Kingdom of Pictland

Flag of the Kingdom of Pictland

The **Kingdom of Pictland** (Pictish: *Ríaoth Elbhidh*) is a Brittonic nation situated in northern Great Britain. Founded on WD2 during the Alban succession crisis following the abdication of King Jaeorcy, the Kingdom of Pictland is ruled by Queen Onnenn. It is one of the members of the Inter-British Council and the North Atlantic Trade Organization, both of which it is a founding member.

## Geography

Pictland occupies the northernmost portion of Great Britain. Its border with Scotland, which lies directly to its south, runs along the Kirkintilloch Canal (Pictish: *Camlas Caorpenntulog*, Scottish Gaelic: *Canàl Cair Cheann Tulaich*). The west coast borders the Atlantic Ocean, and the east coast borders the North Sea. Much of the country consists of rugged and mountainous terrain, with the Lowlands region (consisting of the eastern and southern lands) being flatter and more densely populated.

## History

### Early history

The early Picts were one of the few Celtic peoples in antiquity to never be conquered by the Roman Empire, alongside the Gaels and Wallanders. This resulted in several noticeable differences between the Picts and their more Romanized kin south of the Antonine Wall. Centuries prior to WD1, the Picts and Scots were united under a single kingdom, initially formed to ward off Norse raids on British lands. However, on WD1, King Jaeorcy of the Picts and Scots abdicated, leaving Alba in a succession crisis which deteriorated into chaos. Amidst the disarray, Onnenn MacDhubh, mormaer of Fíbh, united the Pictish lands through a mixture of diplomacy and conquest and proclaimed herself Queen of the Picts on WD2.

Much of the early days of the kingdom were spent building up Pennrímonidh. On WD6, construction of the Pennrímonidh Office of Trade and Exploration began, spurred on by the construction of similar customs houses in Ængeland and Hamburg. Over the course of several server days, from WD7 to WD9, Pictland slowly expanded into the Northern Isles. On WD10, in response to the expansion of the USSR in Eastern Europe, NATO was founded, with Pictland (along with every other member of the IBC) as one of its founding members. On WD[##], the Caledonian Canal was built, and in the following server days, the Great Glen was converted into a massive agricultural region.

### The DPL War

For many server days, Inman and Miko, rulers of Dope People Land, had committed many violations of international law, such as trapping nations and their leaders in slavery through corrupt contracts, burning down forests, stealing from countless players, and possibly x-raying. On WD23, the Roman pope publicly denounced one such contract, sparking widespread outrage from the international community. The following day, Queen Onnenn publicly denounced Dope People Land. Tensions rose as a GPA coalition against Dope People Land was formed and Inman and Miko were expelled from the GPA, and eventually, war broke out, with Pictish forces participating in the looting of Stockholm and the containment of Inman. In the aftermath of the war, the heads of Inman and Miko were displayed at the entrance to the North Tower as a celebration of the GPA's victory and a warning to the enemies of Pictland.

### Restructuring of NATO

The next several server days were relatively uneventful for Pictland. However, on WD30, Eire and Bosnia, which had been the military powerhouses of NATO, suddenly left the alliance, followed by the Roman Empire and Baytika. This unexpected development prompted the restructuring of NATO (which was thus renamed the North Atlantic Trade Organization) into a decentralized economic alliance. The nations of the British Isles, which retained diplomatic and economic ties with Eire through the IBC, were the least affected by the withdrawal of Eire from NATO and the crisis which briefly ensued.

### Beginnings of the Consortium and colonial ventures in Africa

On WD60, one server day after the foundation of the Pictish colonial port of Cinala, the United Consortium of Nations (UCN) was founded, led by Occitania. Pictland, along with several other nations, was among the first to ratify its constitution, thus becoming a founding member. On WD61, the expansion of the planned colony of Cábu was blocked by the landing of an expedition from Japan led by Shigetsune Yasuke, who declared himself the shogun of Kurūre. After a period of tense negotiation between the two nations, a border was drawn expanding Pictish Cinala slightly further east along the Corubal River while allowing a Kurūre buffer zone surrounding the palace at Saikyō.

## Settlements

* Pennrímonidh, Fíbh (capital)
* Caor Adheiniog, Ferthir
* Stiórnabhagh, Inisou Gall
* Loch Básdal, Inisou Gall
* Bágh Eglés, Inisou Orch
* Breidhaodh, Ialtlann
* Dín Streimoi, Faroiar
* Cinala, Cinala