Pelz
Pelz | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
| Motto: Pray with faith | |
| Anthem: Blue skies above! | |
| Capital and largest city | Zwanport |
| Official languages | English, Pelzh |
| Recognised national languages | Pelzh |
| Religion | Novemberism |
| Demonym(s) | Pelzian |
| Government | Theocratic Parliamentary Democracy |
• President | Sebastiaan Visser |
• Vice President | Wilhelm van der Maas |
| Population | |
• 2020 census | 9,502,141 |
| Currency | Pelzian Dollar (PD) |
| Date format | mm/dd/yyyy |
| Driving side | right |
| Calling code | +7 |
| Internet TLD | .pz |
Culture, Society & Ethnicity
Pelzian strict and almost inflexible culture was born out of centuries of cultural development towards a narrowed, focused society. “The Holy Land of Pelz” as it has often been referred to in both scripture and internal academic texts, was created after the mayor of the city of Zwanport declared the city independent and called on all people of the Novemberist faith to unite under one banner, and one governing body. The city later grew into a city state due to natural expansion by absorbing the other settlements around it. The Novemberists continued to find even more common ground after the reforms of the 1400’s. Pelzian culture, which now has adopted semi-modern ways, has dominated those lands for centuries, and the spiritually informed ideologies slowly adapted to more modern world views throughout the years. Novemberism has defined the strict cultural values of Pelzians throughout the centuries, utilizing some of the same ideals shared with other Christian based faiths. Pelzian culture does preach individuality. However, when it comes to the practice of faith, the clerical elite in the form of the Blue Council’s insistence on dictating cultural norms and practices tends to refute the tenant of the value of individuality.
As the religion remained confined within the Pelzian community for centuries, up through modern times, some might argue the movement grew rather more extreme from its original values. The history of that process goes back to the founders’ intentions. Within the territory known as the “Holy Land of Pelz’’ that had adapted the new teachings of Novemberism, the spread of this branch of monotheism slowed, then stopped within a few centuries. It did not find a foothold outside of Pelzian borders
This resulted in cultural and ethnic merging of the people within that territory that would eventually be known as Pelz. Traits of pale melanin, blue eyes, and brown hair became stereotypical features of the average Pelzian, although exceptions can still be found. Less than 2% of the population is non-Pelzian. Minorities are extremely hard to find. Partly this is because of measures taken during the reign of King Iwan II in the 1650’s. Iwan II introduced radical changes to the structure of Pelzian society. These measures made it very difficult for the average outsider to adopt to the ways of life of the strict society of Pelz.
Due to this self-imposed isolation, the people of Pelz tend to look down on foreigners, especially those who practice different religions near the borders of Pelz. The ideology of “who is not from us is a sinner” was imprinted into the society, not due to the true nature of Novemberism, but simply because of their extreme distrust towards foreigners. Their xenophobia only got worse as the isolationism policy which the government implemented increased the gap. Average Pelzians began to convince themselves that they were superior to all others regarding spirituality.
Individuality is a rather important aspect of Pelzian culture. The faith encourages people to practice their spirituality on a personal level, as much as they would practice it in the public. While a devoted Novemberist is tasked to be in touch with their higher power on a personal level, they’re also obligated in a moral way to devote themselves to the Church. To not be devout in all aspects of life is discouraged. There are many organizations in the country, funded either privately or by the government, to promote the religion, hold events, gatherings, sponsor videogames, movies, sports and other such activities revolving around Novemberism.
The culture of Pelz does value traditional ethics. In Pelzian society, by default, there’s no difference in the benefits given to people of different levels of society, at least in principle. However, a Pelzian might benefit from their position in society through corrupt ways, as has been seen in more contemporary times.
Substance abuse is unheard of in modern Pelzian society. The majority of non-medicinal, mood altering substances, while maybe legal in nearby nations, are banned in Pelz. Recreational drugs are extremely hard to find, and their use by younger generations are practically unheard of in society. In fact, most Pelzians have never drank alcohol in their entire life, as It’s considered to be very taboo. Pelzian society has promoted the fact that a true human is obligated to look at life with a clear and logical perspective, and anything altering that state is forbidden.
Pelzians do not tolerate rudeness at all, and if exposed to any sort of foul language, It is expected they will remonstrate against its use in public. To an outsider, It would be very evident that being polite in society is paramount, as It is one of the most important values in Pelzian and Novemberist society. Every member of the society, of all levels, are expected to treat each other with the utmost respect and dignity. There are, of course, some exceptions made for politicians operating in public. Pelzians try to ensure that society outside of their home is as safe as it can be, with the crime rate being near zero. There are not many fast food chains in Pelz. The Government promotes a green, healthy lifestyle for its citizenry and due to the low population, the environment can adequately feed the population.
History & Government
Before the Great Reformation of the 1400's, the nation, historically referred to as the Empire of Pelz, went through both peaceful eras, but also suffered a handful of small conflicts with other major political powers of the region at the time. The survival of the nation was highly dependent on a good climate for bountiful agricultural production. These same values put them on the map as a rather valuable target for their neighbors. Before the Great Reformation, the central governing body of Pelz was split into factions at odds over how the Church and the State could operate in tandem, if even together at all. Once the Governor of the Capital district decided to initiate the reforms, different vassals of the Empire answered the call. In November of 1424, these edicts of reform were finally ready to be made public, and thus began a new era that still remains evident in today’s state of affairs in Pelz. Novemberism was born, and with it came many cultural and sociological reforms. The first 12 years of the new era was later referred to as the Era of Dedication. King Iwan was crowned after his father passed away. He was the first king to be recognized by the Blue Council. The Blue Council after the Great Reformation consisted of religious figures from all across the Holy Land, such as influential priests, writers, philosophers, and teachers. The Council were given their own set of powers within the administration of Pelz, and they had a voice in the King's decision making. During the 1780’s, The Blue Council moved further in weakening the Crown by relegating the reigning monarch to be a head of state, rather than an absolute political ruler. This allowed the formation of Parliament up until the 1820’s, when the last King of Pelz, King Matthijs III, prepared the country for the full exchange of power and a transition to the “Godly Democracy”.
The Parliament shares power with the Blue Council, as they both consist of elected figures by the people, and from political parties that are widely accepted in the nation. While the Blue Council is taking care of the spiritual part of Pelz, as the voice of Novemberists from all over the nation, Parliament is the voice of the intellectuals at the different levels of society.
In modern days, some might get confused on the difference between the two sections of the governing body of Pelz - The Blue Council and Parliament. Parliament members are very much influenced by religion in their decisions, which is to be expected in a very religious society. Democracy in Pelz is quite different from other nations, and some might argue that they have their own unique governing system that has never appeared in other societies.
While Pelzian society frowns upon sinners, corruption is not so rare, especially in the upper levels of the system. Some tend to ignore the hypocritical nature of the Government and others tend to loudly voice their concern. Most of the governing system since the 1800’s managed to survive intact into modern times, with minor adjustments and changes, Parliament and the Blue Council still operate fairly smoothly together to manage the country as a whole. It has been proven several times over that the country needs both. Pelzians needs in the spiritual aspect are always strong, but the country still needs a platform for political debate, which is not otherwise strongly encouraged in Pelzian society.
Through elections for the presidential seat, the people vote for candidates from the different political parties (almost always chosen from the far-right parties). Candidates must qualify and be accepted by the Blue Council before being allowed as a choice on the ballots.
As a rather culturally isolated country, Pelz comes to the economic negotiating table with a slight advantage. Parliamentarians and other government personnel are under strict guidelines to do what is expected from them, and one might question why they’re even an entity apart from the Blue Council, because of this. They are given exact negotiating points and deviation is admonished by the true clerical leaders.
Religion
Organized Novemberism (Official Religious Doctrine):
Novemberism, or Novemberisme, in Pelzian, is the dominant faith accepted in the Holy Land by the Pelzian people across what is considered ancient Pelzian territory. Novemberism has always been the root of ideologies that have originated from Pelz. “Novemberism” etymology stems from the events of November of 1424, when the early Pelzians gathered in the capital took the monumental step to set aside ecclesiastical differences and reform the Church under the same governing body. Major clerical figures of the Church agreed to define a master level of values, later to be defined as the new faith to bring to the lay people. These clerical sessions were the biggest step towards the future of a theocratic Pelz, a unified nation, and to bring many years of peace and prosperity on the land. Novemberism had a huge effect on the greater Christian society of Pelz after the reforms. Churches from before the 1400's Reformation were all renovated over the next centuries, leaving only a handful of churches of Pre-Novemberist era architecture. The old Christian holidays were kept, such as Christmas and Easter, and they are celebrated in Novemberism, even though they’re celebrated rather differently than prior to the Novemberist Reformation.
The churches were renovated, and new books were written on the principles of the faith, which in turn became the scripture foundation for the faithful. Classic virtues were still valued. Novemberism puts special emphasis on individualism. Authority of the clerical elite, along with scripture, is the supreme authority in both society as it is in organized Novemberism.. Clerics are there to make sure doctrine is properly enforced.
Education
Hein Maring was the leader of the Blue Council for 32 years until his death in 1884. Maring’s Seven Scriptures are still being taught in the University of Theology at Zwanport. One of the most important values of Novemberism preaches the importance of hard work, a virtue that is deeply rooted in Pelzian society to current day. Despite it’s moderate size and low population, Pelz hosts some of the highest ranking universities of the sub-region. An example of this academic excellence is the great strides made in medical science within Pelz. In modern times, Pelz began reimagining itself as a scientific capital for the region. As universities grew in number, educational tourism became a major industry. In the 1970’s, however, the country chose to continue to take an isolationist approach to foreign policy and began immediately scaling back on educational tourism. Despite this, there are still students from abroad studying within Pelz’s top-tier universities. International students, however, are not obligated to attend classes focused on Novermberist religious topics.
Economy
The nation’s rich natural resources are a boon for agriculture, which dominated the economy until the 1800's, when the country chose to convert to ‘green’ industrialization. The dairy industry in Pelz is considered one of the best in the region, if not the world. The general climate of Pelz offers a positive environment for this industry to thrive. Dairy products from Pelz are exported throughout the region. Exports of pharmaceuticals are also a major component in Pelz’s economy. Pelz is a leader in cancer research. Investments in the medical field are high enough that Pelz’ Department of Health was able to announce free universal healthcare for all the citizens in 1979, even including dental plans. This fact alone has drastically increased the life expectancy in Pelz. Medical tourism is a significant industry, though international patients are not granted the necessary visas to stay in the country for a prolonged period of time. There are reported incidents of foreign patients attempting to avoid these restrictions.
Pelz’s limited resources in some areas have led the country to rely heavily on foreign imports for finished goods.
Transportation
Production of automobiles stopped around the 1960’s, when the Government decreed that they would only be authorized forthwith by Government agencies. So, public transportation with minimal carbon footprint became more widespread as autos were phased out of general use by the citizenry. By 2001, Pelz had invested a considerable amount of the national budget into public transportation. Due to the enormous amount of religious organizations with government authority, a substantial amount is devoted to their use of automated transport. Funds obtained from charity events by these organizations are also shamelessly funneled towards these government agencies, quite often at the expense of the people meant to benefit from the works of these organizations. These organizations are tasked with promoting Novemberism and their operations of considerable consequence in Pelz.
Geography, Climate and Flora & Fauna
Pelz is made up of flat terrain that consists mostly of sandy coastal lowlands, with grassy dunes leading up to sparse woodlands and large swatches given over to agriculture. Precipitation is common in Pelz,in multiple seasons. Winters are usually cold, with temperatures sometimes reaching -10 C, and snow accumulation every year. The Capital, near the coast, is divided by the Zilverstroom River. The Capital area is often blessed with moderate weather. Rivers and lakes are plentiful and there are some famous lakes on the outskirts of the Capital metro area, which is a strong factor in why the swan was chosen as the national animal. Swans are very common in the inland aquatic areas.
Military
Pelz has embraced the hard truth that it will never be able to call on large conscription numbers due to their stagnant population. Rather than throwing capable recruits into the army, and the frontlines, they have adapted to their strength of technology for defense. The military in Pelz is divided into specialized units, focused on different areas of combat, Each life is highly valued, of course, due to their low population. Hence human wave attacks would be considered ridiculous in Pelzian military doctrine as it would quickly exhaust their manpower. One specialized military unit is the Blauwe Kruisvaarders (“Blue Shields”). Members of this tactical military unit are expected to do five years of both physical and mental training. This training enables them to be the top tier of the Pelzian military. The Navy is tasked to keep the territorial waters secure. Technology to monitor both the seas, and the air are rather advanced. The navy sees value in keeping the international waters safe for trade and it has always been a priority.
Additional Security & Intelligence
The Department of Internal Affairs of Pelz monitors the internal safety of the nation, while also carrying out law enforcement duties. They’re equipped with advanced military equipment, even though the crime rates are close to zero in Pelz, so they can act as a paramilitary supplement to the armed forces in case of attack.
In case of the rare instance of major crime, Pelzian IA are tasked to use everything they have in their arsenal and powers to enforce the law with little limit on their freedom of action, unlike the regular police forces.
The Defense Intelligence Agency is a branch of the Department of Internal Affairs. But focused more on intelligence matters than law enforcement. DIA might considered the most secular branch of the government. Like the rest of Internal Affairs, they are literally tasked to do whatever they’re capable of to preserve the security of the nation, which can also involve external operations. There is a high quotient of field officers in the branch where HUMINT is a high priority. DIA have been directly funded by the Parliament over the past 35 years.
Access to advanced military technology has benefited the DIA in practical abilities in both official and more covert missions. It’s estimated that the DIA consists of around 1000-1500 personnel of both field operations and analytical tasking.