Denonym: Alkiri(s)
Country Equivalent: Middle East
Demographics: 28.5 Million People
Official Language: Alkiric
Capital City: Quel'Asem
Religion: Palkian and Dialgan Dimensionalism
Geography:
Alkir is a peninsula, surrounded by a salt water ocean and connected at its Northwestern tip to Orre. The ocean has such a high concentration of salt that very few fish and plant-life are able to survive near the shores. Alkir is primarily desertous with large sand dunes spanning most of the expansive country. There are a few mountain ranges, which -while primarily arid, rocky, and dry - sport thriving jungles on the east sides of their bases. The mountains are rich with key industrial raw materials such as oil, coal, iron, aluminum, copper, etc.
Here’s a map!
((Timeline at bottom~))
As the first packets of civilization began to migrate from their original home, many of the world’s ancestral nomads would come to claim the peninsula now known as Alkir as their home. They settled along the now Lei’Al River, the only source of fresh water in the desert.
Small cultures thrived along the river for several hundred years, making little progress into the desert past its banks. Though many were sent on expeditions, few returned. The vast stretch of sand was called the “Swarming Desert”, as it seemed less a geographical formation and more of an eternally shifting beast, never the quite the same.
Over the centuries, a few select tribes brave enough to venture into the desert were finally rewarded with the treasures brimming from the bottomless veins of ore crawling throughout the mountains. These were among the first metallurgists, which birthed the drive to invent new and greater technologies. This need drove those people to discover the primal concepts of mathematics and apply them to the first engineering principles.
Throughout history, the tribes of Alkir stood on the leading edge of technology, and the region became an economic stronghold. The tribes ventured forth onto the continent, trading with Orre to the west and Avalon to the north. By the early 500s, Avalon had already formed into a powerful region. The vast resources held the still independent Alkiri tribes enticed the militaristic Avalon to begin a campaign into the peninsula. Unorganized and impossibly small compared to the Avalonian raiding parties, the native Alkiri were driven from the lands west of the Lei’Al. Many tribes fled into the recesses of the harsh Swarming Desert in the east.
As they traveled, the tribes met and banded together - alliances against the Avalonian invaders. Centuries of scientific and mathematical prowess allowed each alliance to arm itself rather effectively against the Avalonians. Though poorly trained and outnumbered, the technological advances allowed each alliance to hold the Avalonians at the banks of the Lei’Al. A stalemate was quickly reached: Avalonians on the west, and the various Alkiri Alliances on the east.
Small skirmishes and few battles of note dotted the following decades. Very little progress was made by any one party until Jabbaar Qureshi, the leader of the northernmost alliance, united the alliances into a single force. By circumventing the Avalonians, he sent diplomats to Orre, a region also afflicted by Avalonian aggressors. Alkir and Orre successfully defeated the Avalon military presence in Alkir. Qureshi declared himself king of the new sovereign state of Alkir. Though challenged by various parties, Qureshi’s tactical skills and loyal military quickly dispatched any would-be insurrections. Qureshi converted the former capital of the northern alliance into the capital of the Alkir, naming it Quel’Asem.
The Alkir/Orre alliance, though initially strong, faded over time due to accumulated differences between political parties. Despite minor battles and conflicts riddled the borders of three regions over the next centuries, traders of all three regions benefited greatly through interregional exchange. Avalonian merchants were never fully driven from West Alkir, developing two distinct cultures in the region. West of the Lei’Al was heavy in trade. Merchants exchanged frequently, both in goods and body, and upper class Avalonian customs and beliefs mixed into the Alkiri tribal traditions. East of the river, secluded from the rest of the world, industry and engineering grew rapidly. Long-held Alkiri culture flourished in the desert, mountains, and jungles.
The one change seen throughout Alkir was the introduction foreign religion: Arceism. The western half was rather receptive to Arcean monks and priests travelling throughout the towns. Unsurprisingly, the people of the east were far more resistant, but persistent monks and their wealthy churches eventually converted the entire region. The kings were even indoctrinated by the church as Executors of the Will of Arceus.
Circa the year 800, traditionalist sects began to gain popularity in Eastern Alkir. The sects, though small at first, eventually expanded across the region, winning several people to their side by framing Arceism as foreign imperialism. King Gabriel Boulus III, also wary of the sway the Church had in Alkir, capitalized on the cry by forming the Dimensionalist Church. Its organizational structure was highly similar to that of the Arcean church, but several of its key practices were derived from traditional Alkiri religions. Earning the support of the anti-Arceist sects, Boulus declared the Dimensionalist Church as the official religion of Alkir with himself and two chosen Archbishops at the head. The practice of all alternative religions was made illegal, securing the Alkiri Monarchy as both the political and religious heads of the region.
Now in almost full control of the region, the monarchy pushed for a large military to secure its grasp. Tax breaks, fancy dinners, and rumored legal immunity were offered to individuals who were deemed to have “greatly contributed to the general good of Alkir and the glory of Palkia and Dialga.” That is to say, individuals willing to sell the patents of military technology to the crown. The resulting clamor for favor sparked the exponential growth of industry and engineering. Military technology was cranked out almost every day, but so did machines to make and transport it. And those machines were put to commercial use, producing products faster than ever before.
Alkir’s technology became world renown in the matter of a few years, boats carrying the region’s commodities into every corner of the map. Coal, oil, iron, and copper reserves in Alkir’s mountains were hotter commodities than ever before. Industrialization took off across the world, and the economy flourished. Of course, each cent earned by the sweat of the poor and was kept in the wallets of those favored by the crown. Weary of poor working conditions and inspired by the preachers of “freedom and liberty” from faraway regions, the lower classes began demanding the monarchy release its hold.
Unsurprisingly, the Monarchy was unwilling to release its control of the region, but the demands did not quiet. Workers began to strike, leading marches through almost every major city to protest the reign of the kings. In Winter of 847, a march was led on the palace of Quel’Asem. A dispute between a collection of protesters and palace security turned violent, inciting a riot when one of the protesters struck a guard. However, the guards and their Pixelmon were well-armed. The response to the riot resulted in the deaths of several protesters.
Outrage spread across the region. The thus-far peaceful protestors had abandoned their strikes and raided the factories where they had formerly toiled. They armed themselves with the products of their labor and began independent rebellions across the region. Though the rebels weren’t united by a single governing body, several groups reached out to other regions for support. Orre, Unova, and Avalon were the major contributors; the former two for idealistic reason, the latter because of historical feuds with the monarchy.
The resulting conflict between the pro-democratic rebel groups and the Alkiri Monarchy was later referred to as the Golden Uprising. The Royal Alkiri Army was large and well-trained. However, the rebels led frequent, successful raids against military arsenal factories. This had the twofold benefit of depleting the imperial supplies and arming the rebels with the best available weaponry. Further aided by foreign supplies, troops, and military strategists, the rebel groups were strong contenders against the powerful Alkiri army.
It ended in 853 when a coalition was formed between the leaders of the various rebellions. The coalition assaulted Quel’Asem, a difficult maneuver until they gained control of the lower ring of the walled city. Barricaded within, the rebels established a blockade to starve out the royal high command. Unable to communicate with the soldiers, the newly crowned King Gabriel Boulus IV was forced into a ceasefire within the season.
Negotiations began between the coalition and several representatives of the crown. Together, they drafted a treaty that detailed the formation of a constitutional monarchy: The Concordat for the Alkiri Republic. A two house senate was formed: The House of Commons and The House of Sheikhs. The House of Commons was composed of publically elected officials, and the House of Sheikhs was composed of officers appointed by the state. The House of Sheikhs was further divided into two houses, the Celestial Sheikhs, who were selected by the archbishops, and the Temporal Sheikhs, who were selected by the generals of the Alkir Army. In parallel, the position of Prime Consul was created, an elected executive head to balance the king’s executive, military, and religious control.
The new government spent the next several years recovering from the Uprising, both in terms of infrastructure and economy. Friendly relations were renewed with Orre and started with Unova. Relations with Avalon were marginally improved, but tensions remained as Alkir did not replace the king as Avalon had wished.
Though far shy of the economic splendor experienced prior to the Golden Uprising, the Alkiri economy did significantly rebound by the early 900s. The region enjoyed relative peace and prosperity until imperialistic ventures began in the late 910s. Initially, Alkir competed with several regions for swathes of land through various skirmishes and a few major battles. In these pursuits, Alkir was frequently victorious. By the mid 940s, the majority of “free” land - land uninhabited by advanced, seafaring regions - was occupied. Alkir began a more aggressive strategy. The region frequently clashed with the Johto Empire, and - driven by land disputes, militaristic cultures, and political differences - war was declared between the two regions in 949.
The Johto-Alkir War marked the first of several large conflicts that would accumulate into the Great War. Scheiferwald, a then fascist region on the same continent as Alkir, would begin its expansion into Avalon, Holova, and Kalos in 954. With Orre almost instantly allying with Avalon, Scheiferwald quickly grew wary of Alkir’s former allegiance to Avalon. The then fascist region joined forces with Johto and then Kanto. The three armies attacked Alkir military outposts, forcing the militant region to retreat and forfeit many of its holdings. In both retaliation and self-defense, Alkir enlisted Unova before joining in an alliance with Orre and Avalon - calling itself The Accord.
The Great War raged for five decades, during which a near fatal mistake was made by Alkir. As the war spread, Alkir encountered the much smaller Milano region. Milano was primarily an agricultural region, lacking many technological advances and military structure. The two regions entered into an economic partnership: Milano providing ample food for Alkir, and Alkir providing industrial goods and military support to Milano.
As the war drew to a conclusion in the year 1000, Alkir was revelling in victory. Scheiferwald and her allies were defeated. The imperial holdings lost by Alkir were returned to them, along with several other territories taken from the defeated regions, particularly Johto, as a form of reparation.. With legions of young troops returning home, the population within Alkir surged drastically as they started to have families.
King Al-Din Firdaus was coronated in 1002. Though initially well-liked, his more liberal approach to religious edicts quickly earned him spite with the conservative east. Many of these policies focused on securing some semblance of civil and religious equality for minorities and women. Though the economy was booming during the war, the end of the war severely cut demand for armaments, Alkir’s chief export. Many of the factory jobs present in the previous fifty years were drying up.
In 1008, an epidemic struck the crops of Milano, who’s ruling party reacted by placing large tariffs on agricultural exports to encourage food to be kept in the region. Being Alkir’s chief provider of food, food prices within the region skyrocketed. The people were in an outcry, many believing that Milano had betrayed Alkir. The King and Prime Consul at the time needed to distract from their unpopular policies and earn favor in the east. They pinned Milano as scapegoats, readying the country for what would be a quick and decisive war. As predicted, the Alkir Armed Forces were easily able to drive into Milano and quickly gain control over the capital, as the royal family had fled.
During the occupation, the Alkiri people were more than pacified. Food prices dropped, and the job market opened up as the weapons factories began to churn out weapons and ammunition for the army. The population continued to rise at its highest recorded rates. Riding on their success, the king and Prime Consol were able to pass many of their previously unfavorable policies. Throughout the occupation, the United Regions frequently cited Alkir for unwarranted military intervention.
This was to last until 1012 when twin electrical storms struck Milano and Alkir. They knocked out communications between the Alkir and the forces in Milano while simultaneously destroying a large portion of Alkir’s military reserves. Johto capitalized on the weakened Alkir military and general disdain of Alkir’s actions within the United Regions by spearheading a blockade of the desertous region. Johto justified their actions to the United Regions by claiming the Alkiri Monarchy was driven by “imperialist greed”. In truth, they had hoped to starve Alkir out and force the return of the territories forfeited by Johto as reparations. Many of the regions sided with Johto, enforcing sanctions on almost all trade with Alkir, either on principle or for the sake of self-preservation.
Blockaded and removed from their chief agricultural importer, Alkir was unable to produce food at a high enough rate to sustain its now large population. This marked the beginning of The Great Famine. Unable to feed themselves and their families, the laborers were unfit to work. Production rates were slashed across the country. Crime and poverty rates skyrocketed, many factories and businesses going bankrupt. Entire cities seemed to fall into disrepair.
The Famine would dominate the region until 1017 when a large shipment of food from Toro was smuggled across the Alkir/Orre border as per the order of Premier Vincent LeGrand and Foreign Minister Stanley Kiesin. The food market was stabilized enough to incentivize production of non-military wares. Alkir of course paid generously, and several similar shipments of much smaller size soon followed. The region was recovering at at slow rate with many industries invested in developing civilian technologies. Though several great products were manufactured, there was hardly a market for technologies from Alkir.
The lagging economy lasted until 1021, when Foreign Minister Theo Ross of the Toro Region negotiated a lifting of the blockade with Johto. With Johto pulling back, many of the regions acting against Alkir removed their sanctions. Additionally, Johto agreed to pay several hundred million pix per annum in food to Alkir as humanitarian aid. Publicly, they claimed this was simply benevolence. Alkiri industries met the world with a plethora of new, highly successful products, and many agricultural nations rose to meet the high demand for food within Alkir. Within recent years, Alkir has been recovering from the economic, political, and social devastation of the Great Famine.
TL;DR ((Timeline; didn’t read)):
Alkir was one of the first regions settled by early man.
Vast metal supplies led to the invention of basic metallurgy, engineering, and mathematics.
Avalon raided and controlled western Alkir in 500.
Alkiri tribes united and drove Avalon out, formed Alkiri region and Monarchy.
Arceism spread into Alkir.
King of Alkir declares Dimensionalist Church official church of Alkir.
Industry growth and globalization leads to industrial revolution.
Pro-democratic rebel groups start the Golden Uprising circa 850.
A constitutional monarchy is formed.
Imperialism begins, resulting in Johto-Alkir War.
Scheiferwald allies with Johto, Alkir allies with opposing forces. Great War begins.
Alkir and allies win Great War.
Population boom.
Alkir invades Milano in 1008, occupies until defeated in 1012.
Johto and UR blockade Alkir, beginning The Great Famine.
Toro saves Alkir from Great Famine through covert tactics and negotiations.Culture:
There is a severe cultural split along the Lei’Al river. The east side holds many traditional Alkiri beliefs and is typically considered more conservative. Unsurprisingly, they hold those who have served in the military in the highest regards. Many Eastern Alkiris practice Palkian Dimensionalism and sport Alkiric names. Being Western Alkir has incorporated several aspects of upper class Avalonian culture. As such those of the west typically name their children with Unovan names. Western Alkiris primarily practice Dialgan Dimensionalism. In the west, one’s character is viewed as a direct function of their wealth. Despite Al-Din Firdaus’ attempts to advance social causes, most of Alkir holds to their old ways. Men are treated as the heads of each household, while women are expected to be housewives. Hatred of homosexuality is almost universal, and while xenophobia isn’t as common, it isn’t unheard of. Many of the waters surrounding Alkir are too salty to support a thriving fish population, so fish is typically considered a delicacy. Alkiris share a strong sense of national pride, especially towards their military strength. They are typically very religious and fiercely loyal to the king, most close to and some outright deifying him.
Economy:
Alkir is divided into two distinct regions. The desert east of the Lei’Al river is heavily focused on industry. Many large factories, almost the size of cities, are built into the mountains which hold many of the region’s oil, coal, and metals reserves. In contrast, the towns throughout western Alkir are typically trade hubs, brimming with peoples of all regions, particularly Orre and Avalon though. A majority of their trade comes in through the port towns scattered across Alkir. There are few airfields, but the route between Orre and Alkir is also a well-traveled route for commerce. Due to its large size, Alkir is dependent on foreign imports for food.
Notable Figures (if any):
Current King: King Al-Din Peter Firdaus
Dialgan Pope: Currently Unnamed
Palkian Pope: Currently Unnamed
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