Regions

East

Pictured: A view of one of the region’s many swamps.

Total Population (801 WG): 1,215,903

Cannassas

Situated along the rocky Northeastern shore of New Zimia, atop the ruins of the Tianan city of Anatina, Cannassas was settled in the 753 WG by a group of families who immigrated to the region from the Passasian city of Springville on behalf of Central Grain, the company which oversees the majority of agricultural production in the Commonwealth of Hamland. When the company failed to gain a foothold, the settlement turned to trade as its primary source of income.

Today the city is a center of commerce for merchants who cannot afford to sell their goods in the wealthier markets of Lucien and Sinclair. Traders from the Commonwealth of Hamland come here to exchange whatever goods they cannot manage to sell through Bay of Bel Air Merchants Corporation. Rumors have long abounded of a thriving black market in the city, though such rumors have never been thoroughly investigated by any major media outlets. This might be due to the little disputed fact that certain members of the city’s upper class are closely associated with the criminal elements which were once known to plunder ships travelling to and from the Wallis Islands as they sailed through the Sangunian Strait. There is no doubt that to this day, blood money runs through the streets of Cannassas, but so far, no one has proved willing to address the issue.

The Regional Investor of Cannassas is the Bank of the East.

Southman

Established in the early 750s by a band of Passasian nymphs who left their traditional homelands in order to escape discrimination and poverty, the city of Southman is a fairly prosperous mining community which is largely isolated from the rest of the Imperial Republic. Only one major road leads into the city: the Eastern Highway, which connects Southman to the rail lines of Cannassas. The people here live a very traditional, rugged lifestyle, not unlike their cousins who reside in the Passasian Free Societies. For the most part they trade amongst themselves, or they trade in Cannassas, but rarely if ever do the city’s residents venture to trade in Lucien or Sinclair, unless in the event of extreme circumstances. Most of the city’s residents work in the silver mines to the South of the city, though many still engage in the more traditional practices of spice cultivation and animal husbandry. The people here speak a dialect of Basic Pallisican, which has long gone out of use in most places, even amongst nymphs.

Efforts by the government of Southman to have the city recognized as an autonomous region, which have been met with near unanimous support amongst the city’s residents, have thus far gone unrecognized by the nation’s central government. It is widely believed amongst the city’s people that after centuries of oppression at the hands of the Passasian government, Southman should serve as a refuge for nymphs who seek to start a life of their own, in their own country. During her brief reign thus far, Queen Evahn I has expressed some willingness to recognize Southman as a semi-autonomous territory.

The Regional Investor of Southman is the Bank of the East.

Center

Pictured: A view of the haunted Sandus Canyon, which lies between Mina and Lucien.

Total Population (801 WG): 1,648,493

Afrikaania

Established in 758 WG as part of the King’s ongoing zoological survey, Afrikaania has grown in size over the past few years as people have learned of the region’s rich soil, which is ideal for the production of spices such as Fuy-Rabrev. In large part, the city’s residents are second or third generation Haifan immigrants, who came to New Zimia to escape political turmoil in their own country, though some here are Passasian immigrants who primarily ventured here on the promise of cheap, abundant, fertile land. The New Zimia Stock Fund is the largest employer in the region.

The Regional Investor of Afrikaania is the Bank of the Center.

Lucien

Originally established in the early 750s, the city of Lucien is home to almost 1/3 of all New Zimians. In addition, the city is home to the nation’s government, central bank, and national military. From their chambers in the heart of Lucinspire, in the center of the city, the nation’s monarch serves in the role as the supreme overseer of the New Zimian government. Everything which happens outside of the modest castle occurs at their discretion; their word is the supreme law of the land, and their way goes. From the transactions constantly being made in Wallis Square, to the properties being leased to new renters, even to the arrests which are and are not being made, the monarch has a hand in all matters of the state. This is a fact the residents of the capital are reminded of every time they look towards the center of the city, where stands Lucinspire, proudly and powerfully.

Of the city’s several million residents, roughly two-thirds are second or third generation immigrants from the Commonwealth of Hamland. One quarter areHaifan immigrants, while 5% are Haifan immigrants of Afrikaanian or North Antarctican origin. In addition, the country-side around the city is home to a small population of ethnic Frazenlanders who once traded in the now ruined city of Edge, but who now till the land to earn a meagre living. The majority of residents are employed by either the government, the central bank, or the military, though Bay of Bel-Air Merchant’s Corporation also has a significant presence here, as the main employer of the region’s agricultural producers.

The Regional Investor of Lucien is the Bank of the Center.

Mina

Named in honor of the late Duchess Mina, who ruled Passas as queen until her abdication in 731 WG, this city is home to most of the nation’s wealthiest individuals, including Duke Laureo, Overseer of the nation’s stock fund, and Madame Lye, Chief Executive Officer of the New Zimian branch of Bay of Bel Air Merchant’s Corporation, who was once widely believed to be the favorite mistress of King Lucien IV, and who is believed to hold significant sway with Queen Evahn I. Mina’s population is more diverse than the nation’s other cities; around one-third of the city’s residents are second and third generation immigrants from Passas, one-half of residents are first and second generation Haifan immigrants (mostly from the Wallis Islands), while the remaining 12% of residents are first generation immigrants from other areas of the Commonwealth of Hamland, such as New Kirrie and Hammish Monovia.

While most of the city’s wealth was brought here by immigrants, the local economy is sustained by a constant influx of tourists, who come here on the basis of the claim that the city is wildly haunted. Indeed, stories have long persisted, even amongst the region’s native Sandusian inhabitants, that this stretch of the coastline is home to an ancient, fallen god, who out of bitterness of soul summons spirits and ghouls to terrify the people who live here. These ghostly legends serve to attract many very spiritual, very mystical practitioners of the Pallisican religion, who come here to visit the ruins of the Sandusian city of Sokleidpo, in hopes that they might gain access to the highly revered Inner World. During those periods of the year when tourists and pilgrims are less abundant, locals earn a living via the production of spices..

The Regional Investor of Mina is the Bank of the Center.

West

Pictured: A view of the coastline to the North of Pallisica.

Total Population (801 WG): 1,521,143

Pallisica

A wealthy fishing community built atop the ruins of the Frazenlandian city of Alexandra, Pallisica sits along the nation’s sandy, Western shore. The people of Pallisica are neither boisterous nor proud, though they are a hardy and hardworking folk. Most of the city’s residents are first and second generation Passasians who sailed to the area from the city of Zidado West, in order to escape economic hardship in the Commonwealth of Hamland following the death of Duke Sinclair. As the home of around 10% of all New Zimians, Pallisica produces the majority of the fish which is consumed in the HAM50 countries (Hamland, Haifa, New Zimia).

In addition to its role as the central provider of fish for several countries, Pallisica is also renowned for an annual migration of sea creatures known locally as the Zahs Scweit, or Sea Pig. These creatures are known to draw thousands of spectators from across Micras as the swim in the shallow waters off the Pallisican coastline, in the final leg of their journey from the Lady Gudrun Islands in Southern Corum. Hunting of sea pigs is allowed in Pallisica, though it is heavily regulated. Sea pig meat has been known to sell for up to 20 Obols for a single ounce.

The Regional Investor of Pallisica is the Bank of the West.

Seemsy

Often forgotten by New Zimians and foreigners alike, Seemsy is a sleepy coastal town in the nation’s Southwest. Originally settled in 753 WG by rugged, conservative settlers from Eastern Passas, the city is home to the now defunct Sindersteed Nuclear Powerplant, which runs on uranium imported from NAPI.  Today The majority of the naation’s residents are employed by the power plant. Those who do not work for the power plant generally find work in Pallisica or Lucien, or they work for Wallis Shipping Corporation, hauling goods to and from the remote settlement of Afrikaania.

As early as the early 730s, rumors have abounded of a fearsome creature that stalks the grasslands around the city, and which is known to attack vehicles traveling the long highway to Afrikaania. In response to a number of incidents in which people and livestock were allegedly attacked by the unknown creature, the city’s government has long funded a hunter’s guild, which many suspect of being involved in organized crime. Many people believe that King Lucien IV was prompted by rumors of attacks in this area when in the 750s he announced plans to fund a zoological survey of Northern Corum.

The Regional Investor of Seemsy is the Bank of the West.

Sinclair

Built atop the ruins of the former capital of the State of Sandus, the city of Sinclair is the center of commerce in the Imperial Republic. It serves as the nation’s primary port of entry; all ships bringing goods into the country, or sailing them out, pass through Sinclair. Likewise, in order to gain residency permits or citizenship applications, all immigrants must pass through Sinclair’s Customs Office. Crime is common here, though security is very tight. Many of the city’s residents, who are primarily Passasian immigrants, suspect the local police of being involved with criminal elements, despite the police’s public, hard stance against crime.

Despite matters of potential corruption, the city of Sinclair is home to several large and elegant parks, both in and around the city. To the West of the city, one may visit the mangrove swamps which grow abundantly in the semi-tropical climate of the Northern peninsula, while to the East of the city, numerous secluded beaches await the weary traveller and his or her special companion. If relaxing on the beach doesn’t pique one’s interest, there are numerous opportunities in Sinclair to go deep sea fishing in the Sea of Storms, or to take a cruise to the nation’s remote Eastern provinces. When sailing on the high seas however, one is advised to practice caution. The waterways of Northern Corum are home to a wide array of of strange creatures, some of which have been known to attack boats.

The Regional Investor of Sinclair is the Bank of the West.

Far West

Pictured: A view of the country-side to the South of Shirley.

Total Population (801 WG): 1,350,683

Port Brent

Originally established by the Federal Commonwealth of Sirocco in 628 WG, Port Brent lies 276 kilometers to the West of the city of Seemsy.  In 753, the Siroccan colony became the center of attention in New Zimia when the War League’s top regiment was deployed on a mission to capture and destroy a number of well known pirate settlements in and around the city of Port Brent.  Following the mission which led to the deaths and arrests of several powerful pirate captains, including Captain Ozeruv Mavge, a small, permanent military base was established in the colony’s capital city.  Two years later, 3,500 troops were deployed to the city as part of King Lucien IV’s “Passio-Corollary,” which granted the War League the authority to begin public works projects in the various major settlements of Northern Corum.

Though New Zimia makes no official claim to Port Brent, the nation plays an active role in the administration and governance of the city.  Tourism and immigration to Port Brent from New Zimia are heavily regulated by the New Zimian government.

The Regional Investor of Port Brent is the Bank of Shirley and Port Brent.

Shirley

In the twenty years following the collapse of the government of the short-lived Kingdom of Frazenland, the city of Shirley became the heart of a mysterious epidemic which decimated populations across Northern Corum.  According to records which date back to the year 701 WG, a strange condition began to spread soon after the city received several days worth of multicolored rain.  The condition, which within months spread into across the territories of New Pontus and Sokeidpo, is believed to have caused sufferers extremely vivid nighttime hallucinations, as well as restlessness and an eventual fear of sleep.  Those who fell prey to the condition rarely survived; most died within days to weeks as a result of sleep deprivation.    Three-fourths of the residents of  Shirley perished during this troubled time, while those who survived fled into the country-side, leaving the city to decay until 735 WG, when the city was claimed by a group of Haifans, who settled the area after exploring on behalf of the Wallis Islands based company, Corum Expeditions. In 753 WG, the new government of Shirley refused an offer to join the newly formed Imperial Republic of Passio-Corum, in a decision which is believed to have been heavily influenced by the notorious pirate, Captain Ozeruv Mavge.  Seven years after the death of Mavge at the hands of the New Zimian War League in 773 WG, Shirley’s government voted in favor of becoming a member of the Realm of Passio-Corum.  In 777 WG, the annexation of the city-state was approved by King Lucien IV.

Residents of Shirley are primarily ethnically Haifan, though the city is also home to a sizable population of nymphs who immigrated to the city following the “Passio-Corollary,” which was issued by the King of the Realm of Passio-Corum in 775 WG.  The country-side around the city is home to ethnic Frazenlanders, who maintain an impoverished, rural lifestyle.  The region’s Frazenlanders maintain a belief that the city of Shirley is cursed, and in general, they avoid it at all costs.

The Regional Investor of Shirley is the Bank of Shirley and Port Brent.

Wallis Islands

Pictured: A view of the ocean from the Western shore of Wallis Island.

Total Population (801 WG): 4,785,160

Wallis Islands

Located off the Northern Coast of Corum, the Wallis Islands form a small archipelago scarcely larger than 200 square kilometers. Officially established in 729 WG, the Islands are officially a Protectorate of the Free State of Haifa, though the region has become increasingly independent of Haifa after years of turmoil in the Haifan government. In 764 WG, Wallis Islands Investment Firm, the largest employer in the region, relocated its headquarters to the capital city of the Realm of Passio-Corum. Two years later, the New Zimian government purchased the company outright. In 804 WG, the Wallis Islands were officially ceded to the Realm of Passio-Corum as part of the agreement which allowed for the dissolution of Haifa.

The majority of Wallisians are employed by one of a handful of subsidiaries of Wallis Islands Investment Firm, which serves as the region’s central financial institution. Among the company’s major subsidiaries are Corum Expeditions, which serves as the intelligence agency of the local government, and Wallis Shipping Corporation, which is the leading transporter of goods between Haifa and the Commonwealth of Hamland. In addition to banking and shipping, the islands are prime destination for tourists from the Commonwealth of Hamland, and the home territory of Haifa. Piracy is somewhat common here. Travellers are advised to practice caution when sailing around the islands.

The Regional Investor of the Wallis Islands is Wallis Islands Investment Firm.

 

Portsmouth Colony

Total Population (794 WG): 7,700

Originally established in 653 WG the city of Portsmouth played an important role as the only major port city in the Kingdom of New Victoria; a nation which came to prominence within the international community before instability within its government led to attempted invasions of Nova England and Mercury, before subsequent revolutions destroyed the nation altogether. Soon after the collapse of the nation’s central government, the residents of the city of Portsmouth were brutally massacred by an unknown tribe of war-like Gamesmen. The survivors of that attack were captured and absorbed into the Gamesmen tribes. Even today, it is believed that a band of human/gamesmen hybrids still roams the country-side, having escaped from the tribe which destroyed the New Victorian city of Portsmouth.

Ninety-five years after the fall of the city, the ruins of the city of Portsmouth came to the center of attention when it was discovered by Corum Expeditions that the region is relatively near to a substantial deposit of natural gas. Within months Corum Expeditions worked a deal with the New Zimian government, led by the Industry Party, which granted it the sole rights to form a subsidiary company which would extract and export natural gas from the region. Today, nearly 7,700 people live in the colony; all settlers employed by Corum Expeditions, who’s job it is to lay the foundation for the creation of the company which will export natural gas from the region. The future of the colony appears bright, pending of course the return of the tribe of Gamesmen who destroyed the New Victorian city of Portsmouth. For reminders of that event, modern settlers need not look far. Ruins of the fallen city litter the over-grown country-side around the colony.

 

Realm of Bayen

Pictured: A view of the rugged terrain of the Byanese Highlands.

Total Population:

Situated in the Great Valley along the Western Edge of the Inner Desert, the Realm of Bayen is a formerly wealthy agrarian society of gamesmen with historical ties to the Realms of Entuk and Kuzru, to the East and South. Indeed, the nation’s capital city, Ossyo, once served as an important trade hub between the three realms, who’s people share a common ethnic heritage. In modern times, however, this relationship between Bayen and its traditional allies has been gradually weakened by the wars of the Inner Desert, and the increased willingness of the leaders of the Bayanese government to foster relations with the government of the Realm of Passio-Corum, whom many gamesmen regard as little more than unwelcome colonizers. This weakening of relations with Entuk and Kuzru has resulted in a division within the Bayanese government, where the military has been dissolved following a series of crushing defeats along the border of Passio-Corum, as well as a surge in crime in the cities and towns of the realm, where local governments strain under the weight of the pressure of wars in the Inner Desert. In 802 WG, the Realm of Bayen was officially annexed by the Realm of Passio-Corum,in a joint effort to help return stability to Bayen, and to help to mitigate the overall threat of war.

The people of the Realm of Bayen are not culturally nor ethnically related to the majority people who live and work in the Realm of Passio-Corum. Unlike the people of New Zimia and its member states, who trace their ethnic and cultural heritage to Haifa, Passas, Hamland, and Alexandria, the people of Bayen trace their own roots to a race of beings who were among those sentient creatures that first brought life to Micras. The gamesmen of Bayen represent one of perhaps three hundred gamesmen tribes across Corum, and perhaps as many as ten-thousand tribes across the face of the world. In terms of physical appearence, the gamesmen of Bayen are basically human-like, except that they are much larger and taller, and their faces feature large, armor, or plate-like cheekbones, and very, very large, forward facing ears. It is not known whether humans and gamesmen are capable of producing offspring together, though it is certainly not unheard of for humans and gamesmen to form sexual relationships.

The capital of the Realm of Bayen, Ossyo, lies on the shores of the Lake Norton, which is among the deepest lakes in the Eastern hemisphere. While at first glance it may appear less than noteworthy, Lake Norton conceals one of two major openings into a vast cavern system, which is home to a race of people who have built their society beneath the waves of the lake. The people of the caverns beneath the lake are scarcely understood, though they do, once every one hundred years, visit Ossyo in order to exchange items with the local Byanese, as well as to trade stories. Many of the items which have been traded by the people of the caverns are stored in a repository near the heart of Ossyo. This repository, is said to hold items dating back to before the birth of this world. Such legends have never been confirmed or denied by those who oversee the repository, and this in and of itself contributes heavily to the mystery which surrounds it.

Domain of NAPI

Pictured: A view of the North Antarctic Tundra.

Total Population (801 WG): 893,910

Originally established by the government of the Grand Duchy of the North Antarctic Peninsular Isles in 641 WG, the city of Brabatania, in the Domain of NAPI, lies in the remote Western reaches of the North Antarctic.  The city of Brabatania has survived the administration of three different governments during its two centuries.  For its first 114 years, the city existed as an outpost in the nation which founded it.  In 755 WG, however, the city, along with the rest of the North Antarctic, was sold to Haifan rulers, who maintained a minimal presence here, until the collapse of the Haifan government in the 760s and 770s.  In 804 WG, control of the city once again traded hands, as the Realm of Passio-Corum officially acquired the territory from Haifa, as part of an agreement which allowed for the dissolution of that nation. though Passio-Corum had already maintained a presence in the region since the late 790s.  Today, Brabatania, and the Domain of NAPI, primarily exist to supply the Realm of Passio-Corum with valuable uranium, which is used to power much of Northern and Central Corum.