Mount Kleos

Mount Kleos is a small island nation located within the New World. From the outside it appears to be a barren, rocky desert isle, one of little value, however located within the rocky formations is an expansive theocratic city-state ruled over by an empress, and is extremely religious, as well as isolated from the outside world.

## Government & Philosophy

Mount Kleos is ruled by an Empress that has absolute authority within the nation, able to do anything and everything they please within it's borders. They are worshipped as an avatar sent by the gods of the Klee Faith, the unanimous religion present within the nation, who has divine right to rule over the nation absolutely. The current empress of Mount Kleos is Khepri Bast.

In addition to the Empress, there is also a High Priestess who is also seen as an avatar sent by the gods, however their role is to guarantee the integrity of religious rites and ceremonies, as well as provide unwavering loyalty and service to the Empress. The current High Priestess of Mount Kleos is Khepri Hathor, who happens to be related to the Empress, something that is unusual as the process of designation of power is entirely separate, and lacks nepotism.

Located within a hidden enclave on the island of Mount Kleos, the population isn't large, however it is made up of devout followers of the Klee Faith, and maintains a functioning societal structure, full of craftsmen, artists, engineers, farmers, and all manner of roles necessary to keep an isolationist city functioning.

The people are not allowed to leave the borders of the city, with the exception of the Empress and High Priestess, alongside any individuals that the Empress themselves must allow for, often which to accompany either the Empress of High Priestess as guards when they leave the city. In addition to this, the scouting unit of the Pharaoh's Guard, the elite military unit of Mount Kleos, is also allowed to leave the boundaries of the city and patrol the rest of the island in the event of reporting and tracking foreign influences landing ashore.

The Klee Faith is responsible for this lack of mobility, as one of it's principles states that citizens must be loyal and remain within the state of Mount Kleos, giving their souls to the nation in return for safe passage into the World of Light after their deaths. Additionally, long ago a group of pirates discovered the city on the island and wreaked havoc on it's population and sacred sites, creating a slight fear and animosity of foreigners. The people of Mount Kleos are aware of the world around them, however they simply harbor no desire to leave, seeing it as a foul and corrupted place.

## Geography

From the outside, the island containing Mount Kleos appears to be a rocky, uneven, and abandoned island. Sand rolls across a wasteland plain, with little of interest within sight, devoid of both flora and fauna nearly entirely. However, on two of the larger rock formations that are found closer to the center of the island, there are strange unnatural slits that allow for passage in between them.

Beyond these passages lies the city-state of Mount Kleos, sometimes referred to simply as the city of Kleos.

Within the city there are several massive pyramid structures, the largest of which has the head of the Klee deity of the Sun, where the Empress resides. The other two large pyramids are the Holy Temple, and the Holy Barracks, respectively. There are many statues and monuments made to honor the Empress and the deities of the pantheon of the Klee faith, and there also lies a dedicated zone within the city for housing, and to the side a dedicated zone for agricultural development/production, as well as fishing within a large lake that takes up about 1/4 of the total area that the city maintains.