- Edrangeon -
Geography
The land that Edrangeon encompasses are unsuitable for mass farming, but hardy barley and turnips are still able to eek out a living in the chalky soil. Without the multitude of cities spread out on the rugged ground, the area where Edrangeon is concentrated in is extremely bare and only the toughest things can survive in it.
Large mountains dominate the northern frontier of Edrangeon with wind-swept steppes leading up to dark stone caves that dot the sides of these mountains. Inside them, vast mines of precious metals and minerals lay abundant from the deposits of extinct volcanoes and can be easily accessible by the connecting tunnels of the caves. By venturing deep into the heart of these mountains, coal and gasoline are brought from the depths where they are found to be used for fuel.
To the east, large impassible cliffs dominate the shoreline until they slope down to the city of Valarel, where a natural harbor is situated at. Large mountain rivers rush down from the snow-packed peaks of the mountains, and carve gorges into the bare countryside, which the Edrangic have tapped into by building waterwheels and dams to harness the water power of these huge giants by building factories and cities next to them.
Cloudy days are common throughout the region with the sun only peeping out from above the mass of cloudy steam produced by the factories once in a while. Rain comes periodically with the seasons to be collected; while during the winter, large blizzards howl through the region bringing with them huge drifts of snow that are also melted for steam.
Large mountains dominate the northern frontier of Edrangeon with wind-swept steppes leading up to dark stone caves that dot the sides of these mountains. Inside them, vast mines of precious metals and minerals lay abundant from the deposits of extinct volcanoes and can be easily accessible by the connecting tunnels of the caves. By venturing deep into the heart of these mountains, coal and gasoline are brought from the depths where they are found to be used for fuel.
To the east, large impassible cliffs dominate the shoreline until they slope down to the city of Valarel, where a natural harbor is situated at. Large mountain rivers rush down from the snow-packed peaks of the mountains, and carve gorges into the bare countryside, which the Edrangic have tapped into by building waterwheels and dams to harness the water power of these huge giants by building factories and cities next to them.
Cloudy days are common throughout the region with the sun only peeping out from above the mass of cloudy steam produced by the factories once in a while. Rain comes periodically with the seasons to be collected; while during the winter, large blizzards howl through the region bringing with them huge drifts of snow that are also melted for steam.
Economy
Edrangeon is run on the production of manufactured goods and machines. Since the geography cannot produce food, the Edrangic government must trade their products for agricultural foodstuffs and animals from mostly Draceleon. The metal and minerals obtained from the mines are processed first before being sent to factories scattered around the regions.
Factories are always prominent in every major city with the majority of the goods being produced there and then shipped to a packaging center for assembling. Human workers and machines are both present in the factories, with the machines doing most of the heavy labor while the human workers perform the more delicate tasks such as adding small screws and gears together. Most of the workers are women and children, for many of the men are involved in the war directly. These workers are only paid half the wages of what men would usually and do not receive many of the benefits that are usually given to men.
Corporations own many of the brands and types of goods produced by these factories, but the government does not allow for a single corporation to manufacture multiple types of products. Instead, corporations are forced to rely on each other for certain parts to be used in their machines which allows for most of them to flourish and become motivated to produce more goods for the war.
Factories are always prominent in every major city with the majority of the goods being produced there and then shipped to a packaging center for assembling. Human workers and machines are both present in the factories, with the machines doing most of the heavy labor while the human workers perform the more delicate tasks such as adding small screws and gears together. Most of the workers are women and children, for many of the men are involved in the war directly. These workers are only paid half the wages of what men would usually and do not receive many of the benefits that are usually given to men.
Corporations own many of the brands and types of goods produced by these factories, but the government does not allow for a single corporation to manufacture multiple types of products. Instead, corporations are forced to rely on each other for certain parts to be used in their machines which allows for most of them to flourish and become motivated to produce more goods for the war.
Government
Edrangeon has a democratic-representative government, called the Parliament which has elected representatives from every major city in the country. Some of the cities may have more people than others at the meetings, with Valarel having the most with five. The number of congressmen fluctuates by how many people decide to come to the meetings, and any decisions made must have a majority vote of at least three/fifths of the present people there. Many of these bills are passed in order to benefit the corporations and the owners of them, bringing little benefit to the ordinary person and sometimes making their lives even worse than it already is.
The requirements for becoming a representative state that the person must be a Edrangeon citizen, be at least over twenty-one and must win the elections held in the cities yearly. Many of the elected officials are extremely wealthy for they usually control a corporation or even several, being middle-aged men who usually have the ability to give spell-binding speeches to the workers, allowing them the willing consent of many. Even though there are no rules prohibiting women from becoming representatives, it is generally frowned upon for a women to be debating against men for such a position.
The requirements for becoming a representative state that the person must be a Edrangeon citizen, be at least over twenty-one and must win the elections held in the cities yearly. Many of the elected officials are extremely wealthy for they usually control a corporation or even several, being middle-aged men who usually have the ability to give spell-binding speeches to the workers, allowing them the willing consent of many. Even though there are no rules prohibiting women from becoming representatives, it is generally frowned upon for a women to be debating against men for such a position.
Society
The citizen's lives are dictated by the ticking of the clock, the workday only ending at the peal of the clock tower bells. Machinery reigns over their lives, being present in their work and in their homes. An average worker's home might not have a Clockwork Servant, but they do certainly have other smaller cleaner robots and machinery which helps the family extremely efficiently while outside, there are as many machines as there are people on the streets. Everyday lives are very drab and highly militaristic, music almost never heard over the hissing and clanking of machinery never ceasing to turn even at night. There is simply no time for relaxing and socializing within the packed schedules of the people, their work and family life taking up the majority of their time and efforts.
The values of Edrangeon society is very strict and rigid in the fact that children are expected to surpass their parents' class in life. Disappointment and disgruntlement are the consequences for any child who are not hardworking and obedient to their guardians and elders. The Edrangic people value education very highly and pour many resources and time into teaching the children in strict and rigid schools. Children are expected to be able to read and write by a very young age so that they can learn how to work machines and not embarrass their parents for being lax. However, this does not apply as much to girls for many of the teachers are male and will ignore female students to rather concentrate on hammering the male students.
The set of rules or values held highly by the Edrangic are called "Mortal Values" which include that men must be gentleman-like and women must act lady-like. This encompasses family life and any orders set from their superiors, making those who struggle against the values looked down upon and considered to be "feral" and not "civilized".
Women are frowned upon for becoming soldiers in the war, especially joining brigades and battalions in the front line. Any women who do join the war directly are teased and harassed by the men there, often times shunning them from the games and rowdy fun that the men participate in. The government considers the most suitable jobs for women would be to become nurses or cooks, but some women can become pilots if not enough men want the position and mechanics in large machinery.
The people speak very formally, having a structure to everything they say. It is considered rude if one does not address someone without their title and is quite fashionable to clip their words as well, to make them more efficient and shorter. Calling someone by their first name is considered to be very intimate and only reserved for close friends and family members, while strangers or acquiescence will only call each other by their title and last name.
The values of Edrangeon society is very strict and rigid in the fact that children are expected to surpass their parents' class in life. Disappointment and disgruntlement are the consequences for any child who are not hardworking and obedient to their guardians and elders. The Edrangic people value education very highly and pour many resources and time into teaching the children in strict and rigid schools. Children are expected to be able to read and write by a very young age so that they can learn how to work machines and not embarrass their parents for being lax. However, this does not apply as much to girls for many of the teachers are male and will ignore female students to rather concentrate on hammering the male students.
The set of rules or values held highly by the Edrangic are called "Mortal Values" which include that men must be gentleman-like and women must act lady-like. This encompasses family life and any orders set from their superiors, making those who struggle against the values looked down upon and considered to be "feral" and not "civilized".
Women are frowned upon for becoming soldiers in the war, especially joining brigades and battalions in the front line. Any women who do join the war directly are teased and harassed by the men there, often times shunning them from the games and rowdy fun that the men participate in. The government considers the most suitable jobs for women would be to become nurses or cooks, but some women can become pilots if not enough men want the position and mechanics in large machinery.
The people speak very formally, having a structure to everything they say. It is considered rude if one does not address someone without their title and is quite fashionable to clip their words as well, to make them more efficient and shorter. Calling someone by their first name is considered to be very intimate and only reserved for close friends and family members, while strangers or acquiescence will only call each other by their title and last name.
Valarel
The grandest and largest city in Edrangeon, Valarel is where most of the government administrations are held and where the Parliament has their meetings every month. It also houses the largest number of factories, the highest population count and is the wealthiest city in Edrangeon due to it's strategic location at the sea with its large natural harbor. The Koberan River that runs through Valarel powers many of the factories lining the banks of it, and it is called the "Black Snake" for the color of the water that runs out to sea from the runoffs of the countless factories.
However, under the glittering surface of success lies the dark heart of it. Valarel has also the highest crime rate and the poverty rate among the cities, the gap between the rich and poor so vast that it would be like comparing dogs to their masters. There are a great number of strikes and riots, which erupt frequently in fury over the dismal conditions which most people must live in, but they are always put down by the excessive number of Golems peppered throughout the streets.
Valarel contains the Underground, a place where the black market is the main center. It is where the poor and the abused can gather in relative safety, where rumors and rebels roam, and where someone can find anything if they really look. Many soldiers gather here during their breaks in the red light district or to gamble, often losing their lives and goods here much more faster than in the heat of the battle. The government has tried, many times to crack down on the Underground without success, for the Underground never remains in one place for very long since there are always ears on the inside of the Parliament. This is where most of the workers buy and sell their more valuable goods, finding that the prices set by the corporations are too expensive or demanding to afford. Some nobles also do have their spheres of influence stretched to the Underground, often reaping massive amounts of profit from the shady people running the show there.
However, under the glittering surface of success lies the dark heart of it. Valarel has also the highest crime rate and the poverty rate among the cities, the gap between the rich and poor so vast that it would be like comparing dogs to their masters. There are a great number of strikes and riots, which erupt frequently in fury over the dismal conditions which most people must live in, but they are always put down by the excessive number of Golems peppered throughout the streets.
Valarel contains the Underground, a place where the black market is the main center. It is where the poor and the abused can gather in relative safety, where rumors and rebels roam, and where someone can find anything if they really look. Many soldiers gather here during their breaks in the red light district or to gamble, often losing their lives and goods here much more faster than in the heat of the battle. The government has tried, many times to crack down on the Underground without success, for the Underground never remains in one place for very long since there are always ears on the inside of the Parliament. This is where most of the workers buy and sell their more valuable goods, finding that the prices set by the corporations are too expensive or demanding to afford. Some nobles also do have their spheres of influence stretched to the Underground, often reaping massive amounts of profit from the shady people running the show there.