Cohe
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Cohe, constitutionally the Federal Republic of Cohe, is a sovereign country located on Levantia upon the western coast. It shares a border to the north with Yytuskia-Helvana, with that border running along the length of the --- river, as well as a border to the south with the nation of Søbjerg running along the length of the --- river. To the northeast the nation is bordered by Albastria.
The nation includes 27 constituent states, each being semi-independent on a local level, and covers an area of 495,749.62 square kilometers (191,410 square miles) and holds largely a temperate climate compared to many neighbors with heavy rainfall due to the geographic location and nearby mountain ranges. With approximately 70 million citizens, Cohe is both centralized by sheer size as well as being exceptionally urban along the coastline, with block cities rising dozens of stories being common as well as ‘boroughs’, cities dug deep into the ground, while the northeastern portion of the nation is far less populated due to the difficulty of transportation as well as the history of the region. Its capital, Miden, is also the largest city and hosts the nation’s singular international airport, while the areas about Miden can be considered the financial center of the nation.
The area which came to be known as Cohe was populated since antiquity by several tribal groups of Gothic nature which would settle the region and fortify it heavily with hill forts along the coastline as well as mountainside conclaves, utilizing the naturally difficult terrain. Such a thing would lead to a heavily fragmented region of warring states which would, in 1020, be unified through a series of agreements by the city of Midenriden, the precursor to the modern capital of Miden. This would stagnate heavily until a revolution and the subsequent reformations in 1502 lead to the creation of the Kingdom of Miden, a nation heavily involved in actions against their northern Yytusche neighbors with multiple raids against such kingdoms embroiled in the continuous wars. The nation was formed in 1722 as a republic following a civil war which devastated most of the population. This lead to exceptionally open borders with neighboring Yytuskua, the product of which is a large population of individuals born in Cohe who continue to view themselves as Yytusche at least in part. As such, Cohe shares most of her laws as well as a common currency with Yytuskia-Helvana. Since that point, the nation has shared exceptionally close ties with their northern neighbors characterized by continuous efforts to stabilize one-another via economic and military aid in the form of volunteer units, something which has lead to international derision of Cohen peoples due to the Yytusche civil wars long standing existence and the inability of Cohen aid to halt the issue.
History
Twin Kingdom Era
Populated by several tribal groups of Gothic nature, these which would settle the region and fortify it heavily over the centuries utilizing the naturally difficult terrain. In the earliest years of recorded history, Hill fortresses were common with seventeen sites existing still in Cohe, while later years would give rise to a chain of mountain castles due to their ease of building relative to the safety given. As no centralized authority existed at that period, it is theorized that each castle was governed by its own lord who was such by virtue of capability to lead or via some other method of choosing. Historical records as well as several mass burial sites found in the southern parts of the country indicate that such city states warred frequently with one-another in taking land, resource-rich areas, and freshwater sources by military force with battles being so severe that one site held approximately 2,400 remains.
Such a thing would lead to a heavily fragmented region of warring states. In 1020, these would be largely unified through a series of agreements by the city of Midenriden, the precursor to the modern capital of Miden, dealt by King Wilenkin. Under the auspices of unifying in order to raid other, rival regions, a series of alliances, promises, and economic trades in order to balance the kingdom itself were made by Wilenkin. Not all city-states agreed to these trades and promises in their natural distrust and following an envoy to the mountainous region in 1021 the north would rapidly unify under the banners of Lieutan of Drahilawye and Immils of Częschy. While records on those in the north are sparse, writings from scribes under King Wilenkin indicate the two to be relatively powerful warlords. At their urging, the north turned from a fractured number of mountainside holdings into a confederacy with a council of lords in 1024.
Discontent by this, in 1027 King Wilenkin lead a force of 3,000 levied infantry, 1,000 archers, and 300 various knights to sally against his enemies while the King's cousin, Firandin of Vyebtsy, rode ahead with 1,000 infantry and 400 cavalry. Their goal was simple; Firandin was to pillage various villages in support of the northerners while the King would hold in reserve to await the formation of any enemy forces or to back Firandin should he encounter any enemy resistance. From information by several defecting knights, Lieutan would learn of the overall plan of Wilenkin and his cousin and plan accordingly. The opening stages of this war would be characterized by a steady withdrawl of northern forces from outlying mountain regions while Firandin encountered little to no resistance. Emboldened by this, the Midenriden armies pressed north over the course of several months until they were ambushed in 1028 along the baggage train of King Wilenkin's army.
1020 Midenriden founded under King Wilenkin
1021 Envoy sent to the north
1024 Northern confederacy formed under Lieutan of Drahilawye and Immils of Częschy
1027 Wilenkin and his cousin, Firandin, march north.
1027 North draws them in, meeting main army with ambush on baggage train and forcing their entrenchment
1027 Firandin force isolated and destroyed in craggy pass by massed sling and javelin
1028 Wilenkin keeps in place by ad hoc siege before attempting to break out to his west
1028 Fighting retreat as his rear is engaged while he pushes
1029 Wilenkin forced to withdraw to Midenriden, raising more forces
1029 Lieutan of Drahilawye harrasses him down before staging a siege on Midenriden
1029 Immils of Częschy builds his political strength at home, raising troops. Begins to undermine Lieutan by spreading lies on him wishing dominance over all, essentially being another Wilenkin
1029 - 1035 Lieutan caught between his siege and Wilenkin's reinforcements, leading to a two front battle
1034 Immils dies due to a food allergy. Bamia, his daughter, succeeds him following violent infighting
1035 Lieutan breaks from his siege, marching bqck north while being harrassed
1036 Bamia killed in her sleep
1036 - 1070 North fractured into warring houses
1036 - 1070 Midenriden consolidates power
1070 Wilenkin dead by old age. Succeeded by Varmi
1070 Varmi rallies his forces, intent on bringing the enemy to heel
1072 Lieutan of Drahilawye, now an elderly man, begins to systematically unify the north with a series of marriages and assassinations
1075 Varmi invades the north with 6,000 infantry, 2,000 skirmishers, 1,000 cavalry. Begins to establish a series of fortresses as he marches in order to pacify local region
1075 Lieutan meets Varmi at Dhonau
End with two kingdoms, Midenriden and Drahilawye, in a stalemale against one another
1020 - 1238
Seven Pillars War
1238 - 1280
War between Midenriden and Drahilawye
King Elmo of Midenriden declares war for the supposed reason of gaining a holy site deep in their lands, a series of seven pillars on Mt Tropz in the Diomede Alps
Kingdom of Miden
1338 - 1430
In 1338 King Sviran and King Olind strike the Middle Treaty and unify their two powers as the Kingdom of Miden in order to gain access to one anothers resources and abilities
Western Crusades
1430 - 1450
In 1430, the Holy Levantine Empire would send several emissaries about Levantia, the primary purpose of which was expressed in
Levantine Catholic Church crusade land at Nilanta and Ternikine, taking the lowlands quickly while armies make several delaying actions
Most civilians intent on keeping their faith move to the Diamode Alps
Catholics instate the Order of Perpetual Sacrifice as the stewards of Cohe
Kingdom of Marisia
1450 - 1612
Catholics construct many churches
Populace taxed heavily in nearly everything if they do not convert
Converts are beaten in the street by natives
General violence and animosity builds
Order of Perpetual Sacrifice removed by order of the Pope for mismanagement
Barony of Vyebtsy
1612 - 1718
Government reinstated in Vyebtsy with views that the country would be a subject of the Church’s
Initially merely paid taxes to the Church
Many natives against this practice, viewing it as submitting to a foreign power
Taxation gradually increases over the years as rulers become more greedy, putting much of it away
War of 1718
1718 - 1720
Kingdom of Nilanta
1720 - 1830
Absolute monarchy
Heavy reliance on sea trade
Aids Yytuskia in attempts to stabilize neighbor
Heavy losses in those wars + poverty by harvest failures + piracy leads to unrest
Economic damage leads to increased taxes to attempt to make up for lost revenue
Deterioration of monarch-subject relations
Popular Revolt
1830 - 1877
Morspil Republic
1877 - 1888
Revolutionary Gov
Operated on French Republic Terror
Rapid replacement of government officials - chaotic period with heavy influx of criminal orgs
Rise of communes - state governments effectively seperate from main
Some organizations blame God for these unhappy states
Red Summer Revolution
1888 - 1890
Confederacy of Nilanta
1890 - 1927
Inefficient interim gov
Based about each state being effectively an independent country
Defensive pact - extremely defensively based in warfare with trenches, bunkers, artillery placements, etc. Whole country a Pre-Maginot Maginot
Economy based around export of raw materials, low industrial base
Great War Era
29 March 1927 – 19 May 1953
Early War
1927-1934
Large influx of refugees from war torn areas enter Cohe
Infighting, riots, rival factions begin to occur
Martial law dictated
Anti-riot measures cause many groups to go underground, compiling weapons. Potential support from LHE
Keszson Insurrection
Christian radicals begin an uprising near the capital province, attempting to gain control
Military moves in before police, causing widespread casualties
Radicals use this as a propaganda piece, stating people are being slaughtered
Leads to uprisings elsewhere
Northern Resistance
In the northern part of the country, Wotanist revivalists begin to
Reconstruction Era
20 May 1953 - modern
Geography
Cohe is in western Levantia, bordered to the north by Yytuskia-Helvana and by the south and east with ---, while northernmost portion of the nation has a border with Albastria. To the west of the country is the Odoneru Ocean. Cohe also holds five major islands upon the coast, the largest of which is Balin Island to the north of the peninsula, measuring approximately 25 kilometers by 20 kilometers. Cohes territory covers 495,749.62 km2 (191,410.00 sq mi) with only a minor portion of this being water due to a lack of major lakes within the nation.
Elevation varies from the mountains in the Diamode Alps (highest point being Mt. Tropz at 3,020 meters or 9908 feet) to the shores of the Odoneru Ocean with most of the country in the west being of a flat nature. The forested area in the lowlands country is flanked by the --- and --- rivers to the north and south which branch off throughout the land into various minor estuaries. Natural resources include iron ore, potash, timber, lignite, uranium, copper, salt, nickel, and water. To a lesser degree deposits of gold, silver, zinc, manganese, and tin are also present along the mountainous areas of the country.
Climate
The majority of Cohe is characterized by a temperate seasonal climate with minor temperature differences. These usually range between 27 degrees Celsius in the coldest months and 66 degrees in the warmest months. Due to such changes, seasonally it is characterized as having only summer and winter. In the west, Cohe gets an average of 789 mm (31 in) of precipitation per year and lacks any consistent dry season. The northern portions of the country have an alpine climate due to their elevations, having exceptional precipitation at the mountaintops at a lower median temperature throughout the year.
Biodiversity
With two distinct ecoregions, that being of the Levantine montane mixed forest and Odoneru shelf marine, Cohe is largely covered in forested land and mountainous territory with only a minor portion of arable land (20%). As of 2035 approximately 20% of the country is occupied by settlements and streets. Overall vegetation and plant life can be considered typical of western Levantia. Forested regions are by and large two-thirds Beeches, oaks, and other deciduous trees while the higher elevations have a greater number of spruce and fir trees. Cohe pays host to a large number of species of ferns, flowers, fungi, and mosses. Wild animals in the area include Cohen Deer, wild boar, mouflon (a subspecies of wild sheep), fox, badger, and hare.
Government And Politics
Federal Government
Cohe is a federal, parliamentary, representative democratic republic. The political system operates under a framework known as the “Bunden” laid out in the 1722 reformation into a federal republic. Amendments towards the framework of the country generally require a two-thirds majority of the senate; the fundamental principles of the constitution, as expressed in the articles guaranteeing human dignity, the separation of powers, the federal structure, and the rule of law are valid in perpetuity.
The president is the head of state and invested primarily with representative responsibilities and powers. He is elected by the federal convention, an institution consisting of the members of the Bundestag and an equal number of state delegates. The chancellor is the head of government and exercises executive power through their Cabinet. Federal legislative power is placed in the parliament consisting of the Federal Diet and Federal Council, which together form the legislative body. These bodies are elected through direct elections in proportion to the populations of those represented areas.
Political Culture
On the whole Cohe is dominated by the Free Cohe Party (FCP), which primarily is situated on the issues of restricting and tightening trade agreements in order to better benefit Cohe, continuing to strengthen the border in order to deter illegal immigration and smuggling, an increase in most tariffs with other nations, and a strong military force in order to project power. Largely against colonization, the FCP subsidizes many industries within the country in order to protect the local employment. Government-sponsored festivals and cultural displays are also common, both by the Federal and State governments. As a result of this, the FCP is often characterized as being far-right or right wing by competition within Cohe as well as in other countries. Other parties include the Cohe Party for Democracy (CPD) and Freeman Party (FP). The CPD is generally center-left and currently support social justice, social liberalism, a mixed economy, and the welfare state, although some elements have pushed for free trade and a decrease in welfare dependency. The FP is primarily a socialist party advocating for social reforms, a redistribution of wealth, and increased aid for local jobs.
Foreign Relations
In regards to how Cohe treats with other nations, this is characterized by the tactics of the current leading party and has been for some time. Most nations are dealt with in a regulatory fashion, with tariffs in place as well as economic restrictions and exceptional regulations for foreign parties in order to provide for bargaining chips and potential during political dealings, while dealing with governments themselves is done for the most part rarely. The nation lacks major political ties with most international bodies and organizations due to a deep-seated belief, both within the government and general population, that such ties would lead to undue conflicts between Cohe and other nations which would otherwise not occur, a belief born from the years of the Great War. Due to historical reasons Cohe is most active with the nation of Yytuskia-Helvana in terms of support, both economically and militarily. Joint military exercises are performed regularly.
Administrative Divisions
| Number | Provinces of Cohe | Capital | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Miden
|
Miden | 10,178,000 |
| 2 | Dzivysk
|
Dzivysk | 2,590,000 |
| 3 | Vyebtsy
|
Vyebtsy | 2,310,000 |
| 4 | Balasboszló
|
Balasboszló | 2,800,000 |
| 5 | Přítovy
|
Přítovy | 2,730,000 |
| 6 | Strakozavou
|
Strakozavou | 2,450,000 |
| 7 | Derazhryska
|
Derazhryska | 2,660,000 |
| 8 | Svyetsaw
|
Svyetsaw | 700,000 |
| 9 | Drahilawye
|
Drahilawye | 700,000 |
| 10 | Nemyzna
|
Nemyzna | 700,000 |
| 11 | Pored
|
Pored | 700,000 |
| 12 | Ternikine
|
Ternikine | 6,708,000 |
| 13 | Morspil
|
Morspil | 6,677,000 |
| 14 | Nilanta
|
Nilanta | 6,679,000 |
| 15 | Giradava
|
Giradava | 6,648,000 |
| 16 | Chigheni
|
Chigheni | 2,450,000 |
| 17 | Bistricești
|
Bistricești | 2,380,000 |
| 18 | Keszson
|
Keszson | 2,870,000 |
| 19 | Warbrzeg
|
Warbrzeg | 700,000 |
| 20 | Częschy
|
Częschy | 700,000 |
| 21 | Calingra
|
Calingra | 700,000 |
| 22 | Donducănești
|
Donducănești | 700,000 |
| 23 | Rîbcini
|
Rîbcini | 700,000 |
| 24 | Sárbolas
|
Sárbolas | 700,000 |
| 25 | Mátégy
|
Mátégy | 700,000 |
| 26 | Havířice
|
Havířice | 700,000 |
| 27 | Kroměrec
|
Kroměrec | 1,400,000 |
The nation is composed of 27 constituent states which are oriented along historical lines from periods predating that of the realm of Midenriden. These states handle the vast majority of domestic duties within the nation, operate their own State Legislatures for the purposes of minor laws and decisions, courts in order to pass judgement for minor offenses, as well as a cabinet which, by extension, elects and appoints the Federal Council. These states also operate civil services such as police, fire departments, and water services, though some federal services do overlap with these and do take presidency in any tasking compared to state civil services, such as police investigations.
It should be noted that the northern islands which Cohe occupies are grouped into a singular constituent state for the use of administration and that, while these islands generally face the same issues domestically and as such may be represented in the federal government by the same number of representatives as any continental province of Cohe they do elect their own separate State Legislatures for the use of more specific laws and decisions.
Military
Composed of the Cohen Army, Navy, and Air Force, the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Cohe operate with a total of 206,104 active and 648,880 reserve service members. While Special Forces are employed, they are not employed under their own branch and are instead largely subservient under the Cohen Army due to their nature as land-based operatives. However, the Cohen Navy does employ specialists in boarding operations and shipborne security, while the Cohen Air Force operates a cadre of combat air controllers. With a total budget of $65.8 billion, 2% of the national GDP, and comports of a significant portion of the government’s federal spending per year.
The main theatre of operations for the Cohen Navy is the Odoneru Ocean, which is patrolled regularly, while amphibious landing operations continue to be practiced on the nations variety of islands off the coast. Port calls in foreign nations are uncommon at best, with most vessels staying underway for a majority of their deployment. The Cohen Navy also performs continuous combat patrols with the submarine force, both to keep sea lanes open for commercial traffic and for nuclear deterrence. The Cohen Army and Air Force, while not underway in any deployments or conflicts, performs training exercises on the Diamode Alps in largely defensive manners. Exercises with the Yytuskian-Helvanic Army are also commonly performed, with OPFOR simulated by a variety of combatants.
Currently the Cohen Army stands as one of the most modern armies in Levantia, utilizing a heavy degree of helicopter-borne infantry with both attack and transportation models, as well as motorization and mechanization across all units. Rear echelon commands, such as supply and artillery units, are most commonly motorized with only rare examples of equipping such forces with armored personnel carriers, which combat units are equipped with those as standard. The tanks, integrated organically in tank companies with the infantry force, are generally heavily armored, well-equipped units armed with both a main gun and anti-tank missiles. Both larger and smaller unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are in service, with the former requiring airfields to operate and the latter being able to be launched from armored personnel carriers, trucks, tanks, and even from the ground. These are universally used to gain intelligence on immediate and afar surroundings, though some larger UAVs have secondary missions in the ground attack role. Unmanned ground vehicles are also in use by the Cohen Army in the role of urban combat, bomb disposal, and intelligence, though its use in the last role has come under critique by many advocates of the UAVs. Currently the Army is fully developed for third-generation warfare, utilizing superiority in speed, ability to maneuver, and firepower to gain the tactical advantage, with ongoing efforts underway to support asymmetric warfare operations.
The Cohen Navy is developed, operating with just over half of the total military budget, and correspondingly is equipped as a fully fledged blue-water navy. With a large surface fleet of mainly major surface vessels in the form of guided missile cruisers, destroyers, and frigates, though it does have a large submarine force and a fleet carrier. Nuclear power within the Navy is widespread, with the newest cruiser class, the Dobiesław Rudnik class, being nuclear powered, though significant portions of the surface fleet are conventionally powered due to the diminishing gains of that propulsion system as warship size decreases as well as the cost of operating such vessels. Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) are in development with the Navy, largely in the fields of mine neutralization, pickets, and intelligence. Currently the Cohen Navy is conventional in nature, capable of engaging in third-generation warfare, though lacks much of the major capability in countering asymmetric threats. Current mission profiles for thr Navy include freedom of the seas navigation, escorting shipping through conflicted waters, continuous anti-mine operations, support for amphibious assaults by the Army, as well as duties more commonly assigned to a national coast guard such as search and rescue, anti-drug operations, and smuggling interdictions.
The Cohen Air Force is the smallest branch of service, operating mostly as a defensive force against enemy aerial attack, though a degree of offensive capability is kept by virtue of potential necessity. With over a dozen fighter squadrons as well as elements to provide for AWACS and EW, the Air Force is equipped well for that role. The Air Force does not operate any unmanned aerial vehicles, with such responsibilities falling to the Army due to the inherent nature that comes with the taskings for those craft. Currently the Cohen Air Force is expanding in order to better combat enemy ground threats. Mission profiles include localized aerial supremacy, ground attack, and limited strategic bombing.
Currently the Cohen Armed Forces operate as an all-volunteer force, using a series of recruitment centers around the country to ensure any citizen has ample access to recruitment resources. Citizens are able to enlist as early as 16 years old with parental permission, following which is a four to six year contract.
Economy and Infrastructure
Banking
Regulatory Agencies
While most countries have only one bank regulator, in Cohe banking is regulated at both the federal and state level. Depending on its type of charter and organizational structure, a banking organization may be subject to numerous federal and state banking regulations. The nation maintains separate securities, commodities, and insurance regulatory agencies—separate from the bank regulatory agencies—at the federal and state level. Cohen banking regulations address privacy, disclosure, fraud prevention, anti-money laundering, anti-terrorism, anti-usury lending, and the promotion of lending to lower-income populations. Some individual cities also enact their own financial regulation laws (for example, defining what constitutes usurious lending).
Bank Secrecy
In Cohe, the issues of banking privacy and information security is one which is treated in much the same way as private property or an individual’s person. While individual persons cannot access the information of another on the activities of their banking, a federal or state level organization can do so with due cause. What constitutes due cause, however, is not given form through a singular law or definition but instead through a conglomerate of differing state laws as well as some few federal laws, though the apparatuses used to determine fraud prevention, anti-money laundering, anti-terrorism, and anti-usury lending do often fall under the banner of anti-terrorism organizations within the federal government itself.
Major Industries
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Cohe’s economy is widely diversified, in part due to the natural abundance of resources within the northern portion of the country as well as major population densities within the southern portions of the country. The largest national industry, by far, would be the mining industry about the Diamode Alps which plays host to large deposits of iron ore, lignite, uranium, copper, nickel, while smaller deposits exist of gold, silver, zinc, manganese, and tin. The mining of these ores accounts for a vast number of jobs within the country which are both sold abroad and sold to other domestic corporations for use locally. Due to the placement of these deposits, underground mining and in-situ leaching are the most common forms of methods while only two open quarries exist on the northern side of the country.
The fishing industry within the country is also a major source of economic strength, with a total of four million tonnes of fish caught every year on average due to long ranging fishing vessels employing mainly purse seining. The proliferation of vessels often is likened to civilian fleets, which ships rotating in a shift-line manner to reduce stress and fatigue on crew members. Despite this, the Cohen Navy still receives nearly a hundred calls for aid every year, mainly due to engine failures or man overboard situations. Even with this danger, the industry only continues to grow as demand across Levantia increases. Recent proliferation of fishing companies employing independent fishers under their roster has lead to some protests and a mild counter-culture, though skirmishes between the factions have not been extreme in recent history.
Due to heavily forested areas to both the north and south of the Diamode Alps, the timber industry is a major contributor to Cohe’s GDP with over $330 Billion contributed in 2036 as well as employing significant numbers of the population. Due to the perfection of silvicide and herbicide use, specific trees are enabled to grow in contrast to others while selected areas are kept off-limits to timber companies, enabling a continuous cycle of fully renewable forestry. As can be expected, significant oversight is present within the timber industry by both state and federal governments due to the importance of ensuring that such efforts do not hold more damage than the money they bring in. In addition to this, civil programs are in place to ensure invasive species are kept limited and controlled, as such species could prove to be exceptional damaging to the ecology and by extension the economy.
A manufacturing industry is present within Cohe, producing a variety of both civil and military goods for domestic and foreign use. This was initially born during the 1800s when the mining industry began to take flight through the Rudnik brothers, three men who purchased both iron and nickel mines as well as began the construction of local factories and, through the simplicity of production, outpaced many domestic and foreign competitors in local prices. Today, the Cohe industrial base is a piece of national pride in many ways, contributing $670 Billion to the GDP. Local production includes such things as civil appliances, industrial works, as well as military products in terms of rifles, missiles, and warships of a heavy scale.
Power Production
Pre-Great War, Cohen power production was entirely coal driven with smaller, more local plants producing for localized, unconnected power grids in singular townships and some isolated counties. In the midst of the industrial pull immediately prior to the Great War, the main producer of power within Cohe would still be the use of coal, which could be found in major abundance within the country itself. However, power plants along the length of the Alps provided for much of the major population centers while some of the new hydroelectric power plants along the twin rivers gave power to nearby areas. A rudimentary national power grid was in development, though such progress would be interrupted. These areas would prove to be significant military targets during the war by strategic bombing, both in order to disrupt domestic production as well as to attempt to flood portions of the country in order to disrupt military efforts and maneuvers.
During the war itself, emergency programs would lead to multiple underground power plants in order to protect such things from strategic bombing. As small as could be to power such things as factories and lighting for search lights, they lacked mass output to maximize concealment, lessen the chance of a bomb strike, and conserve resources and fuel. Often near rivers, many such plants relied on underground streams for power while other operated in the far more usual coal manner. Produced to roughly the same specifications under the Board of Engineers and the Cohen Army Corps of Engineers, injuries would prove to be high due to construction faults, bombing, and a series of sabotages from insurrectionist movements. Nevertheless, these emergency plants would provide power and enable Cohe to keep active. Following the wars end these emergency plants would cease operation due their scale of power production.
Following that period, most of the power structure for Cohe was rebuilt during the late 1950s, though significant advancements in energy technology would lead to a vast experiment. In 1957, construction for the Pored XB-01 Plant began, the idea of such unlimited energy widespread, and uranium deposits in the alpine regions would be put to work. In 1963, construction of the plant was completed and it produced enough power to provide for not only the testing area but the surrounding power grid itself. After control testing for several years the station would be expanded and designated the Pored Nuclear Plant in 1965 and continues to operate normally even today with modification. The success of the Pored station would lead to the construction of nearly a dozen other similar nuclear plants across the country and today such power contributes to nearly 3/4ths of the total power output of the country.
More recently, renewable power sources have spread across the country, mainly in terms of wind power. Large farms of wind turbines can be found along the length of the Diamode Alps, reliant upon the omnipresent high winds within that area. Such wind plants contribute both to the practical research efforts in perfecting the technology as well as local power grids and ensuring a sustainable, continuous source of power is present in the region. In addition to this, solar technology has made a recent rise in the 2020s in an effort by consumers to lessen the costs of power for their own households, leading to many private houses as well as some affordable housing projects to have roofs lined with solar paneling.
Healthcare
Cohe has legalized a universal, tax-based health care system based around a series of taxes and tariffs. These include taxes against the person, of which can be considered minor in their scale and impact on most of the population while not afflicting those below the poverty line, as well as corporate taxes for foreign based companies and conglomerates operating within Cohe. Due to this taxation effort, funding from the government in order to make up the extra slack is lessened, popularizing the idea among Cohen politicians while the civilian populace continues to enjoy the benefits of a universal system. In 2030, Cohen ranked highly internationally with an average life expectancy of 78 for men, 84 for women, as well as a low infant mortality rate (4.4 per 1,000 live births). Practicing physicians were approximately 4.2 per 1,000. In a government survey in 2033, outcomes, hospital wait times, and quality of care were considered to be good by 78% of the 1.3 million participants across the nation, average by 20% of those participants, and poor by the remaining 2%. Robust constitutional protections by the government have given, for most citizens, ample considerations towards both the LGBT community and the argument of abortion.
Transportation
Personal transportation has a mix of automobiles and public transportation, though numbers of usage vary between urban and rural parts of the country. With an extensive highway system developed and built in the 1990s, per-capita vehicle ownership for Cohe is approximately 430 vehicles per 1,000 Cohen in 2030, leading to 30,100,000 active vehicles in the nation in the same year. Due to urban congestion recent attempts have been made in furthering public transportation to include an underground subway system linking Miden with outlying districts and regions as well as railed subways within the city, enabling most of the urban population to go about their day without ever requiring to drive. As a result of this, more recent surveys in 2035 indicate the average Cohen adult (accounting for all drivers and non-drivers) spends 30 minutes driving every day, traveling 18.6 miles (30 km). With this decline in personal automobile usage, the government has instituted buy-back policies, either selling the vehicles abroad following refurbishment or recycling them for other use. Due to cheap and prolific nuclear technology, many newer vehicles are electrically powered. In 2035, surveys indicated that approximately 60% of current vehicles (Then estimated to be approximately 26,400,000) were compact vehicles.
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The Cohe Highways Commission (CHC) operates a network of highways within the country, employing a limited toll system within areas about the Yytuskia-Helvana and Cohe border. This significant cost to trucks frequenting the system has been the subject of much criticism by free trade advocates in both nations as many view it in a predatory light. However, no other roads within the nation hold toll roads. CHC is funded mainly through this and the federal government’s Ministry of Interior and is charged with maintaining the network. Roadwork occurs throughout the year and employs a significant portion of the population. More recently the CHC has begun to link up the mainly isolated networks of highways and rudimentary roads between the south and north portions of the country through a series of tunnels at the shallowest portions of the Diamode Alps with the purpose of streamlining the extraction of those resources located in that region.
The railway network within the nation originates from the coal mining efforts in the late 1890s and is laid out as such. With various lines moving from the Alpine regions, where such coal mines were, to nearby cities and even terminating seemingly at random when the power plant at the end is no longer in operation, on the whole the railways are unorganized prior to the middle 1900s. With the war in full swing, the need to move such war materials and personnel gave rise to a centralized underground rail system from centralized mining areas in the Alps to staging areas in the middle of the country before spreading to various refineries and factories. Some of these rail lines are still in use by several steelworks companies. More recently in 2022 reforms have been given in the form of high speed rail networks between cities for the civil populace with efforts underway by local governments to remove and recycle the earliest rail lines in Cohe due to their disuse or refit them for a wider gauge to be used by modern rail. These government efforts have come under critique by various smaller groups as destroying Cohen history and revaluing certain pieces of land while varied environmentalist organizations have lauded the effort to modernize the national infrastructure. In 2035, out of twenty three lines marked for recycling nine have been dismantled with another seven more than halfway in progress.
In terms of the airports, Cohe sports a singular international hub marked with the name of the Middle International Airport (Providi: Bliski Międzynarodowy Port Lotniczy, often abbreviated to BMPL) which operates over a 7,627 acre land. Serving 20 million passengers in 2035, it is by no means the busiest airport in the world with a total of three operating airports. BMPL is currently in a state of modernization in order to lessen power constraints with the addition of better lighting, a simplification of the power grid, and minor provisions for independent emergency generators.
Megaprojects
Diamode Tunnel Project
In 2011, under release by the Ministry of Interior and Cohe Highways Commission, construction began for a series of tunnels through the Diamode Alps region with the intention to connect the northern and southern portions of the country more completely. Prior to the Project, the two halves of the country had been connected by highways and roads over the least steep portions of the Alps which lead to a series of meandering, dangerous roadworks for any transit. These roadworks were approximately three times as long as would be needed if an underground tunnel was present, while also being approximately five times longer to traverse due to extreme turns and dangerous conditions. In 1955, surveys indicated a 230% greater chance for a crash on those roads over the Diamode Alps compared to normal roadworks in the summer, while the chance increased to 350% in the winter due to black ice, visibility, and other various issues. In order to have a safer and faster connection, in 1980 plans for the project began to be drawn-up.
On 4 October, 2016, after several delays due to equipment shortages and breakdowns, progress was estimated to be at 10% when a blizzard halted construction progress and lead to efforts to recover nineteen lost construction workers. A nearby Cohen Army infantry unit leant troops in the recovery effort, which yielded three alive over the first week following the blizzard. Twelve bodies would be found over several months with the last four never being recovered. Following that winter, clearing the damage would take several months and a worker’s strike would be immediately underway to protest conditions considered to be intolerable. After a month of the strike, better equipment would be supplied to the workers as well as an improved plan on the limiting of casualties and other issues. Construction would continue again following the incident.
Today, the project is underway with 40,000 construction workers and holds an estimated 70% completion.
Nilanta Shipyards Project
In an intention to increase ship-based trade as well as construct a greater number of military and civilian craft, in 2027 the port city of Nilanta was selected for expansion and improvement. Both civilian shipbuilding companies and the Cohen Navy have expressed interest in larger vessels, with overall length for the drydocks being estimated at 1,500 feet for a target length. With multiple slipways, drydocks, and onload/offload stations in planning, actual construction has, in 2035, only been started on two slipways, one drydock, and two stations. These in progress stations are at approximately 60% completion. In 2029 the project came under the purview of the Cohen Army Corps of Engineers who have dedicated significant portions of their efforts to the project.
Society
Urbanization
Largest cities or towns in {{{country}}}
Source? | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Administrative division | Pop. | Rank | [[{{{div_name}}}s of {{{country}}}|{{{div_name}}}]] | Pop. | ||||
| Miden Miden  Nilanta |
1 | Miden | Miden | 8,397,980 | 11 | Nyanava | Balasboszló | 1,000,412 |  Giradava  Morspil |
| 2 | Nilanta | Nilanta | 3,824,419 | 12 | Havlírec | Vyebtsy | 987,628 | ||
| 3 | Giradava | Giradava | 3,507,000 | 13 | Bolenice | Derazhryska | 800,000 | ||
| 4 | Morspil | Morspil | 2,196,252 | 14 | Margy | Mátégy | 621,230 | ||
| 5 | Kietom | Nilanta | 2,012,344 | 15 | Szenmajsa | Chigheni | 598,260 | ||
| 6 | Mierștie | Bistricești | 1,955,961 | 16 | Copdud | Kroměrec | 552,920 | ||
| 7 | Coralung | Přítovy | 1,592,061 | 17 | Turpeni | Keszson | 421,138 | ||
| 8 | Ilapachy | Ternikine | 1,281,400 | 18 | Barský | Giradava | 391,571 | ||
| 9 | Luský | Dorazjan | 1,137,632 | 19 | Keždov | Pored | 328,706 | ||
| 10 | Manim | Dzivysk | 1,100,784 | 20 | Racizyn | Sárbolas | 295,620 | ||
Demographics
Self-reported ethnic origin (2035):
With a population of 69,542,000 in the 2035 census, an increase of 6% over the last five years since the 2025 census, Cohes birth rates far outstrips its immigration from other countries with 5.72 births per woman. In 2035, 756,696 live births occurred compared to 556,696 deaths, while immigration in the country only accounted for 0.4% growth. Historically this population growth has existed since the 1970s. The average life expectancy for men in Cohe is 80.2 years, while for women the life expectancy is 84.5 years. Median age for the population in 2035 was 25.5 years, a decrease since 2025 when the median age was 28.2 years.
Economically stable with a strong, easily available healthcare system enables the high growth of the nation from native sources, though detractors have observed the low immigration due to harsh border controls. Yytusche-Helvanic citizenry have been noted to take advantage of the capable healthcare system in Cohe, leading to several protests and dissent within State and Federal Legislatures on the issue. In 2035, 20,000 live births were of Yytusche or Helvanic origins with the parents being of not Cohen citizenry and on temporary visas or student statuses.
Cohen population density stands at 141 per square kilometer (365.2 per square mile). High population concentrations occur to the south and coastal areas of the nation with the largest cities, where 78.3% of the population resides. In these areas, population density triples in some regions, while in rural areas to the north and mountain regions it can be as low as 30 per square kilometer (78 per square mile).
Ethnic Groups
Cohe is an extremely homogenous country throughout its history, though most of the population can be considered a mix between the native Cohen, Yytusche, and Helvanic ethnicities. As a direct result of this, for the most part surveys regarding ethnicities are self-reported, reflecting more the culture and history of individual families and persons than the larger communities. Despite this, a majority of citizens regard themselves as Cohen, reflecting a strong push towards naturalization within the country. Overall, 70% of inhabitants are of native origin, the next largest group being Yytusche citizens at 20%, while Helvanics are third at 7%.
Languages
Cohe is home to multiple languages, the most prominent and official language being Providi. With 95% of inhabitants being capable of speaking the language fluently and the remaining 5% able to speak Providi serviceably, it is by far the most spoken language in the nation. Literacy rates for the country average nationally at 97% with illiteracy being most common in country and rural regions. This is partially due to longer commutes in those regions, a reliance on unskilled labor for some industries. Regional languages include Yytusche and Helvanic to the western portions of the nation as well as Miden and its surrounding regions where the largest concentrations of those populations exist. The former is spoken fluently by 40% of the population and serviceably by 5% of the total population, while the latter is spoken fluently by 22% and serviceably by 8% of the population. Literacy rates for both languages are similar to Providi. A fourth language, Junglish, which is an ergot variant of English is spoken fluently by only 15% of the population and serviceably by 20%. Various campaigns have been noted to increase bilingual percentages.
Religion
| Affiliation | % of population | |
|---|---|---|
| Cohen Wotanism | Template:Bartable | |
| Christianity | Template:Bartable | |
| Levantine Catholicism | Template:Bartable | |
| Other Christian | Template:Bartable | |
| Other | Template:Bartable | |
| Irreligion | Template:Bartable | |
| Atheism | Template:Bartable | |
| Agnosticism | Template:Bartable | |
Cohe is overall dominated by the native religion of the country, known largely as Cohen Wotanisn. In a survey in 2030 it was found that 67% of Cohen citizens practice the religion in one form or another. Of these, 60% indicated "often", denoting practicing at minimum three times a week, 28% indicated "irregularly", denoting practicing at approximately one a week or twice a month, while 12% indicated "rarely", at any point less than irregularly. Cohen Wotanism is one of the oldest on Levantia with churches dating to 30 BCE still existing along the coast and in mountainside alcoves. Of these, only the Gdańsk Church, estimated to have been built originally in 27 CE and rebuilt in the 9th Century, is still in active operation due to its stone construction. Churches within the city follow a uniform construction guide for details, though they vary wildly in size. The domestic reach of Cohen Wotanism cannot be understated, with the symbology and iconography of many federal and state government bodies and agencies sporting such religious symbols such as the Valknut on the national flag and Ægishjálmr on the official Military Seal.
The Levantine Church today has a consistent base of worshippers with 20.2% of the population reporting to be of that religion in one way or another. In a 2030 survey, it was reported that of these 20% reported "often", 10% reported "irregularly", and 70% stated "rarely" with the majority of worship taking place in personal homes or private gatherings. Churches are rare except for major population centers such as Miden and operate through donations in support of soup kitchens, food banks, and other charitable organizations.
Education
With a strong rooting from Yytuskia, names for the school system still reflect this with Yytusche naming conventEducation within Cohe is legislated to be primarily the responsibility of the states with minor interventions by the federal government to ensure certain standards are met throughout the nation. With an optional Kindergarten provided for children between the ages of one to six, school following this is mandatory for all Cohen inhabitants. Most states provide for a Grundschule or Ground School, which lasts for 4 years with children being 5 to 9 years old. Secondary education is separated into lower and upper education, with lower being basic general education in order to get them ready to enter upper secondary education. Upper secondary education includes a number of vocational programs.
Following the Grundschule are five options for secondary schooling:
- Gymnasium (grammar school) until grade 12 or 13 (with Abitur as exit exam, qualifying for university);
- Fachoberschule admission after grade ten until grade twelve (with Fachhochschulreife (between Abitur and Realschulabschluss) as exit exam);
- Realschule until grade ten (with Mittlere Reife (Realschulabschluss) as exit exam);
- Mittelschule until grade nine (with Hauptschulabschluss and in some cases Mittlere Reife = Realschulabschuss as exit exam);
- Gesamtschule (comprehensive school)
Following completion of these schools, students are pushed into the Berufsschule (vocational school) as apprentices. Registered with certain associations, depending on the type of apprenticeship chosen, they are a part-time salaried employee of whatever apprenticeship chosen, they are in this role for 3 years until the student passes an exam and receives a certificate to work in any job not requiring a higher degree. The system following this is generally equivalent to other Yytusche-Helvanic and Urcean systems, both in the form of organization and in generally high marks for students in the nation.
Culture
Music
Cohen music is exceptionally varied, boasting some of the more notable composers, singers, producers and performers in Levantia and indeed the world.
Classical music, largely based about piano solos and full orchestras, is characterized by the use of large amounts of string instruments, such as the violin, viola, and cello, employing them in vast, interlaying groups to achieve a sweeping sense, as well as being characterized by the use of choirs in a low baritone and bass voice as accompaniment to percussion instruments. Such orchestras were often intertwined with a ballard style, describing events in the countrys history through the use of intense or less intense music depending on the actions at work, though some would employ conventional lyrics for the choirs. Cohen orchestras in this form would be noted as exceptionally fast paced, to some contemporaries “violent in nature”, with a minority employing such things as rifle fire for use in place of the snare drum and even field artillery. Kovalenko Nil Yakovich, a Helvanic immigrant, would be infamous for his first unveiling of this style to an unwitting audience in 1830. During the Great War, formats such as the string quartet, symphony, and sonata would also rise in popularity along front lines of conflict, with amateur soldiers playing for their fellows. Such music would naturally be of peace, home, and women. More modern, conventional arrays for orchestra have risen in popularity since the 1970s, though traditional Cohen classical music continues to be notable worldwide.
Folk music within Cohe can trace its roots back to Yytuskia, with songs called volkslieder being taught to young children even today. These songs are rarely authentically tied to traditional folk music, being sunny and optimistic in nature. Many songs hold their roots in the Confederacy and Great War periods, being full of language with political activism on both sides of the fence, as well as realistic joy, sadness and passion. Such songs may be in the format of work songs with a varied chorus as well as a simple beat, having their roots in the coal and fishing industries. As a result, such songs often focused upon the hard work itself, some positive upon this with pride in that work while others were negative, portraying foremen as slave drivers and businessmen as peddlers of misery. Such songs were, by their nature, extremely inflammatory at the time and still are today, being associated with labor strikes and the resulting riots. Democracy-oriented songs, as well as advocates for Levantine Catholicism and Cohen Wotanism, also experienced a rise in popularity during the Great War period and as such are tied to it even today. Modern folk music often distances itself from politically or historically sensitive topics, instead focusing on either common messages such as loved ones and quiet death or upon romanticizing earlier periods in Cohes history, such as the periods prior to Marisia. Historical folk songs are, by that nature, rarely sung for public audience.
Today, modern popular music from Cohe experiences only limited success abroad, with most tours only moving about Levantia itself. Those with the greatest success are Cohen heavy metal bands, a good portion of which may be characterized by the use of traditional musical instrumentation along with a rapid pacing and roaring lyrics. This type has been described by some as medieval metal, with woodwind instruments, the hurdy-gurdy, and bagpipes being often times present. Synthesizers and computers are also used. The lyrics in this genre are well known for its morbid, provocative lyrical themes and dark humor often centering about homelessness, war, poverty, and drug use, as well as in its earliest years the potential for nuclear holocaust such as “Jedna Sekunda do Północy” (One Second to Midnight) by the band Rolling Thunder. Such bands have niche audiences in Covinia and Urcea with widespread success in Yytuskia-Helvana, despite being sung almost entirely in Providi.
Art
Architecture
Architecture in Cohe is varied by geography and due to the constantly shifting history of the nation. As a result of this, nearly the whole of Levantine architecture styles can be seen in the nation, though for the most part these are isolated in certain portions of the country.
In the lowlands, due to the population densities present as well as the rapid expansion following the Great War, the vast majority of buildings are in the 1950s block format, with concrete being the primary building material. Buildings are on average more than ten floors tall with maximum height at 312 m (1023.62 ft) with the Złota 12 skyscraper in Giradava province. Buildings may extend down below the surface to a maximum of twelve stories, with underground ‘streets’ providing for a grid pattern. Arches for these underground streets are common in order to provide support, as are large ventilation pillars to provide clean oxygen. Public transportation in the city is exceptionally common, with rail lines connected to vertical centralized stations enabling rapid movement. The lowest levels for these stations, as well as many buildings, are usually set aside as bomb shelters, emergency generators, and to a minor degree emergency storerooms for nonperishable food. On the surface, some cities play host to older structures with churches in the Cohen Wotanism horizontal log technique being relatively common alongside classical architecture. Early baroque buildings can be seen in some cities, such as Miden, but are exceptionally uncommon. As a direct result of the nature for these cities, areas are portioned off physically with sector walls, gates, and independentally operating air filtration systems in guarding against biological attack. They have, as one visiting Yytusche said, become vaults, though many critics liken the unique Cohen sprawls to rat mazes.
In the rural areas of the country, most buildings are still constructed in the earlier styles with wood being the primary material. Manor houses (dworek) can be seen often in smaller towns as centralized places, doubling for many as businesses, restaurants, inns, or public community centers. Larger farmhouses can be seen in the countryside. Classical architecture can be seen in various fortifications from the Marisian period, such as Bochnia Castle in Přítovy province which dates to 1470. Some few examples of horizontal log technique construction can be seen in churches, though due to history these are less common.
Older styles can be seen in the mountainous parts of the country, such as Warbrzeg, with the Warbrzegi architecture style being named for the buildings therein. Largely drawing inspiration from the older periods, these buildings were constructed mostly in the 1910s. They are largely communal, with three story buildings for multiple families being common. They are largely characterized by gently sloping roofs and wide and well-supported eaves set at right angles to the front of the house. In addition to this, some churches exist since the earliest years of the country, built in mountainside alcoves. The earliest example of these would be Gdańsk Church. Estimated to have been built originally in 27 CE and rebuilt in the 9th Century, is still in active operation due to its stone construction. Many other buildings are constructed partially or even totally into the ground in order to resist the constant winds.
On the island portions of the country, construction reflects an entirely different style with the vast majority of buildings originating during the Reconstructionist period. As such, they are characterized by a stark utilitarianism often ascribed to the Kilikas Brutalism movement, with the primary concern for most architects being efficiency, simplicity in construction, and ease of maintenance. As a direct result, however, these buildings are far simpler in outer appearance than their mainland cousins. Most settlements are in confined, urban sprawls for simpler power grids, water systems, and other utilities.
Philosophy
Cohen philosophy is connected to the broader Levantine influences, with the vast majority of work in the subject having roots within the Confederacy period of the country’s overall history. Philosophy within the country prior to this event was characterized by widespread Messianism in one form or another, by Christian inhabitants for Mary and by Cohen Wotanism worshipers for one of the many Old Gods. During the Confederacy period, many states had separate formulations of the Positivist movement, the idea wherein “A Positivist is anyone who bases assertions on verifiable evidence; who does not express himself categorically about doubtful things, and does not speak at all about those that are inaccessible," as the Giradavan philosopher Dobiesław Rudnik stated in his book Na Swiecie in 1882. The beginning of this movement, spurned on by Rudnik and a small group of followers, would prove widespread amongst working class Cohen though experienced heavy criticism from the Church at the time of writing.
Prior to and following the Great War period of Cohen history, philosophers of the country have made contributions to to psychology, the philosophy, and the theory of knowledge, with the majority of these works coming about due to collaborations with or the use of foreign ideas to propel the work forwards. Contributions to psychology were largely in the fields of radical behaviorism and behavior modification with the Doctors Mirosław Kuras and Żywia Kuras performing experiments in the field with the desire to produce positive reinforcers to social stability. These experiments continued throughout the 1960s and into the 1990s with the inclusion of the couples son, Dymitr Kuras. While they are celebrated in some sects of psychology for their radical work, their use of Dymitr in some experiments has been labeled unethical by the majority of the international psychological community. Health psychology is also a field Cohe pioneered, with the earliest efforts traced back to 1730 following the War of 1718. Gustaw Drabik experimented in this field following the war as well as penning the first articles in journals and university papers describing techniques to relieve what he called “combat fatigue” in returning soldiers, many of which are still in use today.
Philosophically, contributions by Helena Pacha in 1919 and Dr Remigiusz Kaplon in 1963 gave rise to axiology, the studies of ethics and aesthetics, through various lectures, debates, and papers. The experiences of Dr Remigiusz Kaplon have been especially lauded due to his actions in the Great War as a field surgeon. On the whole, Cohen philosophers are involved in normative ethics, the practical means of determining a moral course of action, and applied ethics, what a person is obligated (or permitted) to do in a specific situation or a particular domain of action. They are often of the school of Stoicism, first stated by Marcel Bodak in 1810, which is the belief in the “unconquerable will” of the individual, and advocates to accept that which cannot be changed, merely to endure what may come and to affect that which can be changed in a positive manner. Difficult problems are ones which should be embraced as they are tests of ones own character and ability.
In the realm of Epistemology, in 1677 Aleksy Milko contended the question of how one acquires what he described as true knowledge, that is to state knowledge by all measures correct and which is infallible standing upon its own. He argued for what is know called a priori theory, that knowledge must be acquired separately from individual experiences and that it should be capable of being proven to another separately from personal feelings.
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Dobiesław Rudnik -
Dr. Mirosław Kuras and Żywia Kuras -
Dymitr Kuras -
Gustaw Drabik -
Dr Remigiusz Kaplon
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Literature
The earliest Cohen literature dates to accounts by Latin monks and those who trained under them during the Marisian period. Such accounts were historical, administrative, and of correspondence in nature. The most notable of these writers would be Abelus of Mantua, who wrote extensively of the violence during that same period. In his correspondence, Abelus was notably skewed in his views, of the opinion that Cohen peoples would make for excellent Christians were in not for barbarism. In his attempts to find the reasoning for this, Abelus of Mantua was among the first to postulate racial hierarchy. It should be noted that Abelus of Mantua was found dead some years following that writing.
The first documented phrase in Providi, written by a Cohen, would be "Day ut ia pobrusa, a ti poziwai" ("Let me grind, and you take a rest"), a direct reflection of the life and attitudes in early Cohe with the widespread communal spirit. Written by Eliasz Dudik of Gdańsk, it was a portion of a longer history of the Gdańsk Church which began compilation in 1430. Allegedly the statement had been held as a local epithet for several decades, having been priorly stated by a settler to his spouse.
With the larger production and proliferation of the printing press within the country by the engineer Ludwik Borak and trader Izydor Osada in the following century as well as more extensive education within the country, widespread production of pamphlets on topics ranging from proper farming techniques to organizational theories and even, to some degree, writings on political theory. These pamphlets would rapidly turn into small, one to three page newspapers on current and ongoing affairs within towns, such as construction efforts, sellers of wares, and crimes. Some of these same newspapers continue into the modern era, still in the small smaller format.
Cohen authors have garnered audiences into the modern age, especially in the early realm of science fiction with author Lew Zales penning one of the first novels in that realm in 1810, called Podróż do Gwiazd (Journey to the Stars). Such writings have been characterized by a heavy optimism, viewing the future as a potential utopia with spaceborne habitats, no hunger, and what he termed automatons. The novel would experience success both within and outside the country. Due to the success, as well as the early publication of the book and its foresight with little connections to present technologies, Lew Zales is named by many as the father of science fiction.
In the Confederacy era, authors such as Jerzy Zieminski, Zofia Poremba, and Eryk Zlotnik would also rise to prominence internationally. Zieminski, a critic of Stoicism, would pen a variety of science fiction, horror, and psychological horror works. Such works found popularity in cliques worldwide, often used in support of one political belief or another, though many hold critiques of Zieminski for a lack of an overall cohesive message. While one group may hold his ---INFO--- as support against automation with the eventual rise of a police state, another may hold up ---INFO--- in opposition, citing that work as proof of enlightenment through technology. Many consider Zieminski to be a champion of portraying extremes in realistic light, though his detractors say the same. Poremba in contast would continue to write anti-war materials throughout the war, drawing from her knowledge as both a nurse in field hospitals in the service of Drahilawye militias and as an attendent in a mental ward. Such works would be well received for their stark, brutal honesty about what may occur and the unerring attention to detail with which they are written. Poremba's ---INFO---, written as an autobiography, would find popularity in Urcea, Burgundie, and many others, would be translated into over twenty languages, and often would find use in psychological studies. Zlotnik, a student at Miden's Institute of Architecture at the outbreak of the war, would be an unintending figure for literature. A partisan and later soldier, it would only be after his death that an extensive journal would be found. Named ---INFO--- (My War), the 206 page document would be popular among soldiers of both Cohe and Yytuske-Helvana for a more personalized view of the war from the trench's height.
Media and Cinema
Motion pictures in Cohe were first produced in emulation of
Cuisine
Due to its coast and mountainous terrain, as well as the large amount of lowlands forestry, Cohen cuisine is exceptionally varied, rich in meat, especially pork, chicken and beef, in addition to a wide range of vegetables, spices, and herbs. It is also characteristic in its use of various kinds of noodles as well as cereals and grains. Fish is common in many dishes, with salmon and trout being consumed by a large portion of the coastal populace. These are most often smoked, salted or marinated. In general, Cohen cuisine is hearty and heavy in its use of butter, cream, eggs and extensive seasoning. The traditional dishes are often demanding in preparation, with some meals taking days to prepare fully. Notable Cohen dishes include bigos, pierogi, kiełbasa, pork loin kotlet schabowy breaded cutlet, gołąbki cabbage roll, zrazy roulade, sour cucumber soup (zupa ogórkowa), mushroom soup, (zupa grzybowa), tomato soup (zupa pomidorowa), rosół meat broth, żurek sour rye soup, flaki tripe soup, and red beetroot barszcz.
Traditional Cohen dinners consist of three dishes, with the first portion being of some variant of soup. Most commonly this would be tomato soup (zupa pomidorowa) or rosół meat broth. Following this soup would be an appetizer, such as herring (prepared in either cream, oil, or in aspic) or other cured meats and vegetable salads. Following the appetizer is the main meal, often of roast, breaded pork cutlet, salmon, or chicken, accompanied by surówka, shredded root vegetables with lemon and sugar (carrot, celeriac, seared beetroot) or sauerkraut. Side dishes are often boiled potatoes, rice, noodles, or kasza. These dinners are concluded with a dessert including makowiec, a poppy seed pastry, napoleonka cream pie or sernik cheesecake.
Alcoholic beverages within Cohe are commonly mead, beer, and vodka, with wine being rarely consumed. By far the most popular of these is beer, which has experienced a resurgence since the early 2000s due to lower costs and the ease of manufacture. Cohen vodka is made from grain or potatoes. The earliest recorded production of vodka took place in Cohe as early as the 8th century, with popularity rising in the 10th century. Vodka production on a much larger scale began at the end of the 16th century. By the 17th and 18th centuries, Cohen vodka was known in Yytuskia and Urcea, partially due to the proliferation of Cohen mercenaries within the former and close ties to the latter. Vodka was the most popular alcoholic drink in Poland until 2004, when it was surpassed by beer.
In regards to nonalcoholic beverages, tea is widely drunk often with a slice of lemon and sweetened with sugar or honey, while drinking with milk is far less common. Coffee, introduced during the Great War period, is also common. Locally produced Kvass is consumed in the eastern portions of the country. It is typically made from rye bread, usually known as black bread, and is not classified as an alcoholic beverage as its alcohol content usually ranges from 0.5-1% or 1-2 proof. Frequently consumed beverages also include buttermilk, kefir, soured milk, instant coffee, various mineral waters, juices, and numerous brands of soft drink.
Sports
Football
Originating with pigs bladders and an exceptional lack of rules in Cohe, Football has expanded to encompass a large portion of the national youth. With teams run by nearly every Primary school in the country following a large national push to have a healthier, more active population in the 2010s, as well as city, county, district, and university teams having varying levels of popularity, its overall presence is undeniable. Merchandise for teams is common in any general store and some public televisions broadcast especially awaited games for free. According to a 2025 survey, approximately a quarter of Cohen's adult population watches the game in one capacity or another. Various levels of competition exist, with championships earning a set amount for both players and their sponsored location, though unique to Cohe is the existence of The National. Following the championship series, each champion team competes, irregardless of competition level. While the majority of Nationals are won by university teams, special praise goes to those younger teams and such players are guaranteed a career in Football. Compared to other national teams, Cohe's Cavaliers are above average, though they lag behind many Sarpedon teams for the number of wins.
The sport does however have internal issues, both in terms of the injuries sustained by players and the extensive substance abuse problems which often follow. With the vast majority being below age eighteen and a large percentage playing well into their thirties, concussions developed during both play and practice have lead to older players developing memory loss, depression, anxiety, headaches, and sleep disturbances. Approximately 60% of players are under treatments for those conditions, though official investigations commonly reveal self-medication and subsequent overdoses. As a direct result, measures common to Cohen gladiator sports as well as urinalysis and blood tests are common, both prior to competition and randomized at practice, in an effort to combat this. Multiple organizations in the civilian sector exist to, under their various charters, either reform the sport in order to lessen the traumatic impact on players or to provide and coordinate recovery plans for already impacted players. Due to its national prevalence, the adoption of new measures has been markedly slow.
Gladiatorial Combat
Historically fought only in sparring, with only limited crowd draws, gladiators and its variants have in the past been extremely limited in scope and scale. However, with the inception of the gladiator sport as a codified, nearly safe sport, Cohen involvement therein has steadily increased with today it being one of the most popular forms of entertainment. Today, nearly 10 million watch national competition finals, a full seventh of the total population, while multiple stadiums exist around the country.
In 2020, fifteen guilds sanctioned by the Gladiatorial Combat Regulatory Commission of the Guild of Gladiators operated in Cohe, with the vast majority of these being in urban population centers. These smaller guilds train both veterans from the Cohen Army for gladiator fights as well as act as pseudo-trainers for the Army itself, with around a third of the declared rosters being current Secondary school students in the country. However, despite this number, only fifteen percent of these guild students go on to actually compete in gladiator fights with under seven thousand active, professional gladiators existing in the country. Of these, just 430 Cohen gladiators are a part of the Guild of Gladiators.
Cohe is unique in that it has a nearly nonexistent population of professional gladiators, measured in the hundredths of a percent of the total population, with instead the majority of gladiators in the country being retired Cohen Army Special Forces, Force Recon, and other branches of the military. As a result, median age for a Cohen gladiator is markedly higher than Caphirian competitors at 32 years old, as well as being in higher weight brackets. For the most part Cohen gladiators operate in all Combat Divisions equally with some more eccentric choices. They are known to overall be specialists in the AMAP (Army Martial Arts Program) system as well as the LINE system, both taught in Cohen Army Special Forces schools of training. For the most part, such gladiators chose demilitarized versions of the SARM-7 with bayonet attachment in those Combat Divisions which allow it, and a combat knife. A minority of professional Cohen gladiators choose instead to arm themselves in the more traditional manner with a sword and large round shield, taking on the idea of carrying forward Cohen history and tradition into more modern times, and these most often are seen in international competitions.
Gladiator sport has come under severe criticism by various organizations for its dangers to participants, with concussions leading memory loss, depression, anxiety, headaches, and sleep disturbances at a far higher incidence rate than any other sport. Currently the official Cohen rules mandate continuous monitoring by doctors, to include tests prior to and following events, as well as training regimens designed to limit the forces impacted on athletes in an effort to lessen cranial injuries. Despite these attempts, Cohen gladiators continue to have a greater chance for injury, claimed by many to be simply inherent in the sport. Proponents for gladiator events hold varying viewpoints, with some setting the blame on unauthotized training and competitions. Currently, in conjunction with international studies, there is a privately supported Cohen specific study by leading sports physicians and psychologists in order to determine the best methods in limiting injury.
Due to the stringent regulations surrounding Cohen gladiator competition, a variety of underground, illegal organizations have come to exist within the country. With deeply rooted ties to organized crime, both large scale and with street gangs, it encompasses the full spectrum from simply operating under a different set of rules to fights involving volatile, mind altering stimulants to even full blood sports. Correspondingly the level of public support for such events is low, with small self-contained groups being the sole sponsors of such activities. Police crackdowns on these illegal rings is common, with arrests proving to be long-lasting. In addition to this, multiple nations with lesser regulations and no extradition laws with Cohe have a high degree of Cohen-born competitors, many of which are rumored to have trained in these illegal rings.
Racing
Racing in Cohen includes both road racing and rallying, with both experiencing a moderate amount of popularity. With it's origins in high speed trials for armored vehicles and auxiliary vehicles, in part due to a rivalry between design competitors in 1975, racing has since then continued a steadfast presence in the country. In a 2020 survey, it was indicated that 800,000 watch some version of the sport regularly. While several regionally-known tracks see regular use in the lowlands, often of more contentional layouts, the racing scene in Cohe is better denoted by a series of mountain races. Driven by gamuts of high stress turns with no set width, they are known for holding an especially dangerous place in the racing world. Rallying, likewise, is focused about mountain terrain with a substantial risk of injury. Forest races are fairly uncommon, in part due to heavy urbanization.