Apowidu

Apowidu is an ancient statocracy led by the Cempa Cyng. It is said that the Poplos Apowidu are the original inhabitants of the Old world.

History
The Poplos Apowiduz are an ancient people that used to live in the woods near to the North-eastern lake in the old world. They called these woods the Widu and lived in its shadow, with merely stories of life outside of the Widu. In this ancient society it was foretold that one day a great leader would unite the 16 different tribes living in the Widu to fight off an outside threat. This Cempa Cyng would also deliver them from the darkness and his people would prosper. Many claimed this title but all were false. Only when southern colonists came to the Widu and encroached towards the Poplos Apowiduz did the true Cempa Cyng come. He called upon all the tribes and they united their banners in a glorious march south to meet the invaders. After a genius military campaign the Poplos Apowiduz came out of the Widu and established the Apowidu, a new militaristic state on the southern borders of the forests from which they hail.

Culture
The culture of Apowidu is built around a religion of 4 military disciplines. Morale, strategy, force and initiative are these 4 arts which are studied by all inhabitants. These 4 disciplines are each linked to a specific elemental god, Wodr the Water God teaches strategy to be flowing as the waters of Lapu Lake to the east and the great waters of the western Occyan whilst maintaining solidity; Eyer the Air God teaches to adapt to all circumstances as if the great Western winds live in us without the sacrifice of victory; Eorpe the Earth God teaches morale as unbreaking and undying as the earth that sustains all; Fyr the Fire God teaches to have the force of a thousand great infernos to overpower all whilst maintaining beauty and strength.

The Apowidu banner represents this martial religion. It is said that:

"Yellow is the sun we follow

Green is the land that sustains

Red is the blood we shed

Blue is the water that protects

Four hands for the four principles of war; morale, strategy, force, initiative"

Politics
Apowidu is a stratocracy where martial prowess and control of the 4 disciplines of war mean everything. The Apowidu do not have a king instead they have a warrior general that leads them, a man called the Cempa Cyng who is elected for life by the 16 bannermen of the Apowidu and 4 great advisors. The 16 bannermen are each lords of one realm of life, from education to trade; they are direct ancestors of the original bannermen during the reign of the first Cempa Cyng and his glorious unification and the position is a dynastic one, being passed on from father to son. The 4 great advisors represent the 4 doctrines of war. The Cempa Cyng is expected to master all 4 of these in order to rule.