Difference between revisions of "Dun Modr"

Latest revision as of 17:32, 13 December 2004

Dun Modr

Flag of Dun Modr
Motto: "Quidquid Latine Dictum Sit, Altum Viditur"
No Map Available Yet
Region	The East Pacific
Capital	Ironforge
Official Language(s)	Common
Leader	Art Vandelay
Population
Currency	Credit
NS Sunset XML

History of Dun Modr

Collapse Of the Coalition After the collapse of the Pacific Rim Coalition nearly twenty years ago, the member nations soon fell into chaos or ruin. Historians and scholars agree that this collapse was the result of the member nations' intense inter-dependence and lack of individual national identity or policy. When the once-mighty industrial sector saw the largest natural resource shortage in global history, nearly a third of the Coalition nations plummeted into a deep economic recession, one that threatened to engulf the entire region. Resources of all types were moved from nation to nation to nation, but whenever one need was met, another appeared in its place. Outsiders saw that the collapse of the Coalition was inevitible, and many nations ceased all trade with Coalition nations in order to avoid the repercussions of the recession (this included the UN as a whole, and nearly 50% of non-UN nations). Eight months after the recession began, the meber nations voted to disband the Coalition in an attempt to save themselves. Unfortunately, this move was too little too late, and each country was soon forced to shut down their government for lack of finances.

A Fresh Start The people of the old Coalition nations refused to live in anarchy, poverty, or shame. People relocated in the area as they pleased, and many found groups of people with similar beliefs and lifestyles. Within a single year, more than twelve of these people groups had formed organized governments of some type. Many rebuilt cities, reclaimed wasting-away farmland, and began the slow process of recovery. One such group of people claimed an area of land in the south along the Asgard Mountains. The provincial government named the area Dun Modr, after the tallest mountain in the Asgards.

Rebuilding The Lands The land claimed by the people of Dun Modr included many small- and average-sized towns, but only one major city. The city of Ft. Hampton sits on the coastline and straddles the mighty Compton River, and served as the second largest industrial center and the largest port of the Coalition before its collapse. Ft. Hampton was also one of the hardest hit by the recession, and the industrial half of the city, which was located on the east bank of the Compton River, was practically abandoned overnight. The western half of the city retained a large number of residents, while many left the city to settle in areas under better economic situations. Because of this exodus, the people of Ft. Hampton decided not to make their only city their capital. The town of Red Hill, located a few miles from the base of Mt. Dun Modr, was selected to be the capital city and was renamed Dun Modr. East Ft. Hampton was declared off-limits for citizens, and was salvaged for resources by the government. Nearly one-third of East Ft. Hampton was demolished in order to build the Capitol Buildings in Dun Modr. Demolition continues, and reclaimed resources are being sent across the nation to aid in the reconstruction of society.

Economy Of Dun Modr

Still reeling from the collapse of the Coalition, many of the citizens of Dun Modr have moved to an agrarian lifestyle. This accounts for roughly 40% of the population, while the rest are spread among commercial, industrial, government, and service industries. Modrians recognize that a developing nation has greatly fluctuating needs, and many workers find themselves changing their employment as the needs of the nation changes. There is much work still to be done, and unemployment remains low.

The credit is the unit for Modrian currency. Paper currency is commonly found in one, five, ten, twenty-five, and fifty credit increments (higher denominations exist but are rarely used). Coins valued at one-hundredth, one-twentieth, one-tenth, one-quarter, and one-half credit are minted, as well as coins worth one, two, and five credits. The Asgard Mountains are ripe with mineral deposits, including precious metals such as gold and silver, and the credit is linked to the value of the nation's Silver Reserve. One credit is defined as the value of one-tenth of an ounce of silver.

Dun Modr's major industries include timber harvesting, mining, and agriculture. The Asgard Mountains were protected by environmental law under the Coalition, and their rich mineral reserves are now being explored. Key materials found in this region are silver, gold, lead, tantalum, iron, cobalt, and nickel, as well as small deposits of copper, compressed carbons (coal and quartz), and aluminum. These raw materials are sent downriver to the refineries in Ft. Hampton, where they are processed and sold to neighboring nations. Since the city of Dun Modr was completed, the demolition of East Ft. Hampton has slowed, but the refineries and resource reclamation plants still run at full speed, processing material for neighboring nations. Roughly half of this resource recycling and processing industry is owned and operated by the governement, and produces nearly enough funds to meet the national budget. The people are not directly taxed; the government receives the rest of their funds through tarrifs on imports and exports.

Government of Dun Modr

The people of Dun Modr structured their government to specifically avoid the factors that caused the Coalition to collapse. A Republican form of government was chosen, which formed a central federal government as well as nine political subdivisions (called Provinces). The federal government was given very specific and limited authority, and the majority of the power was retained at the provincial and local levels. This ensures that the needs of the individual Provinces are met and the inter-dependence that destroyed the Coalition could not easily happen again. The federal government was given three branches: judicial, legislative, and executive. The Executive branch consists of a President, his cabinet and advisors. The legislative branch consists of two Assemblies: the Assembly of the People and the Provincial Assembly. Each Province elects three delegates to the Provincial Assembly, and each Assemblyman in the Assembly of the People represents an equal number of the population. The Judicial branch consists of a High Council, or court of five judges, with one High Councilman serving as the head. The remainder of the governmental structure was left to be defined by the Assemblies after the first election, and approved by the Provinces.

Each province has a similar government structure, and is led by a Governor. Provincial Assemblies are the only people who can add to the power of the federal government, and amending the Constitution of Dun Modr requires a 2/3 vote in all provincial assemblies.

The Constitution of Dun Modr is a version of the original constitution of the United States of America, including its Bill of Rights, with a few additions to guarantee certain additional rights and to defend the true Republic form of government.

Freedoms and Liberties

The people of Dun Modr viewed the repressive methods of the Coalition as an instrument of its downfall. Therefore, they viewed the goal of their new government as the protection of the rights and liberties of the people, not the redistribution of wealth as they did before. The people enjoy the freedoms of press, speech, religion, assembly, and others, and all citizens are granted the optional privilege of voting after the completion of their basic required schooling. Potential voters are required to take a simple test on the candidates and issues before being allowed to vote; this ensures that voters are making well informed decisions and are not voting based on outside influence or passing fancy. The people also concreted the freedom of religion into their government, ensuring that the leaders in power would never restrict their chosen method of worship, while allowing government leaders and facilities to freely practice religion as they see fit. The federal government sees the membership of each Province as voluntary, and procedures exist for the secession of a Province if it so chooses.