Eskkya

The Federal Republic of Eskkya (Laurentian: République fédérale de l'Escovie), or simply Eskkya (Laurentian: Escovie), is a sovereign state located in western Brigidna. It borders the Republic of Valland to the west, the Kingdom of North Strathae to the north, the Allied States of Carpathia and Moldova to the east and the Kingdom of Lomarre to the south. Stretching from the Bay of Frest (local name) to the Gaels, the country's most extensive mountain range, Eskkya is home to approximately 50 million inhabitants and a rainbow of Bridgidnan cultures. It is a federal republic with Rambouillet as its capital, the country's second largest city by population and cultural hub. Officially and staunchly a secular state, the constitution of Eskkya recognises no religion and completely prohibits public money being used to fund religious projects, such as the funding of houses of worship, though Eskkyan citizens are free to practice their faith in the comfort of their homes and and holy sites.

Formed in 732 CE through the unification of the Kingdom of Gwened, the Kingdom of Falmore and the Grand Duchy of Strathae, Eskkya existed for over 700 years in the form of a loose confederation until 1452 CE, when the monarchy was overthrown in a somewhat bloody revolution, resulting in Eskkya being proclaimed a federal republic. The northernmost regions of Strathae, today referred to as the Kingdom of North Strathae, broke away from Eskkya in 1315, gaining independence after a somewhat lengthy conflict between the crown and northern clans. The country has since pursued a policy of neutrality in order to secure its affluence and preserve its way of life, electing mostly right-wing governments that have been rather hostile towards immigration and social change, though, it has, with the election of the left-wing Socialist Party in 1548, begun to embrace the wider world, pursuing a more progressive foreign policy, and champion social reform.

Despite its Bràidzhonig heritage, the modern Eskkyan state is shaped by Jacobine (Laurentian-speaking Republican) ideology and it is this identity, not its Bràidzhonig past, that the state embraces and promotes. According to the nation's own constitution, Laurentian is the sole official language of the Eskkyan people - a viewpoint that is highly contested by Bràidzhonig nationalists. The three ancestral languages of Esskya - Beaton, Fredleigh and Iyeau - have experienced a revival in the last decade, after almost two centuries of being shunned by the political elite and discouraged by the state itself. Although native speakers are found mostly in rural areas, the languages have increasingly become more common and available in larger cities. It was against the law for any federal entity to recognise Beaton, Fredleigh or Iyeau until 1572. Communities of Valenci (a Lomarren dialect) speakers are found in the south-east of the country, close to the border with Lomarre. Around 10% of the country's inhabitants were born overseas, with large communities of migrants being found in the capital, Rambouillet, and the largest city, Bealadair. Although viewed internationally as a somewhat conservative society, Eskkya performs relatively well when it comes to women rights, with many of the country's top officials - both political and religious - being female.

Etymology

"Eskkya" derives from the word Esci, the Old Varik word for the Gaels - the nation's largest mountain range. The term was initially used by the Vals - the ancient tribe which inhabited the Gaels over two thousand years ago - to refer to Old Varik speaking areas of the Gaels (modern-day Strathae and northern Falmore), but as the Vals migrated to inhabit the surrounding lowlands (modern-day Gwened, southern Falmore and areas in eastern Valland) the definition expanded too. The use of the word Eskkya to encompass all of what is now Eskkya became common around 200 CE. Despite the fact that modern-day Eskkya has since embraced another culture, the word Eskkya itself is proof of the nation's undeniable Bràidzhonig and non-Laurentian roots and past.

Geography

The Gaels, largest mountain range to run through Eskkya's borders

The Federal Republic of Eskkya borders the Republic of Valland to the west, the Kingdom of Lomarre to the south, the Kingdom of North Strathae to the north and the the Allied States of Carpathia and Moldova to the east. Extending across the south side of the Gaels in western Brigidna, the Commonwealth of Eskkya encompasses a diversity of landscapes and climates over an area of 407,529.97 sq km. With a population of just under 51 million, the average population density sits at 124.06/km² or 124 persons per square kilometer. The more mountainous north of the country, namely the cantons of Falmore and Strathae, are more sparsely populated than the mostly flat east, but not by much.

There are four basic topographical areas: the Eskkyan Gaels, the Genevan Mountains or Valish Mountains, the Adalins and the Wetlands. The Gaels by far covers the largest area, whereas the vast majority of Eskkya's population live in the Wetlands, or the Gwenedonian Plateau. The Eskkyan landscape is covered by huge forests, deep valleys, mountains, lakes and rivers. Of the total area of Eskkya (407,529.97 sq km), only about a 30% can be considered low lying, and only 46% of the country is below 500 metres (1,640 ft). Even though the Gaels is the longest mountain range, running through much of Strathae and Falmore, the highest points in the country are actually in the Adalins and the Genevan Mountains. There are at least 14,000 freshwater lakes in Eskkya, most of which are rather small. Lake Eskon in the north-west of the country is one of the largest lakes in Brigidna. Loch Alber (area of 51 km2) in the north-east of the country, close to the border with the Kingdom of Strathae, is the deepest lake in Eskkya with a maximum depth of 516 m.

The five highest mountains in Eskkya are:

Name	Height	Range	Locality
Bradon Meir	4,107 m	Adalins	Gwened/Carpathia and Moldova
Mor Frae	3,789 m	Adalins	Gwened
Mont Blanc	3,751 m	Genevan Mountains	Falmore
Arcalod	3,704 m	Genevan Mountains	Falmore/Valland
Ben Lamon	3,702 m	Gaels	Strathae

Climate

Being a rather mountainous nation, Eskkya is generally milder than its immediate neighbours. The Eskkyan climate, however, varies greatly between localities, ranging from glacial conditions on the mountaintops of the Adalins to the often pleasant Lagrainian climate of Eskkya's southernmost regions. The mountainous character of Eskkya is responsible for the weather change among different regions. It is common to move from a cold and cloudy landscape to a beautiful clear blue sky in just a few minutes. The climate in the north is moderate, influenced by the Gaelin landscape: the winters are cold, and the summers tend to be warm (though rain is not uncommon). The climate in the westernmost and easternmost regions of the country cannot be described as moderate, with cool to cold weather all year around and snowfalls in the winter. Mountain passes in these regions are often closed during the winter months. The southernmost regions of Eskkya, namely southern Falmore, enjoy the warmest climate. The city of Valandia, for example, enjoys on average 265 sunny days a year, with the average temperature in Septem reaching 25ºC.

Wild Life

Politics

Political System

Template:Main ArticleAlthough founded as a loose confederation in 732, the Federal Republic of Eskkya is today a federation. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Eskkya adopted in 1452 following the abolition of the monarchy is the legal foundation of the modern federal state. It outlines the structure of the state's institutions, identifies the division of powers between commune, canton and federal levels and highlights the rights afforded to all citizens of the commonwealth. There are three main governing bodies on the federal level: the bicameral parliament (legislative), the Federal Government (executive) and the Supreme Court (judicial).

File:Le musée du Louvre (4750261198).jpg

The Supreme Ovrial, the seat of the Eskkyan legislature.

The parliament of the Federal Republic of Eskkya, officially known as the Supreme Ovrial, comprises of two houses: the National Congress (lower) and the Federal Council (upper). The National Congress, the largest of the two houses, consists of 732 representatives who are elected under a system of proportional representation, using the D'Hondt method. Representatives serve for five years. Despite the electoral system's reputation for producing coalition governments in other parts of the world, Eskkyan governments tend to be stable and the country has had a coalition government only once in its entire history. The Federal Council, on the other hand, consists of 31 representatives - 10 from each canton and 1 from the Rambouillet Capital Region- elected under an electoral system determined by each region. The members of the Federal Council act as representatives of the regional governments in the capital, whereas the members of the National Congress are representatives of the Eskkyan people. Federal Council members also serve a five year term. All Eskkyan citizens aged 18 and over, regardless of their canton of residence, are guaranteed the right to vote and stand in federal elections by the country's constitution, though cantons, and the RCR, have their very own constitutions outlining the different regulations regarding elections. For example, in Falmore, a resident of the canton must be be aged 18 or over to vote in cantonal elections, whilst in Strathae, residents aged 16 or over are free to participate.

File:Eskkya NC 1575.svg

Composition of the National Congress. (1575)
<span style="background-color:#97519C; color:; border:1px solid #000000; text-align:center;">    Democratic Alliance: 302 seats
<span style="background-color:#CF1111; color:; border:1px solid #000000; text-align:center;">    Socialist Party: 179 seats
<span style="background-color:#156999; color:; border:1px solid #000000; text-align:center;">    National Coalition: 230 seats
<span style="background-color:#90B547; color:; border:1px solid #000000; text-align:center;">    Green Party: 11 seats
<span style="background-color:#F7F72F; color:; border:1px solid #000000; text-align:center;">    Strathaen National Party: 3 seats
<span style="background-color:#FF0000; color:; border:1px solid #000000; text-align:center;">    Communist Party: 3 seats
<span style="background-color:#060680; color:; border:1px solid #000000; text-align:center;">    True Eskkya: 2 seats
<span style="background-color:#000000; color:; border:1px solid #000000; text-align:center;">    Pensioners Congress: 2 seats

The Federal Government, Eskkya's executive branch, directs the federal administration of the state. Usually led by the leader of the largest party in the National Congress, or the leader of the largest bloc in the case of a coalition, the Federal Government carries out the duties outlined in the country's constitution, such as shaping the country's defence, immigration and foreign affairs policies and administering federally-funded institutions such as universities and colleges. The head of the Federal Government is referred to as the Premier (usually the leader of the largest party in the National Congress) and he/she is responsible for appointing members to the cabinet. If the leader of the largest party fails to form a viable coalition, the Chief Justice may invite another party leader to form a coalition. The current Premier of the Federal Republic of Eskkya is Maxime Beaumont, a member of the Democratic Alliance, currently the largest party in the National Congress.

Administrative Divisions

The Federal Republic of Eskkya consists of three cantons- Gwened, Strathae and Falmore - and one district, the Rambouillet Capital Region. According to the country's own constitution, the cantons have a permanent constitutional status and are entirely equal. Unlike the situation in many countries around the world, Eskkyan cantons have a high degree of independence, having their own constitutions, parliaments and courts.

Region	Capital	Governor	Population
50px Rambouillet Capital Region	Rambouillet	Bertrand Trottier	4,747,951
50px Canton of Strathae	Eideinn	Édouard Fraiser	6,571,301
50px Canton of Gwened	Vanet	Arzhel Le Bal	22,978,460
50px Canton of Falmore	Hwlffordd	Danielle Regnard	16,598,854

Foreign Relations and the Military

With a long history of armed neutrality and a constitution that forbids the use of the country's armed forces outside the country's territorial borders except in the case of self-defence, Eskkya has not been in a state of war since the Crown-Clan Wars of the early 1300s. Eskkya's commitment to armed neutrality shapes the country even today, with a key aim of its foreign policy being to form good relations with countries throughout the world. Eskkya, therefore, refrains from interfering in the internal affairs of other countries, though the current government has been more vocal than any previous government on global affairs.

Valland is today the country's closest friend, primarily due to the deep historic ties between the two states and the Laurentian language. Eskkya maintains good relations with rest of the Laurentiophone world, too. Despite a somewhat uneasy past, Eskkya enjoys rather good relations with North Strathae and the two countries work closely in several areas, such as tourism, due to their mutual past and values. Eskkya has had formal relations with the Confederation of Sivelia since the nation's formation and relations remain stable even today. Eskkyans were heavily involved in the creation of the confederation and even named one of its provinces, Nova Escovia, after their homeland. It has, in recent years, begun to improve its relations with countries in other parts of the world, a notable example being the Kingdom of Goldecia, which Eskkya previously had little contact with.

Culture

Cuisine

Eskkyan cuisine is known for being amongst the finest in the world. Like most other things in Eskkya, the country's cuisine is diverse and differs between each region. The north of the country prefers to use butter as the preferred fat for cooking, whereas olive oil is more commonly used in the south. Eskkya's most renowned products/dishes are: chocolate, wine and stews.

Eskkya is regionally famous for its high quality meat. Agas Beef, which is rather expensive to buy, contributes greatly to the Strathaen economy and is the country's third most exported product, after chocolate (1) and wine (2), in the 'food and drink' category. Yet, despite its reputation worldwide, the country has a huge vegetarian population, with some studies suggesting that almost 30% of Eskkyans are vegetarians. Therefore, food that is fit for vegetarians is popular throughout the country and companies are investing in the production of new vegetarian- suitable products.

Typical Eskkyan chocolates

Alcohol is viewed by most in the country as an essential element of the Eskkyan identity. Wine, in particular, is highly popular throughout the country and most adults drink at least one glass of wine per night. Gwened produces some of the world's best wines, which contributes greatly to the canton's economy. In the northernmost regions of the country, wine is less popular and beer is the preferred drink.

Chocolate, so important to the image of Eskkya around the world that it is so often viewed as a national symbol in its own right, has been made in the country for 300 years, though gained its world renowned reputation in the early 1400s. The invention of modern techniques such as conching and tempering allowed the production of the high-quality Eskkyan chocolate of today. Eskkya is not only a major producer of chocolate, it is one of the largest consumers as well.