League of Palus

Banner of the league, a modified version of the banner of Ume City.

Territories of the League (mint green).

### Government

Democratic supranational union *(de jure)*Military dictatorship under Thornian domination *(de facto)*

### Legislature

**Upper House**: Council of the States**Lower House**: Citizen's Assembly

### Founding

* 16 December 2019 *(Transition from the Holy States to the League under the November Government)*
* 27 March 2020 *(Battle of Shanjing leads to Thornian occupation of Xandu, effectively ending the League as a functional confederation or alliance)*
* 29 August 2020 *(Thornia rejoins the League)*
* 26 September 2020 *(Thornian military control formally begins)*

The **League of Palus** was a confederation of states largely situated in the northern hemisphere (mostly surrounding the Umic Sea). It was the successor to the Paludumian Republic (which is a direct continuation from the initial state that ruled over Ume City).

Since the overthrow of Thornia's monarchy, the Golden Trident had claimed to have restored Thornia and Xandu's membership with the League.

The Hegemon ruled over the league as commander-in-chief of the Combined Forces, Federal Treasurer, and Governor of the Bank of Palus. Most executive power was meant to rest in the state governments and the Citizen's Assembly. Thornia's return to the League in September 2020 had seen the power structure of the League transform into one of Thornian overlordship overseeing allied or client states. This quickly fell apart as Thornia faced collapse due to The Great Plague and the Second Pillager War. The ensuing refugee crisis and famine led to a near governmental collapse, which led to the unification of the league and Thornia out of necessity.

## History

*See the History of the Paludumian Republic*

### Background

The former Paludumian Republic was a continuation of the original state that ruled Ume City. The republic underwent several major reforms but always regarded itself as a nation state rather than a multi-cultural cosmopolitan civilization.

The rapid expansion of its empire and the emergence of several self-governing regions with growing nationalist movements caused the nation to make 'patch-work-like' modifications to its largely unwritten constitution.

Experimentation with a federal system in the form of the Holy States was problematic as it did not take into account how new entrants to such a union would have different demands from the core Umic regions. The Dark Realm of Han's inclusion into the union is one such example.

Further instability in the Holy States saw its transformation into the Paludumian Republic under the emergency November Government. However, this newfound stability still left questions on who holds true power.

The Palus Plan proposed for the creation of a new metropolitan core surrounding Palus Urbem (and abandoning Ume City as a major financial centre). The league is considered to be a partial realisation of the plan with the economy of the new federation being focused on the region around Palus Urbem.

### Formative period (16 December 2019 - January 2020)

On 16 December 2019, the new league was established under the November Government, which promptly dissolved itself and replaced it with the Three Commissions and the new rotating military position of Hegemon. Palus Urbem and its neighbouring districts of the Marshes and Catarcta in Thornia were transformed into the Palus Capital Territory. Thornia's state capital was moved to Elysia.

The league inherited Paludumia's Pillager War in Palus and Thornia. On 25 December 2019, Palus Urbem briefly fell to pillager forces, leading to the capital being moved to Elysia for several hours. Clarence's term as Hegemon will be briefly extended due to the ongoing war.

On 27 December 2019, the state leaders agreed to repartition territories across the empire:

* Weihan's Free State of Xandu was divided back into the State of Xandu (and gained a coastal birch forest, thus giving it a coastline for the first time), and the Dark Realm of Han.
* Shuxian's Western Forest state gained Septium (the largest NPC village in the world found thus far) and gained the name of *Septia*.
* Wey Yao's Birca and the federal territory of Umia were reunified under Wey Yao's rule, with Ume City once again becoming its capital. Its western borders were reduced significantly to reflect the reality of military and political control of the region. The state also gained an extreme hills peninsula and the southern islands of Meridia (south Goruid).
* Clarence's Thornia gave the whole Sabara region to the federal government, and gained mainland Meridia in return, finally uniting a majority of mainland Goruid peninsula. The state was also renamed to Goruid as the original "Thornian" territories became the Palus Capital Territory.

Cooperatism was formally recognised as the social system of the federation. This philosophy originates from Xandu, which states that all citizens of a society contribute to all areas of it to provide comfort and wealth. Clarence's attempt to centralise political power under institutions such as the Three Commissions did not appear to have any effect on the federation, and thus he realised that the federation was really a cooperatist society.

On 29 December 2019, the Goruidian district of the Staio Islands (now known as Galinisia) and the federal districts of Sabara, Carmelia, and the Eastern Frontier collectively formed the independent and neutral Aphthonis. Hegemon Wey Yao ruled that these newly independent territories in personal union with a member state (including the Dark Realm of Han) must not produce weapons on their soil, nor sell them in order to remain recognised. On 1 January and 5 January 2020, the territories in personal union under Clarence's rule were incorporated into Great Thornia, however it is officially regarded as an overlapping union of states with the League of Palus.

### Decay era (January 2020 - April 2020)

The re-enabling of mobs caused a serious reduction in military control over the league's territory. Control was largely reduced to urban areas or well-lit rural regions.

A violent confrontation between general hostile mobs, pillager factions, and rogue iron golems against the government of Goruid led to the Pillager War, the league's first military conflict in its existence. From the conflict's start in December 2019 to the present. Palus Urbem was lost on two occasions, though the Royal Iron Guard of Great Thornia eventually recaptured the city. Great Thornia re-annexed Palus Urbem, but have maintained its status as the capital of the League.

#### Restoration of lost Thornian colonies (late January 2020 - March 2020)

Great Thornia re-annexed much of the colonial territories abandoned by Old Xandu and the League. Control is being re-established through several expeditions to the north, and new port settlements have been established on Goruid's coasts to support permanent or long-term control of the north.

Galinisia (formerly the Staio Islands) returned to direct rule from Elysia. The non-League state of Aphthonis received renewed attention from the Great Thornia government in Elysia and was chosen as the centre of administration for all of Great Thornia's colonial territories (outside of the League) on the central continent.

#### Second provisional government (22 February 2020 - 2 March 2020)

On 22 February, Clarence proclaimed himself to be the Warden of State. The league was effectively under provisional government once again (a repeat of the November Government), though the head of state (Wey Yao) was not asked to step aside. This second provisional government focused much more on the internal development of the league's member states on a level similar to Great Thornia. Clarence resigned on 2 March after reconsidering Great Thornia's future foreign policy.

#### Cultural Merger (mid March 2020 - Present)

From mid March 2020, the league has begun a process of gradual cultural merging. Earlier instances of cultural merging began in Ume City in 2016-2017 when Umic-influenced Xandunese architecture appeared. Reverse cultural adoption is now being seen in Shanjing where Thornian architects and engineers are busy helping to build up housing (with Thornian architectural styles) and infrastructure, as well as to beautify the city with vegetation (a prominent practice in Goruid province).

#### Battle of Shanjing and Thornian occupation of Xandu (27 March 2020)

On 27 March 2020, Thornian forces in Shanjing were attacked by up to seven pillager armies, though these armies were repelled after a protracted fight along the Shanjing River. The Great Thornian government realised that realistically, the league had almost no military forces left aside from the Royal Iron Guard. It was decided that the guard would be renamed to the Federal Guard, therefore becoming the main line of defence for the league.

Thornian occupation of Xandu began in the immediate aftermath of the battle due to Chen dynasty and League forces being incapacitated. This was not publicised until early May of 2020.

#### League-Commonwealth Crisis (5 April 2020 - 11 April 2020)

On 5 April, the Crown of Great Thornia dissolved the monarchy in Great Thornia proper, but had its governing institutions declare the creation of the Commonwealth of the Shires, a new state intended to be the successor to the largely dormant League. The Crown-controlled Federal Guard defected to the Commonwealth, thus leaving the League without any active military force.

### Rump state era and The Great Plague (11 April 2020 - August 2020)

#### Withdrawal of Great Thornia (11 April 2020)

On 11 April, the Commonwealth was dissolved and Great Thornia was re-established. It was decided that Palus Urbem would remain in the League whilst the rest of Great Thornia would leave it. This thus ended the brief League-Commonwealth Crisis. In late April 2020, Great Thornia annexed the Palus region as a province (though the province itself remains a member state of the League as was the former State of Goruid).

#### Withdrawal of Xandu and the Province of Palus (11 May 2020)

In early May 2020, Great Thornia began publicising its continued occupation operation in Xandu. On 11 May, Great Thornia's military administration in Xandu withdrew the state from the League. The Thornian province of Palus also withdrew from the League on the same day. This has left the League without its namesake city and capital.

#### The Great Plague (Early 2020 - August 2020)

Much of Umia and Xandu were ravaged by the effects of The Great Plague, which is estimated to have killed-off about 75% of the population of those regions. The collapse of the Tyavylian federal government's authority over the Tyavylian states sparked a domino effect of societal collapse in Umia, followed by Xandu. Thornian forces took advantage of the situation to regain control of Xandu by invading Shuxian's Domain and Umia en route.

#### Thornia rejoins the League (August 2020)

Thornian forces withdrew from the territories of de jure League member states after control over Xandu was re-established. The provisional government of post-monarchy Thornia has considered annexing the rest of the League as part of an attempt to finally repalce the League. However, it eventually reversed course and decided, initially, to act more as a 'global policeman' before deciding to restore Thornia's conditional membership (only Goruid or the original territories stated by the 2019 Treaty of Palus are to rejoin) in late August.

A few days after Thornia's return to the League, it withdrew from Xandu to refocus its resources on fighting the Second Pillager War. Thus, Xandu's return to the League was cut short.

### Hegemon Crisis (13 September 2020 - 26 September 2020)

On 13 September 2020, Clarence (now Thornia's Chief of State) claimed the position of Hegemon and that of Warden of State after recognising that Wey Yao had neglected his duties as Hegemon yet again. This is the first time the position of Hegemon has been contested without an election. The new claimant Hegemon declared plans to confer a new Constitutional Convention to discuss the future of the League with potential outcomes ranging from reunification under Thornia or even introducing the Chen dynasty into the discussion to redraw national borders and dissolve the League.

On 17 September 2020, the Palus Plan III (also known as The Eight Points) was published by Great Thornia. The plan proposes to retain many of the existing institutions of the League, but to also revival several historical practices such as directorial government and shared governance of the Palus Bay (although Great Thornia itself technically dissolved the original Palus Capital Territory, it still exists de jure). Immediately after the plan was published, Great Thornia formally re-recognised the existence of the Palus Capital Territory.

On 25 September 2020, the Thornian government dissolved the legal entities of Goruid and Aphthonis, therefore making provinces on both regions equal in status. This forcefully brought all of Thornia's Aphthonic provinces into the League for the first time in a year.

### The Thornian Overlordship (26 September 2020 - August 2021)

On 26 September 2020, Clarence dropped his claim over the office of Hegemon. However, he continued his role as the Warden of State, acting as a de facto regent and the real chief executive of the League. Through his wardenship, Elysia had effectively become the de facto capital, and the Thornian Army had largely become the main military force of the League.

The Great Plague and Second Pillager War gradually worsened over the following year. This forced the Thornian Army to withdraw its forces from its garrisons across the league, and redeployed them in Goruid in the war against the pillagers. Transiting Xandunese and Dark Realm mercenaries spread the plague through the league, effectively killing off the remaining population of Ume and villages surrounding Palus Urbem. Thornian forces were completely withdrawn from the league, except for Palus, by the middle of 2021 as Thornia faced near-collapse.

### Collapse and union with Thornia (August 2021)

The brief collapse and quick revival of the Thornian state effectively ended all ambitions for their take-over of the league. Despite Thornian forces having completely withdrawn from territories, aside from Palus, the league was drastically weakened as a result of the plague and war. Much of the league's settlements were also depopulated as many fled to Cataracta and Palus to escape the worst of the crises.

The chaos of the refugee crisis and the ensuing food shortages, famine, and looting brought the Cataractan government to its knees. This led to it requesting for annexation by Thornia to help control the situation. Thornia's government decided to hastily negotiate a unification treaty with the league instead, which led to the formation of the Umic Transitional Authority, thus bringing the league to an end.

## Politics

Prior to the League-Commonwealth Crisis, the political world in the league was largely divided between two informal parties: **Overworlders** and **Netherists**.

* Overworlders prefer to emphasise economic and lifestyle development in the overworld realm, as well as to focus on conventional military development via geopolitical strategy.
* Netherists prefer to utilise realms such as the nether and ender world to gain access to exotic resources to develop unconventional technology.

Political power in the league's regions (Umic and Xandunese) have historically alternated between both parties. Overworlder regimes have tended to oversee periods of dramatic economic growth and construction booms across the country. Netherist regimes have tended to oversee periods of major military advancements and increased outward hostility towards the international community.

### Government

The three institutions that form the federal government are the position of Hegemon, the Citizen's Assembly, and the Bank of Palus (formerly the Central Bank of Paludumia). The Three Commissions, which acted as a form of cabinet government, were abolished on 26 December 2019. This was done in acknowledgement of how all citizens already actively contribute to a wide range of sectors.

Throughout much of early 2020, the league's governing institutions were largely inactive. The government of Great Thornia effectively repeated the actions of its predecessor, the despotate, by assuming the responsibilities of government to ensure that the league is kept together against threats both within and outside its borders. A position known as the Warden of State briefly existed as a stand-in head of government of the league, though it was abandoned after 2 weeks of existence. This position was revived in late 2020, though the claimant of the title had also claimed the title of Hegemon.

The title of Ezgeriet was revived after Thornian forces ended their occupation of the league. The Great Plague halted all democratic proceedings and the league's member states effectively isolated themselves.

#### Ezgeriet/Hegemon

The Ezgeriet is the elected commander-in-chief of the league's combined military forces.

The title was preceded by that of the Hegemon who was the ceremonial head of state of the league and the commander-in-chief of the unified military forces of the league. The position was rotated between the self-governing member states of the league.

Its status as a ceremonial position has not remained constant as numerous breakdowns of the law have required the Hegemon to act as a de facto dictator.

#### Warden of State

The title of Warden of State is not an official title recognised by either the Hegemon or the Citizen's Assembly. The Crown of Great Thornia created the title and position as a sort of 'regent' of the league due to the inactivity of Hegemon Wey Yao and other state leaders. The Warden of State acts largely as head of government and head of law enforcement.

#### Three Commissions

The Three Commissions was a brief revival of Ume City's former Council of Three and streamlined form of the former Paludumian cabinet government. The Ministries of Defence, Policing, and of the Frontiers were abolished and these responsibilities were made the direct responsibility of the Hegemon.

The commissions and remaining ministries were abolished on 26 December 2019 due to the commissions not accomplishing much. Self-governing states are now largely responsible for their own infrastructure and food supply. Projects to be completed across the league are to be contracted to state leaders on a per-project basis.

Three commissioners each controlled a commission/organisation that was responsible for running a certain aspect of the whole league. Each commissioner was allowed to hold office for as long as they pleased and could appoint their own successor.

Urban Planning
 Unity Commission
Infrastructure
 Material Commission
International trade
Energy and fuel

#### Citizen's Assembly

The Citizen's Assembly is the legislative body of the league, and is a continuation of both the College of States and the Umic Citizen's Assembly. All citizens of the league may attend and participate in the assembly, and may propose new laws or ask for re-consideration into past decisions of the Hegemon and/or the Three Commissions.

#### Central Bank of Paludumia

The Central Bank of Paludumia is not only the central banking authority, but also the controller of the Treasury of the League. The governor of the bank is the Hegemon.

#### Law Enforcement

Law enforcement is largely done by the leaders of states. This is often done through their states' military forces, with one example being the Pillager War in Goruid. The ruling class collectively enforces federal laws whether or not they are in their own state(s).

Throughout early 2020, the inactivity of most member states' leaders saw Great Thornia's Royal Iron Guard assume control of law enforcement throughout the league.

### Military

The League is a military alliance of its member states. Each state is required to contribute military forces in times of invasion or incursion. Throughout much of early 2020, it was clear that these arrangements were not effective as Great Thornia was forced to face off threats from pillagers on its own. The ensuing Pillager War led to Thornia leaving the League, and it occupying Xandu. The Chen dynasty's has also displayed reluctance to participate in League military affairs and has welcomed Thornian assistance.

The *de jure* commander-in-chief of the combined forces is the Hegemon. Due to the position's rotating nature, the centre of military command is not fixed in one location. As of late, command has largely fallen to the Crown of Great Thornia due to other state leaders being largely absent.

#### Disintegration (2018 - March 2020)

Prior to March 2020, the forces of the league were under significant financial and strategic strain due to balancing the re-enabling of mobs (causing a diversion of funds to internal security) and also having to establish control of frontier regions (which has meant increased spending on colonisation and equipment). Insurrections in towns, settlements, and villages in Goruid have caused the Goruidian component of the forces to be under even greater strain. The Thornian component of the armed forces split off to become the Royal Iron Guard.

#### Reformation and defection (March 2020 - August 2020)

From late March 2020, it was apparent that the military capability of all other states had largely collapsed or evaporated. The Royal Iron Guard was present in Shanjing during the Battle of Shanjing, successfully repelling as much as seven pillager armies out of the city. The Royal Iron Guard was recommitted as the main military forces of the league and was subsequently renamed to the Federal Guard and began preparations to establish a garrison in Shanjing.

In April 2020, the Federal Guard defected to the Commonwealth of the Shires after a lack of communication with the League government in the aftermath of the Battle of Shanjing. On 11 April 2020, the Federal Guard returned to direct Thornian control after the Commonwealth was dissolved and Great Thornia left the League.

#### Restoration (August 2020 - Present)

The Thornian Army (formerly the Federal Guard) returned with Thornia's resumption of membership in the League. The provisional government of Thornia has not recommitted its forces to the defence of other member states and currently only utilises its forces in operations in territories it controls within the League (Goruid and Xandu). The Thornian Army has since been fighting in the Second Pillager War largely within Thornia's own borders (although the issue of pillager raids is an international issue).

## Administrative divisions

The league consists of three autonomous states. Throughout early 2020, the League's gradual decline has caused Xandu to be de facto withdrawn from the League due to Thornian occupation.

Thornia withdrew in April 2020 but resumed its membership in August 2020 with Xandu in tow. This renewed membership was not negotiated with the incumbent (and inactive) Hegemon nor with the Citizen's Assembly.