Krasoa Islands
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Krasoa Islands (Kiravian Catenias) | |
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| Major cities | Nulvisar, Teotoniuv, Muravera, Ankólisar |
| Languages | Coscivian languages, Loa, Bajablastran Creole |
| Type | Overseas Region |
| Provinces | |
| Population | |
• Estimate | 11,468,070 |
| Time zone | Valēka Standard Time |
The Krasoa Islands are an overseas region of the Kiravian Federacy located in Catenias.
Etymology
The provenance of the name "Krasoa" is currently unknown, and may come from the undocumented indigenous language(s) of the islands, related to those spoken in Loa Republic.
A theory attributing the name to a Tryhstian navigator named Fernão Crassoa gained currency during the 21010s and was commonly printed in reference works and local school textbooks until around 21194, when an exhaustive study by an élite team of historians failed to find written records of anyone by that surname dating from before the word was in use as a name for the islands. Nonetheless, a statue of Fernão Crassoa (modelled on an unknown subject) still stands in front of the Krasoa Colonial Stanora building, and many parks, squares, and schools in the colonies are named in honour of the spurious Crassoa. However, some families with ties to the islands do bear the surnames Krasoa or Krassoa, as for many decades it was bestowed on children of unknown parentage raised in state-run orphanages.
Another theory behind the name is that it was a corruption of the name Grassi, itself being the Emeritan Latin form of the Latin name Crassus. Prior to the islands falling under Kiravian rule, the most common name for them was the Grasi Islands, itself the translation of the Pelaxian name for the sub-archipelago Islas de Grasi, which itself comes from the Emeritan Latin name Isulas di Grassi.
Geography
The Krasoan provinces encompass the entirety of Big Krasoa Island and nearby Island №3, which lays across Aventurine Bay (Bahía Creciente); as well as the entirety of Island №5 and part of the island of Saint Martin, which is divided between the Colony of Nív-Martain (Sintalian: San Martino) and the Burgundine colony of Port de Vent. Krasoan control of these areas further extends to a number of smaller offshore islets and small remote islands.
The climate of the Krasoa Islands is humid and oceanic throughout, with thermotypes ranging from supratropical in Nív-Martain, to infratemperate, to thermotemperate in South Krasoa and various highland pockets on Big Krasoa Island and Island №5. Seasonal variation in the subtropical areas of Krasoa is mild, but follows southern hemispheric patterns. Local wind patterns and topographic features create a number of unique microclimates in various locations across the archipelago, which are useful for agriculture.
Population density is highest along the coastlines and also along the Itmar River (Sintalian: Itammaro) and its tributaries in the interior of Big Krasoa Island. As for inland areas, higher-altitude lands were historically more densely populated than lowland areas, due to the more temperate climate of the former and by extension their greater suitability for the transplantation of mainland Kiravian agriculture; however, this historical correlation between altitude and population density has eroded due to the effects of air conditioning and population decline in older upland agrarian communities.
Laying within the same longitudinal band as east-central Great Kirav, the Krasoa Islands observe Valēka Standard Time.
Provinces
The Krasoa Islands comprise eight provinces: Four overseas states, and four overseas territories.
| Flag | Province | Class | Island | Capital | Population (2030 Census) |
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Aventurine Bay Colony | Overseas State | Big Krasoa Island | Viramar | 1,984,000 |
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Eastion | Overseas State | Big Krasoa Island | Eastion City | 1,984,000 |
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Island №3 | Overseas Territory | Island №3 | City №1 | 1,984,000 |
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Island №5 | Overseas Territory | Island №5 | Saar-Ibykia | 1,984,000 |
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Krasoa Colony | Overseas State | Big Krasoa Island | Krasoa City | 1,984,000 |
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Nív-Martain | Overseas Territory | Saint Martin | Quiscino | 1,984,000 |
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Palmetto Coast | Overseas Territory | Big Krasoa Island | Palmetto Bay | 1,984,000 |
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South Krasoa | Overseas State | Big Krasoa Island | Muravera | 1,984,000 |
History
General Overview
As early as they were described in writing by Occidental and Coscivian geographers, the islands that would one day be included in the Krasoa Colony were inhabited by Austronesian peoples related to the people of Loa Republic and the descendants of the fallen Glaistic civilisation, who engaged in a degree of cultural exchange and marital intermixture with one another.
The Krasoa Islands were frequented by merchants from Sarpedon and Kiravia to trade for their exotic botanical goods. They subsequently became contested between Pelaxia, Kiravia, Caphiria, etc.? during the Kindred Wars, during which Kiravian and Kiravian-backed forces consolidated control over Big Krasoa Island, Island №3, and Island №5. The partition of Saint Martin island between the Kiravian and Burgundine thalassocracies would occur later, in [YEAR], following [EVENT].
Initially, the islands formed a unitary province, the Captaincy-General of the Mild Isles of the South, subject to the oversight of the Superintendant of Hāverma in Pribraltar until 1812 AD[why?]. The territory of the Captaincy-General was then parcelled out into subprovinces initially governed by the Bay Trading Company and the Kerēgulan Merchants of the Tropics under patents from the Kiravian government. Over time, the arrival of Kiravian settlers and assertion of greater control by the Colonial College led to the gradual reorganisation of the colony and replacement of company rule. The Piradia Plantations in southeastern Big Krasoa Island, where there was the greatest density of Kiravian homesteaders and fewest commodities of interest to the mercantile groups, were the first part of the colony to transition from corporate to civil administration, followed by Island №5. The Piradia Plantations would later be extended and chartered as a separate Colony of South Krasoa. Eastion, Island №5, and the Krasoa Colony proper would similarly receive their own charters in the subsequent decades, while the more northerly areas in what is now the Palmetto Coast, Aventurine Bay, Island №3, and Nív-Martain would remain under the Captaincy General.
During Kirosocialist rule in Great Kirav, the Krasoas remained in the hands of the Federalist rump state based on Æonara. The Kiravian Remnant completed the process of administrative subdivision of the Krasoas, distinguishing the Palmetto Coast and Nív-Martain as separate provinces (abolishing the Captaincy-General) and overseeing the elevation of Krasoa proper, South Krasoa, Aventurine Bay, Eastion, and Island №5 as overseas states.
Peopling and the Glaistic Era
Archeological evidence suggests that humans first settled permanently on the islands of modern Port de Vent and the Krasoa Islands around 4200 BCE. The Sundaic, Alitros sea people of the Glaistic civilization, established their first settlements along the coast, carving rudimentary dwellings into the cliffs. Their lives revolved around fishing, hunting, and navigating the treacherous currents of the archipelago's straits.
However, around 1100 BCE, Sundaic legends speak of encountering the Sky People, beings of immense stature who arrived in colossal vessels and possessed advanced knowledge, likely Eudetos tribes of the Glaistic civilization. They built structures of massive stone blocks that defied explanation as the verbal histories of the . The Sundaic, initially wary, eventually formed a tentative connection. The Sky People may have shared some of their knowledge, influencing the island's intricate water channels and the unique architectural style of some Sundaic structures, incorporating megaliths. The islands that make up Port de Vent and the Krasoa Islands became an unique element of positive interface between these ancient Glaistic cultures, who in most other places were in conflict with the Eudetos managing to take advantage of the naivete of the Alitros to expand their wealth. Evidence suggests that Glaistic masks, with their enigmatic smiles and intricate details, may have been incorporated into Sundaic rituals, later evolving into symbols of power and leadership. Around 600 BCE, Sundaic legends speak of a devastating tsunami that impacted the Catenias archipelago. The Eudetos outposts across the region, including those on Port de Vent, were abandoned or destroyed. The Sky People vanished from the Sundaic historical record, but DNA evidence shows a pattern of intertribal breeding that pre-supposes that the Sky People didn't disappear as much as they ceased to be unique and were more than likely just merged into the existing Sundaic identity. After the disaster, competition for limited resources, competition for fertile land, and fishing grounds grew between different Sundaic settlements, led to the rise of chiefdoms vying for dominance. 600-200 BCE was marked by terrible inter-tribal violence and the development of cannabalism, slavery, and head-hunting as key aspects of Sundaic power structures and society.
Insuo Loa Colonization
In the 1200s, the Krasoa Islands witnessed a transformative period as the Loa people, stemming from the Isi Loa, underwent a settlement and cultural evolution. The Loa, have already developed their seafaring capabilities and hierarchical chiefdom structure, established themselves as skilled hunters and gatherers with an acute understanding of the open seas. The Isi Loa, originating around 1100 CE, played a crucial role in this process. This indigenous population, emerging from a bottleneck in the 800s BCE.The Loa, a ethnically distinct community, emerged alongside the development of Insuo Loa.
As the Loa people started exploring the open seas eastward towards the Kindred Sea, their settlement of the Krasoa Islands unfolded organically, and settled the diverse archipelago during the 1200s. This period marked a critical juncture in the islands' history as the Loa communities established themselves across the entirety of the isles.
The settlement process was not merely a physical occupation but also a cultural integration, as the Loa infused their distinct way of life into a more nomadic colonization of the areas and its resources. The Loa's arrival and settlement in the 1200s laid the foundation for the rich cultural mosaic that would take shape in the centuries to come, shaping the identity and history of the Krasoa Islands. The amalgamation of Austronesian roots, chiefdom traditions, and seafaring prowess defined this period of vibrant cultural establishment.The distinguished and revered high chief of the tribes of the Krasoa Islands, known for his profound impact and historical significance, bears the esteemed title of Kahu'i Marakatu Loa, which translates to the "Supreme Celestial Guardian of the Loa." This name reflects not only his paramount role as a leader among the Loa people but also underscores the celestial and spiritual dimensions attributed to his leadership. The title encompasses the honor, authority, and spiritual guidance associated with the most revered chief in the history of the Krasoa Islands.
War of the Tides
The War of the Tides, spanning from 1330 to 1350, stands as a significant chapter in the history of the Kindred Sea. This conflict primarily revolved around the strategic control of the waterways governing access to and from the sea. The principal instigator, the Duchy of Albalitor, sought to secure vital maritime routes in service of the Despote of Cognata, seated in Albalitor. The despotate aimed to attain greater autonomy in managing trade, diminishing reliance on the Caphiravian Republic.
The focus of the conflict lay in the geopolitical maneuvering to control key ports and sea routes. The Duchy of Albalitor, under the auspices of the Despote of Cognata, perceived dominance over these maritime arteries as essential for economic self-sufficiency. The Loa Confederation, who maintained ties of vassalage with the archipelago through the chiefdom system, with the Krasoa Islands, resisted external attempts to control the vital waterways. Unified under the leadership of their esteemed high chief, Kahu'i Marakatu Loa, the Loa Confederation fought fiercely to safeguard what was deemed “ancestral lands” and maintain autonomy against external encroachment.
Noteworthy engagements, such as the Battle of Bahía Creciente in 1335 and the Siege of Marisport in 1342, marked the tactically intricate nature of the war. These military endeavors were characterized by maneuvers to secure or disrupt maritime access points. The overarching objective was the establishment of control over ports and channels facilitating trade within the Kindred Sea. The War of Tides concluded in 1350 with a negotiated peace treaty. While the Despote of Cognata retained certain territorial claims as the newly found “Comarca de la Crasoa” as an enclave further enforcing the presence of the Pelaxian and Caphiravian culture in the Kindred Sea.
First Intermediate
Mercantile Colonisation
Settler Colonisation
Sunderance
Since Reunification
Governance
Politically, the Krasoa Islands comprise eight Kiravian provinces: the overseas states of Aventurine Bay, Eastion, Island №5, the Krasoa Colony, and South Krasoa, and the overseas territories of Island №3, Nív-Martain, and the Palmetto Coast. These provinces belong to the theme of the Overseas Regions.
The Krasoan provinces jointly operate certain government agencies established by interprovincial compact to serve the entire region, such as the Krasoa Port Authority (responsible for seaport and riverine port infrastructure and key ferry terminals), and the Territorial Defence of the Krasoa Islands, which serves army reserve, civil defence, and coast guard functions. The Territorial Defence Force notably includes a Defence Motorways Patrol, which provides roadside assistance to motorists with disabled vehicles.[1]
Law
The marital laws of the Krasoan provinces all uphold the doctrine of marital fusion, whereïn a married couple is treated as a single, unified entity for the purposes of civil law (though not criminal law). They are also among the most difficult Kiravian federal subjects in which to obtain a divorce by the Association of Kiravian Marital Attorneys, with their courts requiring high standards of proof for marital fault, mandating extensive efforts at counselling and reconciliation before beginning dissolution proceedings, and recognising none of the "loophole faults" used in some other states to approximate divorce by mutual consent (which does not exist in Kiravia) or otherwise expedite the process.
In all provinces, furries are shot on sight pursuant to an ordinance issued during the early colonial period to protect Kiravian settlements from native warriors whose wore animal hides and masques as their battledress.
Society & Culture
There are regional variations in the ethnocultural makeup of the Krasoan population. Krasoans of 'unmixed' Kiravian creole heritage are most predominant in the southern half of Big Krasoa Island - particularly in South Krasoa where they form an outright supermajority - and on Island №5, where virtually the entire population are of colonial descent. The further north one looks across the archipelago, the lower the concentration of unmixed settler families and the greater the concentrations of Kolakoskem, Loa people, and indigenous or indigenised communities, with Nív-Martain and the Palmetto Coast having the largest relative populations of such peoples. Rural highland regions where altitudinal effects create sky islands of temperate or at least more mild subtropical highland climate also have higher-than-average concentrations of creoles.
The Coscivian share of the total population of the Sydonas was augmented during the mid-20th century AD by immigration of persons fleeing the Civil War on the Kiravian Mainland and the subsequent rule of the Kiravian Union, as well as those fleeing the effects of the related Sydonan Civil War. Due to similarities in climatic and agricultural conditions, the Krasoa Islands (mainly South Krasoa, Island №5, and southeastern Eastion) were the prime resettlement destination for Sydonan emigrés, who were mostly of rural background. Sydonan immigration began around 1935 in the leadup to the war, and would continue even after the congealment of the war into a frozen conflict as political dissidents fled the Sydonan People's Republic and economic migrants departed those parts of the archipelago that remained under Federalist control. Whereas the Sydonas were (and remain) a multicultural country, the emigrant population that settled in Sydona was predominantly made up of Austral Coscivians, with a minority of (often considerably Coscivised) Pelians. Consequently there are now strong Austral Coscivian influences on the general culture of the regions where these migrants settled, and use of the Austral Coscivian language among their descendants remains vigorous.
Cuisine
The cuisine of the Krasoa Islands avails itself of the bountiful food sources supplied by the natural bounty of the arhcipelago ant its waters, with their wide variety of flavours and colours. Its foundations lie in the local variants of Sintalian cuisine, enriched by Insuo Loa and Coscivian influences.
An important surtout de table in Krasoan cuisine is the taco, which originates from the native cuisine of Takatta Loa and was introduced to the Krasoa Islands with the Insuo Loa colonisation. Krasoan tacos therefore remain highly similar to the Loa varieties of taco from which they originated. Tacos served on Nív-Martain are often claimed in Coscivian literature to be "no less authentic" than tacos of the Loa mainland (though this is disputed by Cateniote gastronomists), while tacos served on the southern three islands deviate only in the inclusion of some local subtropical ingredients and minor adjustments to appeal to the Coscivian palate.
Education
Pedagogy in Eastion, the Krasoa Colony, South Krasoa, and Island №5 is generally similar to that of Æonara. In Aventurine Bay, Island №3, Nív-Martain, and the Palmetto Coast, there are three separate public school systems: the Coscivian system, the Sintalian system, and the Sintalian-medium Coscivian system. The Sintalian-medium Coscivian system follows the structure and curriculum of the Coscivian system, but teaches in the Sintalian language and studies Coscivian literature in translation. Coscivian and Sintalian schools are governed by separate school boards; Sintalian-medium Coscivian schools are governed by the Coscivian school board, except in Palmetto Bay where they have their own board. Loa education is provided outside of the state system under the purview of Loa religious clerics and temples.
The State University of Subtropical Agriculture in County Terlora, Eastion, prepares agronomists, mechanical engineers, and agricultural economists for employment in the subtropical climes of the Kiravian Federacy and Collectivity, principally Krasoa itself and parts of Æonara. It houses a scientific library with about 23,000 volumes in its main collection, not including its two specialised collections of Krasoan agricultural statistical records dating back to the early colonial period and sixty years of Krasoan meteorological reports.
Hauntings
Economy
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Agriculture
Agriculture is the historic mainstay of the Krasoan economy. Citrus fruits, olives, oilseeds, grapes, and products derived from them (olive oil, soaps {see below} and medicaments, wine, etc.) were and remain major export earners. Processing of food, beverage, and agricultural products is the largest component of the secondary sector and provides jobs for thousands of Krasoans.
Tropical agriculture and tropical horticulture are practised in Nív-Martain. Subtropical agriculture is practised over most of the land area of Big Krasoa Island, save for certain elevated localities in the highlands and much of South Krasoa and the southern shores of Island №5, where temperate climatic conditions prevail and crops and farming techniques transplanted from South Kirav and the Baylands predominate. Indeed, it was the lure of exotic agricultural and botanical goods that brought Kiravian mercantile groups like the Bay Trading Company to Krasoa in the first place, motivating and financing its successful colonisation.
A significant and distinctive subsector of Krasoan agriculture is the rearing of ratites. Cassowaries were partially domesticated by indigenous peoples from time immemorial and are today raised on large forest estates in Nív-Martain where they subsist on natural forage, and smaller properties in the Palmetto Coast where they are fed on slops rendered from human food waste. Further south, emus are raised in the other provinces of the archipelago for eggs, fat and oil, leather, and meat. Island №5 has the highest number of emus per capita, at a ratio of one emu per human settler.
Citrus cultivation is a major revenue stream, and for many, many decades was the leading export from the islands. A wide variety of citrus fruits, diverse in their cultivars and hybrids, many of which are highly distinctive heirloom varieties, are grown across the region, with many cultivars being optimised for growth in a particular microclimate. During the Age of the Sail, the citrus plantations were of high strategic, national-security importance because a ready supply of lemons and limes was crucial to the provisioning of the Kiravian Navy and merchant marine, keeping their sailing crews free of scurvy. Between them, the two Aventurine countyships of Kardetuv (Cardeto) and Salvo (Portosalvo) account for over 90% of the global output of freedomgamot, prized by fragrance manufacturers and gourmet chefs worldwide for its extremely valuable aromatic essences. Outside of the Æonaran provinces, the Krasoan provinces are the leading Kiravian producers of oranges and of orange juice, which in its frozen and concentrate forms is traded on the Primóra House of Trade commodity exchange.
The avocado tree and its delicious, nutritious fruit grows well in appropriate subtropical microclimates distributed across the northern two-thirds of Big Krasoa Island, Island №3, and Island №5. There are several microclimatic zones suitable for the cultivation of yerba mate as a cash crop, and Krasoa accounts for most production of said plant in the Kiravian territories.
The explosion of the essential oils market in recent years has been a boon to the islands' economy.
Industry
Soapmaking is a major industry and source of employment, though since the end of Kirosocialism the large industrial soapworks have declined in favour of smaller operations selling market-diversified products, many of which are artisanally crafted. A growing number of small and medium soapworks in Krasoa are coöperatives. Krasoan soap is highly regarded in Great Kirav and Sydona and is increasingly sold abroad. Several traditional types of Krasoan soap have been granted geographic designations and other intellectual property protections by the Kiravian government.
The processing and packaging of essential oils, plant extracts, and other similar nonfood plant products for export is a significant industry in Krasoa, supplying aromatherapeutic, homeopathic, and cosmetic customers abroad.
The tanning industry is important in Krasoa, producing leather from both emu and mammal hides and fashioning finished leather goods (mostly handcrafted) for export. Within the Kiravian Federacy the Krasoan provinces punch well above their weight in the footwear industry, specialising mainly in ladies' shoes and Western-style men's dress shoes. Leather accessories such as wallets and handbags are also produced. During the 1950s and 1960s, the Tavira Tanning Works supplied leather for the interior furnishings of automobiles assembled by Exgen in Æonara. It ceased to be the exclusive supplier in 1968 AD and was finally dropped in 1976 in favour of more affordable foreign leather.
During the Kiro-Burgundian Gin & Tonic Race, the Colonial College tried to establish cinchona tree plantations in suitable areas of Krasoa, to obtain a domestic supply of cinchona bark from which to extract quinine, in order to bypass the effective Cartadanian monopoly on the substance. These efforts were frustrated by difficulty in obtaining the necessary land and smuggling saplings out of Cartadania. As such, the Krasoan plantations were slow to reach maturity and were not targeted for arson by Burgoniesc saboteurs like their counterparts in the Melians and Saint Kennera. Kiravia's eventual defeat in the Gin & Tonic Race led to the Colonial College selling off the plantations, and most of the land was converted to other uses. However, a few sites remain, owned by a local private company, Sovakaīn Tonics of Krasoa SAK, which produces artisan tonic waters for the Kiravian market.
There is a large phosphate industry in Krasoa, which accounted for most of the region's industrial output before the Sunderance. The phosphate works would form the nucleus around which a larger, diversified chemical industry would condense. Chemical plants can be found in all of the major cities of Big Krasoa Island, but are most strongly associated with Muravera. The Krasoan chemical industry mainly produces oleochemicals, fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, food additives, and pharmaceutical precursors.
Services and tourism
The agreeable climate and pleasant landscape of the islands, vibrant Sintalian and Loa cultural expression, and relatively affordable airfare from Æonara and Saint Kennera & Pribraltar has nurtured a growing tourist industry based on cultural tourism, agritourism and wine tourism, beaches and marine recreation, and destination weddings. Indeed, it is reliably one of the regions of Kiravia most commonly visited by foreign tourists in any given year, in the same league as the Melian Isles, Argévia, Kaviska (Valēka), and Æonara. This is attributable to the fact that, in addition to being an intrinsically desirable place, Krasoa is both more geographically accessible to Sarpedon than the rest of the Federacy and, more importantly, more culturally accessible and comprehensible to Occidentals thanks to its unique ethnic blend. The Krasoan provincial governments invest heavily in supporting tourism promotion and the expansion of touristic attractions and amenities. An interprovincial joint tourism board, «Krasoa Go!», was created by compact in 1996 to formulate and implement a common strategy for Federacy-wide and international marketing of the archipalago as a travel destination.
Historic and beautiful Sintalian churches are prized for destination weddings among affluent Kiravian Catholics. Glaistic ruins, ruins of structures built by the ancient Glaistic civilisation, are also points of interest.
According to a 32-page profile printed in the weekend edition of the Primóra Moon, another growing but low-profile source of income in the Krasoas is the "VIP real estate" and "quiet retirement" sector, which chiefly involves the sale of comfortable and well-appointed country homes to wealthy individuals, mainly from continental Ixnay and Audonia. As described by an unnamed Krasoan real estate agent who was interviewed for the article, this industry caters to a diverse array of clients, including ousted and disgraced former politicians, foreign lesser nobility and cadet princelings of deposed royal houses, and white-collar criminals. There is usually an element of offshore finance involved, aided by the islands' proximity to Pribraltar, privileged access to the Pribraltarian financial system, and the fact that many Pribraltar-based banks have branches in Krasoa. This business model was first developed in the Melian Islands, where disused manor houses on coffee plantations in the uplands and secluded beach villas were sold to many foreign buyers with similar needs during the 1990s.
Finance
Krasoa is firmly integrated into the wider Kiravian financial network. Kerēgulan Merchants' Bank - part of the KMT Group - is the financial institution most heavily invested in the Krasoan economy, having played a crucial role in its colonisation and development. Major regional banks include the Citrus & Chemical Bank, BayWorth Regional Bank, the Bank of Eastion, Sungate Bank, and Homestead Bank. The region's main financial centres are Avenasar, Muravera, and Kangean City.
Points of Interest
Haunted Woods- [Still canon but moving to the Mainland]- Glaistic ruins
Notable Krasoans
- Juan Kerr - International financial misunderstanding victim, born in Mulifanua, Nív-Martain.
- Serapion Larimar - Chief State Affairs Executive under the Candrin administration, from Anjuna Beach, Aventurine Bay.
- Dorian Indalpírón - Defencive end for the Kiravian national gridiron football team, from County Reyvurn, Aventurine Bay.
- Yon Paul - (aut Giovanni di Paulo) Leader of the Libertarian Party of Krasoa and Chairman of the Liberty Group
Gallery
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Notes
- ↑ Manned by reservists, the Defence Motorways Patrol was created during [time of international tension], when there were credible fears of war with Pelaxia and Governor Ğrampianus Risson ordered that reservists be stationed at rural roadway intersections to provide visual confirmation of the passability of the roads in case of bombing and be ready to clear the roads of civilian traffic quickly should the roads be needed by military vehicles. Today, the DMP functions mainly as a highway safety patrol offering roadside assistance to motorists, removing roadkill, and supporting first responders in handling roadway emergencies.