Ivina

The Flag of Ivina

**The United Kingdom of Ivina** or **Ivina** is a kingdom in the southwestern region of Argan. It borders several Argan nations, with Analeas to the north, Bromania to the northeast, and Charisogo to the southeast. It also borders a portion of the Platonic Ocean along the northern end of the west coast, and the rest of it's coastline borders the Ahanic Ocean. The country is famous for being an ethnic melting pot for Monnans and Hakanians to come together as a single ethnic nation. It also holds the trade capital of Argan: Cisco City, and is a hub for many passing traders on their way to ports to the other continents of the world. It is nicknamed, the "Crossroad Kingdom" for that reason.

## Geography

Residing along the Alarian Equator, Ivina sports a very tropical climate in the western lands of it's territory. Several sandy beaches make for great tourist spots and many venture out to partake in the unique atmosphere. Along the eastern border is the higher elevated, and with that much colder, region of the Cernanics. Another popular tourist destination is to hike the mountains that cover the Southern Cernanics region of Ivina, and many even dream of one day climbing Kiro, the tallest people in the world. Along with that, Ivina also has many valley like hills and plains in the central, seperating the tropical beach lifestyle from the adventurous mountains of the east.

## History

Ivina, much like every other nation in Argan, has it's history of Wakidau Tribal settlers within the nation. Although not as well known prior to recent archaeological discovery, it held one of the largest, most advanced civilizations in Argan for it's time. In today's Ivinan Plains District, an ancient city called Tanaliza stood as the capital of the Silvren Empire, the largest Wakidau tribe estimated for it's time had developed around 24 BCE. A mysterious demonic like creature, known as the Nerubaba to the locals, began to plague the land surrounding the empire. Legend of this creature had only been mentioned in a scroll left from the earliest settlers of the land at the time around 275 BCE. Alas, an individual who was rumored to carry mystical powers: the Emaliza, seemed to be the only true hope to banish this evil.

In 24 BCE, an individual who was deemed worthy to carry this power was sent along with an army to banish the demon and it's demonic minions once and for all. According to the findings, this hero instead was killed, and his legendary sword the only thing salvaged from the fight. The demonic creature would terrorize southwestern Argan for another 20 years until the former Emaliza's child had grown to a mature state, and was raised in the art of his father. The new Emaliza was deemed worthy to possess the weapon of his late father, and rounded up his army in an attempt to banish the evil out of the empire once and for all. This time, along with other divine assistance, the Emaliza was not only able to banish the Nerubaba Demon, but destroyed the alleged stone used to forge it's power, and it dissapated along with the evil.

The Emaliza was rendured a hero to all of Silvren, or rather what remained of it. The Emaliza would write about the tale of Silvren, saying "though my country has fallen far, I share the story of what remains of my people, and the divinity of my weapon, forged by the gods". By 100 CE, any trace of the Silvren or any Wakidau tribe for that matter, had died off. Wars and lack of stability could account for that.

Many Jackal tribes continued to flourish, however, and even carried on the heroic story of the Emaliza and the Silvren. Though the people were gone, their legends lived on in the folklore of these new Jackal people.

Humanity would return to the shores of Ivina, however, in 1545 when sailors from the Vemelian Empire travelled along the coast in search of freedom from the oppressive state. They would settle inland within the Southern Clair Valley and the Cernanics.

In 1598, Sir Harold Monson of Nalacia would venture along the western Argan coastline, to survey potential port areas for his majesty King John III of Nalacia. Monson founded Port John in honor of his majesty off the coast of the present day Amelian Peninsula. In return for his bravery, King John III would name his new colony after Sir Monson, and the colony of Monson was established in 1599.

Monson would become a key part of Nalacian exports. The abundance of gold would fund many expeditions for the Nalacian crown in the early part of the 17th century. It's during this time that Monson was also adopted into the Nalacian feudal system, with a provincial type king acting as a puppet for Nalacia overseas. The king would request audiences with the local populations, and even became acquainted with the southern Cernanic Jackals who foretold of the significance of the land.

For some reason, these stories brought pride and nationalism to the inhabitants of Monson. In comparison, they saw their northern colonial neighbors, Alna, as a mere poor state simply existing to house populations of oversea Nalacians, without a true destiny.

Destiny would catch up with the Monsonians when war began to become inevitable in Ventes. With Nalacia's interest elsewhere, the future of it holding the Monson colony was in jeopardy. The lack of funds would force the Nalacians to sell their Argan possessions to themselves. Monson had gained an independence in July of 1632. They would add the southern part of the Alna colony, and would establish their new kingdom: The Kingdom of Monna.

Right off the bat, Alna's interests would aline with that of the crown, and the remaining space would stay a colony of Nalacia until the Empire cut off supply to the colony completely, with the outbreak of the 3rd Ventesian Holy War.

Now as an independent kingdom, Monna had the unique task of handling foreign affairs as a newfound Kingdom that gained independence, with very little effort. The price for their independence didn't spend out their pockets, and their northern neighbors seemed to be on the bottom of a huge trade deal. Their biggest issue was their southern neighbor, the Kingdom of Canyo. Unlike their northern neighbors, Canyo did not speak Nalacian-English. In fact, they didn't even speak the Mikanan dialect of French. Instead they spoke Anastasian-French. This stark difference already brought a very alarming feeling to the Monnans. In fact, they now controlled their trade with Canyo, and quite frankly, they became very stingy in the sense that they sold their exotic and tropical goods to the hungry Canyon people.

Despite solid relations with the rest of the known world for the most part, Canyo would get fed up with the Monnans, and desired their coastline ports. The policy of Canyo or no one, became the idea that the Conyans had to be at the top of all trade deals. They declared war on Monna in 1675, and the young nation would be at it's first test in history against arguably the continent's biggest power. King James I, would lead his people into war, and a major victory would they boast. As victors, James didn't actually want to expand his seemingly small territory at all. Instead, maintaining a rich trade heavy empire would allow him to dictate affairs around Argan, and the globe.

After draining the pockets of Canyo, the Kingdom was in a golden era. For fifteen years, the nation would see an economic boom. The ports of John and the Bernard were seemingly more popular than that of Port Alonosia. Truly, this was the time to be alive for the Monnans. But James' prosperity wouldn't last forever. Canyo was angry, and wanted revenge. In a risky move that would jeopardize future relations with Monna, the Conyon crown sent spies and special units to kidnap James' granddaughter, Emilia. Despite the bold move, this didn't start an instant war between the two sides again. In fact, Monnan innovation had been moving technology for decades in their golden age, and, along with a special force of operators, would see a peasant of the lower class, Honson of Fletchershire, save the princess and bring the Conyo people into a difficult situation.

Emilia would go on to marry the peasant, helping to revolutionize the definition of the lower class. Although met with a huge amount of foreign disapproval of the marriage, the two would go on to continue the Golden Age of Monna. That is, until another conflict with Conyo would break out. However, this time would spell an even bigger conflict. One that could either drain the pocket of every nation in Argan, or rid the Monnans of their biggest enemy to date.

Conyo's war with the Vemian Empire to their northern border began to stir the pot in Argan. After all, with Conyo invested in another war, the time to take action was finally coming. All over the continent, several different nations were struggling to hold control on their possessions. The breakout of the 1st Argan War 1751 would put Monna in an interesting position. Their northern neighbors, the Kingdom of Nalaa, was at war with the newfounded Kingdom of Analeas, and was in need of allies. Monna would agree to supply the Analeasians with supplies in return for a post-war alliance that would see Monna at the head of an increasingly influential Argan table.

With Nalaa stuck trying to fight what seemed to be two fronts of the war, they would succumb to the two nations. Despite all of that, the official end to the war would come in 1770 with the Battle of La Belle, which saw the Monnan and Analeasian forces defeat the Conyon and Avongagrim Nallavians in the first modern coming of the Nerubaba in Avongenette.

As part of the war reparations, Monna gained the Fleurette Coastline province, and led a series of civilian meetings to decide the fate of Conyo. After the founding of the Republic of Cisco in 1771, Monna would gain not a foe under a new name, but rather, an important ally. Western Argan forged a great new set of heroes all together.

The Kingdom began to increase in foreign trade across the sea. Monnan silk and cotton began to be a key part of the trade for Monna. Nations all over the globe wanted their fix of the fine goods, and the development of tools to create textiles only boomed the economy.

By the turn of the 19th century, the control of ports became a key part to the politics of Argan, and Monna themselves sought to increase the productivity of their ports. With that said, the decision to move the capital from Port Emilia to Fletchershire, the former home of the legendary peasant farmboy: Honson.

The move wasn't just made to centralize the kingdom, however.