Eldmark
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Kingdom of Eldmark | |
|---|---|
Flag
Coat of Arms
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| Motto: "Bevare Gud Drottningen"(Geatish) "God Save The Queen" | |
| Anthem: Bred Ditt Breda Hjärta Open Wide Your Heart | |
| Capital and largest city | Hammarvik |
| Official languages | Geatish |
| Recognised regional languages | Odavli |
| Demonym(s) | Eldmarkian, Eldmarker, Eldmarsk (endonym) |
| Government | Constitutional Monarchy |
• Queen | Thyri I |
| Tyra Brahe | |
| Independence from Geatland | |
• Declared | 1765 |
• Recognized | 1771 |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,614,037 km2 (623,183 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• May 2019 estimate | 34,764,129 |
| GDP (PPP) | May 2019 estimate |
• Total | 1.13 billion |
• Per capita | $35,250 |
| GDP (nominal) | May 2019 estimate |
• Total | $816 billion |
• Per capita | $23,500 |
| Gini (2019) | 41.2 medium |
| HDI (2019) | 0.781 high |
| Currency | Krona (ELK) |
| Time zone | UTC+10, +11 |
| Driving side | right |
| Internet TLD | .el |
Eldmark, officially the Kingdom of Eldmark (Geatish: Konungariket Eldmark), is a Constitutional Monarchy located in southwestern Asteria Superior in Kylaris. It is bordered to the south by the Arucian Sea, to the east by the Marirana, to the north by Nuxica, and to the west by Vehemens Ocean. It shares maritime borders with Sanslumière, Maracao, and Imagua and the Assimas.
Eldmark has a developed, industrialized economy with a relatively high GDP. It has a low population density and a medium to high income gap. Its capital, Hammarvik, is consistently ranked as one of the most livable cities in Asteria Superior, featuring a population of [x] million people, wide boulevards, adequate public transit systems, and a multitude of greenspaces. It is historically the oldest continually inhabited settlement in Eldmark founded by settlers and is home to the largest port in the country. Other urban areas include Åndalvern, Kvällholm, and Grönsund.
Etymology
The name "Eldmark" is one that was chosen by Geatish settlers as they landed at the Horn of Asteria, on the place that would soon become the city of Hammarvik. Eldmark roughly translates into "Fire Land," and was named as such due to its higher temperatures and arid interior.
History
The Salali Culture
A quick aside: A large portion of Eldmarsk history is, as of this writing, dependent on nations that no longer exist in the region of Kylaris. However, I have continued the history to the best of my ability, for the sake of being more complete and also giving potential applicants something to go off of. Also, consider this WIP for the time being. -Kori
The history of Eldmark dates back to 5000-7500 BCE migratory hunter gatherer societies of the Native Asterians, who would settle in the Salali, or the Squirrel Valley, to form an ancient civilization. It is assumed that this group, which called themselves the Salali, came from the northeast, and is ultimately an offshoot of the Powhatan people.
These people would form a de facto state refereed to by scholars as the Salali Pact. Based around the capital of Tso'i Gatusi, the Salali would have a devolved state, where the chieftains of each tribe and family would convene for inter-tribal affairs, including defense and trade. During the time of the Salali Pact, ritual sacrifice was common, crops, livestock, and on occasion, humans were decapitated and burned for Kalvlvtiahi, which was seen as a creator god, without gender or physical human form, often taking the image of an eagle, whose eternal disappointment in their creation manifested in plagues, droughts, or floods. Every event was viewed through this lens. Because of this, devotion and hard work, especially agricultural labor, was a central tenet of Salali peoples.
The Formation of the Odavli
The Reformation Period, otherwise known as the period between [DATE] and [DATE], was marked with rapid expansion of the Salali people into one cohesive tribe known as the Odavli, though it was not a centralised state. In times of peace, each settlement would have its own government, which ruled over domestic affairs. This is referred to as the "White Chief" by modern Odavli. In times of war, the entire culture was ruled from Tso'i Gatusi itself, led by a collective of warrior-shamans, known as the "Red Chiefs." Under this, the Odavli made significant gains in territorial allocation, conquering the entirety of the Horn of Asteria and the surrounding tribes, either killing or influencing warlords. The culture sent out several expeditions to various locations, including the modern day island of Vanö, where they came in contact with the Yamuya. Over a period of several hundred years, the Odavli's farming practices, coupled with a slowly shifting climate, caused vast portions of the interior of the Asterian Horn to desertify, and droughts forced them closer to the coast to settle within the Ryggrad.
The Viceroyalty of Eldmark
In 1542, the explorer and Geatish naval officer Hans Hammar Adelström was commissioned by Eric the Great of Geatland to counter the claims of other Euclean nations in the Asterias by building a port at the Horn of Asteria. A man of noble birth, Adelström was the second son of his father, and was not entitled to the sizeable Adelström Estate in Geatland. Therefore, Hans saw the expedition as a chance to "carve out an estate of his own," as written in his journal. On August 16 of that year, Adelstrom and an Geatish expeditionary force landed at the Horn of Asteria, between the islands and the mainland. Initially coming into contact with various Yamuya and Odavli peoples along the Horn of Asteria, they would at first secure territory from these groups by treaty, but this era of peace would not last. As the colony began to grow, in 1543, Hans Hammar Adelström would lead an army of 1000 volunteers, mostly Geatish settlers, to remove natives from their lands, under promise that the land would be divided among them. Extremely successful, Hans Hammar Adelström declared himself leader of the colony and the growing settlement port, which was also named Hammarvik after him.
With the colony formally established, Adelström made several territorial acquisitions to solidify the possession and ensure Geatish interest in the colony, starting with The Sisters in 1548, and Vanö in 1549, each involving the surrender of Yamuya tribes, who would be sold into slavery in the growing slave trade in the mainland and on the islands themselves. The coast of Eldmark would become a successful exporter of a variety of cash crops of the time, including sugar cane, dyes, rice, tobacco, and coffee.
Upon the death of Adelström in [DATE], Geatland intervened to set up a regional government with a governor-general, or viceroy, that would reign near unquestioned, answerable only to the Geatish crown. While in the beginning the Viceroy was chosen from among the colonial populace, this quickly fell out of favor, as Geatish nobility sought further to extend their interests there, often buying the influence of the government. Decisions regarding land use, allotment, and taxation was then often skewed in favor of Geatish nobility, causing settlers to voice their disapproval. In 1652, The Eldmarsk Petition was signed, an official complaint regarding the taxes and corruption in the government, and subsequently delivered to both the viceroy and to the king of Geatland. This was largely ignored. Attempts to resist taxation were quickly suppressed, resulting in several riots, culminating in the set of brief peasant and slave revolts known as Harald's Rebellion in 1654, in which the Viceroy, then Leif the Lord Nyström, responded by clearing several towns and farms known as Leif's Eviction, or Leifsutkast. The result led to the deaths of hundreds of settlers, as their forced removal from their farms led to mass starvation. In response to this, Leif and the Geatish crown relented, lowering taxation on the settler class.
During the Viceroyalty, Eldmark would grow substantially, with territorial possessions slowly moving up the Horn of Asteria, eventually claiming most of what is Eldmark today. A notable act of aggression at this time was the seizure of Imagua and the Assimas from Caldia in 1563, after a brief conflict that ended in the Treaty of X, ceding the islands to Geatland, where it would be administered from Hammarvik as an extension to the Viceroyalty. Imagua would be lost in 1658 due to invasion by Estmere, though control over the Assimas Islands would continue until 1813, where it was sold to Etruria in 1813.
The War for Independence
Despite the attempts to solidify power in the Asterias, Geatland was unable to maintain direct control over the mouth of the Arucian, and attempts to exercise such powers directly led to strategic defeat, primarily to Estmere. After the loss of Imagua in 1658, and the subsequent loss of The Sisters, attempts were made to solidify internal power instead. Siding with Gaullica in the Pereramonic Wars, Geatland was able to keep its possessions and was able to solidify a border with the Gaullican holdings to the north. However, the war was costly, and Eldmark was chosen as the source to pay the war. Gold and silver mines needed to triple their yield, leading to prospectors to search deeper into the mountains, known as the Ryggrad, to take advantage of the royal contracts being offered, as they promised a reward. However, these contracts typically would not pay out, and counterclaims were rampant due to a mismanagement of land ownership. While colonial governments struggled to contain the violence to ensue, these mines typically fell under disuse, or were seized completely by the Crown and staffed with slaves. Infuriated that their claims were being taken from them, colonial militias were called to defend the mines, causing several cases of skirmishes between colonial and royal forces. Using the long-passed Harald's Rebellion and the ongoing violence in the Ryggard, now known as the Gold Nugget Crisis, as the catalyst, Geatland established the Edict of Hammarvik in 1758, also known as the Rotten Edict, forcibly seizing control of all regional militias, establishing an all-Yamuya regiment of colonial soldiers, enforcing mandatory conscription, and further disarming a significant number of the populace, leaving only individuals "of sufficient loyalty to the Crown" armed, which was often Geatish aristocracy and hardcore loyalists. This internal punishment, while successful in centralizing power in Eldmark, led to divisions from within the newly made regiments of the Geatish armed forces. To combat this, the Kingdom would scatter regiments, intermingling the Geatish and Eldmarsk recruits together, leading many colonial recruits exposed to Enlightenment ideals, including son of [RULER] Erik Adolphus Sigismund-Adelström, where his posting in Blåstad where he would be exposed to the writings and policies of Nèstor Pereramon would influence his view of governance. By 1760, nearly a quarter of the Geatish military would be made of Eldmarsk troops, and over 100 fortifications would be built in the colony. Erik was soon tasked with administering the colony and the troops there.
However, varying factors played to what would eventually culminate during the outbreak of the Asterian War of Secession. Using Estmerish support, Nuxica (then Nou Remana), New Estmere, Sheah, and the Cassier Confederation would declare independence from the colonial holdings of Gaullica, to which Geatland pledged to aid, intending to use Eldmark as a staging point for an invasion into the south of the United Colonies. As by and large the existing Geatish and All-Yamuya regiments would not be enough for an invasion, colonial reserves would be pulled from the kingdom to fight in the war. After initial success in suppressing pre-war rebellions and uprisings, troops quickly became demoralized fighting those they support, and, freshly cognizant of Enlightenment ideals and hesitant of fighting against fellow Amendists, would default to mutiny. By and large, regiments would either be led or forced by colonial soldiers to fight against their own, leading to chaos. During this time, Erik Adolphus Sigismund-Adelström, then a general and co-leader of the Royal Army of Asteria, would lead an internal coup of the armed forces stationed in Eldmark, effectively making such informal mutinies formal, and issued the Iron Charter, detaching all Eldmarsk troops from the Geatish army, offering land to all those who would fight for him. His charter was sent to all towns and mining camps in Eldmark. In December 1765, those who would accept the offer, along with various pro-secessionist militias, would form the Eldmarsk Independence Army, immediately forming and establishing a military government at Läger Flodövergång.
The war in Northern Eldmark would immediately become a war of resources, with the Secessionist and Royal forces scrambling to seize and defend bodies of water, small farms, and ports. Läger Flodövergång itself would find itself the subject of 13 battles, as its port was the only readily accessible port in the region. By denying the Royals the port, they would have to march north by land, where the hot arid temperatures and limited water access would demoralize the troops. This would play into Secessionist hands, as the outnumbered colonists would not be able to face a full frontal assault on the larger and better equipped Royalists. Skirmishes on supply lines were common. On the larger scale, Sigismund-Adelström would use his army to terrorize garrisons, baiting reinforcements, and ambushing them as well. Sigismund-Adelström would direct his attention to Southern Eldmark, using captured Geatish ships to launch landings in Stalkulle and Kvällholm. While the landing and subsequent battle of Kvällholm was unsuccessful, colonial militias in Stalkulle and the collective townspeople would be able to overthrow the garrison, storming and taking the Skansen Bruna. Using the large array of weapons, the 2nd Eldmarsk Independence Army would form, forcing its way slowly northwest, while Sigismund-Adelström would take his army southwest. Fierce fighting at Kvällholm, Åndalvern, and Hunavatn would be the majority of fighting in the war, with a variety of skirmishes and minor conflicts along the rural Arucian coast, the Ryggrad, and on Vanö. Over time, momentum in Eldmark and the United Colonies at large would gradually favor the secessionist powers, with the help of Estmere and the Etrurians from Marirana. On the 25th of March, 1771, the secessionists seized control of the Blue Palace in Hammarvik, though the Viceroyalty government had already fled the country, thereby signaling an end to Geatish claim to the territory. Unable to re-establish control in either Eldmark or the United Colonies, Geatland and Gaullica would recognize the seceded territories as independent. While independent, incurring massive debts and political instability would be in the cards for Eldmark for years to come.
Post-Independence
During the war, concessions were made to Sigismund-Adelström's army to serve as a de facto governing force in areas of Eldmark in conflict while the various regional governments would have power in areas under relative calm. However, having captured Hammarvik, Sigismund-Adelström and his professional army, who was widely supported by the aristocracy, found himself in a position of power. The regional governments, however, wanted to push land reforms designed to specifically punish loyalist elements of the aristocracy, among other things, such as nationalizing the gold and silver mines to pay off the debt owed to Estmere, along with selling naval base rights to the Sisters Islands, as well as selling off the Assimmas to Etruria, among other cost-cutting operations. This loss greatly hampered national pride, and for some time, internal conflict seemed imminent, while the provisional government in Hammarvik was already having problems forming. While a member and a sympathizer with the aristocracy, Sigismund-Adelström, being also a personal enthusiast of the writings of Nèstor Pereramon, would side predominantly with the regional governments, provided that he be crowned king, and for most of the secessionist aristocracy preserved. In turn, most regionalist policies were passed without much obstacle. In the winter of 1771, not long after formal recognition of Eldmark, Erik Adolphus Sigismund-Adelström was coronated Erik I of Eldmark. As part of the deal, he would sign Författningen, a document that would serve as both a constitution and a limit on any powers he would have as king. Relations with members of the United Colonies were cordial and friendly, and there were several proposals, most notably by then Hallandic president Edward Marlin, to unify the newly independent Asterian nations into one republic, even after the monarchy was instated. While such plans never came to fruition, alliances and trade agreemements between Nuxica, Eldmark, and Halland would be at peace.
The Mariranan Revolutionary War
Following the fall of the Kingdom of Marirana in 1797 and the subsequent Second Republic of Marirana, Eldmark would take an official stance of neutrality, while quietly encouraging moderate and conservatives within the new republic to "rein in the beast." This new regime, led by Salvatore Renzi, harbored an extreme jingoistic disdain for Eldmark, Nuxica, and Gaullica. This would lead to border conflicts in the east, with neither Eldmark nor Marirana having set borders. Soon afterwards the Eldmarsk Army would set up several fortresses in Central Eldmark, nicknamed "The Hammar Line." These fortresses, while initially simple squares with earthen walls or palisades, would expand to star fortresses fitted with artillery and stone reinforcement during the war to come. A massive invasion from Marirana would come in March 1820, making massive gains into the interior. While most Odavli stayed neutral, several bands of the culture woudl join the Mariranans in their advance, in hopes of taking back lost territory. The war quickly reached a stalemate as the initial modernisation and numerical odds that made the Mariranan army superior would become moot as Eldmarsk industry and aid from the Gaullican crown evened the odds. By the mid-1820s, the zeal of Renzi's invasion forces elsewhere would leave them outnumbered, leading to a massive counterattack from both the Eldmarsk army and navy. The war, ending in fall 1827, resulted in significant amounts of lost lives and property damage, and souring of already unstable relations with the Odavli.
The Odavli Wars and the Era of Erik II
The end of Harald I's reign was marked with the failure of Eldmark to retain its borders to the east, with the Third Republic of Marirana again claiming more of the Grönsund Cession before the Eldmarsk army could defend it, area that would not be returned to Eldmarsk control until the end of the Great War. In December of 1851, shortly before his death, Harald abdicated his title and power to his son, Erik, who would become Erik II of Eldmark. Initially, Erik's plan to reinvade and take back the Grönsund Cession was considered by the Riksdag, only for it to be rejected by a narrow vote. Unable to act on his first goal, he instead looked inward to consolidate his rule.
Over time livestock would be brought over from Euclea and Bahia, While breeds such as the Holstein and Jersey were too sensitive to heat to provide adequate meat and milk production, certain Bahian breeds were crossbred with southern Euclean cattle to produce the Eldmarsk Longhorn, which lent itself well due to the vast open spaces in the Eldmarsk interior, though raising these cows in the frontier came with the added risk of raids and rustling by various Odavli tribes. These raids often caused great economic strain on ranchers, and soon they petitioned the Riksdag and then king Erik II to intervene, kicking off the Odavli Wars, which lasted near the entirety of his reign, from [DATE] until [DATE]. Also called the Ranchers' War, the war would be a disaster for the remaining free Odavli populations in the interior, and has been retroactively considered a genocide by several human rights groups, though the modern government denies and refutes such rulings. The remaining Odavli people were interred in a collection of reservations which would eventually become Odavlistaden, or the Odavli State.
The reign of Erik II was also marked by the creation of the first consolidated schooling program, the first standardised curriculum, and the first mass production of schoolbooks. This program, executed by then Minister of the Interior Jan Ytter, would create a wide network of schools and school systems known by the quick construction of schoolhouses, and the establishment of colleges in Central and Eastern Eldmark. This was to take advantage of the creation of railroads that had begun under Harald, but perfected and mass-expanded under Erik II. Education and Infrastructure paved the way for a demographic shift that quickly expanded the population of Eldmark seemingly overnight. During this time, the average income doubled, along with populations of most urban centers including Hammarvik and Stalkulle.
The Turn of the Century
In the reign of Stefan I, Eldmark participated in the War of the Arucian on the side of Gaullican and Estmerish interests, against the Aquinas Treaty powers to their immediate east. Demanding land repatriation lost from the Second Mariranan War, Eldmark became a staging point for the Estmerish, who would launch several expeditionary forces from Hammarvik, Tjallingen, and Juniskaren into West Marirana. Though victorious, Eldmark recieved little land, and instead was paid in resources, giving Eldmarsk interests a foothold in Marirana once again.
The effect in Eldmarsk economics and domestic policy was threefold. First, a boom in fresh resources and capital poured from the east, creating a slew of new cities in the east overnight. Platenburg, previously a hamlet and garrison, quadrupled in population overnight. This repeat of the infrastructure boom of the 1850s paved the way for more expansion east, and more land taken from Odavli people, who at this time were by and large stuck in Central Eldmark. A series of revolts by the dispossessed natives, sparked by increased intervention in tribal affairs, caused widespread damage and killed dozens of white settlers. After quelling the revolts, the Riksdag founded the Royal Office on Native Affairs, tasked with reeducation and "integration" of Odavli peoples into the broader settler society. This was filled primarily through several religious charities that offered to help, such as the Bahrist Fellowship Society and the Frontier Nursing Service. The former created a slew of boarding schools that attempted to "Sotirianize" the Odavli people, forbidding children and adults in mandatory attendance from speaking their language, practicing tribal customs, or leaving the premises. Abuse was rife, with punishments ranging from beatings to torture. The Frontier Nursing Service, begun with the intention of lowering child mortality, was in fact sterilizing would-be mothers and/or aborting pregnancies, claiming them as stillbirths. In the 1980s, due to widespread outrage over these atrocities, both charities would lose what little federal funding they had left, despite the overt practices in question fading long before. The FNS would shutter its doors a year later, though the BFS still exists, while abuse allegations still plague it. The damage against Native culture and society is incalculable and has remained a contentious issue to this day.
Thirdly, the influx in cash from the east gave the mandate for the Royal Navy to modernize itself, in hopes of replacing the Aquinas Treaty powers as the Asterian masters of the Arucian. [tbc]
The Great War
Following the turn of the century, Eldmark enjoyed relative peace and stability against the backdrop of a divisive and tumultuous world. Directly to the east, Marirana was under the rule of Ottoviano Castellano, a far-right military dictator that was effectively a proto-functionalist. Functionalism, a primarily nationalist ideology that espoused revanchism, a fetishization of strength, and an obsession with the restoration of a perceived national greatness, was gaining traction in the world, especially on the backdrop of the Eprarian Flu and the Great Collapse, which only a few years later would devastate the Asterian economy. The reaction from the conservative establishment was to harness functionalist extremists and placate them in the hopes they would focus their efforts on suppressing the simultaneously-growing workers movements such as the radical Eldmarsk Section of the Worker's Internationale and the Working People's Party, their reformist counterparts. The rise of the Popular Front of Eldmark, colloquially known as the Black Hammers led to hundreds of instances of street violence as far right militia clashed with far left demonstrators, culminating in the Hammarvik Central Bank Bombing, a false flag terrorist by the Popular Front to frame councillists that left 34 dead with up to 200 wounded. Karl I, then king, pleaded with the Riksdag to declare martial law, but was refused. It seemed as if the nation would collapse before the Mariranans would cross the border.
Ottoviano Castellano, at this time, was courting functionalist and Gaullican-aligned support, greatly modernizing its military and gearing up for war. Seeing this, Eldmark sought out an alliance with the Marchenian Republic and Halland to the north, and Werania and Estmere to the west. While they were initially cordial, by the time conflict actually rose, the Euclean powers were largely occupied with holding back Gaullican troops, and the Asterian powers were still at the time unwilling to war with Satucin and the Gaullican navy. In the Eldmarsk military, there stood deeply internal divisions between the army and navy, with each side vying for political power. Corruption was on the rise, with steel and weapons companies bribing officials to secure contracts, with the Riksdag ignoring and even pocketing the money themselves. This along with a general lack of strategical vision, preparing for a largely static war like the ones before, would leave the armed forces unprepared for when they would inevitably stand alone against a highly mechanized military, as they would in 1927.
The war initially proved to be a disaster for the Eldmarsk army. The Mariranan army quickly overwhelmed and encircled the border garrisons in West Räckvidden and Norrahaven, taking advantage of the flat terrain of the arid interior, routing the forward contingent of the Second Division under General Felix Johannesson. The War Council (which included the crown, the Prime Minister Adolphus Dahl, and Harald Bruun, who was at the time the Leader of the Occupation. Rolf Ohlin, the Minister of War, was also a member), initially recommended the conditional surrender to the Entente, but the Crown objected, claiming the terms would surely be drastic and include the reduction of the nation to the borders at the height of Renzi's invasion a century prior. Rather, General Gustav Bergmann submitted to the council "War Plan Grön," a defense strategy that would involve adopting slash and burn tactics to deny the invading forces natural resources to exploit. It also involved retrofitting hundreds of fortresses and fortifications along the Ryggrad, thereby defending the industrial sectors of Eldmark for the purposes of Stålväckelse, poetically translating to "The Revival of Steel." The renovation of these forts was already in the works before the outbreak of war, but corruption and lack of funding had made it a slow process, and by its completion in 1927 was funded partially by private investors and fundraisers, giving it the nickname "Välgörenhetens stora mur " or the Great Wall of Charity.
This plan was, while supported by the people, rejected by the Riksdag, claiming the plan cost too much money, and the terms of the Entente were worth inquiring about at the least. It was at this time Karl I bypassed the Riksdag completely and declared martial law. Named the "Konfrontationen", or the Confrontation, Karl I declared that the Riksdag contained anti-Eldmarsk agitators, anarchists, and closet functionalists, undermining the Kingdom for Gaullican coin. For the period up to 1929, the parliamentary body was replaced by the Krigsbyrå (War Bureau), a hand-picked legislative body that was made up of loyal supporters and military officials. Karl I also outlawed the Black Hammers, declaring functionalism a "toxic manifestation of heretical dogma, an anti-Sotiran cult wrapped in the cloth of the savior." While Karl I detested councilism and considered himself a staunch conservative, he and the War Bureau met with worker movements, some councilist, and hashed out an agreement to provide the military with increasing amounts of material in return for concessions upon victory, as a functionalist victory would be much worse than the status quo.
The front at this point was rapidly erring in favor of the Entente, with the slash and burn tactics only hindering the Mariranan army for the amount of time it took to fix the damage, and the rapidly decaying 2nd Division was unable to keep up with the advancing troops. Occupied territories were treated poorly, with Eldmarsk inhabitants either being forced to renounce their Eldmarsk citizenship or face internment in camps. Beyond the planned "Greater Marirana" border, Eldmarsk collaborators were often put in charge of keeping civilians in line, the Black Hammers being among the groups, with PFE Riksinspektör Sigurd Tegnér serving as the collaborationist leader. Tegnér did not like the Mariranans or the Gaullicans, believing the former "racial abominations," but were happy to work with either to sate his megalomanic vision of Eldmark becoming the "Last Pure State of Asteria."
Despite early successes by the Entente in pushing Eldmarsk troops to the Ryggrad, the Mariranan forces were unable to breach the lines enough to cause a surrender. In 1932, the tide of the war began to change in Euclea, and as such the supply and support Marirana received from the west dwindled, prompting a counteroffensive in Tacunia, Marchenia, and Eldmark. Eventually, Eldmarsk marines would assist in the retaking of the Sister Islands, Vanö, and Imagua and the Assimas, as well as engage in naval flanking landings in Eastern Eldmark and western Marirana. Eventually, the Entente collapsed entirely, with Marirana surrendering in Aquinas in early 1934.
The Gilded Age of Eldmark
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Battered but victorious, the Krigsbyrå made moves to consolidate political power and destroy the Black Hammers once and for all. Arresting all known Black Hammers was a difficult process, as many had attempted to flee the country, some which would hide in the jungles of Marirana, or in the deserts of Eldmark. The ones that were found and captured were tried and then summarily executed by hanging. This would mark the final instance of what was known as the "Crown Warrant," and one of the last instances of royal power being used, as future acts would limit the crown to little more than ceremonial powers. Finally, the bureau was dissolved and normal democratic elections resumed in 1936, with the AFP coming out on top, though a strong resistance by the a coalition of the National Party, the Sotirian Democrats, and other smaller parties [TBD] which would form the United Right. [TBC]
Contemporary Period
Geography
Eldmark is the 5th largest country in Asteria Superior with a total size of 1,614,037 square kilometres. Eldmark is located at the southwestern tip of the continent, bound by both the Arucian Sea and the Vehemens Ocean as its coasts. Because of this, Eldmark is the only nation within the continent to have coastlines in both bodies of water. It also possesses a unique geostrategic position because of this fact, and possesses one of the longest coastlines in the continent.
Dominating the country's western coast is the Ryggrad, also known as the [international name] Mountains, which stretch from the far south in Hammarvik, following the Vehemens coast into Nuxica. These mountains effectively divide the country in half between east and west. As the west was settled first and is considered the older part of Eldmark, approximately 50% of the population lives in this area, though it makes up less than a fifth of the land. This mountain range was formed by two converging plates, creating a seismically active zone responsible for countless earthquakes over the nation's recorded history.
On the other side of the mountains lies the Jansplatå, a highland of scrubland and chapparal that is crisscrossed with rivers, such as the Salali and the Inadu, the latter creating a canyon in the plateau. This region makes up a vast portion of land east of the Ryggrad, and is known for hot and dry temperatures, though areas near rivers are irrigated for arable land. This area, along with the Ryggrad itself, has great mineral wealth, particularly gold, copper, and nitrates. The region eventually fades into rolling, hilly savannah as the rain shadow created by the Ryggrad loses its effect. The far east of Eldmark largely shares the climate of western Marirana.
Climate
The climate of Eldmark is diverse, ranging from a Solarian climate in the west, to arid desert in the center, to tropical savannah in the east. The Ryggrad itself sports a cooler highland climate. According to the Köppen system, Eldmark contains at least 5 climatic subtypes. This is influenced by a rain shadow from the Ryggrad, as well as the Jan Haagard current in the Vehemens Ocean.
Biodiversity
Flora
Fauna
Politics
Government
As per the Författningen, also known as the Constitution of Eldmark, 1776 marked the beginning of a unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy, where the monarch retains little power. The legislative wing of the government is a unicameral body known as the Riksdag, and an executive known as the Cabinet. The head of state is Thyri I. The line of the monarchy has been unbroken since the beginning of the rule of the House of Adelström since Erik I. The Riksdag has 325 members, led by a Prime Minister and a Cabinet, operating at its confidence.
Eldmark's political culture has recently been dominated by the Eldmarsk National Party (NP), and largely neoliberal and conservative economic policies, while in history it has been passed between the aforementioned party and the Working People's Party (AFP), with the latter representing more social democratic and reformist principles. Liberal Will, a successor of Liberal Movement and Reform Block, have had various roles in coalition governments and represents the more neoliberal reformism that has dominated the global political climate. Currently, the Riksdag is led by Tyra Brahe and her ENP-Avancera coalition. While these parties have traditionally been thematic of Eldmarsk politics, other parties, such as the ordoliberalist and technocratic Korsa, the environmentalist World's Coalition, and the radical council communist Eldmarsk Section of the Worker's Internationale have all found some form of support, though none of them have been part of a governmnent. Gahodi (ᎦᏙᎯ) was a party set up in 1893 by the Crown as an attempt to have indigenous representation in the Riksdag and has served as an advisory panel to the Riksdag and the Crown as a whole.
Administrative divisions
Eldmark is made up of 12 states, or stador, and one capital territory. These states are led by devolved legislatures whose authority is inferior to the central government, though operate in various amounts of autonomy. The state with the highest level of autonomy is Odavlistaden, a free state and home territory for indigenous peoples.
Judiciary and Law Enforcement
The Eldmarsk judicial system was at first based on law systems formualted first in Werania and then in Geatland, largely based on customs and the word of local lawbringers. This system was replaced by case law following the Estmerish common law system. The Författningen guarantees a trial by juries selected from the accuseds' peers. Carrying over from tradition, judges have significant sway in interpretation and precedential judicial review. However, jury verdicts cannot be overturned, nor sentencing reccommendations be ignored for a higher penalty.
Historically and currently the death penalty is the maximum punishment for any crime, and is reserved for only the most heinous of acts such as capital murder or treason. However, such a sentence was historically carried out for lesser crimes such as grand theft, rape, or drug crimes. These executions have been historically carried out by hanging with the last public hanging taking place in 1938, though have recently shifted to electrocution and gas inhalation.
The highest court in Eldmark, the Greater Court of Eldmark, is the final instance in all civil and criminal cases and decisions thereof. The Greater Court consists of 13 judges appointed by the Monarch and with the approval of the Riksdag. These judges can be recalled and impeached by the Riksdag. All sitting members of this court hold their offices for up to 18 years, though have historically served for life.
Just below the Greater Court are district and appellate courts, with the former being appointed or elected by those they represent, while appellate courts are appointed directly from the Riksdag. Each administrative region has their own appelate court, consisting of a team of up to seven judges. In Systrana and Odavlistaden, the semi-autonomous nature of these states require their own court for offenses pertaining to the state itself, though in any case where the two laws contradict, the law of the Kingdom is ruled greater and superior.
Foreign Relations
Eldmark is a founding member of the Asterian Forum for Development and Cooperation, a member of the Organization of Asterian Nations, and a member of the International Council for Democracy. The Government of Eldmark sets the foreign policy, and while the Monarchy holds a nominal title of Commander in chief, the Monarchy has been overall powerless in foreign affairs since the end of the Great War. The primary focus of Eldmarsk foreign policy is to secure collective security for its country, its financial interests, and the interests of its allies. Eldmark has also been cooperative with the North Vehemens Organization, though it does not consider itself a member. These interests contrastly lands Eldmark in a position of tension with AIS members Maracao and Chistovodia, who the NVO and the AFDC both view as a threat. While Eldmark has officially declined to side with any side in the ongoing Mariranan Civil War, refugees and conflict spillover has caused many to criticise the Mariranan government for their tactics that often leave entire villages destroyed, and their creation and support of militias that exact these tactics. These criticisms are also levied against the NVO for their role in supporting the Lorenzin government.
Military
Economy
Manufacturing
Finance
Agriculture
Tourism
Currency
Energy
Electricity
Transport
Rail
Road
Air
Demographics
As per 2019 estimates, population has been steadily climbing from 34,764,129, due to a demographically shifting population rate being matched by steady migration from Marirana. It is the 5th most populous country in Asteria Superior, and the 26th most populous in Kylaris at large. Among Asterian nations, it has one of the lowest population growth rates among its own citizens, and a lower infant mortality rate.
Health
Healthcare in Eldmark is provided through a combination of employer-based plans, private health insurance, and government-sponsored public option plans. Of the employer-based plans, 50% are cooperatives provided by labour unions and professional guilds.
Education
Religion
As per the Författningen, Amendism has been considered a preferential religion in Eldmark, though religious freedom is guaranteed among all inhabitants by that same document. According to a 2016 poll, Eldmarsk people are 72.5 percent Amendist, with the overwhelming majority of Amendists identifying as adherents to the Bahrist Church of the Asterias, 12% Agnostic or Athiest, 10% Solarian Catholic, 4% Badi, and 1.5% of other religions, including Irfan, Atudaism, Episemailism, and Satyism.
Ethnic groups
Eldmark is considered to be, as well as other areas of Asteria Superior, to be a nation of immigrants. Many inhabitants of the country call the country a "Degel av färger" or a "crucible of colors," mainly due to the various waves of immigration from Euclean, Coian, and other Asterian nations, as well as the pre-existing populations of indigenous peoples.
Eldmark is also home to a significant population of Gowsa, including those of partial descent. Gowsa number [number], though official counts vary due to differences of opinion of whether partial descent counts among official surveys.
Ethnic Groups in Eldmark
Eldmark is also home to a variety of Bahians, mostly due to the international slave trade of the 16th to 18th centuries, and among secondary immigration from Maracao. As slavery was abolished in 1771, the country was an attractive location for former slaves to escape societies where they would otherwise be at risk. As far early as 1823, the government would offer legal refuge to slaves in exchange for military service; as such, population clusters of Bahio-Eldmarsk would be found not only in the cities, but in the countryside. For example, the town of Juniskaren was founded by escaped slaves.
Languages
The de facto language in Eldmark is Geatish, and is considered the official language in most areas, including in government proceedings. The country is the largest Geatish-speaking society in Kylaris, outpacing its coloniser and origin Geatland. Due to the geography of Eldmark, there are at least 24 identified dialects and accentual variants of Geatish.
There are several second languages in various degrees of use in Eldmark:
- Gaullican, which is a popular second language.
- Estmerish, another popular second language, though decidedly not as used. Most commonly spoken in The Sister Islands and Vanö.
- Odavli, which is also the only other language to be featured as a primary language in government documents, though only in Odavlistaden.
- Vespasian, typically in Eastern Eldmark. Spoken predominantly by Mariranan refugees and migrant workers.
- Ziba, the predominant language spoken by Gowsas
- Senrian, due to Senrian communities in the region.