Sovereign State of Sarcoux

Sarcoux, officially the Sovereign State of Sarcoux or City-State of Sarcoux, is a micronation and city-state located on a manmade island in the Kenneseilan Sea. As of 70 Standard, the state is under a constitutional monarchy primarily controlled by the D'Abrouille Family and the Sarcouxien Trading Company.
== History ==
=== Prehistory ===
Very little is know about the history of Sarcoux in general, particularly the period of time before Tr'kaa excursion into Caerus. It is very possible that the island may have been built by early Tr'kaa settlers, but the particular style of Sarcouxien architecture does not match the profile usually associated with Tr'kaazi buildings. The majority of the island is built on top of a rusted metal superstructure, made of a metal that does not match any currently known minerals. The design of the superstructure is largely brutalist, featuring small circular windows and external piping made of copper. This is in stark contrast to the brightly colored buildings above the island.
This strange building style has lead many historians to believe that some sort of Atlantean civilization resided in the area long before Tr'kaa colonization. It is unclear why the superstructure is entirely submerged beneath water (which brings up many questions as to how the residents lived in such a harsh enviroment), but there are two main theories:
The Kenneseilan sea was originally not a body of water; instead flat plains.
The original architects of the structure were non-human and could likely breathe underwater.
There is no evidence as to where these people came from or how they disappeared, nor is there much evidence confirming their existence. In general the whole creation of the submerged structure is a mystery, and historians are grasping for anything to attach it to.
=== Early Tr'kaa ownership and Southern Convergence Wars ===
The ancestor to the modern day Tellian region of Soralae, Tr'kaa was an expansionist empire that conquered much of Caerus from -100 to 30 V.E. Mostly residing on land, Tr'kaa paid little attention to the island states of southern Caerus, until General Makl'rez of the Tellian Army led an expedition through the south to purge the remaining native populations in -54 V.E. Believing the Kenneseilan Sea to be a lake, Makl'rez attempted to sail "across it," but made it about as far as Comona before realizing that it lead into the ocean. During his travels, he came across what is presumed to be the Sarcouxien Superstructure.
"I and my comrades looked out across that vast blue... and there, lo, in the distance, a speck of gray... and we shall have named this land in honor of our Liege, His Grace Emperor Sar'kllv of All The Seas and All The Land..."
It is unclear when the struture was first studied or officially colonized, but by -30 V.E, Tr'kaa representative K'iibzh was in control of the newly-built "island" of Sar'kllv, named in honor of a Tr'kaa emperor of the same name. The island was originally used for mostly military purposes, surrounded by a large stone wall and an inner fortress, which makes up what is the modern day Overlook Path and Capitol Building respectively. They are the two oldest recorded buildings built atop the main island. Sar'kllv was maintained as a fortress up until the Southern Convergence Wars in -12 V.E, in which it was briefly placed under control by Bardonia before being bought back by the newly formed state of Tellia in -3 V.E.
=== Bardonia-Aethos conflicts and the Summer of the Poppy ===
During the Bardonia-Aethos conflicts from ??? to ???, Aethos (a merge state formed from Tellia, Halge and [forgot]) exerted control over Sar'kllv for over 50 years. Despite the large Bardonian Creole population residing within the city, Aethos directly maintained the island as a vassal run by an appointed Imperial Mayor. Though it was considered Aethosii territory for formal purposes, the island acted almost indepdendently; historians have placed the social status of Sar'kllv in 10 V.E. as a free city. Many Aethosii laws were not enforced by the Mayor, leading to a sharp increase in crime. This was pushed into full-blown riots during the 20s in the heat of the Bardonia-Aethos war.
As a result of the looming war between their sovereign state and their ancestral home, many Bardonian Creole people living within Sar'kllv begin to see the Aethosii control over the city as unjust. This led to large-scale rioting in the streets in the Summer of 20 V.E, known coloquially as the Summer of the Poppy. The term was first coined in Evali ve Astena's study of the conflict, Tepu ka Saku (Stories of Sarcoux), named after the bloody nature of the riots and a joke on the traditional Bardonian worship of the dandelion. 
The riots continued throughout the 20s, with many Creole people advocating for total independence from Aethos. Multiple peaceful protests were held, though no change was made to Sar'kllv's government. However, the sentiment for indepedence only increased with time, and it brought a new sense of community to the Bardonian Creole peoples. They began to develop an entirely unique culture formed from the blending of multiple local cultures, from Aethosii to Ischanori to its namesake, Bardonian. After the riots, the creole culture forming in Sar'kllv began to take on a seperate identity from the original Bardonian, simply becoming known as Sarcouxien Creole.
=== Sarcoux and early industrialization ===
Throughout the '30s and early '40s, Sar'kllv (known to Creole people as Sarcoux, a Vatouj slang word meaning "old") began rapid industrialization and experienced an economic boom. Much of the focus in the '30s was on the restoration of the Sarcouxien Superstructure and proper usage of the newly aquired room within it. Draining the structure took considerable time and was a seven year effort, but by the year 41, the Imperial Mayor Tsehs Yetilwen of Sar'kllv announced the completion of the Superstructure Draining Project. Factories and housing filled most area inside of the sprawling complex, allowing Sar'kllv to begin researching new industrial technologies. This led to the Industrial Revolution of '48, in which multiple massive industrial projects began in Sar'kllv, such as the construction of the Upper Industrial District (still in modern-day Sarcoux) and the Superstructure Goblin Sweatshop.
=== D'Abrouille Purchase and Imperial Rule ===
In the year 53 Standard (known worldwide as V.E.), the wealthy and affluent family of d'Abrouille, which had presided in Sarcoux for only two generations, came to power through a complete and total purchase of the island from what was then the collapsing remains of Aethos. The patriarch of the family, Céleste d'Abrouille, rapidly began transitioning the city into an economic powerhouse, warping the dilapidated industrial landscape into a bustling market city in the span of several years. Under Céleste's rule, the city's political ideology was mostly based around ensuring trade monopolies and minimizing interaction with outside countries. Most of the government was managed by an aristocratic class of nobles who proposed laws in the Sarcouxien Parliament. 
Throughout most of Céleste's rule, Sarcoux grew slowly over the Kenneseilan Archipelago, annexing island towns and abandoned areas to turn them into military outposts or noble estates. The state was semi-imperial, being entirely controlled by the central city-state of Sarcoux. All other controlled towns and territories were considered to be suzerain states of the Royal Family and the Trading Guild. Its status as an empire is debated among scholars, as the meaning of the word "empire" itself is already debated. As of 72 V.E, the nation of Sarcoux is still under the reign of Their Excellence Céleste of Sarcoux.
== Geography ==
The Sarcouxien Crownlands encompass the entirety of the Island of Sarcoux, whereas all external Sarcouxien locales are considered direct vassals of the Sarcouxien Trade Company and the Archduke. Because of this centralization of power vested in the city-state itself, geography is consistent throughout the state. Located in the Kenneseilan Sea, the climate of the island is generally gloomy. Located as an island in a cold ocean, frequent storms and pollution-induced fog plagues the area, leaving it in a perpetual state of fog and rain. Frequently the island experiences tornadoes and heavy thunderstorms from cold fronts moving northeast from Comona. Being a manmade island, there is no native flora or flauna. The island construction is characterized by a massive drywall border that contains an inner filling of dirt that composes the island. The dirt is also kept in place through a complex rigging of pipes and an interconnected root system from the only grass variant that grows on the island, Yilwetish lemongrass.
== Ecology ==
Sarcoux, being an artificial island, has no native flora or fauna; instead, all animals and plants of the island have been imported, most during Tr'kaazi rule to sustain the soldiers of the fort. Since the island is now completely dominated by the urban structure that is Sarcoux City, little to no plant life grows outside of garden space. Before the construction of the city, a layer of Yilwetish lemongrass covered the land, maintaining a complex root system that kept the dirt firmly in place. Since the destruction of Fort Sark'llv and replacement urbanization, Sarcoux has struggled with severe ecosystem destruction. The removal of Yilwetish lemongrass led to the extinction of several Sarcouxien animal species, who had been bred for a hundred years to graze solely on it. There were barely any species to begin with, but the number of original Sar'kllv colonial livestock species dwindled to one by 42 V.E, being the Sarcouxien Croaker, a breed of toad. In the spring of 65 V.E, the Archduke Céleste D'abrouille pledged a return of the toads to Sarcoux, beginning a successful restoration effort that is still ongoing.
=== Flora ===
Sarcoux's floral ecosystem is dominated by three major species of plant, though none of them are native. Yilwetish lemongrass (kellmaa'yitl suqf) is by far the most prevalent species of plant, having been the first to be brought by Tr'kaazi settlers. 
== Goverment ==
The state of Sarcoux utilizes a complex feudalistic system and intense bureacracy as their government, mostly revolving around trade and economics. At a base level, the country is a feudal corporatocratic monarchy in which control of the state is shared among a powerful merchant council. These "merchers" compete for "directorships" in the Sarcouxien Trade Company, a government-sponsored and government-run corporation. The Company also acts as a secondary executive branch, engaging in external diplomacy and all state economics. The Cabinet is the primary executive organization of the state, composed of the Archduke, Magistrates, Advisors, and Trade Directors. It focuses on managing day-to-day affairs in Sarcoux and ensures all government operations run smoothly. The Parliament acts as legislature, comprised of all noblesmen and several elected deputies. All laws and constitutional amendments come from the Parliament. 
Several other organizations exist, ruled by several of the aforementioned positions. There is a deep level of complexity to the political hierarchy of Sarcoux's government, usually based on an amount of votes a particular role has. For example, the head of a noble house, known as a Count, recieves 2 votes, whereas a normal noblesman recieves 1.
=== Cabinet ===
The executive branch of government, tasked with implementing proposals voted on by the Parliament. The Cabinet has the privilege of veto ultime, the power to override an Archduke's veto on a Parliamentary Proposal by a 2/3 vote. The Cabinet is made up of the Sarcouxien Archduke, three Magistrates, two Advisors, and all Trade Directors from the STC. All Cabinet members have the ability to announce new laws to the public, though this is usually done by a Herald.
=== Parliament ===
The legislative branch of government, tasked with forming proposals and amendments. Sarcouxien Parliament is comprised of all Sarcouxien noblesmen, knights, and an amount of elected deputies based on the amount of population. A record of all noblesmen is kept by the Parliamentarian, a minor noble who inteprets the Sarcouxien Constitution when needed. Deputies are elected in a two-day period starting on the twenty-eighth of every month. They take office on the first of the following month.
=== Guilds ===
The Guilds of Sarcoux are the main pathways to promotion in Sarcoux, coordinating national projects and implementing them. Each Guild is headed by a Councilor, with the exception being the Sarcouxien Trade Company, ruled directly by the Archduke (sometimes known as the High Councilor for this reason).
==== Sarcouxien Trade Company ====
The economic and diplomatic backbone of Sarcoux. The Sarcouxien Trade Company, sometimes known as the Trading Guild or simply The Company, is a governmental entity that is seperate from but acts in symbiosis with the Sarcouxien government. It manages all external diplomatic affairs, taxes, and imperial budgeting.
==== Sarcouxien Defense Guild ====
The Sarcouxien Army, also known as the Sarcouxien Defense Guild, serves the state as a unified military unit loyal solely to the Crown. The army is subdivided into multiple "specialty" ranks based on a particular person's skill in a style of fighting. The leader of the Defense Guild is known as a Brigadier, and they may be challenged at any time by any army rank (with Cabinet agreement).
==== Sarcouxien Construction Guild ====
The Construction Guild concerns itself with the infastructure of the city-state. It manages all city-state construction projects and retains the full authority over any building in the city limits. Upon the request of the Councilor of Construction, any building may be removed or erected, veto power vested in the Archduke.
==== Sarcouxien Heritage Guild ====
The Sarcouxien Guild for Heritage maintains the cultural history and the arts, along with running public events. Much of the Heritage Guild's purpose is to allocate money and resources towards Sarcoux's public image, investing in things such as art and music. Their first and always goal is protecting Sarcoux's national identity.
=== Citizenry ===
The citizenry of Sarcoux is the base population of the nation who do not serve as government employees (Guild clerks) or soldiers (Army infantry). Citizens are guaranteed all rights listed in the Basic Rights enumeration of the Sarcouxien Charter, with the exception of Article III based on the citizen's legal background. Citizens have the rights to participate in votes, advance through the government, own businesses, and more. The citizenry encompasses 80% of the Sarcouxien population.
== Culture ==
Having evolved from the blending of several cultures, Sarcouxien culture is strongly influenced by Bardonian and Tr'kaazi society. The architectural style of the city is an outlier in this, instead matching the bright colors and multi-storied dwellings of various assimilated Yilwetish Trkaazi peoples. Similarly, multiple Sarcouxien rituals and superstitions do not arise from any known Caerusi civilization, most closely matching that of the long-dead Taeli people. Even then, some of their practices do not match any culture on record, which has confounded historians for decades. Much of their culture also developed from Tr'kaazi Runemaker practices, which influenced a lot of the superstitions and rituals that modern locals follow. 
Category:Nations
Category:City state