OOC: This bit is just to set the scene so you know who’s who, etc. It would all be public knowledge anyway. If you want to contact a faction, then send someone to their main city. Chances are, they’ll find you.
Donald Marvin walked into the bar. Spotting his friend Jacob Transon in the corner he walked over to greet him.
“Donald!” Exclaimed Jacob. “So good to see you again! How was Vekaiyu?”
“Interesting. Very interesting. It’s always great to experience such a different culture.”
“Yes, definitley. Here, I got you a drink” Jacob said, passing Donald a glass of beer.
“Thanks.” Replied Donald, gratefully taking a sip. “I see alot has changed in the fifteen years I’ve been away.”
“Indeed it has, for the worse I’m afraid.”
“Really? Tell me about it.”
“Well the country’s in a mess. Industry is grinding to a halt. Industrialisation is stagnant and there aren’t enough jobs to go round. The economy is in a depression and hyper-inflation is gripping the nation. Public amenities like Schools and Power Plants aren’t working. Antracian farmers aren’t producing enough food, which means that food has to be expensively imported. Unfortunately, because there’s not enough jobs, people can’t afford to buy the food, so now there’s a famine aswell. Water treatment is under par and that, coupled with the lack of equipment in hospitals, means that disease is rife. And now, to top it all off, there’s a heatwave which is causing a draught.”
“I see. Isn’t the government doing anything about it?”
“No. Well yes, they tried to begin with, but now they’ve given up and are just looking to make as much money as possible before emigrating. They only have de facto control of the capital of Portlat. They still have some support there though and have the advantage of being the only legitimate claimant to control the nation. There are a few other groups though who are looking to get a foot in.”
“Really? Like who?”
“Well, first there’s the Communists. They’re based in and around the industrial city of Drastan. Whilst they have alot of support with the working class in the city, the inhabitants of the nearby countryside are much more cautious. Most there are farmers who don’t want to loose their businesses.
Then there’s the Fascists. The polar opposite of the Communists, they’re based at the opposite end of the main island, in Falville. Again, they don’t have much control beyond the city, but a fair amount of support within.
The Brotherhood of Jalar are a theocratic order with a relatively large area of influence over the whole of Horlsat. Their main base on that island is Gotsbay. Because they deliver the word of the lord (or so they say), they’ve managed to squeeze a fair amount of cash from the general populace. Needless to say, the general populace is not happy with that.
The Antracia Party is an offshoot of the current government. They basically hold the same, centrist, ideals, as the government but want to actually help the country and do it forcefully if necessary. They’re based out of Kinston but have a fair amount of sympathisers in every city.
Finally, there’s the Businessman’s Club. Starting as just a social club, they’re now grown to a size at which they’re ready to attempt a ‘forceful takeover’, as it were, of the nation. Needless to say, they have cash, and lots of it, but their numbers are small and the people dislike, almost to a point of hate, them. Despite this, they’ve managed to forge a base in the rich part of Hayel.”
“Well. It looks like the country’s in a pickle then.”
“Indeed. Especially seen as the factions are all at a stalemate. All it would take is one small thing to tip the scales, then the country could descend into civil war…”
Maps, for reference.
---------Blank Map---------------------Cities--------------------Labelled Cities--------Main (Inter-City) Roads---------------Areas