Post by Admin on Feb 17, 2012 0:15:21 GMT -5
Geography: The northern state of Caledonia is a mountainous region, with dense forests covering most rural areas. Greenwich proper, the central region of the continent, has little forest territory left, most having been cleared to make way for the steam-and-metal cities which dominate the landscape. Hibernia, the southern state, has vast amounts of pastures and flatlands which have been turned towards agricultural use. Large freshwater lakes and small rivers feature all across the continent.
Weather: Central Greenwich and Caledonia face perennial downpours, most frequently in Greenwich and most violently in Caledonia. Autumn gales and winter blizzards are also generally harsher in Caledonia and more persistent in Greenwich. Hibernia, while not so roughly treated by the elements, is plagued by thick autumn fogs that block out much of the sunlight for the latter half of the year.
Population: The 'civilized' population is an even split between human and Beastfolk, with political power shared between both. Few Noble Fey remain, most choosing to make their homes in the thinning rural areas, away from the bustling cities. Caledonia itself is rumored to be home to a handful of High Fey. A distinctive and very vocal Wildfey minority inhabit the forests, shunning the cities - and frequently, making attempts to halt their spread. Officially, all are equal in the eyes of the government.
Form of Government: The Royal Family of Greenwich is now largely a figurehead, though they do retain control of the treasury and may be granted emergency military powers in times of war. For most political affairs, however, the Parliament makes the decisions. Its highest authority, the Cabinet of Ministers, itself led by the Prime Minister, have the final say. Caledonia and Hibernia have similarly run internal self-government, but ultimately answer to the Prime Minister of Greenwich.
Technology: With an abundant supply of firewood, iron mines, water - and little else in the way of resources, central Greenwich has developed into the world's central hub for steam-run technology. Most machines are a complicated affair of clockwork - cogs and valves and gears and pulleys, turned by hand or propelled by steam from the boiler tanks. Blimps and gyro-copters dominate the skyline; trains run back and forth between the states. Developments in electricity, while rudimentary thus far, are slowly gaining attention.
Favored Magics: Magic has largely fallen by the wayside, though a single school remains in Caledonia, dedicated to teaching all five forms. Mages still find few employment opportunities in Greenwich, especially for travel and military force. However, a sizable niche remains for Written magic, in specific formula and diagram magic, to grease the laws of Physics and give their factories a little boost.
Major Locations:
Caledonia -
- Jameston: the oldest of Caledonia's three cities, a marketplace for locals and the state's main point of contact with Greenwich.
- Edinborough: Caledonia's capital, home to several universities and the Caledonian Parliament.
- Dunbavin: the smallest and newest city, currently under development as a factory district and seaport.
- Camford School of Magic: a school situated in a large castle, dedicated to instructing students in magical theory and application.
- Haddington: a mining town carved out of the mountainside, adjacent to large underground metal deposits.
- The High Road: a heavily fortified road linking the three cities to central Greenwich, currently the only means of travel without risking monster or Wildfey attack. Railway tracks run on either side of the road, themselves protected from sabotage by guard patrols and high fences.
Greenwich -
- Meridian: the capital city of Greenwich, with a massive train station and airport providing transport to the rest of the continent. Home to the Houses of Parliament, the Royal Palace, and a giant clock tower.
- Oxbridge University of Science: a university situated in the city of Oxbridge, just next to Meridian, responsible for many of the nation's technological breakthroughs. Physics and Engineering are its mainstays, but it also offers Written magic classes.
- Livester: Greenwich's main seaport and fishery at the far west of the continent.
- Orbis: A cultural center, this state houses several theaters, universities and museums of fine arts.
Hibernia -
- Dublinshire: the state's capital city, surrounded by a massive stretch of farmland. In a slight departure from typical Greenwich fashion, the University of Dublinshire offers agriculture and botanical studies as its primary focuses.
- Murdoch Town: a mining settlement that now lies abandoned to the goblins. The nearby mines contain precious metals, jewels and hostile monsters.
Major Concerns:
- The Wildfey population has reacted poorly to the rise and spread of industrialization. In response to the cities encroaching on their forests, many have taken up arms or magic to push the 'invaders' back - and often, they don't care who gets hurt, as long as they're humans or Beastfolk. Sabotage of outlying factories, raids on villages and waylaying of trade vehicles are common news, despite measures to step up security to keep the Wildfey back.
- The city-dwellers have responded in kind with increasing hostility. Suggestions of friendly overtures to the Wildfey are laughed out of Parliament, and several outlying towns have taken up a kill-on-sight policy for Wildfey spotted within shooting distance of their walls and roads.
- Caledonia's hostile weather has forced most of its population to remain on the move, always on the lookout for the next storm. Because monsters and Wildfey are in their highest numbers there, its technology is at least a century behind that of central Greenwich. The strongest survive, and that includes some very nasty specimens of monsters, river hags and plague spirits running loose and gremlins in the machinery. Magic is taken more seriously there - in some cases, it's the only way to survive.
- The past century has seen an upsurge of Were attacks in the outlying towns and villages. Infection is often a slow death sentence, for the victims and their families - few are willing to hire a Werecreature, or trade with a Were's family. Most often, the afflicted are forced to leave by societal pressures, or turn and are put down by local law enforcement during the full moon. One-way tickets to the Were colony of Damian's Isle are available upon request or conviction of murder, but the problem is largely unaddressed. Those unlucky few are swept under the rug until they claw their way out, only to meet a bullet to the skull.
Weather: Central Greenwich and Caledonia face perennial downpours, most frequently in Greenwich and most violently in Caledonia. Autumn gales and winter blizzards are also generally harsher in Caledonia and more persistent in Greenwich. Hibernia, while not so roughly treated by the elements, is plagued by thick autumn fogs that block out much of the sunlight for the latter half of the year.
Population: The 'civilized' population is an even split between human and Beastfolk, with political power shared between both. Few Noble Fey remain, most choosing to make their homes in the thinning rural areas, away from the bustling cities. Caledonia itself is rumored to be home to a handful of High Fey. A distinctive and very vocal Wildfey minority inhabit the forests, shunning the cities - and frequently, making attempts to halt their spread. Officially, all are equal in the eyes of the government.
Form of Government: The Royal Family of Greenwich is now largely a figurehead, though they do retain control of the treasury and may be granted emergency military powers in times of war. For most political affairs, however, the Parliament makes the decisions. Its highest authority, the Cabinet of Ministers, itself led by the Prime Minister, have the final say. Caledonia and Hibernia have similarly run internal self-government, but ultimately answer to the Prime Minister of Greenwich.
Technology: With an abundant supply of firewood, iron mines, water - and little else in the way of resources, central Greenwich has developed into the world's central hub for steam-run technology. Most machines are a complicated affair of clockwork - cogs and valves and gears and pulleys, turned by hand or propelled by steam from the boiler tanks. Blimps and gyro-copters dominate the skyline; trains run back and forth between the states. Developments in electricity, while rudimentary thus far, are slowly gaining attention.
Favored Magics: Magic has largely fallen by the wayside, though a single school remains in Caledonia, dedicated to teaching all five forms. Mages still find few employment opportunities in Greenwich, especially for travel and military force. However, a sizable niche remains for Written magic, in specific formula and diagram magic, to grease the laws of Physics and give their factories a little boost.
Major Locations:
Caledonia -
- Jameston: the oldest of Caledonia's three cities, a marketplace for locals and the state's main point of contact with Greenwich.
- Edinborough: Caledonia's capital, home to several universities and the Caledonian Parliament.
- Dunbavin: the smallest and newest city, currently under development as a factory district and seaport.
- Camford School of Magic: a school situated in a large castle, dedicated to instructing students in magical theory and application.
- Haddington: a mining town carved out of the mountainside, adjacent to large underground metal deposits.
- The High Road: a heavily fortified road linking the three cities to central Greenwich, currently the only means of travel without risking monster or Wildfey attack. Railway tracks run on either side of the road, themselves protected from sabotage by guard patrols and high fences.
Greenwich -
- Meridian: the capital city of Greenwich, with a massive train station and airport providing transport to the rest of the continent. Home to the Houses of Parliament, the Royal Palace, and a giant clock tower.
- Oxbridge University of Science: a university situated in the city of Oxbridge, just next to Meridian, responsible for many of the nation's technological breakthroughs. Physics and Engineering are its mainstays, but it also offers Written magic classes.
- Livester: Greenwich's main seaport and fishery at the far west of the continent.
- Orbis: A cultural center, this state houses several theaters, universities and museums of fine arts.
Hibernia -
- Dublinshire: the state's capital city, surrounded by a massive stretch of farmland. In a slight departure from typical Greenwich fashion, the University of Dublinshire offers agriculture and botanical studies as its primary focuses.
- Murdoch Town: a mining settlement that now lies abandoned to the goblins. The nearby mines contain precious metals, jewels and hostile monsters.
Major Concerns:
- The Wildfey population has reacted poorly to the rise and spread of industrialization. In response to the cities encroaching on their forests, many have taken up arms or magic to push the 'invaders' back - and often, they don't care who gets hurt, as long as they're humans or Beastfolk. Sabotage of outlying factories, raids on villages and waylaying of trade vehicles are common news, despite measures to step up security to keep the Wildfey back.
- The city-dwellers have responded in kind with increasing hostility. Suggestions of friendly overtures to the Wildfey are laughed out of Parliament, and several outlying towns have taken up a kill-on-sight policy for Wildfey spotted within shooting distance of their walls and roads.
- Caledonia's hostile weather has forced most of its population to remain on the move, always on the lookout for the next storm. Because monsters and Wildfey are in their highest numbers there, its technology is at least a century behind that of central Greenwich. The strongest survive, and that includes some very nasty specimens of monsters, river hags and plague spirits running loose and gremlins in the machinery. Magic is taken more seriously there - in some cases, it's the only way to survive.
- The past century has seen an upsurge of Were attacks in the outlying towns and villages. Infection is often a slow death sentence, for the victims and their families - few are willing to hire a Werecreature, or trade with a Were's family. Most often, the afflicted are forced to leave by societal pressures, or turn and are put down by local law enforcement during the full moon. One-way tickets to the Were colony of Damian's Isle are available upon request or conviction of murder, but the problem is largely unaddressed. Those unlucky few are swept under the rug until they claw their way out, only to meet a bullet to the skull.