Norlund

Norlund is a middle power in the far northwest of the mainland. It's known for its friendliness toward new players, its direct democracy, and its many municipalities. Formerly a Kingdom, after the abdication and defection of King Shamus I, Norlund was reborn as the New Republic of Norlund

History
While the exact date of Norlund's founding on this iteration is unknown, Norlund is certainly one of the oldest nations on the server. Prior to CivRealms, Norlund had a storied past on servers such as CivEx, TheRealmsMC, and, briefly, CivClassics. Its demographics and political system has changed throughout the years, but the constitutional monarchy and leadership of Terry III has been around since nearly the beginning.

On CivRealms, Norlund has rarely been a center of attention. Near the start of the server, Norlund was concentrated around its capital, Kannin, which, at the time, was little more than a hamlet. The foundations of the now iconic Kannin Fortress had been laid, and there were only a couple of houses. Rather quickly, however, Norlund industrialized. Factories were built within the fortress, then, later on, public factories came into use for all of Kannin. A general store was created, and bronze and iron tools became a major export. With the introduction of mithril into the economy in late November, early December 2019, things quickly took off thanks to the dedication and cooperation of the early Norlundic players. It was at this time that the first international rail was also built.

Shortly after the infusion of mithril into Norlund, Kannin began to develop from a tiny hamlet to a quaint village, then soon became an urban center focused on the Kannin Peninsula. In addition, agriculture quickly became a hot commodity, with the selling of Carrots becoming a massive export, along with agriculture outposts throughout the nation. It was around this time that the first Municipalities other than Kannin were created, the first being Yoslan under the reign of Prime Minister Assjackets.

These municipalities were far from the last, however. With the outbreak of COVID-19 in real life, and the resulting quarantine, the population of Norlund, and that of the server as a whole, exploded. The population of Norlund ballooned to around 50 active members across 7 municipalities, 2 territories, and 9 towns/cities. Norlund has quickly become a cultural, economic, and population center of the world, and quickly continues to grow.

The Talamh Uprising
A little while before the founding of Yoslan, in January 2020, the settlement of Talamh was founded by former Wheatistanis. Under a tribal structure, Talamh managed the farms around Lake Vatican, and made a small hamlet for themselves. However, the reason they had migrated to the region was to reclaim what they claimed was their ancient homeland. The citizenry of Talamh began an insurrection, the only case of an active rebellion within Norlund. The uprising was quickly put down, and the tribal inhabitants left for the IWW. In late January, Pope Leobonet founded the Vatican City on the island within the namesake lake, and in Early February, Talamh was refounded as Tallum, and was quickly modernized and converted to Norlish architecture by Knoxmore, who would later become the only Prime Minister who was a non-Kanninite.

The Death of the King
On April 29th, 2020, King Terry III abdicated the throne due to IRL reasons, leaving a power vacuum that briefly left the nation confused and without leadership. The death of King Terry was a shock to the nation, and quickly after his parting was announced, a law was put to vote that created the Constitutional Assembly in order to fix the issues caused by the power vacuum left by a king without an heir.

Constitutional Crisis
Over the next month, citizens from all over Norlund worked tirelessly through the Constitutional Assembly to draft a new Constitution for Norlund. On May 18th, 2020 a new constitution was finally posted to Reddit and the Kingdom of Norlund was reborn again. The new constitution allowed for both a prime minister/federal council and an elected monarch. After a long election, King Shamus I was elected. For a time, things were truly looking up for Norlund. But disaster was around the corner

The King's "Crime"
In early June 2020, there was a minor dispute between player Raine and the Norlundic government. RainofPain125 was a highly controversial figure in Norlund, with him being almost unanimously detested, but his right to remain in Norlund being defended nonetheless. In a highly controversial incident, in which the facts are still not clear, RainofPain invited King Shamus to his meagre settlement of Paris, and while Shamus was there, an altercation happened which resulted in Rain being pearled. Shamus and his Ansgar Vikings would claim that the pearling was due to RainofPain threatening bounties upon the Norlundic Government, while other Norlund citizens would claim that Shamus pearled Rain to cash in on a bounty or just to remove the nuisance that was Rain. While most people were secretly happy that Rain of Pain was pearled, people were scared of the premise that a government official could pearl someone without repercussions. As a result, charges were pressed.

The Secession of Ansgar and the Double Claim of Kannin
On June 4th, in response to the controversy of the Rain Incident; the canton of Ansgar seceded, claiming with it many other lands of Norlund, including the capital. Norlund, seeking to avoid a civil war, allowed Ansgar to secede, but resented their claiming of other Cantons (Especially Norlund). Ansgar claimed it was their (often disrespected) work that built Kannin, and Norlund claimed as Kannin is the birthplace and heart of Norlund, they deserved to continue to hold it. The former King Shamus quickly defected to Ansgard and Norlund was once again left without a king. Agreeing at this point that no monarchy would capture the glory of the golden reign of King Terry, Norlund abolished the throne. And so it was like this; with Civil War brewing and the nation on the verge of collapse that the Republic of Norlund was born.

Further information will soon be available at a dedicated page, The Secession of Ansgar.

Ansgar has now reformed as a new nation under Carbon, named Yggdrasil. They retain the territory formerly known as Norvansgard.

The Secession of Yoslan
On the seventh of July 2020, the Canton of Tawa announced its intentions to secede from Norlund and join Yggdrasil, followed soon after by Yoslan, both motivated by Toxicity aimed at their Cantons and peoples. Talks were opened almost immediately, and the Five demands of Tawa were released, all of which were accepted, and Tawa made the decision to remain. Yoslan, however, went through with secession and became an independent state closely tied to Yggdrasil. Friendly relations have been retained despite at times heightened toxicity.

Norlundic Subdivisions
Norlund is composed of 7 Cantons, and 2 Territories. A municipality is defined as a swath of land that has at least one town of more than 3 people. A territory is a swath of land lacking any towns or settlements of significant size, and are largely uninhabited and/or uninhabitable.

Kannin
Kannin is the second largest Canton of Norlund, and by far the oldest. It is currently the capital of Norlund, and has a population of 15 as of the last census. It is known for it's urban landscape, with many shops, factories, and government infrastructure. It is known worldwide for its picturesque views and storied past, and is home to the Kannin Fortress, the seat of government, and a federal district ruled directly by the federal government.

Kannin Fortress
Kannin Fortress is a federal district within the Canton of Kannin. It is home to the throne room and quarters of the ruling monarch, and is also where the Federal Government is based. It is under the direct jurisdiction of the ruling monarch, formerly Terry III, who oversees maintenance and expansion of the small fortified island.

Condor (Formerly Laketown)
Condor is a district within the Canton of Kannin, and is home to a significant portion of Kannin's population. Known for its fishing-based economy and its lakefront views, Condor is a quaint place to call home. Founded as a newfriend haven away from the secure bastioned area of Kannin Proper, it has quickly grown to be a town within a city worthy of recognition for its simple and rugged, yet aesthetically pleasing architecture and its friendly community.

Kannin Peninsula
Kannin Peninsula is the core of the Canton of Kannin. Home to the majority of businesses, government buildings, and homes, Kannin Peninsula is an urbanite's dream. It has gone under significant renovation, going from an underdeveloped swath of land with only a couple of dwellings, to a multi-layered city center focused on Odilia Square, where prominent buildings such as the Cathedral of Saint Odilia and the Supreme Court of Norlund are centered around.

Yoslan
Yoslan was a Canton of Norlund up until the events following the 7th of July, leading to the secession of Yoslan as an independent state with close ties to Yggdrasil.

Tawa
The finest city remaining in Norlund, Tawa's central tower pierces the clouds and beyond. Its beauty is unknown in other parts of Norlund. The leader of Tawa is Koojikii, who has been known to play unflinchingly for hours on end in his unlimited quest to build Tawa into the finest part of the north-west.

Norvansgard
Norvansgard is the newest Canton in Norlund. It is primarily composed of former Vaskr members, a Viking clan from TheRealmsMC. They maintain a moderately sized town due North East from Kannin, and have an intricate Nordic culture, with a deep lore and storied past. They are a friendly bunch, and have many social and outgoing members.

Following The Secession of Ansgar, Norvansgard is no longer part of Norlund, and instead a major territory of the new Kingdom of Yggdrasil.

Veria
Veria, like Norvansgard, has a storied past. Founded on Civcraft 3.0 after a merger between the nations of Euthenia and Illyria. It continued on through many civ servers, including TheRealmsMC, where it was in an alliance with the aforementioned Vaskr peoples. After the outbreak of Coronavirus, Veria decided to mobilize and settle within Norlund as a new municipality. Maintaining a socialist lifestyle, Veria holds everything in common, and maintains a socialist democracy, with an Executive Council and a Popular Assembly. With a population of 18 as of the last census, Veria is the largest municipality within Norlund, and the fastest growing. It is now the center of the great Norlundic Rail Boom, with the construction of the Euthenian Grand Central Station beginning on May 4th, 2020.

As of 22 June 2020, due to unfortunate real life events on the part of the Verian railway project's leader Cortwade, Veria's station remains unconnected with the national rail network.

Palaisance
Palaisance is a small Canton on the cold Northern Coastal Plains of Norlund. With grand French architecture, Palaisance is a home to the Francophone population of Norlund, and is quickly building one of the prettiest cities within the nation.

Florentia
A moderately sized Canton with a population of 6 according to the last census, Florentia is a Christian-Socialist municipality. Like Veria, the population holds everything in Common, and has abolished private property. In accordance to the teachings of the Bible, capitalism is the root of Pride and Greed, and socialism is the way to solve those issues. They are friendly and amiable, and are frequently seen discussing laws and current affairs in the Norlund Discord. Presently, there is no significant aboveground settlement within the borders of Florentia, due to their grand goal of eventually building a grand cathedral and holy site. Bill 20, the Bill that created the Constitutional Assembly, was proposed by a Cardinal of Florentia, Ahri, who now represents Florentia in the assembly.

Tallum
Tallum is the 3rd oldest Canton in Norlund, and boasts a decently sized population of 7 as of the last census. A relatively quaint settlement, Tallum sits on the coast of Lake Vatican, and is known for its lighthouse and verdant farmland. It is a low density settlement, with a large footprint due its homes and places of business. It has a relatively large cathedral near its northern border.

Vatican City
The Vatican City is a Cantonal settlement sharing it's borders with Tallum. Even if it still is it's own municipality, there are talks about merging with Tallum once Prime Minister Knoxmoor steps down. It sits on the island of Sanctuary within the namesake Vatican Lake, and is known for being a major site for Norlundic Christendom. Headed by Pope Leobonet, the Vatican City the site of significant development. While the full plan for the Vatican has not fully been realized, it's still a site to behold. One of the, what will be, the largest buildings are under construction here: the cathedral of Saint Lucia.

The Western Territories
The Western Territories are the region of Norlund on the west coast that have not yet been fully settled or developed. Despite this, there has been some development, namely the Western Bell Tower, and the Zexenia/Norlund Friendship Bridge. The Western Territories has a mostly cool climate, with Boreal Forest and Mountains dominating the geography, along with Cold Steppe on the southern border with Savagard.

The Northreach Territory
The Northreach Territory encompasses the entirety of the northern peninsula. Composed of steep cliffs, tall mountains, and thick glaciers, the Northreach territory is near-uninhabited, and near uninhabitable, as little grows in what little hardy soil there is. Despite this, the settlement of Paris is an exception to the rule. A small commune founded by Rainofpain125, Paris has been a controversial settlement due to their leader's extreme political beliefs. Other than Paris, Irithyll Fortress is a major landmark. Nestled between the glaciers, Irithyll is meant to be a fallback point should invasion drive the government out of Kannin. Built by RobM, it has since fallen into disrepair. Now it serves as a monument to the Norlish people, honouring RobM, it is also of importance to the church due to RobM's death in the crusade against the Ez2crew. Irithyll hosts a small church in the center of it.

Former Municipalities
There have, on a couple of occasions, been Cantons that simply fail to take off and fall to ruin and obscurity. To date, there has been three examples of this; Ostertal and Dikketijger.

Ostertal
Ostertal was a militaristic Canton situated roughly between Kannin and Veria. Reaching a height of 3 members, it was officially declared a Canton only a couple days before it fell into inactivity. It's leader, Spacey, went inactive due to duties with the U.S. Military, and the other two members simply went inactive shortly after. Its territory has been divided between Veria and Kannin, and the river Ostertal was once based on has since been converted into massive carrot farmland. it eventually evolved into the Settlement of Luzia, a loyal subdivision of Veria, with 4-5 current inhabitants.

Dikketijger
A bastardization of the Dutch words for "Fat Tiger," Dikketijger was a promising settlement of 5 newfriends, who quickly went inactive for unknown reasons. Despite the aid of Verian officials, and attempts to contact them, it's unknown where they went.

Government
Norlund was formally a federalized Constitutional Monarchy under the guidance of King Terry III. The monarch had near-absolute power in the form of royal assent, and was the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. There is a legislative body, the House of Commons, which functions as a direct democracy. All citizens, regardless of place of residence, may propose and vote on bills in the house of commons following a schedule kept by the Custodian of the House. The citizenry elect a Prime Minister once every two months, and the Prime Minister may choose to appoint Ministers who serve under him. However, with the resignation of Terry, and the lack of an heir or an appointed Governor General, the Prime Minister has taken on the roles of Terry, making Norlund presently a full direct democracy.

Recent events have lead to the election of Leobonet, Pope of the Vatican in tallum, as Monarch.

Notable Figures
(This is out of date)

TerryTheThird aka Terry - The Former King of Norlund

Knoxmoor - Current Prime Minister of Norlund and head of Tallum.

Okx - Minister of Finance and Master Horse Breeder.

NeoTide - Minister of Defense and owner of The Poppy.

Jacob Grox/Groxlord - Head of Government of Veria

ScubaStevey - Jarl of Ansgar

Raptor - Leader of Palaisance

Leobonet - Pope and leader of the Vatican

Flameoguy - Prominent member of Yoslan

Cortwade - De-facto Custodian of the House of Commons

Election Results
Every two months Norlund holds an election to determine who will serve as Prime Minister.

(This is out of date)

1st Election - Records are unclear

2nd Norlundic Election

Okx - 5 votes

assjackets - 3 votes

3rd Norlundic Election

assjackets - 6 votes

Okx - 2 votes

4th Norlundic Election

The method of electing the prime minister changed, now votes are cast using a ranked system and are privately sent to the king.

Knoxmoor - 7 votes