>Nod. "One thing I've been told over and over about this blight of mine is that it's exotic and strange. It's possible that a cure simply doesn't exist on this island. A place like Val Razua would seem a decent place to look for answers about anything 'exotic'. Trouble is, I don't think I have the time to take the normal boat to get there. I know I've said two weeks, but really, that was Minoriko being optimistic. I may have as little as a week- Less now. If I do have to leave the island, find a cure in Val Razua, or somewhere else, then I need to get there as fast as possible."
>Rinnosuke nods. "I understand, of course. Unfortunately, even if I were to call in a contact, you might well already be to Val Razua through traditional means by the time they could arrive. Some of them can be rather... difficult to track down."
>Other than Val Razua and Rasheval, what other major sources of civilization do we know of beyond this island?
>Aside from Val Razua, two other major nations occupy the central islands of Gensokyo: The Hanashibara Federated Republic, and the Empire of Higan.
>Hanashibara is both the largest and most populous of the three, spanning a substantial portion of the land south of Val Razua, as well as smaller island chains alongside it. It is the homeland of the kappa, and famous for its technological innovations. Unfortunately, it shares most of its western border with the Wild Lands and is the only one of the three nations exposed in this way. Despite this, you hear it's actually quite a pleasant place, even if it lacks the wealth and ostentation of Val Razua.
>Beyond the southern border of Hanashibara lies the Empire of Higan. Despite the name, they are actually the smallest of the three nations - you have the impression this was not always the case - but the discipline of their soldiers is renowned and affords them considerable influence. Its capital lies on a famously impregnable fortress-island off the southern edge of the mainland; naturally inaccessible by air, it is connected to the rest of Gensokyo by a massive bridge spanning the sky between the capital and the mainland, still considered one of the greatest feats of civil engineering in the world. Higan has something of a reputation for firm and unyielding governance, alternately regarded as commendable or regrettable depending on who you ask. You have a vague sense that there is some antagonism between Higan and Val Razua; while Braston is largely autonomous in a day-to-day sense, it still maintains some colonial ties with Val Razua and you've more than once heard people speak of Higan in unpleasant tones. That being said, it's certainly nothing approaching the level of open hostilities as far as you're aware.
>You know Higan and Hanashibara are closely allied, but despite this you've never heard people talk about the latter with the same sense of tension as the former; the details of politics in general isn't something you're honestly very well informed on.
>Besides these three, far to the north of Val Razua lies the isolated island nation of Meijima. You don't know a great deal about it, although you've heard that the entire island sometimes drifts off charted airship routes, becoming inaccessible for decades at a time. On the international stage, they tend to keep to their own affairs, though are open to visitors, as far as you know.
>You suppose that the Tengu lands could also count, but their territory is closed to outsiders and they play little role in international politics. About the most contact anyone has with them is a rare visit from a merchant vessel trading rarities from their homeland. Or the occasional pirate.
