The Northern Alliance
The Northern Alliance is one of the three major Isolationist factions of Arcadia, being a democratic meritocracy focused on science, sustainability, and eco-awareness. Founded officially on 28th June 2497 after decades of ecologically-motivated unrest in other major factions, The Northern Alliance was formed from four independent settlements that shared a common goal: to respect nature, and live in harmony among it. 'The Alliance', as it is now commonly known, is the leader in providing sustainable sources of power, as well as knowledge regarding the ecosystem of the Anapteros Forest and its vast biodiversity. They are currently based in the north of the continent of New Lakonia, primarily within the temperate zone of the Anapteros Forest, although they have outposts scattered across the continent. The capital settlement of Haven, notable as being the first colony built mostly within the treetops, serves as the administrative and scientific hub of all the faction's activities. Although they often disagree on certain ideological points, chief among them being how to approach living on Arcadia as populations expand, the CFAS (Commonwealth Front of Arcadian Science) is their closest allied faction. They are also the suzerain of The Southern Alliance far to the south, as many of The Northern Alliance's citizens joined the expeditions to found the burgeoning faction.
Structure
A Chief Scientist leads The Northern Alliance and is democratically elected from a pool of suitable peers by every citizen over the age of 18. Candidates for the role must put themselves forward for consideration in elections, with most who come to power being a well-respected member of the community with fine academic and scholarly standing, as well as a passion for The Northern Alliance's environmental policies. An elected Chief Scientist can expect to serve a tenure of five years before another election, when they can run again if they wish. One of the key responsibilities whilst in office includes overseeing the administrative functions of the faction; this could mean anything from greenlighting new projects or expeditions, dealing with neighbouring factions, listening to the issues of the Alliance's citizens and trying to solve them, or planning the agenda for the faction's research divisions. Personal scientific research or projects very much take a backseat to the day-to-day running of the Alliance, making the position one only taken by those truly willing to shoulder the responsibility of leadership.
The Advisory Councillors
Advisory Councillors are typically the heads or vice-heads of the Alliance's various divisions, whether they be scientific, engineering, or public service related. These people form a team of advisors who help the Chief Scientist make sound decisions regarding their respective departments and the everyday running of the faction. The Chief Scientist is responsible for selecting the leadership of divisions if, for whatever reason, a change is required, giving them some measure of control over who their Advisory Councillors will be.Culture
The Northern Alliance is regarded as the founder and loudest proponent of Eco-Isolationism, which is a sub-culture of Isolationism that espouses a 'hands-off' relationship with the ecosystem, stemming from the belief that humans and Vasgarth are non-native species and therefore have no right to interfere or alter Arcadia in any way. Although conceding that they have no choice but to live and survive on the planet, and certainly would prefer to do so with no oversight from outside forces (namely, the Earth Empire), Alliance citizens try to minimise their impact on the environment. This means that sustainable living and green energy sources are the keystones of Alliance culture, whereas geo-engineering that changes the landscape and/or displaces wildlife, as well as the domestication of local fauna, are highly discouraged and even taboo in some circles. Eco-Isolationism also places great importance in learning as much about the environment and its natural phenomena as possible, and so as such The Northern Alliance has some of the most deeply knowledgeable scientists on the planet. The need to survive whilst doing as little harm as possible to nature provides a delicate balancing act not too dissimilar to that of the ecosystem itself, and Alliance culture prizes those individuals who can walk that path confidently.
Territories
The Seven Settlements
The seven settlements are considered to be the beating heart of The Northern Alliance, as they are the major population centres distributed across a large portion of the Anapteros Forest's temperate zone. Together, they form the Alliance's 'central domain', with the capital of Haven being at the head of the septet and the seat of the Chief Scientist leading the organisation. In planning their expansion throughout the territory, The Northern Alliance made sure to keep as close as possible to rivers to make travel between settlements easier; the dissatisfactory idea of knocking down forest to build roads has kept much of the landscape around the territory undeveloped, a stark contrast to the CFAS and AEU's construction projects.
| Settlement Data | Founding Date | Population | Further Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fallshore | 23rd March 2491 | 2,533 | Regarded as the settlement that connects The Northern Alliance to the rest of the world. A hub for trade situated at the head of the Xiphos Strait and the mouth of the Dioden River. |
| Greenwater | 19th August 2493 | 2,711 | A science haven for freshwater studies due to the proximity of Lake Dioden. Serves as the gateway for trade to the outer settlements. |
| Haven | 6th April 2491 | 4,146 | Capital of The Northern Alliance and seat of the Chief Scientist. Settlement is built almost entirely in the treetops near the western bank of the Dioden River. |
| Promise | 4th May 2510 | 982 | |
| Springfleet Clearing | 25th October 2495 | 1,616 | Renowned for its natural spring and being somewhat off the beaten track compared to the other settlements. Built in one of the largest forest clearings in the Anapteros. |
| Twin Lakes | 30th April 2502 | 2,111 | |
| Weststrike | 11th July 2506 | 1,207 |
Trade & Transport
River Highways
Uniquely among all the major factions, The Northern Alliance does not utilise domesticated animals or fuel-burning technology for its transport and trade. The idea of building close to rivers allowed them to take advantage of the vast network of waterways, where most of their settlements, outposts, and research stations could take on supplies and personnel via boats with relative ease. The Anapteros River in particular is the Alliance's lifeline, its vein-like network reaching almost every corner of the forest. In order to travel without relying on fuel or unpredictable environmental conditions like wind, Alliance engineers invented their own kind of waterborne transport: Solar Skiffs. These long, narrow boats are capable of carrying moderate loads of goods and passengers for long distances, whilst being light enough to carry in and out of the water by a large team. Likened to the Norse longships of early-medieval Earth, the only quantifying difference is that they are made of recycled materials (usually a combination of metal and naturally felled wood), and that instead of sails, a solar array forms a canopy over the boat's deck to provide power to the engine's batteries. Without this mode of transportation, much of The Northern Alliance's internal economy and infrastructure would fall apart.
Land-based Travel
When unable to travel by river, Alliance citizens are very much forced to go on foot. Although often considered unnecessarily laborious, if only by outsiders, The Northern Alliance has implemented a sound curriculum in its educational facilities that teach citizens from an early age how to navigate the Anapteros' many trails. Some of these trails are so regularly beaten by the various scientific expeditions going to sites of interest that they could almost be considered rough roads. However, for other factions wanting to trade with the Alliance from the south, getting to the forest-bound settlements was no easy task until more recently in history. After decades of disagreements, The Northern Alliance finally agreed to let the CFAS and AEU build a road as respectfully as they could through the southern portion of the Anapteros, joining up with Fallshore. The road was built hugging the coastline as closely as possible to avoid the felling of trees. Beforehand, goods were exchanged on the outskirts of the forest between caravans, with Alliance traders having to carry everything they could back with them on foot. Due to the lack of dropship facilities in Alliance settlements, as well as having no way to refuel visitors, trade by air has never been a possibility and if the Alliance continues to have its way, never will.
To Study and Observe
-PLEASE NOTE: This archive entry is still a work in progress and some of the information within may be missing or incomplete. Only verified information is permitted to be entered into the archive. Thank you for your understanding.- :VI-0679 'Alexandria': (CFAS Archiving Virtual Intelligence)
Founding Date
28th June 2497
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Alternative Names
The Alliance (used commonly, despite the possible confusion with The Southern Alliance)
Government System
Meritocracy
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Barter system
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Related Traditions
Related Ranks & Titles
Related Professions
Controlled Territories
Neighboring Nations
Related Ethnicities
by Locklear |
| The seven Alliance settlements of the Anapteros Forest make use of the rivers for travel, hence their distribution across the major river networks. |
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