Astraea

Behold, the 13xx Anno Bella (A.B.)!

The Five Nations

There are five major nations that divide Astraea:

Fransia

Fransia is an unitary state with a bi-cameral Parliamentary Republic type of government. However, since the creation of the State, the Parliament has been used as a mere facade to an authoritarian mandate. The government is almost completely centralized by the Military, ruled by a supreme Emperor.

The legal inhabitants of Fransia are a diverse population of Ningen accustomed to a peaceful, sheltered life. However, media is a large focus in this nation, and nearly everyone is kept updated by the happenings of the war. A majority of the population is very educated and schooled in characters and language, possessing the lowest illiteracy rate of any nation.

The terrain of Fransian land is mainly dotted by low, fertile plains and some mountainous regions. Few forests dot the land, but they are much more focused in east Fransia. The actual capital city, Belcross, is situated on an unnaturally raised plateau far within the country's borders. The temperature is mild throughout the year no matter the season.

The main focus of military training in Fransia is based and centered on the use of both traditional weapons such as swords, and mechanical weapons such as the recently-pioneered bolt-action rifle. Fransia is the most diverse nation within Astraea and spearheads industrialization and technological advancement within New Halke.

Kaval

Kaval was originally an absolute monarchy. However, since its first revolution, or the First Coming, a weak semi-constitutional monarchy has been forced upon the sultan, in which all governmental decisions are relayed to a supreme central government. A monarch sultan is the ruler, but merely a figurehead for the country. They hold very limited power in actual governmental affairs but holds his own elite army which aids the public armed forces in times of dire need.

The terrain of Kaval is mainly dotted by deserts and few mountain ranges, with one prominent mountain range, the Tutela Obex situated along the border of Kaval that seperates Astraea from the rest of the continent. Forests only exist along the North Sea. The actual capital city, Amol, has been built around an eternal oasis influenced by ancient sorcery called Seseila. The climate of Kaval is usually above-mild year long, but unbearably hot during the summer season.

The main focus of military training in Kaval are based and centered on use of traditional weaponry such as swords, knives, and bows while also taming Feral such as horses and raptors as mounts. Due to the economic decline of the country, little technology can actually be given to military troops for combat. Kaval does however, boast the largest numbers of traditional weapon masters, making the country a popular origin of sellswords, freelancers, and assassins to dispatch for the numerous conflicts around Astraea.

North Cimaron

North Cimaron is a long-standing oligarchy operated by the thirteen leaders of six powerful guilds that preside over significant aspects of the nation. These leaders are called Guildmasters with two individuals governing each guild with the exception of the Adventurer's Guild that holds three leaders. The guilds are listed as followed in a loose grouping order: Magicks Guild (communications and research; intelligence; general defense), Scouting Guild (scouts and escorts; intelligence; front line conflicts), Defense Guild (general and border defense; front line conflicts), Exchanges Guild (craftsman and artisans, gatherers, hunters, and providers), and the most important guild is arguably the Adventurer's Guild (in charge of adventuring grants beyond national lines, central government, public servants, hub for adventurer's to find work).

The terrain of North Cimaron is predominantly green, blanketed by a forest called the Bulwark. The capital city of Gwun is located within the center of the Bulwark and boasts to be the most beautiful of all of Astraea. The cityscape is a mosaic of labyrinthine waterways and great wooden structures, so gracefully constructed they seem a part of the surrounding environment. The Neko's emphasis on natural harmony has led to its preeminence among Astraea's nations in trades such as agriculture, carpentry, botany, and leatherworking. 

To the north is an expanse of plains where a selective group of exiled Neko are sent to live. Numerous communities are established within those plains but none are officially recognized by the government and known as vagabond settlements. They are similar to the settlements located within the Contested Territory.

The focus of military training in North Cimaron depends upon a path that individuals can choose. Individuals may choose between three militant guilds to join, effectively being trained as either a Scout, Soldier, or Magus. As a whole however, North Cimaron is known for heading the research on the magical science known as Magecraft. Among the mortal races, Neko are most attuned with the natural elements and the mana-rich lands are known for materializing elements into entities known as "Primals" which have been long-time allies with the inhabitants of North Cimaron. Recent human invasions however has focused on capturing Primals and siphoning their large amount of inherent mana as resource for their own Magecraft experimentations.

Khrennikov

Khrennikov is a traditional thalassocracy, with power lying in the hands of the ruling party and its leader. Its economy is driven by shipbuilding, fishing, and blacksmithing. Restored ships and salvaged weaponry originating from Khrennikov is deemed extremely rare, valuable, and of a level of craftsmanship irreplicable by the mainland nation's current technology. With only glimpses of the nation brought possible through waterlogged books salvaged from shipwrecks, not very much else is known of Khrennikov's government or its history. As a result, Khrennikov itself is regarded within the same calibre as legends and myths. It is said to be a utopia at a constant peak of prosperity, having advanced technology, superior magicks, and especially being home to the celestial Ryuu as inhabitants.

The islands of Khrennikov is constantly shrouded by a mystical fog of magick origination, causing anyone caught moving into the fog to reverse in direction back out. The terrain of Khrennikov is very mountainous with occasional plains and valleys. Large gatherings appear to be unpopular for Ryuu as no large cities or towns have been sighted from the coast, only scarce fishing villages dot the coasts and cliffbeds when glimpses of the nation's mainland are observed through the persistent fog. The southern expanse of Khrennikov has never been seen nor dared to be ventured by any other mortal race.

Inhabitants

The higher concentration of demonic beings, angelic beings, gods, and other spiritual bodies are within the Void Lands. In Astraea there exists five main inhabitants:

Ningen

Boasting the largest population in Astraea, the Ningen were refugee nomads from the uninhabited half of New Halke and its islands, having shifted in many gradual migratory waves. With them, they brought sophisticated technology and complex ethos tempered by the breadth of the rough outside world. They rapidly became a driving force behind cultural progress, and are now widely accounted for spearheading the advancement of technology.

One of the Ningen's attributes is their little variety of languages and social institutions they exhibit. This is said to account for their firm adherence in unity, though it also results in strong solidarity and a dependence on group cohesion, thus prominent individual strengths are scarce and rare in Ningen.

Neko

During the Age of Heaven, as the seas turned to ice and passage over them became possible, Astraea saw an influx of foreign fauna to her shores. This in turn brought the hunting tribes which subsisted upon them, the modern descendants of whom are known as Neko, alongside the more violent, rash Inu. Since then, the Neko have evolved their mental and spiritual skills even further. Though having been beings that prefered the cold originally, the sudden evolutionary necessity to adapt to warmer weather has been drastic and left Neko physically inferior.

The Neko share superb senses--olfactory, aural, and optical--with the Inu, as well as powerful leg musculature, the results of a long evolution geared towards hunting and predation. However, in general, they are physically weaker than average, especially to the cold; though they possess a strengthened spiritual medium compared to other races. Compartively few in number, they maintain an insular group mentality, tending to avoid contact with the other races though not minding group cohesion or unity when dealing with other Neko. Many individuals tend to lead isolated lifestyles, even while residing in populous areas such as cities.

Inu

During the Age of Heaven, as the seas turned to ice and passage over them became possible, Astraea saw an influx of foreign fauna to her shores. This in turn brought the hunting tribes which subsisted upon them, the modern descendants of whom are known as Inu, alongside the more intelligent, calculative Neko. Since then, the Inu have evolved--degenerated from a simple, impulsive entity to a complex, still impulsive, and brutish entity of belligerent nature. After the Tree of Life was planted, the physically superior Inu found no disadvantage of the slightest in adapting to the warmer, arid wastelands they preferred.

The Inu share superb senses--olfactory, aural, and optical--with the Neko, as well as powerful arm musculature, the results of a long evolution geared towards hunting and predation. However, they possess weak resistance to attacks that target spiritual medium--those among the lines of sleep, coercion, or silencing; the Inu make up for this with a resilient physical body. Compartively few in number, but unlike Neko, they maintain a broad-minded group mentality, often facing other races, overlooking racial boundaries and acknowledging strength, while ignoring weakness. Many individuals lead a carefree lifestyle exalting freedom, even while residing in the worse of conditions or places.

Ryuu

The Ryuu have always been mentioned in folklore and myths as having been the mighty, initial inhabitants of the Galkgina landmass, as ancient Ningen have dealt with wild Ryuu in the past. Not many know where they have truly originated from, but with the discovery of Ryuu Gates and other dimensions, some speculate that Ryuu may have come from other dimensions and worlds, while others theorized that they are related to Feral tyrant-lizards and simply evolved with intelligence. Their exists two types of Ryuu, shape-shifters, and those that retain their bulky, dragonic forms called Beast-Ryuu.

They possess enormous, muscular builds and are known for the cultural emphasis they place on competition and unflinching courage. They possess innate magical abilities of unimaginable potential; one adult Ryuu is estimated to be on par with five master magus. Ryuu avoid contact with other races by all means, and their island country has lived in seclusion for millenia, surrounded by a magical mist. They are known however to be a neutral race and not an active participant in the War of Mortals. Not much else is known about Ryuu though.

The Feral

The Feral are the most diverse inhabitants of Astraea, and most likely all of New Halke. They comprise of the regular non-humanoid species of animals, such as raptors, dogs, cats, birds, fishes etc. Some speculate that the Ryuu are descendants of Feral dinosaurs, ferocious, massive lizards, but an Astrological experiment carried out by Ningen magus on a captured Ryuu subject traced Ryuu to divine roots.