Axiomi

The people of the great city of Axiom, center of the Great Game

Description

Along with the populous and myriad Sakhradi, the Axiomi - the people of the independent City-State of Axiom placed in the middle of the Untamed Planes at the nexus of the three great rivers - are a people who have appeared only recently in the history of Zheng-Kitar. They rose from nothingness during the Age of Expansion around 250 years prior to the present day, when the legendary adventurer Giancarlo Vandire De la Imperiana III ventured out into the wilderness of The Untamed Planes from his homeland in The Narixian Empire to find his fame and fortune, hired by the Narixian tribes to reclaim the land in their name during the Great Outward Expansion that kickstarted the age.
As a city founded upon the principles of free trade and communal prosperity, the Axiomi peoples can trace their lineages back to a plethora of different kingdoms, lands, and areas all across and around Zheng-Kitar - though they are now concentrated exclusively within the massive walls of the city of Axiom and surrounding farmlands.

Appearance

Axiomi as a people can appear to have facial and bodily traits from almost any ethnicity in the world - the waterways that pass through the city docks bring travelers from almost every corner of the continent, and the city's origin ensures that any given Axiomite could be from anywhere - from Seoghar to Narixia. Without consistent appearances, Axiomi instead have developed a style of clothing all their own - they prefer large, stylistic and oftentimes overdesigned garb, sometimes full of ruffles, feathers, and other adornments on their clothing...and while some Axiomi might prefer smooth, less frilly garb the common denominator is the raucous and vibrant color schemes they wear as well as the boldness with which they wear even the most unusual garb - uniqueness and freedom of expression is integral to Axiomi culture, it is on full display on their outfits.
More integral to their appearance however, is their masks - Axiomi society is cutthroat and full of political maneuvering and scheming, and for good reason is it called "The City of the Great Game", and "The City that Never Sleeps" - and to these ends, it is customary for Axiomi to wear masks to hide their faces. These masks can be made from a great variety of materials and with a great number of designs - each is designed to reflect uniquely upon the wearer, and can range from complex to extremely simple. These masks serve to protect their true identities and/or faces during political scheming, and to hide their expressions, to make it harder for others to read them.

History

Axiomi as a people came into existence when its city did - founded some 250 years ago during the middle of the Age of Expansion by the legendary adventurer Giancarlo Vandire De la Imperiana III at the end of his long years adventuring in service to The Empire of Narixia. Originally, they were naught but a group of Narixian settlers who followed Giancarlo out into the unclaimed expanse of The Untamed Planes to follow his promise of a free city, built by their own hands.
Over time, as the city grew and trade flowed into the city through the three great rivers that flow into the lake outside Axiom, which in turn drains out to the sea - more and more traders came through, and over time more and more creatures from all walks of life settled down in the city to stay. And once a large contingent of Forest Elves arrived and took up residence in the city, becoming the first Pale Elves, the city's diversity and reputation had all but been solidified - a city of politics and intrigue through which nearly every trade good and item in the central and western parts of the continent can be found, where faces are hidden along with motives, and everything must be questioned.

Culture

As a people, Axiomi are suspicious but flamboyant - they are ostentacious and flaunt their wealth, status, and anything they have with pride. They tend to be incredibly suspicious, but not often to the point of paranoia - this is a healthy suspicion borne of their lives spent in the city of Axiom, where politics are king and none can be trusted to keep their word. They rarely take what others say or do at face value, and oftentimes try to find the 'true meaning' in what others do - nothing can or is simple to them, for they have a hard time fathoming that others can simply 'say what they mean', for such simple people cannot possibly exist in this world, and if they do, they would be impossibly foolish. They tend to be incredibly egalitarian people and open to new ideologies, technologies, and change as well, and are often on the forefront of new technologies or inventions, as well as information.
However, they are also incredibly welcoming of other cultures and peoples no matter how strange - their lives spent in one of the most diverse cities in the world often makes them incredibly experienced in such matters and not much can surprise them. They have seen all manner of exotic beasts, animals, and races in their homeland, so as a result little can surprise them - and even the most brutal and barbaric culture like that of the Titanic Dai-Yukai or Eldragi is not something they would wrinkle their noses at, though they wouldn't often agree with it, they would rarely care to refute it or tell them how to live.

Naming Conventions

Their real names are secret, and they tend to have one letter or one word epithets to describe themselves to others. Their real names have no unique scheme otherwise - the city is so diverse their names could come from any other ethnicity, from Dhara to Seoghar.

Example Epithets

W, Silvereye, Axis, Carlo, Dire, Strawman, Etc

Related Organizations

• City-State of Axiom

Related Myths

• The Bagbeasts
• The Midnight Rider

Curses/Expletives

"By the Founder...!" - "By the gods!" Equivalent.
"Whore's Moors" - "Shit" or "Fuck" Equivalent. Sometimes spoken as "Lord's Moors".

Compliments

"Table-Taker" - Axiomi Compliment used to refer to someone who is incredibly devious and crafty, or perhaps bold and daring. A silver-tongued devil who could likely machinate their way out of a closed room.
"Plucked" - Compliment used to refer to someone with incredible boldness and courage - often used to refer to fashion sense, specifically someone with incredible garb or dress that appeals to many senses.
"Golden" - Compliment used to refer to one's openmindedness, willingness to accept many things, and free-spirited willingness to try many things, and to experiment. Typically used to compliment someone for being fun to be around, to party with, etc.
"Riotous" - Compliment used to refer to someone with extreme beauty. Very flattering compliment not given lightly. Generally refers to more psychological or intellectual beauty, or at least beauty of body and not of face.

Insults

"Barefaced" - Huge insult to natives of the city. Insult used to refer to a simpleton, or someone ignorant of politics and "The Great Game". Also used to refer to someone who charges ahead without thinking, or who says what they mean and is too truthful and honest.
"Bland" - Insult used to refer to an uninteresting or boring person, or someone not worth one's time.
"Lockear" - Insult used to refer a close minded person, someone incredibly set in their ways, or someone who hears only what they want to hear.
"Porcelain Masked" - Insult used to refer to someone with thin skin, who can't take a joke or handle intrigue directed at themselves, but is eager to dish it out to others.
"Stepper" - Massive insult used by Axiomites to refer to those who have no future, and are good for nothing but serving as a stepstone for other, better people's rise to power.
"Pocketwatcher" - Insult used to refer to someone who is excessively miserly, or overly concerned with hiding one's wealth.

Turns of Phrase

"Flotsam" - Slang used to refer to outsiders and non-natives of the city, or those who seem to be such.
"Nothing but mask" - Axiomi phrase used to refer to an incredibly dangerous person, or someone who can't be read or guessed at, AKA an enigma. Someone who's true motives are a mystery.
"Walk with shadows." - Axiomi phrase used to wish others well. A common farewell.
"He could knock the ruffles off a cravat." - Originally used as a phrase to refer to someone with poor fashion sense. Has colloquially come to refer to a crude, boorish, or foolish person.
"They who left, to join the Faceless" - Axiomi phrase originally used to refer to outcasts, exiles, and those cast out of their society for one crime or blunder. Has recently come to refer to the dead.
"Avoid the bricklaid orbs" - Colloquial axiomi phrase used as a warning to others to be wary of hidden listeners or watchers, unseen threats, and spies. Especially used to refer to the Axiomi secret police, The Cobblers, often likened to boogeymen.