Difference between revisions of "Farinor"

Revision as of 01:11, 14 May 2007

Farinor is a Danaan principality in the Resurgent Dream. It is bordered by Wintermore in the south. The name of the principality is a geographical term for the area predating Indian settlement. Its origins are unknown.

Etymology

The name Farinor was a geographical term used by the Aboriginal Danaans to refer to the bulk of the area which is now the Principality of Farinor among the Aboriginal Danaans. The exact origins of the term are obscure. Some scholars have theorized that it comes from the name of a powerful chieftain who held sway in the area but many others dispute this, saying that it instead was a term referring to the mountains in the south of the principality. The word Farinor is not used for any purpose except to refer to the modern principality in whole or in part and it is impossible to determine its origin from the context of aboriginal languages.

History

Like the rest of the Danaan High Kingdom, Farinor's history can be divided into four basic periods: Aboriginal Danaan, between settlement and the Homecoming War, Fae and post-Shattering.

Farinor was originally home to a number of thriving Aboriginal Danaan cultures, many of which still retain their ancient identities to this day. Unfortunately, many others either died out or became absorbed into the larger population following settlement.

Settlers from India arrived in Farinor in 951. They brought with them their way of life and their various religious faiths. Settlement was relatively extensive and, for most of its history, Farinor has been the largest of the Danaan principalities. It has only in recent years been eclipsed in population, though not in geographical size, by Zeng. Unfortunately, Farinor was never a truly unified state and its many petty royal dynasties, usually fighting amongst themselves, were easily dominated by the High King of Dana.

Farinor was first unified after the Homecoming War. Farinor had become home to a large Fae population and had come to be ruled by a Fae queen, Elayne ni Fiona. Despite the bitterness created by the war, humans and Fae came to live together in relative harmony in Farinor and it became a land known for diversity and tolerance.

Following the Shattering, Farinor is once again a predominantly Hindu and predominantly Indian principality. The exodus of most of the Fae back to the Dreaming has weakened the society's diversity and has created some pressures towards greater homogenity. However, these pressures are kept in check by a developing tradition of liberal democracy and by Farinor's status as a Confederal Member, partaking in the liberal democratic ideals and institutions of the larger nation.

Government

Farinor is one of the largest Members in the Confederated Peoples. It is defined by its constitution as a constitutional monarchy, a liberal democracy and a social democracy. There is currently a strong movement for a constitutional amendment mandating complete separation of church and state and defining Farinor as a secular state. Farinor is a parliamentary democracy with a more or less Westminster-style system.

The Prince of Farinor is the official head of state. The First Minister, however, is the Head of Government and exercises almost all executive powers either directly or through his constitutional right to give binding advice to the prince. The First Minister is appointed by the prince on the recommendation of a party or coalition controlling the majority of seats in the lower house of Parliament.

The legislature of Farinor is a bicameral parliament consisting of a Senate and a House of the People. The Senate does not have a fixed size although it tends to have between 200 and 300 members. 100 Senators are directly elected, 100 hold their seat as a result of a peerage title or membership in the royal family and an indefinite number are appointed. Senators hold their office during good behavior. The House of the People consists of 502 members directly elected from single-member constituencies who hold their seats for fixed five year terms.

The political executive consists of the Cabinet under the leadership of the First Minister. All Cabinet ministers must be sitting members of one of the two houses of Parliament. The Cabinet is accountable to Parliament and most directly accountable to the House of the People which has the power to pass a motion of no confidence in the Government thus forcing the First Minister to resign.

Farinor has an independent judiciary dominated by a Supreme Court. The Supreme Court is the final court of appeal in the Farinor court system although its decisions can, of course, be appealed to the Confederal courts. It also has a power of judicial review and is able to declare laws which violate Farinor's constitution null and void.