Combria: A Modern Society
The Great Northern inhabitants in the region considered themselves to be of a new nationality: Combrian. Such would have a profound impact on Remikran history in the years to come.
Mostly speaking Edoran and following the faith of Alconism, Combrians were open to the arts, welcoming orchestras and theatre groups from the Great North, as similar organizations of their own came into being. Combria had a compulsory school system with twelve grade-years, and developed its own public university system, especially with the establishment of the University of Combria in 1097.
Jeson's economic polices led to the emergence of a large middle class by the turn of the century. With a hydraulic fracturing sector and a facility dedicated to energy extraction, built by 1101, the hubstone shale industry flourished, serving as a viable energy source domestically and abroad. Such an industry supported manufacturing, as coastal ports began to boom. Combria's primary trade was in the production of hubstone batteries, holding electricity produced by hubstone extraction, as well as generators and electric infrastructure. The first automobile was produced here in the year 1091, and the first powered airplane in 1101. Along with airplanes came compound aerovehicles floated by hubstone vacuum chambers rather than hydrogen or helium. Such vessels are also referred to as first-generation airships, as the first of them took flight in the year 1099. Rail lines and road networks sprung up throughout Combrian territories, as all industry and infrastructure functioned with a new currency: the Combrian "Quantity-of-Revenue," or "qor" for short.
The first telephone was used in Combria in the year 1103. As part of a national postal system supported by hierarchical district and county sectors, telephones served to spread communication in a reliable fashion. Meanwhile, news was spread through both government and independent publications.
The Army of Combria, with tanks and modern resources, had bases stationed in each Combrian district, while the Navy of Combria had Navy ports along the East Coast, the latter of which also held the Coast Guard. Both the Army and Navy had first-generation airships mounted with bomb hatches and turrets for rifles and cannons, while they also had balloons holding cannon-shells and rifle stands. They were on peaceful terms with both the Great North and Wannonia, as part of the agreement signed in the mid-1080s, and were neutral with the Republic of Chemko. This was a time of peace; although hostile sea merchants did pose concern to Circlarian ports from time to time.
It was the hubstone industry of Combria that created the first system of true integration between spellcrafting and non-spellcrafting societies. Also resulting from the emergence of Combria as the world's first modern society was an explosion in the demand for spellcrafter talismans, which were made of grey clay in Western counties by independent proprietors.
The Great North: Economic Stabilization and Change in Leadership
The Combrian coastal sector, spearheaded by the establishment of South Masonia, spread to Terredon and up along the Great Northern Circlarian Coast to Cales. By the early 1100s, electric trains were running along Great Northern rail lines, as modern industry created new jobs, lifting most Great Northerners in the region out of poverty.
In 1101, Queen Sarah died, and, on 1 November of that year, was succeeded by the double-coronation of King Andrew and Queen Rebecca.
The Rise and Fall of Chemko
In the 970s, trade deals with Wannonia and the sea guilds, as well as the careful usage of fiat paper currency, led to economic progress in the Republic of Chemko.
Then, in 1057, "mountain oil" was discovered. Useful with lighting and engine fuel, "mountain oil" was sold initially to Wannonians and Wannonian protectorate Kingdoms to the South. Between 1077 and 1090, the loss of access to blue-diamond coal sand reserves left the Great North to demand large amounts of "mountain oil" as part of its attempt to float its energy needs. Chemkan vendors of the precious material took advantage of this and raised prices. As a result, an economic boom ensued for the Republic, as its standard of living rose higher than ever before. Before long, however, greed from the Chemkan wealthy class led to the beginning of economic inequality. To resolve the issues related to such growing economic inequality, Chemkan banks began a massive lending program, in which most patrons borrowed to spend on merchant ships to sell "mountain oil" overseas. Along with this, many Chemkans engaged in massive financial spending, leading to an economic bubble.
The emergence of the hubstone industry in Combria and the North led to a disastrous fall in the demand for "mountain oil," thus leading to a fall in its prices. The worst of this happened in 1098, as Combria signed a special deal to sell off massive amounts of hubstone battery surpluses, leading sea merchants and Canticulan nations to turn to this and modernize. In 1099, Chemkan borrowers, suffering the resulting loss of business, defaulted, leading to the collapse of the Chemkan banks, as well as the collapse of the Chemkan economy and society.
Extreme hardship endured in the years to follow, so that, in the year 1106, Ugo Kasults, a radical populist candidate, ran for election to the office of Head Consul, carrying an agenda that blamed economic woes on corrupt bureaucracy and "oil boons" and supported a willingness to sacrifice Chemkan democratic principles to restore Chemko to greatness. Despite his popularity, however, Kasults lost to the incumbent Head Consul, Turan Masa. In January 1107, Kasults staged a coup, which succeeded in overthrowing Masa and the Chemkan Senate, and installed an authoritarian regime. In March, Masa gathered enough forces and attempted a counter-coup against Kasults, leading to a brutal civil war.
Great Northern Intervention and Establishment of Mikant
During this time, Masa formed a deal with a Great Northern firm and arranged to meet with them on Elsa Island. On 6 June 1107, as they met here, they were shot dead by hidden agents loyal to Kasults as a mass-shooting ensued. The Great Northern Crown declared this an act of war and proceeded to invade Chemko. By 1 September 1107, Kasults was dead, and his regime toppled, as Chemkan territories were brought under Great Northern control. On 15 September, a Land Partitioning Deal was made in Sorto, as indigenous groups had formed a peaceful coalition to have sovereignty over Chemkan coastal regions, forming it into the short-lived nation of South Chemko, which would fall apart two weeks later. The Great North retained control over the Northern portion that surrounded Sorto, which they renamed Mikant while Great Northern armed forces kept order. Near the end of the year, this land was purchased by the Nicolson family, who wanted to establish it as a protectorate nation under a government structure similar to Combria.
On 3 January 1108, the nation of Mikant was formally established in adherence to the Queen's Mandate, as Simon Korrel was named its President, and Peter Nicolson its Head Treasurer. Later that month, Mikant entered with the Great North and Combria into what became known as the Remikran Union, which established universal Remikran Credit, and the leasing of Remikran property and the holding of its value.