The Seven Nations

Andaliel

“Let us not focus on what makes us different, but what makes us all the same.”

The Northeastern nation, the Republic of Andaliel runs under a parliamentary system of government. Most of it is rather temperate, save for its frigid northmost regions. It is one of the most powerful nations and despite being created by Iomadi, is ruled by many races making up its parliament. Elections happen every two years to prevent anyone becoming tyrannical, but an incumbent is allowed four terms, and incumbents tend to stick around – either as members of parliament or when their terms are up, to other offices. Andaliel is considered the most advanced and civilized country in the world – though after witnessing one of the bitter political scraps in its parliament, one might change this consideration. It is currently led by Prime Minister Ulysses Pathor and the parliament of the Republic.

Common Knowledge: The Intolerable War was practically ended when a rebellion broke out within the Emderuer Hegemony, the remnants of the old Iomadi Empire. The rebels sought the same freedom as those rebels in all other of the empire’s lands, but the difference was that these rebels were citizens of the imperial homeland, and fighting behind the front lines. The rebels had the upper hand from the beginning, comprising the sturdy people of the mountains, plains and forests of northeastern Adel. When the war was won, Timaeus Andal, leader of the rebel army, surrendered his weapons to the people of the new nation and declared that institutions and rules, rather than the simple will of one man, will be what rules the new nation. The Eternal State of Man, a controversial document that brought these revolutionary ideas to Emderuer’s people in the first place, was used to create a new nation – Andaliel.

Andaliel is now ruled by the elected parliament and the parliament’s elected Prime Minister, Ulysses Pathor. Both have the full support of the people, though at times the government’s internal disagreements makes certain folk wonder. Oddly enough, the scraps, however bitter and sometimes violent they can become, always end with a decision, and the nation has never once been paralyzed. The people are extremely proud of their unique government, and voter turn-out is very high. They are also extremely proud of their national spiritual symbol, Catarina, the Nation Spirit of Andaliel, who resides in Oomash.

Regional Features: Andaliel stretches across the entire northeast of Adel, sharing borders with Noshiki, Emderuer and Periterim. The Hetuku Mountains hold two of its major cities, and there the weather is cold and harsh as it can be. Below the mountains lies the forest region of Impel, a large area clear-cut for the City of Impel, an important trading post, and numerous villages sharing life with the trees tall and small, but also having cut space for their own crops. Further east lie the Southlands, plains and hills encompassing vast fertile train reaching towards the coast and divided by the Northeastern branch of the Meridian river. The Southlands comprise most of the food production in Andaliel and are also important routes for trade from Noshiki and Periterim. It is for the most part composed of numerous farming villages and towns, with scarce few larger cities and none even close to reaching the size of Impel or Oomash.

Architecture and culture increase in complexity as one moves from the southlands up to Impel and then to the Hetuku. The people in the Hetuku lead vibrant, almost hectic lives, brushing shoulders with the wealthy and elite, scrambling for opportunities here and there, waiting for that big stroke of luck to come. Buildings of stone so sleek it appears to be steel, of actual steel, of spirit-wrought diamond, or of concrete are more common and the cities are rigidly and efficiently planned, though this does not stop congestion of the streets. In the Southlands, lives are slower, simpler. People are closer and communities smaller and tighter. The changing of the seasons is more noticeable to people who live off the land, and their connection to nature and the spirits is tighter. Homes of wood are more common, and are simple and easy to care for, with relatively few luxuries or magical/spiritual trinkets to make their lives easier. The Impel region is a mixture of the two extremes, where the two cultures mingle and exchange tradition and experience. Andaliel has one of the largest concentrations of Iomadi citizens in Adel.

Oomash: Settled into the Hetuku mountains, and nigh unassailable, Oomash is the capital of Andaliel. It is however very cold and relies on its outer possessions, such as the Shadash islands (now called the Fern Isles) to the east of it, or the farming communities further south of the mountain, for most of its sustenance and supplies – though things like bear and bat meat can be found as peasant food in Oomash. Oomash is a large, bustling city, comprising the leadership of the nation and its most influential people, among numerous others trying to make a living. The city is settled on a large, dug-out niche in the mountains, connected to the outside world by tunnels. Thanks to teleportation circles, travel to it is much easier, though many still use the tunnels. Due to the lack of horizontal space, buildings are very tall and people and business often have to buy or rent floors of a building as opposed to a whole. Violin duels, partner dance clubs, crowded streets, a massive market and the marked presence of government and its monuments color the appearance of Oomash and its characters – savory and not.

Lilicor: An unremarkable place, Lilicor is a residential city serving as a halfway point between Impel and Oomash. It was built on the face of the Hetuku by using magic to draw out a number of massive cliffs from the mountain, forming a platform for the buildings. Teleportation circles connect it to Oomash, and most people go there to work, have fun or shop before returning to Lilicor to rest, eat or relax. Lilicor is a city of homes, not sights.

Impel: A city encased in a protective wall and bisected by a massive trading road, Impel is both the name of the largest trading area in Andaliel as well as a region of natural land (often referred to as the Impel Forest or Impel Villages to distinguish it from the city). It is a bustling town where the further away one lives from the road, the less one sees and hears from anyone. Impel’s edges and back streets are home to a seedy underworld, but the closer one gets to the road, street vendors, carts, fast food, roadside performances and all manner of exotic products become the chief sights. Under the blue sky, all manner of business is conducted in Impel’s main road, and it is the dream of any merchant to be able to settle down when the road is quietest and then to sell out when the road is busiest.

Southlands: A massive rural area where life is simpler and the government’s reach much less pronounced. Small agricultural villages and towns with simple people and greater spirituality and ties to the land. The people here hold a great respect for their nation’s past and a greater connection to its folklore, legends and icons. Those living on trading routes see all manner of “odd folk” going up and down, but in the most secluded areas, an exotic creature or person might see a lot of attention. Agriculture is the main industry, but the making of textiles and the digging of mines in certain areas are also important, as well as the small ports in the coasts and near the rivers, designed almost as though solely to meet Periterim ships rather than send out their own.

Periterim

“There is prosperity to be found, if you work for it, claw for it, and climb atop the bodies of all those vying for it.”

A powerful coastal nation, ruled by a small party of powerful business interests, situated on the eastern coast. They are famous for their powerful and swift cavalry and strong navy, and for being economic and military bullies as well as wealthy and prolific businesspeople. They have river connections that allow them trade with outposts from almost every one of the nations, and their agricultural and fishing businesses, as well as their production of luxury items like paper and fur clothing from their vast natural resources, have made them a powerful ally to be had. Their only enemy is their business rival Sargasso.

Common Knowledge: During the intolerable war, business ground to a halt, and the rebels and the merchants began to cut deals. Soon there was no disconnection between them – the rebel leadership were the merchants and the merchants were out fighting. Once the land gained its independence, its leadership quickly and efficiently (almost dispassionately) set about rebuilding, compensation and their goal. The Nation became a juggernaut of trade by offering not only resources, but the means to import them. Their river sailing was legendary, as were their caravans. All business on the eastern coast of Adel was conducted with their help – and they would have had ALL business, period, had it not been for Sargasso. The rivalry between the two nations has been schizophrenic – at times good-natured and even chummy, and sometimes bitter, violent and merciless.

Periterim is ruled by the Bete Party and its ruling council of ten members. They tend to always be in agreement with each other as to what’s best for the nation, and typically what is best is what is generating the most revenue. They keep the people happy with welfare, gifts of land, a steady supply of good-paying jobs in expansion, agriculture, mining, sailing, the army and more, all of which are controlled by the government. All large business goes through the government. However, some people are just completely unpleasable – and the Bete do not even bother to try to please them. The members of the Bete rotate to allow young, ambitious members to have a shot every so often and allow the older members to enjoy their money, so the names of who is on the council change constantly, enough that people cease to track it.

Regional Features: Periterim’s weather ranges from comfortably tropical, to hot, to wet and rainy. It offers a rather wonderful climate mostly year-round, and is a great spot to go on holiday to. Athirua fashions are in vogue here for the comfort they provide in the tropical heat. The difference in climate from the south and north make it a prime spot to grow staples like coffee, sugar, and tobacco. The area’s ports are very active, and any city close to a major river will have a healthy shipping business. Though storms sometimes hit, usually during the summer when water spirits are most active, the weather is relatively tame for sailing.

The construction in these tropics uses mostly concrete, bricks and clay, and buildings are typically short but wide. In the richer areas, a few taller and more stately manors can be seen. In the slums, construction is done with whatever the locals can scrape together. The tropical culture is hot, fast and sensual, with the local lore and popular fiction involving either violence or romance, or both. Animal sparring (or in less than legal circuits, the use of personal spirits in duels), and “gentlemanly violent” sports and duels are well respected, if now mostly illegal to the distaste they cause in tourists and foreigners. The locals in larger cities, especially closer to the coast, are home to many a braggart looking for a challenge, be he a swashbuckler, an adventurer, a gentleman or a thug. Periterim has perhaps one of the largest populations of Athirua in Adel.

Sialsol: The capital city of Periterim is a luxurious vacation spot and well-defended fortification, where beautiful beaches and stretches of reefs mingle with defensive steel walls. Ironically, perhaps the easiest way to attack it would be from the sea, were it not for Periterim’s legendary naval power and the reef and sea spirits at their command. The streets of Sialsol are wide and there are many sights, natural and fabricated. It is an attraction to people on holiday, and caters to travelling merchants and tourists almost more than to its own citizens. Foreigners commonly find themselves wondering where the locals go and what they do when there aren’t any tourists to take care of. The city is set on a light decline, coming down lightly from a hill and into the coast. Though not very steep, the effect nonetheless makes it susceptible to flooding, so tribute to water spirits is constant and crucial, as well as the support of the city spirit Olokun, a great sea turtle who rests in the center of the city for all to behold. Sialsol has had a criminal problem thanks to all the shady business and secret sport that occurs in its little known underground, one that is literally underground, in a series of abandoned tunnels.

Cudamba: At the northern border with Andaliel lies Cudamba, the second major city in Periterim. It is a bustling trade city on hills, which also sees commerce from Noshiki to the east, and serves as a major point for Andalian merchants trying to get Noshiki goods easily. The Lord of Cudamba is known as “Patron Korom”, and is the total opposite of what most imagine a merchant to look like – strong, tall, the contour of his muscles noticeable from under his expensive robes. The Patron looks out for his people, and gives them jobs and preferential treatment over foreigners and strangers. As with all lords, he desires money – but he does not offer simple terms to the foreigners and is always keeping the interests of Periterim first. That’s why he’s in the border – to talk tough to the Foreigners when tough talk is needed. The city is far less complex and showy than Sialsol, almost having more in common with the Andalian Southland just across the border than with the luxurious coastal cities of Periterim. Caravans come and go on an almost daily basis, and the people see oddities with such regularity than nothing registers as truly foreign to them any more.

Nupke To: Better and more commonly known as the Rotgulch. Off-center to the south of Periterim, this swampy, thick area is oft avoided, and connects to Selvage. In fact, it used to be Selvage territory. Clouds hang over it, the water is muddy, and an eternal gloom makes shades and shapes trick the eyes in every spot they care to look to. Certain areas, the water is deep enough that it would reach the chest of an average adult, and so boats have to be used to navigate it. Strange things happen in Nupke – disappearances, dumping of bodies, stashing of treasures. The local spirits are enigmatic and probably ruthless. Black dragons are said to inhabit the swamp. It is overall a very dangerous area, quite often left well alone.

Gujat: To the east of the Rotgulch is the Gujat region, from the edges of the Rotgulch to the borders of Noshiki and Selvage, an area where rich trading communities along the rivers leading to Selvage and the ocean, mingle with slums and impoverished settlements and villages. The closer to the river, the better and more upscale the community, while the poor and kept living closer to the swamp or nearer to the forests. The Gujat is known for having a high concentration of displaced immigrants from other nations. The Gujat, and the Rotgulch, ancestrally belonged to Selvage – they are possessions of Periterim as of the end of the Intolerable War, and development into them has required a subjugation of the population. Many have been shown mercy and hope through cooperation, but many more claim that the Periterim only want to destroy their identity by incorporating them. This area is a wound on Periterim, and whether it opens or closes depends on the season and the events that have transpired.

Emderuer

“Honor cannot be forgotten; for it is a bow to an elder or the curtsy of a lady, simple courtesy, that makes us unlike beasts.”

The remnants of the once-great Iomadi Empire of Tishik, Emderuer is the half of Tishik that remained after Andaliel’s formation and split. The people of Emderuer, fearing the change and questioning the stability of the new nation, remained where in the soil of their ancestors. Tradition and reverence are the ties that bind Emderuer. Conservative attitudes and a distaste for radical ways of thinking color the lives of the people there, and Emderuer serves as a snapshot to the past, to the time before and during the Intolerable War.

Common Knowledge: Ruled by Queen Peshe Trelliam, Emderuer is governed by monarchy. Though her blood connection to the ancient kings has been constantly disputed, and her name is anything but traditional to Emderuer, the Queen is still respected and loved by her people, and she has become quite adept at discrediting her detractors. Peshe, a rather young queen at 33 years of age, whereas most kings were in their 50s, and one of the only Queens to have ruled without a king, has had to become strong and cunning beyond imagining to keep her nation under control. Nobody dares upset her, but not only out of fear. Many tavern brawls occur when an outsider takes the queen’s name in vain.

Emderuer has no constitution or governing document and no parliament or council, unlike every other nation where there is at least some mildly independent bureaucracy, even if only for show. The Queen has control over all aspects of governance and spends her days very busily governing. She takes two days off of each week. As well as being Queen, she can also serve as an arbitrator, and oft has to listen to people who have come from far and wide for their disputes to be settled by the queen.

The relationship between the people of Emderuer and Andaliel is complex. Their nations, officially, are allied. They trade, give each other gifts and protect each other should problems arise. The helping is rather one-sided – Andaliel gives more than it takes and Emderuer asks for more than it offers. However, the people themselves are rather ambivalent about each other. The opinions of Emderuer’s people range from seeing Andaliel’s as kind, intelligent people, to arrogant, nearsighted ne’er-do-wells and radicals.

Regional Features: The northmost area of Emderuer is part of the cold Hetuku mountains. Unlike Andaliel, Emderuer has no cities or racial groups living in these areas. The north mountains and forests are dangerous, the proving grounds of Koyki, the spirit deity of slaughter, and of other evil spirits. It is known as the Iokai region and is a source of bad omens and disturbing tales. It is avoided except by the foolhardy.

The center of Emderuer plays host to Kima. It is settled into the Reekoh forest and surrounded by hilly forest villages where nuts and fruits are gathered and meat and fish collected. The Reekoh area is somewhat cold, but nowhere near as much as the Iokai and Hetuku regions. The forest becomes very red and brown in the winter and fall, and is a beautiful sight that many travelers go to each year, especially those interested in spirits. The outlying cities of Topaz and Lindul connect to Noshiki and Sargasso respectively. Topaz is a port, on the north-central area of the Meridian river; Lindul lies in the more tropical area on the border to Sargasso.

Cities are very uniform in architecture, left over from the old Empire. The great castle of Kima is built of stone and looks rather traditional, a massive brown fort with many flags waving the national symbol of Emderuer, a crest of autumn leaves surrounded by brown and red colors. Most homes are wooden or brick, or, more recently, a combination with concrete from Andaliel. They tend to be utilitarian rather than trying to stand out artistically.

The Nation’s culture is one of chivalry and traditional values. People are quieter and simpler, with a love of slow, relaxed music, artwork with obvious, basic meanings and an emphasis on the change of seasons. Tales of knights and bravery, of respect and responsibility, permeate the culture. People are mostly kind, if not because they want to be, then because they feel a duty to be helpful.

Kima: The grand capital city of the old Empire and now of the Emderuer monarchy. It is a massive walled castle city, with tall golden-brown and red walls encircling an area of many miles. The city is divided into three areas – the massive castle in the center overlooks two living quarters, the outer layer being where the peasants live and the center layer where the more well-to-do people live. The central layer is the massive fort of Kima Castle where the Queen resides. The city of Kima is a beautiful duality of old-style architecture, of utilitarian walls and homes with little artistic value, united with beautiful, ancient trees from the Reekoh. Vines crawl along surfaces, streets were built on hills, grass surrounds homes. The unison with nature turn otherwise bland homes and buildings into a work of art in their own right. The sight attracts spirits and people alike, seeking an enlightening experience in a place that seems to be in a perfect, ancient harmony with nature. The city spirit is a female creature with light brown skin, winged arms and talon hands, named Taris. She is a knight protector of the royalty, but nowadays spends most of her time watching people in various different places in the city.

Reekoh Forest: The beautiful Reekoh is sometimes referred to as “the world’s oldest forest” – which is true if you refer to Selvage as a jungle rather than a forest. Ancient trees rise tall or sit small around the small villages and even the city of Kima that lie in its belly. The Reekoh is awash with spiritual energies. It is said that merely spending a night in the forest is enough to uplift one’s heart. However, the spirits in the forest aren’t uniformly benign. One could say many are actually selfish and merely want to show off for the mortals. A benign dragon is said to live in Reekoh, but few have seen it and even fewer have any desire to try to find it. Clans of Sorians and goblins inhabit the Reekoh as well, but being surrounded by people with arms, and with Kima so close by, they are rather subdued. When they do cause trouble, they are often swiftly and brutally punished.

Topaz: The port city of Topaz, far away from the more traditional portions of Emderuer, is a melting pot of styles and culture unlike anything else in Emderuer. With trade coming in via the river from Noshiki, Andaliel, Periterim and Sargasso, all sorts of cultures and attitudes are exchanged in the city. This has caused it to receive a bad reputation among the older folk in Emderuer, but the youth dream of being able to see the massive river in Topaz harbor, and stare across at the massive Noshiki mountain across the river. There is crime and conspiracy in Topaz, of that no one has any doubts. But the magnitude of the problem depends on the individual asked. The city resembles a modern harbor like Sialsol more than it does one of the sleepy towns in Emderuer, with more concrete, more color, and less nature.

Lindul: The change from temperate to tropical begins to be seen in Lindul, near the border to Sargasso, where the climate is hotter, clothes less conservative and the culture more vibrant. A large concentration of Athirua live in Lindul, which to many is an attraction in itself. This city is a strange meld of the traditional, subdued and quiet life of most of Emderuer and the exciting tropical life of places like Periterim. It is a place of moderation and transition. Nomadic Athirua, and other more southern races like the Anpe, enjoy a life in Lindul that, to them, is much more relaxed than what they know. When spectacles are held, they are mindful, and when festivals and dances are had, they are metered. Unlike further South, while quiet can be quickly discarded, it is respected and revered, and this conservative attitude colors the wild dreaming of its people.

Sargasso

“Join us all in prayer, for religion is what holds our world together, and ill-religion and ill-prayer are the causes of sorrow and disaster.”

Centuries ago, Aundarius Volg led his men on a daring attack against the forces of the Iomadi Empire. The Intolerable War was drawing to a close, but Aundarius might not have lived to see it. His line was broken and his men scattered. He fled the battlefield, broken, dispirited. There are many tales about what happened next – but the one fact is that the Greater Spirit Rashine came to Aundarius that day and whatever came of that encounter, led to the formation of the Ocean Nation of Sargasso, where streams and falls flow with the lifeblood of a nation full of religiosity. Today, Sargasso is one of the most powerful and awe-inspiring of the Nations, with many things to see…and quite some things to beware.

Common Knowledge: A great nation on the Western Sea, Sargasso is renowned for its beauty, piety and power. Sargasso is a theocratic monarchy and powerful trade ally with control of half of Adel’s river routes – the half that Periterim does not control. Sargasso has become very rich with exports of gold, tropical fruits, sugar, coffee, spices, cultural items. Sargasso and Periterim are inevitably at odds with one another very frequently over the river routes, and citizens of either nation share at best a rivalry, at worst a complete hatred of each other.

The worship in Sargasso is somewhat strange. Rather than worship Rashine directly, the Church of Sargasso worships the divine right of their ruler to his or her throne along with any other spirit or concept. The Church institution of Sargasso is not only the active bureaucracy, but also the royal guards and servitors, and the rumored Inquisition.

The current ruler is Queen Nepet Shiripo Volg (her blood relation to the first King is tenuous at best, but all rulers take the name of Volg). She is but 12 years old, as her father died of illness and her mother had died giving birth to her. She is assisted in her daily duties by the High Priestess of the Church of Sargasso (and rumored leader of the Inquisition) Leidela Sixtus.

Queen Shiripo, often dressed in a religious garb with a hood, with only her long hair and lower half of her face visible, seems a small and fragile ruler, but the image of her is a symbol of the hard work and national purity that Sargassans ascribe to themselves. The nationalistic fires in their hearts only burn brighter whenever they see their child ruler, especially if she has her bejeweled hood down.

Like Periterim, Sargasso “helps” conduct all trade on the western part of Adel via their sea routes, caravans and vessels. This is not as much a bully tax as Periterim’s, since the clergy accompanying each ship are capable combatants who can help fend off any monsters, spirits or bandits. Periterim has attempted to offer similar services, but the best they can give are mercenaries, who are much less trustworthy than the Sargassan clergy…or so it is commonly believed.

Regional Features: Like Periterim’s weather, Sargasso’s is tropical, warm and fresh at times, unbearably hot and humid at others. The conservative culture has produced its own sorts of fashions, less scandalous than the ones in vogue in Periterim, but still comfortable and easy to wear in the tropics. Unlike Periterim, the weather is less tame, and the Church of Sargasso is often bargaining with local spirits to help tone down the effects of thunderstorms or dangerously heavy rains.

Though the fast, romantic culture of the tropics can be seen in Sargasso, the area is in general more relaxed and reserved nonetheless. Rather than being adventurous, Sargasso’s culture is more passively romantic and artistic. It does have its more, shall we say, dangerous elements. But in general, it is a calmer snapshot of Periterim. The vast majority of the population worships, and divine magic is far more common than Arcane – and far more trusted.

Construction uses more rock, concrete and brick than Periterim’s due to the lack of good wood from the Andalian areas. The Church completed a massive project a half-century ago to make sure all buildings of old clay brick were reinforced with firmer material. Walking down a street in Sargasso, one can see regal stone buildings (probably concrete, in actuality) in old styles, and can almost feel the history brimming from the old structures, as well as new, captivating buildings in an urban webwork centuries in the making.

Austrand: The capital city of Sargasso is a massive city center on the edge of the sea. At its center, its highest monument is the step pyramid of Rashisoso, where the  Greater Spirit Rashine appears, briefly, at the beginning of each new year to assure his subjects and worshipers in Sargasso that a new year has safely begun. From the yellow and red pyramid the city flows out into from the nearby tropical jungle, gated off from it by battlements of stone. Directly within the battlements are areas where some crops are grown, which lead into the city proper, which then itself flows into the ocean, with the great ports of Sargasso heavily docked full of ships marking the outer limits.

There is no palace for the great queen of Sargasso – rather, near the main streets of Austrand there is a grand circular plaza within which there is only one building: the grand temple, where the Queen and High Priestess conduct the business of governance together. Its grand portico, upheld by columns adorned with reliefs of flowing waves and water, leads into the massive temple, within which jets of water, fountains, and even an indoor stream celebrate the Sargassian’s connection to the sea, and to Rashine, master of waters. Its grand buttresses take the shape of primordial water elementals that crash like jets of water against the sides of the building, splashing over the roof in grand concrete waves.

Wide roads, squat buildings, palm trees planted in plots along the streets, and hundreds of lines overhead across the buildings, from which hang streamers, bulbous decorative lanterns and flags, crests or standards of various groups, all adorn the colorful city. It is a low city, descending very subtly into the nearby ocean. The docks are so large they seem almost to support their own sort of city, one of fishers, pirates and navy living upon their boats and upholding their own law.

The Sand Jungle:  Around Austrand, the Poropis (poo-roo-peh) Jungle stretches for some considerable distance, with four common paths to travel through it to reach the great city. Not all of the jungle is sandy – in fact, only the areas flanking Austrand, and closest to the shore, are really sandy. Wet, tropical trees, lots of rainfall, soft land and clusters of greenery make up the jungle. Nonetheless, Poropis, the Sand Jungle, is the moniker it has kept for the longest time. Streams flow through the Poropis and rising hills can be seen in the distance, from which small waterfalls conceal underground caverns and paths unexplored. The southern portion of the Poropis connects to Vedaria, and is a dangerous place.

Tukhbet: A city first established near the center of Sargasso, where the hily terrain, the waterfalls, and the proximity to Lake Ota – one of the largest bodies of water in Sargasso and home to many secrets – allowed for it to become a staging point for archaeologists and scholars. Today, many expeditions are launched from Tukhbet into the nearby jungle, into the falls, and into Lake Ota, seeking out ruins undiscovered, artifacts and relics lost, and whatever snatches of history can be recovered.

Like Sargasso, Tukhbet is home to a massive Step Pyramid – the other is in Lake Ota, and together they form a triangle if a line is drawn from them on a map, with Sargasso as the tip, and Tukhbet and Ota as the base. The significance of this is not lost on occultists and clergy, and also not on spelunkers and adventurers, all of whom try to find an angle to this phenomena that could yield them some or other prize.

A culture of mysticism, superstition and supernatural trophy hunting (or unscrupulous spelunking) has formed in Tukhbet, where not only are there institutes that train up-and-coming scholars, there are also guilds where delvers and adventurers scheme and plot, copying old maps and sharing forbidden information and forgotten legend, trying to strike it big.

Others: There are many smaller villages and cities in Sargasso, but this nation is not one that is as full of urban landmarks. Many of its locations display similar traits, but are painted by their connections to either Emderuer in the North or Vedaria to the South. Unlike the Southlands of Andaliel, these locations are not clustered in any one place, and so have no unifying moniker.

Noshiki

“Revere the ancestors and honor tradition; remember the past to safeguard the future.”

Located in the central region, from the origin of the Meridian, the mountains of Noshiki are the ancestral home of the most precious minerals, steel resources and gemstones in the land. Were this a nation like Periterim, its citizens would be overwhelmingly rich, its prodigious resources drained year in and year out, and its army vast enough to rule all of Adel. But Noshiki is not like Periterim, nor like Sargasso or Vedaria. Its resources are sacred gifts to them that they would never so wastefully abuse.

During the Intolerable War, the mining colonies of Noshiki were tapped into by the Aptoas Empire and the dwarves in Noshiki were made to do heavy labor. Seizing the opportunity, they overthrew their oppressors and seized back the lands. To the Dwarves, the Noshiki mountains and their bounty are a mantle that was lifted from the Earth by the greater spirit Trudgar to protect them and give them a home. Noshiki treasures and protects its stores of resources, and has strict regulations on the mining operations and on the trading of such resources. It gives its neighboring nations and its own people what they need – but nowhere near what they want.

Common Knowledge: Noshiki is one of the most important and wealthy of the Nations, and none of the others want to be on its bad side. Thankfully, Noshiki is crushingly Neutral, never getting into anyone’s squabbles. Its shipments of supplies and division of them to trade with each other Nation is always the same, following agreements laid down long ago, that will remain unchanged.

Noshiki is ruled by the Mithral Throne, currently led by King Phedros The Obsidian, who’s father Thaeros Of Flowstones was murdered before his eyes twenty years back. Phedros, it is said, chased down the attackers from the second they killed his father, and spent a week tracking and hounding them until he finally killed both and brought their carcasses back to the Mithral Throne. Their bones now adorn his axe – all Kings create a relic weapon when they ascend the throne, and Phedros’ is perhaps the most fearsome of these weapons to appear in quite a long time.

It is said that Phedros did not eat or sleep during the time he hunted the assassins up until he killed them, and that he himself died, but became a Spirit wielding the powers of his ancestors. This is unconfirmed, Phedros himself unwilling to discuss it. He says that all who sit on the Mithral Throne can call upon the ancestors, but it is not known in what capacity or what magic can do this, nor is it allowed for any knowledgeable party to actually inspect the throne and find out.

Trudgar is the greater spirit most worshipped on Noshiki, with Dwarves making up a lot of the population. However, many other races live in Noshiki as well. Iomadi are fairly well represented, for example. Athirua are a rarer sight, as they do not take too well to the conservative culture of Noshiki. Noshiki’s culture is tightly honor-bound – politeness and courtesy are of utmost importance. While bowing to a superior or treating guests well is not a life or death situation, it is a test of your character, and everyone around is scrutinizing how well you do. For those unused to the culture, it may seem like a stiff, nervous and lifeless environment, but those who have lived in Noshiki for long treasure the quiet, peaceful atmosphere and the friendliness and safety they experience around even complete strangers.

Regional Features: Noshiki comprises both mountainous villages, underground dwellings and mountainside forests. The mountain range is a series with three important locations – Adamant, Mithral and Frostiron – and ran through by the Meridian River, which originates at the mountain.

Adamant is the range closest to Andaliel and Periterim and the lowest of the three mountains. It is much more tropical in climate than the rest, and the villages along it are simpler and the modes of dress looser to accommodate the climate.

Mithral follows the ascent, and is the closest to Vedaria, yet despite this it grows progressively more temperate to cold. Mithral is the largest of the ranges. It is here that the first real look at Noshiki’s typical culture can be seen – long, flowing modes of dress that hide the skin in ornate patterns, headgear of all sorts that conveys status, rank, and even social intent; homes built pragmatically to keep out the elements, with only the slightest and subtlest touch of decoration or flourish of personality.

Frostiron, the home of the Mithral Throne, is the tallest and most treacherous mountain, brushing on Sargasso and Emderuer, its altitude making it almost entirely cold and frosted. There is nothing on the face or peak of Frostiron – the grandest of the dwarf cities are not cities at all, but a series of vast tunnels with homes, shops, and palaces that are carved into the Mountain’s innards.

Noye: The capital of Noshiki and the home of the Mithral Throne, Noye is not so much a city as it is a region, a massive area carved carefully into the mountain, by both the strength and the magic of the dwarven ancestors so revered today. The city stretches on for miles within Frostiron and is said that most of Frostiron has a connection to Noye proper, by long forgotten tunnels or even whole cities that might be buried further underground. Noye makes a perfect staging area for studies of the deep underground of Adel.

Entering Noye, one passes through iron gates as though entering a fortress or a well-guarded mine. One might lose orientation after a while, as to whether one is truly going lower, or higher, but eventually, doors start becoming more common – doors which may lead to homes, or to large shops, to plazas for recreation, or to large, open spaces where monuments or villas have been built into. For the more humbler places, the rock is hidden with bamboo, or clay tiles, to give the appearance of a traditional home rather than a hollowed-out space within rock.

The Mithral Throne is seated within a massive palace that is built into the largest space cut into the mountain, some considerable distance below the peak. It is so vast a space that the hollowed space is supported by strong steel columns to prevent any instability.

The steel columns flank the awe-inspiring red and gold castle, massive stairs leading past its majestic battlements and into what looks like a massive, sweeping complex with three story buildings of multi-inclined roofs, large pagoda-style towers in the corners of the complex, and fine embroidery all around. The Mithral Palace is both a home and a grave site, with visitors constantly flanked by tombs and statues commemorating ancestors, heroes, past kings and old Spirit Guardians.

The Meridian: The “River Sea” as it is called originates in the center of the Noshiki range and reaches out in a spiral shape which divides the three major pieces of land in Adel forming the supercontinent. Many visit and study the source of the Meridian, as well as visiting it as a religious experience. The fact that there are hot springs and other such aqueous diversions to be found is another enticement.

Cirinka Shrine: One of the largest Spirit shrines (not to be confused with a temple), Cirinka is the home of Eraman, an extremely long-lived spirit who is blind and deaf from age. Though she appears youthful and beautiful beyond all imagining, with an appearance that changes to reflect the colors of the seasons, Eraman can hardly take care of herself anymore, and can barely use magic without unsealing her Spirit Essence, which, given her age and power, is dangerous to those around her.

She is taken care of by a devoted following, and people of all religions climb Noshiki to seek the advice of Eraman, for it is said that even in her crippled state, she can predict the future and give prophecy. Eraman writes these prophecy as calligraphy on scrolls, and many of them are very simple things, such as whether or not a person’s sweetheart will marry him or her. However, at times she can also issue terrifying portents. Eraman values touch, taste and smell, the only senses she has left, above all, and allows anyone to feed her, touch her skin or present her with fragrances.

The Shrine itself is a large space on the mountainside, enclosed within stone walls, with a simple, one-room shrine where Eraman sleeps and rests, a few small homes for her servants, and space for people who want to set up tents or otherwise rest there. There are numerous ponds and gardens, and from the peak of the shrine on can see a large waterfall from the Meridian’s source.

Villages: Numerous small villages, some only a few scant miles apart, dot the mountain forests and sides of Noshiki. Modest buildings of bamboo and timbers are arrayed within enclosed spaces, some small, some not, that partially divide the village from the surroundings. Some villages are nestled quite well within forests and do not stand out. It is quite easy for travelers to bypass many settlements before finding one in plain sight – these tend to be the ones most apt to take care of the travelers to Noshiki, or perhaps the most willing.

Vedaria

“Power is the birthright discovered only after all your enemies have fallen.”

In the Red Ash desert to the South, there existed numerous loosely affiliated tribes of nomadic peoples, Athirua, Iomadi, Setah and more, whom the Iomadi Empire forced to settle. During the intolerable war, these people knew the land and knew how to defeat their conquerors. Though they were the last to come out of the war, they were the most victorious – there was no celebratory peace treaties with Andaliel or Emderuer. There was only an instant proclamation: everything under the Sun in Vedaria belongs to the Vizier, the strongest, smartest military commander, who ruled the land after the end of the war.

Common Knowledge: Vedaria is referred to as the rogue nation, and is dreaded by its neighbors. There was and will never be a real proclamation of freedom and equality in Vedaria – no rights, no protections from the government. There is only the iron grip of the Vizier, and yet, the people flourish and thrive, the army grows, great riches and ancient power are discovered beneath the sands. There is an ugly side: slums, displaced indigenous peoples, violence committed by the army, and the all-seeing eye of the Vizier’s Sandcloaks, who survey all of them land like chameleons upon the walls.

Yet, can the same not be said of Periterim, or Andaliel, with their own poor and downtrodden? Can the same not be said of Sargasso’s church, with their rumored inquisition teams in the dead of night? Poverty and discomfort exist everywhere, so say many Vedarians. Just because a subset of them are too weak to achieve, does not render the Nation itself weak. Vedarians for the most part are fiercely proud of themselves, of their ability to make their own lives and many even claim they are the Nation with the greatest freedom, for the freedom they have is that of living under their own power.

Under the harsh desert sun, across streets of sand and soft dirt, Vedarians live their lives much like any other people, laughing, loving, sharing. And yet, a lot of the world feels they are an enemy. Their army is seen as thugs, their people seen as backstabbers flitting through dark underworlds claiming riches not their own. The reality is quite different – Vedaria has perhaps less a criminal underworld than other nations, as many activities are not illegal there.

Vedaria’s latest Vizier is Magdalena “Mell” Keehl, a beautiful, fiercely intelligent woman, some say a genius, educated in Andaliel’s Points of Light academy. 15 years ago, she put her genius intellect to its ultimate test, and engineered the overthrow of the previous Vizier while she was still a teenager. The coup was perfect, and Magdalena gained power just as she had planned. She can be no more than 30 or so years old now, and yet has unlimited control of an entire nation.

But rumors abound about Mell and her inner circle – that she made a pact with a terrifying spirit, that allows her to strike dead anyone’s who’s full name she can trace upon her own skin, that the Sandcloaks are monsters, hidden under hoods and masks to keep a dark secret under wraps. The young Vizier’s latest target, as of some years ago, is Selvage. She claims that Vedaria has a right to their territory, because Selvage is not a real Nation – only an empty plot of land with no real owner and many lowly savages living within.

Regional Features: Vedaria is for the most part a desert. Two rivers run through the center of the nation and create green places where crops can be harvested, and some mountains stretch across the southernmost reaches, but there is no mistaking Vedaria as a truly fertile land. It is predominantly red sand. The scorching heat overhead and lack of rain make Vedaria a harsh environment to live in.

Buildings in Vedaria are constructed of brick or rock, with some of the more important ones being made of concrete, or steel, tile, wood and glass. The streets are often adorned with a palm tree here or there. Vedaria has very few large cities. Those that it does have, it spends a great deal of time making as majestic as possible – and as defensible as possible. There is no one city in Vedaria that is not also a fortress with a garrison armed and ready.

Most of Vedaria is composed of villages with small brick buildings, tiny enough in scope that one can see the village end to end from practically any area. Some villages are even just loose groups of tents near Oasis or aquifers, ready to move wherever a herd of animals might be leading them.

The desert culture is one of great superstition and fear of the Gods. A misstep in the desert can lead to a slow death – this is an outlook on life most Vedarians hold. Not quick to trust any strangers and not quick to accept anybody’s value or honor until they prove or assert it, Vedarians can seem cold and distant. But at the same time their culture is intense and heated as the desert sand itself. Being too slow is a greater mistake than being brash, and boldness learns to mingle with caution and planning. Combat, dance, sexuality and cunning take center stage. Vedaria is a culture of bold actions and emotions, wild gambles and opportunities – big payoffs, great risk, undertaken with precision and care.

Most Vedarians don’t wear clothing as the vast majority of Adel’s people do. They wear much smaller, looser and individual pieces clothing (rather than larger robes, coats, kilts, skirts and tunics common elsewhere) and expose much more skin. The freedom of movement, and the breeze upon skin, are both welcome in the heat. Armor heavier than leather is a rare sight in Vedaria, so much that even the army does not wear any mail unless they are absolutely certain to fight. Steel is for weapons and for accessories, not for plates burning upon the skin.

Ar Cairo: The vast capital of Vedaria, this city’s stone walls are so enormous they are supported by interior buttresses. The massive city is arrayed around the Vizier’s palace in the center, a lavish place with flourishes of architecture, large wings, dome and bauble-ended towers, pools and gardens abounding, tiles of precious stone lining the fastest path to the Vizier’s audience room. Magdalena is an uncommon sight outside of her Palace, but she holds many functions there, and invites anyone to come and go as they please, so long as they remain in certain areas.

Wide, sandy streets are flanked by clusters of two-story buildings with long alleys between. Merchants line the roads, and people walk the streets. Small plazas break up the otherwise endless streets and building blocks at various locations, within which arts performances or spectacular duels showcasing local styles are held. At night, all sorts of local bars and pubs open, with song, dance and fiery entertainment for the heartiest of hearts. In its own way, Ar Cairo can even be romantic, with its many lonely nooks, ceilings, tunnels, where romance can bloom unnoticed and in privacy.

Sandcloaks – men, or perhaps creatures, in brown cloaks and steel masks – walk among the people, keeping an eye for any that might be going out of line. To the cloaks, prostitution, gambling, black market, none of that matter. Ideas, more intellect than emotion, are what Sandcloaks stamp out, unless these ideas are used for the betterment of Magdalena Keehl’s Vedaria, as opposed to the establishment of Somebody Else’s Vedaria. It is said that a Sandcloak can fight three strong men at once and come out victorious. It is also said that a Sandcloak has many horrible forms it can take to fight differing threats.

Cutters, ships which traverse the sand, have a grand dock on the northern wall of Ar Cairo, which may be the city’s only weakness to its great walls. Both private and government-owned cutters may dock at Ar Cairo, for a fee, but with a restriction that they must be carrying something which will be sold, traded or put to public use within the city, such as large equipment or reasonable amounts of trade goods.

Abdalu: Near the border with Selvage, where the desert starts to meet the tropical jungle, is the city of Abdalu. The walls of Abdalu are doubly thick – it is Vedaria’s vanguard against the “savages” of Selvage and the fey beasts that they ally with. It serves as a staging area and is at any time populated more by soldiers than any other people. Abdalu is not a peaceful town for normal people, though it may appear that way at times. Abdalu’s people all have some skill to contribute to the war, be it company and entertainment for soldiers, supplies and management, medicine or logistical planning.

The Red Ash Desert: The vast, overwhelming majority of Vedaria is this desert, with the rivers Hatshep and Hapi running through it. Where these rivers cross, the land is greener and more fertile for some distance. But overwhelmingly it is a waste of red sad, cactuses, lizards and jackals. It is a harsh land filled with small villages and towns ranging from a spectrum of quaint development to being just a collection of temporary huts and tents.

Spirits of fire, death and earth live in the desert, watching unfortunate travelers succumb. Tribes and family groups of nomadic or indigenous settlers, removed from society except for some trade in animal products, patrol ancestral territories in search of water, game and treasure, competing the foreigners that sneak into the desert for its riches and history.

If the spirits, dragons, monsters, the ghosts and wraiths, the hunting tribes or the desert heat does not end you, a run-in with Sandcloaks or the Vedarian army may just do so. By and large they are the owners of the Red Ash, leading defensive excursions against grave robbers and dungeon delvers, or guarding teams of archaeologists who aid Vedaria in discovering the relics of a long-gone past.

Selvage

“There is nothing civilized here; this place is a symbol of the randomness of fate.”

A primeval place, said to have been standing since before even the Cataclysms, and the most mysterious area of Adel, Selvage is a vast stretch of jungle and forest in the southwest portion of Adel, neighboring Periterim and Vedaria. Selvage’s forest is home to all manner of strange beasts and spirits, and it does not follow any natural law or pattern. Areas of it might be frosted over in the summer, or refreshed in the winter. It is said the earth itself shifts so that mountains may rise and settle into flat ground again in a week. It is even rumored that in Selvage, minor-scale effects of the cataclysm continue to happen to this day, shifting the land every year.

Common Knowledge: Selvage has no real civilization to boast, and is only considered a Nation insofar as it is a distinct geographic area not under the control of any of the other six. Selvage has no real government and its people are scattered tribes of indigenous people who live in a tribal society generally considered uncivilized and archaic. As such, any Nation’s citizens can travel to Selvage, as there is no government to issue a standing law against such travel. Expeditions to Selvage are many, conducted by researchers and daredevils from all around Adel.

Selvage is not populated by common races, but mostly by the so-called savage races like oni and other monsters. Selvage is the only area where these races act openly and have a true “home” – in every other nation they are either small bands of rogues on the fringes of society or a paltry few fully-integrated citizens without a trace of their general aggressive demeanor. In Selvage, goblins, lizardfolk and other monstrous, savage humanoids exist in their original, primal state with little contact with technology.

Selvage is home to numerous strange creatures and varieties of spirits. It is the roaming ground of the Greater Spirit Paikar. Deep within its jungles, all manner of other secrets await. Many ancient discoveries have already been made in Selvage, though many more have been disruptive by the indigenous people, the savage goblins, or by foul, unidentified evils lurking in its depths. Despite these distasteful elements, Selvage also holds an immense amount of beauty and wonder in its wildlife. Many herbs and medicines, as well as powerful alchemical components to drive Alchemic Engines are found in Selvage.

Regional Features: Selvage is for the most part tropical jungle, with rainforests spanning the majority of the area. Numerous rivers and streams cross Selvage, making it a rich place thick with vegetation. Many plants not found anywhere else are found in Selvage. But the most useful ones are taken to other areas to experiment with growing them in other areas. Many have been successfully grown this way, and someday there may no longer be a need to harvest anything directly from Selvage.

Like the plants, many spirits and beasts live in Selvage that exist nowhere else. Typically colorful, large and often dangerous and powerful, these exotic creatures are sought after by people hoping to prove their existence and study them. It is difficult to do so – sometimes via the use of rituals and illusions, the memory of the encounter can be shown to others and thus confirmed and archived. But specimens are often required. These are not easy to acquire at all.

While the rumors of abnormal weather patterns are grossly exaggerated, these are not isolated incidents. Strange snowfalls lasting days or weeks, sudden storms and earthquakes are all possible, though rarer than most seem to think. This is because of the high saturation of spirit essence around and within Selvage.

There is no very defined civilization within Selvage – no big city names in the map, no capital, no real government other than allied tribal councils – but there are a few notable geographical marks that are printed on maps. Aside from these, Selvage is just vast jungle territory, and the somewhat volcanic islands off its coast are much the same way.

The Fey Jungle: An interesting stretch of Selvage is known as the Fey Jungle, encompassing just a bit less than half of the massive forest. The Fey Jungle is a strange place, with Twilight areas of crystal trees created by Spirits, and a concentration of essence so high it can warp creatures into Fey spirits or turn beasts magical. This is the least explored area of Selvage. It is said that there are spirits here that warp the bodies of men into twilight crystal statues. This material is so fragile as to be worthless, which only heightens the dread at the sick joke these spirits play on living creatures.

Lisishtiel: The “Elven Homeland” established shortly after the Intolerable War, where the largest concentrated population of pure elves exist. This xenophobic, paranoid community of Elves strives to create a home for themselves inside Selvage where they can retain their purity of blood and advance their race. Their population numbers about 50,000 elves. This used to be about 80,000 before their battle against Vedaria.

Lisishtiel is not a safe place for most. Its people are ruled by a council of the 5 oldest elves, and most of its laws specifically put elves over anyone else. Visitors can expect to at best be treated unfavorably and at worst violently. The most terrible offense is for men to treat Elven women with anything less than distant, impersonal respect. Half-Elves are Lisishtiel’s shame, and none are allowed within the city, and couplings between an elf and a non-elf are strictly prohibited.

Even official envoys, if not protected with a strong guard, may never be seen again. Lisishtiel’s proximity to the Fey Jungles means that “disappearances” are an extremely convenient excuse. Many prominent people “disappear” in Lisishtiel, and many adventurers have become, unofficially, “heroes” for their exploits in Lisishtiel, especially any daring escapes or political murders dealt within. To the outside world, this is a bizarre place filled with hatred and racism, and wholly unwanted. Politically, it is tolerated, if only because it pacifies the Elves within. Travel to this place is strictly regulated.

The architecture in Lisishtiel is magical in nature, with trees and plants forming the homes and palaces of the elves. Thick brush overhead can be drawn back to show the Sun or hide it, and vegetation can make walls or other defenses. It is a formidable spot that can stand against the wild of Selvage and allow its people to flourish. To elves on the outside, Lisishtiel is either a symbol of great shame at how their race has fallen, or a sign of their pride and steadfastness in the face of crisis.

Vedaria invaded Lisishtiel once during Vizier Keehl’s rule, and defeated the Elves within. The conflict came about due to Lisishtiel’s denying them passage through a specific area quite afar from their home. They paid for this hubris. Since then, the Elves have created a strict and defined zone around Lisishtiel, beyond which their Scouts do not advance. Their control over the surroundings has thus been greatly lessened, and Vedaria is their hated enemy. Though they know they stand no chance against them.

Military Zones: The nations of Andaliel, Periterim and Vedaria keep small military zones within Selvage from which they stage expeditions or operations, pass supplies, or trade with the locals or with Lisishtiel. These zones are like small village communities mostly occupied by military and research people, and their families.

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