Aethland Of Dyffryu

The Gnomic Revolution was strange in that it was neither a revolution of the proletariat nor a revolution of the elite. It was a joint effort, and while their reasons for secession were different, the end goal was the same: a united Gnomic state. After years of bloody fighting, this dream would be achieved, and the ruling Cymdeithas y Gnomau Unedig (Society of United Gnomes) would set about writing the Constitution of the Aethland. As a democratic (though some may dispute this) state, the Constitution grants all-male Gnomes over the age of 23 universal suffrage through secret ballot, as well as the rights of equality before the law, property, protection against unjust imprisonment, a speedy trial, speech, assembly, association, petition, and that of bearing arms. Of course, the Constitution also sets out the nation's odd hybrid system of hereditary oligarchy and popular sovereignty.   The Head of State is the Aetheling, the hereditary monarch of the country. While Dyffryu is a monarchy, its Constitution constrains his power immensely, although the upper house of the Senedd (the nation's parliament) ensures that noble prerogatives are protected. This is not to say the Aetheling is powerless, though. He is able to dismiss the House of Commons whenever he sees fit, thereby bringing about a snap election. Furthermore, it is the job of the Aetheling to formally approve the Senedd's choice of Tanist (Prime Minister) and accept their resignation if they so choose to do so. The Aetheling is able to refuse both the appointment and resignation of a Tanist, but governmental tradition and worries over political crisis have made it so that this has never before happened. While the Senedd is in charge of instituting the legislation to make such things happen, it is the duty of the Aetheling to officially declare war, sign treaties, as well as to serve as the military's Commander-in-Chief, and represent the country abroad. Furthermore, any law passed by the Senedd must receive Royal Assent, and while the Aetheling cannot expressly veto a law, he is fully capable of just refusing to sign it and functionally killing it unless the Senedd or the public puts enough pressure on that the Aetheling is forced to give his assent. This does not apply to the national budget, which the Aetheling has no hand in. Legally speaking, the Aetheling is prohibited from publically endorsing any political party or movement.   The current Aetheling is Brynmor II Sayer, the son of Brynmor I, the Liberator, the Father of the Nation. Unlike his ultra-conservative father who actively worked to entrench noble authority in Dyffryu, Brynmor II has professed (mostly in private, but sometimes in public), reformist tendencies. Though no such things have materialized yet due to the machinations of the Senedd, Brynmor II has encouraged the establishment of government-owned welfare establishments, so much so that when the Senedd ignored his pleads, he established several of his own charity organizations. Furthermore, in private, Brynmor II has stated his desire to see the House of Commons empowered, something that the legislative government will fight tooth and nail to prevent.   Dyffryu is one of Ecumene's only four democratic nations. The home of Dyffyrian democracy is the Senedd, a bicameral parliament that is supposed to equally represent the nation's people and its traditional nobility, but by and large favors the latter. This is due to the fact that the House of Ealdormen is the upper house of the Senedd, and has wide authority because of it. The House is made up of all the Ealdormen, or local nobles, of the country, who regularly assemble within its halls to do their Constitutionally mandated job. While the House cannot itself propose legislation, it can review legislation passed by the Commons and suggest revisions to said legislation. Furthermore, it has the final say on legislation passed in the lower house, being able to either pass it through into law or veto it through a two-thirds majority. The House of Ealdormen also has the power of accepting or rejecting the budget alongside the House of Commons, although once the first budget is presented, both chambers have to come to an agreement within two months of the first presentation.   Individual Ealdormen also serve as the head of their shire's government, a shire being a locality within the country. In addition to owning most of the farmland within their shire, which they rent out to sharecroppers, they have to tend to the public utilities, courts, and hospitals within their shire. Of course, most appoint others to do this job for them, preferring to tend to their estate and nothing more. Under the shire government are village governments, headed by a Reeve. All voting men in a village will elect a Reeve to serve as a line of communication between the village and the shire at large. In addition to this, the Reeve also serves as the local sheriff and judge, although he will only preside over minor crimes and civil disputes. Major crimes, such as grand theft and murder, are presided over by a Shire Court, which has a proper judge who is appointed by the Ealdorman.   The lower chamber of the Senedd is the House of Commons. The nation is divided into 150 electoral districts (that do not necessarily match up with shire borders), each of which elects a singular AC ("Aelod o Dŷ'r Cyffredin", meaning Member of the Commons) to the House via a first-past-the-post system. Elections are held every three years unless the Aetheling calls a snap election. All proposed legislation comes from the House of the Commons, with this legislation being able to cover anything not expressly prohibited by the Constitution. The House is also the sole entity responsible for declaring war and accepting a treaty, and while the Aetheling is the one officially responsible for making the declaration, neither he nor the House of Ealdormen can veto such a decision. Furthermore, only the House of Commons can vote on a motion of no confidence, and if it passes by a two-thirds majority, the government is forced to resign and new elections are called.   Both chambers have to collaborate on the appointment of the Tanist, the nation's head of government. He can originate from either the House of Ealdormen or the House of Commons, with both chambers assembling at the same time to collectively vote on who among them shall become the Tanist. However, once appointed, the Tanist is above bicameralism, being able to vote in both chambers and being able to appoint his own cabinet from the ranks of both chambers. While serving as the head of various government ministries, members of the cabinet also remain in their chamber of origin and have the duties required of them there. The Tanist himself, as Head of Government, has quite a few powers beyond the appointment, chairing, and organizing of the cabinet. He is, usually, the chairman of his political party, giving him a wide web of power and influence over his party members and the legislation they present. The Tanist and his cabinet also have the job of creating the yearly budget, which is then reviewed by the House of Commons, and then if it is passed, then by the House of Ealdormen. The Tanist is able to create, merge, abolish and transfer authority between government departments without the approval of the Senedd. Finally, the Tanist is constitutionally required to hold a weekly meeting with the Aetheling in order to inform the monarch of the government's upcoming plans and policies, as to keep the Aetheling informed and knowledgeable. The current Tanist is Rowan Meredith, a personal friend of the Aetheling and the Ealdorman of Clan Meredith. He is, by and large, a fairly decent Tanist, being of the Unity Club, but has not done too much throughout his term, prioritizing keeping the work of previous Tanists stable rather than building his own policies.   Dyffryu's Constitution also lays out the powers of the "Aonach", the nation's supreme court. Headed by four Brehons (Justices), it serves as the highest court in the land, where if a case appeals through the shire court, it is given to one of the Brehons to arbitrate. A Brehon will also preside over cases of murder that spring from blood feuds. While most other crimes pertaining to Gnomic blood feuds are swept under the rug out of tradition, murder is too high a crime to ignore. Therefore, if death or debilitating injury arises out of a blood feud, the party that caused such a thing will have to pay a weregild, a payment of money corresponding to either the injury or the death to the impacted party. If the offending party is unable to pay the weregild, the government will pay it, but the offending party will owe a debt to the government. However, there is no legal procedure for ending a blood feud, so this is up to the feuders themselves. Of course, the Aonach's most important job is of judicial review. When a constitutional dispute arises in the government, all four Brehons are assembled to review the dispute, and through their expertise on the Constitution, give a verdict, which of course has a chance to shoot down legislation or other government actions. The Brehons are appointed by a joint vote of both chambers of the Senedd and serve for life. They are unable to be impeached but can be removed if they are convicted of a crime, with the other Brehons presiding over the criminal case.

Despite the power of local nobles, the Aethland is technically a unitary state. Centuries of Imperial need, as well as Gnomic tradition, have made the country an incredibly agricultural one, producing a ludicrous amount of corn and potatoes, but also various cereal grains and breeds of livestock (most commonly sheep). By far, most Gnomes live as sharecroppers, renting out land, a home, and tools from the local Ealdorman. Prior to independence, this system was much worse, but the work of Gwynlais Gryffiths, the first Tanist and the "Uncle of the Nation", has alleviated some of the sharecropper's suffering through the "Act Of Free Farming", a bill only barely passed through the Senedd by his immense connections, iron will and more than a bit of bribery and intimidation. Now, while Ealdormen are still able to extract rent and a small portion of a sharecropper's harvest, they are unable to put those under their employ into a debt contract. Additionally, if a sharecropper provides a sizeable part of the year's yield (the exact amount being dependant on the size of the estate, average yield, and biggest yield possible for the estate), the land he is renting out will be legally transferred to him. While most Gnomes still rent out their land, there is a growing class of yeomen in the country, and the requirements for yeomanship have stimulated economic growth.   Traditionally speaking, Gnomes have detested urban centers, seeing them as filthy and inherently contrary to Gnomic values and their way of life. However, time's arrow neither stands still nor reverses. Dyffryu has had to industrialize, but to preserve the "Gnomic way of life", the Senedd has implemented the "Designated Industrial Zones". These are a group of five urban centers that are zoned and planned for industrial development, being akin to a grouping of industrial parks, though also with urban residential areas and the other trappings of a city. Overwhelming industrialization is banned elsewhere, limiting industrial business prospects in Dyffryu, but the density of the DIZs reduces infrastructure costs for both the government and private corporations, attracts new businesses due to the prior infrastructure, and more easily allows the local government to respond to the unique economic needs of the DIZs. Instead of Reeves and Ealdormen, the denizens of a Designated Industrial Zone will hold tri-yearly elections for the city council and mayor alongside the election of their MP.   Five Designated Industrial Zones dot the Aethland: Penyfan in the far West, Talacre, a port on the Northern coast, Rhigos in the center, Gelligaer in the far East, and the nation's capital city of Wenvoe. Rhigos was, at one point, the capital of the Grand Principality of Dinorwig, an Imperial Province. Following secession, the Grand Prince would, at the insistence of CGU officials, resign after formally dissolving the entity of Dinorwig. The workers of these Dyffryian cities, many of whom work in wool mills, live either in tight, individual residences or apartment houses, both of which are built in a style similar to real-life Georgian architecture. Outside of the excessively cleaned governmental and upper-class districts of Dyffryu's cities, the DIZs are filthy, low-class places in which workers are born, work, and die with few benefits. Aside from a low minimum wage, a small government pension for disability and retirement, a ban on child labor, days off, and a right to join unions and strike, although businesses can deal with strikers however they wish.   The land North of the Nevern River is the "Nevernite Free State". It is dominated by the Temple of Nevernia, a radically puritan sect of the Common Faith, who during the Deluge would massacre the local nobility and redistribute their land into the hands of the people, forming agricultural communes. Due to a promise made between the rebel government and the Nevernites, their region is given special rights under the Constitution. The Nevernites are permitted to rule themselves without nobility, implement Nevernite religious law within their villages, and are legally allowed to secede if they see fit, but have to pay taxes to the Aethland government and respect the orders of the Senedd, providing they do not conflict with Nevernite teachings. Nevernia itself has no Free State level government, the closest thing being the various Reeves of the various Nevernite villages. Aside from presenting its taxes and allowing merchants to use the Nevern River, the Free State has almost no access to the rest of the world. Heretics are not permitted to enter Nevernite villages, lest they bring sinful material (which the Temple sees no short of) into Nevernia, and while there has been some agricultural mechanization, most Nevernites continue to use hand tools. While it does not disavow steam power, as seen with mechanization, the Temple disavows electricity, as it brings the world and its heresy closer to home.

Mihangel Kolin o Colini, a now-retired Field Marshal, would build His Highness' Armed Forces from nothing but a few scattered militiamen. Nowadays, the Dyffryian armed forces are a modern and trained force, although the inherent weaknesses of the Gnomes shine through. While they are able to carry lever-action rifles and their needed equipment, as well as operate crewed weapons, they are quite slow on foot and their dog carts do not offer as much speed or carrying capacity as horses or llamas. Of course, the excellent railroad connection both nations of the Spring Coalition have helps this, but they are still at a natural disadvantage.   To this end, they cooperate deeply with the Qadjiki Armed Horde to negate or at least lessen the natural disadvantages each race has. Soldiers of His Highness' Army primarily man the trenches on the border with Tellus, as well as the lines of artillery guns, while Centaurs tend to other things. Soldiers of the Army are also trained in guerilla warfare, something the tiny Gnomes excel at.    In the heavily stratified Aethland, the Armed Forces are a haven of egalitarianism. The Gnomic nobility lacks the military tradition many other noble classes have, and the officers who commanded troops in the Deluge were all from sharecropping families. Due to the insistence of Field Marshal Kolin o Colini, as well as that of former Tanist Griffiths, a purchase system has not been implemented in Dyffryu, and its officers are promoted on merit, not birth.

While once wildly underdeveloped, with the exception of an incredibly extensive rail connection, Dyffryu has made strides to improve this despite their overwhelmingly agriculturally based economy. Every village has telegraph connection and is, due to the aforementioned level of railway connection, never too far from a railroad. The Designated Industrial Zones are all electrified, but, like the cities themselves, the grids are smaller than some found elsewhere and do not reach far into the countryside. Indeed, Dyffryu still has a ways to go before it is a completely modern nation. Agricultural mechanization is always increasing, but many still work their rented land with hand tools and dog carts, many being unable to even think of affording a traction engine. Of course, the Nevernite Free State is totally underdeveloped, but this is by and large by choice.    A pet project of Aetheling Brynmor made possible by the Senedd is the expansion of Dyffryu's universities. While all Post-Deluge nations have been building up their colleges, Dyffryu is leading the charge. Mainly focused around building up a core of agronomists and physical scientists, but also officers, wizards, and industrialists, a massive drive to build up and expand Dyffryu's colleges has been made. As of right now, most who attend the universities are of noble houses or established mercantile families, but with the foundation of the world's first public university, "Penyfan Redbrick", this may soon change.

The Aethland of Dyffryu recognizes the Common Faith as the country's official religion, but it does not recognize any one sect. Most Gnomes are members of the Temple of Integration, although there are sizable sections of Gnomic society that follow Orienal Temple-Creeds, lesser-known and native Temple-Creeds, or consider themselves Unsectarian Commonalists.   On the other hand, the Temple of Nevern and their Nevernite Free State are incredibly puritanical. It is their belief that Trinitists are secret pagans and that such things as alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, other drugs, foreign spices, colorful clothing, facial hair, music, holidays, the idea that a woman can be equal to a man, and electricity (for it would bring the sinfulness of the modern world closer to the pure utopia that is Nevernia) are all sinful and not something to be tolerated, insisting that pleasure can be found in simple labor, wholesome family and community activities, and communion with the Gods. Nevernites do not even celebrate the Refulgencia, as they consider it to be a holiday for fools that believe one day of piety is a proper substitute for a year of sin. It is a known fact that many go missing in the Free State, burnt at pyres or otherwise murdered for their perceived and unforgivable sin.

Ever since its secession, the Aethland of Dyffryu has been an agricultural powerhouse. This, and its rapidly growing industrial economy, has made trade with Dyffryu a very profitable venture. All modern nations of the world, including its old enemies, both trade with and have cordial relations with the Aethland. Sylvania and Meridie, through their aid in achieving Gnomic independence, are on quite good terms with the Dyffyrians. This is especially true of Meridie, the self-proclaimed vanguard of democracy, which has a no-tariff agreement with Dyffyru and who will often practice drills with High Highness' Armed Forces.   However, the Aethland's closest companion is the Khanate of Qadjik. Commonly known together as the Sister Monarchies, the history of the two countries and the two races are forever intertwined. They have fought and bled together for a millennia, and now that they are free, they shall not abandon the other. Dyffryu and Qadjik are tied together through the "Spring Coalition" the world's only military alliance, and due to their racial characteristics, the armed forces of Dyffryu and Qadjik are more like one unit than two. While the two countries do not have a no-tariff agreement, they will frequently cooperate on infrastructure projects, although there is a singular blot: Dyffryu's insistence on trading with Tellus. However, in a world of racial hatred, the Gnomes and Centaurs have nothing but respect and love for the other, and if war comes to knock once more, they will not even stop to think before jumping to the other's aid.

The Constitution of the Aethland proclaims Dyffryu to be a democratic nation, but some view this as not entirely true. This is mainly due to the immense power the hereditary Ealdormen of the upper house have over the nation and the Aethland's status as a more or less one-party nation. As a primarily rural and traditional country, the Unity Club, a Right-Civicist party, has near-absolute dominance, their closest rival being unable to compete even though the Designated Industrial Zones are made up of multiple electoral districts.   As stated just before, the Clwb Undod (Unity Club) has a stranglehold on the Senedd. It is the successor party of the CGU, being formed soon after its rival split off. However, it is not much like its father party. The Unity Club is a Right-Civicist party through and through, fully supporting free trade, laissez-faire capitalism, and agrarianism. They also believe that the current compromise constitution is the best deal for the Gnomic people and that hasty industrialization will irreversibly harm both the Gnomic economy and spirit. Due to their Pro-Constitution and Pro-Nobility policies, the Unity Club dominates the House of Ealdormen. Paradoxically, or perhaps not, they also court massive support from the sharecroppers through the espousing of rhetoric that frames modern capitalist society as endangering traditional Gnomic values and their way of life and the implementation of paternalist policies meant to court sharecroppers away from dreams of yeomanry and to frame the nobility as "a righteous upper class" to justify their privilege: such policies including a rapid expansion of public rural education, support of gold and silver to back currency, hostility to banking in general, conservationism, support for localism in general (with some supporting a greater devolution of the Dyffryian state), support for low taxation, and support for conservative and religious values while on the other hand the Unity Club blatantly ignores the concerns and struggles of the urban poor. This has allowed them to also dominate the House of Commons, a ludicrously large gap separating their amount of seats from those of the other parties.   The largest opposition party in the Senedd, if it can even be called that, is the Clwb Democratiaid (Democratic Club). They are a Left-Civicist party of businessmen, the middle class, the yeoman farmer, and the industrial poor. Economically, they support an expansion of the Designated Industrial Zones both by incentivizing growth in the already created ones and building up new ones, the end goal being that of turning Dyffryu from an agricultural economy into a mixed one. Of course, they also support higher tariffs and a larger program of government economic support to businesses to help achieve this end goal, not to mention greater land reform to turn Dyffryu into a country of yeoman rather than a country of sharecroppers. However, they have not forgotten their urban constituents, with most Democrats supporting greater worker protections and a higher minimum wage, as well as the institution of tripartism. They have only a handful of seats in the House of Commons and even less in the House of Ealdormen, the upper house long being the Democratic Club's enemy. It has long sought to rewrite the Constitution of the Aethland, veering away from the compromise government and putting much more powers into the hands of the Commons and the people it represents. Interestingly, the first Tanist of the country, Gwynlais Gryffiths, is a vocal supporter of and donator to the Democrats, agreeing with almost all of their policies and still dissatisfied with the sacrifices he had to make in order to pass the Constitution. The Democratic Club also has a fairly notable Republican faction, although they are in the minority as it stands now.   There are also several minor parties in the nation. The Cymdeithas Diddordeb Nevernaidd (Nevernite Interest Society) has complete political domination over the electoral districts in Nevernia, but has no real policies and does not vote. As the Nevernites have self-governance and can secede whenever they choose, they have no need to worry about the rest of the Aethland, and the party only runs for seats in the Commons to deny the other parties influence in the Free State. Another minor party is the Clwb Harmoni (Harmony Club), a Kinsmanite political party with a single seat in Talacre. Despite the fact it is only one seat, the establishment is very concerned by this, and both the Unity Club and Democratic Club are doing all they can to deny the Harmony Club voters.