Havanis

Havanis

Flag of Havanis
Motto: The Only Good is Wisdom and the Only Evil is Ignorance.
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Region	New Mactopia
Capital	Naverius
Official Language(s)	Havanisian
Leader	His Grace, Marquis Andari
Population	10 Million
Currency	Vil
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History

In The Beginning...

The Havanisians and the direct descendants of the Kirastorians, one of the ancient races, who lived on the Harrav archipelago in central Driftopia. In it's time, Kirastor was hailed as the cradle of civilization, but after the great Cataclysm that rent the land of Driftopia, the Kirastorians were reduced to wandering the wastes of the world. They took up a nomadic life in Arturia, a frozen region far to the north of Mactopia, and there they wallowed in their grief. After time, however, the Kirastorians started to look foreward, and stopped revering the past. It was at this time that they emerged, stumbling, out of Arturia. Eventually, the Kirastorians settled the coasts at the extreme north of Mactopia, and took up a new name, the Havanisians, or "The Expectant". This was around 350a.c. Their country, Havanis, quickly grew in prosperity and prowess, and in 400a.c, a new, grand capital was purpose built upon an island in the Tathos river delta - Naverius. Naverius was testament to the vast wealth Havanis had accumulated through exploration and trade, and sported enormous shipyards, an efficient canal system, a grand temple to Bashaal, god of the sea, and a vast Citadel and Senate complex, constructed out of the highest quality black marble. In the 5th century a.c, the Havanisians further extended their reach. They established a trading and maritime empire that was worthy of the ancient Kirastorians themselves, and the Havanisians' experiance at taming the seas proved invaluble. It was at this time that they came into contact with other survivors, such as the Forkanians and the Klehvisians, who were their kin. Although their maritime empire does no longer exist, the Havanisians were in large part responsible for bringing the new nations of Mactopia together, and their continuing trade ensures that no merchant's stomach in Naverius goes empty!

The Frostmourn Oddysey

Once the nations of New Mactopia were fully established, they looked to roll back the edges of the map. An expedition into the north, into Arturia, was decided upon. The countries of Cosmorita, Havanis and Forkania all contributed to the expedition. After the preparations were complete, seven Havanisian ships filled with 1,400 Cosmoritans, Havanisians and Forkanians set sail from Naverius and into the unkown. However, the expedition was ill-fated from the start. The Havanisian vice-admiral and leader of the expedition wrote this account of their journey:

We left Naverius as heroes...We shouldn't have. We shall return as villains. Curse the Marquis! Curse the Senate! And the rest of them! They sent so many good men to their death...As did I. Had they not heard of the horrors of the north? Not realised the danger? Obviously Not.

The expedition began well. We and our seven ships were carried by a strong prevailing wind northwards out of Naverius and arrived in the port city of Thilem in a mere two days. I had not visited that city in ten years, and in that time, it had been transformed from a proud port city to a den of villainous pirates and ne'erdowells. The type of skullduggery that must go on there now doesn't bear thinking about. Anyhow, we gathered supplies in the morning and signed more on to our crew. But, being pirates, they saw the riches that we were carrying on board and once we had retreated out to sea, attacked us. They had caught us off guard, but the men fought well, and each and every pirate was gathered up and executed in the name of Law. We sustained heavy losses however, and I am told one of the Vetinari brothers perished there also.

And so, disheartened, we continued on our voyage northwards. There are storms in those northern regions of the sea the likes of which no Mactopian had endured before us, and there was talk of turning back. However, I put faith in our ships. Havanisian ships are the finest ships in the world, I told the men, they were built to withtand storms twice this size! I was soon vindicated. The storms parted and we weighed anchor at a sheltered cove. We had left the Boreal Forest and Havanis far behind us now. Here, I thought to myself, there must be no life, only wind, snow and ice. Here, however, I was incorrect. As per my instructions, sentries were left on the beach while the rest of us revelled in some rare sleep. In the black of night, we heard howling that could not have issued from mortal lips, and great shaggy beasts, white as the snow around them and twice the size of any hound leaped down upon the sentries, and attacked them. We left hastily after that - I could not bear the screaming. Further north, the wind grew icier still, and we had to revert to diesel power as the sail were frozen rigid. Here there is a sea dotted with great, towering castels of ice, that dwarf any ship. And as we continued northwards, the horizon became filled with them, and the ships became overcome. We lost three ships to the ice castles - the H.G.S Victor, the H.G.S Unconquerable, and the H.G.S Tarosi. The rest of us - now a bedraggled band of survivors, limped towards the coast and to temporary salvation.

It was abvious that no man could navigate the ships out of the maze of ice that filled the sea, and so the decision was made to abandon the expedition and return by land. Navigating by land, however, was just as unfathomable. To our left were a range of mountains, marching northward, and culminating in a peak aptly named World's End by Solomon Vetinari, and to our right was the sea. Between them, however, was a vast desert of ice, as unconquerable and hostile as the sea itself. We headed in a vague line for the mountains, digging boltholes for the night to escape the vicious blizzards that so often whipped the land. When we had travelled nigh on fifty leagues, we happened accross a band of savages, out hunting. The savages led us to their home, a village made of round ice-huts at the foot of the mountains. There they clothed us in warm fur, fed us grizzly but welcome seal meat, and told us tales of their land. They told us of the Great White Bear, stalker of man. They told us of the spirit living in the mountain which I believe must be World's End. And they told us of a most curious tale, one that tells of their history - a great civilization destroyed in the blink of an eye, taking to travelling the wastes of Arturia, facing numberless perils... I am convinced they are akin to us Havanisians.

The Noble Savage. We would have died on the ice if it weren't for their generosity. I am writing this within one of their ice-huts. I shall hand this journal to my scribe and instruct him to return it to Naverius. Then they shall all know the horrible doom they set for their men. I choose to remain here, away from the decadance of Mactopia.

                                              -Indoris Tirins, Vice-Admiral.

Only 500 men of the original 1,400 returned from the expedition, and no ships. Soon after their return, the Forkanian author, Pha-Ramesses wrote "The Frostmourn Oddysey" in order to show his respect to those who died for the expedition, and immortalise their efforts in writing.

Geography

Havanis is a coastal country, based in the extreme north of Mactopia's eastern continent. Even though much of the north of the country is tundra, prevailing winds and water currents from the south west have bestowed upon Havanis a warm, wet climate that befits any country that looks towards the sea as much as Havanis does. Inland, the land slopes upwards, towards the Khabal mountains, which tower above the eastern fringes of the country. Many swift rivers fall from these mountains, which turn slow and wide once they hit the plains. The largest of these rivers is the Tathos river, which reaches the sea in the south of the country and deposits masses of depris, creating the Tathos river Delta. Within the arms of this delta is the proud city of Naverius, Havanis' capital.

Natural Wonders

Havanis is fortunate in that it is one of the few areas in Mactopia to have escaped the damage left by the devastating thermonuclear war at the end of the ancient period. The land here remains beautiful, green and fertile. One of the greatest natural wonders in the land of Havanis is the Tathos river. Running from the Khabal mountains, across the Tha'Sham plains until it reaches the sea at Naverius, the Tathos river is the widest in the known world at over a kilometer across in places. Many animals make the Tathos river their home, including waterbirds such as the Pearleater, insects such as the Pondskater and giant lizards such as the Thunder Lizard. In the far north of the country is the Boreal forest. Running across the known world, the Boreal forest is vast and creates 1/3 of the world's oxygen. Many species of deer, birds, bears and other animals hide withing the dark shadows in this forest. Some Havanisians still consider it extremely unhealthy to enter this forest, as it isn'y likely that you will come out again - the forest is vast, tracless, and with dozens of species of animals that wouldn't think twice about consuming a Human.

A lesser known natural wonder is the mountain Azgar Khabal. Even though it is the mountain that gives the Khabal range it's name, few have taken the time to gaze upon it. It is a giant - over 7,000m high, and juts out from the rest of the range at the end of an isolated valley in a remote corner of southern Havanis. It's western face is one huge cliff, dominating the head of the valley, and is crowned with a half dome. There is evidence of enormous ruins stretching across the western cliff face, and a vast network of caverns stretch within.

Government

The Senate & Marquis

The Most Serene Republic is indeed a republic, with a senate of 75 senators arguing over how the country should be run. Alongside the senate is the figurehead of the nation, the Marquis. The current Marquis is His Grace, Marquis Andari. Although the Marquis is technically the leader of the nation, he has very little real power, as it is the senate that primarily concern themselves with the running of the nation. However, the Marquis does have some say in the country's foreign policy and wars.

[[2]] <A picture of the Marquis after a particularily bad ruff day.

The Havanisian Military

The Havanisian Military's speciality is, and always has been, naval warfare. This trait was passed down to them from their ancient ancestors, the Kirastorians, who always had an affinity for ships, and for the sea. The Havanisian ships are a hybrid of sail and diesel power, and are extremely elegant vessels. The Navy, debatably, outclasses all others in Mactopia, and the Havanisian air force provides efficient air support for it. However, the Havanisian army is regrettably underdeveloped, and their cities are vulnerable from attack over land.

Provincial Government

Recently, Havanis has seen many divisions that have led to the creation of five provinces - The Lower Tha'Sham Plains, The Upper Tha'Sham Plains, Khabal, Lorran and Boreal. This has lessened the workoad in Naverius and also given far more power to local authorities. The two provinces that divide the Tha'Sham plains are the most populous, with large cities such as Rhovanni and Naenis within them. Khabal is a mountainous province in the south-east of the country, and backs onto thhe Khabal mountains. In the north of the country there are two provinces - Boreal, a sparsely populated province that is indeed covered in Boreal forest. South of Boreal, on the Havanisian coast, is Lorran, the area in which the Havanisians first settled.

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Religion

The Havanisians follow a Polytheistic religion, that is, a religion where many Gods are worshipped. In total, there are hundreds of Gods, however the majority of the populace only worship a small number, usually the seven prime gods. They are -

Bashaal, God of the Sea. His wrath is great, and oft lets it loose in great storms, sinking whole ships at any given moment. However, Bashaal has always favoured the Havanisians, and has permitted them to travel upon his waters.

Arthesis, the Gatekeeper. Arthesis is the patron god of the fortress city of Rhovanni, and is looked upon as the stoic defender of the Havanisian people. Whenever Havanis is at war or one of it's cities under siege, the people look to him for protection.

Renesi, the Lady. Renesi is godess of nature and fertility. A large portion of the Havanisian populace are farmers, and therefore, Renesi is a popular choice of god across the whole land.

Kythares, the Raging. Kythares is the god of war of Havanis, and unlike other war gods in Mactopia, he is actually a she. War has always been an event that all Havanisians take part in, and the Godess Kythares shows this to the rest of the world.

Tothecrates, the Loremaster. History and lore have always been important to the Havanisians, as they are proud of their lineage, being descendants of the Kirastorians. Tothecrates watches over the history, art and culture of the nation.

Valar, the Wild. Valar watches over all things untamed, and hunters often seek his fortune before embarking on a hunt.

Oria, the Mother Godess. Oria is the creator, the mother of the world, and everything that lives on it. She is now seldom seen upon th Earth, and has turned her attentions to other designs.

The Havanisian religion dictates that humans are reincarnated after death, although it is strangely silent on the Meaning of Life. Although religion is an important aspect of their lives for most Havanisians, the government does little to support the temples, and as a result, the grand buildings have begun to decay. However, the temples often recieve generous donations, and still operate efficiently within the land.

Naverius

Naverius is capital of Havanis and one of the greatest cities in Mactopia. It was purpose built at around 400a.c as a capital worthy of ruling a vast empire. The city is built on an island between the arms of the Tathos river delta, and thus it can only be reached by boat. Naverius was once the hub for all trading in Mactopia, and that has left the city rich. As a result, both beautiful and practical works of art have been commisioned and adorn the city, such as the Gigantus of Naverius - a bronze statue of the god of the sea, Bashaal, that stands fifty feet above the entrance to the shipyards. No work of art, however, can ever hope to outclass the citadel. Built of the highest quality black marble, the citadel toweres above the rest of the city, both imposing and impressive. The citadel serves a dual role - to glorify the senate and the Marquis, and to remind the citizens of Naverius of their lot in life. Far below the citadel, beneath the three and four floored timber framed houses, the cobbled streets of Naverius are oft alive with merchants from all corners of the earth advertising their exotic goods to crowds of residentrs and foreigners. Even the rich folk of the city - those who use the canals - cannot entirely escape the omnipresent merchants, who address them from bridges, house windows, and balconies. The city is bisected by the Grand Canal, which runs East to West from Nap Hill to the Shipyards, and surrounded by a great wall, whose only gates are at either end of the Grand Canal.