Orombo, Africa

Orombo, Africa is located on Earth-16144. It can be compared to Nigeria in language and custom.

Nickname: None for the country, Orombo City Centre is called Capitol City

Motto: Where no one goes hungry.

Flower / Plant: Orange flower / Orange Tree

Bird / Animal: Crane / Butterfly

Flag: A royal blue flag, with a large white circle in the center.

Seal: The Orombo seal is a large crane, watching a butterfly land on an orange tree. The motto is curved along the bottom curve of the seal, written in a flowy script.

Official Languages: De jure: Yoruba
De facto: Yoruba, Arabic

Demonym: Romby

Currency Unit: Peppers. These are paper bills that are the equivalent of a US dollar.

Capital: Orombo City Centre.

Largest Cities: Orombo City Centre, pop 5 million. Apukhankar, 2 million

Most Populous Cities: Same as largest cities.

Area: 500,000 Square miles, Orombo City Centre is 500 square miles.

Estimated Population: 10,000,000 total. 5,000,000 Live in Orombo City Centre.

Population Density: 20 per square mile. 10,000 per square mile for City Centre

Highest Elevation: 8,000 ft

Mean Elevation: 600 ft

Lowest Elevation: At Sea Level

Popular Myth states that after the creation of the world, and before the creation of the first people, Gods inhabited Earth. They were scattered about, each picking parts of the world to live in, usually with their friends. The group of Gods to settle near Orombo were pleased when humans evolved, and blessed them with a neverending summer.

Archeological evidence shows that the area was inhabited since the stone age. Recently, a group of caves was discovered by archaeologists. They are currently cataloging the contents and preserving the cave art.

During the Iron and Bronze ages, the Orombo people lived in a great city, the ruins of which are now covered by forest.

Early Orombo was split into city-states divided by ethnic groups and tribes.

The Nri people are children of King Eri, who was said to have been given power over all of Orumba by the Gods. King Eri shaped his kingdom into a center of spirituality, learning, and commerce. The king appointed some of his subjects to spread peace and the values of his kingdom throughout all of Orombo. He also had a group of people involved with trading from lands beyond the great desert.

The Yoruba people are the most numerous, and inhabit much of Orombo. They are considered of mixed origins, and considered great artists. They were a very religious group, and had their own pantheon with Olorun as the main deity.

The Ife, led by Oduduwa, were considered High Priests. All of their people spent their lives studying the Gods, the customs of their people, and every other facet of religion. They built great shrines, trading with the Yoruba for art and consulting the Nri for rules. This area and group of people became central to Orombo culture, with most people making several trips per year to worship at their shrine of choice.

Savanna States

During the 16th century there was a blossoming of Islamic learning and culture from traders beyond the great desert. The three kingdoms collapsed in 1591 when a Moroccan army conquered the area. The military rivalries of the Romby and the Muslims strained the regions economic resources at a time when drought and famine prevailed. Many had no loyalty to the new political authorities, who saw them as a source of increased taxation. By the end of the 18th century, some Muslim began articulating the grievances of the Romby. Efforts to eliminate or control these religious leaders only heightened the tensions, setting the stage for War.

From 1591 to 1702 the Romby and the Muslims lived in a period of relative peace. With the start of 1702 came a revolution, where the Romby unsuccessfully fought the Muslims to return their lands. Losses were great on both sides, and the remnants of the former kingdoms began to merge and form a new culture.

In 1730, the Romby were comfortable once more, and leading the land with a new King.

Colonial Orombo began in 1807, when Great Britain abolished the slave trade. In 1865, Great Britain took a more active role with Orombo.

It did not occupy Orombo until 1885, and then under pressure of competition from France and Germany. Progressive constitutions after World War II provided for increasing representation and electoral government by Rombys. In October, 1960, Orombo gained independence.

Roman Catholic priests who accompanied traders and officials to African coast introduced Christianity to Orombo in the fifteenth century. Several churches were built to serve the Catholic community and a small number of African converts. When direct contacts in the region were withdrawn, however, the influence of the Catholic missionaries waned. By the eighteenth century, evidence of Christianity had disappeared.

European missionaries promoted European education, health and welfare measures, so they enforced colonial policy.

British expansion accelerated in the last decades of the nineteenth century, when British citizens began to control Orombo.

Orombo gained independence from Britain when the Declaration of Independence was signed in the main boardroom of the Federal Palace Hotel. It was declared a republic three years later in 1963. The constitution and Westminster system of government were inherited from the British colonialists.

Political unrest during the mid-1960s culminated into Orombo's first military coup d'état. In 1966 rebel soldiers executed a bloody takeover of all institutions of government. The Prime Minister was assassinated along with the President of Orombo and the Finance Minister.

The new republic would be torn by civil war from 1966-1970. After they were overrun and the nation re-unified, military rule continued for another nine years, implementing Oromboization of foreign businesses. Eventually, elections were held in 1979, and the government was no longer run by the military.

Over the next thirty years, Orombo enjoyed a period of prosperity.

In 2009, North Korea successfully launched a long range missile, then revealed to the world they were developing nuclear weapons. All Asian countries, except for Burma and South Korea formed an alliance with North Korea. The United States quickly sent troops, which were defeated. On the day NATO held a conference, to decide what to do, group of Syrian Rebels managed to gain control of their country. The deposed leader of Syria sent a final message before dying to Russia.

When Russia launched missiles late in the year, World War 3 began. The world was torn apart by fighting, entire countries obliterated in the blink of an eye.

Orombo banded together and kept casualties to a minimum. When the war ended, there was no clear victor. The entire world was in ruins and the leaders were all dying or dead, and more than half the people on the world were killed.

Now with a population of three billion, Earth had to rebuild. Nuclear zones were evacuated, and a few major cities were relocated.

Help came from the cosmos, in the form of a benevolent race of humanoids, who would not say where they were from. The world was rebuilt, but nowhere near the glory it had before.

Some spots in the world shifted reality, but it is not known if that was the alien interference, or the force of the bombs. In those unstable spots, different time periods crossed, leading to an odd mix of cultures.

Orombo was one of those spots. North of Orombo City Centre, a fortress rose in the desert. A group of time travelers lived there and claimed to be from that world. Anomalies such as that happened across the globe, and soon, no one gave the strange occurrences a second thought. Some groups seemed to assimilate into local culture, while others seemed to fade away into nothing.

Earth, Population 3.6 billion, and growing. With the help of alien technology, most of the harmful radiation has been removed from the Earth. The planet's technology is at about at 2012 Earth level because the war stopped progress for more than two millennia.

Orombo and Orombo City Centre are an emerging power.

Orombo is located on the western gulf of Guinea in Africa, and varies in landscape. The south of the country is lush, tropical rainforest, while part of the North is located in the Great Desert

Orombo City is located in Central Orombo, in the savannah grass lands. Slightly north of that is Orombo City Centre, which is located in land that is almost desert. Two rivers and a lake are in South Orombo.

Orombo City Centre is located in the grasslands of Orombo, near the center of the country. It is separated into five equally sized districts. Apukhankar

Cedar Grove, Florida New York City

Touched on briefly in the demographics section, this is a good place to add more major cities to your regional map, and to map out rural, urban, and metropolitan areas where people live, work, grow food, and so forth.

Orombo is a country with a neverending summer.

Various random spots on Earth will randomly shift reality at times. Some of these places exist in two or more realities at the same time. This is rumored to be a side effect from the numerous bombs and the alien technology with helped breathe new life into their world.

All places have a government - even if that government is 'anarchy', or 'if I don't like what you're doing I'll shoot you'.

Who - or what - runs the show and makes things happen around here? Are representatives elected, or appointed, or earn positions, or born to rule, or take their titles by force? Is there a higher power that commands the region (for example, if your region is New York City, then the governor of New York, and the President of the United States, are both 'higher powers')? Are there independent authorities within the region not governed by the primary government?

Note that in worlds focused on the masquerade, where the 'human world' and other worlds have different governments, you may need multiple Government sections!

Assuming there's more than one major political player, chances are good that numerous groups will associate themselves into factions, parties, or groups. Describing the major and minor players is useful for adventure planning, and to give things a deeper flavor. And who knows, someone's intimate knowledge of Beer Party politics might come in handy if they abruptly end up in charge of the country.

How are laws written and enforced? What is and is not allowed in the pursuit of a suspected criminal? Who or what is responsible for policing illegal behavior? Does the accused have the privilege of a trial? Are courts considered generally fair and just? What punishments are generally meted out?

What are citizens generally allowed to do without punishment or retribution? How easily are these privileges removed if the government deems it necessary?

What are citizens generally not allowed to do without punishment or retribution? Are there exemptions for particular circumstances?

Aside from the units of currency (and explaining further, if you have multiple currency units), you may want to provide other information, such as the average per capita income for a person living in this area, the Gross Domestic Product for the area, and how much a unit of currency is actually worth. In short, if you have twenty Zerkmids, and a Zerkmid is worth 500 Zerkmots, and ten Zerkmots will buy you a bottle of soda, then twenty Zerkmids will buy you approximately one thousand bottles of soda, which should be a basic way of helping people figure out currency exchanges.

Most places need some sort of crops to feed the citizens. So what grows in this region that keeps people fed? Your answers might provide insight into the lives of the inhabitants, illustrate some unusual flora that the region has, or just explain how a particular plant is so important.

In more rural worlds, hunting and fishing are a major food source, and in most worlds, forests provide lumber to build homes. Regions without major forest regions may have to rely on other materials for construction, or have their wood imported.

Aside from the natural beauty created by a region's geography, various industries focused on entertainment can become tourist attractions - everything from the World's Biggest Ball of String to the Twilight Jubilee Amusement Park to the place where they film a popular TV series. A region's cultural heritage can also be an excellent source of tourism opportunities.

The technological development of a region can have a major impact on its overall state of being. Everything from the invention of bronze and iron to gunpowder, mass production, electronics, and genetic engineering can greatly influence the 'flavor' of a world. In particular, worlds that have a technological development that differs from Earth ('steampunk', 'clockpunk', 'cyberpunk', and others come to mind) may be vastly different, and the influence of alternate laws of physics and the universe can generate radically different results.

In more modern worlds, the offices, factories, and headquarters of major businesses and corporations may be as much a mainstay of a region as its parks and streams. They provide employment and sources of conflict that can motivate plots, as well as political pull and similar intrigues.

Major employers of the region have a serious impact on the economy, and an overview of what industries hire the most people can be telling when it comes to analyzing society. Another important fact - the employment rate. If a large portion of the region is unemployed, it tends to hint at other troubles.

There are only two things certain in most worlds - stupidity and taxes (death is negotiable). While developing an intricate taxation system is probably not your cup of tea, having some idea of what income taxes, sales taxes, tariffs, and other odd taxes are common in the region may occasionally be relevant, if for no better reason than to take down a criminal for tax fraud. Taxes are also how most governments obtain the funds they need to pay for administrative costs (read: government salaries), as well as to provide funding for civic projects, construction, and other public necessities.

Population: How many people live in this region.

Population Density: Average population per square mile, usually.

Population Spread: How the population breaks down by percentage along common lines of demarcation, such as racial lines, whether those lines be AmerIndian, Irish, or Lunar Sylvan; natives versus foreign-born; population by age; population by social class; population by religious affiliation; population by education level; and others as you see fit.

Depending on your world, education may be a right, a requirement, or a privilege. As a rule, an in-depth coverage of the topic should include what access the populace have to public and private primary and secondary schools, colleges, universities, museums, and other educational facilities, as well as the general expectations and requirements for entry. (For example, if everyone who practices magic is required to attend and graduate from the Kyrillian Academy and survive the Tribulation of the Soul, this is a good place to mention it.)

What artistic crafts does your world make that are of interest to others? Do they prefer poetry, or novels, or theater plays, or ballet, or any or all of the creative arts? Expression of an area's culture can be seen in a variety of areas - if you feel inspired, write it down, as little details about these background elements can make worlds feel more real to those playing in them.

Dance, musical performance, and theater all serve roles in telling the history of a civilization, in evoking particular moods from an audience, and ultimately in providing entertainment. Being able to name a few of these performances, or the locations where these performances are held, gives you a few good names to drop in conversation if you need to seem artsy.

Especially in areas where immigrants have settled, you may find pockets of cultural isolation that have been brought over from their native territory to create a unique local flavor all their own. Exploring these pockets of cultural difference can tell you more about the immigrants and about their reasons for maintaining their isolation.

What do your residents like to eat? Every place has its local delicacies or favored foods, whether it be Kansas City barbecue or a Coney Island chili dog. A few regional dishes can emphasize the style of the region in subtle ways, or serve as a stark reminder of scarcities.

You've gotta have faith. Even in most worlds where religious fervor isn't visibly rewarded, the tenets of religion can shape culture and morality on a deep underlying level - and woe to the unwary traveler who isn't aware that shoes are a profanation of the earth in an area. If your world or region has major religions that you feel need explanation, this is the place to explain. Even those unpopular religious cults may get mention, if you feel that it should be common knowledge or easy enough to look up. “So that's a Scientologist, huh? They don't look as creepy without the jumpsuits.”

Sporting events, whether baseball, football, or gladiatorial warfare, are always popular. Does your region have a favorite sport or sports? A particularly diverting game that practically everyone is familiar with? What do they spend their time watching in the bar, or buy tickets to see on the weekends? Don't forget that most professional sporting events require an arena or stadium of some sort dedicated to the purpose, and a roster of teams playing - and in many modern countries, more than one sport is popular.

This world has a very open and free Media.

This world and country know that time travel is possible. It is very expensive and regulated, so usually only the very rich take tours into other time periods. The penalty for being caught with an illegal device is a 500 fine and 3-5 years of hard labor.

These rules are waived for The Time Patrol, the Thomas Agency, and for anyone that can naturally travel.

Aliens are a way of life. Some citizens treat them as 'job stealing invaders', while others love them. They are citizens of countries just like humans.

First and foremost, if there is some form of organized crime involved, this is a good section to go into detail - are they involved in smuggling, protection rackets, prostitution, illegal manufacturing, piracy, blackmail, extortion, drug running, or any other vices you can think of? Are there any known members? What is their organizational structure like?

Second, if you feel particularly like detailing out crime rates in an area, the FBI has a tool to help you out: they collect data from law enforcement agencies across the United States in order to form the Uniform Crime Report. The UCR measures the number of reported incidents of offenses in standardized categories, divided by the population of an area, to get the crime rate - the rate of incidents per 100,000 citizens. By doing this yearly, they can track whether an area's crime rate is increasing or declining over time.

The offenses are categorized as follows:

Obviously, those wanting to keep track of other crimes may use this template to help out – or just to add some extra flavor. 'Unlawful charms on a goat', indeed.

Who's who in this region? Some of those answers may already be apparent - rulers and governing bodies, as mentioned above, as well as people who are routinely mentioned in the news of the times, for good or for ill, or are otherwise well known. In short, this is a list of people who you'd be expected to be familiar with when talking about the area.

Janie Taylor - A time traveler with a bad memory and a strange time line
Lynn Kaelen - Janie's spoiled daughter
Sara Morton - Janie's Maternal Aunt, who has abandoned her timeline for a chance to live life on her terms. She is a normal human.
Franklin Potts - Somehow related to Janie, was raised by Sara in the original timeline, which has since been rewritten.

While famous people are all well and good, chances are, players won't have met most of them face to face. The people they do know and should remember, however, are noted here – whether they know of them from personal dealings, from their current hangouts, or their current business associations, they're all examples of familiar faces.

Note that the information marked on either section is limited to what one might expect to be publicly known; unless the barmaid at the Silver Glove tells you the story of the jagged scar on her left leg, or makes a habit of telling anyone who asks, it'll remain a mystery. If you're curious, why not ask?