Fitene

The flag of Fitene

The Kingdom of Fitene was formed on 26/12/22 after the various clans of the Fitene islands decided to unite, before a coup d'état was made by Neriqe Sincos, creating the nation. The islands are very diverse and home to many different species and cultures, that all share a united Fitenean identity.

## History

### Prehistory

In ancient times, the Fitenean archipelago was settled by what are known as Fitenean Natives or Itarzans. Over the following generations, due to the hot and damp climate of the archipelago, and also due to the lack of land animals for food, the various tribes that were scattered around the islands relied heavily on agriculture for food, along with fishing. The straits separating the islands led to each island having their own separate customs and dialects within the language and other things, such as the faith.

The natives gradually developed small black horns on their foreheads, which would often be used by the males to attract females for mates, and the ones with the larger horns would dominate and become the tribe leaders, meaning they could acquire a mate even easier, eventually the natives with the horn gene outcompeted the ones without, thus leaving us with the modern horned natives known as the Itarzans.

In the passing centuries, after some small minor skirmishes between tribes and little development, the Fitenean archipelago was discovered and colonised by some of the elven sailors of the early Northern Empire, which never conquered the islands as they were always busy with bigger issues back home, and the islands' vast mineral recourses hadn't been found yet. However, the elves had quickly outnumbered the natives in population, and settled on what is now a historical relic of modern Fitene, the island of Etiga.

At first, the Itarzans were violent and hostile to the outsiders and following many small unofficial wars, tried to expel them out of their territory, which failed, but in the coming era of peace and with the Itarzans being introduced to new technologies and going on to become civilized enough to form their own duchies and kingdoms, the two races co-existed with each other and even intermingled, leading to a minority population of half-elven, half-Itarzan peoples.

### Era of Kingdoms

When the people of Fitene finally built up some small states, and civilized themselves, a period of Fitenean history known as the 'Era of War' or 'Bloody Fitene' began, which was a 200 year period where the archipelago was constantly at war with itself with local kings wanting to take territory and power, leading to the rise and fall of dozens of dynasties, and the deaths of thousands. The elves' advantages of their longevity, height and more resilience to the natives lead to a large racial gap between the elves and Itarzans.

Until around 250 years ago Fitene had been in a state of total isolation which lead it to have a drastically different religion, culture and language to any other state in the world, it also lagged behind in development and military technology, but after some Messocresse traders "discovered" the islands by searching for them, due to Northern Empire tales of a far away island nation, the newest advancements were bought by the Fiteneans and the regional kingdoms began trade with the outside world.

Eventually one Elven king, named Pophaess the Great, managed to unite most of the archipelago before his death at sea, and his kingdom fell apart. The resulting civil war between his lords killed an estimated 40% of Fitenes population, severely slowing its population growth and marking the end of Fitene's dark age, as after this Fitene would never see another major war. A revolution in art sculpting and literature lead Fitene to enjoy the pre-modern era with a light of creativity and the bringing of liberal ideas and the foundations of a democratic state. This is what's considered by Fitenean historians to mark the beginning of the early-modern period in Fitene, which would end in its unification.

### Early-Modern History

With trade with foreigners, and a line of Fitenean explorers, the people of Fitene made themselves known and other nations began to map them, gaining some relevancy. At this time. the archipelago was still very divided, but eventually, the people of Qiriber, otherwise known as the Wolf's Clawmarks island and were led by a majority of elves, had democratically elected a president, who through a campaign of propaganda, promises of riches, gaining diplomatic legitimacy and raising of armies, managed to unite the other small nation states present on the Fitenean islands into a single unified country.

Eventually, the president of Qiriber, Salqie Saphyere, had decided to hold a campaign throughout the islands to get the people to democratically vote to unite the rest of the archipelago under a single flag and nation, Gran Fitene. He established monasteries, schools, and changed the flow of wealth to developing villages. One of his main vassals, Lord Neriqe, founded the port city of Blackport on one of the mesa islands in east of the Fitenean archipelago, becoming the first permanent settlement on the island.

Salqie set up a parliament and worked with his 2nd in command to write up a constitution to present to the people. While this was being done, farming and trade has slowly been improving the lives of Fiteneans over the past few years, leading to a population boom and allowing Fitene to found its first permanent army, containing around 20,000 men and women, with the added 650 women and 124 men of the Deathhorn Legion, curtesy of Etiga.

### The Coup

#### Neriqe's Diplomacy

Soon after, the Prince of Etiga, Neriqe, had been going to diplomatic meetings with many influential leaders, setting up official ties with Lothros and Ered Naghau, even signing an official alliance with Fitene's largest (former) trade partner of Tangia. Shortly after his return, during which the famed Blackstone tower was built to the west of Etiga on a small island, Neriqe and other nobles and regional rulers of the Fitenean lands met up with Salqie to sign the Treaty of Unity and the Constitution. In the winter thereafter, the nation of Fitene was founded, and Salqie held a feast to announce it to the people of Fitene, creating the largest known gathering in Fitenes history with over 280,000 people attending, greatly overpopulating the city of Rineifar that would go on to become the capital. During the celebration people were singing and dancing, some diplomats from foreign nations were also invited. However, not everyone was satisfied with the new state. Whispers of a coup arose. The Lords of Fitene were not pleased with the republic having stripped them of many parts of their land, and they all believed in one thing; "Down with the republic, let our great King rise!".

#### Civil Unrest

Lord Neriqe stepped up to the podium where Salqie was, who was delighted to see him, and pleaded he give a speech to the people, and so he did. Going over his pride of being Fitenean, not just a Qiribar or Etigan, and explained his love for Fitenean peace and patriotism. Near the end of his speech, he turned to Salqie, and uttered the words that echoed throughout the nation; "However, you see, us *Lords* aren't very satisfied with you confiscating our lands. Of course, the unity of the nation is great, but local autonomy to preserve generations of culture is also important, wouldn't you say? You say every man and woman has the opportunity to vote and decide on their nation's fate, well then I ask you; can we not vote on deposing you and instating someone who.. *won't* take a lord's land?"

The crowd soon enough turned into chaos between those who supported with Neriqe and those who did not. Salqie was apprehended and the Lords returned to Neriqe's Black Keep. After two days of negotiations, the President agreed for a vote to be held, which may or may not have been rigged by the lords. The democratic assembly and parliament were dismissed, the Clergy was established and the previous leaders of native Fitenean tribes were given autonomy and numerous titles. Neriqe became the king of Fitene, and after royal guards cracked down on protesters the situation was resolved.

Half a week of fighting in the streets between civilians left hundreds dead and a few thousand wounded, but the nation eventually stabilized, and over the coming weeks people would calm down and accept their new leadership. Salqie and his supporters were tried for treason and flogged to death two weeks after the coup, to erase any chances of a counter-coup.

### The Chancellor Crisis

Although today Fitene is a stable and prosperous nation, with settlers all over the Sýnkrassos' coasts, at the time of the revolution Fitene was still mostly an unstable and isolationist nation. Neriqe's first action to further unify the country was to keep the constitution and make Fitene a Constitutional Monarchy. His second action was to appoint a chancellor.

Over the next few months, his chancellors continuously had their roles taken away, or let go due to mental exhaustion. This event is what's known as the Chancellor Crisis. The first chancellor was planned to be Salqie, but after he was executed for treason, Igiianus Hephmiel, Lord of Itarza, was instead chosen but was kicked out of office after his first diplomatic meeting along with King Neriqe with Filipikos of Lothros, after for some absurd reason could not stop courting the Philosopher King. After a few days, Neriqe appointed the Lord of Etiga, his successor, Niemfki Naiila, who after a week couldn't take the responsibility and pressure, and had a mental breakdown, being given a honorary discharge and being removed from any positions of power the same day.

After Neimfk,i the King dealt with 8 days without a chancellor, being under immense stress and pressure to appoint someone who wont immediately be replaced, with the wider public demanding answers on the government's instability. He finally settled on the ex-drunkard, and new Lord of Etiga, Phellypassios Necloros Teiiq, who maintains the role of Chancellor to this day.

The crisis was short-lived, but had exposed the weak state and instability of the young nation. The King of Fitene, became powerless by simply appointing who will handle diplomatic discussions for him. Since then the king recovered from the immense stress, avoiding a stroke and stabilising the nation.