Nations and Geography of Amarthia

It's a dangerous world out there...

Amarthia is an Earth-like planet. It contains everything from vast deserts, to dense jungles, to frozen ice caps. For thousands of years the inhabitant have struggled to maintain their hold on what little they have. Even so, in the current year of 1994 of the Colvan Calendar, only 48% of Amarthia's total landmass is inhabited and the remaining 52% is almost entirely unexplored.

Here you will find a list of the various nations that have managed to stabilize various regions. Many of them have developed cultures and governments that might seem familiar, but many still have difficulty seeing eye-to-eye. An approximate cultural example is given for reference; please note that it is only reference, and not indicative of the author’s opinion or knowledge of example nations. They are grouped under the continental landmasses they occupy.

Pronunciation can be tricky. While using the proper phonetic symbols would be ideal, it still might not properly convey how the word actually sounds (especially if you don’t know what the phonetic symbols mean). Here, I’ve spelled out the words with the number of syllables and the rough English sound. It’s not pretty, but it’s accurate.

West Contéga - con-TEE-gah

West United Kingdoms - Despite the name, it most closely resembles the United States of America circa the mid 90s. Major differences include a space program stuck in the 1960s (with no moon aspirations) and the fact that there was no War for Independence with its parent country, Locke. When the WUK sought independence, the King of Locke wisely acknowledge that putting down a revolution would be far too costly. Thanks to the acronym WUK, most citizens call themselves Wooks, which can also come across as Wookie. Yes, that was intentional.

Colonial State of New Locke - Another Locke colony, with some Marisian influence. Stuck above WUK on the most recently discovered (relatively speaking) continent? You guessed it, this is Amarthia’s Canada.

South Contéga

Neuf Maris - NEE-oof mah-RHEE. As the name implies, this nation has a lot of Marisian influence (below you’ll see that means French). It was once ruled by an aristocratic imperialist monarchy, but a recent revolution has put its government in the hand of a more democratic state. Aesthetically, Neuf Maris is a conglomeration of every French colony in South America rolled into one nation, although the more northern reaches closer to WUK have a more Central American feel.

Branu - brah-NEW. South America south of Peru and Brazil jammed into one country. Still working on this one, it hasn’t come up in the story so only a few large generalizations have been made.

Ventina - ben-TEEN-ah. Central America and northern South America. As with Branu, more research needs to be done to flesh out this nation.

Aerenia - air-EN-ee-ah

Locke - loK. Merry Olde England! Stiff upper lip, chaps, God save the King. The Faith Islands in the northwest represent Ireland and Scotland rolled into one. The West is more Irish and the east more Scottish. They went through a period of colonialism from the late 1700s into the late 1800s, but aside from a few outlying colonies they never managed to hold on to their empire.

Maris - mah-RHEE. France, but still under a monarchy. A more enlightened, democratic monarchy, but still a monarchy. The pronunciation comes from Paris, which in French is pah-RHEE, not the American pair-IS. They benefit quite a bit from tourists traveling between Locke and Medocci.

Libris - LEE-brihs. Spain. A land of romance and enchantment, very popular with tourists.

Norsen - NOR-sen. Almost every Scandinavian country rolled into one. Home of the Sjømann (literally Norwegian for “seafarer”), the Amarthian version of Vikings. One of the most important aspects of the Norsen culture is that they are very accepting of mixed-breed individuals.

Medocci - med-OH-chee. Italy and Greece, while very different nations today, have a closely related ancient history. How often have you mistaken a Greek god for their Roman counterpart? On Amarthia, the two cultures divided very little and maintained a unified relation. Pianure Rosso, on the western side of the Tharsian Sea, is more Italian, while Mata in the east is more Greek.

Vösleis - voo-sleyez. Similar to Norsen, this nation is composed of nations with more Germanic roots, such as Austria or Switzerland. Geographically it even shares similar features, with the Sweisæ (Sweye-zay) Alps forming the border between Vösleis and Medocci. A popular tourist destination if you like mountains…and literal snow bunnies.

Zeichlind - zeye-klind. Germany, if it was still under the thumb of fascism. The country is almost entirely surrounded by mountains, which has led the Dollan (dalh-LAHN) people, who live in the Zeichlind Valley, to become extremely isolationist. They are also fastidious when it comes to breeding, and mixed-breed individuals are often ostracized. They got uppity in the 1920s and started Amarthia’s first (and so far only) World War, which lasted eight years before the Allies pushed them back. However, despite the emergence of so-called super-power nations during this time, when the war was over the victors couldn’t agree on what to do next, thus a United Nations was never formed. Many organizations, both public and clandestine, keep a close eye on Zeichlind, but it’s probably only a matter of time before they try something again.

Kolovania - koh-loh-VAHN-ee-ah. While it is probably closer to Romania and Hungary overall, Kolovania in general represents your standard Eastern European nation. They live in the shadow of Zeichlind and Mosvia, but seemed to have learned from their mistakes during the World War, where they allied themselves with Zeichlind. They are much friendlier with their southern and western neighbors now.

Saeria - SAIR-ee-ah

Mosvia - mose-VEE-ah. В Мосвии поговорите с вами (V Mosvii pogovorite s vami) In Mosvia, bear talk to you. Everyone’s favorite Cold War villain, Russia. Communism is still alive and kicking here, although for how long is a bit of a mystery. If you’re asking how Communists can exist on an alien planet, all it takes is one disgruntled worker who thinks the rich are living high off his labor, and then he wrote a book about it.

Beria - BUR-ee-ah. Siberia if it was its own country instead of part of Russia. The north is full of glaciers, and the south is full of thick evergreen forests. Its people are a mix of immigrants from Mosvia and East Benia, but neither motherland bothered to stop them from forming a nation of their own.

Busawar - boo-SAH-wahr. India, although Locke (Britain) didn’t have as much influence here. The eastern part of the country is much closer to Thailand, Korea, and Laos in aesthetic, but the central and western regions are very much like India. Recent political turmoil has strengthened some separatist parties, and there is a very real possibility that the nation may soon split.

East Benai - ben-EYE. The Great Asian Melting Pot. East Benai represents pretty much every east and southeast Asian culture on Earth. The main central mass is China, the western edges are Tibet, the north is Mongolia, the south Thailand and Korea (with some bleed over into Busawar), and the islands of Kudai and Ku San are Japanese. The hero organization of Tiger’s Stripe was founded here three thousand years ago and has spread across the globe, but the country itself is in the hands of a parliament with a figurehead emperor. Kudai and Ku San are technically territories of East Benai, and have been allowed to establish their own governments, hence having more Japanese-style influence than the mainland.

Mwungo - M’ONE-goh

Gat-Bahar - gaht-BAH-har. Standard western Africa nation similar to Mauritania or Guinea. The nation of Gat-Bahar is in a nearly constant state of flux and generally poor economically. However, it’s coasts do see a lot in the way of sea trade.

Challan - shah-LAHN. Similar in aesthetic to Moroco and Algiers. Unlike it’s southern neighbor, Challan is a very prosperous nation. This is most likely due to its location at the Mouth of Gat-Bahar, the channel between Challan and Libris that leads into the Medean Basin. Not so long ago, Challan was a part of Gat-Bahar, hence the name of the channel, but after achieving a measure of financial and political power, the islands decided to declare independence from the mainland.

Coasta Blanco - KOHST-ah blahn-KOH. The southernmost tip of the continent of Mwungo, and some of the most dangerous waters for trading ships. Not only do pirates run out of Gat-Bahar, Bozambwe, and along the coasts of the Saran Waste, but the waters are rife with serpents and other denizens of the deep. Fierce storms often plague the region during the winter months. To top it off, despite Coasta Blanco’s lucrative trade partnerships, it simply doesn’t have the naval forces needed to protect beyond its territorial waters.

Bozambwe - boh-ZAHM-b’way. The easternmost part of the Mwungan mainland. Despite the deserts of the Sran Waste to the west, Bozambwe is filled with lush vegetation and bears some geological similarities to Madagascar. Politically, the northern region is fairly stabled, but the southern jungles and plains are constantly revolving through the hands of various warlords.

Nanca Fier - NAHN-kah FEYE-air. The fact that Nanca Fier actually qualifies as a country is amazing. 90% of the region is nothing but sand and rock, but the resilient people who live there have organized themselves into several city-states that are well respected as neutral trading hubs. It’s southern border is created by the Saran Wastes, the largest desert on Amarthia. It is in this arid land that the nomadic people known as the Soketh thrive. No one knows what draws these scavengers into the dunes, but they always bring back the most wondrous baubles to trade.

Estan - eh-STAHN

Pytan - peh-TAHN. One of the most economically lucrative and historically rich countries on Amarthia, although the lucrative part isn’t always legal. Pytan draws much of its aesthetic from Egypt and northeastern Africa, although the Pharaohs of old have been replaced by a Sultanate.

Barju - BAHR-joo. Barju is a rough representation of most middle-eastern nations found in west Asia, particularly Afghanistan and Iraq. Much of it is desert, but the coastal regions and very green and the northeastern region becomes very mountainous near the Great Barrier.

Kirque - Kirk (yes, like the Captain). Similar to Israel, although the lack of Judaism or Christianity (as known on Earth) in Amarthia makes for some very important distinctions. Of all the nations on the continent of Estan, Kirque is the most stable and has a strong trading relationship with Medocci and Kolovania. They often end up serving as neutral arbiters when the other nations of Estan begin to act up. Kirque is also very religious and is the birthplace of Aabanism, Yeshim, and Nuadinism.

Adrakar - ah-DRAH-kahr. It’s difficult to define Adrakar by any Earth culture aside from “southwest Asian”. While one of the smallest nations in Estan, they make up for it by being the most belligerent. Their geographic location, right in the middle of the only shipping channel between Pytan/Barju and all countries east of them, makes them hard to ignore. They have focused a great deal of their economy into their navy, but corruption within their often-changing government structure make it difficult to employ. In fact, many ship crews end up taking their warships and going AWOL, becoming well-armed pirates and mercenaries that roam the Strait of Adrakar.

Marinaris

Caandian Islands - CAHN-dee-ahn. This chain of island states lies between the southeastern coasts of Busawar and East Benai and the United Plains. Though not strictly a unified government, the various mayors and governors of the large landmasses meet yearly to discuss trade and any major issues that rise between its members. The numerous small islands scattered throughout the Caandian Sea are uninhabited, providing shelter for a wide rage of wildlife…and more than a few pirates. The island states themselves do what they can to fight the problem, as trade coming and going from the United Plain is good for their economies, but there are many islands to consider. There is also the issue of the Tangerine Reef, which has become the grave of many merchant vessels over the years. Efforts have been made to map the reef, but there are many serpents that call the area home and are as willing to snack on an expedition as they are the various fish.

United Plains - G’day! Australia in all it’s untamed majesty. The one difference is that they actually had to fight for their independence from the kingdom of Locke. It was well over a hundred and seventy-five years ago, and relations with “the Monarchy” are much easier now. The southwestern-most hook of the continent, Faulk’s Peninsula, is still largely uninhabited due to the dangerous wildlife that occupies the jungles, which include some of the most venomous serpents on Amarthia. Tiki Point and the Cape Fritz Islands serve to represent Tasmania and New Zealand.

Wastelands

Despite being uninhabited, the following geographic locations have assumed names of their own, passed down through legend or derived from warning that beyond lies an untamed land more dangerous than any ever encountered. Patches of "dead zones" scatter these regions, neutralizing everything but the most basic mechanical technology. The dead zones also produce an as yet unexplained visual phenomenon, a haze that neither the naked eye nor the most advanced photographic technology can penetrate. Both aerial and even satellite observation is impossible. Every expedition sent into these uninhabited lands has met with catastrophic failure ranging from attack by vicious wild animals, sudden and violent storms, or just simply vanishing without a trace. There are many who still desire to unlock the mysteries of these lands, but for the most part the governments of Amarthia have learned to leave well enough alone...at least for now.

These regions also contain high volumes of “fiends”, alien monsters brought to this world by as yet unknown events. The clandestine organization Tiger’s Stripe has sworn to keep the monsters contained within these areas, but as civilization marches on, and Tiger’s Stripe’s numbers get fewer, this mission has become increasingly difficult. Long occupation by fiends is known to poison a region, causing the indigenous life to grow larger and more aggressive than normal. Tiger’s Stripe has also struggled to keep the existence of fiends a secret. Such beasts would be greatly coveted by aspiring super-villains, both for their destructive nature and for the deadly Daeminox virus they carry.

The Caiman's Desert

The Caiman's Desert is the largest unexplored territory on Amarthia, making up nearly two thirds of the continent of West Contéga. As the settlers of the West United Kingdom moved west along the continent they were eventually stopped by a vast dry gulch that stretched from the shores of the Opal Basin all the way to the borders of Colonial New Lock. "Desert" is not really an accurate description of the entire region and it is suspected that the north-western portions may support a mild climate similar to what can be found in Colonial New Locke. Unfortunately, no one who has dared to venture far into the Desert has returned to confirm this.  About the only thing current Amarthian technology has been able to determine is that there is in fact an end to the desert and they have a rough idea of what the western coastline looks like.

Lugar Nenhum

On Earth these two words would literally translate as the Portuguese phrase for "Nowhere". On Amarthia, it means the same thing, only in the language of Venta. Lugar Nenhum is the largest jungle on Amarthia, covering roughly half of the continent of South Contéga. Despite being only half the size of the Caiman's Desert, the jungle has proven to be no less deadly. Rumors abound that an ancient civilization once built wondrous cities deep within it's interior. There has been no end to the treasure hunters seeking those cities, but those that actually make it back alive have succumbed to madness and quickly went feral.

The Saran Waste

Arguably the largest desert on Amarthia, although the dry regions of Caiman's Desert come very close. The south-western edge of the Waste is composed of thick jungles mixed among giant cliffs and mountain ridges. Most notably is Umeme Ukuta, the Wall of Storms, which stretches the southern bay between Coasta Blanco and Bozambwe, and rises over two thousand meters above the tumultuous waters below. As it's name implies, the Wall of Storms is in a constant state of meteorological flux; thick gray clouds roll along the cliffs for thousands of kilometers and the plateaus above suffer thousands of lightning strikes every day.

The Aizlgeist

The “Land of Ghosts”. This mountainous forest rests smack in the middle of Aerenia and Saeria, blocking all direct trade routes between. Its name is derived from Earth Latvian “aizliegst”, which means “the forbidden”, quite fitting considering the countless expeditions that have been lost within. The towering evergreens of the Aizlgeist are constantly shrouded in mist, and the weather can change from freezing cold to sweltering heat in minutes. The “dead zone” effect that surrounds the uninhabited land is stronger than most, leading many to believe it was the origin of the effect that spread around the globe. The clandestine organization Tiger’s Stripe has also noted an unusually high concentration of alien fiend monsters in this region.

Porozhnij

While technically its own continent, the frozen permafrost of Porozhnij, which means “empty”, is included with Saeria. Porozhnij is the most uninhabitable region on Amarthia. While it has few of the “dead zone” areas of other wastelands, the sheer cold is enough to keep all but the bravest explorers away. Some excavations along the southern coasts have uncovered frozen megafauna from thousands of years ago, leading researchers to believe that the nation was not always the frozen waste it is today. Tiger’s Stripe has tracked a few large fiend monsters on the northern edge who seem to enjoy in inhospitable weather, but as long as they remain where they are, they remain low on the priority list for extermination.