Multipolarity Rearmed

Capital City: Marseilles

Largest City: Marseilles

Official Languages: French, English

Ethnicities: Multiethnic (Primarily European, but a focal point for immigration and thus filled with some of everything)

Demonym: Renfairian, Protectorate, Rennie(Colloquial)

Government: Commonwealth

Establishment: November 25th, 2210

Currency: Franc

National Anthem: Renfaire the Free(OOC: Fictional)

The tale of Renfaire's origins is a strange one. The nation came into existence in perhaps the least impressive way imaginable - in the chaos after the Great Powergame, scattered and lawless men in Southern France formed what they called a Syndicate to join forces and take on their foes together. This Syndicate's primary activity was slavery of the scattered masses left over from the nations that had once ruled Europe.

Eventually, these slavers met another man - who practiced an obscure art from long ago - one the slavers had forgotten. Many of the older, more pragmatic slavers resisted this man's teaching of freedom for all, but the younger ones began quite taken with the idea of adding a higher purpose to their mere slaving antics. There was a swift fight, and then the Syndicate adopted this man - The Wanderer - as one of their leaders.

Over the next decades, the Syndicate's influence steadily expanded. What they lost in income from pure slavery, they were able to make up in a new concept: taxes. It was like protection money, but so much easier to acquire! Eventually, the Syndicate became less of an organization and more of a government, controlling several southern French provinces.

The one that always resisted, of course, was Marseilles. The city was the crown jewel of the south, a hub for trade and population that dwarfed even Nice, at that time the Syndicate's ersatz capital. Marsellies remembered the days of the Syndicate's pure slavery, and wanted nothing to do with an organization with a history as racketeers and kidnappers, despite their noble words. However, the Wanderer himself traveled to Marseilles to Speak with their leaders, convincing them of the merits of his plan. It took time, of course, but eventually the people of Marseilles saw reason and joined with the Syndicate.

At this point, in control of much of Southern France, the Syndicate held a convention in Marseilles to determine its future. They had left their slaving past behind for good, and now wished to expand their noble purpose: to protect the people of France and Italy from those who would abuse them. Seven of the eleven delegates spoke out in favor of forming a combined government, but the other four did not. As an 8-3 majority would have been required, impasse resulted.

The Wanderer himself broke the impasse, relating a story of his life prior to the Great Powergame as the owner of an "S&M Club." He proposed a solution to satisfy both sides: slavery was still lawful in this new nation(pleasing the traditionalist delegates more interested in preserving history than developing the future) but strictly regulated and left in the realm of those with slaveholding permits for the S&M culture(pleasing the idealists who wished to establish a future where all could love as they chose. In the final vote, two delegates still wished not to create a government, but nine did.

A few months later, the Protectorate of Renfaire was formed, based on the ideals of free love and mutual prosperity. Soon immigrants began flocking to this fledgling nation, drawn by the promise of freedom within the protective umbrella of the Protectorate.

Renfaire is in many ways a commonwealth, with a Prime Minister, a Deputy Minister, and Ministers of Agriculture, the Navy, the Air Force, the Army, Industry, and so forth. Elections are held every six years for most positions.

Politically, Renfaire only has ambitions across Italy and France, and perhaps some of Spain. It has no interest in overseas power projection save in defense of its own close allies - and even then, only grudgingly. Renfaire exists as a haven for the subcultures and persecuted across the globe, and chooses to remain as such in spite of the vast potential her huge flow of immigrants offers for warfare.

Capital City: Caluula (In territory at the tip of the "Horn")

Largest City: Caluula

Official Language: Somali

Ethnicities: Somalian, Ethiopian

Demonym: Horner

Government: Imperial Monarchy

Establishment: January 1, 2196

Currency: Horn

National Anthem: My Empire, My Life (OOC: Fictional)

During the war that ended the world for a second time, most of the area around the Horn of Africa was destroyed in nuclear fire. The area that survived became a refuge for any and all survivors. The small towns that had survived in the area were quickly elevated to the status of full-blown cities, beginning what is known as the Age of Warring Cities for the region.

During the Age of Warring Cities, the towns along the Horn were taken over by former gangsters, corporations, and government officials. Many of the surviving historical documents, including those in museums that dated all the way back to the First Era and more common material from the Second Era, were destroyed by the constant warfare that ravaged the arid lands. After about 30 years of this, certain cities had begun to rise above all others. Chief among the newly arisen cities was the city of Caluula. Caluula had begun to conquer the cities and townships surrounding it, making it one of five major contenders for the dominance of the Horn region.

Constant warfare between these five powers and the smaller surrounding polities resulted in four major empires competing for dominance. An elaborate system of alliances was developed, which soon dragged the Five Lands into an all out war. Caluula ultimately emerged victorious, conquering all of the opposing Lands and annexing its allies.

So, on January 1, 2196 the Horn Decree was issued by Emperor Hussein Salad Ahmed I. It consolidated the Five Lands into a larger imperial structure known as the Empire of the Horn.

Now, January 1, 2222, the lands around the Horn have become passable again. Only time will tell what the Empire will do with this new opportunity.

The system of government of the Empire of the Horn is very simple. The Emperor is on top of the totem pole, and he appoints nobles to the Imperial Senate of the Horn. The Senate has no actual power beyond advising the Emperor, but getting appointed to the Senate means you become rich and powerful.