Eivorie

---
title: "Eivorie"
nativeTitle: "Mǣnefæsting Elpendbāna"
type: "overview"
nation: "eivorie"
infobox: (27 rows)
---

The Protectorate of **Eivorie** (Eivor: *Mǣnefæsting Elpendbāna*) is a medium sized corpo-cooperative republic of 62 million people. It borders Hollosend to the west, the Salmon Coast to the east, and the Golden Land to the south. The Protectorate is a largely homogeneous nation-state populated by an ethnolinguistic group known as the Eivor.

The Eivor trace their heritage back to seafarers hailing from the Norðleniscland—an almost mythological homeland which modern scholars interpret to be the modern day states of [[elvester]] and [[skjarnland]]. The migration of peoples to what is now Eivorie is believed to have occurred between the years 800 to 900 of the standard international calendar. This heritage is evidenced in the Eivor language, a branch of Old Brantish.

## Etymology

The name "Eivor" is an exonym loosely derived from the local name "Elpendbāna", which through the course of early Arvernois exploration of [[pelagonia]] led to the name Eivor seeing widespread adoption by other governments.

While there have been attempts by the Protectorate to receive international recognition of the Elpendbāna name, Eivor continues to see the most use owing to it being far more recognizable and standardized by history.

"Elpendbāna" in Eivor means "men of ivory", owing to the large prevalence of elephants within the Protectorate's borders. The warrior culture of the first settlers of Eivorie considered it a tremendous honor and rite of passage into adulthood for a man to partake in an elephant hunt, and wearing a charm of ivory was proof that one had achieved manhood.

## History

### Early Settlement and Formation

This map depicts the path migratory Eivor would have taken from the Norðleniscland to reach modern day Eivorie. The modern city of Gelendan is in fact the location of the first Eivor settlement in the region.

[[the-voyage-of-cyneric]] is a poetic tale that tells of this migration in mythological terms. Historians continue to dispute the truthfulness of this tale, with no record of a "Cyneric" ever ruling as king in Eivorie at the most likely time of settlement of the land. It is probable that "Cyneric" was meant not as a true name of a ruler, but instead refers to the fundamental meaning of the name in question—that is, "the noble king", or "the king's right (to rule)". There is, however, a historical case of a king named Cyneric ruling a small realm in Norðleniscland in the 600s, who may be the inspiration for the myth.

It is known that Gelendan is the first settlement of the early Eivor, however there are disputes as to when precisely this settlement began. It is believed that the settlement began around the year 840, though the earliest verifiable record of a king in Gelendan is Æþelfrōd, who ruled from either 862 or 863 until 891.

## Government

### Political Theory

The most fundamental of all Eivor political concepts is that of mutual service, that the Protectorate serves the People, and the People serve the Protectorate. "From Each according to His ability, to Each according to His service.” The People enact their political will through the exercise of their rights, which are guaranteed under the Charter of the Protectorate to all who fulfill their obligation to contribute to the Prosperity of society. In exchange, the Protectorate provides the People with Security of their person, property, labor, and liberty. Failure to uphold one’s obligations (such as violating the law) to the Protectorate can lead to Forfeiture—the temporary limitation of a person’s rights until restoration through judicial proceedings. The rule of law forms a core aspect of Eivor political theory, guaranteeing that no person is above the law, that all must fulfill their obligations.

Eivorie maintains a representative system of government, with political theorists in the nation long arguing against the dangers of pure democracy—a system they believe is destined to become a tyranny of the majority as the most prominent political groups exert their control over the few. Party politics is not present, as the nation views the tendency for party-based systems to alternate domination between parties to lead to the "politics of revenge", wherein one party exerts undue tyranny upon its rivals, until eventually it is supplanted and the cycle continues.

## Government

### Representative Government

Eivorie's representative system is multi-layered, divided between local, provincial, and national administrations. Citizens participate in direct voting to elect local councils, who govern their immediate area. These local councils elect provincial leaders who ensure the continued functioning of government as it pertains to the Citizenry.

Corporations have successive levels of representative leadership, wherein workers elect local managers, who in turn elect provincial leaders, and finally the national leaders of the corporation. It is through this cooperative structure that companies—and by extension the nation—operate. Many companies are part of the four main national conglomerates, though there are a great multitude who operate independently. Collectively, workers (through their companies) represent the bulk of political power in Eivorie's national government, the highest body of which is the National Council.

### The National Council

The National Council operates as a united government institution uncorrupted by political parties, in which national law and politics are decided. Within the Council, ample dissent and debate exists, and through these internal debates the politics of the nation shifts and evolves. The National Council is composed of 11 members, plus 1 High Protector chosen among the Council. Of the members, 4 are elected by the national conglomerates, 3 are selected among the Ġelēafa, 3 are elected by independent companies, and 1 is elected by the Security Guild.

The majority of the councillors are elected indirectly by Citizens, who exercise their power to choose representatives within their companies (either those independent, or the national conglomerates) who in turn elect councillors. Citizens can affect council elections directly through investing in businesses and joining the Security Guild, which participates in national government through election of 1 member of the National Council, with voting power within the Guild determined by strength of investment. Collectively, these methods of political involvement account for roughly 8 seats of the National Council’s 11 total positions. The remaining 3 seats on the Council are held by members of the Ġelēafa—religious leaders elected among the Church to serve the nation as moral and spiritual guides connected to the average Citizen through shared faith.

## Economy

The Eivor economy is a mixed-market system driven by the People, whose demand for goods serves as the engine for which companies produce. With a per capita Gross Domestic Product of 65,000 and Human Development score of 0.678, Eivorie stands as a developed nation argued by some to be the most developed independent nation in Pelagonia, though still trails behind highly developed Elysian and Evrian nations.

There are four national conglomerates, which are highly diversified corporations that influence society extensively through their economic power. The four conglomerates are in stark competition as designed by law, with national economists long hailing the system as providing for continued fair competition, which in turn promotes innovation and competitive prices for consumers. Individuals are able to establish independent companies within the free market, and the law strives to protect this fundamental right and deter monopolistic actions. Corporate leadership is elected by the workers of a given company, which theorists argue leads to more representation and justice for the needs of workers than other systems found around the world.

## Religion

### The National Faith - Ġelēafa

The Eivor are a deeply religious people, evidenced not just by their mythological romanticization of their history and heritage, but also by the daily practices they exercise, and their complex belief system regarding life and the afterlife. The Eivor faith—known as Ġelēafa (or Yelayafa)—is known for its tendency to assimilate the beliefs of other religions, subsuming them into its own religious understanding. In the view of the Eivor, all people worship the same gods, though do so in different manners based upon their own cognition and understanding of the natural world and spiritual connection. For this reason, the gods of all religions the Eivor come into contact with are interpreted by religious and historical scholars to appropriately conclude how they fit into the Eivor understanding of divine beings.

Ġelēafa is centered around the five Supreme Gods and their epithets. Of these deities, it is believed that **Ēcecyning** is lord among them, though in human worship it is in fact the goddess **Æþelcǣƿen** who is worshipped most prominently as the creator of nature and spiritual protector of mankind. **Ƿitastefn** is worshipped extensively as the father of humanity, invention, and civil government. The goddess **Nīeƿesāƿol** holds great value to the Eivor, representing the most basic concepts of life and death, as well as human emotion and political unity. The god **Þīestrudrihten** imposes trials upon people in life and in death, and acts as an agent of change and growth.

When printing in color, it is expected to display the names of each of the five Supreme Gods and their epithets with bold text and unique identifying colors to show the proper level of deference. When printing without color, all gods are expected to be distinguished using bold text. The names and titles of the gods and their epithets are considered proper nouns, and thus must be capitalized to maintain proper linguistic consistency and appropriate respect.

### The Creation Myth

Out of the Void the **First God** emerged, and it was he that molded four more beings out of the fabric of the Void, who would come to be known as the five Supreme Gods. **Ēcecyning** created the first matter and divine law, but he himself does not interact with the world in a manner as common and direct as the other Supreme Gods. It was **Æþelcǣƿen** who shaped the natural world and depths of space from the matter created before her, and for this reason she is known as the **Celestial Mother** and worshipped as the most sacred of the Supreme Gods.

The creation of humanity came about through the work of three of the Supreme Gods. From **Æþelcǣƿen**, humans first came into being with soul and spirituality; from **Ƿitastefn**, the **Supreme Author** gave intelligence and power of invention; and from **Nīeƿesāƿol**, emotion and unity grew to flourish.

### The Afterlife

Upon a person's death, the integrity of their soul is judged by the **Great Matron**, who determines which afterlife they have earned. There are four afterlives, each governed by one of the Supreme Gods, except Nīeƿesāƿol herself. Those given to the **Celestial Mother** enjoy a life of serene labor in the endless Field of her domain; to the **First Sage** they reside in his Library to aid in the pursuit of knowledge; with the **King of Eternity** the most honorable of men stand guard of his Throne; and if sent to the **Chasm** of the Final Justice, the worst of men must endure constant trials to earn the right of entry into another god's domain.

### Wreðian Gods

There are hundreds of wreðian gods, each concerned with different aspects of the world and spirituality. These gods serve as minor gods subservient to the Supreme Gods, and tend to be the most active in daily human life.