Odentia

Odentia (/əʊ:'dɛn:t͡ʃi:a/), officially the Seven Kingdoms of Odentia (Sept Royaumes d'Odentia), is a constitutional absolute monarchy located on the southern shores of the Elysian region of Vesperia bordering the Mer Dorée to the south, Acronia and Lyonia to the west, and Astronea to the east. The nation consists of seven semi-autonomous kingdoms, each ruled by a hereditary in conjunction with a local elected legislature. The federal seat of Odèneville is located in the smallest such kingdom, Val-d'Odène. Most of the country consists of the Étendue Glaciale of the Elysian Mountains, capped by the Sommet Impossible in Grand Murgris. Nearer to the ocean, however, the climate is warm and sunny; here, the nation’s largest cities, like the Barré-Karrigan metropolitan area and the resort town of Madesclaire lie. Almost all of the nation’s three-million-strong population live in these coastal areas.

Six of the country's seven constituent kingdoms were formed in a roughly 300-year period of Acronian colonization in the middle of the. The loosely-related and unofficially allied kingdoms achieved independence twice. In 1442, during the War of Friends, Auguste I carved a seventh kingdom, Val-d'Odène, out of land surrounding the his estate in Lacblanc. Following the Century War, Victor I, a descendent of Auguste, led an intellectual movement that formally severed the region from Acronia. The Seven Kingdoms formally united as Odentia on 21 August 1884.

Since then, Odentia has pursued an official policy of called the Great Promise, though it has established cordial relations with many Western nations. For this reason, the Odentian envoys and the forces frequently participate in humanitarian missions, and Odentian diplomats often serve as a between states with sour relations. Odentia has previously by greatly expanding the size of its military, peaking at roughly 300,000 soldiers during the First Atlassian Great War.

The nation maintains a standing army, air force, and navy. In keeping with Odentia's established neutrality, the Odentian military does not participate in combat missions outside of the country's borders. Officially, it is tasked with the defense of Odentia and the enforcement of its laws.

Odentia is known as a distinguished cultural center. For at least three distinct periods of time, known as the Eruditions, Odentia (specifically, Madesclaire) was considered a, home to numerous prestigious , art studios, and. Today, the country focuses heavily on education, with some of the highest primary and school completion rates globally and high enrollment in higher education. The University of Madesclaire is the oldest university in Atlas, founded in 812 C.E.

Odentia boasts one of the strongest economies in Atlas, something repeatedly tied to its progressive and holistic stance on education, free-market policies and emphasis on local industry. Heavy industrialism in the 19th century culminating in the arrival of the Pan-Vesperian Railroad in 1884 contributed to a slowly rising economy. In the 20th century, the Odentian economy grew around its manufacturing and service industries. Odentia is considered a. Today, Odentia's economy is built mainly around its manufacturing and service sectors, with a notable contribution from tourism.

Etymology
The name Odentia was adopted from Auguste Victor Blanchard Odéne de la Forteresse d'Odéneville, a former Murgrivois knight of low birth that was awarded an estate overlooking Lac Blanc de la Montagne for service during the War of the Mountains in 1548. During the subsequent War of Friends, Odéne carved the Kingdom of Odentia from the lands surrounding the Forteresse d'Odéneville and proclaimed himself Auguste I.

The origin of the name Odéne itself is a matter of some debate. It is believed by some that the name is a of the Zerinite deity, and that Auguste I was in fact an immigrant or of Zerinite descent. Genomics testing on members of the modern royal family, specifically Victor III, have provided some corroboration for this theory.

=History= Odentian historians typically separate the country's history into seven distinct periods, or Ages, each roughly 300 years in length. This system was first used in an 1885 history by Erik Masson commissioned by Roland II in celebration of Odentian federation. Though the exact taxonomy is a matter of debate, the most popular interpretation is the Arthurian, which includes pre-history and the Ages of Gold, Iron, Fire, Odentia, Patience, and Courage. Each Age typically represents a formative series of events and are separated by major social shifts; for example, the Age of Odentia represents the period between the War of Friends and the during which many of the country's  were written.

Prehistory
 are believed to have existed in what is now Odentia for at least 100,000 years, based on hand tools and bone fragments found in caves around the Étendue Glaciale. found in the soil in the mountains near Lac Dauphine suggest that the earliest permanent settlements in the area were founded 50,000 years ago in areas of loose and fertile. of small and snow camels also date to the same time period.

Anthropological evidence points to the existence of six distinct tribes in the region by 20,000 ; these tribes' relation to the modern Odentian kingdoms is currently under debate. Numerous found in the area indicate that these early tribes were part of the Meunier culture, speaking the Meunic language.

Age of Gold
The city of Barré was founded along the Arlesian corridor the as an  of the Arlesian hegemony. The explorers that preceded the city's founding are thought to be the first peoples from outside the immediate vicinity of the region to have contact with the Odentian tribes. The founding of Barré is generally considered to be the start of a roughly 600-year long period of Arlesian rule in Odentia.

The natural beauty of the landscape as well as the prosperity of the trading posts led the Arlesians to dub their Odentian holdings the Aureas Terras.

The hegemony imported the basic tenets of tolerance, community, and democracy to the region. By the turn of the, the region was almost entirely culturally assimilated into the Arlesian hegemony. By and large, the pacification of the region's tribals was peaceful. The notable exception were the Murgrivois, who had been engaged in small skirmishes with the Arlesians for several hundred years. The conquest of the Aureas Terras was finally completed in 120 CE with a decisive Arlesian victory over the Murgrivois at Pradier. The Murgrivois culture retains many of its Meunic roots due in part to both the people's resistance and the culturally tolerant nature of the Arlesian hegemony.

Over time, the Arlesian culture gradually replaced the endemic Meunier culture, and Meunic was slowly replaced by. The early Arlesian tenets of community, discipline, and independence are considered by some sociologists to be the foundations of the modern Odentian identity. The modern Collinine language is, alongside, considered to be a direct descendant of Arlesian.

Aurean Hegemony
The Arlesian Hegemony lost much of its prestige in the 4th century crisis. By 440, the Hegemony had collapsed into civil war among myriad factions vying for power. The march of Maladius Varen on Arlium in 442 forced Livius Atrius, along with many of the city's senators and much of their wealth and resources, to flee Arlesia and settle in the Aureas Terras, the only remaining major territory of the Arlesian Hegemony that had not undergone significant upheaval.

Age of Knowledge
The citizens of the Aureas Terras, many of whom had prospered greatly under Arlesian rule, welcomed Livius with open arms. Livius and many of his administrators settled in the city of Madesclaire, converting the Fort of Madesclaire into the center of governance for the remnants of the Arlesian Hegemony. Others still settled in the cities of Barré, Lac Tranquille, and Pradier.

Despite the unification of the Aegran tribes in modern-day Acronius, it soon became clear that Livius' government, which began styling itself as the Aurean Hegemony (add latin translation soon), had emerged as the region's dominant power. The turmoil that had managed to overturn the social structure in Arlesia failed to have the same impact in the Aureas Terras, and infighting among Varen's forces in Arlesia led to the collapse of his consulship and the descent of Arlesia into the Shattered States. The presence of three legions still loyal to Livius in the region provided further stability.

Livius' tenure as Consul ended with his death in his third term 459, and was marked by significant reforms in education and social welfare. (The office of consul is limited to two consecutive five-year terms; Livius spent five years as a senator from 440 to 455.) Almost all of the city planning for Old Madesclaire was done under Livius. His emphasis on education culminated in the formation of the College of Livius Atrius in Madesclaire, which reorganized as the University of Madesclaire in 812—the first university in Atlas.

Cato Asper, who had been Archon of the Aureas Terras under the Arlesian Hegemony and later Archon of Madesclaire under Livius, was elected to the consulship to succeed Livius. Cato's rule was marked by an aggressive trade policy. To further this trade policy, Cato founded the Academy of Military Science, an engineering-centered college focused on the development of ships and equipment to expand and defend Aurean trade. Improvements instituted by the Academy led to faster, sturdier ships that could be built quickly. Tracto Castrum, the first of many created by the Aureans, was founded by Aurean merchants sailing on these.

Although the Aurean Hegemony had largely solidified in place by the start of Cato's third term as Consul in 474, a small and shrinking but powerful faction of military leaders and administrators still viewed the move of the government to the Aureas Terras as temporary. This group came to be known as the revertentes, and included many local aristocrats, such as (name) and (name). At the urging of the revertentes, in 476, Cato authorized a military campaign into Arlesia with the ultimate goal of recapturing Arlium. Gaius, a senator of some repute, later surmised that the revertentes considered the conquest of Arlesia to be a badly-needed method of repairing the Hegemony's bruised ego.

Arlesian campaign
Lucius Bonus, a senator who had previously been a  under the Hegemony, volunteered to lead the expedition, and was promoted to. With Cato's authorization, Bonus raised two legions from among the native Aureans, and crossed into Arlesia in March of 478.

The campaign found much initial success. The regions along the border had been relatively poorly-defended, and despite some heavy resistance at Latara and Veridonum, the Arlesian expedition reached Arlium by the summer of 479. However, the Arlium the expedition happened upon was significantly different from the vacant-yet-elegant city they expected.

Rather than the graceful liberation of an oppressed city they expected, Bonus' forces stepped into a city that had been sacked, burned, and looted by various conquering warlords repeatedly over a period of nearly 40 years, though they managed to secure some valuable documents and pieces of art (many of which still reside in the Royal Odentian Museum today).

Arlium and its surrounding regions, by this time, were embroiled in a power struggle among numerous factions. These factions soon came to view the expedition as a threat to their own power aspirations, and formed a loose coalition against what they viewed as usurpers.

Bonus' forces erected a rudimentary defense from the ruins of Arlium's walls, but near-constant attacks wore down on their ability to fight. As the defenses faltered, some sectors became isolated. With little exception, they were slaughtered to the last man.

The situation quickly became untenable for Bonus. In early July, just a few weeks after they entered Arlium, Bonus ordered a full retreat.

Failure of the Arlesian expedition
In contrast to their rapid and disciplined approach, the Aureans' retreat from Arlium was dogged and desperate.

Age of Courage
=Politics=

Government
Odentia’s government is officially classed as a constitutional absolute monarchy. As with constitutional monarchy, the sovereign’s powers are theoretically limited by the Constitution of Odentia; however, as under an absolute monarchy, these limitations are not formally codified. Although the monarch’s legal power largely extends to giving to decisions of the elected Conseil du Roi, this is by custom only, and is not required by any legal document. Despite this tradition, monarchs still regularly exercise jurisdiction over powers pertaining to the monarchy as an office and title.

The Conseil du Roi (King’s Council is a fourteen-person elected by the citizens of Odentia to advise the king. Two people are elected from each constituent kingdom. Until 1954, women were not allowed to be elected to the Conseil. The Conseil is officially charged with advising the king on matters of state. Although its formal areas of jurisdiction are not enumerated upon, in the past, the Conseil has ruled on matters of criminal law, the economy, infrastructure, and energy policy. The Conseil is in turn supported by the nation’s bureaucrats, whom deal with all agency-related matters. Meetings are often held with additional officials, such as these bureaucrats, present.

The Conseil is supplemented by the Sanctaire du Roi (King’s Sanctum). The Sanctaire serves largely the same purpose as the Conseil, but its membership is appointed rather than elected. In addition to political allies, the Sanctaire typically includes bureaucratic officials, and it is not uncommon for the Conseil and the Sanctaire to share members. Among the current ‘sanctuaires’ is former king Auguste III, making the King the first monarch to hold public office after leaving office. The Sanctaire also includes several “shadow members”, whom are not formally part of the group but attend meetings regularly. One of these “shadow members” is the King’s sister, Crown Princess Renée.

The Conseil is considered the “senior” of the two councils, and is indeed the older of the two.

=Economy=

Energy
Nearly all of Odentia's energy is renewable. Most of it comes from four hydroelectric dams totaling nearly 25 billion (25,000 GWH). A general economic downturn in the 1970s coupled with increasing tensions between oil exporters and oil importers drove the cost of oil and other fuels up substantially. As a result, energy costs began to occupy an increasing proportion of the federal budget. Faced with growing unemployment and increasing energy costs, then-King Victor II commissioned the construction of two hydroelectric dams in a bid to make Odentia energy-independent and to create jobs. After Victor's death in 1975, his son, Auguste III, accelerated the program and authorized studies into locations for other hydroelectric generating stations.

The first dam in Odentia, Victor II Dam, was completed in 1982 on the Verne River in the Grand Murgris, generating up to 202 and 356. The resulting reservoir, Lac Victor, covers 500 acres of land and forced the relocation of 76 people. In 1986, the Dauphine Dam was completed on the outflow of Lac Dauphine, the second of the dams commissioned by Victor. Even though the dam at full operational capacity by late 1987, labor disputes kept the dam from being overtopped until July 1988. The dam generated 592 MW and 1245 GWH in its first full year of operation.

In 1987, the Bataille report, the result of the study into prospective hydroelectric stations, was completed. In fact, the team of interim energy minister Julien Bataille had investigated far beyond the original scope of the study. The 785-page report not only outlined ideal locations for hydroelectric generators, but also included a forecast of Odentian energy consumption until 2024 and the expected efficiency of hydroelectricity as technology improved. Thoroughly impressed, Auguste commissioned a further two dams to be located in Lacblanc and Schopenhauer. The first dam, Lansche Dam on the Odenè River in Lacblanc, was completed in 1996, generating 1,200 MW and nearly 5,000 GWH annually. The last generating station, named Bataille Hydroelectricity Complex (BHeC) in favor of Minister Bataille, was completed on the Rockabye River in Schopenhauer in 2000, and first generated on Federation Day of that year. BHeC is not a dam per se; rather, water is diverted above the Bataille Rapids and travels up to three miles through a series of tunnels and canals to the generating stations. The Bataille complex was described by Auguste as "by far the most ambitious public project ever undertaken in Odentia". Construction took over a decade, and the three generating stations combined produce nearly 4,000 MW of power and almost 14,000 GWH every year. This ranks it among the largest hydroelectric generating stations in Atlas.

In 2016, Mathieu I announced the construction of a new, as-of-yet unnamed dam in Elysée. The dam, which is intended to make Odentia fully and account for growing energy demand, is slated to produce another 1,500 MWH of electricity yearly. Mathieu also announced a battery of improvements to the Victor II dam to increase its generating capacity to 500 MW.

=Culture=

Sports
By far, the most popular sport in Odentia is. Odentia has three football teams in the country's premier league, the Odentian League: FC CSR Val d'Odène, FC Schopenhauer, and FC Madesclaire Unis. Due to the league's small size, it is confederated with Acronia's Union League 1, meaning that the leagues share teams; as a result, the Odentian League exists largely as an administrative body. FC Schopenhauer has won the Acronian league three times, while FC CSR Val d'Odène has won once.

Odentia's national football team, CSR Odentien, plays in the Atlas Ligue Fédérative (LFA), and advanced to the the world finals of the Federation Cup in 1974 and 2018, losing to Lyonia both times.

Odentia's alpine climate and the proximity of resort towns to mountains means that the country is a popular destination for. Winter sports, including skiing and sledding, have been practiced in some form by tourists and natives alike for generations, especially at higher altitudes.

Religion
The majority of Odentians are. Christianity was first preached in Odentia in the early 3rd century C.E., and became the dominant religion under the rule of the Lyonine Empire. However, since the beginning of the 20th century, regular church attendance has dropped dramatically, mirroring a. Accordingly, the share of Odentians who consider themselves has grown.

According to the 2015 Census, 77.3% of Odentians identify as a follower of Christianity, followed by 3.2% Hueslam, 1.6%, 1.2% , 0.5% , and 0.2%. All remaining religions compose 3.2% of the population, with the remaining 10.8% of the population reporting as “non-practicing,, , or otherwise .”

Of the Christian sects in the country, the Church of Odentia is by far the largest, with 62.1% of Christians belonging to the Odentian Church. 22.0% are, 12.7% are , and the remainder identify as , , or Other.