Abayad

Republic of Abayad
𐩸𐩲𐩣𐩢𐩲𐩧 𐩱𐩨𐩲𐩱𐩵
Republic of Abayad ; 𐩸𐩲𐩣𐩢𐩲𐩧 𐩱𐩨𐩲𐩱𐩵;
	Flag
	Motto: "𐩱𐩬𐩲𐩣𐩲𐩮 𐩯𐩲𐩨𐩤𐩯𐩱𐩰 𐩱𐩻𐩱𐩬𐩸𐩱 𐩰𐩱𐩡𐩱"; Ahnemis sebkasuf athanja vola.; In the Shade we Shall Flourish.
	Anthem: Hymn of Abayad
Capital; and largest city	Abayad City
Official languages	Imbu
Ethnic groups (2019)	75.6% Broadly Abayadi; 21% Tinifghani; 3.4% Other;
Demonym(s)	Abayadi
Government	Unitary semi-presidential representative democratic republic
• Chancellor of the Republic	Arun Salid
• Prime Minister	Layla Qadir
Legislature	National Assembly of the Republic
• Upper house	Chamber of Merchants
• Lower house	Chamber of the People
Establishment
• as the Qabli Empire	402 BC
• as the Confederation of Abayad	110 AD
• as the Abayadi Republic	August 9, 1866
Area
•	692,689.79 km2 (267,449.02 sq mi)
• Water (%)	~%
Population
• 2020 estimate	20 million ;
• 2020 census	20,102,945
• Density	29/km2 (75.1/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)	2019 estimate
• Total	613.622 billion
• Per capita	$30,524
GDP (nominal)	2019 estimate
• Total	$613.622 billion
• Per capita	$30,524
Gini (2019)	35.1; medium
HDI (2017)	0.743; high
Currency	Abayadi Lira (ZKW)
Time zone	UTC+4 (AST)
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Driving side	left
Calling code	+125
Internet TLD	.ab

Abayad, officially the Republic of Abayad (Jemhur Abayad; 𐩸𐩲𐩣𐩢𐩲𐩧 𐩱𐩨𐩲𐩱𐩵), is a unitary semi-presidential representative democratic republic consisting of 79 Electoral Districts. Situated in Western Tarsis but culturally closer to Dihara, Abayad spans 692,689.79 km² over the Sifal Peninsula. It is bisected by the Bula Mountains and surrounded by several islands, the largest of which is Alkhadim. Situated on the western seaboard of the continent, the nation faces the Azad Sea to its west, and the Gulf of Abayad to the south and east. Its capital and largest city can be found at Abayad City, with most of the population being found in the low-lying, coastal areas.

Due to its central geographic location, Abayad has historically been home to myriad peoples and cultures. Various ancient peoples are dispersed throughout modern-day Abayad, the most predominant being the Amilian-Abayad hybrid culture forming the majority today. Beginning in the archaic era, the Shamal, Umbra, and Albas cultures flourished and developed from 4,000 BC to 2,000 BC, resulting in the eventual dominance by the Shamal over the peninsula by 1,000 BC. Several late Shamal kingdoms made up what is now Abayad, forming networks of alliances to aid in trade and war. This culminated in the League Wars, between two of the largest leagues, each led by the city-states Tafari and Qabl (what would later be renamed Abayad City). The League Wars lasted from 431-402 BC, culminating in the supremacy of Qabl over the region. King Fathi of Qabl, widely regarded as Abayad's first national leader, and the Merchant Council behind him ruled much of the region, making Qabl a center of trade in the region. Qabl’s supremacy lasted until 110 AD, during which the city-state collapsed due to internal strife caused by a succession crisis. This bloody civil war, called the Era of Stained Blades and Sorrows, soon spread to the rest of the region, and raged until 380 AD, upon which the Merchant Council of Sadaqa overthrew its resident claimant to the throne, encouraging others to do the same.

These rebellions resulted in the formation of the Abayadi Confederation, to be centered out of the capital of Qabl. The Confederation was governed by a hierarchy of merchant councils, governing via a plutocratic system. The modern Abayadi people claim that they are the descendants of Amilian slaves who arrived in the region at this time, freed in a rebellion guided by TeshTesh, their deity to their promised land some time in the early 9th century. From Amil to the west originally, migrated east “guided” by Tesh through a demigod called his Scion. After arriving in the region, the Amilian migrants mixed with the indigenous Abayadi people, soon forming a new mixed culture between the two. Despite their small numbers, the newcomers spread their religion fervently, eager to comply with their deity’s commands. This resulted in the practices mixing and melding until forming what is known today as the Abayadi Rite of Aranism. Commerce thrived at this time, as Abayad became a center of culture, science, and the arts thanks to wealthy patrons using their spare resources to commission new works and pieces. The Abayadi Confederation continued in its various iterations until 1848 AD.

In 1848, an Abayadi nationalist named Karom Fason began leading a small army of guerillas in the mountains central to the region, fighting for the idea of Abayadi Nationalism, kicking off the Abayadi Revolution. Fason espoused traditional religion and mysticism along with his political beliefs, and his army grew quickly in size and fervor, overpowering a much larger but demoralized force at the Battle of Sakil Valley. Fason would ultimately unify the nation in 1866 AD with the Treaty of Abayad City. Fason took the position of Shafat, or Judge, from scripture and oversaw the transition of the region into a republic. He stepped down ten years later, confident that his work was done. Asraf Hamal was elected as the first Chancellor of Abayad in Fason’s absence. He dedicated his two terms (totalling 12 years) as Chancellor to modernizing the young republic’s aging and uneven infrastructure, as well as creating the foundation of what would be the nation's civil service. He also endeavored to make Abayad a modern nation while preserving its identity. Hamal and his allies controlled the Abayadi government for forty years, until a new wave of political energy swept the nation. Saija Alkus was elected Chancellor in 1906, running on a campaign of economic and social liberalism. One of her government's first acts was to repeal the ban on political parties, claiming it stifled political speech, also lowering the voting age to 20 and removing literacy requirements and poll taxes. It also lowered taxes and restrictions on free enterprise, calling for the “merchants and tradesmen of Abayad” to lead the country into the future.

Today, Abayad is considered to be among the world’s most culturally and economically advanced countries, sitting at a key juncture of trade. It ranks highly in life expectancy, quality of life, healthcare, and education. It plays a prominent role in regional and global economic, cultural, and diplomatic affairs. The country has long been a regional center for art, Music, Literature, science, technology, and Fashion, and has greatly contributed to diverse fields such as Cuisine, Cinema, banking, and business.

Name

Abayad likely comes from the archaic Shamal word “abayd” meaning “settled,” as the neighboring Umbran and Alban cultures lived semi-nomadic existences, while the Shamal remained in the same spot year-round. It is believed that they used the term to describe areas populated by their culture, and as the Shamal became the dominant culture in the region, it came to stand for all of it.

History

Prehistory

It is believed that the first humans arrived in Abayad nearly 850,000 years ago, evidenced by primitive tools and animal bones discovered in a cave on the slopes of Mt. Abda in the Maan Caves in the northern part of the country. The region became more fully populated by humans closer to 45,000 years ago, with several burial and living sites discovered from this era being found. Many of these are submerged, having existed during a time where sea levels were lower. Perhaps the largest concentration of the sites can be found off the northwest coast, in a former location of the Ishraq River Delta Basin. The basin had among the highest population density in the region during the Paleolithic-era, although sites from that era have been found all throughout the mainland. Human remains have been discovered on the island of Alkhadim dating back as far as 8,500 years ago, implying relatively late settlement compared to the rest of the region. The Neolithic Age began in Abayad around 8,000 years ago, with evidence of Cardium pottery production in coastal areas and cultivation of barley and wheat in the Ishraq River Valley and other regions on the west side of the peninsula.

A cave painting of a man on horseback on the walls of the Hisan Caves, believed to have been painted in the 8th Millennium BC.

Three distinct cultures arose in Abayad, starting around 6,000 years ago: the Shamal in the northwest, the Umbra in the northern mountains, and the Albas in the southwest. The Shamal are remembered for their northwest-facing graves, ceramic pottery, and copper and silver trinkets found in their burial sites, as well as evidence that they sailed to neighboring regions across the shallow sea to trade. The Albas were seafarers as well, and are also remembered for their black-colored pottery with elaborate patterns. It’s believed that the Albas and Shamal cultures mixed to form the now-extinct Alkhadimi culture. The Umbra left behind bone bead and schist amulets, above ground stone barrows for the dead, and reverence to a maternal earth-deity. Like the Albas, the Umbran culture would mix with the Shamali culture to form the distinct Tinifghani one. Of the three ancient cultures, the Umbra and Albas both led semi-nomadic existences, whereas the Shamal were more sedentary. The Shamal culture was the most dominant of the three, largely enveloping the Umbra and Albas by 3,000 years ago. The Late Shamal Culture was ruled by tribal war chiefs, who led the men of their communities into battle for loot and glory.

Several Late Shamal kingdoms made up what is now Abayad, forming networks of alliances to aid in trade and war. These Late Shamal city states included the kingdoms of Asba, Shayia, and Dirae. Each kingdom’s economy largely revolved around trade of goods such as metals, foodstuffs, textiles, jewelry, and even slaves. The city states often allied with neighboring cities, in order to protect their own interests as well as band together to strike at rivals. These networks of alliances and feuds culminated in the League Wars, between two of the largest leagues, each led by the city-states Tafari and Qabl (what would later be renamed Abayad City). The League Wars lasted from 2431-2402 years ago, culminating in the defeat of the Tafari League and the supremacy of Qabl over the region.

Classical Era

The end of the League Wars marks the end of the Late Shamal culture and is when most historians recognize the beginning of Abayadi Classical Era. King Fathi of Qabl ruled his city with the aid of its richest families, forming a Merchant Council to fund the state and provide advice to the King. Fathi ruled much of the region, either directly or through “client cities” as vassals. Qabl was a center of trade in the region, sitting at the meeting points of two continents and junction between two seas. Its main exports became silver, glass, dyes, and incense. The unification of the region at this time allowed for commerce and culture to blossom in the region, laying the groundwork for what would become the culture of Abayad.

The tomb of King Fathi I, the first King of a unified Abayad.

The early Abayadi practiced shamanism, like the Shamal before them. They regarded a wide number of spirits and deities, both minor and major. Cities adopted patron deities as protectors and symbols, and from these cities new settlements and colonies popped up around the peninsula. The comparatively underpopulated south and east were more fully settled, and it was at this time that Abayad began having regular contact with its neighbors diplomatically aside from scattered and irregular merchant missions. Abayadi architecture, art, theater, literature, and philosophy all have their origins in this era. Philosophers such as Shabh and Dajir shaped early Abayadi thought, postuling on the theoretical oneness of the universe while questioning the material reality of their surroundings.

It was during the early years of the Classical Era and the reign of King Fathi that war broke out between the united Abayadi kingdom and the inland Tinifghani peoples as well. The Tinifghani at this point were culturally and linguistically distinct from the Abayadi, although their deities were related in origin. For decades, even centuries in some places, the Tinifghani had collected taxes from merchant caravans passing over the inland mountain routes that crossed the semi-nomadic Tinighani clans’ territories, wishing to avoid pirate attacks or storms at sea. The most powerful clans controlled the most lucrative areas, allowing them to accrue wealth. King Fathi sent emissaries, demanding that the Tinifghani clans begin paying him tribute from their taxes, and that they swear personal fealty to him as king. The clans almost universally refused, sparking the Mountains Wars between the various clans and Abayad. Sporadic fighting began in 395 BC and are not regarded as having ended until 371, although most fighting in the war was limited to isolated skirmishes. However, the war made travel so unsafe in the mountains that merchants forsook them entirely, instead taking to the region’s already well-developed sea lanes. By 371 BC, the Tinifghani Clans’ power in the Bula Mountains was shattered. Numerous clans were wholesale taken prisoner, brought down from the mountains as prisoners and sold into slavery. Those clans not taken prisoner were often resettled in other areas than their homes, away from the profitable trade nodes their fathers had presided over. It was at this time that the Tinifghani language began disappearing as well, supplanted by Abayadi.

Era of Stained Blades and Sorrows

Fort Hazim, built during the opening years of the Era in 134.

Qabl’s supremacy lasted until 110 AD, during which the city-state collapsed due to internal strife caused by a succession crisis. King Qara II died without any heirs on his mother’s side to inherit the throne, as was custom. The bloody civil war that followed, called the Era of Stained Blades and Sorrows, soon spread to the rest of the region. The conflict was not the first civil war or war of succession to spring up, but it was without a doubt the longest and most destructive. In addition, the end of the conflict represnted the end of King Fathi’s bloodline on the throne, as his relatives had managed to hold on to the throne either legitimately or as puppets for the entirety of the era.

Numerous factions rose and fell over the protracted course of the time, beginning as prospective heirs and successors and devolving into regional warlords vying for power and wealth. The first promising candidate was Boutros, a maternal cousin to King Qara, who was already an accomplished military commander. He’d battled with pirates numerous times and proved himself popular among the people, but was assassinated in 118 AD by his brother, Dubas. Dubas died two years later in 120 fleeing from battle with one of Boutros’ former lieutenants, Galal Albaqir, who proceeded to drive a tent stake through his temple after capturing him. The conflict wore on in this fashion, with one party destroying another until a new faction emerged to destroy them. The era is remembered as an especially dark time in Abayadi history, where many lost sons, fathers, and brothers. As the region’s authorities were busy battling each other, piracy and banditry were rampant, and any disease or natural disaster was magnified by the devastation the conflict caused.

The period of unrest raged until 372 AD, upon which the Merchant Council of Sadaqa overthrew its resident claimant to the throne, and sent missives encouraging other councils to do the same. The cities of Zil-Haryun, Aljira, Tafari, and then Qabl followed suit over the next decade, one by one eliminating the biggest players in the war. Without the claimants to wage war, the councils appointed ambassadors to meet in Qabl to negotiate an end to the wasteful war and resume peace. In the year 380, the councils’ ambassadors signed a treaty agreeing to share governance of the region among the cities’ Merchant Councils, who would make executive decisions among themselves.

Confederation of Abayad

The Mital Family Palace at Sadaqa is a prime example of Abayadi architecture from the Golden Age Era

The formation of the Abayadi Confederation was welcomed by the vast majority of Abayadis. The merchants of the nation had suffered, their business interrupted by endless war and oftentimes steep taxes from their leaders. Most leaders by the late 300s owed steep debts to the merchant classes of their cities as well, sometimes used as pretext for kicking out their leaders. The common people welcomed a break from being conscripted as levies for the lords’ endless wars, fought without thought for their benefit or livelihoods. The formal nobility had fought itself into virtual extinction by this point, with those left by the end mostly being the descendants of usurpers or ambitious generals rather than the mythical nobility that had founded the nation.

Although Abayad was again one in theory, in reality even “confederation” might be a generous term for the region’s condition at the time. The various regional merchant families essentially began governing and making decision as a group; the more money the family possessed, the greater say they held. This gave rise to great merchant and banking families, like the Albaqir Family of Akhar. The period of the early confederation represents a rebirth in Abayadi culture and arts, emerging from the darkness of the Era of Stained Blades and Sorrow. The ruling merchant families of the region used their increasing reserves to patron artists and scientists alike to work in their names, increasing their prestige. Along the way, however, they created some of the most poignant and well-known works of art in Abayadi history.

The Golden Age of the Abayadi Confederation stretched from 495-1021, during which massive strides were made in cultural and scientific fields in the country. Artists like Shazi and Zaida were paid by great families to paint frescos and sculpt likenesses of them to stand as symbols of their families’ prestige. In order to counteract the near-absolute power of the Merchant Families, many artists formed or joined Artist’s Guilds, mirroring the existing guilds for skilled trades such as carpentry, glassblowing, smithing, etc. These Artist’s Guilds proved to be powerful political and economic engines in their own right as time went on, shaping the intellectual development of Abayad’s culture.

Larger versions of the Dhow pictured here were used by sailors like Hazma to voyage across the known world.

The region’s commercial output recovered during this time as well, with Abayadi merchant fleets once again sailing the seas in search of new treasures and profits. Fleets sailed as far east as Zhenia and as far west as Kathia in order to establish new markets and contacts. Perhaps the most famous of the navigators leading these expeditions was Zain Hazma, sailing under the banner of the Hismat family. He reached Zhenia in 635, making contact with merchants under the Wei dynasty. Hazma brought back ships full of silk textiles and paper, sparking a flood of trade with Zhenia that has continued into the modern day. Sabah’s western counterpart was Rusul Sabag, who in working for the Sabri Family sailed to Kathia in 698 to establish trade contacts there. From his journals, Kathia was in the throes of a plague at the time, and he spent much of his time there wishing to return.

In the late 9th century, survivors from a slave rebellion in Amil arrived in Abayad after migrated from the west, led by a charismatic figure simply remembered as the Scion. The Scion led the rebels to northern Abayad before dying. His followers dispersed throughout the country, fervently spreading their vein of Aranism throughout the country. It became very popular among the rural poor of the country, who incorporated its teachings into their various folk religions. It received a boost in 910, when the Saab merchant family adopted the faith and officially endorsed it, paying for many new temples to be built. Although what would be called Abayadi Rite Aranism would not consist a majority of the populace until the 1300s, it was received well by the region's peoples early on.

After the Golden Age’s end in 1021, Abayad began a gradual backslide into stagnation. The same families maintained a stranglehold on commerce in the region, effectively mirroring the warlords of the previous age. Each regional conglomeration of families had disparate resources and goals, leading to an incongruity in infrastructure. Specifically, the northwest outpaced the south and east in development. With the industrialization coming to the region by the late 1600s, clear gaps in wealth had appeared by region. This gross inequality sparked a great deal of discontent, which would eventually boil over in 1848.

Unification and Establishment of the Republic

Karom Fasan was born in 1816 to the son of a Farad, or extralegal enforcer of land disputes, in the south of Abayad. The region was experiencing a delayed transition from feudalism to capitalism compared to the north of the country and saw a surge in numbers of landowners at the time. From 1730 to 1760, the number of individual landowners in the south of the region changed from 6,000 to 120,000 due to local edicts that redistributed land in order to promote agricultural production, in turn to feed the growing population of industrial workers to the north. The edicts had their desired effect, but also exponentially increased the number of disputes that needed settling, contracts that needed enforcing, transactions that needed oversight, and properties that needed protecting. The Farad were the answer: someone not paid for like the police or militaries of the merchant families that understood local issues and could solve disputes while feeling the outcome’s effects. These extralegal protectors organized themselves into the first Farad Clans.

Fasan's forces were infamous for their ability to strike at a moment's notice before melting back into the region's mountains or cities alike.

Fasan grew up learning the ways of the Farad from his father, the leader of the Farad Clan of their area, himself taking over leadership in 1839. He proved more aggressive than his father in his dealings, nearly always siding with small-scale farmers and tenants over larger landowners. This came to a head in 1848 when a landlord from the powerful Inas family sent a large private force to arrest Fasan for siding with his tenants over him and forcing him to pay a large judgement for kicking them off of his land. Rather than surrender, Fasan and his Farad clan organized and ambushed the mercenaries, killing or scattering them quickly. The act resulted in Fasan being labeled a brigand and a traitor, forcing his hand in continuing in armed resistance. Responding to the news of his new status as an outlaw, Fasan began by consolidating his forces by recruiting men and women across the south to fight and serve as informants against the Merchant Families’ forces. He and his forces conducted his and run attacks on their assets, robbing banks and filtering food stores to distribute them to the common people. His popularity grew, and soon public opinion across the south was firmly in his favor. Despite attempts by the Merchant Families to limit gun ownership and mobility of the lower classes at this time, riots and insurrection broke out across the region.

Masses of supporters welcomed Fasan and his men into Qabl as the peace talks began.

The ruling Merchant Families were not helped by the fact that their mercenary armies were notoriously unreliable, both against external threats and internal disputes. More often than not, they simply took the side of whomever paid more, and fled at the first sign of serious bloodshed. Up against Fasan and his growing nationalist movement, the mercenaries showed their outdatedness more than ever. This discrepancy came to a head during the Battle of Sakil Valley, in which a mercenary force three times the size of the rebel forces were ambushed passing through a small village in the valley. The mercenaries quickly attempted to form up ranks to counterattack, but were defeated by the vicious attacks of the rebels. The defeat was the largest that had been dealt to the ruling families, prompting them to invite Fasan to negotiate a truce in 1866. Negotiations were held in the ancient capital of Qabl, which Fasan entered with a huge entourage of soldiers and supporters. Many from the city itself gave him a warm welcome as he paraded through the city, adding to his train. Negotiations themselves lasted for eight weeks until concluding on August 9, 1866. The resulting treaty, called the Treaty of Abayad City for the new name it gave the capital, had numerous, far reaching effects.

The treaty’s regime dictated that Abayad would now be a republic; all of the nation’s citizens would vote to elect its leader. There would also be a legislative body and Prime Minister to carry out domestic policy, with a Lower Chamber elected by the public to propose laws and an Upper Chamber appointed by the nation’s Merchant Families in order to preserve some of their station. The economy would also be restructured into Trade and Labor Syndicates, in order to facilitate the transition of the nation’s guilds into the modern world. They would essentially function as state-supervised labor unions, with state appointed officials as part of the leadership. Workers would register with state unions, with non-state unions being illegitimate. Employers could avoid unionization by entering into protection contracts with "white unions.” Such contracts would give the union a closed shop, authorizing the union to demand that the employer fire a worker who was not a member in the union in good standing. That power could, in turn, be used to single out employees who sought to organize independent unions for termination. The boards leading the unions would be made up of worker representatives, bosses, and state officials to referee any conflicts.

The political and economic structure of the new nation was outlined in the treaty, as was the protocol for future elections. Legislative elections would be held every four years, and elections for the executive, called the Chancellor, would be for every six. Election of a Chancellor would be postponed for ten years to ensure that Fasan could oversee the transition as executive, whereas the first legislative elections would be held two years later. Rather than Chancellor, Fasan took the title of Shafat, or Judge. The term was an archaic one from old Abayadi mysticism, but carried the connotation of someone fair and wise. Fasan wished to embody these traits as he guided the region into its future. The first two legislative elections established then solidified the two early parties in the nation: the Populists and the Drivers, short for goatdrivers, as many new landowners joined the party geared toward merchants and middle class business owners. The Populists managed to win a strong majority in the first elections held two years in, but programs passed by them to allocate land to the landless ironically resulted in more voters going to the Driver Party.

Abayad Today

Asraf Hamal remains a titan in Abayadi politics, with Hamalism remaining among the dominant political ideologies.

The first election for Chancellor in 1877 resulted in an electoral victory for the Drivers over the Populists with the election of Asraf Hamal. Fasan, now well into his sixties, was satisfied that the election was a legitimate one and stepped down. Hamal was from a middle class family from the city of Sadaqa, who ran on a campaign of modernizing the nation’s road and rail networks in order to promote economic growth, as well as providing state grants to encourage growth of small-scale industry and establishing what would become the nation’s civil service. His government abolished most community-courts (it was previously practice to allow local communities to adjudicate their own issues) and established a National Court System, with a Supreme Court at its head. It also nationalized key industries to promote accessibility, and banned the formation of political parties in Abayad's new, two house legislature to prevent regionalism, although this would later be repealed. He carried out these reforms faithfully, although he also raised taxes on some industries as well as levying a poll tax, angering some of his electorate. He still managed to win reelection in 1883, after which the full effect of his reforms began to be felt. Hamal is perhaps best remembered for his efforts to modernize Abayad while preserving its national identity. Even today, the politics reflected by Abayad's first Chancellor are referred to as "Hamalism."

Hamal and his allies controlled the Abayadi government for forty years, although the opposition would sometimes win control of the Lower House and force a period of cohabitation within the government. This pattern continued until a new wave of political energy swept the nation, led by a daughter of a fisherman named Saija Alkus. Alkus was elected Chancellor in 1906, running on a campaign of economic and social liberalism. One of her government's first acts was to repeal the ban on political parties, claiming it stifled political speech, also lowering the voting age to 20 and removing literacy requirements as well as poll taxes. It also lowered taxes and restrictions on free enterprise, calling for the “merchants and tradesmen of Abayad” to lead the country into the future. Alkus' Rally for Democracy Party, as it would go on to be known as, would play a large role in Abayadi politics well into the modern day. In the wake of his abolition of the ban on parties, several political groups emerged that would eventually coalesce into the modern Abayadi political scene.

The Institutional Revolutionary Party (IRP) is the name that devotees of Hamal and his successors' philosophy took in the wake of the ban being lifted. They associate themselves strongly with Fason and other symbols/elements of the Abayadi Revolution, and represent the culmination of Hamal’s philosophy and support state intervention in the economy, as well as state mediation in labor disputes. They endorsed the syndicates created between workers and owners mediated by the state, believing it to be the best way to ensure stability within the economy. They also commonly advocate for state funding of the arts. Although they officially go by the IRP, many refer to themselves as Hamalists instead. The IRP’s strongest voting blocs are the lower class, especially in rural areas, along with military and government employees. Above all, they believe the government should be a guiding hand in Abayad's prosperity.

Aljira, home to the Rally for Democracy Party and Abayad's second Chancellor, Saija Alkus.

The Liberal Party, also called the Rally for Democracy Party (RDP), supports liberal ideas such as loosening of government restrictions on industry and scaling back the state’s role in the economy. They also fight for better voting rights and representation across Abayad's administrative districts, and say the state should not prop up facilities that cannot be profitable on their own, even in the pursuit of preserving Abayadi culture. Most LP supporters are from Abayad's urban areas, and perhaps their most solid voting blocs are the middle class.

The Labor Party (Labor) is an offshoot of the IRP, breaking off around the 1960s, as workers began to become more and more conscious as a class. Affiliated with but not closely tied to the Socialist parties of other nations, the Labor Party has an increasingly high affinity with urban lower class voters as well as rural workers in certain trades, particularly miners.

Many other single-issue parties are represented in Abayad's National Assembly, such as the Party of National Understanding (PNU) formed in the 70s, a party that began with students in urban areas but has since spread, the Party for Abayadi Renewal (PAR) formed in the 50s, a fairly isolationist party with a religious base while supporting steep tariffs, the Abayadi Social Republicanist Party (ASRS), a leftist party based on Florencian politics, and the Party for Solidarity and Development (PSD), a coalition of rural Abayadis and Tinifghanis pushing for greater rural development in the nation founded in the late 80s.

The IRP and RDP historically have gone back and forth controlling the government, sometimes forming coalitions with smaller parties in order to form governments. The government is currently controlled by the IRP, which controls a slim majority in the legislature thanks to the coalition they have formed with the Labor Party.

Geography

Abayad is located on the Sifal Peninsula, surrounded on three sides by water, facing the Azad Sea to its west, and the Gulf of Abayad to the south and east. It is bisected by the Bula Mountains, and much of its inland regions are mountainous in character. The Bula mountains are inhabited by the Tinifghani peoples, although their number and range have been diminished from historic figures.

The Bula Mountains stretch past Abayad’s northern border and end around two-thirds of the way down the peninsula. Most of the northwest portion of the country’s lowlands is covered in light forest, whereas the rest can generally be described as having a dry summer climate. Many rivers cross the region, trailing down from the mountains and draining into the sea. The largest of these is the Ishraq River in the northwest, which carries a great deal of sediment and deposits it to form the Ishraq Delta.

Abayad’s capital and largest city is Abayad City, formerly Qabl, which is home to 3,299,822 people. Other cities recording a population over 500,000 in the 2020 Abayadi census are Sadaqa (1,412,072), Aljira (577,827), Tafari (890,403), Akhar (632,079), and Zil-Haryun (947,952).

Landscape and Climate

Most of Abayad enjoys a mild warm summer climate.

The country’s coasts are known for their dry summer climate climate, characterized by dry summers and mild, wet winters. Lush forests in the northern and central mountain ranges of the country wall off the west from some of these currents, giving rise to the more temperate forests found there.

In the Bula Mountains, there exist several different types of climates: dry summer climate along the coastal lowlands, giving way to a humid temperate climate at higher elevations with sufficient moisture to allow for the growth of different species of oaks, moss carpets, junipers, and fir. In the valleys, fertile soils and high precipitation allow for the growth of thick and lush forests, and cloud forests can be found throughout the range. At higher elevations, the climate becomes alpine in character, and can sustain ski resorts.

Surrounding the Bula Mountains to the east and southwest, the region’s coastal plains are fertile and comprise the backbone of the country's agriculture, in which 95% of the population live. Shielding from direct exposure to the Sea Abayad and its warm currents by the long stretched mountains create the temperate deciduous forests in the northwestern part of the country, making Abayad a country of contrasts. Forested areas cover about 12% of the country while arable land accounts for 18%. Approximately 5% of Aabaydi land is irrigated for agricultural use.

Abayad is divided into the following climate zones:

Semi-arid: This type of climate is found in the south of the country and some parts of the east of the country, where rainfall is lower and annual precipitations are between 200 and 350 mm. However, one usually finds dry summer characteristics in those regions, such as the precipitation pattern and thermal attributes.
Dry Summer: Dominates the coastal regions of the country in the east and southwest. Summers are hot to moderately hot and dry, average highs are between 29 °C (84.2 °F) and 32 °C (89.6 °F). Winters are generally mild and wet, daily average temperatures hover around 9 °C (48.2 °F) to 11 °C (51.8 °F), and average low are around 5 °C (41.0 °F) to 8 °C (46.4 °F), typical to the coastal areas of the west Mediterranean. Annual Precipitation in this area vary from 600–800 mm in the west to 350–500 mm in the east.
Oceanic: Mostly found inland near the western side of the Bula Mountains. Determined by the cooler summers, where highs are around 27 °C (80.6 °F). The medium daily temperatures can get as low as 19 °C (66.2 °F), while winters are chilly to mild and wet. Annual precipitation varies from 400 to 700 mm.
Continental: Dominates the mountainous regions of the north and central parts of the country, where summers are hot to very hot, with highs between 32 °C (89.6 °F) and 36 °C (96.8 °F). Winters on the other hand are cold, and lows usually go beyond the freezing point. And when cold damp air comes to Morocco from the northwest, for a few days, temperatures sometimes get below −5 °C (23.0 °F). It often snows abundantly in this part of the country. Precipitation varies between 400 and 800 mm.
Alpine: Found in some parts of the Upper Middle Bula Mountain range and the eastern part of the High Bula Mountain range. Summers are very warm to moderately hot, and winters are longer, cold and snowy. Precipitation varies between 400 and 1200 mm. In summer highs barely go above 30 °C (86.0 °F), and lows are cool and average below 15 °C (59.0 °F). In winters, highs average around 8 °C (46.4 °F), and lows go well below the freezing point. In this part of country, there are many ski resorts.

A Scene from the South Bula Mountain Range
Overview of the Yaqut River before it empties into the Gulf of Abayad
Sharak Canyon in northeastern Abayad, popular with hikers and tourists.
Abayad's coastal plains are often rich in soil, making them perfect for farming.
Abayad's coastal plains slowly turn to rolling hills approaching the Bula Mountains.
Abayad is home to the Wahasha Tree, the national tree of the republic.
Abayad's western interior is home to numerous deciduous forests.

Volcanism

Mount Insahar over the modern day city of Piga

Abayad is situated at the intersection of multiple tectonic plates, leading to considerable seismic and volcanic activity. There are seventeen volcanoes in Abayad, five of which are active: Mount Faran, Mount Bitaqwa, Mount Muhrak, Mount Tashkill, and Mount Insahar. These five, along with the region's inactive volcanoes, are strewn along Abayad's western plate boundary. The most infamous of these is Mount Insahar, which wiped out the Alkhadimi civilization, a rival to Abayad during its early Classical Era. The soil around these volcanoes is rich, is by and large responsible for the excellent crop quality in many instances. However, property values, especially in the south, tend to be low due to the presence of these imposing reminders of humanity's impermanence.

Administrative Divisions

Electoral Districts

Abayad is divided into 79 electoral districts, each receiving one representative in the Chamber of Merchants and a proportional number of representatives in the People's Chamber according to their population. Currently, an electoral district receives one People's Deputy for every 70,000 people living within its borders. This means that there are currently 79 Merchants' Deputies and 287 People's Deputies in the Upper and Lower Houses. For the most part, dividing lines drawn for electoral districts are drawn in the attempt of equalizing representation, but urban areas with higher population will still tend to have more representatives.

Politics

Politics in Abayad take place under the framework of a unitary semi-presidential representative democratic republic , whereby the Prime Minister is the head of government. Abayad has a multi-party system. The Chancellor is the head of state elected for up to two six-year terms and largely handles foreign affairs, but retains some domestic powers. Executive power is exercised by the Chancellor and the Cabinet of Ministers. Legislative power is vested in the National Assembly of the Republic, which is divided into two houses: the Chamber of Merchants and the People's Chamber. Deputies of both chambers serve four-year terms, as does the Prime Minister. The Judiciary of the Republic is independent of the executive and the legislature.

Since the legalization of political parties in 1916, Abayad's political system has been dominated primarily by two main parties: the Institutional Revolutionary Party and Rally for Democracy Party.

Law and Law Enforcement

Amad Abbas, current Head of the Republican Guard.

The Abayadi legal system has operated on the civil law since the abolition of Abayad's common law community courts in the 1880s. Its main laws include its National Constitution, Civil Code, and Penal Code. Other important bodies of law include the Commercial Code and Code of Civil Procedure. The supreme national courts are the Supreme Court of Justice and the Constitutional Court. The Public Ministry, headed by the Attorney General of the Republic, constitutes the independent body of public prosecutors.

Abayad's main police organizations are the Public Security Police, a civilian force who work in urban areas, the Republican National Guard, a gendarme, and the Judicial Police, who function as a highly specialized criminal investigation police overseen by a separate ministry. Abayad has 48 correctional facilities in total run by the Ministry of Justice. They include 17 central prisons, 4 special prisons, and 27 regional prisons. Current prison population is about 24,106 inmates, which comes to about 0.12% of the population. The incarceration rate has been on the rise since 2010, with a 15% increase over the past eight years.

While technically still good law, Abayad has not sentenced someone convicted of a capital crime to death in twenty-five years. It is also known for its decriminalization of usage for common drugs in 1998, although penalties remain for trafficking and possession of amounts higher than "10 days of personal use."

Military

Women are included in Abayad's policy of compulsory service and make up half of all civilian reserves.

The armed forces have five branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Military Police, and Special Forces. They serve primarily as a self-defense force whose mission is to protect the territorial integrity of the country and provide humanitarian assistance and security at home and abroad. All Abayadis are required to serve in the military from ages 19-21, with conscientious objectors diverted to civic service programs instead, directed at schools, hospitals, and other social welfare frameworks. Most however, simply serve out their time. During active duty, civilian soldiers will attend drills once a month for their duration of their service, although if the nation is at war more is demanded of them. After their mandatory service is over, they can apply to join the professional military as a career. Those who do not are still sometimes expected to perform reserve duties, but generally not unless the nation is at war or experiencing a calamitous natural disaster. The army, navy, and air force have civilian reserves, but the special forces do not.

The nation's military relies heavily on high-tech weapons systems designed and manufactured by its trading partners, notably Florencia. In particular, it has focused a great deal of attention on the development of anti-ballistic and surface-to-air missile installations, anticipating attacks from any side in order to keep the republic and its people safe. Abayad officially denounces the use and possession of nuclear weapons, and is not believed to currently possess any of its own. Abayad spends $10.4 billion on military expenditures yearly, roughly 1.7% of its gdp.

Foreign Relations

Traditionally, Abayad avoids alliances that might entail military, political, or direct economic action and has been neutral since the end the birth of the Abayadi Confederation in 110. Its constitution contains a provision requiring that any such alliance or agreement entered into by the Chancellor must be ratified by national referendum, a check that has rarely been tested. Abayad maintains diplomatic relations with almost all countries and historically has served as an intermediary between other states in times of war and of peace.

Demographics

Historically, Abayadi women have had less access to education and workplace careers than men. However, with modern laws requiring equal education and treatment of men and women, the gap has all but disappeared.

According to its 2020 census, Abayadi is home to 20,102,945 people. The resulting population density, at 29 per square kilometer, is widely even between the nation's regions. The most densely populated regions can be found on the western shadow of the Bula Mountains along the coast, as well as the metropolitan area of the cities of Akhar and Zil-Haryun on the west coast. Meanwhile, vast regions such as the North and South Bula Ranges, the coastal plains of the northeast and far south, and the island of Alkhadim are sparsely populated by comparison.

The population of Abayad almost doubled during the 18th century, but the pattern of growth was extremely uneven because of large-scale internal migration from the rural South and East to the industrial cities of the North and Northwest, a phenomenon which happened as a consequence of uneven industrial and economic development. High fertility and birth rates persisted until the 1950s, after which they began to stagnate and then decline. However, in recent years Abayad has experienced significant growth in birth rates bringing back up nearly to replacement rates, in large part thanks to the development of the nation's social safety net. The total fertility rate has also climbed from an all-time low of 1.18 children per woman in 1965 to 1.91 in 2020, albeit still below the replacement rate of 2.1 and considerably below the high of 5.06 children born per woman in 1783. Nevertheless, the total fertility rate is expected to reach 2.0–2.3 by 2030.

Ethnicity

Ethnic Groups of Abayad
Ethnicity			Percentage
Broadly Abayadi			75.6%
Tinifghani			21%
Others			3.4%

Most Abayadi report themselves as "Broadly Abayadi" on census forms, a term introduced by the young republic in the early 20th century in hopes of eroding ethnic divisions between groups within Abayad. Prior to industrialization, Abayadi society was largely tribal, with three primary identities. Two of these were "tribal" and "ritist," people either dedicated to their family tribe or religious rite that they were a member of. The third was "trader," those who made their livings traveling and selling or trading goods. While the first two lent themselves to isolation and even mistrust of other groups, the third allowed for prosperity and development to reach Abayad in full. By the time of industrialization, mass migrations to urban centers wore away even the most stubborn tribal divisions, allowing for the more inclusive definition of the Abayadi ethnicity used today.

Abayadis are a people with one foot in the past and one in the present, with customary garb commonly seen in the same household as modern clothing.

Tinifghani tribesmen in the Northern Bula Mountains.

A notable exception to this are the Tinifghani peoples, indigenous to the inland mountains of Abayad. During Abayad's Classical Era, they were invaded and largely dispersed by the Kingdom of Qabl, forcing many to integrate with Abayadi society. Those who remained were forcibly resettled to less hospitable regions of the mountains over time, with encroachment from the lowlander populations. Discrimination did not end with the end of the Kingdom, as the succeeding Confederation government ruled by the Merchant Families enacted laws forbidding the speaking of the Tinighani language, citing it as rebellious and disruptive. By the time these laws were repealed with the birth of the Republic, Tinifghani language and culture had largely disappeared or been forced into hiding. Today, many Tinifghanis work diligently to revive their culture, and preserve what is left of it. A few have managed to learn the original language, from fragments remembered by their elders. Indeed, Tinifghani activist Dihya Hamba even invented a Tinifghani script in 1922, publishing an Abayadi-Tinifghani Dictionary with both languages six years later.

The remaining 3.4% is divided between various peoples of the world who have come to Abayad, either to immigrate and become part of the Republic or simply do business. The single largest group within this are the Dhari peoples Abayad and Dharicha have historically enjoyed close trade relations, resulting in around 1.6% of the Republic's population being of at least partial Dhari descent.

Language

The official language of Abayad is Imbu, a tongue that is the direct descendant of the trade pidgin that had developed between the coastal regions' traders. During the time of Abayad's industrialization in the 18th and 19th centuries, many regional dialects were blended together due to populations shifting to the urban industrial centers, necessitating the use of the pidgin in order for members of groups to communicate with one another. Imbu, formerly only spoken fluently by merchants, became a commonly spoken go-between for those who found themselves living next door to people speaking a different language. Today, the population is far more linguistically united than in past centuries, but Imbu and its dialects remain the quintessential Abayadi language.

Religion

Religion in Abayad
Religion			Percentage
Abayadi Rite Aranism			74.2%
Atheism			20.9%
Traditional Abayadi Folk Religion/Other Local Faiths			3.7%
Dhari Orthodox Vayonism			1.2%

An Abayadi Rite Aranist temple in Aljira.

Although the modern Abayadi state is secular in character, it is impossible to overstate the role religion has had and continues to have in Abayadi society. Specifically, the role of one religion: Abayadi Rite Aranism. Although described as simply a separate rite, in truth, Abayadi Rite Aranism is so different from its parent religion of Amilian Aranism that many religious scholars regard it as a separate religion in its own right. Due to the regional nature of the Abayadi Rite, it is difficult to speak in generalizations in terms of its impact and influence. However, since its introduction in the 9th Century and supplanting of local faiths in dominance, it has been by far the majority. Dietary restrictions mandated by the faith make certain foods very difficult to find in Abayad, such as pork, eel, horse, camel, and so on. Many in rural areas practice a more archaic form of this faith, drawing more inspiration from the faith of their ancestors from before the arrival of Aranism. Abayadi Folk Religion, as it is called, has been steadily declining since the 18th Century, but recently some in urban areas have been adopting many of its aspects in order to tap into their deeper spirituality or recover part of their roots.

A growing minority of Abayadis identify as Atheist/Agnostic/Irreligious, a trend confirmed by the 2020 Census. Although these individuals ascribe no belief to a higher power, many continue in participating in community rite traditions, showing how entrenched the religion's practices are in Abayadi society. Indeed, there are some who claim that atheism or agnosticism are not incompatible with Abayadi Rite Aranism at all, due to the cultural value of the traditions alone, but these make a small minority. Just over one percent of the population practices Dhari Orthodox Vayonism, owing to a long-standing presence of the Dhari minority in the country and a small resurgence in practice of their faith in their communities in the late 20th Century.

Health

Abayadi residents are universally required to buy health insurance from private insurance companies, which in turn are required to accept every applicant. While the cost of the system is among the highest, it compares well with other neighboring countries in terms of health outcomes; patients have been reported as being, in general, highly satisfied with it. Today, life expectancy at birth is 78.8 years for men and 84.7 years for women. However, spending on health is particularly high at 11.4% of GDP. From 1990, a steady increase can be observed, reflecting the high costs of the services provided. With an ageing population and new healthcare technologies, health spending will likely continue to rise. Drug use is comparable to other developed countries with 6% of men and 4.5% of women between 20-24 saying they had consumed cannabis in the past 30 days.

Education

A classroom in southern Abayad. Education remains fairly uneven terms of resource allocation depending on the region due to funding being sourced from local taxes.

Education in Abayad is free and mandatory from ages six to sixteen, and consists of five stages: kindergarten (called infant's school), primary school, lower secondary school, upper secondary school, and university.

Primary education lasts eight years. Students are given a basic education in linguistic studies, mathematics, natural sciences, history, geography, social studies, physical education and visual and musical arts. Secondary education lasts for five years and includes three traditional types of schools focused on different academic levels: the ruksha prepares students for university studies with a classical or scientific curriculum, while the maehad alfnyu and the maehad mahni prepare pupils for vocational education. In 2020, Abayadi secondary education was evaluated as slightly below the average among highly developed countries, with a strong and steady improvement in science and mathematics results since 2000; however, a wide gap exists between western schools, which performed significantly better than the national average (among the best in the world in some subjects), and schools in the south and east, that had much poorer results.

Tertiary education is divided between public universities, private universities and the prestigious and selective superior graduate schools, such as the Peninsular Academy of Natural Sciences. Abayadi universities were ranked among the world's top 300 in 2020. Qabl University, founded in 688, is the among the oldest universities in continuous operation, as well as one of the leading academic institutions in the region. The Tafari University, the University of Zil-Haryun, Polytechnic University of Aljira, Polytechnic University of Sadaqa, University of the Humanities of Qabl, and the National University of Abayad are also ranked among the best in the world.

Economy

Abayad's Constitution expresses in Article 11 that the "national economy is based on justice and the principles of a free economy." By regional standards, Abayad has a relatively diversified economy, but remains dependent on oil exports. In terms of monetary value, mineral fuels accounted for 82.2 percent of total product exports in 2019. Tourism is the fastest-growing industry in the country. Other sources of income, agriculture and industry, are small in comparison and account for less than 1% of the country's exports, but diversification is seen as a priority by the government. Agriculture, often but not always subsistence in its character, producing dates, citrus, olives, grapes, grains and vegetables, but with only around than 5% of the country under cultivation, Abayad is likely to remain a net importer of food. Foreign direct investment makes up for a substantial portion of incoming money to the Abayadi economy, especially from the nation of Zhenia.

Oil and Gas

An oil platform off of Abayad's eastern coast.

Abayad's proved reserves of petroleum total about 5.5 billion barrels, among the largest in the world. Oil is extracted and processed by Petroleum Development, with proven oil reserves holding approximately steady, although oil production has been declining. From 1923 to 1985, the Ministry of Oil and Gas was responsible for all oil and gas infrastructure and projects in the country. Following the denationalization of the petroleum industry in the mid 80s, the Ministry was broken up into several small corporations that were transitioned into the private sector. In 2018, oil and gas represented 71 percent of the economy's revenues. In September 2019, Abayad was the first country to host the International Gas Union Research Conference (IGRC 2019). This event was proposed and sponsored by Abayad's biggest oil companies as a way of promotion for research and development within the industry.

Tourism

Two visiting women walk through the Mall of Zil-Haryun. Retail-based tourism is one of the largest growing subsets of the tourist sector in Abayad.

Tourism in Abayad has grown considerably recently, and it is expected to soon be one of the largest industries in the country.

Tourism contributed 2.8 percent to the Abayadi GDP in 2016. Over the last decade, Abayad has seen strong growth within the tourism sector through the addition of new attractions and landmarks, as well as marketing of Abayad's cultural and historical heritage. Several private sector firms operate from the nation, marketing a wide variety of tourist experiences ranging from luxury beachside resorts to nature excursions. A key issue to the tourism sector is deepening the understanding of the ecosystem and biodiversity in Abayad to guarantee their protection and preservation.

Abayad has one of the most diverse environments in the region with various tourist attractions and is particularly well known for adventure and cultural tourism. Abayad City, the capital of republic, was named the best city to visit in the world in 2012 by the travel guide publisher Alqamar Morning. In 2019, Abayad made the rule of visa on arrival an exception and introduced the concept of e-visa for tourists from all nationalities. Under the new laws, visitors were required to apply for the visa in advance by visiting the government's online portal.

Science and Technology

Through the centuries, Abayad has fostered the scientific community that produced many major discoveries in physics and the other sciences. During the Abayadi Golden Age, polymaths made important contributions to a variety of fields, including biology, architecture, and engineering.

Industry, Transportation, and Infrastructure

Abayad's rich volcanic coastal soil means that for much of its history, it has been at least close to self-sufficient in foodstuffs production.

In industry, transportation and infrastructure, Abayad is faced with some significant challenges. The republic has scored high on the rates of internet use, mobile broadband subscriptions, logistics performance and on the average of top 3 university rankings. Meanwhile, it scored relatively low on the rate of scientific and technical publications and on research & development spending. Abayad's manufacturing value added to GDP rate in 2016 was 8.4 percent. In terms of research & development expenditures to GDP, Abayad's share was on average 0.20 percent between 2011 and 2015. The majority of firms in Abayad operate in the oil and gas, construction and trade sectors.

The government is refurbishing and expanding the ports infrastructure in Abayad City, Tafari, Akhar and Sadaqa to expand tourism, local production and export shares. Abayad is also expanding its downstream operations by constructing a refinery and petrochemical plant in Zil-Haryun with a 230,000 barrels per day capacity projected for completion by 2021. The majority of industrial activity in the nation takes place in 8 industrial districts and 4 free-zones. The industrial activity is mainly focused on mining-and-services, petrochemicals and construction materials. The largest employers in the private-sector are the construction, wholesale-and-retail and manufacturing sectors, respectively. Construction accounts for nearly 48 percent of the total labor force, followed by wholesale-and-retail and manufacturing.

Agriculture and Fishing

Many Abayadi fishing operations still use tradition-styled boats outfitted with modern motors.

According to the last national agricultural census, there were 1.6 million farms in 2010 (−32.4% since 2000) covering 12.7 million hectares (63% of which are located in the south). The vast majority (99%) are family-operated and small, averaging only 8 hectares in size. Of the total surface area in agricultural use (forestry excluded), grain fields take up 31%, olive tree orchards 8.2%, vineyards 5.4%, citrus orchards 3.8%, sugar beets 1.7%, and horticulture 2.4%. The remainder is primarily dedicated to pastures (25.9%) and feed grains (11.6%). Abayad is among the world's largest wine producers, and one of the leading in olive oil, fruits (apples, olives, grapes, oranges, lemons, pears, apricots, hazelnuts, peaches, cherries, plums, strawberries and kiwifruits), and vegetables (especially artichokes and tomatoes).

Abayad's fishing industry contributed 0.78 percent to the GDP in 2019. Fish exports between 2000 and 2016 grew from $144 million to $172 million (+19.4 percent). The main importer of Abayadi fish in 2016 was Zhenia, which imported almost 46.5% of the total catches in value. Abayad's consumption of fish is almost two times the world's average. The ratio of exported fish to total fish captured in tons fluctuated between 49 and 61 percent between 2016 and 2020. Strengths in the fishing industry comes from having a good market system, a long coastline, wide water area and the high participation of women in the industry.

Culture

Divided by politics and geography for centuries until its eventual unification in 1866, Abayad's culture has been shaped by a multitude of regional customs and local centers of power and patronage. The republic has had a central role in regional culture for centuries and is still recognized for its cultural traditions and artists. During the Abayadi Classical Age and the Golden Age of Abayad, a number of magnificent courts competed for attracting the best architects, artists and scholars, thus producing a great legacy of monuments, paintings, music and literature. Despite the political and social isolation of these courts, Abayad's contribution to the cultural and historical heritage of the world remain immense

Architecture

The interior of the National Museum for Abayadi Culture and the Arts, formerly the Halqa Family Palace, in Qabl.

Abayad is known for its considerable architectural achievements, such as the construction of arches, domes and similar structures during its Classical Era, the founding of the Abayadi Neoclassical architectural movement in the late-6th to 11th centuries, and being the homeland of Maratism, a style of construction which has inspired movements and influenced the designs that the wealthy have built their country houses after all over the world.

Along with pre-historic architecture, the first people in Abayad to truly begin a sequence of designs were the Shamal and Alkhadimi, progressing to Classical Abayadi, then to the revival of the classical style during the Abayadi Golden Age, evolving into the Abayadi Neoclassical style. The religious concept of a aistabdil, a style of temple architecture that came to dominate the early Classical Era throughout the region, was invented in Tafari. They were known for being tall, sqaure buildings, which were modeled after surviving examples of the ancient Shamal style, often rich in mosaics and decorations. The early Abayadi Rite Aranists' art and architecture was also widely inspired by that of the pagan Shamal; statues, mosaics and paintings decorate all their temples. The first significant buildings in the later Maratist style were temples built during the 1800s.

Futurist Architecture in Abayad as a school became popular in the late 19th century with the social upheaval brought about by the foundation of the Republic. It developed in two primary areas, with Nationalist and New-Wave schools developing one after the other. Although considered dated by Abayadis today, the style remains a defining symbol of the Abayadi republic and Abayadi culture.

Art

"A Close Game" by Amaza Kandal

"Self Portrait/Reclining Beauty" by Saffiya Laymoun

Early Abayadi art was largely influenced by Shamal styles and can in part be taken as a descendant of ancient Shamal paintings. Early Abayadi paintings do have their own unique characteristics. The only surviving Early Abayadi paintings are wall paintings, many from villas in the south of the country. Such paintingS can be grouped into five main "schools" or periods.

The Abayadi Golden Age is said by many to be the golden age of painting as well; roughly spanning the 6th through the mid-11th centuries with a significant influence also out of the modern borders of the republic. In Abayad artists like Arwa Karim, Faruq Naaji, Layla Ghazzawi, El-Mofti, and Kader Nizar took painting to a higher level through the use of perspective, the study of human anatomy and proportion, and through their development of an unprecedented refinement in drawing and painting techniques. Nimat Abbas was an active sculptor from about 989 to 1020, his great masterpieces largely including religiously inspired pieces such as The Scion Ascends to Heaven. Other prominent sculptors of the era include Latifah Saab, Dawud Hamed, and Farah Bousaid. The formation of Artist's Guilds at this time allowed painters, sculptors, and others to organize and regulate their own trade internally, one of the first instances of labor organization outside of physical trades such as stonemasons or carpenters.

Cuisine

Alsamak, a commonly enjoyed dish in Abayad consisting of fried fish, chips, and lemon.

Abayadi cuisine is diverse and has been influenced by many cultures. Abayadis usually eat light at the midday meal, eaten at 1 or 2 PM, while the evening meal is heavier. On the holy day of rest, dinner is served after the nightly prayers, sometimes as late as 11 pm. However, these dinner timings differ according to each family; for instance, some families would choose to eat right after afternoon prayers. Abayadis love cooking and food with a passion, and take great pride in drawing elements for their dishes from across the world. As they sit at the crossroads of two continents and two great bodies of water, their homeland has been a center of trade for centuries, allowing them access to countless herbs and spices. Abayadi cuisine regularly incorporates cumin, cilantro, turmeric, cardamom, basil, mint, garlic, pepper, and parsley, among others. To serve an unseasoned dish in the minds of many Abayadis is only a few steps below heresy, especially if it is for one’s loved ones. Feeding loved ones is an important sign of affection in Abayadi society. Grandparents and parents cook for children, children growing into adults cook for family, friends cook for friends, and romantic partners commonly bake sweet treats for one another, as to individuals attempting to win someone over.

For those Abayadis who observe the weekly spiritually mandated day of rest, many slow-cooking dishes exist that can be eaten during the day, when no cooking or work can be done. One of the most popular dishes is weyalbid, a stew simmered for 12 hours overnight before being eaten for lunch the next day. Weyalbid normally consists of whole, stuffed vegetables in addition to meat or chicken. Whole vegetables such as tomatoes, green peppers, eggplant halves and zucchini are stuffed with a mixture of beef and rice, and are then placed into the pot with meat or chicken and chickpeas. Cumin and hot peppers are normally used to season the dish. Whole eggs in the shell or eggs cracked into the dish to poach are also commonly added.

Dress

Traditional clothing in Abayad is often worn for specific events, such as weddings, religious holidays, and birthdays.

The male national dress in Abayad consists of the rasmiin, a simple, ankle-length, collarless gown with long sleeves. Most frequently white or brown in color, the rasmiin may also appear in a variety of other colours. Its main adornment, a tassel (alnaqil) sewn into the neckline, can be inundated with perfume. Underneath the rasmiin, men wear a plain, wide strip of cloth wrapped around the body from the waist down. The most noted regional differences in rasmiin designs are the style with which they are embroidered, which varies according to age group. On formal occasions a black or beige cloak called a ghita rasmiin may cover the rasmiin. The embroidery edging the cloak is often in silver or gold thread and it is intricate in detail. Abayadi men wear two types of headdress: the rayis, a square piece of woven wool or cotton fabric of a single color, decorated with various embroidered patterns, and the almanzil, a cap that is the head dress worn during leisure hours.

Abayadi women often wear eye-catching national costumes for festivals or occasions like weddings, with distinctive regional variations. All costumes incorporate vivid colors and vibrant embroidery and decorations. In the past, the choice of colors reflected a tribal, ritist, or family tradition. The Abayadi woman's traditional costume comprises several garments: the jayn, which is a long tunic whose sleeves are adorned with hand-stitched embroidery of various designs. The sirwal is worn over a pair of loose fitting trousers, tight at the ankles. Women also wear a head shawl most commonly referred to as the ghatiya. More casual forms of these garments are worn by women in their day to day lives. No laws exist formally regulating the clothing of either women or men, and members of both sexes can and do wear clothes more revealing than these. Basic decency laws forbid from individuals going out in public with their genitals exposed, but technically everything else is permitted by law. Private business, of course, will sometimes have more strict standards for serving customers.

Literature

The Shamal were famous for their oral tradition, poetry, and drama. Formal Late Shamal/Early Abayadi literature began around the year 40, when the first stage play was performed in Qabl. This era's literature was, and still is, highly influential in the Abayadi culture, with numerous writers, poets, philosophers, and historians, such as Shabh and Dajir. In early years of the 10th century, Fajir Karimi was considered the first modern Abayadi poet by literary critics, with his religious song Canticle of the Sun.

An illustration from a first edition of "Furious" by Imbran Abbas

Abayadi Golden Age authors produced a number of important works. Nader Hussain's On Confederation is one of Abayad's most famous essays on political science and modern philosophy, in which the "effectual truth" is taken to be more important than any abstract ideal. Another important work of the period, Imran Abbas' Furious, is perhaps the greatest epic love poem ever written. Barak Ali's dialogue The Book of the Apprentice describes the ideal of the perfect court gentleman and of spiritual beauty. The lyric poet Talat Qadir in Utopia Delivered wrote a Aranist epic, making use of the philosopher Dajir's philosophical canons of unity.

The Romanticist Era of literature coincided with the unification of the region in the late 19th century, the patriotic movement that brought Abayad political unity and freedom from domination by the region's Merchant Families. Writers embraced Romanticism in the early 20th century. The time of the nation's rebirth was heralded by the poets Zharia Alfairi, Uthman Alfars, and Nima Nuah. The works by Iskandar Manzi, the leading Abayadi Romantic, are a symbol of the Abayadi unification for their patriotic message and because of his efforts in the development of the modern, unified Imbu language; his novel The Betrothed was among the first modern Abayadi historical novels to glorify Aranist spiritual values of justice and providence, and it has been called the most famous and widely read novel in the Abayadi language.

In the late 19th century, a realistic literary movement called Futurist Fantasy (or simply Futurism) played a major role in Abayadi literature; Andhra Mustaqabal and Kalb Muhit were its main exponents. Mustaqabal wrote Manifesto of Futurist Fantasy, calling for the use of language and metaphors that glorified the speed, dynamism, and violence of the machine age as a response to Abayad's rapidly shifting social climate. Modern literary figures include Takhlis Minaltiyin from 1889 to 1910, nationalist poet Musasa Minaldam in 1906, realist writer Khadas Taqsir in 1926, modern theater author Muharib Halij in 1936, short stories writer Abayadi Maziaj in 1960, poets Almun Mushuh in 1959 and Jid Aljabal in 1975, Umbri Sawaat in 1980, and satirist and theater author Fathi Furdh in 1997.

Media

Abayadi actress Nara Harir, who has stared in multiple hit movies and television programs.

The Abayadi government started with a monopoly on all radio and television channels, until 1985, in which the state as part of a broader denationalization campaign broke the state companies up into several smaller ones. Today, Abayad TV and Abayad Radio are the only remaining channels controlled by the state, both used to transmit news as well as emergency warnings. Since denationalization, satellite channels have increasingly shaped the popular culture of Abayadi society. Today, television is the among most penetrative media in the country; industry estimates indicate that as of 2020 there are over 16 million TV consumers, 9 million of those with satellite and/or cable connections, compared to other forms of mass media such as the press (8 million), radio (6 million) or the internet (10 million).

Although they have declined in popularity, newspapers remain among the most trusted source of news in the nation, with other sources commonly citing them in their reports. In order to ensure that the newspapers remain in business and reliable, the state subsidizes several national and regional papers across the country, as well as printing several of its own. The two largest of these are Abayadi Morning, dedicated primarily to domestic news and election coverage, and The Golden Sun, dedicated to foreign affairs and economic coverage of various global markets.

Music

Abayad is a popular site for concerts by domestic and foreign groups.

From folk music to classical, music has always played an important role in Abayadi culture. Music in Abayad is extremely diverse due to the republic's cosmopolitan legacy, with over 130 different forms of traditional songs and dances. Abayadi Classical Music was born during the Abayadi Golden Age, and many of the prevailing classical music forms, such as the symphony, haflat (concerto), and frid (sonata), can trace their roots back to innovations of 9th- and 10th-century Abayadi music. The Academy for Traditional Music was established in 1764 in Sadaqa by the ruling Rashtra Family to preserve Abayad's musical heritage. In 1785, the Kameez Family of Qabl founded the Abayadi Symphony Orchestra, an act attributed to its head Yousef Kameez's love for classical music. Instead of engaging foreign musicians, he decided to establish an orchestra made up of Abayadis.

While the classical tradition still holds strong in Abayad, as evidenced by the fame of its innumerable concert halls, such as Qaya Sadaqi and St. Karim of Qabl (among the oldest continuously active venues in the world), and performers such as the pianist Turqalu Zahra and tenor Asda Nukhba, Abayadis have been no less appreciative of their thriving contemporary music scene. The nation is commonly visited by foreign musical groups due to the growing prevalence of tourism in the country and abundance of luxury resorts, leading to many contemporary Abayadi musical groups being formed that sample or even copy foreign styles.

Public Holidays and Festivals

Abayad observes a lunar-solar combined calendar, which has months based on lunar cycles of the larger moon but measures a year according to the planet's voyage around the sun. There are twelve months for most years, although occasionally a leap year is observed to ensure the calendar remains balanced. Almost all holidays have public and private components of observation, with the public elements being open celebrations and public temple services, and private pertaining to rites.

The most popular calendar holiday is the first day of the year, which is also the first day of fall in Abayad. Called Fadah, Abayadis celebrate the coming of the new year as well as the importance of the harvest in Abayad’s coastal areas. Participants revel in the republic’s bounty by feasting, drinking, and singing songs. Pomegranates are common symbols of the holiday, and it is believed that one should eat twelve pomegranate seeds for good luck, one for each month of the year. It is also a popular time of year for couples to try for children, with those conceived around the beginning of the year thought of as being “luckier” than others.

Soul’s Day, or Alnufus, takes place starting with the longest night of the year on the winter solstice, and is dedicated to praying on behalf of one’s departed relatives. The afternoon before, once the faithful have returned from the day’s services but before rite services begin at nightfall, a curious tradition has developed. Children go from house to house, promising to pray on behalf of the house’s dead relatives in exchange for food or treats. The practice is seen as a small break of levity before they return to their homes and are made to sit for a few more hours in rite services, although some communities view the tradition negatively due to children using the time to vandalize buildings or pull pranks.

Public spiritual gatherings and prayers are somewhat common in some Ziada traditions, although the holiday has historically been divorced from religious context.

Ziada is perhaps one of the oldest holidays celebrated in Abayad, having been firmly established long before the arrival of Aranism in the country. Originally, it was dedicated to the mythological tale of the trickster deity Kadhiba over the demon prince Qarad and returning the sun to the sky. However, the holiday’s significance continued after the conversion of the region to Abayadi Rite Aranism, simply retaining its status as a popular holiday. Unlike most Abayadi holidays, rite ceremonies occur before public celebration of the holiday, during the morning hours. After rite ceremonies have been completed, Abayadis take to the streets in massive parades, throwing colored powders and wearing elaborate costumes. Perhaps the greatest utility of the holiday is its purpose of mocking those in power, with costumes commonly parodying their appearance of rude messages written on the side of floats directed at politicians. Indeed, on numerous occasions Prime Ministers and even Chancellors have been covered in the colored powder as a small sign of rebellion by parade-goers. Alcohol is commonly consumed by revellers as well, often in excess. There are many regional traditions that go along with Ziada depending on the part of the country, often including regional holiday dishes as well. Ziada normally occurs in early spring, although this is complicated by the fact that it technically runs by the no-longer in use Archaic Abayadi calendar, which was a purely solar calendar. As a result, schools and businesses normally give off two or three days each year to cover their bases (and allow for maximum partying). In recent years, Ziada’s lustrous parades have attracted foreign visitors as part of Abayad’s effort to encourage tourism.

On the 10th day of the 12th month, Abayadis observe the holiday of Kuffan. Kuffan is based around the idea of forgiveness and atonement, with fasting beginning at sundown the previous day and lasting for 24 hours. Those Abayadis who are religious often spend all day in temple, praying for forgiveness from Tesh for the sins that they have committed in the past year. Even those who are not normally religious, however, are known to fast and observe some other traditions of the holiday, like wearing white and not showering or grooming oneself to give the appearance of grieving. As the sun begins to go down, Abayadis assemble in their rites and conduct special ceremonies to absolve them of the sins they’ve committed against one another, since they have prayed for forgiveness for the ones committed against Tesh directly. After, it is customary to enjoy a large dinner.

Due to the nature of the Abayadi calendar, over time holidays tend to shift outside the seasons that they are prescribed to take place in. To remedy this, every 19 years a “leap month” is added to the end of the calendar to reset the year’s holidays. This leap month is regarded as an especially spiritually auspicious time to Abayadis, and the term used for the month and the holiday that takes place for the entirety of the month is Jadid. During Jadid, devout adults who are physically able to fast during the day in order to atone for past sins and achieve a higher level of spiritual purity, praying more than the normal amount as well. When the sun goes down, they break their fast together as a rite. Nighttime feasts are popular for the non-religious as well as part of the season. With the last night of the month, a horn is blown in every temple and with the rising of the sun to signify the end of the old year and beginning of the new.

Society

Abayadis are a genial yet cynical people. They are sometimes seen as argumentative by other peoples; if you ask three a question, you will get six opinions, or so it is said. Abayadis are quick to raise their voices in excitement, but slow to truly anger. Grudges run deep, however, and those that slight them in trade or personally generations ago are still regarded with suspicion by some. Abayadis are inquisitive and inventive, always tinkering and never being able to leave well enough alone. They are known for having a penchant for learning the languages of other peoples, as well as learning as much of their cultures and faiths as they can. This is partially due to their curiosity, and partially due to their common work as merchants; speaking to a people in their own tongue and understanding their culture can help greatly in the conducting of trade.

Abayadis in person are often something of a paradox to outsiders. They take a great interest in learning about outside peoples and cultures, yet cling proudly to their own traditions and tastes. They have great reserves of compassion and love, yet can come off as cold and cynical in everyday conversation. Their holidays consist of debauchery and debasement in great amounts, but they place a great deal of value in modesty and day to day etiquette. If asked about the contradiction, it is unlikely that most Abayadis will even be aware of it; to the people of Abayad it is simply first nature.

Sports

Abayadi Alabu player Hawat Eda

In Abayad, several traditional indigenous sports remain fairly popular, such as various forms of wrestling, fencing, sailboat racing, horseracing, and martial arts. Bullfighting and falconry were once popular as well, but have gradually declined. Shooting sports have become very popular, especially among younger people. Alabu is Abayad's most popular sport, first invented by wealthy nobles of the region's Merchant Families and gradually democratized after the nation's unification under the modern republic. Alabu is a bat and ball game originally played over the course of six days that has since been pared down to three hours, with many other modifications made to the original rules to make it accessible to everyday people. By the late 20th century, Alabu was officially recognized as the national sport of Abayad, with two major leagues operating at different times of the year to ensure constant coverage: the National Alabu League, and the Abayadi Alabu League. The National League is considered to be more popular, but the Abayadi League has increased in popularity and financial earnings due to an increase in sponsorships from Abayadi and international corporations alike.

Theater

The history of Abayadi theater dates back at least to the early Classical Era, with both amateur and professional theater troupes performing in the country's major urban centers. The theater of Classical Abayad was a thriving and diverse art form, ranging from festival performances of street theater, to acrobatics, to the staging of Shabh's broadly appealing situation comedies, to the high-style, elaborate tragedies of Dajir.

During the 2th century and on into the 5th century, improvisational theater was a commonly performed version of theater, and is still often performed today. Travelling troupes of players would set up an outdoor stage and provide amusement in the form of juggling, acrobatics and, more typically, humorous plays based on a repertoire of established characters with a rough storyline. Plays did not originate from written drama but from scenarios called shahara, which were loose frameworks that provided the situations, complications, and outcome of the action, around which the actors would improvise. The characters of the shahara usually represent fixed social types and stock characters, each of which has a distinct costume, such as foolish old men, devious servants, or mercenary officers full of false bravado. The main categories of these characters include servants, old men, lovers, and mercenary captains.

Abayadi theater enjoyed a revival with Abayad's Golden Age, beginning in the 6th century as Merchant Families began patroning performances mimicking those of the classical era. Although these recreations remain popular with Abayad's upper classes today, the culturally dominant form of theater remains the shahara to many common people of the republic. Shahara experienced its own kind of revival in the 18th century, coinciding with the nation's revolution in the 19th. With the infusion of shifting conditions and new politicians to parody, shahara practically had no choice but to reemerge. Many of Abayad's significant poets and authors have written dramatic works; poems, novels, and short stories by Abayadi authors have also been adapted for the stage. Historically speaking, the southern port city of Tafari is the cradle of Abayadi theater; in recent decades the capital of Abayad City has hosted numerous theater festivals, often in conjunction with National Theater Day.