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

Laiarta
Running the huge nearest-equatorial strip of land east to west, this Area is richest in the summer and rainy seasons, when the crops flourish and the racing is at its peak. Comprised of nearly 90% grazing and grasslands, Laiarta is the slowest-paced and most varied of the world's populace. Hisai rests on the north half of the great River Kolm, which combines the northern tributaries of Emer, Jeteb and the eastern Low River into a gigantic delta of pure water. Hisai and Teklel in Reimal are twin cities, built at the same time and by the same groups originally. Relying on water transport, fishing, industry and racing, Hisai is clearly the leader in many venues. North in the small strip of the Stetil Deep Forest, Abto uses the woods for its livelyhood. Bital and Evou, Voket, and Jokan all rest west of the marshlands splitting Laiarta, and all are farm communities with tremendous Racing influence during the dry seasons. North of the marshland Isso is a large racing community. East of the marshes and mainly situated on the coasts of the Area, Obim, Deng, W'mto, Qati, Nekum, Xirh and Cael are the other cities of some midling to small size. Rhe'an is in the middle of the whole Laiarta Peninsula Bulb, and is a major hoverport station for any east-west travel.

Unincorporated Population: almost 1 million people live along the shores and equatorial fishing areas of Laiarta. The land is just prime for it, though most of these people would prefer that others not know how prime. Very few of these folks do any Steeding, however, and some very few of them even live among the huge ancient trees in the west.

Hisai: One half of the Twin Jewels of the river Kolm. A sparkling and still-modern looking city, even though it and its sister Teklel are almost 9 thousand years old! The buildings tend to be bright, high, shining ones, with many windows and lots of Bond companies which make money cleaning them. In fact, there are more Bayaran in this city than just about anywhere on the planet. Many of them work the sanitary routes. Most are proud of it. This city tends to be more rural only to the east and directly on the water front, the streets in the main city are largely for vehicles, rather than Steeds.
Earthly Equivalent: Most like a fine tourist town in Hawaii
Founded in 2000 Population: 1.38 Million
SM: .1 VM: x5 Pronounced "hees-eye"

Rhe'an: With the wide land of the Laiartan Bulb all around it, it was no wonder people desired a central place. Rhe'an was born of roadways and hoverports, but has long been established as a tight community of Steed workers and those who just love animals and pleasant air
Earthly Equivalent: Farming town
Founded in 6437 Pronounced "ree-ahn"
Population: 800150 SM: .5 VM: x4

Obim: With many good Steed boarding places here, there are always bets being made, and lost. The Weeping Gulf might be weeping because of that alone. However, it's got a great image of the eternal falling fog from several of the low hillside homesteads and the few businesses facing north.
Earthly Equivalent: An eastern Seaboard village, only warmer
Founded in 4883 Pronounced "oh-beam"
Population: 430000 SM: .7 VM: x3

Isso: Steeds and more Steeds. Not the flying kind, either. Many of the sturdiest ground Steeds are bred here, and nice tempered ones too. They like the city as much as the people. Many of the outlying roads have only been paved for them. The hoverport will be a boon, it will be in the only bustling part of town.
Earthly Equivalent: pick a friendly Horse town in the South
Founded in 8282 Pronounced "ee-so"
Population: 320000 SM: .7 VM: x3

Jokan: Centrally located. Every year most Steed boards come through here for new tack and contact information. The best part is the racing near the end of the rainy season, when the winds are perfect and everyone comes to look at the town. It's only a few miles away from the track, please come see it! This is where one of the colony ships let down, by the way. There is a small memorial to it, but the ship itself is long gone. The pace of life has changed very little since then.
Earthly Equivalent: Just a town, quite like a mid-west corn town
Founded in year 3 Pronounced "joe-con"
Population: 201000 SM: 1 VM: x3

Qati: Right on the water, this town takes in a lot of beach recreation and is one of the few cities in the world whose income is almost solely devoted to water sports. Watching water is considered a sport, by the way. There are two over-sea Steed courses, and word has it that there will be surfing and skiing soon. Steed para-sailing is becoming oddly popular.
Earthly Equivalent: La Jolla in the Early Days
Founded in 6241 Pronounced "kah-tee"
Population: 125000 SM: 1 VM: x3

Voket: One of the widest Zones for one of the smaller of the towns. There is no town. There are people here all the time, many hunting or breeding Steeds, feeding them and loading up on gossip, but when the day ends, very little is left to say but "the next neighbor is three miles away. you wanna ask them over?"
Earthly Equivalent: Somewhere in Canada, only much warmer year round Pronounced "vok-ett" with the vo as in "vogue"
Founded in 8000 Population: 96000 SM: 1.5 VM: x2
Xirh: is little more than a Zucan Trade Port, some boats and trucks to haul stuff away to other cities
Earthly Equivalent: the Docks of any major city
Founded in 9930 Pronounced "zeer" with a drawn out r sound
Population: 65000 SM: 1.5 VM: x2

Deng: Right in the middle of the stretch. This town is used mostly for Steeding, and nearly everything there revolves around this fact. There are probably only a dozen businesses or homesteads which don't have Steed stables next to them, and those aren't looked on very kindly.
Earthly Equivalent: A slice of green anywhere in the world
Founded in 2165 Population: 58000 SM: 1.5 VM: x2

Abto: The only city in Laiarta to be fully in forest lands. Abto exports fine wood crafts including many Steed harneses and tack. Even so, it's rarely seen except by older tourists.
Earthly Equivalent: It's a collection of rural villages
Founded in 9800 Population: 51000 SM: 1.5 VM: 1

Nekum: With a little work, Nekum might become quite a Steed town. There are a few up and coming race designers eyeballing the low rolling cliffs off the Zuca Channel and even thinking the unthinkable: a Channel flight.
Earthly Equivalent: It's got a light house, that's about as close as it gets Pronounced "neck-oom"
Founded in 6466 Population: 30000 SM: 1.5 VM: 1

Bital: Wooded hillsides make this place a pretty retirement community.
Earthly Equivalent: Scotland, parts that are not always chilly
Founded in 2702 Pronounced "beet-ahl"
Population: 22000 SM: 1/5 VM: 1

W'mto: Below the ever foggy Weeping Gulf, W'mto makes its living off the sea, actually exporting many of the rare stones and shells which are found only there. Pink Shell is found here, in sizable quantities.
Earthly Equivalent: A stormy coastline off Maine
Founded in 2480 Pronounced "whim-toe"
Population: 17500 SM: 2x VM: 1

Evou: At the head of a tributary to the Kolm. Evou has a race course which most young people are finding fun, but if they want a challenge, they'll have to go elsewhere. It's like mini golf. Not the real thing.
Earthly Eqivalent: A very large mini golf course...
Founded in 3587 Pronounced "ee-vo" with the vo as in "vogue"
Population: 12000 SM: 2x VM: 1

Cael: Relying on the marshy ground and the rich soils, mulch and fertilizer are exported from here. Steed boarding is the primary income for some, but there's always leftovers.
Earthly Equivalent: it's a shit farm...
Founded in 8700 Pronounced "kay-ell"
Population: 6500 SM: 2x VM: 1