Stormark

High Realm of Stormark
Flag Coat of Arms
Map versions	6.8.6 – present
Capital	Haraldsborg
Largest city	Thorfinnsborg, Haithabu, Köpingsvik, Tara
Official language(s)	Common Tongue
Demonym	Storish
- Adjective	Storish
Government	Parliamentary Constitutional Monarchy
- High King	Harald Thorstein
- Legislature	Althing
Establishment	1474 AN as Viking Empire of Kruoningha 1475 AN as Viking Empire of Stormark 1565 AN as High Realm of Stormark
Population	339,364,420
Currency	Króna
Driving side	right
National animal	Raven, Falcon, Boar, Cat
National food	Apple
National drink	Mead
Abbreviation	STO

The High Realm of Stormark is a siblinghood of sapient beings under the motherhood of its Fulltrui and Sacred Queens and the fatherhood of the High King. The Nation-State aforesaid is the spiritual successor to a great but long-lost globe-spanning empire which was known as the Valtian Free State. As a country the High Realm is both modern and ancient. It is inspired by both Valtian and Viking culture and lore as well as the Ways of the Vanir, and powered by its Fulltrui and Sacred Queens since time immemorial, the Ladies Divine Frigga, Freyja and Idunn, who have blessed the lives of the Stormarkers in so many ways.

Stormark is a humongous country of great beauty, filled with gorgeous people of many species and races who love to wander around skyclad and relish and cherish their traditions and customs. With its society based around abundance, Stormark is a happy place filled with love and passion, which was made for calm and good living. The aforesaid globe-spanning empire thrives in its faith, its creative arts, its food, and its love-making. Its inhabitants live fulfilling lives doing as they please within in the exuberantly spacious confines of society. Stormarkers do still work in various forms, obviously, but it looks nothing like it does beyond-the-walls in the outland.

Etymology

Stormark means "great land" or "great country" in the Storish language. It was the nickname of Valtia for the better part of its existence. This name was picked by the Goddesses Frigga, Freyja and Idunn during one of their numerous visits to the Isle of Grand Arcadia to attend the negotiations which would lead to the Pact of the Heartland.

History

Stormark was founded as a Dutch speaking nation based on Saxon culture as the Empire of Kruoningha (Keizerrijk Kruoningha), without apparent contact with the only other Dutch speaking micronation known to exist, Flanders. Kruoningha then was a direct democracy with a purely ceremonial monarch. The Kruoninghans quickly decided that they would prefer to experiment with viking culture instead, and changed the name of the country to Viking Empire of Kruoningha (Viking Keizerrijk Kruoningha) on November 15th, 2002. Kruoningha not sounding very Norse, this name was changed to Viking Empire of Stormark on December 4th, 2002 (Viking Keizerrijk Stormark). In July 2003, the country got its first online forum, at the same time abandoning Dutch in favour of English. On June 18th, 2010, the country's name was changed once more to High Realm of Stormark.

Names of Stormark

Aside from the name of High Realm of Stormark, which is mandated by the country's constitution, the High Law of the High Realm of Stormark, Stormark has, in Udal parlance or elsewise, over the years of its long and glorious existance been conferred upon innumerable poetic names and nicknames. Twelve of those were granted official status by means of the Act on the Names of the High Realm of Year 11 and may there be used in legislation and other legal documents, enacted or issued by whatever level of Storish government.

The aforesaid names with official status are:

1. Lands of the Longships Throne;
2. Den of Ettlingar Freyu;
3. Twenty-Six Jarldoms;
4. Land of the Three Sacred Falcons;
5. Valtia Reborn;
6. Land of Always Summer;
7. Realm on all Continents;
8. Land of the Golden Boar;
9. Realm Where the Sun Never Sets;
10. Realm of Joy;
11. Land of the Three Ladies Divine;
12. Realm of Glorious Liberty.

Mottos of Stormark

The ancient motto Fra Havet, Hæder which means From the Sea, Glory in the Storish tongue, is since the coming into effect of the Pact of the Heartland the motto of the High Realm of Stormark. Prior to becoming the motto of the Lands of the Longships Throne, in the days of the First Viking Age to be precise, it was, for the better part of its existence, the motto of the Valtian Free State. This name was picked by the Goddesses Frigga, Freyja and Idunn during one of their numerous visits to the Isle of Grand Arcadia to attend the negotiations which would lead to the Pact of the Heartland.

Aside from Fra Havet, Hæder, the High Realm also has, as provided by the National Mottos Act of Year 11, twelve Associated National Mottos. The aforesaid mottos are expressions of the spirit of the Lands of the Longships Throne.

The Associated National Mottos of the Twenty-Six Jarldoms are:

1. So you don't approve!? Who asked you to!?
2. We do it our way.
3. Our roof, our rule.
4. You may not like us, we don't care!
5. Equality and Liberty Guarantees Victory.
6. Happy and free!
7. Kicking ass so fast, we only have time to take down initials.
8. Fulltrui's Love, Stormark's Strength.
9. Stormark Remembers.
10. We believe in joy.
11. Amazing Stormark.
12. Everybody Can Dance.

Government of Stormark

Level of the Three Ladies Divine

At the apex of Storish Government are the Fulltrui and Sacred Queens of Stormark, the Goddesses Frigga, Freyja and Idunn from Whom all authority in the Lands of the Longships Throne is derived.

Imperial Level of Government

Beneath the Fulltrui and Sacred Queens of Stormark of the Twenty-Six Jarldoms is the Imperial Level of Storish Government which is divided into three co-equal branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial. Each of those branches has its very own set of powers, duties, responsibilities and functions.

The executive power of the Imperial Storish Government is vested in the High Council of the Realm. Likewise is at the Imperial Level of Storish Government the legislative power vested in the Althing. Last but not least is the judicial power of the Imperial Governement of Stormark vested in the Court of the Realm.

Subdivsions, Bilander and Protectorates

Jarldom Level of Government

In Stormark's quasi-federal system of government there is to be found below the Imperial Level of Government, the Jarldom Level of Government. The territory of the Lands of the Longships Throne is subdivided into twenty-six Jarldoms. Every Jarldom is headed by a Jarl appointed by Order of the High King in the High Council of the Realm and also has a legislature, the composition of which is determined by local law, custom and tradition.

Jarldoms are fully autonomous on all matters not conferred upon the High King, the High Council of the Realm, the Althing or other body through the High Law or the competences thereof coming. The Jarlship of the Jarldom of Gularike is vested in the High King. He also serves as Jarl-at-Large for the Jarlless Jarldoms as well as those Jarldoms where the Jarl is absent of indisposed.

Traditional Districts

Each Jarldom, save for the Jarldom of Haldarsvik, is subdivided into Traditional Districts, which are (cultural) sub-regions. The Traditional Districts constitute the third level of Storish administration. All Traditional Districts have deep historical roots and many of them have been petty kingdoms up to the Conquest of the Heartland. They are defined by geographical features, often valleys, rivers, mountain ranges, fjords, plains, or coastlines, or combinations of the above.

In the vast majority of the Jarldoms, Traditional Districts are referred to by the legal and cultural term of Yeorlskapp (plural: Yeorlskapper). In those Jarldoms the governor of a Traditional District bears the title of Yeorl, if male, or Yeorla, if female. The governor of a Traditional District is appointed by the Jarl of the Jarldom or by the Imperial Chieftain associated with such Jarldom by virtue of zir Imperial Chieftaincy corresponding with that Jarldom.

There are a couple of Jarldoms which use a different term to denote a Traditional District and its governor. Those Jarldoms are: Arbor Isles, Normandie, Port Chloe and the Providence Plantations, The Isles, Thingeyri, and Tiundarike.

Aside from the governor, every Traditional District has a local assembly, whose members are elected by the inhabitants. In all Jarldoms, except for the Arbor Isles, Normandie, Port Chloe and the Providence Plantations, The Isles, Thingeyri, and Tiundarike, the Traditional District's local assembly is called Yeorlsthing. The duties, powers and functions of the govenor and the local assembly differ from Jarldom to Jarldom.

Tribedoms

There are several Traditional Districts which are, for historical reasons or due to size, subdivided into Tribedoms, which are (cultural) sub-regions of such Traditional Districts. Tribedoms constitute the fourth level of Storish administration.