Duchy of Modan

Modan
Subdivision type:	Duchy
Capital:	Drakorda
Population:
Largest Cities:	Modan Hamlet, Karamola
Local Leadership Title:	The Duke
Local Government:	Dukedom
Current leader:	Nathan II
Local language:	Istvanistani, Natspeak, Laqi
Local Religion:	Reorganized Bovinism, Holodomatic Cedrism

The Modan is a Shirerithian duchy located in southeastern Benacia, established through the Treaty of Andamouth in 1699 AN.

A former so-called "vulture state" that emerged during the Kalirion Fracture, the Modan experienced a tumultuous 28 years before its successful reintegration into Shireroth. Declared independent in 1671 AN as the Kingdom of Drak-Modan, Nathan II was separated from the Modan in 1676 AN, then the region reorganized into a lindstromist republic in 1679 AN, underwent a civil war in 1684 AN, and finally transformed into a Draconian supremacist state in the 1690s AN. Following a growing dissident movement against the supremacist state, an attempted coup d'état opened the way for reintegration into Shireroth in early 1699 AN.

The first couple years as a Shirerithian duchy consisted of occupation by imperial peacekeeping forces in order to restore order to the Modan and reconstruct an administrative apparatus that had been gutted by a series of extrajudicial killings of political enemies and non-Draconians by pro-coup paramilitary groups.

Government

A provisional ducal government was established on 5.XI.1699, when Nathan II arrived back in the Modan, following a trip to Shirekeep to receive the Crown of Malarboria from Kaiseress Salome. Staying only briefly in a temporary apartment built in The Fury, Nathan II appointed his son, Count-Palatine John Hilding of Draconia, the Governor of Modan to serve as his locum tenens.

As the Governor of Modan, he led an appointed council, the Provisional Governing Commission, composed of twelve commissioners: four Adepts from Shirekeep, four senior Tribunes who also oversee peacekeeping operations, and four pro-Shirerithian Draconian lawyers. The Provisional Governing Commission is mandated to oversee and coordinate civilian and military government in the Modan during this transitional period, as well as to design the duchy's new constitution.

On 10.II.1701 AN, the Provisional Governing Commission delivered a draft Instrument of Government for consideration by Nathan II and Salome. After a few rounds of revision between the commission and the respective heads of state, the Instrument of Government was promulgated by ducal edict on 20.VI.1701 AN. Included within this edict was a provision for an irregular election for all seats (as per the Instrument's language) with an assigned campaign period of six months terminating on 1.XIV.1701 AN as the Day of Election.

Instrument of Government

• Chapter 1: Foundations of the Modanese State
• Chapter 2: Powers held in reserve by the Throne
• Chapter 3: The Modanese Fury
• Chapter 4: The Apparatus of State
• Chapter 5: The Court of Directors
• Chapter 6: The Court of Judges
• Chapter 7: Principles

Ducal Throne

The Instrument of Government indicates that all powers not delegated to the Fury, the Apparatus of State, the Court of Directors, or the Court of Judges were held in reserve by the Duke of Modan. As such, it does not enumerate the powers, but it does make reference to some within the context of how the Ducal Throne interacts with the governing bodies. It also provides a mechanism for the Duke to designate a locum tenens, the High Commissioner for the Ducal Throne in Modan to fulfill their functions when absent. With the Duke (who is also the Emperor of the Natopians) perpetually absent except for state visits, the High Commissioner is effectively the head of state.

Since 1701 AN, the High Commissioner has been Count-Palatine John Hilding of Draconia.

The Fury

The Fury is the unicameral legislature for the duchy and has been delegated the bulk of direct authority by the Instrument of Government, though through the passage of administrative law it empowers the Apparatus of State to govern. The Ducal Throne appoints a Chancellor in consultation with the Fury. Under normal circumstances, the Chancellor is the leader of the largest party or coalition within The Fury, but the Ducal Throne is empowered to reject that person and appoint someone else, so long as The Fury confirms the appointment.

Since 1701 AN, the largest and governing party has been the Modanese Inclusive Liberation Front.

The Apparatus of State

The Apparatus of State administers the bureaucracy that governs Modan. Its leadership echelon, the Department Secretaries, is appointed by the Chancellor to enact their policies within their portfolio, assisted by departmental administrators, who lead the civil service in their department.

Principles

This section is broken up into two sections: a manifesto on good government and an enumeration of guarantees to law-abiding residents of Modan.