Ellese

Fersmore of Ellese Тан Ферсморе Варз Арисхестан
Motto: "Верд зарс бел Перд" "Unity Under The Fatherland"
Anthem: "Torsvilo"
Capital and largest city	Torsvilo
Official languages	Ellesean
Ethnic groups (2021)	96.4% Ellesean 2.9% Circassian 0.7% Other
Religion (2021)	67.4% Shia Islam 23.6% Ellesean Orthodox Christianity 2.8% Other Religion 6.2% No religion
Demonym(s)	Ellesean, Arish
Government	Federal Semi-Constitutional Monarchical Fersmoar
• Fer	Misrl Salle
• Sas Feztson	Tachen Amonst
Legislature	Feztsonser
• Upper house	Tamanakar
• Lower house	Tamankar
Independence from Russian Empire
• Declared	September 19, 1922
Population
• 2021 census	6,927,407
GDP (PPP)	2021 estimate
• Per capita	$56,511 (23rd)
GDP (nominal)	2021 estimate
• Per capita	$28,213 (38th)
Gini	32.1 medium (41st)
HDI (2022)	0.901 very high (21rd)
Currency	Ellesean Kar (ɟʎ̝) (ELK)
Time zone	UTC+3 (MSK)
Date format	mm-dd-yyyy (CE)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+75
Internet TLD	.el

Ellese, officially The Fersmore of Ellese (Ellesean: Тан Ферсморе Варз Арисхестан, Romanised Tan Fersmore Varz Arishestan), is a non-landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the North and East, Ukraine to the West and Georgia to the South. It is also called by the native name of Arishestan. It has a population of approximately 6.9 million as of 2021, with nearly a third of those living in the capital and largest city of Torsvilo.

Ellese has its roots in the loose unification of a number of Iranic Sarmatian tribes in around 204 AD. Over the years, this confederacy managed to survive due to its great military strength and ability. It fought off the Huns in 456-461 AD, the Khazars in the 650s and various other mostly Turkic groups before finally being conquered by the Mongols in 1259. After the breaking apart of the Mongol Empire in 1294, the country became part of the Golden Horde. Over time, Elleseans gained much power in this empire, and by 1391 an independent Ellesean Fersmoar managed to form, in all of the area Ellese possesses today, plus much more. This prompted the Golden Age of Ellese and the Ellesean. After a period of instability and decline, which started in approximately 1651, the country was absorbed into the Russian Empire in 1723.

In 1917 it gained independence from the Russian Empire. However, just nine years later, it became part of the Soviet Union. In 1941, it was invaded by the Axis Powers. They did not succeed, instead, the invasion sparked a new movement for independence from the Soviet Union, after there had been a number of insurgencies in the late 1920s with that aim. They did not succeed at first but the movement (new insurgencies) continued until 1953 when the country got military backing from capitalist countries, and half of it (South Ellese) gained independence from the USSR. It immediately came under the rule of a semi-autocratic monarch, Szen Salle. He founded the Second Fersmore of Ellese, a dynasty which so far has included him, the next Fer Alchar Salle and the current Fer Misrl Salle.

The country has generally been officially neutral in all matters of international affairs since the War of Independence from the 1940s-1950s. During the Salle dynasty's rule, the country has seen great economic improvement and development but also much suppression of dissent and other undemocratic actions and policies. In 2022, the country proceeded to invade the region they called "North Ellese" but is administered by Russia, due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The country has a democracy index score of 4.14. It has a HDI of 0.901, classed as "very high". It is known for its excellent education system and general health, with the average lifespan for citizens being 84.2 years. It is ranked as a middle power in international affairs, and has historically been an important country geopolitically due to being at the crossroads of East and West. It was the initiator of EAGA, an organization dedicated to efforts aimed at decreasing corruption and preserving peace in the Caucuses region, and is also a member of the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and the OSCE, among others.

Etymology:

The name of the country in Ellesean, Arishestan, comes from the name the ancient Sarmatians gave themselves, "Ari". The Persian suffix was added in the 15th century, with the Fersmore being called "Arishei" before that. The self-descriptor "Ari" probably came from the Indo-European root language originally, and in modern (and presumably ancient) Ellesean it means "Noble." The name generally used in English, Ellese, is said to have come from French, meaning He Wronged (Anglicized, with the words added together and the accents removed.) This is due to the voyages of Jacques Roix, who came across the country in 1676, and was used to describe the indignation the Ellesean leaders, constantly fighting at the time, often felt towards each other.

History:

Modern humans have inhabited the region of the country for approximately 40,000 thousand years, having come from either the North Caucasus or Siberia, through the continental-climate areas above the steppe. Before that, Neanderthals, Denisovans and members of the Homo Erectus species lived in the area. The Neanderthals only died out from the area approximately 45,000 years ago. Multiple waves of paleolithic and neolithic humans came to the area after the original migration 40,000 years ago. During the late Copper-early Bronze age period, area was home to a number of tribes part of or affiliated with the Yamnaya culture, where it is hypothesised the Indo-European peoples first came from, before their migrations. These tribes lived in chiefdoms as nomadic pastoralists.

From around 800 BC to 200 BC, most of the land was controlled by Scythians (Cimmerians), who are classified as Iranic, due to their language and culture, and therefore at least some of them came from Iran. However, they were also connected to a Volga culture. The related Sarmatians established a hegemony in the region in around 200 BC. There were three main tribes of these in the area Ellese controls today: Siraces, tbe Alans and Roxolani. They were all about as powerful as each other. Usually, they were constantly fighting. However, in 204 AD, they were unified by the Great Fer, First Fer, Szaman. He established a system of devolution and autonomy for all groups, while still being unified under the authority of the Fer. Sometimes, the Fer would have his decisions overruled by the Council (or Tamankanar), made up of the three leaders (Ferens) of each tribe.

The first they had to deal with was the invading Huns, in around 456 AD. By this time they had established much infrastructure in the country and many of the population had become settled farmers instead of nomadic pastoralists. However, fighting was still highly valued in the society, with great attention being given to advancing the tactics and equipment of the military. The Hunnic wars lasted until the Battle of Mandar Sestrem in September 461, when the Huns were repelled to more Westernly Europe instead. Up until around the early seventh century, the country enjoyed dominance in the central Pontic Steppe region. However, in 623 the Khazars invaded, after about a decade of war, a peace agreement was made, with the area being split between the two groups, roughly along the Lik River. During this period, the country acted, along with the Khazars, as a mediator between East and West, for matters of trade and diplomacy chiefly. During this time, Ellese faced the difficult decision of what religion to convert to-Christianity, as practiced by the West, or Islam, by the South? It was decided, eventually, that the Fersmore would tentatively endorse Eastern Orthodox Christianity, while not promoting the religion in any other ways-Islam and Paganism would still be allowed to be practiced by the Peasant and Warrior classes. Eventually, the plan was for the country to choose an official religion which everybody in the nation would practice, but there were seen to be too many still-pagan states surrounding Ellese to do that yet.

In 965, the Khazar Khaganate fell. This meant that the Fersmore could conquer all of what had previously been its land in between the Black Sea, Caspian Sea, Lik River and Caucuses Mountains. So they did. During this period, the Fer decided to officially convert to Islam, and aimed to convert the majority of the country to that as well, although Christians would still be allowed. By the time of the Mongol conquest, about 79% of the population was Muslim. This was a a good time for Ellese, with relative prosperity for all, and many architectural and musical achievements being made.

However, all this would come to an end in 1259, when it was conquered by the Mongol Empire of Genghis Khan.

Geography:

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Culture:

Ellesean culture has a Iranic Sarmatian base, but has been heavily influenced over the year by the culture of the Caucasus, Khazars, Mongols, Tatars and Russians. The most significant division is that between the Islamic areas of the country and the Christian areas-which roughly corresponds to the Western third verses the Eastern two-thirds.

Honour is very important in Ellesean culture. Ritual (feast), special and Sanghrengh holidays are the other most important aspects of Ellesean culture. In terms of the arts, music is the most popular, and there is much Ellesean literature based of the mythology of the country. Visual art, except religious in nature, is not common. However, the country is known for its sashes decorated with elaborate patterns.

There is one ritual, or Farztrem holiday on the seventh of each month. These involve eating a feast, with the whole village, neighbourhood or extended family, of elaborate dishes, some of which are unique to that holiday. For example, the Kazar soup, which is eaten on the 7th of February holiday and is warming, made out of barley, beef and a variety of berries and spices. These feasts are usually held at lunchtime, but some are, in some areas, held at dinnertime instead. What special holidays there are varies regionally, but generally there are 5-7 scattered throughout the year. These are traditional holidays to celebrate specific mythological, historical or natural events or figures. For example, the uniter of Ellese, Szaman, is celebrated with a special holiday, on his birthday on the 15th of June. Sanghrengh holidays are religious holidays, with foreign origins: the "canon" four are Christmas, Easter, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. More devout Elleseans and some in certain regional areas will also celebrate other Sanghrengh holidays. These are celebrated with a number of traditions and activities unique to each day, similar to in the West.

All twelve ritual holidays, five of the special holidays and four Sanghrengh holidays are official public holidays nationwide.

There are multiple codes of honour in the country, each one belonging to a specific area or sometimes demographic of the country, and a number of variations on each one. These are collected in a number of books. Generally speaking however, "honour" means being honest, trustworthy, brave, Salmpas, and adhering to a complex, variable code of conduct called Bel Nenshorgh, or similar. Salmpas, an important aspect of honour, refers to a quality of being unyielding (within reason) and having a spirit of independence and sovereignty (it does not mean being disrespectful or disobedient where that is not appropriate, however.) Or strength.

Visual art has been found in the area since paleolithic times. During ancient times, while few painting examples have been found, the Sarmatians were known for their metalwork which would include depictions of animals and people.