Adrestia

The Holy Ralgon Principality of Adrestia
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto: Strength and Honor
Anthem: WIP
Map versions	???
Capital	Gondolin
Largest city	Gondolin
Official language(s)	Draconian (official) Standard (most common)
Official religion(s)	Draconic (revolves around a pantheon consisting of eleven gods)
Demonym	Ralgon
- Adjective	Ralgon
Government	Constitutional Elective Monarchy
- Prince of Adrestia	Masamune Ral I
- Duke of Gondolin	Kazuma Hawkins
- Legislature	Parliament
Establishment	Wolf Moon, 1674 AN
Area	NA
Population	12,540,054 (1675 AN)
Active population	NA
Currency	Guilder (£)
Calendar
Time zone(s)
Mains electricity
Driving side
Track gauge
National website
National forum
National animal	Adrestian Eagle
National food
National drink	Green Tea
National tree	Lemon tree
Abbreviation	HRE

Adrestia, formally known as The Holy Ralgon Principality of Adrestia, is a dependent constituent country of the Holy Ralgon Empire. It is currently the Ralgon Empire's largest overseas possession, and the largest one which was never used as a penal colony. It is also the Holy Ralgon Empire's only fully autonomous possession, all others either being directly ruled from one of the nation's capitals on the island of Dragos, or else by the Imperial Senate in Drag'nor. Adrestia was originally founded on the back of the Great White Fleet's Imperial-sponsored effort to share Ralgon goods, ideas, and culture with the rest of the world. To the east of the Keltia continent, the Great White Fleet set up headquarters on a smaller island off the coast of what is now mainland Adrestia at some point in 1670 AN. They officially claimed the area in the name of the Holy Ralgon Empire to coincide with the 400th anniversary of their nation's unification, initially ignorant of the paradise that lay on the mainland.

As the island rapidly grew overpopulated with incoming merchants and naval vessels seeking to protect the Ralgon Empire's first major colony, major exploratory expeditions were launched to explore the much larger main island. To everyone's joy, they discovered a paradise entirely devoid of the monsters encountered back home. Civilization was non-existent, no hostile peoples or creatures inhabited the land, and the soil was exceptionally fertile, even more so than the dangerous fringes of the Great Swamp. The news traveled home of an untouched paradise, and before long throngs of privileged citizens were lining up to build what they considered to be a heaven for the best Ralgon society had to offer.

By another twist of fate, another expedition followed one of the island's many rivers to a small mountain deep in the interior. Here, the land was covered in citrus forests the likes of which the expedition's members had never seen. A city was rapidly founded on that mountain. Residences for both the island's rulers and even one for the Emperor were constructed, and the region was entirely annexed by the Ralgons by 1675. It also wasn't long before a functional city was on the rise, featuring spacious real estate for its citizens, with residency within Gondolin and its environs restricted to combat veterans, wealthy merchants, nobility, and other meritorious individuals.

Since then, Adrestia has been the subject of unprecedented development for a Ralgon possession. Mainland Adrestia as well as its surrounding islands rapidly saw the influx of major trade coming between Ralgon proper and the rest of the world, and a trade partnership with the Bassarid island colony to the south ensured that territorial disputes would not arise due to increased trade in the region. Having rapidly enriched itself, the Adrestian colonists successfully lobbied to have the colony declared a Principality, placing it out of reach of most of Ralgon's central government. Prince Masamune Ral, the Emperor's brother, was selected to hold the colony for himself and his descendants.

Thanks to the many rivers that flow in and out of Gondolin, it rapidly became an important port city, receiving primarily construction supplies and luxury goods, while most other wares stopped instead at Tranquility Base or Storm's End on the way to and from Ralgon proper. In 1676, a major intercontinental airport was built and commissioned outside of Gondolin, and it serves nonstop flights between Gondolin and Glacier City S.A.R., as well as other major USSO destinations as allowed to the Ralgons (and consequently Adrestia) by treaty.

Government

The Prince (and the Imperial Crown)

Nominally, Adrestia is ruled through the Crown at Drag'os. Originally, the Principality's title was vested in the senior-most Prince of the Empire, and then passed down through his resulting line in a manner the locals deem fit (albeit with approval from the Emperor). Thus, any actions passed and approved by the Prince of Adrestia must also have the consent of the Ralgon Emperor to pass. In recent years, weakening central government authority over the islands has caused the Emperor to grant passive consent to any and all acts passed locally, while retaining veto power.

While the Imperial Government claims to rule Adrestia, the island nation is instead all but independent from the Ralgon imperial government at Drag'os. Due to the distance of the islands from the mainland and the existence of its own independent Self-Defense Force, the islands are capable of running themselves as they see fit. Since as early as 1680, Adrestia's government has fallen into paying lip service to the imperial government and paying requisite taxes, but no longer sends representatives to the central government. The rapidly growing nation has matured at the fast pace of its growth, and the Principality has taken measures to retain more autonomy and independence from the central government.

Currently, it is the only one of Ralgon's possessions (mainland or otherwise) not subject to rule by the Imperial Senate.

The Parliament of Adrestia

Adrestia is currently ruled by a Parliament split into two houses. The oldest of these houses is the House of Lords, which consists of the new nobility of the island, as well as a set number of representatives from the island's richest families. Both the lower limits of noble title and the minimum wealth threshold required for membership in the Parliament are determined by the Prince a minimum of one cycle (five years) in advance. The number of members of the House of Lords cannot exceed 150 members, but the general membership along with Prince Masamune of Adrestia have committed to keeping that number as low as possible. The current House of Lords has 87 members, including exactly 11 members of the island's clergy (in those only 6 being from the Holy Draconic Church). The House of Lords is always headed by the Principality's senior-most lord after the reigning Prince. This happens to be the Duke of Gondolin, which is headed by Lord Kazuma Hawkins, 1st Duke of Gondolin.

Formed in 1680 upon Adrestia's receipt of total autonomy from Ralgon is the House of Commons. With the rapidly growing affluent population of the country, a need arose to represent the nation's educated working, middle, and lower upper classes. As such, the Commons was formed to consist of elected representatives of the colony's major districts, which includes the city of Gondolin itself. Both a lengthy tour of civil or military service is required to sit in the Commons, as well as a completed post-secondary education. Usually, representatives come from one of Adrestia's elite universities (either the Imperial University of Gondolin or the University of Adrestia, also located in the capital city) or from abroad at an equally prestigious institution. Because of this and extremely strict campaign finance rules within the country, elected representatives are often much more affluent than their constituents, with those few people of lesser wealth usually crowdfunding their campaigns through professional, civil service and/or military connections.

Relations with Ralgon

Adrestia is easily the most loosely governed major territory in the Holy Ralgon Empire for a good reason: Adrestia has everything that the mainland does, if not more. Adrestia, uniquely among Ralgon's principal territories, has its own self-defense force (which is rumored to be capable of standing toe-to-toe with the mainland's military). Adrestia's own economy (which generates more income per capita than any other of the Empire's territories, and boasts the empire's second-highest regional GDP, coming in just behind Glacier City, SAR. Helping things along is the fact that the islands have a near-monopoly on any and all direct traffic between the USSO bloc and Ralgon, and the country has also looked into conducting trade with the nearby Gran Verionia, a move normally considered abhorrent in the eyes of the mainlanders, who had a nasty fallout with the Iron Company in 1675 after trade relations between the two soured quickly after Ralgon joined the USSO.

Recent moves by Adrestia to support the openly breakaway nation of the Realm of Pyrax have caused intense friction with the central government, most of which continues to refuse to recognize its sovereignty (not to mention its mere existence.) Furthermore, the Prince of Adrestia personally ordered a massive and ultimately successful operation meant to secretly smuggle natives and their dragons, along with large numbers of refugees and sympathizers from Western Drag'os to a fitting refuge in faraway Keltia's interior. Although this was done to avoid escalation in the mainland's current civil war (and on the Emperor's secret blessing), Adrestia's move to allow rebellious colonists on the Eventide Islands to collaborate with the natives and declare independence produced a nigh-irreparable rift with the central government.

Adrestia has proven the least expansionist of Ralgon's territories, also much to the ire of the central government. Deteriorating relations between Prince Masamune Ral and the Imperial Family back home have also led to him declaring the House of Adrestia to be separate from the Imperial line, cutting off both himself and future descendants from eligibility to be Emperor. On the other hand, neither can the Imperial Family lay claim to Adrestia's throne anymore. Finally, the official stance of apathy present in the Adrestian court regarding Ralgon's internal troubles would have had the country occupied, were it not for the strong economy and Navy already employed by the colonists present.

History

Foundation (1660-1675)

Adrestia was originally founded on the back of the Great White Fleet's Imperial-sponsored effort to share Ralgon goods, ideas, and culture with the rest of the world. To the east of the Keltia continent, the Great White Fleet set up headquarters on a smaller island off the coast of what is now mainland Adrestia at some point in 1670 AN. After ten years of settlement in the region, they secured the surrounding islands not belonging to their Bassarid neighbors in short order. After moving to the mainland and setting up a civilian headquarters in 1670, the merchant and military classes jointly claimed the area in the name of the Holy Ralgon Empire to coincide with the 400th anniversary of their nation's unification, initially ignorant of the paradise that lay on the mainland.

As the island rapidly grew overpopulated with incoming merchants and naval vessels seeking to protect the Ralgon Empire's first major colony, major exploratory expeditions were launched to explore the much larger main island. To everyone's joy, they discovered a paradise entirely devoid of the monsters encountered back home. Civilization was non-existent, no hostile peoples or creatures inhabited the land, and the soil was exceptionally fertile, even more so than the dangerous fringes of the Great Swamp. The news traveled home of an untouched paradise, and before long throngs of privileged citizens were lining up to build what they considered to be a heaven for the best Ralgon society had to offer.

By another twist of fate, another expedition followed one of the island's many rivers to a small mountain deep in the interior. Here, the land was covered in citrus forests the likes of which the expedition's members had never seen. A city was rapidly founded on that mountain. Residences for both the island's rulers and even one for the Emperor were constructed, and the region was entirely annexed by the Ralgons by 1675. It also wasn't long before a functional city was on the rise, featuring spacious real estate for its citizens, with residency within Gondolin and its environs restricted to combat veterans, wealthy merchants, nobility, and other meritorious individuals.

Colonial Era (1675-1685)

Soon after its settlement, Adrestia quickly became the subject of unprecedented development for a Ralgon possession. Mainland Adrestia as well as its surrounding islands rapidly saw the influx of major trade coming between Ralgon proper and the rest of the world, and a trade partnership with the Bassarid island colony to the south ensured that territorial disputes would not arise due to increased trade in the region. Having rapidly enriched itself, the Adrestian colonists successfully lobbied to have the colony declared a Principality, placing it out of reach of most of Ralgon's central government. Prince Masamune Ral, the Emperor's brother, was selected to hold the colony for himself and his descendants.

Thanks to the many rivers that flow in and out of Gondolin, it rapidly became an important port city, receiving primarily construction supplies and luxury goods, while most other wares stopped instead at Tranquility Base or Storm's End on the way to and from Ralgon proper. In 1676, a major intercontinental airport was built and commissioned outside of Gondolin, and it serves nonstop flights between Gondolin and Glacier City S.A.R., as well as other major USSO destinations as allowed to the Ralgons (and consequently Adrestia) by treaty. With Adrestia's rise to international prominence in its own right, the former colony was granted full autonomy by the central government in 1683. Since that moment, Adrestia has been acting akin to an independent nation beholden to Ralgon's government by economic ties more than political ones. With the latter's recurring (and worsening) problems, as well as the recent effort by Adrestia to join the CSSO even those ties are threatened.

Modern Era (1685-)

The Prince of Adrestia ordered expeditions to explore the island chains' "mainland" beginning in 1680. These expeditions to the northern areas of the country revealed the source of the area's many navigable river waters. A military base was established in the region until the government could delineate parklands and strict nature preserves designed to protect the pristine environment enjoyed by Adrestia's citizens and visitors alike. This opened more land for wealthy and powerful refugees coming from Ralgon to escape either the mainland (the large island of Drag'os). These high-class refugees coming to Adrestia either arrived to escape Drag'os's overpopulation crisis, the endless wars fought by the central government with the natives and megafauna to the west of the island, or for the superior economy that Adrestia offers for the vast majority of those lucky enough to be granted the right of abode on either the islands or, more rarely, the paradise-like mainland.

Strict immigration controls from Ralgon have become the single most notable thing separating Adrestia's problems from its mother country. Despite a massive population boom since its Principality status was granted in 1683, population density on the mainland has been strictly controlled by the central government outside the capital city of Gondolin. This has extended as far as draconian immigrant restrictions. Of note is a hefty tax on having children, which restricts the ability to pass inheritance and citizenship onto fewer people. As a result, only about 15% of families may have multiple children who are citizens. (Once non-citizen children come of age, they are forcibly deported to either the barrier or mountain islands outside Adrestia, to Drag'os, or sent on one of Adrestia's now-constant colonial or trading expeditions.)

Despite these population controls, the region still has comparatively lax laws on visitation from other countries and regions. The islands surrounding the country have seen increased traffic due to population increases, which have directly led to expeditions west from or through Adrestia to establish colonies on western Keltia, beginning with the securing of the Eventide Isles not far from Bassarid territory. This secured the straits the rocky islands serve to protect, as well as open up further colonization northwards -- mostly by individuals priced out of Adrestia's luxury real estate market, or by the massive influx of citizens coming from the Ralgon homeland in the wake of recent crises as of 1685.

Economy

The islands of Adrestia play host to the headquarters of the famed Great White Fleet, which is the Holy Ralgon Empire's primary state-sponsored international trading entity. Effectively a confederation of merchant companies owned by the government (having been bought out individually over the years), they moved their respective headquarters from Glacier City and Drag'nor on the mainland and moved to an island east of the central Adrestian territory on what is known to the rest of Micras as South Island. The organization was taken over by the Adrestian government, after the Prince of Adrestia bought a controlling stake in most of the Great White Fleet's member organizations (using a mix of his own and his government's money). The southern half of the island holds an unusually high proliferation of slow-moving, major rivers that stem from a large series of springs in the island's center, in unexplored territory. This allows the City of Gondolin to act as a trade hub with the rest of the colony, while each of the satellite islands serve as major hubs for the Ralgon Imperial Navy, or as cargo hubs for use as a stopover port between the extreme eastern end of Bassarid territory and the ports that lie beyond.

A unique, special relationship exists specifically between the colony of Adrestia and the Bassarid colony on the chain's southeastern satellite island, known to the locals as the Ranalama del Alphavandíe. On a local level, cooperation and understanding exists between the Ralgon Navy and merchant fleets (as well as Merchant Marines) and the Bassarid colony (and by extension the privateers based there). Therefore, trade passes through the region unhindered between Ralgon, its colonies abroad, and its allies in the USSO.

Primary imports that stay within Adrestia are construction materials, luxury goods, and primarily armaments from the Navy in the colonists' unrelenting drive north to discover the source of the hot springs, as well as efforts to uncover any pre-existing civilizations (and consequent technologies) in this unusually hospitable region. Exports include gold from the hills to the north as well as precious stones found in the same area. Pearls are common exports that ship to both the Island of Drag'os in the east, and either the Bassarids or various small nations to the west. Other exports from the colony include precious gems from Ralgon, as well as precious metals obtained from the far western portions of the Great Divide, located on the outskirts of the Duro Province on home Ralgon territory. The colony absorbs around 10% of the total exports generated from Ralgon territory, but makes up for its local trade deficits several times over through profits in trade that pass through the territory both ways.

Adrestia also serves as the primary direct port of trade between Ralgon and Jingdao. Since all land territory between the Island of Dragos and Jingdao's mainland is controlled by Raspur Pact nations, the Ralgons are wary of sending anything that way due to the Iron Company's presence (which they regard as a terrorist organization since their bombing of a Glacier City dockyard in 1675 AN. Therefore, the colony has rapidly grown rich from heavy trade coming to and from the region.

Adrestia has recently integrated its economy quite thoroughly with the USSO, with heavy trade especially coming through the nearby Bassarid colony, which has existed since before the Adrestians settled the island in the 1660's AN. Its efforts to integrate itself into the proposed CSSO has caused tensions with the rest of the Ralgon nation, which has further contributed to the quietly widening rift in economics, politics, and culture between the two parties.

Culture

Major Sports Teams

The Adrestian Eagles are considered to be the national football team, but the nation has not officially sanctioned their presence in any international games thus far, to avoid further conflict with the mainland.