Austrene

Austrene is a country in the clouds, defined by jagged peaks and sprawling glaciers. Its pristine slopes and otherworldly beauty attract visitors from across the continent, while its high-altitude observatories attempt to glean knowledge from the slip. Austrene is a land split right down the middle -- cozy alpine touristry on one side and advanced philosophical and technological contemplation on the other.

Affluent tourists from all over Edan make the trek to Austrene for snow sports like skiing and hiking and the natural geothermic springs dotting the mountainside. The native Austrenites have capitalized on this in recent years, building palatial lodges and jacking up prices. Austrene has gained a reputation for being where the rich and powerful come to play, and its government and people have certainly not discouraged that notion from spreading.

Just on the other side of the lift-dotted peaks are the observatories of Belvedere, peering into the endless slip where the firmament is thinnest. Supported by the revolving door of wealthy patrons that visit the country, philosophers and researchers devoted to the Watcher and the Pulse devote themselves to contemplation and study.

Austrene is technically a kingdom, complete with a king, but like most else here, the royal family has become more attraction than power. In practice, the country is led by the Provost of Belvedere and a handful of oligarchs that control most of the resorts (and their land).