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, Vitovt, Caunas 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 many 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.

In 1962, the First Tribal War begun. Although Sprotavian Republic fought hostile tribes previously, the scale of those engagements was much smaller and could be considered a minor skirmishes. Southern tribes realized that they cannot contend with Sprotavian Army on their own and in 1962 they banded together under Chief Allahkoliken. Shortly afterwards Tribal Confederation launched an attack, pillaging and burning frontier settlements. Sprotavian response was immediate, but the perceived threat was grossly underestimated and Sprotavian units deployed to safeguard the settlements fought losing battles until the news reached High Command and proper measures were taken. Chief Allahkoliken was slain during the battle of the Tahpo Canyon which took place on the first day of 1964 and the war ended six months later, after the last of belligerent chiefs was captured. In 1971 Sprotavian Republic reached it's modern borders and stopped expanding.

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 e 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 settling down. Instances of permanent Protosprotavian habitation were rare, most of attempts of settling in caves or creating makeshift villages resulted in failures of the settlers. 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 as a result of raids while others chose to integrate into other, larger tribes. 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.

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.