Edamim

Holy Edamiri Republic 𐤄𐤃𐤀𐤌𐤌 𐤒𐤅𐤃𐤃𐤏𐤂𐤎𐤀𐤌𐤌𐤄𐤂 (Edam'm Quddocxammec)
Motto: “Arac taher pit'al.”a
Anthem: Hymn to Ashtoreth
Location of Edamim
Capital		Jezal
Largest		Tiamat
Demonym		Edamir (n., pl.); Edamiri (adj.)
Government		Unitary parliamentary republic
-	Sufet	Izavel min Yasha
-	Sidnasir	Alissa min Sisa
-	Iddetiram	Arishat min Demna
-	Berakminec	Nikkal min Mitunbaal
Legislature		Tabxataam
-	Upper house	Ra'ciim
-	Lower house	Surxaam
Area
-		685,389 km2 264,630 sq mi
Population
-	2040 census	97,739,140
-	Density	142.6/km2 369.3/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2040 estimate
-	Total	US$4.327 trillion
-	Per capita	US$44,275
Gini		41.4 medium
HDI		0.856 very high
Currency		Edamiri amin (₳) (EAM)
Date format		dd.mm.age:year
Drives on the		right
Internet TLD		.eda, .eqx
a.	Translation: “Prayers of the innocent have no wings.”

Edamim (Edamiric: 𐤄𐤃𐤀𐤌𐤌 | tr. Edamm), officially the Holy Edamiri Republic (Edamiric: 𐤄𐤃𐤀𐤌𐤌 𐤒𐤅𐤃𐤃𐤏𐤂𐤎𐤀𐤌𐤌𐤄𐤂 | tr. Quddocxammec Edamm) is a country in Pajaxay in the region of Caranos. It is a unitary parliamentary republic consisting of 13 zarexim and covers 685,389 square kilometers. It has a population of 97,739,140, concentated mostly along the northwestern coast. While the coastlines have a hot-summer Mediterranean climate, the interior hosts a searng hot desert climate. This means that most of Edamim's major cities, including Maron, Ashor, Qarth, and its largest city, Tiamat, are located either along coastlines or a major river. The capital of Jezal is located further inland along the River Jbeil.

Written records have existed of the Edamiri people - particularly of the cities of Ashor, Jezal, and Qarth - since early antiquity, 800-600 BCE, although archaeological and oral records suggest the region has been inhabited by relatively wealthy polities since at least 2000 BCE. Protected by harsh desert from the south and east, and the ocean from the other directions, the Edamiri city-states of antiquity were thriving, powerful centers of trade with strong navies and sophisticated economies. In the early 4th century CE, the Cult of Ashtoreth, goddess of war, sex, and prosperity, took significant prominence over the other gods of the Edamiri pantheon due to the appearance of the Prophet Jezabel, who led the city of Ashor to victory against long-time rival Qarth, which was swiftly annexed in an unprecedented move. She later led her followers into the desert to the present site of Jezal, which serves as the holy city of Ashtorminism and capital of Edamim to this day.

City-states, following Ashor's example, waged wars of conquest and conversion, spreading the Ashtorminian faith and consolidating power for centuries. By the 3rd century CE, much of the land currently within the Holy Edamiri Republic was under the direct or indirect control of Ashor; the sufet (translated to anything from "queen" to "dictator"), Domina of Ashor was crowned Great Sufet of Edamim by the Koliylit of Jezal, the spiritual leader of all Ashtorminians, in 441 CE, estimated to be the 1000th anniversary of the beginning of Jezal's pilgrimage into the desert, creating a recognizable predecessor to the modern state which would remain mostly intact to the present day.

In the 21st century, Edamim is a developed nation with a powerful economy centered around arms manufacturing, shipping, finance, information technology, and tourism. It has a high standard of living and notoriously lax economic code (outside of specific religious and environmental stipulations). Internationally, it is recognized for its extensive tourism industry full of high-class resorts and brothels, as well as many exceptionally well-preserved buildings and artifacts dating back thousands of years, many of which are open to the public; its rich cultural history and tradition of architecture, philosophy, engineering, and entrepreneurship; and its generally alien culture which flies in the face of many Western ideas about sexuality and morality. Universal healthcare and tuition-free university education, along with a plethora of other public services, are upheld by the country's religious institutions.

Etymology

The word "Edamim" (Edamiric: 𐤄𐤃𐤀𐤌𐤌 | tr. Edam'm) is an Old Edamiric word that means "(the) people". So, when Sufet Domina of Ashor crowned herself "Sufet of Edamim", she was quite literally declaring herself "queen of the people", referring to the general ethno-cultural group spanning the region.

History

Geography

Politics

The government of Edamim is a religious, oligarchic parliamentary republic consisting of three branches that frequently blur together: the Sufet, the Adiir, and the Tabxataam.

The Sufet is a dictator with theoretically unlimited power outside of restrictions explicitly codified in the Xaamhikmat, the constitution of the Holy Republic, such as stipulations against nepotism or increasing one's own power. The Sufet is elected when the prior sufet turns 60 years old and is legally required to step down. As a result, many sufets enter the political position relatively young with a general cultural agreement that the longer a sufet serves, the more stable the nation will be.

The Adiir, meanwhile, is both the supreme judicial authority of Edamim and the cabinet of the sufet, serving for ten year term. They serve to check the power of both other branches while also carrying out the government's law through extensive ministries. The Adiir is headed by the Sidnasir, who serves as the nominal president of the Adiir - elected by her peers - and the second in command to the sufet. Members of the Adiir are appointed by the sufet with approval from the legislature.

The Tabxataam is the legislative body of the Holy Republic consisting of two houses: the upper house, the Ra'ciiim, and the lower house, the Surxaam. The Ra'Ciim consists of 100 members, frequently members of ancient or wealthy families, appointed by the Adiir for five year terms (although, once again, there is no term limit). The Surxaam is the popular assembly of the government, made up of 300 representatives elected directly by citizens, although only those who have already performed some sort of military or political service are eligible for election, to two year terms. The legislature has the ability to suggest bills to the Adiir, which must be approved by the sufet, or to veto statutes passed by the sufet or Adiir. Although it is exceedingly difficult and has only happened three times before, the Tabxataam can theoretically depose the current sufet before their term is up, with 75% of the vote, or with 50% of the vote plus the approval of the Adiir. Theoretically, the Tabxataam is the most powerful branch of government, with the power to appoint members of the Adiir (with the sufet's approval) and playing the key role in the election of new sufets.

The sufet is frequently elected from within the Adiir, although there have been cases of members of the legislature - even the Surxaam - being elected as well. It also has not been uncommon for businesswomen, military officials, and other non-politicians of exceptional status to be invited to be sufet. Although very rare, sufets may abdicate their position before the age of 60.

Political parties are common in the Tabxataam, although theoretically the sufet is meant to be a neutral actor renouncing all party ties. Parties were never codified in Edamiri law, but all major parties tend to be quite similarly social conservatives and market liberals. Many are single-issue groups which dissolve or merge with larger ones as soon as their grievances are addressed.

Although not required by law, the all sufets throughout Edamiri history have been female, as have the vast majority of government and civic officials in Edamim. This reflects the deep role religion plays in the state - all clergy of the Great Ashtorminian Maqad of Jezal are female, as is the Koliylit, who symbolically crowns the sufet upon election and in fact participates in their selection as a member of the Adiir, are female. While the Maqad does not technically play a direct role in government, the vast majority of Edamiri citizens are Ashtorminian and religious law is deeply ingrained within the Edamiri legal system, which the Maqad does have significant influence over.

Law

Edamim utilizes a religious form of civil law known as Qadiimic Law. While the Adiir is the supreme judicial authority, the vast majority of judicial power lies with the Great Ashtorminian Maqad of Jezal, whose priestesses serve as judges at various organizational levels. Thus, the Maqad's - and more importantly, the Koliylit's - opinions on various matters determine the fate of many criminals, making the Koliylit the second most powerful individual in Edamim, perhaps at times the most powerful. Despite this, the Maqad is not allowed to field its own military or police forces, having to rely on the state to enforce its laws and detain criminals.

Citizenship

In Edamim, there are three legal classes of inhabitants: citizens, residents, and slaves.

Citizens are either the children of existing citizens or individuals who have lived in Edamim and completed various requirements over the course of a decade. They are allowed to vote in elections and ascend to political office and military leadership.

Residents are non-citizens who legally resides in the nation, either permanently or temporarily, and possess almost no rights to engage in the politics of the nation.

Slaves are people - either citizens or residents - who are legally the property of a citizen. They are placed in this category either through the judicial system - criminals sentenced to a certain amount of time as slaves, as punishment, in service to the government or maqad; by being sold by their parents before the age of six and eventually being able to buy their freedom at 16; or the child of slave who has not bought their freedom. Generally, slaves are used for hard labor (mining, agriculture, etc) or domestic servitude, and are afforded various legal protections against physical and sexual abuse.

Zarexim

Military

The armed forces of Edamim, the Malhamot is organized into the Shaba (Army), Habila (Navy), Sasijad (Air Force), and Miimshaba (Marine Corps).

Culture

Religion