Ostia

Ostia was a nation-state situated in Syltor on the northern island of Yulara. It was one of the smaller nations on the island consisting of the land in and around the city of New Savras. Ostia concluded as an Absolute Monarchy with influence from an oligarchal senate unit. Ostia was founded as a republic following the collapse of the previously occupying military force at the hands of radicals, and has since reverted to republican ideals once more.
== History of Ostia ==
=== Pre-Colonization Era ===
The founding of Ostia is directly linked to the founding of the city of New Savras as an experimental expansion opportunity into territory previously held by the sand empire on the island of Yulara, ambitiously claimed by Savyrian leader Hernicii shortly following his ascension to regional significance in western Syltor. In order to expand the fragile and surrounded Holy Syltorian Empire, he sent Savyrian citizen Gribbits_Games to create the colony of "Savras JchJesh" (later renamed to New Savras) and swear fealty to the mainland government of the Holy Syltorian Empire. However, shortly following the collapse of said Empire, colonial forces in what would become Ostia reorganized into direct control of mainland Andorn, as overseen by Gribbits_Games and a small amount of other citizens present, however this had come to a close after he had proclaimed the Socialist Republic of New Savras, and was driven to neighboring Ryzan by Savyrian mainland forces. Shortly after, he returned to the abandoned colony and began anew.
=== Colonial Era ===
After a short amount of time holding sole governance over the colony, Gribbits_Games reproached Hernicii and the former mayor and member of the Savyrian government TheWorstIan, both of whom had escaped to Eldham and posed as radicals in the USSE, to take up residency in the colony of New Savras, which was hastily agreed to, and a local government was quickly established to keep the city state from collapsing. The state was named to Hernicia, in reference to its colonial governor Hernicii von Savras. Development in this time period was swift and efficient, establishing vast swaths of farmland and cheap housing for attracting mass amounts of citizens to the state. This era also saw a renaissance in Andorni and Savyrian culture in New Savras, with most beginning to form and worship a local pantheon surrounding the "Fox of the East" which lead many members of the town back to Savras in the 8th Pilgrimish, a primitive form of the Sannhet religion. This is also what lead to the fox becoming a significant figure in Ostian culture later on. Upon Andorn's absolution into the Bardonian Empire, New Savras abided to new rule, and began sending TheWorstIan as an imperial senator to represent the colony's interests in New Dorasterrock. Politically speaking, the local government remained largely unchanged, with an early form of what members of the government had dubbed "DuBois-style republicanism" (after TheWorstIan's character Arthur DuBois) wherein the lack of population in regards to local government was made up for by vote weight, decided in regular elections. Regardless of this, the local council was checked by an autocratic, but fair, colonial rule by Hernicii at the hand of the Bardonian navy, establishing a government effectively ruled by a Bardonian Thallasocratic State.
The Overthrow of Hernicii would eventually come when he was deposed by proto-republican revolutionaries who grew tired of a government that had essentially gone idle and plateaued, as Hernicii rarely made any laws or policy changes at a local level, and was instead much more fascinated by larger politics in Andorn and Bardonia as a whole. As an act of revolution, TheWorstIan, aided by several members of the senate and foreign agents such as the individuals who would later become the Bon Annover family, killed Hernicii atop the mountain within the town and proclaimed an end to the military rule they had been subjected to. 
=== Early-Republican Era ===
Shortly after the military rule of New Savras came to a conclusion, and in the heat of the Second Andorn Crisis, Arthur DuBois (TheWorstIan) proclaimed the first Independent Ostian Republic. This would be the first time that Ostia was a wholly independent political entity, and TheWorstIan jumped at the opportunity to fully incorporate his DuBois style Republicanism at a small scale. Without several towns, the mayoral congress he had envisioned was not possible, but his ideas of voting weight proved somewhat stable and seemed to be a decent blueprint moving forward. This was a resurgent era for Ostia in art and culture, with large avant-garde inspired districts being planned in previously undeveloped land. Ian's reign would be cut short however after he stepped down following a threat of invasion by former ally Jingo and the Bon Annover family, which he had previously married into. With this threat in mind, he exited the office of President and handed control of the government to GKF_Luminex "Temporarily. Until I can come back knowing that the state won't collapse." However, upon Luminex's ascension to the office of president, he caught total control of power and established the beginnings of what would become an absolute monarchy. Luminex also gave management of a town, Mavos, to Gribbits who then controversially sold said town to Capna, who promptly seceded, cutting Ostia's territorial holdings in half. The state would never recover these lands.
=== Lennoxer Era ===
Luminex, seeking protection for Ostia, signed a treaty subortinating Ostia as vassal of Lennox. This treaty afforded Ostia many freedoms, but would not remain so. The Lennoxer Pharaoh, Sirius, started breaking the treaty piece by piece and destroyed Ostian autonomy. Soon Bou Estrian joined new Savras. Bou had experience in governments and planned to rebuild Ostia. Luminex and Sidis started preparing defenses for a war, a radical war for independence. The Lennoxer government was poised to declare war to properly subjugate Ostia, bur this war would never come, Lennox joined the Aurlûnoren-Ryzani Empire, freeing Ostia from Lennox rule. Ostia was now independent once again for a second time, Bardonia offered vassalization to protect the territory. Bou was heavily against subjugating Ostia a second time, but Luminex was open to the option, so with support from former Lennoxer Pharaoh BuzzB, Bou planned a coup against Luminex but was never able to enact it. Ashamed, Bou left Ostia after confessing to Luminex about his planned coup.
=== Late-Republican Era ===
After a long period of turmoil and radicalism, the Late Republican Era finally brought a time of peace and stability. There was a new election, with Luminex winning as President and a new set of Senators being instated. These Senators were a true representation of the new Ostians that had migrated. TheWorstIan returned to Ostia along with Gribbits. Bou returned at their request to help them with their political ambitions. Bou, Ian and Gribbits formed the Democratic Socialist Party of Ostia. They ran in the 2nd Ostian Election with all DSPO Candidates, winning the election with a majority. Ian was a very idle President, with the whole nation being kept afloat by Luminex and Bou. After a month the 3rd Ostian Election was held, Gribbits vs Bou. This election was seen as a battle between the older Savyrian settler class versus the new international settler population that came with the Late Republican Period. Gribbits ran with Tiberius, and Bou ran with Luminex. This election resulted in a tie, which was resolved via coinflip, which Gribbits won. Gribbits was also a very idle President, much like his predecessor. Bou left Ostia again after his loss, as he wanted Ostia to flourish without Socialism, as his socialist views strained thin. Tiberius and Luminex eventually called Bou back to run for President. He came back and ran unopposed, winning with an absolute majority.
=== Autocratic Era ===
The election of Bou Estrian, later with a marriage Bou Rioghal, is generally considered the beginning of the Autocratic Era. As Bou Rioghal became a part of the Rioghal Royal Family, he saw an opportunity. He issued "The Rioghal Decree", implementing an Absolute Monarchy. He conducted many diplomatic actions, his most significant act being the Reclamation of Mavos. This diplomatic incident nearly sparked a war that could've caused the dissolution of Ostia, nethertheless, Ostia reclaimed the town that was stolen from them during Luminex's Presidency (Early-Republican Era). The technical heir to the town, Cloke, began to gear up for war, but Bou ensured peace. A treaty was written that gave Cloke that current Mavos claim, with Ostia still expanding in the south. After this incident, Suidhe Bou saw that his goals were completed and "left this world". He then gave the throne to the current Suidhe Tiberius Rioghal.
=== The Last Crisis ===
Upon the third and final return of TheWorstIan, Bou, and Gribbits_Games, they sought out to finally dismantle the authoritarian monarchy through explosive and violent, but creative, means. On a hill on the northern side of the city, a small settlement by the name of New Brookelyn was established. Run down and improvised shacks and houses were put together alongside poor infrastructure and rudimentary shrines and community settings were strung together so that political movements could take rise. Lead by Bou and TheWorstIan, the citizens of New Brookelyn began conspiring to perform a Coup D'Etat on Luminex, however after a volatile period of exile threats by the central government, the citizens and impromptu government of New Brookelyn launched an attempted coup with help from remnants of the Andorni government, and the last return of Hernicii after almost a year of being away from Rathnir in an urban siege that would eventually be dubbed the "last night of begging" by leaders of the New Brookelyn movement. 
Following the siege, the majority of the rioter's demands were met after civil talks were held with Luminex in order to reform the government without severe punishments for the rioters that underwent the arson and attacks on the king's home. Afterwards, New Brookelyn was left abandoned until the freezing of Rathnir.
== Government ==
=== Leadership ===
There is a very Autocratic structure of Leadership:
* Suidhe - Absolute Monarch; holds most of the powers
* Prime Minister - Hold little power; mainly a backup heir
* Parliament - Little power; Mainly to get people's input of secret topics; Comprised of mostly Nobles
=== Noble Families ===
There are really only 2 main Houses in Ostia:
* House Rioghal - The current ruling royal family; almost entirely Ostian
* House Whiterose - A small noble family; vary diverse
== Culture ==
=== Architecture ===
The main building designs you will see are made to look fairly simple sandstone buildings, most resembling Babylonian architecture. That means there is a lot of sandstone and sandstone related blocks. The Builds are quite simple as well with small, compact boxy housing.
=== Geography ===
Ostia is placed in a coastal dryland on a bay near the Sea of Petals. The dryland gets a fair bit of moisture from the current running beneath it. The terrain used to be quite hilly but now there are a few hills and it is relatively flat. Most housing in in the southern portion of the country and the government/industrial related buildings residing in the northern section of the country.
=== Heraldry ===
The meaning of the flag is subtle. There is a meaning to every part of this new flag:
* Black - Strength through Ostia's tough times
* White - Purity of the Ostian People
* Orange - Representation of the Sands of the Desert
* Green - Gift of plant life in a hot humid desert
This was a new interpretation of the older Savyrian symbolism which was as following:
* Black - The authority of Savras 
* White - Honesty and Integrity of the Savyrians and of Savras.
* Orange - Representative of Andorn as a whole.
* Green - Did not exist on the Savyrian Colonial Flags.
Imagery
* Fox - Calm and coordinated actions of the Ostian People
* Wreath - Representation of the Monarchy; Rioghal Family
* Slanted Bars - Difference of government and ruling policies than the Ostian Republic
* Eagle (Removed following the end of Savyrian Colonial rule) - The city of Savras itself, the Savyrian naval and battleflag.
* Anchor (Removed following the end of Thalassocratic rule) - The authority of the Bardonian navy.
* Pelican (Removed following the end of the First Republic) - The peaceful and honest nature of Ostia and the Ostian people.
Category:Traveler's Era