SPR

SPR is the free passage republic of Vorto’s dry lands, grown around roads and caravan routes. It is a land for those who do not want to live under the rule of crowns and capitals: caravaners, fugitives, mercenaries, guides, desert folk, and everyone seeking freedom.

SPR’s main city is Staon. Important roads pass through it; deals are struck here, caravans gather here, and here people decide who can cross the desert and who will remain in the sand as another reminder that freedom in Vorto is never free.

SPR rests on freedom. Those who have no place in other countries of Vorto flow here: fugitives, mercenaries, smugglers, debtors, adventurers, and people with dark reputations. Here one can begin again, hide, earn money, or vanish without a trace.

The republic’s main city is Staon. It is governed by Tanzhir, mayor of Staon. Tanzhir is a local criminal authority. He controls a significant share of deals, protection, debts, and shadow agreements in Staon. People reckon with him because without his consent it is difficult to carry out a major affair in Staon.

The races of Staon are one of SPR’s main traditions and one of the republic’s most dangerous spectacles. Different riding beasts of Vorto take part in them, from local desert animals to rare creatures brought from other lands. Speed, risk, and the ability to stay mounted where another would already have flown into the dust matter here. For some, the races are a chance to earn money and fame. For others, they are a way to settle a debt, resolve a dispute, or survive after a deal one can no longer refuse.

SPR’s roads are dangerous. Beyond Staon, travelers and caravans are often attacked by tribes of desert folk who live off other people’s cargo. That is why a route through the republic almost always requires a guide, guards, or an agreement with those who control that stretch of road.