3,909
edits
Levantia: Difference between revisions
m
→Languages
m (→South Levantia) |
m (→Languages) |
||
| Line 35: | Line 35: | ||
==== Eastern Levantia ==== | ==== Eastern Levantia ==== | ||
While generally relegated to the northeast rather than the eastern seaboard of the continent, Eastern Levantia generally is used to refer to the Peninsula of [[Orenstia (Old country)|Orenstia]] and its immediate surrounds. In some regions, [[Burgundie]] is included in Eastern Levantia, but is more commonly included in Central Levantia in holistic works due to cultural reasons. | While generally relegated to the northeast rather than the eastern seaboard of the continent, Eastern Levantia generally is used to refer to the Peninsula of [[Orenstia (Old country)|Orenstia]] and its immediate surrounds. In some regions, [[Burgundie]] is included in Eastern Levantia, but is more commonly included in Central Levantia in holistic works due to cultural reasons. | ||
==== Central Levantia ==== | ==== Central Levantia ==== | ||
Politically known as [[Dericania]], central Levantia is bounded by mountains to the north and south, with plains forming an outlet to the eastern coast of the continent and [[Burgundie]]. Central Levantia for most of its history has been a disparate battleground for large numbers of conflicts, and due to its broken geography is one of the more complex regions of the continent. Central Levantia arguably includes the north of [[Burgundie]] or all of it in some texts. | Politically known as [[Dericania]], central Levantia is bounded by mountains to the north and south, with plains forming an outlet to the eastern coast of the continent and [[Burgundie]]. Central Levantia for most of its history has been a disparate battleground for large numbers of conflicts, and due to its broken geography is one of the more complex regions of the continent. Central Levantia arguably includes the north of [[Burgundie]] or all of it in some texts. | ||
==== South Levantia ==== | ==== South Levantia ==== | ||
Dominated by the [[Urce River|Urce River Basin]], southern Levantia is primarily dominated by the country of [[Urcea]] and bounded by mountains which both insulate it from the remainder of the continent and help cut it off from overland travel from many directions. Along with Central Levantia, the South is often referred to as [[Catholic Levantia]]. | Dominated by the [[Urce River|Urce River Basin]], southern Levantia is primarily dominated by the country of [[Urcea]] and bounded by mountains which both insulate it from the remainder of the continent and help cut it off from overland travel from many directions. Along with Central Levantia, the South is often referred to as [[Catholic Levantia]]. | ||
==Human Geography== | ==Human History and Geography== | ||
Levantia is home to a number of diverse cultural groups, with a number of faiths, ethnicities, and cultural heritages creating a wide array of traditions and peoples throughout the continent. | Levantia is home to a number of diverse cultural groups, with a number of faiths, ethnicities, and cultural heritages creating a wide array of traditions and peoples throughout the continent. | ||
=== Ethnic Groups === | === Ethnic Groups === | ||
| Line 53: | Line 52: | ||
Of the modern peoples of the continent, some of the most notable are the [[Urcean people]], descended from Latin migrants and Celtic peoples, the [[Faeskt]], a 'true' Gaelic people, the [[Fhainnin civilization|Fhainn]], a people descended from primarily pre-Sarpo-Levantine Fenni and Gaelic conquerors, the [[Derian identity|Derian]] and [[Bergendii]] peoples, and the [[Anglei|Anglish/Aenglish]], a Gothic people with some Romance stock primarily from [[Urcea]] and [[Yonderre]]. | Of the modern peoples of the continent, some of the most notable are the [[Urcean people]], descended from Latin migrants and Celtic peoples, the [[Faeskt]], a 'true' Gaelic people, the [[Fhainnin civilization|Fhainn]], a people descended from primarily pre-Sarpo-Levantine Fenni and Gaelic conquerors, the [[Derian identity|Derian]] and [[Bergendii]] peoples, and the [[Anglei|Anglish/Aenglish]], a Gothic people with some Romance stock primarily from [[Urcea]] and [[Yonderre]]. | ||
Of the smaller ethnic groups in Levantia, the Orenstians are by far the largest non-Occidental group, and are characterized by their unique language. Several other minorities, namely the [[Khunyer]], who migrated to modern [[Hendalarsk]] in the middle ages, are descended from Orenstian migrants and posses status as a recognized minority with official language status. Other minority groups include [[Gassavelian people|Gassavelians]], [[Uroms]], [[Coscivians]] and [[Garán people|Garánii]]. | Of the smaller ethnic groups in Levantia, the Orenstians are by far the largest non-Occidental group, and are characterized by their unique language. Several other minorities, namely the [[Khunyer]], who migrated to modern [[Hendalarsk]] in the middle ages, are descended from Orenstian migrants and posses status as a recognized minority with official language status. Other minority groups include [[Gassavelian people|Gassavelians]], [[Uroms]], [[Caenish people|Caens]], [[Coscivians]] and [[Garán people|Garánii]]. | ||
=== Languages === | === Languages === | ||
Aenglish is the most common language on the continent, being spoken as a first language by many in southern Levantia and as a secondary language by large numbers of north Levantines as a ''lingua franca'' for trade and diplomacy. Its most common form, [[Julian Ænglish|Julian Ænglish,]] is spoken primarily in Urcea. Other countries typically have their own languages, with most of the Gaelic tongues outside of [[Lebhan language|Lebhan]], [[Caergwynn|Caeric]], and [[Fhasen]] being somewhat mutually intelligible. Lebhan and Caeric are not as closely related to the other Celtic tongues due to cultural divide, whereas Fhasen was originally a conglomeration of local dialects, Coscivian influences, and Gothic loanwords intended as an administrative language. | Aenglish is the most common language on the continent, being spoken as a first language by many in southern Levantia and as a secondary language by large numbers of north Levantines as a ''lingua franca'' for trade and diplomacy. Its most common form, [[Julian Ænglish|Julian Ænglish,]] is spoken primarily in Urcea. Other countries typically have their own languages, with most of the Gaelic tongues outside of [[Lebhan language|Lebhan]], [[Caergwynn|Caeric]], and [[Fhasen]] being somewhat mutually intelligible. Lebhan and Caeric are not as closely related to the other Celtic tongues due to cultural divide, whereas Fhasen was originally a conglomeration of local dialects, Coscivian influences, and Gothic loanwords intended as an administrative language. | ||
| Line 59: | Line 58: | ||
[[File:1916 Arbour Hill Wreath Laying 2010 (4581359710).jpg|thumb|{{wp|Christianity}} plays a key role in Levantine life]] | [[File:1916 Arbour Hill Wreath Laying 2010 (4581359710).jpg|thumb|{{wp|Christianity}} plays a key role in Levantine life]] | ||
Levantia is the home of Christian [[Catholicism]], centered on the [[Papal State]] in [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]], in line with Levantia hosting more Catholic laity than any other Continent. Catholicism is the predominant faith of Levantia, though the continent is also the birthplace of both the original Protestant reformist faiths and many current Protestant churches. Some non-Christian faiths exist in Levantia, primarily in the form of pagan rites or syncretic religions practiced on a small scale. Since the 19th Century, atheism, agnosticism, and alternative faiths have become more commonplace on the continent, especially in [[Ultmar]], which has often sought to differentiate itself from [[Catholic Levantia]]. In spite of this, Catholic shrines and other holy sites abound and rates of religious practice remain consistently high across the continent. | Levantia is the home of Christian [[Catholicism]], centered on the [[Papal State]] in [[Urceopolis (City)|Urceopolis]], in line with Levantia hosting more Catholic laity than any other Continent. Catholicism is the predominant faith of Levantia, though the continent is also the birthplace of both the original Protestant reformist faiths and many current Protestant churches. Some non-Christian faiths exist in Levantia, primarily in the form of pagan rites or syncretic religions practiced on a small scale. Since the 19th Century, atheism, agnosticism, and alternative faiths have become more commonplace on the continent, especially in [[Ultmar]], which has often sought to differentiate itself from [[Catholic Levantia]]. In spite of this, Catholic shrines and other holy sites abound and rates of religious practice remain consistently high across the continent. | ||
===''Western Levantia''=== | |||
''Known by the residents of so-called "[[Catholic Levantia]]" as [[Gothica]] since the time of the [[Ancient Goths]] and considered part of the greater concept of [[Ultmar]], Western Levantia is typically understood to mean the territory west of the [[Deric States]], north of [[Urcea]] and south of the [[Vandarch]]. Gothica was historically relatively isolated from the [[Holy Levantine Empire]], both by a series of mountain ranges between the Vandarch and the [[Odoneru Ocean]] and by the native Gothic peoples' stubborn military resistance to Levantine-Catholic encroachment. This stalemate was only broken in the fifteenth century, as a [[Conquest of East Gothica|crusade]] saw [[Joanus de Martigueux]] installed as the ruler of the new state of [[Yonderre]]. Yonderre has served as a bridge between the Catholic Levantine sphere and the Gothic world to this day, while its southern neighbour [[Carna]] - likewise a fusion of Gothic and foreign cultures, although in this case Ænglish and Gaelic rather than Yonderre's East Gothic and [[Burgoignesc language|Burgoignesc]] - has often acted more as a barrier against [[Urcea|Urcean]] expansion westwards.'' | |||
''Beyond the hybridised states of the borderlands, Gothica remains thoroughly Gothic. The southern Vandarch states of [[Hendalarsk]] and [[Eldmora-Regulus]] were never conquered by Latins, and evolved in their own ways. Hendalarsk is home to a heavily syncretic version of Christianity, known as the [[Hendalarskara Catholic Church]]<ref>Latin Catholics emphatically reject the Hendalarskara Catholic Church's claim to be "Catholic".</ref>, the legacy of an incomplete Christianisation by Latin Catholic missionaries, while [[Hendalarskisch|its native Gothic language]] has undergone far more influence from [[Khunyer language|Khunyer]] and the autochthonous [[Nünsyi language]] than any Latin tongue.'' | |||
Beyond the hybridised states of the borderlands, Gothica remains thoroughly Gothic. The southern Vandarch states of [[Hendalarsk]] and [[Eldmora-Regulus]] were never conquered by Latins, and evolved in their own ways. Hendalarsk is home to a heavily syncretic version of Christianity, known as the [[Hendalarskara Catholic Church]]<ref>Latin Catholics emphatically reject the Hendalarskara Catholic Church's claim to be "Catholic".</ref>, the legacy of an incomplete Christianisation by Latin Catholic missionaries, while [[Hendalarskisch|its native Gothic language]] has undergone far more influence from [[Khunyer language|Khunyer]] and the autochthonous [[Nünsyi language]] than any Latin tongue. | |||
''The Vandarch Gothic states have largely kept their distance from the wider Urcean sphere through the centuries, although in recent decades this has begun to change. This process was accelerated by the opening of the [[Carolina-Grand Canal]] in the nineteenth century and the [[Grand Vandarch Canal]] in the twentieth and an attendant integration of the entire Vandarch littoral into the international system of trade. Yonderre has latterly become the first state outside the bounds of the Holy Levantine Empire to join the [[Levantine Union]]. The Odoneru Gothic states had undergone this process of integration long before, a consequence of their easy access to the great sea lanes between [[Kiroborea]] and [[Sarpedon]]. Carna forged a continental empire in [[Crona]], eventually birthing the nation of [[Arcerion]], while Carnish troops even fought alongside Urcea in a brief rapprochement during the Second Great War, although this thaw was thoroughly reversed by the subsequent [[Carnish Revolution]].'' | |||
==History== | ==History== | ||
===Prehistory and pre-classic Levantia=== | ===Prehistory and pre-classic Levantia=== | ||
| Line 85: | Line 80: | ||
Arms manufacturing and other defense-related industries are a major component of the Levantine economy, meeting a strong demand for weapons systems fueled by the active foreign policies of its members. Numerous major arms firms with an global presence base their corporate and manufacturing operations in Levantia, including [[Armenwerke|Kiro-Fiannrian Armenwerke]], [[Royal Sealift Company]], [[Lansing-Mitchell Weaponeering]] and [[Royal Hunting and Munitions Company]]. A massive domestic, non-governmental arms market exists due to high rates of gun ownership in [[Urcea]] and elsewhere, and a strong firearms and sporting tradition across much of the continent. | Arms manufacturing and other defense-related industries are a major component of the Levantine economy, meeting a strong demand for weapons systems fueled by the active foreign policies of its members. Numerous major arms firms with an global presence base their corporate and manufacturing operations in Levantia, including [[Armenwerke|Kiro-Fiannrian Armenwerke]], [[Royal Sealift Company]], [[Lansing-Mitchell Weaponeering]] and [[Royal Hunting and Munitions Company]]. A massive domestic, non-governmental arms market exists due to high rates of gun ownership in [[Urcea]] and elsewhere, and a strong firearms and sporting tradition across much of the continent. | ||
== | ==Polities and Territories== | ||
After the turmoil of the early twentieth century drew to a close, Levantia has been a comparatively stable area. The continent is largely governed by centre-right to right-wing governments, particularly within the sphere of the Levantine Union, although [[Carna]] is notable as the continent's only one-party socialist state, while [[Hendalarsk]]'s relative distance from the Union and caution in foreign affairs has allowed it to preserve a broadly democratic-socialist government from the end of its civil war down to the present day. | After the turmoil of the early twentieth century drew to a close, Levantia has been a comparatively stable area. The continent is largely governed by centre-right to right-wing governments, particularly within the sphere of the Levantine Union, although [[Carna]] is notable as the continent's only one-party socialist state, while [[Hendalarsk]]'s relative distance from the Union and caution in foreign affairs has allowed it to preserve a broadly democratic-socialist government from the end of its civil war down to the present day. | ||
===Political Geography=== | ===Political Geography=== | ||