Unity Bathhouse

Each of the villages sent a couple of representatives to the base of the falls, for it was common ground. There they camped for a week as they decided the laws that would rule the country and chose a king. And they drank from and bathed in the water at the falls, and when they did, they found they could all understand each other perfectly.

Unity Bathhouse is a bathhouse in Forgecard Falls, the capital of Antarand. It is said to be the location that first national legislature and Antaran King were chosen, making it a location of great national importance. The waters are believed by many to have magical properties, and hundreds of people visit the bathhouse each month to take part in ritual cleansings, purification, and magical healing.

History

According to legend, Forgecard Falls was at the center of the first communities who had settled in Antarand, including Bathblast Islanders, Pelan, Xurugwi, and others. At the suggestion of the islanders, these communities came together to form a confederacy and met at the base of the falls, as this was a neutral ground. Though the representatives did not all speak the same languages, upon drinking from and bathing in the waters, they found they could suddenly speak the same language. Thus able to communicate with one another, they created the founding laws of the country and selected a person to lead them in times that a single leader would be necessary. This role would eventually become that of the Antaran King.
As the country unified, Forgecard Falls came to be the capital, with the area at the base technically belonging to the Antaran Royal family. Because the location was significant for all Antarans, however, a public bathhouse was built on the spot, so that any Antaran could bath in the miraculous waters. The bathhouse is maintained by a small government organization, the head of which is appointed by the king. The organization uses allocated tax monies and donations to keep the bathhouse in good condition and ensure it is regularly accessible to all Antaran citizens.

Purification

The most common use of the Unity Bathhouse is for ritual purification. Due to the variety of religions practiced in Forgecard Falls, the reason for such purification varies greatly. Among the Xurugwi, it is commonly used before weddings and after (rare) divorces. Among the Islanders, it is part of the coming of age ritual. Among Mermish and other practitioners of Mun, it is used before taking vows. Yub followers use it after the death of a loved one, and Danos at the birth of a newborn. The Pelan do not have a use that adheres to a particular life event, but go to the bathhouse whenever they have a need for "purification of the soul," particularly when they feel lost or despairing in their lives, as it is said the goddess blessed these waters. This has been adopted by many people in Forgecard Falls, as the bathhouse is viewed as a place of mental and spiritual healing.

Magical Healing

Because the story of the Antaran Confederacy claims that the waters magically imbued everyone present with the ability to speak to and understand each other, many people in Antaran believe the water to have exceptional magical properties. Thus many go there to bathe not only for spiritual healing, but for healing of magical ailments as well. Those who feel they struggle to connect with their magical abilities or young adults who have not yet discovered magical abilities will go in the hopes of finidng a better connection with the magical world. Some people believe their gods will speak to them through the water. In some cases, it has even been used in the hope that it will again imbue someone with the power of language, such as a speech-delayed child, or a person experiencing aphasia. There have been no documented cases of the waters healing such difficulties.

Corruption and Anti-Florarovan Backlash

Though the bathhouse is public and is intended to be accessible to all, the organization that runs it has become known for corruption, sometimes denying people entry or denying them all the provisions necessary to perform purification according to their individual religious rituals. In many cases, bathhouse attendants will claim these provisions are impossible to come by on the given day, but suddenly find them if offered a bribe. This has become ever more common since the Florarovan Invasion, with many bathhouse attendants refusing service to anyone who speaks to them in Imk rather than in Antaran Creole.

Alternative Names

Forgecard Bathhouse

Type

Bathhouse

Parent Location

Forgecard Falls

Ruling/Owning Rank

Antaran King

Behind the Name

Though Antaran citizens visit the bathhouse for different reasons, it is considered nationally as a place of purification, with people in other parts of the country sometimes making the trip to Forgecard Falls to purify in these waters, specifically. Thus, it is considered one of the things which all Antaran citizens share, giving the bathhouse its name.

Antaran Creole

The Antaran language, which was widespread before the Florarovan Invasion, is most likely a creole that developed through decades of communication between the early groups living in Antarand, and has clear connections to several of the other common languages in the country. Though it is unlikely the language sprang magically from Antaran leaders bathing in the waters of Forgecard Falls, the story behind the bathhouse does provide an explanation as to how the people of the nation came to unite peacefully in the same tongue.

Citizenship Bathing

The bathhouse is of such national importance that immigrants will often bathe there shortly after gaining citizenship. Though bathing there is in no way part of the actual citizenship process, it symbolizes the person unifying with the rest of the country the way the early settlers did. Some people believe that when a new citizen bathes in the water, they will be imbued with the knowledge of the Antaran language, though there are no documented cases of such an ocurrance.