Ardesia

Federative Republic of Ardesia República Federativa do Ardésia (Luzelese)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Unidade, Ordem, Progresso." "Unity, Order, Progess"
Anthem: Hino do Ardése "Hymn of the Ardese"
Location of Ardesia (dark green) in Asteria Superior
Capital	Rémont (constitutional and legislative) São Agostinho (executive and judicial)
Official languages	Luzelese
Recognised regional languages	Zapoyan Vespasian
Ethnic groups (2020)	44.12% Mixed 31.88% White 13.59% Black 9.41% Indigenous ~1% Other
Religion (2019)	81% Sotirianity -87.2% Solarian Catholicism -12.8 Amendism 12% Irreligious 7% Indigenous Spiritism
Demonym(s)	Ardese, Ardesian
Government	Federal semi-presidential constitutional republic
• President	Frédéric Ardila
• Vice President	Anton Caetano
• Federal Speaker of the Senate	Emanuel Joachim
Legislature	Federal Assembly
• Upper house	Federal Senate
• Lower house	Chamber of Deputies
Area
• Total	1,494,868 km2 (577,172 sq mi)
• Water (%)	1.4%
Population
• Estimate	54,335,100
• Density	39/km2 (101.0/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2019 estimate
• Total	$1.01 trillion (39th)
• Per capita	$18,662 (43th)
GDP (nominal)	2019 estimate
• Total	$680 billion (24th)
• Per capita	$12,531 (39th)
Gini (2018)	32.1 medium
HDI	0.79 high
Currency	Ardesian real (ADR)
Time zone	UTC +11 to +12, -12, -11
Date format	dd/mm/yyyy
Driving side	right
Internet TLD	.ad

Ardesia (Luzelese: Ardésia; Ardesian Luzelese: [aʁdizˈiɐ]), or the Ardese , officially the Federative Republic of Ardesia, or Federative Republic of the Ardese is a sovereign country located in Asteria Superior. It neighbors Eldmark to the west, Marchenia to the north, and Vinalia to the east. It shares maritime borders with Bonaventure, Satucin, and previously mentioned Eldmark. Ardesia covers a population of over 51 million. It is a federation comprised of 12 federal states and 2 federal districts. The capitals of Ardesia are Rémont, and São Agostinho. Both cities accounting roughly 20% of the population. Other major cities are Porto Belo, Porto Sotiri, and Ravelle. The most spoken language in Ardesia is Luzelese, with various Asterindian languages and Vespasian spoken regionally. Ardesia is heavily multiethnic, with many ethnicities of Euclean, Black, Mixed, and indigenous backgrounds. Solarian Catholicism is the predominant religion in Ardesia, with the secondary being indigenous spiritism.

Prior to colonization from Vespasian explorers of Povelia. It belonged to the indigenous peoples of Tetuolmec and Tzapotlan civilizations, both having spanned territories upon Ardesia proper. By 1523 it was colonized under the name of Novo Poveja and flourished to the cultivation of sugar canes and deposits of metals. The Solarian Church propped the spread of Sotirianity through the colony all while the region had been governed through Rémont. Vespasian was also widely spoken through the coasts. Shortly after the establishment of Rémont, Porto Sotiri, and São Agostinho, the cities would swallow the rest of the coast's flow of commerce. Many cultural indigenous influences had also been embraced around the 1600s.

After the major Ten Years' War and Povelia's defeat causing bankruptcy, the colony was sold to Paretia in 1724. Multiple Vespasian settlers and landowners fled the colony, notably a large portion remained in São Agostinho and Rémont. Ardesia's nation-state identity fully solidified after the Ardesian War of Independence, waged during the revolutions in Paretia against the barely supplemented forces in Asteria. Ardesia was victorious under the armies of the United Provinces of the Ardese, triumphant over the battles of Avisio and Palma de Praia. The first republic of Ardesia was notably unstable, encountering an issue centralizing the country around the concurrent capital of Rémont. The first president and remarked patriot of Ardesia, Jerónimo Mendez, quickly handed power over to a provisional government that operated as a benevolent dictatorship under patriot and General Augusto Pacheco. Under the dictatorship, he sought to restore stability by reforms that still remain in use in Ardesia today.

Ardesia modernized and experienced internal stability for nearly 100 years, only adjusting the term limits of a president under the pretext of the War of the Arucian. The following decades of Ardesia were marked by the Great Collapse, ushering a party of functionalists to firstly be elected through the chambers. The chamber elections and the candidate Dinis Montecara failed the aimed presidency, ending in a coup supported by the military in 1923. The Ardesian State collapsed by the end of the Great War, both by incursions of the Allied forces and rebel partisans. Ardesia was briefly under an interim government before entering the 'Old Republic', remarked by the staunch leftism and social welfare policies that were enacted. These were cut short by another though lighter military coup, the Estado Novo dictatorship that ruled as a one-party state until its collapse in 1980. A peaceful transition of power to the last provisional government had ensured Ardesia's long-sought stability. Under a new presidency foreign investment was reintroduced ushering a period of brief economic prosperity, including an upbringing of tripartism that evolved Ardesia into a near social democracy.

A set of measures to stabilize the economy had also removed hyperinflation. Many of the contemporary Ardesian domestic issues have pertained to corruption within spheres of media companies, notable political parties, coastal gang violence, and the mid-2010s poverty crisis. The economy is a developed mixed economy, with major exports of iron, raw sugar, coffee, slate, and automotives. Ardesia is a newly industrialized country, all while a regional power in the Asterias. Ardesia has the 23rd largest nominal GDP at $680,873 million and 22nd in PPP at $1,014,002. It is a member of the Community of Nations, OAN, ITO, and the SLNE.

Etymology

Main article: Name of Ardesia

The word 'Ardesia' comes from the Luzelese word 'Ardósia', meaning slate. It likely pertains to the sedimentary rock from a few of the inactive volcanoes of the Arucian Coasts. Furthermore the Luzelese word 'Ardósia' comes from the Gaullican word 'Ardoise', and from the Tenic root *ard(u)- 'high, in altitude'

The official name of Ardesia in its colonial period was "Novo Poveja" (New Povelia) derived from the Vespasian state who colonized the lands. People outside nobility and within commerce commonly called it "Land of the Slate", due to the immense amount of slate that was used in trade. The informal name usurped the official Vespasian name over time, with the purchase of Ardesia by Luzela cementing this. The native Zapoyan name for Ardesia is "Tzapotlan", meaning "abundance of sapote".

History

Main article: Pre-Bastine Ardesia

Zapoyan ceramic ware

Human habitation of Ardesia has been dated all the way back to 10,000 BCE based off chipped pottery and stone works. Many of these discoveries were made recently in the northeast valleys of Ocotlan. Nomad and hunter-gatherer societies had existed in the valley before settling down to the Gulf of Cresconio, developing works of surviving pottery. Agriculture eventually began with the cultivations of beans, tomatoes and maize. The now evolved hunter gatherer group had been the Zapoyans, which had overtaken a neighboring adversary being the Tetuolmec civilisations by 100 CE. The Tetuolmecs notably developed functioning social formations, effective water systems and uncommonly large populations. The area of the Hueyatl Peninsula and the gulf grew to a population of approximately 6 million people. Other groups grew to being mostly semi-nomadic with the niche of migrant farming and fishing. The overtaken lands of the Tetuolmecs later formed the Tzapotlan empires. The Tzapotlan Empire already subjected closer local states and tribes and began to engage in a protracted conflict with the encroaching presence of the Úuchmáans, already fighting the farther empire of the Meyaletun. Zapoyans of the smaller states fled further down the Hueyatl as the established Uuchmaan city-states kept a presence north of Ardesia’s three rivers and at the edges of the gulf by 500 CE. Near civil wars within the Zapoyans cities had also contributed to their losses. Pre-Bastine era borders of Ardesia had consistently changed from the previously marked wars. Many prisoners of war were to be later pressed into human sacrifices.

Tzapotlan Empire in 1522

Within the 10th century, the Tzapotlan Empire further centralized power and expanded greatly into the west against the gulf, becoming one of Medasteria's leading powers. Modern cities such as Porto and Michoacão were absorbed and saw a flourish of culture. These settlements later established more sites and structures. Cintliacan, now Monteverde had been the echelons of the Tzapotlan empire for the centralized focus of law and religion. Outer regions were paid in tithes respectively. In the 13th century, Zapoyan victory was soon achieved after the Tzapotlan and smaller cities regained control of the east of Ardesia. This solidified with the ensured conditions of converting to the cultures. The neighboring empire of Calkhun centered in modern-day Itzel had strayed from war, instead of engaging in intricate webs of alliances between the concentrated mass of sole resistance in the north. Instances of opportunistic Úuchmáans started revolts. By the late 1400s, these groupings formed a loose confederation against the empire and slowly made ground against the now declining Tzapotlans with further centralizing enacted on the capital. Confederal grounds seemed to lessen as the later rebellions were crushed. The collapse of the Tzapotlan empire was furthered by the abrupt arrival of the Eucleans.

Novo Poveja and the conquest of Tzapotlan

Main articles: Novo Poveja and Povelian conquest of Tzapotlan

Bastine's men sacking Cintliacan

In 1523 Ardesia had been discovered by explorers under the command of Angelo Bastin of Povelia who were ordered by their Doge to begin furthering their trade monopoly of the Arucian Strait of the south the northern continent. The landing of the explorers had been in the choppy coasts of the Hueyatl nearing Remont, which eventually brought them to the emperor Cuauhtemoc, the last of Tzapotlan. Previously the islands of Sanslumière were the only areas that had been previously explored. Relations between Bastin and the now-approached emperor Cuauhtemoc turned sour after he first hand attempted to cooperate with the Povelians, who under Bastin held ambition and threatened the sacking of the capital if relations were ruined (which would soon happen). Bastin and his men had already begun building relations with neighboring petty tribes and subjected areas with the offer of abolishing human sacrifices and tithes. With the failure of urgency to take action against the Povelians. Cuauhtemoc mustered a revolt of Zapoyans that was launched against the occupying force of 700 commanded by Julio Marihno.

Ensuing massacre at the capital perpetrated by Cuauhtemoc’s relatives had given the excuse of pulling Bastin’s men out of the city and regrouping in near disarray. An immediate consequence of the scuffle was the spread smallpox among the natives fragile to the Old World disease. Many peers of Cuauhtemoc were caught in the spread of the disease, dying and causing further chaos. Bastin ordered the sacking of the city, and his forces quickly caught the vulnerable forces by surprise. Most of the capital's population was killed off by the violence and the immense outbreak. Cuauhtemoc and his peers pulled out of the city in an attempt to retreat to Rémont. While the conquest of the Tzapotlan began, many of the neighboring states and now rebelling subjects of the empire had spread and further descended the land into chaos. The spread of the smallpox outbreak had leaked out of the city, now ravaging populations indiscriminately. The emperor and his regrouped forces had attempted to retake the capital and the concurrent rebelling city of nearby Francesco. With the vastly superior technologies of the Povelians and the Tzapotlan diminished forces saw disastrous defeats, with the latter battles at Francesco seeing the capture of Cuauhtemoc and his brother Tezcacoatl being captured. While in captivity the two had died from smallpox, with the rest of the empire now in the reins of dismayed relatives. The east of the empire was easily taken by the Povelians, with the remaining resistance concentrated in Rio Leste. Ruthless use of biological warfare was practiced by Bastin’s men. Items such as clothes and blankets and even corpses were used against the rebelling Rio Leste populations.

Ardesia within the Povelian dominions

In 1721 Novo Poveja had overseen the slow collapse of their colonizer, as Povelia engaged and severely suffered huge losses in the Ten Years’ War, bankrupting the country as many resources had been drained. Costs of this war triggered the first instance of independence movements, these were led by many enraged citizens soon to be martyrs and juntas established in the twin cities and Porto Sotiri. Bloody rebellions had raged for months before being stamped out. Nova Povelian society was rapidly radicalized as they were now under the near direct rule of the Euclean power and had already begun adapting the widely used informal name of the colony used to rebrand a potential modern nation-state, Ardesia. By 1724 the colony was sold to the Paretian kingdom of Luzela, bided to hopefully secure the costs of the war. In reaction were again revolts that grew across the colony, and sectors of society began to romanticize the idea of a free and liberal Ardesia away from direct Euclean influence. Some of these evolved into works of writing later such as poems by Ardesian authors and writers Giovanni Fedele and Mario Moreno. Transition to a Luzelese colony caused one of the most significant population declines in recent human history, as approximately 3 million people, mostly making up Vespasian, fled Novo Poveja. This marked the end of the Vespasian majority make-up of Eucleans in Ardesia, although a significant remains the most populous city. Luzelese colonization steered away from the name of Novo Poveja and embraced the common moniker of Ardesia for the colony, now overseeing a rush of ethnic Luzelese to the region.

Luzelese Colonization

Main articles: United Kingdom of Paretia and Luzelese Ardesia

Flight of the Vespasians, painting of 1909

Not long after the reins of colonial rule were handed to the Luzelese, Ardesia experienced an explosion of culture and national identity. Enlightenment ideals supplanted the previous view of a kingdom, but instead a republic with every man equal. Social classes remained agitated and unchanged as full abolition of institutions such as slavery had been introduced. The opportunities of the middle class saw the spread of works by various other authors and revolutionaries to further support separatism such as “A Razão” by Hugo Veratia, which opted for egalitarianism and prosed persuasive arguments to common people. Ardesia had largely switched to speaking majority Luzelese, though there was local recognition for speakers of Zapoyan and Vespasian. Luzelese order and monopoly persisted as many hardline actions against separatism remained at large throughout the 18th century, worthy examples such as free slave states that ultimately evolved into congregated ghettos. The Euclean revolutions had spread more ideas among Ardesian liberal philosophers, Euclean upper-classmen, and even to the slowly dissatisfied coastal garrisons, they’ve been engaged in endless patterns of dismantling revolts.

A conspiracy focused on São Agostinho attempted by loose bands of intellectuals, military personnel, and clergy planned a hurtled revolutionary government in the city. These hopes along with the move of the capital to Porto Sotiri and reintroduced slavery were caught in the eyes of the authorities. Conspirators were either exiled or the majority were publicly executed. Despite the conflicting views over egalitarianism between the conspirators and revolutionaries, anniversaries have been celebrated as national holidays. As their Euclean overseer had once again devolved into turmoil seemed to be a chance of opportunity, and their last straw. The moment had been seized by a unilateral sector of colonial society, as the Paretians neared civil war in 1806 overseas.

Independence and early republic

Main articles: Ardesian War of Independence, United Provinces of Ardesia, and Ardesian First Republic

By 1811, revolutionary Ardesian armies had secured multiple victories both ground and naval

Proclamation of the First Republic

A band of revolutionary leaders began to concentrate in Porto Sotiri, with additions of many more leaders added later as the insisting colonial authorities failed and the conflict escalated into war. The first legislative meetings were held in 1809. This meeting introduced the first recorded legal document declaring separation from a Euclean power in Ardesia. The aftermath was the forging of the United Provinces of Ardesia, which was a short-lived revolutionary republic serving as a predecessor to the modern-day nation. The barely recognized country waged war using speedy citizen militia and rebelling soldiers from numerous garrisons. Battles such as Avisio and Palma de Praia proved the aging of direct Euclean influence in colonial Ardesia. In 1813 the second meeting of the federal assembly at Remont shortly after declared victory against the deprived Luzelese forces. Revolutionary Ardesia was recognized as a unitary political regime by Luzela, and now independent met multiple obstacles. Ardesia at the time practically functioned as a directorial republic under the revolutionaries, and the first elections of 1813 would serve as a testament to the longevity of a republican Ardesia.

Nominees of the 1813 election were between the liberal Maximino Lázaro and moderate Jerónimo Mendez. The aftermath saw Mendez as the victor. Discontent liberals within Ardesia still to this day differ in ideology usually based on stances against the Solarian Church in the region. Events like these were one of the stepping stones for the disastrous “A República Insensata” known in modern Ardesia as the "Foolish Republic". Political turmoil immediately brought uprisings across urban centers, namely for the secular stances that were hoped to be achieved against the Sotirian institution. Rioting was furthered due to the retained dynamic of the country internally, with Rémont being a centered capital instead of the other and more equally vital hubs. Attempts at liberal reforms were in the wake of violence between Federalists and Centralists. The main center of conservatism in Ardesia was and remains the Solarian Catholic church, with many supporters seen in the Federal Assembly and military branches. Solarian Catholicism was reinforced, those of either irreligion, indigenous beliefs, or others were tolerated but suffered high taxes. Enforced beliefs drove indigenous ones to be less and less common. At the end of the first term, Mendez came with Augusto Pacheco, an ally within the military that eventually forced him out of office before reelections by September of 1817. This initiated a junta that acted as an emergency government, dissolving the Federal Assemblies and set forth reforms in the mind of other revolutionaries at the time. “A Reforma” began in Ardesia and shaped the federative republic with the redrawn borders of federalized states.

Reform and Second Republic

Main articles: "A Reforma" and Ardesian Provisional Government

Main article: Second Ardesian Republic

Main article: Eldo-Ardesian War

General Augusto Pacheco, who led an interim government setting reforms and birthing the Second Republic

Further reforms were the adjustment of the 1812 constitution and clergy fees, abolishment of religious and military courts, first regulations of indigenous properties, and property held by the church. These reforms were colossal and had been slowly enacted one by one under Pacheco, who was at a point a renowned benevolent dictator. The enforcement of racial equality had been promoted with anti-discrimination laws to promote a fair and "racial" democracy, done through the assembly with intense debate. Pushback from conservatives and a few moderates included the brief scuffles in Port Sotiri and Mendi, which were largely beaten with local garrisons and even citizens. The interim government exited this period of stabilizing Ardesia, with the declaration of a federative republic achieved in 1825. Shortly after its successful establishment, Ardesian inhabitants began a push westward prompting a brief war between Eldmark in the firstEldo-Ardesian War. The Second Republic or the “Ambitious Republic”, known in contemporary Ardesia ended up as the longest-surviving republic in the history of the nation, lasting for nearly a hundred years. This didn’t come with any external periods of peace, however, as later down the line many determined policies of regionalism and enforcing them within the strait of the Arucian would prove disastrous on the front of the Ardesians. After the turmoil experienced in the first republic saw wider democracy exercised. Most of the presidents serving their terms were either short-lived or had little remarkable other than the extensive growth of cities passed down from president to president. Many of the conservative bulk that remained in Ardesia belonged to the elite within the wealthier coastal hubs, which gave the country a regionalized oligarchy. Elections were rigged on a local level and saw voter intimidation. Presidents, notably Afonso Arvelo elected in 1864 strived for good relations between the Catholic Church and government and bolstered infrastructure projects throughout the nation.

19th century and Arvelo Regime

Main articles: War of the Arucian, Arvelo Regime, and Grande Fome

Proclamation of the Second Republic, painting of 1894

Ardesian commanders at the Verlois Conference

Arvelo would concentrate all of the development in coastal cities and invited open foreign direct investment. Meddling with the limitless terms of the presidency at the time would keep him in power extensively. General dislike of the forwarding centralization policies in Ardesia’s populated cities would spark brief state-level rebellions. Throughout 1872 the revolts only lasted for 5 months, as they were poorly organized and strategically crippled by cutting transport of foods and agricultural production to these states that resulted in "Grande Fome", killing between 200,000 to 610,000 people notably of indigenous origin. Efforts of garnering notice and aid were largely ignored due to wider political crises and bias among the national press. Conservative dominance seemed apparent after these rebellions ended, and the means of maintaining power involved authoritarian means. The costs of completing multiple infrastructure projects came with utilizing forced labor on indigenous and poorer populations resulting in hundreds of death from overworking. Politically and economically they suffered. Even with the beneficial infrastructure projects resulting in more direct power from the government, before this, the distance from hubs had given them more autonomy. Telegraph lines established would also give the government more direct responses to any regional revolts. Agitation from the opposition liberals had existed from namely all the attempts of exercising direct control of the states. These existed in the lower Chamber of Deputies and furthered the instances of rebellions spreading through the northern cities leading to their dissolutions through the will of Arvelo and city mayors with militias. These had bordered as death squads rather than in the interest of community self-defense. These centralizing policies were possible with the no-confidence attempted unilaterally in a string of votes in short periods.

Internationally policies attempted in reinforcing regionalism against the Empires of Gaullica and Estmere strengthening relations with Aurucia would quickly turn against them. Arvelo had an aggressive position against the quasi-states such as Satucin, which sought to be a fully independent nation. The majority of the populace had backed the stance, which fully wished for an Asterias free of Euclean dominions. Relations with Aurucia eventually evolved into an alliance that would soon secure the Arucian Straits. Immediately Gaullica and Estmere would reinforce their territories that had been beaten back by Ardesian navies bulked up before the conflict. The War of the Arucian evolved into a defensive conflict, where the Gulf of Cresconio and the vital peninsulas of the Hueyatl and Ocotlan were under siege by Gaullican forces. One of the capitals Rémont was under siege as well, and nearing unconditional did Arvelo surrender and was exiled with the help of his generals. Rémont and São Agostinho were under occupation from 1885 to 1891. Ravelle served as the capital during these six years, while changes to the constitution were made over the term lengths of the president. The war had been catastrophic for Ardesia as land claims over the strait were relinquished and a republic was reinstated with no hopes of returning to invasive ambitions.

Great Collapse and Great War

Main articles: Great Collapse, Great War (Kylaris), Ardesian State, and Ardesian Civil War

File:Dinis Montecara1928.png

Dinis Montecara, Caudilho of the Ardesian State

Ruins of Passagem do Rio

Prior to the Great War, in 1891 the Gaullicans exited Ardesia proper and the nation returned to normalcy with the moderate presidency of Sergio Nico who extended aide to smaller businesses dealing in farming. Short presidencies were eventually handed over to Luiz Horacio who unfortunately oversaw the Great Collapse unfold in 1913. Ardesia was quickly hit hard in the collapse, early against the mining industry and more severely with their sugar and coffee industries that were halted in production to desperately prevent bankruptcy. Open investments were immediately affected due to dependencies on external trade partners like Gaullica, Estmere, and Marchenia.

Bombing over São Agostinho, 1934

Functionalism precipitated by the event, a period of agitations between the far-left and far-right organizations had erupted as many parties engaged in open street fighting. These agitations kickstarted the appeasement towards the newly founded functionalist party from the conservative elite. By the 1920s the general elections arose between the arising functionalist party candidate Dinis Montecara and the conservative Gustavo Filipe. The turnout was a victory for Filipe, however, on 30 October 1914 a military-backed coup had captured Filipe and sent him into exile. The Ardesian State was declared and had immediately backed policies of militarism, rapid industrializing, and enforcing state Catholicism. Economic independence was a national policy while economic ties remained largely between Functionalist Gaullica, and other future principal powers soon involved in the Great War. Shortly after Montecara would ban any political opposition parties, and suppressed personal freedoms. Multiple laws were enacted that allowed the named “Caudilho” to exercise a centralized totalitarian state. This dictatorship enacted repressive policies against the native populations, kicking them out of their homes and organizing mass arrests of Zapoyan males. The government concentrated its discrimination against various other groups ranging from political opponents to homosexuals, roughly 1 million victims faced these systemic murders. Ardesia eventually evolved its alliance with Gaullica in 1914 into the newly formed Quadruple Alliance as an essential power. Prior to the Great War, aims at furthering the promised fulfillment of the irredentist and nationalist ideology of 'Greater Ardesia'. Vinalia became the first to fall into this, sparking the 5-year Chyhyryn War by 1925. Extensive losses were seen on the side of the Vinalians and ended with the annexation of lands south of the Chyhyryn River. Build up between the neighboring nation of Eldmark and Ardesia fully broke out into an attritional war in 1927. Ardesian mechanized units steamrolled the Eldmarsk military through the west, their forces poorly repelling the encroaching functionalist threat.

People under occupation were either forwarded to various camps deep into the country as far as Ravelle. Supply dependence from the powers in Euclea, however, placed the military at a disadvantage, which began to grow into supply shortages unable to keep up with the vast grounds covered in the war against the rejuvenated Eldmarkian forces. Counteroffensives immediately followed into Marchenia and occupied Eldmark, eventually, the entire front collapsed as Ardesia began to deal with incursions from the São Agostinho being naval landings, and bombings. Ardesian partisans began making ground as they had previously performed various guerilla operations that had been costly. The state fell into civil war as the tented partisan groups under Julio Avila nicknamed "The Liberator" led partisans to retake and occupy land on a larger scale. Combined forces of the Grand Alliance and partisans reached Rémont, causing Montecara and other advisories to flee. Following their failed escape they were caught and publicly executed in a failed escape, forcing Ardesia to surrender on 19 November 1934.

Populist Republic and Estado Novo

Main articles: Ardesian Third Republic, Estado Novo (Ardesia), Rémont Drug War, and Ardesian transition to democracy

Student demonstration in Ravelle

Ardesian Air Force helicopter deployed against guerillas in Arauá, 1976

Post-Great War Ardesia is noted for the brief occupation and reintroduction of democracy. In 1936, the Third Republic or “Populist Republic” brought back a federal parliamentary government and a rewritten constitution partially by partisan leader Julio Avila and various allied supervisors. In a referendum he took the presidency of Ardesia and won reelection before resigning in 1944. During this Ardesia had joined the Community of Nations, steadfast in the industry sector and the economy as well as the opening to more political opposition. Ardesia in this time grew to a multi-party presidential republic, with peaceful transferrals of power. Following Avila was successor Sergio Vidal, who had served 2 terms before resigning with the note-worthy centralized laws on the armed forces in the prevention of juntas. Vidal had made the short compromise with the opposition in a brief crisis that would limit the powers of the president. Neutralism lessened when it came to the close leak of violence from neighboring Vinalia, where the populist republic had been open more to the split north. After was former President of the Chamber of Deputies Omero Povel. Povel eventually restricted more political opposition and reintroduced policies on the armed forces, which had been criticized by military officers and various fringe conservatives. A wide variety of protests notably of students began to protest shortly followed on the renounced policies. Government response quickly escalated into violence in cities as instances of as many as hundreds of deaths were recorded. Povel was swiftly deposed in 1960 by a bloodless military coup perpetrated by elements of the army who sought to bring a swift end to the crisis.

Former Ardesian Army commander Dante Carmino had assumed control in an interim government, eventually concentrating into a military dictatorship. This era is known as the ‘New State’. The nation served as conservative, corporatist, and authoritarian throughout its reign. Oppression against institutional oppositionists remained, this was shadowed by the war focused in northeast Ardesia against socialists guerillas and was approached with indiscriminate land and air operations. Another crisis that partially shadowed and gave the regime slight popularity was the hardline approach to the Rémont Drug War waged from the 70s to 80s. Violence had deesecelated before then and opening policy would’ve come shortly after public pressure from emerging hyperinflation and eventual death in 1983 of Carmnist strung leader Duarte Pier. The final years of the regime were led by the single term of Admiral Raphael Borges. A peaceful transition of power to a newer provisional government had ensured Ardesia long-sought stability. Under a new presidency, foreign investment opened ushering a period of economic prosperity, including an upbringing of tripartism evolving Ardesia into a near social democracy under Lorenzo Nestor. A set of measures to stabilize the economy included a new currency had also removed hyperinflation.

Contemporary Era

Main article: History of Ardesia since 1980

The transition to the fourth republic and the new millennia faced their first crisis with an earthquake that heavily damaged Méndi and cost billions in 2001. Bribery, the inefficiency of social services, city-level police corruption, and establishment tax evasion within the Arosio government would all later come to revelation during the recovering of the 2005 recession. The response accumulated into 2007-2009 Ardesian protests and would cause the party politics of Ardesia to shift. Centre-left coalitions however had saved their slim majorities in the 2009 election and have governed Ardesia under the presidencies of the first Ardesian female president Carla Miriam and with the current Frédéric Ardila elected in 2018.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Ardesia

Satellite map of Ardesia

Ardesia is located in the souther regions of Asteria Superior, accumulating 1,494,868 kilometers or 928,867 square miles. The Arucian Strait and the Gulf of Cresconio to its south. Geography is further divided into regions of 3, being deserts, tropical rainforests and mixed savannas. These divisions are made by the Acopa and Ocotlan mountain chains in the center of the country. Mount Pastene is the highest point in Ardesia, reaching 5,321 meters (17,457. ft), an inactive stratovolcano near Ravelle an stands as symbol of the region. The lands of Ardesia also include the entirety of three peninsulas. Three rivers also split the country named the Ouros, Chiltic, and Arauã rivers.

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Climate

Main article: Climate of Ardesia

Climate map of Ardesia

Ardesia's climate is divided heavily by the equator, orography, and geographic features. Low precipitation and high temperature are marked by the states of Acopa and moderate precipitation and high temperature are made near Ocotlan. Tropical coasts experience common rainfall and hurricanes during the summer and nearing fall seasons. Between the chains named the Valley of Ardesia straddle consistent year-round temperatures. Characterized climate zones are firstly the semi-arid deserts predominant in Cipriano, and both north of Acopa and Tototltepec. This climate experiences the least amount of rainfall. Actual hot deserts exist mainly in the prementioned Cipriano.

The tropical climate is dominant in islands and the mainland with traces of oceanic climates existing. It encompasses the southern quarter and both capitals. Tropical highlands are seen in the west of the Ocotlan peninsula. Rainfall is consistent throughout the year and sees cool winters, with snow being seen in its highlands. The rainfall climate in the northeast is extensive as the tropical climates but has more seasonal rainfall. The rainforest climate extends from the region of Porto Sotiri to Cozticapan. The high rainfall is seasonal and more battering in the northeast.

Flora and Fauna

Female jaguar near the Arauã river

Ardesia is one of the primary hotspots of biodiversity. Upon 3,210 species of wildlife are protected under Ardesian law and are centered in its rainforests, home to a diverse range of animals ranging from invertebrates to mammals including the jaguar, numerous amphibians, and armadillo. Protected as well are the 55 national parks, 13 sanctuaries, fewer of 22 flora and fauna reserves. Over 207,199 square kilometers of land are protected under "National Nature Zones".

Ardesian agriculture opened the floodgate of unique foods to the Old World broadly used today such as tomatoes, beans, and squash that has influenced largely foods in the Solarian Sea. An effect of the rapid deforestation in the aim of expanding these cash crops largely resulted in its faster rate and the destruction of remote areas in the country. Since 2018 the Ardesian government has attempted to steer away from emitting too many greenhouse gasses and promoting efficient energy usage.

Government and Politics

Frédéric Ardila
President of Ardesia

Anton Caetano
Vice President of Ardesia

Ardesia is a federative constitutional republic with a presidency. The president maintains the head of state and government position and is elected for a 4-year term with a chance of the 2nd term through re-election.

Alongside the role of the presidency, there lie the 3 branches of government operating under checks and balances. The bicameral legislative branch is the Federal Assembly (Ardesia), with the chambers being the Federal Senate, and the lower Chamber of Deputies. Ardesia’s executive branch, also centered in São Agostinho, is officially the president and their ministries. The president has the role of commander in chief of the nation’s armed forces, vetoing bills, and appointing leaders of said ministries. The judiciary is made up of the highest courts being the Supreme Federal Court and Supreme Federal Court of Justice.

The style of party politics had initially laid between liberal and conservative parties in the nation's inception. However, from the spill of the Estado Novo collapse and the 2005 recession it has been made into a multi-party system. Originally these had been the underground and at the time outlawed PSDA and PCT parties, which had been both allies since those times. Since its legalization in 1981, the PCT has had little political representation without the PSDA. At the state level, there has been a shortage of regional parties, though one of the few existent has been Indigenismo parties throughout Popopacingo to Ocotlan. Before the 2009 election, the registration of various parties was capturing the attention of the political scene in the nation. The cause of these was the social-democratic PSDA shown being in multiple cases of corruption. Due to the publicized evidence of corruption within the party in 2007, the newly formed center-left Democrat party and the further right-wing DPT party had gained seats. Many former members of the PSDA are within the Democrat party. Options of a ‘third-way’ had been tunneled to the Verde and big tent PDS parties. In regards to elections, Ardesian citizens vote in the system of two-round voting within the legislature and president.

Judiciary and law enforcement

Supreme Federal Court of Justice in São Agostinho

Municipal policemen of Ravelle

Ardesia bases itself upon a codified system of civil law which in turn has roots in Solarian Law. These are upheld by the Constitution of Ardesia which had been originally written in 1812, though has faced numerous amendments with the most recent being made in 1981. States are also given their own set of a constitution. The highest courts in the judiciary are the Supreme Federal Court and Supreme Federal Court of Justice. The Supreme Federal Court is responsible for overseeing the highest constitutional matters and its interpretation of it. It also has the function of the highest appellate court. The Supreme Federal Court of Justice takes the lead in cases of civil and criminal offenses taken from the state level, mainly with the violations committed by Ardesian public service members. With the judiciaries, states maintain their own courts also. Each state is able to establish its own regional laws. Municipal and localized areas in Ardesia have also boiled to have their own courts.

The enforcement of these laws has been specialized in different agencies, at the federal level this is given to the Federal Police, Border Services, Federal Investigative and Intelligence Services, and Maritime Agency. The border service has been the newest of these agencies in order to combat the flow of drug trafficking through states such as Novo Vespasia and Porto Sotiri. At the state-level law enforcement has been handled through the State Civil Police commanded by their state governor. In the vein of riot control, it has been given to the Special Reinstatement Unit under the State Civil Police. Municipal-level agencies are existent with the duty of policing various ranges of properties. That could be from judiciary courts, to simply parks. Due to the specialization of these agencies, corruption instances, drug trafficking, and cases of above-average homicide on an international level the duties of police in Ardesia have been put on higher importance and face further meticulous duties. Totaling a number of personnel at 120,000, the police forces of Ardesia are one of the biggest in Asteria Superior.

Military

Clockwise from top left: Multirole fighter of the Ardesian Air Forces, Ardesian Corvette Vidal firing an anti-ship missile, specialized troops of the Ardesian Ground Forces, and the airmobile troops repelling in an exercise.

The Ardesian Armed Forces are headed by the commander in chief, which the president in turn commands. It stands officially at 3 branches: the Ardesian Ground Forces, Ardesian Air Forces, and Ardesian Naval Forces (Including their Marines). These are all under the coordination of the Ministry of State Defense which is commanded by the President-appointed Minister of Defense.

Foreign relations

Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Rémont

Ardesia’s foreign relations after 1981 had improved considerably with the rest of the world, being one of the main reasons for its current favorable position on the international level. Membership in the CN began in 1946 and is in several regional organizations such as the OAN as an observer. Ardesia is also a primary member of the Society of Luzephone and Esmeironic Nations. During the nations Estado Novo era, it had remained neutral on the world stage and even in the face of various upheavals in the neighboring tension further northern countries of the NVO and Chistovodia. Due to the geographic positioning, it has been in the hands of various cooperation with Satucin over hegemony in the Arucian Strait.

South-South cooperation between nations within COMDEV has also elevated its level of an emerging power.

Administrative divisions

Ardesia operates as a federation under 14 states led by their governors and their 888 municipalities. Rémont and Sao Agostinho remain separate as federal districts dubbed the ‘Twin Capitals’. The largest state by population is Porti Sotiri, the smallest being Nova Povelia. States have the structure of bicameral legislatures and are fully autonomous. These states are in the ability to regulate and can collect their taxes from citizens. Governors and their legislatures are voted directly by the citizens. Within each municipality, a mayor is also elected and has a unicameral body.

State	Population	Governor	Location
Baía Nova	4,302,412	Alfredo Amílcar	Rémont São Agostinho Ravelle Nova Vespasia Popocacingo Tototltepec Lagune Porto Sotiri Nova Povelia Cipriano Baía Nova Rio Leste Cozticapan Ocotlan
Cipriano	1,022,679	Celso Brás
Cozticapan	1,411,384	Diniz Fausto
Lagune	4,301,000	Paulo Barg
Nova Povelia	462,884	Favio Salve
Nova Vespasia	4,813,010	Luigi Sillano
Ocotlan	1,449,876	Levin Omar
Popocacingo	2,001,352	Fúlvio Nuno
Porto Sotiri	5,821,000	Quintino Halkias
Ravelle	3,884,303	Aldina Tlalli
Rémont	11,201,250	Lílian Sotira
Rio Leste	1,852,045	Izabel Etta
São Agostinho	7,399,451	Xavier Estevão
Tototltepec	2,189,102	Felipe Adílio

Economy

Ardesia's financial center in Rémont

tourism and coffee bean lol

Demographics

The various cultures and ethnicities of Ardesia.

Race and ethnicities of Ardesia

  Mixed (44.12%)

  White (31.88%)

  Black (13.59%)

  Indigenous (9.41%)

  Other (1%)

Historical population
Year	Pop.	±%
1909	16,082,043	—
1919	18,204,280	+13.2%
1929	20,025,600	+10.0%
1939	22,245,040	+11.1%
1949	24,920,010	+12.0%
1959	27,386,432	+9.9%
1969	31,832,482	+16.2%
1979	34,372,008	+8.0%
1989	40,014,800	+16.4%
1999	44,238,220	+10.6%
2009	48,444,188	+9.5%
2019	54,335,100	+12.2%

As of 2018 the population numbers 54 million - the 3rd largest in Asteria Superior, and the 27th in the world with a population density of 39 per square kilometer or 101 square miles, putting it at the 36th largest area rank in the world. Distribution among the population is heavily skewed towards the south of the country as multiple urban centers are centered along the coasts under both Arucian seas. Immigration to Ardesia reached its peaks in the 1870s by Eucleans and early 1890s before the nation faced emigration in both dictatorships. Today immigration largely is from the movements of Bonaventurans and Vinalians facing greater opportunity in the country's urban centers. Ardesia has an increasing fertility rate of 1.8 children per woman. The HDI is 0.79, higher before its initial transition to democracy after the Estado Novo.

Race and Ethnicity

Among racial and ethnic demographics, Pardos are the largest ethnic group in the country, making up 44.12 percent of the population, or 23.8 million people. Pardos were brought out of the intense intermixing of Euclean, Native, Bahian, and Coian cultures, being present in all of the states. Initial miscegenation was between the Povelian males and indigenous females. Introductions of Bahian slaves and the Paretian takeover had added Luzelese males and Bahian females. The share of indigenous and white ancestry is more common in the northeastern states of Rio Leste, Porto Sotiri, Ocotlan, and Cozticapan. The numbers of this ancestry are less significant than Bahian and Euclean ancestry due in part to the wars of conquest and various epidemics inflicted on the indigenous demographic.

Euclean Ardesians are the second largest and have their first ancestry traced back to the initial Etrurian and Paretian colonial periods. Euclean Ardesians make up 31.88 percent of the population or 17.2 million people. Not only had the waves included ethnic Vespasian and Luzelese peoples, but included a minority of Esmeirans and Tosutons. The Vespasian population had their population overtaken by Paretian settlers after the seizure of Nova Povelia at the end of the Ten Years' War, leading to a drastic emigration period in the 1720s. The plurality of Eucleans grew with the presence of Soravian speaking Vinalians, Euclean-Eldmarsks in the earlier 19th century after solidifying their borders. The last wave of significant Euclean immigration was in the late 19th century, ushering in Weranians and Gaullicans along the southern coasts.

Bahian Ardesians account for 13.59 percent of the population or 7.3 million people, being the third largest ethnic group. Bahian Ardesians and their presence was largely the result of the Transvehemens slave trade, forcibly working in plantations centered around the states of Baía Nova, Ravelle, Nova Vespasia, and Porto Sotiri. After the abolishment of slavery, they strayed away from the rural lifestyle and moved into the urban areas of São Agostinho facing poor living conditions. As a result the disparities in wealth and income largely originated from this.

The Indigenous Ardesians account for 9.41 percent or 5 million people. The peoples that make up the majority of the indigenous population are the well-known Zapoyans, with a minority of Úuchmáan in the northeast. These are the only known groups Pre-Bastine that inhabited Ardesia before being pushed further up north by decimation through disease, assimilation, war, and extinction. A strong concentration of the Zapoyan language remains in the states of Rio Leste, Cozticapan, Ocotlan, and Tototltepec.

Coian Ardesians are among the smallest communities in Ardesia, barely making up 1 percent of the population. Coian Ardesians are overwhelmingly the descendants of Gowsan workers. The predominant sex of these laborers was male and had been the second largest group to work in all of the Asterias throughout the 1880s. Many of the Gowsans worked in parts of construction and foresting to increase the industrial output of an ambitious Ardesia at the time. The eventual partners of these laborers had been the native and Bahian women adding further to the multiracial demographic of the country.

Religion

Religion of Ardesia (2020)
Solarian Catholicism			66.4%
Amendist			6.6%
Episemialist			6.2%
Irreligious			12%
Indigenous spiritism			7%
Other			1.8%
Source: Departamento Federal de Estatística (DFE)

With freedom of religion practiced in Ardesia, Sotirianity is the largest religion in Ardesia, with 87% of the population following the faith. Further divided Solarian Catholicism is the most practiced at 66.4%, Amendist Church at 6.6%, and Episemialist at 6.2%. Irreligion exists at 12%, with Indigenous spiritism faiths at 7%. Other faiths practiced at a smaller number would notably be Irfan.

Religion was immediately introduced to the country with the arrival of missionaries sent by the Catholic Church in Etruria in the mid-1520s. It would be historically enforced less as a crucial faith and later state religion during the Ardesian State and Arvelo eras. Syncretism had been practiced by a few missionaries to ease the process of converting the native population to Catholicism. This combination of Catholic faiths later included the Catholic Churches of Paretia. The further extent of varying Sotirian branches would have Episemialist beliefs be from the Vinalian populace, and Amendist from the Eldmarsk and Weranian populace. With the absence of religion in Ardesia, it is overwhelmingly within the twin capitals.

Languages

Luzelese is the official language of Ardesia and is the sole Luzelese-speaking nation in Asteria Superior spoken in media, schools, and government. Its use owes to one of the sole unifiers of Ardesian identity in Asteria Superior and is derivative of Euclean Luzelese. 96.7% of the country speaks Luzelese, behind other notable languages spoken at an ethnic level are Vespasian, Zapoyan, and Soravian. Ardesian Luzelese is the variety of Luzelese spoken in Ardesia, differing because of the bicoastal accents and prominent regional influences from indigenous, Bahian, and other Euclean languages. Many of these words have entered the Ardesian Luzelese lexicon not spoken in Euclean Luzelese. Plenty of minority native languages including the Apjai and Damayan languages are spoken co-officially at a municipal level. Speakers of Povelian, Esmerian, Tosuton, and Visegan all number together 30,000. Over time these languages have developed their own unique dialect due in part to the development in phonetics and lexicon and even influences from Ardesian Luzelese. The concentration of these is primarily in Nova Vespasia and was brought by minority settler ancestors of Paretia.

Culture

Ardesian culture is shaped through the crossings and introductions of various cultures, primarily the pre-contact Zapoyan and later Euclean nations of Luzela and Etruria. The core of Euclean cultural influence has been the usage of Luzelese and Vespasian languages, along with Solarian Catholicism. The introduction of Bahians and Goswans after the 1800s influenced Ardesia’s music and food. Ardesia’s stringent cultural growth reflected from the 9th President Alfonso Arvelo throughout 1864 to 1884 and the post-Great War 1940s, both having remarked economic growth. Ardesia's modern adoration of art crosses from Euclean architecture and painting to their world-renowned film industry birthed in the 1950s Cinema Crítica.

Art

Pictured: Self-portrait of Ugo Sagrado in 1987 along with his works ''Moça de Bonaventura'' and ''O Perturbado Veterano''.

Ardesian art has made a significant impact on the development of various Asterian artistic movements and nations beyond the 19th century. The inclusion of indigenous Zapoyan art to the Euclean influences such as Etruria, Paretia, and Gaullica. The compounding historical events that took place have all contributed to having it contain a diverse set of arts throughout each generation. The furthest extent of Ardesian art includes recording painted cave art in the northern caves of Popocacingo at about 7200 years old. The cave paintings depicted hand prints, figures, and rock reliefs of cultures that predate the initial migration of the Zapoyan tribes. Further east in the states of Cozticapan and Rio Leste lies evidence of rock reliefs aligned with the conventions of the Pre-Bastine Tetuolmec civilization. Zapoyan art would shortly become evident of their arrival, ranging from the intricately woven baskets to the vast variety of ceramics that provided different methods of their production. The ceramic tradition continues well into modern-day Ardesia, however, the arrival of the Povelians would immediately disregard the Zapoyan styles of ceramics as a majority if not had depicted the deities of the Zapoyan beliefs. A revival of Zapoyan traditions with ceramics has made its way into contemporary Ardesian arts, promoted commonly and accessible through local flea markets.

Zapoyan art would develop its way into codices for the next centuries until the 16th century with the Povelian conquest of the region implementing the first influence of Euclean art. Immediately depictions of the art produced through Zapoyan or Etrurians had tied down to Sotirianity to convert the population. Paintings moving away from religious themes would focus on the vast landscapes of Ardesia. Within the immediate vicinity of agriculture, an abundance of pastoral paintings made throughout inland Ardesia. The colonial caste system depicting racial categories would often be promoted in baroque. Ornate neoclassicist paintings would assist the aesthetics of the establishment of the rich colonial aristocracy and large churches. Events of the expulsion of various Vespasian settlers in the Ten Years’ War and the revolutions in the early 1800s would provide many pieces of important derivatives of finally conceived ‘Ardesian’ art. Works of this era largely settled within the realms of impressionism and romanticism, either depicting the quaint coastal towns or the fogged scuffles of the revolution. Romanticism would continue its way through the 19th century out of the appeal of Ardesia’s newfound economic and cultural turbulence. With the turn of the 20th century entering Ardesia into the Great Collapse, expressionism was given the permissible grounds for introduction among the new trends. Among the older established fine art academies, a clash emerged between them against the expressionist, and to a quicker extent modernist and surrealist movements. Ugo Sagrado was the most well-known Ardesian artist internationally and proprietor of expressionist and surrealist paintings, with his influence reaching outside of these movements. Many of Sagrado’s well-known works such as '' O Perturbado Veterano'' were influenced by his somber account of the Great War, with the rest of his career in abstract and surrealist paintings as he took off to Bonaventura in the immediate aftermath of the 1962 coup. Contemporary Ardesian art would follow forward in the pursuit of concept work, political, and pop art that’d either reflect Estado Novo’s harsh censorship and restriction of civil rights or consumer culture later on rocketed in the 90s.

Literature

Clockwise from top left: Ardesian writers Hugo Veratia, Samuele Lourdes, Rocco Dirce, and Adelmo Fedele

Ardesian literature can be spanned far back as Pre-Bastine Zapoyan oral tradition that’d be later depicted in the pictorial codices. The vast extent of these codices would see their use well into the 16th century to chronicle the events of initial Etrurian colonization. All of these Pre-Bastine works under the Zapoyan and even the preserved Nayivi and Úuchmáans are referred to as Classical Literature. Many themes in the Classical Literature of these peoples would purport the epics of the initial migration of northern modern-day Ardesia, as well as poetry fitting the practices of ritualist dance, and music. Further progress of Ardesian literature added to the accounts of the collapse of the Zapoyan confederation from a Euclean perspective. Moreover, the conquest of the mainland Zapoyan confederation and indigenous faiths would turn the focus of literature to one of the cores of broader Etrurian society; being their Catholic faith. Missionaries sent from Povelia would document the regional customs of Zapoyans in modern-day Monteverde to ease the transition towards Sotirianity. The ease was added further with the writings of the Zapoyan language in the Solarian Alphabet. Beyond the codices, the entries of friars in journals notably in Monteverde serve as a significant example of the combination of Euclean and indigenous cultures. Post-Classical works among the Zapoyans of modern Cozticapan would also document the histories of the historical city and squabbles of Och Khan.

Entries among the Etrurians would continue well into the seizure of coastal Ardesia by the Paretians. Examples notably are conquistador Costanzo Arrigo’s Storia generale di Porto Sotiri, a first-person narrative account of the rebuilding of Porto Sotiri, Marcello Umberto’s Storia di Nayivi, a history of the Nayivi peoples. The further fantastical descriptions of unsettled landscapes of modern-day Rio Leste and voyages up to the Ouro River by various explorers would remain the dominant picture of Ardesian literature for the next century. The transfer by the Paretians in the 18th century and further colonial development of Ardesia would include the establishment of academic and idealistic neo-classical and pastoral works. The slow turning of the cultural axis within Ardesia and outright rebellion against the decay of mainland Euclean hegemony would inspire many works of romanticism and picaresque noting a revolutionary spirit such as writer Hugo Veratia. Porto Sotiri became the scene of these concentrations of independence movements expressed best through literature societies concerting on the rejection of continuing Euclean and indigenous influences and the romanticized visions of an Ardesian country beyond the beginnings of the 1809 revolution. Notable writers during this era include Piero Pasqual, Afonso de Gonzaga, and Samuele Lourdes. A new array of literature focusing on a newfound frontier bordering Eldmark in the state of Cipriano would inspire a new derivative of gaúcho-centered poetry and short stories. Realism in literature began to reflect the growth of industries in the twin cities, though contrasting with the amounting uncleanliness and class disparity. Themes like these would popularly be written by Ardesia’s most well-known writer Rocco Dirce, who had lived up until the end of the Arvelo regime and was known for his 1887 novel ''Milo'', a fictional boy living in the burgeoning slums of Rémont.

Outside of fictional stories, an account of the Grande Fome within northern Lagune was chronicled through Pier Lourenço for the São Agostinho Journal, which was crucial for documenting the causes and the scale of ruination among the rural north of Ardesia under Arvelo. As Ardesia entered the 20th century with the slow rise of functionalism, the latter half of the 19th century was greatly revered in retrospect. For the next part of the century, Ardesia would see the dark period of systemic censorship, exile, and outright murder of numerous literary figures inflicted by the Ministry of Social and Political Vigilance. Post-Great War literature would continue to reflect the realistic narrative centered around the traumas of the conflict. However, the literature would flair with the themes of modernism and surrealism among the so-called 50s generation that nourished the brief sustainability of Ardesia before the 1962 coup. All while the policies inflicted on any opposing figures through academia, literature, and politics were repressed yet again, much of underground Ardesian modernism writings would gravitate towards the social themes of councilism. Catholic beliefs encouraged by the Estado Novo were viewed through the lens of novelists Patrício Resend and Benigno Menezes that centered on the themes of urban mores through the initial drug trades and territorial criminal rings of Rémont. Positivism would also be tied to the Catholic belief systems as Ardesia continued its internal stability through the 70s until the early 80s. Contemporary Ardesian literature has seen another release of expression, as many woes reflect the varying levels of government corruption, police violence, gang activity, and media monopoly within the country.

Cinema

Sagrado Cinema is one of the oldest continuing film companies producing iconic silent films such as the pictured 1920s Noite em Ravelle.

Ardesian cinema has had strong significant contributions to the historical and current development of cinema, dating as far back as 1909 with the creation of one of the oldest continuing film companies Sagrado Cinema producing silent films throughout the 1910s and mid-1920s. Notable films from this era include Noite em Ravelle and A Véspera dos Casacos Verdes (Urbano Caio). The latter renowned for their significant contribution to the development of horror in film Caio’s film had also served as an allegory for the Ardesian Functionalist Party. The potential for utilizing cinema as a tool in the Montecaran regime would see various films promoting functionalist propaganda well into the mid-1930s. A significant portion of prior films that supposedly opposed the ideals of the functionalist wave would've seen destruction. A large portion of various 1910s films were deemed lost to bonfires.

In the aftermath of the Great War, a return to freer films would’ve initially showcased the era of filma do escombros (film from the rubble), often having the casual theme of destruction resulting from the war. A golden age of cinematic films producing popular classics and from various movements that would reflect the economic and cultural boom in the 50s. Cinema Critíca would also spread to Ardesia among other Luzelese-speaking countries, many of which would note the prospering bourgeoisie in the coastal cities such as the 1956 film Ladrões (Nicodemo Roque). It wasn’t until shortly after 1962 that the return to brutal censorship amidst the sudden introduction of the Estado Novo government would there’d be another reduction in the production of feature-length films. Many of those that were under the supervision would soon adapt and improvise to the censorship and possible punishment with many creative choices in the distributed films. A common moniker for this period is the Velho Oeste’ lit. ‘Old West’, showcasing the period of the untamed disputed territories shared between the AFR and Eldmark. A theme universal in these films had been the virtue of resistance and nonconformity of the reputed Gaúchos of the era.

The Estado Novo would continue filtering films that’d soon include the narrative of the concurrent crime wave that would sweep through primarily Remont in relation to the surge in the drug wave. Many of these films would’ve inherited the same themes of Velho Oeste’s, however, they’d all have the same endings with protagonists' demise leading ultimately to death. A standout film among these was Alfonso Morelli’s third but breakout 1982 film ‘Inácio’, remarked for its commitment to neorealism. In the aftermath of the Estado Novo, Ardesian films would further reflect the realism in the initial economic downturn and air of aimlessness within the 90s. In the contemporary period, Ardesia is one of many Asterian countries bringing recognition to the two continents' flourishing cinema scene including the 2021 film 'Jocotoro' (Alfonso Morelli), being a recipient of the béco aùreo at the 82nd Montecara Film Festival.

Ardesia has its own multitude of film festivals, the most well-known being the Rémont Film Festival held annually in Rémont, and the Monteverde Festival. Additionally with its twin capitals, both house significant film schools.

Architecture

Left to right: The modernist Santa Catarina Church of Porto Belo, Luzelese colonial-era architecture in Ravelle, eclectic architecture of Acopa, and the rococo architecture of Nova Povelia

The pre-Bastine architecture of Ardesia is noted for the varying vernacular buildings done by the multiples of the Zapoyan and Úuchmáan tribes throughout Ardesia build primarily out of stone and adobe. Modern Ardesian architecture is born from the Etrurian colonial architecture, primarily for the purpose of administration and churches built to establish order throughout the coastal cities along the West Arucian. Continuation of the Euclean architecture would come through the Paretian reigns of control over Ardesia which had also bought inspiration from Etrurians, with the addition of Gaullican architecture. The maritime elements of Paretian architecture are apparent in their emerged style of azuline art. Paretian colonial architecture would continue evolving as baroque and rococo phased out the azuline art. As the Porto Sotiri and Rémont's colonies expanded, so did the two architectural styles. A divide between those cities and the further obscured colonial towns would stick to the simplistic Estilo Chão concentrated in Nova Povelia, Nova Vespasia, and Baía Nova.

The growing cityscapes would remain unchanged in these styles even till the 18th and early 19th centuries with the addition of revivalist styles of the previous baroque and rococo. The Arvelo regime would bring forth new urban ideas with the growth of the lucrative wealth of their Gowsan workers towards their vital cities. An example is the introduction of cast iron works attempting to reflect the Eastern Euclean cities of Verlois and Precea. The cast iron works would intertwine with the trend of art nouveau continuing throughout the late 19th century and until the Great War, which had seen a brief emergence in revivalism to glorify the devotion of Catholicism during the regime of Dinis Montecara. Throughout the 1950s the modernist and brutalist style was introduced and seen in the coastal states of Ardesia and primarily the twin capital of São Agostinho. The modernist styles would yet again serve as part of civic and governmental buildings and such as the well-known São Agostinho Oceanarium. Not only that, but they had been an integral part of post-war reconstruction and adapting to a slowly emerging tourist industry. The contemporary architecture of Ardesia revolves around all of these styles and the inclusion of seeking sustainable environmentally friendly buildings.

Cuisine

Ardesian cuisine encompasses regional and Old World ingredients resulting in Moqueca, a Baía Novan dish largely derived from Bahian cuisine, guacamole, a mole of avocado resultant of Zapoyan cultivation, bunyols, a dish originating from the common sight of cod in Luzelese cuisine, and polenta, a dish originating from Etruria.

Ardesian cuisine roots in the agricultural societies of the Úuchmáan and Zapoyan cultivating a variety of fusion food through the Tzapotlan Empire. Maize, tomatoes, squash, beans, avocados, zapote, and chili play a prime role in food staples native to Ardesia. The wave of Etrurian colonialism would bring in gastronomy relative to Povelia including the abundance of pasta with meat and herbed sauces. The Luzelese dominant culture of Paretia would contribute with their variety of food, introducing many diets consisting of primarily seafood-based dishes, stews, sausages, and bread. As Paretia consolidated most of Ardesia's modern borders through two centuries of colonization, they have imprinted all of their cuisine cultures throughout colonial Ardesia, making many hallmarks of their cuisine mostly visible in some dishes, examples can be the abundant inclusion of bread mixed in dishes or deserts. Ardesia soon strays with its own culinary culture including the Bahian influence on cuisine primarily in Ravelle and Baía Nova bringing in ingredients including palm oils, chili sauces, peanuts, and coconut milk.

Media

Guilherme Tower in Rémont

Ardesian media traces back to the late 18th century with the creation of the Rémont Chronicle on 8 September 1789 amidst the Pronunciamento by decree of Rafael II. This is important to know due to Paretia’s concurrent wave of revolution and turmoil that would reach Ardesia in a way that’d majorly impact its independence movement. The true nature of the Chronicle was to feign support for the already unpopular overseas overseer of colonial Ardesia. Rémont Observer was established in 1811 after Ardesia declared independence against Paretia, propping itself as a pro-independence leaning journal. The Rémont Chronicle during this was disbanded due to its allegiance to the Paretian monarchy. In the war's aftermath, Rémont Observer remains a significant daily newspaper to this day that has expanded its part in digital circulation. Other important Ardesian publications born that century were the São Agostinho Journal and the Porto Diário, a Porto Sotiri-based journal.

Radio broadcasting was born with the government creation of the Radio Television of Ardesia or RTA, first broadcasting the speech of Dinis Montecara celebrating the 400th Anniversary of Ardesia’s discovery by the Etrurians on 3 August 1923. Ardesia’s radio broadcasts would see another significant historic use as it was used by the Caudilho to declare invasion against Vinalia on 19 July 1925. RTA would see its utilization outside of functionalist propaganda and later de-functionalized as a smaller non-partisan government broadcaster by the GA. Post-GW another and more significant radio broadcaster would be born, Teledésia. Teledésia would soon overtake RTA in popularity under the creation of former journalist, businessman, and media tycoon Raphael Guilherme. Teledésia’s popularity was for revitalizing radio as an accessible tool to the general population, rather than reserving its broadcasts in the realm of news and classical music like the RTA. Teledésia would quickly utilize its airing of various trending music genres such as samba, sambalanço, and bossa nova as its root to spark constant tuning with the broader population.

Television was spearheaded by Teledésia on 25 November 1944. Television continued to grow throughout the century as more channel networks were created, although a plurality of them were held in the tight concentration of Teledésia’s ownership, now a mass media conglomerate engaged in radio stations, newspapers, magazines, and music. Examples of Teledésia’s span of networks include Teledésia Filma, based on airing edited-down feature-length films mainly in the genres of drama, Teledésia Asteria, a news broadcast of Asterian affairs, Teledésia Vida, geared towards home and lifestyle, Teledésia Criancas, a network dedicated to edutainment for children, Teledésia Música, airing music videos and events, and Teledésia 1, known for airing a combination of national news and soap operas. RTA also holds a significant airing in Ardesian homes, with RTA 1 broadcasting for government and public affairs. RTA Liga is dedicated to airing various sports events, famously for the Liga Federal and Coupe du Monde. RTA Liga’s accessibility to the population has led it to being one of the biggest broadcasted networks in Ardesia.

Sport

Football leads a figure sport in Ardesia, with the latter pictured sports of sailing, volleyball, and zadany also being popular beyond certain regions.

Including the variety of Arucian football, football is the largest sport in Ardesia. From municipal to high-ranking football leagues Ardesia holds a high importance to national identity. Ardesia has been host to the 1995 and upcoming 2023 Coupe du Monde, making it the only Asterian country that has hosted more than one Coupe du Monde. Ardesia’s men’s national football team won the 1975 Coupe du Monde. Ardesia’s highest football league in the country is the Liga Federal, viewed by millions across and outside the country and hosts many well-known participant clubs such as AC Rémont, Porto Sotiri FC, and FC Chiltic. Within the association of arucian football, Ardesia is second to following the most number of wins within the Arucian Cup, with their inclusion in the association in 1969. Ardesia totals number of 14 teams in the Arucian League.

Sports outside football that have garnered a heavy following particularly due to Ardesia’s tropical climate include aquatic sports. Sailing has been concentrated in the coastal states of Nova Vespasia and Porto Sotiri among wealthier people, dating as far back as the mid-1800s. Swimming is another popular sport that has made numerous lines of talent from the older Ido Borges and Gonçalo Luis of the 80s to Andréa Duarte of the 2020s. Owing again to Ardesia’s geography, its long coastline has been a catalyst for the universal popularity of beach volleyball. Further inland Ardesia holds a niche but nevertheless is interested in equestrian sports such as equestrianism and zadany, earning even a gold medal in the Invictus 2022 Games. Ardesia has been a recipient of numerous medals in the Invictus Games, notably through sailing, swimming, and football. Aside from receiving a multitude of medals, Ardesia hosted the 1962 Summer Invictus Games. A deficiency in winter game participation is due to a lack of consistently cold weather but doesn't prevent the practice of niche indoor hockey.