Rskir

Rskir (pronounced Air-ski) is a treaty port of the Kingdom of Liotain, located on the northern end of the Encircled Sea on the coast of Prem-Bol.

### History

The port city of Rskir has existed as the fishing village of Belitsa since at least the mid 1500s, located in the fjord region of Bolomorsk. The Arskir Castle, now abandoned, was built in the area in the 1400s, however, and evidence exists for human habitation even further back in time.

The area suffered heavily during the Great Northern War and the following plagues, crop failures, and the extremely cold winter in the immediate aftermath. In 1720, the population of Rskir was 950; in 1760, it was 340.

Throughout the late 1700s and early 1800s, Prem-Bol continued to suffer extensive hardships, partly due to the local economic and agricultural climate, and partly due to a lack of foreign investment. In the late 1830s, recognizing that the country had fallen desperately behind in terms of agriculture and industry, the republican government of Prem-Bol began looking for a way to entice foreign investment.

The scheme they eventually developed was selling a port to a foreign government on a 99-year lease, in exchange for guaranteed investment into Prem-Bol's native economy. Three potential sites were evaluated, with Rskir eventually selected both for its suitability and for its willingness to accept temporary foreign control.

Offers from Firocco, Liotain, Antargentina, and Celtica were discussed. The Celtican offer was eventually rejected with relatively little discussion. Antargentina could offer no guarantees of long-term investment. Firocco and Liotain both made similar offers, but the Republic decided to accept the Liotainian offer, as they felt it least compromised their sovereignty. It took nearly two years for the official details to be worked out, culminating in the Treaty of Stara Strelcha, with the treaty port being transferred to Liotainian control in March 1845, and set to expire in February 1944.

A major issue early in the development project was a labour shortage, which forced the new Liotainian administration to bring in hundreds of foreign laborers. A Planned City was laid out on the island, with plumbing and running water planned from the start. Construction, however, did not always go smoothly. The underground pipes laid by Liotainian engineers were too shallow, and froze solid during the winters. The first buildings, had shallow or flat rooflines, and in December 1846, the territorial governor's mansion was severely damaged after it became overloaded with snow.

The investment project proceeded irregularly through the first decade, with only one major project (a modern technical, engineering, and medical university, the first in Prem-Bol) being completed on time. In 1855, however, the rate of advances began to pick up steam - literally - with the arrival of the first railway in Prem-Bol, starting at the harbour, running up the fjord, and terminating at the inland city of Pernik.

In spite of Prem-Bol's rough geography, more railways followed, mostly surveyed and funded by Liotainian constructors, who used Rskir as one of the main hubs for their railway development. This contributed to the explosive growth of Rskir and many of its neighboring towns during the 1860s and 1870s. The Bolish capital of Stara Strelcha was connected by rail to Rskir in 1879. By this point, the Liotainian investment projects already represented nearly 75% of the promised total.

A minor gold rush occurred during the late 1870s. This brought a flood of temporary immigrants and economic turmoil as the gold largely turned out to be a phantasm. However, a more successful discovery followed in 1886 when the Liotainian-chartered Standartinis Oil Company discovered oil in Prem-Bol.

Technical difficulties slowed any exploitation of these resources, but the discovery of oil substantially increased foreign interest in Prem-Bol's economy.

A major oil refinery was constructed near Rskir, in the neighboring town of Brenitsa. Although the refining complex lies outside the Liotainian territory, the loading terminal is in Rskir itself.

### Naming

Due to a mapping error during negotiations in the 1840s, Rskir is not the correct name of the town. The name comes from Arski Castle, built on a promentory in the region during the 1400s, which was the only name placed on regional maps. At some point, the 'A' was improperly dropped, and an extra 'R' added to the end. It remains unclear how or why this error happened, but the name "Rskir" stuck through negotiations.

The original town itself, however, was called Belitsa, while the province was called Bolomorsk. Belitsa remains in use for one of the city's main neighborhoods.

Inhabitants of Rskir often use the town name as a shibboleth in order to determine natives versus visitors. Natives pronounce the name in the Bolish fashion as "Air-ski," while visitors try to pronounce it "irSkeer" or "Riskeer."

A proposal to officially rename the town Belitsa occasionally circulates, but has not officially gone for a vote by the population.

### Government and Politics

Rskir is officially an Overseas Crown Territory. It has local autonomy in domestic matters, with Liotain being responsible solely for foreign affairs and defense.

The monarch of Liotain serves as the Territory's official head-of-state. The Governor-General, who acts as the territorial head-of-government, is elected by the territorial parliament. The election of a Governor-General can be vetoed by the monarch, by a supermajority of the Liotainian parliament, or by the Prime Minister of Prem-Bol.

A unicameral Territorial Parliament is elected for purposes of selecting a Governor-General and setting policy for the region. As of 1907, Rskir is organized into six districts, each of which sends one Representative to the Territorial Parliament. The city of Yizhui covers twenty-four of these thirty-one districts.

Unlike all other Liotainian treaty ports, Rskir does not receive a viceroy.

The Territorial Parliament also elects two representatives to the Liotainian Teismas (Parliament) in Neris.

* **Head of State / Monarch**: Queen Kotryna Urmana
* **Governor-General**: His Excellency Todor Zlatarski

### Geography

Rskir is located on a Belitsa Ostrov (Belitsa Island) inside Bolomorsk fjord. Prior to settlement, the island was connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus which was usually submerged by high tides. In 1850, a causeway was built across the isthmus using fill rock and dirt, permitting the construction of a road and railway connection.

The fjord walls, while steep, are fairly low.

The town is composed of a total of six main neighborhoods:

* Belitsa
* Kozitsa
* Simonograd (formerly General Simonov)
* Novo Minhevo
* Elenagrad
* Ilindenski

### Demographics

The dominant majority (88%) of inhabitants of Rskir are Bols born in Prem-Bol itself, with ethnic Liotainians being the second largest group at roughly ten percent.

### Economy

Although Rskir has been a trans-shipment terminal for oil since the 1890s, it is not directly involved in either extraction or refining (although the neighboring town of Brenitsa holds a sizeable refinery.

Rskir also has a thriving textile business, turning yak fiber into wool garments.

### Education

The Technical University Kozitsa is located in the Kozitsa neighborhood of Rskir. It is the oldest university in Prem-Bol, founded in 1850, with close ties to the University of Neris and the University of Eletrinai, the two most prominent Liotainian universities. It offers courses in agriculture, engineering, mining, and medicine. As part of Treaty of Stara Strelcha, two hundred students are admitted every year free of charge, while any remaining slots are given to paying students.

### Infrastructure

#### Transport

Trams and automobiles are the most common method of commuting.

The standard-gauge Bolish Seaboard Railway, and the metre-gauge Northern Railway, both have terminals in Rskir.

#### Utilities

After initial problems with shallow lines, the entire port area was built with integrated running water and sewers. In 1862, low-pressure steam lines were added to the utility services, with the steam being used to heat water and houses.

Electricity service started in 1899.

### Culture

#### Sport

Skiing (usually cross-country, but occasionally downhill) is unquestionably the most popular sport in Rskir, although it is usually limited to the wintertime. The Green Belt, a walking path near the Technical University, is commonly used for skiing, although many skiers take the tram out of the city (into Prem-Bol) to ski or sled in a more open environment.

Ice-skating, including on frozen sections of the harbour, is extremely popular.

In the summer, the sport of Corda, introduced by Liotainian railway and oil workers, has become extremely popular. A winter variant of corda is played on ice, with both teams wearing skates.

As with most Liotainian populations, the locals have established a sritije club. However, largely as a joke, Rskir's team began taking the field riding Joseon Wooly Yaks, and sparked a "Yak Sritije" league in Prem-Bol.

#### Noteable People

Laurynas Balchunas, a famous Liotainian polar explorer who oversaw the first successful expedition to the North Pole, was born in the Rskir neighborhood of General Simonov (now Simonograd). His parents came to Rskir to work at the railway.