Cesnis

Cesnis is a country situated near the Rajamerak Kingdom. A person from Cesnis is called a Cesnisian. It is also known as The Krystalia Lands because of its beautiful and crystal-clear lakes. Cesnis has the most beautiful lakes in Terra Avium, despite their lakes not being as large as the UEU’s. But Cesnis definitely has one of the largest number of lakes out there, almost all of which are beautiful. Cesnis is home to various lake/pond birds such as ducks, geese, swans, herons, pelicans, etc.

They build their dens on lakes, rivers, or on the bank of any water source. Their dens are stilt houses to prevent flooding or rising water from the rivers. The commonfolk's houses are round with a hexagonal roof. The commonfolks built catwalks connecting from houses to houses, and from markets to markets. When the tide is low, they can drop their boats down onto the lower level of their stilt houses and paddle to wherever they wish; Cesnis also have floating water markets due to this.

For the more upper-class folks, government or mansions would be built as a stilt house but with a high gilded dome roof. These noble houses would be built in the Great Lakes or the lakes near it (The closer the lakes are to the Great Lakes, the more high-class that lake becomes). A Great Lake and the first row of lakes that sorrounds it are called The Krystaline Rings, and those who built inside that rings are wealthiest in that Princedom. Highprinces build their mansions or buildings in the middle of their Great Lake, and they can decorate their Great Lake however they like.

## POLITICS

Cesnis is splitted into 5 Princedoms, with a Highprince ruling each of the 5. The name of the 5 Princedoms are named after the Highprince's family name. Additionally, each princedom has a Great Lake, as it represnts the 5 Great Houses of Cesnis. The 5 princedoms are: Shij, Uriinaii, Kuyll, Dyuqinn, and Hoawi. The 5 Highprinces are to cooperate togehter under the rule of the Swan Emperor.

Cesnis is an ally of Rajamerak Kingdom, and the two countries constantly trade with each other. There are also a decent amount of immigrants from Cesnis to Rajamerak, and likewise. Cesnis stays in good terms with Rajamerak Kingdom. Furthermore, the Swan and the Peacock Monarch has a rivalry of arts, and would host contests to see who can perform better. Because of this, Cesnis has a lot of tourists due to Rajamerak's influence.

## RELIGION

The majority of Cesnisians believe in Arkhaism, and they mainly worship Karavandrei Imijir, Geshati Karnakona, and Evii Wirlk. Each lake cities have at least a temple dedicated to one of these three deities, with each ring of lakes having a large temple that is built in the most posperous lake in the ring to worship all three gods.

The Cesnisians have festivals, one of which is Kquii. Kquii is a very important and symbolic festvial for the Cesnisians. It represnts rebirth, reunion, reknightting, and wrapping up the past and looking foward to the future. In this festival, the Cesnians prepare for the Week of Sacred Silence, in which they would burn prayers and hopes that the Gods would deem their land worthy to visit. All loud activies must be paused during that Week (including schools, jobs/works, etc.). Highpriests and Highprinces would make pilgramage to every lake in their princedom to bless temples and collect the vials of waters of each lake in the princedom. Then they would return to The Great Temple, and would perform a three-hour long ritual to prepare the Emperor and to call for the Gods. The last hour in The Week of Sacred Silence is called The Hour of Sight, where the Emperor journeys to the Divine Halls to meet with the Gods. Candles from all across Cesnisians would be turned blue during this time too. Then the Emperor must journey back to the mortal realm and be baptised before the sun rises. After this comes another week of celebration called the Week of Reunion, where families visit each other and the graves of their ancestors, using the blue-flamed candles to meet with their dead relatives' spirits and talk with them. After this week, the blue-flamed candles must be snuffed out or else it'll invite evil spirits.

## SWANS

Cesnis is home of the majority of Terra Avium's swans. Swans also take up a large part of the government, with the Emperor being a swan.

Swans can be territorial, but only in mating seasons. Swans mate for life, and cases of divorces are very rare (it mostly occurs due to nesting failure). Swans couples will guard their baby swans furiously from anything that they believe is a threat. After the swans scare off the threat, they flap their wings and call to each other in celebration.

Baby swans aren’t as cute as goslings or ducklings. They have gray or brown feathers until they’re about two years old, but they grow up to become the most beautiful of all water fowl.

Swan’s songs and dances are elegant and graceful, and they’re one of the few birds who can compete with peacocks on this front. Furthermore, they’re masters of instruments, especially harps and trumpets.

Before a loved one dies, swans would sing a mournful yet vocally beautiful song to ensure that the bird would hear the most beautiful of things before dying.