Ertan (pronounced err-TAN) is a province of Viridia. As the most populated region within the Dominion, Ertan is of great importance to the economy of the nation, but the constant and often internecine feuding of the senatorial families of the province has led to significant institutional corruption and graft.
Geography
Ertan encompasses all the lands around the Bay of Ertan, a major body of water connected to the Sea of Ersas. It is bordered to the north by Attalea Major, to the west by Tumunzar and Andera, and to the south by Talliastu. Almost all of Ertan is coastal - nowhere in the province is more than 50 miles from the sea. The shoreline is largely split between rocky and sandy beaches, including many natural harbors in which the port cities of the province are located.
The climate of the province is generally warm. The summer heat is lessened by Ertan's proximity to the sea. Winters bring cooler weather and much rain, but rarely snow.
Settlements
The capital of Attalea Major is Antikaria. Other major settlements in the province include the following:
Inhabitants and culture
As is the case with Viridia as a whole, most of the inhabitants of Ertan are human, though they are joined by large numbers of dwarves, half-elves, half-orcs, and smaller populations of other ancestries. The province is quite cosmopolitan, with a large urban population whose ancestors hailed from around the world, all brought together by the wealth and opportunities for trade in the region.
Ertan is the most densely populated of all Viridian provinces, and as a result control of its cities can be hotly contested by the senatorial families of the Dominion, all in order to reap the benefits of their industry and trade. Many families take to underhanded means to do so, bribing or arranging less than legal arrangements with local or provincial administrators, or else engaging in political machinations against their rivals. The Viridian monarchy has long attempted to clamp down on such practices but success has been limited, in large part as any reforms must be approved by the same senatorial families that they are intended to stop.
Culturally the province is greatly influenced by the traditions and practices of Hellea. Thousands of years ago settlers from Hellea were the first human arrivals in the region, and the impact of their culture has endured the ages, bolstered by close and regular contact with the land across the sea.