Vosteibia

**Vosteibia** officially the **Vosteibian Empire** (Vosteibian: Востейская Империя; tr. *Vosteyskaya Imperiya*) is located on the continent of Odesia. It is widely considered to be one of the most influential and powerful states in the world. Vosteibia is XYZ km2, it holds a population of roughly according to the last Imperial Census in 1840.

Vosteibia in the wake of growing industrialization has switched rapidly from a non-mechanized society to embracing the radical changes that industrialization has brought. Lubomir III has been a patron of industrialization and has generally welcomed the changes that have come with it. Aside from that Vosteibia is rich in mineral resources due to the presence of the Nazarov Mountains and the Arzalym Mountains; both of which remain within the Vosteibian Empire and were a source of conflict during the War of the Tsar.

The Vosteibian Empire is ruled as an absolute monarchy with the Emperor of Vosteibia, while he is officially known as the "Emperor" the Emperor is often referred to as "Tsar" or "Czar". The current Emperor is Lubomir V. The official title of the Emperor is: By the Grace of God, His Imperial Majesty, Lubomir V, Emperor and Autocrat of all Vosteibians, Tsar of the Odesic People, Grand Prince of Tikhovir, Great Hetman of all Kozacks and Caliph of the Imperial Qaran State. In the Imperial Qaran State the current monarch is known as His Imperial Majesty, Saif I, Caliph of the Imperial Qaran State.

## Geography

The Nazarov Mountain range is located in the western portion of Odesh and is the home of Mount Nazarov, the tallest mountain on Odesh and home to the Nazarov Kozack Host. The second notable mountain range is located in eastern Odesh and is known as the Arzalym Mountain range.

The large lake located in the Federation of Eastern Odesians is known as Lake Maborg while the lake located in the eastern portion of the continent, within the Voestibian Empire is known as Lake Abatov.

## History

*Main article: History of Vosteibia*
The Vosteibi united underneath the Grand Principality of Tikhovir, which had been lead by Grand Prince Konstantin II (of the House of Kalganov). Grand Prince Konstantin would later become known as Konstantin the Usurper after it was found that he had murdered his father, Konstantin I. While he usurped his position, he is often remembered for his warmongering and his unification of many of the various states of the pre-unified Vosetibian Empire. Konstantin II’s son, Lubomir I, would crown himself as Tsar.

While drawing from all ethnicities on the Odesh continent, the Kozack’s are a semi-nomadic group that are democratic, self-governing, semi-military communities that are often found in the southern portion of the Vosteibian Empire and along the border regions with the now Federation of Eastern Odesians. They are partial to the Vosteibian Emperors (commonly called Tsars despite the title falling out of use) due to payments and land grants of the Kalganov leaders.

The War of the Tsar, officially the “Emperor’s War” took place from 11 October, 1842 to 19 August, 1847. It was a officially a civil war between the autocratic, western Vosteibian Empire and the much poorer, more democratic eastern Vosteibian Empire where the Emperor traditionally has had to rule with an iron fist. Governor-General Arseniy Yakovich Chemeris, an ethnic Vosteibian announced that he had allied with the dominant ethnic groups in the Eastern Governorates and declared the “Federation of Eastern Odesians” to be a democratic republic. The State Assembly, the lower house of the Federation, declared war and was quickly supported by the upper house known as the Chamber of the Federation.

The war ended with the Treaty of Chebomas was signed on 19 August, 1847 where Tsar Lubomir III and his Chancellor Cheslav Vyacheslavovich Stegnov would sign a treaty with former Governor-General Chemeris. The Vosteibian Empire would still dominate ¾ of the landmass of Odesia but would be weakened due to the loss of significant military manpower. The war took over 175,000 lives on the side of Vosteibian Empire and nearly 250,000 on the part of the Federation of Eastern Odesians. Numerous auxiliaries such as Koropian soldiers, Samandzhik, Saradin, Nazarahriar and Sobron soldiers were ferried across the oceans to fight the war. For their loyalty, many of them were awarded with titles, monies or land in their homeland.

## Government and politics

*Main article: Structure of the government of the Vosteibian Empire*
### Emperor and Tsar

*Main article: Monarch of Vosteibia*
The Tsar, officially the Emperor, is an absolute monarch and possess no limits on his authority. While there is no official documentation such as a charter or a constitution, the monarch is generally referred to in legislation or decisions coming from the State Council or the Governing Senate.

### Legislature and judiciary

*Main articles: Imperial Parliament (Vosteibia), State Council (Vosteibia), and State Duma (Vosteibia)*
The Imperial Parliament is the quasi-legislature of the Vosteibian Empire. It is divided into two chambers, the State Duma which is made up of 75% appointed deputies and 25% elected from several large constituencies throughout Vosteibia. The upper chamber is the State Council which is entirely appointed by the Emperor and Tsar. The State Duma is lead by a Chairman, assisted by a First Deputy Chairman and other Deputy Chairman, this structure is likely followed by the State Council.

The State Council (Voestibian:Государственный совет; tr. *Gosudarstvennyy sovet*) also known as the Imperial Council, was an appointed quasi-legislature that advises the Tsar and when the Tsar approves, the State Council could pass legislation. The Tsar retained complete veto authority and there was no recourse. The State Council was a 150 member body that was entirely appointed by the Tsar. It was made up entirely of males, most of them middle age or older and composed mainly of businessmen, merchants, soldiers and sailors and loyalist nobles to the Tsar. Many State Councilors held official positions that are similar to "Ministers" in other governments. The Chancellor in theory sat as the *de facto* head of the State Council is acts as a psuedo-head of government of the Voestibian Empire.

### Political parties and elections

The "Law on Loyalty and Patriotic Fervor of Political Organizations" was decreed by the Tsar on New Years Day of 1847 following the War of the Tsar. This decree effectively permitted the Tsar to select which political parties are permitted to exist. With the creation of the Imperial Parliament the law was expanded to include the newly formed Octobrist Party.

Officially recognized political parties are as follows:

* Loyalist Party (Voestibian: Лоялистская партия; tr. *Loyalistskaya partiya*)
* Imperial Soldiers and Sailors Association (Voestibian: Ассоциация Императорских Солдатов и Моряков; tr. *Assotsiatsiya Imperatorskikh Soldatov i Moryakov*)
* Union of All Voestibian People (Voestibian: Союз всех Вестибских Людей; tr. *Soyuz vsekh Vestibskikh Lyudey*)
* Octobrist Party (Vosteibian: Октябристская партия; tr. Oktyabristskaya partiya)

### Judiciary

Emperor and Tsar Lubomir IV made several efforts to enhance the judiciary of the Vosteibian Empire; he created the Ministry of Justice which effectively replaced the Governing Senate. The Governing Senate was transformed into the Imperial Court of Cassation which the Emperor and Tsar affirmed as the highest court of the land. The Imperial Court of Cassation is divided into two parts, civil and criminal. The Prosecutor-General, who reigns as the Minister of Justice, sits at the head of the Imperial Court of Cassation.

The edicts and decrees of Emperor Lubomir IV have also established jurisdiction at several levels, focusing on Oblast, District and finally city, town and village courts which elect their own "Justices of the Community". At each level exists a civil and a criminal aspect of the court. The Imperial Court of Cassation is allowed to choose its own cases or allow for petitions for them to hear a case. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for the appointment of all judges through the Imperial Judiciary Committee which the Emperor and Tsar must approve through decree.

While observers have stated that the creation of an "independent" judiciary in Vosteibia is a sign that the Emperor's and Tsar's are indeed enlightened despots, Vosteibia remains firmly a tsarist autocracy where the Emperor and Tsar is the chief, divine and ultimate autocrat of the nation.

### Colonies and client states

*Main articles: Samandzhik, Kumevsk, Qara (State), and Koropi*

The Vosteibian Empire is a colonial power. As per the decree of the Tsar known as the "Law on Colonial Subjects" the Vosteibian Empire has laid out a foundation of cooperative occupation. The Vosteibian Emperor dispatches a Governor to each of the several colonies that are within the sphere of the Vosteibian Empire and have absolute power within their respective colony. The Vosteibian colonial empire was mostly completely by September, 1835 and was rapidly acquired and the Vosteibians are still working on building railroads, ports and other amenities in their colonies but generally, their colonies are approving of the fair handedness of the respective Governor-Generals.

The Vosteibian Empire began its colonial empire in the mid 18th century. It was first in August 10th, 1830 when it formally declared the island of Samandzhik located to the western coast of Vosetibian to be in the Vosteibian sphere. The Samandzhik Governorate-General was established on the island of Samandzhik, home to the semi-nomadic Samands. The second colonial territory founded was on September 17th, 1831 known as the Kumevsk Governorate-General, named after the first city founded Kumevsk south of Telepha. Both of the two Governorate-Generals are primarily military administrations due to the vast territory that needed to be controlled and the acts of the native population. The three largest and most economically profitable for the Vosteibian Empire are the Saradin Governorate-General (Arab), the Nazarahriar Governorate-General (Persian/Iranian) these two states were turned into the Imperial Qaran State which serves a client state of the Vosteibian Empire.

The last remaining defacto colony of the Vosteibian Empire is the Sobron Governorate-General (Zulu). It was also one of the last colonies of Vosteibia and has been the site of numerous expansions of infrastructure; its primary feature are two large ports, one located in the north at Perirabei which in Vosteibia is known as Bataslavl. The other largest port, located in the southern portion is at Wolto known in Vosteibian as Prokormansk.

While not technically a colony, the former Iergian islands north of Telepha known as Koropi (officially the Koropian Empire) is a client state of the Vosteibian Empire, setup at the end of the Big Ol' War with a majority of the nobility and the reigning Empire. While autonomous, the Koropian Empire is heavily reliant and tied to the Vosteibian Empire for support, especially military support.

### Administrative divisions

*Main article: Administrative divisions of Vosteibia*

Underneath a decree by the Tsar and Emperor, Vosteibia is divided into a number of Governorates which are centered around administrative centers and further broken down into Oblasts, similar to Alkland and Hetheland counties. Oblasts are further divided into Districts.

Governorates are lead by appointed Governors. Governorates are administered by the Governor who has complete authority as the representative of the Emperor but are supported by a Governing Council which has 75% appointed and 25% elected according to the 1875 "Law on the Reorganization of the State". Oblast' are administered by appointed Governors similar to Governorates.

Local government in the form of *Zemstvo* which form the makeup of many smaller cities, towns and villages outside of major urban areas. Zemstvo have an "elected board" of five members, 1 representing large land owner, 1 representing smaller land owners (including the church), 1 upper class, 1 middle class and 1 peasant class.

* Vilekaye Governorate (Northern area of Belarussian area)
* Dubroslaw Governorate (Southern area of the Belarussian area)
* Trosrudne Governorate (Northwestern area of the Ukrainian area)
* Valdrivsk Governorate (Northeastern area of the Ukrainian area)
* Sarschiv Governorate (Central area of the Ukrainian area)
* Zhovohrad (Southern area of the Ukrainian area)
* Kaliyev Governorate
* Irkungrad Governorate
* Grochny Governorate
* Volgoski Governorate
* Novourbash Governorate
* Mytigorsk Governorate
* Kemeya Governorate
* Lyylovka Governorate
* Nyaratov Governorate
* Zhivsk Governorate
* Khivgrad Governorate
* Tikhovir Governorate
* Blaski Governorate (Bulgarian)
* Tosraya Governorate (Bulgarian)
* Boteshtov Governorate (Bulgarian)
* Dupninevo Governorate (Bulgarian)
* Gorvgrad Governorate (Bulgarian)
* Sevrica Governorate (Serbian)
* Kojevo (Serbian)
* Orika Governorate (Serbian)
* Kojavor Governorate (Serbian)

## Armed forces

*Main articles: Armed Forces of Vosteibia, Rank, uniform and structure of the Vosteibian Armed Forces, and Order of battle of the Armed Forces of Vosteibia*
The Imperial Armed Forces is an unofficial name, the Tsar has direct command over both the Imperial Vosteibian Army and the Imperial Vosteibian Navy. The most senior official in the Imperial Vosteibian Army is the General Field-Marshal, who is appointed by the Tsar and serves as the primary advisor to the Tsar on military matters. The most senior official in the Imperial Vosteibian Navy is the General-Admiral, who is appointed by the Tsar and serves as the foremost maritime expert. Traditionally the two of them serve as the Minister of War and Minister of the Navy within the State Council.

The Vosteibian Armed Forces have a long history and alongside the Sturien Empire have a notable history of military prowess. The Imperial Armed Forces were developed largely by the first Tsar of the Vosteibian Empire, Lubomir I, who broke down various feudal armies and brought them underneath his direct control. This period of Vosteibian military history was the creation of a sort of "military nobility" in the Streltsy, which is Vosteibian for "Shooter". These Stretly were some of the first firearm units of the Grand Principality of Tikhovir, they continue to serve as the praetorian of the Emperor till this day.

## Economy

Odessia is mineral rich, the mountains of Odessia are incredibly mineral rich and is one of the reasons that the Vosteibian Empire has been so lucrative with trade throughout the world. Mining operations are largely state dominated but as industrialization has increased throughout the Empire, private operations have begun to sprout up and are heavily monitored by the state.

While wealthy and access to the water, Vosteibia is large and north of the mountain ranges have much colder seasons. The south is widely considered to be the breadbasket of the country where much of the food is grown. The south between the two mountain ranges are where the largest settlement of Vlokesti are located. The surrounding waters are also lucrative in fish and other items such as whale and various types of rare aquatic animals. Forestry is important in between the two mountain ranges where vast, dense forests exist.

The outbreak of the Industrial Revolution saw the Vosteibian Empire adopt many new techniques that were being discovered and brought them into the fold instead of resisting the changes. While the Vosteibian people were largely agricultural, the government focused on bringing citizens into cities and closely watching them as a means of both political and economic protection.

## Demographics and culture

### Demographics

According to the last Imperial Census conducted, the Odesic population made up over 75% of the overall population of Vosteibia. The other 25% was divided between Samands, Koric (of the Koropian Empire), other colonial nationalities of Vosteibian and smaller groups of others such as Sturiens.

* Odesic: 75%
	+ Vosteibian (Russian): 60%
	+ Vlokesti (Ukrainian): 15%
	+ Vloze (Belarusian): 10%
	+ Troaji (Serbian): 10%
	+ Hiagir (Bulgarian): 5%
* Other: 25%

## Culture

Vosteibian culture, even among different sub-groups of the Vostei, are relatively similar. Regional differences are present and even within the groups of the Odesic people, there are dialect and regional differences.

### Kozacks

*Main article: Kozacks*
One notable cultural group within the Vosteibian Empire is the Kozacks. The Kozacks are a group of semi-nomadic, self-governing and self-reliant cultural groups that have a long history as a warlike people. Kozacks elect their own leaders and world renown horsemen, rivaling the Jelbic people in their equestrian skill. The Kozacks are drawn from across numerous ethnic groups, though the largest contingent of them are Vosteibian and Vlokesti. The Kozacks have nominally been allies of the Vosteibian Empire and during the War of the Tsar fought on the side of Tsar Lubomir III, to which he rewarded them handsomely.

While not mercenaries, the various Kozack hosts (similar to tribes or nations of the Kozacks) they have no qualms with switching allegiance for who will pay them or reward them the most. The Maborg Kozack Host, named after the area they settled near Lake Maborg, have loosely worked with the Federation of East Odesians but the alliance is tenuous at best. A vast majority of the Kozack hosts have pledged loyalty to the "Great Hetman" which was given to Lubomir II for his efforts in ending strife within the Kozack hosts following a war between the Kozacks known as the "Hetman's War".

### Nobility

*Main article: Nobility of Vosteibia*
The nobility in Vosteibia is based around Ancient nobility, or families that held titles of nobility during the *Taking of the Vosteibian Lands*, titled nobility or hereditary nobility. Titled nobility are traditionally granted directly to someone for achieving a certain military of civil service rank or service to the state. Hereditary nobility are similar to ancient nobility but are not classified as such, the Tsar is permitted to award a title to a female descendant if the hereditary nobility is in risk of dying.

* Grand Prince - Awarded to the heir apparent and used by the Tsar;
* Prince - The highest award of titled nobility and hereditary nobility;
* Count - Middle tier award of title nobility and hereditary nobility;
* Baron - Lowest tier award of title nobility and hereditary nobility