The Imperial Republic of Nevermoore

[Nevermoore]

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The Imperial Republic of Nevermoore
Discipline, Obedience, Unity

Founded in 1785, the Imperial Republic is a product of the Enlightenment.  After widespread revolt, revolutionaries lead by Prince Gregory Vander deposed the corrupt Holy Emperor and succeeded in reforming the Imperial Empire of Neverosa-Altmoore into a constitutional monarchy.  Prince Gregory was elevated to the empty throne by the newly created Parliament.  He then voluntarily ceded a great deal of his power to the elected officials of the land.  The Parliament has grown in power since that date and the monarchy had become symbolic by the late-nineteenth century and was eliminated altogether in 1959.

Rapid industrialization in the late-nineteenth century transformed every aspect of life in the Imperial Republic.  The remnants of the aristocracy faded away entirely as a new class of elites rose to prominence and wealth.  Widespread poverty and social injustice lead to a large and powerful Socialist Party, which gained the majority for the first time in 1908.  After over thirty years of majority, the Socialists were brutally defeated by the Libertarian Party in 1947 due to a crippling economic depression.  The Libertarians were unable to turn the nation around, however.  With the economy still in ruins in 1953 and democracy seemingly failing the nation, the Imperial Emperor Marcus Vander disbanded Parliament on the grounds they were incompetent and performed a coup.  This launched the Moorean Civil War, which would ravage the nation for six long years.

The Civil War concluded with the exile of the Imperial Family, thus transforming the IRN from a constitutional monarchy to a parliamentary republic.  The radical National Front won the newly reformed Parliament with large margins by running on a platform of intense nationalism and reformed socialism.  The National Front elevated Edward Kingsley to the office of Chancellor.

The Kingsley Reforms pulled the country out of ruins and returned it to prosperity.  Massive modernization efforts were undertaken in all walks of life and many of the Libertarian reforms were rolled back.  By the late-1970s the scars of the Civil War were beginning to fade.  Racial tensions between fresh immigrants, blacks, and the traditional ethnic groups began to mount as the recovering economy began to falter.

Things would boil over in 1985 when widespread riots broke out in the major cities over racial inequality.  Events peaked with the assassination of the enormously popular Chancellor Kingsley and his family.  This lead to the appointment of Sophia Ashford , the nation’s first female to hold the office of chancellor, in 1986.  Sophia’s policies, named Reclamation, brought lasting stability and prosperity to the Imperial Republic.  Sweeping domestic reforms revolutionized society, bringing more people into the middle class then ever before.

Today, Chancellor Ashford continues to lead the Imperial Republic.  This makes her the longest serving chancellor in the history of Nevermoore.  The Imperial Republic is currently enjoying an all-time high in economic prosperity and domestic tranquility.

[Nevermoore]

Geography

Location:  Nevermoore is located on the eastern coast of the western Taijitsu continent.  It possesses three international borders, but the majority of the nation consists of coastline.  The largest land border, shared with the massive Haradrim Empire, lies to the north and is highly monitored by the military due to extensive distrust of the large, imperialistic neighbor.  The eastern border is shared with Christstan and is also monitored, but not nearly as extensively.  The final border is a point of contention with the Ashford Administration.  A sizable portion of the southern coast near the Dagger Peninsula has been occupied by the nation of Takasia along with a large island.  Strict regulation of this boundary has been maintained, naturally leading to tension between the two states.

During the social upheaval of the Reclamation, all borders and ports were closed.  This lead to the evolution of a self-sufficient economic system, but Chancellor Ashford is now preparing to reopen the nation to international business and politics.

Regions:  There are several distinct geographic regions within the state of Nevermoore.  Each shares a distinct climate and ecosystem and shape the economies of the area.

Andor Mountains:  The Andor Mountains dominate the extreme north of the Imperial Republic and act as a formidable bulwark between Nevermoore and the Haradrim Empire.  The climate here is predominantly alpine with very harsh winters and cool summers.  Farming conditions are rather poor, but the mountains are rich in a variety of minerals.  Mining makes up the majority of the region’s economy.  Population centers are typically very small, rarely climbing over 5,000 people.  The exception to this rule is the Serenity River Valley, where larger cities can exist.  There are a great many small lakes and streams found in the mountains, but the principal river and trade artery is the Serenity River, which has been dammed upstream to create Lake Persephone, the second largest freshwater lake in the Imperial Republic.

Raul Hills:  The Raul Hills stretch along the base of the Andor Mountains.  This long band of foothills also contains many mineral deposits, but also serves as grazing country for livestock.  Some of the nation’s principal industrial centers are located in the eastern Raul Hills.  The city of Norkia and Derringer are two such cities.  Norkia sits on the southern banks of Lock Lorraine in eastern Raul and is connected to the Serenity River by the Norkia Canal, which took extensive excavation to cut through the large hills.  Derringer sits on the Briar River, which originates in Andor and flows south until it empties into the Gulf of Neverosa.  The climate of the Raul Hills is cooler than most of Nevermoore with the exception of the Andor Mountains.  Heavy precipitation occurs during the spring and fall months.

Iceni Fens: The Iceni Fens are the largest wetlands in the Imperial Republic and are preserved as a national park.  South of the Raul Hills, they are continuously refilled by the streams running down from the Andor Mountains and the Raul Hills.  The largest freshwater lake in the nation, Loch Ancasta, sits wedged between the Iceni Fens and the south-central Raul Hills.  Weather here tends to be cool, but pleasant and rain is not as common as one would expect.  There are no population centers save the national park service’s outposts and any naturalist research stations.

Emerald Plains: The Emerald Plains or Great Grass Sea is the largest geographic region in the Imperial Republic.  The rolling plains are for the most part flat and make for exceptional farmland.  With the exception of several large administrative urban centers, the plains are sparsely populated.  National-corporate interests do the bulk of the agriculture that supports the economies of the region with relatively few small family-owned operations.  The Briar River and Rose River are the two principal bodies of water for the region; however, there are large underground aquifers that are used for irrigation.  The weather in this region is the most pleasant in the entire nation with long, warm, sunny summers and a shorter, milder winter.  The plains are the only predominantly Saxon region of the Imperial Republic.

Eastern Woodlands: 




Natural Hazards:  Heavy flooding in the Serenity Valley; strong storms, dangerous winter weather, and avalanches in the Andor Mountains; brush fires and tornadoes on the plains.

Environmental Concerns: Heavy air pollution around major industrial centers and vehicle emissions; acid rain damage to forests and farmland; water pollution from urban waste and agricultural runoff.

International Environmental Agreements: None