The Four Nations

## Arigwuanda

### Arigwuandan Empire

The home of Liefshire. The Imperial centre is officially the Royal Palace, but most know the shots are called from Bhrugie, at least in the Eastern Empire.

### Bhrugie (Capital)

Home to a rich industry, Bhrugie supplies the entire country with weapons and armour crafted to a high level of skill.

Persons of Interest
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Bhrugie hosts many of the Cult of the Cinder, including Pyroclasts and several of the Ashen Circle.

### Unique Customs and Laws

* Slavery is tolerated in many parts
* Most of the serious crimes are dealt with via Exile (forfeiture of all property, loss of citizenship, and death if the convict returns)
* Moderate crimes are dealt with via termed Slavery or outlawing (outlawing essentially means "the law no longer protects you" - anyone can kill an outlaw, or do anything to them, and the law will do nothing to stop it)
* Minor crimes are mostly dealt with via weregild

## Careila

### The Careilan Marches

Once true to its name as a borderland, the Careilan Marches became the dominant power over the old powers ruling it, and Coueira became the tiny capital, with the entirety belonging to the royal couple, Rhesus and Morphia Sverkersdotter, the former a necropaladin of the Old Religion of Sulyvahn, the latter a lich, enjoying the laurels of the labour of their undead subjects.

The Marches are truly ruled by the whims of the necromancers, looking for bodies to throw at rivals, into the fields and industries, and against the other three nations. Necromancers raise the dead en masse for endless free labour, making the living poorer by driving them out of work. Zombies and skeletons enjoy more protections than many among the living as property. Poorfolk commit suicide for the profit of their families, with necromancers paying people to die on the cheap for a fresh supply of corpses. Of course, this would be only one method of getting new undead laborers. As necromancers have a heavy hand in the endless war campaigns that produce the necessary bodies to create their workforce. It helps when they can resurrect their soldiers too.

There are generally four types of living beings in the Marches. The Necromancer Nobility, the non-necromancer nobility (who typically are the artisans, engineers and generals of the land), common folk, and petty nobility, who, while few in number, typically take management roles amongst the dead.

#### Common Folk and Dream Dust

The common folk are generally held in check by the legions of their undead brethren who enforce the law, and by the distribution of a Drektheth Powder, commonly referred as 'Dream Dust'. This golden powder, with the same consistency of flour, is overly bitter. The grinding and smearing of a paste of Drektheth Powder makes the user feel a  mild state of giddyness similar to being a 'happy drunk', followed by idyllic dreams. The drug is also known to cause shifts in personality, usually making the user act boastful while under its effects. This keeps the workers happy enough to survive and procreate, and potentially work jobs out of the scope of their undead peers, before access is stripped and they have withdrawal symptoms, which include a lack of a will to live and recklessness. It is not uncommon to see shivering, wasted beings on the brink of death watched by hungry opportunists ready to deliver a corpse for profit - and perhaps the corpses of their competitors. Murder is a crime here, but self defense is not, and addicts will do anything to get a fix and prove themselves to their necromantic overlords.

### Coueira (Capital)

This city houses the royal family, some nobility, but little else. Weather here can be fierce but it doesn't seem to bother most of the residents.

### Unique Customs and Laws

* It is a property crime to turn undead
* The penalty for insulting a noble is death
* The penalty for comitting fraud is a long imprisonment
* Most crimes end with execution, by stiletto knife to the heart
* Encountering someone under a maple tree by a river compells a duel
* Don't prepare food in the evening or you will become involved with Dream Dust

## Beshya

### Triumvirate of Beshya

A land of piracy and reaving, Beshya is run by a trio of the most powerful pirates in the land, headed out of Sirt, or as it's known to the locals, Tradeport.

### Sirt/Tradeport (Capital)

As the capital of the Triumvirate of Beshya it houses the Triumvirate itself - Elatroal (a female pallid elf, High Captain of the Rayborn Piracy Guild, a short, green-eyed, blackhaired, wrathful creature with a penchant for cute things and a hatred of damsels in distress, a student of history),  Mov (a male Tuskin, grouchy merchant smith who bought his way into the upper echelons of society, worshippier of Plutus, lover of creepy crawlies and despiser of people acting innocent), and Boruta (a scarred, greyscaled dragonborn woman, wielder of illusion magic to its highest degree, even on the frequent occasions of angry drunkenness, hates get rich quick schemes and the nobility, loves money – it is suspected she was bought off for Mov to ascend)

### Unique Customs and Laws

* What laws? Be true to your crew and you'll live.
* Sirtans are known colloquially as Rays, as the Brinilla Lake is home to an endemic species of freshwater stingrays.

## Vivetia

### The Vivetian Council

Vivetia is less of a nation, and more of a collective on trade unions and interconnected towns, cities and villages that function as a web of goods. These unions are organised into a ruling council.

### Briarlin (Capital)

A capital in name only, Briarlin is the biggest city in Vivetia and is where the Council hosts foreign guests.

### Unique Customs and Laws

* Decisions are made by consensus democracy rather than a lord, king, noble, or emperor
* No guards are present, just inspectors
* "Noble Houses" are earned through work and not hereditary. The honour merely involves choosing a coat of arms and acting as an ambassador. Candidates elected annually
* Union Council funds public works

### Organisations

* Regional/City Unions (Various)
* Students and Apprentices Union
* Union of the Purposefully Homeless and Dispossessed
* Inspectors Union
* Artists Union
* Silver and Goldsmithing Guild
* Thieves Guild
* Miner's Union
* Occupational De-Lifer's Union (Assassin's Guild)
* Animal & Exotic Beast Handlers Union
* URAG - Undead Rights Activist Group
* Goblin's Affairs League
* Stage Actors Guild
* Arcane Practitioner's Union
* Union of Sewerage Maintenance
* Warlocks and Dependents of Higher Powers Advocates Group
* Postal Workers Union
* Society for the Promotion of Elvish Welfare
* Baker's Guild
* Carpenters', Roofers', & Plaisterers' Guild
* Cellarers' & Plumbers' Guild
* Coopers' Guild
* Council of Farmer-Grocers
* Council of Musicians, Instrument-Makers, & Choristers
* Dungsweepers' Guild
* Fellowship of Bowers and Fletchers
* Fellowship of Carters and Coachmen
* Fellowship of Innkeepers
* Fellowship of Salters, Packers, and Joiners
* Fishmongers' Union
* Guild of Apothecaries and Physicians
* Guild of Butchers
* Guild of Chandlers and Lamplighters
* Guild of Fine Carvers
* Guild of Glassblowers, Glaziers, and Spectacle-makers
* Guild of Stonecutters, Masons, Potters, and Tile-makers
* Guild of Trusted Pewterers and Casters
* Guild of Watermen
* Jesters' Guild
* Jewelers' Guild
* Launderers' Guild
* League of Basket-makers and Wickerworkers
* League of Skinners and Tanners
* Loyal Order of Street Laborers
* Master Mariners' Guild
* Most Careful Order of Skilled Smiths and Metalforgers
* Most Diligent League of Sail-makers and Cordwainers
* Most Excellent Order of Weavers and Dyers
* Order of Cobblers and Corvisers
* Order of Master Shipwrights
* Order of Master Tailors, Glovers, and Mercers
* Saddlers' and Harness-makers' Guild
* Scriveners', Scribes', and Clerks' Union
* Solemn Order of Recognized Furriers and Woolmen
* Splendid Order of Armorers, Locksmiths, and Finesmiths
* Stablemasters' and Farriers' Guild
* Stationers' Guild
* Surveyors', Map-makers', and Chart-makers' Guild
* Vintners', Distillers', & Brewers' Guild
* Wagon-makers' and Coach Builders' Guild
* Wheelwrights' Guild