Almasaari
Pop: 120,000,000
Almasaari is a wealthy and influential nation known for its vibrant capitalism, fierce individualism, and sprawling merchant guilds. Almasaari evolved into a corporate powerhouse ruled by a senate of the wealthiest guilds and corporations.
Almasaari's culture places a high value on power, cunning, and personal freedom. The people of this nation are driven by ambition, where wealth is the ultimate status symbol.
History
Originally founded by human migrants from Quantal, Almasaari began as a Sultanate ruled by a strict theocracy that imposed severe moral laws. Failure to uphold these laws resulted in brutal punishments, often death. The oppressive regime forced a rigid hierarchy on the people, restricting their personal freedoms and stifling innovation.
About 1,600 years ago, a new force emerged from the rising merchant class. These merchants, weary of the theocracy's heavy hand and desiring more personal and financial freedom, overthrew the Sultans in a bloodless coup. In its place, they established a capitalist society, driven by free markets and the pursuit of wealth. The Corporate Senate was formed, composed of the wealthiest and most influential merchant guilds, who now rule Almasaari in a cutthroat race for dominance and profit.
This shift fundamentally changed Almasaari's society, turning it into a land where personal success is measured by economic power rather than lineage or divine right.
Corporate Politics
Almasaari’s Corporate Senate is the ruling body of the nation, composed of representatives from the wealthiest and most powerful merchant guilds and corporations. However, the Senate is constantly in flux, as guilds rise and fall in rapid succession, making political stability in the nation nearly impossible. The constant rotation in Senate membership creates a volatile political environment, where corporations and guilds fight for control, influence, and dominance.
Senate members are not elected, nor do they represent the will of the people. Instead, economic power grants them their seat, and the rules are simple: those who have the wealth and influence to buy their way into power remain, while those who falter are swiftly replaced.
Beyond their seats in the Senate, corporations wield immense power over Almasaari’s cities and territories. They are not just business entities—they are the law. In any given city, the ruling corporation or guild controls everything from local legislation to healthcare and public services.
Each city is often dominated by a few rival corporations, who effectively serve as the city’s rulers. Corporate rivalry between and within cities is fierce, with many cities seeing each other as bitter enemies due to the competing interests of their corporate rulers.
Corporate espionage is one of the most dangerous and lucrative professions in Almasaari. With so much at stake, espionage, sabotage, and outright corporate warfare are commonplace. Guilds hire spies to infiltrate rival organizations, steal trade secrets, manipulate markets, and destroy competitors from within. In many places, espionage is the most profitable business.
Life in Almasaari
In Almasaari, life revolves around wealth, and this central pillar defines nearly every aspect of daily existence for its citizens. Personal freedom is the highest ideal, but it comes with no safety net, no guarantees, and certainly no help from the government if things go wrong. People are free to live as they please, but everything comes with a cost, and nothing is given without a price tag attached.
There are no government programs or social safety nets for the poor. Those who can’t afford basic necessities like healthcare or food must rely on whatever means they can find—whether it’s working multiple jobs, engaging in black market trade, or begging for assistance from more affluent patrons.
The wealthier classes, in contrast, live in luxurious homes and enjoy the finest comforts money can buy. For the rich, daily life is a game of maintaining and expanding their influence, all while protecting themselves from corporate espionage and betrayals.
Almasaari is a land of total personal accountability. People are free to spend their money, time, and energy as they see fit, and there are no government restrictions on how they live their lives. All but the most harmful narcotics are legal, and their use is widespread across all classes. Drug dens and pleasure houses are common in many cities, where people can escape the pressures of daily life in a haze of substances or engage in any vice they can afford. Weapons are also legal, and many people carry arms for personal defense or even for status. Wealthy citizens often possess ornate technibolters or rare, customized blades as symbols of their power.
One of the most pervasive aspects of daily life in Almasaari is the constant bombardment of advertisements. Every surface, from walls to streets to even the air itself, is covered in insidious and highly targeted advertising. Corporate propaganda is ever-present, reminding citizens of their duty to consume, to remain loyal, and to continue spending.
Advertisers use advanced techniques to manipulate people’s emotions, encouraging them to buy the latest product, indulge in more luxuries, or take out loans to afford goods they can’t really afford.
People in Almasaari are trained from a young age to believe that happiness and success are directly tied to consumption. The more someone buys, the more status they gain. Social standing is often tied to what brand someone wears, what house they live in, or how exclusive the products they own are.
