Bituin
Culture
(Bituin is culturally similar to those of 'real world' South East Asia') It is a diverse mix of communities and religions from all over the eastern and western world. It's known for is delicious sea food, spices, trendy fashion, and music industry. Though much of its culture is mirroring the ever advancing western countries.
On the surface, Bituin appears to be a thriving, community driven culture, but things become a lot more complicated, There is a strong need to present oneself as being successful and independent while also having a strong family bond. People not so subtly expect perfection from each other and flaws or interpersonal drama is usually kept to ones private life only. Appearing to have connections and friends is far more important than actually having them.
More often than not, young men are expected to immediately become the providers of the household while woman are expected to become good brides and mothers. Anything that shifts from that norm is generally frowned upon.
As far as religion, many Bituin people practice spirit worship without spirit magic. They have a strong belief that there are spirits that embody anything that is living and that they can influence the world around them. It is common to have a shrine to the spirits inside a home that you can pray to in times of hardship. Offerings of fruit or burning incense is one way they try to please the spirits. Doing anything to offend the spirits, such as disrespecting nature, animals or the dead is considered taboo and bad karma.
Magic is something that the people of Bituin are aware of, but are wary of. It is a stereotype that magic users are creepy shamans living in the woods waiting to curse people. While scientists are curious about the mechanisms of magic, many do not take it seriously or avoid it all together.
History
For centuries, the area was populated by an indigenous group known as the Paruparo, a tribe that discovered and practiced Spirit Magic and were able to use it to power develop their villages into advanced cities and live in prosperity. They worshiped the Spirits and ensured to care for the land around them. They're empire would expand exponentially due to this gift of magic, and they'd create machines more advanced than anything else available at the time. Over time they would push onto the main land of Bituin and mingle with other tribes in the area, eventually absorbing them into their empire.
As the generations passed and the empire grew, the people in power grew more restless. The magisters attempted to use the volcano to power a spell to give them divination to predict wars and crop seasons, but their reckless destruction of the forest to build these machines resulted in a prophecy of death and destruction. As the prophecy predicted, the volcano would erupt and cause a storm to form in the area that would completely flood the region and destroy the city. Having this vision noted, the people tried to use whatever magic and artifact they had left to grant them the power to escape, but the spell instead caused everyone in the radius of it to disappear off the face of the earth.
The flood would soon after desolate the region and after the water receded, there was nothing left of the Paruparo, or anyone really. Everyone in the region had vanished, no bodies to be found, only the ruins of their cities.
Rebuilding of Bituin
The mystery of the Paruparo's disappearance baffled the rest of the world. Rumors about the rapture which made people fear even stepping foot on the land. For centuries, the region was believed to be cursed, as disappearances and misfortune followed anyone who dared enter. In that time, nature would reclaim much of the region. But slowly, the population refilled with the Paruparo villagers who had fled before the spell, and settlers from neighboring region taking advantage of the empty land. Around the 1500's a new initiative to populate the region was engaged. It's first major city, Minau would be established in 1689, with others like Linabo soon to follow. Amidst tension over territory forming between different cultural factions, in 1720, Bituin would form a unified republic, gaining its name and electing it's first president. In 1853, Bituin would contruct it's first railway system, making travel and commerce easier, and sparking its industrial revolution.War of Nawala Island
In 1889, conflict would arise with Bituin's overseas neighbor, Burkhan who claimed ownership of Nawala Island. This conflict would become a war that would last 3 years, but would leave many parts of both countries devastated by the fighting, as the war showed advancements in military technology that would shake cities and kill thousands. Though Burkhan would eventually surrendor, to this day tensions are still high between the two countries, especially as the veterans of the war are still alive.Demography and Population
Bituin has a wide mix of people, but tends to have the highest population of people of south asian and south east asian decent. This population makes up about 50% of the population. 25% are of Arabic decent 15% are east Asian descent, 6% are of african decent and a whopping 4% are of Europan decent.
Technological Level
Bituin is fairly modern while still keeping to its cultural roots. Technologically, it is par with whats to be expected of the late 1920's, though some advancenments have been made ahead of when they would be in real life.
Foreign Relations
Bituin has allies across the world, but their closest allies are with their neighboring nations of Shakti and Saurdari, with which they been in many trade agreements as well as been provided aid during war. Speaking of war, relations with the overseas country of Burkhan are less cordial due to the devastating war the two countries fought in the very recent past. Tensions are still high between the two as the war has caused Bituin to cut off trade to the region completely.
Founding Date
1720
Type
Geopolitical, Country
Capital
Alternative Names
The Republic of Bituin
Demonym
Bituian
Currency
Bituin uses the peso as it's primary currency.
Location
Controlled Territories
Related Myths
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