#libraryofcirclaria

The Fall of Wannonia

The Great Blight was parasitic to the flaxweed crop, consuming each plant's water and nutrients, and in turn, starving and drying it. Eventually, the plant would die. And during the entire process, the fungus, when having reached full maturity, would release floating spores, which would spread to other plants. It was by this that farmers in the Southern and Western regions of Wannonia lost entire flaxweed crops, leading to lack of food and income. They attempted to rid the invasive species via burning. But very soon, educated educated Wannonian scholars learned that setting infected crops ablaze actually helped Blight spores to spread further, as the fungus released large amounts of them as part of a survival tactic.

Emperor Clastye II ordered the Blighted fields to be walled in and filled with water, as it was found that the fungus, in the mature stage, could not survive underwater. Furthermore, he imposed heavy punishments, including the death penalty in some cases, for burning infected crops, and set territorial quarantines for those in the infected regions, fearing that farmers would carry spores on their clothes and boots into non-Blighted regions. In the late 1160s, with the resulting hardship, the farmers rebelled against the Emperor's orders, to which the Emperor responded with measures of martial law. As water was drawn from some of the canals to combat the Blight, such canals were shut down. Nevertheless, Clastye II's measures kept the Blight under fair control to the South and West.

But then, in 1169, the Great Drought hit. Major canal networks dried up, stifling commerce and trade, and leading Imperial authorities to force water from farmers in order to contain the Blight, which began to grow out of control in the ideal dry climate. Very soon, Wannonia saw widespread flaxweed crop failures. And wildfires, caused by dry lightning, helped the Blight spores to spread even more quickly. This plunged Wannonia into a state of crisis, as these wildfires destroyed even more crops. The resulting food and flaxweed shortages helped to drive up prices in the marketplace; and before long, Emperor Clastye II imposed rations. As the Blight grew to consume nearly seventy percent of what was once arable land for flaxweed, the Emperor issued widespread traveling quarantines. And the locals, feeling oppressed by Imperial authority, rebelled, leading to widespread conflict. News of the hardships resulting from these measures reached Wannonians in the North and even in Tekon, itself, leading them to turn against the Emperor. As each year passed, the effects of the drought began to worsen.

In 1173, a large wildfire destroyed the city of Aron, sending thousands of refugees fleeing to the North, where they were blocked by Imperial forces. Such refugees confronted them with violence, and a major civil conflict broke out. In 1174, with many siding against the Emperor and his agenda against the refugees from Aron, an organized coup overthrew the Wannonian Imperial government, as Clastye II was murdered. With multiple figures claiming to be the successor, warring factions battled one another in the streets of Tekon and throughout Wannonia. On 17 October 1176, a wildfire destroyed Tekon, itself, sending remaining Wannonians in the region to flee elsewhere.

Between 1177 and 1200, the Wannonian territory consisted of nomadic militant groups roaming the countryside, battling each other while scavenging for food and resources.

President Henry

In 1183, President Harold Jameson of Combria was aging and seeking a figure to succeed him. In doing so, Jameson focused on two candidates: Jacob Thomas Henry and David James Pennwell. In November 1183, Jameson determined Pennwell to be the most qualified of the two, and appointed him to be the next President. However, Henry was determined to unseat Pennwell, and staged a scandal that landed the President-appointee under scrutiny. In March 1184, the Court found Pennwell guilty of such staged accusations; and the Council disqualified him from his future office. In April, seeing no other alternative, Jameson appointed Henry. When Pennwell uncovered evidence of Henry's involvement in the scandal, Henry's popularity led the Council and Court to dismiss such charges. And on 14 May 1184, Jacob Henry became the President of Combria.

The Perennial

President Henry, in the years that followed, implemented economic policies that would lead the nation through an unprecedented chapter of prosperity. He began with the payment of large sums of money to merchant Chiefs of Staff, who funded and established various firms that traded independently within the nation and abroad. Under Henry's orders, two canals were constructed to bisect each of the lower tier perimeters of the Diamond District.

As a result, Hasphitat became a major post of trade, with ships and barges frequenting its piers. Meanwhile, throughout the inland regions, the ebony mining industry became popular, as it was found that such material was useful in the efficient production and use of talismans. Most notable, however, was the resulting boom in the aviation industry, where large funds given to the newly-founded Department of Aviation led to the construction of government facilities that constructed mass numbers of planes and airships. Meanwhile, the Department gave remaining funds to notable aviation families, who established aviator leagues.

A very important innovation in the aircraft industry during this time was the invention of the pressurized cabin, making it possible to fly higher and further. In 1189, the first fleet of high-flying aircraft, consisting of military and passenger planes, was launched. In the years to come, aviator leagues, renting these aircraft, would establish regular passenger flight routes.

In 1192, the Perennial was launched, being noted as the first airship with a pressurized cabin. It was capable of flying at altitudes of 21000 feet and a distance of 5000 miles. As a demonstration of its potential, the Perennial took its commercial flight from Hasphitat directly to the city of Kitalos between 12-16 September 1192. That October, Combria and the Federation of Kitalos established an air trade route.

Marion's Disease

Infecting the victim by entering through the mouth, nose, eyes, or open wounds, Marion's Disease harms the body by consuming its host's nutrients and releasing a harmful waste byproduct into the blood stream. The body's response to this is a fever, accompanied by coughing, diarrhea, and vomiting. Without effective treatment, the disease usually would kill its victim in one of two ways: high fever and dehydration as a result of the body's immune system response, or effective suffocation by the high presence of the toxic byproduct.

Throughout the 1100s, industrialization in Southern Canticula led epidemics to spread, via trade flow, to the North. In the 1170s, several outbreaks of an "unknown disease," an earlier and weaker strain of Marion's Disease, swept through the nations of Furthing and Nassem. In 1184, another outbreak hit the region, claiming the life of one child. In 1189, the disease reached Hasphitat, where it was called "Dockman's Flu," and claimed one life. One year later, Hasphitat was struck by a worse strain of the disease, as 600 lives were lost.

And then the disease spread to Mikant.

Living from 1133 to 1217, Doctor Philip Marion, an archaeologist from Terredon, the Great North, was on a tour to study mysterious inscriptions on a stone slab near Mikant proper. On 1 May 1192, he left on a ship to the region, to which he arrived four days later. It was during the month of June that Marion, well into his studies, began noting local Mikanians falling ill. In the weeks that followed, many of them died, with such mortality in staggering numbers by the end of September. Fearing the conditions, Marion returned quickly to his home in Terredon, where he wrote letters describing the disease to Doctor Philip Osman, an honored figure in medicine. Osman traveled to Mikant, where he diagnosed the disease, naming it Marion's Disease, and developed effective treatment, which he wasted no time administering to the locals. Before long, the spread of the disease was effectively stopped.

President Henry vs. President Slaya

In January 1193, a coup in Abetz, the capital of Mikant, led to the overthrow of President Von DeKere, who was replaced by the revolutionary Mara Slaya. As the new President, Slaya opened a free market and expanded on Inland Sea trade. Favoring Mikanian traders, Slaya imposed stricter enforcement over Mikanian maritime claims, which upset the nation of Combria, which had been dominating the trade route for a number of years. Thus, tension began to mount.

Such tension broke in April of that year, when Jerrod Brown, illegally operating a side business in Combria, had a Combrian Court issue a warrant for his arrest. Instead, Brown fled to the nation of Mikant for asylum, which Slaya honored. President Henry approached Slaya, demanding that she extradite Brown; but Slaya refused, stating that Brown's actions were considered legal in Mikant. Henry retaliated with military force, which all but leveled the city of Mikant. Throughout Combria, President Henry paid media venues to maintain silence over the matter, fearing backlash. To this day, his actions are considered quite controversial with a speculation over the details.

Nevertheless, the Remikran Union levied repercussions against President Henry, as the Great North sanctioned the nation while rebuilding Mikant. Then, in June, a treaty was signed within the Union, which allocated Mikant and surrounding territories to President Henry as a form of consolation in exchange for reparations. Under Henry's orders, the city of Mikant was renamed New Jestopole. Slaya, seen as an aggressor, was made to leave, as a new Mikanian presidency and business market was established. The appointed Governor-General founded a special Trades Department to oversee all Mikanian economic transactions.

Geography

Most of the land of Northeastern Ancondria is a flat grassland about 3000 feet above sea level. Consisting of the plant species Ancondrian Crass, this region is considered the largest source of oxygen on the planet.

There are a few exceptions to the flat plains in the region, however. First is the region of Silba and Beaustrough, which consists of mountains reaching up to 7500 feet. Then there is the region surrounding the Havenlands, known as the Rim Mountains, which reach about 5000 feet. The Havenlands region itself consists of a gentle and gradual downward slope toward the sea, outlining the Southeastern half of an ancient crater. And then the land lining the coast all around the Peninsula is about 20 to 400 feet above sea level.

The climate throughout the flat grassland region is temperate, which is surprising since the region is very close to the equator; however, its high elevation means temperatures here are cooler while the air is less humid. The weather is warm and tropical year-round in the coastal regions, while cool summers and cold, snowy winters dominate the higher land near Silba and the Rim Mountains.

The United Confederation of Ancondria (UCA)

Standing as the larger of the two nations in Northeast Ancondria, the United Confederation of Ancondria, or the UCA, is governed as a direct-representative democracy, meaning that every leadership position in the executive and judicial branches, and every representative in legislature, is elected directly by the voting population.

The UCA is divided into 17 Territories. Each Territory elects 100 Delegates every year, a Governor on every second and seventh year of a given decade, and a Representative to the capital city of Providence on every third and eighth year of a given decade. On every fifth year of a decade, the UCA will elect a Governor-General serving as the Head of National Government, a post subject to a retention vote every tenth year of the decade. Every decision made by leadership is subject to override by popular referendum carried out by the population, who enjoys extensive powers of petition. Every year on a rotating basis, the UCA population will elect 11 Judges to the Supreme Court to each serve one eleven-year term.

The UCA boasts a strong military but strictly adheres to a policy of homeland defense, meaning that they do not deploy abroad unless there is a direct and imminent threat to the Confederation, a policy further enforced by the fact that the Confederation does not hold overseas territory. Most military weapons, planes, and supplies for the UCA Armed Forces are purchased from the neighboring State of Minlon.

As of the year 1475, the UCA stands as one of the most prosperous nations in Ancondria, with its primary industry being lightfire. In fact, the UCA is the world's leading producer of lightfire-made goods. The National Capital, each Territorial Capital, and its immediate lesser towns are connected with roads lined with bike paths. However, bicycles traverse these roadways more frequently than cars; and no national highway system exists because gyroplanes serve as the most common mode of transit. With the lightfire economy comes a wide variety of trades. However, all trades and industries in the UCA pursue one common agenda: environmental cleanliness. The aforementioned roadways over the grasslands are raised above the ground to help protect wildlife and, most importantly, Ancondrian Grass. Gyroplane landing pads are also raised above the ground, while the gyroplanes themselves, while they consume a minimal amount of fuel, are being constantly re-engineered to have a lesser and lesser impact on the environment.

It is also important to note that the population, itself, consists of a great number of differing nationalities. Of these nationalities include Native Ancondrians, Combrian-Ancondrians (or Comans for short), those of close kin to House Maderon, Ostar-Nabukans, Eastern Canticulans, and many folk from the nomadic maritime guilds.

The Sovereign State of Minlon

In contrast to the Ancondrian Confederation, the Sovereign State of Minlon stands as a Consular Republic. Its Head of Government consists of two Consuls presided over by a Head Consul. The Head Consul is the Commander-in-Chief of all domestic and foreign affairs, particularly when it comes to the military. The other two Consuls may give executive orders in the absence of the Head Consul, but the Head Consul can override these orders when there is either a disagreement between the other two Consuls or the Head Consul determines that the executive order agreed upon by the two Consuls is not appropriate. All three Consul positions are elected each for a six-year term but are staggered two years apart from each other, meaning that one Consul position is elected on a rotating basis every two years. Each Consul may be re-elected for an indefinite number of terms, but it is the oldest Consul in age who is deemed the Head Consul.

The Sovereign State of Minlon is divided into five Cantons, with each Canton divided into five Boroughs. Each Borough elects four Delegates, each to serve a four-year term; however, these occur on a yearly rotating basis so that one Delegate position is elected or re-elected each year. The four Delegates from each Borough meet on a regular basis in the Capital City Legislature, which is unicameral.

The Sovereign State of Minlon has one of the most expansive militaries in the world, with a division of ground army, air force, marine, and naval forces for each Canton and each Borough. This military is headed by five Chief-Generals, one for each Canton. Even though the Sovereign State of Minlon has yet to fight in a large-scale war, standing law here imposes conscription upon all young, able-bodied men between the ages of 18 to 23 years.

The de facto most powerful government institution, however, for the Sovereign State of Minlon, is the Judiciary Committee. This Committee is headed by five Arbitrators, consisting of four Arbitrators headed by one Head Arbitrator. Each of these Arbitrators is appointed to their said position by the Head Consul with the only check against such an appointment being a unanimous vote of opposition by all 100 Delegates in Legislature, a move that has never yet happened at the time of the writing of this article. Arbitrators serve a life term until retirement. These Arbitrators are responsible for every decision for every national-level case, dispute, and electoral outcome, as well as for appointing Arbitrators to preside over every Canton and Borough.

According to many critics abroad, the Judiciary Committee of the Sovereign State of Minlon has a notorious reputation for being corrupt. By constitutional principle, the Judiciary Committee is the one responsible for counting the votes and determining the outcome of every election carried out through the State. However, Arbitrators do have a right to "discount illegitimate votes, be it whether they were duplicate votes, votes cast by persons who do not exist, or votes cast by persons who were radically coerced by external influences or threats." The Judiciary Committee is known to use liberally the latter "coercion" reason to exclude certain numbers of votes cast by those opposed to the Five Banks of Minlon, and determine leaders in favor of corporate interests. Critics argue that this means that the Sovereign State of Minlon, though a democracy on paper, is not a true democracy.

There are five large banks in Minlon who own most of the businesses in Minlon as well as fund the State's expansive military. These Five Banks have a large sway in the Legislature, Consulate, and Judiciary Committees, and have been involved in numerous scandals. Of the most notorious was the establishment of the National Debt Collection Association, an organization helping to enforce unfair deals made by the Five Large Banks with businesses abroad. Most notably, numerous branches of the National Debt Collection Association, of the NDCA, consist of armed and well-trained Naval personnel, who go out with gunships into international waters and confront the cargo ships of businesses who owe debts, attacking them to salvage their goods in the form of repayment. The Independent Commonwealth State of Retun, along with many other Circlarian nations, considers this to be piracy, and the NDCA a terrorist organization.

The economy of Minlon is the complete opposite of the UCA in terms of protecting the environment, and consists of two primary industries: junk-flipping and the military. Junk-flipping involves numerous businesses purchasing goods, vessels, and supplies determined by other businesses to be of no value; junk-flippers will pay very little money for these goods and refine them to a higher quality, selling them at a much higher price. In some cases, the goods gained in the first place were not purchased but were seized by force by the NDCA during debt collector raids. Meanwhile, the military industrial complex is one of the largest in the world, with Minlon being a leader in the export of military planes, weapons, and supplies, and being neutral to warring factions, sometimes selling products to both sides of a particular conflict.

One thing to note about the economy of Minlon, however, is its staggering inequality. The City of Minlon is not just economically, but physically stratified, with high-rise skyscrapers over many square miles being connected with walkways, grass fields, parks, pools, baths, and beautiful courtyards on its top level. Those frequenting these areas consist mostly of bankers and leaders, who also own vast houses, estates, and properties out in rural areas throughout the Boroughs and Cantons. However, the nice and modern cityscape of Minlon is all on raised surfaces forty to one-hundred feet above the actual ground, while the properties in rural areas are in secluded areas and fenced in. This whole system is known to the outside world as the Silver Crust, because the remaining population lives either under the raised concrete surfaces of Minlon and the numerous shantytowns of the rural Cantons and Boroughs. Life in these parts is less than ideal, with high costs of living, low paying jobs, little opportunity for education and growth, and limited freedom of movement.

Hello Everyone.

First of all, I have changed the name of one of my places. From now on, the Galapolgis Isles will now be referred to as the Meredythian Isles.

Second of all, for those of you who follow closely, you probably noticed that I have not added stuff in awhile. And that is because I have been migrating my website to a new hosting platform. With the process now complete, you can now access my new website at Circlaria.com, where I will be posting new content going forward!

And speaking of my new website. I have now added a new blog entry, available at the link below. In any case, happy reading!

Information Up To Date as of 6 September 1476

*Chartered State of Combria - List of Presidents:

  -William Jeson: February 1086 to December 1132

  -Arthur Chadwick: December 1132 to December 1165

  -Vacant and Contested: December 1165 to March 1167

  -Marran Jameson: March 1167 to November 1173

  -Marran Jameson, Jr: November 1173 to February 1174

  -Karl Raess: February 1174 to November 1180

  -Thomas Chadwick: November 1180 to May 1182

  -Harold Jameson: May 1182 to May 1184

  -Jacob Thomas Henry: May 1184 to November 1239

  -Paul Mackwell: 18 November 1239 to 21 November 1239

  -Joseph Terrings: November 1239 to March 1242

  -Thomas Mackwell: March 1242 to October 1244

  -Robert Sherring: October 1244 to December 1248

  -Todric Klifton: January 1249 to March 1254

  -Mara Fordings: March 1254 to February 1256

  -Robert Dunn: February 1256 to February 1257

  -Colton Borington: February 1257 to November 1261

*Federal Estates of Retun - List of Prime Ministers:

  -James Black: January 1249 to December 1260

  -Edward Jackson: January 1261 to December 1284

  -Arthur Cummings: January 1285 to December 1296

  -John "Red" Waltmann: January 1297 to September 1309

*Independent Commonwealth State of Retun - List of Prime Ministers:

  -Holz Finzi: September 1309 to December 1332

  -Alex Schraber: January 1333 to March 1344

  -George Borwell: March to December 1344

  -Raol Robinson: January 1345 to December 1368

  -Mara "Rez" Kame: January 1369 to December 1374

  -Meghan Wen: January 1375 to December 1398

  -James Lawrence Kontacet: January 1399 to December 1404

  -Vet Silonk: January 1405 to December 1416

  -Stanley Arland Moore: January 1417 to December 1428

  -Mary Ann Heits: January 1429 to December 1452

Combria: 1100-1125

Between the years 1100 and 1125, Combria achieved unprecedented population growth and economic prosperity, as an additional trade alliance was formed with neighboring Jurango.

President William Jeson was descended from the Kontacet family; however, pressure from the Leon family, from whom his wife, Maria, was descended, led Jeson to enact a few somewhat "sketchy" deeds, i.e. tax exemptions. The epitome of such came with the arrival of Arthur Chadwick in 1127.

Arthur Chadwick: The Early Years

Very soon after his arrival in Combria, the young Arthur Chadwick was appointed one of the Combrian National Councillors. Although favored greatly by the Leons, Chadwick's mysterious past alarmed the Kontacets. Nors Braedon, an assistant to Jeson in the mission against Taeac, ventured to Skanbraif, Chadwick's city of birth. Here, Braedon discovered that Chadwick had attempted the rape and murder of a significant noblewoman. Upon return to Jestopole, Braedon filed formal charges against Chadwick. On trial, Chadwick was convicted in the presence of plausible evidence; and Jeson ordered his removal from office as deportation back to the Great North.

Chadwick arrived back in the Great North in 1129, and was due to be arrested for his crimes; however, an anonymous family member bailed him out, privileging him from such an arrest. It was at this point that Chadwick saw his opportunity to return to Combria and regain his status.

Chadwick Seizes Power

In 1131, President Jeson developed an illness and became bedridden. Anticipating his death, he appointed George Mateon to succeed him, a move approved unanimously by the Council.

However, there was trouble within the Combrian population, as rural communities were increasingly unhappy with Jeson's open policies on diplomacy, primarily with the Wannonians and Jurangans. Chadwick began rallying these dissidents, vowing to stage a coup to overthrow the Combrian establishment and make himself President of Combria, and promising to, as President, revoke Jeson's rules. Between 1131 and 1132, numerous shootings and lynchings ensued, as President Jeson issued an order for Chadwick's arrest. However, Chadwick managed to evade the authorities. In December 1132, President Jeson died and was succeeded by Mateon. Within that month, Chadwick and his forces launched a coordinated attack on the capital city Jestopole, during which President Mateon was killed and the Kontacet establishment defeated. Promptly, Chadwick swore himself in as the new President of Combria.

In the year that followed, President Chadwick revoked the diplomatic trade policies with Wannonia, ordered the construction of a wall at the Wannonian border, and imposed tariffs on goods between Combria and Jurango.

1135: The Conquering of Jurango

By the end of 1133, Jurango was already beginning to suffer economically as a result of the tariffs. To dispel popular grievances against him, Chadwick authorized the continuation of the Bridge over the St. Eschel River, a project started by President Jeson years earlier. In 1135, the Bridge was nearing completion, but Chadwick witheld workers' paychecks until Jurango would surrender sovereignty of an island in the River further West. As a result, the Jurangan laborers rebelled and began tearing apart the Bridge, prompting Chadwick to deploy the Combrian Armed Forces. Jurango considered Chadwick's response to be an act of war and dispatched its own military forces, thus beginning the Combria-Jurango War. As the war was unfolding, Chadwick came forward with public determination to conquer Jurango and claim it for Combria.

Before long, the War came to a gridlock status; and Chadwick called upon Wannonia for assistance, promising to restore diplomacy with them as an exchange. Wannonia agreed only upon the condition that a portion of Jurangan territory was handed to them. By November 1135, the combined forces defeated the Jurangans and brought the Jurangan capital to utter ruin.

After the war, the Bridge project was continued by Combrian workers, and was completed in 1142. And that very same year, it was named Bridgetown. All Jurangan territories were now under the sole control of Combria, as Chadwick rolled back on his promises made to Wannonia. This would lead to diplomatic friction between the two nations in the years to come.

The Formation of the Federation of Kitalos

On 9 December 1121, King Andrew of the Great North gave the Southern portion of Pimdanian territories to Mikant. The local population in this region had been demonstrating public grievances over high taxes, lack of representation (as only Great Northerners could vote in Parliamentary elections), and the restriction of trade to Great Northern markets. As a result of this, the Kitalan nationality began to resurface. And thus, King Andrew's 1121 deal with Mikant would divide the population by constructing a wall between Great Northern and Mikanian claims, as Kitalans were made to build it, themselves, while the population would not be granted freedom of travel between the two regions.

Morstoros Imalan was a notable Kitalan who believed in Kitalan unity. As he was made to work on the wall, he began secretly recruiting rebelling forces. On 2 April 1124, these forces attacked, utilizing the mastered art of guerilla warfare via spellfire concealment and quiet gliders which served as an effective air force. The results were catastrophic for the Great North, as the conflict led to heavy casualties and the loss of Kitalos and surrounding territories. On 3 May, the threat of a coup in Linbrae prompted King Andrew, fearing further contempt by the humiliating costs of the war, withdrew Great Northern forces from the region and signed a peace treaty with the Kitalans.

The Mikanian Acquisition of Arukas, Abetz, and Yticsanve

In 1125, heroic stories stemming from the revolution in Kitalos inspired dissidents to overthrow the ruling power in nearby Arukas. In place of the overthrown Monarchy was established a federation. But by 1126, this democratic government was bankrupt; and, in a desperate financial deal, said government signed a deal to sell all of its territories to Mikant. Later that year, Mikant signed a deal with the Kitalan Federation to acquire Kitalan land between the two territories.

Remikra, 1264 to 1308

Canticula, 1267 to 1287

Deep-Trade: Definition

Deep-trade is the spellfire practice of assigning special tradestones to represent certain shares of certain assets of value for a particular business. Licensed spellcrafters can "explode" deep-trade stones in order to produce currency or items of value equal to the value the said stones represent. However, since this is an end-use and there are far more tradestones than licensed spellcrafters available to engage them in a timely fashion, it is a more economic practice for a stoneholder to purchase a tradestone at a particular value, then sell it whenever it increases in value, in order to make a profit.

Retun and Prove: Established Relations

In 1285, a trade arrangement signed between the Lykian and Retunian Republics split the Galapolgis Island of Vantacula between the two nations and allowed private businesses to establish themselves here. Legally, all of Vantacula was under Lykian jurisdiction, but the Lykians had decided through the trade deal to lease the Western half of the Isle to the Retunians. Thus, Retunian businesses, primarily deep-trade firms, were allowed to open alongside similar Lykian businesses. Furthermore, a mutual agreement in the trade deal exempted deep-trade transactions between Lykian and Retunian businesses from tariffs or taxation. There was no deep-trade arrangement yet between the two nations, politically speaking, although there was the potential for such an arrangement to materialize in the future, sparking excitement among investors across both nations. In the meantime, deep-trade transactions were facilitated as John Waysworth, a prominent representative of the Bucksworth Financial Institute, headquartered in Hasphitat, established a branch office in Vantacula.

In November 1285, the National Bank for the Lykian Trust, or NBLT, extended an invitation to John Waysworth to establish a Provan chapter for the Bucksworth Institute Tradestone Commission in a high-value office space in the city of Prove proper.

John Waysworth in Prove

John Waysworth accepted the invitation and established the Provan chapter in January 1286. Before long, he began selling valuable deep-trade stones to Lykian banks and businesses, and using the proceeds from this to purchase Lykian deep-trade stones to sell to Retunian tradestone markets. Net proceeds from all of this paid into lucrative dividends, particularly for Waysworth as well as Bucksworth shareholders back in Remikra.

On November 10, 1286, John Waysworth's office in Prove was sacked by Lykian officials, who conducted a thorough search of the premise and arrested John Waysworth, himself. Waysworth was charged with fraud and espionage, and faced a possible death sentence. Retunian Prime Minister Arthur Cummings had just returned from a Summit in Vantacula with Lykian President Restara Unjoy when he was informed of this. Immediately, Prime Minister Cummings sent his best known lawyers to defend John Waysworth in the Lykian court proceedings, an approach that succeeded in convincing the Lykian Justice System to reduce Waysworth's sentence to deportation. On November 14, John Waysworth was taken to a holding cell at a border crossing between the Lykian Republic and the nation of Umcings, where he would wait until a Retunian air reconnaissance unit came to pick him up.

John Waysworth was not informed on when the reconnaissance unit would come. So he decided to escape custody and flee into the surrounding countryside. The issue here was that the border crossing was located in the highlands of the Chokian Mountains, where the climate was cold, snowy, and harsh. Furthermore, the landscape was filled with dangerous wildlife animals such as bears, wolves, and predatory wysps. Supposedly, John Waysworth escaped a close encounter with a bear on the first night, and a close encounter with a wysp on the second night. Finally though, on November 16, an air rescue reinforcement team launched by Cummings upon news of Waysworth's escape assisted the original reconnaissance unit, and spotted John Waysworth. They rescued him and flew him back to Remikra.

The Lykian War

Lykian President Restara Unjoy condemned the so-called Waysworth Scandal, holding the Retunian government responsible. As it turned out, Lykian authorities received a tip that John Waysworth had been selling stagmarcated tradestones, or tradestones worth almost no value being sold to unknowing clients for a falsely high value, hence the reason for the sacking of John Waysworth's office in Prove on November 10. And when they searched the premise, Lykian officials had spellcrafters "explode" three of John Waysworth's tradestones, which turned out to be duds.

How did the Lykian authorities find out about John Waysworth's scandal in the first place? During the Summit between Prime Minister Cummings and President Unjoy, which took place on November 6, Prime Minister Cummings sent a letter to President Unjoy asking for her and her family to join in on the Scandal. The issue with this approach was that the NBLT, the primary bank victimized by the Waysworth Scandal, was the very institute in which the Unjoy family had deep stakes. The Retunian public in years to come would condemn Prime Minister Cummings not only for taking part in the Waysworth Scandal, but also for his daft judgement behind writing the letter to President Unjoy. Needless to say, the Retunian Prime Minister's decision at the Summit made absolutely no strategic sense.

Regardless, President Unjoy, on December 24, 1286, issued executive orders freezing all trade relations with the Retunian Republic and revoking the lease in Vantacula. Subsequently, she ordered Retunian authorities to evacuate all Retunian civilians and businesses off the Isle. However, Retunian authorities refused such orders and called on Prime Minister Cummings, who more than obliged to send in Retunian Marine and Army forces to defend the Retunian settlers from local pro-Lykian partisans consisting mostly of Vantaculan natives. While doing this, Prime Minister Cummings news of the hostility from Lykian leadership be withheld from the Retunian public, as well as informed the Retunian Department of Defense of a "possible local partisan terrorist threat."

In short, Cummings aimed to preserve the newly-gained status quo by defying orders from the Lykian government while trying to prevent the Retunian public from becoming aware of possible Lykian hostility.

Between January 2 and January 23, 1287, Retunian and partisan forces engaged in numerous skirmishes. On January 24, the Lykian Navy arrived, engaging with Retunian forces in a heavy battle across the Isle, another development that Prime Minister Cummings prevented from being disclosed to the Retunian public. Between February 4 and 5, Cummings sent the Retunian Navy, which succeeded in driving all Lykian forces off of Vantacula. Cummings then summoned the Lykians to an "emergency counsel" in order to negotiate peace and territorial concessions, an invitation to which the Lykians responded with cold silence.

On February 6, 1287, President Unjoy ordered high-flying Lykian aircraft to drop Red Desert bombs upon South Masonia, Hasphitat, and the Basin District of Retun proper. Each of those targeted cities was devastated by the attack as the entire Retunian population went into panic. President Unjoy gave a second order for Prime Minister Cummings to surrender all of Vantacula.

Prime Minister Cummings refused to comply to this. Between February 7 and 16, 1287, the Lykian Navy renewed its assault upon Vantacula and attempted to take it by force. The Retunians held their ground; and on February 15, Prime Minister Cummings ordered an airstrike on the Lykian base in Gyrosak responsible for the Vantacula initiative.

On February 16, 1287, President Unjoy responded with Red Desert bomb attacks on Egdir and Retun. Later that evening, in the wake of these events, particularly with the city of Retun proper being struck by two Red Desert bomb attacks, Prime Minister Cummings signed a mutual cease-fire with the Lykian Republic. On February 17, the island-nation of Rakara, allied to the Lykian Republic, facilitated the signing of a Treaty by the Retunians to surrender not just Vantacula, but most of the Galapolgis Isles to the Lykian Republic. The consolation here was that the Retunian Republic was allowed to keep the five Westernmost Isles.

Thus, the war was over.

Fallout

Retunian businesses lost many of their trade posts. Roughly seventy-five percent of the Retunian trade network around the Circlarian Ocean would eventually be recovered; although the apex of Retunian trade achieved in the early-to-mid-1280s would never be achieved again.

The Retunian population would lose trust not only in Prime Minister Cummings and his Administration, but also the Retunian establishment as a whole. The public was outraged at the John Waysworth Scandal and the gag orders given by Cummings to hide from the public the truth about the Lykian War. A group of Representatives in Retunian Council filed a motion to have Prime Minister Cummings impeached.

In the midst of all this, however, emerged a significant question: Why did Prime Minister Cummings explicitly tell President Unjoy about the John Waysworth Scandal? Speculation arose from this, because in 1285, Cummings and Waysworth had become involved in a conflict of interest over a revised tax code. During that brief exchange of civil hostility, Waysworth vowed to have his firm reduce funding to Prime Minister Cummings' prospective 1290 re-election campaign. This led to speculation over whether or not Cummings' reveal of John Waysworth to President Unjoy was, in fact, a form of retaliation. However, there was no hard evidence to back up this theory.

A major revelation came in the year 1359 with the discovery of a letter to Arthur Cummings from his mother, who lived until the year 1302. It was dated March 10, 1286, months before the Summit in Vantacula. And that letter contained advice from his mother for Cummings to invite President Unjoy to partake in the "lucrative business arrangement" involving John Waysworth.

Scholars initially rejected the so-called "ridiculous and completely ludicrous notion that an elected public official would act on the whimsical advice of a personal family member in this way." However, there are quite a few factors now known about Arthur Cummings. First was that he was known to take advice from his mother without question, even in matters where his mother, though undoubtedly well-intentioned, was not well-versed. Also, Cummings was raised in a very affluent socioeconomic environment; and though he was good at the practice of business, particularly in banking, he did not ace his college courses in history and political science. All of these factors in combination led Arthur Cummings to become extremely, and even dangerously, complacent when it came to making serious decisions like those in a public office.

The impeachment motion against Arthur Cummings in 1287 never made it past a vote in the Retunian House of Representatives. Cummings would encounter another impeachment motion against him in 1295, but that failed as well. However, Cummings would lose the 1296 election against the Progressive candidate, John "Red" Waltmann.

Pasiek, After Taeac

Between 1077 and 1086, Pasiek experienced a great deal of growth, as the Fort Norm site was converted into a facility housing hubstone shale burning processes, and hubstone shale mines emerged. Soldiers having fought in the recent conflict stayed in Pasiek, as peace followed, and families moved in with them. The population continued its growth, leading the Great Northern government to hire laborers for the construction of more brick structures. Before long, the city saw the emergence of factories, shops, houses, and even a market district. Along with the structures emerged brick and concrete streets.

One of the most important discoveries concerning hubstone shale during this time was its ability to produce electricity. However, early on, the Great North implemented an experimental system of this in Pasiek, where a primitive hubstone-based generator proved inefficient, and a power grid, running street lights and connections to houses and public structures, proved largely unreliable. Despite the growth, progress was limited by high taxes and heavy regulation, as hubstone facilities were purely government infrastructure. Furthermore, the Great North discriminated against the Ujean population, a branch of the Mundaesian population. Initially promised large rewards during recruitment, the Ujeans helped to defeat Taeac, only to find that their rewards would be paid in the form of a few coppers per month as part of a monthly installment that would never pay the full amount within a lifetime. The Ujeans began protesting against this, but the government shut them out of the city of Pasiek.

William Jeson, Rising Popularity

William Jeson was assigned to preside as Lieutenant Governor over Pasiek, where he was given orders to administer a police force over each sector of the city. Such a force, though, would only function hierarchically under Great Northern Army. Jeson's other role was to collect taxes to submit to Arnold Brimmley, his superior and Governor of Terredon.

Despite this, Jeson was strongly opposed to Great Northern discrimination against the Ujeans and convened with his parent family, the Kontacet family, to launch a political agenda. Such an agenda throttled the idea of opening Pasiek to the Ujean population, establishing free trade, deregulating the hubstone shale industry and making it private infrastructure, and expanding education by establishing a University. This platform became quite popular, gaining support among the Ujeans and the Pasiek working class. Jeson and his many followers gathered and submitted a petition to Governor Brimmley, who rejected it, triggering a wave of protests. Upon popular referendum, Jeson sent a similar letter to Queen Sarah of the Great North in the hopes that her authorization would override the powers of Brimmley. But Her Majesty, herself, declined; and Jeson, furthermore, received a letter of warning from Governor Brimmley, who threatened to impose economic sanctions to the city for "insubordination." Widespread protests raged throughout Pasiek and towns in the surrounding territories, as Jeson, siding with the protestors, did not make any effort to enforce containment measures.

The Ujean and Wannonian Coalition

Begrudging of the Great North over the loss of territory in the Four-Nations War, Wannonia, during this time, publicly cited an opportunity the Great North had to stop Taeac from reaching Remikra, and, therefore, blamed the Kingdom for the violence and terror inflicted upon the Wannonians by Taeac. Sharing common hostilities, they were joined by the Ujeans, as they, together, planned to wage war upon the Great North and regain the land lost. As a measure of diplomacy, Wannonia would allocate a section of sovereign land lining the St. Eschel River to the Ujeans, and pay them the remainder of wealth to them owed by the Great North.

Agreement and the Formation of Combria

In 1085, the Wannonians and Ujeans met in a special Council, where they sent a formal letter to Queen Sarah of the Great North, threatening war for failure to pay the Ujeans their compensation in full, and for failure to give the Ujeans sovereign land along the St. Eschel River. The Queen refused to adhere to these demands, and, instead, ordered the Linbraeans and Edoran Kingdoms, along with their respective Duchies, to build their defenses. She furthermore ordered Terredon Governor Brimmley to ready his defenses. Brimmley, subsequently, sent a similar letter to Jeson.

Jeson, however, issued a call for a special peace negotiation between the three parties: Wannonia, the Great North, and the Ujean community, during which he submitted a proposition to form a new sovereign nation governed by Pasiek as a territory purchased from the Great North under the Partitioned Lands Act, and would function in adherence to the Queen's Mandate. As the leader of this new nation, Jeson would then implement his original agenda to eradicate discrimination against the Ujean population, establish free trade, and found a University. And furthermore, he would form a hubstone trade deal, where no tariffs would be imposed upon the transaction of the valued material between the new nation, Wannonia, and the Great North.

Fearing lost business with the hubstone shale industry, Queen Sarah initially rejected the deal, but then reconsidered when the Kontacet family intervened, raising the bid of the territory. On 11 December 1085, the agreement was signed.

Combrian Establishment

On 12 February 1086, the new territory became officially recognized as the Chartered State of Combria, where, in respect to Jeson, its capital city, the city of Pasiek, was renamed Jestopole. William Jeson became the President of Combria. Over Combria was established a form of government known as an "incumbent-appointed-presidential-council." In this system, the nation of Combria was governed by a President, who would eventually appoint a successor President before retirement. Alongside the President served a Council of 100 people serving both a judicial and legislative role. For the President, along with each Member of Council, said position would be appointed a successor by the incumbent before retirement or death. If an unexpected vacancy occurred, then the President would appoint a successor if it was a vacancy in Council, or the Council would vote for a new President if it was the President. The nation of Combria was divided into five Districts over which presided each a Governor and Council. And each District was divided into five Counties, over which presided each a Commissioner and Council. Appointments and vacancy protocols were the same for Districts and Counties.

Every Council adhered otherwise to constitutional principles similar to the Great Northern Bill of the Crown Authority. Also accordingly, each Council functioned by passing laws by simple majority votes, while the President, Governor, or Commissioner enacted them.

Information Up To Date as of 20 April 1476

Beginning:

After the prolonged war and defeat of the Kingdom of Tomlas, the Edoran Duchy of Nalesh was established in the year 775. The Duchy of Nalesh would be ruled by the second oldest Edoran royal family, the Kathingtons, and the third oldest royal family, the Ericsons. Standing as one of the most respected of all Edoran Duchies thus far, Nalesh would be formally recognized by the Crown of the Great North, giving it political legitimacy in diplomatic affairs.

Early Years- 775 to 1165:

The ruling Kathingtons and Ericsons administered the Duchy of Nalesh directly, taxing its subjects and keeping order, as Duchies normally do. The government seat in Nalesh proper, the House of the Duchy of Nalesh, was divided into two Chambers: the Low Chamber and the High Chamber. The Low Chamber was, and is to this day, the only part of the House accessible to the public, serving as a venue for a variety of events. The High Chamber, meanwhile, is only accessible by invitation only to the ruling families and high-ranking Remikran government officials like the ICSR Prime Minister.

Since its establishment in the 770s, the Duchy of Nalesh has hosted Conferences between numerous Remikran entities, following the twelve-year Circlarian Calendar by hosting such Conferences roughly every fourth, eighth, eleventh, and twelfth years of each twelve-year cycle. The purpose of these Conferences has been to promote peace between the said Remikran entities, and, in more recent years, "to promote strength, unity, and fellowship between all current and former member entities of the Remikran Union."

During a typical Conference, invitees to the High Chamber gather first in its Atrium where informal meet-ups and conversations occur. They are then summoned to the Dining Hall of the High Chamber where a Chaplain appointed by the Duchy leads the invitees in a formal prayer before the Dinner takes place. Afterward, the invitees proceed to the Great Salon where selected speakers each give a speech highlighting achievements versus struggles, statements of appreciation between Remikran entities, trade agendas both domestically and abroad, and concerns regarding local and global politics.

During the same Conference, civil servants, lower-ranking officers, and select invitees of the general public convene in the Low Chamber, where there are usually parties, concerts, and sometimes even galas. The number of attendees here is significantly higher than the number of attendees in the High Chamber.

It is important to note that both the High Chamber and Low Chamber Conference attendees convened in Nalesh during this time period.

The Great Real Estate Purchases- 1165 to 1305:

In 1165, the last living descendant of the Ericson family line, a patriarchal line, died. Members of the Kathington family line, a matriarchal line, came to the realization at this time that they were the last legitimate family line, under Edoran Royal principle, to rule over the Duchy of Nalesh. Once they died out, the property, territory, and assets of the Duchy would pass onto an independent entity, who would govern over all as an independent state. Wanting to ensure that the end of the Duchy would not prove costly to the other Remikran entities, the Kathington family vowed have their wealth passed in equal distributions to all current and former members of the Remikran Union. In crafting these terms, the Kathingtons determined that they needed to amass more wealth, and would do so through the buying, and then selling, of additional pieces of real estate.

The Duchy of Nalesh made its first round of purchases between 1177 and 1184, during which they purchased three properties in Notulfa, one property in Vantacula, and eight properties in Tandeiyah. Each property had a one-level structure imitating almost precisely that of the High Chamber of the House of the Duchy in Nalesh. Like the original High Chamber, only certain invitees were allowed to come to these venues. To enforce this, each venue was hidden and concealed by spellcrafting from the public. The second round of purchases occurred between 1245 and 1248, during which the Duchy of Nalesh purchased five properties in Furthing, three in the international city of Cenofan, and nine additional properties in Tandeiyah.

For its third round of purchases, having occurred between 1281 and 1289, the Duchy obtained forty-three more properties, all located throughout the Great Ancondrian River Basin. Like the other properties purchased, these new acquisitions were replicas of the High Chamber concealed from the public; however, in 1291, the Duchy authorized appointed Keepers of each of these chapters to establish trade posts in the region, a move made with the signing of the Nalesh Duchy Trade Authorization of 1291. In 1292, they followed through with authorizing the Keepers of all of the other properties attained in the first and second round of purchases to do the same.

By 1305, the Duchy of Nalesh had a total of seventy-two properties abroad.

The Nebaya Crisis of 1305:

Since the 1000s, the society of Nebaya has been reputed to be a rural and simplistic society, but also militaristic and ambitious for global trade. In fact, they are controversial for having engaged in aggressive tactics, including piracy on the high seas.

It was one of these sea sorties upon a sea guild closely allied with Congress of Circlaria in 1305 that led the international body, Congress of Circlaria, to authorize the invasion and political sanction of Nebaya County located in the Great North. As per international law, the Great North permitted Congress of Circlaria troops to carry out their legally-sanctioned duty, as due process authorized for Nebaya County to remain under sanction until the year 1353.

Nebayans outside of the Nebaya County jurisdiction voiced contempt over this. And the leaders of the Duchy of Nalesh feared a possible insurrection, though such a feared uprising would never actually materialize. Nevertheless, the Kathingtons took no chances and determined to relocate themselves to one of their properties abroad as well as have Representative Consorts handle public appearances in the Great North. This would be the case going forward.

The Three Relocations:

During the Duchy of Nalesh Conference of 1307, Low-Chamber attendees convened in the Low Chamber with their informal events as was tradition. However, High-Chamber invitees convened in a concealed venue in Anadon, the capital of the Great North, where the functions and turn of events were just like what happened in previous Conferences. The Duchy then held another Conference in 1308, for which the High-Chamber invitees flew to Nalesh to board airships to meet with the Kathingtons in one of their concealed venues in Furthing. Here, they began discussions to establish a permanent venue for the High Chamber far from Nalesh in a yet-to-be-determined location, where the Kathingtons would live and all future High-Chamber Conference meet-ups would take place.

An agreement on the aforementioned issue was finally reached in 1311. The parties involved in the final agreement are not known, and neither are known the transactions and funding involved. What is known is that the location of the permanent alternative High Chamber venue was, and is, on a Duchy-owned property located somewhere in the Southern part of the Great Ancondrian River Basin. What is remarkable about this is that, due to the location's relative proximity to the South Pole, the weather here is almost exactly like the weather in the Great North.

In any case, the first High Chamber Conference took place at this location in 1316. And every High Chamber Conference since has taken place here. Each time, invitees fly to Nalesh where they board reconnaissance gyroplanes to fly them to the High Chamber location. Again, no one knows where exactly this venue is located, not even government leaders. In fact, gyroplane positional systems are coded to be undecipherable after one flies over the Northeast Ancondrian region, as passenger windows are darkened.

Only the Kathington family knows the location of the place. They live here. And they will not disclose the location of this place until after the death of the last descendant of the Kathington family line, during which a perpetual will is due to be opened to disclose the relevant information. To complicate matters further, the public knows the existence of only significant figures of the Kathington family, meaning that its exact family tree is unknown. This is intentional in order to protect the family, and is a normal practice in Circlarian Society. There are consort figures tied in with these families who represent these families, meaning that the public will not know when the last official descendant of a particular House Family dies until after the perpetual will is opened, such as was the case of House Maderon in Ancondria back in 1466.