Antioch

Antioch is an archipelago in the central parts of Wyrth, very close to the Cartographer’s Line. They have a good relationship with Havan – the two countries enjoy a bustling trade industry – and they are the home of the first Monarchial Republic. To many, this is an odd government, and to a few it is a mistake, but they seem pleased with the model. Generally, how it works is that there is both a king and a senate. The king is a hereditary position, while the members of the senate are elected. The senate discusses things and makes decisions, but they need the final approval of the king in order to pass laws. The only thing they don’t need his approval for is overthrowing the monarch. If, at any point, the king has angered the senate or the people to the point that removal is deemed appropriate, the senate will call it to a vote. If the vote succeeds, the senate will assume power until a new monarch can be selected. The current king, Agamemnon Carpathia, is on that road. He’s spent the last decade marrying off all of his daughters to any noble that will take them, attempting to secure ties. He fears the other nations and wants to create bonds, believing the best way to do so is by marriage. Alas, the senate disagrees greatly with this, and the people are growing angry. Antioch is a nation of choice and the power of the individual, so to see their princesses being used as bargaining chips is something the people of Antioch take great issue with. As for their culture, it’s already been stated that they are a nation of choices. They embrace the power of a single person, so they predicate much of their society on freedom and individuality. They also have rather progressive gender politics, despite the actions of the king. The elite soldiers – the Thilykae – are an all-female group. Women are allowed to serve on the senate; when they are pregnant and raising non-school aged children, they are paid a stipend by the government, as mothering is considered a job. Dying in child birth will give a woman the same funeral as a soldier killed in battle. Women are a very revered part of Antioch’s culture. This is reflected in few places more than Holy Theotria. Though many countries practice it, and it has become somewhat the default religion for many, Antioch originated the belief. They personify death as a loving mother that cradles her children as they die. Though they pray, “Mother, may your eyes be blind to me”, they don’t actually fear death. Furthermore, though they depict the Child as both male and female, this is to indicate the equality of the two genders in the eyes of the Antiochian people. They see them as being different and distinct, but entirely equal.

Type

Archipelago

Included Organizations