Rithic Factbook

[Rithian]

The Foreigners Guide to the Glorious Coalition of Rithian

By - Vikalahy Mifohn

Part I: Geography

The Coalition of Rithian is comprised of 256 member-states all over the world, comprising a total of seventeen million square miles in land area. As a comparison, the cumulative area of the territories is roughly equal to the size of the continent of Asia. The Coalition generally restricts membership to islands and small continents so as to prevent bordering other nations that might spark an over-land conflict. As such, it currently has no adjacent neighbors.

Mt. Tymlah's peak is the highest point in the Coalition, at a towering height of 7,564 feet, located in the member-state of Agrasia. This mountain is part of the Greater Vilvereh Mountain Range, located on the Agrasian island of Vilvereh.

The majority of Rithic lands near the equator are entirely devoted to farming, so as to provide food for the areas of the nation near or above the Arctic circle. The aforementioned Arctic lands are mostly urban, with patches of wilderness left near the colder areas. These house the majority of the nation's industry.

Part II: Economy

In an attempt to revive its economy as fast as possible, Rithian has turned to would could be described as hyper-capitalism. With very few taxes blocking them, the corporations are free to make business ventures as they please. The natural evolution of businesses means that eventually companies will fall, with others rising in their place.

The GDP of Rithian is estimated at $300 Trillion by the Preliminary 2013 Nero Economic Report. When adjusted for population, the figure is ~$38,000 per capita. This economic strength is estimated to be at about the 99th percentile in the world by the World Assembly's Civil Rights, Economy, & Political Freedoms Trend.

The currency of the Coalition is known as the Nikal (Nee-kahl). It is about 1.8 times stronger than the Universal Standard Dollar, and is one of the strongest currencies in the world.

Economic growth has been placed at somewhere around 450% for the last decade, due largely to the capitalist reforms of Meiano Haster Quiez and his successor, Meiano Roya Malkyah. Due to this large growth, the country is looking towards reversing some of it's pro-corporate laws, since they are no longer necessary to support the economic system.

Part III: Military

The Coalition's military is divided into several separate military agencies. The first is the Rithic Army (RA), over which the Lord Generals preside. The second is the Arctic and Northern Defense Force (ANDF), which relieves the RA from domestically guarding the large cities and population centers of the polar regions. Thirdly is the Nefushaten, which serves as the special operations team for the Coalition, covering extractions of dangerous persons, guarding important officials, and handling assassinations. Finally there is Project “New Order Via Armament”, or Project NOVA for short.

The RA is divided into four branches. Land forces are handled by the Coalition Ground Operations Service. The Aurora Air Branch covers the Coalition's interests in the sky. Finally, the Combined Coalition Navy is divided into the Home Armada, which guards territories of the Coalition, and the Altric Navy, which covers operations in foreign territories. The final branch is the Nero Space Reconnaissance Force, an intelligence agency that uses satellites to gain information about targets and immediately relay them to the military. The Four Lord Generals and the Meiano are the highest commanders of this branch.

The ANDF is one united agency, and has jurisdiction over Nerka and everything within a hundred miles of it, including Medelaya and the Polar Islands. It's primary goal is to stop and possibly destroy any inroads into the northern territories, which contain the majority of Rithian's population. In the advent of a large force moving in, the ANDF's goal is to stall them and stop them from moving into Nero and/or Shiloh until the RA can arrive.

The Nefushaten go through a rigorous course of training, where they learn how to protect, kill, and react with amazing efficiency. Highly skilled in armed, close-range, and hand-to-hand combat, Nefushaten soldiers are some of the deadliest people in the world. They are divided into the Guard, Elite, and Soldier divisions. Soldiers are the lowest branch, generally having not completed their training but gotten far enough to be of use. The Elite branch carries out operations in securing buildings and rooting out targets. The Guard serves as bodyguards as well as assassins for high-priority targets.

Finally, Project NOVA serves as Rithian's experimental weapons department. Roya Malkyah, before ascending to the position of Meiano, was the head of this branch of the military. The name was originally created by Leo Livivishki, the great Lord General of Poltia, after the astronomical phenomenon that shared it's name. Similarly to how a nova makes a star shine brighter than it normally does, NOVA was designed to allow the nation to “shine brighter” than it's neighbors in military technology. The program began by studying remote-operation weaponry, particularly tanks.

Upon Leo's retirement, the Consul-General Malkyah was assigned the position of NOVA Chairman. He shifted the program's focus to weaponizing sound frequencies. The creation of sound weapons was largely successful, and led Roya to recruit more and more people and create mostly improved technology as well as systems to aid the average land soldier. His most practical accomplishment was a form of Heads Up Display for the soldier, which would show the position of allies as well as the location of the target, if it was known. It was mostly designed for Nefushaten, and has begun being used as of the July of 2011.

Part IV - Government

The full name of Rithian is “The Most Serene Republic of the Grand Coalition of Rithian”. The capital city is Nero, located in north-west Nerka. The nation is divided into 256 member-states, each one having the ability to pass its own laws as long as it obeys Coalition mandates. Nerka is further divided into four tribes, Nertia, Kantia, Poltia, and Melka. Each of these has its own Lord and Lord General, and they are collectively ruled over by the Kotama ti Musal Jeran, who is currently Deoraz Livivishki XI. Nerka's internal governing legislature is the Altaic Counsel, which has been restored by Meiano Malkyah in recent years.

All members must obey Mandates and Executive Orders. These are both directives from the Meiano, with the former regarding internal policy and the latter regarding foreign policy. An example is The Mandate on Political Expression, which requires that all members pass a law restricting offensive and inflammatory political expressions. An example of an executive order is Order 2029, which establishes Rithic hegemony over anything within fifty miles of Nerka. The governmental policy is known as “Royism”, which is a balance of the 'total control' way of policy as proposed by the late Meiano Haster Quiez, and the ancient Rithic principle of Aziaism, which proposes that the right to rule is derived from ability, not the consent of the people or lineage.

Rithian is classified by the World Assembly as a “Compulsory Consumerist State” and occasionally a “Corporate Police State”. Both of these assumptions have been refuted by the Meiano, who says that the Coalition is what he calls a “Guided Federal Republic”. He states that the measures in place for efficiency make the WA view the nation as a dictatorship, when in reality it is a free state with pathways for national guidance by the Meiano.

Part V - People

The majority of Rithic citizens are Altrist. Altriism is the only accepted religion, although Atheism, Agnosticism, and Secular Humanism are all accepted as official belief systems (With Atheism having a distinction from Secular Humanism by being specifically against religious practices, instead of just not believing in a divine being). Anyone who is not one of these four recognized beliefs is not allowed to live any of the Polar Territories (Medelaya, Nerka, and the Polar Islands) and anyone who is Christian must live in Agrasia, the only member-state with complete religious freedom.

Nerkans are the largest ethnic group in the nation, with Agrasians in a close second. Over time, due to cultural assimilation, the majority of colonies have ended up with a very Nerkan culture. The only two member-states with a highly distinct culture are Agrasia, which has long rebelled to keep its culture from being assimilated, and Medelaya, which had a very strong culture at the time of its annexation a short time ago.

All member-states are allowed to choose their primary language, but Nerkan must be taught as a secondary language so that all people will be able to read official documents. Currently, it is estimated that 94 percent of the Coalition's population can read, write, and speak Nerkan fluently. Mellokan is a close second, being taught both in the Melka tribe of Nerka as well as the majority of the Polar Islands. This is often a point of comedy for the news anchors of Seshuan Neshuan, the government news network, who translate everything that is in Mellokan to a very, very formal Nerkan, because the popular opinion is that the language has no slang, shortened words, or “friendly” greetings, even though it does have a quite lengthy lexicon of informal words.

Part VI - Media and Communications

It is estimated in the Preliminary Nero Economic Report of 2013 that roughly a billion households have at least one television. The same publication states that five and a half billion radio sets exist in the Coalition. The nation's internet extension is .ri for Coalition websites, and .ner for specifically Nerkan Internet pages.

NSN, or Neshuan Seshuan Nehtuhrk (“News Information Network”), commonly referred to as Neshuan Seshuan, is the largest television station in the country, with a reach of approximately one billion citizens. The second largest is Vidilie ti Nerka, translated as “Nerka's Entertainment” which hosts a daytime section of soap operas, two game shows, and a nighttime run of comedies. The Mandate on National Broadcast, passed by Meiano Haster Quiez, requires all radio broadcasts that have more than one broadcasting station have a government official approve all broadcasts before they go live.

Internet use is beginning to spread like wildfire, whereas previously it had been concentrated in Polar Territories. Only government-approved sites are viewable, but citizens are allowed to submit any website they wish to visit to an adjudicator for approval. Although this has come under criticism because citizens cannot learn about a website they cannot view, the Meiano upholds it as only being designed to work for highly popular pages mentioned in television or radio programs.

The official government website is Rithicenhein.ri, which contains information for both foreigners and citizens, including the processes for participating in multiple services, like property ownership and/or re-assigning one's citizenship to another member-state. Very few websites use the .ri extension, and almost all Nerkan web pages use the .ner extension, despite efforts by the government to support Coalition-wide nationalism.

[Rithian]

History of Nerka and the Rithicenhein

Early History

The continent of Nerka, located above the Arctic circle, was once a warring patchwork of tribes. Through time, these tribes were conquered by other tribes, forming kingdoms and empires. Roughly three thousand years ago, this came to a head when landscape was completely dominated by a few countries. One of the most powerful and centralized states on the continent was the Kingdom of Pali, which boasted the third largest army and the most powerful economy in the region.

Harihs Bay, at the time, was the richest region in Nerka. Populated by four tribes, Nertia, Poltan, Kantia, and Melka, it seemed ripe for the picking. Seeking to expand its power over the neighboring nations of Yeni and Argo, the Kingdom of Pali began an invasion of the Harihs Bay region.

In a surprising move of defiance, the four tribes united themselves in what would be called the Altaic Union. With the help of the Empire of Argo, this coalition of nations defeated Pali and took almost half of its territory. It would take only a hundred more years for Altaia, as it was called, to take the rest of Pali as well as another quarter of the continent.

Altaia had never abandoned its decentralized structure, though. All land was divided into tribes, who only acted like a united nation in times of war. Farasa Livivishki knew this was a problem. On his thirtieth birthday, he ascended to the position of High Chief of Nertia, where he would immediately begin centralizing his control so that the lower chiefs were eliminated, and renaming himself Prince of Nertia. Surprisingly, the High Chief of Kantia died without a son and left his title to Farasa.

Doing the same as he had before, he soon held two princely titles. In the Altaic Counsel, which was the only legislative body for the nation as a whole, he held a substantial portion of votes. In time, he would convince a few other members that centralization was necessary for the future success of the country. As such, the Counsel voted by a narrow margin to approve the construction of a national capital. The city would be part of no tribe, and would house the Counsel as well as several military offices.

It was named 'Nero', and the governor of it would from then on be known as the Kotama ti Musal Jerahn (Master of the Four Corners). In time, the nation's tribal system would begin to dissolve, leaving it with only the four original tribes governing large swathes of land as its political divisions. Each tribe had its own leader, called a Lord. Generally, Lords held the final authority in their particular tribe, but laws were passed that would elevate the Master to a governing position should Altaia be faced with a war.

Deoraz Livivishki was the Master and Lord of Nertia, following his father's death and a bloody war of succession. Within ten years, he would prove himself to be one of the greatest generals in the history of the world, as he conquered the entirety of Nerka, setting up the tribes of Yeni and Argo, the latter of which had not been a nation since its dissolution roughly sixty years past.

Each of these tribes was given the chance to elect its leader, unlike the Lords who ruled through a monarchic succession. Upon Deoraz' death, the nation was renamed to Nerka, taking the name of the continent it ruled.

Modern History

Slowly, the Lords also became democratic positions, and eventually the nation became known as a Republic as opposed to a Kingdom. It entered into a period of prosperity, exploring the waters around it and colonizing far-away lands up until the modern age.

In 1945, the colony of Agrasia was only about a hundred thousand people behind Nerka in terms of population. It revolted, seeking independence from its motherland. Although it lost this war for independence, it would repeatedly revolt again and again for the next twenty years. Eventually, an Agrasian resistance gained a large upper-hand, settling down for a diplomatic conference in Nero where it would eventually agree to the Annexation Pact of Agrasia, which set up the Coalition of Rithian.

The Coalition was made up of Nerka and its 250 separate colonies. Each colony, now referred to as member-state, was to be given a certain amount of votes based on its population in the Counsel. This system would last, mostly undisturbed, for roughly fifty years, when a certain man known as Haster Quiez took the stage.

The Quiez Years

Haster Quiez, born in the member-state of Tilsha, was a military officer in 1996 when the Eighth Great Polar War began. Rithian had invaded a neighboring nation across the Arctic circle, triggering a ring of alliances against it once again. Although superior in population, Rithian had a long and hard fight in the war. Quiez distinguished himself, rising quickly all the way to the rank of Lord General.

Eventually, Quiez and the other Lord Generals won the war for Rithian, this time finishing the thirty-some year long struggle against the Polar Legion, an organization which was formed specifically to curb the Coalition's rising power. At the end of the war, Medelaya (meaning “Great Ice” in Nerkan) was admitted as the 252nd member-state, immediately catapulting all the involved generals to national fame and adoration.

Unlike the other Lord Generals, however, Quiez was young at the time, only forty. While the others would die in a few short years, Quiez used the public's adoration to gain office, rising from Counselor to Governor of Medelaya in a few short years. When Master Paulos Santos, another Tilshan, was deposed by the military under the guidance of then-Lord General Leo Livivishki, Quiez made a quick grab for power and succeeded.

However, due to the odd nature of the circumstance, he was now Governor of Medalaya and Master of the Four Corners. This game him slightly more power than usual, as never before had the Master had such a large vote in the Counsel, but would not have been significant if the public had not been so hyped on their recent victory.

Signing Executive Order 2029, also known as the Polar Destiny Act, Quiez effectively claimed all land within fifty miles of Nerka for the Coalition. This led to the largest war ever fought by the nation, and also the largest one-sided victory. Still, this drew attention to Rithian, and it soon faced a national crisis as it fully launched itself into a world full of armed superpowers. Knowing his nation needed to ascend to power – and soon – Quiez invoked the Master's ability to take over the positions of the four Lords during times of distress.

This gave him a majority vote in the Counsel, which he used to do one thing that had never happened before; the 394th Altaian Counsel was dismissed early, and wouldn't be supplanted by its successor for over half a year. When it finally reconvened, the threat had ended, and Quiez had managed to staff the legislature with his political allies.

Using this power, Quiez abandoned the Republic and named himself Meiano, the Nerkan word for “Ruler”, a position he would use to completely reform the economy into its present hyper-capitalistic state. Guiding the imploded economy to one that would dominate its local market and compete heavily in global markets, Quiez gained popularity despite his defiance of law.

Soon, he put Nero under lock-and-key, an experiment in total control that was more or less successful. Trying the same thing in Shiloh, he managed to keep information about Nerka from leaking to other states in the Coalition, and the world at large. He died soon after in 2001, when a power crisis at the top of the chain of command spawned revolutions and civil war.

Three factions, the Aziasts, who wished for the return of the voting system, the Imperialists, who wanted to elevate the Livivishki family back into power and turn the Coalition back into Nerka and its colonies, and the Fascists, led by Roya Malkyah.

Rise of Malkyah

When Deoraz Livivishki XI refused to appear and lead the Imperialists into battle, what was once a civil war shaping up to tear apart the Coalition became a heavily one-sided battle by the Fascists against the Aziasts. Malkyah, knowing the Aziasts had been a thorn in the side of many for hundreds of years, decided to finally end their existence. He chased them all the way back to Shiloh, where they had come from. There, about a million citizens would executed for treason over the following few months.

This left Malkyah in power, but he needed to appease those who might be sympathetic to the Aziasts. As such, he restored the “Republic”, holding an election. Of course, a majority of the population was already behind Roya, that was why he won the war in the first place. Coming out on top with roughly 64% of the votes, of which only a few hundred thousand had been fabricated, Malkyah was given the position of Kotama ti Musal Jeran, which means “Master of the Four Corners” From there, he reinstated himself as Meiano ti Nerka atieo Rithicenhein, or Meiano for short.

In a short time, Meiano Malkyah has brought the economy to its highest point, restored some civic rights to the citizens of Rithian, and begun to favor education, raising children with standards similar to the great “Western” nations. Looking forward, our glorious Meiano seeks to form a nation whose quality of life equals and surpasses the vast amounts of Democratic nations. Still, he wishes to remain strong and not succumb to the weaknesses that are inherently present in those nations, namely the citizens and their completely inefficient ability to exercise control over the affairs of government.

[Rithian]

A Basic Dictionary of the Nerkan Language for Foreigners

Common Words

Ri (ree) - And; plus; including
Polahn(pohl-ahn) - Hello (formal)
Palay(pahy-layh) - Hello (informal)
Ert (Ehrt) - My/mine/belonging to me
Meiano (may-ahn-oh) - Dictator/Autocrat/Emperor
Raz(rahz) - Dragon
Alt(ahlt)(prefix) - Black
Altarn (ahlt-ahrn) - Black
Yai(phonetic pronunciation) (prefix) - Red
Yailarn(yai-larhn) - Red
Ave(ah-vay) - All
Siba(sai-buh) - Hail/to cheer for
Valeu(vahl-ee-ew) - Great/Grand
Agrego(ah-gray-goh) - Wonderful
Zarhn(phonetic pronunciation) - Action
Vandar(vahn-dahr) - Watch
Cenhein(kehn-hein) - Coalition
Rithic(rith-ihc) - Belonging to the great dragon; denonym of Rithian.
Rithian(phonetic pronunciation) - Great Dragon
Nerka(nehr-kah) - Land of the dragon; a political division in Rithian
Mayar(may-ahr) - Food
Vanma(vahn-muh) - War
ti (tea) - belonging to an inanimate object. (capitalizing means belonging to a human)
Junnaih (jewn-aye) - Servant
Mi (mee) - belonging to a living, non-human object.
Kotama - Master; Overlord
Jeran (Zher - ahn) - Corner; singular & plural
koh - Yes
lohk - No
Vidilie (vih-dee-lee) - Entertainment
Neshuan (Nehsh-wan) - News
Seshuan (Sehsh-wan) - Information
Nehtuhrk (Neh-turk) - Television Network (Borrowed from English)
Mahamahl - Guidance
Jeih - Everything
Fahr - Light
Vihalahn - To Be
Mohaya - Order
Mifi - Holiness
sahm - Day (as in, one 24-hour period)
Kisoh - Deliberation/Thought
Salah - Protection
rishah - Meeting (used in conjunction with an adjective or descriptor of the meeting)
Solahvahl - Meeting (used on its own)

Numbers

Jei (jay) - One
Jahr (jar) - Two
Musal (moo-sawl) - Four

Note: The number without capitalization adds a hundred to its value. Capitalizing the last letter adds a thousand. Only even numbers and one have their own words, odd numbers can be written combining the even number below it and one. For example, Jahrijei (jar-ee-jay) means three.

Grammar Words

atieo (not capitalized) - Shows that the word previous and word after are connected directly without having to use a suffix or prefix. I.E. "Siba atieo Meiano" means that Siba (hail) and Meiano (leader) are connected. This could be translated as "Hail the Leader" or "Hail to the Leader" whereas without it would be "Hail Leader"

Atieo (capitalized) - Shows that the word previous is separate from the rest of the sentence. I.E. "Meiano Vandar Atieo Agrego Zarhn atieo Deoraz" is translated "The leader did not watch the great actions of Deoraz" whereas without the Atieo it would be translated "The leader watched the great actions of Deoraz"

Common Phrases:

Ave Siba atieo Meiano Valeu(national motto) - All Hail the Great Leader
Ert Meiano(form of address to head of state) - My Leader/My Emperor/My Dictator/etc.
Altraz - Black Dragon
Rithicenhein - Coalition of the Grand Dragon; 'true' name of Rithian.
Altrithicenhein - Coalition of the Grand Black Dragon; historic name given to the union of the four Nerkan states in Rithic history.

NOTE: I would like anyone who reads this to give me some common words used in every day life that I have not put here. Thanks!

NOTE2: Using Ti, ti, or Mi is overly formal. The use of atieo is much more common.

[Rithian]

A Guide to 2013 Rithic Officials for Foreigners

Government

Meiano ti Nerka atieo Rithicenhein - His Majesty Roya Malkyah
Kotama ti Musal Jeran - The Glorious Deoraz Livivishki XI
Lord of Nertia - The Glorious Deoraz Livivishki XI
Lord of Poltia - His Majesty Roya Malkyah
Lord of Kantia - Zahn Mofahn
Lord of Melkah - Kolkoro Mederi v Zamarii

Military

Lord General of Nertia - The Glorious Deoraz Livivishki XI
Lord General of Poltia - Nedehl Tilmeh
Lord General of Melkah - Vivieri Kokarai v Temerahn
Lord General of Kantia - Silmah Mofahn
Counsel-General Jei - Varshah Tilmeh
Counsel-General Jahr - Mimereh Zohd

The Livivishki Family

Head of the House - The Glorious Deoraz Livivishki XI
Heir Apparent - Deoraz Livivishki XII
Kotama-Empress - None
Regnant Counselor - Farasa Livivishki XIV

2nd Successor - Milah Livivishki
3rd Successor - Toltehrehy Livivishki
4th Successor - Malohn Livivishki
5th Successor - Jehsha Livivshki

Deoraz Livivshki the Eleventh, Lord of the Nertians, Heir to All Nerka, Master of Nero, Highest Emperor in Agrasia, Lord-General of the Rithic Army, Lower-Consul of Kantia, Tilvera, and Arkaza, Greatest of the Polar Islands, Vindicator of Altri, Highest of House Livivishki. Descendant of Him, the Most Holy, Great, Grand and Glorious Farasa Livivishki the First. Descendant of Him, the Glorious and Beloved Deoraz Livivishki the First. 29th Counselor of the Altaic Counsel. Visionary of Altri.

[Rithian]

Maps of the Coalition

A Map of Nerka and Medalaya

A Map of the Polar Islands

SCALE FOR ALL MAPS IS 1 INCH = 50 MILES

[Rithian]

A Guide to the Cities of Rithian for Foreigners

9,347 settlements have city rights in the Rithic Coalition.
94,658 settlements have town/township rights in the Rithic Coalition.
329,124 settlements are recognized as villages with no extraordinary rights.

This is a guide to the largest cities in the Rithicenhein. It goes in order from highest population to lowest.

Name: Nero
Member-state: Nerka
Population: 94,043,494
Average Temperature: 32° Fahrenheit (0° Celsius)
Distinctions:

• Capital of the Coalition.
• Only city in Nerka within no tribe.
• Largest city in the Coalition by both population and land size.
• Home to the largest Arms Manufacturing sector in the Coalition.
• Home to the Meiano and the Kotama.
• Divided into 44 districts, each of which could be its own city under law.

Name: Shiloh
Member-state: Nerka
Population: 24,385,342
Average Temperature: 34° Fahrenheit (1° Celsius)
Distinctions:

• Seat of the Nertian Tribe.
• The most densely populated city in the Coalition.
• Home to the Foreign Affairs Office of the Coalition of Rithian, as well as Embassy Square.

Name: Tilmah
Member-state: Agrasia
Population: 22,431,942
Average Temperature: 78° Fahrenheit (25° Celsius)
Distinctions:

• National capital of Agrasia.
• Highest crime rate in the Coalition.
• Home to the most rebellions against the government in the history of the Coalition (294)

Name: Toltira
Member-state: Medelaya
Population: 20,210,324
Average Temperature: 37° Fahrenheit (2.8° Celsius)
Distinctions:

• National Capital of Medelaya.
• Largest city outside Nerka and Agrasia.
• Least densely populated city with above 10 million people.
• Second-largest city in land size.
• Home to Nefushaten Training Center #1

[Rithian]

Mifi Ri Altri Ri Altraz Ri Altraya
Vandar ti Ave
Kotama Altri



Mahamahl ti Jeih

• I am Altri. Fear light.
• I am Altraz. Fear existence.
• I am Altraya. Fear order.

Light is to be revered, accepted, and feared, for it is of Altri.
Existence is to be a wonder and to be always, for it is of Altraz.
Order is to be appreciated but denied, for it is Altraya.

These must be followed, for it is bestowed by I, Altri.

Mahamahl ti Fahr

• Light is eternal, but fragile.
• Light must be spread.
• Light must be made to exist.

Light must be protected, but it cannot be known to be protected, for it is to eternity.
Light must be spread to all peoples and lands and regions, so that darkness is denied opportunity.
Light must be made to be at every opportunity, for it is all that is eternal and all that guides.

These must be made known, for it is of I, Altri.

Mahamahl ti Vihalahn

• Existence is bound to nothing.
• Existence is always.
• Existence is limitless.

Existence must never hold definition, and must remain a mystery to all.
Existence must never be reviled and never be desired to be ended, for this is futile.
Existence must never be thought to be the same, for it is infinitely dynamic.

These are truth and law, for it is of I, Altri.

Mahamahl ti Mohaya

• Order is to be respected.
• Order is free of acceptance.
• Order is never beholden to order.

Order must be appreciated, for it commands all.
Order must be denied, for it can never be thought to be constant.
Order must be void of expectation, for it is beholden to no order but only chaos.

These are of highest and of lowest importance, and will never be followed but must be followed.

It is not of I, Altri.

[Rithian]

The Altriist Faith

The Altriist Faith is the only accepted religious belief in Nerka, and is the national religion of the Coalition.

It is entirely based on the 'Mifi Ri Altri Ri Altraz Ri Altraya - Vandar ti Ave', a paradoxical and vague book whose title means 'Holiness of Altri and Altraz and Altraya - Guidance of All'. Due to its nature, the book has been subject to many interpretations, and has been added to by other holy writ which seeks to supplement the Mifi.

It is generally accepted that Altri is the author of the Mifi, as the original copy of the book was signed 'Kotama Altri', meaning 'Master Altri'. The meaning of the name itself is shrouded in mystery, but is thought to be in another language.

Discovered just as civilization took hold on Nerka, the Mifi was only partially understandable, as it was written half in Nerkan and half in Melkan. In a few hundred years, this would be realized, and the teachings of Altri -- which had far fewer requirements than the other religions at the time -- took hold, and soon almost everyone was Altriist. Finally, the Time of Persecution began, and non-adherents were executed or forced to convert.

The three major schools of thought on the Mifi are the Three Unified Interpretation, the Two and One Interpretation, and the Three Separated Interpretation.

They are all very similar, but the main difference is that in the first all three characters are said to be faces of Altri. In the second, Altri and Altraz are one being and Altraya is a separate being. In the final interpretation, all three are separated beings. Currently last is the position of the Court of Visionaries, a holy court of people who are said to understand the teachings as well as they can.

The major point of controversy is the last line in the book, which states "It is not of I, Altri." This is commonly interpreted as to mean the last set of rules governing order are of Altraya and not Altri. This interpretation is known as Acceptance.

However, this raises a question in many as to why Altri would claim to dispense the rules of existence and not the rules of order. Thus, some people have come to the conclusion that Altraz and Altri are the same being, the aforementioned Two and One interpretation. However, others have claimed that the rules of order, due to its paradoxical nature, cannot be the product of any single being. This is known as Mifonism, after the religious figure Vilda Mifon published his work detailing this line of thought.

Another interpretation, called Refutism, claims that the last line extends to the book as a whole, and thus the entire book is an elaborate lie by Altri. However, this is not the same as atheism. Instead Refutists believe that no one is beholden to follow any teachings.

The last guide, covering order, is often found to be paradoxical in nature, due to its claims that the teachings will never be followed but simultaneously must be followed. An occasional stroke of brilliance comes to the conclusion that this is done to avoid contradiction by following the second command nothing can be thought to be constant, and thus both must be true at the same time.

Although there are many other controversies regarding the verses, their paradoxes, and the like, the purpose of this guide is to inform on basics. As such, what the reader must know that the only universally accepted teaching is that light must be spread. Light is interpreted to be intrinsic goodness, which is not possible to create, and as such the idea that light must be spread means to destroy and eradicate all who hold no value of the aforementioned intrinsic goodness. This is the meaning behind Rithian declaring religious wars based on the principles of spreading light, as the wars' purpose is to kill.

[Rithian]

Holidays of the Coalition

These holidays are recognized by all nations in the Coalition, as mandated by Executive Order 564.

Name: Salahsahm (Protection Day)
Date: December 29th (Northern Hemisphere) - June 24th (Southern Hemisphere)
Type: Religious

Description: Salahsahm is conducted around the time of the darkest day of the year, but not directly on it. Religious procedures consist of building a tower out of snow. This tower will both serve to reduce the amount of snow on the street, an important function in Nerka, but also is believed to summon light from Altri. After the tower is Righted by a Consul, those who made the tower will go to a High House (a house built so that its entrance is elevated, allowing it to rise above the snow). Traditionally, the city stores would be in the High House, and a modest dinner would be prepared, after which citizens would go home with their rations. However, in modern times, the more frequent method is to eat a grand feast with your neighbors.

Name: Kisohsahm (Deliberation/Thought Day)
Date: March 24th
Type: Religious

Description: On Kisohsahm, all members of the Altriist faith are required to read the entirety of the Mifi Ri Altri Ri Altraz Ri Altraya. Afterwards, it is expected that adults spend a minimum of an hour alone in silence, unless they have young children. During this hour, they are to focus specifically on their ambitions in life and what they can do to best serve Rithian and their people as a whole. Traditionally, this is also the day where the elderly in extreme pain are killed. However, due to complaints from the Agrasian Christians (prior to the religion's current illegal status) this was outlawed in the late 20th century.

Name: Meianosahm
Date: December 31st
Type: Secular

Description: This is the day that the Rithic population gathers to remember the first Meiano of our nation, Haster Quiez. This is the only day that Consulships are allowed to be used for secular reasons, as they are generally the most convenient gathering places for massive amounts of people to hold a feast and talk. An official of Lord-rank or higher will always give a eulogy and lesson about the Meiano in Nero's Consulship of the Twelve Blades, located in the Imperial District. This is the most-watched event on Nerkan television for the entire year, and the third-most watched in the Coalition. In other Consulships, the official's speech is broadcast to all in the room, after which a Consul (or, in the Consulship of the Court, a Visionary) will give a funeral service for the Meiano. After this, a religious service is held, which is the point where secularists and atheists are allowed to leave.

Name: Talan v Somaman (High Meeting)
Date: October 9th
Type: Religious

Description: Talan v Somaman (Tahl-ahnv Soh-muh-mon) is the Melkan name for the High Meeting (Nerkan: Valeurishah), a yearly event during which the entire Court of Visionaries meets to listen to complaints and arguments of a religious nature. This is the second-most viewed television in the entire Coalition, but surprisingly, it is not the first in Nerka, which has the world's highest density of Altriists.

[Rithian]

Sporting and Competitions

Common western sports (such as baseball, football and hockey) are not very popular in Rithian. This is due to a long history of isolationism and disdain for the Anglo-centric and Christianized west. Intellectual competitions have always been the most popular events in Nerka, because of the large amount of time during the winter, late fall, and early spring where almost nothing happened outside besides hunting. In the more southern member-states, physical competitions are extremely popular.

Nerkan League Name: Nerkan Chehss Cenhein (NCC)
English League Name: Nerkan Chess Coalition (NCC)
Sport: Chess
Popularity: 3rd (Nerka) - 6th (Coalition)
History: When explorers brought chess back to Nerka, it took off, becoming extremely popular for young strategists, children, and those who liked western culture. It was seen as somewhat easy by adults, who often spent most of their leisure time competing in games of strategy which were more difficult. In addition, the people initially felt it was unrealistic. However, the benefits of introducing children to an easier strategy games earlier in life were recognized. Over time, adults came in to the sport.

Season Phase 1: Most large cities host NCC-sponsored competitions in the beginning of the season. Anyone can participate if they pay a participation fee, and high-ranked players will go on to Phase 2. The most famous of these are the Shiloh Opening Chess Competition and the Preliminary Nero Chess Competition. They go back and forth in size, but the latter has been the largest Phase 1 competition for a little over a decade. Most players come to Phase 1 games, whether or not they actually expect to continue on. This is so they can raise their NCC rating, and also because these are - for the most part - the only chess competitions for the general public.

Season Phase 2: Hordes of intelligent and cunning chess players from all over the coalition come together in one city for Phase 2. To qualify, you need to have an NCC rating of 2500 (based on lifetime wins and losses) and have participated in that season's Phase 1. Competitors will play ten matches each, and those who win all ten will be allowed to play another five, during which time spotters will view their strategies and overall skill. Those who are selected by spotters continue on. Thus, even if someone were to win all five matches, they may not continue on to the next phase. This is extremely unlikely, however.

Season Phase 3: During this time, those selected by spotters are placed onto teams of ten members (three alternates), which already have some members who participated the years before. This is because players with a rating of 4000 and who have been to Phase 3 before may bypass 1 & 2 and go directly to be put on teams, or go directly to their team if they have been contracted. This is where competitors can start making huge amounts of money. Phase 3 consists of 120 games between different teams. Games are small tournaments, consisting of matches between members of opposite teams. The team that ranks the highest cumulatively wins the match. The champions of the season are simply those who are ranked the highest.

Grand Championship: A Nerkan city will host the grand championship once every two years. This is not part of the regular season, but is still an NCC event. This is a match between the two highest ranked players who participated in the preceding season's Phase 3. A victory here is one of the greatest in Nerkan sporting. Despite the relatively low popularity of Chess, which is only the third most popular behind Mohtahn and Tylmahn in Nerka, the Grand Championship is the most viewed non-government-sponsored event in the entirety of the Nerkan television year. This is because the game tends to last only about half an hour and is hosted late in the day, so plenty of people have time to watch it.

Coming Soon

Coming Soon

[Rithian]

The Amethyst Pacts

The Amethyst Pacts were an idea by the famous Lord-General Leo Livivishki which revolutionized Rithic warfare for the coming years. An Amethyst Pact gives power to the Lord-Generals, mostly so they can bring the Nerkan armies to war in a relatively timely manner. They were discontinued by Meiano Haster Quiez, but were reinstated by his successor Meiano Roya Malkyah. At least three of the four Lord-Generals must vote "yes" on a Gem Council (as the individual decisions became known later on). In addition, one of these must be the Kotama. If the Kotama is not a Lord-General, he must also grant his permission as a separate entity.

The important thing to remember is that these decisions will only bring Nerkan armies to war, allowing for a quick, efficient response followed by a more legal and weighty second wave. These can be vetoed by the Meiano, of course.

The First Amethyst Pact, originally just The Amethyst Pact, was an agreement between Leistung and Rithian to allow for a mutual defense system. Because the Rithic Army had no set up protocol for immediately dealing with attacks on allies, this Pact allowed for the establishment of the Nerkan Divisions. These are four armies, each controlled by one of Nerka's Lord-Generals. After this, the Lord-Generals were given the power to attack with early response.

The mutual defense portion of the Pact was voided by Meiano Haster Quiez.

This Pact allows for the immediate suppression of an organized rebel faction without consent from the other members of the Coalition. Because this is mainly used to keep of the facade of Nerkan stability, it is not known how many times the Lord-Generals have acted upon it, if at all.

The Third Amethyst Pact allows for the usage of the Nerkan Divisions to defend any protectorates or allies (official or not) against foreign aggression. It also gave the four Lord-Generals the ability to commence covert diplomatic operations, allowing for protection of friendly states without alerting the world to the situation.

Note that the Second and Third Pacts were both approved simultaneously.

The Fourth Pact allows the Nerkan Divisions to go to war in another member-state in order to suppress rebellion. This is done without necessitating the approval of that member's State Lord or State Counsel. As the first Pact to grant the Divisions ability to enter other member-states without their consent, this was highly controversial upon its approval a year or so after the Third.

The Fifth Pact grants the Lord-Generals the ability to conscript four additional divisions from the Nerkan populous. Despite the naming similarities, four divisions actually are about the same size as a singular Nerkan Division. This is because the latter is just a name, not literally a division. This was approved a few months following the Fourth.

The Sixth Pact grants the Lord-Generals the ability to bypass the Altaic Counsel and openly devote Nerka's economic and human resources to the war. Seen as the first sign of the weakening of the Altaic Counsel, it understandably upset the people upon its first approval a year after the Fifth was approved. However, no other attempts have been made to weaken the Counsel, so most people now see the Sixth as the necessary measure that it is.

With permission from the Meiano, the Seventh allows the Lord-Generals to force all government and military personnel in Shiloh and other Nerkan cities to move into Nero. This is used during the advent of a missile war, as such a motion would normally require a mandate from the Meiano. This is done because Nero has a working and complete missile defense system, while Shiloh (which only has a partial system, contrary to popular belief) and other cities do not.

The Eighth Pact allows the Nerkan Divisions to conduct low-profile operations in foreign countries deemed unfriendly without the consent of the Meiano or the national government. They are not authorized, however, to use missiles (both remote and battlefield), explosives, or vehicles (besides transports).

Most likely the most cited and talked about Pact, the Ninth is also one of the most controversial. It is seen as extending Executive Order 2029 (which only covers areas within 50 miles of Nerka) to any place near the Coalition or its protectorates. It allows the Lord-Generals and the Nerkan Divisions to intervene in foreign situations and disarm conflict which may lower regional stability and thus hurt the profits of Rithic investors and raise the chances of all-out war. During these wars they are authorized to use explosives and almost all vehicles, unlike with the Eighth.

[Rithian]

High Laws of the Varied Member States

'High Law' is a catch-all term used to describe the highest document(s) in a member-state that govern the legitimacy of all further laws. Constitutions and charters, for example, are both High Laws.

Two hundred and twenty two of the member-states have established High Laws. Most of the remainder use another state's High Law. Only two states, Zadarohan and Likelfumh, use absolutely no form of High Law.

High Laws serve as the third-highest laws in the Coalition, behind the Meiano's Laws (divided into Mandates and Executive Orders) and the decrees of the Shiloh Counsel. For a short time, they were the second-highest laws, after the Shiloh Counsel was disbanded by Meiano Haster Quiez and before the High Laws themselves were disbanded.

Meiano Roya Malkyah reinstated all High Laws on his fourth day in power, gaining him a large amount of popularity that has not diminished in the following years.

Below are the archived versions of some High Laws. If you wish to know the text of the High Laws of a state not listed below, check the database on rithicenhein.ri under "State Procedures".

The Twenty-Fifth Pact of Nero
Governing Nerka and All Its Inherent Territories

Statements

This Counsel, as having been founded upon the ideals of the Altaic Union, declares that this Pact and all of its contents are to be considered lawful in the Republic of Nerka, voiding any laws that come into conflict with it, excepting the formation of a further pact. This Counsel, having been established by the will of the Aziast ideal, also states that the authority of this Pact surpasses and supplants all authority of the twenty-four previous Pacts of Nero, and hereby renders those Pacts to be null and void.

This Counsel has declared this Pact to be the lawful guidance of Nerka and of all the territories it governs upon the day of June 21st, 1924, per the order of the greater consensus of the 94th Special Counsel of the Altaic Union.

This article hereby grants all constituents of Nerka, which include but are not limited to the Nerkan tribes of Poltia, Melka, Nertia, and Kantia equal participation in the government of Nerka, via the Altaic Counsel. In addition, this article hereby establishes Pallia, Meldar, Shiloh, and Kant as the City Seats of the tribes, listed in their respective order.

This article hereby states that the City of Nero, all areas within, its population, and its government are independent of the tribes and shall not be made to fall in line with the decrees of any tribe, such as they may be. This article also states that the City of Nero will be considered the Seat of the Republic of Nerka, being the highest City in the nation, and as such will be the home of the Kotama ti Musal Jeran and the Altaic Counsel.

This article hereby states that the Altaic Counsel may never be convened outside of Nero, during the season of appointment, or within twenty days following the death of the Kotama ti Musal Jeran.

This article hereby states that the tribes shall be headed in all matters of state by its respective Lord, and in all matters of the military by its respective Lord General. The City of Nero shall be headed in all matters of state and military by the Kotama ti Musal Jeran.

Rights of Citizen and Tribe

The individual tribes may declare war and conduct trade, diplomacy, and all other actions befitting a sovereign state. However, the individual tribes may not conduct these actions upon any target or in any manner forbidden by a joint declaration of the Kotama ti Musal Jeran and the Altaic Counsel.

The Cities of the Republic and their respective jurisdictions are to be governed by their own Lower-Consul, who will conduct his actions in accordance with the laws of his own tribe.

The Counsel may overturn any decision by any tribe with a greater consensus, or a consensus in which four-fifths of all members (including those not present) agree to overturn the decision. The Kotama ti Musal Jeran may, at any time, declare a state of control, in which he temporarily supplants the role of all Lord-Generals. The Counsel may do the same, if approved by the Kotama, to the role of all Lords. In order to forbid the action of a tribe that follows all laws, the Kotama ti Musal Jeran and the Altaic Counsel (with a greater consensus) must issue a decree of both parties forbidding the action.

The Citizen has the right of appeal to the Altaic Counsel, if he feels he has been treated unjustly or unfairly in relation to a law of his tribe. The Citizen has the right to a jury if accused of a crime. The Citizen has the right of conscientious objection to military service, if he has not signed a contract in which he is bound to do so. The Citizen has the freedom to abstain from religion and to not attend Consul. The Citizen has the right to be served and continue to be served upon the principles of Aziaism, who's rules have been established by this document so far.

Henceforth, all the colonies of Nerka, as so defined by the Altaic Counsel, are to be considered members of the Republic of Nerka, and are as such given the right of government. All the colonies of Nerka may pass their own laws internally, but are expressly forbidden from conducting in any actions that would affect a party other than the colony itself. A citizen of a colony has the aforementioned rights of the citizen of a tribe. In addition, all actions of the colonies may be overturned by the Altaic Counsel with a lesser consensus, or a consensus where over one-half the members present agree to overturn the action. (Abolished by the 95th Special Counsel of the Altaic Union, 1945, along with the colonial system)

This document is given legitimacy by the Light of Altri, by the people of the Republic of Nerka, by the Counsel of the Altaic Union. Let it be known this is a declaration of law, as determined by the 94th Special Counsel of the Altaic Union, over which Mifohn Livivishki II presided through his rightful position as Kotama ti Musaal Jeran.

The penultimate paragraph was removed by the 95th Special Counsel, just prior to the abolition of the colonial system and establishment of the Rithicenhein.

The High Charter of Agrasia
As Approved By People of Agrasia

I. Our glorious society, founded upon the basis of freedom, hereby establishes the existence of the independent nation of Agrasia, formerly a colony of the Nerkan Republic. The people of Agrasia are hereby entered into a political union with the nation of Nerka and its former colonies in the form of a unified coalition and alliance of states.

II. In order to realize the gift of independence that we have been granted, the people of Agrasia are to be given full freedom in all forms of religion, able to worship or abstain from worship in any manner they please, as long as said worship does not interfere with the rights of any other citizen of the nation of Agrasia.

III. This society hereby establishes the Free Army of Agrasia, which is to be tasked with the defense of the nation and to follow the wishes of the people of Agrasia. It shall be headed by the People's High General, who shall dictate the order and structure of the Free Army, so as long as it does not interfere with other requirements of the Agrasian government. (The FAA was merged into the Rithic Army in 1984)

IV. Laws to be made in Agrasia shall not interfere with the rights of the people, which are the right to religion, to life, to privacy, to free migration, to socialization, and to security of these rights. In order to protect these rights, this society hereby establishes the Citizen's Protection Administration, which shall have rights to detain and prosecute any of those people to be found in violation of the laws of this society.

V. Every citizen accused of a crime shall have the right to a trial, to representation, to a single appeal, and to audience with the High Court.

VI. This society hereby establishes the High Court of Agrasia, which shall have the right to grant additional appeals to accused citizens, and shall have the right to overturn and reverse the decision of any other court.

VII. This society hereby establishes the Free Chamber, made up of one member from each residential district, who are to be elected directly by the citizens of Agrasia. The Free Chamber shall have the decision to make all laws and to act on behalf of the people of Agrasia in all foreign affairs, and to command the Free Army as to what operations it shall conduct and as to which nations it shall conduct operations in. This includes the ability to declare war. (In 1984, the ability to declare war without the consent of the entire Coalition was abolished)

1984 was the year when the "Unification Act" was passed, centralizing decisions and limiting the foreign interaction of member states. Only the Rithicenhein as a whole and (due to the Amethyst Pacts) Nerka may declare war.

[Rithian]

Political Factions of Rithian

Note: Parties are parties in the legislature, factions refer to people of all branches of government.

Official Name: The Traditional Party
Political Orientation: Conservative
Counsel Seats: 24
Pro - War
Pro- Capitalism
Pro - Royalty
Anti - Political Freedoms
Anti - Civil Rights
Anti - Racism
Anti - Secularism

The Traditional Party is the Counsel representative for the Imperialist faction of the Rithic government. This faction supports the Kotama and the Livivishki family, and has adopted a stance favoring the military and corporations. It is currently the second most powerful party, but generally considered to be the most powerful faction, with several persuasive members of the government and most of the military in its pocket. Common supporters are military members - both officers and soldiers, supporters of the Kotama, and businessmen.

Official Name: The Nerkan Party
Political Orientation: Reactionary
Counsel Seats: 27
Pro - War
Pro- Capitalism
Anti - Royalty
Anti - Political Freedoms
Anti - Civil Rights
Pro - Racism (Nerkan Superiority)
Anti - Secularism

The Nerkan Party is the official name for the Counsel representation of the Totalitarian faction. This faction supports the Meiano. It has similar party stances to the Imperialist faction, but does not support the Imperial family and favors laws against non-Nerkans. It is the largest party but is generally considered to be the second most powerful government faction. Common supporters are the Nerkan upper-middle class and businessmen.

Official Name: The Aziast Party
Political Orientation: Liberal
Counsel Seats: 19
Pro - War
Pro- Capitalism
Anti - Royalty
Pro - Political Freedoms
Pro - Civil Rights
Anti - Racism
Anti - Secularism

The Aziast party & faction support the ancient Altaic principle of "Aziaism", which is that policies should be weighed on how they will affect people, not how popular they are. Similarly, leadership positions should be weighed on the merits of the individual, rather than popular support or hereditary right. Generally speaking, however, this is a hard principle to enforce, and so instead the Aziast faction often takes the rule of supporting political freedoms and equality. It is the third faction in both size and power, but due to its vast amounts of supporters it is often feared by the more powerful governmental factions. Its supporters are the poor and the lower-middle class.

Official Name: The Altaic Party
Political Orientation: Liberal
Counsel Seats: 15
Anti - War
Pro- Capitalism
Anti - Royalty
Pro - Political Freedoms
Pro - Civil Rights
Pro - Racism (Altaic Superiority)
Pro - Secularism

The Altaic Party is a party with focus on political and civil rights, and for laws favoring people from Nerka's Altaia region, who are characterized by a tall stature, black hair, and green eyes. They are Rithian's largest ethnicity, and are the people who precipitated the unification of Nerka. Obviously, most supporters come from Altaia, especially the lower and middle classes. They occasionally form an uneasy alliance with the Aziasts in passing laws as they are both liberal-leaning. The Liberal faction's supporters are slowly matriculating to other liberal groups.

The minor parties (Socialist, Pious, and Pacifist) take up the remaining 14 seats in the Altaic Counsel

[Fasternia]

Woah.
That's all I can say