New Pangolias
| New Pangolias Nouveaux Auvergne | ||
|---|---|---|
| Town | ||
| Municipality of New Pangolias | ||
| ||
| Motto(s): From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs | ||
| Government | ||
| • Type | Socialist Technocracy | |
| • Body | Legislative Court of South Kryska | |
| • First Architect | Dr Baron Wolfgang Kreis | |
| Population | ||
| • Rural | 2 (20,000) | |
| Demonym(s) | Pangolite, Auvergnat | |
Nouveaux Pangolias (or New Pangolia) is a small town in the Commonwealth of Blackthorn, situated on the continent of Ceyreto, on the south bank of the Kryskan lake. It is the administrative capital of the Province of South Kryska within the Region of the Principality of Kryska. The province is the poorest settlement within Kyriska, the Commonwealth, Ceyreto and one of the poorest in Alathra.
The Flag
The Flag of South Kryska is a rectangular flag made up of two horizontal bans with an isosceles triangle hoisted on one side superimposed on a larger and longer triangle, with an aspect ratio of 1:2 with the following symbolism:
Colours:
Green - represents the fertility, agriculture, and nature of the land
White - represents purity, peace and the pursuit of enlightenment
Orange - represents the hard work, talent and perseverance of the people in the face of adversity
Blue - represents the life of South Kryskan civilization provided by the river
Red - represents the hardships & struggles of the people and the need to collaborate to endure
Shapes:
Triangle - represents the white mountains
Symbols:
Cogwheels - represents industry & progress
Cogwheel & Machete - represents the Importance of the proletariat agricultural worker and the working class
Coffee Beans - reflects the staple product of Brewstone
Wreath of Grain - represents commerce, agriculture and plenty
Corn - reflects the staple product of New Pangolias,
Open Book - represents devotion to science and culture, and the pursuit of knowledge
5-pointed Star - represents the unity of the people
Mountain - represents the natural barrier guarding the land from invasion
Rising Sun - represents the bright future
Historic Flag
The Flag of the Province of South Kryska was adopted from the Flag of the District of New Pangolias established during the Commonwealth’s district system, a horizontal rectangular tricolour flag with 1:2 aspect ratio. The Seal of the District of New Pangolias is derived from the flag and both contain the following symbolism:
Green - represents the fertility and agriculture of the land
White - represents purity, peace and the pursuit of enlightenment
Orange - represents the hard work, talent and perseverance of the people in the face of adversity
Additional Colours:
5-pointed Red Star at the centre of the flag - represents the hardships and many struggles faced by the people, and the need to collaborate to endure
Geography
New Pangolias resides within the moorland and forest biomes and is divided into 5 Wards with an average of 94.6% of the population below the world poverty line.
Ward 1: The Lakefront, the ward with the most development potential, with an average income of 2.14$ a day
Ward 2: The Estate, the only ward with minimal critical infrastructure and personal family estates of the working-poor technocrats at an average income of 8.21$ a day
Ward 3: The Historical Village, the smallest, most populated and most impoverished ward with 99.8% of the population living in extreme poverty at an income 1.24$ a day
Ward 4: The Riverbank (or The East Bank), the second largest, least developed, with 92.3% of the population living in extreme poverty at an income of 1.89$ a day
Ward 5: The Forest Reserve, the largest ward, consisting of half of the province's territory and the only ward that is unpopulated and is comprised of the Southern Kryriskan Forest
Ward 5.1 The Unregistered settlement Area is founded by indigenous South Kryskans and is a contested region within New Pangolias’ politics
Notable sites of interest include: The Wineyard, the Blackthorn Botanical Gardens and Apiary which includes a greenhouse and small hedge maze, the Blackthorn Honeyworks Building, and the Monument of the Fallen Soldier. The Indigenous Historic District was a site of interest until the massacre of Year 8, where mercenaries lit the historic district aflame and left 80% of the neighborhood decimated. Government commitments for restoration were deemed too expensive and canceled in favor of new development.
Government and Politics
The Municipality of New Pangolias, classified as underdeveloped rural and low-income, and is largely considered as an isolationist unitary technocratic socialist polity governed by the First Architect, with a semi-closed and centrally planned Agrarian economy comprising of state-owned collective farms and following an autarkic philosophy of self-reliance, self-sufficiency and autonomy brought on by necessity from the absence of foreign investments, the absence of foreign aid, and the political inter-relations of its upbringing. Education, Healthcare, Housing and many other government sectors are all subsidized.
Motto: “From each according to their ability, to each according to their need.”
Wildlife Conservation & Animal Welfare
Deer, Foxes, Horses, Bees, and many more indigenous animals are considered protected species of wildlife, with a fine of not less than 15,000$ and no more than 30,000$ per animal killed.
Legalization of Axolotl Meat Products
Fried Axolotl, known for its delicious tender flavour, has become a highly controversial subject among the South Kryskan Population.
This sparked the Legalization of Axolotl Meat Products in the South Kryskan Market as a highly contested and divisive issue split between Anti-consumption and Pro-consumption camps.
Axolotl Rights Activists belonging to the Friends-Not-Food Movement advocate for the banning and illegalization of the selling and consumption of Axolotl meats under ethical grounds for the treatment of Axolotls which many are known to be sentient. In response, the Friends-And-Food Counter-movement, backed by Axolotl Food Chains and the Axolotl Meat Industry, supports the right of consumption and claims the banning of Axolotl meat products constitutes as discrimination against Snoran culture. In the year 11, a scandal has transpired where the First Architect allegedly purchased and consumed Fried Axolotl for Lunch.
The issue has captured the attention across the waters, sparking outcry among many Axolians. “On the question of eating my people I think it is absolutely horrendous. Axolians are a sentient species. We are intelligent, we have thoughts. We have feelings, motivations. Hunting us down for our meat is disgraceful. You would not eat another one of your kind under most any circumstance. You do not eat your friends.” states Mayor of Axolia, Casnexx Goldenfin
In response, First Architect Wolfgang Kreis ruled against the motion to legalize consumption & distribution of Axolotl meat, and vowed to crack down on illegal axolotl meat smuggling and global Axolian trafficking cartels. A firm stance on the matter that divided the Legislative Court fairly equally, and something First Architect has hitherto been reluctant to do. News of chairs and other furniture thrown across the stalls at the First Architect has dominated public discourse.
With the ruling coinciding with Blackthorn’s Special Military Operation on Birchwater Harbour as a response to the kidnapping of prominent Blackthorian officials, which the Republic of Snora has condemned in support of Birthwater Harbour, spokespersons of the Snoran government have accused the First Architect of anti-Snoran rhetoric and Snoranophobia.
Due to the meats becoming a notable and affordable delicacy among the minority indigenous South Kryskan community, and with indigenous Kryskan rights an issue on its own to contend with, approval ratings of the First Architect experienced a decline, especially among the conservative Sengarian Pathic indigenous Kryskan population, which has prompted Opposition Leader Valentine Adler to call for the impeachment of Kreis. However, Kreis has received much praise and approval from Sentient rights activists and among the Pangolite Youth Demographic.
Alleged celebratory mass burnings of Axolotl meats recipe books sparked provincial wide protests among Sonoran Radical Nationalist Expats, which quickly escalated into a riot killing 15 and injuring 112, with 26 hospitalized with life threatening injuries.The incident has prompted the government to increase security and surveillance through the proposition of Bill H-17 “Crackdown on Crime”, which mandates the integration & militarization of police within South Kryskan military structure reminiscent of the ancestral practices of Pangolites.
Demographics
New Pangolias is a multi-ethnic state comprised primarily of ethnic Pengeese at around 74% of the population, the indigenous Kryskan people at around 21% with the remaining 5% of the population making up other various ethnic groups, mostly Vanadian and Valtaran.
The majority of the population, at around 94%, identifies as agnostic atheist, with the Pengeese abolishing the religious beliefs of their Pangolite predecessors, with about 6% identifying with the Sengarian Path faith based in Zethortal. However, early developments of a new monostic faith have been documented.
History
South Kryska Pre-Migration Era:
Indigenous Pre-Kryskan tribes of the “Central Kutharan” culture have been documented to have established early settlements. Migration of Kryskan Tribes from the North occurred between 1000 to 3000 years ago.
The early civilization that followed enjoyed an unusually less oppressive and era of peace, enabling the fine arts and applied arts to flourish and be distinguished within what is described as an early period of enlightenment ideals. The earliest documentation of professional practice in the field of architecture in the world of Alathra has been recorded in South kryska. The leading theory speculates influence from the reverence of knowledge-based deities in Central Kutharan religion. The first confederation of South Kryskan tribes contained a merged traditional and expertise-based system of authority, with a “First Elder” representing the primary carrier of knowledge in a field of academic study, passed down through an apprenticeship system. Notable titles included “First Painter, First Sculptor”, "First Composer” & “First Architect”. A deliberation over the significance of each discipline resulted in the field of architecture considered the highest esteemed position of rule, a practice that continues to this day.
Settlement of New Pangolias, Blackthorn Era:
Shortly after the collapse of the Aurinian Imperium and the subsequent annexation of Pangolias by the Chiefdom of Idrolia, both events long anticipated and foreseen by Pangolite political analysts, the Pengeese began a mass exodus across the oceans of Alathra, with high casualties during the migration.
Notable reasons for the displacement of the Pengeese include but not limited to persecution, geopolitical tensions and conflicts, absence of geopolitical security and active historical erasure and revisionism of the aforementioned by both national level and neighboring powers. There has not been any records of a single Pengeese residing in old Pangolias since then.
A people without a home, The pengeese found themselves seeking refuge in the Commonwealth of Blackthorn under refugee and asylum status whereby Emilia, High Councillor of Blackthorn granted the Pengeese land south of the Blackthorn lake for the establishment of a safe settlement, many believed to be the Promised Land.
After many months lobbying for the succession of New Pangolias as a member of the commonwealth, New Pangolias is admitted as a commonwealth city district.
The lands of the Moorland south of the Blackthorn lake have been incorporated into the New Pangolias City District, with it, The Tree Farm located in Ward 4, A publicly-owned logging facility jointly operated with and primarily managed by The Faewood City District.
In April of Year 6, the destruction and massacre by foreign raiders decimated the population and set the buildings in the Historic Ward on fire, creating a massive humanitarian crisis exacerbating existing poverty.
Rauthwald Era:
With member states of the Commonwealth rebelling, seceding from Zethortal and unifying with the emerging Rauthwald Empire, New Pangolias fell into economic depression. After the dissolution of the Commonwealth of Blackthorn, the Empire made territorial claims to half the territory of New Pangolias in preparation for annexation which the Emperor stated did not belong to the Pangolian State. In order to preserve the territorial integrity of New Pangolias, receive financial recovery aid and receive much previously neglected long-term development aid, the First Architect signed documents for New Pangolias to be annexed by Rauthwald as a province of the Principality of Kyriska.
In September of Year 8, New Pangolias acquired the forest territories gifted by Fort Khirom, Capital of Kyriska and became the fifth ward of the province. Over time as Kyriskan trade and commerce influenced New Pangolian society, New Pangolias quickly become an inalienable part of Kyriska proper.
In January of Year 9, The Emperor granted the title to the First Architect of New Pangolias as Baron of Southern Kyriska.
Second Blackthorn Era:
In Year 4[12], In the aftermath of the collapse of the Rauthwald Empire, New Pangolias becomes the first regional municipality to submit a reapplication of membership in the commonwealth. New Pangolias has seen a rise in wealth as new monetary & fiscal policies enables its economy to become more integrated within the Commonwealths, thanks in part to new administrative oversight and initiative that promotes interdependence and integration.
The administrative sub-division categorization of "City District" in the Commonwealth has been abolished in favor of "Municipality".
In Year 5, or what is speculated to be Year 5 for reasons described hereinbelow, it has been discovered by Doctors that every single Record Keeper & Historian tasked with documenting events across the province, and possibly outside of the province across Alathra, have been, for the majority, experiencing periodic episodes of a Hypoactive Acute Confusional State, with some instances of Schizophreniform Disorder and a few cases of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy-related Dementia, among which a variety of positive & negative symptoms including but not limited to and not particular to a single case, disruption of consciousness, impaired memory, distortions in sensory perception, loss of sense of direction, heightened anxiety & agitation, lack of insight, delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thought & speech, catatonia, anhedonia, withdrawn, flat & limited emotional expression, drowsiness or lethargy, confusion and disorientation, resulting in or contributing to an inability to recall or recognize the current year during historical documentation. This unusual convergence of simultaneously occurring afflictions has remained a noteworthy complex unexplained phenomenon. Unproven theories for the causation of the majority of cases range from as far as a mass psychogenic illness to an unknown contagion element, notably a viral infection, to simply a mere coincidence.
The most popular alternative conspiracy theory is that such a mass phenomenon did not occur and we have in fact mysteriously traveled back in time through an invisible portal controlled by the one world government composed of colossal intangible tentacle beings beyond the stars.
In the aftermath of this revelation, it has been revealed Year 9 was Year 4 in actuality. The record keepers and historians have since received care and their health ameliorated. (please don't change lore date again!)
In Year 6, an avian flu wiped out 90% of the domestic chicken population, and the entirety of the population of other livestock. New livestock had to be imported in replacement.
During the great recession of Year 8, Humanitarian Aid has been provided by the Idrolian State of Oasis
During the last quarter of the same year, Los Pollo Hermanos, a poultry company, was founded in New Pangolias.
In Year 9, Following the ascension of Emilia Rivers as head of state, Lady Protector of the Commonwealth of Blackthorn, local news outlets would announce the following:
“As news of the development reached the Province of South Kryska, many citizens of New Pangolias rejoice. Soldiers on foot and horse-drawn infantry vehicles including chariots, and carriages mounted with cannons march through the impoverished town in goosestep fashion to the sound of socialist music being performed while citizens cheer on in unintelligible fashion, though a few lines decipherable include "Long Live Lady Rivers!" and "seize the means of production" likely unaware most production in the district, including farmland, are already collectively owned.”
The same year, construction of the Cenotaph, the Monument Of The Fallen Soldier, at Music Square was completed.
In early December of Year 10, With support from the Prince of Kryska, the Legislative Court of South Kryska passed a resolution to retire the flag of the District of New Pangolias, a relic during the Commonwealth's regional district system adopted for the Province of South Kryska, to be relinquished within 25 days of adopting a new provincial flag. Under Bill 93842, a special committee has been constituted to design a suitable flag that quote " better reflects the cultural and historical identity of all peoples of South Kryska." with any design proposed by the commission to include representation of production and key geographic features of all major settlements in the province and instruction for the South Kryskan Operations Department to remove the District flag from public buildings across the province.
The flag design recommended by the committee was passed by the Legislative Court of South Kryska and becoming the official provincial flag after being signed into law by the First Architect on December 30th of Year 10.
Culture
Cultural Norms include common practices whereby the following is expected:
- Removal of one's armor when entering town borders.
- Removal of shoes upon entering one's home
- Standing in shoulder-to-shoulder in large gatherings
- Frequently offering help to someone in need
- Checking in with fellow townsfolk to ensure they are in good health
Cultural Customs include:
- Yearly exchanges of gifts
- Rituals to expel and atone for selfish desires
Pengeese Culture:
An important tenet in Pengeese traditional culture is the “Nootnoot”, the Tenet of Sanctuary and Collective Support, which states that refusal of a request for assistance is forbidden even at the cost of the supporter’s own life or fortune. It is expected for one to reciprocate and permanently memorialize the gratitude for NootNoot with exclusive privileges to the supporter.
A notable example of this was the fountain built and a tree planted dedicated to the High Councillor of Blackthorn for accepting Pengeese refugees and the Chief of the Faewood for providing humanitarian aid respectively..
Collaboration, Selflessness and Teamwork are highly valued within the Pengeese traditional lifestyle.
Indigenous South Kryiskan culture
The indigenous South Kryiskan culture carries rich heritage & traditional knowledge dating back thousands of years in the field of arts, music, and architecture. This rich heritage is defined with practical problem solving-based advancements in architecture and structural engineering defined through the use of practical, optimal problem-solving techniques to engineering problems. South Kryiskan culture also comprises vibrant and refined visual and performing arts, including chamber, choral & orchestral music. This enabled the institutionalization of traditional knowledge and the pioneering of the earliest institutionalization of the given fields ever recorded in the history of Alathra.
The following Institutions can trace their founding to New Pangolias:
- The Architect’s Foundation, a global awarding organization of highest international regard which pioneered the professionalization, institutionalization and standardization of the field of architecture on Alathra, offering awards to structures of notable architectural accomplishments,
- The International Institute of Architects, a leading professional association for the most esteemed and distinguished practitioners in the fields of architecture, civil engineering, urban planning and other related fields.
- The Office of Development & National Statistics, both a Non-Governmental Public Body and a Non-Profit Independent Global Agency which collects and publishes census data within Blackthorn, and a Comprehensive Power Index Ranking of Nation States across Alathra,
- The University of Ceyreto, a prestigious educational institution of most esteemed regard within Alathra, consisting of two school constituencies: The Ceyreto Conservatory for the Performing Arts which resides in the Kryskan Music Hall (otherwise known as the Blackthorn Centre for the Performing Arts) and the Ceyreto Institute of Arts & Science, situated in the Building’s namesake.
- The Blackthorn Conservatory of Music, the leading independent specialized college for music, which also resides in the Kryskan Music Hall
Weapons, Armour & Warfare
Contemporary South Kryskan culture, with the exception of the Pengeese, do not carry a strong military tradition. As a result, most equipment is adopted from other professions innovated through strong scientific culture, and military service is romanticized and treated as a performing art, making the guard not as effective at Warfare to other armed forces.
The South Kryskan Ceremonial Guard consist of the following three components:
- Light infantry soldiers fitted with a standardized uniform consisting of tunics padded with cotton, waist belt, wool jacket & pants and leather boots & gloves and Iron helmet and armed with engraved crossbows as the primary weapon, adopted from hunting practices, a large rectangular wooden shield on the off hand, a Machete as the side arm adopted from agricultural practices, and small boot knife adopted from culinary practices.
During parades, the shield would be omitted.
- 4-horse-drawn chariots, reserved for guard commanders, government officials and politicians, often holding ceremonial spears attached with a flag
When not engaged in the military arts, the chariots serve as mail delivery service for the post office
- 8-Horse-drawn armoured artillery vehicles described as a large 8-wheeled iron-plated carriage mounted with a breech-loading swivel gun (small cannon)
The carriage would be left in a stationary defensive position for practical combat usage and be fitted with bronze plates during iron shortages.
When not engaged in the military arts, the armoured artillery vehicles serve as protected passenger service to persons of importance
There are currently a combined 500 military personnel [0.5 Unit] in active duty and in reserve
Economy
Every year, New Pangolias loses a third of its wealth due to drought, disease, and mismanagement of resources (Alathra upkeep) and has remained an impoverished state due to limited access to skilled labour, underinvestment in critical infrastructure and scarcity of and limited technology to tap into its natural resources. As a result, famines are common and high mortality rates remain an issue. Despite this, Economic Growth has been slow but steadily rising. Crime rates have notably improved with increased investment in security (chunk claiming). New Pangolias engages exclusively in the Domestic commonwealth market with notable exceptions in the Kingdom of Guldhir. New Pangolias is in the midst of its 5 year plan for infrastructure development to improve the level of human development and the overall quality of life with the intent to bring the district up to developing status by the end of the plan.
Production:
New Pangolias engages in an array of agricultural production with a dominant Beetroot sector. Other smaller sectors include Carrots, Potatoes, Wheat, Chicken products, Honey, Milk, Wool products, Sugar, Pumpkins, Watermelons, Cocoa, Cacti, Sweet Berries, and Dried Kelp in addition to a bamboo forestry cultivation industry and a small lumber industry with primarily spruce and mangrove lumber. None of the smaller sectors yield a competitive advantage in wider markets. New Pangolias has been unable to produce any manufactured or higher end goods.
Imports:
- Variety of Manufactured and Higher End Goods
- Skilled Labour
- Natural Resources
Exports:
- Chicken Eggs
- Sweet Berries
- Sugar
- Cocoa
- Baked Pastries