Oestbernia (west-burn-ee-uh)
The nation of Oestbernia is a sprawling republic that occupies most of western Ayndrinor. While a few of the nation's towns and cities have been around since the late First Age, much of the nation has been established in the last 1400 years - leading to rampant speculation that at least one supercity of the First Age was located in this area. The nation is made up of two fairly distinct areas, each with its own history and culture. The area north of the Castillon River was once known as Nordtvein and is older than the southern part of the nation, which is known as Castillon (after the largest city therein). Nordtvein's towns and frontier forts have been around since the latter half of the First Age, while Castillon was largely founded in the Second Age.
Due to climate and external threats, Nordtvein grew very slowly and was not able to amass much power, which left it vulnerable to its faster growing southern neighbor. In 1037 2A, the then-kingdom of Castillon waged a war on its northern neighbor, hoping to gain access to the Northern Forest and its wealth of timber, as well as its access to the Sinsear Mountains and the mines therein. This war was fairly short, lasting just less than a year and ending with the complete surrender of Nordtvein to their southern neighbor. This empire lasted for another 20 years, until the original Emperor died and his son took the throne. This new ruler was completely inept and was not able to manage the various factions within his domain, so he was overthrown by a multitude of the citizens who were upset at the famines and shortages he caused.
In the wake of this empire, the people gathered and formed a Republic, the first of its kind in Ayndrinor. Each city, town, and village elects five Senators to serve on the National Council - only one of which from each town can be an aristocrat. This 70-member Senate elects a Speaker and rules mostly by coalition and compromise. In this way, the northern settlements get their say and can try to avoid being bossed around by their more populous southern counterparts, and many different segments of society have a say in running the government. These two areas are fairly different culturally, as they each have a different history. Nordtvein has a very German or Scandinavian feel, while Castillon tends to be more Spanish. This applies to the place names, as well as the culture, architecture, etc.
Oestbernia tries to keep cordial relations with all of its neighbors, though their past imperial history complicates this in some situations. Specifically, the past invasions into The Dale have led that nation to construct a fortress on the border to keep Oestbernians out. The forest kingdom of elves, Crann Riocht, is likewise skeptical and isolated from Oestbernia. The other neighboring nation, the Toldrun See, is the one nation with which Oestbernia has somewhat normal relations. This is a source of frustration from other nations that view the See as an antagonist; they fear that Oestbernia's relations continue to validate the wrongdoings of the See.
One pattern that most foreigners notice with Oestbernian culture is the prevalence of the number 5. The elections for National Council and local government are held every five years, and most government groups/subgroups are comprised of five individuals. The history of this superstition can be traced back to the original settlers of Castillon, whose mysticism and particular religious beliefs placed numinous significance on the holy number. There is -- and has been since the time of these settlers -- confusion about exactly where this comes from; 5 does not seem to be significant to any deities or the cosmos as a whole. The central pantheon revolves around The Four, and there has never been a fifth entity in that group. Regardless of its origins, this custom has carried on into the current age and permeates almost every aspect and area of Oestbernian life.
Structure
Every city, town, and village (14 in total) in Oestbernia elects five representatives that serve on the Senate and govern the nation. This 70-member body votes on all policies and receives feedback from their constituents on pertinent issues. Each settlement is responsible for conducting its own elections for the Senate, but the nation's government monitors these elections to make sure they are not rigged or influenced. These Senators serve five-year terms, and a member can only serve four consecutive terms (20 years) before they are barred from running for another two cycles (10 years). Upon joining a new session of the Senate, the representatives elect a Speaker from among them who will be the face of the government. There are other positions that are filled by these representatives, as well, such as ministers of the various industries in the nation. The Speaker and Ministers serve in those roles for the whole five years of that Senate, unless they are removed in a vote of no confidence by two-thirds of the other Senators.
These representatives tend to be from many different walks of life, and have different concerns and priorities based on their professions, race, neighborhoods, etc. Naturally, as these representatives start working in the Senate they form close relationships with similar representatives from other towns and form some type of "parties" to help them govern. These groups are not official or mutually exclusive; they function similar to the different caucuses in the U.S. Congress where a single member can identify with several different groups depending on the issue at hand.
The judicial hierarchy in the nation is mostly focused on local courts, with very few issues needing to be resolved by the High Courts. The people of each town and city elect their own Judges, who serve 5-year terms. This helps keep them accountable to the people, as they can be voted out if they are too harsh or too lenient. For the very few issues that do transcend the local jurisdiction and need to be tried by the nation (kidnapping, banditry, smuggling, etc.), the High Court is called into action. The five members of this court are appointed by the Senate after reviewing previous decisions and judgments from judges in the nation's different towns. They serve for the five years of the Senate and then can be re-confirmed by the new Senate if they have done a good enough job.
Demography and Population
Most people in Oestbernia are human, with about 55% of the population. Dwarves, halflings, gnomes, and huundari make up the vast majority of the remaining population, with a very small portion of elves as well. The southern towns are generally more populous and sprawling, as they have abundant farmland and a warmer climate to aid in population growth. The northern towns are a mix of farming or mining settlements and tundra forts, but both tend to be smaller in population and more compact in size. The nation has a wide variation in its income levels, with some in the larger cities living in poverty and some nobles across the nation earning a very wealthy living. This wealth inequality creates a bit of tension, especially in the medium sized towns where it is felt most heavily. The cities, as one would expect, tend to have a shorter life expectancy, as the poorer citizens succumb to disease, crime, or other causes.
Military
Despite its militaristic and imperialist past, Oestbernia's current military level is very limited. There are soldiers stationed in the various fortified settlements in the north, protecting against raids from the tundra. Various other garrisions and small barracks are located in or near the border towns, where they mostly aid with law enforcement on serious or violent crimes and protect from wilderness monsters or beasts that threaten the population. The capital maintains a regiment of around 5,000 highly trained soldiers that are a mix of heavy infantry, light scouts, and mixed cavalry.
Foreign Relations
Oestbernia has somewhat cordial relations with only one of its direct neighbors, the Toldrun See. The other neighbors have hostile or strained relations with Oestbernia, mostly due to a history of militaristic imperialism in Oestbernia's history. Even the relations with The See are somewhat strained, due to the history of Inquisition troops invading Oestbernia and killing or kidnapping its citizens, or in some cases burning small villages. Oestbernia's strongest relations are with Ikitur, their neighbor across the Frozen Strait, though trade and communication between the two can be difficult in parts of the year as the strait between them freezes over and prevents shipping. In recent years, Oestbernia has begun having a close dialogue with the Everyn Federation, which they hope to mentor into a successful republic or democratic government.
Respect, Brotherhood, Cooperation
Founding Date
1059 2A
Type
Geopolitical, Republic
Capital
Alternative Names
Nordtvein, Castillon
Predecessor Organization
Demonym
Oestbernians
Government System
Democracy, Parliamentary
Power Structure
Federation
Economic System
Market economy
Legislative Body
Oestbernian Senate
Judicial Body
High Court
Subsidiary Organizations
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Comments