Beloprussia
 | |
| Official language | English |
|---|---|
| Capital | Lazarholt |
| Largest cities | Lazarholt |
| Date founded | 2484 ASC |
| Government | Military State |
| Current leader | Marshal Otto Ivanov |
The Free Order of Beloprussia, often simply called Beloprussia, is a quasi-independent state located in northwestern Keltia, north of Red Lake and northeast of Liberty.
History
Beloprussia began during the era of the United Soviet States of Col as a neighboring state first established as the Bundesrepublik Beloprussen. The Colish Soviet saw this as a threat and soon conquered the small state, replacing the republican government with a communist one. After the collapse of Col, the Beloprussian people continued to survive in the area, albeit without forming a cohesive state. This situation continued for many years until the founding of neighboring Liberty. Immigrants from Gotzborg and Treisenberg along with other Germanic-Cibolan peoples began migrating to the area, and finding the culturally-similar Beloprussians soon helped bolster up the small population.
While not in conflict with Liberty, Beloprussia was not under its protection either, and thus subject to frequent raids by roving tribes in the Green. This prompted the feudal lords to band together and establish the Free Order, a military state charged with protecting the various villages. Consisting primarily of cavalry with some light foot soldiers, the Beloprussians ranged across the mountains staving off raiders and conducting retaliatory strikes against hostile tribes. Villages were placed under the protection of the Order, and soon linked together, forming a defensible chain throughout the region. Eventually this coalesced into the state of Beloprussia, with the Marshal of the Order assuming leadership of the state.
The horsemen of the White Mountains continued to fend off hostile tribes from the Green and established the Beloprussian Saxon Church, a Germanic religion carried to the continent from Cibola. The Order took it upon itself to bring the Saxon Church to all the heathens of the area and initiated a minor crusade. This period coincided with the formation of Liberty to the south, resulting in many people fleeing into that area seeking safe haven. The Beloprussians took this as a hostile move and although avoiding open confrontation with their new neighbor were nonetheless responsible for numerous raids along border villages. Libertine frontiersmen, seeking to protect their homesteads, fought back with unofficial militias of their own. This back and forth continued for a couple of years before Liberty's President Rivington stepped in to settle the matter.
Rivington arrived with his own cavalry and sought parlay with Marshal Ivanov. He invited him to a meeting at Liberty Hall with state leaders from Qeltoia and Ertia. Although rather obstinate at first about the freedoms of Beloprussia, Ivanov eventually conceded to join the newly-formed union with Liberty. The Marshal was instrumental in insisting that the right to secede from the union be written in to the new constitution, thereby guaranteeing Beloprussia's freedom to leave if so desired. To sweeten the deal Rivington appealed to Ivanov's ego and offered to make Beloprussia the primary base of operations, training and arms manufacturer for the entire country. Ivanov accepted and Beloprussia is now an important industrial center for Liberty.
