Avalonian Republic
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Roleplayed by Admiral Fox (ArcanaFox)
The Avalonian Republic peacefully arose more than three thousand years ago with the death of the last Avalonian Emperor and the end of Augusta dynasty. After more than 1600 years of autocratic regimes punctuated by periods of civil strife and crises of succession, the Avalonian people were tired of submitting to the Imperial Throne at Civitas Avalonis. In the last centuries of the Avalonian Imperium, dramatic social liberalization occurred and nominal parliamentary rule had slowly subverted imperial authority. In the year 1864 AE, the Avalonian Republic was officially established. The old Senate was incorporated into a new parliament, which included a House of Citizens, and a Prime Minster was elected by the combined Parliament to head the new republic.
Since that time, the Avalonian Republic has endured within and on the towering Olympic Mountains on the Eastern Island, east of Thule. A century after it's establishment, the Avalonian Republic became aware of the growing power of the Empire of the Alfar to the southwest. Foreseeing an inevitable conflict with the Elvish empire, and perhaps realizing that they were unable to directly challenge the Alfar, the Avalonian Republic chose to isolate and hide themselves from the eyes of the rest of the world. The treacherous territory that composed the heart of Avalonian Republic often deterred most would-be adventurers or fools from entering the Republic's realms. For the first 3000 years of its existence, the Eternal Blizzard prevented all but the most hardened of creatures from even reaching the Olympic Mountains. Seen from afar, the Olympic Mountains appear as nothing but lifeless snow-capped peaks. For three millenia, the Avalonian Republic managed to avoid conquest by the Empire of Alfar. As luck would have it, the Alfar never made it to Thule. However, the preparations and precautions established by the early Republic would not be tested until more than three thousand years later during the ravages of the Necromantic War.
During the war, the Eastern Island was mostly ignored thanks to its remote location as well as the Eternal Blizzard. The few Necromantic expeditions that did manage to penetrate the mountains never returned back to report on their discoveries. But now, with the rest of the world in a state of chaos and disarray, and a bold, adventurous young Prime Minster residing in the Parliamentary Residence, the Avalonian Republic is the on the verge of returning to the world stage for the first time in over three thousand years.
Racial Characteristics
God-Blooded (orig. Alfar Asgar), Avalonian Human Mix (25 points)
Modern historians, anthropologists and archeologists generally accept that the current Avalonian people are a mix of the original inhabitants of some unknown ancient civilization and ancient humans from Lemuria. Whether these survivors of the ancient civilization were minor deities or partial deities is a matter of much speculation. The popular notion is that several bands of the original inhabitants of Atlantis managed to escape the great calamity and reach the shores of Thule, where they traveled all the way to the Olympic Mountain range. Somehow, this last remnant of Atlantis managed to discover the vast Underdark Lightfield within the mountains. There, they found a band of humans residing within the Underdark. Scholars, however, generally do not support the 'Atlantis Theory', claiming that there is absolutely no evidence to conclude Atlantis even existed. How humans ended up in the lightfield is a mystery to this day. Many citizens believe that it was the doing of the Old Goddess Altrea, although there is no general consensus among scholars and experts. Whatever the origin, there is no doubt that Avalonian civilization is at least as old as the Alfar Empire, with the Republic and the Imperium comprising almost 5000 years of history. Avalonians are on average much tougher and stronger than the average human and also possess longer lifespans. Although they aren't nearly as long-lived as the Alfar, the average normal lifespan of an Avalonian can reach a little over 300 years. Avalonian mages are also particularly gifted in terms of the potency of their magic. The notion that these abilities are the result of "divine" blood has been generally accepted by Avalonian society even today.
Population
As of 5300 AE, there are are approximately 2,001,400 citizens residing within the realms of the Avalonian Republic. Approximately one million of those reside in Avalon. An additional 900,000 reside within the underground city of Asgarth. About 50,000 reside in Nova Atlantia. The rest are scattered throughout the Eastern Island, although most of them reside in the temperate regions in the southwest coast and the hills to the east of the Olympic Mountains.
Demographics
Of the more than two million residents, approximately 53% are male and 47% are female, leading to a ratio of 1.12 Avalonian males for every female. About 20% of the population is under 50, 46% are between 50 and 200, and 34% are over 200 years old. Despite the long lifespans of the Avalonians, birth rates tend to be relatively low, as conception is slightly more difficult compared to humans. On average, there are about 2.35 children per mating pair.
There are no other ethnic groups within the Avalonian Empire besides the Avalonians. While most Avalonians are between 1/8th and 1/4th deity and human, there are dwarvish features in some of the population perhaps indicating possible dwarvish blood in a very small sector of the population.
History
Main Article: General Avalonian History
Pre-Imperial History
Historians have typically estimated that semi-divine survivors of an ancient civilization landed on the shores of Eastern Thule and established civilization some two thousand years prior to the establishment of the Republic around 500 BAE. Through the intervening years, the Avalonian civilization thrived in the Underdark Lightfields within the Olympic Mountains, eventually becoming a city state with the expansion of the city of Asgarth. In 212 BAE, one of the few dates historians are certain of, a schism occurred, and a large number of Avalonians headed towards the surface to find new opportunities. One group discovered the Olympian Valley, near the peak of Mount Olympic. Within decades the settlements within the valley quickly expanded to become Civitias Avalonis, the city of Avalon. For the next four hundred years, both city states existed in a cold war state.
Imperial History
This period in time, starting with official establishment of the Imperium 235 AE, represented the beginning of an age of reason for Avalonian civilization. Much of the superstition during the pre-imperial times was replaced with reasoning and rational logic. The old Elder Polytheism gave way to a brand of Uristism. Scientific discoveries abounded during this period and there was a strong undercurrent of magical and physical exploration. However, there was a great deal of chaos underlining the supposed order of imperial society. Fickle, ineffective monarchs dotted the historical time-line, leading to several political purges and more than a few succession crises. This was as much an age of strife as it was an age of reason.
During the period, the Imperium expanded the territory under it's control, establishing a new settlement, Nova Atlantia, on the hillsides of the eastern coast of the island. Airships, crewed by curious adventurers and naturalists mapped out the boundaries of the continent of Thule, encountering new races and civilizations.
Republican History
The Avalonian Republic, established in 1864 AE, was marked by four distinctive periods. The early Republic, from 1864 BAE to about 1984 AE, continued the trend of cultural, scientific, and magical advancements established in the last centuries of the Imperium. This period of time also marked the most politically invigorated and innovative time in Republican history. Contact with the Alfar in 1984 AE eventually led to a period of more than 3,000 years of isolation and marks the beginning of the second major period of history in the Republic. Although the Avalonian Republic would not officially close its borders until 2081 AE, the period of trade and outward expansion and exploration came to a sharp end in 1984 AE. Most historians admit that the Avalonian Republic's collective obsession with avoiding conquest by the Alfar would affect Avalonian society to the present day. Avalon's famous mage soujourners also began as an institution around this time. Throughout three millenia, those mages that went out into the distant lands would represent Avalon's only link to the outside world.
The third period of time was marked by the arrival of the Necromancer Lords. 3,000 years of stagnation took its toll on the Republic and knowledge of the fall of the Alfar only seemed to push Avalonian society further towards entropic collapse. The discovery of the Nercomancers shook the Republic out of its spiraling cycle of institutional rot and political stagnation. Less than half a decade after their discovery, first contact between the Necromancer Lords and Avalon resulted in bloodshed with the complete annihilation of the Necromancer exploration force. Throughout the next decade, two more invasion attempted would be thwarted including the final and largest attempt resulting in the Necromancer Invasion of 5161. Though the "Necromatic Period" was the shortest period in Republican history, historians believe the Necromatic wars played a pivotal role in the development of the Republic in modern times. The war resulted in a complete reformation of almost every single major government, political, and social institution and set the stage for the end of Avalonian Isolation.
The final period runs from 5200 AE, at the end of the Necromatic War to the present. Like the first half-century of the early Republic, this period of time was characterized by rapid economic, scientific, and magical advancement followed by intensive political reform and liberalization of social and foreign policies. Time will tell if this trend will continue, or be cut short another incident like the Alfar first contact.
Politics
Republican Political History
Despite the democratic rhetoric that filled the etherwaves during the formation of the Republic, Republican political history was little different from Imperial political history: short bursts of violence and chaos inter-spaced in long periods of stagnation. Primarily, the Early Republic was mostly concerned with hammering out and solidifying confidence in key government institutions and political structures. While corruption was technically kept to a minimum, there was no real democracy. The same social class that had ruled the Imperium were elected into power in the Republic through judicious vote-purchasing campaigns. However, even the illusion of accountability and technical possibility of falling out of power were enough to force the social elite to at least attempt to raise the standard of living of their constituents. Undoubtedly, the average citizen was better off during the early Republic than at any other time in Avalonian history.
The onset of the Age of Isolation, the 3,000 year period in which the Avalonian Republic essentially cut all contact with the outer world, created an interesting political phenomena. For the first few centuries, political ossification started to set in, but without any of the usual corruption. Stories from the Mages sent to outer world kept politicians relatively united in their efforts; the government was just as affected as the common citizenry by paranoia against Alfar conquest. However, by the 3rd millennium AE, even the fear of Alfar conquest was no longer enough to prevent institutional rot from setting in. Corruption quickly set in, with votes being controlled by local and city district political machines and bosses. Refusal to obey these political bosses often meant economic and social ostracization. At several points during this period, political infighting within Parliament degraded to the point that it allowed for several opportunistic monarch to seize power. Most notably, from 2931 AE to 2952 AE under Loki II and from 3422 AE to 3450 AE under Sleipnir I, the Avalonian Republic essentially reverted to an imperial government. In both instances, however, the would-be emperors inevitably died under mysterious circumstances, no doubt assassinations, before republican institutions could be permanently destroyed. Reforms in the 3500's following these incidents are credited with preserving the Republic in a reasonably functional state until at least 5100 AE. At the very least political ossification was slowed. Despite the moment of chaos, Republican politics, indeed, Republican society in general, remained relatively unchanged, in the grand view, throughout the 3,000 years of isolation. It would not be until the Necromatic War that true change would come.
By 5140 AE, the Republic was again in a state of near political collapse. The radical reforms enacted in the 3500s had begun to lose force and relevance with the changing of times and the dimming of historical and societal memory. Even in the 3500s, the reforms had not fundamentally brought any structural change the Republic's political institutions and procedures. The discovery of the Necromancer Lords in 5147 AE forced the political elite to re-examine core institutions. Discovery of the Necromancer Lords brought a competition of ideas, magic, technology, and political theory for the first time in over three millenia. Unlike the Alfar, the Necromancer Lords were immediate and relevant. They weren't on some distant continent, but were rather proverbially right next door. Divided public opinion on the Necromancer Lords further brought tension to the situation and the attempted defection of several hundred Avalonian mages, intellectuals and even some politicians forced the Republic to examine in-depth, structural political reform of key institutions. The arrival of a small Necromancer expedition to the Eastern Island in 5152 AE forced political reform to take a backseat to military reform. In the meantime, wartime powers granted to Prime Ministers allowed them a stronger hand with which to wash away bureaucratic and political inefficiencies. While they ostensibly did this to expand their own power, it did create the positive externality of streamlining the political process allowing potent and effectual laws to be passed for the first time in centuries. With the defeat of the Necromancers by 5200 AE, political reform returned as a topic and agenda for the Republic. To this day, enacting these long-needed political reforms remains an ongoing process; if nothing else, Avalonian politics has become re-energized, at least temporarily, and meaningful debate flows both through Parliament and between average citizens on the street.
Government Structure
The Republican Government is primarily governed from Parliament. The national judiciary system (there is no local judiciary system) is ultimately controlled by Senators who sit on the Senate Legal Panel and act as a 'supreme' judiciary. Technically, an executive branch exists in the form of the Emperor and the Imperial Court. However, they are merely figureheads. The government structure follows below:
- Parliament - Parliament represents the primary governing body of the Republic.
- Prime Minister - The Prime Minister leads both houses of Parliament and is elected by both houses, with Senators and Citizens each counting for one vote. The Prime Minister has no term limits; his term ends only when Parliament decides to elect a new Prime Minister or the sitting Prime Minister decides to resign. The Prime Minister's term can also end, usually in extraordinary circumstances, when Parliament jointly passes a vote of No Confidence. A Prime Minister may only serve one term in his lifetime. In theory, the Prime Minister's only responsibility is to lead Parliament. However, in reality, the Prime Minister takes upon executive powers as well, such as the military, domestic economic policy and foreign policy. The Prime Minister is also ultimately responsible for the appointment of all government officials within the bureaucracy.
- Senate - The Senate is comprised of 25 Senators representing various portions of the Republic. They are primarily responsible for approving major appointments by the Prime Minister, serving as a de-facto Supreme Judiciary, and approving laws drafted by the House of Citizens. By default, governors of all 7 provinces have guaranteed seats in the Senate. Furthermore, the Lord Civitas of Avalon, Asgarth and Nova Atlantia are also guaranteed seats within the Senate. The remaining 15 Senators are voted in by the House of Citizens. Each Senator has a 15 year term, with no limits on terms. Thus, by default, Provincial Governors and Lord Civitas have the same term limits.
- House of Citizens - The House of Citizens is comprised of 100 Citizens (the term used to indicate a representative). The House of Citizens is primarily responsible for electing Senators and drafting necessary legislation. Each Citizen is elected from his or her district and serves a term of 10 years. There are no term limits.
- Council of the Prime Minister - While technically not primary governing institution, they serve as de-facto heads of the bureaurcracy and civil service under the Prime Minister. They must be approved by the Senate.
- Councilor of the State
- Councilor of Treasure
- Councilor of Defense
- Councilor of Trade (used to be subordinated under the Councilor of Treasure)
- Councilor of Research
- Councilor of Resources (used to be subordinated under the Councilor of Treasure)
- Councilor of the Prime Minister (Chief of Staff equivalent; does not require Senate approval.)
- Imperial Court - Technically, the Imperial Court and the Emperor or Empress are endowed with broad political power and responsible for the execution of all laws passed by Parliament. In reality, however, they serve merely as figureheads and are a sign Avalonian society's respect for tradition and history.
- Emperor - Current sitting Empress: Eostre Odina IV
- Royal Household Advisor
- Royal Palace Guard - Grayfell Company (technically under the command of the Empress; in reality, Grayfell is under the command of the Lord General of the Army and ultimately the Councilor of Defense and the Prime Minister.
- Military - Ultimately under control by the Councilor of Defense and the Prime Minister. The respective heads of the army and the navy usually also serve as part of the Prime Minister's military advisor council.
- Lord General of the Army
- Lord Admiral of the Navy
- Council or Archmages - Technically not a part of the Republic Government, the Council of Archmages serve as de-facto magical advisors to the entire Republican government, although they usually interact only with the Prime Minister.
- Republican Reserve - The Central Bank of the Republic is technically not under the oversight of any other part of the government, but the Board of the Bank must be approved by the Prime Minister and the Senate.
- Chief Bank Chairman - Heads the Republican Reserve
- Bank Chairman - Serve as regional heads of Republican Reserve branches. Currently, there are three such branches.
- Other Government Agencies and Institutions - All other agencies and institutions are under the control of the civil service and bureaucracy; they are ultimately overseen by the Prime Minister.
Major Political Parties and Factions
Isolationist Party
The Isolationist Party is a response to the recent liberalization and opening up of the Avalonian Republic. Most members of this party wish for Avalon to remain mostly as it did during its 3,000 years of isolation. They generally tout the Necromatic War and the current existence of Necromancer Lords as their Raison d'être. They also wish to arrest social liberalization as well. They are currently steadily losing popularity and are beginning to utilize more and more radical political measures simply to survive. Some more extreme members of this party are beginning to consider the use of violence to further their own political agenda, something which is considered utterly despicable by most people in the Republic. Ironically, they do have the support of some of the more paranoid and cautious members of the Guild of Mages. The Grand Archmage Yonda's sympathies lie with the Isolationists.
Reform Party
Like the Isolationist Party, the Reform Party is primarily interested in keeping Avalon's footprint on the world minimal. However, unlike the Isolationist Party, the Reform Party wishes to completely overhaul Republican institutions and focus more energy and treasure on dealing with domestic issues at home. Socially, most Reform Party members support the current liberalizing trend of Avalonian society, and unlike the Isolationists, the Reformers believe that Avalon will eventually be ready to open up to the world; they simply believe that now is not the best time. Julius Fenrir, Councilor to the Prime Minister, tacitly supports this party.
Expansionist Party
The Expansionist Party welcomes Avalon's rise on the world stage. But while foreigners trickle slowly into the newly unveiled republic, Expansionists believe that Avalon itself ought to expand out. They do not believe that foreign conquest is necessary; rather, they believe that in the interests of trade and maintaining Avalonian supremacy over the waves (and the skies), Avalonian colonies should be established on the coasts of Thule and Lemuria. Lord Admiral Thoran is a vocal supporter of this party.
Horizons Party
The Horzions Party is newly established but powerful political party. Wildly popular with large segments of the populace, the Horzions Party represents hope and change. From the stagnant air of the past, the Horizons Party promotes liberalization of society, opening of trade and relations with other civilizations, and a general return to the times of the Early Republic. They promote more social programs to help the poorer segments of society as well as exploration and colonization of foreign lands. This is the party that Prime Minister Philipus belongs to.
Council of Archmages
While technically, the Council has no real political ambitions, they do believe that as the magical guardians of the Republic, they ought to err on the side of caution. They tacitly support the Isolationists even though most of the Council deeply Prime Minister Philipus's goals and ideals. Lately, the Council has become slightly more secluded and with the Mechanicus Corps, are working on some new magical project, which no one completely understands outside of the Council.
Mechanicus Corps
An elite group of artificers, mechanics, engineers, and researchers, the Mechanicus Corps's main responsibility is to invent, manufacture, and maintain the war machines of the Republic. They are closely aligned with the Council of Archmages and have no real political or social agenda of note.
Bene Vitae School of Life
The breeding program of the Bene Vitae is something of an open secret to the top members of the government and the Council of Archmages. However, no one knows how far or how successful the Bene Vitae has been. Most of realized that the Grayfell Company are likely results of the Bene Vitae's program. However, no one has realized that the Grayfell are merely the discarded and partially successful attempts of the experiment of the Life Witches. Indeed, not even the Bene Vitae itself is really aware of just how close to ultimate success they are to the creation of their own Divine Messiah.
What isn't known is that the ultimate goal of the Bene Vitae breeding program is to create an Avalonian fit to retake the throne and lead Avaloninan Civilization as an Imperium. Prescience, speed, magical talent rivaling the most powerful Archmages and charisma to lead men are all goals of the program. The Bene Vitae believe that the Republic is ultimately beyond hope and believe that a divine Emperor leading a united Republic as the only solution to current issues.
Commentary
It should be noted that there is no guiding constitution or other legal document which mandates certain institutions; rather, the existence and maintenance of Republican institutions, as well as the bounds of political power, are all determined via judicial and political precedent and tradition. While certain institutions and restrictions have been legislated, they can, in theory, be modified or repealed with new legislation. It should also be noted that while the Imperial Court has no real power, it could, in theory execute massive political change according to laws and precedents. At certain points in history, the Imperial Court has stepped in directly into the political process, although, arguably not for the Republic's own benefit.
As an addendum to the entry concerning Prime Ministers, Prime Ministers need not be selected from the Parliament. While Parliament must vote for the potential candidates, any citizen may be Prime Minister, in theory, if nominated by a political party and receiving the requisite number of votes.
It should also be noted that despite its democratic rhetoric, the election of officials within the Republic is decidedly elitist. There are currently no legal or political reforms that would allow the populace to more directly participate in the political process, and politics is generally a rich man's game at all national levels. With few exceptions, Citzens, Senators and Prime Ministers are all wealthy or part of the social elite.
Magecraft and Magic
Magical History
Magical and Historical scholars generally believe that the original semi-divine beings that came to Eastern Island practiced life-based magic. However, upon discovery of both the mysterious human colony and the ruins of a dwarven civilization, complete with magical texts, life magic was generally abandoned and replaced with force-based magic. Despite the magical nature of the Avalonian people, prior to the Imperium, Magic was considered the sole domain of a very select group of individuals. Out of a civilization of over a hundred thousand, there were perhaps at most sixty individuals at any given time who would qualify for the title of "mage". Most of these would have been mainly adepts. Magic was also very personal and secretive at this time.
By the Imperial Era, Magic and magical knowledge had begun to seep and proliferate into the magical sphere. The various magical societies also began to organize into a single societal institution. The (Avalonian) Guild of Mages was formed shortly after the establishment of the Imperium in 240 AE. The Council of Archmages, led by the most powerful mages in the land officially convened for the first time in 241 AE. In theory, the Guild of Mages is led by the Council, but in reality, the Council exercises only loose authority over the Guild. By 300 AE, the Council of Archmages and the Guild of Mages became independent political entities within the Avalonian Imperium. While everyone was technically subservient to the Emperor and the Imperial Court, the Council of Archmages was the closest institution that had "parallel" authority.
By the late Imperial Era, the ability to study Magic had become relatively common-place. If one had the will, the motivation, and the ability to study for long hours, one could become a mage. In fact, the establishment of the Augusta Incantation Academy led to the formation of the "matter" school of Magic within Avalon as well as the opening of magical knowledge to the public. Even life magic found a small niche within this new academia-based magical society in the form of the Bene Vitae School.
The trends continued through the Republic. Even during the Age of Isolation, magical knowledge continued to advance, especially in the field of Underdark Lightfield Formation and Olympic Valley Formation Principles.
Language
Due to Avalonian Magic's heavy dwarven influence, the current language of spells is unsurprisingly based on a derivative of RUNTRAN. While modern RUNTRAN (RUNTRAN-A-2.7) barely resembles the RUNTRAN of 5,000 years ago, the fundamental principles have remained. Recently, however, with the opening of Avalonian society, magical scholars have attempted to develop completely new languages from the ground up, or at least based on different principles than traditional RUNTRAN.
Magical Hierarchy
As the Guild of Mages and Council of Archmages matured, a hierarchical rank system slowly arose, designed to outline the general power of an individual mage:
- Adepts - Those who graduate from any accredited undergraduate magical study program enter the Guild of Mages with the rank of adept. It should be noted that there are hundreds of adepts in the Imperium. The 20 adepts currently listed as under military service are simply the two 20 adepts in the land as determined by over capability.
- Masters - Those who enter a teaching or instruction position of some sort are generally awarded the rank of Master. While traditionally, Masters often took one or two apprentices at any given time. Today, Masters tend to fulfill their instruction and research requirement as professors and faculty of the various educational institutions in the land. In theory, an adept who has chosen to forgo the instructional requirement can overpower a mage of Master rank. Recently, the rank of Master has begun to be awarded to adepts who reach a certain level of ability.
- Archmages - The most powerful of Masters are award the rank of Archmage and inducted into the Council of Archmages. Currently, there are only four Archmages, but historically, the number has shifted anywhere between three to five Archmages.
For more information regarding mages and the military, see Military of the Avalonian Republic.
Nature
Since it's inception, Avalonian Magic has traditionally been utilized in combat contexts. Whether as an offensive, defensive, reconnaissance, or healing tool, Avalonian Magic has been at the forefront of military application. During the Republic Era, however, the uses of Magic expanded towards more pedestrian needs, such as farming, construction, and other consumer applications.
Still, despite it's diversification, Avalonian magic still is utilized heavily in combat situations, with the military working closely with mages in combat operations and combat training. No better example of the power of Avalonian Magic exists than the Necromancer Invasion of 5161 AE. Archmages and Masters played a pivotal role in destroying the invasion force and saving the Republic. Because of its martial nature, Avalonian magic is seen as being one of the most potent forms of Magic in Thule.
Despite this, the philosophy of mages within Avalon has generally been both peaceful and academic. While an average modern mage could annihilate a small infantry formation with relative ease, emphasis is placed more on the theory and procedures behind producing the magic than the actual effect or application. For this reason, within Avalonian society, mages are seen as peacekeepers as opposed to warriors.
Avalonian Mage Expeditions
Main Article: Avalonian Mage Expeditions.
Geography
Main Article: Domains of the Avalonian Republic
The Avalonian Republic's territory comprises the entirety of the surface of Eastern Island off the east coast of Thule as well as various subterranean spaces. No natural rivers run through the area and fresh water is obtained entirely from aquifers and primitive desalination plants along the coast. Several different terrains can be found on Eastern Island although the island is primarily dominated by the tall peaks of the Olympic Mountain range. In addition to their great height, the Olympic peaks are covered in snow year-round, often with furious seasonal blizzards raging around them. The foot of the mountains are somewhat more temperate, like the rest of the island. Still, winter generally covers almost two seasons on most of the island. The Olympic Valley, a magical verdant and temperate patch of land lies nestled within two of the highest Olympic peaks. Unlike the rest of the mountain range, it experiences a more typical weather pattern. Winters can be chillingly cold, but still hospitable unlike the rest of the mountains. To the east of the mountains lie the slightly less treacherous Hills of the Norn which lead all the way to the eastern coast of the island. Tundra-like wilds spread to the northwest and a small patch of relatively warm, fertile, and temperate land, the Penelopean Fields, lies to the southwest.
Below the surface, vast Underdark lightfields reign within the mountains. Unlike the surface, temperatures tend to stay within a warm and temperate range. Strange magical orbs light the fields, simulating sunlight and the rocky soil is surprisingly fertile. This allows a long growing season.
The core of the Avalonian Republic resides within the Underdark Lightfield surrounding the city of Asgarth underneath the skyrange mountains. Avalon, the capital city lies nestled within the Olympic Valley. The only other major settlement, Nova Atlantia, lies in Vertha Province on the Hills of the Norn east of the Olympic ranges.
Military
Main Article: Military of the Avalonian Republic
Historically speaking, Avalon's military has consisted of traditional formations of poorly protected but heavily armed infantry formations, led by a small contingent of elite troops or 'knights'. This structure persisted for the most part even through the Republican era, even though 'knights' no longer existed as a military or social class. The invention of the Arquebus furthered the tendency to rely on disposable troops. Mages were also heavily relied upon, given the magical tendencies of Avalonians as a civilization, but they were never fully incorporated into the military. Airships were utilized as well, but there no distinctive military doctrine or tactics were developed to take advantage of air-power.
By the time the modern Republic came around, this situation became unacceptable and untenable. Avalon's brief brush with the Necromancer Lords in the late 5100s essentially gutted the military. Out of a force of over 20,000 soldiers, only 4000 survived. An entire generation of young Avalonian men were wiped out leading to a brief population crisis. With new technology gained form the Necromatic War, the reorganized Army of the Republic focused instead on a small, but technologically advanced, well armed and well armored infantry force working in conjunction with the Avalonian Navy, the Guild of Mages and mechanized units.
Economy
Main Article: Economic Budget Records
The Avalonian economy is based on a combination of agricultural output, internal trade, and manufacturing. During the Pre-Imperial times, the economy mainly focused on Agriculture. As agricultural methods improved, more and more of the economy moved towards other professions, such as mining, medicine, scholastic study, teaching, etc.
Economic expansion continued during the Imperial Era when various Levistone and Adamantium mines were opened, bringing in large amounts of natural resources and raw material with which to power the economy. A small influx of trade further stimulated the economy. This expansion continued into the Republican Era, but was sharply curtailed during the the Isolationist Period. Wealth and the economy became stagnant, but population increased (albeit slightly). After 3,000 years of stagnation, the average Avalonian was poorer in 5200 AE than in 1864 AE. With the Eternal Blizzard abating and the government adopting more liberal social and economic policies, the age of the market has returned to Avalon.
Currently, Avalon's rich lands and natural resources provide the Republic with a wide variety of natural resources.
- Seven Domain/Provinces produce more than 11 million milletons of Food, with over 1 million milleton in excess each season.
- Three Adamantium Mines provide almost 750 thousand milletons of Adamantium for use in buildings, weapons and skyships.
- Two Levistone Quarries provide more than 20 thousand tons of levistones.
- 170 Books published and printed per season.
- 2468 thousand Denarii collected in taxes per quarter.
- 2125 million taps of Mana generated by the land per quarter.
Each season, 11.5 thousand new common Avalonians seek work, and 2 thousand high income individuals offer additional services. The average Avalonian earns between 5000 denarii and 7000 denarii per season. The bottom 25% earn, on average, 3,000 denarii. The richest 10% earn from 15,000 denarii up to more than 1,000,000 denarii.
Educational Institutions
Main Article: Major Educational Institutions of Avalon
Despite its relatively small size, the Avalonian Republic supports five major prestigious educational institutions as well as dozens of trade schools, small colleges, and other learning centers. Personal education costs in any of the five major institutions is partially subsidized by the government. Competition is stiff and admission standards are very strict, encouraging only the best students to apply.
Early childhood education is provided by system of schools maintained by the government and free of charge to the public. From these public schools, students who graduate may choose to pursue additional education. For those interested in Magic or magery in general, this usually leads to an application for admission to Augusta Incantational Academy or the College of Avalonian Magic. Those few who are interested in Natural Arts or even obscure Life Magic apply to the Bene Vitae School of Life. Young boys eager for adventure and glory often decide to apply to the Arcadian Officer's Academy in the hopes of joining the Avalonian Armed Forces. Finally, those with more general scholarly interests or wishing to become civil servants feed into the massive Avalon Republic National University.
Avalonian secondary education institutions are more than just centers of learning and knowledge. Throughout Avalonian history, universities have often spawned various political and social movements. Most of the advances made by Avalonians were born from the various labs and workshops in these hallowed halls. Some of the schools, namely the Bene Vitae School of Life and the two magic academies have been suspected of pursuing their own mysterious agendas.
Society and Culture
Calendar
Porri (January)
Goa (February)
Einmanuour (March)
Harpa (April)
Skerpla (May)
Solmanuour (June)
Heyannir (July)
Tvimanuour (August)
Haustmanuour (September)
Gormanuour (October)
Ylir (November)
Morsugur (December)
Religion
Up until the Imperial Era, Avalonians primarily worshiped a several pantheons of Gods, spirits, and other assorted deities in a system that is simply known today as Elder Polytheism, although worshipers and adherents call it Alteranism. There were many different varieties of polytheism within Avalonian culture. It is known that the goddess Alteria was the principal deity within the most popularly worshiped pantheon. This religious system however, did not allow much in the way of expansion of knowledge. While it was incredibly flexible, it did not promote natural curiosity; any naturalistic question was simply answered by creating a new deity. By the early years of the Imperium, Elder Polytheism of all varieties was on the decline.
By the end of Ptolemios I's reign, a new religious philosophy had taken hold of Avalon. While it would later to be known as Alteran Uristism, at the time, it was simply known as Alteran. The exact details of Alteran's formation are in dispute. Some contend that Alteran wasn't really popular until it gained traction within House Altera. Others state that it was the council of Archmages who developed the philosophy. In short, no one is exactly certain exactly who developed the religion and when it was developed. The core belief in Alteran is that there is a single all-powerful deity who most likely created the world. He/She/It is both omnipotent and omniscient, but created other lesser divinities, semi-divinities and mortals as something of a cosmic experiment. In many ways, Alteran is an evolution of early Alteranism; the chief divinity in Alteran is also the goddess Alteria. However, Alteran places the goddess as something of a impartial and objective observer. It is believed that she created the universe, but does not really interact in any way with it; praying to her is useless. After all, why would an omnipotent clockmaker care about the plight of any single cog? So long as the cog functions, the clockmaker wouldn't care. Alteran also implies that while freewill does not exist from Alteria's point of view, it does for any individual who isn't omniscient. As such, the philosophy encourages logic and logical inquiry when making decisions and living one's life from day to day.
Throughout much of the Imperial and Republic eras, Alteran (later Alteran Uristism) enjoyed the status as the primary religion of choice. As such, while there are some private worship areas, opulent churches, powerful and corrupt clergy, and an intermingling of religion and the state is generally absent. Even to this day, Alteran Uristism remains dominant, although there are pockets of people who still follow some form of Elder Polytheism. Nevertheless, within the last three millenia, there have been no record of religious conflict or tension between the two dominant religions.
Arts, Literature, and Fashion
Besides the presence of magic, there has been one other major component that has always been present within Avalonian society: Art. As soon as Avalonian civilization was established, there was evidence of early works of very sophisticated art and literature. Historians believed that most early Avalonian art was a mild evolution of the indigenous art created by the native humans within the lightfields. Poets and some more romantic philosophers believe that art was the primary reason the semi-divine survivors and the humans originally came together. The god-blooded brought logic, reason and science. The mortal blooded brought art and beauty. Avalonian society would not be as vibrant or developed if either of those two elements were missing. As such, art enjoys a long, rich history in Avalon.
Early, Pre-Imperial painting and murals tended to show very sophisticated techniques but very primitive materials; the result is paintings that are varied and complex, but somewhat rough in more technical aspects of colors and materials. Statutes were similarly roughly styled due to the primitive nature of the tools being used. This started to change about a century prior to the founding of the Imperium. Avalonian science and engineering achieved great strides during this period, and art tools and materials similarly advanced allowing the first fusion of semi-modern techniques and materials. Many paintings of this period emphasize the use of bright new colors which first became widely available and relatively inexpensive during the decades before the Imperium.
Despite the political turmoil of the Imperial era, art continued to develop and advance unabated. Most art had been restricted mainly to paintings, sculptures and murals. Literature was comparatively rare, although there are some preserved novels and epics during pre-Imperial times. By the time of the Imperium however, drama, theater and literature exploded in popularity among both the public and the Imperial court, especially during the Altera Dynasty. Theater-houses, opera domes and vast new libraries were constructed to house the enormous amount of literature and plays which flooded out from would-be artists. Surprisingly, many of these works still survive to this day. Imperial literature to focus on either the romance of nobility, epic combat adventures or didactic satire. Plays tended to follow very much on similar lines. The plays themselves were usually rather simple; props were kept to a minimum and much of the appeal focused on the expressions and voices of the actors as opposed to the actions. A final type of art that was developing by the late Imperium was fashion. The establishment of Midgarth and Valhalla Provinces allowed the raising of sheep-like beasts which provided valuable wool for fashionable clothing. Certain plants were also discovered to provide suitable threads of material for clothing as well. For the first time, fashionable clothing was no longer the sole domain of nobility or the wealthy, and fashion as an art took off.
Some would argue that the Mid-Republican era was perhaps the golden age of Avalonian art in all its myriad of forms. At a time when magic, science, politics and society itself was stagnating, art continued to advance at a bold rate. Theatrical forms from the early Republican era were refined and diversified into a broad variety of dramas, comedies, tragedies, and almost everything in between. Speculative fiction also appeared for the first time in literature, and developed abreast with romanticism. The seemingly slow crumble of society and civilization also brought about the early roots of the realist and abstract movement. Traditional novel forms and rules were challenged, broken, and reintegrated into fresh new concepts. Pictorial art changed as well, with completely new methods of creating images. Utilizing magical advances, some paintings did not even use paint; mana was liquefied and crystallized onto the canvas to create exciting new textures and patterns. While traditional portrait and landscape paintings persisted, verisimilitude was no longer the ultimate goal of art. Fashion finally came into its own as a true art form. During the Age of Isolation, the average Avalonian had no real worry for food or shelter; there was very little disposable income and very little incentive to invest money. As a result, most citizens pour vast amounts of money into art, fashion and literature, as both a pastime and an escape from the harsh realities faced by Avalon. In many ways, the artistic trends from the Mid-Republican era remain relatively unchanged, although emphasis on art has abated somewhat with the citizenry turning their attention towards other matters. Nevertheless, the art community in Avalon is as vibrant and innovative as ever.
A final factor of note that is rather unique in Avalonian art is the lack of any direct political influence. Even during the Imperium, there was very little government direction or artistic control of the content produced by the various artisans, sculptors and writers. Granted, while most Avalonian art has tended to favor rich and wealthy patrons, Avalonian art has never been censored by the State; this tradition has existed for so long that when a senator attempted suggest a law banning the painting of nudes, he was quickly shot down by the rest of Parliament. Freedom of artistic speech and expression has thus been solidified for all of society through Avalonian art.
Sports
With their impressive physiques, Avalonians heavily prize sports not as a spectacle but rather as a means of improving one's own self through competition and training. In fact, there is generally more emphasis placed on organized exercise than actual team sports. Various martial arts and gymnastics exercises are practiced by people of all social classes and ages. That being said, that are several annual sports festivals where athletes compete in several different sports for audiences. The primary sports that Avalonians enjoy are:
- Net-feather - This is effectively where a feathered ball is hit between a court with a net in the middle. There are systems for singles and doubles play. The sport seems tame for the uninitiated, but professional players can make the sport fast-paced and rigorous.
- Table-ball - A paddle is used to hit a small, light rubber ball between a netted table. Unlike Net-Feather, this sport relies more on quick wrist reflexes than strength.
- Field-ball - There are two large boxes at either end of a medium-sized field. Players kick a ball back and forth between two teams in an attempt to get the ball into the boxes. This is is a very popular sport and is a spectator sport as well.
Cuisine
After nearly five thousand years of development in a relatively harsh environment, Avalonian cuisine has became much more than merely finding interesting ways of cooking unusual food sources. It has progressed to a high art form. Various sorts of creatures roam the Underdrak Lightfields, and these have been converted into an unusual variety of delicate meat dishes and soups. Magical plants and flowers also supplement the Avalonian diet as vegetables. Outside of the Lightfields, various mountain roots and plants add odd, invigorating flavors to any Avalonian dish.
Despite the unity of Avalonian civilization throughout the last five millenia, distinct cuisine can still be found among the provinces of the Republic. Perhaps the richest cuisine can be found in Asgarth, where a variety of beastly meat and delicate fowl can be found. These are cooked and eaten in all sorts of ways, with some of the procedures taking several hours. Several famous culinary institutes have campuses within Asgarth and have handed down prized recipes and techniques through the generations.
Avalon cuisine tends more towards the spicy, with the mild and sometimes chilly and dry weather. While it isn't as rich as Asgarth cuisine, there are several unique mountain roots and plants in Avalon's famous vegetable soups which travelers and tourists from all over the Republic come to sample. Normal cuisine in Avalon tends more towards small delicate meats, and more emphasis on vegetables and viscous soups.
On the Hills of the Norn, rice and rice-related dishes are more dominant, although rice has made its way into Avalonian and Asgarth diets as well. Because of the milder temperatures and paddy fields, cuisine in Nova Atlantia tends to have a balanced mix of livestock and vegetables and copious amounts of rice.
In the more idyllic countryside to the southwest, the cuisine tends to be a bit more rustic; lamb and small vegetables tend to be the norm, along with some handpicked plants and mushrooms.
Societal Attitudes
Avalonian societal attitudes are, on the surface, a contradiction in terms and somewhat hypocritical. Individualism is prized, yet a very hierarchical society maintains soft boundaries against social advancement. Furthermore, as a society, Avalonians value the needs of society over any particular individual. Avalonians are also naturally inquisitive, explaining why a religion like Elder Polytheism was unable to gain a lasting presence and why Avalonian society tends to be more secular. It also explains, how despite isolationism, Avalonian science, magic and art has advanced as rapidly as it has. It also explains the various voyages of exploration carried out during prosperous times. Despite this, Avalonian society is in many ways, quite insular. While a relatively small population is also a cause, Avalonian society, in 5,000 years, has expanded very little in territory. In fact, to this day, not even all of Eastern Island is inhabited, with the wilds to the Northwest essentially untouched.
Avalonian individuals tend to be more rational than usual, with logic and reason being indoctrinated into children at an early age. This however, has not stifled creativity or art either. Simply put, children are encouraged to not always let emotion guide judgments and actions. Avalonian society also highly values 'democracy', yet at the same time, places somewhat stringent limits on social mobility. The elite generally remain the elite, even if one's economic class may shift from time to time. Politics and power also generally tend to remain concentrated within a select group of individuals or families. While undoubtedly, this has shifted in modern times with the election of Prime Minister Philipus, it remains to be seen if the Prime Minister is an exception, or remains a trend.
Despite nearly three millenia of isolationist policies, Avalonians are in fact, not xenophobic. While the upper class places a premium on civility and education, most Avalonians are eager to meet new civilizations and new people and to engage in trade of both goods and ideas. Confidence in the military, gained primarily from Avalon's repulsion of the Necromancer advances, further curbs would-be xenophobic tendencies among the populace. As a whole, Avalonian society remains quite open to new ideas. This is however, contrasted with their emphasis on history and tradition. In an odd way, socially, Avalonians are inward-looking; institutions often remain completely unchanged for centuries and reforms usually come in a staggered pace. It is only in the last century that social change, from how one perceives Avalonian society to ways of thinking about gender and class distinctions, has really accelerated.
Regarding gender inequality, Avalonian society is surprisingly equal. Women are allowed to take on a wide variety of occupations, except serving in the military. The Avalonian armed forces remains the sole patriarchal institution. And while women are technically allowed to serve on civilian skycraft, most trading companies do not hire women to crew skycraft. Indeed, the only way for women to see the world outside of the Republic is to be selected as an expeditionary mage by the Avalonian Mage Expeditions Institution.
Despite their emphasis on logic and reason, Avalonians have taken to sometimes fantastical explanations about their own heritage; Because almost all Avalonians have some amount of divine blood within them, Magic has become a fundamental fact of life even if no one is truly able to understand how magic came to exist; Avalonian acceptance of Magic is therefore based more on faith than scientific reason; they know it exists, they know they can manipulate it, but they do not understand the true origins of Magic.
Commentary
Generally, speaking there are several major factors which have shaped Avalonian society throughout the millenia. Space, population size, and divinity. While some would argue that the early dwarven texts also played an important role, the reality is that it was hardly critical to the character of Avalonian Society today.
Despite the size of Republic territory, most of it is hostile and inhospitable. Indeed, with the majority of the Avalonian Republic's population crammed into three major settlements, space is a critical dimension of society. Because of the fruitful and magically enhanced agriculture as well as the abundance of gold and adamantium, wealthy in Avalonian society isn't expressed in more traditional terms of having more property or more lavish food. In fact, food is quite affordable in the Republic. In fact, because of the relative wealth of food and other resources, the Republican government provides subsidized, albeit cramped, housing to every Avalonian citizen. Food rations are also doled out for those who can not afford basic necessities. Because of these subsidies, even the poor in Avalon have proper food, medication, public education, and housing. Very very few people are homeless. On the other hand, this egalitarianism contrasts heavily with the somewhat rigid social classes and lack of social mobility. Wealth in Avalon is unsurprisingly measured in terms of space and real-estate. Wealth nobles often have an entire estate, often filled with gardens and large artificial lakes. Indeed, most parks are in fact owned or partially owned by wealthy nobility. Open space has essentially become the sign of how wealthy one is and indeed is the general measure of luxury. Also, because of space issues, tombs are incredibly rare, and the few that do exist honor men who have left a distinctive impression in Avalonian history. For most people, even the rich, cremation is the preferred method of disposing of the dead.
Population size also affects the attitudes of society towards murder. Because of the relatively small population, Avalonians are generally do not believe in excessive expansion. They are also intolerant of murder; oddly enough there are only very few instances of capital punishment. Life is treasured. In yet another odd twist however, assassination is a tacitly, although somewhat extreme, element of politics that is politically acceptable. Because of the inflexible nature of Republican democracy, public approval of assassination serves as an odd method of public accountability. Any politician who remains in power but is shown to be clearly corrupt, inept, or insane will generally be assassinated, if only by some other more ambitious politician. While assassination is rare, and generally unheard of past 4000 AE, Avalonian history is filled with stories of assassinated leaders; usually poor ones. Funeral rites also differ from most other societies in that the atmosphere of the funeral depends on the age of the deceased. An elderly Avalonian's funeral is often celebrated as a life well lived, whereas the death of young Avalonians is met with particular gravity and sorrow.
Finally, divinity plays the final formative role in Avalonian society. It is generally accepted that dwarven relics in addition to the semi-divine members of early Avalonian society were the primary catalysts of Avalonian curiosity, rationality, and temperance. However, the divine nature of Avalon, from the general population to the very habits that surround the cities, has led to an odd spirituality within a web of secular culture. Avalonian philosophy is indeed, quite spiritual without being dogmatically religious. Because of magic's mysterious nature, yet very tangible presence, a sense of faith has been instilled in Avalonians. It is this faith that tempers the more rational elements of Avalonian society; indeed much of Avalonian art, theater and drama involves magic or magical elements in some way.
Dramatis Personae - Notable Individuals
- Gregory Philipus - Prime Minister; Philipus gives the impression that he is a young, educated, energetic and idealistic young politician. Having obtained the office of the Prime Minister at the unheard of age of 84, Philipus nevertheless has become someone that every member of Parliament takes seriously. Born to a Scientist father and Mage mother, Philipus is as close as Republican history has ever come to having a 'commoner' obtain the office of Prime Minister. Despite his young age, no one is quite sure why Philipus possesses a heavy aura of gravitas around him.
- Julius Fenrir - Councilor of the Prime Minister; Best friend of Philipus, he does not share Philipus's boundless optimism of looking out towards the rest of the world. His presence keeps the Prime Minister's goals grounded. He is a primary architect of Philipus's domestic policies and agendas.
- Ambassador Sigurd - Ambassador to Thule; After the end of the Necromatic Wars, a traveling mage reported on the existence of kingdom of Glasself-Dorlyn, comprised of a band of hardy human-warriors. While Ambassador Sigurd is technically Avalon's ambassador to all of Thule, his primary duty will be to establish friendly relations with the Republic's closest neighbor.
- Michael Thoran - Lord Admiral of the Avalonian Navy; Like Philipus, Thoran was raised in an educated middle-class family. He attended the Arcadian Officer's Academy before the Necromatic War and graduated just in time to fight aboard one of the Republic skyships. By the end of the war, with the Navy itself dangerously low on ships, he gained command of one of the few remaining skyships. He was instrumental in the naval reforms, serving as a Naval Adjunct under Prime Minister Frey. He continues to implement and shape reforms and Avalonian Naval Doctrine after being promoted to Lord Admiral of the Navy by Prime Minister Philipus.
- Eostre Odina IV - 39th Empress of the Odina Dynasty; Eostre Odina is the perfect Empress in many ways. Regal, reserved and conveying a sense of Imperial majesty, she remains aware of her position and her role in society. She has no real interest in gaining power, instead focusing most of her time on preserving the Imperial Palace as a cultural institution. Her sharp wit is constantly tested by politicians who would use her and the Imperial Court for their own political gain. She is tacitly sympathetic towards Prime Minister Philipus's ideals.
- Vernius Rodmar - Senator; A long-standing member of the Republic Senate, he is a bitter rival to the young Prime Minister. As a prominent member of the Isolationist Party, he has been known to utilize any opportunity to make the Prime Minister's political life miserable.
- Lucilia Nannais - Headmistress of the Bene Vitae School of Life, Grand Superior of the Breeding Program Council; Headmistress Nannais leads the Bene Vitae Breeding Council. Often derided as a Bene Vitae 'Witch', her near fanatic dedication to the Breeding Program makes her a dangerous individual. She has recently taken an especial interest in Aesr Alexandropos.
- Vandeth Yonda - Grand Archmage; Grand Archmage Yonda has headed the Council of Archmages for nearly four centuries. One of the most powerful Archmages in Avalonian history, he continues to keep watch over the Olympic Valley from within the Tower of Avalon. Wise, but reserved and cautious, he has pushed for the Republic remain restrained in its foreign endeavors.
- Dunworth Idas - Master; Master Idas has been on an expedition in Lemuria for the past century, maintaining a watchful eye on would-be threats to the Republic, while creating a social and diplomatic network to be utilized by future mages. However, the insights he has gained over the past century lead him to believe that if Avalon wishes to remain dominant, it must open up to the rest of the world to bring in trade and new ideas.
- Grandis Hoenir - Master; Master-Professor Hoenir is a renowned combat mage and scholar, serving as faculty with the Augusta Incantation Academy. He is also the personal tutor to House Alexandropos and a valued friend to young Aesr Alexandropos.
- Selina Sifner - Adept; Adept Sifner is an apprentice to Master Idas and travels with him.
- Las Aerstrider - Lieutenant in the Army of the Republic; Stationed aboard the Warship Aesir, Aerstrider is a young officer looking for adventure and as well as advancement in his career. His current duties involve overseeing the Landing Detachment aboard the Aesir, a position which may bring him the glory he seeks.
- Aesr Alexandropos - Son of the Duke Alexandropos; A precocious young noble, Alexandropos displayed an amazing maturity and intellect at a young age. In recent years, the 15 year old boy has also developed other talents, including minor prescience, disturbing bursts of speed, and telekinetic abilities. Little does he know, he is the product of the Bene Vitae Breeding Program. He is often shadowed by the Headmistress of the Bene Vitae, something distressing to his friend, protector, and teacher, Master Hoenir.