Asavean Archipelago - Revision history

Twiggy at 20:23, 12 July 2025

2025-07-12T20:23:49Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:23, 12 July 2025
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	Members of the Plenum caste of all genders usually wear a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toga toga] over the top of their tunic, rather than a robe. Only the highest ranking slaves are allowed to wear the toga, and only the Plenum caste are allowed to wear the prestigious black toga on pain of death. The toga is usually worn only out of doors or in very formal situations, and is rarely embroidered or decorated.		Members of the Plenum caste of all genders usually wear a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toga toga] over the top of their tunic, rather than a robe. Only the highest ranking slaves are allowed to wear the toga, and only the Plenum caste are allowed to wear the prestigious black toga on pain of death. The toga is usually worn only out of doors or in very formal situations, and is rarely embroidered or decorated.

	Jewellery tends to be ostentatious but an Asavean would rather wear one or two pieces of extremely fine and valuable ~~jewelry~~ than drip with gold and gems - ''quality over quantity'' is a traditional Asavean saying and applies especially in this area.		Jewellery tends to be ostentatious but an Asavean would rather wear one or two pieces of extremely fine and valuable jewellery than drip with gold and gems - ''quality over quantity'' is a traditional Asavean saying and applies especially in this area.

	==Languages==		==Languages==

Rafferty at 16:06, 28 June 2025

2025-06-28T16:06:14Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:06, 28 June 2025
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	{{ForeignNationWarning}}		{{ForeignNationWarning}}
	<onlyinclude>		<onlyinclude>
	<div style="float:left; width: ~~500px~~; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=From out of the West.jpg\|caption=Despite its age and internal squabbling, Asavea still maintains a powerful navy.\|align=right\|width=~~500~~}}</div>		<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=From out of the West.jpg\|caption=Despite its age and internal squabbling, Asavea still maintains a powerful navy.\|align=right\|width=400}}</div>
	~~{{audio\|link=https://youtu.be/jwhzQaPCI_Y?si=6rpqHxrJ_81mj9HU}}~~
	==Overview==		==Overview==
	A predominantly island culture, Asavea possesses a small empire scattered across a sprawling archipelago, far across the ocean to the west. A timeless and cultured nation, it sees itself as having moved beyond the questioning and struggle of more primitive lands. The Asavean people consider their society to approach perfection; change is considered unnecessary and disruptive and should be avoided as much as possible.		A predominantly island culture, Asavea possesses a small empire scattered across a sprawling archipelago, far across the ocean to the west. A timeless and cultured nation, it sees itself as having moved beyond the questioning and struggle of more primitive lands. The Asavean people consider their society to approach perfection; change is considered unnecessary and disruptive and should be avoided as much as possible.

Rafferty at 16:05, 28 June 2025

2025-06-28T16:05:55Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:05, 28 June 2025
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	{{ForeignNationWarning}}		{{ForeignNationWarning}}
	<onlyinclude>		<onlyinclude>
			<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage\|file=From out of the West.jpg\|caption=Despite its age and internal squabbling, Asavea still maintains a powerful navy.\|align=right\|width=500}}</div>
			{{audio\|link=https://youtu.be/jwhzQaPCI_Y?si=6rpqHxrJ_81mj9HU}}
	==Overview==		==Overview==
	A predominantly island culture, Asavea possesses a small empire scattered across a sprawling archipelago, far across the ocean to the west. A timeless and cultured nation, it sees itself as having moved beyond the questioning and struggle of more primitive lands. The Asavean people consider their society to approach perfection; change is considered unnecessary and disruptive and should be avoided as much as possible.		A predominantly island culture, Asavea possesses a small empire scattered across a sprawling archipelago, far across the ocean to the west. A timeless and cultured nation, it sees itself as having moved beyond the questioning and struggle of more primitive lands. The Asavean people consider their society to approach perfection; change is considered unnecessary and disruptive and should be avoided as much as possible.

Rafferty at 09:27, 28 June 2025

2025-06-28T09:27:15Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:27, 28 June 2025
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	In short, while many Imperial citizens find Asavean society offensive, it will take a lot more to change it than a foreigner going to [[Asavean_Archipelago_ports#Nemoria\|Nemoria]] and telling the teeming citizenry that they are 'doing it wrong'.		In short, while many Imperial citizens find Asavean society offensive, it will take a lot more to change it than a foreigner going to [[Asavean_Archipelago_ports#Nemoria\|Nemoria]] and telling the teeming citizenry that they are 'doing it wrong'.
	{{~~Asavaen~~ Links}}		{{Asavean Links}}
	[[Category:Foreign Nations]]		[[Category:Foreign Nations]]
	[[Category:The World]]		[[Category:The World]]

Rafferty: /* Religion */

2025-06-28T09:10:51Z

Religion

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:10, 28 June 2025
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	Recently the Way of the Imperial faith has begun to find a foothold amongst the slaves of Asavea, and several members of the Plenum are becoming alarmed – objecting to its strident and atheistic tone. They have exhorted the Imperial missionaries to “tone down” their rhetoric for the public good. However it is a little unclear whether this growing dissatisfaction is a result of Imperial missionaries, or whether agents from the [[Sumaah Republic]] are to blame.		Recently the Way of the Imperial faith has begun to find a foothold amongst the slaves of Asavea, and several members of the Plenum are becoming alarmed – objecting to its strident and atheistic tone. They have exhorted the Imperial missionaries to “tone down” their rhetoric for the public good. However it is a little unclear whether this growing dissatisfaction is a result of Imperial missionaries, or whether agents from the [[Sumaah Republic]] are to blame.

	In Spring 378YE, a pamphlet claiming to offer [[~~Aavean~~ gods\|insight into the Asavean religion]] began to circulate in the Empire. Parts of the pamphlet appear to have clearly been intended for children, but it apparently details several of the prominent Asavean Gods. It is an easy matter for an Imperial citizen to lay their hands on a copy of the pamphlet if they wish ([[File:Asavean_Religion_Pamphlet.pdf]])		In Spring 378YE, a pamphlet claiming to offer [[Asavean gods\|insight into the Asavean religion]] began to circulate in the Empire. Parts of the pamphlet appear to have clearly been intended for children, but it apparently details several of the prominent Asavean Gods. It is an easy matter for an Imperial citizen to lay their hands on a copy of the pamphlet if they wish ([[File:Asavean_Religion_Pamphlet.pdf]])

	==Look and Feel==		==Look and Feel==

Rafferty: /* Religion */

2025-06-28T09:08:50Z

Religion

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:08, 28 June 2025
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	Recently the Way of the Imperial faith has begun to find a foothold amongst the slaves of Asavea, and several members of the Plenum are becoming alarmed – objecting to its strident and atheistic tone. They have exhorted the Imperial missionaries to “tone down” their rhetoric for the public good. However it is a little unclear whether this growing dissatisfaction is a result of Imperial missionaries, or whether agents from the [[Sumaah Republic]] are to blame.		Recently the Way of the Imperial faith has begun to find a foothold amongst the slaves of Asavea, and several members of the Plenum are becoming alarmed – objecting to its strident and atheistic tone. They have exhorted the Imperial missionaries to “tone down” their rhetoric for the public good. However it is a little unclear whether this growing dissatisfaction is a result of Imperial missionaries, or whether agents from the [[Sumaah Republic]] are to blame.

	In Spring 378YE, a pamphlet claiming to offer insight into the Asavean religion began to circulate in the Empire. Parts of the pamphlet appear to have clearly been intended for children, but it apparently details several of the prominent Asavean Gods. It is an easy matter for an Imperial citizen to lay their hands on a copy of the pamphlet if they wish ([[File:Asavean_Religion_Pamphlet.pdf]]).		In Spring 378YE, a pamphlet claiming to offer [[Aavean gods\|insight into the Asavean religion]] began to circulate in the Empire. Parts of the pamphlet appear to have clearly been intended for children, but it apparently details several of the prominent Asavean Gods. It is an easy matter for an Imperial citizen to lay their hands on a copy of the pamphlet if they wish ([[File:Asavean_Religion_Pamphlet.pdf]])

	==Look and Feel==		==Look and Feel==

Rafferty at 09:02, 28 June 2025

2025-06-28T09:02:58Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:02, 28 June 2025
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	{{ForeignNationWarning}}		{{ForeignNationWarning}}
			<onlyinclude>
	==Overview==		==Overview==
	A predominantly island culture, Asavea possesses a small empire scattered across a sprawling archipelago, far across the ocean to the west. A timeless and cultured nation, it sees itself as having moved beyond the questioning and struggle of more primitive lands. The Asavean people consider their society to approach perfection; change is considered unnecessary and disruptive and should be avoided as much as possible.		A predominantly island culture, Asavea possesses a small empire scattered across a sprawling archipelago, far across the ocean to the west. A timeless and cultured nation, it sees itself as having moved beyond the questioning and struggle of more primitive lands. The Asavean people consider their society to approach perfection; change is considered unnecessary and disruptive and should be avoided as much as possible.
Line 7:		Line 7:

	Of particular interest to Imperial citizens are the [[Asavean Archipelago ports\|Asavean ports]] which are open to trade with the Empire.		Of particular interest to Imperial citizens are the [[Asavean Archipelago ports\|Asavean ports]] which are open to trade with the Empire.
			</onlyinclude>
	==Terrain==		==Terrain==
	Asavea is much warmer than the Empire, and centred around several chains of volcanic islands. Their land mass isn't huge (probably about the equal of any two Imperial nations), but it is densely populated. Each island is surrounded by floating shanty towns inhabited by the poorest members of Asavean society. The Asavean engineers are experts at creating structures on and in water, draining swamps and performing other tasks that allow them to expand the habitable land-mass of their archipelago. In the past they have regularly used powerful ritual magic in the pursuit of more living space, but these days they prefer to do their land-sculpting with large numbers of slaves over many decades.		Asavea is much warmer than the Empire, and centred around several chains of volcanic islands. Their land mass isn't huge (probably about the equal of any two Imperial nations), but it is densely populated. Each island is surrounded by floating shanty towns inhabited by the poorest members of Asavean society. The Asavean engineers are experts at creating structures on and in water, draining swamps and performing other tasks that allow them to expand the habitable land-mass of their archipelago. In the past they have regularly used powerful ritual magic in the pursuit of more living space, but these days they prefer to do their land-sculpting with large numbers of slaves over many decades.
Line 72:		Line 72:

	In short, while many Imperial citizens find Asavean society offensive, it will take a lot more to change it than a foreigner going to [[Asavean_Archipelago_ports#Nemoria\|Nemoria]] and telling the teeming citizenry that they are 'doing it wrong'.		In short, while many Imperial citizens find Asavean society offensive, it will take a lot more to change it than a foreigner going to [[Asavean_Archipelago_ports#Nemoria\|Nemoria]] and telling the teeming citizenry that they are 'doing it wrong'.
			{{Asavaen Links}}
	[[Category:Foreign Nations]]		[[Category:Foreign Nations]]
	[[Category:The World]]		[[Category:The World]]

Apoth: /* Politics */

2025-02-03T13:27:23Z

Politics

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:27, 3 February 2025
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	The defences of the island chains are impressive, with fortifications that have been added to for centuries, and standing armies of well equipped and drilled soldiers. Many Asavean structures, especially those built outside the Archipelago proper, are heavily fortified - a remnant of a time when their ancestors were constantly under threat of war or invasion. With deep pockets, and large stores, they can always afford to simply retreat behind their walls, allowing time for their allies to send aid. Modern Asavean architecture focuses more on beauty than defensibility.		The defences of the island chains are impressive, with fortifications that have been added to for centuries, and standing armies of well equipped and drilled soldiers. Many Asavean structures, especially those built outside the Archipelago proper, are heavily fortified - a remnant of a time when their ancestors were constantly under threat of war or invasion. With deep pockets, and large stores, they can always afford to simply retreat behind their walls, allowing time for their allies to send aid. Modern Asavean architecture focuses more on beauty than defensibility.

	While they have a large navy, their vessels are more commonly trading or pleasure ships. Almost all Asavean ships use banks of oars and slaves to supplement their sails, and are based on developments of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dromon dromon] and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liburnian_(ship) liburna]. Although they maintain a small number of military vessels, they often rely on mercenaries to protect their fleets. While the Asavean shipwrights were the best in the world just over a century ago, their designs have been superseded by those of younger nations such as the Empire and the [[Sarcophan Delves]]; Imperial vessels may be more ~~dependant~~ on the vagaries of the wind but they do not require slaves, and those of the Sarcophan Delves are often moved by entirely reliable crews of tireless unliving creatures rather than slaves that require food, drink and discipline.		While they have a large navy, their vessels are more commonly trading or pleasure ships. Almost all Asavean ships use banks of oars and slaves to supplement their sails, and are based on developments of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dromon dromon] and the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liburnian_(ship) liburna]. Although they maintain a small number of military vessels, they often rely on mercenaries to protect their fleets. While the Asavean shipwrights were the best in the world just over a century ago, their designs have been superseded by those of younger nations such as the Empire and the [[Sarcophan Delves]]; Imperial vessels may be more dependent on the vagaries of the wind but they do not require slaves, and those of the Sarcophan Delves are often moved by entirely reliable crews of tireless unliving creatures rather than slaves that require food, drink and discipline.

	==Magic==		==Magic==

Matt: /* Asavean Archipelago in play */

2024-09-02T16:25:07Z

Asavean Archipelago in play

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:25, 2 September 2024
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	==Asavean Archipelago in play==		==Asavean Archipelago in play==
	The Asavean Archipelago is a nation that has become hide-bound, inward-looking ~~and decadent~~. It is facing a slow decline into obscurity, and whether it goes quietly, explodes in a frenzy of violence, or somehow renews itself, only time will tell. At its peak a hundred years ago, it can be seen as an "elder statesman" of the other nations active on the 'world stage'. It combines a number of ideas and images from real-world Roman, Greek, Byzantine, Phoenician and Egyptian empires as well as diverse fictional sources such as Mervyn Peake's ''Gormenghast'' or even David Eddings' ''Mallorea''.		The Asavean Archipelago is a nation in decline that has become hide-bound and inward-looking. It is facing a slow decline into obscurity, and whether it goes quietly, explodes in a frenzy of violence, or somehow renews itself, only time will tell. At its peak a hundred years ago, it can be seen as an "elder statesman" of the other nations active on the 'world stage'. It combines a number of ideas and images from real-world Roman, Greek, Byzantine, Phoenician and Egyptian empires as well as diverse fictional sources such as Mervyn Peake's ''Gormenghast'' or even David Eddings' ''Mallorea''.

	While Asavea is a nation based on slavery, the institution is so old and hierarchical that the majority of the slaves consider it entirely normal. For the most part, only those slaves on the very bottom rung of society - those who perform manual labour such as those who work in fields and mines, or who load and unload ships - have a poor quality of life. Many of the slaves in the higher echelons have a lifestyle that peasants in other parts of the world would envy. To many Asaveans, freedom is a terrifying prospect which is generally believed to lead to starvation and death, or murder at the hands of criminals. The entire society reinforces this belief, and those who agitate for freedom are viewed at best as insane and at worst as anarchists who want to destroy society. This is not the prevalent attitude among the subject territories, but even there the presence of Asavean troops and the protection of Asavean naval forces is seen as a good thing that helps prevent society collapsing into widespread anarchy.		While Asavea is a nation based on slavery, the institution is so old and hierarchical that the majority of the slaves consider it entirely normal. For the most part, only those slaves on the very bottom rung of society - those who perform manual labour such as those who work in fields and mines, or who load and unload ships - have a poor quality of life. Many of the slaves in the higher echelons have a lifestyle that peasants in other parts of the world would envy. To many Asaveans, freedom is a terrifying prospect which is generally believed to lead to starvation and death, or murder at the hands of criminals. The entire society reinforces this belief, and those who agitate for freedom are viewed at best as insane and at worst as anarchists who want to destroy society. This is not the prevalent attitude among the subject territories, but even there the presence of Asavean troops and the protection of Asavean naval forces is seen as a good thing that helps prevent society collapsing into widespread anarchy.

Dre at 17:52, 29 December 2023

2023-12-29T17:52:49Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:52, 29 December 2023
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	==Magic==		==Magic==
	At their height, the Asavean sorcerers were powerful wielders of ritual magic. Over the last century or so, their magical power has declined. The Asavean Archipelago has fewer magicians than the Empire, although this is likely to be more due to a lack of access to teaching than to any lack of actual magical ability. Most of their ritual magicians are now slaves, although every coven is ~~lead~~ by a member of the Plenum caste.		At their height, the Asavean sorcerers were powerful wielders of ritual magic. Over the last century or so, their magical power has declined. The Asavean Archipelago has fewer magicians than the Empire, although this is likely to be more due to a lack of access to teaching than to any lack of actual magical ability. Most of their ritual magicians are now slaves, although every coven is led by a member of the Plenum caste.

	Magicians of the Plenum caste perform their civic duties in a perfunctory way, spending most of their time in private research into the wonders of the universe - or ''naval gazing'' as many Imperial magicians would have it. There are some very loose ties between the Asavean magicians and the Imperial [[Unfettered Mind\|Order of the Unfettered Mind]], as well as with similar cabals in other parts of the world.		Magicians of the Plenum caste perform their civic duties in a perfunctory way, spending most of their time in private research into the wonders of the universe - or ''naval gazing'' as many Imperial magicians would have it. There are some very loose ties between the Asavean magicians and the Imperial [[Unfettered Mind\|Order of the Unfettered Mind]], as well as with similar cabals in other parts of the world.