Wakanda

## Overview

Wakanda, officially the Kingdom of Wakanda, is an island nation located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of the Horn of Africa. Its neighbors is Seychelles to the south and Somalia to the west. Wakanda has an estimated approximate populaton of 6 million, consisting of ethnic Wakandans. The official language is Wakandan, which is classified as part of the Bantu language family, albeit under its own classification. Its capital and largest city is Birnin Zana.

Wakanda would be inhabited by humanity as early as 2000 BC though the founding tribe itself would claim its traditions to pre-history. Settled on during the Bantu Expansion by the proto-Wakandan tribes, the island nation would be divided into various tribal regions, later to be united under Adowa into Wakanda. Since then, Wakanda has maintained a level of isolation from global affairs. While Wakandan explorers would venture into the outside world and even be involved in some battles, the island itself would remain largely a secret from the outside world over for thousands of years. This would be done thanks in part to the island nation being founded on a massive deposit of vibranium, which was discovered by Bashenga. However, the island's existence would reveal itself around the late 1800s, having done so quietly to avoid any global attention. They would be thrusted onto global politics during World War II, nominally on the side of the Allies and this would begin the interactions with globlal leaders. That said, they were still believed in being a quiet and unassuming agrarian society that escaped colonization through circumstance. However, incidents in the 1990s would reveal Wakanda's true level of technology and development to the general public.

Wakanda is widely considered as the most scientifically and technologically advanced nation over in the world. This is partially done thanks to a culture dedicated to acquiring and learning knowledge globally to maintain their safety and security. Another major factor is thanks to their vibranium deposits, allowing them to be able to cloak themselves from the world until circumstances would expose them to the wider world. Since then, Wakanda has entered a transitional period of change. This has been marked by greater involvement with the outside world, the rise of the Age of Marvels, and growing social strife as a result of Wakanda's end of isolation. Additionally, political enemies have developed in response to Wakanda's isolation and or disinterst in supranational politics.

## Geography

An island nation, Wakanda is located in the Indian Ocean, north of Seychelles. The island itself is estimated to be roughly 24,000 km² and is roughly even in size. The geography of the island is varied, consisting of rainforests at the center of the island with some mountains in the northern part of the island. The mountains are sufficiently high enough to be snow-capped along with possessing some minor volcanic activity. There is some grassland present around the rainforests leading over to the sandy beaches. The island contains a river system linked to the mountains along with a small lake over within the nation.

### Climate

The climate is very humid and is classified by the Köppen-Geiger system as a tropical rain forest (Af). However, the temperatures are cooler in the center of the island thanks to the dense foliage and temperatures are cooler in the mountains, to where snow and ice are present on the mountain tops. The island lies outside of the cyclone belt.

### Wildlife

Due to the presence of the Vibranium meteor that fell in prehistoric times, the island has plenty of unique flora and fauna, which have evolved and influenced by Vibranium. Wakanda is among the world's leading countries to protect lands for local fauna, having allocated a fair percentage of its land to the wilderness, though some small and more isolated groups of Wakandans live here. Centuries of nature worship have to a cultural prominence of successful co-existence with the flora and fauna.

The most affected of Wakandan flora to be influenced would be the "Heart-Shaped Herb." The herb is called for its leaves shaped like a heart. When ingested through a special process, it grants the user near-superhuman capabilities, to where it has been compared as a superior version to the Super-Soldier Serum. However, said herb is only maintained in the royal gardens of Wakanda and reproducing them has failed, leading to the speculation that the unique soil composition (likely containing vibranium) is part of it.

Regarding Wakanda fauna, the most famous would be the Wakandan panther. It is considered the only "true" black panther (as opposed to "false" black panthers, which are the melanistic colour variants of other members of the *Panthera* genus, such as leopards). It is also known for being the smartest of the felines. Indeed, many have noted the animals have heightened intelligence on the island. While it is the most famous animal, it is not the only revered one. Severeal beasts are held sacred due to their connections to the Wakandan pantheon such as the Wakandan mountain blackbird (a type of corvid living mainly in the Vibranium mountain mines), the Wakandan eland (often seen in rivers and ponds like water buffalos and comparable to the giant eland), the Wakandan sea turtle (the largest sea turtle in the world), the Wakandan crocodile (found in tropical jungles' waters and near beaches) and even the Wakanda mountain gorilla.The beasts are endemic to the island though some, such as the Wakandan sea turtle, have venture far outside the island. That said, few if any were ever really captured by people outside of Wakanda.

The only record of extinct fauna over in Wakanda would be the Wakandan leopard, which some have speculated was a casualty as a result of an undisclosed incident in Wakandan history. This is due to some evidence linking the animal to a forgotten Wakandan war god.

## Governance

Wakanda is classified as a unitary limited monarchy. The head of state and government would be the monarch, currently being King T'Challa. As monarch, T'Challa's word is law and sworn to the responsability of safeguarding the people of Wakanda along with guiding it to security and prosperity. The crown is usually passed through lineage, but the leadership can be challenged in duels though the candidates have to be prominent leaders or those of royal blood. These candidates are considered of the "Golden Tribe", one of the five major ruling tribes of Wakanda. The other tribes are the River Tribe, Merchant Tribe, the Mining Tribe and the Shore (or Border) Tribe.

The monarch of Wakanda has prominent legislative, executive, and judicial powers in his singular person. Serving as supreme judicial authority, he is able to judge anyone up in prominent decisions, though while following a written code of laws. However, the crown focuses primarily on executive decisions, with legislation being considered a close second. While making the laws and rules have his prominent influence, it was placed also on a circle of tribal leaders. However, he does have the final say with executive powers.

However, his word is not entirely absolute. Beyond working with a council, the laws of Wakanda still maintain tribal traditions that it is the people that choose and follow the king. As such, it is the duty of the people to go and choose their leader. There are tribal leaders who oversees local decisions and politics while usually also executing the laws.

The monarch also has some religious signifiance, with them usually considered as the leader of the "Panther Cult", the primary religion over of Wakanda. This has not always been the case however.

## Economy

Wakanda follows the economic policy of auturky. Having remained isolated to themselves for hundreds of years, they have learned to be self-sufficient and not rely on outside help. Most of Wakanda's economy is focused on the production, manufacturing and providence of goods and services within the nation itself. All of this has been based on tradition. Unlike Latveria, this economic isolaton has been standard practice for centuries and as such, their economy is virtually unaffected by macroeconomics and the global economy.

In the economy, the various sectors are owned over by the people working on them, serving as tribal owned businesses on the local level and thus being a public good. When it comes to agriculture, people grow food for themselves and excess crops are spread across the island and or stored away for later. The island's raw materials are processed industrially for the sake for the people's care and security. Due to the policy of economic auturky, Wakanda maintains an extensive recycling program that allows to maintain nonrenewable materials for themselves and not needing to import them.

Their primary exception to this is vibranium. With the revelation of vibranium to the outside world over during WW2, Wakanda has released limited quantites of vibranium to prominent nations in exchange for communications about technology and developments. It also served as a form of soft power to get nations to leave them alone. Additionally, the nation has done some textile work along with shipping some common goods to the outside world. This was done to maintain the masquerade from decades prior and is present to this day.

Thanks to their virtual global monopoly on vibranium, this has granted considerable soft power on the world stage though has also made them a target by other nations. Despite this, the Wakandan dollar is worth more than an American dollar thanks to this. Wakanda as a whole does not really import anything though some Wakandans have been importng some luxuries, such as outside works of art and media along with other forms of recreation.

## Culture

### Religion

The primary religion of Wakanda would be Wakandan polytheism. While the entire Wakandan pantheon is worshipped by the people, one god in particular stands above all the others: the Panther Cult. The formal development of Wakandan polytheism appears to have occurred around 2000 BC, at the same time the Bantu ancestors of Wakanda would settle on the island. However, the Panther Cult itself is said to predate settlement on the island and Wakandan scholars have noted that their ancestors have worshipped the Panther God since prehistory.

A notable trend of Wakandan polytheism is that the gods are all formed from human-focused activities or phenomena and as such, seem to lack deities associated with natural phenomena. However, prominent elements of nature worship are found in the faith and everyday practices. Wakandans worship the Sun itself rather than a solar deity for example, and the same pattern of thought is formed in their view of other elements of nature such as the ocean, rivers, mountains and so on.

The gods of the Wakandan pantheon are affiliated with various animals and each major deity is associated with a founding tribe of Wakanda after the unification wars. Listed below are the give major recognized gods of the Wakandan Pantheon along with some other known gods:

* **The Panther Goddess:** The Panther Goddess is considered the primary goddess of worship among Wakanda and associated with royalty. Beyond being the national god of Wakanda, the Panther Goddess is the Wakandan god of rulership, justice, and love. While worshipped by everyone, it has a special association with the Golden Tribe. Is often mistakened (and called) Bast. Considered the primary deity of worship in Wakanda and the patron of leaders, lawmakers and judges.

* **The Blackbird Goddess:** The Blackbird Goddess is the Wakandan god of knowledge, the arts, and of the hearth. Unofficially considered the second most important god, the Blackbird God is associated with the innovation of humanity and the nation's mastery of vibranium. Represented by the Wakandan mountain blackbird (sometimes called mountain raven) and linked to the Mining Tribe. The patron deity of smithers, artists, knowledge handlers, and especially the *aja-adanna* (a Wakandan oral historian, comparable to a bard or griot.)

* **The Sea Turtle God:** The Sea Turtle God is the Wakandan god of commerce, travel, and crafts. The Sea Turtle God is linked over to the Merchant Tribe and represented by the Wakandan sea turtle. The associated is based on how the Wakandan sea turtles go out into the open world and some say the first merchants and traders would be guided by them. Also considered the messager of the Wakandan gods. The patron deity of merchant, travelers, dilpomats and craftsfolk.

* **The Eland Goddess:** The Eland Goddess is the Wakandan goddess of agriculture, medicine, and fertility. The Eland Goddess is linked over to the River Tribe and represented by the Wakandan eland. The association was inspired by how the Wakandan eland was the first beast domesticated for meat, milk, and pelt. Many have compared such treatment to how cows are treated within Hinduism. The Eland Goddess is the patron deity of farmers, butchers, doctors and apothecaries.

* **The Crocodile God:** The Crocodile God is the Wakandan god of protection, boundaries, and trickery. The Crocodile God is linked over to the Border/Shore Tribe and represented by the Wakandan crocodile. A liminal deity, it is linked to how Wakandan crocodiles were among the first to attack intruders onto the island going past the beach. Also linked to strategy and cunning actions. The Crocodile God is the paton deity of guards, defensive warriors, stategists and tacticians along with civil servants (such as firefighters).

* **The Gorilla God:** The Gorilla God is associated with the Jabari Tribe and is thus, not worshipped by most of the population outside of the Jabari Tribe for centuries. The Gorilla God is represented by the Wakandan mountain gorilla, specifcially a pure white gorilla.Considered another liminal deity, the Gorilla God is also believed to be a Wakandan god of magic and rural wisdom. While mainly associated with the Jabari tribe, the Gorilla God also has become the patron deity of hermits, outsiders and certain magicians.

* **"The Betrayer":** The Betrayer refers to a god virtually never discussed in Wakandan culture and considered a fallen deity, deserving of her ignoble fate. According to the scant remaining idols, it is believed the Betrayer was linked to the now-extinct Wakandan leopard. The former goddess of war, Wakanda's rejection of her symbolized their rejection of any ambitions of conquest and embracing isolationism. Ironically, she is the only Wakandan deity with a clear name: K'Liluna. It is believed that the other gods sacrificed their names to seal her away.