Daistallia
19-11-2003, 07:56
OOC: Some of this has been established on my web site and in RP.
All this and much more is available here: http://www.angelfire.com/dragon/daistallia/ns/dai.html
Any comments or questions are welcome.
IC (?):
A short history and cultural overview of Daistallia
The Settlement of Daistallia:
Daistallia was settled in three major waves.
The first wave of settlement occured roughly 1000 years ago. The second and third waves occured almost similtaniously, 500 years after the first wave.
The first wave consisted of Nepalese, Bhutanese, and especially Tibetians. These settlers made their home high in the Great Kraels, a range of mountains which are Himalayan in nature. These people became known as the Whilan.
The Whilan are a minority in Daistallia today. However, they continue to have a significant influance mainstream Daistallian culture, especially in religion and language.
The second wave consisted of German, Austrian, Swiss, and Italians, all from the Alpine regions of those countries. They originally arrived as mercenaries seeking their fortune. The first and largest of the mercenary companies was the Stal Company. These people dervive their name, Stalli, from that first mercenary company. They settled in in Fael Plateau and Middle Kraels, between the great Kraels and the Piedmont foothills, an area which resembles their native Switzerland.
The last wave of settlers consisted of Chinese, a mixture of Southeast Asians (mainly Malay, Vietnamese, and Thai), and Koreans. These people settled in the Daels, a large deltaic plain, and the Faerk peninsula. They quickly mixed
, becomeing one people, the Dai.
A Chronology of Important Historical Events:
Note: all dates count backwards from the present.
1000 The Whilan arrive in the Great Kraels.
500 The Stalli and Dai arrive.
450 The Stalli republic is founded.
400 The Treaty of Imoman Hoa unifies Whilan with the Stalli Republic. Many flourishing city-states have been established in the Daels.
372 The War of Two Treaties breaks out between the Dai city-states. The war lasts 90 years.
282 The Treaty of Baing ends the war and establishes an all Dai trading union.
203 The Dai Trading Union formaly becomes one nation. English is promoted as a national language.
105 The Dai Union and The Stalli Republic merge to become The Incorporated States of Daistallia.
Cultural Overview:
As noted above, Daistallia is home to 3 major ethnic groups: the Whilan, the Stalli, and the Dai. Each ethnic group has managed to keep much of their own original culture. The Dai make up 50% of thepopulation, the Stalli 40%, and the Whilan 10%.
The official languages of Daistallia is English (adopted 200 years ago), with Dai, Stalli, and Whilan being spoken as major secondary languages. Most Daistallians are bi-lingual, and many are tri-lingual.
The main religion of Daistallia is Buddhism. There is no state religion, and the state recognizes the right to the free practice of religion (as long as that free practice does not infringe on the rights of others). The Whilan Lama (Vajrayana Buddhist) is the president-elect's spiritual advisor. The Lama is held in special reverence by most Daistallian Buddhist as a teacher of the Dharma and generally a holy man.There is a small but importatnt Christian element, a holdover from the Swiss/German/Italian immigration.
The breakdown of Daistallian religions is:
30% Mahayana Buddhist (primarily the Soto and Rinzai Zen sects)
35% Hinayana/Therdavada Buddhist (South and South-east Asian Buddhism)
20% Vajrayana Buddhist (Tibetan Buddhism/Lamaism)
5% Catholic
5% Protestant Christian (primarily Calvanist, Lutheran, and "Old School" Unitarian - doctine circa 1600s)
5% Atheist, Agnostic, and other
Geographic Overview:
The total area is 1,023,117 sq km, of which land area is 968,027 sq km
and water is 55,090 sq km. The land boundaries total 3900 km and the
coastline is 2439 km. The country is roughly rectangular, extending 1200
km north to south, with an 800 km narrow pennensula extending south. At
it's widest point, Daistallia is 620 km east to west. Geographically Daistallia consists of a south-central alluvial plain
known as the Daels surrounded by mountainous highlands to the north and
east, with the rugged Faerk Penninsula extending southwards in the
east. The highlands are divided into four major sub-regions: the Great
Kraels range, the Fael central plateau, the Middle Kraels range, and the
Piedmont foothills.
The climate ranges from tropical in the south, extending through
sub-tropical into high alpine in the north.
All this and much more is available here: http://www.angelfire.com/dragon/daistallia/ns/dai.html
Any comments or questions are welcome.
IC (?):
A short history and cultural overview of Daistallia
The Settlement of Daistallia:
Daistallia was settled in three major waves.
The first wave of settlement occured roughly 1000 years ago. The second and third waves occured almost similtaniously, 500 years after the first wave.
The first wave consisted of Nepalese, Bhutanese, and especially Tibetians. These settlers made their home high in the Great Kraels, a range of mountains which are Himalayan in nature. These people became known as the Whilan.
The Whilan are a minority in Daistallia today. However, they continue to have a significant influance mainstream Daistallian culture, especially in religion and language.
The second wave consisted of German, Austrian, Swiss, and Italians, all from the Alpine regions of those countries. They originally arrived as mercenaries seeking their fortune. The first and largest of the mercenary companies was the Stal Company. These people dervive their name, Stalli, from that first mercenary company. They settled in in Fael Plateau and Middle Kraels, between the great Kraels and the Piedmont foothills, an area which resembles their native Switzerland.
The last wave of settlers consisted of Chinese, a mixture of Southeast Asians (mainly Malay, Vietnamese, and Thai), and Koreans. These people settled in the Daels, a large deltaic plain, and the Faerk peninsula. They quickly mixed
, becomeing one people, the Dai.
A Chronology of Important Historical Events:
Note: all dates count backwards from the present.
1000 The Whilan arrive in the Great Kraels.
500 The Stalli and Dai arrive.
450 The Stalli republic is founded.
400 The Treaty of Imoman Hoa unifies Whilan with the Stalli Republic. Many flourishing city-states have been established in the Daels.
372 The War of Two Treaties breaks out between the Dai city-states. The war lasts 90 years.
282 The Treaty of Baing ends the war and establishes an all Dai trading union.
203 The Dai Trading Union formaly becomes one nation. English is promoted as a national language.
105 The Dai Union and The Stalli Republic merge to become The Incorporated States of Daistallia.
Cultural Overview:
As noted above, Daistallia is home to 3 major ethnic groups: the Whilan, the Stalli, and the Dai. Each ethnic group has managed to keep much of their own original culture. The Dai make up 50% of thepopulation, the Stalli 40%, and the Whilan 10%.
The official languages of Daistallia is English (adopted 200 years ago), with Dai, Stalli, and Whilan being spoken as major secondary languages. Most Daistallians are bi-lingual, and many are tri-lingual.
The main religion of Daistallia is Buddhism. There is no state religion, and the state recognizes the right to the free practice of religion (as long as that free practice does not infringe on the rights of others). The Whilan Lama (Vajrayana Buddhist) is the president-elect's spiritual advisor. The Lama is held in special reverence by most Daistallian Buddhist as a teacher of the Dharma and generally a holy man.There is a small but importatnt Christian element, a holdover from the Swiss/German/Italian immigration.
The breakdown of Daistallian religions is:
30% Mahayana Buddhist (primarily the Soto and Rinzai Zen sects)
35% Hinayana/Therdavada Buddhist (South and South-east Asian Buddhism)
20% Vajrayana Buddhist (Tibetan Buddhism/Lamaism)
5% Catholic
5% Protestant Christian (primarily Calvanist, Lutheran, and "Old School" Unitarian - doctine circa 1600s)
5% Atheist, Agnostic, and other
Geographic Overview:
The total area is 1,023,117 sq km, of which land area is 968,027 sq km
and water is 55,090 sq km. The land boundaries total 3900 km and the
coastline is 2439 km. The country is roughly rectangular, extending 1200
km north to south, with an 800 km narrow pennensula extending south. At
it's widest point, Daistallia is 620 km east to west. Geographically Daistallia consists of a south-central alluvial plain
known as the Daels surrounded by mountainous highlands to the north and
east, with the rugged Faerk Penninsula extending southwards in the
east. The highlands are divided into four major sub-regions: the Great
Kraels range, the Fael central plateau, the Middle Kraels range, and the
Piedmont foothills.
The climate ranges from tropical in the south, extending through
sub-tropical into high alpine in the north.