Author Topic: The Unified Tribes of Waddan  (Read 3590 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Wadden

  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 118
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Wadden
The Unified Tribes of Waddan
« on: March 05, 2020, 12:08:00 PM »

Population:- 12,500,000
Capital City:- Sabhā
Head of State:- Sultan Yahya IV
Head of Government:- Emir Rahman of the Banu Hanifa



Despite being Geographically rather large the nation of Waddan is sparsely populated and as such has an extremely low population density. The nation has very few large urban areas with around 60% of the population still being classed as rural dwellers. This is largely down to the seemingly nomadic existence of many of the population. The nation does still retain a strong agricultural tradition with the herding of goats, sheep and even white oryx highly important. Often during the summer the average Waddanite can be found living in either a series of lodges dotted across lands belonging to their tribe or alternatively in their large tents. During the winter periods the Waddanites retire to what are called Tribal Capitals, small towns or encloseurs used only sporadically. In the 21st Century however these Tribal Capitals have become towns which are capable of supporting small populations all year round. The nation is also blessed with a not insignificant amount of metal ores, as such mining has become one other industry creating urban areas. These small towns have grown rich from the income and have become more developed than many ancient Tribal Capitals.

The nation is home to a rather confusing system of government. In total there are 25 tribes of significant size that make up the nation and since 1700 they have elected from within their ranks a Sultan. The Sultan is responsible for the protection of the Unified Tribes border and its contacts with foreign powers. They are elected for life and must be a chief of a tribe. Once the incumbent Sultan dies all chiefs assemble in Sabhā which is a neutral city. In the ancient fairground square they each must publically cast a vote for one of the other chiefs to become Sultan. If more than two chiefs receive votes a 2nd round a voting is held with the chief with the lowest score being disqualified, this process continues until only two remain at which point the winner is determined by a majority vote. This method ensures that the new Sultan has the support of at least 51% of the tribes. The Sultan then every year appoints an Emir to run the day to day business of the nation such as ensuring education, health care etc. The position of Emir rotates around the 25 tribes. Laws in Waddan fit into 3 categories, 1) Union Laws - these are things such as murder, theft etc and are things that are considered a crime no matter where you break them. 2)Tribal Laws - these are things such as blasphemy, rules on taxation etc and are enforced on the perpetrator by their tribe. 3)Sultan's Laws - these are laws that exist across the whole of the Union's lands but only for so long as the Sultan is alive. Uniquely geographic location of crime is not as significant as what tribe the perpetrator is from. So for example the if a tribe are Muslim and as such it is a crime for one of their members to be an apostate. Meanwhile the Zubaid tribe are largely follows of the native faiths and can not be prosecuted for not being Muslim while travelling across a Muslim tribes land. This system leads to a rather confusing system that at times can lead to heated conflict between groups. These conflicts often end when the Sultan uses his power to pass a Sultan Law which can be used to end conflicts before the Sultan repeals the laws.
« Last Edit: May 11, 2020, 07:43:14 PM by Wadden »

Offline Wadden

  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 118
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Wadden
Re: The Unified Tribes of Waddan
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2020, 10:41:56 PM »
GOVERNMENT EXPLANATION


His Majesty Sultan Yahya IV, Chieftan of the Talafha, Emir of the Sands, Guardian of the Ports

Waddan is a nation that see's people have very mixed and divided loyalties. The nation is made up of around 25 tribes who have each been allocated an area of land that is their exclusive abode, however much of the nation remains common land that any tribe may utilise. Naturally a land where tribal loyalty was supreme lead to many conflicts and clashes until the early 18th Century when the tribes came up with the idea of uniting themselves into a more structured manner. This has not entirely stopped the conflicts however it has lessened them and made them nothing really troublesome in the 21st Century.

The nation is headed by an elected monarch known as the Sultan. The Sultan is responsible for ensuring the following.

1. He appoints the Emir who shall be in position for 12 months
2. He oversees the nations military.
3. He speaks on behalf of the nation in dealings with foreign powers.
4. He is the ultimate arbiter of disputes between tribes.
5. He may make Sultan Laws which last for the duration of his lifetime.

As such the Sultan is highly respected. The Sultan is not an hereditary position and retains the post until his death. The Sultan must always be male and must also be the Chieftain of one of the tribes. When the old Sultan dies the 25 Chiefs arrive in the nations capital and a week after the Sultan's death meet in the Fairground Square, here they once more consult with their tribesman before climbing onto a platform and publicly declaring their choice for the next Sultan. Should there be several people nominated the one with the lowest number of votes is disqualified and voting starts again. This process continues until one candidate gets at least 50% of the vote. No chieftain may vote for themselves and all votes are declared publicly.

The Sultan's family hold no political power beyond ceremonial roles however are often utilised as ambassadors and emissaries on behalf of the Sultan.




His Excellency Emir Rahman, Chieftan of the Banu Hanifa, Duke of the Oasis at Nafis

The Emir of the nation is a position that lasts for 12 months. They are responsible for making sure the day to day running of the nation is taken care of, for example they manage the nations health care systems, ensure education is avaliable and manage various policies required to keep the nation harmonious. Their are strict rules about how the Emir is selected. Each year the Sultan makes an announcement from his Palace balcony in Sabhā naming his new Emir. The previous Emir hands over a ceremonial key which is the symbol of his office. The old Emir is then presented with a new horse by the Sultan and is able to enjoy a parade through the city. At that point the new Emir is named. The position of Emir rotates through the 25 tribes on a pre-determined basis and while it may be any member of the tribe who is selected, so long as they are male, it is customary for the Sultan to consult with the tribes chief on the appointment. There is nothing to stop a Chieftan being appointed by the Sultan.

The Emir is responsible for appointing Ministers of State to run departments however the Sultan may demand their removal at anytime.


Offline Wadden

  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 118
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Wadden
Re: The Unified Tribes of Waddan
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2020, 09:15:31 AM »

TRIBAL CAPITAL OF SABHA

The city of Sabha is a strange capital compared to many around Mundus. It has a constantly fluctuating population with a winter high of around 300,000 and a summer low of around 120,000. The reason for this change over the year is the fact that the majority of the Waddanites prefer to remain on their own exclusive tribal lands for the majority of the year tending to their livestock, during the winter many move to the relative safety of the city to trade and prepare for the next herding season. The city often experiences snowfall during December to March yet also ironically holds the record for the hottest temperature ever recorded in Waddan of  42.5 °C (108.5 °F).

The majority of the buildings within the city are over 150 years old, most older than this have seen significant repair following an Earthquake of the late 19th Centuries. The city is also home to many significant places of worship belonging to the Islamic faith as well as the local folk religions which make up around 70% of the nation.

The city is home to a port which was in 2017 upgraded to be able to accommodate the new ultra-large container ships favoured by many today. The city houses a large market square, known as the Fairground, which during the summer can be rather oddly empty as many of the traders are out around the nation on routes that see them meet up with various tribes that move around the nation. In winter and at ceremonial times of the year the market swells. The Fairground is also home to the point where the Sultan is voted for and during that time the square becomes packed with people sitting in their tribal groups as often their Chieftan will consult with his elders about what decision to make.

« Last Edit: March 06, 2020, 10:15:13 AM by Wadden »

Offline Wadden

  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 118
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Wadden
Re: The Unified Tribes of Waddan
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2020, 10:34:57 AM »
RELIGION IN WADDAN

Religion in Waddan is protected by Union Law in so far as any faith many be practiced openly in the nation however some Tribal Laws effectively enforce a single religion on a whole tribe. For example the Banu Hanifa tribe are Muslim and as such it is a crime for one of their members to be an apostate. Around 20% of the nation's citizens are Muslims and follow pre-dominantly Shia branch of the faith. Many believe this is because of the nature of that branch of the faith seeing clerical hierarchy as important, something mirrored in many Waddanite tribal structures.

The remaining 70% of the nation are followers of what anthropologists describe as "Folk" religion. Effectively all non-Muslim Waddanites follow the same religion only with different interpretations and rituals. The core belief is that a pair of Gods, the "Father God" Nakrah, and the "Mother God" Attar. These two entities created the universe and everything in it. By procreation they created a series of magical creatures to help them rule the Universe they had created, these are essentially similar to what people would be familiar with regarding sprites, fairies etc. These are tiny magical creatures who have the ability to guide humans who were also created by the Gods as custodians of Mundus. Sadly the magical creatures began to feel that they should have more power and some rebelled against the creators and were cast into the darkness by Nakrah. WOrshippers of the folk religion believe that by their actions they help strengthen those loyal creatures to Nakrah and weaken those disloyal. It is by their faith therefore that the faithful ensure evil is kept from this world. Prayers are offered by sacrifices, these however must be non-human and often when in the desert take the form of pouring away water. Additionally certain areas are avoided as they are the home to evil spirits or valuable to the Gods. As such when planning to build a new home it is common that a follower of the Folk Religions will consult with his tribes religious leaders about its siting, even where to camp is determined based on the paths spirits travel on their duties, a concept similar to some faiths "Lay-lines".

The Folk faiths have no single leader.
« Last Edit: April 23, 2020, 11:03:13 AM by Wadden »

Offline Wadden

  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 118
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Wadden
Re: The Unified Tribes of Waddan
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2020, 10:47:41 AM »
ARMED FORCES OF WADDAN

The nation of Waddan is maybe unique in the way its armed forces is made up. It still operates somewhat of a feudal system. Each Chieftan is permitted to keep a military of its own within limits set by the Sultan. These many be called up by the Sultan at any time for a period of no longer than 60 days, should the Sultan require them for longer then he must get permission of the Chiefs. In addition to this each tribe every year is expected to send "Servants of War" to the Sultan, this is a pre-determined number of young men (In Waddan women can not serve in the military) who will serve in the military of the Sultan for 10 years. Upon completion of their contract they may return to their own tribe or remain in service. These Servants of War are not particularly well paid during their service but receive a major bonus upon completion of their service and should they elect to stay in service they are extremely well paid compared to the national income.

In recent times as warfare has become more technologically important it has often been the case that the Servants of War have been utilised in the more technologically important aspects of the military such as communications and the Air Force while the Chieftan's military is essentially utilised as infantry.


THE SULTANS AIR FORCE (SAF)

2,500 Active Airmen
800 Reservists

18 x F-20 Sirocco multi-role fighter
15 x C-26 Aeolian cargo plane
20 x H-17 Wuther Helicopters
4 x A-6 Haboob Attack Aircraft


THE SULTANS NAVAL FORCE (SNF)
2,000 active sailors
1,200 reservists

6 x D-Class Missile Boat
3 x E-Class Missile Boat
40 x C-Class Fast Inspection Boat
2 x F-Class Combat Ship




SULTANS ROYAL FORCES
18,500 Soldiers
8,000 Conscripts
3,000 Reservists

30 x Scimitar armoured vehicles
150 x Ferret armoured cars
40 x Fox Reconnaissance Vehicle
40 x Iguana mobility vehicle
35 x M198 Howitzer
20 x Vulcan mobile Air Defence systems
« Last Edit: March 06, 2020, 11:08:26 PM by DaveIronside »

Offline Wadden

  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 118
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Wadden
Re: The Unified Tribes of Waddan
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2020, 11:30:46 PM »
ECONOMY

GDP per Capita:- $3,800

The economy of Waddan is based around three key industries.

1. Livestock - A key part of every tribe is it's herd of livestock. It is mainly sheep, goats, white oryx and occasionally other similar animals that form the backbone of every tribe. Through the summer months the tribe work in small sub-groups to herd the animals around the land before bringing them together in the winter into safe areas around tribal cities. As well as herding the animals some small numbers of the tribe are responsible for gathering through either foraging or farming feed for the winter. As such the various industries associated with such activity have also sprung up, for example leather goods, a healthy wool trade and meat and diary products.

2. Metals Mining - It was not until late in the 20th Century that large quantities of metals were discovered across the lands, since 1980 they have been increasingly mined as tribes have sought to diversify their economy. The metals mined in Waddan include.

Cassiterite - A major source of tin and therefore used in many modern electronics for things such as solders.
Tantalum - A key ingredient in resistors and capictors it is also used heavily in components used in nuclear power stations and jet engines.
Coltan - used to manufacture tantalum capacitors which are used for portable telephones, personal computers, automotive electronics, and cameras.
Tungsten - used for a variety of purposes such as incandescent light bulb filaments, X-ray tubes (as both the filament and target), electrodes in gas tungsten arc welding, superalloys, and radiation shielding.

In addition to these rare metals the nation also has a significant amount of bauxite and iron ore, much of which is still untapped.



3. Fertilisers - With a hefty supply of animal waste the nation has created an efficent fertiliser industry. While this is based largely in the South of the nation where trains of waste of shipped in and processed in plants there has become more use of other materials such as gases and other biproducts to ensure a rich supply that can be exported across Mundus. 

Offline Wadden

  • Basically New Zealand
  • **
  • Posts: 118
    • View Profile
  • Your Nation: Wadden
Re: The Unified Tribes of Waddan
« Reply #6 on: March 29, 2020, 12:35:28 AM »
THE TRIBES OF WADDAN

The tribal system of Waddan is very important in everyday life with people considering themselves more loyal to their tribe than to the nation which is essentially nothing but a vehicle for collective security and ensuring peace between the tribes who used to squabble endlessly over resources. Each tribe tends to have a unique identity and is permitted to make its own laws on many issues, additionally those following the Folk religion have their own ways of undertaking rituals and prayer and may also have slight differences in the way they understand the religion.

The table below is a summary of the tribes that exist, it is presented in order of rotation for which they fill the role of Emir.

The current Emir is from the Abd al-Qays tribe and will stand aside in December 2021. Each Emir rules for one year.

Name of TribeLeaderReligionOther Details
TalafhaSultan Yahya IVFolkLeader also holds title "Guardian of the Ports" as they tend to spend most of the year in the South"
Banu HanifaRahman HanifaFolkLeader also holds title "Duke of the Oasis at Nafis"
AnazzahJamal al-Din ZamanFolkHave a fixed township at Murqquab. The Tribal Leader is the Shiekh of the township
Abd al-QaysGhayth NajjarFolkOnly tribe that permits women in the militia.
Banu BakrSabah KaderFolk
Leader holds the title of "Master of the Rolls" as they have a tradition of maintaining a depository of ancient documents
Banu ShaybanAkbar NagiFolkLeader of the tribe is also known as "Shiekh of Falcons"
Banu QaysTahmid El-MoftyFolkTribe operate one of the nations few mines.
Taym-AllatFaruq KarimiIslamThe tribe are responsible for the upkeep of the nations main mosque in Sabhā. The Chief is also called "Shiekh of the Minarets" They maintain a combined militia guard of the Sabhā Mosque with the Al Nahyan tribe.
Banu YashkurBahadur SultanFolkOnly tribe that does not permit Polygamy. Chieftan maintains the title Duke of Rajmi
Taghlib ibn Wa'ilKhaliq DarziFolkLeader of the tribe is granted the title "Duke of the Red Tents"
Nammir ibn QasitMus'ad AttarFolkChief is also the Chancellor of Sabhā University, the nations only University. He also gets to use the title Shiekh of the Scholars because of this.
Al GhardaqaIzz ud-Din El-AminFolkThe nations folklore tells of them introducing horses to Waddan. As such the chief is known as the Master of Horse.
Al NahyanMuhammed SaabIslamThey maintain a combined militia guard of the Sabhā Mosque with the Taym-Allat tribe. It is tradition that the tribe provide the nations leading Imam. The tribal chief is permitted to use the title "Shiekh of the Crescent Moon."
Al MaktoumJaffar SamaraFolkHave produced more Sultans than any other tribe. They are thought to have the largest herd of Camels. Their Chief is allowed to use the title Duke of the Herdsman"
DahaminahZiyad HakimFolkThe chieftan is permitted to use the title Shiekh of Wadi Qor as they maintain a year round presence around a water hole
Al-FarahidiRusul AbdulrashidFolkOne of the two tribes that make education compulsory for everyone to the age of 16. They are revered for their scholarship as legend says their founder Khalil Al-Farahidi was the first Chief to learn to read and write. As such the Chief is allowed to call themselves the Lord of Letters.
GhatafanHashim SamaraFolkOne of the two tribes that make education compulsory for everyone to the age of 16. Historically they are famed for mapping the nation and organising the system of nomadic migrations that keep peace today. Their leader is permitted to use the title "Master of Maps"
HumaydahYasin NajmManismThe only Manist tribe. They maintain a series of small religious sites dedicated to their faith. They also still permit slavery and while other tribes may have given up the practice some still sell their criminals to the Humaydah as a form of punishment. Their Chief is allowed to use the title Shiekh of The East.
Al-Ja'aliyinThamir KhoroushiFolkA tribe famed for their leather work they once made the best saddles in the area. Traditionally the Sultan is always presented a new saddle made by this tribe. Their Chief is permitted to use the title Shiekh of Riders"
KunudRashid AjamFolkRather uniquely the Kunud are a coastal based tribe that rely on fishing rather than herding. Their Chief is known as the Shiekh of the Gulf of Auraxis
Banu LakhmTarik KarimiAnahitaismThe only tribe following the Anahitaism faith. They maintain the Shrine in Sabhā and traditionally the first daughter of the Chief trains as a Priestess. Their chief is allowed to use the title Guardian of the Goddess. They maintain a small ceremonial guard at the Shrine in Sabhā.
MararZafar QadirFolkThe smallest of the tribes it is thought that today they number less than 500 people. They are famed as a warrior tribe throughout history having produced many famed military leaders. Their Chief is also called the Shiekh of the Blades.
NaqbiyinZahir KhoroushiFolkAlong with the Sheekhaal tribe they traditionally control one of the gatehouses into Sabhā. The Chief also uses the title "Duke of the Western Gate"
SheekhaalMajid AlinejadFolkAlong with the Naqbiyin tribe they control one of the two gatehouses into Sabhā. The Chief also uses the title "Duke of the Northern Gate"
« Last Edit: June 06, 2021, 05:43:13 PM by Wadden »