Akitei

Overview:
The Nation of Akitei is located on a large island spanning most of the western half of Teogaia.

The Akiteians are a nautically talented and focused people. Within the nation there resides three different races: humans, Mure and Beasar.

They worship the god of water, Danasiq, and all fluids fall under his domain.

The religion is practiced by all inhabitants except the Mure, who only show courtesy to avoid offending the other species.

The Akitei have such presence upon the waters that they control, or at least try to, all sea/ocean trade.

They are constantly on the lookout for new aquisitions, whether this be land, wealth or people.

History:
The city of Swynmead was founded 752 years ago and was the first major city of note in all of Akitei. The city started out as a port village that grew quickly due to its location on the coast as well as along one of the mightiest rivers in all of Teogaia: the Jukkan river.

Native Species:

 * Humans
 * Beasar
 * Mure (Clorka & Skotta)

Government:
The government is mostly run by a council of seven Captains. The number of captains is odd to allow for majority rules in voting. All captains are of equal power except for the Chairman whose term lasts for a decade.

The Chairman is chosen from among the captains who sit in the council and by said council. Either by popular vote or subjugation of the council. The Chairman will sit the entire term of 10 years unless they pass away or are otherwise deposed.

The Chairman is tied to Swynmead for the duration of their term. As such the individual is forbidden to leave the capital for more than a few days at a time, severely limiting their freedom. Although this may be viewed as an honorable position it also limits the Captain from the sea and ocean. This is seen as a great burden due to their nautical nation and great respect is given to those who carry it.

It is not often that the god, Danasiq, speaks to its people. But when it does, the people bend to its will and may make executive decisions based on their religious beliefs.

Trade:
The main focal point of all of Akitei is the grand city of Swynmead. This is a large trade port city as it sits in the perfect location in the center of the map and utilizes the Jukkan river which opens up into the bay of Swynmead.

Akitei's main exports are metals and minerals. As they are a seafaring nation that worships the god of fluids, anything to do with sailing and the waters are a big export of Akitei. Boats, fishing equipment, as well as captains and ships for hire are sought after by other nations. Akitei's northern settlements are excellent sources of food and produces as well, boasting things like potatoes, apples, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini and lots of other fruits and vegetables. Finally, as Akitei breeds a lot of traveling seafolk, cartography and map production are a large part of the countries culture and exports.

The nations is also very self-sustainable, as it is so large. Trade to the outside world helps to bring in exotic commodities but strong trade routs have been set for many years within the nation by the traveling Skotta and Clorka, who are constantly on the move.

City Life:
Life in Swynmead is bustling, and often busy. Being a trade port opens up a lot of opportunities for its citizens. Many small businesses, artisans, and craftsmen are successful there.

Taverns and bars scatter the area, and are common places of congregation. Drinking alcohol is considered a positive and social experience for people of Akitei, and Swynmead provides a lot of popular drinking hotspots. Brothels are also not uncommon, and are not seen as inherently taboo due to the fluid-sharing nature of consensual sexual activities.

The most prominent church of Akitei is found in the port city. The church of Swynmead sees a lot of daily use and is a cultural landmark. Three different races coexist in Swynmead - humans, Beasar, and the Mure. They are peaceful, and there is usually not too much tension between them. The Mure are considered peculiar but are useful and intelligent traders, and so are not typically looked down upon, especially because they are transient and almost never live in one area permanently. The distribution of species in Swynmead is roughly 65% human, 25% Beasar and up to 10% Mure at any given time. Larger populations of Beasar and Mure are seen in more rural areas.

Swynmead sees the typical amount of crime that a port city of its size normally has.

Religion:
Liquids are sacred to the followers of Danasiq. Many of the beliefs held by the people of Akitei are derived from this concept.

Akiteian captains are automatically clergymen of the religion, unless they blaspheme in some horrendous way.

Akiteian people strongly believe that, because all living beings start out as liquid, they should eventually return to a liquid state. At death, people are liquified and kept in pots, similar to cremation urns. The belief is that this keeps them closer to their God, even in death. At the death of a loved one, the tears that you shed from your sorrow are to be collected and later mixed into the loved ones' remains, so that they can feel in the afterlife how loved they were.

There are no weekly or daily practices for this religion, and the God does not require daily prayer. Churches are not as ubiquitous in this region, because they are not needed as often; although the high concentration of citizens in Swynmead leads to high usage of its native church.

On rainy days, however, you must leave your house and receive the God's blessing in the holy rain. Rain is also seen as lucky and it is considered fortunate when outdoor events are held on rainy days.

Intentionally spilling a liquid, such as a drink, is a sin. Throwing your drink or turning over another person’s drink is an extreme insult, and may instigate a fight. One does not refuse to another access to water. Spilling blood of believers is a sin. Also, pissing in the river is death.

Punishment for sinning too gravely is waterboarding or, if the sin necessitates death, drowning. To be killed in water is symbolic of hoping a sinner's soul may return to a heavenly state once their soul is judged by the God. Waterboarding is meant to imitate the act of drowning or dying in water. If one's sin is too grave, they are to be executed and their remains handled in such a way that their body cannot be reunited with their God in the afterlife.

Twice a year, the people of Akitei have a festival of liquids to honour their God. Liquids of all kinds are freely distributed and shared. This includes water, drinks such as alcohol, and bodily fluids. There is abundance and a closeness to their God, as well as revelry and hedonistic behaviour, but not wastefulness.

Law:
The law that prevails most strongly is religious law. By partaking in what is forbidden and frowned upon within the religion one can ascertain the rules of the land. In addition to the religious law there are laws and prohibitions and addendum set down by the council, such as; Taxes are to be paid so that the church and nation may flourish as one. Killing and stealing is strictly forbidden if the subject of the acts is a countryman. Being a pirate is legal, encouraged and a respected occupation, but attacking countrymen or those under the protection of your countrymen is strictly forbidden.

Death Penalties:
There are three death penalties that will be enforced when needed.

The most severe one is to deprive the sinner of all liquids until they succumb to death by dehydration. Then their bodies will be burned and their remains kept in a small box, never to be returned to liquid as such denying them the afterlife by cutting their ties with the God.

If the punishment is death and no mercy is to be found in the sentence, but their remains are not to be out beyond the reach of their God, the sinners are to be hanged before their body is returned to a liquefied state.

When a person must be given the death penalty, but it is to be done in the most empathetic way, so as to let them be close to their God as they leave the mortal realm behind, the method is drowning. By drowning they die, in a sense, by the hand of their God.

Social/Cultural
The Akitei inhabitants are a vert nautical people, drawn to the ocean they yearn for their God's embrace. There is an universal respect for those who fare the waters and show proper deference to the power of water. Captains, seafarers, fishermen, seamen and so forth are all respected endeavors. Being a Captain is especially respected as that also makes them a clergyman within the church devoted to Danasiq.

People within the nation who do important work, farming, mining and so on, are seen upon with pity as they more often than not are far away from the ocean. The closer you live to a body of water the more blessed you are seen to be. People living in Swynmead often consider people in Lackington with sympathy as they live their lives so far away from their God.

The people of Akitei are pleasant enough to outsiders, polite and sociable. Despite their apparent pleasantness the people are severely xenophobic. They view outsiders with mistrust and often feelings akin to hate as outsiders, whether deliberately or not, tend to do things that are considered as grave insults within their faith. Any nation or people that have been subjugated and integrated within their nation and faith are seen as true brethren, welcomed into the fold.

Foreign Policies
Ihlathi Nation - There are friendly relations as the nations trade resources. Akitei primarily imports wood in exchange for metals with this country.

The Isles of Kelador - In conflict but not open warfare. Danasiq considers the isles as his domain and want general expansion for his followers, as such the Akitei people harass the inhabitants of Kelador and try to subjugate the area.

Aerakos - General trade partners. Works with both the human and sub-human population. If either side supplies the Akitei with knowledge of trade ships leaving port that are not headed for Akitei they will partner up with them to intercept the ship and claim its contents as their own.

Samottai - Primarily trade with them for their magical crystals. However, as the Samottai limit the amount of crystals that they export, the Akitei find this beyond frustrating as they want the magical power for themselves. As such they will raid, steal, trick and do anything they can do to get their hands on them.

The Akitei police the oceans and consider it their territory. They feel that all that passes over a bed of water should go through them. As such anyone trying to subvert their assumed authority on the water will be hunted down if found out.

God
Danasiq is the god of fluids and liquids. He is responsible for and can control any substance in its liquid state of matter. Anything from water, rain, and sweat to alcohol and lava all fall within his jurisdiction. Danasiq's physical form is half-human from the waist up, and liquid - which trails into mist - from the waist down. His typical portrayal is of a medium-skinned, toned man with long blue waterfall hair and a glowing tattoo of a water drop on his chest. The water drop symbol is displayed on the flag of Akitei.

He has the ability to shapeshift. His form is, quite literally, fluid. Danasiq will take the shape of various objects and beings when visiting the people of his realm. He frequently experiments with different animal forms and genders and it is said that he never appears to the people the same way twice.

Generally, he is not a very demanding god and does not ask a lot of his people in terms of worship. However, he does strongly encourage voyaging the seas and conquering the lands they find on their journeys. Despite Danasiq's relatively detached nature, the people of Akitei respect him highly, even the non-religious Mure.

It is said in Akiteian lore that the volcano located in Kelador is responsible for the life of Danasiq. Though factually incorrect, it reinforces the Akiteian idea that the Isles of Kelador, as well as the entire Danasea ocean, belong to their nation.

Picture Sources:
http://s01.riotpixels.net/data/2b/6b/2b6bfcb4-7710-4be0-964f-178a9361cb3e.jpg.1080p.jpg/artwork.dreamfall-the-longest-journey.1781x1080.2006-05-05.41.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/52/3d/bd/523dbda4062f8e3bcc8209100ccd26.jpg

http://wallpaper.metalship.org/walls/navy.jpg