Talan

Talan is the western-most continent and Is heavily urbanized by the Isigaki and Hollicans. There are 5 countries based on Talan (Hollica, Isigaku, Hanal, the HPE [holy polaric union], and the UTSR [Haxor]. The Sotahend Empire owns 2 colonies in the south of Talan, having taken over the once sovereign countries of Astvin and Kinosu. People emmigrated to Talan from eastern Utania, establishing tribes on the west coast of Talan some-time 9000 years before the AE calendar. By the first AE year, all of Talan was by now developed and as prosperous as Utania, with multiple kingdoms set up in the Isigaku area and the Polarus area. During this early time the Asiirans also had one of the largest empires on Arvald, stretching from northwest Talan to Iahvir, monolithic in size compared to other countries at the time. Because of it, the entire northwest 'wing' of Utania was referred to as Asiira for a very long time. When plate tectonics were discovered, the plate that makes up the wing was aptly named the 'Asiiran Plate'. The Ecology of Talan is diverse, but less so then Utania, with the northwest wing mostly being steppe and taiga, with the exception of the far north being a cold tundra. The Polarian 'Axe Head' (the part of Talan that looks somewhat like the head of a Halberd) is rugged and densely forested terrain. The center of the continent in the south, surrounding the lake (which recently appeared because of continental divergence) is mostly arid desert-land. The southeastern area (including hollica), however, are comfy places to live, being forested, covered in rivers, and in the case of eastern Astvin, covered in dense jungle.

## Talanian Plates

A map of Talanian plates and their momentum

Tectonics

Talan has very simple plate tectonics, being composed of two main plates with even more simple names. To the east lies the Talan Plate, and the west is comprised of the Asiiran plate. These two are diverging from eachother, creating a rift in the center of the Talan where a large lake is forming and growing in size by the year. Because of the way the plates are moving, eastern Talan will begin to touch Sotahend within 90 million years, and Asiira will rise further north and smack into Eastern Utania. This diversion will create a new sea between the two plates, and geological surveyors have yet to forecast it a name. Talan has a few major neighboring Islands, such as the subcontinent of Cafora and the Ding Islands.

Talanian Politics

Talan is most notably domainted by the economic dynamo created by Isigaku, Hollica, and the Holy Polaric Empire. These three nations formed an extremely powerful formal union in the 20's, knowing as the Holy Itorest Union, which was the most powerful political bloc to ever exist on the planet until its dissolution in 56 VY. The union centered heavily around the Itorest Pope in Hanal, who leads the Itorest religion and is a heavily respected and protected figure. This religious and economic bloc eventually broke up, but Hollica and Isigaku still maintain friendly relations and are something of partners in crime, all though they have had a falling out with the pope. On the other hand, the Holy Polaric Empire is still deeply rooted in the Vatican-like Hanal, and has poor relations with the empire of Sotahend since the latter's executions of Ito followers in the 30s.

In the northwest in the tundra and steppe like expanse, the Asiirans have come to dominate. A war-like but culturally sound nation, they migrated from far west Talan before meeting the Haxorians in the upper east. The two became good allies and eventually formed the UTSR, a powerful socialist/communist bloc that inspired many socialist uprisings across the world, most notably that of the UUSR, North Keldin, Kinosu, and the unsuccesful rebellion of communists in Sotahend in the 40s. The UTSR was a huge rival of the Holy Itorest Union, and was eventually shattered by the Isigaki in the 70's and split into factions of Asiira and Haxor, with minor ethnic groups and territories of Asiira being absorbed into Isigaku's empire. These lands that were absorbed have huge animosities towards Isigaku and are always trying to push towards reunification with their homeland. Similarly to the UTSR but more sucessful is Kinosu, something of what we would call a "marxist dream". Kinosu is what happens when communism actually works, and they have had a functional socialist society in Talan's southwest across the border from Astvin for over 80 years.

Speaking of Astvin, the former Empire has fallen a long way after a crippling civil war. After years of infighting, the former world-power has finally been reunified by one house (Ulmrich Witsju). With Astvin having been shattered following the end of Vykaria's War because of rebellion, Sotahend felt free to move in and reclaim its lost colonies. In 90VY, sotahend claimed the peninsulas on Southern Talan for itself and thus put itself and Astvin in position for direct political collision. With an ultranationalist ruling house in Astvin hell bent on reunifying the south of the Continent, it may find itself at war with Kinosu and the massive Empire of Sotahend, something that would bring all out war to a continent which has seen relative peace despite the chaos happening across the world in the 70's (As a result of Vykaria's war).