Nova Norgantho
Situated in the far north-west reaches of the world, at the upper tip of the continent of Hunar, Nova Norgantho is the first and only place to have fully shaken off the shackles of the Empire of Turelion's rule in nearly 600 years.
Originally, the hardy inhabitants of the area of the Worfal Tundra, who were overworked and underpaid for their efforts toiling for the Empire in the myriad mines that pockmark the landscape, simply wanted better living conditions and recognition for their labours. This resentment bubbled for many years until, with neither the authorities in Hunar’s provincial capital Allerium, nor the Emperor a world away in Meltaro, it exploded into rebellion and the foundation of Nova Norgantho.
Now, the young nation stands alone as bastion of resistance agains the sluggish Empire. Each year, the goal of the Nova Norgantho’s lot-elected government has been to secure their position and make safe their newly occupied lands, people and the refugees that stream to their borders, from the eventual hammer blow of retaliation from Turelion. As the saying goes in the Rebel Nation, ‘fear the day the dragon awakens and realises the tip of his tail has been cut.’
Structure
Wary of putting too much power in the hands of a single individual, Nova Norgantho has instead adopted a system of sortition to select those that will govern them. This means that every year all citizens of Nova Norgantho draw lots, to see who will take a seat on the 300 strong People’s Council. In order to try and curb any risk of agents from Turelion arriving in the country and drawing lots for membership, in order to be eligible, all must have been resident in Nova Norgantho for a year, and be registered with the Electoral Authority of the People’s Council.
After the lots are drawn and the members of the People’s Council are chosen, the 300 delegates are required to report to the capital Hraman, within 2 weeks, after which time they will live in a compound, where they are cut off from their families, friends and the outside world, save for hearing about news or business that the Council needs to know to function. The idea behind this is to limit the amount of potential corruption that could happen, were the delegates allowed to come and go as they please.
The Council of 300 legislate on all matters, with the exception of military matters, which is the only area that is delegated to a sub-committee, The Council of Generals, so that military affairs can be carried out with more flexibility and restricted red tape. The Council of 300, however, does have control over who is elected to the Council of Generals, and the Generals are answerable to the Council of 300 for their actions. This has led to several Generals being executed for treason for not acting as the Council of 300 would have wished.
Public Agenda
The founding purpose of Nova Norgantho was to create a state that would cater more effectively to the needs of the people living in and around the area of the Worfal Tundra, who had long felt that they were sidelined and all but forgotten by the provincial government, far to the south in Allerium, let alone by the Emperor, far off in distant Meltaro. Though they paid their hefty taxes and toiled endlessly to extract metals for the Empire, they saw little benefit.
However, once their rebellion gained sufficient strength and they could rightly claim to have the Tundra under their control, their agenda slowly started to shift as more and more refugees began to arrive from far off lands, hoping to escape the dominion of Turelion. Now, Nova Norgantho’s agenda is to form themselves into a true state, to stand up to the Empire and to show that it is possible, despite the trials that must be endured, to throw off the shackles of Imperial rule.
Demography and Population
Because of the historical status of the area of the Worfal Tundra as a region heavily dependent on mining, the vast majority of the populace, over 90% were judged to be in the poorest section of society. Though the economic situation of Nova Norgantho’s people hasn’t significantly changed since independence, neither has a rise in a new middle or upper class taken place to replace the Imperial and Provincial authorities and administrators killed or driven out by the rebellion. As a result, the nation is incredibly socially equal and this is compounded by Nova Norgantho’s governmental and judicial system. This equality is one of the main factors that people of all nations and races make the dangerous journey to seek refuge from the Empire’s ever tightening stranglehold on their lives.
Territories
The Norganthian Rebels have managed to establish dominance over the area of the Worfal Tundra, that sits across the northern part of Norgantho Province on the continent of Hunar. Most of this land is cold and windswept, but the Rebels are just about able to provide enough food for their ever growing population of renegades and refugees.
Military
Because of Nova Norgantho’s youth and the fact that most of the area’s original inhabitants were miners and farmers, not soldiers, the Rebel Nation has a limited amount of well trained troops that it has at its disposal. Though the young nation has been fortunate that the Empire of Turelion has been so slow to launch a significant offensive against them, the General’s Council know that they must use the time they have been given wisely. As a result, the number of trained fighting men and women in Nova Norgantho is increasing.
However, knowing that even if they were as prepared as they could possibly be when the Empire finally attack, the Rebel Nation’s troops are not being trained to match the Imperial forces in an all out pitched battle. Instead they are trained in ambush and hit-and-run tactics and their forces are always looking to outmanoeuvre and separate Imperial troops, rather than engage them head-on.
Agriculture & Industry
The area of the Worfal Tundra is not really suited for large scale agriculture, as the soil is far too poor in most places, but all available land under the control of Nova Norgantho has been set aside for the cultivation of crops, predominantly hardier plants such as cabbages and root vegetables. Sheep and goats are the main animals that are reared, as they can gain adequate sustenance on the tough grasses and scrubby vegetation that blankets the tundra, and cope with the harsh winters.
As for industry, Nova Norgantho is luckier on this front as beneath the tundra there are plentiful veins of metals, iron and gold in particular, as well as pockets of gemstones. The area of the Worfal Tundra has always had a strong mining industry under the rule of the Empire and this has continued into their independence. Whilst the iron deposits fuel the production of weapons to fight off the Empire, the gold and gemstones is put to good use to secure friends across Kelbonnar.
Trade & Transport
As far as the Empire of Turelion is concerned, Nova Norgantho is cut off from the rest of the world, surrounded as it is by the Province of Norgantho to the south and the Province of Langstrom to the east, with nothing but the vast expanse of the Ocean of Lasimar to the west.
However, in reality, the rebels have found a vital trading partnership with the The Kelrik Pirates, who as illicit operators themselves are happy to trade in return for materials, especially the valuable metal and gem deposits that are found beneath the ground of the Worfal Tundra. There is also a surprising amount of trade that goes on across the borders into the two neighbouring Imperial provinces. Despite the Empire’s naturally hostile stance to Nova Norgantho, there are many who are happy to trade with the rebels for the chance to gain a quick profit, especially on items that they would find harder to shift within the rest of Turelion.
Founding Date
490AIF
Type
Illicit, Rebel
Capital
Alternative Names
Norganthian Rebels, Rebels of Hunar, The Rebel Nation.
Demonym
NorRebs
Government System
Sortition
Economic System
Barter system
Currency
Since the establishment of the rebel state, Nova Norgantho has been cut off from the regular supplies of Imperial Coinage and instead they have fallen back on a more barter based economy, which reflects their more precarious situation. Imperial coinage is still used, but there is no guarantee that it will be accepted, with many people preferring to trade goods or resources.
Judicial Body
As with the legislative formation of Nova Norgantho, the judicial one is also based on a system of sortition, which is used to select a jury drawn from the populace registered with the Electoral Council. Lots are drawn for selection to the National Jury after the section is made for the People’s Council, so that the chance of people being selected as both Councillors and Jurors is ruled out.
As with the People’s Council, those selected for the National Jury have to live within a special compound within Hraman, to limit the risk of them being swayed to certain judgements by public opinion, coercion or bribery. The National Jury, preside over all manner of cases that are brought before them, generally disputes that cannot be resolved within a community, or judgement of serious crimes such as murder. They reach a verdict through a majority vote between its 200 members.
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
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