Kingdom of Naudia'Diva

The Kingdom of Naudia'Diva is the westernmost governorate of the Circuit of Jadid Khaz Modan within the Unified Governorates of the Benacian Union. It is chiefly notable for the Shirerithian naval base of Sagittarius and for the widespread plantation economy overseen by the Honourable Company on the island.

Geography

As noted by a geographic survey conducted by the United Isles:

Naudia'Diva is a volcanic island. It doesn't have a single volcano but rather several outlets spread across the island. Most outlets are still active. The eruptions provide fertile soil for vegetation and farming, and the island is covered in jungle broken up by banana, pineapple, papaya and coconut farms. The arm of the island spreading to the east was formed during an eruption in 1412 when the lava flow extended into the ocean. It is now an integral part of the island.

Government

In 1721 AN, Johannes Alexander Konrad von Pfeffel received his appointment as Regent of the Kingdom of Naudia'Diva. The suggestion that the regent won his appointment from Lors Bakker-Kalirion over a game of cards at the Lycurgus Club is considered to be deeply implausible.

History

Shirerithian history of the island

Although one of the areas that languished the longest under the yoke of the Golden Mango Throne, the records pertaining to Naudia'Diva are especially scant, which is consistent with the intentional neglect accorded to the island for religious considerations. References to fantastical creatures may be discounted as being indicative of travellers tales expanded upon by chroniclers in Eastern Benacia for the entertainment of the credulous.

It was divided into several different kinds of terrain, each separated by mountains.

The southern part of the island became the Auleauk Desert, a stark wasteland populated with hearty animals and plants.

To the east lies the Hordius Ten Jungle, a veritable rain forest full of big game and exotic wildlife.

To the west, the Nervena Plains, an expansive prairie, was created. And finally, to the north are the Sagittandi Mountains. It is here that Sagittarius spent most of his life, for within the Sagittandi Mountains lie flora and fauna never before seen. Centaurs, satyrs, dragons, chimerae, unicorns, even wyverns.

But the greatest population within the Sagittandi Mountains are the pegasi. They are so numerous that different breeds have come into existence, and they have begun spreading over the island. Indeed, pegasi now reside in the Nervena Plains and the Auelauk Desert. The Hordius Ten Jungle is difficult for them to survive in, and is safe from the pegasi for now.

Not that the pegasi are violent. In fact, they are very peaceful.

One breed, however, is not peaceful. These pegasi developed antlers, in much the same way as deer. In addition, they became incredibly territorial. They were referred to as Stags by Sagittarius, and are almost always slain on sight, even to this day. (They taste good too. Especially with a light honey glaze. ed.)

However, they are as prolific as they are territorial, and threatened to take over the entire island of Naudia’Diva. And so the Hunters of the Stag were born, a small group of survivalists who were dedicated to protecting the fragile and delicate environmental balance of the island.

The followers of Horjin took interest in the Hunters of the Stag, and worked together very extensively to protect Naudia’Diva and all of it's inhabitants.

Eventually, the Hunters of the Stag and the followers of Horjin became synonymous. The recorded history of the Hunters of the Stag and the followers of Horjin begins with the ceremony and celebration that joined the two groups. The Hunters of the Stag took down epic proportions of Stag before the celebration, and the feast was incredible.

Things remained much the same for many years, up until the short reign of Kaiser Lacrymosa II. The dedication of the Isle of Naudia’Diva as a National Game Preserve, Wildlife Refuge, and Sacred Hunting Ground was a triumph for the years of dedication of the Hunters of the Stag, and the building of a Temple of Horjin at the island's center only strengthened the determination and resolve of the Hunters. Now most of the Hunters of the Stag reside within the Temple, ranging out from there to perform their sacred rituals.

The Questing Stone was placed in the center of the island of Naudia’Diva by Sagittarius himself. Inscribed into it are the Nine Traditions of Sagittarius. It also defines the Sacred Hunt, the Quarry, and outlines the rites and rituals of the sect.

History under the UGB, United Isles and Benacian Union

In 1684 AN the intentions of the insurgents on the islands of the Unified Governorates is made known when a joint communique is issued by the leaders on the Iridian Isles, Benacia Isle and Florencia. The communiqué calls for the secession of the islands from the Unified Governorates, peaceful relations with the international community, and the recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples to govern themselves. The Communiqué was signed by representatives of the Penna, the Iridians and the Florencians.

The Kingdom of Naudia'Diva briefly became constituent nation of the United Isles.

Following its reincorporation into the UGB it was administered as a Governorate comprising the westernmost island in the Khaz Modan archipelago. The interior of the island was ruled in accordance with native law under a form of tribal kingship, whilst the few ports and coastal settlements were directly administered by the Unified Governorates of Benacia. The island was notable for being the site of Marinestation Sagittarius, a major naval base for Benacia Command, which is leased from Shireroth by the Raspur Pact whilst the surrounding countryside was directly controlled by the Black Legions which likewise report to Benacia Command following the reincorporation of Naudia'Diva into the UGB. The political situation is therefore to be considered anomalous.

In late 1704 AN, having been tardy in offering recognition and tribute to the Benacian Union, to say nothing of refusing to abide by the Union Covenant, a punitive expedition was dispatched to exterminate the lineages of the royal dynasty and enslave the native "Penna" population.

So it was that the last native king of Naudia'Diva was brought out of his hunting lodge, and obliged to watch as, one by one, all of his servants, his retainers, his kin, his wives, and his children, were brought to the place of execution which had been prepared in the courtyard. The king was restrained so as to prevent him turning his head away from the scene he beheld there where, slowly and meticulously, individuals of his long acquaintance and deep affection were defiled in every way and done to death before his very eyes by the carnifexers. Lastly, as the slaughter was finished, the king was himself given to the pain technicians so that they might commence their work. His finger and toe nails were torn out with iron pincers, his ears were cropped with a knife, and boiling water was poured onto his eyes with the scald being rubbed with salt so as to ensure that his blinding was an agony to endure. Finally he was cut off at the root, and the wound cauterised with tar and sand so that the king might know that his line was forever extinguished. Having no further use for the sorely maimed old man, he was abandoned amidst the burning buildings and the mound of his slain kin.

As for the fate of the islanders, excepting those who fled into the interior to seek sanctuary amongst the Horjinite hunters, who enjoyed a measure of protection on account of their importance to an obscure branch of Cedrism, they faced the full wrath of the conquerors. Those men who were of fighting age, who had not yet been shot out of hand as resistants, were taken to be sold by the Honourable Company in the emergent and unregulated markets of the Green in Cibola, Eura, and Keltia, on condition that they be gelded first. To this end camps were established, and further fighting ensued as the incarcerated realised their fate. In the end the uprisings were quelled and the survivors subjected to their assigned fate. The surviving adult male natives had been removed from the island by the third month of 1705 AN. The children who had been captured were declared to be protected persons. They were deported to Rothaven and processed there, receiving suitably Benacian names, along with tattoos and subdermal microchips affirming their new identities. These were distributed amongst orphanages in the bailiwicks of Elwynn so as to ensure that they would, with time, lose every last trace of their ancestral identities. The women were distributed amongst the soldiery and freebooters; afterwards being abandoned to bear the consequences.

As the island, in its depopulated condition, would not be in a position to meet the tribute requirements that it still owed, it was decided to transfer 100,000 protected persons, formerly prisoners of war taken in Amokolia, to replace the slain and deported menfolk. Moreover the island was divided into lots for general auction to corporations and individuals interested in establishing plantations on the island. In view of the devastation which had been wrought, tribute payments were suspended for twelve years so as to make the island attractive to settlers from the mainland and abroad. A commission of civil tribunes was also appointed, under the supervision of the Benacian Censorate, with a remit to divide the island into suitable bailiwicks and then oversee colonisation efforts.

By means of utilising population dumping, with the collection of undesirables from bailiwicks across Chryse, Elluenuueq, and the Unified Governorates whom the Cull Commissions of the Benacian Censorate had identified for removal, 2 million protected persons had been transferred onto the island by 1715 AN.

The Western Expedition of the Benacian Union embarked forces and stores whilst at anchor off Naudia'Diva during the fourth month of 1731 AN, before progressing towards its ultimate destination.

Station Sagittarius, the Shirerithian administered outpost on the island was placed under surveillance by Salb XXXIV on V.1731 AN, at the direction of Salbnan Fiero Horjinmull. The instigation of this vigilance, in the form of a series of pickets, observation posts, and checkpoints, was undertaken at the receipt of news that the Landsraad had received proposals from the Steward of Shireroth to close the frontier between the Benacian Union and Shireroth, a circumstance that would leave the station as even more of an isolated anomaly than it was presently.

Demographics

As of 1715 AN.

Governorates	Circuit	Meritorious Subjects	Subjects Without Merit		Total
			Juveniles	Protected Persons
Naudia'Diva	Jadid Khaz Modan	22,594	9,037	2,464,823	2,496,454

Division	Total population	Nobles	Denizens (A)	Denizens (B)	Denizens (C)	Denizens (D)
Sagittarius	89,919	655	55,404	33,860	0	0