Aedeland
| Imperial Republic of Aedeland Fólkríki Æðelandr | |
| Flag | Coat of arms |
|---|---|
|
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| Motto: Aedeland Above All | |
| Anthem: Aedelander March | |
| Locator map | |
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| Capital city | Ålesund |
| Largest city | Ærilar |
| Official language | Aldsegian |
| Other languages | Regional dialects |
| Ethnic group | Aldsay |
| Religion | Salvede Trú |
| Demonym(s) | Aedelish - Aedelman |
| Government | |
| Government Type | National Socialist |
| Fører | Guðfrøðr av Rygír |
| Your 2nd leader title (e.g. Prime minister) | name |
| Legislature | Althing |
| Establishment | |
| Founding | 7650 |
| Area | |
| Total | 6,902,452.64 km2 |
| Population | |
| Total | 66,943,437 |
| Density | 9.70/km2 |
| Economy | |
| Economy type | Command |
| GDP (total) | Ꞡ 1,549,246,459,331.42 |
| GDP per capita | Ꞡ 23,142.62 |
| Currency | Standard () |
| Other information | |
Aedeland ([eɪdəland]), officially the Imperial Republic of Aedeland (Aedelish: Fólkríki Æðelandr) and informally the New Republic (Aedelish: Nýjastriki), is a nation located in Western Stoldavia. Aedeland's capital is Ålesund and its largest metropolis is Ærilar. The country's other major cities are Ayrendæl, Stórhavn, Vintersæte, Ascolat, and Störmheim.
Etymology
Aedeland is a transcription of Æðeland meaning "Land of the Aedels" in Aedelish. The name is derived from the compound of the Aedelish words æðel and land. Both words are derived from Old Aedelish. Aedel is the endonym of the Southern Aldsay of Stoldavia derived from the ancient Aldsegian tribe from whom the Aedelmen claim descent. Æðel is derived from proto-Anario Jorvic at-al which combines at(i) "over, beyond, super" and al "to nourish."
History
- See also: Timeline of Aedeland and History of Western Stoldavia
Founding and Early History
The Constitution of 7305 unified the Aldsay peoples of Western Stoldavia under an Aedelish ethnostate shortly after the defenestration of Östervallen. This unification and ethnic consciousness marked a beginning of Aedeland's history. Aedelish national identity solidified long held ethnic hostilities between the Aldsay and the other Stoldavian groups east of the Auðigrháls and was instrumental in the collapse of the Greater Stoldavic Empire.
Pan-Anarian War and Expansionism
The sinking of the Aedelish flagship Sørland initiated the Pan-Anarian War and cemented the amalgamation of Aldsay groups into a single national identity. A confidently unified Aedeland abandoned its long held isolationists policy and embraced an aggressive policy of Pan-Aldsegianism emphasizing the unity and expansion of Aldsegian peoples and culture.
First Imperial Republic
In 7518, Aedeland annexed neighboring Western Hagen. In the following decades, Aedeland quietly increased its control over the Mandruleanian islands of Tauræs and the Tzarakan Bulé Republics through operatives of the Sørtarnland Company, a powerful and influential entity in Aedeland's political landscape. The 7536 Declaration of Supremacy marked the political annexation of Aldsegian populations in Cykeria, Aereyjar, and Achilleio, further extending Aedeland's influence and control in the region.
Through the Sørtarnland Company, Aedeland made several attempts to access the Phasian Ocean. Both a heavy air route over Tharna and an overland expedition through the interior of Tzeraka ultimately failed to establish a navigable route to the Phasian Ocean. The Company ultimately succeeded in establishing an overland rail route to access the Phasian Ocean through a controversial military campaign against the Ithreni-controlled Haniyyahs using voluntary forces of the Væringet.
At the same time, Aedeland sponsored the highly controversial Treaty of Ærilar designed to create a strategic cartel that would monetize control over major straits. The assassination of its architect, Jakob av Varung, by suspected agents of Vittmark and the Anisoran government's flag of convenience policy which enabled non-signatories to circumvent the tariffs rendered the scheme unenforceable. The 7579 Protocols of Gadalhem failed to find the political will to save the cartel and a complex legal challenge in Anisoran courts ended in frustration.
The international repudiation of Aedelish foreign policy, the assassination of a prominent cabinet member, and the great cost of Aedeland's foreign adventures in the Haniyyahs left Aedeland in the throws of political crisis. Domestically, it forced the capitulation of the political leadership in Ålesund to the bankers and Company bureaucrats in Ærilar. Internationally, it isolated Aedeland from traditional allies and strengthened ties with former enemies in Helreich and Anat Tahan who had strongly supported Aedelish ambitions. In response, the long standing ban against Häverism in Aedeland was lifted.
The Aedelish Technate
Following popular unrest in the spring of 7579, the Häverist party won a narrow majority in both the Lögrétta and Folkmōt. Once in power, the Häverist initiated a new system of government modeled on that of Häverist Helreich. Aedeland's colonial possessions were granted nominal independence within a new Aedelish Häverist Commonwealth greatly increasing the Company's authority. Led by a committee of Company bureaucrats assisted by preeminent scientists and academics the new Häverist government implemented a plan of reform to transform Aedelish society.
Initially the Technate was an impressive success and Research Office theorists suggested that post-scarcity was within reach by 7670. A faction of the study group, called the Forkunnr, advocated that such a future should be aggressively embraced while an opposing faction, the Gangráðr, argued for a more easily controlled policy of false scarcity.
However early optimism was crushed by war, depression, and famine. Under the auspices of liberation, Vittmark annexed historically disputed territories in eastern Aedeland 7587 with a plebiscite of questionable legitimacy. The Wolgos Scourge and the depletion of Stoldavian coal mines led to hundreds of thousands of deaths in the winters of 7598 and 7599. Stoldavic coal production never recovered to pre-Scourge levels and a multi-decade economic recession followed. Theorists within the Research Office considered a far harsher future though the more optimistic theories would later heavily influence Aedelish political thought in the nuclear age.
Even those who believed in the progressive movement began to lose faith in the administrative state's bureaucratic sclerosis as war and economic woes dragged on. In 7605, coinciding with the old Republic's tercentenary, the central politburo of the Technate called for national elections to forestall certain protests and civil unrest. Following a landslide victory for the anti-Häverist republicans, the Technate was dissolved and the Constitution was restored.
Reconstitution of the Republic
Although the newly reconstituted republic presented itself as a continuation of the former, the radical reforms of the Technate made a true restoration of the 7305 Constitution impossible. Most problematic was that the ancient clan-like Aett structure upon which the old representational system was based had been forcibly destroyed and replaced by districts expressly divorced from ancestral bonds. As a result it was the Constitution of 7579 that was adopted in 7605 allowing members of both the Folkmot and the Lögrétta to once again popularly elected. Furthermore most of the bureaucratic organs of the former Technate were rolled into a greatly expanded Home Office. Rather than a restoration, the new republic was more a quasi-Orderist reformation of Aedelish Häverism under the guise of democratic accountability and state capitalism.
This restored Aedelish republicanism was the brainchild of Jon av Ærilari, the Research Office's chief political technologist. His theory of mass de-politicization was a final evolution of early Aedelish Häverist theory and used political theater, propaganda, and infiltration to subvert political opposition was a key part of the Technate's plan of managed decline.
Using ostentatiously democratic processes, the chekist administrative power continued to carry out contentious reforms with little or no genuine opposition in the following decades. However, the distribution apparatus was unable to save the floundering Aedelish economy and Aedeland slipped further into the long depression that had started at the turn of the century.
Shadow Civil War
The 7630s saw the rise of a nescient right-wing populist national socialist movement campaigning for a return to older ways, the expulsion of foreigners, and accountability of the administrative state. In 7635, the group garnered a surprise electoral win but their attempts to enact meaningful change was frustrated. It was not until the the subterfuge of the civil servants was exposed that the right was able to retake power in landslide election a decade later.
The later half of the 7640s is remembered as a particularly brutal episode of domestic unrest and brutality. The election of 7645 began a shadow civil war between covert agents of the elected national socialist government and the unelected chekist civil service. Through prosecution and blackmail Fører Aghi av Holmrygir, considered the father of modern Aedeland, gained control of Aedeland's high court, the Nævninger, from from bureaucratic loyalists and opened the door to real reform of the administrative state. At the moment of his triumph, however, the Fører was assassinated and Aedeland was thrown into a violent political war.
New Imperial Republic
When the dust of the civil war settled in 7650, Ásgeirr av Rygir and his Valfǫðr-sonr, the Sons of the Slain Fathers, secured a landslide electoral victory. As leader Ásgeirr fully restored the Imperial Republic and much of the institutions that had been abandoned by Häverist over seventy years prior. This name was used to emphasize independence of Aedeland, because an empire cannot be a subordinate country.
In 7654, Ásgeirr was named leader for life. Ásgeirr held the leadership for forty-four years. Considered a firm but fair leader, Ásgeirr presided over a period of relative peace and stability secured through the brutal suppression of opposition early in his reign. His great-grandson is the current Fører of Aedeland.
Government and Politics
Aedeland is a constitutional unitary republic with a bicameral legislature, known as the Althing, consisting of an aristocratic deliberative parliament, known as the Lögrétta, and a democratic auditory assembly, known as the Folkmōt. The Lögrétta is responsible for formulating and passing legislation. Members of the the Lögrétta are known as Jarldomen, meaning chief man, and are meant to represent the eldest and wisest members of society. The number of Jarldormen is set at one hundred and one members all appointed by and serving at the pleasure of the Fører.
The Folkmōt reviews legislation and monitors the operation of the government. Members, known as Nefndarmen or named men, are popularly elected every year for a two year term. Currently there are three hundred and twenty members each representing about twenty thousand individuals as determined by the last census. A census for this purpose is taken every seven years in what is known as the release year, the frihetsåret. The Folkmoot has the power to veto, with a majority vote, any order, resolution, or vote passed into law by the Lögrétta; to declare, by a one third vote, any law to be unconstitutional, and to impeach, by a vote of two thirds majority, any jarldorman or officer of the Fører.
National Symbols
Red, black, and white have been the national colors of Aedeland since its independence from the Stoldavic Empire. The old republican flag with a black cross, bordered in white, on a red field of the old colors which is still retained as the Fører's Imperial Standard. These colors are utilized in state regalia, uniforms, and insignia.
Modern Aedeland's standard, the Ælldingljósta, is a black lightning flash set in a white disk edged in black centered on a dark red field. It is an inversion of the previous flag of the Aedelish Technate, which had a white lightning flash set on a black disk. The white flash symbolizes the triumph of national progress and industry while the the red field symbolizes the social ideal.
The Fører himself is considered a personification of the Aedelish nation. The cult of personality surrounding the leader as an infallible multi-faceted genius with superhuman qualities approaches near deification. More abstractly, the Maiden of the Mountain, Fjǫllfreyjaelīn in Aedelish, is the female personification of Aedeland. The idealized Fører and Maiden as the personifications of the state both possess halos in official iconic representations. It has been a longstanding tradition for the winner of an annual beauty pageant to play the role of the Maiden of the Mountain during national holiday celebrations. The Western Stoldavic Great Bear is another national personification. Both the maiden and the bear are used extensively in propaganda and political cartoons.
The Fører
The leader of Aedeland, Fører means "leader" in Aedelish, has sole authority and control over the entire country. Because the Fører holds authority for life, the leaders of Aedeland have been characterized as dictators by some foreign observers and absolute monarchs by others. However, his power is subject to constitutional limits: the leader must be elected into office by his Jarldomen, laws must be approved by the upper legislature and can be vetoed by the lower legislature, and both the Fører and his officers can be impeached. There is no absolute right of succession in Aedeland and technically anyone can be elected as Fører.
The current Fører is Guðfrøðr, great-grandson of Ásgeirr av Rygir. Ásgeirr's son, Arnsteinn, assumed the leadership late in life, having been a young adult when his father was first elected. Before assuming the leadership he had garnered a reputation as a playboy, prone to scandal, who failed to achieve greatness in any role provided for him by his father. As Fører, Arnsteinn continued to live lavishly building several palatial villas and leaving much of details of administering the government to trusted advisors. Arnsteinn disliked his son Guðfrøðr the Elder whom eventually renounced his titles leading to a question of succession between the Fører's three teenage grandsons. While he favored his youngest grandson, Arnsteinn refused to name a successor. Upon his death in 7589, a brief power struggle ensued between the two older grandsons with Guðfrøðr the Younger ultimately winning the leadership.
The Gimlé
The Gimlé is a palace in Ålesund that has been the seat of Aedelish government since the founding of the Republic. The building houses the offices of the Fører and his cabinet. The south facing central edifice is the residence and office of the Fører. It also houses a large stateroom that serves as the meeting place of the cabinet, a reception room for receiving foreign dignitaries, an expansive subterranean chamber located under the central courtyard used for joint sessions of the Althing, as well as a formal dinning hall and ballroom. The east wing houses offices of the Foreign and Home Secretaries and the west wing houses the offices of the Lord Martial, members of the Fører's Own regiment, and members of the Fører's personal guard. The central courtyard is used for state ceremonies and public addresses. The Aedelish standard is flown over the Gimlé but is replaced by the Ancient Aedelish flag when occupied by the Fører.
A network of rail tunnels connect the Gimlé to Ålesund's rapid transit, the Rik Øverste, and the nearby submarine caves.
Many artifacts of Aedeland's past are displayed within the palace, notably: the tattered national ensign of the flagship Sørland, the ancient Achilleionian helmet and weaponry belonging to the semi-legendary Grìmur, the largest bull White Elephant tusks known to exist, mounted skins of the Cykerian snow bear, a massive stuffed Western Stoldavic Great Bear, the heavy iron doors of the former Fort Elisè, and the ornate headress of the Tauri Mekada al-Kahina. Many examples of classical portraiture and landscapes are on display depicting persons and locations of historical significance.
Servants within the Gimlé are exclusively Awawatu eunuchs sourced from Bulé and Hergom. The head steward serves as chief servant and the personal secretary of the Fører - a position of authority that places him in customary rank above even the Lord Martial. The female personal guard of the Fører, called the Qızları, wear the traditional uniforms of the Tauri military and are trained in the native Tauri martial art of ölüm incəsənət. The Fører's Own regiment, mounted on iconic silver Aedelish Glænta Horse serves ceremonial and security service. They wear a more ornate variation of the otherwise minimalist uniform of the Styrkene which includes an Achilleionian helmet and crescent-shaped gorgets of silver. Both the Qızları and the Fører's Own have strict physical service requirements including that members be without physical defect and over six feet tall.
The Home Office
The Home Office, led by Home Secretary Stígandr av Skírnir, advises the Fører on domestic matters.
Sørtarnland House
The Home Office is headquartered expansive former headquarters of the Sørtarnland Company in Ærilar was originally built as an international mercantile exchange. Later it became home to the Sørtarnland Company, a private venture under charter by the Aedelish Althing for the exploration of trade routes to the Phasian. At its peak during the invasion of Hanniyyahs, the company was the largest corporation in the world by various measures and had its own armed forces. The company was a strong advocate for Haverist policies and its leadership played a key role in the formation of the Technate. It was ultimately absorbed into the Technate's Distribution Apparatus in 7581 and its headquarters became home to the powerful Research Office and Controlling Secretariat. The palace now houses the Riksbank which has assumed many of the central economic planning roles of its predecessor.
The Foreign Office
The Foreign Office, led by Foreign Secretary Aksel av Vafthrúdnir, advises the Fører on matters relating to foreign policy, including the appointment of diplomatic representatives to other nations, and on the acceptance or dismissal of representatives from other nations. The diplomatic and consular departments perform the traditional roles of foreign ministries. The Free Corps, commonly called FK Aedeland, is a humanitarian relief organization and exchange program. The Skyggejæger, meaning literally Shadow Hunters, concerns itself primarily with preventing foreign espionage and influence in Aedeland. It also provides limited intelligence gathering and conducts investigations of international crimes concerning Aedelmen.
Aedeland has been labelled authoritarian and anti-democratic. It is considered by many to be a pariah state. Aedelish banking privacy and lack of regulation is considered by many to facilitate tax evasion, terrorism, and organized crime. Its support of slavery and the Styðja-kulī camps are widely condemned. Aedeland is signatory to no international treaties or alliances.
The Strykene
The military of Aedeland, known as the Styrkene, is led by Lord Martial Tóki av Tyrfing and has four branches: Ríkes Hæren (Army), Ríkes Sjøstyrkene (Navy), Valkyrja (Air Force), and Styðja (Support). Aedeland is constitutionally forbidden from maintaining a standing army and, in peace time, the Styrkene only maintains a professional military cadre of less than three thousand primarily highly technical positions in the Valkyrja and Sjøstyrkene.
By law, all males are required a minimum of two years national service upon their 18th birthday in a local regimental militia or four years of alternative service in a non-combat Styðja or Free Corps. The regimental militias are not considered a standing army though this is exacty what it is. At any given time, approximately 3% of Aedeland's population is in national service and about 20% of Aedelish men could be recalled into emergency service.
Volunteers may join as young as fifteen doing so reflects positively on a soldier's service record. Only volunteers are selected from within the Hæren for service in the Valkyrja and Ríkes Sjøstyrkene. While service is mandatory, conscientious objectors may refuse service for any reason. However, failure to serve severely restricts political and social rights. Women are prohibited from national service except for the non-deployable positions in the medical corps and secretarial staff.
Aedeland spends approximately 3% of GDP on national defense. Most of that spending is on high dollar assets of the Valkyrja and Ríkes Sjøstyrkene. In addition to the high command at Rik Øverste and a detachment at the Gimlé, the Strykene operates only five instillations: two submarine pens, two airbases, and one garrison. Regiments, numbering in the hundreds, are locally funding unless called into active service. Two permanent facilities and several dozen temporary encampments of the Styðja are funded by the Home Office.
The Aedelish military has only six ranks: conscript, volunteer, sergeant/petty officer, lieutenant, captain, and colonel/commander. All members enter service as a conscript or volunteer. Only volunteers are eligible for commission. Each branch has its own distinctive variations of a standard minimalist khaki utility uniform. Only officers and members of the Valkyrja and Ríkes Sjøstyrkene are issued more formal black dress uniforms.
The Stykene awards and decorations are limited and rarely awarded. The Blóð Ære, Aedeland's most ancient decoration, is awarded to servicemen wounded in combat. The circular medallion is struck from iron salvaged from the flagship Sørland and is stamped with the image of a wounded ancient Achilleionian warrior and is suspended from a red ribbon. The Ríkgeir, almost equally ancient as the Blóð Ære, is a black iron cross medallion forged from ancient swords supported by a band that is in the Aedelish tricolor that is awarded for exceptional merit and bravery in combat. The Ríkgeir is Aedeland's highest decoration. Several campaign medals are authorized including the Crisis Medal awarded to supporters of the Valfǫðr-sonr during the civil crisis of the 7640s and the Fører's Medal awarded to supporters of Guðfrøðr the Younger in the succession crisis.
Rík Øverste
The Rík Øverste is the ancient headquarters of Aedeland's military. The historical building houses command staff and his home to the officer's training academy. Staff officers wear wire aiguillettes. Red is worn by members of the Valkryja, black by members of the Sjøstyrkene, gold by members of the Riks Hæren, and white by members of the Styðja. This is in contrast to the laurel collar insignia worn by commanding officers.
Valkyrja
Aedeland's Air Force, called the Valkryja ( lit. 'chooser of the slain') is the dominant branch of Aedeland's military holding the majority of positons on the Styrkene's high command and receiving the majority of military funding. Long range, high altitude, high speed nuclear-powered bombers, fighters, and interceptors form the primary strike capability of the Aedelish military. Only members of the Valkryja are authorized to wear distinctive goatskin leather jackets.
Ríkes Sjøstyrkene
Aedeland largely abandoned the surface fleet model of naval warfare and since the 7560s has utilized submarines exclusively. Aedeland's submarine fleet is organized into four flotillas called Jægeráða. Jægeráða-Norðan and Jægeráða-Eystri operate in the Nordsjøen and Stolvic Ocean from a shared base near Ålesund. Jægeráða-Suðr and Jægeráða-Vestri operate in the Zeeängten and Vestsjøen from a shared base near Ærilar.
Ríkes Hæren
Aedeland's army, called the Hæren, is a decentralized regimental militia and gendarmerie. A large degree of independence is allowed by the Fører in exchange for the support of powerful Ætts. However, the ancient ties are no longer respected and commands are awarded at the discretion of the Fører.
The Hæren is organized into four functional commands. Most regiments operate as gendarme providing for internal security and are primarily responsible for policing for "asocial behavior". The Jægerkorps are the foundational infantry units specializing in vertical envelopment who work in close cooperation with the Valkyrja. Likewise, Kommandos are a specialized in maritime operations and work in close cooperation with Aedeland's navy. Finally, the herklæði are armored and mechanized units which are largely being phased out.
Væringet
The Væringet is an elite corps of the Styrkene created in 7518 to allow foreign nationals into the Aedelish army. Under the Sørtarnland Company the Væringet dwarfed the Styrkene in both size and capability. However, the collapse of Aedeland's foreign empire greatly reduced the Væringet which now only survives as a single unit fully subordinate to yet distinct from the Hæren. As such it has a unique, but equivalent, rank names and a dress uniform heavily influenced by historical uniform of the Ithreini military.
Styðja
The Styðja is a paramilitary non-combat service organization providing primarily work relief through public works programs. Operating under the same rank structure and wearing the same uniform of the regular Styrkene. Styðja camps have a dual-authority supervisory staff operating under War Office command while staffed primarily by Styðja officers under the Home Office. Each camp has a command staff drawn from the officer corps of the regular Styrkene including a camp commander, typically a captain, and several company commanders, typically lieutenants, who are responsible for discipline and administration. Technical training, work supervision, and specialist roles are provided by officers of the Styðja.
Styðja-skilja camps perform technical work encompassing a wide variety of public projects and internal improvements with the purpose of developing and enriching the lives of young Aedelmen. Furthermore, the Styðja-skilja's medical corps operates regional birthing and wellness centers throughout Aedeland. Styðja-kulī camps are operated and overseen by the Styðja but are manned by various asocial elements that includes alcoholics, beggars, homeless people, and nonconformists who perform menial and hard labor. Styðja-kulī conscripts are obligated to work for four years, though early release is available to those who agree to be chemically sterilized.
The Nævninger
The Aedelish constitution provides for an eclesiastical high court, the Nævninger, and subordinate lower courts, Lægridómi. The legal profession is open exclusively to the trúváttr caste of the The Order of Saint Adamnáin developed under the Technate. The trúváttr are trained to apply the law without prejudice, distortion, lapses in memory, or personal involvement. Children are selected for training at the first indication of eidetic memory. Only fully trained trúváttr may populate Aedelish juries, serve as legal counsel, and be appointed as judges.
Aedelish legal procedure is unique in the world. All legal claims, both civil and criminal, are private and not backed by the power of the state. In effect, this means that there are no prosecutors or criminal investigators in Aedeland and victims or other interested parties must privately investigate and prosecute crimes. There are no prisons in Aedeland. Instead, convicted criminals are condemned to corporal or capital punishment with caning and hanging being most common.
Though Aedelish citizens are provided considerably more legal protection than in other justice systems, the controversial Policing Act of 7656 has empowered regiments of the Ríkes Hæren to arrest for asocial behavior such as homelessness, littering, and public intoxication. Arrested individuals who are not redeemed by kin are taken to Styðja-kulī camps where they are provided shelter and work. Critics of the law claim it to be unconstitutional and point out that many who enter the Styðja-kulī are never released. Supporters counter that since implementation Aedeland has seen petty crime and homelessness rates plummet. Aedeland has very low crime rates and Aedelish cities have garnered a reputation as the cleanest and safest in the world.
Geography of Aedeland
Aedeland is located at the northern extreme of Anaria, encompassing the western third of Stoldavia. This strategic position places it at the crossroads of various seas: to the west lies the Straits of Andlát and the Thuaid Sea, also known as Vestsjøen or the Western Sea, while to the north is the Nordsjøen or Dlreukv Sea. Its eastern borders are shared with Vittmark. The Zeeängten and the Narrow Sea separate the southern part of Aedeland from Hallis, and the Straits of Andlát distinguish it from Cykeria to the west.
Topography and Natural Landscape
Aedeland's topography is characterized by its remarkable diversity and heavy glaciation. The northern region is dominated by fertile steppes, offering expansive agricultural opportunities. In stark contrast, the central part of Aedeland is known for its high plateaus and rugged mountain ranges, largely undeveloped and wild. These mountains give way to deep valleys and rugged coasts along the western border, adding to the dramatic natural scenery.
One of Aedeland's most famous geographical features is its rugged coastline, intricately carved with deep fjords. These fjords, a result of glacial activity, have shaped the country's coastal landscape, creating spectacular natural harbors and breathtaking scenery. The presence of these fjords has also influenced the country's culture and history, often being featured in local folklore and mythology.
In contrast to the rugged central and western regions, the southern coast of Aedeland boasts fertile plains. Though fewer in number, these plains are known for their agricultural productivity. Fertile valleys, which crisscross the country, further enhance the agricultural potential of the region, acting as natural conduits for trade and communication between different parts of the country.
Mestrhorn stands as the highest point in Aedeland, a symbol of the country's diverse and imposing natural landscape. This peak, part of the central Auðigrháls range, adds to the country's rich topographical diversity, offering a stark contrast to the fertile plains and deep fjords.
Climate
Ålesund, the capital and northernmost major city in Aedeland, exemplifies the climate north of the Auðigrháls range. The summers are short, comfortable, and partially cloudy and the winters are long, cool, windy, and mostly cloudy. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 34°F to 70°F and is rarely below 25°F or above 79°F. It experiences an average low temperature of 1.2°C (34.2°F) in January and an average high of 22.1°C (71.8°F) in July. Cloud cover is common year round with mostly cloudy or overcast 73% percent of the time in December and clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 56% of the time in July. The month with the most rain in Ålesund is November, with an average rainfall of 2.4 inches. July is the driest time of the year with only 1.4 inches of rainfall on average.
The climate south of the Auðigrháls is notably warmer. Aedeland's largest city, Ærilar, exemplifies the southern climate. The summers are short, hot, arid, and clear and the winters are long, cool, wet, and partly cloudy. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 47°F to 88°F and is rarely below 40°F or above 96°F. The cloudiest month of the year in Ærilar is February, during which on average the sky is overcast or mostly cloudy 42% of the time. However, the clearer part of the year from April to Novermber on average the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 90% of the time.
Western Coastal Areas and Inland Climate
In the western peninsular areas of Aedeland, the climate is predominantly temperate. This moderate climate results largely from the influence of the Thuaid Sea (Vestsjøen) Current, which helps to regulate temperatures along the coast. This current brings milder air, preventing the extremes of temperature often found further inland or in more northern latitudes.
Moving inland, the climate of Aedeland changes considerably. Winters become cold, diverging from the temperate conditions on the coast. Summers in these regions are relatively cool, lacking the more pronounced warmth experienced in coastal areas. This variation highlights the significant climatic difference between the coastal and inland areas of Aedeland.
Northern Coast and Arctic Regions
The northern coast of Aedeland experiences a cool and rainy climate throughout the year, creating a distinct environmental zone compared to the rest of the country. Further north, in the Arctic areas of Aedeland, the climate becomes even more severe, with harsh winters characterizing these regions. The Arctic zones of Aedeland thus represent some of the most extreme climatic conditions in the country.
Cultural Geography of Aedeland
Hárfólk and Víkingur Cultures
In Haraland and Skoldaland, the Hárfólk and Víkingur cultures are nearly indistinguishable, with a common origin story suggesting that the Hárfólk were founded by Víkingurs who retreated to the highlands to escape the authority of the Mormärs of Storhavn. Both groups have adapted to life on challenging and less fertile soils, forging a rugged existence. Known for their spirit of daring, frugality, tremendous earnestness, self-reliant and always ready to assert themselves. Their culture is marked by a rough style of dress, favoring coarse wool, fur, and deerskin, and they are known for their crudeness, infighting, and rebellious nature.
Bulé Culture
Predominantly found in Nordaland and Valland, the Bulé culture is known for its strict, hardworking farm lifestyle and puritanical mores. This group is easily identifiable by their distinctive black, plain dress. They exemplify a culture deeply rooted in agricultural traditions and religious conservatism. The Bulé people are known for their piety, austerity with regard to behavior and displays of wealth, discipline, high moral principle and marked integrity, and mighty zeal for education.
Alsæ Culture
Found almost exclusively within Alsaeland and southern Skoldaland, the Alsæ represent the most metropolitan of Aedeland's subcultures. The urban population in Alsaeland, which wields significant cultural influence in Aedeland, has been heavily influenced by foreign cultures, particularly from central Anaria via Achilleio and Thultannia. In contrast, the rural Alsæ maintain more traditional cultural elements with less pronounced foreign influence. Their elaborate folk dress, often featuring colorful embroidery, scarves, bonnets, and shawls, are notable.
Ayren Culture
Located in the southern state of Mildeland, the Ayren culture is a liberalized variant of the northern Bulé. Blessed with mild weather and fertile soil, the Ayren are known as idyllic agriculturalists with a Provençal disposition. This culture contrasts with the more austere Bulé, reflecting the influence of their more temperate and prosperous environment.
Political Geography
The provincial governments in Aedeland, known as lægrivöld, are characterized by a diverse array of local assemblies, each operating under its own unique constitution. This structure reflects the varied political and administrative landscapes across the provinces, allowing for a degree of local autonomy and governance that aligns with the specific needs and traditions of each area. While some of these local assemblies function as democracies, a majority operate under the Hérað system. This system is notable for its gerontocratic nature, where governance is predominantly in the hands of elder members of the community.
Aedeland consists of four lægrivöldfyrir situated in Stoldavia: Nordland, Skojdland, Háraland, and Mildeland. The two lægrivöldannarr are former colonies, Åland and Cykeria, that have been fully integrated into the Aedelish state.
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Nordaland
Extending from the western shores of the Stilvatn in the east to the northern coast of the Skjold peninsula int he west, Nordaland is the northernmost lægrivöldfyrir. Historically, the region has been dominated by the sheep and wool industry. The wool trade is considered Aedeland's traditional source of wealth and the ancient Aetts of Nordaland, having once been most firmly under the influence of Östervallen, have exerted disproportionate influence on Aedeland's history. In addition to sheep and wool, Nordland's loess hills are Aedeland's primary producer of cereal grains. Before mechanization, harvesting required cooperative teams of 120 men and 320 mules moving from farm to farm as the crops ripened. This communal life gave rise to the Bulé subculture. As the first region to industrialize, Nordaland has always been the Aedeland's powerhouse with the largest economy in Aedeland. The Stilvatn basin and the the Rikranna river valley of Eastern Nordaland are home to most of Aedeland's heavy industry. |
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Skjoldaland
The western Skjolda peninsula has long been dominated by the sea-going wealth of Storhavn whose authority has been reinforced by the isolation of the region's rugged coasts and difficult terrain. Life in Skjolda is difficult and uncertain and for most of Aedeland's history its people have lived barely above subsistance giving rise to its fiercely independent raiding Víkingur culture. It was only been recently that rail and road projects have integrated the region socially and economically into greater Aedeland. Today's Skjolda's fishing and highland wool industries rival that of Nordaland. |
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Háraland
Aedeland's mountainous central lægrivöldfyrir is its least populous region. Its people, the Hárfólk, are closely related and historically aligned to the Víkingur of Skjoldland. Háraland was for most of its history been sparsely populated but has seen rapid urbanization the last century. It's largest urban center is Vintersæte. Its primary industries are chemicals and forest products. |
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Mildeland
Aedeland's most diverse lægrivöldfyrir is Mildeland. It is home to Aedeland's largest city and popular culture center, Ærilar. The hime-rike region of Aedeland's south western Aryas coast is home to Aedeland's manufacturing industry. The Mildeland peninsula is Aedeland's breadbasket. |
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Åland
Åland includes the isles of the Aereyjar, an island chain between Cykeria and Thultannia also known as the Chain of Vind. Åland was settled by an western Aldsegian people that seperated from the eastern branch that would become the Aedelish sometime before the migration to Stoldavia. These native populations mixed with migrations of Emther and Aedelish Víkingur to create the distinctive Ålander culture. The Ålanders are a seafaring people and its primary industry is fishing. |
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High Cykeria
High Cykeria, Œztr Sikaland in Aedelish, is located on the southern tip of the Jorvic continent north of Anaria, Once a colony, Cykeria was fully integrated into Aedeland under the Technate. With over 95% of the population residing in Grænaborg, High Cykeria offers a unique blend of expansive territory with low population density. Cykeria's significance to Aedeland extends beyond its geographical expanse. Cykeria is an exonym derived from a corruption of the Aedelish síkaland which roughly translates as "our homeland". The native Cykerians are considered forebears of all Aldsegians. Greater Cykeria, however, is largely populated by Nordalander's who immigrated to escape persecution of the Greater Stoldavic Empire. |
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Great Cykeria
Great Cykeria represents a strategic expansion of Aedeland's territory. This expansion includes the entirety of the Arctic islands and the full extent of the Arctic ice cap, as defined by its maximum reach in 7610. Despite its vast area, it remains the least populated province in Aedeland. The province is blessed with exceptionally large mineral deposits, which have become a major boon to both the Aedelish economy and the national budget. The wealth of natural resources found here includes lead, cobalt, iron, platinum, and gold. These deposits are not only abundant but are also among the highest quality and most accessible to Anarian industry. The proximity of these resources to major industrial centers in Anaria makes extraction particularly lucrative, positioning Cykeria as a key player in Aedeland's economic landscape. |
Economy
Post-Technate Valfǫðr-sonr Economic Program is a system of production, distribution, and consumption that defies classification in any of the usual categories. It is not capitalism. It has does not possess the autonomous market that is characteristic of capitalism. Nor is it state capitalism: the government has very little direct say in economic matters. It is not socialism or communism. Absolute private property rights are considered to be critically essential and private profit still exists.
Aedelish economic policy is heavily influenced by economic theories developed by the Research Office in the early years of the Technate. These theories attempted to address the hypothetical economic situation that dominated Aedelish Häverist intelligentsia in which most goods can be produced in great abundance with minimal human labor needed. In his seminal work, Absurdities of Excess, Ødger av Estriðír argued that post scarcity, which he defined as freedom from subsistance, had been achieved by the industrialization of the late 7400s and that the consequences of ever-increasing excess productive capacity would present greatest challenge of the modern era. In Absurdities, av Estriðír posits that post-scarcity capitalism is a fraudulent economy of absurd taxation, customary pricing, unproductive jobs, and mindless entertainment obscured the seizure of surplus by an oligarchy. Socialism, if it isn't itself captured by oligarchy, simply gives the surplus away leading to, in av Estriðír's contention, self indulgence and destructive nihilism. Likewise, a policy of false scarcity justified either by a mythos of unsustainability which av Estriðír called "the terror of unreasonable nature" or the authority of oligarchic expertise in the case of Häverism and its derivatives is either a squandering or another obscuration. According to av Estriðír, a positive answer to the existential question of industry must go beyond nihilism, socialism, or false scarcity. The problem, argued av Estriðír and his disciples, the Forkunnr, is not excess but our insistence on preserving our outdated social technology. While av Estriðír acknowledged that maximalism would compound rather than solve the absurdities of excess, he argued that Aedelish social technology must be advanced to meet problems exasperated by the surplus. As such, he prescribed the actively culling the nihilistic and oligarchic tendency and dutifully reinvesting the the excess for the benefit of all.
Valfǫðr-sonr Social Economic Program
- Nationalization of Primary Commodities
- Taxation of Unproductive Assets
- Incentivization of Pro-Civic Behavior
- Sterilization of Undesirables
- Eliminate unemployment
- Establish private housing for all
- Initiate a program of public works
- Eliminate usury
- Abolish rents
- Reduce imports
Banking
The state-owned Riksbank Æðelandr, or simply the Riksbank, was founded in 7654 and is headquartered at the Sørtarnland House in Ærilar. Its head is the Home Secretary. Whereas most monetary authorities set monetary policy by monetizing debt introduced into the economy through the financial industry, Aedeland sets monetary policy through interest-free loans introduced into the economy through productive industries. Regulation is done primarily through informal guidance, such as lending quotas, to regulate the supply of credit.
Currency
Since 7305, the national currency of Aedeland has been the Standarværdi, or Standard, which uses the symbol $. Though the Standard was until 7579 fixed to a standard 400 ounces of gold from which its name derives, the contemporary Standard is a fiat currency with a floating exchange rate. The Riksbank issues currency in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 Standard. The Standard divides into 20 Sterling in denominations of 1 (1/20 of a Standard), 2 (1/10 Standard), 5 (1/4 Standard), 10 (1/2 Standard), and 20 (1 Standard). The Sterling divides into 12 pence, making 240 pence to a Standard. A mixed sum, such as 2 standard, 5 sterling, and 6 pence, was written as "2$5/6" and spoken as "two standard five and six" or "two standard five and sixpence". In everyday exchanges the Standard is considered a large sum and sums less than a Standard, such as "1/1" or "2/6" are spoken as "one and a penny" or "two and six pence".
Taxation
The Aedelish have long resisted taxation. For most of its history Aedeland had no formal taxation and instead each aett had to provide manpower for the so-called "common burdens" - a tradition retained in the contemporary national service. In the late first republic, the national government came to rely heavily on import duties and direct taxation on colonial subjects. Under the Technate, an unpopular direct progressive tax was implemented which was repealed early in the leadership of Ásgeirr av Rygir and replaced by a tax on unproductive assets such as precious metals, collectibles, speculative real estate, currencies, luxury goods and unproductive land.
Citizen's Dividend
Aedeland has a large number of state-owned and state-licensed enterprises in communication, transportation, energy, valuable lands and natural resources. Revenue from these various state monopolies are redistributed as the fólk-fé, or citizen's dividend which provides all citizens with a basic income and serves as a social insurance. Only male citizens who complete national service are eligible to receive the base share. Married couples with at least three children are entitled to a higher dividend, one share per member of household, which is permanent if the husband works consistently until age 45. The dividend varies based on market conditions and there is no predetermined yield.
Healthcare
Aedelanders enjoy a high quality of life by first world standards. Aedeland's private medical system is one of the best in the world. Aedeland's boasts 51 physicians and 35.5 beds per 10,000 population. The average life expectancy is 87 years and Aedeland's fertility rate, at 4.34%, is far healthier than other Anarian countries which are consistently below the minimum replacement level of about 1.9 children per woman necessary for demographic stability.
Aedeland's healthcare policy is formulated in light of statistical evidence that a small proportion of the population is responsible for a very large percentage of total health spending. In fact, only one percent are a quarter of total demand on the healthcare system and five percent are responsible for over half of demand. Furthermore patients over the age of 55 represent more than half of total demand. The Aedelish healthcare system greatly reduces access to chronic, self-inflicted conditions, old-age, and end-of-life care allowing for substantial cost savings. Instead Aedeland is heavily invested in quality of care and preventative treatment. Aedeland invests most heavily in natal care which is primarily responsible for its high average life expectancy. Aedelish birthing centers provide inpatient intensive care from the earliest detection of pregnancy until weening.
Agriculture and Fishery
Agriculture, as an important sector in Aedeland's economy, is heavily subsidized and protected. Agriculture in Aedeland is intensive, highly mechanized, and efficient by Stoldavian standards producing about 90% of food needs with only 5% of the labor force. Around two thirds of production is devoted to livestock, one third to arable crops. The three largest Aedelish agricultural products by value are milk and cream produced primarily in the west, fruits and vegetables from the south, and wheat from the north. Aedeland has a long fishing tradition. Coastal fishing by small boats, set nets, or breeding techniques accounts for about one third of the industry's total production, while offshore fishing by medium-sized boats makes up for more than half the total production. Deep-sea fishing from larger vessels makes up the rest. Aedeland is one of the few nations of Gotha that still supports commercial whaling using the derived oil primarily in the Aedelish aerospace industry.
Energy and Transportation
The state-run Mjallinar Company operates fourteen very-high-temperature pebble bed reactors normally generating about 88% per cent of Aedeland's electricity. There are two reactors under construction and more planned. Furthermore, thousands of small-modular reactors are used throughout Aedeland to power remote facilities, ships, and aircraft. The remainder of Aedeland's energy needs are met primarily by hydropower with a marginal contribution from geothermal facilities.
Aedeland has been at the forefront of nuclear propulsion technology. Aedeland's first mobile reactors were developed to transition the Aedelish navy from dwindling fossil fuels. Similar technology was utilized to power trains soon after. Aedeland pioneered nuclear-powered direct air cycle jet engines and ramjets - producing the first supersonic nuclear-powered production aircraft, the "Atgeir".
Eldiviðinn is Aedeland's largest producer and distributor of syngas which is widely used as a replacement for traditional fossil fuels. Syngas is a mixture of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2) that is used as a fuel gas produced from carbonaceous feedstocks, primarily peat.
Culture
Aedeland possesses a high trust society with almost universal ethical values. Aedeland remains one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogenous nations of Gotha with 92.4% of Aedelanders simply identifying as Aedelish. This is largely the result of strict immigration limits and deportation schemes of the New Imperial Republic. Furthermore, the law limits citizenship to ethnic status and requires all official business in Aedeland to be conducted in Aedelish.
Religion
The predominant religious belief in Aedeland is the Orkanan sect known as 'Salvede Trú' which is also known informally as the faith or the way. Orkanan was first brought by the Stoldavian elite who subjugated Western Stoldavia approximately 500 years ago. The schism of 7156 separated Aedelish Orkanist from Mellanhand Orkanan and over the course of four hundred years and compounded by only a peripheral initial exposure to mainline Orkanan doctrine the Aedelish sect greatly diverged from its imperial Orkanan origins. Further Aedelish Orkanist integrated disparate practices they encountered among Cykerian nomads, the natives of Achilleio, the Aladians of Tzeraka, the beauty cultist of Tauruças, and Anuric warriors of the Hanniyyahs, and even those of the Wolgos. The result is a unique synthesis far removed from its origins.
Priests, called prestr, and officials of the Church of Aedeland are not required to take vows of celibacy and are free to marry. Those who have taken a vow of celibacy are expected to remain celibate for the duration of their vow. A two-day Sabbath is observed by the Church of Aedeland. On the seventh day of the week, Aedelanders take a day of rest refraining from manual labor and enjoying relaxation and leisure. The first day of the week is a day of worship. By law, all businesses are closed on both days but no law, other than social convention, requires idleness or prohibits certain activities over the sabbath.
Monasteries hold a dominant place in the church. Abbots, called bryti, hold episcopal authority and titles that would otherwise be held by a high priest and a secular judge. Abbots are usually descended from the founder of their order and, in many ways, mirror the ancient secular political structure of Aedeland. The Order of Adamnáin is recognized as holding supremacy over the other monastic orders which is exercised primarily within the judicial power of the church.
Monastic life in Aedeland is open to all members of society and adherents are free to move in and out. Typically, exceptional youths are sent to study at a monastic community, leave as adults, and return in their old age. Those who take monastic vows, called brother or broþer, are prohibited from cutting the hair of the head and drinking alcohol (excepting sacramental wine).
The materialist Aedelish monastic orders place a strong emphasis on scholasticism and control all Aedelish schools and universities. Furthermore, they embrace a secular and communal tradition that largely abandons the traditional isolation of monasticism. During periods of penance, monks are to shave the hair of the head, wear sackcloth, and fast. It is common among some Aedelish orders to shave the hair of their heads completely or wear their hair short as an act of piety implying a state of perpetual penance and that long hair is a hallmark of the impenitent. As such, the Aedelish tonsure is no tonsure at all.
Transcendentalist ascetic practices are a subset of a tradition of temporary and permanent penitential exile called peregrinatio that combine traditions of pilgrimage and severe discipline. These orders stand apart from the mainline Aedelish monasticism, rejecting their hierarchical structure and secularism. The mendicant orders of Aetherion and Erebrion embrace the ancient Aldsegian tradition of itinerant holy men. Followers of these orders take vows of poverty, celibacy, and compassion, do not marry, and are revered as holymen. Similar to Aedelish monasticism, one’s devotion to a mendicant order may be temporary or lifelong and are often undertaken in conjunction with peregrinatio. The Aetherioni, the Order of the Living, wear white sackcloth and engage in street preaching, social criticism, feed the poor and care for the infirm. The Erebrioni, the Order of the Dead, wear black robes and care solely for the dead. Neither order practices tonsure and completely reject mainline pietism.
Language
Modern Aedelish is the dominant Aldsay language and derives directly from Old Aedelish which is characterized as a highly consistent and precise language still used by Aedelish academia. Modern Aedelish utilizes similar though less exacting grammar with complex compounding word forms and detailed syntax. The precision of Aedelish comes due to its extensive vocabulary with very precise definitions and its being highly inflected. The strict traditional Hárfólk dialects are closest to Old Aedelish while dialects of southern Aedeland are heavily influenced by nearby Anarian languages and northeastern Aedelish dialects utilize so many Stoldavic loanwords that it is mutually intelligible with Wortsproke.
Naming Conventions
Aedeland uses the Stoldavic prepositional naming convention. Historically all Aedelanders were given a name at birth followed by a preposition identifying the ætt to which they belonged. Individuals of the same ætt with the same birth name were given additional names, either a dimunitive or restrictive appositive, to distinguish between them. The later are always honorifics though often disparaging. Foreigners and some Aedelanders who left their ætt would instead use their city or occupation. This same convention was adopted when ætt were replaced by districts under the Technate.
Examples (in descending formality):
- Óláfr av Stórraumer - Traditional Aedelish name for a man named Óláfr of the leading household of the Raumer, an ætt in eastern Skjoldaland.
- Óláfr inn digrir av Raumer - Traditional Aedelish restrictive appositive for a man named Óláfr who is either overweight or wealthy.
- Óláfr inn yngri av Raumer - Traditional Aedelish name for a man named Óláfr whose father has the same name.
- Óláfr av Raumer - Traditional Aedelish name for a man named Óláfr of the Raumer.
- Óli av Raumer - Traditional Aedelish dimunitive familiar nickname for a man named Óláfr.
- Óláfr inn smiðr av Ascolat - Mordern Aedelish name for a man named Óláfr from the district of Ascolat who works as a skilled factory laborer.
- Óláfr av Ascolat - Modern Aedelish name for a man named Óláfr from the district of Ascolat, an industrial city in Nordaland.
Education
Whereas in most systems ninety percent of education resources go to the bottom ten percent of academic performers, Aedeland's education policy inverts this traditional education paradigm. Education is not mandatory in Aedeland and most students are taught at home. Schools outside the home are highly competitive, even in the primary grades. Although Aedeland's literacy rate exceeds 99% and Aedelish students consistently achieve exemplary test scores, university admission rates average less than 10% and less than 5% of young adults, aged 15-25 are enrolled in higher education. The University of Aulë, Aedeland's flagship university and most respected, accepts less than 5% of applicants.
Women's Rights
Aedelish society remains staunchly patriarchal and feminists groups have long campaigned against Aedelish cultural traditions. It is unusual and socially unacceptable for a married woman to work and, although there are no legal restrictions, women do not hold positions of authority. Furthermore, Aedeland has a long history of legalized prostitution.
Ætt and Distrikt
The historical unit of Aedelish society is the ætt. An ætt is a kin group or clan with roots in ancient Aedelish tribal groups. The ættsrett is ancestral land held by the ætt in allodium. The ættsrett has its origins in territories occupied by the one hundred supporters of Guðfriðr Veiðikonungr upon their arrival to the Vestureyjar. According to ancient Aedelish custom and laws, ancestrial land, called an Ættsrett, is held by the ætt in common and can not be partitioned. As an ætt grows it must either expand by displacing its neighbors, establish a colony, or by transferring its members to a smaller ætt. Each ætt contains several families and is largely self contained and under the authority of a council of elders, known as an ættþing. The elders of the ætt hold near absolute authority.
The growth of an ætt often necessitates expansion, traditionally achieved through displacement of neighboring Ætt or transferring members to smaller ones. Post the First Stoldavic Empire's collapse, this expansionist approach led to conflicts among Ætt. The dominance of Alesund forced Aedelmenn to seek new territories abroad in Åland, High Cykeria, Achilleio, Taures, and the Bulé Republics. Under the Technate, the Ætts were considered a inefficient hinderance to industrial progress and most were dissolved to be replaced by districts typically aligned with functional divisions comparable in many respects to company towns.
For over a hundred years workers have moved between districts connected by vocation rather than kinship. Some Ætts retain a less former association despite the loss of their ancestral ættsrett. However, tough economic conditions in the late Technate saw many Aedelmen move from ancestral homes to pursue work and within two generations most could not name the Ætt from which they came. However, Ætt culture survived among the wealthy and in the remote hinterlands. In modern Aedeland, a social division has emerged with an aristocratic class belonging to a historical Ætt and a large underclass belonging to a district.
Media
Newsprint remains the media of choice in Aedeland. While most hundreds produce their own newspaper, Ærilar's ÆRILYS is considered Aedeland's paper of record and claims the largest readership. Other popular national publications include the Sladder, a weekly tabloid covering Aedelish society, and the Leiðtogi, a daily newspaper on political and economic news.
Cinema is among the most popular modern art forms, largely supplanted the theater, and an important source of cultural cohesion within Aedeland. Aedelish cinema is known for its seriousness and aesthetically idealized style.