This map is already outdated but I'm keeping it up until I get around to digitizing the fourth edition of Rhodinea. The world is getting realer, and I've had to make some geographic changes to realize that. Still, the old one gives a pretty good idea of going on.
Geopolitical map of Rhodinia, the largest landmass on Aphelion. Rhodinia is home to the Ves, a species of intelligent humanoids who originated in the primordial forests of what is now Kenor. There's two other significant landmasses on Aphelion but I... haven't drawn either of them yet! Or named them! There's a big tropical rainforest island that has a native population of pterosaur-like humanoids, and there's a polar microcontinent where the weird anteater-humanoid monsters live. Passage between the three continents is difficult and at best, are one way journeys.
KENOR is the homeland of the original ves, prior to the species' divergence into the six distinct races. Now, it is the native land of the Mirken people. The continent's largest tropical rainforest stretches through the interior of the nation. The eastern border with Amasa gives way to thick, impenetrable swampland. The eastern corridor is made of up sparsely forested plains, which provide the only reliable passage into Amasa. To the north are the Golden Plains, some of the productive land on Rhodinia. Kenor also boasts the largest and deepest cave system on the planet. The local Mirken are ethnically split between the forest dwellers and the cavern dwellers. The two peoples are very isolated from each other and rarely interact, though they have no history of violence between them.
VALBAARA is the largest nation, when it is unified. It is where the ves became the nenn, and the nation's enormous steppe has significantly influenced the identity of its people. Nenn culture glorifies expansionism, and Valbaaran borders are constantly being redrawn. One of the biggest point of historical contention is the border with mainland Grenvel- the kingdom of Itas. Likewise, the southeastern border with Kenor in the Golden Plains is heavily disputed by both sides, and the two nations have a deep history of bad blood. The western peninsula sits on an arcane place of power, and thus this is the "heart" of Valbaaran civilization. Historically, a united Valbaara has no political allies and struggles to survive for more than a few generations. Some independent states have had better political ties, like the history of cooperation between sovereign Tirkau and neighboring Itas.
AMASA is a tropical to subtropical nation with great untamed swamps to the west, great untamed rainforest in the heart of the mainland, and densely populated archipelago to the east. The native sephid are a resiliant, semi-aquatic people who have adapted to spend long periods of time underwater. They very quickly mastered sea travel after branching off from the original ves, and they've boasted Rhodinia's most powerful navy ever since. The sephid are unparalleled on the water, and their secret "sea fire" has kept foreign invaders from ever taking the archipelago. Despite the distance, Amasa keeps close naval contact with their longtime trade partner, Grenvel.
GRENVEL is the trade center of the world. Despite their military and naval prowess, the nation has no interest in expansionism, as local culture sees this as immoral. The native iroth are known as "king killers," because of their laws permitting regicide of unfit leaders. Grenvel is split into six kingdoms with deeply overlapping culture. Interkingdom strife is rare in the modern era, though there have been two instances of the nation being occupied, partially or in full, by Valbaara. While Itas in particular is a target of Valbaaran aggression, Aphelion's second largest mountain range acts as a natural barrier between the two nations, giving Grenvel a strong defensive advantage. Grenvel is covered almost entirely by forest, both the planet's largest temperate rainforest, as well as vast, primordial deciduous forests. Civilizations are built into and in tandem with the forest, as the trees are the basis of iroth culture. Finally, central Grenvel is home to the Jaws of Aphelion, the tallest mountain range on the planet, including the home of the old god Kjelchaikhan, Mar-Vara.
UIR is the least populated nation in Rhodinia. The native naiko are very decentralized and have only built cities on the southern coast where they heavily rely on trade with Grenvel. Despite being an island nation, the people of Uir are not especially navally capable, and they again rely on Grenvel and their remoteness for defense from other, hostile nations. Though remote and technologically inferior to the rest of the continent, Uir plays one of the most important roles in global trade, second only to Grenvel. The land is rich with mineral wealth, particularily the inhospitable northern glacierland. The northern glacier is home to the enigmatic Sky Pillar, the occasional roost of the old god Archaeos. The majority of the island is covered by either permafrost tundra, or thick coniferous forests. Over half of the Naiko population live nomadic lifestyles, and reindeer herding sustains most of their small population. The cities on the southern coast are sustained by rich fisheries, thanks to extremely productive waters that encircle the island.
Ypsen is the second least populated nation in Rhodinia. Ypsen is almost entirely desert. The great salt wastes to the north are as inhospitable as the glaciers of Uir, home only to the night-walking nomads who never drink a drop of water in their lives. To the south, a lush oasis sprouts from an enormous, arsenic-laced aquifer. The plants, animals, and people living in these bitter lands exist in isolation, untouchable to anyone and anything who can't adapt to the poison inherent to the ecosystem. But the majority of the nation is covered by rocky, arid scrubland and craggy badlands. The native kurai thrive in the hot, dry climate. They live slowly and value stability, and thus have little sway in modern international politics, despite a history rich in war with the likes of Valbaara and even western Grenvel. Though very decentralized, the modern Ypsen still allies itself with Grenvel, as well as Amasa by proxy.