7.1 Rephidim Temple
The Rephidim Temple is the ultimate authority in Rephidim, and, by extension,
the major power on Sinai. While it is, on the surface, a religious organization,
religious details take second place to the Temple's existence as a governing
body. While there is corruption in the ranks of the bureaucracy, and many
resent its meddling in private affairs, the Temple remains in power because it
succeeds in keeping the peace for the majority of Rephidimites, and acts as
a stabilizing force in Sinai international politics.
The theology of the Temple is a bit muddled, to say the least. While most
of the Temple seems to be geared toward the reverence of the First Ones,
some branches pay homage to a monotheistic entity vaguely known as "The Star",
and the Technopriesthood seems to worship technology. (It might
be said that the Audit worships the "Almighty Shekel".)
The Temple is divided into three main divisions, with the Bridge over all.
7.1.1 The Bridge
The Bridge oversees the operations of the Temple at the highest level,
headed by the Captain-Astromancer -- who is perhaps the single most powerful
individual in all Sinai. In addition to the Captain-Astromancer, the
Bridge consists of representatives from each of the branches of the
Temple.
7.1.2 Security
This branch is devoted to dealing with threats at home and abroad. It is
subdivided into smaller departments, though the duties of each department
overlap to some degree. These departments would include the Guard (which
defends the Temple and patrols the city), the Knights Templar (which maintain
outposts on the surface), the Inquisition (which handle matters of intelligence
and investigation), the Temple Rangers (which patrol the Rephidim countryside),
and the Temple Scouts (where young cubs and kits are raised in the ways of the
Temple).
More Details on the Security Branch
7.1.3 Operations
Operations comprises the bulk of the Temple, encompassing a wide number of
functions of the Temple bureaucracy, including: the Audit (the Office of
Accounting); the Judiciary (Rephidim's legal system), the Priesthood (including
the Infirmaries).
More Details on the Operations Branch
7.2 Darkside and the Underworld
While the Temple may be the ultimate authority on Rephidim and on Sinai at large,
its control is by no means absolute. The nearby urban zone of Darkside defies
attempts by the Temple to maintain order there, and it serves as a shadow
authority, as the major powers in Darkside deal in the trade of illegal goods
and services on a global scale. Some contend that the Temple is not the true
authority at all in the affairs of Sinai at large, compared to what goes on
in Darkside ... and Underside.
7.3 Savan Territories
Until the assassination of the Emperor-Potentate in 6103 RTR, one of the major
rivals with Rephidim for supremacy on Sinai was the Nagai Empire, dominated by
the snake-like Nagai, and largely populated by countless sub-species of reptiles
and quasi-reptiles. With the collapse of the Empire, however, this has split into
several more-or-less independent territories, even though the main territory of
Nagai Proper still is ruled by a new Emperor-Potentate, who lays claim over all of
the former "Nagai Empire", even if he can't back it up with might.
Now, the Nagai Empire has splintered into countless territories, the larger and more
important ones including Nagai (also known as "Nagai Proper" for clarity), Bromthen,
Xenea, Kilmanjar, the Beast Lands and the Desolate Band.
More Details on the Savan Territories
7.4 Ashdod/Babel
Before the Sabaoth's ill-planned war against Rephidim, Ashdod held the position
as the second-major power of Sinai, under Rephidim and above Nagai. It still
boasts the second-largest air presence in Sinai, and it's widely believed that
they maintain an extensive spy network, keeping tabs on global affairs. Ashdod,
however, does not have a real identity as a nation, but rather as a
collection of loosely aligned city-states and territories, with the city-state
of Babel acting as the single largest concentration of power.
After the fall of the Nagai Empire, it seemed that Babel might once again take its
place as the second great power of Sinai, but as parts of the Ashdod Territories have
started to secede (such as Zahirinee and Saskanar), it may appear that the rising star
of the Khattan Emirate may deserve that distinction instead.
Even within
Babel, major Houses openly war with each other, lending Babel its
reputation as the "City of Strife". Babelite politics have a well-deserved
reputation for involving a great deal of maneuvering and backstabbing, and
Babelite culture tends to celebrate a notion of "might makes right", moral
relativism, and general opportunism. The Sabaoth ruled by brute force, and
at considerable expense of resources. The High Prince, who took the throne after the
Sabaoth was slain by a former supporter, was in turn assassinated and replaced by his
own wife, who took the title of "High Princess". With the exception of the warrior-class
and the priesthood,
there is little presence of a sense of "sacrifice for the greater good", and
even then, a warrior's loyalties are to his House, rather than to Babel or
Ashdod as a whole.
With the dropping of the Boomer on Babel on New Year's Eve at the turn of the century
between 6099 and 6100 RTR, the holdings and core families of most of the major Houses were
destroyed, greatly reducing rivalry with the throne of the High Princess in an instant ...
but at the same time, weakening what little central control there was over outlying
territories that were once these families' holdings. Thus, while the High Princess enjoys
much greater personal power in Babel than even the Sabaoth had in his latter days, already
two major territories have broken off from Ashdod, and the High Princess is seemingly
powerless to force them back into the fold.
7.5 Khattan Emirate
The Khattan Emirate was once considered the "fourth major power" of Sinai, its
wealth and influence being mostly concentrated on a relatively small geographic region.
This has all changed in recent years, though, with several developments that have
worked in the favor of the Emir so far. First of all, when the Babelites dropped the
Boomer on the city of Elamoore, not only did the Red Cliffs bring a sudden surge of wealth
of iron that Himaatian merchants were first to capitalize on (before the prices of iron
plummeted) and contact with technologically superior cultures ... but it also brought a
sudden power vacuum in the neighboring territory of Himar, which the Emir was more than
glad to fill. Once synonymous with the Himaat, the Khattan Emirate now encompasses the
Himar Territories as well.
Furthermore, with the discovery of the Gateway Tower in the Sea of Sand, the Khattan
Emirate has established its position as the ultimate authority over the tower, successfully
pushing the Rephidim Temple out of its traditional role of authority over all Forbidden
Zones and First Ones and Sifras ruins. Although Rephidim took the lead in initial
exploration of the other planets of the Primus System (of which Sinai is a part), when the
war broke out between Rephidim and the Nagai/Babel coalition, the Emir claimed neutrality
for his nation ... and when he asked that the Rephidimites pretty much leave further
exploration via the Gateway to the Emirate, under the pretense of maintaining political
neutrality, Rephidim agreed ... if for no other reason than not to goad the Emir into
casting his lot in with Babel and Nagai. The Khattan Emirate has struck a curious alliance
with the humanocentric and militaristic "Kampfzengruppe" of Abaddon, and while it may not
seem to be omnipresent on Sinai, it has the most presence in the colonies set up on the
worlds accessible through the Gateway.
The Emir's armed forces, air fleet and navies pale in comparison to the military resources
of Rephidim in terms of sheer numbers, but the Khattan Emirate has first access to
technological advances made available by Abaddonian ingenuity, and almost all of the
"sail ship" vessels of its fleet have been replaced with more impressive zeppelins.
More Details on the Khattan Emirate
7.7 Nordika
Nordika is a collection of nations north of the Himar Region on the continent of
Ai, clustered around a large Forbidden Zone known as Bosch. Bosch serves to
separate most of these countries from each other, but there's still a certain
degree of trade between them, and due to freak weather that makes airship travel
hazardous, they at times have limited contact with the outside world. Despite
this, the standard of living is fairly high in Nordikan nations compared to many
surface nations. They are more or less self-sufficient, having some contact with
Rephidim, but not really being dependent upon it. Furthermore, slavery is not
prevalent in this region -- sometimes a point of contention with Rephidim, Babel
and Nagai.
7.6.1 Chronotopia
The most powerful of the Nordikan nations, and the most technologically advanced
(even with the opening of the Gateway Tower),
Chronotopia may not be one of Sinai's major powers, but it can still be a force to
be reckoned with when its interests are at stake.
7.6.2 Gallis
Gallis is the land of the Gallees (pure-bred dogs), Gallahs (mutts) and several
families of wealthy Kujakus (peacocks). In its past, Gallis has been a nation
marked by frequent and bloody revolution, and presently proclaims itself to be
"ruled by the people", free of any king. Nonetheless, the ruler of its capitol
city, Fauxpas, acts as though he were a king, and the stratification of
Gallis' society can be just as cruel as the excesses of any tyrant.
Gallis has enough of an armed force to present a threat to its neighbors
(especially Sylvania), but its largest contribution to the international community
is in the area of the arts.
7.6.3 Kroz
A non-entity on the international scene, Kroz is still a place that attracts
adventurers and treasure-hunters, and is peculiar in that of the three Princes
ruling its eight Principalities, three of them are Skreeks.
7.6.4 Olympia
Once a major cultural center of Sinai, and a place of learning and art, Olympia
is now only a shadow of its former glory, full of crumbling ruins and hawkers
selling souvenirs. It's a popular vacation spot with the rich and idle.