awaiting rp [Expansion Request] The Kingdom of Ocraly

[Florentia]

Heya. This is a CNPC that I will slowly integrate in two threads which will come after the end of “The Pelican and the Raven”. It is parliamentary monarchy and a liberal modern democracy. Its culture is mostly Mandellan (Italian) with several minorities like Gaellicians (in the former Gaellician colony of Fasàil), but also Lysians (French) and Amerindians. Its economy is mostly based on the chemical and metallurgical industry, sulphur and magnesium mining, and agriculture (wine, coffee, cotton).

 

Full name : Kingdom of Ocraly (Regno di Ácralia)

Common name : Ocraly (Ácralia), Oriential Transborria (Transborrie Orientale) by Florentia

Demonym : Ocralian (Ácraliano)

Capital city : Fangosa (Fangosa)

Flag :

Map :

Stats : 

- Population [0] : 9 300 000 inhabitant

- GDP per capita [4] : 26 000 ESU

- Land [1] : around 120k-150k km2

History :

In the 1500s century, Mandellan settlers installed themselves on the coast of the Cashari Island, at the location of the actual capital city Fangosa. The name means “muddy” in Mandellan and refers to the wet lands in the area.

Like the Lysians in the West, the settlers enslaved the local populations (Agali (Caddoans), Aniyunya (Cherokee) and Udyevdi (Creeks) tribes) in order to exploit the local agricultural resources (tobacco, cotton) but especially the local vines, a species endemic to the island and known to produce unusually sweet wine and juice. The cultivation of vines made Ocraly famous, and its unique wines found their way onto European tables as an exotic delicacy.
When the country declared its independence in 1824, it asked for help from Florentia, then a rising power in the region. The Emperor agreed to supply arms to the independence fighters on condition that Ocraly was under his influence. The war was quickly won and the newly founded Kingdom of Ocraly gradually fell into the Florentian clutches, starved by a growing imperialism. By the mid-1830s, the country was a shadow of its former self and neither the government nor the king could make any decisions without the watchful eye of Florentia hanging over them. This quasi-status of colony was definitively affirmed when, in 1838, the new King of Ocraly, Lorenzo II, was deposed by the Florentian imperial army for having tried to tax Florentian tobacco, the green gold of the Empire. The new King, Amadeo I, was forced to sign an agreement whereby the Kingdom of Ocraly was henceforth called the "Grand Duchy of Oriental Transborria" and became part of the Florentian Empire with only slight autonomy. During its rule, the Florentian government tried to erase the Mandellan culture little by little, violently repressing the nationalists. However, it was also during this period that coffee was established in the region, now one of the country's main agricultural exports.
When the Florentian civil war broke out, the local Ocralian government took the opportunity to declare their independence, which both sides were forced to accept. Once again, the Kingdom of Ocraly tasted independence.
In 1875, several years after the civil war, taking advantage of the weakness of the young kingdom, Florentia put pressure on the Ocralian government to obtain the Pietlac region, where magnesium deposits had been discovered, as well as compensation of 80 million Imperial Francs.

The Pietlac region, actually part of the Federal Republic of Saint-Isidore, a Florentian state.

Paradoxically, instead of crippling the economy, the heavy indemnities forced the country to industrialise at a very high speed, relying first on a mining industry (magnesium, sulphur), then a chemical and metallurgical industry based largely on these materials. This allowed the abolition of slavery in 1881. In addition, the growing demand for labour attracted workers from neighbouring countries.
In the 1930s, thanks to innovations in fertilisers, Ocralian wine production reached record levels. However, by the end of the 1930s, production exceeded demand, so that the wine became worthless and farmers were forced to dump their stocks into the sea. This led to the phenomenon of 'red tides', with wine staining the island's shores, and caused a nationwide economic crisis from which the country would not fully recover for over a decade.

Since the 2010s, the country has experienced a period of stagnation. Ocralian irredentism, which had been forgotten thanks to the economic miracle, is coming back into focus. Since then, relations between Florentia and Ocraly have rarely been so tense, the latter demanding the retrocession of Pietlac. One could compare the situation with Italy and Austria-Hungary: a 'young' country with a part of its population living in a reactionary country that is gradually falling into ruin.

Role-play :

First thread :
- Ocralia declares war on Florentia to recover Pietlac. Although the Imperial army is numerically superior, the Kingdom has a technological superiority, but not as great as hoped. However, the surprise effect works and the Ocralian advance is rapid.
- The Lysian alliance (which would have been in place by then) sends arms to Florentia (and perhaps some troops, it remains to be seen), which allows the Empire to take control of the situation and to put the Ocralian government under the risk of a major intervention from the Lysian alliance.
- After several months of war, the situation has stabilised and the Kingdom controls a third of Florentia, blocked at the gates of Montcharmin. While the Ocralian government wants the total surrender of Florentia, their troops are getting tired and a growing part of the population is asking for peace. Several demonstrations take place in the capital. One of them turned into a riot, requiring the intervention of the police: many shops were ransacked and several people were seriously injured. As a result, the democratic government is portrayed by several media as authoritarian, and a strong political opposition is formed. Finally, a coalition is formed in the parliament and succeeds in ejecting the Prime Minister. A political crisis ensues, as the new coalition is too heterogeneous to agree.
- Taking advantage of the growing political disorder in Ocraly and the gradual demoralisation of the troops, Florentia finally manages to advance and retake its territories. The imperial troops penetrate the enemy.
- Faced with imminent defeat, the coalition finally manages to elect a government, but it is too late. This only delays the Florentine army, which finally enters Fangosa.
- The Kingdom of Ocraly is placed under Florentian tutelage, falling once again under its influence (without becoming a puppet). However, the region of Pietlac is returned to Ocraly, under the name of County of Pietlac, on the condition that a local parliament is established, that Lysian remains a recognised regional language, and that the Emperor of Florentia is crowned Count of Pietlac.

Second thread (it is not very detailed because I want to leave myself some freedom when writing, and not plan everything) :
- the republican parties, made popular because of the weakness of the monarchy, succeed in obtaining a fragile majority in the assembly.
- in order to save the monarchy, the King of Ocraly dissolves the assembly, which makes him looks like a tyrant and worsens the situation, as the republicans gain a solid majority.
- in desperation, the King contacts Florentia to put pressure on the government. Unfortunately, the exchange is intercepted by the Ocralian secret service, and the King is accused of high treason, now being imprisoned pending trial. Florentia intervenes militarily to save the monarchy, aided by royalist supporters. This is the beginning of the Ocralian civil war, with the republicans on one side and the royalists on the other, helped by Florentia.

Edited February 2, 2023 by Florentia
Added the stats. (see edit history)

[Florentia]

Now that my reform thread is over, I update this to an expansion request, which I will slowly begin at the same time as my futur economic rps. The expansion will be divided in two parts :
- The perfect dictatorship
- A brave new republic

 

Full name : Kingdom of Ocraly (Regno di Ácralia)

Common name : Ocraly (Ácralia)

Demonym : Ocralian (Ácraliano)

Capital city : Fangosa (Fangosa)

Ethnic groups :
Lysian (45%)
Mantellan (37%)
Gaellician (8%)
Bavianürks (7%) (a turkic minority, in their continental territory)
others (3%)

Flag :

Map :

Stats : 

- Population [0] : 14 340 000 inhabitant

- GDP per capita [3] : 24 622 ESU

- Land [1] : around 100k km2

History :

In the 1500s century, Mandellan settlers installed themselves on the coast of the Cashari Island, at the location of the actual capital city Fangosa. The name means “muddy” in Mandellan and refers to the wet lands in the area. Like the Lysians in the West, the settlers enslaved the local populations (Agali (Caddoans), Aniyunya (Cherokee) and Udyevdi (Creeks) tribes) in order to exploit the local agricultural resources (tobacco, cotton) but especially the local vines, a species endemic to the island and known to produce unusually sweet wine and juice. The cultivation of vines made Ocraly famous, and its unique wines found their way onto Europan and Argic tables as an exotic delicacy.

In 1795-1797, its neighbour Florentia invaded the colony with the help of Ocralian independentists, leading to the foundation of the First Ocralian Republic. A few years later, in 1801, when Ocraly tries to tax Florentian tobacco, Florentia invades a second time Ocraly and creates the First Kingdom of Ocraly. Its first King, Louis I, is a relative of the Florentian Emperor. During its rule, the Florentian government tried to erase the Mandellan culture little by little, violently repressing the nationalists and encouraging Lysians to settle in Ocraly, explaining the presence of the Lyso-Acràlian community in south-west Ocraly. However, it was also during this period that coffee was established in the region, now one of the country's main agricultural exports.

In 1878, during the Florentian civil war, Ocraly declares independence. The Imperial government is forced to accept. The Second Ocralian Republic is proclaimed. The newly independent country slowly develops and industrialises, using the coal and iron deposits in its northern region. In 1890, slavery is abolished and all the slaves are sold to Florentia, explaining Ocraly’s modern day absence of indigenous communities.

In 1924, Ocraly is invaded again and the Kingdom is reestablished. The new King of Ocraly completely reorganised society, adapting the feudal stratocratic model to modern society. He eliminated the entire bourgeoisie and replaced it with Florentian aristocrats, forcing them to industrialise. The peasants were converted into serfs, but so were the factory workers! Creating a new class of industrial serfs. This enabled the Kingdom to grow considerably richer, becoming the Empire's leading industrial powerhouse, while benefiting from cheap labour.

The state was, of course, autocratic, ruled with an iron fist by the King who guided the aristocrats with his wand, while the populace was drunk on cheap food, alcohol and games. But all good things must come to an end, and because of an increasingly intolerable guerrilla war led by General Orlando Digolla, Florentia was forced to leave Ocraly, but managed to impose some tough conditions:
- the monarchy is retained, but the King abdicates in favour of his son;
- Ocralia had to pay Florentia heavy reparations;
- Florentian aristocrats were forced to sell their agricultural and industrial holdings but kept their titles.

After the end of the Florentian occupation in 1945, the two main political parties were the Democratic National Alliance (DNA), popular among the rural folks and the conservative middle-class, and founded by Digolla, and the Communist Party of Ocraly (PCA), popular among the laborers, the machinists and the intellectuals. In the name of Ocralian sovereignty, the two parties allied. The communists were caring about culture, education, healthcare, housing, etc, while the conservatives were caring about the “serious matters” such as internal and foreign affairs, economy, defence, etc. Under the firm guidance of Digolla, Ocraly became a weirdly authoritarian but still democratic state where the few media channels are state-owned and the state heavily intervenes in the economy, when they simply don’t own it through tentacular corporations, while still allowing capitalism for small and mid-sized businesses. This near-autocracy led to an era of economic prosperity and political stability. In 1975, to celebrate the 30 years anniversary of the liberation, Digolla announces the construction of a tunnel to link Ocraly with its continental territory. The project, extremely costly and complicated, slowly but surely plunges the country into debts. The delays accumulate.

In 1983, Digolla died : “Ocraly is widowed”. The DNA, without the firm and charismatic leadership of his founder, disintegrates because of its factionalism. The conservative-communist establishment collapses and a new neoliberal coalition comes to power. The new PM, wanting to solve the growing debt, tried to liberalize the economy, which led to a nation-wide strike. The communists, seeing an opportunity to provoke a revolution, agitate the masses to overthrow the government. It led to what is now called the “chimerical revolution” because of how taboo it has become, as if it never happened. Numerous industrial cities, including the capital city Fangosa, revolted and organised in local “communes”. A wave of revolutionary violences shook the cities. The movement was brutally repressed by the army, stayed local to the government. During a whole week, Fangosa saw dozens of thousands of executions. It is said that the government ended the executions only when the soil and the sewers of Fangosa were so soaked with blood that it couldn’t absorb it anymore. Official declarations state that the number of victims from the executions is only about 3000, and that they are mostly due to spontaneous and indiscriminate outbursts of out-of-control soldiers, and thus unrelated to any order from the government. However, according to numerous sources, the real numbers would be between 50 000 and 70 000 victims. The PCA, now broken and illegal, is forced to hide in the countryside, and the new neoliberal establishment reigns supreme.

The pre-revolution reforms started again. The new establishment, a broad mix of center-left to center-right parties, enacted numerous socially and economically liberal measures. While some allowed for social progress, such as the right to abortion, homosexual marriage, recognition of transgender people, and the creation of private medias, the extreme liberalisation of the economy led to a general decrease of the standard of living. The main party, Forza Acràlia, a pro-market and socially-liberal party, staunchly advocates for the “liberation of Ocraly from its hypersocialistic chains”. The project of tunnel, too expensive, is now handled by several private companies. The reforms, despite the abundant promises from the government, didn’t solve economic stagnation and even allowed companies to outsource their factories, causing even more unemployment. This social discontent led to the rise of Alba Rossa (Red Dawn), a left-wing populist and socially-progressive party.  

To these social tensions, we can add cultural tensions. Since the Florentian economic collapse in the 1960s, an ever increasing amount of Florentian immigrants come to Ocraly. These migrants, usually unwilling to learn Mantellan, often criticized for their conservative stances and accused to “steal” the jobs of the “rightful Ocralians”, led to the rise of the far-right party Sovranità (Sovereignty), which gathers most of the PCA’s former supports.

Finally, there’s the Black Lys, a terrorist organisation. Nobody knows much about it. To some, it is only a tale to afraid children, or a conspiracy theory. The only thing we know is that we already found dozens of barely recognisable bodies with a black Lys tattooed on their head, including a few high-ranking government officials. For now, the goal of this mysterious organisation is unknown.

 

Roleplay :

The perfect dictatorship

The rp will first explain the current situation of Ocraly and how the liberal coalition managed to stay in power during 40 years while actually being not very popular or successful.

In this extremely tense atmosphere, people radicalises and extremes rise. The establishment, liked by nearly no one, is now only elected because “the others seem worse”. The “new” PM, new in face but not in ideas, is being more and more pressured by the private lobbies to declare a “small war to restart the economy”.

Surfing on the wave of Ocralian nationalism, the liberal PM declares war on Florentia, officially to recover a small region which used to belong to Ocraly, but in fact because this region contains coal.

The push isn’t as fast as planned and the diplomatic consequences of the invasion are catastrophic, Ocraly being kicked out of the TRIDENT. In the occupied territories, Florentian resistance is fierce, leading to a few rough actions from the Ocralian army. These informations are leaked and anti-war protests grow more and more. The Ocralian government, more unpopular than ever, is forced to retreat and pay war reparations to Florentia.

 

A brave new republic

Humiliated and unpopular, the liberal establishment, made of monarchist parties, collapses. Alba Rossa and Sovranità, which are republican, gain a majority in parliament and abolish the monarchy thanks to a very narrow vote. The King, with a few generals, try to coup the government but fail and end in prison.

The presidential elections begin. The leading candidates are Giorgio Moleni, an intimidating conservative populist, and Angelina de Bieinvéyance, a charming social-democrat, famous human rights activist and leader of a charity organisation. And the winner will be… the social-democrat !

The following contains important plots which might even change, so it’s for the admins. If you’re not part of the moderation team, you can still look, but you might spoil a bit of your experience later.
 

Spoiler

Angelina’s origins are unclear. She has been adopted in 1984 by a family of aristocrats when she was 10 years old, but before, nobody knows. In fact, she comes from a family of small aristocrats who, during the Chimerical Revolution, got murdered by the revolutionaries. Since this day, Angelina burns with a passionate hatred against those who destroyed her loved ones. When she grew up, she often expressed her staunchly anti-liberal and reactionary thoughts in private. When she was 24, she was contacted by a secret organisation named the Black Lys, seeking to restore the former feudal and autocratic order. She went up in the ranks, until she got on top of the organisation after the previous leader “accidently” died.

A few days after the elections, she organises a coup d’Etat from the inside and purges all opposition, both political and military. The King, unwilling to cooperate, is executed and Angelina proclaims herself Regent, now taking care of the education of the new King, an 8 year old child, to teach him how to be a strong autocrat.

Obviously, the Ocralians refuse to let Angelina bring back this horrific system and the civil war begins. There are four factions : the feudalists, holding in the south-east industrial valley. The "democrats", an alliance of conservatives and nationalists with the support of the military and which aren't above the use of violence to prevent a "red dawn over Ocraly". They are based in the agrarian deep south. Then, the "liberals", which are the remnants of the former monarchist establishment. Despite their very low popular support, they managed to seize the north-eastern valley thanks to their corporate masters- I mean allies. Finally, a broad left-wing alliance (split between Marxist-Leninists, syndicalists and anarcho-communists). During the civil war, thanks to Florentian intervention, the anarcho-communist faction will prevail. The leader of the anarchists, extremly popular and wielding a very strong soft power, slowly tightens his grip on the government, slowly transforming Ocraly into an authoritarian socialist state to "protect the revolution", still labeling itself as anarcho-communist but only in name... It will end with the chairman facing a few revolts, which will be met with purges. Finally, to secure his power, Ocraly's new master will organise a referendum to join Florentia as an autonomous region, which, thanks to his popularity, will be won. The empire will gladly accept to integrate Ocraly. The revolution is secured...

 

Edited May 5, 2024 by Florentia (see edit history)

[Orioni]

@Florentia The images are broken. I cannot see where Ocraly is. Could you please update this? I need the information to put the "Reserved" label on the map. Thank you.

[Florentia]

On 4/26/2024 at 3:36 PM, Orioni said:

The images are broken. I cannot see where Ocraly is. Could you please update this? I need the information to put the "Reserved" label on the map. Thank you.

The images are now fixed (goodbye discord, hellow imgur). Also, worth notting that I began the thread so here's the link.

[Florentia]

Knowing I want both parts to integrate rp with other players, I've decided to unveil the plot of the second part so people can plan ahead and see if they want to intervene.

After the social-democrat and human rights activist Angelina de Bieinvéyance is elected first President of the third Ocralian Republic, she reveals being part of the Black Lys, a terrorist organisation, and does a coup d'Etat from the inside to shape Ocraly to her dystopian vision. Indeed, before being adopted in 1984 by a family of aristocrats when she was 10 years old, she was from a family of small aristocrats who, during the Chimerical Revolution, got murdered by the revolutionaries. Since this day, Angelina burns with a passionate hatred against those who destroyed her loved ones. When she grew up, she often expressed her staunchly anti-liberal and reactionary thoughts in private. When she was 24, she was contacted by a secret organisation named the Black Lys, seeking to restore the former feudal and autocratic order of the second Kingdom of Ocraly. She went up in the ranks, until she got on top of the organisation after the previous leader “accidently” died.

The King, unwilling to cooperate with the Black Lys, is executed and Angelina proclaims herself Regent to take care of the education of the new King, a 15 years old teenager, to teach him how to be a strong autocrat.

Obviously, the Ocralians refuse to let Angelina bring back this horrific regime. First, a major strike in the industrial north-west degenerates into a full-blown rebellion. In the north-east, the Ocralian corporations, affraid to lose their money, force local authorities to declare a counter-government and revive Forza Acralià (a neoliberal party which collapsed right after the last war with Florentia) to form a puppet parliamentary Kingdom. Finally, the conservatives from the party Sovranita retreat to the south-west countryside, where they declare themselves as the legitimate government as they are the only one willing to preserve the third Ocralian Republic.

In the meantime, the Governor-General of Fasaìl (Fasaìl being the dominion of Ocraly on mainland Alharu) declares martial law to prevent Ocraly's instability spreading to the dominion. The sudden end of local democracy deeply angers the non-ocralian communities of the colony, i.e. descendants of Gaellician settlers and the Bavianürk people (natives) (think of a situation similar to South Africa, with English ruling over Boers and Africans). Without Ocraly's careful watch over the colony, the Gaellicians and the Bavianürks revolt against the Ocralian colonial government, creating another civil war in Fasaìl.

 

Factions of Ocraly :

• The absolutist faction's goal is to create a feudalist society centralised around the figure of an autocratic King, where nobles bravely defend the realm against foreign invaders, while peasants and workers are serfs. Everything in the realm belong to the King and his subjects are only mere properties and tools for His Majesty's will. They are led by the Ocralian nobility, descendants of Florentian nobles who were allowed to stay after Ocraly's independance.
• The liberal faction, while being only a mere puppet of the Ocralian corporations, claims to be the most democratic and humanist faction, keeping a clean international façade while profiting from the corporations' deep pockets. However, while less worse than the feudalists, they aren't very popular from the Ocralians' POV and, should their hypocrisy be revealed to the population, they might have some troubles...
• The conservative faction is led by the right-wing populist Giorgio Moleni, known for his attacks against communism and Lysophone communities. However, his government is stuck in the Ocralian Deep South, where the majority of the people are descendants of Florentians coming to Ocraly in the early 1810s, known called "Piedirossis" as a reference to their poverty, most of them not wearing shoes until the 1950s. While trying to win the war, they will attempt to integrate the Lysophone communities in manners more and more agressive, until the irreparable is done...
• The communist faction is led by Enzo Munaccobel, the rector of Bellarossa's university, a university known not only for its specialisation in history, sociology and psychology, but also for being a hotbed of anarcho-communist thinking since the brutal repression of the "Chimerical Revolution", in 1984. Enzo, however, will soon step down for mental health reasons, leading to the rise of the charismatic general Zerzgioz Zapzazta, a charismatic firebrand of anarchism. While popular among most of their population and with most of the country's military-industrial complexes, the communists lack experienced officers, bureaucrats and middle-managers. They also suffer from factionalism, being divided between the remnants of Alba Rossa, who are libertarian socialist, and the Black Army, itself divided between the anarchists and the pragmatists. 

 

Factions of Fasaìl :

• The foreigners are the Ocralians. They represent only 10% of Fasaìl's population, and are mostly made of the higher and middle-class of the main ports. While nominally disapproving the Governor-General's martial law, the local Ocralians fear what those hordes of Gaellicians and Banianürks could do to them, and thus view the colonial government as their only bulwark against some grim fate. The Governorate's wish is simply to protect the local Ocralians, keep calm and carry on, and wait until Ocraly's civil war is over to reestablish Fasaìl's democracy. However, if things don't go as planned, some more necessary measures might have to be taken...
• The settlers are the Gaellicians. They represent about 50% of Fasaìl's population, and live mostly inland from cash crops agriculture. They are led by Aman Ghazaryan, the controversial mayor of Aragat. His goal is to transform Fasaìl into a new paradise for Gaellicians, and only Gaellicians. Apart from his ethnonationalism, Ghazaryan is an agrarian socialist, mixing a communalist rural economy with religious fundamentalism and socially conservative values.
• The natives are the Baviaks, a mongolic tribe which migrated long ago from the neighbouring Paran desert to the shores of Fasaìl, or, as they call it, Baviakya. They represent 40% of Fasaìl's population. While they aren't racially discriminated anymore by Ocralian law, they are still de facto treated as second-class citizens. Most of them live inland, in rural communities and, often, poverty. Dovran Yilmaz, known independantist and leader of the hardliner faction of the All-Baviak Party, will do anything to free his homeland from foreign control, anything...

Ocraly's outcome will be in favour of the communists, while Fasaìl's outcome will be a Florentian invasion to overthrow the three genocidal regimes, which doesn't mean you can't influence the "how" of the rp.

Now, comes the fun part. Here's my question :
During the civil war, would you like to intervene and support a (/several) faction(s) ?

The more people, the better ! To better keep track of who's supporting who, please say it on this thread. Thank you for your participation.

Edited October 1, 2024 by Florentia (see edit history)

[Kori Chi]

Pretty good!

I suspect realistically, KC and the Commonwealth of Gallambria as a whole, would support the restauration of a democratic monarchy, so back to the previous situation. Now in what manners...

Diplomatically would be interested to RP.

I think, and Gal may correct me, that for Ocraly we'd try to make an alliance with both conservatives and liberals, and tie it to Fasaìl's fate which would be seen as secondary. But so main point would be: support of democracy and human rights, regardless of the party.

Edited May 4, 2024 by Kori Chi (see edit history)

[Garindina]

Tis is interesting, I’m sure Garindina would actively aid the Colonial Government in Fasaìl. In an attempt to not give the Korelian independence group any “ideas of independence”.