Tzen
From Xinda
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| National motto: Unity and Faith | |||
| National anthem: The Hymn of Julianos | |||
| Region | New Liberalia | ||
| Capital | Jacinto | ||
| Largest Cities | Balamb Miranda Port Sinclair | ||
| Spoken Languages Official Unofficial | Tzeni English, Caldanese Latagonian | ||
| Government Magnate (Head of State)
Chancellor (Head of Gov't) | Holy Constitutional Monarchy Loric the Mad Ronald Walker | ||
| Founded Consitutional Monarchy | Circa 1100 C.E. T.Y. 1257 | ||
| Population • 2008 census | 397,000,000 | ||
| Currency | 1 Tenge (T) = 100 coins (c) | ||
| Constitution | The Compact | ||
Contents |
History
Tzen is a small, independent Constitutional Monarchy in the Eastern Territories of Liberalia. It was during the Golden Age of Tzen (before the 1st Gevon War and the end of the 2nd Gevon War) that the nation had unparalleled growth in the economy and the military; all due to the wise and somewhat insane rule of King Kefka Almasy (who died shortly before the 3rd Gevon War). And then the Age of Strife came. Four decades prior to the reemergence of the Tzen, the nation was consumed by chaos consisting civil strife, warlordism, internal conflict within the Royal Family and a deadly Plague which killed over a third of the entire population of the former nation. After surviving over three decades of utter anarchy, the remaining citizenry (those who hadn't died in the plague, fled to Ignathkar or the Caldari State, or just went back to tribalism) boarded ships bound for the unknown, never to return.
Upon the arrival in the New World (New Liberalia), an Emergency Council was formed to administer the weary citizenry as they settled along the Gold Coast - considered Holy Land by the Wisdom of the Nine Divines. Lucien Cass, the 'leader' of the Council, who was also the heir of the Almasy line was soon undisputed leader of the young nation however he didn't live long enough to see his own agenda reach fruition. After a short period of confusion and scapegoating, another council was formed to declare Loric the Mad who was an illegitimate child twice removed, to be the new Magnate. There was no dispute given the circumstances.
Under Loric's rule, Tzen has rapidly bounced back from its period of instability of the prior forty years, with the population growing, new industries blossoming and new allies in a fragile and unstable world, Tzen is expected to continue its unprecedented reemergence due to its hardworking, determined people and their faith in the Nine Divines.
Economy
The nation forty years ago at the end of the 2nd Gevon War had heavy manufacturing as its main industry and with it, was the backbone of the Tzen economy. Today, Tzen's primary economy is based upon the emerging and growing biotechnology and High-Tech sectors with a slowly-developing higher-education sector. Tzen, while small, thanks its ability to compete globally with other nations, even larger ones due to the Sciences Incentive Act approved by the Magnate weeks after the Trans-Tzen Railway between Jacinto (the capital) and Port Sinclair (the first settlement of Tzen) was completed. Even now, the railway has been expanded to Balamb and rails are being placed for a branch off to Tierijev, a mining town on the Fringe which is home to the majority of the nation's copper, tin, iron and coal mines. There is rumors of vast gold, silver and platinum deposits to the west of the current boundaries.
Notable Places
Jacinto is the 'traditional' capital of the nation; it is the seat of power for the Royal Family, home to the beautiful Niche Gardens; and it is also the location of the Holy Mount. Upon the plateau lies the Grand Cathedral of the Nine Divines and the Sacred City where millions make the pilgrimage from across the Gold Coast to pay their respects to the gods and ask for their blessing. The Prelate, currently held by the respectable William the Wise is the highest religious leader in Tzen other than His Majesty himself and he takes up residence in the Sacred City, protected by the special Tarkhos Guards. Due to strict government policies, there can be no foreign buildings in Jacinto nor government buildings for that matter since Jacinto has been decreed by the Magnate to be a place of religious importance and not of political chaos. Therefore, all official government business, headed by the Chancellor, Ronald Walker, is administered out of Balamb, the country's most populous (pop. ~7.3 million); most vibrant; and its the economic and technological center of the nation.
Military
Given Tzen's small size and population, the nation barely has a standing army; however in times of war, the nation's Home Guard, made up of males between the ages of 18-25 is called up to defend the Gold Coast. Currently the number of soldiers is around 300,000 in times of war but during peacetime this number can be as low as 5,000. The Royal Guardsman, numbering 60,000, is the nation's only other standing force both during peace and war-times and each member has swore their lives to protect the Royal Family and the Holy City of Jacinto alongside their brethren, the Tarkhos Guards.
Tzen has a small merchant navy which acts as His Majesty's personal merchants who travel the vast oceans trading exotic goods for products the nation needs given its size but in times of war, the ships can me modified rapidly for battle. Loric the Mad has made it a goal to build a more proper navy in the coming years so that the Merchant Navy can focus its attention on less 'dangerous' missions. The Air Force barely exists and it serves almost exclusively as a recon branch, assisting in pinpointing enemy locations so the army can deal with the threat. In bluntest terms, if Tzen is invaded, it can't really hold out on its own.
Politics
Given its central location in the Eastern Hemisphere of the world, Tzen has established ties with several of its neighboring countries. His Highness made it clear upon his ascension to the throne that the nation would never join any entangling organization like the Union or the Commonwealth of Nations because its members are unable to be given much freedom to decide their own foreign policies. The current 'diplomatic' status is Armed Neutrality and His Majesty has ordered several thousand members of the Home Guard militia to return to active duty until the emerging crisis in the hemisphere has subsided. Below is a list of nations Tzen has had formal deliberations with.
- Etombia: NAP, EOE, Trade Agreement, Hi-Tech Incentives
- Reunion: NAP, EOE, Trade Agreement, Hi-Tech Incentives, Defense Pact
- Iwaqin: NAP, EOE, Trade Agreement, Food Aid/Hi-Tech Incentives
- Caropsyne Pontanore: NAP, EOE, Trade Agreement
- Prasser: NAP, EOE, Trade Agreement
- Senorak Valley: NAP, EOE, Trade Agreement, Hi-Tech Incentives
- Nisadon: NAP, Trade Agreement
- Latagon: NAP, EOE, Trade Agreement, Hi-Tech Incentives
As the nation's title state that Tzen is a Holy Constitutional Monarchy, with Loric the Mad as its Head of State; Ronald Walker, the Chancellor, is voted in by the citizenry of the country and he is responsible for the day-to-day government affairs of the nation. The Compact, signed between the Almasy Royal Family and the People state that they will be allowed to have their own governing body to determine issues pertaining to their own interests as well as certain unalienable rights granted to them by the will and grace of Julianos. To this end, Tzen has a single legislative body called the National Assembly which keeps the Administration in check. At this time, the National Assembly has 201 members, divided fairly even between the nation's two major political parties:
- The Movement for Reform and Progress (Left-Wing) led by Dennis Lloyd; Seats in NA: 95
- The National Front (Right-Wing and Controlling Party) led by Ronald Walker; Seats in NA: 106
The Almasy Royal Family
The Almasy Royal Family has the ruling family since the Battle of Raven Rock in T.Y. 1201. Prior to that fateful battle, Tzen was a collection of squabbling principalities, duchies and fiefdoms; each ruled independently. Around 1190, the then-ruling Magnate of Jacinto, Peter Almasy, declared his intention of unifying all the tiny domains into a single Tzen. Many lords embraced his actions and they rallied under his banner while others were terrified and joined under the banner of the Almasy Family's rival, the Figaros who ruled the Dukedom of Miranda. By 1200, the sides were drawn the fateful battle occurred. It lasted five days and at the end, the forces of Miranda were driven from the field and Peter declared victory. A truce was signed days after the fighting subsided.
After the 'Civil War', Almasy immediately reformed the nation under his wise Leadership. It was in 1210 that the Almasy Family and the population of his home territory of Jacinto was converted to the teachings of the Nine Divines, especially the wisdom of Julianos. After Peter's death at the age of 98 in T.Y. 1219; Kekfa, his eldest son took over the throne in Jacinto at the age of 19. It was the beginning of Tzen's Golden Age;, the economy prospered, the arts flourishing, the population growing. After 38 years into his tenure, he declared that Tzen would be a Holy Consitutional Monarchy with an elected Chancellor as head of government while he continued to be the head of State. Unfortunately he was swept into the devastating Gevon Wars which resulted in Tzen's humiliating defeat at the Battle of the Gates.
By then, Tzen had begun a slow decline due to corruption with the family and numerous internal conflicts. Kefka died in 1282 just before the advent of the 3rd Gevon War and the Age of Strife broke out. For 40 years the Royal Family remained in hiding while the nation was consumed by warlordism and rouge rulers. A mysterious plague broke out in 1312 killing off a large percentage of the population. In 1317 they and their remaining people decided to leave the Old World in search of a new world to rebuild their lives. After extensive research, all of Kefka's legitimate hiers had died off during the period of strife and only one person remained: Loric. He was an illegitimate child of the late King because he was conceived by one his many mistresses however the people needed a leader and they threw out tradition for urgency. Today, Loric 'the Mad' Almasy is the current ruling monarch of the Holy Constitutional Monarchy. He has conceived two children: Rachel (22) and Robert (13). For the first time in Almasy history, a female is the heir to the throne. The future looks bright for the Royal Family even with its chaotic past. Unfortunately in July of 1322, Robert Almasy was shot while he was asleep in the Palace. There has yet to be any suspects.
Family Tree:
- Peter Almasy (1121-1219) = Lucy of Lindblum; Had 1 child: Kefka
- Kefka Almasy (1200-1257) = Mary of Balamb; Had 4 children: Paul (dead), George (dead), Allen (dead) and Amy (died in childbirth)
- Loric Almasy (1252-Present) = Melanie of Narshe; Have 2 children: Rachel (22) and Robert (Dead at 13 in T.Y. 1322)
- Rachel Almasy (1300-Present): Heir to the Throne; Not married
