Faringway

Faringway is a nation on Stevenis. It has existed since 1839.

As of 1996, it is made up of 7 states: Susgate, Howingale, Havenshire, Lithanite, Molstrew, Damiens, and Carice. All of the states were named by the Insomnia Empire in their attempt to destroy Szeina culture and identity (see *History*).

As of 2000, Faringway is home to around 77 million people.

## Geography

### Climate

The north of Faringway (parts of Lithanite, Molstrew, and Damiens) is a cold desert and desert steppe climate. Drought is common in this region and it is least densely populated area of the country.

Below the cold desert is an area of hot desert steppe. Historically, this area was associated with the Outer Szeina people.

Below the hot desert steppe is an area of tropical savanna, covering much of Howingale, Havenshire, Molstrew, and Carice. Historically, this area was the centre of Inner Szeina culture.

The south of Faringway (Howingale, Susgate, and Carice) is prone to tropical monsoons.

## History

### Antarim

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Main article - Szeina Tribe

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The Szeina people, often called the 'rulers of ancient times' are the ancestors of the modern day Farish. It was the Szeina who began counting years and were the dominant civilisation for at least a thousand years.

They occupied the east of modern day Faringway as well as Tongchuk and Scotch. The largest number of people lived in modern day Carice. The Szeina were mostly unaffected by the First Frozen Era. During this time, the Szeina script developed from pictograms to syllabograms.

In 279, the Szeina capital Bvinajaa (in modern day Molstrew) was completed.

Between 550 and 600, Szeina people extended further northwest into the hot desert steppes. After this, there was little to no deliberate expansion by the Szeina people.

### Anye Mere (Szeina Golden Age)

Since around 594, the Szeina had been exporting large quantities of products. Using their newly developed mountain tunnel technology they were able to establish a trade route through the Dao'an Mountains, allowing easier access to the Weiszen and Somic tribes. They made statues from marble and terracotta, as well as carved printing blocks which were very popular with non-Szeina people. Szeina became well-known throughout the unconnected Stevenis as the "land of artists and riches". Some Szeina designs were inspired by other cultures. The famous pattern known in Somian as "Zeina" was created during this time to mimic the tall round hats worn by the Kuziel speakers to the north of Szeina.

Szeina literature was also going through a golden age, with texts such as the Legend of Cabi being written. Most stories alluded to the spirits of the Szeina pantheon and featured characters going from rags to riches.

Szeina philosophy flourished during this time. Most philosophers were women, as the Szeina believed women to be wiser and better at mental pursuits. The famous Macheinu lived in Bvinajaa where she wrote many books of sayings and moral tales.

As Szeina became so large and influential, people in the outer regions would call themselves "Szeina" as a symbol of their pride, while also living lives more similar to another culture nearby. These people are referred to as the Outer Szeina, whereas the distinctly Szeina people living in the central regions are known as the Inner Szeina.

### Vlidian

In 1255 and 1271, Vlid conquered two nearby Kuziel-speaking tribes. As a result, the Szeina tribe along with three other groups; Kuzes, Palmini, and Char people, created the Biyuk Alliance with the purpose of stopping Vlid's expansion. If one member was attacked, all the others would retaliate. Szeina was the only member of the alliance with any form of standing army. For the first time, people groups other than the Szeina began exporting items. This weakened the Szeina's grip on the trading world.

The Biyuk Alliance was shook when Vlid conquered the Marken tribe via sea. Szeina hurried its allies to train new armies. However, the Alliance failed to fulfill their original purpose as Vlid invaded the Kuzes and Palmini People.

In 1324, the Alliance finally launched their attack on Vlid. The combined Char, Szeina, and Weiszen armies were larger in number than the Vlidian. Each side had a roughly equal win rate in battle. However, the Vlidian tactic of scorched earth caused an extreme refugee crisis, especially in Szeina. People flooded to the inner cities. This caused difficulties for the militaries of the Biyuk Alliance.

Slowly, over the next 16 years, they were pushed back. People fled the Conquests right down to the coastline (see: Retreat from Vlid). Bvinajaa was conquered and looted in 1331 after a ruthless siege, however the Vlidians were ordered not to raze the city due to its beauty, significance, and wealth.

In 1340, Vlid ended their war with the Biyuk Alliance. Inspired by the teaching of Macheinu, the elite made the decision to end their conquests, so they could keep enemies, which exist to make you question yourself and improve. The Szeina people, crowded into the rainforests attempted to set up a central government.

### Bajiri

From 1367-8, Vlid experienced disorder and revolutions in the north. Chartlands, Szeina, Weiszen, and Shiver-Pillia then unanimously launched an invasion into Vlid. This was such a shock to the Vlidian leader that he died of a suspected stroke upon hearing the news. The Char and Szeina forces met in late 1368, to a joyous meeting.

By 1369, the Vlidian homeland was sacked by combined Char and Szeina forces. The next decade was spent in a furious scramble for former Vlidian territory. Szeina struggled to regain their former territories. The most desirable land during the scramble was the site of Bvinajaa - Szeina, Palmini, and Weiszen all tried to claim the city. They came to a compromise of splitting the city between them, which angered Szeina. Chartlands also took much of the Outer Szeina land, which angered them further.

Being a great power (although lessening), Szeina was included by Chartlands in dealing with the former Vlidian homeland. They decided to make a puppet state shared between the two of them called Eramore. This was established by 1370. That same year, some Outer Szeina people living in the north decided to declare independence from Szeina and make their own state, Lihani. Szeina was in no position to oppose and whilst there was initial tension, Szeina and Lihani soon became allies. In 1376, the Kuze nation collapsed and the land was given to Eramore (although Rebnabad stole some) for support from Szeina and Chartlands.

Szeina's hatred towards those who stole their land continued for decades. In 1433, the Szeina government - convinced it would be an easy win - invaded Weiszen. The war lasted for 15 years, and was a tough stalemate. Szeina's economy and military were severely damaged. Weiszen did not allow them to take any of the land near Bvinajaaa, but did grant them some historically Wei territory on the eastern side of the Dao'an mountains. Szeina expected they could use the mountain tunnels to set up trading posts in their new land, but they were unsuccessful due to lack of funds, plus decreasing demand for Szeina goods.

Over the next two centuries, Szeina became more stable. They were not regarded in the same high esteem as pre-Vlidian conquests, but they continued to be a large power. Their army was the second largest in the world (below Chartlands and above Poltera).

In the south of Kuziel-speaking nations Poltera and Kaystan, there were many historically Szeina people. They attempted a revolt in 1681, which was crushed one year later. Seeing their people killed angered Szeina and they declared war on Poltera and Kaystan in 1682. The beginning of the war was mostly a stalemate with slightly more Szeina gains than Kaystanian or Polteran.

In 1694, the Tauuka hurricane hit the south of Szeina (modern day Scotch and New Alberat). It was the deadliest hurricane in Stevenis' history. It killed around 150,000 people which was 12% of all people in that region. It was left in ruin and a further half of all residents decided to move inland. From 1697 to 1717, the overpopulated nation of Marken sent ~200,000 people to repopulate the region, which Szeina considered a huge act of goodwill, while really it benefitted Marken by getting rid of their surplus population and spreading their influence.

As one of their governors was at war, Eramore decided it would be a good time to declare its independence (1700). Szeina reluctantly agreed (while Chartlands did not and went to war against their former puppet).

Szeina's war against Poltera and Kaystan continued on until 1728, with Szeina losing. Szeina became a puppet of Poltera, and their ally Lihani became a puppet of Kaystan.

Eramore surprisingly won the war against Chartlands and then went on to conquer many Kuziel-speaking nations to the north. In 1748, Poltera and Kaystan declared war on Eramore, and as Szeina was their puppet, they also had to join the war. The war was a stalemate until 1758, when a popular revolution took over in Poltera and the new government agreed to give Eramore all of Szeina in return for peace. This angered Szeina people in the south of Kaystan and Poltera and they revolted. The uprising was successful in Kaystan - a minority Szeina government took over and named themselves Kweinii (1764).

When Eramore were given Szeina in 1758, they could assert Argo-Somic superiority over the 'inferior' Szeina people. They burnt books, art, and people associated with Szeina prosperity. They renamed the area 'Faringway' - a name very hard for the locals to pronounce. The wearing of Farish clips or Zeina was banned. All Farish schools had to give classes on Argo-Somic history and the Argonian language. By 1798, Eramore had all inhabited land in Stevenis conquered and they declared themselves Insomnia Empire.

### Insomnia Empire

The Empire split Stevenis into 6 provinces. All Szeina people were contained within IE Faringhigh, which also included much of modern day Dersat. Destruction of Szeina culture and identity continued. Suicide rates in Faringhigh were estimated to be double those in any other province (see: Farish mentality).

In 1821, all of IE Faringhigh revolted in an attempt to gain independence from the Empire but were brutally crushed. This revolution was inspiration for Beech Williamson of Insomnia Central's own successful revolt.

### Faringhigh Nation

In 1833, all of IE Faringhigh populated by historically Szeina people revolted, led by Ronald Rigg. For the first three years, it seemed to be a repeat of the revolution a few years prior, but then Beech Williamson sent large shipments of modern weapons to the rebels, and they gained independence as Faringhigh in 1839. They also annexed a small amount of IE Alberat's territory as it was populated by historically Szeina people.

The new nation struggled as two very different ethnic groups had to form a government and national identity. Whilst the Szeina were the most numerous, years of being ruled by Argo-Somes had made them gravitate towards having an Argon leader over a Szeina one. They believed a strong, iron-fisted leader would bring them stability, whereas the Argons in modern day Dersat preferred a more liberal leader. The issue, along with other differences, caused a civil war from 1845-8 which ended in the Argon area joining with Dersat.

### Faringway Nation

Argons still were the ruling class in the newly named Faringway.