Cryria: Difference between revisions
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|legislature = The Riksdag
|area_km2 =
|area_sq_mi =
|population_estimate = 36,
|population_density_km2 = 38
|population_density_sq_mi = 98.
|GDP_nominal = $2.
|GDP_nominal_per_capita = $61,
|sovereignty_type = Unification
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|cctld = .cry
|area_rank=|GDP_PPP=|GDP_PPP_year=|HDI=|HDI_year=|today=|established_event2=|established_date2=}}'''Cryria''', officially the '''Kingdom of Cryria''', is a largely archipelagic nation in northwest [[Novaris]]. It is located nearest to the [[Infinite Loop]] to the northwest, [[Älemsi Negdel]] and the [[Kelamí League]] to the northeast,
== Etymology ==
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The rebellion eventually petered out by 1101, doomed by its inability to coordinate itself or to cut the Cryrian supply lines by gaining the support of the strongly fortified cities. The scars it left on Talvere, once the fertile jewel of the Cryrian Islands, would take far longer to heal, and the confidence of the aristocracy had been badly shaken. With Nikolai II having perished in the conflict, Joar III now had practically unopposed power both in Vesterholm and the badly weakened Talvere, and the long campaign had ensured a further spread of Cryrian culture among the last native human kingdom. The much-delayed wedding of Karsten and Lielsta marked a momentous occasion, as it not only meant a victorious end to a difficult war, but also the unification of the two southern nations on the Isles. Talveri dominions around Oshombran and Halyu which had been largely untouched by the conflict would continue to accept nominal Talveri rule but grew increasingly independent following the Cryrian ascension. Even as the Isles were unified these regions would remain on the periphery of Leidenstad's power for centuries to come.
[[File:Lielsta2.jpg|thumb|Artist's depiction of Queen Lielsta]]
This shift in the balance of power did not go unnoticed by the vast elven realm that persisted in the highlands. With Talvere all but absorbed into Vesterholm and Vhydhasz a thing of the past, an entire western and southern arc of the Isles had come under Cryrian control, and continued encroachments seemed all but guaranteed. Similarly, Cryrian explorers and settlers continued to venture into the Far North, where Vhydaszi colonies had imploded upon the fall of their homeland. Efforts to control the northern trade routes led to the founding of Tynam March, named after the Lord Admiral sent to take charge of the region. For now, however, Joar III had grown old, and after a long and difficult reign, his legacy, at last, appeared to be secure in the form of a restored and strengthened kingdom
==== War with the High Places ====
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==== Civil War ====
Even as the self-proclaimed Queen made her escape, the rest of the Kingdom devolved into open war. Talvere, historically wary of the Church's influence, declared itself for the Queen and launched a fleet against Lindesgaard only to see it destroyed over a month-long campaign. Later campaigns on land brought further Talveri defeats when Isak's armies took Storlund and Lavini. In the north, Karlin's small flotilla successfully deters destructive coastal raids from the overcautious leaders of Aisis March. A later invasion into Karlin results in the disastrous Jaedz Campaign, which devastates much of the countryside but is caught by winter and destroyed in an ambush. Karlin's armies then march through the highlands towards the city of Lielsta, whose garrison is thought to be unreliable. Isak's armies remain caught on the far side of the Isles, still occupied by the war against Talvere. To stall the Duchess' march south, Gustaf of Tarva and the King's Ghouls move to Lielsta to take control of the city's defense. The presence of the afflicted soldiers unnerves both the garrison and the besiegers, however, and the former attempts to defect. The Lower City falls in the subsequent insurrection, but forces loyal to Isak hold the strategic Linnake Plateau and its citadel, which controls the passage south. Thus, the war in the north came to a stalemate.
[[File:Kurventis.jpg|thumb|Kurventis, the site of the last skirmish of the Sorrows]]
The forces the two claimants had become increasingly bloodied by years of warfare, and both made overtures to the last neutral power in Cryria - Duke
==== The Court of Quarters ====
As the Queen's armies surrendered or fled, Isak set out to return stability to the Kingdom and legitimacy to the House of Leidensen. Cryrian powerbrokers would gather in the ancient walled city of Nederborg to end the long war. Harsh punishments were levied against rebellious aristocrats who declined to swear their loyalty to the King. Those sentenced to death were hung, drawn, and quartered in the town square. Those willing to accept new allegiances forfeited only portions of their wealth and lands, in part due to the Church's efforts to ameliorate the King's desire for vengeance. Dominating the proceedings was the Duke of Tynam, who was both reviled by much of the Kingdom due to his late entry and treacherous actions, but also commanded the last intact force in the Isles. Worries about the Duke's increasingly independent attitude and the need to reward him for his service led to proposals that the Duchy of Karlin be granted to him. The area was still fiercely rebellious with a widespread hatred of the Duke, and it was thought that being forced to occupy the area would occupy Tynam's resources. Isak rejected this scheme. The King had by all accounts grown paranoid over the course of the war, and feared that the still-missing Duchess Caroline might resurface to launch a new uprising, this time with Tynam's backing.
Tynam's reward would ultimately come from Talvere instead of Karlin. Though Talveri holdings on Älmark had fallen and its fleet was destroyed, the island itself remained under the control of the Queen's supporters. In exchange for their return to the fold without further warfare, Talveri autocephaly would be reaffirmed. The lost territories on Älmark were reorganized into the new Duchy of Storlund and granted to Duke
=== The Absolute Era ===
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The 17th century also saw the Church's inquisitions loosed upon both Talvere and the newly formed Peninsular March, where the Clergy had historically acted with relative independence both in their politics and their religious interpretations or outright retained Mlythlaist practices. The Cinder Inquisition meant the end of the autonomous priesthood on the island, as well as the destruction of lingering Talveri shamanic practices. Notably, this destroyed the previously common depictions of a female Ademar on the island, a practice that had originated from efforts to subsume Ademarism into Mlythlaism. After the Cinder Inquisition, Talveri autonomy was no more, and the Crown's grasp in the area solidified.
With much of the isles firmly under Cryrian control, the Kingdom embarked on a wide variety of imperial ventures during this time, for power, prestige, and an easy means to dispatch troublesome nobility to the periphery. An attempt was made to invade and annex Varletia in the 17th century, though this ultimately failed. The pace of Cryrian ventures Älemsi Negdel also accelerated. In previous centuries, the Kingdom had sought to control nearby sea routes by first establishing Tynam and later setting up a network of suzerainty over coastal Älemsi tribes and townships in exchange for protection against raiding steppe nomads. During the Absolute Era, most of the southern Älemsi coast housed some level of Cryrian presence or influence, which allowed the Kingdom significant leverage over the island's external trade. Even so, Cryrian imperialism in Älemsi remained thin on the ground and relied mostly on economic ties and the continued cooperation of Älemsi factions. Few serious military expeditions were to take place on Älemsi, and those that did, such as the infamous Lost Inquisition, petered out in the face of the harsh environment and highly capable local opposition. Cryrian influence was also established along similar lines in [[Aikthudr'zhur]]. Further abroad, private Cryrian interests created the [[Ellesborg|Mandate of Ellesborg]] in Arcturia throughout the late 18th century.
The tail end of the Absolute Era was dominated by Cryria's industrialization. Rich sources of coal helped to fuel this revolution, which brought about many of the social changes that ultimately contributed to the movement away from absolutism. Rapid urbanization and the poor quality of life for the growing working class planted the seeds for the social upheavals of the Anarchy a century later.
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King Albert ascended to the throne after the passing of his mother, Queen Ulrika I. The Albertine Era was marked by close cooperation between the Crown and the Riksdag, propelled by the King's own past support for the signing of the constitution and his close relationship with Prime Minister Östberg. Even so, King Albert proved to be remarkably active within his new role and deliberately sought to keep the Crown in a leadership position - Though now with the Riksdag's support. Throughout his reign he actively courted the rising nationalist sentiments within the country and sought to solidify the Cryrian identity. Under his reign the National Service System was modernized and standardized throughout the Kingdom, and a truly national education system was put into place along with the roots of many modern day social services.
Albert also proved to be a powerful proponent of the early eugenics movement as well as ongoing efforts to eliminate regional dialects and force the adoption of a standard Cryrian language. As King he was considered to be the father of the Ministry for Tomorrow which enacted what he outlined as his Social Engineering Program. The program in many ways co-opted existing sentiments towards nonhumans and so-called "Social undesirables," and added a pseudoscientific layer that appealed to many proclaimed rationalists of this time. While the Ministry was initially founded to oversee the Government's language and cultural policies, it quickly expanded and became infamous for its systemic targeting of nonhumans, the mentally ill, and dissident movements. The century following Albert's coronation saw a marked collapse in nonhuman demographics as a result of forced sterilizations, lobotomies, and other atrocities that sought to dissolve elven and Vhydaszi communities. Much of Nekomimi culture was lost during this time, though coherent elven communities persisted in the Highlands. Albert reportedly summed up his own views in a speech to the Riksdag as early as 1867: {{quote|It is incumbent upon us as leaders and statesmen to understand that we now reside in a new age of science and reason. To wait for the unfit and undesirable to perish of nature's own accord is the way of animals and primitives who know no progress and thus have only patience. We however must now claim the tools our own intellect has given us and with them the responsibility to command not merely our own destinies but the destiny of the Cryrian nation. As we once moved from the caves and the wilderness to construct our own domains, so too shall we now engineer a society within which to reside that will withstand all tests of time and troubles. This obligation is neither to ourselves nor to God nor even to our children, but to the thousand nameless generations who will follow in our footsteps.}}Albert also inherited a Kingdom in a complicated geopolitical situation. The ability of the small Cryrian population's ability to sustain its historic great power aspirations in the industrial age was coming under increasing scrutiny from both within and without the Kingdom. The ambition to fully control the Northern Way had been all but abandoned as Cryrian influence failed to extend beyond eastern Älemsi, while other aspects of Cryrian power had entered a state of decline as the country struggled to maintain its goals of naval parity and power projection. Though the King firmly subscribed to longstanding concepts about Cryria's rightful sphere in the region, he simultaneously eschewed the Arcturian ventures that had previously been endorsed by the late Prime Minister Aberg as wasteful and impractical. The King instead turned his attentions towards shoring up the country's position within Novaris. He became the first to turn the networks of Cryrian outposts and concessions on Älemsi into a formal system of naval outposts and refueling stations to protect the Nordenfästningen's eastern flank and ensure the RCRN's dominance over the immediate area. The fleet itself was similarly reorganized around a new doctrine of short-ranged coastal battleships and shore installations that could provide for the defense of the Isles and its immediate interests. Efforts to consolidate Cryrian power led to conflict in Aikthudr'zhur and were a contributing factor to the Sack of Highdrilian.
This realignment was effectively an admission that the Kingdom lacked the economic and military means of achieving the full extent of its desired dominion in Novaris, and the King instead pursued other means of pursuing Cryrian national aims on the Mainland. This culminated in King Albert's marriage to Leonora Reitz, the younger daughter of the Duke of [[Charlottesborg]]. The marriage was considered to be highly unusual, as Cryrian monarchs had traditionally always married within the Kingdom in order to maintain their ties with the aristocracy. The marriage with Leonora not only marked a continuation of Albert's own ambitions to cement a pan-Cryrian identity but also a form of rapprochement with the Duchy and an indirect extension of the Kingdom's influence into Volscina. The implications of this backdrop were mollified only by the expectation that Leonora was unlikely to inherity the Duchy - That privilege belonged to her elder sister, Olivia, who had children of her own. However, Olivia passed away from typhus approximately a month before her father's own death, and Leonora successfully laid claim to the Duchy over the objections of Olivia's line. Thus, the Duchy of Charlottesborg effectively came under the rule of the House of Leidensen, a fact that inspired wariness among other Volscine powerbrokers that would later lead to the controversies of the Charlottesborg Succession.
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== Geography, Wildlife, and Climate ==
[[File:Lielsta.jpg|thumb|Lielsta's Upper City, located on a plateau in the Cryrian Highlands]]
[[File:CryriaMap2.png|thumb|Landmasses of Cryria]]
=== Geography ===
Cryria
[[File:CryriaRegions.png|thumb|Insular Cryria (Green), Peninsular Cryria (Blue),
==== Insular Cryria ====
The Cryrian Isles consist of a total of five main islands and many smaller ones, but the central island of Älmark is by far the largest and most populated. Its coastline is filled with large fjords, bays, and peninsulas. The majority of the archipelago lies between 45° and 60° North. Much of the population lives along the jagged coasts, and the interior of the main island is filled with rivers, mountains, valleys, and forests. The main exception to this rule is the Isles' second-largest island, Talvere, which is notable for its flat and fertile lands.
▲[[File:CryriaRegions.png|thumb|Insular Cryria (Green), Peninsular Cryria (Blue), and Tynam (Red)]]
The main island of Älmark has an extensive river network that runs down from the highlands. The River Leiden is particularly noteworthy despite its short length, as it runs through the capital of Leidenstad from Lake Lasi, where it meets with the island's other internal waterways.
==== Peninsular Cryria ====
Peninsular Cryria is the Kingdom's largest territory on the Novaran mainland and lies to the east of Insular Cryria. It is largely centered on the port city of Oshombran and borders the Varentine League and Endertopias. The region consists mostly of low lying territories along the Novaran coast and the Cxolthe and Halyu peninsulas which jut out towards the islands of Grimvik and Talvere respectively. Much like Älmark, the region has a heavily forested interior with a population concentrated along the coastal plains. Peninsular Cryria enjoys an extensive river network which flows down from mountain ranges to the east. The Fosden Archipelago is also traditionally considered to be part of Peninsular Cryria, even though it has historically been politically and culturally distinct. Peninsular Cryria is home to a population of around 2,660,000 people.
==== Tynam ====
[[File:Tynam.png|thumb|The northern city of Tynam]]
Tynam is a detatched portion of the Kingdom located in the Rotantic Circle. It consists of the Tynam Peninsula that sticks out of the mainland, and the Tynam Archipelago that runs north of it. It shares a land border with the Kelami League to the south, and maritime boundaries with Älemsi Negdel to the east. The Tynam Straits offer an important route for shipping across northern Novaris. The Tynam Peninsula receives rivers from large mountains to its south, and coastal settlements such as Tynam and Chauşam contain most of the 720,000 strong Tynami population. Its northwest contains the Siggeholm and Obelva island chains, which largely lack a permanent population.
==== Czernomyk ====
Czernomyk is the smallest of Cryria's four geographic regions. It consists of a single island chain in the Labarge Sea, just off the coast of Viratia. The six islands of Czernomyk contain a total permanent population of 240,000 people. Due to its proximity to the Novaran mainland and its pleasant weather, Czernomyk is a major hub for Cryrian tourism, and many retirees flock there. It is also among the most cosmopolitan regions of Cryria, with Norvian regularly spoken alongside Cryrian and an extant local Talveri dialect. [[File:Kankaanvesi2.png|thumb|The Kankaanvesi Forest]]
=== Flora ===
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A number of notable species on the Isles, including snow tigers, the Cryrian Bear, and the Cryrian Bison, saw themselves become increasingly endangered throughout the 19th and 20th centuries as they suffered from hunting and habitat loss. Recently, strong state protections have seen their numbers begin to rise again. Cryrian waters are home to valuable fisheries as well as whale migration routes. Whaling historically played an important role in Cryrian culture, though many species are now protected.
== Government and Politics ==
The Government is headquartered at Karsholm Palace, located on an islet within the city of Leidenstad. The Riksdag meets at the Palace of Glass, thus named for the many windows installed in a literal display of transparency for the people. There are several royal residences around the nation, but the primary one is Tvillingblom Palace, located outside the city and beneath [[Leidenstad Castle]].▼
=== Government ===▼
[[File:Karsholm.jpg|thumb|Karsholm Palace during the Winter of 2020]]
Cryria is a constitutional monarchy with Queen Ulrika II as its head of state. While both the monarchy and the aristocracy retain significant powers and influence, much of the day-to-day affairs of state are handled by the Prime Minister. The Riksdag serves as a bicameral parliament, with the Upper Chamber, the Första Kammaren, controlled by members of the
Historically, the Första Kammaren has held a legislative position equal to that of the Andra Kammaren, but both convention and constitutional reform has reduced its powers in keeping with the democratization of the Cryrian Kingdom. Today, the body retains the power to initiate hearings and parliamentary investigations and to introduce legislation. Legislation passed through the Första Kammaren must also pass the Andra Kammaren. Conversely, the Första Kammaren may review bills from the lower chamber, but cannot reject money bills, nor delay them for more than a month. In other cases, a rejected bill from the Första Kammaren can still be presented for Royal Assent with two-thirds support by the Andra Kammaren. Non-monetary bills can also be delayed for up to a year by the Första Kammaren, a practice which has at times caused considerable controversy. The Första Kammaren has no control over the tenure of the Prime Minister or the Government, and no Prime Minister has been drawn from the chamber since the 20th century.
The Monarch serves as the formal head of state, head of church, and commander in chief of Cryria. The position has historically held absolute power and remained a potent executive even through its waning days, but has been increasingly constrained since the 19th-century. Today, the Monarch typically only makes public appearances at specific formal events and remains a distant figure in daily life and politics. The Throne retains considerable powers even after the Constitution of 1929, however in practice the most significant of these cannot be exercised without the approval or advice of the Prime Minister, Riksdag, or other relevant institutions. These include the ability to:
* Summon, dissolve, or prorogue the Riksdag
* Reject or confirm the appointment of Prime Ministers, Cabinet members, judges, prosecutors, and other officials
* [[File:Regalia.png|thumb|Queen Ulrika II, portraited wearing traditional royal regalia]]Provide or withhold Royal Consent for legislation and treaties
* Serve as the Commander-in-Chief of the Cryrian Defense Forces
* Declare war and peace when provided with a supporting vote by the Riksdag
* Declare or end states of emergency
* Provide Royal Charters for corporations
While in practice a Monarch cannot be involved in every aspect of government even in a perfunctory sense, official actions and decisions are typically made in the name of the Drifting Throne. Government documents and citizenships are also issued under the Throne's authority. All currency is minted bearing the image of the sitting Monarch, and oaths of allegiance are made out to the Drifting Throne. The Throne also enjoys several powers which it can exercise with a greater degree of discretion, though even these are usually only used sparingly and with the approval of
* Introduce legislation and propose appointments to the Riksdag, observe sessions, and speak before either chamber
* Make or end appointments to the Första Kammaren, but only for designated
* Grant honors and titles
* Grant Royal Pardons or ''Nolle prosequi''
The most significant and independently exercised power belonging to the Monarchy is known as the Right to be Informed. Through this, the Crown effectively has the right to access any government information and to hold its own inquiries, which must be answered to under threat of perjury. Crucially, however, the Government is rarely required to go out of its way to provide information that is not specifically requested, save for instances where it is deemed necessary for the Crown to perform its core duties. A sitting Cryrian Monarch also enjoys full immunity from all prosecution.▼
▲The most significant and independently exercised power belonging to the Monarchy is known as the Right to be Informed. Through this, the Crown effectively has the right to access any government information and to hold its own inquiries, which must be answered to under threat of perjury. Crucially, however, the Government is rarely required to go out of its way to provide information that is not specifically requested, save for instances where it is deemed necessary for the Crown to perform its core duties. A sitting Cryrian Monarch also enjoys full immunity from all prosecution, something which once extended across the Royal Family until the 1929 Constitution.
[[File:Drifting Throne.png|thumb|Ornamentation and Pedestal for the Drifting Throne]]
A Cryrian Monarch also serves as the official head of the Cryrian Church and can appoint Cardinals and other figures. This is however a largely figurehead role, and in practice the Council of Cardinals handles the day-to-day governance of the Church.
The royal family also owns the vast Crown Estates, the largest collection of lands and holdings in the Kingdom. The Estates range from various urban properties to agricultural lands, forests, waterways, and various other holdings.
The current monarch is styled Ulrika the Second, Queen of all Cryria by the Grace and Blood of Ademar, Duchess of Vesterholm, Talvere, Karlin, and Leidenstad, Defender of the Faith, Lady Patron of Ellesborg and Fosden. The title of Duke of Lindesgaard has traditionally been delegated to the heir to the throne, often as a sign of confidence by a sitting monarch as Lindesgaard protects the vital straits leading to the Cryrian heartland.
▲The Government is headquartered at Karsholm Palace, located on an islet within the city of Leidenstad. The Riksdag meets at the Palace of Glass, thus named for the many windows installed in a literal display of transparency for the people. There are several royal residences around the nation, but the primary one is Tvillingblom Palace, located outside the city and beneath [[Leidenstad Castle]].
The Cryrian nobility encompasses both hereditary peers and anointed knights. The Kingdom's aristocracy has played a fundamental role throughout its history, but has seen its official powers vastly curtailed. The Absolute Era effectively ended the existence of semi-independent fiefdoms and private armies which had previously defined the Kingdom. Reforms in 1929 further reduced the power the aristocracy could wield inside the Riksdag and many of the social attachments around the nobility such as required forms of address soon fell out of use as well. Although the old divisions of Duchies and Marches and Free Cities still technically exist, they no longer hold any meaning in governance and are instead little more than regional boundaries.
Even so the nobility continues to be a recognized class in Cryria, and has at times been criticized for maintaining a ''de facto'' caste system through a combination of inherited wealth and political connections. Indeed, over a third of land in Cryria is still thought to be owned by the aristocracy, often as parts of centuries-old holdings. Powerful [[Egendom|Egendomar]] also often are held by aristocratic families. The Drifting Throne has the sole authority in both making and unmaking members of the nobility and in granting or withdrawing seats in the Första Kammaren.
The nobility can be divided into four groups - The High Nobility, Count and Countesses, Barons and Baronesses, and Knights of the Realm. Some titles also exist outside this categorization. For example, King Albert bestowed the title of Lord Protector of the Realm on his common-born Prime Minister Rikard Östberg, reportedly after noting the disrespect Östberg faced from powerful aristocrats within the Riksdag. This action effectively forced other aristocrats to address Östberg as an equal in terms of rank, and the practice of granting Prime Ministers the title of Lord Protector for the duration of their terms continues to this day.
==== High Nobility ====
[[File:Saga Tynam.jpg|thumb|Duchess Saga of Tynam]]
The so-called High Nobility encompasses the most powerful aristocratic families of Cryria that historically held sway over large swathes of the Kingdom. While these were at times very nearly monarchs in their own right, the uppermost levels of Cryrian nobility were thus also the ones who received the greatest degree of scrutiny and interference from the Monarchy. This policy was explicitly described by the Duke Gösta of Tynam after the Sorrows:{{quote|To be the second most powerful man in Cryria is to at once be the most dangerous and the most endangered.}}As such it is no accident that the category of High Nobility saw a high degree of turnover throughout Cryrian history as its occupants were often deliberately kept impermanent. As the House of Leidensen's power centralized many of these titles were either gathered into the Royal Family or simply fell out of use.
The High Nobility consisted of both Ducal and Marcher Houses. Of the seven Ducal titles in the Kingdom, four(Karlin, Leidenstad, Vesterholm, and Talvere) are now held by the occupant of the Drifting Throne. A fifth - the Duke of Lindesgaard - Is a title traditionally granted to the Crown Prince or Princess. Titles to the Duchies of Storlund and Tynam are both held by the House of Tynam which largely survived due to its comparative distance from the center of power.
Cryria also has three regions designated as Marches - Aisis, Lielsta, and Oshombran. These were historically frontier areas with high degrees of continuous instability and warfare. The title of Margrave was more akin to an appointed general with the right to rule over, call upon, and command the nobility of a given region. The title was not an inherited one, though a single prominent family might see several generations receive the same title over time. The appointment of Margraves ended during the Absolute Era as professional standing armies become more effective and prevalent. This effectively leaves the House of Tynam as the last family to fall within the category of the High Nobility, as the House of Leidensen is typically not counted.
==== Counts and Countesses ====
[[File:Widfross.jpg|thumb|Count Rikard Widfross of Skaudvis]]
Below the High Nobility are Counts and Countesses. Many of these were families raised through the Honningfjord System where the leaders of settler groups on Älmark were granted titles over swathes of territory as encouragement and reward. These Counties formed the backbone of the aristocracy and after the Constitution of 1865 were also used as electoral subdivisions. After the Constitution of 1929 however, electoral and administrative boundaries were redrawn in order to end the oligarchic system that had previously developed. The new divisions were still called Counties, but their borders bear little resemblance to their original form and are now based on population size and administrative convenience rather than historic landholdings. Due to their combination of numbers, power, and relative independence, Counts and Countesses have arguably been the most influential level of the nobility. Today there are 102 recognized houses at this level with seats in the Första Kammaren.
==== Barons and Baronesses ====
[[File:Reitz.png|thumb|Baroness Helena of Reitz]]
The lowest tier of hereditary nobility in Cryria consist of Baronial families. These were aristocratic families who lacked the independent governing authority of the higher levels of nobility, but were still considered to be highborn and could often achieve significant positions within various courts - Particularly as their lack of an independent powerbase made them more reliable for their superiors. Today there are some 270 recognized Baronial houses with seats in the Första Kammaren.
==== Knights ====
Knights in Cryria are also considered to be part of the nobility. This rank cannot be inherited, and Cryrian Knights are unique in terms of the function they historically served within the Kingdom. Knighthoods in Cryria can only be granted by the Drifting Throne, and today are typically only given as rewards for high service. Historically, although anointed Knights were on their own the lowest category of the nobility, some simultaneously held higher ranks as well. Rather than merely a professional warrior as was the case elsewhere, Cryrian Knights were considered to be the personal representatives of the Drifting Throne and were just as often used as commanders, diplomats, and couriers. They later formed the backbone of the early Civil Service. As such, Knights often held a great deal of authority that exceeded their official rank. Today there are only eight anointed Knights in Cryria, all of which have seats in the Första Kammaren.
=== Political Parties ===
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Cryria's foreign policy is handled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, presently headed by Erland Maravel, the Count of Grimvik. This is not unusual, as the Foreign Ministry has a long history of being dominated by aristocratic families.
The country has operated on the uncodified principle of military non-alignment since the Great War and has thus distanced itself from many of the wider conflicts on Urth. It does however remain a significant arms exporter and has most notably supplied the [[Serramal|Republic of Serramal]]
The Kingdom also has warm economic and cultural relations with most of its immediate neighbors, including Volscina, Varletia, the Varentine League, and [[Endertopias]]. Its ties on the Mainland have further expanded to include trade relationships with [[Antora]]. Further ties with [[Mexregiona]] are maintained through both nations' membership in the [[Rotantic Congress]] and the [[Conference for Amity and Cooperation]]. Relations with syndicalist and communist powers on the Mainland have been more strained, with significant economic conflicts with [[Katyunon]], [[Durakia]], and [[Ekvatora]]. Cryria has also played a key role in facilitating a final peace accord between [[Astela]] and [[Celanora]], and it remains one of the few nations to maintain any sort of relationship with Altarme. Astelan laborers are known to find work in various Cryrian industries.
Cryria also enjoys close ties with Yasteria due to both its historic roots and its close proximity to the continent. Asendavia remains one of Cryria's most important economic partners. Instability on the Novaran mainland have encouraged an expansion of relationships with Yasteria, including the development of new ties with [[Packilvania]]. Today, Cryria is a member of the [[Commercial Cooperation Partnership]] with the Sultanate.
Cryria further maintains a condominium with the [[Union of Free Cities]] in Arcturia in the form of the [[Ellesborg|Crown Mandate of Ellesborg]], and holds a seat on the Mandate Directory Council. Multilateral international cooperation has always been an important part of Cryrian foreign policy, and the Kingdom is a member of the [[League of Novaris]] after joining in 2020 and was a founder of the [[International Forum]]. More historically, the nation also took part in the [[Common Era calendar]] conference.
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==Economy==
The Cryrian economy boasts a GDP of
The Cryrian government operates the Royal Investment Authority, a large sovereign wealth fund fueled by excess natural resource revenues. The RIA’s secretive nature makes it difficult to determine its exact investments, though it is thought to have built up over 1.3 trillion SHD in assets over its history.
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=== Transport ===
[[File:Leidenstad Station.jpg|thumb|Leidenstad Central Station, the primary railway hub in the capital city]]
The most important component of the public transit system is the National Ferry Service, which effectively links the archipelagic nation together. As of present, there are no direct bridges or tunnels which link the different islands of the nation to each other, and instead, a sophisticated boat network operated by the Ministry of Transportation provides quick and easy transit around the Kingdom.
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=== Science and technology ===
18th century industrialization brought with it a scientific revolution. In modern Cryria, the traditional engineering industry remains an important source of new developments, but pharmaceuticals, electronics, and various high-tech industries have gained considerable ground. Honningfjord's "Cryptic Circle" has become home to rapidly growing blockchain-based enterprises, fueled by a supportive regulatory environment and strong financial and tech sectors in the country. The industry, which consists of mostly small enterprises, employs around 5,000 Cryrians across some 900 companies and has an estimated total value of over 200 billion SHD.
Cryria is an important player in both space technology and polar research, and important government organizations in this field include the [[Royal Cryrian Space Agency]] and the [[Royal Institute for Sempiternic Expeditions]].
=== Agriculture, Fishery, and Forestry ===
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The Kingdom as historically also enjoyed large coal reserves which fueled its industrialization. The importance of coal as an export and an energy provider has declined precipitously throughout the 20th century. The country continues to operate a number of deep pit and opencast mines in the Cryrian Highlands and extracts some 15 million tonnes annually. This production is used primarily for steel-making, fertilizers, chemicals, plastics, medicines and road surfaces, as coal has been entirely phased out as a means of energy production. Open questions about the future of global demand for oil as an energy source have also led the Cryrian oil industry to invest in other products, primarily plastics.
Domestically the Kingdom has increasingly begun to move towards more sustainable forms of energy, with considerable government investments in renewables. The country is well suited for the implementation of hydropower, due to its many fjords and rivers. Nuclear power also plays a major role and has
=== Unionization ===
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==Demographics ==
[[File:Triangle.png|thumb|The Leidenstad-Vesterholm-Talvere Triangle, home to roughy fifty-percent of the Cryrian population]]
Much of Cryria consists of the descendants of ethnically Asendavian migrants and local human populations, however, the nation has seen subsequent waves of migration, particularly from the Zapolese population in the Mandate of Ellesborg and Ethalrian immigrants who arrived after that nation's collapse. Cryria remains almost entirely populated by humans in the present day, with elves and nekomimi existing as small and historically marginalized communities making up 1% and 0.6% of the population respectively. The Braiorvitl District in Lielsta is the largest of the so-called Minority Districts in the country, and home to much of the elven population. Similar minority-dominated areas include the Ethalrian neighborhoods in Tarva, the Volscine areas in Valngi, and the Serramal and Zapolese districts in Leidenstad, though these are often far better integrated and more widely accepted. Furthermore, approximately half the population of the Duchy of Tynam is of Älemsi descent, and the Tynami Archipelago is primarily settled by the Ay ethnic group.
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===Language===
The official language of Cryria is Cryrian, an Asendavian offshoot that remains mutually intelligible with other Asendavian dialects despite heavy influences from the native human languages previously spoken in the Isles. Norvian has been brought to Cryria by successive waves of immigrants from the Novaran mainland, and remains common in some parts of southern Cryria. Both Norvian and Staynish are commonly taught second languages.[[Varletian]]
Cryria has historically witnessed several government-sponsored linguicides. Up until the Albertine Era, the Kingdom was also home to numerous Cryrian, Talveri, Vesterholmi, Lindesgaarder, Vydhaszi, and elven dialects. Albertine visions of a Cryrian state and national identity demanded the adoption of a single standard Cryrian language, and the development of a common education system was used to enforce this. Language restrictions became a central component to the state repression of various minority and nonhuman communities, although some peripheral regions such as Tynam and Czernomyk largely escaped enforcement. Legacies of this system persist today, as the Kingdom does not provide any official recognition to languages other than Cryrian, and municipalities are prevented from using any local languages on official paperwork or to conduct government business.
===Religion===
==== Ademarism ====
The Cryrian Church of Ademar serves as the nation's primary and official religion, with roughly 70% of Cryrians considering themselves to be practicing members. The Cryrian Church is formally headed by the Monarch, and certain members of the clergy are given seats on the Första Kammaren and other privileges' as if they were equal to the nobility. This has allowed the Church to retain a measure of its historical political power in modern Cryria, which it has most notably used to oppose euthanasia and the official recognition of same-sex couples, and the institution has generally served as a bastion of social conservativism.
==== Other Religions ====
The Cryrian constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and other religions are practiced on a smaller scale. However, the Cryrian Church continues to enjoy several privileges over other religions within the Kingdom, including a tax exempt status, Upper Chamber seats, and various forms of indirect government funding and support. Additionally, particularly organized foreign religious institutions such as the [[Akronism|Church of Akrona]] face numerous bureaucratic hurdles within the Kingdom.
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=== Education===
Children aged 1-5 years old are guaranteed a place in a public kindergarten. Between ages 6-18, children attend comprehensive school which is compulsory outside of certain, limited exceptions. After completion, many students continue on to a university, which is often seen as necessary to beginning a career and also offers a way to defer or reduce National Service requirements for certain academic pursuits. The school system, from beginning to end, is largely funded by taxes and non-university institutions are almost entirely state run, outside of certain specialized schools.
The Cryrian university system consists of both government-run and private institutions, though nearly all higher education in the country receives significant government funding either through research grants or other subsidies. Limited tuition and other fees may be charged, but these must often be capped in order to retain access to government funding. The three oldest and most prestigious universities in Cryria are the Universities of Leidenstad, Vesterholm, and Talvere respectively.
==Culture ==
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[[Category:Nations]]
[[Category:Cryria's Pages]]
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