Ithero

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Ithero is a wealthy hub of trade and travel once ruled by the Twingods, Veser and Naios, located on an island chain off the northwestern coast of Aloreh. The nation is celebrated for its master navigators and naval heroes, its formidable armada, and its proud history of fortune and conquest. However, rumors have long spread of dark dealings and strange happenings taking place in the alleyways at night, and there are few who fully trust the strict and bureaucratic admiralty that rules the nation, or their long-secluded masters in the secretive priesthood of the Twingods. A traveler with an adventurous spirit could make and lose a thousand fortunes in a city like Calastore, or could just as easily disappear, never to be heard from again.

## History

Itheri myth dictates that the original followers of the Twingods were mariners lost in the tumultuous seas of the Winnowing. Veser and Naios set the moon about its rotation in the primordial A'therian skies, and the seas calmed, allowing the mortals to make landfall in the northwest. The people came to serve the Twingods, who had cast the seas into balance that they might sail them safely. Across the Winnowing, they became a formidable naval power, mastering the oceans of A'therys like none before or since. They built a powerful empire across the seas, harassing Vrovona frequently and vying for control across many territories. A city was built within the Bay of Crescents, upon the water as they had been all their lives, and it was from Calastore that their control spread.

As the First Calling ended and Llyrrh departed after her decree, the Twingods and their followers saw little in the way of change. There were still battles to be fought over territory and resources, still training to be done, but a sense of equilibrium became key to their being. As Veser and Naios balanced each other, so too did the Itheri balance strategy and strength. It was with these in equal measure that they fought the unparalleled military might of Vrovona, and for nearly 300 years they battled before the truce that began their unlikely alliance. However, while Vrovona continued to exist in much the same way until the Second Calling, it was not to be in Ithero.

Across A'therys there had existed many human-controlled city-states that thrived beyond the gods' control. Those that had successfully weathered the Winnowing were now incredibly powerful, and typically led by an unparalleled mage capable to defending against the gods and their advances. However, none could fend off the gods forever, and one by one they fell to various powers until in AB 1357 there was left only one. The state, located in northeastern Ithero, was ruled by Corata Aiya, a sorceress who had for centuries fended off advances from the Twingods. However, in that year Veser and Naios determined it was time to eradicate her forces before she became a threat to their seat of power, and so they descended upon the state with their full naval might. The battle was short, and her domain was taken, but Corata Aiya had one final deal to make; she would be allowed to leave her throne in peace if only she could bind Veser and Naios together into the single entity they had always desired to be. The process took one year, but only at the final hour did her treachery become apparent. With the city-state destroyed and Corata banished from A'therys, the horrifically deformed Twingods locked themselves away deep beneath their palace in the sewers of Calastore.

In the years that followed, a darkness swept over Ithero. With the gods gone from the public eye and their priesthood now forever occupied with trying to undo the magic of Corata, the Itheri navy took up the slack and enforced a military state. Rumors of terrible experiments carried out by the priesthood began to surface, conducted deep beneath the city in the dark tunnels of the sewers. Legend says that the priests hunted for those with shapeshifting abilities, humans and otherwise with special powers left over from the Winnowing, and experimented on them in hopes of curing their gods, now known as the Intertwined. Over the coming millennia, such beings were slowly eradicated from the world in this way, and the navy tightened its control on the nation. By the time Llyrrh descended for her Second Calling, the citizens of Ithero had not seen their gods in so long that is was as though nothing had changed. The Lord Admiral and his council stayed the course they had charted since their gods left them, though the strict control they had once enforced grew lax as the priesthood lost power. The age-old alliance with Vrovona fell apart in the years that followed, but their power on the world stage did not wane. Of all the nations, Ithero was and is perhaps the best suited to face the years ahead, as they have already been living them.

In AU 259, the exclusively mortal War of Eventide saw Ithero as one of its combatants. Rising tensions with Aloreh boiled over into full-scale conflict after what was perceived as an assassination attempt on then Lord Admiral Baldassare. Though Ithero was unbeatable on the seas, their infantry was woefully outmatched by the Alor war machine on land, and the addition of Daggerlander air support put the Itheri at a severe disadvantage. Had it not been for a mysterious disaster in the Bay of Crescents, the Alor would surely have defeated the Itheri in total. As it was, in AU 263 the war ground to a close, with neither side any longer having the resources or drive to continue the fight. Though Ithero declared itself the winner, Aloreh maintains (likely correctly) that it would have been victorious were it not for the event in the bay. As a result of the war, much came to light from within the Itheri Admiralty. Lord Admiral Baldassare was executed by the Alor for war crimes, in a trial the Itheri chose not to interfere with. Lady Admiral Farriese was chosen to succeed him, and she continues to reassemble the nation as best she can.

## Geography

The Itheri empire is contained within two large islands to the northwest of Aloreh. Its geography is fairly consistent, with moderately sized mountain ranges running the spine of each isle. Dark and beautiful forests cover the islands, giving way to grassy marshes at the coasts. Immediately north of the island capital of Calastore is Paladosa, primarily a pastoral farming region. It is home to one of only two freshwater lakes on the isles, as well as a much lower average elevation, so most of the food for the capital region comes from here. Eszari Aveno to its east is much more mountainous, giving way to marshes on the north shore, and it is as inhospitable a region as it is beautiful. Retired Admirals often have estates in this region. Further east is Bassota, a region prized for its craftsmanship in woodworking. The remaining land at the far west is known as Tovaran, again mostly rolling hills and forests. Hunting is a popular sport in Ithero, and this wild landscape is known for its game.

On the southern isle, the center for commerce and trade is Aetrice d'Arro on the east coast. Due largely to its proximity to Calastore and northern Aloreh, it was unfortunately a common battleground during the Eventide. The rebuilding of the region has been slow, but steady, and businesses there have moved temporarily to Calastore proper or Benvalia to the northwest. That region was largely pastoral, like its counterpart Paladosa, but thanks to the influx of military production and refugees from Aetrice d'Arro it has boomed in industrial capacity. Escorhal saw a little of this as well, previously a quiet coastal mining region. Naidorno got no such boost, but as the westernmost land point in the eastern hemisphere it needs no assistance. A large trade city at the far tip sees the majority of trade from the other regions of the world, on their way to Calastore and beyond, keeping the region well-funded.

## Society

As one might imagine, Itheri society is based largely around the sea. Most people are either fishermen, merchants, or members of the navy, but whatever their calling all spend at least some part of their lives on a ship. As a result, rank and structure is very important to the average Itheri, even if it does not interject into society as much as it does in Aloreh, for example. Service in the navy is all but mandatory; while this does not necessarily mean a tour of duty, sailors almost always prefer such things to the stifling shore. For those who either shirk military service or have served their time and retired, the sea is never far away; Calastore lays claim to A'therys' master shipwrights and the necessary facilities for the construction of new vessels, and a popular occupation for young ex-servicemen is to learn that trade. Those who exhibit above-average intelligence (which in Ithero is already relatively high) are often contracted to return to the navy as teachers at Crestwright, which is a highly respected position as well. Of course, also not unheard of is a life of mercenary work; unlike in Vrovona, where honor is paramount and such things are shunned, a cutthroat mercenary is often appreciated within Ithero. It is a somewhat darker place where things like this are overlooked, resulting in poor opinion of the nation from some of the other world powers.

As was mentioned, not all are required to serve in the Itheri navy. Those who pledge their lives to the Twingods and enter the Priesthood of Veser and Naios will dedicate themselves to a life of study and meditation, attempting to reach the balance their gods once extolled the virtues of. Upon entering the priesthood, each candidate is reviewed and selected to be either a Priest of Veser, or of Naios. They are then paired with a partner from the opposite priesthood who best balances out their attributes, creating a pair at equilibrium. Part of the trials the new priest must undergo is learning to live and work as one with their new other half, as the bonds are never to be broken; if one priest leaves the fold, then his or her partner is also banished for failing to keep the balance. Those who leave the church are often shunned by their fellow Itheri, and usually choose to either live in solidarity or to forge a new life outside of the nation; openly unbalanced souls are not welcome in Ithero.

## Government

The governmental structure of Ithero is one of the more interesting in A'therys. Seeing as it was effectively under human control even when the Twingods were still on the Mortal Plane, a unique dichotomy was created between the priesthoods of Veser and Naios and the admiralty. Before their disappearance, the Twingods were the sole authoritarian force in Ithero; they commanded the navy and also created the laws by which Ithero lived. But after the events with Corata Aiya, they closed themselves off from all but their highest-ranking clergymen, and the admirals of the Itheri navy were forced to pick up the slack. Ithero was plunged into something akin to martial law for the remainder of the Age of Balance, with the navy dictating almost every action of the nation. The position of Port Admiral was created to manage the affairs of Calastore, while the other military leaders slowly formed into a government. For all the change, the navy did make an effort to keep an open line with the priesthood and people, as ignoring them would have been their undoing. While the military controls most of the aspects of government, the priesthood assists in various necessary matters including advisement, and it is through the religious side that the common folks of Ithero may have their qualms aired.

Collectively, the naval might of Ithero is controlled by a Council of Admirals, men and women who attain the highest rank the military has to offer. Most global decisions occur within this group, but one is chosen from among them to be the supreme leader of the nation as a whole. The Lord Admiral, or Lady as gender may dictate, remains in power until either incapacitated or otherwise chosen to be replaced, and holds the final say in all matters. The Lord Admiral is not expected to make all such final decisions alone, however, and may call upon the Priesthood of the Twingods at any time to advise him. The priests always arrive with their partner, as is the custom, and will provide answers based on their shared understanding. While both the priest of Veser and the priest of Naios hold a slightly different view on things, they always align in their advice to the Lord Admiral. If the advisement given is not sufficient or the Lord Admiral feels uneasy still, he may send for a different pair of advisers at any time. It is also in this way that the Lord Admiral hears of complaints from the general populace, as the common folk are expected to bring all their issues to the priesthood.

*Originally written by OccidentalAnvil for the more official A'therys wiki*