Batubatan
East of the Mountains Under Heaven and west of the Kaikuhuran Desert, the many kingdoms of Batubatan circle the Abhira Sea. Famous for their hundreds of kings (most of the kingdoms of Batubatan are ruled by Kings of Kings or Great Kings, while the kings themselves occupy a position more like that of barons or lords in Selentia), their merchants, and their ancient version of the True Faith, the original Humans of Batubatan are now mixed in almost equal numbers with Kattar who have emigrated south from Minj over the centuries. As the mid-point of any journey from Khitai to Tashim Selentia, Batubatan is in many ways the centre of Arda: the mountain called Ardamana (Navel of the World), where Duryadhi the Revealer discovered the Aujuna understanding of the True Faith while in mourning for her husband, can be found in western Durpar.
Khitai
The greatest empire in the world is Khitai, ruled by the Nine Times Emperor who holds the Mandate of Heaven. The Empire of Khitai has existed for over 2500 years, and at its peak expanded as far east as Semphar. At present, however, Khitai is in a slow decline that has lasted centuries, started by the secession of the six northern provinces to form the rival empire of Chiang Long almost four hundred years ago. The bureaucracy of Khitai is considered increasingly corrupt, and there are frequent claims that the Public Examinations are falsified so that the children of the powerful receive high office. The soldiers lack discipline, and the famous Dragon Wall east of the Chukei Plateau no longer holds off warbands from the Khanates as it should. Given this state of affairs, there are some who give credence to claims that the rising popularity of the True Faith is weakening the Empire. However, if it is true that the Empire of Khitai is but a copy of the Celestial Empire, ruled by the Jade Emperor from his palace among the clouds, what turmoil has arisen in the Heavenly Court that causes such changes in the world?
Minj
Homeland of the Kattar, from where they have spread south to Batubatan and Selentia. The kingdoms of Minj are similar to those of Batubatan, except that borders are even more fluid and wars more common. However, these wars do not inhibit the conduct of trade (or piracy, for that matter), as they are generally fought in an honourable manner that occurs in Selentia and Batubatan only in legends of long-past wars. The fey are particularly important in Minj, where they are worshipped as gods by the Kattar: no part of Minj is sufficiently mountainous to support a home for the giants, and thus the gods never settled there.
Mungoda
A wild and uncivilised land, Mungoda is famed as the homeland of the Davinans (though there is little evidence to suggest that there were migrations west to Iloilo and Malatra, and logic suggests that the Davinans were actually driven into those lands by their aggressive neighbours, the Humans and the Kattar). The Bayabao Basin is dominated by Davinan tribes, while the Mungoda Basin is contested by Davinan and Human tribes. Only the Azure Coast on the southwestern edge of Mungoda has cities and roads, as it has been part of the Selentine world for centuries.
Nomad Khanates
Stretching from the Dragon Wall on the border of Khitai to the plains of Western Ranimia and the forests of the Petkenaks, the Khanates are constantly moving and migrating to new pastures and occasionally new conquests. The peoples of the plains are nearly all Humans and Centaurs, and occasionally invade their more settled neighbours for booty or to avoid a more powerful Khanate. Sometimes, Great Khans establish their rule over multiple Khanates: at present, the Khan of the Tuigan is recognised as Great Khan by the Commani and the Khassidai.
Selentia
The lands of Selentia were once part of the Selentine Empire, which at its peak rivalled the Empire of Khitai in influence and authority. Following the decline and disintegration of the Selentine Empire, these kingdoms still share a common bond of culture, language, and most importantly, religion. Gatanades the Saviour established the True Faith during the heyday of the Empire, and Selentia overshadows even Batubatan as the region of Arda with the greatest concentration of believers in the True God. While some of the ancient gods continue to live on their mountains and in their underground domains, they are no longer a part of the world that lies between their realms: it is the True Faith of Gatanades and of Akabah the Illuminate that dominates the Selentine kingdoms.