Nations of Golarion
Absalom
Absalom, the City at the Centre of the World, is a trade-focussed city state situated in the middle of the Inner Sea. It was founded by the god Aroden, and stores the Starstone which can be used to ascend to godhood.
- City of Adventure: It's the religious and trade centre of the world, as well as its largest city. The Pathfinder Society is based there, and pretty much any adventure hook can be fit there.
- Fantasy Counterpart Culture: Of medieval Jerusalem. Absalom is a city that holds great religious significance and trade importance, and has faced multiple attempts to conquer it due to its significance.
- Hit So Hard, the Calendar Felt It: Years are given in Absalom Reckoning (AR), which dates to Absalom's founding and Aroden's ascension, which are treated as when life on Golarion began recovering from Earthfall. The present day of Pathfinder is in the late 4600s- early 4700s AR.
Andoran
Andoran was once a province of Cheliax, which rebelled and established a democracy when Cheliax made an allegiance with the Nine Hells.
- Eagleland: A Fantastical version that leans towards type 1. Andoran is a democracy and former colony, which was founded on principles of equality and freedom. However, Andoran can be imperialistic when it comes to trade and spreadin those ideals.
- Fantasy Counterpart Culture: Of America. It was a former colonial province which rebelled against its Empire's rule and oppressive policies.
- Good Republic, Evil Empire: Andoran is the good republic to Cheliax's evil empire. Andoran is a
Neutral Good democracy which promotes freedom and equality, while Cheliax is a Lawful Evil nation ruled by a heavily oppressive bureaucracy that works directly with devils. - The Revolution Will Not Be Vilified: The Andoren rebels refused to use gratuitous violence or terror tactics, extended mercy to nobles who agreed to give up their titles, and resulted in the founding of a democracy.
Cheliax
Cheliax has been one of the strongest nations in the Inner Sea for centuries. When its patron deity Aroden died, it kicked off a brutal civil war, which ended when the diabolist House Thrune took power. Now, Cheliax is a harsh empire, directly run on Hell's rules
- Decadent Court: Cheliax runs on intriguing and backstabbing, with Queen Abrogail II as the best at it
- The Empire: A brutal Lawful Evil nation, directly tied to hell, and with great political and economic power.
- Good Republic, Evil Empire: Cheliax is the Evil Empire to Andoran's Good republic. Cheliax is a Lawful Evil repressive state, run by devil worshipers, whereas Andoran split off from Cheliax after rebelling against diabolist rule, and is a Neutral Good democracy
- Human Sacrifice: A human sacrifice is given to Asmodeus every year to renew Cheliax's pact with the archdevil god.
- Repressive, but Efficient: Cheliax's harsh laws are focussed on quelling dissent. While there is physical order, every aspect of people's private and public lives is strictly regulated. Many citizens prefer this to the 30 years of civil war prior to diabolist rule.
Galt
Once a puppet state of Cheliax, Galt rebelled against Cheliax after the rise of diabolism. The rebellion was violent and bloody, and Galt has effectively been in a state of bloody revolution for fifty years.
- Fantasy Counterpart Culture: It's Revolutionary france turned up to eleven. Galt's revolts began against a repressive aristocracy, but their violent tactics lead to the revolutions descending into tyranny and being rebelled against themselves, and this has been going on for fifty years.
- The Revolution Will Not Be Civilized: Galt's revolts were bloody and any nobles or suspected collaborators were executed. This violence has made it unable for any government to last longer than a few years, without falling victim to revolution themselves.
