Sivastead

Sivastead
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto:
Anthem: My Rifle, My Pony, and Me
Map versions
Capital	Sivastead
Largest city	Sivastead
Official language(s)	English, Nonsense
Official religion(s)
Demonym	Sivasteadian
- Adjective
Government
- Chairman of the Make Passas Real Again Campaign
- Legislature
Establishment
Area
Population	1 (3,500 In-Sim)
Active population	N/A
Currency	Dollar ($), Poli (P)
Calendar
Time zone(s)
Mains electricity
Driving side
Track gauge
National website
National forum
National animal	Jack Rabbit
National food	Wild Pork
National drink	Vineyards of Izaire Tempranillo
National tree	Live Oak
Abbreviation	SIV

The settlement of Sivastead is a small, trans-dimensional Passasian city-state which exists on both Micras and on Earth.

History

Earth History

While Sivastead itself was not formally established until 2020, the history of settlement in the region can be traced back to as early as the 1880s, when the ancestors of the Make Passas Real Again Campaign Chairman settled here after moving to Texas from Tennessee, as so many did during the mid 19th century. The lands claimed by Sivastead were permanently occupied from the 1880s until the mid-1990s, when they were virtually abandoned as a result of a family tragedy. In 2020, more than 20 years after its virtual abandonment, the lands were re-claimed, and Sivastead formally established.

Micras History

Local folklore holds that the community of Sivastead was established by the followers of the Pallisican explorer Fernando po Zibight, who were attracted by the explorer's claims that he encountered the Host Spirit during a delirium which he experienced in the region while suffering from heat exhaustion and dehydration - the Host Spirit, according to po Zibight, appeared to him and provided him with nourishment and sustenance. The early settlers of the region quickly established a vibrant ranching industry, raising and selling cattle to the rapidly growing cities of Kingsland and Zimia, which continues to sustain the community today.

The culture of Sivastead is heavily influenced by the legend of Fernando po Zibight's encounter with the Host Spirit. The legend serves as the basis of a strong-held belief among the local population that their community represents one of only a handful of legitimate Hostlands, areas where the Host Spirit appears on Micras and interacts with followers of the Pallisican Religion. This belief is re-enforced by a number of other legends about travelers and nobles encountering the Host Spirit and other various inter-dimensional beings in the region surrounding Sivastead.

Government

Earth Government

On Earth, Sivastead is governed by the Chairman of the Make Passas Real Again Campaign, which seeks to revitalize the settlement after 20+ years of virtual abandonment.

Micras Government

On Micras, Sivastead is governed by the Lord Duke of Sivastead, who oversees a cabinet of elected officials known as the Council of Sivastead.

Geography

On earth, the settlement of Sivastead is a 150 acre property located in central Texas, in the convergent zone between the state's coastal plains and hill country. The region consists primarily of grasslands which in recent years have been extensively colonized by invasive juniper, and mesquite. Groves of live oak are not uncommon in low-lying areas such as the two major waterways which flow through Sivastead, though most groves have been subsumed by juniper. In terms of landscape, the region's terrain varies between wooded lowlands, rich in fertile soil, and sandy, rocky, hills. At the peak of Summer - which on an average year can last for up to three months - the average temperature is 95.1 degrees fahrenheit, while at the peak of winter the average temperature is 35.6 degrees. Sivastead therefore enjoys a moderately warm to very hot and dry climate. Rainfall totals vary based on seasonal patterns, with some years being considerably drier than others. The region, with this said, receives an average of 32 inches of rain/year. In 2011, the region received a record-breaking 100+ days of temperatures exceeding 100 degrees, with no rainfall whatsoever for over 9 months. Such weather trends have reversed in recent years, such that the region has received more rainfall per year than on average.

Sivastead is divided into four distinct political zones which are marked by natural and man made boundaries included waterways and stone and barbed-wire fences. These political zones include the Homestead Zone, the Northern Zone, the Western Zone, and the Southern Zone. The Homestead Zone is Sivastead's permanently inhabited region - the entirety of Sivastead's population resides here. The Northern zone is the largest of all zones, though it is also the least explored and most under-utilized, owing to its rough, rocky terrain, and the extreme proliferation of juniper. The waterway known as Cactus River originates in the Northern zone and flows across Sivastead, emptying out directly to the south of the Southern Zone, which for its part is defined by its abundance of oak forests and its rich soil. The Western Zone - once a wide-open grassland now covered in juniper - is the only zone which does not directly border the Homestead Zone.

On Micras, the climate, terrain, and political division of Sivastead is similar to that of the settlement's earth counterpart. Micrasian Sivastead is, however, located in the Passasian Unincorporated Territory, to the south of the ancient city of Kingsland.

Transportation

All of Sivastead's various zones are connected by a network of reasonably maintained major roads which can be traversed by car or truck, or on horseback. The zones are also connected by an expansive network of walking trails which were cleared as part of the Make Passas Real Again campaign. Several of these walking trails are somewhat dangerous, and travelers should exercise caution when using them. This is especially true in the woods surrounding Cactus River, insofar as the area is home to a pack of territorial feral hogs. Sivastead's hunters have warned that among the hogs who make their home in the area is a large, white boar, with two or three inch long tusks. The existence of this boar has not been independently verified. Nevertheless, utmost caution is advised when traveling along Sivastead's more remote footpaths.

Economy

Sivastead is supported financially through farming, ranching, and hunting leases. The primary crop grown in Sivastead is hay, though historically peaches and pecans have also been grown here. Livestock raised in Sivastead include sheep and cows. Access to the land is leased to hunters, who primarily hunt the region's abundant deer, dove, turkey, as well as the invasive wild hogs who ravage the land, endangering the economy and threatening the safety of Sivastead's residents. Future plans for economic development include the construction of a vineyard and wine cellar, and the introduction of new crops potentially including hemp. A bar may also be established in Sivastead, lending itself to the possibility of holiday events and festivals. There are also tentative plans to produce and sell stamps and currency.

Protected Areas

Notable protected areas in Sivastead include the Banshee Field, a vast portion of the western territory which is said to be haunted by a ruthless spirit which once terrorized travelers through the region, particularly those traveling to and from the school house which can be found just beyond the northern border. Other protected areas include Cactus River, the shallow, ephemeral waterway which runs directly north to south through the heart of Sivastead, and Hestia's Lot, Sivastead's spiritual epicenter. Also protected is the Hay Field, a 20 acre field not included in any of Sivastead's political zones, which is used for the production of livestock feed, and which is home to the Hay Field Woods, otherwise known as the Forest of Parnassus - Sivastead's largest continuous oak forest.