Addolorata
Pronunciation: a DOLL oh RAH tah
Addolorata is a large, coastal nation covered in humid, mediterranean forests and flooded grasslands. Its contact with the coast and general location on the local map makes for an extremely hospitable temperature throughout the nation, but it sees a lot of rain and storms as a result. The region collects most of its water through the Uignare river, but also collects plenty from rainwater alone. Addolorata is one of the two primary aggressors in the local war.
Addolorata is very religious; they follow a Heavenly sect known as Paradeism. Paradeism is the belief that Heaven is eternal paradise for the virtuous, and God's word is the way to that paradise. It is extremely similar to Abrahamic religions, but without the belief of Jesus or any other prophet / holy figure translating the word of God. Unlike many other Heavenly sects, Paradeism does not worship any angels or other idols in addition to God; they believe celestials to be Rubiconians reborn into heavenly creatures due to their good deeds and virtues. They may respect the word of celestials, but they do not worship them. The Seven Heavenly Virtues are especially important aspects of Paradeism; these are humility, charity, chastity, gratitude, patience, diligence, and temperance. Through these virtues, Paradeists believe they will live good lives and be reborn in Heaven. Paradeist religious buildings are known as churches. These churches are always occupied by at least one cleric, if not several. Clerics assigned to a church are expected to preach and give sermons, lecturing about the virtues and the word of God. Rites of worship involve deep individual and group prayer, sermons, and feasts. Prayer is expected before every meal, before you sleep, and during sermons. The highest authority for Paradeism is the Archcleric of Santa Marello, the highest governing authority in Addolorata.
Santa Marello is the capital of Addolorata and home to the largest church on the local map. It was built by the at-the-time Patriarch of the Sages hundreds of years ago when he passed on rulership of the nation to one of his archbishops. The city itself was named after this archbishop. It's built right on the cliffside on the Scoglieran coast and is built up with intricate, heavily decorated architecture. Santa Marello is also the second largest port trading city in Adollorata, next to Liana.
Liana is a large city built on the coast of the Dveepasam Coast. It is the largest port trading city in Addolorata, mainly for legal reasons; all ships coming from or going to Sambal must first visit Liana to be processed and vetted before being allowed to pass; these ships will be given a certificate that they must show portside cities at the mouths of the Yuva and Vayask rivers before they can pass. Trade from many nations must pass through Sambal in order to reach the sea, which means Addolorata has the final say on all legal goods transported through the two jungle rivers. Therefore, Liana is almost entirely composed of docks and inhabited by dock workers.
Azzerba is a mid-sized city in the center of Addolorata. It is built on the flat grasslands of the Silvestregna forest. The city is a popular destination for travelers passing through to stay the night and resupply, but few ever actually stay. Thus, the majority of the city’s economy is sustained through taverns, inns, and stables.
Pantanosto is a raised city built on the border between the Verduran sea and the Dymov boglands. It’s built up on wooden roads and raised foundations to prevent the city from being constantly flooded. Pantanosto handles most northern trade.
Città Alluvione, or “the flooding city”, was the old capital of Addolorata and is now more of a historical site. The city itself has been reduced to a small village surrounding the now half-submerged church that was once the capital building of the nation. Before the capital moved, the city was constantly barraged by floods from the Uignare river. Eventually, the soft mud underneath the massive architecture gave way and destroyed several buildings, submerging most of them in murky water.
The Silvestregna forest is a mediterranean forest in the middle right of the local map. The area is mostly grassland and shrubbery with short intermittent trees dotting the landscape. The shrubbery in this region stores very little of the ambient humidity, and is extremely susceptible to wildfires; such wildfires are relatively common, but stopped by local flooding and storms before they get out of hand.
The Verduran sea is a flooded grassland constantly oversaturated with the water from the Uignare river. It is not a true sea in that it is not a body of water, but it is often thoroughly flooded enough that traversing it by foot is a difficult task. The meadows themselves are beautiful and shiny as a result of the oversaturation, filled with water-loving plant life and long-legged animals such as deer that are suited for traversing the tricky environment.
The Dymov Boglands are terrain largely marked by low-lying brush, mosses, some simple flowers, and the occasional birch woodland. As the boglands extend towards the coastline, they begin to shallow and widen, forming a large, marshy river delta. The boglands remain frozen in the harshest winter months, but otherwise are relatively temperate.
The Phela Hua jungle is a large tropical forest located in the bottom right corner of the local map. The jungle contains large trees with wide canopies, thick undergrowth, and a wild ecosystem befitting a jungle. The area is difficult to traverse for anyone who is unfamiliar with jungle terrain, but far from the worst regions to travel through on the local map; there are many cut roads through the jungle leading to major cities in the region for merchants and travelers to avoid the strenuous ecosystem.
The Scoglieran coast makes up half of Addolorata’s coastal territory. Its northernmost sections contain tidal marshlands, but the majority of the coast is composed of elevated coastal cliffs, arches, and lagoons. The coast is also accompanied by a series of barrier islands that lay just a short trip offshore. Most of these islands are occupied, containing port villages for merchants looking to trade in Addolorata.
The Dveepasam coast makes up half of Addolorata’s coastal territory. It is a stark contrast from the Scoglieran coast; its landforms are mostly low, flat beaches and coastal dunes. The coast has several barrier islands, but these islands are further from shore and much lower in elevation than any other coast on the local map. The waters are also filled with frequent sandbars.
The Valonda sea is one of two oceanic saltwater bodies visible on the local map. It is the warmer of the two seas and the sea floor remains relatively shallow for many miles before dropping off. Many trade vessels use the Valonda sea to transport goods to and from the many rivers that bleed into this sea. This body of water is most similar to the real-world Atlantic Ocean in terms of ecology, temperature, and total size.
The Uignare river is the widest shore-to-shore river on the local map, stretching from the melted runoff of the Kravkenrov mountains down to where it splits into the Yuva and Vayask rivers. The eastern shore of the river is composed of flooded grasslands, where the line between river’s shore and the land itself is blurry at best. The western shore is solid and more well defined; this shore is at a slightly higher altitude compared to the eastern shore. This river is the source of half of the nation’s trade.
The Yuva river is one of two rivers that fork from the Uignare river and lead out to the Valonda Sea. Of the two, this river is shorter and thinner, and likely younger than the other splitting river, the Vayask river. The river’s current is rapid and its path contains many sharp waterfalls, making it extremely unsafe for boat travel. Still, many boats containing illegal cargo attempt to pass through the river, knowing that port checkpoints near the mouth of the river are less active than those of the Vayask river.
The Vayask river is one of two rivers that fork from the Uignare river and lead out to the Valonda Sea. Of the two, this river is longer and wider, and likely older than the other splitting river, the Yuva river. The river’s current is slow and winding, making this one of the calmer rivers on the local map.
Once a week, every Sunday, Paradeists celebrate a day of rest; according to many Heavenly religious stories, the last day of the week was declared by God to be a day of rest after His creation of the universe. Some cultures refuse to do anything at all on Sundays, even open doors, but most just treat the day more casually than the rest of the week and do not work their jobs unless absolutely necessary.
The First Day is the new year celebration for Paradeism. The day is celebrated as an anniversary of the “First Day”, when many religious stories claim that God began His creation of the universe. It is also celebrated as the day when Angels came down to Rubicon for the first time, when many devout worshippers believe they created the first people in Addolorata. The day is celebrated with feasts, fireworks, and candle decorations.
Dia Humilitas, or the Day of Humility, is a holy day in Paradeism dedicated to celebrating the virtue of humility. On this day, paradeists will partake in several acts of humility: they will eat modest, simple meals and wear simple attire and no jewelry throughout the day. Several entertainment professions will take the day off as to not draw too much attention to themselves. It is also common for nobles and upperclassmen to mingle with the common man during this day, as an attempt of connection between the classes.
Dia Caritas, or the Day of Charity, is a holy day in Paradeism dedicated to celebrating the virtue of charity. In the weeks leading up to this day, churches will collect donations from attendees at the church in order to give these donations to the poor and needy. On the day itself, clerics and able-bodied worshippers will roam their home towns looking to assist their neighbors and travelers in need of any assistance: doing yard work, fixing things, delivering packages, anything they can think to do for one another. Some of the more dedicated clerics will travel city to city, offering their services for free to those most in need.
Dia Castitas, or the Day of Chastity, is a holy day in Paradeism dedicated to celebrating the virtue of chastity. Those over the age of 15 who celebrate will don masks and clothing that covers most of the body for the day, and refrain from any act of physical romance. Ironically, many of the less avid worshippers will also celebrate the midnight of Dia Castitas, marking the “end” of the day of Chastity with physical romantic acts; similar to a New Year’s kiss.
Dia Humanitas, or the Day of Gratitude, is a holy day in Paradeism dedicated to celebrating the virtue of gratitude. Many worshippers will write letters in the week leading up to Dia Humanitas expressing their thanks to those who they are grateful for or who have done them good, often to clerics in local communities. Feasts are also often held at the end of the day to thank these people.
Dia Patientia, or the Day of Patience, is a holy day in Paradeism dedicated to celebrating the virtue of patience. During the war, it has also been declared a day of peace; fighting is forbidden on this day unless absolutely necessary. It is treated as a memorial day to honor those who lost their lives in battle or those who have been murdered.
Dia Diligentia, or the Day of Diligence, is a holy day in Paradeism dedicated to celebrating the virtue of diligence. The day is dedicated to work, with many worshippers committing to long hours at their jobs or beginning long projects. It is also a day that many swear to change their lives for the better, similarly to a new year’s resolution.
Dia Temperantia, or the Day of Temperance, is a holy day in Paradeism dedicated to celebrating the virtue of temperance. For those who celebrate, it is a day of fasting where food is prohibited while the sun is in the sky. Ironically, many of the less avid worshippers will also celebrate the midnight of Dia Temperantia, marking the “end” of the day of Temperance with a midnight feast.
Current State
Demographics
The three most populous races that inhabit Addolorata are humans (mainly urban, coastal, and forest) at 60% of the population, naiads (mainly triton) at 14% of the population, and gnomes (mainly garden / house) at 6% of the population. Around 10% of the population are celestials, primarily warforged, fauns, or centaurs.Trade and Relationships
Addolorata primarily deals in hosting both land and sea trade routes. They export agricultural goods, weapons and military services, religious textiles, divine magic goods (such as holy symbols, holy water, etc), and merchant contracts to allow trade within the nation. They are also one of the few nations that boast a market for indentured servitude, mainly through the church. They import most other goods. Addolorata is infamous for allowing extremely binding merchant contracts and exploiting weaker nations’ need for trade access. Addolorata has particularly good trade relations with Sambal and Ochny due to their coastal trade routes and strong social partnerships. In general, Addolorata has good trade with most nations on the local map. Addolorata has good social relations with Sambal, Ochny, and Krigjord because of their religious beliefs. Sambal and Ochny also support them in the war, and Ochny outright fights alongside them. Addolorata has bad relations with Makami, Hiyami, Avra, and Diyuō because of their opposing religious beliefs and association with the war. Makami is the main aggressor on the opposite side and is openly supported by Hiyami. Addolorata is one of the few nations that are openly Heaven-aligned in the war, acting as the primary local aggressor for Heaven. Many citizens believe the war is real and actively participate, but most still consider Heaven a place where the righteous go when they die / opposite for Hell, and do not hold them as equals to Rubicon.History
Addolorata is an old nation with extremely old history. Many religious scholars claim that the nation was first founded by angels, others claim that it is the oldest nation on the local map to embrace Heaven; its exact origins are unclear. The native populations in the area were mostly human, gnome, and triton before the nation was ever called Addolorata, and these groups were unofficially unified by their religious beliefs. The nation first became officially unified under the Sages, when the at-the-time Patriarch of the Sages officially settled in the region. Many local communities willingly pledged their loyalty to the Patriarch, and others were forced through religious conquest. Over time, the sages removed themselves from the government; the Patriarch at the time annointed one of his archbishops a new title, the Archcleric of Addolorata, and had him swear that the line of succession after him would not involve the Sages. The capital of Addolorata was moved to the coast in this Archcleric's name.Culture Overview
General Culture
Addolorata is most similar to medieval Italy and northern medieval Spain. They are an extremely litigious culture and are infamous for their inconsistent and often harsh sense of justice. They also highly value the arts, especially as an expression of faith. They are a group-minded society and are generally communal. Entertainment in Addolorata is mostly centered around religious holidays, festivals, music, and art. Children are expected to be taught in group schooling from a young age, almost always run by a local church. The most common careers in Addolorata are working for the church or merchant work.Religion: Paradeism
Pronounced: para (like paradise) deism (like deity and ism)Addolorata is very religious; they follow a Heavenly sect known as Paradeism. Paradeism is the belief that Heaven is eternal paradise for the virtuous, and God's word is the way to that paradise. It is extremely similar to Abrahamic religions, but without the belief of Jesus or any other prophet / holy figure translating the word of God. Unlike many other Heavenly sects, Paradeism does not worship any angels or other idols in addition to God; they believe celestials to be Rubiconians reborn into heavenly creatures due to their good deeds and virtues. They may respect the word of celestials, but they do not worship them. The Seven Heavenly Virtues are especially important aspects of Paradeism; these are humility, charity, chastity, gratitude, patience, diligence, and temperance. Through these virtues, Paradeists believe they will live good lives and be reborn in Heaven. Paradeist religious buildings are known as churches. These churches are always occupied by at least one cleric, if not several. Clerics assigned to a church are expected to preach and give sermons, lecturing about the virtues and the word of God. Rites of worship involve deep individual and group prayer, sermons, and feasts. Prayer is expected before every meal, before you sleep, and during sermons. The highest authority for Paradeism is the Archcleric of Santa Marello, the highest governing authority in Addolorata.
General Government
Addolorata is a theocratic monarchy. The highest authority is the Archcleric of Santa Marello. The next Archcleric is chosen by the current one from one of the many churches across the country and trains the successor themselves, leaving the position to the successor when they grow too old to lead. The Archcleric has absolute authority over Addolorata and authority over any Paradeist church.City Politics
At the top of the noble hierarchy, aside from the Archcleric, is a group of High Clerics that own the largest churches across the nation; these act as regional authorities that oversee the legal processes of cities and their tied settlements. Beneath them are general noble landholders with large land grants, keeps, or individual villages; these also tend to be clerics, but not all of them are. The rest of the noble class is made up of non-landholding nobles that either act as marshals, judges, or the lower gentry. There is a large middle-class made up of artisans, aristocrats, guildsmen, and merchants. Those employed by the church are considered to be of a higher status than the average lowborn commoner. The rest of Addolorata's citizenry are considered commoners, the lowest of which are indentured servants.Major Cities
Santa Marello
Pronounced: SAN (like “saw”, not santa claus) ta / ma REY ohSanta Marello is the capital of Addolorata and home to the largest church on the local map. It was built by the at-the-time Patriarch of the Sages hundreds of years ago when he passed on rulership of the nation to one of his archbishops. The city itself was named after this archbishop. It's built right on the cliffside on the Scoglieran coast and is built up with intricate, heavily decorated architecture. Santa Marello is also the second largest port trading city in Adollorata, next to Liana.
Liana
Pronounced: lee ON ahLiana is a large city built on the coast of the Dveepasam Coast. It is the largest port trading city in Addolorata, mainly for legal reasons; all ships coming from or going to Sambal must first visit Liana to be processed and vetted before being allowed to pass; these ships will be given a certificate that they must show portside cities at the mouths of the Yuva and Vayask rivers before they can pass. Trade from many nations must pass through Sambal in order to reach the sea, which means Addolorata has the final say on all legal goods transported through the two jungle rivers. Therefore, Liana is almost entirely composed of docks and inhabited by dock workers.
Azzerba
Pronounced: ah ZER (like “serve” but a z) baAzzerba is a mid-sized city in the center of Addolorata. It is built on the flat grasslands of the Silvestregna forest. The city is a popular destination for travelers passing through to stay the night and resupply, but few ever actually stay. Thus, the majority of the city’s economy is sustained through taverns, inns, and stables.
Pantanosto
Pronounced: PAN ta NO sto (like “stove” without the “ve”)Pantanosto is a raised city built on the border between the Verduran sea and the Dymov boglands. It’s built up on wooden roads and raised foundations to prevent the city from being constantly flooded. Pantanosto handles most northern trade.
Città Alluvione
Pronounced: see TA / ah loo v OWNCittà Alluvione, or “the flooding city”, was the old capital of Addolorata and is now more of a historical site. The city itself has been reduced to a small village surrounding the now half-submerged church that was once the capital building of the nation. Before the capital moved, the city was constantly barraged by floods from the Uignare river. Eventually, the soft mud underneath the massive architecture gave way and destroyed several buildings, submerging most of them in murky water.
Notable Geography
Silvestregna Forest
Pronounced: sill veh STREN (like “strength”) yahThe Silvestregna forest is a mediterranean forest in the middle right of the local map. The area is mostly grassland and shrubbery with short intermittent trees dotting the landscape. The shrubbery in this region stores very little of the ambient humidity, and is extremely susceptible to wildfires; such wildfires are relatively common, but stopped by local flooding and storms before they get out of hand.
Verduran Sea
Pronounced: vere (like "there" with a v) DOOR anThe Verduran sea is a flooded grassland constantly oversaturated with the water from the Uignare river. It is not a true sea in that it is not a body of water, but it is often thoroughly flooded enough that traversing it by foot is a difficult task. The meadows themselves are beautiful and shiny as a result of the oversaturation, filled with water-loving plant life and long-legged animals such as deer that are suited for traversing the tricky environment.
Dymov Boglands
Pronounced: D mauveThe Dymov Boglands are terrain largely marked by low-lying brush, mosses, some simple flowers, and the occasional birch woodland. As the boglands extend towards the coastline, they begin to shallow and widen, forming a large, marshy river delta. The boglands remain frozen in the harshest winter months, but otherwise are relatively temperate.
Phela Hua Jungle
Pronounced: FEH (like feddy) la HWA (like “wa”ter but with an H at the beginning of the sound)The Phela Hua jungle is a large tropical forest located in the bottom right corner of the local map. The jungle contains large trees with wide canopies, thick undergrowth, and a wild ecosystem befitting a jungle. The area is difficult to traverse for anyone who is unfamiliar with jungle terrain, but far from the worst regions to travel through on the local map; there are many cut roads through the jungle leading to major cities in the region for merchants and travelers to avoid the strenuous ecosystem.
Scoglieran Coast
Pronounced: scog (like cog with an s at the front) LIE ranThe Scoglieran coast makes up half of Addolorata’s coastal territory. Its northernmost sections contain tidal marshlands, but the majority of the coast is composed of elevated coastal cliffs, arches, and lagoons. The coast is also accompanied by a series of barrier islands that lay just a short trip offshore. Most of these islands are occupied, containing port villages for merchants looking to trade in Addolorata.
Dveepasam Coast
Pronounced: d VEEP (like “jeep” but saying “dv” at the start instead of j) ah sahmThe Dveepasam coast makes up half of Addolorata’s coastal territory. It is a stark contrast from the Scoglieran coast; its landforms are mostly low, flat beaches and coastal dunes. The coast has several barrier islands, but these islands are further from shore and much lower in elevation than any other coast on the local map. The waters are also filled with frequent sandbars.
Valonda Sea
Pronounced: vall ON duhThe Valonda sea is one of two oceanic saltwater bodies visible on the local map. It is the warmer of the two seas and the sea floor remains relatively shallow for many miles before dropping off. Many trade vessels use the Valonda sea to transport goods to and from the many rivers that bleed into this sea. This body of water is most similar to the real-world Atlantic Ocean in terms of ecology, temperature, and total size.
Uignare River
Pronounced: wig NAH rayThe Uignare river is the widest shore-to-shore river on the local map, stretching from the melted runoff of the Kravkenrov mountains down to where it splits into the Yuva and Vayask rivers. The eastern shore of the river is composed of flooded grasslands, where the line between river’s shore and the land itself is blurry at best. The western shore is solid and more well defined; this shore is at a slightly higher altitude compared to the eastern shore. This river is the source of half of the nation’s trade.
Yuva River
Pronounced: YOU vahThe Yuva river is one of two rivers that fork from the Uignare river and lead out to the Valonda Sea. Of the two, this river is shorter and thinner, and likely younger than the other splitting river, the Vayask river. The river’s current is rapid and its path contains many sharp waterfalls, making it extremely unsafe for boat travel. Still, many boats containing illegal cargo attempt to pass through the river, knowing that port checkpoints near the mouth of the river are less active than those of the Vayask river.
Vayask River
Pronounced: vuh YASK (“ya” like “yarn”)The Vayask river is one of two rivers that fork from the Uignare river and lead out to the Valonda Sea. Of the two, this river is longer and wider, and likely older than the other splitting river, the Yuva river. The river’s current is slow and winding, making this one of the calmer rivers on the local map.
Major Holidays
Day of Rest
Pronounced: self explanatoryOnce a week, every Sunday, Paradeists celebrate a day of rest; according to many Heavenly religious stories, the last day of the week was declared by God to be a day of rest after His creation of the universe. Some cultures refuse to do anything at all on Sundays, even open doors, but most just treat the day more casually than the rest of the week and do not work their jobs unless absolutely necessary.
The First Day
Pronounced: self explanatoryThe First Day is the new year celebration for Paradeism. The day is celebrated as an anniversary of the “First Day”, when many religious stories claim that God began His creation of the universe. It is also celebrated as the day when Angels came down to Rubicon for the first time, when many devout worshippers believe they created the first people in Addolorata. The day is celebrated with feasts, fireworks, and candle decorations.
Dia Humilitas
Pronounced: wayDia Humilitas, or the Day of Humility, is a holy day in Paradeism dedicated to celebrating the virtue of humility. On this day, paradeists will partake in several acts of humility: they will eat modest, simple meals and wear simple attire and no jewelry throughout the day. Several entertainment professions will take the day off as to not draw too much attention to themselves. It is also common for nobles and upperclassmen to mingle with the common man during this day, as an attempt of connection between the classes.
Dia Caritas
Pronounced: DEE ah / car E tuhsDia Caritas, or the Day of Charity, is a holy day in Paradeism dedicated to celebrating the virtue of charity. In the weeks leading up to this day, churches will collect donations from attendees at the church in order to give these donations to the poor and needy. On the day itself, clerics and able-bodied worshippers will roam their home towns looking to assist their neighbors and travelers in need of any assistance: doing yard work, fixing things, delivering packages, anything they can think to do for one another. Some of the more dedicated clerics will travel city to city, offering their services for free to those most in need.
Dia Castitas
Pronounced: DEE ah / cass TEE tuhsDia Castitas, or the Day of Chastity, is a holy day in Paradeism dedicated to celebrating the virtue of chastity. Those over the age of 15 who celebrate will don masks and clothing that covers most of the body for the day, and refrain from any act of physical romance. Ironically, many of the less avid worshippers will also celebrate the midnight of Dia Castitas, marking the “end” of the day of Chastity with physical romantic acts; similar to a New Year’s kiss.
Dia Humanitas
Pronounced: DEE ah / human E tuhsDia Humanitas, or the Day of Gratitude, is a holy day in Paradeism dedicated to celebrating the virtue of gratitude. Many worshippers will write letters in the week leading up to Dia Humanitas expressing their thanks to those who they are grateful for or who have done them good, often to clerics in local communities. Feasts are also often held at the end of the day to thank these people.
Dia Patientia
Pronounced: DEE ah / PAH tea EN tea ahDia Patientia, or the Day of Patience, is a holy day in Paradeism dedicated to celebrating the virtue of patience. During the war, it has also been declared a day of peace; fighting is forbidden on this day unless absolutely necessary. It is treated as a memorial day to honor those who lost their lives in battle or those who have been murdered.
Dia Diligentia
Pronounced: DEE ah / dili (like diligence) HEN tea ahDia Diligentia, or the Day of Diligence, is a holy day in Paradeism dedicated to celebrating the virtue of diligence. The day is dedicated to work, with many worshippers committing to long hours at their jobs or beginning long projects. It is also a day that many swear to change their lives for the better, similarly to a new year’s resolution.
Dia Temperantia
Pronounced: DEE ah / TEM per ANN tea ahDia Temperantia, or the Day of Temperance, is a holy day in Paradeism dedicated to celebrating the virtue of temperance. For those who celebrate, it is a day of fasting where food is prohibited while the sun is in the sky. Ironically, many of the less avid worshippers will also celebrate the midnight of Dia Temperantia, marking the “end” of the day of Temperance with a midnight feast.
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