Faneria

Faneria (Fhasen: Fhainnlannacharean) is a centrally-run parliamentary republic situated in northern Levantia. Largely dominated by a Fhainnin Gaelic population in its more heavily populated southern regions along the Vandarch Sea, the country includes Coscivian and Aenglish-origin minorities for a total population of over 292 million. Its fifteen provinces and three overseas territories span roughly 1.9 million square miles bordering Kiravian Scapa to the northwest by sea, Prevalia to the west, Caergwynn to the north and east, and Fiannria to the east, as well as sharing maritime borders with several nations across the Vandarch.

=Geography= Main Article: Geography of Faneria

Vandarch Sea and the Ninerivers
Main Articles: Vandarch Sea, Dùntath (Ninerivers Basin)

Deamhainns and Interior
Main Articles: Deamhainn Mountains

Nordska Coast
Main Articles: Vrael, Lyukquar

=History= Main Article: History of Faneria

Princes' Wars
1519-1545: First Princes' War

1571-1583: Second Princes' War

Northern Expansion
1676-1712: Tundra Wars

1712-1715: Sutharine Succession Crisis/1st Kin War

other Kin Wars up to 1880s on and off

Civil War and Fhainnin Popular Republic
Civil War 1906-1909

Postwar Faneria
Lean Years

Vandarch Canal crisis: 1991-1992

Modern Faneria
=Culture and Demographics= Main Article: Fhainnin Culture

Settlements and Population
The bulk of Faneria's population is settled in the Ninerivers Basin, along the coast of the Vandarch and in the lands leading up to the Deamhainn Mountains.

The country's largest city by population is Teindùn, a conglomeration of several cities north of the capital, Oirthidùn, both of which lie along the _____ branch of the Rhydwel River. Its second largest city is Sethsport, with Rihsport third, Oirthidùn itself fourth, and Dúnfhainn fifth. Sethsport, Rihsport, Carthaigh, Caileansdùn, Cionhaen, Comghallport, Mwynsdùn, Torrcirit, Mullcirit, _____, and _____ are the country's major commercial ports, with Rihsport, _____, _____, and Mullcirit being located outside the Vandarch.

Ethnicities and Language
Main Article: Gaelic people, Fhasen

Gaelic peoples make up the vast majority of Faneria's population, with local minorities of Aenglish immigrants and Coscivian colonists in the eastern Vandarch and western coast, respectively. Of the Galeic peoples in the country, the Fhainn are the most prominent branch, with the related Sheafhainn, Cascufhainn (Caenwynin), and Parvefhainn making up most of the others. Some (Caergwynn people) live in parts of the northern coast and mountain highlands as well as (Fiannria people) concentrated in parts of the north and mideastern portions of the country. These other gaelic groups speak somewhat intelligible languages with the Fhainnin language, Fhasen, although communication is not particularly reliable without some translation. The groups within the country, conversely, speak fluent Fhasen due to centuries of forced integration, although the Cascufhainnin dialect remains distinct from Ninerivers Fhasen.

Of Faneria's major cities, all except Sethsport are majority Fhainnin and Sethsport itself is still plurality Fhainnin. Rihsport has a large minority of Sheafhainn, though these are the closest related group to Ninerivers Fhainn.

Ethnic tensions are relatively lax in Faneria, excepting the clash between fringes of the Cascufhainn community and the state for and against greater autonomy or even independence, as the Cascufhainn have a history of rebelling against southern Fhainnin rule. The culture is accepting of immigration, although it pushes for naturalization strongly, as evidences by the large Aenglish communities around and in Sethsport and the aforementioned Coscivian and mixed-race groups in the west.

Religion
Main Article:Religion in Faneria

The pagan Fhainnin pantheon, like most indigenous galeic faiths, revolved around a large myriad of local gods, especially nature, water, sun, and storm spirits. By the 5th Century AD, religion in the Ninerivers had resolved into a pantheon of several dozen dieties with distinct roles, though many local alternative legends and names for the same deities existed. The general theme of Fhainnin faith held that the star god, Braess, had been killed by another diety, and his death created the Vandarch sea, with freshwater being his blood and his fall throwing arable land onto the world. The Fire, Storm, and Death gods repeatedly try to destroy the world (in the Death god's case, he is attempting to bury Braess to fulfil his duty, making the world end in the process, while the others are simply vengeful), while a few major deities ensure that the sun rises and sets every day and the Fire and Storm gods inadvertently foil each other's attempts. A host of minor patron gods also overlook aspects of human life and the natural world, although some are occasionally malicious, such as nature gods, who are fickle.

Old custom holds that redheads are 'blessed' by the gods, a tradition that carried over into Christian Faneria. As a result, red hair, particularly natural-looking red hair, is often associated with fertility and wealth in Faneria. Long, loose red hair is associated with naturalist movements, while styled red hair is a commonly-desired beauty standard.

When Christianity was first introduced to the Fhainn, Jesus Christ was adopted readily as the minor god Hesus, a patron god of forests and woodworking. The god Benelus, Braess' steward and the Sun God, was gradually combined with the concept of God the Father, and worship of Hesus eventually absorbed the roles of healing god and, after several sectarian wars within the local principalities, freshwater as well. The subversion of the freshwater concept of the polytheistic lore was the turning point for Christianization in Faneria, with churches being raised and locally-trained priests teaching the Roman Catholic tradition. Most polities in the Ninerivers permitted this for a while or converted, with Christianity being the dominant faith in the Vandarch Basin by the time of the foundation of the Kingdom of the Fhainn in xxxx.

Pagan faiths are still fairly common in Faneria, as Protestant rebellion after the Reformation was always a greater threat to the country, and even the more pious kings throughout the centuries had to keep pagan peasantry in most areas pleased. After the advent of irreligiosity in Faneria during the Republican era, Christianity is the majority religion by plurality only, with agnosts and pagans being the next largest groups. Fhainnin Christianity retains some elements of old pagan tradition, such as emphasizing the relation of Christ to water rather than light.

Health, Wealth, and Education
Faneria sits slightly above average in quality of life among developed countries, with a large public health system in parallel to a private healthcare system and a moderately large degree of income inequality. The country has an ongoing issue with infrastructure reaching into parts of the Deamhainn Mountains, as well as its northern coast being much poorer than the Vandarch coastal regions. The country has a 98% technical literacy rate and a 92% functional literacy rate among otherwise capable adults.

Cuisine
Rye bread features heavily in the Fhainnin diet as opposed to wheat bread, as rye grows better in the hills and northern regions of Faneria as well as in the drier northeast interior. Potatoes, clams, fish, crab, tomatoes, and leafy greens are also staples, while more specialized local foodstuffs include hardier varieties of apples. Chicken and beef are the primary non-aquatic meat sources in Faneria, although pork, turkey, lamb, and others are available through import within the Vandarch and occasionally are raised locally.

A common feature of Fhainnin cuisine is it is often served hot; given the propensity for frigid winters in the north and along the mountains, this should come as little surprise. Moth families put a great deal of effort into stocking their kitchens well, as the dining room is the central feature in most traditional home plans and meals are an important customary aspect of the culture. Snack foods are available but are generally derided in traditional circles, though this 'metropolitan' trend is becoming more common, and ready-to-eat restaurants are very popular.

Philosophy, Art, and Literature
=Government and Politics= Faneria's government, the Republic of the Fhainn, is a unitary republic with its capital situated in Oirthidun. It is the legal successor state to the Fhainnin Popular Republic and the earlier Kingdom of the Fhainn, which were also referred to colloquially as Faneria. It has no state-approved or mandated religion, but is formally linked in its function and its Constitution to the Fhainnin ethnicity in particular, although naturalized foreigners are capable of attaining citizenship.

Faneria's political zeitgeist has wavered considerably over the last century and a half, with a traditionalist monarchy being overthrown by a radical revolutionary republic in the 1900s that later transformed into a semiauthoritarian hybrid state in the 1950s. Its policies are typically nationalistic and focused on economic growth and public wellbeing along with soft power projection. It formally claims some border regions currently possessed by Caergwynn, and although it has good relations with its neighbor Fiannria, the ethnic makeup of Fiannria's coastal region along the Vandarch and the territory's history as a battleground between HLE troops and Fhainnin armies makes Faneria's formal renunciation of claims seem shallow.

Government Structure
As a republic, Faneria's government is divided into four branches - an executive, legislative, judicial, and administrative; these are called the Directorate, the National Assembly, the National Audit Council, and the Administration Board, respectively. Each interacts to counterbalance the other, although Faneria has a strong executive position compared to contemporary republics abroad.

Seat of the Directorate
Main Article: Seat of the Directorate

The Director of the Republic is Faeria's head of state, with the powers of the Head of Government resting nominally in the office of the Taoisteach. The Directorate is an elected position selected for by a two-stage vote (see Main Article). The term of office for the Seat is five years, with a hard limit of six terms - however, no Director has ever held the position for more than five terms, which is generally considered a soft limit out of respect for the Republic's first head of state, Callac Cananach.

National Assembly
Main Article: National Assembly of the Fhainnin Republic

The National Assembly is the legislative body of Faneria's government, and is a tricameral legislature composed of the Peoples' Council, the Party Council, and the National Council.

The Peoples' Council is elected with one representative per county, with a minimum of one representative, for terms of three years with a maximum of three terms. It has the power to propose laws, veto laws prior to ratification with a 3/4 vote, and to request amendments to the budget by a 2/3 vote. It is overseen by the Peoples' Speaker.

The Party Council is elected on a proportional model across the entire country; there is one representative for every million registered citizens. These representatives are elected every five years for a maximum of two terms. The Party Council may propose laws, veto laws prior to ratification with a 3/4 vote, and propose alternative budgets if the National Council refuses to approve a budget twice. It is overseen by the Parties' Speaker.

The National Council is not elected, but consists of the Taoisteac, the two Speakers of the other houses, the chief ministers of the six Offices of government, and one representative of the Audit Council. It is observed by the ministers of every government Bureau. As a result of its makeup, it has no term limits or terms contingent to itself, and members are removed and added as the positions associated with a seat are changed. The National Council approves laws passed by the lower houses, with the Audit Council representative having tiebreaking power. The National Council also acts as a forum for frank communication with the Director and coordination between government organizations. It is headed by the Taoisteach.

In the event of a meeting of all houses of the Assembly, the Taoisteach takes control of proceedings. The Party and Peoples' Councils may also meet without the National Council, in which case the Parties' Speaker takes priority if present; together, the two lower houses have the sovereign power of veto over decisions by the Director if passed by a 3/4 margin. If a 2/3 margin is reached, the Audit Council is required by law to immediately meet and review the executive order in question.

National Audit Council
Main Article: National Audit Council (Faneria)

Administration Board
Main Article: Administration Board (Faneria)

The Administration Board is headed by the Taoisteach and consists of a selected panel of specialists, bureaucrats, and representatives from the Audit Council. It is informally structured and ensures the budget is carried out and the various civil services of the state continue to function. It works closely with the Director and the Audit Council.

Offices of Government
The mundane functions of the government are organized into six major Offices, each of which oversees subordinate Bureaus that break down into Departments:

The Office of the High Courts manages the justice system and mediates intragovernmental disputes along with the Office of Political Security. It additionally liaises with the League of Nations International Court. It responds to the Audit Council.

The Office of Civil Services manages the bulk of day-to-day civilian services, from education to general infrastructure to utilities to business regulations and bookkeeping. It often reaches into areas normally under the auspices of other Offices and is easily the largest of the Offices in both form and function. Its function is technically overseen by the Administration Board, but it is common for a sitting Director to interfere in situations deemed to be of 'immediate national interest', typically through or with the consent of the Taoisteach.

The Office of Political Security handles the mundane aspects of international relations, public relations, and cybersecurity, as well as its most widely known function of acting as an investigatory body with regards to the rest of the civilian government. It responds to the Audit Council and may take requests from the Assembly or the Director at the Audit Council's approval.

The Office of Trade and Travel deals in immigration, emigration, customs, tariffs, foreign aid, and exploration. It is generally under the control of the Administration Board, but foreign relations are under the control of the Director.

The Office of the Treasury runs the Central Mint and oversees most aspects of state investments and funding of private entities, along with tax collecting. It reports directly to the Audit Council, and recieves orders for the budget from the National Assembly.

The Office of the National Army manages the armed forces of the state, as well as the commissioning of materials and equipment for said forces. It answers directly to the Directorate.

Constitution
Main Article: Constitution of the Republic of the Fhainn

Political Parties and Movements
Main Article: National Popular Party, Federal Party (Cananachist and Modernist factions), Social Party, Thunderstorm Party, Old Ways Party

Administration
As a unitary state, the administration of Faneria is organized top-down, and subunits of the national government are answerable to their superior administrative divisions and subject to their rulings, although rulings are occasionally passed for specific circumstances. As of 2020, the country is organized into three overseas possessions (two of which are administrated by the military and one of which is split into counties) and fifteen provinces. Each province has its own Governor and Provincial Taeseac and is split into counties, which are divided into rural and urban counties. County types are updated annually as needed, with the primary difference being that urban counties and rural ones are eligible for different types of central government funding and support, and urban counties have a Civic Taeseac added to head a municipal council. Some urban areas can span multiple counties, and cities care also divided into multi-county and single-county cities. Multiple-county cities have a municipal council that works with the local mayors of each of the city's counties rather than a single county, but are otherwise the same as the councils in single-county urban areas. Rural and urban counties both have Mayors.

In some instances, the national government will mark a county or several contiguous counties as 'special interest areas', either for targeted infrastructure programs, poverty relief work, or on rare occasions, the institution of martial law or emergency response measures.

Military
=Economy=

Currency
old currency was Corinn - crowns - but replaced by Barran - measures - in 1914 =See Also=