Pontesi's cultural protocols

[Polites]

Pontesi could work really well as the confluence of three major Majatran influences, i.e. Roman, Armenian, & Turko-Persian, so you could simplify that into three cultural groups, but with some overlaps in terms of ethnicity and language. So something like this:

Group 1: Pntek & Arev Mardik (Armenian), itself formed of 2 sub-groups based on language - they would stand for standard Armenian culture, but be bilingual (Nrktek & Pntek languages)
Group 2: Abuek Pntekai & Selucians (Romanized/Western Armenians + "proper" Romans) - the Cilician-style Westernized elite, divided linguistically between those who speak Nrktek, Pntek, and native Selucian speakers
Group 3: Jelbics (Turko-Persian) - these guys could be based primarily on Azeris (themselves Turkic-speaking Caucasian Persians) - just like the first group, mix of Jelbic & Arev Mardik cultural influences, but more of the former; these guys could be monolingual in Pntek
Group 4: Yeudis and other minorities

So within the Jelbic population you'd have a division between those who identify primarily with a local Pontesian identity and see themselves as part of the same group as the Arev Mardik, and those who accept a wider Jelbic view of themselves. The former would have no problem with either Nrktek or Selucian becoming the dominant language(s), while the latter would see Pontesi continue to belong to the Jelbosphere, including linguistically.

[SelucianCrusader]

Pontesi could work really well as the confluence of three major Majatran influences, i.e. Roman, Armenian, & Turko-Persian, so you could simplify that into three cultural groups, but with some overlaps in terms of ethnicity and language. So something like this:

Group 1: Pntek & Arev Mardik (Armenian), itself formed of 2 sub-groups based on language - they would stand for standard Armenian culture, but be bilingual (Nrktek & Pntek languages)
Group 2: Abuek Pntekai & Selucians (Romanized/Western Armenians + "proper" Romans) - the Cilician-style Westernized elite, divided linguistically between those who speak Nrktek, Pntek, and native Selucian speakers
Group 3: Jelbics (Turko-Persian) - these guys could be based primarily on Azeris (themselves Turkic-speaking Caucasian Persians) - just like the first group, mix of Jelbic & Arev Mardik cultural influences, but more of the former; these guys could be monolingual in Pntek
Group 4: Yeudis and other minorities

So within the Jelbic population you'd have a division between those who identify primarily with a local Pontesian identity and see themselves as part of the same group as the Arev Mardik, and those who accept a wider Jelbic view of themselves. The former would have no problem with either Nrktek or Selucian becoming the dominant language(s), while the latter would see Pontesi continue to belong to the Jelbosphere, including linguistically.

Thanks! I'm working with a proposal based on these groups. Though what should we call group 1? "Pontic" (from "sea", like "Ponticum", the Selucian name for Pontesi) is the term I using right now. Pontics and Seluco-Pontics.

Of course, historically there were a people called Pontic Greeks, so that might be too IRL-ish..

[Polites]

How about "Pontean"? Sounds quite Latinish.

Also, I think there's a more straightforward etymology for Pontesi than the convoluted Latinized Greek I suggested a while ago. Latin does have the root pont-, meaning "bridge" (like in "pons" or "pontifex"), so maybe that's also the root of Jelbic "pntejo" (to bridge). That would also link the two etymologies for the nation's name.

[SelucianCrusader]

All right, so I've written a first draft on a new revision of the protocols. It is by no means finished or set in stone. Still have nine days to go before I can propose a revision according to the rules.

As you know, I'm not a native English speaker. I'd welcome any corrections to grammar / wording.

OVERVIEW

Pontesi is a mountainous newly industrialized country located on the northernmost tip of the Majatran continent. While Pontesian culture is essentially Particracy's equivalent of Armenia, it also functions as the confluence of three major Majatran influences, Selucian (Roman), Arev Mardik (Armenian), & Jelbic (Turko-Perisan). Pontesian people have influences from all three.

PRE-GAME HISTORY

Pontesi's longest known inhabitants are known as the Arev Mardik, based on IRL Armenians. The name translates into “Sun People” in their own language. They are believed to have moved to the northern mountains of Pontesi after a prehistoric and unexplained migration from present day Hobratsia and the surrounding area. Selucians arrived in Pontesi as early as the 4'th century and mostly settled along its eastern coast, especially in modern day Bazlieum. Meanwhile, the Yeudi have maintained a presence deep in Azorium since before the birth of modern Pontesi.

The Arev Mardik lived in Pontesi's mountains for many years and most were relatively unimpacted by the Jelbo-Tukaric Migrations (http://particracy.wikia.com/wiki/Histor ... Migrations) that saw Jelbic tribes settle in the lowlands of Pontesi. The Jelbics are based on an amalgam of nomadic Eurasian cultures such as the Tatars, Turkics, Mongols and Finno-Ugrics. They intermarried with the Arev Mardik and gave birth to the Pnték language, a regional dialect of Jelbék, a conlang devised solely for the PT world. Barmenian, Vanukan, and Jelbanian Jelbics speak their own distinct versions of the language, the primary difference being the source of loan-words.

CULTURE

Pontesi has historically been a rather cosmopolitan society with a colonial history, and has long boasted significant minorities. Selucians (Romans) and Yeudi (Jews) have been present in the area since before the birth of the modern Pontesian state. Despite the nomadic origins of the invading Jelbic peoples, Pontesi has historically been ruled by a westernised nobility and their immediate subjects, with influences and intermarriages from nearby Selucia as well as Pontesi's historical ally, Luthori. The descendants of this rather cosmopolitan (but often fiercely patriotic) group are now known as the Abuék Pntékai (“High Pontesians”, westernised Armenians with Roman influences) or "Sugirkai" (Cedar people).

Jelbic-speaking Ponteans and Arev Mardik cultures have syncretized significantly in many ways, leading to Pontesi's interesting (and sometimes difficult) fusion of lowland nomadism and highland steadfastness. Indeed, it was in the mountain retreats of the Arev Mardik that the Pntékai tribes took refuge during the heights of Yeudi expansion around 1100 and the Ahmadi Caliphate around 1450, and it was from these retreats that the Pntékai surged forth to reassert themselves, eventually ruling over an empire that extended far into Beiteynu until the end of the 20th century.

Interestingly, the Arev Mardik maintain that they were the first peoples to take up the banner of Hosianism, several hundred years before the Augustan Empire officially adopted it as the state religion in 509.

IN-GAME HISTORY

Pontesi rose to become a international power in the 25:th century by the accusation of Gran Tadraki (nowadays western Beiteynu), Gaduridos (and later Talmoria) by its semi-independent Imperial East Terra Company. While starting of as a tribalistic republic, referenced to by the name “Pontesian Dynastic Commonwealth” ('dynastic' which indicates the strong standing of the clans), it was later declared an empire under the nationalistic Belknap family. The Belknaps dominated Pontesi for much of the late third millennia, but were eventually ousted in a revolution.

The next clan to take the throne were the Mederagaar family. Styling themselves "Director general"s, they ruled the country in a corporate fashion and attempted many social and economic and social experiments, with varying success. The most long-standing legacy of this era is the Medrengaard Experimental City and Habitation Occupation Zone, an experimental underground city of brass (meaning steam punk-ish) northeast of Lerna, Caespasia.

The Selucian Crimson Crusade arrived in the early 31'th century and took over for a time, but were forced to retreat and go into exile in Barmenia, because of intervention from the International Monarchist League (IML). The league eventually succeeded in reinstating the Belknaps on the throne. The monarchy would remain for a time, and attempted to commit genocide on Selucian Pontesians, but were eventually ousted and replaced with the Selucio-Pontesian Aedinius Clan.

Later on, Pontesi would became part of the “Empire of the Jelbic peoples” an authoritarian regional power consisting of Pontesi, Barmenia, Vanuku and Jelbania, until it was finally dissolved in 3816.

ETHNIC GROUPS

Seluco-Pontean (Romans and “Westernised” Armenians): 36%
- Abuék Pntékai (Armenians with Roman influences): 16%
- Seluco-Pontesians (“Proper” Romans): 20%
Pontean (Armenians): 52%
- Arev Mardik (“Proper” Armenians): 26%
- Pntékai (Armenians with Turko-Persian, ie “Jelbic” influences): 26%
Brmékai (Jelbic-speaking Turko-Persians from Barmenia): 8%
Yeudi (Jews): 3%
Other: 1%

RELIGION

Hosianism (Christianity): 75%
- Auroran Patriarchal Church, Patriarchate of the East (Roman Catholic, Armenian rite): 40%
- Terran Patriarchal Church (Russian Orthodox with Slavic mythology): 30%
- Other Hosian: 5%
Paganism: 20%
- Religio Selucia (Roman Paganism) and Felinism (cat-centered religion from Barmenia): 18%
- Other: 2%
Yeudi (Jewish): 3%
Unaffiliated or other religion: 2%

NAMING

Characters should have names corresponding to their ethnicity. Meaning that Selucian characters should have ancient Roman names, Arev Mardiks should have Armenian names, and Abuék Pntekai can have a mix of both. Likewise, Pntékai names can have both Armenian and Jelbic inspiration and Brmékai names should be Jelbic. Detailed links for are provided bellow.

LANGUAGE LINKS

List of Roman nomina (surnames) http://www.unrv.com/forum/topic/9867-in ... -surnames/:
Name generator: (Armenian): http://fantasynamegenerators.com/armeni ... rx-KuaYFio
Name generator (Roman): http://fantasynamegenerators.com/roman_ ... rx9_OaYFio
Google translate (includes Armenian and Latin): https://translate.google.com/
Jelbic names: http://classic.particracy.net/viewbill. ... lid=396321

[SelucianCrusader]

Made a little map as well:

[SelucianCrusader]

I'll be putting the revised protocols to vote on Friday, as I've been active for one month by then. If anyone has anything to say about them, go on.

[IdioC]

Also, I think there's a more straightforward etymology for Pontesi than the convoluted Latinized Greek I suggested a while ago. Latin does have the root pont-, meaning "bridge" (like in "pons" or "pontifex"), so maybe that's also the root of Jelbic "pntejo" (to bridge). That would also link the two etymologies for the nation's name.

Pntejo was indeed coined to provide an etymology of the nation's name. It actually breaks from the usual formula -- I was thinking of the French which takes from Latin -- in order to do so; bridge in Japanese is hashi.

[SelucianCrusader]

Now as Hobrazia has been set to culturally open, how about introducing a Georgian ethnicity over here instead? I'm even tempted to turn the Abuék Pntekai into little Georgians. Don't ask me about how a Romanized Armenian elite started speaking Georgian though (tribal differences?).

I'm also half-convinced that the name, no matter its originality and unique flavour, might have to change to make the country more accessible. If I had encountered a name like "Dinastiakan Hamagortsakts’ut’yan Pontosi", even I might have been pulled of. Maybe writing it in Armenian letters like "Հանրապետություն Պոնտոսի (Republic of Pontesi)" could work better? (doesn't necessarily have to be a "Republic") Or would it just make things worse? Thoughts?

Sadly my old hard drive passed away a month ago. Have to make a new map of Pontesi, among other things.

[Polites]

A better idea would, I think, be turning those Hobrazian Orthodox who refuse to follow the TPC or APC into Georgians, and then relocating the Hobrazian Orthodox Church to Pontesi (and maybe give it a new name). That would also parallel the RL situation, but in reverse (IRL the Georgians are Eastern Orthodox and Armenians Oriental Orthodox). And I think it's a fairly standard procedure to introduce new ethnic groups by redefining groups that are already there, that's happened quite often in the past. So you could redefine Ponteans as Caucasians, and then introduce the new Georgians as a subdivision of that.

[SelucianCrusader]

A better idea would, I think, be turning those Hobrazian Orthodox who refuse to follow the TPC or APC into Georgians, and then relocating the Hobrazian Orthodox Church to Pontesi (and maybe give it a new name). That would also parallel the RL situation, but in reverse (IRL the Georgians are Eastern Orthodox and Armenians Oriental Orthodox). And I think it's a fairly standard procedure to introduce new ethnic groups by redefining groups that are already there, that's happened quite often in the past. So you could redefine Ponteans as Caucasians, and then introduce the new Georgians as a subdivision of that.

The entire thing with the HOC is getting a bit weird now that Hobrazia isn't culturally protected any longer. But I like the idea in general. Thanks!

Not sure what to do with the refugees from Beiteynu tbh, they just threw out a bunch of Pontesians of some sort..