Since this is my first blog post, I’d better introduce myself. I’m Ed, and I’m responsible for creating, editing, and maintaining the wiki for Amare in Bellum. We envisage this to be the repository for lore, backstory, and character profiles, and something that players can consult if they wish to know more about the girls, or any of the locations mentioned in the game. Right now this is still a work in progress and not ready for public consumption, but the production of articles is proceeding apace. This means that I can share some of the details of the countries involved in the wider setting of Amare in Bellum, and their relevance to the storyline. I’m sorry it’s a lot of WORDSWORDSWORDS and no pictures, but our artists have better things to be doing at the minute as we finalize our preparations for Act 1.
Rhen-Palait is the home country of the main character Vincent, as well as the girls Vyra, Sybil, and Amelia. Formed by the merger of the separate countries Rhen and Palait almost three hundred years ago, Rhen-Palait’s history is mainly characterized by violence and war, and as such it has grown into a totalitarian dictatorship headed by the oppressive political party known as the People’s Unification Front (PUF). Whilst powerful both economically and militarily due to its vast reserves of natural resources and high population, it suffers from chronic underdevelopment; the majority of its citizens still work as manual labourers and tradesmen in fields such as farming, mining, and factory production lines. It is currently at war with Baharistan, and it is this war which prompted Vincent’s conscription into the Rhelvian army. Their armed forces outnumber those of any other civilised nation by a considerable degree, but tend to be poorly equipped and trained.
Baharistan is Julia’s home country, and is the “enemy” in the ongoing war with Rhen-Palait. Smaller than Rhen-Palait and considerably less well-endowed with natural resources, its economy is almost entirely focused on service provision and highly-skilled professions. It is a world leader in almost all fields of scientific research and technological advancement, and its citizens enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world. The Bahari government is a technocratic democracy – a relevant and accredited professional qualification is a prerequisite for serving in a cabinet role in the government, and numerous committees and advisory bodies have entrenched themselves into the legislative process. This sometimes leads to bureaucratic red tape delaying important decisions, but does ensure that they are always taken with the greatest care and consideration for their impact. The Bahari armed forces are relatively limited in numbers, but are well trained and equipped with the latest in battlefield innovations. They specialise in guerrilla and covert operations, but can be relied upon to give an excellent account of themselves in any combat situation.
Rhenish Braque is the nation in which most of Amare in Bellum is set – it is the country in which Marin, the setting of the game and the administrative headquarters of the government taskforce handling the influx of refugees, is located. The region of Braque declared independence from Rhen at the same time the two countries formally merged, and it retained the old governmental structure of Rhen including its monarchy. A small but proud nation steeped in tradition, it houses many areas of historical and natural interest, and tourism forms a major part of its economy. Its government is a constitutional elective monarchy, in which all citizens are given de facto freedom to choose the next monarch after the death or abdication of the previous one. Despite its historical ties to Rhen-Palait, Rhenish Braque is neutral – its safety is ensured through membership of the League of Non-Aligned Nations, an influential confederacy of nations across the world who are committed to non-interference in the affairs of other nations, and to offering mutual military aid to any member who might come under attack by a hostile aggressor. As part of its commitment to this agreement, Rhenish Braque maintains a small standing army of well-trained soldiers, but the war has caused a calamitous downturn in the Braquian economy, meaning that their army is nowhere near as well-equipped as it could be.
