Lauwiner Empire

The Lauwiner Empire
Motto: “Siritus - Voluntas - Robur”
Anthem: Lauwiner Imperium Sempiternum
Region		Europe / Africa
Capital		Imperia
Largest city		Imperia
Official languages		English, German
Recognised national languages		English, French, German, Russian, Arabic
Demonym		Imperian
Government		Absolute Monarchy
-	Emperor of the Lauwiner Empire	Jonas I
-	Prime Minister	Lord Admiral Alfred Delmore
Legislature		Parliament of Lauwiner Empire
-	Upper house	Council of Lords
-	Lower house	Council of Ministers
Establishment
-	Founding the Empire	12 January 2016 A.D.
-	First Emperor	2017 A.D.
Population
-	2030 A.D. Census estimate	340 (Imperium)
Currency		Vellar (VLR) (VLR)
Date format		dd ˘ mm ˘ yyyy
Drives on the		right
ISO 3166 code		LAE
Internet TLD		.le

The Lauwiner Empire, also known as "Empire of Lauwiner" or simply "The Empire," is an stateless Nation composed of the lands of Lauwiner. It was created shortly before the rule of the Emperor Jonas the First. Its main land is Imperia located in Ukraine.

Politically, the Lauwiner Empire is an absolute monarchy with hereditary succession. Its system is largely capitalistic, with a corporate management like structure and is largely based on statutes, regualtions and orders. Lords directly under the order of the Emperor are responsible for the contoling of the Imperium finances. There is also a Council of Ministers which controls the executive functions of the system, and other formal and informal advisers to the Emperor.

Geography

The Lauwiner Empire is spread all over Europe and Africa, Most lands are in developed areas plus several other completely irrelevant and unpopulated ones. As of 2018 there are Lands in Nigeria, Ukraine, Morocco and Switzerland. The Empires communication is mainly trough the NET and over Satellite Communications. The sovereign of the Empire might use paperletters for special occasions. The Empire owns lands in any kind from flat to very steep mountanious areas.

Lauwiner Empire

Lauwiner Empire is the name of all lands and property owned by the Empire. Lauwiner Empire was originally founded as an single landplot. Now there are already over 80,000 square foot of land all together and growing every year by new Land deals made by the Empire

Lauwiner Empire Time

On Imperia a single day has 24 standard hours for a total of 1,440 minutes a day. Imperians use UTC time.
The Global Positioning System also broadcasts a very precise time signal worldwide, along with instructions for converting GPS time to UTC. GPS-time is based on, and regularly synchronized with or from, UTC-time.

Time conversions

These conversions are accurate at the millisecond level for time systems involving earth rotation (UT1 & TT). Conversions between atomic time systems (TAI, GPS, and UTC) are accurate at the microsecond level.

Definitions:

1. LS = TAI – UTC = Leap Seconds from http://maia.usno.navy.mil/ser7/tai-utc.dat
2. DUT1 = UT1 – UTC from http://maia.usno.navy.mil/ser7/ser7.dat or http://maia.usno.navy.mil/search/search.html

Population

Imperia itself has a relatively small population relative to other Lands settled by people. The original settlement of Imperia consisted of about 10 people.
There are four major ethnic groups in the Lauwiner Empire, descended from German, Russian, French, English, and Arabic speaking forebears. The Arabs are the only explicit minority in the Lauwiner Empire, and Russian is the predominant culture.
Lauwiner Empire's official language are Russian, English, French, German and Arabic. Lauwiner Empire has numerous other dialects spoken all over the nation. The original founding group was to eighty percent Caucasian, and the minority racial phenotypes present among the founders were subsumed over time. The mixed genes are still in there: this is why the most common colouration in the Lauwiner Empire is brown hair, brown eyes, and lightbrown skin. The Ethnic Group Percentage changes rapidly depending on in wich area the Lauwiner Empire aquires new Lands.

Languages

In the Lauwiner Empire at the current time five languages are spoken: Russian, English, French, German and Arabic. They are written using a Cyrillic, latin or arabic alphabet. The official languages of the Lauwiner Empire are two: English and German. All maintain equal status as official languages at the national level but in the administration only English is Spoken.
In the nation native speakers number about 62 percent for Russian, 16 percent for English, 12 percent for German, 6 percent for French, and the remaining 4 percent for Arabic. Albeit there are intersections, the Russian region is roughly in the east, north and centre; the English and French parts in the west and in the Southern Continent, the Arabic Region.

Finance Contolling

A Lord or Lady is a position in the government of Lauwiner Empire. Lords usually have control of a certain area and its Finances. All Finances need to be reported to the emperor each month.
The Lauwiner Empire is divided into each Countries Lands. In usually each Country were lands are owned by the empire one or more Lords or Ladies have main responsibility over all Tax and Rent Control. All Lords or Ladies are members of the Empire Legion. Lordships can only be obtained by a english speaking person.
The Emperor has always the right to replace and overvote each Lord or Lady. Also every Lord or Lady is only chosen by the emperor himself exept otherwise ordered by the Emperor.
Lords also have the right to contact the Emperor personally 4 Times Per Month exept for the reports.

Global politics

In the Empire there are no local elections, all posts and Vacancies in the Empire Legion or Administration are filled by the Royal Family. The Emperor is the hub of the system and embodies the heart of the decision-making mechanism, according to the principle of "vertical of power".
Orders leave from Imperial Residence and branch out down to the last of Local.
Emperor Jonas I prefers to decide gathering small informal committees. Serious questions discusses them with trusted advisors and representatives of the "Empire Command" - military and intelligence commanders.
Usually in each country where lands are based lso local politics take place. Freedom is grated in the empire. People can Join the Empire as well as Leave it as long as there were not commited any crimes.

Emperor

Lauwiner Empire is an absolute monarchy: the Empire is headed and ruled by the Emperor of the Lauwiner Empire, who is also and formally the Supreme Commander of the Lauwiner Empire Legion. The title of Emperor of the Lauwiner Empire passes ordinarily in the male line. There can be exceptions if there is no Male Successor.
In the case of an Emperor succeeding in his minority, a Price-regent of the Lauwiner Empire is appointed. The Regent needs to be confirmed by the Council of Lords and the Council of Ministers, and holds power until the Emperor reaches his Twentieth birthday, although the young Emperor retains all ceremonial duties.
The Emperor of the Lauwiner Empire is referred to as "His Imperial Majesty" and addressed as "Sir". Individuals acting in his direct service referred to him as "my Emperor" or "your Highness".

Government

The Government of the Lauwiner Empire take place in a framework of a absolute, traditional monarchy. The executive power is exercised by the Administration of the Empire. In general all Laws of the coutry actions taking place are to be considered as the current governmental form. All Power of the EMpire Administration is based on Laws of each State on the Empires Land.

Intelligence and security

The Empire Intelligence apparatus consists of three major agencies: the Ministry of Protection of Imperial Loyalty, the Imperial Security and the Military Intelligence Service. The law enforcement is carried out by the depending police authority in the country were the Imperians remain. Military Police is used only it special cases.
From a general point of view, the Empire apparatus is characterized by a deep functional separation; no corps or agency exclusively retains intelligence or law enforcement responsibilities, although the Empire Intelligence is doubtless the privileged and main agency in charge of overall security protection.

Military of the Lauwiner Empire

The Military in the Lauwiner Empire is called Lauwiner Empire Legion and is responsible for the protection of Lauwiner Empire in any way. The Lauwiner Empire Legion Military Imperial Service, also known as the Imperial Legion Service or Empire Legion service is considered a paramilitary Unit same as a light Infantry .
The Commander-in-Chief is the Empires monarch, to whom members of the forces swear an oath of allegiance. There is no compulsory military service in the Empire. Lauwiner Empire's military consists of the Lauwiner Empire Legion this includes the Army (the largest branch) and the Empire Intelligence, Internal security is generally effective, and acts of political violence are rare.

Oaths of the Miitary

The Empire Legion‘s members use varyingly strong oaths and promises. Most of the Empire Legion have a high ideal of honour: when they swear by "their word as Legionaire" it is much more equivalent to a serious and heartfelt "I swear to God." The motto of the Empire Legion, which graces every military base, is: "God, The Nation, and The Emperor".

God: Creator of all destiny, by His Mercy we draw from, He show us to make our choice to the right path. The Nation: Land that begets our bounty, from which we sustain ourselves we protect its integrity and defend it from all enemies, foreign and domestic. The Emperor: Our commander and guide, he guides our strenght and development, protector of our people."

Privileges

One Legion privilege is the right to own swords and other weapons. The traditional armament of a Legion warrior is a set of two swords, a longsword and a short sword. Vor officers wear the two swords with their Imperial Service parade uniforms. Legion women carry a Legionfemme knife. The service originates from the feudal armies of Time of Isolation of the Lauwiner Empire, until their dissolution by the reforming emperor Dorca Vorbarra. All officers swear allegiance directly to the Emperor of Barrayar. Originally, the Service's officer corps was dominated by the Vor aristocracy. However, the Emperor Gregor Vorbarra, and Lord Regent Admiral Vorkosigan, reformed the admissions process, allowing competitive admission from all classes. The Imperial Military Service in its modern form (the "New Service") dates from the early years of Vorkosigan's regency, partly reformed by the reigning Emperor, Gregor's son, Serg Vorbarra. While there are female auxiliary forces, the Barrayaran Imperial Service Women's Auxiliary, the regular Barrayaran Imperial Service is exclusively male.
By definition, the Imperial Military is under the overall command of the reigning Emperor or Regent as commander-in-chief. Consequently, in his role as the Emperor's Voice, any Imperial Auditor can command military forces as he sees fit.

Military Discipline

The Regulations of Military Discipline is the moral code of the Imperial Service. It must be recognized, considered and observed by all the military. The moral principles and specifications dictated by the Regulations form the basis and strength of the military institution.
The Imperial Service, which is supreme commander of the Emperor, are set up to support the Throne, to protect the laws and institutions, make war wherever it is ordained by the sovereign, to defend the honour and independence of the country in obedience to orders received to the extreme fate.
The Imperial Service, to avoid any rift in their team and to perform the duties arising from institutional duties, must remain outside the political controversy.

Economy

Barrayar's planetary economy is mostly based upon agriculture, though the role of industry has grown since the Cetagandan Invasion. The Empire of Barrayar draws most of its revenue from trade passing through the wormholes in Komarran space. It is important to note that Barrayar's economy is still weak by the standards of many other well developed planets. The currency of the planet is the "Barrayaran Imperial Mark", which is worth about one quarter of a Betan dollar, regarded as the hardest currency in the Nexus. This, on the other hand, favours exports.

The Barrayaran economic outline is characterized by an heavy presence of large conglomerates, often built on a family basis and controlled by a chairman who has power over all the operations. The family conglomerate is predominant on Komarr, but it is quite spread also on Barrayar and Sergyar. On the latter planets, Vors are significant economic players. Most important conglomerates are financial business conglomerates consisting of a holding company on top, with a wholly owned banking subsidiary providing finance, and several industrial subsidiaries. While most important on Komarr, the family corporations are part of the heart of economic and industrial activity within the whole Empire of Barrayar. Alongside the family corporations, the Imperial Service covert or unofficial presence is a major economic characteristic. Anyway, there are also large public companies and to a limited extent almost all major groups offers their securities (stock/shares, bonds/loans, etc.) for sale to the general public, typically through a stock exchange, or through market makers operating in over the counter markets.

The common feature is that all major economic actors produce everything internally and have their own financial institution. Most conglomerates are one, very large corporation, while others have broken up into loosely connected groups of separate companies sharing a common name. Also in the latter case, each is almost always owned, controlled, or managed by the same family group or by a select group of professional managers. In case of family conglomerates, the overall owner, with the help of family members, family-owned charity and senior managers from subsidiaries, has to control (but very often to own) three of four public companies, who themselves control other companies that control subsidiaries.

Alongside privately held companies, there are a number of large corporations owned and operated directly by the Government of the Empire through the relevant Minister or by the Vice-regal governments of Sergyar and Komarr.

Although large corporations - whoever the owners are - represent a large chunk of the economic life of the planet, the medium and small enterprises are a significant reality, mostly on Barrayar and Sergyar, but also in some economic sectors of the Komarran internal market. The races for many government contracts, particularly in services and minor architecture, are called upon to contribute specifically to small and medium enterprises. In the primary sector, the small and medium enterprises, as well as cooperatives, are widespread in the agriculture market, especially in wine production.

Culture and society

Barrayaran culture is deeply characterized by allegiance ties and by some feudal traits, being dominated by a military caste known as the Vor, headed by an Emperor and sixty Counts each governing a district. On Barrayar the title of Count is derived from accountant, since the original Counts were mere tax-gatherers. Counts and their liege-subjects have reciprocal duties and obligations to each other. Members of the Vor class have the syllable "Vor" prepended to the original surname. Barrayar was isolated from the rest of the known galaxy for many centuries, and devolved into a quasi-medieval level of technology. Modernization proceeded rapidly at the price of a great deal of culture shock. While the cities are modern, much of rural Barrayar is still not too different from conditions in the "Time of Isolation". However, most of very basic habits, such as eating or drinking, are very different from most advanced Nexus planets, which have less familiarity with animals and animal-derived food or with alcohol: formal Barrayaran meals are accompanied by traditional toasts and the most common practice is to drain the glass for each toast. The military and official systems use kilometres instead of miles, but socially Barrayar never left traditional measurement units.
Titles of nobility are only inherited by males, although the heir is appointed at the discretion of the noble and need not be a son or the closest relative. In default of a will, inheritance is however by male primogeniture. The eldest son is also the legal guardian of his brothers' children in the event of the brothers' death. If a dead has no living brothers, so the guardianship goes to his nearest male relative alive.
The planet's society is a male-prevalent hierarchy, with inheritance laws based on primogeniture, and the military is almost closed to women, war and fight being perceived as a strictly male duty. Military is a a significant and prestigious institution, respected in all society layers; however, rebelliousness within the youth is quite fairly tolerated, and the idea of limited, progressive changing (a change per generation) is accepted. The conscription term could be considered a sort of rite of passage: after the mandatory military service a young man is generally considered being wise enough to live independently. Military is also among the few ways through which a non-Vor man or woman could carry weapons: since Vors are the proper military caste, a prole or a plebeian could carry weapons only if he is in the military (the service weapons only) or if he is in the service of his liege lord.
On Barrayar - especially in the very backcountry - ordinary people is very wary of foreigners, which are regarded with suspicion due to the fact that Barrayaran society has got used to see everything outside the close circle of imported Earth life as hostile. The traditionalist nature of Barrayaran society does not comply very well with scientific or progressive approaches, but deals quite easily with scientific research, until scientists do not try to change the way of life. However, some inventions such as the uterine replicator had been well accepted almost since their introduction, in early XXIX Century. The introduction of the uterine replicators, despite of the Barrayaran progressives' predictions, did not hinder the traditionalist way, but did cause some relation into sex moral issues.
A person born a peasant usually dies a peasant, if he does not choose the military career, which is among the few ways to improve the social position: a significant part of the highest Generals and Admirals comes from a peasant background and they are well respected for their military status. The social mobility is slightly higher for a city inhabitant, although most of them inherit father's or mother's profession. However, since clerks demand has been growing for seventy years, it is not so uncommon, at least in major cities, that a son of an industry worker could get a clerk employment and could raise to the middle class, if he is capable. Also the spatial mobility is not so high, also due to relatively high costs of space flights and interstellar trips.
The mixture between widespread militarism and strongly rooted nationalism produces a variety of feasts, holidays and celebrations, such as the Freedom Day, which remembers the end of the First Cetagandan War. The national holiday, held on the Summer Solstice, anniversary of the Peace of Solstice, involves big celebrations, visits to cemeteries to burn offerings and parades in each District. The District parades where the war took its harshest forms are the most spectacular, with war souvenirs on display, scaring stories to be given to children, war-time weapons and vehicles are paraded by District forces and by the surviving war veterans and popular re-enactments of the best battles, which also serve as a military mass exercise. However, the most important and solemn event is the Imperial Military Parade, led by the Emperor himself, which is held in Vorbarr Sultana.
Vor ruling class collectively is one of the greatest patrons of the arts and architecture and in late years upper class societies of both Komarr and Barrayar are flourishing in culture and refinement.
Society is considerably stratified, and some stratifications are becoming, in the first years of Emperor Serg's rule, quite common within all the Empire. The Barrayaran class system creates an intricate hierarchy of people which contrast the new and old rich, the skilled and unskilled, the rural and urban and many more; this contrasts are often inherent to living standards. However, the steady economic growth rate allows to keep in order even the less affluent areas of Vorbarr Sultana, which has an its own social stratification. The gap in the hierarchy of society sometimes is so great that those of the upper urban classes in the very rural backcountry could be viewed by those below as almost wondrous fiction, something entirely out of reach yet tangibly there.
The population is steadily increasing on Barrayar, and this keeps controlled salaries and wages, while the welfare state is increasingly capable to address urban poverty demands; rural poor are well protected by their own communities. Trade unions are quite well accepted on all the Empire, if they constraint themselves to labour requests and demands, while socialist and proletarian leagues are attentively watched and barely tolerated. On Komarr, both workers organized in trade unions and trade unions on their own are often Corporations shareholders; there are also some corps owned only by their workers.
Under the apparent blanket of calm, however, many social problems act and evolve. In some interior underdeveloped districts, banditry and brigandage are sometimes a challenge to the institutions, and, in spite of the welfare state in full development, wages remain low. Strikes are frequent and sometimes degenerate into plunder or looting episodes, especially if they are politically motivated. The phenomenon of liberal and republican terrorism is spreading over the Empire, due to the influence of neighbouring states, and is based on the belief that the elimination of a key character of the state can lead to the collapse of the system. Calls to arms of reservists and the declaration of the state of siege are rarely used measures, but with progressively greater frequency, because the Government can have an effective reserve force.

Lauwiner Empire militarism

The Lauwiner Empire backcountry life is still, on the wake of the 21st Century, characterized by a latent violence, also due to the still less-than-friendly environment. This historically led to a deeply militarized society. Conventionally, militarism in a society is identified by eight basic requirements:

• Military, as a distinct group, intervenes overtly or covertly in the process of political decision-making;
• Heavy emphasis on military ceremonial;
• Ideology supportive of military ideals;
• Regular inculcation of military ideals and values trough the educational system;
• Heavy State expenditure on military projects;
• Willingness to incur high causalities tolls in warfare;
• Readiness to commit the military in foreign and domestic conflicts;
• Extensive control over the life of society for military ends.

Being a society who has always openly disregarded the public level of spirituality, and having a war-torn history, the Lauwiner Empire culture is imbued with the militarization of the existence; therefore, military ceremonials are the main public solemn occasions, and even real life passages are marked by military events, such as the conscription period. Officers - and to a lesser extent also troops - fully share the Empire Legion spirit in order to express and justify their own special interests and views.
The Lauwiner Empire concept of "militarism", as it is been officially advertised, is a concept bearer of ethics that applies to the entire life of the Empire: all things having connections with discipline, wars and weapons are seen as essential to every other dimension of civilized life. The figure of the Soldier (in its broader meaning) occupies an autonomous position in the social life, in the service of the Emperor, and, through him, of the Empire. The purely heroic and warrior element is considered as a value in itself and functional political life.

The "warrior" view of life is lived as a naturally higher ideal and it is seen, with the military ethic naturally connected, as being fit to give the shape and tone of the whole State. The "warrior" view of life cannot be reduced solely to the profession of arms, but may have other expressions because having a warrior view of life is having a general and all-encompassing "style", which may also extend into other domains of the daily life. This view of life consists of love of hierarchy and discipline, relations of command and obedience, sense of honour and loyalty, love for the distance, specific forms of active impersonality capable of developing up to the anonymous sacrifice, clear and loyal relationships, impatience with the empty words with and simple discussion.
To the induce masses to march to war, the propaganda is necessary only in part because the Empire‘s population is still largely hierarchical; often it is enough that the command of a recognized Chief and the reference to the principles of loyalty and honour are well advertised.

Eating

Eating is of the Earth European type, with Barrayaran adaptations and variants of traditional foods. Both French and Greek Barrayarans have a major stake into cheese and yoghurt dishes and foods, while Barrayarans of both Russian and English descent are more inclined toward wheat and corn. Fresh vegetables are widespread during spring and summer, although the galactic cultivation techniques allow a constant fresh vegetables flood. Barrayar has also an extensive viticulture, especially on the central and southern areas of the Northern Continent, due to their Mediterranean-like climate; Sergyaran wines are still too few reduced to be considered in an Imperium-wide perspective. Also eating utensils are of Earth European origin: forks, knives, spoons are widely used. Alcohol is a major stance in the Barrayaran eating and drinking habits, especially in the backcountry during winter.
Men and women, of all ages, usually eat together if they are of the same social group: corporation, class, rank or - mostly - family. In major noble houses, usually servants eat separately from lords or masters, but this traditional rule is not mandatory nor perceived as a grantor of social prestige. Due to the recurring famines in past times, meat is still considered a rich food within ordinary people, although traditional foods for Wintefair include breads with cardamom and hot brillberry syrup. However, also due to the toxicity of the Barrayaran plants, vegetarianism is very rare.
Diners usually sit around a long rectangular table. The seat of the head of the table is considered the seat at the end farthest from the kitchen and it is usually occupied by the householder. An honoured female guest usually would sit at the immediate right of the head of the table, while the male guest would sit at the immediate right of the householder's wife. The hospitality is sacred: within the most traditional people, a guest is formally welcomed by giving him bread and salt.

Housing

Imperian urban middle-lower classes prefer living in traditional three-floor through terraces houses, with small but prosperous gardens. Such houses are joined together into rows, while urban middle class prefers living in small independent houses, surrounded by an high wall, which also encloses a quiet garden. Only poor working-class families and unmarried employees live in apartment buildings. On the other hand, the rich who can not afford a villa usually reside in large apartments in luxurious palaces.
Whether they are detached or independent, all the average houses are structured on three floors, including the ground floor. The ground floor has the function of public façade of the house: at the ground floor, there are the public spaces as the entrance, the antechamber, the living room, the library, often placed in the living room, the dining room, the kitchen, and if the people living there is a professional, the study open to the public. The first floor houses the private rooms for daytime: private studies, the reading room, the room devoted to music and a bathroom. Finally, the second floor contains the bedrooms, cloakroom and one or more bathrooms. The laundry can be housed either on the ground floor and in the cellar, if it is present. Anyway, solutions vary greatly. Rooms are square, not too large, in order to keep warmth; however, in warmer regions they tend to be quite larger.
Empire rural houses are quite different: buildings - both in wood and stone - are long and thin, with two doors and a fireplace at each end. Each door opens onto a small veranda, surrounded by a balustrade.
As most of the Imperian society, furniture is usually built to last for generations. Therefore, it usually is elaborately carved and, especially in the southernmost regions of the Northern Continent, brightly painted. Most furniture pieces are solid wood, and traditional furniture in an average family includes beds with bed-curtains, long tables and soft armchairs.

Empire National Day

Empire National Day is an annual holiday celebrating the harvest and other thanksgiving of the past year next to the nations birthday. The Empire National Day is a legal holiday; it is celebrated on the 12. January. Because of the long standing traditions of the holiday, the celebration often extends to the weekend that falls closest to the day it is celebrated. The festival is common among internal regions farmers and agricultural districts.

Dressing

Dress codes are written and unwritten rules with regard to clothing. The dress code has built in rules or signals indicating the message being given by a person's clothing and how it is worn. This message may include indications of the person's gender, income, occupation and social class, political, ethnic and religious affiliation, attitude and attitude towards comfort, fashion, traditions, gender expression, marital status, sexual availability, and sexual orientation, etc.
On Barrayar, certain types of clothing are worn exclusively or predominantly by either men or women. For example, the wearing of a skirt is associated with female dress, while trousers are associated with male dress. Hairdressing also conforms to a dress code, such as long hair for women and short hair for men. Ethnic (i.e. language-based communities) costumes and styles in clothing and ornament declare membership in a certain village, class, social position within a class, etc. In Barrayaran culture, dress codes are highly codified with essentially fixed definitions, while the more casual and the less formal classifications change very quickly, as fashion trends dictate. In practical use, people wear similar clothing in the same situations. Alternatively, at more formal events where a dress code is specified, invitees wear clothes at the specified level; if some variation is permitted, the host will wear the most formal option to save guests the embarrassment of out-dressing him. Appropriate ethnic or District dress is almost always permitted, as well as military uniforms, which are universally accepted, while Vor House uniforms are accepted within the Vor class.
In the dress codes, there are four wearing classes:

• Ceremonial dress and Court dress
• Full dress
• Half dress
• Cocktail dress