Shenzen

Shenzen, the largest landmass in the Counterwise Region, is known locally as "The Land of Three Kingdoms", though it has been a unified nation since late in the old Alliance era. Modern-day Shenzen is known for its exotic spices and well-preserved ancient ruins, its unique local culture, and the wondrous legends that still circulate about it' distant history.

Modern Shenzen

Modern-day Shenzen is a constitutional parliament which retains an emperor as a powerless figurehead. One curious eccentricity of the state is the way the emperor is not even paid for his position, and is in fact a middle-class working man. While no one would ever argue that Shenzen's government works "well", it has a semi-command economy which lets it respond to market forces while also maintaining local wealth. Shenzen is unique on Aren in the New Day era for having its own currency strong enough to exchange for Gate Credits and Wingbeats.

Shenzen's chief industries are tourism and spice production. The island is food-self-sufficient and sometimes exports food as well.

Population

Because of its status as an island, Shenzen is also uncommon on Aren for having a unique ethnographic population. Comprised of two major haplo-groups, typical facial features include high but rounded cheekbones and slit-shaped eyes. Skincolors are generally darker tending towards more yellowish. Shenzen has a population in the New Day era of around 750,000,000; notably low for the land area.

Necromancer Population

Around ten percent of the population of Shenzen are necromancers, who while sharing many physical features in common with the locals, still comprise a unique haplogroup. Shenzen Necromancers are considered a unique tribe within the greater necromancer population, and have their own version of the sacred texts and lore.

History

Ancient History

Shenzen contains many ruins that can be dated to Antiquity, but these are unique and do not match the style of other ruins known to belong to The Ancients.