Earth is a planet much like our own. It is not free from various forms of violence. Homophobia, xenophobia, imperialism, and the woes of capitalism are discussed ahead. But there is plenty of beauty to be hold too! Proceed with caution.
Earth is a mostly temperate planet orbiting 1 sun. It has one moon. It is mostly water, and the continents are covered in varying biomes, most of which are variations of forests, plains, jungles, mountains, tundras, and deserts.
Earth is populated by millions of animal species, along with a sapient equivalent to almost every animal. Mammals, marsupials, amphibians, reptiles, birds, fish; a group of each split off early in the evolutionary tree and developed high intelligence, an upright bipedal body, languages, ability to use complex tools, and eventually, large-scale civilization.
Earth has a tectonic plate system, and earthquakes and volcanoes are common near the edges of the plates.
There are millions of species of animals in the world, many of which somewhat resemble the sapient anthros, but some have slight differences. Many anthros feel a kinship with their animal counterpart. Many ecosystems are currently becoming endangered due to exploitation by multibillion dollar corporations, but most common citizens care deeply about their planet and wish to save it.
The everyday citizens of Earth have definitely never been in contact with any other sapient species in Ezamire. In fact, Earth is sequestered away in a dark corner of Ezamire, where no other planets with life are found within reasonable distance. So for its entire history, the citizens of Earth have felt like they're probably alone in the universe.
Many citizens of Earth loosely "believe in aliens", or believe in the existence of magic and the supernatural. But Earth is a planet with no latent magic and plenty of late-stage capitalism; many individuals believe in nothing at all. Of those that do believe, though, many believe that world governments are keeping the existence of aliens a secret from the common man.
Because many creatures on Earth are endangered, a few ecologically inclined countries have put laws in place to protect certain areas of land and/or certain species from hunting.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Florent | Roxy | Samacius | Chuck | Brick | Jaden |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Amira | Liam | Roe | Octane | Diesel | Khadija |
Anthros refer to themselves simply by their species; a crocodile anthro simply refers to themself as a crocodile. Context clues generally help anthros understand whether they are talking about an anthro or an animal.
Generally, anthro coloration matches their animal's natural possible colorations, but with a bit more variance in terms of marking placement and color shades. However, fur dye is incredibly common in some cultures, so in many places you will encounter anthros with unnatural and unusual dyed color palettes and markings.
Anthro diets match up fairly well to their animal counterparts. Most carnivores can eat a bit of plant matter, and most herbivores can digest a small amount of meat, but a strong preference may still be present, and some cultures and religions may have different diets that practice exclusive carnivorism or herbivorism. The same logic extends to what one cannot eat; dog anthros cannot have chocolate, grapes, or onions. Some restaurants cater to specific species groups, while others are open to all but must be incredibly careful to avoid allergens; thus, each customer's species is recorded with their order.
Most anthros retain some ability from their animal species. Cheetahs are the fastest runners on Earth. Hippos, crocodiles, and great white sharks have the highest bite force on Earth. Squirrels, lemurs, monkeys, and mountain lions are wonderful climbers, and so on. The greatest consistency among all anthros is the presence of two arms and two legs, even for species such as snakes, and a lack of wings, even for species such as bats and birds. At most, longer feathers or webbing could jut out of the elbows or beneath the armpits as a vestigial remnant of the animal's wings.
Though many species evolved for a particular climate, you can find all kinds of anthros all around the world in the modern day due to the progression of immigration, travel, and war throughout history. Still, your likelihood of finding a polar bear near the equator is quite low, as is the likelihood of finding a bird of paradise in the arctic circle.
Aquatic and semi-aquatic species such as fish, frogs, porpoises, mollusks, shrimp, otters, etc. live in homes with swimming pools. Those with gills, such as fish, also have lungs, but they cannot stay on land all day without keeping their skin wet at least a couple times. Aquatic anthros who can afford it can even purchase houses with entirely submerged basements, allowing them to live partially underwater while still having privacy and moving freely around their house. A shower is not sufficient for fully aquatic anthros, as they instinctually need to be submerged completely. Showers are generally fine for semi-aquatic creatures such as otters and certain frogs, though. Aquatic anthros are also, as expected, a lot more common near public bodies of water, and workplace regulations require water for aquatic employees. Greedy corporations may try not to hire aquatic employees if they don't want to have to pay extra for a workplace pool.
Anthro reproduction is about what one would expect. In most species, cis men have a penis and cis women have a vagina and give birth. Intersex individuals also exist in many variants. Anthro gender roles vary depending on culture and species, but they are starkly different for anthros with reproductive systems that differ from this norm. Hyenas, for example, all have penises regardless of which sex they are. Many chickens are capable of changing their appearance to resemble the opposite sex without hormone replacement therapy. Male seahorses, seadragons, and pipefishes become pregnant and give birth rather than women. Some fish can completely change their sex without surgery, including changing their penis into a vagina or vice versa. These species, on average, tend to be more accepting of transgender, intersex, and gender nonconforming individuals.
Anthros seem to have a very different genetic system than most other Ezamiran species, which makes hybridization between different anthros impossible; different anthro species generally cannot have children with each other. Two different types of crocodile anthros can have children, but a crocodile and a hyena, for example, cannot. There have been reports of existences of hybrid children in folklore and gossip throughout all of history, but very few have ever actually been recognized legally. Even among recognized cases, most of them are strange gray areas that can't be proven either way, such as a deer with unusually sharp teeth who claimed to be a wolf hybrid, but could be explained away by some other unknown genetic condition. Some interspecies couples very seriously claim they are definitely having a baby hybrid, but most consider this a sort of half-joke or unusual psychological effect from the pregnancy; the obvious explanation is that the pregnant parent went to a sperm bank... right?
Zebueskaeya is a peaceful democratic republic located on a large continent along the equator. It contains a mixture of desert, rainforest, plains, savannah, and deciduous forest environments, and is home to a few large cities and many smaller farming towns. It is home to thousands of different species that hail from the aforementioned biomes, as well as a large number of immigrants.
Zebueskaeya is home to many farms along the sides of rivers, where crops that require both dry and wet spells can grow plentifully. Many of these are exported to the Provinces, but the representatives in power attempt to barter with the Provinces to keep enough food to feed Zebueskaeyan citizens. Other popular local foods include cornmeal, peanuts, sausages, coffee, and rice.
Oral storytelling, basket weaving, pottery, and woodcarving made up much of Zebueskaeya's cultural development throughout its history. Today still, artists are incredibly highly revered and can sell their works for thousands of dollars apiece with much more ease than in many other countries. Art is equally as emphasized as math and science in grade school.
Traditional instruments include intricately carved pluckable metal tongs, and hundreds of different types of drums crafted from highly specific variants of leather, wood, and stone. Modern Zebuesaeyan bands still tend to utilize rich, intense percussive and bell-like sounds.
Cities in Zebueskaeya are largely walkable, with accessible pathways, public transport, and discounted cars available for those who cannot walk. The country has incredibly intricate accessibility regulations, and is viewed by the world as a wonderful place for the elderly to move after retirement. There is a much smaller automotive industry here, since trains are available for cheap travel between settlements.
Traditional clothing of Zebueskaeya is bright and bold, often featuring stark, saturated yellows, oranges, and deep sapphire blues. Popular articles of clothing include dresses, long skirts, bead jewelry, shawls, t-shirts, and gold-plated jewelry.
Architecture in Zebueskaeya often includes towns that are partially walled in to protect from stormy tropical weather. Buildings near the shore may be built partially or fully on stilts to survive flooding. Red and white brick is often the primary material, accented with bright warm woods.
Most native Zebueskaeyan citizens have a first and last name, but no middle name, but it's not uncommon to come across anthros with middle names who've immigrated to the country.
The citizens from each city can vote on a single citizen to represent them in a council, and together the council votes on important decisions about the country's direction. Zebueskaeya is respected worldwide for its polite citizens, peaceful politics, and artistic and musical culture. That being said, it isn't a paradise; common complaints include the long, arduous process of paperwork for acquiring government disability aid, as well as the lower quality of care by the free public medical professionals. The highly trained private professionals are more expensive and may have long waitlists.
Due to the Provinces outsourcing its monopoly on woodcutting, Zebueskaeya's few evergreen and woodland areas are growing increasingly thin, and animals of all shapes and sizes grow close to extinction.
Mbi'iala is the largest nation on the same continent as Zebueskaeya, sitting on the easternmost border of the landmass beneath the shadow of the Ibmi volcano. They have one Prime Minister who serves mostly as a symbolic figurehead, while a multi-branch elected government does most of the decisionmaking. Otherwise, the country is mostly split up into small tribes living in the numerous grassy valleys, each of which has its own unique customs, holidays, and traditional foods. Their practices are strictly closed, and it is seen as incredibly disrespectful to practice, take inspiration from, or generalize any Mbi'ialan culture without express permission.
Most Mbi'ian citizens belong to species that thrive in mountainous environments, savannahs, and temperate, open plains. Many Mbi'ian citizens wear light colored robes that cover most of their body as protection from the sun.
Foods that are popular countrywide include seafood, chicken, rice, curry, dates, tea, and many spices. Sailing and fishing are popular occupations, as is architecture, as Mbi'iala features strikingly beautiful tall, white brick buildings, often adorned with stained glass. Geologists and archaeologists are also in demand, studying the formation of the land and the ancient history of the surrounding area, some of which was lost during the last volcanic eruption thousands of years ago.
Common hobbies include carving daggers, weaving, sewing, and pottery. Metalworking, especially with copper, has become more popular over the years.
Most Mbi'ian anthros have a first name, two middle names inherited from each parent's last name, a third name denoting the particular tribe the person was born in, and a final name that the individual chooses during their teenage years.
Talakim is a tiny socialist country on a large continent to the east of Mbi'iala. It is currently the only socialist state on Earth. It has a council of officials who discuss political issues, and citizens are able to vote directly on issues using their phones or a paper ballot.
Talekim is situated in a lush, moist valley between large mountain ranges and is usually temperate, but can get rather cold during the winter, and its diverse list of species reflects this fact.
Talakim is pressured with sanctions by the Four Provinces, giving the impression to the Provincian public that Talakim is a poor country due solely to its socialist practices. This heavily impacts the lifestyle of many Talaki people.
Family and community is heavily emphasized in Talakim, as is group housing, so resources from a large swathe of land are usually shared among dozens of citizens. These groups may collectively grow rice, soy products, make noodles, and raise chicken and/or livestock. When food is scarce in one commune, another commune will quickly come together to send excess food. However, Talakim is extremely heavily sanctioned by the Provinces, so it is often difficult for the government to distribute enough money to each family. Priority is given to communes with many young children, those with disabilities, the sick, and the elderly, but often times the government will have to sacrifice public infrastructure projects in order to keep its citizens fed and healthy.
Since money is distributed approximately evenly barring special situations, wage labor does not exist here, nor does a class divide between poor and rich. Citizens are simply expected to contribute to their commune in some way, even if that way is simply by existing. Government officals are no exception, as they too receive a civilian's cut of resources. In fact, government officials are made to live off the smallest ration given out at the time. This ensures they will give all their citizens as comfortable a life as possible.
Ingredients given out by stores in Talakim are not labeled with a brand name, and strict regulations are in place to ensure food safety is a priority and that all ingredients and allergens are listed clearly on eco-friendly packaging.
Pop and electronic music are incredibly popular in Talakim in the modern day, but it is also home to a great number of traditional string and percussion instruments that many children learn to play in school along with at least one other language of choice.
Traditional practices in Talakim include various styles of dance and martial arts, as well as writing and poetry. Talakim TV shows are often highly praised worldwide, except for the fact that Talaki media is completely banned in the Provinces.
Talaki architecture in smaller towns often features curved roofs, ornate fences, round windows, archways, and tiled paths. Religious buildings of many starkly different styles stand between towns, and the country features one very large city with modern style skyscrapers. Influences from Mbi'ian architecture can be seen in the southwestern coastal towns.
Talakim is home to 8 different about-equally-popular religions, as well as many atheists and people from multicultural households. It has overall a very high level of religious diversity, but a comparatively low amount of tension between the religions. Public education emphasizes every day life skills, along with the Talaki belief that each individual is innately equally valuable from the moment they are born. Specific skills are also taught among communes to younger members by elders.
Talaki names begin with a family name taken from one parent or compounded from both, then some people have a middle name while others do not, then a given name.
♦ CHRISTOPHEN ♦
A strictly ruled state where heavy surveillance is commonplace and privacy is hard to come by. The government is run exclusively by leaders of the Caethlon religion, a religion which claims to be accepting of all, but is also behind most of the extremely homophobic and xenophobic legislation found in the country. Christophen advertises itself as a place where all are welcome, but it will punish its citizens with threats of going to hell for supposed wrongdoings. Though the popularity of Caethlon has dropped significantly among the younger generation, many Christopheni youth continue to carry on the culture and political views of their elders in other ways.
♦ ARVENWIRE ♦
A completely free market with no regulations and governed by the ultrawealthy while everyone else struggles to make ends meet. Eccentric billionaires rule the media and push their baffling views as correct and just, and food poisoning is rather common without many health-related regulations at workplaces. Despite being home to some of the richest individuals on Earth, Arvenwire is also the sickest country on Earth and has a continually descending lifespan expectancy.
♦ ENDERVEIN ♦
Has a medium sized government and is a somewhat free market, but has some middle-of-the-road regulations that upset nobody. Always the middleman. Refuses to take a stand on anything, ever. Claims to be a home for intellectual centrists, but clearly has a far right wing bias, as LGBT kids are forced to debate their own right to exist in their social studies classrooms, and hate speech is dismissed as freedom of expression.
♦ SILVE ♦
Claims to be the most progressive of the Four States. Has somewhat affordable healthcare, cheap alternatives to expensive brands, and higher taxes on the rich. Hundreds of grassroots programs exist to funnel excess food and shelter back to those who need it. Still, poverty and homelessness do still exist, as much as those in charge push the message that Silve is a utopia.
Though far from being the only societies on Earth, the Four Provinces insert themselves monetarily and socially into every conversation between other countries. In conversations about the world's progress, the Provinces make themselves appear the most progressive. In conversations about human suffering, the Provinces demand everyone look at them as an example of an ideal country. Food raised around the world, new technology, medicines, and vehicles, all innovated in other countries, are bought and imported by the Four Provinces, and whatever isn't purchased by citizens in a set amount of time is traded to other countries. Meanwhile within the Provinces, finding work is difficult, unless one decides to become a construction worker to build endless identical suburbs and city blocks that will never be populated due to the impossibly high price of housing. Around the world, urban legends exist about suburban ghost towns in the Provinces that stretch on forever.
It is said that hundreds of years ago, the Provinces used to be mostly prairie and deciduous forest, but only 15% of the continent remains forested today. In a last ditch effort to preserve the forest, an environmental activist group violently protested and succeeded in making foresting illegal within the Provinces. Thus, the governments have recently begun paying other countries for the right to cut down trees on their land instead, much to the dismay of the activists.
Buying so many imports and foresting rights means that you can buy absolutely any food or product in the world in the Provinces, but it also means that the Provinces are billions of dollars in debt to the rest of the world, but seem unwilling to pay any of that debt back anytime soon. It's common for controlling, traditional parents to homeschool their children in the Provinces, and the quality of public education varies wildly. Only the very rich can access exclusive private schools.
However, the Provinces are also home to many immigrant families from around the world who bring their own culture, clothing, music and life to the Provinces. This means there is an absolutely massive mixture of species living in the Provinces, lending to more diversity than almost anywhere else in the world. Despite what those in charge may say, the anthros of the Provinces are diverse and perservering, though some may also describe them as complacent. Popular modern articles of clothing in the Provinces include t-shirts, shorts, jeans, jackets and coats (except for during summer), hats, and clothing covered in logos or fan artwork representing a corporation or piece of media the wearer enjoys.