Faction overview: Bolívar
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Administration and politics
Singas dynasty
The Singas dynasty (Singas-Dynastie/Dinastía Singas)[note 1] is a dynastic absolute monarchy ruling the Kingdom of Bolívar headquartered in the royal capital of Gran Sinderacato. Being the longest-standing regime since its establishment in the year 898, the Singas are supported by the Leithanian Imperial Court as a puppet regime, although its domain over the country is at most nominal. To retain the suzerainty, the Singas need to pay annual tributes to Leithanien from Originium ores, food supplies, manpower to finances; in turn, Leithanien asserts its political and cultural influences upon the kingdom from setting up Leithanian as the national language to promoting local tourism to Leithanian aristocrats.[1]
In many ways, the Singas duplicates the exact political system from Leithanien, from a king of hereditary succession, courtiers serving the royal court, to a rigid aristocratic hierarchy. On the other hand, the Bolívarian hierarchy lacks the mutual aid and compromise characteristics of the nine Kurfürsten of Leithanien. Excluding the Kurfürsten, the Kingdom of Bolívar implements a six-level hierarchy with their respective political roles:[2]
- King (König/Rey)
- Duke (Herzog/Duque)
- Marquess (Markgraf/Marqués)
- Count (Graf/Conde)
- Viscount (Vizegraf/Vizconde)
- Baron (Freiherr/Barón)
The Singas are often criticized for their chaotic, mismanaged government, and their influence over the country is even said to be minimal. The further one stays from the royal capital of Gran Sinderacato, the lesser one would recognize themselves as the citizen of the kingdom. Furthermore, corruption and injustice are habitual problems within the Singas-controlled areas. Nevertheless, With better infrastructure and mediocre executions in its rule, the Singas are able to retain their power in their jurisdiction for almost two centuries despite the chaotic civil war.[2]
Coalition Government
The Bolívarian Coalition Government (Gobierno Coaligado Bolívariano), or the Coalition for short, is an authoritarian political party ruling the Sovereign State of Bolívar from the capital of La Unidad. The Coalition had its roots from several Bolívarian warlords and tycoons seeking covert aid from Columbia since the Revolutionary War of 1019 who yearned to liberate the country from Leithanian rule by converting their territories as Columbian enclaves. Following the Witch King's provocation upon Columbian soil, the Coalition was formally founded in 1048, and they have since been receiving constant banking and manpower from the Columbian Federal Government even though they have been heavily criticized for their incompetence in enhancing Columbian investments.[1]
Described as a "parliamentary oligarchy," the Coalition's Government is headed by a unicameral legislature, the Supreme Council of Bolívar (Consejo Supremo de Bolívar), consisting of fifteen oligarchs (oligarcas) having a permanent seat in the government. These oligarchs are made up of the most powerful and resourceful people in the Sovereign State, many of whom being plutocratic financial cliques and military leaders. While having absolute power to the publics' eyes, decision making is often done by voting among the oligarchs. Because the oligarchs' seats are permanent, it can only be succeeded either when the previous oligarchs passes away or when they voluntarily resign. Consequently, murder attempts and blackmailing are a norm within the Supreme Council.[3]
In some ways, the Coalition is more fragile than the corrupted Singas dynasty. It has been a public secret that the oligarchs of the Supreme Council have attempted to unify the country under one-man leadership but ended in demise due to internal struggles among the oligarchs and Columbia's interference. Furthermore, Columbia refuses to treat the Coalition equally in terms of diplomacy, and any rebellion against the Columbian government will be quickly suppressed. As a consequence, the Coalition's stability heavily relies on Columbia's support unlike the Singas that could make independent decisions.[3]
Associates
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True Bolívarians
The True Bolivarian Liberation Movement (Movimiento Libertario de los Verdaderos Bolívarianos), or the True Bolivarians (T.B.) for short, is a military junta founded by several local guerrilla resistance forces banding together under a common name in the year 1050 who oppose both the imperialist powers and their proxies in their homeland. Consequently, T.B. is officially labeled as a "terrorist organization" by both the Singas and the Coalition Government, and T.B. responds by giving the same title to these two "illegitimate" regimes. Despite sharing a common goal, these resistance forces possess different ideologies when it comes to implementing a new government system. This is more evident in the three major parties leading the junta:[1]
- The Bolivarian Rescue Frontline that seeks to end the civil war and expel their respective puppet regimes, but being a conformist party that wants to retain the current political structure.
- The Bolivarian Youth Party that aims to rebuild the political structure by setting up a socialistic parliamentary system through moderate means.
- The Bolivarian Resistance Alliance, an extreme anarchist party heavily influenced by the Rusthammers that seeks to abolish all forms of central government.
Owing to their military root, T.B. is solely run by commanders-in-chief of respective resistance forces who are both the legislative and executive bodies. Strict orders and a well-defined military rank among the subordinates allow T.B. to execute their order immediately in times of crises. Territories ruled by T.B., called "liberated zones" in their words, often implement martial laws given by the junta throughout the years with only some relaxed control during festival seasons.[4]
On the outside, T.B. are praised for their bravery in facing the imperialist powers and their heroic idealism to rebuild their homeland. But to those Bolivarians who live under their rule, they are the symbol of a reign of terror. Because T.B. does not share a common ideology, many of their troops conduct their missions on their own without proper leadership. Furthermore, the violent anarchism carried by the Bolivarian Resistance Alliance often results in severe humanitarian crises. They implement a scorched-earth policy upon captured territories in which they will mercilessly destroy local infrastructures and settlements, and in some cases, they will even conduct massacres upon the occupied populace in the name of "executing treacherous fouls." Between 1050 to 1060, the total captured territories that were destroyed by T.B. could have been provided as settlements for an estimated 300,000 Bolivarian refugees. Even though the current leading party of T.B. is the much more moderate Bolivarian Youth Party that has greatly decreased the junta's inhumane campaigns in recent decades, T.B. never vows to give up their extreme violence upon their enemies and occupied populaces.[4]
Military
The Singas Army is the military of the Kingdom of Bolívar under the direct command of both the Singas dynasty and Leithanien. The kingdom implements a compulsory military service upon every citizen regardless of race, gender, or social status, and they must spend at least three years in military academies to finish their service. Occasionally, Leithanien dispatches commanders-in-chief and exchange students to serve in the Shingas Army not only to serve them, but also have them directly earning their combat experience in various battlefields. At one time, Leithanien's military support was temporarily halted during the Witch King's proxy war against Columbia in terms of military command, but it was eventually restored following the ascension of the Twin Empresses in 1077. Hence, the Shingas Army presents a drastic contrast in professionalism, resources, and training compared to the other warring factions that are mainly composed of undisciplined troops.[2]
The Coalition Army of the Sovereign State, on the other hand, heavily relies on imported foreign military equipment and a conscription system in which the oligarchs could even pay ordinary civilians to be recruited in the army. Retired soldiers from various countries are also hired by the Coalition at high cost to work as drill instructors, but many of these instructors possess different and sometimes opposite military tactics that could confuse new recruits. Thus, a shambled military instruction is the main reason for the lawlessness and a lack of combat experience among the Coalition's army. Nevertheless, the Coalition Government cultivates the Bolívarian National Guards (Guardia Nacional Bolívariana) as a separate military entity, and the army is composed of elite soldiers who mainly serve as military policemen.[3]
Due to its never-ending civil war, Bolívar has been inventing various military weapons, one of which are the "hounds" that were first deployed in this country.[5] Even though they are widely used by mercenaries across Terra due to their convenience, some Perros strongly disagree with such a method.[6] While the exact origins of the "hounds" are unknown, rumors say that they were created as part of supposed national "secret experiments" conducted behind the scenes by using a captured Beast Lord as a basis. These rumors, however, are unconfirmed.[7][8]
Geography
Bolívar's topography is made up of the elevated highlands bordering the in the north, the central grassland, and lowland tropical rainforests in the south. Most Bolívarians live in the central plains, and they colloquially call the northern highlands and the southern rainforest as the "borders."[9]
The northern highlands, called the Bolívarian Border Plateau, are made up of arid plateaus near the Sea of Norlett that are covered by deserts and shrublands, and the northern plateau composes 20% of the Bolívarian land. Because of its arid climate with little precipitation and drastic day-night temperature, the plateaus is an unsuitable place for human settlements.[9] Nevertheless, cactus and melon cultivation is prominent in the region.
The central region of Bolívar is the famous Bolívarian Plain (Planicie Bolívariana). A vast sub-saharan grassland with fertile soil and abundant natural resources, the region is historically the ideal spot for colonial settlements Bolívar during the age of exploration. Furthermore, the Bolívarian Plain is famous for its rich mineral deposits, notably Originium ores; the Kollosal Prime Vein, one of three Originium prime veins in Terra, traverses the entire plain from the southwest to the northeast. Hence, more than 90% of the Bolívarian population could be found in the central region.[9]
The southern rainforest of Bolívar is given the name the Black Flow (La Corriente Negra).[10][11] The Black Flow shares similarities with neighboring rainforests in the Vouivre Alliance of Sargon: a lush tropical rainforest with towering tree canopies that could block sunlight. Heavy rainfall often occurs in the afternoon which in turn creates several kilometer-long gushing rivers, hence the name. Because of its complex geography, the southern rainforest is sparsely inhabited.[9]
Economy
Despite the ongoing civil war, Bolívar's economy is surprisingly stable thanks to its core economic activities, agriculture and mining industry. Thanks to the fertile soil and flat topography of the central plain, agriculture in Bolívar is relatively advanced. In fact, according to historical records, Francisco de León once remarked that its fertility could even grow an abundant crop by "simply scattering a handful of seeds" with little to no effort. Due to climate differences, agricultural practices differ depending on the region: the north is known for the cultivation of melons, beets, and even cactuses, whereas the south is dominated by coffee plants and sugar canes. Plantations of all sizes can be found all across the country, but the practice can be very unfair to many Bolívarians. This is because plantation owners usually hire workers at a very low cost as cheap labor, and much of the produced goods are exported to various superpowers, notably Leithanien and Columbia, which in turn leaves many local consumers to meet an expensive price for their local products. As in its mineral industry, Bolívar mainly extracts Originium, copper and iron ores as well as gemstones in the central plain. The abundant resources of the central plain is the main reason for ongoing conflicts among various warring factions, be it the three Bolívarian factions or foreign superpowers.[12]
The Bolívarian civil war also gives rise to its prominent mercenary industry. The three warring factions usually employ neutral paramilitary units from all over Terra such as Blacksteel, and they offer a lucrative bounty to their mercenaries through military campaigns. As these mercenaries spend a large sum of money in Bolívar through their reward they earn, the vitality of Bolívar's economy is greatly increased which in turn brings economic development in various undeveloped regions. Nevertheless, the ethics of such industry is still questionable as these mercenaries earn their lives at the cost of others' lives.[12]
Demographics
Bolívar has a total population of 16,000,000 people summing up all the populace of the respective three factions, and almost all the population live in the central plain.[9] The nation is predominated by the Perro race, one the common Terran races across the continent, but other races could be found such as common Terran races like Zalaks and Felines, races coming from neighboring countries such as Savrans, Durins, and Vouivres from Sargon as well as Liberi from Iberia and Columbia, and finally some rare races like Anuras from the southern rainforest.
Culture
Contrary to the negative public perception that Bolívar is a poor, war-torn country, Bolívar actually has a vibrant culture that is mainly found in undisturbed cities. Even though most Bolívarians are illiterate and do not receive proper education, they can master more than two to three languages, ranging from local Bolívarian, Victorian, Columbian, to Leithanian. Owing to its multicultural background as the first Terran colony in an unexplored region, many cultures have blended well in Bolívar, be it Iberian, Victorian, Gaulish, Columbian, Leithanian, and even Sargonian. Hence, Bolívarian art is famous for its literary works and a variant style of music having its roots from Iberian folksongs and Leithanian classical music. Notably, Bolívarian literary works have the theme of war fiction that solely focus on political reality, exposures of corruption and social inequality, and the suffering of commoners throughout the war.[12]
Notes
- ↑ Singas likely comes from the the Spanish verb singar. Originally meaning "to scull a boat from the stern," the word has been used as a vulgar swearing in some Latin American countries and regions (i.e., Cuba, Puerto Rico) that has the meaning of "a**hole" or "to have s*x."
References
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