Republic of Orange and Purple
The Republic of Orange and Purple (Dutch: De Republiek van Oranje en Paars or De Republiek van Oranje en Purpur) is a Naval Republic located in the Western Sea in the Central Western region of The Shire. It's capital is Paarsdam, which is located in the middle of was built upon massive stone foundations which rise hundreds of meters from the ocean floor. The Republic primarily speaks Dutch and English, with some Old Britannian still spoken in small communities.
Founded in 1681 CE from naval elements of the shattered Old Britannian tribes, after the Sammichian Razing of Britannia, the "floating city" of Paarsdam was the first settlement of the sea-faring nation. Stone bricks, carved from beneath the snowy wastes of the frozen continent to the north, were used to expand the tiny island on which the Britannians first landed. From there, the city of Paarsdam expanded to become a thriving epicenter of commerce, industry, and culture in the Western Shire. Initially a Kingdom, the Republic itself was founded in 1698, and was joined by the surrounding provinces of Groenevelden, South Paarsdam (a separate province by governance and population), Birkenbos, and Oosteilanden, which continue to hold loyal sovereignty within the centralized government. The Republic also maintains seven forts and fortresses in and around the Western Sea, protecting its territories and people from invasion by land and sea.
The government of the Republic is a Parliamentary system, which elects an executive Prime Minister who holds the powers of a president but is checked by the power of the parliament. The current elected leader is Wuggeh I of Maine. While the Republic does not allow private land-owning, it does allow for land stewardship and development, provided that the steward pays for the development and utilities provided. The Stewards are represented by the House of Stewards in Parliament, in collaboration with the House of Populants, the second, higher house of Parliament representing the population of the provinces as a whole.