Athlon
 | |
| Official language | English, Greek |
|---|---|
| Capital | Doza |
| Largest cities | Doza, Eupragia |
| Website | None |
| Forum | Athlonian forum |
| Wiki | None |
| Number of citizens | 2 |
| Number of active citizens | 1 |
| Date founded | July 4, 2007 |
| Government | Theocratic monarchy |
| Current leader | Theodores Piotesanthropou Dozes |
| Currency | Drachma (Δρ) |
| National animal | Cow |
| National fruit/food | Fish |
| National drink | Wine |
 | |
| Map versions | 11.4 - Present |
Athlon, officially the Hegemony of Athlon is a protectorate of Natopia. It occupies the two easternmost islands in the Pacarian Archipelago, which it shares with Alexandria and Stormark.
The islands were originally a crown dependency of Lovely, named Psycotia. However, during the Lovely War Natopia invaded the dependency with a squadron of the Emperor's personal army, the Holy Order of the Armored Goats. Following the war, Natopia gained the islands as war spoils. The Emperor allowed the Armored Goats to remain on the island. They established a crusader state based on their roles as knight-defenders of the Emperor, who at the time was also Pentheros of the Bovic Church.
Origin of the name Athlon
The former islands of Psycotia came to be known as Athlon by way of their status as war spoils. Athlon is the Greek word for prize, or gift. The capital of Doza is derived from the Greek word for royalty, or jewels as it is the city of the monarchy.
History
Athlon enjoyed a special status in Natopia, being so far from the mainland and also being the only land Natopia claimed by way of war. As the natives and Natopian immigrants began to inter-marry, a culture resembling Greece developed. The Bovic Church soon moved to Doza, to become the Dozan Bovic Church and became engulfed by Greek culture, a drastic departure from the Romano-Latin rite it was following previously.
During the Natopian Dark Ages, Athlon seceded the collapsing Natopian state and joined the Confederacy of Gralus for several months as a protectorate. When Natopia was reformed, Athlon rejoined Natopia as a protectorate instead of a fully integrated kingdom as before. This was in response to the culture of independence that took hold during the Natopian interregnum.
Athlon, along with South Mehlville, preserved the Natopian culture while mainland Natopia collapsed. However, when South Mehlville itself began to waiver, Athlon exercised its considerable degree of autonomy and annexed it, thereby granting Athlon territory on Eura. This created an interesting interaction between new Greek Athlonian settlers and the Persian Babkhans on Eura. However, the difficulty of administering a land composed of Athlonians, South Mehlvillians, and Babkhans soon became too great for Athlon. The Euran land was reduced and eventually ceded directly to Babkha. In exchange, Athlon gifted the land to Natopia proper to be fully integrated in the Dominion.
Politics
Athlon is an autonomous protectorate of Natopia. It may maintain a defense force and conduct limited foreign affairs by itself, however due to it's small size it must rely on Natopia. It is officially a hegemony of city-states. Doza, Eupragia and Hergon. Each one has a unique culture and specialized service for the hegemony's administration. The leader of Doza, the richest, most populous city-state, rules the other city-states.
Military
The Holy Order of the Armored Goats is the primary defensive force of Athlon. It consists of a naval phalanx and specialized ground troops. Extraordinary defense is supplemented by the Natopian Defense Force.
Geography
Athlon consists of two islands. Doza and Eupragia share the large island with Hergon on the smaller. The islands are topographically uninteresting. The climate is tropical in the north an subarctic in the south with the extreme southern border touching the permanent ice of the antarctic.
