Antiva
Home of Crows and wine
The Principality of Antiva, or simply Antiva, is a plutocratic nation in northeastern Thedas. Although it possesses few resources of its own, Antiva's location makes it a center for trade in the north. Antiva's wine trade, accompanied with its fruitful vineyards and aggressive trading practices has also greatly contributed to the prosperity of the nation. Its capital, Antiva City, lies in the middle of the coastline and is one of the wealthiest cities in all of Thedas. Many claim it's even more exquisite than the marble streets of Orlais' capital, Val Royeaux.
Culture and Society
Originally starting as a coalition of drow cities, Antiva was built as a civilization of people who once inhabited densely forested regions where little sun ever shined. At one time, drow used to struggle with sun exposure due to their anatomy but much time has passed since then. Though this is no longer technically the case, many foreigners will remark on the darkness of Antivan cities. This is mostly the case due to the often overcast and raining weather, but it's also due in part to how the cities are constructed in a way to minimize sun light in streets. To an Antivan, this gives their cities both a mysterious and romantic feeling to them. Many see the country of Antiva as nothing but a safe haven for pirates, criminals, and cut-throats. They wouldn't be wrong, but that's only a portion of the story. Many of the Thedas' best poets, architects, and vintners are born and trained along the nation's coastline, and their magnificent coffee is traded for exorbitant amounts of money all across the world. Antivan leather-marking is also notably exquisite. Small abbeys can be found dotting the landscape, teaching whoever will listen a path to a better future. Antiva's also a place where some of the greatest duelists have risen from across Thedas. The drow have long since revered women and thus have formed into a matriarchal society. To more extreme drow, the Maker created women to bring knowledge and wisdom into the conversation of savages and criminals. This takes many different forms. In some regions, these laws are very strict. In regions usually visited by foreigners, the laws much looser though drow do greatly appreciate it when their customs are listened to. Despite the nation's history, the term Antivan does not equate to the drow people. Though it is uncommon to find drow outside of their nation in any large quantity, many humans have immigrated to this nation over its long existence and have assimilated enough to be almost no different culturally than their drow counterparts.Politics
One of the strangest phenomena to arise in this nation is the lack of any formalized militia. Though for the longest time the Tevinter Imperium thought this had to have been a lie, it most certainly is the truth. The drow have small and frail figures, though this does mean they're naturally quite nimble. They are smart enough to know that against the force of a Ferelden's great-axe, they would pose little threat. Interestingly, Antiva hasn't been occupied by any invading forces for as long as history can remember. The cause of this is the Antivan Crows: the most efficient, most feared, and most expensive guild of assassins in all of Thedas. The Crows have their fingers in just about everything in Antivan life. Most would claim it as impossible to go your entire life in Antiva without ever having called for their services or being on the receiving end. The reason no leader has ever lead their nation to invade Antiva is simple: even if their nation won, they would not be alive to see it. Nor their partner, family, relatives, or even those high up in leadership who associate with the leader. The attackers would most certainly win and their nation would prosper from controlling the Antivan markets, but the fear of the Crows has never lead anyone to give such an order. In addition, the political machinations of Queen Luciana, "The Queen Mother of Thedas", involves an extensive array of political marriages between numerous noble houses in the effort of establishing alliances. This has given the Principality of Antiva significant political protection long after her passing. Due to her web of alliances, starting hostilities with Antiva would mean running the risk of dragging half of Thedas into war.History
Around the time of the First Exalted March, many modern nations began forming or taking their place in history. Antiva is one of the few that has been around since long before even then. Despite having been around for so long, the nation's written history is a mess. Kings and queens have had the texts erased, modified, rewritten, and even burned so that few would remember the points in history that they would want their people to forget. Largely, this has worked. While the First Exalted March was occurring, Antiva was in an era known as the "Three Queens era". Civil war shook the nation and brought its people to their knees. It wasn't until the Andrastian Chantry began to form in Orlais that this conflict would ever be resolved. The Chantry saw fit that none of the three queens deserved to rule due to the sins and atrocities they would commit. They supposedly donated funds to a small abbey that took down all three queens, leading to the Chantry being able to create a puppet-leader in the nation. The group of monks at this abbey later become known as the Antivan Crows, a group that influences just about everything in Antiva. Occasional books and playwrights that have not been censored have indicated that there have been periods in Antiva's history where demons and other malicious evils poured through the streets of their greatest cities. Many Drow feel the draw to such outlawed magics, but find a way to resist. Those who don't resist such temptations quickly find their blood rolling through the sewers. As of today, few put any real note into who the current king or queen is. Instead, most power is given to "princes" and "princesses". These are the wealthiest of the nation: bankers, trading company leaders, and vineyards owners.
Type
Geopolitical, Principality
Subsidiary Organizations
Neighboring Nations
Notable Members
Location: Eastern Thedas
Government: Plutocracy
Capital: Antiva City
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