Ravenspur (2016 Nation)

This page is for the new nation Ravenspur. For the circa 2007 nation of the same name, please see Ravenspur (2007 Nation).

Nation Information
Ravenspur is a small, developing, and new nation at 0 days old with citizens primarily of Mixed ethnicity whose religion is Christianity. It is a backwards nation when it comes to technology and many refer to it unkindly as a 'Third World Nation'. Its citizens enjoy freedom from high taxation and as a result tend to earn more money. The citizens of Ravenspur work diligently to produce Lead and Water as tradable resources for their nation. The government has no definite position on foreign affairs at this time. When it comes to nuclear weapons Ravenspur has no definite position and is therefore considered opposed to them. Plans are on the way within Ravenspur to open new rehabilitation centers across the nation and educate its citizens of the dangers of drug use. Ravenspur allows its citizens to protest their government but uses a strong police force to monitor things and arrest lawbreakers. It has an open border policy, but in order for immigrants to remain in the country they will have to become citizens first. Ravenspur believes in the freedom of speech and feels that it is every citizen's right to speak freely about their government. The government gives foreign aid when it can, but looks to take care of its own people first. Ravenspur has no definite position on trade relations.

Early History
For detailed history of The First Kingdom and Republic of Ravenspur (founded in 2007), please see Ravenspur (2007 Nation).

The original Kingdom and Republic of Ravenspur was founded in 2007 on 2/20/2007 11:23:22 PM at the city-state of Częstochowa, Poland, founded near the Jasna Góra monastery. The city grew quickly to well over 70,000 people. The seeking stability the nation joined the Orange Defense Network and participated in the Third Great War colloquially known as "The War Against the GOONS" and The Unjust War.

Sometime between late 2007 and late 2008 the nation expired and the territory partitioned to other nations, with Ravenspur eventually ceasing to exist on the map.

Revolution and Reestablishment
In the intervening years the area of Ravenspur had passed between a number of different rulers under different flags with many of the areas developing into separate city-states. The city-state of Warszawa had been occupied by the forces of Governor Lieutenant Colonel Vladimir Frank (often known as "Vladimir the Cruel' and "Frank the Butcher") known for his ruthlessness in exterminating political enemies and threats to his rule.

After years of oppression under foreign occupation, unhappiness and disquiet began to overtake the citizens in the city of Warszawa, a major city in the former nation of Ravenspur. A series of protests broke out throughout the city with the main protests taking place in the Old Town Market Square and the nearby Royal Castle Square. Activists called for the end of the harsh rationing of essential goods and services, an end prison without trial, reopening of the churches, and an increase in overall freedom of speech and press.

Vladimir, outraged by this small uprising, sent out his militia who quickly dispersed the protesters and arrested many of the leaders including Jerzy Wojtyła, a popular priest, formerly in the Orange Catholic Church, holding them captive in the old Royle Castle. Governor Vladimir threatened to execute the leaders of the protests within the week if protests continued and issued martial law and a harsh curfew.

The following day larger protests took hold of the city with the largest centering on the area of the Royal Castle. Protestors called now called for the release of the prisoners as well as an end to martial law, and the reinstatement of the former Ravenspur republic. When Governor Vladimir's militia opened fire on the protestors, some protestors who had taken over a nearby armory fired back on the militia, wounding Governor Frank and causing confusion within the militia ranks. Within thirty minutes of fighting breaking out, the occupying forces fled the city to the countryside. The citizens quickly declared victory and drew up the Constitution of May 8th reestablishing the nation of Ravenspur with Warszawa as its new capital city.

Politics
The constitution of Ravenspur is still being drafted. It is believed that the nation will have a Parliamentary government similar to either the British Parliament or the American Congress. Currently, the government is headed by temporary government headed by an executive and legislative body. Elections for the governmental positions will take place shortly. A number of political parties are now forming.

Leader's Title
The short title of the leader of Ravenspur is either Sir, Pan or His Excellency,. The formal address of title for the leader of Ravenspur is fluid as the nation grows. More titles are included as more lands end up into the nation. While this may seem comical, it is a proud marker for the nation and source of national pride.

Foreign Relations
Ravenspur originally reached out for trading partners early on in their existence. The nation is incorporating the former Ravenspur's history. The nation also has preliminary claims on all lands formerly owned by the original Ravenspur including much of Poland and the rest of Europe. The nation also has issued a warrant for capture of former Governor Vladimir Frank and his forces who are still at large.

Economy
Ravenspur is best known for its primary exports in lead and hydro industries. Bottled water from the region's Vistula River is considered among the best in the world and has been sought by countries around the world.

Banks
Ravenspur's fledgling banking system has adopted the Euro as the main unit of currency. The country is served by the main central bank, Ravenspur National Bank & Trust.

Demographics
While Ravenspur boasts a wealth of ethnic groups, the major ethnic group is Polish. Poles permeate most areas of the countries. Anglish immigrants from the United Kingdom and Americas feature one of the largest immigrant communities.

Languages
The official languages of the nation at this point are Polish and English. Latin is used by some clergy.

Education
Ravenspur’s education is primarily privately funded. Public education is planned, however at the moment, the government has stated that it will have to wait until after the rebuilding process after the Third Great War. In an effort to demonstraite this, the government has requested the population to suggest sites for schools and major universities. These will likely be based in the major cities with branch, community campuses in the lesser populated areas of the country.

Major Cities in Ravenspur
• Warszawa (Poland)

Culture
The architecture of Ravenspur have fused parts from the variety of peoples who reside in the nation. Polish, Czech (Bohemian), French, and British/Anglish, are the predomenit styles of the cities. With the advent of Persian, German, and Russian immigrants inching into the nation, more of their styles are becoming evident in the nation.The average working day for a person in the nation is 37 hours per week. The culture has been categorized by some in the foreign press as a “Café Culture,” as most people take frequent breaks during the day from their jobs to sit at indoor and outdoor cafés, relax, and drink coffee. Valencia Malange, a special latte with an orange flavor is a particularly favorite drink through the country.

Religion
Ravenspur’s populace hold a wide mixture of religious beliefs. At the outset of the nation’s founding, the leader went followed the advice of the people, and proclaimed the national religion to be Catholic Christianity. While the people of the nation are granted the freedom to practice any faith under the Ravenspur Constitution and Declaration of Rights and Liberty, the leader holds a liberal Roman Catholic belief.

Sports
The nation features one main multipurpose stadium.

Literature and the Arts
While the nation is currently building museums and institutes for the arts, the nation does not lack in a legacy of arts. Many smaller museums cities of the nations. Ravenspur, with it’s Polish nationality, holds the composer Fredrick Chopin as one it’s great cultural heros. While musicians and artists from through the world have begun to flood into the major cities, Krakow seems to be the central location for most of these new artisans. In literature, the nation boasts Noble Laurite Henryk Adam Aleksander Pius Sienkiewicz, who’s birthday, May 5, is one of the national holidays. One of Sienkiewicz’s most famous characters, Jan Onufry Zagłoba, a jovial large knight, is a national hero (see below) and Sienkiewicz’s date of death was chosen by the legislature as the date to celebrate another national holiday, Jan Onufry Zagłoba Day.

National Holidays
• January 1: New Year’s Day

• February 20: National Day

• April 2: National Day of Mourning

• April 10: The Great Expansion of Original Ravenspur Day

• Various dates: Easter Sunday

• May 1: Labour Day (May Day)

• May 3: Poland Constitution Day

• May 8: Independence Day/Reestablishment Day/Day of Revolution

• May 5: Henryk Sienkiewicz Day

• July 14: Bastille Day (predominately in French areas)

• September 12: Battle of Wien (King Jan III Sobieski Day)

• October 16: Karol Józef Wojtyła / Pope John Paul II Day

• November 15: Jan Onufry Zagłoba Day

• December 24-25th: Christmas Eve and Day

• December 31: New Years Eve

Military
Ravenspur's military boasts 625 soldiers formed in the wake of independence.

Current Military Honors and Awards

 * [[File:Revolution_of_Warszawa_of_2016_rib.png]] Order of the Revolution of Warszawa

Awarded for: All participating in the Revolution and protests reestablishing Ravenspur as a new nation.


 * [[File:Order_of_the_Raven_rib.png]] Order of the Raven

Awarded for: Knighthood to the New Ravenspur.

Historic Military Honors and Awards
After Ravenspur's involvement in the Third Great War, the nation's government authorized military commendations and honors awarded to those individuals and nations having partaken and aided Ravenspur both during and after the Third Great War.

Awards and Medals Given During the Third Great War

 * [[File:Hero of Ravenspur rib.PNG]] Hero of Ravenspur

Awarded for: Highest commendation bestowed by the people of Ravenspur, to those, in war or peacetime, who aid and contribute to the continuation and prosperity of Ravenspur. Award Recipients:

• Sr. Lt. Václav Škoda and Cpl. Jean-Baptiste Snow (pilot and co-pilot of Ravenspur's Yakovlev Yak-9 killed in action during Third Great War)

• Maj. Anna Victoria Cross-Pym ("For special valor on multiple fronts of the Thrid Great War")


 * [[File:Great Third War Ravenspur rib.PNG]] Ravenspur Veteran of the Third Great War

Awarded for: Awarded to all of those individuals partaking in the Third Great War for Ravenspur. Award Recipients: 8,700+
 * [[File:Purple Orange Heart rib.PNG]] Purple Heart of Ravenspur

Awarded for: Awarded to all injured and killed soldiers of Ravenspur. Award Recipients: 8,762 Casualties.
 * [[File:Special Order DMV rib.GIF]] Special Order of Distinguished Merit and Valor

Awarded for: Special merit and valor to those members of the Piracy Coalition of the South Atlantic for helping defend Ravenspur from attacks. Award Recipients: All members of the Piracy Coalition of the South Atlantic.
 * [[File:Foriegn Meritorious Service award rib.PNG]] Order of Foreign Meritorious Service Award

Awarded for: Granted to those nations and individuals aiding Ravenspur during and after the Great Third War. Award Recipients:

• Wonnilion and the peoples of Wonnilian Republic of the ODN, (for continued advice in times of need)

• Golan 1st and the peoples of Danieland of the ODN, (for advice and aid in times of need for the Third Great War)

• Ruler4 and the peoples of the nation of Franklin of the ODN, for aid in time of need for the Third Great War)

• pikappdave and the peoples of sirtron of the ODN, (for aid in time of need for the Third Great War).


 * [[File:ODN service rib.PNG]] ODN Service Medal (first awarded 15 April 2007)

Awarded for: Awarded to those individuals serving in the military or aiding the military from Ravenspur who serve while Ravenspur is a member of the Orange Defense Network. Award Recipients: Undetermined amount. Over 14,000.
 * [[File:Defense Warsaw rib.PNG]] Medal in Defense of Warsaw

Awarded for: Awarded to those individuals defending and aiding in the defense of Warsaw, Poland, Ravenspur. Award Recipients: Undertermined amount.
 * [[File:Defense Lublin rib.PNG]] Medal in Defense of Lublin

Awarded for: Awarded to those individuals defending and aiding in the defense of Lublin, Poland, Ravenspur. Award Recipients: Undetermined amount.
 * [[File:GreatExpansionrib.GIF]] Great Expansion of 10 April 2007 (first awarded 17 April 2007)

Awarded for: Awarded to all citizens and military members to celebrate the Great Expansion of 10 April 2007. Award Recipients: Approximitaly 9,000.
 * [[File:8Nations rib.PNG‎]] Eight Nations Medal (first awarded 17 April 2007)

Awarded for: Awarded to all citizens and military members to celebrate the Expansion of Ravenspur to include territory of eight nations: Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Germany, Belarus, Hungary, and Ukraine. Award Recipients: Approximitaly 20,000.
 * [[File:Second Great Expansion.GIF]] Second Great Expansion Medal (May Day Expansion Medal) (first awarded 1 May 2007)

Awarded for: Awarded to those individuals living and serving Ravenspur during the May Day Expansion. Award Recipients: Approximitaly 9,000.
 * [[File:May Day 10 rib.PNG]] Ten Nations Medal (first awarded 1 May 2007)

Awarded for: Awarded to all of those individuals living and serving Ravenspur to celebrate the nation comprising ten nations. Award Recipients: Approximitaly 20,000.

Foriegn Awards

 * [[File:Dark Heart Award.png]] The ODN Dark Heart Award (awarded 12 April 2007)

Awarded for: The people of Ravenspur were presented with and accepted the "Dark Heart" Award by the Orange Defense Network on 12 April 2007 for the nation's service during the Third Great War. In it's presentation, the medal was awarded "for undertaken operations against the GOON Alliance. successfully inflicted an irreparable amount of damage to the enemy far beyond yours even when wounded on the front."


 * [[File:ODNGWIII.jpg]] Ribbon for The Great War III


 * [[File:ODN_UJW.jpg]] Ribbon for The Unjust War

Current Flags of Ravenspur
The Post-Revolutionary flag of Ravenspur features a three-bar flag with alternating white-red-white color pattern. The right side of the flag is decorated with traditional pattern upon the hoist.

The city of Warszawa features a flag of gold on top of red featuring the same traditional pattern upon the hoist.

Historic Flag of Ravenspur
The flag of Ravenspur originated with the official flag of Częstochowa, which can still be seen in the modern flag’s background colors of a white and blue fields separated by a yellow stripe in the middle. In the center of the flag is a twice encircled Maltese Cross (see below). The colors of the cross are white and red, imitating the flag of the nation of Poland. The circle’s inner tri-color are red, yellow, and blue. The red, again is for Poland. The yellow stands for the nations Catholic upbringing, harking back to the flag of the Vatican. The blue represents the horizon for which the nation will expand into. Four fluer-de-lys, surround the encircled Maltese Cross, in honor of the French citizens who helped build the nation. At the bottom of some flags, a stylized written of one of the nation’s mottos, Rafenspvr est imperare orbi universo. This is sometimes called the nation’s “Battle Standard” flag.

Historic Imperial Flag of Ravenspur
The Imperial Flag of Ravenspur is the common flag used to signify the entire community of Ravenspur. The flag was adopted by the legislature following the Great Expansion of April 10, 2007. The flag is also used as a flag for the Imperial Royal Family. The is a dark blue and purple nordic cross, denoting the colors of royalty. In the upper left hand corner is a series of eight small stars in a circle, one for each larger nation which Ravenspur controls some land of. More stars are expected to be added when other nations enter. In the middle of the star-circle is a Maltese cross. At the bottom left corner of the flag is the nation's name, Ravenspur.

Historic Great National Shield and Coat of Arms of Ravenspur
The Great National Shield and Coat of Arms of Ravenspur is based around a simple red and white shield, the two national colors of Poland. The red portion is adorned with four fluer de lys in the blue and yellow colors of the Ravenspur flag. Three white stars, one at the bottom, right, and left of the shield, representing the three nations which once historically partitioned Poland (Austria-Hungary, Prussia, and Russia). At the top of the shield is the nation's name.

Located in the white center of the shield is a black orb with a red and white Maltese cross. The orb is topped by a blue papal cross with another Maltese cross over the papal cross.

The bottom of the shield has four fluer de lys affixed as a cross. The top of the shield has four additional fluer de lys and a large papal cross.

The Great National Shield and Coat of Arms is present at most state functions and is placed on most public buildings.

Official Mottos
Ravenspur holds a number of both official and unofficial mottos. The current main motto of the nation is "Ravenspur is not yet lost!" referencing the fact that the nation had dissolved for many years and has since been reborn into a second incarnation.

Also popular are the mottos of the former incarnation of Ravenspur. The three most popular are “Rafenspvr est imperare orbi universo," "Si Deus Nobiscum quis contra nos" (Latin: If God is with us, then who is against us?), and "'Za wolność Waszą i Naszą!" (Polish: For your and our Freedom!). The first motto is the newest motto for Ravenspur, and generally is considered the most hostile, as it’s meaning, loosely translated, is that Ravenspur will rule the universe.    The second two come from the time in history when Poland was constantly fighting off occupying nations or Polish troops fought in various Democratic freedom movements, such as the American Revolution while Poland was carved up by Russia, Prussian, and Austro-Hungarian imperialists.

National Anthem
Mazurek Dąbrowskiego. Further descriptions coming soon.

Monuments
Plans for monuments are in the works for Ravenspur. Included in this are war memorials for battles fought by the original Ravenspur nation, including one dedicated to those killed in the Great Third War as well as for those who fought on the side of Ravenspur from the nations of Piracy Coalition of the South Atlantic.

National Heros and Legends
Possibly the largest national hero is the fictitious, legendary knight Jan Onufry Zagłoba. Former Polish King Jan III Sobieski, who in the 1683 lead forces to save the Austrian city of Vienna. Ethnic Czechs in Ravenspur hold King Wenceslaus (Václav I), of the Christmas carol Good King Wenceslaus fame as a similar national hero. Various legends hold that at times of great danger to Ravenspur, these heroes will come from the mountain ranges to defend the nation from foreign invaders.

Karol Józef Wojtyła, more commonly known as Pope John Paul II, has recently began being venerated among the nation’s Poles and Catholics in a similar fashion.