Dalarian - setup, timeline, and all the rest.

[Erno]

So, after one productive evening on the IRC (thanks a lot to everyone for help!), there was a bit of history thrown together for the little southern island nation, and I have been trying to think how to slowly get it onto the forums. Since creating separate threads for different aspects of it seems kinda counterproductive, triedto put it all into a single one.
Let's start in chronological order, with questions from me along the way? Dates are semi-random, so that can be changed around, though I'd like to keep rough lengths and amounts of periods the same.

pre-1850 - not really thought out as of yet, but there exist several separated tribes, mostly on the north of eastern island (Tarrell), which coexist, but do not form a single consolidated government of considerable size.

~1850..1911 - colonisation of the islands begins.
Main exports - gold and iron ores in easy-to-reach deposits.
Main questions - how exactly development of the area goes? Below the world average, most probably, but are there any exact parts that need to be gotten right? Also, which international effects a colonial nation can participate in (if any)?

1911..1915 - Liberation of the country as a result of a peace treaty (THAT I'm sure of remembering). Economy is same, with addition of small-scale oil drilling. Borders are closed for both people and products from abroad, government (consisting of a parliamentary body only) sponsors nationwide "cultural restoration" programmes.
Famine of 1915 leaves Dalarian with the need to open borders, including for foreign companies.

1915..1948 - Economy is based mostly on oil exports, and not going to change anytime soon. Most wells are operated by foreigners, but profits are enough to purchase and reverse engineer machinery. Amount of factories reprocessing imports rapidly grows, to a detriment of quality and safety.
Explosion on one of them, destroying a fair part of a city, and following undecided decisions by parliament, result in civil uprisings and introduction of "President" (stays here until a decent-sounding "local" term is made up) as an overseeing entity for Parliament.
"Cultural defence" continues in form of ban on imports of any media that is not on Dalari language.

1948..1976 - Oil is still first in profitability, followed closely by machinery construction. Most of the railway network, including bridge between the two main islands, is being built. Promotion of Dalari language and culture continue, but to a lesser degree now that most of the people were brought up when the programme was active. Constructions of own spaceport and international transit airport happen, but none bring the success awaited by the government. (from here on not so much questions, except for a repeating "does that fit into the main timeline even?")

1976..2004 -  Nationalisation of oil drilling and mining industries begin in an effort to avoid raising taxes. Country for the first time begins to open up more, allowing books and movies to be made and distributed on foreign languages (TV and radio broadcasts still demand the full dub of all programs). Series of laws are being passed, consolidating power more around the president, and not parliament, but meet little protest as Dalarian goes through two decades of greater stability.

2004..201X - Most is yet to happen. Schools are now allowed to offer foreign languages as voluntary classes. Many are concerned with an outdated economy, still getting most of income from mining, which by some estimates is about to run out of resources.

Think that's it to begin with? Please, do tell if something needs some kind of fixing.

[Bustos]

From 1915 and on, the Allied States (I am sure others too) would be interested in investing into your country in exchange for oil and gold.

We'd probably be one of the most, if not the most, liberal in terms of what we're willing to sell you, tech-wise, so you wouldn't have to waste time and effort trying to reverse engineer a lot of stuff.   

[Erno]

Hmh, we may then get something better for the space program than a bear on a huge catapult...

As long as licensed production comes at affordable prices, we're in!

[Khem]

I love it. Works well with established history. The next question is what part of history you wish to interact with in storyline?

[Erno]

Well, interactions are pretty much possible only from 1915 onwards, I guess, with the first and last at being self-sufficient. So anything that happens from here and can be connected to the country can do.
Or, if the question was about current ongoing events, then what are around in that time period?

[Khem]

Hmm. I am not sure if much is going on in 1915. You could define that decade.

[Bustos]

1899- and on is quite up in the air at the start of the Great War.  Actually, probably much earlier really, as we have yet to define what events led to the Great War even happening.

Being someone's colony, I'd imagine some of your people will be enlisted into your parent nation's army during the war, whether its Myroria or Oz (both on opposite sides of the two warring factions, as it currently stands).

Some of us are focusing at different parts of the timeline.  Eluvatar seems to be working on 1700-1750 time period (a big collab effort with Myroria and Oz), Myroria is scattered but largely focused on 1960s-1970s, Delfos is working on modern times (2011, and I am partaking), al'Khem is working 1850 (which seems to another potential big collab effort), and I finished the creation of my nation 1780-1820.

RPing here is very much what you make of it.  Also its a very long/slow moving process at the current rate.  If you're into Solo RP like Myroria then you can move as fast or as slow as you'd like.  If its a collab effort then its moves as fast as its slowest poster, especially if you have to wait on that person's post to move forward.

Personally, I am here to work on my creative writing skills as I feel I have a great imagination but very poor at translating it to paper and of course, for personal amusement and enjoyment.

Oh and spend some time on the IRC, some of us do alot of OOC talk that doesn't always get relayed to the forums.  You can also leave messages/questions to certain people via FriarTuck and they can get back to you at a later time doing the same.

[Erno]

Hmm. I am not sure if much is going on in 1915. You could define that decade.

1915-1925? Sounds decent enough.

1899- and on is quite up in the air at the start of the Great War.  Actually, probably much earlier really, as we have yet to define what events led to the Great War even happening.

Well, unless it extends the time too much (more than 2 decades), or moves the enddate later, then 1915 can be easily kept in place, though the time between that and independence seems allright now to me.

Being someone's colony, I'd imagine some of your people will be enlisted into your parent nation's army during the war, whether its Myroria or Oz

Riiiiight, how do we decide/officially declare the "parent" nation, once again? >.>

Some of us are focusing at different parts of the timeline. <..>

So, idea is to not intersect too much and not defy any of the events by accident? Noted.

<..> RPing here is very much what you make of it.  Also its a very long/slow moving process at the current rate.  <..>

Well, collaborative RP demands having several participants. In that age the only thing I can come up with so far is all the trade agreements, but that for some reason sounds boring-ish to RP fully? Correct me if I am, luckily, horribly wrong.

<..>spend some time on the IRC<..>

I do, it's just that in most cases talk is already ongoing and just breaking into the middle of it sounds bad xD But okay, thanks for a reminder.

And thanks for providing help so far to all of you, heh.

[Myroria]

I'm willing to be your colonizer; we'd probably settle there a few years after settling Resdaynia in the mid-1800s. You could achieve independence as a result of a peace treaty at the end of the Great War.

[Bustos]

I do, it's just that in most cases talk is already ongoing and just breaking into the middle of it sounds bad xD But okay, thanks for a reminder.

   I break into it all the time!

We all talk like we got ADHD in the IRC...if you got questions, just ask.   

Riiiiight, how do we decide/officially declare the "parent" nation, once again?

Just ask someone, I think Oz is looking for nations he has/had influence on and Myroria seemed interested as well.  Nevermind.   

That time period for my nation was heavily focused on internal growth/development and building deeper trading relations with various nations inside and at the mouth of Cefnor (the big U shaped continent in the middle of the map).  Otherwise I'd step up to the plate.

Well, collaborative RP demands having several participants. In that age the only thing I can come up with so far is all the trade agreements, but that for some reason sounds boring-ish to RP fully? Correct me if I am, luckily, horribly wrong.

Not at all...I believe there are 2 such conferences going on but they have stalled for the time being.

Well, unless it extends the time too much (more than 2 decades), or moves the enddate later, then 1915 can be easily kept in place, though the time between that and independence seems allright now to me.

Well we all agreed so far that the Great War is from 1899-1910, so your timeline works very well as it stands.

[Myroria]

Trade conferences are always a good topic for collaborative fiction; internal conflicts, like major political changes, elections, or revolutions, are also good. Anything that other people can contribute characters to is a good start.

[Erno]

I'm willing to be your colonizer; we'd probably settle there a few years after settling Resdaynia in the mid-1800s. You could achieve independence as a result of a peace treaty at the end of the Great War.

We'll count it as decided then?

That time period for my nation was heavily focused on internal growth/development and building deeper trading relations with various nations inside and at the mouth of Cefnor

Well, given how I'm nowhere near it, that will probably be irrelevant, heh.

Not at all...I believe there are 2 such conferences going on but they have stalled for the time being.

well, then maybe it's not too bad of an idea. We'll see.

Trade conferences are always a good topic for collaborative fiction; internal conflicts, like major political changes, elections, or revolutions, are also good. Anything that other people can contribute characters to is a good start.

Hmh, thanks for examples! I'll probably go and think of something to try in a next day or two.

[Myroria]

I'm willing to be your colonizer; we'd probably settle there a few years after settling Resdaynia in the mid-1800s. You could achieve independence as a result of a peace treaty at the end of the Great War.

We'll count it as decided then?

Sure! Were you thinking of your independent nation being ruled by long-oppressed natives, like a central African nation, a nation ruled by a Myrorian settler majority/minority, like Australia or apartheid South Africa, or something in between?

If you want a more unique culture for your nation, I would probably suggest either the former or something like modern South Africa; if you want a nation more directly influenced by Myrorian culture we can do that too.

[Erno]

Sure! Were you thinking of your independent nation being ruled by long-oppressed natives, like a central African nation, a nation ruled by a Myrorian settler majority/minority, like Australia or apartheid South Africa, or something in between?

Hm, short colonisation period and small initial population make all options kinda viable, huh. But given the laid-out idea, natives taking over would seem nore fitting. Unless, of course, there are Myrorian settlers that hate Myroria more than natives xD

If you want a more unique culture for your nation, I would probably suggest either the former or something like modern South Africa; if you want a nation more directly influenced by Myrorian culture we can do that too.

Myrorian influence to culture is a good idea, so thanks in advance for that.
As for the "primary" one, I could try if anyone is knowledgeable enough to consult, because otherwise I'll slip into generic European mess of a culture >.>

[Bustos]

Just some questions...

When you open to foreign investments in 1915, how developed is/are your...

mines/wells?

banking system - central bank/national currency?

infrastructure - utilities/roads/railroads/air and sea ports?

communications - telegraph?

Just wondering to brainstorm a bit for investments.