Atlantis Geography

While the origins of the underwater subspecies of humanity, the Atlanteans, are unknown, the origins of Atlantis itself are well-documented.

Originally, Atlantis was an island-continent, roughly the size of Australia, rising to prominence some time between 20,000 B.C. and 18,000 B.C., being a nation of explorers and sea traders. One expedition reached the hidden Savage Land. During this time, the ocean level was lower, as it was still in the last ice age. Lingering tales of Atlantis inspired Plato to use it as a setting for one of his treatises during the Classical Greek era. The northernmost reaches of Atlantis were covered by glacial ice; the southernmost point of the continent sat due west of modern-day France.

Around 18,000 B.C., during the reign of King Kamuu and his wife, Queen Zarta, both renowned warriors, tragedy struck. The continent (in truth, the entire world) was shook by earthquakes as the ice age came to an end. These earthquakes, combined with flooding from rising water levels, broke up Atlantis. Many died, and the remaining population of Atlantis scattered, merging into the indigenous populations of the Americas, Europe, and Africa.

At some point following this, the Atlantean people appeared, a nomadic people that soon divided into various tribes who spread across the oceans.

Over twelve thousand years after Atlantis sank, or around 6,000 B.C., a young Atlantean warrior stumbled upon the ruins of the old capital city. Somehow able to read the ancient Atlantean texts, he learned of the reign of Kamuu and Zarta. Leading his tribe to the ruins, this young Atlantean took on the name Kamuu, and his wife changed her name to Zarta, declaring their intention to restore the city.

It's not known when the Atlanteans first started worshipping the Greek god Poseidon, in his Roman name of Neptune. However, the practice has persisted for at least the last two thousand years.

The first recorded contact between Atlanteans and baseline humans occurred in the early 1920s, when Princess Fen, the adventurous daughter of King Thakorr, sneaked aboard an American icebreaker in the North Atlantic, the Oracle, and married the captain, Leonard MacKenzie, after learning English from him. However, while tales circulated during the '20s and '30s about the undersea people, they were mostly disbelieved or remained unproven.

Atlantis first came to the world's attention during the opening days of World War II, when the adventurous and brash Prince Namor, the half-breed son of Fen and Leonard MacKenzie, calling himself the Sub-Mariner, came to New York City in a misguided attempt to conquer the surface world. Namor's wrath was soon tempered by police secretary Betty Dean and the android Human Torch, and he pledged Atlantis's support towards the Allies against Nazi Germany. To that end, Namor joined the Allied super-team called the Invaders.

Thakorr died in 1957, prompting Namor to return to Atlantis to take up the throne. In 1975, Atlantis was finally accepted as a member of the United Nations.

Today, Atlantis is a thriving city, supported by farms of seaweed and farming of various types of fish for food. Although lacking fire, except in a nearby volcanic vent, Atlantis is able to grow and shape coral and other materials. There are various crafting guilds and entertainment troupes in the city, a standing militia, and a university.

However, things are not always peaceful in Atlantis. The barbarian Attuma has recently learned of a prophecy of one who would conquer the city and began plotting means to take it over, including a number of sieges over the last few years. In addition, Namor's cousin Byrrah, a pure-blooded Atlantean, has been plotting to overthrow Namor for years. On top of all that, Atlantis has proven to be rather hostile to companies and countries that engage in off-shore drilling.

First Post-Reboot Appearance: LOST WORLD OF ATLANTIS #1.