Herspegova

The Free Land of Herspegova is a relatively young nation in the grand scheme of things. Founded in 1806, Herspegova is the primarily the result of internal conflict of the now defunct Kingdom of Novyasti. Since that time Herspegova has had a rather strained history, as any new nation does as it tries to define itself. Even now the nation and its peoples struggle to deal with their many problems.

Herspegova

Flag of Herspegova
Motto: "Carpe Mens Mentis"
Region	The Honor Guard
Capital	Novy Krella
Official Language(s)	English, Novestayan
Leader	President Tarek Janakev
Population	approx. 3.2 bil.
Currency	Klen
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History

Pre Exile

Few enough documents remain that describe what the life of the people of modern Herspegova was like before they were exiled.

Ancient

It was two thousand years ago that a people were exiled. The reason has long since been lost to time, and indeed no written accounts from that era exist. The tale has only been passed down through the generations of the people. A tale of how they had travelled listlessly for what seemed aeons, through lands both exotic and unforgiving. All they had to go on were the words of scorn from those who had banished them and vague directions to a place far from the minds of the 'good people'.
For a goodly time (it has been speculated to be approximately two hundred years) the people lived hard lives. They had no leader, existing only as a number of somewhat autonomous city-states. This could never last of course. Such a system screamed for someone to unite them. Either through benevolent desire for mutual benefit, or the dictatorial need for power and control over others. As it would happen the one who did eventually unite the people was spurned by both ideals. He was a man both like and unlike the ruler of any of the city-states. He lived in relative luxury, as his status afforded him, and did well to look after the welfare of his people. Through his prudent leadership they grew to a thriving city, great enough to challenge any of them.

Perhaps it was an odd twist of fate or as some say destiny that guided him to take action.

It was evening, and Tabrranni[1] had settled down to pour over some accounts of the citys treasury. Evidence points to him having expelled his previous accountant for incompetance. A guard strode in to his chambers, bowed, and announced that there was a man who had requested an audience most urgently with his lordship.
Tabrrani, never the man to deny his people, went at once. On the way to the audience chamber the guard informed him that he was not a citizen of their city but of a neighbouring city. This struck Tabrrani as most peculiar. The city mentioned, whose name has unfourtunatly been lost to time, was one which his own did not have dealings with. In fact, of those with whom he traded none admitted to dealing with them or the people. And what he was to hear would at last confirm his reasons for not engaging with them.
The man was quite young but clearly out of breath and exhausted, for he had collapsed to the floor and was struggling to breath. Tabrranni went to the man, kneeled down, and enquired as to why he was so exhausted. The young man replied that he had run near the whole way from his city, for fear of being spotted, as he had left through subterfuge. He came to beg Tabrrannis aid, that he might invade his city and free the people from the oppresive lord over them. Tabrranni was not a fool, but he could see that this man was sincere. He knew, however, that were he to go to war it would mean great hardship for his people. For though his army was sizeable, rumors drifted from that closed city as to soldiers like demons, unafraid of anything and willing to kill on but a word from their commanders. Yet he could not stand by and do nothing. This young man had endangered his life by coming to Tabrraniis city all for his people. It inspired him to do what was asked. He bade the man be taken and bathed and reclothed.

Tabrranni made preperations for war.

While the exact details of the battle have all but been lost some remain. We know that Tabrranni attacked with a force of some 150,000 men. Amred with short throwing spears and short swords they were to face a force of 227,000 soldiers, indoctrinated to be ruthless. A long siege began and many sallies were made by the defending force. But they were gradually worn down, and when the time was right Tabrranni entered the city and led his army in a victorious battle against the demoralised soldiers.
In the aftermath, when he stood at the entrance to the cities palace he had the lord paraded before him, flanked by his personal guard. He announced to the people that he would not kill him, rather he would exile him. As they had been themselves, so it would become the greatest punishment and shame for one to bear. It was this action, it is accepted, that won Tabrranni the love of the people. What followed over the next thirty years were many battles as Tabrranni freed more cities, until he had won himself the beginnings of an empire He consolodated the cities into a single unit, which he oversaw, relying on a few select officials to take care of the more intricate city based administration. And it was now that it occoured to him that if he were to liberate all the other cities he could bring them all under his benevolent rule, and of his sons - for he had been blessed with three sons shortly after the campaign.
To list and detail all of his battles would be far too lengthy. Needless to say that within the lifetime of his first son - Skrillis - the cities had been brought under their control. And with it came to be an empire that would last a thousand years. Before unrest would begin to challenge it.

Dark Ages

1500A.D. - 1800A.D.

Peace lasted for a time in the new empire, called Novestii, as the generations the sons of Tabrranni ruled their people with magnaminity. But that changed of course. It seems a sad fact of history that many kingdoms follow such, rather tragic paths. It was a slow change and for the most part the people did not really notice it until the changes became more apparent. They were forbidden to speak to those not from the empire, more and more foreign caravans were either stopped from entering or underwent harsh searches and the rulers grew more tyrannical as inbreeding seemed to rot the minds of those born to rule.
It was perhaps around 1500 A.D that this tyranny became much stricter. It was the rule of King Badonniis III, a man remembered for his cruelty that is surpassed only by that of the Mad King Dumah. The national religion set up something of an Inquisition, called Olukhassa ("Seekers of Devotion"), supported and supplemented by the King, of routing out those who did not treat their religious duties with the respect required, or did not carry them out in full. In truth this was a rather thinly vailed attempt to rout out those who were less than fanatically loyal to the King. But the power of the mob should never be underestimated and it was about 100 years later that King Khelvaletch, in an attempt to truly win favour with the people, dissolved the Olukhassa and issued pardons to those who had been interred by them. It was not much and proportionally did not do much to quench the anger of the people, but looking at it from a historical point of view it seems to have been enough to at least stave off a full-scale rebellion.

It would be another 200 years until civil unrest on such a scale was witnessed, during the reign of King Dumah I; a man who is a legend for his cruelty.

1802

1806

Recent

Government

To an outsider, the government of Herspegova may appear somewhat strange. Its design is rooted as much in the nations history as any pragmatism.

When the task came about, in 1806, for the leaders of the rebellion of four years previous to set up a government they looked to the nations history. A monarchy can be nothing more than a tyrannical dictatorship because it allows for only one person to exercise complete control over the running of a nation. The first, and most obvious, step was to create some type of parliamentary government. Copying the structure of many governments at the time it consisted of two houses:

Main Political Parties

Herspegovas government is comprised of a number of political parties of radically differing portfolios. However in the spirit of being a truly free nation this is fully accepted.

Socialist Development Party

Novestayan Loyalist Party

National Conservatives

Religion

The People

Geography

Economy

The Herspegovan economy is heavily reliant on the abundant uranium veins prominent in the south western region of the country. Iron and zinc ore are extracted in the south western and southern regions respectively, though these are mainly exported. An agreement formed between Herspegova and Narwah (the Herspegova-Narwah Mining/Defence Act) was to ensure that Herspegova had exclusive access rights to the massive uranium deposits near its border with Narwah. Although now void, Herspegovan officials have recently been making attempts to revive it.

A type of bulbous tuber known as 'gezga' is grown extensively in the country. It's hardiness towards extremes of weather have made it an ideal staple of the Herspegovan diet. Recently a trade agreement ensured that this tuber was exported to Nuekallaya.

Originally a highly socialist economy this has changed much due to the reforms put in place by President Tarek Janakev. When it was found that draconian measures in "protecting consumers" were driving all business away from Herspegova and causing massive economic collapse the government scrambled to repeal the laws. While there has been some criticism that President Janakev has not stayed true to his socialist origins or that of his party the majority of the populace supported his move.

Notes

[1] Tabrranni: The exact spelling of his name is a point of much contention amongst archaeologists. Some say that the long 'a' sound caused by the double 'r' does not fit in with other names of the area. Others argue that much written evidence exists to support this version. Being the most widely accepted version, it is the one used here.