The South

One Square = 500 miles

The lands closest to the Elemental Pole of Fire are terribly hot most of the year. These lands consist primarily of vast savannahs in the east, swamps and tropical riverlands in the west, and a massive ring of mountain ranges that contains deserts and arid hills. Despite the sweltering environs, the South is a rich place: the deserts give up gems and rare firedust, waiting to enrich those who can take those treasures. The sands of the South also conceal the ancient wonders of the First Age, buried by the desert winds.

An-Teng

A tropical nation paradise, An-Teng is a preferred holiday spot for the Great Houses of the Scarlet Empire. Its people are quite accustomed to the presence of the Dragon-Blooded, deferring to them in many ways. Their lands, divided into the Shorelands, the Middle Lands and the High Lands each offer different idylls and pleasures to sate even the jaded palates of the Terrestrial Exalted. An-Teng is a great sea-faring nation, trading with the islands of the West and the Blessed Isle. An-Teng is a satrapy of House Ragara.

The Lap

A large and prosperous civilization built in the literal lap of a statue the size of a mountain, depicting a monk deep in meditation. For nearly as long as the Realm has existed, the Lap has been a satrapy. In many ways, they are considered the ideal tributary state: they look to the Scarlet Empire for all real leadership and law, to the Legions for defense, to the Immaculate Order for all their spiritual needs and to the Dragon-Blooded as a whole for nearly everything. The Lap is a satrapy ruled by a "Golden Triumvirate," a trio of satraps; the current satraps are of Houses Cathak, Ragara and Peleps.

Paragon

Though technically a satrapy of the Realm, Paragon is ruled by its nigh-immortal Perfect. The Perfect - a Scavenger Lord hundreds of years old, and with enlightened Essence - wields a Scepter of First Age manufacture which grants him the ability to bind his citizens into magically-enforced oaths of loyalty and service. Though lesser men might have used this to glorify themselves, the Perfect has used the power and time to build a nearly-perfect society, very nearly free of want, strife and crime. Paragon holds to the Immaculate Philosophy at least in word, though it is well-known that its citizenry look to the Perfect, rather than the Dragon-Blooded Host, as an example of what they might achieve. No other place in the South can boast quite so many savants and thaumaturges; the Perfect has several programs in place that help ferret out those citizens with the potential to become enlightened, and others meant to see those candidates through to the awakening of their Essence. Paragon is a satrapy of House Mnemon.

The Sand-Sea Port-Towns

A series of small hill-towns at the northern edge of the Great Sand Sea, the Port-Towns specialize in sand-skimmers and sand-skiffs, sail-propelled vessels that skim over the surface of the great silty sea of sand that separates the western half of the South from the deep South. These are rough towns, home to the rugged sailsmen and firedust-hunters who make their living out on the Great Sand Sea. The Port-Towns are loosely allied, and are not sworn to the Realm.

Gem

A large city deep in the Southernmost deserts, nestled among the volcanoes that mark the edges of Creation, sits the city of Gem. Founded by a despotic and cunning gemstone prospector, Gem has been ruled by the Despots descended from the founder and his lieutenants over the years. Now ruled by mortal noble Houses who maintain power through tight control of city-wide monopolies, Gem boasts more gem-mines within its area of control than any other place in Creation. Despite the tight reins of power - or perhaps because of it - Gem is not a peaceful place. The feuds and rivalries between Houses and merchant lords often spill over into street-wide violence. Despite its size and age, Gem is still very much a frontier town. Though Gem is not a satrapy of the Realm, it is a tributary, paying an annual tribute to the Throne.

The Delzahn Empire

Also called the Great Southern Hills, the Delzahn Empire is the legacy of Tamas Khan, the hero-progenitor of the Delzahn horselords. Though the majority of the settlements in this area pay fealty to the Tri-Khan of Chiaroscuro, its name is a misnomer: these Delzahn settlements are invariably at war with one another, and the Delzahn who retain the nomadic lifestyle of their forebears. The Delzahn Empire is a satrapy held by House Cathak.

• Chiaroscuro: The great City of Glass, Chiaroscuro is an ancient city of the First Age. Crafted almost entirely of an amazing, nigh-unbreakable glass, Chiaroscuro was nonetheless greatly devastated in the ages past. Its people have managed to dig out the portions of it closer to the ocean shores and recreate civilization here, but there are many of the areas that are yet masses of shattered glass and steel.
• Alom Vilag, a tiny nation well and truly under the thumb of the Guild, though technically ruled by a royal house and its council of god-blooded mandarin-eunuchs.
• The Mattahuk Alliance, a small collection of allied city-states allied by a court of small gods. Currently a focus of the Immaculate Order, who seek to lessen the influence of the gods on the city-states and possibly establish a new satrapy for the Realm here.
• The Tamas City-States, a collection of independent cities that flank the Tamas River.

The Varang City-States

A vast nation of allied city-states, the Varang City-States are joined by a common culture noted for its caste system, its reliance on astrology and its fascination with clockwork mechanisms. The Varang City-States are a satrapy held by House V'neef.

• Yane: The capital of the Varang City-States, Yane is home to the Wizarat, the council of ruler-representatives from each of the other Varang cities who tend to the needs and concerns of the confederation of cities as a whole. Yane is also one of only three cities in the confederation that permits non-Varangi to enter.

Harbourhead

Once an ancient and powerful nation, Harbourhead is now a nearly-broken Realm satrapy. A nation originally made up of tribes that spent most of their time raiding one another for cattle, Harbourhead's native faith is the worship of Ahlat, the Southern God of War and Cattle. Its foremost military are the Brides of Ahlat, dedicated priestess-warriors who defend Harbourhead and the temples of their divine husband. The days of Harbourhead's glory are over, however, for it was bent and broken generations ago by the Realm's Legions. Now, it is home to more than one of the Legions who keep it in check, and the Immaculate Order has bent its efforts to turn its populace to adherence to the Immaculate Philosophy. Though they dare not outright outlaw the worship of Ahlat - frankly, the Southern God of War is too potent a figure to beat into submission the way the Immaculate monks usually do to the gods of recalcitrant cults - but it has certainly become tempered with their influence. The tribes remain closer to the old ways of their people, however, and continue to raid one another (and their neighbors) to gather sacrifices for Ahlat. Harbourhead is a satrapy of House Cathak.

Southern Barbarians

• Jackal Tribes: X
• Djala: X
• Delzahn Horde: X
• Free Nomads: X
• Dune People: X

Criminal Syndicates of the South

X

Martial Arts World of the South

X

• Famous Martial Artists
• Known Martial Arts Temples & Cults
• Known Martial Arts Rebel Movements
• Known Martial Arts Military & Law Enforcement
• Known Martial Arts Dueling Clubs
• Known Martial Arts Barbarian Tribes
• Known Martial Arts Mystic Enclaves

In the Far South, the god Kokage, Master of Duels, sponsors yearly tournaments at the Flaming Arena. Despite its well-deserved name (and the oppressive heat of the surrounding desert), the arena remains constantly temperate, with abundant refreshments and victuals for spectators and combatants. Kokage’s tournaments offer prizes from Yu-Shan (minor by divine standards) and god-forged artifact weapons for the victor.

Golden Janissary Style, Ill Lily Style

Golden Exhalation in Chiaroscuro and Varang City-States (Fusiliers caste)

House of Strength in Paragon (teaches several, including Golden Janissary)

Ascetic monks in the Lap

Forbidden societies and cults that learn MA in An-Teng

Crimson Pentacle Blade in Harbourhead, among the Brides of Ahlat