The Territories

The largest portion of the continent is covered by the unexplored areas known as the Territories. Located to the north of Midan, the area is largely arid plains and desert, with average temperatures decreasing toward the north. The Northern Territories are very cold and often snowy during the winter, sometimes experiencing snowstorms that last several days. The vast plains of the Southern Territories are adequate for farming and livestock. Cattle and horse ranchers dominate the Territorial economy and often wield much power in their localities.

No single nation has any claim over the Territories, though the Midian government has long insisted on limited jurisdiction in the Southern Territories. The Church-sponsored and government-endorsed Territorial Rangers were formed to explore the territories and aid the Church in its mission work. Initial operations focused on the Western Territories (now the Deseret Nation), but more recently exploration of the Southern and Northern territories has begun. Though they have no official authority or jurisdiction, the legitimacy of the Rangers is recognized and respected in most towns and locales of the Southern Territories, and locals will often call upon Rangers to settle legal disputes and long-standing feuds.

Numerous small towns, villages, and encampments are located throughout the Southern Territories, usually no more than ten or twenty miles of distance between them. Culturally the Southern Territories are largely a mixture of Midian and Eastern Kingdoms culture, but there are a number of indigenous and local traditions as well. Most notable of these are the seasonal festivals, occasional rodeo events, and the yearly tradition of burning a giant wooden horse. The pagan origin of these festivals is quite apparent, with every holiday accompanied by a bacchanal of drunkenness and debauchery. These festivals can be found in some form throughout the Southern Territories, but the most well-known celebrations (and most elaborate horse-burning) take place in Riverrun.

The Church performs continuing missionary work throughout the area, but most people in these lawless areas tend to eschew religion for more practical matters. In such anarchy, personal protection is important, and so firearms are quite common throughout the territories. More often than not, disputes are settled by a show of force: a fistfight, a knife fight, or a gunfight.

Government

Anarchy. Some towns may have sheriffs or judges, or be further organized.

Religion

The Church has missionaries and churches in some towns.

Language

Common Midian, among others.