Alrig

Alriggian Republic The Old Oil Rig
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto:
Anthem: Psalm 107 23-32
Map versions	16.1.3 - current
Capital	Driftwood
Largest city	Driftwood, Sint Anna
Official language(s)	common Alriggian
Official religion(s)	Theist
Demonym	Alriggian
- Adjective	Alriggian
Government	Republic
- President	Luo Dai
- Legislature	Council of Driftwood
Establishment	1656
Area
Population	87,521
Currency	Jingdaoese Kala
Calendar
Time zone(s)	CMT-3
Mains electricity
Driving side	Right
Track gauge
National website	government.oil
National forum	On the Bastion Union
National animal	Limbless mule
National food	Spiced cheese
National drink	Elderflower tea
National tree	Apollonian poplar
Abbreviation	OIL

The Alriggian Republic, historically also known as The Old Oil Rig is a nation that is located in Southern Apollonia. The nation was established late in the year 1656 and first tried to claim land on Micras in the beginning of 1657. The first claim was quickly denied because the nation was not old enough at the time of claiming. A second claim in late 1657 was brought before the MCS. The nation tried to claim an oil rig in the middle of the North Raynor Sea that was not depicted on the MCS map, sparking a debate within the MCS about the legality of such a claim on a man-made structure. An earthquake resulting in a tsunami in 1657 made this entire discussion unnecessary however as the oil rig that had been the home base of the nation was torn from its anchoring in the ocean and crashed on the Southern Apollonian shore. The first claim on that location was accepted by the MCS not much later that year.

Over the course of the years the old oil rig that was lying on the beach east of the nation's capital, Driftwood, deteriorated. Scavengers would take bits and pieces of it to use on their own structures until not much was left. As the nation's name "old oil rig" no longer corresponded with something tangible, the name which wasn't considered to have any remaining meaning became subject to phonetic and phonological changes. This change was codified in the 1663 constitution which updated the name of the nation to the "Alriggian Republic" based on the name "Alrig" which the people gave to their common land.

In 1670 Alrig joined the Union of States around the Sovereign Oceans and became an active member. Its president Hieronim Erazm was one of the members of the first crew of the Orbital Command.

In early 1673 the United North Apollonian Company was established and funded with a loan of 50,000¤ from the Alriggian state. The goal of the company was to gain a foothold in North Apollonian trade with communities in the Green. The Jingdaoese port of Xiaochincheng was the first base of operations before the United North Apollonian Company tried to found its own city on an island off the North Apollonian coast.

The Alexandrian flu epidemic of 1682 hit the republic hard, with over a thousand fatalities. Many of them young people without medical history. According to estimates, 15-30% of the population was infected during the course of the epidemic. The disease originated in Sankt Ludwigshafen. With help from Jingdao that shared vaccines and medication the disease was brought under control. Alrig blamed Sankt Ludwigshafen for the disease and launched an invasion which led to Ludwigshafen's annexation. The same year Alrig also left the USSO out of fears it could become a superstate that would jeopardise Alrig's independence.

The 1684-1685 Jingdaoese-Alriggian War ended Alriggian independence on Apollonia. The vulture-like Florians annexed the Eastern Circle after its government had crumbled, and the Jingdaoese occupied the rest. Many Alriggians fled to Sankt Ludwigshafen, which saw development for a few short years. Religious and cultural differences between the Alriggians and Ludwiggers were hard to ignore though and this last bastion of Alriggian independence fell into chaos. The Alriggians and Ludwiggers eventually retreated into different cities, and ignored each others existence as much as they could. The fall of the Franco-Batavian Empire however offered new hope for the Alriggian people, as the South Batavians living in the area around Arvidsudde were looking for an alliance. Hoping to find themselves a new homeland, thousands of volunteers from Erazmhafen were shipped over to Arvidsudde. With only a fraction of the previous population continuing to stay in Erazmhafen, the Alriggian Republic remained in existence but was only a shadow of its former glory. The Barbarian Republic was seen as its successor in Apollonia, until it collapsed in 1689, in Jingdao its territory was then known as the Alriggian Autonomous Zone for a while.

After the Post-Chidao Troubles, the Jingdaoese Empire became known as the Great Apollonian Empire, but the position of Alrig did not change as a result of this change in the empire. After the 1704 Second Kildarian Revolution, the name of the republic was changed into the Alriggian Syndicalist Republic and it became recognised as an independent nation for a while. In the Treaty of Gaelen's Landing, which was not signed by Alrig, the nation was named a protectorate of Kildare and in extension Shireroth. Unwilling to face the wrath of these empires as they combined, the republic did not resist, nor did it experience much oppression.

Foreign politics

The republic was a member of the Micras Treaty Organisation and the Union of States around the Sovereign Oceans. It did not frequently send envoys to other nations than its largest neighbor, Jingdao, and until 1673, when it made contact with Alduria, it did not pursue relations with other nations. While the Florian Republic borders Alrig in the north, there has been no diplomatic contact with Floria at all, were are there any border crossings. In 1677 an envoy was sent to Leylstadt to formalise relations with the similarly-sized Apollonian nation.

Jingdaoese-Alriggian Alliance

In 1663 the Alriggian Republic signed a treaty with its much more powerful neighbor, the Jingdaoese Empire. The Alriggian Republic agreed to comply to market regulations and adopt the Jingdaoese Kala, in return the Jingdaoese Empire helped the Alriggian Republic to settle land on its borders. In 1664 the Jingdaoese-Alriggian Alliance also started the construction of an international highway to connect the nations. Given the strong military and economic ties between Alrig and Jingdao, and the unequal balance of power, Alrig is often seen as a Jingdaoese satellite state. Since the inception of the alliance, president Hieronim Erazm has traveled to Daocheng every Spring to pay tribute to the Jingdaoese Emperor. While some opposition to the treaty has been voiced in the Council of Driftwood, the general consensus in Alrig seems to be that the treaties provide stability and welfare that would otherwise be hard to acquire.

In 1670 a joint military exercise was held, in which over 800 Jingdaoese tanks and almost 40,000 soldiers took place, equal to nearly half the Alriggian population.

In 1672 a treaty was signed between Alrig and Jingdao, which transferred the responsibility for the Alriggian armed forces to the Imperial Armed Forces. 14,200 Alriggian citizens were drafted into the Fourth Field Army's Alrig Corps. The Alrig Corps consisted of two infantry brigades and one field artillery brigade. Of these, only the field artillery brigade and headquarters were on permanent duty. This treaty was revoked by Alrig in 1675. While the reasoning was not understood by the Jingdaoese government, it did not have any further adverse effects on Jingdaoese-Alriggian relations.

The rise of Pan-Jingdaoism in Jingdaoese politics in 1677 was met with mixed reactions. In the Council of Driftwood, the Guild for Industry, Trade and Transport stated that promoting Alriggian products as Pan-Jingdaoese would increase sales in Jingdao. The Guild for Nobility and Freemen countered that the rise of Jingdaoese influence could limit the freedom of the Alriggians.

Starting 1678 a joint military operation took place on the arctic island of Leng. Soldiers of the Northern Circle's militia joined forces with the Jingdaoese Qiangtan Junren's 4th Wuqi Amphibious Infantry Regiment following the collapse of the Iron Cult of Leng's control of their territory and the Elwynnese attempt to annex it. Five Alriggian soldiers died of food poisoning and hypothermia during the exercise, but valuable lessons were learned on the dangers of arctic warfare.

From 1684 on, following a border incident relations between Alrig and Jingdao deteriorated. During the war that ended, Alrig suffered greatly and had its Apollonian territories divided by Floria, which merely vultured upon an area that could no longer be sustained, and Jingdao which annexed the area surrounding the capital of Driftwood.

Aldurian-Alriggian Relations

Relations between Alrig and Alduria were first established in 1673 when the latter called for help during the Water crisis in Alduria. Alrig was the first nation to send water to Alduria to try to relieve the plight of the Aldurians. It was also an early supporter of the MTO Mission to Alduria.

Ludwiggian-Alriggian Relations

As both Sankt Ludwigshafen and Alrig were founded by exiles from the Principality of Walstadt, the two nations saw each other as natural allies. Like Jingdao was often seen as Alrig's larger brother, Alrig was seen as Sankt Ludwigshafen's larger brother. Alrig's Apollonian Shipping Company operated a regular cargo line service between the two states and both nations used the same currency, the Jingdaoese Kala. However, where Alrig was a multicultural society consisting of ethnic Jingdaoese, South-Cibolan Saxon, South Batavian, Batavian, Flemish and Kildarian citizens, this was not the case for Sankt Ludwigshafen. The latter was a mono-ethnic state for South-Cibolan Saxons and also maintained more rigidity in religious affairs. The more closed nature of Sankt Ludwighafen's society compared to Alrig sometimes created tension between the two nations. The Ludwiggian handling of the Alexandrian flu epidemic of 1682 led to the annexation of Sankt Ludwigshafen by Alrig in 1682. During the Jingdaoese-Alriggian war, many Alriggians fled to Sankt Ludwigshafen. This led to a short-lived expansion of Sankt Ludwigshafen's territory in late 1684.

In early 1704 the Alrig national football team played two friendlies against the Sankt Ludwigshafen national football team. The first match was a draw, with both Alrig and Sankt Ludwigshafen scoring one goal.

Economy

The economy of Alrig was closely integrated with the market of Jingdao, with Alrig complying with Jingdaoese market regulations and having adopted the Jingdaoese kala. Alriggian companies took full advantage of their access to the Jingdaoese markets and were usually active in logistics, transport or trade. Unlike Jingdaoese citizens, Alriggian citizens did not need special permits to travel outside their home district, which gave them an advantage even in the Jingdaoese internal market. Unlike Jingdao, Alrig lacked the manpower to set up a strong industrial sector and imports most of its goods from its larger neighbour. The Alriggian agricultural produced mainly for the local market, with some high-end products, such as prize winning cheeses, being exported to the Jingdaoese elite.

The north Apollonian island of Sint Barentsz was colonized by Alrig in 1673 and its rule recognized by the Micronational Cartography Society in 1674. It was a trading port from which business was conducted with tribes in the Apollonian Green and the Jingdaoese northern provinces of Jinkeai and Jingqyzyl. Transport between mainland Alrig and Sint Barentsz took place over land through Jinkeai and Xianbei and then over the Antya river. The Cibolan Circle, also known as Sankt Ludwigshafen had an economy that was mainly focused on logging and fishing.

Infrastructure

Alrig was located at the eastern end of the Imperial Autobahn number 1. The Driftwood International Airport, located west of the capital, connected Alrig to various USSO member states. Sint Anna was the most important seaport. The nation was heavily dependent on the infrastructure of Jingdao for its connection to the North Apollonian city of Sint Barentsz. Alriggian companies such as the Apollonian Shipping Company maintained various sea routes, some of them cross hazardous sea lanes and are navigated with decommissioned Jingdaoese submarines that had been outfitted as cargo-subs.

Demographics

The Alriggian Republic had 87,521 citizens when it was founded, of which approximately 43,000 lived in the capital city of Driftwood and its surroundings. The second city of Sint Anna had about 20,000 inhabitants. While the republic does not record ancestry, most citizens have Batavian, Jingdaoese and Walstädter forefathers. The dialect of Driftwood was influenced by the South Cibolan Saxon of Walstadt, while most people in the former Batavian city of Sint Anna have Batavian as their first language. In Sint Barentsz, in addition to South Cibolan Saxon, Batavian and Jingdaoese, an old Kildari dialect was spoken. A small minority Sint Anna speaks Qyzylqay.

Religion

The customary religion everyone in Alrig was expected to adhere to was Alriggian theism, which is the belief in a supreme God who can be called Lord. This public adherence to a single and simple religion was instated to prevent religious turmoil in the small nation. In private, many citizens practiced one of the more common religions known to Micras.

Most Alriggians followed the Catologian faith in its South Batavian, Batavian or Flemish form. Followers of the Tianchaodao, the worship of the Heavenly Light were also numerous and usually belonged to the Jingdaoese minority. Bassarid merchants are known to have performed rituals related to the Stripping Path in their houses of worship.

Atheism, publicly denouncing the belief in a supreme deity, was not considered acceptable in Alrig and would lead to social exclusion. Agnostic views on the Lord were not seen usually seen as problematic. In the state census, information on religious affiliation was not recorded, as this was seen as potentially inciting towards religious intolerance.

In the Cibolan Circle, a version of Siseranism was the most common religion, Alriggian theism had not gained much ground there in the years directly after the annexation. This changed in late 1684 when many Alriggians fled to Sankt Ludwigshafen and brought their religious views with them. This created religious tensions and the religious communities drifted further and further apart. Most Alriggian theists retreated into the northern port of Erazmhafen, while the Ludwiggian Siseranists stayed in Sankt Ludwigshafen.

Government and politics

The nation's constitution consisted of only two brief articles, one about the office of president, the other about the Council of Driftwood. The president was elected by all Alriggian citizens and had the power to make law. He or she could however be overruled by the Council of Driftwood, which was composed of all citizens who hold at least three acres of land. The nation has been presided over by Hieronim Erazm since its inception until 1680, when elections were held. These elections were won by Luo Dai, whose term would have ended in 1686.

Human rights

Human rights were not codified by law, but most common human rights were customarily accepted. Freedom of religion and free expression were recognised, but it was also accepted that one should not share his views with others who might not be interested in them. In 1680 a dictate by the Council of Driftwood paved a way for restricting free speech. In this dictate, it claimed the right to prosecute when free speech is used to create societal unrest, defame dignitaries and people of good standing, and/or damage the relation Alrig has with its allies. This dictate was seen as a warning against the Labor Party of Alrig. No people have been prosecuted under this law.

LGBT Rights and Feminism

As a general rule, the Alriggian state did not recognise a difference between men and women. It did not register these details in passports and the law was expected to deal with women and men all the same. As such, there was also no distinction between heterosexual and homosexual relations. The state was indifferent towards transitions from male to female or vice versa, such transitions were often covered by basic medical insurance to a certain degree. Like religious discussions, discussions about gender or sexual preference were considered a taboo subject in Alrig society. The general rule was that while everyone is entitled to their opinion, everyone else was not likely to be interested in that opinion. The motto "If you find something, bring it to the lost & found" was often heard in Alrig.

Abortion was legal in Alrig, but there was no legal consensus what the last moment is that an abortion can take place. The general rule was that the fetus cannot be viable outside the mother's body. In some cases this was determined to be the moment of actual birth, but has also been set at the 22th week of pregnancy. The Jingdaoese State offered to adopt unwanted children through the Zhengbing Programme.

Military

Alrig maintained a standing army of 2,500 riflemen which were maintained by the Council of Driftwood and commanded by the president. The circles maintained their own militia. In 1678 the Council of Driftwood placed an order for a small coast guard fleet with Gong Shipyards in Erlgau, Jingdao. The fleet consisted of six corvettes and twenty-one electrified smaller boats.

Sports

The most popular sport in Alrig was association football, which was commonly referred to as just sport. While the national football association, ERAS only organised professional matches, it was played by a large part of the population. This usually took place in ad hoc formations, as amateur sports were not formally organised. Many matches were played between amateur teams of neighbouring villages or city quarters. In later years, basketball had gained some popularity, as BC Driftwood participated in the 2019–20 MBF Club World League.