Posted by QCS  4/18/2020 4:37 pm | #1 |
Hey, everyone! I know I've been somewhat quiet over the past couple weeks, but I've been working on something big that I finally can reveal and get started! Before I introduce you all to the project, a HUGE thanks to Steelman for basically guiding me through this process with tutorials, advice, and feedback! I honestly couldn't have done it without him. With that out of the way, let me introduce you to my country: Robin Island!
This is what it looks like without any political divisions or cities. The island chain is mountainous but also lush, with a diverse set of resources to utilize. It can be found in the North Pacific Ocean, between Japan and the United States. It was colonized by both Japan and the United States in the 1800s after Perry opened up Japan and the Empire rapidly Westernized, with colonies to boot. The Empire of Japan took over complete control of the colony during the Second World War, but control was quickly taken back by the US and Robin Island served as an important Pacific base for the Allies during the war. After the war, Robin Island was a colony of the States until 1953, when the occupation of Japan officially ended and Robin Island was given its independence as a fully-fledged country.
Robin Island is split into 14 provinces, each with a capital and basically serve as the equivalent of states or prefectures. The federal government is headed from Shinkyō, a metropolis-province combination that serves as the sole home for federal functions. Each province has an official color, denoted by their color on this map. The country speaks both English and Japanese as its official language, although a split along the Gray Mountains effectively divides the country into its former American and Japanese sides, leading to cultural conflict and headaches for government officials. I'll go deeper into each province over the coming days, but this is a quick overview of the country as a whole:
Capital: Shinkyō
Population: approx. 48 million as of 2020
National bird: Black Robin
National flower: Cherry blossom
National sport: Baseball
National language: English & Japanese
Most populous city: Shinkyō (7.5 million, as of 2020)
Most populous province: Shinsakai (9.6 million, as of 2020)
Economy: Tourism, Electronics, Seafood, Lumber
Flag:
Almost every type of sport is played throughout the country, but baseball is the most popular sport and can be found all over the country. Hockey is mostly centralized in the north, with Robin Island's hockey "capital" being the frozen city of Hokkyō in Hokken. Cloudsgate, Columbia, Ōyachi, and Yosemite in Roosevelt also participate in hockey, but Hokken is the home of the sport. American football is mostly popular in Roosevelt, Sierra, and Pine Grove, the most "American" of the provinces. Soccer is also popular throughout, but is slightly more popular on the Japanese side of the country. Basketball is less popular than other sports, but is found mostly in the south, in Luna Island, Pine Grove, Shinsakai, and Aorin. Sumo wrestling is a popular import from Japan, and several Robin Islanders have gone to Japan to participate in the sport.
So, that's the introduction! I'll go through all 14 provinces and give them each a proper introduction, so that way I can easily reference a central place in sports leagues that I'll run. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask!
Last edited by QCS (5/28/2020 8:55 pm)
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Posted by Section30 4/18/2020 5:18 pm | #2 |
Love the start, definitely interested in learning more about Robin Island.
I love the addition details like national symbols and the flag.
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Posted by Steelman 4/18/2020 10:12 pm | #3 |
Great start! Love what you did with the map. I'm looking forward to learning more about this country. I also like that you created a separate thread just for country details. I may have to do that with Torland. I've been wanting to make a Wiki but it's been so time consuming.
The flag looks fantastic as well!
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Posted by QCS 4/19/2020 10:58 pm | #4 |
Alright, I'm back with the first province! We start our in-depth tour of Robin Island in the capital, Shinkyō.
Fast Facts:
Japanese Name:「新京都」(Shinkyou-to, translates as "New Capital Metropolis")
Capital: N/A
2020 Population: 7.5 million
Color: Cherry Blossom Pink (Hex #FFBAFB)
Bird: Black Robin
Flower: Cherry Blossom
Wards: Daishinkyō, Koshinkyō
Industry: Government, Tourism, Fishing, Culture, Electronics
Comparable Cities: Washington, Tokyo, Ottawa
Flag:
History:
The province of Shinkyō is tied with Cloudsgate as the newest, formed in 1953 when Robin Island was given its independence. The new federal government wanted a district to call their own that wouldn't be affected by outside politics, similar to Washington DC, but Shinkyō also functions as its own province, like Tokyo. The capital province is only two islands, easily the smallest in the country. These islands are in what used to be part of Roosevelt in the Roosevelt Bay, but the federal government annexed them without permission to create Shinkyō. This explains the capital's name of "New Capital", since it is a new capital for the new country. Previous colonial capitals were spread across the country but the most notable were Shinsakai under Japanese rule and Queenston under American rule. This annexation of land has caused some trouble from Roosevelt leaders, but by 2020 the tensions have mostly subsided. In fact, Roosevelt has mostly taken advantage of the capital's proximity through two competing cities that service workers and visitors to the capital - San Juan and Hokuseikyō.
Symbols:
Shinkyō takes most of its symbols from the Robin Island government, including the official bird and flower. The pink color comes from cherry blossoms, which are a mark of pride for the country. The flag uses Shinkyō's pink color as its base (all provincial flags are required to have a base of the province's color) and a star punctuated by a circle to reflect the province's capital status as well as the to reflect the petals of a cherry blossom.
Wards:
Normally, this section would be an explanation of the province's major cities (the federal government recognizes a city as "major" if it has over 200,000 residents) but since Shinkyō operates as a metropolis (sort of a combined city-prefecture, Tokyo is also designated as such) it technically has no cities within it. However, the two islands it occupies have become sort of mini-cities, to the point that most people consider them cities on their own.
Daishinkyō:
Japanese name:「大新京市」(Daishinkyou-shi, lit. "Large New Capital City")
2020 Population: 6.8 million
Daishinkyō, known often by its nickname Daikyō, is on the larger island and is the largest city in Robin Island, by far. Daikyō is famous for its incredible culture and diversity, as well as being home to most government functions. The legislature (known as the People's Branch), the Executive (known as the Prime Minister), and the Judiciary (known as the People's Court) all reside on Daikyō, as well as things like the National Bank and the Police Bureau. Notably, the military is not found in Shinkyō but is instead based in Ft. Hayakawa in Toramoto. Daikyōens often consider themselves superior to Kokyōers, causing something of a rift between the two islands.
Koshinkyō:
Japanese Name:「小新京市」(Koshinkyou-shi, lit. "Small New Capital City")
2020 Population: 0.7 million
Koshinkyō, or Kokyō, is the smaller of the two islands and is proud of it. Often looked down on by Daikyō, Kokyō has a reputation for fierce civic pride and borderline violent defenses of the city. Sports teams are known to be some of the most supported across all of Robin Island, despite Kokyō being only the 26th most populous city in the country. Notably, the Robin Island International Airport makes its home on an artificial island in Kokyō territory, a pain in the neck to Daikyō faithful. Kokyō is linked to Hokuseikyō, the "little brother" of the two Roosevelt cities near Shinkyō, creating a strong bond between the two (despite Hokuseikyō being nearly 3.5 times Kokyō's size). Kokyō is often sore about Daikyō's preferential treatment by the federal government, usually raising a stink about funding or infrastructure investments. Many bridges connect the two islands but (to Kokyō, at least) a far greater proportion of them are under Daikyō control, frustrating officials and citizens to no end.
Conclusion:
Shinkyō serves as both the governmental and cultural capital of Robin Island, a land of ferocious pride and incredible diversity. Every sport can stake a claim here, and the city is large enough to support multiples teams in several sports, but they still need to prove their meddle, like newcomers to the political scene in Shinkyō. Among the elite of the city, sharp wits and clever plays will keep you on top, while trends and loyalty rule the citizens. It's a wonderful place to visit, and an even better place to settle down and lay roots, with the hope that it pays off the the future.
(Editor's Note: There we go! The first province down! Shinkyō is pretty directly inspired by Tokyo, right down to the name: Shinkyō, "new capital", Tokyo, "east capital" - Kyoto (capital city) served as the old capital and Tokyo was to the east of Kyoto. You'll see lots of these types of obvious names throughout the series, that's just how Japanese tends to work. The artificial island airport is inspired by Kansai International Airport near Osaka, also on an artificial island. I flew out of there heading home from my visit to Japan and it's truly a sight to behold - just a massive airport built on a fake island. Anyway, what do you guys think of Shinkyō? Any questions for me? Just ask away!)
Last edited by QCS (4/20/2020 2:15 pm)
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Posted by QCS 4/20/2020 2:15 pm | #5 |
Next stop on our tour is Roosevelt, the province surrounding Shinkyō.
Fast Facts:
Japanese Name:「ルセベルト州」(Ruseberuto-shuu, lit. "Roosevelt State")
Capital: Yosemite
2020 Population: 6.6 million
Color: Red (Hex #F0464E)
Bird: Sandhill Crane
Flower: Rose
Major Cities: San Juan, Hokuseikyō
Industry: Agriculture, Mining, Tourism, Service
Comparable States: Alberta, Colorado
Flag:
History:
Roosevelt is one of the older provinces, formed in the early 1900s while Teddy Roosevelt was President, thus named after him. The city that originally served as capital was San Juan, named after T.R.'s famous Rough Riders and their heroics in Cuba. However, when Shinkyō was founded, federal officials wanted Roosevelt to move the capital to avoid political conflict, and the small town of Yosemite in the north of the province was chosen. The province was long been of the "blue-collar, rough-and-tumble" type, and it shows in the cities and their citizens.
Symbols:
Roosevelt takes its color from the clay found in the soil when mining, and selected the sandhill crane as the province bird, representing their American heritage and the strong bonds formed by Roosevelt citizens and sandhill cranes. The flower is a rose, selected to match the red color already selected. The flag takes the form of a clay red base with a stylized "R", modified to somewhat resemble「ル」, the first character of Roosevelt's Japanese name.
Cities:
Yosemite:
Japanese Name:「ヨセミティ市」(Yosemiti-shi, lit. "Yosemite City")
2020 Population: 1.3 million
Similar Cities: Austin, Edmonton
Yosemite, despite being the capital, is the smallest major city in Roosevelt and is the 9th largest overall. It was a small town before being selected as the provincial capital and it boomed from there. The city still retains its mining roots, with the famous red clay found all over, including Yosemite's world-famous red clay brick government buildings. The city adores baseball and football, to the point where civic holidays are celebrated on days where those two teams are competing for something big. The city purposefully developed a culture of anti-modernism, relying on mined coal and old technology, much to the chagrin of the federal government and Columbia, Roosevelt's green northern neighbor. Provincial officials support the actions as small ways to get back at the federal government, but some concerned citizens have been protesting the actions since the early 2000s.
San Juan:
Japanese Name:「サン・フアン市」(San Huan-shi, lit. "San Juan City")
2020 Population: 2.8 million
Similar Cities: Newark, Arlington, Yokohama
San Juan is the old capital of Roosevelt and the largest city in the province, and the 4th largest in the country. It now serves as once of two cities competing for foreign and domestic tourism to the capital, along with Hokuseikyō. The economy has been built on the back of cheap service, shopping, and hotels for both Shinkyō and San Juan itself. The culture in San Juan was been compared to Shinkyō, and for good reason. The city has some of the most Michelin stars of any city on the globe, fourth only to Tokyo, Osaka, and Paris. Some government officials take up residence in San Juan for cheaper transport and services, although many take day trips just for the food. San Juan has a passion for football, but soccer is the city's true sports love, with multiple teams in each tier of association soccer in Robin Island.
Hokuseikyō:
Japanese Name:「北西京市」(Hokuseikyou-shi, lit. "Northwest Capital City")
2020 Population: 2.5 million
Similar Cities: Chiba, Baltimore
Despite the name, Hokuseikyō has never been the capital of the province of Roosevelt, but was simply renamed when Shinkyō was created to capitalize on the population explosion in the area. Hokuseikyō has a tight bond with Kokyō, with both seeming inferior to their "older brothers", but Hokuseikyō is an excellent city in its own right and is one of the most ecologically progressive cities in the world. The city takes major pride in this and has become a popular destination for environmental conferences. This, of course, puts it at odds with the gas-guzzling, coal-spewing Yosemite, a fight that often forces the federal government to step in. No one sport dominates Hokuseikyō's culture, but football is notably less popular in the city than in the rest of Roosevelt.
Conclusion:
Roosevelt presents itself as a blue-collar, for-the-people province, but deep analysis of the province and its habits prove that it's transformed into an elite hub servicing Shinkyō and leading both the fight for and against environmental protections. This dichotomy has made Roosevelt one of the most interesting places in Robin Island to live and even observe from the outside.
(Editor's Note: There we go! Roosevelt is done. This took me like 45 minutes to write up and I think it payed off. The fight between San Juan and Hokuseikyō for Shinkyō tourism is both funny to me and something that I think helps ground the story of this country. It's natural that two cities would compete for that kind of thing, right? I can't really think of direct inspirations for these cities, although San Juan's foodie kick is based on Tokyo's massive number of Michelin stars (seriously, it's so many). Roosevelt is the third-most populous province, making it pretty important. Roosevelt is one of 7 original names that survived the revisions I made to Robin Island, and is the only province where the capital isn't the most populous city. While that's common in the US, it's not in Japan, so I wanted to strike a realistic balance and having the capital be a small town that was selected by "chance" seemed like a good story. What do you think? Any questions? C&C welcome!)
Last edited by QCS (4/24/2020 10:03 pm)
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Posted by CCLXXXVII 4/21/2020 10:21 am | #6 |
Dang, I don't know why this flew under my radar, but this looks great!
I really like how you've managed to blend both American and Japanese culture together. Really intriguing. Is this a setup for a future league?
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Posted by QCS 4/21/2020 10:39 am | #7 |
CCLXXXVII wrote:
Dang, I don't know why this flew under my radar, but this looks great!
I really like how you've managed to blend both American and Japanese culture together. Really intriguing. Is this a setup for a future league?
Yep! When I've finished going through all 14 provinces I'll start posting some fantasy sports. I wanted to have this as a sort of wiki to refer back to when explaining cities in the sports leagues.
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Posted by 3pointtally 4/21/2020 10:51 am | #8 |
This is very cool. What did you use to generate the map?
[/url][url=https://ahsports.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=190]
www.yorkland.tk <--- Official home of the fictional country of Yorkland
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Posted by QCS 4/21/2020 11:02 am | #9 |
This is very cool. What did you use to generate the map?
I used Photoshop, following a tutorial called the Saderan tutorial. Steelman is the guy to go for this, I got all of my resources from him and he provided some invaluable advice when I was making my map.
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Posted by Thehealthiestscratch 4/22/2020 1:41 pm | #10 |
This is pretty cool QCS, that shade of red on Roosevelt's flag pops! Can't wait to see some teams from there.
