Emmones Region

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tiffmagius
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Emmones Region

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MC Username: tiffmagius
Region Name: Εμμονες / Emmones, sometimes spelled Emmose outside of the region.
Country Equivalent: Greece under Roman rule with vague influences from other nearby regions and the Hellenic era.
Official Language: Εμμονιαν / Emmonian

Geography:
Emmones is modestly sized island somewhere south of Cidense. Emmones enjoys a warm climate year round and a secluded existence from the rest of the planet, except through unadvertised tourism and trading. The island itself is surrounded by crags and made up of three ‘major’ sections; two cliffsides surrounding one canyon in the middle, the largest of the three cliffs used for mainly religious structures, catacombs, and farming; the other is where the majority of political structures and upper class live.
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Most of the architecture of Emmones is full of bright, bold colors mainly focusing in deep clay reds and ultramarine blue, contrasted against sandstone and marble. Most of the fields used for grazing livestock are ancient, leveled ground where marble had been mined away to nothing. Sandstone and lapis lazuli mining was one prominent in various gorges on the island, but resources have all but run dry as the people of Emmones refuse to go deeper for religious fears.

While the region has mostly kept to itself, some influences of its aesthetic and migration from the island have found its way into other regions, such as in the architectural design of Sootopolis City, Hoenn, and in the architecture and culture of Michina Town, Sinnoh.

Trade:

Main Exports
- Olives and Olive Oil. Olive oil farms can be found in excess all over the island.
- Dairy, specifically cheese stored and aged within special chambers of catacombs found within the cliff sides of the island.
- Wine
- Pottery
- Main Imports
- Wood
- Luxury items/food
- Glass
- Precious metals

The majority of farms found on the island produce (and the main diet of the population);
- Olives, Figs, Grapes, and wheat
- Shellfish (Shellder and Clamperl)
- Combee Honey
- Gogoat Meat and dairy products
- Wingull eggs and meat

History:
While Emmones was originally ruled by a form of oligarchy and is still occasionally done by so in times of trouble such as drought and even during severe weather emergencies, within the last few hundred years it has been ruled by a coregency. Emmones has seen its fair share of poor choices for their political leaders, though it’s citizens have very little problems coming and removing any unjust figureheads.

Ideally the people of Emmones are good natured and good intended, but have a long generational driven fear of change and the influences of the outside world. This comes in most strongly from their unwillingness to adapt their religious views, and the tendency to believe all of their gods are still very active in dictating their everyday life and their fate as a people.

It’s difficult to say when the people of Emmones came to settle on their island, as the currently accepted history conflicts with much of the rest of the planet’s history...

Culture and Religion:

… For the Emmones region, there is no separation between religion or their life and politics, because their religion is living and breathing all around them. The entire culture of the region and the day to day focus hand in hand with their pantheon and their mythos, and just like you can’t bake bread without an oven, a native to the region can’t look at anything in Emmones without immediately connecting it to the deity that it represents. So, in a way, religion as a separate concept doesn’t exist in Emmones, rather their beliefs are their life and reasoning for existence. Oddly enough for the outside world, their Pantheons and figureheads make up not only Pokemon, but humans as well.

For an Emmonian, there is one absolute, no matter what god you choose to focus your worship towards, it’s what you are. From nothingness was the universe created, and in that universe the planet, which for the people of the Emmones region, is it’s own god. Though this idea is not often verbally spoken about due to superstition, it is still evident in their schoolings and historical texts, believing that the planet itself acts like an egg for a new, more powerful god-like figure. Earthquakes are the egg cracking, and life itself have spewn from those cracks, and are simply a small side effect of the being’s intense power. Because of this, the people of Emmones refuse to dig under a certain depth for fear of killing the planet by causing it to hatch too early. Larger bursts of power are the reasons behind the godlike figures, who are mostly seen as either extensions of the being inside the planet, or as protectors of the planet. Stars are the countless beings that have already hatched, and other planets are simply also eggs.

It’s a commonly shared belief that the sun is the first being to have ever hatched and now watches over all, waiting for its siblings to wake. When darkness falls with the moon, it is believed that the moon is a being of death that is constantly running from the life of the sun, trying to cool the planet until it dies, only to have it’s work undone with every passing day. Because of this, people born at night or work at night are often viewed as being a little more negative or chaotic than people born and active during the day.

Main Pantheon:

Arceus was the first being to exist that cared for the planet. It watched over every sea and garden, every new creature and element that formed. For a long time, Arceus was the only sentient creature to exist on the planet’s surface, though because of this, Arceus gained more understanding for the way the universe worked than any other after. Arceus is seen as the most powerful god in the Emmonian Pantheon to currently have it’s affairs so directly tied to humanity and the planet itself, because of it’s selfish nature to actively seek out leaks of power from the planet, and make itself that much more powerful. Because of this, Arceus created the beings who would nurture life in a hands on manner, so it would not have to spend every moment of existence doing so itself, even if it would be able to keep the planet in order in a far superior way than it’s own creations. These beings are;

- Manaphy and their children, Phione, who watch over the oceans and freshwater. It is said that every town and city has at least one Phione living in their water supply, a blessing given to them by the Manaphy. If they treat their water poorly, the Phione will die, and their harvests and health will be struck down.

- Shaymin to watch over the forests and flowers, protecting them and helping the earliest people with their harvests.

- Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf were to help humanity ‘learn’ both knowledge of the world and their own emotions, helping them settle and grow into what they are today.

Giratina was the result of Arceus’ arrogance, and is the second god in the Emmonian Pantheon. According to myth, Giratina was originally a man named Gennadios who was a fervent worshipper of Arceus. The prideful god was accepting of the man’s worship, though with every sacrifice and offering, it demanded something new as the previous offering would be either too easy or too insulting to offer again. This continued on until Gennadios married and had his first child, where Arceus had demanded the infant, and of course Gennadios, reluctantly, agreed.

While the man had foolishly expected it to be a test, the arrogant god began to ask for more human sacrifices, until Gennadios was well known for murdering in the name of his god. That is when Arceus abandoned the man, unwilling to come and sully its name to the populous, and in his rage, Gennadios cursed Arceus and himself for all he had done. His dutifulness and faith manifested in his dying breath as he was executed, and his soul birthed Giratina. Now Giratina is the enemy of all Arceus holds dear, and is said to take people in the night to an endless nightmare who are sole Arceus worshippers and dare to exit their home. Some people are sympathetic with Giratina, however, seeing its fate as a tragedy, and seek to try and soothe its vengeful spirit through calm and oddly peaceful, tranquil worship and offerings.

- Darkrai are said to be created from the souls of those who died trapped in Giratina’s realm, bringing nightmares of what they experienced in an attempt to find solace.

Victini is the third god of the Emmonian pantheon, and the symbol of both sports, hunting, and academics. Many people in Emmones wear symbols depicting Victini believing it will bring them good luck, and it is a popular god to create icons and charms of to sell to tourists. It is said that Victini earned it’s spot in the pantheon not through any spectacular creation story, but through its determination and ascension to become something more than what fate had in store for it. According to Emmones legend, Victini began its life cursed from birth with immortality, and brought tragedy wherever it went. Through assorted trials from a young Arceus and the people around the region it was born, it was finally freed from its curse.

1. Victini’s first trial was to defeat a lofty Pyroar that scorched the countryside that it resided in. Victini discovered its weakness to water, and managed to use its curse of tragedy to bring a flood into its region. A hundred years after the battle, the landscape was thriving once more from the water and ash. Pyroar bent its knee to Victini, and traveled with it to help it overcome its curse. It’s mane is often symbolized behind Victini in charms.

2. Its second trial was to slay a Hydreigon who had mutated to have many, many heads that razed cities in its path. With the help of Pyroar, it was quickly defeated. This story is often used in schools to teach children the importance of friendship and teamwork.

3. For Victini’s third trial, it had to catch a Poliwag that was so slippery and flexible it could fit through the smallest of holes, and so quick it could outrun a Dodrio. After weeks of trying to catch it by hand, Victini realized it didn’t have to try to catch the Poliwag by force, but instead offered food and friendship to it, coming to realize it had no companionship of its own. It’s because of this, the phrase 'skittish as a poliwag’ is common for people to say towards others who are shy or afraid of others.

4. Victini was asked to feed an entire town plagued by famine and disease. For an entire year Victini, alongside Pyroar and Poliwag, helped restore the land and bring prosperity to what is now known as modern day Emmones. It was during this trial that Victini’s curse of misfortune was lifted by Arceus, and by now it was so focused on helping others that it didn’t even remember why it was doing the trials, and was doing so out of its own heart.

5. For the firth and final trial, Victini was asked to bring Arceus a single item- an apple made of pure gold. It searched far and wide to try and find an apple fitting that description, eventually being tempted to cheat by coating a normal apple in gold paint. However, resisting the temptation, Victini finally discovered a golden apple settled in the leaves of one of the trees it had helped grow in Emmones, and when asked to eat it by Arceus, what Victini had known as a curse of misfortune grew into a blessing of success, but only if it continued to act selflessly.

Jirachi is the fourth member of the Emmonian pantheon, said to be born from the desires of the world god in a moment of clarity. Jirachi is the symbol for scholars and those seeking enlightenment, its third eye often somewhere in the symbols for schools and even on government buildings. Because of its three tags, it takes three days of the coregency saying yes to a new law for it to pass, giving them time to hear any grievances or reconsider if needed. Every three years the population gathers and decides if the leaders need replacements, or may continue as they are.

For the fifth members of the pantheon, Xerneas and Yveltal find themselves sharing the same spot as they are seen as the same being. Where Yveltal brings plague and famine, Xerneas brings abundance and overflowing harvest. However, Emmonians see both as bad for seperate reasons. While plague and famine bring forth death and treachery, abundance brings laziness and ungratefulness. It is when the being known as Xerneas and Yveltal are one that just enough trials for harvest to be fruitful and challenging.

The remaining seven members of the pantheon are lesser gods, making up of random aspects of life and with smaller, more seasonal worship. Some are subject to interpretation as they do not have as much written lore, though they generally go as follows;

- Latios and Latias share the 6th spot, gods over travel and often are said to warn sailors of impending storms, and taught ancient Emmonians the old ‘red in the morning/red at night’ saying. They can often be found carved into the figureheads of larger ships.

- Mew, the 7th, god of childhood and innocence. Often worshipped during the spring to celebrate birth and new harvest. Mew has a festival dedicated to children’s games and having sweet treats all day.

- Keldeo, the 8th, god of weather and harvest. Keldeo is worshipped during autumn with food and carving festivals.

- Regigigas, the 9th, another god of craftsmanship, is celebrated year round for sculptors and architects. It is believed that Regigigas was, like Giratina, a man, but was blessed with immortality and transformation for his supernatural skills that impressed even Arceus.

- Kyogre and Groudon, sharing the 10th spot, for water and the ocean, and fire and lava respectively. Both are worshipped during the summer, especially during seasons of drought or hurricanes.

- Cresselia, the 11th, worshipped primarily during the winter, is a symbol of love, peace, and good fortune. Fortune tellers, lovers, even teachers and parents worship her for wisdom and luck in love. Many young people pray to Cresselia before admitting their love to potential partners.

-The planet itself is the 12th god worshipped, any physical art represented of it vaguely mimic drawings of the sun. Some people worship the planet ‘egg’ thinking that it will help it hatch faster. People who worship the planet also tend to follow astrology very closely, and are more eager to learn about outside sources of information from other religions and cultures, hoping it will help give them answers as to how to fulfill the planet’s ‘destiny’.

While a more modern day lack of faith in the Pantheon stemmed from philosophers seeking more ‘worldly’ based answers and the encouragement of outside influences, at least 80% of the population does indulge in the religion be it through religious or cultural means. Since most of the pantheon was founded in much more ancient times, it’s difficult to tell if the religion is based on things that actually happened, or through word of mouth. While someone may not be the most faithful to the idea, they will still partake in festivals and may occasionally find themselves praying to certain deities for good luck or health.

Of course there are some extremists on both ends of both worship, and disbelief of ancient traditions. The largest ‘anti-religious’ movement taking place in Emmones comes out of its universities, so many traditionalists do not seek higher education, which subsequently keeps more hands on crafts and farmwork alive amidst the modernization of the island. On the other hand, what can only be described as cultists for different gods of the pantheon do exist on the island, especially in long abandoned catacombs and more wild sections of the canyons. While these cults are relatively harmless, some have partaken in darker sacrifices and attacks on members of the anti-religious movement. While not widely spoken about, government officials do at least acknowledge that the most dangerous of these cults is, perhaps unsurprisingly, one dedicated to the planet itself.

Region’s DMs: tiffmagius
discord: tiffy#4730
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