Timbia: Difference between revisions

Despite keeping faithfully to the new conditions, the [[South Seas Development Company|company]] no longer trusted the king so in 1634 they forced him to abdicate the throne to his eldest son; who had been a guest of the company in [[Zhijun]] for almost ten years. The new teenage king was soon presented with a treaty stipulating that should he die without siring a male heir, his kingdom would pass into the ownership of the [[South Seas Development Company|company]]. By this point the kingdom was so weakened and infiltrated by people on the [[South Seas Development Company|company]]'s payroll that it could not hope to resist. The king died at the age of 16, a mere four years later, possibly strangled in his sleep. As stipulated in his treaty, the [[South Seas Development Company|company]] took possession of the kingdom initially as 'stewards' and allowing for the nobility to continue ruling in a limited fashion but soon moving towards an entirely exploitative colonial venture. Resistance started almost immediately, moving inland into mountainous areas beyond company reach. The capture of Taualai provided two new deep water ports (known modernly as the cities of Lili and I'na) further away  and protected from the piracy originating from [[Sudmoll]]. A four decade long push into the countryside followed, and by 1671 the Qian had nominal control all the way to the Tavua mountains that bisect [[Peratra]]. It is estimated that up to half the native population died during this period. The Qian also gave permission at this time to several [[Southern slave trade|slaving cartels]] to go on slaving raids past the Tavua mountains, on which they would kidnap thousands of members of the Kaeoto, Mo’ukakai and A’ulele tribes. The captives would be dragged back to western [[Peratra]] and shipped off to various parts of the empire, this caused much resentment towards the Qian in eastern [[Peratra]].

The Timbian Armed Forces act as the official constitutional military for the Republic of Timbia and were officially constituted into their present form in 1921. The force describes itself as mostly defensive, and is known for its rather timid ground forces compared to a strong naval force. The Timbian Armed Forces are led by Timbia's National Defense Council, a nine seat council with three representatives from each service branch. The military is fully integrated with all positions open to both men and women given they meet internal standards, and has been since 1967. The Timbian Armed Forces rely on a number of international suppliers for many of its weapons and vehicles, while also producing some of these on license; some of Timbia's military suppliers are [[Arcerion]], [[Daxia]] and [[Burgundie]]. The Timbian navy has become mostly self sufficient in the production of its own surface vessels and submarines, product of a concerted effort to create a naval force that can project power in the [[Ocean of Cathay]] and defend Timbia's critical sea lanes to other continents and its fishing waters from threats that may arise. Timbia is also a member of the [[League of Nations]] in good standing and as such has contributed to some of its peacekeeping missions, Timbia provided logistical naval support to League forces during the war in [[Varshan]] and Timbian peacekeepers operated under [[Daxia]]n command in northeastern [[Varshan]] after the war.

A considerable portion of Timbia's economy is built on the surrounding oceans, with Timbian companies being very active in the fields of maritime transportation, fishing and offshore oil exploitation. Timbia fulfills its oil and natural gas demand through these offshore fields, with excesses being sold in international markets. Timbian fish have become an international staple for its quality and ripe flavor, the most commercially important species being tuna, mackerel, cod, seabass and crustaceans. The production of seagoing vessels through Timbia's multiple shipyards also contributes to the Timbian economy, most of Timbia's military vessels have been manufactured domestically and the nation is looking to begin taking orders from international buyers. Timbia has a [[Automotive industry in Timbia|domestic car industry]] that sells domestic models, although it also imports many foreign vehicles from overseas brands.

Timbia's culture draws a lot from two distinct sources: Its Polynesian nature as an island state, and the influence Daxia has had on its culture during the colonial era. As an effect of this, Timbians frequently have Polynesian given names and Daxian surnames, or vice versa. Emphasis has been placed on Timbia's Polynesian heritage over the last few years however, with Timbia aiming to characterize itself as a center of Polynesian culture. With the Tula'au o Tina mountain range dividing the country, the land north and westof the mountain range has a higher degree of Daxian influence, while the land south and east of the mountain range has a higher degree of Polynesian influence. This has to do with the fact that the Daxians were never able to fully make their way across the mountains.

Fashion in Timbia is at a turning point. Throughout the decades since independence, Timbia has very much tried to follow the latest international trends to be considered modern, with fashion being an integral part of it. The resurgence in popularity of Timbia's Polynesian culture has caused a shift in Timbian fashion however, with traditionally pieces becoming ever so popular among the culturally proud in Timbia. This has led to an interesting mix of traditional and modern fashion usually referred to as ''Stenzo-Modern'', with the design culture's colorful pieces gaining attention beyond Timbia as well.

Organized religion has historically been a minor to non-existant entity within Timbian society, with its ancient tribal religions being outlawed during the colonial era. Independent Timbia started off inheriting its ban on religion, although the government allowed the creation of the [[Polynesian Revivalist Church]] in the 1970s. This religion, which tries to merge what is still known of ancient tribal religions with modern day ideals, was originally used by the state to relay its ideals to those who chose to attend it. By 2014 however, the church had gained independence from the state and gained popularity through interest in Polynesian Revivalism. By 2029, 12.2% of all Timbians are part of the church, which is closely associated with the [[Polynesian Pact]]. The Polynesian Revivalist Church has been described as a "more modern and down to earth adaption of [[Kapuhenasa]]" by some.  

Polynesian Revivalism has not been the only religion based on ancient tribal religions that popped up in Timbia. Ever since its independence, the [[Tribal Church of Timbia]] has had a small yet devoted following. This church practices a form of religion called Neo-Tribalism by many, which aims to reflect the ancient tribal lifestyle rather extremely. It is reported only 0.7% of Timbians follow the Tribal Church of Timbia in 2030. Between 1967 and 2004, the Tribal Church of Timbia was marked a terrorist organization because of its extrimist tribal ways and hostility towards non-followers.