Iselande

Grand Duchy of Iselande
Flag Coat of Arms
Motto: "Vapaa, vankka, vakaa" (jk) "Free, Firm, Steadfast"
Anthem: "Mother Iselande"
Map versions	17.6.1–
Capital	North Antrusburgh
Largest city	Fenixtune
Official language	Istvanistani
National languages	Jääkieli · Aspiranto
Ethnic groups	83.0% Meckelnish (all tribes) 9.2% Jääkieli 1.3% Seal Fishers 6.5% Other
State religion	Church of Meckelnburgh
Religious affiliation	76.4% Irreligious 15.6% Nazarene —9.8% Albigensian —2.0% Catholic —1.3% Orthodox —2.5% Other 5.1% Holy Lance 1.2% Ethnic religions 0.3% Ashkenatzi 1.4% Other
Demonyms	Iselander
Adjectives	Iselandic
Government	Unitary parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy
• Monarch	Ĉielero III
• Viceroy	Lord Wilburn Arkwright, 5th Earl of Truckee
• Prime Minister	Keijo Clark
• Speaker of the Assembly	Sebastian Bradley
• Chief Justicar	Eveleen Adams
Legislature	Assembly
Formation (Norton)
Creation of Jääland	20.III.1678
The Troubles	18.IV.1707
Formation of the Meckelnburghish realm	23.XIII.1709
Area
• Total	22,100 km2 (8,500 sqmi)
• Water	3.85%
Population
• 1721 estimate	424,594
• Density	19.2/km2 (49.8/sqmi)
Currency	Meckelnburgh rixdollar (Ʀ) (MBD), Iselande rixdollar
Time zone	CMT+0 (IST)
Calendar	Norton Calendar
Driving side	right
Abbreviation	ISE
Internet TLD	.is

Iselande (/aɪs.lənd/ ICE-land), officially the Grand Duchy of Iselande, is a northern Apollonian country that is part of the Kingdom of Meckelnburgh. The state is one of three constituent countries that form the Kingdom, along with the Prince-Archabbacy of Salem and Meckelnburgh proper; the people of all three being Mecklenburgish citizens. It has a total area of about 22,100 square kilometers (8,500 sq mi) with a population of 420,000 as of 1721 AN. The capital is North Antrusburgh and largest city is Fenixtune.

The country lies on the Jääland Peninsula, bordering with Lac Glacei, as the Nurthaven and Antruusbuurg Canal, to which the Kingdom of Meckelnburgh holds a non-territorial interest. Iselande resists a polar oceanic climate, with the north peninsula bordering the Straits of Artsessdun and surrounded by sea ice. The Brussels Mountains run the length of the peninsula. The majority of the population is split between North Antrusburgh, along the Clear Sea, and the largest city Fenixtune, along the Northern Sea.

Iselande is a unitary state organized in a single provincial entity. It is a parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy with an empowered head of state, Grand Duchess, and Queen of Meckelnburgh, Ĉielero III. The Assembly is the unicameral legislative consisting of a common house, and the judiciary is headed by the High Court, which may be further appealed to the Parliament of Meckelnburgh. The head of government is Matleena Ranta, who is likewise responsible to the Assembly. The Church of Meckelnburgh is the state religion.

Iselande is the newest constituent state, annexed in 1709 AN, that developed into the wider Meckelnburghish Realm, consisting of the territory of the collapsed Jääland state. As a smaller territory, Meckelnburgh responsible for much of the Grand Duchy's administration, such as foreign affairs and armed forces. Because of the destruction reigned on Iselande during The Troubles, only a small minority of ethnic Jääkieli remain, with the majority of its population immigrants of ethnic Meckelnish.

Etymology

The name "Iselande" is an archaic Istvanistani spelling of "ice land," referring to the snowy tundra of the Jääland Penninsula and the frozen waters of the Northern Sea. Formerly, the Jääkieli name of "Jääland" had the same meaning in that language.

History

Centuries of settlement
	Lyrica	2.??
	Purple Bunny Federation	3.5.0
	Royal Isle of Aquaria	4.5.5–5.2.0
	Crandish Republic	6.1.0–6.6.8
	United Kingdom of Arminy	6.6.9–6.8.1
	Imperial Republic of Shireroth	6.8.2–6.8.6
	Royal Crandish Republic	6.8.7–7.0.2
	Viking Empire of Stormark	7.0.3
	Empire of Alexandria	7.0.4–7.0.6
	Kingdom of Tokidoki	9.1.0–12.3.0
	Confederation of Gralus	12.4.0–13.5.5
	Kingdom of Toketi	13.6.0–13.8.6
	Gralan Empire	13.8.7–15.4.0
	Kingdom of Toketi	15.4.1–15.6.2
	Empire of the Alexandrians	15.6.3–15.9.9
	Jääland	16.6.9–17.6.0

Jääland nation

Former Jääland was founded in 1678 AN by a group of landowners, led by Petri Pukki, the Church of the Holy Lance and the towns that became the five chartered cities of Jääland. The diocesan and parochial structure of the Church allowed for the ideas of building a state to spread. As such, most of the state is organized in parallel to the church. Shortly afterwards, a group of Florians settled in the area and brought many Florian influences to Jääland, such as introducing the sport of ice hockey, baseball and cuisine.

Jääland's economy saw good growth in the late 1680s AN and early 1690s AN. With the establishment of Hellistelli International Airport as a trading hub for flights between Lyrica, Benacia and northern Keltia, through the Boreal Air Bridge, and the entry of Jääland into the Raspur Pact, Jääland developed its services in logistics and tourism.

Economic depression

By 1693 AN, however, unemployment reached record levels, and Jääland entered a recession. This was due to diminishing trade from Republic of Elwynn, Benacia and other parts of the Raspur Pact. This resulted from the blockade of the Boreal Air Bridge by the new Republic of Elwynn and Amokolia. Similarly, the service sector saw a decline with almost all foreign tourists gone. It was hoped that once the war in Northern Elwynn was over, Jääland's economy might recover.

Responding to the recession, many new political parties were formed, each advocating a different solution to the country's economic woes. Notable amongst these was the Kansallinen-humanistinen puolue led by Eini Nieminen, a 42-year-old air-freight clerk employed at Hellistelli International Airport. For Nieminen, the solution to Jääland's problems was to reorientate its trading relations by diversifying and building up economic ties with the Dark Berry Islands, Hurmu and Nouvelle Alexandrie, the last two of which already offered Jääland frictionless trading under the terms of the Raspur Pact.

Foreign intervention

Raspur Pact rains Hell, by Lucienne Arthur

As early as 1703 AN, several groups began lobbying for Jääland to claim the remaining northern half of their eponymous peninsula. The completion of the Nurthaven and Antruusbuurg Canal by Lac Glacei effectively cut off plans for expanding south. Even though the canal proved to alleviate many of the ongoing economic woes, many felt that by expanding into the unoccupied north Jääland could access more natural resources and reduce its dependency on foreign trade. Public interest was spurred by members of the Church of the Holy Lance indicating their approval of the expansion in that it would allow missionaries to spread the church to the otherwise pagan lands in the north. By the spring of 1704 AN, settlers had already begun moving into the area—even without government approval—and had established a small settlement called Kesäranta.

Three years later though however poor weather started occurring more regularly causing widespread famine eventually leading to The Troubles, beginning on 18.IV.1707 AN. The ravishing weather was followed by military attacks on the nation by the Apollonia Command command of the Raspur Pact, causing the demise of the Jääland state. The majority of the ethnic population was massacred and the national infrastructure, such as Hellistelli International Airport and the University of Jääland, destroyed.

Annexation by Meckelnburgh

Intervening in the conflict, Meckelnburgh used its forces of the Lac Glacei-Meckelnburgh Canal Security Mission to move north and occupy the peninsula and gain control of the former country. The last Florian Army units subsequently left on 1.IX.1708 AN. The peninsula was formally annexed by Meckelnburgh on 5.VIII.1709 AN, and the process of rebuilding began. By 1721 AN, only approximately a quarter of the pre-Troubles population had recovered, though the new city of Fenixtune had achieved significant development and investment.