Ireland

Ireland is a country from Northwestern Europe that appears in the pen n paper RPG.

History
Ireland is a country shaped by its geographical and physical nature. Its mountainous and defiant countryside has resisted not only the climatic changes but also those attempted by man. All Irish infrastructure and communications routes follow the lie of the land instead of following the usual European procedure of boring holes through whatever is in the way.

European Fringe Effect
Being on the fringe of Europe Ireland is a popular destination for smugglers and people hoping to slip into Europe undetected. The unindustrialized nature of Ireland means that it is difficult to hide large amounts or technical goods in the country. Because of this the smuggling traffic is mainly people, information, small illicit goods (drugs, gems, precious metals), and luxury items.

The usual smuggling method is to use a deserted cove. Sail in, drop off what you are smuggling, and have it picked up by your trustworthy local contact who will ship it on. There are complete seaside villages involved in the smuggling trade, but these deal almost exclusively in safe goods and are very selective about whom they deal with.

The local law enforcement departments generally know about the smuggling. They usually only act to stop it if they have received a complaint, or if the smuggled item breaches one of the unwritten rules that both sides seem to work by. Sometimes this lack of effort angers the EC or a corporation. Few attempts at independent action are made, however, as Ireland remains fiercely independent when it comes to law enforcement and tends to come hard on unsanctioned operations.

Largest Theme Park in the World
During the twentieth century, Ireland remained relatively untouched by modern 'civilization: Due to this, and the physical constraints of the landscape, it was decided to keep Ireland as natural and unspoiled as possible and to promote this as its great- est feature. Many laws have been passed, both in Ireland and the EC to restrict the activities of corporations. They also put in place the means to impose heavy penalties on those who break any of the many 'Natural Preservation Acts.

These restraints mean that all internal travel is by authentic, although non-polluting, replicas of 20th century or earlier vehicles. Even industrial and agricultural vehicles are replicas 'with the government giving grants to help people maintain the historical theme of the country. Any new buildings built have to be styled to blend in with the older buildings and out in the countryside all buildings are maintained in their original condition. Some dwellings have been given added and have no modern conveniences, not even vids, to show exactly how people lived before the EC ensured it's equal lowest standard of living.

As the whole country is effectively, a theme park, many corporations locate their rest and stress relief centers here. The idyllic and peaceful surroundings provide the perfect environment for staff to rest relax and commune with nature. There are also numerous government run conference centers here and many corporations use these as neutral ground for meeting their opponents in a low risk environment.

As well as indoor facilities, Ireland also offers some of the most spectacular countryside in Europe. The entire country is almost untouched by the world-wide climate changes and offers many chances to get really close to nature. This can be either camping, hiking, pony-trekking, or by taking on the role of a worker of some kind and actually living the life of the last century just like your grandparents would have done.

Dublin
The only major conurbation is Dublin, the capital, which lies on the east coast on the River Liffey.

It is the center for all trade and commerce within Ireland. Most large corporations have at least a small office here as Dublin is one of the prime entry points into Europe. It boasts the only international airport and the main commercial seaport in Ireland.

Dublin is also one of the few places in Ireland where any form of modern industry is located. It is home to many high technology industrial plants. Other than these modern facilities great care has been taken to keep Dublin as untouched by progress as possible.

To the South of the river are the main official tourist attractions: the castle, the cathedral, and the university. To the North of the river is Phoenix Park with its wonderful animals and plants. Enough of the boring bits, the real tourist attractions are everywhere, the pubs. Ireland's pubs are famous the world over, don't miss them if you ever get the chance to get over here.