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Nation name: The United Norse Realms, or UNR
National Ideology: True Order or proto-facism
Nation's Leader(s): Vinr Bjorn Yngling
National Government Type: Autocratic Dictatorship
National history: The history of the the Fylkirate comes at the formation of the first Unification under Haraldr "Farihair" in the year 880 A.D, after he conquered the tribes of Svea and Sjaelland, unting them with his realm of Norge, or Norway. Though he had crowned himself King of Norge in 874, subjugating any who disputed his claim. Though he had to put down some revolts, his great raids into the lands of the Franks and Anglo-Saxons earned him much renown and convinced the Jarls of Svea and Sjaelland to kneel before him and unite southern Scandinavia. A devout man of the Old Ways, Haraldr brought together the greatest Godi's and Vala's of the new realm and together, alogn with several other chiefs, wrote the first copy of The Saga, combining their way's and myths into one compiliation, mimicing the faith's of Islam and Christianity. They declared Haraldr Fylkir in the style of the Islamic Caliph and named him rightful ruler of the north. After many daring expiditions into Iceland and Finland, Haraldr grew too old for military conquest and began his work reforming his lands, developing them into a feudal structure in the style of the German realms to his south. These political reforms, documented in the Fastrvald, paved the way to true unification amongst the Norse people. Roads between the three great cities of Haraldrsalr, Sjaehearth and Uppland were constructed and many villages began to appear, much like in the south. In the year of 921 AD, Haraldr decided he would lead one last campaign. Taking up his axe once more, marching his armies north to Lappland, to convert the Deer worshippers in the name of Odin. Though his armies would succeed, Haraldr took heavy wounds in the battle, and died in his son, Bjorn's arms. Taking up his father's axe, Bjorn cut down nearly 1,000 Lappish Deer Slaves that day and named the taken territory Haraldrhani, as a permanant insult to the Lappish for their crime. When Bjorn returned, there was no doubt who would suceed Haraldr, and while some Jarls tried to rebel, Bjorn was crowed Fylkir and the first Nordic emperor, having fulfilled his father's dream of uniting the north.
Bjorn and his descendants would add further additions to the realm, like the rest of Denmark. Due to the Norse Faith's hostility towards Christendom, many fortresses and walls were constructed over the years to keep out Chrstians. In most places within the empire it became a capital crime to preach Christianity and would often result in the offender being offered as a blood eagle. However, Ragnarr the Kind or Ragnarr I realized the benefits in allowing the Christians to live in peace and allowed the state of Jylland in Denmark to act as a buffer zone for Christians to live in peace. The next major event in the Nordic history was the Ice War, in which the armies of Halfdan the Conqueror invaded and deafeated the natives of Greenland and established a permanent shipping port as part of the empire there. It was from this port, later known as Nordland, that the great explorer, Thonarr Wind-born, would set out and find what he called Skrealand in the year 1365, or what we know as Nunavut. Establishing a village there, he reported back to Fylkira Astrid the Great, who endorsed settling the new land. By the time Columbus sailed west in 1492, Skraeland was a flourishing colony that allowed and welcomed natives who converted to the Norse faith, while conquering, raiding and pillaging those who refused. By 1600, Skraeland covered most of Nunavut and was beginning to extend west into the land we know as the Northwest territories.
Meanwhile back in the homeland, trouble was brewing. After years of being treated lesser, the Mjolniri rebellion arose in Sweden, complaining about the absolute power that the Fylkir held for centuries. This began the bloody conflict known as the Ragnarok, as much of the Homeland burned. Beginning in 1610, it did not end until 1634 with the brokering of the treaty of Haraldrsalr, which forced the abdication of Valdr the Weak in favour of his brother Sigurd "Steelfist". Under Sigurd's rule, the Mikilrad, or "great agreement" was drafted, creating the Great council, under which the Fylkir would seek advice and vote with the leader of each great house and elected officials from each state of the realm, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Lappland, The Islands (Greenland and Iceland), Finland and Skraeland. The council's power is limited to vote started by the Fylkir, however members do talk regularly with the current leader and can influence his decision. Since that time, the Nordic Empire has been looking to solidify it's hold on Northern Canada while expanding west. The 1700's were a particularly chaotic time due to the Nyrad, the Technological revolution. Brought about by Eric the Scholar's observation of how some Nordic Technologies were far behind those of the Southerners. He began to fund scientists to put reasearch into Runic printing presses and began to do basic reasearch into wood powered steam engines. They also caught up with Southern muskets by the late 1790s. Following the death of Eric in 1806, Fylkir Eric, though young, has continued the funding of sciences and has pushed the beggining of "industrialization" through funding research into coal powered steam engines.
Following the bloody civil war known as the Plight of Christian, The Nordic Empire reformed into a democracy. However, after the Democracy's failure as a government, the True Order party seized control, outlawing other parties and restructuring the country as the UNR.
Language: Norse, a more adapted version of old Norse, mixing elements of Sapmi and Finnish into the language, making a smoother more universal tongue for the empire. Skraelanders speak a slightly different dialect that fuses Native American, specifically Inuit, words into the language as well. The nordic empire also uses the Runic alphabet instead of the Latin one, however will not refuse to transliterate on official documents. The upper class also practices German so as better to communicate with their closest neighbors.
National Religion: Norse or Germanic, a worship primarily based on honor and prestige in one's life. Dedicated to a pantheon of Gods, chief amongst these Odin, Frey and Thor, religous authority comes from the Fylkir themself, leading from a role similar to what the Islamic Caliph once did. Followers of the Religion are required as the head of their house to hold a blot for all realitives and servants every nine years to feast in the name of the gods. While many simply sacrifice animals at these feasts, the Fylkir often sacrifices prisoners of high status or well known criminals. To be arrested near the time of the Blot is to submit to public sacrifice in the name of the gods. Gender roles dictate that followers of the gods are judged by Glory and not gender, infidel men are inferior to both and infidel women are to be treated only slightly better than Animals. While raiding has become a dying facet of the religion, it is not uncommon to hear of pioneers razing native villages who would not convert or zealot pirates on the seas raiding cargo and military ships, particularly in the North Sea and Carribean.
National Culture/Identity: While the Norse culture remains the most prevalent, slight variations of it appear depending on location, while Lappland and Finland still retain parts of their native culture. Skrealand however features a blended culture of Norse and Native called Midrstadr, which moderizes extreme parts of both cultures. Traditional Norse culture advocates treatment of others by their courage and morales, and representatives are often elected because of their feats and not politics. A prisoner may choose Trial by Combat for their freedom and axe duels, or Holmgange, are often employed to settle disputes. The culture places freedom as one of it's highest values and doesn't shy away from human nature, normalizing and even promoting lust and greed. Typical fashion for men involves leather or fur boots, followed by either leather trousers or a fur battle skirt. A flowing wool shirt covered by a leather cuirass is the average top wear, though a simple tunic, or even shirtlessness are seen just as often. Women's fashion often resembles mens, with the exception of excluding shirtlessness. Married women or housewives will often wear dresses instead of the more rugged wear desrcibed above. Noble men will wear heavier, more regal wool and cotton clothese, covered by long capes of fur, resembling that of other european royalty. Noble Women will wear typically more active and free dresses than the gowns of Southeners, though it is no unheard of the Empress to copy these styles. Headgear is usually a metal helmet if worn, with the exception of nobility. Jarls and great military leaders will wear steel coronets embedded with a gem of their choice, while the Fylkir wears crown of intertwined bands of gold and steel, topped with a spire of silver, meant to represent Frey, Thor and Odin respectively. Norse culture allows for taking of slaves, as long as they are not of Norse faith or culture, with Indians and Mesoamericans being the most popular. A Norse man may take additional concubines, should he wish, from either his own slaves, or through agreement with the women's head of house. Women do not have concubines as men do, but it is normal, if not expected for her to take at least a few consorts if she has a place of power. Hunting has a place of great glory amongst the society and hunaters are always welcome amongst the hearths of the Norse. Combat is encouraged and any young man or woman who does not jump to join the military is often considered a coward or a weakling unless they can prove themselves in some other way, such as academics, or hunting.
Territory (Consult the link to the map on the OP): Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Lappland, Finland, Iceland and Greenland), Nunavut and the North West Territories.
Capital City:Haraldrsalr, located where Oslo is in our world
Population: 20 Million
MILITARY STATISTICS
Head General: Mesterseggr Lief Haraldrssen
Generals Staff: The Arnarseggrs of each of the 3 military branches
Military strength: Standing Army: 1,000,000 Reserve Army: 200,000
(Please provide a Total Standing Army size, and a Reserve Army Size)
(Your standing army is your army while at peace, and your reserves can only be called up during war)
(If your nation has a Conscript Army, the size of your Standing Army will be 5% of your population, and you will have a Reserve Army of 1% of your Population)
(If your nation has a Conscript Army, the size of your Standing Army will be 1% of your population, and you will have a Reserve Army of 5% of your Population)
1. List the Branches of your Military (Marines, Army, Navy, Special Units, Cavalry, etc.) and their Manpower Size (Standing Army and Reserves):
Jomsvikings, or Helbringers: 50,000 men, elitel geurilla fighter/ raiding force. Known for rolling in with the fog, and leaving with it, causing some superstition that they are in fact ghosts.
Jarmrmiehet (navy): 250,000 men, spaced out around small raiding longships to large modern vessels, like the great Jarmrhallitas, which while few and in between, have be known to rival English first rate ships. The Jarmrmiehet have also been recruting large numbers of scientists for secret projects recently as well.
Maafirar (Army) 700,000 men, spread about 500,000 in the homeland and 200,000 in the canadian lands, with most of the reserve forces part of the colonial force. The military still uses mostly muskets, though more sucessful units have begun to use rifles, though no more than 10,000 men in the main army. However the calvary still employs a deadly war axe, pistol dual wield combination to deal devastating close range attacks. The relatively new "Skogrvordr" use experimental "Ullr" class long rifles, easiet compared to the Harpers Ferry 1816 model in our world. The Maafirar also utilizes 30 pounder long gun cannons in combat.
