Shonte Bay

Flag of the Shonte Bay Colony

Location of Shonte Bay in New Iotania

The **Shonte Bay Colony** was a nation based in the Eastern Ocean on a large Island often called **The Greater Island** by its residents. It also controlled a number of smaller islands around Greater Island controversially including the North Bank Fisheries some of which were on islands also claimed by Reuselerria.

Shonte Bay was first settled by Monks of the Charlottean order soon after the establishment of the Breshyu Monastery. It attracted a number of native Breshyu for its fishing opportunities but also soon began a thriving farming industry thank to its much larger area than the Breshyu archipelago.

The Colony was partially self governing with the Colonial Committee functioning as a government with both Episcopal and Charlottean chairs with veto powers.

## Etymology

Shonte Bay was the name of a large bay on the north west coast of Greater Island and gained its name from the Old Breshyu word *ϣⲟⲛⲧⲉ* which was the name given to the large thorny rose bushes that are found around the bay. Shonte Bay became synonymous not just with the bay itself but with the whole Island and it is mostly common when a distinction isn't needed to use Shonte Bay and Greater Island interchangeably.

When the Colony gained self governing status the nearby islands and North bank Fisheries were transferred to the control of the Colonial Committee too so the Shonte Bay Colony referred not just to the outpost built in the bay but to all territory governed by the Committee.

## Economy

### Fishing

The Economy of the Shonte Bay colony was built primarily on the back of fishing. Being a seafaring people born of an archipelago the native Breshyu were well known for their fishing prowess and many outposts were established one of which was the Shonte Bay colony. Fishing was still going on there by 2 BCE and though the waters areound Greater Island were not fished as much as they once were the Northern Bank Fisheries of *St Harley* and *St Germain of the Small Oak* formed a large part of the colony's economic power.

### Farming

Unlike the Breshyu archipelago the land of Shonte Bay was rich and it was filled with animals. Livestock in the form of Sheep were very common and though once the arable farming in Shonte Bay was primarily for human consumption it was later predominantly used for animal feed.

Shonte Bay was also known globally for its horses which were very common throughout the island. Though the Colonists were not known to have ever domesticated them several visitors took home a horse with them. Notable cases of this include high ranking Seri officials taking back a Shonte Horse on one visit and also that one Queen of Reuselerria is said to have personally tamed and returned home with one of the Islands horses.

### Transport Links

Shonte Bay was also a hub of travel in the Eastern Islands. It had rail link to the Jamestown Hyperloop as well as sitting on the Southern Railway. You could also reach by boat the prosperous North Bank as well as Refmoone Bay for Dead Sheep Hill.

## Politics

The Politics of Shonte Bay was dominated by the same tensions that persist throughout the world of the Ngoi Church namely the power struggle between the Episcopalians and Charlotteans. Episcopal influence pushed for more power of direct government whereas the Charlotteans were in favour of the colony remaining within the monastic structure of the Order of St Charlotte. It was because of this conflict that two Chairs are kept with veto powers, one for the Diocesan Bishop of Shonte Bay and the other for the Abbess of Shonte Bay. Relations between the two were normally not stressed but a tension remained whenever constitutional issues arised.

Members of the Committee were appointed by the two chairs on the recommendation of the other committee members. Bills were tabled to the committee by members or by the general public and they were made into law by approval of a majority of the committee. The Committee met in Committee Hall which was found on the North Coast of the colony.

The main concerns for the government often revolved around new construction projects, fishing rights and laws governing the grazing of livestock.

### Foreign Relations

The Shonte Bay Colony made a bid to be recognised for United Nations membership in the late 1st century BC unlike those territories directly under the control of the Breshyu monastery. It maintained strong relations with the mother House on Breshyu and relied on imports from Breshyu and the Ngoi community in Gurrinea.

Conflict with Reuselerria was common due to conflicting claims on the North Bank. Underlying tensions with Reuselerria also existed for religious reasons and fishing conflict.

There were no official embassies of the Shonte Bay Colony but it maintained links with several nations through a presence of the Ngoi Church.