Belvon

Overview
Belvon is a smaller nation whose citizens are devoted to spiritual enlightenment and the pursuit of knowledge. It is a primarily peaceful nation that will only engage in military action if provoked or to come to the aid of her allies. The nation has been a life member of the alliance Nations Of Ascended Honor and the Stewart Nicolet Hax The Benevolent is currently serving a second term as a High Court Justice.

Geography
Belvon is a nation divided by three distinct geographical regions; the coastal region to the east, the grasslands to the west, and the mountainous highlands located in the north. Each region acts as a self-governing principality that answers directly to the Stewart.

Coastal Region
The coastal region is the most densely populated region of Belvon. It holds the nation’s harbors, fishing grounds, and is the closest region to the capitol city, Aria. This region is also host to the brunt of the tourists due to its beaches and temperate weather and contains the historic battlefield that the people of Belvon fought their war for independence on.

Grasslands
Unlike the coastal region, the grasslands are more sparely populated due to the large amount of farmland that the region is used for. The area is a very flat and open landscape capable of producing fierce thunderstorms, and hail and periodically suffers from tornado damage. The bulk of the nation’s food that is not imported is produced and shipped from the grasslands to every area of Belvon.

Highlands
The highlands are the source of Belvon’s native resources, marble and silver, hence it is the wealthiest region of the three. Many towns and roads are carved into the mountain sides and are widely photographed for the unique design. Mines are a common sight and provide many jobs. Belvon’s famous warrior monks also have their main headquarters and training grounds in the highlands.    

The Fight for Independence
During the height of the religious prosecutions a woman named Audrey Edwin began leading refugees out of harms way. Over the years Edwin became a legend for worshipers and scholars everywhere and a villain to many governments. In the early years of her crusade Audrey met Nicolet Hax during her trek across North America. Nicolet was preaching a similar message of freedom and religious rights, and merged his power base with Edwin. When the followers became too many, Edwin lead them to a new land where they would be free from the fear of government oppression. The refugees set up ramshackle houses and carved out a hard but peaceful life for themselves, until they were found. A neighboring nation sent soldiers to destroy the refugees, but fueled by the dreams of freedom and independence the refugees fought back. What followed would prove to be the most violent battle in Belvon’s history. Historic accounts say that the blood spilt was so much that the battlefield turned to mud under the feet of the warring factions. During the first moments of battle the soldiers charged and Audrey was the only one to run into the fray. She was promptly cut down at the might of the opposing army, but her death sparked a fury in the refugees. The battle raged on for three days with only minor breaks in the fighting. On the morning of the fourth day the last remaining soldiers surrendered to the refugees. In an attempt to save face and fearing the loss of more soldiers, the refugees were given sanctuary and acknowledged as an independent country.

The Forming of Belvon
After the brutal war was over and the dead had been buried the remaining people looked for leadership. Audrey was dead and the only other leader they knew was her second in command, Nicolet Hax. Nicolet had fought fiercely alongside the refugees during the battle and had organized many of the attacks, so when the people needed a leader Nicolet was elected unanimously. Taking full advantage of the resources they had, the people quickly established the capital city and named it Aria. Using this central city as a staging point, Belvon developed all the necessities of a country. The word of Belvon spread to all reaches of the globe, and soon refugees from all over flocked to the newly formed country in pursuit of freedom. With the new influx in population, Belvon had everything it needed to turn itself into a respectable nation.

NOAH Membership
Shortly after Belvon had made itself known to the world scene, it received many invitations from alliances both large and small. Nicolet researched many of the alliances, but didn’t feel that any one of them could preserve the ideals that Belvon was founded upon. Soon, however, Belvon was sent an invitation from Sir Sci of the Nations of Ascended Honor. Intrigued that the recruitment offer did not try to bribe him to join, Nicolet reviewed the NOAH charter. Finding that this was an alliance based on integrity, honor and respect, Nicolet decided that NOAH was indeed the best alliance to align Belvon with. Belvon is still a proud member of the Nations of Ascended Honor to this day.

The Mood War
On May 25, 2007, Belvon entered its first war as an established nation. King Olguin of BMI-UTOPIA, without warning or provocation, declared war on Belvon and immediately commenced attacks. The first day of the war saw two infantry invasions, two bombing runs, and two cruise missile attacks, leaving the nation shaken and many parts badly damaged. In accordance with NOAH charter, Belvon did not immediately retaliate. Nicolet contacted the NOAH government and quickly requested aid. The then Director of the Congregation, Prd777, sent a message to King Olguin and demanded that he cease attacks and pay reparations. When asked why he attacked, King Olguin stated that he was “in a war mood.” This response gave the people of Belvon a name for this war. A peace offer from BMI-UOPIA was sent, but quickly canceled by King Olguin when he learned that NOAH was going to demand repayment for all the damage he had caused to Belvon. After his cancellation of the peace offer, BMI-UTOPIA began fortifying its military. This was enough of an answer for NOAH, so Belvon was given clearance to begin retaliatory strikes. By the next day three other nations of the NOAH alliance had come to the aid of Belvon: Zin-Azshari, Checors, and Crimson Knights. Over the next six days the nations of NOAH continued to attack BMI-UTOPIA, but King Olguin never conceded to the reparation demand and his forces were finally crushed. Although Belvon and the nations of NOAH were victorious in this war, the devastation to Belvon was felt long after the battles stopped.

With the war over and much damage to the nation’s infrastructure to fix, the citizens petitioned Nicolet to strengthen the nation’s military. Already aware that the volunteer army that had defended Belvon through the war was not adequate if the nation were to face another such attack, Nicolet began the formation of a caste of warrior monks to dedicate their entire lives to the defense of Belvon. This move has been very effective and is still implemented to this day.  

The Sovereign
Belvon is a monarchy, ruled by Nicolet The Benevolent. The ruler of Belvon is known as a Stewart rather than a King, but the position of power is just as supreme. A Stewart is a servant of the people and a conduit of God. Therefore, the word of the Stewart, unless contradictory of the holy writings, is taken as the word of God and is treated with the same devotion and respect. By no means is the Stewart worshiped, but he is considered the highest religious authority. The Stewart’s duties mainly consist of larger national affairs, approving trade agreements, introducing and approving laws, abolishing laws, allotting government funding, and presiding over conflicts and wars. That is not to say the Stewart’s authority is limited to these, he is fully entitled to pass judgment on any matter he wishes.

The Governors
To improve the efficiency that the nation is run, each of the three regions of Belvon has a governor. The governors take care of the local politics of the area and make sure that the Stewart’s commands are implemented, carried out and enforced.
 * Coastal region Duke William
 * Highlands Lady Victoria
 * Grasslands Count Richard

The Judges
Unless the crime is treason, the people that rule on all criminal and civil cases are the judges. Their position is appointed by the governors of their respected area and approved by the Stewart himself. Judges are held to the highest standards and are quickly removed if they are suspected of misusing their power.

Mayors
Each town in Belvon has a mayor who not only manages the citizens, but acts as their representative to the Governors. Mayors, unlike other nations, have a surprising amount of power as they are able to directly submit proposals to the larger bodies of government including the Stewart himself. Mayors are elected by the citizens, but can be denied power by the Stewart.  

Military
In the beginning of its life Belvon’s military was composed of a volunteer army. This lasted through Belvon’s first official war against BMI-UTOPIA which was won with the aid of her allies. After the war was over, it was clear that Belvon’s volunteer army wasn’t adequate to properly protect her citizens. Nicolet quickly crated a more dedicated army divided into three sections; the Army of Belvon composed of a caste of warrior monks, the Royal Guard to defend the Stewart, and the special operations force dubbed BloodHounds.

Warrior Monks


The warrior monks of Belvon are composed of individuals who dedicate their lives to spiritual contemplation and the defense of the country. Their lives are filled with scripture readings, philological debates, educational lectures, and battle training high in the mountains of the highlands region where the weather is the most extreme. Their training starts at birth and children quickly become adapt at many forms of combat, both armed and unarmed. Ace pilots, tank operators, infantry, snipers, demolition experts, the monks fill every role with utter dedication.

Infantry


The Belvon infantry is the primary defense and strike force for the nation. Armed with the best armor, clothing and rifles that Belvon has at her disposal, the infantry is well suited for tactical strikes in many different climates and terrains.

Tank Brigade


When simple ground assaults by the infantry are not enough, the tank brigade is called in for support. With heavy armor plating and large cannons to get the job done, the tank brigade can easily cut down defending soldiers and lay waste to the enemy’s infrastructure.

Air Fleet


The Belvon Air Fleet consists mainly of jet fighters, as the division is for defensive purposes. Piloted by Belvon’s best of the best, the air fleet maintains security high above the cities and farmlands of the nation. Ever since those surprise bombings by King Olguin, Belvon has kept enough fighters on hand to keep that from happening again.

Missile Command


The missile controls of Belvon are located in the Stewart’s manor. No one else has the launch codes, so the firing of the missiles is at the sole discretion of Nicolet Hax. The missiles themselves are located in secret bunkers and silos. Some are able to be moved from location to location, which allows Belvon to launch from more strategic areas and keep the missiles out of harm’s way.

Royal Guard
The sole responsibility of the Royal Guard is to protect the Stewart at all cost. Composed of the most loyal and dedicated soldiers, a Royal Guard will sacrifice his or her own life to keep the Stewart from harm. The Royal Guards carry weapons for both long range and close quarters combat being proficient in everything from fire arms to broadswords.

BloodHounds
The BloodHounds is a special division of the monks that is in charge of the most important missions and military strikes that Belvon requires. The actual details of the BloodHounds division are mostly confidential and kept under strict wraps. What is public knowledge is sparse at best.    

Religion


Belvon is a religious and scholastic sanctuary, so it doesn’t have an official religion. The number of Christians currently outweighs the other religions claiming more than 50% of the citizens, but Belvon is also home to Jews, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, and other religions both main stream and fringe. All citizens are allowed to practice their religions freely as long is it is done in a peaceful manner and conforms to the laws of the land. The Holy City of Aria is the epicenter of religious study and congregation. The city is divided into districts representative of each major religion. Aria is the "poster boy" of Belvon’s success demonstrating the ability for such a diverse population with widely varying beliefs to coincide peacefully in one city under the desire to simply live their lives free of persecution.

Language
All citizens speak fluent English, but the official language of Belvon is called Cryptic. Cryptic is an original language with a proprietary alphabet which incorporates many different languages into it, yet does not use any specific words from any one language. All holy texts have been translated into Cryptic and it is the primary language for all literature and spoken word within Belvon.

Harbor
Gateway Harbor was the first national improvement to be built. This huge harbor was constructed along the coastline of Aria in the coastal region of the country. Its addition to the nation has proved to be a substantial economic boost by allowing more imports and exports to be channeled through the area.

Stadiums
As of date, Belvon has constructed five stadiums for its citizens to partake in and enjoy watching sporting events. Despite Belvon’s non-aggressive stance toward other nations pertaining to matters of war, its citizens have come to enjoy the thrills and competition of the few sports that have become popular inside their boarders.

Edwin Memorial Stadium
Edwin Memorial is the first stadium constructed in Belvon. Located in Aria, it is currently the home of the Crusaders, Belvon’s up-and-coming football team. The team is currently in the Ark League and is gearing up for the new season.

Banks
As Belvon grew and became more active on the trading scene around the world, Nicolet began the formation of a banking system to help his citizens survive and prosper in the world market as well as add more financial security for the general populace. Belvon currently has three bank branches with five locations.

National Bank of Belvon
The Nation Bank of Belvon was the first bank built. It was decided that the location of the bank would be in Aria, due largely to its location in the coastal region where most trade is done coupled with the tourist traffic that the area attracts.

Miners Trust of the Highlands
The second bank established in Belvon was build in the Highlands region to assist the miners who provide the country with the exportable resources of silver and marble. The bank was built in the region’s capital city of Dunn.

First Farmers Co-operative
With the overwhelming success of the first two banks, Nicolet completed his banking system plan when the third was constructed in the Grasslands region to finance the farmers that grow and raise the nation’s food supply. The bank was set up as a co-op because of the relatively sparse population.

--Belvon Monk 04:43, 20 August 2007 (UTC)