Kingdom of Oceanus

The Kingdom of Oceanus practically sprang into existence overnight when the grand admiral of Pontus Tinigal thumbed his nose at his former king in far-off Courghais and absconded with his fleet in the process. Despite the overking’s efforts to reclaim Pontos Island from his upstart rival, the wily naval commander soundly defeated the Kingdom of Foere’s fleet on the open seas. With its victory, Oceanus catapulted to the status of naval superpower rivaled only by Bards Gate , Revelmoore and Endhome.
Many years have passed since then, however, and the modern Kingdom of Oceanus rests in the shadow of its former glories. Corrupt aristocracy and pronounced wealth inequality has created a discontent, agitated population and a stagnant economy sustained on the backs of slaves.
Following the ascent of King Dagult Ambermantle I to the Throne of the Oceans Blue in the year 3522 I.R., Oceanus stands on the precipice of a new golden age; so long as the new king can steer the beleaguered island nation in the right direction, and navigate the political storms and tumultuous waters inhabited by his many foes.

History

Pontus Tinigal was established as a province of the Kingdom of Foere in the year 2765 I.R., nearly two decades prior the founding of Revelmoore. Due to its distance between the city and the rest of the kingdom, the Grand Admiral of Pontus Tinigal was afforded tremendous autonomy by the Overking; a decision that would come back to haunt him in the year 3215 I.R. when Grand Admiral Maximilian d’Varago Pontos withdrew from Foere and declared himself King of the Oceans Blue. With his loyal navy, Maximillian crushed the Overking's forces at the pivotal Battle of Kapichi Point and formally established Oceanus as an independent power, with Pontus Tinigal as its capital.
Oceanus spent the next few centuries as a dominant maritime power, controlling much of the oceanic trade traffic in the Gulf of Akados. However, time gave rise to competition; Bard's Gate to the west, Revelmoore to the north, and the pirates congregating just outside of their waters, eager to prey upon the rich bounties of Oceanus' commercial ventures.
Generations of weak leaders and struggling to retain dominance in a harsh trade environment brought Oceanus to a low point, in which stark wealth inequality and wavering faith in the ruling d'Velas dynasty proved a perfect storm in which the Usurper's Gambit brewed, leading to former Open Lord of Revelmoore Dagult Ambermantle seizing the Crown of Oceanus for himself. With popular support and radical ideas, King Ambermantle poised himself to restore Oceanus to its former glory.

Trade and Commerce

Oceanus' grandest claim to fame is its labyrinthine maritime trade network, in which ships sail to and from the island like pieces of a finely tuned machine. Pontos Tinigal and Tros Zoas are major commercial hubs for traders sailing the Gulf of Akados, and goods from every corner of Lloegyr pass through their docks.
Pontos Island is rich in natural wealth. As a dormant volcanic island, it houses deposits of many rare metals, and is also home to deep crystal caves in which valuable gemstones can be mined. Rumors persist that even the incredibly rare diamond can be found by Oceander miners from time to time, hidden from overseers and quickly sold off to enterprising smugglers.
The majority of the foodstuffs exported from Pontos Island consists of fish and fruit, both of which are plentiful. Wealthy residents and visitors dine on exotic marine creatures, such as sharks and bluefin tuna.
Oceanus is also traditionally known for its advanced technology level, boasting complex docking mechanisms for ships and other naval advancements, and was one of the first adopters of firearm based weaponry. In recent years, neighbors have caught up to Oceanus' level of advancement, but it still retains a reputation as a technologically advanced nation.

Government

Oceanus is a constitutional naval monarchy. The reigning King or Queen of the Oceans Blue (sometimes traditionally referred to as the Grand Admiral) wields supreme executive power, and is served by a council of five admirals who advise them on matters of governance, military, trade, and domestic affairs.
Oceanus follows an elective rule of succession, in which the reigning monarch elects a successor of their choice from their blood relatives. Oldest children are most often picked, but this is not always the case. The reigning monarch will typically also name contingency heirs and outline a line of succession, should their chosen heir be unable to inherit.

Military

Oceanus' navy is its sole military entity, with no need for a standing army as an island nation. All enlisted soldiers not serving as crew on a sailing ship are trained as naval infantry and given instruction on how to fight efficiently on both sea and land. Oceanus Marines are feared by many pirates throughout the Gulf of Akados.
There is a single royally-sponsored chivalric order in Oceanus; the Order of the Oceans Blue. Knights of the Oceans Blue almost exclusively dedicate their service to the kingdom's ruler, serving as their bodyguards until retirement. Knights of the Ocean Blue will very rarely be deployed for missions beyond this scope. The traditional armaments of this knightly order include Mariner's Plate Armor to allow them to maneuver underwater while fully armored, and Shields of Cold Resistance to protect against water and cold-based magics often employed by sahuagin and other marine foes.

Geography

Oceanus and its settlements are located entirely on Pontos Island, a now-dormant volcanic island. The island sports a temperamental climate prone to extreme swings; summers are sweltering and vicious, while winters bring dense fog and even occasional snowfall. Notable geographic features include sandbars dotted with shallow lagoons, as well as groupings of basalt columns on some parts of the coast.

Settlements

Pontus Tinigal

See Pontus Tinigal.

Tros Zoas

Population: 16,562 (16,247 Oceander, 220 Foerdewaith, 40 halfling, 25 half-elf, 15 high elf, 10 hill dwarf, 5 other)
Ruler: Admiral Lucrecia Lacibeles
Government: autocracy
This fortified seaport holds the distinction of being built on the foundation of the oldest known city-state in Akadonian history — Xantallan. The famed explorer and military conqueror Koshag of Ur came to this island roughly 18,000 years ago aboard his flagship and founded his capital on what would later be known as Pontos Island at the site where he and the 1,200 soldiers who accompamed him aboard 18 warships first landed. From this launching point, the merciless warlord and his troops routed and enslaved the island’s small population of indigenous humanoids. Koshag reigned over his new kingdom for 19 tumultuous years. After his death and interment on the mainland of Akados, the stronghold Koshag founded descended into chaos and disrepair. A series of powerful storms leveled most of its stone fortifications and flooded portions of the surviving buildings beneath seawater. Less than a century after its creation, the citadel, whose original name has been lost to the annals of history, was virtually uninhabited save for a handful of stragglers occupying pockets of the ruined fortress.
When the Hyperborean fleet set sail across the Pontine Straits to bring Pontos Island under its heel, it encountered sporadic, disorganized resistance. The remnants of Tros Zoas almost immediately succumbed to their new conquerors who appreciated the value of a fortified seaport on the island’s southern coast. They rebuilt the crumbling coastal fortress in short order, bolstering its defenses and harbor in the process. After the Hyperboreans left Akados, the Kingdoms of Foere stepped into the breach and gained control of the citadel in what felt like a seamless transition of power from a political and cultural standpoint. Tros Zoas stamped its place in history when Overking Yurid gathered his crusader fleet in the port in 2970 I.R. to set sail for Khemit. After Maximilian d’ Varago Pontos took command of a large portion of the Foerdewaith fleet in 3215 I.R. and declared himself King of the Oceans Blue, Tros Zoas took a prominent role in the Kingdom of Oceanus’ future ambitions.
The seaport’s location on the southeastern coast of Pontos Island granted the emperor’s newfound state easy access to the Sinnar Ocean near the Matagost Peninsula. Tros Zoas rapidly expanded from a fortress of a few thousand to a heavily fortified naval installation boasting more than 16,000 permanent residents, half of whom are sailors and marines in the Oceanic navy. In addition to housing its naval forces, a garrison of 1,000 infantrymen, archers, and cavalry rigidly maintains order within Tros Zoas’ imposing walls and in the largely untamed wilderness outside its 30-foot-high walls and outer moat. In keeping with the kingdom’s maritime roots and traditions, the laws of the high seas also prevail on land, especially in its most populous seaport besides the capital. The captain of any ship in the Oceanic navy has the legal authority to mete out justice regardless of where the perpetrator committed the punishable offense, even if the individual is outside the captain’s chain of command. However, in a strange twist, Tros Zoas grants safe harbor to a handful of pirates the Kingdom of Oceanus clandestinely finances for a share of their ill-gotten booty. These discreet and savvy privateers predominately operate in the Pontine Straits or on the open seas far from Oceanus. To ensure their silence and loyalty, the kingdom requires their families to reside within Tros Zoas under the veiled threat that some harm would come to their loved ones if they betray their ties to the kingdom.
Admiral Lucrecia Lacibeles administers the fortress’s civic and judicial branches as well as nominally commanding the portion of the Oceanic fleet stationed here. She also occupies a religious position as the Divine Mistress of the Seas. In this capacity, she serves as the titular leader of the Church of Quell, Tros Zoas’ patron deity, whose temple serves a dual role as a shrine dedicated to the sea god and a fully functional lighthouse at the edge of the harbor. Her fortress also houses infamous dungeons where prisoners languish and suffer under some of the most unspeakable conditions in Akados. Despite the settlement’s emphasis on crime and punishment, smugglers seeking to export Oceanus’ high-tech equipment to foreign states frequently ply their trade on the docks and wharfs alongside Tros Zoas’ longshoremen and shipwrights.

Region Information

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Capital: Pontus Tinigal
Notable Settlements: Pontus Tinigal, Tros Zoas
Ruler: King Roderigo d'Velas, King Dagult Ambermantle  (as of 3522)
Government:Monarchy
Languages: Common, Aquan, Halfling
Religion: Quell, Solanus, Jamboor, Dame Torren, Dagon (in secret)
Resources: trade, fishing, manufactured goods, foodstuffs, grain, pottery, dyes, gems, gold, privateers

Type

Geopolitical, Kingdom