Sovereign States

Claiming the lands between the Pyrenees Mountains and the Loira River , al-Andalus is the remnant province of an otherwise-forgotten culture of renowned scholarship and philosophical enlightenment.

The fertile valley at the heart of al-Andalus is home to Thousand Gardens, which exports rich delicacies across the Ecumene.

Amaranthine, also called the Amaranthe, is a technocratic island nation between the White-Shadow Sea and the Evening Sea. The island's physical geology is notable for its high level of volcanic activity.

The island is subject to irregular and unusual natural disasters, which some claim is the work of the occult, despite the nation's reputation for empiricism. For instance, the town of Pasteur was once plagued by a strange illness that made them unable to move their tongues. The city of Watt, once a central settlement, fell into a giant sinkhole crater without warning. In Fleming, the land was overrun with an unusual fungus that drove the local people to madness (though others claim it was a holy blight that could heal all ailments).

The island's population is led by the Provost, though the Chief Engineer, Principal Apothecary, and Director of the Academy of Natural Sciences sometimes serve in important official functions.

Arcadia, sometimes called Arcas, is an oligarchic nation-state that sits on the Tauric Peninsula , between the Black Sea and the Black Steppe .

The land itself is popular for its wilderness, with open fields and wooded glens as far as the eye can see—until one arrives at an impenetrable fortress. When the Great Conqueror Alexander came to the peninsula in his old age, he is said to have believed the land was the mythical Elysian Fields .

At Arcadia's southern end, there is a small area known as the Valley of Ghosts, said to be uninhabitable despite its serene appearance.

The Mountain Crow and Those Who Live Amongst the River Banks are a collective of tribes who reside east of the Sun's Reach Mountains and west of Mooneye River .

Asir is an absolute monarchy settled between the Black and Caspian Seas, beyond the Gates of Alexander , at the center of the Black Steppe .

The territory is surrounded by the rivers Don and Volga , with an interior wall rising on their banks. At the near-convergence of these rivers, they are connected by a man-made canal , where a drawbridge and the massive Gate of Asir stand waiting for those who believe themselves worthy to enter.

Though the region and its settlers are considered rich in many ways, foreigners are weary of traveling to Asir, for fear they may not be allowed through its great Gate.

Asir makes use of its valuable land in the Iron Sands and Iron Canyon regions, where iron is harvested. They are also specialized in the mining and trading of moonstone .

Existing between the Rhine and Loira Rivers, Aurelia is a republic born from the ashes of empire.

Citizens of the Republic view their country as a resilient bastion of higher culture, distinguishing themselves from the conspiratorial and savage kingdoms to the east.

The Kingdom of Basilia is a sovereign kingdom, ruled by a hereditary monarchy, claiming dominion over much of the land along the southeastern coasts of the Kraken's Sea .

The territory features many swamps and marshlands. The Sixteen Fortresses are legendary landmarks in the region.

Belisa'ma is a theocratic republic found on an easternmost island of Anthelia . The people of Belisa'ma hold a deep hatred of Skogfell and are distrustful of outsiders.

Castalia, once called Thule, is a sovereign protectorate state of Hellena, found on a small island , east of Hellena's mainland, in the White-Shadow Sea. It is renowned for its artistic institutions. Admission to these institutions is offered to any who seek to prove themselves in the realms of music, dance, theatre, illustration, architecture, and other creative avenues.

Many nations send their youthful prodigies to Castalia for many Seasons to learn and hone their craft, so that they may return to their homes and bring with them the Culture of the Castalians. As one Castalian stage actor is said to have boasted: "Genius is Castalia's only export. If there was anything else on this island, someone would have killed us for it long ago."

The Celtic Kingdoms are an assortment of monarchies with established territories on the islands Albion and Hibernia , including some surrounding smaller islands. These islands are found in the Evening Sea.

The climate of this region is notoriously cold and wet year-round, with extraordinarily little respite offered even during the Season of Radiance. For the inhabitants of the Celtic Kingdoms, this wet weather means gunpowder-based weapons such as cannons and firearms see little use on the islands. The Celts have come to reject such innovations regardless, widely perceiving them to be unreliable and dishonorable.

A Persian merchant, visiting the islands for trade and leaving empty-handed, described it as 'nothing but swords and stones, and a particularly distasteful obsession with killing witches by fire.' In this, he was most likely referring to the mass burning of witches during the Purge of Samhain, which saw the abandonment of the settlement of Wolfstone.

Druk Yul is a sovereign kingdom nestled near the Kangri Highlands . Its inhabitants live in small, remote villages. Citizens rarely venture outside their villages and very few outsiders bother to travel into the mountains to visit such secluded locations.

When Sapphiran slavers visited the kingdom during their Golden Age of Slavery, they reported back that a constant storm surrounded the region, making access impossible. However, when Incan traders later visited the kingdom, they found the weather remained clear and arid. This strange phenomenon represents a common legend of Druk Yul: one that suggests the territory and its people are protected by a dragon. A more grounded theory postulates that the region and its inhabitants are protected from outside threats by the enigmatic central intelligence LOTUS, who resides somewhere in the Highlands, likely somewhere near Drangmechu.

Echigo is a feudal island nation in the Morning Sea, south of Shenzhou.

When the Yamato of Edo sailed north after the Fire Tide to find more hospitable land, they discovered the Noh people had already claimed the territory now-called Echigo. Nonetheless, the Noh offered to share the land with the Yamato, in exchange for dutiful service in the Noh's war with the Hua Ren.

The famous Champions Carnival is held in the capital each year, where fighters, martial artists, and grapplers from all over the Ecumene converge to compete to determine who is the greatest among them.

The region is home to the rare mineral Dragonsblood , which is highly sought-after throughout the Ecumene for its purported healing properties, as well as for jewelry, pigmentation, and its use in scientific instruments.

Essene is a constitutional monarchy formed on the banks of the Varangian River , northwest of the Black Sea , and east of the Carpathian Mountains .

The Essene culture is well-known for strict adherence to communal roles, intense personal affections, charity to travelers and strangers, and their generational knowledge of the time before the Fire Tide. The people of Essene often dedicate their lives to studying the works of their elders and ancestors.

The first city of the Essenes, Shiloh, is still standing, but has been largely abandoned due to its proximity to the Sprawling Sandsea. Their closest city to the great desert, Simon, is hidden from plain sight, leading to the idiom 'somewhere in Simon' being commonly used when referring to something that is lost and not expected to be easy to find.

Essene is also one of the few known areas where one may find Emerald Ice Steel .

Found south of the Trader's Route , the Five Waters Nation is a confederacy consisting of many semi-sovereign clans. The origin of this confederacy is rooted in a long history , but whose ties remain strong in their collective defensive action against the Kangbe Empire and its predecessors.

Culturally, the region is a melting pot of various assimilated tribes. One infamous reason for this is the customary practice of mourning wars , whereby captive prisoners of war are 'adopted', and offered shelter and sustenance, as a substitute for a slain member of the family or clan.

Originally formed by a kratocratic alliance of Mongols , Buryats , Sakha , and Tuvans , Great Siberia, officially named the Great Siberian Federation, is a federal republic of many powerful provinces, each led by a provincial governor—a Darugha. The federation's territory encompasses much of the Central Siberian Plateau , between the Yenisei and the Lena River .

Great Siberia is the Ecumene's chief manufacturer of Tungsten bullets, and one of the largest exporters of timber and fur.

The Gothic Kingdoms are several sovereign territories that lie east of the Rhine River . The largest and most significant of these kingdoms are Great Moravia, Bavaria, and Bohemia.

The socially-feudal agrarian society of these regions is considered to be highly-stratified, with a stark contrast between the lifestyles of the refined nobility and that of the laboring peasants. Many Gothic peasants believe Gothic nobility are vampires. In turn, many of the Gothic nobility believe the Gothic peasants are werewolves.

Hellena, also called Hellas, and originally named Hyperborea, is a parliamentary republic settled on the largest island in the world . Hellena is a heavily populated nation-state with many large and magnificent cities, such as Tiresias, Menouthias, Pandosia, Astropolis, Anthracia, and Sarissa.

Hellenic society is ruled by the aristocratic Ecclesia. This assembly selects magisters to serve as provincial governors every five years. Once every ten years, they select an Archon—a figure both revered and feared by the populace. The Ecclesia also serve as judges in matters of national importance.

Hellena generates its wealth from diverse sources, including spices and wine, but its most well-known commodities include the legendary White-Silver Steel of its northern-most reaches and the Low Mountain Steel of its southern mountains.

Inaria is a nation-state found near a Hesperian peninsula , east of the Nordic Kingdoms territory.

Though sometimes considered to be part of the Nordic Kingdoms, Inarians mark themselves as a distinct culture through a unique language and semi-nomadic lifestyle.

The Inca Empire is a dominant imperial power of Western Anthelia, wielding considerable economic influence across the Ecumene.

Inca territory is centralized in the Sun's Reach Mountains . The capital, Sun's Height, can be found near the highest peak in the region. It is the most populated city in the world. At its most extensive, the Inca Empire was believed to reach both the northern and southern edges of the world. However, communication has been lost with those population centers that were once at the other end of the world. For this reason, the Inca call the Great Plains to their east, the Silent Plains.

The Inca people are known for their legendary feats of engineering, but most of their great wealth comes from their trades in agriculture and textiles. Their most-produced commodity is the potato, which is a food-staple across Anthelia. Inca gold is mined deep in the region's mountains as a lesser substitute of true gold . Inca cloth, however, is the true prize of the empire. Inca textiles, from elaborate floor coverings to simple, bright clothing, are incredibly popular across the entire Ecumene.

The Inca Empire is an absolute monarchy, ruled by the Sapa Inca or the Coya Pasca. In some cases, the two will rule jointly, if it is deemed appropriate by the Willaq Umu that appoints them. The Inca ruler is revered as divine by their subjects regardless. Depending on their disposition and general instinct, they are considered either the descendant of the Sun God (Sapa Inca) or the consort of the Sun God (Coya Pasca). As with any imperial sovereign, they serve as the judicial, cultural, and spiritual ruler of the empire.

The Inca sovereign appoints generals, governors, and inspectors, based on the merit of their work. They are advised on these matters by the Council of the Realm, who are the watchers and listeners of the empire. Inca citizens are sometimes poetically referred to as the Children of the Sun for their worship of the Sun.

Inca society honors three core principles by which all subjects must obey: do not steal, do not lie, and do not be lazy. From the last of these principles comes the Inca system of mit'a, whereby all able-bodied adults are conscripted into a labor-tribute system and assigned a role based on their exhibited ability. In exchange for their labor, the adult will be granted citizenship in the empire, regardless of their rank, station, or place of birth. Citizens are granted free access to public goods, such as food and medicine, and guaranteed protection from thieves, invaders, and marauders.

Throughout the Ecumene, there are many cities that claim themselves independent from any sovereign state. They often claim dominion over the city-proper, as well as the nearby lands.

Bishramsthal is a populous city-state located north of Persia, on an island in the Kara Sea . It was formerly claimed by the Novgorod Republic, who had used the site to hold prisoners and refugees. Notably, over time, an increasing amount of these refugees were people of Bangla descent, particularly after the Great Reconstruction of Shenzhou. It remains a place inhabited most prominently by the Bangla people, but also other political refugees, ideologues, and 'lost rebels'. Brahmic is the most common language in the city.

Djuna is a rural city-state located on a set of islands in the Evening Sea , north of the Celtic Kingdoms. It was founded by a coven of witches belonging to the Sisters of the Secret Fire, who are said to have chased away the warring Celtic and Nordic tribes fighting over the land. At the center of the city rests a fire that is said to have been burning even before the witches arrived. The island proves difficult to navigate due to the many crossroads marked only with riddles, which often leave outsiders lost and confused, never able to reach the city-proper, much of which is hidden by trees or built underground. Stories of ghosts, curses, and necromancy haunt the city. Evenstill, many attempt to reach the city when they or a loved one are dying of incurable illness, with rumors abound that the witches of Djuna possess cures for all ailments. The city is sometimes called the 'Orphaned Kingdom', due to the popular legend that its first king abandoned it one day, leaving behind no successor or clear instruction for finding one. The most commonly-spoken language is Celtic.

Eora is a city-state located on an island in the Morning Sea. Its closest sovereign neighbor is Echigo. Most of its inhabitants live along the island's coast and depend on the sea for their livelihood. They are regarded as experts in navigation, fishing, and cooking. They are well-known for their posture dances, wood-carvings, tattoos, and the open practice of cannibalism. They speak mostly through sign and other nonverbal language, using their voice only in ritualistic performances.

Kuba is a city-state beyond the Pyrenees Mountains , founded by the Pygmy people of Kinshasa. It is one of the very few permanent human settlements beyond Parallel 45. The people of Kuba are notable for their ancient, boisterous songs, and their preference for living among grovetrees. Surrounding the city is a savannah-prairie region where wild lions roam. Many people, both inside and outside Kuba, believe the beasts protect the city from those who would take advantage of the Pygmy people. The people of the city are known for adorning Woot masks.

Larsa is a city-state on the banks of the Volga River , founded by worshippers of the First Divines. It is an important city to the region, providing a neutral trading place for Persians, Qarans, Novgorodians, and Asirans, through which the kings, princes, and merchants of Larsa have become fabulously wealthy. The city is known for its grandiose architecture. Persian is the common tongue of the city.

Mauja is a city-state located at the highest peak of the Dragonspine Mountains. The city's controlled territory includes the forested hills nearby, and the valley carved into the ground near the base of the mountain, as well. The people of Mauja, called Nemi, are also known for their masterful weaving ability. The common language of the city is Vedic.

Scythian nomads wander the Black Steppe , west of the Dragonspine Mountains. They are a regular nuisance to settlements along their path, claiming that all land and sea on the planet belongs to them. They are led by shamans called the Enarei. They are sometimes called Askuzai. Their common language is Oghuric.

Taishan is a city-state located along the Siberian Sea of Ash coast. It was founded by a woman named Shun-Ru as a home to refugees of the Yamato invasion of Shenzhou. The primary language of the city is Zhou.

Thanadelthur is a city-state located at the center of the tribal lands of Anthelia, on the shores of Morning Light Lake . It is the only city of the region and bustles with activity at nearly every hour. It serves as a free trading post accessible to nearly every tribe and clan of the region. The most common languages in the city are Quechuan and Bizaad.

Although they boast no cities, or even persistent settlements, it is also worth noting two other sovereign groups of Humans, both remarkable for living below the Parallel 45. They reside on opposite sides of the world from the other. South of the Great Plains , in the region known as the Silent Plains, the Moonlight Plainswalkers roam and scavenge in the dark of night. South of the Old Merchant's Sea , the Saharan Nomads move from desert cave to desert cave to survive in the Sprawling Sandsea. The lifestyles present within these groups is not well-recorded in the memories, and they are very few in number.

Jiangshan is a country of vast, rolling hills , dotted by rural villages, almost entirely located north of White Water River , along Anthelia's northwestern coast.

Thousand of years prior to the formation of Jiangshan, the ancestors of the Shan Ren sailed from their shared homeland for a new life in a new world. Some of these pilgrims would come to live in a place called Dongtu, south of the White Water River, and Fusang , which was settled north of the river. Jiangshan, formed after the Fire Tide, developed from the peoples who had lived in these two regions. Xuejing, for instance, was a city first formed by the people of Fusang.

The region is known for featuring Jade and Dragonmist aplenty, but much of the country's exports consist of timber and fur.

The State of Jin is one of the oldest successive states in the world, with its foundations going back beyond the Fire Tide. It is one of the most outward regions of human civilization in the world as well, separated from Druk Yul by the Black Dragon River and from Echigo by the Sea of Ash , a marginal sea of the Morning Sea. Its mainland territory and its island territory are separated by the Mamiya Strait .

The Kangbe Empire is a large and diverse coalition of peoples who are descendant of long-ago kingdoms from a far-away land . This empire stretches from the Lion's Head Peninsula in the north to the Trader's Route in the south.

At one time, the Empire laid claimed to more of the continent of Anthelia than any other nation, but ambitious warlords, natural disasters, and foreign adversaries have largely kept the imperial ambitions of the Kangbe contained since the Fire Tide.

The Empire's major export is the Salt it gathers from mining operations across its territory. Drawing from this, some outside the Empire refer to it as the Empire of Salt.

The Kogi tribe is a largely-homogeneous group who live along the northern banks of the Strangers' River in the Great Plains region of Anthelia. Their territory is sometimes referred to as Aluna.

Traditionally wearing all-white clothing, the Kogi are known for their reverence of Mother Nature and an adamant dedication to nature. They live in circular huts of stone and mud, rarely venturing far outside their homelands. Many Kogi practice weaving and the gathering of herbs. These skills made them quite useful to the Inca, whose primary trade is in silk and other textiles. The Inca annexed the Kogi traveling lands as part of their greater Empire, but the Kogi were freed from the Inca by the Mura during the Great Plains War.

They are guided by a spiritual leader called Mamos, who acts as a respected leader and dedicated healer for the tribe. The Mamos must undergo rigorous preparation for their role, as they live in a dark cave for the first nine years of their lives. This process is meant to attune them to the language of Gaia.

The Lands of the Great Khans is a tribal confederation of nomadic pastoralists who are referred to as the Great Khans by outsiders, but refer to themselves as Mongols. Their territory extends from the southeastern basin of the Yenisei River , north to the Angara , and spreads east through Oia Hollow .

The nomads herd, breed, and hunt various kinds of wildlife, including the mighty mammoths of the steppe. Smaller bands of Mongol society herd reindeer and aurochs, particularly near the rivers. The Great Khans are noted as great warriors, wrestlers, and sharpshooters. Many unique forms of martial arts are found exclusively among these nomads.

The Mongol-controlled Erdene Zuu Monastery marks one of the southern-most points still reachable by Humanity.

Maharashtra is a culturally, linguistically, and spiritually diverse nation located on the West Siberian Plain , east of the Hazar River .

Maharashtrian cities are famous for their intricate, monumental stone architecture . Dense cities have been built on the vast plain, each one centered around stone temples with detailed carvings and sculptures.

Settled by a caste of elite Desi nationalist-warriors, and ruled for many centuries by the Velir dynasty of kings, the Maharashtrians are known to be highly structured, with a focus on scholarship and cultural pursuits, particularly literature and sculpture. The nation is rooted by a centralized administration and a detailed bureaucracy, but nothing is more important to the Maharashtrian society than free expression.

Much of the spice that flows through the Ecumene comes from Maharashtra.

Messina is an archipelago-based country that developed as a Hellenic response to Great Siberian expansion.

As the Siberians attempted their first takeover of sea-based lands, Hellena dispatched a large fleet to prevent them from crossing the sea. An edict from the Archon of Hellena stated that the fleet's sailors were not permitted to return to Hellena until the threat had been vanquished. As such, several generations of Messinians were forced to live at sea, aboard ships, until the Siberians had been fully pushed back onto their mainland territories. By the time the conflict had subsided, most Messinians had no ties to Hellena, beyond acknowledging their forerunners.

Messina's most notable characteristic is its massive navy, which is the center of its economy, culture, and even the personal lives of its citizens.

The Mozi Coast is a self-governing region founded by pirates, witches, freedom fighters, thrill-seekers, and outlaws. It is settled along a wide stretch of coastline of the Devil's Sea .

The style of rule here might be described as a minarchy. Disputes and internal conflicts are often settled by games of chance, rather than rule of law, which in-turn only serves to enforce the outcome of the games of chance.

Though some dispute its status as an official sovereign state, the region is governed persistently (if inconsistently) by a ruling Master of Ceremonies. This individual is elected on an annual basis at the Grand Banquet, an extravagant party thrown on the first day of the Season of Gathering. The region is defended by a vast and somewhat disorganized raider armada.

Muang is a small sovereign state located east of the Pillars of Creation , south of Shenzhou.

The small nation developed around a giant stupa called Mahavihara, which was built with the region's natural features in mind. Outside of Muang, the temple and the city that surrounds it are known as Grand Temple. The island and temple are sacred places to the Prince's Path, the practice of which dominates the culture of Muang.

The flora of this mountain region is much-sought after for medicinal remedies and recreational affairs.

The Mura people are a collective of nomadic travelers of the riverlands northeast of the Great Plains , who are noted for their adept skill in river navigation, fishing, and hunting. They are also known for collecting Salt on the banks of the rivers, which serves as their primary trade with outsiders. Otherwise, the Mura are typically hostile to outsiders (except their Kogi neighbors).

The Mura are known for their inverse social roles, whereby women are expected to protect and hunt for the moving villages, while men are expected to dutifully look-after the children and maintain the order of the village. This has caused, or is perhaps caused by, Mura women being significantly stronger and larger than Mura men.

The women's tribe is split into two groups: the hunting band and the war band. The hunting band delves deep into the rivers and far into the woodlands of the Great Plains to find sustenance for the entire tribe. The roaming war band protects the tribe from outsiders and raids outside villages for resources. Ultimately, the leader of the war band acts as the leader and primary decision-maker for the tribe, deciding who goes into which tribe, and deciding how the food and resources should be dispersed. She can only be ousted from her role as the dominant leader by death or being defeated in combat.

Mura men remain almost stationary, by comparison, building small huts of stone and mud that serve as seasonal shelter until the women's tribe decides it is time to move. Relative to not only Mura women, but also men of other regions, Mura men are somewhat small in stature. Much like the women's tribe, the men's tribe is grouped into two distinct roles: the older men serve as fishermen, Salt-collectors, herb-gatherers, and fruit-foragers. The younger men serve as sewists, healers, caretakers, and traders. Both kinds of men are expected to look after the children, as after the children can feed themselves, the Mura women are forbidden from entering the men's village to contact them again. Men who show aggression are cast-out or killed.

In the lowlands north-northwest of Great Bear Lake , east of the Great Serpent River , the Nahui Ollin Alliance invokes ancient names and trades many treasures to maintain influence across the Ecumene through its powerful tribute system.

Bustling marketplaces are abound in the Alliance territories, where merchants trade goods, from textiles to pottery to precious minerals, from across the world. Robust international trade, dependent on traveling merchants , facilitates commerce and diplomacy on behalf of the Alliance itself.

In Nahui Ollin, Ixpuztec is regarded as the principal deity. It is believed this deity emerges into the world in each generation as the God-King, who rules the Alliance through the force known as the Army of the Dead. Anyone is permitted to join the Army of the Dead, even foreigners, but in order to join, one must disavow all forms of material possession and swear an oath to fight as a soldier until death. In this, they are considered already dead by the time of joining the army.

Due to the cultural fascination with death, many cities in the region are surrounded by a standing necropolis.

The Divine Kingdom of Nerubia, sometimes called the Obsidian Empire, spreads north from Arcadia into the lower banks region of the Yaru River .

Historically led by a Pharaoh, but more-recently headed by High Priestess Berenice, Nerubia is the dynastic inheritor of the world's most ancient royal lineage. Their Blessed Pharaohs are thought to be descendant of the god-kings of Ancient Egypt , the Kingdom of Kush , and other Nubian cultures.

Leader of the Eyes of Horus cult, High Priestess Berenice's reign has brought the culture of the Hellenes to Nerubia, causing conflict with many of Nerubia's citizens. This has thrown the region into prolonged civil disarray for the first time in its long history. The High Priestess has claimed she shall have no heir, live forever, and rule eternally. The royal family of the dynasty of Ra now resides in Rajasthan, though still claim Nerubia as their own by rights.

Nerubia is a region filled with bountiful agricultural land, which is worked and tilled by many of the nation's citizens. It is also a major exporter of Salt.

The Nordic Kingdoms are territories in northern Hesperia, claimed by mountain tribes and sea-faring raiders, in the rugged, mountainous region between the White-Shadow Sea and the Kraken's Sea .

The tribes are populated by stalwart warriors of adventurous spirit, who can be identified broadly as Norse. Nonetheless, these individuals remain strictly loyal only to their clan and its leader.

Though known for their savagery, such as the common practice of placing rotting heads outside their homes to ward off evil spirits, the tribes of the Nordic Kingdoms are notoriously vulnerable to being rallied to righteous causes. In such scenarios, the Nordic High King or Queen (as elected by a Moot) will unify the many Nordic tribes and go to war for the just-side of the cause. Nordic mercenaries can be found across the Ecumene, and the Kingdoms themselves are a popular destination for those seeking to become soldiers of fortune.

Nordic society also has the uncommon attribute of lacking an easily-defined social hierarchy. There are monarchs and chieftains, and there are peasants, but there is no nobility or aristocracy, and any peasant may become a clan leader, or even High King or Queen, if the conditions are right. Nordic society also produces very few dedicated priests or merchants, as many Old Norse tribes thrive off hunting, fishing, and farming. There are also many mines in the region, searching for minerals and resources such as Arctite .

The Novgorod Republic is a mixed republic of mercantile traders and craftsmen, led by the Veche. Novgorod City serves as one of the Ecumene's primary trading hubs and is considered a particularly stable and peaceful region, making it a popular destination for refugees.

The Veche is an elected council of nine boyars, chosen from among the wealthiest estates in the cities. Aristocrats in Novgorod City, as well as other large cities such as Pskov and Kostroma, hold special status. This council meets once every five years to select a citizen of Novgorod to represent their diplomatic interests, who are given the power and title of Grand Duke. All land-owning masters-of-craft in the republic may vote, while peasants are forbidden from even entering the capital during this process.

Outside the cities, large swaths of farmland are worked by peasants, though owned by lords (of whom the Grand Duke is usually chosen). These farms are responsible for a significant portion of agricultural food across Hesperia and Siberia.

The city of Onfim serves as the academic capital of Novgorod.

Nunavut is a nation settled on islands of northern Anthelia .

The people of Nunavut live primarily as hunters and crafters, using the many creatures of the region as both a source of nourishment and cultural artifacts. These beasts include whales, bears, seals, walruses, charr, caribou, wolves, foxes, leopards, and frozen tyrants, among others.

The Nunavummiut people are unique for their building of igloo shelters and use of small stone landmarks called Inuksuk. These practices have spread to some other cultures in Anthelia after the Fire Tide, such as Hellena. The Inuksuk is frequently used for navigation and the marking of food caches.

Persia is a vastly-wealthy cosmopolitan nation found west of the Dragonspine Mountains and north of the Volga River . Its territory features many great domed palaces, bazaars, and intimidating forts, all decorated by expansive gardens.

Gardens are the most common sight in Persian cities and even the outlying villages. Art and architecture (and sometimes art of architecture) are frequently patronized by wealthy benefactors in Persia, as these patrons use their connection with popular artists as a way of seeking social advancement. Paintings of Persian nobility, cities, and landscapes often hang in inns and manors of even faraway nations.

Persian exports include many diverse resources and commodities, ranging from its unique golden silk to the common desert onion. Persian horse-bison are reputed to be versatile creatures, renowned for their adaptability to arid regions. It is also a major exporter of Salt.

Qara (or Aq Qoyunlu) is a centralized republic between the Volga River and the Dragonspine Mountains. It lies south of Persia. The origins of the nation are shrouded in legend, often involving a woman who broke the Qarans away from the collapsing Persian Empire by defeating the Immortal Legion with just six arrows.

Despite the cultural power of this story, Qara is most commonly associated with the stark contrast displayed between the lives of its men and women. Qara is a society ruled exclusively by men, where men hold all social, political, and economic power in the region. Women have few rights by law, and must vow to be obedient to a dominant male to gain access to shelter, food, and medicine. Women who do not 'belong' to a man are counted among the Unbound, who live as charity-dependent vagrants. The presence of such individuals is not allowed within the certain cities.

Qara, moreso than any other state, regularly encounters the roaming Scythian nomads of the Black Steppe , who the Qarans regard as barbarian savages.

Rajasthan lies in the shadow of the Dragonspine Mountains. It is a country of desert-dwelling, semi-nomadic feudal warriors, peasants, and pastoralists, led by the legendary Seven Judges. As one travels into the eastern parts of its territory, the expansive desert regions give way to a lush rainforest.

Like its sister-country Maharashtra, the region of Rajasthan was once ruled by the Velir Dynasty. These kings were overthrown by the Seven Judges—nomadic knight-errants, ascended from slave-knights to battle the Tereshkovian Matriarch Lymantria. These warriors, followers of a strict ascetic creed of the Apostles of the Angels, cut out their own tongues, vowing to remain ever-silent while they roam the territory from village to village, clan to clan, slaying witches and perceived evil-doers. The Rajasthani believe this will slowly but surely eradicate all Darkness from the world.

Though the Seven Judges rule and represent the nation absolutely, its day-to-day affairs are governed by the Ashtapradhan—a council of seven technocratic ministers. The group's most notable member is the Peshwa. Also included in the council is the Amatya (Finance Minister), the Sumant (Foreign Minister), the Senapati (War Minister), the Mantri (Domestic Minister), the Nyayadisha (Chief Justice), and the Panditrao (High Priest).

One Hua Ren envoy described the nation as a "sleeping tiger, rising from mist and jungles, ready to devour the order of the world".

The Remnant Union is a confederation of districts nestled in the northern reaches of the Four Mothers Mountains . Each district is governed by a local council, with each council identifying itself as representatives of a distinct tribe. The region is sometimes called the Four Mothers Nation.

The people of the Remnant Union are known for building large earthen platform mounds and houses with raised floors and open sides . They rely on maize-based agriculture, which is famously celebrated during their annual Green Corn Ceremony .

The Remnant Union view themselves as the legitimate descendants and scions of the original inhabitants of Anthelia .

The United Commonwealth of Sapphira is a merchant republic set on an Anthelian island in the White-Shadow Sea. It is governed by the Sapphiran Trade Cartel, itself formed by self-determining Trade-Princes and Trade-Princesses who claim sections of the island as their own private property. The Trade Cartel is concerned only with obtaining increasing amounts of wealth, and as such, mandates each member possess a dedicated syndicate of domestic servants and an army of slaves. The state of Sapphira is built almost entirely on this system of slavery and servitude.

Each free citizen of Sapphira is exceedingly wealthy, but most attempt to increase their material success by advancing in the Sapphiran social hierarchy. Many of these citizens have personal servants that attend to their daily needs and desires, labor slaves to maintain their sources of wealth, and slave soldiers that fight and die for them on-command.

Though some indentured servants or slaves find ways to escape, or in other cases are freed by their masters after winning their favor (considered an important aspect of the system to keep the slaves working), the Sapphiran Trade Cartel will often band together to raid other regions to find more. The other method used by Sapphira in gaining slaves is by buying-out foreign citizens, who will sell themselves into Sapphiran slavery so that their families may know great wealth, or so that their personal debts will be absolved, or to escape an even more-terrible fate. Sapphiran slavers depend on the desperate and destitute. At times, other sovereign states will sell the Sapphirans undesirable citizens of their own nations in exchange for goods or services.

The island is home to several mines, created for the purpose of finding Anthracite .

Shenzhou is a legalist, directorial republic east of the Yinshan Mountains , crossing over the Lengdong River , and reaching the Morning Sea. This region is extremely rich in mineral resources, high hills, and steep mountains, and experiences extremely cold winters. It is ruled by a rigidly-structured bureaucracy, led by an imperial dynasty.

Shenzhou boasts several large cities, including the capital Chang'an, Zhujiang, Tian Shan, and Yuanji. These cities feature dedications to ancient legends of the Hua Ren, such as the Yellow Emperor and Yu the Great. Many people of Shenzhou practice ancestor reverence.

The Hua Ren are known for their mining and creation of Silksteel and Wintersteel .

Silesia is an imperial nation settled along the Vistula River . Though ruled by a Kaiser, this conquering monarch is elected by the governing Sejm, usually on the basis of their military feats.

Danzig, a port city in the north, is one of the major trade hubs of the region. The nation of Silesia is also a major exporter of Salt.

Skogfell is a centralized nation-state found in the eastern reaches of Markland , east of the Iron River .

Skogfell produces and exports large quantities of fur and timber, much of which passes through its impressive primary trading hub, Stjörnufall.

The people of Skogfell are descendants of ancient voyagers who crossed the Evening Sea to settle new lands. This legendary history provides the foundation of the Skogfellian national identity.

Taima is an extremely enigmatic, reclusive, and violently isolationist nation-state located in the Kivalliq Region . During particularly desperate times, they have been known to offer trade with neighboring Nunavut and Mura Tribes, but they speak very little when doing so. They trade primarily in fur, fish, and jewels.

Tereshkova is a multicultural, independent nation located on an archipelago in the White-Shadow Sea, north of the Nordic Kingdoms.

Initially a colony of Novgorod, the Dukes of the Great City used the archipelago's islands to isolate prisoners and political dissidents, such as witches and anarchists, as well as refugees fleeing foreign conflicts. Mosuo and Utari refugees arrived in droves after the Great Reconstruction of Shenzhou. In exchange for allowance of the lands, the inhabitants were forced to work for and pay taxes to the Novgorodian Estates, primarily through fishing and whaling.

Favoring matrilineal property laws and a general segregation of men and women in day-to-day life, Tereshkova has been hereditarily ruled by a lineage of Matriarchs since its original formation during the Witch-Queen's Rebellion. Its governing bodies were originally controlled by practitioners of the Old Religion, but such practices have been discouraged since the death of Matriarch Thysania.

Oaths are considered sacred in Tereshkova, whether performed for legal or personal purposes. Breaking any such vows result in trials of severe scrutiny, and often execution, for persons found guilty. Oaths of this nature may include the promises of the Matriarch's Paragons, the vows of the clergy, marriage vows, and oaths of high-ranking Inanna officers.

Tales of the Inanna are famous beyond Tereshkova. These are the legendary rangers, particularly those who earn the rank of General, Marshal, and Warden, who serve to mete out the Matriarch's order across the Ecumene. They are known to be adept skirmishers, reconnaissance agents, and witch-hunters, though their abilities in full-scale warfare have proven to be limited.

The Three Fires Nation is a united nation of tribes found west of the Great Lakes , centering around the Lake of the Woods , and stretching east to the Trader's Route .

The Three Fires people are known for their use of birch bark scrolls to record their songs, maps, legends, and healing recipes. They are also distinct for their usage of sacred objects called totems in spiritual and communal rituals.

The people of Three Fires believe they have occupied this region for 5000 years .

Tiliku Tereroch, sometimes called Ancient Abyssinia, is a theocratic, unitary nation-state nestled in the Carpathian Basin .

Tererochian laws and traditions mandate that the nation's ruler is to be a blood-descendant of the ancient House of Solomon , and that each citizen follows the faith of the Apostles of the Angels. The people of Tereroch are, accordingly, deeply-devout. Much of their day-to-day life involves their faith, especially their spiritual traditions, their diet, and their forms of justice. Tererochians believe laws can only be created or changed through personally-experienced divine revelation.

The Whales of Abyssinia are fat, blind creatures, found only in the eastern parts of the Old Merchant's Sea . Their eyes, oil, and blubber serve as Tereroch's greatest commodity-exports to the rest of the Ecumene.

Toh Alin is a collective of semi-nomadic tribes living in the Great Plains region of Anthelia, between the headwaters of the Great Serpent River and region west of the Athapasca Waterways .

The people of Toh Alin place great emphasis on living in harmony with their natural environments. They also place great importance on ritual and ceremony, believing that when their ceremonies are no longer practiced, the world will end.

Outside of the tribal lands of Anthelia, the Gaan are known for their unusual medicinal remedies, silverwork, and decorative weaving. Travelers of the world have brought stories of a legendary figure named Nizhoni from Toh Alin to the rest of the Ecumene, who is said to have called upon a holy wind to keep the Fire Tide at bay and save her people by leading a ceremonial dance .

The Two Moons Union is a unique polity formed between the Maya people of Xibalba and the Inuit of Ulukhaktok Island .

The region is home to many large stone monuments dedicated to mapping the stars and understanding their meaning, including the famous Pyramid of the Moon.

Both the Maya and Inuit of Two Moons are known to harbor skilled artisans and mathematical savants.

Vrijhaven is a decentralized republic of independent municipalities settled on a peninsula of easternmost Anthelia . Through its extraordinarily wealthy merchant class, it controls a network of seafaring trade routes across the Ecumene.

It is separated from the mainland by a well-fortified isthmus . The territory's northern island of Mi'kma'ki is separated from the mainland by the Vrijkanaal .

The Yellow Grass Nation is a sparsely-populated territory claimed by nomadic tribes who roam the southern-most inhabitable reaches of the Great Plains , from Mooneye River to Whitesand River .

Though the cultures of this region are not uniform, many who live in this region make use of lodging tents called tipis and participate in the Sun Dance ceremony.