Novenae

"To have a home is not a favour." —Novenae Basic Law, Preamble

Novenæ, often nicknamed the City of Corporations, is an independent nation in central Doggerland.

The city is known for its laissez-faire economics, cosmopolitan society and importance as a trade hub for the continent as a whole. Its' name comes from the Latin "group of nine"- named after the nine corporations that originally founded the city. It is one of the most populous regions of the Doggerland, and the most densely populated, with an estimated population of over 2,000,000 people. Efforts by the government to minimize bureacracy have made it one of the easiest cities to do business in.

History

Prehistory

The land on which present-day Novenae sits was not populated until after the destruction of the British Monarchial Clique. Dutch-speaking peoples lived in sparsely populated villages along the plateau and named the region "Malmani". The origin of this name is not known. These people slowly left the region due to crop failures, after which Chisel Enterprises seized the land to use for its Airbase 103 project.

Founding

The idea of a neutral city-state gained traction in the early 3000's, a place where corporations and nations could meet and discuss issues without the fear of their representatives being harmed while on foreign soil. The ultimate goal of this city-state would be to facilitate cooperation and diplomacy, thereby promoting international peace. This idea would not come to fruition until a meeting between HR, a combat medic turned Buddhist monk from Tibet, and representatives from nine corporations in 3018, to whom he pitched the original idea for the city-state of Novenae. With their approval, he received the former land of Chisel Enterprises' Airbase 103 and an investment of 8.1 billion corporate marks to begin development of the city.

From the start, Novenae was planned as a highly dense city. Limited usable land area made vertical expansion a necessity. To incentivize corporations to participate in the city's development, HR's government passed a law which gave businesses owning property in the city representation in Parliament. Shortly after, Chisel Enterprises, BlackCon Labs Corporation, ANAC Group, and several other major corporations established regional HQ's in Novenae. Novenae also began to accept record numbers of refugees, far more than other nations in Doggerland at the time. This would go on to become an integral part of the city's identity: a refuge for those who had been forced from their homes due to war, famine, and instability.

Civil War

Corporations wielded powerful influence over Novenae, both economically and politically. As a result, Novanite society became heavily stratified into 3019. Income inequality had worsened to a degree that some were forced to move into underground slums

NCR Occupation

Government & Politics

Novenae is a constitutional monarchy with three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial.

The Monarch

Novenae's monarch is the Governor-General. Unlike most monarchs, the Governor-General is directly elected by voting citizens, making it more akin to a President. The monarch has a wide range of executive powers including being able to issue executive orders and appoint/dismiss members of the Cabinet, thus giving the monarch full control of the government. The Governor-General does not have to appoint Cabinet members from the legislative branch, but is accountable in that the legislature can impeach the Governor-General with a 2/3rds majority. The legislature would then be able to appoint an interim Governor-General to serve until the next election.

National Diet

Novenae's supreme law-making body is the National Diet. It is composed of 120 MPs, half of which are elected and half of which represent the corporations of the city. Aside from passing laws and approving the government's budget, the legislature may also subpoena private citizens or the Governor-General themselves. The legislature also has jurisdiction over all royal property, by simple majority vote, a measure that was installed to prevent the Governor-General from hoarding wealth for themselves.

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is composed of nine justices, including a Chief Justice, who are empowered to strike down laws which are unconstitutional.