The Kingdom of Kruhlstutt is a sovereign nation located to the southwest of the Divine Republic of Kresimiria. A wealthy, industrialized constitutional monarchy, it shares a border with Kresimiria defined by the Voka River and Lake Vokavovic.
Kruhlstutt serves as the Republic’s primary window to the global market. It is the source of the majority of Kresimiria’s high-technology imports, heavy machinery components, and luxury goods found in retailers like RiG and Kasa24. The trade relationship was normalized in the mid-2000s through the Voka River Trade Protocols, negotiated by then-Envoy (and future Chief Diplomat) Luka Tot. These agreements facilitated the flow of Kruhlstutt electronics into the Kresimirian market.
Despite the deep economic integration, the two nations maintain a complex and often tense political relationship. Kresimiria’s theocratic government views Kruhlstutt’s secular, liberal society as a source of “moral contagion,” while Kruhlstutt frequently criticizes the Republic’s human rights record and serves as a haven for Kresimirian political exiles.
History
The Imperial Rivalry (1800–1918)
For centuries, Kruhlstutt was the primary geopolitical rival of the Vosti Empire. While the Vosti Empire was an agrarian, multi-ethnic federation, Kruhlstutt developed into a centralized industrial power.
During the Continental War (1914–1918), Kruhlstutt maintained a naval and economic blockade of the Vosti coastline. This blockade caused the “Turnip Winter” famine in Sinj and Vost, directly precipitating the economic collapse and subsequent dissolution of the Empire in 1918.
The Unification War (1918–1921)
Following the collapse, Kruhlstutt sought to prevent the re-emergence of a strong Vosti state. During the Kresimirian Unification War, the Kingdom provided covert material support to Filip Novak and the Centralist Faction.
- The Cetingrad Supply Line: Kruhlstutt funneled rifles and artillery through the port of Cetingrad, allowing General Loncar to outgun the Confederacy in the south.
The Cold Peace (1921–2000)
Relations cooled after the establishment of the Republic. The authoritarian, religious nature of the RPP and Blue Dawn governments alienated the liberal monarchy. However, trade continued out of necessity. In 1969, the Financial Charter Act allowed STP Credit to access Kruhlstutt’s capital markets, effectively integrating Kresimiria into the continental banking system.
Economy and Trade
Kruhlstutt is Kresimiria’s largest trading partner. The economic relationship is defined by the exchange of Kresimirian raw materials for Kruhlstutt’s finished goods.
- Exports to Kruhlstutt: The Maj Holdings conglomerate exports vast quantities of steel from Kakerovecska and timber from Severnivaraje to Kruhlstutt’s factories.
- Imports from Kruhlstutt: Kresimiria imports advanced electronics, medical equipment for the Council for Health, and precision tools.
- The “Grey Market”: Due to high tariffs (historically) and censorship laws, a thriving smuggling economy exists across the border in Zahodecelska, especially near the Valkari States. Electronics that bypass the Media Licensing Authority often enter the Republic at the north-western border..
Political Significance
The Exile Community
Kruhlstadt, the capital, hosts a large community of Kresimirian expatriates. This includes former CRF activists, journalists fleeing the Great Purge, and artists censored by the state. The CIA maintains a heavy counter-espionage presence in the border districts to prevent “subversive literature” printed in Kruhlstutt from entering the Republic.
The Tech Dependency
The modern Kresimirian surveillance state paradoxically relies on its liberal neighbor. The hardware for the YakaSys server farms and the KresiX devices is largely manufactured in Kruhlstutt or uses Kruhlstutt-patented semiconductors, a dependency that Ari Stov has tried, largely unsuccessfully, to reduce.
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Retrospective Updates
For the Zahodecelska article:
Update to “Economy”: The district’s economy is heavily influenced by its proximity to the Kingdom of Kruhlstutt. The city of Cetingrad serves as the primary port of entry for legal imports, while the remote western shores of Lake Vokavovic are known hotbeds for smuggling “Grey Market” luxury goods and electronics.
For the Vosti Empire article:
Update to “The Collapse”: The Empire’s downfall was accelerated by the Kingdom of Kruhlstutt, whose naval blockade during the Continental War strangled the Vosti economy. The “Turnip Winter” of 1917, caused by this blockade, destroyed the legitimacy of the Emperor and paved the way for the republican revolutions.
For the 2006 Import Tariff Revision Act article:
Update to “Background”: The Act was primarily designed to normalize trade relations with the Kingdom of Kruhlstutt. By slashing tariffs on Kruhlstutt steel and electronics, Stoyan Vasilis integrated the Kresimirian consumer market with its wealthy neighbor, flooding stores like RiG with high-quality foreign tools.
For the Council for Foreign Affairs article:
Update to “Relations with Neighbors”:
- Kingdom of Kruhlstutt: The Republic’s most critical economic partner. The Council spends much of its time negotiating complex trade deals to ensure the flow of technology remains uninterrupted despite the ideological differences between the theocratic Republic and the liberal Kingdom.