Sprotavia

Sprotavian Republic
Flag
Motto: "Freedom, Honor, Homeland"
Anthem: "Partisan Spirit"
Capital and largest city	Lyakvia
Official languages	Novoprotavian, Sprotavian
Ethnic groups	Novosprotavian 61% Sprotavian 23% Other 16%
Demonym(s)	Sprotavian
Government	Parlimentary Republic-Dictatorship Hybrid
• Marshal of Sprotavia	Konstanty Sosnowski
• Prime Minister	Taras Naumenko
Legislature	Parliment
• Upper house	Senat
• Lower house	Sejm
Establishment
• Proclamation of Sprotavian Republic	25 August 1807
Population
• Estimate	24 362 769
Currency	Szostak (SVS)

Sprotavia, formally Sprotavian Republic is a Republic/Dictatorship hybrid situated in Northern Nortua in the Coalition of Crown Albatross. Sprotavia has estimated population of 24 000 000, one of the largest in Nortua. Lyakvia is the nation's capital and the largest metropolis. Other major cities include Bliskobrzeg, Polavle, Koz, Caunas, Sterliyevka and Olgapol. Sprotavia's occupies Sprotavia Proper, as well as all of the islands surrounding it (Vojim, Kurir, Ostriv Vedmidny, Rokas) and continental Sprotavia Exterior. Sprotavia's neighbors are Great Alescoll in the west, Greater Normark in the east and Baffanland in the south. It shares martime boundaries with it's eastern and western neighbours.

Beginnings of the Sprotavian statehood can be traced back to Sterliyevka Katorga, one of multiple katorga labour camps established in this region of Nortua in the late 18th century by an empire that no longer exists. It's purpose was twofold: containment of enemies of the state and exploitation of large mineral reserves discovered in this area. Prisoners of this camps were all kinds of people, ranging from freedom fighters and revolutionaries to simple thugs and cutthroats. They would spend the rest of their lives there, labouring until dying of illnesses and malnourishment. This would continue until the beginning of the 19th century when their captors came into conflict with the indigenous people, Sprotavians. Aggressive expansion into tribal lands and attempts to use Sprotavians as additional slave labour resulted in a fierce resistance of the natives. Initially unable to contend with better equipped and organized invaders, Sprotavians gained the advantage thanks to expertise provided by the escapees who joined their ranks. Dubbed Novosprotavians, they forged an alliance with the natives and launched a partisan campaign that ended with expulsion of the imperial army from Sprotavia on the 3rd of August 1807 and proclamation of Sprotavian Republic 22 days later. An effort to regain control of penal colony 2 years later resulted in a devastating loss for the expeditionary force and there were no further attempts to retake Sprotavia. Despite the harsh Sprotavian climate, Sprotavian Republic's population steadily grew, increased by natives and new arrivals from other corners of the world, usually the persecuted and unwanted. Sprotavia expanded in the south direction, towards less unforgiving lands. This brought it into conflict with some of the tribes inhabiting this areas which did not look kindly to Sprotavian presence and protection offered to their rivals. This resulted in several small scale wars, most of which resulted in Sprotavian victory. Fledgling Sprotavian state avoided contact with other nations, be it Nortuan or otherwise due to it's distrust of Empires. It developed mostly peacefully until Sprotavian Gold Rush began in 1845. It was highly important to the development of Sprotavia, greatly enriching and increasing it's populace. It continued until 1891.

In the early 20th century, Sprotavian Republic begun to interact with other nations more by increasing trade. Nevertheless, it strayed from the great game played by major powers and remained in isolation unless Sprotavian interests were at stake. That being said, it did not prevent it's citizens from venturing out and fighting for what they thought was right. When the World War begun in 1949, many Sprotavians left their homeland and fought as volunteers in armies that allowed foreigners to fight on their behalf. Sprotavia remained neutral through the war and it's military did not fight any battles during this period, save for the 9th of September 1953 when a foreign battleship intruded on Sprotavian waters and opened fire on a merchant ship "Trader Balthazar". Sprotavian Navy engaged the hostile ship, but was unable to identify it due to harsh weather conditions. The battle lasted 4 hours and resulted in hard won Sprotavian victory. Battleship was sunk at the cost of loss of light cruiser SRS Partisan and two torpedo boats SRS Capelin and SRS Navaga, several other ships participating in the battle were damaged. It was the first battle of the Sprotavian Navy. Barring this incident, World War was beneficial for Sprotavia as refugees further increased it's population.

TBC

Etymology

The meaning of the word Sprotavia is derived from Sprotavians, it's indigenous people who inhabited the land long before the existance of Sprotavian state. The meaning of the word is unclear as it belongs to proto-Sprotavian language, but it is believed to be an allusion to the beauty of the wilderness which is well preserved to this day and is considered to be the pride of Sprotavia.

Other name which is rarely used outside Sprotavia is Laesija, which is the name used by another native tribe, the Sakhans. The name refers to the sacred land of the Sakhan people which is mentioned in their religous texts.

History

Early History

Prehistoric Times

Protosprotavian encounters a Sabertooth

History of human habitation in Sprotavia begins in prehistoric period. When humans first came to Nortua, Proto-Sprotavians continued to head north. It is unclear why Protosprotavians migrated this far instead of settling down in a more habitable area, perhaps they were fleeing something. First Sprotavians led nomadic lifestyle as the harsh conditions prevented them from living a more sedentary life. Instances of permanent Protosprotavian habitation were rare, few of the makeshift villages and cave dwellings survived merciless Sprotavian winters. Survivors adapted to the conditions they lived in and learned to create more advanced tools and clothing. First successful settlements appeared around highly sought geothermal areas in 3400-900 BCE, civilizations emerging around them. Despite emergence of the city-states (or rather village states), most of native population of Sprotavia remained wayfarers.

Ancestors of Sprotavians were one of such tribes, migrating between hunting areas depending on the time of the year. Food meant survival and the competition for it was fierce, many communities were destroyed by fellow humans rather than the nature, as a result of raiding and tribal wars. Many had to integrate into other, larger tribes for protection. Sprotavian legends mention a Great Winter, which was initially believed to be the Ice Age, however recent discoveries caused historians to change their perception of it. According to them it happened sometime in 1000 BC and lasted for several decades, thinning the native population.

Prehistoric history of Sprotavia remains largely unknown, but efforts have been made to preserve discovered archaeological sites and search for new discoveries. One of the most well preserved is the Agarath Cave which retains Protosprotavian paintings on it's walls and Cu'Lu Village which was home to a rapidly advancing civilization until it got destroyed by Cu'Lu volcano eruption, it remained untouched by time until it's discovery thanks to being buried under tephra for thousands of years. Both are currently unavailable to the public, but they may become tourist attractions once Sprotavian archaeologists finish their work and the sites are secured. Other less well preserved discoveries have been made and are displayed in the National Museum in Lyakvia.

Pre-Colony Period

Through ages, Sprotavian civilizations advanced culturally and technologically. At one point numerous tribes united under one banner creating a wide spanning Empire until it got struck by a plague and collapsed several centuries later. Afterwards indigenous population split back into many different polities which continued the lifestyle led by their ancestors. They did not unite again.

Penal Colony

Sterliyevka Katorga

Prisoners are led to the Sterliyevka

Sterliyevka Katorga was the first and the largest katorga labour camp established in Sprotavia in the late 18th century by a now no longer existing empire, shortly after discovery of large mineral deposits in the area. It was a tool of repression within said empire, most often used as a method of disposal for rebellious citizens of subjegated nations and other enemies of state. Life expectancy of prisoners was very low, as they were starving and denied proper medical care. They only hope of freedom was an official pardon, something never heard of during the history of all of the camps. Penal labour included, mining, logging Those who stayed died a slow death by overwork and escapees froze to death in the wilderness. Being sent to Sprotavia was a death sentence. Back in the empire, katorga labour camps have been considered a huge success and the amount of camps steadily increased.

Inurrection attempts in 1793, 1799 and 1801 all failed and prisoners eventually resigned themselves to their fates. Some even betrayed their former inmates and begun to collaborate with the captors. Such groups were given free reign in camps, becoming much worse than the guards themselves. It was a tactic that was frequently utilized across the penal colony. Prisoners exhausted by inhuman amount of work, horrible living conditions, harsh climate, malnourishment, illnesses and yearning for home now also had to watch out for spies planted among them by the guards. It effectively dissuaded them from attempting to join up and planning rebellion.

There initially were 14 camps in Sprotavia, but by the beginning of the 19th century this number increased fourfold. By 1802, there were 107 camps in Sprotavia and casualties reached hundreds of thousands. The rapid expansion was a direct result of several failed uprisings within Empire and it's desire to increase the output of the mines, most likely to supply it's army for confrontation with it's rivals. Labour camps in Sprotavia became a significant boon to it's economy, making up more than 30% of it's overall coal, iron, lead, copper, silver, gold and diamonds production. Empire was especially interested in the precious metals as it lost the struggle for colonies and fell behind colonial powers. It did not matter to it's leadership that the abudant Sprotavian resources were gained at the cost of so many lives. Enemies of the state were soon joined by religious and ethnic minorities.

However, that was enough for the greedy imperials who turned their sights towards indigenous population. Initially, they cordially invited them to trade and scammed the natives out of food, furs and gold nuggets. Despite the highly beneficial nature of the relationship between them, they wanted more. Imperial troops begun to raid Sprotavian settlements and to capture Sprotavians as additional slave labour at the katorga labour camps. This boundless thirst for wealth would be the cause of their downfall. Natives were initially unable to effectively fight back against well organized enemy armed with firearms. They quickly realized they stood no chance and changed their approach, employing guerilla tactics. They launched hit and run attacks on the imperials who became afraid of going far from the camps, knowing full well they could be struck by a hail of arrows anytime. Two sides remained in a deadlock until the 20th of April 1805 when inmates of the infamous Sterliyevka Katorga managed to conduct a successful escape for the first time. Led by Sławomir Brzeski, a former revolutionary and son of the chief of Eastern Sprotavians, Chapowits, they managed to flee the camp and escape to the Sprotavian tribe. Sławomir was initially greeted rather coldly, but his expertise and understanding of imperial tactics allowed him to quickly change the hearts and minds of Sprotavians and become the first Novosprotavian.

Partisan Campaign

The First Marshal of Sprotavia Sławomir Brzeski

Sławomir Brzeski was a man well versed in the art of warfare, previously serving as an officer in insurrectionist army. His defeat in the campaign that was meant to liberate his homeland from the foreign yoke did not discourage him, on the contrary, he was full of confidence. This time it was his enemies who were at the disadvantage. He meticulously trained Sprotavians in modern tactics and the use of firearms while teaching himself local language and amassing knowledge about the frozen land he found himself in. Sprotavians were quick learners and the raids launched by the natives became much more deadly, taking a heavy toll on the imperial troops. Furthermore, Sławomir had Sprotavian sentries watch the camps and soon more escapees joined his ranks thanks to the guidance of their newfound allies. Things went from bad to worse for the imperials when newly formed Partisan Army launched an attack at Kaspisinsk Katorga and captured it. Guards were caught completely off guard, unable to fathom what was happening. This small victory further boosted their numbers and allowed them to gain much needed weapons which were kept at the camp's arsenal. Afterwards Sławomir Brzeski was unanimously chosen as the commander of the Partisan Army and assumed the rank of Marshal, Chapowits became his second in command.

Eventually, commander of the Sterliyevka military district Vasil Chilayev realized that something had to be done. When the number of liberated camps increased to 21, he started to move prisoners and troops out of the most remote camps and reform the garrisons into army that could fight off the partisans. Naturally, his opponent did not allow him to as he pleased. Several imperial convoys disappeared without a trace right after departing the camps and the Sterliyevka's commander could see that the prisoners were aware of what was happening and simply biding their time until they could join the fight. Casualties were piling up and morale was rapidly going down. After losing or abandoning half of the katorgas, Vasil Chilayev requested reinforcements from the Empire. When he was denied, he ordered all remaining garrisons to execute their prisoners and regroup at Sterliyevka after destroying any supplies that they could not take with themselves. He was obeyed and population of imperial held camps was slaughtered except for four camps in which prisoners managed to overpower the guards and save their lives.

This atrocity did not go unnoticed and Brzeski vowed to speed up Chilayev's journey to hell. Partisan Army became much more ruthless in their raids, forcing the imperial troops to increase the security of their convoys significantly. However, now that the former camp garrisons assembled together, it was no longer possible for partisans to launch assaults as they did before. Aware of the possibility of better trained and equipped reinforcements, Marshal decided that the stalemate could not continue. He leaked the location of his camp located near Ahusaka's Bay to the imperials in hopes of luring them into a final battle, one that he could fight on his own rules rather than Chilayev's. It worked.

Vasil Chilayev was overjoyed when he received the news. With no reinforcements in sight and the threat of execution looming over his head after the colony he was responsible for stopped producing wealth for the Empire, he yearned for a chance to crush the partisans once and for all. He took his troops and marched towards the camp right away, hoping to catch the partisans off guard. He believed himself to be successful when he saw how they frantically scrambled to mount a defence and gave the order to attack. He did not even stop to adjust the formation and simply told his subordinates to strike while barking out orders on the go, fully believing professional soldiers would easily be able to deal with any resistance. It did not occur to him that it was all calculated. It was not him who struck first during the battle of the Ahusaka's Bay. Halfway through the distance that separated them form the camp, imperial troops were struck by a volley of arrows fired from the forest. As they scrambled to face the new threat, their flanks were struck by Sprotavian cavalry which was hiding within a nearby canyon. It left just as quickly as it came and disorganized imperials came under another hail of arrows, this time joined by gunfire. Chilayev screamed at them to reform their ranks, but they were struck by cavalary once more. This was the final straw and panicked soldiers started to rout. Chilayev himself attempted to escape, but his horse was struck with an arrow and he fell down on the ground. He was captured after the battle and brought before the leadership of the Partisan Army. Subsequently, he was tried and sentenced to death, tied to a stone and throw into icy waters of the Northern Ocean. Remnants of his army quickly gave up on fighting and fled, leaving Sprotavia on the 3rd of August 1807 in a cargo ship Boyar Ilya which was anchored off the coast of Sprotavia awaiting ore shipment.

Culture

Sprotavians and Novosprotavians

Novosprotavians and Sprotavians are the two terms assigned to two most major ethnic groups in Sprotavian Republic. In truth, they are a generalizations. Term "Sprotavians" refers to native people of Sprotavia and includes tribes other than the Sprotavians whom the land owes it's name to. Similarly, Novosprotavians refer to multiple different nationalities and ethnicities that are connected by the fact that they originate from outside Sprotavia. Remainder of the population consists of immigrants who have not fully naturalized yet or people who choose "other" option on the census, mostly native people who do not agree with being labaled as Sprotavians.