Astria
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Astria  Astria (Astrian) Capital: Monegha (de facto)
Population: 7,007,551 (2021) Anthem: Vindecora Libertas (Fair Liberty) |
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Astria is a country located in Romanthian western Uletha. It borders Pretannia to the north and east, and Plevia to the south. To the west, it shares a shoreline along Pretannic Lake with Valony, UL08l, and UL08m. Astria's total land area is 23,104.50 square kilometres (8,920.70 square miles).
It is a federation of 11 states: Monegha, San Lion, Val d'Arol, Enègrion, San Nicolas, Korman, Triivall, Nòrd, Arle, Arbiera and Ersazia.
Etymology
The name Astria is said to descend from the archaic Gallo-Italic word aester, signifying “the east” or “the place of the rising sun.” In the earliest days of lake-borne trade, merchants navigating the waters of the Pretannic Lake spoke of the Aesteri tribes who dwelt upon the eastern shores, where the first light of day emerged. In time, their lands came to be known as Astria.
History
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|---|---|
| History of Astria | |
| Era di Alleanzas | 1204–1574 |
| • Eternal Alliance | 17 April 1204 |
| Era di Protectorat | 1574–1825 |
| • Controversy of San Lion | 1530s-1574 |
| • Venti di Faura | 11 October 1574 |
| • Treaty of Ansgari | 1 December 1574 |
| • Civil War | 14 June 1798–1 August 1799 |
| Era Federal | 1825– |
| • Federal Pact | 19 May 1825 |
Era of Alliances
For much of its history, Astria was less a single nation than a mosaic of principalities, free cities, and ecclesiastical lordships, tied together by trade routes, shifting alliances, and a shared cultural fabric. The first real step toward unity came in 1204, when the Principality of Monegha, the Abbey of San Lion, the Free Cities of the Arol Valley, and the Free People of Enègrion established the Eternal Alliance. This pact was designed to settle disputes through negotiation rather than arms, to guarantee mutual defense, and to shield Astrian communities from encroaching powers.
Era of the Protectorate
A century and a half later, the alliance faced a dire test. In 1574, the Ortholic high clergy of Nemans accused Astrian monasteries of heresy, dispatching inquisitors to the Monastery of San Antinous and the Abbey of San Lion. Their mission threatened to spark a religious war and foreign occupation. But while crossing the Pretannic Lake, three inquisitorial ships were caught in a sudden storm and smashed against the Isolas Faura. None survived. The catastrophe was widely interpreted as divine intervention, yet it underscored how fragile Astria’s independence remained.
In the aftermath, on 1 December 1574 in Ansgari, the signatories of the Eternal Alliance resolved to place their armed forces under the command of the Prince of Monegha, granting him the title of Protector of the Astrians. His authority was strictly limited: he was not to govern, but to safeguard the population, their property, their borders, and their liberties. Each member state would contribute men and gold to maintain this federal force. This arrangement gave Astria a unique equilibrium, preserving local autonomy while providing collective security.
The late 18th century brought fresh turmoil. Inspired by revolutions elsewhere in Uletha, republican militias rose in 1798, demanding democratic reforms, while patrician loyalists rallied in defense of traditional order. Astria quickly descended into a short but brutal civil war. Battles scarred market towns and river valleys, and both camps declared themselves the true defenders of liberty. Neighboring powers — Valony, Pretannia, and Pelvia — prepared to intervene, each hoping to exploit Astria’s weakness.
Amid this chaos, Prince Ioann Tomas I, acting as Protector, assumed command of the federal troops. Instead of crushing dissent, he pursued a path of restraint and conciliation. He ordered his soldiers to spare civilians, ensured safe passage for refugees, and issued broad amnesties to those who laid down their arms. His conduct, combining firmness with compassion, gradually eroded the will to fight on both sides.
In 1799, the factions gathered at the Congress of Lirena, where they forged a fragile compromise: a provisional republican constitution balanced by the continued neutrality of the Prince as Protector of Astria. This delicate arrangement prevented foreign intervention and preserved Astria’s independence at its most perilous hour.
Federal Era
The settlement became permanent with the Federal Pact of 1825, which formally created the Astrian Federation. Sovereignty was vested in national institutions — the Parliament, the National Council, and the Grand Court of Magistrates — while the Prince of Monegha retained his historic role as ceremonial head of state and commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces.
Geography
Astria’s geography is defined by distinct natural regions: the Arbierian Ranges in the south; the Arol Valley and the Grisidun Massif dominating the central heartland; the Northern Plains stretching across the upper reaches of the country; the Valcéra Heights rising to their east; and, finally, the Pretannic Lakeside, encompassing several smaller subregions along the shoreline.
- Natural regions of Astria
Arbierian Ranges (Liroa Valley)
Arol Valley (Val d'Arol)
Grisidun Massif
Northern Plains
Valcéra Heights
Pretannic Lakeside along the Bay of Lio (Sen di Lio)
Pretannic Lakeside in Ersazia
Politics
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|---|---|
| Government of Astria | |
| Capital | Momegha |
| Head of state | |
| • Prins | Ioann Tomas II |
| • Chancellor | Lana Carli |
| • Members of National Council (7) | Lavorists (3) Conservatis (2) Novverdes (1) Moderats (1) |
| Legislature | Astrian Parliament |
| • Upper house | Senate |
| • Lower house | Great Assembly |
| Judiciary | Grand Court of Magistrates |
Major political parties | |
Party seats (Assembley+Senate) Lavorists (54+14) Conservatis (41+7) Novverdes (30+9) Patriòts (28+5) Moderats (25+5) Progressists (10+0) Grisats (8+3) Liberats (3+1) Populars (2+0) | |
| AN | |
Astria is a federal parliamentary republic with a strong emphasis on consensus and power-sharing, reflecting both its diverse regional identities and its history of balancing competing political traditions. The seat of parliament and government is located in Monegha.
Head of State
The ceremonial head of state is Prince Ioann Tomas II of Monegha, who also serves as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. Prince’s role today is neither monarch nor sovereign but a symbolic Protector, born from centuries of crisis and compromise. His authority reflects the continuity of Astria’s history:
- Mediator of the Eternal Alliance (1204)
- Protector of liberties in the 16th century (1574)
- Peacemaker in the Civil War (1798–1799)
- Neutral figure in the republican settlement (1824)
Executive
Day-to-day executive power rests with the National Council, a seven-member collegial government. The Chancellor, currently Lana Carli of the Lavorists, acts as primus inter pares. By convention, the National Council includes representatives of all major parties to preserve national unity. This grand consensus formula ensures stability, but often requires lengthy negotiations on policy compromises.
Legislature
The Astrian Parliament is bicameral:
- The Great Assembly (201 seats) represents citizens proportionally.
- The Senate (44 seats) represents the eleven federal states.
Together, they comprise 245 seats.
The most recent elections have produced a fragmented but balanced parliament, with no single party approaching a majority. The distribution is as follows:
- Lavorists (center-left, social-democratic): 68 seats
- Conservatis (center-right, conservative): 48 seats
- Novverdes (green, centrist-ecologist): 39 seats
- Patriòts (right-populist, nationalist): 33 seats
- Moderats (centrist, liberal-conservative): 30 seats
- Progressists (left-wing, radical socialists): 10 seats
- Grisats (grey pragmatists, technocratic centrists): 11 seats
- Liberats (classical liberals): 4 seats
- Populars (agrarian and middle-class oriented): 2 seats
Judiciary
The highest judicial authority is the Gran Cort di Magistrats, located in Monegha.