Port Goose
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| Feudal Status: | Crown Colony |
| Capital: | Port Goose |
| Largest Cities: | Port Goose |
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| Local Leadership Title: | Governor |
| Local Government: | Monarchy |
| Current leader: | Floyd Thomaston |
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| Local language: | Brettish |
| Local Religion: | Church of Brettania |
Port Goose, officially the Crown Colony of Goose Island, is a small island located off the eastern coast of Keltia. It was formerly a colony of the Brettish Isles.
Geography
Goose Island is one of several small islands comprising the Vraillan Isles, an archipelago off the eastern coast of Keltia. It has a surface area of about 300 square kilometers (roughly the size of Malta).
History
Port Goose is a small island that has, at various times, been under the control of many nations, ranging from Gralans to Sino-Keltians, and many others throughout the centuries. It is a small and diminutive place that has often been overlooked amongst the larger islands, remaining for the greater part of its existence as an uninhabited patch of land amid the local archipelago. The earliest occupant of the island was the Principality of Sidona, an order of knights that were staunch allies of the Atterans. The Sidonans did little to colonize or develop the area, and subsequent occupants did little more. That was until the arrival of Gralus, who gave the archipelago its name of the Vraillan Isles and established the VBNC headquarters on a nearby island. It was Gralus who helped to settle the islands and encouraged people to establish homesteads. For Port Goose, those who heeded the call were a large group of pioneers from the Kingdom of Gosling, that had for a time reigned in the northeastern reaches of Benacia. Like the geese that frequented the island in the summer months, the settlers from Gosling saw a kindred spirit and named the island Port Goose.
The island is so small that it can sustain only the one main settlement of Port Goose; although there are several small hamlets consisting of a few families. While the main settlement is called Port Goose, the official name of the island is Goose Island, even though this is rarely used and most islanders refer to themselves as Portogeese. When the Brettish arrived the island was already thoroughly settled, even though Gosling had been gone for centuries, and their main economic staple was in breeding geese and other fowl, fishing, and some very limited farming, mostly of sheep. The islanders traded with other islands in the Vraillan archipelago, with settlements along the Keltian coast, and otherwise kept to themselves. A deal was struck between the local governor, Floyd Thomaston, and the King of Brettania, whereby Port Goose would become a colony of the Brettish Isles, receiving protection and aid, and in return the island would serve as a refueling port for the Brettish maritime economy.
The Brettish government did much to help modernize Port Goose. Being relatively close to the Brettish Isles the island became an important depot when the Brettish formed an alliance with Nova England. As such, a great deal was invested in improving the harbor and piers at the port, dredging to allow ships with greater bulk to dock, and upgrading the warehouses with newer buildings and equipment to handle more freight. Even after a volcanic disaster destroyed much of the Brettish Isles, Port Goose was able to recover and function independently, utilizing those infrastructural improvements to support the small island economy.
Government
Goose Island is a governorate currently acting independently. A Governor is elected once every five years and has complete executive power over the island. The power of the Governor is checked by an Executive Council that is elected by the islanders.
Foreign relations
Culture
Cuisine
Music
Sport
Economy
The Portogeese economy has been largely self-sufficient until the introduction of modern ammenities. Fishing and livestock farming provided the majority of the food needs. As the island's name suggests, geese became an important staple of the local diet. In order to keep the goose population from being eliminated the islanders began breeding and raising geese, both for meat and eggs. Other major livestock includes sheep and dairy cows. The rocky, windswept fields of Goose Island, with abundant fields of grass, was extremely suitable to grazing animals. These products were traded or sold among the people of neighboring islands and as far as mainland Keltia. With the coming of Gralus the island began to see an influx of technology, and with it access to mainstream society. This trend was continued when Brettania assumed control of the island, and nowadays Portogeese goods are sold internationally, while modern goods such as cars and electronics are imported. More recently Port Goose has established itself a small niche as an internet technology provider, offering telecommuting jobs to locals and thereby incentiving them to remain on the island.
Demographics
A national survey has estimated the population to be somewhere in the range of 12,218.
| Ethnic Group | Population |
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| Portogeese | 8,179 |
| Brettish | 2,112 |
| Gralan | 1,004 |
| Other | 923 |
Ethnic groups
Port Goose's population is divided between those who consider themselves descended from the original Gosling pioneers (Portogeese) and the newer population of Brettish immigrants. While Gralus did not embark on any major colonization, there still remains a sizeable population of Gralans. A small number of the population claim descent from the ancient Sidonans or from the multitude of other Micran states, such as Shireroth.
Language
The Portogeese people speak the Brittanic dialect common throughout the islands off northern Keltia, a language distributed throughout the area during the heyday of colonization by New Brittania, her allies, and colonies. The Brittanic language was not supplanted by Gralan during their period of colonization. Brittanic is also the primary tongue of the Brettish Isles.
Religion
The largest organized religion of Port Goose is the Church of Brettania.
Education
There are two schools in Port Goose, the only substantial settlement. The Gosling School teaches ages 4 to 11 and the King Thomas Community School caters for ages 11 to 16. Other rural pupils are taught by travelling teachers. Older children are boarded at government expense in local hotels in Port Goose so they can attend school there. More recently a program was started whereby people can offer to "host" a child attending school, offering them board within their home.
All teachers are trained in the Brettish Isles or abroad.
The Portogeese government pays for qualified 16- to 18-year-olds to go to Brettania to take A-level courses. There is an effort underway to establish a local college for the island.
Military
The island maintains a small defense force, primarily a naval component to help protect civilian assets on the high seas.
