Republic of Cadena

Description

The sulvari are a traveling people but they know where home is, and it is in the Cadena Archipelago. It is said that sunsets here are more beautiful than anywhere else, but that may simply be some homesickness on the part of the sulvari. This is where they return to after their trade voyages or piracy, and they are proud of their roots. They are spread over the dozens of islands, but the majority live (or rest temporarily) in the capital city of Agatorra, the largest island port city in the world. Most of the trade goods pass through there, while the smaller towns tend to specialize more in fishing and selling their catch in the capital.
Their towns and cities are built disorderly, constantly expanding or shoving a few more houses in the existing space. They are filled with small shops, bookstores, amateur and professional theaters, art dealers, gambling dens, pleasure houses and taverns of all kinds. Life to the sulvari is all about games, art, drama and thrill.
Art is especially valued, and anyone of importance is expected to be at least somewhat familiar with the various forms of art. Gambling is not done in back-alley dens either, but in all kinds of places, even on the main street. They do not consider gambling as sinful, but see it as a test of both skill and faith.

Politics

The Republic of Cadena is a presidential, constitutional republic with an elected legislature. The president, or Límar, is the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and navy. Their power is somewhat limited however. The archipelago is divided in multiple different provinces of one or more islands, each with its own local leaders that hold strong influence over their regions. Elections are officially held every three years, but in practice almost yearly as the Sulvari strongly believe in upward mobility and turns of fate.

Culture

(See also Sulvari for additional context.)
Culture in the archipelago is defined by its people. They are flamboyant and a quick wit is just as important as quick reflexes or skilled labor. They strongly believe in the wheel of fortune, where who is up now, may soon be knocked down, or the other way around. This idea can also be seen in their tradition of sailing to distant lands in search of wealth and fortune. Taking bold risks is considered virtuous, "fortune favors the bold" after all. This makes for a people that are adept traders when possible, but also opportunistic pirates when necessary.
This does come with its downsides however. Their belief in the turns of fate and their low emphasis on discipline and lawful behavior has lead to a lack of stable and unified leadership. Especially in the current age, where industrialization is creating an ever greater rift in power between nations, this lack of order and a single set course means they may fall behind on the world stage.

Conduct, Fashion and Food

Sulvari like a bit of flavor or theatre in their conversation, they are prone to dramatic statements or exaggerations. They do not have much on with formality, and will talk in a friendly manner even with their superiors. A certain level of witticism is at least expected. If someone does not respond in kind to this, it is considered mildly insulting as if you do not consider them smart enough to engage in such banter.
They favor a tanned skin and colorful clothing with some personal flair, considering it an important part of self-presentation. This style became popular due to the lagrima de diosa, a family of plants that produce richly colored dyes that hold quite well in clothing. These dyes are also a large part of their export, and the basis for their nature as a trade nation.
Living on a shrub land archipelago, space is limited and keeping animals is a serious strain on resources. As such, meat is very rare, while fish is actually quite common as every town is a port town basically and the surrounding waters are abundant with them. The closeness to Sabara also influences the climate and trade, resulting in a variety of semi-tropical crops that are frequently used in sulvari cuisine such as bananas, yams, the nigharban persimmon and the sweet dulluna, a yellow-orange cordate fruit that is characteristic to the region. Traditional dishes include: boiled potatoes with chili pepper-garlic sauce; dulluna-vegetable stew; and seafood soup with shellfish, calamari, shrimp and ground spices.

Military

While they do have some standing armed forces on the islands, these are mostly to act as guards within the cities. The majority of their military is vested in their navy. These are separated in the official standing navy, and the volunteer navy who do not wish to be limited by official associations so they can pursue trading (or alternative trading, also known as piracy) in peace-times. They are fiercely proud of their homeland however, and would come to its defense if something were to happen.

Fortune Favors the Bold

Training Level

Trained

Veterancy Level

Experienced

Demonym

Sulvari

Government System

Democracy, Presidential

Related Ethnicities

• Sulvari