Quetzenkel
Kingdom of Quetzenkel Au'puni Quet'zen'kaal | |
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 Flag
 Coat of arms
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Motto: Ua alakaʻiʻia e ketuna, balakao-ia feke Akua (Guided by tradition, led by God) | |
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| Capital and | Akwesasne |
| Official languages | Quetzeni |
| Religion | Catholicism |
| Government | Constitutional monarchy |
• King | Telucti I |
| All-Tribal Assembly | |
| National Assembly | |
| Establishment | |
• Proclaimed | 31 October 2016 |
| Population | |
• 2020 estimate | 38,903,423 |
| GDP (nominal) | 2030 estimate |
• Total | $629,807,514,947 |
• Per capita | $16,189 |
| Currency | Taler (₮) |
The Kingdom of Quetzenkel is a country in northern Crona. It occupies a position between the Nysdra Sea to the north and Varshan to the south. It is bordered by Xisheng and New Veltorina.
The Quetzen people have lived in modern Quetzenkel since at least 900 BC, and the earliest predecessors of the modern state were a large number of prosperous city-states which survived to the beginning of the early modern period. These city-states and the Quetzen culture with it were extremely influential throughout the Nysdra Sea region, including, at times, colonies in Venua'tino. The city-states were unified in the 1640s into a single Archchiefdom, which lost its cross-Nysdra influence but nonetheless remained a powerful state. The Archchiefdom's political system and particularly its succession system led to instability which culminated in civil war during the early 21st century. The Kingdom was formed in the wake of the South Nysdra War in the 2010s, inaugurating an Occidental-style government aligned with Urcea.
The country sits at the crossroads, both culturally and economically, between Crona, Varshan, the sphere of Daxia and the Occidental world. The relative diversity of the country's neighbors and trading partners has created a vibrant cultural revival during the 21st century. Although once wartorn, the country's economy is developing and is expected to flourish given its strong trade and investment relations with Levantia. It has been described as the "most self-confident of the Nysdra states" by some scholars due to its strong economy, independent military capability, and long national identity that pre-dates the Deluge.
Quetzenkel is a member of the Nysdra Sea Treaty Association.
Etymology
The native name for the country, Quet'zen'kaal, means "land of the naked sky" in the ancient ancestors of the Quetzeni language. Scholars have debated the term, but archaeologists and geneticists have discovered conclusive evidence that the much of Quetzenkel's population is descended from migrants originating in Venua'tino. Consequently, Quetzenkel's position south of the arctic circle - combined with its unusually low amount of cloud cover during the year - is thought to be the origin of the country's name.
Geography
Quetzenkel sits at the southern end of the Sea of Nysdra, partially surrounded on three sides by mountain ranges of various height and expansiveness - these ranges also extend into Cetsencalia, Varshan, and Xisheng, respectively. Close to the northern shore of the country sits badlands covered in cavernous, rocky hills which have been used for guerrilla activities by various groups for centuries. At the center of the country sits the Bay of Aliʻikiʻe, or High King; this bay, off the Sea of Nysdra, was the primary trade and communication route through the country before the modern era. Through today, it remains a vital transportation corridor, especially for seaborne goods coming from Levantia or elsewhere. The bay is so-called due to the primacy of its political significance prior to the modern era; control over the whole bay would afford any chief effective domination over any of the other proto-Quetzeni tribes. At the southern tip of the bay sits Akwesasne, the nation's capital city, at a natural and calm harbor. The entry to the Bay of Aliʻikiʻe is through the Akau (or northern) Channel, a relatively narrow strip of water sitting between Quetzeni and Xisheng territory. Access to the bay is strictly enforced by Urcean, Quetzeni, and Daxian authorities and governed by a series of treaties. To the southeast of Akwesasne sits Okapu'u, or "Lake of Dreams", a large freshwater lake responsible for the irrigation of a large portion of Quetzenkel's arable land; Okapu'u flows into the Aliʻikiʻe northeast of Akwesasne, and several aqueducts have been constructed throughout the ages to bring fresh water to the capital.
History
Early history
Traditional Quetzeni histories suggest that Quetzenkel has existed for a hundred thousand generations, but modern scholarship suggests that permanent human settlement in the Kingdom began in the late 6000s BC, and that the ancestors of the modern Quetzeni migrated to the land in the 900s BC. Changing climatological conditions and the rise of rudimentary agricultural technology lead to the need for some groups to migrate south from Venua'tino, much of which sits above the arctic circle. The means by which the proto-Quetzeni migrated to the country is heavily debated by scholars and archaeologists; the "over-seas" theory of migration was popular until the 1950s when a "long-land" migration path was supported by then-new archaeological evidence. Since the 1990s, however, a growing consensus has suggested that there were two groups, one which came by land and the other sea, and that these two groups intermingled to form a united proto-Quetzeni people and identity.
Like its neighboring countries, Quetzenkel did not quickly consolidate into a centralized society; rather, it remained in a state of dozens of fractured tribes and over-tribes, often with shifting loyalties and ever-changing territories due to constant migration in addition to a few major maritime city-states who dominated Venua'tino during the medieval and renaissance periods. This early state continued through the permanent discovery of Quetzenkel by the Occidental world in the 15th century. The trade with the Occident lead to increased violence between the tribes as new technology, as well as the horse, entered use. During the warring tribes period, Occidental nations began to write of the first "Kings of Quetzenkel", though these individuals were more akin to paramount chiefs, who were often temporary under the ever-changing dynamic of the warring tribe period.
Establishment of a Quetzen state
In 1639, a man named Ahonui assumed control of the Nohealani tribe, becoming paramount chief of Quetzenkel by virtue of his predecessor's large army. The army, which survived the succession, was reformed by Ahonui under the guidance of Occidental advisers. Ahonui then struck a bargain with several states of the distant Holy Levantine Empire, promising trade rights and outposts in exchange for a large influx of weapons and capital in the form of gold. By 1645, Ahonui had agreements in hand from fourteen Levantine states and waged total war on the other tribes of Quetzenkel in order to unite the country under his rule. As he conquered the coastal cities, the traditional Quetzen thalassocracy which had exercised power in Venua'tino was destroyed, opening the door for Varshan to exhibit greater influence there and throughout the Nysdra Sea. By force of arms and additionally by using the threat of Varshan, Ahonui succeeded by 1650. He wiped away the old over-tribal system by reforming his Nohealani tribe to establish one over-tribe, the Quetzeni. Ahonui assumed a title best translated as Archchief, and he took the new name Quetzen. Archchief Quetzen maintained the ancient succession system of the Nohealani, as each successive chief only ruled until a designated son, nephew, or cousin, reached a certain age, typically 20. Quetzen ruled until 1653, handing power over to his nephew Archchief Quetzen II.
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The traditional Nohealani succession system required a designated heir in consultation with tribal councils, leading to consistent political instability. Archchief Quetzen XV in 1801 decreed Occidental-style primogeniture succession. Quetzen XV died during the conflict, but his son, Honau III, successfully won the civil war and ensured the survival of the primogeniture reform, though the traditional succession system would remain an important minority political position from that point onward. As a concession, Honau replaced the Nohealani-only tribal council with the All-Tribal Assembly in 1813, with representatives from each of the former 25 over-tribes in a system similar to the Great Landsmeet in Urcea. The All-Tribal Assembly has convened every year since, typically meeting from June to October. The system put in place in the early 19th century provided nearly two centuries of political stability in Quetzenkel, ushering in a period of economic growth which elevated Quetzenkel's GDP per capita to that roughly equaling Varshan. In 1937, as the Occidental powers fought the Great War, Quetzenkel closed all of its treaty ports agreed to by Quetzen I in the 1640s, ending almost 300 years of economic exploitation at the hands of the Occident. Quetzenkel later signed treaties with the Occident following the end of the war ensuring that the Occidental powers would not return to open the ports.
20th century
Following decades of peace in the 20th century, concerns around the Occidental world once again intervening around the Nysdra in the years immediately preceding The Deluge led Quetzenkel and many other states to begin considering modernization and rearmament. To this end, Quetzenkel agreed to allow Veltorine people to settle in some of the less populated parts of Western Quetzenkel in exchange for technical expertise with respect to military and industrial goods. Their expertise allowed Quetzenkel to construct a relatively modern military by 1990, though efforts to maintain it were not taken as it was thought the Occidental danger had passed.
Varshan gradient
With the collapse of the long ruling Yun-harle dynasty, Varshan's northernmost province of Brudxaan entered rebellion in 1958. With support from Daxia, Quetzenkel annexed the rebellious province of Brudxaan, modern New Veltorina, in 1962. This move met with the support of most international powers, establishing a so-called "Varshan gradient" which separated Cao and Occidental possessions in Cusinaut from Varshan. It also had the effect of collapsing the centuries old Polar Captaincy in Venua'tino. The region was also partly settled with newly arrived Veltorines.
For the remainder of the 20th century, administration of the Brudxaan province became one of the leading political issues in Quetzenkel. Although its people were ethnically similar to the majority Quetzen population, centuries of Varshani rule had introduced many cultural innovations, including Orthodox Arzalism, that made integration of the territory difficult. Additionally, most local socio-political authority had been deliberately destroyed by the Varshani authorities, creating a legitimacy problem in attempting to create a new local social hierarchy. By 1993, the Quetzen government decided to resettle local peoples and to clear land for ethnic and cultural Quetzens to settle in the former Brudxaan area, a move which met with international condemnation. In addition to their own people, the Quetzen government resorted to use of the local Veltorines to establish a new urban elite or to otherwise handle local public administration. By the turn of the 21st century, Veltorines were significant ingrained in the economic, political, and social leadership of western Quetzenkel.
21st century
In the early 2000s, Quetzenkel was ruled by Archchief Honau V, who advised national caution and good relations with the Occident, particularly Urcea, in order to ensure Quetzeni independence. Consequently, Quetzenkel did not intervene in the War of the Northern Confederation and quickly recognized the new neighboring Kingdom of New Harren. Increasing Occidental intervention lead to the rise of radical traditionalists within Quetzenkel, who not only called for an armed resistance to the Occident but also for the abdication of Honau V in favor of the traditional Nohealani succession system. Honau refused and the nation descended into political disorder, but was without violence until Honau's assassination in 2013. Honau's great nephew ascended as Archchief Quetzen XXIII in 2013, and he quickly implemented martial law in an attempt to stabilize the country, beginning the South Nysdra War. As part of the traditionalists' efforts, Veltorine people suddenly had their rights and privileges suddenly curtailed in response to the Occidental threats resulting from The Deluge, leading to them launching an uprising. The thinly spread Quetzeni military could not effectively contain the many internal threats, though they were effective in head-to-head confrontations. Despite the ongoing conflict and uprising in the West, Quetzen decided not to spare additional military forces as he believed doing so would lead to revolution as the military pulled out. Archchief Quetzen was suddenly assassinated by a Veltorine assassin, throwing the country into further chaos.
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The death of the young and childless Quetzen XXIII threw the succession into turmoil, and effective organized military resistance to the Veltorine rebels ceased as factions within the military began to fight for control of the country. The Veltorines established control over most of Western Quetzenkel beyond their traditional footprint, beginning a bloody ethnic war between locals and the Veltorines. The conflict in the west lead to many refugees flowing into eastern Quetzenkel. The temporary military government established in 2014 collapsed under the weight of the refugee crisis, worsening the civil war that would last until 2016 between several claimants for the Archchiefdom. The civil war would largely take the form of traditionalists on one hand, lead by claimant Achak III, and the so-called "internationalists", lead by claimant Quetzen XXIV, who claimed to be Quetzen XXIII's nephew. A temporary truce was established during the Urcean seizure of Cetsencalia (which ended the ethnic war in the west) to contemplate how Quetzenkel should respond, but the so-called "Truce Congress" quickly fell apart in October 2015 and fighting resumed.
Throughout 2015, Urcea's intention to intervene in Quetzenkel was halted by objections to Varshan, with which Urcea sought to avoid war. Negotiations stretched through the year, as Varshan feared that a Urcean-aligned Quetzenkel would give the Occidental powers a "back door" entryway into Varshan, significantly weakening its ability to defend itself. Both sides reached an impasse, though Varshan was waiting to see the result of the 2015 Urcean elections, which decisively returned a pro-intervention majority. The impasse would soon be broken, as Varshan was willing to cede Quetzenkel over to Urcean influence provided that Varshan retained some influence in the country as well. In late 2015 and early 2016, a Catholic Varshani entrepreneur and noble named Telucti Cheveyo launched a public relations campaign which included a peer-reviewed study of his own ancestry, which conclusively proved descent from Archchief Quetzen I. Cheveyo, sporting deep connections in Varshan and Urceopolis, claimed that his heritage and unique financial position gave him a "a sincere patrimonial and financial interest in the wellbeing of the Quetzenkeli state". Cheveyo's candidacy to rule Quetzenkel lead to accord between Varshan and Urcea. In mid 2016, Quicksilver Industries-armed and trained forces crossed from Varshan into Quetzenkel under Cheveyo's leadership, calling themselves the "Legitimists". In order to halt his advance, the internationalists and traditionalists agreed to form the National Unity Front in order to halt the advance of Cheveyo. The Legitimists, supported by Urcea's Royal Air Force captured Akwesasne by the beginning of September 2016, and by the end of the month the National Unity Front was effectively broken, allowing Cheveyo to form a Provisional Government. The Royal and Imperial Army was soon given permission to construct bases on the coast of the Nysdra, solidifying Urcea's presence in the country.
Kingdom of Quetzenkel
After having received permission from the Pope, in the middle of October, it was announced that Telucti Cheveyo would be crowned the King of Quetzenkel. Cheveyo's coronation in the relatively small mission church in Akwesasne, now dubbed the Cathedral of St. John of the Cross, was overseen by King Riordan VIII of Urcea. Crowned King Telucti I of Quetzenkel, the new King controversially did homage to Riordan as Emperor of the Levantines, sparking debate in international circles of the degree of independence Quetzenkel should be regarded with. Following the establishment of the Kingdom, Cheveyo began a Christianization program, inviting missionaries from Levantia, and also began rigorous infrastructure construction and repair programs using aid money from Urcea. Advised by experts from Levantia, King Telucti I began a top-to-bottom legal and political reform of the country in order to bring its governing apparatus more in line with the nations of Sarpedon and Levantia. He also began a partial liberalization of the economy, reducing former guild privileges and barriers to trade.
Quetzenkel was invaded by Varshan as part of the Final War of the Deluge, but King Telucti's reforms and support of other NSTA members lead to a largely successful defense of the country especially due to the Varshani prioritization of the Invasion of Cetsencalia. After Cetsencalia fell, the eastern half of the country was, as Urcea's request, occupied and administered by the Quetzen government. Urcea's Royal and Imperial Army joined the Quetzeni Royal Defense Force in repelling the Varshani invasion during the Quetzenkel front, and subsequently used the country as a main avenue of invasion in the lead up to the Fall of Anzo. In March 2024, the eastern half of former Cetsencalia was returned to Quetzenkel by the Veltorine Popular Defense Committee under Urcean pressure and in exchange for recognition of Veltorine gains in Varshan. Quetzenkel was also awarded additional territories from Varshan at the conclusion of the war in the Treaty of Electorsbourg, both because some lands were predominantly Quetzen-speaking but also to create an additional defensive buffer against future Varshani aggression.
The end of the war saw significant economic investment flow into the country, as foreign investors saw the victorious Quetzenkel as a safe and reliable investment. In 2000, the GDP PC had sat at $4,001, one of the poorest places in the world; by 2030, this had grown to $16,189, representing a nearly 11% annual GDP growth. By 2026, as the economy was growing and the military crisis had passed, Telucti began to step back and allow the elected leaders of the country to operate within the established constitutional framework. As such, he proclaimed an end to the state of emergency that had existed since the implementation of the Constitution on 3 March 2026. The state of emergency had empowered the King with significant executive authority, and the end of that state signalled the beginning of constitutional governance and a return of power to the Chancellor and legislature.
The Kingdom's territorial expansion between 2016 and 2024, combined with significant economic progress, had the practical effect of improving the legitimacy and popularity of Telucti's regime. Beyond a core group of supporters, the majority of the Quetzen public believed Telucti to be a "well meaning Occidental puppet" in opinion polling conducted in July 2020 and overwhelmingly said the country was on the "wrong track". In July 2032 meanwhile, the King's approval rating sat at 72% and two-thirds of Quetzens responded that the country was "on the right track", with 79% responding that the country was in a "better" or "much better" position than it was two decades previously.
Government
Quetzenkel is a semi-unitary constitutional monarchy, constructed in a somewhat similar fashion to that of Occidental governments. It is governed under the Constitution of 2016, which was promulgated by King Telucti I upon taking power.
Under the Constitution, executive power is divided between several positions. The King of Quetzenkel is the head of state of Quetzenkel, and is to normally refrain from involvement in the day-to-day affairs of the Kingdom except in periods of national emergency, in which case the King is to act as chief executive with some limitations on his authority; such an emergency state existed from the issuance of the Constitution through 2026. Beyond the emergency role of the King, most of the executive authority is divided between the Chancellor (also the leader of the National Assembly) and a position known as the Nohealani Chamberlain. The Chamberlain is a pre-constitutional position which served primarily as the mayor of the palace and manager of the affairs of King (previously the Archchief). Though the position is often compared to the Urcean Procurator, the Chamberlain serves less as a policymaking chief executive and more as an organizational functionary, with some scholars going as far as to say that the Chamberlain is a "mere human resources manager." The Chamberlain is the head of the national bureaucratic apparatus and also sits as the chair of the country's cabinet, but has limited discretion in exercising both of these roles. The Chamberlain is appointed by the King but follows the directives of the Chancellor, serving as an important bridge between nominal Royal authority and practical political authority. In practice, the Chamberlain serves as a kind of Deputy Chancellor, and the position has become a popular place for Chancellors to appoint their eventual successors, giving them limited executive experience and popular name recognition.
The Chancellor appoints the members of the cabinet, which is comprised of the various ministers who oversee the country's fourteen ministries. The ministries are responsible for public administration and the day-to-day affairs of the state. The cabinet ministers serve at the pleasure of the National Assembly.
Legislature
The Kingdom's laws are created by the Royal Legislature, which is comprised of an upper chamber - the All-Tribal Assembly - and a lower chamber, the National Assembly.
The All-Tribal Assembly predates the creation of the Kingdom, having been established in 1813. As a body, it includes delegates from each of the 25 major tribal kinship groups in Quetzenkel, regulating the relations between them. The 25 groups are represented on an equal basis with two delegates each, with one appointee from the King serving as both the chair of the body and the tiebreaker. The All-Tribal Assembly holds relatively limited legislative authority, approving changes to the Tribal Law and approving trade and migration agreements with Quetzenkel's neighbors, similar to the Gildertach in Urcea. Unlike the Gildertach, the All-Tribal Council retains its traditional role as the court of final appeal, making it the de facto head of the judicial branch within the Kingdom. It also has the ability to resolve succession disputes. It does not ordinarily consider most legislation unless items are specifically referred to it by the National Assembly.
The National Assembly, the lower chamber, is the primary legislative body. The National Assembly is comprised of 93 Assemblymembers elected in geographical electoral districts apportioned every ten years. The Assembly is led by the Chancellor, who serves as the head of government, and who is elected by a majority of the Assembly. The Assembly holds elections every five years, with elections in years 0 and 5, coterminous with the terms of Urcea's Conshilía Daoni. The Asembly has broad latitude to declare war and peace, ratify treaties, and to appoint and remove government minsiters.
Local government
Since the establishment of the Kingdom, Quetzenkel has been divided into ten departments and the "Royal District" surrounding the capital city of Akwesasne. Prior to the establishment of the Kingdom, Quetzenkel was divided into forty-five Lesser Chiefdoms; these are still reflected in the titles of the King of Quetzenkel as "Lord of the Forty Five". The Kingdom, as originally configured, included eight departments, with two being added: one from the Cetsencalia retrocession and one from lands given to Quetzenkel from Varshan at the end of the Final War of the Deluge.
Though most policy decisions are ultimately made by the state and the departments (and municipalities below them) do not have explicit home-rule protections, Quetzenkel is viewed by scholars to be only semi-unitary in the respect that the departments retain important administrative decisionmaking capability. Departments are run by three-person panels known as Departmental Committees, with two of the three appointed by the central government and one elected locally. While the Departments do not have taxing ability, they are apportioned funds from the central government to carry out certain public administrative tasks, including policing, disaster response, tourism promotion, and organization of local reserve military forces.
Politics
Quetzenkel is considered a multi-party democracy by most international observers since the end of the Royal-led state of emergency in 2026. All of the political parties presently in operation were established after 2016; before the implementation of the modern Constitution, the primary instrument of political organization was the tribal unit. Since the establishment of the party system, parties are the primary means of political organizing, but tribes still have general political affiliations, both in terms of ideology and with specific parties.
There are two major political parties in Quetzenkel:
- The Progress and Nation Party (PNP). The PNP is a center-right party which is both modernizing and Occidentalizing in outlook. The PNP is generally considered to be the political coalescence of the "Royal faction", with some of the King's closest allies making up party leadership. The Party is also generally supportive of the King's pre-2026 efforts and, in public discourse, is quickest to hagiographize the South Nysdra War and the King's installation as the signature event in modern Quetzen history. A majority of the nation's tribes are affiliated with the PNP, and it is the party of the urban intellectual and educational elite, as well as most of the politically relevant Catholics within Quetzenkel.
- The Revolution for the Future Movement (RFM). The RFM is a center-left to left-wing party that is generally supportive of modernization but is extremely Occidentoskeptic, incorporating a number of populist slogans and rhetoric in its overall platform about ensuring that Quetzenkel remains a powerful, independent, distinctly Cronan country. It is in favor of a more robust role of government in the economy and is generally social democratic in its economic outlook. Despite its name, the RFM is generally (if tepidly) supportive of the 2016 Constitutional system. It has the support of the outstanding share of the tribes that do not support the PNP, including the more progressive and liberal tribes.
Since 2016, the PNP has been the majority party in the National Assembly. There are also a number of smaller parties which operate on the departmental level, as well as about ten independent members of the National Assembly as of 2034 who primarily identify with their tribe rather than with a political party.
Culture
Quetzen culture is significantly impacted by the country's location, as it historically served as a crossroads of the cultural influences of Varshani and Nysdro-Cusinauti traditions. Most notable among these influences are the M'acunist religion, the traditional belief system of the Quetzen people, which was almost certainly introduced after the first arrival of the Quetzen ancestors. Accordingly, though most Quetzens have a M'acunist theology, the form of worship tends to be closer to Varshani forms; the sacrifices made in Quetzenkel typically take place at elaborately built and decorated riverside temples than at any riverbank, as is the usual style of worship in Cusinaut. These types of commonalities extend far beyond religion, however. Quetzen cuisine is in many cases indistinguishable from Varshani cuisine, though the eating habits of the Quetzen are particularly unique. Quetzen music also follows the basic form of Varshani music while favoring subjects and lyrical styles more similar to those observed in Venua'tino, suggesting their introduction during the period of Quetzen mercantile domination.
Quetzen people have a strong maritime tradition. During the Occidental medieval period, a number of Quetzen city-states ruled over thalassocracies extending into Venua'tino. Though their sailing tradition enabled them to form these mini-empires, the medieval period saw the greatest technological evolution of sailing technology in pre-Asterian Cronan history, and accordingly Quetzenkel today maintains a strong relationship with the Nysdra Sea. Unique in Crona, boat racing is the most popular sport in Quetzenkel. No formal league structure existed until the 1980s, but every year on the summer solstice, the largest boat race of the year would take place. Dozens of boats representing each of Quetzenkel's 25 tribes would race from Akwesasne to the northern tip of what is now Xisheng and back, a distance of hundreds of miles which would take several days to complete. Since the 1980s, the Quetzen Sea Pride Organization (QSPO) organizes and sponsors boat races year-round, with the Solstice Race now formally organized as a championship in which the very best sailors participate.
Quetzen culture has been noted for its extremely rigid mealtime etiquette. In Quetzen society, the practices in and around meals are extremely ritualized. All individuals must be at the table during periods of eating, and if one person must excuse themselves for any reason, all eating ceases until that individual returns. Formal Quetzen meals are divided into three stages; a protein of some kind served alone, then a type of brothy mixture of soup, typically with rice, and then the third round in which an alcoholic beverage is consumed along with various natural sweets. Under the rules of Quetzen etiquette, every individual eating must keep pace with the others, and it is considered exceptionally rude if one person finishes the stage of the meal before the rest of the table; it is also considered exceptionally rude if someone is still eating while everyone else is finished. Before each stage of the meal, the three types of utensils (a knife, tongs, and a large spoon) are all subject to a blessing and a brief legendary exposition about the importance of each one that can last between three to five minutes, even if that particular utensil will not be used during that stage. At no point is food consumed with hands, and if someone eats something with their hands they must be removed from the meal. The traditional Quetzen meal is usually observed at the equivalent of dinner time, with the equivalents of breakfast and lunch (food that can be carried with one as they work) being far less formal. The meal format is observed both by adherents of indigenous Cronan religion as well as by Quetzen Catholics, with Catholics adding an additional general blessing before each stage. Breaking with the meal custom is considered deeply offensive to the host and shocking to all in attendance and can lead to social ostracization. General non-adherence to the meal custom is considered a popular form of rebellion against cultural hierarchy, practiced by many different groups including non-conformists, radical socialists, and some Quetzen who adopt a more overtly Occidental identity.
Tribal identity
One of the most important elements of Quetzen society is its Tribal system, which is a system of kinship groups descended from the pre-unification political and ancestral divisions of Quetzenkel. There were, at various times, dozens or hundreds of tribes with recorded names, territorial control, symbols, and shared traditions. By the time of the unification of Quetzenkel, however, these had been consolidated into "over-tribes", or federated groups of related tribes under one council. In the 1810s, the over-tribes were given new formal recognition in the creation of the All-Tribal Assembly, in which 25 over-tribes were recognized. Since then, significant laws have been put into place moderately standardizing the form of governance of the tribes, rules regarding membership, and rights that the tribes are entitled to. Tribes play a significant role in the cultural, social, political, and economic life of Quetzenkel, governing much of the individual decision-making made by the Quetzen people. As King Telucti I and his heirs were not originally from Quetzenkel, the Royal family have no tribe; this has been a source of both advantage (the Crown is viewed to be impartial) and disadvantage (the King has no natural dynastic allies) to the post-2016 political system.
Tribes generally are organized in a fluid hierarchy based on one's personal prestige, family standing, familiarity by other persons within the tribe, and other similar qualifiers. Generally, children are almost always below their parents in terms of the hierarchical structure, unless given honors by their over-tribal council; such honors include, as a benefit, a higher social rank than one's parents. Older female relatives are also all usually higher in the hierarchy, with older male relatives being higher or lower than an individual depending on their achievements (particularly as younger men). Members of an over-tribal council traditionally circumvent the entire system and assume the highest place in the hierarchy, even above parents and other prestigious relatives. The hierarchical system generally dictates what individual in family groups have social standing to make decisions for the family as a whole. This usually takes the form of family members asking for the advice of the highest ranked person or persons within their family; going against their decision has grave social consequences that can result in ostracization. Accordingly, the hierarchical system has the effect of concentrating oversight of most societal interactions into collective, familial decision-making.
Each tribe has a national council, the over-tribal council, which is the body responsible for governing each tribe. The council has a relatively limited number of powers given the fact that tribes are kinship groups rather than binding economic or ethnic groups, and it lost some authority during the post-2016 reforms. The most common and time-consuming business of the councils is to adjudicate individual cases in which the hierarchical authority of one individual is contested by another, usually in cases where the latter individual is claiming some kind of authority for themselves. While such distinctions may be trivial in Occidental society, in Quetzen society determining who in a family has the authority to make broad decisions has important economic, social, and often political ramifications. With the inauguration of the Constitution, political questions - specifically, who can stand for what office based on their own position within the tribal hierarchy - have become an increasingly important issue deliberated on by the over-tribal council, and the authors of the 2016 Constitution specifically envisioned the tribal hierarchy to be a check on ambitious and unqualified individuals within a democratic system. The over-tribal councils are also responsible for electing two delegates for their tribe to the All-Tribal Assembly. The councils range in membership figures between the tribes. Selection of an individual to serve on over-tribal council is based on democratic election in some of the more liberal-modernizing tribes, but most employ a system whereby the existing council establishes a pool of the most prestigious individuals within the tribe. Once the "council short list" is established and agreed on unanimously, the existing council members will randomly draw names, and the individual who received the most random selections will be appointed.
Prior to social reforms introduced with the inauguration of the Kingdom, interactions between people of different tribal backgrounds were governed by complex social customs and mores which took on a bureaucratic element during the 20th century as the country came to be culturally influenced by the Occident in the years following the Second Great War. Individual interactions tended to require the approval of a higher-ranked tribe member, usually a relative. In the late 20th century, this can and did take the form of tribe members issuing passes to their relatives to interact with people from other tribes. The type of approval required greatly depended on the type of interaction; marriage, for example, between people of different tribes required the approval of both tribes councils, creating a massive administrative burden on the tribal apparatuses by the late 20th century. Many official agreements between persons of different tribes - such as business contracts and marriages but also things such as serving under someone of a different tribe in the armed forces - would not be recognized by the government unless it had proper hierarchical sanction from the tribes of those involved. Beginning with the reign of King Telucti, hierarchical sanction was abolished as a condition for official recognition of agreements, weakening the overall relevance of the system. However, in a 2034 poll, three quarters of Quetzen still seek the informal approval of designated hierarchical tribe members when undertaking certain actions.
Demographics
In 2020, the population of Quetzenkel was 38,903,423. Unlike most other Occidentalizing states surrounding the Nysdra Sea, Quetzenkel does not have a significant population of Levantines beyond some commercial interests in Akwesasne as well as a limited Urcean military presence within the country. Quetzenkel has relatively high amounts of income inequality between rural farmers and the urban professional classes, but the country also has high class mobility. Educational attainment is also extremely unequal given the density of available schools in major cities as opposed to in the countryside.
The country is home to an ever-increasing number of Varshani refugees, with more than a million counted in 2030 alone. As the primary northern Varshani neighbor willing to take the refugees, Quetzenkel has nonetheless begun to impose numerical restrictions on refugees, as the million already present have caused some socio-economic disruption and have strained the still-fragile growing Quetzen welfare state apparatus.
Linguistic Demographics
Self-reported primary language in Quetzenkel (2030)
The majority of people in Quetzenkel speak Quetzeni, a language native to the country. There was no single Quetzeni language prior to the 19th century; the reforms that created primogeniture and the All-Tribal Assembly necessitated the formation of a single language. The process of unifying the various dialects into a mutually-recognizable language was not complete until 1850 after years of work, and it took decades more for the so-called All-Tribal language to enter common parlance, though it finally came into common and official use by the 1910s. Some non-conforming dialects remain in use, especially in rural parts of the country. In the southern third of the country, Hieratic Varshani is the majority language due to the proximity and demographic dominance of Varshani individuals near the border. Efforts to bring the Varshani language - which is similar and related to Quetzeni - into the All-Tribal language were proposed and failed at multiple times during the 20th century, partly due to an unwillingness for the Varshani to abandon their heritage.
Religious Demographics
Religious affiliations in Quetzenkel (2025)
The majority religion in Quetzenkel is M'acunism, though the official religion of the Kingdom is Catholicism, which occupies a sizable minority place in the country. The indigenous M'acunist faith saw multiple attempts for unification, standardization, and reform, but unlike the matter of language, reform to the religion could not be agreed upon. The inconsistencies between regional varieties - and continued debates regarding the issue of Kānenaka - led to successful missionary efforts in the northern, coastal parts of the country during the era of the treaty ports. Some cultural observers have placed the native Quetzeni varieties of M'acunism on an "endangered indigenous traditions" list, and some have begun to flock to Quetzenkel to record the local traditions and faiths of the indigenous people for historical record. Catholicism is the majority religion in some northern coastal enclaves, especially the former treaty ports which have large populations. During the Second Great War, there was an effort to simultaneously reform the indigenous faith and stamp out Catholicism by integrating it into a national reformed syncretic faith, but this effort led to revolts in the northern parts of the country and the effort was abandoned. In the southern part of the country - and especially territories taken from Varshan - Arzalism is the majority faith, owing not only to the Varshani population there but also to local converts away from the M'acunist faith. As human sacrifice is illegal in Quetzenkel, and has been for as long as the country has existed, the Arzalists were traditionally required to perform "blood pilgrimages" south to Varshan in order to practice their sacrifices. Following the Final War of the Deluge, Orthodox Arzalism is banned in the country. Most of the Arzalists in the country, as of 2033, professed to either believe in State Arzalism or other variants of Arzalism. Cultural observers have noted a large delegitimization of Arzalism in Quetzen life, and some project that the Arzalist minority in the country will likely transition to Catholicism or irreligion within two generations.
Economy
Quetzenkel is a developing country that has seen exponential economic growth during the 21st century, mostly as the result of significant foreign investment as well as some homegrown development fueled by foreign development aid; in this respect, it is one of the significant examples of the success of the improvement economy model. In 2030, the country's GDP PC was $16,189, becoming one of the more developed large countries in the Nysdra Sea area. The country has undergone significant urbanization since 2016 with the massive expansion of the service sector in Akwesasne and the construction sector elsewhere, as former provincial backwaters are transforming into major urban centers. Many of Quetzenkel's cities are now home to regional headquarters of Urcean corporations (leading to a considerable number of affluent foreigners in Akwesasne) as well as the small but emergent domestic corporate sector, both of which are fuelling rapid growth in the service sector and cultural amenities. Significant parts of the country have seen new improvements to infrastructure and the construction of high-speed rail, which links the growing cities. Prior to 2016, agricultural pursuits were the primary economic activity in Quetzenkel, and it remains an important part of the economy.
Quetzenkel is an important global source of potash. Potash mining in the Quetzen interior has been important since the industrial revolution began in the Occident, though the quality of Quetzen mines was generally poor and most efforts of exploitation were short-term efforts by Occidental speculators. Since the influx of foreign capital beginning in 2016, potash mining in Quetzenkel has been significantly modernized. Foreign technical experts have gradually been replaced by a cohort of indigenous experts in the 2030s.
Quetzenkel is characterized by a slowly emergent middle class, particularly among well educated Quetzen people within the country's major cities. The University of Akwesasne is the primary large educational center within the country, though a large number of upper-middle class and affluent Quetzen youth instead travel abroad to study, particularly at universities in New Harren. The economic transformation in the 21st century has lifted significant amounts of Quetzen people out of poverty. In 2000, about 60.5% of Quetzeni lived below the recognized national poverty line, with rural poverty rates standing at about 77.9% and urban rates at about 27.5%. Unemployment and underemployment in urban areas were serious problems. Between 2016 and 2020, Quetzenkel's economy was primarily reliant on foreign aid from Urcea, which it used to jumpstart the now prosperous construction sector with the myriad of infrastructure programs that began during that timeframe.
The devastation wrought on Varshan during and after the Final War of the Deluge has had a significant impact on Quetzenkel's economy. Varshan was, prior to 2016, the country's largest trade partner, and by 2020 it was still a significant part of Quetzenkel's foreign trade. During the war, a minor economic shock slowed growth due to the sudden lack of available food and other imports while the small number of Quetzen exporters at that time had a surplus of supply. The situation, however, gradually transitioned to Quetzenkel's advantage. The growing economic sophistication of the Quetzen state, combined with the declining condition in Varshan, provided Quetzenkel with the opportunity to shift into primarily exports. Newly available food exports out of Quetzenkel began to find markets in Varshan for the first time ever in 2026. By 2030, Quetzenkel had developed a small manufacturing industry through which it sold finished goods almost exclusively to Varshan, which no longer had the capability to provide for even basic consumer needs. The manufacturing sector is a small but growing part of the Quetzen economy, and the protracted time needed to bring Varshan to full recovery - perhaps as long as 2050 - has created a significant short-term export advantage for Quetzenkel. The large number of Varshani refugees in the country has also introduced the availability of cheap labor, further fueling Quetzen gains.
Military
The Constitution of 2016 provides that Quetzenkel may "create for itself a force devoted to national defense" and that said defense forces "may not participate in actions of a military nature outside of Quetzenkel except for under the joint command of allied efforts", which primarily includes joint efforts under the Nysdra Sea Treaty Association. The Quetzeni Royal Defense Force (QRDF) serves as Quetzenkel's national military under these provisions, and the mission of the QRDF is centered upon the defense of Quetzenkel, both in a traditional military sense but also in the capacity of border security. The QRDF, as of March 2017, has 250,000 enlisted soldiers spread throughout three branches. Due to its size, Quetzenkel is the only Cronan nation nation in NSTA with independent military operation in the event of war, and the only nation not part of the Defense Coordination Initiative. During the Final War of the Deluge, the QRDF saw extensive fighting and had the distinction of being the only Cronan NSTA member to defeat Varshani ground forces in an engagement that did not have the participation of the Urcean Royal and Imperial Army.
The structure of the Quetzeni Royal Defense Force's military hierarchy largely emulates that of the Armed Forces of the Apostolic Kingdom of Urcea. Like in Urcea, the QRDF is cabinet-controlled, and the Chancellor - in consultation with the King of Quetzenkel - is responsible for making decisions for the deployment and use of the QRDF. Like Urcea, the QRDF is divided into three primary branches:
- Domestic Terrestrial Defense Corps (DTDC), which serves as the Army of Quetzenkel
- Territorial Waters Patrol Fleet (TWPF), which serves as the nation's Navy
- Domestic Aerial Security Force (DASF), which serves as the nation's Air Force
Quetzenkel is the only Cronan member of NSTA which does not participate in the Nysdra Sea Guard. The Territorial Waters Patrol Fleet has begun to rapidly expand since the end of the Final War of the Deluge.