Raines

Raines, or more formally the Democratic Federation of Raines is a nation in northern Osfractus. It shares borders with the Dominion of Conquisterra, Escarrova and Mycco. It also has access to Lake Kohl, and through various agreements ships can cross directly from Raines to Vincento, which does not share a land border with Raines.

The history of Raines first came to diverge from that of Conquisterra and Mycco in the mid 1800s, after Airedalandian mining tycoon Edward Raines raised a private army and forced local rulers to cede control of areas just across the border from Conquisterra, in Mycco, where his mining company E. Raines & Son could govern its own mines, taking in much more money for themselves in doing so. The company was chartered in 1877, and a decade later Edward Raines Jr oversaw further treaties which gave the company-ruled colony access to Lake Kohl. At this point the Chartered Colony controlled the thin strip of land along the Nimbus River that is the primary access of Lake Kohl to the Welver Sea. This greatly enriched the colony, and as a result Centralian settlers flocked to the area. Large and notable populations other than the Airedalandians were Giranians, Gyrens and Ellislandians.

In response to Girania's rising power in Osfractus, Raines was made a protectorate of the Airedalandian Empire in 1892. Company rule continued until 1917, when an uprising of Osfractan Nationalists drove the Airedalandians to annex Raines and directly administer it as the Crown Colony of Raines. The Crown Colony of Raines gained greater autonomy in becoming the Dominion of Raines in 1932 following the Oogleberry Declaration of 1929. Part of gaining the status of dominion was the enfranchisement of the native population, and this led to conflict with the ruling Centralian minority. Chiefly among the angry Centralian settlers were Giranians, who began to organize armed resistance. They declared the Free Republic of Raines to be independent on May 14th, 1935, and brought about a full-blown war against the Airedalandians, which led many Osfractan Rainsians to flee to Conquisterra, along with most of the Airedalandian population, who the Giranian settlers suspected were loyal to the Airedalandian Government.

The ensuing First Rainesian War (1935-1937) ended with the Airedalandians putting down the rebellion and placing Raines under military administration. Airedalandian Military Rule lasted until 1943, when control was transferred to Conquisterra amidst the throes of the Great War. Conquisterra would administer Raines as a territory up until 1955, after which Raines became a province of Conquisterra. By the early 1960s, however, Conquisterra was going through economic troubles and Rainesian Nationalism soared, with support from both the Centralians and Osfractans backing the establishment of a new Dominion of Raines. An independence referendum was organised in 1963, and in the racially-inclusive referendum voters favoured independence, voting 52-48% in support of the cause.

The Dominion of Raines began quickly falling apart, however, as independence did not have the desired economic effect, and both major races started blaming each other. The elections to replace the interim Airedalandian-appointed government resulted in Giranian Nationalist Calvin Strauss (a harsh racist) winning after extensive voter intimidation by the paramilitary wing of Strauss's Giranian Action Party (GAP). The election was denounced the world over, and Airedalandia sent troops in an effort to restore order. Strauss in response to that and officially being called a traitor by the Commonwealth Secretary-General declared the independence of the Federation of Raines on December 11th, 1966. Airedalandian troops then seized all public land in response, but the insurgency escalated, and already faced with the unfolding disaster in Eckhadam, a rough economy and the chance of another prolonged, bloody war, Airedalandian Prime Minister George Mulberry pulled out of Raines in 1969. Independence was officially recognised on June 1st, 1970 by Airedalandia, in order to facilitate diplomacy. Recognition came in exchange for promises to consult the Osfractans and alas bring Raines to peace. Instead, Strauss's government dishonoured the agreement, and Airedalandia spearheaded an international embargo of Raines.

Raines faced with the embargo fell into poverty, and the Centralians soon had trouble maintaining power. The Osfractans meanwhile sought help to overthrow the government, which they got from the USER. This led to a communist overthrow in 1976, and communist one-party rule under the People's Republic of Raines that continued until the fall of the USER in the early 1990s. The Communists ensured racial equality, but were very oppressive politically, and especially after the fall of the USER and loosing their economic lifeline, very inefficient stewards of the economy. This led to a coup in 1992, which finally installed a liberal democracy in Raines, and brought the country to its modern form. At this point the country's long, more formal name was changed to the Democratic Federation of Raines.

Raines since then has seen immense economic growth, led by the mineral industry. The rapid arrival of vast sums of foreign money has however led to high levels of corruption and inefficiency in the government, and the once-feared Rainesian military which under the communists was one of the most powerful in Osfractus has fallen into gross disregard.