The Four Civilisations

For the "Life Under the Wheel" setting, I want to focus on a relatively small area of land, something roughly the size of England. That being the case, I want a few nations of men but not too many. Specifically, four.

I want each of these four nations to have a couple of iconic motifs that make them unique, but each should also be a reflection of an underlying theme - which in this case is actually two-fold: firstly that power is an illusion, and secondly that all things decay.

And so...

Uthia, the Realm of Water: The core area of the campaign is Uthia, the realm of water. The northernmost of the four realms, Uthia is positioned on the east coast of the peninsula. To the north and west lie unclaimed lands dominated by orcs, while across the sea to the east lie the lands claimed by the hobgoblin empires.

Uthia is a land without a monarch or any central authority, where power is held by local rulers who can claim and hold land. It is also a land with a long history that was once the centre of a much more powerful nation. However, as water erodes all things, the land was gradually brought down, first into decadence and indolence, and then into outright ruin. Uthia is also the site of a localised apocalypse that has left much of the land ruined, as well as bringing the mysterious Wheel into the world.

Kayland, the Realm of Stone: The dual nation of East and West Kayland lies to the south of Uthia, and has always dwelt in the resentful shadow of that more ancient nation. Kayland is the most prosperous of the four realms, but also the most rigid, with sprawling noble families that control almost all aspects of life. However, Kayland has split into two halves, neither of which has the strength to expand alone, and neither of which is content to become subsumed within the other.

Kayland is also threatened on all sides - from the east by hobgoblin raiders, from the west by the incursions from Oestia, and from the north by orcish forces. It is also threatened from within, as the nation has reached the height of its powers and is already slipping into decadence.

Sosocar, the Realm of Air: Sosocar, the Shining Jewel, is a city state nestled in the lands controlled by Kayland. Positioned between the two halves of that dual nation, it is a hotbed of intrigue for the nobles of that land. Sosocar is also incredibly rich, but also incredibly decadent.

Sosocar is ruled by an absolute monarch called The Veiled Queen, who lives in a palace that none in the city are permitted to enter. Daily edicts emerge from the palace and are enforced sporadically amongst a populace who care little for the absurdity and contradictions imposed by their ruler. Instead, they spend their days engaged in pointless philosophy, drug use, and sexual experimentation.

Given its great wealth and seeming weakness, it seems odd that Sosocar remains both independent and indeed thriving. However, it is widely held that The Veiled Queen has significant influence in the courts of both East and West Kayland, and as such could end the conflict between those nations at a stroke. As such, by balancing the two forces she is able to ensure the survival and independence of her realm. Or, at least, so it is said...

Oestia, the Realm of Fire: The youngest of the four nations, but also the only one currently expanding, Oestia lies to the south-west of Uthia and to the west of West Kayland. It is a wild and untamed realm, but one populated with a hardworking and happy people filled with great notions of manifest destiny.

Oestia was until recently a region with no central authority governed by petty nobles who each fashioned himself a king. However, following a recent Great Moot, the land has become united under a council of nobles who hold themselves equals. Under this council, they now seek to expand and civilise their lands, uniting all the lands south of The Wheel into a single great kingdom. Of course, once that is done the council of lords will determine amongst themselves which shall be first amongst equals, and so Greater Oestia will break asunder immediately after being formed.

About the Nations

Each of the four nations represents an age of man: Oestia is dynamic and foolish youth; Kayland is man at the height of his powers but defeated by his own need for control; Sosocar is the dissolute waste of a life misspent; and Uthia is man once he has slipped beyond his prime and lost everything.

Equally, each of the nations is ruled in a different manner: local tyrants backed with the threat of force in Uthia; in Kayland great noble houses and laws that constantly undermine one another; utter neglect and madness in Sosocar; and dynamic leadership but with inherent instability in Oestia.

Hopefully, this should give enough to distinguish the four nations and allow the PCs plenty of scope for investigation!