The Nations of Autochthonia
Making a map of Autochthon is almost impossible; the metal recesses of the Great Maker's body shift and rotate constantly according to the whim of gear and piston. Entire nations can be pushed miles through his body in a single day. Each of the nations, at any given time, could find itself suddenly neighbors with any other nation. Fortunately, Twilights of the Solar Deliberative have charted the more regular machinations of Autochthon's tectonic innards, so while the entire inner workings have never been mapped, the orbits of the 8 nations are well understood, and transportation between them is as easy as hopping on a designated rail tram. The distinctive customs of each nation, however, have diverged with time.
Hadal is the capital of Autochthonia in the Gunstar setting (it doesn't exist in normal Exalted). It's a large metropolis built on the Pole of Crystal, where Autochthon's brain resides and where the surviving gods live. Most importantly, it's where both the Solar Deliberative and the Fivescore Fellowship meet to decide policy, where the Loom and Realm Defense Grid are housed, and where most of the Elders who are not manning the line spend their time.
Claslat is largest of the of the 8 nations, the most exuberant, the most chaotic, and the only one with a monetary currency and black markets. It's also the most egalitarian nation, with a freer mixing between citizen and Exalt than anywhere else in the universe. Claslat is full of neon signs, market stalls, and the Gladiate, where both mortals and Exalts compete in games of skill and combat to the cheers of screaming fans. Claslat is where most members of the Gunstar Defense Line go when they're off-duty, to grab a drink, catch a show, or hook up with a mortal. Natal is from Claslat.
Estasia is the most militant nation. It's where the principle Flight School for voidfighter pilots is located, and where each Empress class voidfighter was custom built. The mortals of Estasia take pride in being better soldiers than their contemporaries, and make up a greater percentage of the GDL than any other nation. Scarlet is from Estasia.
Nurad lies within a single huge, hollow cavern within Autochthonia. It's gentle slopes are home to the bulk of Autochthonia's minimal natural agriculture (most people survive on a bland nutrient paste culled from tubes in Autochthon's inner walls), hosting both game preserves for Lunar's to hold Hunts in and farms for its livestock (mostly meat-rats). The lower reaches of Nurad are a chaotic jumble of nooks and crannies that form a breeding ground for demons lying low after breaching the outer shell. Useful Hammer is from Nurad.
Yugash is located near one of Autochthon's neural nodes, which form the communication network of the world. Because of this, Yugash is the principle research center for the Deliberative, with large Academies hosting scientists from all nations. Yugash is the most progressive nation; its workers have more free time than most, and they find their lives less regulated. Yugash is the only nation that allows people to routinely raise their own children (though marriage is rare to non-existent; single parents are the norm), giving parents preferential shift-placement to maximize the time between parent and child. Kaja Samri is from Yugash.
Kamak is the wealthiest nation, with the largest mineral reserves. It is a tiny nation housed in many small chambers, and due to this its population is low. Unlike most of Autochthonia, two things are common in Kamak: privacy, and marriage. Almost all Kamaki marry and live with their spouses in small, insular apartments. Child-rearing and religious activities are still conducted communally, to keep the residents from growing too far apart. This, coupled with its wealth, cause most nations to view Kamak as stuck up, decadent, and out of touch with the common Autochthonian. Kamak's orbit near Autochthon's outer shell also puts it at increased risk of demon incursion, and the Solars who guard it put the nation in a state of continual martial law. Saibok Miles is from Kamak.
Jarish is the smallest and most pious nation; a fact that the Deliberative heavily encourages, turning virtually the entire zone into a vast prayer mill. The prayers of Jarish are collected and redirected to feed both the surviving gods of Creation and the Ex Machina of Autochthon, and to increase the motonic respiration of all Exalted. Large refineries have also been built in Jarish to sculpt and reshape Autochthon's sub-ministers into forms that the Deliberative finds more useful. Diamond-tooth Jane is from Jarish.
Gulak is the most diverse nation, with a long tradition of free speech (and heresy). Gulak's citizens are organized into Clades, which are somewhere between giant families, street gangs, and religious groups. People from Gulak tend to identify with their Clade over their nation; a very unpatriotic attitude! Gulak also has the largest population of any nation, and the largest ratio of Mortal to Exalt. Mortals are granted higher standing in Gulak than anywhere else, performing many of the functions that are elsewhere handled (more efficiently) by exalts. Gulak also serves the finest food in Autochthon, and has the best trained entertainers. Caska is from Gulak.
Sova is perched over vast volcano fields, and its principle export is molten metal. Because of this, life in Sova is dangerous even without demon incursion or heretical riots, and its people are fierce, hardy, and independent. Sova houses the soulgem archives, where the memories of the dead are entombed and categorized, including those of former Exalted. The great and wise come to Sova to commune with the past. Ghost of Heaven is from Sova.
