Xarslasja
| Bezuvate of Xarslasja Bezzun Xarslasjabwa | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UŊ member | ||||
| ||||
 Location of Xarslasja (dark green) | ||||
| Capital city | Yuɱa | |||
| Demonym | Xarslasjunk (singular), Xarslasjunkou (plural) | |||
| Government | Military-Civil Federal Ætérnalist Bezuvate Bezuv: Agma Schwa | |||
| Official languages | Arodjun, English | |||
| Currency | POS, Grass Blocks accepted for barter | |||
Xarslasja ([ˈxaɾˌɬa.sʲə]), officially the "Bezuvate of Xarslasja" is a country located in a desert southwest of spawn. It was created by Agma Schwa. The cities of Yuɱa, Payson, Blythe, Quartzsite, Tempe, Flagstaff, Nogales, Ajo, Needle Rock, and Sedona are located in Xarslasja. The name is Arodjun in origin and roughly means "big desert area" or "Great Desert Land."
History
Pre-UNg Period
After The Raid led to the destruction of Phoeŋix, Nguhtropolis, and much of the infrastructure of the Old Kingdom, the prior political order of the server had been reduced to nothing. In the months following November 2023, several new villages began to emerge closer to the Spawn.
Agma Schwa continued living in the ruins of the Old Kingdom’s Five-Village Network until January of 2024, when he decided to migrate to a desert south of the Spawn. This desert hosted a seemingly-uncontacted village, which was named “Yuɱa,” after the city in the real-world state of Arizona.
In late January, a Cenrail extension was built to Yuɱa.
In February, construction began on the town of Blythe on the other side of the Colorado River, centered around the old Port Authority of Yuɱa. With multiple towns under construction, the region was dubbed “Xarslasja” (Arodjun for “Great Desert Land”) and the land declared intent on joining the United ŋations.
In March, construction began on the cities of Tempe, Quartzsite, and Payson. These cities and town make up "Core Xarslasja" or "Mainland Xarslasja," though technically Blythe is on the west side of the Colorado River.
In late March 2024, the Great Desert Bank opened, allowing for Xarslasja to make transactions in Slabs for the first time.
On April 1st, 2024, the Yuɱa Post Office was remodeled to follow the standards of Annwan's Mail Route. The Xarslasja Port Authority was also re-opened with the construction of the Port Authority Tower in Blythe.
Expansion Period
On April 2nd, 2024, Xarslasja was admitted into the United Ŋations by a unanimous 6-0 vote. That day, the tentative plan for the Yuɱa Exchange Rate Commission was announced and grounds were broken for its construction.
Through early April 2024, significant infrastructure was constructed, including a full reconstruction and expansion of the Yuɱa CenRail Station and the creation of the Core Xarslasja Line System.
In late April 2024, the strange village of Needle Rock was opened near the future site of Arcosanti, and Bezuv Agma Schwa's "ŋursery" from the previous Minecraft world was imported to Blythe by the witchcraft of Ætérnal.
Xarslasja entered a state of Recession on June 10th, 2024 due low a lack of banking transaction regulation and no system in place to make bank loans, after Elisa of Fishland put in an order for a whopping 100 slabs by sending 32 stacks of gold blocks to the Great Desert Bank. The vault of the entire nation of Xarslasja only contained 1 slab. The Bank exchanged one slab for one stack of gold blocks and returned the remaining stacks. Instantly insolvent, the Bezuv forced the temporary closure of the Bank and Exchange Commission until the vault is restored and a bank loan system in place.
After recuperating funds and changing transaction laws, the Bank quietly reopened on July 14th, 2024 with a transaction limit of 2 Slabs and a ban on mineral transactions.
In July 2024, The Bezuv made a deal with Quing Marcy I of Kyaw Cen to share a plot of land known as Ŋibraltar, officially the "Territory of Ŋibraltar." This was done to augment economic ties with the maritime power and to express friendship between the two governments. Construction of Ŋibraltar was done by Kyaw Cen, though a rail line is planned to be split fro the Quartzsite Line Station to reach it and suburbs around it are likely to be built.
The borders of Xarslasja were expanded to fill in previously unclaimed space between Þunan Qumreá and Nāroňpār in July 2024. A month later, Xarslasja's Operation: Mingling created a network of roads to every corner of the nation, including to several international borders.
Consolidation Period
In August of 2024, the western nation of Murbetia formally disbanded, leaving what was the largest land claim in the world a power vacuum. Nearly instantly, several nations moved in. During this event, known as the Scramble for Murbetia, Coldba became the primary beneficiary, claiming about 90% of Murbetia's main landmass. Xarslasja, in an attempt to expand its trade horizons and oceanic influence, purchased two islands off the north and east coasts of Murbetia for a grand total of One Slab (an act which was significant, since the land grabs earlier in the day had been officialized for free). These islands were named Bar Harbor and Far Harbor, and put under the direct authority of the Bezuv's son, Gu Sabah as head of the Xarslasja Port Authority. One island turned out to be claimed by West Pua, so negotiations on the eastern island began. The dispute was resolved within two days. Kate of Coldba remunerated the Bezuv for the false purchase of Bar Harbor. In exchange, Xar Harbor was purchased. Bar Harbor was retaken by West Pua for roughly 12 hours before a deal was struck for Xarslasja to gain official control of the land on Bar Harbor, in exchange for the handing over of the island of Peoria, located north of Arcosanti.
Ecology
The most densely populated region of Xarslasja is known as "Core Xarslasja," located in a desert biome on the southeast coast of the Agmatic Ocean.
North of Core Xarslasja are rolling savannas and forests that reach the northern border of the nation. There is also the notable Painted Desert, home to the (future) town of Sedona and the ruins of a former base destroyed during The Raid, now known as Nothing. At the extreme north, in the Agmatic Ocean, there are several grassy islands that make up the area known as the Carefree Isles.
To the south is the Djobom Sea, which features a few major islands within Xarslasja territory, including Why Island and Ajo. The southern and western landmasses which contain the towns of Nogales and Flagstaff respectively are mostly savannas and plains full of acacias. The land surrounding Flagstaff in particular is home to many species of animals not found elsewhere in Xarslasja territory. A small swamp can be found right along the edge of Flagstaff.
To the north, Xarslasja shares a border with Þunan Qumreá and to the southwest with The Puas.
Culture
Core Xarslasja is located in a desert biome surrounded by bodies of water. One of the notable features of the region are the manually-planted oak and acacia trees placed across the desert and the grass planted across the riverbed of the Colorado River.
Yuɱa, Tempe, Quartzsite, Payson, Needle Rock, and Blythe are populated with villagers, and the infrastructure of these cities is designed to accomodate their needs above all.
Yuɱa has a complete street address system, wherein every street has a name (in Arodjun) and every building has an address based on the cardinal direction and proximity of the building relative to the central square.
In regions surrounding Xarslasja, especially along coastlines, small monuments of stone can be found pointing towards Yuɱa for navigational purposes.
The most common building material used in Xarslasja is sandstone, with most works of architecture containing terracotta, copper blocks, and birch wood. Most windows are made of glass blocks instead of panes, for improved insulation from the desert heat.
Religion
The religion of Xarslasja is a blend of Ætérnalism with the traditional Fwonnel practices of Bez. This synchronism merges the belief that Ætérnal is a divine being worth revering and fearing and that the goal of a civilization should be to achieve and maintain a state of "Bez," which can be thought of as "balance," or, more specifically, "sustainable terraforming." This belief explains the nation's "Greenification" project and the Bezuv's close personal ties with the Slab Exchange.
An Ætérnal Shrine can be found atop South Mountain, just south of Yuɱa.
Government
Xarslasja is a Bezuvate, a military-civil union run by Bezuv Agma Schwa, the Lord Terraformer of the Desert (Bezuv Xarslasjabwa, lit. "Ruler of Balance of the Desert Region"). Each populated center in Xarslasja is protected by a series of Iron Golems and led by Unubuv (lit. "city rulers, mayors"). Agma Schwa is currently the Unuv of all five existing cities.
The government of Xarslasja has a habit of establishing Embassies in independent villages to establish good relations and provide the Xarslasjunkou with places to stay during travel abroad. The first four Embassies were established during the Western Cherry Expedition of March 23-25, 2024.
Upon joining the United Ŋations, the borders of Xarslasja were expanded, nearly tripling its land area, to include several islands throughout the Djobom Sea and the entirety of the landmass the desert is situated on and meeting borders with Þunan Qumreá at the former territory of the Pais Transanguino Ranitino.
In June, the landmass to the southwest of Core Xarslasja containing Flagstaff (the first unclaimed village given a Xarslasja Embassy during the Western Cherry Expedition) was officially incorporated into the Bezuvate. This was followed in July by several large annexations to the southeast.
The Territory of Ŋibraltar is a joint-administrated district located on the southernmost tip of Anthem Island in the Carefree Isles. It is mostly managed by the Kingdom of Kyaw Cen, but is controlled equally by both nations.
In August 2024, the eleven Counties of Xarslasja were officially marked on a map. These counties will serve to pick representatives for the future consolidated government.
Economy
The Economy of Xarslasja has two major focuses: Raw Materials and Transit. Being located in a desert, supplies like sand and sandstone are often bartered or sold. The location of Xarslasja as the "gateway to the southern hemisphere" has also made it an important stopping point for travellers by foot, rail, or boat. The Core Xarslasja Line System, with its main Terminus at the Yuɱa Line Station at 302 Ameu Kazlikk, provides rapid cart transit between the cities of Xarslasja, the Yuɱa CenRail Station, and the North Border.
Goods and services are exchanged for raw materials or for Slabs (POS) at the Great Desert Bank at the standards set by the Slab Exchange. Notably, as part of the "Greenification Project," one stack of Grass Blocks can be exchanged for one Slablet.
Though the old Port of Yuɱa is an old, dilapidated ruin, the new Xarslasja Port Authority Building in Blythe allows for the easy dropping off and collecting of goods sold, exchanged, or gifted legally through Xarslasja's Postal Code of Conduct.
The Postal System of Xarslasja has been a role model for several months (in that it was one of the first since The Raid), and the revamp of April 2024 has made it comply with Annwan's Mail Route. The Yuɱa Post Office is located at 107 X. Dunxaum Juma, just north of the Yuɱa Warp, making for quick shipping by land, rail, or teleportation. The Blythe Shipping Center at the Xarslasja Port Authority Tower, managed by a villager known as "The Griddy," also has mailboxes for those who collect and send mail via boat.
Bezuv Agma Schwa has ensured that every type of Villager Specialization is available somewhere in Xarslasja, making exploration of the various towns in the region helpful for many travellers looking to improve their craft.
Transit
As previously stated, Xarslasja is served by CenRail at Yuɱa Station. This serves as the primary rapid rail transit to the rest of the world.
Within Xarslasja, there are currently two major internal, one-lane rail lines: the Core Xarslasja Line and the Nogales-Arcosanti Line.
The Core Line has a nexus in Yuɱa which branches in four directions to Tempe, Payson, Yuɱa Station, and Blythe.
The Nogales-Arcosanti (N/A) Line begins in Payson and ends in Blythe, with stations in Ajo, Nogales, Flagstaff, and (soon) Arcosanti.
Boat travel is also quite easy throughout Xarslasja, as most settlements are located next to major bodies of water with docks built in. International travel is quite easy along the Salt River.
Operation: Mingling set up a network of roads and bridges webbing every side of the country. This was done to make transit and navigation possible across the vast swaths of land recently annexed.