Carmenthia Basics

As an island nation, Carmenthia is subject to the whims and storms of the sea. Where her shores are not sandy, they are rocky and jagged with waves crashing against them. Where her land is not rocky, cracked, and uneven, rolling hills covered in deep green and fields of herbs and flowers cover her surface. Cliffs and waterfalls are perhaps the most notable sites or the old volcanic crater that now "holds" Carmen'Két and the great herbal wall gardens.

Basic History

In the distant past, the island of Carmenthia was a hot bed of volcanic activity. The southern end of the main island was composed of magma pits and the northeast side sported a large volcano – one that rivaled the volcano of Therarask. In a violent eruption, the volcano was destroyed and it's lave cooled as the crater it left behind was partially flooded with the saltwater of the ocean. Although the volcanic activity has dwindled much since then, the spas are still powered by an underlying current of volcanic activity, dwelling silently beneath the surface... though occasionally generating an earthquake or tremor, here and there.

The history of Carmenthia is built upon embracing the quest of knowledge and the unique duality that Carmenthia considers her domains: preserving life (healing, renewal) and embracing death (poison, disease). It is then no surprise that the largest settlement developed around an institution of knowledge: St. Carmen's. At the time of its "founding", however, it was a series of groups rather than one unified institution. In its earlier history, the domains of poison and disease were openly practiced alongside the studies of healing and renewal. After the Dread King's War, pressure from the continent forced a change in the political and social expectations of the island. Carmenthia, as a whole, "re-branded" themselves, pushing the study of poison and disease out while embracing the study of healing and rehabilitation more fully.

Politics

The people of Carmenthia value knowledge above all else and this is reflected in their political leadership. Local governance is left to a series of elected governors, but large island-wide political decisions are made by specifically elected panels. Members of such panels are known to be experts in their field, holding the highest level of knowledge and thus, prepared to make the best decision... theoretically.

Of course, such a system often results in slower decision-making, as it takes time to assemble appropriate panels. In times of crisis, emergency power is often delegated to a panel of department heads and the director of St. Carmen's, as they are considered to be the most knowledgeable individuals overall. It is also possible that outsiders may be called upon to make political decisions. For example, Dr. Serene Valdove has served as a consultant and decision maker when summoned to Carmenthia.

High Council Representative: High Lady Sephira La'Talenna

Director of St. Carmen's: Dr. Stefano Corvinus

Economy

The primary industries for the island are their healing and rehabilitation services, knowledge, and the production of rare and unique herbs and dyes. There is also some agriculture (though relatively small scale), mining for mostly volcanic products, and fishing.

People

The smaller towns - often considered to be descendants of the original inhabitants of the island - are primarily composed of Yuan-Ti, water genasi, and tortles. However, at Carmen'Két, the people are a mix of races. So long as one arrives in the pursuit of knowledge, any race can make a home in the city of healing.

Religion

Worship of Carmenthia is perhaps the least "religious" of all worship. She values knowledge and the pursuit of knowledge, whether that involves her direct intervention or not. Arguably, attending any University, reading a book, or learning from one's elders are all considered worship to Carmenthia, even if carried out with no intent to dedicate that time or action to the Goddess of Knowledge.

Beyond this, however, the Festival of Lights is perhaps the largest religious observance. Individuals light floating lanterns and set them afloat on the water to honor those that have died and those in need of healing. It is a plea to the goddess to preserve the knowledge of those who have passed and to preserve the life of those nearing death so that they may continue their path of knowledge gathering, even if only a short time longer.

Duality of Carmenthia

Most notably a Goddess of Knowledge and Arcane, Carmenthia exists in a unique position between life and death and, as such, is often considered the bridge between the two. The Goddess is a fluid entity between black and white - gray, but not quite. On one hand, she serves Tel'Rhea by healing those in need and restoring them to the full glory and spark of life. Yet, her domains of poison and idsease drive individuals closer to Ah'Shal's doorstep.
This duality often causes tension within the followers of Carmenthia and between Carmenthia and the rest of the continent. As a Goddess of Knowledge first and foremost, doctors and scholars at St. Carmen's are notoriously known to perform risky procedures for the sake of knowledge rather than for the sake of the patient. Ethics violations are often happening left and right - many of which are quickly pushed under the rug. Serial killers have arisen and argued that their killing spree was for the purpose of understanding the relationship between a new compound and the humanoid body. Despite this, people flock to the island for healing at every turn.
Although there have been attempts to curb this duality to make it more palatable to the rest of the continent, the duality of Carmenthia lives on...

Type

Geopolitical, City-state