonian interests and so the nation entered the conflict on the side of the rebelling states , seizing the island of Marbon in the beginning months of the war, which was utilised to launch a series of raids along the coast of the Confederation, most notably was the attack on Nouvelle Valden which saw Audonian forces land on Confederation land for the first time since the Amandine War of Independence.
Victory against the Confederation saw the CSM dismantled and Audonia to take a dominant position in the affairs of both Marcaeunia Major and Marceaunia Minor, while the transfer of Nova Kovaria in 1854 cemented its grip on the Rum Gulf. The establishments of trading posts and forts along the coast likewise saw the nation's fleet balloon in size to be one of the largest in the world to meet with the demands of its position, likewise granting it a prestige previously unseen by Marceaunian nations. Ever anti-colonialist, the nation issued the Faulkner Decree, named for President Martin Faulkner and considered to be the zenith of Audonian power, which stated the nation would not tolerate further colonialisation of the continents and would intervene should nations from the Old World attempt to expand beyond their already established territories. In practice, however, the nation often turned a blind eye when it came to nations that it considered to be close allies, such as Tyrnica.
Audonia's position was not without threat however, often battling Albrennia in a war of influence across the continent of Marceaunia Minor while the resurgence of the Republic of Amandine created a powder keg that risked destroyed the delicate balance of power in the New World, culminating in the creation of the Albrennian-Amandine Axis. Eventually tensions proved too great to ignore and spilt over into the War of the Adrienne Sea, great naval battles dominated the Rum Gulf and seriously threatened the flow of international trade as Audonia began to fight a losing battle. Simultaneously, the extensive system of fortifications and posts constructed by Audonia along Marceaunia Minor's shores began to fall to axis forces as it became quickly apparent that the combined weight of axis were more than an equal, likewise Audonia's neglect of implementing technological innovations often saw its forces technologically outmatched in the ending years of the war. Its truest success was the defence of Marbon Island and New Kovaar, though these did little to quell Audonian resentment at its loss. The nation was only spared further destruction by the threat of its land forces that disuaded an axis invasion.
Its defeat is often considered the lowest point of Audonian history, with the Treaty of Ste-Lourine demanding considerable reparations with further humiliation being piled on when it was forbidden from posting military forces onto Marbon Island, which at that point had been the primary port of its Marceaunian Minor fleet.
Faced with overwhelming problems, the following decades are often referred to as the Miracle Years as unprecendent political and social effort was experienced to recover the nation from its low position. Notable in the period is the acceptance of the federalisation effort that split the nation between its Rythenean- and Tyrnican-etnic lines, though a strong central government was still maintained to prevent disunity and oversight of the new states governments, while the islands of New Kovaar was granted independence as the cost of rebuilding the islands was deemed too substantial for the nation to afford at the time, though a series of treaties were forced upon the island nation in the form of the Audonian-Kovarian Accords that kept it firmly in its sphere of influence. Though it did not regain its position as the primary trading nation in the Marceaunias, its economy did begin to flourish as trade with nations beyonds it traditional scope began to increase. Most notably, however, was the formal ending of the practice of slavery across the nation, though its practice had been steadily declining since the end of the First Continental War.
Having failed to maintain its domination of both Marceaunias, Audonia instead refocused itself on the Rum Gulf and Marceaunia Major, with Nova Kovaria and the Maintane being the primary focus of its efforts. Having deemed Nova Kovaria an essential aspect of its Rum Gulf trade and influence, the Accords had granted the nation a strong grip over the fledgling state but did nothing add to its popularity. Indeed, so vital was Nova Kovaria that Audonia reserved the right to intervene in the nation if it was deemed necessary, its first intervention becoming the first deployment of the Audonian military since the signing of Ste-Lourine. Conducted in response to attacks on its naval ports by demonstrators, its success in returning order and the establishment of a pro-Audonian junta convinced lawmakers that intervention was a workable policy for the nation. Its conflict with the Maintane, brought about by economic rivalry led to a successfull occupation of most of Nilasia in 1881.
Despite its military successes, the nation began to experience a severe economic downturn in response to its seemingly growing imperial ambitions, the ever present Albrennian-Amandine Axis became increasingly vocal in opposition to its actions. Despite this, Audonian lawmakers remained ndaunted and, bolstered by its successes, that the nation again intervened in Nova Kovaria in 1889 following the success of the anti-Accord faction in the elections, though popular resistance to the measure frustrated Audonia officials, while international backlash to the move prompted a swift withdrawal from the islands. Following the failure of its second intervention, Audonia embarked on a newer policy, that of the 'Good Neighbour', kickstarted by its surrendering of its right to intervene within Nova Kovaria and its withdrawal from Occupied Nilasia. Instead of backing itself solely through intimidation, it instead sought to grow positive ties and connections with potential partners and neighbouring nations, in contrast to both its militaristic past and the conduct of the Axis. The scheme proved successful, reversing its downturn and encouraging trade surplus that helped reestablish the nation to a place of prestige.
Twentieth Century
At the turn of the century, Audonia was relishing an enviable position. Having pursued closer ties with the Galene League, in opposition to the usual Marceaunian trend of aligning with the Coalition, had caused it to attain a reputation of being a primary partner of Tyrnica and the destination of trade arriving from other League-aligned nations destined for ther rest of Marceaunia. Despite the outwards appearance of economic strength, internally social issues began to spill over. Primarily amongst these was the growing immigration from nations out of its historical homelands, particularly those of non-Auressian descent. Competition for jobs began to spill over into racial resentment, whilst the continued disenfranchisement of its non-white population created another growing faction within Audonia that sought to rectify the problem. A series of race riots rocked many urban centres throughout the country, targeted at both immigrant and Ausser businesses that were proving more successful than white ones, so severe a problem that the army often had to be deployed to quell the civil disturbances.
Having pursued an unofficial policy of white supremacy, the government had also been watching with concern at the growing prosperity of its non-white populace and its growing educated class demanding enfranchisment. Unwilling to back down from the policy, the government instead placed the blame of the riots on the victims themselves and stepped up discriminitory policies to ensure the primacy of those from the 'ideal races'. Immigration limits were introduced for certain nations, though in practice they were only enforced for arrivals from certain nations, while economic prosperity was stifled by a series of measures introduced that again put preference on white businesses and owners.
See also Audonia in the First Great War
To top off the concerns, the increasing likelihood of war between the Galene League and Coalition was placing pressure on Audonia to publicly commit itself to the League beyond its unofficial cooperation. At the time, it was assumed the nation would assist the League from the onset, not only because of the long history of cooperation between Audonia and the League, but also the nation was led by Theodrore Strauss, the first ethnic-Tyrnican president. While even fellow Marceaunian nations prepared for to fight Audonia in the coming war, concerns about the likelihood of winning the war and the cost in trade in Coalition nations stayed Audonia's entrance into the war. Audonia's stance was soldified when Strauss officially announced the nation neutrality, sending League and Coalition nations scrambling to adjust battle plans now that a potential front was now officially closed.
Despite announcing its neutrality, tensions began to boil as it became clear Audonia did not intend to cease trading with League-aligned nations and its frequent protests at the seizing of its trade vessels led to numerous occaisions when it was thought they might enter into the war. The closest brush to war came with the Audonian Port Crisis, when the crippled Tyrnican Särpelgard sought refuge in the port of Fredericksburg, following a confrontation with Amandine vessels which saw fire exchanged between Audonian and Amandine navies as the Amands entered into Audonian waters in pursuit of the Särpelgard. International pressure mounted for the Audonians to hand over the vessels, reaching its apex when Amandine issued an ultimatum that they would be fired upon if they refused to release it, though the subsequent scuttling of the vessel prevented the ultimatum from coming to pass and ensured it would remain out of the war.
Following the Port Crisis, Audonian assistance to the League would become far subtler, though alignment to the League did not prevent the trade decreasing in comparison to a rapid rise of trade with Coalition nations, largely attributed to the blockade placed upon Tyrnica and the growing destruction of its colonial territories and allies as the war progressed. Its agricultural industry and non-military related industry grew to be a vital aspect of the global economy, as a consequence of it being one of the few large powers not involved in the conflict and thus its industry was not geared towards manufacturing the necessary materials for the war.
Geography
Climate
Flora and fauna
Politics
Political Divisions
Parties and Elections
Military
Policing
Foreign Relations
Economy
Demographics
Ethnicity
Audonia is a diverse country, though the majority of it's population is white. Descended from either Rythenean or Tyrnican settlers, the population generally resides in the south and east of the country, throw white communities are beginning to grow in western Audonia, particularly in gentrified regions. It's black population, generally referred to as Aussers, live in the north west of the country, but recent years of emigration within Audonia has begun to change the the racial geography in the nation, particularly as immigrants from non-white nations arrive. Other generally refers to populations from the Isuan or northern Indica, leaving clear stats on these populations uncertain.
Language
Major Cities
Religion
Culture
Sports
Sports in Audonia are immensely popular, as a result of aggressive government initiatives formed to combat a previous growth rate of obesity. Rugby Union is typically considered to be both the most popular sport in Audonia as well as the national sport of Audonia, with teams being largely fan-owned due to grass roots laws that govern sports authorities. The largest domestic league is the StrongFellows Championship, the final of which often dominatae viewing figures on Audonian television, averaging 26 million viewers. The current league champions are Ellerby RFU, winning their sixteenth title.
Aside from this, the President's Cup exists as a knock-out tournament that involves teams from each tier of the rugby system in Audonia, renowned for being a tournament that's hotly enjoyed for frequent appearances of 'giant-killer' teams from lower levels reaching far. Additonally, the AAA Championship, contested between Albrennia, Amandine and Audonia is played annaully and experiences similarly high viewership. The national team is also considered one of the best in the world, having won three previous world cups; 1961, 1977, and 2019.
Other than rugby, association football is often debated as the nation's favourite sport, with viewing figures that rival that of rugby. Both sports enjoy a significant overlap in viewership and many stadiums are built to accomodate both football and rugby matches. The top of the football pyramid is called Audonian First Divison, or Attarox First Division for sponsorship reasons, and comprises of a similar system as the StrongFellows Championship, except with 21 teams present instead of sixteen. The pyramid splits off into three different sections at the fifth level as the teams become seperated into their respective state systems. The national team is also popular, though its success in recent years has not been as prevelant as it had been previously, it's last tournament championship being in 2008 when it won the Marceaunia Cup for the second time, while only enjoying one International Cup victory in 2006. It has previously hosted the tournament once, in 1990, while it is due to host the tournament again in 2022.
The most popular summertime sport is undoubtably cricket, with many Audonians having play the sport mandatorily at school from a young age. The premier national competition is considered to be the States Cup, contested between the top team originating from the domestic Arabelline, St. Suibert, and Ausser State (Audonia the Ausser State]] leagues, operating a best of three game series between the three teams. The national team has also enjoyed international success in modern times, winning the International Championship twice in a row, including the most recent rendition in 2019.
Other than those, a number of sports are growing with support of the Audonian government, notably motorsports is beginning to gain traction with urban populations, the addition of the Audonian Prix at Road's End to the international circuit being a particular source of increased interest in the nation. Likewise, the sport of boat racing has always been a popular sport within the educated classes of Audonian society, with many university students taking part. The most prestigious is usually referred to as The Race, contested between Highclear University and the University of Southern Morriston.
Athletics have been a growing interest in Audonia, with distance running and team-based sports being where the nation performs best. Demonde Ede is the most well-known athlete, having won gold at two 1500m races in consecutive tournaments. It's hockey team also performs admirably, having the record for most podium finishes without having won the gold.
Cuisine
Audonian foods are renown for their abundance of spice used, and its combining of different cultural backgrounds to fuse together an immediately recognisable meal. It relies heavily on the collared greens, rice, and beans, while Audonians are known to not be particularly fussy in regards to what meat is used, with goat eaten as readily as beef.
It's most famous dish is gumbo, though the correct ingredients used in the dish is a hotly contested debate within the nation. A common saying is 'I may not know how to describe it, but I know gumbo when I see it' attributed to famous chef Arthur Holzdeppe whose cookbooks brought Audonian cooking to the attention of the culinary world. Audonia is also renown for its abundance of seafood dishes.
Being a member of the Rum Gulf, Audonia has a long and treasured history of alcohol production, most famously in the field of rum. The largest rum producer is Olivier's, which boasts Olivier's Spiced Rum as its premier product, one of the most widely exported rum's in the Gulf and frequently topping the charts of most popular alcohol in Audonia. Additionally, it maintains a versatile beer and cider industry, popular at sport events and festivals, uniquely Audonia does not ban alcohol company sponsorhips, so it is a consistently visible part of Audonian cuisine.
Art
The history of Audonian art is vital in the history of Marceaunia art, the sunny and idyllic weather of Audonia attracted and spawned a number of renown artists including John Artuer, who popularised the medium of watercolours, the celebrated Romantic painters Siggy Sabarine and Jasmine Brickton, the impressionists Frederick Hotsup, Adam Hills, and Andre Scholtz. Additionally, the Audonian government frequently hosts the Morriston Gala Expo, an international competition involving hundreds of artists across the world, winners recieving commissions from the government to decorated government buildings and to fill the galaries.
The University of Fine Arts also trains and sponsors many up and coming artists from Audonia, promoting their work eagerly. The nations largest gallery, the Adder Collection, is one of the largest in the Western Hemisphere and host to hundreds of thousands of works of art. It also hosts one of the most renown art restoration teams in the west as well. The Adder Collection alone sees millions of visitors annually, while gallaries across the nation see tens of millions combined.
Festivals
Festivals form an important part of Audonian culture, though only a relatively recent aspect of Audonian culture. The first festival, Sol Mardi, was founded by immigrants from the Rum Gulf islands, particularly Saint-Baptiste, and has gone on to grow to immense popularity, spawning many subsidary carnivals in Audonia coastal cities. Despite this, they aren't entirely popular, some complaining of the excessive noise and spending that is attributed to the large festivals.
Aside from carnivals, religious festivals are also celebrated with vigour. Audonia being primarily Perendist, public holidays are often prescribed to these days, though there are three primary festivals in the Audonian religious calender; the Enlightenment, the Pilgrimage, and the Return. The celebrations are spectles of religious devotion and art, with outsiders remarking that the festivals align with the life of Perend and becoming centred on mourning the further the celebration goes on. The final day of the Return often coincides with the first day of Sol Mardi.
Music
The Audonian music scene was not particularly remarkable for much of the 19th century, it's most well-known composer, Gerald van Rivers, oten criticised as imitating his Auressian contemporaries. Religious hymns and working songs were the most popular songs of the people, often experiments into combining the two were well-recieved. The blues followed suit, until the 1950s, when the Audonian music scene became stand out in Marceaunia with the creation ofrock and roll.
It's preeminent artists, Johnny Low, Kendey Barebrow, and Randy Orgearas are some of the best selling artists globally and saw the genre explode in popularity, leaving a permanent influence on the music industry. The nation hosts a number of prestigous awards, such as the Gramaphone Society, initially founded to award the best artist from Audonia, it transformed to a number of categories and recipents come from across the globe. Johnny Low is the highest winning musician of this award, having seven different awards. Additionally, a number of sub-genres grew from this inital genre, most recently rap rock has emerged in popularity, meshing the highly popular rap genre with rock. The most well known artist is Auzzer, real name Martin Murphy from the Ausser State. Rap is popular in Audonia, however its main base of listeners is often the Ausser State, though white populations in Audonia are beginning to become receptive to the genre due to the popularity of rap rock.
Cities in Audonia are also renown for their music scene, particularly Morriston, New Delhaven, Saint Arthur's Harbour, Arden, and Willemsberg. Combined, acts originating from these cities hold 74% of Number 1 records on the Audonian charts for the past fourty years, with Morriston and Arden considered competitors for the title of 'Music City of Audonia' as they hold 40% of those Number 1's between them.
Pop music, of course, is also popular, with Audonia represented by acts such as Heavy Kitten, Mach 5, and Sensible Men.