Difference between revisions of "Torregal"
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| − | + | == Torregal == | |
| + | |||
| + | The '''Dominion of Torregal''' is comprised of a large central nation, a small island (Alcania Isle), and even smaller colony territories throughout the [[Latino Cascadia]] region. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == History == | ||
| + | |||
| + | In the year 1445 the nations of Spain, England, France, and Belgium sent three vessels forth on a joint mission of discovery, seeking to establish a European presence in the New World. Their orders were simple enough: set up a lasting colony, become self-sufficient, and destroy any native peoples. Lead by captain Juan Luis Jabrá, the European settlers spent thirteen long months at sea. But on October 8th, 1446, land was sighted! | ||
| + | |||
| + | On October 12th, the Europeans arrived in what they called "The Conquered Lands of Torregal", and set up their first colony, which bore Jabrá's name. For several months, the colony lived in relative solitude, and quickly grew into a thriving port through which more settlers could pass. But all was not well, and soon a group of natives known as the Negropie made themselves known. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The problem was with the native group itself: they were simply too amiable and nice for the Europeans to deal with. Jabrá couldn't justify carrying out his order to kill all natives when he discovered just how willing they were to help the colony. So he signed a lasting peace treaty with Negropie chief Piegan, which established a policy of cooperation with the natives. The European kings became enraged when they discovered this treachery, and soon vowed never to send support or relief to the colonists of Torregal. Soon, the colony was forgotten. | ||
| + | |||
| + | After many years, the colony was still thriving and had expanded into a great port for those Europeans who agreed with the mixed people of Torregal. There were two new colonies: one, Naza, on the island of Almania, off the coast of Jabrá; the other, Selion, was located not too far from Jabrá, a little ways inland. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The peace accords with the natives had expanded to encompass all the tribes of the southeast, pledging mutual cooperation and long-lasting trust. This was put to the test in the winter of 1456, when famine struck the Southern Xantonil people; their food stores depleted, they turned to the people of Torregal for help, and they weren't disappointed: soon, they were welcomed in Jabrá, practicing their own customs side-by-side with the Europeans. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Soon, the ideas of acceptance and cultural understanding became firmly entrenched in the mind of the Torregalians. They welcomed anybody into their numbers who was brave enough to ask, and willingly helped any person or people that needed it. They gladly shared their food and homes with those that didn't have them, and became known throughout the land as the people to turn to for help. | ||
| + | |||
| + | For hundreds of years, nothing changed. A few more cities were founded, new native peoples contacted, and the Sea of Storms discovered, but Torregal was still Torregal and their people still the nicest to be found in the New World. The European kings looked at Torregal and saw a thriving nation, a nation they ignored simply because it wasn't operating in the colonial way. Their eyes lit every time they heard stories of the lush natural beauty and rich resource deposits of Torregal, and soon took action. | ||
| + | |||
| + | In May of 1789, a joint military force led by the English shipped out to Torregal, quickly conquering the people (who had no need for a military force before that). While allowing "self rule", the Europeans plundered the mines and forests of Torregal, shipping natives back as slaves and burning whole villages. The people, native or otherwise, did nothing, for they had no way to stop this evil. So the nation of Torregal was ruled under the flag of Europe, and her people grew despondent. | ||
| + | |||
| + | It took nearly a century for anyone to bring a challenge against Europe, but in the year 1856 a man named Santiago Campeador rose up and united the peoples of Torregal, leading them in a heroic struggle against the Europeans. Using weapons from a nearby Dutch colony friendly to their plight, they fought long and hard against the Europeans, who eventually realized the folly of their conquest. In 1862, the Europeans left, leaving Torregal ravaged, but free. A convention of delegates from all over the land met and set up a primitive constitution, establishing the modern-day boundaries of Torregal and renewing their pledge to help anyone who asked. And so the Torregalians lived as they once had, staying out of international conflicts while offering a home to any refugees. | ||
| + | |||
| + | It was this last decision, the acceptance of refugees, that would bring Torregal to its darkest time ever. The year was 1941, and the Germans had started killing the Jews in record numbers. No country wanted to get involved, and the refugees had nowhere to turn. Nowhere but Torregal. Thousands upon thousands of European Jews fled to Torregal, setting up their own colony at San Sebastián. Hitler was livid; how dare anyone defy him?! His solution was simple: send an invasion force to quietly take control of the country. And that is precisely what he did. Even in the face of the last European conflict, Torregal had no standing army, and so they were easily conquered. A concentration camp was set up in Madrid and Hitler put into power a dictator named Üter Hadley, who ruled the country with an iron fist until his death in 1980. His young son Nathan took power and ruled until March 11th, 1988, when a resistance movement finally succeeded in deposing him. It is known that he fled to an area known as "Dantous" and set up a dictatorial empire there. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Torregal Today == | ||
| + | |||
| + | Torregal has been ruled by conservative parties since its Constitution was ratified after Hadley was deposed. These parties have supported isolationist policies, as well as the creation of a standing army. The Torregalians, with memories fresh in their minds of the horrors of war, went along with these policies, even though they weren't in keeping with the traditions of more than half a millenium. In 2004, however, famine struck, leaving thousands without food of any kind. The government of Torregal petitioned countries around the world for aid but found it was not forthcoming; Torregal had ignored their struggles, so why should they come to her aid? | ||
| + | |||
| + | The government was faced with an utter lack of foreign aid coupled with the cuts it had made to social programs. The people's confidence in the policies dropped to the point of nonexistence, and Torregalians recalled the way the country used to work with great enthusiasm. This was reflected in the May, 2005 elections: the Democratic Marxist Party vowed a return to the "old Torregal", and its candidates were elected in a landslide victory. Social programs were reinstituted, Torregal once again opened its arms to outsiders, and the people settled into the life once known by their forefathers... | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Government == | ||
| + | |||
| + | Torregal is a democratic republic. The Democratic Marxist Party is currently in power, having gained an absolute majority in the last parliamentary elections. The government's main emphasis is on Social Welfare and Education, though Health Care and Public Safety are important concerns as well. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The legislative branch is made up of a 350-member parliament with the President at the head. The executive branch is comprised of the President (who also functions as President of the Parliament), two Vice Presidents, and the President's cabinet of advisors. The judicial branch is made up of 21 justices, elected by the people to a lifetime term (though retirement or legislative impeachment are also possibile ends), whose task is to interpret the law in any given situation. | ||
| + | |||
| + | == Constitution == | ||
| + | |||
| + | The [[consitution of Torregal]] was re-written by the Democratic Marxist party upon their election and approved by a majority of citizens. It, in wide scope, establishes the basic rights of the citizens of Torregal. It was based on the Consitution of Spain, authored in 1975. | ||
Revision as of 00:34, 2 July 2005
| |
| Flag of Torregal | |
| Motto: Freedom and sensibility in an evolving world | |
| Map of Torregal | |
| Region | Latino Cascadia |
|---|---|
| Capital | Azamdín |
| Official Language(s) | Spanish |
| Leader | Comrade President Andrew Riley |
| Population | ~230 million |
| Currency | claseta |
| NS Sunset XML | |
Torregal
The Dominion of Torregal is comprised of a large central nation, a small island (Alcania Isle), and even smaller colony territories throughout the Latino Cascadia region.
History
In the year 1445 the nations of Spain, England, France, and Belgium sent three vessels forth on a joint mission of discovery, seeking to establish a European presence in the New World. Their orders were simple enough: set up a lasting colony, become self-sufficient, and destroy any native peoples. Lead by captain Juan Luis Jabrá, the European settlers spent thirteen long months at sea. But on October 8th, 1446, land was sighted!
On October 12th, the Europeans arrived in what they called "The Conquered Lands of Torregal", and set up their first colony, which bore Jabrá's name. For several months, the colony lived in relative solitude, and quickly grew into a thriving port through which more settlers could pass. But all was not well, and soon a group of natives known as the Negropie made themselves known.
The problem was with the native group itself: they were simply too amiable and nice for the Europeans to deal with. Jabrá couldn't justify carrying out his order to kill all natives when he discovered just how willing they were to help the colony. So he signed a lasting peace treaty with Negropie chief Piegan, which established a policy of cooperation with the natives. The European kings became enraged when they discovered this treachery, and soon vowed never to send support or relief to the colonists of Torregal. Soon, the colony was forgotten.
After many years, the colony was still thriving and had expanded into a great port for those Europeans who agreed with the mixed people of Torregal. There were two new colonies: one, Naza, on the island of Almania, off the coast of Jabrá; the other, Selion, was located not too far from Jabrá, a little ways inland.
The peace accords with the natives had expanded to encompass all the tribes of the southeast, pledging mutual cooperation and long-lasting trust. This was put to the test in the winter of 1456, when famine struck the Southern Xantonil people; their food stores depleted, they turned to the people of Torregal for help, and they weren't disappointed: soon, they were welcomed in Jabrá, practicing their own customs side-by-side with the Europeans.
Soon, the ideas of acceptance and cultural understanding became firmly entrenched in the mind of the Torregalians. They welcomed anybody into their numbers who was brave enough to ask, and willingly helped any person or people that needed it. They gladly shared their food and homes with those that didn't have them, and became known throughout the land as the people to turn to for help.
For hundreds of years, nothing changed. A few more cities were founded, new native peoples contacted, and the Sea of Storms discovered, but Torregal was still Torregal and their people still the nicest to be found in the New World. The European kings looked at Torregal and saw a thriving nation, a nation they ignored simply because it wasn't operating in the colonial way. Their eyes lit every time they heard stories of the lush natural beauty and rich resource deposits of Torregal, and soon took action.
In May of 1789, a joint military force led by the English shipped out to Torregal, quickly conquering the people (who had no need for a military force before that). While allowing "self rule", the Europeans plundered the mines and forests of Torregal, shipping natives back as slaves and burning whole villages. The people, native or otherwise, did nothing, for they had no way to stop this evil. So the nation of Torregal was ruled under the flag of Europe, and her people grew despondent.
It took nearly a century for anyone to bring a challenge against Europe, but in the year 1856 a man named Santiago Campeador rose up and united the peoples of Torregal, leading them in a heroic struggle against the Europeans. Using weapons from a nearby Dutch colony friendly to their plight, they fought long and hard against the Europeans, who eventually realized the folly of their conquest. In 1862, the Europeans left, leaving Torregal ravaged, but free. A convention of delegates from all over the land met and set up a primitive constitution, establishing the modern-day boundaries of Torregal and renewing their pledge to help anyone who asked. And so the Torregalians lived as they once had, staying out of international conflicts while offering a home to any refugees.
It was this last decision, the acceptance of refugees, that would bring Torregal to its darkest time ever. The year was 1941, and the Germans had started killing the Jews in record numbers. No country wanted to get involved, and the refugees had nowhere to turn. Nowhere but Torregal. Thousands upon thousands of European Jews fled to Torregal, setting up their own colony at San Sebastián. Hitler was livid; how dare anyone defy him?! His solution was simple: send an invasion force to quietly take control of the country. And that is precisely what he did. Even in the face of the last European conflict, Torregal had no standing army, and so they were easily conquered. A concentration camp was set up in Madrid and Hitler put into power a dictator named Üter Hadley, who ruled the country with an iron fist until his death in 1980. His young son Nathan took power and ruled until March 11th, 1988, when a resistance movement finally succeeded in deposing him. It is known that he fled to an area known as "Dantous" and set up a dictatorial empire there.
Torregal Today
Torregal has been ruled by conservative parties since its Constitution was ratified after Hadley was deposed. These parties have supported isolationist policies, as well as the creation of a standing army. The Torregalians, with memories fresh in their minds of the horrors of war, went along with these policies, even though they weren't in keeping with the traditions of more than half a millenium. In 2004, however, famine struck, leaving thousands without food of any kind. The government of Torregal petitioned countries around the world for aid but found it was not forthcoming; Torregal had ignored their struggles, so why should they come to her aid?
The government was faced with an utter lack of foreign aid coupled with the cuts it had made to social programs. The people's confidence in the policies dropped to the point of nonexistence, and Torregalians recalled the way the country used to work with great enthusiasm. This was reflected in the May, 2005 elections: the Democratic Marxist Party vowed a return to the "old Torregal", and its candidates were elected in a landslide victory. Social programs were reinstituted, Torregal once again opened its arms to outsiders, and the people settled into the life once known by their forefathers...
Government
Torregal is a democratic republic. The Democratic Marxist Party is currently in power, having gained an absolute majority in the last parliamentary elections. The government's main emphasis is on Social Welfare and Education, though Health Care and Public Safety are important concerns as well.
The legislative branch is made up of a 350-member parliament with the President at the head. The executive branch is comprised of the President (who also functions as President of the Parliament), two Vice Presidents, and the President's cabinet of advisors. The judicial branch is made up of 21 justices, elected by the people to a lifetime term (though retirement or legislative impeachment are also possibile ends), whose task is to interpret the law in any given situation.
Constitution
The consitution of Torregal was re-written by the Democratic Marxist party upon their election and approved by a majority of citizens. It, in wide scope, establishes the basic rights of the citizens of Torregal. It was based on the Consitution of Spain, authored in 1975.
