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Kalispu Republic
Timeline: The Kalmar Union
Flag of Kalispu Republic
Flag of Kalispu Republic
Capital
(and largest city)
Missoula
Language various Kalispu dialects, Vinlandic
Chief Kanitsu
Population 217,280 
Currency VIK

Kalispu Republic, Kalispu, is a large democratic republic in western Leifia. it is bordered (clockwise from North) by Klallam Federation, Nitawahsinnanni, Apsaalookriga, Shoshoneland, Niimiipu Republic, Skitswishmark, Ichshkiinmark and Ktunaxa. The capital is Missoula and the population around 217,000.

The Head of State is Chief Kanitsu.

Various dialects of Kalispu and related languages are given official status, as too is Vinlandic.

The currency is the Vinlandic Krona (VIK).

History[]

The Kalispu and related tribes first appear in the general narrative of Leifia as occasional raiders of Vinlandic trade caravans in the 14th century. They proved serious thorns in the sides of their neighbours, often hired as mercenary bands during the 90-Year War but gradually the more settled, populous and developed states to the west and east confined them to a long stretch of mountainous terrain.

Despite this encirclement the Kalispu maintained a ruthless control over the 'Gate', a natural valley pass through the mountains which was a favoured trade route and bison migration point. A shared control of this valley bound the various Kalispu tribes together and by the 16th century they were recognised as a solid barrier to halt westward Lakotan expansion. The state would be seriously challenged during the Second Mexic-Leifian War which saw the Gate occupied by the Mexic but the invaders were unable to get to grips with the Kalispsu armies in the mountains on either side and their occupation was only tenable through sheer force of numbers. The Battle of Elsi Laekr on the eastern end of the Gate in August 1780 was one of the few set-piece battles in the north between the Mexic and the Vinlandic-led Coalition. The Mexic won the battle but continued harassment from the Kalispu over the next few months of the Mexic supply lines eventually made them retreat southwards.

Following this war the Kalispu entered a period of civil war as the tribes argued about just about everything. Apart from the damage it wrecked through the already devastated land, it disrupted trade routes, aggravated the area's already poor reputation for lawlessness and made it a favoured retreat for those escaping justice elsewhere. Outlaw figures such as Vilhjálmur Krákkínn, Glešká Ayútepiwin or Baltasar de Xovellanos have entered the 'Folklore of the Plains' and are remembered as anti-heroes in books, plays, and now films, in various countries. Serious plans were drawn up by Vinland and its continental allies to conquer and partition the state during the Leifian Crisis (The Kalmar Union) and revolutionary years which followed.

Nebraska Homesteaders

The Hjortursson sisters at their new farmstead, Southern Kalispu, August 1994

The twentieth century saw the Kalispu determined to lose their semi-pariah status. This coincided with a period of drought which ruined many farms but in the 1960s a rich seam of gold would be found on the eastern edge of the country. Fighting a short war with Apsaalookriga for the resource, the dream of instant riches would attract many new settlers from further east seeking their fortunes, the cities of Thórunn and Oxqeys springing up almost overnight with prospectors and infrastructure moving on mass. The gold extracted here and in other strikes would pay for a railway to help export gold and copper but in general it destabilised the economy and by 1986 it had abandoned its own hyper-inflating currency and adopted the Vinlandic Krona in an attempt to avert disaster. In the midst of improving links many farmers would emigrate from Vinland to establish farmsteads in the mostly empty Kalispu valleys. Though often derided as out of their depth in the more arid conditions these new farmer-settlers have helped modernise the state both in agricultural and cultural terms. There is a growing film industry, by mostly Vinlandic, Álengsk, Ktunaxan or Aniyunwiyan studios; making use of the beautiful landscapes, ghost mining towns and rich history of outlaws.

Government[]

Kalispu is a democracy with a single chambered council elected directly by those over the age of 30 and owning land worth 50Kr. Women have been allowed to vote since 1998. The Head of State is not directly elected and is instead rotated between the heads of the main tribes, usually every six years.

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