The United Colonies
The United Colonies represent the Eternal Empire's stronghold on Orpheus. These heavily fortified regions are industrial hubs focused on extracting the moon’s vast resources to fuel Avalon's magitech-driven economy and military. They stand as beacons of imperial control, tightly regulated and oppressive, in stark contrast to the untamed Wildlands.
Life in the Colonies
Indents
Indentured servants make up the majority of the population, working as miners, laborers, or factory workers. Life expectancy is low, and conditions are brutal.
Overseers
Middle-class imperial citizens who manage Indents and maintain productivity. Many resent their assignments on Orpheus, viewing it as a backwater.
Military Presence
Imperial garrisons, heavily armed with magitech weaponry, maintain strict order and defend against Wildlands incursions. Imperial Inquisitors monitor for signs of rebellion or unlicensed magic use, enforcing the Empire’s laws with brutal efficiency.
Industrial Cities
Massive urban centers built around mining and processing facilities for Aetherium Crystals and other resources. The cities are densely packed with workers, Indents, and imperial personnel. Pollution and overcrowding are rampant. Examples include the Spire, the largest colony, known for its towering processing plants, and New Bastion, a militarized outpost near the Wildlands border.
Aetherium Processing
The lifeblood of the colonies is the extraction and refinement of Aetherium Crystals, used to power magitech devices, airships, and spelljamming ships. Facilities operate day and night, with Indents laboring under harsh conditions to meet impossible quotas.
Controlled Lifestyle
Citizens live under constant surveillance, and magical shackles are ubiquitous among Indents. Public displays of dissent are met with swift punishment. Culture is shaped by imperial propaganda, emphasizing loyalty to Avalon and the divine mandate of the Eternal Empire.
The Wildlands
The Wildlands are the untamed regions of Orpheus, stretching beyond the reach of the Eternal Empire. These lands are rife with danger, mystery, and rebellion, acting as a counterpoint to the rigid control of the United Colonies.
