Antora: Difference between revisions

AndoraAntora is a highly cultured nation with a heritage stretching back to the early 3rd Century BCE. It is an [[Enlightened Coast]] nation, defined by AndoranAntoran philosopher Erik Vael Hernandéz in 1799. Large portions of AndoranAntoran culture, like language, architecture, and agriculture, have derived from its start as an Impelanzan colony, providing its status as a significant Impelantic descendant state. Religion has also played a large part in AndoranAntoran development; [[Tunseism]] and [[Andoran Deusism|Deusism]], in particular, shaped many traditions and beliefs and are still practiced today across the country. Cuisine is one of the most prominent pillars of AndoranAntoran culture, influenced by the geographic region and the extensive trade network of the 17th and 18th centuries. This network allowed AndoraAntora to contact and absorb aspects of many international cultures. Several cultural sites are included on the [[ICHO]] heritage rolls.

[[File:Málaga centro historico.jpg|thumb|250x250px|Downtown Giroruña exemplifies a mix of ancient and modern AndoranAntoran buildings]]AndoranAntoran architecture draws from many heritages and influences. The humans from southern Arcturia that settled the AndoraAntora region brought the Impelantic architectural style. Almost all AndoranAntoran buildings from the early 1st Millenium are variations of these styles. The city of [[Porta Armada]] is the most prominent surviving example of Impelantic architecture in AndoraAntora. A derivative style, known as AndoranAntoran Impelantic, developed over the 4th Century. This style informed much of the aesthetic and proportional languages of later AndoranAntoran architecture. Hallmarks of traditional AndoranAntoran styles such as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Colonial_architecture Deseré] include fired clay roofing, colorful window settings, and a washed stone exterior.

Some styles in the northern regions incorporated ideas from the Nacatan architectural styles. In the 6th Century, the Vedra style became popular, combining Tunseist, Impelantic, and Nacatan architectural languages. The Vedra style combined traditional [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosaic mosaics] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fresco frescos] with patterned structures and decorative stonework to create intricate designs and optical effects. The style eventually gave rise to the NeoVedra school in the 14th Century. Cathedrals, castles, and monuments built by NeoVedra architects are considered some of the most important architectural heritage sites of northern AndoraAntora.

Modern architecture and international standards blended with AndoranAntoran traditions to create the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Colonial_Revival_architecture Corinteró] style in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Important architectural schools such as the Ganuá Academy are responsible for many landmarks in modern sections of AndoranAntoran cities in the Corinteró style. An ultramodernist style currently expanding within the country is the Tranquíla school, named for its emergence in Porta Tranquíla.

[[Andoran Deusism]] scripture first was published in the mid-12th Century. It has since expanded to include many works of theology and doctrine. These works include the widely-known King Gael edition of the Book of Vult, also known as Gael's Tome. Other religious literature includes Chacel's 1388 ''The Eyes of Deus'', Goyisoto's 1431 ''Ruminations on the Theology of AndoraAntora'', and Lorca's ''1695 Deus and All Things''. AndoranAntoran scripture has influenced the legal sphere due to several archaic laws based on religious philosophy still being enforced. These include a prohibition on [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_punishment capital punishment] and persecution of other religions, with quotations in the law directly lifted from Gael's Tome.

While not considered by some theologists and literary scholars as doctrine, the famous 1711 work ''The Mind and Soul in Cooperation with the Spheres'' written by Juan Gamonéna is commonly considered a piece of scripture. Its subjects include the practical [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthropology anthropological] relationships between belief systems and religions worldwide. In the second half of the book, Gamonéna posits that all people worship different aspects of the same deific force in theological terms, and all religions should therefore be treated as parts of a single spiritual whole. This argument has become a mainstream part of AndoranAntoran Deusism. Many practitioners have no exposure to the book but can detail most of its ideas.

[[File:Miguel de Unamuno Meurisse c 1925.JPG|thumb|250x250px|Jean Gabriel de la Crúz, AndoranAntoran author and philosipher, c. 1923]]AndoranAntoran literature is very diverse. The nation hosts many publishing houses and book vendors responsible for a large percentage of Impelantic translation prints and publishing in Novaris. There is a long history of the written word in Anodra; the first scripts recorded are carvings and scrollwork from the Impelanzan colonists in the Fourth Century. These detail aspects of everyday life and more prosaic subjects such as love, architecture, and religion.

AndoranAntoran authors created many remarkable works on chivalry and feudalistic society during the middle ages. Philosophical works such as de Cartevija's ''To Become an Ideal Cavalier (Convertirse en un Perfecto Caballero)'', and de Vries' ''Holy Actions of the Noble Man (Acciones Santas del Hombre Noble)'' remain popular volumes for anthropologists and scholars. At the same time, the fictional stories within ''The Great Deeds (Las Estupenda Hazañas)'' and ''Fifteen Virtues (Quince Virtudes)'' are widely regarded as classic examples of chivalric court prose.

Various military [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthology anthologies] were written between 1400 and 1700 by AndoranAntoran generals and admirals, and some remain standout texts used in formal strategic education. For example, the ''Total Sum of Warfare (Suma Total de la Guerra)'' by Generalissimo-Rege Victor is required reading at the Descarai Combat Academy.

AndoraAntora was the birthplace of several noteworthy authors during the Expression movement, including Jean Gabriel de la Crúz, writer of the AndoranAntoran Classic ''I, Myself, am Lost'' ''(Yo Mismo Estoy Perdido.)'' Other writers of this period include Xabier Valdovinos, Nahia Castillero, and Arlet Álvarez. Many works published by Expression authors are still sold today in many languages and form part of literature curriculums in AndoranAntoran schools.

The [[Andoran Union of Journalists]] handles most news publications and current events sources in AndoraAntora. Founded in 1871 with the popularization of broadsheet newspapers, the AUJ is a workers-rights, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_bargaining collective-bargaining], bias-prevention, and information distribution association that serves as an impartial publisher of AndoranAntoran news. The Union acts as a go-between for journalists and their editors and executives, as well as the publications and the AndoranAntoran government.

AndoranAntoran music is varied and contains many elements and genres. Girogía is a AndoranAntoran style of music most often associated with the country. It is characterized by acoustic guitars and musical steps known as ''trestiempos'', but artists commonly combine this with other genres like orchestral arrangements and electronic music. Girogía has evolved from traditional southern AndoranAntoran folk music and remains popular primarily within that region. Other areas of the country have additional folk music heritage.

AndoraAntora has produced many highly-regarded musicians including the classical composers Brais Valverde, Youssef Domínguez, and Aida Ferreira, as well as contemporary orchestral artists Ana Belen Tarragona and Juan Carlos Gálvez. AndoranAntoran singers including Iago Criado, Ana Belen Morata, Maialen, and Alejandro Cueva are popular internationally and are prominent domestic celebrities. The AndoranAntoran music community is vibrant, with genres such as metal, pop, hip hop, and rock professionally represented. The nation hosts the bi-annual musical festival Amor Electrico which showcases new and established artists in the techno and dance music scene.

There are more than twenty-five professional orchestras in the country. These include the Royal AndoranAntoran Armed Services Pageant Band, the Royal Orchestra of House Naranza-Carratéo, and the Costa Tranquíla Philharmonic Orchestra. Traditional musical entertainment such as opera and musical theater are popular, though they have diminished recently. AndoraAntora is credited to have popularized the technique of ''punctuacíon triple'', in which a musical piece will be scored three times with traditional instruments, vocals, and electronic instruments to harmonize together.

AndoranAntoran cinema is a small but thriving industry. Pictures that have achieved significant acclaim include ''The Fireflies'' and ''All Men of Honor''. The Royal AndoranAntoran Cinema Society manages the promotion and advancement of the cinematic arts and sciences and presents the Mañue Awards annually to important contributors to these subjects. Directors and producers that are internationally known include Cristian Caballero, Brais Peña, Maria Del Mar Jiménez, Mario Santolaria, Yanira Rivera, and Juan Carlos Tarragona. The film industry in AndoraAntora is known for its wide use of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Practical_effect practical effects] and commitment to authenticity. Among the notable practical effects films is ''Eighteen Souls and a Prayer'', a war film that used functioning airplanes and live ammunition for several scenes.

AndoranAntoran actors often attend the Julinazo Film Academy to acquire method and language skills. Famous actors who have appeared in critically acclaimed and varied roles like Gema Ávila, Ian Batanero, Juan Antonio Coll, and Laia Valladares are alumni of the Film Academy. In 2011, King Sebastián II knighted actor Luis Miguel Herrera as a Knight-Sergeant of AndoraAntora for his 'critical service in bringing the vibrancy and chivalry of AndoranAntoran culture to the international community.' Herrera's roles in films based on AndoranAntoran folk tales and AndoranAntoran history are widely regarded as both engaging and historically accurate.

AndoraAntora is a highly athletic state, though it does not have as many competitive sports teams as other nations. The most popular sport in the country is [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football football], with practice ranging from national-level sponsored teams to neighborhood games between children. This sport originated from abroad and became popular in a primitive form in the late 1800s. AndoranAntoran football teams are respectable if average on the international field. Notably, no AndoranAntoran team has ever won the World Cup, and many years do not qualify. Regardless of this, it remains the most-participated and watched sport for its athletic benefits and entertainment value.

Native to the country is the Tournament of Saint Marta, the global championship for Historical Armoured Martial Arts. AndoraAntora is considered the birthplace of modern competitive [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_European_martial_arts HAMA], having kept the practice alive within the culture of knighthood and chivalry that still permeates the nation. Each Duchy, County, and Barony in the country has a HAMA team, called Companies, using the arms of their province as team colors. AndoranAntoran HAMA tournaments can consist of individual entrant events or team-based competitions. The competitions are known as [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hastilude hastiludes] and include quintain, jousting, passes of arms, melee, mounted and foot archery, and wrestling. The stadiums for this sport, taking their name from the competitions, are called Hastilidiums. The Tournament of Saint Marta itself is a triathlon of jousting, wrestling, and melee. The Administrative Board of Armoured Martial Arts, the international oversight body for HAMA, is headquartered in Eleçeron.

Horse-racing is popular in AndoraAntora and exists in its unique practice. While the typical races of thoroughbreds exist, the AndoranAntoran style evolved from a tradition of evaluating [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horses_in_warfare#Middle_Ages warhorses]. These competitions feature conditions more akin to motorbike races or cross-country rallies. Horses bred for AndoranAntoran horse-racing exemplify the qualities of destriers, being high of the shoulder, powerfully muscled, and thick-legged. Speed is not as valued as endurance and strength. It is common practice for champion racehorses to be retired after four wins, after which they become breeding studs or are bought by HAMA athletes for jousting.

Other popular sports in AndoraAntora are rugby, tennis, various forms of regional handball, golf, swimming, marathons, and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stock_car_racing stock] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rallying rally] car racing. The nation's automotive industry is well-regarded for its ability to engineer rugged and powerful racecars that find use in many international competitions by native and foreign drivers.

AndoranAntoran cuisine draws heavily on the geography and culture of the AndoraAntora region and is known for heavy use of vegetable and fruit products and flavorings alongside traditional spices. Principal ingredients are influenced by availability, with seafood and fish being more common coastally and heavier meats available inland. AndoranAntoran people widely recognize four distinct categories of cuisine:

'''Valley''' cuisine developed in central Andora'sAntora’s river valleys and farming communities and involves heavy use of milk, cheese, beef, and goat meat alongside vegetables and various rich spices. Valley regions produce foods with long shelf lives like ''jámon valé'' (smoked, salted, and spiced bacon) and ''curín'' cheese. A traditional peasant dish that has evolved into a fixture of AndoranAntoran culture, ''guinzio'' (creamy tomato soup with bacon, served with rye bread and olive oil) and its many variations are considered Valley cuisine.

'''Upland''' cuisine is a smaller but distinct category that comes from the western portions of inland AndoraAntora. Due to the dryer climate, Uplands food focuses heavily on ingredients such as wheat, olives, figs, maize, and mutton. Bread products, fig preserves, and dipping sauces from the western regions are well known for their use in communal events and sharable platters. ''Cordero con maízturo'' (roasted lamb legs with oregano and mustard, served on corn and crispbread) is an Upland delicacy.

The AndoranAntoran culture places heavy importance on celebrating. It is seen as an acceptance of the events of life and a celebration of achievement when people gather for holidays and festivals. Certain festivals are viewed as essential to good luck, and those that do not participate are seen with varying degrees of pity and suspicion. There are nearly 130 different national holidays, each with its customs and traditions, with 60 of those also having government-mandated moratoriums on working for most, and triple overtime for essential workers. The Monarch retains the power to, on the advice of the Royal Cabinet, declare certain days to be work-free holidays on a temporary or permanent basis. The government maintains its secular policymaking stance but allows work holidays for religious groups that make up at least 1% of the population.

Many AndoranAntoran festivals are times when private family gathers are observed, but major events can draw crowds upwards of ten thousand. There are several renowned AndoranAntoran festivals that are celebrated worldwide by the AndoranAntoran diaspora.

The Fiesta de Santo Abrosius is the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendar_of_saints feast day] of the patron saint of AndoraAntora, who lived near 1240 CE, and the most prominent religious holiday in the country. The festivities begin the second Friday in May and typically last until the following Monday, though certain parts of the nation can see them end on Wednesday. The holiday traditions include paper decorations either chained together or pattern-cut from long reams, as well as ringed candles, the iconography of Saint Abrosius, and incense, if affordable. The colors of Saint Abrosius are green and white and permeate almost every decoration. This has earned the holiday the appellation "La Verde y Blanco." The Fiesta de Santo Abrosius follows a four-day pattern that mirrors the life of the Saint. The first day involves small family gatherings and sharing stories and traditional AndoranAntoran peasant food. The second sees families travel around their neighborhoods and towns exchanging stories and handmade gifts. The third is a national celebration, with large crowds, music, communal cooking, and events held by churches. The fourth and last day is less active, a somber day dedicated to absent or dead family.

Elements of the AndoranAntoran diaspora also celebrate this holiday. Depending on community size, festivities can range from a floor of an apartment building, a street, or even entire sections of town. The largest AndoranAntoran community outside the nation is in Volscina, followed by Packilvania. These see moderately sized celebrations that are quite similar in scale and scope to their homeland. The Fiesta de Santo Abrosius' good cheer, inclusivity, and gift-giving contribute to the acceptance of AndoranAntoran immigrants in many nations.

Harvestide is an amalgamated holiday from AndoranAntoran Deusism, Tunseism, AndoranAntoran history, and international sources. The festivities fall on the 20th of November. Historically, this is when the summer harvest taxes were due in the Kingdom of Avantana. The king would give out rewards to his loyal lords by tradition, in acknowledgment of their fealty and the work of their people. These traditions evolved into more elaborate celebrations of the collective efforts of the common folk and the cultural bonds of the AndoranAntoran people. Lords would invite their noble subjects to a feast on tax day, where they would provide gifts and entertainment in times of plenty and a meal and camaraderie in times of hardship. The first son of a lord would traditionally entertain his father's pledged nobles, while his father would attend the feast of his liege. On the lowest rung of nobility, the sons of Viscounts would invite prominent members of the ''heredad'' to a feast, usually wealthy merchants and knights. All ''heredads'' would provide some generosity to the peasantry, usually in free drinks or meals at a local business. As the influences of Deusism became more widespread, the clergy saw the celebration of community effort that the Tax Feast involved. The Church recognized the similarities in the holiday to their values on equality and acknowledging all contributions to society.

In the mid-1400s, the Tax Feast became a mixture of political, social, and religious celebration and would soon be renamed Harvestide by the Church. Due to donations, the AndoranAntoran Deus Church subsidized the celebrations for the common people. Farmers and craftspeople received a wooden tally chit for their taxes, which had several uses. They could show it at inns and taverns for free meals, which the Church would reimburse for the establishment, or they could exchange it in return for being sent seed and supply for the winter harvest. The Church would also provide sermons and blessings at gatherings of the nobility, which often focused on thanks-giving and the appreciation of the efforts of the working class. In addition, more prominent religious institutes such as cathedrals and monasteries hosted "Street Feasts" for the impoverished. Harvestide also coincided with settling debts, the shipment of goods, and a rest period after a summer of work. These elements combined, and the holiday became what it is in the modern period.

Modern Harvestide takes place from noon on the 20th of November to sunset on the 21st, beginning with the submission of tax forms in a pseudo-celebration of patriotism called ''la gran sumisión.'' The tradition of giving gifts and charity still survives, and it is common for employers to provide employees with raises, tokens of appreciation, and food. The nobility will still invite their most prominent taxpayers and subordinate lords to day-long parties. At or around sunset on the 20th, the traditional meal of ''Trabajo del Verano'' will be eaten. This meal consists of foods customarily associated with the AndoranAntoran summer harvest, such as fruit, olives, corn, chickens, and cows, made into various pies, stews, sauces, and baked dishes. Following the meal, a grand procession to the nearest Church or holy site will occur, where people will sign hymns of appreciation for the food and family they have. At the end of these hymns, the presiding clergy member will read aloud notable accomplishments by community members. People are encouraged to contribute things they are thankful for, as well. Once completed, this ''monstrado'' will disperse back to homes to catch the Archbishop and Monarch broadcasts on radio and television at 9 pm. The Archbishop will read a list of extraordinary accomplishments over the summer and autumn by Corric citizens. The Monarch will read a list of international events that contributed to peace, moral righteousness, and cooperation. The festivities end with a light dessert, and the entire day of the 21st is free and unplanned so people can relax however they wish.

An associated holiday to Harvestide is Corric Tax Day, on the 22nd of November. The government and Church will provide free meals and gifts to the Royal AndoranAntoran Ministry of Taxation workers, who have to sort through a backlog of millions of tax forms submitted two days prior. Employees can pull as much overtime as they want and are excused from work for at least two days once they complete their assigned docket of paperwork. In addition, specific neighborhoods near Royal Taxation Ministry offices will prepare meals and drinks to deliver to their local office.