Ataya

Ataya is a small kingdom in the same Flat Dimensions|flat dimension as Arindell. Its borders have changed many times, mostly during the Mage Wars. It is a monarchy with a severely fractured royal line, and has experimented with numerous government types through the Ages, finally settling on a "philosopher king" system where in the ruler may earn his title by birth-right, but is expected to be wise and learned if he wishes to keep it.

Trayu

Trayu is the capitol of ancient Ataya and the birthplace of the sword. It was sacked and burned multiple times during the Age of Mages and abandoned for some decades during the begining of the Golden Age, but eventually resettled by 'Upper Atayans' from the mountains above the Agras, in the Stormreaver Range.

Ataya in History

Ataya is most notable as the birth-place of Eieber and thus of the Alliance. Undoubtedly this fame helped maintain its sovereignty during the lengthy march of history.

Ataya and the Slayer Dragons

Ataya has quite a knack for producing Slayer Dragons, most particularly Pendragons, with more of them hailing from Ataya than from any other country. This is still very few; but that Ataya has produced more than two Pendragons and at least a dozen Slayer Dragons is much more than most countries can claim. Ataya has produced both the first (Eieber) and last (Hokori) of official Pendragons.

Traditions and Customs

According to Atayan tradition, a man cannot have two names; thus, when an Atayan boy becomes a man, he sheds his family name and answers only to his personal name. His wife and children will take his first name as their family name, but the husband/father has none of his own. Therefore Eieber and Hokori have no last names.

At various points of Atayan history, women have thought this unfair, and many have shed their family names. For the most part, this has been accepted, but does create difficulties when they marry. In general, Atayan culture is largely adaptable to such exceptions.