Union of Birmingham

## Description:

The Union of Birmingham exists as the shining beacon of development and civilization in the Old World, providing a glorious example to the rest of the world as it forges its path across history and places itself as a major world power. The Union of Birmingham is most known for its critical role in the War of Vile Men, when Birmingham came to the rescue of the Republic of Truseau and held back the Kodian armies as long as it could to hold out for further support; additionally, Birmingham is known for its technological development, having been home to the first steam engines and genuine industry, as well as its textiles, valuable trading markets, and tea consumption.

The Union of Birmingham is located on the Isle of Birmingham to the north of the Kodian State, separated from the mainland by a channel. Birmingham sports marshes, forests, and open fields, with little to show for in the way of mountains, and is primarily a colder, wet climate. The island is rich in coal, however, and is considered one of the most defensible locations in the Old World.

### Organization:

#### Capital: Bosterton

Population (of capital): 7,480,700

The Union of Birmingham is led, first and foremost, by the Royal Family; many kings and queens have held the throne of Birmingham, but few have wielded real political power in recent times. The Royal Family is seen as a national symbol and a necessary part of the country's government, but is slowly being fazed out of power by the growing democratic movements within the country; the Royal Family's strongest sources of political power come in the form of business connections and a well-trained, loyal military, which the Royal Family continues to lead directly. Underneath the Royal Family sits the Parliament, within which exists 2 Houses: the House of Nobles and the House of Commerce; the House of Nobles is comprised only of landed aristocrats within Birmingham, and has a list of various requirements that must be met for someone to hold a position, and the House of Commerce, also called the House of Steam, is comprised of businessmen, public figures, and "peasants" who lack noble titles. The people of Birmingham often rise up in protest with regards to the requirements for entrance into the House of Commerce, which has a land requirement of its own alongside income requirements that bar an overwhelming majority of citizens from running for a seat. Parliament is the primary source of political power in Birmingham, and is responsible for making laws and bettering the country through political means. Magistrates make up the bulk of the judiciary at the local level, with high-level cases being decided by Parliament itself, and Mayors and Town Councils lead local communities (if they aren't owned by a nobleman, in which case the community is owned and managed by the noble family).

The Union of Birmingham is infamous for its militaristic behaviors in the past, particularly with its invasions of Dubring, Westerland, and its participation in the War of Vile Men. Birmingham is also incredibly imperialist, and has colonies on all continents of the world. Birmingham prefers to avoid war against other "civilized nations," but considers the expulsion and/or elimination of local populations to be "policing" and not warfare.

Birmingham's largest efforts are put into its economy, the fight against widespread poverty, and the suppression of democratic values amongst the people; Parliament, and the Royal Family, consider true democracy to be a threat to the nation's ancient way of life, and are fighting tooth and nail to ensure that democracy becomes an idea of the past. With Truseau and the WRE providing glaring examples of successful democracies, the people of Birmingham are beginning to question the intentions of their government. Trade and production are the main staples of Birmingham, and the country's largest cities are choked with the smog and pollution of the massive blocks of factories and mines required to constantly produce goods. Birmingham maintains one of the world's larges spheres of influence, trading with almost every "civilized" nation and enforcing its predatory economic methods against the larger but "uncivilized" countries (e.g. Bhalong and Freeach). This aggressive, nigh-extortionist economic policy of strong-arming weaker states continues in Birmingham's use of slaves in its colonies to work on large farms, in sprawling factories, or as personal servants and even soldiers; some nations, like the WRE, Republic of Truseau, The Sicherlands, and Kodian State, frown upon Birmingham's continued perpetuation of the slave trade, but this political discourse does not sway Birmingham's House of Commerce in the slightest.

Birmingham maintains an unsteady alliance with the Republic of Truseau, a rivalry with the Kodian State, a rivalry with the Jexan Union, tense trade relations with many Ostian nations, and general suspicion or racist disdain for everyone else. Birmingham feels overpowered and overshadowed by the rising WRE and is working to climb out from under the WRE's boot.

The War of Vile Men did not leave Birmingham unscathed, however; the nation suffered greatly in all industries and across all walks of life, with the majority of almost 2 generations of men dying as a result of the war's extended toll on the world. The war forced Birmingham to see the strain already placed upon the common people as a result of their over-ambitious and greedy economic policies; this did not have any effect on anything beyond some inspiring speeches during the war, however. Birmingham's industry is larger, faster, and stronger than ever before, and the poverty problem is reaching a climactic boiling point as riots and protests break out across the nation every few weeks.

#### Internal Factions:

1. The Ministry
2. His Majesty's Order of the High Table
3. Royal College of Plague Prevention Studies
4. Hedgewick Trade Company
5. Dalton Yard
6. Angshirian Church
7. Street Gangs
8. Communist Agitators & Terrorists

### Equipment:

The Union of Birmingham maintains an advanced level of technology, equivalent to ~1930's Britain, but is held back by a Victorian-era culture and political stance; Birmingham's technological development moved too fast for the common people or the economy, and has created a massive unemployment and poverty problem across the nation and even into some of its colonies. However, Birmingham's high level of technology has given it an edge over many other nations, allowing Birmingham to enforce its imperialist ideals freely with little real resistance. The Union of Birmingham boasts one of the largest militaries in the world, and the largest naval armada rivaled only by the Kingdom of Nolina. Using the most advanced weapons and vehicles the world has to offer, Birmingham is an industrial powerhouse that is not the be trifled with lightly.

Birmingham sports one of the largest mechanized forces in the world, beaten only by the Jexan Union and the WRE. Proudly sporting some of the largest units and vehicles in the world, Birmingham's arsenal of advanced mechs, tanks, and other diesel-or-Cyanite-powered vehicles only adds to the nation's military might. Birmingham's massive economy allows it to maintain a large standing army as well, only adding to its military capabilities.

Birmingham's Aether capabilities, however, are relatively lacking compared to other nations of similar size like the WRE; due to the WRE's monopoly on Aether production, Birmingham (and many other nations) are suspicious and frustrated with the strict limitations placed on their stockpiles of Aether and their access to Aether-based technologies.

Birmingham sports the third largest air force in the world, beaten only by the Jexan Union and the WRE, and maintains the second largest stockpile of fighter and bomber planes in the world (beaten again by the WRE); as such, Birmingham maintains a permanent foothold in the Sky-Islands.