Meriad

The Constitutional Monarchy of Meriad
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "For God, for Gold, for Glory"
Anthem: "The North Remembers"
Meriad's location on the Escar continent.
Capital		Járnfjördur
Largest city		Duvnafjördur
Official languages		English, Norwegian
Demonym		Meriadni
Government		Constitutional Monarchy
•	Monarch	King Sketli Edhrophel II
•	Prime Minister	Jans Nordvich
Legislature		Meriadni Parliament Hall of Jarls
History
•	Constitution	1763
•	Revised	1821
Area
•	Total	392,607 km2 151,586.41 sq mi
•	Water (%)	8%
Population
•	2014 estimate	16,870,898
•	Density	42.971/km2 111.3/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		Undefined estimate
•	Total	Undefined
•	Per capita	Undefined
Currency		Standard Mark (SMK")
Time zone		Escari Central Time
Date format		dd ˘ mm ˘ yyyy
Drives on the		right
Calling code		771
ISO 3166 code		763
Internet TLD		md
c.	Some figures extracted from NSTracker

Meriad (Listenⁱ/ˈmɛəriːæd/ MER-ee-ad), officially the Constitutional Monarchy of Meriad, is a ceremonial constitutional monarchy whose territory is composed of the northern shore of the Escar continent of the region of Ordis. Meriad borders Solvska to the south, and shares a maritime border with Kolintha to the west. Meriad has a total land area of 392,607 square kilometres (151,586 sq mi), and a population of 16.871 million (2014), making it the smallest developed nation in the world by population. Meriad is composed of twenty-one administrative regions, which are further divided into 381 counties.

Meriad has historical roots tracing back to colonization during the viking age. The mountainous topography limited outside contact until later in the 8th century, allowing Meriadni culture to develop independently of foreign influence. Exploration by both Meriadni sailors and foreign seamen eventually led to the opening of interregional trade routes, particularly between modern-day Kolintha or the southern regions of Meriad, by 1400 or so. The rise in Kolish agression during the early 15th century culminated in a failed invasion of the southern areas of modern-day Meriad, which fell apart as a result of internal strife within the Kolish army.

In 1737, a series of assassinations and other events of questionable legality sparked a conflict between the three kingdoms, igniting what would later be known as the War of the Three Crowns. The ensuing conflict, in which huge numbers of solders on all three sides were killed, led to the complete destruction of two of the three royal lines, bringing about the end of the fighting. In 1759, a second civil war broke out, igniting a bloody war known as the War of the Second Son, in which the reigning monarch lost the support of the population. This war culminated in a truce in the summer of 1763, during which emissaries from the two sides created a government based around a constitution and a monarchy with limited power. This document, the Constitution of 1763, was ratified by both sides, thus ending the war.

King Sketli Edhrophel II of the Northern House of Undurhosen-Geladharl is the current monarch of Meriad. Jans Nordvich became Prime Minister in 2012, replacing former eight-year Prime Minister Franzan Istlaskotr. A constitutional monarchy, Meriad divides state power between the Parliament of Meriad, the King, and the Supreme Court in a system defined by the 1763 constitution and revised by the Constitutional Convention of 1821. The Meriadni Parliament is a single-house legislative branch, composed of the Hall of Jarls, elected popularly by administrative region. The Hall of Jarls nominates a short list of candidates for the office of Prime Minister, who the King then appoints.

Etymology

The name Meriad comes from the Old Norse word mjeräðsten, roughly meaning 'raider's rock', which the early Meriadni named the area around modern-day Karelstad. The entire region gradually came to be known by this name over a period of roughly one hundred years, and changed form through language variations into mjeräden. When the peninsula's northern coast was unified by the Conquest of 1282, the word came to refer to the entire northern half of modern-day Meriad. Between the early 1300's and 1480, when trade with foreign nations became firmly established, the name transformed into Meräd, from which simple mispronunciations changed it to the modern-day name of Meriad.

History

Main article: History of Meriad

Bronze Age

While many other areas on the northern coast of Escar were populated during the bronze age, the harsh climate and bitter winters of the Meriadni Peninsula prevented major human settlements from ever being established. Despite this fact, the peninsula was far from devoid of humanity during the iron age. Familial tribes of humans made semi-permanent residences in the region's numerous fjords and valleys, cultivating crops and defending territory and possessions from rival groups. These indigenous people groups never really advanced past basic boat-building, and thus contact was highly limited and individuals rarely traveled outside of a single watershed.

The beginnings of recorded language also began to appear among indigenous people groups, most notably for keeping track of crop yields and flood cycles. Primitive calendars have also been discovered, detailing multiple variations of a moon-based system of time-telling.

Iron Age

A replica of a 14th-century fishing village at Bjolvarik, Eyjanfjalla.

Viking Age

The beginning of modern Meriadni culture and demographics can be definitively traced to the viking age, when viking longships began to land along modern-day Meriad's northern coastline. At first, these 'long-bearded savages,' as described in indigenous records, landed solely to loot established centers of civilization, but soon began to weather the harsh winters in hastily-constructed long-halls. Burial ships and similar grave and religious sites and artifacts can be found all along the coast from the time period.

The first evidence of semi-permanent habitation by the vikings comes from the middle of the 11th century, specifically in the form of numerous trading goods and the remains of a viking hut at Strakkalafjördur. Evidence of permanent habitation as early as around 1170 has been found in Francifjord, on the island of Eyjanfjalla.

Conquest of 1282

In the year 1282, archeological evidence in the northern regions of the country points to massive increases in the development of production of forged iron weapons. This is theorized to be as a result of the military advances of a king from the Kjelmoen coats referred to in Old Meriadni texts as Isgjäll, which roughly translates to The Ice Crow. According to these text, the ice crow led a fleet of several hundred longships into battle all along the coastline, and united an area over one hundred in miles in length, from Duvnafjördur in the south to Fjördlande in the north. This king's influence faded away after his death around 1297, when his gains were torn apart by a feud between his five sons.

Isolation Period

Meriad's mountainous topography highly restricted incursions by foreign civilizations until the early 14th century, which allowed Meriadni culture to develop independently of foreign influence. While items form foreign civilizations are by no means uncommon among grave sites from the time period, their singularly small size and ease of transportation indicates that they had been attained through the new inhabitants' continuing raiding of coastlines all around the region. The seizing of goods and women from other areas also gave rise to the uniquely Meriadni demographic group, which is a combination of the Kolish, indigenous, and viking people groups.

Exploration Age

Exploration by both Meriadni sailors and foreign seamen eventually led to the opening of interregional trade routes, particularly between modern-day Kolintha or the southern regions of Meriad, by 1400 or so. The rise in Kolish agression during the mid 16th century culminated in a failed invasion of the southern areas of modern-day Meriad, which fell apart as a result of internal strife within the Kolish army.

The War of the Three Crowns

This increasing connection with the outside world also affected politics within what is now Meriad, which was at the time divided into the three kingdoms of Mjeräden, Bärdenskalla, and Sudurfjyk. In 1737, a series of assassinations of Skallic royalty and military commanders sparked a conflict between Bärdenskalla and Sudurfjyk, although most modern historians agree that the assassinations were probably carried out by individuals connected with Mjeräden. The war tensions and strings of assassinations between the two royal lines escalated into full-scale warfare at Hystafjord, near modern-day Húsavik, when sloops of both kingdoms met in combat and over a hundred sailors from both sides were killed.

Both Sudurfjyk and Bärdenskalla attempted to form alliances with then-neutral Mjeräden, led by King Alfgren Strongarm. Alfgren entertained envoys from both sides simultaneously, while preparing plans to strike into northern Bärdenskalla. In June of 1739, with the spring thaw finally allowing passage of his army, Alfgren executed the Skallic envoy and signed an alliance with the Fjykish representative. With the help of the Fjykish army in the south, the two kingdoms crushed the opposing Skallic forces, and took the monarch captive in early September, just as the winter snows set in.

In the spring of 1740, the Mjerädni army turned on its Fjykish allies, crushing the vast majority of the larger kingdom's forces before major casualties were taken in the Mjerädni ranks. The Mjerädni army then moved south, led by King Alfgren himself, and made it as far as Eyjarsten before being met at the Sklöngrad Pass a smaller but better-rested Fjykish army. The Fjykish force held off the larger Mjerädni force until late August in one of the most impressive examples of defensive mountain warfare in Meriadni history, at which point both armies retreated to better-provisioned regions for the long winter months.

The next spring, an offensive by the Mjerädni army soundly defeated the last Fjykish defenders at the Sklöngrad Pass, and marched on to the Fjykish capital by later in the summer. Alfgren Strongarm then proclaimed himself the king of all of Meriad, systematically executing every individual with any connection to either kingdom's royal line who could be found.

The War of the Second Son

The Constitution of 1763, the document which ended the War of the Second Son.

In 1759, a second civil war broke out as a result of member of one of the destroyed kingdoms' lines claiming power and raising an army. This ignited a bloody four-year war, known as the War of the Second Son, in which the reigning monarch lost the support of the population and was forced to wage a total war in order to have a chance at victory, despite superior arms. This war culminated in a truce in the summer of 1763, during which emissaries from the two sides met in the neural ground of what is now known as Castle Stormwyte. Over a period of two months, the 18 representatives created a government based around a constitution and a monarchy with limited power. This document, the Constitution of 1763, was ratified by both sides, thus ending the war.

Geography

Main article: Geography of Meriad

Physical map of Meriad.

TBA

Location

Meriad is located on the northern shore of the Escar continent of Ordis.

Climate

As a result of the relatively large north-south distance, the climate of Meriad is very fragmented dependent upon region. This is especially evidenced by the southern administrative regions of the country, which are significantly flatter and more temperate in climate than the northern regions.

Environment

Sjoland Rocks National Park, one of the most remote and most heavily restricted Meriadni parks.

Stunning natural scenery and landscape is found throughout Meriad. The northern fjords of the country have been ranked as one of the most visually beautiful sites in the world, and the country's stringent environmental standards ensure the protection of Meriad's natural resources. A significant portion of the country is reserved as a part of the Meriadni National Park System, and there are several Wilderness Areas in which human entrance in totally forbidden. The National Park System, which is overseen by the Meriadni Office of the Interior, maintains some of the strictest national park regulations in the world, and entrance into most national parks by motor vehicle is prohibited except by special permit. The majority of all traffic in national parks is by foot, although aircraft overflight above a certain altitude and in certain areas is legal.

Politics and Government

Main article: Politics of Meriad

Political map of Meriad.

According to the Meriadni Constitution adopted on March 16, 1763, Meriad is a unitary constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government, wherein the King of Meriad is the Head of State and the Prime Minister is the Head of Government. Power is separated among the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government, as defined by the Constitution, which serves as the country's supreme legal document.

Officially, the executive power is retained by the Meriadni Monarchy. In practice, however, the King of Meriad has operated in a mainly symbolic role, such as the formal appointment of the Meriadni Prime Minister, since the adoption of the Meriadni Constitution. In a similar fashion, the King is the supreme commander of the Meriadni Armed Forces, as well as being the nation's chief diplomatic figure. The monarch's chief role in government is in presiding over the Royal Cabinet, the group of the highest-level government officials that serve as the heads of the government's various departments and branches and as advisors to the monarch and Prime Minister on matters of state.The current monarch of Meriad is King Sketli Edhrophel II of the Northern House of Undurhosen-Geladharl. His daughter Crown Princess Crica is the lawful heir to the Meriadni throne.

In practice, the Prime Minister of Meriad exercises the executive powers. Constitutionally, legislative power is vested with both the government and the Parliament of Meriad, but the latter is the supreme legislature and a unicameral body. Meriad is fundamentally structured as a representative democracy. The Parliament can pass a law by simple majority of representatives, who are elected on the basis of proportional representation for six-year terms.

The Parliament of Meriad, called the Hall of Jarls, ratifies national treaties developed by the executive branch. It can impeach members of the government if their acts are declared unconstitutional. If an indicted suspect is impeached, Parliament has the power to remove the person from office.

Political Geography

Main article: Administrative Regions of Meriad

Meriad is divided into 21 administrative regions. These administrative regions form the first-level subdivisions of Meriad, and are further divided into 381 counties. Administrative divisions are governed by a royally-appointed governor, in addition to a popularly elected council. Representation in the Meriadni Parliament, the Hall of Jarls, is determined by voting within each administrative region. In addition to this important role, the administrative regions also serve as military and economic divisions of the country.

Foreign Relations

Main article: Foreign Relations of Meriad

Despite the ongoing power struggle between the Global Alliance for Progress and the Union of Ordic Communists, Meriad has managed to remain relatively neutral, and maintains trading partnerships with nations from both alliances. While the country lies directly adjacent to the GAP's largest and most aggressive member-state, Kolintha, the trade between the two states and their relatively closely aligned foreign policy stances has kept them from openly coming into conflict, although such international issues as the February 2016 Asylum Affair have put Meriad's delicate international position at stake.

Judicial System and law enforcement

Meriad utilizes a civil law system in which laws are created and amended by the Parliament and interpreted by the Meriadni Court of Justice. The Court of Justice consists of the High Court of Justice of 11 permanent judges, apellate courts, regional courts, and city and district courts. The judiciary branch is entirely independent of the legislative and executive branches of government. While the Prime Minister nominates Supreme Court Justices for office, their nomination must be approved by the Parliament of Meriad and formally confirmed by the Monarch in the Small Council. Usually, judges attached to regular courts are formally appointed by the Monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister.

The Courts' strict and formal mission is to regulate the Meriadni judicial system, interpret the Constitution, and are therefore in charge of implementing the legislation adopted by the Hall of Jarls. In its judicial reviews, it monitors the legislative and executive branches to ensure that they comply with provisions of enacted legislation.

The law in Meriad is enforced by the 19 police services of the country's administrative regions. The Civil Police Service is the national police service, and is charged with enforcing law transcending multiple regional boundaries and investigating organized crime, money laundering and terrorism, among other federal offenses.

Meriad abolished the death penalty for regular criminal acts in 1898, with the death penalty for high treason following in 1951. In place of the death penalty, Meriad offers life in prison or exile. Despite this, Meriadni prisons are exceptionally high-quality compared to prisons in many other nations.

Education

Main article: Education in Meriad

Armed Forces

Main article: Armed Forces of Meriad

Meriad has an exceptional small armed forces, currently numbering about 22,000 personnel, including civilian employees. It is divided into four major branches: the Army, the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, and His Majesty's Aerial Forces. The Meriadni Military's small size is mainly a result of the country's relative isolation from hostile powers and its harsh climate. What little military budget the country has is mainly allocated by the Meriadni Army, which is dedicated to a doctrine of superior firepower and training as opposed to superior numbers. The Navy is also emphasized in the military's budget, although it operates only a half-dozen large combat ships. The majority of the navy's vessels are small coastal patrol craft or icebreakers, which ensure safe passage for merchant shipping in the ice-choked water of the North Sea. The Aerial Forces and the Royal Marines generally operate in supporting roles, with the Royal Marines' de-facto primary role being in providing honor guards to the navy and at government events and the Aerial Forces primarily operating in a support function to the Meriadni Army and the Royal Navy. As the Royal Navy has no ability to operate fixed-wing aircraft, the Aerial Forces provide air-superiority support for naval operations.

Meriad has in the past possessed both chemical and biological weapons, and has not confirmed the total destruction of its biological arsenal. As such, the country is considered a biological weapons-possessing state by the international community.

Economy

Transportation

Rte.019N near Fjölik in Sterkvegg Administrative Region.

As a result of the relatively low population density, narrow shape, and long coastlines of Meriad, public transportation is less developed than in many other Ordic nations, especially outside of the major cities. The country has long had a tradition of water transport, utilizing the relatively sheltered fjords as a means of transportation, but rail, road, and air transport have recently become much more developed. Since 2001, the Meriadni Office of Transportation and Communication has been constructing a series of high-speed rail lines connecting major Meriadni cities, with the last link between Súdurfjördur and Húsavic expected to be completed in mid-2023.

For the most part, major rail lines run directly adjacent to major public roadways, with the exception of sections of the newer high-speed rail lines.

Another major transportation method managed by the Meriadni government is the Meriadni National Highway System, or NHS. The National Highway System was established by the Meriadni Parliament in 1967, which created it in order to facilitate vehicle transportation between major Meriadni cities. The National Highway System also contains mile-long mostly level, unobstructed stretches of pavement every eight miles, for use as emergency runways by the Meriadni Aerial Forces in the event of a national emergency.

Demographics

Population

As a result of its colonial origins, the Meriadni culture is primarily norse and celtic, although recent influxes of immigrants have made it decreasingly homogenous.

According to the Meriadni Royal Census Office, the Constitutional Monarchy of Meriad has an estimated population of 15.681 million people.

Culture

Religion

Religion in Meriad
Religion			Percentage
Church of Meriad			48.5%
Other forms of Christianity			31.9%
Buddhism			5.7%
Islam			5.1%
No Religion			4.7%
Judaism			2.1%
Atheism			1.5%
Other or unknown			1.3%

The 'Cathedral of the Snow' in Eyjanfjalla, one of the Church of Meriad's most recognizable structures.

The most popular religion in Meriad is overwhelmingly Christianity, 80.4% of the population according to the 2012 national census. Of these 80 percent, 48.5% are affiliated with the Church of Meriad, the nation's State Religion. While most assuredly not qualifying the nation as a theocracy theocracy, the Church of Meriad has been involved in the country's political power structure for hundreds of years. The Church of Meriad grew from the monastic protestantism practiced by the majority of the convents and monastaries that were raided by Meriadni vikings during the viking age, and the captured and sometimes enslaved survivors of these raids came to convert their captors. The Church of Meriad has since evolved separately from other protestant religions, but has recently come to be characterized by its close association with the Presbyterian Church in terms of beliefs and doctines.