The Republic of Orden
The Origins of the Island nation of Orden stem back to the free cities and settlements which existed outside the colonial yoke of the east. The lands that survived the flooding of the area of Karelia left the people of the island in a dire straight as the vast majority of them beforehand did not have a long standing naval tradition. There are great tales of noble lords bickering and battling each other for control over the remaining land in the island. The tales go on in saying that unity would never be had by the hands of such greedy men. It would be a child who united the various peoples of the island. An unlikely leader, from the gutters of the rough and rather corrupt city of Breakwater Harbor
Structure
Lord Admiral: Must own a ship and be a natural citizen of the island. Elected by other ship owners/captains of Island. The powers of the Admiral are limited depending on the current state of affairs. During wartime the Admiral has absolute power over matters pertaining to the war. During peacetime the admiral may bring edicts, laws, military movements, and other affairs of state to a vote.
Admiralty Board: After the Lord Admiral is elected. A board of five officials is chosen to help govern the land and affairs of state. Two of the five are chosen by the Lord Admiral without a vote being required. The other three are voted on just as the Lord Admiral is voted in. Each official is in charge of certain aspect of the state, and in such help the Lord Admiral administer the state properly.
Commodores: The Admiral may choose to bring up candidates who are eligible by completing naval schooling to help keep the navy organized and administered. Once brought up they must receive 3 out of five admiralty board approvals to be instated into the position. If elected, they are given command over a section of the fleet. They serve as long as the lord admiral remains Lord Admiral. They can be chosen to remain in position by new lord admirals.
Mayor/Mayoress: Elected by the people of a city or town. They keep the cities and towns running smoothly. They serve terms of 4 years. They answer to the admiralty board and the Lord Admiral.
History
Orden as a united nation did not exist for at least a hundred years. Three major city states bickered and battled for territory currying favors and secret alliances which always ended in betrayal. These three city states were Breakwater Harbor, Southshire, and Luneburg. Whether it was at sea or on land the three noble families that controlled these lands held a grudge against each other.
A hundred twenty years after the death of many of the old gods, the people of Orden saw the first signs of their unity coming. A young child barely thirteen years of age, from the gutters of Breakwater harbor had went right up to the Marquis of Breakwater and insulted him. He called him a butcher and a traitor to the people of this Island and claimed if he truly cared for this island he would seek to unify the island, and not further divide it. The boy’s name was Edward Kingsbury. The Marquis had him arrested for having the nerve to insult him in public. People took notice of the event in Breakwater harbor.
The child did not wallow long in prison. As the people of Breakwater harbor broke him out of his jail cell that night, and despite the fact the boy was barely thirteen years old, they hoisted him high and asked if he had any plans on how to unite the peoples. To everyone’s surprise, he did. Within a week’s time Edward had rallied the people of the beleaguered city to the point of upright revolution. People had grown tired of the Marquis and his bloody wars and propaganda. On a Saturday night, while the Marquis was eating his meal, the boy and a cadre of guards who had now sided with the boy entered the dining room and demanded his abdication, left with no options the Marquis stepped down and was allowed to retain one of his homes and a portion of his money.
Edward was a genius. He was remarkably pure in his nature and desire to make the lives of the people of this island better. He decided to use the momentum he had to his advantage, and within a month’s time the people of Luneburg and the people Southshire overthrew and deposed their noble ruling families. The smaller settlements fell into line and joined Edwards banner shortly after.
Edward implemented a system which appealed to many of the people of the island. A government ruled by those who owned a sea faring vessel. To make it fair, Edward was convinced that there would be a limit of how many votes any one ship owner could have. You had one vote for every vessel up to five vote’s total. They would get together every three years to vote for a Lord Admiral who was vested with the power to protect the country and try to improve the island. You needed to own at least one ship to be eligible to be voted for, and needed to be born of the island and be a resident. It was not surprising when the vote for first Lord Admiral was unanimously Edward. Edward would be elected to the position for the rest of his natural life.
Edwards’s second greatest achievement during this time was fending off the massive fleet raised by Draconia hell-bent on destroying his young nation. At the age of seventeen, still a very young man Edward led the fleet of the five year old nation. Outnumbered both in ships and in actual sailors, he set forth. At the battle of the Belfallen Bay he implemented a brilliant strategy and sank half of the Draconian fleet including the flagship with their leader Ar-Kosh. With the money that was paid to Orden as part of the treaty, Edward began setting into motion a construction project to build up Breakwater harbor into a proper capital city.
Edward ruled the nation as Lord Admiral for 50 long years before he finally retired and died a few years later. A statue was erected of him, and a grand flagship was built and named the Unifier in memory of him. Lord Admirals following after Edward varied in measures of success. None were as brilliant as he was, but many tried to follow in his footsteps in attempt to make a name for themselves.
In more modern times, Orden has made a name for itself as one of the premiere naval powers in Arlanis. The current Lord Admiral Louis Markston has begun to try and increase Orden’s influence abroad by offering parts of the fleet to guard shipping lanes from piracy. He has kept the countries long standing policy of caution when dealing with Draconia.
Demography and Population
The Current Population: 2,700,000
The majority of the population is Human and is densely populated around cities and towns.
There are other enclaves and places where many other races live. However Dragonborn are not seen and if they are present are mistrusted and often kept at a distance.
Territories
The Country is divided into three states.
Breakwater, Luneburg, Southshire. Each of these states are centered around their respective city.
Military
The Armed forces of Orden are divided into several groups.
The Army of Orden, while small in comparison to the Navy is in charge of the protection of the shores of their country. Taking a very defensive posture for a military based mostly in forts and fortifications around the island.
The Grand Navy of the Republic, is massive. Numbering in the hundreds of vessels the fleet is numerous well equipped and well trained.
The Miltia Monuvari, is a regulated militia which each village and town is allowed to maintain a small force to protect themselves from threats of monsters, bandits, beasts, or invaders.
The Ordenian Guard, is the final branch which deals with all internal security affairs. They are in charge of maintaining order, law, and protecting the people from internal threats. Each city has their own version of the Guard. While the capital is home to the most famous branch in the country known as the Rooksguard.
Education
Public Education is provided to all Ordenian citizenry freely from the ages of 6 to 17. Many if not all of the Republics citizens are capable of reading and writing at varying levels.
Universities are open to the public and the state provides many grants, scholarships, and opportunities to make it still accessible but there is a tuition fee which has still made it 'easier' for the richer citizens to more easily attend.
The Sea tests us, and we will Thrive.
Founding Date
120 N.E
Type
Geopolitical, Republic
Capital
Alternative Names
Orden
Demonym
Ordenians
Leader
Head of State
Head of Government
Government System
Democracy, Representative
Power Structure
Thalassocracy
Economic System
Market economy
Currency
Gold Crown, Silver Crowns, Copper Crowns
Legislative Body
The Admiralty Board
Judicial Body
The Hall of Order
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
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