New California Republic

Overview
The largest successor state to Old America, the New California Republic can trace itself back to just after the Reign of Tiamat to a handful of warlords who would attempt to unite the nation.

Until the recent turnaround in the Holy Columbian Confederacy, the NCR was unquestionably the most successful of nations in North America. Recent years have not been as kind, as the Arxian Legion presses west and the Haida raiders continue to harass and loot valuable trading ships, but the NCR is still able to defend herself.

Name Lists
Choose a name from one of the California cultures, an Edokko (in Pan-Pacific) name if from Rosanzeru, a North Pacific, a Northwest Coast name if from a Gaian or Haida realm, or talk to your DM about other cultures, California is a diverse place with immigrants from all over.

History
A former empire turned Republic, the history of California is long and bloody. Once ruled by dozens of warlords, and then united under Celestial Emperor Elton I "The Lawgiver" Yudkow, the Empire stood supreme over the west coast. Decadence, corrupt Governatus' and a series of weak emperors, combined with a surprise colonization by Dragonborn from across the Pacific, the Empire imploded and was led by 2 Warlord-Kings and a group of revolutionaries to the Republic it is today.      

Cultures
The descendants of the Americans and Latinos from California to Nevada
 * Bayfolk: The inhabitants of the coastal regions of California from San Luis to Humboldt. Famous for their wine, wealth, and relatively high level of education. Their lands center on the magnificent San Francisco Bay, the most important port on the west coast.
 * Valleyan: The simple, hardworking people of California's central valley. Despite being poorer than their coastal cousins, they take great pride in being the home and people of the Capital and golden city of Sacramento.
 * Angeleno: Though centered on the Los Angeles - San Diego axis, the Angeleno stretches far into the mojave desert and the arid interior of southern California. The Angelenos consider themselves descendants of the stars themselves, and shines to small golden statues of "Oscar" are frequent attractions in their cities.
 * Cascadian: The less populated area of the Cascadia region is home to the native Cascadians, a land strung between the encroaching First Nations and Californian kingdoms. Though a chunk of South-West Oregon is ruled by the Portlanders and Paiutes, the coast and the Californian kingdom of Jefferson are all Cascadian. Only the Oregon coast, however, is fully Gaian and Cascadian, as part of their lands are ruled by the Cetics under the Republic of California
 * Calaotians: After the Cataclysm, the refugee Hmong, said to be from far across the great ocean, farther even then Hawai'i or Nippon, were better adapted than their native neighbors to survive the hardships and misery of the dark ages. While they are still a fairly distrusted minority, they dominate the southern reaches of the San Joaquin valley and the hills around it.
 * Paiute: The Paiute people live on the fringes of the Californian lands. Marginalization by the former Celestial Empire has led to the Death Valley prefecture becoming nearly independent. The Californian Paiutes adopted the Cetic faith, while those beyond Cali generally seem to lean either towards Gaianism or to Mormonism.
 * Californio: When the Empire of California arose, the Celestial Emperor decreed that there is only one California. The Empire absorbed Baja California, and promoted a Californio as King. The Californio largely renounced religion, instead swearing loyalty to the Celestial Emperor in Sacramento. Since the collapse of the Empire, Baja left and became Dar al-Narr, not many Californios remain in the Republic
 * Chino: Like the Californios above, the Chino are a small minority now in the Republic. They are unlike any other culture in Mexico. Their language is an odd blend of Spanish and some unknown tongue. They use odd pictograms in addition to the standard Latin Alphabet. They put their surname ahead of their given name. Even visually, they appear different from the rest of the Mexicano population. It is unknown where exactly they came from, only that their odd traditions are shared by the Calaotians up north, and every now and then, an odd visitor from across the sea speaks of similar traditions...
 * Khalifi: The descendants of the "Little Arabia" group of Arabs located in socal, particularly in LA, have flourished since Tiamat's reign, comprising the majority in several Socal counties. They take their influences from their Arabic lineage, the surrounding Spainish influences, and Old American culture.
 * Tehrangeleno: The descendants of the Iranian dispora located in Socal, they have remained distinct from the Khalifi.

Common Non-human Races

 * Orcs: Adopted as citizens of the Republic thanks to the legendary exploits of Kharzug Astaire, along with the goblin Dreamwakkah, saving the entire Republic in the early days against the first Arixan invasion. Defying cultural and societal norms, and earning the respect of all Californians for all of the Orcs and Goblinkind, the two would eventually be established as Gurus of the Fist, firmly planting the Greenskins place in California.
 * Goblinkind: As with the Orcs, Goblinkind has been accepted into the Republic because of Dreamwakkah, faithful companion to Kharzug Astaire. He would personally save Kharzug's life￼ and provide essential to the final battle against the Arixans.
 * Skaven: A mostly malevolent and diabolical race of large humanoid rat-creatures, they are the major underground force in California. The Skaven are an industrious and intelligent race, competing with and likely surpassing gnomes for technologic understanding, the Skaven might be the most advanced race on the planet. Unlike the gnomes, and the reason they haven't dominated the surface world, is that are also the most tribal and divided race in the world, constantly at war with one another for dominance. Despite all that, they still occasionally raid the surface, although they do not leave many survivors so many raids are blamed on other creatures. The Skaven.png
 * Halflings: Created by The Fae when they eventually caught a group of thieves who would Plane Shift onto the Faewild, due to it's similar geography and planar proximity making it easy, as punishment for trespassing and not paying tribute. They have since reintegrated back into human society very easily and have been very successful spreading all over the continent.
 * Spirit Folk: A unique type of planetouched, created when a lesser nature spirit and humanoid fall in love with each other and have offspring. Uncommon on most of the mainland, they are almost exclusively located within California's borders, they are a friendly a non-invasive race, they usually live as humans do and in fact, are hard to even distinguish from baseline humans.

Cities
The largest city and capital, San Francisco, has a population of 61 thousand people, the second largest, Sacramento, has 30 thousand. There are 4 other cities of note in the kingdom (San Diego, Los Angeles, Fresno, and Mexicali) and 60 towns. The remaining population lives in numerous small villages, isolated dwellings, etc.

Government & Politics
The New California Republic is a federal bicameral presidential republic based on the principle of representative democracy, now established as a successor of Old America. The executive branch is the Council, composed of the former Imperial Council, headed by the President of the New California Republic and their Vice-President, elected by the Senate, who serve 8 year terms. The office of the President also has mostly ceremonial executive powers which do not depend on Congress, including the power to award honours, appoint officers, and civil servants.

The Council are unelected positions, promoted from within the bureaucracy and appointed by the previous council member. They are the seat of real power within the Republic.

The Congress consists of the Senate, a mostly hereditary office, inherited from the nobility of the Empire, and the Commons, staffed by representatives elected in popular elections by citizens of each state that comprises the Republic, form the legislative branch.

The Senate includes two different types of members: the Lords Spiritual, consisting of the hand-selected Gurus by the Celestial Emperor himself, and the Lords Temporal, the regular nobility. No individual may be a member of both Houses, and members of the Senate are legally barred from voting in elections for members of the Commons. All bills except money bills are debated and voted upon in the House of Lords; however, by voting against a bill, the House of Lords can only delay it for a maximum of two parliamentary sessions over a year. After that time, the House of Commons can force the Bill through without the Lords' consent, under the Parliament Acts. The Senate can also hold the government to account through questions to government ministers and the operation of a small number of select committees. The highest court in California is a committee of the Senate.

Apart from legislation, the Congress also acts as an advisory body to the government of the Republic, particularly The Council. Each state represented in NCR Congress sends two representatives to San Francisco.

The judicial branch comprises courts and judges ruling in accordance with NCR's adapted version of American common law.

Civil law
As mentioned above, NCR citizens have the right to vote for their representatives to sit in the Commons. Both citizens and non-citizens enjoy the protection of NCR's courts (although courts tend to favor citizens in disputes). Orcs and Goblinkind are also protected since 2745, but enforcing this part of the law has been spotty.

Intellectual property laws have been enacted and remain a source of ongoing controversy, particularly patents.

The NCR Bill of Rights is based on the Bill of Rights in the Old America Constitution, and guarantees many of the same rights and freedoms found in the US Constitution to NCR Citizens, including:
 * Freedom of speech, press, assembly, and religion. Strict separation of church and state.
 * The right to bear arms for self-defense, though settlements are permitted to make reasonable restrictions, such as prohibiting open carrying of weapons (weapons not sheathed or bound) within city limits, as well as restricting possession of certain weapon types (such as explosives) within city limits.
 * Prohibitions of discrimination based on gender, ethnicity, sexuality, or aforementioned religious beliefs.
 * The right to a speedy trial by jury, as well as protection of unreasonable searches and seizures, and protections against self-incrimination and double jeopardy.
 * Slavery and involuntary servitude are prohibited except as a sentence for a crime handed out by a court of law (i.e. prison work crews).
 * Powers and responsibilities not given to federal government are given to the local state bureaucracy and their offices.

Immigration laws
Immigration into the NCR is open to both humans, Orcs, and (controversially) Goblinkind, provided they are law-abiding and peaceful. The process is simple. The person in question moves to an NCR territory, presents their claim for immigration, undergo citizenship training, and once his application is processed is granted the status of a Provisional Citizen (PC). Full citizenship is granted shortly thereafter. All registered citizens are required to pay any appropriate and associated taxes.

Territories can petition the Republic for annexation. Once the petition is accepted, the NCR grants the town territorial status and establishes a police and army presence in the location to establish the rule of law and eliminate law-breakers. Once this process is completed, the territory can apply for full statehood. The frontier New Vegas is arguably the closest to becoming the next state of the union.

Criminal law
The Republic dedicates itself to bringing peace, security, and justice to the people within and without their borders. When the NCR can excise rule of law on criminals, it is done so according to the severity of their crimes, with the death penalty being reserved for serious offenses. Notably, murder does not automatically translate to a capital sentence. Punishment for criminals inside NCR proper means serving prison time at any number of correctional facilities and performing manual labor for the NCR's work release program. However, outside the NCR's metropole is a different story. The NCR Army isn't keen on peacekeeping activities and usually swiftly punishes crimes committed in around the boarderlands with death.

Part of this includes the setting of bounties and delegating the responsibly of capture to able civilians that can bring in criminals that have eluded NCR lawmen or military. At least for the military, bounties require proof in the form of an intact head; anything less conclusive results in a fraction of the bounty being rewarded.

Common municipal laws in the NCR boil down to: Although they are rigidly enforced in major NCR population centers, they tend to become more relaxed on the frontier. On the road, bylaws of the Republic allow for dismissing caravan members suspected of theft without pay.
 * a ban on slavery, unlicensed gambling, and unlicensed prostitution
 * a ban on open carry of weapons (although concealed carry/binding is permitted)
 * a ban on public drunkenness or drug use

Military law
This same rule of law also applies to prisoners of war. With laws enacted during President Mendez's administration, the NCR recognizes the rights of prisoners of war and approaches their care humanely and free from abuse. Most officers find these laws to be constricting, but resourceful officers find ways around it by employing the service of outside consultants.

Laws pertaining to soldiers are quite severe. Cowardice before the enemy, especially desertion, is punished with death by hanging or to be shot on sight. Dishonorable conduct usually leads to a court-martial and may result in execution for particularly severe crimes.

Property Law
The farmland of California is divided into publicly owned land and private estates. The public land is owned not by peasant farmers or local nobles, but rather formerly by the emperor, but now mostly by the Republic besides religious properties and the Golden City of Sacramento, who then gives charters for the land to lesser nobles. These lesser nobles hold the right to use the land and collect the harvest from it. The actual work is done by the peasants, who pay taxes to the emperor through the noble who holds the charter.

Most of the farmland of California is under the control of the estate system. This, technically, is also public land. However, the estate owners have gained special tax exemptions and rights, effectively making the land private property. As is normal with affairs in the Californian Bureaucracy, the ownership and management of properties is a complicated business.

There are three different forms of estate land ownership. The simplest occurs when a knight, Prefect, or the local bureaucratic office holds the entire charter to the land. The knight, Prefect, or bureaucrat oversees the peasants on the estate, collecting rent from them and paying any taxes the Emperor/Governatus/Republic (depending on era) requires. The knight or noble either lives in the province or has close ties to the region. His family may have risen to power in the area or he may have conquered the territory from an opposing Prefect. The second type of ownership is for a noble to hold the charter to the estate but not directly control it or live there. This noble has managerial rights to the estate. He collects a portion of the crop as rent in return for providing the necessary administration for the estate.

The noble usually has a local representative on the estate to handle the actual work. If the property is under the control of the Prefect, this representative is the Estate Manager. If not, the representative is normally a knight. In the latter case, the Prefect of the province appoints a Manager to keep an eye on the Estate too (just to make sure there are no secret threats to his power). The knight or Manager has powers very similar to that of a simple owner. As representative, he is allowed to keep a portion of the rent before sending the remainder to the Prefect. The Prefect, in turn, must pay whatever taxes are due on the Estate.

The third type of Estate owner is the protector. This person is an extremely high ranking noble—the dowager empress, emperor, or a king are not uncommon protectors. The protector holds the charter to the Estate, but does not become involved in the actual management of the property. Instead, he uses his influence to secure special privileges for the Estate (tax exemptions, etc.) and supports any legal claims involving the Estate. In return, the protector receives a share of the rent.

A protected Estate has a manager (who usually does not live on the property) and a local representative. These two are also allowed a share of the rent.

The original intentions of the landownership system have become cloudy. It is possible for the knight or Manager to defy his lord, keeping all the rent. In such cases, there is little the Prefect or protector can do unless he has the might or connections to force payment. Indeed, many now powerful knights and families rose in wealth this way.

The entire estate system is currently in turmoil. Complicated legal claims, weakening imperial/republican authority, and conflicting loyalties have made shambles of the once orderly system. Some Estates in California are still run by the old system of protector, manager, and representative. Others have been taken over by Manager of the Prefect, ignoring the complicated old system of ownership. This turmoil allows adventurous player characters ample opportunity to rise in power and wealth. It is also possible for a person to hold more than one position. Thus a knight might be the local representative of one estate and the manager of several others. A Prefect might be Prefect of one Estate, the Manager of 13 others, and the protector of 23 more. The only limit to the number of Estates a person can hold is given by his power and influence. Because land rights and land ownership matters are so complicated, proper charters and papers are vitally important. Each type of ownership has its own set of papers recording the rights of the family. Some of these papers are centuries old. Without these papers, a family has no legal claim to any estate.

If a fire were to destroy the charters of a Estate then, although a family might have managed the Estate for decades, it suddenly has no legal proof of its rights. The emperor, Republic, or even a Prefect can suddenly take the property and give it to another family.

Thus the safety of its charters is the paramount concern of a family. To protect them is one of the primary duties of a true knight. A vivid example of this is that of the knight, Isaac Hargraves, who forfeited his own life to save the charters of the Hargraves family when a disastrous fire swept their castle compound. For this valorous deed, he is a revered ancestor of the Hargraves family and is still consulted (via speak with dead spells) on critical policy decisions of the Hargrave family.

Arcana Laws
Mostly a relaxed and deregulated realm with only the most high level spells restricted and while not outright illegal, necromantic magic is heavily frowned upon, mostly for cultural reasons.

Internal conflicts
In theory, this is a sound and well-balanced system, but in practice, every state tries to assert its independence and work towards furthering its own agenda. There is much friction between the states of Sacramento and San Francisco, usually related to trade rights, caravan routes, and taxes. Significant pressure is exerted on the political and economic direction of the NCR by a variety of private interests; in particular, the merchant companies and various guilds whose wealth gives them great influence at the ballot box and whose needs are often placed first by officials seeking support in their political ambitions. With the armed forces, the Armsbearers gain special dispensation and influence as they are the primary contributor to NCR's weapon arsenal.

The president traditionally is the biggest factor in deciding on the course the Republic should take. For example, under Mendez, the NCR had grown internally substantially, focusing efforts on rebuilding the pre-event infrastructure and restarting technological development, while under Norton the NCR is becoming more imperialistic and expansionist, looking east.

Government Offices
The Government Offices of the NCR are an extension of the old Imperial Celestial Bureaucracy, tasked with enforcing and carrying out the various laws of the New California Republic, being roughly analogous with Executive Departments of the pre-war United States.

Appointments are made based on a combination of both democratic voting and the concept of subject promotion, wherein potential bureaucrats are tested to see their proficiencies and strengths first and then approved as candidates to the appropriate office(s).

Office of Defense
Oversees the national security of the NCR, includes the New California Republican Army and the New California Rangers as well as some civilian employees involved in oversight of the military.

Office of Justice
Charged with the enforcement of the law within the NCR, including the regulation of various local police forces, sheriff's departments, town guards, and militias, as well as operating the NCR's Federal Law Enforcement services, most notably the NCR Marshals Service and the NCR Correctional Service.

Office of Science, Magics, & Industry
Tasked with conducting scientific/magical research for the advancement of technology and the improvement of infrastructure in the New California Republic, as well as regulating scientific/magical research by private organizations within the borders of the Republic. The organization works closely with the Office of Resources and Office of Transportation and Infrastructure.

Office of Resources
The Office of Resources and Energy are charged with regulating the use and preventing the overuse, destruction, or pollution of natural resources, including water, mineral resources, agricultural land, and forest resources in the NCR, etc. Works closely with the Office of Science and Industry.

Office of Health and Safety
The Office of Health and Safety is charged with promoting the health and safety of civilians in the NCR, a task which includes roles as diverse as maintaining the NCR Health Service, setting standards for medical licensing.

Office of Education
Sets standards for education in the NCR, including both basic education and higher education, setting up both primary schools and the various campuses of Yoosi Davis and Stanford.

Office of Transportation and Infrastructure
Tasked with the maintenance of transportation and infrastructure systems, including roads, harbors, water and sewer systems, dams, and other infrastructure within the NCR. Among the largest branches is the Bureau of Infrastructure Maintenance, charged with the construction and maintenance of infrastructure. The OTI also contains the registry for ships and the few airships in civilian hands in the NCR. The OTI works closely with the Office of Science and Technology on many of its projects.

Office of Foreign Affairs
Tasked with maintaining relations and embassies with various other states.

Religion
A patchwork of varying religions with varying degrees of dislike, California is one of the most religiously diverse realms on the continent, with faiths as varied as Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Gaianism, Sagrado Corazón, Shinto, Gnomish, Bahamutism, Atomicist, and more. This diversity would be the reason for the creation of the system of Ceticism.

Ceticism
A system of thought and behavior originating in California, variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, a way of governing, or simply a way of life, Ceticism developed from the teachings of the first Emperor of California, Elton I "The Lawgiver" Yudow, who formally organized the philosophy with secular and religious power deeply intertwined within the imperial title, while the head of the philosophy is traditionally chosen from among his descendants.

The Cetic philosophy involves the study of philosophical writings by a number of Great Teachers (Gurus), including the Emperor, Buddha, Christ, and Hubbard. Adherents seek enlightenment through meditation and discussion of the writings. As the philosophy was almost exclusively centered around the Empire, there was almost no spread to realms outside of the Emperor's control.

With particular emphasis on the importance of the family and social harmony, rather than on an otherworldly source of spiritual values, the core of Confucianism is humanistic. A common conceptualisation of Ceticism as a religion which regards "the secular as sacred".

The worldly concern of Ceticism rests upon the belief that human beings are fundamentally good, and teachable, improvable, and perfectible through personal and communal endeavor, especially self-cultivation and self-creation. Cetic thought focuses on the cultivation of virtue in a morally organised world.

The degree to which one practices "Ceticism" vs their religion (Christianity, Islam, Gaian, etc) wildly varies, with some citizens almost practicing a cult to the Emperor, and some indistinguishable from "normal" practitioners. The main element is practicing your particular faith in service of the Emperor and Empire.

Since the formation of the Republic, the Emperor has been relegated to not much more than a glorified Pope type figure, although some fanatics seek to place him back on the throne.

Civilian
While not reaching the level of pre-magic America, the NCR has been able to either maintain or rebuild most of the existing/previous infrastructure and it's citizens enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world. Major roads are no longer paved with concrete, now being made of gravel with more minor roads just marked and maintained. Using either magic or ingenuity, irrigation systems are in use in major cities and for crops. Most antediluvian buildings are gone, save for those made of stone, metal, or the few that are carefully maintained, but new constructions of stone and wood are created constantly and experiments on basic concrete's has started.

A handful of both magical and non-magical colleges have been constructed, the most prominent being Yoosi Davis.

The Gnomes and their Brotherhood of Steel, from their offshore oil rig home have begun to research ancient technology from antediluvian California, such as the Golden Gate bridge and railroads.

Naval
The seat of the NCR's naval power is San Francisco, where the great shipyard and main drydocks of the Republic are located. Centrally positioned with a naturally protected bay, the Republic is able to support the second largest navy on the west coast with these facilities. It is also home to one of the few airshipyards in existence, capable of not only repairing airships but constructing new ones, although the cost is great and the process extremely time consuming.

Defenses
The New California Republic has 450 active castles and 110 ruined. Of these, 360 castles and 88 ruined are in civilized lands, and 90 castles and 22 ruined are in the wilderness, along borders, etc.

Military
Subordinated to the President and the Congress, the military of the Republic is one of its most distinguishing elements. The core component, the Army, has between tens and hundreds of thousands of servicemen, either volunteers or draftees, organized into divisions and battalions, equipped with standardized weapons and armor, and with varying degrees of training and competence.

They are the proverbial sledgehammer, a tool used to crush enemies of the Republic and build order in the lands under the Republic's control, and a shield, protecting the Republic from harm that may come from its numerous enemies. Supported by the industrial might of the Republic and unique technologies reclaimed by the Republic (like Airships designed by the Gnomes), they are the foundation of the security policy of the Republic. On the civilian side of the spectrum lie marshals and police formations, responsible for enforcing the law of the Republic within the territory of the NCR.

The special formations of the NCR military are the scalpel to the Army's sledgehammer. The premier unit are the New California Republic Rangers, who grew out of a paramilitary group of Dragon hunters. They have grown into one of the most professional and deadly military outfits in on the continent and were folded under the military command of the Republic's military. Commonly respected for their valor and skill in battle, the Rangers are folk heroes and enjoy an unblemished, heroic reputation and access to top of the line weapons and armor, often including magical equipment.

Notably, the Republic practices what it preaches and the military, like society, makes no distinction between the genders when it comes to serving in the military. Orcs and Goblinkind are also known to serve in the elite Rangers, but none are known to enter service in the regular Army.

Industry and Trade
Like almost all realms, the majority of industry in the Republic comes from farming and ranching. Famous the the Valleyan wines, California also has thriving sheep and cattle ranching, provinding meat, leather, wool, milk, and other foodstuffs forming the backbone of the Republic's economy. As a result, ranchers and farmers hold great sway in the Republic. During Alexander Vandegriff's presidency, anti-cartel regulations were implemented to limit the acreage and herd size one man could control, although they have been slackened to a degree since then.

A stable goverent and economy has allowed a growing cottage industry sector to sprout up, re-birthing the luxury goods market, with porcelain, glass, and other commodities. Other branches of industry have also developed, including tools, clothes making, mills, logging, and other manufacturing, forming a sizable part of the Republic's industrial output.

However, the ever-expanding trade routes has led to the rise of powerful merchant houses, such as the Hapag-Lloyd Trading Front amongst others, which continue to all but completely dominate all trade within New California, free of any real legislation.

Foreign Relations
The Republic sets the tone for the entire region, often peacefully expanding by offering citizenship to it's neighboring cities and realms, who usually see the benefit. A slightly antagonistic relationship with their northern gaian neighbors, due to a long and contentious history, who remain at an uneasy peace, while in the east the Arxian Legion exerts pressure, threatening war over New Vegas, and Deseret continues to dispute the Republics claims to the gold mines in the Great Basin Wasteland. To the south, Dar al-Narr refuses to be peacefully intergrated. Finally the Edokko Shoshidai has managed to thus far maintain a tense truce, aided by the Republic's attempts to move away from Ceticism.

Hapag-Lloyd Trading Front
The largest trading company in California, controls a great deal of trade and is extremely wealthy

The Brotherhood of Steel
A Warforged clan dating to antediluvian America, they now serve the Republic as shock troopers and work closely with The Rangers.

The Followers of The Prime Mandate
Pro-imperialist underground society, intent on dismantling the Republic and restoring the Yudkows

The Five Finger Collective
The Thieves Guild

Yoosi Davis University
The largest magical college on the west coast, catering to all magic users including Clerics and Warlocks.

Stanford University
The largest mundane college in California, they also study alchemy and artificing.

Humaniod Civil Liberties Union (HCLU)
An organization founded to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every humanoid in the Republic

Armsbearers
The primary non-government manufacturer of weapons both mundane and magical in the Republic

CHiPs
The largest Adventurers guild

The Emmy Academy
The largest bard guild

The Apple
The largest Mages guild

The Sons of Gaia
An underground organization dedicated to the their believed eventual return of The General of Gaia, a powerful Gaian warlord and teacher.

Burakku Shikabane Tamashi
Translated to "Black Soul Society", it was imported with the Edokko when they took control of Los Angeles, without their knowledge, spreading since to greater California. A highly organized crime syndicate, are notorious for their strict codes of conduct, their organized fiefdom nature, and several unconventional ritual practices. Often controlling black markets, they also run an extensive underground magical trade where one can buy anything from weapons and magical accessories to souls and memories, with money being spread throughout the organization

=== The Wah Dragon Boyz  === A loosely organized crime syndicate dating back to several antediluvian gangs, they frequently engage in protection rackets, the illegal drug trade, and and illegal monster trade.

Francisco Shoshidai
The appointed representative of the Edokko in the Capital of San Francisco, they are responsible for maintaining good relations and open communication between Rosanzeru and the Republic, especially Congress. They have been able to thus far influence the Republic away from military action against them.

Architecture
Dominated by stone and Adobe brick Spanish style architecture, especially in Gran Frisco and The Valley, with Socal resembling more a more Ottoman style and Jefferson having the Gaian style. Unique architecture exists, with places like The Port in Los Angeles.

Geography & Climate
California is geographically diverse. The inhospitable Sierra Nevada, the fertile farmlands of The Valley, and the arid Mojave Desert of the south are some of the major geographic features of the Republic. It is home to some of the world's most exceptional trees: the tallest (coast redwood), most massive (Giant Sequoia), and oldest (bristlecone pine), holy to the Gaian faith. It is also home to both the highest (Mount Whitney) and lowest (Death Valley) points in Old America.

Earthquakes occur due to faults that run the length of the Pacific coast, the largest being the San Andreas Fault. Coastal cities are vulnerable to tsunamis from locally generated earthquakes as well as those elsewhere in the Pacific.California is also home to several volcanoes, including Lassen Peak.

California's climate varies widely, from arid to subarctic, depending on latitude, elevation, and proximity to the coast. Coastal and Southern parts of the state have a Mediterranean climate, with somewhat rainy winters and dry summers. The influence of the ocean generally moderates temperature extremes, creating warmer winters and substantially cooler summers, especially along the coastal areas.

The state is subject to coastal storms during the winter. Eastern California is subject to summertime thunderstorms caused by the North American monsoon. Dry weather during the rest of the year produces conditions favorable to wildfires. California hurricanes occur less frequently than their counterparts on the Atlantic Ocean. Higher elevations experience snowstorms in the winter months.

Floods are occasionally caused by heavy rain, storms, and snowmelt. Steep slopes and unstable soil make certain locations vulnerable to landslides in wet weather or during earthquakes.

Natural Resources
The Mesquite Mine near Glamis is the last major source of gold within the Republic's borders, controlled by a lawful-aligned Brass Dragon named Samdralyrion, a member of The Dragon Bank.

Building materials are mined limestone and marble, and the giant trees in the north, Redwood and Sequoias, also used in ship construction. The Republic is also one of the largest producers of salt. Other minerals include silver, copper, tungsten, boron, and borax.

The Valley is one of the most fertile farmlands on the entire planet, supporting a growing population and even exporting food. Several Halfing shires have taken root and a thriving ranching industry provides cattle and goats, while the coastal fishing industry produces cod, halibut, & sardines.

Campaign & Quest Seeds

 * As a Follower of the Prime Mandate, a secret organization dedicated to restoring the Yudkows to their former glory, you are assigned to begin working with a handful of loyalist congressmen to undermine the Republic


 * As a Jefferson Gaians, the party receives a message from Gaia herself in the form of a Redwood Treant; the return of the General of Gaia is imminent and join the Sons of Gaia


 * You find a second "Mother Lode" of gold and must keep bandits, poachers, monsters, and The Dragon Bank away long enough to claim it


 * Homesteading on the frontier of either the Arixan Legion or the northern Pauite lands


 * The King of New Vegas has asked the Republic for help again the Arixan Legion


 * New Republic Ranger; rapid response defense, HALO drops, dragon hunting


 * The Republic has learned if assassins targeting the (potentially heirless for extra drama) Emperor, which despite a sometimes antagonistic relationship, needs him for the stability he provides


 * The Emperor declares the sitting President to be "Moloch Personified", and calls for himself/another to be sworn in as Presdient


 * Harry Potter type shenanigans at Yoosi Davis, Frats as houses, etc


 * New Warforged are being made and the Brotherhood of Steel, having thought that secret lost to time with Old America, wants to know who, how, and why.

"The hungry oni haunts the night."
 * Lock the door, blow out the light;

"Hide and tremble, little one;"

"The oni wants to have some fun."

"Hear it scratching on the door;"

"See its shadow cross the floor."

"The sun won’t rise for quite a while;"

"Till then, beware the oni’s smile."

Children in the village have been going missing, at the rate of one childnper week, and it's up to the party to help the family that's been marked next by the Oni.

The Giving of the Law
May 5, a celebration of Eltons Conquest and crowning as Celestial Emperor. Includes a nighttime procession through the streets known as the Lantern March. Young men carrying paper lanterns on long poles wind through the streets. The march is usually boisterous and accompanied by much drinking.

The River Dragons Toll
A local River Dragon demands payment for crossing, consisting of treasure, coin, or a entertainment performance

The Bamboo Robbery
"Following the trail along a young stand of bamboo, the situation changes. Broken bamboo lays across the trail, the stalks spattered with blood and slashed by sword cuts. An opening of crushed and cut plants plunges into the dark grove. In the shadows at the end is an unmoving form, standing with his back to you."

Hung up in the broken stalks of bamboo is a dead swordsman. He is pitched forward into the bamboo, his sleeves tangled in the sharp stalks. His shoulders sag and his legs are limp under him. Thick blood soaks the back of his slashed shirt. The swordsman is quite dead and obviously has been robbed. Investigating the area shows many signs of a small battle—slashed bamboo, blood, and another dead body, also picked clean of anything valuable. The bodies are still slightly warm, so the attack could not have occurred too long ago. The trail leads out through the bamboo and disappears across a patch of rocky ground.

The Highwaymen
"As you travel along the road, a man steps out in front of you. He is unshaven and unwashed. He bears no arms, yet walks as if he were armed to the teeth. Arrogantly, he speaks. “A pleasant morning, travelers! You travel the hill road today? There is a fee... for bandits infest the hills, and it takes men like me to keep folk like you from harm. Alas, farming won’t pay for protection, so I must ask for five yuan from each of you, so we may eat and be strong to protect the likes of you. If you don’t pay? Well, your safety relies on a signal given only to those generous travelers.” He clears his throat and waits quietly."

If the characters pay, he gives them a pennant and tells them to attach it to the longest weapon in the party. That done, he steps aside and bows deeply in farewell. If the characters walk a safe distance away without attacking him, he yells: “Dip the pennant three times when asked, fine travelers, dip three times or the pennant is worthless to you!” If attacked, he flees. Should he be killed or chased away, the party is ambushed later.

"As you enter the hills you see a roughhewn board with letters crudely cut into it lying on the road ahead. It reads “Show signal.”"

The bandits are ringed around the area in carefully prepared blinds and hideaways, bows ready. If the signal is given, nothing happens. If the signal is not given, the bandits open fire with their bows. The bandits only harass and insult the characters from a distance to teach them a lesson in etiquette. Any bandit retreats if attacked directly. The bandits do not pursue.

Posthouses
Usually located in villages along major travel routes, they typically straddle the Highway. The posthouse is maintained either by the local nobility, the Emperor, or the Republic. The posthouses are used by messengers of the Republic, Emperor, or nobility, providing fresh horses, messengers, and shelter. They usually consist of a small walled compound with living quarters and stables. Only those on official business (or bearing the Emperors seal) can use the posthouse. Fresh horses are always kept in the stables.

Shrine of Taro the Poet
On the side of the road is a simple building of carved wood and thatch. it is only a shrine to the The Lawgiver, unexceptional except for the splendid cherry trees that grow around it. The shrine and it's cherry trees were immortalized in one of the most famous works of the poet Taro, a master of classical poetry and Guru of the Book. In spring the blossoming branches are festooned with prayer strips hung among the buds by travelers and peasants. The shrine is now a popular pilgrimage for other poets who arrive to see the blossoms on the trees. Indeed, the expression “to have visited Taro’s shrine” means to have traveled greatly for the sake of one’s art.

Shrine of the Dark One
At the end of a secret trail is a gloomy old shrine in a thick grove of bamboo. The doorway is flanked by two statues of hideous oni. Inside is a towering statue to the Hubbard. Caring for the shrine is a hunched and sly-looking old man with long, matted hair and a wild beard. He is simply called the Unwanted One. Some think that he is a Doppler and others believe him to be an outcast.

The shrine has an evil reputation and all honest travelers and peasants shun it. Although no one has ever seen any worshipers at the shrine, it is said that ninja and hideous creatures gather there to perform forbidden services

The Sea Glass Palace
From a distance, the Sea Glass Palace appears to be a twisted mass of blackened plants. As one gets closer the mass assumes a form and structure vaguely like that of a building. However, it is like no other structure ever built. Close examination shows that it is formed out of crystalline seaweed, woven and braced together. The geometry and styles are almost completely alien to the homes of a normal California.

According to local stories, The Palace began to appear shortly after a flaming star fell into the ocean. After this, creatures (Sahuagin, Sea Elves, Tritons, etc), neither human nor fish and not quite anything in between, appeared on the shore of the island and began building The Palace. Quite naturally, the locals were terrified of these creatures and kept a safe distance. Indeed, it is not known whether the structure is completed or if the creatures are still there. They have not been sighted in many years, so the The Palace is now considered a ruin by the locals.

The Guru's Tomb
At the end of this narrow valley is a small monument hidden among the rice paddies/crop fields. This marks the tomb of a long ago Guru. The tomb is virtually unmarked, bearing only a short poem describing the beauty of the fields.

Only a few pilgrims learn of its whereabouts and come to pay a respectful visit to their master. Two to four times a year, a group from the local Temple comes to repair any damage. The site is deserted otherwise. This is the way the founder wanted things and his wishes have been obeyed for over 200 years.

Nolan's Camp
Not far from the trail are the remains of the last stronghold of Nolan the Highwayman, a folk hero of California. Nolan, who lived 162 years ago, was loved by the commoners and despised by the ruling class. Although in real life he was no more noble than most, he made his living at the expense of the rich, powerful, and pompous.

Many a wealthy merchant, deceitful guru, and avaricious knight was the victim of Nolan's justice. He never maintained a large band of men, relying on spies in the towns and the friendliness of the peasants for his information and support. Neither was he miserly, spending his ill-gotten gains freely and generously, further cementing his support among the down-trodden.

Naturally, such a free spirit and perverter of the social order could not be allowed to remain free. Many efforts were made to capture and punish Nolan, but he had an amazing ability to slip through the nets of the King. At last he was cornered and driven to this stronghold with a small group of men. This small stockaded hut was put to the torch and Nolan and all with him perished.

Now many stories are told of Nolan and his exploits. With each retelling, his reputation becomes greater. He is described as a clever rogue, slippery as a fish, a defender of the common peasant, a clown, and the peasants’ Harlequin to the Kings’ Guignot. There is even a story that he escaped the fire of his last hideout and, under a new identity, married the daughter of a powerful Prefect.

He is a popular subject of puppet plays and singers, although not when performed for the nobility. The ruin of Nolan's last stand is now nothing but a small grass-covered mound surrounded by fire-scarred trees.

The Floating City of Kron
This is a small city that floats around the Pacific on a series of rafts. Although it's called a "city" it's not much bigger than the size of a small town - which is still impressive. The people there subsist on fishing and kelp farming, and it's not really made clear why they choose to live on a floating town. This is where many of the exotic pan-pacific overseas cultures, such Ozlander or Hong Konger first arrive before continuing to the mainland.