Lots of small, relatively independent islands. Looks like Germany before the Confederation.
Relatively open political process and political freedom. It is normally to easy for people to leave an island if they don't like the politics.
Oceana has a wide mixture of political groups. These range from democracies to kleptocracies.
These are organizations that are not governments, but have a huge influece over how the world works. In Earth terms they would include the Red Cross, World Trade Organization, the old Communist Party, major multinational corporations and such.
These are organizations that are not governments, but have significant influence over how the world works, or have a huge influence for a particular region. While their influence is only local or regional, they are known world wide. In Earth terms, these would include major employers in a city or region, MAFIA families,
These are generally single organizations that are top of the line in their field. In the overall scheme of things they are not really all that important, but they are considered house hold names on Oceana. They are included and detailed more for a rich background than for neccesaity. Feel free to copy these organizations directly into your campaign.
Christy's Auction House
Christy's is the premier auction service in Oceana. Auctions are held on the first of the month, every month at the House's office in XXXXXX. If you have a magic item other than a potion or scroll, this is where it will be sold most efficiently. Items are normally listed in the catalog starting six months before the actual auction. This gives their world wide clientel sufficient time to travel to the auction. The auction house takes a 10% cut of the final bid. If you need to sell an item sooner, it can auctioned off at any of the upcoming monthly auctions sooner. The catch is the
There have been in Oceana's 3,000 year history many organizations that have existed. Most of them passed into history and are barely of interest to scholars. There are other organizations that were politically, economically or militarily powerful and still are of interest. Examples from Earth history are the Knights Templar.
These are companies, groups, etc that are interesting in a role playing sense. Most have no power out side of their local area.
When people need monsters stopped they call Beowulf: Investigations. When some slimy thing grabs your child, you call Beowulf: Investigations. When a cult of Worm worshipers steals you grandmother and wants to sacrifice her after a night of ritualistic orgies, you call Beowulf: Investigations. No task to big, no thing to ugly and most importantly no payment to large….Here at Beowulf: Investigations We sleep with one eye open so you don’t have to. courtesy: Lantern from BESM boards
City-State
Outside of s proper, hereditary nobles rule the land. Each noble has a specific territory that can not be divided or combined. The eldest son inherits. If there are no sons, the title passes to the oldest daughter, but her husband can not hold title to any other land. When a daughter has to take title, she is married off to a younger son of another noble since an eldest son would have to give up their claim to land from the son’s father.
The peasant farmers own the majority of the actual land. The peasant farmers owe taxes in kind (percentage) and in labor. It is illegal for a noble to take such land. If the peasant fails, or is unable to pay taxes, the noble must sell it to another non-noble.