Gilatria

Gilatria is a republic off the coast of Briece and Dorminia

## History

Founded by peoples from around the world either escaping the Empire or wanting to start a new life, the island nation of Gilatria stands as the light of liberty in the world.  Founded nearly two hundred years ago, in 1550, the Concordat of Gilatria was signed. An agreement by the then governors of the twelve provinces of the island, binding them all together for the sake of mutual protection.  Though the central government still holds power over all of the nation, in practice has very little power over the people of the nation, mostly relegated to protecting the island nation with its modest Air and Naval forces built to defend it’s coast but also to protect their interests abroad.  The government is also charged with defending the personal liberties of the people which were expansive, for the founding signers of the Concordat feared a government rising above the people. The years following the founding of the nation, there were many small conflicts that arose due to different people wanting the government of the nation.  It would take a convention of the Condordat in 1577, when the government, along with the governors of the districts got together and laid down the powers of the government.

Numerous corporations and companies have taken root in the capital city as the nation welcomes all manner of trade, commerce, and innovation.  The general lack of government oversight in many of the industries has allowed for rapid growth and advancement. The most notable of these companies is the Cruzon Corporation, the largest miner, producer, and refiner of the vital lifting gas Rhodanium.  The Guilds also have a presence across the country and use the vast commercial resources of the nation to fuel their endeavors across the globe.

The people of Gilatria are fiercely loyal to their nation and are proud of the freedoms that they have gain for themselves, looking with disdain at the rest of the world that does not fall under the democratic banner.  The military of Gilatria is a moderately sized force comprising of a Navy, Air Force, and Army. Of these, the Army is by far the smallest, mainly stationed at the various bases across the country. Many of the citizens own firearms and can organize into militias should the need arise.  Each town or village would serve at its own unit and swell the ranks of the armed forces tremendously in the event of invasion.

The capital of Gilatria is the city of Livingstone, located halfway up the Jolian River and home to nearly 1.7 million people.  It is the seat of government and home of many businessmen and politicians.

## Government

### **Gilatrian Central Government:**

Head of State: Chancellor of the Island of Gilatria

Elected every five years for a maximum of three terms

Appoints advisors to serve him, must be approved by the Chambers and the Populus:

Advisor of Commerce, Laws, Industry, Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, Treasury, and Defense.  In addition to this, the heads of the Army, Navy, Airforce act as formal advisors to the Chancellor.

**Legislature: The Councils of the People**

* **The Chambers:**

 Three representatives from each District, elected from the three counties that the districts are divided into. Total of 36 members.

Must be elected by a 55% majority in an election every 5 years

These elections take place two years after the Chancellor elections.

Max limit of 4 terms

* **The Populus:**

Proportional representation by size and population of the district, currently at 155 Members

Smallest is 5 (Villa Nova) , Largest is 22 (Chamberlain)

Three year terms with max limit of five terms

**Judiciary: The Protectors of the People and the Holders of the Concordat**

* **The Cardinal Court**

Group of 11 Judges that decide the highest legal questions

* **District Courts**

Courts of the Districts, usually a panel of four judges

**Local Governments:**

* **The 12 Districts**

 Headed by a **Governor** and their ministers

**The Districts**: Chamberlain (22), Vilis (20), Merekath (18), Gwedoliph (17), Zephyr (16), Bonaventure (14), Pollomia (13), Soronia (10), Neruvat (8), West Gilatrium (6), East Gilatrium (6), Villa Nova (5)

City/Town/Village Governments

Headed by a Mayor, an Inspector, and an Administrator respectively

## **Notable Corporations/Companies/Guilds/Etc**

**Cruzon Corporation**- producers/miners/refiners/sellers of the Rhodanium gas, the vital lifting agent in nearly all the airships in the world.  While the company has numerous offices across the world, their main refinery and headquarters are located in Gilatria.  Headquarters are located in the mountains of the Merekath District under constant and heavy guard.

**Meleon Aerowrights Inc**- one of the largest airship production companies in the world, their headquarters is located on the outskirts of the capital of Gilatria, Livingstone.  Located next to the city’s aeroplaza. Their factories and manufacturing plants are located outside the city.

**K.Q. Mackenzie Bank**- the largest financial institution of the country, with stakes and accounts with many of the large corporations and a substantial amount of the upper class of the nation.  The government of Gilatria also holds some of their money in the bank, though not all of it, which the bank has attempted to change for the last twenty years.

**Associated Nautical Transports and Research Aids (ANTARA)**- a civilian shipbuilding company specializing in passenger ships and scientific research vessels.  Headquarters located in the coastal port city of Irident, district capital of Villa Nova

**Consortium for the Trade and Distribution of Spices (Spice Consortium)**- a small but extremely profitable spice cartel with a near monopoly on the trading of spices in the north. Located on the south of the island, dominating the hill of the district capital of Zephyr, the port city of Xephos.

**Haryalton University**- the major academic institution of the country, noted for their observatory and astronomical studies.  Located in the smaller town of Concordia in the Bonaventure district.

**Chester Smalls Arms**- the primary manufacturer of small arms in the country, and one of the major exports of the nation.  Located in the city of Vernando in the West Gilatrium District.

**Horchok and Brothers**- developers of artillery guns and other large caliber weaponry.  Located in the heart of the industrial city of Pittriot in the Vilis District.

**Jackson Lee Beauregard Alcohol Distributors**- distillers of whiskey, located in the city of Luisville, Gwendoliph.

**Concordant**- gin distillers (Chamberlain’s Finest and Chancellor’s Choice), located in the city of Aviston, Chamberlain.

**Frontenac and Feingold Railroad**- the unofficial railroad of the country, owning 60% of the rail lines in the nation, with the rest belonging to the government, though government tracks are often leased to F&F for use.  Headquarters located in Cornelius, Neruvat.

**Sherman Steel Syndicate**- a massive comglomerate of steel manufacturers located in the heart of the cities of Pittriot (Vilis), Vernando (West Gilatrium), and Paxton (Soronia)

**Machine and Gear Association (MAGA)**- one of the oldest companies of the nation, specializing in manufactured goods in various factories across the nation.  Headquartered in Dolanberg, East Gilatrium.

## Historical Timeline

* 1300- the first settlers come to the island of Gilatria, establishing many settlements
* 1550- Concordat of Gilatria signed between the various governors and local rulers
* 1552- West vs East Gilatrium Skirmishes
* 1559- Chamberlain vs Zephyr and Bonaventure Trade War
* 1567- Merekath Uprising
* 1575-77- The Gilatrian Civil War
	+ Dissatisfied with the government’s rule over them, many groups revolted against the government.  It soon spiraled out of control and the island nation was embroiled in civil war for two years.
* 1577- The Convention of the Concordat
* 1580- the Military High Command formalized
* 1598- Chancellor Edgar Livingstone is assassinated in the middle of his third term
* 1600- the foundations of a new capital replacing the old one of Zephyr, named in honor of the late chancellor, is laid along the Jolian River
* 1611- massive deposits of Rhodanium are discovered in the mountains to the north of Livingstone.  Local miners and extractors quickly work together and form the Cruzon Corporation and solidify their monopoly of the resource
* 1651- the Pittriot Strikes
	+ Workers dissatisfied with conditions in their factories, organized a massive strike and shut down the industrial city of Pittriot for nearly a month.  It finally ended when Chancellor Lewis Antonum sent in the military to remove the strikers by force.
* 1655- Garis vs Longhart, the Chancellor Election of 1655
	+ One of the most contentious elections in Gilatrian history.  Eric Garis, the son of a major industrialist, and Langley Longhart, the mayor of Pittriot went head to head in an election that was charged with the issue of worker’s rights.  Garis would eventually win the election though through less than savory methods.
* 1670- Longhart finally wins an election, swiftly moving to implement his reforms but found many avenues blocked by the Councils of the People and the Cardinal Court.
* 1674- The Great Sherman Fire.
	+ Following Longhart’s election, a few companies attempted to actually try and implement some of the reforms that the Chancellor introduced.  One of the largest was the Sherman Steel Syndicate which was seen as a shining example of the reforms. One afternoon, the main forge in Pittriot exploded with the force that destroyed much of the main factory, sending twisted steel and molten metal raining down on the city, sparking numerous fires that would end up destroying most of the city.  Initially blaming the explosion on anarchists, it was soon found out that the explosion was caused by workmen who were in charge of monitoring the safety equipment. They had failed to monitor the pressure gauges and allowed the explosion to occur. Sherman quickly moved to reverse their reforms and Longhart’s dreams were crushed as the incident destroyed all hope in his reforms.
* 1699- The loss of the GNF Oakenfist
* The GNF Oakenfist was on patrol when she encountered heavy fog and collided with the Dorminian warship HMS Oriminia.
	+ Both ships sank with heavy loss of life and both nations were quick to blame the other for the incident. Both nations were ready for war but a naval inquest determined that neither were at fault and blamed the conditions.
* 1705- Following the actions of the Arrakanium Empire, the construction of coast fortifications against the growing threat to the west.  At the same time, shipments of arms and war material increased.
* 1712- Chancellor Bridger Ashford is assassinated following talks with various companies about the rights of workers and the possibilities of renewing talks.  His killers were traced back to members high up in the Traditionalist Party which lead to many members of the party to resign or disavow the party. The vacuum allowed for the Green Hawks, a much more centrist party, to come to party in the Councils of the People.
* 1735- Professor Maximilian Fontaine, the President of Haryalton University, is elected as a member of the Green Hawks, though he owes his real loyalty to the Liberty Party, which is comprised mostly of academics and other highly educated individuals.
* 1737- The Panic of 1737
	+ The economy of Gilatria suffers a terrible economic depression though through little economic intervention by the government, the economy is fixed within two years.
* 1740- Professor Fontaine is re-elected for a second term
* 1744- The World’s Fair is announced.