Caradia

The Duchy of Caradia
Flag [[|85px|Coat of Arms of Caradia|frameless]] Coat of Arms
Motto: Bound Together in Blood
Anthem: Marș, Omâci (Lyrics) Coț Stanțul Auramic(No Lyrics)File:RaiseTheGoldStandard.mp3
Map versions
Capital	Relacul
Largest city	Theogiorick
Official language(s)	Sarnechi, Scear
Official religion(s)	Black Flame (revolves around veneration of battle and nationalism)
Demonym	Caradian
- Adjective	Caradian
Government	Absolute Monarchy
- Duke	King-Saint Godrîc XI
- Legislature	Flemic Archbishopric
Establishment	819 AN
Area
Population	3,823,826
Active population	2
Currency	Ceanic (¤)
Calendar
Time zone(s)
Mains electricity
Driving side
Track gauge
National website
National forum	Forum
National animal	Griffin
National food	Feabilt (a type of fish soup)
National drink	Uasacu Caradac Sangat (Caradian Blood Water)
National tree	Angel's Trumpet
Abbreviation	CRD

This article or section is a work in progress. The information below may be incomplete, outdated, or subject to change.

The Duchy of Caradia, commonly referred to as Caradia, is a monarchical state along the banks of the River Caledon, known as Seo Acken-Wasick or Relacul Miroc to the locals, both of which meaning "The Big River". The duchy, born out of the failed government of the Sarn Republic, is extremely heavily influenced by its state religion, by its military, and by its state-sponsored nationalism. The government of the nation operates in concert with the Church of the Black Flame, the state religion, to increase fanatical nationalism within the duchy.

Geography

Climate

The region's once predictable cycle of humid, rainy seasons and dryer cold seasons has been irrevocably changed by the prevalence of heavy industry in the area. The temperature is hot for the region of the world, owing to the large quantity of coal-fired power plants. Constant smog permeates the air over the river at all times. The rain has become much more sporadic; instead of a constant, humid rainy season, bouts of acid rain fall over the duchy.

Urban Structure

The Statue of Saint Tălia, in Theogiorick

The structure of Caradian cities features fewer tall, modern skyscrapers, and tends to sprawl much more than standard cities. Every major city has a district dedicated to power production, feeding huge coal furnaces that spill smoke over the cities. Cities are also clustered around areas with noble families living. Most cities are also dotted with monuments built and maintained by funding from the state and from the Flemic Church. Nearly every city, town, village, and hamlet, small or major, has one or more fortified Flemic churches. These churches date back to the early days of the Duchy, when it was in danger of being invaded by neighbouring tribes. The "Swamp Barbarians", launching regular raids against border cities in the Duchy, constituted a large problem that the fledgling government decided would be an apt challenge of its new powers. The reigning Duke Rando I, with the support of Archbishop Figăra, ordered the fortification of Flemic churches on the borderlands. The result was Flemic churches outfitted for sustained combat, and for sheltering citizens of whatever town or city they were in. In addition, remote monasteries in the hills near the border were transformed into walled abbeys, to provide for the protection of any nearby towns. Eventually, with the assimilation of Gcealick March, the barbarian attacks slowed down, and the military became

Seșpân Chapel, Trofegadh

capable of defending cities properly without the support of fortified churches. However, the notion of outfitting Flemic churches for defense had been established as a tradition, and thus the practice was continued, with every new Flemic church being fortified to resist increasingly modern firepower. The walled abbeys did not last, however, and monasteries in general have little use anymore, as Flemic monks have grown few and far between. Two monasteries still exist, however: The walled abbey that now functions as a military base known as Sanțîs Tomâs in the Gcealick March, and the Sândorov Monastery that sits atop a coal mine outside Nașichest.

Government

The Monarch

Sînpișul Castle, residence of the Caradian monarchy

The Caradian governing power has, since the formation of the Duchy, rested solely on the monarch. The Duchy as such operates as an absolute monarchy. The Duke of the nation holds all power over legislative, executive, and judicial powers, and serves as Archon of the Caradian Legions. King-Saints, when they are crowned, officially have the same level of power as Dukes, though they effectively have more power, since the Duke, though possessing absolute power, is considered mortal, though extremely holy and powerful, King-Saints

King-Saint Godrîc XI, the incumbent Caradian monarch

are considered direct reincarnations of King-Saint Godrick I, and thus the Church of the Black Flame considers every word and action the holy action of the original King-Saint, who they worship. This allows King-Saints to reshape Caradian society as a whole very quickly, as nearly all Caradian citizens are adherents to the Black Flame religion. The previous reigning Duke, Duke Alecsi XIV, the great-great-great grandson of King-Saint Godrick X, has exercised his power by expanding Caradia's ever growing industrial sector and pushing harder to keep prisoners working the mines. He also became possibly the most famous of the 'Duke Alecsi' in Caradia, as he was the one who ended Caradia's extremely long isolationism policies. Unfortunately, Alecsi XIV was taken by seizure before he could witness the fruits of his efforts, leaving his son, the recently crowned and renamed King-Saint Godrîc XI to reign, who is also a unique case in Caradian history, as he is the first King-Saint to choose the Sarnechi spelling of his name as the official one (choosing to be known as King-Saint Godrîc instead of King-Saint Godrick). All monarchs of the Duchy must have been ordained as Priests of the Black Flame.

Religion in the Government

The Church of the Black Flame holds a very high position of authority in Caradian society. The Duke must be ordained as a Flemic Priest, for example. However, the church also has a more direct control in the lives of Caradian citizens, since the two heads of the church have the power to institute and enforce religious laws. The Church's two branches each have different powers in the government of the Duchy. The position of Archbishop, head of the ecclesiarchy and currently held by Archbishop Lord-Saint Alexandru Șîreameș, has absolute power to enact "Flemic Laws" in the Duchy. De jure, these laws only apply to Flemic adherents, however de facto this is not true, since no enforcement officer has ever been prosecuted for enforcing Flemic Law on non Flemic Caradians. The Church has another branch with authority in the Caradian government: The Flemic Inquisition. This Inquisition, currently headed by Grand Inquisitor Count Theabesfin, effectively serves as a military branch of the Church, and keeps a force that has the power to enforce Flemic Law on Caradian citizens. The Flemic Inquisition also has the power to declare a Flemic Crusade, or "Church War", and call a draft that is enforced under Caradian law on Caradian citizens, and bring military power to bear against any foreign power without the de jure support of the Caradian government.

Justice System

Nașichest Courthouse

Caradian justice is carried out in a brutal and efficient manner. Flemic priests serve as community judges, being called upon to judge the morals and methods of those who commit crimes. No codified law exists for defining crime (except treason and sedition, which are defined as action and speech against the state, respectively), so judges judge all trials on a case by case basis. Furthermore, this means there is no legal difference between misdemeanors and felonies; all crime is judged as action damaging to Caradian society. Two punishments are given more often than any other: Seclusion in a prison-temple (a Flemic temple designed to hold prisoners), or forced labour in Caradian iron and coal mines. The second part accounts for most manual labour in Caradian mines.

The death penalty is not used as often as might be thought in Caradia, since it is seen as an inefficient allocation of labour; most prisoners are simply sent to work in mines. Occasionally, however, a criminal is deemed too dangerous to be allowed to continue to live in Caradian society. These people are usually executed, mostly by drowning in the ocean. Sometimes, if the Caradian populace is particularly angry at a criminal, the criminal will be put on a scaffold and stoned. Beheadings and hanging are carried out when the judge wishes to display the punishment of the convicted, by hanging the body or head near whoever they wish to put the warning into (usually at Caradian penal mines).