Istanboulder

The Boulderist Republic of Istanboulder, more commonly referred to as simply "Istanboulder", was a Schnozist Republic found on central Cymru. It was originally founded by the Old Guard of Boulderov on February 14th, 2021 on an abandoned VIR port given to them by Loic the Uniter, after the Great Migration from Haven.

It was re-founded by players Bagelinian Yale, Rosanto Yale, and Owen Yale on January 16th, 2022, following the Fall of Old Boulderov and subsequent transformation into an Absolute Monarchy. Ironically, the land was re-given to Bagelinian Yale and his friends, again, by Loic the Uniter.

The Republic was considered a continuation, and the last bastion, of the oldest form of Boulderovian Culture and Orthodox Boulderism. It prided itself on its deep, rich history, with its people having stretched three corners of the world, constantly being steadfast in their beliefs.

On Janurary 26th, 2022, Istanboulder obtained the Haven region of Patria (Also known tradionally as Southern Boulderov) and the old Boulderov capital of Pedregal, under the conditions of the Twin Boulder Treaty. A few days later, it subsequently merged with the Boulderist Kingdom of Harria to re-form the Nation of Boulderov on Janurary 29th, 2022, both sides coming together to write a new constitution which combined elements from both governments. Under the new Boulderov, Istanboulder was incorporated as a Province, although many resisdants of Istanboulder quickly moved back to their fatherlands in Haven.

The Province of Istanboulder was finally annexed by the Autokratoria Sirradra on March 3rd, 2022, following the signing of a peace treaty created to end the Boulderov-Sirradra War. The remaining Boulderovians within Istanboulder have since been purged from their old lands. Istanboulder's culture, cities, and their previous presence have since been erased. Various Boulderovian cities, national, historic, and religious landmarks or monuments have been demolished or scheduled for 're-design'. This event is commonly referred to within Boulderov as the Istanboulder Genocide.

Etymology
The name "Istanboulder", comes from the ancient Boulderov settlement of its time back when the Old Guard of Boulderov first established the city, shortly before departing back to Haven.

At a first glance the name seems quite odd, if not nonsensical, but its origins contains meaning that reveals the very character of the nation. The name is hypothesized to come from two places. The first theory, albeit more popular with the simple citizens rather than intellectuals, claims that the name of the Nation comes from the mythical fictional city of 'Istanbul', a popular setting for children's books and novels of the fantasy genre. The second, much more believable theory, is that the name itself is a play on words, roughly meaning "I-Stan-Boulder", the land where one "stans", or worships, the Holy Boulder.

This is by far the most popular theory, but thanks to the unfortunate lack of historical evidence regarding Istanboulder's earliest days, the birth of this name may forever remain a mystery. We can only theorize about what the name truly holds, although our imaginations may take us in wild directions

History
Most of Istanboulder's entire history covers the history of the Boulderovian people and the Boulderist religion. The Boulderovian people were present in Istanboulder for a short time, until their departure to Haven during the Great Migration. Until their return centuries later, Istanboulder was subjected to varying degrees of control from Viodoxa, The Imperial Archonal Union, Seratovia, and other forms of the Viodoxan Archonates and Empires.

The history of Istanboulder comprises nine distinct perspectives: Ancient Istanboulder, the Valdreach Era, the Old Boulderovian Era, Ferrymen rule, Seratova Rule, Archonal Union rule, Independent Nation, Boulderov Times, and Sirradran Rule era.

Origins of Istanboulder
The origins of Istanboulder are in essence also the origins of Old Boulderov. The term "Old Boulderov" refers to the Boulderovian people and the Nation of Boulderov, which was a nation in Haven and a primary province during the Second Empire of Uldarash. Old Boulderov lasted from its founding on January 16th 2021, to its collapse in late July, after which all its original founders and OGs left the server and mimek established an Absolute Monarchy in their place.

The Boulderovians who lived in Istanboulder considered the history of Boulderov also a part of their history. This section will briefly cover Boulderovian history when it relates to Istanboulder, but farther depth on the story of Boulderov can be found on that wiki page, located here

The Auroran War
The full article covering this topic can be found here "The Auroran War"

After the formation of Boulderov by Bolton Yale and his followers, the fledgling nation felt threatened by the ambitions of the powers around it - Aurora and Uldarash in particular. Seeking allies, Boulderov signed a Mutual-Defense Pact with Paloro. However, the Boulderov High Council knew that against both Uldarash and Aurora, they would need stronger allies. Reaching out to Archon Loic of Viodoxa and conducting brief negotiations, Boulderov joined the new Empire, seeing benefits in its military prowess, organized bureaucracy, and protection from other Havenite powers. Loic, in turn expanded his Empire and gained a new foothold on the continent of Haven.

A week prior, Boulderovian LickenChittle successfully infiltrated the Auroran ranks, hoping to gain intel in case of a war. With the help of Senior_Raviolli, the pair robbed the Auroran treasury, hoping to "do a little trolling" and avenge prior Auroran raids on their Palorian Ally. Their attempt was successful, and caused Aurora to declare war against Boulderov. Loic's Viodoxa, and its allies, quickly declared their support. While Aurora ostensibly stated their primary motivation as revenge, they also hoped to stunt Viodoxa's influence in Haven as they sought to become the continent's foremost power.

Despite assistance from Archon Loic and Viodoxa's forces, Boulderov's capital Pedregal was exposed to aggression and frequent raids from Aurora. Loic and his followers helped defend Pedregal against Auroran invasions, but the city suffered damages from TNT blasts and griefing. With the war heating up and the Boulderovians fearing the integrity of their Capital - especially now that Aurora had a strong personal vendetta against Boulderov - Boulderov leadership decided that Haven was no longer safe for their people, and exiled themselves to find a new home until the war abided.

Great Migration to Cymru and Loic's Bargain

After a brief stint establishing a small icy village in Plagos, (named Ghiaccio) the Boulderovians ended up on an expedition to Cymru lead by Zealious, with Signore_Ravioli representing Boulderov. Their destination was a refugee camp, which later became the city of Valentum. Because of these events, the High Council of Boulderov convened and decided that they would move to Cymru in search of refugee and a safe place to stay. Following the Boulderovians to Cymru and abusing land mechanics, the Auroran army traveled to Valentum, hoping to kill a Boulderov citizen in order to claim victory. When they arrived at Valentum, they were met with fierce resistance, and a Viodoxan counter-attack crushed their forces. Boulderovian Im_cooming (Also known as Schnoz the Younger), killed the leader of Aurora, Canine14, with his Diamond Axe.



Despite the military support, the Boulderov leadership was still distrustful of Loic and his imperialist ambitions. They set up the Wrens of Stone, a new secretive Boulderov spy organization, to keep a close eye on Loic's movements and actions. Loic, realizing Boulderov was keeping tabs and were distrustful of him, offered the High Council of Boulderov a deal; They would get high positions in Loic's government, high military positions for the military leaders, and resources if they wanted them. He also offered them a patch of land and a city to build up - The modern day region of Istanboulder - hoping to keep the Boulderovians under his thumb. The High Council would come to accept these terms, instigating the Boulderovian Migration to Istanboulder.

First Founding of Istanboulder
On February 14th, the Boulderovians packed their bags and moved south until they hit their destination, an abandoned Valdreach Port, comprised of only 1 completed house and 5 assorted buildings. They dubbed it Istanboulder, which would become the foundations for the modern-day city of Istanboulder_City. Quickly, they began reconstruction efforts as they attempted to make the city their new home, lead by Boulderovian citizen NightSaber. He would expand the roads, spearhead the building of new walls, make more plots for building, and make new bridges over top of the canals that snake through the town.

During this time, Boulderovian culture experienced a Golden Age; with national classics being written, the first Boulderov Grill-Out, the formation of the Boulderov army, the construction of the slums, and the push for Democracy resulting in the first Low Council elections being held. These events, combined with prior mistrust of Loic, allowed Boulderovian culture to form as a unique identity from the rest of both Haven and Viodoxa, with the concept of an independent nation for their own taking hold in the minds of many Boulderovians.

Defending Pedregal and the Battle of Fornost

Militarily, Boulderov's involvement in the Auroran War was kept to defending their capital city and allies, trying to keep themselves and their culture alive - except in one instance.

While the Boulderovians were busy establishing a new national identity in Istanboulder, Aurora decided to once again attempt a raid on Pedregal. Unaware of the recent move to Istanboulder, Auroran fighters were surprised to find the city almost totally empty - with the exception of a few Boulderov stragglers - of all military presence. The Boulderovian stragglers quickly alerted the allied forces, and began to attack the Auroran skirmishers, buying time for the Allied army to arrive. Boulderov and Viodoxan warriors sprinted through the nether highway to reach Pedregal, arriving in record time. Only lightly engaging the token force in the city square, the Auroran troops were taken by surprise as they suddenly faced a counter-attack from the Allied army. They rapidly saw they were outnumbered, and after losing a warrior, retreated to the Auroran capital: Fornost. As the allied troops took time to reorganize, a council of war quickly convened and agreed stage a counter-attack into Auroran territory while they still had the upper hand.



The Allied fighters rapidly moved on foot from Pedregal, traveling thousands of blocks through Auroran territory, even through ghast infested mountain peaks. Upon reaching the Auroran swamps, Bolton Yale took the lead, using his enchanted Frost Walker boots to carve a path for the allied army through the swamp. Reaching the castle of Fornost, the attackers set fire to Auroran farms and scaled the walls - When Auroran resistance failed to materialize, the allied forces claimed victory. Ironically, the only causality of the short fight was, again, Canine14. While only a short episode in the Auroran War, the battle would see the last raid of Pedregal, and Boulderov gaining recognition as the fighters having led the charge on Fornost.



Treaty of Hapatmitas and the Return to Haven
After the battle of Fornost and long negotiations, the Auroran War finally concluded as leaders Loic, Canine, and RumKnight met to sign the Treaty of Hapatmitas. The treaty conceded that the war was a Viodoxan victory, compensated Viodoxa for their struggles, and recognized Loic's legitimacy as ruler of Paloro - and his legitimacy as a ruler in Rathnir.



For the Viodoxans, the treaty was a massive victory, and proved Viodoxa's superiority. The Boulderovians however, only breathed a sigh of relief as they could now return to their homes in Pedregal safely. Having talked with Auroran citizens and establishing a feeling of good will, the Boulderovians saw the Viodoxan zeal against Aurora as excessively hostile, and came to dislike Viodoxa. Now, as the war officially came to a close, the Boulderovians itched to return home and escape the clutches of Loic's growing ambitions.

On March 2nd, this culminated in the Boulderov High Council putting the matter up to a vote. They could choose to return home to Pedregal and cut all ties with Viodoxa, or remain in Istanboulder under Loic's boots. In a landslide victory, the Boulderovians chose to return home, and immediately packed their bags.

A handful of citizens who had grown attached to Istanboulder remained - and as they bid their farewells to their departing brothers - prepared for Loic's wrath. On March 3rd, Boulderov officially cut ties from Viodoxa, and declared their existence as an independent nation on Haven. For the next 8 months, the Nation of Boulderov would go on to achieve great things. It became a core sponsor of the Nomad Guild, repaired its relations with Aurora, tripled its territory, joined the Second Empire of Uldarash, won great military victories against Bardonia, and entered a new Golden Age. Istanboulder, however, was not so lucky. Without their brothers or any leadership, the Boulderovians in Istanboulder bore the brunt of Loic's fury. One by one, they slowly disappeared or trickled back to Haven, forgotten in history as the city they worked so hard on slowly crumbled without them.

However, despite Istanboulder's sad fate, this would not be the last time it saw glory before the Re-Founding.

The Ferryman War
[WIP Notes: Talk about Ferrymen. How they wardecced the world from Ferrymen_Fort/IB. Boulderov joined the coalition against Ferrymen. Fought in their historic streets. Won n shit. Happy times for all. Ferrymen got banned, Charron empire formed them promptly fell apart. IB was forgotten again. The End.]

Fall of Old Boulderov
[WIP Notes: Savernia issue causes Boulderov to experience domestic turmoil. Panda tries to coup and fails. OGs like Schnoz, Ravi, Bolton, Tati, Ed, etc all leave. bolton appoints cookie to save boulderov and leaves the server. mimek snatches the power vaccum, establishes an absolute monarchy w/ ted. old boulderov dies.]

The Return of the Four
[WIP Notes: bagel returns in late nov, doesnt like new boulderov, all his friends are missing. remembers IB from when he did diplo for boulderov during summer golden age. gathers panda, owen, and later tati. goes to ib in the middle of the viodoxan civil war. re-founds IB. old city is destroyed by deer, who agrees to join IB as vice-mayor of the city. despite not trusting the group (hostilies against old boulderovians) loic grants group the city as show of good will. (show map of loic's inital grant). the group negotiates borders between valron/shaloma/ib (show map)]

City-State of Istanboulder
[WIP Notes: the group enters deeper talks w/ loic. they agree to join viodoxa in exchange for having ib back and supporting the war. loic supruised to see IB already sorted out borders. IB briefly threatened by hazel. threats are laughed off. hazel dies, ib joins new viodoxa (IAU)

Declaration of Independence from the IAU
Istanboulder's declaration of independence from the Imperial Archonal Union was precursored by dissatisfaction at how being a part of a larger empire suffocated Istanboulder's activity, disaffection at the Union's restrictive laws abolishing any regional militas, the lack of a voice in government, and the popular feeling that the Union had done nothing for Istanboulder. Istanboulder was filled with a longing desire for independence and the ability to decide their own future, which set the stage for their actions up until they declared independence from the IAU.

IAU's Humiliation by Paradise

During the disastrous Paradise War, the Imperial Archonal Union entered a period of rapid decline and political instability. The 4 outermost provinces of Avertico, Regonia, Eisenland, and Aussay, feeling neglected and disrespected under the boots of the central government in Cymru, declared their secession from the IAU as independent nations. Having planned this scheme with the Provincial Leaders, Paradise quickly capitalized on this opportunity, declaring their support for the newly independent nations and signing Mutual-Defense Pacts with all of them.

On July 20th, the IAU was forced to sign a humiliating peace treaty yielding vast tracts of their Tovarishian holdings in Sparwood to Paradise, Avertico, Regonia, and Borhammer, establishing new nations carved out of Tovarisha such as Grand Castell, Shizumor, and Certaria, as well as paying Paradise an exorbitant sum of 5 million in cash. Viodoxa, afraid of continuing the war and sparking the empire's total collapse, conceded to the demands

The IAU's morale plummeted as people began to lose faith in the Archonate's ability to effectively govern. Even the legendary founder of the IAU, Loic the Uniter, exclaimed in a vc, "Well, we had a good run!", and promptly left the server for good, only sending the low morale crashing through the floor.

New Viodoxan Leadership

The Old Archon, Havi "Goldbeard" Asagrim, tired in his old age and unwilling to deal with this new crisis (as he had been on vacation when the war against Paradise was declared and humiliatingly lost), announced his abdication, appointing Ryou Bakura, the Regent Archon from the Province of Silvay, in his stead. Ryou's ascendancy was met with a certain skepticism among the higher ranks of government, who tended to see Ryou as an ineffective leader (due to his totalitarian rhetoric), and thus incapable of pulling the IAU out of this crisis. He would spend the only nine days of his reign attempting frantic promises of reform and attempting to lure in the former provinces with images of autonomy and prominence, which were promptly denied as the former provinces formed the Bazinga Pact, a Mutual-Defense Pact between Avertico, Regonia, Eisenland, Aussay, with the country of Galadonn on the sub-continent of Aldvoir being included for good measure.

New Constitution

After Ryou's ascendancy to the Archonate, he sought to reverse the rapid decline the IAU was experiencing. Ryou hoped to reconcile with domestic opposition, and attempting to prevent any farther provinces from declaring independence from the empire. He introduced his version of a constitution for the IAU, claiming to be his vision for a constitutional monarchy where the Archon's power was restricted. Importantly, Ryou promised a system whereby the Provincial Leaders (Known as Etriarchs), would form a voting body to introduce laws and approve the Archon's decisions.

For the Etriarchs, this completed constitution filled with Ryou's promised provincal council were a big deal. Up until Ryou's constitution was introduced, the IAU had for its entire lifespan been running without any ruling documents, while the centeral government would constantly make promises that a constitution would "come soon". The Etriarchs in particular had always been angered at their lack of voice or power in government. The Etriarchs hoped this new constitution would bind the Archon to the rule of law and allow them a concrete say in the Empire's descion-making process.

However, as the leader of Istanboulder, Bagelinian Yale, examined the document in farther depth, he was shocked to uncover severe issues with the constitution; There were various loopholes which would have allowed the Archon to claim emergency powers and return to his status as an autocrat on command, extremely limited surrendering of powers on the Archon's part, and the Etriarch's council essentially amounting to a rump parliament with no real powers. He promptly revealed his findings to the remaining members of government, and affirmed his belief that Istanboulder no longer had a prosperous future with union in Cymru.

Declaration of Independence and War on Istanboulder

Two days later, after a brief 15-1 vote on July 22nd, Istanboulder delivered a note to the Viodoxan government notifying them of Istanboulder's seccsion from the IAU and subsequent declaration of independence. They cited the lack of any voice in government, the tyrannical rule of the Archons, the IAU's inherent instability, the current Archon's incompetence, and the Boulderovians holding the inalienable right to self-determination, as their reasons for pursing independence from the Imperial Archonal Union. The note was delivered with the assumption that the IAU was too weak to do anything about it.

This was followed up with an announcement in r-national on July 25th, with a farther announcement on the 28th clarifying the reasons for independence and responding to defamation by the IAU. The IAU, hoping to maintain a level of prestige, declared war on Istanboulder with the intent to reconquer them by force. Istanboulder entered negotiations with the IAU, but no battles were ever fought. Both sides hoped to find a diplomatic comprimsie, but negotiations stalled as no agreement could be made.

Visible State of Confusion and Ainsel

On July 30th, in a move most Cymruians viewed with horror, a Kartek-backed incursion known as the Visible State of Confusion & Ainsel (VSoC&A) was launched in Cymru. It was immensely successful, as the provinces of Doiro, Demiarbéz, and the fractions of Valron targeted immediately surrendered to occupation by the oncoming forces. This incursion lead to the cementing of the VSoC&A as a military junta on Cymru, althougth it would not be recognized as legitmate by its neighbors until much later. This sudden loss of territory caused severe chaos and anxiety on the continent, as suddenly all provinces were afraid the VSoC&A would come for them next. Combined with the panicked state of the IAU's government, this event served to be the final nail in the coffin for the Viodoxan Empire.



IAU Military Coup d'etat

After the province's surrender to the VSoC&A, combined with both the stress of the current crisis and Istanbolder's declaration of independence, the IAU finally collapsed a day later on July 29th.

As the IAU drew its last breath, a military coup by Kogan - the popular Grand Marshall of the Union's Army, prevented its complete fracturing. Supported by several members of the higher government and prominent Viodoxan ministers. The remaining provinces on Cymru opted to throw their lot in with Kogan's promise of stability and protection under his junta. Shaloma, Valron, Adytum, Silvay, and Fortuna all joined on the very day the coup was announced. Despite the threat posed by the VSoC&A, Istanboulder polietly refused Kogan's offer to join his junta, as the Boulderovians sought to decide their own future.

On August 1st, shortly after his coup of the IAU turned out successful, Kogan announced he would be forming a new state out of the remnants of Viodoxa, birthing a new nation unshackled by the restraints of the system of Archons and Empires. He dubbed it, the Autokratoria Sirradra, and appointed himself as its head.

Diplomatic Crisis between Istanboulder and Sirradra
After the collapse of the IAU and the birth of Sirradra, Istanboulder took a cautious stance towards Sirradra. While Istanboulder hoped that under Kogan they would secure many of the rights the IAU refused them, many of the same prominent government officials who had pushed for the IAU to war Istanboulder were still present. Istanboulder stated it would explore the possibility of joining later down the line, but only after tensions cooled off. Until that time, in Istanboulder's mind, securing the independence they had was the first priority. Cautiously, Istanboulder opened negotiations with Sirradra, seeking to secure their sovereignty. However, negotiations quickly broke down as Istanboulder came to the view that Sirradra was barely different from its predecessor, and despite supposed promises of reform from Kogan, the newly signed constitution of Sirradra seemed to be no different from Ryou's Faux Constitution.

Both sides repeatedly antagonized each other, as tensions reached a boiling point. In one specific incident, Jericho, the general of Sirradra's army, entered Istanboulder City and killed 8 citizens with prejudice, terrorizing the peaceful inhabitants of the city. Enraged by this horrible act, Istanboulder swore revenge, just as Sirradra promised war and destruction if Istanboulder did not join them.

However, at the last moment, Spades of Valondor offered himself to the grueling task of mediating negotiations. Slowly and painfully, over the course of a month a new treaty was gradually constructed, with Istanboulder agreeing to enter as a protectorate of Sirradra. Through the Treaty of Nara, Istanboulder agreed to surrender its control over external affairs, in exchange for Sirradra agreeing to non-interference in Istanboulder's internal affairs and an offical renouncation of the claims of patrimony inherited from the IAU.

Istanboulder breathed a sigh of relief, and Artigas Bagelinian Yale, rewarding Mayor Voodliedood for his assistence in negotating with Sirradra and staying loyal during the threats of war, promoted Voodlie to the esteemed position of High Councillor.

Sirradran Protectorate and the Election Crisis
As the Treaty of Nara allowed tensions between Istanboulder and Sirradra to cool off, Istanboulder focused its attention on its domestic matters. As part of the terms of the treaty, Bagelinian Yale agreed to step down from his position as Artigas and refrain from acting in regional politics. As such, a new election was needed to decide the next candidate. Bagelinian agreed to oversee the election process, and many prominent members of Istanboulder threw their hat into the ring.

While all candidates for the Artigas played fair, acting on established convention from earlier Low Council elections, High Councillor Voodliedood had other plans. When election day came, Voodlie used alts to vote for himself, invited friends to do the same, and used an illegal technique of combining votes with other candidates at the last minute. Through these illegal tactics, he acquired 15 votes, 7 of them from combining with fellow candidate turned supporter, Rickermerico. As the next runner up was High Councillor Pandas_da_man747 at 13, Voodlie claimed the election was his win.

He argued that even though he used shady tactics, he legally won the election because the techniques he used were not specially outlawed by the Istanboulder constitution. He threatened to secede his town of Nara and get military assistance from Sirradra if he did not get his way. Bagelinian Yale argued that even if his blatantly criminal actions had been legal - ignoring even his ignominiously traitorous threats - his unethical tactics and violation of the spirit of Democracy would no doubt spark a disastrous Civil War. He offered Voodlie a re-do of the election, but Voodlie, perhaps aware that his chances of legitimately winning an election were extraordinarily low, especially now that the population knew about his threats and methods, vehemently refused. Bagel warned Voodlie that whatever happened next "is your problem, not mine", and promptly left the server. With his absence, Voodliedood declared himself Artigas.

After a protracted argument on the illegitimacy of his victory with several other members of government, Voodlie resorted to kicking High Councillors who disagreed with him out of their positions, and suppressing free speech by deleting messages attacking his legitimacy. As a result of the turmoil, High Councillor Pandas_Da_Man747 introduced a resolution in the Chambers to impeach Voodlie. After the resolution passed, Voodlie refused to hand over his position, still sticking to his earlier talking points. The Head of Church, Sneaky Yale, invoked a law present in the Istanboulder constitution. In the event an Artigas refused to hand over their power after their term ended or if they were impeached, it was the duty of the Head of Church to forcefully remove them from power. Sneaky had become the Discord Server owner after Bagelinian's departure, and thus Voodlie was kicked out of his position and asked to hand over his town until he could be trusted again, a request he refused.

1st Sirradra-Istanboulder War
Though the Treaty of Nara gave both sides hope for a peaceful future, the impeachment of Voodlie threw this hope out the window. Voodlie, with the help of his ally Rickermerico, applied for military assistance from Sirradra, claiming he had been couped by the rest of Istanboulder and had to take his position back by force.

Thanks to the already bitter feelings between Istanboulder and Sirradra, the new Empire reacted quickly. After briefly examining the valid evidence the Government of Istanboulder presented, immediately announced a military intervention. Istanboulder claimed the military intervention violated the Treaty of Nara, but Sirradra disagreed, insisting Voodlie was the legitimate election winner. Their stated goal was to place Voodliedood into power, and restore peace by removing the "terrorist revolutionaries" present in Istanboulder. Realizing their intentions of removing most of the population that backed Voodlie's impeachment, Istanboulder had no option but to meet war with open arms - as the conflict was affirmed to be one of Life or Death.

The Government of Sirradra mobilized without issuing any ultimatums or engaging in any Diplomacy, knowing Istanboulder would never accept a puppet ruler in their country. While not known at the time, it is now known - Thanks to information from Rickmerico - that should the former leadership of Istanboulder have appeased Sirradra and allowed the illegitimate Voodliedood into power, he would have enacted a coup with Sirradra's support, established a dictatorial diarchy with Rickmerico, and purged the rest of the Istanboulder loyalists anyways. Istanboulder-Sirradra relations broke down overnight as Sirradra's refused Istanboulder's request to present their case in front of the Sirradran Council, and both sides prepared for the oncoming war that would decide Istanboulder's fate.

First Battle
On the 17 of September 2022, the first battle on the Sirradra-Istanboulder conflict was set. At the start, the Sirradran army had easily breached Istanboulder City. However, they quickly spread out due to bad communication, and ended being taken out one by one, by the Istanboulder Army. The battered Sirradran forces regrouped on the Eastern side of the city outside of the tall walls, but in a dramatic move the Istanboulder Army, seeing Sirradra's disorganized troops, suddenly jumped down and attacked, causing the Sirradran forces to rout. After a successful defense, the troops of Istanboulder marched to the city of Fjörgyien, where they raided the city. The troops climbed the walls of the outer city and managed to successfully blow a hole into the walls of the Fjörgyien fort with TnT, setting a chaotic battle inside the small fort-city. Istanboulder managed to outnumber the Sirradrans and took full control of the city. Istanboulder had received a siege victory on Sirradra, on what was supposed to be a defensive battle. The final score was 43-10 with a siege point favoring Istanboulder, a stunning victory. A reminder though, that this battle would not have been won without the help of the brave heroes of Kartek and Certaria. Notable fighters include BarendKramer, LilyPrism, wingsauce, KingOfHavoc, Thayff, oShotty, Prince_JD, MidoriGreen, mayynophobia, Fousas, AmyPriism and many others

A major contributing factor in Sirradra's humiliating loss was due to strategic errors made by General Jericho in organizing the Sirradran forces. Instead of using conventional tactics and grouping his forces in the same vc, Jericho made the controversial decision to split his army into separate units of five soldiers. This decision created a weakness in the the Sirradran forces, as it allowed the Istanboulder fighters to systematically isolate and crush each group. This allowed Istanboulder to gain a numbers advantage during the chaotic advance across the fields of Ferrymen_Fort, gaining valuable momentum and taking a chunk out of Sirradra's ability to fight with each unit destroyed.

In conclusion, the battle was a dramatic failure for the under prepared and disorganized Sirradran forces. Sirradra had not expected such hardy resistance, and as such was taken completely unawares by Istanboulder's robust tactics and unexpectedly strong willpower. The battle was a huge blow to the morale and prestige of the Sirradrans, who, in a battle containing upwards of 40 people on both sides, blamed the 4 Hands volunteers for their loss, calling Istanboulder a "Hands puppet". Istanboulder, who expected to be crushed or at least put up a valiant last stand, was stunned at actually winning in such pronounced manner. The battle significantly raised the morale of Istanboulder, today being remembered by the Boulderovians as a sign of their indomitable will in resisting any foreign invaders.

Documentation of the Battle can be found here, through the perspective of war photographer KingOfHavoc



Realization

After the first failed battle, Kogan was enraged. He immediately planned for a second battle and started preparing himself, to face an enemy that he had realized that wasn't simply a small nation. He increased preparations for a second battle, determined not to make the same mistakes as last time. He contributed approximately 2 Million from his vast personal wealth to the war efforts, changed his attacking claim from Fjörgyien to Krigor, and even choose to end his war in the far-off continent of Aldovir, through a white peace, in exchange for Galadonian support against Istanboulder. He then revealed his real intentions to everyone, that was that this war was nothing but a personal conquest of his. Upon hearing this, Rickmerico, who was the right hand of Voodliedood, gave up his support for Sirradra and Voodliedood. He went through redemption and reintegrated into Istanboulder, now at their side.

Second Battle
On the 22 of October 2022, the second battle in this war had been set. This time, Sirradra came with extra preparation and tactics. Istanboulder still had strong soldiers on their side, this time choosing to hire a mercenary group, the Piwates, to help them. Sympathetic to the war efforts, the Piwates provided a hefty discount to Istanboulder, slashing their usual price of 2.5 million to only 1 million in an unusual move by the normally money-minded mercenaries.

After the first 40 minutes of the battle consisting of Sirradra trying to take control of the walls of the city, they finally had breached it. They had little time left, so they had to act fast. The next 20 minutes would consist of a chaotic battle in the center of Istanboulder City, with urban warfare between small groups of the competing armies. Sirradra had successfully managed to obtain a point advantage, however as Istanboulder already had a Siege Point and they did not manage to take control of the center of the city, at the end of the battle it was considered a tie. Score 17-9 for Sirradra. Confirmed spendings were 3.5 million for Sirradra and 1 million for Istanboulder, although rumors state Sirradra spent as much as 5 or even 6 million on the war efforts.

[WIP: Notes. While the official result was a tie, Istanboulder considered the battle another victory for IB...] In sum the battle can be considered another victory for Istanboulder, as despite being outnumbered by over 20 people (With 30 fighters on Istanboulder's side and over 50 on Sirradra's), they successfully repulsed Sirradra's attack on their capital. Istanboulder also caused a large resource drain on the Sirradran treasury, with the meme of "4 Mill for a Tie" being enshrined in Istanboulder culture, highlighting the defender's valor and spirit in resisting the invaders.

However, the battle did not come without cost. As a result of the extensive use of TNT and Redstone Blocks, Istanboulder_City suffered extensive damages on its Eastern side, with the historic Ferrymen_Fort undergoing damage. A gallery displaying the damages to the city is shown below.

Documentation of the second battle can be found here, once again from the perspective of war photographer KingOfHavoc

Nara Rebels and Bouldergrad Stolen

After the second battle, the city of Nara, led by Voodliedood attempted to claim itself as independent and to join Sirradra. This however, was not taken seriously by members of the Cartography Guild, who refused to show his city as an independent nation. Disputes are still going for the city.

The claim of Bouldergrad, an island by the northeast of Istanboulder, was mysteriously deleted on the 31st of October. Valuable items such as armors and ores (worth 100k) had been stolen from the island. After some ticket pvp, it was discovered that moderator Max_imal, one of the most important government figures of Sirradra, had taken all the items and deleted the claim. He claimed the island was a proxy claim (even though it had existed for approximately 3 months before the war). After some more ticket pvp, admins came to the conclusion that it would be a squatter claim, not a proxy one. Max gave almost all the items back, however the island was never given back, and is now occupied by Sirradrans.

Ceasefire

After the drama of the battles and attempted theft of items, the long war, which to this point had being on-going for two and a half months, began to take a toll on both sides. Fortunately, a server event known as No-War November popped up, which disabled the war feature for the month of November. This effectively meant that both sides entered a month long ceasefire. In a petty move, Sirradra refused to confirm Istanboulder's request for a cease-fire accommodating No-War-November, although this decision, other than symbolic, had no real impact as the two sides were forced to stop fighting anyway.

Annexation of the Gigantium Isles
Following the cease-fire, Istanboulder entered a period of reconstruction and repairs with great enthusiasm, with a newly re-invigorated national identity. On November 4th, 2022, the neighboring country known as the Empire of Gigantium Isles was formally annexed into Istanboulder. This came after their leader TheDanishGuy, a long-time friend of Bagelinan Yale, gave his permission to the annexation. He wanted for Istanboulder to protect and preserve his little artificial islands, and wanted to help grow the influence of Boulderism.

Shortly after its annexation, Rosanto Yale was appointed as the Town Mayor of Dakor, the largest city on the the isles. He constructed a Boulderist Church and a replica of Boulder, helping to fill the vast space the island contained.

Government
The government is composed of the following:

Artigas

The Prime-Minister of Istanboulder. Has the power to veto laws, accept citizens, elect Ministers and High Councilors, and is the second most important government figure. The Artigas is elected by the people, and must represent their demands. The Artigas is elected through 2-Turn elections. He is the most powerful but also has the most responsibilities. 1 month term.

*Un-elected, State of Emergency **Second Term

High Council

Composed only of the most prestiged, driven, and talented citizens of Istanboulder. To be a High Councilor you must have shown your loyalty for the nation, and must have done great works for it. There are only 3 seats available in the Council, and terms are indefinite. The High Council cannot propose laws, but can ask the Grand Senator to do so. They have the ability to vote on a law passed through the Low Council, after which should then be passed on to the Artigas.

The High Council is one of the main connections to Old Boulderov, where the High Councillors used to be responsible for running the nation on behalf of Bolton Yale, the then Pope of Boulderism. Their powers in Istanboulder remain much stripped down compared to Old Boulderov and they no longer work on behalf of the Pope, but they still hold immense prestige and cultural influence in Istanboulder.

Low Council (Lemas)

The Low Council is the most important part of the government, as they are the ones who propose and make laws. The number of seats depends on the number of candidates, usually being 3 or 5, and their term lasts 2 weeks. It is the job of the Low Council to make new laws and oversee the ministries. The Grand Senator, who is chosen by the members of the Low Council, has the responsibility of taking care of all laws proposed, and to oversee the Low Council.

Ministries

Ministry of Human Resources: responsible for appointing members of the administration of immigration, keeping track of population demographics and managing court cases.

Ministry of Internal Affairs: responsible for managing land transactions, commissioning build projects, approving and planing the construction of new cities and responsible for appointing Politans (Mayors).

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Geography
Located in the bottom right of the map on the western coast of Cymru, Istanboulder has a wide variety of climates and biomes. These biomes can be broken down into three parts. The majority of development and population lies on the flat northern coastal plains. The coast, including Istanboulder City, Ferrymen Fort, and the former city of Harcos are located on these costal plains that stretch inwards towards Nara, while Xersium is located in the south-eastern heavily forested interior, and New Pedrera is located on the mountainy north-eastern and eastern coasts.



Istanboulder_City
Istanboulder City

Formerly a City-State in its own right, the Capital and largest city of the nation holds a special spot among the citizens of Istanboulder. Upon first joining the country, most citizens choose to join this city, owing to its cultural importance, various business and commercial opportunities, and it's central location.

Rockfort City
Rockfort City is a city west of Istanboulder City, currently under heavy development. It is led and owned by Rickmerico. The name of the city comes from the fort it had been built around, Rockfort. Current population is 7. The city is heavily concentrated on both economic and aesthetic aspects, the economic part under management of foughtspark37, and the building all done by Rickmerico himself. The city has a lot to expect and offer.

The city is replacing the old ruins of Harcos.

Ferrymen_Fort
A fort originally occupied by The Ferrymen during The Ferrymen War was stumbled upon by Owen Yale soon after Istanboulder City was re-founded by Bagelinian Yale. The fort was originally owned by a fierce group of bandits called The Ferrymen, notable members of The Ferrymen were Masouri, Orlanth, and Adderol. The fort was used as their home for the time they occupied part of Viodoxa, a conflict part of The Ferrymen Wars. The Ferrymen soon disappeared, and the fort was left partially destroyed, and completely abandoned for a long time. This is when Owen Yale rebuilt the tower to how it used to be, he patched all of the missing obsidian in the basement, and filled every hole in the wall. Owen Yale left for a very long period shortly after repairing the fort.

After Owen left, officer Xers Yale, an experienced warrior, took over the fort after being advised to by Bagelinian Yale. Xers owned the fort for a while and soon moved elsewhere, fighting in any war he could stick his nose into. After Xers moved, DanishGuy owned the fort and lived there for a short period of time. Danish soon founded Dakor and had The Ferrymen Fort transferred to Bagelinian Yale. One day, out of the blue, Owen Yale came back, after being gone for a very long time. Bagelinian welcomed Owen back and gave him back his passion project, The Ferrymen Fort.

Castrum
A mysterious and massive clock tower that extends all the way to build height, this imposing symbol of wealth also doubles as a colossal experience farm. It was originally constructed by wanderer Yldnelf, after being given permission by Founder Bagelinian Yale. Yldnelf, rich from his old age and numerous travels, sought to place his remaining massive wealth into one final passion project, creating Castrum over many years of difficult labour. Castrum's materials and appearance reflects this attitude, being built out of expensive Blackstone, found rarely in the nether regions.

Religion
Istanboulder is a majority Orthodox Boulderist religion, an ancient monotheistic form of Boulderism which firmly sticks to the core tenants of the religion and sees Bolton Yale as the messiah. Orthodox Boulderists believe that The Boulder, most gracious and most merciful, is the sole god, and that He created the world and its inhabitants to worship it. The Five Books of the Boulder are considered testimonies to the Boulder's power and are the main religious texts of Orthodox Boulderism.

It is commonly held that the Divine Books were sent down by the Holy Boulder, most gracious and most merciful, to Bolton Yale, for him to spread the Boulderist message worldwide. For this reason, the Books hold a prestigious footing in worship, with their divine rules being adhered to strictly, as religion is a main component of the Boulderovian identity. Istanboulder is far and away completely defined by its religion, being the reasoning for its original founding and an everyday fact of life. All Boulderovians are Boulderists, and all Boulderists are Boulderovians. It is impossible to have one without the other, just the way the Boulderovians like it.

Days of Festivity
A core component of Istanboulder is it's days of holiday. Weather for festivity or remembrance, these events are all equally important.

Day of the Ninth
This day is not much of a holiday, but more of a day of remembrance, so no Boulderovian shall ever forget why this nation exists. The Day of the Ninth marks the historic day in which the constant mounting tensions in Old Boulderov finally exploded. This left both Bolton Yale the prophet and Tati the Scholar to resign from their positions as two of the three High Councillors of Boulderov, and to simply disappear into the wilderness. Culturally, it is marked as the date in which Old Boulderov died, and a shadow replaced it.

There are no celebrations on this day, no festivals, singing, dancing, or fun having. On this day, all citizens of Istanboulder are to simply go about their daily functions in utter silence, occasionally conversing with each other the melancholic nostalgia and old glory of Boulderov, and exchanging gifts of minor value.

When the sun sets and the moon rises to its peak, the people gather in a circle around an extinguished fire, with its embers cooled and the heat dying down. Each Boulderovian then throws a flammable item of personal value into the dying flame. The Artigas step forward and attends to the fire, slowly blowing on it and seeing that it progressively grows brighter, as the Boulderites watch in absolute silence. Only when the Artigas steps away from the flame, now a roaring bonfire, himself suddenly transformed into a joyous and ecstatic figure, may the tension of the day be relieved. The Boulderites all join in on the festivities and sing songs, dance, play games, exchange stories, and talk brightly and optimistically about the future all night long. Thus ends the Day of the Ninth.

Monthly Sumo Tournament
On the first day of each month, the Boulderovians gather for the most prestigious of their sporting events. A game comprising of a simple square ring platform raised above a pool of water, with two men placed inside at opposite ends. A Sumo match, designed to test an athletes physical ability to the extreme, and the ultimate expression of Boulderovian attitudes about combat. The goal of this game is simple, knock the other contestant off, and advance through the tournament bracket until only one remains. A best of 5 match, rounds are usually grueling slugfests, with breakneck back and forths between both contenders. The winner of a round advances in the tournament, while the loser attempts again in a losers bracket match, where they must fight their way to a second chance at victory. Tournament winners typically receive eternal fame, and a hefty paycheck to boot. The losers try their luck again next month, training all the time throughout.

These games are among the most popular of Istanboulder's events, even rivaling the celebrations on the Day of the Ninth. Sumo matches, while seemingly a fun exercise, also help young men and women train for combat. The same skills needed during a Sumo Match, athletic ability, aim in strikes, back and forth dodging, and combo'ing opponents, are all invaluable skills used during a battle. It is for this reason that Sumo matches tend to be such esteemed events, as those who succeed in the games, are likely to succeed on the battlefield.



Important Symbols
Some notable symbols of Istanboulder include;
 * Enchanted Turtle Helmet
 * A common symbol representing a great Boulderovian leader, hero, or warrior. This symbol originates from Founder Bagelinian Yale, who commonly wore nothing but a pair of diamond boots and a special Turtle Helmet, called the Helm of the Boulderite. It was enchanted with Protection 4, Unbreaking 3, and Aqua Affinity and inscribed with the following words: "There is no telling who is left and who's alive. Alone I stand on this hill of uncertainty". The meaning of this phrase is subject to much debate, but it is believed to be referencing the experiences of Bagelinian Yale himself, who upon the creation of Istanboulder and his friends sudden departure, believed he was the last true Boulderist left in the world. Regardless, the origins of this special Helmet and Bagelinian's habits are unknown, but his odd fashion choice quickly cemented itself to be a signal of prestige for Boulderovians.




 * Boulder Pendants
 * Boulder pendants have been a part of Boulderist culture since before Boulderism history started being documented. A Boulder pendant is a small part of The Boulder. Boulder pendants used to be found in dispensaries in Old Ziemia, and found in any holy site across Boulderov. It is believed that the only way to get a Boulder pendant now is in the chest in Istanboulder City next to The Boulder.

Symbolism of the Flag
The Flag of Istanboulder, while seemingly representing nothing much of importance besides a few colors here-and-there, it in itself actually contains significant meaning to the trained eye.

The Orthodox Boulderist Cross, highlights by far one of the most important aspects of the Boulderovian identity and the very foundation and pillar of them as a peoples. It is put smack dab in the middle, and rightfully so.

The Yellow, displays their relentless energy and optimism towards the future, and their mission to preserve and expand the stories they share.

The White, speaks plainly of how in Istanboulders long and storied history, even in the darkest of times, their people still went on as good men, close together as a band of brothers and generous to all.

And finally The Gray, shows their people's timeless devotion to the Culture and Religion present in the ancient place of Istanboulder. Their sturdiness and indomitable resilience weathers the storm of the world, the color on the flag intentionally being much like Stones they so revere.



Common Phrases
"Praise Thy Boulder"

Being both the motto of Old Boulderov as well as Istanboulder, this saying can be heard by most Boulderovians on a daily basis. It reflects the deep religious ties the Nation contains, as well as the citizens ardent dedication to it.