Amatom

If any one nation brings fear to all others it is Amatom.  It is home to the Amatine gnomes and the only nation that allows the cult of Amat to legally exist.  Unlike most of the great nations, whose histories are well known, the history of Amatom is shrouded in history.  It is generally agreed upon that Amat founded the nation soon after the island of Ekarude was created.  For nearly two millennia, the gnomes who lived there did so in secret.  The islanders that may have seen them were so removed from the rest of the world that they would have had no one to tell.  It was not until Amat’s imprisonment in the moon that the nation of Amatom announced its presence.

Chlorin Meo, the great-grandson of Amat, was the first ruler to meet with the leaders of other nations.  He expressed his interest in starting a dialogue between his gnomes and the rest of the world.  Those appeals fell on deaf ears.  Three hundred years later, the War of Technology brought the gnomes of Amatom another opportunity.  The nations had no choice but to accept their help.  Although there is still a great deal of mistrust and animosity between Amatom and many of the other nations, there is some trade and negotiation.

The gnomes of Amatom are filled with anger and bitterness for the treatment of Amat.  Most would like nothing better than to conquer the world.  Luckily for them, the average Amatine gnome is smart enough to know that they cannot do it.  Without Amat and with no allies among the other nations, the plans they once had are only a dream.  The leaders have begun to plan for a nation that may see a day when they are forced to live with, and not above, the other races.

Amatom is a nation ruled by power.  The leaders are those who are strong enough to hold that position.  By the time a leader is no longer the best at what he does, he has probably already been eliminated.  The ruler of the nation has always been the direct descendant of Amat.  Blessed with long life and skill beyond his peers, the ruler has complete control.  He appoints the best gnomes to other positions.  The common gnomes have little say it what goes on.  The only other power base comes from the cult of Amat.  The followers of the imprisoned deity still strive for his release.  But even their faith has its limits.  The cult has been shrinking for hundreds of years, and its influence is waning.

Life in Amatom is good for all those who obey.  It is easy for the rulers and the cult to keep their nation when all they need to do is point to the night sky for inspiration.  Food, clothing, metals, ores, and wood are all in adequate supply, despite the nation’s limited trade.  The gnomes of Amatom excel at nearly every profession.  They learn both the ways of magic and the ways of technology, and use both in everyday life.  Every gnome is educated, but few have a choice as to what they are educated in.  Females have different roles in society, except on the rare instance when one shows skill far beyond the norm.  Children are a great blessing, and a grateful nation rewards those who have many of them.

Amatom is home to several traditions that can be found nowhere else in the world:  the open use of magic and technology, the allowance of the cult of Amat, and the acceptance of the Amatine Assassin.  The most deadly killers Habololy has ever known all come from the nation of Amatom.  The most skilled gnomes are chosen to become assassins, who are considered heroes and patriots.  They are the primary reason why the rest of the world will not accept Amatom.

NOTABLE PERSONALITIES