OOC: Akitsu Expansion into Belau

[Zabuza825]

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.

History and plot:
The islands of Belau, was inhabited thousands of years ago by the Tsuuk peoples. A group of extensive seafaring navigators, masters of navigation using the stars, they sailed in canoes from Ostara and settled in the islands they could come to call Belau. Upon settlement they developed a matrilineal society, with there being many Chiefdoms each vying for control over the  islands. Socially they developed a two-class system, with the Achi'i (Priests and Priestesses, Chiefs, Nobility) at the top and Tsuuki (everyone else) on the bottom. They separated into many kingdoms, once united in ancient times under a ruler named Hakau but not united since.

First contact between Akitsu and the Tsuuk peoples happened in 723, when some Tsuuk fisherman were blown off course and landed on Akitsu almost starved. Since then it is known that Akitian and Tsuuk fisherman would occasionally be blown off course and end up on the other islands. Each side knew of the existence of the other, but no real further contact was made. Akitians at the time called the islands of Belau "Tsukishima", derived from a bastardization of the name of the Tsuuki class. It was assigned the nanji "月島" meaning "Moon Island" (under the mistaken belief that it was one single island rather than a group of islands). The Tsuukese called Akitsu "Akisu".

The first Brigidnan explorer arrived in 1070's, though due to the distance from the closest colonies no colonization attempts were made at the time. When Brigidnan's began getting closer to colonizing the islands in the 1300's, the chiefs of the islands were warring each other. One in particular, Guafi Inayik (born 1300), realized how effective Brigidnan guns would be in his quest to unify the islands. In 1343 he began trading local wood for Brigidnan weapons. He further recruited a single Brigidnan as a helper to assist. In 1350 he was finally successful at unifying the islands, and declared himself ruler of the entire name of Belau.

Immediately he sought to gain the diplomatic recognition of Lanlania and Florinthus, and began promoting trade with both countries. He also established a uniform legal system and code of ethics, though this was more formalizing long-established traditions into actual law. Upon his death in 1357, his son converted to Sentricism and began modernizing the country by adopting a legal system that more closely resembled one used in Brigidnan nations and reforming land-ownership laws into a system that more closely resembled the Bridignan system.

Shortly after 1380, when the various kingdoms of Akitsu finally opened up and began modernizing, wealthy Akitian merchants began setting up shop in the islands. Plantations were established on the islands and locals recruited as laborers, though when local laborers became scarce laborers were brought in from Akitsu. At first this was a small portion of the Kingdom of Belau's economy, but by 1400 it grew to a very significant portion of it and trade with Akitsu had exploded. Akitian plantations began feeling uneasy with the trading arrangements around this time, and began seeking ways to avoid the tariffs imposed by international trade. When Akitsu unified in December of 1413, the businesses decided to push for annexation into the newly-formed Empire of Akitsu.

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So yeah. History is the above.

I know several colonial powers were already in the region during this time. What can I expect from others? Would anyone really care enough about those islands to do anything about it?