Zante (ˈzan.te)

"While the inhabitants of Zante insist that the town and the island were never missing, it is indisputable that for everyone else, there hasn't been an island in this location since Hyrie sank centuries ago. All the physical evidence of the island supports a constant occupation and intercourse with the other islands in the region, which none of them recall at all. This leads us with two possibilities. Either the island of Dardanthos somehow slipped into the world from a similar but not identical reality, or all memories and records of Dardanthos were altered to make it seem that way. I am inclined towards the former, but cannot completely rule out the latter with the evidence at hand. Regardless, this leaves us with a bundle of mysteries to untangle, which I expect will take years at least, and possibly never result in a satisfactory answer. - Higa Kamen, in a report to the Kunifā Mūtān of the Gwāsa.

Zante is the largest town on the island of Dardanthos, an island that only appeared a few years ago, in the same position as lost Hyrie. It occupies a place on the map that was once labeled Idaia, but the inhabitants claim that the town was never named that, just as they report that the island was never Hyrie, and certainly had never spent centuries at the bottom of the sea. The town of Zante is similar to what was recorded of Idaia, but not identical. Some of these can be explained by the additional centuries of history that Zante has experienced, but others are harder to account for. One such example is the five small islands in Zante harbor which were not a part of any map of the Idaia, but could hardly have been constructed.

Demographics

Zante is entirely populated by humans from the Kaphtori ethnicity. They speak a dialect of Kaphtorikós that is intelligible with that used throughout the Kaphtor Islands, but contains several unusual words and pronunciations. The town and immediate region has about seven thousand people living there.

Some of the population in and around Zante claim to have immigrated there from other islands in the time before Dardanthos appeared. So far, any attempt to find records of those individuals on the islands they claim to have originated has found no traces of their existence, despite their intimate knowledge of those locations.

Government

Zante is the domain of the Dardanthoi Phylí, the Kaphtori tribe which rules the island of Dardanthos. The government consists of a hereditary council known as the Gerousia, who select a Basileus or King from among their number. Membership in the Gerousia is limited to the heads of the most important households on Dardanthos, who also must contribute financially to the upkeep of the city state each year in either currency or goods. When a particular family cannot make the required payment, their seat on the Gerousia is forfeit, and will be offered to a different family from the Dardanthoi Phylí who can meet this requirement.

The Basileus of Dardanthos must be from the families represented on the Gerousia, and serves for life. They may select an heir to become Basileus after them, but their selection must be approved by a simple majority of the Gerousia to inherit. If they fail to be approved, then other candidates may be considered, but choosing anyone other than the heir requires a two-thirds majority. If a new candidate cannot be agreed upon within one year, the heir becomes Basileus automatically.

The Basileus has nearly total power over the city and the island, with only a few checks on their authority under normal conditions. However, if the Gerousia feels that the Basileus is abusing their power or is incompetent in some area, they may appoint a number of other officials who take over some aspect of rulership, removing that area from the authority of the Basileus. For example, the council may choose to appoint a Strategos, who has complete authority over all military matters, or a Dikastēs who had sole discretion over adjudicating legal disputes and trials. This power is rarely used, but in theory the Gerousia could strip the Basileus of all authority by parceling it out to other people. These appointments are also for life, but they do not have the privilege to specify an heir.

Alternative Name(s)

Idaia (disputed)

Type

Large town

Location under

Dardanthos

Owning Organization

Dardanthoi Phylí

Geographic Details

Location: Dardanthos, Southeastern Region
Latitude: 36.69 degrees North
Longitude: 42.82 degrees East

Routes

Land

Sea

Glossary

• Basileus: The leader of Dardanthos, equivalent to a King
• Dikastēs: A high judge that could be appointed by the Gerousia
• Gerousia: The hereditary council of Dardanthos which selects the Basileus
• Strategos: A general in charge of all military affairs that could be appointed by the Gerousia

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