Verde Emeral
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The Commonwealth of Verde Emeral (often shortened to Verde) is a federal multi-party Presidential republic. Located in far north Ostara on the border of Brigidna, it is an expansive country, crisscrossed by a number of rivers from which its meager wealth flows, an entirely continental country except for the large island of Gaik. It's north-west border is the inland Sanctuary Sea, which it shares with Angiris and Ustyara, while the Muu Mountains to its north-east are a natural barrier to Inner Ostara. It also shares borders with several other third world states to its west borders.
The country has been a melting pot of cultures since antiquity, the Proto-Verdian people having migrated from central Ostara around 1115 CE and melded with both the native population and Angrisian people to form the modern culture of Verde Emeral. The Proto-Verdian's wrested control from a number of small warlords left over since the collapse of the Angirisian Empire's rule in the area sixty years before. The modern Commonwealth was founded in 1560 CE following the collapse of the communist People's Paradise of Verde Emeral and since its democratisation the country has since been riding an economic boom of trade and resource exploitation, led by the ruling Light of Peace Party who have won the two elections since the introduction of democracy.
Etymology
The name Verde Emeral (lit. translated Green Emerald) was first recorded in 1221 CE, 106 years after the Proto Verdian's conquered the area that is the modern state. The earliest record comes from the Solnar Codex, an early Barsah text that records decrees of the first Ihk Ider, Afzon I. The Fourteenth Barsah Decree translated begins with And the Ihk Ider does decree, over all the Tergazar de Verde bol Emeral. The Tergazar de Verde bol Emeral (Land of Green and Emerald) was commonly in the following century, shortening to Verde Emeral by around 1290 CE. Etymologists suggest that the name comes from the emerald jewelry popular with the native people, and the green algae blooms that regularly take place in Verde's many rivers, making this land in the eyes of the foreign Proto Verdian's a land of Emeralds and Green.
History
The modern concept of a Verdian state was the brainchild of Margad Nogoon, the dictator of the People’s Paradise of Verde Emeral for twenty two years. Before Margad’s ‘Brilliant Unity’ Verde was a loose collection of disparate city states, technologically stunted and entirely reliant on a sea based economy - fishing, piracy and trade. The entire culture had migrated up river from the river valleys of inner Ostara, conquering the chaotic remains of the Angirisian Empire’s presence in the area, which had once been dominant, but by the time of the arrival of the Proto-Verdian people around 1115 CE had retreated to its homeland on the opposite side of the Sanctuary Sea. They absorbed and melded with the local cultures to become modern Verdes.
By the time of Margad Nogoon, the country had spent four hundred years in stasis, changing very little in politics or even technology. A lowly bureaucrat of an influential family in the city of Altam, Margad Nogoon rose to power using his family's wealth and tactics learned during his time at an Angirisian university to bring down the city councils. It is suspected but impossible to confirm that he assassinated most of his family in order to inherit that wealth.
Working with the Barsah religious clergy, Margad usurped the ruling tribal council of Altan and mastered propaganda, inciting the people to rise up in a jingoistic and religious fury. He led a bloody conquest of the other cities of the Verde Coast, who remained divided over ideological, linguistic and religious conflicts and so posed little threat to him as he progressively assimilated local populations over a twenty year period. Verde was only just unified when Margad died at the age of 60, after 22 years of rule. His regime fell apart, the dictator having firmly believed in his invincibility and refused to appoint a successor - or even a government machination that could appoint one. His ruthless policies - suppressing dissident religions, languages and ethnicities - proved effective but island cities, only recently conquered, almost seceded.
The Commonwealth was formed by Askam Akando, a city mayor from the island of Gaik. He pioneered a peace conference among the many local governments of Verde following Margad’s sudden death, proposing a federal model that pleased many states, who wished a level freedom but also protection, the presence of more unified states in their region posing a significant threat to any small independent cities that might secede. The Commonwealth held its first elections in 1560, the Light of Peace Party emerging with a marginal majority in the legislative and winning President. Their majority decreased slightly at the next election because of what was perceived as mismanagement of the vast wealth pouring into the nation, but they have held steady since.
