Volain

Greater Dominion of Ancelon, Tirlean and Pazhe Volená (Ançelesá) Faleinn (Tirleanna)
Flag
Anthem: "Volain the Unconquered" Volená al Sanconquerrè (Ançelesá) Faleinn marCeanncharadh (Tirleanna)
Location of  Volain  (dark green) – in Esermia  (green & dark grey) – in the Esermian Strategic Treaty  (green)
Capital and largest city	Rouvere
Official language	Esermian
National languages	Ançelesá Tirleanna Pazhean Farraigh Old Culde New Culde
Ethnic groups (2018)	54.4% Ançelesá 21.5% Tirleanna 12.8% Pazhen 8.3% Mixed 3.0% Other
Demonym(s)	Volene
Republics	Ancelon Tirlean Pazhe
Government	Unitary democratic triarchy
• Chancellor of Ancelon	Marion Besaudes
• High Minister of Tirlean	Noel Singlair
• Cedbyrn of Pazhe	Donovan Crain-Barr
Legislature	Tairllys (Tricourt)
• Upper house	Council of Peers
• Lower house	Pennant Hall
Formation
Area
• Total	795,182 km2 (307,021 sq mi)
Population
• 2020 census	48,023,949
• Density	60.39/km2 (156.4/sq mi)
HDI (2018)	0.903 very high
Currency	Gueldre (GLD)
Time zone	Western Esermian Time (WET) (EST-8)
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Driving side	right
Internet TLD	.vol

Volain (Ançelesá: Volená, Tirleanna: Faleinn), officially the Greater Dominion of Ancelon, Tirlean and Pazhe, is a country located off the western coast of mainland Esermia. Volain consists of the sovereign republics of Ancelon and Tirlean, island state of Pazhe, and various overseas territories. Volain shares maritime borders to the east with Normanfara and Ulveland, and the North Esermian Ocean in all other directions. The land area of Volain is 795,182 square kilometres (307,021 sq mi).

Volain is a unitary democracy, and the only modern triarchy. The unique bicameral legislature of Volain is the Tairllys, or Tricourt, where each sovereign nation is equally represented in both the upper and lower house, with power de facto vested to Ancelon. The current Chancellor of Ancelon and head of state of Volain since February 2020 is Marion Besaudes. Tirlean and Pazhe are currently represented by High Minister Noel Singlair and Cedbyrn Donovan Crain-Barr, respectively. The capital of Volain is Rouvere, located on the River Martine, and is home to a population of 6.5 million.

Volain is a member of the Esermian Strategic Treaty and head nation of INTERCON.

History

Fort Meisal in the capital of Rouvere, containing both houses of the Tairllys legislature.

Prehistory

Volain is believed to have been first settled by humans during the height of the Ubanite Expansion Period, circa 15,000-12,000BCE. The Uban of Volain, defined as Western Uban were believed to have migrated from their homeland after the rapid thaw of the Brunheim Glacial Sheet. Little is known about this group overall, but Western Ubanite Pottery, Idol Figures, and Harpoons have been unearthed in an area spanning from Farraighferg to Ealdmarc in modern-day Normanfara. The abundance of artifacts discovered in coastal and submerged zones suggests these Ubanites were reliant on primitive forms of fishery to sustain themselves.

Largely isolated on the western fringe of Esermia, the Western Ubanites are believed to have been a pacifistic and isolationist society. Lacking sophisticated tooled weapons such as daggers, spears and clubs, the Uban likely did not clash over land and resources. Competing theories suggest this was a result of the Uban lacking the population base for resource scarcity, or perhaps that fish were overly abundant in the coastlines of Western Esermia at this time. Additionally, the lack of influence from either the Ceramic A or Ceramic B supercultures in Ubanite Pottery and Sculptures indicates that they avoided contact with outside groups, despite their proximity in the Greater Western Plain.

Some time around 9,000-8,000BCE saw the arrival of the Monolithid Superculture, arriving from the east and displacing much the established Ubanite groups in modern Normanfara and Ancelon. With their arrival the Monolithids brought sophisticated tools such as spears, axes, knives, and bows. Relying largely on hunting migrating herds for sustainance, the Monolithids dominated the fields of central Ancelon, erecting Monoliths in their areas of permanent settlement. More territorial and competitive than the Ubanite Cultures, it is believed that the Monolithids drove them north into modern Tirlean and Pazhe.

The traumatic introduction of warfare into their society had a profound impact in the evolution of the late Western Ubanites, consolidating into the successive Kinfoy Culture by 6,000BCE. Marked by the development of their own weaponised tools such as clubs, spears, and bows, the Kinfoy Culture is believed to have adapted to their displacement by the development of an early warrior caste. Settling further into the hinterland than their Ubanite ancestors, evidence suggests that the Kinfoy were in fierce competition with the Monolithids over grazing land in the Greater Volene Peninsula. The presence of weapon-induced fractures on human remains at the archaeological dig sites of Targlan and Rezas indicate that this competition often led to bloodshed.

Notably, during this time a surviving enclave of Ubanites persisted in Farraighferg, where their insulation from Monolithids by the emergent Kinfoy Culture enabled their continued way of life. Though the Kinfoy Culture eventually spread to the island, this prolonged Ubanite influence likely formed the basis of division between the later Farraigh and Tirleanna peoples.

Politics

Office	Name		Party		Elected
Chancellor of Ancelon		Marion Besaudes		L'Auvenoir	15 August 2019
High Minister of Tirlean		Noel Singlair		Civic League	27 January 2016
Cedbyrn of Pazhe		Donovan Crain-Barr		PPU	3 November 2022

Geography

Rolling farmlands of the Ordeça region, looking north towards the Canderosá Ranges.

Regions

There are a total of 21 mainland regions of Volain; of which there are 12 in Ancelon, 5 in Tirlean, and 4 in Pazhe (not including the northern island of Sant-Leon). Each region functions as an administrative division and constituency for their respective republic, as established in the 1855 Dominion Act and further defined in the 1903 Revision. These regions are further divided into districts (in Ancelon) and provinces (in Tirlean and Pazhe) for electoral purposes.

Republic	Region	Capital	Population	Map
Ancelon	Groçe-Rouvere	Rouvere	7,385.852	1. Groçe-Rouvere 2. Sant-Leon 3. Norde-Pazhe 1. Cabierrès Escáran Giron Sant-Albère Carnát Gasça Bosç Larogès Ordeça Marná Orsane Marvalso Sinflaren Bristala 3. Farraighferg Auchnaill Drumoch Glennaig Tarfon 2. Ulveland Normanfara North Esermian Ocean
	Ordeça	Mabièla	3,996,766
	Larogès	Guisçon	3,593,372
	Cabierrès	Carròna	3,585,003
	Sant-Albère	Peirá	3,385,662
	Bosç	Lacas	2,921,445
	Marná	Montesá	2,877,293
	Orsane	Guillá	2,873,489
	Gasça	Lorrega	2,381,680
	Carnát	Nannsàd	1,999,482
	Escáran	Terrès	912,187
	Giron	Vaiçá	728,913
	Total		36,614,134
Tirlean	Glennaig	Scallàch	3,276,419
	Tarfon	Kinfoy	1,987,930
	Drumoch	Muire	1,737,570
	Auchnaill	Casadel	477,878
	Farraighferg	Mallaraïg	449,336
	Total		7,929,133
Pazhe	Marvalso	Vàned	1,221,404
	Bristalan	Harnvo	907,952
	Sinflaren	Kirkinn	866,975
	North Pazhe	Sornaberg	484,351
	Total		3,480,682

Volene overseas territories and holdings around Arcaeius, shown at the same geographic scale.

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Overseas territories

Main article: Territories of Volain

Volain is currently in possession of 14 overseas territories, most of which were gained from colonial expansion since the 16th-century. Five of these territories are uninhabitable and are not counted administratively, but are still considered official Volene territory. Four territories are considered a territory of their respective republics and are governed similarly; Illes and West Palies for Ancelon, the Filipè Isles for Tirlean, and Sant-Leon for Pazhe. All other overseas holdings are counted as part of the Greater Dominion as a whole, but generally do not hold and jurisdictional authority. One exception to administrative consideration is the Filipè Isles, which although an extension of Tirle territory, is largely uninhabitable and only home to temporary research outposts.

Name	Location	Capital	Notes
Alanè	South Esermian Ocean	Uninhabited	Uninhabitable volcanic island measuring 384m in height.
Filipè Isles	North Esermian Ocean	Uninhabited	Uninhabitable archipelago within the Northern Frost Circle, with various VNRI research and weather stations.
Gaupán	West Jastrun Ocean	Melavu	Jungle atoll southeast of Armonidas. Home to various rare subtropical animal species.
Hiberná	North Esermian Ocean	Cubosava	Alpine island chain off the southeast coast of the Courdan North ice shelf. Populated by small fishing communities.
Illès	Esermian Ocean	Cresta-Lamon	Pair of islands 2,200km west of Volain. Popular tourist location for its historical landmarks and naval forts.
Laçarès	Esermian Ocean	Toramellà	Small island 400km south of Volain. Historical hiding place of Castanian merchant Marco Brugalla.
Macarè	Esermian Ocean	Uninhabited	Small volcanic archipelago located on the equator 650km north of The Espraries. Last erupted in 1986 causing disruption to worldwide air transit.
Rèveira Islands	Armonidas	Váso Deglais	Series of large tropical islands centrally located in Armonidas. Popular tourist and resort destination.
Sant-Esobèl	North Cascadia	Uninhabited	Small fortress island 320km east of Morovia. The historical fortress is close to collapse from erosion despite conservation efforts.
Sant-Leon	North Esermian Ocean	Mont Estapia	Large island 500km north of Volain once home to exiled Doxanistic missionaries. Remains an important site for pilgrims and worshipers.
Sant-Marc	Terra Sparia Divide	Fort Balsán	Small archipelago and naval base for the Armonidas Fleet. Harbour renovated in 2012 as part of national military refitting.
Sant-Robèrte	North Esermian Ocean	Uninhabited	Small atoll 1,500km northeast off the coast of Varland. Was used as a test site for numerous atomic tests by Volene during the 1960s.
Tarpaná	North Esermian Ocean	Cobierna Bay	Small islands 1,300km east of the Jastrun Confederation. Historical stopping point for 16th-century explorer voyages.
West Pallès	West Cascadia	Pordacal	Large island archipelago situated in West Cascadia. Has been under direct Volene control since the 1978 Morovian coup.