The Republic of Kastia
The Republic of Kastia (the Republic, Kastia, the Kastian Republic) is a political unit in the central part of Etera. It was founded on the 73rd day of Air in 1110 RC. The Republic was originally Part of the Kingdom of Eandal. It was declared independent as a result of the ‘Movement of Kastia’. Its political regime and legal order is based on the principles of Kastia.
History and origin
The Movement of Kastia
The Movement of Kastia was an ideological movement mainly initiated by Kastia, Goddess of War and Justice and her followers. Their main goal was to establish the Republic of Kastia based on the principles of Kastia. The movement was widespread in the area south-east of the Garliac Sea of the Kingdom of Eandal. Kastia, Goddess of War and justice, started spreading her principles of Kastia around the southern provinces of the Kingdom of Eandal while she was still human and a High Commander of the Eandalian military. Many people, including aristocrats, followed her. The following was soon called the Movement of Kastia. The most famous and high ranking follower was Lord Greor Limway, Kosar of the province of Talia and Kastia’s husband. When the recently ascended Goddess Kastia decided to turn against the Kingdom of Eandal in 1110 RC by using her army many simultaneous revolts erupted in several provinces around the south-eastern part of the Garliac sea based on the Movement of Kastia. Goddess Kastia then declared independence of her Republic of Kastia. Her army became the Kastian military and Talia, the province of her late husband Greor Limway became their capital area and the city of Limway1 became the capital. Kastia decided to use the revolts and unrest in the southeast of Eandal to start conquering the Kingdom of Eandal. Limway was the initial base for the conquest of Eandal. During the conquest, Kastia focused on gaining as much territory as possible and not much on a governing structure for the new Republic, beyond what was decided in the principles of Kastia.The conquest of Eandal
The Goddess had offered the people who joined her Republic of Kastia a place in her military and her republic. Many common people revolted in the areas south of the Garliac Sea against their local aristocracy. Due to the very aggressive military approach of King Boral Goldmarsh, many people, including aristocracy had turned against the God of Domination. Even many of those of the local southern aristocracy that still were loyal to the God turned against the Kingdom due to the pressure of the people and the immediate threat of Kastia’s military. In the end, the Bolar, God of Domination challenged the Kastia, Goddess of War and Justice to a direct duel. It was one of the few direct confrontations between two Gods in the history of the world. The duel later later would be called ‘the Battle of Gods’ Crater’ named after the crater that the battle left behind. It was a battle of enormous size, destroying much of the landscape between the Garliac Sea and the Watersnake mountains. The battle took, depending on the sources, between three quarters and cycle. Both Gods had been extremely weakened. In the end Kastia had won the battle. But before Kastia could defeat him entirely and take his elemental power Bolar, God of Domination let go of his godhood.Aftermath of the Battle of God’s Crater
Kastia, Goddess of War and Justice had won the battle, but was severely weakened due to using her Will for a very long time. She knew she would need to go to sleep soon. But the people would need the magic power to continue her cause. To continue to create a functioning government for a Republic of Kastia in which all people were born equal and no slave would be owned. To continue the war against the Kingdom of Eandal and to conquer the entire free world. And thus she bestowed almost all the elemental power she had accumulated, before she went into sleep for hundreds of cycles. By dispersing the Goddess’ power, the Republic of Kastia became indeed much more powerful than the heavily weakened eastern part of Eandal and could indeed conquer more and more of the Kingdom of Eandal. But Kastia had left her people without a leader. And to conquer is easy, but to rule is difficult. Sometime later the conquest needed to be halted to establish a rule of law based on Kastia’s principles. And so the cycles went by and since there had been no rule to transfer the magic that had been bestowed on the people by Kastia, more and more of those people would die. And when a person dies, their soul leaves their body and separates from their Will and their elemental powers. And unless that person was killed by another, those powers too are lost into the eternal cycle. The Kastian Empire came into being, but it had lost most of the power it had held during their conquest.Governing and Legal order
Origin
In 1148 RC. The Kastian conquest of Eandal was halted in order to organise a functioning legal order for the new Republic. The principles of Kastia consisted of two parts. The first was a summary of several key rules that may never be broken. The second part was a basic explanation on how a legal order based on the rules of the first part should function. The principles of Kastia had an official version that the Goddess worked on during her life as a human and that she made public after the declaration of independence of the Republic. However, due to the unofficial and oral nature of the Movement of Kastia before the foundation of the Republic, there existed many different versions of the principles in the areas south of the Garliac Sea. Certain key elements were always included, but there were considerable differences in other aspects. The ‘official’ principles of Kastia were used as a base for the Kastian legal order. After the Goddess went to sleep, however, many additions based on regional versions of the principles were made. The original principles, combined with some regional variations and some additions by legal experts resulted the First Law of the Republic of Kastia. The First Law is Kastia’s highest legal document and all other laws are based on it.Legal instruments
The Republic has two kinds binding legal instruments: laws and orders. Laws are the main rules that need to be followed. All laws in the Republic are binding upon anyone who is residing in or passing through the Republic. There are no differences in law between certain regions of Kastia. Laws are made by a council of people, called the Parliament. Every five cycles there are votes in the Republic of Kastia to determine who sits in the parliament. Voting is mandatory for everyone and anyone can be a candidate for the Parliament. Orders are decisions based on laws. They are limited in time and can differ between regions to fulfil a region’s special needs. The Parliament chooses a group of people, called the Ordaria, who are tasked with taking decisions needed to implement the laws. The Ordaria can appoint different lower officials to take decisions in certain regions or on certain topics. All orders need to be in accordance with the laws.General principles of the First Law
The First Law contains four main principles: First, every person has at least two names. One or more personal names and one or more family names. Families can decide for themselves how they want to give their names, (patriarchal/matriarchal/mix) but no additional rights shall be included with the name. Names are solely for identification and can be changed at will, with certain restrictions decided by law. Second, aristocracy is abolished. So are aristocratic titles. Titles are allowed, but only in connection to a function. They are not hereditary and only matter in connection to the function for which they’ve been given. If a person loses the function, they lose the title. Third, slavery is abolished. No one can be born or sold into slavery. When passing Republic territory, any person is considered free. No slave trade or slave owning is allowed in Kastia. Offences against this are heavily punished by death or torture. Locking people up is allowed, but only on the order of an Ordaria official and only for grave offences. Fourth, Kastian people shall follow these principles at all times and encourage their spreading in the world. The following of the general principles of Kastia turned into a conviction called the Kastian Conviction. The Kastian Conviction is not only the Republic’s state-belief, but is followed even beyond the borders of the country it originates from.War and Peace
War Era
Several years after the halt of the Eandalian conquest, the Republic of Kastia redeclared the war against the Kingdom of Eandal several times to fulfil their Goddess' desire to create a world of equality. Due to the absence of a direct border, Kastia and The Lorian Realm were never at war. Kastia agreed with the Lorian proposition for a pact of non-agression. While some political movements in the the Republic one day want to conquer Loria and the Free World too, the Realm is not as much of a threat to them as the Kingdom is.Peaceful Era
After the peace treaties with Eandal, the Republic has entered an era of peace. Even if this is against the interest of their Goddess. But since Kastia is still sleeping, not much is changing. The people voted for peace. But Kastia’s awakening is seen as a ticking time bomb. And so is the next offense of Eandal.Political situation
Currently, the Kastian political landscape is characterized by three main parties, each differing in their opinion on how to approach the spreading of the Kastian Conviction and the following of the fourth principle of the First Law. The Shields are a party that thinks that the fourth principle should only be followed and spread in Kastia. Spreading the principles through organized, imperialistic or economic means to other territories should not be encouraged. They focus on the adherence to the first three principles through protectionism, claiming that any foreign inlfluence might ‘water down’ Kastia’s strict following of the Kastian Conviction. The Swords are a party that beliefs in the spread of the Kastian Conviction through organized means, even including force. They think that it’s the Republic’s task to free the people of other territories and show them the ‘right’ way of Kastia’s principles. They encourage the spreading of the Kastian Conviction trough Paladin Orders and other more direct means. To the Swords, the peace with the world is only a temporary solution and an ideal world would be governed by the Kastia. They advocate for a renewal of the war with Eandal. The Coins are a party that beliefs in the spread of the Kastian Conviction through economic means. They too think that it’s the Republic’s task to free the people of other territories, similar to the Swords. Instead of a direct or violent approach, they prefer to influence other territories by using Kastia’s prosperity. They are very open to trade and even lobby for the loosening of Kastia’s strict slavery rules and at least tolerate the profitable slave traders in the Kastian territories.
Founding Date
73 Air 1100 RC
Alternative Names
the Republic, Kastia, the Kastian Republic
Demonym
Kastian
Founders
Notable Members
Non-aggression pact
Based on the Lorian Proposition, Kastia and Loria signed a pact of non-agression.
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