Mercantile Nation of Carvay

The Republic of Carvay is a nation located on the continent of Vastallos in the Ombra Gulf. It is a Merchant Republic under the leadership of Doge Sknow. The Government of Carvay was an elected body of nobility, merchants, judges and military commanders, which helped govern the territories of the Republic which stretched from the islands of the Ombra Gulf to the western coast of Vastallos. The state used to pursue a policy of population growth, governmental reform and guaranteeing economic opportunity to its citizens.

The cultural heritage of Carvay is unusually large for a nation of Rathnir, largely thanks to its age. The capital city is one of the oldest cities in the world and is one of the longest continual governments in recent history. The state has a long history of being the navel of diplomatic efforts as well as a fierce reputation in conflict, although these days are long gone.

Currently, Carvay is a strong isolationist state, often choosing diplomatic solutions to prevent involvement with international conflicts. The country's history, shaped by foreign occupation has created a culture of fiercely independent and proud Carvaians who value liberty and small government.

Government
Carvay is a Republic with an elected Doge who serves for life or until voluntary retirement. While the leader has near absolute power, their actions are restricted by codified laws which are ratified by an appointed college of wise citizens referred to as Savii or Signori.

The seat of the Government lies in Carvay, referred to as the Illustrious City (Cv.: Illustrastaato), which is also the cultural and diplomatic centre of Carvay.

Geography & Nature
The political territory of Carvay is localised in the near-west of Rathnir, predominantly on the subcontinent of Vastallos connected to Alteniquia. Carvay controls a multitude of fairly autonomous provinces from the luscious islands of the Ombra Gulf and the Alteniquian desert in the east to the western birch coast of Vastallos. In the north, Carvay claims legal ownership of several sandy islands in the Phagosian Sea although these claims are disputed by various nations including the Huitca Federation and Bardonia. The southern coastline edges on the Mare Caprechosa and is one of the fastest developing lands of Carvay. The scattered communities of Carvay each inhabit unique biomes which contain fascinating flora and fauna which is studied by the Carvay university.

Ombra Gulf
The Ombra Gulf is the most important body of water to Carvay, both because of the number of cities, settlements and landmarks on its coast and its connection to the Mare Caprechosa in the south-west. The etymology of the Gulf is shrouded in mystery but the strongest theory is the Old Asturcian word Umbere meaning dark/brooding in reference to the depth of the sea. The measured depth of the Ombra Gulf is not particularly deeper than the Rathnir average but the thick seaweed forests and gravel seafloor gives the water its dark tint. Various cities lie on the shores of the sea and the biomes surrounding it include dry Alteniquian deserts, dense north Vastallos jungles and lush Sironian birch and oak forests. Many important cities lie on these coasts including the capital city, Carvay, and Port Ravenus.

Carvay
The city of Carvay lies on synthetically reinforced islands on the mouth of the Essenda River, in the north-western region of the Ombra Gulf. It is surrounded on the mainland by dense jungles or terraformed plains on which the engineers of the city have deforested over the centuries to feed the expanding needs of the city. It is the most developed city in all of Carvay and contains multiple urbanised areas.

Port Ravenus
The port city of Ravenus lies on a grassy peninsula to Carvay's south. The jungle was burned back to make way for the enormous Ravenus farm long ago and remnants can still be seen on the city outskirts. The location of Port Ravenus is important for navigation of the Ombra Gulf and its sandy shores are ideal for shipyards and harbour construction.

Pre-History - Before Server Start
The People who settled the area of the city thousands of years ago were natives of Vastallos. The eastern part of the continent is covered in a vast marshy jungle and the mouth of the Essenda River was too wide for traditional walled cities used by the Jagdasians. The natives of the land remained nomadic until Ardatians brought the knowledge of dykes and aquatic engineering. Carvay became a rich trading city, gathering precious chocolate and shipping it through the Ombra Gulf to Sironia and Ardat Mosul.

During the Chocolate Wars, Carvay led a strong naval coalition against the Ummarnu Elves but suffered repeated defeats on land. Emerging from the conflict Carvay became a dominant economic hub on the subcontinent and its influence began emanating from the early settlement.

After Server Start - Sept. 25th to Oct. 14th 2020
The Republic began in the city-state of Carvay, governing little more than the settlement and the few islands as well as the mainland around the mouth of the Essenda River.

Slowly, by the efforts of the first Doge 8jaaroud, Carvay grew from a small settlement to an island urban center. Expansion during this time was met by resistance from natives of the Jungle. The Donsktoppi jungle tribe was harassing travellers between Neos Knossos and Carvay and both cities led severe punitive expeditions into the jungle as a result. The natives suffered greatly and the small buildings throughout the jungle were abandoned soon after.

After this conflict, Carvay established friendly relations with Neos Knossos and Kawalapua, eventually forming the Triple Alliance. Later, when the Holy City of Stensta rose to economic and cultural significance, diplomats from Neos Knossos approached the city of Carvay with plans to form a continental alliance, which eventually became the Vastallosi Alliance of Western Rathnir.

The VAWR Saga - Oct. 15th to Nov. 23rd 2020
When Neos Knossos, asked for assistance when they claimed their colony had rebelled and join a foreign empire, Carvaian forces went to battle against Infinick at Tlahatl but this ended up in failure due to the Lands plugin allowing PVP to be disabled at the time.

Not wanting to go to war, Carvay asked Noodles of the V.I.R. to sit down to peace terms, and agreed that aside from the current sole territory of Tlahatl, V.I.R. would not settle in the West and in the Phagosian Sea. These talks were held at Carvay in the newly erected Grand Meeting Hall and would produce The Treaty of the Phagosian Seas.

Soon after this Carvay, Neos Knossos, Kawalapua, Stensta, Volandia and the VIR Territory of Tlahatl met in Carvay, and with a 3 hour long meeting, on the 15th of October, all nations came to an accord to guarantee the sovereignty and independence of all members stays in tact. This alliance eventually became the Vastallosi Alliance of Western Rathnir.

At this time, construction boomed for the minor city-state which allowed the settlement of other cities such as Port Ravenus and Fortisola. The famous 120 chunk farm of Port Ravenus was at the time of construction the largest existing on Rathnir and equal importance was given infrastructure connecting the various settlements.

Rising Political Dissent - Nov. 24th to Dec. 18th 2020
The turn of the year brought great instability and conflict to Carvay. The Doge was incapacitated and control of the government was given to a coalition of high-ranking government officials. Without the Figurehead of the Doge factionalism began creeping into the political apparatus and a divide was growing. The two factions were referred to as the Conservatii and the Statistii, the former being seen as the conservative preservers of Carvay's constitutional civil liberties and minimal government activity while the latter encouraged an active foreign policy and the institutionalisation of governmental secrecy.

The conservatives promoted the reduction of secret state affairs and the increasing of state transparency while the statists practiced high centralisation and stayed faithful to state sanctioned secrecy in internal and foreign affairs. The disputes intensified over the handling of foreign affairs during the Factions period of Rathnir. Finally the transfer of Conservatii government officials to remote frontier postings allowed the Statistii under Essendor to take full control of the government.

Civil Conflict - Dec. 19th 2020 to Jan. 27th 2021
The recovery of he Doge was taking longer than expected and the tensions within the government wee slowly reaching a boiling point. Citizen assemblies and protests took place including a storming of the Grand Assembly in which a member of the Conservatii barred the entrance and slew a police officer in the defence. A political opposition party was formed for the first time in Carvaian history, the Carvay Conservatore Parti under the leadership of Baekry Mezaria who immediately called for elections.

The Doge made a miraculous recovery on December 22nd with a miracle cure developed by the Kota Mewah temple called Pricharis. The day is remembered by the annual Pricharis Mass held in Carvay. The Doge met with protestors leaders from the opposition and an agreement for temporary stability was reached, soon after the Great Rathnir War.

This conflict was the first in which a cohesive unit was sent to battle, prior conflicts had been fought by soldiers being attached to foreign contingents. The government was well aware of the VAWR's short-sightedness and impending conflict and had made national preparations but was concerned over ineffective allies. These were proven true in the war in which valiant fighters repeatedly fell to the Alliances lack of coordination and poor combat ability. A common war story told in Carvay is of the Doge leading a group of frenzied soldiers into a charge through Bardonian defences, entering the bed room and slaying three men in the moment before the Coalition's surrender. This was seen as a betrayal and led to widespread criticism of the foreign policy of Essendor whose foreign policy led to the web of cumbersome alliances.

The flamboyant exit of Carvay from the VAWR is proudly remembered for being announced on Apollo Radio by the Doge with stereotypical arrogance, although this is taken as a point of pride by locals. Soon after the war an investigation took place in the interim government's actions and factionalism brought the state to the brink of collapse.

Civil War
The violence began when the Statistii provincial government of Port Ravenus under the Savi Essendor declared to secede after government reforms prepared for free elections. Initial negotiations led nowhere and the city was put under siege by government forces. Essendor fled the city and the Port Ravenus was looted and partially damaged.

Once the violence had ceased, the government prepared for fundamental reforms to the system and began large infrastructure projects. Carvaian's will joke that the country will have hovercrafts before the Doge's mansion is finished as it had been under construction since the foundation of the city. A festival was held and the government announced indefinite neutrality in international conflicts.

The reconstruction era was booming but some internal disputes remained regarding the direction of Carvay's government reforms, although critics of Carvaian neutrality were silenced when on January 27th 2021, the Chancellor Unic0rnB0i of Bardonia threatened war. The government arranged for a suitable payment to be made to prevent conflict and fully committed to international neutrality.

Relegation Into Obscurity - Jan. 28th onwards
Carvay's government reforms proved effective and domestic conflicts were dragged through courts rather than blood. large government projects such as roads and metro systems were begun although few were finished on time. The aging Doge stepped down and the Serene Republic elected his daughter Frostina Mezaria to Dogess and she adopted the royal title Doge Femboyi Maide di Serenissima Republicca di Carvay, Frostina I Mezaria.

Culture
The city of Carvay is one of the oldest existing on Rathnir and thus has an expansive history of development, comingling and waves of immigration changing the face of the city's residents. Researchers generally discuss Carvaians as historical or modern, splitting the divide at the opening of the city to foreign settlement. In modern times, Carvay is a cultural melting pot of peoples

Carvaian culture has its roots in Rathnir pre-history. The earliest mention of the Carvaian as a distinct cultural group is found in Knossian government documents. The history of Carvay's cultural development is categorised into historical and modern periods, each being subcategorised by periods and eras. The Carvaian Culture evolved around its maritime trade network. The city's heritage of economic activity and location on the coast of the Ombra fostered a strong affinity for sailing and xenophilia while promoting individual liberty and self-determination. Government efforts to improve the lives of citizens has contributed to a large amount of citizen activism and political participation of the lower classes.

Literature
Carvay is the source of a large quantity of both fiction and non-fiction literature as well as a majority of Rathnir's academic literature. The Sindacalista located in the capital city is the home to many authors, most famously Outrun and Baekry Mezaria.

Art
Carvaians are known to be creative and the heritage of theatre scripts, novels, sculptures and painted artworks are a testament to this. The long history of Carvay has led to the collection of many artifacts from all over Rathnir, notably, the holy artifacts of the ancient religion of Granism are currently kept in the Dogess' private collection.