Vespia

Vespia is a small plane on the outreaches of the Astral Sea. It is currently embroiled in a multi-sided war for control over one of its continents.

## History

Vespia's population is divided between two continents, Novea and Ama, separated from each other by a vast and treacherous ocean. Novea is home to a number of ethnostates, each of which has a long history of alliances, betrayals, and wars. In the past 50 years, the desire for power has led Novean explorers to roam further abroad, and eventually bringing them to discover Ama. Initial reports back to the major powers indicated an empty land full of resources ripe for exploitation, and the nations quickly sent shipload after shipload of conquering troops to secure the new world.

Ama, however, was not empty. Despite the first explorers' claims of a virgin, untouched land, the continent had been home to thousands upon thousands of goblin families for millennia. Exploratory settlements soon came into contact with the indigenous population. While some interactions have been peaceful, most are characterized by Novean aggression and mistrust, with many Noveans accusing the Amaians of collaborating with their old-world rivals. Consequently, much of the continent is in a slow-burning, multi-faceted war, with a variety of Novean powers seeking to claim land and wealth from the Amaians and each other, while most of the goblins fight to expel the Noveans from their ancient home.

## The Novean Nations

###### Albion

The most powerful of the invading nations, Albion is a mighty elvish empire in Novea. Various territorial claims across the old world have given it a significant advantage in global trade, and it controls a vast portion of the northern coast of Ama.

##### New Albion

Formed from a few rebellious colonies, New Albion now wages war against its parent empire. Despite being vastly outgunned, its distance from the Albionic seats of power in Novea gives New Albion a chance to establish its own state. Although they are fighting their own war for freedom, the elves of New Albion are deeply dismissive of Amaian complaints, and harbor a deep superiority complex over the goblins.

##### Visoria

Culture and art are the Visorian legacy. Or at least, that's the claim that halflings make. Many Amaians would argue that brutal oppression and aggressive colonisation are a more accurate legacy. Despite their short stature, Visoria's halflings have laid claim to much of Ama's southern coasts, and regularly establish large Azee farms to maintain their military power.

##### Hiberos

Perhaps the most fanatic of the invaders, Hiberosian dwarves are aggressively devoted to their incredibly large pantheon of saints and gods. Worse, each Hiberosian has their own interpretation on the correct methods and practices to worship said deities, and has very little tolerance for 'heretics'. Amaians have adopted tactics of complete war against the invading Hiberosian armies. Thankfully, their presence is limited to a few island holdings, due to significant losses in combats with Albion and Visoria

## Amaians

There is no easy way to sum up the diversity of the Amaian peoples. Rather than the large ethnostates of Novea, Ama's political landscape is composed of smaller "families", each numbering from a few dozen interconnected members to massive, sprawling organisations of thousands. While all are goblins, they vary in their cultural, religious, and political beliefs, and even in their physical appearance. Some, like the Bini, are small and green, with floppy ears and large eyes adapted for night sight, while others like the Azaut are towering and covered in rippling striped fur. These families ebb and flow, and have a rich history of interaction and competition.

This is, of course, lost on the Noveans, who see the Amaians as a monolithic people-group. In turn, this has led to incidents where a treaty with one family has been assumed to be a treaty with the Amaians as a whole, to disastrous effect. This also, perhaps, accounts for the distinctly unpleasant view that Noveans tend to have towards Amaians: despite a flourishing, multicultural civilisation, many Noveans view the goblins as unpleasant and uncivilised.

In the face of the encroaching Novean menace, there has been an increasing push for family confederation and unity in order to repel the invaders. These efforts are primarily led by the Bini tribe, and though some accuse them of attempting to seize control over sovereign families, their push for a united front has been met with approval from many Amaians, and hostility from the Novean powers.

## Azee Trees

The crown jewel of Ama is the Azee tree, a fabulously beautiful tree that grows into huge, looping multi-trunked structures with iridescent leaves. The goblins revere these plants, holding them as sacred conduits to divine power. Noveans, however, value it for its bark, which can be rendered down into an explosive powder that provides their weapons with significant propulsive power. This has resulted in significant conflicts, particularly with Visoria and their sprawling Azee farms.