Avika

Contios Avika is a continent, presumed to be over the vast southwestern sea of Rathnir, referred to as Avik's Eternal Sea by the Rectaveformes (Poultrian, Laren, Sphenite) that live in Avika. Avika is bordered by the calm Vallen Sea to the east, the rough Sea of Aarona to the southeast, the tropical Fowlfoot Sea to the southwest, and the great Eternal Sea of Avik, known for its great storms and towering tsunamis, which were worthy to be given their own word in the Poultrian language, 'aviskatai'. It has a central sea known as the Sea of Larus.

The entire continent is generally very mountainous. It is somewhat tropical surrounding the Fowlfoot Peninsula. The peninsula is named as such as it resembles the hock, shank and toe of a junglefowl (Gallus gallus). The giant mountain range in Spheny blocks the spreading of seeds and species from the main continent to the peninsula, resulting in the region having entirely different species of flora and fauna. Despite this, estimates and inferences show that the shared ancestor of the Rectaveformes (which many speculate to have been the Avikols) originated in the Fowlfoot Peninsula.

The southeast of Avika (Farreas, Poultrian Bight) is best known for its gloomy storms, intricate architecture, cliffs, and karst landscapes. Directly on the opposite side of the continent, the northwest region is known for its great flat snowfields and dangerous fauna. It is for the most part unexplored due to the great blizzards, although the coast has been thoroughly documented.

Avikol-Sonner Calendar
The Avikol-Sonner Calendar is a dating system which is based on the founding of the Sonnerek Empire on the 1st of 1 IS (-14021 SMP). This system uses IA (Ipok Avikol) and IS (Ipok Sonnerek) to represent the years before and after the founding of the Sonnerek Empire respectively. It should be noted that there is no 0 AV or IS, jumping directly from 1 IA to 1 IS. One year in the Avikol-Sonner Calendar is equal to seven years in the SMP dating system (so one Avikol-Sonner year is 28 days in real life). The winter of the year 0 SMP was on the 21st of 1976 IS. The winter of the year 0 CA was the 17th of 1861 IS. The year 0 ASC was the 21st of 1692 IS. The calendar is made up of 28 'diaes' each year, which all fall into a category of 5 'deodiaes'. The closest translation for deodiaeses are weekdays, similar to how the ~30 days in any given month are one of the weekdays (Monday, Tuesday, etc.).

You can view the calendar here.

Pre-History
The continent of Avika was formed from the convergence of a multitude of islands about 105 million years ago during the mid-Qalmanian. The convergence is not yet complete, and will not complete for another 15 million years, causing the deep (yet calm) central sea. In the midst of the Regolithic period, a species known as the Avikols emerged (according to ancient mythology), an upright birdlike species, similar to modern Rectaveformes, but also possessed the ability of flight, however no evidence of this species ever existing has been found and verified, although the sheer number of unverified artifacts is great.

Although the apparent disappearance of the Avikols was long before the first documentation of history, the mythology surrounding the Avikols has had its effect on Avika, and is still present in modern beliefs. Many still worship the ancient Avikol deities Avik, Pols, Kure, Azius, and Nerek, believing that they will grant them power, valor, knowledge, honour, and life eternal. A transcript from Aevet Konvisere by the ancient Sonner philospher, statesman, and theocrat Daxilos, is translated into Poultrian below. Beside it is an illustration of the Avikols from Spisos Mitholocikos by Felixos Sonnera, second Ixous of Sonnerek.

Ancient
About 800 IA the city of Chik'n fell to outside invaders, although it is unclear whom.

Sometime prior to 1 IS, the first kingdoms and empires, and even theocracies came about. The following were documented to have existed on Avika by 1 IS: the Poultrian kingdoms of Chik'n, Farreas, and the Ixousta of Sonnerek; the Larens in the Kingdom of Giul and the Republic of Larus; the human kingdoms of Tark & Bays which have been held in personal union for generations, and the Qaela Inaer Theokratia; and the Sphenite kingdom of Sphenar. Sonnerek was founded on the 1st of 1 IS, defining the calendar. Under the rule of Ramox Sonnera, Sonnerek would go on to invade Chik'n and the Wescannel region. This is when it reached the extent of its power, about 250 IS. It would not make any major territorial gains or losses until its collapse under Ixous Ammeros on the 11th of 612 IS and subsequent official dissolution on the 15th.

Middle Ages
The Middle Ages were a time consisting of the First Fracture, Second Unity, and Second Fracture periods.

The fall of Sonnerek in 612 IS caused the emergence of many minor duxa, such as Chik'n, Wescannel, Orpult, Egier, Ruskt, Tubay, Preruskt, Bight, and Inner Bight. Orpult, the most important of the duxa, was founded by Miocena Sonnera, a former princess of the kingdom, and daughter of Ixous Ammeros of Sonnerek. She then took the name Poult, meaning 'valor', which eventually evolved into House Poultrix. It was also during this time that Larus colonised across the sea to the region north of Wescannel. Around 900 IS, an infra-special war known as the First Giul-Laren War began, in which Giul invaded the southern tip of the Larus Peninsula.

On an unknown date shortly after the end of the First Giul-Laren War in 908 IS, three Poultrians came together to discuss union: Oktsar Poult, Dux of Orpult; Ammel de Chik'n, Dux of Chik'n; and Lufzer Henruskt, Dux of Ruskt and Preruskt. Negotiations ended with union between all the duxa, and the electing of Oktsar Poult as king. Together they formed the nation of Poultria in its first state, usually referred to as the Prirakt by historians. In 1503 IS the Second Giul-Laren War began, however with the Prirakt on their side, the Giuls were able to easily crush Larus in a single war. Following the war, on the 28th of 1503 IS, the king of Giul, Davello Giul, proclaimed the Kingdom of the Gulland. In 1603 IS, after his ancestors crossbreeding with Larens, the king of the Prirakt, Giorene Poult-Laridd, is declared impure and is removed from power. A warrior and distant relative of Giorene named Soiezas Poult is chosen by the people as the new king, and an almost 10 year civil war began. Soiezas was victorious, and crowned himself king of Poultria in the cathedral of Henruskt on the 11th of 1612, the 1000 year anniversary of the collapse of the Ixousta of Sonnerek. This began the tradition of holding coronations in Henruskt. He is posthumously referred to as King Soiezas the Pureblooded.

Soiezan Period
Following the Soiezan Unity, Soiezas' throne passed to his son, Arlekt the Peaceful. Arlekt established a triple alliance between Sphenar, Poultria, and the Gulland. Arlekt ruled for a short while before being dethroned by his Sphenite hybrid nephew, Foraten Poultrix-Spheni, fully undoing Soiezas' work of 'purifying the monarchy'. After Foraten's untimely death due to cancer, the crown passed to King Aaraten, then King Melaer, then King Foraten the Younger, then King Alden Miriel Poultrix-Spheni the Long-Lived and finally Queen Jamella Miriel Poultrix-Spheni, who died heirless. Following Jamella's death, the crown passed through Arlekt's line to Pesto Poultrix, who was declared dead in absentia (living in Rathnir at the time, unbeknownst to his people). It therefore passed to his younger brother Amideo Arlekt Poultrix, who re-established the triple alliance.

Farreas
Farreas, officially ille Symvou Stratos ion ille Farreas, is a great symvou stratos (military junta) located in the east of the continent of Avika. It has remained untouched and unconquered for over two thousand years due to their incredible military strategy and overwhelming force. Farreas has never lost a war in its long history.

Farreas was founded sometime in 28 IS by Alaei Sonnera, grandson of Azius Sonnera, first Ixous of Sonnerek, through his youngest daughter, Zaelia Sonnera. Alaei was born in 12 IS. Alaei was cousin to the great Ramox Sonnera, third Ixous of Sonnerek and Ixous during the nation's height, and nephew to Felixos Sonnera, Second Ixous of Sonnerek and an avid historian. Zaelia was shunned by the rest of her family due to an illegitimate pregnancy, which occurred outside of marriage. The father was never discovered and Zaelia was to be imprisoned, however she fled to a small independent settlement to the east, named Alaeruskt. Alaei was born in the city of Oakruskt, north of the Sonner capital of Anruskt, however he was not named until he and Zaelia arrived in Alaeruskt. It is from this town that his mother gave him his name. When Alaei reached the age of sixteen, he left home and travelled further east with a caravan of other settlers. Together they settled in a wet, stormy, yet homely plain which they named Farreas. Alaei then took the name Alaei Essaforech and the title of King of Farreas.

When Alaei was in the nineteenth year of his reign (47 IS), the existence of the humans of Qaela Inaer to the northeast came to the attention of his generals. His son and top general, Xelas Essaforech, commanded the creation of a fortress city on the border with the humans. This city was named Essafor to honour house Essaforech. Its population would ultimately exceed the capital city of Farreas by the time of the First Giul-Laren War. In the twentieth year of the reign of King Alaei (48 IS), the existence of Farreas became apparent to the Ixous of Sonnera at the time, Ramox Sonnera. Ramox, who was very warlike and had already invaded Chik'n by this point, was angered that Alaei claimed to be King of what Ramox described as 'competition'. He gathered an army, and invaded in Alaei's twenty-first year on the throne (49 IS). The army marched through the sparsely populated countryside, meeting little to no resistance. They arrived at the city of Farreas and began a siege. To the surprise of all the known Avik states, and to Ramox's dismay, the army was defeated by the Farreans with ease. Following this brief war, Farreas entered its great peace which would last another thousand years.

Shortly after the collapse of Sonnerek on the 11th of 612 IS under the rule of Ammeros Sonnera, great-grandson of Ramox Sonnera, Avika and Inaer entered their Middle Ages. Farreas colonised a small untouched area of the Poultrian peninsula, creating the city of Arcud. The city would eventually go on to become vital and influential in Farrean politics, becoming the third most populated city in the entire nation. When the archaic Poultongue language began to develop in the western successor states of Sonnerek, Arcud was close enough to develop a sort of creole between the Sonner tongue that was still spoken in Farreas and the new 'Poultongue', named after the Duxa Orpult from which it originated. Over many, many years, the creole was spread wide across Farreas and was unique enough to be considered its own dialect, known today as Farrean Poultongue. It is one of the closest existing dialects to the original Sonner tongue.

Sometime around the year 715 IS, an Arcudian rebellion with the goal to take the throne was attempted by Lamian Arcud, the governor of Arcud. Lamian, and many throughout the entire kingdom, believed that the monarchy was weak and had to be destroyed. It was a terrible failure, however, as none of the top generals supported him. Instead of punishing Lamian, Queen Alaziua pardoned him. Alaziua saw the terrible public opinion of the monarchy, and so she abolished the monarchy. The new government system would have the seven generals sit in a junta council, with an eighth general joining, the former monarch. This council system went well, and a harsh agoge system was put into place, including both males and females. Farreas has since been a junta, and no wars have succeeded in conquering it.

Farrean architecture is particularly extravagant, with tall spires and ornate decorations of dark stones and rich mahogany.

The Gulland
The Gulland, officially yir Deyrnas o'r Gultir, and called Gultir by the native gulls, is a deyrnas (kingdom) in the northernmost regions of Avika. It is one of the main three kingdoms of the Avikol Alliance, alongside Poultria and Sphenar. It is a 'forceful union' between the old Republic of Larus and the Kingdom of Giul. Its population is largely gulls, however they are not hostile towards the other Rectaveformes of the Avikan continent (Poultrians, Sphenites).

The Gulland was founded following the end of the Second Giul-Laren War on the 28th of 1503 IS by Davello Giul, an apt general, warlord and Deyr of Giul. The Second Giul-Laren War ended with the Siege of Basudd by the joint Poultrian and Giulian armies. Basudd is a city on the tip of Laren Peninsula which is one of the oldest cities on the continent. It was founded c. 1050 IA by ancient ancestors of the Laren people. Davello Giul had a long rule of almost sixty-seven years, giving up the ghost on the 10th of 1569 IS. He passed away from pneumonia after six years.

During the reign of Parasso Giul in the year 1659, there was a mass rebellion of Laren peoples. He was executed by the rebellion leader Ingellian Unar, grandson of King Ingal II Inaer of Vall. Ingellian's father was a half-Laren half-human son of Ingal. Ingellian's last name Unar was a translated version of the last name Inaer. After executing Parasso, who had already reigned for almost 57 years, Ingellian declared himself Icsdeyr (emperor) and reigned for six years before dying from a terminal tumour. Due to the fact that he, along with King Foraten of Poultria, died from cancer after conquering a kingdom, a legend known as the 'Conqueror's Curse' was born.

The deyrs of the Gulland are as follows: Davello Giul (28/1503 - 10/1569 IS); Aladav Giul (10/1569 - 28/1603 IS); Parasso Giul (28/1603 - 22/1660); Ingellian Unar (as Icsdeyr, 22/1660 - 22/1666); Adam Giul (22/1666 - 01/1712); Giazarro Giul (01/1712 - 07/1776); Ammel 'the Old' Giul (07/1776 - 20/1880); Jakob Giul (20/1880 - 09/1952); Alaric Giul (09/1952 - 15/1993); Erik Giul (15/1993 - present).

The Gulland is a warm, misty kingdom, with cold snowfields and freezing ices to the north. They claim the unowned northwestern region of the continent but do not have any settlements or control it due to it being entirely unexplored and extremely cold. They are renowned for their expert irrigation skills and have built many aqueducts and waterways.