Hellion, the Pride of Fire
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The military is the dominant social structure in Hellion. Anyone wishing to gain Hellion citizenship must complete two years of military service. Native Hellions do so at the age of thirteen. This military service is very important as military rank determines social status. The nation of Hellion is ruled by a hereditary line of rulers known as “The Mane.”
Each city is run by a Legatus who swears loyalty to the Mane. While the various city-states are largely independent, they band together under the Mane to combat external threats. Additionally, the Mane may end disputes by ordering the Legati to duel.
Geography
Hellion is divided into three regions based on its geography: the coast, the northern jungle, and the southern jungle.
The Coast
A mixture of sea cliffs, rocky shores, and sandy beaches, the Coastal Region is rich in resources. Fishing, farming, and hunting are common occupations. The population of this region is very friendly and gregarious. Trade is heavy in this region, and cultural influences are brought in alongside goods and spices.
Geographical Features
Earth Splashes - Throughout the coast, there are impact craters from the meteor strikes that ended the Age of Legends. The craters create well-protected bays.
River Deltas - The major agricultural production centers for Hellion, these wetlands are rich with natural resources important to the nation, most notably oysters.
Northern Jungle
More industrially inclined than the southern region and less laid back than the coastal region. The terrain is full of foothills that quickly give way to deep dark jungles. Animal herding is common, as is winemaking.
Geographical Features
Wolf’s Den Pass - The Wolf’s Den Pass is a wide and well-traveled trade route through the Wolf Peaks. The Pass is well fortified and occupied by the Hellgivers.
Seneca River - The largest river in Hellion, where all rivers feed into as it empties out into the ocean. The river is eleven miles wide at its widest point and typically between two and five miles wide. At its deepest, it is 200 feet deep. This river is an integral part of the trade route throughout Hellion.
Southern Jungle
The transition from foothills into mountains is subtler than in the north. The low areas are thick with trees. People in the southern region are more passionate than those from other regions.
Geographical Features
Patchwork Jungle - Caused by variations in soil, topography, exposure to wind and sun, and fire history, the vast forest of the southern region is an intricate patchwork of differing vegetation. Thick forests are next to shrublands and grasslands, creating the patchwork effect.
Wolf Peaks - The Wolf Peaks form the southern border of Hellion and the Great Ocean.
Cities
There are nine large cities located in Hellion.
Hesperia
Notable for its lush public gardens, the back of Hesperia sits against a rocky hillside carved into a sheer cliff. The public buildings are mainly constructed of the red stone of the hill. The streets are winding and often narrow. Hesperia is a port city, at the mouth of the Silver Oak river, with a thriving fishing trade.
High Falls
Situated on Bone Speckle river, High Falls is so named because of the tremendous waterfalls that cascade over the city. Most of the city is dug into the side of a mountain allowing the falls to pour into a series of aqueducts at the city’s center. High Falls is a labyrinth of winding, narrow streets and dark alleys, give it a claustrophobic feeling. The only open spaces in the city are the central square (filled with fountains and statues), the Coliseum, and the training grounds.
Lankia
Lankia was built around an outcrop of rock, on the top of which sits a huge marble temple. The temple can only be reached by a stone bridge from an adjacent hill. The city is separated into districts by a series of stone walls and gatehouses. The city’s port is outside of the main wall, on the mouth of Bone Speckle river.
Seven Falls
Seven Falls is a single massive ziggurat cut from the very mountain at its back. While it gets its name from the lesser river joining the White Duck river at the fork on which it sits, Seven Falls does have seven artificial waterfalls. The lower levels are perpetually shrouded in mist. The falls are lit up in different colors from behind during festivals.
Shieldport
The northernmost city of Hellion, Shieldport, sits at the mouth of the Broadwater. The city walls extend into the sea, protecting the docks from rough weather as well as attack. There are two points of entry into the harbor massive portcullises called the sea gate and the river gate.
Sica
A sprawling city, Sica sits at the mouth of Sunscale river. It is capable of housing ten times the number of inhabitants as it does. As the youngest major city in Hellion, Sica has the most city planning; the streets and alleys are built in a grid pattern, and ample farmland has been included behind the city wall.
Stone Bridge
A tangle of narrow streets and row buildings, Stone Bridge, sits on the banks of White Duck river, spanned by a rock arch forming a natural bridge. A gate was added under the bridge to guard the harbor. The waters around the city are rocky and treacherous. A lighthouse was erected at the edge of the harbor to ensure the safe passage of ships.
Senecas’ Rest
Built around a stronghold of stone and iron, Senecas’ Rest sits in the fork where the Black Meadow river pours into the Silver Oak river. Iron is an abundant resource in the city, and all buildings have iron doors, railings, and signs. Every intersection has an iron statue at its center.
Sunscale
The city of Sunscale sits on the banks of the outlet of Sunscale Lake. The lake and river both bare the same name because of the gold and pyrite veins running through them and how they shine when the light hits them. The surrounding hills were carved into tiers and turned into farmland. Many of the city’s important buildings have tiled roofs painted with pyrite.
Government
Hellion is a stratocracy (rule by military service) made up of largely independent city-states aligned under the rule of the Mane. The Mane is essentially a general, but she also keeps the peace between city-states. Each city and the fifty-mile radius around it is run by a Legatus. Local governments vary in how they operate based on their own traditions. Although, all are some forms of democracy where only citizens may vote or hold government positions. Many cities also require land owners to participate in the local government.
Military
Hellion boasts a standing army of 85,000 soldiers, mostly infantry. Yet, Hellion’s entire able-bodied population has two years of military training and can be called upon in times of emergencies.
Law
While each city is governed under its own set of laws, there are some more or less universal laws.
Trial Procedure: There are no professional lawyers or judges. Civil cases may be settled in one of three ways: Trial by combat, mediation, or Trial before a jury. Criminal Cases are always settled by trial before a jury.
Trial by Combat - The two litigants fight in an arena until one surrenders or dies. Many cities have stipulations, such as disallowing the use of weapons or the victor being the first to draw blood.
Mediation - The two litigants sit down with an agreed-upon, neutral third party that hears both sides out and then decides on the best solution.
Trial before a Jury - A representative of each side of the dispute presents evidence, questions witnesses, and gives a concluding speech. Some speechwriters do specialize in composing speeches for trial. The jury, made up of three to twenty-three citizens over the age of thirty, selected from a panel of volunteers, votes guilty or not guilty. If they vote guilty, they then vote on the sentence. Juries are paid a small fee, which has led to disproportionate numbers of poor and elderly citizens working on juries.
Society
The Military is the dominant social structure in Hellion. All children are taught the basics of military training and excellence growing up and enter the military service at the age of thirteen.