Welcome to the general worldbuilding thread for the Eras RP nation Oston.
This thread will feature large and small worldbuilding pieces regarding Ostonese culture, language, faith, government, history and more.
Please do not post on this thread. If you have any suggestions, comments or questions regarding Oston, you can always directly message me on the forums or my TNP discord account.
Republic of Oston (Mercanti)
Lýðveldið Ostøyar (Ostonese)
Motto: "Tað fer!" (It will be alright!)
Anthem: Norðurlendsksangur
Capital
and the largest city
Ukolsviði
Official language
Ostonese
Ethnic demographics
98.74% Ostonese
1.26% Others
Religious demographics
74.54% Church of Oston
24.47% Irreligious
0.99% Others
Demonym
Ostonese
Government
Unitary parliamentary democracy
President
Bjðørsyndur Sigurðsdóttir
Vice President
Þorbjørn Jøkull Ingmarsson
President of the Fólksting
Guðmundur Fryrarðesson
Establishment
Viking colonies — BC 2000
Gudmundsland — BC 190
Kingdom of Oston — 12 April 124
Prydanian control — 20 January 567
Republic of Oston — 24 November 1822
Cathedral of Fuglareiður in the borough of Kirkjubýurin
Row of terraced houses in Grønurfjørð
Ukolsviði Central Station in the borough of Revsahúsið
Fjords of the Himmalportrið
Bird's-eye view of the city centre and Kirkjubýurin Borough
Ostonese-Prydanian Friendship Memorial in Revsahúsið
Canton
Ukolsviði
Boroughs
Kirkjubýurin (city centre)
Revsahúsið
Grønurfjørð
Myrknámviðfossin
Ísland
Sesmat
Mayor
Adølfur Fýðureskandisson (K)
Area
Urban
Metropolitan
252 km²
310 km²
Population
Urban
Metropolitan
224 055 (889.11 per km²)
257 760 (831.48 per km²)
Demonym(s)
Ukolsviðsk
Time zone
GMT +1, Standard Oston Time
Postal code
1035XX
Phone code
+402 1
Ukolsviði, the capital and largest city of Oston, is located on the southern shores of Guðveigshamn Bay in the northern part of the country. Founded around 2000 BC by Viking explorer Guðveigur Svanbjörnsson as the first permanent settlement in Oston, its name means "wuthering woods" in Old Prydanian, inspired by the whistling sound made by the trees in the Føyre Mountains during windy weather. With an average annual temperature of 1.4°C, Ukolsviði is one of the coldest capital cities in the world, with winter temperatures dropping to as low as -22.4°C and summer temperatures averaging around 10.1°C. The metropolitan area, known as the Greater Ukolsviði Region (Størra-Ukolsviðiøki), has a population of 257,760, making it Oston’s most populous urban centre. This region also includes the rural communities of Áyslumður, Éígarynnøskðære, Úskó, and Børnjævke, traditionally farming areas, as well as the township of Kúgvabeiti. Formerly up until the administration reforms in 1999, Ukolsviði's metropolitan area encompassed the entire Høvuðsstaðarøki canton (Capital Region) however since then was redefined. The current mayor of the city is Adølfur Fýðureskandisson, a member of the Folksting and the Christian Democratic Union of Oston.
Ukolsviði’s founding was tied to Prydanian viking explorer Guðveigur Svanbjörnsson and a crew of 11 Viking sailors who, in search of freshwater ports, shipwrecked at what is now known as Revsahúsið, or Guðveigshamn. Despite its historical roots, Ukolsviði remained a small fishing village within the UKAG, not reaching the 100,000 resident milestone until the year 1803. In 1672, the town was partially destroyed by the eruption of Mjørksfjall, a now-dormant volcano that enveloped the area in thick volcanic ash for over a year and caused what is estimated to be a 9.2 magnitude earthquake.
Ukolsviði played a key role in the 1820 Ostonese Revolution against Prydania, suffering significant destruction as Rikard III’s forces attempted to suppress the secessionist rebellions. Hlöðmundur Álfgrímsson, who is considered as the "father of the modern Oston", marched with his soldiers down the Heilagakapell Boulevard in 1819 as the first act of aggression against the nascent Prydanian realm. Following the establishment of Oston as a sovereign republic in 1820, the city experienced major growth, with railways connecting it to nearby settlements and landmarks such as the Fuglareiður Cathedral, completed in 1912. Today, the city sports a robust public transport system for a settlement its size, the Metro Ukolsviði featuring 26 stations and used by over 325,440 passengers every month on average. Other means of transport in the city include passenger ferries, hýruvognsbussur (shared midibus taxis on fixed routes) and taxis. A bus network does not exist in the city as of 2024. 76% of Ukolsvians use walking as the primary method of transportation, followed by train, bicycles, hýruvognsbussur and personal vehicles.
The city's population has been steadily increasing since 2009, growing from 194,557 in 2010 to 257,760 in 2023—a rise of 32.49%. This growth has been driven by immigration from Prydania - especially during wartime - and neighbouring countries, as well as significant investment from Montarci corporations like Bravo and Monpetròl, leading to the formation of a thriving Montarci community. Ukolsviði is projected to reach a population of 300,000 by 2030. In 2023, the average monthly wage in the city was OSK367,902 (OSU2,700), but Ukolsviði remains one of the most expensive cities in the world due to its harsh climate, remote location, and isolation. Food prices are particularly high, with a kilogram of beef costing up to OSK5,450 and apples priced at OSK1,907 per kilogram according to the estimates of the non-profit survey foundation DATABiS. Oston’s climate makes it difficult for the country to be agriculturally self-sufficient, with only 40% of the nation's agricultural products being locally produced, 86.5% of which are grown in greenhouses—a practice that has been widespread since the late 1970s. Regardless, the country is one of the major exporters of wild berries thanks to an abundance of berry shrubs present in high elevations, which has also led to a burgeoining fox population.
Tourists are drawn to Ukolsviði for its natural beauty and unique attractions. The Himmalportrið, a dramatic fjord formation that cuts through Guðveigshamn Bay and the steep Føyre Mountains, offers stunning views, with Point Stegveggur being the city's highest point at 4,127 metres. The Grand Opera House (Stóroperahúsið), often referred to as the Ukolsviði Harpa, is a cultural landmark in the Revsahúsið borough that is beloved by both locals and visitors. Jarðberjavøllur, a vast green valley atop the Føyre Mountains, is popular in the spring for its lush landscapes and in the winter for skiing. Skiing and kayaking are among the most popular sports in Ukolsviði, and the country boasts 21 operational ski resorts. Tourism is the main source of income for the city, making up 34.7% of the total revenue generated by the metropolitan municipality in 2023.
Nature lovers also visit Ukolsviði to spot flamingos near Eldtorn Beach during the summer months, and penguins during the winter. Penguins, native to the city, are a common sight on the streets, often seen stealing fish from local vendors. The city is also home to a variety of wildlife, including cats, foxes, and seals, which add to its charm and unique character. Ukolsviði is famous for its unique fox breed, "vulpes lagopus forma amicus", a domesticated form of arctic foxes that are often kept as pets by the local population since they were first domesticated in the 18th century.
Common Ukolsviði dishes include hávtera, a dish consisting of sleeper shark or whale meat that has been cured with a particular fermentation process and hung to dry for four to five months. It has a strong ammonia-rich smell and fishy taste, making hávtera an acquired taste. Hávtera is often sold in diced form in small bags, a popular street fair treat. Other dishes include seyðarhøvd, a soup made of sheep brain that is believed to have many health benefits; as well as koddafat, cooked sheep meat stuffed in rye bread with cucumbers and lettuce. Because of the rich fishing history of the city, the common Ukolsvian and at large, Ostonese diet consists of fish and seafood.
