Nations

Nations

Six nations split the continent of Aurumreach, each descended in some way from the Iron Empire. In the wake of the Empire's catastrophic fall, the continent fell into anarchy, and it took generations for order to be restored. Sadly, the new order was little better than the old.

Echsbrand

A patchwork of squabbling feudal fiefdoms bound by crumbling oaths, Echsbrand clings to archaic traditions and bloodline magic. Its knights ride clockwork steeds fueled by alchemical ichor, and its warlords wield relic-blades that crackle with ancestral power. Though backward in ideology, Echsbrand’s mage-smiths produce enchanted artillery coveted by modern armies, and that's only one of it's many enchanted exports. Echsbrand's refusal to adopt modernization forced it to double-down on embracing magic, alchemy, and other arts that don't industrialize well, bringing the confederacy back from the brink of collapse.

Fantonia

A dystopian industrial hellscape where rival conglomerates wield more power than kings, Fantonia has replaced governance with shareholder contracts. Its skies are choked with factory smog, its rivers run neon with chemical runoff, and its workers labor under “debt-lives” owed to corporate overlords. The corporations bleed dry every adult, child, and scrap of land they can get their hands on and feed that wealth up the chain to the top. Religion is the general population's only solace from long hours of backbreaking labor, and that, too, has a price tag attached. In Fantonia, even the gods aren't free.

Khannopolsk

A mercantile republic draped in the illusion of democracy, Khannopolsk enforces a rigid caste system through small facial tattoos and hereditary ledgers. Only the merchant oligarchs can vote or hold office. The labor caste toils in farms, mines, and foundries, while the “untouchable” caste polishes the oligarchs' filth from every edifice. Recently cracks spread in Khannopolsk 's facade: a movement called The Spark Collective, led by disaffected scholars, intellectuals, mages, and oligarch heirs, pushes forward reforms and restructuring aimed at a more just society.

Leletes Syndicate

A ruthless thalassocracy dominating the coasts of the southwestern peninsula, the Leletes Syndicate is ruled by merchant-admirals and privateer cartels who view the sea as their birthright. Their fleets—a mix of diesel-powered dreadnoughts and sleek smuggling cutters—control trade routes, levy arbitrary tariffs, and raid coastal settlements for "tribute." Citizenship is a commodity: those who can’t buy into the Syndicates are condemned to toil in floating factories, operate coral shelf aquaculture farms, or join privateer crews as expendable marines. Those who violate the syndicates' harsh codes find themselves powering oar-driven prison barges.

Reichtengen

The oldest, largest, and most central of Aurumreach's nations, Reichtengen arose from survivors in the taiga and fjords in the bitter north. It reigned as the greatest power on the continent, held back mostly by the infighting of aristocrats, but the industrial revolution brought major changes to Reichtengen that it struggled to endure.

Zadabinsk

Zadabinsk is a theocratic state guided by a covenant of Aurumreach's pantheons. The country is governed by an equal council composed of the high priests of each deity of the Hidden Mysteries, the Clan of Martyrs, and the Star Shepherds. Zadabinsk prioritizes education, communal welfare, and spiritual harmony. Temples double as hospitals and schools, missionary work focuses on charitable aid, and laws forbid religious persecution. However, Zadabinsk's tolerance extends to the darker cults of the pantheons' to ensure that the deities are worshiped in all their aspects. These “Iniquitous Devotions” are permitted but tightly regulated, their practices confined to sanctioned districts and monitored by the priesthood to protect the populace. While Zadabinsk avoids conquest, its missionaries proselytize across the continent, destabilizing the balance between religion and governance. It accepts and welcomes refugees from the other nations as well, so long as they join the faithful.