Characters / Equestria At War Riverlands

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River Coalition

River Republic

^{Flag of the Socialist River Republic (Nova Whirl)} 

^{Flag of the Socialist River Republic (Caramel Haze)} 

^{Flag of the Riverlands Socialist Federal Republic} 

^{Flag of Meerland} 

Full Name: River Republic, Socialist River Republic (Nova Whirl, Caramel Haze), Riverlands Socialist Federal Republic, Meerland (Griffonian Empire puppet state)

Ruling Party: Harmonijska Stranka Rijeke^note Harmony Party of River

Ideology: Harmonic Republicanism^note Harmony

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• Civil War: It is possible for General Hector Lipizzan to launch a revolt against a communist River Republic, or for General Caramel Haze to launch a revolt against a non-communist River Republic.
• Fantasy Counterpart Culture: The names of the River Republic's cities and units are Croatian.
• Merchant City: Located where the Griffking River meets the Gold River, the docks of Rijekograd are full of barges and ships, all shipping goods around the Riverlands. Even griffon traders from the Griffonian Empire are numerous, seeking goods to buy and bring back home to Griffenheim, despite how the River Coalition was founded to resist their country.
• Red Scare: The socialists united under Nova Whirl's SKR have been gaining a lot of traction in the River Republic recently, causing endless arguments in the Rijekan parliament and fears of a political upheaval.
• The Leader: Considered to be the leader of the River Coalition in the game.
• Luck-Based Mission: Before Nova Whirl calls for a vote of no confidence in River Swirl, leading to the election which decides which path the nation will go down, the player has the option to choose whether several situations and pieces of legislation go in favor of the HSR or the SKR. Unfortunately, whether a given policy succeeds or backfires is entirely random. This is especially painful for policies that can have additional bonus effects if they pass and succeed, like the initial stimulus bill.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: The River Republic has a secret service called the Office of Harmonic Services (OHS) which makes morally dubious acts in the name of ensuring the survival of harmony, though in some choices, it may end up veering into Secret Police or State Sec territory.

River Swirl

Role: Head of State

Party: Harmonijska Stranka Rijeke^note Harmony Party of River

Ideology: Harmonic Republicanism^note Harmony

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} River Swirl is a former teacher from Rijekograd who studied abroad in Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns. She later entered politics and quickly rose through the ranks of the Rijeka Harmony Party. She was elected Chancellor of the River Republic in 1001 and her term was mostly successful, allowing her to win the elections for the second time. However, continued modernization has led to growing social issues in cities which in turn has greatly increased the popularity of the left. Her second term is unlikely to be as unproblematic as the first.

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• Deal with the Devil: If River Swirl uses the Emergency Powers Bill to stop Nova Whirl from getting elected, "The Phoenix Programme" part of the focus tree will open up. If it is chosen, the anti-socialist and anti-Empire elites of the River Republic will come together to put OHS director Arclight in charge of the country, so the political chaos will not happen again. Their actions are entirely legal under the Emergency Powers Bill that River Swirl just signed, and she cannot stop them from effectively couping her and installing the more authoritarian Arclight.
• Emergency Authority: During the political chaos, River Swirl's party, united in anti-socialism, passes the Emergency Powers Bill, allowing the chancellor to suspend the constitution in the event of an emergency. Signing the bill grants an additional choice in the event where Nova Whirl proclaims a motion of No Confidence (normally beginning a series of election events that might end with Nova on top), where River Swirl can suspend the constitution and stop the election, keeping the Harmonist party in power.
• Internal Reformist: If she wins the election, River Swirl implements many of the Communists' social policies, such as recognizing labor unions, and if she chooses to keep the Coalition a defensive alliance instead of trying to proactively destroy the Empire, she can outright admit in her focus tree that the SKR had a point and try to pass some of their reforms like social security.

Nova Whirl

Role: Head of State (Election)

Party: Savez Komunista Rijeke^note League of Communists of River

Ideology: Democratic Socialism^note Communism

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Nova Whirl is a rising star in the political scene of the River Republic, having entered it only in 1004. She grew in the factory district of Rijekograd, where conditions were far from ideal, which influenced her political values greatly. Soon enough she joined a socialist youth club where she discussed the Stalliongrad revolution with others and eventually developed her own ideology: A mixture of market socialism, gradualism and internationalism. She finally entered politics to turn her socialist dreams into a reality.

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• Chummy Commies: Nova Whirl maintains the democratic system in the River Republic, and favors peacefully influencing other countries in the River Coalition into accepting communism.
• Hoist by Their Own Petard: If Nova Whirl loses the snap election she calls against River Swirl, she also gives up too much of her political capital in the process, and River Swirl gets enough of a majority that she no longer has to worry about Nova cracking the whip and playing obstructionist to paralyze the government and prevent timely response to the ongoing economic and civil problems in the republic.
• Velvet Revolution: While she uses blunt and obstructionist tactics to get there, Nova Whirl wins power by the ballot and implements her reforms with a democratic mandate.

Caramel Haze

Role: General, Head of State (Coup)

Party: Savez Komunista Rijeke^note League of Communists of River

Ideology: Anti-Revisionism^note Communism

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Some consider him a bold hero of the revolution, others a dangerous tyrannical lunatic. To say the least, Caramel Haze is a controversial figure. He joined the ranks of the army at a young age, being attracted by wages which were above those of common labourers. At this time, he cared little for politics, but meeting a Bakaran economic advisor called Bray Foam would give his life new purpose. Caramel read the writings of his namesake, Caramel Marks, and then learned of Steel Stallion and his more radical principles. Soon he was filled with revolutionary fervour and joined the SKR, rising through the ranks rapidly.\n\nWhile Nova Whirl never trusted him, she realized his usefulness and so the two cooperated closely. But Caramel was not fond of Whirl either, thinking she was a revisionist and a social fascist. Ever since he has patiently waited for the time to seize control of SKR from her.

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• Well-Intentioned Extremist: Caramel is a fanatical communist that seizes power by launching a coup against the democratically elected Nova Whirl. His actual focus tree is generally benevolent, though in terms of foreign relations Caramel favors militarist expansion over peaceful conversion to spread communism.

Arclight

Role: OHS Director, Political Advisor, Head of State

Party: The Office of Harmonic Services

Ideology: Oligarchy^note Non-Aligned

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• Cincinnatus: After ending the communists' internal threat and the Empire's external threat, Arclight can decide to let the OHS go back into the background and reinstate the democratic government.
• Emergency Authority: OHS Director Arclight is put in charge of the whole country after River Swirl signs the Emergency Powers Bill and "The Phoenix Programme" part of the focus tree is selected. With a series of authoritarian measures, Arclight is expected to strengthen the River Republic against threats both within and without.
• Permanent Elected Official: After ending the Empire, the OHS can decide to keep them and Arclight permanently in power, making their temporary leadership permanent.
• State Sec: Under Arclight, the OHS will get its own divisions and attachments.

Lake City

^{Flag of Princely Lake City} 

^{Flag of the Grand Principality of Lake City} 

^{Flag of the Holy Pony Empire} 

Full Name: Lake City, Princely Lake City (Tree), Grand Principality of Lake City (Snow), Holy Pony Empire (Snow conquers Herzland)

Ruling Party: Constitutional Democratic Party

Ideology: Centrism^note Non-Aligned

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• Big Fancy Castle: The Palace of the Grand Prince in Jezeragrad is one of the greatest buildings in the Riverlands.
• Corrupt Politician: Fraud and embezzlement are commonplace in Lakeish politics.
• Culture Chop Suey: Lake City has elements of both Serbia and Japan. Their region and division names are all in Serbian, while their culture are based on Japan. Princely Lake City's faction, East Griffonia Co-Prosperity Sphere, is based on Imperial Japan's Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere. One of their R&D companies, Neighsan, is a reference to real life Japanese company Nissan, but has a Cyrillic logo.
• Deal with the Devil: During the Princely Restorationists' attempted coup, the government can decide to work with Westerly's Republican Vanguard paramilitaries to restore order. Doing so empowers the Republican Vanguard, meaning that either future elections will come under even more military meddling, or Westerly will be directly put in charge, who is just as awful, if not even worse than the Princely Restorationists (who at least have a sympathetic prince).
• The Empire: A Supremacist Lake City can begin to militarily conquer the rest of the Riverlands and proclaim the River State (for Westerly Leeward) or River Empire (for Wild Tree and Heavenly Snow). If Heavenly Snow is feeling bold, he can proceed to conquer the Griffonian Empire and put himself (a pony) on the Griffon throne, declaring the Holy Pony Empire and enraging the rest of the Griffonian continent, ensuring an enormous continental war between the Griffon nations and the Holy Pony Empire.
• External Combustion: The previous Grand Mayor of Lake City was killed in a car explosion in 1004.
• Patriotic Fervor: Due to their long history of withstanding attacks from the Griffons, the people of Lake City have a streak of militarism, emboldening the Lake City Army.
• Tempting Fate: The description of the focus for putting Heavenly Snow on the Griffon Throne says that "our Griffon subjects will soon come to love and respect His Majesty", when it almost always results in every Griffon nation being antagonized at once and declaring war on the Holy Pony Empire simultaneously.
• Vestigial Empire: The Principality of Lake City was once the dominant power of the Riverlands, even subjugating the Zaphzan griffon tribes to the south. A civil war would eventually collapse their hegemony, as their subjects broke free. Griffon Emperor Grover I's conquests would further humiliate Lake City, as their capital was sacked and their Grand Prince forced to abdicate.

Springtime Frost

Role: Head of State

Party: Constitutional Democratic Party

Ideology: Centrism^note Non-Aligned

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Springtime Frost was destined to balance the nation by virtue of not rocking the boat. He was spoken well of in class and in his later career of Demokratski politicking thanks to agreeing to almost everyone's points of view while rarely voicing out his own. To his credit, he took joy in being a silent workhorse while everypony else spewed their bluster out.

But in 1004, the socially liberal Dew Point, the previous leader of the Demokratski as well as Grand Mayor of Lake City, died in a car explosion. Springtime publicly questioned the circumstances of Dew's death, but under-the-table deals and threats of "going out the same way" had him bow his head, join the party's snap elections, and sit on top of both party and country. Still, even as Springtime pushed for small-step reforms, he couldn't stop the Cehovi and military high command from snooping in on him with guns and money, politely asking for his support or else. Thus, the status quo has been maintained.

As the last leg of his party leadership-and his Lakeish presidency-runs its course, one thing Springtime kept close to heart is a genuine concern for his loved ones and his own life. The military had been merciful to let him not run for re-election and to keep all cars from exploding in his vicinity. All he has to do is to placate the shady muzzles while passing just enough reforms to legitimise democracy, and he can fade into the obscurity of a much safer career, like gardening.

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Wavebreaker

Role: Head of State

Party: Constitutional Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party

Ideology: Centrism^note Non-Aligned, Harmonic Republicanism^note Harmony

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Deirdra Skye

Role: Head of State

Party: Social Democratic Party

Ideology: Harmonic Republicanism^note Harmony

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Wild Tree

Role: General, Regent^note Head of State (Military coup)

Party: Princely Restoration and National Renewal Faction

Ideology: Stratocracy^note Supremacy

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• Military Coup: Wild Tree leads a faction of Princely Restorationists in the military, and launches a coup against the Republican government one month into the game. Should he succeed, he will declare the restoration of the Grand Prince of Lake City, with him serving as a temporary regent until Grand Prince Heavenly Snow is ready to assume the position.
• Regent for Life: After crowning Heavenly Snow, Wild Tree can decide that he still has much to learn before he is truly capable of assuming the duties of his office, while Wild Tree continues to act as regent. In the game, Wild Tree remains Lake City's leader, while Heavenly Snow is represented as a national spirit.

Heavenly Snow

Role: Monarch^note Head of State (Wild Tree restores the monarchy)

Party: Princely Restoration and National Renewal Faction

Ideology: Autocracy^note Supremacy

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• Altar Diplomacy: Nearly 150 years ago, the last monarch of Lake City and the King of Deponya signed a marriage certificate which would unify the two realms into one. However, this was aborted after revolution forced Lake City's monarch into exile. After Heavenly Snow is restored to the throne, he can ask King Grimhoof of Deponya to honour this treaty and bend his knee to Lake City's dominance.
• Modest Royalty: Despite being the heir to the Grand Prince title, Heavenly Snow was a modest artisan for most of his life, and lives very modestly even after the restoration. For example, while his advisors wants to restore the tradition of grand birthday parties for the Grand Prince, Heavenly Snow himself does not want a grand party and wishes for a private birthday party only attended by his family.
• Rags to Royalty: As the last Grand Prince of Lake City abdicated hundreds of years ago, Heavenly Snow lived as a commoner before the military coup restores him to royalty.
• Reluctant Ruler: Heavenly Snow is less than enthusiastic about having to return to his ancestors' throne; Wild Tree has to kidnap his wife and force him to accept the crown if he wants to see her again.
• Rightful King Returns: The last Prince of the Principality of Lake City was forced to abdicate when Jezeragrad was sacked by Griffon Emperor Grover I's forces many decades ago. By 1007 (when the game begins), Heavenly Snow is the individual with the strongest claims to the Grand Prince title, and a radical faction in the military wants to restore him to the Grand Prince position.

Westerly Leeward

^{Transcendental Westerly} 

Role: Head of State

Party: Republican Vanguard

Ideology: Fascism^note Supremacy

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• A Nazi by Any Other Name: Westerly Leeward leads the Republican Vanguards, a radical right-wing party that adopts an anti-griffon position. They fearmonger against the griffon threat, work closely with the military, and have an armed paramilitary wing. If Westerly comes to power, he will militarize the country and begin intervention against the Griffons.
• No Historical Figures Were Harmed: Westerly's appearance is based on Dimitrije Ljotić, a Yugoslav fascist politician who established the Zbor fascist movement in 1935 and became a Nazi collaborator. Westerly similarly shares Ljotić's ethnonationalist sentiments in favor of the Serbian-flavored Lake City and against the largely German-speaking griffons.
• Villainous Friendship: Westerly Leeward, a fascist politician, is friends with Colthaginian occultist Hiram Zerranid, who can become dictator of an esoteric, genocidal regime.

Deponya

Full Name: Kingdom of Deponya

Ideology: Despotism^note Non-Aligned

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• Friendly Neighborhood Spider: For all of history, the spiders of Eygsic have been part of Deponya, serving as lifetime companions, weavers in the textile workshops, hidden scouts for the yeomares and mounts for the Keepers.
• Giant Spider: Some Eygsic spiders grow large enough to serve as mounts for ponies.

Grimhoof

Role: Monarch^note Head of State

Ideology: Despotism^note Non-Aligned

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Kingdom of Wittenland

^{Flag of the Meritocracy of Wittenland} 

^{Flag of the Republic of Wittenland} 

^{Flag of the High Kingdom of Wittenland} 

^{Flag of Hoch-Weissland} 

Full Name: Kingdom of Wittenland, Meritocracy of Wittenland, Republic of Wittenland (Gingerbeard), High Kingdom of Wittenland, Hoch-Weissland (Griffonian Empire puppet state)

Ruling Party: Coleowene Halan

Ideology: Harmonic Magocracy^note Harmony

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• Challenging the Chief: Wittenland is a meritocratic monarchy where the magically talented are allowed to challenge the crown in a duel. If the challenger defeats the monarch, the latter abdicates and lets the former take the throne.
• Clockwork Creature: Clockwork automata, capable of completing tasks far more efficiently than living workers, can be created by one of Wittenland's national spells.
• Duel to the Death: While the Queening is normally supposed to be safe and non-lethal, the situation surrounding Honoria and White Star turns it into a duel to the death.
• Elective Monarchy: If White Star's reforms pass, the annual Queening, in which the reigning monarch can be challenged in a duel for the crown, is replaced by a public vote of no confidence. If the monarch wins, they keep the throne, otherwise they shall stand down and resign. It's noted that White Star is so popular that she'll likely hold the throne until she voluntarily resigns.
• An Ice Person: The Freezing Aura spell creates an aura of cold around Wittenlandic soldiers that freezes any water they step on, so they can cross bodies of water with ease.
• The Magocracy: Wittenland is a country of magic-using unicorns, and their leader is chosen by meritocratic duels. Mage-nobles exert their influence in the Witenagemot, an advisory assembly that rivals the monarch in power.
• Mutual Kill: The magical duel between White Star and Honoria can end up with both participants dead and Wulfric Grey ascending to the throne.
• Vestigial Empire: Wittenland was once a sizeable kingdom that controlled most of Coltstream, Barrad and other southern lands. However, after Lake City invaded, everything went downhill; even after Wittenland regained independence, it slowly lost territories, as Pònaidhean became independent, Rijekograd seized Coltstream, Ambrosius turned Barrad into his own fiefdom, and the southern shore became the Kása Free State.
• Wizard Duel: Honoria challenges Queen White Star to a duel to bring about her vision of a Wittenland where everyone is free to realize their potential as masters of the world.

White Star

Role: Head of State

Party: Coleowene Halan

Ideology: Harmonic Magocracy^note Harmony

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Queen White Star is in many ways an exceptional mage-noble. Coming from a relatively unnotable family in High Mane, she genuinely cares for the common ponies, respects democracy and does not seek power for its own sake. She is ambitious, determined and has a strong will; those who argue with her soon realize what a futile effort it is. These make her a polar opposite to most mage-nobles, as well as her estranged brother, Silver Star, who is cowardly and power-hungry. Instead of defying his sister who condemned his dabbling in the dark arts, he fled and joined the Pentarchy of Barrad. Yet those who agree with White Star and her values soon learn how generous and caring she is, with a strong sense of empathy. It is no surprise she felt pity for her family's serfs and freed them, before deciding to become Queen and free all the other serfs of Wittenland as well.

She gained power the same way as every Wittenland monarch - by gathering the support of the nobility and issuing a challenge to the current monarch, who stepped down rather than face her in a magical duel. White Star is a skilled mage indeed, her determination making her a dedicated learner, always seeking to improve her abilities.

A reformist, White Star is working to improve the antiquated society that has oppressed the common pony and enriched unproductive nobles. She has already implemented some key reforms, freeing peasants from serfdom and encouraging the expansion of the middle class. However, her greater ambitions of turning Wittenland into a true haven of liberty and prosperity remain incomplete.

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• Benevolent Mage Ruler: White Star genuinely cares for the common ponies, respects democracy and does not seek power for its own sake.
• Internal Reformist: Queen White Star is working to phase out the antiquated serfdom and work towards an eventual total land reform.

• Take a Third Option: If White Star wins the duel, she does not deal the killing blow on Honoria, and instead tells everyone that she is a failure to her ideals and offers Honoria the crown. White Star then secretly tells the defeated Honoria to immediately refuse the crown or die. Honoria complies and swears her fealty to White Star, allowing White Star to keep herself in power without looking like a hypocrite.

Honoria Goldmane

Role: Head of State (Honoria wins the duel)

Party: Ánhorn Bealdras

Ideology: Tyrannic Magocracy^note Supremacy

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Honoria was a serf bound to the land until she was freed by Queen White Star's reforms, who spoke fateful words that Honoria has never forgotten: "Not anyone can become great, but a great person can come from anywhere".

She quickly saw some success in trading products that were unappreciated by the nobility, and invested her entire savings into a trade mission to New Mareland, purchasing modern equipment to resell in Wittenland. Her initial ventures have grown, and she became suddenly wealthy.

Honoria sees greatness in Wittenland's future, if only every unicorn can be freed to achieve their potential just as she has. She fumes over the oppression of incompetent nobles and believes Wittenland's meritocratic traditions can form the foundation for a truly just society, where only those fit to rule rise to the top.

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• Fantastic Racism: If she takes the Unicorn Master Race focus, Honoria believes that unicorns are the mightiest race and have the right to become masters of this world, while lesser races only have to serve.
• "Not So Different" Remark: Honoria feels some kinship with Count Ambrosius of Barrad, who also wished to adjust the social order, though she believes that his mistake was thinking he could achieve success without forcing a change. In some other time, he could have been the king.
• Obliviously Evil: When her friend Voliare denounces her as a tyrant who has doomed those without magical talent to poverty and misery, Honoria completely fails to understand his point, believing that she was certainly a better ruler than White Star had been, bringing true justice to Wittenland.
• Rags to Riches: Honoria is a former serf freed by Queen White Star, and became suddenly wealthy by becoming a merchant captain.
• Short-Lived Leadership: Defied. Traditionally, there's nothing that prevents a newly-crowned monarch from immediately being challenged and deposed by someone else, as happened to King Alpferd III. If Honoria defeats White Star and claims the crown, Wulfric will try to do this, and since Honoria is weakened from the duel, she pulls out a magical pistol, shoots him, then threatens to shoot his supporters as well. She subsequently amends the rules of the Queening so that the winner of the duel could no longer be challenged immediately by someone else.
• The Social Darwinist: According to Honoria's survival of the fittest philosophy, to struggle is to survive. Only ponies who can continuously prove their worth, their capabilities, their adaptability in the face of extreme odds can survive. The weak should be exploited, given only menial labour unfit for the strong.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: Honoria believes in a more extreme version of White Star's egalitarianism, and thinks that White Star is not doing enough, so she challenges the Queen to a duel to take the leadership, takes the nobles hostage to secure full control, and espouses nationalist and unicorn supremacist rhetoric to let every unicorn of Wittenland see their true potential. In gameplay terms, she is classified as a Tyrannical Magocrat, despite her beliefs in freedom and equality.

Wulfric Grey

Role: Head of State (White Star and Honoria both die in their duel)

Party: Witenagemot Athelingas

Ideology: Oligarchy^note Non-Aligned

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Wulfric of Cemricia is an old stallion, the head of the large and ancient noble family of Grey, and has been influential in Wittenland's politics for decades. He has always acted as an opponent to radical change and reform, but also thinks Wittenland has grown weak and complacent. This is why he backed White Star when she challenged the previous, decadent King, but soon began to regret this as the new Queen proved to be an ardent reformist, capable of outsmarting him time and again. Now White Star is dead and he has decided to take matters into his own hooves. If no one else can restore Wittenland's long lost glory and might, then he will. And he won't let anyone stand in his way. Especially the former serfs who have grown all too arrogant.

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• Evil Reactionary: Wulfric is the leader of the reactionary mage-nobles who oppose Queen White Star's progressive and modernising reforms.
• I Have Your Wife: When King Wulfric announces his plan to restore serfdom in Wittenland, rebels kidnap his daughter and granddaughter and force him to revert this decision, disband the Witenagemot, step down as King and recognise their provisional government in exchange for their lives.
• Pragmatic Villainy: Wulfric is willing to provide some welfare to peasants so they could pay their 'rightful' dues to the nobles oppressing them.

Voliare Gingerbeard

Role: President^note Head of State (Civil war victory)

Party: Annes Búras

Ideology: Democratic Socialism^note Communism

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} A former serf who took to a life as a smuggler on the rivers and coasts of east Griffonia, Voliare was a trusted companion of Merchant Captain Honoria. His life on the water instilled a certain egalitarianism in him - everypony is equal before the unforgiving waters. Unlike Honoria, he sympathises with those former serfs who weren't as successful as they were.

After witnessing the disastrous duel, he became an unlikely leader of the Wittenburgh uprising. Concluding that the Wittenland's pretensions about duels, meritocracy, unicorn supremacy was merely another tool of oppression, he works to overturn the entire Wittenland system and realize a world where all races must work together to steer the ship of state. However, he has no experience or knowledge of politics, and wishes to act in a guiding role more than anything. Time will tell if he wishes to remain in his position for long.

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• Cincinnatus: After purging the clergy, aristocracy and reactionaries and writing the Republic of Wittenland's constitution, Voliare steps down and holds democratic elections.

Sigeweard Spellshield

Role: President^note Head of State (Post-Gingerbeard elections)

Party: Heap Ealgian Friódóm

Ideology: Harmonic Republicanism^note Harmony

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• Cigar Chomper: His portrait and numerous events depict Sigeweard smoking from a pipe.
• Face Death with Dignity: If Wulfric crushes the republican insurgency, when he asks his captives who among them is Voliare Gingerbeard, Sigeweard (who is no stranger to Wulfric) joins his fellows in saying 'I am Voliare'. When Wulfric subsequently orders his death, Sigeweard grimaces 'Death is preferable to life under your reign, Wulfric!' before the executioner turns him to dust.
• The Horseshoe Effect: Exploited. Sigeweard is dedicated to centrism as an ideology in its own right, and his platform revolves around combating all forms of radicalism, no matter whether these radicals are good or evil.
• State Sec: Sigeweard forms the Green-Red-Gold Banner of the Republic, a paramilitary group led by veterans loyal to the new order, for the purpose of enforcing extreme centrist democracy.

Eadberhta Featherwing

Role: President^note Head of State (Post-Gingerbeard elections)

Party: Heap Cepa Gegyld

Ideology: Libertarianism^note Non-Aligned

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• Ambiguous Gender: Nopony is quite sure what gender Eadbertha is besides their husband, and it seems they prefer it that way. They don't care what pronouns ponies refer to them as, and all the in game text uses "they/them".
• Corrupt Corporate Executive: Eadberhta is the owner of the biggest delivery company in Wittenland, and, as President, neglects the lower class and keeps wages low to increase profits for companies.
• Full-Circle Revolution: Eadberhta's minarchist libertarian capitalist policies create a Republic that is little different from the Kingdom before it; mage-nobles are just replaced with merchants, while commoners continue to be oppressed and impoverished.
• Obliviously Evil: Eadberhta, a libertarian, believes that everypony in the Republic has the same rights, same liberties, same chances and only needs to work for it if they wanted better living standards, unaware that in the absence of worker's rights, inequality and poverty are rampant. When Voliare returns home and calls this out, Eadberhta sees his point and agrees to implement a minimum wage.
• Private Military Contractors: Instead of conscripting Wittenlandic citizens, Eadberhta instead hires foreign volunteers to fight on their behalf.

Violet Plough

Role: President^note Head of State (Post-Gingerbeard elections)

Party: Gedrif Aheordan Biggencere

Ideology: Communism

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• Heel Realization: If Violet Plough annuls the Republican constitution, Voliare Gingerbeard returns home three years after and condemns her as a dictator who can no longer be trusted with power. As he dares her to shoot him (something that she could do freely without being considered criminal), Violet Plough grimaces and announces her immediate resignation to the surrounding crowd, letting Voliare, the true champion of the workers, take charge.
• Hollywood Atheist: Violet Plough sees it the duty of the Republic to impose enlightened atheism on the populace, tearing down monasteries and stripping monks of any special privileges and protections.
• President for Life: After winning the Republic's first election, Violet Plough has the choice to extend presidential powers, allowing her to rule for life, veto legislation and even possibly rule by decree.

Nimbusia

^{Flag of the Nimbusian Autocracy} 

^{Flag of the Free Nimbusian Republic} 

Full Name: Nimbusia, Republic of Nimbusia (Metakeros), Nimbusian Autocracy (Andreia, Gylhippos), Free Nimbusian Republic (Dialusides)

Ruling Party: Traditionalists

Ideology: Centrism^note Non-Aligned

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• Culture Chop Suey: Nimbusia is an amalgamation of ancient Sparta and Athens, featuring both Spartan militarism and Athenian democracy.
• Fantastic Caste System: Nimbusia has a caste system based on that of real life ancient Sparta, just with pegasi. Non-pegasi are put in the bottom slave-like class of Helots, the non-citizen pegasi are in the middle class of Perioikoi, and the pegasi warriors are put in the top class, the citizen-warrior class.
• Fantastic Racism: Nimbusia was founded by Pegasi warriors, and their militaristic society discriminates against non-Pegasi, putting them all in the Helot class which are treated no better than slaves.
• Proud Warrior Race: Nimbusia is a martial society where every citizen is or was a soldier. Few other nations can pride themselves on a populace that values martial skill, discipline and physical prowess as Nimbusians do.
• Slave Revolt: If Nimbusia's stability drops too low during the initial Boule debate tree, a Helot revolt occurs, plunging Nimbusia into a civil war.

Pegicles

Role: Field Marshal, Head of State

Party: Traditionalists

Ideology: Centrism^note Non-Aligned

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Born: 18th of May, 955 in Thessalneighiki

Biography: Hail to the mighty Strategos! Respected by all citizens of Nimbusia, Pegicles' youth was far from the ideal most ponies today aspire towards. Something of a delinquent, he was far more interested in consummation of wine and attending lavish parties with foreigners than focusing on his training. In his mind, there was nothing to worry about - his family was wealthy and thus could call on favours, allowing Pegicles to avoid being sent to the distant corners of the Riverlands.

However, after one particular night of debauchery and revelry, this tolerance came to an end, and he was swiftly assigned to the far western borders. Griffon knights of Hellquill and Longsword were known to actively raid the area, and this was the role of Nimbusian defenders, to repel them. Pegicles bemoaned his situation and tried to avoid fighting as often as he could, yet the forced rigours of battle moulded him into the Nimbusian ideal. When he returned home after many years, few could recognise the once hedonistic stallion. His mind now focused on the issues that matter, it didn't take long for Pegicles to be elected as Nimbusia's leader. Always the voice of reason, he has kept the dissenting ponies in check, while maintaining the traditional protection towards rest of the Riverlands.

---

Pegalaios

Role: Head of State (Traditionalist victory)

Party: Traditionalists

Ideology: Centrism^note Non-Aligned

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Born: 29th of November, 958 in Prancetras

Biography: If a pony was asked on the streets of a polis what do they think about Pegalaios, the most common answer would be "admirable". Indeed, the life of Pegalaios has seen many rise and falls that would be called uncommon even in the Nimbusian society. While a brave and valiant fighter, his fortunes (and troubles) would truly begin with his first term in the Boule.

Although the laws of the land prevented anypony from serving in the same office twice consequently, Pegalaios made quite the strong impression with his rhetoric. Adhering to the traditions of pegasi while making appropriate concessions for the modern day, he became known as "the Wise" for his brilliant resolutions to various debates in the Boule. Yet no amount of persuasive words could have stopped his ostracisation, which occurred not once but twice, partially because some of the citizens were believing he was getting too hubristic for his own good. Nonetheless, with the abundance of experience at his command, Pegalaios is the ideal Nimbusian to continue Pegicles' legacy.

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Metakeros

Role: Head of State (Reformist victory)

Party: Reformists

Ideology: Harmonic Republicanism^note Harmony

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Born: 14th of October, 969 in Ioaneigha

Biography: It is well known that non-pegasi have it exceptionally difficult in Nimbusia, most belonging to either the perioikoi or helot class. Metakeros is a prime example that hard work and dedication can earn you respect in even the most stratified, traditionalist societies. As part of the perioikoi, his parents were merchants, and so was he, yet he eventually grew bored of counting coins and worrying about grain supply. He would set out to prove that an unicorn can accomplish something above their station.

It was not without lack of effort, for if non-pegasi had it difficult in everyday polis life, it was twice as worse in the pegasi dominated military. Metakeros knew that he would only gain approval by showcasing bravery, and thus he did, to an almost suicidal degree. Far from his homeland in those many defensive campaigns, he would find out how ponies lived outside of Nimbusia. That knowledge would led him to ponder if it was truly fair how the lower classes lived back home, and he vowed to make a change upon his return. Earning his citizenship for his fearless displays in combat, Metakeros has fought a much more strenuous battle afterwards - challenging the ossified Nimbusian system. He would succeed, but not without bloodshed, and now the Riverlands are set to benefit with a more open-minded pony in charge of their defence.

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• Internal Reformist: Metakeros' platform is to reform Nimbusian society into one where non-pegasi and non-soldiers will also be represented fairly.

Andreia

Role: General, Head of State (Purist victory)

Party: Purists

Ideology: Stratocracy^note Supremacy

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Born: 12th of April, 980 in Nimbusi

Biography: Many see Andreia as a mare-shaped battering ram that only respects brute force, but her goals are slightly deeper than the first glance would suggest. Like anypony who is a proper citizen of Nimbusia, she holds a deep love and respect for her country and society. Andreia did everything she was told to do, and excelled in her role - but she felt something was missing.

Tradition runs deep in pegasi society, but it was a tradition that was gradually being lost as foreign influences made their way to the Riverlands, or the wear of time ruined old documents and monuments. It was unbefitting of a warrior pegasus, but Andreia would often seek out old ruins with likeminded friends, trying to uncover what she presumed to be lost. This amateur archaeology confirmed her suspicions, that Nimbusians were growing soft and decadent, just like their neighbours! It had to be stopped, and Andreia considered herself to be the best pony for the task of restoring ancient glory. With her opponents scattered to the winds, her dream is becoming closer to reality than ever before.

---

• Military Coup: In the Purists' path, General Andreia attempts a coup, seeking support from the Chief of Army (elected in an earlier event). The coup can either succeed or fail depending on who is the Chief of Army.

Gylhippos

Role: Field Marshal, Head of State (Purist victory, Gylhippos chosen as leader)

Party: Purists

Ideology: Stratocracy^note Supremacy

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Born: 7th of September, 961 in Stratos

Biography: Few ponies know the despair of failing their close ones better than Glyhippos. Losing most of his family to a helot revolt, the young pegasus threw himself with abandon to his duties in the agoge. Passing with distinction at the Trials of the Cyclone, it seemed certain that his first command would be blessed with fortune.

It was not to be. The brutal griffon knights broke through the phalanx, and many of Glyhippos' close friends he made in the agoge were slain. He would only escape by pretending to be dead himself, yet afterward he was never quite the same. Escaping reprimands back at Nimbusia due to claiming that their Riverpony allies failed to support them properly, Glyhippos became obsessed with the idea of strength, disdaining any signs of weakness. His military career would become much more successful in the future, though it was rumoured that the great general was prone to bouts of rage and alcoholism, and those were his good days. It was due to his attitude he became an eager supporter of the purist faction, and later on his experience would earn him the mantle of leadership, passed on from Andreia.

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Dialusides

Role: Head of State (Civil war victory)

Party: Helots

Ideology: Agrarian Socialism^note Communism

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Born: 1st of May, 985 in Ponyrgos

Biography: Life of a helot was never easy, always subject to the whims of their whip cracking masters. Dialusides was no different from the rest, toiling his days away in back-breaking labour. It seemed like it would never quite end.

That is, until the haughty Nimbusian overlords grew soft and content in their political bickerings. Helot revolts were a mainstay in this society, yet always put down with force. However, no amount of violence could permanently quash a desire for freedom, and Dialusides had little issue convincing his fellow helots to join him in a revolt. With the pegasi factions too occupied with their petty grudges to muster a proper response, he has since emerged victorious, "an army of slaves" triumphing over the battle hardened warriors. Yet nopony knows what's next for this unexpected republic.

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Diamond Mountain

^{Flag of the Eastern Dogs' Republic} 

Full Name: Diamond Mountain, Eastern Dogs' Republic (Clifford the Red)

Ruling Party: Glory to the Royal Will

Ideology: Kratocracy^note Supremacy

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• Dug Too Deep: The Dig Deep focus eventually makes the Diamond Dogs pay for the massive resource boon (among other things, turning Diamond Mountain into a crystal producer rivaled only by the Crystal Empire) by potentially turning Kazar-ar-Bark into a demilitarized wasteland with 0 infrastructure. The only way to defeat the 20 foot tall demon on his throne is to ask the demon slayers of Pònaidhean for help while the other options will cause massive damage to the capital.
• Fun with Acronyms: All four parties in Diamond Mountain have dog-themed acronyms; the supremacist party is named GRoWl (Glory to the Royal Will), the harmonic party is named BaRK (Bread and Recreation Kinship), the communist party is named WUF (Worker's United Front), and the non-aligned party is named PaNT (Party National).
• Our Dwarves Are All the Same: The Diamond Dogs who make their home in Diamond Mountain are stock fantasy dwarves in every way except for actually literally being short, bearded humanoids. They're greedy, industrious, change-averse mountain-dwellers with a literal king in the mountain, and they specialize in defensive combat, especially in the hills and mountains.
• Slave Revolt: Diamond Mountain is currently at risk of a major slave rebellion led by Clifford the Red.
• Token Evil Teammate: They're the only member of the River Coalition that starts Supremacist and maintains a massive system of slavery.
• Underground City: As befits their dwarf-like nature, their cities are under mountains rather than on the surface, and this gives them a significant reduction in factory bomb vulnerability.

Rover Diamondshield

Role: Field Marshal, Monarch^note Head of State

Party: Glory to the Royal Will

Ideology: Kratocracy^note Supremacy

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• Heel Realization: In Diamond Mountain's Harmonic path, King Rover, for the first time in his life, starts to doubt if he was actually doing a good job ruling Diamond Mountain, as the treasure is still lost, the slaves are unhappy and people desire change. He subsequently steps back from rule and names his daughter Molly Princess Regent.
• Revenge: King Rover wants revenge on Hellquill for robbing their vaults.

Princess Molly

Role: Regent^note Head of State

Party: Bread and Recreation Kinship

Ideology: Benevolent Absolutism^note Harmony

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• Archnemesis Dad: Princess Molly opposes her father and wants to end the slavery system in Diamond Mountain.
• Princesses Rule: In Diamond Mountain's Harmonic path, her father names Molly Princess Regent, endowing her with actual power over the kingdom.

Clifford the Red

Role: Head of State

Party: Workers' United Front

Ideology: Marksism^note Communism

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• I Am Spartacus: In a direct reference to the scene from the film Spartacus, when King Rover asks the slaves which of them was Clifford, all the slaves proclaimed that they were Clifford the Red.
• Shout-Out: Communist leader Clifford the Red is a spoof of Clifford the Big Red Dog.

Bakaran Republic

^{Flag of the Bakaran Republic (Supremacist)} 

^{Flag of the Riverlands Republic} 

Full Name: Bakaran Republic, Riverlands Republic (Firm Scow, Riverland unification), Bakaran Soviet Socialist Republic (Bray Foam), United Socialist River Republics (Bray Foam, Riverland unification)

Ruling Party: Stranka Družbene Harmonije^note Party of Social Harmony

Ideology: Harmonic Republicanism^note Harmony

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• The Republic: Bakara is one of the oldest democracies in all Griffonia.
• Born Under the Sail: Bakara has a very strong shipbuilding tradition and is the Coalition's primary supplier of naval power, with an extensive naval focus tree.
• Democracy Is Flawed: Not quite, but the situation is slowly getting out of the hand. 1007 elections became most violent in all Bakaran history, with communists and suprematists fighting each other and trying to gain power.

Water Lily

Role: President^note Head of State

Party: Stranka Družbene Harmonije^note Party of Social Harmony

Ideology: Harmonic Republicanism^note Harmony

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Born: 964, Rural Bakara near Mareibor

Biography: Born to a relatively poor farming family in the rural countryside of Bakara, far from the coasts for which the nation is famous, Water Lily surely would not have expected to be where she is today. Moving to Bakara city to pursue higher education, she became a teacher and was able to support herself and her new husband, a fellow university graduate. As a teacher, she became involved in her community and began to see the poverty that surrounded her in Bakara. In an attempt to amend this, she ran for the Mayorship of the city as a dark horse candidate and won against all the odds. It has been many years since then, and now Water Lily, the head of the SDH, must hold to her values and protect democracy and unity in Bakara against huge odds. This isn't just the classroom anymore.

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• Dark Horse Victory: She was originally just a teacher, but managed to beat all her rivals on previous elections.
• Good Old Ways: Lily is a harmonist supporter of River Coalition, and she will maintain democratic traditions of the past.

Tea Dip

Role: Head of State

Party: Bakarska Stranka Pravica^note Bakaran Party of Justice

Ideology: Libertarianism^note Non-Aligned

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Born: 968, Bakara City

Biography: Tea Dip is the type of mare where you will never see a frown on her face. Endlessly charismatic and eternally suave, she rose up from a simple dock worker to the prodigal daughter of the CEO of the largest shipping company in Bakara. When he passed, she began a battle over company leadership with his biological son, eventually winning out through business guile, and a marriage proposal. With her new husband in tow, Tea prepared to do what she loved the most. Making obscene amounts of money. But to her dismay, she found herself liberated by the economic freedom allowed by the treaty of Coltstream, but stifled by the political aspects of the same body, and countless other Bakaran merchants felt the same way. Finding something to fight for, she handed control of her company to her husband and used her wealth to found the "Bakarska Stranka Pravica" and has campaigned with it ever since. Now as leader of her nation she will finally have the chance to put her ideas into practice.

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• Appropriated Appellation: The term night-watchpony state was coined by a Bakaran socialist who was criticising Tea Dip's vision of small government, comparing it to a night-watchpony whose sole duty was preventing theft. Far from being offended, Tea Dip embraced the phrase and believes it an apt summation of the BSP's end goal.

Firm Scow

Role: President^note Head of State (1007 election)

Party: Bakarska Fašistična Zveza^note Bakaran Fascist Union

Ideology: Fascism^note Supremacy

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Born: 983, Bakara City

Biography: Firm Scow is the inheritor of a legacy, and has a lot to prove to her family and her nation. The daughter of her party's previous leader, the infamous Scorch Scow, Firm has definitely made a name for herself separate from her father's legacy. While he was known to be curt and harsh, Firm is open and amenable. Where he shut the party's doors to all but the most fanatical, Firm opened the BFZ to the wider population. And this change in leadership marked a sea change for the party. Growing from a minuscule fringe under her father, Firm Scow has lead a massive expansion and is hailed as a leader many times that of her dad. But none would say this to her face, her father is many years dead now. Struck down by a "sleeping sickness". And despite her distant and often seriously troubled relationship with him, she guards his memory fiercely. And now Firm Scow stands at her nation's helm. Ready to guide it, and the Riverlands as a whole into a new age of prosperity and opportunity. And if it is not that easy, she only needs to remember her father's old adage, "Mares and stallions may say they don't want something. But there is always something that can convince them. Always."

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• President Evil: Firm Scow is the leader of a fascist party that participates in electoral politics and can be democratically elected President of Bakara.

Bray Foam

Role: President^note Head of State (1007 election)

Party: Združena Komunistična Stranka^note United Communist Party

Ideology: Revolutionary Dictatorship^note Communism

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Born: 940, Marelje

Biography: Son of a common laborer in the north-west of Bakara, Bray Foam quickly began to rise above the circumstances of his birth. Becoming fascinated with numbers and statistics, he eventually began to study economics in depth. He soon left his town to study this in Rijektograd and returned as a economic advisor to his community. But while in Rijekograd, he met a pony by the name of Caramel Haze. While at the time they both had little to do with politics, the meeting would change both their lives. They began a correspondence and slowly both adopted socialist ideas, with Foam becoming Haze's "2nd" in many ways. From there, Bray Foam became more and more involved in Bakaran politics, and one day, when the former de facto leader of the nation's socialists died in a mining strike, many turned to the modern educated economist in their midst. From there, Bray brought the Bakaran socialists closer to their brothers in the River Republic, but whether he keeps that course remains to be seen.

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• Voluntary Vassal: If Bray Foam's Revolutionary Orthodoxy is at least 50% and Caramel Haze is leading the River Republic, the two nations will unite, leading to game over if Bakara is controlled by a human player.

Cobalt Wind

Role: Admiral, Chief of Navy, President^note Head of State (Military coup)

Party: Bakarski Admiralitet^note Bakaran Admirality

Ideology: Stratocracy^note Supremacy

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Born: 978, Vetailje

Biography: Admiral Cobalt Wind has lived her life as almost all would expect. The daughter of two former admirals, she has grown up in the family profession and embraced her inherited role as Bakara's greatest Admiral. An intelligent mind with a knack for being in front of cameras, Cobalt has brought the Navy to the forefront of the Bakaran mindset once again, and has become a public figure in her own way. This is where her similarities to her parents end though, while they were generally a-political, Cobalt has never held her tongue on matters of national policy and has spoken out many times against government policies, while never directly aligning herself with any of the opposition parties. The one view she has made clear however, is her hatred of communism, which she sees as the cause of societal degradation, and has made a point of trying to keep socialist sympathies out of the Navy. But now it seems her life takes a new heading. As Bakaran head of state, Cobalt Wind will apply her military mindset to national governance. And her citizens can only guess how that will end up.

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• Military Coup: If the communists win the 1007 election or electoral unrest surpasses 70%, Admiral Cobalt Wind can launch a coup to overthrow the government and install herself President-Admiral of Bakara.

Pònaidhean

Full Name: Pònaidhean

Ruling Party: The Taoiseach's Coalition

Ideology: Tribal Federation^note Harmony

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• Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: If Diamond Mountain takes the Dig Deep focus, the only way to prevent the Balrog expy they unleashed from destroying them is to call this nation's demon slayers for help. Upon arrival, their leader proceeds to venture in alone and beat it in single combat, returning back to the royal palace triumphant and hailed as a hero.
• Fantasy Counterpart Culture: Pònaidhean, a confederation of many pony tribes called clanns located in the highlands of the southeastern Riverlands, which is famous for its tartan cloth and whose inhabitants speak Gaelic, is a clear stand in for the Scottish Highlands.

Crimson 'Cridhe an Dràgon' nic Heart

Role: Field Marshal, Taoiseach^note Head of State

Party: The Taoiseach's Coalition

Ideology: Tribal Federation^note Harmony

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Born as the heir of the prestigious Heart clann, Chrimson always had a future of leadership and power ahead of her. At the age of 10 she joined the Ard Fitheach monastery to study in the arts of Anam-Teine and quickly grew to be a skilled warrior, as well as becoming close friends with Grand Master Raven nic Call. During her first mission to the Dark Wilds, they were attacked by 2 Greater Demons. Her teacher and 5 other students were killed, but Chrimson and 3 others, including Raven nic Call, were able to hold their ground until rescued, earning herself the rank of Monk.

After leaving the monastery to take her place as Toisiche of the Heart Clann, she became a well-respected statesmare and was later elected as Taoiseach of Pònaidhean.

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Northern Riverlands

Firtree Villages

^{Flag of the Firtree Magocracy} 

Full Name: Firtree Villages, Firtree Magocracy (Shinespark)

Ruling Party: The Sacred Order

Ideology: Irenic Theocracy^note Harmony

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• Ban on Magic: The Firtree Villages ban anyone except the Seers from using magic. The former chief's daughter, Shinespark, was exiled for violating this rule. One of their two main political decisions is whether to maintain this ban, or lift it and allow Shinespark to return after the death of her father.
• Civil War: The decision as to whether or not to allow Shinespark to return can spiral out of control into a civil war for control of the country.
• Face–Heel Turn: If Shinespark is allowed to return, she'll lift the Ban on Magic and turn the harmonious Firtree Villages into either a Bandit Clan or a necromancer state, albeit a less omnicidal one than the Dread League.
• Hidden Elf Village: The Firtree Villages are one of the most secluded countries on the map, and one of their two main political deicsions is whether to remain that way, or to open up to the outside world.
• Seers: Seers are the only members of society allowed to practice magic in the Firtrees Villages, and Seer Iorweth becomes the leader of the Firtree Villages if Shinespark is not allowed to return.
• Succession Crisis: The big choice facing the Firtree Villages is whether to allow Shinespark, the exiled heir to the Coldmouth clan, back into the clan after her father dies, or to pass rule to Iorweth the Spirit Speaker.

Iorweth the Spirit Speaker

^Iorweth? 

Role: Head of State

Party: The Sacred Order

Ideology: Irenic Theocracy^note Harmony, Harmonic Magocracy^note Harmony (Avatar Iorweth), Agrarian Socialism^note Communism (Iorweth?)

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• Prophet Eyes: After Iorweth goes on his Vision Quest, he comes back with glowing white eyes.
• Vision Quest: If Iorweth becomes the leader of the Firtree Villages and remains isolationist, he can commune with the spirit world, opening up new options on the focus tree and gaining Prophet Eyes.

Shinespark

^{Transcendental Shinespark} 

Role: Head of State

Party: The Golden-Horns

Ideology: Tyrannical Magocracy^note Supremacy (Independent), Esotericism^note Supremacy (Star Father puppet)

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• Bandit Clan: If Shinespark is allowed to return and opens up to the outside world, she turns the country into a bandit state, raiding its neighbors for additional test subjects and resources.
• Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Before taking power, she seems like a relatively reasonable advocate for modernization, ending isolation and entry into the world, and lifting what might be seen as an unfair restriction on the unicorns of the Firtree Villages. Once she actually takes power, she swiftly proves to actually be outright malicious, a unicorn supremacist, an expansionist and wannba conqueror, and essentially everything the more traditional elements of Firtrees ever feared about unicorns being free to practice their magic.
• Necromancer: If Shinespark is allowed to return and remains isolationist, she can study necromancy in Magehold and spread the secrets of necromancy to her inner circle.
• Sorcerous Overlord: Shinespark lifts the Firtree Villages' Ban on Magic, reorganizing the state into the Firtree Magocracy, which may either become an expansionist Bandit Clan or turn inwards and study necromancy.
• We Have Reserves: If Shinespark starts practicing necromancy, her acolytes are thrilled about the potential of overwhelming their enemies in a tide of skeletal warriors.

Farbrook

^{Flag of the Chiefdom of Farbrook} 

Full Name: Farbrook, Worker's Republic of Farbrook (Communist), Chiefdom of Farbrook (Supremacy)

Griffonian Empire Puppet State: Grand Duchy of Farbrook, Reichsmandat Hügelland, Reichskommissariat Hügelland, Hügelland

Ruling Party: Ironhelm Tribe

Ideology: Benevolent Absolutism^note Harmony

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• Voluntary Vampire Victim: 800 years ago, Farbrook Chieftain Fingal discovered the Changelings of Greneclyf and willingly offered up sympathy and affection to the starving Queen Dylis in what both countrues came to know as the "First Sharing" and teaching the Greneclyf Changelings about Harmony.

Cenhelm of Farbrook

Role: Field Marshal, Head of State

Party: Ironhelm Tribe

Ideology: Benevolent Absolutism^note Harmony

---

Hermane Gering

Role: Field Marshal, Political Advisor, Head of State

Party: White Hooves Tribe

Ideology: Kratocracy^note Supremacy

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• Blood Knight: Hermane Gering is very warlike and wants to conquer other tribes and countries to demonstrate the might of Farbrook.
• Drowning My Sorrows: After being removed from power, Gering would fall hard and become an alcoholic. In the worst ending for Gering, he would turn to drugs and die of an overdose.
• Heel–Face Turn: One outcome of Gering's removal from power is that he decides to use his aggression for good, and goes off to join the Arcturian Order.
• No Historical Figures Were Harmed: He's quite obviously based on the infamous Nazi leader Hermann Göring.
• Sanity Slippage: One outcome of Gering's removal from power is that he goes nuts, hijacks a plane, and flies off to Haukland where he starts a new life on an tiny islet, while the equally unhinged Graf Herman Meyer of Haukland drops fish on him every day because he likes watching a stallion weirdo do weird things.

Applethorn

Role: Field Marshal, Political Advisor, Head of State

Party: Farbrook Revolutionary Vanguard Party

Ideology: Equestrian Socialism^note Communism

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• Chummy Commies: Applethorn's socialist policies grant many useful industry bonuses to the backwards nation (at the cost of some stability) and greatly improve the standards of living for Farbrook's denizens. At the bare minimum, she is not a naive Wide-Eyed Idealist like Hempstrand.
• No Historical Figures Were Harmed: She shares similar vanguardist revolutionary politics to Leon Trotsky and in one of her endings where the Communists are banned, she gets assassinated by an assassin from Brodfeld with an ice axe, mirroring Trotsky's own death. Her domestic and foreign policies are also very similar to those of Vladimir Lenin.
• Screw This, I'm Outta Here: In the endings where she is removed from power, she gets frustrated at the stubbornness and backwardness of the Farbrook people, and eventually leaves the country for Prywhen (where she learned communism during her travels) or Stalliongrad (if the GLA was defeated), seeking to spread communism elsewhere.

Hempstrand

Role: Head of State

Party: Socialist Agrarian Party

Ideology: Agrarian Socialism^note Communism

Leader of the Socialist Agrarian Party, Hempstrand advocates for a peaceful retreat from the industrial world, creating a world where people can live in harmony with the nature and with each other. Choosing him for leadership is a bad idea, unless you like game overs.

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• Failure Is the Only Option: There is no way for Hempstrand's policies to succeed. Farbrook will either end up the subject of another country, or suffer hundreds of thousands of deaths, and Hempstrand himself will be removed from office either way.
• Joke Character: Choosing Hempstrand's route at best makes things much harder for Farbrook and at worst ends the game for them. The absolute best thing he can do is implement none of his policies.
• Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Hempstrand's desire to create an anarcho-primitivist utopia where every living being lives in harmony backfires horribly, as his destruction of industrial tools causes food production to plummet, leading to a deadly famine.
• Press X to Die: The focus tree explicitly discourages players to go down Hempstrand's Socialist Agrarian Party tree, and warns that doing so can result in easy game overs. In fact, looking at the tree in detail shows that all of the focuses bar the final one ("Utopia Achieved") provide heavy penalties and no benefits, incurring heavy political power losses, reducing societal development to extremely basic de-industralized societies, and completely disarming the nation. If the player is still not discouraged and goes down his route... ...then mid-way through "Utopia Achieved" (which takes 350 days to complete, far longer than any other focus in the game), the famine hits, and the focus tree is completely replaced with a famine management tree that in the best case scenario ends with Farbrook being puppeted by a friendly country, in the worst case scenario causing hundreds upon thousands of deaths and leaving Farbrook as an unindustrialized, depopulated, and disarmed husk of a country.
• Surprisingly Realistic Outcome: Destroy all farming tools, and farming output plummets. When food production plummets, people die. This is still somewhat surprising because due to game mechanics and norms, most focuses and decisions achieve their intended result, even those with completely opposite solutions to the same problem.
• Schmuck Bait: The focus tree where he is chosen to lead the country very explicitly warns you "It's a bad idea for a human to choose this option, unless you like getting game overs".
• Wide-Eyed Idealist: Hempstrand's pacifist anarcho-primitivist ideals are incredibly optimistic, ultimately self-destructive, extremely utopian, and are entirely at odds with the gameplay of Hearts of Iron IV, which is fundamentally a war game.

Watertowns

Full Name: Watertowns

Ruling Party: Council of Keepers

Ideology: Agrarian Socialism^note Communism

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• Enchanted Forest: Despite its normal exterior, the taiga of Watertowns is a truly alien place. The almost dreamlike maze of ancient trees, streams and rivers break apart into tiny, narrow waterways. Giant mushrooms appear from every new corner that weaves into the seemingly endless forest canopy. Noises from typical woodland critters give way to unfamilar crackles and hisses.

Eathelin

Role: Keeper^note Head of State

Party: Council of Keepers

Ideology: Agrarian Socialism^note Communism

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Greneclyf

Full Name: Greneclyf, Union of Greneclyfian Hives (Sclerite), Grenatalamh (Oiren)

Ruling Party: Clann Leamhan

Ideology: Benevolent Absolutism^note Harmony

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• Driven to Suicide: If Greneclyf is unable to open peaceful relations with the mainlanders, Gytha will be driven to despair and take her own life, leading to the ascension of either her brother Moax, or a competing noble and the first queen from a different house in over 800 years, Oiren, the latter of whom can also abdicate to establish a communist state.
• Face–Heel Turn: It is possible for Greneclyf to have a crisis of leadership or open relations with Chrysalis and return to the old ways, becoming emotion-devouring conquerors like their cousins on Equus.
• Hidden Elf Village: While not as cut off or hidden from the world as the Dread League and Arcturian Order, Greneclyf starts with the Isolationism economy law and almost no interaction with the outside world, save for their Odd Friendship with Farbrook. Opening contact with the outside world will have serious consequences for their society, especially as much of the rest of the world initially distrusts them due to being Changelings, and if not handled correctly, this rough first contact with the outside world can cause a crisis of faith for their Harmonious regime.
• My Species Doth Protest Too Much: Unlike Chrysalis's Changelings, Greneclyf's Changelings follow the path of Harmony as a result of the First Sharing 800 years ago, when Farbrook Chieftain Fingal willingly offered up sympathy and affection to a starving Queen Dylis, laying the foundation for co-operation between Farbrook and Greneclyf and teaching the Changelings there about Harmony, and as such have largely eschewed any nefarious use of their shapeshifting abilities.

Southern Riverlands

Barrad Magocracy

^{Flag of Viirad} 

Full Name: Barrad Magocracy, Barrad Directory (Leopold), Kingdom of Wittenland (Silver Star), Viirad (Viira), County of Barrad (Sane Ambrosius)

Ruling Party: The Pentarchy

Ideology: Tyrannical Magocracy^note Supremacy

---

• Equal-Opportunity Evil: The Pentarchy are various shades of depraved sorcerers, but they represent all sorts of different races, and whatever their many negative qualities prejudice against one another on that basis doesn't seem to be one of them.
• God Guise: The being inside the nuclear reactor, which drove Ambrosius mad and turned Barrad into a hellhole, is actually a corrupted ancient consciousness formed when seven ancient unicorns merged into one consciousness with a primordial spell. They became dependent on magic to survive, and were corrupted by Ambrosius's actions. It pretends to be a god so it can exert control over Barrad and get the magic they need to survive.
• Hidden Elf Village: Barrad is extremely isolated from the outside world, notwithstanding the occasional raids conducted by the Pentarchy on neighbouring countries to capture slaves.
• Hunting the Most Dangerous Game: In one of Barrad's first events, the Pentarchy organises a hunting party in which the targets are the adventurers who came to Barrad to destroy the Pentarchy.
• I Can Rule Alone: Most of the time, only one of the Pentarchy's five members can become Barrad's dictator after getting rid of the other four.
• A Lighter Shade of Black: None of the Pentarchy are good people, but Viira is easily the most depraved of them all, and if she gains godlike power, the surviving members will band together to stop the catastrophe it represents in a turn-based battle minigame.
• The Magocracy: If it wasn't obvious from the name, Barrad is ruled by the Pentarchy, a council of five mages.
• Mechanically Unusual Fighter: Barrad has a LOT of mechanics unique to itself, which even includes an entire unique "Barrad Research" screen in the place of a Race tech research screen.
• Mordor: Since Count Ambrosius took over, Barrad has turned into a hellish land wrapped in fog and storm.
• Non-Standard Character Design: The undead portraits of Barradian characters are sketched in a very distinct style from every other portrait in the mod.
• Non-Standard Game Over: If the relationship values between the Pentarchy members rise too high, a joke ending plays where the Pentarchy will embrace Harmony and get killed by an angry mob. The focus tree then gets switched to a generic focus tree.
• Power Source: The construction of an unusual nuclear reactor is the central plotline in the Barrad Magocracy. The plans for the nuclear reactor are retrived from a machine-worshipping cult in Barrad, and the reactor can produce huge amounts of magical power that can turn the Pentarchy's magicians into superpowered beings.
• Relationship Values: Each member of the Pentarchy (except Count Ambrosius) has a relationship meter, reflecting how much they like the other three. These values slowly decay over time through various events, and can be increased through decisions; if they reach 0, the two members in question will fight each other in a duel to the death.
• Sorcerous Overlord: The five members of the Pentarchy are twisted practitioners of dark magic who pursue knowledge without ethical strings attached, and are the most potent source of misery for the people of Barrad and entertainment for its Count.
• Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: The members of the Pentarchy work together to maintain their grip on Barrad, but all have their own agendas and won't be afraid to betray each other; in most scenarios, only one of them might survive and become Barrad's unquestioned despot in the end.

Count Ambrosius

Role: Monarch^note Head of State

Party: The Pentarchy, Count Rule (Sane Ambrosius)

Ideology: Tyrannical Magocracy^note Supremacy, Despotism^note Non-Aligned (Sane Ambrosius)

---

• The Caligula: The Mad Count of Barrad is plagued by voices in his head, and his periodical shenanigans can be either a boon or a curse for his subjects.
• My God, What Have I Done?: In the Count's Non-Aligned path, his sanity gets restored, and he sees the damages his black magic has caused. Thus, he performs a ritual that frees the being inside the reactor, and works to build up Barrad into a proper country with better living standards.
• Puppet King: If all members of the Pentarchy save Ambrosius died, and Viira hadn't discovered the truth of the being inside the reactor, Ambrosius will get mind controlled by the presence and become its puppet.
• Restoration of Sanity: In his Non-Aligned path, his sanity is restored by the spirit inside the nuclear reactor.
• Shout-Out: His name, his Non-Standard Character Design, and his status as an insane and depraved sorcerer-lord obsessed with a subterranean evil all evoke the Ancestor from Darkest Dungeon, with Ambrosius being a Fan Nickname for the Ancestor.

Silver Star

^{Archlich Silver Star} 

Role: General, Head of State

Party: The Pentarchy

Ideology: Necrocracy^note Supremacy

---

• Cain and Abel: Silver Star's life has been defined by jealousy toward his sister White Star, who managed, much to his dismay, to become Queen of Wittenland purely through her magical talent. If he takes power in Barrad and then defeats Wittenland, Silver Star proclaims himself King and lets his sister rot in jail if she managed to hold onto her throne beforehand.
• Heel–Face Turn: If Barrad is defeated by White Star's Wittenland, Silver Star expresses remorse at his sister, and with her help, he becomes a changed stallion. While still an introvert, he can now openly talk to other ponies and serve as a general under White Star.
• Immortality Seeker: Silver Star is obsessed with his mortality, a lack of power and inability to persist beyond the weakness of his flesh. He can potentially shed his mortality by embracing undeath, at the cost of what little good remains in him.
• Meaningful Name: A silver star typically denotes second place, befitting his jealousy towards his more successful sister.
• Night of the Living Mooks: Silver Star is a practitioner of necromancy. When the Pentarchy still exists, he can increase Barrad's ponypower through raising the dead; if he takes power, he turns the entire Barradian army into undead.
• One-Steve Limit: Silver Star, younger brother of Queen White Star of Wittenland and a member of the Pentarchy, is not to be confused with Silverstar, Sheriff of Appleloosa and potentially leader of a republican party in the Confederation of Southern States.
• The Paranoiac: Silver Star is known for his overbearing paranoia. Even in sleep, he is not able to escape it.
• Undead Laborers: Silver Star employs undead as workers that never tire, never eat, never drink, never complain, and always perform the most monotonous of tasks perfectly.

Asinti

Role: General, Head of State

Party: The Pentarchy

Ideology: Tyrannical Magocracy^note Supremacy

---

• Demonic Possession: With the help of Osvananga, a mysterious ally from beyond the material world, Asinti discovered a way to transfer the demons of the immaterium into the bodies of living things. If he takes power in Barrad, Asinti makes the terrible mistake of tearing the veil between worlds to open a passage for Osvananga, allowing Osvananga to possess him.
• Internal Reformist: In the first foci in his tree, Asinti abolishes conscription and slavery in Barrad, so no one would have to live through the ordeals that he once did. Then his demon 'friend' Osvananga possesses him, takes over and becomes Barrad's unquestioned new overlord.
• The Legions of Hell: Osvananga summons the Demon Legions and turns them into Barrad's new army. The populace becomes vessels for demons that march without fear, question, worry or thoughts.
• Puppet King: To the outside world, Asinti remains Barrad's nominal leader after being possessed by Osvananga, even though the player knows exactly who's actually calling the shots.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist: In order to achieve his goal of ending slavery across the world, Asinti conducts horrifying experiments involving summoning demons to the bodies of living creatures. It is said that even those who otherwise believe that the end justifies the means would be horrified, and agree that, whatever the end goal is, there was no way what Asinti was doing to be justified. Should he take power, Asinti tries to bring freedom to Barrad by ending conscription and slavery, only for his experiments to bite him as his demon 'companion' Osvananga possesses him and becomes much worse of a tyrant than Asinti could ever imagine of.

Leopold Schmeller

^{Leopold the Mechanical Demigod} 

Role: General, Head of State

Party: The Pentarchy

Ideology: Tyrannical Magocracy^note Supremacy

---

• Clockwork Creature: Leopold has invented clockworks capable of moving, working and fighting all on their own. His path allows the player to deploy clockwork infantry battalions, which take up no ponypower and only need equipment to be trained.
• Cyborg: Leopold developed a way to implant enchanted machines to assist his organs, which ultimately led to his exile from the Griffonian Empire.
• The Heart: An extrememly minor example considering that the Pentarchy's members are all sociopathic sorcerers, but Leopold is the only member of the Pentarchy with decisions to carouse with his fellow members and improve relations between them.
• One-Man Army: In terms of gameplay, after he completes his ascension, Leopold becomes a whole division by himself, and one of the most powerful ones at that, despite having a total of one ponypower.
• Power Armor: He builds a giant suit that is his attempt to give himself the powers of an alicorn.

Viira Lehtola

^{True Viira} 

Role: General, Head of State

Party: The Pentarchy

Ideology: Tyrannical Magocracy^note Supremacy

---

• Background Music Override: When the Pentarchy vs Viira fight begins, the game will forcibly switch the soundtrack to the ominous song Darkness by Deceased Superior Technician.
• Climax Boss: When the Pentarchy ignites their nuclear reactor, Viira will turn on her former friends (except Ambrosius), and become the boss of a turn-based battle minigame, in which the player must choose to play as either Viira or the other three, and defeat the other party.
• Did You Just Scam Cthulhu?: Viira ascends by learning about the desperate true nature of the being inside the nuclear reactor, and makes a deal with it: she would sate its hunger, but in return, it, with its godlike powers, will have to serve her. This allows Viira to drain the reactor of all of its energy and become godlike.
• Dissonant Serenity: Her portrait shows her smiling in a small, tranquil way. Even after she's become a godlike monstrosity.
• Egopolis: When she declares herself the new Goddess of Barrad, Viira renames her country to Viirad, and Elysium, the new capital of Barrad, is renamed to Viirium.
• God-Emperor: In her Ascension path, Viira seizes control over the godlike powers of the nuclear reactor and declares herself the new Goddess of Barrad.
• God of Evil: Viira if she attains godhood has her population subjected to constant storms, enslavement and mass purging. She also installs tyrannical princes and fanatic cultists to oversee parts of her domain making it clear that she is no force of good.
• Godhood Seeker: Viira's curiosity for the powers of magic eventually becomes a desire to attain godhood by taking control of the powers of the nuclear reactor.
• Hostile Terraforming: Goddess Viira can turn entire states' climate into the hellish Barrad Climate, gaining a massive boost of state Compliance as she does so.
• Mind Manipulation: Goddess Viira gains insanely powerful mind control powers, allowing her to boost her recruitable population numbers through the roof by mind controlling her entire populace into becoming her soldiers.
• Person of Mass Destruction: Viira after her ascension becomes the most powerful being on the planet, with the ability to manipulate matter, mass mind control, and cause nuclear explosions as she wish.
• Puppet King: In her normal path where she does not find out about the truth of the being inside the nuclear reactor, Viira and Ambrosius both get mind controlled by the being and become its servant, bringing its divine rule to all of Barrad.
• Slavery Is a Special Kind of Evil: Goddess Viira embraces a slave economy, which is reinforced by her mind control powers.
• Superpower Lottery: Goddess Viira, by subverting the being inside the reactor and seizing control over it, gains godlike powers rivalled by no other being.
• Super-Power Meltdown: In her Goddess path, if the player abuses her powers too frequently, she will burn up and explode. The country leader is replaced with a placeholder saying "no one", who has massive negative leader traits.
• There Is No Kill Like Overkill: When Viira ascends, her first act is to kill Count Ambrosius by causing a nuclear explosion on the capital of Barrad.

Austurland

^{Flag of Austurland (Harmonic)} 

Full Name: Austurland, Soviet Socialist Republic of Austurland (Lisvaldr)

Ruling Party: Alþingi

Ideology: Despotism^note Non-Aligned

---

• Evil Reactionary: Austurland was formed by Olenian nobles who, reliant on raiding Equestria for thralls, disagreed with the peace treaty that the two countries signed in 143 ALB and decided it was time to look for greener pastures. Since then, Austurland has prided itself on maintaining the old ways of the deer.
• Fantastic Caste System: Austurland is a feudal hierarchical society with four classes: nobles, freedeer, enserfed commondeer, and enslaved thralls.
• Fantasy Counterpart Culture: The deer of Austurland are a counterpart to ancient Vikings.
• Made a Slave: In Austurland, most thralls are abducted from their homes during Viking raids.
• Modular Epilogue: A weird variation; Austurland's two main political paths (democracy and autocracy) will receive different focus tree branches depending on the choices the player made in the first focus tree. Thralldom can be abolished, slowly phased out, or kept (which reflects in the democracy tree's political trees and the autocracy tree's economic trees); the country may become a constitutional monarchy or a democratic republic in the democracy path; and the democracy path also offers choices on non-deer citizenship and popular vs government-led land reforms.

Jarl Ygritte Bylgjasdóttir

Role: Monarch^note Head of State

Party: Alþingi^note , Borgarar^note Citizens (Democratic path), Stríðsmenn^note Warriors (Kratocratic path)

Ideology: Despotism^note Non-Aligned, Democratic Monarchism^note Harmony (Democratic path), Kratocracy^note Supremacy (Kratocratic path)

---

• Asskicking Leads to Leadership: In her Kratocratic path, Berserker Ygritte offers anydeer opposing her a chance to duel her and take power if they win; since she's an extremely powerful berserker, nodeer managed to defeat her, meaning that she stays in power.
• Badass Bookworm: If Ygritte was born into a bandit clan and chose to become well-read, she can become a mercenary leader or take over her father's bandit clan, both ways making her something of a badass. Alternatively, if she's from a merchant or noble family, she can either immerse herself in books or become a cartographer and later in life become a viking, similarly qualifying her as something of a badass. All of these outcomes add both a monocle and a spear to her portrait as respective symbols of her bookworm and badass status.
• The Berserker: Ygritte's backstory can be set as a Berserker if the player chooses to have her come from a Thrall background and grew up tending the fields (giving her the Hardy trait). This opens up the Kratocratic path for Austurland.
• Covered with Scars: Berserker Ygritte is much more heavily scarred than her other backstories, which may result in a single scar on her cheek.
• Cincinnatus: Pro-commondeer Ygritte can choose to reform Austurland into a constitutional monarchy or democratic republic, in the latter case willingly stepping down from the position of Jarl and becoming a civilian politician.
• Dark Is Not Evil: Kratocratic Austurland has a focus tree full of black focuses and is ideologically categorized as Supremacist, but they genuinely value individual freedom, is very accepting of others, and acts to protect the weak. Their only real villainous side is that their embrace of martial culture also leads to them fully embracing traditional Viking raiding economy.
• God Save Us from the Queen!: Ygritte can go down an ultra-autocratic monarchy path by going down the autocracy path and then going down the Beakolini-inspired fascist autocrat sub-path, which changes her ideology to Supremacy.
• The High Queen: Ygritte can become a harmonious constitutional monarch by going down the pro-commondeer path but deciding to keep the monarchy.
• Klingon Promotion: If Ygritte was born a Thrall, she became Jarl when she deposed the previous Jarl in an uprising. Alternatively, if she was born a bandit, she may have become Jarl by using her bandit or mercenary army to depose the previous Jarl, albeit ambiguously if it was by the use or merely the threat of force.
• Multiple-Choice Past: One of the main gimmicks of Austurland is that Jarl Ygritte's backstory is set by the player in a series of events after taking the first national focus, and her character traits established in the player-chosen backstory grants bonuses, changes her interactions with the society in the first focus tree, and for one particular trait, decides the political path Austurland will go down.
• Rugged Scar: If Ygritte was hardy fieldworker or cunning thief of a thrall, a cunning hero who put down her bandit father, or a well-read bandit who followed in her father's footsteps, she'll have a scar on her cheek to show for her hard and/or adventurous life.
• Terror Hero: In Austurland's Kratocratic path, Berserker Ygritte embraces Kratocracy when the nobility defies her abolition of thralldom, leading her to declare the rule of the strong so she can end the priviliged nobility class and protect the weak.
• Virtual Paper Doll: Ygritte's portrait changes and receives different bits of clothing and items as her backstory changes.

Einvardur Blaivarsson

Role: Head of State (Election)

Party: The Austurlenskir Íhaldssinnar

Ideology: Populism^note Non-Aligned

---

Ulfdis Aresdottir

Role: Prime Minister^note Head of State (Election)

Party: Þrælar

Ideology: Equestrian Socialism^note Communism

---

• Internal Reformist: As a communist Prime Minister elected to lead a capitalist democracy, Ulfdis seeks to push Austurland's economy into the modern era by emphasising the idea of always progressing into the new age, until utopia is eventually reached.

Gulrain Lisvaldr

Role: Head of State (KP elected, Successful communist coup)

Ideology: Communism

---

• Hollywood Atheist: Lisvaldr hunts down the greedy and power-hungry godi, who lie to the people by saying they hear and see visions.
• Internal Retcon: As part of the cultural revolution, Lisvaldr makes a few selective edits to Austurlandic sagas. Technically, nodeer could say for sure whether or not Hoef Derickson's expedition was actually an attempt to flee from oppressive nobles and establish a communal society, or that Hårald the Trotter had actually been an agent of reactionaries from Olenia, who destroyed the prospering proto-socialist society and enforced thralldom upon its peaceful inhabitants. In a few generations, the old versions will fade from memory completely.
• Necessary Evil: Lisvaldr recognises that his purges are bloody, but necessary to deal with the gang of thugs and slavers who ran Austurland before he arrived.
• Newspeak: Lisvaldr, who was born in Olenia, considers Austurlandic to be an almost incomprehensible dialect of Olenian, with an archaic vocabulary and a highly irregular noun morphology system, which must be replaced by standard Olenian. After this focus is taken, the country itself and its cities receive new Olenian (Finnish) names, replacing the old Austurlandic (Icelandic) names.

Kása Free State

^{Flag of the Kása-Hreindýraland Confederation} 

Full Name: Kása Free State, Kása-Hreindýraland Confederation (Kása-Hreindýraland union)

Ruling Party: Conselho Consultivo di Kása^note Consultative Council of Kása

Ideology: Harmonic Libertarianism^note Harmony

---

• Plot-Triggering Death: Downplayed. Due to her age, Mansu Erba retires after completing the initial focus tree much to the shock of the government due to her post being supposed to be a lifetime commitment, citing that her way of governing is outdated and she wishes to spend her last years in peace. A 100-day election started afterwards to decide the next First Commander.
• Slave Liberation: The Kása Free State was born when, aware of the fate that awaited them, the slaves on the Colthaginian slave ship D'vash rebelled against their captors, turned the ship north, and settled in southeastern Griffonia, in what was once the southern frontier of the Kingdom of Wittenland. This instilled the people of Kása with a fanatical devotion to individualistic freedom; in the game, the sole ideology they can follow is Harmonic Libertarianism, and they have an international network of agents meant to infiltrate countries that are judged insufficiently individualistic or libertarian, secretly liberating dissidents to Kása whenever they get the chance.

Mansu Erba

Role: First Commander^note Head of State

Party: Conselho Consultivo di Kása^note Consultative Council of Kása

Ideology: Harmonic Libertarianism^note Harmony

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Born: 7th May 931 in Seguro
Biography: Born second child to a farmer family, Mansu Erba grew in the vast farmlands just outside the capital Seguro, spending her youth exploring nature. Unlike her peers, she and her siblings received basic education from their parents, learning to read and write. As Mansu's elder brother would inherit the farm, she had to find life elsewhere and so Mansu left for the capital, to live and work at a shop owned by relatives. However, this life was not to be as she enlisted in 950 in a Macawian military program which she graduated from in 954. As a sub-teniente, her cleverness earned her the attention of the Skapatoria Programa.
For three years, she worked as an undercover agent in Austurland, Wittenland and Nimbusia, where she helped many escaping to freedom. Mansu proved herself to be a capable operative and in 957, she rose to fame for her actions in Austurland as she lead the escape of over a hundred thralls despite taking a musket ball to her gut. She received a hero's welcome at Seguro and an award for her self-sacrifice from the First Commander. Sadly, the musket ball that made her a hero also prevented her from ever working as an operative again. At the hospital, the recovering zebra would meet her future husband, a widowed doctor, and the two would be married two years later. In 960 the Advisory Council elections saw Mansu chosen as a councillor of Seguro.
While Kása had continued to prosper, in 967 the Barrad Crisis erupted. As streams of refugees trickled into Kása, the First Commander of the time suffered a stroke. As the crisis worsened, an emergency election in the council saw Mansu Erba narrowly elected as the First Commander. She acted swiftly, diverting all funds from industrialisation programs and appealing to Macawia for aid. Kása suffered from it but it endured, their founding ideals upheld as Mansu argued to the critics. After all, is a factory worth betraying oneself?
Despite the hardships in the following decades, Kása chose to trust in its timely hero and under Mansu's leadership, Kása slowly recovered from the crisis thanks to extensive literacy and economic reform programs. Now, she is known as A avo di Kása — Kása's Grandmother.

---

• Career-Ending Injury: Took a musket ball to the gut leading thralls to freedom 50 years before the start of the story, ending her career as an agent. The silver lining to this is that she would meet her future husband in the hospital as a result.
• Lonely Funeral: Defied. When she dies a few in-game years after the election, her final wishes is for her funeral to be a private affair among her family in their lakeside home to avoid plunging the country to a halt. However, the former slaves/thralls consisting of various zebras, ponies, deer and griffin and many more she liberated over the course of her agent career attended her funeral to pay their respects. Soon after, even some of the local citizens and refugees stood in silent vigil at the opposite shore, pushing flowers into the nearby lake.
• Red Baron: Avo di Kása. It means Kása's Grandmother.
• You Are in Command Now: Her predecessor suffered a stroke and presumably died in the middle of a refugee crisis. Due to being a councillor at that time, she was elected hastily afterwards and stayed until present day.

Lûa Ramedi

Role: First Commander^note Head of State (Election)

Party: Conselho Consultivo di Kása^note Consultative Council of Kása

Ideology: Harmonic Libertarianism^note Harmony

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Born: 11th March 972 in Seguro
Biography: Lûa Ramedi's political career has been defined by his service and loyalty to Mansu Erba. The zebra stallion was born to the political elite of Seguro, coming from a long line and venerated lineage of councillors and bureaucrats. His ancestor had gained fame as Sínora Pon's camp-aide. Through his family, Lûa knew Mansu Erba from his childhood and, in turn, the First Commander found him to be a sharp-minded colt.
After an education overseas in Macawia, Lûa attempted to pursue a career in the burgeoning civil service yet a single letter changed his life; an invitation from the First Commander to become her secretary. A position that he accepted at once. This led Lûa Ramedi to Kásan politics, aiding Mansu in drafting speeches and legislation amongst other tasks where his dutifulness didn't go unnoticed. Through Mansu, his name gained prominence amongst the councillors and as the old First Commander continued to rely on him more, the writing on the wall was clear — Lûa Ramedi was Mansu Erba's designated successor.
After Mansu Erba's sudden resignation and retirement, most of the Advisory Council flocked to Lûa Ramedi, to the stallion's surprise. During the election, he led a campaign centered around safeguarding Mansu Erba's heritage and, in the end, the former secretary's political connections and ableness proved their worth.
Now, as the new First Commander, Lûa Ramedi seeks to continue the path paved by Mansu Erba in forming an unified Kása as a modern, democratic nation.

---

• The Apprentice: Is Mansu Erba's protege in the art of politics.
• War Is Hell: Is a very firm believer of this, which is very cruel when you consider the very nature of the game. When it is time to unveil a war memorial for the dead, the revealed statue more resembles a horror art piece. It depicts a dead zebra with a severed foreleg which has fallen nearby, a pony crying next to the corpse on her haunches and a griffin knight nearby clutching his helmeted head in horror. When the citizens are understandably enraged, he ordered a soldier to fire a blank to the sky which silenced the mob. He then proceeds to state that this very sound gave a friend he knew PTSD for life and that "glory" and "honor" are nothing more than a sham to cover up the cruel reality of death. This is the point that he was trying to make with everycreature and that every time one goes to war, they must know this reality and not be blinded by the falsehoods that sent countless to their deaths, which is why the peace they have is all the more precious. The mob is silent throughout as his point sunk in.

Pasarinha

Role: First Commander^note Head of State (Election)

Party: Conselho Consultivo di Kása^note Consultative Council of Kása

Ideology: Harmonic Libertarianism^note Harmony

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Born: 2nd August 956 in Ilha Rosca

Biography: To many in Kása, Pasarinha's life embodies the prospect of individual opportunity offered by the free society. Born in the poorer district of Ilha Rosca, not much is known about his early life. Only thing known for certain is that as just a colt, he worked on various ships as a deckhand until growing into a fully fledged sailor. While his early life was spent on board merchant and cargo ships, he soon was allured to serve in the expanding Kásan naval task force. Pasarinha has himself credits the navy for 'beating the worst out of him.' His naval career led him far away from the safe shores to the high seas and shores of northern Zebrica in pursuit of pirates and slavers. Over time, he showed his prowess as a stallion capable of assessing situations calmly. He did rose to rank of terceiro-sargento in 981 and in an engagement in that same year would lead him to temporarily taking over as a captain of a destroyer. His excellent conduct and bravery in this emergency led him to be awarded. But even as he was given a chance to enroll into a naval academy, to everyone's surprise Pasarinha declined the honour and simply asked to be allowed to finish his tour.
Once decommissioned and back in Kása in the year 983, Pasarinha did not remain idle. Using his experience, past and few connections, he formed the South-North Corporation, a cargo company specialized upon transporting goods between Kása and Macawia. His iron-will and shrewd dealings allowed him to not just survive the competition against the well-established companies but thrive. It was also in then Pasarinha made his debut into the upper-echelons of Kásan society, where his direct manners and titular pipe made him a known figure. By the beginning of 990s, Pasarinha stood amongst the richest of Kása.
All this culminated in his election as the councillor of Ilha Rosca in the election of 991 by the backing of not just the local business magnates but also many common citizens. In the council he became a voice for modernisation of Kása. Culmination of this was the adoption of his program titled Prudutu Projektu by Mansu Erba in 1000, which saw construction of the first railway lines around Seguro. It wasn't a surprise that Pasarinha announced his candidacy following Mansu Erba's resignation and many voiced support for the self-made stallion of the future. While not the best public speaker, having never been one to like public spotlight, Pasarinha showed the quality of his character on the election tour. Now, as the new First Commander, he has his plans set for Kása; ones that will secure its existence for generations to come.

---

• Honest Corporate Executive: Pasarinha is a successful businesszebra and advocate of the free market, but believes in a new kind of capitalism, with true freedom for all to pursue their dreams. He even makes a point of condemning Skyfall as an example of 'corrupted' capitalism ruled by filthy oligarchs and demonic corporations.
• Rags to Riches: Born into a poor family, Pasarinha became one of the richest zebras in Kása in his early 40s.

Yrmthu

Role: First Commander^note Head of State (Election)

Party: Conselho Consultivo di Kása^note Consultative Council of Kása

Ideology: Harmonic Libertarianism^note Harmony

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Born: 3rd July 979 in Oferclif, Bymnonia
Biography: One cannot always tell a creature's fate based on their origins. Born to a family of Barrad refugees, Yrmthu's entire life has been shaped by events prior to her birth; while her family had been just simple serfs living in the Barrad valleys, the crisis caused by the Pentarchy's rise led to her parents only narrowingly escaping the chaos. Her childhood was spent growing up in Oferclif, where many refugees were settled by Kása. Although originally a Wittenlandic pony, speaking wittenlandic as her mother tongue, young Yrmthu learnt kásan fast, enabling her to pursue rudimentary education in both languages. Despite showing prowess and intellect, she did not pursue higher education even when offered the chance. She instead began to aid her fellow refugees in anyway she could. Over the years her focus moved to coordinating the aid efforts and acting as a middle-mare between the government and camp representatives.
It was during her work that Yrmthu began to slowly developed an unique political philosophy. She adored Kása's harmonic values of individual liberty and the democratic institution that ensured equality of all. Yet she saw the value of local communities and disliked how political capital was entirely centered in Seguro, with municipalities having little say in affairs that concerned themselves. Her localist ideology gained some ground in the northern states and culminated in her election to councilor of Oferclif in 999. Despite her reservations, Yrmthu was a staunchly loyalist to Mansu Erba's policies and kept her criticisms to the parlay rooms for most part. Her biggest political victory was the passage of the Petition Act in 1002 which enable local communities to directly petition the First Commander.
When Mansu Erba retired, Yrmthu did not initially intend to run, feeling her position wasn't entirely secure. But when a group of fellow localist councillors approached her and pledged to aid her, she couldn't deny their request. With their aid and her campaign tour's success, her election saw a turning point in Kása's history; for the first time, a non-zebra was the First Commander. And in her new position, she intend to reform not simply Kásan politics but the society itself.

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Áltu Kexa

Role: First Commander^note Head of State (Election)

Party: Conselho Consultivo di Kása^note Consultative Council of Kása

Ideology: Harmonic Libertarianism^note Harmony

In-Game Biography ^{Click to Show} Born: 18th February 966 in Baixio, Ilhas Lagosta
Biography: If a Kásan was asked to name a single poet they know, then with a great chance they would say Áltu Kexa. The zebra mare is well-known and admired for her succinct yet poignant language which has won her great fame despite her somewhat eccentric behaviour.
Yet her origins is far more tragic; born to poor farming family in Ilhas Lagosta, it was even a miracle that Áltu learned to read thanks to her attentive parents. Already in youth, her experience with hardships molded her to be strong in her convictions yet she never grew to resent the simple, poor way of life. Her evenings were filled by listening to her grandparents stories about the past, how her ancestors had been fought on D'vah with Akeeku and how her great-grandmother had fought under Sinóra Pon against the crusaders. It was from these tales that Áltu, from an early age, yearned to be something more than just a farmer — she wished to be a soldier. Only for a polio outbreak to crush Áltu's dreams, leaving her with semi-crippled back legs and in need to use wheel-aids to walk.
But instead of falling to the wayside, Áltu Kexa found writing a way to vent her feelings. Even without any education, she consumed any literature, aided in this by her frequent visits to a medical facility in Seguro. Life in the capital gave her a chance to see a different side of Kása and it horrified her; where there had been compassion and friendship between others back home, there was only fights and crime in the industrial slums. It was this squalor that she attacked in her writing. Her breakthrough came, oddly enough, when an affluent pony hired her to recite her work at a party. What came to be known as 'The Night of Fire' the poet instead read poems that mocked her rich listeners for their decadent luxury. The ensuing newspaper drama and a lawsuit led to her imprisonment. But Áltu simply continued to write inside the prison, aided in her work by a friendly jailor. After her time, she walked out to a cheering crowd. Áltu Kexa became a successful poet, with her work published for free for all to read, earning her living from public recitals. But despite her wealth, the zebra continued to live at her ancestral farm where she married the jailor who'd aided her and the couple had twins.
Áltu Kexa has decried politicians as paper tigers. So when she announced her candidacy, there was confusion. But her fiery speeches struck a chord in the masses and now she plans to reforge Kása and show where her place is in the world; as a guardian of the oppressed and enemy of tyrants.

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• Break Out the Museum Piece: Áltu can call upon the population to donate their old firearms, whether privately acquired or given to them by the state centuries ago.
• Due to the Dead: After defeating the Barrad Magocracy, Áltu builds a monument to honour those who fell in its liberation, or perished under the cruel tyranny of the Pentarchy.
• Slave Liberation: Áltu believes Slavery Is a Special Kind of Evil so strongly that she pushes for war with the entire River Coalition (whomst she declares to be hypocrites) for so much as tolerating Wittenland's serfdom, Nimbusia's helot system, and Diamond Mountain's outright slavery. Even if all of these have been reformed or have left the Coalition, Áltu still pushes for war simply because they ever tolerated such things.
• War Hawk: Áltu is one of a very small handful of Harmonic leaders who can declare war on countries that haven't generated any world tension; the only more hawkish Harmonic leader in the world is the Griffonian Republic's Schnabel Sunglider, who even more uniquely can also declare war on other Harmonic countries. To Áltu, just being non-Harmonic is casus belli unto itself.

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