Akuanist Republic of Hvaloaszna

(Jointed owned between SocDyl, Norgs and Cowlass)

Flag: see below

Nation Name (long): Akuanist Republic of Hvaloaszna
Nation Name (short): Hvaloaszna

Motto: “Whales, be our guide.”
National Animal: Minkes Whale
National Flower/Plant: Cherry Tree
National Anthem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP-7GNoDJ5c&ab_channel=NathanEvansVEVO

Capitol: Tromsømore
Largest City: Skiendore

Demonym: Valoasan
Language: Nys’tat’en; Norgsveltian, Vistarian, Vorpestian
Species: 86% Kemonomimi; 10% Elves (2% Zrei Elves; 4% Ulvrikian Elves, 4% Kromma Elves), 4% other
Population: 27,419,000

Government type: Federal Akuanist Parliamentary Republic
Leader(s): 
Shrinekeeper: Ny’tern Bjørlic, Akuan Social Front

First Minister: Stijn Dijkstra, Community of People
Legislature: National Chamber
Lower House: Confederation of Provinces
Upper House: Confederation of Servants
Formation: 1917

Total GDP: 287,9 billion
GDP per capita: 10,500
Currency: United Krone

Calling Code: +457
Internet TLD: .vao

Historical Summary:

Early settlement by Akuanists from the Southern reaches of Borean and northern reaches of Sloughbiszna, began in the late iron age with ships landing on the middle island searching for tin and copper mining deposits. Later expanding out their foothold in the island chain by settling on the other two islands. While minerals were never discovered between the three islands, the land was rich and the seas nearby were full of fish. The settlements grew steadily around the coastal cities, fishing and whaling becoming a major part of the trade within the region.

Salt was later discovered on the central island, making it into an important trade hub through the region. Salt trade brought in new amounts of wealth and trade to the trio of islands with the central island collecting most of the wealth from the trade, while the other two lagged in comparison.

During the 510s, the governments of the city states that made up the three islands, came together to form a confederation of Brewmasters with an interest in protecting their trade in whaling and salt. The confederation lasted until 1710, where the three companies of the Borea Trading Company, Norgsveltian Borean Trading Company and Vistari Colonial Company forced the dissolution of the confederation according to the Treaty of Non-Compliance and Commerce. Breaking the salt monopoly the confederation had through the region. The Confederation was made up of brewmasters and elected figures from each of the city states, forming the government. In the early days and until the reforms in the 1200s, the government required unanimous consent by all brewmasters and representatives within the congress.

Culturally at this time, whale hunting became less of a career and more of a religious rite. With whalers offering prayers to the goddesses Akua, Sakami and to the spirits of the whales themselves. Often service was held during whaling hunts, with brewmasters traveling alongside the whalers chanting prayers for the spirit of the Whale and holding funeral service after each successful hunt. Every part of the whale was used, with bones being made incorporating religious symbolism and having them made part of the whaling boat. The long spines of the whale was only used once a year during the new year celebration where the spines are broken up into small bits and boiled into a stew then serviced to the population en masse.

In the 700s, the salt trade allowed for the central island to expand its own influence by building out bridges to the other islands. Creating a mapped out road network, towards all the coastal cities and inland cities. The center for trade being Skiendore, where the salt was first discovered and built out its ports to allow for large ships to enter its shores. Overtime, Skiendore became the leading city state within the government, using its money and influence to bring the smaller cities under its control directly. Creating a small religious republic out of the central island, still under the confederation. The religious republic became more centralized as time went on, by the late 900s the elements of city-statehood were all but a faded memory. The other two islands took note, slowly forming their own religious republics on their respective islands.

By the 1200s, the confederation went under reforms to break the hold of the last city-states and changed the confederation from one that protected the trading rights and political independence of city states into one that is religious republic in nature. The three republics still had to agree unanimously but it was only between three powers instead of the traditional 637 seats of power. It wasn’t until the late 1500s when disagreements arose between the balance of power, due to the wealth of the country being focused around the central island. As such, a political alliance formed between Eastern and Western islands in case the central island over reached its authority.

In the 1600s, the confederation trade power grew throughout the region spreading its influence throughout the region. The flow of trade went into the capital cities of the republics, however in 1680 a rash of the Borean-Ice plague broke out in the Confederation. The Government unable to respond quick enough, the plague touched each and every city killing in mass. Order went out from the central government, to burn the bodies in a pit outside of the city and plague victims could not be helped, suggesting the victims of the plague go outside to the pits and take care of business. The Confederation ordered a mass lock down, refusing entry or exit to ships in its ports until the plague was dealt with.

The Borea Trading Company was the first of the major companies to venture into Hvaloazna. Sending a large fleet to force open the ports and demand trade concessions to take control of the salt trade within the island. The Confederation was forced to accept the terms, due it’s lack of a proper navy or military.

The Norgsveltian Borean Trade Company was the second of the major companies to venture into Hvaloazna, though was least successful among the three as most of its attention was placed into building up their gains in modern day Rikevaarland. It was heavily dependent on the Imperial Realms Navy to force the Confederation to give concessions to the Company, mainly in the aspect of getting trade access to western island and to allow its ports for Norgsveltian navy’s usage. By the 1670s Norgsveltian Borean Trade Company had full control of the island, in all but name. But was dependent on the Norgsveltian monarch to keep hold of it.

The Vistari Colonial Company arrived on the eastern island in 1651, overtaking strategic ports to monopolize exports. While the colony was nominally successful, overtaking a large portion of the island, it was notably only a passing interest of the VCC in comparison to the far more successful Concordian triangular trade. The island had come to prove itself deficient in resources, with Vorpestian labour sent over to cultivate the land being sent back after a few years of minimal returns. Following a few years of this, it was decided that seizing goods from the locals was necessary to recuperate the losses. The VCC collected a number of historical and religious artifacts, selling them to the highest bidder. Fishing remained as one of the only remaining successful industries from the colony, with the VCC overfishing in a number of regions on the island.

In the 1750s, the Norgsveltian Borean Trade Company made a move to buy out the assets from the other two competing corporations. With the Borean Trading Company suffering budget cuts due to its bloated military spending in keeping its colonies. Thus the move to sell the longer longer profitable colony was quick to accept the offer from the Norgsveltian Company, hoping to cut their losses and refocus efforts on Nystatiszna colony. Later the offer was extended towards the VCC which they quickly accepted to leave the island for the Norgsveltian crown to deal with, having carelessly extracted the majority of its remaining wealth and sold it off more than the land was now worth.

The Norgsveltian crown nationalized the islands and formed a proper colony instead of leaving it to be run by the NBTC. When a local was questioned about the name of the islands, the local misunderstood the question asking what was their profession. Stating they was a Hvaloser, a whale hunter in Nys’tat’en. Later the crown official when he was writing down in his notes, a nearby military officer who lied about knowing the Nys’tat’en language stating it he misheard the name and it’s actually Hvaloaszna. The crown official sent back his reports, stating the islands were quite poor, lacked development and the only value being the people itself, the fish, the whales and the salt. Overall it was an incredibly bad trade deal for islands that wasn’t worth too much.

The Crown Colony of Hvaloaszna went for nearly a century without much interaction from Norgsveldet besides establishing naval bases along the coast. Much to the disagreement from the local Akuanist population, who yearly complained about them by hosting a peace festival right next to each of the military bases. By the 1850s, the colony grew in size, as a newly discovered nickel mineral deposit was discovered on the Western island. Minerals brought wealth and attention from the Norgsveldian officials, wishing to exploit the deposit.

The Western island grew in wealth compared to its sister islands, the central island losing its position as the richest island among the three. The Eastern island completely stagnated economically, with refugees fleeing from the devastation onto the central island. Blowing up its population greatly and driving the economy downwards as there weren’t enough jobs to go around.

During the early period of the Great War, in 1907 a mass group of protesters came out into the streets to protest Norgsveldet entry into the great war. The Norgsveltian military cracked down the Akuanists using machine guns, gunning down the protesters. During the crack down, thousands of protesters died from gunshots and many more from injuries. Instead of cracking down the pacifists and driving them underground as first expected. It became a yearly march towards military bases, once again the machine guns were used to break up the protesters but every year they came back to protest the involvement in the Great War.

Finally in 1917, when the Great War was ending for Norgsveldet as they left with an armistice. Group of brewmasters traveled to Norgsveldet proper, requesting a removal of Norgsveldet’s military bases and an end of conscription for Hvaloaszna. Instead King Haakon III offered Hvaloazsna independence, and apologized for his previous government’s actions towards the people of Hvaloaszna. Brewmasters was rather surprised at the offer, and warmly accepted the king’s offer.