Ximea

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Flag of Ximea
Motto: "Live Long and Prosper"
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Region	Ganchelkean States
Capital	Xim
Official Language(s)	English
Leader	The Overseer
Population	2 billion
Currency	Standard
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The Free Land of Ximea is a huge, socialistic nation governed by an elected Overseer and a Senate of one thousand members, along with a Supreme Court of nine Justices. The nation occupies an immense continent (also called Ximea) and a large island in the Atheist Empire. Its rocky, volcanic terrain is home to vast rainforests, sweeping deserts, and bustling megalopolises. The massive (yet corruption-free) government is devoted to the welfare and advancement of its citizens and the world. Ximeans tend to be liberal, atheistic, and proud of their homeland and way of life—but without the blind patriotism of more conservative nations. As a result, the people of Ximea welcome foreigners and respect the customs of other nations. Progressive social policies, a superior educational system, and a well-funded police force have reduced violent crime and crime against property to virtually nil. Major industries in Ximea include biotechnology, information technology, mining, and manufacturing. Most industries in Ximea, particularly utilities, public transportation, and biotechnology, are government-run, and strict commercial regulations make megacorporations and monopolies impossible. Several factors, including strict environmental protection laws, reliance on geothermal energy, and a nationwide public transportation system, have preserved the splendor of Ximea's vast natural areas.

Geography

Geology

Ximea occupies a massive continent in the Ganchelkean States. Most of the nation's territory is geologically active, and tremors, earthquakes, and minor volcanic eruptions are common. Several volcanoes are in a continual state of low-level eruption. A thick layer of lava rock covers a granite and basalt continental mass. In areas more distant from the volcanoes, thick layers of sedimentary rock can form. These areas are rich in fossils dating back to the precambrian era and boast several extensive cave systems, many of which remain largely unmapped.

Major Cities

• Xim (capitol): Located roughly in the center of the country and boasting a population of 106 million, Xim is both the capitol and the largest city in Ximea. The Capitol Building, the Senate Dome, Monument Park, and most foreign embassies are located in the Capitol District, in the center of the city. Farther north is Tef International Airport, the largest and busiest airport in the country. To the east one finds Classical Xim, an area of the city which has stood largely unchanged for thousands of years. Xim has a temperate climate kept mild due in part to the proximity to Lake Da Vinci.

• Bruno: Bruno is a city of 85 million nestled on Sagan Island in the southwest. Ximea's fishing industry is based here, as is a bustling tourist industry fueled by its breathtaking environmental beauty. Visitors can enjoy diving among the coral reefs or the forests of tropical kelp (a species unique to Ximea's territorial waters), take guided hiking tours through the lush jungle, or simply unwind on the beach and admire the sapphire-blue sea.

• Cape City: Located on South Island, Cape City is a resort city of about 78 million people. Its formidable heat and humidity make it less attractive to tourists than Bruno, but its thick jungles and swamps and its proximity to numerous ancient cities and ziggurats make Cape City popular with adventure seekers. Unfortunately, a black market in stolen archaeological relics has formed in the city, but the government has formed a special, inter-ministerial task force to stamp it out.

• Cobalt Point: Just south of Botany Bay sits Cobalt Point, a major manufacturing center with a population of 74 million people. Its climate is balmy, but cooler than the more southern cities due to trade winds coming in from the sea. Its secondary industries are fishing, crab and lobster fishing, and adventure diving—its rocky reefs are fertile nesting grounds for shellfish, and its underwater caves and numerous sunken wrecks provide plenty of excitement for seasoned divers.

• Fiorina: Fiorina sits in the middle of Ximea's most fertile agricultural zone. Its 69 million residents make their living primarily from growing, processing, and shipping crops such as soybeans, lentils, hemp seeds, grapes, rice, and swamp melons. Factories in the heart of the city make derivative products such as tofu, hemp-fu, wine, ground melon, and animal feed. The city also has a thriving textile industry based on hemp, silk, spider silk (from genetically altered spiders) and synthetic fabrics.

• Old Iron Peak: A former mining colony on the slopes of Mount Darwin, Old Iron Peak has now grown to about 61 million people. Much of the city's industry still revolves around mining, smelting, and metalworking. In addition to iron ore and other common metals, the mines surrounding the city produce uranium and precious gemstones. Old Iron Peak sits northwest of the mountain’s massive caldera. According to historical records, Mount Darwin has not erupted in 600 years, and modern geologists expect it to remain quiet for the foreseeable future, but the area is still volcanically active—the locals must deal with frequent minor tremors, the caldera constantly emits a plume of steam, and the rock in the center is soft and glows dull red at night. Old Iron Peak exploits this activity to produce 18% of Ximea's geothermal energy.

• Sif: The 51 million people of Sif live on the coast of the Einstein Peninsula, just across Cape Bishop from South Island. Sif has the largest seaport in Ximea and most of its economy revolves around shipping, both domestic and foreign. It also runs about 27% of Ximea's desalinization plants—more than any other single city. Sif is the center of culture in Ximea, home to its largest opera house and most successful orchestra. In addition, Sif is home to Ximea's most famous red light district, though the adult entertainment industry is heavily regulated to ensure that everyone remains safe from disease and abuse.

Biomes

Ximea is home to an enormous diversity of ecological environments. The lands to the north are drier and range from desolate erg to tangled scrubland. Southern Ximea is wetter and boasts a great abundance of all things green. These environments are divided into ten ecological types—seven terrestrial and three marine.

• Erg is a flat, desert biome, covered in sweeping sand dunes. It is extremely dry and temperatures range from scorching in the day to below freezing at night. Very little wildlife thrives among the dunes, except on the edges of rare oases. Erg is one of the most hostile terrains in Ximea.

• Lava Reef is rough or even impassable terrain formed by hardened lava which rose up from ancient fissures and volcanoes millennia or even millions of years ago. Due to the action of erosion, this lava can form breathtaking formations while making ground travel nearly impossible. Though most of this lava comes from long-extinct or dormant sources, in some areas, steam vents erupt and hot magma surges forth even to this day. Lava reef is barren compared to most biomes in Ximea, but not so desolate as erg—rock-clinging plants and the small lizards that feed on them eke out a living in the igneous nooks and crannies.

• Scrubland is often considered to be Ximea’s answer to the prairie or savannah. Since there are no grass species native to Ximea, the ecological niche of wild grass has been filled instead by a low-growing, woody, tangled shrub called choke scrub, which thrives in the loose, dry soil of northern Ximea. The tangled branches are home to a wide variety of insects, arachnids, and small lizards, including the voracious panzer ant, which makes huge colonies among the choke scrub’s root networks.

• Broadstem Forest is a temperate biome dominated by massive, deciduous trees called broadstems. These trees, which are native to Ximea, can grow close to 70 meters high, with a base of up to 10 meters in diameter. Other than the enormous size of these trees, a broadstem forest resembles temperate forests common in many parts of the world.

• Cycad Forest is a temperate to warm biome whose most striking inhabitants are, of course, cycads. Slightly more humid than broadstem forests, cycad forests often have a thick carpeting of ferns and mosses, in which rodent-sized lizards forage for grubs, insects and trilobites. The cycads often vary significantly in height, ranging from one to twelve meters tall.

• Tropical Forest is the familiar “jungle” or “rainforest” common throughout equatorial regions of the world. Marked by a verdant abundance of plant and animal life, Ximea’s tropical forests contain some of Ximea’s greatest terrestrial biodiversity. These regions receive a great amount of annual rainfall and are almost oppressively humid all year long. A tropical species of broadstem tree is commonly found in these tropical forests, and may be seen from the air, erupting from the dense canopy. Travel through these forests is made difficult by thick zuu vines, creepers, and sheets of moss choking the ground and hanging from every branch. Tropical forest is the favored biome of Ximea’s national animal, the land lamprey.

• Swamp Forest, or simply “swamp,” is essentially tropical forest where the forest floor is constantly submerged. The water level varies according to the season, but rarely is the forest floor ever exposed, even in the dry season. The water level in these swamp forests ranges from one or two meters to an impressive twenty meters deep. Swamp melons, an edible plant indigenous to Ximea, grow freely here, and can be harvested by hand—though the harvester must be wary of some of Ximea’s most dangerous life forms, including leatherskins, reaver wasps, and flesh-eating algae.

• Coral Reef is possibly the richest marine environment on Earth in terms of biodiversity. It is formed over thousands or tens of thousands of years as marine invertebrates attach themselves to bare rock or each other, live out their lives, and die, leaving behind an intricate and fragile calcium carbonate skeleton. As these reefs build up, they become home for a complex ecosystem of some of the most colorful and exotic fish in the sea. Ximea’s coral reefs are popular diving destinations, protected and preserved by the country’s strong environmental laws.

• Rock Reef is the less colorful but less fragile cousin of the coral reef. It lacks the amazing diversity of life found among the coral, but boasts an impressive array of anemones, starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and crustaceans, including the famous giant crab. Octopuses and moray eels lurk among the rocks, waiting to snatch a tasty marine morsel—or an unwary diver’s finger.

• Tropical Kelp Forest may not be the richest of Ximea’s marine biomes, but it is the richest in commercial resources. Thick strands and clumps of tropical kelp, a species found only in Ximea’s territorial waters, extend downward from the surface, anchoring in the soft sea floor dozens of meters below or simply clinging together in free-floating rafts. Animal life abounds among the kelp, including sea slugs, ammonites, octopuses, and blackfin coelacanths.

Culture

Social Philosophies

The citizens and government of Ximea are, for almost all intents and purposes, extremely liberal and devoted to logic instead of superstition. The laws and customs of the nation reflect this progressive stance.

• Abortion: Abortion is legal in Ximea throughout early pregnancy. It is legal without restrictions of any kind until OB/GYN specialists can detect activity in the embryo’s central nervous system. After that point, it remains legal in cases of rape or incest, in situations where the pregnancy presents a major risk to the mother, and in cases of suspected or confirmed severe deformity or birth defects. Government health programs will cover the abortion only until the third trimester except in cases where the mother's life is in danger.

• Criminal justice: Ximea has only a single permanent detention center. Convicts are generally sent to secured rehabilitation centers administrated by psychiatric professionals, where their violent and troublesome impulses are studied and, in most cases, dealt with. Even violent murderers can often be fully rehabilitated in less than a decade. The overall criminal recidivism rate is less than 2% nationwide. More severe penalties exist for certain situations; for instance, rapists are generally castrated before they begin rehabilitation. Mass murderers, serial killers, and violent criminals who resist rehabilitation are sent to Ximea’s single permanent detention center. The death penalty has been used only three times in the past fifty years; in every case, the offender had murdered twenty-five or more people.

• Euthanasia: Euthanasia is legal in Ximea with the patient’s consent when two independent physicians conclude that the patient’s condition is terminal. This consent may take the form of a written agreement signed by the patient (prior to or during the period of terminal illness), or by a spoken statement given in the presence of two doctors, two witnesses, and a legal representative. Euthanasia is generally performed with a specialized mask which delivers carbon monoxide directly into the patient’s lungs.

• Gender: Gender discrimination is a very small problem in Ximea; for the most part, women receive equal hiring consideration and receive the same salaries and wages as men who perform the same jobs. Most major employers offer day-care services. Six Supreme Court Justices and over three hundred Senators are female.

• Homosexuality: Homosexuality is recognized as a legitimate and viable lifestyle; gay marriage is entirely legal. Transgender surgery is widely available, though it is not covered by state medical plans. Transgendered individuals are legally recognized as members of their chosen gender. Eighty-one Senators and three Supreme Court Justices are homosexual; eighteen Senators are transgendered.

• Guns: Ximea’s single conservative streak is its national love of firearms. Almost any citizen of Ximea may own a handgun, shotgun, or rifle; exceptions include those under the age of 21, those declared criminally insane or severely mentally handicapped, and those convicted of a violent felony in the past twelve years. In order to own a firearm, the citizen must first apply for a firearm ownership identification card (FOID) and must complete a regulation gun-safety course. Concealed-carry permits are also available to law-enforcement officers and citizens who complete a second, more thorough gun safety course. No one convicted of a violent felony may obtain a concealed-carry permit, regardless of the date of their conviction. Submachine guns, assault rifles and sniper rifles are available for private ownership to law enforcement officers and military personnel. Grenades, grenade launchers, rocket launchers, squad machine guns, and flamethrowers are not available for private ownership to anyone except the Overseer and the Minister of War (or former holders of those offices).

• Hunting: Hunting of certain animals is legal in Ximea. Hunters must obtain a special annual license from the Ministry of Resources and may only hunt specific animals during specific seasons. Hunters are prohibited from exceeding quotas set by the Ministry of Resources, which are based on the proliferation of the animals in question. Violators are fined steeply.

• Medical care: All medical care, excluding elective cosmetic surgery and transgender operations, is covered by a national medical plan which is paid for entirely with taxes. Doctors receive rather impressive salaries, and progressive hiring and labor policies ensure a surplus of nurses.

• Organ donation: Organ donation is compulsory in Ximea. Upon a person’s death, the body is harvested for usable organs, regardless of the deceased person’s religion. In cases where there are few or no usable organs, or by the request of the deceased person’s next of kin (or a notarized statement written by the deceased prior to death), the body may instead be deferred to an academic or research institution, or a law enforcement training facility. Unusable and unwanted remains are cremated by the medical examiner or other authorities.

• Race: Race is a smaller issue than gender in Ximea, perhaps because Ximea is racially heterogonous. Equally skilled people with identical jobs receive the same salary regardless of race or nation of origin. Race-motivated crimes are prosecuted exactly like any other crime. Hate groups are small, rare, weak, and generally looked down upon.

• Welfare: Any citizen who qualifies for welfare will receive a living wage, calculated with his or her current income (if any) and number of dependents (if any) in mind, for two years. In addition, a government social worker will assist the citizen in finding better employment. The citizen may also request a government educational grant if he or she and the social worker decide that education is the best course of action. After two years, the welfare the citizen receives will be cut in half, and the citizen will be assigned an additional social worker. This process will continue after the next two years. Two years after that, the citizen becomes ineligible for welfare. The citizen may reapply after six years.

• Vice: Ximea is a very liberal nation, and many so-called vices which are illegal in other nations are perfectly acceptable here—though they are often well-regulated.

• • Alcohol: Anyone over the age of 18 may possess and consume alcohol; anyone over the age of 21 may buy alcohol. Beer is rare and generally unpopular in Ximea; more popular beverages include native wines; spirits such as bourbon, brandy, whiskey, and Scotch; and “hard” juices. Sweet wines are an especially popular drink for social occasions, and one brand, “Sack,” has practically become a national beverage.

• • Cannabis: Cannabis and similar mild drugs grow like weeds throughout the countryside and in the swamps and jungles, making them impossible to outlaw, and most of them are less dangerous than tobacco or even therapeutic in some cases. Their use has been popularized in mainstream culture, though abstainers are common as well.

• • Gambling: Gambling is legal for anyone over the age of 18. Casinos and bookmakers operate legally and safely across Ximea, and organized crime and corruption are dealt with harshly. Ximea places a hefty tax on casinos; the proceeds are used to treat gambling addiction.

• • Narcotics: Harder drugs are produced by private corporations under a watchful government eye. They are available only through special venues, colloquially known as "coke lounges," where they are administered by licensed physicians. Citizens must register for a special license to patronize these coke lounges, and private possession of these harder narcotics can be punishable by law.

• • Prostitution: Prostitution is legal with certain limitations. Clients must be registered with the Sex Workers' Guild (administrated jointly by the Ministries of Justice and Industry), and must be tested for STDs and HIV before their first visit to a prostitute and every three months thereafter as long as they continue to visit prostitutes. All prostitutes must be licensed by the Sex Workers' Guild. They must keep stringent business records, including dates, names and personal information for each of their clients and performances. They must be examined for parasites and external symptoms of disease once a month; they must be tested for pregnancy and common STDs, including HIV, once every three months; and they must be tested for a full battery of sexually communicable diseases once a year. On the plus side, the Sex Workers' Guild provides them with free contraceptives of their choice, plus morning-after pills for a very low co-pay.

• • Tobacco: Tobacco products may only be purchased by those over the age of 21. All major forms of smoked tobacco are represented in Ximea, including cigars, cigarettes, and pipe tobacco; hookahs are increasingly popular with the college crowds. Chewing tobacco is scarce.

Police

Crime is remarkably low in Ximea due to a considerable and well-funded police presence, especially in the major cities. Each city maintains its own police force, with its own headquarters, precincts, and regulations; however, all police in Ximea wear the same regulation navy-blue uniform, and all squad cars and police motorcycles have the same black and white design. About 50% of beat officers patrol in squad cars; the rest make their rounds on motorcycles or on foot, if they prefer.

Ximean police officers are typically armed with a regulation steel nightstick or stun baton and a pistol; officers are allowed to use any make or model of pistol as a sidearm. Each squad car contains two shotguns in the trunk; the make varies between departments. Departments may own military-issue submachine guns and sniper rifles for their SWAT divisions.

Religion

Ximea is a secular nation whose government is dedicated to the strict separation of religion and state. The government does not officially recognize any religious holidays (although government employees and most private employees are allotted paid holidays to use as they wish). The population is largely atheistic, with only 26% considering themselves religious, and 6% espousing deistic religions.

• Nonreligious: 74%
• Shinto: 13%
• Buddhist: 5%
• Christian: 4%
• Pagan: 2%
• Other: 2%

Language

The official language of Ximea is English, though many citizens utilize Latin and Esperanto as second (and sometimes tertiary) languages. Japanese is common in the south; Italian and German are common in the north. Literacy is nearly universal in English in citizens over the age of 15.

Holidays

All holidays officially recognized by the Ximean government are secular in nature, even if some of them have roots in various religious traditions. It should be noted that most employees in Ximea, in both the private sector and the government, are allowed varying amounts of paid time off which they may use for religious holidays if they so choose.

• Bacchus Day, March 16th. A celebration of intoxication. This celebration usually involves the excessive consumption of wine, since beer is far less popular in Ximea than in most other nations where alcohol consumption is permitted. Bacchus Day actually extends until dawn of March 17th.

• April Fools Day, April 1st. A day of jest and mild practical joking. Ximea’s newest national holiday, April Fools Day became “official” shortly after a joke circulated by email somehow reached the current Overseer. According to the joke, April Fools Day is a religious holiday celebrated by atheists. Since most of Ximea’s citizens are atheists, the Overseer made April 1st an official holiday, mostly for his own amusement, but also because “April Fools Day is the one day when we must exercise the most critical thinking. People who blindly believe whatever they’re told are liable to end up extremely confused.”

• The Solstice Festival, December 21st. A secularized version of Christmas, the Solstice Festival is a time of merriment and goodwill. Gifts are exchanged at the end of the day and old grudges are dropped. As Ximea does not have any conifers, the “Christmas tree” is replaced by a “Solstice Cycad.”

• Hot Springs Day, December 29th. No one is really sure why, but this is the most popular day for people to visit one of Ximea’s many hot springs. Eventually, the government officially recognized it as a holiday.

Foods

Pasta, pizza, fish, and high-protein plants comprise most of the Ximean diet. Ximea has a fascination with Italian food, and pizzerias and pasticcerias are a common sight in the cities. Ximean cuisine includes a wide variety of noodles and a wider variety of sauces, including many inspired by marinara, alfredo, and butter-and-herbs sauces. Olive oil, bread bowls, and grated Parmesan cheese are as much fixtures on Ximean tables as salt and pepper are elsewhere.

Pizza Margherita and its variants are by far the most common form of pizza in Ximea. Favored toppings include the familiar, such as pepperoni, sausage, mushroom, et cetera, as well as less common variants such as ham and pineapple, bacon and pineapple, avocado, swamp melon, and coelacanth.

Most common commercial fish are popular in Ximea, including tuna, salmon, cod, and whitefish, though the national favorite is the native blackfin coelacanth (which, while rare elsewhere in the world, swims in great abundance in Ximean waters). Shellfish, such as lobster, crab, shrimp, clams, and oysters are also popular. Giant crab is considered a delicacy.

The most commonly-consumed plant products include swamp melon (which may be served sliced or ground), soybeans, lentils, an edible hemp product called hemp-fu, and dried seaweed. Ground melon, tofu, and hemp-fu are often used in place of meat in hamburger patties and frankfurters, which are also very popular in Ximea.

Education

Children in Ximea attend a minimum of fourteen years of public education, which is paid for entirely by the Ministry of Education. The public education program includes funds for textbooks, most school supplies, after-school programs, field trips, and first-rate counseling programs, should they be needed.

Children ages four to six attend kindergarten, which has two purposes. The first is to acclimate them to social settings and to the learning process. The second is to teach them rudimentary language and math skills, as well as other basic information such as shapes and colors.

Kindergarten is followed by six years of elementary school. Here, children are further exposed to social interaction and the school environment. In addition, children are taught a basic skill set which includes reading, writing, arithmetic, science, and social studies. The reading and writing curriculum is left largely to the discretion of the teacher, and many teachers use popular children’s books in addition to established instructional materials. Science and social studies texts are replaced with updated versions once every five years. Children are expected to understand the scientific method, the experimental process, and basic scientific principles. They are also expected to learn about Ximea’s history and geography in detail and world history and geography in general. The core curriculum is complemented by instruction in art, music, and physical education, although team sports are de-emphasized in favor of individual fitness.

Three years of middle school follow, wherein students explore the core subjects in more detail. Classes are smaller in middle school, allowing teachers to spend more time and effort on each student.

Public education ends with three years of high school. By this time, students are expected to be proficient in reading and writing, and they are instructed in comprehension and composition. Science and social studies classes are more detailed; students apply their knowledge to their lives and the world around them. Science classes emphasize heavily the scientific method and logical reasoning. Students receive instruction in mathematical branches such as geometry, trigonometry, and calculus. By the time students graduate at the age of 18, they have benefited from one of the world’s finer public education systems.

Universities are privately owned and funded, but they are strictly regulated by the Ministry of Education. Here, students may receive specialized degrees ranging from associate’s degrees to PhDs. In most cases, students must study a battery of core subjects in addition to their area of choice. In Ximean universities, ideas flow more freely than in other schools; opinions are encouraged, but students are also encouraged to examine the merits and flaws of their opinions. It is not uncommon for students to engage their professors in debate after class. High costs are softened by state and school scholarships.

Media

Most media in Ximea is privately owned. Strict anti-conglomeration laws prevent megacorporations from monopolizing the media, as has happened in other nations. Censorship is practically unknown. Media companies are occasionally sued for libel by private interests and the government, and the government does reward media producers who promote science, learning, and social progress, but in general Ximean media is characterized by free speech.

• Print: Newspapers and magazines dominated Ximean media for two hundred years before the arrival of radio and other electronic forms of mass communication. In modern times, newspapers are slowly going extinct, to be replaced by radio, television, and the internet as general news sources. Magazines still do a brisk trade, specializing in niche markets such as science, political opinions, and hobbies.

• Radio: Radio was the first major form of electronic media to take hold in Ximea. In the past, radio programming was tailored for home and leisure listening, featuring serial fiction, comedian programs, and literature read out loud, as well as news and music channels. Since the advent of television, radio has evolved to fill another niche: commuters listen to music, news, and opinion programs on the way to work with pocket radios and headphones.

• Music: Instrumental music has remained the nation’s favorite format for hundreds of years. Artists compose after the style of their own favorite composers, such as Mozart or Haydn, or after the general style of a period, such as classical or baroque. Some of the most popular artists today are forming their own style; their music tends to have a higher tempo and more of a regular beat than more “traditional” music. Concerts are still performed live by orchestras or smaller bands of players; however, nearly two thirds of instrumental music recorded is produced using computers. Well-known musical genres from other nations are also becoming popular, such as punk rock, heavy metal, and a bizarre genre generally called “80s.”

• Television: Ximean television stations occupy 64 channels, divided more or less equally between cultural/educational programming, news, cartoons, movies, and popular programs. In most countries, programs such as sitcoms and dramas win the largest audiences, but this is not necessarily so in Ximea. Educational programming consists largely of documentaries and science programs, which are made interesting through a combination of charismatic hosts, skilled editors, clever writers, and effective CGI or effects work where needed. Most Ximeans are interested in current events, and witty anchors and commentators make the news worth watching. Cartoons, frequently considered a children’s medium in other countries, are produced for audiences of all ages in Ximea; some of the most cutting-edge drama and action programs and side-splitting comedies on the air in Ximea are cartoons. Popular programs tend to be more erudite, cultured, and well-written than the banal sitcoms of many other nations thanks to government incentive programs. Some of the more intelligent dramas and science fiction programs from other countries are often syndicated in Ximea.

• Films: Major Ximean films tend to be better-written and more entertaining than films from other countries, largely due to the fact that in Ximea, the film advertising industry is a minor appendage of the film industry itself, rather than the other way around. Major films can often be produced cheaply because Ximean actors and directors are paid considerably less than their counterparts in other countries; it is unheard of for an actor to make more than $1,500,000 for a single film. Ximean films tend to be genre-breaking, but if they had to be categorized, then the most popular type would be action/drama-based science fiction (probably due to the cultural enthusiasm for science), followed by fantasy, contemporary action, and contemporary and historical drama, with general comedy falling at the end.

• Internet: More than 87% of homes in Ximea have some form of high-speed internet access. 97% of the rest have dial-up. Some studies indicate that the average adult spends between two and three hours online per day. Many Ximeans get all of their daily news online. Instant messaging programs have become more popular than traditional telephones, tying cell phones for person-to-person communication. E-mail has made traditional mail almost totally obsolete for purposes other than shipping parcels. Children are able to navigate the internet by the age of twelve, although most child-care specialists recommend restricting children’s time online to two hours a week or less. Spammers and “black-hat” hackers are severely prosecuted. “Filter” programs are sometimes used in schools, but intrepid children quickly learn to bypass them.

• Video Games: Video games are, without a doubt, the largest media market in Ximea. Two thirds of Ximean households have at least one late-generation platform, and a third have two or more. The platform game is nearly tied in popularity with the PC game, with staunch enthusiasts on both sides of the debate. Roughly half of all games tend to support multiplayer mode, though the number of players tends to be limited in platform games. PC games often have up to thirty-two players at a time; some can support hundreds or even thousands. Most other games are predominantly single-player and plot-driven with a secondary multiplayer mode if any at all. First-person and third-person shooters, adventure games, and RPGs dominate the market, with sports games seeing little to no representation.

Death

Upon a person’s death, the body is harvested for usable organs, regardless of the deceased person’s religion. In cases where there are few or no usable organs, or by the request of the deceased person’s next of kin (or a notarized statement written by the deceased prior to death), the body may instead be deferred to an academic or research institution, or a law enforcement training facility. Unusable and unwanted remains are cremated by the medical examiner or other authorities. The ashes may be stored in a memorial catacomb at the request of the next of kin.

Memorial gatherings tend to be held three to six days after the person’s death in the style of wakes or funerals, minus the deceased. These gatherings are secular in nature for the most part, although religious services are not unusual. The average age of natural death in Ximea is 107, thanks to the national healthcare system and proprietary medical technology developed by the Bio-Sciences Division.

Hot Springs

Owing to Ximea’s volcanic topography, the terrain abounds with natural upwellings of heated, mineral-rich water. These hot springs rival Ximea’s gorgeous beaches as places to get wet and unwind. They have also become popular tourist destinations, due in no small part to their sensual properties and romantic mystique.

Government

Ximea’s government is divided into three branches: the Executive Branch, run by the Overseer; the Senate; and the Supreme Court. The Overseer is the single most powerful public official in Ximea, but the power of the Executive Branch is held in check by the other two branches. The government of Ximea was conceived as a constitutional republic, designed to maximize popular power and the potential for social progress while restricting any potential tyranny of the majority. Most major positions are filled in popular elections, although the offices of the Overseer and the Supreme Court Justices have exceptionally long terms to provide a stabilizing influence against fleeting and potentially dangerous public sentiment.

Executive Branch

The Executive Branch administrates the national affairs and enforces and carries out the laws of the land. Its upper levels are composed of an Overseer, who acts as the country’s highest executive officer and figurehead, and twelve Ministers, who direct Ministries dedicated to particular aspects of the country’s operation. The Ministers are appointed by the Overseer and also jointly form the Advisory Cabinet.

Overseer

The Overseer is the single most powerful public official in Ximea. Among his many powers are the ability to propose, suggest changes to, veto, and line-item veto legislation. He acts as the Commander-in-Chief of the Ximean military; he can confer rank, order attacks, and dictate long-term military strategy, although most Overseers leave such decisions to the experts they appoint.

The Overseer serves a lifelong term, but he can be impeached and he can abdicate. Upon his death, or should he step down from power, his second-in-command assumes his responsibilities for a period of six months until an election can be held. Close family of the Overseer are prohibited from running for that office and from holding positions as Senators, Supreme Court Justices or Ministers.

The Overseer has three uniforms, all of which consist of black robes in different fabrics and styles. The ornate ceremonial robes are worn during the most important occasions, such as the Inaugural Address, the State of the Nation Address, and international summits; they are edged with silver, have broad shoulders, and are tailored from stiff fabric. The standard robes are worn during most other public appearances; they also have silver trim, but they are not as stiff. Casual robes are worn for day-to-day business, for leisure, and in private. They are tailored from soft but durable fabric and are unadorned. All of the Overseer’s robes have many pockets, some of which only he knows about.

Overseers have a lot of legal and social leeway to do unusual things. The current Overseer has built a large personal armory, firing range, and training arena in the Capitol Building, and installed a fully-stocked bar and kitchen adjacent to his primary meeting room, which he keeps stocked with cold soda, vintage wine, hot pizza, and an impressive array of snacks. The current Overseer is known for his arrogance and casual manner, and has an unfortunate habit of appearing aloof in public appearances and meetings with important foreign personages—he often responds over official channels to international incidents with a sarcastic missive or a dismissive threat to flatten belligerent smaller nations. He is a former Special Forces operative with considerable skill in unarmed combat, knife fighting, and gunplay. He eschews most of the frivolities of wealth and power for a dinner of red wine and pizza with extra cheese and pineapples.

Ministries

Directly under the Overseer rank twelve Ministers tasked with maintaining the normal operations of the country. The headquarters of the Ministries are located in their own buildings in the Capitol District of the capitol city of Xim. Smaller offices are located within the Capitol Building itself.

Ministers are appointed by the Overseer; their terms end when his does. They are listed below.

• Agriculture: Oliver Wyatt

• Education: Dr. Gregory Onizawa

• Energy: Gordon Dyson

• Finance: Wilson Fisk

• Foreign Affairs: J.P. Jeunet

• Justice: Dante D’Agosta

• Industry: Tony Stark

• Resources: Dr. Mally Helicon

• Science and Technology: Dr. Brad Gediman

• State: Dr. Morgan Freeman

• Transportation: Tanya Warner

• War: General Steve Rogers

Senate

The Ximean Senate proposes some bills (the Overseer can propose his own), but they are responsible for reviewing all bills and eventually either rejecting them, modifying them, or signing them into law.

The Senate is housed jointly in the Capitol Building and the Senate Dome, and is composed of one thousand Senators elected from all over the country. Senators hold office for a period of six years and elections are held every two years. They may not serve for more than five consecutive terms.

The Senate Dome is probably the second most famous building in Ximea after the Capitol Building. Done in the Grand style, the lower part of the building is built in steps, like a ziggurat, except that it is octagonal, not square. Most of the ground floor is open-air, supported by thick columns and exposed to the outside. A central core contains the lobby and access to the rest of the building. The two steps above it are entirely devoted to offices; the step above that consists of an outer ring of offices surrounding the Senate Hall, a massive, auditorium-like circular space. This ring is covered by a hollow, hemispherical marblecrete dome.

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court is composed of nine Justices and is responsible for reviewing laws to determine whether they are ethical and/or conform to Constitutional guidelines. The Court also makes judgments on major cases of a controversial or legally uncertain nature. Justices are elected for a single sixty-year term; they may not serve more than once. New elections are held at the end of this period or upon the death of a Justice.

Constitution

Ximea’s constitution was written nearly five centuries ago, during the height of the Renaissance period. Written in English on hemp paper, the Constitution of Ximea marks the first time the entire continent was unified under a single government. It contains three sections: a Preamble, which explains the rationale of the Founders and summarizes the contents of the following sections; the Principles of Governance, which outlines Ximea’s three branches of government and describes their duties; and the Declaration of Rights, which denotes a series of rights which no Ximean laws may violate. The Constitution is considered a “living document” which may be interpreted according to the times; however, while new rights may be added, the original rights may never be removed.

Elections

Candidates for office are elected by single transferable vote. The concept of electoral votes or an electoral college are dispensed with. This voting method also allows citizens to vote for their favorite candidate without fearing that their vote is wasted if the candidate is unpopular.

Voting is done at designated facilities, where the voter is taken behind a privacy screen and given a ballot, an envelope, and a felt pen. The voter reviews the ballot, ranks the candidates for each office (with 1 being the highest rank), and seals the ballot in the envelope. The envelope is then stored in a lock-box until the voting period is over and the counting procedure can begin.

When votes are counted, the candidate receiving the fewest “first rank” votes is eliminated. On ballots ranking that candidate first, the “second rank” candidate receives that candidate’s vote instead. The process continues in this fashion until a single candidate remains.

Ballots also contain a space for a no-confidence vote for every office, which the voter must rank among the candidates—a despised candidate would rank behind the no-confidence vote. Should the no-confidence vote win for that office, a recall election would be held with all-new candidates.

Voting is mandatory in Ximea. Citizens who are eligible to vote yet who fail to do so on election days are fined. Elections take place over a period of two days instead of one in order to give each citizen ample opportunity to vote.

Currency

Ximea’s unit of currency is the standard. Standard notes are printed in green and black on roughly palm-sized sheets of flexible plastic. The front bears an image of the Capitol Building; the rear shows a Founder flanked by land lampreys. It is issued in $1, $5, $20, $50, and $100 denominations. Fraction denominations also exist, and they are printed on small, hard plastic chits: $1/2, $1/5, and $1/10. The standard symbol is $.

During production, one side of the design are printed on one sheet of this plastic, which is transparent and extremely durable. The other side is printed on a separate sheet, and the two are then fused together in a heated press, with the ink on the inside. A similar process is used for fraction chits. Each standard note or chit contains three anti-counterfeit measures: a holographic bar-code is laser-etched into the plastic itself; the ink contains trace isotopes which can be used to identify the denomination, year of issue, and part of the serial number; and the third measure is kept secret.

Xim's Capitol District

Most organs of Ximea’s government are located or headquartered in the Capitol District of the capitol city, Xim. The Capitol District is located in the center of the city, west of Classical Xim and Lake Da Vinci, and south of Tef International Airport. The Capitol Building sits in the center of the Capitol District, overlooking Monument Square to the south, Embassy Row and the Senate Dome to the west, the Ministry Buildings to the north, and the National Museums to the east.

Monument Square contains over two dozen monuments commemorating the Founders, Ximean scientists, the armed forces, veterans, and those who died serving in various wars. Most of the monuments are enormous marble monoliths, obelisks, pyramids, or statues. Some include tombs or eternal flames.

Embassy Row is not a single street, but several blocks of major foreign embassies and consulates, each occupying its own building. Not all of Ximea’s embassies are located here; only those of nations with which Ximea has strong and long-standing ties.

The National Museums form the largest museum complex in the country, and possibly on the planet. Its numerous sections could each be considered major museums by themselves—some of the largest and most famous are the Natural History Museum, the Ximean History Museum, the Life Sciences Museum, and the Armed Services Museum. Many sections perform on-site research, particularly those dedicated to the sciences or to history.

Capitol Building

The Ximean government is headquartered in the Capitol Building, a 27-story ziggurat in the center of the capitol city, Xim. The building, which was constructed in the Grand style with a façade of black marblecrete, is 81 meters tall, making it the tallest ziggurat in the country. It boasts nine steps, each made up of three stories, and its base measures 150 meters to a side. It has four main entrances, one in the middle of each side of the base.

Levels 24 through 27 of the ziggurat house the Overseer’s private residence and offices, including access to a Zen garden on the roof and patio space on the step below it. Levels 20 through 23 belong to the Supreme Court. Levels 11-19 house Ministerial offices and workspace, while levels 2 through 10 belong to the Senate. Level 1 contains the lobbies, several dining halls and ballrooms, general office space, and a public museum.

The Capitol Building is known to contain at least fifteen underground levels; many more are publicly suspected. The Ximean government acknowledges that key facilities such as the Overseer’s residence and offices, the offices of the Ministers and Senators, and the Supreme Court facility are duplicated below ground level in the event that the Capitol Building is attacked (additional duplicate facilities exist elsewhere in Xim and around the country). The government will not confirm the existence of a suspected fallout shelter designed to hold up to two thousand individuals for up to six years. Conspiracy theorists often speculate on the existence of secret weapons and bio-medical labs deep below the Capitol Building, but their conjectures are generally met with public denial.

The current incarnation Capitol Building was built over 150 years ago; the original building was severely damaged in an earthquake. The new structure, built on the site of the original building, was designed to withstand not only earthquakes, but also sieges and other ground attacks. Over time, the building was fortified to resist artillery and air attacks.

Military

Ximea boasts a small but efficient military whose operating principles are modular systems and quality over quantity. Its total armed forces make up less than a percent of the total population and the military budget takes up a smaller percentage of the GDP than the education budget, but the average Ximean infantry soldier is the tactical equivalent of a Marine in many other nations.

Air Force

The Air Force includes all military aircraft in the Ximean military, including those aboard aircraft carriers, as well as the logistical units and crew needed to support them. Its primary role is to support Army and Navy units in combat or in a logistical capacity. Its secondary role is to attack strategic targets when using ground troops would be unfeasible. The Air Force includes jet aircraft in all the usual roles, but it is dominated by helicopters.

Army

The Army includes all land-based fighting forces plus the logistical units and crew needed to support them. Its primary role is to take contested territory and to hold it against enemies. Its secondary roles are to eliminate strategic targets and to maintain order in occupied territories.

The typical uniform consists of camouflage patterned BDUs (urban, jungle, or desert patterns), RM12 composite armor covering the torso, RM8 armor over the lower legs, fiber-reinforced BDU4 boots, and a RM6 helmet with a built-in communication system. Most of their gear is kept in a combat harness or pack worn on the back. Soldiers are typically armed with an AR19 assault rifle or SMG5 submachine gun, a sidearm (typically a P7 or P10 pistol), and G6-type grenades. Soldiers often carry combat knives as well. Squads are equipped with MG14 machine guns, anti-armor weapons, grenade launchers, and other specialty weapons according to the situation.

Navy

The Navy includes all seaborne fighting forces, seaports, and the logistical units and crew needed to support them. Its primary roles are to patrol Ximean territorial waters and to provide logistical support for Air Force and Army units. Its secondary role is to enable Ximean troops to land on enemy territory. In addition to standard surface ship and submarine classes, it is experimenting with small, fast-moving hovercraft and "fighter" submarines.

Strategic Forces

Strategic Forces include all weapons of mass destruction, their delivery systems, and the logistical units and crew needed to support them. These weapons are mostly low-radiation nuclear devices and biological agents.

Special Forces

Special Forces are comprised of the most elite soldiers of the Ximean military. They are better-equipped and more rigorously trained to operate in teams or individually in hostile territory for months at a time with little or no support. Special Forces troopers are proficient in hand-to-hand, melee, and armed combat. They receive extensive instruction in domestic and foreign weapons and equipment, guerilla tactics, and basic field medicine.

Special Forces battledress is more sophisticated than that of the average Ximean soldier. The Special Forces trooper wears black, RM44 non-reflective armor consisting of composite armor plating bonded to a full-body suit of variable-thickness ballistic cloth; a RM121 helmet which fully encloses the head; black tactical gloves and BDU6 boots; and a sealed, armored backpack. The armor suit contains integral damage and vital-sign sensors, the data from which can be relayed to command or a field medic. The helmet contains a vocoder and communication system, infrared and low-light imaging systems, an integral NBC filter, and a 20-minute emergency air supply. The soldier’s backpack contains the transceiver for radio communication, an emergency rebreather, a gas-powered, single-use grappling-hook launcher, and an extensive medical kit, along with more common supplies.

Special Forces troopers are armed similarly to the Ximean Army, although they use the SMG6 more frequently than the Army, and they also frequently employ the P12 Hunter pistol, which the Army does not use.

BioSWAT

BioSWAT is actually a branch of the Bio-Sciences Division of the Ministry of Science and Technology. Its primary purposes are to operate in areas which pose dangers of a biological nature, to eliminate threats from dangerous organisms of any size, and to assist in the containment of such organisms. Its secondary purpose is to protect Bio-Sciences Division sites, property, and personnel from any threat.

BioSWAT agents receive extensive training in combat, science, and medicine, due to the nature of their role. They receive training similar to that of the Ximean Special Forces; in addition, they also receive special training against “macrobiological” threats. Agents are trained to operate in biohazardous areas up to Biosafety Level 6, the highest of Ximea’s Biosafety Levels. Agents also receive education in biology and medicine, especially field medicine—each agent is a certified field medic.

An agent’s uniform consists of solid gray BDUs (made from puncture-resistant cloth), black joint padding and RM11 composite armor, reinforced BDU8 boots, tactical gloves, a NBC42 mask with integral infrared/low-light goggles, and an RM6 helmet. BioSWAT agents also carry backpacks or satchels containing extensive personal medical kits and field computers, as well as mission-specific items such as grappling-hook launchers and extended air supplies.

BioSWAT has access to all the equipment and weapons used by the Special Forces. Their most common sidearm is the P12 Hunter. In addition, they also use the SMG13 Dragon submachine gun, which was designed exclusively for BioSWAT. It is intended for use against large, dangerous monsters, and is ill-suited against enemy soldiers. BioSWAT agents are typically deployed in squads or sections, which travel via V486 vans or H97 Valkyr helicopters.

BioSWAT agents, like all personnel working for the Bio-Sciences Division, receive a full series of inoculations and boosters as necessary. Some conspiracy theorists suggest these inoculations also contain drugs and hormones to increase the agents’ strength and mental faculties. BioSWAT denies the rumors.

Resources & Technology

Power

64% of all power in Ximea is generated by geothermal plants, owing to the geologically active nature of the continent. Another 32% is nuclear, with almost all of the remaining 6% either hydrothermal or wind power. All power plants are owned and operated by the government, which also maintains the power infrastructure. Only groups with major power needs pay any fees for electricity; for most citizens, the cost is covered by taxes.

Transportation

• Electric Buses: Most Ximeans rely on public transportation in the form of electric buses for long-distance travel within major urban centers. The vehicles operate like normal coach buses except that they run on electrical fuel cells. Every city in Ximea has an extensive network of these vehicles operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Buses do not leave the cities. Taxes defray most of the cost for public transportation; the price of a ride is only ½ standard.

• Motorcycles: About 25% of Ximean adults own a motorcycle for personal transportation. Ximean motorcycles are powered by small fuel cells rather than petroleum products because fossil fuels are hard to come by in this country. Ximeans must pay for the vehicles, maintenance, and fuel cells out of pocket.

• Monorails: An extensive monorail system has been developed for quick transportation between distant cities. Though taxes pay for much of the cost of these vehicles, users must pay a small ticket price when choosing to take the rails. Unlike the electric bus networks, which never leave the cities, monorails are used exclusively for inter-city travel. At 400 kilometers per hour, they are one of the fastest options for long-distance commuter travel.

• Helicopters: Some destinations are so remote that the best way to reach them is by helicopter. A number of small, independent helicopter shuttle services exist to take passengers wherever they need to go, whether their destination is surrounded by unforgiving mountains or impenetrable jungle. Service varies from company to company, but all companies are safety-certified by the Ximean Ministry of Transportation.

• Airships: For quick, leisurely travel anywhere in Ximea, it’s hard to beat an airship. Large, safe, 21st-century dirigibles occupy the usual niche of airplanes in Ximea, hopping between distant airports every hour of the day. Though the airports and the dirigible airlines are all run by the government, they receive little tax money. Instead, the airlines are run like any other corporation. The airships themselves are somewhat slower than monorails, but their paths are sometimes more direct and always more comfortable—and the view from 30,000 feet is breathtaking.

• Airplanes: Ximea’s mountainous terrain is not easy to build runways on. As a result, most of the air travel within Ximea takes the form of helicopters and airships. However, Ximean airports also accommodate rigid-wing aircraft from international destinations, allowing for easy transportation and commerce between this country and the rest of the world.

Bio-Sciences Division

One of the most well-known governmental agencies in Ximea is the Bio-Sciences Division of the Ministry of Science and Technology. The Bio-Sciences Division oversees research in the life sciences and all technological innovations derived therewith. They are stewards to some of the most advanced technology in Ximea—prototype medical and scientific equipment and techniques not duplicated anywhere else on the planet. In addition, they have in their possession some of the rarest, most interesting—and most deadly—organisms on Earth or elsewhere.

BioSWAT

One of the duties of the Bio-Sciences Division is to neutralize biological hazards which threaten the safety of Ximeans and the world. This can be a daunting task in a world where rogue nations tinker with biological weapons and nightmare creatures roam the blackest jungle. Hence the Bio-Sciences Division developed a military arm—BioSWAT. BioSWAT agents are trained to deal with any biological threat conceivable, from bio-terrorism to hordes of rampaging mutants. They have also been deployed to several biohazard sites outside the country in recent times, all with superlative results.

Space program

The first Ximean touched space almost 80 years ago. Since then, Ximeans have landed on the moon, sent rovers to every planet in the inner solar system, and sent flyby probes to Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. Flybys of Neptune and Pluto are in the works, as are plans to send rovers to Callisto, Ganymede, Europa, Titan, and Io. Ximea has astronauts in orbit almost continuously, and reusable spacecraft shuttle communications, scientific, weather, and observation satellites into and out of orbit on a weekly basis. Three small, scientific orbital laboratories are in operation more or less continuously, with two more scheduled to be launched in the next decade.

Proprietary Technology

The Ximean Ministry of Science and Technology, and particularly the Bio-Sciences Division, have developed a number of technological advances which benefit Ximea’s citizens every day. A partial list follows.

• Spider Silk: Spiders have been genetically engineered to produce easily-harvested silk, much the same as silkworms. The fiber is used for numerous high-tensile applications.

• Biocide: A combination of chemicals and enzymes which destroy all proteins and genetic material. Biocide is used in decontamination and sterilization processes involving extremely dangerous microbes.

• Synthetic Antibodies: The latest in vaccine technology. Synthetic antibodies can be used to confer emergency immunity to a number of dangerous pathogens and even poisons.

• Organ cloning: Heart disease, lung disease, cirrhosis—all things of the past. Using a person’s own cells, a new organ can be constructed to replace sick or damaged organs—though the process is not cheap.

• Marblecrete: Concrete made with a durable, marble-like surface. Adds a touch of class to any façade.

• PELs: Photo-Electronic Lenses are small, lightweight night-vision devices used primarily by the military and rescue services.

• Stun Baton: A bludgeon which delivers a painful and incapacitating—but non-lethal—jolt of electricity. Used mainly by the police.

• Progel: A moldable solid propellant for use in caseless firearms. It leaves less residue than most caseless propellants currently in use. Currently being fielded on a test basis.

• Toaster Jelly: A nitro compound used in flamethrowers. Despite its thickness, it can be compressed and aerosolized easily, and its droplets stick to any solid surface. It burns long, it burns hot, it burns underwater. A devastating weapon.

• Acoustic Compression Engine: An experimental technology which will use sound to power a turbine. Not all the kinks are worked out yet.

• Tachyon Transceiver: Another experimental technology using the latest advances in quantum mechanics and string theory. When finished, the device could be used to communicate with space-faring societies, helping to propel Ximeans into technological godhood.

History

Prehistory (24,000 BCE to 6,500 BCE)

Anthropologists believe nomadic humans first migrated to the Ximean continent around 26 thousand years ago. The earliest signs of civilization date back to 17,000 BCE; these signs include organized burial sites, agricultural tools, and the remains of large settlements. Around 8,000 BCE, archaeologists believe the Lamprey Cult formed. Not much is known about this cult, though massive, ruined cities and enormous ziggurats can be found buried in jungle vegetation on the South Island and the southern parts of the continent. The cult takes its name from its reverence for the land lamprey; we know that they performed human sacrifices to the creatures in pits within their ziggurats. They developed a very accurate calendar and remarkably advanced medical and ethnopharmacological techniques, some still used today. By 7,000 BCE, small civilizations had begun to appear in the northern part of Ximea, some of which traded with the Lamprey Cult. Within five hundred years, the Lamprey Cult was wiped out by an unknown catastrophe. Many of the dead from this era were not burned or fed to land lampreys in the traditional fashion, indicating that whatever overtook the civilization, it happened very quickly.

The Classical Era (6,500 BCE to 290 BCE)

According to legend the city-state of Xim was founded at the beginning of this period by a warrior of the same name. The legends state that he ruled for an astonishing 131 years, finally dying during an honor duel on the edge of the "Path to the Underworld," now believed to be the caldera of Mount Darwin. The city-state went through a series of dynasties, expanding and contracting over the course of six thousand years.

At the end of the first dynasty, the empire fractured into three new empires, occupying the north, south, and central portions of the continent. The central empire, containing the city-state of Xim, eventually conquered the northern empire, while the southern empire fell into anarchy. For centuries, the wild lands to the south remain outside the empire. The empire itself flourishes.

Eventual military expeditions into the southern jungles bring a devastating plague to the empire, and the second dynasty ends in chaos. The third dynasty begins when the emperor attempts to protect the city of Xim from the plague by cutting off all contact with the rest of the empire. This state lasts for centuries. Around 290 BCE, the rest of the empire has fallen to barbarian hordes. The emperor himself is deposed and replaced by a city council.

The Interregnum (290 BCE to 475 CE)

This era is characterized by peace unknown through most of Ximea's history. The city-state of Xim begins trade with surrounding tribes, and artistic endeavor flourishes. Xim becomes recognized as the cultural and economic center of the entire continent. By the first century CE, Xim establishes contact with other continents, and Buddhism is introduced to local tribes.

The Dark Ages (475 CE to 1400 CE)

Intercontinental trade introduces Christianity to the continent; it quickly rivals Buddhism as the dominant religion. The Christians consolidate their power into a new empire, leading to the Christian Dynasty. Power is concentrated in the hands of the emperor and his cardinals. The imperial bureaucracy very quickly becomes corrupt, and intellectual development grinds to a halt. Records from the era are spotty and rife with revisionism. Several Crusades and Inquisitions are inflicted against the population to root out paganism, Buddhism, heresy, and apostasy.

Rebel organizations begin to form, challenging the church's authority. They are swiftly routed and routinely blamed for plagues and natural disasters. Over centuries, organized dissent becomes so widespread that by 1400 CE, the empire is overthrown again.

The Era of Monarchy (1400 CE to 1500 CE)

The Kingdom of Xim is established in the ancient city of Xim and surrounding areas. The king is a great benefactor of the sciences, and sets up Lyceums for scientific discourse. These later metamorphose into Universities. Meanwhile, the last remnants of the Christian Empire coalesce in the south. They are purged after a bloody war lasting 18 years. After a few major rebellions in the north, the Constitution of Ximea is drawn up, and the Free Land of Ximea is born.

The Modern Era (1500 CE to present)

This era coincides with the rule of the modern Ximean government. It is marked by astounding advances in the sciences, particularly biology. Several plagues swept across the continent, though advances in sanitation and the advent of germ theory were able to mitigate their effects. This era is marked by a complete lack of internecine warfare; as always, intercontinental warfare is rare as well. This era saw Ximea emerging as a major power on the world stage for the first time.

Wildlife

Ximea is known for its lush and verdant jungles and incredible wildlife. Below is a partial listing of plants and animals found only in Ximea.

Flora

• Swamp Melons: Swamp melon plants are aquatic plants which grow in the swamps of Ximea. They produce large, pulpy “fruit” which floats on or near the surface of the water. The fruits, which are not true melons, have a thick, leathery hide with a walnut-sized pit in the center. Swamp melons are edible and are in fact a major agricultural product of Ximea.
• Broadstem Trees: These enormous trees can reach 70 meters high and 10 meters in diameter. Occurring mainly in broadstem forests, these deciduous trees produce valuable lumber, but are revered for their great size and extreme age.
• Flesh-eating Algae: This dangerous algae accumulates on the surface of brackish water in swamp forests and around the shores of certain lowland lakes. It appears as a thick, green layer spread unevenly on the water’s surface, and it produces enzymes which break down animal proteins.
• Choke Scrub: Since there are no grass species native to Ximea, the ecological niche of wild grass has been filled instead by a low-growing, woody, tangled shrub called choke scrub, which thrives in the loose, dry soil of Ximea’s scrublands. The tangled branches are home to a wide variety of insects, arachnids, and small lizards, including the voracious panzer ant, which makes huge colonies among the choke scrub’s root networks.
• Tropical Kelp: This species makes its home in kelp forests in the tropical waters surrounding Ximea. It has the unique ability to grow either anchored to the sea floor or anchored to each other. Gas bags keep its leaves up near the sun, where they can be harvested as a major food product.
• Zuu: Zuu is a creeper-like plant whose thick vines coat nearly every available surface in Ximea’s tropical forests and swamp forests. It grows fast and thick, making passage through the jungles difficult, but it requires a certain amount of moisture to thrive, preventing it from invading the rest of the continent.

Fauna

• Land Lampreys: The dangerous land lamprey is simultaneously Ximea’s national animal, a grave threat to jungle travelers, a delicacy, and a favored pet. An evolutionary offshoot of jawless fish which somehow ended up on land, the land lamprey has a tube-like body ranging from one to three meters long, and seven to thirty-five centimeters at its widest point, near the mouth. It has no limbs; it relies on its prehensile body for locomotion, much like a snake. Unlike a snake, it exhibits radial symmetry and has fifteen small, beady eyes surrounding its circular mouth in groupings of three; its mouth, designed for latching on to larger animals to drain blood, is full of concentric rows of tiny, dagger-like teeth. Its smooth, scale-less skin is beige in young animals and dark brown in adults, and is often used to make wallets, belts and boots.

• Trilobites: These huge, ancient arthropods went extinct everywhere in the world but here in Ximea. Ranging in size from five to thirty centimeters long, these flat, wide-bodied creatures scurry among the underbrush of cycad forests, munching on ferns, insects, and dead animals. Their armored carapace ensures that even the smallest specimens cannot be killed with a mere stomp. If there’s ever a worldwide nuclear holocaust, only Twinkies and trilobites will survive.

• Ammonites: Ammonites are ancient creatures which feed in the kelp forests off Ximea’s shores. Ranging in size from 6 to 50 centimeters in diameter, ammonites are mollusks with circular shells and a beaked mouth surrounded by tentacles. They tend to be omnivorous like the trilobites.

• Blackfin Coelacanths: Another species which escaped extinction in the waters of Ximea, blackfin coelacanths are enormous, prehistoric fish ranging from 30 centimeters to two meters long. Instead of scales, they possess large, heavy plates to protect them from predators. They swim among the tropical kelp feeding on ammonites and small fish. They are a popular dish in Ximea.

• Leatherskins: These are large, semi-aquatic reptiles which inhabit the murky waters of swamp forests. Growing up to five meters long, these gigantic and fast-moving predators represent the top of the food chain, and woe to anyone who gets in their way.

• Reaver Wasps: Reaver wasps are huge, fearsome insects which build their enormous nests among the branches of swamp forests. They are social insects whose worker caste doubles as the soldier caste. Workers are about eight centimeters long; the queen can be up to twelve centimeters. Their sting contains an extremely painful, paralytic toxin. They are fiercely territorial.

• Giant Crabs: Giant crabs are the largest crustaceans in Ximean territory. They can weigh up to 200 kilograms and measure up to two meters wide. They have thick, black shells, which help them to hide among the rock reefs they call their home. Despite their intimidating size and nasty-looking claws, they are slow, harmless creatures, more likely to end up on a dinner plate than to make dinner of a diver.

• Panzer Ants: Panzer ants are another species of deadly social insects found in Ximea. These creatures can be up to a centimeter and a half long, though the queen can reach three centimeters. They congregate in colonies of thousands of individuals among the roots of choke scrubs and attack any animal which comes near their territory. A swarm of panzer ants can reduce a man to bone in two minutes.