Kingdom of Misthena

Created by u/accountofme

### Geography

Misthena is located on an island south of the continent of Zemostros. The landscape of the Misthenian island is rather uniform with only small alterations in altitude. Most people settle on the coasts for fishing and trading with other nations. There is especially an abundance of forests on the west coast, giving many people jobs in the primary and secondary sectors.

Although the island is very fertile and abundant with life, the climate of the island brings a mild breeze (especially inland) amidst the wrath of the sun during the spring and summer. There is a harvesting season in the fall, followed by gentle winters. The majority of the population prefers to live by the ocean. Heavy industry has begun in the production of textiles, iron and coal (much of which is now imported from other nations,) and weaponry. Due to the generally high temperatures in the spring and summer, people tend to construct their homes out of wood. Bricked homes have gone out of favor.

### BIOLOGY / ETHNICITY

Belonging to the human race. The Misthenians have a dark complexion on their skin as a result of the warm temperatures of Zemostros and the island (the original natives) to protect from UV damage. The life expectancy is 58 years, although a higher quality of life can be found in the southern coast due to an access to resources and lower levels of industry.

Most Misthenians today stem from a much more close-knit group who were prohibited from marrying those outside of their tribe. This group was known as the Sadari, who lived in the arid regions of western Zemostros. The bulk of the population can partly trace their lineage back to their forced migration from this area due to a combination of natural disasters in the region and warfare with local tribes which proved detrimental to the Sadari people. Most Sadari were involved in the migration to Misthena, however, some remained and located elsewhere in the continent. This is the origin of the Republic of Catheli. Historians believe that this event happened roughly 1200 years ago, but the story of the exodus has been passed on orally by the priests up until writing was developed a couple hundred years ago.

The Sadari settled in Misthena due to the abundance of food and mineral resources as compared to their previous home. They spread their genes with the local populations (whom were of a similar, yet lighter skin color) already found in the Misthenian island, who called themselves the Matanin. This mix gave the modern Misthenians a dark hair color compared to the blond people of Catheli. The natives of Misthena, the aboriginals, were not decimated by the Sadari. Small patches of aboriginals that have not bred with the Sadari-Matanin people have situated primarily in the interior and have remained homogenous. Nonetheless these people have not shied away from the further development in the coastal areas. The descendents of Sad ar created a pidgin with the aboriginals for easy communication and was then creolized. This is now the official language of Misthena, which is the sole language taught to everyone that can afford to have an education.HYeah

### HISTORY

Soon after the Sadari landed they established the Kingdom of Misthena, and pushed further south. The aboriginals and the Sadari were very receptive of one another and there were very little ethnic hostilities throughout Misthenian history. The government has historically incorporated both the descendants of the Sadari and the aboriginals, although the monarchy that has resided over the Kingdom of Misthena had been almost entirely Sadari prior to a vote by the noble Court to end the exlusiveness. Economic and social development has not yet been hindered by foreign warfare and conquest; most of Misthena’s history has centered on self-reliance up until the turn of the last century. After the entire island was settled by the Sadari, they did not move into other lands.

Especially with the widening scope of industrialization in the past half century, Misthena has been able to not only drastically improve its economy and the people’s living conditions in terms of housing, defense, international trade and agricultural output, but also in the craft of shipbuilding. Like the Sadari people that have remained on Zemostros, the construction of ships (mostly for military purposes) has been crucial to maintaining regional power.

Now, Misthena is turning away from self-reliance and actively seeking alliances and trade relationships in distant lands due to a more facilitated outreach of technology. Recently, Misthena has also opened up to immigration as a means to spur cultural diversity. More settlements have appeared in the north (Ureveda, Thimuon) and the west (Leceqi) solely for the purpose of commerce.

### SOCIETY

Much of what consitutes the modern society of Misthena is built from the national religion of the island, Kimoplos. The Misthenians have built a complex caste system, not based on one’s lineage, but one’s moral compass. In Misthena, those who appear to be the most just (and often wealthy) enjoy a life of little hardship relative to the villages they live in. It is very difficult to raise oneself in the hierarchical totem pole, though.

It is common practice to dress modestly, due to both the temperatures of the island and a religious duty not to profane or lust unneedingly. Those who do not adhere to this trait are shunned.

Misthena has been enlaced in a democratic upbringing outside of the whelms of the absolutist regime, as each township freely elects their mayor and forms an independent judiciary system. All people that are able to labor in the fields or industry do so because of the religious obligation to reject sloth (for it comes from demons) All men and the “well-off” women of Misthena are given the right to vote for whom to elect for their villages. Money is a seemingly new concept, because before the craze of industrial activity, bartering was the most common means of economy. Many people still abhor money, as the people believe that it solely causes hardship. Communal ownership of farmlands can still be exhibited in lesser-developed regions such as the south and the interior, but the dominating cities found elsewhere are exceedingly mercantile.

The oligarchy consists of the noble Court, which assists the power of the King or Queen. These members are high-ranking priests of the Kimoplos faith who also tyranically administer the religious leaders beneath them. The noble Court is chosen by the throne. First-born sons are preferred to continue the crown’s legacy.

### CULTURE

The polytheistic religion of the Misthena is known by the people of the island as Kimoplos (translated literally as “the true faith,” which began roughly five hundred years ago. According to this legend, the prophet Limemnyo Gukatari preached to the ordinary people of both the ethnic Sadari and the aboriginals of Misthena’s eventual triumph over the world through peaceful association through him. Before he died, he talked about his coming return to the world to lead the country to glory, and that Misthena would be the center of the new heaven, where the gods would rule from the city of Genyam. A king of Misthena, Bidahukoron II, tried to destroy the religion (fearing that it would destroy the social balance) but was promptly deposed by the new converts in the royal court. Ever since, to the great dismay of the ghost of Bidahukoron II, Misthenians of both origins have embraced this religion and has greatly affected the actions that the government takes.

According to this religion, those who die go to hell, but when Gukatari returns, he will save the just and take them to eternal bliss.

Some notes on Misthenian tradition:

- Misthenians have strict dietary laws; nobody really knows why.

- They do not bury their dead and attempt to treat the corpses with the utmost dignity. So they cremate them and dispose of the ashes. The most common site to dispose of the ashes is the Dajeber Beach – where Gukatari is said to have fought demons in the celestial void, who still control hell today.

- There is no set day of worship, everyone goes to the temple when they please.

- Misthenians pray for the deceased to reduce their suffering.

- They show their best character to outsiders so that they might follow their example.

### OCCURRENCE OF MAGIC

Most uses of magic are seen as divine interventions on that person’s behalf. Demonstrating the use of magic may be a large factor in determining whom is favored by the gods. However, priests reject the fact that many of the peoples throughout Aokoa have some power of divine magic. In fact, the priests persist in the knowledge that much of the foreign use of magic (except that of the Catheli, which is excused) is from the demons of the void. Nonetheless, most Misthenians know for a fact that magic is used elsewhere, but believe that those who are favored are given that ability to utilize it for the common good.

Most magic is used either in a religious context, healing ailments (which is only to be used by religious leaders), or to make construction tasks easier.

### MAJOR EXPORTS / IMPORTS

As mentioned, Misthena has great forests on the western coast; the trees are renowned for their various possibilities, ranging from treating sicknesses with the tree sap to being easy building material. The Misthenian diet is primarily based on seafood, and aquaculture is a major mode of export to other nations. Fruits and vegetables are usually a domestic market.

Misthenians are well-known to be excellent craftsmen. Weaponry (such as smoothbore guns and sabres, etc.) are very customary, and the allies of Misthena may have generous donations at a low price. Steel alloy is easy to incorporate locally as long as the supplies to make it are readily available. However, The mining industry is still growing slowly in most of Misthena beyond the western coast, and foreign iron and coal are a necessity to continuing the industrial pace of the country.

Food products such as poultry and dairy are also a regular import to the country to supplement the rising nutrition in Misthena.

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