Lalveril
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Smallfolk Commonwealth of Lalveril | |
|---|---|
 Flag
 Emblem
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Anthem: Commonwealth March | |
| Capital | Cirvo Arraim |
| Official languages | Smallfolken |
| Recognised regional languages | D'rɑgolɛth, Mystrian Common, Dwarven |
| Ethnic groups | 46% Halfling 25% Gnome 10% Fae 8% Beastling 5% Dwarf 6% Other (Elves, Humans etc.) |
| Demonym(s) | Smallfolken |
| Government | Socialist federative semi-direct democracy under a directorial localist republic |
| Marlienne Thistlebraid | |
| Flynras Cloudhand | |
| Legislature | Grand Moot Council of Elders |
| Independence | |
• from High Kingdom of D'halbrisir and the Confederacy of Altea | 1930ish? |
| Area | |
• Total | 3,366,545 km2 (1,299,830 sq mi) |
| Population | |
• Estimate | 252,017,537 |
• Density | 75/km2 (194.2/sq mi) |
| GDP (nominal) | estimate |
• Total | approx. $4,5 trillion |
• Per capita | approx. $18,000 |
| Gini (2021) |  0.25low |
| HDI (2021) |  0.780high |
| Currency | Kast (SFK) |
| Time zone | (Mystrian Standard Time) |
| Date format | dd.mm.yyyy |
| Driving side | right |
| Internet TLD | .lal |
The Smallfolk Commonwealth of Lalveril, commonly known as just the Smallfolk Commonwealth is a country located in Mystria and populated largely by halflings, gnomes and other non-human beings of small stature. It borders Crystal Spires to the east and El Nido to the west, occupying an area of 3,3 million square kilometers with a population of 250 million. Its capital and largest city is Cirvo Arraim.
Halflings have populated the area for centuries, intermingling and trading with the gnomes native to the faelands of El Nido. However, for the longest time there was no true centralized state, halflings preferring to live in small independent villages and city-states. These communities grew with a steady stream of refugees from the monarchic regimes of Crystal Spires and Altea, where smallfolken were treated as inferiors and frequently enslaved. A particularly large wave of migration happened in the 19XX following a series of smallfolken riots against castism and speciesism in Crystal Spires and Altea. Punitive raids into Smallfolken territory by Spirean Royalists triggered the Smallfolken War of Liberation in which the Smallfolk emerged victorious using guerilla tactics. In the wake of the conflict, an independent Smallfolken state was declared under the auspices of the Leveller Party, a confederacy of agricultural communities based on ideas of agrarian socialism.
Politically, the Smallfolk Commonwealth is a democratic socialist federation consisting of over 40,000 agricultural communes superdivided into 24 shires. Supreme legislative power belongs to the Grand Moot, a legislative congress of 2,001 locally elected deputies that convenes once every 5 years to deliberate the highest matters of the state, outline the economic plan and form the agenda for the next 5 years. The Grand Moot appoints a 100-member Council of Elders to serve in lesser legislative capacity in the 5-year interim, and elects a First Citizen as the head of state with limited executive powers.
The Commonwealth is a developing country by Mystrian standards. The economy is socialistic and combines elements of central and decentralized local planning, with private property on the means of production being non-existent; although co-ops and individual enteprises constitute a part of the economy. Many services are provided locally on a communal basis. While this system provides a high degree of economic equality and safety, the country faces certain developmental challenges. The economy, although industrialized, is still highly agriculture-oriented with 30% of the population being involved in agricultural production. The Commonwealth is one of the largest exporters of raw and processed foodstuffs in Mystria, especially staple foods like grain. Development of organic farming and renewable energy sources has been a focus in the latest 5-year plans.
History
Geography
The Commonwealth's landscape is very even and dominated by rolling fields, plains, mixed forests and low hills. This provides an abundance of arable land, with over 80% of the country's landmass being suitable for intensive agriculture. Elevation is relatively scarce; while a small area of Fornt's Crown Mountains extends into the country, mountains occupy less than 1% of overal landmass. The highest point outside of Fornt's Crown is only 1,000m above the sea level. In the recent years, the Fryhet Desert has slightly expanded inside the Commonwealth's borders in the northwest, causing mild environmental concerns which have been counteracted with planting barrier forests. Several large rivers run through the country, the largest being River Vervyn with a length of over 2,000 kilometers, which has been important for agriculture.
The country's pleasant green landscapes, clean environments and relatively mild climate have made it an attractive target for tourists.
Climate
The Commonwealth enjoys a temperate, no dry season, warm summer climate almost throughout, with the exception of a subtropical clime and a small tropical clime located in the south of the country along the Catralian Sea shoreline.
Wildlife
The Commonwealth is a highly biodiverse country, although somewhat less diverse than its neighbors due to a more uniform geography. It is home to hundreds of distinct species of fauna and thousands species of flora. The plains of the Commonwealth are home to wyverns, gorgons, unicorns, cockatrices, bullettes, wargs, otyughs and giant moas, as well as more conventional species such as goats, wolves, wild boars and buffalo.
Megafauna is a major security and environmental concern, with the Smallfolk Liberation Army and People's Adventuring Guild being regularly involved in confronting and controlling migrations of megafauna such as dragons, behemoths and shambling mounds.
Government and politics
De jure the Smallfolk Commonwealth is a socialist federative semi-direct democracy under a directorial localist republic that comprises 40,000 communes superdivided into 24 regions or shires. The Articles of the Commonwealth are the document that serves as the constitution that outlines the political structure of the state. Under the Articles, citizens are subject to three levels of government: federal, shire, and local (commune). Communes and shires are afforded broad political autonomies in electing their own executives and legislators, setting their own laws and formulating local economic plans.