The Imperial Republic of Kistan

Kistan is a militaristic, relatively conservative nation that distrust outsiders and handles every situation with slightly more caution and effort than what is needed.

Culture
Kistani culture tends to be mildly xenophobic within civilian life, with only the former Lukquaren territory and Vrell breaking the norm. Northern Kistani heritage (until Lukquarel) contains extreme traditionalist values, with more southward locales being less and less so. In the south of Vrell, for example, technocracy rules the local governments and values are held as being secondary to success and comfort. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that most citizens live in the central regions near the capital of Kisti.

Aside from a somewhat varied social structure, militarism is seen as a tradition among most Kistani citizens. Most families of decent size have a soldier/veteran/reservist in the family, creating a constant reminder that Kistan is not the place for disrespecting the law or other citizens. By always having trained men within the populace, crime has never been a major issue. On the other side of that coin, the Senate dare not lie to and cheat its people, lest they incite a rebellion by their own soldiers.

Kistan's food staples include bread, fish, and meat from small domestic animals. Beef and other red meat is a symbol of influence and wealth, due to it requiring being imported from other nations. White meat, however, is a common food in Kistan. Less than a tenth of a percent of citizens have spoken against the eating of meat, possibly due in part to traditional values in the north and central territories, where eighty percent of the population lives.

Kistan's official languages are Latin and German, although portions of the population speak varieties of English. 'Slang' terms are not common in most regions, leaving the languages easily translated by anyone knowing the languages. Often, Kistani peoples mesh Latin and German together, creating hybrid conversations that can confuse anyone from outside the country.

Government


Kistan's government is a heavily divided and dichotomous system of management featuring two branches. Each will be discussed below.

The Imperial branch of government is ruled by the Emperor of Kistan, who serves for life and is hand-picked by his predecessor. The Emperor is the equivalent of an executive, though the title often leads to misgivings where other nations' people don't realize that the title of 'Emperor' is simply a reminder of past days. The Emperor is the supreme commander of all Kistan's military operations, and may 'borrow' resources and troops for any operations he or she deems necessary. This branch also manages diplomacy and international relations, giving the military great power in Kistan's affairs. When females are in the position, they are still referred to as 'Emperor' rather than 'Empress'.

The Public branch of the government is primarily composed of a Senate of one hundred Senators - ten elected per a territory, and twenty seats elected nation-wide. Territorial governments are left to manage themselves so long as they obey the law and keep sending tribute to Kistir, the capital providence. The Senate may overrule Imperial decisions with a 70% vote, allowing a simplified check-and-balance system.

Production and Economy
Kistan is a capitalist nation with moderate regulations and low tariffs on exports. Kistanian industry focuses on food, to sustain the people, mining, to supply factories, and weapons/war supplies manufacturing. Kistanian weapons are prized for being durable and accurate, but lack much variation. Either it fires quickly, or it fires accurately.

Kistan's largest imports are clothes and fabric goods, metals from foreign nations, and luxury items.

The national currency, the Kai, is a triangular sheet of metal with rounded edges in varying sizes. These coins (in a vague sense of the word) come in 1, 3, 15, 30, 90, and 300 marks. The trade value is fifteen Kai to a chicken, though anyone who wants to know something other than an odd cultural saying learns that a Kai is about double the value of a NationStates Dollar. The origin of the term 'Kai' is unknown even to those who use it today.

Military
Kistan's military is divided into five major organizations:

The Kistani Regular Army

This is Kistan's normal army. It functions as the hammer of any conflict, commonly utilizing mechanized infantry regiments and tank units to deal with threats. While only a moderately well-equipped force with modern equipment and certain tactical restrictions, they do serve their purpose. More... extreme... situations are handled by Trooper squads.

The Imperial Troopers



The Imperial Troopers are an elite social caste in Kistan. Born in Aranalen, all Troopers are trained from birth. Nearly ninety percent of all trainees leave for other professions during training, leaving behind a core unit of soldiers equipped with the best gear and training Kistan's military heritage can provide. The couple thousand Troopers that exist devote their lives to the Emperor, acting as his direct agents, bodyguards, and personal army. Troopers fulfill more than just combat roles: Assault Troopers are the soldiers, while Operative Troopers are diplomats, spies, and other wetwork management.

The Imperial Navy

The Imperial Navy only has two types of combat ship: light carriers and the Orca Interceptor-Destroyer. Transports make up a full seventy percent of the fleet, accommodating for Kistan's land superiority. While not nearly as varied or powerful as many other navies of Ixnay, the fleet does utilize a powerful air force for reconnaissance and tactical maneuvering or strikes. Ships rely on speed and intelligence to evade a foe and defeat them at a distance, rather than risk close-quarters combat with the heavily armored squadrons of other nations. Rumors suggest that the military does have a modernized dreadnought program in progress, which have only been feuled since Kistan was contracted to build the navy and military infrastructure of Sovietyeto anew - including missile destroyer/supercarrier hybrid vessels.

The Kistani Air Guard

As the air force of Kistan, the Air Guard predominantly flies Attack Gunships and air superiority fighters, leaving transport to the navy and other methods unless needed. The Air Guard's primary role is as a counter to enemy air troops. However, bomber drones are becoming a common sight aboard the runways of Kistan's light carriers, given that the unmanned aircraft are taking an ever-larger portion of the Air Guard's budget.



The Senatorial Army

The Senatorial Army is, essentially, a joke. Composed of only forty men, it defends senatorial buildings and functions like a police force.

Historical Expansions
The following is an account of Kistan's expansions over the years.

K.Y. 2006 (Common Year 2013): Kistan claims a large swath of land to the east of its current borders: a mountain range. The new territory encompasses a large portion of wetlands, which are promptly shifted towards becoming fertile farmlands up until another mountain range. This new territory is to become Kistan's breadbasket.

K.Y. 2007: Lukquarel's government collapses, leading to an unopposed invasion by the Regular Army. While intending to restore local order, Kiatan also adds the land to its territory with loans from both Sovietyeto and Pauldustllah. In return, the new territories, already populated and developed to some degree, soon opened for regionwide trade - though the loaning countries both gained additional benefits.

Later in the year, a rebellion in northern Lukquarel lead by a traitorous military officer leads to the creation of Dreillad - a fascist state opposing Kistan, which reacts with a cultural shift to a more freedom-focused society. Kistan does not recognise Dreillad as legitimate, and works to supress dissent in Vrell resulting from its' example.