WHAT'S A FERRATU AS COMPARED TO A FERRATUUS OR FERRATA?

• Ferrata - the name of my country (United States, Croatia, Brazil)
• Ferratu - a citizen, piece of property, military unit, article of policy, etc. originating in or from Ferrata (French, Swiss, Portuguese)
• Ferratuus - more than one Ferratu, normally used to describe citizens (Spaniards, Norweigians, Italians)

WHY USE SHIELDS INSTEAD OF FLAGS?

• Shields were used for centuries not only as defense against attack during the Age of Ukvil, but eventually as a political banner stating the bearer's home House/Clan and profession. The use of flags or ensigns were unheard of since Ferrata's emergence from seclusion out of the Udias 200 yahrs ago, and subsequent involvement in international happenings. some groups have said the House affiliations and profession markers can be adapted to flag-form, for global uniform. The overwhelming opinion now, though, is to remain true to our heritage and carry shields, not flags.

WHAT IS FERRATA'S INTERNATIONAL POLICY?

• Ferrata is unaligned with any major political group or party, preferring to invest its interests irrespect of outside influence or alliance. This does not mean Ferrata is an isolationist state, and is not considered neutral by certain statutes of the ANNV. The nation will, in cases that threaten national security, the security of an allied sovereign nation, or the breech of global peace, initiate hostilities without warning or hesitation.

WHAT IS A `''DIRECTORATE''?

• The Directorate can best be described as a military republic. There is no dictatorship, in that governing officials are voted on by the people through their representatives (who are also elected by citizen vote). However, the decisions of those leaders are final, and once decided upon cannot be revoked by popular sentiment.
• The chain of command falls from the Praetor Valleh and Prasul Sectyr to the Caucus of the March. After the Caucus, governing power is bestowed on the Guild of Representatives, and then on to the highest ranking rector.
• This system dates back 300 yahrs, during the time of the Udias when strict military discipline was needed to keep the peace between people underground.

HOW WAS FERRATA NAMED?

• There is no real record in ancient texts that pertain to when the nation was named. It has always been such.
• [TECH] Ferrata is a variation of the latin word ''ferratus'', which means ''`a soldier clad in armor'' or ''furnished with/by iron'', according to online dictionaries. The country was initially named Ferratus, but the name of Ferrata stuck after some jumbled communications regarding possessive tenses of the word made things unclear.

WHAT ARE THE ''NINE TRYBES''?

• The Nine Trybes symbolize the ethnic diversity of Ferratu people. During the time of the Udias, the various creeds of Ferrata - which either were enemies or unwilling neighbors - were forced to live and work together to preserve the peace. Upon the Dawn of the Udiz age, the trybes stopped referring to themselves in public circles by specific clan name and instead by the House of the Horn they followed. They soon became known as ''trybes''. The Nine Trybes is, therefore, a term used to represent the entire Ferratu people (i.e. the nine Houses that make up the Ferratu populace).
• There is a 10th trybe, made up of expelled warriors whose only desire is cause death to others. They had, and to this day still have, nothing to contribute to Ferratu society and growth as a people, and were thus banished to the tops of the Capital Mountains. There are rumors their numbers are growing....

WHO IS THE ''PRAETOR'', AND WHY DO OTHERS REFER TO HIM AS ''We'' OR ''Our''?

• The Praetor is the supreme representative of the people of Ferrata. He or she acts on the people's behalf, and the title, indeed, reflects His ultimate seat of office.
• Praetor Valleh d'awaam Ganduze 'azeem in Ferratu means the 'Commander-in-Chief of Vojak Armed Forces (Praetor), High and Most Honored Representative (Valleh) of the Nine Trybes (d'awaam).
• The usage does not, however, presume existence of a deity-like power or position. While only two praetors have been removed from office before their death, it is widely accepted that the reigning praetor is in office for life.
• There have been seven praetors: Garande the Horn (32-70), Guinin (71-109), Piscoc (109-147), Y'moray (148-192), Scot Rhus (193-224), Sir Kan (225-255), Ben Taurus (256-288), and Ganduze Phil (289-current).

WHAT IS ''THE UDIAS''?

• The Udias is a large maze of catacombs and cavern under the Capital Mountains. Tectonically stable, the Udias (whose main entrance is a large rock mouth in the side of Mount Krown) was once used by bandits hiding from vengeful posses. It was later a site for secret underground testing, but became infamous in 0 AP when the masses fled underground to avoid the Plague of the Old Continent.
• The Udias played host to millions of Ferratuus for nearly a century.

WHO ARE ''RECTORS''?

• Rectors are the main managers of the various tiers of government. All of a tier's offyces are run by sub-rectors, who report to the rector, who then is accountable solely to the praetor. Praetors may, but generally do not, elect or nominate rectors, leaving that honor up to the candidate's peers.

WHAT ARE ''HORNS''?

• Horns are synonymous with the "saints" of other cultures. They provided the core leadership behind the successes garnered during the Age of Udias. Many myths have cropped up over the years surrounding the Horns d'Udias, making them somewhat super human in character and conviction. History clearly shows, however, that the trybes of Ferrata would have succumbed to underground warfare without their charisma and influence.
• The Horns included: Garande (a leader), Montgurai (a war lord), Ulimpi'ades (a scientist), L'Shayd Gambyt (a holy woman), Hoamur (a scholar-doctor), Mohlinar (an entertainer), Mantlov (a merchant), SeFinch (a judge), and Ryad Scyros (a historian).