Ventotene

Rectory of Ventotene Isola d'Ventotene
Overseas territory of Urcea
Flag
Ateleta, the Cathedral City of Ventotene, from above
Annexed from Vachena	1943
Cathedral City	Ateleta
Government
• Rector	Michael Dragh
Area
• Land	153.4 sq mi (397 km2)
Dimensions
• Length	15.80 mi (25.43 km)
• Width	9.71 mi (15.63 km)
Population  (2020)
• Total	26,501
Demonym	Ventoteni

Ventotene is an island to the west of the Sarpedon mainland in the Taínean Sea that is part of Urcea.

Thought by most historians to be first settled during the Latin Heroic Age, Ventotene - named for the word vento, or windy - underwent various phases of settlement and depopulation, with the island having been continuously populated since around 800 AD. Although the island is near the equator, its strong winds lower the perceived temperature, making the island an attractive destination for tourists and settlers alike. It is thought by most archaeologists that the island's current continuous settlement was spurred on by the construction of a palace for the Imperator of Caphiria, although the ruins that may be the palace have been disputed by other archaeologists as a potential fort or even unconventional Church structure. For most of its modern history, the island has held military significance as a garrison location which can control entry into the Taínean Sea. For this reason, it was taken by Urcea as part of the Treaty of Kartika which ended the Second Great War, and it hosts a large base for the Royal Navy.

History

The early history of the island is heavily disputed by mainstream historians and the Montagnardi people, who claim that their ancestors settled the island during the Latin Heroic Age. While it is true the island was likely first settled during that time, with archaeological evidence suggesting the first Latin settlers arriving in around 800 BC. Most historians agree that settlement has not been continuous. Montagnardi people claim that they have continuously inhabited the island since that time and were pushed inland by successive waves of colonists, creating the modern division between them and the Ateleti people, who dwell on the coasts. The island fell under the sway of Caphiria during the 9th century, and the Caphirians undertook a massive construction project whose ruins can still be found outside Ateleta today. Mainstream historians believe it to be some kind of palace for the Imperators of Caphiria, though many are skeptical that the Imperator would journey so far outside of the normal military perimeter of the Imperium. The structure, on the eastern side of the island, was almost certainly the impetus for the settlement of Ateleta around that time. This structure was abandoned in the 10th century and a massive fortification called Piona was constructed by the Caphirians on the western side of the island beginning in the 11th century, and the fortress there was continuously updated through the fall of the Second Imperium in 1172. The island was largely self governing during the dark period, with locals garrisoning the fortress and continuing their fishing-oriented way of life. It is during this period that Montagnardi oral traditions speak of a war between them and the Ateleti, as the Caphirians having abandoned the island opened the possibility of ejecting the Ateleti, and attempts by the Montagnardi to seize Piona during the 13th century are recorded, though it seems the conflict was less of an organized one and more like continuous raids against Piona by the Montagnardi. The island's population dwindled in the 13th and 14th centuries, but it was largely shielded from the worst effects of the Great Plague. Caphiria reestablished control of the island in 1484, though more than three centuries of independence had led to significant cultural divergences. The fortress of Piona was once again occupied by the Caphirians and updated with gunpowder weapons in the coming century, and the land around Piona was also cleared for a major naval base to be constructed. The island, like much of the rest of western Caphiria, went into revolt in the years following the Great Schism of 1615, but initial efforts by an alliance of the Montagnardi and Ateleti to take the fortress of Piona were unsuccessful. The island was eventually abandoned once again by the Caphirians and became part of Vachena, which held the island for the next three centuries. Unlike the Caphirians, the Vachenans failed to keep the fortress of Piona up to date, and the structure was essentially abandoned by the 19th century.

During the Second Great War, the island was easily taken by the Royal Marine Corps of Urcea in 1938, with a small Vachenan garrison based out of Ateleta not firing a shot. A single regiment of Aronese forces took part in the action and assumed primary occupation duties, the only Aronese military action of the war outside Vallos. The island was ceded to Urcea in the Treaty of Kartika in 1943, and the Royal Navy took control of the entire Piona complex, completely rebuilding most of the structures there and turning it into a major naval base for a new Tainean Squadron, which would project into the Tainean and Kindreds Seas. The island held significant strategic significance during the Occidental Cold War, ensuring Urcean presence in the west of Sarpedon. Significant land reclamation projects began in 1950, allowing the construction of an airbase and airstrip capable of landing and launching jet aircraft. The island was divided by Urcea into two pievi, one largely for the coastal Ateleti and one for the interior Montagnardi. A highway was constructed from Ateleta into the interior by Urcea in 1970, significantly decreasing tension and distance between the two ethnic groups.

Geography

The island is characterized by coastal lowlands and rocky outcroppings along the coast with large mountains and highlands inland. Many of the highlands are difficult to access, and traversing the island through the mountains and highlands is extremely difficult if not possible. Besides the mountainous interior, the most prominent feature of the island is the large, rocky-coasted harbor on the western side of the island. This harbor is shielded from oceanic waves, but until the advent of explosives was unsuitable for use as a port due to rocky outcroppings and poor land access. This harbor has been significantly altered by the human presence on the island, with many jagged edges demolished and significant increases in reclaimed land, making the harbor usable for human and military purposes.

The majority of the island's permanent residents - and virtually all Ateleti people - live in towns and cities directly adjacent to the coast. These locations, which uniformly began as fishing villages, are known to "jut" many hundreds of meters into the sea, utilizing the pre-existing viable land. Ventotene has seen extensive land reclamation efforts since the 19th century, with as much as 10% of usable land presently on the island not existing prior to 1820. For these reasons, Ventotene was seriously endangered by climate change and rising sea levels, and remains threatened by monsoons. In recent years, large levies have been replacing ancient town walls at the edges of settlements in order to mitigate the threat that storms present.

Climate

The island has been described by scientists as one of the windiest places in the world, lowering the practical temperature of this essentially equatorial island. The weather never falls below 40 F and never rises above 89 F, and accordingly the island's climate has been described as ideal, if windy. The island's natural beaches are host to a wide array of fauna, including a type of turtle which is endemic to the island.

Politics and government

As a civil rectory of Urcea, Ventotene is governed as an overseas province in accordance with the provisions of the Rectory and Overseas Territory Law. Accordingly, the island is governed by a Rector appointed by the Apostolic King of Urcea by the non-binding advice of the Government of Urcea. Most civil administration takes place directly at the level of the pievi governments, with the Rector largely overseeing the island's relations with Urcea and foreign governments. The Rector is advised by an all-island assembly, an informal gathering of prominent political and social leaders of the island's population.

Justice in Ventotene proceeds through the Oceanic Regional Overseas Administrative Court, with judges selected from the native population typically serving as judges. Special care must be taken to ensure that both Ateleti and Montagnard judges sit on the bench and are referred cases relating to their specific people; several unintentional assignments of cases relating to the Montagnardi to Ateleti judges have resulted in significant domestic political disturbances.

Administrative divisions

Ventotene is divided into two pievi, the Ateleta Pieve and the Piona Pieve with no additional municipal governments below the pievi. Much of the Piona Pieve is administered directly by the Urcean military, with only small portions of the populated coastland within the pieve's direct jurisdiction; the Piona Pieve, accordingly, is most responsible for governance of the internal highlands and Montagnardi lands of the interior. The Ateleta Pieve stretches along the coastlands of the island, not including the base at Piona or its adjoining areas. The pievi are administered by "Governors", who are elected for three year terms in first-past-the-post voting.

Economy

Historically, most of the island's economy has been centered around fishing, with some economic benefit also derived from the presence of military garrisons. In recent years, the island has become well known as a tourist destination reachable by boat; civilian use of the airbase is restricted and rare, with medical emergencies being one of the few exceptions for use. The advent of major cruise lines in the 20th century greatly enhanced the island's economy, as it has become a regular stop for cruises of the Taínean Sea. The construction of the Royal Navy base at Piona fundamentally changed the economy of the island, with the base or the base adjacent service representing a large plurality of economic activity on the island. Nearly all the goods on the island are imported with the exception of fish and cultural novelties, leading to generally high prices. Per agreement with Cartadania, Ventotene is considered part of the Cartadanian market, and there is no imposition of tariffs on goods traded between Ventotene and Cartadania. Goods imported from Urcea have tariffs assessed on them. As a result, most of the vehicles in use by civilians on the island are from Sarpedon.

Demographics

In 2020, the population of Ventotene was 26,501. The majority of people living on Ventotene are associated with the Royal Navy base at Piona. As they are not permanent residents, and indeed many reside on ships, they are not typically counted towards the population of the island. The island's permanent population of around 20,000 has remained largely the same since the early 20th century.

Two self-described ethnic groups exist on the island, the Montagnardi and the Ateleti. The Ateleti, named for the primary city of the island, reside along the coasts and in villages adjoining the coast, whereas the Montagnardi reside in the interior highlands. 62% percent of the permanent population identify as Ateleti (both ethnically and by assimilation) whereas 35% percent identify as Montagnardi, with the remaining percentage typically being Urceans who settled on the island with small numbers of other immigrant groups.

Languages on the island are divided largely by ethnicity. 52% of Ventotene people speak Ateleti primarily, 34% speak Montagnardi primarily, and the remaining 14% primarily speak Julian Ænglish. Nearly the entire population is fluent in Julian Ænglish as a second language.

The vast majority of people on Ventotene belong to the Catholic Church, with 92.1% being members. The majority of other people living on the island are irreligious, though small amounts of immigrants are adherents to Polynesian religious traditions.

Health outcomes on Ventotene are generally good, with low rates of obesity relative to the rest of Urcea. The island was traditionally associated with positive health, a tradition which continues today. Among both groups of people, the average life expectancy on the island was around 81.2, considered good by most analysts.

Educational attainment differs among the two primary groups of people on Ventotene. Among the Ateleti, educational attainment rates are good and comparable with the rest of the Occidental world. Among the Montagnardi, formal schooling is viewed with suspicion and most Montagnardi do not progress to secondary education, despite repeated efforts by the Government of Urcea to introduce a culture of education among them.

Culture

Music

Ventotene has a diverse array of musical traditions. While the Ateleti people listen to and play music which blends the influences of Cartadania and Urcean music and commercial offerings of both countries are regularly heard throughout the island, the Montagnardi people are known to shun pan-Occidental musical traditions in favor of their own native music. The two most prominent instruments among the Montagnardi are the sheepskin drum in a style almost certainly imported from Vallos as well as the conch shell, which the Montagnardi use both for musical and social purposes. Roving bands of Montagnardi conch shell troupes are a common sight in the highlands, as the relative ease of playing the instrument (at least among the Montagnardi) is viewed as a viable way to make a living. Conch shell players are typically viewed among the Ateleti as little more than panhandlers, but among the Montagnardi these individuals hold respect. Unique among the Montagnardi is use of shell music as a kind of call to prayer, replacing the typical ringing of bells common among virtually all other Occidental Catholics.

Language

The people of Ventotene, both Ateleti and Montagnardi, speak a regional variation of the Cartadanian language. Ateleti Cartadanian is typical of a common regional variation of the language, whereas the Montagnardi dialect features a unique vocabulary including many anachronistic words from Caphiric Latin and even words similar to the Pelaxian language, hinting at a more southwestern Sarpedon point of origin for the Montagnardi. The Montagnardi Cartadanian dialect is spoken with a heavy accent and is considered to be unintelligible by many speakers of Cartadanian, both Ateleti and mainland.

Julian Ænglish is widely spoken about the Ateleti people, with most being fluent in the language. Montagnardi people, meanwhile, have very low rates of fluency in the language, with only prominent political and business leaders being able to converse in the language. Accordingly, the few Montagnardi who are fluent in Julian Ænglish are often able to pursue being an interpreter as a full time profession.