Fade to Black

A brief history

Almost since the beginning of history, the robust region of Fade to Black (formerly Fadetoblack) has survived as the home of several more-or-less allied nations. The two current member nations, F2B and Not F2B, were both members of the region in its earliest form. However, they have not continuously remained members.

Griefers

Fadetoblack (as it was then known) was torn asunder in the nineteenth century by a group of rogue nations that siezed control of the region. At first, the Griefers (as they came to be called) gained regional leadership by diplomatic means. The original nations were victimized through their own good will, allowing these virtually unknown nations to infiltrate key diplomatic roles within the region. With stunningly devious strategic skill, the Griefers took complete control of the region, forcing the entire populations of original nations to find new lands for settlement. Several original Fadetoblack nations found peaceful co-existence with nations of what was then the Barbelith region. From this more stable region, negotiation through the United Nations and other international organizations eventually led to the re-establishment of order in Fadetoblack. The forces of the Griefer rogue nations where expelled through international trade blockades and diplomatic pressure. Along with over three million international peace-keeping troops, the original Fadetoblack nations returned.

FART

Ironically, these strong ties with friendly nations in the Barbelith region contributed to the disintegration of the second Fadetoblack alliance. The political weakness evident during the Griefer invasion led to loss of respect between leaders of the Fadetoblack nations. As the region again disintegrated, nation by nation unilaterally discharged the Fadetoblack Alliance Regional Treaty (FART). Lacking political leadership or sound government structure, many Fadetoblack countries ceased to exist as independent, sovereign nations. Their provinces and territories were divided up among more dynamic nations in neighboring regions.

BRA

Concerned by the continuing instability of the region and the weakness of the FART, F2B and Not F2B joined with other nations in grasping onto the Barbelith Region Alliance (BRA). Within a few years, the popular alarmist tabloids were making headlines of the same disintegrative process developing in Barbelith, though at a slower pace. The political leaders of F2B were quick to move, enticing the Not F2B collective to join them in a re-forming of Fadetoblack. This region, originally including only the territories of F2B and Not F2B, was named Fade to Black to differentiate itself from the region of Fadetoblack, which now existed only in history and outdated geography texts. Remnants of the tattered BRA, The Antediluvian Sultanate of Gridley and The Empire of Hanabius XIII soon accepted invitations to add their territories to the Fade to Black region.

The Antediluvian Sultanate of Gridley

While enormously populous and powerful in its heyday, Gridley eventually became unstable due to the perverse predilections of its political leaders and general population. The national religion of Gridley essentially constituted worship of the female form, principally the buttocks. Homosexuality amongst women was strongly encouraged, which was incompatible with the institutionalized heterosexuality amongst men. While women of Gridley were able to find suitable partners, Gridley men often emigrated at a fairly young age. The main industry of Gridley was explicit, hardcore pornography, which gained the ire of other nations around the world. The combination of resultant harsh economic sanctions, negligible birth rate and high net emigration led to the collapse of Gridley both economically and politically. A cataclysmic political restructuring resulted in the disintegration of Gridley as a nation state.

Although some regions became territories of neighboring nations within the Fade to Black region, the cultural and ethnic influence of Gridley has been minimal. However, female sex workers in the region are still universally referred to as "Gridleys" or "Gridleyans", to the extent that this is no longer considered a colloquialism in Fade to Black dialects.

Gridleyan nationalists and those of Gridley origin who prefer to maintain their Gridleyan identity are often seen wearing t-shirts bearing the slogan "I'm with the monkey." The origins of this slogan are uncertain. Linguists have suggested that there is a common root in an archaic Gridleyan dialect between the words for "monkey" and "mystic", thus drawing a link to the nation's famous motto, "Where Mystics of All Faiths Gather to Contemplate Ass."

The Empire of Hanabius XIII

Hanabius XIII was ruled by a tyrannical self-styled "emperor" named Hanabius. Unfortunately, Hanabius was so paranoid that he trained no successors. Instead, he developed a system of government that was extraordinarily bureaucratic, with each civil servant trained in a very limited, specified area of administration. Hanabius himself was the only decision maker, the only true member of the Government, while millions of minions were involved in completing Hanabius-approved forms and enforcing Hanabius's proclamations and dictates.

The nation of Hanabius XIII was surprisingly prosperous and very stable during the life of Hanabius. Despite the cruel and oppressive leadership, the nation enjoyed a great deal of international good will and cooperation, in stark contrast to the neighboring nation of Gridley.

All this ended chaotically when Hanabius XIII was allegedly murdered by his lover, a young man of whom little else is known. The motive has never been established, but autopsy revealed that Hanabius XIII died from a combination of alcohol poisoning and acute allergic reaction to both shellfish and peanuts. His stomach contents were entirely satay shrimp and overproof rum, though only briefly.

In the ensuing disorder, the pumps and dykes that kept the lowlying lands of Hanabius XIII from being engulfed by the ocean were not maintained or attended. The civil servants responsible for these vital functions had abandoned their posts for various opportunistic pursuits, and no other person in Hanabius XIII was aware that their entire territory was below sea level until it was too late.

Nations in this region

• F2B
• Not F2B

Historic nations (not a complete list)

• Gridley
• Hanabius XIII

Indigenous animals

• fat tabby cat (Hanabius XIII national animal)
• hot dog (Not F2B national animal)
• poet (F2B national animal)
• sacred monkey (Gridley national animal)
• duck
• elephant
• ewok
• llama
• tropical penguin (unique to F2B)
• Hippo (believed to be extinct)

World Factbook entry

To be eligible to move to this region, you must be a member: http://www.fadetoblack.com/user.php

Regional Emergency Preparedness & Response site: http://groups.msn.com/fadetoblack/ (also the site of the proposed new Regional Headquarters)