Beauquegne

Most Jovial Principality of Beauquegne Principauté du Beauquegne (Beauqon)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Fortune et justice (Fortune and fairness)
Anthem: "Couronné d'étoiles"
Location	Northern Pythia
Capital	La Bayonne
Largest	Maubourg-en-Fleuve
Official languages	Beauqon
Recognised national languages	Andegavenan, Langue des éventails, Langue des fleurs
Recognised regional languages	Isaban, Carnot, Maubeuse, Vleten
Religion	Church of the Lady of the Moon
Demonym(s)	Beauqon
Government	Constitutional Monarchy
• Prince sovereign	Villeneuve V Pavot
• First minister	Aphrodite Bourgeois
• Heir Presumptive	Isabelle Pavot
Legislature	Palace of Marguerite I Amoroza
• Upper house	Ballroom of Nobles
• Lower house	Ballroom of Representatives
Establishment
• Fall of the King-Tyrants	575 AR
• Unification of Fire and Steel	1350 AR
• Proclamation of Luna I	1362 AR
• Revolution of Roses	1591 AR
• The Great Compromise - Maubourg Accords	1612 AR
Area
•	1,954,470 sq mi (5,062,100 km2)
Population
• 1610 census	21,325,610
HDI (1610)	0.961 very high
Currency	Silver Fleur (SFR)
Time zone	-9
Calling code	+251

Beauquegne, officially the most jovial Principality of Beauquegne, is a sovereign country in northern Pythia. Beauquegne occupies the entire island of Lys, as well as several smaller islands on its southern coast. Surrounded by sea, the nation has no bordering countries, however it lies in close proximity to Ariseo, the Dze and the Golden Domain. Beauquegne is a decentralised unitary constitutional Principality, with it's national and cultural capital in La Bayonne; other cities include Maubourg-sur-fleuve, Isabe, Andave and Saint-Savin.

Geography

Landscape and rivers

Being an island nation, Beauquegne possesses no true neighbouring countries, however it lies in close proximity to the nations of the northern Pythian coast, as well as the island nation of Ariseo, all of which lie to the south of Beauquegne; Prestoria holds colonial possessions of an island to the north-east of Beauquegne, although the sovereignty over these islands is often disputed by the Beauqon government.

The five rivers of Beauquegne dominate the landscape of the island. They support the fertile western farmlands as well as the majority of the island's urban centres, such as La Bayonne and Maubourg-en- Beauquegne's main and largest island, Lys, possesses a diverse geography. Due to it's temperate climate, Much of higher lying land is covered in deciduous forest

Culture and Society

"La Haute Culture"

Beauquon culture and society has historically centred itself around the principles of "Beauty and Elegance". Much care is taken by both lowborns and the nobility to build and decorate their workplaces, homes and themselves in a manner that's deemed as aesthetically pleasing as possible by Beauquon standards. This "beautification" of society is a core pillar of Beauqon culture, and it is expected that a significant amount of an individual's income will be dedicated to such purpose, which has resulted in goods perceived by other societies as restricted luxury, such as perfumes and clothing made with rare fabrics, to instead be seen as necessities by individuals not participating in manual labour.

The second principle, "Elegance" not only refers to fashion, but more importantly to mannerisms. The complex set of manners of each region, ranging from basic greetings to courting, have evolved over the centuries into informally codified rituals that command strict adherence in order for an individual to be perceived as possessing an elegant conduct. These 'rituals of elegance' are specifically important among the higher ranking nobility and the Princely court, to the degree that foreign dignitaries are often advised to learn appropriate sets of gestures before the Beauqon language itself, as mistakes such as incorrectly introducing oneself may be perceived as insulting.

Culture of Dance

Showing one's opulence and social standing is central to Beauqon identity, which is chiefly conducted through hosting parties, mostly Balls, Masquerades and the more formal Tea parties. As with individual manners, a ritualistic code of conduct for parties is also extant.

Government and Politics

Governance

National Government

Beauquegne is a constitutional monarchy, however unlike most other countries under the same system, the Prince/Princess of Beauquegne retains a wide range of powers and privileges as outlined in the Maubourg Accord of 1612. The Prince/Princess acts as head of both state and court, controlling both the executive and judiciary branches, although rule through executive ordinance is unpopular and rarely used. Control over the legislative branch of government is delegated onto the bicameral Palace of Marguerite I Amoroza, colloquially known as the "Court of love" serving as the nation's parliament. The lower house, the Ballroom of Representatives, is made up of 213 deputies elected by all citizens over the age of 20, and serve an electoral district of approximately 100,000. Political parties are forbidden by law, however deputies in both Ballrooms often form informal factions to achieve common aims. The higher house, the Ballroom of Nobles, serves a largely advisory role and amend drafted laws originating in the Ballroom of representatives. There is no defined number of seats in the Ballroom of Nobles, with numbers ranging from a hundred to over a thousand; the current session of the Palace is attended by 357 higher deputies. There are four categories of seats in the Ballroom of Nobles: Seats inherited, seats appointed, seats privileged and seats spiritual, which mark the justification of one's seat. Seats inherited are earned by right of nobility, seats appointed are given to experts in an individual's field or people of great achievements, seats privileged are given to representatives of settlements granted city rights, while seats spiritual are designated for representatives of the religious establishment. Only seats privileged are directly elected or chosen by people other than the Princely court; representatives of seats inherited, appointed and spiritual are selected by the Prince himself, on advise of the cabinet and the Princely family.

Politics

While political parties are forbidden by the Maubourg Accords, civil political discourse is actively encouraged by the national movement. Being well versed in political affairs is a symbol of high standing in society, therefore many citizens in urban areas engage in political discussions with friends and strangers alike in numerous Coffee, tea and chocolate houses spread throughout Beauquon towns and cities. The popularity of political discourse is somewhat weaker in rural areas, but still extant in the forms of village councils and mining guilds.

Economy

Natural resources

Ore

Due to the mountain ranges concentrated in the north and east of the island, a large proportion of Beauquegne's economy derives from the mining sector, the vast majority of which is state-owned. Industrial resources such as coal, copper and iron are chiefly mined from the eastern mountain ranges, while the northern hills and mountains boast deposits of more valuable metals, such as silver and gold, as well as minerals, which are used in the National bank of Beauquegne to mint currency.