The Six Unions of Gadalland and Aspern
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Gadalland and Aspern National Anthem
Surprisingly enough, Gadalland and Aspern does not have a national anthem, nor have they ever had an official country song. The old tribes of the seven islands all had songs of patriotism, to sing before they went to war, but those were not held onto after Verna II's message of peace influenced most of the population.
Sertians throughout the ages, since 1224, have thought the Sertian Domex (book of laws governing Gadalland and Aspern) worthy of their patriotism, because it promoted human dignity and rights at a time when violence was all these islands knew.
The figure of Verna herself is enough to make any Sertian feel proud of their heritage.
In modern times, at least for now, it has been decided that Gadalland and Aspern will not adopt a singular national anthem to commemorate the simple union of these six islands.
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What happens if I can't pay my taxes?
Gadalland and Aspern is known widely for its astonishingly high income tax rates. It seems only natural that you may ask: what happens if I can't pay?
In Sertian law, it is technically a crime not to pay your taxes, with the highest penalty for this being a fine of 500,000 SCD. In case you're unfamiliar with the concept of money, that's quite a bit!
So will you be penalised even more if you can't pay your taxes?
Technically, you should be. Sertian law clearly states that not paying your taxes is a crime. But that's no reason to be scared.
See, when you do not have enough money to pay your taxes, you are technically considered to be in debt. And being in debt in Gadalland and Aspern is not a crime under any circumstances. In fact, it makes you entitled to financial assistance from the government.
This clever little trick by the government creates a distinction between those who cannot pay their taxes because they haven't got the ressources, and those who are actively avoiding paying their taxes even though they could reasonably contribute.
Anyone receiving certain types of financial assistance from the government are exempt from paying their taxes. Were you to pay taxes whilst receiving government support, this would achieve nothing. The government would give you money, only to get it all back, and you'd be left with nothing.
So, to put it briefly, the government only considers not paying taxes a crime in order to catch tax evaders. And since the government collects income data on many Sertian residents, tax evaders don't get very far.
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Where will the summit be taking place? Part 1 of 3
Heard about the upcoming arrival of Mr. Aguilar to Sertia? Whether you're a fan of politics, or are endlessly in love with the Spanish leader, we've made a guide to help you follow the two leaders on their three day adventure through Sertia.
Day 1:
- Drive to Hemberdale Railway station
- Meet with Ms. Dina while on the train to Slalium
- Meet Head Braetha Fornithias Cranst, inaugurate the new spaceport in Slalium
- Get the train to Araguas House in Esterey, home of Head Braetha Fornithias Cranst
- Join Mr. Cranst for a Seeing In the Masts Ceremony and traditional dinner in the evening in Esterey
Your first question might well be: when the devil did we get a railway?
Good question! Technically, about 150 years ago, when Sertia Horserail began operations. But actual trains? Not yet. In fact, our very own European Councillor and Mr. Aguilar will jointly inaugurate the rail system with its first ever train before it is to be open to the public.
Hemberdale will service all routes which were formerly Sertia Horserail, including, Esterey, Osperfey, and Uggold. It will also service Blenawen and Slalium.
Here is an earlier picture of Hemberdale horserail station:
Hemberdale General Horserail station, 1866Here is Hemberdale Railway station, after significant renovation:
Railway? Sorted. What's next for these two leaders?
Well, they will be on the train for most of the day. Their first destination is the beautiful new Spanish spaceport, by the lovely seaside village of Slalium.
Slalium from the sea, 30 January 2023After the inauguration, Mr. Aguilar will get back on the train to the bustling town of Esterey. While Esterey is a bit inland from the sea, it boasts the largest railway station in Gadalland and Aspern, and is where you can find Araguas House, or better known as the home of our very own Head of Braetha, Fornithias Cranst.
Esterey railway station, 1 January 2023
Araguas House, 2 December 2023
At the end of today, the two leaders will head to Esterey Harbour, where a private Seeing in the Masts will be held. Seeing in the Masts is a traditional practice of many Sertian villages and it is a celebration of sailors coming home.
Stay tuned for part 2!
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Where will the summit be taking place? Diagonathroe
After meeting with Mr. Cranst at the lovely Araguas house, Mr. Aguilar will be using his second day in Sertia to make a pilgrimage to Ribahjinda. But, because he's the Spanish president, he'll be skipping all the bits in between and heading straight to Ribahjinda.
Tourism Sertia recently published an entry with regard to Ribahjinda and the West Olves, but what do we know about Diagonathroe?
Well, Diagonathroe (pronounced 'di-GUN-thru') comes from "Dya-gun-thrau" meaning valley of the sea of Dya, who was the ancient goddess of the sea between the West Olves and the kingdom of Prew in what is now Sertia. The area has been occupied since before the Sertian Dark Ages (c. 600-1100). During the Vernaian campaigns for peace from 1210-1224, Diagonathroe was already an independent and prosperous city.
In its heyday during the 14th century its major exports were delicacy paints and fabrics, made with precious metals such as gold and silver which came from the West Olves. The most sought-after colours, black and coral (light pink), were mixed and melted carefully by the expert smiths of Diagonathroe and appear in the traditional clothes of the Bothorist vestry and upper classes of that era.
The 15th century saw a decline in trade from Diagonathroe as the Aulfish authorities in Ribahjinda attempted to crack down on the exports of precious metals from their shores. Many of the expert textile and cloth smiths were forced to seek apprenticeships in other trades, which meant moving to the major cities of Plariaras or Hemberdale.
In the 16th and 17th century Diagonathroe was invaded a number of times by the armies of the West Olves who sought to conquer the kingdom of Prew and rule over what was then something of a democratic government. With the support of the other kingdoms within Sertia and a massive tax campaign, the Diggun Overseer Parso Prewhic saw the building of a massive defensive structure around the main part of the city, some of which still stands today.
During the 18th century, Diagonathroe fell into extreme poverty. A visitor from overseas described Diagonathroe as a "horrid place, still with the stench of blackened gold", likely referring to what once was a beacon of art and beauty, but was then burned to a crisp by the powerful armies of Ribahjinda.
After Gadalland and Aspern was established in 1800, Diagonathroe received money to reform its centre and provide education and welfare to its population, from which it slowly recovered. During this time it saw a major influx of pilgrimage tourism to the West Olves, which remains its crucial export to this day.
Sertia Horserail reached the city in 1940, and has prospered from rail tourism ever since. Today, there are still remnants of its time in the rut in the form of tenements along the seafront, which are now some of the hottest seaside property in Sertia.
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Tourism spotlight: Rowsperch
If you're interested in accessible trips to the countryside from Hemberdale or Osperfey, the city of Rowsperch on the southern coast of Sertia may be just for you.
The city has recently seen a great influx of tourism and economic growth from the new high-speed Railway for Sertia system, but still possesses its own Sertian charm: horserail in the centre of the city, organic Rudmercetas, or road markets, and a complete lack of automobiles.
The city has opted to maintain its ban on automobiles, the area of which stretches a two mile radius from the city centre. This is to encourage sustainable tourism and accessibility.
Surrounded on all sides by steep hills, Rowsperch lies in the Hylma valley, 10 miles from the southern coast. It was first the sight of a rural Bothorist monastery of St. Eldras, settled by pilgrims from the West Olves, and was the first Bothorist institution in the south of Sertia in the 500s. During this time, the city was known as Eldrasporin. Due to the institutional wealth brought on by donations to the monks and the priors, the monastery grew, and in 578 a wall around the monastery and the surrounding clergy houses was built. The city grew from here, with all other development happening outside the city wall, with the exception of wealthy merchants and traders in the good faith of the monastic clergy.
The old monastery of St. Eldras, later known as the Raym of Sidrales.
During the Sertian Dark Ages (600-1224 AD), Eldrasporin was sacked many times by the Osperfans, who sought the wealth of St. Eldras monastery and felt threatened by those of Aulfish heritage. In 1210 the city was permanently occupied by the Osperfan clan Sidrales, who rebuilt and strengthened the city wall as well as converted the monastery into a small palace known as a raym. After this time, Eldrasporin came to be known as simply Porin, which means sanctuary or safe place in Old Sertian.
Passage through Rowsperch city wall, looking away from the Raym of Sidrales.In 1224, the land on which the Raym of Sidrales became the public land of Gadalland and Aspern. In order to honour all those who had suffered in the Sertian Dark Ages, Verna II Osperfey ordered the city to commemorate the old monks who lived in the monastery. Porin again became Eldrasporin, and as a result of common use, transformed into Rasporin.
From 1200 to 1400, Rasporin, during this time also known as Reysporyn, Wreysperchyn or Wraunsparchyn, experienced growth due to its position in the Hylma valley. It became a large defensive centre, producing weapons and providing training for the city's military, who were some of the fiercest fighters in the country.
This trade continued into the 1500s, when the government ordered Sertia to develop an army of foot soldiers to keep in reserves. Most of these soldiers were housed in Wraunspyrch, first in residence with local citizens, and later in the barracks near Grans, a town which overooks both sides of the Hylma valley.
In 1644, the first official map entitled The City of Rowsperch was placed in the palace and since then Rowsperch has been the official name of the town.
Rowsperch barracks, which have since fallen into disrepair.In the 1650s during the Aulfish Revolution, the government of Gadalland and Aspern began arresting Aulfish people living in Gadalland and Aspern for fear of causing local revolts and instability. Many Aulfish fled Gadalland and Aspern to Rowsperch, which at the time remained an independent city-state and retained good faith with the West Olves. Thus, Rowsperch did not give up the Aulfish residents to the army of Gadalland and Aspern, citing the heritage of the town and international relations.
In the 1700s to the 1800s, Rowsperch retained its status as an independent city-state until 1811 when it signed a pledge of union with then-Gadalland and Aspern, dissolving its military and officially recognising the government.
By 1900 Rowsperch saw its population dwindle to a mere 45,000 people as many sought work in the major cities. Seeking an alternative form of income, Rowsperch quickly adopted farming and fishing to maintain its wealth, and in 1980 the city was given a bursary to help it expand its appeal to tourists.
Rich history and commanding architecture await you...visit Rowsperch!
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What is the six day pilot scheme?
If you've been paying any attention to Sertian government affairs you may have noticed that some rules only last a few days. Six, to be exact.
This is due to the six day pilot scheme (SDPS), which is a remnant of Old Sertian law, but remains fundamental to the function of our government.
SDPS began in the 1300s as a legal courtesy between members of the Braetha who regulated the laws within their respective body. For instance, if the Braetha of Justice (formerly Council Alcalde) changed the laws about theft, it was respectful to acknowledge that the law had been changed , and appreciate its circumstances, before it was voted to be repealed.
This tradition continued until 1830, when the six day grace period became a legal requirement. Thus, when a member of the Braetha imposed a new rule, six days had to pass before that rule was voted into law by the entire Braetha. This system has remained ever since, though it's name changed to SDPS in 2000.
A recent example of the SDPS in action was the imposition of the limits to protesting by former Head Braetha Guthrún Wond. As soon as the Braetha were legally able, they eradicated the law, which within those six days saw approximately 100 people arrested for illegal protests. None were prosecuted, but the effects of the law seriously harmed public trust in Mr. Wond. In this case, the Braetha recognised the severity of the law and, the next day, issued instructions to police not to enforce the pilot law.
Did you know that many laws created and practised by the SDPS are not enforced? For example, just yesterday the Education Braetha wrote a law making the cost of university free in Sertia. The law is in its pilot scheme but is not being enforced. This is known as a Dormant law.
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What is 'Statutory banishment?
The Brætha have released guidance raising the minimum age of statutory banishment to 21. But what exactly is statutory banishment?
You may recall that, only a few months ago, the Brætha released a statement concerning Mr. Wond's punishment for treason. He was convicted of this unacceptable offence without recourse to a trial due to overwhelming public favour and a unanimous vote by the Brætha.
As in the case of Mr. Wond, successful conviction of an unacceptable offence warrants statutory banishment. In its original form,conceived in the 1500s, it stripped convicts of their status as Sertian citizens, and they were unable to return to Sertia. Many sought refuge in nearby Rowsperch or the West Olves, both of which were independent at that time, but mostly were refused entry because they recognised convictions of unacceptable offences decided in Sertia.
Now, statutory banishment takes a less severe form. You can only be banished from Sertia completely if you have claim to nationality of another EU nation. This was the case with Erab Danulch, who was convicted of treason due to his position I the Aspernian paramilitary during the Schism. He was permanently banished from Sertia because he possessed dual nationality with Istkalen. His banishment was a subject of national concern because he had never been to Istkalen in his life.
However, most are banished from the major cities in Sertia if they are successfully convicted of statutory banishment.They receive government support to find a home and manage their finances, and are confined to their property except for special circumstances, for example to go to hospital.
The recent guidance sets out a more lenient scheme for the rehabilitation of under-21s, who cannot be found guilty of statutory banishment and the age at which statutory banishment applies is expected to continue to rise in future.
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Tourism Spotlight: Monastery of St Verna of Osperfey
Likely the most popular Sertian landmark, and one of the most important to the island's history, the Monastery of St Verna of Osperfey lies in the Erdàis district of the city of Osperfey. This monument was dedicated to St Verna in 1240 to honour her successful effort to unite the Six Unions of Gadalland and Aspern.
Before the union, Osperfey lay in the Isle of Yudrey, and the foundation upon which the Monastery now stands can be dated back to around 550 BCE, when the Yudreians used it likely as a tomb for their nobility.
The wider Erdàis district, until around 1500, was its own city, and the Monastery was then known in Sertian as the Ipiarnas yw Vaernaw lly Erdàis, or the Monastery of Verna of Erdàis. Until the town took the name of Osperfey, which was a village outside Erdàis, Verna was not associated with Osperfey.
The cityscape changed when, in 1564, the Brætha of Erdàis declared that only residents of Erdàis could scatter their ashes at Verna's tomb. The practice of bringing a deceased loved one's ashes to the tomb of Verna had been a longstanding tradition to pay respect to the saviour of the Kingdom of Sertia. Therefore this act by the Brætha of Erdàis enraged many people, and the Head Brætha had to intervene to allow this tradition to continue. To do this, he put the town of Erdàis under the jurisdiction of Osperfey, run directly by the Head Brætha.
Today, many pilgrims still come to see the tomb of Verna for many reasons. Visitors may find many urns of ashes stocked at the foot of Vernas effigy. To this day, pilgrimages are subsidised by the government to allow people to seek out peace. Join them and visit Osperfey!
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Kingdom of Sertia? But there's no king!
24 August 2023
Tourism Sertia have been receiving an infinite amount of messages from our poor, confused readers about Sertia's new official title of 'Kingdom of Sertia'. They complain that it's confusing because "there is no king!"
Well, we want to address this because quite frankly, we get so many of the same messages that it's causing us much irritation we can't just get on with our day.
After the most recent Sertian schism, the Six Unions of Gadalland and Aspern which had held for over 800 years has officially dissolved. Thus, we can no longer call ourselves Gadalland and Aspern, because some of the historically Aspernian territories are interwoven with historically Gallish territories. So when Aspern separated, it took some of Gadalland with it.
Although they're now reunited, the Braetha cannot reasonably continue to call it the Six Unions of Gadalland and Aspern, as those six unions dissolve when one union dissolves.
'Sertia' is the name of the nations within Gadalland and Aspern who were formerly run by monarchs, hence the moniker 'Kingdom of Sertia'. But what about the old nations that weren't kingdoms?
Well, there weren't any of those. Before the Domex Campaigns by Verna II Osperfey in 1224, all of Sertia was run at one time by local clan leaders and princes who owned the land upon which they lived. During this time, the word 'Sertia' did not exist as a name. Instead, it demarcated the old hall where the individual kings convened each year, hence the name deriving from a corruption of Old Sertian meaning "sovereign".
When the kings convened, they would each issue a spoken statement about the state of affairs in their kingdom. The Old Sertian word for 'king' is 'ha', and the word for speech is 'Bryeh', or, in modern Sertian, "Braeh". In old Sertian, this convention within the "Serdria" became known as the "Bryeha", and is the first form of national government for Sertia, a direct ancestor of our very well-known Braetha.
So the Kingdom of "Sertia" really means the Kingdom of sovereign kings, a land which belongs to no single person but to many groups of people who have over the years lived in the lands owned by various princes and kings and other monarchs. Those kings no longer exist, but there is no other name for our nation other than the Kingdom of Sertia.
The Braetha have decided to call it the Kingdom of Sertia to recognise the significant impact of this schism on the identity of the Sertian people. But at least now there won't be any confusion as to why "Sertians" are from "Gadalland and Aspern". Sertians are from Sertia.
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A study of the use of carrier birds as a means of communication in modern Sertia
from 'The World's Oddities Registry' by Deras Marlynn, 1958
The Kingdom of Sertia is not known well for the modernisation of its government infrastructure, which until quite recently has not seen extensive renovation since the early 1930s. The rather shameful neglect of its once brilliantly coloured ancient monuments, which to this day stand headstrong in the centres of its lively towns and cities, has experienced a steady volte-face in the direction of progress. This alternation is consistent with its changes in leadership, which are notoriously slow due to the government's reliance on the whims of its various guilds (known as Braetha, pl.).However, a more modern visitor to the Kingdom of Sertia will notice this change of sentiment within the Braetha, especially when visiting the vast, sprawling metropolis of its capital in Hemberdale. What once was a centre for low-spirited, serious office workers and aristocrats has expanded to incorporate Hemberdale's historic and cultural significance as one of the major trade centres, alongside Osperfey, in the eastern part of the nation.
Were you to visit Hemberdale as a tourist anytime up until 1930, you would notice a spectacular sensory overload, owing to the contradicting blend of wondrous architecture and colour, combined with the unsavoury smells and characters about the streets. Should you have acquainted yourself with a resident of Hemberdale, you would notice no shortage of, first of all his family and personal business, and including this a curiously high number of birds flying in and out of his office window. The latter statement is the subject of this section, a vitality of Sertian identity, one of the only connections between modern, cosmopolitan Sertia and its curmudgeonly yet inspiring past.
Carrier birds are, in their most simple essence, birds trained extensively in the art of navigation. You may first think of pigeons before anything. Yet in Sertia, pigeons are hardly commonplace, which has forced the Internal Communications Order (ICO) to resort to the use of predatory birds. The decision to train these large flying animals was taken on the basis of their superior eyesight and intelligence, and their ability to, in their time off, keep away common disease-spreading pests. The ICO has recorded that carrier birds have been used since at least the founding of Gadalland and Aspern some 750 years ago, and ironically were responsible for multiple epidemics. Now, the ICO regulates the health and safety of these birds, and has increased focus on their individual well-being. Thus, one bid will not complete an entire cross-country journey to deliver post to a very rural area. Instead, the bird will deliver to an ICO outpost, where the post will be assigned to another bird who is based within that outpost. There, they are cleaned and fed, put up and treated for disease.
A recent vote by the Customary Logistics Council [now the Braetha] almost saw the birds out of fashion in Sertia, namely by the Councillor for Defence, who argued that this would increase the chance of internal failure during a time of war. However, he was ultimately defeated because of the sentimental nature of seeing these birds everyday. A local Sertian will be able to tell you the name of their carrier birds over the ages, the various affections they held for them, and will usually keep a record of the bird's visit. Nowadays, and undoubtedly in future this will contribute no less than seminally to the knowledge of Sertia's past.
I mentioned that the tradition of carrier birds is one of the sole connections to Sertia's past. This means that when you go to Sertia, look up and look out for the occasional swooping fowl, which croons and caws as it flies through the narrow mazes of temples, drying clothing, and into the sunset, as the chimes of Hemberdale's many bells signal the end of an idyllic Sertian day.
