Tyrnica

Grand Kingdom of Tyrnica Mechen-Königreich Týrland (Tyrnican)
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Wegen der kälde erlangen stärke" "Through the cold comes strength"
Anthem: Märsch des Nordens "March of the North"
Location of  Tyrnica  (dark green) – in Auressia  (green & dark grey) – in the Commonwealth  (green)
Capital	Vedayen-Königspfalz 55°43′N 17°39′E
Largest city	Stierstandt
Official languages	Tyrnican
Recognised regional languages	Gamlandenic, Kürskäringan, Ornish
Demonym(s)	Tyrnican
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
• Monarch	Frederick IV
• Chancellor	Kristen Lehmann
Legislature	Rechtzuhör
• Upper house	Haus des Königsrath
• Lower house	Haus der Volksvertrieter
Establishment
• Coronation of Audun I	1 November 463
• Union with Kürskäringar	16 September 1479
• Valschaffën Act	8 June 1783
• Adoption of Constitution	20 February 1914
Area
• Total	2,199,498 km2 (849,231 sq mi)
Population
• 2020 census	67,413,974
• Density	30.6/km2 (79.3/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2020 estimate
• Total	$4.039 trillion (2nd)
• Per capita	$59,923
GDP (nominal)	2020 estimate
• Total	$3.539 trillion (1st)
• Per capita	$52,498
Gini (2020)	27.3 low
HDI (2020)	0.943 very high
Currency	Commonwealth mark (Ϻ) (COM)
Time zone	UTC+1 (Central Auressian Time)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+2 (Central Auressian Summer Time)
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy (CE)
Driving side	left
Calling code	+07
ISO 3166 code	TYR
Internet TLD	.tr and .kn

Tyrnica (/ˈtɜːrnɪkɑː/; Tyrnican: Týrland, pronounced /ˈtɪərlænd/, officially the Grand Kingdom of Tyrnica (Tyrnican: Mechen-Königreich Týrland) but also known as the North and the Kingdom of the North, is a sovereign state located in Central Auressia. It is bounded in the north by the Breuvician Ocean, and in the west by Blayk across the Strait of Khovaar. It shares borders with several states to the east: Elstock, Pelemia, and Senia. Tyrnica is comprised of twelve constituent regions within 2,199,498 square kilometres, and possesses a population of 67.4 million. The legislative and royal capital rests in Vedayen-Königspfalz, which is the nation's second largest urban centre after Stierstandt. Other major cities include Valschaffën, Audrache, Hasserstadt, Schwarzeberg, Evverkäben, Karsfjord, Rechevary and Ardarschweig.

The region that now comprises present-day Tyrnica has been inhabited by ancient humans since 600,000 BCE, and by Isaric peoples since approximately 700 BCE. The Sabarine Empire had established tributary states in the area by 100 CE, and formed a provincial government during the 4th century. In 463 CE, Audun I became the first King of the Tyrnicans, which contributed to the Fall of Sabaria and the end of Antiquity in Auressia. During the Middle Ages, Tyrnica was gradually united over several centuries as part of a period known as the Vereinigung (“unification”), until Tyrnica entered a personal union with Kürskäringar in 1479. The territorial integrity of the Tyrnican realm was cemented during the Fifty Years' War and the War of the Kovarian League, with its first overseas colonies being established towards the end of 16th century. Mercantilist competition for land in the New World served as the catalyst for conflicts such as the Eleven Years' War, and although its colonial empire rivalled that of other Auressian powers, Tyrnica was outcompeted by the breadth and wealth of the Blaykish holdings in Marceaunia and the naval strength of the Blaco-Vervillian Union.

The War of the Tyrnican Succession marked the decline of Blaykish dominance in Auressia and abroad. Tyrnica weathered the Great Upheaval of the early 19th century and was influential in orchestrating its Compromises, acting to secure its growing supremacy on the global stage; it would go on to become the worldwide leader in cultural, military, and economic interest in the ensuing Tyrnicae Saeculum. Perceived threats to Tyrnican dominance in the 1800s were met harshly — in the Tea War and the Ninety Days' War, Rythenean challenges were soundly repulsed. Eventually, embittered rivals and erstwhile allies of the Tyrnican regime assembled the Second Coalition in opposition to its actions during the Mermery Incident, which quickly developed into the First Great War. The tide had turned against the Galene League by 1912, and unsustainable territorial losses compelled Tyrnica to unilaterally withdraw from the conflict in March 1913. It became a pariah state in the wake of the war, having alienated both its allies and adversaries; Tyrnican authority was quickly supplanted by the new Rythenean world order.

In the interbellum period, the first Saudler administration collaborated with Blayk to arrange the return of Khovaar and Kilkis to Tyrnican hands, though relations with Rythene remained volatile throughout the 1920s and 30s. When the Second Great War broke out in 1935, the Tyrnican government had no compulsions to assist any of the belligerents — but when Blayk was invaded by Lancero Palia in 1938, Tyrnica intervened and declared war against the Alliance. The course of the war saw the Tyrno-Rythenean reconciliation, and the integration of military and economic apparatuses which would eventually become the Commonwealth of Northern Auressia. Tyrnican forces had served on every front by the end of the war, and supported Rythene in subsequent conflicts in Vervillia and Kasaria. Rapid post-war economic growth enabled Tyrnica to emerge as the industrial engine of the nascent Commonwealth — using the remainder of its Treaty of Arden reparations, Tyrnica pledged large investments to post-war Auressian infrastructural recovery, the Blaco-Tyrnican nuclear program, the Commonwealth lunar missions, and a number of other such initiatives.

Today, Tyrnica is a developed country with the world’s second-largest economy by nominal GDP and the third-largest by purchasing power parity. It is a high-income social market economy that places emphasis on arms, automobile and technology manufacturing, with a burgeoning service sector. The nation also holds the third-highest Human Development Index rating in the world, and performs favourably in a number of national performance listings including health, education, quality of life, economic freedom and the protection of human rights and liberties.

The Grand Kingdom of Tyrnica is a great power that wields considerable influence across the globe, maintaining the ability to engage in power projection. Tyrnica is a founding member of the Commonwealth of Northern Auressia as well as the Auressian Community, and participates in a number of other intergovernmental organisations dedicated to global peace, security and development. Its military expenditure is the sixth-highest in the world, and despite being a recognised nuclear weapons state, it expressed possible commitment to a nuclear disarmament program in 2016. Tyrnica is renowned as a cultural nexus and is the birthplace of many varieties of the arts, philosophy, science and music.

Etymology

Etymologically, the name Tyrnica is a Sabarisation of the native Týrland, which is in turn derived from the name of the most prominent deity in Isaric paganism. Ultimately, the term stems from *Dyēus, which was the name of the proto-Auressian chief deity typically associated with the daylight sky.

Originally pronounced as (/tɪərnikɑː/), the common pronunciation of Tyrnica has since changed to (/tɜrnɪkɑː/), but earlier forms are still used and recognised. In Tyrnican, the native Týrland is pronounced only as (/tɪərleɪnd/) or (/tɪərlɑːnd/).

History

Prehistory

The Tyrnican region is believed to have been occupied by ancient humans since 600,000 BCE. The Virkaevahn Man is well-known for being one of the oldest and most well-preserved examples of early human life, while ancient flutes and pipes show the existence of musical instruments in Tyrnica as early as 48,000 BCE.

Antiquity

The earliest emergence of proto-Isaric peoples can be traced to the late Bronze Age in the vicinity of modern-day Velcalår. Archaeological, genealogical and linguistic evidence suggests that circa 700 BCE, the inhabitants of the area began to take on an increasingly homogeneous profile as the population grew larger. During the same time period, the coastline of south-western Tyrnica was settled by Savolian city-states who established colonies in order to trade with the local inhabitants. By 100 BCE, cooling weather conditions necessitated Isaric peoples to settle on the Tyrnican mainland, spreading across Central Auressia and displacing the Rubic tribes of the region before coming into contact with the Sabarine Republic. Sabarine ambitions in the area were curtailed by a series of internal crises leading to the establishment of the Empire, although several Tyrnican tribes had been reduced tributaries by 100 CE.

Over a period of approximately 200 years, much of western Tyrnica (modern-day Westlicht and Erbidefior) was incorporated into Sabaria as an imperial province of the same name. While the Emperor was responsible for appointing a governor to the area, actual authority usually fell to local chieftains, whose power was vastly increased by their adoption of Sabarine customs. Consequently, Imperial control of Tyrnica also enabled a massive influx of Isaric tribes into Sabarine society as foederati, and fostered the establishment of “Tyrnican legions” within the Sabarine military.

In 460, the Sabarine Emperor appointed Audun of Pons Aelius as dux of the province, aiming to quell growing unrest from the native polities. Ultimately, however, the assassination of Septimus Taurinus in 463 proved to be the catalyst for Audun's decision to declare himself King of the Tyrnicans; in Sabaria, the subsequent power struggle within the Senate forestalled any attempts to re-establish imperial control over the Tyrnican states. Most Sabarine soldiers serving in Tyrnica quickly went over to the Audonian regime, with the situation in the Occident rapidly deteriorating. With the collapse of Sabarine authority in Tyrnica, many Isaric tribes entered the Empire en masse, rather than as foederati; the Blakes invaded Transalpine Vervillia in 470.

Audun I, the first King of the Tyrnicans.

In the late 5th century, the Kingdom of Tyrnica was one of the most powerful states in Auressia. Isaric foederati had been present in the Occident for centuries, but never as a unified force. Under the reign of Audun I and Balduin I, Tyrnican legions were dispatched in large numbers to fight in wars against the Sabarine rump state, supporting other Tyrnican kings in Blayk, Vervillia, Fortaine, and Rythene. The Sack of Sabaria in 480 saw a number of valuable artifacts of the Empire transported back to Tyrnica. Eventually, the Saranic regents succeeded in bringing many of the core provinces back under imperial control: Calinisia, Blaucia, and Cisalpine Vervillia had pledged alleigance to Sabaria within its camarella system. In 501, Galibus Alamirus deposed Emperor Cotta and turned his attention towards reconquering Tyrnica. The death of Audun II in 509 marked the decline of movement from Tyrnica, and the early Second Sabarine Empire established new bases of power in the Orient with its capture of Stierstandt and Einbrånd. The election of subsequent monarchs from amongst the Tyrnican warrior elite did little to stem the expansion of the Saranic dynasty: Widogast I and Gaiseric I were each killed in battle against the Sabarines, and Garibald I fled in order to avoid capture.

The Audonian dynasty again assumed the Tyrnican kingship in 539. The reign of Adamardis I coincided with several periods of instability in the Second Sabarine Empire, resulting in some conquered Isaric states ending their tributes to Varsi and returning to Tyrnican control. In the 570s, Isbrand I uprooted the last remaining Sabarine holdouts along the coast. Under the later monarchs of the Isbrandian dynasty, Tyrnica pivoted its focus towards the east in its long-term Vereinigung of Isaric peoples.

Early Middle Ages (600–1200)

Tyrnica had asserted its influence over the River Essar and its surrounds from 463, but in the mid 7th-century its hold on the basin was cemented when Tyrnican rule had extended to the coast of the Sea of the Gamlandene and to the headwaters above Valschaffën. From 699, Ulrich I and his descendants marked an increase in royal authority in Tyrnica at the expense of local power, which was also joined by a continued rise of Perendism in Tyrnica and its gradual domination of the religious landscape. In the 9th century, Kürskäringan and Gamlandenic raiding expeditions began to spread to Tyrnica. Tyrnica was the largest state in Auressia at the time, but its size quickly proved to be a disadvantage in responding to attacks along its extensive coastline. The defeat of Lothar III by the brothers Bodvar and Bolli in 836 marked the beginning of an interregnum, and the territorial unity of the realm was compromised. Faced with ineffectual resistance from Tyrnican defenders, Northern Isaric raiders soon began to settle permanently in Niedrigessar, including at Rudskinder and Vedayen. In the absence of central authority, feudal relationships began to develop between local rulers and the development of early strategic fortifications proved successful in preventing further warfare. The swift Perendisation of northern settlers served as the basis for alliances against further waves of invasion from the Gamlandene, and a reunited Tyrnica began to ward off maritime attacks beginning in the 10th century.

In 955, the Apostolic Dicere called for a crusade into Khovaar against the Kürskäringan pagan inhabitants after the death of Arthur of Cerlouex, who became the patron saint of Blayk. Blayk and Tyrnica comprised the bulk of the Perendist forces, and though ostensibly on the same side, the two kingdoms began to compete for control of the island and the increasingly lucrative trade through the Strait of Khovaar. Ida I of Tyrnica was killed during the crusade, leading to her canonisation by the Apostolic Church. Khovaar became a prominent part of Blaykish and Tyrnican national myth after the crusade, and it ignited a long dispute over the island which came to characterise relations between the two countries for most of the next millenium. With Tyrnican core territories in the western regions and the Essar basin solidifed and Perendism firmly established as the majority religion, historians tend to view the period around the Crusade for Khovaar and the rise of the House of Lanstadt as the divide between the Early and Late Middle Ages.

Late Middle Ages (1200–1500)

When Caroline I inherited the Tyrnican throne as an infant, Arthur of Arcions claimed the Tyrnican throne as Charles III. The subsequent Fifty Years' War (1422–77) saw the Albernian dynasty contesting the Tyrnican throne against a series of elected Tyrnican monarchs. Blaykish tactics on land and at sea, augmented by Kürskäringan mercenaries, secured their superiority for much of the war. Under Charles III and Rosalie I, Blayk controlled all of Westlicht in addition to parts of Erbidefior and Umbrecht. Tyrnican attempts to push Blaykish forces were temporarily successful, including some assaults on Blayk itself under Audun VI and Elise. It was only when Frederick II secured a marriage alliance with Sweyn XIV of Kürskäringar that Blaykish influence could be fully expelled from the Orient in 1477. Sweyn XIV died in 1479, with his sons having predeceased him, and his daughter Solveig inherited the throne. With Tyrnica and Kürskäringar bound by a personal union, the Vereinigung is usually considered to have ended in 1479.

Early Modern Period (1500–1783)

Tensions between Blayk and Tyrnica soon rose again over competing mercantile interests in the Strait of Khovaar and the Galene Sea. Karsfjord and Avilême had each been notable centres of maritime trade in the area, with extensive commercial links to other port cities. However, their independence had steadily declined with the rise of powerful neighbouring states. Khovaar had broken free of Rythenean control in the late 15th century, and fell within Tyrnica's sphere of influence shortly thereafter. In 1528, a dispute over the Avilême-controlled city of Sarbéliard escalated into the War of the Kovarian League (1528–30), in which Blayk and Vervillia joined forces against Tyrnica. The war ended in a stalemate with Tyrnica having annexed Khovaar and Sarbéliard and secured economic and strategic superiority in the Strait. However, the war shifted the balance of power in Auressia with the formation of the Blaco-Vervillian Union and its formidable navy.

Tyrnica's early pre-eminence in trade through the Galeo-Hemetrian meant that it was slower to colonise the New World than other Auressian powers. After the economic potential of the west began to flow to Auressia, Ulrich IX and Erich VII became eager to sponsor and finance Tyrnican expeditions to Marceaunia. The oldest of the Tyrnican colonies on the eastern coast of Marceaunia Major became the centre of King Erich's Land, which was soon joined by St Suibert's Land further south. From the 16th to the 18th centuries, Tyrnican settlements were scattered across the New World from Surrow to the Rum Gulf. In Auressia, Tyrnica proved reluctant to challenge Blaco-Vervillian power. It initially bolstered Rythenean efforts in the Fraternal War (1620–46) but withdrew its support under threat of a Blaykish invasion, instead turning its attention towards a final conquest of the faltering Ornish Principality in the east. Tyrnica again became involved in the Fraternal War at its conclusion, which demarcated colonial zones of influence and forged dynastic links between the ruling families of Northern Auressia.

Parliamentarian democracy developed in earnest in Tyrnica during the reign of the Varberg monarchs, particularly when William V dissolved the Parliament of Kürskäringar and compelled its representatives to sit in the Tyrnican Rechtzuhör. Kürskäringan delegates in both houses would form a strong affiliation that became known as the Kürskäringan bloc, asserting their influence on Tyrnican politics when Hedwig I was crowned at the 1709 Congress of Stierstandt instead of her elder cousin. The modern office of the Chancellor of Tyrnica was cemented as the Eleven Years' War (1748–59) developed out of a complex web of alliances in Auressia. Tyrnica suffered a series of costly defeats, and an unfavourable treaty resulted in the surrender of its territories in Surrow and Audonia to Rythene — the war is usually considered the first of the Tyrno-Rythenean Wars. With its influence in Marceaunia curtailed, Tyrnican expansion in the rest of the 18th century was concentrated in Isuan and Nabaia.

The long-term effects of conflict and alliance in Northern Auressia became apparent when Leopold II of Tyrnica died in 1783 and ended the Varberg-Laubbachen line. Nicholas II was supported in Tyrnica and Blayk, but opposed by Vervillia and Rythene. The revocation of ancient privileges between Blayk and Vervillia ended their Union, and ensuing hostilites sparked the War of the Tyrnican Succession (1783–87). Most of the fighting took place in Blayk and Vervillia, and Tyrnica secured a number of Rythenean concessions in the peace negotiations. Charles IV of Rythene retaliated by blocking Tyrnican access through the Strait of Casmire, violating the rights of Rythene's prominent merchant class. Tyrnica responded in kind by closing the Strait of Khovaar, inflaming further tensions in Rythene.

Late Modern Period (1783–1900)

The Vervillian Revolts of 1787 and the outbreak of the Rythenean Revolution in 1790 marked the beginning of the Great Upheaval in Auressia. Tyrnica provided diplomatic support and recognition to the Rythenean Republic, but stopped short of becoming directly involved in the conflict as the Upheaval spread across the Occident. The 1801 Blaykish Civil War resulted in the loss of Sarbéliard to the new Blaykish National Assembly, spelling an end to Tyrnican neutrality in Auressian affairs. A new government in Tyrnica formed under Berend Walbaum, who established a "pragmatist" system of alliances across the continent with Tyrnica at its centre. In 1810, Tyrnica joined with Vervillia to defend against a Blaykish invasion of Avilême, which became a Tyrnican protectorate in 1813. The Orpanist army was devastated at the 1815 Battle of Montigné, and Tyrnican forces aligned with the Palian Republic in bringing order to the defunct SSE.

The four most influential figures of Tyrnica in the Upheaval: Nicholas II, Berend Walbaum, Ludwig von Clausbruch, and Adelar von Maustadt-Halle.

The 1816 Congress of Sabaria establised a new balance of power between the Auressian states, including newly-independent countries in Marceaunia. Tyrnica emerged from the Great Upheaval as the foremost of the great powers, with its period of dominance becoming known as the Tyrnicae Saeculum ("Tyrnican Century" or "Tyrnican Age"). The status quo enforced in 1816 would not survive the decade, but the 1819 Congress of Karsfjord demonstrated that Tyrnican influence could remain secure in spite of fluctuations in the international order. It retained a firm hold on its territories in Marceaunia while expanding its reach in Surucia and Idica with the support of its closest allies: Audonia, Aillaca-Rocia, Palia, and Sulatia.

Nonetheless, Tyrnica soon found its position challenged by Rythene. Tyrnican and Rythenean trade interests often intersected, and the two countries remained in close competition. Rythene lost control of its Songhese colonial territories in the 1830s, and Tyrnica swiftly filled the power vacuum that had arisen in neighbouring Bansunay. Rythenean attempts to re-enter the tea market led to a conflict over agricultural land in Nabaia, and minor skirmishes soon developed into the full-scale Tea War (1852–56). Rythenean armies gained the upper hand early in the war, but Tyrnica was able to muster its allies and colonial troops to relieve the Siege of Sundalore. The Tyrnican government organised the sale of Nova Kovaria to Audonia in 1854 in order to finance its complete occupation of Rythenean Nabaia, ending the war in 1856.

Enmity between Tyrnica and Rythene would continue to escalate after the Tea War. In 1883, tensions rose to a breaking point again when a Rythenean diplomatic provocation resulted in an unexpected declaration of war by Tyrnica. Whereas previous Tyrno-Rythenean Wars had been fought in colonial theatres, the Ninety Days' War was only fought in Auressia. The Tyrnican Navy attacked the Rythenean fleet at anchor in the Burning of Bashaven, and cowed the Rythenean government into surrendering at the Submission of Hyreathe. The harsh terms imposed at the Treaty of Bashaven were rebuked by Blayk and Albrennia, but the Tyrnican government was intent on avoiding any future military threat from Rythene. Its actions at the 1888 Rythenean World Exposition and in the 1895 Galeo-Hemetrian Crisis led Tyrnica to create the Galene League in 1897, aiming to strengthen ties with its long-term allies.

The Great Wars (1900–1945)

The beginning of the 20th century marked the height of Tyrnica's global power. It defeated Pelemia in the War of 1901, and it annexed Elstock and much of Western Pelemia. When the War of the Four Nations broke out in Marceaunia, Tyrnica did not intervene in favour of its allies Aillaca-Rocia and Audonia for fear of drawing an emerging Rythenean-aligned alliance into the conflict. Tyrnica's reserved approach proved to be its undoing: when an emboldened Neo-Senitene Empire challenged Sulatia in the Hemetrian Sea, it was supported by Blayk and Rythene on the assumption that Tyrnica would again choose not to act — but when it did, the ensuing Mermery Harbour Incident in 1908 ignited the First Great War. Two of Tyrnica's major allies remained neutral in the conflict: the UAR, now split into its constitutent states Aiyaca and Rocia, was still devastated by the War of the Four Nations; Audonia committed itself publicly to neutrality, but continued to be complicit in the war by providing clandestine support to the Galene League.

Even in spite of these setbacks in the Western Hemisphere, the Tyrnican-aligned Galene League entered the war in a much better position than the informal alliance that had developed around Rythene. Almost all of the countries on the Galene Sea were in the League, and Tyrnica was perceived as unassailable in Oriental Auressia. Despite being considered the last of the Tyrno-Rythenean Wars, conflict between the two countries initially took place in the Occident and outside Auressia. By 1911, with both sides desperate to end the war, the Coalition launched a series of costly assaults from Blayk and succeeded in seizing Khovaar and Kilkis. Simultaneously, a resurgent Pelemia invaded the Tyrnican territories gained in the Treaty of Elstock and quickly drove west to the Els. The Battle of Evverkäben in 1912 resulted in an Albrennian blockade of the city, ending Tyrnican naval activity in the Sea of Kilkis. With public sentiment turning against the war and the threat of a Coalition invasion by sea, Tyrnica sued for a seperate peace with the Coalition in March 1913.

Tyrnican Topan fighters flying in formation with Rythenean fighters.

The resulting Treaty of Arden saw the end of Tyrnica's participation in the Great War and the end of the Tyrnicae Saeculum. It was isolated by the new post-war hierarchy led by Rythene and shunned by members of the former Galene League. Political instability wracked Tyrnica as it struggled to maintain trade and territory overseas. Conditions improved by the 1920s, which saw Khovaar and Kilkis returned by referendum under a newly-codified Tyrnican Constitution. Security concerns remained paramount as economic conditions worsened going into the 1930s, with Tyrnica fearing forced repayment of its war reparations. Tensions rose between Tyrnica and Rythene as each expected a renewed conflict, but in 1935 the Coalition was drawn into an unexpected Second Great War in the Demontean. The rapid expansion of Lancero Palia and its allies in the Occident alarmed Tyrnica, which began a policy of rapid rearmament, but Rythene's attention was held by the war against Songha. Tyrnica's interbellum neutrality came to an end when the Third Sabarine Empire staged a surprise invasion of Blayk, which drew Tyrnica into the Auressian front of the Second Great War.

Tyrnica's entry into the conflict proved vital to preventing a Palian victory in Auressia: whereas Blaykish and Rythenean strength had been stretched thin by fighting on almost every continent, Tyrnican forces had not seen large-scale warfare since the First Great War. As more of the Occident was occupied by Lanzist troops, Tyrnica reinforced remaining defensive positions along the Strait of Khovaar and harried Alliance shipping in the Galene Sea. The Tyrno-Rythenean reconciliation marked an end to the long-lasting hostilities between the two countries. Sulatia and Tyrnica clashed with the Bolshtine Republic along the Pelemian Corridor and with Palian-aligned Kasaria and Amarata in the Hemetrian Sea. The tide of the war had turned against Palia by 1941, and the Coalition pushed through to capture Montemolín by 1943. Tyrnica continued to fight in the War in the Alps in Vervillia and the Continuation War in Kasaria, establishing several zones of occupation across Auressia and Idica.

Post-war era (1945–present)

After the conclusion of the mid-century wars, Tyrnica sought to re-establish its influence abroad as Blayk and Rythene began to decolonise their remaining overseas territories. It soon turned its focus to closer ties with its neighbours, continuing the economic and military integration that had developed between the Coalition allies during the war. The union of five countries — also including Vervillia and Avilême — solidified into the Commonwealth of Northern Auressia, the most successful of the post-war alliances. Further confrontations with Songha led Rythene to develop nuclear weapons, with a second Blaco-Tyrnican joint nuclear program following shortly before the 1953 Palheim disaster. Relations with Pelemia remained tense as the two countries contested uranium mining rights in Dekherev and maintained the uneasy Elstock condominium. Tyrnica's longstanding collaboration with Sulatia resulted in warm CoNA–Sulatia relations, especially in a shared opposition to an emerging Pelemia–Kasaria axis.

Tyrnica experienced a cultural revival in the 1960s at home and abroad, particularly as its music industry grew to be the largest in the world. It was influential in promoting closer CoNA relations, leading to the establishment of the Commonwealth mark, Parliament and High Court. Tyrnica and the Commonwealth supported Aiyaca in the 1963 Callaqua Crisis over Albrennia, narrowly avoiding a war in Marceaunia. The Commonwealth emerged as a pioneer in space exploration and launched the first mission to land humans on the Moon in 1971. By the end of the decade, Blaykish reform politics saw its withdrawal from the Blaco-Tyrnican nuclear program, leading conservative governments in Tyrnica and Rythene to increase military spending.

Tensions with Pelemia eased slightly heading into the 1980s, and the 1990s saw an end to the joint condominium in Elstock. Domestically, the end of Anton Webber's chancellery coincided with a rift in the Tyrnican royal family and support for the monarchy dipped to its lowest point since the Great War. The 1988 election saw the Social Democratic Party returned to power for the first time in almost 20 years. Queen Margaret died in 1990, having reconciled with her son Erich who succeeded her as Erich VIII. Erich reigned as king for just six years until his pre-planned abdication, allowing his son Frederick IV to take the throne.

Geography

Geography of Tyrnica

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  Autumnal forest near Weidenhain

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  River Essar in Valschaffën

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  Glacial valley in southern Umbrecht

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  Farmland east of Ardarschweig

Tyrnica is located in Central Auressia, bordering Elstock, Pelemia, and Senia to the east. It shares maritime borders with Blayk to the west, although the two countries are connected by the Arden-Karsfjord Crossing. It is enclosed by the Breuvician Ocean and the Galene Sea, as well as the Strait of Khovaar which separates Oriental and Occidental Auressia. The territory of Tyrnica spans approximately 2,199,498 km² (849,231 sq mi), making it the 2nd-largest country in Auressia by surface area, and the 8th-largest in the world. 2,176,918 km² (426,198 sq mi) of its area is land, with 22,580 km² (8,718 sq mi) consisting of water in the form of perennial rivers and lakes.

Climate

Most of Tyrnica (especially Central and Northern Tyrnica) is affected by Breuvician low-pressure systems, which forms most prevailing winds as northeasterlies. The Heftrigrad Mountains of Kürskäringar, which continue into Erbidefior as the eponymous Erbidefior Highlands, block most of the Breuvician-Gamlandenic weather systems via orogenic precipitation and cast a rain shadow over the western side of the peninsula and Westlicht. This makes the northern coast of the mainland very wet, receiving twice as much rainfall as the west, with areas like Sivene and Amboss being particularly damp. It also makes the Sea of the Gamlandene dangerous, due to inclement weather arising from the low-pressure zone. By contrast, parts of Western Tyrnica are susceptible to being affected by Hesperian weather systems. Much of Westlicht receives stable patterns: it is blocked from the Gamlandene by the Highlands, and receives less rainfall than Blayk across the Strait because the weather systems get weakened by the Litavin and Kovarian hills. It receives warm air from the Galene, causing areas like Frueling to exhibit a much warmer climate than the rest of the country. Kilkis and Kürskäringar, however, are especially vulnerable to the Hesperian weather systems. Extratropical cyclones forming near Albrennia (most commonly south of Tolland) can arc up through the Hesperian. Sovar and Rythene often receive the brunt of these events, but it is common for stronger storms to pass over the islands or thread the Grafton Gap, through which the storms threaten Kilkis and western Kürskäringar, including Evverkäben. In Tyrnica they are called moederlander siklone (“motherland cyclones”), distinguishing from tropischer siklone, the most common usage of the word “cyclone”.

Biodiversity

The Tyrnican wolf is the national animal of Tyrnica.

Politics

Government

Tyrnica is a unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy, operating under a legal framework established as part of the Constitution of Tyrnica. Until its codification in the aftermath of the Great War, the Constitution was made up of a number of documents and Acts of Parliament; since 1921, it has been amended on seven occasions through the process of a referendum. While Tyrnica does not have a bill of rights, the Constitution itself guarantees Tyrnican citizens a number of enumerated and unenumerated rights, acting as a limitation on the law-making power of Parliament.

The Tyrnican government is made up of three branches, in accordance with the constitutional principle of seperation of powers:

The Rechtzuhör Building, which houses the Tyrnican Parliament.

• Legislative: containing the bicameral Parliament, which includes the monarch, the Chamber of Councillors and the Chamber of Representatives;
• Executive: exercised by the Council of State, which consists of the Chancellor and a series of other senior government ministers appointed by the monarch on the advice of the Chancellor;
• Judiciary: comprising the Tyrnican court hierarchy, with judges of the Supreme Court appointed by the monarch on the advice of both Houses of Parliament

Foreign relations

Tyrnica is a great power, with an extensive network of connections around the world and active membership and participation in the International Assembly and the Auressian Community. Today, Tyrnica's diplomatic relations are primarily informed by its membership within the Commonwealth of Northern Auressia. It aligns most of its foreign policy with the other Commonwealth states, which are also its closest allies. Blayk is often considered to be Tyrnica's "oldest friend and oldest rival", with their historical competition over Khovaar and their respective thrones having shifted the balance of power in Northern Auressia on several occasions. Even today, the monarchs of each country rank highly in the order of succession of the other. Tyrnica's relationship with Rythene has been similarly complex, although the severity of their enmity in sparking the Tyrno-Rythenean Wars and the First Great War meant that the development of cordial contemporary relations was less immediate. After Tyrnica's entry into the Second Great War and its reconciliation with Rythene, the two became the most active participants in furthering the military aims of the nascent Commonwealth. Their continued pursuit of victory in Vervillia and Kasaria into the late 1940s developed a newly-reconciled relationship into a solidified sense of camaraderie, which has persisted through the development of the Commonwealth. As such, Rythene is considered to be Tyrnica's closest partner in its international conduct. The highly-coordinated workings of the Commonwealth of Northern Auressia on the international stage have led some commentators to posit that the member states each comprise a part of a corporate whole, with all five constituent countries having distinctly contributed to the juridicial person of the Commonwealth in a real or historical sense. Tyrnica is most often designated as the "eyes", which references the extensive network of connections that it maintains around the globe. Among the Commonwealth countries, Tyrnica operates the most diplomatic missions abroad, and is also the largest provider of development aid in the world. Co-operation between Sulatia and the Commonwealth also stems from Tyrnican links, with a close alliance between the two during the 19th century, which collapsed after the Treaty of Arden but were reignited with joint efforts in the Orient and strengthened in the wake of the Second Great War.

The Monarchy of Tyrnica plays an important role in Tyrnican foreign policy, and the royal family's series of commitments and engagements around the world have been described as one of the most effective methods by which Tyrnica engages in global soft power projection. The monarch often accompanies the sitting Chancellor of Tyrnica on state visits, and other members of the royal family also engage in official work alongside Tyrnican dignitaries abroad. The personal influence of the monarch on bilateral relations has sometimes been criticised as one of the ways in which the Tyrnican head of state retains prerogative powers that are inconsistent with the role of a constitutional monarch, but the current status quo has never been challenged by any of the major parties. Frederick IV is notable for having conducted and received the most personal and state visits of any Tyrnican monarch. His reign has also seen the annual October Banquet continue to grow in significance: as well as being the most prestigious event on the Tyrnican social and political calendar, the high number of international invitees means that it also provides a vital venue for global governance outside official summits. The position of the House of Weidenhain in forging and strengthening such links on Tyrnica's behalf has led to its comparison with the House of Seung, whose own network is often viewed as an unfavourable symptom of Songhese influence. Within the Commonwealth, Tyrnica is considered to have the least hostile relations with Songha; the irony is that Tyrnica is the only member of the Commonwealth that entered a state of war with Songha in both of the Great Wars. The Songhese liaison with the Commonwealth is coterminous with its embassy in Vedayen-Köningspalz, whereas most other missions to the Commonwealth are located in Avilême-sur-Mer.

In the 1960s, Tyrnica became the first country to ban commercial whaling as a result of overfishing. Whaling practices continue to be of cultural and commercial importance in Sovar, which has resulted in tensions between the two countries. The fear of an impending whaling ban due to Tyrnican pressure on the Rythenean government may have influenced Sovar to narrowly vote for independence in 1970. Tyrnican conservation groups have been found to have made financial contributions to the Sovarese Anti-Whaling Party’s electoral campaigns in the years following independence, and the political touchstone is considered to be a major reason why Sovar does not align more closely with the Commonwealth. Since 1972, Tyrnica has strongly objected to Sovarese vessels found whaling illegally in its territorial waters or exclusive economic zone, which are frequently confronted by Tyrnican naval patrols. Tyrnica takes a similar stance towards Pelemian whaling, although the comparatively higher tensions mean that the Pelemian government has been more diligent in ensuring its commercial whaling vessels avoid operating in Tyrnican territory. The exception is in the waters around East Island; although both countries claim the island, neither controls it. Pelemian whalers have been targeted by both Tyrnican and Elfastian vessels around the island.

Relations between Tyrnica and Pelemia have historically been poor, including direct conflict in the 1901 Pelemo-Tyrnican War and the First Great War. The creation of the Elstock condominium resulted in long-lasting tensions that were complicated by the presence of Elsians in the Els river valley on the border of Ornaland and Pelemia. Fighting in the Pelemian Corridor during the Second Great War heightened concerns; although some cooperation was conducted between Vedayen and Melnagrad during the war, the chaotic conclusion of the conflict in the Orient resulted in the unauthorised Pelemian seizure of remaining Tyrnican infrastructure. In the post-war period, Tyrnica was also involved in the Bolshtine Republic and its new uranium mining industry. Tensions cooled somewhat after the full independence of Elstock and the end of the condominium arrangement. However, each still retains a stake in the city-state: the Tyrnican and Pelemian heads of state also serve as the Co-Consuls of Elstock, and each country remains collectively responsible for the defence of Elstock. Additionally, Elstock's participation in the Commonwealth common market makes it a hotspot for illicit goods and unauthorised traffic passing between Tyrnica and Pelemia.

Tyrnican relations with Senia are cordial. The presence of ethnic Senians in Tyrnica is the largest in the world, outside of Senia itself. However, there is some governmental tension between Tyrnica and Senia over Senia’s continued use of exit visas to restrict immigration. The Tyrnican government often allows for Senians to apply for immigration or residency during seasonal work in order to circumvent this issue. Additionally, Tyrnica and Senia both have an interest in the status of ethnic Elsians, with both nations having historically had culpability in the Elsian massacres in the wake of the First Great War.

Demographics

Language

The Tyrnican language is the official and most commonly-spoken language in Tyrnica. It is a Western Isaric language, closely related to Rythenean. There are three recognised regional languages, which are afforded official status alongside Tyrnican within their respective regions. Kürskäringan is recognised in Kürskäringar and Kilkis, while the mutually intelligible Gamlandenic is extant in the Gamlandene; both are Northern Isaric languages. Ornish, a Western Ludic language, is recognised in Ornaland. Some minority languages — particularly those whose linguistic borders overlap with those of official regional languages — face limited recognition from the national and regional governments, including Elsian, Khamli, Mountain Ornish, and Grens.

It is estimated that 86.0% of Tyrnican permanent residents speak the language natively, with the remainder usually speaking a regional language. A 2018 survey conducted by the Sprachakademie showed that 68.9% of Tyrnicans indicated a proficiency in two or more languages, with the most common second languages including Rythenean, Kürskäringan and Principean. Standard Tyrnican is based on a dialect of High Tyrnican and is common along the nation's Völkgürtel, while Low Tyrnican is typically spoken along the coastline of Umbrecht and in Grênstedt.

Historically, Tyrnican served as a lingua franca and was particularly seen in this capacity during the 19th and early 20th centuries; in Auressia, significant Tyrnican-speaking communities remain in Sarbéliard (Särpelgard Tyrnican), Elstock, and Avilême as a result of its widespread usage. Colonially, it has a continuing presence in King Erich's Land, Audonia, and Nova Kovaria. Its continued relevance on the global scale has resulted in its adoption as one of the three official languages of the Commonwealth.

Culture

Cuisine

Tyrnica has a reputation for its tea consumption, and the picture of Tyrnican tea is a well-known national stereotype. Most Tyrnicans households have an electric kettle for brewing tea, which is sold in its tea bag and loose-leaf tea forms in supermarkets across the country. The teasmade is a Tyrnican invention that allows for the automatic preparation of tea, but it has experienced a decline in popularity since the 1980s and remains a niche product. Tea outcompetes coffee as the most popular drink in Tyrnica, although coffee holds a position of importance in Tyrnican society before noon; the average Tyrnican commuter might purchase a take-away coffee from a smaller cafe establishment in the morning, but after the conclusion of the work day is more likely to brew their own tea at home or visit a teahouse for afternoon tea, usually with friends or family. Tea blends from Nabaia and Isuan are more popular in Tyrnica than cultivars grown in Huran or Idica, owing to the stronger Tyrnican presence in those areas. The typical Tyrnican tea brew is considered to be quite strong: breakfast teas are the most popular, and are a point of class identity with the builder’s tea being associated with the working class. Earl Grey tea (Rythenised from Tyrnican erlegreitë) has enjoyed a strong presence since its invention, originally served with bergamot sourced from Castelana, and is sometimes associated with the upper classes.

Beer is the most popular alcoholic beverage in Tyrnica by overall consumption, but its ubiquity across the country is often overstated. Beer consumption is most prolific in Ornaland, with the average being higher than in any other regions. Ornish beers, particularly Sebrat and other pale lagers, are lauded for their quality and are considered to be a cultural symbol of Ornaland. Umbrecht and Brunessar are also major beer producers, and it is in these regions that the beer garden is most commonly found. In contrast with the east and south, parts of the west and north are predisposed to the stout and porter beers. The Northern Isaric regions are noted exceptions to the preponderance of beer: Kilkis is a noted producer of whisky, while Kürskäringar and Gamalland prefer vodka, as does Steürdan. Southern parts of Tyrnica are respected wine-growing regions, but do not outcompete beer in those regions. Grape varieties grown in the vineyards of the Umbrecht Midlands and on the Galene Sea coasts of Velichtur and Drachemont are sold internationally, though they are generally less prestigious than those found in Blayk and Barcia. Many types of alcoholic beverage are consumed socially in the pub or tavern, which is a staple of most Tyrnican settlements larger than a hamlet. Tyrnican pubs evolved from inns and travelling houses across long distances, and as a result many offer food and board in addition to drinks. It is not uncommon for a social or business meeting to begin in a teahouse and continue to a pub for dinner and drinks.

Tyrnican baked goods are high-quality, especially bread and pretzels. The bakery is another significant social institution for the average Tyrnican town or city: although the major supermarkets sell a wide variety of bread, the average Tyrnican household will prefer to select their bread from the local bakery, and in many cases will slice it at home. Bakeries also sell hot pastry goods such as meat pies and pasties, as well as a selection of sweets including many popular desserts like neenish tarts, jam doughnuts, and meringues of both Blaykish and Tyrnican origin. Certain foods perceived as stereotypically Tyrnican have a pronounced presence abroad, and the goods sold in bakeries tend to be a prominent example of this trend. It is also true of sausages, which are popular in Albrennia among other places. Tyrnican cuisine is also strongly influenced by historical and modern sources overseas. Isuanese cuisine is particularly well-represented due to Tyrnica’s long-lasting colonial presence. Nasi goreng and mi goreng, which are found across Eastern Isuan, are considered Tyrnican national dishes. Satay is a popular street food.