From Shahara

Revision as of 07:55, 2 December 2007

Overview

The Unification Wars

Centuries ago, Sharaha was once divided into communities. Tanika City united them under one banner. Allied with the Elvish city of Kuy'yun, Tanika conquered the backwood communities of the Brimstone Swamps, Fahlinburg, the nomadic communities of the Forgotten Desert, the frontier towns of the Osow Badlands, the province of Jaya and even the neighboring islands of Spiya and Naburu. After establishing a central government, Tanika lay down new laws to make life better for all under its rule. Only the oldest elves of Kuy'yun remember the land's former lawlessness.

Five years ago, something changed.

The Upheaval

There had always been legends about fantastic, magical creatures hiding at the fringes of the natural world. The unicorns and gryphons of the Quay'luan forests, the dragons of Ashcrow Mountains, tales of vampires and werewolves in urban legends and popular movie culture. There was never any proof though. From these arose countless conspiracy theories, magazines, websites on the Interlinks, once in a while a daytime TV show on an obscure channel. To some extent, it was indeed, true, aside from the magical aspects of these beings. Then the Foreigners came..

It happened so fast that it nearly caused Tanika's precious system to collapse. Almost overnight, everything changed. A city the likes of which rivaled the might of Fahlinburg's capital city arose in the space of a single day, not far from the unremarkable mining town of Dusky Hills. The formerly criminal town of Naburu was overrun with demons and devils. Magical beasts sprang forth from every environment and lashed out at civilized society. Smaller towns and villages were cut off, believed to be wiped out from lack of communication. Mysterious government agencies did their best to suppress what was initially marked as an 'invasion', but the onslaught was too powerful, too sudden to be denied. Magic had returned to the world and it was here to stay. The confusion lasted for months as hellish creatures and beasts of legend refused to give up their assault, harrying the beleaguered Sharahans.

This all stopped when the city that sprang up overnight, named Athens, rose its voice and with what was then terrifying magical power, stopped all of them. The forces of destruction held at bay, Athens announced itself to Tanika, sending forth diplomats to explain their situation, and apologizing for the mess that had threatened so many. Two weeks later, Tanika declared Athens to be an ally of the State, welcoming them and theirs, with Athens promising safe haven and a new home to all those who had been harmed by this short, but horrific, conflict. The city soon filled with new citizens- unfortunately, too many. To cope with the fact that they couldn't house and employ *everyone* that wanted in, especially not those too destitute and damaged by the conflict, they set up a camp to build a new section of the city, and sent out their social workers to help people integrate into their society.

But there still loomed the threat of Naburu, which had been completely taken over by the minions of Hell and the Abyss. Somehow managing to put their differences aside, they presented a considerable danger to the rest of Sharaha. Fort Henaha was established almost as swiftly as Athens was, accessible only by sea or air. This new military base was quickly filled with Foreigner soldiers, stocked with the best available air and naval defenses. The Devils quickly realized that they couldn't win, even with the overwhelming strength of their Demon counterparts, and swiftly whipped the island and remaining city into a new order to prevent their own destruction. It took a while for everything to die down, a few borders had to be redrawn, but within a year a tenuous peace had been established. The dead were buried and mourned, new religions offered new hope and guidance, and life set about reassembling itself.

Present-day

The world as a whole was affected by this change, Sharaha arguably affected the most. Now, five years after the major chaos has died down, the world is back to how it was. A shaky peace exists between the global factions, all out war an unlikely but still plausible possibility, contained by the efforts of those in Power down to skirmishes by soldiers who lose their cool. Trade has recommenced, travel has however changed due to the more dangerous nature of this new world, and traveling alone is cautioned against, if not considered suicidal in some places..

Sharaha is the focal point of our campaign world, so it has the most explanation and description. If we can think of more to add to the other countries, we'll add it at a later date. The legal system is for the most part what you'd expect in a moderately liberal (that does not mean far-left, it means MODERATE :|) society. Since it's an important note- smoking is illegal in Sharaha except for designated establishments.

Places

Athens

History. The people of Athens were planeshifted to planet Calados before a massive 'storm' destroyed the city's homeworld. The city was a focal point for survivors from around their world. It is understood that many people were too busy pointing fingers and a great deal of infighting almost cost them all their lives, but the efforts of Quincy and a coterie of powerful spellcasters saved them. Because only the population of Athens was transported, the city proper had to be rebuilt, virtually guaranteeing that major businesses would require starting over from scratch.

The Upheaval was heralded by the sudden appearance of a city. Overnight, an entire city (bout the size of New York, only with less residential and commercial buildings; magical r&d dep't need lots of space, dragon restaurants, and major refinement and construction industries) just.. Sprung up, northeast of Dusky Hills. Shortly after this, the world was besieged by creatures and monsters out of legend. Under the directions of a mysterious leader, some two hundred thousand well armed, well trained soldiers spilled out of the city and began sweeping across the continent. These soldiers were different. They had magic. Military forces from all over Earth- representing countless countries- led by warriors with incredible skill and might ran a Blitzkrieg across Sharaha, suppressing the threats to civilized society. Order was quickly reestablished with this incredible new power, and every town they stopped at a man or woman was left behind to teach the beleaguered people how to use rudimentary magic for their own protection.

Once the initial uproar had died down, Tanika sent forth their diplomats and swiftly made it known that the people of Athens- labeled as 'Foreigners'- were allies, and put their own military forces to work in unison with the Athenian military. With the establishment of Fort Henaha, these forces went across the world and eventually brought back the shaky peace that kept Calados from tearing itself apart.

Athens is now a center of industrial and magical might, and many in this world fear them for it. Of course, they still have their problems in Athens; near global fear and envy, criminal organizations trying to gain a foothold, the occasional terrorist group, dark cults eager to usurp forgotten magical lore. Nevertheless, the Athenians press on, giving all a fair and equal chance for a better life.

Religion: The people of Athens are a diverse lot, to the point of confusing even Sharaha's diverse lots. Every religion they have was, strangely enough, already existant amongst the Foreigners' 4% nonhuman populace.. However, they brought with them several strange religions, most worshipping a single God, or God-like entity, and considering the Gods and Goddesses of others merely 'powerful angels and devil/demons'. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and Shinto managed to make it to Calados- their myriad diversities forcing them to band together into the general groups. So there are no longer Baptists, Mormons, Evangelicals, etc- there are Christians, and the same has gone for all of the groups. Forced into a harsh, unfriendly world, where the presence of other powerful deities cannot be denied, and with all their holy lands destroyed, the first order of business was clear. Peace between all the Earthen religions was the only way they could ever hope to survive. With the major antagonists of these religions dead or worse, seduced by evil, it dawned on them that they had been led astray. There had been too many centuries of political ambition, racial hatred, and greed to keep them all separated. After ascertaining that they all had sufficient amounts of ancient texts of their respective beliefs, they claimed a grand temple for themselves and the highest of the new orders cloistered themselves away, to study and reinterpret. However, when a refugee camp opened up outside of Athens, countless clerics, monks, and paladins came from the Temple to offer the destitute masses aid, guidance, comfort, and protection. After the Upheaval died down, the Athenian government requested that the Temple allow them to be watched carefully. The Temple agreed to this, stating that they would not repeat the sins of their predecessors, and so far it has worked. Recently, the Temple announced plans to create a new focal point for divine energies, a city where they can perform ceremony and religious experiment without bothering anyone else. A new Jerusalem.

Economy: A major source of income is the mining, refinement and exportation of an enormous repository of mineral ore situated under the city. The high demand for mineral ore allows a comfortable living even for miners and factory workers, who are the lowest social caste. Due to Sharaha's government-regulated economics, corporate growth is at the best of times slow, at the worst stifling. The Foreigner businessmen, used to a free market economy, are slow to adapt to a world where the CEO honestly has to fear moral and ethic comities. So there are only a couple large corporations- which are currently run by Calados natives- and countless smaller businesses struggling to make it big. Aside from basic business and mining, Athens benefits from enormous amounts of trade. They rely heavily on privateers from the nearby port city of Spiya to ship goods to other countries.

Government: The ruler of Athens is the mysterious, powerful Senator Quincy. Few people know the true identity of the senator, and such are their positions of status and power that they are unwilling to reveal details. The Senator speaks entirely through trustworthy and loyal public servants, but it is safe to assume that the mastermind behind the Foreigners' migration is always working on ways to keep Athens safe and prosperous. Rumors abound that the senator is a monster that steals people away in the night to devour their hearts, minds, and souls; an aberration against the Gods and Nature, a thing worthy of destruction. These whispers are never spoken in public, for they are considered heretical. Gossipers will likely get socked square in the jaw by a passing Athenian soldier!

Military: The military of Athens is absolutely loyal to Athens and to Senator Quincy. Its army wields magic. Transported to another world, these soldiers have set aside their individual racial, religious and political differences to form a force to be reckoned with.

Terrain/Environment: Athens is situated in the middle of three mountain ranges. To the east is a sylvan forest, and to the west and north is the sea. A long stretch of highway with heavily guarded refueling and rest stations connects Athens to the rest of Sharaha. Magical flux in about a 400 mile radius around the city causes irregular weather patterns. In localized areas within this radius, it might rain for three weeks straight, followed by two days of heavy snow, then three days of unbearably hot sun.

Tanika

History: Tanika only has one center of population- the capital city of Delaros. As the protagonists (or antagonists?) of the Unification Wars, they gathered every adventurer and warrior they could find that would join their 'righteous and noble cause', finding an early and vital ally in the country of Kuy'yun. Cutting off communications and supply lines between Fahlinburg and its mining town allies, they barely managed a successful blockade of the latter and slowly starved them into submission, the battles to take Fahlinburg far more violent and bloody. With a mixture of tactical genius, dumb luck, and some say the grace of the Gods, Sharaha was eventually united under their rule. And so for several centuries the people prospered under the system, Delaros doing its best to eliminate racial prejudice and promote education and the growth of a benevolent civilization, their slow but relentless bureaucracy proving to be more than a match for the majority of wicked and unscrupulous people that tried to foster ill will or take advantage of the weak. Of course, there -was- the occasional odd 'blue law', such as smoking being only allowed in designated areas and otherwise being a near-felony offense, but for the most part, life was good. A strong military backed by wise, just generals and plenty of eager, honest souls willing to make a better life for all. Indeed, Tanika had everything going for it.. Until the Upheaval. When the world went mad, the Bureaucracy was caught off guard entirely, it took them weeks to muster forth any sort of effective reactionary force to protect their territory. Cut off totally from Spiya and Fahlinburg, under siege by monstrous creatures of myth and legend and far worse, by the time they managed to gather their forces, it was almost too late.. Until the Athenians sent their warriors, wielding powerful magic and blasting back the new enemies. Though at first very cautious, Athens and its people were swiftly welcomed into the Sharahan fold, the promise of Magic and a new world of wonder was too tempting to pass up.

Religion: Officially, Tanika's religious affiliations (as well as the rest of Sharaha) lean towards lawful good and lawful neutral deities. The Foreigner religions aren't very prominent, but a fair number of people are curious about the monotheistic and esoteric belief systems that the newcomers bring. The government generally doesn't interfere with the religious beliefs of their citizenry, unless those beliefs demand acts that are irrevocably evil.

Economy: Delaros's economy is almost -entirely- trade. As it is the location of the Sharaha Central Government, their business revolves around ensuring that everything is being run right. They have a filing and record-keeping system worthy of the Spanish Inquisition, which thanks to the advent of the Digital Age has allowed them to reduce their reliance on paperwork enormously. And in line with that, computerized security is kept at a maximum, and all sensitive data is kept off the Interlinks. They regulate intercontinental business very thoroughly, ensuring that no corporation becomes so powerful that it can influence their government.

Government & Military: Delaros is the location of the Central Government. Every civilized race is represented in a U.N.-style bureaucracy that has been carefully perfected for generations. It is inefficient in terms of resource usage (so much red tape!), but the fair and just society calls out to enlightened people who would live an honest life. Because of this, Tanika has been enabled with advanced city planning models, allowing them to maximize the usage of space- in other words their civil engineers can take the same space used by another government's engineers, and fit more people and stuff into the same allocated space. Tanika's government, and by association officially all of Sharaha's, is founded on four principles- Freedom from Fear, Freedom from Want, Freedom of Belief, and Freedom of Choice. Though their legal systems may take time, paperwork and procedure tend to take a while, they compensate with a Senatorial Council that's is made up of the Just and Honest; and they take the time to do the job right. The military might of Delaros is impressive to say the least, much as their method of government attracts the intellectual elite, it draws warriors of integrity and conscience. And power. The main drawback that this democratic state suffers is that civilians are uncomfortable around large military deployments, and comitties have to be formed to solve almost every problem. Reaction times are slow when problems arise, so the entire country relies heavily on adventurers and Swift Action Response Teams (SART). SART personnel are much less bound to the Letter of the Law.

Terrain/Environment: Tanika is situated in a frozen snowfield, encased in a mountain range by the same name as the city. These vast fields of snow and ice bear few minerals worth mining, and almost no agriculture- they rely entirely on trade to survive. Heavy snow and blizzards are common year-round.

Jaya Province

Overview: The Jaya Province has accepted the control and authority of Athens. The province is a vast wilderness of plains, forests, lakes and rivers. Its scenic beauty has inspired many landscape paintings. Before the Unification Wars, they barely had the tools and engineering capabilities to maintain their own food supplies. Most of their crops and cattle was either lost to wildlife or sold to the Osow townships. Tanika's leaders discovered that the province was easily conquered diplomatically. By providing the Jayans with the technology to cultivate and maintain larger farms and herds, the economy and population boomed. They founded several mining camps in the northern Dugow and Yagyu mountains for mithral, silver, and ferrous metals. These communities, though small, fulfilled an important role: the acquisition of raw materials to send to Fahlinburg. By the Upheaval, Jaya's main township of Targen had become Sharaha's biggest agricultural center. The small city, connected to a series of farming communities; grew, raised, and processed over eighty percent of the country's foodstuffs, with a surplus for exports to other countries. When the Upheaval came, this part of Sharaha was stricken the worst. Never having been much of warriors or soldiers, help from Tanika was certain to never arrive in time. Most of the northern mining towns and camps were wiped out. The slowly burgeoning city nestled in the Derai Valley is nothing but a ghost town now, filled with the echoes and screams of the dead. It was shortly after this massacre that the Athenians rushed in. Initially, the Jayans were afraid of Athens and the Foreigners, until after the conflict ended. Athens sent out everyone they could spare to provide relief for the destitute survivors. The camp outside of Athens established, and the promise of well trained soldiers at hand to protect them from harm, Jaya had no qualms about abdicating their control of the area. The mithral mines at Dusky Hills had a few complaints at first, but when assured that they would not have to change their simple way of life, they were content enough to at least be on friendly terms with their new neighbor, albeit suspicious of all their magic.

Government & Military: The head of the Jaya Town communities is the aging Orc Marshal Yatamura, originally an immigrant from the isolationist and supposedly xenophobic country of Zipangu. Yatamura is a simple and easily pleased man, he dresses casually and tends to spend more time fishing than much else, though if a serious problem arises he can easily start showing signs of what people usually expect an orc to act like. He is trustworthy, relatively friendly, and honest almost to a fault. He has little care for politics or much else that doesn't involve farming, fishing, or tossing some young fool that got a little too drunk into the county jail after wrapping their car around a tree. Without Athens, the Jaya Province has little in the way of defending themselves aside from the Marshal, his deputies, and the small militia groups that have been established in each community.

The Osow Badlands

History: The Osow communities have always been frontier towns- similar to the American 'Old West'. No grand cities, no vast empires, just frontier towns. During the Unification Wars they fought fiercely for their territory, but eventually surrendered when it became apparent that they could not win. The various towns in Osow never really liked having to change the Laws all that much, but they -did- get their hands on modern mining technology and the training to use it. So it became a matter of tit-for-tat. Only a few old outlaws really bear that much of a grudge anymore. When the Upheaval came, communication with the nomadic tribes of the Forgotten Desert was cut entirely, and every gunslinger worth his spit took up arms against frightening horrors from the deserts. Basilisks, sandworms, gigantic insect life, plants that were previously used in liquor refinement suddenly became alive and violent; it was like the Wastes themselves were trying to swallow these towns whole. The military forces of Athens came before all was lost, and taught the locals how to make use of magic. Once peace was restored, they went back to their normal lives.. Mining, refining, and lots of gambling, for the most part. The six main towns in Osow are (from easternmost to westernmost) Deacon, Falos, Florence, Battery Springs, Driftwood, and Providence Hills. Modern technology makes life a little easier in the Osow Badlands- radar, Interlinks, and all modern conveniences have made your average commoner's life pretty nice. That is, if you don't mind a working environment where backbreaking labor in 120 degree heat is a daily affair.

Economy: There are no 'major' areas of industry, but Osow is chock full of countless tiny hotspots where a prospector can find various mineral veins, oil repositories, and deposits of uranium. Adamantine, for some reason, is more commonly found here than anywhere else. Thus, mobile mining and drilling platforms are employed by the various companies that compete with one another. Most local wildlife, particularly the kind that has powerful magical capacity, does not appreciate these mining and drilling operations, and as such private security forces can make quite a bit of money.. Provided they don't mind the dangers. There are several prominent sites of Archeological interest as well, pyramids, temples, and nexuses that appear to be focal points for powerful magical energies, buried deep under the sands.

Government & Military: The main power in every township are the Mayor or the Sheriff that keeps the peace and enforces the Law. Contrary to common belief, Law in Osow is only very rarely the clan justice ideal of "You'll get a fair trial and a swift hanging afterwards." Each mayor or sheriff commands a force of Gun-Mages; spell-casting, gunslinging deputies that utilize magic for both protecting the populace and sometimes in lieu of modern forensics labs. Mayors and Sheriffs are replaced regularly, either due to fatality or severity of injury, rarely due to corruption. The next leader is always replaced by the most honest and upright man or women they can find to do the job.

Terrain/Environment: The Badlands are just that- mainly badlands and desert. Very little water can be found out here without a good diviner, or without a sufficient supply already brought along with. Before the nomads of the nearby Forgotten Desert disappeared, they had been working on devices that let them harvest pure, clean water from plants, which is another possible idea for survival. The badlands are harsh and unforgiving, always hot, and arid. The Intercontinental Highway here in the Badlands is the most dangerous stretch of road in Sharaha, even if the heat doesn't kill you, the monsters very well may..

Kuy'yun

History: Hidden within the great oaks and redwood trees of the Kuy'yun Forest dwell the last of the indigenous peoples of Sharaha- the Elves. Their people suffered terribly when the immigrants came to Sharaha, as avarice saw their forested homeland being destroyed, and their people attacked from all sides. Their Druidic culture, though it was perfect for themselves, benefited them little against the ferocious and (in their opinion) short-sighted schemes of outsiders. Their survival hinged on two major points- finding the right allies at the right times, and adapting to advances in science and technology. The formerly communistic country of Fahlinburg, unfortunately, was dead set on clear-cutting the majority of the Forest, and using the lumber to fuel their expansionist goals. Edarthurkaer too, posed them a significant threat, but the Dark Elves thankfully withdrew and receeded deep underground shortly after the immigrants came. When ambassadors from Delaros approached the elves, they found themselves for the most part agreeing with Tanika's benevolent societal models, despite that they had little choice but to accept the offer of alliance anyhow. Though the magical aspects of their Druid beliefs were long since gone, rangers from the Kuy'yun capital of Ik'th'ren provided the Tanika military with a force of elite snipers who could boast centuries of experience, albeit with more primitive weapons. When Sharaha became united, and science progressed at a steady pace, Tanika endeavored to help the elves integrate modern technology with their cultural background, helping them to carefully reconstruct their glorious tree cities. When the Upheaval struck, the Forests shook with a terrible rage that only Nature can truly summon, and countless lives were lost. The elves themselves suffered the least, but those shorter-lived races they had allowed to join their society endured heavy casualties. After Athens (supposedly) made Magic available again, they quickly leapt at the opportunity to finally make use of their ancient lore and knowledge, that had been useless for millennia. It is likely that the elvish affinity towards magic, if not inherent usage thereof, is the cause for their swift adaptation to the new age and their swiftly growing status as a country with powerful magical capability.

Economy: Before the Immigration, but well after Magic was lost, the Elves of Kuy'yun lived simple lives, taking care of the Forests and trying their best to keep to their ancient beliefs. When the Modern Age reached them, they had few options but to adapt and integrate. Outsiders that could respect their 'green' economical policy were allowed to live with them, and since the shorter-lived races tend to breed much faster than elves, the ratio of elf-hybrids has been steadily on the rise. The balance of economic power is tipping in their favor simply due to sheer numbers. Aside from their magical talents, which are obviously on the market, Kuy'yun's economy thrives on what it gathers from its forests. Countless chemical and alchemical substances are tenderly farmed and harvested from the forest. Various fruits are used to produce a wide variety of fine wines and liquors. Many medicinal components are also grown and gathered here. And then of course, with modernization come the benefits of recycling. There is a heavy reliance on digital technology, mainly for the sake of the forest- why send a fax when an email is faster and uses up no paper? Most of the common labor goes into maintaining networks, Interlinks, roads, phone and electrical lines, and their unique architecture. Ik'th'ren, and even the smaller cities of Jou'gund and Cho'zull are marvels in terms of its architecture, all of the buildings that you and I might be used to have been painstakingly and carefully integrated into the very living forest. Chemical facilities, skyscrapers, condominiums, garages, all of them are part of the trees and rocks, which requires them to import quite a few technicians and laborers sometimes when new building plans get underway.

Government & Military: Kuy'yun's capital city of Ik'th'ren maintains a small, but swift and highly trained, military force. They are masters of their terrain and quite taciturn- it is a well known fact that an Ik'th'ren Ranger has never given an inch of ground, it had to be taken by force. They are peaceful overall, but sometimes circumstances dictate that violence is necessary. As a democratic state, the Senator of Kuy'yun is an elected official. However, for the past sixty years, the continued Senator from Kuy'yun has been the Lady Orinibute, a soft-spoken and kind woman who is rarely seen not smiling. Like her fellow Senators, most of her time is spent looking over reports and ensuring the quality of life for her people. There are rumors that, despite being on opposing sides during the Unification Wars, Orinibute is a very.. 'Close, personal' friend of the Baron von Hustinaff of Fahlinburg. These rumors are often contributed to "having sniffed a little too much at the chemical vats."

Fahlinburg

History: Fahlinburg, specifically the country's only major city of Scherakgrad, was built a century before the Unification Wars, by the third Baron von Hustinaff from the Naryubia Union. It has always been the largest center of industrial engineering in Sharaha. During the Unification Wars, they held sway over what was then a huge supply of raw mineral ores, plundered by three major mining towns. Unfortunately, the mines were slowly running dry, and the efforts of Tanika and Kuy'yun cut them off from their little mining friends. The minerals ran out, and when they ran out of materials to build with, they had few options but to surrender. Though disgruntled, the harsh and proud Fahlinburgers knew when to concede, accepting the new rulership of Tanika with a great deal of grumbling before going back to work. Originally, Scherakgrad was built upon a rolling savanna, trading with the Osow townships for mineral ores to smelt and build with. However, during the Upheaval, the entire landscape suddenly burst into a massive jungle. It was a hard fight to keep back the horrors that the jungle could conceal, but through sheer grit, determination, and strength they were holding their own- something else that they are proud of. Athens barely had to do much more than provide them with magical healing capabilities, and Scherakgrad forced the monstrosities that came for them into submission, led by their own Baron. They have tried many times in the past five years to cut down this enormous jungle, and yet not a single clear-cutting operation has even made a dent in it. The foliage simply grows back twice as fast and twice as strong, the wildlife adapts to their methods and tactics, and it refuses to abate. Some say that, on a metaphysical level, the jungle represents Fahlinburg's own stubbornness, which is why they cannot clear it. Today, Fahlinburg remains the same as it ever was, refusing to change their ways, only adapting to new engineering methods and producing high quality goods that are famed throughout Sharaha for their sturdiness.

Society: The common Fahlinburger's day consists of hard labor, sweat, and toiling in merciless humidity. She gets up, puts on her worksuit, and goes to a factory. Her supervisor is a strict but fair man. After work, she hits the pub with her coworkers for some after-work drinks. Then, home to play with the spouse and children. Despite advances in construction technology, IE machines building machines, Fahlinburg prefers to produce their goods by hand as much as possible. They believe that it infuses their proud spirits into whatever they create, which naturally makes it the superior product. They work hard, they play hard. Common recreational activities in Fahlinburg consist of various sporting events, at first glance many people mistake these events to be a simple matter of violence, considering Fahlinburg athletes to be little more than barbaric. However, a learned socialite knows that the violence isn't the important thing (even if a game of football isn't considered a good game without a broken limb or three), it's the show of power, tactical superiority, and the love of a good brawl between friends that make these games so enjoyed. When video games were introduced, games similar to Dance Dance Revolution, Virtual Tank, and a myriad of shooter games were instant hits. It is easy to mistake their pride for idle boasting, but a Fahlinburger is all too willing to prove that their pride is not over-exaggerated.

Economy: If there's a (legal) market for it, they build it. Fahlinburg relies heavily on trade with the Osow Badlands and Athens for all the raw materials they use in constructing their goods. Even with modern recycling techniques, without these two countries to support their infrastructure, they'd soon run out of work. They also process the most chemical substances- like cleansers and radiator fluid- as well as nuclear materials. When one tours a facility, they tend to get the impression that these structures are unguarded. This couldn't be further from the truth- all personnel in areas that are 'high risk' targets for terrorists are given basic combat training at the very -least-, weaponry is never too far from a work station, and they are mostly more than willing to defend THEIR workplace to the death.

Government & Military: Though the title of 'baron' isn't quite accurate anymore, the residents of Fahlinburg still call their senator 'Baron Yarinov von Hustinaff III', out of a mixture of pride and respect. The Baron is a national hero, he bravely led his people in both the Unification Wars and during the Upheaval, with barely any regard for his own safety. The Baron is a dwarf in his early 150's, when he is not attending to the affairs of state he is usually touring the various factories, plants, and other facilities- wearing the same worksuits as his people, sometimes he even joins in the hard work with them. The Baron says that this is good for worker morale, it gives them more pride to put into their work. As with Orinibute in Kuy'yun, there are numerous rumors that the Baron is quite taken with the elvish Lady, spending whatever fleeting moments he can in her company. Such rumors are largely ignored, since gossip is usually discouraged. There is not as much of a military presence in this formerly Communistic country as one might expect- a large percentage of the civilian workforce has experience and training enough that they can be called on to put down their tools and pick up their armaments at a moment's notice. There are weekly militia drills, and every parent is expected to teach their children the basic use of firearms and firearm safety. This further leads to a shockingly low violent crime rate.

Terrain/Environment: Fahlinburg experiences considerable heat and humidity due to being embedded into a jungle environment. The region experiences a monsoon for three months out of the Standard Year, and when not in a monsoon they are under conditions similar to that of El Nino. Perhaps the only reason the humidity is bearable is because of how often it rains.

Edarthurkaer

History: Edarthurkaer is the Calados version of the Underdark. For time out of mind they lived as one expects Drow and various other underground societies to live. At least, until the Immigrants came with the Modern Age, knocking at their doors. Without inherent magical prowess or the skills to make use of new technology, Edarthurkaer was forced to recede from the world. They sealed off the entrances to their underground world, and aside from a few older elves in Kuy'yun, were largely forgotten. It was unlikely that they'd ever be heard from again, at least.. Until the Upheaval. Without warning, subterranean caverns began opening up all across the continent, and horrific beasts spilled out led by Black Elf priestesses and wizards. Needless to say, they were not expecting the Foreigners- who proved to be far stronger when combined with the might of Kuy'yun, who were all too eager to suppress an incursion from their ancient foes. When things began to settle down, the Drow changed tactics. Diplomats from their cities, whose names are still mostly unknown, were sent to Tanika, who were watched closely by guards from Athens and Kuy'yun. Though the changes in the modern world are alien, it cannot be said that the various races of Edarthurkaer are not trying to adapt. Or so it looks.. The Foreigners don't trust them in the least, nor do any elves save for the most naive, but Tanika has given them a measure of good will and the benefit of the doubt as per their Charter; while the Drow quietly smile and put a happy face on their efforts. Most, at least. Quite a few denizens of the great underground flaunt the true nature of their culture and society, despite the efforts of their superiors. These dissidents clearly do not like the idea, even if it is likely only a farce, and openly make threats, or even terrorist attacks against the surface world and the burgeoning city of Ino'dak. The only thing that prevents Edarthurkaer from outright invasion are the images of its heralds and leaders trying to force a change on the whole of the underground's violent, bloody culture- a culture that has no intention of changing.

Society: Edarthurkaer society is more or less the standard Drow society found in Faerun's Underdark. The major difference is that here, they have to expend a little more effort to keep it secretive due to modern society and modern technology. Ino'dak is similar in many ways to the current situation in Iraq (this is merely meant as a reference point, don't take it literally or bricking's will commence). There seem to be many people who want Edarthurkaer to become more like the rest of the civilized world, but at the same time there are many who want things to remain as they are. Because of this, there is constant socio-political strife- between the ones who want things to change, and those who want things to stay the same. Delaros regularly sends police forces to help in the cultural adjustments, but for some reason these forces and their efforts are regularly thwarted or sabotaged. Because of this, it is possible to see a few more 'good' Drow than the standard 'evil' ones. (Drizz't clones will be violated, drawn, quartered, hung, shot, flagellated, and eaten by lions on sight.) These rare, maybe on the rise? Drow either struggle to make Edarthurkaer a better place, or they leave and try to start new lives in other countries. Federal relocation and protection programs find Drow and Deep Dwarves on the run to be quite a challenge.

Economy: Edarthurkaer lacks a strong economic presence in Sharaha, they take in more than they put out. Still, they have plenty of access to the Brimstone Swamps via underground tunneling operations, which in turn has allowed them to set up several valuable chemical plant facilities where they refine and manufacture a few useful products. These facilities regularly face the threat of being attacked, but they often are left alone due to their relative unimportance. The darker aspects of Drow society- slavery, for example- has plenty of strength, and sees a great deal of extremely secretive business from Naburu.

Government & Military: The full extent of Edarthurkaer's military might is unknown or classified information. Everyone knows they have a sizable force of spellcasters, but no one knows exactly how many. They are believed to have other means of waging war, such as enslaved monsters, but this remains gossip for the time being. Whatever the case, they're definitely no match for Sharaha's modern military, or Athens' might. If they were, they'd still be waging war. Officially, Edarthurkaer's government is run democratically, by several female diplomats who regularly visit other countries. This is, naturally, a farce, but no one can really prove it..

Terrain/Environment: The subterranean caverns of Ino'dak, the city nearest to the surface that the majority of Overworlder's see, are lit up by the soft glow of electric lights, the sounds of business struggling to survive, the dull noise of car engines, occasionally the scream of bullets, or explosions of magic. But there are far worse things, waiting in the Deep Caverns of Edarthurkaer...

Port City Spiya

History: Before the Foreigners came, Spiya was merely another port city, the only remarkable thing about it was the surrounding kelp. Oh it was certainly important, as Tanika was having an enormous set of dry docks built there for the purpose of constructing the largest naval vessels ever seen, but it wasn't very important for much else. Only a couple destroyers, one nuclear-powered submarine, and a few merchant ships were in port when the Upheaval struck. Brutal monstrosities from the Deeps suddenly surfaced, laying into the fishing boats and kelp harvesters with a bloodthirsty abandon. And shortly after that, winged hellfiends began assaulting them as well. Despite an onslaught that would make Pearl Harbor look like a cakewalk by comparison, Spiya's cunning mayor made good use of what forces he could muster, managing to hold off these air and sea attacks until a new force flew overhead. Dragons, angels, and other winged creatures sped alongside helicopters while jets roared past, the besieged city cheering as they shot down countless hostile forces, and bombed the monsters from above. After things were put back into order, Athens argued in favor of letting Spiya become an independent entity. These arguments were successful, and since then Spiya has prospered greatly, thanks to their ability to construct naval vessels of all sizes, their kelp beds, and fisheries.

Society: Spiya, as an independent port city, is home to a wide variety of miscreants, lowlifes, smugglers, pirates, scum, and swashbucklers in general. Basic morality laws are in place, but to some extent they are on the lax side. One could easily equate Spiyan society to that of Mos Eisley from Star Wars, but there are certain important differences- such as being managed and run by a government of relative integrity and honor.

Economy: As stated before, Spiya's main industries are its naval construction facilities, kelp farms, and fisheries. It also benefits from being the center of all smuggling operations throughout Sharaha, as well as general piracy and ship-based transport. These are all unofficially taxed by the Mayor, which allows them those little additional funds they need to support the city's social programs and infrastructure.

Government & Military: As such a small independent country, Spiya does not require as complex of a governmental system as the rest of Sharaha. A halfling mariner known as Admiral Schaefer governs the port city, a man of impeccable manners and an expert diplomat. After rallying Spiya to his banner during the Upheaval, he was unanimously elected to office for his outstanding efforts to keep the city from being destroyed. This is in no small part due to his charm, charisma, and personal code of honor in addition to being a top notch strategist. These skills make him respected by both ally and enemy alike. Officially, Spiya has a very small military force, obviously centered on naval forces. They maintain a single powerful battleship, two destroyers, and two submarines for the defense of their city. However, in times of great need, the Admiral could easily rally every pirate, merchantman, and smuggler to his aid if necessary.

Terrain/Environment: Spiya itself is set onto a small island full of light jungle, which they use to hide various military facilities. Very tropical environment, it gets a lot more rain these days due to Athens' close proximity and their subsequent magic|weather flux. The sea around Spiya is warm, good for swimming, very few predators that can pose a threat to a humanoid. Aside from the occasional sea monster that's in the mood for fishin' ships.

Naburu

History: Naburu resented Tanika and its government more than anyone else. This is perhaps due to being the farthest from their reach, situated on an island about 30 miles north of the mainland. Despite conquest, it has always been a major center for criminal activities. On the outside it appears as a simple city similar to Las Vegas- legalized gambling, prostitution, and such. Deep down it was controlled by a dozen or so crime families, all of whom had their own territories and their own rackets. As far as crime towns go, it was quite prosperous. Then the Upheaval came. Two armies suddenly spilled out- devils and demons. Initially, these two armies began rampaging across the countryside. Half the city was destroyed in a matter of days, until the leaders of these armies came to a realization. They were completely and utterly cut off from the Nine Hells and the Abyss. There were no more reinforcements coming. They were all there was, and the fighting was quickly depleting their forces. In an unprecedented move, the generals of these forces met and discussed what exactly could be done. Neither side had the power to open gateways to their respective nightmarish realms- indeed, something seemed to be actively stopping them- and simply being destroyed was not an option. A further, more shocking, declaration of 'truce' followed. The Demons and Devils, working together in a terribly uneasy truce, discovered a whole new world to reap for souls, and decided the best course of action was to whip the city into shape under their designs. Within a short period after their initial invasion, Naburu's criminal element was easily brought under their control, and they set about invading their new neighbors to the south. Jaya was an easy target, the slaughter was enjoyable, if not very glorious due to the weak and pathetic inhabitants. Spiya proved to be a tough nut to crack, but they kept at it, relentlessly hammering away at their defenses from the air. All seemed to be going well until Athens' forces showed up. They remembered those people, the ones from the last world. After it became apparent that they couldn't win, they were quick to negotiate a peace, still not having any means of reinforcing themselves. Though the Demons were irate about surrendering, their temporary fiendish allies promised that this peace would only last until they could get some more 'friends'..

Society: Overall, Naburu remains the same city of general corruption and organized crime that it has been for a long time. The demons and devils maintain a very shaky farce of peace, each taking their own sections of the city and running it how they see fit. They do however acknowledge that they could probably be wiped out if Sharaha as a whole moved against them, so they at least try to keep a nice, happy face to show to the world. Though they all have their private cults, these are kept out of the public eye as much as possible. The 'police force' is a joke, there are many five or six honest officers employed in the entire country. Aside from now being run by Infernal and Abyssal forces, not a whole lot has changed.. Maybe a few more sacrificial rites.

Economy: Simply put, Naburu's economy is based entirely on crime. If it's illegal, it's here someplace. And it's being managed by someone. They hoard magical items of all forms, which is why no one openly supplies them with any. All magical objects must be smuggled into Naburu, unless you're an adventurer carrying their own personal stash. Only a few would dare openly attack someone clearly defined as an adventurer, most would prefer more subtle methods to depriving them of their treasures, which they hope to leech the energy from to open new portals. Construction is another relatively decent business in Naburu, perhaps the only honest one. The city has almost been fully repaired back to its normal state. The revenues generated by all these illegal operations pay for the necessities of life via trade.

Government & Military: Naburu is governed as one might expect a city full of hellish monsters to be run. The devils rule as one might expect the Mafia to- fear, force, and money. The Demons run their sections with the use of similar methods. Which side is better is a debate for the ages- Demons tend to be less predictable, but being as they control more of the Red Light Districts, pleasure has become an excellent tool of control. Devils don't quite use it as much, but they -are- more understanding about circumstances being difficult, less likely to rip someone's head off at unfavorable news. There is no actual standing military force, if there's a problem, they simply throw cultists or criminals at it. If that doesn't work, the monsters step in.

Terrain/Environment: The landmass that Naburu sits on is a desolate place. There are numerous ruins and dungeons worth exploring, but the landscape looks like a post-apocalyptic battleground. Blasted ruins, undead monsters shuffling around, aberrations creeping and hiding outside of the city, waiting for victims. There's very little food or water that's drinkable. The skies are almost always dark and rainy, sometimes the rain is mildly acidic and irritating to those beings without tough skin (No Natural Armor bonus).

Legalities:

Legal System

Sharaha's complex legal system will not be fully explained- to do that would require the writer to study RL legal systems for about twenty years, then take another ten to write them all down. So instead, we will focus on several important notes of legalities observed by Sharaha. For the most part, they follow what most of us in 1st world Democratic countries would consider 'standard' morality laws- no murder, stealing, kidnapping, rape, and so forth, with all manner of circumstantial intricacies and definitions. However, they observe somewhat different laws as well. Tobacco products, as they require refinement and the addition of chemical substances, are illegal to smoke in public- smoking is only allowed outside of city limits and within certain buildings designated as smoker friendly. This is not true of -every- area, most of the towns in Osow don't really care, but it is generally pretty heavily enforced due to the health hazards posed by it. Another, more obvious, 'blue' law is that it is illegal in Fahlinburg to fish in the native rivers off the back of a bulette. Moving on!

Licenses and Currency

Licenses are required for a myriad of activities or functions in Sharaha as a whole- for reasons pertaining to security, proof of competency, or simply to keep track of things of importance. The major categories are licensing for various classes of vehicles, licensing for businesses of all forms, licensing for certain types of personal armaments, and licensing for mercenaries or adventurers. Without these licenses, you can be sure to suffer harassment from law enforcement agencies under situations of duress. They are generally cheap, aside from a few that stress great importance. Licensing records your name, fingerprints, and general physical appearance into a database; your DNA is not added until you become a suspect of a felony. Money in Sharaha, and indeed all of Calados, consists of copper, silver, gold, and platinum-pressed bills with the names of famous leaders and their faces printed on it, along with various underlying patterns and series' of numbers that make counterfeiting extremely difficult, and the International Credit System. This is only useful in the civilized regions of Sharaha though, adventurers will have to invest in bullion or trade goods for areas where paper money and credit has not caught on.

Vehicles and Licenses

Vehicles fall into three categories- Classes A, B, and C. Class A licenses are the most easily obtained and indicate that the holder is competent of driving standard vehicles, your standard driver's license that says you can ride a motorcycle or a car, you probably won't use it for much more than transporting yourself or a few people, or perhaps moving from one apartment to another. They cost 5 gold. Class B licenses are for heavier classes of vehicle, such as busses and semis- they require a better understanding of physics and a better demonstration of control than is necessary with smaller vehicles. These cost 10 gold. Class C licenses are for considerably complex vehicles- such as cranes, dump trucks, bulldozers, and other vehicles that perform complicated functions. These cost 20 gold.

Business Licensing

Business Licensing covers everything from the ownership of a simple tavern to skyscrapers that house entire corporate bodies. The costs vary widely and will not be listed, but are still necessary to own and run an official business. Because Sharaha tends to cull the corporate world to avoid allowing them to grow so large that they can influence government bodies, they are very strict about paperwork and procedure- certain businesses, such as casinos or prostitution establishments, are subject to additional regulations and rules concerning employee health and safety, and the owners of these businesses can expect regular, close legal scrutiny.

Weapon Licensing

Weaponry licenses are generally pretty simple- you pay 10 gold and take a test to demonstrate your competency in the ownership of hand to hand melee weapons like swords or axes or bows, and 20 gold with a test for firearms proficiency, maintenance, and competency. These licenses allow the carrier to wear and carry their armaments with them wherever they go, and come in the form of a card with an electronic microchip that allows police officers to quickly scan you and determine whether or not you should be toting that greatsword around. Certain firearms are restricted to civilians- such as the Laborer anti-tank rifle, however with appropriate mercenary or adventuring licenses, you can acquire a license to own otherwise illegal firearms at a cost of 50 gold.

Adventuring Licenses

Adventuring parties often have to be on the move, regularly going places that normal people aren't allowed, and sometimes come into conflict with the law. The ownership of an Adventuring license says that you have the skills, esoteric or otherwise, as well as the combat capability to handle situations that others are incapable of handling- such as exploring uncovered ruins at an archeological dig site in the Forgotten Deserts. These licenses can get you past certain security clearances for the sake of performing such tasks as the example given, and they also allow you to contract your skills to private citizens or the government. Depending on what the carrier of this license does in the course of their career, they may acquire additional security clearances that can let them bypass military or federal restrictions that they would otherwise be hampered by. The cost 25 gold and need to be renewed yearly.