Durdanini

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The Sacred Republic of Durdanini
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: As Mili Points We Shall Follow
Anthem: The Hymn of Liberty
Status	At Peace
Capital	Timtalum
Ethnic groups	Durdish, Feline
Religion	Milishism
Demonym(s)	Durdish
Government	Democratic Theocracy
• Speaker	Donni Cinnseign
Legislature	People's Synod
Nation  Independent
• Durdish Revolution	1913-1920
Population
• 2020 estimate	3,126,423
GDP (PPP)	estimate
• Per capita	20,321,749,500
GDP (nominal)	estimate
• Per capita	6500
Currency	Glís (GLS)
Driving side	right

The Sacred Republic of Durdanini (SRD) commonly known as Durdanini is a Democratic Theocracy in East Gondwana. It is a former colony of Vistaraland, with the people of the country being enslaved until they Gained Independence in 1920. Durdanini has a largely agricultural economy, with the coffee and cinnamon produced there being of a very high quality.

History

Pre-Milofite

Very little is know about the Pre-Milofite period in Durdanini. It is likely that the current tribal system existed, but with more conflict between the tribes than would be the case in later eras. The area is beleived to have been inhabited by populations of Nekomimi and Felines since prehistoric times. Over time tribes formed encompassing the region, eventually consolidated into 24 seperate Tribes, each divided into 12 ancestries. In the Pre-Milofite period this would likely have been looser, but specifics as to the interplay between tribes in this period was limited, as the information only survives from Oral Histories. The Religious Tradition of the Chosen priesthood also likely dates back to this time. According to Durdish Historical Epic Rua of the Sun the tribes were in near constant war with one another, with the Elder Tribes of Each Ancestry tyrannizing over the Younger. The reliability of these accounts are suspect, as they are believed to have been compiled by the Speaker of Durdanini around the 1730s.

Milofite Arrival

Most of the information about the Milofite Arrival comes from a combination of Milofite sources, and the Durdish Epic Rua of the Sun. According to scarce Milofite sources, at some point about halfway through the 20 year Milofite Journey to modern Meagharia, about one third of the Milofite Fleet abandoned Conor Foley, in objection to the proclaimed practice of priests claiming Widows for their harems. After this event the historical record is empty until the events of Rua of the Sun, which detail the arrival of the "Green Eyed Ones" as the epic calls them. Soon after their landing they founded the city of Timtalum, which is believed to be a bastardized version of the Durdneelian word for Landfall. The Milofites then likely made alliances with nearby tribes, and helping said tribes in wars against their rivals. According to the Epic, the legendary Rua Connachta, leader of the "Green Eyed Ones", united the Eastern Tribes in Confederation, but was sadly forced to fight a war against the more mountainous western tribes in order to unite the people of Mili. Due to the ethnic divide between the east and west, with the west comprising of more Felines than Nekomimi, it is possible that this was to some degree an ethic conflict. After this war, according to the Epic, Rua was chosen by the Tribes, including those that he had warred with, to be the Speaker for Mili, and the leader of their new tribal confederation. The truth of this account is hard to be certain of, with some historians claiming that this was merely a post-hoc justification for violent conflict.

Confederation

The Milofite Settlers in Durdanini rapidly changed the region, including introducing the name Durdanini, being more willing to embrace their Durdneelian roots due to the new hatred of Conor Foley's version of Milofism. The direct descendants of these settlers became a Separate Tribe and Ancestry, with the elected Speaker being required to be from this tribe. However members of the settlers were allowed to intermarry with any of the other tribes, leading to intermarriage between Milofite settlers and the Durdish tribal elite becoming common, spreading the trait of Red Hair, and most the most prized trait of Green eyes, the latter being seen as being an especial sign of divine favor.

The Confederation worked in a very decentralized manner, with the 24 tribes mostly being allowed to run their own affairs, but the new official submission to the Speaker in Timtalum led to a reduction in inter-tribal conflict, though especially in the west this did not disappear. The State Religion was organized in such a way that while the various tribal chiefs had some power over their priests, the church would funnel tithings and donations from Chiefs upwards towards the Capital of Timtalum, allowing the Speaker to hold onto his rule.

During the Late 1700s a family known as the Maoil began to dominate the position of Speaker, by giving the tribes even more power over their priesthood, and more autonomy otherwise. This would lead to greater war between the tribes, for once more on the Eastern Coast than in the western mountains. This provided a massive opportunity to Vistari and Staynish slave traders, with slaves being sold in exchange for weaponry. Eventually the Speaker Bera Maoil was offered by Emperor Leopold I of Vistaraland for his soldiers to occupy the country. Claiming that he believed the Vistari to be a second set of Mili-Sent people, the Speaker allowed this, beginning the era of Vistari colonization.

Colonization

Durdish Free Empire

The Colonization of Durdanini was undertaken individually by the Emperor Leopold, outside of the official orbit of the Vistari Colonial Sphere. His primary goal in the undertaking was to enirch himself, for Durdanini was known to have an abundance of Coffee, Cinnamon, and other spices, as well as being a good environment in which to grow cotton. His secondary goal was to use the establishment of a so-called "Free Durdish Empire" to overturn the electoral monarchy that had been established under his predecessor.

In 1805 Leopold sent a large military force to the Durdish capital of Timtalum, offering technology, and wealth, to the upper class in exchange for allowing Vistari occupation. After subjugating the competing tribes of Eastern Gondwana, the new Free Durdish Empire was proclaimed, with Leopold as the Absolute Ruler of the territory. To command the territory on the ground Leopold hired Staynish Explorer Henry Stanway, who was famous for exploring much of Gondwana, including Durdanini. Stanway oversaw the mass enslavement of Durdish civillians, keeping those tribal elite who did not resist him as puppets. Many of these Slaves were used as overseers for those working in the new plantations, in exchange for better quality of life.

In 1807 a new mercenary force of Vistari Colonial Veterans were shipped to Durdanini to conquer the mountainous western regions. In response the 10 western tribes elected a new Speaker, a Feline named Clo Clodagh. His armies were able to win large victories against Stanway's forces, but after Stanway was able to lure the overconfident Clodagh into an ambush Durdish forces were annihilated, and the western region was subjected to the same violent pressures as the east faced. By the end of the Durdish Free Empire nearly 10 million Durdish people were killed, from starvation, or the murder of the populace directly.

Direct Vistari Control

The Death of Emperor Leopold in 1818 would be the end of the Free Durdish Empire. With his death Leopold's plan to end the elective system was thwarted, and his dynasty would never hold power again. The Electors placed the condition that Leopold's successor Emperor Willem III would turn Durdanini into an official Vistari Colony. Willem agreed, and so he became emperor.

The full extent of the brutality of the Free Durdish Empire shocked even the Vistari, and conditions for the Durdish people somewhat improved afterwards. Despite this the incessant demand for the production of spices led the Durdish to be kept as slaves. Over the next 102 years of Vistari rule another 12 million Durdish people were killed, outstripping the rate of population growth.

Revolution

By 1906 the situation in Vistaraland, and thus Durdanini itself changed dramatically. Suvania declared war on the Vistari, brining them into the Great War, as one of the Imperial Powers. In 1909 the Vistari defeated the Suvani, but stayed in the larger conflict, leading to mass uprising. This plus the death of the Emperor led to a war over the imperial succession. Due to leadership of Vistari colonials sympathizing with the pacific coalition, they formed a new Vistari Colonial Government, and joined the Great War.

At the same time a preacher by the name of Drai Giolla began to attract a following among the populace. He preached a new approach to faith, one in which the differences in local doctrine would be accommodated, and allowed to work together in compromise for a common goal. His doctrine also preached a radical new idea that the god Mili spoke through the people, so whatever they chose as their faith, would be the one to be acted upon for that moment, and it seemed as if the people were choosing Giolla's new ideas. In an earlier time his teaching would have been easily suppressed, but with the Vistari Colonial Government distracted by the war his teaching spread unchecked.

By 1913 Giolla's revolt was prepared to begin, with a majority of the tribal chiefs choosing to elect him as their new Speaker. Several of the chiefs chose to stay with on the side of the Colonial Government, including the Vistari-Backed Speaker Nannid Conai, who was rumored to not even be of the true Chosen Priesthood, due to Vistari ignorance. Giolla weaponized these rumors, making many of the warriors serving under the Chiefs siding with the Vistari change sides, joining Giolla's great host.

Over the next 7 years the revolutionary forces continued to fight, first eliminating Vistari control from the mountainous Western regions, before advancing east, slowly rooting out the Vistari Soldiers. Upon capturing a Vistari-Backed Chief, the traitor was executed, and then replaced with one of their close relatives, at the discretion of Giolla. In 1920 Giolla finally reached the city of Timtalum, the capital of the Vistari occupation. Upon his recapture of the city, the Colonial Governor Elaut van de Bijl was captured, and with the Colonial Government wanting to reduce conflicts in Northern Gondwana, Durdanini was given independence, in exchange for their neutrality in the Vistari Civil War. Afterwards, the traitor Speaker Nannid Conai was killed, and with Giolla himself being a member of the Timtalum Tribe, he took his place on the throne, and established the People's Synod.

Government

People's Synod

The People's Synod is the highest body in Durdanini, elected every 8 years. Each Tribe has 12 seats , with each Ancestry having 24 in total. The exception to this is the RuaTribe, which receives 24 seats, as it is its own ancestry, as well as the biggest tribe, due to their widespread intermarriage throughout Durdanini.

Tribal Organization

Durdanini has 24 tribes, all of which are paired up into 12 ancestries. According to Durdish Legend each of the Ancestries is descended from one great Hero, and that hero's children were the ancestors of the individual tribe. Because of this tribes within ancestries are close, with Elder Tribes generally taking a leading role alongside their Younger tribe. The exception to this system is the Tribe of Rua, the descendants of the Milofites who landed at Timtalum, and are as a result were not divided, and are the largest tribe due to the widespread intermarriage with the rest of the Durdish population.

List of the 12 Ancestries and their Tribes

Ancestries	Elder Tribes	Younger Tribe
Rua	Rua	n/a
Cuuc	Socce	Dill
Hinnah	Froug	Laenar
Ean	Asanda	Firri
Tota	Dovi	Atlinta
Toimil	Cadhla	Pharta
Ailbhe	Lithi	Hilin
Molua	Fothad	Piara
Rosmac	Riain	Riste
Magh	Harni	Daki
Eilis	Nicgi	Conmar
Mada	Buani	Maic
Orla	Cathi	Rhal