Setting: Anaitis

The Setting
...is a fictional country, Anaitis. It is Mediterranean in climate, coastal on three sides and mountainous on its eastern border (For more detailed geographic information refer to map below, drawn by the lovely and talented Rae). The average Anaitan has fair to tan skin, with hair and eyes of varying color, although darker brown hair and eyes are most prevalent through the country. The native religion is polytheistic, with the central goddess being Rhelad, goddess of water and the sea, and the two secondary gods being the twins Achiel and Seriel, god of the sun and goddess of the moon respectively. Anaitis is a democratic-republic whose voting requirements concentrate on a census book, updated bi-annually. In this book, every significant purchase is recorded, and after a certain amount of money has been paid, in taxes, on this purchase, the owner is granted the right to vote. Anaitis is bordered on the east by Shemeshk-Alah, and although they have experienced a few skirmishes their relationship relies on trade (Anaitis brings goods from the sea, and Shemeshk-Alah brings goods from the inland east and north) their relationship is mostly peaceful. To the north, a sizable portion of territory was recently annexed, causing border tension and hostility.

The Caravan

       - Capitol City,        - Military Fortress,        - City/Town,      - Mining Town

...our story revolves around the events befalling a caravan traveling around Anaitis. This caravan makes an annual loop around Anaitis, picking up and dropping off customers at any of the seven cities it stops at (For a specific route refer to map above).  

Any caravan, at its most basic, must have two cars:

• The head car, holding the navigator and maintenance man, used to navigate and operate the caravan
• A storage/living car for the band of guards protecting the caravan

If an individual wishes to join a caravan, the individual must purchase his/her own caravan car. Cars vary in size, shape, and manufacturer, but each car comes standard with a few basic elements:

• An individual unit of power (In most cases a coal-burning engine)
• A pair of tracks on the underside of the car (Similar to those on a modern-day tank)
• Legs - spider-like mechanical legs extending from the two sides of the car (The minimum number of legs required is 3 and the maximum is 8; the cost of the car increases with the number of legs, as the more legs there are the smoother the ride)
• A navigator, maintenance man, and band of caravan guards, along with their two cars respectively (There is a certain price per person for the services of the navigator, maintenance man, and guards, and the caravans of the individual passengers are hitched onto the back of these first two cars)

Because caravan cars tend to be more expensive than a common Anaitan can afford, communal cars have become increasingly popular. In this case, a group of people pool their money to buy a caravan car, which becomes the shared living quarters of the entire group throughout the duration of their trip. These communal cars have grown to be termed "Coach class," whereas those with money to spare often have large, luxurious cars that are frequently called "First class."