Nindaro

Adwest, formally known as the Grand Kingdom of Adwest, is a sovereign state located in Kvaenna. It lies specifically on the southeastern coastline of the continent's mainland, but also includes a number of small islands off the coast. To the south, it shares a land border with Taeunas and to the east, via its offshore territories, it shares maritime borders with Aeriland and Kolhar. Its coastline faces the Cordelian Sea. The country has a total land area of 275,399 square kilometers.

The Grand Kingdom is the 14th-most populous country in the world, with an approximate population of about 60 million. With a strong historical tradition in and practice of monarchism, coupled with a dominant conservative culture that emphasized social hierarchy and national order, the government of Adwest has never veered once towards liberal democracy and republican thought that transformed most of the world during the coming of the modern era. Adwest possesses an absolute monarchy under the House Durnador, which has been in power since the birth of the Grand Kingdom in 1464. The monarch delegates executive functions to the Royal Court while judicial authority to the Argent Church, the country's state religion. Below the monarchy, a group of eighteen landed nobles also exercise political power and together serve as key advisers of the monarch in the governance of the realm.

Having been in existence since the 1st century, with the creation of the First Kingdom, Adwest's history features prominently with that of its neighbors in Kvaenna. Under the rule of the Goselinus dynasty, the First Kingdom, from the period of its inception to the late 12th century, embarked on a series of conquests, primarily westward. Often known as the Adwestene Imperial Age, the First Kingdom succeeded in unifying the southern part of Kvaenna under its banner. The nobility and other political forces within Adwest, having organized themselves and amassed considerable influence, grew to resent the rule of the crown by the 8th and 9th century, causing them to eventually depose it in 1197 and form the United Duchies of Adwest (to be renamed later as the United Provinces). The new state was a loose confederacy of the dominions of the former kingdom, where overall leadership was equally held by each member. It was during this time that several changes arrived in Adwestene society, including the industrial revolution, the growth of Avalsyanism, and the arrival of new political ideals.

In 1332, the Detectatian people seceded from the the United Provinces and formed the Republic of Detectatia. Although technically legal, the rest of the United Provinces viewed the secession with hostility, having lost the major trading port of Ayand. Despite these sentiments, they were unable to reclaim the island as the country began to suffer internal strife. This heralded the beginning of Adwestene decline as the hegemon of Kvaenna. Such a decline was finally sealed with the bloody revolution by the De Danaan people in the southern part of the United Provinces, where the pro-political reformation leaders were slaughtered by the citizenry, who went on to form what is now the Republic of Taeunas. Weakened both at home and in the international stage, the dying breath of the United Provinces was the civil war of 1462 that engulfed in what little territory remained. In 1464, the Durnador dynasty triumphed in subduing the rest of the nobility and grabbed power by restoring the monarchy. Since then, the monarchy, operating under the principles of enlightened absolutism, has continued to face challenges including friction with the nobility and the threats posed by an underground republican rebellion. Despite these hardships, the monarchy has managed to restore much of the peace and prosperity of the Grand Kingdom, sometimes at difficult costs. The monarch -currently Sophia I Durnador- and the majority of the nation's elite reside in the capital of Adwest, the ancient city of Balfonheim.

Adwest is a developed country with the 16th-largest economy by purchasing power parity. It has a high-income economy and ranks highly on the Human Development Index. In the Gini coefficient, Adwest scores as one of the, if not the, top nations with a significant wealth gap.

History

Royal Consolidation and the Decade of Strife

Gregory I Durnador, the first King of the restored Adwestene monarchy after the Civil War of 1464

Politics

Adwest is a unitary absolute monarchy by equal primogeniture. The country does not have a constitution, and neither political parties nor elections exist. The monarchy as an institution is recognized as infallible and omniscient, whose role has evolved from being an absolute ruler of the state to a merely titular position nd then to being the "guiding light" of Adwestene society. Under the House Durnador, which introduced enlightened absolutism to Adwest since the restoration of the monarchy, this absolute power has been utilized in different ways, ebbing and flowing, but maintained.

Despite the unlimited power granted to the monarch, his power is effectively balanced by other institutions. Opposition to royal rule comes primarily from two sources; the Adwestene nobility and forces that advocate for republicanism. The former is recognized as being the traditional enemy of the crown, having interests that are often at stark contrast with one another. A key underlying element that makes the nobility oppose royal rule is the degree of centralization in Adwest, which led to their revolt in what was known as the Decade of Strife. The end of the revolt saw the victory of the crown, but also resulted in the restoration of duchies as an administrative unit and, subsequently, the creation of the Ducal Council as an advisory organ of government. The Ducal Council expanded the influence of the high nobility in national affairs.

Although the political authority of the dukes and duchesses remain tied to the monarchy, there has been no major revolt since and the nobility and crown retain an amicable, if somewhat difficult, relationship. By contrast, a republican insurrection that began ever since the restoration of the monarchy continues to persevere today. Although weakened throughout the years and forced into hiding, the republican insurrection remains the largest threat to the monarchy as it continues to bear arms and carry out strings of violent terrorist attacks throughout the country on occasion.

In the absence of democracy, politics in Adwest revolves around the crown and the nobility. A precarious balance exists between the two, as the monarchy is de facto obligated to consider the opinions, interests, and advice of the Ducal Council in his decisions. The nobility possess considerable clout in their respective domains, holding not only traditional political influence dating from medieval times but also economic and social power. In turn, they are required to swear fealty to the monarchy as part of their obligation, as well as the formation of Adwest as a sovereign entity, an important element in the national identity it cultivates. The oath of loyalty of the nobility has changed from the declaration of suzerainty during the period of the first kingdom during ancient times, ensuring strict obligation to follow royal prerogative. In practice however, the monarch allows the nobility a certain degree of authority in some areas of concern. This exertion of freedom has grown specifically in recent years, under Sophia I.

Outside of the upper strata, participation in the political process is severely limited, although efforts by the late Edward III and his successor Gregory IV have helped to alleviate this a bit. The Consultation Reforms of 1541 allowed for the creation of a Royal Convention, a non-binding organ of government that allowed not only the nobility to consult the affairs of the realm with the crown but also the middle and lower classes, especially professionals and members of the intelligentsia. The Royal Convention was transformed into a complete parliament with the Declaration on Royal Consent in 1567, which granted it several powers and renamed it into the Royal Diet.

Governance

As an absolute monarchy, ultimate political authority resides in the sovereign of Adwest. Sophia I Durnador, the current Grand Queen of Adwest, serves as both the head of state and government, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of Adwest. In her capacity as chief administrator of the Adwestene Realm, the sovereign is assisted by several bodies and individuals. Some of these are empowered by the sovereign to exercise power and make decisions on their behalf, while others serve secondary or advisory roles.

The first of these bodies is known as the Royal Court, which serves as the de facto executive branch of the government under the sovereign. The Royal Court however, not only has the power to enforce the laws but also create laws and other binding declarations in the name of and in consonance with the sovereign. The Royal Court, since 1567, has been led and overseen by the Lord Protector, who formally serves as the top adviser of the sovereign in all matters of state.

Adwest has a quasi-legislative body known as the Royal Diet. A bicameral body, the Royal Diet was formed out of an amalgamation between the Ducal Council, the council of all members of the Adwestene high nobility, and the Royal Convention, an assembly of the populace that was called by the sovereign for consultation in certain affairs. The Ducal Council serves as the upper house, while the Royal Convention is the lower house. The Royal Diet is not an elected body. Seats in the Ducal Council are hereditary, whereas all six hundred members of the Royal Convention are appointed by the sovereign every eight years.

The Royal Diet does not have lawmaking power in the normal sense of the word. Instead, the Royal Diet as a collective assembly serves to scrutinize decisions and policies declared by the Royal Court and, by extension, the Crown. It has several remedial powers which were deliberately granted to it in order to curb royal influence, including the power to dethrone a sitting sovereign and the power of the purse.

Legal System

In the absence of clear distinctions between the organs of the government under the monarch, the general interpretation, creation, and enforcement of laws primarily rotates between two bodies; the Royal Court and the Argent Church, the country's state religion. In his capacity as the head of the church, as well as being as the absolute leader of the secular state, the monarch still remains the chief arbiter in all legal and judicial matters, formally ruling by decree.

The members of the Royal Court, in particular those who control the executive agencies, have the power to pass statutes that carry the full force of law and that would otherwise be passed by a legislative body, in addition to specific regulations. Each ministry of the court is aided by a bureaucracy that is responsible for research and compilation of information relevant to a specific area of legislation. All royal statutes require the approval of the monarch and are codified by the Ministry for Home Affairs.

The Ministry for Home Affairs of the court basically serves as the "keeper" of laws, and is conferred with the power to detain criminals, in addition to codifying legislative acts. However the power of criminal prosecution falls solely on the Argent Church since the passage of the Edict of Greater Moral Imperative in 1465. The Argent Church possesses judicial authority and runs not only the court system, which is paralleled with the hierarchy of ecclesiastical dioceses, but also penitentiary facilities.

Although laws of all nature are written by the secular Royal Court, the interpretation and subsequent enforcement of these laws by the ecclesiastical authorities in the Argent Church is more often than not very strictly applied with a different understanding. The Argent Church, for the most part, has a very strong influence on the creation of laws dictating private, public and generally all other social relationships, enforcing a very conservative and "moral-based" policy in both the lawmaking process and its prosecution of criminals.

The justice system in Adwest relies on the antithesis of the principle of presumption of innocence, with all accused criminals being guilty until proven innocent. The defense of an accused person falls on a group of individuals convened by the ecclesiastical judge, in the absence of a qualified attorney.

Adwestene justice is often condemned for being harsh and "ultra-puritanical". A myriad of capital and physical punishments imposed by the ecclesiastical courts including beheading, stoning, crucifixion, amputation, and lashing have been an object of international criticism for years.

Foreign Relations

The international relations of Adwest is centered on its national security interests and its goals for reunification with formerly Adwestene territories. This twofold view was implemented with the ascension of the "Rejuvenated Leadership" in the persons of Sophia I, who led the country towards the promotion and improvement of Adwestene diplomatic connections, and her Lord Prtector Garithos Ashford, who was responsible for forming the modern Adwestene foreign policy into what has been coined as the Velvet Glove doctrine.

The Velvet Glove doctrine was a great movement away from the non-aligned and non-interventionist stance that was promulgated by the leaders of the Grand Kingdom since its formation in 1464. The reason for Adwest's lack of participation in international affairs until Ashford's ascension was because of domestic instability. This situation having been changed come the late 15th century, Adwest was maneuvered by its new leaders to be begin reasserting its influence. The contrast between the past and the new policy is highlighted by the doctrine's call for proactive action, mainly through diplomacy and through war if necessary, on the part of Adwest in order to reclaim and ensure its status as one of the great powers and secure the safety of its people, frontiers, and monarchy.

In practice however, the doctrine was conceived as a means of dealing with Adwest's neighbors within Kvaenna, particularly to the west and the north, which were formerly parts of the Adwestene realm. The doctrine was borne out of a desire from the Adwestene crown and high nobility to reunify several former territories of the United Provinces of Adwest under Adwestene rule. This is to be done through peaceful means, but considering the use of force if peaceful annexation was not possible.

Although Kvaenna remains the immediate concern in its foreign affairs, Adwest is active in various international engagements on many levels throughout the world. In particular, the country has strong relations and productive cooperation with Oslanburg and the Nerysia in Brigidna; Mordvania in Marzanna; Drahen in Skathia; and Tieguo in Ostara. At home, Adwest has recently pursued normalization of relations with its southern neighbor Taeunas.

Military

The armed forces of the Grand Kingdom -officially known as the Grand Army of Adwest- are the military and paramilitary forces of Adwest, under the sovereign of the kingdom to whom all servicemen are required to swear allegiance. The armed forces consists of the Royal Continental Army, the Royal Sea Force, the Royal Air Fleet, and two auxiliary paramilitary forces known as the Royal Adwestene Constabulary and the Order of the Argent Knights. The Grand Army of Adwest is among one of the largest in the world, with a total of approximately nine hundred thousand servicemen in both the standing and reserve force, excluding paramilitary forces.

The constabulary is basically a military police force that serves, for the most part, as a general purpose police force. It has a component for policing and another component for non-conventional threats such as terrorism and revolution. Although technically a part of the armed forces and subject to administrative oversight by the Ministry of War, the Royal Adwestene Constabulary is operationally attached to and under the authority of the Ministry for Home Affairs. The constabulary has a total strength of about eighty thousand personnel. On the other hand, the Order of the Argent Knights refers to the armed wing of the Argent Church of Adwest. Numbering at about twenty thousand personnel and having been in continuous existence since the formation of the first Adwestene state, the order serves as the personal army of the sovereign of Adwest, who is recognized as the "Prophet of the Divine" as the titular head of the church. Adwest has two intelligence agencies, the Directorate for External Strategy which reports to the Ministry of War and the Directorate for Internal Security which reports to the Ministry for Home Affairs.

The Grand Army of Adwest has been a professional force since the abolition of conscription back in 1501. Historically a ground-centric force, the need for the Grand Army to maintain a sizable standing army for the security of its borders against both domestic and outside dangers has been fed by the large number of young men and women who volunteer to join the armed forces, with the legal age for military service being fifteen.

Adwest spends about 4.5% of its GDP on military expenditures annually, mostly due to research and development. Adwest has a robust domestic arms manufacturing industry with particular emphasis in aerospace design and shipbuilding, although arms export is heavily regulated by the Adwestene government. Aside from this, the Grand Army also maintains an extensive arsenal of biological weapons in the form of nerve and blood agents.

Administrative Divisions

The tiers of government that comprise the administration of the Adwestene state has largely been developed throughout its history, with four distinct tiers arising during the past reincarnations of the Grand Kingdom. At the highest level resides the national government which, Adwest being a unitary state, possesses supreme authority over its subordinate entities. The national government is headed by the sovereign of Adwest and comprises the Royal Court, the Royal Diet, and the Argent Church.

Devolution has been undertaken in order to grant wider autonomy to the second tier of government in several areas. Eighteen duchies comprise this second tier, with each duchy referring to a certain geographic and political entity developed since the First Kingdom of Adwest. Each duchy is represented nationally through the upper house of the Royal Diet - the Ducal Council . Duchies are ruled by hereditary dukes, who have powers in areas such as taxes, legislation, and public services.

Below each duchy lies a certain number of counties which comprise the third tier of government. Each county is basically a collection of baronies and municipalities in a geographic area. The counts of a duchy, who by convention have strong influence over the government units directly below them, form the Assembly of Vassals, the primary subordinates and confidants of a duke or duchess in matters of local governance and development. Like duchies, counties are ruled by hereditary counts, who are members of the Lower Nobility alongside barons.

The lowest tier of government is divided into two parts; a barony and a municipality. Baronies refer to traditional domains of members of the Lower Nobility. Although they are taxable entities, baronies as a local government unit may not have political jurisdiction over groups of people save for those residing in it. There are some baronies however that also comprise a town or a village, making them similar to a municipality. The only difference being the title of their administrator. The municipalities are divided into three types according to their population. A municipality with a million or more residents is a City, one with a hundred thousand or more is a Township, and one with a thousand or more is a village. Anything less is incorporated into the nearest unit. Municipalities are headed by Lord Mayors appointed by their Count, usually a member of the bourgeoisie class. There are about a thousand municipalities and baronies in Adwest today.

Administrative Unit	Holder	Population
Duchy of Pharamond	Henry IV Falsen, Duke	6,881,072
Duchy of Ormbeck	Sophia I Durnador, Duchess	5,236,108
Duchy of Sensaros	Claire Ashford, Duchess	5,100,523
Duchy of Larstat	Lysa Arryn, Duchess	4,894,728
Duchy of Slane	Albert II Tamasine, Duke	4,592,117
Duchy of Rivadis	Eugene Bertram Dohlberg, Duke	4,578,900
Duchy of Lincrest	Roderick de Meisen, Duke	4,200,926
Duchy of Maleroy	Charles XI Windamier, Duke	4,043,141
Duchy of Aldenbarrow	Elanor II Feralius, Duchess	3,178,221
Duchy of Fosteria	Robert III Halnish, Duke	3,139,969
Duchy of Eris	William IV Dohlberg, Duke	3,188,073
Duchy of Erithglen	Sophia I Durnador, Duchess	2,255,950
Duchy of Adrudan	Alistair II Wolcroft, Duke	2,991,650
Duchy of Tenover	George V Atreides, Duke	2,480,132
Duchy of Phellustead	Stephen Falsen, Duke	1,669,712
Duchy of Brent	Godfrey VIII Grenseal, Duke	1,500,200
Duchy of Rogenmoore	Hugo IV de Meisen, Duke	1,740,006
Duchy of the Cordelian Islands	Hugh X Falsen, Duke	1,014,140

Economy

Adwest has a well-developed and high-income economy backed by a skilled labor force and significant natural resources. It is a leader in several industries such as chemicals and petrochemicals, mining and metallurgy, telecommunications, pharmaceutics and biotechnology, and retail.

It has the 16th largest economy by measure of purchasing power and the 24th by measure of per capita income. Since 1512, stronger domestic consumption and increased trade have bolstered economic growth in Adwest. Greater political stability and the implementation of fiscally conservative policies also helped to increase economic output, with average GDP growth between 1512 to 1522 being 5.3%, compared to a meager 0.9% in preceding years. Recent figures portray GDP growth remains stable, if a bit slowed, with the adoption of new economic policies, at an average of 2.1%.

Although historically a practitioner of free market principles, the Adwestene economy had undergone a transformation under the National Rejuvenation program that began under Sophia I in 1566. Several small companies in certain sectors have been merged together to form new crown corporations supervised by the government, while a handful of business benefits were introduced in order to support existing corporations in Adwest. Both moves have been taken in the interests of consolidation and in order to promote a clique of commercial and industrial organizations that would direct economic activity for the advantage of both the state and commercial interests.

Labor unions and other movements of organized labor are banned in Adwest, while a minimum wage is formally non-existent. Instead, labor relations is managed in the framework of corporatism. State mechanisms at the national level, in particular the Royal Commission on Professional and Industrial Cooperation, are utilized in order to negotiate labor contracts and resolve disputes between workers and employers, ensuring a harmonious and productive relationship between them. Adwest has a flat personal income tax of 10%.

Adwest has significant volumes of trade with numerous nations, although it has so far refrained from signing a complete free trade agreement. The Adwestene government practices a policy of "selective protectionism" in order to safeguard its dominant major corporations, and has allowed only for a handful of foreign corporations and companies to enter the Adwestene market. Adwest maintains a comprehensive list on sectors where foreign investment is prohibited, limited, and allowed. Adwest's top trading partners include Arrenland, Taeunas, Oslanburg, Tieguo, and Drahen. Its primary exports are made up of industrial and agricultural raw materials, while its top imports include electronic devices, transportation equipment, and luxury goods.

Although internationally accused of having the highest wealth gap and for promoting wealth concentration, there are no formal statistics to the amount of poverty in Adwest as it does not release its data for the public. This has only recently changed with the publication economic journals by the court for the purpose of attracting foreign investment. But even this is restricted in what information is released to the public. The state discourages calling attention to poverty and related issues, and has suppressed any attempts to compile data on the matter by journalists.

Communications

Telecommunications in Adwest is largely a monopoly under the Integrated Telecommunications Company of the Grenseal Group, a major conglomerate owned and operated privately by the Grenseal family of Brent. The ITC was first formed in Septem 1566 when Optima, the Grenseal Group's mobile phone manufacturing subsidiary, was merged with several private companies that provided mobile and landline services, most notably the Verux Telecom Services Company, in order to streamline the linking of communication systems. The new company, called the Integrated Cellular and Telephone Company, was bought by the government. In Alvan 1568, the ICTC became the ITC following its merger with the Adwestene Royal Internet Corporation, a longstanding crown corporation formed in 1523 that pioneered fiber-optics and became Adwest's first commercial ISP in 1537. The ITC was privatized and sold back to the Grenseal Group the same year.

The ITC operates a network of some 26 communication satellites that it uses for its internet, mobile phone, and landline services, as well as for commercial use by domestic and foreign broadcasting groups.

ADSL and WiMAX coverage form the bulk of the ITC's internet services, although it also has VDSL for more well-off customers. Despite the ITC's advanced development of internet services, the extremely high costs of its basic services and the lack of further interest in its early Ethernet program has led to a tremendous decline in internet subscription. To offset the issue, the Adwestene governmet and the ITC invited several foreign telecom companies to discuss the creation of a nationwide broadband for the general populace. As of 1569, average internet speed in Adwest is 8.4 Mbps, while internet users were numbered at approximately 17 million people.

Mobile services have been comparatively cheaper and easier to obtain. More than half of the total population has a cellular device, due in part to the lack of any state regulations on the mobile phone industry which has allowed a number of foreign mobile manufacturers to tap the Adwestene market and compete with ITC's line of Optima phones.

The broadcasting industry and mass media in Adwest are regulated and overseen by the Ministry of Information. The ministry itself operates a number of media outlets which are among the largest and most consumed in Adwest, such as the Sentinel (Newspaper) and the IGA Network (Television).

There are two other major television companies in Adwest, both of which are private, and these are Clayton Network and AJS-NBS. Both companies provide nonstop content daily and also offer cable television. About 90% of all Adwestene households have a colored television set, which was introduced in Adwest in 1521, while average television viewing time was at 4 hours a day. There are about 300 television stations in Adwest, with about 8 being foreign stations sanctioned by the information ministry. Radio is also popular in Adwest, with about 400 radio stations throughout the country, with 340 AM and 60 FM.

Telegram and postal services are offered by the Ministry of Information, with the ease of such services being used more often by those without access to electronic telegraphy systems.

The role of the media is defined by mandate of the first king of the Grand Kingdom as being a "force that educates and inspires national unity". Consequently, most popular grievances go unreported in Adwest. In addition to a ban on probes and criticism on the royal family and the aristocracy, any media deemed pornographic, violent, heretical to the Argent Church, or generally perceived to be dangerous is suppressed by the Ministry of Information. This has led to a widespread pervasiveness of self-censorship by Adwestene broadcasters.

Energy

The Grand Kingdom was the world's eleventh-largest consumer of energy and the thirteenth-largest producer by 1570. Adwest's energy production and distribution relies on both the public and private sector, represented by the Ministry of Energy and the Tyrus Alliance respectively. The Tyrus Alliance controls the energy monopoly of Adwest, and works with the government in order to attain adequate supply and deliver it all over the country. This was part of the economic consolidation effort brought about by the government in recent years, with the tandem being given two goals to complete before 1600, in a policy known as the New Century Energy Advancement Program.

The two goals, attain "near-complete energy independence" and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, was to be achieved by shifting about 70% of all energy production from coal, oil, and natural gas to alternative energy sources.

About half of Adwest's oil had been imported or produced in foreign countries, specifically in Skathia and eastern Brigidna in 1562. Meanwhile, both the domestic oil and natural gas reserves were dangerously close to depletion by 1564. The increase of coal plants was not deemed as a proper solution despite the continued abundance of the country's coal reserves. Combined, these factors led the government to pursue alternative energy sources. Particular emphasis is given on hydropower, geothermal power, and wind power. Focus into these new sources is exemplified by the planned construction of several new offshore wind farms in coastal Adwest and extensive public-private development of wave and tidal power.

As the guide for national energy and environmental policies, the New Century Energy Advancement Program also advised two additional goals that have not been formally adopted yet. The first was to build a fossil fuel free civilian vehicle fleet by pouring research into the use of biofuels, and the second was to triple energy distributed by decentralized energy nationwide.

Per capita consumption of energy in the Grand Kingdom stood at 35.40 MWh in 1570, exhibiting progressive increases since the last decade. In the same year, total electricity used was 319.2 TWh, almost double the increase from 1550. Demand for electricity in 1570 was 35.5 GW on average, although peak demand reached up to 60.830 GW.