Walrussa
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| State Motto | Hwelet minlo (unofficial) | ||||
| • Ingliz | Three stones upon a hill | ||||
| State Anthem | Avetfelt | ||||
| • Ingliz | {{{nation_anthem_ingliz}}} | ||||
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| Official language | Walrussi | ||||
| Founding Date | |||||
| Government • Type • First Judge |
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| Capital | Shaana | ||||
| Administrative Divisions | Nine counties, one autonomous region | ||||
| Largest City | Shaana | ||||
| Area • Total • % water |
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| Population • Total • Growth Rate • Density |
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| GDP • Total • GDP/capita • Growth Rate |
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| Currency |
Hira (Ж) | ||||
| Time Zones | yourinfo (AMT yourinfo) | ||||
| Trigraph | WAL | ||||
| Calling Code | +114 | ||||
The Walrussan Nation is an island country in the Jyaltic Ocean.
Contents |
Geography
Walrussa has one large island, also called Walrussa, and several smaller ones, which together surround the shallow Amuri Sea.
History
NOTE: DATES ARE GIVEN IN THE WALRUSSI CALENDAR
The beginnings of the Walrussan people and state are lost to legend. The main island has been occupied for at least 1900 years, as shown by carvings of a rare planetary conjunction which are engraved in the cliffs above Nimlo.
The Internal War
Two major wars and several smaller conflicts devastated much of Walrussa late in the previous century. The Treaty of Nenhi finally brought the fighting to a close.
Modern Walrussa
Recent years have seen far-reaching changes in all levels of society.
Government and politics
The Nenhi Treaty of 1 T.E. formally brought the clans together under the Congress of the Walrussan Nation. This body has two houses: The House of Clans is made of the forty hereditary clan chiefs, and the House of Counties has a varying number (currently 300) of delegates elected from single-member constituencies. Both houses must consent for any law to be passed.
The highest office in Walrussa is that of First Judge. The First Judge is the supreme judicial authority, presides over the Congress, and functions as ceremonial head of state, but has little executive power. He serves for life, and is assisted by two councilors, with the senior one to succeed him upon his death. Then the Junior Councilors become the Senior Councilor, and the House of Clans appoints a new Junior Councilor.
All male Walrussi twenty years or older may vote. Females do not hold the franchise (despite greatly increased support for woman's suffrage in the last five years) but they can and do hold many important government positions. The Senior Councilor, second highest magistrate in the nation, is currently Her Ladyship Duaan Kira-Shano.
Local government
Walrussa is divided into nine counties and the Palhwir Autonomous Region. Each county is administered by an elected nine-man council, chaired by a County Judge. The Palhwir Autonomous Region is almost entirely self-governed, with a Walrussi High Commissioner in residence as the nominal executive.
Foreign relations
Walrussa's attitude toward the outside world has been famously categorized as "ignorant, paranoid, and fiercely xenophobic" by one of the first foreigners to set foot in the country. The nation of Karsos is viewed with particular distaste due to its Objective philosophy.
Armed Forces
The predecessors of the modern Walrussan military were the regiments (Hantet) raised by each clan. At the annual meeting of the chiefs in Danlot all the clansmen who had turned twenty since the last meeting were marshaled, and the chiefs would chose a Hantet of around 500 from each clan. These would encamp on the Danlot Plain to drill and work on public projects until they were relived by the next year's recruits. The "Hantets of the Plain" were held strictly neutral, in trust for the Walrussan Nation should it go to war, so the more bellicose among the clans also raised "Hantets of the Blood" filled with returned veterans. These formed the base for the large armies of the Internal Wars of the late 1900's. The Treaty of Nenhi made a standing army with Hantets integrated by clan, and abolished all other forces.
The Walrussan Army currently is organized into three armies - Western, Eastern, and Insular.
The Walrussan Navy is estimated to have three coast defense ships, four monitors, two light cruisers, eight fleet torpedo boats, twenty-six coast torpedo boats, three submarines, twelve minelayers, eleven unarmed auxiliaries, and a seaplane tender.
There is no independent Air Force; both the Army and Navy have their own aviation units.
The Walrussan forces are largely maintained by conscription - 18-year-old males may be called to serve for a term of two years in the Army, or three in the Navy.
Economy
The influx of foreign goods has caused much change in the Walrussan economy.
Walrussa's unit of currency is the Hira, (symbol Ж) divided into 200 Geret. One Hira is about two days wages for the average worker. The Bank of Walrussa refuses to print paper money, as it has since an Antaran entrepreneur had his example sent up in flames by order of the incredulous Chief Banker to "test its value", and was then nearly burned up himself.
Transportation
A major railroad construction program is planned to begin next year.
Demographics
The clan system
Walrussans traditionally were divided into forty clans, each claiming a common ancestor. The clan chief, thought to be descended in the direct line from the original patriarch, served as war leader in the frequent inter-tribal conflicts. Though the chiefs still wield power in the Congress, for most Walrussans, their clan has little importance in everyday life. One custom that remains strong is the taboo on any marriage inside the clan - in 204 Navi-Kira Hano, chief of Clan Kira, was forced to abdicate after taking his "cousin" to wife.
About nine per cent of Walrussans do not belong to any clan. At first the only Clanless were outcasts - illegitimate children and disinherited criminals. But with the rise of large urban populations many city-dwellers sought to avoid clan obligations which took them often far from their homes, and appeared before their clan magistrate to be un-enrolled. This once entailed ceremonially burning one's name-sash before the clan's totem animal, but the practice was ended in 198 as un-enrollment lost its rarity and stigma.
Language
Walrussans jealously guard their native tongue, and refuse to teach it to foreigners. Almost every word of Walrussi ends with a vowel or a "T".
Religion
The origins of the Walrussan Rite are unknown, but it is certainty of great antiquity. Always the largest and most powerful religion in Walrussa, it was established as the sole legal faith by the Treaty of Nenhi. Though the Palhwir (who are not citizens) practice their own beliefs, in Walrussa proper there is essentially no freedom of religion, the only "irregular" worship being that of foreigners in the port of Nimlo. Adherence to the Walrussan Rite is not technically mandatory for private citizens, but all public officials must assent to its Articles.
The Rite is organized democratically, with all laymen in a given town electing a five-to ten-man council. These in turn choose County Synods, which send delegates to the National Synod.
The doctrine of the Rite is based on "Reason", a term not however used in its ordinary context. All other religions, especially those based of supernatural revelation, are held to be superstitious and illogical.
Public services of worship are held only four times a year, on the first day of each new season. These usually take place outdoors in open fields. Thousands of small shrines dot the Walrussan landscape, where families and individuals may go, at any times, to pay their respects to the Creator.
