The World, it's structure, Lands, Areas, Cities

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Polaen
The largest Area in Curra, with a similar constitution as Altem (with its tundra, plains, and mountains) only in hugely different proportions! The upper west edge of the Area is tundra, and nothing in it other than wind and snow. South of there, the huge dark forest containing Keri, Zuoth, Behat, Coori, Terena and Wivir never quite allows itself to be dominated by human habitation. All this wood is very hardy and beautiful, some of the sap is used for foods and resins in building, and is exported in great amounts -- but nothing can seem to diminish the sheer volume of it! Across the middle of the Area is the Curra Range, where G'lan and Rook are the only viable cities. The peaks are unfriendly and rugged, most of them sharp and covered in snow year round. The entire southern half of Polaen is excellent farm land and Racing areas, with the River Step separating the west from the east. Prin, Oopet, Mada, Umtl, Spimlo, Woth and Virl are all the cities found on this rich plain.

Unincorporated Population: just less than 1 million, and we all know where they live… That gigantic plain is riddled with ruins - only the "nice" one was found by those wealthy land Holders. Some of these communities live underground, and several of them have been known to harbor Renegade slaves, in the northern woodlands.

Mada -- the largest city in Polaen, half again as large as Keri! This locale is perfect for Races, being backed up against the mountains of Polaen and with the windswept grasslands to the south. Year round activity in the city is high, and there are four main Steed events a year which attract another million people! (Yes, that many!) This means much business for the inns and hotels, and even more for the betting casinos and such. On the off seasons, though, Breeding and gossip rule the city. Most buildings here are upright, cement, and efficient, the buildings aren't what people are here to see!
Earthly equivalent: picture Saryevo before it was leveled, and made into a huge metropolis
Founded in year 1 Population: 1.89 million SM: .3 VM: x3

Keri: Nestled among higher hillsides and deeper woods, Keri and its attendant two hundred mile Zone are a Steed Breeders' paradise. Every terrain is available here, rocky ledges and steep hillsides, smooth grasslands, high-wind aerials, and difficult to master steeple chase obstacle courses around the woods. The temperature is mild and rarely over hot, but in the winter it does often snow hard for several days in a row, and lighter constantly for much of the season. The city itself is difficult to describe simply because not all of it can be seen at any one time. Rural homes and farmsteads pocket the hillsides, then a sudden concourse of 3-5 story buildings and old Gothic style brickwork abound. If anything can be said of Keri, it is to expect the unexpected!
Earthly equivalent: mix Denver and a mideval German village and add lots of people Founded in 5500
Population: 980000 SM: .5 VM: x3

Terena: Quite the opposite of its next largest sister city Keri, Terena is a very obvious urban zone, high buildings and close blocks, narrow streets but well-designed. The city is divided into quadrants, the northern a more High Holder area, where the buildings tend to be modern and high security, western with the Steed in mind, open and with wider streets, southern is the business district with bustling streets and many small FreeLandHolder's efforts running by on carts, and the eastern area with the administrative and betting sections. Off the city limits are rural spreads among the trees, and beyond that who knows? It's impossible to see more than a few hundred meters in the Terena woodlands.
Earthly equivalent: Portland Oregon
Founded in 7000 Population: 730000 SM: .7 VM: x3

Oopet: Settled long ago, with the most eye for beauty in homesteading, Oopet is an excellent Race area. There are several dozen small and at least three large racing courses in and around the city Zone. The homes tend to be separated by a lot of space, the city itself while large in populace is mostly suburban and rural. The inner city is modern and made mostly for the visiting tourists and bettors. Otherwise, the whole place is a dusty green color, the feed grasses lending their seed with the summer winds makes a beautiful (if pollen-allergy-inducing) sight.
Earthly equivalent: any suburban zone of a well cultivated landscape
Founded in 3186 Population: 550000 SM: .7 VM: x3

Virl: Braced against the huge hills of the Curra range, and with the whole southern plain flattening out beyond, Virl is excellent training, racing and Breeding land for Steeds. Five huge courses dominate the lands which also are spotted with farms and hydro-gardens. The city is nearly nonexistant during non-racing seasons, but bustles otherwise. The inner city is small, compact and has many housing units for Slaves and Bayaran traveling with their Owners and such, most of those people have places to stay otherwise.
Earthly equivalent: none Pronounced "vur-ll"
Founded in 6600 Population: 170000 SM: 1 VM: x2

Zuoth: Bordered on the tundra, not the most pleasant place for those who like to be warm. Well insulated homes and buildings are built here, nothing extravagant nor flashy, the weather proves too much for those fragile things like 'windows' and 'balconies'.
Earthly equivalent: picture postcard northern wilderness
Founded in 5626 Pronounced "zoo-oth"
Population: 140000 SM: 1 VM: x2

Woth: Farmland and retirement homes, mostly, with the occasional flurry of Racing. Woth is sedate, very low to the ground and mostly traditional in nature, the streets are wide and the homes are all connected to them. As a city, the place is obvious and pretty, but there is no focus at all to the buildings.
Earthly equivalent: somewhere in Florida, there's this place
Founded in 8163 Population: 105000 SM: 1 VM: x2

Wivir: Chilly and designed for mostly summer activity, the main use of Wivir is for exporting wood, and it is the usual stop for transportation before hitting Rook.
Earthly equivalent: that town where Northern Exposure is filmed
Founded in 1350 Population: 97000 SM: 1 VM: 1

Behat: Cold and crisp, year round. The buildings here are mostly tight in an archology, for such a small town the place is very modern. Some premier Breeders are set up here, because of the privacy the locale offers, so transportation and communications are becoming more necessary to assist them.
Earthly equivalent: none Pronounced "bee-hot"
Founded in 5500 Population: 84000 SM: 1 VM: 1

G'lan: Among the peaks is a spot of green, actually most of the Curra range is forested, but this part is just extra pretty. It is a short hop down the cliffsides to Astel/Imat, and that is usually where people get their food and sundries from.
Earthly equivalent: anywhere in logging country Colorado
Founded in 6800 Pronounced "guh-lan"
Population: 60000 SM: 1 VM: 1

Prin: A fine feeding zone, little more. Most of the population exists to feed Steeds or people, mainly are Free Workers or Land Holders, very few others are needed here.
Earthly equivalent: you know those little roadside stands, in the middle of nowhere? This is there. Founded in 6350
Population: 53000 SM: 1 VM: 1
Umtl: One of the only known areas of the world to have already been settled by the natives (possibly by other space farers, no one knows exactly), and the one obvious ruin is Held by Endar Mailala. The hillsides are smooth and lovely, and most Homesteads, while usually within a stone's throw of one another, are separated visually by these hills. It seems that most of the Holders here, be they Land or High or anyone inbetween, seems unable to destroy the countryside with things like 'modern' buildings.
Earthly equivalent: British Isles heather country hillsides complete with castles! Pronounced "uhm-till"
Founded in 2120 Population: 51500 SM: 1 VM: 1
Spimlo: Rivertown, making their living with fisheries and stone quarries. There is racing nearby and farming in excess, but much of the habited area is near the river Step. Wood and stone dominate the homes.
Earthly equivalent: Practically a Nile village, more modern
Founded in 7700 Population: 51000 SM: 1 VM: 1

Rook: Above it all, looking down sharp cliffs on nearly all sides. Rook is dangerous to live in but profitable to do so. The air is very clean and crisp, and many broadcasting stations have generators here. Wind farms and a very little mining are other places to work. The city itself is a mass of homes huddled for warmth, with one or two High Holder's steads poking out like sore thumbs.
Earthly equivalent: as above Founded in 2679
Population: barely 50000 SM: 1 VM: 1

Coori: A woodland paradise, warm and snug, and willing to keep itself that way. Fiercely defends itself from modernization and has become the last resort of the old guard of traditional homesteaders. It won't remain small, but it will remain as rural as it can be.
Earthly equivalent: skiing town during off season
Founded in 7950 Population: 22000 SM: 1.5 VM: 1