Nouvel Acadie

The Second Kingdom of New Acadia "Le Deuxième Royaume de Nouvel Acadie"
Flag
Motto: 'Je veux le droit'
Location of Nouvel Acadie (blue)
Capital	Gaspé
Largest city	La Rochelle
Official languages	French
Recognised regional languages	Brandirrhim, English, Euskara, Gaelic, Prajuhli, Norse, Rusinan, Spanish, Shurayu, Sqoán, and Tamasheq
Ethnic groups	54.7% French 9.6% Iberian 6.4% Norse 5.5% Gaelic 5.4% Prajuhl 4.3% Sqoán 4.1% English 2.4% Tamasheq 2.3% Iryllian 1.4% Shurayu 1.1% Basilean 2.5% Miscellaneous/Other (includes Yiddish, Covantil, Brandirrhim, and Noctish)
Demonym(s)	Acadien
Government	Constitutional Monarchy
• Monarch	Marie-Collette de Gaspé
• Speaker of the National Council	Lax Ibarra
Legislature	National Council
Area
• Total	5,232,530 km2 (2,020,290 sq mi)
Population
• Estimate	219,030,850
• Density	49/km2 (126.9/sq mi)
Currency	Franc: 1NS$ = .5ƒ Míl: 1NS$ = 6.67µ Vallum: 1NS$ = .88≡

Nouvel Acadie officially Le Deuxième Royaume de Nouvel Acadie is a Constitutional Monarchy with a highly diverse citizenry, governed by a Monarch and a Royal Council, an elected legislature called the National Council, and a Judiciary. It is located on the mainland and nearby off-shore islands on the eastern coast of the continent of Archon in the Sovereign Charter, with expanding lands on Meridia.

Government

The Royaume is governed by a Constitution that grants extensive individual rights to the residents. The Kingdom is a Unitary state divided into Départments, which take four forms: Duchies, which are governed by a Duke or Duchess, and are further divided into Arrondissements; the Royal City of Gaspé, which is the personal property of the Monarch; Free Cities, which are governed by popularly elected councils; and Autonomous Regions, which are governed by popularly elected councils and further subdivided into local units. The national government is divided into four branches:

The Executive Branch is lead by a Monarch with Constitutionally-delegated authority, and a Royal Council. The current Monarch is Queen Marie-Collette de Gaspé. The Royal Council is comprised of one appointed Duke from each Duchy, the Commandant of the Armed Forces, the elected mayors of Free Cities and the leaders of Autonomous Regions, chosen under the terms of those regions.

The National Council consists of a single, unicameral advisory legislature, elected for 5-year terms. Départments are allotted a number of representatives based on population; each Départment determines the method of election of those Members. At the current time, Départments are allotted 1 Member per 1,000,000 population, with a minimum of 1 Member and a maximum of 10 Members per Départment. Total, National Assembly: 193 Members

Legislature by Party:

Libertarians:	89
Conservatives:	45
Progressives:	40
Regionalists:	19

The Number of levels of Judiciary are determined by the National Council; Trial Court Justices are elected by the citizens, Appellate Court Justices are nominated by Dukes and approved by the National Council; and Supreme Court Justices are elected by an assembly of District and Appellate Court Justices.

The Military is composed of a Coast Guard, Air Force, National Guard, and Emergency Response Force. The Commandant of the Coast Guard serves as the head of the armed forces, and appoints officers and successor Commandants.

In addition, several cabinet ministers - particularly the Environment and the Securities, Exchange and Corporation Ministers - have broad unilateral powers.

History

Birth of a Kingdom

Nouvel Acadie was initially established as an Absolute Monarchy and a restoration of the feudal system of the French Nobility.

A vacuum of authority, created by the collapse of several nations, opened the door for the re-establishment of French titles to land that had been buried for several hundred years. Thomas de Valenciennes, a descendent of a French noble family, contacted other dispossessed nobles, and argued for a resurrection of their status. With financial and moral support from these exiled nobles, he organized a colonization effort of some unclaimed maritime areas, declaring a new Kingdom with himself as Monarch. He then bestowed hereditary duchies to those nobles who had supported him in the enterprise. The colonized lands were initially divided into Duchies, with French Nobles appointed as Dukes and Duchesses for the administration of the Kingdom, each with absolute authority within their Duchy, and each serving as one member of the national Royal Council. Upon the death of a Duke, or his removal by the King or Royal Council, the Duke's heir would take his place upon installation by the King.

The War of Cold Sand

After the initial development of the Kingdom, hostilities broke out involving several neighboring nations. While the Kingdom attempted to remain out of the war, the peasantry along the southern borders (principally in Bourbon-Maine and Charbonneau-Lyons) strongly supported their cross-border neighbors in New Aersquire, which eventually dragged the Kingdom into the conflict. While Naval battles proved costly and indecisive, Nouvel Acadie succeeded in land battles. In the midst of the war, Nouvel Acadie changed loyalties, joining a growing coalition of nations seeking to end New Aersquire's nuclear-based aggression. The war enabled the eastern expansion of the Kingdom into Pointe d'Est, which soon became the largest city in the Kingdom and its economic engine.

Succession of the Monarchy, the Great Quake, and initial Western Expansion

The Kingdom looked forward to the marriage of the King, Thomas de Valenciennes, to Marie-Collette, Duchesse de Guise, and a significant international delegation arrived for the ceremony. On the day before the wedding, terrorists hired by the Woodhouse Financial Cartel kidnapped some visiting diplomats, and the King himself spearheaded the hostage negotiations. At the same time, a series of increasingly large seismic tremors were felt in the Kingdom. One of these was mistakenly interpreted as a detonation during the tense hostage negotiations, and in the ensuing chaos, the King was shot and killed.

An immediate crisis of succession arose, as the Royal Council was evenly divided between supporters of Marie-Collette as Queen, and those of André-Deion de Valenciennes, the King's son and Commandant of the Navy. When 'the Great Quake" struck a neighboring Empire to the west (and causing moderate damage in the Acadien Duchy of Bourbon), André-Deion stepped down from contention for the throne in order to turn his attention to a military and humanitarian response to the disaster in the west, and Marie-Collette was confirmed as Queen by the Council.

André-Deion's troops successfully contained a wildfire in the quake-stricken lands, and provided relief supplies to the local people, who were overwhelmingly members of an oppressed minority group called the Euskaldunaks (later termed, "the Euskara") . After winning the support of the Euskaldunaks, the Royal Council voted to annex the area, and invited shipping magnate Isabelle d'Orléans to re-develop area, awarding her the lands and title "Duchesse d'Orléans."

The Yolkian War and the Mercôté Boatlift

On the western edge of the Continent, an internal revolt ended the Monarchy of Yolkia, establishing the Republic of Yolkia. Soon thereafter, Yolkia and its allies found themselves at war with common enemies. As the war progressed, a large peninsula of Yolkians and French ex-patriots became isolated near the city of Mercôté, prompting a humanitarian crisis. Isabelle prevailed upon the Acadien Royal Council to arrange a naval rescue of Mercoté. Nouvel Acadie sent its fleet of Corsairs - privateers in the service of the Duchy of Valenciennes - to effectuate the boatlift and resettlement of Mercôté citizens.

The Return of the [Yolkian] Queen and Second Western Expansion

Gianna Grau, the heir to the Yolkian throne, had been spirited out of that nation at the fall of the Yolkian Monarchy. She eventually found herself in the nation of Scow Creek, where she was befriended by Henri St.-Denis, a minor French noble in self-imposed exile. As Gianna's importance became more evident to Henri, he introduced her to his long-term friend and fellow-noble, Jacques de Guise. Jacques then introduced them both to his Aunt, Queen Marie-Collette, and the Royal Council. Seeing an opportunity for regaining influence over Yolkia, the Royal Council awarded Acadien military-occupied lands as a Duchy to Henri and Gianna, who entered into a convenient (though temporary) political marriage. While the Council had hoped to regain and extend its influence in Yolkia, the nation of Yolkia was crumbling from within due to endless political bickering among republican factions. At the announcement of Gianna (who resumed her Yolki name of Yohanna), thousands of Yolki Royalists emmigrated into the new Duchy, creating the first Duchy that was almost entirely Non-French in nature.

A Kingdom in Crisis

Earthquakes continued to rattle the western duchies, eventually cutting off roads and utilities and isolating Orléans from the remainder of the Royaume. At the same time, nuclear fallout from the War of Cold Sands began taking its toll on Nouvel Acadie's most productive farmlands, ruining crops and killing livestock. A resulting food shortage caused the Royal Council to consider appropriating still-fertile farmlands in the east in order to provide food for the nation, especially in the west. Edouard, Duke of Lorraine, perceived this as an attack on his Duchy, which had grown wealthy from its highly productive vineyards. The most nationalistic of the Dukes, Edouard saw this as an affront to French nationalism in an effort to assist the minority populations in the west. He declared his Duchy independent, and began a bloody massacre of minorities in the city of Sables-Rosée in Lorraine, while blocking transport of food from the docks in Pointe d'Est. The triple crisis - famine, quakes, and Lorraine's secession - plunged the nation into chaos. The Military concentrated on opening up blocked transport routes to the west, and international flotillas attempted to rescue Lorrainais minorities. August Hovemayer, the business leader of Pointe d'Est, secured the assistance of Rémy Chausseur, a former Acadien general (and now currently wanted as a traitor for his work with the Woodhouse Crime Network and living in Ahalmaz), to invade Lorraine and oust Edouard. Under Chausseur's private army, Lorraine was invaded and Edouard executed. During the crisis, Queen Marie-Collette suffered a debilitating illness, and lay dying in Gaspé, where she asked that Jacques de Guise take over as Monarch, a position he was reluctant to accept.

The series of crises attracted international attention, as various nations occupied the Kingdom for a variety of reasons, including providing medical services, humanitarian aid, military assistance, the evacuation of minorities, and outright invasion. Millions of refugees began amassing at Acadien ports, where a fleet of Aircraft carriers supplied by the Kingdom of Scow Creek began a massive relocation mission, bringing Acadiens to the near-anarchic and sparsely populated former Island and Theocracy of Prajuhl.

The Second Kingdom

The recovery of Acadien Queen Marie-Collette lead to her assent to a new Constitution, that provided for the advisory national Council. The absolute powers of the Monarch were slightly limited, and the military was granted semi-autonomous status and control of the armed forces, with the exception of the Corsairs, a flotilla of privateers. The Second Kingdom was negotiated by former General Rémy Chausseur, whose charge of treason was dismissed by the Queen after his successful rescue of Isabelle d'Orléans, who had been kidnapped during the crisis. Chausseur had lived in exile in Prajuhl, and maintained solid relationships with the wife of the Eltana, the deceased High Prophet of that Island, who had been unsuccessfully attempting to hold her nation together and who had limited control over a small section on the Island's east coast. The "Matushka," as she was called, agreed to cede the Island to Nouvel Acadie's control, under the provision that she was raised to the equivalence of a Duchess, permitted to remain her title of "Matushka," and granted authority over the area comprising the current settlements of the remaining Prajuhli citizens.

La Guérison d'Archon (The Recovery of Archon)

While most Acadiens left the Archon mainland for the Island, Guillaume, former Duke of Pontchateau, remained behind, where he consolidated power in an authoritarian police state, resulting in thousands of refugees who poured into the interior. At the same time, a group of Akataeb rebels from Vermandois established a terrorist state on the eastern coast, causing additional refugees. A joint military expedition by Nouvel Acadie, Scow Creek, and Drekhi removed Guillaume from power, contained the Akataeb rebels, and re-established order in most of the area. The Kingdom annexed the areas it occupied, and created an Autonomous Region for the Tuareg refugees who had fled the Akataeb. Thomas Wise, heir to the fallen nation of New Aersquire, was granted a Duchy, as was Philippe Cartier, a pontchateau businessman, who assisted in carrying out the overthrow of Guillaume. Carrying out a plan long-envisioned by some members of the Royal Council and leaders from Scow Creek, Scow Creek was also admitted as an Autonomous Region within the Kingdom, expanding the Royaume's territory to the largest extent to date. When the nation of Vermandois fell, Nouvel Acadie moved swiftly to crush the Akataeb and occupy the eastern reaches of Vermandois, and eventually, the remainder of that nation.

Meridian Expansion

The collapse of the Yolkian Republic some years earlier had left a large number of Norse-speaking Sa'ami on the continent of Meridia without active trading partners. As the Sa'ami economy continued to falter, local leaders sent a delegate, Lars Juuro, to seek out investment opportunities. Meeting with Anskar merchant Otto Van Tuyl, Juuro and Van Tuyl approached the Royal Council seeking military aid and commercial ventures between the lands. In the ensuing negotiations, Nouvel Acadie offered significant infrastructure improvements as well as the development of mining operations in Meridia, in exchange for the Sa'ami's incorporation into the Royaume. Juuro returned to Meridia, and secured approval for Autonomous Region status. At approximately the same time, the nation of Cervidas and Ibex collapsed, and Diego Cortes de Castillo, a wealthy businessman, secured tacit control of the northernmost area of Cervidas. Seeking to avoid conflict with the new Acadien territory of Torshavn on his western border, de Castillo visited the Royal Council. De Castillo was elevated to the title of Duke and his lands were annexed as Cervidas, the 17th Départment of Nouvel Acadie. In order to restore order to the remainder of Cervidas, the Queen announced an additional annexation, granting part of the territory to Torshavn, and creating the new Duchy of Montpellier on the eastern coast of Meridia.

Réunification and the War of Red Rain

In the midst of the War of Red Rain, the nation of Iryllia sought Acadien military assistance. As compensation, the Acadien-Iryllian Accords were signed, and Iryllia transferred the coveted port of Pointe d'Est (previously an Acadien city on Archon), as well as several island possessions, to Nouvel Acadie. At the same time, voters in Coventian Acadia (in northern Archon) chose overwhelmingly to rejoin Nouvel Acadie, from whom they had been separated since the Crisis. With these two actions, the Royaume took possession of much of the territory held under the First Kingdom.

An unprovoked attack on the cities of Bayonne and Pointe d'Est by the nation of Romae prompted an expansion of the Royaume in several locations as a defensive measure, and precipitated alliances with several other nations in the Charter.

Demographics

Education

Formal Education in Nouvel Acadie, while available, is not compulsory. Even so, it is estimated that more than 95% of school-aged children are involved in some formal education program. For organizational purposes, education is divided into Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary levels.

Primary Education

Primary Education in Nouvel Acadie is best described as that which is made available to students under the age of 14. As education is not compulsory, there is no ‘minimum’ age requirement. At the Primary level, education is highly decentralized, varied, and unregulated by the government. Each Départment is responsible for developing its own form of delivery, and for raising its own funds to support that delivery. The highly diverse nature of the départments – including income, language, population density, and ethos – has resulted in an equally diverse educational delivery system. Most Départments utilize a tax-funded traditional system, but there are many variations.

Examples:

In the Free City of Port-Liberté, traditional school buildings are used. Education is free to students, and funded through contributions by significant industries - particularly the Financial Industry - in that Départment.

In Èsquirienne, parents pay tuition to support local schools.

In Prajuhl, there has been a long tradition – for more than a hundred years – of home education and home education cooperatives.

In Ribedansk (Anskar), five private boarding schools, operated using a communal “campus” approach, has drawn students from all Départments.

Secondary Education

Secondary education was organized under the Secondary Education Act (Bill F14-005: An Act to Establish Secondary Education Facilities and Requirements), which created regional schools.

This bill specified that enrollment in these schools be available at no cost to all Residents turning age 14 during the year in which they enroll, through the age of 20. Though this is a seven-year span, the school schedule is based on full-time attendance for five years, Monday through Thursday, from 01 SEP to 30 MAY. This is to account for possible differences in skill levels among entering students. As adulthood is legally reached at age 16 in Nouvel Acadie, students generally function with a greater degree of independence and self-direction than in many other nations.

As a condition of receiving a Diploma, students in these schools must enroll in and pass 40 academic units, as follows:

a. Elementary Algebra; Geometry; and Statistics (1 unit each) b. History (2 units); Geography; and Nouvel Acadie's Constitution, Culture, and Laws ( 1 unit each); c. Environmental Science; Meterology; and Maritime Ecology (1 unit each); d. Two or more languages (4 units); e. Physical Conditioning & Athletics (10 units); and Health (1 unit); f. 10 units from among the following (any one subject may be repeated unlimited number of times): Agriculture; Art; Carpentry; Electrical Wiring; Fishing & Navigation; Hunting & Marksmanship; Instrumental Music; Plumbing; Theater; Computer Technology; and Vocal Music. g. Any five additional units, from any of the above subjects or others as may be developed or introduced

Tertiary Education

Upon receiving a Secondary Diploma, students have a variety of ways to continue their education. Tertiary education is defined broadly in Nouvel Acadie, and includes the following:

1. The Dó Qléft Technical School: located in Scow Creek, adjacent to the Départment's marine-industrial district. For low tuition rates (and with dormitories available), the school offers nine different courses of studies in Aquaculture, Brewing & Distilling, Energy Systems, Marine Engines & Mechanics, Maritime Ecosystems, Medical Services, Navigation, Residential Construction, and Sports & Recreation Management. By working with area businesses, the school incorporates apprenticeships that prepare students for direct entry into careers.
2. The University System
3. Apprenticeships: Established in-residence apprenticeships leading to employment exist in such employers as the Taurus Forge & Foundry (firearms manufacturing), Artisans Coops, the Brewing & Distillery industry, the Qáptree Fishermen’s Coop in Milburn, The Securities and Exchange Commission and Stock Market, and as student teachers at the boarding schools in Ribedansk.
4. Sports & Athletics: the nation’s strong athletics sector provides training and employment opportunities for athletes and fitness center personnel throughout the Kingdom. A separate factbook entry exists for Sports & Athletics.
5. Military Training: students choosing a career in the Coast Guard may apply for admission to a one-year academic school with the NACG, followed by one year of on-the-water training provided by the Coast Guard. Successful candidates are guaranteed entry as commissioned officers in the Coast Guard upon graduation. All males must commit to two years in the military service prior to their 30th birthday.

Religion

Under the First Royaume, the official Religion of Nouvel Acadie, supported through taxation, was L’Église Orthodoxe Française (The French Orthodox Church, or “EOF.”) The Archbishop of Gaspé was given a seat on the Royal Council, and the Church operated the nation's Court system. Other religions were prohibited by the Monarch. All members of the Royal Council had to be Church members in good standing. The joining of Scow Creek and Nouvel Acadie, creating the Second Royaume of Nouvel Acadie, caused major changes in the official role of the Church. The Constitution of the Deuxième (Second) Royaume guarantees Freedom of Religion and Conscience to all citizens, and the EOC was disestablished. The Court system was transferred to the government, and the Archbishop lost his seat on the Royal Council.

Nonetheless, a majority of citizens continue to embrace the Church, which changed it's name to L'Eglise Orthodoxe Acadien" (the Acadien Orthodox Church, or "EOA") to reflect the Royaume's growing ethnic diversity. The EOA is a liturgical Christian Church governed by the Primate, who is headquartered at the Cathedral Church of Ste. Jeanne d'Arc in Gaspé. The Church is organized under a traditional episcopate, with one appointed Bishop per Départment, under whose authority serve the Parish Priests. The Church utilizes the Liturgy of St. Irenaeus, which is unique to Nouvel Acadie, but which is similar to other Liturgies in the Catholic and Orthodox families of Christendom.

While the EOA is embraced by the majority of citizens in most Départments, it is a minority faith in several. Odinism is the predominant faith in Anskar and Torshavn; Praju is an ancient local religion practiced in Prajuhl; a syncretic religion combining Christianity, Islam, and native beliefs is practiced in Azawad; and the majority of citizens of Scow Creek claim no formal religion.

Culture

Sports

The Acadien government takes a much more proactive role in the promotion of athletics and sports than in other areas of the economy, and in fact requires five years (10 units) of sports credits as a condition of graduating from one of the Kingdom's Secondary schools.

League Sports: Under the Constitution, one of the Cabinet level ministers is the Minister of Parks, Recreation, & Sport, who is charged with “…appoint[ing] Commissioners of professional sports leagues."

There are three recognized professional leagues in the Kingdom: Major League Soccer (Men); Beach Volleyball (Mixed Gender); and Rugby (Men.) The teams are organized on a Départment level. The Men’s National Soccer Team is drawn from the individual teams by the Commissioner, and regularly participates in regional and global cups. The government maintains a System of Stadiums for high-level championship matches for all sports.

Consistent with Acadien culture, most sports, at both the secondary school and professional level, are played entirely in the nude, although there is a familiar ""Blue, White, and Red" sports kit, echoing the national flag, as well as a “Blue & Green” kit unique to the Scow Creek Autonomous region, both of which are used for competitions with other nations.

In addition, March 28, St. Tuathal’s Day, is a national holiday, marked by Arts festivals, as well as the Annual Bodybuilding Championships in the Settlement of Er'šu-nedes in Scow Creek. Fishing derbies, marksmanship contests, and long-distance obstacle races are also frequently privately organized.

National Gymnasium System: Bill F14-006 created a national, tax-funded gymnasium system throughout the nation. A 10% Sales Tax is levied on all retail sales of Alcoholic Beverages, Recreational Drugs not prescribed for a Medical Condition, Performance Enhancing Substances, and Nicotine Products, as well as Delivery systems and hardware for said products. These revenues are deposited in a Dedicated Fund for the carrying out of the provisions of the Act.

The Fund is used exclusively for the establishment, maintenance, and operation of a National Gymnasium System, all of which are free to residents.

As performing-enhancing drugs are entirely legal in Nouvel Acadie, each gymnasium also serves as a government-operated education, distribution, and sales point for such substances.