The foundation of the Kingdom of Antilia dates back to the early Diaspora, when Richard Saldana, chairman of the New Michoacan Company (based on the asteroid of the same name) moved all of the company's industrial plants to an asteroid in orbit around Antilia, a star system his company had discovered. The Kingdom was born from his wealth, based on his luck and skill as interstellar explorer, which had made him one of the wealthiest men in the Solar system. Saldana had always wanted greater independence from Earth, used his wealth to shift his power base from the Halo Colonies to that asteroid orbiting Aira (one of the planets orbiting Antilia). He also was a closet romanticist, fond of the literature and art of the romatic movements (and according to some, the philosophies and politics as well).
The New Michoacan Company became the Antilia Corporation for the after its resources were moved from the New Michoacan Asteroid to the surface of Aira. Forty years later, the Antilia Corporation became the property of the Kingdom of Antilia when Richard’s son was elected ‘Constitutional Guardian’ during a period of crisis caused by the technologies that the Transcendentals had unleashed. The replicator in particular worked a hardship on the Antilia Corporation driving down its value and eliminating a need for many of its products.
The Saldana and its advisors family proved itself resourceful, adapting to the circumstances by declaring a emergency and using the replicators to make sure that their people would be provided for. Then they concentrated on how to make money using the replicator and things that could not be duplicated with one. Finally, they concentrated on creating a stable political entity that could stand the tests of time, with the trappings they approved of.
With that the Kingdom began making incremental steps and small successes, concentrating on stability, providing for its citizens and making a profit. Stability was valued over all, but not at the cost of stagnation or being left behind or mindless conservatism. To that end the Kingdom of Antilia also built their own He3 mining system in the gas giants so that they were not dependent on anyone for fuel.
Antilia has been a constitutional monarchy ever since the constitution was ratified during the period of crisis by the shareholder-citizens. Queen Juana III rules today.
Fiercely Christian in its early days, Antilia restricted immigration only to those that were Christian. As their economy and the universe changed, so did the policy. One can still find many Christians among them (a majority in fact), but immigration opened to all 75 years after the great crisis.
Since those early days, the Kingdom has expanded to the other two less desirable habitable worlds of the binary Antilia system (Anhuib and Ansalli) and terraformed a marginal world (Ansesseli) and two moons of a jovian supergiant (Ansodi and Ansolli are the moons, Payaso the gas giant). Currently, the Kingdom is considering a Bishop Ring named Con, but it is only in the planning and study phases. Similarly, they are studying stellar engineering to redirect the solar wind of Antilia to make space industry easier to maintain.
Parliament consists of an upper house (the Peers) whose membership is hereditary, comprised of peers accepted to the House and Cadets, as well as peers' heirs. There is a lower house (the Commons) whose members are elected and who cannot be members of the aristocracy.
The Crown is the Head of State, and appoints a government from leading political parties in Parliament. The Crown's executive power is exercised by the responsible Cabinet, led by a Prime Minister who must command a working majority in the House of Lords.
The Kingdom of Antilia is wealthy and provides a high standard of living to its inhabitants. It does this with its advanced medical, nano and string technologies that it licenses out to other entities through the Antilia Corporation. The Antilia Corporation is owned and run by the royal family, making it state-owned. Because of this, the Kingdom of Antilia works closely with the Patent Office for its rights. It also earns money through its supplying of raw materials for replicators and He3 for fusion reactors. Because of these sources of income, the Antilians are always looking for new talented and creative immigrants, plus those that know how to operate in space, where they do most of their mining.
Aira
The capital world of the kingdom. Aira was settled by Richard Saldana, his family, corporation, admirers and invited settlers. Later, it became the financial hub of the Antilia, as well as the most populated world and center of government and military affairs. It is still home to the Saldana royal family and the Antilia Corporation. The capital city, Nuevo Antilia, is considered to be one of the most beautiful in the whole human diaspora.
Life on the worlds of the Kingdom of Antilia is fairly idyllic and a bit odd. From the viewpoint of the player it is like a world from a space opera – nobility, romance, intrigue, wealth, kings and queens – without all the drawbacks of those things usually imply (only a few of them actually).
It is also focused on long term stability. Well before Saldana spoke his famous quote, he intended for Antilia to be a long term proposition – the term being measured in planetary and stellar scales. Bearing this in mind, the society has been engineered for stability and endurance, not stagnation.
The style of clothing can be described as 'high tech Victorian with Renaissance elements' – a Victorian style and sensibility taking advantage of modern materials and techniques. The Renaissance elements include bright colors and the use of accessories by both sexes. High tech items, like personal computers, incorporate stylistic antique elements that makes them less jarring – a common version is a pocket watch shaped computer. Taoist designers for the 19th century and early 20th centuries can earn a very good living in, or from, the Kingdom of Antilia. Their architecture departs - is very airy, with clean lines and using lots of diamondoid in the structure and windows allowing in much natural light. Buildings use replicator manufactured advanced materials that mimic the look and feel of traditional wood, stone and steel, while taking advantage of the lightness and durability that modern materials offer. Commercial and government buildings tend to be very large as a status symbol (as well as the homes of the very wealthy), but others are appropriate to their needs and station.
Families in Antilia space are very traditionally nuclear, using cheap communications, telepresence, Infosphere access and transport for extended families to give support where they can.
The Kingdom of Antilia is destined to remain a minor civilization – its vested interests in stability and an archaic governmental system means it can only expand so far. Still, it isn't a bad place. They do place restrictions on what memes can be imported and circulated. The Stardwellers, Union and Replicants are only welcome under careful supervision and subject to expulsion for violation of the laws. The Kingdom does get along well with the Independents, and purchases goods and services from the Mechanicans as well (though their appearance is disturbing). The Tao of History is adored for the entertainments, but the Tao is both concerned and intrigued by the Antilians, currently negotiating for the rights to create Antilia centered entertainments. The Logicians are welcome, as fellow monarchists.
Common Name: Antilia
Benefit: Extra CV
Inspector Status: Equivalent to the FBI, Customs Inspector or RCMP.
Core Values: Tradition and Perseverance. The third is the player's choice – it can be any, but Order and Stability are common among the Antilians.
The Tradition CV provides an anchor to the Antilian civilization. Its primary purpose is to hold them together in the face of change and dynamic universe, giving citizens bonuses to actions that keep the kingdom intact (such as fighting off civ-wide metatech assaults, convincing other citizens to keep to their traditions, and the like). The Tradition CV doesn’t say that any specific tradition is important; rather, it is important to have traditions and to hold to them. It says that all traditions have worth and value, that they are what bring people together.
Perseverance is activity maintained in spite of difficulties or steadfast and long-continued application. This is the long view Antilians are known to have. As a Core Value it is used to maintain the long view and the long term goals of the Antilian kingdom (slow steady expansion into the universe) and its subjects.
| Civilization | Bio | Cog | Meta | Nano | String |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antilians | 1-5 | 1-5 | 2-8 | 1-5 | 2-7 |
