Polemis
Polemis is Kureta's southern neighbour. It is a deeply religious land which venerates knowledge and understanding of the goddesses above all else. Much of the Polemi's daily lives are spent in dedication to the gods, through their work and general culture.
Polemis is a hot and dry country. All of its towns and cities lie on the coast or along rivers, to ensure their citizens do not die of heat exhaustion and have easy access to water.
Structure
The leader of Polemis is a man called Leonastus (sometimes referred to as Leonastus the Great). He is an incredibly strong and proficient fighter and will lead the armies of Polemis in battle when such an occasion arises.
Leonastus is believed to be chosen by The Goddess to lead the country, as were the leaders before him. The leaders of Polemis are bestowed the title of "Afentas", which translates loosely to "King", but with a more theocratic meaning behind it. Leonastus is the absolute ruler of the country, his word is law, and often believed to be the word of The Goddess.
Leonastus has several advisors under him who help to run the country. The final say on any matter is always determined by the Afentas, however.
Culture
Polemis' devotion and veneration of the goddesses excedes that of Colere, however, the people of Polemi are much more united in their beliefs.
The citizens of Polemis believe that the goddesses are always watching, and that they must live their lives in service to the goddesses or feel their wrath. With the leader of the country considered to be chosen by The Goddess, this service often manifests by pleasing the current Afentas. This could be something as simple as paying taxes or fulfilling the requests of the state.
As a theocracy, going against the Afentas or the laws of Polemis is considered to be blasphemy - and the punishment for blasphemy is often quite severe. For this reason, crime is generally low in Polemis, but does still exist.
The people are generally quite friendly and open. Polemis believes that everything that happens is the will of the goddesses, and that adversity is most likely a test of one of the deities. Should a stranger arrive and ask for food for example, a Polemi citizen would most likely treat the guest with respect and pay out of their own pocket to give what has been asked, lest they risk failing some kind of trial.
Religion
Polemis is possibly the most religious nation of Ekina, with religion playing a key part of everyday life.
The country is ruled by The Afentas, who is considered to be chosen by The Goddess. Although The Afentas has final say on practically all matters, it is the Church of Polemis that carries out the will of The Afentas, and often governs much of the country.
The Church of Polemis have their own hierarchy, with divine powers bestowed upon them by the gods. Although their base of operations is in Atalan, clerics of the church can be found across the country, with practically every town having at least 1 or 2 holy people. These clerics won't necessarily rule the town they reside in but will report back to the central government in Atalan.
The people of Polemis are incredibly devout and will offer prayers to the Goddesses multiple times a day. The church will hold daily services in their temples, where it is customary to give donations.
Despite the acknowledgment of the wider pantheon, Polemis mostly reveres The Goddess. The other deities are only usually invoked for specific holy days or events.
Foreign Relations
Polemis has a (mostly) agreeable relationship with its two neighbouring countries, though this hasn't always been the case.
Between 716 KCB - 768 KCB, Polemis was at war with Kureta over the occupation of what is now known as The Slithering Wilds. The source of the conflict was the Temple of Akai, which was a holy site for both countries. In 755 KCB, the temple was destroyed, and both sides claimed that the other was responsible. The war eventually petered out as resources ran low, and the Ruins of Akai hardly seemed worth fighting over.
Polemis and Kureta now has an amicable relationship, with trade flowing freely between the two nations.
Polemis has always seen Colere as an oddity. Colere's constant civil war over the Tower of Heaven seems almost blasphemous, and in 1159 KCB, the ruling Afentas decided that something must be done. Polemis declared war on Colere, sending troops across the border to destroy the blasphemers. It was believed that the civil war of Colere would make the country an easy target, but the Afentas had not been aware of Colere's internal agreement to unite in defence of the country. The dominions of Colere were quick to cease their own conflict and combine forces to defeat the invaders. Polemis had no choice but to abandon their crusade and agreed to leave the strange foreign nation to their own devices.
Since then, the two countries have had a strained relationship. Some trade does occur, but not often.
Agriculture & Industry
With fertile land being scarce in Polemis, decent farmland is hard to come by. There are farmers in this dry country, but they mostly deal with desert animals, such as camels.
Being surrounded by sea, and with a large river running through the capital, the country catches a lot of seafood. Meat other than fish is rare in the Polemis, though some communities have managed to cultivate chickens for eggs and their meat.
With divinely blessed clerics being fairly common, some communities also come to rely on divine Magic to provide food and water. This food is generally quite bland, so folk will often use spices to add some flavour to the magically conjured meals.
Polemis' main natural resource is stone. Most of their buildings are crafted from sandstone and other types of rock, which includes many grand structures in Atalan, and the great pyramid known as the Tomb of Ironas. There have also been pockets of valuable metals found within the Xiros Desert, which has led to full-scale mining operations in the past.
Another valuable resource found in Polemis is oil. Within Atalan, one would find a large oil refinery, which produces a vast amount of lantern oil.
Trade & Transport
With a large portion of the country consisting of dry desert, practically all of Polemis' roads are along the sea. Should one wish to travel into or across the desert however, there are camels available to purchase from most towns. The Xiros Desert is said to hold many mysteries, and so usually the only folk who travel into it are adventurers looking for glory, or expeditions on behalf of the church.
Polemis trades with Kureta fairly regularly, with most business being conducted in Hiku City.
Education
Education is provided to children through the Church of Polemis. From age 6, children will go to their local temple for a few hours a day to learn about The Goddess, and the wonders of the divine.
Parents will teach their children about life in general, usually including the family business if they have one.
Mythology & Lore
In Polemis, the goddesses are called: Ix (The Goddess), Athala (Hostetta), Aphidax (Adonia), Hemes (Afflencia), Thanes (Mortona).
The Goddesses are always depicted as being physically strong and beautiful, and more often than not, nude.
Maps
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Polemis
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Training Level
Elite
Demonym
Polemi
Government System
Theocracy
Power Structure
Unitary state
Economic System
Traditional
Currency
Polemis uses coins of gold, silver, copper, etc. The collective term for their currency is 'Pols'.
Major Exports
- Stone
- Spices
- Lantern Oil
- Perfumes
Major Imports
- Meat
- Lumber
- Gemstones
- Fabrics
Official State Religion
Deities
Comments