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Terra Lusa is the name of the westernmost island in the Terracopia Archipelago as well as the sovereign state that owns the island. It is an extremely militant nation, and has been at war with Iberia several times, and Atlantis several times, although never both simultaneously. Their strong alliance with the Caliphate of Andalusia has meant that they are largely protected militarily, in exchange for constant payments to the Caliphate.

[edit] Geography

Terra Lusa's population is centered around the western coastline. The eastern coastline is difficult to farm and the coastline is harsh. The western coastline, by comparison, has good harbors, but the weather is atrocious. It is said that Terra Lusa accepts the worst weather in order to save the rest of Terracopia, and it is this debt that the Caliphate repays.

Roads, once they turn away from the coastline, are twisty and narrow. Many an army was ambushed upon them. The coastline, with its rugged rocks and cul-de-sac coves, is ideal for mounting small counterattacks on invading navies.

Most farming that takes place in Terra Lusa is of hot-weather fruits. The Forest Wine that the country is known for (along with timber, it is their major export) is said to never be made the same way twice from the fruits in the forests lining the coasts.

[edit] Government

The government of Terra Lusa is a democratic republic ruled by the Chamber of Citizens - a group of 28 elected officials who serve for five years. The First Citizen, Alfonso III, holds a permanent seat in the chamber. The majority of the chamber is comprised of the nobility, though several merchants have recently been elected.

The capital city of Terra Lusa is Lisbonis.

[edit] History

[edit] Recent History

Terra Lusa had a revolution several years after the People's Republic of Baden. However, unlike the People's Republic, Terra Lusa allowed its royal family to accept a much-diminished role in domestic affairs. The First Citizen of Terra Lusa, the hereditary title that used to be King, is currently Alfonso III.

The revolution in Terra Lusa was remarkably orderly - the Chamber of the Nobles refused to allow the King to tax imported grain, but the King taxed it anyway, so the Chamber of the Nobles renamed itself the Chamber of the Citizens, decided to hold elections, and reformed the government in the Silent Revolution, lasting three years from when the Chamber renamed itself to when the Chamber declared invalid the title of King, and installed Afonso III as First Citizen.

However, one power the First Citizen still holds is the power to negotiate and conclude treaties. Afonso III used this to represent Terra Lusa at the Longbow Accords. The Chamber of the Citizens did an effective job running the country while he was gone (including passing a very popular modification to the tax code granting non-Lusan merchants the right to set up offices without suffering onerous taxes), and, when he returned, his power was greatly lessened. The role of First Citizen is fading into the backdrop of the political life of Terra Lusa, and the role of the Chamber of the Citizens is increasing.

[edit] Older History

Terra Lusa has been at war with Iberia many times in the past (four declared wars (The First, Second, Third,and Fourth Wars of the West, anywhere outside Iberia or Terra Lusa), two "major skirmishes" or "surprise attacks", depending on which side you were on at the time), and has battled with Atlantis several more times (in three of the four Elven Wars).

Relations between Terra Lusa and Iberia always have been somewhat strained. The reality is that neither country wants to defy the Caliphate (which has clearly wanted peace in the region), so, however much they may secretly despise each other, they are at a grudging peace. Fights between Lusans and Iberians abroad (although not in the Caliphate) are known for their detailed allusions to the history between the two countries ("Your father commanded the Sixth Fleet" is a particularly cutting one, on both sides - during the Second War of the West, the Sixth Fleet of Iberia was run aground when passing around the north of the island, and the Sixth Fleet of Terra Lusa was cornered and destroyed in the harbor of Lisbonis the year after).

In accordance with the Caliphate's "strongly phrased requests", both countries have been disarmed for the past century.

The First War, in 504 PR, ended in an draw, but many small towns on either coast were ravaged. The country of Terra Lusa and the country of Iberia were both formed (although Iberia had only the northeastern third of their current lands)

The First Action (or Ambush, depending), in 556 PR, ended in a Terra Lusa victory when their fleet surprised the Iberian fleet in-port at the First Battle of Barcelon, and they burned and sank it easily. A quick march to the capital later, and the First Western Treaty was concluded, granting Terra Lusa the northwestern third of the current territory of Iberia.

The Second War, in 589 PR, lasted 65 years. The Third Elvish War, which occurred during the war, did not include either nation. During the Second War, Terra Lusa struck out from their bases in Iberia, but quickly got bogged down. Indecisive battle followed after each minor victory from either side, and retreat on both sides was preferable to outright battle. Eventually, at the Second Battle of Barcelon in 659 PR, the military forces of both countries clashed, and the Iberians won decisively, completely routing the Terra Lusan army. However, the Terra Lusan navy was able to run aground the Fourth and Sixth Fleets of the Iberian Navy at the northern tip of Terra Lusa. In the First Battle of Lisbonis, the Fifth Fleet of the Iberian Navy sailed into Lisbonis, burned the First, Third, and Sixth Fleets of Terra Lusa, sacked and pillaged the capital, and forced an end to the war.

The Third War, in 699 PR, was brief. It lasted five years, and resulted in the brief occupation of Lisbonis by the Iberians. However, their navy was not able to survive the storms, and the Terra Lusans were able to effectively negotiate a status quo ante bellum treaty.

The Second Major Skirmish, in 756 PR, was the result of a rebellious Lusan Navy commander. He defected with the Second Fleet and began sinking, burning, and looting Iberian shipping, eventually blockading Barcelon for two days before the First Fleet of Terra Lusa, the Flotte des Pierres of Nemours, and the Barcelon Fleet of Iberia caught the Second Fleet in a pincer and destroyed it completely, executing the rebel commander on the deck of his ship.

The Fourth War, in 877 PR, lasted just six months. At the decisive naval battle, where the full fleet strength of the Lusans was attempting to stop the Iberian invasion, the Caliphate interfered, sank several ships on each side, defeated the rest, and, with envoys simultaneously sailing into Lisbonis and Barcelon, handed the two warring nations a peace treaty for them to sign that completely disarmed both nations.