Apthoni, Province of Eyropa
Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2010 10:07 pm
Apthoni is a small Eyropan province located on a peninsula on continental Eyropa's southern coast, which includes the largest island in the Mediteranneus, Theonia, and several others that are much smaller. It shares its northern border with Hasele and Teutonia, while the majority of its eastern, western and southern coast is surrounded by water. Known for its status as one of the most economically robust provinces in Eyropa, as well as being a center of magical invention and forward thinking, it exists in a near constant state of controversy, particularly in the last few decades.
==Geography==
Apthoni has the dubious honor of being one of the provinces affected by Theogios' great act of altering the continental plates when he pushed Africa south. As such, its south coast was most affected by the great tsunami that followed, and the damage to the plates beneath has caused deformation to the previous landmass as well as unprecedented volcanic activity along its western coast. Over the centuries the volcanic activity has diminished, leaving an exceptionally fertile plain in the southwest. There remain two occasionally active volcanoes along the northwestern coastline of the peninsula itself.
Apthoni is a mountainous country, featuring a large chunk of the (ALP) mountain system in its north, as well as a small mountain range extending down its center. The Changer's War essentially flattened the southernmost portion of this mountain range, and in present day it ends abruptly slightly north of where Vitalis stands today. The south of Vitalis is, as a result, somewhat flat and hilly. There are numerous lakes in the southeastern portion of the province, formed by the Changer's War.
Numerous rivers extend from Apthoni's mountains out to the ocean (need names for the seas surrounding). The mountains have formed two major drainage basins, one in the northwest and another along the east.
Nearly half of Apthoni's available land is used for agricultural purposes, and one fifteenth used for artificial purposes (industrial/magical, urban, etc), with the remaining being mostly forest and some wetlands to the far south.
==Demographics==
The province of Apthoni has 4,002,494 inhabitants according to an Imperial census conducted in 125PW.
'''Human: 61%'''
Humans are the dominant species in Apthoni, and hold most of the power within the province's government and politics. While there is some cultural specism towards other species, it is typically reserved and does not often get in the way of making money.
'''Dwarf: 28%'''
The original Maltese dwarves have since multiplied since their first appearance. Their status as slaves during the Punic Wars has seen them generally regarded as less than the other species, though their notable accomplishments in the realm of metallurgy and magical enchantment has earned them high regard in other parts of the empire. For the most part they are relegated to slums in most major cities, and have been afforded two small city-states along the north-western coastline of the peninsula.
'''Gnome: 6%'''
The majority of gnomes within Apthoni are generally highly regarded except by the most entrenched human supremacists, as those clans who have emigrated to Apthoni are typically celebrated as artisans, engineers, or magical theorists. Besides humans, gnomes are the best represented in matters of provincial power and politics.
'''Elves: 4%'''
The majority of the elf population in Apthoni belong to a splinter of the main Darleone population whose distinct religious theories caused a schism. They were welcomed into Apthoni roughly 800 years ago, and have since developed a culture and racial characteristics that are notably different from their Darleone cousins. Roughly 90,000 of their number reside in a small city-state on the southern tip of Apthoni.
'''Other: 1%'''
Shifters, trolls, fae, and other such species make up the rest of Apthoni's population. While there may be a few notable families or clans of these species, it should be noted that these are exceptional representations of their species and should not be considered the norm.
==Government==
===Politics===
Apthoni is split into NUMBER city-states, each of which have their own system of government in place.
NOTES
" In Italy, to a greater extent than was customary elsewhere, the land-owning nobles took up residence in the towns and became a part of city life. Within these towns and cities, political power belonged to the possessors of urban wealth, that is, to bankers, merchants, and businessmen. The political life of these cities was filled with struggles for power, and these struggles were intimately connected with the rise of new classes as the result of economic growth. When cities began to take control of their own affairs, they were usually ruled by an established governing class which had ties with the land and the feudal nobility, although members of this class might be engaged in business activity. With increasing wealth and prosperity, however, the members of the guilds, commoners by birth but often rich and powerful, demanded a greater share in government. The old ruling class might be called the grandi, or great men, while the guildsmen took the name of popolo, that is, the people. The name people is a bit misleading both because some members of this group were very rich and because the great mass of the population was really not represented in the so-called popular party."
http://vlib.iue.it/carrie/texts/carrie_ ... rt/03.html
Powers That Be
Nobility - Grandi
Guildsmen/Bankers - Popolo
Condottieri (condottiere is singular) - Leaders of mercenary bands
==Military==
Despite the considerable military prowess of the past, Apthoni has for the past several hundred years been one of the least martial provinces in the whole of the empire. Its focus on trade and its modern Astral Revival have moved it even further from warlike tendencies, resulting in a minimum of trained troops as per the Imperial Mandate. As a result, various city states are far more likely to hire private mercenary companies and privateers as needed, sometimes in semi-permanent status, than train a large guard force.
The dwarvish city-states on the northwest of the peninsula are by far the most martially inclined of all of Apthoni's counties, and their militia (particularly of NEEDNAMEWOW) is numbered among the best in the empire.
==Culture & Magic==
Notes: Ren/medieval Italy. Focus on philosophy, literature, art, magic and trade. Determine which traditions have made it into "modern" times and why they are still revered. Cultural shame over Roman history?
==Economy==
Several major trade centers, four or five? Inspiration from ren city-state power via economy, with less direct political/military power.
==History==
==Geography==
Apthoni has the dubious honor of being one of the provinces affected by Theogios' great act of altering the continental plates when he pushed Africa south. As such, its south coast was most affected by the great tsunami that followed, and the damage to the plates beneath has caused deformation to the previous landmass as well as unprecedented volcanic activity along its western coast. Over the centuries the volcanic activity has diminished, leaving an exceptionally fertile plain in the southwest. There remain two occasionally active volcanoes along the northwestern coastline of the peninsula itself.
Apthoni is a mountainous country, featuring a large chunk of the (ALP) mountain system in its north, as well as a small mountain range extending down its center. The Changer's War essentially flattened the southernmost portion of this mountain range, and in present day it ends abruptly slightly north of where Vitalis stands today. The south of Vitalis is, as a result, somewhat flat and hilly. There are numerous lakes in the southeastern portion of the province, formed by the Changer's War.
Numerous rivers extend from Apthoni's mountains out to the ocean (need names for the seas surrounding). The mountains have formed two major drainage basins, one in the northwest and another along the east.
Nearly half of Apthoni's available land is used for agricultural purposes, and one fifteenth used for artificial purposes (industrial/magical, urban, etc), with the remaining being mostly forest and some wetlands to the far south.
==Demographics==
The province of Apthoni has 4,002,494 inhabitants according to an Imperial census conducted in 125PW.
'''Human: 61%'''
Humans are the dominant species in Apthoni, and hold most of the power within the province's government and politics. While there is some cultural specism towards other species, it is typically reserved and does not often get in the way of making money.
'''Dwarf: 28%'''
The original Maltese dwarves have since multiplied since their first appearance. Their status as slaves during the Punic Wars has seen them generally regarded as less than the other species, though their notable accomplishments in the realm of metallurgy and magical enchantment has earned them high regard in other parts of the empire. For the most part they are relegated to slums in most major cities, and have been afforded two small city-states along the north-western coastline of the peninsula.
'''Gnome: 6%'''
The majority of gnomes within Apthoni are generally highly regarded except by the most entrenched human supremacists, as those clans who have emigrated to Apthoni are typically celebrated as artisans, engineers, or magical theorists. Besides humans, gnomes are the best represented in matters of provincial power and politics.
'''Elves: 4%'''
The majority of the elf population in Apthoni belong to a splinter of the main Darleone population whose distinct religious theories caused a schism. They were welcomed into Apthoni roughly 800 years ago, and have since developed a culture and racial characteristics that are notably different from their Darleone cousins. Roughly 90,000 of their number reside in a small city-state on the southern tip of Apthoni.
'''Other: 1%'''
Shifters, trolls, fae, and other such species make up the rest of Apthoni's population. While there may be a few notable families or clans of these species, it should be noted that these are exceptional representations of their species and should not be considered the norm.
==Government==
===Politics===
Apthoni is split into NUMBER city-states, each of which have their own system of government in place.
NOTES
" In Italy, to a greater extent than was customary elsewhere, the land-owning nobles took up residence in the towns and became a part of city life. Within these towns and cities, political power belonged to the possessors of urban wealth, that is, to bankers, merchants, and businessmen. The political life of these cities was filled with struggles for power, and these struggles were intimately connected with the rise of new classes as the result of economic growth. When cities began to take control of their own affairs, they were usually ruled by an established governing class which had ties with the land and the feudal nobility, although members of this class might be engaged in business activity. With increasing wealth and prosperity, however, the members of the guilds, commoners by birth but often rich and powerful, demanded a greater share in government. The old ruling class might be called the grandi, or great men, while the guildsmen took the name of popolo, that is, the people. The name people is a bit misleading both because some members of this group were very rich and because the great mass of the population was really not represented in the so-called popular party."
http://vlib.iue.it/carrie/texts/carrie_ ... rt/03.html
Powers That Be
Nobility - Grandi
Guildsmen/Bankers - Popolo
Condottieri (condottiere is singular) - Leaders of mercenary bands
==Military==
Despite the considerable military prowess of the past, Apthoni has for the past several hundred years been one of the least martial provinces in the whole of the empire. Its focus on trade and its modern Astral Revival have moved it even further from warlike tendencies, resulting in a minimum of trained troops as per the Imperial Mandate. As a result, various city states are far more likely to hire private mercenary companies and privateers as needed, sometimes in semi-permanent status, than train a large guard force.
The dwarvish city-states on the northwest of the peninsula are by far the most martially inclined of all of Apthoni's counties, and their militia (particularly of NEEDNAMEWOW) is numbered among the best in the empire.
==Culture & Magic==
Notes: Ren/medieval Italy. Focus on philosophy, literature, art, magic and trade. Determine which traditions have made it into "modern" times and why they are still revered. Cultural shame over Roman history?
==Economy==
Several major trade centers, four or five? Inspiration from ren city-state power via economy, with less direct political/military power.
==History==
