Welcome to the Continent of Usea! (you-see-ah) While mostly temperate in nature, all of the major climactic zones on earth are represented here. Home to many nations, it is in a constant state of turmoil, and has seen several major wars over the years. This is a brief guide to the regions of Usea.
The Osean Federation, more commonly known as Osea (oh-see-ah), is the largest nation in Usea. It is a thriving democratic federation, and its citizens enjoy a great deal of freedom. It is very much a federalist nation. Regarded as the superpower of Usea, it is not afraid to rattle its saber at troublesome neighbors, most notably Yuktobania. Tensions always run high with that nation due to a past betrayal. They usually prefer a diplomatic solution however. It is mostly temperate, but has a sub-arctic zone to the north.
Climate of Comparison: United States
Government of Comparison: United States
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The Union of Yuktobanian Republics, or Yuktobania (youk-toe-bahn-e-ah), is the second largest nation. It is a reformed socialist state, now calling itself a democratic socialist republic. Its economy is beginning to rival that of Osea, but its citizens have a lower standard of living, and much less personal freedom. However, the citizens do not blame their government’s harsh economic programs for the most part. A large percentage of the population sees Osea as an opportunistic oppressor, ever since they withdrew federal aid after the socialist revolutionaries attacked a town on Osea’s borders. It would be classified as industrious, unionist, and militaristic. Being very mountainous, its climate zones vary wildly. In the north, near the mountains, it is a false sub-arctic zone, and in the south along the coast, it is sub-tropical in nature, with some thriving jungles. In the center of the nation, there is a large arid desert. Near the capital however, this nation is temperate as well.
Climate of Comparison: Soviet Union
Government of Comparison: Soviet Union
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The Free Eursean Republic, Eursea (you-rue-see-ah), is only slightly smaller that it’s southern neighbor, Yuktobania. It is not really a republic at all; it is actually a corporatocracy, run by powerful businesses. The standard of living is very high, but recent expenditures on modernizing most of the countries facilities have resulted in a temporary economic downturn. It seems to be becoming worryingly expansionist. It is an industrial and militant nation. It is mostly temperate, but has an arid zone along its border with the Jilachi (jill-ack-e) Desert in Yuktobania.
Climate of Comparison: Western Europe
Government of Comparison: Nazi Germany without the racial hatred.
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The Principality of Belka (bell-kah) is again only slightly smaller than the previous country. Somewhat of a theocracy as well, the citizens do not have much freedom, and it is run more like a police state. Most of the economic capital is spent on its military, with which it wages almost constant war on its two neighbors to the east. The nation focuses on heavy industry to build its military, as it is highly aggressive. North Belka is an arctic waste, rich in natural resources, due to a previous nuclear detonation throwing its climate into chaos. It does turn more temperate in the south near the mountains.
Climate of Comparison: Southern Siberia
Government of Comparison: Iran
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The republic of Ustio (ooh-s-tea-o) is a standard democratic nation. Its citizens enjoy many freedoms, and its economy, if not stellar, is very stable. They maintain close ties with their southern neighbor, Sapin. It is mostly rural, but has well established cities and industry. Its climate is arid nearest Belka, a side effect of the nuclear detonation in a previous war. The rest of the nation is temperate and fertile.
Climate of Comparison: Northern Europe
Government of Comparison: Modern Germany
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The Kingdom of Sapin (sap-in) is a benevolent constitutional monarchy. The ruling dynasty has been on the throne for over two centuries, and is responsible for much of the nation’s prosperity. As a result, the citizens (who enjoy a liberal level of freedom almost unheard of in a monarchy) feel great loyalty to king and country. The entire nation is very nationalistic. Due to a past cultural history that involves much back and forth immigration and emigration to their northern neighbor, Ustio, they have maintained a steadfast alliance with them. This has proven quite helpful as they are constantly under siege by the armies of Belka. The entire nation is temperate, but the southern coast has the benefit of two growing seasons due to its proximity to a sub-tropical ocean current.
Climate of Comparison: France
Government of Comparison: United Kingdom
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The Federal Republic of Aurelia (ore-elle-ah) is the southernmost nation in Usea. Very similar to Ustio, it is more prosperous, and its culture is far more laid back. Its northern neighbor, Leasath, has been having economic problems of late, and they have given them a substantial amount of financial and relief aid. They have become suspicious that the money is being spent elsewhere of late however, and tensions are rising. The northern plains are sub-tropical, and there are patches of jungle all over. The foothills are more temperate, and the southern coast is quite cold, due to a sub-arctic oceanic current along the coast.
Climate of Comparison: Argentina
Government of Comparison: France
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The Democratic Republic of Leasath (lee-ah-sat) is anything but. It is a military dictatorship, as after many years of civil war, a ruthless despot managed to wrest control of the country away from the parliament. However, with the money he made from arms-dealing, he has initiated several public relief aid programs, with the aim to get aid money from other nations. Due to all the recent strife, this is an impoverished and ravaged nation. However, using methods almost fascist in nature, the ruler has managed to turn the bitterness of the citizens against their southern neighbor, Aurelia, with a nationalistic furor. Many blame them for their economic woes, and there is much talk of war. The war torn landscape is temperate in nature, but no longer very fertile.
Climate of Comparison: Eastern Europe
Government of Comparison: Somalia
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The Republic of Amber (am-bear) and The Independent State of Ugellas (you-gel-las) are representative democracies. They were once the same nation, but due to a difference of opinion in foreign policy, Ugellas seceded peacefully after a popular vote. The standard of living is the same as in Aurelia, and so is the basic culture. Due to the warm currents in the enclosed sea, they are both comfortably warm, and Amber is technically sub-tropical. Due to the pacifistic views of the people of Amber, they trade only with the beleaguered nations of Ustio and Sapin. However, due to their pacifistic nature, their capital city of San Salvacion (san-sal-vah-z-on) has been sacked repeatedly throughout history. Their cousins in Ugellas are far more mercantile in nature, and trade with everyone. The bulk of their trade is with the scrapping nations along the northeastern coast of Usea, near the Kravinsky (kra-vin-ski) Mountains. As at least half of this is arms trade, which Amber strongly opposes, it is easy to see why they separated. Due to the arms trade, Ugellas has a much stronger military than their southern cousins.
Climate of Comparison: Amber: Florida, Ugellas: Greece
Government of Comparison: Amber: Switzerland, Ugellas: Netherlands
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Amber:
Ugellas:
Fata (fat-ah), Gebet (geb-eh), Recta (wreck-ta), and Ratio (rah-tea-o) are a set of small nations in a mountainous landmass to the northeast of Usea. They have fought amongst each other for as long as their nation’s recorded histories go back. As a result of which, all of their governments are the warlords of the moment, and their citizens live in constant fear. Strangely enough, because of a vast wealth of rare resources in the region, they are not impoverished, although they are still anything but economically stable. Fata occupies the plains to the north, and shares the bay with Gebet. Gebet also counts the plains to the west as well as the western mountains as its territory. Ratio is the southernmost nation in the unruly group, and as such does the most trade. Recta sits on the strip of coast east of the mountain range. Rarely in their history, they are united for a short time by a charismatic leader, or brilliant strategist. When this happens, they invariably attempt to invade the tribes on the nearby island of North Point. They have never succeeded.
Climate of Comparison: The Balkans
Government of Comparison: None, but the region is similar to the Balkans
Flag: None, as no warlord in the last decade has lasted long enough to bother making one.
The Independent State Allied Forces, ISAF (eye-saf) for short, is the government formed by the small, self-sufficient tribes that inhabit the island of Nord Poin (no-rad-po-wine), usually just called North Point. After the second invasion attempt from across the sea to the west, they banded together for defense, and formed a sophisticated senatorial system, which ensures the equal weight of every tribe’s opinion. This development shocked the rest of Usea and ever since ISAF has been a valued participant in the political arena. As the tribes are still fiercely independent, the citizens enjoy almost anarchistic levels of freedom. A seafaring culture, they have trade routes with every nation on the continent. This is necessary, as it would be difficult to sustain their rapidly growing population in the cold and harsh climate of their rocky island otherwise. Recently, there has been some talk about official unification, and the abolishment of the separate tribal governments.
Climate of Comparison: Scandinavia
Government of Comparison: United Nations
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Finally, there is the odd nation called the Imperium of Tanith (tan-ith). Located in the far north of Usea, due to a strange oceanic current phenomenon, the northern coast is actually temperate. Cool, but very fertile. The region is mountainous however, and to the south of the coastal plain, over the foothills, it becomes sub-arctic and harsh quite abruptly. The Tanith are a warrior society, and a large source of their national income stems from the government sanctioned mercenary groups that hire out to other nations. Once a tribal society like ISAF, they were forcibly unified by their current emperor. They revere him as a god made manifest, and as a result, have a very fundamentalist theocratic attitude in their dealing with other nations. Their heavy handed diplomacy makes some nations wary of them turning expansionistic, but so far the spoils of foreign wars seem to satisfy them. Many of the other religions on the continent call them pagans or heathens, and most find the idea of their God-Emperor laughable at best. There has recently been some rumbling from the theological community however; as the revelation of the emperor’s true age was given to them. If records are to be believed, he is well over 300 years old.
Climate of Comparison: Scandinavia
Government of Comparison: Sparta
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The area in which you currently find yourselves is a warm island chain known as the Comona (ka-moan-ah) Islands. The environment is cooler and more temperate than one would expect in a sub-tropical zone due to a cold, deep ocean current surrounding the islands. They are heavily forested, and have only a smattering of small settlements, and no cohesive government. The forest that some may call home is called the Tauberg, and it is both dense and sprawling. It covers most of the surface area of Kerwin Island, and its flora and fauna are both varied and dangerous. There is a large clear lake, Lake Ryker, in the center, created by an old impact crater. The southern edge is very smooth with a wide beach, but the shoreline climbs rapidly and the northern edge is a cliff face. Over the years, the only river on the island has meandered in such a way that there is a waterfall over the northern cliff face, which conceals a deep and dank cave. However, being the largest island in the chain, Kerwin is home to the only settlement which can truly be called a city. Known as Los Canas, it is home to a thriving economy based on mining the ultra rare gems and ores on the tiny Twinkle Islands. Most of the city’s food comes from the smaller fishing and farming community on the southern island. Known as Sand Island, it is a peaceful and more tropical environment than Kerwin. The town, Solis Ortus, is your average small community. To the east, almost over the horizon from the rest of the islands, is a mostly barren rock known as Solo Island. This island is home to a maximum security penal colony called Glubina (glue-be-na) Prison. Used to house only the most dangerous criminals in Usea, it is a foreboding place.
Climate of Comparison: The Florida Keys in winter
Government of Comparison: There is no government.
Flag: There is none, however this is a photograph of the landscape.
