So now the time has come to finally officially recognize Maltese as the national language of Cildania. In about two weeks I will be able to pass a Cultural Protocol update, and enshrine the Maltese language as the Cildanian language. There will ofc be a bit more RP until then, but the current CP already has the main ingredients for that final update. Specifically, the current CP mentions that, due to the massive decline of the Qildari (Phoenician) language as the lingua franca due to the Civil War & the Cildanian Winter and subsequent reunification, there emerged two interethnic lingua francas, Jawhari (Maghrebi Arabic) in the East and Seluco-Cildanian (Vulgar Latin and whichever Romance language fits best) in the West.
My plan is to first increase the number of speakers of "Majatran", then rename and redefine a huge chunk of that percentage as "Gziri" (self-name il-Gżiri), the Maltese version of Jaziri (islander) - the term I've been using to encompass the Selucia-Cildania-Badara archipelago. I did however decide against making Cildania adopt a primarily Maltese culture and to leave it as the game's equivalent as the entire Maghreb, with some Carthaginian emphasis, both because it seems to me that Maltese culture is less accessible (I'm sure more people have heard of Hannibal, Saint Augustine, Ibn Battuta, or Zinedine Zidane than they did of Juan Bautista Azopardo or Mario Philip Azzopardi) and that it offers less opportunity for inspiration (Malta is a fairly stable liberal democracy with just two parties, while Libya and Tunisia have been in the news quite a lot in the past few years, and there's potential inspiration for anything from a monarchy to a theocracy and to a socialist single-party regime, not to mention the still young democratic experience in Tunisia).
Plus, I think an arrangement like the one below would make Cildania a perfect fit for an oligarchic republic so many of you would enjoy playing in. Right now there's a chance Cildania will become either a Sale-style pirate republic or a Barbary Coast-style privateering monarchy, if SSLU is ok with that, of course, and it could later on evolve into a Braavosi-style oligarchic republic with some Italian Mariner Republic stuff thrown into the mix.
So my question is, do you folks like what you see below? Do you think this is suitably accessible to new players, and does the overall cultural mix make sense?
Cultural Origins: Area of cultural transition between Selucia and Badara, with elements from both; influences from all other Majatran cultures
RL Cultural Influences: Malta, modern Maghreb (Tunisia, Libya, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Western Sahara), Carthaginian Empire, Roman Africa, Almoravid & Almohad dynasties, Al-Andalus, Azawad (Northern Mali), Sicily, Southern Italy
OVERVIEW
Cildania is an insular nation considered part of the continent of Majatra. Although Cildania is essentially based on Malta and the Greater Maghreb region, it includes numerous influences from nearby nations, and places a greater emphasis on the pre-Islamic elements of Maghrebi culture. Also, for the sake of simplicity and accessibility, the main language used in Cildania is Maltese, although Cildanian culture has a wider scope than just Maltese culture.
CULTURE
New players can think of Cildania's culture as being essentially Maltese, and it is acceptable to play in Cildania as though one were playing in the Particracy equivalent of Malta. However, Cildania has a rich history and a culture that goes beyond simply standard Maltese, and players are encouraged to take this into account. In addition to Malta, Cildania is based on the Greater Maghreb region (Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Western Sahara) and its adjacent regions (Sicily, Southern Spain, Northern Mali), with particular (but by no means exclusive) emphasis on its pre-Islamic cultures (Berber, Punic, Roman). Thus Cildania is in effect Particracy's Carthaginian Empire, but with a modern North African interpretation. As Cildania serves as an area of cultural transition between the Ancient Roman Selucia and Arabic Badara, it has many elements in common with both. Players can think of Cildania as a North African and Middle Eastern counterpart to Selucia or as a Western counterpart to Badara.
http://particracy.wikia.com/wiki/Culture_of_Cildania
BRIEF PRE-GAME HISTORY
Cildania has a long history of human settlement from prehistoric times. The first of Cildania's ethnic groups to settle in the region were the ancestors of today's Hebileans, who established a number of tribal polities throughout the island. The second group to arrive in Cildania were the Qedarites (Semites), who arrived in early antiquity as part of the Qedarite Migrations. Within the context of the Migrations Yeudism (Judaism) was born in Cildania, when a Qedarite prophet claimed that the Promised Land of the Migrations lay further west, leading to the separation of what was to become the Yeudi (Jewish) people from the other Qedarites. In time, the entire island was brought under the rule of the city-state of Qart Qildar (Cildania City), which gave the nation its current name; Qart Qildar later established its hegemony over most of the continent, creating the Qedarite Empire (Carthaginian Empire). After the fall of the Empire, the island remained divided into numerous principalities and city-states, which were partially unified during the Middle Ages under the Council of Princes. Also during the Middle Ages Cildania adopted Hosianism (Christianity) as its dominant religion. The Cildanian Principalities were fully unified during the Early Modern Age by the Divine Kingdom of Cildania, which was to last until 1929, when a liberal revolution established the Republic of Cildania.
IN-GAME HISTORY
After a few centuries of liberal democratic republican rule, Cildania was brought under the direct control of the Church during the Departmental Republic period, which, although short-lived, influenced Church-State relations to this day. After another period of republican governance Cildania fell under the ultra-nationalistic Qedarite Republic of Cildania, which, while also short-lived, influenced Cildanian history due to its new ideology, Pan-Qedarism (Pan-Semitism), which would exert a strong influence on Cildanian politics and international relations for centuries. The overthrow of the Qedarite Republic inaugurated the Most Serene era in Cildanian history, a largely peaceful period marked by occasional alternation between monarchic and republican rule. This peaceful period was ended by the decade-long Cildanian Civil War, a conflict characterized by its extreme violence and intensity, as well as by its multisided and sectarian nature. The Civil War had a major impact on Cildanian demographics, due to massive loss of life, millions of displaced civilians, and the gradual decline in ethnic self-identification. After a few decades of peace, Cildania experienced a new conflict, the Cildanian Winter, originating as a reaction to the democratically-inspired Hebilean Spring. Although the conflict lasted for around two decades, it was far less destructive, and it was brought to end by a diplomatic agreement between the major participants. After the reunification of Cildania during the Winter, a new elite emerged, formed of the rising multi-ethnic and multi-lingual urban middle class produced by reunification, the effect of which was the blurring of the cultural differences between the various ethnic groups and the birth of a new national language, Gziri.
http://particracy.wikia.com/wiki/History_of_Cildania
ETHNICITY
Cildanians = Maghrebis and Maltese
Qildaris = Punics and Tunisians
Hebileans = Berbers
Majatrans = Arabs
Yeudis = Jews
Selucians = Romans
Cildanian Majatrans = Maghrebi Arabs
Cildanian Yeudis = Maghrebi Jews
Seluco-Cildanians = North African Romans and Sicilians
Majatran Asli = Haratins
Augustans = Esperanto-speaking Byzantines
Turjaks = Turks
Kalopians = Greeks
~Percentages of the Population~
Cildanians (including Qildaris, Hebileans, Cildanian Majatrans, Cildanian Yeudis, and Seluco-Cildanians): 85%
Majatran Asli: 4%
Other Majatrans: 2%
Other Selucians: 2%
Augustans: 2%
Turjaks: 1%
Kalopians: 1%
Other (Solentians, Jelbics, Kathurans, etc.) : 3%
*Please note, these numbers, while not stagnate, should not fluctuate wildly. Large demographic changes should only occur with an extensive RP, and consent of all involved.
Cildanians, based primarily on the Maltese and related peoples, are the dominant ethnicity in Cildania, and they are a mixed ethnic group, whose primary origins are Qedarite (Semitic) and Hebilean (Berber). With the decline of ethnic identity as a result of the Cildanian Civil War and related events, most inhabitants of the island began to identify primarily with a pan-Cildanian culture rather than its component ethnic groups. Cultural differences between the various Cildanian ethnicities have virtually vanished over time, and all Cildanians are similar in terms of customs, attitudes, behavior, and appearance. Cildanians are based on RL Maltese and on Maghrebis and other North Africans in culture and appearance, and most are followers of the Apostolic Church of the Isles (Maronite Church), with Ahmadi (Muslim) and Yeudi (Jewish) minorities. Cildanian is a term encompassing Qildaris, Hebileans, Seluco-Cildanians, Cildanian Majatrans, Cildanian Yeudis, and those of mixed descent, as the boundaries between these groups are now blurred and it is difficult to categorize an individual as belonging to one category or another. Cildanians speak a variety of languages, predominantly Gziri (Maltese), as well as Qildari (Punic), Hebilean (Berber), Selucian (Latin), and Majatran (Arabic).
http://particracy.wikia.com/wiki/Cildanians
--- Qildaris were once the dominant ethnic group in Cildania, and their decline is more a result of a loss of self-identification rather than demographic changes, although many Qildaris fled the island as a result of the Cildanian Civil War. Like the other Cildanians, Qildaris are based on North Africans, particularly on Punics and on the contemporary inhabitants of Tunisia. Most Cildanians adhere to the Apostolic Church of the Isles (Maronite Church).
http://particracy.wikia.com/wiki/Qildari_people
--- Hebileans are the oldest ethnic group in Cildania, and they are based on Berber peoples in culture and appearance. Hebileans have for much of their modern history been persecuted by the various Cildanian regimes. Although most Hebileans, both urban and rural, are settled, many are nomadic herders. Most Hebileans live in Hebil/Aheblun, and most of them adhere to the Apostolic Church of the Isles.
http://particracy.wikia.com/wiki/Hebilean_people
--- Majatrans form a large minority in Cildania, and they first arrived on the island as traders during the Middle Ages. The Cildanian Majatran community increased significantly due to close trade and cultural ties with the neighboring nation of Al'Badara, and most recently due to an influx of Badaran Hosian refugees. Cildanian Majatrans are distinct from other Majatran groups in customs, language, and religion, though they are closest to Badarans. Majatrans have, over the centuries, integrated into Cildanian society, and most of them, particularly Hosians, identify primarily as Cildanian rather than Majatran. Majatrans are based on Arabs, and Cildanian Majatrans are based on Arabized Berbers and Arab-Berbers in culture and appearance, and they speak the Cildanian-Badaran dialects of Majatran (Maghrebi Arabic/Darija). Religiously they are divided between Hosianism and Ahmadism.
http://particracy.wikia.com/wiki/Majatrans_in_Cildania
--- Seluco-Cildanians are an ethnic group closely related to the Selucians (Ancient Romans) living in neighbouring Selucia, but have over time been integrated into Cildanian culture and society. Seluco-Cildanians mostly live in the West of the island in a relatively compact area called the Velieres Strip, and most of them are members of the Apostolic Church of the Isles. Seluco-Cildanians have a culture based on that of Roman Africa, as well as all Maghrebi groups with a Romance/Southern European background and Romance-speaking Europeans with historical Maghrebi influence (Sicilians, Maltese, Moriscos, Mozarabs, Algerian French, Tunisian Italians, etc.).
http://particracy.wikia.com/wiki/Seluco-Cildanians
--- Yeudis have a long history in Cildania, the traditional birthplace of the Yeudi religion. Cildanian Yeudis are formed from the merger of two groups, Yeudis that have lived in Cildania since antiquity, and the descendants of those Yeudis that arrived on the island in several waves of migration. Cildanian Yeudis are based on Maghrebi Jews in culture and appearance, and partially on other Mizrahi and Sephardi Jews. Cildanian Yeudis mostly adhere to Yeudism (Judaism).
http://particracy.wikia.com/wiki/Cildanian_Yeudis
In addition to the above groups, all considered part of the Cildanian ethnicity, Cildania hosts numerous minorities from neighboring nations. The largest of these is the Majatran Asli (Haratin) community, also found in Badara and Kafuristan, descended from the Asli (West Africans) of Talmoria, but partially integrated into the cultures of Majatra. There is also a number of Majatrans (Arabs) and Selucians (Romans) who have not been assimilated into the Cildanian ethno-cultural group, as well as a number of Augustans (Eastern Romans), Turjaks (Turks), Kalopians (Greeks) and others, mostly recent immigrants.
LANGUAGE
Gziri = Maltese
Qildari = Phoenician & Punic + Hebrew
Hebilean = Tamazight (Berber languages)
Selucian = Latin
Seluco-Cildanian = Vulgar Latin + Sicilian + Italian
Majatran = Arabic
Jawhari = Maghrebi Arabic
Yeudish = Hebrew
Kathuran/Church Cildanian = Syriac
~Percentages of the Population (as a native language)~
Qildari: 34%
Gziri: 26%
Hebilean languages: 22%
Selucian: 8%
Majatran: 4%
Yeudish: 2%
Other: 5%
*Please note, these numbers, while not stagnate, should not fluctuate wildly. Large demographic changes should only occur with an extensive RP, and consent of all involved.
The most widely spoken second language in Cildania and the island's lingua franca is Gziri (Maltese), a local Cildanian variety of Jawhari (Maghrebi Arabic), the vernacular dialect of Majatran (Arabic) spoken in Cildania and Badara, with the addition of a very large vocabulary from Seluco-Cildanian (Vulgar Latin/Romance languages). Jawhari had been the lingua franca on the eastern half of the island ever since the end of the Cildanian Winter, and in time it acquired heavy Selucian influence, until it was recognized as a distinct language and adopted as the main national language for all of Cildania. Although only a large minority of Cildanians speak Gziri natively, most are fluent in the language. Gziri is written in the Selucian (Latin) alphabet, the only Qedarite (Semitic) language with that status.
Previously, the role of pan-Cildanian lingua franca was held by the Qildari language, defined as Phoenician and Punic written in the Hebrew alphabet. Considering that Phoenician and Punic are not well attested, it is permissible to use Hebrew for words for which an appropriate Phoenician translation cannot be found. Ancient Cildanian was written in the Qedarite script (Phoenician alphabet), which gave birth to most alphabetic writing systems used on Terra today. During late Antiquity Cildanian adopted a square version of the Arakhim script (Aramaic alphabet), giving birth to the Cildanian script (Hebrew alphabet), which was also adopted to write the Yeudish language (Hebrew). Qildari has experienced a long decline since the days of the Cildanian Civil War, accompanied by the rise of local dialects of Selucian and Majatran as well as the Hebilean language to the status of national languages, culminating in the emergence and adoption of Gziri as the main language of Cildania.
Hebilean languages (Berber languages) are the native languages of the Hebilean people. Standard Taheblit or Standard Hebilean is a standardized language intended to serve as the common language of all Hebileans. Hebilean languages are written in the native Hebilean alphabet (Tifinagh alphabet), derived from the Qedarite script (Phoenician alphabet), but they are also sometimes written in the Cildanian (Hebrew), Majatran (Arabic), or Selucian (Latin) scripts. In spite of centuries of restriction and persecution, the languages have survived to this day, and remain spoken by millions of Cildanians. Hebileans used to learn Jawhari (Maghrebi Arabic) as a second language and use it as a lingua franca, since not all versions of Hebilean are mutually intelligible with one another, and now most are fluent in Gziri, as the Cildanian variety of Jawhari.
The Jawhari dialect of Majatran (Maghrebi Arabic) has in time become a widely spoken language in Cildania, especially after the settlement of Badaran refugees. Jawhari is a collection of varieties of Majatran (Arabic) spoken in Cildania and Badara, although its use is generally restricted to informal contexts. In spite of this, Jawhari has recently emerged as an inter-ethnic lingua franca on the eastern half of the island, replacing Qildari in that role. In time Jawhari evolved into the Gziri language, although other varieties of Jawhari remain spoken in Cildania.
The Seluco-Cildanian (Vulgar Latin) language is a dialect of Selucian (Latin) spoken in Cildania. The language has risen to national prominence due to business ties to Selucia, as well as its use as official language during the Sibilla regime. Although Seluco-Cildanian is widely understood on the island, most Selucians prefer to use Modern Standard Selucian (Modern Latin) in formal contexts. Formal Selucian is often regarded as the unofficial language of business and even government, and its informal Cildanian version (Seluco-Cildanian) has acquired the status of lingua franca in Western Cildania, until its gradual replacement by Gziri in that role.
RELIGION
Hosianism = Christianity
-- Apostolic Church of the East = Eastern Christianity
---- Apostolic Church of the Isles = Maronite Church
-- Aurorian Patriarchal Church = Roman Catholic Church
---- Patriarchate of the East = Specific diocese for Pontesi, Barmenia, Cildania, Zardugal, and Cobura
Yeudism = Judaism
Ahmadism = Islam
-- Israism = Sunni
-- Abadism = Shia
~Percentages of the Population~
73% Hosianism
-- 69% Apostolic Church of the Isles**
-- 2% Aurorian Patriarchal Church**
-- 2% Other**
14% Irreligious
8% Ahmadism
3% Yeudism
3% Other
*Please note, these numbers, while not stagnate, should not fluctuate wildly. Large demographic changes should only occur with an extensive RP, and consent of all involved.
**Percentage of the total population.
http://particracy.wikia.com/wiki/Cildania#Religion
The most widely practiced religion in Cildania is Hosianism, a religion founded in 1 CE which believes Eliyahu of Yishelem to be the Spirit of God and the Saviour of mankind. The largest Hosian denomination in Cildania is the Apostolic Church of the Isles, an autocephalous (independent) part of the Apostolic Church of the East, a Church created in 3412 by the merger of previously separated Churches. The Aurorian Patriarchal Church, formerly known as the Selucian Patriarchal Church and the Theognosian Church, is also present in Cildania. The Aurorian Patriarchal Church is represented by the Patriarchate of the East in Cildania (as well as Pontesi, Barmenia, Cobura, and Zardugal), a specific diocese following several Eastern Rites, including the Kathuran (West Syrian/Antiochian) Rite in Cildania. Hosianism is the majority religion of most ethnic groups in Cildania, with the exception of Yeudis and Majatrans.
Ahmadism is a religion that was founded in 1186 and believes Akim to be the only God and Ahmad to be his Prophet. Ahmadism has a very long presence in Cildania, ever since the religion's founding, and the numbers increased over time due to very close ties to the nation of Badara. Most Ahmadis in Cildania belong to the Majatran ethnicity, but many Hebileans and Qildaris are also Ahmadi. The Israi sect of Ahmadism is the most widely followed in Cildania.
Yeudism is an ancient Qedarite (Semitic/Abrahamic) religion dedicated to the worship of Elyon as sole divinity, and associated with the Yeudi people. Yeudism was traditionally founded in Cildania around 500 BCE by the Prophet Ariel, who led his followers westwards where they eventually established the modern nation of Beiteynu.
NAMING
Gziri (Maltese) is the main national language of Cildania, in addition to the widely used Qildari (Phoenician/Punic), Hebilean (Berber languages), Selucian (Latin), and Majatran (Arabic). Character names should reflect Cildania's cultural background. Party names may be in Maltese, Punic, Berber, Latin, Arabic, and/or English.
) but use Maltese as its Lingua Franca, just as you propose. The only thing I could be slightly worried about is a less-knowledgeable player reading the protocols and instinctively not getting what they should do with all these complex (and for some, sadly, obscure) cultures. Perhaps the protocols could make it even clearer that Cildanian = Maltese for those that haven't got the experience or knowledge to model their characters after ancient Carthage or the Berber peoples (who I'm glad we've got represented here).
