Post by Suomi on Nov 16, 2010 23:57:30 GMT -5
Nation: Suomen tasavalta
Name: Tino Väinämöinen
Gender: male
Appearance of Age: 20
Hair Color: blonde
Eye Color: violet
Height: 5’6” (170 cm)
Weight: 145 lbs (66 kg)
Appearance:
The smallest of the Nordic countries, Tino stands twelve centimeters shorter than Berwald, but only if he’s wearing his hat. He has light honey-blonde hair which hangs fairly straight with bangs pushed to one side just above his large eyes. His irises are an odd mixture of grey flecked with blue, brown, and gold, giving them an overall violet appearance. His complexion is fair, and he seems to blush quite easily. He doesn’t appear to be heavily muscled, nor is he frail and scrawny. After suffering multiple famines and a devastating vitamin deficiency due to a severe depression in the 1990s, his weight dropped significantly and he struggled for some time with anorexia. Both his economy and his weight have since rebounded and he now appears to be of an average build, if not a bit stocky. Particularly when standing next to someone as masculine as Berwald, he appears slightly feminine because of his rounded features.
His typical uniform consists of a high-collared jacket and fairly baggy pants, both a light slate blue. He wears a dark colored belt around his waist outside of his jacket and a silver Nordic cross pendant around his neck. His boots come to his upper shins, the same dark color as his belt. Oftentimes, he also wears a white beret.
A historic uniform he is commonly seen wearing is his Winter War uniform, consisting of a long, white coat with fur around the hood and the sleeves, white pants, and his same dark boots. He is sometimes depicted wearing a grey ushanka (a hat with ear flaps) and a scarf or wool face mask. In this uniform, he is almost certain to also be carrying a large pack with a utility belt around his middle and a rifle strapped over his shoulder.
Other outfits for him include those clothes he would wear to meetings, such as suits with collared shirts and ties. His Gakuen outfit is a standard male winter uniform, consisting of a long-sleeved tan sweater, black and navy plaid pants, and black dress shoes. Especially around Christmas, he has been known to wear a red, fur-trimmed Santa costume, complete with a sack of toys. His casual clothes are much like the other characters’, including button-up shirts, tee shirts, winter outerwear, and jeans.
Personality:
Even though his life of hardships has made him one of the most tragic of the Nordic countries, Tino has retained a sense of childlike happiness. He tends to want to lighten the mood of a heavy atmosphere through lighthearted joking, as can be seen in his interactions with Berwald. Keeping things simple and easy is important to him, and he generally avoids tense situations when he can. He gives off an air of innocence compared to most nations and can be jumpy in turbulent situations or under pressure. However, this does not mean he is afraid to stick up for himself, and he is fairly expressive and outspoken (just a bit more so when intoxicated).
Contrary to his appearance, he is not overly feminine. He is more emotional than his neighbors, perhaps, but he detests being called "wife". His people had to be tough to settle the sometimes-harsh Finnish environment, and this is reflected in Tino's personality. He is adamant about doing something once he starts, and not much can deter him. Like most males, he is competitive, never wanting to lose fights, whether it be a war or a drinking contest against Ivan.
Despite his longing to be independent, he finds himself nervous and lost when on his own, hence the reason why he constantly follows Berwald. Appropriately, this could be labeled as Stockholm syndrome, a phenomenon where a hostage becomes emotionally attached to their captor, feeling indebted or having a sense of adoration toward them. It only makes sense that he would not know how to live on his own given that he has only had independence for about one hundred years.
While he does generally seem to be pure, perhaps a bit naïve, there are some actions he does that would hint otherwise. In fact, it’s a bit eerie how a small nation such as him can seem to ward off larger, more powerful nations. He’s proven, in multiple accounts, his true strength in wars against Ludwig and Ivan. Furthermore, the macabre and downright bizarre name suggestions when naming his dog (Bloody Flower Egg, Cheese Castle, Sardine Picnic, etc.) hint that there is more going on below his surface than meets the eye. This could be reflective of Tino’s love for hardcore rock music, or perhaps his peoples’ history of taking more casualties than they lose during wars. At any rate, even if he seems to be socially normal and much more mature than the stoic Swede or the loudmouthed Dane, Tino still has his quirks.
Likes:
+ Salmiakki – Salmiakki is a salty licorice made of ammonium chloride, typically black and diamond-shaped. They are said to be an acquired taste. He has a type of vodka that is made with the same flavoring.
+ Saunas – Originally, saunas were built as a method of keeping warm during the winter. Rocks were heated and water was poured over them to create steam. Today, saunas remain to be an important component of Finnish bathhouses.
+ Berwald – Though he was terrified of the man initially, Tino has warmed up to him and his “adopted son”, Peter.
+ The Moomins – The Moomins is a Swedish-Finnish cartoon about a family of hippo-like creatures. The series has been adapted into an animated series, movies, and books, and there is even a Moomins-themed amusement park.
+ Rock music – Tino enjoys rock so much that he has come up with a name for his style: suomirokkia. His artists are popular worldwide, including H.I.M., The Rasmus, Happoradio, Lordi, and Apocalyptica.
+ Festivals and games – These can range from anything as standard as gift-giving at Christmas to as exotic as wife-carrying competitions.
+ Riflery – Tino’s people are some of the most well-known shooters of all time, including his famous Simo Häyhä, a sniper who fought during the Winter War and earned the title “The White Death”.
+ Family and children – The Finn expresses his desire to have a child or younger brother on various occasions.
Dislikes:
- Conflict – It’s not that Tino can’t hold his own in a fight; it’s that he wishes not to. Most wars he has been involved in were not initiated by him.
- Russia – Hard feelings still exist even after Tino escaped Ivan’s rule. Today, he often opposes laws and acts that would require him to depend on Ivan’s products or services.
- Extreme Weather – Seasonal changes in Lapland can be harsh. With part of his regions lying in the Arctic Circle, there are some summer days where the sun never sets and some winter days where it never rises.
- Being referred to as a woman – “Really, Berwald, I’m not your wife, and I can’t have your kids!” Tino really is much manlier than most take him for.
- Being exposed – As was seen in the Christmas strips. He finds being nude embarrassing unless, of course, he’s in a sauna.
Fears:
~ Being alone – It seems that Tino has hardly ever been on his own, always looking to Berwald or Ivan for direction.
~ Losing his culture – Alternatively, he fears that his language or way of life will be lost as other nations impose their culture on him.
~ Berwald – As much as he cares for the man, he can’t completely get over his fear of him.
~ Legends – Such mythological characters and places as Ajatar (an evil forest spirit), Surma (a beast with the power to cause sudden, violent death), and Tuonela (the underworld).
Strengths:
+ Close allies – One benefit of having been under constant control by Berwald has given Tino close ties with both the Swede and his Nordic “brothers”.
+ Close enemies – “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer”. This perfectly describes Tino’s relationship with Ivan.
+ Marksmanship - As explained before, he's a pro with guns. He can take down both humans and animals without wasting ammunition.
+ Levelheaded personality – Being able to pick his fights wisely means that he has been in relatively few wars.
+ Exploration – In his early days, alongside the other Nordics, he travelled to the New World and set up colonies in America.
+ Design – Finland is good at designing and planning structures, tools, and objects.
+ Compassion – He seems to be a very caring person, even toward strangers and enemies.
+ Good with animals – Since his native peoples were mainly reindeer herders, he is able to use them for transportational purposes. He is also good with dogs and other animals found in northern climates.
+ Adaptability to harsh climates – The tundra can be an advantage for him, allowing him to blend in easily with white camoflauge.
Weaknesses:
- Language barriers – Unlike his neighbors who speak North Germanic languages, Tino speaks Finnish. This language is part of the Uralic language family along with Hungarian and Estonian, and is not understood by Scandinavians.
- Small stature – Tino is not the biggest country. Because of this, it is easy for him to be swallowed up by other nations.
- Dependency – The Finn is afraid to make decisions without direction by his Swedish counterpart.
- Harsh winters – Just like Ivan, Tino is under the rule of General Winter. Especially in his northern regions, Finnish winters can be unforgiving.
- Food – Tino’s 'exotic' food, while perhaps not as well known as Arthur’s, is considered to be an acquired taste by many.
- Alcohol – While his Danish neighbor holds the spot for top alcohol consumption, the Finn has begun to rival that.
History:
Prehistoric Finland (8000 BC – 1150 AD):
In the prehistoric era, just after the Ice Age ended and the ice sheets retreated further northward, people pushed north and began settling in Finland. Eventually, these would become the Saami peoples of Lapland, a pastoral culture group extending from western Russia to Scandinavia. They survived mainly by fur trapping and domesticating animals such as reindeer. (Lapland, of course, is where Santa Claus is said to live.) Agriculture was good in the southern regions, but the north was too frigid. Near the end of the Iron Age (1150 AD), Swedes began making contact with Finns in the form of both friendly trade and raiding. Before this time, there were no written records by people living in what is today Finland.
Swedish Rule and the Kalmar Union(1200 AD – 1500):
Throughout the eleventh and twelfth centuries, Finland became increasingly Christianized during the Swedish Crusades. It was during this time that the people of the Lapland and surrounding regions became known as “Finnish”, though the country we know as Finland would not be officially recognized for several hundred more years. Sweden, Denmark, and the Republic of Novogrod (Russia) competed for control of Finland. During the Second Swedish Crusade in the mid 1200s, Sweden managed to gain control of Finland while Novogrod annexed an eastern strip of the country known as Karelia. Novogrod would lose Karelia to Sweden during the Third Swedish Crusade in 1293, creating a border between Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Through Sweden’s influence, Finland became much like the rest of medieval Europe, and many of the people adopted Swedish as their language.
There was unrest in the Kingdom of Sweden (including Finland) for several years. Novogrod continued to clash with Sweden frequently over rights to Finnish land during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. In 1380, the queen of Denmark unified Denmark, Sweden, and Norway under the Kalmar Union. The Swedish often attempted to rebel and break away from the union and were sometimes assisted by Finland. When the Principality of Moscow conquered Novogrod, tensions in Karelia further increased, leading to a war in the 1490s. No real results arose from this Russo-Swedish war, and the two factions decided for peace.
Collapse of the Kalmar Union and the Age of Enlightenment (1500-1800)
The Kalmar Union collapsed in 1521 and Sweden took Finland back as part of its own kingdom. Helsinki was founded in 1550 and farming increased in Finland. Finnish settlers and Karelians frequently fought during the late sixteenth century.
The seventeenth century brought the height of the Swedish Empire, an efficient and deadly combat machine. In 1630, Sweden and Finland participated in the Thirty Years’ War against the Holy Roman Empire, effectively defeating them and becoming one of the most powerful nations in Europe. In the mid 1600s, Sweden and Finland fought in the Northern Wars against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Denmark. Finland established colonies in the New World in Delaware-Pennsylvania and it became increasingly Lutheran around this time. Unfortunately, they were devastated by a horrible famine in the 1690s, killing nearly one third of all Finns. While still struggling to rebound from the sudden drop in population, the Great Northern War with Russia began in 1700 and Finland was annexed. Sweden became a parliamentary nation with two parties – the pro-Russian Caps and the anti-Russian Hats – struggling for power. King Gustav III of Sweden would abolish the parliamentary system in 1771 to take the throne, and started a second war with Russia in 1788. This war was fruitless, only upsetting the Finnish economy. This would be the end of Sweden’s reign as ruler of the North.
The Age of Enlightenment brought many good things to Finland. New scientific inventions, like hot air balloons, appeared. The Finnish economy, based mostly on trade and agriculture, improved greatly, especially after the beginning of potato farming.
Grand Duchy of Finland and the Finnish civil war (1800 – 1918):
Russia and Sweden fought once again in the Finnish War. Russia, again, conquered the faltering Swedish nation and creating the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland. Karelia was returned to Finland in 1812. Measures were taken to ensure Finns remained culturally distinct from Swedes, such as disallowing the Finns to speak Swedish. Finland’s economy shifted from an agricultural to a mechanical and mining base. It would remain a part of Russia for nearly one hundred years.
The Russian Revolution of 1917, led by the Bolsheviks, led to political unrest in both Russia and Finland, and on December 6, 1917, Finland declared its independence for the first time. A short civil war followed, pitting the “white” anti-Socialists against the “red” Socialists. With the help of Imperial Germany (and to the displeasure of the Finns, no involvement from Sweden), Finland became the democratic Republic of Finland.
World War II (1939 – 1945):
Finland fought in two major wars against the Soviet Union during this time. The first was the Winter War (1939 – 1940), in which Finland, even though greatly outnumbered and without much weaponry, managed to crush Soviet forces mainly through the use of its highly skilled snipers. Russia was able to capture Karelia, but Finland retained its autonomy. Greatly damaged from the war, Finland attempted to receive help from Great Britain, but was denied. Alternatively, Nazi Germany offered deals. If allowed to send troops through Norway, Germany offered, they would supply Finland with weapons. The Finnish gratefully accepted, forming a temporary alliance. However, Finland never signed the Tripartite Pact, meaning it was not officially a member of the Axis. The Allies agreed to accept that Finland was fighting a separate war against Russia, and was not technically a member of the Axis. Now with the help of Nazi Germany, Finland participated in was the Continuation War (1941 – 1944). In the end, Finland, ceded more land, Port Petsamo, to the USSR, but retained its independence. The final war of this era was fought against Nazi Germany in the Lapland War. The Germans attempted to invade Finland and Finland was forced to retaliate. Just as with the Continuation War, Finland claimed that the Lapland War was a separate occurrence from WWII, but Nazi Germany considered it to be the same thing. Many Norwegians aided Finland in this war, finally driving the Nazis out of Finland in 1945.
Cold War to Present Day (1950 – 2010):
After the war, Finland continued to become increasingly industrialized. During the Cold War, they were effectively neutral, having friendly relations with the Soviet Union while remaining to be capitalistic. In the early 1990s, they experienced a severe economic depression. The GDP dropped by fifteen percent, and only one-fifth of all people were employed. In 1995, they joined the European Union along with Sweden, and today their economy has stabilized. Finland is one of the last nations to not be a member of NATO, and unless Sweden joins, it probably won’t be. However, unlike Sweden, they joined the Eurozone, the group of countries which use the euro as their source of currency. Their current bosses are President Tarja Halonen and Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi. Finland was recently voted “best country” by Newsweek in terms of income and education.
Allies:
+ Sweden
+ Estonia
+ Denmark
+ Norway
+ Iceland
+ Sealand
+ Latvia
+ America
Enemies:
- Russia
- Germany
- The Netherlands
- (technically Sweden, but they have grown rather attached)
Sample Post:
January 28, 1940
A shiver ripped through the man’s body as he reclined, prone, against a small snow embankment, the bitterly cold air permeating even his thick, white coat. Each breath came with a shallow rasp that pooled into an amorphous shape of vapor before him just moments before being scattered away by the wind. He adjusted his face mask. All around him was still. It was quiet enough that he could hear the fresh, wet snow landing on the evergreens above him with a quiet patter. It was quiet enough that he could hear the soft crunch of footsteps approaching him.
Ever so slightly turning his head, his smoky colored eyes locked onto those of the man closing in on his right side. They were unreadable. Icy, like the snow he was lying in. It was impossible to determine whether or not he had been spotted. The young man cocked his head to the side and rolled his shoulders forward, capturing the enemy target in the sight of his rifle. His hands were trembling just a bit, now, as the man came closer, still. Steadying his breathing, he felt the weight of the gun against his hands and shoulder as he got into position to fire. From his arrangement, he could easily fire into the soldier’s delicate heart, his liver, his brain… He had him.
The bang barely registered in Tino’s mind before the firearm kicked and a puff of gun smoke poured out into the once calm January sky. At some point, he had moved over to the man’s body, standing over him. He wasn’t bleeding very heavily. He had killed him in one shot. The young Finn turned away, suppressing a sad sigh, and pulled his snow-dampened hood further over his forehead to shield himself from a sudden gust.
It was impossible to let the enemies go free, he knew, and yet it never ceased to affect him after taking a life. Unfortunately, this was the way of war – the way of their breed.
November 04, 2010
Tino smiled over his cup of coffee at Berwald after the more-than-apparently observant Swede shot him a questioning glance. Fishing his iPod out of his pocket, he gave the sensitive wheel a tap to bring the screen out of rest mode.
“Ihmisenpyörä”. ‘Human Wheel’. It always brought up such sad memories. The song was almost over, now, and Tino decided to let it finish (Happoradio really did make excellent music, after all.)
“Ole kuka olet mut juoksemista älä lopeta; Sano mitä sanot ei historia meitä opeta.”
‘Be who you are, but don’t stop running; Say what you will, but history teaches us nothing.’
Did you read the rules?
“You know what’s awesome? When a bunch of Canadian chicks are making you pancakes with maple syrup. That’s awesome. Kesese!” laughed Gilbert.
**A.N.: Hopefully everything is in the correct location? It's my first post, so be gentle!
And as for the rather grim sample post, I wanted to show that Finland has more facets than moe-blob.
Name: Tino Väinämöinen
Gender: male
Appearance of Age: 20
Hair Color: blonde
Eye Color: violet
Height: 5’6” (170 cm)
Weight: 145 lbs (66 kg)
Appearance:
The smallest of the Nordic countries, Tino stands twelve centimeters shorter than Berwald, but only if he’s wearing his hat. He has light honey-blonde hair which hangs fairly straight with bangs pushed to one side just above his large eyes. His irises are an odd mixture of grey flecked with blue, brown, and gold, giving them an overall violet appearance. His complexion is fair, and he seems to blush quite easily. He doesn’t appear to be heavily muscled, nor is he frail and scrawny. After suffering multiple famines and a devastating vitamin deficiency due to a severe depression in the 1990s, his weight dropped significantly and he struggled for some time with anorexia. Both his economy and his weight have since rebounded and he now appears to be of an average build, if not a bit stocky. Particularly when standing next to someone as masculine as Berwald, he appears slightly feminine because of his rounded features.
His typical uniform consists of a high-collared jacket and fairly baggy pants, both a light slate blue. He wears a dark colored belt around his waist outside of his jacket and a silver Nordic cross pendant around his neck. His boots come to his upper shins, the same dark color as his belt. Oftentimes, he also wears a white beret.
A historic uniform he is commonly seen wearing is his Winter War uniform, consisting of a long, white coat with fur around the hood and the sleeves, white pants, and his same dark boots. He is sometimes depicted wearing a grey ushanka (a hat with ear flaps) and a scarf or wool face mask. In this uniform, he is almost certain to also be carrying a large pack with a utility belt around his middle and a rifle strapped over his shoulder.
Other outfits for him include those clothes he would wear to meetings, such as suits with collared shirts and ties. His Gakuen outfit is a standard male winter uniform, consisting of a long-sleeved tan sweater, black and navy plaid pants, and black dress shoes. Especially around Christmas, he has been known to wear a red, fur-trimmed Santa costume, complete with a sack of toys. His casual clothes are much like the other characters’, including button-up shirts, tee shirts, winter outerwear, and jeans.
Personality:
Even though his life of hardships has made him one of the most tragic of the Nordic countries, Tino has retained a sense of childlike happiness. He tends to want to lighten the mood of a heavy atmosphere through lighthearted joking, as can be seen in his interactions with Berwald. Keeping things simple and easy is important to him, and he generally avoids tense situations when he can. He gives off an air of innocence compared to most nations and can be jumpy in turbulent situations or under pressure. However, this does not mean he is afraid to stick up for himself, and he is fairly expressive and outspoken (just a bit more so when intoxicated).
Contrary to his appearance, he is not overly feminine. He is more emotional than his neighbors, perhaps, but he detests being called "wife". His people had to be tough to settle the sometimes-harsh Finnish environment, and this is reflected in Tino's personality. He is adamant about doing something once he starts, and not much can deter him. Like most males, he is competitive, never wanting to lose fights, whether it be a war or a drinking contest against Ivan.
Despite his longing to be independent, he finds himself nervous and lost when on his own, hence the reason why he constantly follows Berwald. Appropriately, this could be labeled as Stockholm syndrome, a phenomenon where a hostage becomes emotionally attached to their captor, feeling indebted or having a sense of adoration toward them. It only makes sense that he would not know how to live on his own given that he has only had independence for about one hundred years.
While he does generally seem to be pure, perhaps a bit naïve, there are some actions he does that would hint otherwise. In fact, it’s a bit eerie how a small nation such as him can seem to ward off larger, more powerful nations. He’s proven, in multiple accounts, his true strength in wars against Ludwig and Ivan. Furthermore, the macabre and downright bizarre name suggestions when naming his dog (Bloody Flower Egg, Cheese Castle, Sardine Picnic, etc.) hint that there is more going on below his surface than meets the eye. This could be reflective of Tino’s love for hardcore rock music, or perhaps his peoples’ history of taking more casualties than they lose during wars. At any rate, even if he seems to be socially normal and much more mature than the stoic Swede or the loudmouthed Dane, Tino still has his quirks.
Likes:
+ Salmiakki – Salmiakki is a salty licorice made of ammonium chloride, typically black and diamond-shaped. They are said to be an acquired taste. He has a type of vodka that is made with the same flavoring.
+ Saunas – Originally, saunas were built as a method of keeping warm during the winter. Rocks were heated and water was poured over them to create steam. Today, saunas remain to be an important component of Finnish bathhouses.
+ Berwald – Though he was terrified of the man initially, Tino has warmed up to him and his “adopted son”, Peter.
+ The Moomins – The Moomins is a Swedish-Finnish cartoon about a family of hippo-like creatures. The series has been adapted into an animated series, movies, and books, and there is even a Moomins-themed amusement park.
+ Rock music – Tino enjoys rock so much that he has come up with a name for his style: suomirokkia. His artists are popular worldwide, including H.I.M., The Rasmus, Happoradio, Lordi, and Apocalyptica.
+ Festivals and games – These can range from anything as standard as gift-giving at Christmas to as exotic as wife-carrying competitions.
+ Riflery – Tino’s people are some of the most well-known shooters of all time, including his famous Simo Häyhä, a sniper who fought during the Winter War and earned the title “The White Death”.
+ Family and children – The Finn expresses his desire to have a child or younger brother on various occasions.
Dislikes:
- Conflict – It’s not that Tino can’t hold his own in a fight; it’s that he wishes not to. Most wars he has been involved in were not initiated by him.
- Russia – Hard feelings still exist even after Tino escaped Ivan’s rule. Today, he often opposes laws and acts that would require him to depend on Ivan’s products or services.
- Extreme Weather – Seasonal changes in Lapland can be harsh. With part of his regions lying in the Arctic Circle, there are some summer days where the sun never sets and some winter days where it never rises.
- Being referred to as a woman – “Really, Berwald, I’m not your wife, and I can’t have your kids!” Tino really is much manlier than most take him for.
- Being exposed – As was seen in the Christmas strips. He finds being nude embarrassing unless, of course, he’s in a sauna.
Fears:
~ Being alone – It seems that Tino has hardly ever been on his own, always looking to Berwald or Ivan for direction.
~ Losing his culture – Alternatively, he fears that his language or way of life will be lost as other nations impose their culture on him.
~ Berwald – As much as he cares for the man, he can’t completely get over his fear of him.
~ Legends – Such mythological characters and places as Ajatar (an evil forest spirit), Surma (a beast with the power to cause sudden, violent death), and Tuonela (the underworld).
Strengths:
+ Close allies – One benefit of having been under constant control by Berwald has given Tino close ties with both the Swede and his Nordic “brothers”.
+ Close enemies – “Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer”. This perfectly describes Tino’s relationship with Ivan.
+ Marksmanship - As explained before, he's a pro with guns. He can take down both humans and animals without wasting ammunition.
+ Levelheaded personality – Being able to pick his fights wisely means that he has been in relatively few wars.
+ Exploration – In his early days, alongside the other Nordics, he travelled to the New World and set up colonies in America.
+ Design – Finland is good at designing and planning structures, tools, and objects.
+ Compassion – He seems to be a very caring person, even toward strangers and enemies.
+ Good with animals – Since his native peoples were mainly reindeer herders, he is able to use them for transportational purposes. He is also good with dogs and other animals found in northern climates.
+ Adaptability to harsh climates – The tundra can be an advantage for him, allowing him to blend in easily with white camoflauge.
Weaknesses:
- Language barriers – Unlike his neighbors who speak North Germanic languages, Tino speaks Finnish. This language is part of the Uralic language family along with Hungarian and Estonian, and is not understood by Scandinavians.
- Small stature – Tino is not the biggest country. Because of this, it is easy for him to be swallowed up by other nations.
- Dependency – The Finn is afraid to make decisions without direction by his Swedish counterpart.
- Harsh winters – Just like Ivan, Tino is under the rule of General Winter. Especially in his northern regions, Finnish winters can be unforgiving.
- Food – Tino’s 'exotic' food, while perhaps not as well known as Arthur’s, is considered to be an acquired taste by many.
- Alcohol – While his Danish neighbor holds the spot for top alcohol consumption, the Finn has begun to rival that.
History:
Prehistoric Finland (8000 BC – 1150 AD):
In the prehistoric era, just after the Ice Age ended and the ice sheets retreated further northward, people pushed north and began settling in Finland. Eventually, these would become the Saami peoples of Lapland, a pastoral culture group extending from western Russia to Scandinavia. They survived mainly by fur trapping and domesticating animals such as reindeer. (Lapland, of course, is where Santa Claus is said to live.) Agriculture was good in the southern regions, but the north was too frigid. Near the end of the Iron Age (1150 AD), Swedes began making contact with Finns in the form of both friendly trade and raiding. Before this time, there were no written records by people living in what is today Finland.
Swedish Rule and the Kalmar Union(1200 AD – 1500):
Throughout the eleventh and twelfth centuries, Finland became increasingly Christianized during the Swedish Crusades. It was during this time that the people of the Lapland and surrounding regions became known as “Finnish”, though the country we know as Finland would not be officially recognized for several hundred more years. Sweden, Denmark, and the Republic of Novogrod (Russia) competed for control of Finland. During the Second Swedish Crusade in the mid 1200s, Sweden managed to gain control of Finland while Novogrod annexed an eastern strip of the country known as Karelia. Novogrod would lose Karelia to Sweden during the Third Swedish Crusade in 1293, creating a border between Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Through Sweden’s influence, Finland became much like the rest of medieval Europe, and many of the people adopted Swedish as their language.
There was unrest in the Kingdom of Sweden (including Finland) for several years. Novogrod continued to clash with Sweden frequently over rights to Finnish land during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. In 1380, the queen of Denmark unified Denmark, Sweden, and Norway under the Kalmar Union. The Swedish often attempted to rebel and break away from the union and were sometimes assisted by Finland. When the Principality of Moscow conquered Novogrod, tensions in Karelia further increased, leading to a war in the 1490s. No real results arose from this Russo-Swedish war, and the two factions decided for peace.
Collapse of the Kalmar Union and the Age of Enlightenment (1500-1800)
The Kalmar Union collapsed in 1521 and Sweden took Finland back as part of its own kingdom. Helsinki was founded in 1550 and farming increased in Finland. Finnish settlers and Karelians frequently fought during the late sixteenth century.
The seventeenth century brought the height of the Swedish Empire, an efficient and deadly combat machine. In 1630, Sweden and Finland participated in the Thirty Years’ War against the Holy Roman Empire, effectively defeating them and becoming one of the most powerful nations in Europe. In the mid 1600s, Sweden and Finland fought in the Northern Wars against the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Denmark. Finland established colonies in the New World in Delaware-Pennsylvania and it became increasingly Lutheran around this time. Unfortunately, they were devastated by a horrible famine in the 1690s, killing nearly one third of all Finns. While still struggling to rebound from the sudden drop in population, the Great Northern War with Russia began in 1700 and Finland was annexed. Sweden became a parliamentary nation with two parties – the pro-Russian Caps and the anti-Russian Hats – struggling for power. King Gustav III of Sweden would abolish the parliamentary system in 1771 to take the throne, and started a second war with Russia in 1788. This war was fruitless, only upsetting the Finnish economy. This would be the end of Sweden’s reign as ruler of the North.
The Age of Enlightenment brought many good things to Finland. New scientific inventions, like hot air balloons, appeared. The Finnish economy, based mostly on trade and agriculture, improved greatly, especially after the beginning of potato farming.
Grand Duchy of Finland and the Finnish civil war (1800 – 1918):
Russia and Sweden fought once again in the Finnish War. Russia, again, conquered the faltering Swedish nation and creating the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland. Karelia was returned to Finland in 1812. Measures were taken to ensure Finns remained culturally distinct from Swedes, such as disallowing the Finns to speak Swedish. Finland’s economy shifted from an agricultural to a mechanical and mining base. It would remain a part of Russia for nearly one hundred years.
The Russian Revolution of 1917, led by the Bolsheviks, led to political unrest in both Russia and Finland, and on December 6, 1917, Finland declared its independence for the first time. A short civil war followed, pitting the “white” anti-Socialists against the “red” Socialists. With the help of Imperial Germany (and to the displeasure of the Finns, no involvement from Sweden), Finland became the democratic Republic of Finland.
World War II (1939 – 1945):
Finland fought in two major wars against the Soviet Union during this time. The first was the Winter War (1939 – 1940), in which Finland, even though greatly outnumbered and without much weaponry, managed to crush Soviet forces mainly through the use of its highly skilled snipers. Russia was able to capture Karelia, but Finland retained its autonomy. Greatly damaged from the war, Finland attempted to receive help from Great Britain, but was denied. Alternatively, Nazi Germany offered deals. If allowed to send troops through Norway, Germany offered, they would supply Finland with weapons. The Finnish gratefully accepted, forming a temporary alliance. However, Finland never signed the Tripartite Pact, meaning it was not officially a member of the Axis. The Allies agreed to accept that Finland was fighting a separate war against Russia, and was not technically a member of the Axis. Now with the help of Nazi Germany, Finland participated in was the Continuation War (1941 – 1944). In the end, Finland, ceded more land, Port Petsamo, to the USSR, but retained its independence. The final war of this era was fought against Nazi Germany in the Lapland War. The Germans attempted to invade Finland and Finland was forced to retaliate. Just as with the Continuation War, Finland claimed that the Lapland War was a separate occurrence from WWII, but Nazi Germany considered it to be the same thing. Many Norwegians aided Finland in this war, finally driving the Nazis out of Finland in 1945.
Cold War to Present Day (1950 – 2010):
After the war, Finland continued to become increasingly industrialized. During the Cold War, they were effectively neutral, having friendly relations with the Soviet Union while remaining to be capitalistic. In the early 1990s, they experienced a severe economic depression. The GDP dropped by fifteen percent, and only one-fifth of all people were employed. In 1995, they joined the European Union along with Sweden, and today their economy has stabilized. Finland is one of the last nations to not be a member of NATO, and unless Sweden joins, it probably won’t be. However, unlike Sweden, they joined the Eurozone, the group of countries which use the euro as their source of currency. Their current bosses are President Tarja Halonen and Prime Minister Mari Kiviniemi. Finland was recently voted “best country” by Newsweek in terms of income and education.
Allies:
+ Sweden
+ Estonia
+ Denmark
+ Norway
+ Iceland
+ Sealand
+ Latvia
+ America
Enemies:
- Russia
- Germany
- The Netherlands
- (technically Sweden, but they have grown rather attached)
Sample Post:
January 28, 1940
A shiver ripped through the man’s body as he reclined, prone, against a small snow embankment, the bitterly cold air permeating even his thick, white coat. Each breath came with a shallow rasp that pooled into an amorphous shape of vapor before him just moments before being scattered away by the wind. He adjusted his face mask. All around him was still. It was quiet enough that he could hear the fresh, wet snow landing on the evergreens above him with a quiet patter. It was quiet enough that he could hear the soft crunch of footsteps approaching him.
Ever so slightly turning his head, his smoky colored eyes locked onto those of the man closing in on his right side. They were unreadable. Icy, like the snow he was lying in. It was impossible to determine whether or not he had been spotted. The young man cocked his head to the side and rolled his shoulders forward, capturing the enemy target in the sight of his rifle. His hands were trembling just a bit, now, as the man came closer, still. Steadying his breathing, he felt the weight of the gun against his hands and shoulder as he got into position to fire. From his arrangement, he could easily fire into the soldier’s delicate heart, his liver, his brain… He had him.
The bang barely registered in Tino’s mind before the firearm kicked and a puff of gun smoke poured out into the once calm January sky. At some point, he had moved over to the man’s body, standing over him. He wasn’t bleeding very heavily. He had killed him in one shot. The young Finn turned away, suppressing a sad sigh, and pulled his snow-dampened hood further over his forehead to shield himself from a sudden gust.
It was impossible to let the enemies go free, he knew, and yet it never ceased to affect him after taking a life. Unfortunately, this was the way of war – the way of their breed.
…
November 04, 2010
Tino smiled over his cup of coffee at Berwald after the more-than-apparently observant Swede shot him a questioning glance. Fishing his iPod out of his pocket, he gave the sensitive wheel a tap to bring the screen out of rest mode.
“Ihmisenpyörä”. ‘Human Wheel’. It always brought up such sad memories. The song was almost over, now, and Tino decided to let it finish (Happoradio really did make excellent music, after all.)
“Ole kuka olet mut juoksemista älä lopeta; Sano mitä sanot ei historia meitä opeta.”
‘Be who you are, but don’t stop running; Say what you will, but history teaches us nothing.’
…
Did you read the rules?
“You know what’s awesome? When a bunch of Canadian chicks are making you pancakes with maple syrup. That’s awesome. Kesese!” laughed Gilbert.
**A.N.: Hopefully everything is in the correct location? It's my first post, so be gentle!
And as for the rather grim sample post, I wanted to show that Finland has more facets than moe-blob.