Netansett

Dominion of Netansett Netansettee Gil'ahana
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: Nestan'o elthash ("Bound Together")
Anthem: Northern and Free
Location of Netansett (green) in Cusinaut (gray).
Capital and largest city	Lichai
Official languages	Quonish
Religion	Christian M'acunism
Demonym(s)	Netan (noun) Netanic (adjective) Netansetts (plural)
Government	Semi-federal assembly-independent republic under an authoritarian semi-democracy
• Autocrat	Maitsoi Taphanso
• Chief Minister	T'iis Naalnish
• Upper house	Council of Ministers
• Lower house	Urban Council
Establishment
• Sání establishes the Sabnak League	1420
• Autocracy established	29 April 1840
Population
• Estimate	18,997,183
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Total	$296,451,040,715
• Per capita	$15,605
Currency	Vempi (NEV)

Netansett, officially the Dominion of Netansett (Quonish: Netansettee Gil'ahana), is a country located in south-central Cusinaut, a subcontinent located in northwest Crona. It is neighbored by the Algosh Republic, a protectorate of Urcea, to the north, Canespa to the west, New Harren, a benefactor confederacy under the presidency of the Apostolic King of Urcea, to the east, and the Kiravian overseas region of Porfíria to the south. It is a semi-federal state where the main subdivisions of the nation have their own legislative assemblies and subnational ministries all the while the central government retains very strong oversight over these subnational entities.

The Netanic people trace their ancestry to some of the earliest prehistoric settlers in Cusinaut from Alshar, with some of the oldest archaeological sites on the subcontinent appearing within Netansett territory. A cohesive Netanic culture began to emerge with the advent and spread of writing during the early medieval period, with a unified Netanic monarchy emerging by the 1400s. Netanic writing and language differentiates sharply from that of the rest of Cusinaut, whose writing and language is inspired by cross-Nysdra cultural exchange with Varshan and other places. As an isolationist society, the Netanic people fought to keep their borders closed to both their neighbors and the Occident, resulting in a series of brutal wars with the Algosh people and later Northern Confederation.

In the early modern period, Kiravia militarily subjugated the Netanic state but did not establish economic overlordship or settler colonies beyond the immediate coastal littral, which became Porfiria; accordingly, the arrival of the colonial era changed very little beyond becoming part of Porfírian colonial claims. In the place of the old monarchy, the eight social tribes established the Hukon League, which eventually became the official representative of indigenous people in the territory claimed by Kiravia; it concluded the Treaty of Vittēmur in 1773, which created a line beyond which Occidentals could not settle. The Vittēmur line eventually became a jurisdictional boundary between the colonial Porfírian government and the Hukon League, and today forms Netansett's southern border. During the 19th century, the Hukon League would begin social and political integration of its various constituent elements while also gradually gaining further autonomy from the Porfírian colonial government.

In the 18th century, the Netanic people began to grow tobacco, indigo, and other cash crops originally present in the Occident, remaining mostly isolated but funding the state and small economy with highly controlled cash crop exports. This era of Netansett is known primarily as the "export society", wherein the Netanic people managed to maintain independence by becoming a reliable provider of goods to the global market; in turn, the society and state gradually transformed to support this economic model. In the 19th century, the pre-modern Netanic confederated state was reformed into a centralized state. The Netanic people voluntarily opted to put an end to their long-time isolationism and joined the League of Nations in the 1950s.

After the fall of the Northern Confederation in 2009, the Netanic people resumed their centuries-long skirmishing with Algoquona, the new Algosh state. Within this context, the Netanic found new allies in the Occident. Throughout the 2010s, the Netanic state began a rapid period of military and infrastructure modernization while importing Occidental government advisors and cultural materials. It participated in the Final War of the Deluge, fighting against Algoquona and receiving territory at the conclusion of the war. Foreign investment has led Netansett to possess one of the world's fastest growing economies. The economic growth has largely outpaced social and political reform, leading to significant domestic political unrest since 2010, with limited efforts towards democratic reform made to improve Occidental ties. Observers have noted the growing middle class has been becoming increasingly disillusioned with the traditional ruling cliques and planter aristocracy that once held complete dominance and control over Netanic society.

Etymology

Netansett is the traditional indigenous name for the geographic region the country occupies, its rough translation being "wooded hills". For many years, and even up until Netansett's admission into the League of Nations in the 1950s for some countries, the country was given the Coscivian-originated exonym of "Huconia", itself being derived from the Hukon League, which was a tribal league under the sovereignty of Porfiria. This term was formally disavowed in 1910 as the nation's government began to request other nations to refer to it by its indigenous endonym of "Netansett", though some nations have continued to insist on using "Huconia" in diplomatic relations for the next forty years. The name of the Hukon League is derived from the Treaty of Hukon, which was named after a then-major village in modern Netansett. The term was never officially adopted by the people of Netansett themselves.

Geography

Netansett is a lacklocked country sitting in south-central Cusinaut. It sits entirely below the Arctic Circle.

History

Prehistory to medieval period

Human history in Netansett can be traced back to the earliest archaeological evidence of human arrival in Cusinaut from Alshar, with rudimentary fishing implements found from about 20,000 BC.

Modern Netansett developed a semi-urban society by around the year 750 BC, with inland agriculture and extensive fishing allowing the growth of an urban corridor along the modern west coast of the country. These population centers did not develop into a fully urban society until well into the 3rd century AD, and for the time the people there largely erected large temporary settlements and migrated within small territories based on whether or not the fish supply in the area was exhausted. Regardless, most of these groups developed into major tribal polities, vying for control of better fishing territories as well as access to important rivers that gave easy access to the rudimentary inland agriculture. The highlands of modern inland Netansett were largely dominated by migratory hunter-gatherer tribes rather than agricultural settlers, though these groups appear to have been deeply integrated within the proto-Netanic trade economy and appear to share largely the same material culture. By the year 100 BC, most of these various groups had consolidated into 10-12 semi-urban coastal groups with various associated inland farming villages and a rotating number of internal hunter-gatherer tribes, ranging from about 20 in 200 BC to 45 in 100 AD.

Netanic culture emerges

A collection of ancient Netanic glyphs. The development of writing among the proto-Netanic laid the foundation for the Netanic culture.

The distinguishing event in the history of the Netansett occurred over the course of the years 450 and 950 AD, when a writing system began to emerge from the peoples living around modern Tsaile. Most historians believe that the Netanic alphabet began as a rudimentary tally system on small wooden blocks used for trade. Accordingly, most scholars believe the Netanic Alphabet emerged as a commercial shorthand that was used between traders in the coastal cities that later found use in political and artistic settings. The first archaeological evidence of literature among the proto-Netanic dates to around 950 AD; it details the life and times of a man called Menla, the ancestor of the author. Scholarly consensus indicates that the Menla Saga was a long-standing oral tradition among his tribe that had been recorded using what was previously commercial language, and most scholars believe the very earliest form of Netanic literature was simple codification and recording of long-extant oral traditions. By around 1050 AD, significant political and social interaction occurred via written record. The advent of writing and literature allowed the tribal peoples of modern Netansett to relate with eachother in ways not previously possible, building a sense of closeness and commonality between them. The availability of written family sagas allowed their proliferation and widespread adoption. By 1150 AD, most of the peoples living in modern Netansett shared the same written language, a shared literary history, and a growing sense of similarity between themselves not shared by other neighboring peoples. Consequently, an identifiable "Netanic culture" emerged by around 1200 AD out of the various proto-Netanic peoples.

While the Netanic were not unique among the peoples of Cusinaut in developing writing, most linguists and historians agree they are the only people in Cusinaut to have independently developed writing, given that most other Cusinaut language alphabets borrow significantly from the common tradition of Varshan and the North Songun civilization that filtered north through the Nysdra. This unique literary style contributed later to the sense of alienness that Netanic people felt from their Cusinautic neighbors, an alienation that would eventually result in the establishment of an isolationist society.

Netanic state established

Although the Netanic people had always shared a similar culture, the growth of neighboring rivals precipitated the establishment of a confederated government. The rise of the power of the Algosh people among others in Cusinaut presented military danger to the Netanic people. According to Netanic histories, the ruler of the modern city of Tsaile, a man called King Sání, called together the other Netanic cities and tribes to a major meeting at Tsaile. According to the traditional version, Sání made an impassioned plea for the Netanic to band together against their enemies, lest they all be destroyed. In a dramatic show, Sání locked the doors and brought in his forty daughters, marrying all of them to the various notables and tribal leaders on the spot, creating the dynastic connections necessary for the establishment of the Netanic League. Most historians believe this tale is a legend, but Sání was a real historical figure and is believed to have been the first leader of the Netanic League, formed in around 1420 AD. For the next four centuries, the Netanic League - sometimes referred to as the Netanic Kingdom - would bind together the Netanic people into a loose confederation which entailed common defense and, increasingly, an open internal trade market. Throughout the rule of the Netanic League, its members eventually coalesced into twelve major socio-political groups similar to kinship groups which retained the historiographical designation of "tribe", though they functioned in a similar fashion to estates in Urcea and Caphiria.

Algosh wars

Beginning in the late 1400s, the Netanic people engaged the Algosh people in a series of wars that would last until the 17th century and the foundation of the Northern Confederation.

It is believed that a very large number of those captured on both sides in the various Netanic-Algosh wars were sold into slavery in Varshan, usually through slave markets on the Seneca Islands. A 2031 genetic test reported that at least 5% of all former slaves in Varshan's west coast region had at least one ethnically Netanic or Algosh ancestor. A legend reports that a group of captive Algosh and Netanic slaves on the islands broke loose of their captors and continued fighting one another, but its unclear if the so-called "Battle of Sakanoma" is based on history or was a later invention.

Global trade and colonization

By the late 1600s and early 1700s, the leaders of the Netanic League grew increasingly concerned about the presence of the militarily powerful foreigners increasingly seen in and around Cusinaut on a yearly basis. Due to their animosity with the neighboring Algosh people, local alliances or membership in the hated Northern Confederation were not an option, so the Netanic League developed a different approach. The decision was made to open one city, Lichai, to Occidental trade, intending to provide large numbers of goods to the Occidentals for relatively low cost in exchange for gold and weapons. Through negotiation, it was determined that Netansett's best contributions would be tobacco and indigo, and prominent Netanic leaders began to build private plantations to grow and harvest these crops for export. The nation's output was relatively small at first, but by 1700 political and social leaders began to fully transition the country into an exporter, creating both social and political institutions to help facilitate the growth and sale of these goods. This process created what was known as the "Export Society", a new set of institutions in Netansett that eliminated many of the remnant migratory tribal lands and massively enriched a small class of planters, who became the leading economic clique in the country by 1720.

The new wealthy exporters came to the attention of Kiravia, who sought a colonial interest in Cusinaut and especially sought control of the city of Lichai. Kiravian traders and agents began to sow discord among the members of the Netansett League.

The new island colony of Porfíria was established in 1709 largely focused on exploring trade in the area immediately near Lichai.

Hukon League

The destruction of the Netanic League splintered the twelve tribes, who all sought divergent interests under new Kiravian overlordship. Gradually, four of the twelve would disintegrate due to land seizures in the coastal littoral by Kiravia, leaving eight remaining. After decades of economic and sometimes-military squabbling in the hinterlands of Porfiria, the eight remaining tribes forged the Hukon League which would officially represent the indigenous people in the colony.

Subservience period

Although its independence was formally established, from the establishment of the republic to the onset of the Kiravian Civil War, Netansett was bound by various political and economic treaties

With the Kiravian Sunderance and establishment of Porfíria as a major constituent part of the Kiravian Remnant, Netansett was in a newfound position of relative strength and began diplomatic and military posturing against the Kiravians. As the remnant could not afford any disruptions in Porfíria, the Remnant agreed to renegotiate most of its treaties with Netansett. In the resulting 1940 Settlement, Netansett's position relative to Kiravia was reestablished on mostly equal terms. The Kiravian Union retroactively recognized the 1940 Settlement in 1941 in an effort to normalize its diplomatic relations in Crona. The end of the period of economic and political exploitation coincided with the end of the Second Great War, allowing Netansett to join the newly established League of Nations as an independent state.

Deluge and Occidentalization

Land seizures

As part of the overall plan to Occidentalize the nation's economy, Autocrat Maitsoi Taphanso implemented a policy in 2018 to seize plots of land for the construction of major infrastructure, such as highways in exchange for half of fair market value. This program inevitably put the government and ruling classes in opposition to the nation's powerful planter classes, as their cash crop farms occupied the vast majority of the land area in the interior part of Netansett. Several attempts were made by leading planters to end the policy, but by 2024 it was clear these efforts had failed. In response, about a third of the Council of Ministers and the Chief Minister, aligned with the planters and owning large plots of lands themselves, resigned in protest. This had the effect of both alienating the planter class from the political ruling elite Tsailists but also practically removing the influence of the planters in government. Accordingly, between 2025 and 2030, the rate of land seizures accelerated, except many of these lands were auctioned off to private Netanic economic interests or even to foreign investers, deeply angering the planter elite. This divide set the administration of Autocrat Taphanso and the planter elite on a political collision course in the 2030s.

Government

Main article: Politics of Netansett

Netansett is a semi-federal assembly-independent republic under an authoritarian semi-democracy. The current form of government that runs Netansett is often described by many countries as an autocratic republic, which has been in power since 1840, it having succeeded the confederal Kiravic dependency of the Hukon League. The international community, specifically the League of Nations considers Netansett to have a "mostly fair" electoral system through various observations over the years, with voter suppression being surprisingly low despite the consistently low voter turnout. Netansett is notable for being a highly-centralized federation, often being given the term "semi-federation" due to the high central government oversight.

Executive

Main articles: Autocrat of the Netansetts and Council of Ministers (Netansett)

Most governing authority is consolidated and established in the person of the nation's chief executive; this position is usually referred to as the Autocrat. According to the constitution, the Autocrat nominally shares the responsibility of governance with the Council of Ministers, the official advisory body to the Autocrat comprising of various ministerial heads that are appointed by the Autocrat himself, and the Urban Council, the nation's unicameral legislature. In practice, the Autocrat wields significant authority in many aspects of Netansett's government, and generally rules for life; very few Autocrats have chosen to retire. Despite the largely powerful role held by the Autocrat, most Netanic Autocrats since the 1930s have ruled as benevolent leaders, opting to allow for elected representatives who have limited power as well as granting the citizenry token civil liberties. Whenever an Autocrat passes away or retires, an election is held wherein candidates are selected from amongst the membership of the Council of Ministers and the Urban Council and are voted directly by the populace. There are currently no known legal methods of forcibly removing an Autocrat from power, mostly due to the Autocrat almost always having the loyalty of the military as well as there having been no precedent for such a hypothetical eventuality.

The Council of Ministers is nominally the official advisory body and the governing cabinet. Its membership comprises entirely of appointees selected by the Autocrat, and the constitution states that the Council shares executive power with the Autocrat, with the latter serving as the chair of all Council meetings. In actuality, the Council serves as a collegiate mouthpiece for the Autocrat, with all members being personal friends and associates of the Autocrat. Ministers generally remain in the Council for approximately a decade before voluntarily retiring; this custom allows for the Council to remain dynamic over long periods of time, though their successors are often their proteges who have been trained with the expectation that they would be guaranteed a seat once their predecessor retires. The head of the Council of Ministers is the Chief Minister of Netansett, who typically serves as the Autocrat's second-in-command in a capacity similar to that of a vice president in most presidential republics.

Legislature

Main article: Netanic Urban Council

The Urban Council is the unicameral legislature of Netansett. It is comprised of forty members, each representing the largest municipalities and townships, and is elected by the general public under a system of proportional representation. The constitution gives the Urban Council significant budgetary oversight, but in practice membership is seen as honorary which usually marks each member out for future responsibilities that could win them an appointment into the Council of Ministers. Many international observers have noted that the membership of the Urban Council always consists of both members of the planter aristocracy and friends and associates of either the incumbent Autocrat or a previous Autocrat. There is no set amount of years for a term in the Urban Council, with the average being seven to nine years before the Autocrat dissolves the current session of the Urban Council to make way for a legislative election. Very few people outside of the planter aristocracy or an Autocrat's inner circle has been able to be elected into the Urban Council, and those that have are often those who have won the Autocrat's favor.

Culture

Netanic culture is ancient and well documented due to the Netanic people's relatively early adoption of writing by Crona standards. Netanics are mostly described as extremely xenophobic as a result of their historical position of isolationism.

Since the beginning of the major growth of the economy in the 21st century, Netanic society has been largely divided into four distinct groups. The two elite groups are the political and military elite (the so-called "Tsailists") and the planter class. The Tsailists are a small group of interrelated families who have exercised the majority of political and military control of the country since the establishment of the Autocracy in 1840. They descend from prominent tribal leaders and generals that existed at that time. The planters, meanwhile, are the small group of economic elites who made hereditary fortunes from the growth of cash crops, though their economic clout has gradually waned with the Occidentalization of the economy. Their influence has waned in favor of the middle class, the urban-dwelling beneficiaries of the economic growth and transition to an urban, Occidental-style economy. The last social group are a group collectively referred to as "peasants", though they really possess both rural smallholding subsitence farmers as well as the working poor of Netansett's growing cities. The political and economic tension between these four groups has led to increasing social instability since the dawn of the 21st century.

Literature

The Netanic culture has a long historical relationship with literature, ranging back from the first written accounts of oral traditions recorded in the 10th century.

Religion

M'acunism

Due to the long term isolation of the Netanic people, Netanic M'acunism has developed into an almost sub-sect of M'acunism. Netanic M'acunism tends to be more in line with the Man School of M'acunist belief, but also possesses some characteristics from the other schools as well. In a development taking place during the colonial period of Netansett Catholic beliefs seeped there way into the general practices and beliefs of M'acunism due to M'acunism being more open ended. Due to this the belief of Makuahine as an Earth goddess is fading and the belief in the great oneness is fading to.

Demographics

Religious Demographics

Religious affiliations in Housatonic (2030)

  M'acunism (39.8%)

  Catholic (Coscivian Rite) (38.2%)

  Insular (16.2%)

  Catholic (Latin Rite) (5.1%)

  Collegiate (.4%)

  Other (.3%)

Due to the long term colonial influence of Kiravia, various types of Christianity make up the majority population in Netansett. Catholicism is the largest religion in the country when counting adherents of both the Latin and Coscivian rites, comprising about 43% of Netansetts. The Insular Apostolic Church makes up about 16% of the population. A very small number of Netansetts are Protestants belonging to the Collegiate tradition.

A large minority of Netansetts remain part of the M'acunist belief system, and when considering the Coscivian and Latin rites of Catholicism differently, it is the plurality religion of the country. It has been noted that a second wave of Christianization is currently occurring in Netansett in the wake of the Deluge, and Latin Catholic missionaries have been making major inroads in the country since 2010.

Economy

The economy of Netansett was traditionally based on subsistence agriculture, with a few actors in the economy growing cash crops on very large estates for export; these cash crops represented the majority of Netansett's trade revenue. Since the dawn of the 21st century, however, the construction sector has been the largest part of the Netanic economy as major infrastructure continues to be built across the nation. These large projects, connecting villages and cities with modern highways and railways, were first funded with foreign aid but since 2025 have increasingly had private and domestic government capital funding construction. With construction has come new retail and real estate sectors, as cities have grown steadily since 2002 requiring homes and consumer goods. As the economy has shifted from rural agriculture to urban life, the GDP has doubled in approximately 20 years, with its 2030 GDP PC of $17,296 dwarfing many of its neighbors. The economic transformation has largely disrupted the traditional "big planter" class as the government has repossessed parts of the massive estates once common throughout the country, decreasing overall cash crop exports as the agricultural sector has declined. The discovery of major uranium reserves in the Cusinaut interior has also led to the creation of a major mining sector.

The Netanic economy is mostly deregulated in order to encourage continued economic prosperity.

Due to the lack of an oceanic port, Netansett is largely dependent on its relationship with Porfíria to maintain its exports.