The northern country of the archipelago.

The northern territory in the archipelago. Arbas Gealith was formed by the merging of two original factions on the island (needs details). Today, the intrinsic philosophies of those factions remains, but there is no legal divide. Instead, membership into one group or another is more aligned to the citizen's personal philosophy. The vociferousness of these philosophies does tend to result social and regional divides.

Arbans tend to favor practical and profitable strategies with an emphasis on self-reliance and purity of labor. Arbans are commonly suspicious of the crystal technology since it represents an unknown in day-to-day life. In political circles, this philosophy tends to be more a function of lip service rather than policy as the technology has long since become a backbone of Arbas Gaelith production.

Gaelians tend to favor a more introspective approach to life. They see the crystals as a curiosity and a mystery to unravel. Debate among Gaelians on the nature of the crystalline technology and the potential for self-awareness is ongoing, and it's from this debate that Sam's research arose. There is currently a growing movement among Gaelians that the use of the crystals needs to be critically examined and perhaps rolled back - a position that some Arban leaders have framed, perhaps somewhat ironically, as a prime example of Gaelian irresponsibility.

The political structure in Arbas Gaelith is a representative republic with the various settlements sending representatives, including the newer member states. In practice, this system is chaotic at the best of times with both groups jockeying for power on every available battlefield, from how representatives are chosen to how votes are tallied. In theory, every member of the republic's counsel has an equal say in decisions, but in practice, the dynamic stream of temporary alliances, the political maneuverings and manipulations of procedure, the horse-trading of favors, and the curation of public opinion determine the victor in any given contest. Thanks to rampant corruption, the republic on paper is a plutocracy in practice as the very wealthy are best equipped to wrangle political advantage.

Neither the Arbans or the Gaelians at large are happy with this state of the political realm, but neither is willing to cede ground to the other to change it.
The most common religion in Arbas Gaelith is [name], a monotheistic view of creation by a sun deity. The approach to devotion varies dramatically between Arbans and Gaelians, with the former more inclined to push for political and legal enforcement of religious philosophies and Gaelians more inclined to limit it to personal and introspective practice.
Most people of Arbas Gaelith (both factions) see Sahalians as cold and unfeeling authoritarians who apply the rule of law without mercy or tolerance for circumstances.

The majority of settlements in the Arbas Gaelith mainland are voluntary and tradition member states whereas only a handful of the neighboring islands can say the same. This is especially true in settlements further south toward Sahaladir as the nations military has stationed garrisons to provide a buffer against Sahalian incursions.

One of the few states not technically under the thumb of Arbas Gaelith is Ithilad, by virtue of its remarkable geographical defenses. A crystal mine was discovered on this island and Arbas Gaelith has negotiated terms with Ithilad to provide naval protection in return for favored trading status for the crystal. The Ithilad tribal leaders know that this is something of a devil's deal, but it so far has helped maintain some stability on the island. This is where Sam conducts her research.