Galindia

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**Galindia**, Officially the **Galindian Judicate** (Galindian: ᚷᚪᛚᛁᚾᛞᛁᚴᚳᚪᚱ ᚣᛚᛁᛏᚪᚱᛁᚳᚪ, *Galindískar Ylitaríka*), is a primarily tropical country in central Ditasi, Ailou. Bordering Junipar to the northwest, Tuxhul to the southwest, and is cradled in the north and south by the Samudric Ocean. Galindia has a population of some twenty million people, mostly concentrated to the urban areas. Some notable cities include the capital at Þærastaðar and the coastal centers of Hølarbække, Gyltførar, and Fjárhafn.

## Galindia

### Motto

Frelsi, Løg, Réttlæti.("Liberty, Law, Justice.")

### Government type

Semi-Federal Assembly-Independent Constitutional Republic

## History

### **Pre-History**

#### Migration into Ailou

The origins of the Galindian people are unclear. It is estimated by scholars that they first appeared in Ailou some 1,200-1,000 years ago, according to geological evidence and recovered artifacts. The Galindians appear to have displaced or assimilated a native group that had been previously living in the area, and the remains of their pottery and small settlements have been excavated. What happened to them is unknown, but it is likely they were assimilated rather than displaced due to the lack of any evidence of warfare (spearheads, depictions on pottery, evidence of large-scale fires, etc.).

#### Settlement

Upon the establishment of widespread settlement across the lands what would become modern Galindia, many of the early Galindians became geographically isolated from one another, forming large clan groups around strategic or resource-rich areas. The people still remained relatively interconnected despite this due to strong and long-running family relations, and the importance of trade to the people as a whole.

##### Southern Reaches

Settlement of the southern half of modern Galindia occurred much differently than in the north, as the various incoming groups of Galindians were dispersed over a much wider and more open region of comparable size to the north. Due to lack of rainfall caused by the rain shadow from the *Breiðfjöll* (lit. *wide mountains*), most of the region lacked forest cover. The incoming Galindian tribes also encountered the diverse and exotic fauna of the plains, namely the Indricotheres, referred to by later Galindians as *stríðsdýr*, or war animals, due to their prominence as exactly that, functioning similarly to war elephants, albeit on a much larger scale. Due to the lack of natural barriers throughout most of the region, the goðorðar of the southern reaches were typically much larger by area, though were not nearly as densely populated as the goðorðar of the north. Later goðorðar of the south would become increasingly reliant on the stríðsdýr both in their conflicts and as a mechanism for subjugation, as these animals were incredibly expensive to acquire and maintain, meaning that imposing a required tribute of the stríðsdýr upon a subjugated enemy would divert resources that could otherwise be used to regain power and throw off their overlords.

#### The *Størmanda Tímabil*

As time passed, the Galindian clans, or *goðorðar*, with each headed by its own *goði*, or chief ruling over polities that became increasingly consolidated and divided between the *goðar.* Due to the strong importance of filial piety to the Galindians, and the tradition of retributive justice, blood-feuds between goðorðar over slights, land, and trade disputes became common, resulting in a long-lasting period of excessive violence and extreme political turmoil. This violence is what gives the *Størmanda Tímabil* its name, the "Era of Storms".

### **Establishment**

#### Foundation of Þærastaðar

In the year 1306, according to the Tryggvébøk, the settlement of Þærastaðar was founded in the center of the Kærsarhálenda (lit. *Cherry Highland*), between the northern and southern mountain ranges of the region, putting it in a relatively secure position at the center of Galindia and providing it with safety, surrounded by forest and mountains on all but the east and west sides, though this came at the cost of difficulty of trade, especially because of then ongoing blood-feuds between surrounding goðar. The hatred between the goðar often resulted in seizure of incoming and outgoing trade, and multi-clan alliances that could plunge the entire region into another devastating war. Whilst this would normally result in the rapid conquest of Þærastaðar and its Tryggvering Goðorð, its prime geographical position and the extreme determination of its local populace allowed it to maintain sovereignty over most of the Highlands.

#### Involvement of Xetenatu & the War of Expulsion

The constant feuding and conflict between the clans could not last forever. Indeed, in the early seventeenth century, forces from the then expanding Xetenatu began to become involved in the affairs of the goðorðar, attempting to and early on largely succeeding in coercing many goðar into starting new blood-feuds and conflicts to keep the region unstable, whilst Xetenatuan forces, now wielding gunpowder weapons, would occupy borderlands and eventually seize the northern coastline, inciting the northern goðorðar to question their infighting, and for the first time in many centuries revived a united Galindian identity. In 1647, the goði of the Tryggvering Clan, Skæði II Ufisson, would propose to the goðar that they end their feuding and form an alliance to expel Xetenatu from Galindia. The alliance and final renunciation of internal blood-feuding was reluctantly accepted by all of the northern goðar except for the goði of the Crøvaning Clan, Þjálfar Guðroðrsson, who ruled over Fjárhafn, a city that had seen little involvement due to its distance from the rest of northern Galindian settlement. With the alliance now set, the goðorðar would unite their forces under command of Þærastaðar, with a united resistance at first only preventing the ever-encroaching enemy from further advance, but after some 7 years, musket technology would be stolen by and adapted to the Galindians, with manufacture then taking place in Þærastaðar, with moderate numbers of these muskets being produced but serving to begin pushing the Xetenatuans back, resulting in a massive increase in morale and the adoption of gunsmithing throughout all of northern Galindia, except for Fjárhafn, which saw no need to adopt the new weapons, as it was one of the very few areas that had seen relatively little feuding throughout its history. With other centers of production now in place, and the prerequisite trade now flowing more strongly between the goðorðar, this would further promote stronger trade ties and a much more nationalist sense of Galindian identity. The united Galindian forces, now equally armed and much more motivated, would succeed in expelling the Xetenatuans in a final siege of Hølarbække by them, in which Xetenatuan forces would attempt to expel the Galindian garrison that had recaptured the city two years prior in a naval assault from the most westerly edge of Galindian coastline, with Galindian reinforcements arriving from Thverbække at the eastern slope of the Kærsarhálenda, surrounding and crushing enemy forces, and marking the beginning of the decline and collapse of Xetenatu as a whole.

#### Confederation Proper

With Xetenatu defeated, there was little practical reason according to their original alliance to maintain unity, however, the people had grown accustomed to a less all-encompassing violence and a freedom of trade between the clans, and petitioned their local *Þingmen* (popularly elected councilmen of their goði) to maintain trade ties and diplomatic relations, with goði also much more willing to negotiate on issues rather than start another blood-feud.

#### Gøssáttmála

In the year of 1748, Tryggve IV Gormsson, goði of Þærastaðar, which had remained relatively small due to its isolation and lack of many resources, despite its political significance, would gather the goði to his þing, including the now goði of the now ailing Fjárhafn, which had begun to suffer from a devastating epidemic that spread little elsewhere due to the effect of sanitation on eliminating it and the political and social isolation from the rest of the Galindian clans. The goði of Fjárhafn at the time was Gýlni V Størkadsson, who brought with him his thirty gray geese, which according to old Fjárhafnar tradition was good luck. Upon drafting of the Covenant of Union, as it was meant to be officially called, each of the goði signed the document in golden ink, which across the whole of Galindia was supposed to represent an eternally binding contract, making it extremely rare in the previous Størmanda Tímabil. Just when Tryggve was to stamp the document with the new Seal of the Realm, which has since been lost, one of the geese jumped up onto the table, knocking over the jar the golden wax was kept in, spilling it across the corner of the paper and partially obscuring several signatures, before stepping into the center of it with one foot and jumping off the table. Instead of copying the document and starting over, Tryggve would keep it as a memoriam to Fjárhafnar tradition.

The new Gøssáttmála, or Goose Covenant, as it would rapidly become known, provisioned for the office of Lawspeaker, previously serving a subservient judicial role in the goðorð, would now serve as the new elected head of state, chosen from among the goðar, and was preferentially hereditary. However, the new Alþing also had the power to break this heredity if the potential successors from among the previous Lawspeaker's relatives were not worthy candidates, resulting in meritocratic rule and the representation of every goðorðar in the Galindian Judicate.

#### Growing Southern Technological Divide

The southern reaches, largely unaffected by the conflict with Xetenatu apart from occasional coastal raids by their privateers, remained much more isolated than the north. This meant that whilst for most of its history it saw fewer devastating wars and was privileged with increased social stability, their technology was far behind the north. The technological gap would not have developed to the extent that it did without the Fjárla-Víka war of 1691, in which occurred the 3rd Battle of Bølárbakki, where the Aslaking Goðorð, which controlled most of the three modern svátar of Fjárla launched an invasion of the Snæbjorning Goðorð, which ruled almost two thirds of the southern reaches at the time. The goði of Fjárla, having recently acquired his own stock of bombard cannons, would array them in a single line before his infantry, and would order the entire line fired at once. While this did result in substantial casualties in the vanguard of the Víkan forces, in the time it took to reload the cannons, Vigot Þoraldsson, the goði of Víka, ordered his some 20 stríðsdýr forward into the Fjárlan line, quickly routing the unprepared Fjárlan army and expelling them from Víka. This then convinced Vigot and future southern goðar of the ineffectiveness of gunpowder weapons, which they would hold until the Wars of Conquest some 80 years later.

##### Invasion of Hvalæða

After the consolidation of control over the South Galindians by 1810, save for those in Þórbol where resistance continued until 1858, the only other independent Galindian polity was the Kjallaking Goðorð, which ruled the island of Hvalæða. Before the 19th century, Hvalæða was almost inaccessible to outside forces due to the powerful northerly prevailing wind that wrapped around the island. Hvalæðans circumvented this through use of lateen sails and tacking to travel against the prevailing wind. However, large-scale introduction of steam-driven vessels at the turn of the 1840s by the mainland rendered this protection useless.

Hvalæða has had a long and violent history stretching back to the early Post-Settlement Period. By the year 1350, power on the island had consolidated into 9 goðorðar, the largest and most powerful of which was based at Öfell, nine miles northeast of what is now Langtkrókar.

### **Modern History**

#### Modern Constitution

With the goðorðar now more closely linked than ever, and many people from different regions of the nation working "abroad", there was popular incentive to further formalize ties between goðorðar, culminating ultimately in the abolition of the old goðorð system, replaced with the *sváta* system, in which each administrative division was not ruled indisputably by a single goði and their kin, but by rulers who administrated through the consent and support of the people, with each sváta functioning in both governance and succession much like the central government as a whole.

#### Industrial Society and its Consequences

Upon the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in Ailou, some time in the early 19th century, The western goðorðar were relatively quick to adopt the newfangled machinery, as they were primarily agriculture based at the time, the invention of the mechanical loom and mechanical plow provided an immense advantage against competitors from outside of the region. In order to not be outshone by their eastern counterparts, even if in an industry in which they had little part, other goðorðar would eventually adopt the industrial machinery and the social mechanisms associated with increasing exposure to and reliance on mechanical industry. This profoundly affected the culture of Galindia, in that people were no longer ultimately based in small, relatively isolated agricultural communities, but in larger cities interlinked with rail lines and distant jobs. The upheaval caused by this industrialization coincided with a marked decrease in quality of life for many citizens for several decades, as new standard timetables and long work hours, as well as exposure to machinery operating without proper safety guards caused rapid increase in accounts of lung disease and work-related deaths.

##### Hjálbastaðar Nuclear Disaster

Though Galindia now relies primarily on the Liquid Fluorine Thorium Reactor (LFTR) design of reactor for power generation, this was not always the case. Power generation was historically achieved at first through coal when the industrial revolution came to Galindia. Later on, the Alþing was quick to seek alternatives in the form of nuclear power, unwilling to import coal from thousands of miles away to supplement dwindling reserves. However, the first several of these were built quickly with a poor understanding of their construction, operation, and maintenance. In the year 1968, this culmimated in the worst nuclear disaster in Galindian history, in which the Hjálbastaðar Nuclear Power Plant suffered critical failure during an attempt to refit reactors No. 2 and 5, with the other three to be refitted soon after.

Due to a combination of design flaws, poorly maintained safety measures, and human error among reactor operators, when the two reactors achieved uncontrolled critical mass when most of the safety measures on the two reactors were disabled, and the cores were withdrawn from the reactors whilst still undergoing fission. This happened due to instrument failure leading to the Reactor Emergency Shutdown System failing, though still sending an affirmative signal to Reactor Control, leading to the continuation of the refit effort. When the uranium cores of reactors No. 2 and 5 were withdrawn simultaneously from the coolant and moderators, the mistake was immediately noticed, and an attempt was made to lower the cores back into the reactors. However, the process failed in reactor No. 2 due to a jam of the lifting arm, and in reactor No. 5 the reactor core could not be properly sealed due to similar mechanical failure. Without the presence of the coolant and moderators, the process of fission within the cores was accelerating rapidly, and to avoid complete nuclear disaster, the executive decision was made by Lawspeaker Hjálmar III Ivarsson, who had been informed of the situation, to flood the reactors with water from the control pond with the refit crews still inside.

Upon flooding, structural faults in the reactor buildings became known when the buildings collapsed, releasing enormous amounts of radiation which successfully triggered safety mechanisms in reactors No 1, 3, and 4, limiting damage. Reactor Operations also failed to evacuate in time, and upon the collapse of reactor buildings No. 2 and 5, all present suffered lethal doses of radiation. Radiation eventually spread to an area of some 50 square kilometers around the reactor site, which was designated as the Hjálbastaðar Exclusion Zone, which contained several towns which were then evacuated, though many of those who escaped suffered from radiation poisoning and died, and many others later contracted severe cancers. After the incident, which lead to the deaths of an estimated 3,700 people in total, Lawspeaker Hjálmar III abdicated.

#### Going to Space

The Galindian government has been making strides in recent times to expand Galindian presence in space. The previous launch of the Skjøta Commercial Survey and Exploratory Probe in 2048 was the beginning of Galindian efforts towards realizing these ambitions. The recent completion of the Gyltførar Spaceport complete with its four mass driver launch systems will facilitate greater commercial exploitation of resources in the solar system.

## Government

### The Alþing

The Alþing is the governing body and legislature of Galindia. It is composed of an Upper and Lower House, these being the Council of Curators and the Council of Law. The Alþing drafts and implements national laws, as well as oversees the election of a new Lawspeaker upon the death or abdication of the current holder of said position. The number of *þingmen* (council representatives) in the Lower House is determined by population, with each fourty thousand persons contributing one þingman to the Council of Curators, and each sváta contributing invariably, excluding the Capital Territory, two persons to have seats in the Council of Law. Both the Upper and Lower houses must have at least a 60% majority vote in concurrence with one another in order for any new law or act to pass. The Lawspeaker holds two Voting Seats on both the Council of Curators and the Council of Law.

##### Lower House - Council of Curators

The Council of Curators (Galindian:ᚴᚣᚾᛁᚾᚷᚪᚱᚴᛏᛡᚩᚱᚪ ᚱᚪᚦᚪ, *Sýningarstjóra Ráða*) is the Lower House of the Alþing, and is currently composed of 492 voting seats, all of which are currently occupied. The Capital Territory currently has 3 Observer Seats, which may not vote. It is the duty of the Council of Curators to draft new laws, bills, and create the yearly budget for the government. Each sváta gains a seat in the Alþing per 40,000 citizens within that sváta, with a minimum of two seats per sváta.

##### Upper House - Council of Law

The Council of Law (Galindian:ᛚᛟᚷᚪ ᚱᚪᚦᚪ, *Løga Ráða*) is the Upper House of the Alþing. It is composed of 102 voting seats and two observer seats, which cannot vote. Each sváta has three seats in the Council. It is the duty of the Council of Law to ratify or reject any law or bill that has passed through the Council of Curators, with bills that meet passing conditions, this being a 60% majority vote, then immediately being enacted. Laws, however, are passed to the Lawspeaker for final passing or vetoing. Even with a 100% majority, the Council of Law may not push through a law if the Lawspeaker vetoes it. They do nevertheless possess the ability to impeach the Lawspeaker if they feel the holder of that position has acted unjustly, with an 85% majority required in both the Upper and Lower Houses needed to do so. It is the Council of Law that determines the succession of the Lawspeaker position, and whilst it is primarily a hereditary one, they are within their powers to force a nation-wide vote to select a new one if they determine that the closest living relative of the previous Lawspeaker is unworthy of or unfit for the position.

### Lawspeaker

The Lawspeaker holds much of the final say in matters of the government, being both the head of state and head of government, as well as supreme commander of the Galindian National Forces. The Lawspeaker is entitled to draft their own laws or bills for immediate voting by the Council of Law, as well as freely appointing or revoking the appointment of existing military positions, though they cannot create new ones without it first passing through the Alþing. The position is primarily hereditary, with the closest living relative, preferably male, usually being selected to hold the office. If the heir apparent is deemed unworthy or unfit, however, an immediate nation-wide election can be held to determine a new candidate, who will then be evaluated for fitness by an Assembly of Moderators chosen by the Council of Curators.

### Court System

The Galindian court system functions in a two-part hierarchy, with local circuit courts taking care of matters of petty crime and theft. Each Circuit Judge is selected by the Lawspeaker, and will come subject to inquiry by the Assembly of Moderators if it is found that the Circuit Judge is not performing their duties satisfactorily. The Supreme Court is composed of 8 Supreme Justices, and a ninth seat is held by the Lawspeaker. Each Supreme Justice is voted in by a direct vote from the populace, and will maintain that position for life or until resignation. A Supreme Justice may be removed from office by a 70% majority vote from both houses of the Alþing.

### Administrative Divisions

The Galindian Judicate is divided between 34 Svátar and one Capital Territory. Each of the modern-day svátar are roughly similar in terms of territorial composition from the previous Era of Storms, though with the Goðorðar of Þærastaðar having been split into three, including the Capital Territory being the most notable change. Each sváta has rights provisioned in the modern constitution, though with the central government in Þærastaðar still having substantial power over the svátar. Each sváta may set their own individual tax policy within a set bracket ratified by a majority vote in the Alþing, as well as other policies such as commissioning new infrastructure.

### Citizenship & Residency

Galindian citizenship is not gained by birthright. Citizenship is gained by passing a civil exam covering aspects such as law, geography, who the current officials are, and Galindian history. Questions on state policy on specific subjects are also included. These citizenship exams are to ensure that each Galindian citizen is competent in the matters of their country's inner workings and were made official policy in the year 1958, before which birthright citizenship was in place. People born to Galindian citizens are given full citizen rights upon birth, with the exception that they may not vote. This status is called residency. To gain residency, a prospectant resident must pass the Residency Exam, which focuses primarily on Galindian law and customs, with basic history and geography also included. If a resident is unemployed for more than five years without reasonable cause (disability, severe injury, etc.), their residency can be revoked unless they either obtain employment within six months of the state notice, or work at a government unemployment prevention center. Work in these unemployment prevention centers is largely based around state funded community service.

## Geography & Climate

Galindia is divided into multiple greographic zones, possessing a diverse array of terrain and climate features. The Kærsarhálenda being one of the larger and more uniform, comprising alpine red-barked conifer forests and along the higher edges, moorland. The Bjalga, located in the western lowlands and northern coast of the nation is seasonally tropical, with a long wet season and moderate dry season resulting in comparatively less foliage than other eastern parts of the state, this compounded by centuries of deforestation and burning for agriculture and livestock ranching has resulted in a mostly deforested plain, utilized for keeping and raising of livestock, and farming. This has also resulted in the highest population density of anywhere in Galindia. In the south and southeast, in the svátar of Fjárhafn, Krónaskegja, and Kjårastaðar, the climate is temperate to mediterranean in nature, being more hilly than the Bjalga to the northwest. This has resulted in a less humid and more broken climate along the interior of the region, with the coast being the only exception, possessing a mediterranean to temperate climate year round, particularly around Fjárhafn. The harshest and least hospitable areas of the nation can be found in the Svátar of Nørðfjárla, Miðfjárla, and Hívbotn, containing the highest elevations and receiving the least rainfall per year of anywhere in the country. These are the only parts of the country that can be described as trans-Andean, and are host to the lowest population density in the state. Nørðfjárla also contains the highest peak in Galindia, this being Svártafjall (lit. *black mountain*), named so for its large deposits of serpentinite which are for the most part exposed to the surface. In the east (the Svátar of Thverbække, Bárhafn, and to some extent Austaðar and Høstokar), the climate is much more stereotypically tropical, with rainforests dominating much of the terrain, making this region one of the most autonomous even up to the Gøssáttmála, also recieving some of the largest ammounts of rainfall within the nation.

## Foreign Relations

### In Ailou

Galindia maintains relatively cordial and open diplomatic ties to most other nations present on Ailou, though interaction is moderate. Galindia orchestrated the founding of the Continental Concord of Ailou (CCoA) on 20 September, 2050 in order to facilitate more extensive trade with other nations on the continent and protect its interests against outside influence. The ascension of Otrygg Hrodgæirsson as Lawspeaker and transition of the CCoA to the South Samudric League has expanded Galindia's international influence to a moderate degree.

#### Tuxhul

Galindia has a long-running alliance with Tuxhul, established shortly after the ratification of the modern constitution when diplomatic ties were opened, maintaining a close relationship since.

### Wider Ulina

Galindia as a member of the Allied Effective has seen condemnation from many nations in Kanita for the alliance's involvement in orchestrating the New Year Coups in Kladiow, Nordgis, and Oscana. In contrast, however, relations with most nations in Ripiero and Zapita have been relatively unimpacted by recent events. The country has also started selling arms and warships to friendly nations globally in an effort to further increase international renown and influence.

## Culture

### Ancestral Culture

The ancestral cultural practices of the original Galindian migrants are relatively unclear. It is known that they generally shared the broad characteristics with the later goðorðar, including the building of both round and long pit houses, though construction of the pits themselves ceased shortly after arrival, instead being ground level or in the more heavily forested areas of Galindia being raised off the ground. Several early runestones survive from this time, but strangely do not depict rulers as later steles do, but instead appear to show communal rituals and several deific figures not present in later art or runestones. The pottery style also differs significantly from later periods, showing much less rigid and angular geometrical patterns, instead possessing round flowing designs that may represent the sea or some mythical body of water.

### Post-Settlement Period

It is in the long post-settlement period that much more recognizably Galindian features appear in both the historical and archaeological records, including the more highly structured polities that rose out of the later arrival period. Runestone carving becomes a much more refined practice during the early stages of this period, no longer simply carved on an exposed boulder either found at its location or moved elsewhere, but constructed of quarried stone formed into recognizable stelae depicting rulers and their accomplishments, the longest surviving and most famous of these being the Epic of Hjórkar, which tells the story of a legendary ruler who is tasked by the gods to cross the sea to find a new home for them. [More details in Mythic History section] Eventually Hjórkar reaches what would become modern Galindia and is crowned its first goði. Later rulers of Hølarbække would claim direct descent from this legendary figure. Notable also is the strengthening of the notions of filial piety and retributive justice, which are believed to be a symptom of the greater reliance on and elevation of rulers above the rest of society, with the stratification of family structure occurring due to attempts to consolidate control over the clan-based political structures that had become prevalent.

### Modern Culture

Modern Galindian culture has done away with many of the old practices and rituals, with family structure much less important and equal rights for every citizen preventing the previously possible levels of control that a family head could exert on his relatives. A strong notion of community is still present, however, as is a limited form of ritual hospitality.

## Religion

Galindian Religion is polytheistic and diverse, with origins predating the migration of the original Galindians to the modern nation. Galindian mythology is rooted in the worship of Gods and deified heroes who represent aspects of nature as well as culture and custom. There are currently three main interpretations of Galindian religion, though most of the modern population is either agnostic or atheist.

### Mythic History

According to tradition, the original four gods, Eldufæðistur (lit. *born from the cooking fire*), the god of fire, volcanoes, the hearth, good soil, and lunar eclipses, and twin with the sun and sky god Eldhiminfélag (*fire-sky brother*) along with sister deities Hæsjávardropi (*highest ocean droplet*), deity of the ocean and saltwater, and Brungrafari (*well digger*) goddess of night, the earth, freshwater, and rain. The gods feuded between each other and decided that to see the order of their supremacy, they would each use their power to create a great realm that suited their form. First was Brungrafari, who used her power to create a great ball of stone with many caves and large underground halls. Next her elder sister Hæsjávardropi, in an attempt to force Brungrafari out of the contest would summon an enormous ocean and cover the original stone world many times over. This display alarmed the two twin brothers Eldufæðistur and Eldhiminfélag, who would in order create fire beneath the surface of the stone world, but would cast enormous stones upwards towards the surface, which would manifest upon the surface as volcanoes. Next, Eldhiminfélag would create the sky as a barrier between the brothers in heaven and the sisters in the new world. Concerned with Hæsjávardropi's original display of prowess, the other three deities would conspire against her, imprisoning her and forcing her not only to give a portion of her power to Brungrafari; the power to create rain, but she would also allow pieces of the original stone world to rise to the surface and float atop the ocean and there the four gods would begin more limited contest with one another, creating out of pieces of themselves lesser helper deities who would manage more minute aspects of their progenitor's domain and reproduce with one another, creating even lesser spirits and natural forces. Emboldened by her increased power, Brungrafari would raise great mountain ranges multiple times in attempt to use them as a platform from which to create a new stone world, but chased away by the other gods each time, succeeding in the legendary *Himnesk Fjöll* (heavenly mountains), of the northern hemisphere but would be once again stopped before the world could be completed; the other gods then casting the body away and forming the moon, which would in turn pull a piece of Brungrafari's power into heaven where it could be controlled by the twin brothers.

In order to avoid future incidents of this scale, which had scarred the surface of the planet, the brothers did not punish Brungrafari and would instead work together to create another landmass in the south which would be much more hospitable to the gods and their minor creations. They would then be inspired by the behaviors of the lesser spirits' tendency to form small social groups among themselves generally based on their domain, such as minor fire spirits and leaf spirits. Not wanting their world to be scarred by the still considerable destructive power of the minor spirits, the gods would forbid them from interacting with the material world in almost any way, and instead creating a powerless being resembling a fusion of their four elemental forms who would worship the four gods to keep them pleased as tribute for its creation as the first man. The earth and water sisters would then create from the first man a copy of himself who would more closely embody their form, making the first woman. The first two people would then reproduce for many generations and propagate across the land, but upon their reaching of the isles closest to modern day Ditasi, Hæsjávardropi, who was angry that the humans were not sufficiently worshipping her would fracture the land of the east and west, and would further attempt to cast the southwest back into the sea, splitting the land into many smaller islands. Humans would then begin migrating southwards by sea to the island chains of Ramisola and Ailou.

The lineage that would lead to the Galindians was established when against the will of heaven, a human and sky spirit would intermarry and produce a son who would then go on to father many children himself, one of these being the legendary hero Hjórkar who would be hidden from heaven when Eldufæðistur found out about the forbidden coupling and destroyed Hjórkar's father and brothers. To repay their efforts, the two goddesses would task Hjórkar with secretly entering heaven and taking a coal from his grand hearth, introducing fire to mankind. The sisters would then task Hjórkar and now his many sons with transporting them to the southwestern landmass of Ditasi, first settling at Hølarbække and then conquering for them a domain in the region. It should be noted that no archaeological evidence for the claim of conquest exists and does not appear in early Galindian iconography. It is likely that the conquest myth was a later invention motivated by belligerent sentiment within the ruling regime. Hjórkar's descendants then intermarry with the local peoples and upon his death in the 177th year of his reign his realm would split between the various fiefs he had granted to his progeny, the original Galindian customs splitting first in the south where there was a larger proportion of native peoples to Galindian migrants. Another later invention that proves important to the modern Galindian viewpoint was Hjórkar's planned campaign into what would become Xetenatu to integrate it into his own realm, but dying of old age before he could begin the invasion. His four semi-legendary lieutenants in charge of the invasion would become important founding figures of the more powerful goðorðar of the north. Early inscriptions by the first powerful goðar are the first historically verifiable evidence of political structure and again bear no evidence of militarism or conquest and appear to actually derive their authority from their role in community organization to facilitate irrigation of the Mikiljarðne (from Mikil Jarðneskt Fljót, *"Great Earthly River"*) in the west and its lesser tributaries in the east.

Although early settlement period Galindian material culture is found in the south and the east particularly around Fjárhafn, the large scale community organization that arose from the irrigation projects that were possible due to imported technologies from the north did not arrive in the area until a later period.

## Economy

### Infrastructure

In modern times, Galindia is a well interlinked state with public maglev subway lines stretching to the majority of notable settlements. Education and public healthcare are provided for by the central government, with primary education (pre-k to 12th) being compulsory, and universities both public and private resulting in a highly educated populace and skilled workforce. Poverty is relatively unknown to the vast majority as education programmes and work as laborers for the state providing living wages for those otherwise unable to find work.

### Natural Resources

Galindia is rich in biological and some mineral resources, possessing some of the largest teak forests and serpentinite sources in all of Ailou, along with copious deposits of native tin and silver, also boasting a large wealth of magnesium. Galindia also contains some of the largest rare-earth metal deposits in Ailou, primarily contained within the north-coastal ridge. Much of the nation's remaining jungle wildlife is protected in National Parks, limiting commercial access to some of these resources but preserving bio-diversity. Another major component of resource extraction is commercial fishing, providing sustenance for much of the coastal populations in the north and south. In the past, whaling was also a major component of the southern coastal economy, providing whale oil and other whale-based products as exports to the other clans and later svátar well into the 19th century. Perhaps the best known resource to foreigners is the purple stone porphyry, which is found only in Galindia. Porphyry was renowned throughout antiquity up until the early modern period for its vibrant purple color and hardness, making it difficult to shape, and also very expensive. Not only did its purple color draw the eye, its expense made it a status symbol among prominent nobility in the central goðorðar. Porphyry has also historically been exported to Tuxhul and other nations with which certain goðar desired to curry favor.

### Imports & Exports

Whilst naturally rich in many areas, Galindia lacks coal, gold, and copper almost entirely, resulting in a reliance on imports from other nations to meet these needs, which in turn places emphasis on a strong navy in order to deter blockade or piracy. Common exports include the rich silver, tin, and magnesium deposits, as well as serpentinite as a commodity product. Tropical fruits are also in abundant supply, as agriculture is one of the primary components of the economy in Gyltførar, Rétbjalga, and Nørðbjalga, providing much of northern Ailou and more temperate and arid areas with large quantities of cheap fruits.

### Industry

Galindian industry is primarily manufacture based, with shipyards in Hølarbække and Fjárhafn producing large quantities of mechanical components and hull plating for ships, though lacking in wholesale assembly capability. Inland manufacturing is mainly focused on the processing of the large mineral deposits located within the highlands, along with manufacture of electronics and rail components.

## Military

The Galindian Military, officially the Galindian Armed Forces (Galindian: ᚷᚪᛚᛁᚾᛞᛁᚴᚳᚪᚱ ᚠᚩᛈᚾᚪᚦᚪᚱᛗᛖᚾ, *Galindískar Vopnaðarmen*) is the military of Galindia. Composed of an Army, Navy, Airforce, and Spaceforce, as well as the other Uniformed Services such as the Coastguard and Armed Corps of Engineers, formerly including a Revenue Cutter service to enforce tariffs and taxes on sea trade, which has since been merged with the Coastguard. It is notable for containing a disproportionate number of personnel to overall population size, mostly due to a feeling of insecurity regarding the safety of the state due to the outbreak of the Ilfiatist War and recent strikes on Tuxhul by Donat.

### Army

The Army is the largest branch of the military by number of personnel, currently comprising approximately 150,000 active service members. The Army possesses a range of equipment and vehicles, most notably about 200 tanks and some 800 additional support vehicles. The Army regularly conducts training exercises with other branches of the Armed Forces. The Marine Corps is considered a sub-branch of the Army.

### Navy

The Navy is the second largest branch of the military by number of personnel, currently comprising ~39,000 active service members. The Navy posesses almost all warships and many non-combatant vessels. The flagship of the Galindian Navy is the GNS *Sjóhestar*, a *Sjóhestar*-class Heavy Battlecruiser, currently the only of its class. Many frigates, destroyers, and two nuclear-powered aircraft carriers are also in service. The Navy's main purpose is the defence of both territorial waters as well as the declared EEZ and national interest. 129 vessels are currently in service of the Galindian Navy. The navy also operates several hundred aircraft, including reconnaissance planes, fighters and light to medium bombers deployed on aircraft carriers.

### Airforce

The Airforce is the aeronautic branch of the Galindian Armed Forces. It currently has 18,661 active service members and operates both locally and abroad. The Airforce has about a dozen airbases across Galindia, concentrated mostly around major cities, but rural locations do exist to protect frontier regions. Recent efforts in regard to the retrofit and expansion of an existing early warning system are facing resource shortages and construction delays as threat assessments are made.

### Spaceforce

The Spaceforce is the smallest and newest branch of the Galindian Armed Forces. It is currently composed of 2,179 active service members and serves mostly as a reconnaissance and research division.

### Military history

The Galindian Armed Forces began informally upon the creation of the alliance against Xetenatu. in which the forces of the various goðorðar would coordinate maneuvers against the Xetenatuans. Formalization came later during the Confederation and Gøssáttmála, in which a united force was created, to which each goði would contribute a free, and later at least minimum required, number of soldiers to the collective defence of the state.

In recent times the military has ballooned in size due to the outbreak of the Ilfiatist War and the need to field larger numbers of troops abroad, as well as protect trade, grows ever greater. The government has also organized the construction of new shipyards which are key to the rapid naval expansion effort.