The Factions of the Belt

Bathed in near-perpetual twilight, the Belt is split into three main factions, each with one of the more powerful nations at their heads. Ideologically, these factions are split based upon the future of the Belt that each nation wishes to see. In practice, however, the membership of a nation within each faction is determined as much by geography as it is by actual ideology. Some nations have also forged their own path outside of these factions, and remain unaligned.

The Federalists wish to unite the Belt into a single nation, albeit one where local governments still have a moderate amount of autonomy.

The Confederates believe that he nations of the Belt should maintain their overall independence and govern themselves, but that greater cooperation between them is necessary for mutual prosperity.

The Independents feel that the status quo should be maintained, with the nations of the Belt determining all their policies as they see fit, without a need to adhere to any sort of community.

During the early days of the Mercury War, it became clear quickly that not all nations in the Belt were created equal. The distribution of resources, populations, cultures, and other factors all gave the various governments their own strengths and weaknesses. During this conflict, however, the Belt united into one force that was capable of holding its own against the allied nations of Umbria. But this cooperation was severely strained and limited by existing tensions and disagreements.

In this cooperation, Metropolis saw a potential superpower. If the disparate factions of the Belt could put aside their differences and share the benefits of their various strengths, the resulting nation would be far stronger than the ancient Solarian Empire and the infant nations of Umbria. Metropolis has been attempting to do so ever since and the nations of Airaind, Eralest, Bariathon, and Inden have already made steps toward full integration.

Led by the nation of Entrine, the Confederate faction likewise agree that cooperation between the nations of the Belt is necessary, but disagrees with the approach of total unification. Instead, it believes that each nation should retain its autonomy, but strive to maximize the benefits of cooperation with its neighbors. This may take the form of trade agreements, defensive alliances, and joint military exercises.

The nations of Argorin, Ladrestir, Kalon, and Lyzum agree with this approach and have joined Entrine in leading by example. Though it lacks the centralization that Metropolis seeks to enforce, the Confederate bloc has proven itself a capable force in its own right, and in some cases can even outperform their more unified rivals by leveraging their more separate natures.

The push to increase cooperation within the Belt was not well-received by all, and several nations have pushed back against what they feel to be threats to their autonomy. Chief amongst them is the fiendish nation of Thraven, which maintains that any cooperation between the nations should be on a case-by-cases basis based on mutual benefit. The nations of Cataros, Egron, and Sirisea likewise seek to minimize their ties.

Far less unified than any other faction by its nature, the Independents maintain their relevance through individual deals with the various powers in line with their needs and goals. Further, while the lesser nations of this faction have no formal defensive agreements, their proximity and friendliness to Thraven makes them poor targets for any nation that does not wish to go to war with its fiendish legions.

Some nations in the Belt have no interest in participating in the competition between factions, and have the strength to make forcing their involvement undesirable. The nations of Maelstrom and Church maintain their own goals separate from those of their neighbors, while the nation of Nith is unable to consider joining a faction due to its subjugation by Church.