The Technocracy of Orhill

Where ever you are in Orhill [Or-hill] you will always hear its symphony of mechanical movements and gears ticking to it's own beat. Its capital Insomnia is a haven for artist, craftsmen, and innovators, freeing them so they can chase their wildest dreams. No matter where you are in Orhill, mechanical wonders will whirl around you. From the simplest mechanical lights and doorbells to walking automata, the nation pushes every bound to the infinite horizons.

Society

The people of Orhill walk many different paths, but the one thing that ties them all together is a vision of the future. That vision may differ from citizen to citizen but every citizen has one in mind and will always take steps towards it. Many adventurers will often look on with worry, disappointment, and morbid curiosity as they see their "genius", "prodigy" and self proclaimed "intellectual" teammates who hail from Orhill construct a plan or device that has a 100% chance (give or take 25%) of blowing up in their own faces.

Upper Class

Often described as pretentious and snobby Orhill's upper class almost entirely resides in Insomnia's upper city. Each person is bound to a noble house the biggest of which is House Hucrulay. Each person also holds their heads high with pride as they experiment, tinker, and create a future in their own specialized labs and workshops. Either willingly ignorant or blind to danger if left unchecked an Orhillan noble's chances of blowing up themselves or their labs increase exponentially.

Scrappers

Marked at birth the Orhillan lower class bears the brunt of the upper class's unrelenting march towards a better future. Though scrappy by nature and often valuing family above anything, Scrappers still possess that innate ingenuity and curiosity that all Orhillans are blessed/cursed with. Stuck in recycling plants, factories, landfills, and slums, the average Scrapper never gets to see the upper layers of Insomnia. Scrappers that attempt to see the city that never sleeps find the journey to be an arduous battle.

House Hucrulay

House Hucrulay is by far the largest and wealthiest House in Orhill. Much of their wealth and power come from years and years of research in the electric power industry and their sheer size. House Hucrulay in the modern day is the largest producer of Hex-Crystals and acts as the electric power company to most of the nation. Along with holding the keys to the nation's power grid, House Hucrulay for many years have been known to be particulary aggressive in expanding their home. Marrying into House Hucrulay is when compared to the other Houses a relatively simple task, generally speaking any kind of notable wealth, power, aptitude is enough to get a lucky bachelor paired with one of the houses spinsters. While their notable achievements in the power industry are second to none, that's not to say that is the only thing they are chasing after. House Hucrulay also holds a significant amount of workers in their military technologies research and developement team.

House Atlas

House Atlas is the smallest House in Orhill there is no disputing this fact. Though they are the smallest many people in Orhill recognize should the winds change in House Atlas's favor they can easily be the most powerful House in the nation. Originally they managed to achieve their status as a House of Orhill because their founder an explorer who went only by Atlas sailed down every trade way and walked down every road on the continent. With that he produced and sold an uncountable amount of maps to merchants, traders, adventurers, and more. Though by todays standards the maps are wildly inaccurate when looking at shorelines they still captured the trade routes and roads accurately enough that maps were sought after. Over the years the maps became more and more accurate as better and better methods of mapping the land came about. Sadly House Atlas found you could only sell so many maps before the majority of people didn't need them anymore which is why the house has fallen from its once proud stature. Currently they are the biggest player in the marine, aerospace, and automotive engineering. Many ships foreigners recognize as Orhillan ships are produced by House Atlas. When compared to the competition, vehicles produced by House Atlas are a cut above the rest there is no doubt. Vehicles from House Atlas tend to command a premium as they has a short supply and a very high demand. There are rumours of experimental Atlas vehicles roaring through the night, streaks of lightning in the dark faster than any magic horse could every be.

House Weabrandt

Weabrandt is the household name for any socialite looking for a more proactive form of protection. Known primarily for their weapons research and development division that puts even House Hucrulay to shame, Weabrandt IS the bleeding edge. Weabrandt was founded only a handful of years ago by Artyom Weabrandt an Uzielian general who journeyed to Orhill in search of its fabled firearms. Since then you'll struggle to find any self respecting arms merchant not peddling wares from the great house. Due to Weabrandt's newest line of transforming firearms many in the city wish to see Artyom Weabrandt elected as Grand Visionary. Supposedly Artyom would like to see the gifts of Orhill be sold across the world, bringing untold riches to the great nation.

House Dumont

Weaving body armor and fashion together House Dumont is the sole purveyor of clothing to the Orhillian elite. Known now for their leaps and bounds in personal protection technologies House Dumont made their claim to fame originally by importing clothing from all round the world. In recent years Dumont has been a name ever present on the Orhillian elites mind. Their regular fashion shows and nightly parties keep the elites well entertained as well as locking the common folk in an eternal state of pining to venture into one such event. House Dumont's research division often presumed to be chasing the latest fashion trend is nothing to scoff at. There are many rumours whispered behind closed doors about House Dumont's latest fabrics. One that would never need to be washed, never wear, never tear, and would render it's wearer nigh invulnerable.

History

Orhill began as a dull hamlet named Dysmas on the top of a cliff, but the dream of one man paved the way for what it has become now. Cassius Rainer was a madman, orphan, bastard, and son of a whore. But he was also a man of science, a visionary and tinkerer who dreamed of a sanctuary where likeminded individuals could collaborate and help each other.

The Rise of Cassius Rainer

Cassius Rainer a young man with nothing but his wits and two hands when he came to Dysmas. All he was looking for was a kind soul to give him one night of rest, and if he was lucky some food to hold him over. Cassius had found that and so much more. He found a girl by the name of Byleth Aaron, a merchant, a friend, a muse, and a lover. Cassius worked for her as a clerk, selling and trading sugar, spices, and rum. At night he dreamed of metal machinations that moved of their own accord, great balls of fire that shook the earth beneath him, and Dysmas. But the hamlet was different now where it once sat atop a solid stone cliff face stood, he saw a wide open ravine that boats would pass through. Cassius was enraptured by these dreams and in his spare time began working on a tool that would allow his dreams to become a reality. He worked feverishly day and night, Byleth watching by his side the entire time and after 2 years of work he created the first Hex Bomb. A marvel of ingenuity that he used to split the Northern and Southern continent in two. Dysmas was originally hesitant but the prospect of allowing trade between the east and the west eventually wore them down and they allowed the splitting of the continent.

Government

Orhill is Technocratic Democracy ruled by the Grand Visionary a title granted to an official elected every four years. The noble class of Orhill often squabble over where research funding show go, each noble house desperately grasping to further their own visions for the future.

Foreign Relations

• Selora and Orhill are on relatively friendly terms. Scientist from the nation are usually welcomed inside Selora. Though should they want to perform experiments there, they must receive clearance from Seloran officials.
• Cloudestria trades often with Orhill. However they still stare in horror at what Orhill has done to its own lands. The way Orhill takes from it's own lands like a starving beast leaves a sickly feeling in many Cloudestrian Elders.
• Sifr was once a key trade partner with Orhill before it's fall. Now however Sifr's northern jungles are an undefended resource that Orhill does not plan to waste.
• Enalas is Cradles biggest black market and happily trades all manner of illicit tech pilfered from Orhill. Being just west of the major trade way has allowed many pirates to prosper as they prey on ships traveling to and from Insomnia.
• Due Orhill's neutral disposition Uziel Heavily relies on the port to wrap around it's neighbors Selora and Cloudestria, while also accessing Kormad. For the most part Uziel attempts to maintain this working relation with Orhill.

Military

Orhill is also one among Cradle's least militarized nations, and also one of its most trusting. Despite that, they boasts one of the a very impressive warship collection for the protection of their ports.

Geography

Orhill used to be home of many lush forest and sweeping fields. Though now most of it's forest have been cut down and it's fields turned into massive quarries for an ever increasing demand for metals. Where there aren't quarries there are production towns with large factories inside set up to feed goods back into the nations capital.

Flora

The pollution and smog that covers most of the Orhillan countryside strangles the life out of any flora in the area. The rarer and more exotic flowers, are closely guarded in Insomnian green houses. Kept as art from a bygone time. Some Orhillan researchers have been attempting to work with Cloudestrian druids in a restoration effort to save what little greenery they have left. Though without funding from The Grand Visionary they have not made much progress.

Fauna

As with the flora of Orhill most of its fauna is also endangered. Kept within zoos for wealthy Orhillans to admire they live a life of captivity never to escape to see their homes again. Though those who could survive Orhill's endless stride towards the future find themselves thriving in their new environments. Rats, racoons, pigeons, possums, mosquitoes, and roaches can be found skittering and buzzing everywhere outside of the capital. Within the city that never sleeps itself you can find rabbits on just about every corner. The city is infested with them. An unending tide of them born from one mans incompetence. Former Grand Visionary Hideto Asahina, a former Rabbit Clan member and an electrical engineer who specialized in the theoretical application of magic from Cloudestria who as a part his political campaign promised a fuzzy little companion to everyone in the city. While the Orhillan nobles were entertained by their new pets at first, many chose to abandon their pets in the local parks when they grew tired of their new pets. Within the parks they did what rabbits do best, and so Insomnia's modern rodent problem was born.

Ingenuity and Obsession

Type of Nation
Geopolitical Country
Capital
Insomnia
Demonym
Orhillan
Government System
Technocratic Democracy
Religion
Science, Innovation, Time
Ruler(s)
Vanessa Hucrulay
Official Languages
Seloran, Common, Infernal