Earth in 2097: A Global Overview

United Canadian and American States (UCAS)

The UCAS, a remnant of the old United States and Canada, is a technocratic democracy dominated by corporate influence. The Great Awakening and Matrix crashes have left the nation struggling to maintain its identity amid economic and political turbulence. Washington D.C. remains the political heart, but real power lies with the megacorporations that control vast swathes of the country. The UCAS is a hub for technological innovation and arcano-tech research, but it faces constant tension between its corporate overlords and a restless population.

Confederate American States (CAS)
The CAS, spanning much of the old Southern United States, is a fiercely independent entity, marked by regional pride and a strong military presence. Atlanta is its thriving economic center, though Texas often finds itself at odds with the rest of the CAS, especially with regard to relations with Aztlan and its ambitions to expand northward. While the CAS is technologically advanced, it faces internal divisions and the ever-present threat of Aztlan aggression.

Aztlan
Aztlan, once Mexico, now extends its influence across all of Central America, save for the Panama Canal, which remains under corporate control. The nation is heavily intertwined with Aztechnology, the most powerful megacorporation in the region, which effectively runs the government. Aztlan's aggressive expansionist policies have led to conflicts with both CAS and various resistance movements throughout Central America. Meanwhile, the Yucatán Peninsula is a brutal battleground between Aztlan forces and powerful awakened beings, a conflict that threatens to spill over into neighboring regions.

Lesser Powers:

• Quebec: An independent, French-speaking state that seceded from the UCAS. It maintains a staunchly anti-corporate stance, though this has made it a prime target for espionage and sabotage.
• California Free State: Technologically advanced and fiercely independent, California is a land of opportunity and chaos. San Francisco serves as a global hub for innovation, but the state is plagued by gang violence, political corruption, and constant pressure from its powerful neighbors.
• Tír Tairngire: A reclusive, elven-led nation in the Pacific Northwest that exerts influence far beyond its borders, often supporting Indigenous groups and magical communities in subtle ways. Known for its powerful mages and ancient knowledge, Tír Tairngire is both an enigma and a thorn in the side of its neighbors.
• Caribbean League: The Caribbean League is a loose coalition of island states struggling to maintain autonomy amidst the looming shadow of Aztlan and the corporate powers. The region is a vibrant, multicultural melting pot but is also rife with piracy, smuggling, and corporate espionage. The League’s fragile unity is frequently tested by internal rivalries and the growing influence of megacorporations looking to exploit the region’s resources and strategic location.
• Native Nations: The Algonkian-Manitou Council, Salish-Shidhe Council, Sioux Nation, Athabaskan Council, and Tsimshian Protectorate each hold significant sway over their territories, drawing on deep wells of magical power from their connection to the land. These nations often clash with surrounding states over territorial disputes and magical resources, but their true strength lies in their ability to harness the awakened forces of nature. The Pueblo Corporate Council (PCC), a technologically advanced and heavily magic-influenced nation, occupies parts of the Southwest and plays a delicate balancing act between its corporate interests and native roots.

South America: A Continent in Flux

Aztlan’s Reach:
Aztlan dominates much of northern South America, using its corporate might to control the region’s resources. The Amazon Basin is a contested zone, with environmentalists, indigenous tribes, and awakened creatures fighting a desperate battle against corporate exploitation.

Brazil:
A powerful but fragmented state, Brazil grapples with its own internal divisions, caught between the influence of Aztlan, local corporations, and the awakened jungle.

The Andean Nations:
Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador remain isolated from much of the continent’s turmoil, focusing on harnessing the region’s rich magical resources. These nations have formed a loose alliance with the TCA to protect their interests from Aztlan and other external threats.

Chile:
A staunchly independent and technologically advanced nation, Chile is a regional power in the TCA’s shadow. It broke away from the alliance in recent decades but remains vigilant against external threats, especially from Aztlan and Aztechnology.

The Guianas:
The Guyana-Suriname-Guiana region is closely linked to the European Union and serves as a launch point for EU space operations. This European foothold in South America is a beacon of stability and a hub for technological and arcano-tech research.

Europe: United but Divided

European Union:
Europe has become a single political entity, with a pan-European identity overshadowing traditional nation-states. This unity, however, masks a deeper dependence on megacorporations, which wield the real power. Regions maintain their cultural distinctiveness, but politics is dominated by corporate interests. Europe is a hub for arcano-tech research, finance, and cultural production, with cities like Berlin, Paris, and Prague leading the way.

Scandinavian Union:
A socialist dystopia where all basic needs are met, the Scandinavian Union is hailed by some as a utopia of equality. However, personal freedom is limited, and any dissent is swiftly suppressed. Most of the population lives under the watchful eye of AI systems and bioroid enforcers, while a small percentage actually works in traditional roles. The Awakening is weak here, and the government ruthlessly suppresses any magical occurrences that could disrupt their tightly controlled society.

British Isles:
The British Isles, outside the European Union, are a place of stark contrasts. England, dominated by corporate greed and a crumbling social order, stands in stark opposition to the rest of the Isles, where ancient magic and a resurgent Celtic identity have brought chaos and conflict. The clash between modernity and tradition plays out in dramatic fashion across the region, with magical creatures and spirits returning to a land that barely understands them.

Russia: 
Russia is a land of contrasts, balancing centralized political control in its core regions with the mystical resurgence of ancient powers in the vast, remote wilderness of Siberia and the Far East. While Moscow maintains a firm grip on urban centers and economic powerhouses, the Awakening has unleashed unpredictable magical forces in the countryside. Corporations like EVO and Neo-RusTechnologies operate as influential players in arcano-tech development and resource extraction, often beyond government oversight. Russia's future hangs in the balance as it navigates a complex interplay of modernity and ancient mysticism.

Africa: Power and Awakening

Nigeria:
Nigeria is the leading power in West Africa, using its vast resources, technological prowess, and adept diplomacy to build a strong network of alliances across the continent. Unlike its southern counterpart, Nigeria pursues influence through soft power, offering aid, development, and a vision of pan-African unity.

South Africa:
South Africa has embraced the magic of the Awakening, using sorcery and legions of spirits to expand its influence over the southern and southeastern parts of the continent. The Zulus, supported by powerful shamans and ancient traditions, lead this expansion, subjugating neighboring territories that resist their rule. South Africa is both a beacon of magical prowess and a terrifying vision of domination through the arcane.

North Africa and the Sahara:
North Africa is undergoing a transformation, with parts of the Sahara slowly turning green again due to changing climate and magical forces. Egypt, in particular, has seen a resurgence of ancient magic and awakened beings, challenging the modern state and Islamic traditions. This "New Breadbasket" is attracting interest from global powers, eager to exploit the region's potential.

The Middle East: Ancient Mysteries and Modern Power

Iran:
Iran has become a beacon of hope and a model for the world, evolving into a benevolent technocracy preaching a new form of Islam that embraces both technology and magic. The country calls upon all people, AI, and awakened beings to work together for a better future. Tehran has become a hub of innovation, where faith and science coexist in a way few thought possible.

Israel:
Israel is in constant conflict with its neighbors and itself, as the ultraorthodox elite try desperately to maintain their grip on power. The presence of the awakened only adds to the turmoil, with new magical threats joining the old geopolitical ones. The nation is a powder keg, and the tension between modernity and tradition threatens to tear it apart.

The Arabian Peninsula:
The Arabian Peninsula is a land of contrasts. The wealth from oil has been reinvested into cutting-edge technology and arcano-tech research, making cities like Dubai and Riyadh glittering jewels of the future. At the same time, ancient magic stirs in the desert, and powerful jinn roam the sands. Some emirates embrace these powers, while others seek to suppress them in the name of stability and control.

Asia: A Region on the Edge

China:
China is a fractured land of seven powerful sub-states, each controlled by different corporate, political, or magical interests. The central government in Shangjing holds limited authority, and the real power lies with the corporations and awakened beings that dominate the various regions. Constant intrigue, corporate sabotage, and shadow wars define the political landscape, with each sub-state vying for dominance over China’s future.

Japan:
Japan remains a technological powerhouse, though it has struggled with the integration of magic into its society. The Ryūjin, powerful awakened beings, challenge the corporate elite for control, and the country faces constant struggles to balance tradition with the demands of the modern world. Tokyo stands as a gleaming symbol of Japan’s might, but the cracks in its foundation are showing.

Korea:
Unified and prosperous, Korea is a center for cybernetics, AI, and Matrix infrastructure. Seoul rivals Tokyo in technological advancement, and the nation has embraced magic more seamlessly than its neighbors. Korea is a rising power, competing with Japan for dominance in the Pacific Rim.

The Trans-Pacific Cybersocialist Alliance (TCA):
Led by Indonesia, the TCA is a coalition of socialist states that blend technology and magic to create a unique form of governance. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and other Southeast Asian nations form the core of this alliance, which seeks to counterbalance corporate dominance in the region. Thailand, once a member, broke away after the Indochina War of 2093, but the TCA remains a formidable force.

India:
India is a land of contradictions. The nation has expanded to encompass Bangladesh and Tibet but struggles with massive internal strife. Spirits, both benevolent and malevolent, roam the land, and a radical strain of Hinduism advocates for mass cloning to ease the process of reincarnation. These clones, however, are often inhabited by unexpected entities, adding to the chaos.

Central Asia:
Central Asia is a battleground of resources, ideology, and corporate interests. Factions vie for control over the region’s wealth, and the rise of powerful warlords complicates matters further. This is a land where borders shift and alliances change with the wind.

The Pacific: Earth's Final Frontier

Oceania: Oceania has become the cutting edge of sea habitation, exploration, and resource exploitation. Rising sea levels have submerged many islands, but a new kind of frontier has emerged beneath the waves. Aztechnology has a strong presence in the region, using underwater arcologies to conduct magical research and deep-sea mining. Australia and New Zealand, wary of Aztechnology's expansion, strengthen their ties to the TCA, while the Kingdom of Hawaii navigates its precarious independence.

The Lost Continent:
In the heart of Melanesia, land is rising from the ocean in a process poorly understood, likely linked to powerful magical forces. Some believe it to be the return of a lost continent from an earlier age. This has sparked global interest and drawn treasure hunters, scholars, and cultists to the region.

The Moon and Beyond:
The Moon is heavily colonized, with the Earth-Luna orbital system serving as the gateway to the solar system. Mars has growing settlements, while the Belt is a chaotic zone of corporate mining and piracy. Jupiter’s moons are a hotbed of research and intrigue, and even Saturn is beginning to see more activity as humanity pushes the boundaries of space.

Conclusion

Earth in 2097 is a world transformed by the Awakening, technological advancement, and the ever-present influence of megacorporations. Each region faces unique challenges as the lines between the mundane and magical blur, and the ancient and the modern collide. The future is uncertain, but one thing is clear: the world will never be the same.