Pronunciation: SOWTH-hay-vin
Founding Date: 480 DA
Dissolution Date: -
Demonym: Havener/Haveners
Capital: Sagos
Racial Distribution: human (46%), dragonborn (28%), halfling (16%), other (10%)
Official Language: Sohoven
Southhaven's government is theocratic in nature, with its leadership consisting of high priests of Habbakuk and Gilean, their two most revered gods. Each of the fifteen islands has its own high priest, and the high priest of the largest island serves as the national leader. Due to this setup as well as the ease of entry into the nation's clergy, people from all walks of life have a shot at participating in the government, from rich children following family tradition to the poorest commoner's child. New leaders are promoted by popular vote of their island's citizens.
Southhaven exports a variety of fish as well as tropical crops such as bananas and coconuts. Additionally, Southhaven's large oyster population makes it the source for most of the pearls sold throughout Altandor. Pearl diving is considered a highly prestigious job, requiring great skill to dive to the depths where most of the oysters reside.
Southhaven consists of all fifteen islands in the Southern Archipelago, as well as surrounding waters. The islands are warm and tropical year-round, allowing tropical crops to flourish through any season. The inland portion of the islands is tropical forest much like the Lerovul Forest, which fades into sandy beaches and the occasional rocky cliffs at the coastline. The water between the islands is crystal clear and a balmy temperature, perfect for fishing, diving, and swimming in, and allowing an excellent view of the vibrant coral reefs that ring the islands. An astounding variety of beautiful and unique marine life make their homes here.
Sagos: the capital city of Southhaven, this bright and bustling inland city is the home of the Vault, a magically warded and fiercely protected subterranean archive containing the largest collection of books and historical artifacts in the known world.
Havener culture is colorful and expressive, as evidenced by their brightly dyed and beautifully embroidered clothing and their penchant for joyful parades and dance-filled festivals. Dance, song, and other art forms serve as a medium to convey tall tales, old legends, and stories from times past, with various costumes, props, and pyrotechnics serving to enhance the performance. Resources are bountiful in Southhaven, affording its citizens the time to pursue artistic careers or enjoy the fruits of such, and one can find all manner of plays, songs, poems, dances, and acrobatic feats being performed in theaters, taverns, and streetcorners.
Southhaven holds two gods in highest regard: Habbakuk, god of the sea, and Gilean, god of knowledge. To them, Habbakuk is the creator and protector of their ocean and all its bounty, bringing the fish they catch, the oysters they dive for, and the beauty of the reefs which they enjoy, and Gilean is the keeper of the history which they hold dear, stories of ancestors passed down through generations, and knowledge of all that has been and currently is in the world. To revere Habbakuk is to revere what gives them life, and to revere Gilean is to revere the lives that came before. Most of their major festivals are held on the shoreline, the docks, or on the water itself, and many of the performances therein retell the history of their nation and the history of the world beyond.
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