Lore
The Mycenaean culture is forged from a history of struggle against chaos and a deep reverence for engineered order. Their foundational myths tell of two pivotal events. The first is the tale of the hero Lycomedes, who, in ancient times, confronted a mindless oceanic beast of chaos called the Abyssal Maw. Using specially forged, resonant gear rather than innate strength, he pacified the creature and made the islands safe for settlement. This story established the core cultural belief that power is not a birthright but is earned through knowledge and superior craftsmanship.
Generations later, after pride and haste had corrupted the true principles of their founder, the nation suffered the Great Fracture, a catastrophic earthquake that shattered a major city. This ruin gave rise to the prophet-engineer Phorcys, who taught that memory and glory were fleeting. He led his followers deep into the earth to rediscover the true, orderly “song” of the world, the principles of the god Wanax. Upon his return, he established The Wanaxian Foundation, a religion of work, and designed the architectural and engineering principles upon which their civilization was rebuilt. This event codified their society, transforming it from a simple kingdom into a highly structured, hierarchical civilization dedicated to maintaining its sacred foundation against the chaos of the world.
The Achaeic Language
The common tongue of the nation is Achaeic, an ancient and highly structured language that reflects the culture’s personality. It is a syllabic language, giving it a distinct, rhythmic cadence when spoken. Its script, known as Linear Syllabics, is a complex system of phonetic signs and logograms used for everything from epic poetry to engineering blueprints. The language’s precision makes it ideal for legal codes and technical schematics, and its ancient roots lend a sense of gravity and history to any official proceeding. All children receive compulsory education in its complex grammar and script.
The Wanaxian Foundation
The state religion, followed by over half of the nation’s 116,000,000 citizens, is The Wanaxian Foundation. It is a pragmatic faith centered on the worship of Wanax, the divine principle of Order, Pressure, and the Deep. Adherents believe that work is worship and that the highest spiritual calling is to be a master of one’s craft. Their temples are massive temple-forges called Foundries, where the sounds of hammers on anvils are the hymns. The clergy, known as the Keepers of the Depth, are not mystics but master engineers and architects who guide the nation’s projects and preserve its sacred technical knowledge.
National Sentiment
The people of Mycenaean possess a deep, stoic pride in their nation. They view their country not with fervent, emotional patriotism, but with the quiet satisfaction of an engineer inspecting a perfectly functioning machine. They believe they live in the most orderly and stable society in the world, a bulwark against the chaos that reigns beyond their borders. They see their monarch not as a beloved parent, but as the chief architect of their society. As such, they view the payment of taxes as a logical and necessary rent to the monarchy for the privilege of living within such a well-maintained and secure structure.
Environments
The island nation is a vast continent of 580,000,000 acres, featuring a wide range of dramatic landscapes.
- Coasts: The coastlines are famously rugged, dominated by towering stone cliffs and deep, narrow fjords. Most of the population lives in massive, fortified cities built into these coastal areas and extending down into the sea.
- The Central Range: A formidable spine of mountains runs through the heart of the continent. These peaks are rich in rare metals and geothermal vents, making them the industrial heartland where the most sacred Foundries are located.
- The Lowlands: In the mountains’ rain shadow lie vast, fertile plains. These areas are dedicated to highly organized, state-run agriculture, engineered with complex irrigation systems to feed the nation’s massive urban population.
- Marine Shelves and Trenches: The continental shelf is shallow and teeming with life, but it quickly gives way to deep, dark oceanic trenches. The amphibious Kymians have built entire cities within these trenches, drawing on the immense pressure and unique materials of the abyss.
Potential Positives and Negatives
Positives:
- The society is incredibly safe, stable, and orderly.
- There is a clear path for advancement through skill and hard work.
- Its technological and engineering prowess is nearly unmatched, resulting in excellent infrastructure and powerful defensive capabilities.
- Citizens have a strong sense of purpose and belonging within the nation’s grand structure.
Negatives:
- The culture can be emotionally sterile and suppressive, viewing passion as a form of chaos.
- There is a societal lack of compassion for failure, weakness, or those who cannot contribute to a craft.
- The deep reverence for tradition and established “foundations” makes society highly resistant to radical new ideas or social change.
- The rigid social hierarchy can feel stifling and authoritarian.
Other Important Information
- Matrilineal Monarchy: While the stories speak of founding fathers, sovereignty in Mycenaean is passed through the female line. The Sunken Crown is inherited by the eldest daughter of the reigning Queen. The King is the Queen’s consort and typically serves as the supreme commander of the military, but the Queen holds ultimate authority as the living guarantor of the nation’s Foundation.
- Aesthetics and Gear: The nation looks like a world of Homeric heroes reimagined by deep-sea engineers. The people wear lavish, layered gear that is both ornate and highly functional, often incorporating marine motifs, heavy bronze plates, and complex geometric patterns. Every piece of gear is a status symbol reflecting the skill of its creator.
- Immigration: The Mycenaean monarchy actively seeks to strengthen its population. It offers quests and pays substantial bounties for avatars of the Kymian race to immigrate from other lands. While the ruling class is predominantly Kymian, any avatar, regardless of race, can earn a high station if they possess exceptional skill as a crafter and fully embrace the principles of the Foundation.