Achilleion

Hēgemonía Achilleíou
Flag	Coat of arms
Motto: tbc
Anthem:
Locator map
File:Achilleonc Map.png
Capital city	Auérsa
Largest city
Official language	Melogos
Other languages	Aldsegian
Ethnic group	Athves Aldsay
Religion	Orkanan
Demonym(s)	Achilleionian
Government
Government Type	Feudal Theocracy
Hēgemṓn	Aêrion
Stýraios	Mephistopheles
Legislature	Synedrion
Establishment
Independence	6580
Area
Total	153,434.88 km2
Water %
Population
Total	15,528,254
Density	101.20/km2
Economy
Economy type	Capitalist
GDP (total)	Ꞡ 419.7B
GDP per capita	Ꞡ 27 K
Currency	()
Inequality index
Development index	0.875
Other information
Time zone
Driving side
Calling code
Internet code
Nation number

Achilleion, officially the Hēgemonía Achilleíou (Ἡγεμονία Αχίλλειον), is an island nation located in Western Anaria, Its capital is Auérsa (Αὐέρσα).

Etymology

See also: Achilleionian Toponymy

The name 'Achilleion' is a transcription of Αχίλλειον which is a compound derived from ἄχος (áchos), meaning pain or despair, and λαός (laós), meaning people or nation. The correct term for its inhabitants is Achilleionian. Αχος is cognate with Aldsegian 'agi', meaning fear or dread, and, as a result, a common exonym for the region and its people among the Aedelanders is Agi or Achi which is close to the Tahani name for the region, al-Akki.

History

According to the Æðelendinga Saga, Grímur and his people integrated and then dominated the indigenous inhabitants of islands through a combination of strategic alliances, clever diplomacy, and military prowess bringing about a cohesive entity governed by a network of Aldsegian ruling families that adopted and adapted local customs. The 7536 Aedelish Declaration of Supremacy brought Achilleion under the authority of the Aldsegian Empire. Achilleion gained independence following the Aedelish political crisis of 7579.

Geography

Achilleion is separated from the western Anaria-Minor peninsula by the narrow Tashgur Channel. It lies between latitudes 30° and 38°N, and longitudes 7° and 12°E. The country consists of thirty five islands centered around the eponymous main island. While not all of the twenty-eight minor islands are permanently inhabited, the eight major islands have significant population centers. Achilleion is surrounded by the Sinean Sea, and its nearest neighbors are Anat Tahan to the southeast, Parnethia to the south, Anisora to the east, and Ardar to the northeast.

Climate

Achilleion has a mostly humid subtropical climate, shaped by the surrounding seas. Winters are mild and relatively dry, while springs are warm and humid, summers are hot and humid, and autumns are mild with less precipitation. The climate varies regionally, with four distinct micro-climates. The western areas tend to be more humid, while the southern regions are warmer. Drier areas, like the Pelá region on the eastern coast, resemble a Medio climate, while the highest rainfall occurs along the coastal region west of the Kalderikón ridge. The central valley, enclosed by the Kalderikón and Tetrakýklos ranges and influenced by the Tashgur Channel, experiences high humidity year-round. Snowfall is common at higher elevations, including the Kalderikón, the Ádelonian Ridge, and Mount Aithírax.

Topography

The Achilleionian islands form the southwestern rim of the mostly submerged Achilleionian caldera. Although dormant, the Achilleionian caldera remains an active volcano, with fumarolic activity observed inside its recent craters. The last major eruption occurred at Zophkís in 7650, and the catastrophic eruption that created the caldera is believed to have happened about 4,000 years ago. Prior to this eruption, the caldera’s rim formed a nearly continuous ring of islands. Estimating the eruption's magnitude is difficult because most of the erupted material was deposited in the Sinean Sea.

The main island, significantly larger than its neighbors, is dominated by the steep Kalderikón range, formed from the eroded remnants of the caldera's rim. This range runs along the island's western coast. The two northern peaks, Pálasai and Sophronía, are known as the Dýosynē, while the southernmost peak is Aetheríus. South and east of the Kalderikón lies the Tetrakýklos, a group of four ancient sheild volcanic cones: Xenophalix, Areterax, Ávavórrax, and Erosīrāx. The northern coast is marked by the exposed rim of a second submerged caldera, which forms the Bay of Laongóōn. The steepest point of the Skiuöldēn peninsula is Aêrionos Pýrgos, a ridge that offers sweeping views of the bay.

The highest point on Achilleion is Mount Aithírax, a stratovolcano on Zophkís, reaching 2,820 meters (9,251 feet).

Three major rivers shape the island’s central valleys. The Achilón, the longest, flows south through the northern Thalassía valley and then eastward from the island's center. The Arakênos flows east, creating the Aulítheón Valley, the Minórrhē flows south, and the Euphora, the shortest river, flows south. These rivers provide water and fertile land that support agriculture and trade across the island. Each of the major Achilleionian rivers empty into the Tashgur Channel near Myrinē.

Politics

Achilleion is a feudal theocracy ruled by the Hēgemṓn (Ἡγεμών), a divine king believed to be the incarnation of Aêrion. In reality, the Hēgemṓn is a symbolic figure, perpetuated through secrecy and body doubles, while real power rests with the Stýraios (Στύραιος), a life-appointed prime minister elected by the Synedrion (Συνέδριον), a council of elite delegates from the Dékapolis.

The Synedrion serves as a legislative and advisory body, composed of aristocrats privy to the Hēgemṓn’s mortal nature. It also includes state ministers from the noble hetairoi, such as the Eirēnēpeiros (foreign affairs), Strategarches (military), and Katēgoros (law). Achilleion’s governance blends divine monarchy with feudal decentralization, balancing unity and local autonomy.

Administrative Divisions

The Dékapolis is a confederation of ten major city-states, each with distinct cultural and political identities. Governed by local aristokratía, these city-states manage taxation and governance under the central authority of the Hēgemṓn, forming the cultural and economic backbone of Achilleion.

	Auérsa The seat of the Hēgemṓn is at the ancient capital of Auérsa situated in the northern extreme of the long, narrow region of Kaliphos that stretches along Achilleion's western coast. The second most populous city in Achilleion, Auérsa lies in a basin adjacent to the Sinean Sea in the west and extending partly through the Mastósiskos Monikadnós foothills and north into the Phéranadnós Valley. The Hēgemṓn of Auérsa has suzerainty over the coastal cities of Pelagora, Didagadnós, Asty Chrysetrigonós, and Ereboros.
	Epiphanion Epiphanion was the site of Grímur's landfall in northern Achilleion. The city is within Laongóōn bay and is the leading city-state of the Xenoachílleioi which includes the northern regions of Kaliphos, Ádelon, and Skiuöldēs. Grímur's colony in northern Achilleion stayed in close contact with its homeland in Western Stoldavia and adopted a political structure based on that of Aedeland with an Althing called the Pankoinonía having an aristocratic lawmaking body called the Nomothésion and a democratic auditory body called the Dēmagórion. The Arkhéroulos of Epiphanion has suzerainty over the northern cities of Airilópolis, Állendor, and Arvíkē.
	Arkaléon Arkaléon is an isolated Aldsaíoi stronghold and the political center of the remote seafaring communities of northeastern Skiuöldēn peninsula. The poorest region of Achilleion retains an archaic Aldsegian poltical structure centered on the aett. The Xenoachílleioi Arkhéroulos of Arkaléon has suzerainty over the Skiuöldēn city of Andalýthon.
	Myrinē The cosmopolitan port city of Myrinē is the dominant economic, cultural, and politcal center of eastern Achilleion. Situated at an important and ancient trading center in the estuary of Achilleion's longest river, the Achilón, and positioned at the narrowing of the Tashgur Channel, Myrinē is Achilleion's largest city. Myrinē is best known for its canals and its island colony of Tashara from which the Tashgur Channel derives its name. Myrinē civic oligarchy, called the Archontai, has suzerainty over the eastern coastal cities of Pelásios, Teníros, and Tashara.
	Trismegíteion The ancient fortress city of Trismegíteion controls the strategic location at the northern end of the defile of the Arakênos, which acts as a pass through the Ámpelόros ridge, and its position overlooking the rich Aulítheón Valley from the west gives it much of its importance. The autocrat of Trismegíteion, a military strategos called the Týrannos, has suzerainty over the south eastern Selasiān cities of Ankytheron and Selasi.
	Taurēsion Taurēsion is the ancient center of the Achilleionian cults on the holy isle of Zophkís off the northwestern coast. The island has retained its political independence because the forebearers of the island's native inhabitans, the Eteoachílleioi, supported Grímur's claims of divinity. The Andrērōs (male hormonal alpha) and Esthērōída (female hormonal alpha) form the dominant pair, the Hērōstḗnē, chosen through Manarcheia (menstrual synchronization). Their pairing signifies the divine and biological legitimacy of their rule. The Hērōstḗnē are selected from the Al-Anadan men and women possessing eugenic bloodlines.The Atroposides, post-menopausal high priestesses, oversee Manarcheia and ensure the legitimacy of the hormonal alpha system. They perform sacred rituals of realignment when an alpha pair's dominance wanes, and a new Andrērōs and Esthērōída are chosen. At the bottom of the social hierarchy are the Nakam, sterilized individuals relegated to servitude and labor. The Andrērōs of Taurēsion has suzerainty over the cities of Zophkís: Lirathos, Aráidē, and Thera.
	Lanzarētē Lanzarētē, Achilleion's third largest city, is an ancient cosmopolitan city dominating the island of Zóvmāros. Originally establsihed by Tahani merchants, the island was dominated from 7287 to 7580 by the Æðelander Imperial Sørtarnland Company. During this period, it operated under appointed bureaucrats reporting to the company’s governor. The Company annexed the large southern Apolyionian bay on the main island in 7287 and built the largest commercial port in Achilleion, through which most of the island’s trade flows, at the mouth of the Minórrhē river. Lanzarētē and its industrial colonies throughout Achilleion has a corporate governance with its Ektelestēs and his Symboúloi tēs Koinēsousias holding suzerainty over the industrial port of Eleysina, the city of Ávaris, and the industrial cities of the Minórrhē region.
	Thalassían Triarchy The three city states of the Thalassían Triarchy occupy the fertile northern Thalassía valley among the tributaries of the Achilón. The Anarchy of Tychēlo has no government. Instead, temporary leaders are chosen by lot as needed. Isokratheia is a direct democracy. Koinēkratos is an anarcho-syndicalist commune. All serve in turns as executive officer for the week and all the decisions of that officer have to be ratified at a special biweekly meeting.
	Lakonē Lakonē is the dominant city of the Thalassía valley. The Anax of Lakonē once held the cities of the Thalassían Triarchy and was the most powerful of the ancient Eteoachílleioi warlords. The pastoral Lakedaimōn regions of Haemonia and Pelaspharion are the top stock-producing regions of Achilleion. Under the Hēgemony, the Anax have been greatly reduced and Lakonē is the weakest city of the Dékapolis.
	Kyros Kyros commands Pellanēthra, the geographically largest region of Achilleion. The powerful and wealthy Despót of Kryos has suzerainty over the southern cities of Halsatía, Viterōs, Phronēnē, Eirennia, Ostryka, Skotētrion, Autonomos, Sopharchia, Eleutheris, and Etrenia.

Together, the Dékapolis ensures Achilleion’s stability by balancing local autonomy with unified governance.

Foreign Relations

The Eirēnéion is the headquarters of the Achilleionion foreign ministy. The Eirēnēpeiros, Achilleion’s foreign minister, is Eulogenos Eunoios. Achilleion is said to have a "Special Relationship" with Aedeland.

Visitors must obtain a detailed linen-reinforced entry visa from an Achilleionion consulate for a fee. Non-citizen residents must carry a similar document. Although no customs checkpoints exist at ports of entry, illegal entry carries severe penalties.

Law and Criminal Justice

Achilleion has a confusing and diverse legal system. Each region, and in some cases each polity, has its own unique legal system. However, the Achilleionion legal system is, as a whole, heavily influenced by Aedelish legal theories. The Aldsegian Golden Age elite brought with them the foundational legal concepts in civil and criminal law later codified in the First Laws of Aedelmen. Consistent with a policy respecting and enforcing cultural distinctions, the unique regional cultural and legal traditions were largely retained when the islands were brought under the Imperial Republic in 7536 and the Aedelish process of codification began.

The legal systems of Xenoachílleionion states of Kaliphos, Ádelon, and Skiuöldēs are almost identical to the legal framework of Second Republic Aedeland. Regions outside Xenoachílleion are more diverse. Legal codes and punishments vary by widely by polity. The most common legal system is routed in ancient Pelasgoí tradition of quick, ad hoc, jury trials with no court officials, no lawyers, and no official judges.

Military

As a former colony, Achilleion's military, called the Krétélos (κράτέλος), is heavily influenced by the Aedelish Styrkene. The Hēgemṓn is the Krétélos' ultimate commander-in-chief and its highest operational commander is the Strategarches. Its army is called the Stratós (στρατός), its navy the Nautokratelos, its air force the Aerekélyon (ἀήρκελλύον), and its special forces are the Bárēngios Xenoi (Βάραγγος Ξένοι).

National Symbols

Red, white, and black are the national colors of Achilleion and are the result of its time as a constituent state of the Aldsegian Empire. Its flag is a red field with a centered laurel wreath called the Excellence of Achilleion. The red dragon is a national symbol as the volcanic islands have been long associated with dragons.

Economy

Achilleion has a free market economy. The islands' industrialization overseen by the Imperial Sortarnland Company has shaped many key industries. Under a scheme designed by the Company, a number of industrial corporate polities, primarily along the Minórrhē, were created under patent of the Hēgemṓn. These corporate planned polities are generally centered around a single industry. Maranellēs is home of the automotive industry, Aídouōn is home of the textile industry, Laurion is the center of heavy industries, and the Port of Eleysina is the center for shipbuilding. The Thalassía and Aulítheón valleys and the southern lowlands are agricultural centers producing grains, olives, dates, cotton, and tobacco as well as livestock.

Transport

Achilleion has a modern transportation infrastructure, with highways and railways primarily serving passenger travel and minimal commercial traffic. The major highways include the Dysidrómos, running north-south along the Kaliphosian Coast from Auérsa to Ávaris; the Epihēlíon, an east-west route from Asty Chrysetrigonós to Myrinē; and the Eutychías, running from Pelagora to Eleysina. The Dysidrómos is the oldest, having been constructed in stages since the turn of the century, while the Epihēlíon and Eutychías are more recent, completed within the last decade, and include tunnels through the Kalderikón range. Coastal communities are connected by rail from Auérsa to Myrinē, and the southern population centers are linked from Ávaris to Eleysina. Achilleion's narrow-gauge railways, used exclusively for passenger service, offer smooth, scenic routes, though both rail and highway travel are slower than in other Anarian countries due to the challenging terrain and a focus on the travel experience over efficiency.

Shipping plays a crucial role in Achilleion’s economy. The island’s four navigable rivers are vital for internal commercial shipping. Eleysina is the largest port, handling over 80% of the island's imports and exports. Other major ports include Myrinē and Etrenia (agricultural hubs), as well as regional ports like Epiphanion, Lanzarētē, and Asty Chrysetrigonós, which serves as the largest passenger and tourism port. The energy crisis significantly increased Anarian maritime traffic through the Tashgur Channel, with Achilleion’s ports becoming key resupply points for ships passing through the Western Medio Straits.

Auérsa is the main international air travel hub. Under the Aldsegian Empire, it was a major center for Aedelish airships, establishing Kaliphos as a top Stoldavic tourist destination. After a near-collapse of the tourism industry in the late 7590s, air travel resumed in the 7670s with Pan Anarian's reestablishment of regular service, including the first supersonic passenger flight from Aerilar to Auérsa. In 7687, the airport began significant renovations. Secondary airports are located in Myrinē, Eleysina, and Lanzarētē, with minimal inter-island air travel.

Energy

Achilleion primarily generates its energy from nuclear power, with five very-high-temperature pebble bed reactors, each producing about 2,000 MW and supplying approximately 70% of the island's electricity. Two additional reactors are under construction, with more planned. Hydropower and geothermal energy contribute the rest of the island's supply. Two large hydroelectric dams, built on the Achilón and Arakênos rivers, were among the first major projects after Achilleion gained independence from Aedeland. Each dam produces slightly over 2,000 MW, together providing more than half of the island's energy. Achilleion has also heavily invested in geothermal energy, with the first injection well drilled in 7675 near Mount Ávavórrax. Over the next decade, five more wells were added, each producing between 10-25 MW. The geothermal potential of Achilleion’s East Rift Zone is estimated to exceed 200 MW. However, noise and air pollution from these facilities have sparked opposition from some groups.