The World of Fallen Hero (Patreon)

In order to understand the Fallen Hero world, I must first mention some of the changes that underpin it.

1) On average, Europe's colonial adventures collapsed faster. While in our world, many remained colonies into the sixties and seventies, that dynamic broke down in the twenties and thirties in the FH world.

2) WWI happened, with much the same results as today. However, due to various circumstances, the European nations were in worse shape afterward and lost most of their colonies instead of strengthening their hold. The massive loss of manpower coupled with the Spanish Flu meant that medical technology started to pull ahead of what we know in our world. The first crude, mechanical replacement limbs were crafted.

3) WWII happened, with a few important differences. Instead of focusing on V2 rockets and aerial bombardment, the research produced massive tanks, war engines, and walking armors. There was no atom bomb. There still is not. The research focused on fusion reactors instead of fission.

4) There was no space race. Mankind has not visited the moon. Thus satellites are a recent invention and were until very recently only available to the military.

5) NATO doesn't exist.

With those things out of the way, let's get on with it, continent by continent:

Europe

The European Union

While not every country in Europe is part of the European Union, those not are still connected to it by treaties. The EU was formed in the sixties to deal with the European countries' lessened global power, prevent another war in Europe, and face the growing threat of Soviet Russia. With the US weakening post the Big One, the EU has become more federalized and militarized to protect its interests. The EU army is dominated by German ground troops, French and British air-power, and the British Navy. Modded soldiers are common. 

The EU is split into two major blocks, the south is dominated by France, and the north is dominated by Germany. This is balanced by an expansionist Britain pushing for increased militarization and the Nordic Union resisting further federalization. This internal power struggle occupies the organization whenever the threat from their larger neighbor to the east decreases. Since many of the member countries have their own diplomatic strategies, the EU has friends, allies, and enemies worldwide. They are considered one of the four major geopolitical powers.

Currently, they are maintaining strained but peaceful relations with the USSR, friendly relations with the US, and a growing conflict with China as their interest clashes in Africa and Southeast Asia. Boost drugs are illegal, but being boosted is not, and there are several famous heroes. Most of them are tied to various companies or employed as public servants. Mods exist and are quite popular in Northern Europe. There is a large transhumanist movement centered in Germany and unsettling rumors of eugenic research in Sweden.

The USSR

The Soviet Union is still a force to be reckoned with. Formed at the tail end of WWI, it took over Russia's role as a major political power in Europe. The various socialist satellite states serve as a buffer between the EU and the USSR, and so far, it has not come to open conflict even with the waning US influence. It is one of the four major geopolitical powers.

The USSR leads the pack when it comes to mod research and use. It is seen as a national project, and modded heroes are popularized like western rock stars. Heroes are a big part of their PR, and they have found fame far beyond the communist sphere of influence. Since Glasnost, the country has become more open and welcoming to visitors, and many past policies have quietly been retired. The communist party is still in power, but how long that will last is the question.

It's a deeply militarized and industrialized nation but is increasingly focused on the growing danger to the east, as China goes from strength to strength. At this point in time, the USSR is a powder-keg, but if it will explode and in what way, nobody knows. They can just pray it won't happen on their watch.

Africa

While the Berlin Conference ensured that the colonization of Africa proceeded without major conflict between the European powers, WWI changed all that. At the start of the war, only Ethiopia had resisted colonization; at the end of it, things had already started falling apart. The reliance on African troops and production capacity for the war effort had lessened the technological gap, and the disease- and war-torn empires were weaker than they had previously been. One after the other, the colonies rebelled, and for each one that fell, the hope for the ones still fighting rose.

Most of Africa had freed itself from the colonial yoke by the thirties, though some countries remained close allies with their former masters, dependent on trade. Over the coming decades, several regional powers rose to prominence, the main ones detailed below.

The Republic of Nigeria

The strongest nation in West Africa, it took full advantage of its close ties to the British Empire, sending people to get educated abroad and focus on local industrialization and production rather than exporting. The most urbanized nation other than Egypt, it relies on "soft power," mainly its film and music industry, as well as several famous universities. It is one of the countries where the boost drugs are legal, and research is being done openly. Superhero movies are very popular.

United Kongo

The largest state in Central Africa and one of the first to gain independence after the atrocities of King Leopold II. Initially, the socialist state was plagued by collapsing rubber prices, but the economy recovered as WWI made the demand for copper soar. Fueled by several finds of valuable natural resources and support from the socialist anti-colonist sympathizers in Belgium who voted for their freedom, it stabilized and eventually expanded. 

The presence of a stable, socialist state on their doorstep destabilized the entire region, and as civil war spread, it absorbed other neighboring colonies and grew to encompass the entire Congo Basin. The  Portuguese colony of Angola, Northern Rhodesia, the Ashanti crown colony, and French Equatorial Africa were some of the ones liberated, after which the name was changed to United Kongo. Kongo played a pivotal part in WWII by supporting the exiled Belgian government that had voted for its independence decades earlier. Post-WWII, its socialist government allied with the USSR, and the country's economy boomed. It is currently the largest socialist state in Africa but has so far resisted the lure of communism. Instead, they have aimed for third-way socialism and still have close ties to the EU. Their power is mercantile; many of the industries in the EU are dependent on their mineral wealth.

Ethiopia

The only African country untouched by European colonialism, they were one of the earliest modern states. Coming in conflict with Italy during WWII, they were briefly occupied, and the fact that the League of Nations voted to recognize the annexation hit hard. Post-WWII, they took the initiative to form the Organization of African Unity. The OAU became an important force in African stability, and their peacekeeping forces in their distinctive green and white helmets have taken part in many conflicts. Ethiopia is an important diplomatic voice in the world, and the legacy of Haile Selassie remains strong.

South Asia

The balance of power between Imperial Russia and the British Empire during the 19th century in Central and South Asia (nicknamed "The Great Game" by later generations) and the Middle East meant that neither power could make a move without being countered by the opposing side. Despite repeated attempts to come to an agreement about their respective spheres of influence, the mutual mistrust was too deep. This gave rise to powerful regional powers, which remain influential today. 

South Asia, in particular, is the current hotbed of conflict, where three of the four major powers are pushing their interests. The US, China, and the USSR have interests there, as well as India. If a major war was to break out soon, it would most likely be here.

 India

The War of Independence in 1857 gave rise to the fledgling nation of India. The initial military success broke the back of the East India Company, and after a short but brutal civil war, the separate states agreed to stand together rather than risk having the British Empire step in and take over. Thus the Indian Federation was born. The many independent states cover a massive area, ranging from the Republic of Afghanistan in the west to Burma in the east. 

Over the years, they have gone from being dominated by their main trading partner, the British Empire, to becoming a major regional power. With several strong cultures and religions present, it can hardly be called a unified power. On the other hand, that diversity gives India influence far beyond its borders. The last major conflict they were involved in was in the Burmese conflict of the late nineties. As with the earlier Afghanistan and Nepal conflicts, India supported the local armies against encroaching superpowers (the USSR in Afghanistan, China in Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet, and the US and China in Burma) in order to keep buffer states between it and their more powerful neighbors. So far, it has proven to be a successful tactic. 

While they have a strong and diverse military, they have invested heavily in boosting research and technology and are one of the countries outside the US with the highest boosted population.

East Asia

China

The third major geopolitical power, it is also the most expansive one. While communist in name, it has become increasingly mercantile in later years. Since the USSR blocks expansion to the north and India to the west, China has turned its eyes south. While the US has strong regional interests there, the navy has a limited reach. There has been a series of proxy wars and conflicts, with neither power wanting open war. Add skirmishes with the USSR, India, and their increasing efforts to influence African nations, and it's only a matter of time before another major conflict starts.

Both boosts and mods are seen as tools to use and are included in their armed forces. However, they are not hailed as heroes or used as propaganda. On the contrary, anything that could take the focus of the CCP is frowned upon. Several former heroes have fled and taken refugee in India, which has not lessened the diplomatic tensions.

Japan

Japan is a powerful mercantile power, and with the waning influence of the US, an increasingly militarized one. Like the USSR, they are among the world's foremost researchers of mods, and there are rumors of a thriving boosted underground. They have no regional aspirations, though there are territorial conflicts in the past that could erupt in the future. 

The Middle East

After some unrest, the Middle East has now stabilized. The strong regional powers born from the English/Russian clash mentioned earlier are balancing each other, and for now, the major powers are looking towards Southeast Asia.

Persia

A constitutional monarchy since 1906, the country became rapidly modernized after the discovery of oil. Shrewdly straddling the line between British and Russian influence, they traded with both and remained neutral during WWI. They have remained fiercely independent, playing each superpower against each other, banking on the fact that nobody wants a major war. Boost drugs are strictly forbidden, and mods are frowned upon. The military is rather unusual, based around massive tanks and stationary defenses rather than the more common small mobile armored suits. 

The Turkish Confederacy

While a scant fragment of the former Ottoman Empire, it managed to keep hold of much of its territory post-WWI, with the exception being Bulgaria. It holds a very tactical position in the middle east as well as the Dardanelles. As one of the three major oil states (the others being Persia and Arabia), it is the most military aggressive. While it no longer has its holdings in Bulgaria and Greece, its relationship with the EU remains tense. Things are equally complex with the USSR over Armenia (which is still under Turkish control) and Arabia and Egypt. For its size, it has one of the largest and best trained military forces and has adopted both mods and boosts in its military tactics. Baghdad is considered to be one of the major scientific centers in the middle east.

The Americas

After the Big One in 1980, the balance of the continent has shifted. While the US used to dominate the region, other major powers have been moving in. This has led to several minor wars where forces and candidates have been backed by mainly EU and USSR money. 

USA

The United States of America is much diminished after the Big One, turning much of its attention inward to rebuild. However, it is still counted as one of the four major geopolitical powers, and it certainly acts like one. While they have always pursued an aggressive foreign policy, they have increased their efforts since the disaster. More than once, conflicts have been escalated to avoid the perception of weakness. The current flashpoints are SE Asia and Panama, though battles have been small and waged by elite forces reinforced by mods and boosts. 

The biggest problem facing the resurgent US is on its own home turf. The Free Territories have recovered beyond expectations, and much of the economic growth and innovation is currently happening out of reach of the US government. As the lease for the Free Territories comes to an end within the next decade, it looks like conflict might be inevitable. Granting freedoms is always easier than taking them away.

The US makes liberal use of boosts and mods in their armed forces, which is ironic as they are strictly controlled on US soil. Many recruits hail from the Free Territories, though the discussion remains whether the people there should be considered American citizens or not.

Mexico

While both Canada and Mexico accepted many refugees after the Big One, it is clear that Mexico has prospered most from the changed status quo. With their neighbor to the north in big trouble, Mexico stepped up to be a regional power. As they were not as affected as many other countries by the drop in temperature in the post-eruption years, they became a big exporter of food. In addition, they have kept an open and lucrative trade with the Free Territories, and no doubt many citizens there feel greater loyalty to Mexico than to the US at this point.  

Lately, they have become a close ally of Costa Rica, which has alarmed the US due to the proximity to the vital Panama Canal. There were skirmishes between Mexican and US mercenaries, but it has not erupted in open conflict so far. Like the Free Territories, boost drugs are legal, and mods are frequently used. There are many high-profile heroes, taking their cues from the country's rich cultural heritage.

Brazil

The last regional power, Brazil, has one of the stronger economies on the continent. After serving as a base for the US during WWII, it became heavily involved in the UN peacekeeping forces. As their politics became less aligned with the US, a military coup was attempted with US support in 1964. The failure, and the subsequent revelation of how deep the US involvement was, caused a massive international scandal. Two decades of diplomatic cold war followed, where Brazil was forced to align itself with the USSR, though their political system survived.

After the Big One, the Brazilian economy has experienced a boom. Rich in both raw materials and agriculture, they have become the continent's manufacturing hub, and while environmental concerns have been raised, any protests have remained unheeded so far. The use and manufacture of boost drugs are strictly forbidden, and while mods are used, they are not common.