Cretoa (Adventurers)
Cretoa is a fictional island nation in the Aegean Sea, used in campaigns of the Adventurers supergroup.
Contents
History
Prehistory
Cretoa is thought to have human habitation since about 3000 BCE starting with fishing villages on Cretoa's east coast which then supplied nearby Anatolia (Turkey). However, evidence of non-human habitation of its subterranean caverns indicates the Nereids have been there considerably longer. Due to the Nereid embargo on surface dweller interactions, it is difficult to accurately estimate their habitation of Cretoa or its Undersea.
Ground penetrating radar suggests that the area of the Royal Palace may also be the site of a much more ancient stronghold dating back 2000 or more years. Archaeological exploration is expected to provide verification.
Classical Period
Cretoa was a small territory inhabited mostly by fishers and farmers, but was subject to invasion. It has variously been ruled by itself, Thracians, Spartans, Anatolians, Romans, and The Byzantines.
Since about 1020 CE, it has been ruled as an independent principality. The Byzantine Emperor Basil II rewarded General Mihalis of Cretoa for his service recruiting Cretoans for the Bulgarian campaigns by naming him Praetor. Cretoa at the time was deemed a place of backward superstition and ill fortune due strange creatures often sighted in and around the island. To its occasional benefit, Cretoa was ignored by the larger world. By tradition, Praetor Mihalis is the ancestor of the current royal family, though this has not been corroborated.
In the decline of the Byzantine Empire through the 11th and 12th centuries, Cretoa fared well. It came under attack by Venetian raiders frequently. An attempt at takeover by the Genoan House of Gattilusio was repelled by Cretoans in 1430, due in large part to the warrior cult known as the Brotherhood of the Taur. The fact of Cretoa's autonomous administration was accepted when the Ottoman Empire began its expansion in the 13th and 14th centuries, albeit with tributes paid by Royal Cretoa to assure Ottoman friendship and protection, even as other Aegean islands were conquered and their peoples sold as slaves.
20th Century
Aegean Wars
Cretoa found itself caught between Greek and Ottoman (and later, Turkish) aspirations in the First World War and the Greco-Turkish War. During WWI, Cretoa asserted its neutrality and refused an Allied request to establish a station on its northern coast, fearing swift retribution from the Ottomans. The Ottomans violated Cretoan sovereignty and established a garrison despite vigorous protests delivered by envoys of Prince Nikolo I. Prior to war's end, the Ottoman forces retreated, but left much of their artillery behind, which Royal Cretoa acquired. With the Ottoman Empire dissolved shortly after, there was no demand for Cretoa to return war material.
During the Greco-Turkish War, Cretoa again pressed for independence. While Greece invoked ancient claims to Cretoa, the Turks helped defend the island, bringing additional weaponry, training, and some structural improvements to the island's fortresses. A battle was fought in Cretoa in summer of 1921, but eventually the island repelled the invaders. At war's end, Cretoa's sovereignty was upheld in the Treaty of Lausanne in an agreement by Greece and Turkey.
WW2 and Cold War
During the Second World War, Cretoa was treated as a virtual appendage of Turkey, and its stance of official neutrality was upheld while other Greek islands were occupied by Germans. The island was visited by Nazi German warships carrying envoys with entreaties to align themselves to the Axis, but Prince Risto II declined. German records reveal great interest in Cretoa for its strategic resources, namely vitanium.
Following the war, Cretoa was invited to join the United Nations but did not respond. Sensing great interest in its territory by other powers, including Britain, the United States, and Turkey, Cretoa stunned the world by signing a friendship treaty with the Soviet Union in 1948. The treaty indicated Soviet recognition of Cretoan sovereignty, and provision of material support in improving Cretoa's infrastructure in exchange for an exclusive trade relationship with Soviet Republics. The Kremlin also provided a small fortune to Prince Risto to ensure his favorable disposition. Soviet envoys briefed Prince Risto II on international security, but it is thought that the meetings included a heavy dose of anti-Western propaganda which suggested a Western invasion of Cretoa was always in the offing to keep Risto in line.
Iason's Rule
Risto II's second son Iason was named prince in 1983 following his father's death, the elder brother Risto having died under mysterious circumstances on a diving excursion off the island in 1979. Where the younger Risto had been educated abroad and seemed more friendly to Western liberal thought, Iason had been more like their father in reveling in Soviet-provided wealth.
Alarmed by the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, Prince Iason declared a state of emergency and closed Cretoa's borders in summer of 1990, expecting western nations to seize on the opportunity to invade Cretoa and depose him in favor of a more Western-friendly regime. This state of emergency persisted into the 2010s, ending only with Iason's death in late 2017. During this period, called "The Blind Time" on Cretoa, smuggling and black markets (and associated crime) grew considerably, while most of the citizens went without news or access to goods and technology of the outside world. Cretoa regressed in its development. Communication with the outside world was incredibly limited. Police forces enacted brutal crackdowns for anyone perceived to be working contrary to the preservation of Cretoa, which was a poorly defined but broadly used pretext for arrests, incarcerations, and executions during Iason's rule.
Reformation and New Constitution
Following Iason's death in 2017, revolutionary forces in Cretoa, weary of "The Blind Time", saw their opportunity to strike when the twin Prince and Princess of Cretoa - Taina and Alexandros - jointly took the throne.
Oxford-educated Taina, and international tennis star Alexandros, immediately began to court international favor to help bring Cretoa into the 21st century. This put them at odds with some of their advisors, holdovers from their father Iason's rule, who began to conspire against them. Lord Kriton Vasilios, Chief of Staff to the royals, attempted a coup d'etat while Princess Taina was negotiating personally with the revolutionary Zedrick, but Vasilios was defeated and captured by the American superhero team, the Adventurers. A plot by leading vitanium researcher Dr. Loukas to poison Prince Alexandros was also foiled by the Adventurers.
Princess Taina succeeded in unifying disparate (and even disgruntled) factions, reaching an accord with revolutionary leadership to establish a new constitution and a democratic legislature. Though Princess Taina's executive powers have diminished considerably in favor of Cretoa's President, she wields tremendous clout in Cretoan affairs. A general amnesty was declared as a goodwill gesture by the new government toward agents of previous regimes, balanced with police and military reforms to prevent further abuse. The nation has held general elections, fulfilling the transition to a new government model.
Princess Taina is the current head of state. Prime Minister Zedrick is the current government leader.
Geography
Cretoa is situated in the Aegean Sea. Until the onset of the Holocene (approx 9,000 year ago), Cretoa may have been part of a landmass joining nearby Turkey and other Aegean islands. Geomorphology models suggest that Cretoa's western portion still connected to a large, land-locked lake that ceased to exist once waters rose 30 meters.
At its longest, from about the southwest tip to the northeast, Cretoa measures 61 Km (37 Miles). It has several low mountains, which elevate the island above sea level. Mount Polyas, just northwest of the town of Galliop, is a dormant volcano, not active for about 3 million years. Much of the landmass of Cretoa formed due to Polyas's lava flow, and in turn, has left Cretoa with rich soil for farming.
The eastern island of Egina, upon which is the town of Epa, is a true island wholly separated from the rest of the landmass by water. The waters around Egina are unusually deep for a channel of its small size.
Demographics
Note: the following were supplied in Cretoa's second UNSD filing in early 2023.
- The population of Cretoa is approximately 130,500 people.
- The language breakdown on Cretoa is as follows:
- 99.9% speak Greek
- 22.5% speak Russian
- 15.1% speak Turkish
- 9.9% speak English
- 36.0% speak two or more lanuages
Due to investments by American and Canadian companies in Cretoa's business development, as well as Anglophone tourism, English use on the rise in Cretoa.
Government
Cretoa is a constitutional monarchy.
In the new constitution of 2018, much of the power once held by Royal Cretoa was invested instead in the new civilian government, granting a wide variety of legally protected liberties previously denied to Cretoan citizens. The crown retains some rights and privileges. The previous aristocratic system has been abolished, but ceremonial titles have been kept for tradition's sake.
Monarch
While the crown has been relegated to a primarily ceremonial role after centuries of monarchical rule, the monarch is granted certain privileges and powers as a constitutional guarantee. The monarch receives an annual grant of - at minimum - 8 million Euros, with a provision of up to a maximum of 50 million Euros annually depending on the state of Cretoa's GDP.
Presently, the princess is receiveing the full €50 Million, in large part due to vitanium therapy revenue. A provision of the constitution requires that the royal family pay for its own lands and palace. The Cretoan Royal Guard are still funded publicly. The crown uses a large portion of their funding for upkeep of the palace, but also for initiatives they deem important for the state and culture of Cretoa.
Princes Tiana holds a high approval among Cretoan citizens, and enjoys considerable deference from the legislature. Though there are limits on her powers, little prevents her from using her personal fortune to advance causes - cultural, humanitarian, or otherwise - on behalf of the Cretoan state. Observers note that where Cretoa's government is the mind and hands of the nation, the Princess is the heart and voice. While the president has a leading role in foreign relations, diplomatic functions are often handled by the royals, who have a much longer and richer tradition in that regard. As such, the crown is seen as the de facto head of culture, though there is a culture minister in the government.
Princess Taina also has prima facie authority over Royal institutions such as the Royal Cretoan Center for Healing, granting access to vitanium treatment, for example. As these institutions are controlled by funding which is now authorized by the legislature,
Though the current arrangement with Princess Taina maybe precedent-setting as Cretoa enters a new era, it is uncertain if future monarchs will enjoy the same status.
Parliament
Cretoa's Parliament sets laws in its bicameral legislature, made up by a lower house of 51 members (chamber of deputies), and an upper house (senate) made up of 17. The constitution provides for the addition of seats depending on population growth. As of 2023, political parties are not presently a feature of the legislature, as members are expected to 'caucus' on each issue rather than adhere to rigid slates and platforms, but there are informal blocs, and no specific prohibition against political parties.
Only the lower house may introduce legislation; the senate may amend legislation, and if it does, it must send it back to the deputies for approval; if the senate receives a bill and makes no changes, they may vote to ratify it. The president (majority leader in the House of Deputies) may invoke a deadlock if legislation has been returned with changes at least twice; in this event, the leaders of the Chamber and the Senate will make their arguments before the crown, who will mediate the disagreement to resolution.
While the Chamber of Deputies has a great many more "ordinary" citizens, the Senate, by contrast, has more highly-educated members by design. However, an unintended consequence is that the senate has a strong tilt toward the old aristocracy, who were the only ones during Prince Iason's rule who could go abroad for a higher education. This matter is a sore point among the CHamber of Deputies, and lower-class Cretoans as a whole.
Economy
Cretoa trades on a miniscule scale, finding it difficult to enter established global markets after decades-long closure to the world following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Almost the entire wealth of the island comes from a valuable, apparently unique medicinal substance called vitanium, touted for its incredible regenerative capability. Cretoa has permitted sharing of tiny amounts of the substance to a small number of academic institutions for scientific study. However, only the ultra-rich, or those granted access by the royalty, are able to access vitanium therapy. Vitanium generates billions of dollars in revenue, but has led to criticism of the Cretoans for not sharing it more freely.
There remains a black market run by Cretoan fishers who acquire goods in nearby Greece or Turkey, and sell them on the island. The state of smuggling in Cretoa is in flux, however, now that Cretoa has relaxed its isolationist stance, and outside goods flow more freely into the nation at a lower cost.
Apart from maritime industries and medical tourism, Cretoa has a healthy olive cultivation industry, as well as olive oil, cheese, and wine production.
Travel and Tourism
Cretoa has one airport outside of the capital city Zappatos, which was built by Soviet engineers in 1965. There are numerous small fishing ports on the coastline. Even with the government reform in 2018, all entry points are still carefully watched.
Most roads on the island are dirt roads, with the exception of the capital city Zappatos which, thanks to Soviet help, was paved - however, years of neglect has left some of its roads in poor condition. Ever since the new constitution, Cretoa has constructed a two-lane highway between the major cities, and a capital plan has been established to modernize more roadways.
Cretoans are a sea-faring people, with an estimated 48% of Cretoans owning or having access to a motor boat. Numerous independent operators operate tour boats around the island, and a few arrange passenger travel to mainland Turkey or nearby Greek islands.
With international hotel chains such as the Ellison Hotels, and major cruise lines making Cretoa a port of call, there has been development of more tourist-friendly activities. Heritage sites have begun to orient themselves to international travelers, boaters have started scuba, surfing, and snorkeling enterprises. Cities have cultivated better beaches and night clubs.
There is concern from the Cretoan government that outside interests are developing the island's businesses, leaving native Cretoans without ownership or expertise in contemporary business. To that end, bills have been enacted which incentivize international owners who employ and train Cretoans up to the management level, and even more generous incentives to Cretoan-owned enterprises in tourism and hospitality.
Education
The reformed government in 2018 pledged to increase education on the island. As of 2023, Cretoa has established a K-12 educational system with public schools in every major town and city. Rural catchment of students is developing, noting the challenge of acquiring school buses, and trained drivers.
Students learn primarily in Greek language. At the urging of the crown, schools offer international language programming at all levels, particularly Turkish, English, Russian, and Arabic.
The Royal Cretoan Military Academy, and the Royal Cretoan Center for Healing, were traditionally the only higher learning institutions. Starting in 2020, the University of the Aegean in Greece provides academic staff for a new Cretoan campus, which will eventually become an independent, Cretoan-run university by 2035. This will depend on factors such as the availability of native Cretoans to hold academic posts, but also the percentage of Cretoans with a degree.
Less than 0.001% of Cretoans - generally the aristocratic class - have studied abroad.
During the monarchy era, internet was strictly controlled and limited to the royal family and their inner circle. Presently, Cretoa is expanding public internet infrastructure. A 2022 survey suggests that about 3 in 5 Cretoans have access to the internet. The majority of Cretoans access internet through their mobile phone.
