Ardhiyakifo

The northernmost of the Seven Kingdoms sits on a peninsula just above the Leviathan Mountains. The Blood River lies to the southeast, marking the border between Ardhiyakifo and the eastern lands of the continent, many of which have succumbed to Republic influence. The southern border extends directly west from the headwaters of the Blood River, granting Ardhiyakifo some forests and higher elevation to break up the plains and deserts that compose most of the nation. The marshy area around the Blood River provides much of the country's food, and also preserves many of the country's dead, which is partially why this land has acquired a sinister reputation.
Though not nearly as wicked as the blood mages of Kantashi to the east, Ardhiyakifo has turned much of its magical research and power to working with the dead. Ancestor worship is the only religion permitted here, with ancestors being the only beings fit to approach the gods, and holidays revolve around working with the dead as appropriate for the time of year. Using various undead to supplement their martial abilities, Ardhiyakifo has repelled every Republic attempt to conquer its land, drawing a hard line at the Blood River. The impact on Republic morale as legionnaires watched the corpses of their own fellows march against them has been profound.
Despite their macarbe focus on death, the citizens of Ardhiyakifo don't delight in blood or slaughter or any of the other wicked impulses that one might associate with a death-centric society. On the contrary, many citizens spend their lives preparing for a better afterlife, attempting to mimic the greatest of their ancestors through righteous conduct and noble behavior.

Structure

The Great Council is the final arbiter of all laws and decisions for the nation, and it's composed of thirteen ancestors. The greatest ancestors are voted into the position by the dead every one hundred and thirty years, staggered by ten years so that a new council member is revealed every decade. The living have little awareness of the procedure, knowing only that every decade the Speaker will find a new council member. Some ancestors have held the position multiple times, and only the dead know the criteria.
The Speaker is a position held by the chief priest or priestess, a role that may be held for not more that 49 years, and is awarded for meritorious service in the state religious apparatus. The disembodied ancestors make it known whom they would like to be Speaker, and it is done. The Speaker is the only mortal to interact regularly with the council, and their words carry that weight; the tremendous responsibility might be prone to abuse, were it not for the seeming omniscience of the ancestors, who have revoked the power of Speaker before (often in a gruesome fashion). Below the Speaker are regional lords, purely secular authorities who oversee the different cities and regions within the nation. Grievances with policy must be taken up with the dead, and this encourages religious participation by even the most jaded lord, as rites and prayers have the best chance of influencing civic policy. Though they don't answer directly to the lords, small ancestral temples and attendant priests are present in every city and town, to ensure that the spiritual needs of the people and their ancestors are met.

Public Agenda

Ardhiyakifo is largely content to live in peace, honoring the dead and perfecting themselves. Their position as the vanguard of the Seven Kingdoms against the Republic has forced them to become more militant, but thus far they've only gone on the offensive once in a legendary campaign of the general Neemawafu. She brought war elephants across the sea and over miles of treacherous terrain to assault the Republic directly, meriting interference by the Emperor himself after utterly destroying four legions over several battles.

Assets

The nation has a sizeable navy and thousands of undead, along with a respectable amount of money and a tremendous variety of prized spices. Warmachines are fairly common and Ardhiyakifo boasts an excellent skyship fleet.

History

Three thousand years ago, the people of what would become Ardhiyakifo suffered a series of natural disasters. After two years of suffering, the people were dying out, and the greatest of their spiritual leaders begged the spirits for guidance. The spirits of the land didn't answer, but the dead did; through signs and visions, ancestors and those others who had died before reached out to the spiritual leaders and advised them, helping them survive and recover from the calamities heaped upon them. Following the guidance of the dead, Ardhiyakifo began to thrive, expanding just far enough to appease its people and setting up a border with the two nations abutting it. Though no strangers to attempts at conquest, the Adrhiyakifan relationship with the dead ensures that it never lacks for warriors, and the prana of their land has changed so much that little intervention is needed. The soil itself sends undead against invading hordes, and the soldiers of Ardhiyakifo have no fear of death, for they have seen that it is but a change into something new.

Type

Geopolitical, Country

Demonym

Ardhyafikites

Location

The Sword Sea