Prydania Worldbuilding

[Prydania]

Ryesen and the Hýperbóreastríð (Hyperborea War)

Ryesen was a toy company in Prydania that had one of the best ideas a company existing in the free market could have... copy a successful idea.
The Verforvander toyline from Goyanes had made transforming toy action figures very popular in the 80s, with their train-to-robot figures flying off the shelves. Otzar, an Iraelian toy company, took the idea and tweaked it with their Amitz-Brave series, which distinguished itself from Verforvander by offering a variety of alternate modes for the robot toys, including hyper futuristic and fantasy vehicles.

Ryesen's 1984 Hýperbóreastríð (Hyperborea War) line attempted to create its own space by excluding vehicles all together. Instead Hýperbóreastríð focused on a cast of five robots, the Glacial Warriors, who fought Ragnaroar- the world's ultimate evil- on the lost continent of Hyperborea in the distant, lost past. These five Glacial Lords- Megazero, Fangro, Tailclub, Razorspike, and Tusker- transformed from robot ice age animals to robots, whos central components could detach to ride the robotic animals and interact with ancient human and Thaunic deity allies. The robots could also combine into a giant robot for climactic battles.

This fiction was at first pioneered via pack-in comics with the toys, but would be expanded upon when Ryesen was able to secure a contract with the RÚV to produce an animated cartoon based on the adventures of the Glacial Lords in Hyperborea.

 

[Prydania]

Prydanian Pronouns

Personal Pronouns
Personal pronouns in Prydanian, similar to other languages, are used to substitute nouns and convey information about the speaker, the listener, or the topic being discussed. Prydanian has a rich system of personal pronouns:

Ég I
Þú You, singular
Þið You, plural
Hann He
Hún She
Það It
Við We
Þeir They, masculine
Þær They, feminine
Þau They, neutral

These pronouns can be further subdivided into categories based on their grammatical features, such as:

Subject (Nominative) pronouns
Object (Accusative, Dative, and Genitive) pronouns
Reflexive pronouns
Contraction of prepositions and pronouns

Subject (Nominative) Pronouns: Sentence Essentials
In Prydanian sentences, the subject is the main actor, and the nominative case is utilized to denote the subject pronoun. The primary Prydanian personal pronouns mentioned earlier help identify the subject in a sentence and display various levels of formality and gender distinctions.

Ég I
Nominative Ég
Accusative Mig
Dative Mér
Genitive Mín

Þú You, singular
Nominative Þú
Accusative Þig
Dative Þér
Genitive Þín

Þið You, plural
Nominative Þið
Accusative Ykkur
Dative Ykkur
Genitive Ykkar

Hann He
Nominative Hann
Accusative Hann
Dative Honun
Genitive Hans

Hún She
Nominative Hún
Accusative Hana
Dative Henni
Genitive Hennar

Það It
Nominative Það
Accusative Það
Dative Því
Genitive Þess

Við We
Nominative Við
Accusative Okkur
Dative Okkur
Genitive Okkar

Þeir They, masculine
Nominative Þeir
Accusative Þá
Dative Þeim
Genitive Þeirra

Þær They, feminine
Nominative Þær
Accusative Þær
Dative Þeim
Genitive Þeirra

Þau They, neutral
Nominative Þau
Accusative Þau
Dative Þeim
Genitive Þeirra

Reflexive Pronouns and Contraction of Prepositions
Reflexive pronouns are used in Prydanian to express actions that the subject performs upon themselves. They can be straightforward, as in the simple reflexive pronouns, or more complex as contractions of prepositions and pronouns. This list offers examples of reflexive pronouns and contractions in Prydanian:

Sig himself/herself/itself/themselves
Sér to/for themselves
Sín of themselves
Með sér with themselves
Á sér on themselves
Frá sér away from themselves

With this comprehensive understanding of personal pronouns in Prydanian grammar, we can now confidently navigate the intricate linguistic landscape of the Prydanian language and employ these pronouns effectively in various contexts.

 

[Prydania]

The Role of the Monarch and Legislatures in Prydania, on a National and Provincial Level

Like most constitutional monarchies, the legislature of the Kingdom of the Prydania (the Alþingi) is called by the monarch. Alþingis are dissolved by order of the King and elections for new Alþingis called in the King's name.
Further, the King officially opens each new Alþingi following an election with a speech, which some might recognize as a Throne Speech.
Prydania does things a bit different, though. Unlike in most constitutional monarchies, the King does not read a pre-written speech from the elected Prime Minister. Instead the King gives his own speech, which officially opens the Alþingi, and is followed by the Prime Minister's speech where the elected government's goals and policies are outlined.

Where things get interesting is in the Provinces. When the current constitution for the Kingdom of Prydania was written it was decided that the last remnants of legal feudalism- brought back into being legally after the Syndicalist Republic fell when the FRE provisional government tossed the vast majority of Syndicalist legislation in the bin- were to be transformed into a more representative system. The city of Býkonsviði, the Thanedoms, and Grand Thandom Stormurholmr in Prydania were made provinces, while the Protectorate of Austurland the Crownlands- both under the direct control of the Crown- were split up into new provinces.
This decision to allow more localized autonomy- a reaction against the harsh centralization of the Syndicalist Republic- was seen to be in keeping with both the best traditions of the feudal past and the principals of democratic representation.
It created, however, a legal question. If all legislative power in the Kingdom are derived from the King, then how would that work with provincial legislatures? It was decided that each province would have a Varakonungur, literally translating to Viceroy. This official would be named the King's representative in their province. Though their ability to act with Royal authority would be limited to ensuring the legal functioning of the provincial legislatures (héraðsþingi) they would act as local representatives for the King in their province.

While it would not be impossible for the King to issue writs for legislative dissolution and election for each province, and even giving speeches to open each newly elected provincial legislature, it was deemed more productive for the King to have a representative in each province to expedite these processes, and allow for a more localized voice from the Crown in provincial affairs.
A Varakonungur is appointed directly by the King, and the term is ten years, with no term limits.

The only province that does not have a Varakonungur is the City of Býkonsviði. The capital retained its independent status even during the high feudal era as a result of an agreement between the Crown and city that dated back to Vortgyn I. Under the current constitutional arrangement the city government effectively acts as a provincial government, and the municipal legislature (borgarþing) is dissolved, called for elections for, and opened by the King himself as a consequence of the arrangement between crown and city which, 995 years later, is still deemed to be in effect.

 

[Prydania]

Logo History of Prydania's State Broadcasting Service (Ríkisútvarpið, RÚV)

The RÚV was founded in 1936 as a Crown Corporation, with their programming promoted under the banner of "Útvarp Prydansk," or "Radio Prydania." Their first logo represented the public perception of radio, and broadcasting in general, at the time; futuristic and cutting edge. Art deco-style lightning bolts frame a map of the country with "Útvarp Prydansk" below and RÚV up top.

The logo changed in 1957. The previous logo had been associated with state propaganda during the Fascist Wars. Additionally radio and television broadcasting came to be seen as less futuristic and more every-day. A new identity was crafted, keeping the map and text but changing the style up to fit more contemporary attitudes and corporate aesthetics in the the post-FW era.

A change was deemed necessary in 1965, as more and more Prydanian homes adopted colour tv. This change represented the cleanest break from the RÚV's past identity. The map motif was done away with, and the name "Útvarp Prydansk" was dropped, as more and more people began to refer to the station and its programming by just "RÚV."
The new visual language emphasized colour. A stylized stag head- long a symbol of Prydania- was placed on a field showing the colours of the rainbow, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

Another change was made in 1977, as colour tv became more and more commonplace. The new identity emphasized just three colours. Red, green, and blue, representing the three colours integral to a colour tv broadcast. Still, visual ques tied it into the past identity. The "RÚV" text was rendered in the same font as the 1965 logo, the stag head was kept, now in a neutral and "modern" grey, as were the interlace lines.

This same general logo was kept, but tweaked in 1982. The interlace lines were dropped, and the stag head went from a filled in silhouette to an outline.

In 2002 the Syndicalist Party seized control of the country in a bloody coup. The RÚV was brought under total Syndicalist Party control upon the delcaration of the Syndicalist Republic of Prydania. A new logo was designed to reflect the new regime. The stag was abandoned, having been associated with the now-overthrown and mostly dead Royal family. The new typeface, meant to be futuristic, bold, and not held back by the past, was rendered entirely in red, the colour of the Syndicalist Party.

The present logo was adopted in 2017 following the end of the Prydanian Civil War. The defeat of the Syndicalist Republic brough the RÚV into the hands of the Front of National Unity (FRE). The provisional government stated its intent to model the RÚV off of the inter-fascit era, stressing transparency and journalistic independence and integrity. A version of the 1982 logo was adopted, though with a change in the typeface to reflect the typeface, known as "Ardent," that the FRE had used for their own broadcasting operatus during the Civil War.

 

[Prydania]

Policing in the Kingdom of Prydania​

Civil War Background

The anti-Syndicalist Front for National Unity (FRE) faced a challenge upon liberating territories from the Syndicalist Republic. Namely how to best go about policing and keeping the peace. While FRE soldiers helped keep public order in freshly liberated zones, FRE command viewed this as a temporary solution.

Civilian police did exist in the Syndicalist Republic, though like all walks of public life, the Syndicalist regime insisted the police adhere to loyalty towards the party. Police officers who were deemed too friendly with the previous Social Commonwealth regime were purged and by the time the Civil War entered its open war phase in early 2013, every police department in Prydania was, at the very least, headed by a Syndicalist Party functionary.

This complicated matters for the FRE in liberated territory. FRE would have preferred to hand civilian policing duties back to the civilian police, but they worried that too many of them were tied to the Syndicalist Party and would aid behind-FRE-lines activities of the Syndicalist-aligned "Militant" insurgency group.

It was the need to deal with these police officers that birthed the "Desyndification" efforts of the FRE, to ensure that policing was placed into the hands of officers not loyal to the Syndicalist regime, so the FRE could re-deploy its troops to the front lines.

Following the unconditional surrender of Syndicalist forces, first at Keris and then at Býkonsviði in the early summer of 2017, the new government made the establishment of a reliable and professional civilian police force a top priority.

Current Structure

Prydania is a unity state, despite a new constitution establishing provinces in 2021. Authority ultimately derives from the Crown, and the provinces serve as administrative sub-sections. As such the police established after the Civil War was highly centralized. The various patchwork of FRE-aligned police units were unified and revamped as the Ríkilögreglan, or Realm's Police.

Ríkilögreglan badges, the first is the standard Prydanian language version, the second is the Bayardi language version for use in the Province of Jórvík​

The Ríkilögreglan is the national policing agency in Prydania, overseeing localized departments across the country. They are overseen by the Ministry of Justice, and headed by a National Police Commissioner, or Ríkislögreglustjór, currently Kasper Rhen. Under his office exists the Office of National Investigation, or Rannsóknarstofu Ríkisins (RSR). The RSR is headed by a Commissioner, or Lögreglustjóri, currently Hallgrim Tanck.

Ministry of Justice logo​

The RSR serves as the national investigating arm of the Ríkilögreglan, and supersedes every other Ríkilögreglan jurisdiction. Below the RSR exists the various provincial branches of the Ríkilögreglan. In keeping with Prydania's unitary nature, the provincial sections are under the national government's authority rather than the authority of the provincial governments.
A special branch of the Ríkilögreglan exists which is technically on the same level as the provincial branches, but is wholly unique. That is a section called the "Government Branch." In olden days the security of the PM, Alþingi, and various government buildings were handled by the Knights of the Storm. In the wake of Anders III, however, it was decided that having a military branch responsible only to the King serve as security for the government could be abused. So the Ríkilögreglan was set up with a special "Government Branch" that is entirely focused on providing security for the PM, Alþingi, þingmenn, government civil servants, and government buildings.
Below the Provincial branches and the Government Branch exists the local branches. Each major city and large town has their own dedicated Ríkilögreglan department. Smaller towns and rural areas are grouped into larger "country" departments.
Though all part of the larger Ríkilögreglan organization, local departments are allowed leeway in how they handle local affairs. Officers are recurited from their communities to serve said communities, in stark contrast to the Syndicalist era where police were assigned away from home, to ensure loyalty to the regime over the community they were "protecting."

The Býkonsviði Department is the largest of the local departments, and the only local department that exists on the same level as the Provincial departments, due to Býkonsviði itself being a province. Though the Government Branch is (mostly) based out of Býkonsviði, it is a separate branch from the Býkonsviði Department.

Ríkilögreglan logo​

Presently most police officers in Prydania are FRE or Syndicalist veterans, with the Syndicalist veterans having to undergo a government program of desyndification before they can be hired on as police officers. Former Syndicalist police officers likewise need to pass the desyndification process. As the police were not included in King Tobias III's mass pardon of Syndicalists, police officers under the Syndicalist regime can- and have- been tried and convicted of crimes related to the Syndicalist regime, regardless of rank.

Presently though, at seven years since the end of the War, all former Syndicalists employed as police officers by the Ríkilögreglan are deemed fit for service.