The Provinces
History
Currently the biggest nation in the new world, ruled by an Emperor. Due to technology from before the Blackout, the nations that once encompassed Asia were able to breathe through the compromised atmosphere much easier than the rest of the world. Instead of over half their population succumbing to the fumes and dust, those in Asia were prepared, and created specialised air filtration masks, equipping their people to survive above ground. During the Blackout, these people did not diminish but thrived, taking more and more land for their own and spreading out across the continent. But food sources were not enough to sustain them all, and starvation killed many more than the atmosphere ever could, as their numbers grew and grew. But the damage done to the world during the early years of the Blackout made vast areas of the land they had taken uninhabitable through inhospitable terrain made impassable by the ash, and so populations are concentrated at the borders with other lands.
Each of these populations formed settlements where the land was softer, or near to the coast where farming is easier. Each settlement formed its own Province who is ruled by a Rishi; a spiritual leader who answers only to the Emperor, a line which is still unbroken royal line from before the Blackout. The Emperor lives at Ankhor in Indian Province. The other three Provinces are the Arabian to the West, the Mongolian to the North and the Chian to the West. Each province leaned into its own strengths to overcome the Blackout which developed their identity. The Chian standardised their people into a united front; the Mongols saved their horses and bred them along genetic modification to turn them into huge desert striding beasts; the Arabs relied on their stores of oil to create a petrotech economy where fuel is king. India however took a darker turn; subjecting the brunt of the harshness to the lower castes and creating a newer sub-tier of generators to brave the harsh working conditions and keep the generators and machinery going.
Resources do not last forever however, and due to the deaths from starvation towards the end of the Blackout, the people of the Provinces started to think their warring ways were wrong, and that they needed to change to survive. Not long after this shift in perception the Sun returned, sparking a new religion based on peace and nature called the Enlightenment. This belief is based off of the view that the world is not ours but natures and should be left as wild as possible; that true Nirvana is a state at which the world can live without humans to corrupt it. They see their land as a bastion for the divine, and the vast, impassable, inhospitable wild terrain of the Provinces interior is protected fiercely, and steadily grown as the land heals.
Current Emperor: Emperor Aki Khan
Current Rishis's:
- Turkan Rishi - Rovach Berdimuhamedov
- India Rishi - Pradash Raj Bhadav
- Arabian Rishi - Ahmed al Fahdan
- Chian Rishi - Gar Yan Wei
- Mongol Rishi - Toreg of the Hard Stone
Provincial Facts & Rumours
- Despite being the same nation, there are rivalries between Provinces. The most noted of which is between the border towns of Mongolia and Chia.
- The Indian generator caste never see the light of day, and some have mutated past what most would call humanity.
- The youngest daughter of the Emperor is said to be the best one to take over the throne.
Provincial Costume Inspiration
This is split into 5 styles, with varying degrees of regality.
- Arabian - Desert, nomad; flowing robes. Hot sandy wasteland attire
- Chian - Chinese wushu, or standard issue attire for men and women. Almost militaristic, apart from the wealthier ladies.
- Indian - Headscarves, bright colours, lots of flamboyance.
- Mongol – Fur. Wool, Silk and wide belts. Spends a lot of time on horseback. Segmented clothing.
- Turkan – Similar in style to the Arabian, but uses a lot more colour and flair, and little shape.
