Atlantean Commonwealth

Located across various islands scattered throughout the Great Ocean, including the remnants of the original island of Atlantis, the new Atlantean Commonwealth is a mixture of descendants of the original Atlanteans and refugees from lands damaged in the last great wars. The people of Atlantis are trying to recover from a troubled history, and are slowly reestablishing their place as a trading empire.

After the Fall
When Atlantis Phantoka was destroyed in the War of Three Empires, the Atlantean Empire collapsed almost overnight. The various people fell into lawlessness, and many of the lands were soon captured by the Empire of the Brotherhood. During the rest of the war the islands were devastated by fighting. When the Brotherhood was finally defeated and the islands were freed, the people returned to their lives, but with the threat of pirates almost constant on the sea, some new leadership was needed.

Geography
When the original island of Atlantis was raised from the bottom of the ocean, the entire landscape of the ocean was changed, with a variety of islands being raised along with it. The Commonwealth has claimed all of these new lands, as well as some older islands that had previously belonged to Bardina, the Falathrim, and the lawless pirate isles.

While the older isles are lush with jungles, the newer lands have not had time to establish old growth of plant life, though grass and younger trees have sprung up. The islands are mostly mountainous, some of them volcanic with fertile soil and valuable volcanic gems.

The original island also possesses ruins of the ancient city-state. While the capital of Atlantia Nova is built on the same island, it is intentionally located away from the ruins of the old city.

Politics and Government
The supreme authority of the Commonwealth is the Atlantean Senate. Members of the senate come from all over the Empire, and are elected by the people. The Senate is ultimately responsible for all law and justice in the Commonwealth. The Senate is headed by the Praetor, who acts as chairperson and the executive member of the government. While the Praetor is the effective head of the nation, they are not the ultimate power. Their authority is derived from the Senate, and the Senate can take it away. This system was intentionally designed to avoid anybody attempting to establish a tyrannical dictatorship, as happened several times in Atlantean history.

The Commonwealth as a whole is divided into districts known as Prefectures. Each is governed by a Prefect, who is elected from the local population, but must also be endorsed by the Senate. The size of the prefectures varies widely; some of the smaller islands consist of one, but the city of Atlantia Nova is split into three. Each prefecture also elects its own senators, and they are permitted one senator per full thousand residents of the prefecture.

Economy
The Commonwealth, as an island nation, has a flourishing trade in fish, coral crafts, and shipbuilding. Most of its imports come in the form of metals and other raw materials that are difficult to come across on the islands.

Demographics
The old lineages of Atlantis mean that the current population is primarily of Elven and Human ancestry. The makeup of the current peoples is approximately one quarter each Elves, Humans and Half-Elves. The remaining quarter is a mixture of Gnomes, Halflings, a few Draconum and Half-Orcs, and even the occasional Minotaur, returned to their homelands. There are very few Dwarves in the Commonwealth, as the stout folk generally dislike traveling by water, though small dwarven communities have been established on some of the larger islands.

Culture
As a younger nation founded by refugees and travelers from all over the world, Atlantis is still developing a unified culture. It’s people come in all colours and varieties, as do their traditions and religions. One of the few definitively common factors is the closeness to the sea. Being a nation of scattered islands, there are few citizens who haven’t spent time on a boat, even on the larger islands where the inland regions are some considerable distance from any salt water. Also, there is a united sense of belonging. Anyone can come to Atlantis and find a home, no matter their background.

In an attempt to avoid the traits that led to their downfall, Atlantean law can be rather harsh in the areas of justice and punishment. While the widespread islands can be difficult to police effectively, and corruption has been known to take hold in some of the more distant lands, when crime is discovered punishment is swift and severe. Outsiders are always welcome in Atlantis, but they are expected to follow Atlantean law. Most citizens believe that the Senate’s system keeps them safe and secure, but some are not certain that the controlling attitude will actually avoid the descent into tyranny that destroyed their predecessors.