Atlantis

The Kingdom of Atlantis, previously lost under the waves, came to the surface on March 16, 2017. The ancient civilization has been acknowledged as a micro-nation by the United Nations and it's population is predominantly mutant.

## Atlantis

The Flag of Atlantis

The Location of Atlantis

## History

Founded in 500 B.C.E., the small island nation of Atlantis was founded by mutants from Greece and its surrounding nations. Around 1000 C.E, one of its leaders would use his mutant power to sink the city, keeping it contained in a life-sustaining bubble to allow it to survive beneath the waves.

A state secret that was revealed to X-Men and is definitely not common knowledge to the world at large is that a small population of Mystics also helped found the nation and even took on vital roles in society, Around 1000 C.E, the royal advisor to the Atlantean crown, a mystic, opened a doorway to the Mystic Realm and kicked off an invasion of extra-dimenionsal entities that nearly destroyed Atlantis and wiped out half the population. This was narrowly prevented by the monarch of the time shifting the tectonic plates beneath Atlantis, unmooring it from the mystical doorway and converting the doorway into solid obsidian, rendering it perpetually unusable.

Since that day, Mystics have not been allowed on Atlantis except for individual exemptions by the Atlantean crown and only on truly unique occasions.

## Description

Roughly around the size of Manhattan, Atlantis is a large, circular island out in the middle of the North Atlantic Sea. The land mass itself is massive, solid rock with no discernible vegetation on outskirts. However, a massive ring of a wall hides the view from outsiders. The wall is massive, stone, and surrounds the entire island, leaving only a small perimeter of rock for helicopters and small planes to set down, and for individuals to walk across. The walls only have two entrances, one to the north and one to the south, and these are massive gates that can only be opened from the inside. Atop these structures, people on the outside can see soldiers standing guard.

Once inside, visitors will be greeted with many ancient structures that make up Atlantis. The city is massive, with the inner most layers being the most cared for and the more visibly appealing while the outer layers of the ringed city are more dilapidated and seemingly abandoned or squatted in. Canals run through the entire length of the city, allowing for individuals to travel via boats so that individuals do not have to walk the streets if they don’t want to.

Buildings are roughly of the same design as those of ancient Greece with limited modern amenities. Most of the structures towards the center of the city are the most well-kept while the rest are falling to neglect.

Below Atlantis the island has an infrastructure known as the Necropolis. It is here where workers (historically, enslaved Gorgons) work to create stronger stone work, clean sewers, and maintain the hidden structures beneath Atlantis. Similar buildings exist as those in Atlantis above, but they are far more run down and actually disgusting to live in.

## Leadership and Royalty

Atlantis is ruled by a Monarch, with a Military Council making decisions under her rule. After generations of living under the rule of a telepathic tyrant named King Atlan, the micronation is now ruled by his eldest daughter, Queen Achlus. The line of succession as per Atlantean law would go from the current ruler's children (eldest to youngest), followed by the current ruler's siblings, and the Current Ruler's bastards. In the absence of siblings or children, succession passes through the many more distant cousins and relatives. Thanks to Atlan's centuries of propagation, there are an abundance of potential successors.

Queen Achlus is the head of the Military Council, but her Second-In-Command, General Draco, leads the Council in her stead. There are military Leaders, along with Elective Representatives, who discuss and vote on issues brought to the council by researchers and advisors. Ultimately, all decisions are made by Queen Achlus, though she does take counsel into consideration.

## Culture

Very seeped in its history, Atlantean culture is comparable to a blend of ancient Greek, Minoan, and Mycenaean cultures, with similar job sets (shops, vendors, blacksmiths, artisans, etc.), social ranks, but also seemingly accepting of mutants of all kind. While the micronation has spent generations focused on leisure and luxury for its citizens without physical mutations, this has changed under the new rule of Atlantis. It is not a haven for people to lounge about, wrapped up in their vices, but rather people actually have to work to squeeze out a living.

### "Demigods" and "Gorgons"

Atlantis has a clear divide between mutants: Non-physical Mutations were previously considered “Demigods” and Physical Mutations were “Gorgons”. For years the culture was that Demigods were considered to be closer to the gods and therefore better, while Gorgons are considered monsters.

Due to certain mutant powers over the years, along with unfortunate programs propagated by Atlan, many the non-physical mutants of Atlantis are prone to being fit and physically attractive, which has only increased the divide between physical and non-physical mutants.

Gorgons were generally shunned and forced to work in the Necropolis under harsh conditions. Those who did not work in the Necropolis were often found living in slums on the outskirts of Atlantis, away from Triton. If a Gorgon was born to a non-Gorgon couple, it was not uncommon to sacrifice the child, cast it out into the streets, or send it to the Necropolis, where it would begin working when it was old enough.

Humans born to mutant parents make up a statistically insignificant portion of the Atlantean population. When someone does not manifest a mutation into adulthood, this does impact their social standing. They are considered less worthy of ostracizing than gorgons because they have the potential to bloom into their mutation later in life.

### Current Climate

After the fall of Atlan, and the release of every citizen who was held under his sway, tensions rise. There are Demigods who want to keep things as they were, enslaving Gorgons and living carefree lives, and there are those who want to mix Demigod and Gorgon blood again and have a combined society. Queen Achlus has so far been able to keep the peace, both with social programs and political promises, as well as military policing.

Atlantis is debatably a third-world country, with rising political tensions and the potential of civil war as community leadership, including some of the Queen's relatives, rile up dissent in Triton. The micronation is working with the United Nations to obtain aid to avoid descending into crisis or war. The X-Men have also assisted in aiding Atlantean refugees, predominantly young Gorgons, bringing them into the United States.

### Language

A language referred to as Atlantean formed over the centuries, with Ancient Greek as its base being influenced by other founding cultures of the island. The language was allowed to evolve over the centuries, independent of the rest of the world. A modern Greek speaker might be able to make out some words, but the languages have noticeable differences that make the Atlantean dialect unique.

Classic Latin was another language present in Atlantis since it's founding.

Since the resurfacing of Atlantis, all Atlanteans can speak English. This was due to King Atlan's invasive telepathic powers dispersing the stolen knowledge of the English language to his population.

##### Atlantean Words

* skyrva- (curse word) an insulting name carrying great disrespect and disgust

### Food

Food is actually one thing that Atlanteans have always had in abundance. Years of surviving with the ocean's bounty have made them especially partial to fish, kelp, and other sea creatures to have as delicacies. However, there have been mutants born in the past who were able to manipulate plants to grow in Atlantis’ harsh conditions. This has allowed them to have access to grain and even strange fruits that exist nowhere else in the world, nor could survive anywhere else.

### Sports

Popular sports in Atlantis include:

* Wrestling
* Boxing
* Relay Racing
* Trick Archery
* Paliscus (A game that involves passing along a discus between teammates and has a passing resemblance to modern Ultimate Frisbee or Frisbee Golf.)
* Nerochos (An underwater contact sport with a uniquely designed ball that has to be put through a goal ring, resembling Blitzball.)
* Fokrypsi (A gorgon game of hide and seek, which was practiced to be better at avoiding guards.)

## Tourism and Trade

The outside world is being allowed more freely into Atlantis, with restrictions and proper documentation exchanged between governments. Scholars are being allowed to visit Atlantis so that they can study the rich culture that had been lost to time. Additionally, humans are being allowed on the island, but this is another hot button issue that is causing tensions to rise even more in the city.

They export unique resources, including their rare fruits, to the neighboring islands in the North Atlantic. More formal trade arrangements are being made with the United Nations.

### Currency

Currency currently used in Atlantis is gold and silver, usually in the shape of small coins made of electrum. These coins are roughly circular and bear the emblems of sea creatures on the front and back. The value is measured by the weight of the coin so smaller coins are worth far less than larger ones. Gemstones will also be valued but their value also depends on the size and weight.