Factbook of Fayrrendel
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The Holy and Federated Republic of Fayrrendel
The Hallowed and Forbanded Bylawship of Fayrrendel
General Information:
Government Type: Federal One-Party Dominant Theocratic Republic
Head of State (and Government): Steward Edith Halindsester
Legislature: Greatmoot (The Great Assembly)
-Upper House: Alderrede (Senate)
-Lower House: Sondrede (Council of Representatives)
Capital (and largest city): Michleigh
Other Major Cities:
-Norbury
-Sudbury
-Medwich
-Estbury
Population: 13,873,250 (2025 estimate)
Ethnic Groups:
Ostriders: 12.2 million (88%)
Orlanders (Indigenous): 550,000 (4%)
Other Non-Ostriders: 1.1 million (8%)
Official Language: Ostridish English
Language Demographics:
Ostridish: 12.9 million (93%)
English: 415,000 (3%)
French: 270,000 (2%)
Others: 15,000 (0%)
Indegenous Languages: 275,000 (2%)
Official Religion: Hallowdom
Religious Demographics:
Hallowdom: 3.3 million (88%)
Catholic: 100,000 (3%)
Other Christian: 165,000 (5%)
Other Religions: 140,000 (4%)
Currency: Fayrrendel Leafmark(s) -
Historical Synopsis
Records of human habitation of Fayrrendel date back to 10,000 years with the Chinook and Kalapuya nations inhabiting much of the valley. In the 1630’s mass waves of migration came into the region, primarily English-based migrants fleeing persecution who called themselves Ostriders (a corruption of the word out-strider). Ostriders, who followed a new religious movement heavily suppressed by English authorities, migrated to what they called Fayrrendel. They founded the cities of Norbury and Sudbury to build a society to separate themselves culturally and religiously with England and create a new identity more in line with their religious vision. Multiple wars over the course of the 1600 and 1700’s with the indigenous population as well as diseases brought from Europe led to the consolidation of the entire valley by 1758. In 1787, Norshire and Sudshire both submitted to the rule of the UK under threat of force. The British attempted to unify Norshire and Sudshire into a federation in 1791, the first time Fayrrendel was brought under a single government. But it was met with strong opposition, which eventually led to the separation of the two provinces once more in 1810.
The discovery of gold and precious gems in the 19th century led to colonial expansion and further expulsion of indigenous peoples from the region. This also attracted migration from Europe, bolstering the country’s population but also attracting social unrest throughout the 19th century by the Ostriders, who were concerned about losing their control over the colony. These tensions led to political turmoil that defined politics in the region throughout the later half of the 19th century. This culminated in The Dearf, a period of religious violence against non-Ostrider immigrants and retaliatory attacks which made the colony difficult to govern. With the gold rush in the colony dying down and the ethnic tensions intensifying, the British withdrew from the colony in 1898 leading to the expulsion of the majority of non-Ostrider residents in the colony.
The Dearf ended in 1903, which granted guarantees to the remaining migrants in the two shires, granting them a residency status. Most however were not granted equal citizenship or rights, with voting power solely in the hands of the Ostriders and people who converted to their religion. In 1964, the two shires, bound in a loose confederation, agreed to ratify the Great Bandwrit, which formally unified the colony into a federal system. In 1976, a liberal government came into power which promised radical reforms to the country including secularization, universal suffrage, and codifying equal rights into the Constitution. This sparked outrage, particularly from the conservative clergy who overthrew the government in 1979 and established the current theocratic government in its place. Limited liberalisation however eventually took place in the 1990’s to early 2000’s under moderate factions in the clergy, granting suffrage rights for non-Ostriders, and effectively giving equal rights to women and some level of secularization to public life.
Fayrrendel has since been struggling with ongoing tensions between the non-Ostriders, who primarily live in the rural eastern territories, corruption within the government, and a stagnating economy coupled with a housing crisis.
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Map of Fayrrendel and her other Holdings
Fayrrendel is divided into several categories of territories. The first category are the Shires. There are only two territories named officially a shire: Norshire and Sudshire. These two shires, sometimes along with Yeomark, comprise Fayrrendel proper with the rest of the territories nominally being territorial holdings of Fayrrendel. They are the two original territories that made up the state. The second category is known as a Hireland. Estmark, Norstand, Yeomark, and Knollwealds are all Hirelands. Hirelands and Shires are considered independent Bylawships which have near complete self-autonomy as well as elected officials. The last catagory is a Markland, which is considered a territory too sparsely populated to be granted Hireland status. Marklands are territories with local governments appointed by the central government. Yonfelland and the High-downs are considered to be the two remaining Marklands with no major population centers.
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Politics of Fayrrendel
Fayrrendel is a Republic (Ostridish: Bylawship) under the framework of a theocracy which was established by the overthrow of the Old Bylawship in 1979. The official state religion is Hallowdom, the ethnic religion of the Ostridish population. Minority religions are legally tolerated, but are reported to be under constant surveillance. Regular and frequent elections are held in local offices as well of the Lower House of the Greatmoot, the Sondrede. However much of the high executive political positions are controlled by the Alderrede, which consists mostly of appointees from the Hallow Clergy.
The Head of State and Government in the Republic is the Steward, who is elected by the Alderrede alongside all other high executive offices. The Steward is always, but not legally required to be, a member of the Hallowed Society’s ruling council, the main clerical organ of Hallowdom. The Steward is the Commander-in-Chief of all of the military forces in Fayrrendel, heads the executive organs of the state, the chief diplomat of the Republic, as well has the ability to issue decrees on foreign policy and religious issues. The Steward serves with the confidence of the Alderrede, but generally, the Alderrede gives deference to the priorities of the Steward, thus making it in practice a lifetime appointment.
The Greatmoot is the Legislature of the Republic. The Lower House, the Sondrede, is elected by universal suffrage by all citizens of Fayrrendel every 3 years. It the the sole house that can propose laws and Acts of the Greatmoot, as well as propose new taxes. The Sodrede’s consent is also required in cases of Declaring War, as well as approving the annual budget made by the Alderrede. All constitutional changes must be approved by the Sondrede by a 2/3rds majority. The Upper House, the Alderrede, is a council of current and sometimes former government ministers, appointees from the Hallowed Society, and occasionally respected experts on niche issues. They appoint all of the ministers of the government, as well as recall them, are the highest Judicial Organ in the country, as well have veto-power over any laws the Sondrede proposes.
Political Parties
Torchbearer’s Society of the Holy Revolution
Political Position: Center to Right-wing
This party is the dominant party in the Sondrede and is regarded as an extension of the Hallowed Society. They have always been the ruling party of the Sondrede since the founding of the current regime. Their ideology supports the theocratic system and generally supports the agenda of the ruling Steward. The Party has two factions, the Moderates and the Hard-Liners. The Moderates have been the majority of the Party since the partial liberalisation in the 2000’s, although the Hard-liners have significant influence in the clergy. Moderates typically are more conciliatory towards other European powers and prefer a more open Fayrrendel while the Hard-liners are more isolationist and prefer Fayrrendel to make more unilateral decisions.Hallow Democratic Group
Political Position: Center-Left
This party was founded as a coalition of dissident clergy and the surviving liberals from the Old Bylawship. They are a small minority in the Sondrede but are the only political party in the Sondrede receiving representation besides the Torchbearer’s Society. They advocate reform to the system and the complete liberalisation of the country, including the end of the prohibition of non-Ostriders from entering Norshire and Sudshire. Though they do not openly oppose the theocratic system, they are regarded as the party that dissidents to the system flock to. Their views on the European Union are mixed, but generally supportive.
