Union State

The Union State (UNS or U.N.S), officially the Union State of Northwestern Talamor, is a country located in northwestern Talamor on the east bank of the River of Ravens and north of the Aephyr Mountains made up of 38 states and 1 Federal district, 4 territories and 12 minor outlying islands. It has the second largest economy on Talamor following behind Barenia and also the third largest country in the world by territorial land mass, despite this large amount of land the nation is home to 40,723,831 million people which is considered below average when compared to its colossal southern neighbor or any of the larger nations. The Union State borders Barenia to the south and XXX to the east along the River of Ravens and the Big Bull State, it shares maritime borders with Barenia and XXX to its west. Unlike most other nations in Talamor, the Union State is immensely more authoritarian compared to the surrounding practicing an extreme form of  and having a semi-dictatorial imperial  that rules for an unlimited amount of time as there are no term limits. Though elections are held every 8 years. Its capital is Huxley which is the first settlement established, named after the famed father of the nation former Admiral George Huxley however, the largest city in the Union State is 5-Point City which is a massive trade and financial hub located in the state of Refuge.

Founded during the Great Breakoff in 16XX by Rejuvenated Kauranists seeking refuge or exiled by Saesland on the grounds of religious heresy, the refugees landed on the western shores of Talamor after former Admiral Huxley lead his fleet of refugee ships to their new home following an immensely bright white star that pierced the dark night that is believed to be a reward for the Kaurissemites as they adhered to the true faith in their plight and his naval experience. After the first towns were established, the Union State was officially formed with the December City agreement, George Huxley was elected to become the first president after winning by a historical landslide and reigning until his death. After the Great Breakoff, the Opportunist Rush began as plentiful natural resources are discovered in the young country's lands, quickly overcrowding the nation with and forcing it to expand north and east into native lands in 1734 so as to care efficiently for its rapidly growing population stopping west of the River of Ravens and the Big Bull Tribal Lands under the orders of then-president Lyon Baker. Over the course of the next few years, the Union State would attempt to appease its subjugated peoples by dealing with minor rebellions until eventually giving full rights and citizenship to the natives under its rule, this would make many staunch extreme conservatives who believed the Union State was a nation for Westerners only, furious. The reforms would kickstart a civil war lasting from 1829 to 1838 with the rebels losing to the government and loyalists finally ending resistance from both natives and extreme conservatives.

By the 20th century, the Union State was quickly becoming a trade hub and an informal but close ally to its southern neighbor, Barenia, aiding it during the Qohak war via lending lease and letting even whole military units for Barenia in its defense. In the aftermath of the war, the Union State would join the Coalition of Talamor as a founding member aiding the reconstruction of the shattered continent. Even though part of the coalition the Union State still maintains its own currency, the Union Star that is to the Barenian dollar's value. During the Great Serrataran war it would join as a part of Beranian forces with its troops serving for much of the war after entering it from 19XX to the end, the Union State also aided all its allies via lend-lease firearms, uniforms, equipment, and vehicles. After the war ended the Union State would help found the Tavaric Treaty organization remaining as a member of the alliance to the modern day and an essential contributor to it. The Union State would be active in most TTO interventions during the post Great Serrataran War era such as the Kaurismas war and its own violent conflict in the state of Big Bull from the 1960s to 2001 against the Big Bull nationalist paramilitary organization known as the Big Bull Liberation Army, made up of dozens of smaller paramilitary groups that came together, in a period known as The Troubles as they began to terrorize the state and even outside like with the Union State Embassy Hostage crisis in Buena Vista at its height in 1984.

As of 2023, the Union State is as mentioned before part of the Talamor Coalition and the Tavaric Treaty Organization, both as a founding member and major contributor. It also is a part of the jointly managed Talamor Aerospace Defence Command (TAC) with the other member being Barenia which monitors the airspace of Talamor for any potential airborne threats. It shares close relations with Barenia and all other TTO member states with various trade agreements, non-aggression pacts, mutual defense treaties, and mutual cooperation agreements signed between the Union State and its allies. For other nations outside of the TTO, the Union State has less than favorable relations with some nations, Fengjiang for a multitude of different reasons on the moral and cultural level, in a poll conducted in 2020 on which nation Northwesternites hate the most, 69% of responses named Fengjiang as the most hated nation in the Union State. Outside of the superpower alliance blocs, the Union State is a member of the World Trade Federation and the Atomic Ban Convention being designated a state with an unweaponized atomic program and atomic capability.

Etymology
Unlike other nations that have a name with significance, the Union State has its name because it is a Union of multiple different states forming 1 singular state when the first towns came together to draft up the nation. The land they occupied was split up and awarded to the towns to manage and rule based on natural features mostly, these towns and territories would become the original 16 states that founded the Union State. Before its Manifest Destiny expansion into the north and west, the official name was the Union State of the West Coast as the nation stretched along the west coast of Talamor above Barenia only. The name it has now, the Union State of Northwestern Talamor was only made official in 1785 by the Name Change Referendum after a lengthy discussion between the president and congress as the nation had come to encompass the northwest of Talamor.

Early History
Like all nations on Talamor, early humans first reached what is the modern-day Union State migrating from Ozara after crossing the Duhur land bridge from the Sinsal Mountains on Rhodin at least 12,000 years ago with some surviving people groups able to trace their heritage culturally directly to modern-day tribes around the Sinsal Mountains still. Before that it is unknown if there were other human species inhabiting Talamor being a subject of great argument over historians and paleontologists. Over time these people spread all over Talamor diversifying into many different native tribes being somewhat coherent with the rest of the world's technological advancements such as and. The original inhabitants of the land where the original settlers founded the first towns were called the Marqi people, these people had become extinct by the time the first settlers arrived in 16XX due to a catastrophic blight in conjunction with widespread resulting in mass famine and an exodus to the lands west and south leaving their former homeland deserted becoming different peoples over time. The first settlers would find many ruins and relics from the Marqi, left untouched practically for the last decades before their arrival leaving out natural deterioration by the forces of nature. To this day not much is known about the Marqi for they possessed no written records, and some historians doubt they even had a writing system, to begin with.

The Great Breakoff and First Settlers
In 16XX, a high-ranking Saessish priest by the name of Hubert Lexington would become dissatisfied with the Saessish church of Orthodox Kaurisem to an extreme degree. Using his influence in the institution he would influence many to form a new system including some members of the military and previously mentioned church, believing the old Orthodox system was too corrupt and rotten to be saved by normal means with the only way to fix it is by creating a new church and denomination from the ground up that broke off from the Reformed church. Soon this new denomination spread around Saesland calling itself Rejuvenated Kaurisem, and many clashes between those adhering to Orthodox Kaurism and Rejuvenated Kaurism with both sides calling each other traitors and heretics began. Hubert Lexington would be shot dead while attempting to lead a massive group of Rejuvenated Kaurissemites outside the biggest Orthodox Kaurist church in Saesland in prayers using the new system by hand gunners loyal to the Orthodox church. Not long after the incident Saesland began to the Rejuvenated Kaurists proper, though other methods like  and  were present, the primary way Saesland dealt with the Rejuvenatist Kaurissemites was by packing them onto poorly made small ships and sending them away to the east hoping they all died on the way or became someone else's problem if they survived. This was to save costs as the aforementioned methods of execution and imprisonment would crash the economy. At the time Saesland did not know much about Talamor to its east over the Tavaric Ocean and effectively this was a method of execution far worse and more drawn out. Others who saw what was happening began to flee Saesland themselves of their own volition on masse rather than face death as painful as others had, also going west just on ships that were better in every way than the poorly made small ones. Ironically this all happened before the Saessish civil war would occur only X years later.

Former Admiral George Huxley of the Saessish Royal Navy would be one such person exiled by the Saesland government as he had converted to Rejuvenated Kaurism. Before he was a well-respected high ranking member of the Saessish Royal Navy but due to his religion he was stripped from his rank and exiled alongside many others. He had no hope and all he wanted was a quick death knowing he would die on this voyage to nowhere. That was when an extremely bright star appeared in the night sky leading east after 3 days at sea, everyone was enamored by the star which filled the former admiral and others with hope, he would take charge and use his decades of naval experience gathered a fleet of ships that were nearby to follow the star as it was their only hope potentially. The journey would take a full 3 weeks with many people dying and 3 ships being sunk while another 4 were lost leaving just 3 ships left but eventually they reached land, it was the west coast of Talamor and it was completely devoid of other humans as the Marqi people who previously inhabited the land had long since died out giving the settlers to blank slate to create a new life for themselves.

The people of the last 3 ships would make landfall and found the first town of the Union State that would become the modern-day city of Shingleton. Most of the people that arrived would stay in Shingleton though others left to find various small villages, the vast majority would fall but some would survive up to this day. Unbeknownst to those in Shingleton, others in the same plight had landed all over the west coast in Talamor. The initial settlements that were created would become the Union State's major cities in the modern day, almost all of the people who had taken refuge in Talamor had been led to its coasts by the star initially with the rest and those arriving after the star had disappeared being to luck or found by other people who had already made it to Talamor. With the settlements established, the need came for a formal government to be created. Admiral Huxley would lead the first meeting of local leaders in a central location, December City, in this meeting the

Military
The Union State National Military like all TTO member states standardized to the TTO standard, it follows closely to the Barenian military taking inspiration from it. The Union State National military is under the direct control of the president who is its commander-in-chief appointing its leaders like the minister of defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff. In total there are 5 branches, the Union State Army, Union State Navy, Union State Air Force, Union State Coast Guard, and Union State National Guard alongside 2 sub-branches which are the Marine Corps and Space Force managed by the navy and air force respectively. Out of 2 of the 5 branches, the army, navy, and airforce are managed by the Department of Defense and are headquartered in Fort Hill while the last 2 are managed by the Department of Homeland Security also based in Fort Hill. It mainly gets its equipment from Barenia, Saesland, Avalonia, and Arstyia while having its own major arms industry due to civilian firearm laws already establishing a strong foundation for the Union State. As of 2023, all branches reported a total of 300,000 personnel on active duty, 600,000 on reserve duty, and 6 million fit to serve. Military service in the Union State is voluntary though limited conscription may be implemented in times of war. Women are exempt from said conscription but may volunteer in non-combat roles such as medics or logistical staff with women serving in combat roles being a rarity. However, grants of service may be handed out on special reasons. In Addition to military personnel, 100,000 civilians and military contractors are hired by the Department of Defense. The Union State spends around an estimated ✭XX Billion Stars, X% of its GDP, every year on the Department of Defense which the department appropriates to the different branches according to needs and situations. This makes the Union State the XXth highest spender of GDP on the military worldwide behind X and above X. In addition to conventional capabilities the Union State has the ability to develop operating a total of 21  throughout the nation though it chooses not to pursue a nuclear arsenal.

Being a part of the TTO means that the Union State has participated in its numerous interventions and wars, mainly the Kaurismas War and Milima War as part of TTO forces with the added period of unrest during the Troubles from the late 1960s to 2001. During these conflicts, the Union State military was noted for being extremely professional but it is still unknown how it will perform during an actual full-scale war with the GOCE with estimates ranging from extremely well to below average. Despite the estimate, the Union State military has combat experience from past conflicts to draw upon, even if they are becoming increasingly outdated as time goes on. Major battles involving the Union State were the Second Battle of area A7BR during the Kaurismas War and the Battle of the overpass during the Troubles.

The Union State military finds its roots in the original settlers that came to Talamor after the Great Breakoff, all sorts of people came to the western shores of Talamor including soldiers and veterans that previously served Saesland who formed the first militias. These militias were similar to the modern-day Union State National Guard and were divided up between the original states and towns rarely venturing outside of the local area near the town. After the December City agreement the states pooled together resources to create a formal army while the navy would be created during the Opportunist Rush with 6 converted merchant vessels being the first ships of the Union State Navy followed by shortly after, 2 Frigates. The air force would only come about during Qohak war as aircraft became viable for warfare, reportedly several Union State soldiers who volunteered in the Barenian Army became aviators and returned with sufficient experience plus training allowing the Union State to form their own air force that was a branch of the army becoming its own separate branch after the Great Serrataran war.

Army
The Union State Army is the main ground force of the Union State. It is the largest branch of the whole Union State National military and is modeled closely after the Barenian army with a few alterations. It operates large number of vehicles using a mechanized and armored doctrine. The Union State army in wartime can assume control of the national guard to supplement its already active service military forces alongside raising limited conscription of civilians that are fit to serve.

Law Enforcement and crime
Law enforcement in the Union State is described as having been 'heavily militarized' since the 1980s, it is controlled jointly between the Department of Homeland Security and either a, , or entirely by the Department of Homeland Security. As of 2022, there are 8,000 police agencies from the local to the federal level around the Union State. Aside from normal police departments, state police provide broader services, and federal agencies with different special tasks and purposes exist such as the Union State Mounted Police Service and the Government Investigation Bureau protecting things like civil rights and national security and enforcing federal court rulings and laws. Most trials both civil and criminal go through state courts but appeals and certain designated crimes go to the federal court level. As mentioned before the Union State's system of law enforcement is 'heavily militarized' due to The Troubles, since the 1980s Union State officers have had access to military-level equipment such as armored cars and fully automatic firearms.

As of 2020, the Union State has an rate of X per 100,000 people. Compared to other countries the Union State is considered below average compared to other high-income countries despite loose gun laws. The Union State is Xth in terms of documented incarceration rate in the world with a total of 37,854 adult offenders in custody recorded. Prisons in the Union State are divided between state and federal prisons.

Despite most nations having abolished capital punishment, capital punishment in the Union State is mandated both on the state and federal levels being constitutionally protected with attempts to make capital punishment illegal shut down quickly. Approximately around 500 to 1000 prisoners are executed every year in the Union State for various crimes.

Population
As of the year 2022, the Union State Census Agency records a population of 40,723,831 residents making it the Xth most populous country on Tellurus and Xth on Talamor. The population is mostly centered around the original states and its cities with 5-Point City having 8,621,640 residents alone, other notable large population centers include Huxley, Stillwater, Shingleton, New Avalonia, Potatofield, Port Star and December city. It is noted that the Union State has an above-average with 2.2 children per woman when compared to other nations its size. Most Union State citizens, particularly of Westerner and New Heritage ethnicity, can trace their heritage back to either those that arrived to escape religious persecution in Saesland and/or those that arrived during the Opportunist Rush from Avalonia and Saesland. Westerners form the largest ethnic group in the Union State being of Saessish, Avalonian, or any other "white" descent making up 54% of the population. They are followed in second place by Old Plains is the native peoples that inhabit the eastern plains of the Union State mostly consisting of 24% of the population. New Heritage are the third largest group in the Union State made up of people of mixed decent from any ethnic group, people of New Heritage ethnicity mostly inhabit the area around the River of Ravens and makeup 11% of the population. Northerners are the fourth largest group of the natives that inhabit the Union State's cold northern states and territories being just 7% of the population. The last group are those not part of any of the mentioned ethnic groups placed together into the others category making up 3% only, they are mostly immigrants from other countries or refugees that seek a new life in the Union State.

Culture and society
Northwesternites have been traditionally characterized as people that are compassionate, caring, welcoming, and extremely nationalistic of their own nation. They have an undying belief in "the ends justify the means" also known as, this is shown in their own government system is an authoritarian imperial presidency that pursues morally just goals via immoral means such as corruption and strongarming. As a result, northwesternites are also known to be extremely just fighting for justice as they see fit most of the time for what is right whether it be for common small disputes or on a government scale such as the rejection of Fengese corporations in the Union State due to moral reasons even if it sets the nation back economically. This shows on a global scale as well with Union State donations to charities making up 12% of total global donations in 2021 as well as the Union State is a champion for human rights though this is disputed due to their laws on capital punishment. Despite not being as diverse as Barenia to its south, it still exerts a major cultural influence on a global scale, especially via media and food. Northwesternites have an undying belief in social equality, property rights, strong leaders, strong governments, and equality under the law.

Aside from those categorized in the native ethnic groups, the Union State's culture is a part of the Hatarian culture group derived from mainly Saessish and Avalonian immigrants or refugees that originally settled in the Union State. Other influences come from native cultures which are most common in the eastern half of the country. Despite the great difference in ethnic groups and races relating to race has been next to nonexistent since the Union State Civil war though social inequality relating to wealth still does persist more than race does. Northwesternites enjoy high social mobility in comparison to other countries valuing socioeconomic achievement as a result of the high level of social mobility the Union State has.

In the modern day, the Union State has been regarded as a "beacon of progressivism" being permissive to ideas surrounding LGBT rights and more contemporary ideas. LGBT rights in the Union State include protection from discrimination and recognition of LGBT marriages. Public perception has changed immensely since the 1970s from a more conservative viewing point to a progressive one now. The only exception to the acceptance of contemporary ideas is in the arts and fashion with trends suggesting the Union State is unlikely to advance in such fields to the standards as other countries are as of now being described as "stuck in the 1930s".

The Union State has several public holidays and cultural traditions that are exclusive to its nation only. The most notable holidays are the Festival of the Shining Star taking place at a date range of 1st to 12th February where people gather to commemorate the star that first brought the first settlers to Talamor appearing in the night sky which only appears at that set time every year, the Festival of Ice which takes place on the 8th of December where people spend the whole day making sometimes elaborate ice sculptures and snowmen and the Moonlight flower dance which is a festival combining native and Hatarian cultural traditions where young people try to find love via dancing and established couples to celebrate their relationships

Literature and visual arts
Literature originating from the Union State has been considered a minor contributor to the greater Hatar culture group of literature and visual arts. As current trends suggest literature from its southern neighbor Barenia and Avalonia are the most popular rather than those originating from the Union State itself. However there have been a few that have managed to break the status quo of literature in the Union State, writers such as Quincy Goodall, Marshall Capone, Titus Long Dong, and Ashley Marie Davidson have helped produced some of the most famous works originating from the Union State. Some works that are seen with great importance to literature in the Union State are Quincy Goodall's The Old Lie (1813), Marshall's Trenches of hell (1950), and Ashley's Silent Ice (1924) and Love in December City (1926). Despite all being considered of great importance to literature in the Union State, these works have next to no global influence carving out small niche followings in Barenia and are only widely known in the borders of the Union State.

In comparison to Union State literature, visual arts in the Union State is widely known for its unorthodox trends and styles. The Union State is considered the capital of art that was most prevalent in the early 1900s such as and  attracting many tourists to its unique art galleries, whole buildings have been constructed in the 21st century in the style of art deco according to these trends as modernism has begun to lose popularity in the Union State. These buildings now dominate the skyline as a beacon of the Union State's architectural scene influencing buildings of similar style to be constructed outside the nation even. Outside of art styles from the early 1900s, other styles of art have gained popularity mainly art derived from and animations that have captured the Union State populace, particularly the youth, this has spawned its own art movement that is related to its inspiration but independent. This style of art has been able to make its way into all forms of major media in the Union State as of 2023 and has no signs of stopping only increasing as time goes on. Though in comparison to the tide of old 1900s art styles, it is minor in the wider art scene in the modern Union State.

The reason for this sudden shift to past art styles unlike other nations that have seen a revolution in art styles embracing contemporary art is a widely argued topic among experts. The most commonly accepted theory is a collective burnout of modern art styles causing a boom of older art styles which are viewed with reverence and respect in the Union State being described as 'reactionary in terms of art'. and art in the Union State are viewed as confusing and lazy causing much conflict between artists hailing from the Union State and other countries with more normal art scenes.

Video Games
The video game industry in the Union State is considered to be one of the biggest and fastest growing in the world although no major consoles originate from the Union State. The largest gaming platforms are either computers or from Fengjiang or Barenia using the standardized established console systems. The first major titles that originated from the Union State were from the developer System Works Entertainment founded in 1992 by ex-developers working at various Barenian video game development studios. System Works Entertainment would create the first world-recognized popular video game originating from the Union State, Guilty Link, in 1996. This would begin the Union State's video game industry as inspired by the success of System Works Entertainment, smaller studios would be founded alongside single-man developers creating their own games. To this day the video game industry is made up of mostly small independent developers or small studios aided by major publishing companies. Larger studios exist such as the aforementioned System Works Entertainment, Raid Camp, Alyx Interactive, and Guild Quest Games.

As of 2022, the Union State has begun to see what can be described as a 'golden age in gaming' with a shocking number of titles hailed as the greatest video games of all time. Experts point to the over-exploitation of iconic big Barenian franchises causing player dissatisfaction and increasingly easy access to game development software with game engines available via a simple search on the web. Combined with the nature of the video game industry in the Union State, video games developed by a single man driven by passion garner much international critical acclaim as seen in 2016 when Stardew Stream was released after development by a single man named Eric Hover for over 6 years straight. When compared to games with million-dollar budgets, Stardew Stream was superior in its genre and almost perfect in every way winning numerous international awards. To this day Stardew Stream is the most critically acclaimed game originating from the Union State and one of the most in the entire world.

Other best-selling and popular include Escape from Romania, Trenches, Hatar Truck Simulator 2, Project Z, Fireteam, and The Hubert Parable which are all made by developers from the Union State. It is estimated that around 100,000 people are employed directly and indirectly by the video game industry being a major employer of people around the Union State throughout its territory. Though the number of those employed by the video game industry is expected to increase as it increases in size and the game development software becomes more advanced and accessible. The national compensation for direct workers is ✭XX billion or an average wage of ✭XXX,XXX.