Port Goose

Port Goose
Feudal Status:	Crown Colony
Capital:	Port Goose
Largest Cities:	Port Goose
Local Leadership Title:	Governor
Local Government:	Monarchy
Current leader:	Floyd Thomaston
Local language:	Brettish
Local Religion:	Church of Brettania

Port Goose, officially the Crown Colony of Goose Island, is a small colony of the Brettish Isles located off the eastern coast of Keltia.

Geography

Goose Island is one of several small islands comprising the Vraillan Isles, an archipelago off the eastern coast of Keltia. It has a surface area of about 300 square kilometers (roughly the size of Malta).

History

Port Goose is a small island that has, at various times, been under the control of many nations, ranging from Gralans to Sino-Keltians, and many others throughout the centuries. It is a small and diminutive place that has often been overlooked of larger islands, remaining for the greater part of its existence as an unihabited patch of land amid the local archipelago. The earliest occupant of the island was the Principality of Sidona, an order of knights that were staunch allies of the Atterans. The Sidonans did little to colonize or develop the area, and subsequent occupants did little more. That was until the arrival of Gralus, who gave the archipelago its name of the Vraillan Isles and established the VBNC headquarters on a nearby island. It was Gralus who helped to settle the islands and encouraged people to establish homesteads. For Port Goose, those who heeded the call were a large group of pioneers from the Kingdom of Gosling, that had for a time reigned in the northeastern reaches of Benacia. Like the geese that frequented the island in the summer months, the settlers from Gosling saw a kindred spirit and named the island Port Goose.

The island is so small that it can sustain only the one main settlement of Port Goose; although there are several small hamlets consisting of a few families. While the main settlement is called Port Goose, the official name of the island is Goose Island, even though this is rarely used and most islanders refer to themselves as Portogeese. When the Brettish arrived the island was already thoroughly settled by the Portogeese, and their main economic staple was in breeding geese and other fowl, fishing, and some very limited farming, mostly of sheep. The islanders traded with other islands in the Vraillan archipelago and otherwise kept to themselves. A deal was struck between the local governor, Floyd Thomaston, and the King of Brettania, whereby Port Goose would become a colony of the Brettish Isles, receiving protection and aid, and in return the island would serve as a refueling port for the Brettish maritime economy.

Government

Goose Island is a crown colony of the Brettish Isles. As such, the head of state is the Brettish Monarch, currently King Landon. The King appoints the Governor, although this is typically a local politician of high standing. The power of the Governor is checked by an Executive Council that is elected by the islanders.

Foreign relations

As a colony of the Brettish Isles, Port Goose does not conduct its own foreign relations. All treaties and international agreements must be negotiated through Westminster.

Demographics

A national survey has estimated the population to be somewhere in the range of 12,218.

Ethnic Group	Population
Portogeese	8,179
Brettish	2,112
Gralan	1,004
Other	923

Language

The Portogeese people speak the Brittanic dialect common throughout the islands off northern Keltia, a language distributed throughout the area during the heyday of colonization by New Brittania, her allies, and colonies. The Brittanic language was not supplanted by Gralan during their period of colonization. Brittanic is also the primary tongue of the Brettish Isles.

Religion

The largest organized religion of Port Goose is the Church of Brettania.

Education

There are two schools in Port Goose, the only substantial settlement. The Gosling School teaches ages 4 to 11 and the King Thomas Community School caters for ages 11 to 16. Other rural pupils are taught by travelling teachers. Older children are boarded at government expense in local hotels in Port Goose so they can attend school there. More recently a program was started whereby people can offer to "host" a child attending school, offering them board within their home.

All teachers are trained in the Brettish Isles or abroad.

The Portogeese government pays for qualified 16- to 18-year-olds to go to Brettania to take A-level courses. There is an effort underway to establish a local college for the island.

Military

Defense is provided for by the Brettish Isles.