Selecting a background nation

Your race and background will decide which nations you can choose from for your character. Some places, certain race and classes just aren't present, or are suppressed (ex: elves and wizards in the Kingdoms; or humans of any kind in the Elven Kingdoms).

Nations fall into the following categories:

Non-Human Nations:

The Elvish Princedoms: the elvish princes rule a vast tract of northern forest.

The Dragonborn Empire: two monarchs share the rule of this isolationist desert empire.

The dwarven Kingdoms: there is only one small Kingdom of dwarves, the remaining dwarven holds are within the territory of other powers.

Byzodium: former satrapi of the Western Zodic Empire, with their retreat and presumed collapse a power vacuum was created, the once human governors of this nation were overthrown and a succession of tyrants emerged. It is currently ruled by a talented and ruthless Hobgoblin, and is the homeland of most of the misfit races.

Human dominant Kingdoms: 

The Vallarian Kingdoms: dominant power in the inner sea, the Vallarians are conquerors and warriors.

Alba: the rival to the Kingdoms, this chivalric monarchy is rife with intrigue and rebellion against the King, the people are independent, but unite quickly and powerfully to counter an external threat.

The Marches: the marchers are largely descendants of Vallarian adventurers, and are a band of fiercely independent dukedoms

The Free City States of Ancient Asteron: the cradle of human civilization these independent cities war and compete against each other in the far south.

Liefin (the Neo-Elvish Empire): The collapsed former power of the east, it fell in a devastating war with the mysterious western zodic empire, in its moment of weakness it fell prey to the emergent Vallarians. It now holds a small, but populous place at the center of the inner sea.

Irad'Ur: In the far west of the inner sea is a nation of villains and pirates.

The Northern Kingdoms: Afendar, Anadeale, and Nogorond were lands created by humans bred by the elves in the age of legends. Afendar was once a province of the Liefin Empire, and is dominated by them still.

Rheagus: Rheagus is the smallest independent Kingdom in the world, barely the size of the Marcher duchies that surround it, it nonetheless has maintained its independence from Alba and conquest by the marches.

How to decide?

You can click on the link to learn about the nations, but the following arch-types are typical of the following nations: