Anchanok

The **Kingdom of Anchanok** is a constituent monarchy of the Malendor Supercorporation. It was one of the main worlds of the Malendor realm, being among a portion with a Kuelgon majority.

Its capital is the southerly metropolis of Mukunda.

## Flag and symbols

The Anchanokke flag consists of two triangular blue sails, with a white Eye of Odin.

## History

The ancestors of the Anchanokke, the Baimulxerei, migrated away from Kuelgon, seeking to create a new nation of their own. They became subjects of the Theocracy of Holy Novantir, who was especially interested in their magical powers. The first of their kings was Balqoris, who led his people away from a civil war in the Konjor Supercorporation.

The Anchanokke learned their magic from human sorcerers, so they allowed the humans to live with them as fellow-subjects. The first humans on Anchanok were Norsefolk, many of which were spellcasters either seeking new adventures as warriors, scholars who sought new venues to study and improvise their bizarre technology, or simply people who fled from being used as living batteries and weapons.

The Anchanokke and their human brethren joined the Crusader Fleets by aiding Rigara's defeat of the corrupt theocrat-sorcerers, resulting in the formation of the Malendor Supercorporation. Later, the Londurilli were welcomed for their skill in smithing and poetry.

The current King of Anchanok is Andagar Cholaktor. This master mage is focused on his duty to defend his people from being enslaved by the warlords of Novantir, some rogue Crusaders, and his Konjor kin (who denounced him as a traitor). This planet was the destination for Vodzhatosh's current assignment, as Kesatre chose a pretty world to mock him instead of a world where he could join a fighting club.

In modern times, Anchanok is a republic known as Achorna, reunited with its old friends, including Hadnara (Novantir).

### Kings of Anchanok

* Balmoqis - founder
* Peliqan
* Andagar Cholaktor - current monarch, 3530 Malendor era

## Geography

* Mukunda - the royal capital, at the southern part of a main continent.
* Ferudal - a town to the south of Mukunda, connected by a railway across vast wheat fields.
* Gleskrauq - a town at the northeast, far away from Mukunda across the equator and a vast mountain range. Surrounded by pine forests, this picturesque town is known for its delicious wine.

## Demographics

The Anchanokke are Kuelgons, so even though they look like Novantirnas, they can also shapeshift at will and with the proper training. Aside from developing powers through training, most (if not all) Anchanokke) were hatched with magic powers. Generally, they are a very jovial and helpful people, but they refuse to use their powers outside Anchanok out of fear that they might either create a storm of attract enemies who seek to abuse their magic.

Thirty percent of Anchanok's people are humans, mostly of Londurilli descent. The rest of the humans are mostly Norse, descendants of spellcasters and mages.

The humans of both races, even the mages, tended to be more immune from the tug-of-war mind control attacks because of their lesser saturation in magic, or simply because they are humans. However, the longer they stood outside, exposed to the magical energies from the tug-of-war, the more likely they will end up being controlled by the sorcerers.

## Culture

Anchanokke culture may look primitive to other Malendors, because they retained much of their archaic architecture. They are described as "mediaeval", and yet even the lowliest worker in Anchanok always uses a computer and a holo-phone, and holo-signs are seen everywhere in Anchanok's cities. Belying their archaic appearance, Anchanokke tend to use the same technology as their Malendor counterparts, albeit redesigned in their cultural art.

Anchanokke cities tend to be centred on large, imposing stone castles. Beyond are many steel and wooden towns and villages, connected by dirt roads and railways.

Although the human minorities of Anchanok tend to be assimilated into Anchanokke culture, some cities and towns are being influenced by their architecture. The humans sometimes intermarry with each other, but they never intermarry with the Anchanokke as the latter are considered to be unattractive.

Jousting is very popular among Anchanokke boys and men. They ride on raptors, dragons, and six-legged horses.

Tubavqo is a purple ghost from Kuelgon folklore, the spirit of a very incompetent murderer. His failures are often mocked in stage plays, celebrating and laughing at his eternal defeat.

## Language

See also: Anchanokke language

The Anchanoke language is similar to Kuelgon, but with a slightly different vocabulary due to millennia of isolation from the Konjor authorities. It and the Novantirna language are the official languages of Anchanok.

In spite of this, many Anchanoke can understand Kuelgon, albeit in outdated variants learned from travellers, diplomats, and prisoners. Because of this, Anchanokke people were hired as translators, interrogators, and emissaries to Konjor worlds, or worlds who defected or were liberated (or conquered) to Malendor rule.

Londurilli and three Norse languages are used by the local humans, and are recognised as minority languages.

## Religion

The Anchanokke are devout Odinists, who venerate him and the other Star Gods with fervour. Yet they live a rather relaxed lifestyle focused on science, pretending to be knights, and artistic expression.

There were two reasons why the Anchanokke, in spite of being Kuelgons, worship Odin instead of the main members of their Noskowi deities: attraction to other cultures, and seeking to honour Odin as the god of magic.

A priest of Odin is usually referred as a *gilsarek* (gothi). Unlike the gothi of the human Norse, Anchanokke gothi priests wear blue and black robes covered with stars. Some *gilsarekka* (gothar) who had learned stronger magical spells are higher priests and servants of the King, and these are known as "astromancers" for learning from Celestial tomes. Many of them are humans of Londurilli and Norse descent.

Because almost all Anchanokke are hatched with magical powers, the act of magic is considered holy to them, that they would never allow themselves to use it for vulgar purposes to avoid dishonouring their Gods. They also refuse to use magic often outside their homeworld or several allied realms to avoid accidentally creating storms.

Thor is also worshipped on Anchanok as Suro, Zor, or Zol. Leaders of knighthoods in Anchanok wield large hammers in honour of the god.

Freyja (Fejon), a Vanir goddess, is also venerated in the Anchanokke pantheon as the goddess of luck and fortune. Every shop in Anchanok has a little idol or shrine of her riding on a chariot of winged lions.

### Star Gods

* Onzir - Odin
* Feiro - Frigg, goddess of foresight and senses
* Zor, Suro - Thor
* Fejon - Freyja

### Anchanokke deities

Aside from the Star Gods, the Anchanokke venerate various other deities.

* Klunda - the Smith, god of industry and metal
* Fonjun - the Guide, appears as a hooded figure with a lantern, god of darkness and courage
* Gaspak - the Seer, a knight with a lance, god of emotions and concentration
* Merafan - the Sower, god of agriculture
* Qojandof - the Raiser, goddess of the harvest, patroness of peasants and anyone who grows plants
* Baimuri - the Bestower, goddess of fortune, happiness, and music. Wife of Reka.
* Rekâ, Rekâu - the handsome god of youth, students, and the dance. Husband of Baimuri.
* Ñamilo, Ngamilo, Gamilo - the god of wealth, and gold. Freyja's spokesman to the wights and fairies of her heavenly domain. His sacred emblem is three golden spades. He also has his own knighthood on Anchanok.
* Nine Sorceresses - the Assistants, servants of the Norns who turn events to their worshippers' favour with the right motivation (not offerings)

## Anchanokke characters

* Sir Raalqorqel - an agent who brought Vodzhatosh to perform at Anchanok as part of his assignment. He was the leader of an entourage of knights who rode on raptors and dragons.
* Andagar Cholaktor - the current king of Anchanok, a powerful sorcerer who protected his people from evil sorcerers who sought to enslave them and him.
* Sir Eyeball (Haïr Oktos) - the bodyguard and vizier of Andagar, he is a humanoid robot with a single eye as his head that can shoot lasers. Andagar also infused magic into him, making him a conduit and a spellcaster to defend him during his rituals.
* Sir Arnugalvo (Haïr Arnugalvo) - one of King Andagar's knights, a handsome Londurilli man clad in black and green armour. He had brown skin, a bushy black beard, and green eyes.
* Silqrônke - a noblewoman who is a member of a club. She taught Eplazul to behave like a princess and how to use her jetpack, only to find her to eat and chew on the knights' lances.
* Olqoros Ranulfar - a peasant who was one of King Andagar's students who graduated. He won eighth place in the annual Rîlalundres race of 3524.

## Relations

Anchanokke may be annoyed by their Rukthaneh kin's freewheeling behaviour, but they still regard each other as brothers under Odin.

## Trivia

* Anchanok was added in "Dondaton" because the author was amused by the thought of a mediaeval-themed world in a sci-fi work about space aliens. It may be inspired by Ego's Planet from Guardians of the Galaxy and the attire worn by the monarchs in Western playing cards.
* Mukunda, the capital city of Anchanok, was named after a Malayalam dub of the Baahubali song "Kannaa Nidurinchara".
* Sir Eyeball may have been inspired by Sun and Moon from Five Nights at Freddy's: Security Breach, and spellcasters from Cathay in Total War: Warhammer III. His eye-head may also be an allusion to Odin's eye being sacrificed at Mimir's well.
* Arnugalvo was inspired by Saracen characters in mediaeval European legends.