OK I really liked this chapter, no I'm not sucking up to Synner, the poor man had enough bitches from me and my group that I suspect silence would be a relief, but I realyl did like this chapter. I admit my knowledge of Portugaese history is limited, but I did like this chapter.

Politics, corps society and play grounds, corp and other wise. I also like the local corps and thehint of religion in the back ground as a whiff of potential racism if a few things change.

The 4 families reminds me of the old Fuchi in fighting.

Corp play grounds give lots of room and the collage of cultures seems less like Cassablanca than New York in the 1900's or 1970's exciting inovative but maybe, just maybe dangerous, if you're not careful.

The only thing missing was a discription of the land. OK I'm getting way picky, but if someone who lives there, hint hint hint, could fill in? From my wine geek readings it sounds like a land of deep ravines, especially in the north where "port" comes from, which is why it was so defensible against the french in the early 19th century. If this is true, then that would be significant in running. Also are there earthquakes? I know the city was leveled in the 1750's

Otherwise there mercs, casinos, corps and mafioso, let the good times roll !

Thanks, Snow. I do like the way Portugal came out - kudos to Humberto Fonseca and João Nunes for their ideas too - and unlike some of the other countries Portugal is small enough that the stuff I introduce seems to be quite close to the streets.

It is short on description of the country, which was a pity. Although most of it is pretty empty, I had some additional material on Porto and the smaller towns that would have rounded out the country. In RL however, Lisbon is the undisputed center where eveerything happens and where about 25% now congregate.

The thing to remember about the Four is that element's thereof are also beholden or friendly to outside forces (some obvious, some not) which plug Lusiada into the pan-European corporate and political plots.

Regarding the atmosphere which you and others have commented on, the reference to Casablanca 1940's was because few people know about Lisbon during the War. It has a lot to do with the seedy, backroom deals, intelligence hotbed and contraband hub that Casablanca was famous for, but it also had a distinctly European feel because it was neutral and played both sides (selling rare minerals to Germany and renting port space to British fleets amongst other things)... But you are right that's only part of the atmosphere, the rest complements it with very different ambients and styles. Like I said elsewhere if the Prague is a patchwork of cultures, Lisbon is the blender where a lot comes together.

So am I right about it being deep river valleys?

Moderately deep valleys, hilly green land to the north, pretty forested up near Galicia and opening up towards Oporto. Then a rocky range bordering green and fertile farming lands center-north as far as the Tejo/Tagus where it's still rather hilly but alternates with relatively plain areas. Then the Alentejo and South is dry and hot plains similar to southern Spain and other northern mediterranean areas, desperately needing irrigation and suffering from the dry winds from the inner Iberian Peninsula. The Algarve is slightly greener because of a buffer range of small mountains but is suffering increasingly from desertification and if it weren't for the beaches it would probably be a money sink - which is why it gets sold away.

Exceptional red wines to the North, fruity white and sweet green wines to the centre and south.

Cool.