Answers to other questions:
For Rika: What exactly is the nature of your relationship with Safi?
Rika: "Um... we're friends? We also work together as part of a little mercenary band!"
Rika: “I guess that doesn’t exactly cover it though? I mean, we’ve been through a lot together.”
Rika: “I don’t have any siblings, but I sort of imagine this is what it would feel like?”
Rika: “Or maybe ‘best friends’ would cover it.. anyway, we’re close! I’d trust Safi with anything.”
Writer note: To answer any intended subtext, Rika’s type is more tall/beefy/bearded - the idealized Paul-Bunyan-esqe lumberjack so to speak.
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To Amber: What different major factions/countries are there in the world?
Amber: Ugh, too many.
Amber: All you need to know is that the nations near sealing wall formed the Grand Sun Confederacy (GSC), a barely working pile of mutual self-interest that’s having its death throws. I bet this airship trip was mostly meant to confirm the plants aren’t an issue anymore…
Amber: The two coastal nations – Vales and Haema - have already seceded from the GSC. Lonri then tried to split from Vales, and I guess the resulting war spooked Mescando into holding off.
Amber: It’s a good time to be a map maker.