New Valentina

New Valentina (Tiplansk; 𐌽𐌹𐌴𐌿 𐍆𐌰𐌻𐌴𐌽𐍄𐌾𐌽𐌰 tr. Nieu Falentyna), officially known as The Commonwealth of New Valentina (Tiplansk; 𐌼𐌾𐌴𐌽𐌴𐌱𐌴𐍃𐍄 𐍆𐌰𐌽 𐌽𐌹𐌴𐌿 𐍆𐌰𐌻𐌴𐌽𐍄𐌾𐌽𐌰 tr. Myenebest fan Nieu Falentyna), is a  located in central Avalonia. Formerly a colony of Tiperyn, New Valentina was granted sovereignty in 1845 after nearly 195 years of rule. It shares a western land border with Pomara and a southern aquatic border with Albaterra. It has a population of 23.4 million, with the most populous city being Saint Danyela with about 950,000 inhabitants.

New Valentina was officially formed after the inclusion of the Port of Saint Danyela into the New Valentina Territory, creating the Colony of New Valentina. The colony quickly rose in prominence, gaining it's footing after the Secession of Brigantica as a Dominion. After being granted independence in 1845, it has risen to become a regional contender in numerous categories. Following the Valentine Emergency, democratic elections have been held regularly for most public positions. Recent political changes have been cause for anti-corruption investigations and deployment of security forces to historically unstable areas.

New Valentina is a member of the North-South Concordant, participating in drills relating to Avalonia and the Iapetus Ocean.

Antiquity
The region now known as New Valentina had been occupied by several native tribes for hundreds of years before it’s discovery by Tiperyn. Carbon dating suggests homosapiens have existed in the region since XXBCE. Prior to the Alansloan Expedition, the tribes in the region had largely remained as hunter-gatherers and regional nomads, with only one tribe known to have began agricultural cultivation.

Alansoan Expedition (1593)
The Alansoan Expedition of 1601 was an expedition sponsored by Emperor Fedderik to find what they believed to be a shortcut from the Iapetus to the Coral Sea, splitting Avalonia in two. They had arrived and found, however, that the inlet that maps had reported to be that of a large passage was rather a large bay. Undeterred, Harold Alansoan surveyed the bay, reporting "...astounding shows of botany and ecological wonders." He returned to Tiperyn with his findings, however, was reprimanded for not finding the passage.



According to some accounts, Alansoan had found an abandoned colony supposedly comprised of Agranan settlers. It is believed that this colony was a shipwrecked crew which had been swept into the bay and had perished after some time. Historians dispute the claim, however, an archaeological dig is currently underway where the wreck was written to be.

Port of Saint Danyela (1636)
The Port of Saint Danyela was founded in 1636 after a number of sailors from the Everett had become shipwrecked while shielding themselves from a tropical storm. Although eventually rescued, a group of sailors had returned to the bay with stories of a whimsical land filled of bounty. Situated between the colonies of Koreyo and Brigantica, what was known as "Alansoan's Folly” was exploited to shield ships from inclement weather and as a rest stop between the two. Saint Danyela would become a booming trading post and spot of reprieve, becoming known as a rowdy place for sailors to rest on long journeys.

Merchant Boom (1644)
Following the influx of settlers looking to profit off of the increased merchant traffic, a number of companies became interested in the area. Sponsoring their own expeditions from Saint Danyela into the bush, they were quick to make contact with the native population. Survey teams had found arable land further inland, as well as promising veins of chromium, iron, and coal. Spotting the potential, various companies swept into the market. The period saw a vitalization of the region's economy, leading the city of Saint Danyela to invest in a brick courthouse and paved stone roads.

Realm Viceroyalty (1651-XXXX)
Having not escaped the eye of Tiperyn, an official colonization effort was made to tame the region and establish control over the Kauwetseka Bay, or as it had become informally known, Bourbon Bay. The first parties had landed in 1651, with Saint Danyela officially becoming the capitol of the freshly christened New Valentina. Under the watchful eye of Governor General Wallace Byrd, policies were enacted in respect to the local tribes. The New Valentinsk Garrison arrived sometime during April of 1652, completely cementing Byrd's control.

Pirate War (1653-1670)
Despite the warm reception to Realm rule, many were dissuaded by the appearance of the crown. Various ships began to resort to piracy against Realm vessels coming and going through the Strait of New Artemia, sacking any ship flying the flag entering the bay. While first done for subsistence, the act of piracy in the area began to grow into a much larger regional threat.

Secession of Brigantica (XXXX-XXXX)
Kill bad man. Gain XP. That's how dominion works.

Realm Dominion (XXXX-1845)
Following the First Valentinsk Regiment's service in Brigantica, the realm was granted authorization to become a Dominion on June 1st, XXXX. In the following months, the First Valentinsk Regiment was given the distinction of being a Realm force and was promptly reclassified as light infantry, earning the nickname "Bushrangers". Supplemented by an additional three regiments to form the First Valentisk Brigade, this sparked the creation of the Valentinsk Forces Command. As a Dominion, significant improvements were made in a short span of time, including the continent's first telegraph line in Praesel.

Banditry Wars (1832-1901)
Also known as the Second Pirate War, stemmed from an economic depression in the region. Many turned to banditry to sustain themselves, starting a constant fight against would-be bank robbers, stage coach robbers, and other criminal acts.

Commonwealth of New Valentina (1845-Present)
Granted independence in 1845 after nearly 195 years as a Tiperyn realm, the newly minted Commonwealth of New Valentina continued on it's various improvement plans. Being unshackled from military restrictions led to the formation of two more regiments and the commissioning of a fleet.

Grand Campaigns (1921-1925)
After the outbreak of war in Artemia, pressure began to mount within the government as to the path to take. A significant portion of the population was in favor of supporting Tiperyn, as the war was publicly perceived to be a peacekeeping action. However, the threat of intervention from Brigantica and Chezzetcook in the north and Mero-Curgovina's colonies in the south loomed should they get involved. Despite the risks, an official declaration of war was issued on February 14th, 1921. The First Realm Valentinsk Regiment and Third Valentinsk Regiment landed in Tiperyn in November 1921, with the Fourth and Second Valentinsk Regiments landing with friendly forces in Kesh in January 1922.

Involvement in the Great Kesh War (1953)
The NVS Virtue and Accolade came under fire by a shore battery whilst returning from maneuvers in the Eurybian Sea. Both ships promptly returned fire, collapsing four buildings and destroying a local well. It was later revealed that they had not come under fire, and rather, mistook thunder as incoming fire. Both Captains were pulled from service upon returning home, and reparations totaling to 204,000V₡ were paid to the recipient.

Valentine Emergency (1955-1967)
Following years of repression and poor treatment, a large group of natives turned to various forms of Communism and Republicanism, wishing to overthrow the government. Hiding in the coastal jungles and in adjacent countries, an eight year long counter insurgency operation was undertaken in an attempt to root out the rebels. Ultimately ending in a stalemate, the signing of the Praesel Accords reformed the government, created boundaries between church and state, and removed any iconography of the Tiperyn royalty from official documentation and flags.

Geography and Climate
New Valentina is situated on Kauwetseka Bay, a rather calm bay in Central Avalonia. The climate is regarded as subtropical, gathering an annual rainfall which averages 1577mm (62.1in). Most of this comes during the monsoon season, which commonly comes during spring. Winter is typically dryer and cooler, although, this has been subject to change in recent years. Temperatures run high, as does humidity and precipitation. The average summer temperature is about 30°C (86°F) with humidity averaging to 76% at noon.

The coastline is notably lush with fauna, featuring large rain forests and mangrove swamps hiding intricate cave systems and unique wild life. Further inland, the fertile ground makes ideal conditions for tobacco and cotton farming, although, the growing season is fairly short. In the far north, the Silk Desert sweeps from the Northern Steppe to Lake Van Dyke. Housed within the dunes of the Silk Desert lies the Enno Petrified Forest.

Conservation Efforts
Due to Governor General Byrd being struck by the natural beauty of New Valentina, and his interest in botany and biology, edicts were quickly placed to preserve certain regions of particular scientific interest. To ensure that no poachers would tread on areas of interest, Governor General Byrd found use in gifting land of interest to the ruling monarch. This soon became tradition, with subsequent Governor Generals gifting areas of beauty or interest to the Crown, either as a form of protection or patronage. Since, six of the seven regions gifted to the Crown have become natural reserves and serve to provide insight to unique biomes within New Valentina.

Since becoming a Vice Royalty of Tiperyn, the Governor-General of New Valentina has traditionally given the gift of land as a coronation present to new monarchs. To date, there are seven Monarch's Claims in New Valentina; Emperor Fedderik's Reserve, Empress(es) Yda I, II, III's Estates, Empress Ingel Provincial Reserve, Empress Fedde Provincial Reserve, Empress Anthea Reserve, Empress Aletta I's Estate.

Wildlife
Due to it's unique position, New Valentina is home to a number of species not regularly found outside of it's borders. Some of these species include, , and the. A number of rare insects inhabit the mangroves, with estimates placing the species inhabiting the coastal swamps at over 8,000. Recent studies by the Realm Academy of Exotic Research have only begun to scratch the surface in regards to the many, many species of New Valentina.

Law Enforcement and Crime
Law enforcement in New Valentina is primarily the responsibility of local sheriff's offices & regional constabularies, with the national police providing border security. The largest police entity in New Valentina is the Praesel Metropolitan Sheriff's Office. Agencies such as the Revenue Investigation Bureau (RIB) and National Bureau of Special Investigations and Enforcement (NBSIE) are tasked with handling more treacherous organized crime and international policing affairs.

Since becoming a Vice Royalty, the region has been plagued with criminal enterprises working against the state (see Pirate Wars). Since the end of the Valentine Emergency, a wave of criminal activity stemming from former military personnel have rocked the country, namely,. A recent study from the Saint Danyela Institute of Criminology states that outlaw motorcycle clubs contribute about 40% of crime. A 2008 police raid found that the Blood Brothers Motorcycle Club, despite being in a brutal war with the Specters Motorcycle Club and Valentina Syndicate, had managed to pull in close to 5,450,000V₡ a month by smuggling illegal substances in and out of the ports in Saint Danyela.

Foreign Affairs
New Valentina maintains embassies in every current NSC country. It frequently participates in regional exercises and peacekeeping measures

Armed Forces
The Governor-General holds the position of Commandant and oversees the Armed Forces. He, through the Department of War, appoints personnel to the Committee of Defense and Cooperation. The CDC oversees the Armed Forces and it's three branches, the Security Forces, the Maritime Services, and the Air Forces and all sub-components, barring the Geological Survey Element and Disaster Relief Element. In total, the Armed Forces employ an average of 820,000 personnel across it's three branches and command a budget of $12.6 billion dollars, or 3.5% of New Valentina's GDP.

Service in the Armed Forces is voluntary, however, able bodied men between 18 and 30 years of age can be brought into the service should war erupt.

The Armed Forces operate predominantly by themselves, however, regularly participate in bilateral drills with the Tiperyn Realm Guard, the Marine Nationale, and various other military forces throughout the region and NSC.