Candanadium

Kingdom of Candanadium Königreich Kandanadium
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: None official, traditionally: The Maple Leaves Forever Hoch Ahornlaub (Up the maple leaves) Magnar hoch (Up the House of Magnar) Long live the King Magnar and the Isle (Kanadiaans: Magnar und die Insel, traditional battle cry)
Anthem:  "The Maple Leaves Forever" Royal anthem:  "Wilhelmus von Magnare"
Location of Candanadium in Great Kaltachia
Capital and largest city	New Konigstadt
Official languages	Oseanian Kanadiaans
Recognised regional languages	Trefjalli Caskaans Hautsing Mandarin
Ethnic group(s) (2016)	86.3% Kaltach - 39.3% Kanadiaans - 34.5% Oseanian - 4.5% Caskaans - 4.2% Trefjalli - 3.8% other Kaltach 6.3% Oriental - 4.3% Akarean (including Hautsing) - 2.0% other Oriental 7.4% Other
Religion (2016)	66.3% Church of Eostre in Candanadium 11.7% Oseanian Faith 6.4% Other Eostrist denominations 5.0% Church of Our Lady of Caskhomir 10.6% Other/Irreligious
Demonym(s)	Candanadian
Government	Federal parliamentary semi-constitutional monarchy
• Monarch	King Herman III von Magnar
• Chancellor	Pieter von Juppertal
• Lord President of the Privy Council	Elliott Taylor-Broadview, The Duke of Aylstead
• Lord Speaker of Parliament	Gabriel Luther
• Lord High Justice	Brian Lexington
Legislature	Federal Crown Council
• Upper house	The King's Privy Council
• Lower house	Parliament of Candanadium
Established from the Confederation of the Realms of the Conqueror
• Wilhelmus von Magnare lands in Belkhomir	1107
• Kanadiaans Conquest ends	1127
• Decentralization of Wilhelmus' empire	1257
• The War of the Cask	1666
• Confederation of the Realms of the Conqueror formed	1700
• Kingdom of Candanadium formed	November 11, 1783
• Last polity (Caskhomir) admitted	June 25, 1965
Population
• 2016 census	122,163,289
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Total	KAT $6.6 trillion
• Per capita	KAT $54,033
Currency	Candanadian thaler (KAT) In Belkhomir: Belkhomirian ducat (BKD) In Caskhomir: Caskhomirian rand (CSR)
Time zone	Trefjall Time (TET, TET+0) Candanadium Central Time (CCT, TET+1) Oseanian Time (OST, TET+2) Candanadium Eastern Time (CET, TET+3) Hautsing Time (HST, TET+8)
Calling code	+11
Country code	CDM
Internet TLD	.ka

Candanadium (/ˌkændəˈneɪdiːəm/; Kanadiaans: Kandanadium /ˌkandaˈnaːdiːʊm/), Officially the Kingdom of Candanadium (Kanadiaans: Königreich Kandanadium), is a Kingdom in Great Kaltachia with one province in the Orient. It is home to a population of around 122 million Candanadians, most of which are from Kanadiaans or Oseanian descent, though it is also home to ethnic minorities such as the Trefjalli and the Caskaans, as well as a large Akarean immigrant community. Candanadium is bordered on the north by the Sea of the Cape, on the south by Kreyermark and Alpenraum, on the east by Varskhomir and on the west by Trefjall. Candanadium also shares maritime borders with Hykko and the Akarean Union through the province of Hautsing. Candanadium comprises seven provinces (Candanadian Capital Region, Fischerstaat, the Westmark, Oseania, the Northern Cape, Eisenstaat, and Hautsing) and two autonomous regions (Belkhomir and Caskhomir). Candanadium, alongside its two autonomous regions, is a member of the Kaltach Union and a signatory to the Candanadian-Trefjalli Mutual Defence, Freedom of Movement, and Free Trade Agreement. Candanadium and its two autonomous regions are represented collectively in the World Congress as the Kingdom of Candanadium.

For most of Candanadium's history, what is currently modern-day Candanadium existed as hundreds independent states, varying greatly in size. By the start of the 18th century, several "Great States" (Kanadiaans: Großstaaten) would emerge following a series of wars, treaties, and political marriages. They include the Kingdom of Magnarstaat (comprising the modern Candanadian Capital Region and parts of Fischerstaat and the Westmark around Maple Bay), the Kingdom of Fischerstaat (Fischerstaat), the Principality of the Westmark and the Cape (Westmark and the Northern Cape), the Republic of Caskhomir (Caskhomir), the Kingdom of Oseania (Oseania), the Grand Duchy of Eisenstaat (Eisenstaat), and the Kingdom of Belkhomir (Belkhomir). The Kingdom of Candanadium was created in 1783, as part of the Enlightenment in Great Kaltachia, when the kings of Magnarstaat and Fischerstaat joined their lands as a reaction to popular nationalist movements across the Confederation of the Realms of the Conqueror (Kanadiaans: Staatenbund der Reiche des Eroberers), a loose confederation of Kanadiaans- and Oseanian-speaking states formed after the War of the Cask. Eventually, the remaining of the continent consented to join the newly created kingdom, with the exception of the Kingdom of Belkhomir and the Republic of Caskhomir. The formation of a unified Candanadium contributed to the emergence of the Kaltach Rebirth and a period of cultural, political, and economic ascendency for the Kaltach world. Belkhomir would join Candanadium following its defeat in the Second Belkhomirian War of 1940, an ill-fated invasion attempt of eastern Oseania. The Republic of Caskhomir would later join the Kingdom as an Autonomous Region like Belkhomir in 1965 after a popular referendum.

Modern-day Candanadium has emerged as the indisputable leader of the Kaltach Union and is one of the most dominant economies in the west. Candanadium is also one of the most diverse nations in the world, with two main ethnic groups, several minority groups, and a large immigrant community.

Etymology

Consensus among scholars of linguistics states that Candanadium is an Oseanian exonym re-loaned into Oseanian from some other language, based on an earlier version of the Trefjalli endonym for the region, Kándaland. The *kand- prefix is unattested in any High Kaltach texts, and the meaning of it is unclear.

Belkhomir almost certainly originates from the High Kaltach words *bauknan (beacon) or *belkan (beam), and Caskhomir from the High Kaltach *kuzis (choice).

History

Pre-History

The first people to settle what would become modern-day Candanadium would be the Trefjalli, who populated all the lands west of the River Tref. The only indigenous populations in Candanadium were the now-extinct Cape Natives and the Southern Cask Natives, with whom the Trefjalli had little to no contact. The Trefjalli, however, would experience a cultural and religious schism around the 7th century CE, where part of the population believed that not all trees were sacred, as prescribed under the traditional Trefjalli religious doctrine, but only maple trees, native to this part of Great Kaltachia. This schism led to the exile of part of the Trefjalli population to the "wild lands" east of the River Tref. These exiles established a civilization along the River Osean, evolving into the distinct Oseanian culture and language, spreading from the eastern bank of the River Tref to Belkhomir.

Also in the 7th century CE, the Caskaans would land in what is now Port Cask. They would establish the port as a major trading hub in the region and create a small city-state around it, and would go on to explore the rest of Caskhomir in great caravans in what is now known as the Great Trek. The Oseanians developed a regular trading relationship with Caskhomir, and Oseanian influences on Caskhomirian society and language would lead to the evolution of modern Caskaans, distinct from modern Varskaans and the more Kanadiaans-like Old Caskaans.

The Kanadiaans Conquest

For hundreds of years, the Trefjalli, Oseanians, Caskaans, and the natives coexisted, never really warming to each other but tolerating the other's presence. This dynamic was disrupted in 1107 with the landing of King Wilhelmus von Magnare, of the Kanadiaans.

According to legend and Eostrist religious beliefs, King Wilhelmus had set sail from the Isle of Kaltach after receiving an epiphany from the Flame God Eostre, who commanded him to go west in search of a continent that was both new and old, where he would find Kaltach brethren. Thus he set sail, accompanied by his three sons, Gerald, Wilhelm, and Hans, and three hundred and thirty-three of his best Kanadiaans knights aboard three ships, three being Eostre’s holy number. Wilhelmus found what he was looking for when he landed on the shores of Belkhomir. The Oseanians who populated the area were amazed by the Kanadiaans’ martial prowess and advanced metalworking skills, but most importantly, by their seafaring skills. King Wilhelmus therefore did not have to work hard to establish himself in Belkhomir, as the Oseanian tribes knew that they stood no chance in battle against the newcomers.

Prince Gerald took the Oseanians’ welcome especially well, and begged his father to remain in Belkhomir, believing that they had already found the land promised to them by Eostre. His father, however, was not daunted by the Mirskai range and knew that more lay beyond the snow-capped mountains. King Wilhelmus allowed his eldest son to remain in Belkhomir as its lord, as to keep his heir out of harm’s way and to prepare him to rule over all of the continent, bringing with him on the campaign his two younger sons as well as his newly-acquired Oseanian warriors. Prince Gerald sent some of his knights back to the Isle of Kaltach and told them to bring more Kanadiaans warriors and settlers, now that they had established a presence on this new piece of the continent.

And so, King Wilhelmus marched west along the Osean, taking the same route the Oseanians had taken after their exile, only in the opposite direction. Most tribes along his way submitted to Kanadiaans rule and joined him on his epic quest, and those who resisted were put down. It was also during this march that Wilhelmus took the Oseanians’ sacred maple as his own symbol over the traditional eagle of the Kanadiaans, out of his newfound respect for the Oseanians. He adapted the maple for his own purposes, creating the crowned tri-maple, as thanks for the divine act that had brought him to this land (three being Eostre's holy number).

After twenty years on the march, King Wilhelmus had reached the end of the Osean at the shores of Maple Bay. All of Oseania north of the River Osean were now under the Kanadiaans banner. At long last, Wilhelmus of Magnare, King of the Kanadiaans and Oseanians, could rest, at the spot where the Osean met the sea.

With the King dead, Prince Gerald in Belkhomir was the next in line for the crown. However, the oldest knights who had followed the king from the Isle of Kaltach saw something in the younger Prince Wilhelm that they had seen in their king of old. They had seen him grow into a capable leader and an inspiring commander, and pledged him their swords and urged him to take up his father’s crown for himself, and not leave it for Prince Gerald, who had no experience leading men in the field. Urged by these knights and his younger brother Hans, Prince Wilhelm crowned himself King of the Kanadiaans and Oseanians, and declared that the site where his father had perished would become a new city, named Konigstadt in honour of his father, to serve as the capital for the fertile lands around Maple bay his father had conquered, which he named Magnarstaat.

King Wilhelm changed his given name to the Oseanian variant of William and also Oseanized the name of his house to Magnar. However, the news of his brother’s coronation still infuriated Prince Gerald, who still believed himself to be the rightful heir. He knew that he could not simply march over the Mirskai with the army he had at his disposal, and that he did not command the full confidence of his people, but he could not let his brother’s perceived insult stand. Prince Gerald therefore forfeited his house and declared himself King Gerald I von Belkhomir, of the independent kingdom of Belkhomir. King William in the west accepted his brother’s actions as the best possible outcome, vowing never to return to Belkhomir, and began marching west along the coast of Maple Bay, establishing Fort Magnar in the process, then turned north and followed the River Hugeln west, until he reached the eastern banks of the River Tref, where the Oseanians had been forced across all those centuries past. The other side was still the domain of the Trefjalli, who continued to shun the Oseanians. William’s Oseanian chieftains urged him to march across and attack, but instead, William offered to parley with the Trefjalli, asking them to join him in unifying all the lands of the west as one. Though he had some sympathizers among the Trefjalli, the answer he received was a resounding “no”. And so, with great reluctance, King William’s army marched over the Tref and south into the Trefjalli heartlands, pushing the Trefjalli forces back to Lake Tref and winning the Battle of the Westmark, the last battle in the Kanadiaans Conquest. Along the way, many Trefjalli who believed in King William’s cause joined him on his march, and were rewarded with rich lands in the now-Kanadiaans and Oseanian Westmark.

It seemed that, at last, the conquest was complete. From east to west, this continent belonged to the union of the Kanadiaans and Oseanians, and all knew of the power of the men bearing the crowned tri-maple.

Post-Conquest Era

With the Trefjalli removed as a factor in Candanadium and the Oseanians allied to the Kanadiaans, it now fell to King William to establish a system of governance for the realms under his control. Those Oseanian rulers who had pledged their allegiance to him had their rights and properties preserved, and that of those who did not was awarded to his Kanadiaans subjects. As a result, the country was now a patchwork of lands ruled by Oseanian and Kanadiaans lords who all owed their allegiance to William in Konigstadt. Incorporating all these lands into one kingdom would have upset his Oseanian allies, so William preserved the existing arrangement of having individual lords owing feudal allegiance to himself. However, he elevated his younger brother Hans to kingship as well, granting him lands on the River Fischer. The Oseanians also received a kingdom, though it was to be ruled by William as well, now styled King of Magnarstaat and King of Oseania.

In order to create some kind of cohesion among the various kingdoms, duchies, principalities, and baronies, William decreed that all the lands conquered by his father would belong to the Holy Realm of the Kanadiaans and Oseanians (Kanadiaans: Heiliges Reich Kanadiaansischer und Oseanischer Völker), with the King of Magnarstaat as its Protector. Each ruler within the realm would have the right of audience in the Realm's Diet (Kanadiaans: Reichstag, the name is also used for the modern Candanadian Parliament). After William's death, the rule of Magnarstaat and Oseania was divided among his heirs, in the old Kaltach custom of partible inheritance.

The Jokullheime Raids

Following the Civil War, the Jokullheime saw an opportunity. The homelands of Jokullheim were little more than frozen wastes, and the chieftains of the Jokullheime had long set their sights upon the fertile and watered Kanadiaans and Oseanian lands in the west. Having expanded their holdings through various raids, the Oberjall of Jokullheim, Aljax the Brave, decided it was time to take on the west. He had anticipated support from the Trefjalli of the Westmark and Cape as well as the Trefjalli in the homeland, but found none. Instead, Trefjalli of both Candanadium and Trefjall all enlisted in the Security Forces to defend the west from Aljax's raiders, with King Hans I von Magnar taking personal charge of the defence of the eastern coast. They established what is now called the "Line of Steel", stretching from Nordport-by-Ice in the north and Port Cask in the south, with the Caskhomirian State Forces also joining in the defence of Great Kaltachia.

King Hans had expected a large landing by the Jokullheime on September 3rd, 1864, but instead found only one longship upon the shores of Port Newcastle. It bore the Oberjall's personal banner, with the infamous Jokullheime raider decked out in the white leather of Jokullheim on the deck, brandishing his feared double-headed axe. King Hans, guarded by the King's Own Fort Trefton Hussars, ordered his men to hold their fire as the raider hailed the king in High Kaltach, challenging him to a duel for the lands of the west, in the traditional Kaltach fashion. The king's advisors were offended by this gesture. After all, how could a raider dare to cite the ancient Kaltach rites to the King of the Kanadiaans and Oseanians? However, the king insisted on rising to the challenge, ordered the hussars to stand down, called for his armour and ancestral Zweihänder, and met Aljax in single combat on the shores of Port Newcastle. Before the king made his charge, he threw down his dagger and declared that Aljax would not cross any further into Great Kaltachia. The raider, amused, only lowered his visor and readied his axe.

It is said that when King Hans' sword clashed with Aljax's axe, a terrible clanging was heard all across the city. The raider was twice the size of the king and his axe was a white blur, and it had seemed that he had gained the upper hand, knocking off the king's helmet with the flat of his blade. All of a sudden, however, the raider's axe was motionless in his hand, and his white leather armour was stained with red. King Hans had decapitated Aljax with one fell swoop from his two-handed greatsword, and his axe fell to the ground, where it was collected by the king. The raider's head and helmet were sent back to Jokullheim by one of the king's hussars as a message, and the axe and armour went into the archives of the Royal Candanadian Museum, where they remain today.

Leaderless and bound by ancient Kaltach custom, the Jokullheime chieftains struck their banners and headed for home, dishonoured and disgraced. No more would the men of the high north challenge the west. Once more, Candanadium had prevailed.

The First Edofasian Crisis

Edofasia, the crown colony in the west, was a major source of precious minerals and wood products for the kingdom, and was one of the main sources of revenue to the west. Edofasia was affectionately described as the Crown Jewel of Candanadium, for the riches the land bore. Despite the massive economic boom in the colony, discontent with Candanadium was always present, due to the suppression of indigenous cultures and languages. As more and more Candanadian settlers arrived from the homeland, tensions between the Candanadian authorities and the Edofasians were at an all-time high. The west of Edofasia remained a wild country, never really falling under the firm control of the Crown, prone to attacks from guerilla bands and self-proclaimed local governments. In the early 1900s, the guerilla groups in the west had become more than an occasional headache for Candanadium and exploded into an all-out migraine. Attacks on Candanadian settlements became increasingly common and organized, prompting many settlers to flee to neutral Alayka or back east.

The Candanadium Security Forces were deployed to western Edofasia to combat the growing insurrection, but fared poorly against the Edofasian rebels, being unfamiliar with the land and people. In 1916 the Candanadian forces would change their strategy. Instead of engaging the guerilla forces head-on, they would fall back and form a Line of Control separating west from east, with the east continuing to be the Colony of Edofasia, and the west being the newly independent Confederacy of Edofasia, though unrecognized by the Crown. The Candanadian government, attempting to address the racial tensions between the colonists and the natives, grant the colony self-governing status, becoming the Dominion of Edofasia, giving all landowners the vote in a Crown Advisory Assembly and a local Governor. The Crown Advisory Assembly was incredibly uneven in terms of racial distribution, as most landowners in Edofasia were Candanadian settler families, as the concept of land ownership was completely foreign to the Edofasians, having never been a part of their culture. Despite this, the Crown Advisory Assembly governed Edofasia with a far lighter hand than the federal government in New Konigstadt, with a sizable portion of the Candanadian settlers holding the Edofasians to high regard and installing policies that were beneficial to both races.

Edofasia was now a nation divided, but it seemed that a fragile peace had finally formed.

The Candanadian and Trefjalli forces deployed to Drulluhus to deter a Novmiran invasion were suddenly called away during the First Crisis to fight in the west, leaving behind only a token garrison of the native Drullu militia and a pair of Candanadian reserve divisions. Drulluhus was easy pickings for Novmir, who occupied the nation in 1915. The Novmiran victory would be short-lived, however, as after the Line of Control was formed in 1916, stopping the Edofasian advance, Candanadium was able to withdraw troops from the war in the west to launch an invasion of occupied Drulluhus, reestablishing the original frontier and demilitarized zone between Drulluhus and Novmir. This was only the beginning of Candanadium's conflicts with Novmir, as the Candanadian settlers in the Edofasian controlled west had formed a large migrant caravan to the Novmiran exclave of Alayka, seeking refuge. The Alaykan authorities welcomed them with open arms, much to the Novmiran crown's dismay. Many of these Candanadian settlers would go on to fight for Alayka in its secession from Novmir, which eventually led to the collapse of the Novmiran Empire.

The True Northern Front

In 1937, Andrey Schultz of the True Northern Front was elected Chancellor on the promise of executing an invasion of Belkhomir, which was backed by rebels in the country. Staying true to his word, the Candanadium Security Forces marched over the Mirskai on the first day of 1940. The royal family of Belkhomir, save for Princess Sabine von Belkhomir, were executed by Belkhomirian rebels, while the government fired upon Neuschlosshafen with twenty-nine salvos of artillery, kicking the Second Belkhomirian War, which saw the complete defeat of Belkhomir and their integration into the Kingdom of Candanadium as an autonomous principality, being promised self-governance and autonomy, as well as the preservation of their own monarchy, albeit under a different house and only a princely house. This, however, did not placate everybody in Belkhomir, and a small terrorist group known as the Belkhomir Liberation Army would be formed, which would continue to carry out sporadic attacks in the region in the years to come.

In 1941, Candanadium made headlines as King William III announced his abdication, the first Candanadian king to do so. What was more shocking was the revelation that the Crown Prince, Henry von Magnar, had been grooming his younger brother, Prince Herman von Magnar, to replace their father as king, and Prince Henry’s intention to renounce all claims to the Maple Throne, instead choosing to serve in the House of Commons, which he would be unable to do as King. Prince Herman, now King Herman II’s rule was prosperous, with an emphasis on foreign relations and trade.

In 1944, Chancellor Schultz, nearing the end of his second term, took steps to ensure the dominance of his party in Federal politics. The True Northern Front began ensuring that no party would rise to challenge their position, dissolving many significant opposition parties for supposed abuse of power and corruption. It was also during this period that the informal policy of Kanadiaans supremacy was put into place, with funding for services in Oseanian and Trefjalli being cut significantly and Kanadiaans replacing Oseanian as the language of instruction in many schools. Certain city names were also changed to be more Kanadiaans, including many places in Oseania. Opposition to the True Northern Front was suppressed brutally, and voting was made compulsory. However, during election time, the only candidate up for election in most ridings would be one from the TNF.

The True Northern Front also went to work in weaponizing the monarchy, declaring any activities against the TNF to be an act of treason against the Crown. Schools taught children to obey the authority of King and Chancellor at all costs, attempting to raise a new, complacent, and obedient generation that would accept the TNF unconditionally. Songs in opposition to the TNF, especially Die Gedanken sind frei (The Thoughts are Free; a popular anti-TNF anthem), were heavily suppressed, as well as any other form of media that overtly opposed the TNF state.

The Tara Insurgency

Following the invasion of Belkhomir and the TNF's consolidation of power, the government in West Edofasia began ramping up their insurgent operations in the Dominion of Edofasia as an act of protest. Though the Edofasian National Army had become more than just a rag-tag militia, it was still not up to par with the Candanadian Security Forces and any attempt to meet the CSF in conventional combat would have resulted in failure, so the ENA set up a number of bases in Novmir and Sudardes Sudardes. The Edofasian Rifles, bolstered by regular CSF troops, would conduct raids upon these camps, but at great cost to the Edofasian Rifles, who had twice the casualty rates as the regular forces due to lower standards of training and equipment. The Edofasian Rifles drew conscripts only from the Candanadian settler population, which had never exceeded 10% of the East Edofasian population, which meant that practically every able-bodied Candanadian man in East Edofasia had served with the Rifles at some point and could be called up at any moment.

The Incorporation of Caskhomir

The 1960s would be an incredibly bloody time for Candanadium, with huge, sweeping political changes taking place at home and across the ocean. It is often called "the bloody 60s" due to the instability and chaos of the era.

In 1960, the government of Caskhomir declared bankruptcy as order quickly broke down in the streets. The people were calling for an end to the rule of the Staatspresident and Congress, who had squandered the nation's wealth, and also rejected a bill to extend the vote to every citizen of Caskhomir, not just landowners.

This caused mass outrage in Caskhomir, with even the Sisters of Our Lady coming out to denounce the republican government. With public support at an all time low, Staatspresident Willem de Klerk turned to the Chancellor of Candanadium for aid, but found none. In 1963 the Staatspresident would be removed from power after a coup by the armed forces, who swiftly entered into a customs union with the Kingdom of Candanadium. The new regime also promised to hold a referendum to join Candanadium, and after an overwhelming 78% voted in favour, the Caskhomir Autonomous Region was established in 1965.

The Second Edofasian Crisis

By November of 1967 the West Edofasians forces as well as various militia groups were on the outskirts of the Dominion's capital of Thüle, only lightly garrisoned by the Candanadian Foreign Legion, the 92nd King's Oseanian Rifles, the Royal Caskhomir Regiment, the Royal Belkhomir Regiment, and the remnants of the Edofasian Rifles. The Candanadian government was sure that Thüle would not fall, due to the Security Forces' superiority in close-quarters combat. The assumption proved to be true, with the Edofasian invading forces finding themselves trapped in the narrow alleyways of the city, slaughtered by snipers and machine-gun nests on the roofs of buildings. The Battle of Thüle is considered by some to be the best and most effective last stand ever made, and the finest hour of the Candanadian Foreign Legion. The Edofasians were never going to take the city by force, and thus, requested a parley. The Dominion's government was ready to end the war, but needed the approval of New Konigstadt, still under the rule of the aggressive and authoritarian True Northern Front. Initially the request was rejected by the federal government, but the war had never been popular at home, and with pressure from both the people and the Dominion's government, the federal government caved. Thus, the West Edofasian government was invited to New Konigstadt to discuss an end to the war and the handover of East Edofasia while a ceasefire was observed on the ground.

The peace talks got off to a rocky start, with the two sides disagreeing about the future of the Edofasian Air Corps and the Edofasian Coast Guard. Unlike the Edofasian Rifles, these two forces were mainly made up of Candanadian settlers and servicemen from the homeland, but the assets had, in name, been on loan to the Government of the Dominion. Edofasia, claiming its rights as the successor state to the Dominion, demanded that a majority of the assets be handed over to the Confederacy, while the federal government argued that they had only been on loan to the Dominion and that they actually belonged to the Candanadium Security Forces. The Edofasians offered to let the federal government keep a token amount of ships and aircraft, but when the federal government refused, the Edofasians threatened to seize or destroy these assets as enemy property, almost putting an end to the ceasefire and peace talks. The TNF administration knew that if the war did not come to an end, their position would be seriously jeopardized as the war was one of the most unpopular things in a century, and the people would not sit idly by and watch their sons be sent to die over the sea. Thus, the talks went on, reluctantly.

The Magnarplatz Palace Agreement was signed on December 16, 1967, with the handover of the Dominion of Edofasia scheduled to take place at midnight on New Year's Day. The Candanadian settlers were to have equal rights to Edofasians proceeding the handover, and any settlers that wanted to return to the homeland was permitted to do so without hindrance. Gone, however, were the ubiquitous "Kaltach Only" signs from public buildings and park benches, and the segregationist racial policies of the Dominion. Candanadium and Edofasia were to resume regular diplomatic relations, with Candanadium opening an embassy in Scarlao and Edofasia one in New Konigstadt. As the green ensign was lowered to the tune of The Maple Leaves Forever for the last time, Edofasia was finally a nation united.

This did not mean, however, that the divisions of colonialism were gone. Within the first year of the opening of the Candanadian Embassy in Scarlao, it was forced to relocate to Thüle, under the name of "Candanadian Cultural Institute in Thüle", tucked away behind the high walls of the Kanadiaans quarter, safe from Molotov cocktails, graffiti, and car bombs. Edofasians of Candanadian descent, although legally enjoying the same rights as all other Edofasians, are shunned in Edofasian society.

Candanadium's presence in Edofasia was over, but the troubles in Candanadium had just begun. With the end of the Second Crisis came an age of national reflection and reform in Candanadium. The aggressive expansionist and segregationist policies of the True Northern Front administration had proved disastrous in Edofasia and at home as well. There was an unspoken superiority granted to the Kanadiaans over the other races of the federation, and although the right to protest was granted in name to every Candanadian under the Constitution of 1783, in practice protests against the True Northern Front were put down, often violently, and opposition party members often found themselves harassed by police and even organized crime syndicates.

The Silent Revolution

The end of the Second Crisis was also an end to the True Northern Front's 24-year dominance over Candanadian politics. Facing immense public and international pressure, the last TNF Chancellor, Bernhardt Schuhmacher, resigned two days after the handover of West Edofasia, with free and open elections being held for the first time in two decades.

Truth, peace, and reconciliation was the new motto of the Democratic Party government of Chancellor Friedrich Clark, who had won the election with a landslide victory and aimed to repair the cracks and fissures that had formed over this fragile federation of races over the years. The True Northern Front broke up in 1969, replaced by the successor party of True North First, which never became nearly as powerful as its predecessor. Voting was no longer mandatory and new political parties sprang up, including the Constitution and Conservative Parties. Refugees from the now-former East Edofasia made up a significant chunk of the Democratic Party's new voter base.

Trefjall had sent a large contingent of its diminutive armed forces to fight in Edofasia during the Second Crisis, suffering heavy losses. The move was seen as highly controversial back home, and many in Trefjall began to question the necessity of a standing Trefjalli armed force, as Trefjall's largest neighbour was also its greatest ally. After the fall of the True Northern Front, the Government of Trefjall approached Chancellor von Klark's government to expand the freedom of movement and free trade treaty of 1903 to include mutual defence. Trefjall would disband its remaining armed forces, except for the ceremonial royal guard, and the Candanadium Defence Forces would be in charge of the defence of Trefjall, with Trefjall paying for the building of bases.

Funding for Oseanian, Trefjalli, and Caskaans-language services and education was returned, and bilingualism was promoted nationwide. The "Speak Two Languages" campaign was started in 1970, with many schools becoming officially bilingual in instruction, leading to many Candanadian citizens of the present day being bilingual. In the same year, the Kaltach Union was formed in Schwannburg, a new political and economic union open to any democratic Kaltach nation to promote peace, human rights, and trade between all Kaltach nations, the first major sign that Candanadium was shifting its priorities. The KU, however, was also set up to counter the military power of Terra, as it featured a mutual defence clause.

Present Day

King Herman II passed in the same year at the age of 80, being succeeded by his son, King William IV von Magnar, rumoured to be the bastard child of the late king’s brother and the Queen. The new King later disproved this by releasing his DNA test results in 1990, an unexpected move. Tragedy struck the royal family again in 1998, with the King and the Crown Prince perishing in a brutal helicopter crash in the Bekal Bay after their helicopter took off from Belkberg-by-Mirskai.

The accident was claimed to be the work of the long-dormant Belkhomirian Liberation Army, a terrorist organization in Belkhomir seeking independence for the territory. Others blamed it on the Edofasians, and some even blamed the second son of the King, now King Richard I von Magnar, or "Richard the Unlikely", as a means to seize Magnarplatz Palace for himself. The official investigation found that poor maintenance of the helicopter was to blame, but the case remains unresolved to this day. This triggered a minor diplomatic crisis with Edofasia and rumours that Edofasia would be retaken, but these rumours were dispelled by the government. Richard would later abdicate following the publication of the Luxlein Papers, revealing a connection between Richard and the Count of Lienengen.

Modern-day Candanadium is heavily industrialized in the north, producing and refining oil as well as many rare-earth minerals. Candanadium leads the world in information technology as well as many other services, and is a significant power economically, culturally, and politically across the world, with a large naval force and vast swaths of natural wealth. Candanadian multinational corporations can be found across the world, with Akarea and Novmir being major manufacturing hubs for Candanadian products.

The Candanadian thaler is one of the most stable and strongest currencies in the world and is a major world reserve currency. Living standards in the nation are among some of the highest in the world, though with a wealth gap that is relatively high when compared to nations such as Trefjall and Edofasia.

Some of Candanadium's most significant strategic and economic allies include the fellow Kaltach Union members of Akarea and Trefjall, as well as allies such as Drulluhus, Welka, and Alayka. Candanadian universities are home to students from across the world, and there is a diverse immigrant culture in most major cities of Candanadium, making Candanadium one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse nations in the world. The political process is open, transparent, and free to all, with individual liberties held dear.

Demographics

38,870,456 - Oseania 34,827,376 - Fischerstaat 14,392,837 – Caskhomir 9,283,770 – Hautsing 8,112.393 – Westland 4,802,838 - CCR 1,030,309 – Belkhomir 743,310 – Eisenstaat

Languages

The main languages in Candanadium are Oseanian and Kanadiaans, which are also the two official languages. In the most recent census, 92% of the population reported that they were fluent in Oseanian, 65% reported fluency in Kanadiaans, and 45% reported bilingualism. A study conducted by the Candanadian Census Bureau found that 73.4% of the population used Oseanian on a daily basis, and 21.3% used Kanadiaans on a daily basis, and 5.3% reported that they used some other language, mainly Caskaans and Trefjalli.

Akarean Mandarin is the dominant language in Hautsing, but the script used in Hautsing is the traditional script, as opposed to the simplified script used in the Akarean Union.

Religion

Candanadium does not have an official religion, however, the royal family adheres to Eostrism, as does 80.3% of the population, which refers to the worship of the fire god Eostre, of the Kanadiaans. Traditionally, the Kanadiaans worshipped other gods as well, but mythology dictates that after landing in Candanadium, Eostre appeared to King Wilhelmus of Magnare, the legendary first king of the Kanadiaans, in a flame, instructing him to go forth and tame this wild country for the Kanadiaans people. Three is a sacred number in Eostrism, supposedly due to the fact that Eostre was the third God to be created, and according to legend, three ships first brought the Kanadiaans to Candanadian shores. The traditional practice of human sacrifice has been outlawed in Candanadium, however, the Fall Festival is celebrated around the country and Eostrist Churches can be found everywhere.

The head of the Eostrist Church of the Lord of Flame is the First Flame, residing in the Palace of Eostre in Old Konigstadt. Priests and Priestesses of Flame lead churches in their respective parishes, and hold service on Sunday. A fire is always kept lit in the tower above an Eostrist Church. Believers of Eostrism are found predominantly in southern Oseania as well as throughout the Kanadiaans-speaking regions, including Belkhomir. Many Cape and Westmark Trefjalli have also adopted the Eostrist faith for themselves. The holy text of the Eostrist faith is the Red Book, or the Book of Flame.

A significant portion of the population, 11.7%, follows the traditional Oseanian Faith, mostly rural and northern Oseanians. The Oseanian Faith does not have a name, but it is the worship of the nameless gods of water and stone and leaf. The maple leaf is a traditional symbol of the Oseanian faith, and when the Kanadiaans defeated the Oseanians in battle, they took it upon themselves to adopt their emblem, but changed it to a cluster of three maple leaves, representing Eostre.

Oseanian Faith churches are constructed beside mountains, a body of water, or a maple tree. Most significant processes, such as marriages, the swearing of oaths, and the signing of contracts must take place under a maple tree, for the gods to bear witness. As such, politicians who adhere to the Oseanian Faith are sometimes sworn into office underneath a maple tree, not while placing their hand on a Book of Flame. Oseanian service members of the Candanadium Defence Forces may also choose to swear their oaths beneath a maple tree.

5.0% of the population follow the Faith of Our Lady of Caskhomir, mostly Caskhomirians and Caskhomirian diaspora in the rest of the country. Our Lady of Caskhomir is a mythological figure that is believed to be the guardian of Caskhomir, having led the Caskaans to Caskhomir from across the sea, before the Kanadiaans. Her real name is an extremely well guarded secret only revealed to the head of the faith, the Stewardess of Our Lady, upon the night of her confirmation. The clergy and monastical order, the Sisters of Our Lady, is only open to women. As a result of this, women have historically had more rights in Caskhomir than the rest of Candanadium.

It is believed that Our Lady of Caskhomir and Eostre were both gods of the Kaltach ethnic group that eventually split into the Kanadiaans and Caskaans, and that they may have, at one point, been part of the same religion.

Temples of Our Lady are found throughout Caskhomir, and will feature an altar upon which offerings, usually food and drink, are placed, in perpetual gratitude for her stewardship and maintenance of Caskhomir. Families will visit the Temple every Friday evening after sunset to give their offerings. Offerings are cleared by the Sisters the following morning and fed to birds, as it is believed that birds are the messengers of Our Lady.

Government

Candanadium is a constitutional monarchy and a federal parliamentary democracy, with the monarch serving as an advisor to the government and a figurehead. The Federal Crown Council of Candanadium is the legislature of the Kingdom, and it is split into the lower house (Parliament) and the upper house (King's Privy Council), which is unique as it also serves as the cabinet. Members of Parliament, or MPs, are elected to represent ridings of around 150 000 inhabitants. General elections are held every four years to elect all 602 MPs, with the monarch traditionally inviting the leader of the largest party to form a government in his name. In recent years, where no party has managed to win an outright majority, the monarch will delay his appointment of a Chancellor until coalitions have emerged.

The Federal Crown Council

Party Composition of the 61st Parliament of Candanadium

His Majesty's Government	Political Stance	Colour	Leader and Constituency	Seats
Constitution Party of Candanadium Verfassungspartei Kandanadiums	Centre-right, classic liberalism, pro-KU	Dark blue	The Rt. Hon. Pieter von Juppertal PC MP, Inner Harbour CCR	198 / 532
Democratic Party of Candanadium Demokratische Partei Kandanadiums	Centre to centre-left, pro-welfare, pro-KU	Red	The Hon. Fabian Norbert PC MP, Oldcastle Town OSN	102 / 532

His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition	Political Stance	Colour	Leader and Constituency	Seats
Conservative Party of Candanadium Konservative Partei Kandanadiums	Eostrist Democracy, conservatism, sovereigntism, KU skeptical	Light blue	The Hon. Wesley Morrison PC MP, Oseania Park OSN	132 / 532

Other Opposition	Political Stance	Colour	Leader and Constituency	Seats
Liberal-Green Party Partei Liberal-Grün	Centre-left, social democracy, environmentalism, soft republicanism, KU reform, emulation of Minsheng	Light green	Patricia Gerber MP, Western Docklands OSN	67 / 532
The Reform Party	Centre-right, Oseanian localism and autonomy, pro-KU	Dark green	Janice Eckhart MP, Woodsworth-on-the-Beans OSN	20 / 532
True North First Wahrer Norden Zuerst	Right wing to far-right populism, absolute sovereigntism, anti-KU	Cyan	Ludwig Schultz MP, Nordkap-Hochkap NTC	8 / 532
Socialist Party of Candanadium Sozialistische Partei Kandanadiums	Far-left, socialism, anti-confederation, anti-monarchy, anti-KU	Dark red	Rolf Magnusson MP, Halenvale WSL	2 / 532
Kanadiaans Zuerst	Far-right, Kanadiaans supremacism, fascism, imperialism, anti-KU, anti-CTMDFMFTA	Dark teal	Albrecht Löwe (non-MP)	1 / 532
Wow!	Niche single issues (subsidized budget travel, forestation of roundabouts, maximum width for bike lanes, public provision of the national flower)	Orange	Stefan Bober (non-MP)	1 / 532
Independent MPs	N/A	N/A	N/A	1 / 532

Parties from Belkhomir	Political Stance	Colour	Leader and Constituency	Seats
Belkhomir Einheitsfront — Fürstenpartei Belkhomir Unity Front — Prince's Party	Pro-autonomy, centre-right	Gold	Franz Ritter von Lorelei MP, Geraldsthron	6 / 10
Volkspartei Belkhomirs — Freie Sozialdemokraten People's Party of Belkhomir — Free Social Democrats	Pro-autonomy, centre-left	Red-brown	Jakob Werner MP, Oseanmundhafen	3 / 10
Unabhängig und Souverän Independent and Sovereign	Pro-independence, left-wing, Belkhomirian militarism, anti-establishment, abstentionism	Neon green	Robert Sandmann MP, Belkhomir-Ländlich	1 / 10 (not taken)

Parties from Caskhomir	Political Stance	Colour	Leader and Constituency	Seats
Caskhomir Eenheidsfront — Ons vir Jou Caskhomir Unity Front — We for You	Pro-autonomy, centre-right	Yellow	Hendrik Kuiper MP, Hekkedorp	45 / 70
Caskhomirse Demokratiese Front Caskhomirian Democratic Front	Pro-integration, centre-left	Orange-brown	Maximilian Theron MP, Port Cask-Outer Harbour	29 / 70
Vryheidsfront Freedom Front	Pro-independence, right wing, Kaltach supremacy	Teal	Diedrik Hertzog MP, Vrygrad West	6 / 70

Federalism

Candanadium is a federal state, with each of its constituent parts (provinces and autonomous regions) having extensive political and legislative prerogatives that cannot normally be infringed by the federal government in New Konigstadt. As a monarchy, this also means that each provincial and regional government has the right to invoke the name of the Crown in matters where they have jurisdiction.

In practice, this means that, aside from the federal government and Parliament in New Konigstadt, each province and autonomous region has its own government and legislative body, headed usually by a Prime Minister. The monarch is represented provincially and regionally by viceroys, who may bear the title of Governor General, Magistrate, or in the case of the Candanadian Capital Region, Lord Mayor.

Autonomous regions have an additional degree of independence than provinces, as they collect no taxes on behalf of the federal government, may participate to a limited extent in intergovernmental organizations, and may establish limited bilateral diplomatic relations. The federal Parliament also cannot introduce binding legislation for the autonomous region without the consent of MPs representing those regions. There are two autonomous regions, the Principality of Belkhomir and Caskhomir. Both were independent countries at the time of the formation of the Kingdom of Candanadium, joining in 1940 and 1965 respectively.

Foreign Relations

Candanadium enjoys a "special relationship" with the Akarean Union, being the first Kaltach state to establish relations with Akarea. Candanadium and the Akarean Union have had a standing formal alliance since their founding, and Akarea participates in the Kaltach Economic Area. Candanadium, as a founding member of the Kaltach Union, hosts several of the institutional seats of the Union and is regarded by international observers to be the factual leader of the Union.

Candanadium maintains an active diplomatic corps, with embassies and consulates-general across the world, even in nations that have been, historically, hostile to Candanadium. Candanadian foreign missions often also host cultural activities and other events to strengthen ties between the host country and Candanadium. Trefjall and Candanadium enjoy a special relationship due to the freedom of movement and trade between the two nations, as well as the Candanadium Defence Forces providing defence for the nation. Akarea and Candanadium are also strategic partners as well as major partners in trade, a friendship that has endured for almost 300 years. Akarea is a tourist hotspot for Candanadians on vacation, and there are large Akarean immigrant communities across Candanadium. Welka also falls under the Candanadian sphere of influence, due to the fact that it is a fellow Kanadiaans nation and also with Candanadium having played a major part in rebuilding the Welkisch economy after the fall of Communist rule.

Despite this, relations with Edofasia and Sudardes are tense at best and hostile at worst, due to the history of Candanadian colonialism in the region.

Military

The Candanadium Defence Forces (CDF) consist of four branches: the Candanadian Army, the Royal Navy of Candanadium, the Royal Air Force of Candanadium, and the Corps of Royal Candanadian Marines. In addition to these four branches, there are also two independent regiments which do not belong to any of the forces but are still part of the joint command, which are the Royal Caskhomir Regiment and the Royal Belkhomir Regiment. These regiments have their own ground forces, air forces, and naval forces.

A period of four-year national service in a branch of their choosing is mandatory for all male Candanadian citizens, with two years spent in the active force and two years in the reserve force. Male Candanadians must enlist between their 18th and 23rd birthdays, except for those who are physically or mentally handicapped, those whose religious views forbid them from enlisting, or those who have lost a parent or sibling in active conflict in the Forces. Caskhomirians and Belkhomirians are not exempt, although they may enlist with their respective regional regiments.

Female Candanadians, though not subject to national service, may also enlist voluntarily.

The CDF has a combined strength of around one million active duty personnel and two million reserve personnel. The standard issue rifle of the CDF is the Candarms C70A1 select-fire rifle.

Through a bilateral arrangement, the CDF is stationed permanently in Trefjall, which does not maintain a standing military of its own. Trefjalli citizens, in turn, may join the CDF in any branch or unit, though may choose not to swear allegiance to the Candanadian monarch and are not subject to national service.

Economy

Candanadium enjoys free-market capitalism with minimal government intervention, and is rich in iron ore, nickel, zinc, copper, gold, lead, molybdenum, potash, diamonds, silver, fish, timber, wildlife, coal, petroleum, and natural gas. Candanadium exports crude and refined oil, timber, jewellery and other luxury goods, agricultural products, dairy, wood products, and maple syrup to the world, but relies on foreign goods such as consumer products, manufactured goods, tropical fruits, electronics, vehicles, and clothing as well.

Having industrialized in the late 19th century, Candanadium's domestic manufacturing sector is stable and decently sized, but companies often outsource due to high costs of labour in the country. Candanadium is virtually the sole producer of maple syrup in the whole world, as it was invented by the Oseanians inhabiting the region and adopted by the Kanadiaans. Candanadium has a large merchant navy, and Candanadian ships can often be spotted in the major ports of the world.

Non-decimal Currency

The currency of Candanadium, the thaler, is unique in the world for being undecimalized, which is a great source of confusion for visitors and considered by some as a source of national pride. One thaler ($) is divided into 4 kreuzen (Kr.), which is then divided into 240 pfennig (pf.), or pennies (p). 60 pfennig make up 1 kreuze, and prices are conventionally written in the form of $Thalers/Kreuzen/Pfennig. For example, if something costs 1 thaler, 2 kreuzen and 80 pfennig, it would be written $0/2/80. Prices less than a thaler, for example 2 kreuzen and 80 pennies, would be written 2 Kr. 80 p. (or 2 Kr. 80 pf.). The Kanadiaans plural of the word Thaler is Thaler. The plural of kreuze is kreuzen in both official languages, though the K is capitalized like all nouns in Kanadiaans.

Culture

Holidays

Candanadium Day is celebrated each November 11, commemorating the formation of the Kingdom, which usually involves parades, fireworks, and other celebrations of patriotism. The Fall Festival (Kanadiaans: Herbstfest) is celebrated on the last Wednesday of September each year, the most significant Eostrist religious holiday. Religious families usually spend the day at Church, whereas the younger generation tend to exchange gifts, usually edible items, but always three in number, as three is the number of Eostre and three ships carried the first Kanadiaans to the shores of Candanadium. Candanadian law mandates that businesses must allocate at minimum a week’s vacation for employees around the time of the Fall Festival.

Cuisine

Candanadium is renowned internationally for its production of beers and wines, particularly its roasted dark lager, or Dunkelbier, and aromatic white wines. Traditional Kanadiaans cooking is mainly comprised of red meats and root vegetables, such as potatoes and carrots, however, Oseanian and Akarean influences are present in modern Candanadian cuisine, like the use of rice, flatbreads, and other sources of carbohydrates. Moose schnitzel is a unique Candanadian dish, mixing a Kanadiaans recipe with a traditional meat of the Oseanians, usually served with thick-cut fries, lemon juice, and mustard mayonnaise. Rice, not native to Great Kaltachia, has become a staple food after the Akareans introduced it to the continent in the 17th century. However, many Candanadian variations of the dish exist, including rice steamed with garlic and beef, commonly called Steigerreis, as it was popular among mine workers in Eisenstaat. Rice flavoured with butter, parsley, and steamed with chicken is popular in Oseania, where it is called spring rice. Coarse, brown rice is more common and popular than white rice in Candanadium, due to its texture and price, and is often eaten as a side with meat and vegetables. Flatbreads are also popular, as due to the cold weather, it is easier and quicker to bake bread without letting it rise first. Candanadian flatbread is doughy and can be stuffed with meat, salad, and sauces to create quick sandwiches, which can be found from Belkhomir to the Westmark. Black bread, especially rye bread, is also popular and can be eaten alone or with butter, fruit preserves, cream cheese, or pickled vegetables. Pickled cabbage, or Sauerkraut, is also a very popular side dish, and can be eaten alone or as a condiment, akin to relish. Sausages and ham are also found throughout the country, with each region having its own variations. Some popular variations include boerewors, or farmers' sausage, in Caskhomir, Brühwurst, or boiled sausage, in Eisenstaat, and black sausage (made with liver and black pudding), in Oseania. Cheeses are often eaten alongside sausages and are usually soft, but hard cheeses exist for grating and use in sauces.

Modern-day Candanadian cooking focuses on texture and flavour more than presentation, with spices such as stars anise, bay leaves, dill, and parsley often being used. Rice and breads are Candanadian staple foods, with black bread and rye bread being the most popular. Moose lard is sometimes used in casual diners in lieu of cooking oil, giving foods a more gamey, creamy texture. Regular alcohol consumption is not viewed as taboo, and most Candanadians will often enjoy some Dunkelbier with a meal. Maple mead is commonly drunk in bars as a stronger and sweeter alternative to beer.

Tea is also a popular favourite, enjoyed hot in the winter and cold in the summer. Maple syrup is often added to tea instead of other sweeteners such as honey or sugar. Polls indicate that Harschburg Tea is the nation's favourite brand, known for its high caffeine content and strong flavour. Coffee, although known, is only found in large cities and highly expensive since it cannot be produced domestically. It is, however, marginally more popular in Caskhomir, where a budding coffee growing industry has been developing.

Wine is produced along the Maple Bay coast and in Caskhomir. Most wine production outside of Caskhomir is white, with fuller-bodied white wines produced in the Caskhomirian microclimate.

Sport

The most popular sports in Candanadium are rugby union and ice hockey, which also happen to be the nation's official summer and winter sports, respectively. Southern regions, such as Caskhomir, the Westmark, the CCR, and southern Fischerstaat, have been known to produce many famous Candanadian rugby players, with the sport being invented in the 17th century in Caskhomir, whereas hockey is the more dominant sport in the Northern Cape, Eisenstaat, and Oseania. This may be due to the fact that the game of ice hockey was invented by the Cape Natives. The Candanadian national rugby union team, nicknamed the Maples, are recognized as one of the best international test sides in rugby, and is consistently ranked among the top national teams by the International Rugby Federation (IRF). The Iron Cup is the highest tier of club rugby in the nation, currently held by the Caskhomir Kudus, who have won the trophy five times in the past. In contrast, the Cape Cup is the highest tier of club hockey in the nation, with the title currently held by the Northern Cape Penguins.

Belkhomirian rules football, also known as Belkhi rules or footy is a popular game in Belkhomir. It is played on an oval field with a rugby ball. The game of Edofasian football is very similar to Belkhi rules, and a friendly exhibition match between Belkhomir and Edofasia is held every two years, with rules that are a compromise between the two sports.

Minor sports in the country include the Trefjalli association football in Trefjalli regions and throughout the south and baseball in Akarean neighbourhoods, particularly Harschburg, and throughout the south.