FACTION INFORMATION
When the first people came to Reial from the lands below, they found themselves on the eastern edge of a wide expanse of land, and slowly spread out from there. Small settlements became larger ones until finally most of the population lived in these cities, thanks to the safety found in numbers. After a few decades of conflict caused by feuding warlords, the cities were finally united under one ruler and became the nation of Ivona.
It's been nearly five hundred years since then, and Ivona has grown to cover nearly the entire eastern half of the continent. Ivona is best known for both its production and its rather large population; despite being the origin of most technological advances now used today, crowded living conditions remains a harder problem to solve. There's squalor and splendor in equal amounts here, with the gap between the rich and the poor growing ever wider. You can walk through the same city and go from muddy, crumbling, soot-covered neighborhoods to streets paved with white stone, where spires edged in gleaming metal stretch high into the air. Ivona itself suffers from a general lack of resources, except for the various metals mined from the mountains to the north.
Ivona's government is a representative democracy that makes use of a parliament, with a president that acts as tiebreaker and general head of the nation. The current president, Byron Tolsade, doubles as the head of the military - a situation which has persisted since a coup in which the military gained power over two hundred years ago. There's corruption in the system, but it remains mostly hidden from the public at large, save for the occasional scandal.
The military of Ivona is a proud tradition. Navy personnel number slightly more than ground forces do, but both branches carry quite a bit of prestige. The only problem with this prestige is, many richer families tend to have entire families follow in a military tradition - and often very few in the tradition actually have a good head for fighting or military tactics.
Currently, Ivona remains wary of the intentions of its neighboring nation, Vohemar, and has increased patrols along the border both on land and in the air.
The people of Ivona weren't content to stay on their side of the continent. The first expeditions through the area now known as the Badlands either came to horrible ends or were never heard from again, until finally, a few small groups succeeded in crossing the desert and mountains to return with stories of the rich land that lay beyond it. Aided by the military, roads were built through the Badlands, and Ivona claimed the other side as a colony. Many people made the trip, for various reasons such as seeking a new life or seeking a fortune in new lands.
The major problem with this new land was a distinct problem with large animals and monsters that didn't want to give it up. Ivona kept sending colonists there, eager to obtain more of the new foods and drugs discovered there, but they failed to send enough military aid to satisfy the people. Between this and heavy taxes, the colonists decided that enough was enough, and staged a revolt that lasted for thirteen years. They were able to successfully liberate the land from Ivona, and named their new nation Vohemar.
Now over three hundred years since they've gained independence, Vohemar has become a land you must step lightly in. The country has far less laws on average than Ivona does, but also a good deal of nonsensical ones that vary from city to city. Despite this oddity, Vohemar is popular for its wide expanse of unsettled land, which is free for the taking - as long as you can defend it. To this day, the monster problem persists, though it's not quite as serious as it was in earlier years. Vohemar has a great deal of natural resources and a large agricultural output, some crops remaining very popular exports. They lack the most in the field of technology, typically stealing or scavenging what they can from Ivona.
Vohemar's government is a confederation, made up of a council of mayors that control the five largest cities. While each city controls its own laws, trade, and taxes, the council as a whole manages things that concern the entire nation. Each mayor in general holds a lot of power, to the extent of deciding new laws themselves, and not having to follow their own laws should they so choose.
The military is just as lax as its laws are, with most military airships and even ground troops allowed to do as they like - even to the extent of preying on their own citizens - as long as they do as the council commands them. However, the Vohemar military contains a lot of men that're used to fighting, even if it's guerrilla-style tactics.
Vohemar is likewise wary of mutterings heard from Ivona, and is keeping a close eye on what their neighbor does.
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