1601 Tour de Valland

Saratov Parliament Elections of 1600
Elections for Parliament

• Liberalʹno-Demokratychna Partiya/Liberal Democratic Party - "LDP" (Social Liberals)
  
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  The LDP's seeks to expand individual freedoms for the citizens of Saratov. They are in favor of Personal Privacy, Government Welfare, Government Healthcare, Moderate regulation, and open immigration.
• Partiya yednosti Saratovsʹkoyi/Saratovan Unity Party  - "PYS" (Social Democrat)
  
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  The PYS is Democratic Socialist party pushing for "modern feminist" and LGBTQQIP2SAA rights movements. They are in favor of heavy regulation, expansion of government healthcare and welfare, and unrestricted immigration.
• Saratovsʹkyy Sotsialistychnyy Soyuz Robitnykiv/Saratovan Socialist Workers Union - "SSR" (Democratic Socialist)
  
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  The SSR is a Socialist Party that is in favor of Semi-Planned Economy, Extreme Regulation, A progressive tax bracket, "modern feminist" and LGBTQQIP2SAA rights movements, and a high minimum wage.
• Demokratychna Saratovsʹkyy Konservatyvna Partiya/Saratovan Democratic Conservative Party - "DKP" (Conservative)
  
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  The DKP runs a platform centered on supporting "family values" and a "tradition-oriented society". They oppose government healthcare and welfare. While they don't oppose Same-Sex marriage, they are hostile of transgenderism and consider it a serious mental disorder which is to be treated by which is not transition. They support a lightly regulated economy, and only support the immigration of skilled workers. They are in favor of a strong military.
• Saratovsʹka Perovistiy Partiya/Saratov Pervoist Party - "SPP" (Communist)
  
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  The SPP's platform is largely to restore the old order that existed while under the rule of the United Socialist Republics. They support a regulated "entitled wage" for each citizen, central planning of the economy, limited imports/exports as well as a limit on immigration and emigration. The SPP is in favor of a strong military.
• Saratovsʹka Natsionalʹna Robitnycha Partiya/Saratov National Workers Party - "NRP" (Fascist)
  
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  The NRP campaigns for Protectism, zero tolerance, harsher sentencing, increased prison capacity, and a referendum on re-introducing the death penalty.In foreign policy they are also in favor of turning away from Severyane in defense and economic partnership.
• Saratovsʹka Nova Liberalʹna Koalitsiya/New Liberal Coalition - "NLK" (Classical Liberal)
  
  Show ContentPlatform:

  The New Liberal Coalition consist of former members the LDP dissatisfied with its foreign economic policy and seeks to run on a platform of Brigidnan cooperation rather than a scope of which limited only to Marzanna. Another divergence from the LDP is its views that the economy must be left untouched by the government with exceptions taken towards environmental safety.
• Saratovsʹka Partiya Indyvidualʹnoyi Svobody/Saratovan Party for Individual Freedom - "SPIS" (Libertarian)
  
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  SPIS runs a platform for utmost individual freedoms, and it supports removing many government institutions, and power in the favor of the putting the majority of the control in Administrative Regions of Saratov.
• Saratovsʹkyy Ostrid i Mesiansʹkyy Konservatyvnyy Alʹyans/Saratovan Ostrid and Messianic Conservative Alliance - "OMKA" (Messianic Right)
  
  Show ContentPlatform:

  OMKA seeks to principally seek to apply their understanding of the teachings of Messianism and Ostridism to politics and to public policy by proclaiming the value of those teachings or by seeking to use those teachings to influence law and public policy. As such the party advocated for various socially conservative positions on school prayer, intelligent design, embryonic stem cell research, homosexuality, euthanasia, contraception, sex education, abortion, and pornography.
• Saratovsʹkyy Pomirnyy Alʹyans/Saratovan Moderate Alliance - "PA" (Centrist)
  
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  PA consists of members pushed out of all parties due to being too moderate, and seeks to be a mediator and and push for policies which appeal to all sides of the spectrum.
• Saratovsʹka Demokratychna Partiya/Saratovan Democratic Party - "DP" (Social Democrat)
  
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  The DP consists of those who split from PYS, due to the parties shift closer to democratic Socialist than Social Democracy. The DP supports the welfarist capitalist mixed economy state. Supports closer economic ties with Brigidna.
• Nezalezhnyy/Independent - "IND" (Not a party)
  

• Yevgeniy Řezníček - LDP
  

1600 Solhaven Federation General Election

The Solhaven Federation has held its fourth quadrennial general election to determine the makeup of the 4th Federation Parliament, to be seated from 1601-1605. The House of Delegates, the lower but stronger of the two houses of Parliament, and its 550 seats are up for grabs. To win the election, a party must attain 275 of the 550 seats for an overall majority and the right to form a government. Currently, the Federation Party controls the government in a coalition with the Alliance Party after the 1595 general election ended in a hung Parliament.

In each of the previous three general elections, no party has been able to attain the majority of seats to form a government outright. The Federation Party has in each of the previous three general elections has won the most seats in the House to establish the dominant position in any government. The Union Party has also in each of the previous three elections has run in second place, and the Democratic Republican and Alliance parties alternating third and fourth places.

The 1595 general election finished like this:


- Federation 209 - Union 143 - Alliance 99 - Democratic Republican 99 -
- 275 seats needed for majority -
- Result: Hung Parliament; Federation largest party, entered coalition with Alliance to form government -

In the 1600 general election, the Federation Party led polling for most of the campaign, riding along with strong approval ratings for the Montgomery Scott government. But the Alliance Party openly attacked the Federationists, ensuring that another coalition would be next to impossible between the two conservative parties. The exit poll forecasts predicted the following result:

- Federation 225 (+16) - Union 161 (+18) - Alliance 80 (-19) - Democratic Republican 82 (-16) - Independents/Others 1 (+1) -
- 275 seats needed for majority -
- Forecasted Result: Hung Parliament; Federation largest party, likely to form a minority government -

So which of the four major parties in the end will win the general election? Stay tuned to find out.

So I was talking with my girlfriend about this RP site and the topic of Kolhar's religion of Tikism came up. When I was telling her about the Tikist story of the origin of humanity when she brought up a rather interesting interpretation of it that's different from the traditional Tikist interpretation.

Basically in Tikism, the first humans, Mirar and Kiv Elas, killed the five original Qud's (the Kolhari word for both god and goddess, since Kolhar's original five deities don't have gender, though I'd imagine that other religions in Kolhar would use the word Qud to describe deities in the Kolhari language) after those gods brought about natural disasters that really hurt the first community of humans that Mirar and Kiv were creating.

Well, my girlfriend told me about a potential alternative interpretation. Basically, there could be another school of the religion with the view that the reason that the first humans had natural disasters was because Mirar and Kiv, the leaders of the first community of humans, were not entirely faithful to the five Qud's. As such, they would see Mirar and Kiv's rebellion against the five deities as the ultimate sin that humanity would still be paying penance for to this day through the many things that cause death and destruction. Obviously, for this religious faction to exist, they would have to have the view that the five Qud's are in fact still alive and not dead like Tikism teaches. Likely they would agree that the five Qud's were defeated by Mirar and Kiv, but they would see the gods as simply having moved away from the universe into a realm that is imperceptible to humans, but still very much able to influence humanity.

I think it would be really interesting to have this be a minority religion in Kolhar, I'm going to call it Qudism (since they worship the Qud's) and have them have somewhere between 5~10% of the followers that Tikism has. Now this religion existing introduces some interesting dynamics.

Chief among these dynamics is that followers of Qudism would be seen by Tikists as their equivalent of devil-worshipers. Likewise, Qudists would see Tikists as their equivalent of devil-worshipers. As you can probably imagine, this means that Tikists and Qudists would always be at odds with each other. Since Tikism is the majority religion of Kolhar, I'd imagine that Qudists would have been heavily persecuted for basically all of their existence. I would imagine there would be some who left Kolhar to try and settle elsewhere and continue their religion free from the persecution they experience in Kolhar. This would have probably been happening even before the fascist regime in Kolhar rose, in fact it could've been happening as early as the commonfolk got the ability to go on boats and sale across the Kolhari Sea, Goldecian Bay, Adwestenne Sea, and potentially even the Laural Sea (to go to Brigidna.

So, does anyone in Kvaenna or Brigidna think (and is willing to have) their country have a significant population of Qudists? If so, how significant would they be?

Other things to consider:

• Qudists would actively proselytize their religion. Qudists would see combating Tikist "evil-worship" also see spreading their "truth" as fundamental to their faith's struggle against Tikism. Much moreso than Tikists, as while there are some proselytizers in Tikism it isn't really something that's promoted in Tikist teachings (though it isn't something forbidden either, hence it still happening).
  
• In Qudism, apostasy would be one of the worst sins possible. Don't be surprised if in some extreme fundamentalist Qudist communities, there is violence (or, in some very extreme cases, murder) of apostates. That said, most Qudists wouldn't resort to violence or murder, instead shunning and discriminating against apostates to effectively force them to move out.
  
• While apostasy would be one of the worst sins imaginable in Qudism, one would be permitted to deny their beliefs or even denounce their own religion in the face of persecution. As long as the person still believes in the religion at heart and follows the core principles, even if only in private, it would not be considered a sin to outwardly put on an act of not being Qudist. This would be how Qudism survived persecution in Kolhar, and likely how they would survive outside of Kolhar. Do NOT expect many Qudists to convert from the religion to another.
  
• Regarding marriage to non-Qudists, Qudism would not allow for marriages between Qudists and non-Qudists. Either the non-Qudists must convert to Qudism, or the Qudist must leave the religion. Keep in mind that apostasy would still be seen as one of the worst sins imaginable, the view would be that if the non-Qudist truly loves the Qudist they would convert to Qudism.
  

Nyanderan Republic | Marth, 1600

Liban observed the moon, the only light during most of their travel, as their boat was approaching their aim. Modam told him to hide for a second, as they were getting closer.

As their boat was almost stopped on the water, Modam removed the sheet that had covered most of their boat, and carefully prepared their boat engine. As the boat started to increase the speed toward the Nyanderan Chepchumba, a guided-missile destroyed which once had belonged to the Nylander Navy, which was one of the main and most advanced ships of the Nyanderan navy.

After Liban, Modam jumped to the water, while their boat -carrying more than two hundred kilograms of explosives- approached the Nyanderan Chepchumba.

As Ryzak helped Liban and Modam to climb to the fishing boat that had approached them, Rageh prepared his rocket launcher, aimed at another nearby Nyanderan frigate. Before they were on board, a huge explosion was heard.

Panic in the Nyanderan Chepchumba followed, as much as the blast entered a mechanical space nearby a resting room, thereby killing and mutilating several crew members. While a group of sailors run toward the deck, others started fighting the flooding in the engineering spaces.

The first rocket launched by Rageh impacted the starboards side, leaving a huge hole in the frigate's right side. Modam had taken another rocket launcher and launched it to the Nyanderan Chepchumba, which killed -from the initial explosion and fire- at least twenty more Nyanderan sailors. Liban and Ryzak had taken two machine guns, which they aimed at both the enemy ship and at sailors that had fallen to the water.

Before Modan had time to launch a fourth rocket, the attackers were neutralized, although not before that leaving more than fifty Nyanderan sailors as casualties, as well as many wounded sailors, becoming in the most deadly attack against Nyanderan government forces in more than a year.

Zemaita, Kingdom of Nerysia

Some twenty old men rose from their seats simultaneously as the wooden, lavishly decorated door swung open. King Azirkas I, an old man of 81 years old now, stood in the door opening. His hairline was receding, the color was silver-white, and it was ever getting thinner, just as his once impressive full beard. The slender, pale old man, dressed in a simple dark blue royal court tunic carefully moved into the chamber where he held his monthly cabinet meetings.

The Nerysian cabinet, or Council of State, convened every week under the leadership of the Chancellor. Once a month, it would sit with the King and keep him informed over matters of state. The King and Chancellor held bilateral talks every week however. The current Chancellor, Grimoald Tolke, greeted the King. When Azirkas was seated, everyone else followed his example. There was a serene silence wherever Azirkas went, the kind of silence that is produced by a combination of awe, respect, mutual understanding, and fear.

Almost whispering, the King opened the meeting. But the King had a rather brief agenda this time. On the agenda was the position of Chancellor Tolke. Some of the old men in the room looked shocked, while others suppressed a smirk. Tolke’s face had turned into plate armour, revealing not even the slightest emotion.

‘‘As you all know, elections are to be held by the end of this year. A hundred seats to be filled by my hand, another hundred Church representatives, and 200 seats up for grabs to represent the nation, directly elected by the people… I expect that the Union of the Nerysian People together with the Fatherland Party will do well.’’

The UNP dominated Nerysian politics like no other. It ascribed to what it called ‘Nerysian Integralism’, fusing the ingredients that it considered the pillars of the Kingdom. The Realm, the Church, and the Nation were one indivisible triad in its view, and ought to be governed as such. The Fatherland Party took generally more liberal stances, but blended patriotism, monarchism and conservative liberalism.

The legal opposition in Nerysia was formed largely by the Golden Lion party, a bunch of xenophobes, reactionaries and racists whose core issue was the annexation of Dyrrheim. The others were the National-Liberal Party and the Constitutional Democratic Party. The Constitutional Democrats had consistently been the largest party for several years now, but the King had stuck to his UNP cabinets. Grimoald Tolke was a dinosaur in that respect, having spent 30 years in Nerysian politics on behalf of the UNP.

The staunch nationalist was falling out of favour however. ‘‘Chancellor Tolke,’’ the King continued. ‘‘The UNP has been declining for years now. The economy is still stagnant. Progress in foreign policy towards the WBU is too slow. The military modernization program is behind schedule. I think it is time that we carry on with a fresh figure, with new ideas and new approaches.’’

Everyone in the room looked down at his papers, while Chancellor Tolke could only nod in agreement to the King.

‘‘Who, if I may ask majesty, would have the honour of serving you after my term?’’ Tolke asked.

‘‘I have come to the conclusion, that it is time for a gesture towards our people. More than that I cannot say.’’

Shocked and confused, the ministers and secretaries returned to their ministries that day. They had to overcome two shocks. First that Chancellor Tolke had been sidelined, and secondly, that the King refused to tell them who would succeed him.

Tolke himself had taken the day off and retired to his summer mansion outside the capital. He had become a lonely man rather rapidly. In a few years, he had lost his wife, his daughter had died in a car crash, his son worked overseas as diplomat, and his brothers were all sick or living far away. Now with his political career finished, Tolke had nothing left to live for.

After several nights of heavy drinking, Chancellor Tolke submitted his letter of resignation to the King and retreated permanently to his summer residence, where the 76-year old began writing down his memoirs for future generations.

Khiva. A land of incredible beauty and majesty, with natural wonders galore and featuring one of the planets cradles of biodiversity. A region of rich heritage and cultural significance, with written history going back thousands of years. Some of the earliest civilizations grew up in this region, with ancient cities rivaling those of the Sentric Empire and the Mahkals to the far north. 

While first officially discovered by western explorers in the mid 1200s, the region was known to those in the near east far sooner, and some maps created in that region marked Cae Verii, or a bastardization of what the coastel tribes called themselves. The tern "Khiva" specifically is tied to a Lambore word Khe-Vah meaning "Land of Joy". 

First discovered by the west by Oslanburgan explorer Sabastien Kleinsson in 1238, the northern coastal reaches of Khiva weren't properly explored and mapped until later, near the end of the thirteenth century. Early explorers reported untold riches, including valuable spices and, naturally, gold, and it wouldnt be long before boats of Brigidnans would arrive to pillage the region, and pillage they would. The story of Khiva cannot properly be told without acknowledging the acts undertaken by the colonial powers of Brigidna. This is the story of how how these powers came, saw, and conquered the Land of Joy, and how Khiva found itself into the present day, warts and all. 

(OOC: this is going to probably be a messy topic chronology wise, but that is okay. It's not the end of the world if things are out of order. Feel free to begin describing how your colonial domain was established. We'll eventually find ourselves to the point where we're ready for de-colonization. We're roughly starting around 1300.)

Candidates:

Name: Victoria De Vaddillo
Duchy: Ducado Vadillo
Age:32
Camp:Brezhighist Traditionalist

Name: Victoria De Vaddillo
Duchy: Ducado de Carmona
Age:57
Camp:Reformist Moderate

Name: Francesca de Gammara
Duchy: Ducado del Nort
Age:39
Camp:Secularisation

3rd Dosa 1413
Madol City, Belau Island, Kingdom of Belau

Ito Arasuke had been living in Belau for 20 years now, having taken over his father plantation business. The large fields, the massive profits, all of it motivated him to take over his family business. But he knew that there could be much, much more. He had brought down labor costs by importing workers from the lowest rungs of Akitian society, he had increased profits by establishing the home base in Belau and owning his own shipping company. He had done so much for the company, and he would do more.

As he looked at the profit reports, he knew there would be only one way to get things up. Labor costs were as low as they could get, bank loans were the lowest interest rate they could be as he owned the bank the plantation borrowed from, shipping costs were nonexistent since the shipping company was owned by him as well. Indeed there was only one more major sticking point he saw where he could possibly reduce cost.

The one major line in the profit reports, written in big bold letters: 関税 - Tariffs. It was something he had to pay, but didn't like paying. If there was anything that could be done to reduce it, that would be a huge boon to his business.

But... what if he didn't have to pay?

That was the thought going through the heads of him and that of many other plantation owners. The rapid industrialization of Akitsu, brought about with assistance from other countries such as Angiris, was something that he truly supported. It brought him the wealth his family needed to start this business in Belau. Now, he just wanted to make sure that it would stay that way.

So he sent out a letter, one asking for a meeting of the other plantation owners. One that he would use so they could all collectively, as a whole, discuss what next step to take to improve their businesses.

(07-24-2019, 03:22 PM)Zabuza825 Wrote: Expanding Country: Akitsu
EC.'s Government Type: Constitutional monarchy (newly-established one, at the onset of this campaign)

Campaign Setting: 1415-ish
Campaign Goal: The islands below.


When did you last have an Expansion? I don't think Akitsu's ever really had one?
When was the Expanding Country's last military conflict? OOC'ly, likely the military intervention in Singan. IC'ly at the time this campaign takes place, likely the Kingdom of Akitsu's expansion but had no real bearing on the country that eventually unified Akitsu.
Why do you seek to expand? IC'ly, it would be a mix of Akitian nationalism and business interests in the islands. OOC'ly, I've been eyeing those islands for a while.

Campaign Plot
The islands of Belau are a recently-unified kingdom that has been modernizing itself in an attempt to stave off modernization. As part of it, it opened itself up to foreign investment. Rich businessman from the Empire of Akitsu began investing in the plantation industry in the islands. Eventually the plantations became very large exporters of sugar and other crops to Akitsu, with the businesses importing laborers from Akitsu proper to help the plantations grow when local labor proved insufficient. The business owners, however, are unhappy with the arrangement as they would still have to pay tariffs when the goods are imported to Akitsu. As a result, they start pushing for independence.

The hope is that they would eventually take over the government of Belau by claiming Akitian assets are threatened by the local government to gain the support of the Akitian military and seek annexation with Akitsu afterwards, but the RP will start before this happens while the plantation owners are still plotting.

Potential for Other Player Involvement:
I'm not sure off the top of my head as I'm not familiar with the diplomatic situation surrounding these islands at the time of this happening. However, I can see other nations being at least somewhat concerned as the islands could be used as a refueling and resupply station for ships seeking to start crossing the Aesean ocean.

I am sure that diplomatically there would be many opportunities for other player involvement, if any country really cares about those islands.

How your country may evolve from success:
It could embolden the Akitian government in a drive for colonization, in an attempt to be seen as equals by Brigidnan and Kvaennan nations.

How your country may evolve from defeat:
It would push the Akitian government to modernize further to ensure Akitian independence.