Eternia
| The United States of Eternia | |||
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| Motto: Find the Light | |||
| Anthem: WIP | |||
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| Map versions | pending MCS approval | ||
| Capital | Vulcania | ||
| Largest city | Vulcania, Yazdegerd, Wesport, Hormuzan | ||
| Official language(s) | Standard (official gov't language) Aqaluit languages (spoken outside the interior) | ||
| Official religion(s) | No official religion Eternianism and Native folk religions prevalent | ||
| Demonym | Eternian | ||
| - Adjective | Eternian | ||
| Government | Constitutional, Semi-Parliamentary Monarchy | ||
| - King | Sozin III Aquelish, "The Ice King" | ||
| - President | Sir Toqtemish Angulaik of Frigia | ||
| - Legislature | Parliament | ||
| Establishment | 1715 AN 1718 AN (application to MCS) | ||
| Area | NA | ||
| Population | 7,950,000 (1718 AN) (est.) | ||
| Active population | NA | ||
| Currency | USE Credit (¢) Imperial Guilder (£)for foreign trade | ||
| Calendar | |||
| Time zone(s) | |||
| Mains electricity | |||
| Driving side | |||
| Track gauge | |||
| National website | |||
| National forum | |||
| National animal | Frigian Ice Dragon | ||
| National food | |||
| National drink | Jabba juice [drink made from a unique variety of polar dates | ||
| National tree | Polar Sequoia | ||
| Abbreviation | USE | ||
The United States of Eternia, known in short-hand as Eternia, was formerly known as the Union of Frigia, Vulcania, and Koralia. Eternia is a unitary state located on a mostly frozen subcontinent southwest of Eura, known in ages past as Pacary. Known by various names to outsiders, it was originally referred to alternatively as "Frigia" due to the icebound region explorers and traders made first contact with. Despite knowledge that the country was called The Union of Frigia, Vulcania, and Koralia, it lacked a shorthand name, frustrating the natives for years.
Rather upset at the lack of balance in treatment to the rest of the country (specifically being named for less than half of itself), it was clear that the polity needed a shortened name its prominent leaders could agree with. Looks at the few remaining archives of the island's history failed to produce good results. After a deadlock in the country's small parliament, they turned to the King, then a purely religious figure. It was then that the King, after contemplating the nature of the divine, claimed that the gods revealed to him a long-forgotten name for the islanders: Eternia. The name represented an unchanging balance, an eternally frozen yet hospitable land unlike any other. A referendum in the core regions was held, which approved the name overwhelmingly.
The island takes a near-pacifist stance to foreign relations, instead preferring to conduct diplomacy through commerce and cultural exchange, while collaborating with major partners for self-defense on a bilateral basis. Because of the very low crime rate on the island and its high level of prosperity, the otherwise quiet and peaceful country offers itself as a niche tourist destination that has been increasing in popularity since its application for recognition by the MCS in 1718 AN. During the summer the country is a paradise for vacationers, although during the winter there are some parts of the country still hospitable for tourists to visit, if they're willing to brave the ice to get into the deep interior.
The country is a protectorate of the Imperial Federation, which has assumed responsibility for an increasing share of Eternia's national defense since its independence. With most of its international trade through either the Imperial Federation, or (to a lesser extent) other Raspur Pact powers, the country has gradually shifted under the umbrella of its more powerful maritime neighbor. While annexation remains a topic of debate among the elite of both nations, nothing was proposed before either country's legislature during the 1720's. With the old king seeing his last days into the 1730's, however, renewed talks of accession have accelerated. These are expected to culminate by 1735 AN at the latest.
History
The country peacefully unified in the years leading to 1715 AN, through a long and quiet process. The country is led by King Sozin III, a formerly tribal leader who lived in Vulcania as the region's paramount chief for many years. The quiet country is known for the contrast of its hot springs in the interior, and harsh polar climate near most of its coastline, which remains nearly uninhabited save for the sparse natives and their exotic-looking flying mounts.
In recent years, as the country gained recognized sovereignty on Micras, it signed a infrastructure and maritime defense deal with the Imperial Federation in exchange for near-uninhabited islands off the country's northwest coast. In return, Eternia gained a vast sum of cash, as well as large infrastructure contracts to develop the island's most desolate regions, enabling it to gain sufficient strength and international support to apply for MCS membership in 1718 AN.
Over the ensuing years, the country remained quietly at peace, preferring to focus on its own internal development, while its neighbor in the Imperial Federation slowly assumed a progressively greater share of the country's national defense, namely in maritime defense capabilities from its bases north of the country in North Frigia. By 1727 AN, there was active talk of accession among the elites of both countries to the Imperial Federation, with the King of Eternia reaching an advanced age and nearing retirement, and the Emperor of the Imperial Federation, Anarion, having freshly ascended the throne. However, no serious bills would be introduced to either country's legislature to initiate the process, with the Imperial Federation worried about the ramifications that a major possession so far from home would entail for its other far-flung territories, and for its relations with its many maritime neighbors.
In 1730 AN, King Sozin III began to step back from his royal duties, passing an increasing amount of authority to Parliament, which in turn designated Sozin IV as the heir-presumptive to Eternia's throne, pending any other negotiations with Emperor Anarion of the Imperial Federation (who, at least publicly, expressed no open interest in directly ruling the far-flung nation). The country continued its quiet period of isolation, with few interactions of any note with its neighbors.
Geography
Location
The island of Eternia is a polar island in the far south of Micras that, were it not for its interior volcanic activity, would be entirely frozen and completely uninhabitable. The country consists entirely of this island and nearby islets, and a group of larger, icebound islands to the south. Most of the population lives in the interior, with only a single major city on the west coast able to operate off the coast year-round. (Population centers dot the otherwise frozen coastlines, but even the larger towns barely boast more than 5,000 people.)
Eternia is located southwest of Eura, and east of Tapfer, on the eternally icebound subcontinent known in ages past as Pacary. The country borders Athlon off its east coast, where the two have no contact due to the polar landscape preventing contact for many years. The Florian overseas territory of Etourney lies, for the most part, off to the northeast coast, with a tiny exclave sharing a land border with its polar northeast. No contact yet exists there either. Finally, the Imperial Federation holds island territory on its northwest coast, having purchased the land at a very high monetary and material cost to themselves.
Thanks to its interior's low-level yet widespread volcanic and geothermic activity, the island's interior is warm, with the Eternia's central caldera forming an island that contains the largest city and only year-round interior port in the country, named Vulcania. Most of the island is taken up by three provinces. Frigia occupies most of the western portion of the island, as well as much of the north. Koralia is found to the east, and holds the most ice-bound territory of the island. Vulcania's three districts form the country's interior, serving as a capital for the country's two halves.
Frigia
Originally known by outsiders after the name of this territory, Frigia's territory takes up some 40% of Eternia's total land mass. Located on the western half of the country, Frigia is mostly tundra regions, with its habitable areas confined to the south-center of the region for the most part, with only a tiny portion of its other coastal territory being habitable, and the rest being near-impassable ice sheets. The only year-round major commerce going from the western end of Eternia passes through Frigia, where the city of Wesport serves as the region's economic capital. Like the rest of the country, most of Frigia's land area is only kept above freezing thanks to geothermic activity and warm ocean currents near limited areas of the coast. This allows for coastal settlements in the north to develop, although most of Frigia remains permanently icebound throughout the year.
Frigia consists of three areas: Frigia proper, Hargeon, and South Frigia. Of these, Frigia's south-central region and the territory of Hargeon are the only major areas of the region that remain free of ice for the entire year, thanks to combinations of geothermic activity and warm ocean currents allowing small pockets of land unaffected by the extreme cold of the interior. South Frigia is nearly uninhabited, with only the quasi-religious community of Agni-Qai remaining permanently inhabited, with the ice being so thick in winter that the marking of temporary roads to Icehome and parts of Vulcania are possible. During the summer months, seaborne transport allows icebreakers to travel easily between Frigia and its wintry southern possession.
Vulcania
Vulcania is the smallest of Eternia's three major regions, but it is by far the most populous, with over two-thirds of the country's inhabitants year-round, and three-quarters during the winter. Vulcania consists of three regions: Hokarae to the south, Brazor to the north, and Vulcania proper, which consists of the capital city and the region to the eastern end of the so-called Bay of Vulcania. Hokarae is based out of the city of Yazdegerd, and it serves as the economic corridor connecting Vulcania to Frigia. Much like the rest of Vulcania, the region is densely populated near the bay, and on the foothills of the geothermic hills running throughout the region. This area connects with the temperate area of Frigia, forming a corridor of relatively warm areas year-round. Brazor is located to the north, and is the least populated of the three territories. Its capital of Kozrow is the smallest capital city in Eternia after Icehome (which in turn serves as the main city of South Koralia).
Internationally, the region is known for its many hot springs, resort towns, and tourist-friendly destinations. The locals and small expatriate community (consisting mainly of foreign retirees and businesspeople) are collectively well-known for their hospitality, prosperity, and friendly disposition. Generally, poverty is extremely low and close to nonexistent, although tax rates tend to be high relative to other areas in Micras. This has led to strong public infrastructure for a nation of such small size and sparse population. In addition to the abnormally favorable climate for a polar region, the area experiences intense auroras that draw tourists during all times of the year.
Fauna
The area is also known for its exotic fauna, including the Eternian Blue Dragon, a species of flying lizard that grows between half a meter to two meters in length. They lizards hunt by using their breath weapon, an unknown mixture of liquid nitrogen and other substances that freeze small animals to death near-instantaneously on contact. This evolutionary quirk is also used in self-defense, as it usually causes substantial pain to large predators and leaves most species (even those native to Eternia) with at least minimal cases of frostbite on contact. This anatomy is the subject of scientific research, as ways of storing ultra-cold substances may be rendered easy and extremely cost-efficient if there are breakthroughs in engineering design.
The same animal depicted on Eternia's national flag, the tiny dragonoids are a protected species, and are (on rare occasions) kept as pets by the most wealthy individuals in the country. Those caught from the wild until the opening of the 1700's generally had their breath organs either neutralized or removed. Due to the harsh side effects, most do not survive this treatment and so numbers of blue dragons as pets has been historically extremely low. Since 1715, nearly all pet blue dragons have been genetically engineered to lack frost breath abilities, and furthermore are exclusively bred and raised in captivity. Poaching, while very rare due to the animals' skittishness and danger to hostile humans, was a problem until the 1710's, when the practice fell out of favor due to the combined risks of capture and handling, well-equipped authorities, and more viable sources of captive lizards, albeit in very small numbers at high costs. Since breeding efforts of modified Eternian Blue Dragons succeeded in that year, the exotic pet trade has stabilized and attempted poaching has been further reduced to near-zero, as the animals are known for their skittishness and unintelligent dispositions, in addition to the extremely harsh and remote habitats they usually occupy.
In contrast, wild blue dragons are generally not used to humans, although they're known to be docile in the presence of natives in sparsely populated areas. Most small specimens will flee on sight, with larger lizards being somewhat unpredictable in whether or not they'll choose to ignore people. Especially skittish lizards may render those approaching too close with very severe frostbite on their extremities if the lizards feel both threatened and cornered and, consequently, employ their freezing breath to deter their opponent. A small number have been domesticated by native Eternians, but the wild lizards are known for their seemingly abject lack of intelligence after domestication, like their captive counterparts.
Koralia
Although Frigia has the coldest tundra regions, Koralia is nonetheless the most icebound region of the entire country. Koralia consists of two regions, those being Koralia proper and South Koralia. These regions are separated by the year-round polar ice. The small port town of Hard Knox is considered part of Koralia proper, but its de facto self-governance effectively turns it into the least populated of Eternia's various districts.
Demographics
Only the interior is heavily populated, although the country has various port towns on the coast used to export exotic polar products, rare minerals, and in turn import foodstuffs and crops found elsewhere on Micras.
The country is characterized by slow population growth. In 1718 AN, the country was estimated at 7,950,000 people upon its addition to the MCS map. By 1730 AN, the country's first official census since that point had shown that Eternia's population had grown by 2.56% to 8,153,520 people, its highest decadal growth in recent memory. Much of this was due to immigration from abroad, due to the country's hospitable climate in the interior, and rapid economic growth along both its coastal cities and its revitalized interior settlements.
The majority of the country's population lives in the interior districts (the sole exception being the western Frigian coastline), although during the 1720's, there has been movement towards the northern, less frigid coastal settlements, due to favorable economic conditions arising from trade through foreign partners, including the Imperial Federation. The island country has a tiny coast guard, and a small but highly advanced air force and ground force.
Some flying dragonoid creatures call the islands home, but only the polar native tribes tame the larger species for hunting and transport, with the creatures avoiding the warmer interior parts of the country for reasons unknown. Most such dragonoid creatures are effectively harmless to humans, their light bodies instead better suited for hunting fish and small game. However, these same creatures are often an active nuisance to those who wander too close to their major nesting sites, and there are increasingly strict laws governing who is allowed to capture them, where, and how. They are sometimes kept as companions by those living in the wastelands, as they serve as effective deterrents for vermin (despite their often-annoying antics around humans).
The population consists of mostly indigenous peoples, the vast majority being human or mostly of human stock (with some descended in very small part from Elfinshi peoples). Significant populations are descended from Jingdaoese or related peoples who migrated here in long-forgotten days. More recently, Jingdaoese and related oriental cultures have been imported into the country through its dealings with the Imperial Federation, itself a heavily oriental country. Jingtowns popped up throughout most major settlments, most notably in the capital. These influences are found throughout the country, and cultural revival has had notable influences. For instance, the country's recently adopted flag has Jingdaoese symbols, reflecting some of Etnernia's long-forgotten roots for immigrant-descended peoples.
Religion
About 65% of the population follow the local tribal religion that believes in the gods of hot and cold. The dualistic religion emphasizes the maintenance of the natural order, with neither god considered evil. While an afterlife features in the country's semi-organized religion, it is thought that most simply become one with the universe, and may reincarnate if either of the two gods deem it willing. Given the primitivist nature of the Eternian folk religion, much of the population is found observing the faith in tandem with foreign religious thought. Examples include tenets of Draconic recently taught among priests in the interior, or Umraism, which is practiced by a few native tribes in the polar regions.
About 20% of the island's population is irreligious, with the remaining 15% practicing either foreign religions or more obscure tribal-level folk religions.
The country has no official religion, although the King is ostensibly tasked with preserving the country's indigenous religious and cultural traditions.
Population Centers
There are three major population centers on Eternia: The Interior, the West, and the Outer Coast.
The Interior regions consist of Vulcania Bay, its city, and the metropolitan regions that depend on the volcanic activity and warm water areas for agricultural, economic, and strategic security. The city of Vulcania is the largest in the country, with some 700,000 inhabitants, or just under 10% of the country's population. The interior also consists of four of the five largest cities in Eternia, the others being Yazdegerd, Hormuzan, and Kozrow, in order of population. The interior forms the regions of Vulcania, Brazor, and Hokarae, with the western portions of Koralia also falling into this category.
The Western region consists of nearly the entirety of Frigia, as well as its northern coastline. The capital city of Wesport is the third largest city in the country, with 400,000 inhabitants, and the port of Hargeon to the north of Eternia's western coast takes a distant sixth place with about 75,000 inhabitants.
The Outer Coast is considered to comprise the coastlines of the north, east, and southeast of Eternia. This region, as well as most of the country's deep interior, is sparsely populated except for settlements hugging the coast. No city exceeds 50,000 people, with Qorsair having 40,000 inhabitants and Hard Knox only having 25,000 permanent residents. While the region earns by far the least GDP in the country, the per-capita earnings still indicate relative prosperity thanks to year-round warm water fishing and imports from passing trade vessels refueling nearby.
Government
Overview
Eternia is led by a King, who in turn leads the country's unicameral Parliament. Due to the lack of major events happening in the country, policy leans greatly towards developing national infrastructure, with the belief that stability breeds a strong (albeit small) military with the sole purpose of self-defense and internal security. Generally speaking, the unwritten rule surrounding policy is to make moves quietly, with the only things the government wanting on the headlines being how little of note happens in the country.
The King
Other than being able to veto legislation and appointments, the king's job is mostly religious, although post-unification he is supposed to weigh on political matters during rare times of gridlock in the country's parliament. The first king of the country, Sozin III, was jokingly named the "Ice King" by foreign leaders due to his seemingly cool demeanor and rule over a mostly ice-bound country. Despite his quiet style of governance (or possibly because of it), he quickly became a respected figure in Eternia due to his moderate stance in dealing with even the most contentious issues. The country's religious capital is on the island of South Frigia in the town of Agni-Qai, where the king journeys every winter for a ceremony of renewal and holds a special session of parliament.
The King began to take a somewhat more active role in the country after 1728 AN, in the midst of deeper integration of the kingdom's externally facing portion of the economy with the Imperial Federation. While the king lacks the power to issue executive orders, he nonetheless gathered enough political power to influence Parliament to join the Imperial Federation's customs union by 1730 AN, following which the country's currency became directly pegged to the Imperial Federation guilder. Following a potential accession into the Imperial Federation, the office of the King would remain, either in its own right under central authority in Gondolin/Glacier City, or exist in personal union with the Emperor of the Imperial Federation.
Cabinet
The Cabinet acts collectively as the country's executive. Comprising a total of fifteen officials, the body exists to serve the King and act on his behalf. Despite this and the fact that the King reserves power to dismiss officials, all Cabinet officers (called Directors) and their replacements (should the King fire them) are chosen by the Prime Minister, with approval from Parliament. Any new appointments are given with the King's assent, as with all measures, according to the country's constitution.
Parliament
The Parliament consists of fifty representatives apportioned by population from those districts comprising Frigia, Vulcania, and Koralia. As Vulcania is the most populous in the country by far, its representatives are capped at half the Parliament, with the caveat that the King would always be a Vulcanian.
Foreign Policy
Because of the country's almost total lack of a navy (relying instead on vast polar terrain as a potent natural defense against invasion) is nominally a protectorate of the Imperial Federation when it comes to coastal defense. In exchange for this and the transfer to Eternia of a vast sum of money's worth of infrastructure and defense deals (as well as hard cash), the Imperials hold the islands of North Frigia.
Despite their reliance on the Imperials for naval support, the otherwise isolated Eternia nonetheless enjoys independence in foreign policy thanks to its strong interior defenses. Rumor has it that the island's frigidity is what long deterred colonization outside of occupation of islands off the north coast, but this has been unconfirmed. However, the same frigid nature of most of the country's outer coastlines stimy trade with most of its neighbors, so Eternia has taken a slow pace to foreign policy, preferring to find unaligned partners or nations with friendly reputations to conduct business with.
Military
Eternia is, nearly by default, a pacifist country compared with most of the powers of Micras. The country's self-defense forces are small, although the interior is extremely well protected by both natural and manmade defenses. However, thanks to a combination of its relatively small size, the extremely small navy, and lack of exterior-facing military logistics, the army lacks the ability to deploy in force outside of the country to any real effect against powers with a comparable land size. While this also hurts trade, the country maintains just enough infrastructure to maintain trade routes during certain times of the year through its various port towns, for those nations that actively maintain trade with Eternia.
Despite its small military and near-lack of a navy, Eternia is ironically one of the most well-defended nations on Micras, relying on its vast trackless, polar wastelands to act as a natural barrier to invasion and on its advanced technology to counteract the small numbers of its troops. This two-pronged defensive stance does not allow for much external action, but allow the country to maintain its independence despite its proximity to some of Micras's strongest countries. The first prong is the hostile terrain itself. While foreign powers may hold Eternia's coastlines during an invasion, the lack of resources and the extremely harsh climate on nearly all of its outer coastline immediately grind the enemy down before defeated by the elements or by a well-placed strike from Eternia's relatively unaffected ground and air forces. The second prong in Eternia's defense is its technologically advanced interior, allowing the armed forces to easily repel attacks that actually make it inland.
The country's lack of a navy is a key vulnerability, though, as are its lack of infrastructure that allow its units to deploy quickly to the most frozen and far-flung reaches of the island without giving attackers the same advantages. The country, therefore, signed a defense agreement with the Imperial Federation, becoming an at-sea protectorate of sorts. To wean the country off the need for external defense, Eternia signed infrastructure deals with their new Imperial neighbors, as well as contracts to build the country's navy to a usable state. In exchange for these contracts (in addition to a vast sum of cash)), the Eternian government gave up its claims on the islands of North Frigia, allowing the Imperial Federation to use it as a strategic base between Eura and Tapfer as a part of the latter's Operation Icebox.
