Apalachea

Apalachea, officially the People's Republic of Apalachea (: Po-ítsi i-apálac-âlki im-itálwa, "Our People's Nation of Apalachea"), is a country in Yeongju. Apalachea is bordered to the west by Apalachee Bay, into which the Halputtahatchee River empties.

The area that now constitutes Apalachea has been inhabited by various groups of peoples, including the ethnic Apalachee whom populated the mouth of the Halputtahatchee River. The inhabitants of the land lived in a smattering of largely unaffiliated towns along the river called idalwá. When Jeongmian colonizers arrived in the 19th century, these idalwá coalesced into a loose federation in order to fight back the foreign invaders, but to little avail. Apalachea existed under the colonial rule of Jeongmi for centuries, during which native Apalachee culture fused with the colonial Jeongmi culture to form a precursor to the prevailing culture in Apalachea today. The country won its independence in the Apalachee Independence War, part of wave of decolonization that swept the globe as a result of the Great Eulhae War as well as other internal pressures in Jeongmi at the time. Resistance against its colonial master had united Apalachea in war, but the fragile, newly-sovereign country struggled to form strong self-government in the decades that followed independence. The weak state of the government was exploited in 1956 when a hohnhyeol estate owner named Gun Song violently overthrew the republican government and established himself as dictator. Song's oppressive rule and unpopular attempts to fully embrace Jeongmian culture and institutions rapidly culminated in popular revolt. The Apalachee Revolution began in 1968 and ended with the formation of a new communist government in 1972, headed by Hachuabshi-Apalachee revolutionary leader Kikisoblu "Mí:kko-ɬákko" Cocheta.

Under Cocheta's rule, Apalachea has undergone arduous reorientation, including an conscientious move away from Jeongmian influences in favor of traditional Apalachee institutions. Apalachea is a developing country, and is currently in the process of industrializing and transitioning its colonial economy into a self-sufficient one. Major exports include citrus, sugar, and fish. The country's income equality is the highest in the world, yet the average income is vanishingly low and the country ranks fairly low on the.

Prehistory and antiquity
The earliest human artifacts uncovered in Apalachea date back as far as 15,000–20,000 BCE. At this time, sea levels were at least 100 meters (300 feet) lower than present levels, meaning the area comprising modern Apalachea was an inland, land-locked territory. The Satapahnosi river, at this time a narrow and fast-moving river, was the main body of water in Apalachea at the time, as the land's iconic springs had not yet formed. This river served as the major population center in ancient Apalachea, for humans and the megafauna they hunted alike, including mammoths and bison. These people constructed a wide array of bone and stone tools and led a nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle.

Approximately 4,000 years ago, the peoples inhabiting Apalachea began to cultivate a small suite of local plants as part of the development of the. Domesticated plants included weedy plants such as the that were cultivated for their seeds and roots, as well as  (especially, and .  Aditionally, a flour analogue was created from the roots of .  The hunting of animals such as the , , and  was widely practiced, as well as fishing.  One island-dwelling group off Apalachea's coast prominently farmed , even using their shells for tools and adornment.

The development of agriculture resulted in the establishment of permanent settlements, primarily along the Satapahnosi but also along the springs that now punctuated Apalachea's landscape. These settlements were small, ranging from individual sustenance farms to villages of several houses. Multi-family settlements were generally organized around one or more, which served as ceremonial stages and community centers. The people who lived under this newly-emerging culture are the direct ancestors of the modern Apalachees.

was brought to Apalachea from Yahuimilco c. 800 CE by way of a complex overland trade network that spanned the continent of Yeongju. These imports were exchanged for commodities local to the area, such as shark's teeth, conches, pearls, and sea turtle meat. The earliest recognizable forms of the Apalachee culture developed in the urban centers that arose as a consequence of the increased crop surpluses provided by maize cultivation.

These first Apalachees inhabited tribal villages of no more than a few hundred. These settlements were highly stratified, generally consisting of a hereditary class of leaders who did not participate in production, specialist workers who manufactured goods for tribal use and trade, a class of agricultural laborers, a class of priests and shamans, and more. A chiefdom usually consisted of a single settlement, but sometimes multiple chiefdoms banded together beneath a single leader in a complex system of allegiance. While a single comprehensive Apalachee polity was not formed at this time, the Apalachees did view themselves as a single if divided people. Multiple chiefdoms would often band together in order to conquer or defend against outsiders, then fracture again.

(produced from locally-gathered materials) and (acquired by way of trade) were important to the early Apalachee culture, both being used for spiritual and ritual purposes. Apalachee warriors used to paint their faces red, lending them a ferocious appearance, and decorated themselves in battle with feathers and the scalps of past foes. They created weapons with stone, bone, oyster shells, and shark's teeth. Ordinary dress was made of cloth, leather, and, with soft, brightly-colored garments reserved for the nobility.

Records of the iconic Apalachee sport kisiyo first emerged at this time. The game, which is played by two teams of 40–50 players each attempting to strike a post with a cherry-sized ball, was of great importance to the early Apalachees, perhaps even more so than today. Each settlement had a team that would play at least weekly, and large tournaments were held during the harvest season, accompanied by lavish feasts and attracting crowds and teams of various tribes from all across the region. A good kisiyo player was valued even more highly than a good warrior, and luxurious living conditions were afforded to the best of them. The importance the ancient Apalachees and the surrounding peoples was so great that outside observers often mistook the sport for a spiritual ritual, as indicated by writings from Hachuabshi visitors.

Classical Apalachea
Ten major urban centers, called 'idalwá' by the Apalachee, were developed around the Halputtahatchee. These cities were well-planned around common areas, particularly. Though politically distinct, the ten 'idalwá' engaged in a vigorous trading network with one another, and a complex system of 'ad hoc' alliances to beat back neighboring peoples as well as strategic noble marriages resulted in a loose, informal confederacy of the chiefdoms.



Beginning c. 1100 CE, the expansion of northern Azcapotzalcan successor states resulted in clashes with the Creek people who had long inhabited the land between Apalachea and what is now north-eastern Yahuimilco. The Creeks, fleeing the bronze-wielding Azcapotzalcan aggressors, surged northward, impeding on Apalachee lands. To beat back the unwelcome visitors, the chiefdoms of Apalachea united into a single tribe that is now referred to as the Old Apalachea, ushering in the nation's classical era. Authority in this nation was granted to the Council of Ten, which was comprised of the current chief (or occasionally an emissary) of each constituent chiefdom. Most decisions were made in joint, although additional powers were granted to a single high chief. The office of high chief was passed to the next chief each year, completing a full cycle in one decade.

Although the chiefdoms nominally ceded authority for the express purpose of defense against the invaders, the Old Apalachee paradigm proved surprisingly stable, and would ultimately hold together until XXX. (flesh this out later) Old Apalachea was in some state of war for the majority of its existence, and as a result developed quite a well-trained, well-armed standing military. The nation eventually took up a more aggressive stance than the self-defense from which it had been forged, and the overall Apalachee territory more than doubled in size within two hundred years, integrating thousands of Creek subjects. Creek vocabulary was synthesized into the Apalachee language at this time, ultimately resulting in the Middle Apalachee language, which much more closely resembles the Apalachee language of today than did Old Apalachee. A Chomanese minority was also established in the northern portions of the Nation's maximum extent—though the later borders of Apalachea no longer included this area, a sizable Chomanese contingent remains into the modern era, comprising one of Apalachea's largest minority groups.

The classical era saw the top-down integration of various Yahuimilcan technologies and innovations, including logographic writing, bronzeworking, and increased cultivation of the. Transportation networks between the 'idalwá' were improved, and increased surpluses allowed for a greater output of crafted and artistic goods, particularly the whelk shell gorgets that are characteristic of the era. Apalachee art was largely enjoyed by Apalachee people, but was also exchanged on the pan-Yeongjuan trade network—Apalachee handiwork from this time has been found in lands as distant as XXX.

Geography
Apalachea covers an area of 108,211,758 km2 (41,780,793 square miles) on the eastern coast of central Yeongju. It is bordered to the east by the Mulberry Ocean. The country can be divided into two regions: the hilly northeastern region of Wakala Bokkosca, and the rolling Mulberry coastal plains (also called the Bee Hee) which comprise about 60% of the country's total area. Apalachea's terrain is mostly flat, with a high point of only 134 meters (440 ft) in the Wakala Hills to the northwest.

The country is host to two primary sources of fresh water, the Satapahnosi River and Lake Okkalichoba. The Satapahnosi River originates in the XXX mountains north of Wakala Bokkosca and runs north to the south through the country before emptying out into the Mulberry Ocean. Lake Okkalichoba is one of the largest spring-fed clear water lakes in the world, and the massive Apalachee Aquifer underlying it provides the majority of Apalachea's drinking water. Its outflow is carried by the Halpattuapahni River for about twenty miles to the ocean. The spring-fed water is quite warm and is a favored wintering spot of the.

Wakala Bokkosca
The Wakala Bokkosca, also called the Wakala Hills, comprises the hilly landscape of the north-west which make up about 35% of the country's total land area. They are considered foothills of the XXX mountains, and are cut through by the Satapahnosi river that originates there. Small to medium-sized lakes also populate these hills, though many of these hills are drained into sinkholes roughly every fifteen years and must be refilled by the rain—these lakes are therefore referred to as "vanishing lakes." The Satapahnosi passing over the region's porous limestone bedrock makes this region the highest recharge area for the Apalachee Aquifer, which provides drinking water to Apalachea and its neighbors. The region is home to the best-preserved remnants of the once-widespread and are highly biodiverse.

Bee Hee
The Bee Hee, alternately referred to as the Mulberry coastal plains or lowcountry, is the flat region which comprises approximately 65% of the country's land area. The land which surrounds the Satapahnosi principally marshy and ill-suited to agriculture, but the more distant areas with better drainage are highly fertile. The wetlands around the river are large and highly biodiverse. In recent years, they have served as a prominent attraction. Lake Okkalichoba and its outflow are also present here, providing catchment for the northern-eastern areas not served by the Satapahnosi. The land around the coast contains many salt marshes and estuaries which provide critical habitat to a variety of threatened species as well as a wintering location for an array of migratory birds. The brackish waters where the Satapahnosi and Halpattuapahni meet the Mulberry ocean are also home to large stretches of oyster reef, one of the world's most endangered habitats.

Flora and Fauna
For its small size, Apalachea is considered to be unusually diverse. Its unique combination of, spring-fed waters, wetlands, salt marshes, and estuaries provides habitat to a wide variety of species. Nonetheless, the majority of its biota are typical of the area.

Fauna
Though its range is not restricted to Apalachea, is the most iconic animal in the country, featuring on the national flag and revered in folk culture. Other charismatic fauna of note the and. A small but stable and growing population of have taken root in southern Apalachea in the last decade, probably blown into the region by a recent hurricane, and their elusiveness has captured the attention of bird-watchers and laymen alike in the nation. Other native animals ofn Apalachea include:
 * Mammals:, , , , , , , , , (only in Wakal Bokkosca)
 * Reptiles:, and ,
 * Birds:, , and , , , , , , , ,

Flora
Apalachea is known for its large virgin woodlands, particularly the emblematic of the Wakala Bokkosca, and its vast stretches of wetlands and marshlands. The country is home to an astonishing array of over 1,500 wildflowers. Much of the inland area, particularly the wetlands, is populated with the palms characteristic of the wider geographic region, but the country is well-known for its iconic and dramatic and. The wetlands surrounding the rivers are dominated by. ,, and populate the country's forests as well. Rather than sandy beaches, the coasts of Apalachea undulate gradually into the water and are covered in wide stretches of. The, , , , and are all examples of fruits that have been traditionally cultivated or foraged in Apalachea. and, though not native to Apalachea, were introduced millennia ago by way of trade networks across the continent and have been cultivated in the area continuously since that time, now occuring in the wild. and various species of citrus, including, , and , have been widely cultivated in the country since the colonial era.

Climate
Apalachea has a. Summers are long, hot, and humid, and winters are conversely short and mild. Winter and autumn are dry and reduced in length. Snow is exceedingly rare, recorded only three times since the nation's founding in 1945.

Apalachee summers can be brutal, recording temperatures in excess of 38°C (100°F) on some days. Days of this heat previously occurred at a rate of only approximately two days per year, but this rate has doubled since 1968, likely as a consequence of climate change. Brief but powerful thunderstorms are characteristic during the summer. Temperature is singificantly reduced during the winter, averaging about 11°C (52°F) during the day.

Spring and autumn are quite dry when compared to summer and winter, and droughts are not uncommon. These droughts create frailty in the porous karst limestone bedrock, which is usually stabilized by groundwater, and can open up sinkholes which can damage property and drain entire lakes.

Apalachea is prone to hurricanes from the Mulberry Ocean, though in practice it is rarely hit directly. The country's coasts are ill-adapted to the powerful storms, and is common. Paired with the nation's many, which are also poorly adapted to cope with strong wind forces, these hurricanes can be extremely dangerous to the region, costing millions in long-lasting property and infrastructure damage and as well as hundreds of lives when struck directly.