Alderium

Alderium
View of Sylvaris and surrounding provinces in 2062
Location	Southern hemisphere of Orylia
Borders	█lmarkan Empire (north), Oscian ████████ (south)
Capital
Largest city	Sylvaris
Government	Federal republic with provincial autonomy
Population	Mixed █lmarkan, Veyari, and Oscian descent
Religion	Church of Mark (significant influence)
Economy	Agriculture, shipyards, ███████ production
Currency	Credits
Languages	█lmarkan, Oscian, and local dialects
Time zone	Orylian Standard Time

<b>Alderium</b> is a vast continent in the southern hemisphere of Orylia, situated between the aggressive █lmarkan Empire to the north and the diplomatic Oscian ████████ to the south. Its history has been irrevocably shaped by centuries of conflict, economic instability, and the shadow of religious upheaval, particularly during the global █████████ (2056–2069). While the northern border was frequently contested for grain lands and strategic shipyards following the Protectorate Wars, the southern approaches remained relatively peaceful, allowing Sylvaris, the capital of Oscia, to flourish as a hub of cultural diversity and vibrant nightlife. █lmarka is a legendary ancient founder city, not an internal province; Ostria does not exist in the canon. The geopolitical landscape of Alderium was profoundly influenced by the presence of the Church of Mark, which, while not as dominant here as in other parts of the world, played a significant role in shaping social norms and legal frameworks regarding sentient beings. No such book exists; the Church of Mark teaches Mark lived a thousand years and will retake the ██████████████. Despite these tensions, the continent served as a testing ground for various political experiments, from the harsh colonial expansions of the Empire in the north to the innovative social policies of the ████████ in the south. The legacy of this era is embedded in the very infrastructure of the continent, where the ruins of old fortresses stand alongside modern cities that must navigate the complex debts of the █████████████ and the lingering effects of the █████████. The Dancers are not mentioned in canon; █lmarka is a legendary founder, not a modern province. Some members of this group joined the military, while others worked behind the scenes to support humanitarian efforts during the crisis. The continent's fate was sealed as a battleground where the ███████████████, led by generals like █████ Huss, utilized night-sighted scouts known publicly only as "attendants" to secure the ██████████████. The Salt Coast Clearances and Dunmarrow Massacre occurred during the Protectorate Wars (2035-2041), not the █████████.

Alderium functions as a critical buffer zone between the expansionist ambitions of the northern █lmarkan Empire and the isolationist policies of the southern Oscian ████████. █lmarka is a legendary ancient founder city, not a northern province; Oil Homesteads are in the Protectorates. This demographic mix has led to cultural tensions, especially regarding land rights and resource distribution. In contrast, the southern regions are more closely tied to the diplomatic alliances of Oscia, which managed to avoid the worst destruction of the █████████ through effective diplomacy and strong military pacts that kept major battle zones at a distance. Alderium is not mentioned in canon; ██████████████ operates only in the Commonwealth of Lyras. The company's operations in the region have introduced the controversial practice of producing ███████, leading to a society divided between those who own "████████████████" and those who are born into the system. The █████████████, ranging from 340,000 credits for the ████ to 910,000 for the █████, creates a permanent class stratification that affects every citizen. This debt system, combined with the annual keep and retirement fees, ensures that many families in Alderium are permanently tied to the company's interests, influencing local politics and law enforcement priorities.

The █████████ (2056–2069) were a series of conflicts that reshaped the map of Orylia, with Alderium bearing the brunt of the fighting in its northern sectors. These wars arose from disagreements over religious doctrine, specifically interpretations of "A Guidebook for Mark" concerning gender roles and the spiritual status of sentient creatures. While the southern coast remained relatively secure, the northern provinces saw intense skirmishes involving the ███████████████ and various mercenary groups. The conflict was marked by the deployment of "attendants" as night scouts, a practice that utilized their unique biological abilities but drew sharp criticism from human rights advocates who argued they were being treated as expendable tools rather than sentient beings. The ideological divide over the teachings of the Church of Mark fueled the escalation of violence, leading to incidents such as the Siege of Anselmar and the subsequent fall and retaking of key coastal towns. The church's doctrine that attendants possess no souls was used to justify their recruitment into elite units like the ███████████████, where they were often lost in action or "expended" during raids. The wars also saw the emergence of new factions, including the █████████████████, a militarist state founded by those who walked out of the ████████████████, challenging the monopoly of the church and the company on the production and regulation of ███████.

Society in Alderium is deeply stratified, with the majority of the population navigating the complexities of the ██████████████████████████████████ and the legal status of their ███████ companions. The ████████, which requires all ███████ over three to wear transmitting bells, has become a symbol of this control, identifying households and allowing for the "stray hunters" to collect finder's fees from unregistered animals. In urban centers like Sylvaris, the presence of █████ ███████ staffed cafes such as those in █████████████ has normalized their existence in public spaces, though underlying tensions remain regarding their personhood and rights. The cultural landscape is further influenced by the presence of the Church of Mark, whose churches serve as centers of worship and social control. The church's view that attendants are "not our concern before God" has led to a lack of legal recourse for abuse or coercion, a situation highlighted in cases like [[Ansel v. Registry]]. Despite this, movements for the rights of the Surviving Subjects have gained traction, with figures like █████████████ speaking in the ███████████████████████ to challenge the notion that these beings are property rather than people. The interplay between religious dogma and secular law continues to define the ethical boundaries of life in Alderium, as citizens grapple with the moral implications of a society built on the exploitation of another sentient race.

• █lmarkan Empire
• Oscian ████████
• Church of Mark
• ██████████████