Chiroptera Protectorate
The current Chiroptera Protectorate is made up of the former countries of Australia and New Zealand, as well as surrounding islands. It is ruled and protected by House Chiroptera and functions as a constitutional monarchy, with Queen TaraFaeBelle at it's head. The immense area is broken up into states. Six of these come from what used to be Australia: New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, and Tasmania. The rest are regions of former New Zeland: Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Gisborne, Taranake, Hawke's Bay, Manawatu-Wanganui, Tasman, Nelson, Wellington, West Coast, Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago and Southland.
The Chiroptera Protectorate has no land borders with any other Protectorate, and its closest neighbor is the Mollusca Protectorate.
Geography
- The population in the Australian part is concentrated on the coastal regions.
- The Australian mainland is relatively flat. The Great Dividing Range runs along most of eastern Australia, dividing the central lowlands from the eastern highlands.
- Central Australia is arid or semi-arid, known as the Outback. Forest cover is around 17% of Australia's land area in the tropical north, temperate south-east/south-west, and sub tropical east.
- Australia's rivers have the lowest discharge into the sea of any continent. The mainland's flat, arid profile also makes its rivers slow-moving, resulting in a build up of salt on the land.
- New Zealand is long and narrow—over 1,600 kilometres (990 mi) along its north-north-east axis with a maximum width of 400 kilometres (250 mi)—with about 15,000 km (9,300 mi) of coastline.
- The South Island is the largest landmass of New Zealand. It is divided along its length by the Southern Alps.There are 18 peaks over 3,000 metres (9,800 ft).
- The North Island is less mountainous but is marked by volcanism.
- The plateau formed by the highly active Taupō Volcanic Zone hosts New Zealand's largest lake, Lake Taupō, nestled in the caldera of one of the world's most active super volcanoes.
- New Zealand is prone to earthquakes
Climate
Because the Chiroptera Protectorate is located in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are the reverse of those in the Northern Hemisphere where the majority of the other Houses are located. In other words, the November Word Wars take place in the height of summer, not fall or winter. Further, Tomesmas is the shortest night of the year not the longest, so Chiropteran celebrations of the Long Write occur in June.
It should also be noted that, in general, the Protectorate's climate gets colder as you head south, and warmer as you head north.
History
After The First Word War, society collapsed, and in the process of rebuilding and reforming their governments, what had been the countries of Australia and New Zealand formed a joint parliamentary government, with the former Monarch assumed to still be reigning. By the time The Cavern moved to Australia, it had become clear that for society to survive the yearly Word War, it was crucial to have the protection of a Literomantic Houses, and that the former monarchy was gone.
Then what is now known as the Chiroptera Protectorate became aware that House Chiroptera was now located in their territory, and that the new Queen of the House was Queen TaraFaeBelle, a native to Australia. Within a matter of weeks, Parliament met in a special session, and voted to become the "Chiroptera Protectorate" and make Queen TaraFaeBelle their monarch.
Perhaps realizing that the new monarch might be a bit... shy... they sent an official summons asking her to testify at a parliamentary discussion on Literomancy. When she presented herself, they asked that she swear to uphold the laws of the land, and to protect the people within it to the best of her ability. She did so, and was a bit shocked when the Governor General dropped a crown on her head, handed her a form and said "Sign this, and I'm off duty for good."
Perhaps the first test of Queen Tara's rule, at least as far as non-Literomancers were concerned, was her handling of the Third Emu War. Fortunately, after discovering some historical documents concerning The First Emu War, Queen Tara was able to settle things with diplomacy rather then weapons, endearing her to the populace. The Cockatoo Bin Wars continue, however.
Tourism
Tourists are asked to remember "Slip. Slop. Slap. Seek. Slide."
This stands for:
Slip on a shirt
Slop on some sunscreen
Slap on a hat
Seek the shade &
Slide on the sunnies
WIP
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