Kythos

Kythos is a city-state located within the New World that prides itself in it's mercantile and martial culture. The city is recognizable from afar by it's massive structures built high into the sky both from the base of the ground and atop hills that roll unevenly across the island.

Drawing only a little closer, one would also be able to observe a set of massive statues depicting figures that resemble warriors clad in Kythonian armor, brandishing massive blades that gleam a beautiful golden color under daylight, and appear a dim silver under the moonlight. They are referred to as the Colossi, or a singular being a Colossus, and are in fact sentient guardians of the nation, having been given life by the late Grand Architect of the city, **Dakaros**.

Kythos itself works as a singular entity, there being little political divide within the people. Under the banner of the nation rather than a company or private entity, a massive trading fleet is based in Kythos, regularly trading with it's neighbors such as the Principality of Alleile and Aont Okorr.

The nation exports many things, ranging from pottery, to textiles, to weapons, and additionally there is a large number of mercenaries that operate within the citizenry, lending their martial prowess to others in return for coin.

The reason for this, is due to the fact that Kythos has an incredibly martial focus in regards to their culture. All men and women are trained from a young age the ways of war, each and every child having to pass rigorous physical and mental tests throughout their childhood and education. At the age of 17, children transition into adulthood, where they are required to leave their homes for no less than a year, bringing back with them upon their return a memento of whatever journey or hardship they encountered astray. This hiatus is known as **Kopos**.

Many turn to becoming mercenaries as Kythos has long since defeated it's main regional adversaries, and now finds itself in a constant state of peace within and around it's borders. Regardless of this peace, the culture has yet to deviate from it's warrior ways.

Regardless of how one is brought up, after being initially trained as a warrior throughout childhood, citizens, upon returning to the homeland after their Kopos, are incentivized to become functioning and contributing members of Kythos' prosperous economy. While it may seem conflicting in value, the citizens are more than happy to oblige, learning trades and skills such as bartering, culinary skills, and pottery-weaving.

The nation has rejected a military presence from the Navy, stating that it can defend it's borders far better without the incursion of what they refer to as "an inferior breed of warriors." However they do maintain relations with it for the purpose of trade and information-sharing.

Needless to say, the people of Kythos have great pride in their skills in combat, and many even after returning home seek out excitement in foreign wars.

## Government & Philosophy

The governmental structure of Kythos is that of a **Noocracy**, making up a council of one representative for every 100,000 citizens, and within the congressional council, decisions are made by democratic vote amongst those scholars and philosophers chosen to be on the council. Noocrats themselves must also be elected by popular vote, with an annual vote made by all citizens that allows them to vote for any person within the nation that they believe wise, then with all candidates being ranked in a massive list, the top 57 being placed on the council. While this, in theory, could easily shift into a system of demagoguery, thus far the people of the nation have not strayed from their values of placing who they truly believe wise to administrate the decisions of the nation.

In addition to this Noocratic Council, there also sits a much smaller house known as the **Myridia**, which consists of the nations eleven most powerful warriors, which is decided both by popular vote in tandem with a grand fighting tournament that occurs bi-annually, which those wishing to potentially be seen as candidates for the position having to participate in one or both of them. The purpose of the **Myridia** is to allow for the military to act as a separate agent to the regular domestic authority in times of war, where the Myridia are granted full control over the placement of military troops during conflicts. If domestic, this simply takes on the place of commandeering the nation's armies, however if foreign (Kythos is invading) then this grants whichever Myridia are on the offensive full control over all decision-making on the field, so long as it does not directly contradict the values of Kythos as a whole.