Anyone here know how to make a coat of arms?

Belle ilse en terre

Edited

Razzgriz wrote:

Anyone here know how to make a coat of arms?

This is the best website for stock coats of arms.

http://rpg.uplink.fi/heraldry/

Razzgriz and Ter natiour

Athara magarat

5 years 90 days ago

Menna shuli wrote:

History of Mênna Shuli (Prehistory to 1685 CE) [MASSIVE WORK IN PROGRESS]

by Menna shuli

Prehistory to 1685 | 1685 to 1894 | 1894 to Current Day

Pre-Mihêna Period (4400 BCE - 2001 BCE)

The Pre-Alâmic and Alâmic Period (4400 BCE - 3000 BCE) | Koshu, City of the Gods (3000 BCE - 2600 BCE) | Post-Koshite Period (2600 BCE - 2200 BCE)
Great Migration (2200 BCE - 2001 BCE)

Alâmic Period Vase
Titukuku Culture ca. ~4200 BCE

The Pre-Alâmic and Alâmic Period (4400 BCE - 3000 BCE)
The Mênna are a people with long, deep roots in their land. Human habitation of Mênna Shuli is first evident around the 4400s BCE, although earlier habitation of the region is theorized. The earliest evidence of habitation follows the Ihwala Musê, with archaeological studies discovering simple tools, art pieces and weapons, as well as signs of possible irrigation ditches dug for the floodplains of the river. This, as well as signs of cattle domestication around this time, suggests an earlier nomadic culture setting down roots, but no major evidence of this earlier Paleolithic has been definitively found.

The first cultures that developed in Mênna Shuli are collected together under the term "Alâmic Period" (4000 BCE - 2900 BCE), for the distinctive bows discovered at various locations from this time, although multiple cultures existed during this period with some overlap. Most distinctive of the Alâmic Period cultures were the upriver Kuvihâta Culture (~3700 BCE - ~3400 BCE), named for the human bone needles found in caches in their settlements, and the coastal Hêsuki Culture (~3500 BCE - ~3300 BCE), known for their use of sharks' teeth in their art, weapons and tools. Aside from archaeological signs such as these, not much is known of the pre-Mihêna people of this era, as they had no formal writing systems with which to leave more specific histories. Coastal peoples are known to have developed sails quite early from depictions in art. This development allowed them to ply the shallows and coral reefs of the region's seas, and it would seem their culture was highly centered on mastery of their boats, but not much is known beyond that. Long-distance journeys towards neighbouring lands are certainly possible, but evidence of this is spotty at best.

Larger settlements started appearing during the late Alâmic Period, coinciding with early signs of a form of organized religion permeating out from villages near the Ihwala Musê Hook. Migrations inland started around 3200 BCE. Signs of environmental devastation in the coastal areas suggest that seismic activity may have caused shifts in coastlines, and signs of settlement have been found up to a mile off the current coastlines. These migrations allowed for the coalescence of the first major and central culture groups in the area.

Koshu, City of the Gods (3000 BCE - 2600 BCE)
The coalescence of the Alâmic peoples towards the Ihwala Musê Hook led to the establishment of the first walled city in Mênna Shuli. Later historians would refer to the city as Kash-Ut, Kaushat, Kusha, Kaosh, Ashut, Kashakh, and, the most common Anglicization, Koshu. The history of the first hundred or so years of Koshu are enigmatic, although it appears to have grown up around a holy site of the late Alâmic religious cult that had been growing in power. After about 2900 BCE, however, things become more clear, as the first writing of Mênna Shuli began to develop within the city. While much of the language is lost, enough has been deciphered from remaining fragments to discover Koshu's use as a centralized trading hub for communities along the Ihwala Musê, with references to it being the "[hub] of a wheel". It also appeared to be ruled by a theocratic autocrat of some sort, sometimes referred to in English writings as the "Veiled King of Koshu" from a reference in Koshite Article IV at the University of Shulakallu of "a lord clad in silk[?] veils". The religion appeared to be a bifurcated faith, with a public face of totem worship and a private face of an elite mystery cult, although details of the latter are sketchy as a result of the secrecy surrounding the worship. Use of animal symbolism is common in both Koshite construction and art, suggesting some form of animism in the faith, although that remains conjecture without much literary data to back it up.

Later Mihêna historians would refer to Koshu as the "City of the Gods", claiming its rulers to be descended from Atên, and marveling at the "towers and gardens of the holy city". This appears to have been mythologizing in the greatest degree, although the foundations of a single great tower at the heart of the city was uncovered by archaeologists in 1943. Koshite religious belief appears to have had little to do with the later Mihêna faiths, including the Cult of Atên, so any connections drawn by Mihêna historians appear to have been made to create legendary roots for later leaders.

Koshu grew in power and hegemonic influence over surrounding settlements over the course of its history. However, in one of the greatest mysteries of Mênnan history, the city suddenly and nearly completely collapsed in population in approximately 2600 BCE. Many theories have surrounded this collapse, the most popular being the Koshite Plague Theory and the Slave Rebellion Theory. The Koshite Plague Theory explains the collapse of Koshu as being primarily caused by the spread of disease, leading to an exodus from the city and a return to more rural, small-scale communities. Evidence for this theory exists in some writings referring to a "pestilence in the streets", as well as human remains indicating a decrease in skeletal density. The Slave Rebellion Theory posits that the collapse was motivated by an uprising of the city's slaves, which led to infrastructure damage and a loss of tenability for Koshu as an entity. Evidence for this theory exists in the physical remains of the city, which show signs of extensive fire damage, as well as some remains with extensive damage matching signs of physical violence. The truth probably exists somewhere in between these two poles, with disease escalating political dissent and leading to violence as a rapid exodus began. The disease in the city likely remained in the consciousness of survivors, leading to an avoidance of the location for resettlement for generations.

Post-Koshite Period (2600 BCE - 2200 BCE)
Following the fall of Koshu, a decentralization of power followed. The late Alâmic cult waned in power and influence, and settlements moved out and away from the Ihwala Musê Hook, spreading out into the nearby wildlands. There appeared to be a shift at this point towards a more tribal mindset than had existed during the hegemony of Koshu. Signs of frequent intertribal warfare are common, including several mass graves that have been uncovered in regions to the east of the nation. The skeletal remains recovered in these pits show signs of brutal violence, most likely as sacrifices made by a victorious settlement against captured enemies from an opposed settlement. Some archaeologists suggest that widespread cannibalistic rituals may have risen up during this period, with some pottery and art pieces showing the classic pre-Mihêna "man-eater" image. Most scholars agree that some cannibalism did begin to gain in prominence during this period, perhaps as a way of gaining the strength of defeated enemies, but that no tribe participated in a particularly widespread fashion, and that the man-eater archetype was, in point of fact, a warning or derogatory image. The man-eater symbol is frequently portrayed as monstrous, perhaps suggesting a warning away from becoming too fascinated with human flesh. One foreign researcher, Dr. Martin Ludbrech, suggests in his lauded book on the subject, The Mênnan Wendigo: Cannibalism, Shamanism and Ritual in Pre-Mihêna Mênna Shuli, draws parallels between the man-eater symbology and similar motifs in other cultures around the world.

This period is marked by the first signs of major tomb construction, a trend which would eventually dominate the Mihêna period and would establish the basis from which 'unuxâ would spring. These proto-pyramid structures were often constructed of stepped stone capped in a pyramidal block. Burial rites varied drastically from region-to-region and tribe-to-tribe, but the spread of this particular and unique tomb structure came to be standard, originating from the region near modern day Kilâmkallu near 2400 BCE and stretching around the nation by 2310 BCE.

The other major development of this period was the domestication of horses. The most persusasive evidence for the domestication of horses at this time comes from the burial of horse remains with human remains in many tomb sites, particularly in western Mênna Shuli, during this time period. This suggests ownership and companionship with these horses among tribal leaders. The use of horseskin clothing is also evident from these graves. Some archaeologists posit that this actually suggests that the Mênnan people of this time period were actually hunters of horses, although there is little evidence of deliberate butchery on the bones found in these tomb sites. Instead, it would appear that horses were symbols of strength and virility, leading to a state as status symbols for powerful tribal chieftains. Ownership and domestication of horses was likely viewed as a sign of authority and command, and would later become important during the convergence towards a Mihêna Kingdom.

Proto-Mihêna heiroglyphs began to develop in this period, although their intent seemed to be more symbolic than logistic, in that they seemed to represent concepts more than words or sounds. An early numeric system also developed in this period, referred to as Pre-Mihêna Dot Numerics, which themselves would evolve into the Second Kingdom Dot Writing system.

Artist's Depiction of
the Great Migration

Great Migration (2200 BCE - 2001 BCE)
Starting in the period around 2200 BCE and for currently unknown reasons, great numbers of Proto-Mihêna people moved back towards the coast. The development of the earliest long-distance sea-canoes of the Mênna began around this period, and many Mênnan people began an exodus away from the Mênnan mainland. At first these voyages pressed only into nearby regions, but eventually the journeys grew wider, and proto-Mênnan individuals left Mênnan lands and settled in areas across the Isles, only to die off or be absorbed by native populations. This Great Migration led to massive population decline in Mênna Shuli over the period of two centuries. Some estimates claim that as much as 90% - 95% of the population of the country left the area in this period.

Archaeologists and historians have many conflicting possible explanations for this Great Migration, but there is no consensus and it is one of the greatest mysteries in Mênnan, equal to or perhaps greater than the mystery of the Koshite Collapse. It's unknown as to whether the migration was forced as result of resource shortages, climate and ecosystem shifts or disease. Alternative explanations include concepts of a cultural shift towards some sort of sea worship, or fear of seismic or volcanic activity. Unfortunately, evidence is sparse, and much has been lost either through the destruction of important archaeological locations in urban development and land erosion, unable to be fully studied due to environmental protections, or were lost due to improper archaeological practices during periods of foreign fascination with Mihêna in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Regardless, this massive population drop had interesting ramifications over the next millennium. The period immediately following the Great Migration, leading into the convergence of the Mihêna Kingdoms, has been described as "post-apocalyptic" by some modern commentators, allowing for the tribes that remained to shift towards cultural means of massive population growth and a vicious warrior mentality that eventually led to the monarchic practices that would form the early Mihêna dynasties.

Early Convergence (2001 BCE - 1019 BCE)

The Mishu Statue, a well-maintained example of
Early Convergence sculpture depicting a rider

The early stages of the later Mihêna culture formed in the wake of the rise of tribal warlords following the period of the Great Migration. Following the population collapse, the remaining peoples of the land found themselves isolated from one another and holding a massive excess of potential resources. The population first began to recover, and then to explode. Where war had been an uncommon occurrence in earlier Mênnan cultures, the cultures that developed following the Great Migration were highly war-like. Some anthropologists and historians believe this may actually have been an impetus for the Great Migration in the first place: a few highly militarized populations coming under the sway of conquerors who wound up driving out other population groups. This theory has been widely discredited, as there is little evidence of that sort of war being made during the Great Migration period, but it is possible that the warrior mentality that followed sprung from survival mechanisms developed during the collapse.

Regardless, the cultures at this time began to heavily center on warrior aspects. Artwork from this period was highly focused on depictions of war and glorious combat. Horses became a central aspect of the culture at this time as well, even moreso than before, with the primary motivation in war seemingly focused on this particular resource. Capturing breeding stock and quality horses from rivals seemed a key motivator in many conflicts, evidenced from genetic testing on horse remains from this period correlated with the locations of major grave sites present following battles.

This rise of a warlord culture slowly led to a greater centralization of tribal culture around "capitol zones" manifested as the fortresses of particularly powerful warriors. The basis of future monarchic culture became cemented; great warriors would train their children to follow after them, leading to powerful martial families controlling tribal groups. With this followed wars of territorial expansion. As these martial families came to clash more and more frequently, capture of land and huma resources became as important as the control of horses or weaponry. Warlords began programs of displacement and conquer. Unlike later unification of the nation, enemy tribes weren't forced to adopt the tribal culture of their conquerers, but instead became obligatory vassals, owing their new leaders material and labor tax. With this came the need for increased bureaucracy, and the shape of kingdoms began to form.

With the formation of larger hereditary monarchies came new impetus for war: political conflict. The varied kingdoms of this period formed complex webs of alliances and intrigue which current scholars are only partially aware of from surviving evidence. As these alliances rose, fell, reconstructed and reformed, so too did the kingdoms they were attached to, creating a constantly shifting political landscape. Rarely did a kingdom last more than two or three generations of leadership before shifting to a new state of control, whether that was a change of ruling dynasty or a dramatic shift in fealty. Kingdoms frequently combined, divided and were subsumed by neighbours before the process started anew.

A key trait of this was the relative material equality of all the kingdoms in question. No one tribe excelled in terms of material or technology, and few were numerically superior enough to make a significant impact in conquest. This led to this state of shifting political balances and constant warfare. The tipping point for this balance came sometime between 1200 and 1100 BCE and was marked by the creation of one significant advancement: the chariot. While earlier forms of the chariot had existed to some small extent before the Great Migration, they had mostly been bulky and slow. Following the Great Migration, their use had almost entirely fallen off. At around this period, however, advances in metallurgy allowed for the creation of lighter, faster chariots. Subsequent advances in archery allowed for extremely mobile cavalry strikes. In the flat land of the savanna, this development shifted the tides of warfare, and those tribes that mastered the chariot soon came to dominate their respective spheres. Stability came to exist, and several larger kingdoms soon came to control the majority of Mênna Shuli. Details of the next century are very spotty, as had bee records of the entire convergence period, but it seems that large-scale war fell off between the three or four large kingdoms that controlled the region, and that politics soon led to further amalgamation as ruling families married together. By approximately 1019 BCE, approximately two thirds of the area were controlled by a single empire, the Mihêna First Kingdom, which would come to control the entire country over the first few centuries of the new millenium.

The Mihêna First Kingdom (1019 BCE - 101 BCE)

Mihêna First Dynasty (1019 BCE - 940 BCE)

Aminkotek I (1019 - 998 BCE)
Aminkotek II (998 - 990 BCE)
Unknown (990 - 989 BCE)
Nashur-Imentop (988 - 975 BCE)
Nashur-Koshuten (975 - 940 BCE)

Reconstruction of Tomb Relief depicting
Chariot Archers

Fair details exist for the First Dynasty of the Mihêna, due to the extensive bureaucratic mechanisms that were established early in their unified reign. The First Dynasty established many of the typifying features of the period archaeologists refer to as the First Kingdom. Perhaps the most typifying of these features was the enforcement of a state religious apparatus, which was tied tightly to the aforementioned bureaucratic institution. The First Dynasty Hethapi consolidated their power by enforcing worship of their monotheistic institution, the worship of Atên, or the Holy Sun. This faith would dominate the religious belief of the Mihêna through the Second Kingdom Period, until the prevalence of more organized 'unuxa faiths would topple that order.

The greatest architectural marvels of the First Dynasty include their temple constructions, few of which last in anything other than written record. However, evidence shows that these constructions paled in comparison to later Mihêna architectural methods. The earliest signs of permanent construction near Likamiu'â exist during this period, and the ancient city of Tibes near that site appears to have been the capitol of the Mihêna Empire during this time. Despite the fair details presented by documentation at this time, little is known about the specific work of the various Hethapi who ruled during this dynasty. Only one grave site has been turned up, believed to be for Aminkotek II or his unknown successor, but due to the lack of later burial custom, details are sparse on this individual's life.

Mihêna Second Dynasty (939 BCE - 901 BCE)

Pashuket I (939 - 911 BCE)
Pashuket II (911 - 901 BCE)

For most archaeologists and historians, the Mihêna Second Dynasty, sometimes referred to as the "Pashuket Dynasty" for the name taken by both it's Hethapi, represents an intermediate phase between the formative First Dynasty and the more iconic and nation-shaping Third Dynasty. Despite this, the Pashuket Dynasty was hardly inactive, despite its short length. King Pashuket I, or Pashuket the Conqueror, instituted the largest series of territorial expansions since the early convergence of the Mihêna people, bringing in much of the remaining territory of modern Mênna Shuli to the Empire. His daughter, Pashuket II, or Pashuket the Builder, would consolidate his gains, formalize judicial institutions originally established in the First Dynasty and began construction on the first irrigation networks of the Mihêna Empire. While neither of the Pashukets saw their work completed in their lifetime, and Pashuket II would die without a direct dynastic heir, this intermediate phase in the nation's development would be instrumental to the foundations of the remaining centuries of the First Kingdom.

Side Note: Mihêna Religion and Rulership

Religion and rulership were intrinsically tied during
the reign of the First and Second Kingdom of the
Mihêna. During these periods, the official state
religion of the Empire was the worship of Atên, the
Holy Sun. The Cult of Atên was monotheistic;
Atên was seen as the absolute ruler and creator of
the entire universe, all things springing from his
divine light and circling his presence. Interestingly,
this meant that the Mihêna had a concept of a
heliocentric solar system very early in their history,
although they believed that the entire universe
centered on the sun. Despite Atên being absolute
and omnipotent, there were many lesser entities
and spirits that were said to serve Atên's will. One
of the most important was also the most visible:
the Hethapi. The Hethapi was seen as a divine
emissary of Atên, a living god made flesh and
absolute voice of Atên's will on Earth. This made
the Hethapi's will and rule absolute. The fall of one
dynasty and rise of another was seen, sometimes,
as the honour of Atên changing from family to
family, at least as far as the commonfolk saw things.
This also led to an intrinsic connection between the
priesthood and the government, and the priesthood
operated as the state's central bureaucratic arm.

Mihêna Third Dynasty (901 BCE - 787 BCE)

Imokoteket (901 - 878 BCE)
Atênek I (877 - 870 BCE)
Atênek II (870 - 854 BCE)
Unknown (854 - 851 BCE)
Atênek III (850 - 836 BCE)
Pikoshu-Koshit (835 - 819 BCE)
Pitakatik (818 - 787 BCE)

The Mihêna Third Dynasty is one of the most definitively important and iconic eras of Mihêna history. This dynasty saw the final incorporation of the remaining modern Mênnan territory, saw the start of construction on the memorials and landmarks that would become the symbol of Mihêna culture and historiography, and set the standards for cultural and political activity in the Mihêna Empire that would reverberate through until the end of the Third Kingdom.

The Third Dynasty saw the final and complete amalgamation of the current Mênnan territory in the reign of it's first Hethapi, Ikokoteket. Following this, the Hethapi began the process of monument building in celebration of his reign, including the construction of the first major pyramid tomb site. This sort of massive building project would come to be the single defining feature of the Mihêna in future foreign locations. The symbol of the pyramid is ubiquitous with the Mihêna, as it was with Egypt or certain Meso-American cultures. As a result of the monument construction projects, massive leaps in architectural and engineering developments were witnessed in this period, including innovations in construction methods and tool manufacture which would reverberate across the country. Large scale irrigation projects became commonplace along the Ihwala Muse floodplains. New crops began to be cultivated, especially rice. Mihêna wealth grew exponentially as trade with nearby cultures and civilizations grew. By the end of this dynasty, the Mihêna had created a fairly sizable oceanic trade network, their large ships especially impressive for the time.

Record-keeping during this period was impeccable for the era. While many primary resources have been lost due to natural degradation, enough has been retained to build a thorough and detailed picture of the period's lifestyles and history. The dynasty would face its eventual collapse in the wake of internal conflict: the increasing wealth of the nation saw several large internal power blocks build in the form of noble merchant families which were capable of fielding their own small armies. Increasing centralization of power caused friction with these groups, and this came to a head during the reign of Pitakatik. Internal rebellion and war between the noble families as they vied for the power of Hethapi ensued, leading to a short recessive period as the dynasty fell and was replaced by the fourth.

Mihêna Fourth Dynasty (787 BCE - 703 BCE)

Unknown (787 - 751 BCE)
Kotekan I (751 - 727 BCE)
Unknown (726 - 712 BCE)
Kotekan II (712 - 703 BCE)

Internal conflict inherited from the Third Dynasty defined the Fourth, and as a result records are very spotty. A part of this resulted from the Fifth Dynasty, who purposefully destroyed many monuments and records of the Fourth upon their rise. Very little clear information is known, with even the names of the Hethapi of this period something of an unknown. It is believed that culturally they had much in common with the Third Dynasty, aside from a shift of the family line holding the throne. There are archaeological records of several naval battles during this period, implying what conflict was happening was centralized on major trade routes and enforced piracy between noble families as opposed to open warfare on the mainland.

Mihêna Fifth Dynasty (702 BCE - 558 BCE)

Nashur-Amerak (702 - 681 BCE)
Atênek IV (681 - 657 BCE)
Pikoshu-Amerak (657 - 609 BCE)
Pikoshu-Tateram (609 - 602 BCE)
Atênek V (601 - 577 BCE)
Maturek (577 - 558 BCE)

The Mihêna Fifth Dynasty is interesting, as they framed themselves as the inheritors of the Third Dynasty. Whether they were directly descended from the Third Dynasty Hethapi and were a restoration of that family's rule, or whether it was an affected lineage to legitimize their rule has been hotly debated by scholars. Consensus is generally that the truth likely lies somewhere in the middle; it's likely that this dynasty was descended from a cadet branch or intermarriage along their line to the Third Dynasty, but were not direct descendants. Regardless, the Fifth Dynasty Hethapi took on many of the visual and cultural conceits of the Third Dynasty, down to taking on Third Dynasty names.

Their rule saw the conflicts of the Fifth Dynasty dying off. The reasons for this are unclear. Surviving records hail the tempered and clear-sighted rule of the Hethapi as the key reasoning behind this change, but this is likely enforced propaganda. Instead, many historians believe that the number of noble families had shrunk through consolidation during the Fourth Dynasty, and a natural equilibrium had been reached causing a balance of business interests through oligopoly.

The largest cultural landmark of this period was the Grand Temple of Atên near Kilâmkallu. To this day, this vast complex of monuments is still visited by tourists, despite having to brave intense desert heats to reach it.

A symbol of Atên commonly used in various
Mihêna artforms

Mihêna Sixth Dynasty (557 BCE - 226 BCE)

Matahoken I (557 - 513 BCE)
Matahoken II (513 - 488 BCE)
Matahoken III (488 - 478 BCE)
Unknown (478 - 418 BCE)
Kishutekan I (417 - 385 BCE)
Kotoroken-Mukenash (385 - 349 BCE)
Kishutekan II (349 - 311 BCE)
Kishutekan III (311 - 292 BCE)
Kotoroken-Laknesh (291 - 266 BCE)
Matahoken IV (266 - 240 BCE)
Matahoken V (240 BCE - 226)

The Mihêna Sixth Dynasty, also referred to as the "Matahoken Dynasty", represented the beginning of cultural shifts which would eventually lead to the rise of the Second Kingdom period. During this period, Matahoken II would establish the basis of Mihêkallu as a formal city, a process which would be followed up by his antecessors. The Sixth Dynasty is also viewed as the height of the First Kingdom's religious and trade ascendency, the broadest point of Atên worship in the region and the richest period in Mihêna history. Much of the best preserved and maintained Mihêna artifacts and jewelry are from the Sixth Dynasty period.

This was also an extremely peaceful period in Mihêna history. No major wars or conflicts of any scale were seen during this period of time, with only minor internal conflict. Major construction projects were maintained in several key points around the country, including the first major and formalized highway network in the country. Records are well-maintained, and the graves of all but one of the Hethapi have been discovered and maintained.

One major change of note during this period was the appearance of nomadic groups within the Empire that would later come to be known as the Osean people. Whether these individuals arose from groups within the bounds of the Mihêna or whether they came from outside isn't wholly known and is hotly debated, but it is known that the group was seen as "outside" the normal Mihêna culture, and while they were absorbed into the nation, they were frequently subjugated over the coming centuries as second class citizens. One existing piece of documentation noted different penalties for theft for Mihêna and Osean citizens; a Mihêna was to lose a finger on a first offense, a hand on the second and their head on the third, while Oseans could lose a hand or be executed on a first offense.

Mihêna Seventh Dynasty (225 BCE - 201 BCE)

Pashuket III/Pashuatuk (225 - 201 BCE)

The Mihêna Seventh Dynasty was a short and unique one. This was the only known First Kingdom Dynasty to see the rule of a pair of co-Hethapi. Co-Hethapi became more normallized during the Third Kingdom Period, and current data leads scholars to believe that this dynasty was the earliest example. Pashuket III and her brother Pashuatuk drew their family lines back to the Second Dynasty, and historians aren't entirely certain of why the pair shared the throne of the Mihêna. Regardless, the consensus is that the pair never had any children, leading to the truncated end of their rule. Some scholars have theorized that the pair died of a shared genetic disorder (perhaps leading to infertility), and some have thought that an incestuous relationship between the two was likely. Pashuket was found buried with children's bones, leading some to theorize that the co-Hethapi were murdered upon the revelation of the pair carrying an incestuous child to term.

Mihêna Eighth Dynasty (200 BCE - 101 BCE)

Miheteketen I (200 - 151 BCE)
Miheteketen II (151 - 101 BCE)

The Mihêna Eighth Dynasty is also called the Miheteketen Dynasty for the name shared by both its rulers. As the last dynasty of the First Kingdom, its lasting legacy was the completion of many major construction projects in Mihêkallu that would begin the shift towards that city as the royal capitol of the Empire.

The Mihêna Second Kingdom (101 BCE - 502 CE)

Mihêna Ninth Dynasty (101 BCE - 389 CE) | Mihêna Tenth Dynasty (390 CE - 502 CE)

Artist's rendition of a late
First Kingdom/Early Second Kingdom
religious ceremony

Mihêna Ninth Dynasty (101 BCE - 389 CE)

Ikitukentek-Tok (101 - 97 BCE)
Unknown (96 BCE - 89 BCE)
Unknown (89 BCE - 87 BCE)
Mikhetuketen I (87 BCE - 33 BCE)
Mikhetuketen II (32 BCE - 17 BCE)
Unknown (17 BCE - 16 BCE)
Ipokeokek I (15 BCE - 1 CE)
Kote-Ikumektu (1 CE - 12 CE)
Koshutek I (13 CE - 47 CE)
Mikhetuketen III (48 CE - 58 CE)
Unknown (58 CE - 64 CE)
Koshutek II (65 CE - 91 CE)
Imokupekat (91 CE - 111 CE)
Koshutek III (111 CE - 133 CE)
Unknown (133 CE - 150 CE)
Poshukatu I (151 CE - 199 CE)
Poshukatu II (200 CE - 213 CE)
Poshukatu III (214 CE - 229 CE)
Poshukatu IV (230 CE - 245 CE)
Unknown (246 CE)
Kote-Koshutekat (247 CE)
Kote-Komteku (248 CE - 271 CE)
Unknown (271 CE - 280 CE)
Koshutek IV (281 CE - 289 CE)
Koshutek V (290 CE - 316 CE)
Imokut I (317 CE - 322 CE)
Imokut II (323 CE - 339 CE)
Tokutukaten (340 CE - 352 CE)
Koshutek VI (352 CE - 389 CE)

The Mihêna Ninth Dynasty represents the shift between the periods usually referred to as the First and Second Kingdoms. This shift was probably unrecognized by the Mihêna people themselves, and is instead an important division from the perspective of historians and Mihênologists. The division is marked by a shift of the capitol of the Empire to Mihêkallu, and with it a recognized shift from the desert-centric imagery of much of the First Kingdom towards a more mercantile and ocean-centric culture that grew up in the Second Kingdom.

The Ninth Dynasty is a particularly long and important one. Records are very well kept from this period, and unknown Hethapi tend to exist as a result of later descendants attempting to wipe out records of disliked or unfortunate forebears. Historians know, for example, that the period of 271 CE to 280 CE was ruled by a female Hethapi, that she oversaw a reduction of the Hethapi-centered cults of worship and an expansion of priestly bureaucracy, and that she greatly expanded ship-building efforts, but her name and image have been lost due to a concerted effort made by Koshutek V to destroy her memory in a bid to re-extend the Hethapi cults.

This era was also marked by several key periods of internal strife. The Ninth Dynasty ruling family, who before ascendancy to the throne were referred to in trading manifests as the Iatak and may be connected with the current Xatak tribe in some way (especially when considering the traditional founder of the Xatak tribe is referred to as Kushutak, which may be a corruption of one of the royal Koshuteks), were an extremely large family to begin with, and grew even larger over their rule. Internal politics within the royal family were often the source of tension, sometimes leading to outright war between combating branches of the family line. Most conflicts of this period were as a direct result of this internal strife. Some historians have referred to this period as "the longest-lasting family dysfunction in history". In the end, the family was brought down by rebellion from below, likely as a result of a final, disgruntled ousting from unhappy commonfolk supported by rich trading families. Another key rebellion happened earlier in this period, with the Osean people rising against the Mihêna and eventually leaving the country by boat to settle on islands outside of the country.

A recreation of the famed
"First Mask of Okoshu the Mystic"
based on first-source descriptions

Mihêna Tenth Dynasty (390 CE - 502 CE)

Okoshu I (390 CE - 401 CE)
Okoshu II (402 CE - 437 CE)
Unknown (437 CE - 451 CE)
Okoto I (451 CE - 456 CE)
Unknown (456 CE - 462 CE)
Unknown (462 - 466 CE)
Okoto II (466 CE - 481 CE)
Unknown (481 CE - 483 CE)
Leval (483 CE - 502 CE)

Sometimes referred to as the "Neo-Koshite Period" or the "Veiled King Dynasty", the Mihêna Tenth Dynasty represented several key cultural shifts in Mihêna society. Firstly, this era was the height of Mihêna obsession and emulation of the City of Koshu, seemingly rising from the personal beliefs of the first Hethapi of the dynasty, Okoshu the Mystic. During this period, the Hethapi set about building monuments to emulate the designs and symbols of the legendary image of Koshu, especially spiraling towers, animal icons and masked images. The Hethapi of this period modelled themselves on the Veiled Kings of Koshu, covering their faces and operating in pseudo-anonymity, which, in conjunction with particularly spotty record keeping caused by chaos within the administration and bureaucracy throughout this period, leads to much of this era's Hethapi having been lost to time, and even the dates of their reigns and the names of those known being primarily guesswork from foreign and later sources.

On top of the Koshite obsession, this period saw the degeneration of the Atênic religion. This process had been ongoing since the Third Dynasty, with various religious evolutions, absorbtions and changes simply being caused by time. However, this period saw a rapid change in the religion, with significant alterations to the style and focus of worship. More and more folkloric figures became wrapped up in the religion, especially with the attempts to present a mythic history of Koshu as the dawn of the Mihêna. The monotheistic focus of the religion seemed to shatter somewhat, as more and more mythic creatures and heroes were added into the mythology to justify the new cultural shift of the era. Attempts to mythologize or tie the line of the Tenth Dynasty to Koshu led to a greater acceptance of ancestor worship, which may have paved the groundwork for the ultimate shift in the Third Kingdom to the 'unuxa faith. Atênic philosophers and mystics would last for centuries after the collapse of the religion, coming to be seen as healers and spellcasters, although they frequently exiled themselves to distant corners of the empire, and various later rulers would treat them with different levels of respect.

Ultimately, this dynasty crumbled due to excess. Leval, the final Hethapi of this period, dissolved much of the Koshite obsession of his forebears and used his long reign to try and piece the unfortunately segmented imperial bureaucratic structure back together. Ultimately, he died with his work incomplete, leading to the Third Kingdom's rise, although Leval would come to be recognized through his descendants as the founder of the Levalâ' tribe.

The Mihêna Third Kingdom (502 CE - 1107 CE)

Mihêna Eleventh Dynasty (502 CE - 678 CE) | Mihêna Twelfth Dynasty (678 CE - 753 CE) | Mihêna Thirteenth Dynasty (753 CE - 915 CE) | Mihêna Fourteenth Dynasty (915 CE - 1107 CE)

Mihêna Eleventh Dynasty (502 CE - 678 CE)

Kostak (502 CE - 551 CE)
Unknown (551 CE - 573 CE)
Usu-Mpek I (573 CE - 580 CE)
Usu-Mpek II (581 CE - 595 CE)
Unknown (596 CE - 601 CE)
Unknown (602 CE - 604 CE)
Unknown (604 CE - 621 CE)
Kistek (621 CE - 634 CE)
Kisampok/Likat-Ul (635 CE - 639 CE)
Kisampok/Pokat-Mpek (639 CE - 652 CE)
Iku'a I (652 CE - 657 CE)
Unknown (658 CE - 666 CE)
Iku'a II (666 CE - 678 CE)

The Mihêna Eleventh Dynasty is the first of the Third Kingdom Period, which was defined by its shift from the Atênic religion religion as the official faith of the state to the official adoption of 'unuxâ as the religion of the Empire. While the worship of Atên had already been degrading before this period, the official shift of the faith did not come without drastic cultural clashes and conflict. The entire period was marked by outbreaks of civil and religious violence between various factions, and the failing bureaucratic measures of the Tenth Dynasty weren't repaired until more than a century after the dynastic shift. As a result, this dynasty is one of the least well documented from a written perspective, although a great number of physical artifacts remain, especially in the form of new, more elaborate burial structures for the rich and for the Hethapi of the dynasty. A vast number of pyramids were built during this particular dynasty, as were newer, more elaborate temples for the 'unuxâ faith.

Mihêna Twelfth Dynasty (678 CE -753 CE)

Kitnu/Kashaka I (678 CE - 733 CE)
Kashaka I/Kashaka II (733 CE - 753 CE)

The Twelfth Dynasty of the Mihêna was short and, by contrast to the dynasty preceding it, peaceful. The Empire's religious and civil squabbles and the commonplace outbreaks of rebellion that had marked the Eleventh Dynasty had nearly entirely settled. The final Atênic warlocks had fully withdrawn from city life to monasteries in the mountains, and 'unuxâ had settled into the role as the majority faith of the Empire. The most important event of this period was the beginning of construction of the Grand Temple of Mihêkallu, which would become the largest single center of worship for the entire faith until the present day once it was completed near the beginning of the Thirteenth Dynasty. In modern day Mênna Shuli, it remains in use and is the only location in the country with extant graves for Hethapi that is still maintained. Hethapi Kashaka II was the first individual interred there, and many of his successors would follow suit, although not all did.

Artist's rendering of Hethapi
Kav'at in traditional, late-stage
Mihêna noble's garb

Mihêna Thirteenth Dynasty (753 CE - 915 CE)

Ikita-Kintêk (753 CE - 790 CE)
Ikita-Hikatê I (790 CE - 801 CE)
Ikita-Miktu/Kinushê (801 CE - 844 CE)
Ikita-Hikatê II (845 CE - 863 CE)
Ikita-Hikatê III (863 CE - 869 CE)
Ikita-Hikatê III/Ikita-Umu (869 CE - 882 CE)
Kav'at (883 CE - 895 CE)
Tu'axit I (895 CE - 907 CE)
Tu'axit II/Tutakin (907 CE - 915 CE)

The Mihêna Thirteenth Dynasty was another period devoid of outright conflict in the Empire. However, it was not an uneventful time period; many historians will point to the Thirteenth Dynasty as the "beginning of the end" for the Mihêna as the start of the final decline of the Empire began. While the bureaucratic and written texts of this time are fairly good, especially since the graves of every Hethapi of the period have been found and maintained, there is some lack of clarity towards the actions taken by leadership at this time. During this period, border forts in the savanna started to be abandoned and military forces withdrawn towards the coast, leaving some areas of the Empire devoid of a connection to the command of the central government. The Mihêna Empire and control of their geographic territory was beginning to fray at the edges. Heavy linguistic shifts were noted as well. It's believed that at least part of the abandonment of the border territories was due to the culmination of a glacial shift in language: while the nobility and wealthy of the Empire had maintained the language of the Mihêna as their primary spoken tongue, much of the commonfolk, especially further from cities, had seen their language moving towards an early version of modern Mênnan. this disparity may have reduced a capacity for command. Alternatively, the wide stretches of land commanded by the Mihêna may have simply become too difficult to man effectively against growing banditry and tribal resistance to rule. It was commonplace for escaped slaves to settle with rural tribes, and so areas distant from metropolitan centers were often hotbeds for anger against the establishment.

Despite this, the Thirteenth Dynasty Hethapi still continued the massive building projects of their forebears, and this era was the start of the gladitorial combat that was common for the remainder of the Empire's existence. Large circuses of combat were constructed during this period, as were several large burial sites which were centers for Mihênological study during the early days of the study.

Mihêna Fourteenth Dynasty (915 CE - 1107 CE)

Tiku I (915 CE - 961 CE)
Tiku II (961 CE - 977 CE)
Tatikushêt (977 CE - 999 CE)
Kashux I(999 CE - 1021 CE)
Tiku III (1022 CE - 1038 CE)
Kashux II (1039 CE - 1054 CE)
Kishiwa I (1054 CE - 1061 CE)
Umutêti (1061 CE - 1083 CE)
Kishiwa II (1083 -1104 CE)
Tiku IV (1104 CE - 1107 CE)

The Mihêna Fourteenth Dynasty is the last dynasty of the Mihêna before their final collapse, and the period was marked by the extraordinary decadence of its leadership and the political squabbling of its upper echelons. It is known that at least four of the Hethapi of this dynasty were assassinated, either by political rivals looking to install one of the Hethapi's children on the throne as puppets, or by their own children. Most dramatically, Tiku IV, sometimes called Tiku the Inept to distinguish him from his great-great-great-grandmother, Tiku "the Hunter" III, was known to have taken no efforts to hide that he had personally killed his mother, Kishiwa II, while she was pregnant. Tiku IV is believed to be a bastard, and therefore a trueborn heir may have displaced his claim for the throne, although details on this front are divided and sketchy. This has been particularly tainted by his inept rule and general classification as a puppet to his advisors, and his own eventual murder at the hands of his step-father's cousin.

This period also saw the largest earthquake in recorded Mihêna history. Hitting the west coast of the country off of Shark Bay, it's known that the bay's coastline was irrevocably altered by the quake, with whole chunks of land sinking into the sea. This area is one of the best diving spots in the Isles, with Mihêna villages and artifacts common finds beneath the sea.

The Fourth Kingdom and the Fall of the Mihêna (1107 CE - 1312 CE)

Mihêna Fifteenth Dynasty (1107 CE - 1266 CE) | Final Collapse (1266 CE - 1312 CE)

Mihêna Fifteenth Dynasty (1107 CE - 1266 CE)
The division of Mihêna history into a Fourth Kingdom and a Fifteenth Dynasty is hotly contested among scholars. The fact of the matter is that a clear division of a Fifteenth Dynasty is difficult to ascertain: a clear lineage of the Hethapi at the time is not able to be ascertained. In addition, it appears from historical records that the country itself became uncertain in these matters. There are several periods in this century where multiple Hethapi appeared to be ruling at the same time whilst not acting as co-Hethapi. The apparent answer to this is that the country's leadership was tearing itself apart, with various leaders claiming the throne simultaneously and battling politically and, occassionally, militarily for the honour of rule. As such, some historians claim that this period should really be defined neither as a Kingdom or a Dynasty of the Mihêna, but as already evident of collapse. However, at this time a consensus is basically made to accept the division for the purposes of historical organization if nothing else.

On top of the political issues of unclear leadership that began springing up at this time, three other measures contributed to the Mihêna collapse. These are frequently cited as decadence, disease and revolt, all of which fed one another. The unclear leadership of the copuntry allowed its bureaucratic mechanisms to run wild, often becoming kleptocratic in the process. Administrators became obscenely wealthy through punitive taxes, which caused malnourishment and other problems. this led to a decreased resistance to disease, which in turn led to frequent epidemics. The populace saw the administrators to blame, and slave and peasant revolts were frequent consequences. Instability wracked the country, and maintaining unity and cohesiveness first became improbable and then completely impossible.

Final Collapse (1266 CE - 1312 CE)
The Final Collapse of the Mihêna Empire was simultaneously sudden and subtle. It began with the Revolt of the Burning River, the largest slave revolt in the history of the Empire, which began in 1266 and raged for five years. Led by the demagogic warrior Shuâ Shuâ, who is cited as the founder of the current largest tribe in the country, slaves rose up around the country, leading to the East-West division of Mihêna lands across the Ihwala Musê's western branch. The slave state of West Mihêna was divided amongst local leadership, while East Mihêna attempted to maintain the systems of control of former Mihêna Hethapi. However, without the slaves that were the basis of the Empire's economy, a slow bleed began to occur. Bit by bit, local governors began to ignore commands from Mihêkallu, and then to declare their own local leadership. The Empire began to crumble. While the process took years, this collapse came with a loss of expertise and previous knowledge. This, on top of former losses incurred at the worst periods of Mihêna decadence, meant that the remaining Mihêna bastions could no longer support the lifestyles and cultural semblances of the old ways. Finally, in 1311, a major fire in the capitol led to the final collapse of the Empire. Like Koshu before it, people began fleeing the city, and the population of the country returned to rural, local ways of life, albeit now left with the vestiges of old, imperial ways.

The Mênnan Dark Age (1312 CE - 1599 CE)

The Mênnan Reconstruction (1599 CE - 1685 CE)

Read factbook

Still looking to do some co-op history building here. I'm nearly done.

When did we first met ICly. Something could be done on this one.

I know there's Xiangu Hangate who were technically part of the Empire but quite isolationist and their own things; and traders who provided the vêkivêv'at with guns in exchange for zebra skins, obsidian, beryl, garnet and local woods.

And sir, you have a huge historical timeline than most other nation in the Isles. So like Noronica said, you got specify when you need co-op thing.

Athara magarat

5 years 90 days ago

Hampy wrote:

The gaya is high key using my factbooks w/out my permission.....

You are one to say. That's Bhumidol's factbooks I see there...

You are Tanjore aren't you, sister...

Noronica and Ter natiour

Athara magarat

5 years 90 days ago

Mitravarta wrote:

Suppressing the words of Sri Krishna, guess we truly are in the Kali Yuga, huh.

With all due respect sir, the English-only rule applies to everyone equally.

We have been in Kali Yug since a long time.

Mitravarta

The United Republics of Dormill and Stiura

5 years 90 days ago

Athara magarat wrote:

You are one to say. That's Bhumidol's factbooks I see there...

You are Tanjore aren't you, sister...

The plot thickens?

Regardless Hampy has had these dispatches for longer so the issue remains as it is.

Athara magarat

5 years 90 days ago

Mitravarta wrote:

Also bit of information here. Our nation isn't actually named after friendship ("mitr मित्र" is friend in many Indo Aryan languages), it is named after the Vedic God Mitra, who is one of the eight Vedic solar deities, known as the Adityas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitra

He is found in other ancient Indo-European religions or cultures as well :P

Athara magarat

5 years 90 days ago

Dormill and Stiura wrote:

The plot thickens?

Regardless Hampy has had these dispatches for longer so the issue remains as it is.

Yes, both of them are guilty here.

The United Republics of Dormill and Stiura

5 years 90 days ago

Athara magarat wrote:

Yes, both of them are guilty here.

Hm. Could you reference me the overview Bhumidol used to verify?

Athara magarat

5 years 90 days ago

Edited

Mitravarta wrote:

One question, do you think the mods would allow a Hindu swastika on my flag? I see Athara Magarat has one (reversed one, but a swastika regardless) on theirs.

page=dispatch/id=885695

page=dispatch/id=1001282

Well, there's that. My flag was removed twice. As far as I know, people reported me three times through threads and TGed me tons of times about my flag. I still get those TGs.

There's that. You gotta be patient and explain this stuff. Best of luck.

Ter natiour and Mitravarta

Athara magarat

5 years 90 days ago

Edited

Dormill and Stiura wrote:

Hm. Could you reference me the overview Bhumidol used to verify?

The Gaya - General Overview

by The gaya

The Gaya - Overview

The Gaya (English: The Gah-Yah And Wardhana: गया) known formally as the The Commonwealth Of The Gaya (Wardhana: गयाचे राष्ट्रमंडल) is a sovereign nation whose territory comprises of the southwest corner of Argus.

The Gaya began as an ancient civilization on the banks of the Gurū (Known As The Gaya) River where the ancient cities of Wardha (The Capital) and Dusarā lay upon. The Gaya considers itself a civilization state, belonging to an ancient 4,000 year old political continuum of several Hindu & Jain Dynasties with a dominant culture related to but distinct from other ancient Dravidian polities. Although politically Hindu with a mostly Hindu and Jain populace, the nation is overwhelmingly influenced by Buddhist cultural norms. Tea bars, usually attached to local temples exist as the primary means of socializing, while virtually all primary and secondary schools are run by various Hindu orders.

Samrāṭa (Cosmic Emperor) Sarvāta Mahāna IX of House Śāhī is the current Samrāṭa of The Gaya, the Mahamantri of Kodamba, Maharani of Chalukyanadu & Rashtrakutanadu, the acting Incarnation of Rudra Manifestation of Lord Shiva, and is the acting head of the Wise Ocean House of the Dōnaśē Dynasty, assuming his throne on March 5th, 2015. The country is a Commonwealth, largely dominated by a political coalition between the Hindu Nationalist and Center Right Parties. In accordance with its Samrāṭa the government divides power amongst the Monarchy, The Ēkatrita Legislature (Auspicious Imperial Legislature), and the Imperial Tribune. Power is further devolved to the five Prāntyas (Historical Kingdoms Or Dominions) and the twenty Janapadas (People's Dominions)

The Gaya has a developing economy with robust manufacturing and financial sectors employing large sectors of the populace, and occupying a central position in Gaya political and cultural life. With an HDI of 0.912 and life expectancy at 80 years, Gaya citizens enjoy a relatively high quality of living depite having some of the lowest incomes. It has often been described as the "Bastion of the East," and has been called the "Oriental Miracle," as it is one of the only great states to not only be prospering, but enjoying a high living standard. The Commonwealth, being a nation of a 20 million, has a booming manufacturing, industrial, and service based sectors.

Read factbook

nation=hampy/detail=factbook/id=1146089

Factbook of the Federal Republic of Bhumidol

by Bhumidol

Federal Republic of
Bhumidol

सन्शान भुमैदोल् (Bhumhalese Devanagari)

Motto
शान्ती सोनाहै. ज्ञान सोनाहै. जीवन सोनाहै.
Golden is Peace. Golden is Wisdom. Golden is Life.

Mainland Bhumidol and the Pandiya Islands*
*Not shown to scale


Capital	Rajadhani
Official Language	Bhumhalese
Writing System	Devanagari (Bhumhalese Script & Alphabet)
Ethnic Groups	98% Bhumhalese 2% Other
Demonym	Bhumhalese Bhumhala in Bhumhalese
Government	Federal Parliamentary Constitutional Republic . Chancellor: Rokhani M. Yagharu Federal Secretary: Zunya Meradha President of the F.D.: Harvindra Sarvaka Chief Justice: Gautuma Bodhisinha
Legislature	Federal Diet of Bhumidol
Land Area	143,190 km²
Population Density	24,551,324 (2015 Census) 171.46 people/km²
Elevation Highest Point: Lowest Point:	burp Mt. Meru (8,428 meters) Sea-Level (0 meters)
GDP (PPP) Total: Per Capita:	2016 estimate $950.846 billion $38,731
GDP (Nominal) Total: Per Capita:	burp 2016 estimate $856.083 billion $34,871
HDI	.912
Currency	₹ - Jyen
Time Zones	2 Time Zones
Drives on	Right
Calling Code	33 & 39
Internet TLD	.bm

Bhumidol

Bhumidol (English: buːmaɪdɔːl/ BU-MI-DOLL; Bhumhalese: भुमैदोल्--Bhumaidol), known formally as the Federal Republic of Bhumidol (Bhumhalese: सन्शान भुमैदोल्, Romanization: Sandhāna Bhumaidol) a sovereign island nation whose territory comprises the entirety of Mainland Bhumidol plus several outlying islands including the Pandiya Islands.

Over 70% of the nation's surface is covered in inhabitable, impassable mountains, consequently concentrating the population of 24,551,324 people in fertile river valleys. Most of the country experiences a mix between a winter-monsoon, and cold mediterranean climate, seeing low temperatures and ample snowfall in winter, followed by sunny and hot weather in summer.

Bhumidol considers itself a civilization state, belonging to an ancient 4,000 year old political continuum of Vajrayana Buddhist & Hindu dynasties with a dominant culture related to but distinct from other South Asian polities. Although politically secular with a mostly nonreligious populace, the nation is overwhelmingly influenced by Vajrayana Buddhist cultural norms. Tea bars, usually attached to local temples exist as the primary means of socializing, while virtually all primary and secondary schools are run by various Buddhist orders.

Rokhani Merudhana Yagharu is the current Chancellor of Bhumidol, assuming her post on March 6th, 2017. The country is a Federal Parliamentary Constitutional Republic, largely dominated by a political coalition between the Green and Communist Parties. In accordance with its constitution, the federal government divides power amongst the Chancellory, the Federal Diet, and the Supreme Court of Bhumidol. Power is further devolved to the 25 constituant Provinces, Special-Provinces, and Buddhist-Estates.

Bhumidol is a developed economy with robust technology and financial sectors employing large sectors of the populace, and occupying a central position in Bhumhalese political and cultural life. With an HDI of 0.912 and life expectancy at 80.8 years, Bhumhalese citizens enjoy a relatively high quality of living.

Contents

1 Etymology
Link

2 History

2.1 Prehistory & Ancient History
Link

2.2 Medieval History
Link

2.3 Modern History
Link

3 Administrative Divisions
Link

4 Geography
Link

4.1 Climate
Link

5 Demographics
Link

5.1 Language
Link

5.2 Religion
Link

6 Government
Link

5.1 Foreign Relations and Military
Link

6 Economy

7 Culture

8 Infrastructure
Link

8.1 Energy

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Etymology

Ancient scroll entitled, "Blessings of Manjushri Buddha". It
is the earliest cultural relic referring to Bhumidol by its
modern name. [Dated 639 AD]

The name, Bhumidol, is the British-Anglicization of, Bhumaidol.

In the Bhumhalese language, Bhumidol, comes from its ancient spelling of Bhumimaidol, or broken up into Bhumi-Mai-Aidol, which literally means, "Buddhist Mother World". Prior to the 6th century AD, when Hinduism played a dominant role in Bhumidol, the nation was referred to as Brahmadore, meaning, "Abode of Lord Brahma". In modern times, using Brahmadore, or the more commonly used term Brahmada, refers only to Brahmada Valley, wherein most of Bhumhalese civlization was based prior to the 6th century AD.

It is traditionally believed that Guru Padmagudharatri bestowed upon Brahmadore Country the honorific title of Bhumidol, due to its keen receptiveness of Vajrayana Buddhist teachings at the time. However, the title of Bhumidol doesn't appear formally in any old relics until the 7th century, when a manuscript written by an unknown senior monk in the capital of Rajadhani speaks of the blessings that Manjushri Boddhisattva imparted onto Bhumidol.

Starting and continuing from the 7th century AD, Brahmadore was quickly recognized internally and externally as Bhumidol. Court documents from the Chola & Bengali Kings in India also showed a transition in referring to Brahmadore as Bhumidol. Trade and diplomatic documents from the Tang Dynasty in China also changed their reference of the nation in this era, with the old name, 婆羅門本 (pó-lúo-mén-běn:= Root/Chief Abode of Brahmada), being changed to 佛地本 (fó-dì-běn:=Root World of Buddhism), reflecting the Tang court's perceived deep and quick penetration of Buddhism into Brahmadore.

The Chinese name for Bhumidol quickly made its way to the Western world during the reign of Mongol Empire across Asia. Eventually, Bhumidol came to be called the Odiban, believed to be an equally mythical and mysterious mountain civilization off the coast of Hindustan. In the initial interactions between Europeans and Bhumhalese people in the age of imperialism, Bhumidol was labelled as the Odiban on most Western maps. The area which today constitutes mainland Bhumidol was colloquially called the Odiban until the late 18th century, when Bhumidol sucessfully repelled invading Imperial British forces, and was subsequently recognized by virtually all European countries as a sovereign nation.

Historically, Bhumidol was a name used by other Asian nations to recognize the country as the sole stronghold of Indian Buddhism in South Asia. Most Bhumhalese through ancient history referred to the nation through the ruling dynasty even in its early Hindu history. The failed attempt by the British Empire in the 18th century to colonize Bhumidol left the lasting legacy of forming the first cohesive Bhumhalese identity, and an irreversible nationalist trend wherein the name Bhumidol eventually became the official name used by the Chakraborty Dynasty to refer to the country.

History

Prehistory & Ancient History

Yamalavidhava, translated as, "A Short Novel of the Twin
Widows", is one of many works of literature generated
under the Tamarai Dynasty.

The first habitation of Bhumidol began around 40,000 BC by paleolithic humans. Around 21,000 BC, a Mesolithic and Neolithic culture who include the ancestors of the modern Bhumhala and Rai people started to take root in in Raigyu Valley. The ruins of Araiya, a prehistoric city in Raigyu Valley, shows evidence that humans in this period started living a sedentary lifestyle. Temple depictions also showed Lord Kanagan, the modern guardian diety of the Rai people, and paintings of dreamtime, suggesting that Bhumidol's early humans were genetically australoids. Around 2,000 BC, rice farming techniques were imported from India

Bhumidol first appears in written history as a nation called Brahmadore, meaning, "Abode of Brahma", in scattered court documents from mainland India. According to the written history passed down and preserved in the archives of the National Buddhist Sangha of Bhumidol, the period from 2,000 BC to 900 BC was defined by a series of warring kingdoms which came increasingly under the influence of India's Hindu culture.

Depication of the Battle of Cherrapunji, a major battle between the
Madharan Kingdom and Raigiri Brahmada during the Three Warring
States period. Painted by guru Sri Shivanajan in 58 AD.

From 900 BC to 300 BC, Brahmada Valley was united by the legendary Empress Purvana under the Tamarai Dynasty. Literary works made during this period, such as Yamalavidhava (English: A Short Novel of the Twin Widows), and Mahadhitulapejupoiva (English: A Long Account of the Spider, Peju's, Journey in the World), were part of a blossoming of Bhumhalese culture during this period. Historical accounts from Chinese and Tamil merchants detail that, "commerce and civil order were well regulated under the management of an imperial brahmin bureaucracy".

Shri Padmavati Temple, a great Jain temple built in Bhumidol's
ancient history. The temple has since been converted into the
National Jihna Genocide Museum.

A failed invasion in 359 BC of Rai Tribal lands led to a Rai counter invasion which led to the fall of the Tamarai Dynasty, leaving Brahmada Valley divided between three states, the Svarna Republic, Raigiri Brahmada, and the Kingdom of Madharan until around 300 AD. The period is known historically as the Three Warring State period. Open trade policies promoted by the Madharan Kingdom led to the spread of Jainism and Buddhism to Brahmada Valley.

The Aardash Dynasty, which succeeded the Three Warring States, oversaw the reestablishment of the order seen during the Tamarai Dynasty. Aardash rule also saw the introduction of the Indian political treatise, Arthashastra. The period up to 800 AD was thus charactersized by the authoritarian rule of the Aardash Emperors. The religious landscape during this time was believed to have been evenly occupied by Jain, Hindu, and Buddhist schools. Great Jain and Hindu temples were built during this period, such as Shri Padmavati Temple, a monumental Jain temple, that was built during the reign of Emperor Aardash Sundarvaraman II. Over its rule, the dynasty was weakened by a series of Yakkha Invasions from the Khas-Kirat Empire (modern day Athara magarat), ultimately culminating the formation of the Yakkha-ruled, Koyongwa Dynasty.

Medieval History

Mahakaruna Temple on Mt. Meru. The name of the temple is
translated as, "Temple of Great Compassion", and it is the
oldest Vajrayana Temple still in Bhumidol.

Bhumidol's medieval era was characterized by the emergence and dominance of Vajrayana Buddhism across the nation. The establishment of the Koyongwa Dynasty, which came about from the destruction of large swaths of Brahmada Valley, left many Hindu institutions in ruin and teachers killed.

Bodhisattva statue of Guru Padmaratri.
Due to his involvement in overthrowing
the Koyongwa Dynasty, he is
considered to be the father of Buddhism
in Bhumidol.

Over the period of Koyongwa rule, several prominent Gurus came from South Asia to establish the three original Vajrayana Schools in Bhumidol. In 873 AD, the Shyama-Dhyan school of Buddhism was established by Guru Vikramenshe from modern day West Bengal, India. Later, in 902 AD, the Mahatrikaruna school of Buddhism was established by Guru Svarnarajan from modern day Nepal. Due to the destruction of the last dynastic war, Vajrayana Buddhism became quickly popular across Brahamada Valley, leading to the construction of many great temples such as Mahakaruna Temple on Mt. Meru.

In 1193 AD, Guru Padmaratri and his three Gudhacharyas came to Bhumidol, fleeing the Muslim invasion and sacking of Nalanda University in India, establishing the Gudharatri School of Bhumhalese Buddhism. Four years later, the Guru and his disciples influenced the powerful Chakraborty Clan to take power of the country by overthrowing the Koyongwa Dynasty.

The medieval Chakraborty Dynasty continued a policy of religious pluralism universal to South Asia for the past few millenia, though due to pressure from the Vajrayana Buddhist schools backing it, did actively work to reduce the influence of other religious groups in Bhumidol. By the turn of the 14th century, over 50% of the dynasty's subjects were registered members of Vajrayana Schools. This period was also marked by the steady increase in the dynasty's economic wealth, and population.

Painting of Emperor Boudhinadh III issuing the Sangha
Restoration Act and the persecution of Catholicism.

In 1528, following reports of the brutal colonialization of the Portuguese in Goa and the Spanish in the Phillipines, Emperor Karunasamyan II banned trade with Spain and Portugal. In response to the Emperor's policy, the Portuguese built colonial ports north of Accasara, the nation's largest port city.

Over the period of 20 years, the Portuguese fought several wars against the Bhumhalese. Karunasamyan II's forces, despite out-numbering the Portuguese in the Battles of Fort Danilo and Sao Gonçalves, were handily defeated. Employing the help of Dutch merchants, the Bhumhalese military acquired match-lock firearms, and field-artillery using the coastal mountains to fire on Portuguese forts forcing their surrender.

The following year in 1584, Emperor Boudhinadh III banned trade with all Western nations, with the exception of the Netherlands. In April of the same year, the Imperial Cabinet created the Sangha Restoration Act of 1584, organizing the three schools of Bhumhalese Buddhism under State Sangha Ministry, and forcing all citizens to register as members of one of the three schools. Through 1584 to 1592, the government pursued a policy of persecuting Catholicism, at the cost of an estimated 32,000 - 115,000 lives, and somewhere between half a million and a million forced conversions. To aid the de-Westernization of Bhumidol, the Emperor issued an official decree in 1587 banning the varnas (caste system), and appointed a new imperial cabineet to oversee the removal of the varnas from Bhumhalese society. Over the next few centuries, the Chakraborty Emperors attempted a series of reforms which ultimately failed due to strong interests from the established nobility.
BURP

Modern History

Monks spreading the 31 points of the Manimegalai
Reforms across Brahmada Valley.

In 1756, the British Empire launched an invasion into mainland Bhumidol as a part of their campaign to decisively control India and her neighbors during the Third Carnatic War. Following the decisive defeat of the British at the Battle of Krishnagar in 1778, the Chakraborty Dynasty entered a period of political turmoil formented by monks established on Manimegalai Island. In 1784, the Emperor resolved the crisis by adopting what the nation's Buddhist monks called the Manimegalai Reforms, proclaiming the founding of the Empire of Bhumidol.

Modernizing its political, judicial, and military institutions, the Imperial Cabinet introduced the Manimegalai Constitution, and broad standardizations for language, religion, and commerce. The Manimegalai Reforms transformed Bhumidol into a major industrialized power which pursued a policy of dual regional expansionism and diplomacy. The Bhumhalese-Namgiri War of 1816 annexed the Kingdom Namagaya into the Bhumhalese Empire, while the 1831 Japanese Bhumhalese Friendship Treaty allowed the nation to access Japanese markets. Over this period, the nation's population more than doubled, going from 8 million to around 17 million.

Above: Rajadhani Express between the capital and the port
city of Amravarti. Below: Skyline near Port Aradhapura in the
Amravarti in 1870 showing the proliferation of heavy industry.

From the mid-19th century to the early-20th century, the nation entered a period of intense industrialization and modernization spurred on by territorial, diplomatic, and demographic expansion. Over the period from 1850 to 1900, the Bhumhalese economy grew 4-fold, and in 1870 the Emperor's Cabinet ordained the first popularly elected Imperial Diet and Prime Minister. The early 20th century saw the introduction of Western fashion, with waistcoats and European dresses becoming favored over traditional dhoti's and saree's.

Following limited participation in World War I on the side of the triple entente, Bhumidol entered the Great Depression following the collapse of stock markets across Europe and America. The Depression displaced more than 1/5ths of the nation's population, leading to political and social chaos which gave rise to the Communist Party of Bhumidol, and the Chavam Party (Chakraborty Irusavam). On Octbober 18th, 1936, agents from the Japanese Kempeitai co-orchestrated a coup by the Chavam Party to secure an allied fascist, militarisitic government in South Asia against percieved rising British power in the region. Upon coming to power, the Chavam Party abrogated basic civil and political rights, reduced the emperor to a powerless figure head, and outlawed religious discourse and speech contrary to Vajrayana Buddhism. On Bhumhalaese New Year in 1937, the Emperor announced a formal alliance with Germany, Italy, and Japan. From 1937 to 1943, the government pursued a policy of deficeit spending to pull the economy out of depression.

Premier Sarbhagav Harvindhra, leader of
the July Buddhist Restoration of 1973, and
the final leader of Chavam Bhumidol.

In 1939, the Chavam Party launched the Ashtadinagantra, an official policy of persecution and genocide against the nation's religious and ethnic minorities, particularly targeted against the Jain minority. On December 7th, 1941, the Empire of Bhumidol unilaterally declared war on the United States and Great Britian in accordance with its friendship treaty with the Empire of Greater Japan, entering World War II as an Axis Power. During the war, Bhumhalese forces aided the Japanese in the capture of British Burma and Singapore, while its concentration and death camps at Hara Island, Ansutathya, Mrauk U, and Rangoon killed an estimated 1.2 million people, including minorities within Bhumidol. In April of 1945, with American forces closing in around Japan and enforcing a naval blockade of Amravarti, the Chavam Party negotiated a conditional surrender to the Allied powers, turning its back on the Axis Powers and keeping the the Chavam Party in power. Most of the civil rights lost before the war were reinstated following the conclusion of World War II, and the Ashtadinagantra was overturned by the Supreme Court as being unconstitutional, while Chavam Bhumidol become an American ally in the post-war order.

Ganaraja Jayalithi Bodhai, the first female
leader of modern Bhumidol.

An economic boom which succeeded the war was fostered by open global trade, and Chavam policies which supported domestic industries with 0% interest loans and tax pardons. During the 60's and early 70's, the economy expanded its manufacturing base, producing products with higher brand value while seeing GDP per capita rise from less than $5,000 to over $14,000. In 1973, OEPAC announced an oil embargo against Bhumidol for its support of Israel, plummeting the economy into a recession. The political and economic chaos arising from the embargo resulted in internal conflict between members of the Chavam Party, resulting in the July Buddhist Restoration, wherein extremist elements of the Chavam Party under Vice Premier Sarbhagav Harvindhra seized control of the government. With oil prices remaining high after the lifting of the embargo, the Bhumhalese economy remained sluggish prompting civil unrest across the nation, leading the government of Premier Harvindhra to back away from its diplomatic obligations to the United States. On December 17th, 1973, Bhumidol became a member of the non-alligned movement, opening formal relations with the Soviet Union, the People's Republic of China, and several Eastern Bloc nations.

By 1981, the Bhumhalese economy re-entered a period of stable economic growth after global oil prices dropped back to near pre-1973 levels. With the successful rise in prominence of native company brands, such as Tamarai and MeruGroup, the Bhumhalese economy began to shift towards one that was more service-oriented - by 1988, more than half of the nation's work force became employed in the service sector. In the mid-80's, the Bhumhalese government secured massive credit from abroad to expand its capital, facilitating the, "Bhumhalese Economic Miracle", seeing the Bhumhalese economy achieve double-digit economic growth up to 1997, and become one of a handful of global nations and the only South Asian nation to become a post-industrial developed economy by 1996.

Shri Amithabha Correctional Facility (SACF) remains as one of the
largest internment facilities in TWI. The secrecy of what occurs in the
facility is subject to many international conspiracy theories and
concerns that human rights abuses may be much broader than those
reported by international media.

In July of 1997, the Bhumhalese economy collapsed during the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, prompted by a sharp rise in the relative value of the Bhumhalese Jyen to the Chinese Renminbi as a result of devaluation of the later, and an increased interest rate set by the United States Federal Reserve. In 1998, the International Monetary Fund provided the Reserve Bank of Bhumidol with a low-interest SAP (structural adjustment package) to allow the economy to begin recovery. With the inflow of Western media during this time period, Bhumidol also saw the Chavam regime embark on series of liberal reforms, allowing citizens to identity and assemble as non-Buddhists in 1998, and dropping the mandatory midnight curfew across the nation in 1999.

Downtown Rajadhani in 2006. The economic
expansion in the late 20th century saw the
city's population grow from under 3 million
to nearly 9 million.

The turn of the 21st century saw the Bhumhalese economy rebound, and the quality of life expand. Air pollution ordiances set by the government succesfully reduced air pollution to healthy levels in Rajadhani and Amravarti, while the Educational Reform Act of 2002 saw teachers with higher qualifications entering the nation's schools, overseeing major structural improvements in education. The government created its first official immigration policy, accepting residents on a sponsored visa basis, and allowing immigrants to become Bhumhalese citizens after 40 years of continued residence on a sponsored visa.

On June 8th, 2015, the National Institute of Biological Sciences in Bhumidol chartered the settlement of a research institute on a group of unclaimed, biologically diverse islands. Link On June 21st, the Rajya Sangha named the islands the Pandiya Islands, and added them as the 7th Anganupa of Bhumidol. After diplomatic talks with TWI League of Nations, Bhumidol agreed to an international protocol whereby the islands would be administered by Bhumidol, but open to researchers and students from around the world.

In August of 2015, a Vancouvian led coalition of 14 nations toppled the Chavam regime following reports of systematic human rights abuses from Bhumidol. The nation conditionally surrenderred to Vancouvian forces, undergoing a series of political reforms which saw the establishment of the nation's first democracy. On Bhumhalese New Year in 2016, Ganaraja Jayalithi S. Bodhai became the head of the nation's newly formed republican democracy, following the end of the end of the provisional Emergency Administration and the deposition of the last Chakraborty Emperor, making her the first female leader of the nation in 1,200 years. Since the Bhumidol Emergency, international observers have noted that Bhumidol has not remained committed to human rights, systematically sponsoring extra judicial killings and dissappearances, and supressing non-Buddhist religious expression and protest.

Administrative Divisions

#	Name	Division Type	Population
1	Rajadhani	Anganupa	8,103,284
2	Uttar Brahmada	Anganupa	2,677,389
3	Sudha Brahmada	Anganupa	2,593,004
4	Amravarti	Anganupa	3,218,923
5	Himanya	Anganupa	634,290
6	Sebameghar	Anganupa	813,283
7	Kandhakan	Janapada	482,371
8	Raigyu	Janapada	1,030,284
9	Namagya	Janapada	2,431,293
10	Pandiya	Anganupa	No Permenant Population

Bhumidol is administratively subdivided into 7 anganupas, and 3 janapadas. Although the Bhumhalese constitution defines each division type as having distinctly different levels of autonomy from the central government, in practice the autonomy of an anganupa or janapada tends to be arbitrarily apportioned and varied over time.

Anganupa, translates to, "Free Region", in English. The term is used to denote parts of Bhumidol which have either (1) historically composed an integral part of ancient Bhumidol, such as Brahmada Valley, or (2) regions colonized by Bhumhala people with no presence of any substantive native tribe/nation. Anganupas are under the direct control of the national government, each with varying levels of control and local control. Rajadhani for example is entirely under the contol of the central government, with locally elected assemblies having only an advisory role in administrative and legal matters. Himanya on the other hand votes for legislatures with tremendous clout in local issues, with the national government providing transfer payments for local government expenditures, and present only in the military installments across the anganupa.

Janapada, translates to, "Homeland Region", in English. The term is applied to minor nations historically conquered by Bhumidol and turned into administrative divisions more autonomous than anganupas. Raigyu, the minor nation of the Rai people became the first Bhumhalese janapada in 1784, when the Manimegalai Reforms formally subdivided the nation into anganupas and janapadas. Two years later in 1786, the Kahue people sucessfully petitioned the Emperor for their own janapada. The Bhumhalese-Namgrani War of 1816 led to the annexation of the neighboring Kingdom of Namagya and the creation of the nation's last janapada, which to this day goes by the same name. Although the constitution delineates janapadas as having supremacy on administrative matters which concern culture and local sensitivities, the genetic and cultural convergence of each of these ethnic groups with the Bhumhala ethnicity have left only minor cultural differences making janapadas more of a marker of historical boundaries than a symbol of any substantive political institution.

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Map of Bhumidol and the Pandiya Islands

Geography
Bhumidol has a total of 1,216 islands, of which 4 are part of the Pandiya Islands, and 6 are major islands integral to Bhumidol. The largest island is called, Mahabhumaidol, which is home to 98% of the nation's population. Mahabhumaidol is commonly called Mainland Bhumidol in English. Manimegalai Island is another major island off the coast of Amravarti. The island has historically been home to monks of the Shyama-Dhyan School of Buddhism. The Janapada of Namagaya contains the remaining 4 major islands which from north to south are named Garuda, Subhdevya, Sundaram, and Kabugjo.

Around 69% of Bhumidol is forested, mountainous, and unsuitable for typical modern agricultural, industrial, or residential use. As a result, habitable areas, which are mainly located along river valleys, are densely populated. A sizeable portion of the nation's population (around 6%) live in traditional or atypical structures in the nation's high mountains or isolated ravines.

Bhumidol is in the southeastern part of The Western Isles. It is located to the west of Linaviar, to the north of Great estheria, and to the northeast of the Bhumhalese possesion, the Pandiya Islands.

Climate

Range of the Himanya Mountains just east of Rajadhani. The
Himanyas occupy more than 70% of the nation's landmass,
making them the most prominent feature of the nation's
landscape.

The climate of Bhumidol varies greatly, but is defined as whole by the Indrabhav, a local name to characterize the wet and snowy winters. During the winter, Eastern and Southern Bhumidol become humid and recieve large amounts of rainfall and snowfall. The summer for these regions of the nation are dry and hot, while the winter snowpack on the Himanya mountains feed the three major rivers of Bhumidol (Brahmada, Raigyu, Sebadhara). Western Bhumidol sits in the rainshadow of the Eastern Himanya range, and thus remains much drier than the rest of the nation on average. The Pandiya Islands are the only part of Bhumidol with a tropical rainforest climate year-round.

According to the Köppen climate classification system, the nation is subdivided into 8 climate zones. The Valleys of Brahmada and Raigyu are classified as hot-summer mediterranean climates (Csa), due to their hot and dry summers, and the winter monsoon which they experience. Most of the Himanya mountains and Rajadhani Valley are part of the continental subarctic climates (Dsd, Dwd, Dfd). Rajadhani and most of the Himanya mountains consistently have colder temperatures than the lower valleys year round, and see severe winters with considerable levels of snowfall. The highest parts of the Himanya Mountains which surround the capital experience a tundra climate (ET), with temperatures barely exceeding 0 °C for one month in the summer. All of Western Bhumidol, with the exception of Sebameghar Valley, exerience a dry, cold continential/subarctic climate (Dwc), due to its high elevation and the rainshadow effect of the Eastern Himanyas. Sebameghar Valley experiences a relatively dry, cold-summer mediterranean climate (Csc), due to less oceanic temperature moderation than the other two valleys of Bhumidol. The Pandiya Islands remain relatively hot, humid, and rainy year round, and are thus the only part of Bhumidol classified as a tropical rainforest climate (Af).

Demographics

A normal Bhumhalese wedding between a Rai and Bhumhala family.
The four traditional ethnic groups of the nation, due to years of inter-
mixing, appear physically similar despite coming from different races.

According to the latest census carried out in October, 2015, Bhumidol has 24,551,324 citizens. Around 96% of the population lives on mainland Bhumidol. 98% of the nation's citizens are ethnically Bhumhalese, meaning that they belong to one of the four traditional ethnic groups of Bhumidol: Bhumhala, Rai, Namgrani, or Yakkha. The remaining 2% of the population is made up peoples from foreign nations, though there is a small minority of non-traditional ethnic Bhumhalese citizens numbering ~12,000.

Of the four traditional ethnic groups, the Bhumhala ethnic group is the most dominant, while the Rai, Namgrani, and Yakkha ethnic groups are minority groups. Though the Bhumhala are a caucasian ethnicity, the Rai and Namgrani are an australoid ethnicity, and the Yakkha are a mongoloid ethnicity, years of intermixing have erased most of the physical racial differences between the ethnic groups. Thus, despite being different ethnic groups, the four traditional ethnic groups mainly differ in style of traditional Buddhist worship, local cuisine, and dialect of Bhumhalese spoken. As such, most Bhumhalese and the Bhumhalese government recognize Bhumidol as a nation state of the Bhumhalese people, rather than a multiethnic state.

Typical Buddhist Temple service in Bhumidol being
led by a female Vajracharaya (Lay-Priest).

Around 2% of the populace is composed of non-Bhumhalese ethnic groups. A large portion of this percentage is composed of Dutch, Chinese, Japanese, Alkovian and Aapelistanian people, the later of two being from New aapelistan. Dutch people have had a historical prescence in Bhumidol, coming from the only Western nation that the nation traded with prior to the Manimegalai Reforms. The presence of East Asians has increased in recent years due to greater economic cooperation with East Asia. The Alkovian and Aapelistanian people in Bhumidol fled to the nation following the Aapelistanian Revolution of 1968, which saw the current communist government in New Aapelistan come to power.

Bhumidol has the highest life-expectancy amongst South Asian nations, standing at 82.4 for people born after 2010, and 80.7 on average. The Bhumhalese population is starting to age as a result of a post WWII population boom, and decline in fertility in the years following the dissolution of Chavam Bhumidol. The population of Bhumidol peaked at around 26.1 million in 2012, and is expected to continue to decline if current trends remain constant, to 17.3 million by 2050.

Image shows the average phenotypic distribution of the physical
features of Bhumhalese people.

Demographers and government planners are currently debating solutions to the nation's potential population problem. Demographers have proposed increasing immigration and naturalization, which currently has a limit of 1,200 naturalizations per year. Government planners however have consistently stated their concern that new immigration may cause expensive social friction (i.e. additional crime, destruction of communal institutions like religion) that the government would not be able to resolve.

Language
The official language of Bhumidol is the standard Rajadhani dialect of Bhumhalese. 99% of citizens reported Bhumhalese as their first language, with less than 1% reporting another language as their first. The Manimegalai Reforms in the 18th century saw the first forced nationwide standardization of the Bhumhalese language, with all citizens required to speak in the more formal and delicate dialect of the capital. Although historically, many dozens of dialects of Bhumhalese existed, there are only 6 dialects of Bhumhalese in modern times: Rajadhani, Upabrahmath, Sudhyabrahmath, Amravarti, Raigiri, and Namgiri dialects.

Bhumhalese is written in the abugida, Devanagari script from left to right, consisting of 11 vowels and 33 consonants. The vast majority of Bhumhalese is derived from Sanskrit, the holy language of the nation's religion, Vajrayana Buddhism. Words can be divided into 5 categories: (1) Tatsama - words borrowed unchanged from Sanskrit, (2) Ardhatatsama - words borrowed from Sanskrit with minor tonal changes, (3) Tadbhava - words derived from a Sanskrit counterpart, (4) Swarej - native words with no foreign origin, and (5) Videshi - words borrowed from foreign languages.

Despite not having official recognition, English is widely spoken across Bhumidol with over 80% of the nation's citizens fluent and literate, and with virtually all citizens capable of conversing intelligibly in this language. English fluency has been pushed by the government since the educational reforms undergone under Chavam Bhumidol due to its importance in international trade.

Religion

Breakdown of Religious Affiliation in Bhumidol.

62.8% of the population is Nonreligious (Atheist/Agnostic), while 34.9% of the population is a member of a Buddhist school. The remaining 2.3% of the population follows designated Vidhegi Religions (English: Foreign-Origin Religions), which include Taoism, Christianity, and Hinduism (in order of most followers).

Bhumhalese Buddhism is composed of 3 Vajrayana schools: Mahatrikaruna, Shyama-Dhyan, and Gudharatri. The vast majority of Bhumhalese Buddhists adhere to some sect of Mahatrikaruna, which is the most modernized and liberal of the three schools. Shyama-Dhyan practitioners are more common in rural areas in Brahmada Valley and in working-class neighborhoods in Amravarti, following a conservative Vajrayana variant of Dhyana in Mahayana Buddhism. The Gudharatri school is the most reclusive of the three school, being highly selective of its membership and having no major public following.

Affiliation to Buddhism declined dramatically following the collapse of the clerical-fascist, Chavam regime in 1981. Most studies conducted by demographers have concluded that the irreligiousity of modern Bhumidol is largely a result of (1) the disenfranchisement resulting from clerical abuses during the Chavam regime, (2) the recognition of irreligion, and (3) the advent of globalization.

While the Bhumhalese constitution guaruntees freedom of religion, the official state religion of Bhumidol is Vajrayana Buddhism according to amendment XI of the constitution. In 2013, the Supreme Court set a precedent in the case of Josephine v. Bhumidol, affirming that the instantiation of a state religion does not contradict secularism, adding that the designation of Vajrayana Buddhism as the state religion was, "done under [good faith] to... preserve the cultural heritage of the nation, [under] the circumstances of the declining legitimacy and importance of religion [in modern times]".

Government

The Bhumhalese government follows a hybrid form of a Western-styled Presidential Republic, and an Indian-styled Unitary Republic with varying levels of regional devolution. The government is formally defined by the Rajyadharmam, which is roughly construed to mean, constitution, in English. The Rajyadharmam, which properly translated means, "The Laws and Nature of How the Government Should Work", differs from a Western constitution in that the document exists as a large treastise, rather than a series of consistent delineated points on the limits and form of the government.

In keeping with the structure of a treastise, the Rajyadharmam contains a series of recomended governmental structures which sometimes contradict with each other, and most of the time leave room for ample reinterpretation. Few restrictions on the government are offered, though the Supreme Court has interpreted the treastise's continual assertation of a needed high court as a proclamation of nidana naisthya (English: Primary Authority in Law). As such, the Supreme Court is tasked with creating a formalized structure of government in accordance to the Rajyadharmam, and may evoke a national plebiscite if they wish to amend or add to the treastise.

The central government is divided amongst three branches in accordance to the Western Republican Tradition, with the executive branch being led by the Ganaraja, the legislative branch being occupied by the nation's legislature, the Rajya Sabha, and the judicial branch being led by the Bhumhalese Supreme Court.

The Ganaraja is the Bhumhalese equiavalent to President or Prime Minister. They are choosen through the same mechanism which guides a parliamentary election - the ruling coalition is the one which chooses who the Ganaraja is. While in office, the Ganaraja operates with the same level of autonomy that the executive would have under the executive branch. The current Ganaraja, Jayalithi Bodhai, succeeded the regime of Ganaraja Ambhivan after he was removed from office in 2015. Ganaraja Bodhai was elected following Emergency General Elections on August 13th, 2015.

Sivaputhagam Palace, the seat of the Bhumhalese government.
The modern palace was built during the Koyongwa Dynasty
in the 9th century, and has been the seat of each successive
imperial dynasty of Bhumidol

The Rajya Sabha, which translates to, "Legislature of the State", in English, is the unicameral legislative assembly of the Bhumhalese state. Every five years, in a year ending either in a 0 or 5, the government holds the, "Bhumhalese General Election", in which a new Rajya Sabha is elected, and the Ganaraja is either re-elected or newly choosen. The Office of the Ganaraja, and the legislative chamber, offices, and library are all located in Sivaputhagam Palace, which was formerlly the seat of the nation's dynastic emperors.

The Supreme Court of Bhumidol is the highest judicial organ of the nation, composed of 15 Supreme Justices, and unlike most republican democracies, has the ultimate command over the armed forces. It is tasked with the responsibility of interpreting the Rajyadharmam, and to rule against unconstitutional actions by the executive and legislative branches. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court oversees the RPC (Rajyadharmam Preservation Committee), a judicial emergency committee composed of the 15 Supreme Justices, and 10 citizens each selected from an Anganupa or Janapada.

Following the 2015 Bhumidol Emergency, the Rajyadharmam was reinterpreted to allow the RPC the ability to initiate a Vote of Decapacitation, wherein a Ganaraja who assumed dictatorial powers would be taken out of power by, (1) making the Chief Justice, Ganaraja pro tempore, (2) allowing the Supreme Court to assume control over the military and police for 30 days, and (3) to remove the Ganaraja from office without an impeachment trial, and to enact an Emergency Administration for temporary administration and new elections. If 4/5ths of the RPC votes to decapacitate the Ganaraja, or if all 10 citizen members vote to decapacitate the Ganaraja, the Supreme Court enacts the process of decapacitating the Ganaraja and their administration.

Foreign Relations and Military

Bhumidol maintains relations with many nations across The Western Isles. It is a member of the ISDP (International Sangha Defense Pact), and maintains positive relations with nations that intend to enter mutually beneficial bilateral relations with Bhumidol. The nation has no clear lithmus test for which nations consitute potential partners and advesaries, and befriends nations on the basis of their intent to respect Bhumhalese values and people. Bhumidol's closest relations are with New aapelistan, a communist nation which Bhumidol has maintained close relations with for half a century. The nation is currently most cautious of Vancouvia, as a result of its 2015 invasion of Bhumidol on the pretense of protecting human rights.

DESCRIBE MILITARY

Economy

Economic Indicators

Rank:
Currency:
Fiscal Year:

GDP (nominal):
GDP (nominal) per capita:
Labor Force:
Unemployment:

The Bhumhalese economy is a major economy within the Western Isles worth nearly $1 trillion. As of 2015, Bhumidol's public debt is estimated to be 65% of its GDP, a figure that has declined over the past few decades as a result of conservative fiscal policy which saw the education sector privatized and welfare payments reduced. The service sector accounts for roughly 71% of Bhumidol's GDP, while industry and agriculture account for another 24% and 5% respectively.

Bhumidol has a sizeable industrial capacity, and is home to several technologically advanced producers of motor vehicles, electronics, and machine tools. The nation is home to many large banking and financial institutions which provide credit across the nation and the Western Isles.

Around 72% of the nation's economic activity is conducted in and around the nation's two largest cities, Rajadhani and Amravarti. Amravarti is home to the vast majority of the nation's manufacturing sector, while both cities host most of the nation's high-end service sector. Brahmada Valley, which is sandwiched between the two major cities, hosts another 17% of the nation's economic output mainly in the form of agriculture and services provided to middle and upper class residents in the sprawling suburbs of Rajadhani and Amravarti.

Economic History
The origins of the nation's modern economy can be traced back to the Manimegalai Reforms undergone by the Chakraborty Dynasty in 1784. The reforms saw the establishment of additional roadways across the nation, and the birth of the Bhumhalese Industrial Revolution. In 1790, Emperor Sukrabhatam IV enacted reforms which legalized usury, and encourged gold smiths across the nation to lend their gold. At the turn of the century, several private banks, such as the Merchant's Union of Meru (now MeruGroup), were established between members of the merchant class and nobility. The embrace of a market economy by the early 19th century saw Bhumidol became the only post-industrial developed South Asian nation.

Culture

DESCRIBE CULTURE

Infrastructure

DESCRIBE INFRASTRUCTURE

Energy
DESCRIBE ENERGY

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The use of green color on the sidebar stuff is specific Bhumidol signature style that I took permission of.

The United Republics of Dormill and Stiura

5 years 90 days ago

Athara magarat wrote:

-snip-

Thanks. I do see the assessment that both of them ripped from Bhumidol in some way, but Gaya is further in the wrong for ripping Hampy almost verbatim with the only relevant changes being a lack of a sidebar and the various names of the nation and landmarks.

Athara magarat

5 years 90 days ago

Edited

https://i.imgur.com/5ZcNbu8.png

Anyone have any theory how this even happened...

I am just a landlocked nation with 4 sh!tty mountain provinces that just recently civilized (I don't even have a single factory).

And suddenly, one of the big nations is indebted to us.

Menna shuli

5 years 90 days ago

Athara magarat wrote:

When did we first met ICly. Something could be done on this one.

And sir, you have a huge historical timeline than most other nation in the Isles. So like Noronica said, you got specify when you need co-op thing.

Go to the bottom where I haven't finished.

Lolap

5 years 90 days ago

Mitravarta wrote:

Made a factbook about my flag so the mods can read that before attempting to shaft me for having a swastika on my flag confronting me.

Even if you hadn't made a factbook, unless you had "Nazi" somewhere in your name suggesting it was a Nazi swastika, they wouldn't make you change it. It's because your swastika isn't offset; it's identical to Athara magarat's.

Mitravarta

Oturia

5 years 90 days ago

Sometimes I wonder if you guys even like me being here

Athara magarat

5 years 90 days ago

Menna shuli wrote:

Go to the bottom where I haven't finished.

1. For 14th Century, maybe tributary wars.

2. For 16th Century, failed colonial expeditions or explorers who stole Mennan artifacts maybe?

2. For both time periods, since the Xiangus have gone isolationist, we can maybe have an expedition that was supposed to force them open but instead winded up in MS.

Doppler

5 years 90 days ago

Gracias (spanish for hello).

The United Republic of Greater Cesnica

5 years 90 days ago

Breaking News:

Greater Cesnica has just ratified Bill GC-151 'The Prevention of Sexual Assault'. Under the changes made, if the individual parties engaging in sexual activity are both intoxicated under the influence of similar inhibitants, and there is mutual consent between the individual parties, then there can be no grounds to claim sexual assault.

This change was spurred by a slew of false rape accusations in the country.

Negarakita

5 years 90 days ago

Greater Cesnica wrote:

Breaking News:

This change was spurred by a slew of false rape accusations in the country.

We don't rp on the rmb, but interesting

Belle ilse en terre

Lolap

5 years 90 days ago

Doppler wrote:

Gracias (spanish for hello).

Gracias means thank you

The Unified Electorates of Ainslie

5 years 90 days ago

Lolap wrote:

Gracias means thank you

Gracias

Lolap

The Holy Kingdom of Agadar

5 years 90 days ago

Oturia wrote:

Sometimes I wonder if you guys even like me being here

Of course we do. Now bring it in buddy.

Belle ilse en terre

New totzka

5 years 90 days ago

Apologies for my few days of inactivity as I said before I've got ongoing problems with my laptop's keyboard.

I've written up the charter for my alliance with Almorea and Dragao do mar (tagging to let them know i've implemented their suggestions). I putting it on the RMB to see if anyone else had any advice on charter, thanks :)

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Y_Y5m0N1X9YJ9D1fwUtc1ukijSIKvihuGR0FTAInK1Y

Athara magarat and Almorea

The Unified Electorates of Ainslie

5 years 90 days ago

Edited 5 years 89 days ago

So Dormill and Stiura and I have been working on an idea to create an onsite “TWIkipedia”, essentially an encyclopaedia which, through a system of categories and nation-specific navigation pages, allows users to jump between factbooks quicker and jump between the canons of different nations in TWI quicker. I’m just starting up getting my Ainslie, Keverai and Gresswell stuff on there so there’s some existing infrastructure and dispatches in the different categories. Just also wanted to talk about some of the concerns and questions around the idea I’ve heard in a central and easy accessible place like this. So here’s some of the stuff I’ve heard:

1. I don’t use wikistyle factbooks, does that mean I can’t contribute or I’ll be forced to change to the wikistyle format? Nope. You’ll be able to contribute and in no way have to give up existing or future formats. As I mentioned before, there will be a category for each nation who participates (which I call a portal page), regardless of whether it’s wikistyle or not - as long as you consent or are willing to have these pages. There, there will be a list of all factbooks and dispatches from any onsite source (IC government websites, IC tourist guides etc) and it will be marked as whatever source if comes from (including twikipedia if there is a mix on that category page). All I’ll ask is that you provide a link to your portal on that non wikistyle factbook and that you host the specific category page for your nation. Latter I’d like to happen regardless of whether you use wikistyle or not.
2. What happens if I use an existing wikistyle template? I’d encourage you to take up the new format and I willprovide templates, but the only things I’ll really push is a box at the top with the logo and title and a link to relevant categories at the bottom of the page. Beyond that, how you format it is up to you but I’ll provide a template if you do want to use it.

And now just a couple FAQ thingos
1. When will this be up? At the moment I’m sorting and working through my Ainslie, Keverai and Gresswell Island stuff so I can get that all sorted before I get other nations onto TWIkipedia. I’d say the basic cogs of it should be working by the end of the week. You’ll be able to see progressive changes on my Ainslie and Keverai accounts, whilst I’ve got a TWIkipedia Account I’ll be bringing in when I start accepting others into the system.
2. When can I get my stuff on there? Can’t tell you exactly when since it’ll likely vary between individual nations, but I can tell you how. I’ll be taking TGs from people who have wikistyle factbooks or want portals set up and they’ll be prioritised first. You can send them any time from now, I’ll just store them in a TG folder for when the time comes. All you got to do is tell me what you want and send me the relevant links. After that, I’ll likely put out a RMB announcement and a past two weeks classifieds thingo saying I’m taking links. After that, I’ll be going through individual nations and sending them TGs about possible integration into the TWIkipedia system.

I know this is complicated, but it’s probably because I am going into excessive detail about this all. Happy to answer any questions or concerns around this and feedback is welcomed.

Just want to make clear I'm not forcing you all into anything, this project is more to provide a way to link wikistyle factbooks that exist and prospective ones - not impede upon people's formatting.

Razzgriz, Dormill and Stiura, Corindia, Belle ilse en terre, and 5 othersSamudera, Negarakita, Ter natiour, Kowani, and Nhoor