Other Notable Players

Here you can read about Vicendum’s other notable countries, of which there are numerous. Some are regional powerhouses that are ready to tackle the world stage, others are strong states that, while not among the most powerful are still not pushovers, others are tiny states where extremism rules the day, others are just simply “weird states” while others are not nations at all but secessionist movements. Each will be discussed in regards to their continent, except the secessionist groups, which have their own section. Special Note: unless otherwise noted, the leadership positions in each nation- including that of “Emperor”- are not restricted to men.

 

Secessionist Movements (Nation they belong to in brackets)

  1. China (Bactria/Japan). The best known of the secessionist movements in Vicendum are the Chinese. Their plight begins in the early 20th century, when the European powers (including Japan) collectively invaded the Chinese Manchu Empire and tore it to pieces, culminating in the defeat of the 1911 Boxer Rebellion that formally dissolved the Chinese state. Today, China proper is divided between Japan and Bactria, and within China exists as many as 700 different secessionist movements, each with their own political and social goal. The most well known of these, the People for an Independent China (PIC) operate in some 3,000 cells all over China, staging mass protests and sometimes even assaults on Bactrian or Japanese government officials and military officers. Meanwhile, China itself has become a battleground for Bactria and Japan (who divide it in half along an East (Japan) and West (Bactria) frontier), and both sides are known to support secessionist movements on the other side, but only as long as that movement is in opposing territory. This has led to a culture of mistrust, as the Chinese never know which leaders will be honest to the cause or are just simply siphoning Bactrian or Japanese money. The Chinese states in South America continue to uphold the Chinese traditions and are active supporters of Chinese independence, but the divisions in that bloc so far have prevented them from mounting a serious campaign for Chinese independence.
  2. Scotland (Britain). Under English rule since 1703 (and intermittently under the English before then), the Scots have had an active independence movement for over 300 years. Their form of secession is through Parliamentary means, using various national parties in Britain to push their cause, and their successes have been far-reaching: in 1994, the Scots formed the Official Opposition in British Parliament, which resulted in the 1997 decision by Britain to establish a Scottish Parliament. Under this arrangement the Scots have been nominally independent, but Scotland still does not have any say in foreign relations or the military, has only limited taxation powers and is still not allowed to pass any laws that would “interfere” with British economic interests. Scotland in recent years has become a source of conflict in the ongoing Roman-British rivalry, as the Romans are staunch supporters of Scottish independence and insist that good relations with the British hinge on Scotland becoming independent. Rumours persist of aided Roman intervention, but Rome continually denies those rumours.
  3. Bithynia (Byzantium). The Bithynians are a Greek-speaking people located in northwest Anatolia and form an important province of the Byzantine Empire. Like most of the Greek-speaking people in Byzantium, the Bithynians do not share the Byzantines’ zeal for Orthodox Christianity and would rather return to what they say is Classical Greece’s largely-secular roots. Most Bithynians favour the civil disobedience route in their quest for independence, but a few fanatical Bithynians have launched terrorist attacks at Constantinople itself. Nicomedia- the traditional capital of Bithynia- has been placed under a number of successive Byzantine-loyal Governors in an attempt to quell rebellious forces, but all that has done has raised the threat of revolts. The Bithynians claim to be supported by the Roman Government (because of Rome’s interests in Constantinople), but Rome has denied such claims.
  4. Anatolian Separatism (Byzantium). The Byzantines are faced with other separatist factions all over their Empire other than Bithynia (the best known one). They represent the majority Greek opinion who don’t associate with Byzantium’s zeal towards Orthodox Christianity and associate more with a perceived secular past in Classical Greece. Thus, they’re less zealous than Bithynia is because they are less preoccupied with secession and far more preoccupied with bringing down the Byzantine government, and thus separatism is their ploy to call to attention their concerns. Three of the provinces- Galatia, Nicaea and the Sultanate of Rüm (the Turkish minority within Byzantium)- are particularly close to Rome while the rest- Thessalonica, Thessaly, Epirus and Pontus- simply feel that Byzantine rule in their area has run its course. The Byzantines have stepped up internal security measures to counter these revolutionary feelings, but there are still fears that Byzantium may one day crumble at the hands of a civil war.
  5. Roman Republicanism (Rome). Not as much a separatist movement as much as it is a revolutionary one, some factions within the Roman Government want to see a “dual” system implemented in Rome. What they want is the return of strictly Senatorial rule to Rome itself and leaving the Emperor as the representatives of the provinces, where he is more traditionally affiliated. The system here would be similar to the Sejm system in Poland- no Empire-spanning decree could be passed without the consensus approval of both the Emperor (who would get a Council of his own) and the Senate. Critics charge that this isn’t much of a change from the current system (where the Senate and Emperor rule the Empire together), but Republicans say this gives Rome itself more power and control over its own affairs, which they say have been trampled on because of the Emperor’s continuing interest in the provinces. So far, nothing more has been formed other than various political parties, but if the fronts can find a way to unite, they just may be enough to impose this revolution on the Roman Empire.
  6. Maui (Hawaii). The volcanic island of Maui- east of the island of Hawaii (which gives the Kingdom its name but not its capital, Honolulu, which is on Oahu)- has long been a tourist destination and now also a hotbed for separatism. The residents- who number no more than 35,000 people, most of whom live in the capital, Kahului- have felt neglected by the Hawaiian Government because of Hawaii’s efforts to promote and build up Pearl Harbour and Oahu, often doing so at the expense of the Mauians. Protests occur daily and a Mauian political party exists in Hawaii, but so far little has been done in Hawaii to appease the separatists.
  7. Tibet (Bactria). Taken over by Bactrian forces in 1891, Tibet’s largely Buddhist population has long been at odds with a highly secular, capitalist and (to them) uncompassionate Bactrian government and way of life. Officially atheist, Bactria has done little to quash Tibetan Buddhism but fears of widespread persecution run deep in Tibetan society, plus very few in Tibet have accepted Bactrian rule. Already Bactria has faced 15 different Tibetan secessionist campaigns, and while each fails, the Tibetans gain little concessions at each instance, including a 1989 decree by the Bactrian Government establishing Buddhism as a “protected religion” (though in practice this is not enforced). The Romans are officially supportive of the Dalai Lama and his claims to the Tibetan throne, but fears of a destructive war with Bactria have meant that Roman efforts are largely kept to the periphery, but if the timing is right, another Tibetan revolt with Roman help may occur.
  8. Armenia, Georgia, Abhasskia and Daghestan (Ottoman Sultanate). These three Caucasian peoples have been ruled by the Ottoman Turks since the 16th century, but each feels that it is so culturally dissimilar from the Ottomans that their association with them needs to be cut. Armenia has close ties to Byzantium, which is also Eastern Orthodox Christian and highly European in nature (as is Abhasskia, but is not as fervently Eastern Orthodox as the Armenians), Georgia has ties to its Slavic neighbours to the north and Daghestan has extensive links to their Persian neighbours east of the Caspian Sea. The Ottomans have granted each area autonomy but several fringe groups in the territories have been pushing for independence, sometimes even co-ordinating terrorist attacks to further that goal. The international community (except Rome, which is working with the Ottomans in this area) has been slow in recognizing these movements and has so far said very little except a Roman proposal for Reunion that would make the Caucasus (under “Armenia”) a separate Prefect. So far, the fringe groups have remained in the Caucasus, but some are worried that one day the terrorism will branch out and affect other parts of the world.

 

North America

 

  1. Carolina. Representing the “New South”, the Carolinian Empire roughly covers the old Confederate States of America and even has their capital at Richmond to lay claim to the Confederate heritage. Led by Alexander Drabinsky, Carolina- like the rest of the North American states- had their genesis shortly after the United States collapsed after the 1991 resolution of the Cold War and have since effectively consolidated everything in what was once known as Dixie. The Carolinians are traditionalists but not as much to the right as one might think- Drabinsky, in his early 30’s, has kept the South agrarian heritage but has pushed numerous reforms meant to “soften” the South’s harsh image. Some of these reforms include a progressive educational policy that spins Darwin’s evolution theory into a religious context (i.e. God started the evolutionary process and had a hand in how it developed) and one that is aimed at ending racism, as well as the legalization of abortion (although Carolina still refuses to acknowledge gay marriage or any real gay rights at all). He’s been proven to be popular amongst many Carolinians, but some Carolinians- who believe he’s too moderate for the South- think he needs to be expelled, thus making unity a continuing problem in Carolina.
  2. New York. The self-proclaimed “centre of the Universe” and the capital of capitalism, New York represents the most liberal state in North America. They rule not just southern New York State and New Jersey, but also West Virginia and southern Ohio, and have worked hard to spread the New Yorker ideal across their vast state. The Emperor of New York, Paul Jubin, was the catalyst for the break-up of the US, for it was his defeat of the US Army in May 1991 that created the Empire of New York and that started the tidal wave of chaos that tore the US apart. Since independence, New York’s economy has exploded, but in the absence of extensive social safety nets, there are concerns that the overheating New York economy could destroy the state.
  3. Nayarit, Maya and Azteca. These three states currently jockey for control over Mexico. One was once a former Roman protectorate and now a Roman ally (Nayarit) and the other has been Mexico’s dominant power for centuries and thus has been economically powerful for a while. The Aztecs and Maya- who received Chinese support and thus defeated a Castilian attempt to conquer the Empire- are still one of the only people on Vicendum who practice human sacrifice, but laws in recent times have been enacted to ensure that all sacrifice victims were either voluntary or convicted criminals (the “Flower Wars” are now simply staged theatrical conflicts and are no longer prisoner raids). Both the Maya and Aztecs are agrarian peoples and deeply religious, but the key difference between them is that the Aztecs are more of an emotional peoples and thus place a heavy emphasis on national pride and war in their society, while the Maya are the logical and thus more philosophical and diplomatic people. As for Nayarit, because of their Roman connection, have a society that is more in line with the European way of thinking than the Aztecs or Maya, and thus place far more emphasis on infrastructure and buildings that the other Mexican peoples. All three are, however, highly sophisticated societies, but only Nayarit is highly urbanized.
  4. “The Welfare States”. This refers to a group of states located in what was once Idaho and the extreme SE corner of Washington State. These were created in the height of the 1991 Crisis that sunk the United States when welfare recipients, disgusted with their treatment, rose up against local authorities all over Idaho amidst the chaos and took over. The term to describe the bloc was coined by Roman writer Pallus Marus because of the rulers’ origins as welfare recipients, but, other than the vast social safety nets that exist in these states, the similarities between the Welfare States and real welfare states end there. The States actually promote job growth and promotion, and provide incentives for welfare recipients to find jobs and penalties for those who don’t. “We realized that when we were on welfare, we were not there to suck the state dry,” said Boise Mayor Josh Benson. “We were there because we needed money to ease the transition from unemployment to the working world. The same thing applies in our nations.”
  5. Alberta. The former Canadian province had made noises about joining the United States well before the US actually fell because of concerns that the Canadian Government did not adequately meet their needs. Thus, when the US dissolved in 1991, Alberta was the first province to formally secede from Canada. With a large oil deposit, Alberta is one of the world’s most successful economies, and, second to New York, North America’s most capitalist state. It is also a very religious state, with some believing that it borders on a Christian theocracy, but politically and socially it is merely right-of-centre and not firmly within the right. They are regarded as an insular state that keeps to itself on the world stage, but it does not shun all types of political contact- for example, the Yonge Street extension through Alberta was successfully negotiated with Rome, Saskatoon, Cascadia, France (who took over Quebec) and Britain (who took over Ontario and New England) in the mid-1990s. Alberta is also the closest of the former Canadian states to the former American ones and has a number of trade deals in place with the former American states. Many in the rest of Canada hold contempt for Alberta for these links, but so far anti-Albertaism has been restricted to fringe groups.
  6. Cascadia. The Kingdom of Cascadia is a heavily pro-environmental, anti-business state with its capital in Seattle. Known for its lush forests and its common geographical connection along the Cascades Mountain Range, the Cascadian Kingdom works actively to preserve this beauty, and does so at times at the expense of business. Their political system involves an elected monarchy and a highly libertarian governmental system and electorate, placing the state firmly within the political left, and thus is frequently at odds with the comparatively rightist Albertans especially with regards to trade. Proponents say that Cascadia’s environmental policies have led to an overall more healthier and productive state, while critics charge that those policies hinder the state’s trade relations. Internationally it has become a world leader of sorts for environmental issues, and is now the home of the relocated Greenpeace organization. It currently maintains relations with Rome and has a mutual defence pact with Casara and the Californian state of Sierra in case of an Albertan attack.
  7. The Inuit Confederation. One of North America’s largest but least populated states, the Inuit Confederation represents the only organized state among North America’s existing native peoples. The Confederation began with the 1992 independence of the western portion of Canada’s “Northwest Territories” (labelled “Nunavut”), achieved with Roman help, which caused Ellesmere Island to switch hands to Rome as a result of this. The Confederation to this day is still one of the strongest Roman allies and owes much of its economic development to Roman engineers and innovators, who have managed to preserve much of the state’s natural beauties while tripling its economic production. The Confederation is organized into several counties that represent the various Inuit tribes who all meet at the Confederate Council in Iqaluit, the capital. A traditional but very tolerant people, the Inuit are among the most well-regarded internationally, although states such as Alberta, Bactria and Britain have come at odds with the Inuit because of their demands to start oil drilling operations in the north, demands the Inuit repeatedly deny.

 

Europe & The Middle East

 

1.      Poland. What can be said that hasn’t been about Poland? History’s best-known ultra-nationalists, the Poles are easily Europe’s “third power” behind Britain and Rome. A freethinking society, Poland’s main cultural focus is to retain a distinctive Polish identity, and thus any innovations that are brought into Poland are thoroughly “Polishized”. A chiefly agrarian society, there has been some movement towards extensive commercial and industrial development in Poland, which has led to a substantial growth in the economy. Politically, Poland is governed by a three-pronged governmental system- each local community elects a Noble to the Sejm, who in turn elect the King, all on six-year terms. Any decree brought forth by the Sejm has to be approved by the King and vice-versa (with any decree needing a consensus in the Sejm for approval), which has led to a long-standing tradition of the King working with the people to create laws. The bureaucracy has been seen to cause problems in the past, but so far the Poles overwhelmingly support their system.

2.      Byzantium and the Ottoman Sultanate. These two states- one Greek, the other Turkish- represent the “Eastern Half” of the Roman Empire as divided formally by Theodosius I in 395. The Byzantines actually date their independence from this point, but the name of “Byzantium” had its origins in 1894, when Greek nationalists, looking to drum up support for the recapture of Constantinople (successful in 1909), convinced Alexius VIII to rename the state “Byzantium” to underline Constantinople’s original Greek name, although after the Byzantines captured Constantinople both the city’s and country’s name remained the same. The Turks’ situation is more sketchy- many considered them a stateless tribe before the capture of Bursa in 1326, which was a Byzantine city and that argument forms the basis for classifying the Ottomans as “part of the East”, but the Turks, however, lay their claim from Mehmed II, who took the title of “Roman Emperor” after capturing Constantinople in 1453 (restricting the Byzantines to southern Epirus at the time). The main differences between the two are ideological- the Byzantines (mostly in the elite now) are ardent nationalists and fervently Christian, while the Ottomans are fervent Muslims. Politically, the Byzantines are firmly within the right while the Ottomans are left-of-centre. They also differ in how they perceive Rome (the “Western Half”)- the Byzantines and Romans are archrivals on ideological grounds, because of the Romans’ centrist views and acceptance of other peoples’ and views, whereas the Byzantine Government continually push the state-sponsored Greek Orthodox religion and only now offer token acceptance to other groups. The Romans are also still bitter over Justinian I’s handling of Rome during the only period where East and West were actually reunited (539-542) where Justinian zealously persecuted any other form of Christianity (and religion) that he didn’t like. The Ottomans, on the other hand, have been close allies with the Romans for centuries and are actually heavily in favour of Reunion, actually being a part of Rome itself from 1910-2005, and while the 1910 incorporation was annulled in 2005 because it did not grant the Ottomans the autonomy they expected, the Ottomans still push for the eventual Reunion of the Roman Empire. Even in Byzantium there exists many centrist Greek groups- who note their Classical links with the Romans- who believe in Reunion, meaning that it is now just the elite in Byzantium who are staunchly opposed to Reunion. Several proposals have been made to officially “bridge the gap” and restore the full Roman State (almost all including autonomy for the Ottoman lands, because of their chiefly Muslim identity), but so far discussions have proven to be insubstantial.

3.      Assyria. The Middle East’s oldest state, the Assyrians are equals with the Poles when it comes to nationalism. Their state isn’t nearly as powerful as it once was, but after centuries of being able to survive as a tributary state to higher powers (ironic since their Empire is built as a collection of tributaries), Assyria has managed to be one of the world’s most stable states. Its form of government is still the same as it was in ancient times, as a confederation of tributaries, only now the Assyrians have a Constitution to curb the power of the Assyrian Emperor (who can come from any corner of the Empire). The Assyrian Emperor rules with the aid of the Imperial Council (made up from the rulers of Assyria’s vassals) and it is the Council that picks the Emperor’s successor in the event of his death. Because of its make-up, Assyria is home to a myriad of cultures and peoples, and thus politically it has maintained a left-of-centre stance to appease all of its tributaries. There are rumblings being made for real democracy to be instituted within Assyria, but so far the majority believes in the current political system.

4.      The Arab States. They’re a collection of 31 states, but they act as a political bloc. The states- created in 1965 after the Romans intervened on behalf of a Shi’ite revolt against the Wahabbist government of Saudi Arabia in the Empty Quarter- are based along old tribal lines and are thus ruled by a Shaikh, and are very rural and communal. All are Islamic in one form or another and work with Carthage (their greatest ally) to spread Arabic and Islamic ideals, as well as to defend the basic Islamic values. The most important of the states is the Caliphate of Mecca, where the Caliph, the chief religious figure of Islam, rules. The states also include colonies of two foreign powers- Rome (the Roman Emirate) and Britain (the Trucial States)- with the colonies autonomous enough to partake in the region’s goals. They also share a close alliance with both Britain and Rome, and have been instrumental in the easing of tensions between those two states.

5.      The Spanish States. The seven states that make up the Iberian Peninsula- Castile, the Visigothic Kingdom, Aragon, Portugal, Mi Chuang, Cordoba and Léon- have their genesis (mostly) following the collapse of Phillip II’s government after the Spanish Armada’s defeat at the hands of the English. Castile and Léon continued to exist as “Spain” and laid a recognized claim to the rest of the Spanish Empire until Napoleon formally broke off the two in the early 19th century and Mi Chuang was a Chinese colony founded by the Ming in the early 17th century, but the rest all formally split from Madrid in 1600 after being in an uneasy confederation with Madrid. Mi Chuang- “The Riverbed”- is more politically tied to the Chinese states in South America, but the other six are deeply involved in Spanish affairs. The states are all Christian besides Cordoba (a Muslim state with considerable Western leanings) and are all monarchies (Cordoba being the only state that uses “Emir” for its Royal Title). All are democratic in one form or another, but except for the Visigoths and Cordoba, none have universal suffrage. There have been a few attempts to politically unite Spain but the problems over Cordoba’s Muslim heritage, Portugal’s involvement in South America (where it relocated its capital to Rio de Janeiro following the Napoleonic invasions) and the Visigoths’ leftist leanings (influenced by the Romans who are their closest allies) have meant that besides an economic union Spain remains politically divided.

6.      The French & German States. After Germany’s defeat in World War II and France’s crushing defeats in its colonies shortly afterward, both states crumbled into an assortment of mini-states. Movements have been made to unite the mini-states together as best as they can, but besides a rather limited economic agreement within each bloc, the states still bicker with each other. Most of France south of Orléans is politically tied to Rome (which has established itself in the extreme south) and movements have been made to politically unite the areas to Rome, but besides some movements made by the extreme eastern German states towards Poland (sometimes because of Polish meddling) and movements by Austria to reassert Vienna’s lost influence in Germany, the German states today remain divided, without much hope of a union any time soon.

7.      Scandinavia. Comprised of Denmark, Norway, Roman Sweden and Iceland, these states all share a similar cultural heritage dating back to their days as Viking States and a connection to Rome due to the area’s former role as Roman colonies. The Roman connection is quite recent: in the 18th century, an expansionist Rome annexed the mineral-rich area and held Scandinavia until 1905, when the colonies and Rome split amicably (hence Rome’s strong alliance with Scandinavia). During the time of Roman occupation many Romans migrated to Scandinavia and intermixed with the population, creating a whole new group in Sweden called “Romano-Swedes”, hence the name “Roman Sweden”. Roman Sweden itself is the largest of the groups, containing northern Sweden (the southern half belongs to Denmark), Finland, Karelia and NW Russia, but each of the strongly socialist states are roughly equals economically. Internationally, Scandinavia has been known to be a key moderator in disputes, especially Norway and Denmark, leading the world in deployed peacekeepers globally. Outside threats from Poland and the Russian states keep Scandinavian military spending relatively high, but besides a few scares nothing really has come from those threats.

8.      Hittita. Almost as old as Assyria, the Hittite Empire has managed to survive unscathed as a vassal state to successive empires. Originally warring peoples, the Hittites are today known for their restraint and for their diplomacy, which has garnered them respect from the international community. They are classed as a Constitutional Monarchy and hold biannual elections for the Chancellor’s spot through universal suffrage, with the Emperor only holding reserve powers. Their society is largely agrarian, but is also well known for its contribution to the arts and higher learning. Their territorial holdings have been traditionally confined to the areas north of the Halys River, but more recently the Hittites have captured Indochina and have used the colony there to bolster their Empire at home. They have a very small coastline sandwiched between Byzantine territorial holdings and have only one other border at home with the Ottomans, to whom the Hittites are still allied. Concerns over Byzantine aggression have led to an alliance with Rome as well, but so far the Byzantines have shown no inklings for Hittite territory.

9.      The Federation of Israel. Created in 2005 by the Romans after Rome granted the area independence, the nation serves as a formal union between the Jews (in Judea) and the Arabs (in Samaria), with the two areas given equal representation in the nation’s governing Israelite Council. Local matters are left to the local peoples, while the Israelite Council rules on matters that relate to the state as a whole. The federation- based on the Roman model- is seen by many as a step in the right direction, as it has encouraged dialogue between the Jews and the Arabs (because without it the state could not function) and has helped immensely to ease the tensions between the two groups in the area. Critics charge that it won’t be long before it falls apart, but because it is new most are optimistic that it will work.

 

Africa

 

1.      Mali. Africa’s third most powerful state after Casara and Carthage, the Malian Empire has built a reputation for being a country known for higher learning. Its capital, Timbuktu, has one of the world’s best-regarded Universities and is an important hub for Saharan and sub-Saharan trade. Culturally, Mali is a mixture of Berber and Muslim cultures, and, like Casara, has an economy and society that is based around the desert. Politically, Mali is an inherited monarchy, and it has proven to be stable for centuries, although incursions by France in the 19th century and Casara today have shifted peripheral Malian territory considerably. More recently it has been involved in numerous border wars with Casara, some of which have become so serious that Timbuktu itself has been threatened. The wars do not enjoy a lot of support outside of Africa and have seen numerous mediated ceasefires by the international community, but some still think it’s only a matter of time before a world war breaks out over Mali.

2.      Egypria. Based around Augila, the Egyprian Empire is one of Vicendum’s quirkiest states. It began during the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt during the reign of Merneptah (1220-1206 BC) when Merneptah defeated a Libyan invasion of Egypt. Following Merneptah’s triumph, many Egyptians moved westward into what was once Libyan territory at an oasis at Augila, and intermingled with the local Libyan population. During the Hyksos invasions of Ramesses III (c. 1200), the population- who he termed as “Egyprian” for “Egyptian Libyans”- revolted, establishing a new kingdom at the Augila oasis. Their next appearance in the historical record comes in 96 BC, when they formed a still-present alliance with Rome after the latter gained Cyrene from the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt. Since then, Egyprian society has developed with considerable Roman influences, so much so that the current Emperor of Rome- Rodin Hartian- is part Egyprian. Their government is classified as a confederation of tribes, with each of the tribal leaders- or “Ertil” as it is called in Egyprian- sitting on the Egyprian Council, from whom the laws of Egypria are constructed and from whom an Emperor is elected. Council members hold their positions for life (as does the Emperor), but the local tribes can recall and replace their Ertil at any time, with the Ertils being able to do the same to the Emperor himself (however, the Council is forbidden from removing members itself). Like Casara, Egypria has made extensive use of the desert for sustenance, and Augila’s strategic position along the trade routes has made it a hub for international trade. Recently, Egypria has made overtures about acquiring a stake outside of Africa ever since it captured the Sahel Desert in the 1960s (thus giving Egypria access to the sea), but so far nothing physical has emerged from Egypria in this direction.

3.      Egypt. The world’s first politically united state and the only region whose boundaries have survive millennia, Egypt has recently regained independence (from Rome) after over 3,000 years of foreign rule. Society is mixed between the Arabs, Coptic Christians and a minority of ancient Egyptians who have kept alive ancient traditions, mostly in the city of On, the country’s capital (“On” was the city labelled by Herodotus as “Thebes”). Nationalists have created a constitutional monarchy with the Pharaoh named as Head-of-State (who only has reserve powers), with the real power laying in the Egyptian Parliament where each city is represented. Though law is officially secular in Egypt, any dispute deemed to be involving members of one religion (such as family law) are handled by religious courts, with schooling also handled by religious leaders. Concerns abound over the stability of Egypt’s political structure given its social makeup, but so far the local population wishes to work together instead of fighting. Internationally, Egypt maintains close relations with Rome and Egypria, as well as Ethiopia (formerly the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium of Sudan, the name is the ancient Egyptian name for the country, which has stuck).

4.      Kanem-Bornu. The Empire of Kanem-Bornu is, like Mali and Casara, a survivor of European colonization (though, in Kanem-Bornu’s case as a “French protectorate” until Kanem-Bornu and Mali forcibly evicted the French from Africa from 1951 to 1962). The Kanem-Bornians- like Casara- are environmentalists and thus any development must be made with extreme consideration for the environment. This does not mean that Kanem-Bornu is underdeveloped- many modern innovations, such as subways, an extensive telephone and Internet system exists in the country, including a developing space program. In fact, the Kanem-Bornians have received international platitudes for their efforts at “smart development”, providing a model for how technology needs to advance in the future. Governmental power ultimately rests on the Emperor and a Governing Council (who look over local matters), both of whom are elected by the people. Internationally, Kanem-Bornu has allied itself with Mali in that country’s efforts to stop Casaran expansion, but it maintains ties with Casara in an effort to broker peace between the two countries, often being credited with leading many of the ceasefire negotiations between Casara and Mali.

5.      Great Zimbabwe. Africa’s most “Western” state, Great Zimbabwe is a heavily urbanized state that had its origins in the 5th century. The country’s name is also the name of the capital, where a magnificent tower still exists in the city square today. Officially a republic, Great Zimbabwe elects both a Legislative Assembly (with members from each city) and a President, with a political system divided into numerous parties. The party that gains a majority in the LA gets its leader made President, but in cases of minority governments, the governing coalition can select any party leader as President. Its society and politics are centrist, and almost never leans one way or another on the political or social spectrum, leading to a highly tolerant and accepting society. Internationally, Great Zimbabwe has relations with many countries, but only one alliance- with Britain, stemming from the days that Britain ruled South Africa (which it has since relinquished to France following a political agreement transferring Brittany to Britain in 1967). It does not, however, get involved in many wars, focusing to instead further its own interests and continue the country’s economic growth.

 

South America, Asia & Oceania

 

(Note: since most of South America is covered by the “Chinese South America” entry and since most of Asia is foreign-controlled, both will be grouped with Oceania here)

 

1.      Nicaragua. Considered the leader of the Spanish-speaking states in South America (whose closet ally is Bolivia, a more extreme version of Nicaragua), Nicaragua is officially a militaristic state but not at the expense of personal freedoms, of which Nicaraguans enjoy plenty. An Emperor, who rules for life but can be recalled and replaced at any time in free and open referendums, rules over the Nicaraguans, who are also represented by a Council of Nobles that advise the Emperor and represent each municipality. The Council is hereditary, but positions on the Council are only obtained through Council approval, and the Council (or the Emperor) has the right to remove any member it does not like. The Emperor also has the right to disband the Council completely and rule by himself, but this has rarely been the case. Society is based around the army (which is headed by the Council), but recently Nicaragua has embraced the arts and higher learning, building a brand-new University in the capital at Managua. Traditionally isolationist, Nicaragua has recently made overtures about “increasing its global footprint”, raising fears that it may one day launch massive invasions all over Central America.

2.      Costa Rica. Considered the most benevolent of the Central American states, Costa Rica is home to a highly sophisticated democratic society, with institutions that mirror the old United States system. The only difference is that the country is not divided into states, with seats on the National Assembly assigned to each municipality’s mayor (elected by the people). Politically and socially left-of-centre, the Costa Ricans place a lot of importance on higher learning and the arts, well as urban development. Internationally it is (barely) second to Nicaragua in influence towards the other Spanish-speaking states in South America (many of whom are allied to one, the other or even both states), and maintains close alliances with many of those nations. It is also allied with several foreign powers, particularly Britain and Rome, and has been for a while. Recently, fears of Nicaraguan expansion have led to increased attempts by Costa Rica to secure defence pacts with the international community, in particular to keep its border with Nicaragua free from military action, but many in Costa Rica think it is only a matter of “when”, not if, Nicaragua invades.

3.      The Inca Empire. Closely allied to the Chinese-speaking states (to which it owes its continued existence to), the Inca are renowned for their artwork and their highly urbanized society. While not technically a democracy, the Inca have a political system where the Emperor’s advisors (“The Inca Council”) are directly elected by the people, with a long-standing tradition of the Emperor working with the people to pass laws. The Emperor’s position is for life, but upon his death the Council votes amongst their members for a replacement. It maintains relations with many nations, even outside of South America, who receive the country’s greatest exports, potatoes (discovered by the Spanish during their invasion attempts) and gold. Recently, with the Nicaraguan-allied and highly militaristic Bolivia threatening invasion the Inca have increased their defence budgets and their attempts to secure defence pacts with foreign governments, but, like Costa Rica and Nicaragua, it is only a matter of “when” not “if” Bolivia invades.

4.      Samoa. The second-most powerful state in Oceania besides Birea, the Samoans are known for their proficiency in sailing, shipbuilding and fishing, building a highly developed economy surrounding those commodities and tourism. Its political system consists of a two-tiered system, with each island in the Samoan Empire sending a representative to the Samoan Assembly through elections every six years, with the Assembly electing an Emperor to represent the island internationally. The Samoans are highly regarded worldwide maintaining relations with many nations, including Rome and Britain, who hold extensive territories in the Pacific.

5.      Hawaii. The former US State achieved independence from the United States during the 1991 crisis (which also gave independence to Marshall Island), but has retained its old government structure. The Governor of Hawaii is now referred to as the King and Hawaii is now a Kingdom, but the Legislative Assembly is still home to many political parties, with the general public still electing their King. Hawaii is a highly-centralized country, and while it maintains a benevolent stance in regard to internal and foreign issues, its centralized state has come into question with the rise of Mauian separatism, since Maui believes that Hawaii focuses too much on promoting Honolulu and not enough on the rest of the Kingdom. So far, the dispute has remained legal, but fears of a Hawaiian civil war persist to this day.

6.      Polynesia. The best known of the matriarchal societies in the world (of which there are several in the Pacific), Polynesia has been known to be at the forefront in many issues regarding women. Since its formation in 1970 (from a federation of former British, Roman and French colonies), Polynesia remains the world’s leader in gender equality, with laws so well entrenched that gender gaps in the workforce and in pay are almost non-existent. Polynesia is a Monarchy (usually a Queen, but a few Kings have ruled) democratically elected by the people, who also elect the Queen’s advisors in the form of an Island Legislature, representing all the islands. The Queen is allowed to rule by decree, but at any time the Legislature can recall her and elect a new one. Economically, Polynesia depends on tourism, fishing and shipbuilding and are equals in these areas to the Samoans, but, outside of the well-developed capital Papeete, Polynesia is very rural. Socially, Polynesia tends to be leftist, but a few extremist groups- from both genders- exist, though none are thought of as being anything more than fringe groups. Internationally, Polynesia maintains relations with almost all nations in the world, being closest to Rome and Casara, and has been known to be the world’s friendliest nation, being involved in only minor disputes since its formation.

7.      Mariana Islands. Like Polynesia, the Mariana Islands are also matriarchal, but it is there that the similarities end. In the Mariana Islands (independent since 1503), the social order heavily benefits the woman, not the man, leading to a complete role-reversal in terms of gender division. Women get all the best jobs and the most money, leaving the men the scraps (although some men have risen in the ranks). They are ruled by a Legislative Assembly (elected via universal female suffrage and some “privileged” males) representing each island, with the LA electing a Queen from its ranks. They are also a highly militaristic society and have been for centuries (with highly respected warriors), and, because of Japan’s expansionist ways, have stepped up defence spending considerably. Like several other societies built the same way (only as patriarchal societies) such as the nearby Indonesian states, the international community has condemned the inequality and have demanded action, but so far none has been forthcoming from the Marianian Government.

8.      Japan. The highly advanced Japanese Empire is one of the world’s leaders in technology and technical innovation, but is also a highly militaristic society that pledges strict allegiance to the hereditary Emperor. However, despite the militarism, Japanese people enjoy several personal freedoms, including that of expression, because without which Japan feels it would lose its innovative edge. It often regards itself as the Far East’s sole power (considering that Indochina is Hittite and China is divided by Bactria and Japan itself) and is not afraid to be what one British news anchor described as “an international bully”. It involves itself in several border wars with the Hittites and the Bactrians, and often threatens the security of the Indonesian countries. It has recently curbed somewhat this expansionist stance because of the drain it has had on the economy, but few doubt that the Japanese lion will be asleep for long.

9.      The Indian States. Organized much like the Greek states in Classical Greece (who they compare themselves to) or the Arab States today, the Indian States are 29 states bound by a similar culture and (except for the Muslim Bangladesh) a single religion, Hindu. They achieved independence through Mahatma Gandhi’s work, and while political unity has eluded the Indians so far, the states have been able to work well together for the region’s common goals. The most important of these states are Gujarat, Haryana, the Punjab, West Bengal, Bangladesh and Andhra, who have been in the forefront in the fight for supremacy in Indian politics. They also represent the various blocs within India- Punjab and Haryana representing the more Muslim-friendly north, Gujarat representing the technologically and commercially advanced west, Andhra the more rural south, and Bangladesh and West Bengal the impoverished east. The jockeying has led to intense bickering at times between the states, but some are saying that with entities such as a commercial union India is well on its way to becoming a united state.

 

Back to Major Players

Back Home