Falholt

Falholt, officially the Commonwealth of Falholt, is a transcontinental archipelagic and island country spanning the Velstmorad and overseas cities in Arsine and Leifmyrr. It consists of 28 islands including Ostartia, Baivos and Matawoksett. Falholt is Eldham's largest island country by area at 2,065 total claimed chunks.

Falholt is a direct democracy with the Citizens Assembly deciding on policy initiatives for the nation itself. It has 13 towns, the largest being Matawoksett, the capital. Although Falholt does not share any land borders with any nation, it shares maritime borders with Anglunia, Redoriv, Varn Torum, New Midjor, Soolia, Einberg, Scylding, the Ashtrokan-Wandenreich Empire, Vulperium, Sylvania, Rodinnbrok, Lag Skegga, Ravenguard, Bai, Lunaris, Merconis, Nexus, Shakumagu, Sotrania, Oceanum and Krivoniya.

The Velstmorad has been inhabited since several thousands of years before the mass discovery of Eldham, by Leyfindorian peoples, presumably arriving on dugout canoes from present-day Anglunia. Local rulers gradually consolidated power to create the first Velstmoradian nation on the island of Vulcan before the eruption of Mt. Artia. The concept of a modern Velstmoradian nation-state emerged in 80 TE, culminating in the proclamation of the Kingdom of Ostartia later that year. The monarchy continued through the Plagatean vassalization and re-independence before ending in 111 TE with the dissolution of Ostartia and establishment of Falholt. Since 111 TE, the nation has officially been governed as a direct democracy from its capital at first Ostartia, then Matawoksett since 153 TE.

Etymology
While a variety of theories have been presented for the etymological origins of "Falholt", the name is now generally accepted as coming from the Leyfindorian words of Fál and Holt roughly meaning "woods of the prince". The name refers to an early principality that ruled over a small portion of the island, overtime becoming more of a general term to refer to the island itself. By 80 TE, Ostartian books and maps had begun referring to this small island in the north Velstmorad as "Falholt".

From 80 to 111 TE, "Falholt" referred to the small coastal village that lay off the coasts of mainland Astillia. In 111, the Kingdom of Ostartia was overthrown by former exiles sent to Falholt. Upon the formation of the Commonwealth, "Falholt" was adopted as the legal name for the new country while still referring to the island from which the name originated.

Prehistory
The prehistory of Falholt stretches back millennia, the earliest artifacts being remnants of stone tools now dated to circa 15,000 years ago. It is generally accepted that the first inhabitants of the Velstmorad isles migrated from the mainland regions of Onthukhan and Astios by means of early dugout canoes; however, due to a lack of physical evidence other theories have been proposed such as the presence of land bridges now covered by the sea. The Leyfindor culture, which appeared around 15,000 years ago, is believed to be the first wave of settlement of the isles, propagating into the present-day Ostartians, Falholtians and Mer. Over time, each of the cultures grew increasingly complex and some, such as the Mer and Leyfindor developed advanced agriculture, architecture and complex societies becoming regional powers in their own right. The city-state of Mainukks is the largest and most complex remanent of this period, being one of the only cities to survive what is commonly now referred to as the [Great Flooding]. Further up north, Leyfindor culture thrived from rich natural resources as well as fertile lands from Mt. Artia. The Falholtians, located in the northern Velstmorad region, arrived much later in the last major wave of migration before the Great Flooding.

Estimating the exact size and scale of each of these cultures is difficult. Many archeological records and evidence are presumed to have been destroyed during the Great Flooding. Modern historians' estimates range between 125,000 to 3,230,000 at its peak. The reasoning for this large range seems to be a lack of consensus among academics due to many varying accounts and lack of solid evidence.

Great Flooding of the Velstmorad
Around a millennium ago, a major flooding event occurred, resulting in great population displacements among other disasters such as storm and famine. This resulted in the submerging of the Mer and the destruction of much of the Leyfindor. The event is considered a major event for many of the cultures in the Velstmorad. As such many historians tend to use it as the beginning point of modern history in the Velstmorad. Great Flooding of the Velstmorad.png

Although much of the knowledge known about this event is through mythological sources, archaeological evidence of a great flooding can be seen in the islands and cities that make it up today. In the city of Mainukks, the city seems to have sunk beneath the waves with great walls of water on the edge of the city. In Ostartia, remnants of the ancient city can be found underground.

The event of the Great Flooding is a narrative often found in Falholtian mythology, with many mythical beasts and stories found surrounding this central theme.

Kingdom of Ostartia
The Kingdom of Ostartia was founded by a group of Xekaratto citizens who resided in the town of Vitgrin. Vitgrin was a small port town, with many members of the community supporting themselves by fishing, logging and whaling in the Kaladinia Sea. A new and different culture began to develop in the northern regions of Xeka, leading to a group of citizens desiring a local government in order to better fit the needs of the community. The core group was led by Collin Ulfrick and Sorli Aestram, both prominent citizens within the community. They petitioned the government to allow for more autonomy only to be turned down. They packed their belongings and sold their town in order to afford fare on a ship set sail for out west. The group set out for the Velstmorad, which Aestram had visited years ago in his travels as a nomad. Although the sea was split between the nations of Anglunia, Aristios and Redoriv, the islands themselves had been relatively untouched by these powers, a notable exception being Aelamere. Carrying about 58 passengers, the Jouvelle left Vitgrin in mid-spring of 82 TE. The ship then proceeded up the Kaladinia up to modern day Oceanum before docking in Prosperita to gather supplies before continuing upstream to the Diana Sea. Initially the trip went smoothly, but under way they were met with strong winds and Tortugan pirates, forcing the ship to dock at the recently established Kingdom of Smith. The Jouvelle sighted the Velstmorad after enduring several storms and pirate attacks for about 57 days. After stopping at the White Raven Kingdom for supplies, the ship sailed further south to look for the islands said to be unclaimed, anchoring in Volcan Harbour in the Summer of 82, leading to the establishment of the city of Volcan, named so after the Ostartian word for the island, Vúilkn roughly meaning "the island from fire", possibly from the island's volcanic origins. The first structure was a simple timber framed house. In the following weeks, the rest of the settlement slowly took shape. A month into the settlement of the island, a meeting was held in Aestram's residence. A group of settlers drafted and signed the first governing document of the nation, the Ostartian Contract, which later grew to become Constitution of the Kingdom of Ostartia, marking the founding of the monarchy. After a vote, Ulfrick was elected to be the new monarch and head of state, alongside Aestram who was elected to be the chancellor and head of government. In the following months, the nation slowly expanded, extending out to the island of Falholt, located within the Voclari Passage next to the island of Ryukostead.

Plagatéan vassalization
Foreign ships from Plagatéa sailed into Volcan Harbour led by Leon Olsen-Tanaka in the Spring 89 with a proposition to join them as a vassal state in exchange for aid in the development of the island as well as protection from foreign powers. Tagavor Leon's letter was formally received by Aestram who presented the letter to Ulfrick and the ministry. Leon's convoy left a few days after arriving, promising to return for a reply.

After Leon's depature, an extensive debate ensued within the ministry on if to accept the terms laid out in the letter. In an attempt to reduce public backlash over a decision, a vote was conducted with all citizens of the nation. This was the first time that the monarchy had allowed its decision-making to be a matter of public debate. Scholars point to this moment in history as the beginning of direct democracy in Falholt, the effect of which remain to this day. The results of the poll were conclusive, with about 78% of the country in favor of vassalization as many believed the young nation was too weak to stand on its own without foreign allies. When Leon returned the following year, the Treaty of Ostartia-Plagatean Protection was signed, which established Ostartia as a vassal of Plagatea, gave Ostartia a position in the Plagatéan government, along with the promise of helping in the development of the young nation.

After becoming a vassal, the island continued its slow development with no signs of the promised help from their Plagatéan overlords. Aestram was chosen to be the Meishu of Ostartia and lobbied for development money and materials to be sent to the islands but consistently was drowned out by the concerns of the distant Plagatéan government located in Arsine. In the Spring of 109, the Ostartian government declared independence from Plagatea, sending a letter to Kardivia, who agreed to all terms laid out in the declaration.

Commonwealth of Falholt
On December 16th, 2021, Collin Ulfrick of Ostartia expressed his concerns about the state of Ostartia, soon after dissolving the nation and leaving Falholt on its own, therefore establishing the Commonwealth of Falholt, led by Sorli Aestram. The mainland was handed and put in the control of Azad. Strange lights were soon afterwards found on the Falholtian coastline and became a point of research and focus. The mainland of Vulcan was returned by Aristios after the dissolution of Azad and was renamed Ostartia, in honor of the fallen state.

Upon the establishment of the state, the government was changed to become a republic, with a representative democracy. However, upon taking control of the House of Commons, a few members attempted to dissolve the Federal Council, before leaving the state and claiming a part of their island as their own. The rebellion was quickly put down and the members removed from power and exiled from the island.

Vidanmor Crisis
After being approached to join Vidanmor as a vassal and refusing, Vidanmor declared war on Falholt.

Geography
Falholt is the largest archipelagic state in Eldham, extending 3,000 blocks, spanning the entirety of the Velstmorad. It is located primarily between the continents Onthukhan and Astios as well as Arsine, Leifmyrr and Katsura. and has an area of 2,065 total claimed chunks. Several islands make up the nation, with the largest being Matawoksett, Ostartia, Mainukks, and Baivos. Ostartia is the largest city, at the northern most point of Velstmorad, and at the entrance of the Voclari Passage.Falholt features numerous topographically distinctive regions. The large coastal plain of the Velstmorad in the southern section of the reigion contains Matawoksett. To the north lies the outwash plains region of Central Massachusetts where most of its population reside. In the east, highlands dot the islands with the ice often forming from the colder temperatures. In the south, the islands are primary consist of taiga biomes with a distinct species of trees only being found on the island due to the disconnect from the mainland.

Climate
Most of Falholt has a humid continental climate, with cold winters and warm summers. Far southeast coastal areas are the broad transition zone to Humid Subtropical climates. The warm to hot summers render the oceanic climate rare in this transition, only applying to exposed coastal areas such as on the peninsula of Ostartia or the smaller or underwater islands in the nation. The climate of Matawoksett is quite representative for the Commonwealth, characterized by summer highs of around 81 °F (27 °C) and winter highs of 35 °F (2 °C), and is quite wet. Frosts are frequent all winter, even in coastal areas due to prevailing inland winds.

Redja Council
The Redja Council consititues the executive government of the Commonwealth of Falholt and operates as a collegiate authority. It is composed of five councilmembers who take charge of the day-to-day operations. The basic function consists of calling town meetings proposing budgets to the Citizens Assembly, setting public policy, calling elections, overseeing recruitment and establishing cultural events. All members of the council are elected via monthly elections and may serve as a member of the Citizens Assembly as well. Each member is elected by ranked choice voting, in which voters use a rank to order candidates or options—in a sequence from first, second, third, and onwards—on their ballots.

Legislative
Citizens from the Commonwealth assemble on the second Saturday of the month for the Citizens Assembly in the capital building in Ostartia. There they elect the Redja Council and vote on several issues put forward by the council and/or the assembly. It is presided over by the Redja Council.

Each Falholt citizen has the right to vote and put forward motions and to debate the proposed members of the Redja Council or any of the issues to be voted on. As such, any citizen is granted entry to the Citizens Assembly upon citizenship and as such are welcome to participate in both the monthly meetings as well as any special meetings that may be held.

Population
The Falholt Census Bureau reported 26,969,310 residents as of Winter of 250 making the Commonwealth of Falholt the most populous island nation in Eldham.

Ethnicity
According to the 250 Falholt census, over 10 distinct ethnic groups were self-reported by Falholtians. The country's ten largest self-reported specific ethnic or cultural origins in 250 were Falholtian (accounting for 15.6 percent of the population), followed by Ostartian (14.7 percent), Arrusan (12.1 percent), Leyfindorian (12.1 percent), Glanraess (11.0 percent), Taviani (8.1 percent), Mer (4.7 percent), Baivoni (4.3 percent), Yirsi (3.7 percent), and Yoakumaen (3.5 percent).

Language
While many languages are spoken throughout Falholt, Vorkatia and Traveler's Tongue are the most common. There is no official language in the nation, however a mix of Vorkatia and Traveler's Tongue are used for official documents, with Traveler's Tongue being most commonly used for foreign diplomatic agreements. Some other commonly spoken languages include Artamockes, Kalinichtan, Oren, Yirsi'tal, and Leyfinano.

Religion
Falholt has no offical church and the government is completely secular and removed from religion entirely. However, Falholt is religiously diverse, encompassing a wide range of beliefs and customs.

Freedom of religion is guaranteed right by the Falholt government and as such, all individuals can assembly and worship without limitations or interference. According to the 250 census, Oreäism is the largest religion in Falholt, representing 20% of all peoples in the nation. Other faiths include Krevatian (4.9%) Ukhosekon (2.3%), and Arternaia (1.5%). The majority of all citizens however describe themselves as having no religion with 71.3% of the population reporting so as of the 250 census.

Culture
Falholt culture is characterized by a unifying belief in Falholtian anarchy, an umbrella term of closely related anarchist-leaning ideologies emphasizing social equality, liberty, mutual aid as well as the dissolution of oppressive forms of hierarchy. However, due to the diversity of the ethnic groups residing in Falholt, the exact interpretations of these ideals vary, with some viewing workers unions as the most important aspect of society (Anarcho-Velstmoradian), while others view individual rights as significantly more important (Lilyasism).

Historically, Falholt has been influenced by Arrusan, Indigenous Velstmoradian and Ostartian cultures and traditions with many cities taking names from Indigenous Velstmoradian languages.

Symbols
Themes of the sea, lightkeepers and traders played an important part in the early development of Falholt symbolism. Many symbols emphasize the countries geography, islands, as well as traditional Indigenous symbols. The use of the Kapvpvwata (translating to lighthouse in Traveler's Tongue) dates to 80 TE as a symbol of the native Falholtian people, based on the ancient Falholt Lighthouse, one of the last remaining structures from the pre-Great Flood society of Falholt. The Kapvpvwata is depicted on Falholts current flag as well as the Great Seal of Falholt.

Literature and visual arts
Falholt has become a center for literature and the arts, with many famous artists and writers originating from the nation.