Kingdom of Zen (Gladia)

The official flag of the Kingdom of Zen.

Grand King Lord\_Ocram I

(Last Grand King)

**The Kingdom of Zen** is a nation organized on December 2nd, 2019 and was officially founded on December 11th, 2019, at 1:34PM PST. The Kingdom was formed as a result of the resurgence of Zen culture and was organized by members of House Tordoc and House Caroline.

The Kingdom of Zen is a theocratic monarchy which follows a style of governing based on Zen Anarchism as depicted in the Zennist Manifesto; which was the dominant ideology amongst the Zen people. However, popular support dropped when the Kingdom of Zen became a one-party state; resulting in a growth of democratic sentiment.

On January 11th, 2020, the Kingdom of Zen was reorganized into the Grand Zen Autocracy by Grand King Lord\_Ocram I. This event marked the end of the War of Kings, a violent internal political struggle sparked by the deposition of Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc I.

## Introduction

### Naming

The Kingdom of Zen is named after the history and culture of Zen, and is the fourth official nation of the Zen people.

### Characteristics

Although the Kingdom was not designed with the foundation as a democratic organization, the Kingdom of Zen has slowly grown to encompass minor democracies within itself to support the powerful executive government; who help maintain the legislative branch. The most notable example was the South American Enclave, a domain led by Lord-Presidium \_Courier\_6\_. While the Kingdom was heavily authoritarian, a push for more democratic institutions began after the Kingdom of Zen became a one-party state. While the Kingdom of Zen had a fleshed out Synod-Parliament, there was not much active political participation. This eventually led to the consolidation of power in the form of the Supreme Papacy.

The Kingdom of Zen was a very economically oriented nation, with most of the population being involved in global trade and state-owned enterprises. The capital city of Zenport housed a national store in which citizens could sell whatever they wanted to citizens from other nations. There was also an attempt to organize an international stock market, but lack of support and interest later forced it to concede to newer stock markets. House Tordoc was known especially for being vested in economic interests over political participation.

#### Foreign Policy

The Kingdom of Zen's general position on foreign policy was to forge as many alliances as possible. Cooperation with other nations, especially those indigenous to South America, was considered to be of utmost importance. The Kingdom's primary administration believed that too many imperialist powers were colonizing South America against the wishes of the indigenous South Americans, and needed to be removed from the continent at any cost.

They also believed that international terrorism should be stopped, and at one point worked to form an alliance to fight against the Iroquois. However, the Kingdom was never able to get other nations to help them make a move against international terrorism or South American colonialism, and thus no big attempts were made to combat them.

#### Gladia Nations Political Compass

On January 5th, Lucasstorni released a political review of nations across Gladia. The Kingdom of Zen was categorized as authoritarian-right, with a Traditionalist ideology.

> *"The Zen Kingdom is one of the few nations with a very and detailed written form of government. They operate as a theocracy with a strong ideological guidance based upon this [religion] they made. Despite this, they're only nation along with Russia to have, at least in paper a directly [elected] parliament. But stand very authoritarian with their ideological supremacy over political parties and notable factions with dissident."*
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### Territory

Upon its organization, the Kingdom of Zen claimed the geographical Guianas of South America, located in the north-eastern portion of the continent. Their cities primarily populate the coast, sticking to growth along the eastern coast of South America.

### Background

The Kingdom of Zen has its origins in the Guianas of South America. The area was populated with scattered tribes who, for the most part, peacefully co-existed as they built and traded amongst each other. Eventually, a medical professional from the Tordoc tribe ventured out across the Guianas and met with each of the tribes. With this journey, he spread the religion of Divine Right, as depicted in the five religious texts.

The scattered tribes were soon united under the religion of the Divine Right, and they came to believe that Doctor\_Tordoc was bestowed the divine right to rule a united indigenous state by the Goddess Rei. Doctor\_Tordoc wanted to establish a theocratic kingdom in which those with the divine right could rule. With support from the people, Doctor\_Tordoc was able to assemble a royal guard, including pikachu839. However, the people were not interested in a sole monarchy.

Swiss religious scholar InvaderXYZ of House Caroline soon caught wind of the emergence of a religion based on the Zennist texts in the Guianas, and travelled across the globe to investigate. Doctor\_Tordoc and InvaderXYZ soon came to meet during the turmoil of the kingdom’s founding era, and together they helped write the Magna Carta, dictating the rights of the people of the Guianas and the foundation for the Kingdom of Zen. As a result, InvaderXYZ was extended an offer to become the official Pope of the Supreme Church-- as it had come to be believed that her arrival was orchestrated by La Déesse Céleste.

## History

### **Pre-Founding Era** (Nov-Dec 2019)

The Kingdom of Zen had been an idea of Doctor\_Tordoc's since at least November 20th, 2019. Although InvaderXYZ has originally aligned with the Swiss, she eventually decided to team up with Doctor\_Tordoc once again and form the Kingdom of Zen. On November 22nd, Doctor\_Tordoc was designated as the Grand King of Zen and InvaderXYZ was appointed as the Pope of Zen.

On November 28th, the Kingdom of Zen joined the League of Nations. Although they originally intended to settle in Africa, late arrival resulted in them having to choose South America to settle their kingdom. However, their induction into the League of Nations resulted in the leader of the Rama Republic, Accesseed, proposing an alliance between the two South American nations.

After forming an alliance with the Rama Republic in South America, the Kingdom of Zen was asked to participate in the United North Alliance; an alliance between the nations of North America, and some from South America. A vote was held and on November 29th, the Kingdom of Zen officially joined the United North Alliance. Later that day, the Supreme Church of Zennist Thought was organized. On November 30th, the Kingdom of Zen was approached about joining the Reichspakt.

The Kingdom of Zen was approached by the Rama Republic on December 3rd to form a united South American Nation. They promptly declined, due to wanting to retain their cultural identity as the people of Zen. On December 4th, the Kingdom of Zen was officially inducted into the World Fair Organization with the city of Zenport acting as the hosting city.

With the writing of the Zennist Manifesto on December 5th, the Zen Parti Nationale (Zen National Party) was formed. The party's members would later come to include Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc I, Pope InvaderXYZ I, and other high-ranking officials. Despite this, there was internal reluctance to declare the ZPN the official party of the Kingdom.

### **Founding Era** (December 2019)

#### Settlement of the Guianas

On December 7th, the world of Gladia released. Hero718 was the first resident to get into Gladia, and subsequently the first of the Zen people to settle the Guianas for the Kingdom of Zen. InvaderXYZ was the second to get in, starting in geographical Algeria before making her way to the Atlantic Ocean and trying to swim across.

Pikachu839 started in Africa as well, and was able to scavenge the continent for enough wood to build a boat before heading off into the Atlantic Ocean. Pikachu839 eventually met up with InvaderXYZ halfway across and picked her up right as she was about to die of starvation. The two were eventually able to make it where Hero718 was located, pooling their money together to form the town of Zenport, the first town of the Kingdom of Zen. There they began constructing buildings in the trees, forming the basis for the Kingdom of Zen's architecture. Additionally, Pikachu839 announced his bid for a seat in parliament.

That same day, Madways\_2 attacked the Kingdom of Zen, stealing a handful of valuable resources. Although the residents of Zenport and Minsk were able to repel the invader, Madways\_2 hid the valuables before being banned for hacking. The Kingdom was supposedly attacked again later by TheRealEDM, Mayor of Port Monochome; but when TheRealEDM returned to Zenport peacefully, he was allowed to travel within the town as residents had generally agreed that they did not want to provoke any kind of major conflict. Later that night, MH33 founded the settlement of Port of Pecem, officially becoming the first Lord.

On December 8th, Zenport was attacked by the terrorist town of Toronto; specifically Mealsuwu and GetSmackedUp. This was reported to Prime Minister Sandman of Canada, who investigated the situation. Toronto leadership claimed that citizens of Zenport attacked them and this was simply retribution, however this was found to be untrue. Several hours later, Toronto was booted from Canada and declared a terrorist town. They later formed the Iroquois nation. On the same day, zZzAwake of House Tordoc settled the town of Melon Fort, officially becoming the second Lord.

The following day, the Supreme Church began registration for members of the church, gaining five supporters in a day. As a result, Lord zZzAwake, Concubine Notorius\_IGGSTER, Wasasloth, and creeperkillergah announced their bid for a seat in parliament after having their registration approved by the Supreme Church. In addition, construction began on a Church in Melon Fort, creating the first branch of the Supreme Church.

Later that night, the Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc I negotiated with elmomaster69 of China for the Kingdom of Zen to join the Asia-Pacific Cooperation Council, after China expressed interest in forming an alliance with the Kingdom of Zen. On December 10th, the Kingdom of Zen was asked to join the ICW, but rejected the offer.

The Gladia Trade Center, or GTC, officially began organization by its founders, Hero718, Lil\_red\_, and Lord zZzAwake, on December 9th. Employment was opened to a small selection of residents before the GTC opened their doors on December 10th; focusing on a variety of commercial services.

#### The Founding of the Zen Kingdom

On December 11th, at 1:34PM PST, the Kingdom of Zen was founded after the people of Zen had pooled enough money together to officially found the nation. Later that day, the Kingdom of Zen was attacked by a group of terrorists from Tehran, resulting in Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc I giving an official warning against Caliph\_Muhammad, Alex\_The\_True, TKRBlaze, Deroderus, Bazzert, and Mal1309; all of whom are residents of Tehran.

This was compounded when Concubine Notorius\_IGGSTER discovered that terrorists from Toronto were using the nearby cities of Aracaju and Port Monochrome to reach and attack the city of Zenport. Dicussion with Mayor NexMix of Aracaju resulted in Aracaju closing their borders, alongside Melon Fort. It is reported that during this time, Mayor HotelCalifornia of Toronto attempted to negotiate with Concubine Notorius\_IGGSTER.

#### The Fight Against Global Terrorism

On December 12th, Pope InvaderXYZ gave a speech to the Player's Bloc, Asia-Pacific Cooperation Council, and the League of Nations to spur on action against the rise of global terrorism; specifically against the Iroquois nation.

> *"Citizens of Gladia, the time has come to make a choice about what we truly stand for. The rise of international terrorism has reached a critical point, with at least five terrorist groups having been identified. Our people are suffering, and all we have done is repel these invaders while they go off and live another day to terrorize our allies, our neighbors.*
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> *Is this the future we want for Gladia? Did we not band together with the intent to prevent the very issue that is occurring? No more, I say. This is a call to action against the terrorists of the world; more specifically, the Iroquois. Will the international leadership merely stand-by as their reign of terror grows? The Holy Roman Empire has already proven itself to be spineless, signing a non-aggression pact with the terrorists themselves, using them as a means to fight back their enemies. Meanwhile they grow, they thrive, and get stronger with sever second that we allow them to continue to exist. The leaders of Gladia have had enough time to prepare, now is the time to act.*
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> *I implore you to join our cause and form a coalition of armed forces against those who wish to terrorize us. Our people depend on us to uphold the values of freedom and safety for all, we can not let them down now."*
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This resulted in Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc beginning to help seek out international support against the global rise of terrorism, a cooperative coalition that would emerge over time. This resulted in the decision of the Kingdom of Zen to remain neutral on the growing Swiss-German conflict, but opted to provide equipment if necessary. This was later supported by the Gladia Trade Center, who re-branded as the Zen Trade Center that same day.

Lord\_Ocram of Zenport later helped fund the founding of Hawthorne by DeeganVader, a settlement located in Southern California which drew attention from both the United States and the Cauhilla Tribal Federation. Nétɛ̥h SkillmasterA3 of the Cauhilla approached the Kingdom of Zen with a proposal to transform Hawthorne into an embassy with join control from both Zen and the Cauhilla, as Hawthorne was settled within Cauhilla territory. Although the government favored the idea, outcry from citizens of Zenport spoke against relinquishing control to other nations.

On December 13th, Concubine Notorious\_IGGSTER proposed the founding of another settlement to Pope InvaderXYZ, eventually deciding on Memphis in North America. The settlement was approved, and the Grand King of Zen was quickly made aware; resulting in financial support to fund the city. This prompted a response from Mayor TheIronHamster of Los Angeles, who stated that the United States feared the Kingdom of Zen's expansion into the North American continent.

That same day, the Grand King of Zen approached Donmastergamer of Italy about forming an alliance with the Kingdom of Zen, to which he agreed. Talks quickly began with the Italian foreign minister for Italy to support the Zen's coalition against global terrorism. In addition, Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc spoke with TheGloryThief of Hispania, gaining further support for the coalition against global terrorism. Canada was approached to join as well, but Prime Minister Sandman denied it. The Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Cooperation Council pledged their support later that night, and began instating action against global terrorism on December 14th.

In addition, the Kingdom of Zen's first wonder was completed on that same day: the Transcontinental Underground Railway Design, a term coined by Lord\_Ocram. The Underground Railway connects from the mines of Zenport underneath the Atlantic ocean to the continent of Africa; being the first to do so on Gladia. It was constructed by Hero718, zZzAwake, Notorius\_IGGSTER, and Lord\_Ocram.

On the night of December 13th, Pope and Officier Supérieur Zennataliste of the Zen Parti Nationale InvaderXYZ approached Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc about issuing an official proclamation to declare the Zen Parti Nationale the official political party of the Kingdom of Zen. A deal was struck behind closed doors and Proclamation 001 was issued by the Grand King, declaring the official political party as the ZPN.

> *"I, the Grand King of Zen, officially declare the Zen Parti Nationale, as the official party of the Zen Kingdom. All residents will be considered de-facto members of the party until registration. Alongside it being the official party, Proclamation 001 will be put into effect immediately."*
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Synod-Parliament was officially organized on December 14th, with Pikachu839 and Creeperkillergah serving in Les Gens, Lords zZzAwake and Notorious\_IGGSTER serving in Les Royals, and WasaSloth serving in Le Synode. Last second bids for parliament resulted in the appointment of Lord MH33 into Les Royals and ClonetrooperMD8 into Les Gens. As a result of no bid for the position of Orateur D'église, Pope InvaderXYZ was authorized to appoint herself as the Orateur D'église on December 15th; which is exactly what happened.

In addition, talks with the Foreign Minister of Italy were brought to the President of Italy, with the unanimous decision to aid the Kingdom of Zen in the war against global terrorism. The Holy Roman Empire also pledge support against Kazan, Snegopad, and Tehran. Canada also later pledged their support to fight terrorism with the Kingdom of Zen, changing their stance. Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc also officially approved Hawthorne as an embassy between the Kingdom of Zen and the Cauhilla Tribal Federation.

The United Western Alliance took up the subject of fighting global terrorism after King Cryolophysis of Carja introduced the threat of Mexico to the alliance on December 14th; with Mexico claiming a sizable chunk of North and Central America. The Kingdom of Zen joined in with many other nations in backing the Carja, Cauhilla, and Aztec's attempt to convince Mexico to back off on their initial claims. The Kingdom of Zen even went as far as to fund the founding of an Aztec city in the middle of Mexican territory Although many Mexican citizens were outraged at the settling of Tenochtitlan by MonkeyFartt, they eventually caved and began diplomatic negotiations.

#### A Growing Democratic Sentiment

On December 15th, Concubine and Lord Notorious\_IGGSTER proposed the formation of an independent Memphis, breaking away from the Kingdom of Zen to form a puppet state with increased independence. This proposal was denied, as Kingdom officials worried that the founding of a new nation within North America would be a cause for concern to many nation leaders in North America; and that Lord Notorious\_IGGSTER had the option to re-propose his bid for independence at a later date once the Kingdom of Zen was ready and had spoken with nation leaders.

Later that day, \_Courier\_6\_ of Zenport proposed the planned construction of an oil-rig military base off of the eastern coast of South America be granted independence, as a South American Enclave. Discussion between Pope InvaderXYZ and \_Courier\_6\_ resulted in the oil-rig remaining under the control of the Kingdom of Zen, but \_Courier\_6\_ would be appointed Lord-Presidium of the Enclave; with the town forming their own council with the purpose of reviewing proclamations made by the Grand King, either accepting the law or denying it. This resulted in the collapse of Hawthorne, as Lord DeeganVader wished to join the Enclave Oil Rig.

Lord zZzAwake of Melon Fort relinquished ruler-ship of Melon Fort to Appester after Appester purchased it from him for $1.43k. This allowed Lord zZzAwake to migrate to the horn of Africa and settle Mudbrick City, allowing Appester to pay him the full about of money at a later date. Lord Appester later relinquished ruler-ship of Melon Fort to Stridulation, while still owing a debt to zZzAwake that would not be paid off until December 18th.

On December 20th, it was discovered that Lord zZzAwake, Lord Notorious\_IGGSTER, and Lord Appester had been planning to secede from the Kingdom of Zen, despite their advisement not to do so. Lord Appester later relinquished support for the movement, later stating that he wished to stay with the Kingdom of Zen. This was a particularly awkward interaction, as both Memphis and Mudbrick City requested that they be kicked from the nation in-order to fulfill an independence movement that was organized without the consent of the kingdom. However, the Kingdom of Zen allowed them to secede, as they did not want to become tyrannical. The two entities parted amicably and Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc I began to consider the appointment of a Foreign Minister. As a result, the Kingdom of Zarzul was born in North America.

In addition, Zenport was raided by Portugal on December 20th, resulting in the death of numerous pets and livestock. When the Hispania-Portugal War later rose to prominence on the 22nd, this event resulted in a large amount of popular support for Hispania; though criticism of Hispania was not non-existent. On top of that, on December 23rd, Lord MH33 managed to convince Kohnkoh Ben to join the Kingdom of Zen.

#### A Moment of Silence

On December 24th, after King Notorius\_IGGSTER was accused of threatening the city of Chicago, Lord Appester pushed to put him on trial for his aggression; working with Mayor SuperHotMiner to try him and King zZzAwake, who was also implicated. A private trial was held, where King Notorius\_IGGSTER was tried for trespassing and assault. At 7:34PM PST, King Notorius\_IGGSTER was reportedly acquitted of all charges, with Lord Appester waiting for a follow up. A trial was scheduled for the following day, with King Notorius\_IGGSTER representing the rest of the residents of Zarzul implicated in the crimes against Chicago.

After it was discovered on December 28th that zZzAwake of the Royal Family was attempting to sell the nation of Zarzul, it was brought to the attention of Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc I. The following day, on December 29th, he proclaimed that zZzAwake be stripped of his title as a member of the royal family and barred from holding any rank above townsfolk. This was done with the belief that zZzAwake would not continue to be loyal to the Kingdom of Zen nor the Royal Family.

The growing inactivity within the nation as a result of holiday business and dwindling residency slowly began to set the stage for the beginning of a tough era for the Kingdom of Zen. With lowered interest, the Kingdom of Zen sought out to bolster a wave of Zen Nationalism as they entered a new era of their history.

### **Darkened Era** (January 2020)

#### The Beginning of Reform

On December 31st, Orateur D'église InvderXYZ formally introduced the Democratic Economy Act, looking to strengthen lower level democracy and boost the nation's economic production. After a couple of revisions, it began officially being pushed through Synod-Parliament on January 1st, 2020, at 6:16PM PST. It passed through the Les Gens chamber on January 2nd, at 4:20PM PST, with two votes in favor (ClonetrooperMD8 and Appester) and one against (Pikachu839). The Democratic Economy Act was officially passed through the Les Royals chamber at 5:29PM PST, with both members of parliament voting in favor.

In addition, Pope InvaderXYZ officially appointed \_Courier\_6\_, Lil\_red\_, and WasaSloth as Bishops of the Supreme Church on December 31st, stating that it was time to spread the Zennist beliefs across South America.

On January 2nd, Pope InvaderXYZ announced that the International Zen Stock Market was set up and looking for staff before opening their doors to the public. The IZSM was quickly supported by creeperkillergah, a venture capitalist looking to invest in the Kingdom of Zen. Creeper Real Estate Company was one of the first companies to trade stock on the IZSM before being converted into the Dollar Tree Corporation.

After talking with the leader of Svearike, the Kingdom of Zen officially formed an alliance with the Svearike on January 4th. In addition, Pope InvaderXYZ reached out to Emperor Smallfries4 of Imperio Brasileiro and was able to negotiate for an alliance between themselves and Imperio Brasileiro, with a planned merging of the religion of the Supreme Church and the religion of the indigenous Brazillians.

On January 5th, the Kingdom of Zen was interested in purchasing Memphis from the United States, but ultimately backed off due to the increasing price tag. As a result, Notorious\_IGGSTER returned to the Kingdom of Zen as a townsfolk with big plans for the future.

That same day, it was discovered that Portugal settled a town directly next to Port of Pecem, Novo Imperio. After delegating Appester to approach Mayor RussianMess of Novo Imperio, it was discovered that Novo Imperio actually sought to join the Kingdom of Zen, and disliked the rule of Portugal. As a result, Novo Imperio dissolved and reformed itself under the control of the Kingdom of Zen.

This prompted Lord Appester to begin seeking membership of the Royal Family, with a failed proposal to Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc I. Because of this, the Grand King declared that he would be selecting an heir to the throne on January 8th, asking those seeking it to write a one-page essay on why. The discussion surrounding the Royal Family, resulted in the engagement of \_Courier\_6\_ and Hero718 of House Tordoc.

On January 6th, Lord\_Ocram stole bendicityhorse from Edo in Dakoku, which was stolen back the following day.

#### The War of Kings

January 7th was selected as the first official Authentication Day, during which the Pope was to confirm whether not Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc I still possessed the divine right to rule. She quickly gave the announcement declaring that Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc I would not be continuing to serve as the Grand King, which came as a shock.

> "*As the Supreme Pontiff of the Kingdom of Zen, InvaderXYZ I of House Caroline, I hereby **do not** authenticate the Grand King of the Kingdom of Zen. Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc I no longer carries the divine right to rule the Kingdom of Zen, this is evident by Sa Sainte Vertu, La Déesse Céleste drying up the mineral rich mines, as well as the slow decay of the Kingdom's global standing.*
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> *Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc I will relinquish rulership of the Kingdom of Zen to me, and I will host a ceremony in the Royal Castle of Zenport announcing the member of the royal family I have chosen to succeed him. They will be sworn in as the new Grand King of the Kingdom of Zen."*
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As a result, the power of the office of Grand King was relinquished to Pope InvaderXYZ at 9:12AM PST, who had assured that Hero718 would be selected as the next Grand King of the Kingdom of Zen. Hero718 and \_Courier\_6\_'s wedding went on as planned, and the swearing-in ceremony was planned for 4:00PM PST before having it postponed to 5:00PM PST due to a power outage on the behalf of Pope InvaderXYZ.

In the middle of the ceremony, at 5:04PM PST, Pope InvaderXYZ declared herself as the heir to the throne, and became the new Grand King of the Kingdom of Zen. Holding both the office of Grand King and Pope, she declared herself the Supreme Papacy of the Kingdom of Zen, with immediate conflict ensuing as a result of the Blood of Rebirth; during which the assassinator of the Grand King can become the Grand King, themselves. House Caroline was declared the official Royal Family, as House Tordoc was ousted.

In the ensuing battle raging across Zenport, Supreme Papacy InvaderXYZ was targeted by Lord Appester, Doctor\_Tordoc, and Lord\_Ocram. She was soon deposed by Lord Appester, officially making him the new Grand King of the Kingdom of Zen at 5:19PM PST. However, negotiations soon began for Lord Appester to relinquish the throne to another resident of the nation. At 5:28PM PST, InvaderXYZ was restored to the Supreme Papacy in exchange for Lord Appester to become a Zen Cardinal.

At 5:33PM PST, Sachem Micanopy of the Indigenous Federation officially declared his support for the Supreme Papacy, recognizing InvaderXYZ as the true Grand King of the Kingdom of Zen. At 7:44PM PST, President Diabetos10 of the Kiwi Syndicate did the same.

> "*The Indigenous Revolutionary Army formally recognizes InvaderXYZ as the Supreme [Papacy] of Zen. We encourage all indigenous people and folks from around the world to contribute to the National Party of Zen's cause and supporting the new ruler."*
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However, Doctor\_Tordoc was not happy with Supreme Papacy InvaderXYZ's ascent to the throne. Fearing the rise of a communist Zen state, he began a rebellion. Stealing the town funds for Zenport, Doctor\_Tordoc took off and declared a small area on the Kingdom's east coast as the Old Zen Monarchy; kickstarting a formal effort to remove Supreme Papacy InvaderXYZ from the throne. As a result, a strike team from the Miner's Party began to occupy Zenport at 5:44PM PST in an effort to secure InvaderXYZ's position as ruler of the Kingdom of Zen. After their arrival, conflict died down.

> *"My words to Doctor\_Tordoc, is that this is nothing personal. I may have used a little bit of trickery, but in the end our nation will be more powerful, and stronger than ever. Hopefully you can forgive my ascent, but we will see what happens with the rebellion. I am eager to see this through, whatever the outcome."*
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The following day, Supreme Papacy InvaderXYZ declared Proclamation #003, which reformed Synod-Parliament.

On January 8th, Lord-Presidium \_Courier\_6\_ officially dissolved the South American Enclave, the Enclave Oil Rig being disbanded with the intent to fall under the control of Zenport. However, it was discovered that Zenport lacked the population to reclaim the Enclave Oil Rig. As a result, the Oil Rig was both raided and visited by multiple parties as Supreme Papacy InvaderXYZ worked to remedy the situation. However, during this period, Lord\_Ocram attempted assassination of the Supreme Papacy twice, and failing both times.

At 8:31PM PST, Supreme Papacy InvaderXYZ was caught off-guard by Mealsuwu, a mercenary hired by Lord\_Ocram in exchange for $4000 and 10 diamond blocks. She was subsequently assassinated, and Lord\_Ocram lay claim to the throne at 8:36PM PST. After a minor legal discussion, Lord\_Ocram was declared the Grand King of the Kingdom of Zen, with power being relinquished later on during the night.

The following day, Hero718 announced that he would be leaving Gladia, and thus the Kingdom of Zen. Sources indicate that he was angry about the power struggle, enough to be suspicious. On January 10th, it was discovered that the nation's capital, Zenport, was raided. In what would be later called the *"Great Theft of the 10th"*, Hero718 stole nearly every item in public storage and unclaimed houses. In addition, he turned on firespread and set fire to former Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc I's tree mansion.

An investigation was launched once the Great Theft was discovered by Grand King Lord\_Ocram I and Teufel\_Hunden at 12:57PM PST. After it was discovered that whoever had committed the crime had turned firespread on,the suspect list was narrowed to those who held the rank of co-mayor. Pope InvaderXYZ, Swoopingeagle1, and JunkerQueen were prime suspects before Lil\_red\_ indicated that Hero718 was angry enough to commit the crime, and that he had last been online during the timeframe it had been deduced that crime had taken place. Hero718 later confessed on January 11th, 2019.

On January 10th, during the investigation Pope InvaderXYZ and \_Courier\_6\_ assassinated Grand King Lord\_Ocram I, making \_Courier\_6\_ the legal heir to the throne. However, Grand King Lord\_Ocram I refused to relinquish power, and held onto the throne. Believing this to be only a minor obstacle, the two began to plan with Appester, Swoopingeagle1 and JunkerQueen to take back the throne.

On January 11th, Grand King Lord\_Ocram I, Lord Appester, and Numar\_001 fortified Grand King Lord\_Ocram I's tree house and challenged those who opposed him to defeat him. Lord Appester, originally a loyalist to Pope InvaderXYZ, saw greater prospects in aligning with Grand King Lord\_Ocram I and betrayed her. Although the three killed both Pope InvaderXYZ and \_Courier\_6\_, JunkerQueen managed to kill Grand King Lord\_Ocram I, making her the legal, and undeniable, heir to the throne at 3:55PM PST. However, instead of relinquishing power, the Grand King illegally kicked both her and Swoopingeagle1 from the town.

#### The Grand Zen Autocracy

Declaring himself the Dictator, Grand King Lord\_Ocram I reorganized the Kingdom of Zen into the Grand Zen Autocracy on January 11th, 2019, at 5:37PM PST. As a result, the government was replaced by The Society, a ruling body of three figureheads to lead the nation to glory. With the Kingdom of Zen laying in ashes, and no longer having any power in the government, Pope InvaderXYZ officially resigned at 5:43PM PST; after demoting Lord Appester to Bishop and promoting Lil\_red\_ and \_Courier\_6\_ to Zen Cardinals. Lil\_red\_ was chosen by InvaderXYZ to be the new Pope of Zen, solidifying the new nation's freshman administration.

### **Aftermath of the Kingdom** (February-December 2020)

#### Legacy of the Kingdom of Zen

*Main article: Aftermath of the Autocracy*

Aside from the effects wrought by the Grand Zen Autocracy, the Kingdom of Zen did not make much of an impact on the international stage. While forming a lot of alliances and actively participating in international organizations, sometimes even rising to lead them (as with the Player's Bloc), the Kingdom was primarily regarded as a small and less-militaristic nation than most. This lack of aggression did not make great headlines in Gladia news networks, and its most internationally significant event was the rise of the Supreme Papacy and beginning of the War of Kings.

While both House Tordoc and House Hobo ended after the Kingdom of Zen and Grand Zen Autocracy respectively, House Caroline managed to thrive for many months after the fall of both nations, as of December 29th, 2020.

## Government

### **The** **Grand King of Zen**

**The Grand King of Zen**, also known as the **Grand King** and **King of Zen**, is the highest authority in the Kingdom of Zen and rules over the entire kingdom. The Grand King has supreme authority over the people of Zen, and enacts policy in the form of official **Proclamations**. Proclamations act as undeniable law, which can be appealed by the Synod-Parliament if it is overwhelmingly disliked.

Since December 15th, the Lord-Presidium of the South American Enclave headed a council within the Enclave Oil Rig who can approve or deny to be affected by the Grand King's proclamations. However, this was effectively abolished with the dissolving of the South American Enclave after Lord-Presidium \_Courier\_6\_ abandoned the Enclave Oil Rig on January 8th; with the intention that it fall under the territory of Zenport.

 InvaderXYZ
 Appester
 InvaderXYZ
 Lord\_Ocram

#### The Royal Family

The House that belongs to the current Grand King becomes the **Royal Family**. The Royal Family has a set of powers that allow them to participate in the governing of the Kingdom of Zen. This includes being allowed to serve in the **Les Royals** chamber of the Synod-Parliament, being able to form a Royal Guard, and being able to draw the lines of **commonwealths** that they wish to preside over.

#### The Royal Guard

A **Royal Guard** is a battalion of knights who serve a single member of the Royal Family. Their duties can range from protection to deployment in battle. Since Proclamation 001, the Royal Guard can be used by the APGZ of the ZPN.

### **Synod-Parliament**

**Synod-Parliament**, also known as **The Synod** or **Parliament**, is a congregation of the **members of parliament** (MP) that assembles at the behest of the **Orateur D'église** (OD), who leads the three chambers of the Synod-Parliament by holding polls on the passing of legislature which is submitted by the members of parliament and subsequently approved by the Orateur D'église.

There were thirteen seats in each chamber, and up to two members of parliament could campaign for a single seat in an election. However, after Proclamation #003, the number of seats in each chamber and the way elections are held were altered to promote competition and Synod-Parliament activity.

#### The Orateur D'église

The Orateur D'église is a position elected by the Royal Family, whose candidates consist of a Zen Cardinal chosen by the Pope of Zen and a member of parliament chosen by the Grand King of Zen. The two compete for the position on the 15th of every month and serve a term of about a month. There are a total of thirteen seats in each chamber. Following Proclamation #003, the Orateur D'église can officially be appointed by a Grand King if none steps up.

#### Members of Parliament

Members of Parliament are those who propose legislature to the Orateur D'église and vote on those that are approved. They serve in the chamber known as **Les Gens**, and once legislature is passed through the members of parliament, it gets passed to either **Les Royals** or **Le Synode** depending on the subject matter.

Members of Parliament serve a term of two weeks, with elections taking place on the 14th and 28th of every month. There are no requirements to serve as a member, merely that you are a citizen of the Kingdom of Zen and a member of the Supreme Church.

 Creeperkillergah
 ClonetrooperMD8
 Appester

#### Les Royals

This is the chamber of parliament where legislature relating to the internal state and overall kingdom is sent after passing through Les Gens. After a vote is held by the Orateur D'église, the legislature is either passed and turned into law, or denied and removed from the Synod-Parliament. To serve in Les Royales, elections occur in the same time and format as members of parliament-- but the primary requirement is to be a Lord or a Member of the Royal Family.

 Lord Notorious\_IGGSTER
 Lord MH33
 Royal Hero718

#### Le Synode

This is the chamber of parliament where legislature relating to the Supreme Church or foreign entities is sent after passing through Les Gens. After a vote is held by the Orateur D'église, the legislature is either passed and turned into law, or denied and removed from the Synod-Parliament. However, it is possible to appeal legislature to the Pope of Zen, who can override the decision of Le Synode.

To serve in Le Synode, the members must be appointed by the Pope of Zen and approved by the newly elected members of parliament on the same day that elections take place. There is no requirement for serving on Le Synode, except for at least holding the official rank of Bishop.

## Supreme Church

### The **Pope of Zen**

**The Pope of Zen**, also known as the **Supreme Zen Pontiff**, is the highest religious and cultural authority in the Kingdom of Zen. This honor is bestowed upon the Pope by **Sa Sainte Vertu, La Déesse Céleste**, or **Her Holy Righteousness, The Heavenly Goddess**. The honor is further authenticated by The Grand King of Zen, whose divine right as a monarch is confirmed by the Pope of Zen.

 Lil\_red\_

#### The Kingdom of Zen and the Pope

The Supreme Church of Zennist Thought is an institution that works outside of the state, but within the borders of the Kingdom of Zen. Despite this, the Pope of Zen has direct influence over the governing body of the Kingdom of Zen. To balance this, the Supreme Church is also directly influenced by the Grand King of Zen, as well. This creates a decent separation of church and state, without dis-incorporating them entirely.

In the Kingdom of Zen, it is required to be aligned with the church in some capacity to officially serve in governance of the kingdom or in the royal family. Refusal to do so will result in **excommunication**, dictating that you forfeit any honors or divine right given to you by the church, are barred from serving in a position of power in any capacity, and that the Supreme Church has the righteous authority to expel the excommunicated, as well as those deemed ‘accomplices,’ from power with violent force.

#### The Grand King of Zen and the Pope

The Grand King of Zen is the supreme monarch of the Kingdom of Zen who is given the divine right to rule over the state by La Déesse Céleste; which is either confirmed or denied by the Pope of Zen at the beginning of the monarch’s rule, in addition to once every month. However, the Pope of Zen must provide evidence to support the confirmation of the declaration of divine right. If no evidence is presented, the Pope of Zen can be removed at the Grand King of Zen’s discretion and be replaced with a Zen Cardinal of the King’s choice. Upon confirmation, the Grand King must authenticate the honor of the Pope of Zen to rule over the church.

If the Grand King of Zen officially loses the divine right to rule, they can no longer authenticate the Pope’s honor. As a result, the Pope of Zen must choose a member of the royal family to succeed the original Grand King of Zen. Once the new monarch has been sworn in, a four-day period begins called, **The Blood of Rebirth**. During this period, any family member from any house may attempt to attack the Grand King of Zen. If the new Grand King is successfully killed, the royal family is ousted and the new family comes to power-- with the killer as the new Grand King.

The fate of the former Grand King of Zen in the event that they are removed from power is decided upon once the royal family has secured their place under new rule. The former Grand King is branded a **Vieux Roi** and is sentenced to trial by the royal family. In this trial, known as **Procès des Perdus**, it is up to the royal family to decide whether the Vieux Roi is to join the royal family or become a townsfolk.

If the Pope of Zen’s honor to rule is not authenticated by the Grand King of Zen, the Pope of Zen is put on trial by the royal family, which is led by the Grand King of Zen, himself. This trial is known as **Procès du Sainte** and serves to determine whether or not the Pope of Zen is fit to continue running the church. Until the honor is authenticated by the Grand King, the Pope of Zen is completely powerless, and if found guilty, is replaced with a Zen Cardinal of the King’s choice. The former Pope is then branded a **Vieux Saint**, and becomes a townsfolk who can rejoin the church, if allowed.

The Grand King only ever authenticates the honor of the Pope of Zen at the beginning of the King’s rule, or if the Grand King accuses the Pope of Zen of blasphemy, or otherwise going against the defined beliefs of the religion. However, if the evidence is revealed to be fabricated at any point, the current highest religious authority has the ability to deny the Grand King of the divine right to rule.

#### Duties of the Pope

As the Pope of Zen, the Pope has many responsibilities, duties, and powers. The Pope of Zen is primarily responsible for overseeing the Supreme Church and its control over the minor churches spread across the Kingdom of Zen and other territories the Supreme Church deems theirs. This involves building churches, appointing and removing religious leaders, bestowing honors, spreading the faith, and serving a special role in parliament.

It is also the duty of the Supreme Church to expel unwanted religions from the Kingdom of Zen and territories they deem as theirs. This can be accomplished through diplomatic or violent means. In addition, the Pope of Zen must maintain relationships with foreign leaders and plays a large role in recognizing them as allies or enemies.

### **Zen Cardinal**

**The Zen Cardinal** is a role given to Archbishops by the Pope of Zen, and is the second highest religious authority in the church. There is no limit to how many Zen Cardinals can be appointed, and usually they are assigned a specific mission by the Pope of Zen to carry out in the name of the Supreme Church. Zen Cardinals are usually responsible for writing religious texts and managing different branches and churches.

Typically, Zen Cardinals have the ability to create churches under the banner of the Supreme Church and extend the authority of the Supreme Church by expanding the territory of the church and pushing into foreign lands. One way this can develop is through the facilitation of colonization. In addition, Zen Cardinals have legal authority over large areas-- as allowed by the Grand King of Zen.

Zen Cardinals also have the ability to officially declare **denominations**, a power only shared by the Pope of Zen. This allows for the Supreme Church to introduce new officially recognized branches and introduce new gods and new ideas. This comes with the ability of Zen Cardinals to declare certain religious texts as either canon or non-canon, which can be disputed by the Pope of Zen.

 Lil\_red\_
 \_Courier\_6\_
 InvaderXYZ

### **Archbishop of Zen**

**The Archbishop of Zen** is a role given to Bishops by the Pope of Zen to indicate a higher authority over greater Bishopdom. The duties of an Archbishop primarily involve directing and organizing the Bishops of the Supreme Church, as well as have minor legal authority over their designated territory.

Archbishops tend to be the leaders of certain denominations of the Supreme Church and are responsible for directly managing a small group of churches as assigned by a Zen Cardinal or the Pope of Zen. Archbishops have the authority to give punishments, legal or otherwise, against those who have blasphemed or oppose the beliefs of the Supreme Church.

### **Bishop of Zen**

**The Bishop of Zen** is a role in the Supreme Church indicating the lowest level of religious authority over a single town or church. Bishops are responsible for facilitating the beliefs of the Supreme Church at the municipal level and have minor legal authority imposed alongside the local house or mayor. Despite their positions in the church, a Bishop is highly-respected and are appointed by Zen Cardinals or the Pope of Zen.

 Lil\_red\_
 WasaSloth

## Cities

The Kingdom of Zen has three founding cities across the eastern coast of South America, with further towns expanding outward across the globe; primarily continuing to expand within the western hemisphere.

* Zenport *(Founded December 7th, 2019)*
* Port of Pecem *(Founded December 7th, 2019)*
* Melon Fort *(Founded December 8th, 2019)*
* Kohnkoh Ben *(Founded December 12th, 2019)*
* Novo Imperio *(Founded January 5th, 2020)*
* Old Zen Monarchy *(Founded January 7th, 2020)*

### Former Cities

These are a couple of cities that were formerly a part of the Kingdom of Zen, and have since left.

* Hawthorne *(Founded December 12th, 2019)*
	+ Collapsed on December 15th.
* Memphis *(Founded December 13th, 2019)*
	+ Seceded on December 21st to form the Kingdom of Zarzul.
* Mudbrick City *(Founded December 15th, 2019)*
	+ Seceded on December 21st to form the Kingdom of Zarzul.
* Enclave Oil Rig *(Founded December 15th, 2019)*
	+ Collapsed on January 8th.

## Trivia

* The Kingdom of Zen was originally going to occupy geographical Nigeria, but the area had been claimed by the time Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc I contacted the League of Nations.
	+ Pope InvaderXYZ I initially suggested that the Kingdom of Zen settle in South America, but eventually agreed to settle in Africa. Her suggestion eventually ended up becoming a reality.
* The capital city of Zenport was the fourth biggest city on Gladia within the first few days of its release.
* Notorius\_IGGSTER gave the Toronto terrorists a piece of rotten flesh that said "ur gay lol" in what is now known as *The Great Exchange.*
* Grand King Doctor\_Tordoc I has the longest rule of a Grand King, ruling for a total of twenty-eight days.
* Grand King Appester I has the shortest rule of a Grand King, ruling for a total of nine minutes.