Salovia

The Grand Monarchy of ; The Grand Republic of Salovia დიდი მონარქია ; დიდი რესპუბლიკა სალოველო Didi Monarkia Salovelo ; Didi Resp'ublik'a Salovelo
c. October 135–21 September 1992
Flag
Motto: მრავალფეროვნებაში ძალაა Mravalperovneba Dzalashia (Codexian: "There is Power in Diversity")
Anthem: Taoba
Borders of Salovia from 1976 to 1985
Capital	Akhalibisi
Largest city	Shagonar
Common languages	Salovian Codexian Staynish Ethalrian
Religion	43.3% Verk'ohism 30.3% Thaerism 21.4% Vaerism 5% Other
Demonym(s)	Salovian
Government	Absolute Monarchy (12 AD-1792) Federated Presidential-Parliamentary Republic (1811-1992)
King/Queen
• 135-146 AD	Rorik the Conqueror (first)
• 278 AD	Ærik I
• 1032	Remis the Great
• 1293	Beatrice the Grand
• 1408	Æris the Elven Usurper
• 1759	Rorin the Terror (last)
Chancellor
• 1812	Mikhail Karanovi (first)
• 1985	Rorik Posol
•	Ivan Strovani (last de jure)
•	Lara Tarasovna (last de facto)
Legislature	Zedakhli
Establishment
Historical era	1st Century-20th Century
• The Azure Wars	132-135 AD
• Rorik the Conqueror establishes the Grand Monarchy of Salovia	135 AD
• The Elven Kings	278-494 AD
• First Salovian Golden Age	494-700 AD
• Salovian Interregnum	992-1032
• Restored Monarchy	1032
• Second Golden Age	1140-1408
• Rorin the Terror Beheaded	1792
• Era of Unrest	1792-1816
• The Great War	1904-1917
• Auroran Cold War	1917-1970
• Auroran Imperial War	1970-1975
• Salovian Civil War	1985-2005
• Established	c. October 135
• Disestablished	21 September 1992
Currency	Net'a (ഗ)
Preceded by Succeeded by Kveshi Empire Suvolic Empire Baykalia Tuvaltastan Kostromastan
Today part of	Baykalia Volova Nolova Tuvaltastan Nilovia

Salovia (Salovian: სალოველო, pronounced Salovelo ), officially the Grand Monarchy of Salovia and later the Grand Republic of Salovia (Salovian: სალოველოს დიდი მონარქია, pronounced Salovelos didi Monarkia; სალოველოს დიდი რესპუბლიკა, pronounced Salovelos Didi Resp’ublik’a), was a country whose territory primarily consisted of what today are part or all of what makes up Eastern Aurora, namely the nations of Tivot, Baykalia, Oscrelia, Volova, Nolova, Tuvaltastan, and Nilovia, as well as several overseas regions and territories. Mainland Salovia, prior to its dissolution, stretched from the Bay of Suvol (also referred to as the Calthian Sea), following the Er River and cutting through the Kalivian Mountains into the Great Auroran Desert, where it would follow the Khermali River its delta found in the Azure Sea. From there it stretched westwards into the Ethaln Plains and eastwards to the Sea of Tranquility. The nation proper also included the northern end of the Horn of Caltharus up until 1975, when Tivot and Blueacia, both formerly Salovian provinces, gained independence.

The history of Salovia extends back to the first inhabitants of Aurora. The Kurieti Site in Baykalia is cited as one of the oldest pieces of evidence of human inhabitation of the continent, dating back to 350,000 years ago. The site contains an array of fossils, arrowheads, and cave paintings. The Salovian region is home to many of the oldest examples of civilization as well, including the Nelokhvi Empire, a large empire that spanned much of the southern coast of Aurora and much of the Khermali river. It, along with a number of other civilizations would endure for a millenium, more or less, until a little understood event known as the Great Vanishing occurred, wherein all evidence of advanced culture was suddenly halted by an unknown cause. A resurgence of civilizations sprouted up around the 8th century BCE, to include the Nobility of Er, the Nilovite civilizations, and the Kveshi trade culture. The Nobility of Er, after merging with the smaller Nobility of Fughala, formed the Kingdom of Suvol, whilst the Kveshi would sack the Nilovite cities, and organized into the Kveshi Empire. The northward expansion of the Kveshis and the southward expansion of the Suvolis resulted in their meeting, and the start of the Azure Wars. The Azure Wars concluded with the assassination of the last king of Suvol, Rorik II by Kveshi king Odelfv. The two empires were merged by Odelfv, who renamed himself to Rorik III after marrying Rorik II's sister Ennala to form Salovia, with the agreeance of the Suvolic Boliari and cessions made to appease them.

Salovia, starting from its inception in 135 AD until its final dissolution in 1992, saw a series of various periods and ages, starting from the Anevid Dynasty and their relationship and eventual merger with the Melit'hasa Kingdom under the Age of Elves, to the First and Second Golden Ages, separated by the Age of the Plague, the The Regression, and the Salovian Interregnum. The Salovian Interregnum saw the first major instances of the modern states found today, from the Nelic States and the Volovan Empire in the south, and the Suvolic Empire reinstated in the north. Following the reign of Remis the Great, the Grand Reconquering began, and with it the advent of the Second Golden Age and the reigns of The Three Greats of Salovia. The fourth and final elven King Æris brought an end to the Golden Age, and his usurping brought about the Neli Vardna and eventually the end of the Grand Monarchy. The Monarchy's end resulted in the Salovian region entering a period of instability and decentralization known as The Era of Unrest, and saw the Posolic Wars take place, until the Akhalibisi-based Grand Republic rallied and unified much of the region back into a singular state. Under the Republic, Salovia saw its greatest period of colonialism, holding dominion over a number of different overseas territories, such as Ayaupia and Komertsiya Port located on the continent of Gondwana, as well as Puntalia and Akhalip'ort'i in the modern-day Union of Free Cities, located in Arcturia.

This prosperity lasted until the cultural and ethnic divides caused by the sheer size and diversity of the nation reached a breaking point; exacerbated by the Auroran Imperial War, and inspired by the growing nationalist movements sweeping the continent at the time, the Volovan Independence Front caused the Novugdidi Crisis on 18 June 1985, declaring both independence from and war against the Grand Republic, with the Nilovian Coalition and Lovian Liberation Front following suit soon after, resulting in the Salovian Civil War. Salovia as a legitimate government lasted until 1992, when the last remnants of the government were reformed into what would become the Baykalian government.

Prior to the republic's collapse in 1992, it bordered the nations of Great Morstaybishlia, The Ethalrian Matriarchy, Kostoria-Obertonia, and Oscrelia in Aurora, and bordered Ayaupia and Libertanny in Gondwana through its trade port Komertsiya. The country's final pre-war territorial extent spanned a combined land area of 1,916,590 square kilometers (740,000 sq mi) and a total population of 179,560,596. Salovia, prior to its dissolution, was a Federated Presidential-Parliamentary republic with its capital located in Akhalibisi, the country's third largest city and a major cultural and political hub. Other major hubs included Shagonar, Neril'tskeli, Tarov, and Chita, of which Chita and Tarov also shortly served as the capital in Salovia's history.

Terminology and Etymology

"Salovia" is a Staynification of the nation's native name Salovelo (სალოველო), which translates to "land of the Lovelian people," a reference to the group of peoples (the Lovelians; Lovelebi in Salovian) that live along the southern coast of Aurora, and to whom much of the modern Salovian Royal Family belonged. Lovelians, often mistakenly referred to as the Kveshi, inhabited the coasts of what is now modern day Tuvaltastan, Nilovia, Stratarin, and parts of Faethalria.

"Kingdom of Suvol" refers to the coastal region that is now part of western Oscrelia, northern Baykalia, and northeastern Caltharus. "Suvol" is itself the name of the first ruling class of the predecessor kingdom of Er, the Suvolids.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Salovia

Salovia, when measured by its successor states, comprises a total area of 2,337,818.15 km² (902,636.63 mi²). The territory in which Salovia held dominion over fluctuated throughout its thousands-year history, the maximum continental territorial extent of Salovia encompassing an approximate area of 4,580,000 km² (1,768,347.88 mi²), the smallest extent being 1,762,761.86 km² (680,606.16 mi²). From a geographic standpoint, Salovia is typically defined as the land east of the Ethaln plains and the Zycannes mountains, north of the Azure Sea, and west of the Pacific ocean.

Bird's eye view of Mount Magnik'ip'iro

If superimposed over modern day borders, Salovia prior to its dissolution would be the ninth largest nation on Urth. At its height, it was the fourth or fifth largest nation on Urth, spanning much of Eastern Aurora with overseas territories on Gondwana, Arcturia, and southeast Yasteria. Today, these territories make up the nations of the Puntalias, Ayaupia and Komertsiya Port, Osterlicsh, Vivancantadia, Tortuga, and the Union of Free Cities. All former Salovian territories including former colonies span a total of nine time zones.

View of the Posolic Valley in the Kalivian Mountains

The average elevation is around 650 kilometers. The highest elevation in the region is the summit of Mount Ki'esule located in Oscrelia, with an elevation of 6,891 meters. The lowest elevation can be located in the town of Menisi at 12.8 meters below sea level. The longest river in Salovia is the Khermali River, at approximately 2,069.9 km when measuring from its headwaters to its most distant distributary. Lake Nilovi is the largest lake in the region, and also serves as an additional feeder to the Khermali river alongside the Great East Divide's headwaters. The lake is 23,058.05 km² in total area, and is the second largest lake on the continent behind Morsa Lake by surface area.

History

Prehistory

Cave Paintings found in Bneli Cave

The earliest humans are believed to have arrived in northern Salovia somewhere between 1.8 and 1.6 million years ago via the archipelago that makes up modern day Peregrinia, Petra Cauda, and The Oan Isles, moving south into what is now Oscrelia and Baykalia. This region of eastern Aurora is believed to have been host to an array of different human species, as evidenced by an archaeological site known as the Kurieti Site (named such due to its proximity to the Baykalian village of the same name). The site is a large series of caverns and fossils of early hominid, from homo yasteriensis to homo arduus sapiens and a now-extinct distant cousin to modern humans, homo aurorensis, a species which inhabited the region prior to the migration of modern humans some time around 20,000 and 18,000 years ago.

Further archaeological discoveries throughout Salovia have shown that modern humans had interacted often with the other human species found on Aurora, namely discoveries found around Mount Magnik'ip'iro, where a series of small villages were uncovered, buried under volcanic ash from an eruption believed to have occurred approximately 17,000 years ago. The village, named Dzveli Ts'mekhit after its proximity to the modern town of Ts'mekhit, consists of the preserved remains of humans, as well as items and materials used in their every day lives. The site has proven to be the greatest source of insights into the lives of people living during the period, with anything from toys to bowls to pet collars being found throughout the site.

Evidence of prehistoric Cavan habitation have also been found in the westernmost portions of modern-day Tuvaltastan, with tools indicative of a hunter-gatherer society dating between 200-150 Kya. Further studies into the skeletal remains found throughout western Tuvaltastan suggest prehistoric humans and cava may have feuded in the area around 160 Kya, as is evident of the remains found along the Partomok’le River dating to that time period.

Discoveries in eastern Salovia suggest a diverse, varied, and extensive presence of Orc, Elven, and Human settlements dotted throughout the Great Auroran Desert, most notably straddling the Khermali River, where various settlements have been uncovered. Experts believe that these three species had vied for control of the river for some time, with human settlements dotting the southern end closer to Lake Nilovi, the orc settlements often being located on the eastern side of the Khermali River, with the western side being most prominently elven.

Early History

Nelokhvi Capital Dalvrkhrn

The Chalcolithic Era saw the dawn of a number of early civilizations, including Terliva along the southern coast in what is now Tuvaltastan; Eruk and Sihlvi along the Bay of Suvol; and the Nelokhvi Empire along the Khermali River, and the satellite fiefdom of Fendelkh that formed around Lake Nilovi. These ancient kingdoms existed and interacted for thousands of years until around approximately 2000-1800 BCE, when historical records from these civilizations suddenly stop.

It is theorized that a regional event caused a sudden collapse of the Ancient East Auroran civilizations, leading to a period of approximately a millenium without records, known as the Great Vanishing. It is believed that the descendants of these civilizations fell into a Dark Age, and reverted to proto-civilizations in the northern and southern coasts and nomadic people in the desert interior.

Nobility of Er

Territorial Evolution of The Nobility of Er

Stone relief depicting the sea invasion of the Dovian Peninsula by Er

By the 8th Century BCE, a series of new civilizations had developed within Eastern Aurora, the oldest and most influential of which being the Nobility of Er, which was established by Rulik I, who is widely considered to be the patriarch of what would become the Salovian royal family. Legendary historical records, namely the Uriv Monument, claim that Rulik was born at the peak of Mount Magnik'ip'iro to Mortagra. These records also claim that he climbed his way up the ranks to become the first ruler of Er. However, archaeological studies and digs in the area suggest that a village at the foot of the mountains near modern-day Erov may be where Rulik I was actually born, and was most probably born into a politically important family. Studies of the various sites and stories pertaining to Er suggest a pre-Er civilization existed decades or more earlier than the rule of Rulik I, however no references to such a civilization have yet to be verified.

Coin depicting Meloke (front) and the now-extinct golden-tipped owl (back)

The first dynasty of the Er Nobility, known as the Tulevioni, is defined by its rapid expansion in and around the coast of the Bay of Suvol, establishing a maritime trading network that spanned from modern-day Per and Cape Onera to the north, and Chita and Lambertupol to the south. This dynasty would be a period of slow but steady growth for the Nobility, but would end with the assassination of Rulik IV by Loreli I. Upon the ascension of Loreli I under the Giruvid Dynasty, most of the familial ties and coalitions that kept the regions together would begin to falter, and the Nobility would lose control of most territory to its north during this period. The death of Velik II marks the end of this dynasty, with Velik II's cousin Dorek becoming the next noble. This new dynasty under the Egrationi's struggled to maintain control over its own territory, with rival families declaring their own kingdoms. However, under the reign of Boy King Vicen (with his mother Vicenia as Regent), starting from 647 to 623 BCE, the nobility began a series of rapid expansions into the north, known as the Agdgenic Wars, in an effort to reclaim what had been lost during the Giruvid dynasty, and his half-brother successor Meloke (623-621) would continue this pattern of expansion, moving southwards into the Ethaln plains and the northern portions of the Ider River. Meloke would only expand as far as modern-day Fort Zhouster in Morstaybishlia, however.

Meloke experienced a number of domestic issues despite his successes, ranging from power struggles with his brother Rodeka on succession to a number of military generals vying for control of the empire while under his reign, as well as the threat of the Lerinids, a close familial branch to Meloke's Egrationi, conspiring to unseat him from power. The last few years of his reign saw a three-pronged effort to remove Meloke from power, but despite all this, his grip on power would tighten, with him declaring his son Relik I as his heir. Rodeka subsequently challenged Relik to a fight to the death in a bid to gain the seat, but he himself would lose to Relik and died of his wounds from the duel. This act solidified Relik's claim to the throne. In an effort to appease the Lerinids, Meloke arranged with Gheric Lerinid, noble of Fughala, for Relik to marry Gheric's daughter Illiasi. The marriage between Relik and Illiasi resulted in the Nobilities of Er and Fughala uniting into the larger Kingdom of Suvol. The efforts of Meloke to rein in the military generals on his court, however, were less successful. For all Meloke's effort, the King was assassinated by his generals during the Agdgenic Battle on the Ider, with Relik forced to cede a portion of his power to the generals in an effort to remain as King.

Kingdom of Suvol

Stone relief depicting Relik I

Following the pattern of southward expansion under King Meloke, Meloke's son King Relik I, with the blessing of the Council of Generals, began a series of expeditions through the dry and arid Ethaln Divide, a stretch of land that had been previously unexplored by Suvolic peoples. Despite utilizing the navigability of the Ider River to traverse the region, the reign of Relik I had limited success in establishing permanent outposts for further southward expansion. Only until the reign of King Eruv the Great did the Kingdom make inroads into the region, establishing the first supply chains that would cross into the southern Ethaln plains. Under Eruv, trade routes would surface between the southern kingdoms and empires, taking advantage of both the Ider River and the Suvolic outposts in the Divide. By the end of Eruv's reign, the Kingdom of Suvol would stretch from the Bay of Suvol into the Divide and with small inroads into the southern Ethaln Plains.

A further continuation southwards economically under the reigns of kings Lerin II and III, Eruv II, Trevil the Honest, and his son Trevil II ushered in a period of prosperity and development, with the construction of a road network that led from the southern Ethalns back to the capital in Chita, further solidifying the control over the region for a time.

The reigns of Kings Eruv III, Lerin IV, and Relik III saw the duration of a series of conquests into the Ethaln Plains , the period commonly known as The Century of War. These battles and wars against the kingdoms and empires in the southern Ethalns cost the Kingdom of Suvol dearly, and halted any further expansion southwards for nearly a century. Only until Lerin VII, a full 110 years after the end of The Century of War, would any definitive southward growth occur. For the remainder of the Kingdom's existence, a slow and steady expansion southwards would continue, the last King being Orev the Usurped, whose abdication from the throne and refraining from naming a successor would leave a power vacuum in the area, triggering a crisis of succession.

A number of contenders for the throne would surface, most importantly Orev's third cousin Rorik Svitioni and Orev's second cousin once removed Yurev Egrationi. The two would both claim legitimacy through their bloodline, and would escalate the crisis into a short-lived two-month War of Succession, where Rorik would kill Yurev on the battlefield during hand-to-hand combat. Upon killing Yurev, Rorik proclaimed himself the king of the Suvolic Empire which replaced the old Kingdom, but effectively served as the same entity.

Antebellum Salovia

See Also: Suvolic Empire and Kveshi Empire

The Suvolic and Kveshi Empires prior to Rorik II's assassination

Azure Wars
Battle of Lurji Gulf as depicted on the Valini Wall
Date c. 135 A.D. Location Azure Sea, Southern Aurora Result Kveshi Victory Signing of the Treaty of Arkadizia Unification of the Suvolic and Kveshi Empires to form the Grand Monarchy of Salovia Coronation of Odelfv as King of Salovia Formation of the Salovian Boliari
Participants
Kveshi Empire Lovian Mercenaries	Suvolic Empire
Commanders and leaders
King Odelfv	Rorik II  †
Strength
~37,000 ~6,700	~43,000
Casualties and losses
~9,100 ~936	~12,300

The Suvolic Empire, relative to both its successor and predecessor, was short-lived, existing for 122 years before its eventual collapse into the Salovian Empire. Despite this, the Suvolic Empire set the stage for further increases in political, economic, and cultural prowess that would prove beneficial to Salovia in the future. Rorik, a cousin to his predessesor Orev, oversaw the bridging of the Ethaln Divide through a bolstering of the pre-existing outposts within the region, and the increased usage of the Ider River to facilitate trade between north and south. This infrastructure was further reinforced under Yorik the Revered, the son to Rorik the Conqueror.

Paired with the economic bolstering of the southern fringes of the empire, Rorik had also developed a complex political network among the various governors, noblemen, and tribal leaders within the empire. Made up of a number of agreements, word-of-mouth assurances, and a few treaties, the network soon developed into a hierarchical political structure with Rorik at the head. This same political network proved vital to the success of the Suvolic Empire during the reigns of both Rorik and Yorik.

Despite the overall growth and strengthening within its own borders, the Suvolic Empire saw limited success in its expansionist endeavors, experiencing serious resistance from the Kveshi Empire, a primarily maritime empire located along the southern coast of Aurora and most of the islands in the Azure Sea and Sea of Tranquility. Known for committing large-scale raids throughout southern Aurora, the Kveshis also engaged in a number of raids and battles against the Suvolic Empire as the empire moved further southwards towards Kveshi lands. Known today as the Azure Wars, this collection of conflicts effectively halted southern expansion of the Suvolic Empire, and by the end of the reign of Yorik, the empire experienced unprecedented declines in territory and strength. With the death of Yorik, Rorik II became King in 134 AD and spent the entirety of his one-year reign continuing the Azure Wars, until his assassination by the Kveshi King Odeflv.

Upon Rorik II's assassination, Odelfv declared a truce in the Azure Wars, ending it in the Treaty of Arkadizia (now modern-day Arkaedaus). Renaming himself to Rorik the Conqueror (also known as Rorik III), he married Rorik II's daughter Ennala, declaring the unification of the Kingdoms of Kvesh and Suvol into the Grand Monarchy of Salovia.

Grand Monarchy of Salovia

See Also: List of Monarchs of Salovia
See Also: Boliari

The beginnings of Salovia were marked by instability and volatility as Rorik III vied to secure his position as King of Salovia. Often called the Recovery, Rorik III spent much of his reign focused on regaining the territory lost at the conclusion of the Azure Wars. A number of those on the Suvolic Empire's noble council opted for independence rather than fealty to the usurper King, with nobilities and fiefdoms like Orkhalits'a around lake Orts'ilovi, the mercantile citystate of Oceansend on the Kormistazic peninsula, and a number of Ethaln principalities and nobilities defecting to the Ethalried Empire.

The Avenid Dynasty

Salovia at the end of Orev II's reign (Dark Green: Salovia proper; Light Green: Salovian client states; Blue: Breakaway territories

The Recovery had limited success, with many former territories remaining independent despite the efforts of Rorik III and his sons Yorik II and Orev II. However, relative to the sizes of the Suvolic and Kveshi Empires, the Salovian Empire remained larger than the two. To retain the peace, Rorik III reorganized and expanded his council to include the establishment of the Boliari position, the highest ranking position that a non-royal could hold. The Boliari's of Rorik III's reign consisted of retired Suvolic and Kveshi generals from the Azure Wars, various nobles and dukes, and other similar ranking individuals among the nomadic tribes of the Great Auroran Desert.

With the conclusion of the First Reconquering upon the death of Orev II, the reign of King Loik II began. The reign of Loik II experienced the first semblances of stability after the Reconquering, and saw the first territorial expansions by the Salovian empire into the Great Auroran Desert. Under Loik II's predecessor Orev II, a series of caverns that formed natural tunnels were discovered in the Kalivian Mountains that bridged the divide between the Suvolic Plains and the Great Auroran Desert, and expeditions were initiated to find the fastest routes through. Under Loik II, two primary routes through the mountains were established, and the first outposts in the desert were formed, located on the banks of the headwater tributaries of the Khermali river. Today, these outposts are known as Pagovili and Kalivoni. Alongside the discovery of these natural tunnels, the southern expanse of the empire had begun expansions northward along the same Khermali river (although it was unknown at the time), slowly moving into the territories of the desert kingdoms straddling the Khermali, the largest and most influential of which being the elven Melit'hasa kingdom. Technologically and culturally more advanced than the Salovian empire at the time, the Melit'hasa offered amnesty rather than hostility, and formed the first Treaty of Astravili in 173. This treaty ensured a temporary peace between the two kingdoms, ushering in a period of prosperity as the Melit'hasa and Salovians became closer in ties. During the period after the Treaty of Astravili, Salovia experienced rapid technological advancements throughout, most notably including the tanja sail and advancements in a number of sciences such as astronomy, mathematics, and timekeeping, advances which would quickly spread through the rest of Aurora.

Modern depiction of Aluminaera (left) and Relief of King Lerin XI (right)

Despite the general prosperity enjoyed by the majority of Salovians and Melit'hasa, the upper class had experienced a relative decline in prominence and power. The decline had begun with the assassination of Yeriv IV, who had ruled for thirteen years. Historical records from the period point to a number of suspects, the main ones being his brother Yuri, Yeriv IV's son Lerin XI, and most notably Aluminaera, the Melit'hasa ruler at the time. The suspicion of Aluminaera regarding the assassination of Yeriv IV resulted in strained tensions between the Melit'hasa and the Salovians, and the tensions would only be exacerbated by the Salovian upper class, including Lerin XI, who painted the Melit'hasa under various stereotypes, the common themes being conniving, scheming, thieving, and lying. Lerin XI's reign was marred by these scandals regarding the Melit'hasa, and despite the two kingdoms becoming co-dependent, relations would only sour further by time of Lerin XI's death. His son Orev III spent the majority of his reign attempting to quell the tensions in an effort to bring back prosperity to the region, however both the Salovian Boliari and the ruling class of the Melit'hasa continued to further escalations. After eight years, Orev III died of injuries inflicted from an unknown accident in 253, with his brother Lerin XII taking the throne.

Lerin XII's reign saw a slight warming in relations between the two kingdoms, the primary driver being the development of a close personal relationship between the Melit'hasa King Aeris and Lerin XII. Thanks to the diplomacy of the two Kings, and depite the attempted escalations by the Melit'hasa upper class and the Boliari, war was avoided for the duration of Lerin XII's reign. There were however a number of skirmishes that occurred, most famously the Battle of the Twin Cities (modern-day North and South Harris, straddling the Crescent River), where approximately 1,200 individuals were killed in battle. Despite the closeness of Lerin and Aeris, the mistrust and hostility continued under Lerin XII's son Orev IV who ascended to the throne in 268.

(In Green) Territorial Extent of Salovia two years after Orev IV's death. Purple shows the Kingdom of Melit'hasa, which would become part of Salovia during the Age of the Elves

The reign of Orev IV is known commonly as the Ghalat'i, or Betrayal in Staynish/Codexian, as Orev IV found himself at the center of a plot to assassinate and overthrow him that, although unsuccessful at its goal of removing Orev IV from power, was successful in placing a Melit'hasa elf as King of Salovia. At the direction of King Aeris to install an elf to the Salovian throne, a number of assassins were sent throughout Orev IV's ten year reign assigned to murder the Salovian Royal Family. Although mostly successful in their effort, killing a range of individuals from Orev IV's children, his brothers, and his uncle, the assassins failed to kill Orev IV himself, who later died of a disease believed to be the earliest recorded instance of the Hasoni Plague. The end of Orev IV's reign marked the end of the first human era of Salovian rule, and with it the Age of the Elves.

Age of the Elves

Although significant vocal resistance was met to the usurping of the Salovian throne by Melit'hasa, the Boliari stepped aside and allowed Aluminaera's son, Ærik I to claim the throne. Due to Melit'hasa being at the strategic heart of the Salovian empire, the Boliari were put into a difficult position; although there was a non-Salovian on the Salovian throne, the removal of Ærik I meant a potential period of hardship, as the Melit'hasa proved vital to the economic and military success of the Salovian empire.

Ærik I's reign was the only reign to see both the Melit'hasa and the Salovian kingdoms still disunited, as Ærik I's father Aluminaera still held dominion over the elven kingdom. Only until Aluminaera's death in 319 did the two kingdoms officially join together under the first Union of the Thrones, wherein Ærik I became King of Salovia and Melit'hasa. This Union eventually led to the full integration of the other Desert kingdoms in the region into the Empire as the goal of Ærik I was to bring Aurora under one King through whatever means necessary. The Boliari were an obstacle in that effort, and stood as a political force against the Melit'hasan king. Ærik I could not remove the Boliari however, under fear of the human population taking arms in revolution.

Although Ærik I experienced deep cultural and political resistance during much of his reign, the new status quo had formed before he had passed away. The reign of his son Mærkil is widely considered to be the most peaceful and prosperous reign in Salovian history, and is often considered the beginning of the First Golden Age, with various advancements taking place during his 71-year tenure in mathematical and medical fields. Most prominently of these advancements was the early developments towards what would eventually be known as the Khulioni formula for π and the redefining of the lunar cycle to better account for minor discrepancies previously noted decades prior. Trade with other nations like the Ethalried and Kormistazic empires also flourished, with ideas and goods flowing throughout Aurora.

Mærkil's heir Ærik II reigned during an extension of this period of prosperity, however the Boliari had begun a plot late into his reign to reinstate the Salovian royal family back onto the throne through Rorik Kholivioni, the third cousin fourth removed to King Orev IV and a junior member of the Boliari. Gradually over time, the Boliari secretly implemented a series of assassination attempts against Ærik II, all of which failed for various reasons, ranging from the assassins being found out, to the assassins outright not following through with the assassination. Eventually the Boliari had given up on attempting to kill Ærik II, and focused instead on waiting until Ærik's death to pursue a challenge for the throne against Ærik's son Forelis. As Ærik II reached the age of 142, he became aware of the secret plot, and informed his son, who in turn approached the Boliari. Rather than risk a war of succession, Forelis instead offered Rorik to partake in a duel for the throne. Rorik, against the wishes of the Boliari, accepted the offer, and the two fought on the winter solstice of that year, resulting in a successful victory for Rorik after Forelis' submission.

First Golden Age

The Painter of Kiniki, Unknown Artist, c. 5th Century CE

Following the decline of the Elven Age, King Rorik IV brought about an unprecedented level of unity among human Salovians, who constituted the significant majority of the monarchy at this point. The policies and efforts during Rorik IV's reign put Salovia at the center of a period of pronounced growth and prosperity on the continent, and his prodigy followed his example. Anything from art, philosophy, agriculture, architecture, and astronomy saw advancements in the respective fields. Advances in irrigation proved critical to the majority Melit'hasa desert regions, and soon the Khermali river became a second breadbasket for the monarchy, alongside the pre-existing farmland in the Ethaln plains. Theories by Iellif Sadzhgrzashvili in astronomy (via his Mzeocentric map of the Teplar System) and alchemy paved the way for the advancements of astronomy and the eventual formation of the scientific field of chemistry.

Art as a practice experienced a significant surge in creativity, and with it a series of artists who pioneered the uniquely Salovian art style of Khvrinva, which is typically defined by paint strokes wherein lightly tapping the canvas was utilized, rather than full strokes. Alternatively, and in direct juxtaposition, the art style of Gapant’va (also pioneered during the Golden Age) utilizes long and flowing paint strokes, while attempting to emulate the real world to the best of the artist's ability. The deeply Verk'ohist artists in Salovia often painted scenes from the Ts'igna'reli and Ts'ignabi'neli, a popular figure of which being Mortagra.

The architecture during this era witnessed the emergence of the dualistic nature of Salovian architecture often seen today. Inspired by the duality of Ver and K'oh, many Salovian architects during the first golden age believed honoring that duality in their architecture would bring good fortunes to not only the building, but to the designer and the inhabitants. The use of geometric shapes and the Golden ratio are typical of these buildings as well, although it is unlikely that the builders of the time realized the mathematical significance of these ratios and shapes.

During this period, Nelic divine Neli Shuliv formed the monotheistic branch of Verk'ohism known as Verism. Only worshiping the deity of Ver, this branch paints K'oh as the enemy of the world. Shortly after, Neli Vashtul formed the opposing faith of K'ohism, wherein the deity K'oh is the primary deity with Ver representing all things chaos. It is often believed that the two branches saw limited popularity for much of Salovia's existence, only gaining prominence after the advent of the 20th century.

Age of the Plague

Painting depicting the Hasoni Plague. The three individuals have the characteristic skin blemishes common of the disease.

The height of the first Golden Age of Salovia was abruptly interrupted by the outbreak of a deadly virus, now verified to be the Hasoni Plague thanks to archaeological and genetic analysis. Although earlier confirmed cases occurred well before this period, the 8th Century in Salovia was defined by its struggle with the Hasoni Plague. Due to its slower infectability, it took longer to spread through the continent, resulting in a slow but nonetheless deadly spread of the plague. Now known to be predominantly infectious through bodily fluids, people at the time believed it to be a curse to those who secretly worshipped Gizhuri, the Verk'ohist God of Chaos.

The Plague can be mapped out into three phases: The early, middle and late infection stages. The early infection stage began in and around the city of Chita, as is evident by the death of Orev IV and various mass graves all showing signs of lesions indicative of the disease found in the area. Considered by most to be the deadliest period per capita of the plague, it is estimated that between 280,000-430,000 people died during the early infection stage, including those that had perished in the transition period between the early and middle infection stages. The middle infection stage, the longest segment of the Age, is defined by the migration southwards from the northern Bay of Suvol region into the Ethaln Plains and the Azure Sea. Although the longest period of time, it was the least deadly, with only an estimated 40,000-70,000 individuals dying from the disease. The late phase, the deadliest by total number dead, made up the final few decades of the plague, totaling between 350,000-500,000 dead. Altogether, the plague killed off between 670,000 and 1 million individuals, which at the time was over a quarter of the estimated population. The impact of this period was so devastating that the population would not recover until the reign of Queen Yuria in the early 10th century.

The disease affected everyone, regardless of social standing. Case in point, nearly every king who ruled during this period is believed to have died from Hasoni Plague, most notably Orev IV, who is the first documented case of the Hasoni Plague. Its impact globally has been widely debated, as its relatively slow infection rate has been argued to have allowed for the disease to traverse continents, believed to have appeared in places as distant as Gondwana. However, it is still uncertain whether the disease had ever left Aurora. To this day, cases of Hasoni plague intermittently have broken out in Salovia and other places in Aurora, but have never killed more than a thousand people (as in the 1799 Hasoni outbreak in Shagonar).

The Regression

The Regression is defined primarily by the overall shrinking in influence and prominence in regional and worldwide affairs. The cultural, political, and societal cohesion that had formed through the centuries prior to this period had began to erode, with a series of major events providing the catalyst for what would result in the Interregnum Period of Salovia. The Melit'hasa Coup, one of the more prominent of the events, took place during the reign of Erik III, who struggled to maintain order and political control over the often-stubborn elven tribe. For a short time, between 831 and 842, the Melit'hasa had effectively wrested control from the Salovia-appointed Governor Tavi Yerishvili, and reinstated the long-ended Kingdom of Melit-hasa under Aluminaera II, who alleged himself to be the blood descendent of the Elven Kings of Salovia. Nonetheless, after the Battle of Mat’lis Mta in 842, Aluminaera II had been defeated, and his army surrendered to the Grand Army. However, in that same battle, King Erik III had been fatally injured, and died of his wounds by the end of the month. His son Revil VI was crowned king soon after. His reign was cut short after eight years, when the son of Aluminaera II had assassins hired to kill Revil VI as revenge for Aluminaera II's death. This ended the Velianebi period of Salovian rule, and brought about the second period of House Kholivioni ruling Salovia, with the reign of Yurev I.

The reign of Yurev I had, throughout his life, been one of stability and peace for Salovia, and was marked by the Treaty of Autonomy for the Melit'hasa, as treaty which would ensure their own appointed member in the Boliari, as well as equal say in and fair income from the trade along the Khermali river. In his 58 years as King, Salovia would see its only prosperous period within the Regression, as upon the death of Yurev I, the nation fell into its second major succession crisis, the second since the War of Succession, which founded Salovia itself. Although King Eric, who was the son of Yurev I, was crowned king after his father's death, he later abdicated three years after his coronation, pursuing a non-political life in Petra Cauda. Eric had left at the beginning of 911 CE without declaring an heir, which led to the various Houses of Salovia vying for the crown. In the end, Yuria, leader of the Velianebi House, would end up becoming the first Queen of Salovia, crowned only six months after Eric's abdication.

Yuria ruled with an iron fist during her 32 year reign, consolidating power around her and shrinking the Boliari to only a few trusted individuals, as well as the Melit'hasa appointee. Her military conquests and heavy taxes on the people funded her immense wealth, and with a deeply loyal elite guard to protect her, passed down her legacy to her son Yurev II who, along with Erik IV and Lerin VXII, continued her exploitative and authoritarian leadership style until the nation reached a breaking point. This breaking point, being the death of Lerin XVII and the Boliari neglecting to back Lerin XVII, resulted in the collapse of Salovia, triggering the Interregnum.

Salovian Interregnum

(See also Nelic States, Volovan Empire, Nobility of Baykalia)

Without a central stable authority to rule over the vast territories held by Salovia, the nation fell into regional blocs vying for control. To the far east, the Orc Kingdom of Khalit'hasa and the Elven Kingdom of Melit'hasa regained sovereignty of territory lost during the rise of Salovia, and to the west, empires like Ethalria and Calth expanded into previously Salovian lands. The core territory of Salovia itself fell into three primary segments; the Nobility of Baykalia, the Volovan Empire, and the various microstates underneath the overarching diarchy of southern Salovia, now known as the Nelic States.

Calth-Baykalian Wars

See Also: Calth-Baykalian War

Ruled by the Boliari, Baykalia was initially formed under a nominally plutocratic feudal system wherein the most wealthy noble would hold political control of the nation itself. This volatile system provided an avenue for wealthy non-Salovians to gain power and potentially even become King of Baykalia. This opportunity was exploited by the Calth nobleman Hathan Fretyal who, by 1002, had consolidated his wealth with a number of much less wealthy nobles to inevitably become a contender for the Baykalian crown (called Anvert’erani in Salovian). The reigning King Nikoloz, recognizing the threat posed by Hathan, amassed the Grand Baykalian Militia, a mercenary group financially loyal to Nikoloz. Funded by Nikoloz and his closest allies in the Boliari, the Militia provided an additional layer of security should Hathan surpass Nikoloz in wealth, and therefore become the Baykalian King. In 1006, Hathan consolidated enough of his and his allies' wealth to surpass Nikoloz, and officially initiated a Samepo Gamots’veva, or Royal Challenge in Staynish/Codexian. A Samepo Gamots'veva is a task in which the wealth of each individual is counted coin by coin to determine the exact wealth of each royal contender, and whoever holds the highest wealth is declared the next King of Baykalia. As was predicted by Hathan and his allies, Hathan was officially declared the new King. However, Nikoloz refused to relinquish his hold on power, declaring war on Hathan and those loyal to him, thus sparking the Baykalian Civil War, or more commonly known as the Calth-Baykalian War.

The war between Nikoloz and Hathan took place from 13 June to 29 November 1006, and killed approximately 8,100 people at the highest estimate. Taking place primarily in Chita, and the border regions between Baykalia and Calth, the war evolved into a much larger nation-to-nation war after the death of Hathan Fretyal; his death was considered a victory by Nikoloz. Hathan's death, however, was taken by the leaders of Calth as an act of war, and as such Calth declared war against Nikoloz and the Nobility itself, beginning the second phase of the war. The fighting expanded into an all-out naval and land conflict, with fighting as far north as modern-day Per, and as far south as Delgerdatter in Caltharus. This phase of the war, spanning from 1006-1008 and killing around 22,000 people, became the deadliest conflict in the region. The end of the war was marked by the death of Nikoloz, whose successor King Tigran Najaryan negotiated a peace treaty with Calth which ceded land from Baykalia with an affirmation by the Calth that no further conflicts would ensue between the two for 80 years. The treaty officially marked the boundary between Baykalia and Calth as the Riktelachi River. This boundary would remain in existence for over 900 years until the conclusion of the Auroran Imperial War.

Khalit'hasa Raids

A Khalit'hasa Raid, depicting Orcs as large Rabbits, c. 1040

Primarily affecting the Kingdom of Volova and the Nelic States, the Orc Kingdom of Khalit'hasa had begun conducting raids against the border towns and cities of Interregnal Salovia. For a period spanning from 1000 to 1022, the orcs of Khalit'hasa expanded their influence over these border regions, effectively creating vassals out of several of the Nelic States, most significantly ones along the Crescent Coast and around the Lake Nilovi region. During this period of vassalage, the elective diarchy were usurped regularly by Khalit'hasa-backed individuals, who were often given the title Khalit'neli as a sign of submission and fealty.

The unsteady nature of the vassals proved to be their downfall, as in 1012 when the Nelic Revolt took place and drove the Khalit'hasa out of the Nelic States for a time. This short-lived respite from the Khalit'hasa saw the resurgence of the Nelic States as a regional power, until in 1019 the Khalit'hasa began their second series of raids to reclaim the lost vassals. By 1020, the majority of the Nelic States were under control of either the Khalit'hasa or in an alliance with the Volovan Empire.

Volovan Succession Crisis and Boliari Cessions

Artwork depicting the battle between Tamaz and Remis, c. 1109

Throughout its forty-year existence, the Volovan Empire saw a total of five kings, four of which followed the father-son succession line. However, the fourth Volovan King Yuri had no children during his reign, thus opening up the line of succession to his brothers and cousins, sparking the Volovan Succession Crisis. During this time, a noble who held dominion in Akhalibisi, known as Remis, claimed the throne for himself via being the first cousin of Yuri through their paternal sides. The only other individual who held any feasible claim to the throne was Tamaz, who claimed to be the grandnephew to Volova's third King Orev. As a result, Remis opted for the assistance of the Volovan Boliari (who were directly succeeded from the Salovian Boliari, with many of its members having living memory of Salovia) to legitimize and secure his claim to rule over Volova. This of course came at a cost to his absolute right to rule, and was required to cede some of his power, most notably his right to gift land to whomsoever he pleased. This right was given to the Boliari, and as such the immense wealth and influence the Boliari had was utilized to secure Remis' claim to the throne. Even with the backing of the Boliari, Tamaz challenged Remis to a battle for succession.

Word quickly spread through much of Volova and the neighboring Nelic States, and as a result the Succession Battle between Tamaz and Remis had become a major event likened to modern day fighting matches. Tamaz took advantage of this early form of media exposure to popularize himself with the peasantry, spreading word of his "valiant efforts to stop the menace that is Remis and his evil Boliari," hoping that, in the even of a loss, the peasantry would turn on Remis and assassinate him. The day came, and in the then-capital of Astravili, the two men battled to the death in the antiquitous Stadium of Potiriz. After what was described by one nobleman as "hours upon hours of bloodshed and despair," Remis was eventually able to defeat Tamaz, ensuring his claim to the throne. Though a few peasants in the stadiums had reportedly "made a commotion over the terrible loss of Tamaz," this was soon quieted by the guardsmen of Potiriz. As such, Remis I became King of Volova.

After approximately a year of ruling as King of Volova, Remis soon set his sights on the Nelic States, his ambitions being to reform the Salovian Monarchy with him as its new king. As such, in 1032, Remis declared himself the new king of a restored Salovia, claiming a blood right as the grandson of Lerin XVI. That same year, Remis began what would become known as the Grand Reconquest, wherein over the span of a century would see Remis I and his progeny slowly reconquer former Salovian territory.

Restored Monarchy

The Grand Reconquest and The Second Golden Age

Q'iturebi Dynasty Vivancantadia Ports from 1304 to 1400

Era of Unrest and the Posolic Wars

The Era of Unrest was a tumultuous period wherein the nation of Salovia was without a singular form of government, with many of the major cities resorting to self-governance, and rural areas experiencing increased autonomy for a period of time. The old customs that had placed the Salovian Royal Family at the head were no longer considered to be legitimate, resulting in a slow trend towards political separation among the diverse regions of the nation. In 1796, a governing body in Akhalibisi and the surrounding Lake Nilovi area, calling themselves the "Grand Salovian Republic," had begun to garner support throughout the fractured nation. The Grand Salovian Republic's governing system, based loosely on the democratic systems found in former Codexian colonies, had established a three-branch system based on checks and balances. By the turn of the century the group had effectively replaced the original nobility-inspired government that had formed in Akhalibisi, with most of the surrounding rural communities opting to join the newly-created Republic. Around the same time, the area in what is now modern-day Baykalia, rather than consider itself "Salovian," had declared independence from the defunct nation. Paired with the Morstaybishlian and Codexian Empires occupying large swaths of former Salovian territory, a newfound nationalistic fervor, driven partially by the spread of Salovian propaganda, would take hold throughout many the remaining highly-populated regions of Salovia, namely Shagonar and Akhalibisi and their respective surrounding areas. The two populated areas soon formed the foundation for the modern Republic, and many of the rural areas would also recognize it as the true and legitimate government of the successor nation to the Monarchy. On December 10th, 1811 a Unification Ceremony was held in Akhalibisi, officially establishing the nation (simultaneously declaring Akhalibisi the new capital), and a year later the first Chancellor, Mikhail Karanovi, assumed office.

Soon after the Unification Ceremony, tensions between Caltharus and the new Grand Salovian Republic began to sprout, with the primary issue being the newly-independent Baykalia. Both nations claimed Baykalia to be a legitimate part of each other's territory, with the two nearing the brink of war over the disputed claim. The five years after the Unification Ceremony, Baykalia experienced a period of mass poverty and starvation throughout the area, known in Baykalia as the Age of Fatigue. Thousands died of starvation and disease, and the leader of the fledgling nation struck a deal with the Salovian leader in which Baykalia would be annexed by Salovia, but it would require Baykalia to have more say in the nation's affairs than the rest of Salovia. Another notable series of events during the Era of Unrest was Oscrelia's push into Salovian territory, the nation acquiring large swaths of land directly south of it. The Crusade of the Bandits, a series of bandit attacks taking place on the far desert reaches of Salovia, had also sprung up in the Great Auroran Desert, as well a short-lived war between Codex and Salovia over the area just east of modern-day Tuvaltastan, known as the War of the Crescent Coast.

First Posolic War

From 1795 to 1810, the biggest of the three conflicts involving multiple theaters, from Oscrelia to Ethalria and Morstaybishlia.

Second Posolic War

From 1814 to 1826, longer but not as extensive or deadly, son of Vakhudan Posol involved after his father's death in 1810.

Third Posolic War

From 1832 to 1834. The smallest one, only minor battles. Vakhudan's son Yurev Posol led an army a number of times in an attempt to capture the capital, Akhalibisi, and was handily defeated. Yurev would flee into exile in Aeternum

The Grand Republic

See Also: List of Chancellors of Salovia

Greatest Colonial Extent of Salovia in 1913

The Era of Unrest came to a close, with the Grand Republic of Salovia being accepted nationally and internationally as the new government of the region. The first Chancellor of this new republic was Mikhail Karanovi, who would go down in history as the greatest and most influential leader of Salovia. Along with his successor Orev Saloko, both kept the diverse peoples and polities of the nation united, succeeding in repairing the infrastructure and economy, and kept the public's faith in their leadership and government. Under Karanovi and Saloko, Salovia entered into a short and controversial period of colonialism, invading and conquering the territories of what would become Lapimuhyo and Ayaupia in Gondwana and Puntalia in Arcturia. The Grand Republic would continue to exist as the internationally-recognized government until the Auroran Imperial War and the Salovian Civil War split the nation into its modern counterparts Tivot, Baykalia, Kostromastan, and Tuvaltastan in 2005, with Nilovia breaking away from Tuvaltastan in early 2008 and Kostromastan dissolving into Volova and Nolova in 2020.

Colonialism and Rise of The Salovian Gondwana-Arcturia Company

K'undzeti from 1731-1841

New Zeiberland from 1731-1808

Ayaupia in 1840-1880, Komertsiya Port from 1840-1992 (part of Tuvaltastan from 1992-2020, part of Ayaupia since 2020)

Puntalia in 1386-1567, then taken by Ethalria in 1567. Returned to Salovian hands from Morstaybishlia in 1917, until gaining independence in 1949.

Tortuga in 1433-1954

Didi Zghvis K'edeli in 1698-1992 (now part of Tuvaltastan)

Vivancantadian port cities from 1304-1400

The Great War

(See also: The Great War)

Auroran Imperial War

(See also: Auroran Imperial War)

Salovian Civil War

Salovia prior to the Civil War

Main article: Salovian Civil War

The Salovian Civil War was by far the most devastating war in Salovian history, and one of the deadliest civil wars in world history. Killing tens of millions of people through both direct and indirect means, the war resulted from a growing hostility by the non-baykalian polties towards the two Baykalian polities, who gained disproportionate representation in the Salovian government due to the Baykalian Annexation Deal of 1816. Baykalians had held a majority in both the upper and lower houses of legislature since the 1950's, and systematically passed legislature that would slowly maximize Baykalian influence and minimize the influence of other polities in elections and in legislature. Following numerous protests, marches and riots, most notably the 1957 March for Equality, the 1966 Nal'Chik and Shagonar Riots, and the 1976 Protests in Akhalibisi, the polity of Volova, backed by Tuva, Alta and Nilovia, began the civil war by attacking Baykalia in the Battle of Irkutsk, officially starting the war in 1985. It would be another two decades, and numerous battles, airstrikes, and deaths until the war would officially end in 2005 with the signing of the Treaty of Astravili.

Politics

Under the Monarchy

From its founding in 135 until the dissolution of the monarchy in 1795, Salovia operated under the framework of a hierarchical absolute monarchy, with the reigning King or Queen at the time having total control over the goings-on of the nation, with more minor day-to-day events handled at the respective lower ranks. The hierarchy of the monarchy was inspired by the one under the Kingdom of Suvol, wherein the monarch would oversee a council made up of the highest local authorities within the nation, including city mayors, provincial governors, military generals, and, later in the monarchy's existence, company executives.

The Salovian hierarchy, for most of its existence, followed the rank structure below:

• King/Queen (Occasionally Emperor)
• Prince/Princess
• Boliari
• Duke/Duchess
• Governor/Governess
• Mayor

As was common among similar monarchies, a complex political structure formed among those below the reigning monarch, with those in the Royal Family placed at a higher political status than those not within the family. The highest non-familial position is known as the Boliari. It was a collection of between 50 and 100 individuals, the number of which wholly dependent on the reigning monarch, made up of mostly religious and high-ranking politicians specifically chosen by the king or queen. The Boliari were typically a first among equals position, and served as a counsel to the monarch in times of decision making. Throughout the nation's history as a monarchy, a number of other individuals would be appointed into the Boliari, including military generals and company executives.

Under the Grand Republic

The politics of Salovia under the Grand Republic took place under the framework of a federal semi-presidential republic. There existed two primary heads of state and government, those being the Chancellor and the Grand Minister. The Chancellor's primary duties were the approving of the Grand Executive Council (excluding the Grand Minister, who was elected by the people and approved by the Grand Judiciary), the appointment of Grand Judges to the Grand Judiciary, the ability to veto legislation, and authority and last say in regards to the general policies of the country. The Grand Minister's duties consisted of primarily of, along with legislature, pushing legislature up to the Chancellor for approval, headed the Grand Executive Council who acted as a balancer against the Chancellor, and served as the acting Chancellor in the event of his absence.

Government

The Salovian system of government, prior to its dissolution as a result of the Civil War, was the oldest continuously used republican system on Aurora, and is divided into three branches: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. The unicameral legislature, the Zedakhli, oversaw the process of enacting and voting on proposed legislation and the appointing of the Grand Minister to the Grand Executive Council. The executive branch consisted of two primary bodies and one lesser body: the Chancellery and the Grand Executive Council (also called the Didi Sabch’o) as the primary bodies and the Council of Governors as the lesser body; the Chancellor would be in charge of general oversight of his policy and delegated that policy to the Council and the Departmental Officers. As head of the Council, the Grand Minister had the capability of challenging policy in some cases and with probable reason. The Council of Governor's primary duty was to serve as the tiebreaking vote for Chancellor, should there be a candidate who does not receive a majority of votes. The Judiciary, the Mmsjelobebi, debated and decided on the constitutionality of decisions made by the other two branches, and were appointed by the Chancellor and approved by the Zedakhli.

The position of Grand Minister serves as the individual in charge of day-to-day governmental operations, and the position belongs to the individual whosoever the Zedakhli elects to the office. Often times the Grand Minister would be the leader of the political party or coalition of parties that holds the most seats in the Zedakhli. Per the Consitution, the Grand Minister's primary duty was as a "balancer to the Chancellor, to keep in check the natural bias towards one's own interests," but in most cases the Minister would by courtesy keep the use of this power to a minimum when in the same party or coalition of parties as the Chancellor.

The federal government itself was centralized in the capital, initially located in Akhalibisi, shortly resituated within Chita, but as a result of legislation it was later moved back to Akhalibisi. This centralization expedited the discussion and passing of legislature concerning nation-wide issues, including healthcare, education, defense, land rights, taxation, and trade. Throughout its history, there existed within Salovia a number of provinces and autonomous protectorates that would frequently change the number of Governors in charge of those states, which greatly affected the size of the Council of Governors.

The Unity in Salovia Party, the Conservative Party of Salovia, and the Social Democracy Party of Salovia were the three primary parties of Salovia, with only one other party, the Glorious Salovia Party, electing one of the sixteen Chancellors. No other parties have garnered enough votes to constitute any considerable coalition within the Zedakhli outside of the three primary parties.

Economy

The Salovian region consisting of large deposits of minerals, gems, and metals allows for a significant natural resource exportation economy. The continental region of Salovia contains various deposits of iron, bauxite, gold, and silver deposits, with notable deposits of rare earth minerals, including platinum, yttrium, palladium, and cerium. Precious and semi precious gems like diamond, ruby, sapphire, peridot, and emerald can be found in small deposits in the Kalivians, the Great East Divide, and the Tervil mountains. Oil and natural gas deposits are largely located within the vast Great Auroran Desert, and contain one of the largest natural deposits of oil on Aurora.

Culture

Cuisine

The cuisine of Salovia is deeply tied to the eastern Auroran environments, from the central deserts and the lush southern plains of Lovia, to the northern savannahs of Suvol. The locations in which the Salovian people colonized also had significant influence on what Salovian cuisine entailed, adopting cuisines ranging from Puntalia and Tortuga to Lapimuhyo and Ayaupia.

One common tea consumed by Salovians is **mtis chai**, or mountain tea.

Holidays

Nationally-Observed

Holidays celebrated in Salovia

Date	Holiday	Remarks
January 1	New Year's Day	Celebrates beginning of the Common Era calendar year. Festivities include counting down to midnight (called atvla) and drinking a glass of absinthe frappé to bring in the new year. It is common for Salovians to emphasize the number twelve, be it through the lighting of twelve candles, serving of twelve meals, and so on. It is thought that it will bring good tidings if the number twelve is made a significant part of the first day of the year.
March 20/21	Sulis Dghe	Soul Day in Staynish/Codexian; Sulis Dghe is a celebration occurring on the autumn equinox, where those that have passed away are honored, as well as the Courier of Souls, K'urieri. Food items and items of sentimental value are typically brought to the graves of loved ones, and scented candles are lit surrounding their graves.
Seven days after autumn equinox	Akhlo K'vira	Called the Autumn Fair in Staynish (Fall Festival in Codexian), the week-long festivities center around the traditional bartering event called Gatsvlis Dghe (Trade Day in Staynish and Codexian), wherein farmers and herders from across Salovia would conduct their business on purchasing or trading livestock, from cattle to sheep and chickens. The event is believed to stem from Salovian and Ethalrian farmers centuries ago meeting up to exchange and purchase livestock in preparation for the winters of Aurora. Over time, the event had evolved to include other events, like the now-annual Sasmelis K’onk’ursi drinking fest, the various competitions that take place during the seven-day holiday, and more notably the Khermali Hot Air Balloon Race.
June 20-26	Verk'vira	Week of Ver in Staynish/Codexian; Verk'vira is a weeklong celebration following the summer solstice dedicated to both the God of Creation, Ver, and the floods of the Khermali river. The celebration begins on the day of the summer solstice and when the sun reaches solar noon.
September 21/22	Q’vela Dghe	All Day in Staynish/Codexian; Commemorates the spring equinox yearly, and is a day to celebrate "all of creation," a virtue stemming from Verk'ohist teachings. It is often celebrated by choosing an event or activity that an individual has on their sup’i survili, or "bucket list" in Staynish/Codexian.
June 21/22	Zamtris T'algha	Translated to Winter's Tide in Codexian and Staynish; The holiday has been celebrated in Salovia for the better part of three millennia, with the first instance of a winter solstice celebration found in a stone relief located in Chita, where it describes the holiday as it was celebrated during the reign of Rulik I, who ruled the Nobility of Er.

Notes

	Salovia
Main article: Salovia
Important Topics: Culture ♦ Salovian ♦ Verk'ohism ♦ Kirib ♦ Salovian Monarchs ♦ Salovian Chancellors
Nations: Tivot ♦ Biramura ♦ Volova ♦ Nolova ♦ Tuvaltastan ♦ Nilovia ♦ Oscrelia ♦ Tarelia
History: Kingdom of Suvol ♦ Suvolic Empire ♦ Salovian Golden Age ♦ Elven Kings ♦ Salovian Colonialism ♦ Salovian Civil War
Important Figures (Past and Present): Rorik the Conqueror ♦ Beatrice the Grand ♦ Æris the Elven Usurper ♦ Rorin the Terror ♦ Mikhail Karanovi ♦ Rorik Posol ♦ Vakhudan Posol ♦ Lady Posol ♦ Lara Tarasovna ♦ Alyona Petrovavich