Brels

Brels is a fictional archipelago and parliamentary republic created for worldbuilding and speculative fiction. It lies in a temperate marine region to the north of a continental landmass, comprising eight inhabited islands and numerous islets linked by ferries and bridges. The largest island hosts the capital Halden and the main port Norun.

The archipelago was settled in the early Middle Ages by seafaring communities and gained de facto self-government in the late 18th century; it achieved full independence after a treaty in 1846. It is a constitutional parliamentary republic with a president as head of state and a prime minister as head of government. The General Assembly, elected to five-year terms, forms the legislature, and the judiciary includes a constitutional court.

The economy blends sustainable fishing, mariculture, light manufacturing, and digital services, with tourism centered on marine reserves and historic ports. The official language is Brelish, a Germanic-influenced tongue with loanwords from neighboring languages; English is widely taught. The currency is the brel, subdivided into 100 stals. Notable cultural features include the Stormcall Festival in late autumn and the Tide Markets along the harbor. The Brels are known for crafts such as ropework and kelp-based textiles.