Heartania

**Heartania** is the fictional setting for Villainy and Virtue. It is a sprawling metropolis, often described as 'the perfect city' (although the truth is far from that).

Heartania's most unique trait is the high density of residents with abnormal abilities, effectively making it the superhero capital of the world.

## Geography

Though the location of Heartania is vague. Although it is known to be situated around the East Coast of the United States, not much else is known. The reference of places such as Scarlet City suggests that Heartania neighbours these other locations. Considering the lack of military support in Heartania, as well as the reliance of heroes and police intervention, many believe that Heartania is a much more autonomous city then other ones in the country.

Many believe Heartania is a city on an island, though it has been confirmed there is a bridge leading to the outskirts and countryside that surround it. A full description and reveal of the city and the country is most likely not going to occur throughout the RP.

## History

Heartania first popped up during the European settlement of the United States. Emerging as a trading post for natives and colonials alike, Heartania quickly grew into a hamlet; later a fully fledged city. Not much else is known of Heartania's history, other than it was home to the dawn of superhumans and technological advancements.

## Residents

*Main article: Inhabitants of Heartania*

Being a futuristic, utopian metropolis, Heartania naturally hosts citizens in exceedingly high numbers. The residents are mostly civilian, but due to the density of the city's superhuman population they are accustomed to the day-to-day strife that comes with living in the crossfire between heroes and villains.

Heartania is notable as a 'city of heroes', being considered by many as the superhero capital of the world. For reasons as yet unexplained, people with superhuman capabilities appear more often in Heartania than anywhere else. The moral alignments of these beings is unpredictable, and as such the city is the site of a constant conflict between good and evil. As well as hosting such large numbers of local heroes and villains, the state of the city and its welcoming approach to superhumans also makes it a popular destination for the rarer heroes and villains born outside the city.

## Government

Heartania's primary governing establishment is known as the High Council, an organisation based outside the city that acts as the pinnacle of law and order in the city, as well as the mediator of conflicts between the lower levels of government. The High Council's orders are omnipresent in the city, and Heartania's law-abiding populace is required to follow them to the letter.

The second level of government, the local administrators, was for a long time the Council of Heartania. Similarly to the High Council, the Council would come together to make the best decisions for the city. however, their responsibility was more to maintain the stability of the city rather than to rule in the way the High Council does. Notable councilors included Micheal Paige and Claudia Kramer, both deceased.

Following a series of events in which the citizens of Heartania had their faith in the council slowly broken, from the political upheaval attempted by the tyrannical Councillor Paige to the passive response from the councilors during the City of Chaos crisis, the High Council disbanded the local organisation and replaced them with a sole governor, the high Chancellor of Heartania. The first High Chancellor, and the only person to hold the title to date, is Jonathan Kramer, aka the Broker. The Chancellor governs the city, with similar responsibilities the the local council before him, from the Citadel, a fortress-like construct beyond Heartania's city limits.

## Law Enforcement & Peacekeeping

Although Heartania does employ an active police force, the superhuman nature of most of the more serious lawbreakers makes the force largely obsolete. They instead deal with petty crime, leaving the larger conflicts to the volunteers capable of dealing with them.

Most of these volunteers are Heartania's 'heroes', beings with superhuman capabilities or other enhancements that make them surpass the ordinary citizen, acting either as independent vigilantes or under the organised leadership of the Tower. There are two heroes in particular who make the effort to keep the peace in Heartania: Argent Mind, founder of the Tower and effectively the executive officer of the establishment's operations, and Starlass, Argent's second-in-command and acting commander of the Tower's field team.

Other enforcement is carried out by agents of the government, be it the former council or the Chancellor. Foremost among these agents is the armoured giant known as the Pursuer.