Auxesia: Geographical Info

Auxesia is a fertile land with a mild climate that produces more of Hemera's food than any other continent. Farmers and ranchers work the arable land, which covers most of the nation. It is divided into the New California Province in the west, the Silva Province in the southeast, and the Evansland Province in the northeast.

Major cities:

Pherusa - This was the site of the first colony established on Hemera, where the first lander from the Aurora mission set down. It is a site of ancient and profound history for most Hemerans, and visitors from other nations will often come to witness its monuments and see the reconstructions of what early life might have been like for the first human settlers. Pherusa's libraries hold a great deal on terraforming, space travel, and what is known of ancient Earth. The architecture of Pherusa is impressive, but utilizing simple lines and shapes, as if to suggest humility and humble beginnings that grew into something more through hard work and perseverance. Pherusa remains the capital of Auxesia today and is home to its parliament.

Damia -

Point Avern - A prime vacation spot, Point Avern is known for its gorgeous views, beautiful cliffs, and vast coral reefs with a wide variety of colorful sea life. Hiking, scuba diving, and boating are all popular pastimes in Point Avern. It's also a fairly big trade and financial center.

Astril - Home to the largest population of Andalusian immigrants outside of Andalus, ships from Andalus, particularly the northern isles, commonly put in at Astril's harbor. The city has a relatively strong connection with the island nation, though they still maintain a great deal of secrecy. The immigrants maintain and share a good deal of their home culture, including food, clothing, and art, but very little is said about political, economical, or social structure on the islands.

Evan's Crossing - "The Path Through Paradise" as some fancifully call it, Evan's Crossing is home to an undersea hyperloop transit between Auxesia and Elysia. The two nations have had a fairly peaceful relationship for much of Hemera's history, despite Elysia's aggressive tendencies, and have rarely found themselves at odds. Thus Evan's Crossing has continued to be a much-traveled trade route for centuries, and here one can see the many things that both cultures have in common. In particular, Evan's Crossing is known as a fantastic place to sample a wide variety of foods, from the spicy food of eastern Auxesia to the tropical, tangy and citrus flavors of Elysia, but also examples of foods from other continents across the planet as well.

Highfield - This city sits on a high but fertile plateau, near where the waters of the Mulrennan River tumble down to the plains over Felice Falls. Highfield is known for its horse breeding, and for centuries it has held an annual rodeo and horse races that are attended by people from all over Hemera. There's a bit of a cowboy culture here, as well as the second largest population of Native American descendants from ancient Earth on the planet. (Andalus is said to have quite a number of them as well.)

Jerun - The center of agriculture in Auxesia, many tons of crops pass through here on their way to the coastal ports and big cities. Anything that can be grown in Auxesia's climate can be found here, and many things that require special conditions as well. The city is known for its fascinating architecture - the beautiful towering spires that dot the outskirts of the city are actually silos, holding vast quantities of grain and other crops.

South Bay - A coastal city in a temperate climate, South Bay retains some of the culture of similar cities in the United States on old earth, such as Boston and the Oregon coast. A popular winter pastime is storm-watching, when the waves and stormclouds roll in; residents and visitors alike will gather next to warm fireplaces and large glass windows to sip hot cocoa and watch the rain pelt down. South Bay is known for being a very green and rainy city most of the year round.

Major rivers: The Mulrennan River is the longest on Hemera, and while its Felice Falls are not the highest, they are among the most beautiful of the planet's waterfalls. The Castor and Pollux Rivers flow near Evan's Crossing, the Kawaguchi flows northwest toward Astril, the Stefani River opens on the sea near Damia, and three major rivers mark the southern coast from west to east: the Holland, the Silva, and the Santos Rivers.

Cornucopia Mountains: One of the lower mountain ranges on Hemera, these peaks shelter a number of large plateaus in their midst, which provide excellent farmland for crops that grow well at a high altitude or in cooler temperatures. The mountains are known for the mists that hide their highest reaches for much of the year, as well as their ideal climate for coffee beans in particular.

Golden Plains: The vast majority of Auxesia's farmland is found on these central plains, in the province of New California. With gently rolling hills and fields of gold and green, it is filled with smaller cities and farming towns and many acres of crops of every kind imaginable.

Silver Forest: The Silver Forest is a dense, temperate forest that covers much of southeastern Auxesia. It is home to those who prefer a quite life and keep to themselves, with a few small towns dotted here and there.