Shastara

The United Kingdom's of Shastara
Flag
Motto: Tir Y Fenix Land of The Phoenix
Anthem: Galwad yr Emrallt Ynys The Emerald Isle's Call
Capital	Reisstaun
Largest	Porth Clementina
Official languages	English, Shaelic
Recognised national languages	English
Ethnic groups (2017)	75% Ethnic Shastaran 6% Ethnic Rhodeve 5% Ethnic Ventismarian 5% Azaran 4% Ethnic German 3% Eastern Ophionese 2% Sunafrican
Demonym(s)	Shastaran
Government	Constitutional Monarchy
• Queen	Veronica Mustang
• Assembly Minister	Harri Glynn
Legislature	Shastaran National Assembly
Established  Kingdom of Shastara
• Treaty of the Six Kings	1225 A.D
• Y Siarter Imperial (The Charter Imperial)	1292 A.D
• The Collapse of the Shastaran Imperium	1575 A.D - 1688 A.D
• Crowning of Queen Alicia I	1690 A.D
• Ymosodwyr (Rhodeve) Invasion and Occupation	1745 A.D
• Samhradh Chwyldro (Summer Revolution)	June 6th - September 30th 1822 A.D
• Halcyon Reformation	1900 A.D
Population
• 2017 estimate	60,350,270 (20th)
GDP (nominal)	2017 estimate
• Total	CR2,808,899
• Per capita	CR33,333
Currency	Shastaran Credyd (SCR)
Time zone	UTCUTC+2 (Imperial Time)
Driving side	right
Calling code	+971
Internet TLD	.uks

The United Kingdom of Shastara, commonly referred to as simply Shastara, is a sovereign nation located in located in Southern Ventismar whose territory comprises of the island of Shasta in the Centismar Sea. The United Kingdom's of Shastara is a sovereign state, the two governing entities of the nation are the reigning monarch who rules from the nations royal capital located in Reisstaun, and the National Assembly located in the legislative capital of Astorburgh. Both entities exercises control over seven counties: Brynffrwd, Cwmdwrgi, Uainewyr, Val Centwyr, Bontfawr, Talbach, and Largenleck. The Centismar Sea surrounds the island which separates the country from its neighbors: Orylia to the west and Ashukal to the south.

The country's government is split between the Royal Branch and Legislative Branch. The Royal Branch is located in Reisstaun which is recognized as the nations official capital, while the Legislative Branch is located in Astorburgh. The largest city is Porth Clementina.

The Shastaran landscape is small but diverse, ranging from evergreen forests, rolling river valleys, gigantic mountains, and arid plains. Shastara's three major rivers the Bowlen, Fay, and Hendadder flow through 5 of Shastara's 7 major population centers. The Bowlen starts in Lake Saffir, the remnants of an ancient glacial lake that formed the Centwyr Bowl. The Bowlen runs west through the Aldwych Mountains and drops down to the Bowlen Delta in the city of Porthsladd, where it splits into the Fay and Hendadder rivers. The Fay flows northwest which goes through the nation's capital Astorburgh and then it empties into the Centismar Sea in Shastara's second largest city Bytholwyrdd. The Hendadder flows south into Brynffrwd and empties into Clementina Bay.

Shastara has a nominal GDP of 2.8 trillion CR. Shastara’s economy is led by logging, mining, and dairy industries, and agriculture with major contributions from well-funded export trades. The unemployment rate is at 4.2%. Shastara boasts a life expectancy of 82 years for men and 84 years for women. Both have access to healthcare services provided by the county government.

Etymology

The name Shastara comes from the ancient Shaelic word Shasta, which meant high or great island. Eventually, in Roman times the word shast came to mean teacher or wise one, and was used to describe the healers of the mountains. It is unknown what the reason was for the term Shastaran to be coined, but its first use was in a Roman census in the early years of occupation and has stuck ever since.

Demographics

According to the 2017 census, Shastara has a population of 60,350,270. 40,000,000 people live in the country's largest metro areas. In 1900 the country had a population of around 32 million people. Over the past century the population has doubled, in 2000 Lindenholt reached a population of almost 53 million. Since 2010 the population growth has been on average 37,000 people per year.

Language

Shastara's national language is both English and Shaelic. While schools nationwide teach English, 95% of students learn Shaelic at home or via tutoring. Both English and Shaelic are spoken in the cities however, Shaelic becomes more and more prevalent the farther into the countryside you go.

All government signs are printed in both languages. Oddly, knowing both languages is not a requirement to be eligible for any branch of the Shastaran Armed Forces or the Commonwealth Army. However, it should be noted that the Commonwealth Army requires an English translator for every Shaelic only speaker.

Religion

TBD

History

Prehistoric Shastara

Shastara was most likely first inhabited by those who crossed on the land bridge from the Ventismar mainland. Human footprints have been found from over 800,000 years ago in Bytholwyrdd and traces of early humans have been found around Uainewyr from some 500,000 years ago. Shastara became an island at the end of the last glacial period when sea levels rose due to the combination of melting glaciers and the subsequent isostatic rebound of the crust. Lumenism becomes prominent in early Shaelic society around 5,000 BC. By the year 50 BC Shastarans had spread Shaelic culture around the island and had begun to repopulate quickly.

Romaleus period

In 50 BC the Romans invaded and occupied Shastara until 125 AD during the Roman Collapse. Due to the island's geography the Shastaran people fell back into isolation from each other as Roman infrastructure deteriorated.

Muslim Raids and the Formation of the Taighs: 130 AD - 490 AD

In the year 131 AD, Muslim Ashukalese explorers sailed north and found Shasta, they immediately deemed Lumenism an affront to Allah and wage a jihad against its followers. Decades later in the year 158, in an effort to fight off the Muslim raiders the first of the Six Taighs, or Houses formed: Taigh Duilich under the lordship of Bartholomew Duilich. Seeing the success that Taigh Duilich was having upon unifying, other Taighs began to form. Taigh Hendrixson in 163, Taigh Beinn in 168, Taigh Lanchester in 170, Taigh MacCoinnich in 172, and finally Taigh Hamlet in 174. Not much is known about the early days of the Six Taighs, however, by the 490s the Taighs had repelled the invaders from the island. However, they immediately turned on each other. There is no record of who attacked who first but from the year 490 to 1170 the Taighs fought each other in a series of brutal wars for 680 years.

The Great Pobldywod Invasion and the Treaty of the Six Taighs: 1195 - 1206

In 1175 Amed Hal Muta raised an army with the goal of taking Shastara and landed in southern Shastara and quickly overran the forces of Taigh Hamlet at the Battle of Abermark. The other five Taighs quickly realized the grave threat this force posed and quickly unified their forces. After a series of brutal battles, the deathblow to Hal Muta's campaign was dealt at the Battle of Gorcaster Pass in 1205. Cadywydd Amadeus Suian's force of only 3,000 destroyed Muta's 10,000 strong army by causing man-made avalanches and picked off any survivors. With Muta dead, his remaining forces fell apart and the war ended in 1206 with the signing of the Treaty of the Six Tŷmeistrs. This treaty was meant to not only be the final conflict between Shastara and the south, but between the Six Taighs as well. This did not last however, as in 1225, Taigh MacCeallaig attacked Taigh Lanchester. Eventually, the conflict enveloped the island and by 1226 the Great Taigh Mawr was in full swing.

The Great Taigh Mawr and the Crowning of Tomas Mustang I: 1225 - 1290

For 23 years the island drowned in its own blood in the conflict known as the Great Taigh Mawr, or the Great House War. However, at the Battle of Bowlen Gap between Taigh Hendrixson and Taigh Duilich the island was shocked at the insane 150,000 casualty count and the Tŷmeistrs realized if this pointless bloodshed continued they would succumb to outside invaders. So on June 7th, 1249; the Six Tŷmeistrs came together to sign the Treaty of Aon Popel. This treaty decreed that a King would be chosen from a selection of generals, scholars, warriors, and priests. Eventually, the Shastaran Crown fell to a man named Tòmas Mustang I, a General in service of Taigh Duilich. Tòmas Mustang was crowned the King of the newly unified Kingdom of Shastara. Alongside the King, the Tŷmeistrs would form an Assembly where instead of fighting out their differences on the battlefield, they would instead fight it out in the art of politics with the King being a mediator. Under Tomas I, national identity was built around Shaelic culture and the values of Lumenism.

The Crowning of Conall Mustang I and the rise of the Shastaran Imperium: 1290 - 1320

When Tomas I died in 1290 his son Conall Mustang I was crowned King. Conall was ambitious and sought to expand his domain. Under Conall the kingdom was changed as he implemented the Siarter Imperial, the document which organized the Kingdom of Shastara into the Shastaran Imperium. The first expansion of the Imperium was the Muslim lands to the East which were still largely unorganized. By 1315 Conall had personally subjugated most of the Eastern Centismar and was beginning to turn his attention to the west. By 1320 several islands in the Orylian Archipelago had been taken and were being used as staging grounds for the great war that was coming.

The Iar War Period: 1321 - 1399

Over the course of the mid-1300s, Conall and his armies took advantage of the chaotic situation in Ventismar and quickly took several coastal cities in Pantorrum as well as several islands off the coast of Roma. However, in 1335 Conall I died of old age and was succeeded by his heir, Conall II at the age of 18. Conall II was even more ambitous then his father.

TBD

The Fharpaisewyr War and the Western Collapse: 1400 - 1575

By this stage, Conall II's alliance with the Ruzkov Empire was rapidly deteriorating and ultimately results in a 137-year long war that consumes the northwestern Centismar. The War ends in 1537 which results in the Imperium's northernmost holdings being ceded to the Ruzkov's. With Pantorrum rapidly gaining strength and the huge amount of resources wasted on the Fharpaisewyr War, the Imperium's forces in the Western Centismar were overrun and by 1575 the Imperium was reduced to its size in 1320.

Howell Mustang and the Mustang Schism: 1576 - 1600

Nearing the end of the Western Collapse Howell Mustang had been crowned and the state of his Imperium had seemingly driven him into a deep state of depression. Very often he would not leave his castle for weeks on end. He became bitter and abusive and often paid extensive visits to the Siaradwr, the figurehead of Lumanism. Finally, in 1585 Howell and the Siradwr made an announcement to the Imperium. Howell was a chosen warrior of Luma and would lead all to salvation. He painted other religions, particularly Islam as heretical and products of worms. As a result of this state enforced Lumanism thousands were executed across the Imperium, and not even the Order of Light itself was safe from this great purge. In 1588, When King Howell announced his plan for a great crusade into the Muslim world the Siaradwr came out against this act, he believed that Howell's actions were against the core values of Lumanism. Howelldeclared him to a heretic and had him executed, then declared himself Arwach (or Great Seer). As Arwach he took direct control of the Order of Light and took all authority away from the Assembly of the Taighs, he was in control and a year later in 1589 he launched his crusade to Mecca.

Howell only ever got about 200 miles inland yet still managed to kill hundreds of thousands of Azaran Muslims and Jews. However, his ultimate goal of reaching Mecca was never realized. Back at home however, his son Hywel was fuming. Growing up Hywel Mustang I had seen his father Howell for who he really was: an abusive, lustful, and sinful man who was in no way worthy of holding the title of King, let alone Siaradwr. After his father abolished the Assembly of Lords he reached out in secret and asked each Tŷmeistr if they would support him if he were to attempt to overthrow his father, they all said yes. However King Howell had most of the people in his grasp believing he was indeed a chosen leader by Luma itself, this would be the biggest challenge in his coup.

Upon his return from Azarah in 1595, Harvey confronted his father in the throne room and challenged him to a duel. The two fought ferociously until his father had thrown him of the castle wall. However the fall did not kill the young Prince, he was taken by Taigh McGregor and weeks later publicly announced the sins of his father and announced his intent on taking the throne back. For the next three years, the forces of the Six Taighs in support of Harvey fought against the forces of Lumanist theocrats under Howell. Finally, in 1600 at the Battle of Dalrigg Ridge, Hywel Mustang struck his father down and reclaimed the throne. The compulsory worship of Lumenism was revoked and the authority of the Assembly of the Taighs was reinstated.

The Reign of Alicia I and Ymosodwyr Invasion and subsequent occupation: 1721 - 1822

In 1721 King Corin Mustang II died of old age and his daughter Alicia Mustang I was crowned Shastaras first Queen at the age of 19. Her reign marked significant progressive changes throughout the Imperium ranging from woman's rights to improved working and living conditions for indentured servants.

However, her life and the lives of what would become millions of others were tragically cut short in 1745 when the United Kingdoms of Shastara became the target of the Empire of Rhodevus. Rhodevus invaded the island without warning on August 18th, 1745. Tragically Queen Alicia was caught in the initial bombardment of Porth Clementina as she was touring the city that same day. Days later it became clear that there was no chance that Shastara would be able to fend off the invasion. So it was decided that the Royal Family would be evacuated in secret to the Englean Kaiserreich. However, Prince Maddox Mustang chose to stay and fight for his people. He and his wife Claudia chose to stay, while the younger Prince Warner Mustang set off with the rest of the family in a ship disguised as a Rhodeve frigate bound for the Englean Kaiserreich.

For the first 30 years of the occupation, Maddox Mustang lead the Royal Resistance which worked to sabotage the Rhodeve war machine and government whenever and wherever it could. However, in 1783 the Prince was captured and publicly executed in the former capital of Astorburgh at the age of 60. However, he and his wife Claudia had a son. Ryker Mustang took command of the Royal Resistance at just the age of 19 and fueled by his father's death fought on furiously using guerilla tactics until Prince Murdoch Mustang, the son of Warner Mustang who had fled to the Kaiserreich appealed to the Kaiser to intervene. Admiring Ryker's fiery zeal and the fact that his resistance hadn't been snuffed out by the Rhodeves, the Kaiser agreed to help. After a series of naval engagements between the Rhodeve and the Engleans, combined with the rapidly deteriorating situation within the Rhodeve Empire, the Rhodeves finally withdrew from Shastara in 1822.

But there was a problem. Prince Murdoch was next in line for succession, but Prince Ryker and his father had stayed with the people and had suffered with them while Warner lived in luxury in Engleberg. This did not bode well with the public and in late 1822 the Ryker Riots began under the demand that Prince Ryker must be put on the throne instead of Warner. Several people died in the riots which lasted two weeks until Murdoch renounced the throne and Ryker was crowned King. In 1860 Ryker Mustang died of leukemia and Prince Halcyon I was crowned King.

The Halcyon Reformation: 1900 - 1915

In order to dampen the rising desire for liberty among the Shastaran citizenry, King Halcyon decided to allow the people to have a bigger say in Shastaran politics. In his 1900 New Years Address, he said “A new century, a new Shastara.” This new Shastara was to have a new Assembly that operated as equals to the Assembly of Taighs. This new Assembly would be democratically elected by the general public from seven new elective districts.

This new system, while built with all the right intentions, was built with two core flaws. The first being the districts themselves. Several districts crossed the borders of different Taighs that still had a distaste for each other to an extent. Secondly, Halcyon did not offer anything to appease the Tŷmeistr's. As far as they were concerned this "new Shastara" was an affront to centuries of Shastaran tradition and government. Not to mention their families had held the titles as what essentially were minor kings for hundreds of years and to have this status diminished by having common folk being able to ascend to what essentially was the same status as Tŷmeistr was more than insult.

This would result in the Tŷmeistr's looking down upon these new Representatives and never really acknowledging their status as equals. Halcyon's new National Assembly began in firm gridlock with getting nothing done between the House of Taighs and the House of Representatives. These tensions would continue to rise, and the inability to change would end up being the downfall of the Tŷmeistr's.

The Last War of the Tŷmeistrs: 1916 - 1919

In 1916, Taigh MacCormaig became enveloped in a plot to take the Tŷmeistry of the Taigh away from Tŷmeistr Douglas MacCormaig by his brother Claudius MacCormaig. On May 17th, 1916, it was announced that Douglas MacCormaig had been assassinated via poison. In his coronation speech, Claudius MacCormaig publically accused that Tŷmeistr Bradley Hendrixson, of Taigh Hendrixson, had ordered the assassination. The two Taighs had always been at odds since their inception, in fact, it is commonly thought that it was these two Taighs that started the first war of the Taighs back in the 490s however there is little evidence to support this theory.

However, Taigh MacCormaig had another heir, Douglas's son William MacCormaig was not yet old enough to take the Tŷmeistrship, so Claudius took it in his place. King Halcyon demanded that Claudius come to Astorburgh to make his case against the Hendixsons in the National Assembly, however, the hearing was postponed for Claudius's wedding. In a strange turn of events, Claudius married Douglas's widow Gertrude MacCormaig only two weeks after his coronation.

Finally, on June 18th, 1916, Lord Claudius MacCormaig made his case against the Hendrixson family before the National Assembly. Stating that "It is no secret that there has always been an underlying mistrust between our two Taighs. However, because we knew the value of a united Shastara we had put our differences aside we hoped our feud would fade from memory, not simmer like it so clearly has." He then went on to describe how the MacCormaig Keep Guard had apprehended the assassin who had issued a confession. And upon searching his home, had found the order with the signature of Bradley Hendrixson himself. He then walked over to King Halcyon and gave him the paper for him to inspect. Bradley Hendrixson was then called to testify. Hendrixson gave a fiery speech damning Claudius for fabricating the accusations and demanded that a proper investigation commence immediately. However, the other Lords had already made up their minds. Houses MacCoinnich and Beinn sided with Hendrixson. And Houses Lanchester and Gleason sided with Hamlet.

The Representatives attempts to ease the situation were all blocked by the House of Tŷmeistrs simply because they didn’t recognize their positions as elected officials. Then when King Halcyon attempted to settle the situation he and Tŷmeistr Claudius engaged in a heated debate, when it became clear the Shastaran Throne would not back Taigh MacCormaig, Claudius and the Tŷmeistrs of MacCoinnich and Beinn walked out of the Assembly. Shortly after Tŷmeistr Hendrixson walked out with the Tŷmeistrs of Taighs Beinn and Gleason. Only Taigh Charles Duilich of House Duilich stayed on the side of reason and order alongside King Halcyon and the crown. Realizing the heart of the Assembly had walked out with the Tŷmeistrs, Halcyon began to plan for the worst.

All the Taighs, with the exception of Taigh Duilich, began to take control of their local governments, reinvigorating the localized patriotism that had been instilled on the population for 1,400 years and had began to amass forces of their own. In response to this King Halcyon enforced Marshall Law across the country. In turn, the Lords used this to instill fear that the King was going to take direct control once again and go back on his promise of a democratic future. The fabric of a unified Shastara began to crumble and on October 14th, 1916 The War of Lords began.

Fighting began when MacCormaig attempted to reoccupy ancient farmland that had at one point been theirs and had been a constant point of tension between them and Hendrixson ever since. Meanwhile, Taigh Lanchester blockaded the Bowlen River Gorge, effectively cutting off Taigh MacCoinnich from the rest of the world. The first few battles of the war were catastrophic for all sides, the Taighs made the same mistake that the Ventismarian nations were making as World War One raged on, and were stuck in the classic line formations of the 17th century. Claudius was the first to adjust to the modern weapons at the time, and at the Battle of Herrotford, was able to lay waste to 112,500 men. A quarter of Hendrixson's armed forces which was massing to invade. This quickly caused the Hendrixson alliance to modernize and in a matter of weeks, much of central Shastara was turned into a plume of mustard gas. January of 1917 was the deadliest month of the war with over two million deaths over the course of three weeks. Halcyon could sit back no longer. However, with all of her allies entrenched across the world in the Great War, and with only House Duilich willing to back the crown, there wasn't much he could do. And so for six months, each side was entrenched on all fronts. Trench warfare froze the offensives everywhere as the winter set in. The next two years would be repeats of the same thing: Freeze in winter, breakthrough in spring, brutalize each other in summer and fall, and then freeze for four months and repeat.

However, ever since his fathers death, William MacCormaig, a devout follower of Lumenism, had not been satisfied with his uncle's story. For the past three years, he had been digging further into his father's death. Finally, in July of 1919, he wrote in his journal: “The Great Luma itself has given me a moment of clarity. It said that my incestuous uncle murdered my father the King. How I am not sure however I have a plan.” Williams plan was ingenious. He was to hold a play for his uncle in which a King was murdered by his brother in order to take the crown. Hoping that the message would trigger some sort of reaction from Tŷmeistr Claudius. And that it did; multiple eyewitnesses report that Lord Claudius seemed extremely distressed and later walked out of the theatre before the play was over. That was all the proof William needed, later he confronted his mother Gertrude on the matter, she then reluctantly verified William's suspicions. It was indeed that Claudius had poisoned his own brother and had fabricated evidence that Bradley Hendrixson was responsible. However, Claudius had not anticipated that the conflict would escalate as it did. Shortly after Lady Gertrude met with Tŷmeistr Claudius and told him of what had transpired. He then hatched a plot of his own to kill William. An informant in Claudius’s inner circle alerted Hamlet that Claudius would challenge him to a duel and shortly before the duel William would be offered a poisoned glass of wine. William then accepted the challenge and confronted his uncle in MacCormaig Castle. Midway through the duel Lady Gertrude accidentally drank from the poisoned cup and in the ensuing chaos William stabbed Claudius through the chest, but Claudius stabbed William with a poison-tipped dagger.

Before the duel, William had sent his journal to King Halcyon. He then addressed the fractured nation describing Claudius's treachery, and Williams heroism. With all the heirs to the MacCormaig throne dead, nobody was left to lead. Fighting immediately stopped on all fronts and trust in the Tŷmeistrs was shattered. Seven million people on all sides died for a lie. On August 6th the National Assembly met to discuss the terms of peace. Taigh Hendrixson demanded that all of Taigh MacCormaig be split between the "victors" of the war. But Halcyon would have none of it. Halcyon, like 90% of the country, had enough of the squabbling of the Houses, how they had acted so indignantly towards the elected Representatives he had worked so hard to be able to get into office, and how arrogant Hendrixson was in thinking there could be a victor in a war like this. So August 8th, 1919 King Halcyon abolished the Assembly of the Tŷmeistrs, reduced the role of the Lords to a purely ceremonial one, and decreed that local governments would be created to keep the Lords from gaining support ever again. The Taighs reluctantly accepted these terms after a 10-hour debate, and the official name of the nation was changed from the Kingdom of Shastara to the United Kingdoms of Shastara.

However, this was not the end of the chaos. One man above all others was livid with the decision. That man was Wayne Duilich, son of Tŷmeistr Charles Duilich. He felt betrayed. Taigh Duilich had been the only Taigh to back the crown, to back Halcyon. For centuries Taigh Duilich had been a symbol of regality, stability, and held in a higher esteem than the others. Wayne had grown up his whole life expecting to praised and exalted as Tŷmeistr of Duilich. But Halcyon ripping this away from him drove him mad. And so during Halcyon's 1919 Christmas Eve Address, Wayne Duilich shot King Halcyon Mustang I out of a petty, self absorbed rage. Shortly after King Luthor Mustang was crowned King.

World War II: 1939 - 1947

TBD

Postwar Reconstruction, the beginning of the Cold War, and the Shastaran Missile Crisis: 1948 - 1977

At the end of World War II, Shastara was in ruins. The only farmland that was available to use were the farms in Val Centralia. Major cities were in ruins. Porthsladd was a flooded marshland, the ports in Bytholwyrdd were utterly destroyed, Astorburgh was burnt to the ground, Porth Clementina was rubble. Millions were displaced and starving. Almost immediately King Luthor demanded the new Rezuan government pay war reparations of 50 million credyds however Rezua was in just as poor a state and was in no position to pay such an amount (It should be noted that the Shastaran National Assemblea continually petitions the Rezuan government for payment, if the 2019 petition passes the Assemblea, Rezua will be sent a bill of CR706,116,666). With the reparations nowhere in sight the Shastarans immediately turned to its liberators, Rhodevus and Engleberg. The Englean Kaiserreich initiated Der Wiederaufbauplan Shasttland, The Shastaran Rebuilding Plan. The plan spent 40 million credyds rebuilding Shastaran infastructire from the ground up. Meanwhile, the Rhodeve Commonwealth spent 10 million on humanitarian efforts saving millions from starvation. Given the nations strategic location in the Centismar, both factions spent millions on rebuilding Shastaras military as well. Both Englean and Rhodeve ships were leased while a vast majority of Shastara's army and air force being given Englean vehicles, planes, and armor. The Commonwealth also invested heavily in building Shastara's submarine fleets to contain the USJR's actions in the Centismar Sea.

King Luthor continued his father's policy of being a relativly hands off monarch. He was very supportive of Samlet Kendle, the first democratically elected First Minister of the Assemblea. Under Kendle's tenure (1950 - 1962) Shastara maintained a tight relationship with both the Englean Kaiserreich and the nations of the Rhodeve Commonwealth, while forming proactive treaties with Shastara's neighbors Ashukal and Orylia that focused more on economic development and mutual defense. Shastara's economy underwent a massive boom in the 50s with the discovery of massive tungsten deposits in the Aldwych Mountains. Immigration also spiked postwar as tens of thousands of Englean and Rhodeve soldiers and workers decided to stay in the country that many had fought to free and rebuild. While the Rhodeve immigrants largely stuck to the metro areas, many Engleans settled in the Henadder River Valley and formed Shire Konrad.

By 1957 Shastara was one of the leading powers in Southern Ventismar and was the very final frontier of the capitalist world, being surrounded on two sides by the Communist Jamestown Pact. The Shastaran Intelligence Ministry (S.I.M) became a critical asset to the other anti-Communist powers of the day. Shastara quickly became a hub for anti-Communist subversive activities in Ventismar for the entirety of the Cold War (further details pending).

On July 6th, 1963 a gunfight broke out at the Bonneshire Dam between unknown gunmen and the dam's private security. The gunmen were quickly subdued once the Val Centralian National Guard stormed the dam and S.I.M quickly launched an investigation into the incident. It was quickly found out that the gunmen were Esotanan agents sent to blow the dam to flood the Bowlen and Henadder river vallies. The nation was outraged and on July 18th King Luthor dispatched the Shastaran Navy to the enterance of the Inner Centismar to deny enterance to any ships of the Jamestown Pact. In a span of 24 hours hundreds of submarines and surface craft were deployed by both sides in an effort to track the others movements. In response, the Jamestown Pact demanded that Shastara lift the blockade and remove the 12 nuclear missiles that had been given to the nation by the Commonwealth. The situation came to a head on July 29th when after two subs from the opposing sides collided. Both sides thought the others sub had been sunk and prepped their nukeses for launch. It went from bad to worse when Shastaras nuclear defense system detected five launches from Esotana. Reportadly an argument broke out between King Luthor and his wife Veronica about how they should respond it is not exactly known what happened during the argument, however, it is said that Veronica beat Luthor over the head with a tea platter knocking him out cold and gave the order to stand down. As it turns out the system had given a false alarm and the Esotanans had not launched any missiles. After this incident, Shastara immediately reopened the Inner Centismar and both nations vowed to reduce interference in the others internal affairs.

The Reign of Queen Veronica Mustang: 1978 - Present

On September 4th, 1978 King Luthor spoke before the nation addressing his lack of public appearances and announced he had been diagnosed with lung cancer, a combination of severe smoke inhalation from WWII and fervent love for cigars. For five months he continued to reign until he finally lost his battle with cancer on January 20th, 1979. At his memorial service after reading his eulogy, Veronica read one last message from Luthor to the Shastaran people. Luthor once again stunned the world by hiding who would be his successor in that letter. Veronica Mustang was to be the next Queen of Shastara. Her reign was controversial due to not being a direct descendant of the Mustang Royal Family and the fact she was 57 upon her coronation.

However, the opportunity to prove herself came quickly as on May 18th, 1980 Mount Creagach erupted in Bontfawr killing 83 people. Veronica is credited for putting the responsibility of handling the eruption on the Royal Branch, which streamlined containment, evacuation, and rescue efforts. The eruption was declared the most distructive volcanic eruption in Shastaran history and caused 3.3 billion credyds in damage.

Nine years later the nation was struck with another natural disaster: The 1989 Clementina Earthquake. This 6.9 quake caused 6.6 billion credyds in damage and killed 300 people around the Porth Clementina Metro Area. Due to the Annual Rhodeve Shastaran Hockey Match being broadcasted during the earthquake is was the first earthquake in the world to be broadcasted on live television.

Government

The United Kingdoms of Shastara is a Constitutional Monarchy with power split between Queen Veronica Rosemary Mustang and the National Assemblea. The National Assemblea is a senatorial body made up of two Senators from each county and is administered by the First Minister. The National Assemblea convenes in the Assemblea Building in Astorburgh. Senators meet and vote to pass legislation and measures via majority vote and approval of the Crown. Assemblea elections are held every five years, and First Ministerial elections are held every six.

Administrative Districts

The United Kingdoms of Shastara is divided into seven counties: Brynffrwd, Cwmdwrgi, Uainewyr, Val Centwyr, Bontfawr,Talbach, and Largenleck. Each county is then divided into shires which act as local districts.

Political Parties

There are currently three parties represented in the National Assemblea. The majority party is the Stallion Party, a right wing monarchist party that has been in control of the Assemblea for the vast majority of its existence. The other two represented parties are the Shastaran Democratic Party and the left wing People's Party.