Post by norway on Sept 15, 2011 1:47:42 GMT -5
(((My Reflection)))
Nation: Norway
Name: Peder Rukin
Gender: Male
Appearance Age: late teens – early twenties
Hair Color: Silver-Blonde
Eye Color: Blue
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 130
Appearance: Somewhat shorter than the average person in Norway and fairly slight, he looks for all intents and purposes very delicate. Even his facial features are soft and almost feminine so that he gives off the air of someone that is very fragile. To think this would be a mistake, he is a trained warrior and there is more strength in his frame than one would otherwise think.
As in all things, Norway is meticulous about his appearance. It’s not to say that he spends hours preening in the mirror to make sure that he has a well thought out and methodical routine to keep his skin blemish free, his hair smooth and healthy and his clothes straight and unwrinkled. Any variation of this pattern is almost a dead giveaway that there is something terribly wrong with the stoic nation.
He carries himself in a fairly calm and quiet manner that is reflected in his appearance. Generally his face is expressionless, even when he does feel things; he appears to be the perfect mask of serenity. Usually dressed well with a Scandinavian cross pendant clipped into his hair, he always tries to exude a sense of grace in how he dresses, be it for everyday things or formal events.
(((Know Thyself )))
Personality: Norway typically appears to be a bit cold and emotionless. This part of his personality is the most well displayed of any he has. His current state of near permanent stoicism is a well-crafted mask that has developed since his more wild past. The current state of affairs keeps the cool and calm Norway in the forefront, but underneath the surface bubbles the Viking of old. His delicate façade is just that, a façade. Underneath he is impossibly strong willed and quite stubborn when pressed. Pressing him is never a great idea for people because he will lash out in a calculated manner; this is the biggest change from how he was during the Viking age to now.
Still the brutal and effective warrior he always was, Norway has become more restrained in his bloodlust as of late. Those that manage to get under his skin and annoy him will learn quickly that though he is not as powerful as he once was, he is not afraid to lash out to ‘defend himself,’ be it with harsh words or physical violence. His temper is not usually in line with the offense when it comes to people who have an unnatural ability to get under his skin; he usually reacts most easily to the people who tend to have the closest relationship with him.
Although Norway seems to only have these two settings, there is more to him. He is fiercely protective of the ones he loves, and though he does not show affection very easily or frequently, he would put down any who attempted to harm those who he loves. Those that manage to accomplish the task of becoming one of the people he love are likely unable to tell much of a difference between the two states whilst in public. The easiest way to tell would be to try to achieve some kind of physical contact with him. Those he considers close are allowed and those he does not are likely to get told off.
This litmus test is not exactly good to run on a trial and error basis, nor is it foolproof. In private he is a bit more affectionate with people than he would be in public. It is because he is inherently uncomfortable with loud situations. This is because of his warrior past. To get touched on the battlefield was to get attacked and hurt. This has stuck with him through his life. In private he tends to be able to tolerate his loved ones invading his personal bubble, and may even do the same when he’s not actively thinking about it.
Norway’s reaction is a residual bit of self-preservation due to his years of being a possession. He is sternly protective of his independence, his culture, and himself. Though he is quite similar in many ways to his brothers, he takes great offense to any implication of these similarities. He staunchly believes that he is his own nation and has his own way of doing things. His pride in himself extends to his pride in his place, and as such Norway has become a great outdoorsman, enjoying all the wonders and beauties of his place.
His preference for quiet these days had lead Norway to become an avid reader, indeed he is rarely seen without a book in hand, and this has turned him towards the betterment of his people. In recent years Norway has been considered among the most highly developed nations on the Human Development Index. He takes pride in the fact that his people are so successful. To better keep a handle on his temper he channels his aggression and his passion into his work and this also pays dividends as it drives him to be the most efficient worker he can be. He may not work as long on things as others but the time he does spend on things is well spent.
This near obsession to do good work is another facet of his personality coming through, Norway is a bit of an obsessive compulsive when it comes to many things. Starting from the way he presents himself, to the work he does, and even to how he prepared for battle. It was all quite regimented and ritualized. He thinks that if something is not done the right way, there is no point in doing it in the first place.
As he is so frequently seen with supernatural creatures, be it a fairy or a troll, his old mythology stays with him despite his past Christianity and current lack of any real sense of religion. The old ways stay with him with stories and tales that are told to children and the fact he is still able to communicate with these creatures shows that he may still be quite young at heart. The fact that he feels more comfortable around these relics of his past than many other nations illustrates the fact that he is a bit shy by nature at the end of the day.
Likes:
★Reading
★Outdoor stuff (like skiing and other winter sports)
★Equality
★Fighting (Only if he’s being honest)
★Cloudberry anything
Dislikes:
✖Loud Things
✖Inequality
✖Bullies(Hello pot…)
✖Stupid
✖Being trapped inside for too long
Fears:
☣Failure of any kind
☣Losing his independence
☣His opinion counting for nothing
Secrets:
♦He does have some fond memories of his time with Denmark
♦His Norwegian culture isn’t as original as he’d claim.
♦How much he cares for those close to him
Strengths:
- Getting things done: Norway is a hard worker and is very productive when he sits down to get things done.
- Snark: It’s an art form and something that he has mastered over his centuries of dealing with nations that annoy him, such as Denmark.
- Keeping his Cool: Although he does have a temper, and does react every so often, Norway tends to react in a calm and calculated manner.
- Taking Care of his People: because he is a such a hard worker and so proud of his place and culture, Norway makes sure to keep his people very well off.
Weaknesses:
- Expressing his inner thoughts: Norway never says everything he should. There are always things left unsaid that would change how what he does say is interpreted.
- Interpersonal Relationships: Seriously, a rock is a more open friend.
- Foods from his home: You want to buy Norway’s love? Cloudberry jam is the way to go.
(((The Pages of History )))
History:
700AD-1000AD The Viking Age:
Norway’s youth was full of lots of fun times and ‘cultural exchanges’ amongst many different peoples and lands. These cultural exchanges were typically accompanied with some kind of raid and generally pick on the less war like peoples of Europe. He was quite the little terror, but this was also the time of Viking discovery. Iceland is the main point of Norway’s expansion, making him the ‘big brother’ of the two.
Under Denmark’s Rule (part 1):
In what would be the first era of Denmark’s rule in Norway, during the North Sea Empire with the Danish King Knut the Great, the man who would also rule England as well, Norway was moderately stable. After Knut’s death in 1035, Norway was free to do as he pleased once more, at least for the next few centuries.
Middle Ages: 1066-1380AD
During this period, Norway had his first literate king, but despite the increase in learning, there was also an increase in instability during this period. Succession laws in Norway stated that all the king’s sons, even illegitimate ones, had claim. Because of this, he would regularly have multiple ‘kings’ that would lead to much internal dispute. This protracted series of civil wars ended in 1240AD. Coming out of this period Norway was stronger and better organized than he had been entering it.
The Kalmar Union: 1396-1523AD
Beginning with the death of a king who had no sons, Norway entered a personal union with Sweden, and it was agreed that one of each of the new king’s sons would inherit one of each of the kingdoms. This didn’t last however, and the Queen of Denmark orchestrated a union between all three of the kingdoms where they were all supposed to be equal partners, but Denmark ended up taking the lead. Sweden and Finland left the union in 1523AD, Norway remained united with Denmark. During this period there was also the Black Plague which greatly weakened Norway.
Under Denmark’s Rule (part 2): 1523-1814
For the next three centuries Norway was under Denmark’s control. There are various interpretations of this period in history. Because of Norway’s weakening under the Kalmar Union, the Danes were able to take more and more control over him. More and more decisions were made in Copenhagen and not Oslo. The Norwegian Reformation occurred under this period where Norway was further weakened because its church was now a subordinate church of Denmark’s and not its own. Norway eventually became a tributary of Denmark, no longer even legally considered its own hereditary kingdom. Soon after this period a series of northern wars began, stretching from 1596-1720AD Norway was in a near constant state of warfare. Emerging from the nearly century and a half of constant bloodshed and battle, Norway entered a period of peace and economic growth, making Norway become an increasingly more important part of the union. Due to various events such as the American and French revolutions, nationalism in Norway began to stir once more.
Union with Sweden: 1814
Getting defeated in the Napoleonic wars, Denmark was forced to cede Norway to Sweden, much to the chagrin of the nationalists in Norway. There was a brief standoff with Sweden over the nature of the union, but Sweden eventually agreed to a loose personal union rather than one such as he had under Denmark the previous four centuries.
Independence/World War I: 1905-1919 (finally!)
After a period of civil unrest, the union peacefully dissolved between Sweden and Norway, Norway then offered the throne to a Danish prince who accepted, and thus created the current Kingdom of Norway as a Constitutional Monarchy. During the first world war, Norway remained neutral but because of factors such as anti-German sentiment and British pressure they were known as “The Neutral Ally” because of the aid provided to England.
World War II: 1940-1945
Germany invaded and occupied Norway during the war, political unity was maintained by the king who threatened to abdicate if the government cooperated with the Nazis. Norway had a resistance movement that grew in strength over the course of the wall, and by the end of the war Norwegian naval vessels fought alongside British ones. At the end of the war, Norway was considered a full-fledged ally which led to their joining NATO.
Post War Period: 1945-Present
As a member of NATO and a founding member of the UN, Norway has played a fairly large role in the post-war period. Having discovered oil off its coast in the 60’s Norway’s economy grew stronger, and it enabled them to raise their standard of living above most of the rest of the worlds. Norway had developed in the post war period a reputation for its forward thinking and its progressiveness. But in 2011 a tragic event changed the way Norway thinks about his place’s policies. A massacre occurred at a youth camp because he believed that the multiculturalism that is on the rise in Norway is a bad thing.
Allies:
Historical: For most of history Norway has not been able to make his own alliances. There was a brief period before the Kalmar Union where he was allied with France and promised far more aid than he could actually provide in the treaty, but was never called upon to give it. Then falling under nearly 500 years of subordination, first by Denmark then by Sweden he tends to answer the question of whether he had any allies with ‘I don’t know. Why don’t you ask him?’ referring to Denmark as he never fought in any wars under Sweden.
Nordic Nations: Although he may have had his differences with Denmark and Sweden at different points in history, Norway does feel fairly close to them, especially with Iceland.
NATO: As a founding member of the NATO alliance Norway counts all the members as allies, although he doesn’t count them as close as he would his ‘brothers’ he still contributes to the alliance, be it in Afghanistan or in Libya. He feels most grateful to America because of the Marshall plan after WWII helping to rebuild his nation.
Enemies:
Historical: Just as with the Allies question, Norway does not publically consider the years in which he fought under Denmark’s command as his own wars, as such he answers the question of his former enemies in much the same way. Typically, Sweden was opposing them after the Kalmar union, though Denmark would also run into many conflicts with the Prussians, the Austrians, the Russians, and Dutch.
Germany: During World War II Norway, like much of Europe, was occupied by Germany. He no longer bares any grudge for Germany, but the effects of his occupation have left a deep impact, such as his moving away from a tradition of neutrality (since his independence) to joining NATO.
Russia: During the Cold War, Norway was a member of the western alliance and as such stood against the USSR and its allies. He was not the most gung ho of members but still he stood against them on the principle of avoiding another potential occupation.
Terrorists: At present Norway is a participant of sorts in the war on terror through his involvement with NATO, even helping with the operations in Afghanistan
Sample Post: The wind whipped his hair across his face, it was cold and it raised the hair on the back of his neck. This was the most quiet and calm of times for him. He was alone, at peace, he was independent. Gazing across the valleys and fields of his place, a small smile began to curve at the corners of his lips. He was free. There was no better way to describe this feeling. It was the first time he was truly free, truly left to his own devices and allowed to do his own. It was exhilarating and beyond exciting, but then it hits. The cold wind seeped into his veins and made his blood run cold. He was alone.
No other time had he experienced this, there was no precedent, in all of his long life. All his knowledge could not give him what he needed for this endeavor. Norway was free; he was his own nation now, no longer with the ‘help’ of Denmark or Sweden. But then how does he take care of himself? He’s never done this before. Yes, he’s helped to support others, but he was never actually the one in charge. The very thing that he has wanted, the very thing that now terrified him. Turning to look behind him to the sea, to the place where he is closest with his former ‘masters’. Part of him wanted to turn all the way around and walk back, beg for help.
But his feet would not move. This part of him that wanted to go back was very small. He could not swallow his pride enough to give into his fear, to give in to this desire to seek help. Turning back to his own space, he observed the verdant fields carefully, trailing to the tree lined hills, the snow covered peaks and he took a step forward, there was no turning back, and he would prove to himself and others that he could stand on his own two feet.
They say that the first steps are the hardest, and Norway found this to ring true. As his shoes bent the blades of grass as he made his way into his own place, each step became easier. The knot in his chest began to release; the burden on his slight shoulders began to lessen. What he was about to do would change everything, and change was scary yes. But for the first time, this change was something that he was in control of. Knowing that his destiny was in his hands was a new challenge for him, but it was what he wanted.
Smiling a bit wider, his pace picked up as he made his way into his place. This was a place that was going to be shaped by him and his people. And this fact couldn’t make Norway more pleased, finally he had a chance to show what he could do when given a chance, finally he’d have that chance to prove why he should be independent. And though the fear of failure would never leave his mind, this chance would be the positive thought he’d cling to remind him not to give in to it.
All of a sudden a nudge to his shoulder snaps Norway out of his reminiscing, it was Norway Constitution Day, and his blue eyes narrowed at the person who’d dared to touch him. The slight smile that had been gracing his lips suddenly died, and he leveled them with a cold stare. “Hn?” It wasn’t all he had wanted to say, but it would be enough to send them on their way. The nerve, to tear him from his thoughts for no reason…
Did you read the rules and Dark Reflections Canon? Italian Pasta is great but I prefer Japanese Udon.
Random fun fact about yourself: This is my first Hetalia RP…but as an International Relations student I think it’s right up my alley…hopefully.