Union of Karnoa

## National Overview

Union of Karnoa

Demonym: Karnoan

Population: 157 Million (As of 1990 Census)

Head of State: Edvard II von Blutwald

Prime Minister: Markus Rasmussen

Capital: Onnsbracht

Currency: Karnoa Bit

Official Religion: Arguilism

Governing Parties: Republican Party (42%), State Party (44%), Provincial Party (13%), Socialist Party of Karnoa (1%)

Racial Makeup: 88% Amilorean-Descended Karnoan White, 6% Persadian-Descended Black, 5% Japanese-Descended, 1% Other

Industries: Technology, Steel, Automotive Manufacturing, Defense Production, Information Technology, Agriculture

Climate: Mixed, Cold in the North, Sub-arctic in the far northern reaches, temperate in the midlands, hot/subtropical in the south

Flag of Karnoa

Flag: See Right

## The Arguilist Church and Karnoan History

### The First Karnoans

Karnoan origins lie with the Aeduain druid Francis Chatreaux Leopold D'Arguile, who is widely known as the father of modern Karnoa religion and the first recognized head of the modern Arguilist Church of Karnoa. Towards 1517 he founded the first Katharist church in Aeduai, and began blending Katharist doctrine with Aeduain traditions to escape the very likely eventuality of religious persecution.

D'Arguile was martyred in 1533 when a crowd of angry Aeduain citizens stormed his church and burned it to the ground, lifting him on a cross to hang and die in front of the smouldering ruins of the first true Arguilist church building. Despite this, his church outlived him, and the next several heads spent their lives formalizing doctrine and establishing what would become known as 'Arguilism' as a major regional religion.

In 1623, under a command from the then-ruler of Aeduai, nearly the entire population of Arguilist worshippers were exiled to Karnoa and founded colonies in the middle of the Karnoan continent, beginning the first instance of Arguilist expansion into a land of their own. It was around this time that the first elements of what would become the Karnoan flag were adopted into the Arguilist Church of Karnoa, chiefly the Cross of Chatreaux, which is depicted on the Karnoan flag as the centerpiece and represents, to Karnoans, the idea of the Karnoan continent belonging to them.

## The Colonial Period

### The Founding of the First Colony

Ardan Ancelin was a renowned Aeduain captain who led the first group of Arguilist exiles to the new land of Karnoa in 1623. As the founder of the first colony on Karnoa, An Gorta Mor, Ancelin was instrumental in establishing the first foothold for Arguilist settlers in this untamed land.

When Ancelin and his group of settlers arrived on Karnoa, they were met with harsh conditions and a brutal winter that tested their resolve to the limit. Despite the challenges they faced, the settlers persevered and worked tirelessly to establish a thriving community in their new home.

One of the greatest challenges the settlers faced during the first winter on Karnoa was the extreme cold and lack of supplies. Many of the settlers were not prepared for the harsh conditions and were forced to rely on their own ingenuity to survive.

Under Ancelin's leadership, the settlers built crude shelters and hunted for food to sustain themselves through the long, cold winter. They also formed tight-knit communities and worked together to overcome the challenges they faced.

Despite the hardships they endured, the settlers remained determined and refused to be defeated by the harsh environment. Through their hard work and perseverance, they were able to survive the first winter on Karnoa and lay the foundation for the largely populous settlements in that area today.

The legacy of Captain Ardan Ancelin and the settlers of An Gorta Mor continues to be celebrated in Karnoa today. Every year, on the anniversary of their arrival on Karnoa, the people of Anzlinberg gather to pay tribute to the bravery and determination of their ancestors.

The city of Anzlinberg is also home to a museum dedicated to the history of the first settlement on Karnoa. The museum features exhibit on the struggles and triumphs of the settlers during the first winter, as well as artifacts and documents from the early days of the colony.

In addition, the city holds an annual festival called the "Winter Survival Celebration" to honor the bravery and perseverance of the settlers who braved the harsh conditions of the first winter on Karnoa. The festival includes traditional music and dance, as well as reenactments of the settlers' struggles and triumphs.

Through these traditions, the people of Anzlinberg continue to celebrate the legacy of Captain Ardan Ancelin and the settlers of An Gorta Mor, and their role in the founding of the Karnoan Union.

### The Colonial Expansion and Native Conflict

In the years following the establishment of An Gorta Mor, the settlers came into contact with native tribes. These tribes were uniformly made up of Germanic tribesmen believed to have migrated across a long-gone land bridge long before. Aeduain colonial actions on the continent coincided with a native prophecy regarding the coming of a new age for their people, one of prosperity and glory. Several tribes maintained warm relations with the colonials according to this idea, but many believed this to be heresy, and committed atrocities against frontier settlements.

The sacking of Rathgall was exactly that. The citizens of Rathgall, a settlement some 20 miles inland from the site of An Gorta Mor, which had been abandoned in 1699, were set upon by native braves in a fast and violent attack in the spring of 1760. There was only one survivor, a 5-year-old child who had hidden in a hollow tree and relayed the story to Aeduain army officers. This sparked the beginning of the War of the Grasses.

### War of the Grasses

The War of the Grasses lasted from Fall of 1760 to Summer of 1765 and resulted in a major shift of the already complex tribal-colonial dynamic on the continent. A series of key battles, including a daring native raid on the colonial capital at Yransberg which resulted in a decisive loss for the natives.

Karnoan/Aeduain ability to succeed in this war was primarily attained due to partial native cooperation, enabling them to utilize valuable expertise in traversing the land and taking advantage of natural terrain features. It was the first involvement of Karnoan colonials in real combat.

This war can be widely accredited as a primary driver behind Karnoan independence sentiments, as it displayed to the Karnoan people the idea of self-defense, self-determination.

## Post-Independence and the Governate

The period following the end of the Karnoan Revolution was a time of general turmoil as the Karnoa authorities who had formed the Continental Congress struggled to come to an agreement on the composition and values of the new Karnoan Constitution. ￼

Government during this time was authoritarian but kept the peace and built the foundation for a successful Karnoan transition to whatever was decided upon. The time of the governate saw the first Lord-Protector, L.P. Phillippe Henry Beauchamp become the head of the nation. Under his rule, a policy of aggressive economic building was undertaken, and trade ties with the old world were strengthened.

The governate set a precedent for Karnoa, and led to the establishment of the Lord-Protector system of provincial governance.

The governate lasted until 1787, when the two major factions of the Constitutional Convention reached a compromise and adopted an integrated Republican Monarchist government, the same governmental system in use in Karnoa to this day.

## The New Nation (Politics, Religion, Royalty) ￼

### Explaining Politics

The new nation, now called the Union of Karnoa, had a highly unique political system for the time.

The Karnoan Government is a constitutional monarchy with a system of government known as Karnaism. The government is divided into four branches: the Royal Branch, the Executive Branch, the Judicial Branch, and the Legislative Branch.

The Royal Branch is made up of the King, his self-appointed advisors, and the Lord-Protectors who act as federal representatives and governors of individual provinces. The King exercises direct control over the military, but the Senate has complete authority over raising forces.

The Executive Branch is led by the King and the Prime Minister and is responsible for the administration of the state. The various Departments of the Executive Branch manage the affairs of the government and implement policies and programs.

The Judicial Branch is the legal arm of the government and is composed of a Supreme Court and federal courts in each province. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction over cases of constitutional significance and receives appeals from local and provincial courts.

The Legislative Branch consists of the Continental Congress and the Provincial Senate. The Congress is responsible for proposing laws and the Senate is responsible for approving them and raising forces for wars through conscription.

Overall, the Karnoan government is designed to balance the powers of the different branches and ensure that the interests of the people are represented and protected.

### Lord-Protectors

The Lord-Protectors are an integral part of the Karnoan government and play a crucial role in the functioning of the country.

As federal representatives and governors of individual provinces, the Lord-Protectors are responsible for managing the affairs of their respective provinces and ensuring that the needs and concerns of the people are addressed. They also act as commanders of state-raised forces and militias in their provinces.

To be eligible to serve as a Lord-Protector, a person must have reached the minimum rank of Colonel in the Karnoan Armed Ground Forces (KAGF), Colonel in the Royal Karnoan Marine Corps (RCMC) or Commander in the Karnoan Armed Air Forces (KAAF) and must have lived in their province of assignment for at least five years. Lord-Protectors in the Far Isles, Sunset Isles, Onsatz Isles, and Sudstadt Isles must have reached the minimum rank of Ensign in the Karnoan Armed Naval Forces (KANF) and must have lived in their island province of assignment for at least five years.

In addition to their administrative duties, the Lord-Protectors may be called upon to break ties in Provincial Senates when needed. This ensures that the decision-making process in the government is fair and balanced.

Overall, the Lord-Protectors play a vital role in the Karnoan government, representing the interests of their provinces and helping to maintain stability and order in the country.

### The Arguilist Church Post-Independence

The one thing the Republican faction and the Monarchist faction agreed on was that the integration of the Arguilist church into the government was necessary to maintain an independent Karnoan identity, the importance of which was paramount. Since the first colonies Karnoans had seen themselves as quite separate indeed from the former overlords, and showing this new identity when performing on the world stage was of utmost importance.

This was what led to the decision to appoint the current high-priest of the Church to the position of monarch. Ordained by the authority of Kerno himself, there was to be no competition between royalty and religion. Following the death of the childless high priest in 1795 a new monarch was elected, a germanic noble who had taken up occupancy in Karnoa for 15 years. Johann Ruschpren von Blutwald took up residence at the seat of religious and imperial power in Northern Karnoa, the Imperial Winter Palace. Not much of a palace then, it was more of a glorified manor which served as the seat of Aristocratic power in Karnoa. By the end of his reign in 1821 he had transformed the palace into a grand house, and the capitol city in which it stood had grown into a purpose-built seat of power, with St. Francis' Cathedral being the home building of Karnoa Arguilism.

### Territories

* Dunicht Province
* Marschfeldt Province
* Blutwald Province
* Sudstadt Province
* Sudstadt Islands Province
* Onsatz Isles Consolidated Government
* Capitol Territory Onnsbracht

By 1840, the entire Karnoan mainland continent had been claimed by Karnoa, and islands off her coast seized in the revolution incorporated fully into the nation. Lord Protectors governed each province, and state senates had been formed in each province, with a representative from each county within the province.

## Industrialization

Industrialization in Karnoa occurred in two phases, at different points in the 19th century. First in 1832 and again in 1875.

### 1832

The 1832 Industrial revolution saw several great advancements in Karnoa industrial society, the greatest of which was the introduction of advanced metallurgy into the Karnoa field of view. Karnoa industrialist and businessman Rupert Immeln developed a method of making steel which involved blasting hot iron with oxygen to transform it into steel for manufacturing. This led to several great advancements for Karnoa, including the establishment of the Karnoa Transcontinental Line, the first standard-gage railroad in Karnoa, the building of the first all-metal railroad bridge outside the capitol, and the establishment of the first true factories in Karnoa. It also produced primitive steam engines, and the first telegraph lines.

### 1875

The 1875 Industrial Revolution was the product of Karnoan observation of rising international tensions and a deliberate governmental effort to modernize infrastructure, transport, naval warships, industrial techniques in weapons and textile manufacture, and military methodology, tactics, doctrine, and uniforms. This of course affected the entirety of Karnoa culture, but was primarily instrumental in military reform, which was invaluable during the start of the Great War.

## The Great War in the Karnoan Theater

For a description of the entire conflict see "Great War"

Karnoa, despite being a major nation at the time, had a fairly limited involvement in the main body of the Great War. It's primary conflict throughout the war was with the Empire of Japan, with whom it fought over ownership of the far isles and the Sunset Isles in the Karnoa Ocean. Several key factors decided this facet of the conflict.

### The Naval War

In 1892 the Karnoan government was shocked by the beginning of the Sino-Japanese war, which planted the seed in the minds of Karnoan planners that Japanese territorial aggression may someday be directed towards Karnoa. The Karnoan government began a program of fortifying and arming their islands.

### The Invasion

War exhaustion was high in 1905. War had been raging for 15 years, but the momentum and resolve the reports of the decisive victory in the Sunset Islands had a great effect on the population. Immediately plans were drawn up for invasions.

In 1901 the fleet consisted of the following ships.

* 12x Dreadnought Battleships
* 14x Heavy Cruisers
* 22x Light Cruisers
* 64x Destroyers
* 23x Armored Cruisers
* 22x Submarines
* Uncounted Support Vessels

By 1912, the end of the war, the count had been risen to the following.

* 28x Dreadnought Battleships
* 2x Aircraft Carriers
* 36 Heavy Cruisers
* 36 Light Cruisers
* 100 Destroyers
* 32 Submarines
* Uncounted Support Vessels

The fleet began practicing amphibious operations in May of 1908, and the invasion proper took place in June of 1910.

## The Great War in Amilor

Karnoan involvement in Amilor was not substantial by any means. A single infantry division was deployed, which experienced extensive combat in the effort to shore up weaker positions. This meant that as per the agreement with the Amilorean governments it had no say in peace talks in Amilor, and likewise in the Ceroan Ocean.