User blog:The Devil's Advocate WP/The Historical Geography of Remnant

Volume 2 has introduced the RWBY fandom to an assortment of various geographic details to pour over, and there is some difficulty making sense of things. What follows are my best estimates as to the locations of kingdoms after clearing up certain red herrings as well as some speculation about their location in relation to the development of human civilization in Remnant and other matters.

Misconceptions about maps
The first thing I want to discuss is the "points of light" map we see in the first episode of Volume 1. As there are a total of four points this neatly corresponds to the four kingdoms. It is naturally assumed these points of light are the locations of the four kingdoms and many theories about location and geography stem from this map. However, I am going to argue that this map is actually deceitful and should only be considered to give a general location for a kingdom, perhaps even just for establishing the kingdom as being on the same continent.

A major basis for considering it deceitful is that we already know the location of the city of Vale and thus the kingdom of Vale. It was essentially revealed at the end of Players and Pieces with Roman's map of Vale. Examining the shape of the territory, it closely corresponds to a particular area on the largest continent on the world map. Specifically on the western coast of the eastern half there is an area jutting out into the sea.

Given the forest of Forever Fall is noted as being alongside the city of Vale, another world map makes this clearer. It is a physical map of Remnant, highlighting the various natural and artificial features of the planet and landmasses. This shows a distinctive red band on the large st continent along the western coast of the eastern half. Given the map of Vale, we can safely presume this is the one location we can plainly confirm with little reservation and it does not closely correspond to the point of light on the previous world map.

It is important to refer back to this map at later points to better narrow down the locations of specific sites and kingdoms. The location of Vale on the world map is, at this point, a settled matter that we had determined back in Volume 1, but it is also important to address another source of confusion that was introduced in Volume 2. In Welcome to Beacon we were introduced to a delightful Risk-style board game that was simply called Remnant: The Game and revealed many important details about the world of Remnant. However, just like the "points of light", the board game is deceptive.

Aside from Weiss and Blake being explicitly identified as playing Vacuo and Vale respectively, Ruby is strongly implied to be playing as Atlas given the name of the air fleet card she plays corresponding to the name of the robots and battlesuits mentioned in A Minor Hiccup by Ironwood's presentation. Yang's "they were most likely androids" quip upon dealing a hefty blow to Ruby's forces is further confirmation of this connection. People have used the position of the game pieces on the board and the identification of each player's kingdoms as a way to determine the location of territories, but this is clearly established as misguided in one simple incident.

When Yang wipes out the forces Weiss was using she removes pieces resembling the Giant Armor, which were all positioned on the eastern half of the largest continent. As a Giant Armor appears in the White Trailer and pieces resembling it are the ones removed by Yang, we can presume these pieces belonged to Weiss. However, they were located in the territory corresponding to Vale and no other team member had pieces in the same location, not even Blake who was playing as Vale. Yet another hint that the positions of the pieces is irrelevant is the fact that the Vacuo-based cards Weiss had in her possession all referenced the desert, and the eastern half of the continent has no deserts visible. Suffice to say, the locations of pieces on the board game have no connection with the location of the kingdoms. This is not unexpected if it is true to Risk where one can have pieces on any part of the board and lose territory on any part of the board.

Examining geographical features
Now to get on to how one should read the physical map beyond the obvious. For the sake of convenience I will just put it here so no one has to scroll up repeatedly. The obvious features should be apparent to everyone. White areas are snowy regions with an expansive tundra on the northern continent making that especially clear. Sandy-colored regions are deserts where there is an arid climate. Mountains and forests are similarly easy to identify for anyone with basic knowledge of geographic features on maps. As noted before, there is a unique red band around the area of Vale, which we can identify as the forest of Forever Fall.

Of greater interest are some of the more bizarre features on the map. Two continents, in particular, have an abundance of peculiar features. Each of these continents bears a resemblance to a dragon are thus commonly identified as the Western Dragon and Eastern Dragon in lieu of a canonical name. One could alternatively denote them as the Black Dragon and White Dragon given their distinctive coloration. I will favor the latter naming convention here. We can also reasonably conclude that Vytal is the largest continent given that it is the location of Vale and the mostly arid continent in the southeast is identified as the site of Menagerie by Professor Oobleck in Jaunedice, Pt. 2. I have a reasonable suspicion on the name of the snowy northern continent, but will leave that for later.

Returning to the Black Dragon and White Dragon continents, the most interesting feature is the large swath of darkness that gives the former continent its distinctive coloration. Yet, there is interestingly a band of lighter coloration on the southern shores of the continent. The significance of this is somewhat important to understand the state of human civilization on Remnant in the period of time when the series takes place. I am presuming the physical map is the situation in Ruby's time and the "points of light" map represents a historical period. The "points of light" are somewhat important on this matter as their location roughly correlates with the lighter areas of the map, with the White Dragon continent a notable exception for reasons I will speculate upon later.

The most obvious thing to note about the points of light is that Menagerie and the Black Dragon continents are the only ones that do not have a point of light on them. As Menagerie was essentially an exile colony for the Faunus the reasons for the absence of a point of light there are clear and it is obviously populated by them at least. Yet, there is no indication of a human population existing on the Black Dragon continent. One may also note that at the point furthest from the southern shores the territory is darkest and it progressively lightens the further south one goes.

The reason for this is hinted at in The First Step, Pt.2, when Weiss is surrounded by Beowolves in Ruby's absence. At the point the forest around her gets noticeably darker. One could chalk that up to a dramatic effect, but it would also line up nicely with the fact that the lighted areas are known population centers. This can also be inferred from Pyrrha's words in The Emerald Forest that "they are the darkness and we are the light." In other words, Pyrrha was not just speaking of a metaphorical "dark" and "light", but something a lot more literal. We can thus argue that the darker a region of the map, the higher the concentration of Grimm. As the Grimm can be located even in the lighter regions this does not suggest any area is "Grimm-free", but merely that some areas will be teeming with Grimm and others will have sparse populations.

An further inference can be made as to why the points of light may not correspond with specific population centers or kingdoms. If the "points of light" map is a historical map it may specifically identify the last strongholds of humanity. Each fits an area with natural features that would serve as a suitable "last stand" for a civilization on the brink of eradication by a predominantly land-based army. One is on the mostly snowy northern continent, another is on the western half of Vytal at the edge of a desert, the one near Vale is in the shadow of a massive mountain range, and the last is situated on a narrow strip of land on the White Dragon continent just below a large snowy region. The discovery of Dust allows humanity to fight back from these natural fortifications and literally "cut through the darkness" by exterminating Grimm populations to the point that large regions become habitable for humans.

One other feature on the maps that can be difficult to discern precisely are some of the gray areas. Given that one of the gray areas is around Vale, this likely indicates such areas represent large settlements like cities. Separating these areas from similarly-colored natural features can be difficult at times, but the more pronounced the color the safer it is to assume it is the location of a population center. Now that one has a basic grasp of the various features of physical map, we can proceed to focusing on more specific locations.

Vale
While Vale's location is well-established, what is not as clear is the expanse and nature of the kingdom. Again, one has to refer to the physical map to get an idea, though I have isolated the region to that around Vale to focus on that area. What is most important about this region is the sheer size of the lighter area. On the western half of Vytal most of the lighter area is taken up by the desert, the same for Menagerie, and a tundra takes up most of the lighter region on the northern continent. Although the White Dragon continent has many lighter regions, they are spread out and separated by darker areas. Vale is unique in having such a large contiguous region that is potentially habitable due to sparse populations of the Grimm.

It suggests the reason for Vale's prominence within the world is due to this unique aspect of the area. The Vytal Festival is essentially a global event and takes part in the city of Vale. Already we know students such as Weiss Schnee travel from other continents to get to Beacon Academy. Emerald speaks of the city as having a "diverse culture", suggesting it is a true world city with people from all corners of Remnant. While there may be other cities with a similar claim, many other hints are made that Vale is significant as a city and a kingdom. Vale's central location relative to the other kingdoms and the fact it has the largest contiguous habitable zone means it is likely the most populous kingdom on Remnant.

Something pointing to this is that one can discern a splotch of gray on the northeastern shores of the region, just north of a major river delta with several large lakes and bays in the area. In contrast to the grayer and likely more populous western peninsula where the city of Vale is located, the eastern side of Vale's region is mostly green, yet still vibrant. It is likely this eastern half of the region is a major agrarian region where all manner of agricultural products originate. Essentially, the eastern half of Vale's region is likely the breadbasket of Remnant.

This role may even be suggested by the names Vale and Vytal. Although the term vale often refers to a valley, it can also mean "mortal or earthly life" and Vytal appears to be based on the term "vital", which is most commonly used when referring to something of essential importance or something that is living. This recurrence of "life" as a theme and especially the use of "vital" suggests the region around Vale serves a key role in sustaining the other kingdoms with foodstuffs and also that it is itself abundant with life due to having a large connected area with minimal Grimm presence. The eastern region is likely also the first major area captured by the human population in the region after the counter-offensive against the Grimm began. As the point of light in the historical map appears on the eastern end of the mountain, the river delta would have been easier to reach than the western peninsula where Vale is located.

Reclaiming such a region would have been critical to sustaining the war effort against the Grimm by supplying a continuous supply of food to the large armies attacking the positions of the Grimm. Vale likely arose due to its central location between two other kingdoms and potential use as a staging point for attacks on the Black Dragon continent. This may explain the central importance of Beacon and Ozpin in the affairs of Remnant.

Vacuo
First mentioned by Weiss in The Stray, the location of this particular kingdom has not been confirmed as much, but many strong hints exist as to its location. Probably the biggest hint comes from Welcome to Beacon as Team RWBY play Remnant: The Game. Although the location of the pieces Weiss was using is meaningless, Yang's description of the Vacuo-based cards is near definitive. Like I noted above, the cards Weiss had were nearly all relevant to the desert with names such as a "Sandstorm" and "Desert Scavenge" being the most obvious references. As there is a point of light on the historical map situated right on the edge of a desert that is on the western half of Vytal, that is almost certainly the location of Vacuo.

Even the name puts the region's most likely location on that western half. The term vacuo means "empty" or "isolated" and this is not only fitting for a region that is mostly desert, but also has unique significance to the region on the western half of Vytal. If one looks at the southern end of the desert there is a mountain with green areas between that mountain and the lighter regions near Vale being fairly dark. Although not as dark as the areas of the Black Dragon continent, the recurrence of Grimm in light regions suggests anything particularly dark is going to have massive numbers of the monsters walking about. Even if one were to traverse the desert and the mountains, crossing that lengthy forest would be foolhardy. Along the western end it appears there is some significant Grimm presence as well. To the north is the Black Dragon continent, which would presumably have massive armies of Grimm. Making your way to any of the lighter regions near other three kingdoms requires traveling long distance by sea or by air.

Due to its location geographically relative to the other kingdoms and lighter regions, it is safe to that Vacuo is the most isolated of the four kingdoms. Although the point of light on the historical map is at the edge of the desert, one can assume the population has expanded to the greener parts of the region in the time since. From examining the lighter regions, it seems Vacuo's population have not moved too far outside the desert though with large population centers on the edges of the desert and numerous smaller settlements deeper in the desert.

Several of the Vacuo-based cards suggest Vacuo's primarily desert-centered culture has led to significant levels of banditry and criminality in the region. Smaller settlements deep in the desert would be ideal hideaways for criminals and fugitives. It is likely this relative isolation from the world and spread of small, obscure settlements is what prompted Tukson to pick that region as his destination when abandoning the White Fang. A Wild West-style law and order situation may be dominant in large swaths of Vacuo's territory given its desert culture's limited contact with the outside world.

The fact the lightest area of the Black Dragon is on the opposite shore of this region, means it is likely Vacuo's people are more commonly found in settlements on that continent than people from the other kingdoms, except possibly Vale. Another likely motivation for securing the shore was to gain control over both sides of a potentially crucial warm-water sea route for trade and military vessels. Moving from Vale to Menagerie or to the southern areas of the White Dragon would otherwise require a long, roundabout journey to get around the various landmasses between Vale and these other habitable zones. By securing a route between the Vacuo region and the Black Dragon, ships from the city of Vale and other population centers on the peninsula can cut their travel time in half.

The route likely has some connection to the Mistral region where Pyrrha resided prior to attending Beacon. While Yang was not playing as Vacuo, her pieces were occupying that territory and her reference to the "Mistal Trade Route" could mean she controlled that area as that would line up with her pieces being on the shores of Vacuo's region and the Black Dragon continent. Whether the Mistral Trade Route is so named because it is in the Mistral region or because it is a trade route to the Mistral region is unclear. Determining this could help determine which kingdom is the home of Sanctum academy. Clues to the academy being located in Vacuo are partly due to clues for Haven being an academy from the same region. Just as Beacon and Signal are based in the same area and have names similar in meaning, Sanctum and Haven both are taken to mean a location that is "safe from intrusion" and this would go nicely with Vacuo's theme of isolation. As Neptune identifies as being from Haven, it could mean all of Sun's team are from there. If one presumes Sun was stowing away on the ship from Vacuo that Weiss was talking about in The Stray, then it stands to reason that the rest of his team would be from the same region.

Atlas
Undoubtedly the kingdom that has been most talked about in Volume 2 has been Atlas. This is due partly to the arrival of General James Ironwood from the kingdom and the revelation that Weiss and the Schnee family are from the kingdom as well. One major hint as to its location comes from Ozpin when Ironwood arrives in his office. He politely asks what "brought him all the way down" from Atlas. Such a phrase is commonly used when referring to someone arriving from a place to the north of your location on a map. This is because traditionally south is down and north is up on a map. Given Vale's location, the only likely location for Atlas under this presumption is the northern snowy continent.

Further cluing us in on that continent being the location of the kingdom is its connection to the Schnee Dust Company and the apparent naming convention for members of the Schnee family evidenced with Weiss' sister being named "Winter" Schnee. As most fans know, Schnee is a German term for snow and alludes to Weiss being inspired by the fairy tale character Snow White. It would seem fitting for a family associated with cold and snow to be situated on the northernmost continent of Remnant and Ozpin's implication that the kingdom is to the north of Vale would apparently confirm this connection.

Other details about Atlas also line up best with this kingdom being located on the northernmost continent. Looking at the northern continent one may notice that only a small part of it is green. If one looks even closer they may notice what initially appears like a mere extension of the tundra to the east of the largest patch of green is actually somewhat darker in color and distinct from other snowy regions. Close comparison to other population centers indicates this large section of light gray is actually a massive urban metropolis. Atlas being the most technologically advanced kingdom meshes well with it also being one giant urban center.

Reasons for the emergence of this large cityscape are tied to its climate. Although the continent has no real dark regions it is unlikely this is due to any active effort to eliminate Grimm from most of the landmass. Seems more that Grimm, like most creatures, do not thrive in tundras and deserts, hence why these served as natural barriers for humanity when it was nearly in its last throes. For the kingdom on the northern continent, this effectively meant they faced no meaningful threat from the Grimm unlike other human populations. Yet the limited availability of green arable land meant they had a very small area to populate. It is possible the kingdom is nearly as populated as the territories on the eastern half of Vytal, if not more populated, but this population is concentrated in the small area of the continent that can sustain large populations.

This lack of greenspace means Atlas would be highly dependent on agricultural products from the kingdoms to its south and possibly other resources. One potential exception would be the supply of Dust. It serving as the location of the Schnee Dust Company headquarters suggests the continent has a massive natural Dust supply and this is further suggested by Sun's mention of a large freighter full of Dust arriving from the kingdom. Being located near a large supply of such a critical resource may also be part of the reason for the intensive technological advancement of the kingdom.

Its dependency on other parts of the world for sustaining its population likely explains its aggressive and prominent activities in the rest of Remnant. During the counter-offensive against the Grimm the kingdom was likely the most important driver of military activity with its ability to maintain a constant supply of Dust and related technology. While the breadbasket of Vytal was necessary to keep the soldiers fed, it is probably only due to Atlas that victory against the Grimm was ever possible. As much is suggested by the kingdom's name and its associated continent, which Ruby identifies as Mantle. Atlas was a Titan in Greek mythology who was cursed to uphold the heavens and is most often depicted holding up the Earth. Mantle similarly refers to a "burden" or "duty" held by a person.

One could take from these allusions that the kingdom is implied to have the weight of the world on its shoulders and is the lynchpin for human civilization on Remnant. Such a role is further emphasized by their pioneering the system of Cross Continental Transmit towers to keep the various kingdoms in constant communication. Not only does this ease the lives of the population, but allows for rapid reaction in emergency situations. Having taken such a decisive role in saving, protecting, and enriching, the world of Remnant likely leaves the kingdom feeling an overpowering obligation that is only made that much more empowering by its desperate need of the natural resources possessed by the other kingdoms. Thus, Ironwood's excessive displays of force could intimate his own kingdom's cultural attitude that it is the only power in the world capable of protecting humanity in times of crisis. Naturally, that kind of stance often seems threatening to the ones being "protected" by said power.

Atlas being prominently associated with robots and other technology also fits well with their status as a densely populated region with few natural resources. Even if they have a massive population within the city, the amount of manpower available is simply not sufficient to run the complex technology of the city, carry out business operations around the world, and act as a protector to the other kingdoms. It is also likely that Atlas is the wealthiest kingdom in Remnant and has fewer people willing to carry out menial tasks or serve as soldiers in combat. Building a mechanized army and robotic assistants fills in a gap with labor its human population is unwilling to fill. This would also be the motivation for the SDC's implied abuse of the Faunus for labor. Essentially, Atlas is a military superpower that heavily exploits the more impoverished populations in other parts of the world so that it can maintain a steady supply of the natural resources needed to satisfy its wealthy citizenry who, due to simple geography, have been protected from the greater horrors of war.

Some speculate this kingdom is where Sanctum and Haven are located, though the reasons are unclear to me. Its position of safety relative to the rest of Remnant and the limited habitable zone do lend it to a Sanctum or Haven feel. That said, there are no other clues pointing in this direction as far as I know and it would still create a question about the boat where Sun stowed away. It may not have been from Vacuo, but if it was then it would be odd for him to be arriving from there if his team was from Atlas.

The Fourth Kingdom
It does not seem that we have yet a name for this kingdom, but through process of elimination I will argue it is the kingdom situated on the White Dragon continent. Oddly enough, while it is the region we probably know the least about, its geography is also the most revealing of them all. A wide range of natural features and odd shifts between light and dark paint a much more interesting story than with the other continents.

Getting back to the issue I raised towards the beginning of this post, some may notice that the point of light on this continent is in an area that is nearly black as night on the physical map. All the surrounding environs are also extremely dark and the lighter regions are far to the south or west of the location of the original point of light. Surely this perplexes people, but this is where using geography as an insight into history gets really fun and impressive. If you stuck with me this long than you are about to be handsomely rewarded and if you just skipped to this point then you should be ashamed but also delighted as it is surely impressive.

First thing to take notice of on the map is the presence of a massive inland sea. Whether this is essentially a large freshwater lake or simply a saltwater sea surrounded by land, it is one of several features necessary to understand the nature of this kingdom. On the southern portion of the continent there is a large archipelago with various bays, inlets, and seas. Most of this area is lightened up brightly and this suggests it has a thriving population with minimal Grimm presence. Yet there are also many darkened areas and natural barriers throughout the continent. That being the case, the most likely answer to this quandary is that this fourth kingdom heavily relies on sea and air travel. Its commerce would also be built on shipping and is likely the dominant trading force in the world of Remnant as a result. Comparable to the Phoenicians or the Greeks, this kingdom probably lacks the brute military force of Atlas, but is still highly influential in world affairs due to its extensive trade ties with the other kingdoms.

Understanding this as a sea-faring kingdom helps put the "point of light" issue in its appropriate context. If one looks closely at the narrow strip of land at the eastern shore of the inland sea where the point of light was one may notice something resembling a bay. At the western shore of the inland sea, just south of the snowy hump of the dragon, there is a patch of gray indicating a large population center surrounding another bay. Just as the western bay belongs to a port city, it is likely that point of light was also a port city centered on the eastern bay. Commerce between the two cities across the inland sea would have contributed to thriving trade and the growth of both cities.

So, what happened to this thriving port city that served as one of the last stands of humanity against the threat of extermination by the Grimm? How did it become apparently overrun with Grimm? The answer is in the other coloration in the area. It appears red, which is why some have erroneously suggested it as a possible location for Forever Fall and thus Vale, but it is actually more of a bright reddish-orange. Looking to the southeast, directly south of a long strip of desert, we see similar coloration that is much more pronounced. My own thought upon seeing that region is that it is an area with high volcanic activity. Now, it seems incredible to suggest the thriving port city in the area of the point of light was also a highly active volcanic region, but that is probably because it was not active at the time.

Our history is replete with examples of natural disasters eradicating cities or civilizations. Such a history actually fits in with the sea-faring Greek kingdom comparison earlier. A notable case is the Minoan eruption, which is believed to have prompted the downfall of that Greek island's civilization and its subsequent invasion by another Greek power. Most likely the area was a major trading city with it likely being a prominent point of trade with Vacuo and Vale. Back then there were probably even large areas to the south, north, and east, that had as few Grimm as the western side of the inland sea. Several volcanic eruptions later and the entire area was depopulated of humans. With the loss of this city, the other regions nearby quickly fell to the Grimm. Although many undoubtedly were killed in the disaster, many can be assumed to have been evacuated across the inland sea to the western bay city, causing it to grow even more as it absorbed the growing refugee population.

This continent is the other prime location for the Mistral region. Since we have established the other three kingdoms in Remnant: The Game, the fourth kingdom must be the one played by Yang. In that case, one has to consider the possibility that "Mistral Trade Route" was not a region she controlled, but instead one of the kingdom-based cards she played. Pyrrha's Greek inspiration goes along nicely with the possibility of Mistral being in this fourth kingdom.

Such a prospect does raise the question of Sanctum's location again, but that depends on the exact location of Mistral on the continent. It is likely that human settlements exist all over the continent given the seafaring nature of the kingdom. Were Pyrrha from one of the southern areas, it might have been just as viable for her to study at an academy in Vacuo as one in her own kingdom. Since students travel across the continents to attend Beacon there is no reason the same cannot happen in lower-level education. As to her taking part in the Mistral Regional Tournament, it would not be unreasonable for her to participate in a tournament back home while attending school in another kingdom. While it is possible Sanctum and Haven are in the area of this fourth kingdom it only raises further issues with Sun's stowaway act.

A different tantalizing idea regarding Pyrrha also emerges if one assumes she is from this fourth kingdom. It has been suggested at times that Pyrrha is an orphan. I am personally not big on the concept, but the calamity mentioned above would provide an intriguing backstory. Part of Pyrrha's background could include her being a survivor of this tragedy when she was just a child and being taken in by adoptive parents. Her survival could even play into the description of her as the "invincible girl" if she avoided harm during the tragedy in some miraculous fashion.

Conclusion
I could probably go into far more detail with ideas and thoughts on the nature of these continents and the kingdoms. To sum up each: My estimation is that the kingdoms are essentially the lighter habitable areas of the continents with the exceptions being Menagerie and the light area on the southern portion of the Black Dragon continent, which I will presume is essentially a buffer region that eases trade between kingdoms. I would estimate Vacuo is the least productive and most dependent of the kingdoms, unless there are large Dust deposits in the region. Socioeconomically, I would say Vale is the strongest of the kingdoms. Despite its military strength, Atlas has a variety of brewing social problems and resource constraints. The Fourth kingdom is probably at the most risk of falling to the Grimm on its own given the difficulty in defending its scattered possessions. Most likely they are the most deluded about the continuing peace due to the inevitable costs of war for them.
 * Vale - Cultural and political center, melting pot, largest population, and primary agricultural supplier.
 * Vacuo - Isolated patchwork desert kingdom with considerable lawlessness, ideal for people trying to elude detection
 * Atlas - Wealthy military superpower in the north and self-appointed protector of the world, serious overpopulation, highly dependent on other kingdoms for resources
 * Fourth Kingdom - Trading empire with scattered settlements and large shipping industry, victim of massive natural calamity that caused large areas to be lost to the Grimm

Suffice to say, while they are presumably united in peace, even the slightest hint of instability is liable to drive most of the kingdoms into chaos.