History ARG / Aristasia

* EntryPoint: ''Aristasia'' was initially played à la [[RolePlayingGame RPG]] and, therefore, no entry points other than starting a game. Nowadays, it has set up an embassy and a college in ''VideoGame/SecondLife''. From which you can access the ARG's content.

The Empire of Aristasia exists on another world (usually called Herthe) where there are no men. Everyone is feminine. Nevertheless, there are two sexes: [[BettyAndVeronica blondes and brunettes]]. Brunettes are the stronger, more dominant sex, [[LadyOfWar and hold most of the positions in the military]], while blondes are frailer but are regarded with reverence due to their [[HairOfGoldHeartOfGold higher morality and spirituality]]. One Aristasian publication describes brunettes as "twice as feminine" as contemporary earth women, and blondes as "ultra-feminine." Needless to say, blondes and brunettes in Aristasia can reproduce with each other, though the exact method remains undescribed. Most Aristasians are quick to note that, while hair color is a secondary sexual characteristic in Aristasia itself, on "Telluria" (earth), hair color has no bearing, and one's Aristasian sex is determined by personality traits.

Where does all this come from? A book series? A graphic novel? No -- while a few books have been written taking place in Aristasia, the largest part of the Aristasian community is centered around living the life. Aristasians seek to live as though Aristasia existed here and now. They form communities -- both virtual and physical -- where women take on the roles of either blondes or brunettes from the Aristasian provinces, dress in vintage garments, and act out schools, coffee shops, and movie theaters.

Aristasia has changed a lot since its inception. In 2006, the core group of Aristasians started a movement called Operation Bridgehead which posited a real, actual Aristasia and reincarnated Aristasians in human bodies, making them a sort of Otherkin. It also resulted in Aristasians invading VideoGame/SecondLife and setting up an Embassy and college there. This movement also tried to distance itself from the discipline aspect of Aristasia, and eventually entirely did away with it. As of 2013, the Bridgehead movement has abandoned the name "Aristasia" entirely, and now calls itself the "Herthelan Protectorate of Chelouranya."

* RecycledInSpace: In the early days of Aristasia, there was never any talk, really, of space-flight or high technology. The province of Novaria was seen as futuristic, but there was nothing said about what this really meant. A few video games later, Aristasians are all about Novarian "aethyr-ships." "The Flight of the Silver Vixen" is a newish Aristasian novel which features Aristasian girls on a spaceship. It has a sequel called "Goldenhead," which also features Aristasian characters on a spaceship.

Aristasia has changed a lot since its inception. In 2006, the core group of Aristasians started a movement called Operation Bridgehead which posited a real, actual Aristasia and reincarnated Aristasians in human bodies, making them a sort of Otherkin. It also resulted in Aristasians invading SecondLife and setting up an Embassy and college there. This movement also tried to distance itself from the discipline aspect of Aristasia, and eventually entirely did away with it. As of 2013, the Bridgehead movement has abandoned the name "Aristasia" entirely, and now calls itself the "Herthelan Protectorate of Chelouranya."

* EnsembleDarkHorse: The nation of Novaria featured in something like this. Initially, Novaria paid homage to 1940s and 1950s science fiction, with vaguely futuristic elements. Still, what this meant was never really fleshed-out, and, in fact, up until the early 2000s there was no Aristasian consensus on what Novarians even wore. Over time, though, as interest in video games and high technology began to permeate the core group of Aristasians, Novaria began to get more notice, culminating in Bridgehead, which some describe as Novaria essentially taking over the whole empire.

Aristasia has changed a lot since it's inception. In 2006, the core group of Aristasians started a movement called Operation Bridgehead which posited a real, actual Aristasia and reincarnated Aristasians in human bodies, making them a sort of Otherkin. It also resulted in Aristasians invading SecondLife and setting up an Embassy and college there. This movement also tried to distance itself from the discipline aspect of Aristasia, and eventually entirely did away with it. As of 2013, the Bridgehead movement has abandoned the name "Aristasia" entirely, and now calls itself the "Herthelan Protectorate of Chelouranya."

* AlternativeCalendar: Aristasia has it's own calendar that differs radically from the one commonly used on earth.

Where does all this come from? A book series? A graphic novel? No - while a few books have been written taking place in Aristasia, the largest part of the Aristasian community is centered around living the life. Aristasians seek to live as though Aristasia existed here and now. They form communities - both virtual and physical - where women take on the roles of either blondes or brunettes from the Aristasian provinces, dress in vintage garments, and act out schools, coffee shops, and movie theaters.

Aristasia has changed a lot since it's inception. In 2006, the core group of Aristasians started a movement called Operation Bridgehead which posited a real, actual Aristasia and reincarnated Aristasians in human bodies, making them a sort of Otherkin. It also resulted in Aristasians invading SecondLife and setting up an Embassy and college there. This movement also tried to distance itself from the discipline aspect of Aristasia, and eventually entirely did away with it. As of 2013, the Bridgehead movement has abandoned the name "Aristasia" entirely, and now calls itself the "Herthelan Protectorate of Chelouranya."

!!This series shows examples of:

* OneGenderRace: Aristasians are all-female. Got that? They will belabor this point forever. Both blondes and brunettes look like human women, and possess what, in their essentialist terms, is a feminine essence. Still, a gender-like division exists between them - see the part about blondes and brunettes above.

* PlanetofHats: Averted when it comes to the Empire of Aristasia as a whole, but mostly played straight when it comes to each province or nation within it. For most of these countries, the defining characteristic is their resemblance to a decade or era of Earth history. Later works expand on this, though, and give them a more balanced appearance, with things such as climate and religion being discussed.

* AudienceAlienatingPremise: Aristasia has never been terribly popular online, and never really caught on the way other subcultures (like otherkin, multiples, or soulbonders) did. Why? Well, think about it. An all-female world would appeal primarily to lesbians. Lesbians, though, are often quite liberal, and would shy away from the idea of a world trapped in a pre-1960s reality.

* ConfirmationBias: Though initially what was or wasn't alright in Aristasia was pretty straightforward, as the group began to expand onto the internet, the lines got blurry, and people began to look for ways to assume their own pre-existing beliefs were Aristasian. As an example, there was an exchange on an Aristasian forum about abortion. One girl said that abortion is abhorrent to Aristasia and always has been, while three or four others had gotten the exact opposite impression from Aristasia.
* ContestedSequel: This sums up how many people feel about Aristasia post-Bridgehead. Bridgehead was designed to make Aristasia more accessible and less problematic for most people, doing away with the discipline and relaxing standards of dress, as well as moving to Second Life as a venue. This alienated a lot of the so-called Old Guard Aristasians, a dispute that continues today, though the Bridgehead people have completely rebranded.
* ContinuityLockOut: Before Operation Bridgehead, it was rather difficult for a new girl to get involved in Aristasia because, as everything was very spread out over many websites, it was hard to learn all the customs and mannerisms that make an Aristasian persona believable.

* EpilepticTrees: Because Aristasia lacks an ultimate authority despite certain facts being well-accepted, fan theories of how things work can get pretty nuts. For years, nobody could agree on what kinds of clothes were worn in Novaria, and people would post images of supposedly Novarian dress ranging from 1960s haute fashion to Victorian garb to the sort of thing Princess Peach wears. Ditto for the question of how Aristasians exactly reproduce. Some of these theories gradually became canon, however.
* EveryoneIsJesusInPurgatory: In theory, the "meaning" of Aristasia should be fairly clear-cut - they are essentialists, after all. Alas, it isn't so, and hours can be spent puzzling over the real meaning of this or that fact of Aristasian life.
* FandomBerserkButton: Do NOT mention discipline, corporeal punishment, or spanking in general around post-Bridgehead Aristasians.
* FandomHeresy: The nearly-complete consensus among post-Bridgehead Aristasians is that discipline of the sort practiced by Miss Martindale has no place in modern Aristasia. Girls who disagree have allegedly been forced out of the community.

* LGBTFanbase: Duh - did you not read the rest of this page?

* OfficialFanSubmittedContent: Much of Aristasian lore is comprised of stuff Internet followers of the group came up with and submitted to wikis or blogs related to Aristasian. An example: for a long time, the mechanism of reproduction for Aristasians was left a mystery. Then, one fan suggested that they lay easter-like eggs which hatch. This was summarily adopted.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical: For many years, Aristasia WAS very political, with Miss Martindale weighing in on everything from sexual morality to British politics. Since Bridgehead, though, Aristasians have sought to avoid this. People still look for political meanings in Aristasian literature and practices, however, and usually conclude that Aristasia is in line with whatever they personally believe.

* UnfortunateImplications: This in spades, unfortunately. The whole subculture can be seen as misandrist, and has been accused of being racist due to hair color being a secondary sexual characteristic. That's not even going into the matter of corporeal punishment as it is practiced in Aristasia.

* One-GenderRace: Aristasians are all-female. Got that? They will belabor this point forever. Both blondes and brunettes look like human women, and possess what, in their essentialist terms, is a feminine essence. Still, a gender-like division exists between them - see the part about blondes and brunettes above.

* Matriarchy: Given that all Aristasians are feminine, yes, Aristasia is a matriarchy. Assuming, of course, that something can be called a matriarchy when no men exist. In terms of government, most Aristasian works portray brunettes as the dominant sex, making decisions and codifying laws. This is by no means universal, though, and, in the Aristasian canon, many queens are blonde. How much power they hold is up for debate, however.

* GenderRarityValue: Averted completely. Men are not seen as useful or worth interacting with in Aristasia - the myths about them describe them as very dangerous and to be avoided. In the later works where they are encountered, they are mostly grudgingly tolerated.

* PlanetofHats: Averted when it comes to the Empire of Aristasia as a whole, but mostly played straight when it comes to each province or nation within it. For most of these countries, the defining characteristic is their resemblance to a decade or era of Earth history. Later works expand on this, though, and give them a more balanced appearance, with things such as climate and religion being discussed.

* RecycledInSpace: In the early days of Aristasia, there was never any talk, really, of space-flight or high technology. The province of Novaria was seen as futuristic, but there was nothing said about what this really meant. A few video games later, Aristasians are all about Novarian "aethyr-ships." "The Flight of the Silver Vixen" is a newish Aristasian novel which features Aristasian girls on a spaceship. It has a sequel called "Goldenhead," which also features Aristasian characters on a spaceship.

* OfficialFanSubmittedContent: Much of Aristasian lore is comprised of stuff Internet followers of the group came up with and submitted to wikis or blogs related to Aristasian. An example: for a long time, the mechanism of reproduction for Aristasians was left a mystery. Then, one fan suggested that they lay easter-like eggs which hatch. This was summarily adopted.

* ContinuityLockOut: Before Operation Bridgehead, it was rather difficult for a new girl to get involved in Aristasia because, as everything was very spread out over many websites, it was hard to learn all the customs and mannerisms that make an Aristasian persona believable.

* ContestedSequel: This sums up how many people feel about Aristasia post-Bridgehead. Bridgehead was designed to make Aristasia more accessible and less problematic for most people, doing away with the discipline and relaxing standards of dress, as well as moving to Second Life as a venue. This alienated a lot of the so-called Old Guard Aristasians, a dispute that continues today, though the Bridgehead people have completely rebranded.

* EnsembleDarkHorse: The nation of Novaria featured in something like this. Initially, Novaria paid homage to 1940s and 1950s science fiction, with vaguely futuristic elements. Still, what this meant was never really fleshed-out, and, in fact, up until the early 2000s there was no Aristasian consensus on what Novarians even wore. Over time, though, as interest in video games and high technology began to permeate the core group of Aristasians, Novaria began to get more notice, culminating in Bridgehead, which some describe as Novaria essentially taking over the whole empire.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical: For many years, Aristasia WAS very political, with Miss Martindale weighing in on everything from sexual morality to British politics. Since Bridgehead, though, Aristasians have sought to avoid this. People still look for political meanings in Aristasian literature and practices, however, and usually conclude that Aristasia is in line with whatever they personally believe.

* EveryoneIsJesusInPurgatory: In theory, the "meaning" of Aristasia should be fairly clear-cut - they are essentialists, after all. Alas, it isn't so, and hours can be spent puzzling over the real meaning of this or that fact of Aristasian life.

* ConfirmationBias: Though initially what was or wasn't alright in Aristasia was pretty straightforward, as the group began to expand onto the internet, the lines got blurry, and people began to look for ways to assume their own pre-existing beliefs were Aristasian. As an example, there was an exchange on an Aristasian forum about abortion. One girl said that abortion is abhorrent to Aristasia and always has been, while three or four others had gotten the exact opposite impression from Aristasia.

* EpilepticTrees: Because Aristasia lacks an ultimate authority despite certain facts being well-accepted, fan theories of how things work can get pretty nuts. For years, nobody could agree on what kinds of clothes were worn in Novaria, and people would post images of supposedly Novarian dress ranging from 1960s haute fashion to Victorian garb to the sort of thing Princess Peach wears. Ditto for the question of how Aristasians exactly reproduce. Some of these theories gradually became canon, however.

* FandomBerserkButton: Do NOT mention discipline, corporeal punishment, or spanking in general around post-Bridgehead Aristasians.

* FandomHeresy: The nearly-complete consensus among post-Bridgehead Aristasians is that discipline of the sort practiced by Miss Martindale has no place in modern Aristasia. Girls who disagree have allegedly been forced out of the community.

* LGBTFanbase: Duh - did you not read the rest of this page?

* OurWormholesAreDifferent: In "The Flight of the Silver Vixen," the motorcycle gang flies the stolen Novarian spaceship through and "aethyr-crease," which leads to a different part of the galaxy.

* AllMythsAreTrue: Aristasian history features a lot of things that appear mythical, but which are implied to have literally happened. For example, legend has it that Sai Rayanna, the daughter of the sun, drove the demons away from Aristasia and founded the empire in the process. Aristasian works portray this as having really happened, and we even see some of the demons at certain points.

* AllPlanetsAreEarthLike: After slipping through the aethyr-crease, the Silver Vixen almost immediately finds itself near an earth-like world.

* AlternativeCalendar: Aristasia has it's own calendar that differs radically from the one commonly used on earth.

* AmazonBrigade: The Royal Novarian Aethyr-Command.

* WhatMeasureIsANonHuman: More like "What Measure is a Non-Aristasian," really. In almost all Aristasian fiction, it's made pretty clear that Aristasians, at least in combat situations, have no compunctions about killing "outlanders," particularly masculs.

* HumanAliens: Aside from the reproduction issue, the fact that blondes are incredibly weak physically (and brunettes impossibly strong), Aristasians can easily pass for human within the setting.

* BizarreAlienReproduction: Aristasians lay eggs, apparently. Or do they? It's not entirely clear, and is left deliberately ambiguous.

* BizarreAlienSexes: Chelani and Melini, colloquially known as blondes and brunettes.

* BoldlyComing: In "Flight of the Silver Vixen," a mascul ambassador seems to have seduced a political leader on an Aristasia-like world.

* CasualInterstellarTravel: The Royal Novarian Aethyr-Command pulls this off, and it's never really explained how, beyond the fact that crystals charged with solar energy are used.

* CoolStarship: The Silver Vixen is quite "zippy," as they say, being a highly experimental craft meant to maneuver quickly and travel at high speeds.

* DaysOfFuturePast: Aristasian provinces resemble time periods from the early twentieth century and before.

* DemonSlaying: The mythology of the Aristasian empire centers around demonic invasions of the Motherland in ancient times, which were defeated by Sai Rayanna, a sort of demigoddess. Still, even into contemporary Aristasia, some provinces, particularly those in the north, deal with demonic activity. A common saying: "The demon ever waits."

* DiscountLesbians: If you come across an Aristasian couple, you'd think they were homosexual, when in fact, provided one is blonde and the other brunette, they're heterosexual.

* TheTimeOfMyths: In the ancient Aristasian past, magic (phenagulism, they call it) was possible, and there were demonic invasions.

* EndOfAnAge: How Aristasians view the Eclipse of the 1960s.

* FantasticDrug: In "Flight of the Silver Vixen," girls use a meth-like drug called ophrasti, which invites demonic possession and aggression.

Aristasia has changed a lot since it's inception. In 2006, the core group of Aristasians started a movement called Operation Bridgehead which posited a real, actual Aristasia and reincarnated Aristasians in human bodies, making them a sort of [[otherkin]]. It also resulted in Aristasians invading [[SecondLife]] and setting up an Embassy and college there. This movement also tried to distance itself from the discipline aspect of Aristasia, and eventually entirely did away with it. As of 2013, the Bridgehead movement has abandoned the name "Aristasia" entirely, and now calls itself the "Herthelan Protectorate of Chelouranya."

While Aristasian society is wholly female, most Aristasians resist being called lesbians. After all, they are perfectly heterosexual most of the time: Aristasian blondes prefer brunettes, and vice versa. Another aspect of Aristasia often seen in the old media is discipline. Apparently, the Empire of Aristasia employs corporal punishment to keep maids from straying, ranging from light spankings to canings. Of course, this is purely for disciplinary purposes, and has absolutely no sexual aspect - how could you even think such a thing!
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The Empire of Aristasia exists on another world (usually called Herthe) where there are no men. Everyone is feminine. Nevertheless, there are two sexes: [[BettyAndVeronica blondes and brunettes]]. Brunettes are the stronger, more dominant sex, [[LadyOfWar and hold most of the positions in the military]], while blondes are frailer but are regarded with reverence due to their [[HairOfGold higher morality and spirituality]]. One Aristasian publication describes brunettes as "twice as feminine" as contemporary earth women, and blondes as "ultra-feminine." Needless to say, blondes and brunettes in Aristasia can reproduce with each other, though the exact method remains undescribed. Most Aristasians are quick to note that, while hair color is a secondary sexual characteristic in Aristasia itself, on "Telluria" (earth), hair color has no bearing, and one's Aristasian sex is determined by personality traits.

The Empire of Aristasia exists on another world (usually called Herthe) where there are no men. Everyone is feminine. Nevertheless, there are two sexes: [[BettyAndVeronica blondes and brunettes]]. Brunettes are the stronger, more dominant sex, and hold most of the positions in the military, while blondes are frailer but are regarded with reverence due to their [[HairOfGold higher morality and spirituality]]. One Aristasian publication describes brunettes as "twice as feminine" as contemporary earth women, and blondes as "ultra-feminine." Needless to say, blondes and brunettes in Aristasia can reproduce with each other, though the exact method remains undescribed. Most Aristasians are quick to note that, while hair color is a secondary sexual characteristic in Aristasia itself, on "Telluria" (earth), hair color has no bearing, and one's Aristasian sex is determined by personality traits.

The Empire of Aristasia exists on another world (usually called Herthe) where there are no men. Everyone is feminine. Nevertheless, there are two sexes: [[BettyAndVeronica blondes and brunettes]]. One Aristasian publication describes brunettes as "twice as feminine" as contemporary earth women, and blondes as "ultra-feminine." Needless to say, blondes and brunettes in Aristasia can reproduce with each other, though the exact method remains undescribed. Most Aristasians are quick to note that, while hair color is a secondary sexual characteristic in Aristasia itself, on "Telluria" (earth), hair color has no bearing, and one's Aristasian sex is determined by personality traits.

The Empire of Aristasia exists on another world (usually called Herthe) where there are no men. Everyone is feminine. Nevertheless, there are two sexes: blondes and brunettes. One Aristasian publication describes brunettes as "twice as feminine" as contemporary earth women, and blondes as "ultra-feminine." Needless to say, blondes and brunettes in Aristasia can reproduce with each other, though the exact method remains undescribed. Most Aristasians are quick to note that, while hair color is a secondary sexual characteristic in Aristasia itself, on "Telluria" (earth), hair color has no bearing, and one's Aristasian sex is determined by personality traits.

(Optional: URL for an image here.) ''The electronic train is now departing for Kadoria, Vintesse, Quirinelle, and other parts of Aristasia...''

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<<|WebOriginal|>>

Beginning roughly in the late 1960s at Oxford, Aristasia began (as far as anyone around today can tell) with a group of young women disillusioned by the cultural changes of that decade. They saw the cultural upheaval of the 1960s as the end of civilization, and responded by seceding from mainstream society to form a culture, and, ultimately, a country, of their own.

The Empire of Aristasia exists on another world (usually called Herthe) where there are no men. Everyone is feminine. Nevertheless, there are two sexes: blondes, and brunettes. One Aristasian publication describes brunettes as "twice as feminine" as contemporary earth women, and blondes as "ultrs-feminine." Needless to say, blondes and brunettes in Aristasia can reproduce with each other, though the exact method remains undescribed. Most Aristasians are quick to note that, while hair color is a secondary sexual characteristic in Aristasia itself, on "Telluria" (earth), hair color has no bearing, and one's Aristasian sex is determined by personality traits.

Aristasia is divided into several provinces, each corresponding loosely to a period of earth history prior to the cultural "Eclipse" of the 1960s. Vintesse resembles the 1920s, with Aristasian maids dressed as flappers and dancing the Charleston. Quirinelle, conversely, is tied to the 1950s. Kadoria resembles the 1940s (without the war, of course!) and Trent corresponds to the 1930s (but without the worldwide financial crisis.) Other provinces correspond to the Victorian era and ancient history. There is even a small island called Infraquirinelle, which resembles the "acceptable aspects" of the early 1960s.

While Aristasia, society is wholly female, most Aristasians resist being called lesbians. After all, they are perfectly heterosexual most of the time: Aristasian blondes prefer brunettes, and vice versa. Another aspect of Aristasia often seen in the old media is discipline. Apparently, the Empire of Aristasia employs corporal punishment to keep maids from straying, ranging from light spankings to canings. Of course, this is purely for disciplinary purposes, and has absolutely no sexual aspect - how could you even think such a thing!