Moatā (ˈmoɐtɑː)
Moatā is a large country located along the coastline of the Iaslea continent. It's one of the larger nations, at nearly 1.3 million square miles (nearly 3.4 million square kilometers), encompassing deserts, grasslands, mountains, and forests. And its population is no less diverse, even when accounting for the majority Pavonini population. The meaning of its name has been hotly debated for centuries, with multiple theoretical etymologies being proposed and rejected. The actual answer is likely lost to time, considering the nation was founded over 2000 years before the modern era.
Moatā is a republic, governed by a parliament of 101 members. While they once had a monarchy, it has been relegated to the level of figurehead for over a thousand years. The current "monarch" as of 1485 is Rāj Śaṇukhuv, who took over after the sudden death of his mother, Priya Śaṇukhuv, the previous year.
Moatā is most famous for its musical theater and healing arts, which are often combined within their local magic traditions. Despite its musical inclinations, the nation is strongly associated with the element of earth and boasts a sizable population of earth elves. Magic is fairly commonplace in Moatā, especially when it comes to the arts. It's often joked that the words for music and magic are the same in Moatran.
Culture
The Moatran people are renowned for their charisma and personability. The arts and artists are highly respected. Theatre productions are the most popular form of entertainment, though the relatively wider accessibility of movies has created some fierce competition in recent years. Moatā is often considered the best place to go if one wishes to make it as any sort of artist, as they have many protections in place to ensure artists can ply their craft in relative peace and comfort.
Moatrans are also the leading experts on healing magic, and as such erstwhile healers tend to flock to their universities in order to learn medicine and healing. Due to the nature of their magical studies and how intertwined it is with music and musical theatre, many theatres double as hospitals and vice versa. The two are often considered one and the same. It gives all new meaning to the term "operating theatre."
Here's the thing about Moatrans: they're great at healing physical hurts, but emotional ones? The best they can do is send you to the same place they send you for physical injuries—the theatre. If hearing a particularly moving song doesn't fix what ails you, well... you're just out of luck.
Unfortunately, the prevailing culture of Moatā still holds some stigma towards mental illness, with many people romanticizing it as a necessary component of beautiful art. Their mental health services are considerably lacking in comparison to their physical health services. Emphasis is placed on family support over public facilities, and the general public doesn't really know how to handle it outside of "go to the theatre." There's a saying among certain peoples outside of Moatā: "if a Moatran says they are fine, they are a liar."
On the darker side of things, Moatā has a bit of a crime problem in that drug use is not entirely uncommon. While addiction is a well known phenomenon and people are rarely punished or shunned outright for it—in fact, it's far more common for people to get more than adequate help managing their addictions—it is something of an open secret that there is a worryingly high addiction rate amongst the Moatran population. Self medicating for underlying mental health struggles, or to try and "boost" one's creative output, is a very common phenomenon.
According to Isochans and followers of a certain Ruiriritian cult, Moatrans are not very accepting of any religion other than their own native ones. This is, of course, not true; Moatā is very accepting of other religions aside from their own, but they are less forgiving of any religion that refuses to get along with others.
History
History of MoatāHistory of Moatā
Demography and Population
Moatā boasts a fairly diverse population, with the pavonini being the most numerous of all. It's a very urbanized nation, with a whopping 77% of the population living in the cities as opposed to more rural areas. They also boast one of the highest literacy rates in the world, with an estimated 95% of the population being literate. Many attribute this to Moatā's educational system, which has resulted in a few different nations attempting to emulate it to varying degrees of success.
Military
The Moatran military was once a fearsome force to be reckoned with. Nowadays, while it isn't exactly weak, it is no longer the strongest one around. They focus mostly on land-based combat, having almost no real navy to speak of. They have always prioritized siege weaponry, giving them a reputation for being able to break through anyone's defenses practically on a whim.
The main bulk of the army is comprised of a fairly even mix of draftees and volunteers, with draftees typically being drawn from the ranks of criminals. Serving out a sentence with military service is considered an alternative to sitting in jail, and for many it's a very welcome alternative. Doubly so given how little the army has been needed in recent years.
Attaining a higher rank is typically done by various aptitude tests. It's said that there is a "hidden" aptitude test, based on the fact that most of the time one isn't even considered eligible to take the aptitude tests unless one has distinguished oneself in the line of duty.
Religion
The Order of the Natural World is the main religion of Moatā, but there isn't really any law or rule stating everyone must follow it. Some people still follow the faiths that the Order grew out of, and some people even follow completely foreign faiths without any issues.
Trade & Transport
Most trade ends up happening in three cities: the capital, Gajagalli, Zàkl, a city located on the border Moatā shares with Kranme, and ...
Moatā primarily exports lumber, textiles, medicine, spices, and enchanted items. Charms and silks enchanted to ward away disease are very popular. Gajagalli is also well known for its turmeric cultivation, a spice that has traditionally served as both a part of medicines as well as a general spice for foods.
It's not too hard to make a decent living in Moatā, with even the lowest classes generally being able to keep their heads above water and save for a rainy day. The middle and upper classes, however, are a bit more well off, with a lower disparity between them than between the lower class.
Education
Jdatr, Çochu, Zàkl, Gajagalli
lumber, textiles, medicine, spices, and enchanted items
Government of Moatā
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