| This website is a work of fiction, part of the collaborative constructed world of Ill Bethisad. It is not intended to reflect reality or the creator's opinions on current issues. |
| About Ill Bethisad |
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| Last updated 7 June 2008 by Ben Karnell |
| henua.tk |
| Ill Bethisad is a world of constructed cultures that continues to be developed by dozens of people. It began with Brithenig, a language constructed by Andrew Smith back in 1997. Brithenig was a new kind of project that combined conlanging with alternate history. It is a Romance language, descended from Latin just like French or Italian. If the citizens of Roman Britannia had continued to speak Latin, it might look a lot like Brithenig. Brithenig soon attracted a few fans, who all began discussing the language as well of the culture of the people who speak it-- the Kingdom of Cambria, or Kemr. This band of creative minds soon looked outside the bonds of tiny Kemr to think about what other interesting cultures might inhabit the world of the Brithenig speakers. Others offered their own conlangs or fictional nations and described the world that they shared. As the project grew from a thought experiment, to a discussion group for a single conlang, to a home for many conlangs, to an elaborate, living constructed world, it became Ill Bethisad-- a Brithenig word meaning, appropriately, "The Universe". Ill Bethisad is very similar to our own world, but with dashes of flair every so often, many of which betray a certain nostalgia on the part of its creators for cultures and ideas and technologies of the past. Airships, not jet planes, are the norm for travelling abroad. Most currency is still on the silver standard. The metric system on the whole failed to outlive the French Revolution. Most importantly, a number of minority cultures that in our world were wiped out or assimilated are instead thriving and independent. The moai builders of Henua are the latest in this tradition, but others include the Baltic Pagans of Lithuania, the Iroquois speakers of Aquashinuonigy, and, of course, the Romano-Britons of Kemr. |
| Links |
| Several sites have lists of IB links, but I've provided them here for convenience. |
| General sites |
| Cultures of the British Isles |
| Cultures of Europe |
| Cultures of the Americas |
| Cultures of the Pacific |
| The Cultures of Ill Bethisad: The project's homepage, with links to an atlas page and much more IB Wiki: Largest collection of IB-related info on the Web Conculture: A Yahoo group where most of our collaboration takes place Flags of Ill Bethisad Royal Institute for the Study of Banners: Another flag site CRI Online Database: Military uniforms and insignias News from Ill Bethisad: One of the most interesting things about IB is that it exists in real time, with constant news updates from all corners of the world. News from Henua, of course, is kept right here. Sessiwn Archives: The earliest discussions on Brithenig and the world around it are kept here. BoArthur's Ill Bethisad Portal: Links to a variety of smaller sites, including material related to the Republic of Louisianne and the hit TV show Space Voyage 2245! |
| Page of Brithenig: The Romance language with the Welsh substratum that started it all. If you want to see what a truly filled-out conlang looks like, this is the site. Bhreathanach: A related language spoken in western Scotland Province of Dunein: One of IB's most richly developed cultures, complete with its own language, Kerno, a puzzling government system, and a very old-fashioned mentality The Seimi: A pastoral, Finnic-speaking people in the Shetland Isles Wight: Visit this picturesque English isle and learn about the unique language once spoken there. Aonsdat Eireann: Homepage of the Irish Union, IB's high-tech leader Ameythad Arvorec: They still practice Paganism and speak the last surviving Continental Celtic language... learn more about these unusual islands at this high-quality site. |
| Eastern Europe in Ill Bethisad: Index to sites about Eastern Europe, including subpages on Russia, Ukraine, and the Vozgian language spoken in Russia. Nasesk Vesemir: Better known as Nasina or Nassland, this ancient republic speaks a language of the fictional North Slavic family. Skuodian: Another North Slavic language spoken on the Baltic coast. Republic of the Two Crowns: Another richly developed culture-- a modern continuation of the old Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (except they don't speak Polish, but Wenedyk). Nowtacie za Rzeipybielczej Dwar Korunar: News from the Repiblic of the Two Crowns. Principality of Oltenia: Beautiful, slightly "batty" nation that forms a part of Romania Slevan: Romance language spoken in Slevania (don't you dare call it "Slovakia"). Pemisi Krona Lonti: Learn about the sturdy, hardworking folk of the Bohemian Crown Lands. Dalmatia: Homepage for one of IB's first and best developed nations; this page also includes information on the republic's Balkan neighbors and its former colonies in West Africa. Hoimtat Xliponia: Learn about this wealthy Balkan nation and its rich, espionage-heavy culture. Modern Jovian: Sophisticated language of Jervaine, a High Kingdom just east of France. Pontifical Zouaves: The colorful corps dedicated to defending the Papal States |
| Embassy of New Francy: Diplomatic site for a monarchist French nation on the St. Lawrence The Laurentian Dictionary: Detailed guide to the common language of New Francy La Republique de la Louisianne: Struggling Francophone nation renowned for its wines. North American League: Homepage for a polyglot nation formed from former British colonies, Native American nations, and a few others who cared to join up. MP Geoffrey Sessions: IB's only website to date devoted to an individual. "This whole shoonammy thing was instigated by Louisianan space aliens from Mars. From Mars, Larry!" Felipese: Sketch of a Spanish creole spoken by Moorish descendents on the Rio Grande Montrei: A stunningly beautiful republic on the Pacific with its own unique language, Montreiano. Saint-Domingo on the Web: An up-and-coming Caribbean monarchy. Includes recipes! Map of the Floridas: Florida is currently occupied territory. Costanice: Learn about the Greek-descended language of Nea Illenicia in South America. |
| Map of Oceania: Overview map of the Pacific (Sadly, it does not include Henua). Indonesia: Not a single country, but an overview of the region of islands of Southeast Asia Australasia: Official sight of the parliament of of this strange amalgam of four former British colonies, one Polynesian kingdom, and a vast stretch of lawless Outback. |
| Credit where credit is due |
| IB is a collaborative world, and Henua is no exception. Marc Pasquin designed many of the images on this site, with some input from other members of the project. Marc also supplied the idea for the nationalist king who became Hakapuna. Padraic Brown has been the source of several great ideas, including some ideas on Henua currency, ecotourism, and moai. Nik Taylor has helped keep my ideas grounded in realism and has helped clarify Henua's relationship with the Japanese Empire.. Jan van Steenbergen and Dr. David Zahir have been part of the discussion on Henua since I first suggested it. Finally, Henua's character has been shaped by its world, and has been influenced by Nik Taylor's design for Japan, Carlos Thompson's work on the Kingdom of Castille and Leon, Wayne Chevrier's design for the Ecotopic Republic of Oregon, and Joe Hill's overall vision for the Pacific. |
| Sponsored by the Tourism Advisorate, Council of Te Pito O Te Henua, in cooperation with the Commission for Offshore Preservation, Ecotopic Republic of Oregon. |
| Cultures of Asia |
| Moghul: Constructed language based on Farsi, Urdu and Punjabi; spoken in the Moghul National Realm, straddling Central Asia and the Indus valley. Scroll down to look at Moghul honorifics. Noz (Zoggian): Language spoken by a very small, teetotaling tribe in Russia's Yakut Republic Map of the Empire of Japan: Shows Japan's constituent kingdoms and republics. |