Gairovald
The Diarchy of Gairovald (Gairov Gaarodavald gy Hojamity; Tearvin Gairowaldny Gikuamár; Vuscovi Kywode'felke, "Gairoda-Land") commonly referred to as Gairovald, is a militarised dual-kingdom and is an elector state of the Holy Gilder Empire. Its native Gairovalder people share a culture unique to the Empire, boasting an ancestry in Teuo Tuyo rather than the classical Asthuumry, and abiding by a common sense they claim to have been borrowed from an ancient, distant land. Though erroneous to the rest of the Empire, the Diarchy's insoluble militaristic might has helped defend the Imperial borders and - begrudgingly - earned them the rank of elector, though many to this day continue to make great pains in pushing its King, Queen, and wealthy heiresses out of Imperial politics.
Structure
Gairovald's two official pillars of government are the Hojamity, the combined executive authority of the King of Mydyl and Queen of Otkar, and the legislative Drawajot, comprised of a semi-democratic twin-pronged forum of respected elders (Grogar) and a college of magistrates (Mazed), made up of educated young adults who serve one year terms. Traditionally, Drawajot debates are run by the Mazed, with the Grogar setting the agenda and exercising veto power. During wartime the Hojamity has absolute authority.
The third and highly polarising pillar is the class of rich and predominantly female landowners known as the Heirs and Heiresses, who through centuries of unchanging Gairov inheritance law have risen to own roughly forty percent of all Gairov land. While holding no legislative power, their power is one economic muscle and an effortless capacity to bribe monarchs, elders and magistrates.
Gairovald is regarded as a "constitutional" diarchy due to the influence of their Book of Prophecy and Book of Philosophies. The former is used for guidance in times of crisis, and the latter for advice on significant political decisions.
Culture
Gairovalder society echoes many of the sentiments found in the more ancient, elementary traditions of The Way, defined by supremacy through duality, embracing life's opposites of good and evil, black and white and masculine and feminine, and combining both into a perfected centre.
History
Ancient Gairoda
As told in the Gairov founding myth, in the times of Asthuumry and The Great Rook, warriors of the moons Loptr and Verthandi descended upon the cities of Mydyl and Otkar atop flying swords and clouds. After defeating all challengers in combat and other demonstrations of power, the warriors proclaimed the "Will of the Heavenly Phoenix", bestowed two great scrolls into the hands of the King of Mydyl and a Queen of Otkar - one of prophecy Rihanay gy Netu and one of philosophies Tsun gy Shu-an - and divined a future that'd see the Gairovs winning freedom from the Ancient Foe and his sycophants. Taking said heavenly guidance to heart the two rulers and their respective tribes, the Gaar and Roda, put their ancient rivalry to rest and took up arms. In a long age of trials and bloodshed that followed, with each finding their weaknesses complemented by the others' strengths, the two cities won their own freedom. To seal their fruitful union the new King and Queen then married and declared the Diarchy of Gairoda (circa 2540 PRD), with the countless sons and daughters who returned home from war in turn marrying widows and widowers from the other tribe. In time, and independently of the influence of the the Beast Gods of the Divine Pentarchy and their Great Altea, the once-oppressed Gairovs would come to carve out the entirety of the later-named Gairoda peninsula for themselves.Fall of Asthuumry
The vast wealth and territory stolen through the conquests of the rump Asthuumry (c. 412 PRD) and successors of Bydafin and Hassafin coupled with the sheer number of Gairov warriors lost saw fourth the earliest form of a wealthy class of widowed inheritors: the first Heirs and Heiresses of Gairoda. The Gairoda of this era is regarded by contemporary historians as the nation's peak in territory, political might and military strength, as well as the historic peak of the absolute power of its Kings and Queens. In the millennia since, Gairoda and its successors have experienced a protracted decline, chafing against a rising Kingdom of GIlder and Taurocracy of Ebendia, technological advance, and through the sheer conservative inflexibility of its culture and legal system.Schism
With the realm buckling from wars with the armies of Ellion the Golden, with the King Filip Mydyl having gone mad in his ambitions to prove the might of the Gairovs against the Ulixes, the two Houses erupted in a generational conflict that saw the former Diarchy split in twain and divided between the King and Queen (334 PRD), each gaining their capital cities and surrounding half of territory. To Altean historians the split nations were thus named Mydyl and Otkar.The Oath of Olerus
In the closing years of pre-Radiant Dawn, the spectacular rise of Bengwaz Alven and his campaign to unite all Tusiks under the banner of his soon-to-be Holy Gilder Empire struck a unique terror into the reigning King Amakani of Mydyl and Queen Zsuzsannat of Otkar. Both monarchs consulted their sibyls, and with weeks of oracle bones cast into fires and moons and the constellations keenly observed, all saw a proverbial hammer striking upon an anvil of immense change. War was coming; with victory, would come a thousand years of prosperity for a new united Gairoda; with loss, a return to chaos and fortune instead smiling on their foes. With the fulling of the Red Moon Olerus, an oath was thus sworn between the long-errant monarchs, creating a temporary alliance. As recorded in in accounts by the missionary Agenor of Agaemuro, in the winter of 6 PRD while Bengwaz was marching on the Margraviate of Teuten, the Diarchy invaded the province of Sigser through Gozzowald with an army of fifty thousand Gairov soldiers. King Alger VI mounted a valiant defence at the Battle of Erikste in early 5 PRD, but was slain during the rout by a bold Gairov knight who charged him as he sat at the head of the Sigswalder forces. A thousand kilometers away, word of the brazen assault did not reach Bengwaz until he had taken Memya and ended the reign of the last Taurarch. His wife, Gracia was crowned Queen of Sigswald, and he vowed to return to her side to bring Gairovald to heel for the crimes committed against her father and her people.Holy Gilder Empire
Through the sixty year gauntlet of disunity that followed, with the defeat at the hands of Bengwaz Alven cloaking the Gairov masses in a shadow of fear and shame and a firmament of armed discontent, the two Gairodas were again defeated in battle by the Emperor Rupert I Alven (62 RD), an event that forced the King and Queen to convert to the Church of Ineffable Light, swear fealty to the Holy Gilder Empire, and see fourth the creation of a new and united Diarchy of Gairovald.Gilder Civil War
Though ancient and backward, the modern Diarchy remains a significant power in the Holy Gilder Empire, rivalling both Sigswald and the Rajbound League. With the recent rise of civil war and wayward sects, the rulers of Gairovald are in disagreement; the current Queen sees value in separating from the church in order to capitalise on the vast monopoly of land owned by herself and her loyal heiresses, while the King - whose loyalties have long lied with the Empire - is adamant about staying true to the old faith.
Type
Geopolitical, Kingdom
Alternative Names
Gaarodavald gy Hojamity, Gairowaldny Gikuamár, Kywode'felke
Government System
Monarchy, Constitutional
Legislative Body
The legislative body of Gairovald, the Drawajot, is comprised of a semi-democratic twin-pronged forum of respected elders (Grogar) and a college of magistrates (Mazed), made up of educated young adults who serve one year terms. Traditionally, Drawajot debates are run by the Mazed, with the Grogar setting the agenda and exercising veto power. During wartime the Hojamity has absolute authority.
Executive Body
The diarchy of Gairovald is the Hojamity, the combined executive authority of the King of Mydyl and Queen of Otkar.
Parent Organization
Notable Members
Related Ethnicities
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