Zoltravia

The Duchy of Zoltravia
The Duchy of Zoltravia is a small country located near Poland, and unique for being the only non-communist country wihtin the geographical borders of the Soviet Union. Zoltravia is a small country, and it's not very easy to get into, so it was sort of forgotten by everyone else when the USSR was formed.

The duchy is ruled by an ancestral duke of the Zladenko family, more often that not called Zlad as a semi-feudal state. This is seen as great social progress, as the duchy operated under the totally feudal system until 1926.

The flag of Zoltravia is based on the Zladenko family shield; a Hedgehog rampant on a purple and yellow striped field.The Hedgehog is said to represent the country itself; small but prickly. In actual fact, it is a Zorotrevka; a mythical giant hedgehog which is said to have saved the first of the Zladenkos from wolves when lost in the woods as a young boy. Zorotrevkas are said to have intervened on the family's behalf on several occasions during thier history. They are a common feature of Zoltravian mythology and are said to bring good luck to those who see them.

Zoltravian Military
Unable to aquire military technology from the west, and unwilling to deal with the communists the Zoltravians were forced to develop thier own military technology during the cold war. Zoltravia is one of the few countries world wide which must produce all of it's military equipment internally, including all components, power plants, ammunition and electronics. This has lead to some rather unusual indiginous military equipment being developed as Zoltravia feels a strong and pressing need to defend it's borders. Much of this technology is produced at the Arch Duke Zlad Memorial Armorments Factory, and as often as not is designed by the brilliant Professor the Marquess Jerzy Zoltan.

National Markings
Zoltravia maintains an old fashioned heraldric system of national markings. The flag bears the puple and yellow strpes of the Zladenko arms, and variations of this theme are used for all national markings. Zoltravian aircrat do not bear roundals of any sort, rather thier wing tips and rudders are painted with three broad stripes of purple and yellow.